Mother eats uncooked rice for three days so daughter can eat bread

Like most parents, everything Aisha Othman does is for her seven-year-old daughter Paymitra Abdullah.

Along with her husband - Paymitra's father - they live at the Desa Rejang PPR (People's Public Housing) and survive on Aisha's husband monthly salary of RM1,500 as a security guard in Cheras.

However, Aisha said, the family has been saddled with utility bills and rent, along with her mother-in-law's backdated rent of close to RM5,000.

"After we settle the bills, then we can focus on what to eat.

"Usually, after we settle all the bills in a month, we have no more money," she said, adding that they normally can only afford groceries if her husband can find odd jobs.

One time, Aisha ate nothing but uncooked rice for three days as the family could only afford to buy bread, which they reserved for Paymitra.

"There is rice at home, so I only eat rice. Not rice but uncooked rice as well as ice cubes.

"I am afraid the cooking gas will run out (if I cook the rice).

"If I ever become too hungry, I will eat ice cubes," Aisha (photo above, with Paymitra) said.

The story of Aisha and Paymitra were the subject of a 20-minute documentary titled "For Paymitra" which was shown at the Freedom Film Festival 2019 (FFF 2019)

The director of the film, Azreen Madzlan said she was inspired to make a film about the financial struggles of a family living in a PPR unit after a Unicef report said one in five children living in low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur suffered from malnourishment.

Paymitra is one of those who are underweight and malnourished, despite her parents' best efforts.

Towards the end of the movie, with help from Azreen, officers from the Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad's service centre were alerted to Aisha's plight and provided some basic food necessities to the family as well as information about welfare programmes they may qualify for.

Aisha also managed to find a job at a grocery store at Wangsa Maju to supplement the family's income.

The story of Aisha and Paymitra was just one of three films on poverty and the rising cost of living screened at the Lembah Subang 2 PPR last night

The special screening was organised by FFF 2019 together with the office of Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, who was also present last night.

Bank account zero after RM50 withdrawal

The second film was titled "Pengidup Aku" and focused on Tonny Anak Iman, who works as a construction worker in Dalat, Sarawak.

Tonny was forced to leave his son behind at the longhouse in his village in the interiors, about two hours away by boat upstream, so he could work in the city to provide for his son.

Despite that, he only earns about RM60 a day.

"(My bank account) is zero after withdrawing RM50," Tonny said after he went to withdraw money from the ATM.

The documentary followed Tonny as he prepared for the Gawai celebrations where he gets to spend some time with his son.

"This is nice," Tonny said as he picked out an outfit for his son, Kevin while shopping together.

"It's RM32, so expensive," he said, before pausing to look at his son for a moment.

"Let's get this," he eventually told his son.

After the Gawai celebrations in his village, where there were dancing and singing, Tonny left his son behind as he headed back to the town to work.

Why can't they raise our salaries?

The third documentary "Bila Kami Bersatu" (When We Unite) highlighted the struggles of the workers' union for hospital cleaners.

There are more than 50,000 service workers in government hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia and most of them are cleaners, according to the film.

The film followed the union leaders as they attempted to negotiate with their employers for over 43 demands to be included in their collective agreement (CA).

One of the most important demands for the workers was a raise in the salaries, which was a flat rate of RM1,100, regardless of experience.

After negotiations with the employers, 28 out of their 43 demands were accepted.

Among the demands rejected by the employers was the salary increase.

"She has worked for 20 years but her salary is still RM1,100," argued one of the men representing the union.

The man representing the employers countered: "But 20 years ago, the salary was RM550, right?"

After the negotiations, the union held a post-mortem meeting where they lamented their stagnant salaries again.

"They think we are stupid because we are cleaners. It makes me so sad. They treat us like slaves. Why can't we get a raise in our salaries?

"Our children are getting older and our health is getting worse," one of the women in the union said, shedding tears as she spoke.

PSM had raised this issue earlier, at the end of August this year.

PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan said cleaners for government hospitals received the minimum wage of RM1,100 regardless of their years of service as they are employed through a private contractor.

"When I asked the most senior person in the group, who has worked for 30 years, the shocking answer was that his salary was also RM1,100.

"Let's compare a top CEO's one-day income with the monthly income of our cleaners working in government hospitals.

"It will take our cleaners almost six years to get the CEO's one-day salary, and it will take them around 174 years to get his one-month salary.

"Isn't this obscene?" Arutchelvan questioned.

Active participation from the crowd

The screenings of these three films held at the Lembah Subang 2 PPR saw about 60 people in attendance, mostly children and families from the low-cost flats.

After the films were aired, an officer from the Seri Setia assemblyperson Halimey Abu Bakar's service centre gave a short talk explaining to the Lembah Subang 2 PPR residents about the various welfare programmes available to them.

He also explained to them their eligibility for these programmes, as well as the application process.

Though the crowd consisted mainly of young children, who were rowdy throughout the event, they remained interested in all the films and talks.

They also participated in the simple question-and-answer sessions held in between the screenings of the three documentaries, pointing out the main themes of the films and asking questions to the directors who were also present.

The night ended after a simple lucky draw prize-giving session, where the winners were given bags of rice.

Source: Malaysiakini

Mahathir’s Rule of Law successful execution - 5 innocent orphaned B75 Indian poor children

Uthayakumar Ponnusamy


Photos @ Funeral on 23.9.19: Mahathir’s Rule of Law successful execution - 5 innocent orphaned B75 Indian poor children, compliments of Malay-sian police UTK death squad execution under shoot to kill policy (Widow);Innocent until proven guilty British PR father & 2 others shot dead at close range,British PR mother’s enforced disappearance & 2 funerals in one home a triple tragedy.Orphaned 3 British Citizen & PR children vowing never to come back to Malay-sia ever again.10 year old daughter crying uncontrollably “Appa don’t leave us, Appa don’t leave us” as the hearse was leaving.Widow’s wailing “Thava will you came back”. 2 mothers' grieve & heart pain.And on the same day four more Indians are shot dead in a similar fashion in Putrajaya,an act of no remorse & signalling we will kill many more innocent B 75 Indian poor?with imunity!WHAT CAN YOU DO.NOW WE PH ARE IN POWER.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yasin and IGP Hamid Bador must produce enforced disappeared British PR Moganambal

Uthaya Kumar

Live Video of CCTV proof from Condo Lift recorded at 22.33 pm on 13/9/19 (just hours before the police shooting) that Moganambal left home with her husband and the other two who were shot dead by the Malay-sian Police under a shoot to kill policy (as per the Widow's Police Report) of even innocent until proven guilty B75 Indian poor. Where is the police hiding Moganambal now, asks the family? Home Minister Muhyiddin Yasin and IGP Hamid Bador must produce enforced disappeared British PR Moganambal forthwith and not do a la Indra Gandhi's daughter cannot be found storytelling over the last 12 years!

Coalition of NGOs urge Sarawak govt to make a stand on khat issue

Malaymail

A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and political parties today urged the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to make a stand on the proposed introduction of jawi for Year 4 pupils starting next year.

Seni Khat Action Team (Sekat) national secretary Arun Dorasamy said the GPS state government has a moral obligation to make a stand as the introduction of Jawi would have far-reaching implications on the future of the non-Muslims school children.


“We feel there is a hidden second agenda in the implementation of jawi in schools,” he told reporters here, claiming an element of religion is involved.

He also called on federal lawmakers from the Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) and GPS to speak up against its implementation in Parliament session starting next month.

Arun also asked if the lawmakers from the two Borneo states or their respective chief ministers have ever written protest letters to Education Minister Maszlee Malik.


