Perkasa mahu rumah ibadat dikawal 24 jam

Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata KDN perlu memanfaatkan sepenuhnya tenaga 2.8 juta anggota Rela dengan mengawal semua tempat ibadah.

RAWANG: Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) mahu rumah ibadat kini dikawal rapi oleh pengawal keselamatan termasuk menggunakan khidmat polis dan Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia (Rela) bagi mengelak kejadian provokasi berulang.

Presiden Perkasa Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) perlu memanfaatkan sepenuhnya tenaga 2.8 juta anggota Rela dengan mengawal semua tempat ibadah termasuk masjid, surau, dan madrasah di seluruh kawasan.

Beliau turut menggesa agar rukun tetangga berfungsi membuat kawalan 24 jam, selain mencadangkan agar meletakkan anggota polis mahu pun pengawal keselamatan yang dibiayai oleh Menteri Agama.

“Kalau rumah Perdana Menteri dan Menteri boleh letak polis suruh jaga kenapa di masjid tak boleh,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas melawat Masjid Nurul Iman di Batu 18 di sini tengahari tadi.
Dalam kejadian pagi semalam, satu kepala babi panggang ditemui terletak dihadapan tangga pintu utama masjid tersebut.

Kepala itu ditemui siak masjid kira-kira 5.15 pagi ketika hendak membuat persiapan solat Subuh sebelum melaporkan kejadian itu ke balai polis berdekatan.

Sehubungan itu, Ibrahim dalam responnya mendesak polis bertindak profesional dengan segera membawa dan menghukum pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab ke muka pengadilan dengan segera.

Sambil mengecam insiden itu, beliau turut mempersoalkan kejadian yang sama pernah berlaku di masjid lain namun polis sehingga kini tidak mengambil apa-apa tindakan.

Katanya, ini kejadian keempat selepas insiden yang sama terjadi di Masjid Jumhuriah Taman Datuk Harun dan Masjid Taman Sentosa di Petaling Jaya pada 27 Januari tahun lalu, Masjid Al-Falahiah di Taman Desa Jaya Johor Bahru 30 Disember tahun lalu, serta Surau

Akademi Pengajian Islam Universiti Malaya (UM) April 2009 sewaktu pemilihan kampus.

Sentimen perkauman dan agama

Sementara itu, ditanya mengenai kenyataan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng yang turut mengecam insiden itu dan menganggap tindakan itu sebagai pengecut untuk mengapi-apikan sentimen perkauman dan agama untuk Pilihan Raya Umum 13, Ibrahim sebaliknya berkata pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat perlu menunjukkan keikhlasan lebih daripada itu.

“Saya mengalu-alukan pandangan beliau tetapi mereka perlu bertindak lebih daripada hanya sekadar memberi kenyataan bersifat gimik politik,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah berkata setakat ini pihaknya masih

menjalankan siasatan dan memberi jaminan akan menyiasat daripada pelbagai sudut.
Katanya, kes itu disiasat dibawah 295 Kanun Keseksaan atas kesalahan mencemarkan tempat sembahyang dengan niat mengaibkan agama.

Walau bagaimana pun katanya, masih tiada sebarang tangkapan dibuat.

Anggota polis dihukum penjara 6 bulan

Beliau didapati bersalah kerana melepaskan tembakan amaran sehingga mencederakan seorang remaja, dua tahun lalu.

SEREMBAN: Seorang anggota polis dihukum penjara enam bulan oleh Mahkamah Majistret di sini hari ini selepas didapati bersalah kerana melepaskan tembakan amaran sehingga mencederakan seorang remaja, dua tahun lalu.

Majistret Nor Azlina Hashim membuat keputusan itu selepas meneliti hujahan daripada pihak pendakwaan dan pembelaan dan mendapati tiada alasan yang sah bagi tertuduh, Konstabel Mohd Hakimi Shamsul melepaskan tembakan terhadap Mohd Azizi Azri Aziz.

Nor Azlina bagaimanapun membenarkan pelaksanaan hukuman tersebut ditangguhkan sementara menunggu rayuan di Mahkamah Tinggi dengan menaikkan jaminan daripada RM3,000 kepada RM8,000 dengan seorang penjamin ke atas tertuduh.

Mohd Hakimi, 21, dituduh melepaskan tembakan terhadap Mohd Azizi Azri, 20, tanpa apa-apa alasan yang sah sehingga mendatangkan kecederaan kepada mangsa, di Jalan Jelebu menghala ke Pantai dekat sini pada 3 petang, 8 Mei 2010.

Dia dituduh mengikut Seksyen 37 Akta Senjata 1960 yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara tidak lebih dua tahun atau denda tidak lebih RM5,000 atau kedua-duanya.

Menurut keterangan kes, insiden dikatakan bermula di depan sebuah pusat beli belah di Jalan Datuk Siamang Gagap, dekat sini, apabila kereta peronda dinaiki dua anggota polis termasuk Mohd Hakimi mengejar sekumpulan penunggang motosikal termasuk Mohd Azizi Azri.

Mangsa dikejar

Kumpulan penunggang motosikal itu kemudian berpecah dan motosikal ditunggang Mohd Hakimi dikejar kereta peronda polis tersebut beberapa kilometer sehingga ke lokasi kejadian.

Polis kemudian melepaskan beberapa tembakan amaran, namun satu das tembakan dari senjata milik Mohd Hakimi dipercayai terkena perut Mohd Azizi Azri yang kemudiannya ditahan.

Terdahulu, peguam yang mewakili Mohd Hakimi, Param Sundram memohon mahkamah mengenakan hukuman denda memandangkan ia kesalahan pertama selain tertuduh masih muda dan baru memulakan tugasnya sebagai anggota polis ketika kejadian.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin pula memohon mahkamah mengenakan hukuman yang setimpal kerana tertuduh tidak mempunyai alasan yang sah untuk melepaskan tembakan itu hanya semata-mata hendak memberhentikan mangsa yang cuba lari.

Katanya, sebagai anggota polis, tertuduh sepatutnya menggunakan pengetahuan dan pengalamannya untuk memberhentikan mangsa dengan cara lain dan bukannya dengan melepaskan tembakan apatah lagi tertuduh tidak diancam oleh mangsa. – Bernama

Public Policy: Vision 2020: Is Malaysia Moving Towards the Right Direction?

Who else but Anwar?

