INDIAN AMERICAN INTELLECTUALS FORUM

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PRESS RELEASE:
APPEAL TO SAVE HINDUS AND SIKHS FROM EXTINCTION IN PAKISTAN

We are appalled and horrified to know that over one hundred Hindu families (about 500 people) in Pakistan’s Balochistan province are making frantic efforts to seek political asylum in India after becoming the target of a campaign of vilification, demonization, kidnapping and extortion by Jihadists supported by Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.


Over the last 5 years, more than 5,000 Hindus have already moved from Pakistan’s Sind province to Rajasthan, India. Their tattered clothes, emotionless faces and vacuous eyes tell their dismal tale. Most of these Hindus refugees look like zombies.


Although no figures are made available, anecdotal evidence and human rights groups say that persecution and conversion of Hindus and Sikhs have risen in the last two years, with temples and gurudwaras being desecrated and worshippers being attacked.


According to Basant Lal Gulshan, Balochistan’s Minorities Affair Minister “forty-one Hindus were abducted during the past three years and four more were killed when they resisted kidnapping attempts.


In the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Talibans have warned Hindu men to grow beard and Hindu women to wear burqa in order to avoid being beaten or fined by Lashkar extremists.


Last year, Islamic militants directed Sikh community in the NWFP either to convert to Islam, leave the land of their forefathers or pay 12 million rupees ($140,000) jizya – the medieval tax levied on non-Muslims in Islamic state.

‘DNA” reported in its issue of May 28, 2010 that over 50 Pakistani Hindus have converted to Islam in the Sialkot district of Punjab within a week (between May 14 and May 19) under pressure from their Muslim employers in a bid to retain their jobs and survive in the Muslim-dominated society.


Hindu women are raped. Men are harassed, beaten up or slain, and children are abducted. Harassment and torture of minorities – Hindus and Christians - in Pakistan is going on unabated. In the latest matter, a Hindu girl near Karachi, Pakistan, was abducted, forcefully converted to Islam and kept in a Muslim mosque in Pakistan. It is the Taliban effect.


At the time of Partition of India in 1947, there were somewhere between 20 to 24% Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan. They were forced to convert to Islam or leave the country. In the last 63 years Hindus and Sikhs have been ethnically cleansed from Pakistan.


It is not only Hindus and Sikhs who suffer indignity and humiliation; Christians are also treated like criminals, and charges of blasphemy are leveled against them on the flimsiest of excuses.


In March, 2010, Dr. Manjit Singh Randhawa, President of Sikh Nation Organisation, had appealed to the United Nations against forced conversion and racial discrimination of minorities (Hindus and Sikhs) to prevail upon Pakistan to repeal the 'Nizam-e-Adl 2009 Regulation' that has "legitimized and legalized tyranny" by 'Taliban', in complete disregard to its international commitments under various UN Conventions, to safeguard Human Rights of its citizens within international borders of Pakistan.


Jihadists in collaboration with Pakistan military have radicalized Pakistani society in the most dangerous manner. In a show of strength, on January 9, 2011, over 40,000 Islamists gathered in the streets in Karachi, the capital of Sind province in Pakistan, under the banner of Tahaffauz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat which is a conglomerate of religious parties opposed to amendments of the country's blasphemy laws. They showed support in favor of Mumtaz Quadri, the assassin of Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, and showered him with rose petals. Speakers at the meeting openly threatened to kill anyone supporting amendment to blasphemy law while 3,000 police officers watched them helplessly. Mumtaz Quadri was promised legal help by 200 lawyers. For more information on this you may contact Gopinath Kumar, Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Hindu Post at http://pakistanhindupost.blogspot.com.


Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan are facing an uncertain future. Their plight is miserable. They live in fear of abduction for ransom, armed robberies and murder.


Under the circumstances, we appeal to the governments of India, the USA, the United Nations, and all global human rights groups to stop egregious human rights violations and rescue these hapless Hindus, Sikhs and Christians from the jaws of death as soon as possible.


Narain Kataria

President


Cc:

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India

Hon. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, Washington

Hon. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations,

New York

Hon. Meera Shankar, Ambassader, Embassy of India, Washington,

for necessary action as deemed fit

Hon. Prabhu Dayal, Consul General of India in New York, for

necessary action as deemed fit.

Hon. Faqir Syed Asif Hussain, Consul General of Pakistan,

New York, for necessary action as deemed fit.

Outgoing CJ defends judges-PM meet

(Malaysiakini) The meeting between Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the judges today will not compromise the independence of the judiciary, outgoing Chief Justice Zaki Azmi says.

Zaki, 66, who will retire on Monday, said the visit would not interfere in the administration of justice as alleged by certain quarters. 

The meeting was meant to brief the premier on how federal government funds were being used to improve the court delivery system, Zaki told reporters.

The judiciary had asked for an allocation of RM130 million for the courts for recording transcriptions and the judiciary's national e-filing system.

"Mind you, we do not appoint any consultants for this transformation," he said. 

Zaki, 66, who will retire on Monday, also said the such meetings were not new and that there had been a similar meeting with then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on two occassions. 

"It is nothing out of the ordinary as alleged (by certain quarters) as the judges' conference had been planned six months ago and the prime minister informed us of wanting to visit the court only last week.

"There is nothing hidden in the meeting as suggested. It will not affect our impartiality and independence in delivering judgments," he said in reference to the Council of Judges Conference held today in Kuala Lumpur.

Zaki said this was out in the open for all to see.

A total of 130 judges from the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court will be meeting the prime minister at the Palace of Justice.

Umno seleweng fakta sejarah

Umno menggunakan analogi yang salah apabila mengaitkan parti itu sahaja yang memperjuangkan kemerdekaan.

COMMENT - FMT

Jika anda tidak percaya bahawa Umno sudah putus tali hayat sebagai sebuah parti politik yang berpengaruh, anda perlu lihat sahaja kepada pimpinannya yang memperalatkan seluruh aparatus propaganda guna untuk menyerang Timbalan Presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu.

Namun adalah wajar mereka bertindak sedemikian jika sekiranya Mohamad Sabu atau lebih mesra dipanggil Mat Sabu melakukan kesalahan tetapi sebenarnya beliau tidak melakukan apa-apa kesalahan.

Mat Sabu hanya mendedahkan mitos atau kepercayaan bahawa hanya Umno merupakan satu-satunya golongan yang berjuang dan mendapatkan kemerdekaan Malaya dari cengkaman penjajah British.

Kenyataan Mat Sabu yang menyanjung Muhammad Indera (atau lebih mesra disebut Mat Indera) sebagai pejuang kemerdekaan hanya dalam konteks untuk membidas Umno yang memutar belit fakta peristiwa Bukit Kepong.

Umno menyeleweng fakta sejarah bahawa peristiwa serangan ke atas Bukit Kepong yang diulang-ulang pada setiap Hari Kemerdekaan kerana mahu memberi gambaran bahawa parti itu sahaja yang memperjuangkan kemerdekaan negara.

Kecaman terhadap Mat Sabu

Mereka menyerang Mat Sabu berdasarkan kenyataan positif beliau tentang Mat Indera.  Mereka mengecam Mat Sabu dan termasuk PAS, kerana kononnya memuji komunis dan memberi gambaran baik tentang komunisme dan bercita-cita menukar negara ini menjadi sebuah republik.

Dengan menggunakan seluruh kekuatan, Umno menyerang pendirian Mat Sabu yang didakwa menyokong sistem komunis.

Tetapi tidakkah mereka dapat berfikir sejenak bahawa Mat Sabu tidak  pernah pun menyebut perkataan “komunis” atau “komunisme” dalam ucapannya?

Dalam usaha mencari kebenaran, mari kita merenung kembali ucapan Mat Sabu, yang disampaikan dalam satu ceramah di Tasek Gelugor, Pulau Pinang pada 21 Ogos lalu:

“Apabila Hari Kemerdekaan menjelang tiba program televisyen akan menayangkan peristiwa serangan ke atas Bukit Kepong.  Anggota- anggota polis yang mati ketika peristiwa itu adalah mereka yang berkhidmat dengan kerajaan British.

“Mereka yang menyerang Bukit Kepong adalah sebenarnya para pejuang menuntut kemerdekaan.  Perajurit  yang menyerang Bukit

Kepong ialah Mat Indera.  Beliau adalah seorang Melayu, tetapi namanya tidak disebut dalam buku-buku sejarah.

“Jins Shamsudin membuat filem ini.  Jins Shamsudin dari Umno. Filemnya tentang Bukit Kepong memberi gambaran bahawa para penyerang sebagai petualang.