He also noted that the Association of Churches in Sarawak had issued its statement opposing the introduction of jawi in government schools, but did not know whether it had sent a protest letter to the minister.

Arun said three pages of the jawi script would be inserted into Bahasa Malaysia textbook which is going to be printed by the end of this month, adding that jawi lesson would be made compulsory for school children.

Arun also asked Maszlee and his deputy Teo Nie Ching to engage with NGOs, including parents-teachers’ associations, in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for their views and feedback on the implementation next year.

He said the Education Ministry held five engagements with the NGOs in Peninsular Malaysia, but without the participation of any representatives from the two Borneo states.

“When I asked why there was no participation from Sarawak and Sabah, the reply was that they did not oppose,” he said, adding that he does not believe NGOs in the two Borneo states would not oppose the move.

He added the invitations for the engagement must be inclusive, not exclusive.

“The ministry has the moral obligation to bring all the stakeholders to the table and then to come out with an amicable decision.

“There is no reason for a rush implementation in 2020,” he said, claiming that the ministry would be printing the Bahasa textbook, with three pages allocated for jawi script, by the end of this month.

He said he had already written a letter on August 27 to Mazslee asking him to put the implementation of the jawi script on hold, but there was no response yet.

LTTE not a terrorist group, says MIC

Under-fire, DAP’s P Ramasamy found an unlikely ally from across the divide today when MIC’s C Sivarraajh defended the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and said it was not a terrorist group.

“I want to remind those who have labelled LTTE a terrorist group. It was never a terrorist group but the members were freedom fighters who fought for the oppressed Tamils in Sri Lanka,” he said while debating the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat.

The Cameron Highlands MP said they were just like other freedom fighters who continuously strive to uphold their rights.

He also urged the public not to analyse history according to their wishes “which makes other people angry. We live in a multiracial society and we must respect each other.”

On July 20, about 300 people protested against Ramasamy and rallied in support of fugitive Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik at the compound of a mosque in Dato Keramat in Penang.

The group demanded that Ramasamy should be arrested for “being an active member of a terror group” in Sri Lanka and also called on everyone to stop criticising Naik.

Ramasamy has been targeted by several Muslim activists, including Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, in the wake of the controversy over the government’s handling of Naik, the Indian-Muslim preacher wanted by New Delhi over allegations of terrorism.

On July 28, a peace negotiator and former member of LTTE confirmed that Ramasamy was not associated with the group.

This was contained in an email sent to Ramasamy by Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, who is now practising law in New York.

Visuvanathan, in the email, said that the deputy chief minister was one of the members of a Constitutional Affairs Committee set up during the peace process to explore the modalities for peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sri Lanka.

He stated that in 2002, a peace process was initiated between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, under the auspices of the Norwegian government, the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.

Penang cops shoot dead factory worker who ran amok and killed colleague with parang

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 23 — The police this evening shot dead a factory worker who ran amok, causing the death of one colleague and seriously injuring another, in Bayan Lepas near here.

In the 5.45pm incident, the 25-year-old man is believed to have used a parang to harm a female supervisor, aged 47, and a male security manager at the factory, with the supervisor succumbing to serious injuries, particularly head wounds, while receiving treatment at a hospital.

The 53-year-old manager is reported to be stable and receiving treatment at Hospital Pulau Pinang.

According to Barat Daya district police chief Supt AA Anbalagan, the man who had worked as a quality assistant for two years at the factory, was believed to have suffered from depression for several months, and had been absent from work for a week but suddenly turned up for work today having already submitted a letter of resignation effective at the end of this month.

Anbalagan said policemen who had arrived at the scene, had told the man to give himself up but he instead attacked them with two ‘parang’ prompting the officers to shoot in self-defence.


The parang, as well as a knife were seized by the police who are also investigating the dead man’s motives. — Bernama

Source MalayMail

Another four shot dead

Freemalaysiatoday

In a separate incident, Noor Azam said the police took down another group of robbers today, with four men killed in a shootout.

He said that when a team approached a Mercedes Benz parked at the basement of SkyPark in Cyberjaya, a man in another car parked nearby ran out and tried to attack the officers with a machete.

He said the officers heard several gunshots coming from the Mercedes at the same time, which led to them firing back.

The Mercedes was said to have been stolen in a separate incident earlier, where a family of five were robbed by four masked men.

Three of the deceased have been identified as Sree Tharan Sreekamlan, 35, Balakrishnan Ramamadram, 45, and Danes Manivanan, 28.

Sree Tharan and Balakrishnan had 35 and 16 records for crimes, respectively, involving robberies, break-ins, vehicle thefts and drugs, while Manivanan had one record.

The fourth man has not been identified yet.

Police recovered a revolver, a pistol, several machetes, ski masks and foreign and local currencies.

Show us the video, cops tell families of shot trio

Free Malaysia Today

SEPANG: The police have called on the families of the trio killed in the Batu Arang shootout to come forward with a CCTV video clip purportedly showing a missing woman with the men just hours before the fatal shooting.

Selangor police chief Noor Azam Jamaluddin said the families should hand the video to the police to assist investigations as they also want to solve the mystery surrounding the missing woman.

The footage, released by lawyer P Uthayakumar today, shows a woman resembling Moganambal Govindasamy leaving an elevator at The Henge condominium in Kepong at 10.33pm on Sept 13, hours before the shootout, accompanied by her husband V Janarthanan and two other men.

Uthayakumar said the video is proof that Moganambal had been with the three men just hours before they were killed.

Noor Azam also said not all police cars are fitted with dashboard cameras, after the families urged the police to release the dash cam footage of the police car involved in the shootout.

“As far as I know, only highway patrol cars are fitted with dash cams,” he said at a press conference at the Sepang district police headquarters.

The shootout on Sept 14 occurred when a police patrol ordered a car carrying the three men – Sri Lankan national and British permanent resident Janarthanan, his brother-in-law Thavaselvan and Maghendran Santhirasegaran – to pull over at Bandar Country Homes.

Police said when the men refused, a 7km chase ensued and the men opened fire on the officers, who returned fire.

They said Thavaselvan and Maghendran were wanted members of the 08 gang in Rawang, while Janarthanan had overstayed his visa.

Uthayakumar, who is representing the families of the deceased, said they were demanding answers as to why none of the gunshots was aimed at the legs and all were at the chest and face.

He said they had yet to receive copies of the dashcam recordings from the police vehicle, the first information report, all relevant police reports, and Section 112 statements by the Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) members involved in the shooting.

Govindasamy, the father of Moganambal and Thavaselvan, also claimed that his daughter was with the trio and that she was now missing.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador has ordered an inquiry into the shooting, saying it is out of public interest to clear the air, although Uthayakumar dismissed it as an “eyewash”.

ED moves court to declare Zakir Naik a fugitive economic offender

Economictimes.indiatimes.com

The ED filed the application before the PMLA seeking that Naik be declared as a fugitive economic offender under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday moved an application before a special court here seeking to declare controversial Islamic preacher, Zakir Naik, a fugitive economic offender.

Naik, believed to be in Malaysia, is facing the charge of allegedly laundering money to the tune of Rs 193 crore.

The ED filed the application before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) seeking that Naik be declared as a fugitive economic offender under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

The court said it would hear the application on September 30.

Last week, the court issued a fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Naik in a 2016 money laundering case.

The central agency has so far arrested two of Naik's aides namely Amir Gazdar and Najamuddin Sathak.

The 53-year-old radical television preacher left India in 2016 and subsequently moved to the largely Muslim Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.

The ED booked him in 2016 on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The controversial preacher is wanted by authorities for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.