Barisan Nasional's obsession with Anwar Ibrahim has come to a head. It is unbelievable that there could be so much emotion over one solitary figure, even if he heads the Opposition pact. Always lurking beneath the surface -- ever since Umno jailed and sacked him on false sodomy charges in 1998 -- this fear of retribution erupted into the open after the 2008 general election, and until today, it has not dissipated.
If one were to watch the news on prime time television not a moment goes by without one knucklehead or other letting off steam against Anwar, while trying to sound and look credible without sticking a finger into his nose or scratching his rear in embarrassment.
BN sharks work overtime
It sounds so ridiculous, but day in and day out, the mainstream media is working overtime to rip apart the 'one great leader' who is expected by his countrymen to save Malaysia from the mighty jaws of the BN sharks, to unite the country and to lead it to become a real and functioning democracy.
No, the BN government simply cannot let that happen. Not over their dead bodies anyway! How can Malaysia become more democratic than it already is? After all, Prime Minister Najib Razak has already said the country is the "best democracy in the world". How can anyone improve on that?
Also, what will happen to all the booty? Yes, Malaysia is rich - or was rich anyway. But how will the BN leaders get to lord over the people and legally steal all their assets if they let Anwar walk over them? That would spell the end of the BN gold mine. Imagine, after extracting all those billions, BN leaders are still desperate to scrape the barrel's bottom for that last dollar. No, no! Cross our BN fingers, Anwar must never come to power!
Scared stiff
Whatever would become of BN? Who is going to protect them from the law? At least now they know they can make the law protect them, but that will change if democracy really sets foot in this country. Their sins will find them out and fast. They will be at the mercy of the people, who will want their heads and rightly so. The looting of the country has gone on for far too long and at too great a scale.
They have been hoodwinking the public for five decades. Everyone now knows their modus operandi and have become wise to their tricks. It is not just the NFC financial debacle, what's a measly RM250 million anyway?. Like Zaid Ibrahim, formerly of Umno, ex-PKR and now KITA, says - Mindef or the Ministry of Defense is a much bigger fish totaling billions in unaccounted for funds.
Yes, UMNO and BN are scared stiff. The mere silhouette of Anwar Ibrahim in the shadows strikes fear into their greedy hearts. The very glimpse of Anwar in person gives them the uncontrollable shakes and shivers, not to mention endless nightmares. Never has anyone person in this country ever had such a paralysing effect on the government of the day. And Anwar hasn’t even lifted a finger to unleash any salvos at them yet! Hehehe!
Be that as it may, they know that as long as Anwar is out there, their goose is fried! Finito! Kaput! You can see the despair in their faces, as they try to discredit Anwar with lame allegations ranging from sodomy to pro-Jewish issues.
Yet, despite the combined might of the BN government and all their machinery, they have failed to dent the image of this charismatic leader, whom the people are counting on to eradicate the cancer eating away at the roots of their nation - CORRUPTION.
Superhero and Superstar
The constant attacks on him are generating a positive attitude towards Anwar, as more and more people become aware of him and his famous face while questioning the BN's absurd attention and overkill towards him. Thanks to the free nationwide publicity, which often spills over into the international press as well, the BN mass media has turned Anwar into a superhero and superstar.
By comparison, Najib, the current prime minister if anyone still remembers who he is, gets at least 70 per cent less. And for that, he has to spend hundreds of millions of public money on his media team. What cheek!
Today, Anwar hogs the spotlight, in all the mainstream media, pro-BN blogs, television and radio, not to mention the constant international media limelight. He is the most talked about person, the most loved and hated, the most persecuted and the most publicly-dissected personality in regards to both his public and private life.
Today, he holds in one finger more credibility than all of the BN politicians put together, as attempts to incarcerate him and pin him down have failed miserably. Sodomy I , Sodomy II, the Datuk T sex video fiasco have all failed to mar his character, boomeranging on Najib and his team of scriptwriters for dreaming up such evil shenanigans against what is after all - a fellow human being.
Who else but Anwar?
And through all the constant attacks, Anwar has risen from the ashes like Prince Charming vanquishing his attackers and appearing as strong and as unblemished as before. He is a true hero of the Malays, and many are silently angry at the vain attempts to discredit such a towering Malay talent. It is a real shame.
Try counting on your fingers, which Malay has ever been so welcomed and respected in both his home country and the world than Anwar? Is it Najib? Was it Abdullah Badawi? How about Mahathir Mohamad?
Now, Mahathir thinks he deserves the honor more than Anwar. According to the good Dr M, he is the one who has achieved the most for Malaysia and therefore deserves to be crowned the best-respected or best-loved Malay leader ever - or so far anyway. But the thing is, while Mahathir left behind a lot of infrastructure, he and his cronies took out even more - disproportionately huge amounts of assets and money out of the country. To the tune of RM888 billion at least if the Global Financial Integrity is correct.
So I don't know if the Malays want to consider him as their best loved son. Even Malaysians would prefer to put him in their Hall of Infamy rather than Fame.
As for Badawi, yawn! Yes, he slept through his tenure just a tad too much. As for Najib, come on! He even needs to have a "Love Najib" campaign started up for him by MCA-linked groups. For sure, someone who has to call himself "Ah Jib Gor" is a cartoon and nowhere in striking distance of even the door to the waiting room where applicants for the crown of most renowned Malay -- er, for good and positive things and not C4 or diamond rings -- have to wait.
The worst cheek of it all is Najib had the gall to ban Zunar's political cartoons while he calls himself "Ah Jib Gor", launches "Love Najib" campaigns, and gives the nod to Datuk T sex video scripts. Doraemon, Ninja Turtles and Debby Does Dallas - watch out, stiff competition is on the way!
So, let the attacks continue, and let Anwar bask in the glory of all the attention directed against him, and let the people decide who they want to be the next leader of this nation.
Although, Anwar may gladly forgo the Prime Minister-ship for the sake of unity and compromise, there is still no one big enough to fill his shoes and neither would the people want anyone less than Anwar Ibrahim.
Malaysia Chronicle

Indian Community's Perception Towards BN Positive - Dr Subramaniam

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- The Indian community's perception towards Barisan Nasional led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is positive, said MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

"Their support is between 60 and 75 percent - it varies in each area," he said after launching a book, 'The Dancing Girl: A History of Early India' at Royal Lake Club, Lake Gardens here Wednesday.

Dr Subramaniam, who is also Human Resource Minister, said the recent announcement by the Prime Minister on the allocation for six new national type (Tamil) primary schools in Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Johor was positively received by the Indian community.

On the 313-page book written by the late Dr Balaji Sadasivan, who was also a former Singapore Foreign Affairs Senior Minister, he said it was good for the young generation to read regardless of whether they were Indians or of other races.

"It traces the history of the community who are now estimated to number 25 million scattered in 110 countries," he said.

Present at the launch of the book published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore and supported by the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur with the cooperation of the Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia and Gandhi Memorial Trust of Malaysia, were Dr Balaji's widow Dr Ma Swan Hoo and ISEAS director, K. Kesavapany.

Break India, US and Israel to perpetuate Pan Islam through Al Jihad.

 

Al Jihad for breaking India, US and Israel under Difa-e-Pakistan.

