Cambridge English Evaluates Learning, Teaching And Assessment Of English In Malaysian Schools

From Khairdzir Md Yunus

LONDON, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Cambridge English, an expert in language assessment in United Kingdom (UK), has been commissioned by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of learning, teaching and assessment of English language in Malaysian schools from pre-school to pre-university.

Deputy Director-General of Education (Policy and Development, MOE) Datuk Amin Senin said Cambridge English was commissioned to undertake the study in May last year.

It was expected to be completed by the end of this month while the findings and recommendations were expected to be submitted to the government in April next year.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is in London for a three-day visit to the UK beginning January 21, is scheduled to be briefed on the preliminary report on "The Baseline Project: Measuring English Language Standard and Establising and evidence-based base line for Malaysian schools."

Amin said Cambride English would be meeting Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister on Tuesday (Jan 21) and would brief him on the report.

Cambridge English Language Assessment proposed to MOE on January 21, 2013 and was asked to do a comprehensive evaluation of the learning, teaching and assessment of English language in Malaysian schools from pre-school to pre-university.

The proposal was presented to and endorsed by the MOE top managemen on May 8, 2013.

The objectives of the study are to strengthen, promote and develop cooperation in English Language education to ensure every child is proficient in Bahasa Malaysia and English Language as endorsed by the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

The base line study is a platform to benchmark the standards of English language in Malaysian schools according to international standards.

The findings from this study will enable MOE to set realistic and achievable targets for future learning and teaching and will also provide baseline data which it can use to monitor and evaluate whether future set targets are met and whether any future education reform is working as intended.

Amin said the study will measure English language proficiency of students from year 1 to year 6. It will also measure the teaching abilities and practices in schools.

The study will review current assessment practices by analysing current examinations, test specifications, mark schemes and recent examination results at end-of-school, end of primary school (Year 6), end of lower secondary (Form 3), end of upper secondary (Form 5 and end of Form 6).

It will also analyse the current english language curricula, teaching guides, teaching materials, current examinations and recent examination data.

Asked whether the outcome and recommendations of the study would cause major adjustment and aligment to the current education policy, Amin said he did not think so.

-- BERNAMA

Marina flays gov't for not responding to threats - Malaysiakini

Social activist Marina Mahathir slammed government leaders for failing to speak up when conservative groups threatened to demonstrate in front of churches over the past week.

Muslim pressure group Sekretariat Solidariti Muslim Klang is demanding that Christians conform to a government ban that prevents them from using the word 'Allah', which they say is exclusive for Muslims.

Marina this morning turned up in front of the Lady of Lourdes Church in Klang with some 40 people, mostly Muslims, in solidarity with Christians as the Muslim group protested at a nearby field.

She hit out at the government for refusing to rein in such conservative groups that have taken a confrontational stance.

"Our leaders should not be silent. Everyone is complaining that the silence is deafening and far from elegant. It is certainly incriminating.

"Everyone is alarmed. I'm not alone in this. Everyone is asking, where are our leaders? As a great leader, he should be here, not us," she said without naming names.

When asked if she was referring to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, she replied, "Whoever. He should be here. As a leader he should be better than us."

She also condemned Thursday's raid by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) on the Bible Society of Malaysia where 351 Malay and Iban language bible which used the word 'Allah' were confiscated.

"We are now known as a country where people grab bibles from a house of worship. Is that how we want to be known?

"We can forget about Visit Malaysia Year, (the situation) is hardly an example of moderation," she said.

'Christians have right to Allah'

Marina, who is the daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, added that Christians should be allowed to use the word 'Allah' as it is within their own congregation and they are not propagating their religion to Muslims.

She said the newly set up National Unity Consultative Council by the government, of which she is a member, will hold its first meeting tomorrow and the raid will be the first item on the agenda.

Among the groups that took up arms against the Christians was Selangor Umno, who last week also threatened to protest in front of churches after Christian publication The Herald editor Lawrence Andrew insisted that Christian will continue to use the word 'Allah'.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's thumbs up for the move drew a backlash of fire from critics.

Yesterday, Selangor Umno did an about turn and banned its members from attending such rallies, citing the need to maintain harmony.

The controversy began when in 2010 the High Court ruled that the Home Ministry's earlier ban on The Herald from using the word 'Allah was unconstitutional.

The landmark decision provoked a series of church burnings and the Court of Appeal last year overturned the decision arguing that the word 'Allah' was not integral to the Christian faith.

The Catholic Church is appealing the decision and insists that Islamic authorities have no power to dictate the internal affairs of other religions.

Father kills daughter, policemen shot dead, teenager raped

Police arrested the accused as he tried to flee to Multan. PHOTO: FILE 

KARACHI:A 10-month-old girl, Sawera, was allegedly killed by her father inside her house in Eidu Goth within the limits of Bin Qasim police station.

The victim was taken to the 100-bed hospital in Bin Qasim Town where she succumbed to her injuries. Police recorded the statement of the victim’s mother, 16-year-old Saima. “My husband was not happy with her birth as he wanted a son,” she said. “He often beat me up over the issue.” Saima had married the accused, Zahid Iqbal Odho, nearly two years ago with the consent of their families.

Police arrested the accused as he tried to flee to Multan and booked him for the murder of his daughter. He agreed that he wanted a son but insisted that he had no intention of killing his daughter. “During an exchange of words with my wife, I lost my senses and threw my daughter onto the floor,” said the 18-year-old father. “However, I had no intention of killing her.”

