Johor crown prince scoffs at '1Malaysia', moots 'Bangsa Johor' schools

Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has criticised Putrajaya's "1Malaysia" slogan, questioning whether it really promotes unity as claimed.

"I hope in the near future... the Johor government will introduce an education module for Johoreans. We'll make Bangsa Johor.

"Malaysia has it too - 1Malaysia. But answer me, where is 1Malaysia?

"You have Indian schools, you have Chinese schools, you have Malay schools. From young, you tell them not to be united.

"Then when they grow up, you tell them to be united?" he said in a dialogue session which was later uploaded on the Johor Southern Tigers Facebook page.

Tunku Ismail said he envisioned a different direction for Johor's education system.

"In future, there will not be Indian, Chinese or Malay schools in Johor... There will only be Bangsa Johor schools.

"From a young age, we'll teach them how to be united, how to respect each other's religion and how to respect other races," he said.

However, he said religious schools would be retained for the purposes of the religion.

"You need to educate young Johoreans. They must know Johor's history. They must know the strengths of Johor and why the federal government needs us," he said.

Tunku Ismail went on to suggest that Johor should emulate the assertiveness of Sarawak.

"Look at Sarawak, Sarawak is smart, Sarawak is united. That is why when Sarawak rants something, the (federal) government has to listen.

"If there is no Sarawak, they would be gone. If there is no Johor, they would also be gone.

"This is the important part, when you (Johoreans) are united, the Johor government has more power and can speak up. It can do anything and they (the federal government) is forced to listen because they need our support," he said.

Demolish Langkawi’s eagle statue? Kedah to consult fatwa council

Kedah deputy mufti Sheikh Marwazi Dziyauddin said the state would consult the fatwa council if there are calls to demolish the famed eagle statue at Langkawi’s Eagle Square.

He said this when asked to respond to Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim who was reported by Berita Harian as saying that the construction of such a statue was “haram” and should be demolished.

“We have not looked into the matter, but if there are such calls, then we will discuss it formally.

“For now, the (Kedah) mufti has not said anything and it’s an old issue.

“We will hold discussions with the fatwa council and then advise the local councils accordingly,” Marwazi told Malaysiakini.

Marwazi said the Kedah Islamic authorities was not consulted when the eagle statue was constructed in 1996.

“It’s true that in terms of Islamic law, everyone knows it is haram, but it has already been built.

“Now, if it is to be demolished, there has to be negotiations and it cannot be revealed to the public as the story may turn into something else,” he said.

The Eagle Square, or Dataran Helang, in the Kuah town centre is a popular tourist destination and is widely seen as a symbol of Langkawi.

A municipal council in neighbouring Perak had reportedly sought advice from the state mufti office over the possibility of constructing an eagle statue.

Perak deputy mufti Zamri did not reveal which municipal council it was, but in a commentary in Berita Harian yesterday warned that it was forbidden to construct a statue of a living creature.

He said to do so would be a “big sin” in Islam.

This religious opinion had since put a spotlight on Langkawi in Kedah, which is famous for its eagle statue.

Interfaith body lauds Nazri's assurance on end to unilateral conversion

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has welcomed Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz’s statement that amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and divorce) Act 1976 will do away with unilateral conversions.

"The MCCBCHST’s consistent stand has been that to ensure justice and to abide by the constitution, there can be no unilateral conversion of minors.

"That is, both parties to the marriage must consent before a minor can be converted to another religion," said its vice-president Jagir Singh in a statement.

This, the group said, is consistent with the cabinet's April 2009 decision that requires both parents to give consent before a child of a civil marriage can be converted to another religion.

Yesterday, Nazri told a news portal that the LRA amendments will eventually do away with the thorny issue of unilateral conversion.

Jagir noted this is the first time since 2009 that a minister has stated that the earlier cabinet decision will be adhered to.