The Fundamentalist Islamic leaders, Muslim Clerics and the surfaced extremist commanders from the underground of Pakistan, comprising of 40 politico-religious parties and subversive groups of the country gathered at Multan in the Punjab province of Pakistan under a banner of Difa-e-Pakistan Council in a rally on Sunday, 29th January, 2012 against what they called the anti-Pakistan forces, mainly India, America and Israel. “Al-Jihad, Al-Jihad” (the holy war, the holy war) slogans rose from the crowd in response to every fiery claim by orators who warned against the ‘grand conspiracies’ being hatched by the ‘enemies of Pakistan’. A majority of the participants in the rally were holding JuD (Jamaat-ud-Dawa) flags, led by Hafiz Sayeed, whose fiery speech, consistently referring to Indian-American aggression against Muslims, resonated with the crowd of over 50,000. Difa-e-Pakistan means Defence of Pakistan.

There was a sea of Muslim citizens, where an Islamic tsunami gathers its strength, and where the sons (in the Jihad field) and daughters (under Burqa, staying at the militant’s barraks and beds in home) of Ghaznavi, Khalid and Ghauri once again showed the Kaffir world that Koran following devout Muslims would not tolerate any threat to the Pakistani nation and the Pan Islamic Ummah as a whole.

In the name of “Defence of Pakistan Conference” in Multan on Sunday, 29th January, 2012, the up-surging fundamental groups of Pakistan are exercising their strategy to break Hindu majority India and to capture it for another Dar-ul-Islam like Pakistan again in India. But, the majority people including all the callous political parties in India, i.e. Bharat are ignoring the evil consequences of such an Islamic expansionism generated from that epicenter of global terrorism only to covert India into another Pakistan. Side by side, this Council, Difa-e-Pakistan has adopted a long drawn policy to promote Shariah (Islamic personal law) defying the state law in force in each and every corner of the world among the devout and righteous (Allah-fearing) Muslims to boost the Jihad and Islamic consolidation everywhere.

Amir Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Professor Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed confirmed ‘Al Jihad’ in India and demanded

The fanatic Muslims showing shoes to India, America and Israel on the order of Hafiz Sayeed.

that Pakistan must get out of the US war, saying ~ “we have to fight a defensive war for Pakistan and secure freedom of Kashmir.” He said they have to avenge against India in the happenings of East Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and Samjhota Express.

Lt General (R) Hameed Gul said that the common target of US, India and Israel was Pakistan. He urged a joint effort of Islamic Ummah to liberate all possible fronts to make Pan Islamic War Cry as a most successful move.

The Jamaat-ud-dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed has stepped up his venomous anti-India, anti-US rant in a very usual form. Addressing the 40 religious and political parties in Multan, Sayeed has called for sure revenge against India and the liberation of Kashmir, as an Islamic duty for all sections of Muslim people and parties cutting across the internal differences if any. He has also demanded a review of Pak-US ties. Sayeed’s increasing public campaign comes at a time of the political crisis in Pakistan and speculation whether he is being propped up by elements within the Pakistan establishment to deflect attention.

“We have to defend Pakistan, we have to liberate Kashmir. And we have to take revenge on India, starting from East Pakistan to Samjhauta Express, Inshaallah (God willing),” he said.

The extremist leader also warned the Pak government that they would protest outside parliament if any step is taken to reopen the supply routes which were closed after a cross-border NATO air strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last year.

Sayeed claimed the US had started propaganda targeting Pakistan and the members of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, which organized protest, would defend the country’s “ideological frontiers”.

He claimed if these people “adopt an aggressive stance and try to attack Pakistan, the US will break up.”

The rally was also addressed by former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Hamid Gul, Pakistani politician Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Ijaz-ul-Haq, the son of former dictator General Zia Ul Haq.


[Above - Venomous speech of Pro. Hafiz Sayeed against US and India to fulfill Jihad with the help of United Afghanistan and Pakistan. Difa-e-Pakistan Conference at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore on 18-12-2011]

Addressing the rally, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hassan said any resolution adopted by parliament for restoring the NATO supply routes would be tantamount to a betrayal of Pakistan.

“We will gherao parliament and stage a dharna if NATO supplies are restored,” he said.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sami) chief Sami-ul-Haq too addressed the gathering and said that if “US, Israel, India or NATO forces” attacked Pakistan, the Difa-e-Pakistan Council will retaliate with “full force”.

Haq said the Council wants to free Pakistan “from the clutches of the US and its allies” and end US drone attacks in the country’s tribal belt.

Former Commander of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Malik Ishaq came out publicly in this meeting after a long gap to ‘defend’ Pakistan, Shariah and Jihad for the exclusive benefit of spreading the conceptual Arabic – Islamic Ummah over all.

Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jamaat head Ahmed Ludhianvi warned that if the government reopens NATO supply routes, workers of his party would block them.

In a very crude manner Prof. Sayeed said, “It is regrettable that religious scholars do not highlight this teaching of the Shariah that greatness lies in unity,” he said, adding that the Difa-e-Pakistan Council’s next gathering in Karachi will be the biggest rally in Pakistan’s history.

Earlier, the council has organized two mammoth rallies in Lahore and Rawalpindi at the end of last year.

The experts apprehend an arranged support from the Islamist think tank Zaid Hamid and an US based Islamic forum CAIR have helped the conference in many ways to make it successful.

Meanwhile, the Markazi Jamiyat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees (JAH) demanded an inquiry into the source of funding of the event. The group’s local chief at Multan, Allama Khalid Mehmood Nadeem said the government should take notice of the “millions of rupees” spent extravagantly in organising the Difa-e-Pakistan convention.

Experts also say that the camouflaging stance of social services in a NGO mode as continuing by Jamaat-ud-Dawa is most deceitful and dangerous form of Jihad what so ever. The Islamic NGOs are now included in the net-work of Mosques and Madarshas (Islamic seminary) to perpetuate Al Jihad.

Virtually, Hindu dominated India, Christian dominated USA and Jew dominated Israel are in the top of the hit list of the Al Jihadists in Pak and Afghan.

The Hindu Forces of India and anti Jihad Forums everywhere must retaliate accordingly.

(With additional inputs from Tribune Pak & PTI)

Azhar Wahab linked to VCDs of sexy Muslim women

HARIAN Metro reported the emergence of a VCD showing a mustachioed “singer” getting cosy with three young women wearing hijab (Islamic headscarf).

The paper said the contents might be linked to the banned Azhar Wahab sect, deemed a deviant group by religious authorities.

It reported that the five-song VCD was being sold for RM20 each by students of religious schools at various highway rest stops in the Klang Valley, allegedly to raise funds for their schools.

It said the “singer” in the VCD was the founder of the Azhar Wahab sect, adding that the young women were attired in tight clothing and headscarves that did little to conceal their necks.

The paper said the intimate portrayal of the quartet, not to mention the women's leopard print leggings and thin lace blouses, appeared to promote relations between unmarried men and women.

> Kosmo! reported that more than a dozen copies of the Quran were found at a rubbish dump in Jerantut, Pahang.

The daily said 15 copies of the holy book, along with a collection of other religious reference material, were found in a sack at the dumping zone of an industrial area.

The chief imam of Masjid Tengku Mahkota Abdullah Nurunnaim Daud was disappointed that the holy books were treated without respect.