SHO Huzoor Buksh Solangi confirmed that the accused has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, adding that a case has been registered.

Separately, a policeman was shot dead in Shahnawaz Shar Goth within Sacchal police remits. The deceased was identified as 37-year-old Mohsin, son of Syed Sharif. Police officials said that deceased was killed while protecting a Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) team who were evacuating a piece of land that had been occupied by land grabbers.

A group of protesters gathered near the area as the KBCA tried to clear the land. Armed men from among the protesters opened fire at the police when they used teargas to disperse the protesters, said police officials. Nearly a dozen suspects have been detained as further investigations are underway, they added.

A teen was found dead from Indus Plaza in Sohrab Goth. His body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors said that he was subjected to rape before being killed. A case has been registered while further investigations were underway.

A scrap dealer, 28-year-old Munir Fareed was shot dead in Saeedabad. SP Malik Muhammad Ehsan said that the deceased was killed while resisting robbery.

The tortured body of a 30-year-old man, Iqbal Rafaqat, was found from Shah Latif, claimed police. Meanwhile, an unidentified young man was also found dead in Rizvia. SHO Hassan Haider said that the deceased was shot multiple times and his hands and legs were tied with rope.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2014.

Man in Pakistani Punjab attacks step-daughters with acid

Lahore: A man in Pakistan's Punjab province attacked his two young step-daughters with acid for refusing to marry men chosen by him, police said today.

Muhammad Aslam, a mason from Pattoki village, located 70 km from provincial capital Lahore, threw acid on his step-daughters Malaika, 19, and Javeria, 23, while they were asleep last night.

Both victims were brought to Jinnah Hospital in Lahore, where doctors described their condition as critical.

Police said Aslam often quarrelled with his step-daughters on the issue of their marriage. "He wanted to marry them with men of his choice," police official Bashir Ahmed said.

Aslam had allegedly accepted money from a man in his neighbourhood after promising to marry one of the step-daughters to him.

"When both girls refused the proposal, Aslam threw acid on them to teach them a lesson," Ahmed said.

A case was registered against Aslam and police are conducting raids to arrest him.

PTI

Last of the ISA detainees freed

Six people, who were the last batch held under the now defunct Internal Security Act, were freed from the Kamunting Detention Centre this morning.

TAIPING: The six remaining detainees held under the now revoked Internal Security Act (ISA) were released today.

The three Malaysians, two Indonesian nationals and a Filipino national emerged from the Kamunting Detention Centre here at 8.30 am.
“You have nothing to worry about, all of you are now free,” the director of the centre, prisons assistant commissioner Mohd Roslen Ramli, told them upon their release.

The ISA was revoked and substituted with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 on July 31 last year.

Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced yesterday that the six remaining ISA detainees would be freed today.

The six people, in normal attire and carrying a bag and a box containing personal items, seemed cheerful and expressed gratitude over their release.

Just as they stepped out of the main door of the centre, they chatted with several of the officers and staff and posed for photographs with them.

They thanked the officers and staff for having taken care of them during their detention over the past two years.

The six were detained on Nov 14, 2011, for being members of the Sabah Darul Islamiah (DI), an alleged terrorist group.

- Bernama

No protest but unity at Church

Christians performed their Sunday prayers without any disturbance, while solidarity groups offered support
VIDEO INSIDE

KLANG: It was all calm at the Church of Our Lourdes, here, as parishioners peacefully attended Sunday mass despite earlier threats from far right Malay groups, linked to Umno, for a demonstration outside the church.

Church goers described today’s mass as unique as they welcomed a group of mixed faith individuals including Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who came to show solidarity to their fellow Malaysian Christians.

A group, known as “In the name of Allah” gathered in front of the church distributing roses to parishioners as a symbol of unity amongst the Abrahamic religion believers.

“There is nothing to be afraid of, today is a unique day and I am happy to see Malaysians from different faith together at one place,” said 55 year old Santana who attends the service weekly.

Santana said the whole Allah fiasco was an uncalled for, and explained that it was just a matter of language differences.

“This is not a religious issue. It is a language matter. This whole mess is unnecessary,”

“Certain quarters tried to sensationalise this issue for personal gains,” Santana added.

When approached, Marina lambasted the authorities for failing to address the matter where she described Malaysia as a bible grabbing state.

“Forget Visit Malaysia Year. We are known as a country that grabs bible,” she shrugged.

Echoing Marina’s sentiment, the spokesperson for ‘In the name of Allah’ Nik Elin Nik Abdul Rashid said that both the Muslim and Christian faiths believed in one God.

“We belong to Allah and Allah does not belong to one group of people.”

“There is no other God but Allah,” she said.



Earlier reports claimed that the church would continue their Sunday rituals despite the Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat confirming that they will proceed with their rally against Christians over the latter’s insistence on using the Arabic word ‘Allah’ for God.

It was also reported that Selangor Police chief, Shukri Dahlan had also warned protesters not to proceed with their plan to rally to the church and has ensured safety for church goers on Sunday by deploying police officers to man the church area.

Among the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat coalition are Jalur Tiga Malaysia (Jati), Selangor Perkasa, Klang Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), and Pertubuhan Ikatan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Selangor (IKDDAS).

‘Nobody wants to visit a Bible grabbing country’

Jaqueline Png, fz.com


Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir took a swipe at the country’s leadership for the handling of the JAIS raid and the Allah issue today, saying it is a shame that they are not making a stand against religious tolerence.

“Everyone has been complaining that the leadership’s silence is deafening. It’s far from elegant and certainly incriminating.”