In July this year, the court issued summons against Naik after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the ED against Dubai-based jeweller Abdul Kadir Najmudin Sathak for allegedly assisting the preacher in raise and diverting funds.

Earlier, the agency had attached Naik's properties, including Islamic International School in Chennai, ten flats, three godowns, two buildings and land in Pune and Mumbai, besides bank accounts

Who am I, peacemaker or terrorist?

P Ramasamy - Malaysiakini

For more than a year I have been accused of supporting, sometimes being a member of the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

If I'm not mistaken, more than 60 police reports were lodged against me last year by both individuals and organisations, for being upset with me for questioning the presence of fugitive and Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik in the country.

On the basis of the police reports, police interviewed me twice to take my statements pertaining to the allegations that I am a supporter of the LTTE.

Recently, a video has been circulated in the social media of my presence in a Tamil gathering, where pro-LTTE placards and banners were displayed, including of the former leader of the LTTE, V Pirabhkaran.

This video is an old one of a gathering that took place in Kuala Lumpur more than ten years ago.

It was gathering of Tamils to welcome Seeman, the leader of a political movement called Naam Tamilaar in Tamil Nadu, India.

Some enthusiastic participants carried these banners and portraits to show their support for the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka.

I was invited to the event in which I gave a talk.

It was a welcome event for Seeman and not about the LTTE but about the sad plight of Tamils outside India.

The video was downloaded and distributed in the social media to establish “my association” with the LTTE.

It was a mischievous attempt by those who are upset with me for being a vociferous critic of Zakir.

I have consistently maintained my stand that Zakir should be deported to India to face charges of money laundering and for supporting terrorism by the government of India.

Before these individuals or organisations make all kinds of allegations of my links with LTTE, let me give a brief background of how I came to relate to LTTE, Gerakan Acheh Merdeka (GAM) and some rebel movements in Colombia, Latin America and the Philippines, especially in Mindanao.

As a political science academic, I was interested in the transformation of conflicts in various countries, particularly class and ethnic conflicts.

I wanted to adopt a methodology that examined the interests and concerns of all parties to conflicts, not necessarily the state actors.

Such an orientation meant that I had to examine the reasons and motives of the non-state actors in different geographical locations.

This is the reason why I chose places like Sri Lanka, Aceh in Indonesia, Mindanao in the Philippines and Colombia in South America.

My point was how to engage the non-state actors, understand their grievances and how they could engage the state in a conflict transformation that placed a premium on negotiated settlement rather than armed struggle.

It was this underlying principle that enabled me to develop contacts with the state actors and the rebel organisations such as the LTTE in Sri Lanka, GAM in Aceh and some amorphous groups in Columbia and Mindanao.

Acted as advisor for the Acehnese delegation

My involvement in the Constitutional Affairs Committee (CAC) in Sri Lanka in 2003 was basically to expedite the peace process initiated by Norway.

Our role was basically to bring the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to the negotiating table with Norwegians as the mediator.

It was during my involvement with CAC, that had made contacts with some LTTE and Sri Lankan government leaders including the present prime minister Ranil Wickermesighe.

In the case of Acheh, I was requested by GAM leaders to assist them in the peace negotiations with Indonesia in Helsinki in 2005.

I was not directly involved in the negotiations, but acted as an advisor for the Acehnese delegation.

However, I had limited success in making in-roads in Columbia and Mindanao.

Lack of communication with parties in the conflict, the absence of credible mediators and above all the high degree of mistrust and suspicions were not conducive to my involvement in these places.

During the course of my involvement in the peace process in both Sri Lanka and Aceh, I had the opportunity to travel to a number of European cities to engage in preliminary talks and negotiations.

I was not a mere emotionally unattached participant in the process in both the countries.

I had great degree of sympathy for the Tamil cause, their discrimination by the majority Sinhalese but I felt that armed struggle was not the best way out.

I had the same feeling towards the Acehnese and how they suffered historically under the colonial governments and later under Indonesia.

But then I did not agree that armed struggle was the best way to go about.

The Helsinki peace agreement between GAM and Indonesia in August 2005 vindicated my stand on the need for a negotiated solution.

However, the return of the armed conflict to Sri Lanka dashed all hopes of a peaceful negotiated settlement.

In May 2009, the LTTE was decimated in the final war with devastating consequences for Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

It is up to people to assess my links with the now-defunct LTTE or GAM, but my engagement in the peace process should not be disparaged.

I am happy that peace has finally returned to Aceh, but I am sad to realise that normalcy has yet to be restored in Tamil areas in Sri Lanka.

It is strange why my detractors do not link me with GAM in Aceh, but only the LTTE.

Before the peace deal became a success, GAM was regarded as a terrorist organisation by Indonesia?

Is it because my detractors find it difficult to accept the fact that I worked closely with Acehnese, who are Muslims?

Is it because they find it difficult to accept that a non-Muslim like me can also assist Muslims?

Why didn’t they link me to Muslims groups in Mindanao fighting for a decent deal from the government of the Philippines?

Or that matter my peace initiatives in Colombo?

If I am labelled as a “terrorist” for supporting the struggle of ordinary people in places like Sri Lanka, Aceh, Colombia and Mindanao, I have no further comments but let others decide.

Every time I bring up national issues to the public, there are individuals and groups who will be politically motivated to label me as “terrorist” or any other extreme obnoxious labels.

I am not worried. As an elected representative, I will not allow all these deliberate hindrances to prevent from discharging my duties without fear or favour.

P RAMASAMY is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.

40 poor pupils take off on joy flight

FORTY Primary Six students from SJK (T) Bedong in Kedah took their first flight when they went on a school trip to Langkawi recently, reported Malaysia Nanban.

The school’s headmistress Mariammah Ambigapathi said she had dreamed of taking the pupils on their first flight since being appointed last year.

The pupils’ parents, most of whom were not well-to-do, had worked hard to save the money to send the kids on the trip.

Other costs for the trip were sponsored by businessman A.C. Malaiyarasan, who had also supported educational programs for pupils preparing for the UPSR, she said.

Police shoot dead British PR & 2 Malaysian Indians

Police shoot dead British PR & 2 Malaysian Indians: All gunshot wounds on chest & face and not legs, inconsistent with police shootout between suspects & police. 5 Orphaned children & family wants answers from IGP & HM. Where is mother Moganambal.Tragedy and misery enough that father killed by the Malay-sian police but how 3 young children to leave M'sia next week for UK to resume schooling ‘empty handed’ also without their mother.PM Home Minister & IGP you too have children!

KUMAR HASHIMAH & CO

PEGUAMBELA & PEGUAMCARA

ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS

Tel/Fax ;03-87375622, Mobile: 013-3504711,

E-mail: p.uthayakumar@hotmail .com

P. Uthayakumar. LL.B, CLP.

Your Reference :

In Reply Please Quote: Moganambal/IGP//2019

Date : 22/9/2019

Y.B. Tan Sri MahyuddinYassin,
Menteri Dalam Negeri,
Kompleks Pentadbiran Kerajaan Putrajaya,
Putrajaya. Fax : 03-88891613
Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, e-mail: kpn@rmp.gov.my
Inspector General of Police,
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia, Fax : 03-22733536
Bukit Aman,
50560 Kuala Lumpur.