He advised those doing cleaning-up work in a house to separate the Quran and books with jawi script before disposing the rubbish.

● Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

Justice Served in Horrific Canadian Honor Murder

A disobedient woman, who allegedly brings shame to her family, especially when it concerns her sexual behaviour, has to be eliminated. That is what the multicultural West is discovering to its horror as the body count continues to mount of young women, primarily from Muslim families, who run afoul of this foreign and twisted sense of restoring family “honor.” Rather than “honor,” however, Western societies now recognize this alien way of thinking for what it really is: a revolting concept, behind which the most brutal, anti-women crimes are being committed.

The latest North American case involving this “honor” masquerade ended last Sunday in the eastern Ontario city of Kingston where a jury returned a guilty verdict after only 15 hours of deliberation for the mass honor slayings of Rona Amir Mohammed, 50, Zainab Shafia, 19, and her two sisters, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13. The four females were found dead, apparently by drowning, in a vehicle submerged in a canal just outside of Kingston on June 30, 2009.

“This verdict sends a very clear message about our Canadian values and the core principles in a free and democratic society that all Canadians enjoy, and even visitors to Canada enjoy,” prosecutor Gerard Laarhuis said after the trial.

Their killers were, as in most honor murders, close family members: father Mohammed Shafia, 58, mother Tooba Mohammed Yahya, 42, and brother Hamed, 21. Rona Amir Mohammed was Mohammed Shafia’s unwanted first wife. She was in Canada on a visitor’s visa, since polygamy is prohibited in that country. The Shafia family, originally from Afghanistan, had been in Canada for two years by the time of the murders.

Unlike some honor killers, however, who openly and happily admit their crime to the world, so as to leave no doubt their “honor” has been restored, the Shafias continued after the verdict to profess their innocence.

“Sir, I did not drown my sisters anywhere,” Hamed protested in the courtroom.

But the facts of the case are this. Zainab, Sahar and Geeti were three girls who lived in an emotionally and physically abusive home, dominated by a strict father who adhered to the archaic, patriarchal customs of his land of origin. The girls wanted to enjoy the freedoms Canadian girls have, which included determining their own lives. This meant, among other things, having boyfriends, choosing the clothes they wore and hanging out with friends after school.

In the Afghan tribal and clan culture the Shafia parents come from, however, such freedoms are strictly forbidden to females, since women are regarded as possessions of male family members. The men are obligated to ensure their daughters and sisters are virgins when married. This is not only a question of family honor but also a financial one. A non-virgin brings in no bride money on the marriage market. She is valueless. Moreover, a girl who has had pre-marital sex is almost always killed by her male relatives, who believe only blood can wash away this supposed shame and restore the family’s honor. Since it is such a societal obsession, virginity is therefore, literally, a major and vital, life-or-death factor in a girl’s life.

Influenced by the freedom of their Canadian environment, the Shafia girls rebelled against their stifling home situation. Zainab once ran away to a women’s shelter. The father, a Canadian newspaper reported, was “desperate” to get her back, since her absence inflamed his greatest fear: She may be having sex. (European social workers say even just one night away from home is enough for a family to pass a death sentence on the offending female member.) Hamed also caught Sahar sneaking a boyfriend into the house when their parents were away in Dubai, while 13-year-old Geeti, apparently the most strong-willed of the three, was asking teachers and social workers to put her in a foster home. The fact Zainab and Sahar had boyfriends would also have condemned them as “whores” in their family’s eyes.

Photos on Zainab’s and Zahar’s cellphones also helped seal the girls’ fate. They showed the girls with boyfriends and by themselves but scantily clad. Some photos were found in Hamed’s briefcase, and the prosecution believed he showed them to his father. These had a devastating effect on Mohammed Shafia. On a police wiretap only weeks after his daughters’ deaths, he raged to his wife:

What excess had we committed, that they …undressed themselves in front of boys? God curse their graduation! CIt is still unknown how and where the four women were killed. The family was returning from a trip to Niagara Falls to their home in Montreal in two vehicles when they stopped near Kingston. The family claims the four females then took one vehicle for a joyride and were followed by the other to the “accident” site. After her arrest, Tooba Mohammed Yahya admitted they were all at the canal.

But when police retrieved the sunken vehicle, the ignition was off and the women had bumps on their heads, but no drugs were found in their system. The family also never reported the “accident” immediately to police. They waited until about noon to report the women as missing.

A very incriminating and revealing moment occurred when the family checked into a Kingston-area motel. Mohammed and Hamed Shafia first ordered rooms for six people and then changed it to nine. The motel clerk never forgot that unusual mix-up, saying the two appeared confused. The Shafias had seven children and actually numbered ten that night. The remaining offspring are now in the care of child welfare officials.

How the four Shafia women actually died will probably never be known. But enough circumstantial evidence existed to convict the parents and brother on first degree murder charges, which carry a sentence of 25 years. Canada does not have the death penalty.

In Muslim cultures, there is an emphasis on controlling women’s sexuality, so that they are virgins when they get married. The woman’s value and honor rests on an unbroken hymen, which is also where the honor of the men of her family and clan rests. Turkish men even have an expression emphasising this point: “A man’s honor lies between a woman’s legs.” And as the former Muslim and women’s activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali writes in her book Nomad, if the hymen is broken before marriage, then “a girl is a thing used, broken, filthy, her filth contagious.” Ironically, according to these twisted values, a girl who is a thief and a liar is still considered honourable if her hymen is intact, while the “filthy” one may be a top student who does charity work.

But this notion of honor lies in a complete possession of women. They are not free to develop as human beings and are not even free to have normal emotions or longings. In fact, a woman is never treated as an adult but as an eternal minor. She is to remain completely subordinate and submissive her whole life.

And it is mainly for this reason that the lives of three vibrant, young females ended in such tragic fashion in Kingston in 2009 along with that of their dear “auntie.” They refused to give up their right to live out their lives the way they wanted and rebelled. The two older sisters were also probably regarded as “broken, used, filthy.”

As long as men from cultures like the Shafias’ believe they have a cultural and religious right to control women (especially their sexuality), determine their lives and even murder them when they transgress some archaic, tribal code of honor, then it appears there is little Western countries can do to prevent such further tragedies. Especially since they despise Western culture and hold the laws in Western countries in contempt.urse of God on both of them! God’s curse on them for generations! May the devil shit on their graves! Is that what a daughter should be? Would (a daughter) be such a whore?

The reason Rona Amir Mohammed was killed is more obscure. She was barren, which caused Mohammed Shafia to take a second wife, who treated the first wife cruelly. Rona Mohammed was also very close to the dead girls, whom she helped raised, and may have been seen as a bad influence, or she may simply have been regarded as superfluous. Rona Mohammed had, however, expressed fears for her safety to her own relatives.

“She was afraid,” her brother later said. “She had threats that if she went to the police, we will kill you.”