“The last time when churches were burnt he wasn’t present either,” said the daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, declining to confirm if she was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

She described last Thursday’s raid conducted by JAIS (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) on the Bible Society of Malaysia as “despicable” and something that should have never happened.

During the raid, about 300 copies of the Bible in the Malay and Iban languages were seized.

“You should never enter others’ house of worship without permission. I think they (BSM) should go ahead and take legal action against JAIS as they don’t have jurisdiction (over Christians).”

“Forget Visit Malaysia 2014, who wants to visit a Bible grabbing country?” said Marina.

Marina turned up at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church here this morning with a bouquet of flowers, along with a group of other non-Christian activists, in a show of solidarity with the Christian community.

“I’m so proud of us for resisting to react to such provocation last time. This time we will, as peace loving Malaysians, resist any attempt to disunite us,” she said.

The activists handed flowers to Parish priest Rev Michael Chua and members of the church as a symbol of solidarity and friendship.

“If we believe that God is one, then the word ‘Allah’ is for all,” said Marina.

Marina, who is a member of the National Unity Consultative Council, said this issue will top the agenda in the council’s meeting tomorrow.

Klang MP Charles Santiago was among those who attended the mass at the church this morning.

“If the government and the court cannot uphold our constitutional rights, the people will do it themselves,” he said.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Selayang MP William Leong and Sri Andalas state assembly member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar also turned up to show their support.

Police personnel were present to ensure public safety, and the mass ended peacefully.

On Thursday, Muslim groups had announced plans to gather at the church in protest against the use of the the word “Allah” by Christians.

However, no protests took place outise the church.

Instead, about 50 members of a group calling itself Klang Muslims Solidarity Secretariat opted to gather at the nearby Stadium Sultan Sulaiman.

They criticised The Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew over his statement that Catholic churches in Selangor would continue to use the word ‘Allah’ in their weekly Malay congregations despite JAIS’ reminder on the ban of its use by non-Muslims.

At a press conference, the group’s president, Mohd Khairi Hussin, said Andrew’s speech was seditious and disrupted peaceful relations between the Muslim and Christian communities.

He urged Andrew to adhere to the Selangor Sultan’s decree that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used by Muslims in the state.

Anwar calls Jais action “high handed”, wants Najib to make a stand on Allah issue

Eileen Ng, TMI

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) waded into the Allah debate by calling on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to make a stand on the controversy while declaring that he did not approve of the “high handed” ways of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), which had seized Malay and Iban language bibles containing the word Allah.

“If Jais felt that there are any actions that have contravened the law, then they should call up the relevant parties for an explanation.

“But you can’t take such drastic action because it will be perceived as anti-Christian. There is no need for such action. It only causes tension,” he said after giving a talk at the Centre for Reform, Democracy and Social Initiatives today breaking his silence on the issue.

Jais raided the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) office in Petaling Jaya, where it seized over 300 copies of the AlKitab and Bup Kudus. Two top BSM officials were also detained in the raid.

But lawyers have since questioned the authority of Islamic authorities to raid the BSM premises or seize the bibles, pointing out that Jais and other such departments have no jurisdiction over non-Muslims.

They also cast doubt on the validity and constitutionality of enactment that they say impinged on the right to religious freedom.

Anwar believed the entire controversy was an attempt to deflate attention from the country’s economic problems such as the rising cost of living due to price hikes and subsidy cuts.

“I don’t dismiss the fact there are attempts to deflect attention from the economic problem the country is facing and other problems like the quality of education, economic injustice and moral degradation.

Anwar said Najib should take a position on this issue.

“The government should deal with it and not by attacking the rest,” he said.

Anwar also ticked off the three DAP assemblyman – Yeo Bee Yin (Damansara), Rajiv Rishyakaran (Bukit Gasing) and Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku) for proposing to amend the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.

Passed by the then Barisan Nasional state government, the enactment prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases in their faith, including “Allah”, “Nabi” (prophet), “Injil” (gospel) and “Insya’Allah” (God willing).

Anwar said there is no need for such hasty action as there are proper channels within the state government and Pakatan Rakyat for them to put forth their views.

Jais’s raid comes amidst heightened tensions over the use of the word Allah, the Arabic word for God, by non-Muslims, which Muslim groups insist is exclusive to Islam.

The raid is widely seen as being triggered by Catholic weekly Herald editor Rev Father Lawrence Andrew’s remarks that churches in Selangor will continue to use Allah in their Bahasa Malaysia services following a warning from Jais to stop.

Although global Islamic scholars have clarified that the term can be used by anyone, state Islamic authorities in Malaysia have reacted negatively to reports of churches using the word Allah in services and literature catering to the Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Christian community.

The tussle over the word Allah arose in 2008 when Herald was barred by the Home Ministry from using the Arabic word. The Catholic church had contested this in court and won a High Court decision in December 2009 upholding its constitutional right to do so.

Putrajaya later appealed the decision and successfully overturned the earlier decision when the Court of Appeal ruled last October that "Allah was not integral to the Christian faith".

Christians make up about 9% of the Malaysian population, or 2.6 million. Almost two-thirds of them are Bumiputera and are largely based in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, including describing God as Allah in their prayers and holy book.

Besides the Bumiputera Christians from East Malaysia, some of whom have moved to the peninsula to live and work, Orang Asli Christians in the peninsula also typically use Bahasa Malaysia in their worship. – January 5, 2014.