“Para anggota polis adalah polis British.  Selepas merdeka, negara kita diperintah oleh British.  Tetapi dalam filem, British digambarkan sebagai hero manakala para pejuang kemerdekaan dianggap sebagai teroris.”

Mat Sabu juga dalam ucapannya berkata Umno telah menggunakan Hari Merdeka untuk mencari nama dan menafikan peranan gerakan -gerakan lain selain Umno yang turut memberi sumbangan ke arah kemerdekaan.

Latar belakang sejarah

Untuk memahami isu ini dengan lebih baik, mari kita lihat insiden Bukit Kepong dari perspektif sejarah yang sebenar.

Ketika itu tahun 1950, dua tahun selepas pengisytiharan Darurat (untuk menangani pemberontakan bersenjata Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM)) dan tujuh tahun sebelum negara mencapai kemerdekaan.

Peristiwa itu berlaku pada kemuncak perang gurila yang diisytihar oleh PKM untuk merebut kemerdekaan daripada penjajah British.

Pada malam 23 Februari 1950, segerombolan pejuang kemerdekaan menyerang sebuah balai polis di Bukit Kepong, Johor dan membunuh 25 orang, kebanyakannya anggota polis dan ahli keluarga mereka.
Serangan ini diketuai oleh Mat Indera, seorang Melayu, dan anggota-anggota polis juga orang Melayu, yang berkhidmat dengan kerajaan British.

Insiden ini merupakan salah satu titik hitam dari ruang lingkup perang gurila yang lebih besar di antara para pejuang kemerdekaan yang diterajui oleh PKM di satu pihak dan kerajaan British yang berusaha keras untuk mempertahankan penjajahannya di satu pihak yang lain.

Soalan yang kita hendak kemukakan kepada Umno ialah: memandangkan ini merupakan perang gurila untuk menuntut kemerdekaan, bagaimana Mat Sabu boleh dikatakan salah apabila beliau berkata Ma Indera berjuang untuk kemerdekaan?

Dan, bagaimana boleh dianggap Mat Sabu bersalah apabila beliau berkata anggota-anggota polis yang mati adalah kepunyaan British?

Tidakkah mereka berkhidmat untuk kerajaan penjajah? Tidakkah mereka berperang untuk melindungi kerajaan penjajah?

Memandangkan tidak ada perkataan “komunis” atau “komunisme” yang pernah disebut oleh Mat Sabu, bagaimana Umno boleh membuat kesimpulan bahawa Mat Sabu memuji atau mengagung-agungkan komunis atau komunisme?

Alam fantasi

Bukankah para pemimpin Umno dan aparatus propagandanya melangkah ke alam fantasi apabila menuduh PAS ada hubungan dengan komunis?

Adakah benar apa yang disebut oleh Mat Sabu ialah Umno menggunakan analogi yang salah apabila menampil diri atas dakwaan yang salah – bahawa mereka sahaja yang berjuang untuk kemerdekaan?

Apa yang disebut oleh Mat Sabu tidak ada kena mengena dengan komunisme.  Apa yang disebut beliau tidak juga bertujuan merendah- rendahkan sumbangan para pemimpin Melayu dalam gerakan mencapai kemerdekaan negara ini – seperti yang dituduh dan disalaherti oleh para pemimpin Umno.

Mengenai peranan PKM dalam perjuangan menuntut kemerdekaan, kita harus berkata begini.  Walaupun kita tidak suka komunis atau bersetuju dengan ideologi komunis, tetapi tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa PKM telah berjuang untuk mencapai kemerdekaan.

Malahan, PKM terpaksa membayar harga yang mahal kerana banyak daripada mereka yang terkorban sehingga mendorong Queen Elizabeth memendekkan tempoh peralihan kuasa kepada pewaris-pewaris (Perikatan) yang dipilihnya untuk meneruskan legasinya.

Dalam hubungan ini, perjuangan PKM telah mempercepatkan proses kemerdekaan.

Walaupun dilindungi oleh gerombolan komunis, tidak semua adalah komunis, kerana ramai yang menyertai perang gurila bukan untuk berkhidmat dengan komunisme tetapi berjuang untuk membebaskan negara ini dari penjajahan.

Gabungan berbagai pertubuhan

Berhubung dengan dakwaan Umno bahawa mereka sahaja yang berjuang untuk kemerdekaan, dakwaan ini jauh dari benar. Selain PKM, gerakan nasionalis lain telah pun bekerja keras sejurus selepas tamat Perang Dunia Kedua (sejak Umno belum ditubuhkan lagi) turutberjuang untuk menuntut kemerdekaan.

Gerakan-gerakan ini bergerak di bawah dua gabungan, Pusat Tenaga Rakyat (Putera) yang merangkumi pertubuhan-pertubuhan Melayu, Majlis Tindakan Bersama (AMCJA – All-Malayan Council of Joint Action), sebuah gabungan kesatuan dan pertubuhan pelbagai kaum termasuk PKM.

Kedua-dua gabungan ini bertindak untuk bersama-sama memberi tekanan kepada kerajaan British untuk memberi kemerdekaan (ketika itu Malaya), termasuk penggubalan Perlembagaan Rakyat yang dicadangkan pada 1947 namun British menolak cadangan ini.

Ketika kerajaan memburu gerakan-gerakan ini, yang mengakibatkan ramai pemimpin ditahan, beberapa pemimpin nasionalis termasuk Mat Indera, bergabung dengan PKM bagi meneruskan perjuangan menuntut kemerdekaan melalui pemberontakan bersenjata.

Sepertimana disebutkan sebelum ini, pemberontakan bersenjata inilah, yang bermula pada 1948 apabila Darurat diisytiharkan, yang terus mendesak dan mengakibatkan British mempercepatkan proses penyerahanan kuasa.

Gabungan inilah yang membawa kemerdekaan Malaya pada 1957.  Namun kita harus mengakui bahawa Perikatan – Umno, MCA dan MIC – sebagai gabungan parti-parti politik yang disukai oleh British memainkan peranan penting ketika rundingan untuk mencapai kemerdekaan.

Tetapi untuk Umno mendakwa bahawa mereka sahaja yang berusaha untuk mendapatkan kemerdekaan, sepertimana yang tercatat dalam buku-buku sejarah, malahan dengan mengenepikan peranan rakan sendiri seperti MCA dan MIC, adalah suatu bentuk ketidakadilan kerana rakyat bukan dari parti Umno turut memberi sumbangan.

Dari perspektif ini, Mat Sabu yang menimbulkan contoh Bukit Kepong telah memberi kesedaran kepada rakyat terhadap penyelewengan sejarah oleh Umno.

Pejuang kemerdekaan

Gerakan nasionalis lain, termasuk pemimpin pejuang kemerdekaan seperti Burhanuddin al-Helmy dan Ahmad Boestamam, termasuk PKM, juga memberi sumbangan yang bermakna ke arah mempercepatkan proses kemerdekaan.

Oleh itu, kempen untuk memburuk-burukan Mat Sabu oleh Umno, adalah suatu propaganda jahat bertujuan untuk mengalih sokongan dari PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat.

Umno terpaksa menggunakan strategi yang kebudak-budakan dan rapuh ini untuk meraih sokongan rakyat dan melestarikan nasib masa depannya yang kian meruncing.

Tindakan ini jelas menunjukkan Umno kini kehilangan taring sebagai  sebuah parti politik kerana ia tidak memiliki keyakinan untuk bertanding di atas platfom yang sah dan sama rata.

PM’s tea with judges implies political tampering, say legal eagles

Najib’s public tea session with the judges is being seen as the first such meeting in the country. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The annual Conference of Judges that kicks off today will include, for possibly the first time, a meeting with the prime minister that critics say will further erode public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.


The Malaysian Insider understands that the judges were initially scheduled to discuss writing judgments this afternoon but a last minute change meant a trip to Putrajaya to meet Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a delegation led by outgoing Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi.

Zaki, who set a record for being the fastest-rising judge when he was appointed to the top post after spending less than three years on the Bench, will be clocking out on Friday.

Judicial sources said the initial conference agenda focused on judgments as the paperwork is crucial to close disputes brought to court and can mean life or death in criminal cases. There was also supposed to be a briefing on arbitration.

“This has never happened during my time,” retired judge Datuk Shaik Daud Ismail replied to The Malaysian Insider when asked if there had been any similar meetings between the head of the executive branch of government and the judicial arm of government in past conferences.