Familiarity with the offending cultures and early sensitivity and action to problem situations may save some girls’ lives. But the chief difficulty rests in changing the values and attitudes towards women in the countries where honor murders are condoned. And since this is problematic, to say the least, the West should get used to the fact that the social horror of honor murders is here to stay.

Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.
To get the whole story on why the Left is in league with the Islamic persecutors of Muslim women under Islamic gender apartheid, read Jamie Glazov’s book, United in Hate: The Left’s Romance with Tyranny and Terror.

UMNO insults and degrades non Malays but no qualm robbing them their share of wealth

Senator S. Ramakrishnan ,

UMNO the dominant party of BN has long treated the non Malays and non Muslims as second class citizen. With the mass influx of Muslim foreign workers the non Malays and non Muslims even rank after them further down. This is the political structure which Malaysians don’t talk in the open but everybody knows and lives and moves about accordingly without upsetting each other. That is the strength or weakness of Malaysians. The UMNO politician may not say it himself but when others say so he will be indifferent or silently encourage it. They implemented racist policies and practices all the way right from 1970 in the name of equality and fairness. They deprived the non Malays and non Muslims their fair share of their own sweat and blood. That nefarious and hypocritical are UMNO politicians when dealing with rights of non Malays and non Muslims.

UMNO leaders have introduced policies and procedures that will knock off the non Malays and non Muslims from scholarships, university enrolment, government employment, procurements and contracts from eligibility to compete and bid. This blatant blockage has reduced and eliminated the participation of non Malays and non Muslims in civil service, uniformed service, providing services to government and its agencies. The non Malays and non Muslims were reduced to the periphery in education and medical services.

But all these racial policies have reduced and restricted Malaysian competitiveness, efficiency and integrity. Malaysian economy is heading nowhere despite all the transformational programs. These preferential state ethnic policies have stifled the quality of reasoned and informed decisions and thinking in the government decision making bodies. Recruitment and promotion is race based and not meritocracy. As a consequence of these racial policies many Malays themselves have grown despondent and start distancing from UMNO.

The educated and informed Malays could see the duplicity and self enriching actions of UMNO leadership. Majority of Malays are still vulnerable and affected by the economic uncertainties and very dependent on government aid. But a small section of elite UMNOPUTRAS have enriched themselves at the expense of state coffers. The vast majority of Malays poor are hoodwinked and bribed in the name of race and religion to support these few elite UMNOPUTRAS. UMNO is fighting tooth and nail to keep these Malay poor in good humor by giving goodies and cash. When the competition for the Malay heartland is intense the role of non Malays and non Muslims will decide which way Malaysian politics will go.

The non Malays especially Indians must believe that their one vote counts and makes a difference. The minorities are the king makers. They must be registered as voters first and vote during general elections. Indians must discard the thinking that whether Rama rules or Ravana rules, nothing going to change. There is difference in Rama’s and Ravana’s rule. Our future is in our hand and not in the UMNOPUTRAS hand. Make hay when the sun shines. Sail when the wind blows. This is the moment. Let’s not miss it and blame everybody else except ourselves. It’s now or never.

Cuepacs steps up fight against new scheme

Action committee formed to present working paper to the prime minister on its recommendation of changes to the scheme.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs has set up an action committee as its latest step in its fight against the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA).

A 15-member team, led by Cuepacs deputy president, Azih Muda, will present a paper on its recommendations to Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, by early March.

These recommendations were compiled during a two-day workshop on SBPA which was attended by all Cuepacs officials.

Cuepacs president, Omar Osman, told the media this afternoon that the paper would be based on the five items that Cuepacs has already submitted for review by the SBPA task force.

“The prime minister introduced the SBPA in the hope that it would be better than the Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) but instead it is the worst scheme we have ever seen,” he said.

“And this is because the Public Services Department (PSD) never consulted us in drafting the scheme and then kept the details a secret from us.”

Among the recommendations is a review of the Civil Service Premier Post (JUSA) level. Omar stated that of the current 36 posts, only seven are qualified for a Premier classification.

He listed the seven as the Chief Secretary to the Government, Secretary-General of Treasury, Director-General of Public Services, Treasury Auditor-General, Attorney-General, Chief Justice and Accountant-General of Malaysia.

Omar also slammed the mismatch of job titles and functions under the SBPA. Under the scheme, “drivers” will now be known as “operations manager”, “hostel supervisor” as “administrative supervisor” and “nursing trainer” as “health trainer”.

“There is a complete imbalance here,” he pointed out. “The reasoning behind the title change it to supposedly add prestige to the job but there are better ways of doing this.”

Lopsided salary adjustments

Omar confirmed earlier claims by PAS vice president, Mahfuz Omar, that those in the Premier group had already been given offer letters and that some of them are already receiving the new salary under the SBPA.

“Who authorised this?” he demanded. “I also have text messages from pensioners who have received as much as RM9,800 in pensions under the SBPA.”

“These are the surprises that we are being subjected to because of the SBPA’s lack of transparency.”

Omar also maintained his earlier threat to pull out from the SBPA task force if no additional Cuepacs representatives are included on the panel.

He has asked for Azih Muda, secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng and financial secretary Jaafar Mansor to also sit on the task force as he alone cannot represent 1.3 million members.

The head of the SBPA task force, Ismail Adam, yesterday said that he had no objections to the three coming on board but that the power to make appointments rested with the Chief Secretary to the Government, Sidek Hassan.

“We have no heard anything on this matter yet but if the three are not invited to the second task force meeting on Feb 8 then I will officially resign on that day,” Omar said.

The SBPA was meant to be implemented on Jan 1 but has been delayed due to strong objections over the lopsided salary adjustment between senior government officials above Grade 54 and those below.

Cuepacs is conducting a roadshow until April on the SBPA and civil servants have until Feb 15 to submit their protests on the scheme.

Pig’s head found at Rawang mosque

The police and PKR leaders have called for calm and the cops are still looking for a motive.

RAWANG: A roasted pig head was found at the steps of the Nurul Iman Mosque at Batu 18 here early this morning.

While speculation awas rife on the motive of the culprits, police and PKR leaders have called for calm.

At 5.15am, mosque caretaker Nadzlan Ambak stumbled upon the object when opening the gates of the mosque.

“I saw something yellow, then when I moved closer I saw the head. Neatly placed, facing me,” said Nadzlan, 70.

Police have classified the case under Section 295 of the Penal Code for desecrating a place of worship. However, no suspects have been identified so far, Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said this afternoon.

Tun Hisan also said a motive was being ascertained.

The police had arrived at 7.30am and left about two hours later with the pig head as evidence for further investigation.

PKR Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei urged quicker police action and said inaction will simply lead to more of such incidents.

“The message we seem to be getting, if nobody is arrested, is that such acts are condoned,” Gan told reporters at the mosque.

Provocative acts

Gan said in Rawang’s history, there has not been such provocative acts. “Such acts should not be tolerated. I’ll continue to do what I can and follow up with the mosque and police”.