Najib should ask first Cabinet meeting of the year to endorse the 10-Point Solution as well as Summit of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders on National Reconciliation to rebuild National Unity

By Lim Kit Siang,

Malaysia has never been in more dire straits in more than half-a-century of nationhood going by the avalanche of challenges and problems confronting the the nation and people even before the first week of the new year is over.

Heralding in the 2014 New Year, the country was convulsed for two weeks by the Inspector-General of Police’s “fairy tale” plot of a conspiracy to “topple the government” on New Year’s eve in Dataran Merdeka just because there are Malaysians who want to exercise their constitutional rights of peaceful protest against the series of price hikes which would add to the economic hardships of the people.

As a result, the police wasted over 2,000 police man-hours over some 2,000 police reports lodged by trouble-makers all over the country who wanted to exploit the “fairy-tale” plot of a “topple government” conspiracy, when these precious 2,000 police man-hours could be more productively spent on making the Malaysians, investors and tourists safer from crime in Malaysia.

Malaysians entered the new year totally clueless about the national educational crisis of deteriorating standards, highlighted by the poor performance of Malaysians students in the 2012 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results, which confirmed the poor results of Malaysian students in the 2011 TIMSS (Trends in International Maths and Science Study).

As a result, the Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin spent the whole of last month avoiding comment on the poor performance of Malaysian students in the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA, for they showed up the impractical and utopian objective of Malaysian students performing multiple educational miracles so that Malaysia can catapult from the bottom-third to the top-third of TIMSS/PISA international educational assessments when in fact Malaysian educational standards have been heading southwards in the past decade.

Also as a result, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak shied away from comment on the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA results and deteriorating educational standards in the country, and was reduced to re-tweeting Deputy Education Minister Mary Yap Kain Ching’s post on the Malaysian Education Blueprint – that the government will do all it can to ensure that initiatives under the blueprint will be fulfilled.

Imagine the Prime Minister having to re-tweet the Deputy Education Minister on the government’s education plans for the new year – as if the country has no Education Minister, when in fact we have two: Deputy Prime Minister who is also Education Minister as well as the second Education Minister Idris Jusoh. A most sad and pathetic state of
governance in Malaysia.

Most shocking of all, the new year started with the illegal and unconstitutional raid by Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and seizure of Malay and Iban Bibles – which would not have taken place if the illegal and unconstitutional trespass had not been aided and abetted by the police.

This is why I had yesterday asked the Inspector-General of Police why the police had aided and abetted Jais in the illegal and unconstitutional act, which also violated the 10-Point Solution to resolve the Bible controversy which was endorsed by the Cabinet in April 2011 anf there has been no reply from the IGP.

The country has been moving in the wrong direction all these years under the Najib premiership, with this year the worst of all.

It is for this reason that I call on Najib to ask the first Cabinet meeting of the year next Wednesday to endorse the 10-Point Solution as well as for a Summit of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders on National Reconciliation to rebuild National Unity.

This is the time for all Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders to rise above political differences and work in unision to rebuild national unity through a national reconciliation blueprint.

Press Release | Abide by the Federal Constitution; Focus on Achieving Harmony and Unity

The Malaysian Bar is concerned by reports that Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (“JAIS”, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department) had on 2 January 2014 conducted a raid on the office of the Bible Society of Malaysia (“BSM”), confiscated more than 300 copies of the Alkitab (Bahasa Malaysia bible) and Bup Kudus (Iban bible), and arrested the President and the Office Manager of BSM.  It is also reported that the President and the Office Manager have been required to present themselves to JAIS officers on 10 January 2014.

It is alarming that the religious body or enforcement agency of one religion would purport to have jurisdiction or purview over other religions.  This is not what is envisaged under the Federal Constitution.  The actions of JAIS are purported to have been carried out pursuant to the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment No 1 of 1988 of Selangor (“said Selangor Enactment”), in particular sections 9 to 13 thereof.

The said Selangor Enactment is stated in its preamble to have been enacted pursuant to Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution, which provides that State law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam. The purpose of the said Selangor Enactment is therefore an enactment against the propagation of other religions to Muslims or the proselytisation of Muslims.

However, section 9(1) of the said Selangor Enactment provides that a person commits an offence if he in any published writing, or public or broadcast speech or statement uses any of the words listed in Part I of the Schedule “pertaining to any non-Islamic religion”.  Similarly, section 9(2) provides that a person who is not a Muslim commits an offence if he uses any of the expressions listed in Part II of the Schedule.  Part I lists 25 Arabic words and Part II lists 10 Arabic phrases.

It is immediately apparent that the provisions of sections 9(1) and (2) are general in nature and ambit, and are not confined to the purpose stated in the preamble of the said Selangor Enactment and to the limits proscribed in Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution.  These provisions purport to make it an offence to merely use the listed words or phrases.  They purport to be general blanket prohibitions and offences, irrespective of whether the words or phrases are used in the course, or for the purpose, of propagation of a non-Islamic religion to Muslims.

In such circumstances, resort to sections 9(1) and (2) would be ultra vires the said Selangor Enactment itself, as they go beyond the purpose and ambit of the said Selangor enactment as set out in its preamble, and as self-evident in its title. The impugned provisions are also unconstitutional, inasmuch as they are unsupported by Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution.

Further, Article 11(3) of the Federal Constitution effectively provides for each religion to be self-regulatory.  This is to facilitate inter-religious harmony.  It is therefore unconstitutional for JAIS, an Islamic body or enforcement agency, to have jurisdiction, powers and ambit over other religions or persons professing other religions.  This encroachment is in any event against the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

Thus, any authorisation pursuant to section 10 of the said Selangor Enactment, or any notification or gazette purporting to vest JAIS with such jurisdiction or powers, would be repugnant to the Federal Constitution.

