Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Forced into a burqa, separated from kids: Mumbai Urdu editor pays for Charlie Hebdo cartoons
Even as debate continues over the Charlie Hebdo cartoons, a former female editor of a Urdu daily Avadhnama, finds herself in the middle of legal trouble and facing threats to her life after she made a decision to publish some of them in the wake of the attack on the Paris newspaper.According to an IANS report, Shirin Dalvi, the editor of Avadhnama, was arrested by Mumbra Police on Wednesday and produced before a magistrate who granted her bail. "She was arrested on charges pertaining to hurting religious sentiments and related issues by reprinting a controversial cartoon of Prophet Mohammed," an police official said.
In its 17 January issue, the Mumbai edition of the Avadhnama had published the same cartoon which had resulted in the attack on the offices of 'Charlie Hebdo'. A local citizen, identified as Nusrat Ali complained to the Mumbra Police against the Urdu tabloid, contending that it hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community and could create hatred among communities.
Soon after the complaint in Thane and similar complaints in Mumbai by various individuals, the Mumbra police investigated the matter and arrested Dalvi. According to an Indian Express report, she now has six FIRs against her and lives in so much terror that she has been forced to wear a burqa at all times. She never wore the veil before this.
Dalai told the paper, "Facing the community again has become a great concern for me as there is still a lot of unrest. I have avoided showing my face in Muslim-populated pockets. I have not gone back to my house (in Mumbra) since the protest started." She also says that she has been unable to meet her children, since the controversy broke out. Her kids are now staying with relatives.
Dalvi has also received threats on her mobile. “My children have my old phone and they told me that someone has been sending messages through WhatsApp, saying “Maafi nahin milegi (You won’t get forgiveness),” she said.
Avadhnama is published from Lucknow, Faizabad, Aligarh, Azamgarh and Saharanpur, and the Mumbai edition was launched around a year ago. Now the owners have issued a statement saying the parent organisation has nothing to do with the Mumbai edition.
According to the IE report, in a statement on behalf of Taqdees Fatima, owner of the Avadhnama title, Waqar Rizvi said Fatima had no links with the Mumbai edition which was run by a separate entity. Interestingly a day after the Mumbai edition published the photos, all its staff including Dalvi were sacked.
Following the outrage, Dalvi admitted to the "mistake" and tendered an unconditional apology through the columns of her newspaper, but it was not accepted by the community at large.
Dalvi however says she's being singled out because she's a woman editor. She told Indian Express, “When organisations such as Raza Academy and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind were satisfied with my apology, I do not understand why these letterhead organisations are hounding me. Their only agenda is to harass a woman editor.”
She also pointed out that hers was not the only organisation in India to publish the pictures but they were the only ones targeted with FIRs. While some of her colleagues told IE that Dalvi published the photos to get "publicity," she has denied the charge.
The Charlie Hebdo cartoons, which mocked Muhammed have generated controversy ever since the attack on the magazine office that left most of the staff dead. While most in the Muslim world see the cartoons are offensive (given that it is forbidden to represent Muhammad and the Charlie Hebdo relied on crude depictions of the Prophet), others say that the right to free speech includes the right to offend as well.
In India, however as we've seen even with the recent FIR against AIB, the right to feel offended takes precedence over freedom of speech. However in Dalvi's case, she is right to point out that she is being singled out given that hers was not the only publication in India that printed the cartoons.
With inputs from IANS
Ismail Sabri falling for Umno’s own lies, says DAP lawmaker
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's "racist rant" on Facebook reveals that Barisan Nasional (BN) has spread so much untruth that they are falling for their own lies, says a DAP lawmaker.Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua today said the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister's postings – that Chinese businesses were hiking up prices and that restaurant chain OldTown White Coffee was owned by Perak DAP adviser Ngeh Koo Ham – were spread by Umno media and supporters.
He added that they were not new and had been circulating for a year or two.
Pua, who is also DAP national secretary, said the "lies and untruth" had been repeatedly refuted, with Ngeh issuing statements to deny the allegation.
"It is not difficult to verify for example, who are the real owners of OldTown especially since the café chain is now a publicly listed company.
"Empirical evidence will also testify that price hikes occur across the board whenever the cost of production or delivery increases, be they in the grocery shops, pasar tani, coffee shops or mamak outlets. Such increases are natural economic phenomena which cut across all races.
"Measures to tackle price hikes are to be implemented across the board and not by recklessly inciting hatred between races," he said in a statement.
He said Ismail Sabri was suffering from the "big lie" syndrome, referring to a Nazi propaganda coined by Adolf Hitler and later modified by his associate Joseph Goebbels, where one repeats a lie often enough to believe it.
He said this was not the first time such a syndrome had struck an Umno minister. Pua cited his own experience where Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told a press conference that he had been charged in court for a criminal offence in Singapore.
He added that Zahid said to have evidence that he had released himself from the charges by striking a deal with the Singapore government, which included returning to Malaysia to do their bidding.
"Such incredible tall tales came direct from the minister’s mouth after such allegations started surfacing on the World Wide Web.
“I had sued the Minister (and Utusan Malaysia) for defamation and Zahid had to embarrassingly retract his allegations as having utterly no basis in open court and pay costs for the suit in a settlement last August,” said Pua.
In his Facebook post, Ismail said Malay consumers had a role in helping Putrajaya fight profiteers by using their collective power to lower the price of goods.
"The majority of consumers are Malay, Chinese are a minority, if the Malays boycott their businesses, they will surely have no choice but to reduce their prices," he wrote on his Facebook page.
He also singled out the OldTown White Coffee chain owned by OldTown Bhd, saying Ngeh owned shares in the company.
"As long as the Malays don't change, the Chinese will take the opportunity to oppress the Malays," said Ismail.
Ismail later confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that he posted the statements on his Facebook account. – February 4, 2015.
EXPOSED! Pro-Jho Low blogger behind attacks on Dr M, Nazir and Edge owner Tong
The anonymous blogger of malaysianexpose.wordpress.com behind the baseless attacks on Tong Kooi Ong and The Edge Media Group is also behind similar vicious onslaughts on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, while running other blogs which published complimentary articles on businessman Jho Low, investigations showed.
One common thread behind the attacks appears to be the fact that The Edge has been publishing exposes about state investment vehicle 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), while former prime minister Dr Mahathir has been openly critical of it, even saying it was unnecessary and should be shut.
Nazir, who is chairman of CIMB Group, has in private conversations expressed concerns that the massive RM48 billion debts of 1MDB is posing a big risk to the economy and banking system should it fail. In an interview with The Star in December, 2013, Nazir also said he was worried about how 1MDB will be able to develop the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) given the glut in office space.
The blogger did not just attack Dr Mahathir, but also his sons – businessmen Tan Sri Mokhzani and Datuk Mirzan, and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz. The blogger also attacked former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, who voiced reservations about 1MDB.
In the case of Nazir, his wife and children were also the subject of slander.
On the other hand, the Penang born 30-something Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, was involved in the setting up of the Terengganu Investment Authority (the precursor to 1MDB).He is said to still wield considerable influence at 1MDB because of his close relationship with the Abu Dhabi parties which have multi-billion ringgit dealings with the controversial debt-laden company owned by the Ministry of Finance.
Low, often seen at big spending parties with Hollywood celebrities like Paris Hilton and Leonardo Di Caprio, has business dealings with 1MDB, including a failed £1 billion (RM5.6 billion) bid for the UK hotel group Coroin Ltd in 2011. 1MDB had provided a letter of support for Low’s Wynton Group to buy Coroin, which owns several hotels including Claridge's.
Low made the bid together with his friend Sheikh Mansour Zayed of Abu Dhabi, who is also the owner of English Premier League club Manchester City. But they failed as some of Coroin’s shareholders did not think their proposed high debt leverage deal (which is also typical of 1MDB deals) could work.