Earlier, he told an online news portal that the actions were probably politically motivated as the 13th general election was around the corner.

PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong said: “We deplore the irresponsible, despicable and provocative act done by irresponsible person. Police should arrest and, upon conviction, use the maximum penalties allowed by law

“We’ve had too much. The cow-head stomping in Shah Alam, the burning of churches, stone throwing at a Sikh temple and now pig heads.”

“If there’s politics, we should debate about policies, we should never use religion or race to incite violence. No one can gain from it,” said Leong.

Mosque committee member Azman Mohd Noor said the mosque is shocked at the action as they have been friendly to the surrounding community.

“We have Chinese-Muslims and Indian-Muslims and we have no enemies. Anyone with problems should come talk to us,” he said.

The last time pig heads were also found in a mosque was in Johor, where five pig heads were discovered at the entrance of Al Falah mosque in Taman Desa Jaya, Johor Baru.

Pig heads were dumped at mosques in 2010 during the same time the controversy surrounding the usage of the word “Allah” was still raging. During that time, mosques and churches were also vandalised.

‘I am an uncommon woman’

Shakespeare wrote that 'the world is a matter of our point of view, nothing more, nothing less' and in the case of 25-year-old Sharan it is 'both illusion and the fullness of the divine'.

Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us, all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are. - Memoirs of a Geisha

If you’ve read the “Memoirs of a Geisha”, you’ll relate to Sharan on a soulful note.

Sharan is a transgender.

She lives on her own terms and doesn’t think of herself as brave. She is content having surrendered herself to devotion, as described in the “Bhagavad Gita”.

Meeting her for the first time in her apartment, Sharan cuts a willowy figure in her moss-green saree, matching bangles and tinkling anklets.

She’s preparing for a dedication ceremony for transgender women at a Hindu temple in Pandamaran, Klang.

The fragrance of sandalwood incense permeates her apartment which she shares with three other transgender women. The place is a flurry of activity as the four women ready themselves for the ceremony.

“We take pride in the way we look, as you can tell,” Sharan said, with a mischievous smile.

“I am a transgender woman. I want people to notice me as a transgender woman.

“I go the extra mile with the makeup I put on and the accessories I wear to match the outfit I pick out.

“I don’t want to be mistaken as a regular woman because I am uncommon.

“If I were to think about fitting into a particular ‘acceptable’ mould, I would never be myself.

“I have already accepted myself as a woman,” she said.

Sharan is unconcerned with negative views and snide remarks.

“People will always think the thoughts they want to and it’s sad that they don’t look beyond outward appearances,” she said.

Self-discovery


Sharan hails from an educated family. She’s eloquent and is the eldest born.

According to Sharan, her mother had a tough time conceiving due to her endometriosis condition.

(Endometriosis is a gynecological condition in which cells from the lining of the uterus flourish outside the uterine cavity on the ovaries. Endometriosis occurs in roughly 5% to 10% of women and is linked to infertility.)

Before conceiving Sharan, her mother had two miscarriages. Both were male fetus. Sharan now has two younger sisters.

Recalling her journey to self-discovery Sharan said, she had always known there was something different about her.

She was 14 when she received a resounding wake-up call as to her gender.

“I remember going to the toilet as I was experiencing some very bad stomach pains.

“I thought at the time that it had something to do with a bowel movement.

“When I sat on the commode, I found that I had discharged a rather large red blob and I was terrified because I thought it was part of my intestine,” she laughed, reminiscing the “moment”.

Her parents promptly whisked her to a hospital where a biopsy and blood tests were done.

The results left the doctors baffled as it showed an XX chromosome. A second round of tests were done and the results were confirmed.

“I was someone with a ‘son of’ in my name but with a female XX chromosome.

“The doctor even did an endoscope and he drew out a diagram of what he saw inside of me – a non-functional under-developed womb – and informed us that I would experience a kind of menstruation every two to three months.”

Reality slap



Sharan added that from then on, things were very different.

A letter was dispatched to the school she attended, informing the teachers about her condition.

It was also at this time that Sharan began to develop breasts and the situation at school got out of hand.

“It was an evening after classes and I was approached by one of the boys I attended school with.

“He brought me to the back of the school and asked me questions about my body and gender. Suddenly, from one boy, I was surrounded by eight others.

“They raped me that evening. It happened over a period of 20 minutes.

“It’s a short time if you say it like that, but when you’re there, going through it, 20 minutes is a lifetime,” she said, recalling the frightening episode.

It was her first slam with reality.

Sharan never told anyone about what happened.

“I was so terrified to say anything. If I had said something, I’m sure the boys would have come after me and the adults would say, ‘What do you expect?

“‘You are so effeminate and maybe if you appeared more masculine, they would leave you alone.’ I was so young and didn’t know any better then,” she said.

Priceless liberation

Over the years, Sharan found her voice and began to speak up for herself.

“I will never be silent again,” she said, with conviction, adding that self-acceptance came after many years of accepting the term “transgender”.

‘It’s priceless, this sense of liberation. I am now able to be my true self. I don’t have to subject myself to listening to people telling me to be more masculine or walk upright,” she said.

She attributes her “sense of liberation” to conversations she’s shared with other transgender people and the pride that comes with understanding and acknowledging oneself.

There are some 30,000 transgenders in the country – numbers big enough enough to build a strong community.

Today, Sharan volunteers with the PT Foundation and spends much of her time speaking at awareness campaigns.

(PT Foundation is the largest community-based organisation working with the communities most affected by HIV.)


This aside, Sharan has also surrendered herself to devotion. She’s been ordained as a Hindu “nun” dedicating herself to devotional duties in a temple for anyone who needs special prayers.

If things go her way, Sharan will head to Thailand in a few weeks for her gender re-assignment surgery.

“I don’t know how the surgery will go. But I would rather die on the surgery table knowing that I at least gave one of my dreams a shot rather than to wonder about the ‘if only and what ifs’.

“I’ll just leave everything in God’s hands and I know he’ll take care of everything,” she said.

Building a future

When she returns, Sharan plans to go into business and build a future for herself.

“I’ve applied for a bank loan and we’ll see how that goes.

“I would like to set up a small business selling Indian-style jewellery and work towards owning a house.

“Life has shown me that I can only depend on myself. There will always be eyes watching and waiting for me to trip so they can pinpoint my errors.

“There are very few who will celebrate our triumphs with us.

“When we are successful, they will say that we are ‘lucky’.

“Luck has nothing to do with it. It’s about faith, confidence and self-belief,” she said.

Belia Felda juga tolak Devamany pertahan Cameron Highlands

"Jika beliau bertanding lagi dalam pilihan raya ke 13 ini, kami tidak akan mengundi beliau lagi."

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Selepas Pemuda Umno Cameron Highlands menolak Datuk SK Devamany mempertahankan kerusi parlimen itu, kini kumpulan belia Felda di kawasan tersebut menyuarakan hal sama.