Accordingly, the raid, seizure and arrest by JAIS were unconstitutional and illegal.  At a time when we should be exerting our energies and resources towards national reconciliation and harmony, the actions by JAIS are unnecessarily provocative and unwise.

We urge all Malaysians to act rationally and calmly, and continue to focus on achieving harmony and unity.

 

Christopher Leong

President

Malaysian Bar

Over Three Million New Job Opportunities By 2020 - Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The government targeted to create more than three million job opportunities by 2020, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib on his Facebook page Sunday said the government's desire to provide more employment opportunities to Malaysians was in line with the country achieving a high-income, developed nation status the same year.

"Since 2011, more than a million job opportunities have been created for Malaysians through economic-generating efforts.

"The government targets to create more than three million job opportunities by 2020, in line with the high-income, developed nation status," he said.

Najib said 313,741 job opportunities were created in 2011 and about 800,000 in 2012.

14 killed in India building collapse

New Delhi (CNN) -- At least 14 people were killed when a building under construction at India's seaside tourist resort of Goa caved in on Saturday, authorities said.

Most of the dead were construction workers, according to Goa's police control-room officer, Sainath Kmorpant.

It was not immediately clear how many people could still be trapped in the rubble, but Kmorpant said emergency crews were still clearing the debris more than four hours after the collapse was reported.

The five-story building came down at around 3:15 p.m., according to police.

The cause of the collapse is not yet known.

School closure forces Tamil school students to study under trees

"Red Pencil Protest" pushes for press freedom

Sex During Ramadan,Vaginal Discharge,Orgasm Without Intercourse Most Popular Fatwas Of 2013

Rituals and Intimacy

Interestingly, on the top of the most-read fatwasis a question on whether or not it is permissible for married spouses to make love at night during Ramadan. This fatwa is viewed by 19067 visitors to the site.

The high rate of viewership of this fatwa indicates that Muslims, particularly those who are living in Western communities, are very concerned about the correct performance of their religious rituals and acts of worship. It also manifests that Muslims spouses are mostly interested in leading their marital life according to the values and morals of Islam.

Muslim-non-Muslim Relationship

In the second position in the top fatwas list comes aquestion on the legality or otherwise of celebrating Christmas by Muslims. This fatwa is viewed by 14168 visitors.

Husband-Wife Relationship

It is really interesting that fatwas on the husband-wife relationship occupy the 3rd, the 5th, and the 6thpositions in the top fatwas list. Those fatwas have respectively gotten 7403, 6392, and 6180 page-views.

The 10th fatwa on the list replies a question on whether newly married spouses should have intercourse on the first night of their marriage; a fatwa that is viewed by 4841 visitors.

Women’s Concerns and Practicing Religion

On the 4th position of the list comes a question onfasting and vaginal discharges while on 7th position comes a question on menses and eligibility for prayers. The former is viewed by 7155 visitor while the latter has gotten 6093 page-views. The 9th fatwa on the list gives a reply to a sister who asks whether or not should she perform ghusl (ritual bath) if she reaches orgasm without intercourse. It is read by 5333 users.

World Sufferings

In 2013, horrible incidents and disasters took place. A brother has, therefore, asked why there is suffering in the world and why God allows it. This question comes on the 8th position of the top fatwas list and is viewed by 5823 readers.

Full story
http://www.onislam.net/english/shariah/contemporary-issues/human-conditions-and-social-context/467605-top-qa-islam-fiqh-women-affairs-sex-fatwa-spouses.html

Hasan beats war drums on Christian conversion - Malaysiakini

 

The mooted review of the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 would bring chaos, warned the Jalur Tiga Malaysia’s (Jati) group president Hasan Mohamed Ali.

When asked to elaborate, he said other Muslim-majority countries without such  laws like Indonesia have experienced turmoil and are in the process of being ‘Christianised’.

“That is their choice, but for us in Malaysia, I want to ask the friends who are present: For those who are Muslim, are we okay if your child is converted to Christianity simply because we don’t have these rules?

“Are we okay to say if the child reaches 18 or 21 years old, the parent no longer have any say on the child whom they gave birth and raised? Are we willing to do that?” he said at a press conference in home today.

He added that another aspect is that the amendment would likely include elements of Pakatan Rakyat’s interpretation of human rights, which he said would legalise homosexual behaviour.

“Perhaps some would say I’m telling fairy tales, but this is no fairy tale. Hasn’t this already happened in Europe? In America? Even in Asia, this phenomenon is happening unofficially,” he said.

Hasan was responding to a joint statement from Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin, Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran, and Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San yesterday, calling for subsection 9 of the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 to be reviewed.

The enactment prohibits the word ‘Allah’ and 34 other Arabic words from being used in non-Islamic contexts.

However, debate on issue welcomed

The three DAP assemblypersons argued that while Article 11(4) of the federal constitution has restrictions on the propagation of religious doctrine among Muslims, it does not affect how non-Muslims practise their religion, including their preferred language.

They pointed out that the freedom of religion is guaranteed under Articles 11(1) and 11(3) of the federal constitution.

The statement came in the wake of Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) on Thursday, where they seized Malay-language bibles and investigated its leaders under the same enactment.