Shaik Daud was first appointed to the High Court in 1984 and stepped down from the Court of Appeal in June 2001.

According to a copy of the conference schedule obtained yesterday by The Malaysian Insider, the judges are to attend the opening ceremony at the JW Marriott Hotel here from 8.30am before boarding a bus after lunch to the yellow-domed Palace of Justice (PoJ) in the national administrative capital some 34km away to meet and take pictures with Najib at 5pm.

After the photo session, Najib will be given a tour of an in-house museum and the courtrooms before being escorted to the top judge’s chambers by the judiciary’s top four — incoming-CJ Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, newly-appointed Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, and Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin.
The annual judges’ meeting ends with a tea party with the PM in the august courthouse’s banquet hall.

Lawyer Ragunath Kesavan, who is the immediate past president of the Malaysian Bar, denounced the judiciary’s likely unprecedented meeting with the prime minister during an official conference to discuss its duties, as a “blurring of lines between the separate branches of government”.

He said the fact that the meeting will be photographed made it worse.

“The meeting between the prime minister and the judiciary at the judges’ conference implies there is no separation of powers,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted last night.

“The photo session makes it worse because it is important that the public perceives the judges to be independent,” Ragunath added, explaining that capturing the PM together with judges during a meet meant to discuss the judiciary’s duties and responsibilities was different from a law conference which talks about disputes.

The judiciary, which has been cast under a cloud since the 1988 controversial sacking of its top judge, former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas, has been under even heavier fire after Election 2008 when Zaki, a former Umno lawyer, was picked to be Chief Justice.

Zaki has introduced several measures to speed up cases and ensure judgments are issued on time but his retirement has been touched by controversy over amendments that allow him to get a full pension despite serving just a few years in the judiciary.

Respect our law, Jakarta tells KL

The Sun
by Alyaa Alhadjri

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 7, 2011): The practice of allowing Malaysian employers to directly recruit Indonesian domestic maids, a practice prohibited by Jakarta, has irked its embassy. It wants the Malaysian government to respect Indonesian law.

The embassy’s minister counsellor for information, social and cultural affairs Suryana Sastradiredja said yesterday it was wrong for the Malaysian governmennt to allow direct recruitment of Indonesian domestic helpers “as it contempt of Indonesian law”.

“Malaysia should not attempt to create problems with Indonesia which has always been a good neighbour, and the two countries have a long history of strong bilateral ties,” he told theSun.

His comment comes in the wake of Labour Department director-general Datuk Sheikh Yahya Sheikh Mohamed’s statement on Monday that the practice of direct recruitment is not barred by Malaysia.

Sheikh Yahaya was quoted as saying that the government will not stop Malaysians from directly recruiting maids from Indonesia as there was a high demand for maids following the two-year ban on maids coming

to Malaysia via employment agencies.

“We will only stop the direct hiring when the ban by Indonesia on the hiring of their domestic workers is lifted,” he said. However, he added that Malaysia was “not desperate” as maids were also being recruited from 11 other countries.

Suryana said as the Malaysian government was aware of Indonesian law No. 39/2004 on placement and protection of its workforce overseas, it should immediately stop issuing permits to Indonesian domestic helpers who initially came in under social visit passes.

“If you (Malaysia) say you are not desperate, please stop issuing the work permits. You have to respect the laws of another country,” he said.

Suryana said recruitment and placement agencies play an important role to protect the rights of Indonesian domestic helpers working overseas.

“If the maids run into any problems with their employers, the agents can be held accountable to offer assistance. On other hand, maids who are directly recruited may be exposed to the threats of human trafficking and our government has no way of tracking them down,” he said.

Suryana also took a swipe at Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) acting president Jeffrey Foo who on Monday urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to intervene in the execution of terms set out under a revised memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Indonesian maid employment.

It has been more than three months since the MoU was signed in Bandung, but to date, Indonesian agencies have yet to start sending in the maids.

Foo claimed it was due to Indonesia’s unhappiness with the RM1,800 agency fee stipulated in the MoU, as it was “too low” to cover their agencies’ costs for providing training, travel and accommodation for the maids.

“The Indonesian government engaged the agencies and related NGOs before the fees and other details of the MoU were finalised with Malaysia,” stressed Suryana.

However, as Indonesia is also supplying maids to other countries which pay more and since the cost structure is determined by market forces, the agencies’ decision to send their maids, or the maids’ decision to work in countries other than Malaysia, is something that cannot be forced on them, he said.

MCA can't buy Chinese, now turning to Indians

The MCA president is frequently reported in the main stream newspapers busy giving out cash handouts to Indian and Chinese temples and its related NGOs like the Hindu society.

Yesterday it was reported in Tamil papers that Chua Soi Lek had given away RM141,000 to 17 Hindu temples and Hindu societies in Tanjong Malim parliamentary constituency.

Chua was also reported in earlier days, giving out cash handout to Hindu temples, Chinese temples and Indian churches in Labis constituency. It's heartwarming to see the MCA president handing out cash generously to religious institutions.

But these cash handouts are needed by people who are alienated and marginalised urban squatters and not the religious institutions which will be taken care by providence itself. The MCA president seems to opportunistically use the poverty of rural Indians for his political expediency.

Such handouts will make these rural people dependent on BN. This is a great service of the MCA president to the Indian community.

The Indians have been long marginalised and deprived by the BN government of job opportunities, scholarships, higher education facilities and small business opportunities, of jobs in local councils and government agencies and of inclusive government policies.

These are the urgent needs of the Indians, and not cash handouts to temples. The Indian community needs to recover and regain its political right as citizens of this country which has been steadily eroded by BN with the support of MIC.

By offering cash handouts to Indian temples while simultaneously supporting Umno's racist policies, is Chua trying to keep Indians under the thumbs of Umno? In offering cash to temples does Chua have the best of intentions for the Indians, or is this one form of bribery to entice Indian votes for MCA?

Looks like Chua is bribing the Indian Gods to secure Indian votes because the Chinese votes are no longer up for sale.

The way the MCA president is disbursing cash is clearly targeted at garnering Indian votes in MCA constituencies. Money handouts by MCA started much earlier than the actual election dates.

Cash and goodies flow all year round for BN parties. Only the Election Commission (EC) is blind to the cash handouts.

It is clearly visible that, after the 2008 elections, Umno has lost confidence in MCA and MIC to secure the Chinese and Indian votes. The prime minister has appointed special officers reporting directly to him to reach out to Chinese and Indian voters with handouts of their own.

Umno operates as though they don't need any other component parties. They can disburse cash themselves. They don't need Chua Soi Lek to distribute their cash. But Chua Soi Lek needs to show gullible voters that they are also powerful in BN and they too have cash to distribute.

As the saying goes that some things never change. Umno cannot be reformed therefore it has to be removed. MCA and MIC hangs on to Umno for their own survival and keep bribing and giving false hope to their members that all is well and good.

If MCA and MIC have any pride and dignity for themselves and their party, they should stop bribing voters to vote for Umno. The stakes are high for the MCA president to get his son Chua Tee Yong to be appointed as a minister after the next election.

After all MCA and MIC are all about what is in it for them. That's what these disbursements of cash are all about. Throw in small fish to catch big fish.


S Ramakrishnan is a senator.

Military personnel’s husband registered as female voter

The DAP has detected 22 more cases of discrepancies in postal votes in Negri Sembilan.

KUALA LUMPUR: The DAP detected 22 more cases of discrepancies involving fresh postal voters registered at an army camp at the Rasah parliamentary constituency in Negri Sembilan.

One that stands out is a female military personnel, Yuzina Nodin, who had registered her spouse also as a female postal voter with an almost similar name, Yuniza Nodin.

“I never knew the Malaysian army allowed same-sex marriages. This is a joke,” DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke said at a press conference at the party’s headquarters here today.

Also present was DAP election committee secretary Vincent Wu.

Loke, who is also Rasah MP, said the rest of the newly registered postal voters at the Rasah military camp, mostly spouses of military officers, had discrepancies in their MyKad numbers.

“We found 19 spouses of male army personnel are registered under their husband’s MyKad numbers, which are odd numbers. The other two female army officers registered their spouses using the former’s MyKad numbers, which are even.

“It’s a known fact that only males are given odd numbers in their MyKads while females carry even numbers. Can the Election Commission (EC) explain this?

“In addition, most of them have the same date of birth as their spouses,” said Loke.

Open to voting fraud

This is not the first time Loke detected discrepancies involving postal voters. Last month, he uncovered the case of a 111-year old military officer who registered as a postal voter in the Bagan Pinang state assembly seat.