Pengerusi Majlis Belia Sungai Koyan, Norfarulrafiq Razali berkata, “dalam keadaan apa sekali pun, kami menolak naib presiden MIC itu.”

Pada 8 Julai tahun lalu, kumpulan berkenaan menghantar memorandum kepada Ketua Penerangan Umno, Datuk Ahmad Maslan supaya menggugurkan Devamany dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13.

Mereka juga mempamerkan sepanduk yang menyatakan mereka menolak Devamany di Cameron Highlands.

Waktu itu Ahmad merasmikan program di Felda Sungai Koyan 3 dekat sini.

Norfarulrafiq mendakwa ada 4, 000 pengundi muda di Felda dalam parlimen Cameron Highlands.

Beliau mendakwa, pemuda Felda mempunyai kuasa penting kerana kemenangan Devamany dalam pilihan raya umum 2008 kerana sokongan pengundi muda berkenaan.

Pemuda MIC juga tolak Devamany

“Jika beliau bertanding lagi dalam pilihan raya ke 13 ini, kami tidak akan mengundi beliau lagi. Kami mungkin tidak tidak keluar mengundi atau mengundi pembangkang.

“Kami tidak menolak MIC tetapi tidak mahu Devamany. Dia tidak membawa sebarang pembangunan kepada penduduk setempat terutama di DUN Jelai,” katanya.

DUN Jelai diwakili oleh Ketua Umno Cameron Highlands, Datuk Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail yang juga exco kerajaan negeri Pahang.

“Kami tolak Devamany kerana beliau hanya pandai berjanji tidak mahu menunaikannya.

“Beliau juga jarang tunjuk muka kecuali rakyat mengadu atau pemimpin atasan datang ke Cameron Highlands,” dakwa Norfarulrafiq.

Menurutnya, untuk pilihan raya akan datang Presiden MIC, Datuk G. Palanivel merupakan calon terbaik di Cameron Highlands.

Katanya, beliau yakin Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri bagi kaum India akan mendapat undi yang lebih banyak dari Devamany.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pemuda MIC Cameron Highland, M Veloo turut sama menolak Devamany sebagai calon parlimen kawasan tersebut.

“Beliau tidak memberikan peruntukan wang untuk aktiviti pemuda,” kata Veloo.

Veloo turut mengalu-alukan kehadiran Palanivel bertanding di Cameron Highland.

Debat Negara Islam - Syariah vs Sekular

Or watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgsnmvl-NaM

By MKA UK

Atheists reject the Sharia Law as it is currently being applied in Saudi Arabia, Iran and other States of the Islamic world, and propose that Sharia Law per se negates human rights. Muslims of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community show the atheists that their premise is wrong, and that Sharia Law is NOT being applied in Muslim countries, and that on the contrary, the intelligently-made laws of the Qur'an are being abused and distorted by rulers and Islamic scholars of so-called Muslim countries.

The debate was held on 8th December 2011 at University College London, and this is the recording made by Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International (for original video, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/MKAUKVideos : Ahmadi Muslims Debate Sharia Law with One Law for All (Maryam Namazie) at UCL ).

Read the only reasonable view on the reality of Sharia and politics in the world of today at: http://www.alislam.org/books/shariah/index.html

Also, read the clear PROHIBITION, made by the Imam al-Mahdi, of armed JIHAD at this present time, here: http://www.alislam.org/library/books/BritishGovt-and-Jihad.pdf

The Imam al-Mahdi was sent by God to reform Muslims who are divided into dozens of sects and sub-sects, and to bring them back to the TRUE ISLAM in which there is:
- No extremism,
- No violence,
- No hate-preaching,
- No death threats,
- No Saint-intercession of the Sunnis,
- No Jinn-possession of the Salafis,
- No fighting,
- No superstition or irrationality, which form part of the beliefs of ALL Muslims,
- No false propaganda, e.g. that made by the enemies of the Ahmadiyya Community,
- No abrogation of Qur'anic verses, as believed by ALL Muslims
- No insulting of the Holy Wives and Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as practised by Shi'ites,
- No death penalty for apostasy,
- No death penalty for adultery,
- No death penalty for homosexuality,
- No disrespect to honoured religious leaders of all faiths,
- No desecration of places of worship.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the only true representative of Islam today. All its practices are derived from those of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Ahmadi Muslims are the only ones to explain the Qur'an, Sunnah and Hadith in a rational way. All other Muslims have been fooled by their Imams and 'Ulama into holding irrational beliefs and religious practices which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) did not introduce.

Everyday, Muslims around the world are suffering and even losing their lives due to the horrendous interpretations their scholars make of the Sharia. When Muslims accept the interpretation of the Imam al-Mahdi, all their human rights abuses will come to an end. It is to the true Islam that the Imam al-Mahdi has called the whole world, so that people who are not protected by their Churches, Mosques or Temples against child abuse, people who are not protected by their laws against domestic violence or economic ruin, and people whose generations are being decimated by alcoholism, sex, drugs and crime, can all find real peace and communion with the True God, the Creator of the Universe, in the haven of security and love that is the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

For more information, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/user/mtaonline1
http://www.loveforallhatredfornone.org/
http://www.muslimsforpeace.org
http://thebeerevelation.wordpress.com/
https://theartofmisinformation.wordpress.com/
http://www.alislam.org

Israel Dominates the Debate in Malaysia – Again

By Shibani Mahtani

Reuters

Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim talks to his supporters after the verdict of his sodomy trial was announced.