Despite his alarm, Hasan (left) says he would nevertheless ‘welcome’ the amendment to be discussed at state exco meetings as well debated in the state assembly.

He points out that state assembly debates are broadcast live and it would be a good opportunity for the people to judge their elected representatives on their stance regarding the enactment.

“(However) if the amendment is passed, imagine the consequences. It is not only on Selangor, nor the 13 other states, nor on the similar provision at the federal level.

“The consequence that I see waiting for us is chaos among the people, especially the people of Selangor,” he added.

The former state exco on Islamic affairs also defended Jais’ raid on BSM, insisting that it was done in accordance with existing legislation, especially the enactment it was enforcing.

He added that Jais is also entitled to act on its own accord without giving anyone prior notice, especially when on covert raids.

When asked about arguments that Jais has no jurisdiction over non-Muslims, Hasan dismissed it as ‘their interpretation’ of the law.

He said in his experience, Jais’ interpretation is that department is the main agency to enforce religious enactments, rules, and fatwas in Selangor, including the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.

“If we say that Jais has no right to confiscate, to raid and so on, who else is going to enforce such enactments in Selangor? Try asking, who else? To NGOs, to any organisation? To those criticising what Jais did?

“I think it is logical, practical, and legal for the task to be handed to Jais,” he said.

Allah row reignited due to flawed ruling, inept authorities, says academic

A protest held in Kuala Langat, Selangor, on Friday to object to the use of the word 
Allah by Catholic churches. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli.

The battle over the word Allah in Malaysia has spilled beyond newspapers due to a vague judgement that has confused conservative Muslim groups and Putrajaya's apathy to clear the issue, an academic told The Malaysian Insider.

Christians' use of the word hit the headlines this past week after a Catholic priest said Selangor's Islamic laws did not apply to the community, prompting the state Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to raid a Bible store and seize 320 Malay and Iban language Bibles that contain the word Allah – against a federal agreement that the Bibles can be used in Malaysia.

"We have two situations here; firstly, the Court of Appeal's decision denying Catholic weekly Herald the rights to use the word Allah in its publication raises the question of whether others, apart from publications, can use the word.

"The other situation is where Malay rights groups have perceived the ruling as a final verdict that all Christians cannot use the word Allah during mass, hence the confusion," Universiti Malaysia Kelantan's (UMK) Professor Datuk Abdul Halim Sidek said.

He pointed out that to make matters worse, there has not been any attempt by any government agency to clarify the matter after the Court of Appeal had overturned a 2009 High Court judgment allowing the Herald to use Allah in its Bahasa edition.

"This matter has been blown out of proportion and exploited for political reasons," said Abdul Halim, who is the secretary for the political security and international affairs portfolio in the National Council of Professors (MPN).

"Even the government appears confused over the matter and Jais seems to believe that the court judgement gives them the rights to storm into the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) and confiscate the religious texts," he added.

The raid last Thursday has led to condemnation by politicians, religious leaders and lawyers who say it was unconstitutional and illegal although Jais had taken police along to enforce a state law.

Abdul Halim said that the matter should have been discussed to clear the air and to avoid religious tension. Christians form nearly 10% of the 29 million population in Malaysia, where the official religion is Islam.

"It seems to me the judges were trying to play it safe, so this is the end result, where everyone interprets the judgement based on their whims and fancies," he said.

Abdul Halim also said that the Court of Appeal judgement was "more of a policy decision and not one delivered to solve the issue".

"This matter has to be cleared up and not prolonged... people are misinterpreting the already blurred judgement," he added.

But the academic said the government has to do more than just keep quiet over the issue.

"Claiming to be a country which practices democracy and having a crucial issue staring back at us is just wrong. Also, it is utterly wrong to deny the constitutional and religious rights of the Christians.

"We cannot simply hold those of that faith accountable as it is the judgement that's causing the problem," he added.

Politicians from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition have appealed for calm and respect for the judgement, which they had earlier said applied only to the Herald and not to the Christian community.

Selangor Umno blamed the current situation on Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew for saying that Catholic churches in Selangor will continue to use the word "Allah" during its weekend services in Bahasa Malaysia despite Jais's intention to send reminders on a 1988 state enactment prohibiting non-Muslims from using the word.

Andrew had told The Malaysian Insider that Article 11(3) (A) of the Federal Constitution prescribes that every religious group has its rights to manage its own religious affairs.

“Our religion cannot be managed by any Muslim group. It is against the Federal Constitution.

"We will continue to use the word Allah in our masses,” he had said, adding that Jais as an Islamic body has no jurisdiction over other religious bodies.

“At the moment, the case is still in court and no decision has been made yet. They can’t pre-empt this,” the Herald editor had added, referring to the Catholic Church's move to appeal the Court of Appeal ruling.

Police officers said Andrew's remarks to The Malaysian Insider prompted at least 86 reports in Selangor alone. Police have started investigating the issue under the Sedition Act and has interviewed three journalists from The Malaysian Insider.

There has also been calls for protests outside churches today but Selangor Umno has said it will not conduct demonstrations although other conservative Muslim and Malay groups have said they will hold rallies against the Christians this weekend. – January 5, 2014.

Najib, be a PM for all

The role of the government is to protect all, and not only the majority.
COMMENT

A nation’s independence is as good as its promise to keep its people safe. And here Malaysia fails miserably, going by the central government’s refusal to uphold respect for the less dominant races in the country.

Prime Minister Najib Razak shows no interest in bringing about calm among the worried and anxious minority races when their faiths are under attack. Instead, he has openly shown partisan by defending the use of ‘Allah’ as that of exclusive to the Muslims.