But Low and Sheikh Mansour, who bought small stakes in Coroin before attempting to buy
everything, are believed to have walked away with a tidy profit after they sold their stakes to the eventual buyer.1MDB has never explained why it provided the letter of support, which surfaced during a court case in London involving squabbling Coroin shareholders, to help Low.
The Edge Media Group in the past year published several exposes about the affairs of 1MDB, including 1MDB’s support for Low to buy Coroin and a RM1.38 billion land purchase in Penang, a week before the 2013 general election, from businessmen close to Low and his father Tan Sri Larry Low Hock Peng.
The Edge reported that 1MDB had overpaid for the parcels of land which have a number of encumbrances and that it will lose a lot of money to build 9,999 affordable homes, because of the high land cost and cost to evict a few thousand homes that have been there since the 1950s.
The anonymous blogger used the public display and user name "ahrily90" and he wrote at the following blogs since mid-2014:
kronismemahathir.wordpress.com
politikukus.wordpress.com
These two blogs have attacked Mahathir since July last year.
"ahrily90" also wrote on two blogs which targeted Nazir:
kamibukanbodohtau.wordpress.com
corruptednazirrazak.wordpress.com
The same blogger also wrote on three blogs which praised 1MDB and Jho Low:
bisnes2malaysia.wordpress.com
todayinbusiness.wordpress.com
worldofcorporate.wordpress.com
Various articles were written which described him as global investor and philanthropist through his Hong Kong firm Jynwel Capital Limited. His philanthropic efforts were said to include US$20 million to save wild cats and US$50 million to a university cancer research centre.
Several articles touched on his many successful deals, including helping Kuwait Finance House to buy the Oval luxury apartment in Kuala Lumpur, which it then sold for a US$20 million profit. He was also reported to have bought the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel and last year made a bid to buy sports brand Reebok for US$2.2 billion.
One article was headlined "Jynwel Capital: Rooted in the Past, Invested in the Future" while another read "Entrepreneur and Philanthropist's Generosity Inspires at Children's Ball".
todayinbusiness.wordpress.com and worldofcorporate.wordpress.com were taken down last week but what "ahrily90" wrote can be seen in the Google cache of these blogs.
"ahrily90" has changed his WordPress public display name and user names for the various blogs last week to "julijulipeh", "Pen Jingga", "saberarturia18", and "rahmanirwan74".
"ahrily90" has also contributed articles at lowtaekjho.wordpress.com. This blog too has been deleted by its authors.
The person behind all these blogs has realised he has been discovered and is now trying to cover his tracks by repeatedly changing his public display and user names.He is also trying to decouple the various blogs.
But anyone who searches for "ahrily90" on Google will be able to find evidence that links them all together and points to him as the person behind the attacks on Dr Mahathir and Nazir since mid-2014, and most recently Tong and The Edge Media Group and The Malaysian Insider.
And it all has to do with criticism of 1MDB.
So who is paying him to do it? – February 3, 2015.
Islamic State shows burning of hostage, Jordan vows 'earth-shaking' response
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi - Reuters
(Reuters) - Islamic State militants released a video on Tuesday appearing to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive in a cage, a killing that shocked the world and prompted Jordan to promise an "earth-shaking" response.
A Jordanian official said the authorities would swiftly execute several militants in retaliation, including an Iraqi woman whom Amman had sought to swap for the pilot taken captive after his plane crashed in Syria in December.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the content of the video, which showed a man resembling airman Mouath al-Kasaesbeh standing in a small black cage before being set ablaze.
The furious reaction of the Jordanian authorities made clear they treated it as genuine.
Jordan, which has been mounting air raids in Syria as part of the U.S.-led alliance against Islamic State insurgents, would deliver a "strong, earth-shaking and decisive" response, a government spokesman said.
"The revenge will be as big as the calamity that has hit Jordan," army spokesman Colonel Mamdouh al Ameri said in a televised statement confirming the death of the pilot, who was seized by Islamic State in December.
The fate of Kasaesbeh, a member of a large tribe that forms the backbone of support for the country's Hashemite monarchy, has gripped Jordan for weeks and some Jordanians have criticised King Abdullah for embroiling them in the U.S.-led war that they say will provoke a backlash by militants.
The king cut short a visit to the United States to return home following word of Kasaesbeh's death. In a televised statement, he said the pilot's killing was an act of "cowardly terror" by a deviant group that had no relation to Islam.
Jordan had sought to swap the pilot for Sajida al-Rishawi, the Iraqi woman militant who was sentenced to death for her role in a 2005 suicide bombing in Amman that killed 60 people.
Islamic State had demanded her release in exchange for the life of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto. However, Goto, a veteran war reporter, was later beheaded by the group, with images of his death released in a video on Saturday.
The Jordanian security source said Rishawi would be executed "within hours".
The Jordanian military might also escalate attacks on Islamic State, said retired air force General Mamoun Abu Nowar. "We might even see in a couple of days the rate of sorties increased dramatically. We might have some special operations against their leadership too," he said.
In the Islamic State video, Kasaesbeh is interviewed, describing the mission he was due to carry out before his jet crashed. The video also showed footage of the aftermath of air strikes, with people trying to remove civilians from debris.
A man resembling Kasaesbeh is shown inside the cage with his clothes dampened, apparently with flammable liquid, and one of the masked fighters holds a torch, setting alight a line of fuel which leads into the cage.
The man is set ablaze and kneels to the ground.
Fighters then pour debris, including broken masonry, over the cage which a bulldozer subsequently flattens, with the body still inside. The video shows a desert setting similar to previous videos of killings.
DEMAND FOR REVENGE
In the pilot's hometown of Karak in southern Jordan, people demanded revenge.
"I want to see Sajida's body burnt and all the other terrorists in Jordanian prisons ... Only then will my thirst for revenge be satisfied," said Abdullah al-Majali, a government employee among dozens of demonstrators in the centre of Karak.
Relatives of the pilot also gathered in Karak and urged calm after anti-government protests broke out in the town. They said it was up to the government to take revenge for them.
Jordanian state television said on Tuesday that Kasaesbeh had been killed a month ago, on Jan. 3, and a source close to the Jordanian government said Amman had been picking up intelligence for weeks that the pilot was killed some time ago.
Given that Jordan’s own intelligence indicated the pilot was dead, the government decided it could not possibly release the woman absent convincing proof the pilot was still alive, the source said, and such proof never arrived.
The White House said the intelligence community was studying when the video was recorded and that U.S. President Barack Obama had ordered his team to devote all resources to locate other hostages held by Islamic State.
Obama rearranged his schedule on Tuesday to make sure he saw King Abdullah before the Jordanian leader flew back to Amman, a source familiar with the situation said.
A staunch U.S. ally, Jordan is part of the alliance against the Islamic State group that has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. King Abdullah has defended the campaign against domestic criticism, saying that moderate Muslims need to combat a group whose ideology and brutality have insulted Islam.
The United States announced on Tuesday that it will increase annual aid to Jordan to $1 billion from $660 million to help it pay for the cost of housing refugees from Iraq and Syria and to fight Islamic State.
Obama praised Kasaesbeh for his bravery and said he was "in the vanguard of the effort to degrade and defeat the threat" posed by militants from Islamic State, also known as ISIL.
"Today, the coalition fights for everyone who has suffered from ISIL's inhumanity," Obama said in a statement, adding that the group's "hateful ideology" would be banished to "the recesses of history."
Leaders around the world voiced outrage at the brutal killing. "It is incomprehensible how human beings are capable of such a cruel act," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In the video, the burned man wore orange clothes similar to those worn by other foreign Islamic State captives who have been killed since the U.S.-led coalition started bombing the militants in July.
Islamic State has previously released videos showing the beheadings of five U.S. and British hostages and said that it killed two Japanese captives in the same way. It has meted out the same treatment to many more Arab prisoners, including Syrian government soldiers.