Recent comments by Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim have demonstrated yet again how issues related to Israel continue to divide this majority-Muslim country – and could influence the country’s next national election.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Anwar responded to the question of whether he would open diplomatic ties with Israel by stating his “support” for “efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel,” while at the same time backing the “legitimate rights of the Palestinians.” He stopped short of saying he would establish diplomatic relations between the two states – what he describes as a “tricky” issue – and stated that any change to the status quo would remain contingent on Israel recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinians.
Malaysia is one of three Southeast Asian nations including Indonesia and Brunei that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, though limited economic ties exist between private companies in both countries.
“Some refuse to recognize the state of Israel,” he said, “but I think our policy should be clear – protect the security [of Israel] but you must be as firm in protecting the legitimate interests of the Palestinians.”
The comments triggered a storm of debate and criticism, with members of the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and other groups accusing the leader of abandoning the Palestinian cause – an emotive cause long-supported in the majority-Muslim Southeast Asian nation.
Lawmakers called on Mr. Anwar’s opposition coalition to release an official statement on the issue, while president of the right-wing Malay group Perkasa Ibrahim Ali said he would raise the issue in Parliament.
Mr. Anwar responded by saying he supported a “two-state solution” with Palestine, a policy he said was no different from the official stance adopted by the United Nations and Malaysia itself.
“I am issuing a stern warning to anyone trying to twist my statement just so that they can say that I have betrayed the aspirations of the Palestinian people,” he said in a statement to the press. His party’s stand “is to defend the rights of whoever it is that has been victimised,” the statement said.
Though an ethnically-diverse nation that practices freedom of religion, Malaysia has declared Islam as its state religion and tensions over Israel-Palestine issues often boil over. A large percentage of the country’s population supports the Palestinian cause, and jumped to criticize Israel after it launched raids on Gaza in December 2008 and stormed a flotilla in May 2010 that was carrying activists and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Tensions over the issue are even more on edge now, as Malaysia gears up for its next general election, which must be called by early next year, giving politicians more incentive to argue their views in the press than usual.
“The issue is tied in with Malaysia being an Islamic country,” and the idea that “therefore it should support Palestine,” said James Chin, a professor at the Malaysian branch of Australia’s Monash University. He added the caveat that support for the Palestinians became a much larger issue in Malaysian politics after the era of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has been accused by world leaders of holding anti-Semitic views, which he disputes.
In a statement to the local press, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, a member of the ruling UMNO, disputed Mr. Anwar’s claim that Malaysia’s current policy on Israel is the same as his own. Although Malaysia officially supports a “two-state solution” in settling the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it has also sharply criticized actions taken by Israeli forces in the past, which the foreign minister indicated means Malaysia isn’t supporting “all steps” to protect Israeli security.
“[Anwar’s comments] show a blanket support for anything Israel does,” said Khairy Jamaluddin, the chief of UMNO’s youth wing, who disputed any suggestion Malaysia’s ruling party was trying to politicize the issue ahead of an election. “The issue of Palestine is a top foreign policy priority for my party, it would be an issue during the election year or otherwise… timing doesn’t matter.”
In 2010, Mr. Anwar – who in the past has been described as the face of liberal democracy in Malaysia – found himself on the other side of the argument after he lambasted UMNO for its relationship with a public relations firm called APCO. In Parliament, he said the firm was “controlled by Zionists” and working on behalf of the American government to influence Malaysian government policy – a charge denied by both the government and the public relations firm.
At the time, American-Jewish groups such as B’nai B’rith accused the opposition leader of “anti-Jewish” and “anti-Israel” slanders, and called on American officials to suspend their ties with Mr. Anwar.
Still, many analysts believe the latest kerfuffle is largely electioneering on the part of the ruling coalition, preoccupied with the looming possibility that the next election will be the hardest-fought yet.
“They’re just using it as a weapon to bring (Mr. Anwar) down,” said Mr. Chin at Monash University.
– Celine Fernandez contributed to this article

Cuepacs steps up fight against new scheme

Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs has set up an action committee as its latest step in its fight against the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA).

A 15-member team, led by Cuepacs deputy president, Azih Muda, will present a paper on its recommendations to Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, by early March.

These recommendations were compiled during a two-day workshop on SBPA which was attended by all Cuepacs officials.

Cuepacs president, Omar Osman, told the media this afternoon that the paper would be based on the five items that Cuepacs has already submitted for review by the SBPA task force.

“The prime minister introduced the SBPA in the hope that it would be better than the Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) but instead it is the worst scheme we have ever seen,” he said.

“And this is because the Public Services Department (PSD) never consulted us in drafting the scheme and then kept the details a secret from us.”

Among the recommendations is a review of the Civil Service Premier Post (JUSA) level. Omar stated that of the current 36 posts, only seven are qualified for a Premier classification.

He listed the seven as the Chief Secretary to the Government, Secretary-General of Treasury, Director-General of Public Services, Treasury Auditor-General, Attorney-General, Chief Justice and Accountant-General of Malaysia.

Omar also slammed the mismatch of job titles and functions under the SBPA. Under the scheme, “drivers” will now be known as “operations manager”, “hostel supervisor” as “administrative supervisor” and “nursing trainer” as “health trainer”.

“There is a complete imbalance here,” he pointed out. “The reasoning behind the title change it to supposedly add prestige to the job but there are better ways of doing this.”

Lopsided salary adjustments

Omar confirmed earlier claims by PAS vice president, Mahfuz Omar, that those in the Premier group had already been given offer letters and that some of them are already receiving the new salary under the SBPA.

“Who authorised this?” he demanded. “I also have text messages from pensioners who have received as much as RM9,800 in pensions under the SBPA.”

“These are the surprises that we are being subjected to because of the SBPA’s lack of transparency.”

Omar also maintained his earlier threat to pull out from the SBPA task force if no additional Cuepacs representatives are included on the panel.

He has asked for Azih Muda, secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng and financial secretary Jaafar Mansor to also sit on the task force as he alone cannot represent 1.3 million members.

The head of the SBPA task force, Ismail Adam, yesterday said that he had no objections to the three coming on board but that the power to make appointments rested with the Chief Secretary to the Government, Sidek Hassan.

“We have no heard anything on this matter yet but if the three are not invited to the second task force meeting on Feb 8 then I will officially resign on that day,” Omar said.

The SBPA was meant to be implemented on Jan 1 but has been delayed due to strong objections over the lopsided salary adjustment between senior government officials above Grade 54 and those below.

Cuepacs is conducting a roadshow until April on the SBPA and civil servants have until Feb 15 to submit their protests on the scheme.

Sivarraajh Back As MIC Youth Secretary

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Suspended MIC Youth secretary C. Sivarraajh (rpt) Sivarraajh has been reinstated, said MIC Youth chief T. Mohan.

He said the decision to reappoint Sivarraajh was made at the MIC Youth executive committee meeting last night at the party headquarters here. Sivarraajh has served out a four-month suspension from the party.

"The appointment is with immediate effect. He was reappointed after consultation with our (MIC) president Datuk G. Palanivel.

"With the reinstatement, we hope he can continue to focus on his work, especially in our preparations to face the general election," Mohan told Bernama when contacted Tuesday.

Sivarraajh was initially suspended for 12 months from Aug 17 after he alleged the party had acted against its constitution by readmitting those who have been sacked by the top leadership.

This involved three Central Working Committee (CWC) members, K.P. Samy, G. Kumar Amaan (rpt) Amaan and Deputy Youth leader V. Mugilan, who were sacked for launching a movement to oust then president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

The party then suspended Sivarraajh for one year and appointed an interim secretary, P. Punithan.

However, Sivarraajh appealed against the suspension and the party's CWC reduced his suspension to four months. His suspension ended on Dec 31 last year.

Shopping in Australia – updates

A couple of updates on THAT shopping expedition in Australia.
 
As Sydney Morning Herald columnist Andrew Hornery says, the New Year’s Eve Sydney shopping spree has proved to be hotter than a Penang curry. His latest write-up: ‘Designing the truth’.

The Frockwriter blogger also has an update at the bottom of her original post ‘Carl Kapp’s couture capers in KL’.

Of course, we are told that all these are wildly exaggerated claims and the purchases were actually meant for the Islamic Fashion Festival chairman’s London shop, “which will be a platform for designers of different religions and races from around the world”. Oh-kay.

Meanwhile, many Malaysians are accustomed to a far more different life-style and have to tighten their belts with food prices rising amidst uncertain economic conditions.