He related that MCCBCHST lawyers previously faced deadlocks in meetings with the Attorney-General's Chambers in 2010, 2012 and 2014, where the proposed amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) 1976 (LRA) still allowed for the unilateral conversion of a minor.

"MCCBCHST could not agree to such unilateral conversion being allowed," he stressed.

Long wait for justice

Jagir mentioned two cases, that of non-Muslim spouses Indira Gandhi and S Deepa, whose husbands converted to Islam, which have been fought through the courts for the last seven years.

In Deepa's case, the contention was over the matter of the dissolution of marriage and child custody under a civil marriage when one spouse converts to Islam.

Indira's case meanwhile concerns unilateral conversion of children conceived under a civil marriage.

Jagir said in Deepa’s case, the court had delivered judgement in January that “the civil court had the exclusive jurisdiction to grant decrees of divorce of a civil marriage under the LRA and to make all other ancillary orders".

The Federal Court had further stated it would be an abuse of the process for the spouse who has converted to Islam to file for dissolution of the marriage and for custody of the children in the syariah courts.

Jagir posited that with the decision in Deepa’s case, the only thorny issue left was whether a single parent could convert a child without the other parent’s consent.

The courts meanwhile have to decide in Indira’s appeal to the Federal Court on the status of her children's conversion by her convert husband.

The case, Jagir said, will be heard on Nov 15, although he hoped Nazri's announcement may render the matter academic, if indeed what the minister has said is passed into law.

End to loophole hoped

MCCBCHST expressed its confidence that if the unilateral conversion loophole is closed off, then there would be no more cases like Indira and Deepa in the future.

Indira's and Deepa's cases are landmarks in the fight by MCCBCHST and those who are seeking to ensure that unilateral conversions will not take place to the detriment of the non-Muslim spouse, who at present find they have no locus standi to challenge any arising legal decision in the syariah courts.

This is because some Muslim converts from a civil marriage have used the loophole of unilaterally converting their children to Islam, and then proceeded to file motions of custody in the syariah courts where their non-Muslim spouses do not have the standing for legal representation.

Two charged with plotting terror attacks in JB

The two men are accused of plotting an attack on a temple and nightclubs in Johor between June 27 and July 2.

BATU PAHAT: Two men were produced today in the Batu Pahat Magistrate’s Court on charges of plotting an attack on a temple and nightclubs in Johor Bahru between June 27 and July 2.

Md Saifuddin Muji, 28, and Jasanizam Rosni, 33, were accused of committing the offence at an unnumbered house in Taman Waja, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, with the intention of carrying out the attacks together.

They were charged under Section 130JD of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years and a fine upon conviction.

Meanwhile, Mohd Sanusi Satar, 31, was charged with intentionally refraining from disclosing information on the offence.

He allegedly committed the offence at No 5, Jalan Manis 1/3, Taman Manis, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, between July 1 and Aug 8.

He was charged with committing the offence under Section 130M of the Penal Code which carries a jail term not exceeding seven years, or a fine, or both if convicted.

Meanwhile, Md Saifuddin also faced a charge of possessing on Aug 11, a black flag with Jawi inscriptions associated with the Daesh (Islamic State) militant group.

He was alleged to have committed the offence under Section 130JB(1)(a) of the Penal Code, and upon conviction, would be liable to imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine, as well as have the material seized.

No plea was recorded for all the three charges.

Magistrate Mohd Zulhilmi Ibrahim fixed Sept 28 for mention of the cases.

Earlier today, Md Saifuddin pleaded guilty to possessing an M67 grenade at No 108, Kampung Parit Gantung, Sri Merlung, Rengit, near here, on Aug 11.

He was accused under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, which carries a jail term not exceeding 14 years and at least six strokes of the cane upon conviction.

For this charge, Mohd Zulhilmi set Sept 8 for mention.

The cases were brought forward by DPP Muhammad Fadzlan Mohd Noor. The three accused were unrepresented.