Y.Bhg Tan Sri,

Police shoot dead British PR & 2 other Malaysian Indians: All gunshot wounds on chest (2) and chest & face(1) and not legs, inconsistent with police shootout between suspects & police.5 Orphaned children & family want answers HM/IGP

The aforesaid family and the three children aged 17,10,& 5 (and two others 6 & 7) of British Permanent Residents couple Janarthanan and enforced disappeared Moganambal demands answers from Home Minister Muhyiddin Yasin and Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Hamid Bador as to why there were no gunshot wounds on the legs but all gunshot wounds are on the on chest for Janarthanan and Magendran and chest & head (face) for Thavaselvan if this encounter was not a shoot to kill policy by the Malaysian Police as per the widow Madam Jasminder’s police report.(Burial Certificates sighted by us today). Further, there were bruises on Thavaselvan’s head, body, hand broken and one tooth broken also as communicated to us by the said widow this morning on examination after the body was brought back to their home t Taman Metropolitan, Kuala Lumpur from the Sg Buloh Mortuary.

Despite our Urgent letters to the IGP dated 17/9/2019 and 20/9/2019, we are yet to be informed of the whereabouts of the enforced disappeared victim Madam Moganambal.It is a tragedy and misery enough that their father has been killed by the police but how do they leave the country next week to resume schooling ‘empty-handed’ also without their mother, your good selves too have children!
Further we are also yet to receive copies of the Dashcam Recordings,First Information Report, All relevant police reports, Section 112 Statements of all the UTK Shooting Squad policemen and your confirmation as to whether they have already been arrested with the view to be prosecuted for the aforesaid murders and enforced disappearance a la Pastor Koh and Amri, Urgent Post Mortem Reports of all three deceased that we had requested for especially so in dispelling any allegations that the same may have tampered after the burial thereof.

Your good selves urgent reply and attention in this matter and also our requested Urgent appointment with the IGP would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,
KH&Co
(P.Uthayakumar) (013-3504711)

Love for nation keeps us together

RECENTLY, my boss and I were discussing the Shared Prosperity vision, when suddenly she asked: “What is life? What is prosperity?”

The first thing that came to mind was McDonald’s Prosperity Burger, being a Malaysian who loves her food. I pondered briefly, then answered: “Life is love. Love is all that matters.”

Love makes people dare to dream, hope and endure. Love was the centrepiece of Malaysia’s transition of power in last year’s general election on May 9. Since then, a lot has happened while other things are waiting to happen.

Despite challenges, we remain solid as a nation. We are able to deal with the effects of transition while sustaining the complexities brought about by change. A former boss once said the only constant was change and if we did not manage change, change would manage us.

The government has been urging us to think out of the box and move away from our comfort zone. It starts with the re-caliberation of the government coffers from debt-driven, mega-projects to prudent and responsible spending.

We also find ourselves muddling in discomfort over the breakdown of the value system, normalisation of bribery, bigotry and civic mindlessness.

To understand how we got here, we must start by analysing how we came into being. Historically, independence was achieved in 1957.

Our transition from agriculture to industrialisation in the 1980s and 1990s re-engineered our societal make-up. The children of fishermen, farmers and labourers enjoyed greater education opportunities.

They became doctors, lawyers, engineers and accountants. Wealth accumulation and political powers were democratised and were no longer the sole privileges of the aristocrats and the select few.

Urban migration gave birth to new towns like Lembah Keramat, Melawati and Subang Jaya to cater to the housing needs of Malaysia’s middle class. My parents told me that growth took off in a manner that could be felt by ordinary people.

Those from a humble kampung could afford to buy a car, television and even a house in the city.

Internationally, we charted a middle path between the powerful blocs and emerging powers, marking ourselves out as non-aligned and principled. We co-founded Asean and made it a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality. We championed the causes of the Third World and spoke bravely on globalisation, terrorism, human rights, growth and development.

Going forward, we need attitudinal reform to challenge the conventional thinking and norms on politics, economics and society.

Public education needs a major reset. When public education fails, inequality widens making social mobility and cohesiveness hard to achieve. The cost of inaction will be detrimental.

At the societal level, the government must manage Malaysia for all Malaysians.

Leaders must rise above petty politics and lead all Malaysians — every one of us deserves a good quality of life. This is what shared prosperity means.

Malaysians are a resilient bunch as demonstrated by our diaspora abroad. We thrive in business, arts, sports and education. Think Yuna, Nicol David, Dr Amalina Bakri. They symbolise Malaysians who are outward- looking and dare to pursue their dreams and ambitions.

Leaders, ministers and politicians must work hard and deliver. When the temptations get too tough to resist, remember the fourth episode of the Game of Thrones Season 8, when Lord Varys openly disagreed with Queen Daenerys during their strategy meeting and begged her, “do not become what you have always struggled to defeat”.

The government must not become who they criticised. Recognition and respect will be earned through hard work, merit, honesty, ingenuity and sincerity to serve nation before self.

The people will be observing. Time, patience and history will be the judge of a leader’s intent, character and feat.

Remember Mao Zedong’s famous quote about the Soong sisters: “One loved money; one loved power, and one loved her country.”

Let us be Malaysians who love our country.

NUR AYUNI ZAINAL ABIDIN

Putrajaya, Federal Territories

Watchdog demands response to damning video by father of deceased

Malaysiakini

Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged) has demanded that the police respond to a damning video made by the father of a pair of siblings who were involved in the deadly shooting on Sept 14.

In a statement today, Caged said that the father, known only as Govindasamy, had alleged in the video that the killing of his son, Thavaselvan and the disappearance of his daughter, Moganambal, was related to the disappearance of A Sivaguru in 2016.

Sivaguru had disappeared in Jeli, Kelantan under mysterious circumstances and the police have revealed little about the matter since.

Among others, Govindasamy had alleged that Thavaselvan and two others - Mahendran and Janarthanan - were all assassinated with Sivaguru's involvement.

In view of this, Caged urged the police to question Govindasamy.

"We call upon the IGP to question Govindasamy and vigorously pursue all leads to confirm or deny the public's suspicions that there are police for hire to conduct abductions and murders in Malaysia.

"The badly tarnished name of the police must be recovered," said Caged, which was formed as a pressure group on the alleged enforced disappearance of pastor Raymond Koh and trader Amri Che Mat.

Police had claimed that Thavaselvan, S
Maghendran and V Janarthanan were killed in a shootout after a highspeed car chase. They also claim that the trio were wanted criminals.

However, the family has disputed this claim. Instead, they are claiming that the trio, along with Magonambal, went out for dinner and never came back.

They also dispute police claims that Janarthanan was a wanted criminal because he had not set foot in Malaysia for six years, and was only visiting the country with his wife Moganambal and family.

The police have promised an inquest into the deaths of the trio.

T'ganu man accused of planning temple attack to be tried in KL

Malaysiakini

The Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court has consented to an application by prosecutors to transfer the trial of a man, facing eight terrorism charges, to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The ruling was made by Sessions Court judge Nooriah Osman.

Mahadi Mamat, 33, was charged under various subsections of Section 130 of the Penal Code which relates to terrorism.

He was accused of procuring a Czech-made CZ 75 pistol, 15 bullets and six pipe bombs with the intention of committing terrorist activities.

He was also accused of planning to assassinate four high-profile Malaysian citizens in an instant messaging group titled "Sejati Sejiwa".

According to the facts of the case, Mahadi was arrested on suspicion of planning an attack on the Sri Mahamariamman Seafield temple in Subang Jaya.

The temple was the centre of a land dispute which later resulted in several nights of rioting. One fire and rescue personnel Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim died after suffering injuries at the scene.

According to Bukit Aman's anti-terrorism division director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Mahadi was accused of leading a terrorist cell which has been dismantled.

The accused was detained and questioned for 28 days under Section 4(1) Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

Mahadi will remain in custody at the Sungai Buloh prison until his case is up for mention at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

"The police are always on the look-out for wayward individuals who can threaten public order.

"We urge the public to report extremist elements to the police to help us maintain peace and harmony," Ayob Khan told Malaysiakini.