The militants have stepped up the gruesome killings while coming under increased military pressure from the air strikes and a ground campaign by Kurdish and Iraqi troops to reverse their territorial gains in Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State emerged out of al Qaeda in Iraq. It expanded into Syria as the country was plunged into a civil war estimated to have killed 200,000 people since 2011.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Tuesday that 51 civilians, including children, had been killed by Syrian air force strikes inside the country within the past day.
The U.S.-led coalition says it does not coordinate with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, described by Washington as part of the problem. It does work with the Iraqi government, which is also fighting Islamic State.
(Reuters) - Islamic State militants released a video on Tuesday appearing to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive in a cage, a killing that shocked the world and prompted Jordan to promise an "earth-shaking" response.
A Jordanian official said the authorities would swiftly execute several militants in retaliation, including an Iraqi woman whom Amman had sought to swap for the pilot taken captive after his plane crashed in Syria in December.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the content of the video, which showed a man resembling airman Mouath al-Kasaesbeh standing in a small black cage before being set ablaze.
The furious reaction of the Jordanian authorities made clear they treated it as genuine.
Jordan, which has been mounting air raids in Syria as part of the U.S.-led alliance against Islamic State insurgents, would deliver a "strong, earth-shaking and decisive" response, a government spokesman said.
"The revenge will be as big as the calamity that has hit Jordan," army spokesman Colonel Mamdouh al Ameri said in a televised statement confirming the death of the pilot, who was seized by Islamic State in December.
The fate of Kasaesbeh, a member of a large tribe that forms the backbone of support for the country's Hashemite monarchy, has gripped Jordan for weeks and some Jordanians have criticised King Abdullah for embroiling them in the U.S.-led war that they say will provoke a backlash by militants.
The king cut short a visit to the United States to return home following word of Kasaesbeh's death. In a televised statement, he said the pilot's killing was an act of "cowardly terror" by a deviant group that had no relation to Islam.
Jordan had sought to swap the pilot for Sajida al-Rishawi, the Iraqi woman militant who was sentenced to death for her role in a 2005 suicide bombing in Amman that killed 60 people.
Islamic State had demanded her release in exchange for the life of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto. However, Goto, a veteran war reporter, was later beheaded by the group, with images of his death released in a video on Saturday.
The Jordanian security source said Rishawi would be executed "within hours".
The Jordanian military might also escalate attacks on Islamic State, said retired air force General Mamoun Abu Nowar. "We might even see in a couple of days the rate of sorties increased dramatically. We might have some special operations against their leadership too," he said.
In the Islamic State video, Kasaesbeh is interviewed, describing the mission he was due to carry out before his jet crashed. The video also showed footage of the aftermath of air strikes, with people trying to remove civilians from debris.
A man resembling Kasaesbeh is shown inside the cage with his clothes dampened, apparently with flammable liquid, and one of the masked fighters holds a torch, setting alight a line of fuel which leads into the cage.
The man is set ablaze and kneels to the ground.
Fighters then pour debris, including broken masonry, over the cage which a bulldozer subsequently flattens, with the body still inside. The video shows a desert setting similar to previous videos of killings.
DEMAND FOR REVENGE
In the pilot's hometown of Karak in southern Jordan, people demanded revenge.
"I want to see Sajida's body burnt and all the other terrorists in Jordanian prisons ... Only then will my thirst for revenge be satisfied," said Abdullah al-Majali, a government employee among dozens of demonstrators in the centre of Karak.
Relatives of the pilot also gathered in Karak and urged calm after anti-government protests broke out in the town. They said it was up to the government to take revenge for them.
Jordanian state television said on Tuesday that Kasaesbeh had been killed a month ago, on Jan. 3, and a source close to the Jordanian government said Amman had been picking up intelligence for weeks that the pilot was killed some time ago.
Given that Jordan’s own intelligence indicated the pilot was dead, the government decided it could not possibly release the woman absent convincing proof the pilot was still alive, the source said, and such proof never arrived.
The White House said the intelligence community was studying when the video was recorded and that U.S. President Barack Obama had ordered his team to devote all resources to locate other hostages held by Islamic State.
Obama rearranged his schedule on Tuesday to make sure he saw King Abdullah before the Jordanian leader flew back to Amman, a source familiar with the situation said.
A staunch U.S. ally, Jordan is part of the alliance against the Islamic State group that has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. King Abdullah has defended the campaign against domestic criticism, saying that moderate Muslims need to combat a group whose ideology and brutality have insulted Islam.
The United States announced on Tuesday that it will increase annual aid to Jordan to $1 billion from $660 million to help it pay for the cost of housing refugees from Iraq and Syria and to fight Islamic State.
Obama praised Kasaesbeh for his bravery and said he was "in the vanguard of the effort to degrade and defeat the threat" posed by militants from Islamic State, also known as ISIL.
"Today, the coalition fights for everyone who has suffered from ISIL's inhumanity," Obama said in a statement, adding that the group's "hateful ideology" would be banished to "the recesses of history."
Leaders around the world voiced outrage at the brutal killing. "It is incomprehensible how human beings are capable of such a cruel act," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In the video, the burned man wore orange clothes similar to those worn by other foreign Islamic State captives who have been killed since the U.S.-led coalition started bombing the militants in July.
Islamic State has previously released videos showing the beheadings of five U.S. and British hostages and said that it killed two Japanese captives in the same way. It has meted out the same treatment to many more Arab prisoners, including Syrian government soldiers.
The militants have stepped up the gruesome killings while coming under increased military pressure from the air strikes and a ground campaign by Kurdish and Iraqi troops to reverse their territorial gains in Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State emerged out of al Qaeda in Iraq. It expanded into Syria as the country was plunged into a civil war estimated to have killed 200,000 people since 2011.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Tuesday that 51 civilians, including children, had been killed by Syrian air force strikes inside the country within the past day.
The U.S.-led coalition says it does not coordinate with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, described by Washington as part of the problem. It does work with the Iraqi government, which is also fighting Islamic State.
'IGP can’t stop queries, he must give answers'
Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said IGP Khalid Abu
Bakar has no business warning or threatening with contempt those wanting
answers on the motive for Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder.
“Many have questioned. The public have questioned. Journalists have questioned. Lawyers have questioned. (DAP parliamentary leader) Lim Kit Siang has questioned. And I have questioned. Is he warning all of us?” he asked.
“For if he is, let me tell him, don't play the fool with me. Don't warn or threaten us. This is to my mind, a matter of public interest. People have a right to question. Khalid must learn to respect that,” Gobind asserted.
“Khalid can rest assured, I will continue to question. And he as IGP, must answer,” emphasised Gobind (right). He added that as a federal lawmaker, this is his duty.
Yesterday, it was reported that the IGP warned the public from continuing to raise the issue of motive over Altantuya's murder as they could be held in contempt of court.
Khalid's comments follows political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda giving an interview to The Malaysian Insider last week where he said this was just an ordinary murder case involving rogue cops and that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had nothing to do with it.
This led Khalid to respond on the “rogue cops” remark and this in turn led to several politicians including Lim, to question the motive once again.
Gobind today further challenged Khalid to repeat whether police did probe for the motive into the killing of the Mongolian.
“If not, why not? If yes, do the police know who directed her killing and why?” he asked.
“If the IGP cannot take the pressure of questions any longer, and if he thinks he can get me for asking, for carrying out my duties as MP, l dare him to come. I will take him on,” the Puchong MP challenged further.
“Many have questioned. The public have questioned. Journalists have questioned. Lawyers have questioned. (DAP parliamentary leader) Lim Kit Siang has questioned. And I have questioned. Is he warning all of us?” he asked.
“For if he is, let me tell him, don't play the fool with me. Don't warn or threaten us. This is to my mind, a matter of public interest. People have a right to question. Khalid must learn to respect that,” Gobind asserted.