Be a man, sue me, Muhyiddin challenges Najib

Former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has dared his former boss Najib Abdul Razak to sue him, if allegations about the premier's corruption are not true.

This is in regard to accusations that Najib had swindled public money through 1MDB, causing much national hardship.

"I challenge Najib to deny this. Answer these accusations yourself.

"Do not use running dogs like (your press secretary) Tengku Sariffuddin (Tengku Ahmad) and others to answer for you and shield you.

"Be a man. I challenge Najib to sue me if what I say is untrue," Muhyiddin said in a statement today.

He said this when responding to Tengku Sariffuddin, who had said the former was making claims that Najib had RM4 billion in his accounts to distract from an alleged affair.

Najib has denied misusing public funds, dismissing them as part of a plot to topple him.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali had also cleared the prime minister of any criminal misconduct in the 1MDB scandal.

However, Muhyiddin said Najib's alleged corruption was shown in the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuits on the embezzlement of 1MDB funds.

"The corrupt high-ranking official in the Malaysian government identified by DOJ as 'Malaysian Official 1' is none other than PM Najib Razak. PM Najib Razak is MO1 who had schemed with Jho Low and Riza Aziz to plunder 1MDB of the billions that have been lost."

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan had confirmed with the BBC that Najib is MO1.

The DOJ in its legal lawsuits claimed that MO1 had received US$731 million allegedly stolen from 1MDB funds.

Rahman, however, said Najib was not part of the DOJ's suit to seize back more than US$1 billion in assets purchased with monies allegedly siphoned from 1MDB.

He also said there was no need for Najib to step down.

'Cops need not wait for report to check lock-up conditions'

The Home Ministry must probe claims of deplorable lock-up conditions by rapper Namewee, instead of issue a bare denial, said Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo.

Police had dismissed the caim and demanded Namewee lodge a police report so it can be investigated, if he insists it is true.

However, Gobind said there is no need for police to wait for a report to be lodged before it conducts an internal probe.

Further, if a report is required the police can lodge one themselves if they indeed are earnest in investigating the matter, he said.

"We are talking about detenions here. A complaint has been made, and a very serious one indeed.

"The police shouldn’t merely respond with a challenge for a police report to be lodged. That cannot be enough," he said in a statement.

He said Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should also act swiftly on the matter on "humanitarian grounds".

'May die in custody'

Namewee, or his full name Wee Meng Chee, was held for four days last week, after being arrested for his controversial music video Oh My God, is in poor condition.

On his release, he took to Facebook to reveal the allegedly deplorable conditions of the lock-up, and expressed fear that the 15 Myanmar detainees also held there may die while in custody.

"I encountered about 15 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, who had spent more than 30 days in detention.

"They were locked in a poor condition small room with nobody to bail them out. They were stuck there because their employers had fled with their identifications," Wee said in an Aug 27 posting, which was later taken down.

Wee said he suspected the Myanmar detainees suffered from tuberculosis and they were unable to tell the police this because of language problems.

He also claimed that the detainees may not be able to receive help as the hospital may not take in foreigners with no identification papers.

'Police warned me not to talk'

"Police warned me not to talk about the lock-up, but sorry, they may die inside one by one if I don't speak up," he said.

Penang police chief Abdul Ghafar Rajab denied Namewee’s allegations, saying that there is a standard operating procedure (SOP) to adhere to and detainees who are sick or unwell will be sent to the hospital.

“If he is sincere, then please lodge a police report so we can open an investigation.

“However, if the allegations are found to be untrue, we will investigate them as a false report,” Ghafar was quoted as saying by English daily The Star today.

The police arrested the 31-year-old rapper following multiple police reports lodged in George Town on July 30 over Namewee's music video titled Oh My God. He was detained on Aug 21.

The police reports complained that the music video had used the word "Allah" in a disrespectful manner and portrayed Muslims as terrorists.

The reports also took issue with the portrayal of Muslims gambling and the use of the 'azan' (call for prayer) in the music video.