Lawyer: Gunshot wounds inconsistent with shootout, demands explanation

Malaysiakini

Gunshot wounds on three individuals killed by the police on Sept 14 were inconsistent with claims that they died in a shootout, said lawyer P Uthayakumar.

In a letter to Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador today, Uthayakumar said the burial certificates indicated that all three were shot on the chest.

One of the deceased - G Thavaselvam - was also shot in the face.

Uthayakumar, who is representing the family of the deceased V Janarthanan, and G Moganambal, who is missing, said his clients are arguing why there were no gunshot wounds on the legs if the police did not practise a "shoot to kill policy".

"Further there were bruises on Thavaselvan's head and body. His hand was broken and he had one tooth broken.

"This was communicated to us by the (Thavaselvan's) widow this morning after examining the body," said the lawyer, who is also representing Thavaselvan's widow Jasminder Kaur.

In view of this, Uthayakumar said Muhyiddin and Hamid must explain the wounds found on the deceased.

Meanwhile, Uthayakumar also said the authorities must address his clients' request for access to all official reports by the authorities.

This includes police dashboard camera recording, first information report, witness statements of the police personnel involved in the shooting and post-mortem reports.

Uthayakumar said granting the family access to these documents was crucial due to the risk of tampering.

"Your goodselves urgently reply... in this matter and also our requested urgent appointment with the IGP would be greatly appreciated," wrote Uthayakumar.

Thavaselvam, Janarthanan and S Maghendran were all killed during the early morning of Sept 14 in Rawang, Selangor.

The police claim there was a car chase followed by a shootout. The police claim that they only fired in retaliation.

The families of the deceased are also claiming that Moganambal was with the trio on that night and that she was now missing.

Janarthanan and Moganambal are a couple who resides in the UK but were in Malaysia for a short visit with their three children.

Moganambal and Thavaselvam are siblings.

Inquest into Batu Arang shootout a waste of time, says lawyer

Uthayakumar Ponnusamy

The lawyer representing the families of the three men killed in the recent Batu Arang shootout has dismissed Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador’s order for an inquest into the shooting, calling it an “eyewash”.P Uthayakumar told FMT there had been no inquest so far that had led to the prosecution of any policeman for deaths caused.“I’ve attended some inquests. The whole thing, I can feel, I can sense, I know as an experienced lawyer, is a cover-up for the police.“As for the attorney-general, there’s a police report against the police for murder. You charge these Special Action Unit (UTK) members who killed these people. Only then will this whole thing stop,” he said.(Freemalaysiatoday 21.9.19)

The lawyer representing the families of the three men killed in the recent Batu Arang shootout has dismissed Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador’s order for an inquest into the shooting, calling it an “eyewash”.

P Uthayakumar told FMT there had been no inquest so far that had led to the prosecution of any policeman for deaths caused.

“I’ve attended some inquests. The whole thing, I can feel, I can sense, I know as an experienced lawyer, is a cover-up for the police.

“As for the attorney-general, there’s a police report against the police for murder. You charge these Special Action Unit (UTK) members who killed these people. Only then will this whole thing stop,” he said.

Lawyer P Uthayakumar.
Uthayakumar then urged the authorities to give him the powers of a “special counsel”, saying he will then produce the evidence against the policemen involved.

“Like Robert Mueller in the US; like Sulaiman Abdullah or Gopal Sri Ram, give me a fiat and I will do the job. I will do it,” he said.

“Give me the power to investigate. I will produce the evidence.”

Police said a shootout occurred on Sept 14 when a police patrol ordered a car carrying three men – Sri Lankan national Janarthanan Vijayaratnam, his brother-in-law Thavaselvan and Maghendran Santhirasegaran – to pull over at Bandar Country Homes.

According to police, the men, however, refused to comply with the police order to pull over.

A 7km chase ensued and police were fired upon. Police returned fire and the three men were killed.

Relatives claim Moganambal Govindasamy was with her husband, Janarthanan Vijayaratnam, when he was shot dead by police on Saturday. Police have denied this.
Police said Thavaselvan and Maghendran were wanted members of the 08 gang in Rawang, while Janarthanan had overstayed his visa.

Relatives of the men shot dead have asked police to publish footage from their dashboard cameras on the police patrol car to set the record straight as to what happened.

Relatives claim Janarthanan’s wife, Moganambal Govindasamy, was missing after the shooting. However, Selangor police chief Noor Azam Jamaluddin said there was no woman in the car.

PSM: Bukit Aman must take over Rawang shootout probe

Source: Malaysiakini

In light of concerns over the Selangor police’s handling of a recent shooting in Rawang, PSM has urged Bukit Aman to take over investigations.

Its deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan believed that the public had lost confidence in the Selangor police after the families of the shootout victims came forward to challenge the official version of events.

Selangor police chief Noor Azam Jamaludin previously said that his force had engaged in a shootout with three suspected robbers before killing them on Sept 14. He said that guns, machetes and face masks were found in the victims’ vehicle.

Arutchelvan regarded this as the “standard police response” for shootings and pressed Bukit Aman to uncover the truth in this case.

“At this stage, what is more crucial is for Bukit Aman to take over the case completely from the Selangor contingent because the statement made by the state police chief seems to be lopsided and hazy.

“He (Noor Azam) was too quick to come out with the standard police response but his version does not seem to collaborate with evidence [...],” he said in a statement.

“Our job would be easy if we had an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) with power but for now, we have to rely on Bukit Aman’s goodwill to be neutral and independent to investigate evidence [...],” he added.

The three killed were S Mahendran, 23, G Thavaselvan, 31, and Sri Lankan national V Janarthanan, 40. A fourth person - G Moganambal, 35 - was said to be at the scene but she is now missing. She is Janarthanan’s wife and Thavaselvan’s sister.

Their families claim that the four had gone out for dinner in Serdang before they were “kidnapped” and shot at by police in Batu Arang, Rawang.

Two versions of events

Police have characterised Thavaselvan and Mahendran as triad members. They said the former previously served jail time and had 23 criminal records, while Mahendran was previously involved in a Sentul robbery.

As for Janarthanan, police said he was involved in a Sentul robbery back in 2016 and found no records of him entering the country.

Yesterday, Janarthanan’s kin stated that he was a UK permanent resident who had been living and working in Portsmouth with wife Moganambal and their three children for the whole of 2016.

They also produced flight details and baggage tags that showed he and his family had departed from London on Aug 26 this year and arrived at KLIA the next day. Their return flights were planned for Sept 23.

Their lawyers accused Selangor police of tampering with Janarthanan’s immigration records and demanded for dashboard camera footage from the police vehicles to set the record straight.

Probe video

In his statement, Arutchelvan welcomed Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador’s statement that an inquest will be held into the shooting.

However, he urged Bukit Aman to probe allegations contained in a newly surfaced video featuring a man claiming to be the father of Thavaselvan and Moganambal.

“Police must immediately investigate the content of the video and other information which has now appeared in the video,” he said.

Among the claims made in the video are that the four were assaulted before they were “executed”. The man also demands that police reveal their post-mortem report.

Malaysiakini is contacting Selangor police and Bukit Aman about the video.

Criminologist: Police have no general license to kill

Controversy surrounding the shooting incident in Batu Arang, Rawang, continues to hound the police who had claimed the two dead men were members of the Gang 08 triad.

Criminologist and law lecturer Shamsher Thind Singh said there is no "general licence to kill" given to any police officer even if the suspects were gangsters or triad members.

"Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction," said Shamsher, who obtained a PhD for criminology studies in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

"Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution guarantees the right to life of every person in this country," he told Malaysiakini.