“Khalid can rest assured, I will continue to question. And he as IGP, must answer,” emphasised Gobind (right). He added that as a federal lawmaker, this is his duty.Yesterday, it was reported that the IGP warned the public from continuing to raise the issue of motive over Altantuya's murder as they could be held in contempt of court.
Khalid's comments follows political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda giving an interview to The Malaysian Insider last week where he said this was just an ordinary murder case involving rogue cops and that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had nothing to do with it.
This led Khalid to respond on the “rogue cops” remark and this in turn led to several politicians including Lim, to question the motive once again.
Gobind today further challenged Khalid to repeat whether police did probe for the motive into the killing of the Mongolian.
“If not, why not? If yes, do the police know who directed her killing and why?” he asked.
“If the IGP cannot take the pressure of questions any longer, and if he thinks he can get me for asking, for carrying out my duties as MP, l dare him to come. I will take him on,” the Puchong MP challenged further.
Who ordered the ‘hit’ on Altantuya?
"The truth to this murder is simply extremely too boring," Razak said. "It was a straightforward murder, but there are still people convinced that (the) police cannot do this without instructions. How many people die in (police) remand?"
Many people in Malaysia are asking what motive Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar had for murdering Altantuya. Why would two elite policemen, personal bodyguards to then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, leave their official duty stations and go off to kill a woman that they had never met, using police-issued weapons that could be traced back to them?
According
to Razak, no one ordered them. They just did it. Razak compared it to
death in remand, even though Altantuya was not under police arrest.Are we supposed to believe that members of the Royal Malaysian Police, and especially members of the elite unit that protects the prime minister and other high-ranking officials, are cut-throat murderers, out-of-control cops who take it upon themselves to kill people?
Why would they kill an allegedly pregnant woman who was not robbing a bank, who was not a terrorist, and who was posing no danger to them? Are harassment and blackmail of the DPM's friends punishable by summary execution?
What Sirul said
Let's look at what Sirul had to say over eight years ago. When he confessed to the murder on Nov 19, 2006, he said that Azilah told him there would be a reward of between RM50,000 and RM100,000 "if the case was settled."
Settling the case, according to Azilah's instructions, meant to "shoot to kill" Altantuya and her two companions in the Malaya Hotel.
Sirul did not say where the reward money was coming from. But if money is involved, it seems clear that this heinous crime is not about rogue cops.
In his court testimony, Sirul said Azilah told him that "there was work to be done." He testified that Musa Safri, Najib's chief of staff, had told Azilah about "a friend who had women problems."In short, Sirul's account of the events goes like this. Musa told Azilah that "a friend" had a problem. Azilah then told Sirul that "there was work to be done," and that the "work" was to "shoot to kill" Altantuya and her two companions. When the "case was settled," there would be a reward of between RM50,000 and 100,000.
After he was found guilty in 2009, Sirul asked the court not to sentence him to death. In tears, he said that he was being sacrificed to protect unnamed people who were never brought to court or even faced questioning.
"I appeal to the court … not to sentence me (to death) so as to fulfill others' plans for me."
What did Azilah think?
Azilah's lawyer at the time, Zulkifli Noordin, said that Azilah "felt that he had been betrayed," and that as a member of the elite UTK security unit, "Azilah would not issue an order to his subordinate if he didn't receive orders from the higher-ups."
Zulkifli, who was then in the opposition, abruptly quit
as defence attorney because he said there were attempts to interfere
with the defence he had proposed. The reason for the interference and
pressure, he said, was "to protect a third party."Zulkifli also was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article. "My client is a senior-ranking officer in the special unit of the police, and he has always acted on instructions - including in this case."
Razak's ‘selective memory’
Razak himself gave ammunition to what he calls the conspiracy theorists with his own statement to the police in 2006. He said that after he explained his predicament to Musa in October 2006, Musa then sent Azilah to see him, two days later.
In his affidavit, Razak said that Azilah said that he had "personally killed between six and 10 people," and that he could easily "finish off the girl."
(I always found it curious that the police never investigated and asked Azilah who the other six to 10 people were that he killed.)
Razak said that he was "shocked"
at Azilah's statements about murdering other people and his readiness
to "finish off" Altantuya. He says he replied that he merely needed
police protection.Yet notwithstanding Razak's admonition, Azilah and Sirul killed Altantuya the next day. Azilah then called Razak and said, "Tonight, sir, you can sleep well."
It is hard to believe that a woman lost her life simply because she was harassing a man, a private citizen, and that members of an elite police unit would take it upon themselves to kill her for that - on their own volition.
If all that Razak wanted was police protection, then why didn't Musa send an ordinary policeman, instead of taking two bodyguards away from the DPM's personal protective detail?
Or - why didn't he send an immigration officer to arrest and deport Altantuya?
And if Razak had expressed concern about killing Altantuya and said that all he wanted was police protection, why did Azilah ignore Razak's concerns and return the next day with Sirul, spirit Altantuya away, and then kill her and destroy her body?
Did she know too much?
But Altantuya was no ordinary woman, and her lover was no ordinary man. He was the agent for the purchase of the Scorpene submarines, a deal that is still under investigation by the French government for illegal payments. And she was with him throughout that time.
Part
of the Scorpene money, €36 million (RM148 million) went to a phantom
shell company in Hong Kong controlled by Razak. Altantuya traveled with
her lover Razak to Paris as the negotiations were conducted. Razak's
friend was the defence minister then, and he was responsible for the
purchase - and the purchase price - of the subs. The murderers were the
defence minister's personal bodyguards.So, I'm sorry, Razak. This whole situation is neither boring nor straightforward. We would like to ask you:
-
How much did Altantuya know?
-
What did she learn about the Scorpene deal from her times together with you?
-
You said in your Malaysian Insider interview that your
problem with Altantuya was purely a very private matter between the two
of you and had nothing to do with the Scorpenes. But as the saying goes,
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
Knowing Altantuya's state of mind, do you think she was prepared to tell what she knew about the Scorpene deal if she didn't get what she wanted from you? After all, she was blackmailing you.
Najib's aide Musa was never called to testify, but there are a number of questions that we would like to ask him, too:
-
Razak told you about his problems with Altantuya on Oct 16, but it was two days later before you sent Azilah to see him. Did you talk to anyone about Razak's problem during those two days? Who? What did you discuss?
-
Was anyone concerned that Altantuya, who seemed to be desperate, in a
rage, and out of control at that time, might reveal what she knew about
the Scorpene deal?
-
Why did you pick Azilah, who boasted of killing 6 to 10 people, to
handle the problem? Why didn't you send an ordinary street police man,
if all Razak wanted was police protection? Or why didn't you send an
immigration officer to pick her up and deport her back to Mongolia?
-
Why do you think that "killing the woman" was the solution that Azilah immediately proposed to Razak?
-
Precisely what instructions did you give to Azilah?
- Why do you believe that Azilah and Sirul, two people under your direct command, committed this murder?
Given all this background, is it surprising that people still believe that the whole truth has yet to be revealed? The murderers have been convicted. But this case is not yet over. People want to know, who ordered the "hit" on Altantuya.
It is time for the police to visit Musa, and see what he has to say. But perhaps they already did, eight years ago, during their investigation of the murder.
In his remarks to Malaysiakini on Sunday, inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar added to the intrigue. He said that it is standard procedure in murder investigations to cover all angles, including establishing the reasons behind the action and securing the necessary evidence for a prosecution.
Khalid said that information is "recorded in the Investigation Papers which are submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action." He stressed that it was not the police's role to question the prosecutor or courts for not delving into the motive during the hearing process.
The question therefore is whether the police interrogated Musa and others in the DPM's office eight years ago, and if they did, what information they passed on to the AG's Chambers. After all, Khalid said that it is standard procedure in murder investigations to "cover all angles."
The prosecution, as we know, never called Musa as a witness, claiming that his testimony was not necessary. Yet the Court of Appeal unanimously concluded that Musa's testimony indeed was essential to the narrative upon which the prosecution's case was based.