Loke also said a retired military personnel, M Kalidass, told the Perak DAP recently that he was still registered as a postal voter in Kluang, Johor.

“When we checked using his MyKad number, he is registered as a voter in Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency. However, when we used his former military identification number, the EC website also shows him to be registered as a postal voter in Kluang,” said Loke.

This could increase chances of a voting fraud as anyone could use Kalidass’ postal ballot to vote on his behalf, he added.

He said that a postal ballot would be issued under Kalidass’ name and any unscrupulous individual could use the latter’s ballot paper to vote.

“We are not allowed to enter an army camp. Nobody knows who is responsible for the ballot papers there,” said Loke.

Loke said he would file a complaint with the EC after compiling a full list of discrepancies involving postal votes.

“However, I doubt we can do much as the (electoral) list had already been gazetted,” he said.

Minor errors can be amended

Loke added the trend is worrying as his constituency alone saw an increase of about 600 army postal voters between April and June.

“In 2008, there were about 2,000 postal voters in my constituency and I suspect the number may double soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, EC deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar urged Loke to file an official report at the nearest EC office as soon as possible.

“I appreciate Loke’s efforts. He can submit his official complaint at our office in Negri Sembilan. He can even approach me directly,” he said when contacted.

Although the list had been gazetted, Wan Ahmad said EC still had authority to amend minor errors in the electoral list such as the MyKad numbers, gender and religious status.

On the errors, he said EC’s data entry clerks or the assistant registrars tasked with registering postal voters at the defence ministry could have made the mistakes in the course of compiling the particulars.

Wan Ahmad said the EC would not tolerate such mistakes from anyone, even if they were the assistant registrars at the defence ministry.

“We will inform their superiors and blacklist them,” he said.

Selangor Anjur Sambutan Kemerdekaan Dan Hari Malaysia

–Kenyataan Akhbar–

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor akan menganjurkan Sambutan Kemerdekaan dan Hari Malaysia pada 16 September ini bertempat di Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam .

Tema sambutan tahun ini ialah Selangorku Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera. Program sambutan akan bermula jam 8 malam sehingga 12 tengah malam.

Acara-acara menarika yang disediakan termasuklah persembahan kebudayaan, pertunjukan seni mempertahankan diri dari pelbagai kaum, persembahan pancaragam sekolah-sekolah serta persembahan dari pihak berkuasa tempatan dan agensi kerajaan.

Kemuncak sambutan akan dimeriahkan dengan pertunjukkan bunga api.

Semua rakyat Selangor dijemput menghadiri program ini bagi memeriahkan sambutan Ulang tahun Kemerdekaan negara ke-54 dan pembentukan Malaysia.

TAN SRI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIM
DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

India's Trade Balance Problems with China

China ships to India

The Delhi government seeks to draft an action plan to do something about it 

Stung by a rapidly widening trade deficit with China and Beijing’s continued rebuff of Indian attempts to reset the equation, the Congress-led government is fleshing out a draft action plan to seek combat its Asian rival.

India’s trade ministry has consistently raised “serious concern” that the India-China deficit may become unsustainable. India’s trade deficit with China is forecast to balloon to US$278.5 billion by 2014, a 20-fold increase from US$14.3 billion in 2004. At US$40.8 billion, Chinese exports to India were nearly double the US$ 20.8 billion in Indian exports to China, mainly driven by cotton and iron ore.

The action plan includes a multilateral strategy to get its neighbor to not just trade but also “invest and produce” here. According to Ministry of Commerce sources, India is also looking at raising duties on tier-two products (where it has minimal dependence) and creating non-tariff barriers where dependence is high.

A concerted effort is also expected be made to ensure that Chinese state-owned procurement agencies buy in bulk from Indian companies. Overall, the ministry will also seek to harness the strengths of the domestic market to gain access into Chinese markets in pharmaceuticals and information technology, its two strongest areas.

As an indication of the seriousness with which the Indian government regards t he problems, senior members from the Department of Commerce and other ministries including Power, Telecom, IT and Heavy Industries met recently with the deputy national security advisor to devise the contours of the action plan, which is to be firmed up over the next few weeks.

“A large widening of the trade deficit can potentially result in payments difficulties,” said the ministry in a strategy document. “Such a situation is simply unacceptable because it may jeopardize the entire growth process,” it said.

Broadly, New Delhi’s China plan is designed to bolster areas where India is not competitive, how duties could be realigned to bring about a level playing field, how Indian industries could whittle down their dependence on China’s semi-finished products and how India’s advantages could be harnessed to maximum gain.

Efforts will also be made to diversify the bilateral trade agenda with a renewed emphasis on manufactured goods. “All this will need to be done within the ambit of WTO since India cannot extend unfair treatment to Beijing given the fact that both India and China are WTO members,’ said the source.

New Delhi’s disquiet over Beijing’s commercial acumen is hardly new. But this is the first time the government and its ministries are working urgently to tackle the trade imbalance and its adverse domino effect on Indian industry.

While India's merchandise trade with China rose from US$12.70 billion in 2004-05, the figure reached US$42.37 billion in 2009-10. From US$1.48 billion in 2004-05, China’s trade surplus grew to US$19.21 billion in 2009-10. Imports from China have gone up by a staggering 365 per cent in 2010-11.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought up the issue during Chinese Premier Hu Jintao’s India visit last year, telling Hu that the trade imbalance in favor of China was a “matter of concern” to India and he sought greater market access to bridge it. The issue resurfaced yet again when the two leaders met on the sidelines of Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) Summit this April.

India has repeatedly sought more access in Chinese markets across the board so that the gap could be reduced. Although China has assured India that it would give access through government contracts in sectors like pharmaceuticals and IT, penetration into the Chinese market has been far from easy.

Frustrated, India has also occasionally barred Chinese investments in certain sectors citing “national security concerns”. In December 2009, India banned import of all mobile phones from China which did not have IEMI numbers (specific numbers that a handset carries which enables tracking it).

The Indian government is also irritated with China for not fulfilling its promise to import more IT, IT-enabled services and pharmaceutical products. China's Health Minister Chen Zhu last year welcomed Indian pharmaceutical companies, known for their cost-competitiveness, to help address the growing demands of the Chinese market. But India’s creaky infrastructure, erratic policies and a shortage of skilled labor have hampered that ambition.

An undervalued yuan has further hurt India by tilting the trade balance decidedly in China’s favor. The rupee has retreated almost 6 percent to 6.87 per yuan from last year’s high of 6.48.

The trade imbalance, however, is not all China’s fault. Indian iron ore exports to China plummeted by more than half in the last year as the southern Indian state of Karnataka banned iron ore exports due to a political scandal while the western state of Goa ceased ore exports due to the monsoon. India is the world’s third largest iron ore supplier, with most of its exports going to China, which houses the world’s largest steel industry.

In the wake of the export ban, not only are domestic Indian iron ore manufacturers hit badly but international prices too, have risen almost 4 percent leading China to seek newer markets such as Australia and Brazil to source from.

Analysts predict that in the long term, the uneven bilateral trade could mean that India will look to impose trade barriers on Chinese commodities in order to rebalance trade and protect domestic manufacturers.

“If that happens,” says Pratap Bhasin of a Delhi-based chartered and auditing firm, “it will be difficult for the two countries to meet their US$60 billion bilateral trade target by this year-end and Indian infrastructure, IT, telecom and engineering industries that rely on cheaper Chinese equipment could get affected.”

India’s infrastructure development has not kept pace with the demands of its manufacturing. “Power is in short supply, highways are clogged with traffic and ports are too crowded,” a recent Reuters report said. “The Chinese government has spent a huge lot of money, creating cities where the vendors will be placed, creating infrastructure there. Those things are not in focus in India.”

However, Indian officials are hopeful that with China set to accelerate a US$2-billion reform in its healthcare sector in the coming months, Indian pharmaceutical companies could get to share the spoils.

“While the intention seems good, bureaucratic incompetence is India’s biggest bottleneck,” says Naveen Modi, a Delhi-based industrialist with business interests in Shanghai. “I won’t be surprised if things are soon in disarray with ministries quibbling over whose opinion is accepted in the final policy and action plan.”

Rather than obsessing over China, why doesn’t India focus on bolstering its manufacturing sector, job skills, governmental transparency and organizational efficiency? Modi asked.

(Neeta Lal is a New Delhi-based journalist; neetalal@hotmail.com)

Shah Alam MP Explains To Jais

SHAH ALAM, 6 Sept (Bernama) -- Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad came to the Selangor Islamic Department JAIS to give a statement in conjunction with a report that he gave a religious lecture in Klang last month without having the credentials to do so.