Shamsher said it would be premature to make any comments pending the investigation by the authorities.

"However, I wish to share my understanding with the general public about the police power to cause death in the course of making an arrest," he said.

"Firstly, there is no general licence to kill given to any police officer.

"Be that as it may, the constitutional right to life is not absolute, and the Parliament allows the killing of any person under certain limited circumstances," he explained.

"One such situation is the oft-quoted right to self-defence."

Limits to 'self-defence'

According to section 100(a) of the Penal Code, any person (including a police officer) whose life is endangered by any other person may resort to the right of self-defence and cause the voluntary death of that other person.

"However, section 99(4) of the Penal Code provides a limitation, that is to say, the right to self-defence fails in the event more than necessary harm has been used," Shamsher pointed out.

He cited a previous shooting incident, saying now is a good time to revisit the case of Aminulrasyid Amzah, who was fatally shot by the police in 2010 when the 14-year old deceased, who was driving a vehicle at the time, failed to stop when ordered so.

Shamsher noted that the Court of Appeal was of the opinion that, "On the totality of the evidence, the action of the first defendant in firing the fatal shot which resulted in the death of the deceased was clearly unwarranted, unreasonable and unjustified."

He said for the sake of completeness, Section 15(3), read together with Section 15(2), of the Criminal Procedure Code allows a police officer to cause the death to any person who was resisting or evading an arrest.

However, this is allowed provided that the said person is accused of an offence punishable with the death penalty or life imprisonment, and that the force used to kill him was necessary for the arrest, Shamsher added.

"This right has a very limited application and as such rarely invoked by the police," he stressed.

Cops urged to come clean

Last Saturday, Selangor police chief Noor Azam Jamaludin said three men, believed to have been involved an armed robbery, were killed during an exchange of fire, and a search of their vehicle found two semi-automatic handguns, three machetes and face masks.

On Sept 6, the family of the two dead men demanded answers from police on what had transpired during the shooting incident.

They also urged police to come clean on the fate of the wife of one of the deceased who is now missing.

The family said they were puzzled with police's statement that the duo (G Thavaselvan and V Janarthanan), who were in-laws, and their friend (S Maghendran) all of whom police shot dead in the incident, were suspected members of a home invasion gang.

Son claims late father arrived in M’sia only recently, had no criminal record

 Source: Malaysiakini

The family of a Sri Lankan national shot dead by Malaysian police has produced proof to dispute the authorities’ claim about his immigration and criminal records.

Forty-year-old V Janarthanan was one of the three men killed in a Sept 14 shooting which took place in Batu Arang, Rawang.

Selangor police told the media that he had been killed in pursuit as part of a home robbery gang.

They said Janarthanan had also been involved in a robbery in Sentul back in 2016.

The police further cast aspersions on the family’s claim that the UK permanent resident had only recently arrived in the country, saying their checks had found no record of his arrival at any Malaysian entry point.

At a press conference today, Janarthanan’s teenage son P Logitharan said his father had been working as a manager in a supermarket in Portsmouth, the UK for the whole of 2016.

He said therefore, it was impossible for his father to have committed any crime in Malaysia as he was in the UK at the time.

Logitharan also showed his father's flight details to the media which revealed the travel itinerary of Janarthanan as well as the whole family.

The itinerary showed that they departed from London’s Gatwick Airport on Aug 26 this year and arrived at KLIA the next day on Qatar Airways flight QR852.

He also displayed a baggage tag bearing Janarthanan’s name and flight number. The flight details showed he was slated to fly back to London on Sept 23.

In light of these documents, the family’s lawyer P Uthayakumar accused the police of “tampering” with immigration records.

“Now, the Selangor police chief (Noor Azam Jamaludin) and CID chief (Adnan Azizon) are liars. Have they tampered with (the records)?

“Who erased the immigration records? Who erased it?” he asked.

Logitharan’s mother G Moganambal was also said to be involved in the shooting incident. She is now missing.

Why label my son a criminal?

Also present were Janarthanan’s mother, N Thanalakshmi and stepfather T Navaratnaraja, who arrived in Malaysia from Switzerland where they are permanent residents.

Speaking in Sri Lankan Tamil, Thanalakshmi was inconsolable as she mourned her son.

“We were so scared to come to Malaysia. My son comes from a decent family and now he is suddenly labelled as a criminal.

“I usually can’t sleep without first talking to my son. I do not know how to face life after this,” she said through her tears.

Navaratnaraja was upset that his stepson had not only been shot dead but was now being misrepresented as a felon, adding they had last met in June this year in the UK.

According to Selangor police, Janarthanan and two other men were involved in an armed robbery incident and were all killed during an exchange of fire.

Police said that they found two guns, three machetes and face masks in their vehicle.

The family today stood by their counterclaim that the three men and Moganambal had gone out for dinner in Serdang before they were “kidnapped” and shot by the police in Rawang.

They have demanded police to reveal footage from the dashboard cameras of their vehicles to set the record straight as to what happened.

Tirukural 84

முகம் மலர்ந்து விருந்தோம்புபவர் இல்லத்தில் திருமகள் மகிழ்ச்சியோடு வாழ்வாள்.

Could Melaka have gotten its name from a tree?

PRECISELY why is Melaka called Melaka? This deceptively simple question is loaded with ideological baggage. It has been used to establish religious authenticity and to justify elevating certain groups over others in Malaysian history. For the sake of an accurate reconstruction of the past, resolving it is therefore crucial.

The roots of this question lie in Melaka’s court chronicle, Sejarah Melayu. Written in 1612, this text provides two, quite separate etymons for “Melaka”.

The first (and most well-known) appears alongside the story of Melaka’s founder, Iskandar Shah. Also known as Parameswara, Iskandar was a descendant of the Buddhist rajas of Palembang, the old centre of Srivijaya.

After fleeing a Javanese attack on Singapore, he travelled to Sungai Bertam; while hunting there, he sheltered under a tree, where he saw a white mousedeer attack his hunting dog.

Impressed by the small animal’s bravery, Iskandar decided to establish his new capital on that very spot. Asking his officials which tree he stood under, he was told it was the Melaka tree, and so the new city gained its name.

The second etymon was, until recently, more obscure. Mentioned briefly in the context of Mansur Shah’s reign (1459-1477), it describes how Melaka’s commercial rise under that ruler prompted the Arabs to call it Malakat, “or the mart for collecting all merchants”.

So, which of these possibilities is the more plausible? And what might that tell us about Melaka? Beginning with the second, Sejarah Melayu’s “Malakat” is the Arabic mulaqah, meaning meeting or encounter.

In recent years, Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has strenuously championed this etymon, claiming both Jawi and Portuguese texts originally spelt Melaka with a “q” not a “k”, thereby confirming mulaqah as the correct etymon.

This has allowed him to privilege Arabs in the conversion of both Melaka and the Malays.

There are, however, problems with this argument.

FIRST, the name “Melaka” does not originate from the period 1459-1477. The Chinese Ming shi-lu is clear that Melaka already bore this name in 1403, when it was still only a fishing village, long before the Arabs began to frequent it.

SECOND, early Portuguese authors could not speak Malay. Their renderings of Malay words were inconsistent, inaccurate, and incapable of informing us about early Malay spelling conventions.

Tomé Pires, for example, spelt Melaka as “Malaqa”, “Malaca” and “Malacca”. No reason exists to accept the first over the other two, especially as the latter became the accepted norm.

Finally, contrary to al-Attas’ claim, early Jawi manuscripts spelt Melaka with a “k” not a “q”. As this form also lacks the final alif and ta’ marbutah of mulaqah, little reason exists to equate it with the latter.