The court ruled that "the failure of the prosecution to call or offer Musa for cross-examination... would have triggered adverse inference... against the prosecution."
In this case, adverse inference means that a reasonable person could infer that the prosecution would have produced Musa if his testimony would have been supportive of their position that these two acted alone. But because they did not call him, it could mean that his testimony would not have supported their case.
The prosecution, it could be inferred, did not want Musa to be subject to cross-examination by Azilah's and Sirul's attorneys because his testimony might have undercut and been adverse to the prosecution's case.
No matter what Razak says, this is not an open-and-shut case. There are too many unanswered questions.
JOHN R MALOTT is former US ambassador to Malaysia. The research for this article owes a debt to the detailed and extensive reporting on the Altantuya and Scorpene cases for over nine years by Asia Sentinel.
Zunar gets UN boost as Putrajaya bids to hush him
While Putrajaya has repeatedly tried to silence
Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque - better known as Zunar - the United Nation (UN)
is giving the cartoonist a platform to speak to the world.
Zunar, who has faced multiple raids and had his cartoon books confiscated, said he has been invited to speak as a panelist at a UN forum in Geneva on Friday.
"In my speech, I will reaffirm my stand that the freedom of expression for artists - including cartoonists - is paramount and cannot be compromised.
"I will also touch on the lack of commitment from the UN to protect artists - hence giving more power to corrupt regimes and extremist bigots to be more repressive towards artists," he said in a Facebook posting.
The forum is titled, ‘Defending Artistic Expression: Time for the UN to Act’ and is part of the UN Human Rights Council Session and jointly organised by Article 19, a London-based human rights group.
Zunar's
office was last Wednesday raided by the police and three titles
totalling 155 books confiscated as part of a sedition probe.
The probe was initiated after authorities arrested Zunar's staff for selling his books titled, ‘Konspirasi Memenjarakan Anwar’ (Conspiracy to Jail Anwar) and ‘Pirates of the Carry-BN’ during Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's (right) Sodomy II appeal.
Meanwhile, New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Putrajaya to "halt the legal harassment" of Zunar.
"Instead of threatening critics with an outdated sedition law, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should be working to scrap the legislation, as he once vowed to do," said the CPJ senior Southeast Asia representative.
Zunar, who has faced multiple raids and had his cartoon books confiscated, said he has been invited to speak as a panelist at a UN forum in Geneva on Friday.
"In my speech, I will reaffirm my stand that the freedom of expression for artists - including cartoonists - is paramount and cannot be compromised.
"I will also touch on the lack of commitment from the UN to protect artists - hence giving more power to corrupt regimes and extremist bigots to be more repressive towards artists," he said in a Facebook posting.
The forum is titled, ‘Defending Artistic Expression: Time for the UN to Act’ and is part of the UN Human Rights Council Session and jointly organised by Article 19, a London-based human rights group.
Zunar's
office was last Wednesday raided by the police and three titles
totalling 155 books confiscated as part of a sedition probe.The probe was initiated after authorities arrested Zunar's staff for selling his books titled, ‘Konspirasi Memenjarakan Anwar’ (Conspiracy to Jail Anwar) and ‘Pirates of the Carry-BN’ during Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's (right) Sodomy II appeal.
Meanwhile, New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Putrajaya to "halt the legal harassment" of Zunar.
"Instead of threatening critics with an outdated sedition law, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should be working to scrap the legislation, as he once vowed to do," said the CPJ senior Southeast Asia representative.
10 reasons why ‘puak Cina’ succeed in M’sia
At the outset, I got help for this article from one originally written by Dr Chan Lui Lee of Melbourne so 90 percent of the wisdom is his but 100 percent of the sarcasm is mine.
This is also meant to be a wake-up call for those who threaten everyone else (by using state machinery) and think that the country owes them a living and everyone else is a threat.
Just to get the readers into the mood, here's a famous song as a teaser.
Twenty years of crawling were bottled up inside him.
He wasn't holding nothing back - he let 'em have it all.
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing.
He said, "This one's for Becky, as he watched the last one fall.
(And I heard him say,)
I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done
I walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek,
And papa, I should hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man.
- Kenny Rogers
Chinese
people don't go about bombing, terrorising others and creating
religious hatred. They don't enter into a country on the pretext of
humanitarian reasons and then, try to take over the country by applying
warped ideologies.They don't impose "no go zones" for their hosts and don't demand separate laws for themselves. They don't hatch plots to kill non-believers nor do they harbour or finance such attempts.
They live peacefully with everyone on Earth and if you sent them to Mars, they will make it very liveable too. Take along the Indians too, then it would be a thriving technology-spurred economy.
Why do Chinese succeed in life?
Here is why the Chinese are welcomed almost anywhere:
1. There are over 1.4 billion Chinese on this earth. They are like (after all, all look the same) carbon copies of each other. You get rid of one, five magically appears (like ballot boxes in some countries).
They acknowledge that they are replaceable, they are not particularly 'special'. If you think they are smart, there are a few thousand more people smarter than them. If you think they are strong, there are a few thousand people stronger than them.
2. They have been crawling all over this earth for far more centuries that most (except for the other hardy people, the Indians) civilisations. Their DNA is designed for survival. They are like cockroaches. Put them anywhere on earth and they will make a colony and thrive.
They survive on anything around and make the best of it. In Klang, they threw pig parts into a broth to feed their coolie lot a 100 years ago and today it's a delicacy. Some keep migrating but others will stay and multiply.
3. Nobody cares if they succeed as individuals or not. But their families take pride in knowing they have succeeded. Yes, some will fail. They take nothing for granted. They don't expect privileges to fall on their laps. No one owes them anything.
4. They know they have nothing to lose if they try to succeed. They have no fear in trying. That is why Chinese are attracted to gambling. They thrive on taking risks. Winner takes all.
5. From young they are taught to count every cent. What they take for granted like money management, is not something other cultures practice at home with their children. (It didn't surprise me as I was like them too - some say I'm more Chinese than most Chinese).
But the truth is not all societies or cultures teach their young this set of survival skills because it is considered rude.
Yes,
most of them can count wonderfully because they are forced to and the
logic of money is pounded into them from the beginning of time (when
mama tells them how much she has spent on milk and diapers). Nobody
lowers the benchmark to allow them to "pass" Mathematics.6. They acknowledge life cycles. They accept that wealth in a family stays for three generations. That, every fourth generation will have to work from scratch. That is, the first generation earns the money from scratch, second generation spends the money on education, third generation gets spoiled and wastes all the inheritance. Then they are back to square one.
Some families hang on to their wealth a little longer than most. I'm not sure where Yap Ah Loy's wealth is now but I sure hope his descendants are benefitting from it.
7. It is their culture to pressure the next generation to do better than the last. Be smarter. Be stronger. Be faster. Be more righteous. Be more pious. Be more innovative. Be more creative. Be richer. Be everything that you can be in this lifetime. And if you have some money, take it to the next life when you go.
8. Their society judges them by their achievements... and they have no choice but to do something worthwhile because Chinese New Year comes around every year and Chinese relatives have no qualms about asking them straight in their face - how much are you making? When was your last promotion? How big is your office? What car do you drive? Where do you stay?
You have boyfriend? You have girlfriend? When are you getting married? When are you having children? When is the next child? When you getting a boy? Got maid yet? Does your company send you overseas?
It never ends... so, they can't stop chasing the illusive train - they are damned to a materialistic society. If you are not Chinese, consider yourself unlucky.
9. They have been taught from young that if you have two hands, two feet, two eyes, and a mouth, what are you really doing with them? "People with no hands can do better than you!"
Chinese people never beg, they earn their living. They don't expect government contracts, they get it... well, with their hard-earned money. They sometimes buy it but that's economics.