Assistant director of the Public Relations and Publication Unit of JAIS Nurhamizah Othman said that Khalid was called by the enforcement division to help investigate the report that he gave a religious lecture at the Taman Seri Sementa surau in Kapar.

She said that Khalid gave his explanation at about 10am and that the investigation was continuing.

The Selangor Administration of Islam Enactment 2003 prohibits anyone giving a lecture on the religion without proper accreditation.

An offender can be fined not more than RM3,000 or jailed up to two years or both.

PM's Oz visit - personal or official?

(Malaysiakini) Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is back after cutting short his Australian trip, but questions remain over the status and funding of his visit.

Komtar state assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik noted that the premier had met with Malaysian students in Perth but that he had also travelled on a personal matter. For this reason, Najib should foot the travel bill.

"(Najib's trip was) something beyond the meeting with the students there. He should go on a private flight and spend his own money. Once you use government planes, then the government has to pay for you ...,” he said

Ng pointed out that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng opts for economy-class travel on flights, even on official business.

"For official trips, the amount used for travel must be approved (by) the exco. (Individuals) cannot spend more than the amount approved and Lim always takes (what costs least)," he said.

There are special allocations for state excos for holidays, he said, but this does not cover travel by plane.

"The chief minister and all exco members get a RM15,000 holiday benefit a year but there is nothing more, no exclusive jets," said Ng, who is political secretary to Lim.

Najib's presence in Australia had gone unnoticed until a Malaysiakini reader said the prime minister's plane had been sighted landing in Perth on Aug 31.

News about Najib's presence in Australia was only officially broken on Sept 3, after Bernama reported that the premier was cutting short his holiday following the death the national news agency's cameraman in Somalia.

The Prime Minister's Office then clarified that the Hari Raya and National Day public holidays were the only time Najib was free to seek physiotherapy treatment in Australia.

Official observance of National Day has been moved to Sept 16 as it clashed with the Hari Raya festivities this year.

The opposition has previously accused the government of using official business as an excuse for costly overseas trips, a claim that the government has denied.

However, in a parliamentary written reply to Batu MP Tian Chua in June, it was revealed that for 2010, Najib and his wife's official travel expenditure had ballooned to RM5.4 million, compared to RM1.74 million in 2008 when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was in office.

‘We’ve done more than MIC and BN’

Kedah state exco S Manikumar defends the Pakatan state's record in providing for the Indian community in the state.

PETALING JAYA: A Pakatan Rakyat state assemblyman has dismissed allegations by certain quarters, including a few Indian-based NGOs, that the Kedah state government had not done much for the Indians there.

According to Bukit Selambau assemblyman S Manikumar, the state government had done its best to help the community bearing in mind its ‘limited resources’

“It’s unfair to expect Pakatan to clean up all the mess left by the Barisan Nasional in more than 50 years within three years.

“But we are trying our best to help the Indian community in the state with the limited state resources (that we have).

“We are not getting the amount of allocation that other BN ruled states get from the federal government,” said Manikumar who also heads the state’s tourism, Indians affairs and human resources portfolio.

Citing Tamil schools and temples as examples, he said the Pakatan-led state government had done far more for the state’s Indian community than MIC.

“Talking on Tamil schools, there are 58 Tamil schools in Kedah and only nine are under the fully-aided category (which means they receive full financial grants from the federal government).

“The rest 49 Tamil schools are partially-aided schools where the money given by the Education Ministry is only for the purposes of school activities and not for the upgrading of the school infrastructures.

“This year the state government allocated RM229, 000 to be disbursed to all of the 58 Tamil schools.
“The amount each school received varied depending on the needs of the particular schools,” he said.

Tamil schools and NGOs

Manikumar claimed that such disbursements to all Tamil schools had never occured during BN’s rule in the state.

According to him, in the past money came only during election campaigns when MIC will request ad-hoc allocations for certain Tamil schools and that there was no proper structure to the disbursements.

“But under Pakatan government, the allocation for Tamil schools are included officially under the state yearly budget,” he said.

He also slammed Indian-based NGOs who complained of receiving nothing from the state government.
He said unlike the BN regime which cared less for proper allocation strucure, the Pakatan state government insisted on paperworks and proper documentations.

“We had given RM7, 000 last year and RM20, 000 this year to Kedah branch of Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) to carry out activities that are related to the community. The activities were to weed out social ills among Indians.

“We can’t entertain every single NGO that come without proper paperworks or documentations to back their claims.

“I proposed to the state government to approve the request by MHS based on the documentation evidence of their programmes and activities.

“MHS itself is an established NGO and was founded in 1928,” explained Manikumar, who is also the PKR’s central leadership council member.

Temple and cemetry
He also pointed out that the Kedah state government had granted a land title to the 100-year-old Sri Mahamariamman Temple at Jalan Bakar Bata in Alor Setar.
“The temple was granted a land title last year and the temple land has been gazetted under National Land Code.
“Also this year the state government approved and allocated five acres of land for a cemetry for the Hindu community in Langkawi.
“During BN’s ruling for more than 50 years MIC never took the initiative to get the land title for the temple or a Hindu cemetery in Langkawi.
“But we have done it in less than three years,” Manikumar told FMT.

Thaipusam holiday

On calls for Thaipusam to be made a public holiday in Kedah, Manikumar said the matter was still under consideration.

“We in the state government don’t have any objections but there are many rules and acts to be studied first.

“The thing is that the state holiday quota has been fully utilized and we need to amend the state constitution. Then we also need to get the consent of the Sultan of Kedah.

“At state government level we had a series of meetings on this issue but we also need to consider the opinion of the private sector, especially from the industrial sector as there are concerns on their productivity.

“So we are still evaluating many aspects on this,” explained Manikumar.

Amateur footage shows EDL coach under attack in east London

 

Footage shows a coach full of English Defence League supporters come under attack from locals in Tower Hamlets following demonstrations by the far-right group in London on Saturday. 

The video shows the coach, in Mile End Road, Whitechapel, being surrounded by a large group of protesters and local youths, who proceed to hurl objects into a broken window.

Forty-four EDL members on-board were attempting to leave London following a violent 'static' demonstration by the far-right group.

For reasons that remain unclear the coach took a different exit route to the one previously agreed with police, driving through the Tower Hamlets area that Home Secretary Theresa May had earlier banned the group from marching through.

The coach was initially held in traffic before being prevented from advancing any further by the angry crowd. Police later evacuated those on-board using a double decker bus.

The video emerged as the leader of the EDL was arrested for breaching his bail.

Stephen Lennon, 28, was going before magistrates in Luton on Monday after attending the demonstration in London on Saturday.

Lennon is barred from attending any protests whilst on bail for an alleged assault during a demonstration in Blackburn in April.

Nazri says no to zero Chinese representation in government

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — A senior Umno minister has declared that he would fight tooth and nail to ensure Chinese representation in a Barisan Nasional (BN) government even if the MCA or Gerakan fails to secure a single parliamentary seat in the coming polls.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz told The Malaysian Insider that BN would not “punish” the Chinese voters by simply yanking their representatives from Cabinet posts if they refused to vote for the two Chinese-centric component parties.

Nazri assured the Chinese of representation in a BN government ‘even though I am a nobody in Umno... not even a vice-president’. — File pic

While admitting that the matter would not be his to decide, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department gave his word that he would champion this cause to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should such a situation arise when the coalition retains the government.

 

“I want to tell the Chinese voters that BN is a multi-racial government and regardless of the outcome of the elections, we will always have a Chinese representative in Cabinet. I want to say this with certainty even though I am a nobody in Umno... not even a vice-president.

“But if it should come to that, I will do my very best to persuade the PM that we should not have a single communal government. The system allows us to appoint senators and we need to have representatives of the non-Malay community,” he said.

Nazri recalled that such a promise was made by the country’s longest-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his tenure in government.

“I remember back when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was PM... he told Cabinet that even if we come to a stage where MCA or Gerakan loses in all parliamentary seats, we cannot form a Malay government.

“We cannot be a single communal government as it simple goes against the spirit and policy of BN. We cannot punish and penalise a section of the community just because they do not support BN,” he said.

Nazri was recalling a pledge made by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek several months ago when the former Cabinet minister said he would pull his party from the government if it performs worse than it did in Election 2008.

Dr Chua first mooted the idea when he urged the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) not to join the Sarawak Cabinet after it only won six of the 19 seats it contested in the April 16 state polls.