Indeed, mulaqah appears separately in Jawi (pronounced as mulakat). This only confirms a lack of equivalency. There is also no evidence the Arabs actually called Melaka “mulaqah”.

The navigational treatises of Ahmad ibn Majid and Sulayman al-Mahri are the only surviving early Arabic texts to mention Melaka. Neither author spells the city’s name “mulaqah”, instead calling it either malaqah, mala’qah, or ma’laqah.

Often appearing side-by-side, these differing forms suggest the Arabs — just like the Portuguese — were unsure of how to spell Melaka, presumably because it was a foreign word. This is hardly conducive to their having given the city its name. If we can therefore dismiss this etymon, what of the other?

It is entirely plausible that Melaka was named after a tree; many early Southeast Asian toponyms (a place name) were derived this way. Majapahit, for example, was named for pokok maja, whose fruit is very bitter (pahit).

Moreover, a pokok melaka does exist. Bearing the scientific name Phyllanthus emblica, its habitat extends across the Indian Ocean and into Southeast Asia.

Although some dismiss its Malay name as fiction, intended merely to conform to Sejarah Melayu’s story, in Sanskrit the plant is called “amalaka”. It is easy to see how amalaka could become “Melaka”, especially as Malays also call the tree laka, demonstrating a tendency to shorten its name from the front.

But, if “Melaka” derives from amalaka, what does this tell us? As mentioned, Melaka’s rulers hailed from Buddhist Srivijaya; when Melaka was founded, it too, was Buddhist.

According to Buddhist tradition, 24 Buddhas came before Gautama Buddha, the lives of whom were celebrated across mainland Southeast Asia, including in Thailand, which once dominated Melaka.

The 21st of these figures, Phussa Buddha, gained enlightenment under the amalaka tree. Given the Buddhist Iskandar Shah is similarly depicted under the Melaka tree, is Sejarah Melayu trying to identify him with Phussa Buddha?

Certainly, Buddhist symbolism permeates other sections of Sejarah Melayu. For example, Iskandar’s ancestry is traced to Sri Tri Buana, a semi-divine figure who descended from heaven atop of Palembang’s sacred Bukit Seguntang Mahameru.

The signs of sovereignty bestowed upon him, including the right to reside on the sacred mountain, an elaborate crown studded with jewels, and the ability to turn the hilltop into gold, replicate the sovereign powers of the Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara. This suggests Sri Tri Buana was an incarnation of that figure.

Plausibly, Iskandar Shah represents something similar: an enlightened being, a bridge between Muslim Melaka and ancient Buddhist Srivijaya.

If so, he embodies the inherent cosmopolitanism of Malay society, a quality as important today as in past centuries.

The writer is Associate Fellow at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia

PC: Pakatan Harapan Malaysian Police shoot dead Indian

PC: Pakatan Harapan Malaysian Police shoot dead British PR, British PR Indian Lady’s enforced disappearance,3 Indians shot dead in 1 day.3 orphaned children (UK citizens) aged 17,10 & 5 will be going home to UK empty handed & minus their shot dead by police father & enforced disappeared ‘for good’ mother."Who will comb my hair when i go to school" says Krishka (10), daughter orphaned, "Who do i say i will i complain to (now) if i am bullied in school says Sanjit (10) - by trigger happy now Pakatan Harapan Malay-sian police force! New Malaysia? Stop police shooting dead (of Indians) policy says widow of Thava Selvam in police report today.

HINDRAF 2.0
(Hindu Rights Action Force)
13-3-2, Taman Bukit Angkasa,
Jalan Pantai Dalam, 59200, Kuala Lumpur
Tel:03-20115620, 013-3504711

Press Conference

Malaysian Police shoot dead British P.R., British P.R. Lady’s enforced disappearance,3 shot dead in 1 day.

Date : 20.9.2019 (Friday)

Time : 12.00 noon

Venue : Suite C-5-5, 5th Floor, Tower C
Wisma Goshen, Plaza Pantai
Off Jalan Pantai Baru
59000 Kuala Lumpur

Note : Lawyers M.Manoharan & P. Uthayakumar, Mother & Father of deceased UK P.R., 3 orphaned children (UK citizens) aged 17,10 &5 will be going home to UK empty handed & minus their shot dead by police father & enforced disappeared ‘for good’ mother, sister and widow of Malaysian shot dead by Police, family & friends will be present.

Co-Ordinater
Baskaran
012-9760598

74-year-old hospitalised after giving birth to twins

A 74-YEAR-OLD woman who gave birth to twins was hospitalized with complications while her 82-year-old husband suffered a heart attack, Makkal Osai reported.

The elderly couple in Andhra Pradesh, India, has been trying to have a child for the past 57 years.

She finally opted for an IVF procedure.

The woman became pregnant and delivered healthy twin girls after a three-hour labor.

Her husband, who was overjoyed after his daughters were born, suffered a heart attack the next day and had to be admitted to hospital.

What is so special about fugitive Naik?

P Ramasamy - Penang deputy chief minister (II)

Is it true in a recent meeting between Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohammed and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Vladivostok, Russia, the former requested for the extradition of the Islamic preacher and fugitive Zakir Naik?

I don’t really think we can understand what actually transpired in the one-hour conversation between Modi and Mahathir. Whether Modi requested for Zakir’s extradition is not important as India had formally made the request as early as 2018.

So whether Modi made the request and whether this was denied by Mahathir have become academic in nature. Therefore it serves no purpose in finding out the truth; in fact, the truth has become lost in the manner the media has covered the subject matter.

What is important for us is why Zakir, despite the havoc he has created in India and Malaysia, he has been given a VIP status in the country so much so he is regarded as one of the most influential persons in the country.

Apart from the fact no country wants to take him, there is fear that his expulsion might cause domestic problems in the country especially amongst sections who have come to regard him as a respected Islamic preacher.

More than two hundred police reports have been lodged against Zakir and police investigations are ongoing. However, if leaders like Mahathir are not inclined to extradite him, police investigations would make no impact.

It is clear that Naik has violated the conditions that were imposed in granting him a permanent residency status but the government still wants to bend over backwards to protect him.

It is not clear that the government would have extended the protection to others who have come in to make insensitive remarks about Muslims or non-Muslims.

The question is why this application of double-standard when it comes to Zakir?

Shouldn’t a responsible government of the day protect its citizens whether Muslims or non-Muslims from being hurt by the insensitive remarks from persons like Zakir?

Let not the government of Malaysia be ridiculed and made fun by the international community for bending over backwards in politics protecting a fugitive and runaway against its own citizens.

ED to invoke Fugitive Economic Offenders Act against Zakir Naik

Sources in the Enforcement Directorate have said the probe agency is all set to invoke the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act against Zakir Naik who is currently in Malaysia.

In a development in the extradition process of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, currently based in Malaysia, the Enforcement Directorate is all set to invoke the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act against him.

Sources in the probe agency have told India Today that the ED is all set to file an application before the court to declare Zakir Naik 'fugitive’ under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

Under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, effective action can be taken against economic offenders who have fled Indian jurisdiction. It provides for attachment and confiscation of property of fugitive economic offenders and disentitles them from defending any civil claim.

If declared fugitive, the ED will have the power to attach his overseas properties. The development will also help probe agencies in extradition of Zakir Naik from Malaysia.

Fresh non-bailable warrant against Zakir Naik

On Wednesday, a Mumbai court had issued a fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Zakir Naik in the 2016 alleged money laundering case.

The warrant was issued by Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge PP Rajvaidya on a plea filed by the ED which is probing the case.