10. Ironically, the Chinese also believe in giving back to save their rather materialistic souls. Balance is needed. The more their children succeed in life, the more their parents will give back to society as gratitude for the good fortune bestowed on their children.
Yes, that is true. See the Vincent Tans in Malaysia. And that is why Chinese society progresses in all environments.
Nobody pities them and they accept that. No one owes them anything and they know that. There are too many of them for charity to reach all of them and they acknowledge that. But that does not stop them from making a better life. Opportunity is as we make of it.
So, pardon them if they feel obliged to make a better place for themselves in this country we call home. They are not ‘puak pendatang’ and it is the same home as you and me. It is in their DNA to seek a more comfortable life. In whichever country they reside in.
But
if history were to be our teacher, look around this globe. Almost every
country has a Chinatown but how many government/countries are 'taken'
over by the Chinese people.Don't be afraid of them overwhelming your majority, they are not looking to conquer. China is probably the only major power (besides India) that didn't go on a crusade to further its boundaries and religion.
I think their real religion is money and there's no harm in that. The more money they make, the more to go around. Win-win for all.
If they have moved away from China and Chinese-governed countries, they are not looking for another country to administer. They are more interested in making money than to run a country, seriously.
Their representatives are only there to look after their collective welfare. I don't think a Chinese wants to be prime minister in Malaysia. He'll be better off being a business tycoon for sure.
They prefer to blend in and enjoy the fruits of their labour. They enjoy the company of like-minded people of all races. After all, just like you and me, they are only passing through a small period in the history of time... so, use their skills and we can all progress forward together.
Calling for a boycott of Chinese-owned business is not only foolish but in the end, self-destructive.
RAMESH RAJARATNAM is more offended than the Chinese by a recent racist rant by a minister and hopes to educate the masses for a win-win situation.
Tun Mahathir ‘ganti’ Anwar
Beliau berkata, ia berikutan bekas Perdana Menteri itu dilihat lantang mengkritik kerajaan pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sekarang, berbanding PR sendiri.
“Sekarang Umno pula jadi masalah bila yang veteran lawan yang muda. Sebab itu, ketua pembangkang di Malaysia sekarang adalah Tun Mahathir dan bukan lagi Anwar sebab dia yang banyak kecam Najib.
“Sekarang bos yang disanjung sejak 20 tahun lalu, kini dia yang paling mahu Najib berhenti. Kalau kita lihat di laman web dan Twitter Tun Mahathir, banyak yang dia hentam Najib,” katanya pada Ceramah Rakyat Hakim Negara di padang Taman Desa Rhu, Sikamat di sini, malam kelmarin.
Mohamad berkata, tindakan Mahathir itu menunjukkan bukan calang-calang orang yang mengkritik pemerintahan Najib hari ini dan rakyat seharusnya boleh membuat penilaian.
Sementara itu, beliau berkata, BN kini berada dalam keadaan ‘tenat’ berikutan masalah parti komponennya iaitu MIC dan MCA. “Tiada jalan lain untuk rakyat buat perubahan.
MIC bukan lagi parti, tapi akan diswastakan kepada Umno. MCA pula ada, tapi sudah ditelan zaman ‘ibarat gerakan kubur tidak bertanda’.
“Jangan BN berpecah, kita pun berpecah. Sebab itu kita perlu bersatu padu sekarang dan inilah masa terbaik untuk PR mengambil alih pentadbiran negara,” katanya.
Ismail Sabri gets more support
Consumers should be united in pressuring traders to reduce prices of goods following the drop in oil prices.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The statement by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob on boycotting wholesalers and traders who refuse to lower the price of goods despite the oil price drop continued to receive support from Umno leaders.
Umno Youth’s Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Bureau chairman, Ahmad Mukhriz Ahmad Fuad said the minister’s statement was based on his ministerial experience, including as Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister previously.
On Monday, Ismail Sabri said consumers should be united in putting pressure on traders to reduce the prices of goods following the drop in oil prices.
“By using their power and by being wise as purchasers and consumers, they can teach greedy and selfish traders a lesson,” said Ahmad Mukhriz in a statement, here, yesterday.
He said there was an opportunity for the people to benefit from the lower price of goods following the drop in oil prices, but this did not happen due to the greed of some quarters.
“I challenge wholesalers and traders to reduce the price of goods if they are really honest and sincere as they had before, used the oil price hike factor as the reason for raising the price of goods,” he said.
Umno Youth’s Consumerism, Environment and Quality of Life Bureau chairman, Rahman Ab Hussin said traders should be accountable as raising the price of goods indiscriminately would have a negative impact on both rural and urban people.
“We, as consumers, should ask the traders and their business associations to explain the price hikes and the cost breakdown of their goods.”
Rahman, who is also a member of the Kuala Lumpur Youth Parliament, said enforcement of the related Acts should be intensified to prevent price manipulation by middlemen in the supply chain.
Federal Territory Umno Youth chief, Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii said the various business associations should also be responsible by urging its members to reduce the price of goods in line with the oil price drop.
“Profiteering by traders and middlemen is not new. So, consumers should exercise their power to boycott goods, of which the prices have been indiscriminately hiked so as to put pressure on the errant traders,” he said.
In KEPALA BATAS, Penang Umno Liaison Committee deputy chairman, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, said from Ismail Sabri’s experience through his previous portfolio, he knew better of price fluctuations through control and manipulation by certain wholesalers, especially the existence of cartels.
“What Datuk Ismail Sabri has asked for it’s for the good of all Malaysians. He really wants to protect consumers against profiteering. Those who should be teaching errant wholesalers and retailers a lesson are definitely the consumers, and a boycott is apt,” he said.
Reezal Merican said he fully supported Ismail Sabri’s action as the latter wanted to protect the interests of consumers who were often burdened with price hikes of goods.
- BERNAMA
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The statement by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob on boycotting wholesalers and traders who refuse to lower the price of goods despite the oil price drop continued to receive support from Umno leaders.
Umno Youth’s Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Bureau chairman, Ahmad Mukhriz Ahmad Fuad said the minister’s statement was based on his ministerial experience, including as Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister previously.
On Monday, Ismail Sabri said consumers should be united in putting pressure on traders to reduce the prices of goods following the drop in oil prices.
“By using their power and by being wise as purchasers and consumers, they can teach greedy and selfish traders a lesson,” said Ahmad Mukhriz in a statement, here, yesterday.
He said there was an opportunity for the people to benefit from the lower price of goods following the drop in oil prices, but this did not happen due to the greed of some quarters.
“I challenge wholesalers and traders to reduce the price of goods if they are really honest and sincere as they had before, used the oil price hike factor as the reason for raising the price of goods,” he said.
Umno Youth’s Consumerism, Environment and Quality of Life Bureau chairman, Rahman Ab Hussin said traders should be accountable as raising the price of goods indiscriminately would have a negative impact on both rural and urban people.
“We, as consumers, should ask the traders and their business associations to explain the price hikes and the cost breakdown of their goods.”
Rahman, who is also a member of the Kuala Lumpur Youth Parliament, said enforcement of the related Acts should be intensified to prevent price manipulation by middlemen in the supply chain.
Federal Territory Umno Youth chief, Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii said the various business associations should also be responsible by urging its members to reduce the price of goods in line with the oil price drop.
“Profiteering by traders and middlemen is not new. So, consumers should exercise their power to boycott goods, of which the prices have been indiscriminately hiked so as to put pressure on the errant traders,” he said.
In KEPALA BATAS, Penang Umno Liaison Committee deputy chairman, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, said from Ismail Sabri’s experience through his previous portfolio, he knew better of price fluctuations through control and manipulation by certain wholesalers, especially the existence of cartels.
“What Datuk Ismail Sabri has asked for it’s for the good of all Malaysians. He really wants to protect consumers against profiteering. Those who should be teaching errant wholesalers and retailers a lesson are definitely the consumers, and a boycott is apt,” he said.