He later said the MCA would do the same, using the 2008 results as its benchmark. Should MCA fail to win at least 15 parliamentary and 31 state seats, pledged Dr Chua, the party will not accept any Cabinet posts in the next government.

Nazri likened this to a threat to the Chinese community, lamenting that many of his ethnic Chinese friends had approached him with complaints.

“You must ask the Chinese community, not me, if they feel threatened. But most of my Chinese friends feel threatened and we do not want the Chinese voters to feel this way. In whatever circumstances, we will not take revenge on any segment of the community,” he said.

Nazri said it was unlikely that Najib would allow zero representation from the Chinese community in government, pointing to how the prime minister himself had appointed Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel as senators in his Cabinet.

“So I am actually saying this based on Najib’s actions alone. Do not forget that even if we lose the seats, perhaps in terms of popular votes, 51 per cent of Chinese votes went to the opposition... so what about the remaining 49 per cent? We cannot punish them,” he said.

BN component parties are now busy compiling their candidate lists as Najib had recently signalled the coalition to prepare for the next general election before its mandate expires in 2013.

Islamist videos, populists stir German worries

Europe's biggest economy may be a growing target of socially-alienated Muslim youths.

ANALYSIS - FMT

By William Maclean
HAMBURG (Germany): German-language Islamist propaganda is fuelling militancy among a small number of socially-alienated Muslim youths in Germany, say security experts, who worry that Europe’s biggest economy may be a growing target for attacks.

The spread of an ultra-conservative brand of Islam and the emergence of populist preachers who oppose the integration of minority Muslims into wider society are compounding the impact of the online videos and discussion forums, they say.

Despite the prominence of Germany in the story of Al-Qaeda due to Hamburg’s role as a base for three Sept 11 suicide pilots, its indigenous militant scene is much smaller than that in Britain or France and has taken longer to become active.

But security officials say it is growing, albeit on the far fringes of Muslim communities, citing a string of attacks and thwarted plots in recent years and an outflow of youths to training camps in Pakistan since 2006.

Last Wednesday, a 21-year-old Kosovo Albanian confessed to shooting dead two US airmen and wounding two more at Frankfurt airport in March, telling a court he was swayed by Islamist online propaganda he now realised was “lies”.

The expansion of Islamist militancy in Germany reflects the growing variety of Europe’s militant community, analysts say.

European converts, and Europeans of Turkish, Kurdish, central Asian and West African background are joining a movement once dominated by Britons of Pakistani ancestry or Frenchmen of north African heritage.

Across Europe, school drop-outs and ex-convicts now mix with the more educated activists who once predominated.

In Germany, militant youths increasingly read German-language Internet propaganda, an online world once dominated by Arabic, Urdu, Pashto and English, much of it expressing opposition to Germany’s military presence in Afghanistan.

Populist preachers of the Salafist school of Islam, a brand of the religion that has its roots in Saudi Arabia, increasingly speak at public meetings, not just in mosques.

“They used to hide in the mosque but now they are encouraged to be public. They show their opinion,” Manfred Murck, head of the Hamburg branch of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, told Reuters.

Web creates ‘virtual’ militant groups

“The tradition of terrorism is more or less a tradition of groups. But now we see that the group is not always necessary and that the Internet functions as a kind of virtual group.”

The combined effect of the online propaganda and of preachers speaking in person to audiences “makes the whole scene of jihadists in Germany more cohesive and assertive”.

Security experts point to the likes of Islamic preacher Pierre Vogel (picture below), a former professional boxer who later converted to Islam and studied in Saudi Arabia and has voiced strong
objections to integrating Muslims into German society.

Another convert-turned-preacher is Denis Mamadou Cuspert, a former rapper called Deso Dogg, who now sings Muslim religious chants and believes Islam is under attack from the West. Yet another is Turkish-German cleric Mohammed Ciftci.

Experts say the expression of such views, intentionally or not, can facilitate a tolerance of violence among listeners.

“Deso Dogg is so important. He can really captivate you. These hymns can support a radicalisation process,” said Guido Steinberg, an Islamic studies expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs think-tank.

“The jihadism scene in Germany has become a movement of the urban riff-raff. That may sound a little harsh, but it’s fair in the sense that they are not accepted by society – although they are by the Salafists.”
The surge in German online propaganda seen since 2007 comes from North Waziristan, a Pakistani tribal region known for Al-Qaeda and Taliban activity and which remains the preferred destination for German militants seeking paramilitary training.

Many of its authors are German-speaking members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a Central Asian jihadi movement with ties to Al-Qaeda and which actively recruits in Europe.

“We’ve seen dozens and dozens of messages from this area,” said Peter Neumann, Professor of Security Studies at the War Studies Department of Kings College in London.

He said militants from Europe who prove unfit for the battlefield were put to work producing propaganda or were sent back to Europe to try to enable attacks there.

Islamists pose tricky political test

Concern over Islamists poses a delicate political test for German authorities amidst a raucous national debate about Islam and integration of Germany’s four million Muslims, mostly of Turkish origin, in a population of 82 million.

Long considered as migrant workers who would eventually go back to their ancestral homes, these Muslims are now an established minority pushing for equal rights.

Akif Sahin, a Hamburg-based Turkish youth worker, said the radical preachers’ views went against the grain of many mainstream Muslim communities who since 2005 had been working to become part of wider German society.

Salafism was growing in popularity, said Sahin, and this had to do with propagandists like Vogel. Mainstream Muslim communities had tried to “get these extremists to quieten down because they are very aggressive about trying to extend their influence. But it’s not clear whether this mainstream effort is succeeding”.

Sahin said Salafis excelled at fund raising and using online social networks. Good language skills often made them better at communicating with alienated youths than imams in a large Turkish state-supported network of mosques in Germany.

Murck, head of the Hamburg State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said young Muslims found the new breed of outspoken activists to be “a kind of idol because they are seen as tough enough to speak out in public.

“When Vogel spoke here (in Hamburg recently) there were about 500 followers, or at least ‘inquiring persons’, listening. This was new for us.”

'Let panel finish job, then polls'

The New Straits Times

TUARAN: The Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms must be allowed to complete its job before the next general election is called, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said yesterday.

"Otherwise, if the election is called before the committee completes its task, it will defeat the purpose of setting it up in the first place," the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) president said after launching the party's divisional triennial general meeting here.

"If Parliament is dissolved, the committee will also be dissolved. The first thing that needs to be done is to clean up the electoral roll by addressing the weaknesses, whether perceived or real, in the system.

"By doing so, the people will then have no reason to complain. We must be prepared to admit what is wrong and take credit for what is right, so that is why we need to prepare a roll that is beyond question." 

Dompok said Upko and other Barisan Nasional component parties had made calls for electoral reforms even before the Bersih 2.0 rally two months ago.

The meeting yesterday saw Upko secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Tangau taking over as the divisional chief from the party's deputy president and Tuaran member of parliament Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing. There was no contest for the top post.

Dompok also said the party's strength lay in the loyalty and sincerity of its members. 

"Each and everyone of us contribute to what we believe in because as citizens of this country we have our targets set through agendas or policies decided by our leaders.

"Upko has been consistent in its struggles and will remain true to its stand for as long as it is the right thing to do and for the good of the people."

Tremors From Sumatra Quake Felt In Peninsular Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- A strong 6.7- magnitude earthquake shook north Sumatra, Indonesia this morning, sending tremors in several parts of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Kedah and Penang.

In a statement, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said the 1.55am earthquake's epicentre was 127km southwest of Binjai, north of Sumatra and 363km southwest of Pangkor Island, Perak.

No tsunami alert was issued for Malaysia.

Old Perak: St Michael’s Institution

St Michael’s Institution in Ipoh in the late 1940s, just a few years after the Japanese had occupied the school during the Second World War.

Thanks to blog reader Lee Kam Choon, now in his eighties, for sending this in. Does anyone recognise any of these people here?

Fancy-dress contests such as this were then the vogue in schools throughout Malaya and Singapore.
St Michael’s Institution started operations on 4 December 1912 in a Malay-style bungalow at the lawn in front of the present-day building.

From 1938 to 1948, Bro Patrick 0′ Donovan was brother director, followed by Bro Denis Hyland from 1948 to 1955.

During the war years, the Japanese used the school, along with the governor’s residence, as an administrative centre during the Occupation. The brothers in the school were subjected to repeated Kempetai interrogation and three Ipoh-based brothers were sent to jail.