Now when a nation’s leader fails to react objectively, how does the government expect the people to react to threats and intimidation to their faiths?

Ambushing events and functions organised by the Catholic community under the ‘concern’ of proselytiation’ and continuing to harass and intimidate this community and all non-Malays who insist on using the word ‘Allah’ has now backfired in a very ugly way, leaving the country to ‘bleed to death’, its racial harmony impaired beyond repair.

In August 2011, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church’s thanksgiving dinner, claiming it was carrying out an ‘inspection’ following a complaint that Muslims were attending the AIDS support group Harapan Komuniti event.

DUMC senior pastor Daniel Ho then cried foul, saying the trespass, search and seizure by Jais and police were without proper authority under the law.

As expected, the raid ignited an uproar among the country’s religious communities.

But the country’s Muslim lobby groups unconditionally supported Jais. The then Selangor executive councillor for religious matters Dr Hasan Ali defended the raid insisting that the words “pray” and “Quran” were used in the presence of the 12 Muslims who were among the 100 attendees of the dinner.

Two years later and the scenario has taken a turn for the worse. It started in 2007 with the Home Minister prohibiting the Catholic church weekly the Herald from using ‘Allah’ in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

The ban prompted the Catholic church to initiate legal action against Putrajaya.

However, last October, the Court of Appeal decided that The Herald could not use the word “Allah” in its Malay edition as the usage of “Allah” was not an integral part of the Christian faith.

The Herald editor Rev Lawrence Andrew has made it clear the issue was never about ‘making a point’ as ‘Allah’ was used in Malacca even before the Al-Quran was translated into Bahasa Malaysia.

“We have been using this word for nearly four or five hundred years, people have been living in peace and harmony. We have published The Herald for 19 years and we have not caused any trouble,” Rev Andrew had said in the past.

But Najib and Umno refuse to listen, resulting in matters spiralling out of control since. Jais continues to play ‘loose cannon’, acting without discretion and relishing trampling on religious sensitivities of the non-Malays, especially the Catholic community.

Jais takes the coward’s way out

Trespassing all semblance of democracy and respect for one another’s faith, Jais once again bulldozed its way, this time into the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) in Damansara Kim.

When condemned for the unlawful and uncalled for raid, Jais took the coward’s way out – the religious authority claimed it forgot to inform the state government about the January 2 raid, where Jais officials confiscated 320 Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia and Iban from the BSM premises in Damansara Kim.

BSM president Lee Min Choon and manager Sinclair Wong were detained by police during the raid but were subsequently released after an unpleasant experience at the hands of the police.

However, the raid and detention of Lee and Wong have further ruffled feathers in a country where racial ties have become dysfunctional.

The drama did not end there. Muslim groups reputed for their extremism worsened matters by threatening and intimidating the Catholic community, promising to stage a protest outside a church in Klang.

Najib’s unremorseful support for ‘Allah’ to be the copyright of the Muslim community and the continuous attack on the non-Malays for standing firm on their right to the word ‘Allah’ has torn Malaysia’s harmony to shreds.

Like his cousin Najib, even Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is pro-Muslim when he claimed that the refusal of certain quarters to accept the court’s decision on the matter cultivated hatred and disunity, which was feared might cause turmoil in the country.

“The court has made its decision. We must accept it. Stop the polemics and stop politicising the issue, if not there will be chaos,” Hishammuddin said on Friday.

The Defence Minister was responding to a statement by Rev Andrew that churches in Selangor would continue to use the word “Allah” in reference to God in their weekend services.

The Catholic community is being cautioned that their adamance was contrary to the decree made by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Umno, bigot muftis real threat to harmony

Sultan Sharafuddin’s December 14 decree says ‘Allah’ is meant only for the Muslims and that the non-Malays in Selangor can no longer address their God as ‘Allah’ like they have been doing all along.

The Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 is being used to wary the non-Malays to stop using ‘Allah’ at once.

But then Sultan Sharafuddin is all for the rakyat of Selangor, including the non-Malays uttering the word ‘Allah’ when they sing the Selangor state anthem for they are praying for his well being.

Now, just how insensitive and selfish can a state leader be?

The ‘culprits’ that have disturbed the nation’s equilibrium are on too many. From the prime minister to his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin who backed the recent Jais raid, the Home Minister, the Defence Minister to Jais and Umno politicians, they are all guilty of one too many rapes of Malaysia’s peace and harmony.

Then there are bigoted muftis like Perak’s Harussani Zakaria make it difficult for Malaysians of diverse faiths to stay united.

While the BN government opts to sleepwalk over this contentious issue, leaving the Catholic church gasping for ways to put an end to the racial discrimination exacerbated by racist muftis and extremist Malay non-governmental organisations, Umno politicians have added fuel to fire.

Umno veteran Club secretary Mustapha Yaakub chastised and ridiculed Rev Andrew, asking the latter to convert to Islam if he insisted on using the word “Allah”, saying that this will cool the rage of Muslims and comply with the Sultan of Selangor’s decree.

But Najib is not interested to give Rev Andrew a listening ear. This despite the fact that Rev Andrew keeps reminding Putrajaya that in the Middle East and Indonesia, Allah is a term used by both Christians and Muslims.

But then Umno Baru is quick to get riled up when the Catholic church is fighting tooth and nail to defend their right to ‘Allah’. But when the likes of Mustapha openly attack the faith of a religious leader, the BN government cannot care less. Why?