Reezal Merican said he fully supported Ismail Sabri’s action as the latter wanted to protect the interests of consumers who were often burdened with price hikes of goods.
- BERNAMA
Foreigners love the rituals, colours and music of Thaipusam
Tourists comment on how they have thoroughly enjoyed their first experience of Thaipusam in Malaysia.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign tourists have expressed how awesome it was to experience Thaipusam’s 125th celebration with Hindu devotees at the Sri Subramaniyar Swamy temple in Batu Caves here today.
Hundreds of them flocked there, with some having travelled thousands of kilometres, just to witness one of the most prestigious celebrations in the Hindu calendar in Southeast Asia.
An Italian tourist, Mattia Malavenda, 34, said he appreciated the beauty of the culture in Malaysia and considered Thaipusam one of his ‘must see’ events as this was his first time witnessing such a mesmerising celebration in his life.
“I have never seen such a huge crowd here. It is very nice, traditional and fantastic. It was something different for me as this celebration does not exist in my country,” he told Bernama here today adding that he had been in the country for ten days touring the peninsula.
In his excitement, he climbed the 272 steps leading to the temple inside the cave together with 1.6 million Hindu devotees and tourists who also swarmed the area to join in the festivities.
Seen among the sea of Hindus were kavadi carriers and bare-footed devotees who thronged the temple to fulfill their vows and to seek penance for their sins in conjunction with the festival.
An American, Kevin Mcnulty, 41, said it was his first time experiencing the celebration despite having stayed in Malaysia for about three years when he followed his wife, who worked here.
Mcnulty, who lives in Ampang, said he was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Batu Caves as he loved the music featured in the festivities too.
“I just love the music. It makes me alive and make others happy,” he observed, adding only that the local authority and the temple’s management should provide more public dustbins in the area.
Another American, David Anderson, 25, said it was his first visit and that he was mesmerised by the Hindu devotees’ religious ritual.
“I love the music and most of all I like that there are lots of kiosks for me to buy souvenirs,” he said.
- BERNAMA
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign tourists have expressed how awesome it was to experience Thaipusam’s 125th celebration with Hindu devotees at the Sri Subramaniyar Swamy temple in Batu Caves here today.
Hundreds of them flocked there, with some having travelled thousands of kilometres, just to witness one of the most prestigious celebrations in the Hindu calendar in Southeast Asia.
An Italian tourist, Mattia Malavenda, 34, said he appreciated the beauty of the culture in Malaysia and considered Thaipusam one of his ‘must see’ events as this was his first time witnessing such a mesmerising celebration in his life.
“I have never seen such a huge crowd here. It is very nice, traditional and fantastic. It was something different for me as this celebration does not exist in my country,” he told Bernama here today adding that he had been in the country for ten days touring the peninsula.
In his excitement, he climbed the 272 steps leading to the temple inside the cave together with 1.6 million Hindu devotees and tourists who also swarmed the area to join in the festivities.
Seen among the sea of Hindus were kavadi carriers and bare-footed devotees who thronged the temple to fulfill their vows and to seek penance for their sins in conjunction with the festival.
An American, Kevin Mcnulty, 41, said it was his first time experiencing the celebration despite having stayed in Malaysia for about three years when he followed his wife, who worked here.
Mcnulty, who lives in Ampang, said he was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Batu Caves as he loved the music featured in the festivities too.
“I just love the music. It makes me alive and make others happy,” he observed, adding only that the local authority and the temple’s management should provide more public dustbins in the area.
Another American, David Anderson, 25, said it was his first visit and that he was mesmerised by the Hindu devotees’ religious ritual.
“I love the music and most of all I like that there are lots of kiosks for me to buy souvenirs,” he said.
- BERNAMA
Ismail Sabri: I won’t apologise
He says he won't withdraw the statement calling on Malays to boycott profiteering Chinese traders.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Beleaguered Agriculture Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has refused to apologise for calling on Malay consumers to boycott profiteering Chinese traders.
“I won’t withdraw my statement and I won’t apologise,” he told reporters covering a gathering of his supporters at the Putra World Trade Centre.
He also said he would cooperate with police in their investigations into his case.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, in a Twitter message late yesterday, said police would question Ismail over his statement, which critics have described as racist in nature.
“I’ll leave it to the police to do their duty,” Ismail said.
Commenting on an MCA call for his resignation, he said: “What’s wrong with MCA? As partners in the (Barisan Nasional) coalition, we should be sitting down in discussion if there’s something one of us is dissatisfied with. There’s no need to join DAP in issuing a statement.”
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Beleaguered Agriculture Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has refused to apologise for calling on Malay consumers to boycott profiteering Chinese traders.
“I won’t withdraw my statement and I won’t apologise,” he told reporters covering a gathering of his supporters at the Putra World Trade Centre.
He also said he would cooperate with police in their investigations into his case.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, in a Twitter message late yesterday, said police would question Ismail over his statement, which critics have described as racist in nature.
“I’ll leave it to the police to do their duty,” Ismail said.
Commenting on an MCA call for his resignation, he said: “What’s wrong with MCA? As partners in the (Barisan Nasional) coalition, we should be sitting down in discussion if there’s something one of us is dissatisfied with. There’s no need to join DAP in issuing a statement.”
Temple could save RM160k if exemption granted
The Johor government is considering waiving the land fees according to past practice on other land.
FMT
JOHOR BAHARU: The Johor state government is prepared to consider an application by the Arulmigu Thendayuthapani Kovil temple management here for an exemption from paying an additional land premium of RM160,000.
Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the additional premium imposed on the management was the result of building a multi-purpose hall at the temple site before getting approval from the State Land office.
“If I am not mistaken, the additional premium that should be paid is RM160,000 and this is on top of the regular land premium amounting to RM80,000 which should be paid by the management.
“So, I shall consider the exemption soon according to our past practices on other lands,” he said when opening the Thaipusam celebration here today.
Also present were Johor Baharu MP Shahrir Abdul Samad and MIC vice-president and Johor MIC Liaison chairman, S Balakrishnan.
According to Mohamed Khaled, the state government would give due consideration to the temple which played a role in creating a community which emphasised on religion as a guide to their lives.
“We know all religions encourage the spirit of goodwill, tolerance and mutual assistance. When devotees give high emphasis on this aspect, it would propel them and the country forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Thaipusam celebration attracted 100,000 Hindu devotees.
The Thaipusam procession from Arulmigu Rajamariamman temple in Jalan Ungku Puanto the city centre to the Arulmigu Thendayuthapani Kovil in Jalan Kuel started at 10pm last night and ended at around 4pm today.
- BERNAMA
JOHOR BAHARU: The Johor state government is prepared to consider an application by the Arulmigu Thendayuthapani Kovil temple management here for an exemption from paying an additional land premium of RM160,000.
Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the additional premium imposed on the management was the result of building a multi-purpose hall at the temple site before getting approval from the State Land office.
“If I am not mistaken, the additional premium that should be paid is RM160,000 and this is on top of the regular land premium amounting to RM80,000 which should be paid by the management.
“So, I shall consider the exemption soon according to our past practices on other lands,” he said when opening the Thaipusam celebration here today.
Also present were Johor Baharu MP Shahrir Abdul Samad and MIC vice-president and Johor MIC Liaison chairman, S Balakrishnan.
According to Mohamed Khaled, the state government would give due consideration to the temple which played a role in creating a community which emphasised on religion as a guide to their lives.
“We know all religions encourage the spirit of goodwill, tolerance and mutual assistance. When devotees give high emphasis on this aspect, it would propel them and the country forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Thaipusam celebration attracted 100,000 Hindu devotees.
The Thaipusam procession from Arulmigu Rajamariamman temple in Jalan Ungku Puanto the city centre to the Arulmigu Thendayuthapani Kovil in Jalan Kuel started at 10pm last night and ended at around 4pm today.