Last week, Naik had moved a plea through his lawyer seeking time for two months to appear before the court, which was rejected. The ED on Monday moved a fresh plea seeking the NBW.

The ED has claimed to have identified Rs 193.06 crore as the proceeds of crime in the 2016 case.

Who is Zakir Naik

Zakir Naik, a 53-year-old radical television preacher, left India in 2016 and subsequently moved to the largely Muslim Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.

The ED booked him in 2016 on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The controversial preacher is wanted by authorities for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.

Lawyer Balwant Singh Sidhu speaks his mind on Mahathir

Balwant Singh Sidhu commented on Mahathir's statement

I am disgusted by this constant racism and feel obliged to speak up. I take it as a personal insult that I was 'allowed' to become a lawyer. On the contrary, I ...saved my own money and went to England. I did not get a scholarship or a study loan. I was not even allowed to use the UITM library, as I was told it was only for Malays. But I did not get offended. I took it as a challenge, as my religion forbids me to beg.

I can safely say that most of the Sikh lawyers in this country of my generation are children of soldiers and policemen. Nobody 'allowed' us anything. We worked hard and owe nothing to anyone. Our parents left rich farmlands in the Punjab in search of adventure. They agreed to accept Malayan citizenship because they honestly believed they would be treated as equal citizens and their contributions to nation building recognized.

So, Mahathir, speak for yourself. If some Malays are poor today, it is because of corruption, cronyism and nepotism. If some non Malays are professional, it because of hard work.

Mahathir should stop his stupid and insensitive remarks and contribute to peace and harmony in the country in his twilight years. I am deeply offended that after my father and his younger brother served so many years in the police force and another uncle fought the communists in the jungles, I have to put up with such insensitive and callous remarks, as if suggesting I should be grateful.

If at all, people like Mahathir should be grateful that despite not being of Malay stock, they have benefitted immensely from being pseudo Malays. Please don't use us as political fodder. We are a proud race and have never expected or received any handouts. Yet one third of the names on the national monument are Sikhs.

If you have nothing to contribute to promote racial and religious harmony, please spend your last days in prayer.

The real issue is intra-Malay economic inequality

NIK NAZMI NIK AHMAD

Our 2019 Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations were marred by calls from certain quarters for the Malay community to prioritise Muslim businesses and boycott non-Muslim businesses.

The supposed reasons for this initiative is to improve the economic standing of the Malays, as well as to somehow defend the position of Islam and Malays. The underlying reason was the upcoming Umno-PAS gathering.

But is a boycott a viable solution for both causes?

The economic problems of the Malays are not new. The British Colonial policy of divide and rule, as well as the failed laissez-faire policies of the post-Merdeka Alliance government, contributed to the May 13, 1969, tragedy.

After that, the New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced, which aimed to eradicate poverty irrespective of race and to eliminate the identification of ethnicity with economic function.

In its earlier stages, the NEP involved large investments in education, with extensive scholarship opportunities. This is what largely drove the creation of today’s Malay middle class.

But the NEP was only supposed to last for 20 years, meaning its “expiry date” was back in 1990.

Today, the NEP, as well as the practices it inspired, are still in place. However, the gap between rich and poor Malays has widened.

No one is denying the good the NEP did.

However, today, this policy that only takes race into account disproportionately benefits the Malay elite. It gives them better educational and economic outcomes than their fellow Malay counterparts: the urban poor, low-ranked government employees, Felda settlers and fishermen.

Why? Part of it is because the NEP became a victim of its own success.

Let us consider the bumiputra-reserved Amanah Saham Bumiputra’s (ASB) investment statistics. A total of 7.4 million unit holders or 76.92 percent of them have unit sizes below RM5,000, based on ASB’s 2018 Annual Report.

Only 0.24 percent have a holding size of RM500,001 and above. However, 9.15 percent of the unit holders have subscribed to 81.83 percent of total units or more than RM127.5 billion! The 7.4 million holders of the smallest units only have RM4.1 billion or just 2.65 percent of the total units.

The same is true for Tabung Haji (TH). The original function of TH was to enable savings by the Muslim community to perform the Hajj. It was not supposed to morph into a form of investments for the public.

However, 50 percent of the funds in TH’s savings accounts come from only 1.3 percent of its contributors. There is, according to media reports, an individual who contributed RM190 million!

Widening gap between rich and poor Malays

These statistics show that although the NEP created a Malay middle class, it has done little to close the widening gap between rich and poor Malays. This is the community’s biggest economic challenge today.

Our focus has been on the disparities among the races, but not within Malaysia’s ethnic groups - including the Malays. Continuing to ignore this will condemn the less well-off Malays and Malaysians to indefinite penury and exclusion.

Progress away from this paradigm has been hampered by the fact that our economic model is still stuck in the old, low-wage export model framework. It’s typically used for emerging economies to compete.

This was the transition that South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore - economies that were once at the same level as us - had gone through. However, they increased productivity and wage rates by adding value to their economies.

However, unlike them wages in Malaysia have stagnated. Our open policy in hiring foreign workers has also not helped.

We must also not forget how our economy fell victim to corruption and abuse of power.

The damage that the 1MDB, TH, Yapeim and other alleged scandals have caused on not only Malaysia’s public image, but also the credibility of bumiputra institutions are well known.

Interestingly, PAS, which has backed the boycott campaign, had visited the 1MDB and TH managements when they first began to ally with Umno. PAS’ leaders reportedly even stated that they were satisfied with the excuses given to them over the various allegations.

Rather than act as a check-and-balance, PAS instead inexplicably chose to provide “cover” to the abuses of the previous government.

What must we do to move our community forward? We have a choice.

Yes, there have been studies on discrimination faced by the bumiputra in the private sector, and that must be dealt with.

But are we going to be swayed by demagoguery or are we going to take concrete steps to resolve the Malay - and hence the wider national economic crisis - by looking at the problems within our community?

Countries like Vietnam have surpassed us while Malaysia wallows in its archaic economic model and endemic corruption.

Need to free the T20 Malays to compete with other races

We need to free the T20 Malays to compete with other races while providing support to the urban poor, farmers and workers, many of whom are Malays and bumiputra.

Bumiputra affirmative action must be appropriate and needs-driven: T20 Malays should no longer exploit benefits meant for their B40 and M40 compatriots.

For instance, the government should consider whether ASB accounts that are over the investment limit of RM200,000 should be allowed to reinvest their dividends or if accounts only below that value are to be prioritised - because the latter make up the majority.

Currently, accounts are still permitted to collect dividends that can be invested on top of the RM200,000 cap, arguably benefiting only a small Malay elite.

Tabung Haji should also return to its roots as a savings fund for Hajj at a reasonable rate.

In 2019, the Muassasah Hajj cost stood at around RM22,900 while the subsidy given out by Tabung Haji is RM12,920. Therefore, those who wish to perform the Hajj only need to save RM9,980.

Non-core GLCs and those that have overlapping functions at the federal and state levels can be rationalised through management buyouts (MBOs), subject to terms and conditions.

The majority of GLC managements consists of bumiputras. Therefore, they will benefit from the experience of competing and succeeding in the corporate world. Also, the government sector will not monopolise the financial market.

It is likely that these proposals may spark further controversy. But if we are not ready to face these issues head-on and honestly, ordinary Malays will continue to be left behind.

I have delved more deeply into these issues in my book, Moving Forward: Malays for the 21st Century, which was first published in 2009 and has now been re-released with a new foreword and additional notes.

Boycotts are not the solution to uplift the Malays. Rather, our salvation will lie in a willingness to adopt bold and wise policies, as well as having leaders who are willing to see them through.