Luminaries in the post-war period include Bro Pius Kelly, Bro Ultan Paul Rosario (who passed away a few years ago) and Bro Vincent Corkery. Corkery, who served two stints as brother director from 1972-75 and 1986-88 still resides at St Michael’s.

I had the privilege of meeting Bro Paul and Bro Vincent – legends of St Michael’s – both warm, impressive and well-read characters.

Protest against Grand Saga toll continues

Mayor sends man who disrupted queen's concert to psychiatric clinic

A man who took over the microphone at a concert attended by queen Beatrix on Saturday and called on the audience to recognise Allah has been admitted to a psychiatric institution, the Volkskrant reports on Monday.

The man, who was well-dressed and spoke Dutch, has been forcibly committed by Amsterdam's mayor Eberhard van der Laan, the paper said.

During the incident, members of the orchestra were seen leaving the stage as the man told them not to worry because he did not have a bomb.

Repeat offender
He was then escorted off by security officials. The queen remained seated throughout the incident.
According to the Telegraaf, the man has disrupted events in a similar fashion at least four times since 2009.

The Telegraaf says the incident has again highlighted the difficulty of making sure security around the monarch is secure. In particular officials are concerned at length of time it took security officers to intervene.

Recognising history would make Umno irrelevant

Describing PAS deputy president Mat Sabu as an 'Islamic communist' tells of Umno's deepest fear of historical truths.

COMMENT

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Umno hasn’t got leadership. My take on that statement is that it is the damnest indictment on Prime Minsiter Najib Tun Razak’s leadership.

Umno is now reduced to the stature of a beggar – scrounging at the supposed faux pas committed by PAS deputy president Mat Sabu.

What has Mat Sabu actually said that caused so much consternation?

Mat Sabu mentioned the name of Mat Indera, the Batu Pahat Malay born in Peserai who led the attack on the police barrack at Bukit Kepong.

The barrack was commanded by an English man representing the colonial government then.

I think we are missing the point here. Mat Sabu wasn’t glorifying the communists or communism.
He didn’t even say anything about communism. He was asking his audience to take a relook at the treatment of history on the role of Mat Indera.

To Mat Sabu, history has unjustly treated Mat Indera and we, the public, have accepted the official version of history – hook, line and sinker.

Was Mat Indera a simple terrorist sans a greater purpose and therefore deserving the description of a villain and terrorist?

Villifying Mat Indera

It now seems the preferred version of revised history is to see and value Mat Indera as a freedom fighter bent on kicking out the British imperialists.

Certainly the people in Mat Indera’s kampung in Batu Pahat refused to accept the vilification of Mat Indera’s memory.

The criminalisation of Mat Indera is part of the indoctrination and propaganda carried out by British imperialism.

Mat Indera joins the list of so many other freedom fighters who dared rise up to challenge Britsih hegemony.

Nowadays the Malayan people could no longer accept nor tolerate the infamy enforced on people like Pandak Endut, on Tok Janggut and Mat KIlau and so many others.

Mat Indera certainly doesn’t deserve to be dumped into the dustbin of history as just “one of those” terrorists.

Why is Umno concerned?

Over the last few days, I had the opportunity to finish reading the memoir of one Shamsiah Fakeh – Memoir Shamsiah Fakeh- Dari AWAS ke Rejimen ke-10.

PKMM preceded Umno

If you recall, her name re-emerged with some notoriety recently when the Bersih 2.0 marchers on July 9 were said to be influenced by her actions.

Shamsiah was a member of Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) – a left-leaning Malay political party formed in 1945.

It was the first political party that openly declared its mission to be that of securing independence for Malaya.

In that sense, PKMM preceded Umno in its commitment to secure Merdeka for the Malayan people.
Umno leaders at that time scoffed and chided and were dismissive of the manifest desire to gain independence.

They often derided those who wanted independence as fanciful dreamers who couldn’t even manufacture a needle

What is then alarming about Mat Sabu’s faux pas is the fear that it may lead to a widespread revision of history.

If it snowballs into a widespread revision of history, then Umno’s actual role MAY itself be diminished.
And it will no longer enjoy an unchallenged and monopolistic place in our nation’s history.

Politically it will also mean that Umno will find it increasingly difficult to claim absolute legitimacy as the nation’s only political force to have fought for Merdeka.

Its own heroes will be brought down to size.

This excerpt is from the writer’s blog sakmongkolak47. The writer is a FMT columnist.

Mistreated pets: ‘Lodge police reports’

Pet owners have been advised to treat the incident as a cheating case.

PETALING JAYA: Owners of the mistreated pets have been advised to lodge police reports against the errant caretaker of the animal boarding facility, Petknode.

Said Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) founder Wani Muthiah: “You have been cheated, have paid upfront, in the belief that (your pets) would be taken care of.”

“You need to lodge a report,” she told a press conference at a hotel here.

Nearly 200 people, including the affected pet owners and other members of the public, attended the press conference called to discuss about the ill-treatment of the pets.

Yesterday, the owners who left their pets at Petknode during the festive holiday were shocked to find many of their pets abused, missing or dead when they returned home.

The pets were found to have not been fed with food or water for the past nine days.

At least 13 of the pets, mostly cats, died of starvation. Two suspects have since been arres
ted over the case, but have been released late last night.


‘Enforcement very weak’
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) chairman Christine Chin, on the other hand, wanted pet owners to pressure the state government to slap 300 charges on Petknode under the Animal Act – one charge for every pet mistreated.

According to the Animal Act 1953 (2006 Amendment), offenders guilty of animal cruelty are liable to a RM200 fine or a six-month jail term, or both.

Chin also pointed out the lack of confidence in the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), the enforcement agency responsible for animal cruelty.
“The enforcement on animal cruelty is very weak…

We’ve been working with the department for the past 20 years, but in the last 10, the DVS only prosecuted five (cases),” she said.

“We really want them (Petknode’s owners) in jail,” she said to cheers.

Chaos also reigned at the conference, with some of the public pointing fingers at various parties. A few also raised their voices angrily at the panel of NGOs gathered there.

One pet owner even accused the NGOs of inaction against animal cruelty.
“What have you been doing up to now?” he asked angrily.

Operating illegally

The NGOs replied that they had been active against these sort of cases, and that some of them were involved in springing the mistreated pets free.

But some in the crowd were not satisfied, saying they want to demonstrate outside the Damansara Damai or Sungai Buloh police station in their quest for answers.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Anthony Thanasayan told FMT that Petknode had been operating illegally since 2009.
He said that MBPJ realised this today after going through its records.

“Petknode has been running its business for quite a number of years, but it hasn’t been paying for its (operational) licence or renewing it since 2009,” he said.

Anthony said that this recent development meant that MBPJ had every right to shut down Petknode.

He also confirmed that he had had a meeting with DVS director-general Dr Aziz Jamaluddin this afternoon.

He said that the MBPJ, together with the DVS, would conduct animal services inspections in the future.
Anthony added that prior to this, council officials had only checked pet shops and boarding places for “external areas”.

“They (MBPJ) checked for building approvals, compliances, obstruction to traffic… not animal treatment,” he said.

Khairy kepada Mat Sabu: ‘Jumpa di Kota Baru’

Bagaimanapun, dalam perkembangan terbaru ayam kokok PAS itu menolak debat dengan Khairy.

PETALING JAYA:Khairy Jamaluddin menegaskan dia  menolak pelawaan untuk berdebat dengan Ketua Pemuda PAS, Nasrudin Hasan.

Sebaliknya, beliau sedia berdebat dengan Mohamad Sabu.

Alasannya kerana kerajaan Kelantan meminta ahli Parlimen Rembau itu berdebat dengan Timbalan Presiden PAS.

“Its OK bro. Kerajaan Kelate minta saya debat Sabu. (Mohamad).”

Bagaimanapun, dalam perkembangan terbaru ayam kokok PAS itu menolak debat dengan Khairy.

Semalam, Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man mengesyorkan debat PAS-Umno berhubung kontroversi tragedi Bukit Kepong dan isu siapa pejuang kemerdekaan negara bagi membolehkan rakyat sendiri membuat penilaian.

`Saya dah terima jemputan…’

Bagaimanapun tarikh debat tersebut tidak dinyatakan.

“Saya dah terima jemputan…untuk berdebat dengan Mat Sabu di Balai Islam Lundang Kota Baru.
“Saya akan berada di sana,” kata Khairy menerusi mesej Twitter.