- BERNAMA
Saravanan may bid for MIC presidency
He claims that already at least 1,500 of the 3,700 MIC branches are behind him.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC vice-president M Saravanan has hinted that he might challenge G Palanivel for the party presidency.
“I haven’t really thought too much about it so far,” he said today on the sidelines of the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves.
“I will be speaking to my supporters on whether to go for the vice-presidency or the presidency. If my supporters say go for the presidency, I will seriously consider their advice.”
He claims that at least 1,500 of the 3,700 MIC branches are behind him but he thinks that he can draw support from another 500 branches. That appears to be lower than the support enjoyed by former party president S Samy Vellu, to whom he has been reportedly aligned.
Saravanan’s statement comes in the wake of comments by Samy Vellu that MIC will be buried for good if Palanivel doesn’t do something to save it.
“MIC’s support level from the Indian community is dropping and if nothing is done, the party will lose its influence,” said Samy at Batu Caves. “Palanivel, as the number one, must find a way out of the internal crisis the party is facing.”
Palanivel plans to hold fresh party elections by June, a move that has won the approval of Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Earlier, ROS had directed that re-elections be held for three vice presidencies and 23 Central Working Committee (CWC) positions on the grounds that the November 30 results were tainted by irregularities.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC vice-president M Saravanan has hinted that he might challenge G Palanivel for the party presidency.
“I haven’t really thought too much about it so far,” he said today on the sidelines of the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves.
“I will be speaking to my supporters on whether to go for the vice-presidency or the presidency. If my supporters say go for the presidency, I will seriously consider their advice.”
He claims that at least 1,500 of the 3,700 MIC branches are behind him but he thinks that he can draw support from another 500 branches. That appears to be lower than the support enjoyed by former party president S Samy Vellu, to whom he has been reportedly aligned.
Saravanan’s statement comes in the wake of comments by Samy Vellu that MIC will be buried for good if Palanivel doesn’t do something to save it.
“MIC’s support level from the Indian community is dropping and if nothing is done, the party will lose its influence,” said Samy at Batu Caves. “Palanivel, as the number one, must find a way out of the internal crisis the party is facing.”
Palanivel plans to hold fresh party elections by June, a move that has won the approval of Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Earlier, ROS had directed that re-elections be held for three vice presidencies and 23 Central Working Committee (CWC) positions on the grounds that the November 30 results were tainted by irregularities.
Vell Paari: Learn from the Chinese, don’t demonise them
“It is highly irresponsible to convert an issue of profiteering into an ‘us vs them’ agenda.”
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) activist, S Vell Paari, has lamented in a statement that everything is being seen in Malaysia through racial lenses.
He sees no need for this.
He was expressing sadness and shock with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who posted a statement on Facebook calling on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses to force them to lower the prices of their goods.
The statement has since invited many derogatory comments targeting the Chinese community and expressing support for Ismail’s remarks.
“Why couldn’t he (Ismail Sabri) just label them as errant traders?” asked Vell Paari, who is also the son of former MIC President S Samy Vellu, currently the Special Envoy to the Indian subcontinent with Ministerial Status and Functions.
“The minister should know that unscrupulous businessmen come in all shades.”
Therefore, he added, it is highly irresponsible to convert an issue of profiteering into an ‘us vs them’ agenda.”
As a Cabinet Minister, continued Vell Paari, Ismail represents all Malaysians. “Being a Cabinet Minister, he can discuss the issue with his cabinet colleague, the Minister of Domestic Trade, and come up with various stern actions against these errant traders.”
Are these errant traders only selling to Malay consumers?
“They are selling to everyone,” he pointed out. “Hence it’s an issue affecting all Malaysians. Errant traders exist everywhere, so use the law to take action and not turn it into a racial war. This is not in the spirit of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia vision.”
The Chinese community is a hard working one that has contributed to the growth of Malaysia, stressed Vell Paari.
“So, instead of trying to portray the Chinese community as evil, what we should do is learn from them vis- a-vis their sense of unity, hard work, willpower and the ‘never give up’ attitude to succeed in whichever part of the world they migrate to.”
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) activist, S Vell Paari, has lamented in a statement that everything is being seen in Malaysia through racial lenses.
He sees no need for this.
He was expressing sadness and shock with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who posted a statement on Facebook calling on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses to force them to lower the prices of their goods.
The statement has since invited many derogatory comments targeting the Chinese community and expressing support for Ismail’s remarks.
“Why couldn’t he (Ismail Sabri) just label them as errant traders?” asked Vell Paari, who is also the son of former MIC President S Samy Vellu, currently the Special Envoy to the Indian subcontinent with Ministerial Status and Functions.
“The minister should know that unscrupulous businessmen come in all shades.”
Therefore, he added, it is highly irresponsible to convert an issue of profiteering into an ‘us vs them’ agenda.”
As a Cabinet Minister, continued Vell Paari, Ismail represents all Malaysians. “Being a Cabinet Minister, he can discuss the issue with his cabinet colleague, the Minister of Domestic Trade, and come up with various stern actions against these errant traders.”
Are these errant traders only selling to Malay consumers?
“They are selling to everyone,” he pointed out. “Hence it’s an issue affecting all Malaysians. Errant traders exist everywhere, so use the law to take action and not turn it into a racial war. This is not in the spirit of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia vision.”
The Chinese community is a hard working one that has contributed to the growth of Malaysia, stressed Vell Paari.
“So, instead of trying to portray the Chinese community as evil, what we should do is learn from them vis- a-vis their sense of unity, hard work, willpower and the ‘never give up’ attitude to succeed in whichever part of the world they migrate to.”
Muhyiddin Sad Land Clearing Of Cameron Highlands Still Occur During Enforcement Ops
CAMERON
HIGHLANDS, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today expressed
his sadness with the continuous intrusion in Cameron Highlands despite
enforcement operations.The Deputy Prime Minister said what was more worrying was that the culprits were blatantly challenging the authorities and if it continued, he did not know how long the highlands would last.
"I am very upset. When you look closer, some of the land covered in plastic is agriculture land which have been cleared even while enforcement is being carried out.
"I have been here two days and see Cameron Highlands severely damaged, and if no stern and effective action is taken, I do not know how long this area will last," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after a surprise visit to Cameron Highlands to review the latest recovery development and inspection of the authorities following the floods and landslide at the holiday destination in November last year.
Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the Special Committee on Flash Floods in Cameron Highlands, said although more than 500 officers and staff from various departments and agencies were involved in the operations to clean up the land, he said these were not enough as the land-clearing was severe and had a worrying effect on the environment.
However, he said, the enforcement would be more effective by increasing the number of enforcers and equipment as well as implementing the law under the Land and Mines Department or the Forestry Department.
Muhyiddin said among the measures which could be implemented was creating permanent posts in the areas which had been identified as focal places for intrusion.
He said the matter would be decided after obtaining the views of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Armed Forces Chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin as well as the Pahang state government at the next meeting of the Special Committee on the Flash Floods in Cameron Highlands.
This would ensure tighter monitoring was carried out to prevent further intrusions into the highlands, he said.
To prevent future threats to the authorities, the deputy prime minister said he would be suggesting that the areas where these frequently happened be gazetted as security areas.
"This move must be further studied such as the need for a special force to patrol the areas from intrusions and preventing intruders from entering them," he said.
Asked if efforts to revert Cameron Highlands' glory as a tourist attraction could be attained soon, Muhyiddin said he was not optimistic this could be done.
"At this stage, I am not optimistic, until the enforcement efforts against intrusions have been fully carried out," he said.
The flood and landslide in Kampung Raja, Pekan Ringlet and Bertam Valley in Cameron Highlands on Nov 5 claimed five lives, with more than 90 victims from 28 families being evacuated to the relief centres.
The illegal land clearing was believed to have been a factor causing the flood and landslide in the highlands.
-- BERNAMA
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