Beliau menegaskan beliau tidak gentar walaupun terpaksa bertandang ke kubu kuat parti itu.
Khairy berkata, walaupun di gelanggang lawan, sama ada Mohamad Sabu atau Naib Presiden PAS Datuk Husam Musa beliau tetap akan hadir.

“Masa lawan Husam dulu tiga ribu penyokong PAS dok sorak. Its OK.
“Tak payah cari gelanggang neutral,” katanya.

‘No objection to school but don’t disturb our privacy’

Taman Kanagapuram residents' association say they have no objection to a school in their area but the parents are not allowed to go through their housing estate.

PETALING JAYA: The residents of Taman Kanagapuram do not want anything to disturb their tranquality.

Although they had objected to the building of low cost flats near their housing estate, they however have no objection to a school being built on the same site.

But there is a condition – the access road to the school must not go through their housing estate.

Taman Kanagapuram residents’ association president S Selvaratnam said this was because the housing area was designated as a low density housing area under town planning regulations.

“And we pay higher assessment for our bungalow lots for its unique feature. So it’s common sense that there should be less traffic at our residential area,” said the 54-year-old businessman.

In 2003, residents of the housing area took an injunction against developer Peter Brickworks Sdn Bhd when the latter decided to build low cost flats at the site now slated for a national school.

The flat block was supposed to be the fifth one built by the developer to cater for 276 families from squatter areas nearby, which Peter Brickworks had promised to build for them in 2000.

The stalled project left many of the former squatter settlers in a lurch for eight years until the Selangor state government took over the project in June.

In its decision, the Selangor government decided to build Block E at a site near a Chinese vernacular school while reviving a stalled school project at the site in dispute.

On why the residents objected to the Block E project then, Selvaratnam said the low cost housing project itself was not in compliance with the Town Planning Act.

“A high rise building near our place would change the demographics of our residential area and invade our privacy,” said Selvaratnam.

Queried on how parents would ferry their children when the school is ready, Selvaratnam said parents could easily use the road from Wisma Peters, which is linked to the New Pantai Expressway (NPE).
“The road was initially built so that residents from Block B and Block D can use the road. Currently, the road is under utilised,” said Selvaratnam.

Taman Kanagapuram houses nearly 400 people with a majority of them being senior citizens.

The Malay cock syndrome

The trouble is these Malays measure the size of your balls according to the size of the cock’s balls. And to qualify as a man you must have balls the size of a cock’s balls. They are not concerned whether you have brains bigger than a cock’s brains.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
You may have noticed that the ‘hot’ news these past few weeks is all about so-and-so challenging so-and-so to do this, that or the other. Mat Sabu challenges so-and-so, Khairy Jamaluddin challenges so-and-so, so-and-so challenges Anwar Ibrahim, so-and-so challenges Najib Tun Razak, and whatnot.

And these challenges are followed by allegations of takde telur, takde batu, takde pelir (which all means no balls or, as the Chinese would say, boh chuntoi), pondan (transvestite), eunuch, and so on.



This is very revealing of the Malay cock syndrome. And this is also revealing of the Malay penchant for cock fighting, which is still a favourite pastime in the Malay heartland such as the East Coast -- where many macho Malay males love their cocks more than their wives.

Woe to any wife who cuts off the head of her husband’s cock and serves it for dinner. Wives have suffered divorce for less than that. A man’s cock is a sacred cow, and just like any sacred cow, one does not slaughter it and serve it for dinner.

A fierce cock that has never lost a fight is a man’s prized possession. He would proudly parade his champion cock all over the kampong for all and sundry to admire. A champion cock would be worth its weight in gold. It would be worth more than four wives combined in terms of commercial value. You could marry four wives for less than the cost of a champion cock.



A fierce fighting cock is a cock with balls. Although I have never yet seen where the balls are, I assume they must be hidden there somewhere. If not they would not be such fierce fighters.

To these Malays, a man is judged by how close he resembles a fighting cock. And a man who does not rise to the challenge is a man who takde telur, takde batu, takde pelir, boh chuntoi, or is a pondan, eunuch, and so on.

It is that simple. I challenge you, you accept. You don’t accept, then you takde telur, takde batu, takde pelir, boh chuntoi, or are a pondan, eunuch, and so on.

That is why Malays love Hindi movies. Hindi movies always start with the baddie terrorising the entire village. Then along comes the hero who gets beaten up to the point of death as he stands up for the democratic rights and civil liberties of the entire community. He then recovers from his injuries and singlehandedly defeats the baddie and his army of 65 toughies, plus in the end he gets to marry the most beautiful girl in the village. These are movies made for the Malay mind.

I too have received my share of challenges and my share of allegations of takde telur, takde batu, takde pelir, boh chuntoi, pondan, eunuch, and so on. To these Malays, a real man would subject himself to a sham trial based on mala fide charges and fabricated evidence. And if you do not dare face this travesty of justice and manipulation of the judicial process, then you takde telur, takde batu, takde pelir, boh chuntoi, or are a pondan, eunuch, and so on

The trouble is these Malays measure the size of your balls according to the size of the cock’s balls. And to qualify as a man you must have balls the size of a cock’s balls. They are not concerned whether you have brains bigger than a cock’s brains.

I really don’t know how big the cock’s balls are. But I am more concerned with saving my balls, whatever size they may be. So I use my brains, which are bigger than a cock’s brains, and not my balls to make my decisions.

I am not sure what decision I would make if I use my balls to make these decisions. But by using my brains to make decisions I think I am able to make better decisions and in that same process save my balls as well.

I suppose this is because I have a better brain than these types of Malays who may have gone to university but yet still use their balls rather than their brains to make decisions. And since they use their balls rather than their brains to make decisions they do not always make the cleverest of decisions.

This is the problem with Malays who suffer from the cock syndrome. They think like cocks and use their balls in deciding things. I refuse to think like a cock so I use my brains. And that is why these types of Malays can never match me. They can’t come even close.

They may have gone to university at the expense of the taxpayers -- 90% of whom are Chinese, according to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But they still refuse to use their brains in making decisions in spite of their education. They still use the cock as the basis of whatever they do.

Sigh…you can take the Malay out of the kampong, but how do we take the cock out of the Malay? They still think like cocks and use their balls rather than their brains in making decisions.

This is what caused Dr Mahathir to cry during the Umno General Assembly. And during the interview he gave soon after he retired in 2003, he lamented about how he had failed to change the Malays.

Basically, Dr Mahathir realised that the Malays still use their balls instead of their brains and they go through life like prized cocks and because of this the Malays are going to be a lost race in time to come.

Cite Shafee for contempt, Karpal tells Sodomy II judge

Karpal is Anwar’s lead defence counsel in the latter’s ongoing sodomy trial. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — DAP chairman Karpal Singh wants pro-Umno lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah hauled up for contempt of court, saying the latter had interfered with proceedings in the ongoing Sodomy II trial.


Karpal urged trial judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah to issue a show-cause notice to Muhammad Shafee to explain the latter’s “unwarranted public attack” against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s defence statement from the dock.

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, now heads the three-party opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact. Besides being his political ally, Karpal is defending the PKR advisor who stands accused of sodomising a former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, three years ago in a luxury condominium here.

“If what was uttered by Anwar was contemptuous, it would have been contempt in the face of the court. It was for Justice Mohamad Zabidin to hold Anwar in contempt. He did not do so.

“Who is Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to question the wisdom of the trial judge?” Karpal demanded in a media statement today.

Muhammad Shafee, among Malaysia’s legal elites, is regarded as an expert on media contempt laws and was cited yesterday in Umno-owned Mingguan Malaysia calling Anwar’s defence statement as contemptuous.

The top-earning lawyer was reported telling the Attorney-General to step into the row and initiate contempt proceedings against Anwar.

The news was replicated today in other mainstream media, including New Straits Times, which quoted Muhammad Shafee as saying: “This will also prevent the presiding judge from being involved in any possible conflict in which the judge may be blinded by it.”

Karpal objected to Muhammad Shafee’s argument for the A-G’s intervention as unprecedented and defying logic.

“That itself amounts to contempt of court on the part of the judge who does so,” he said.
“Shafee should know a judge cannot interfere in a judicial proceeding in another court. It is axiomatic. It is elementary,” the Bukit Gelugor MP added.

Muhammad Shafee has also come under fire online after Anwar’s unsworn statement of defence from the dock, purportedly for interfering with the news coverage of the controversial court case by issuing certain instructions to mainstream media editors and reporters.

Malaysia’s best-paid lawyer has denied conspiring with staff in the Prime Minister’s Office to subvert the media and end the political career of the man once deemed the biggest threat to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).