Almost six decades post-merdeka, Malaysia has hit rock-bottom in the context of racial harmony and unity. Today, the nation’s much prided ‘unity in diversity’ claim has become passe, all because the government of the day thinks less of the minority races who also call Malaysia home.

Jeswan Kaur is a FMT columnist

Police to act, if request made by Jais

Home Minister says the police will act on the "Allah" issue only upon the request by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department.

ALOR GAJAH: Police will take action over the “Allah” word issue in Selangor if its Islamic Religious Department (Jais) requests police to intervene in enforcing the ruling on the issue.

Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was because Islamic religious matters were under the jurisdiction of the state government and police respected its jurisdiction over the issue.

“All quarters should stop playing up this sensitive issue…those involved should adhere to the decree by the Sultan of Selangor (Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah) and the court order for (non-Muslims) not to use the ‘kalimah Allah’ (in their scriptures),” he told reporters, here, today.

Earlier, he attended the wedding ceremony of his ministry’s officer, Azizul Hakim Abdul Aziz, 30, and his bride, Nurfaraheeda Omar, 26.

On Dec 27 last year, The Herald Weekly editor, Father Lawrence Andrew said the Catholic churches in Selangor would continue using the word “Allah” during its weekly service using the Malay language even though Jais had sent a reminder on the ban on using the word by non-Muslims.

Ahmad Zahid also advised all quarters not to “pour oil on a raging fire” over such a sensitive issue and not to have any evil intention behind the ”kalimah Allah” issue.

On another note, he reminded all not to accuse the police of being weak for not using tear gas and water cannons in dealing with the “Perhimpunan Guling Kerajaan”, a gathering calling for overthrow of the government, last Tuesday (New Year’s eve).

He said police instead took the approach of advising the rally participants to disperse and not to create disturbance which was the best approach taken at the time to maintain public order.

“However, I stress here that the individuals and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) which were the culprits behind the illegal gathering, especially those who violated the Peaceful Assembly Act, will not escape action.”

Ahmad Zahid said the initial investigation found that no leaders of any political party were involved in organising the gathering and that the involvement of political party members in the gathering was in their personal capacity or as members of NGOs.

Asked whether the NGOs involved were pro-opposition, he said: “I don’t want to make accusations, but it seems they are in that direction (pro-opposition).”

- Bernama

New rules for Thaipusam kavadi bearers

Hindu Sangam said kavadi bearers who defied the new rules will be barred from entering the temple grounds.

PETALING JAYA: Devotees fulfilling their penance during Thaipusam in Batu Caves will no longer be allowed to carry “fancy” kavadis bearing logos of their associations, favourite soccer clubs, movie stars and uncommon fruits and items.

The Malaysian Hindu Sangam said devotees who failed to adhere to the new regulations will have to face the prospect of not being able to fullfill their religious obligations.

“The committee has decided on several new regulations to ensure a smooth Thaipusam. We will strictly adhere to the new rules.

“Devotees who defy the kavadi regulations will not be allowed into the temple to fulfill their penance,” said Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan.

He said a new taskforce comprising Hindu Sangam, security officials and several other Indian NGOs had been set-up to ensure the new guidelines are properly implemented during the January 17 Thaipusam festival.

Speaking at a press conference, here, he said Kavadis should be designed in worship of Thaipusam’s lead deity which is Lord Muruga.

“This year we will not allow kavadis bearers to wear black skirts and smoke ceroot in the name of God.

“Devotees are also not allowed to have long fancy nails and hooks bearing uncommon fruits such as durians on their backs. This is not a real Thaipusam practice.

“Thaipusam is a divine religious festival and we should pay respect to it,” he stressed.

Mohan said his committee members will be monitoring the situation at the river side area to ensure devotees adhered to the new kavadi regulations.

“It is not going to be easy but we will try our level best to stop any irregularities,” he added.

He said in addition, owners of refreshment stalls within Batu Caves compound will be barred from using styrofoam cups.

“Only plastic cups will be allowed this year,” he said.

He also urged the media to assist in disseminating information of the new rules and regulations to their readers.

JAIS ada kuasa rampas Bible, kata persatuan ulama

JAIS tidak terletak di bawah pentadbiran kerajaan negeri, sebaliknya melapor terus kepada Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (MAIS) serta Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Oleh Qurnisha Hamka

PETALING JAYA: Tindakan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) menyita lebih 300 nashkah Bible dalam bahasa Melayu dan Iban dan membuat serbuan ke atas pejabat Persatuan Bible Malaysia pada Khamis memang di bawah bidang kuasa perundangan jabatan itu.

Menurut Presiden Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM), Datuk Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir, JAIS mempunyai kuasa untuk melakukan serbuan di Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya itu dan tiada pihak perlu mempertikaikannnya.

“Itu memang bidang kuasa dia, dia boleh serbu dan dia boleh rampas. Jakim (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam) sendiri pun tidak ada kuasa sebegitu. Memang itu tanggungjawab JAIS, tiada pertikaian lagi,” tegas beliau kepada bnbbc.my.

Beliau turut menyatakan sokongan PUM terhadap tindakan JAIS.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai kenyataan Exco Agama Negeri Selangor, Sallehan Mukhyi bahawa kerajaan negeri itu tidak dimaklumkan berkenaan serbuan itu.

Menurut Syeikh Abdul Halim, isu itu tidak wajar dibangkitkan oleh Sallehan memandangkan struktur organisasi JAIS tidak terletak di bawah pentadbiran kerajaan negeri, sebaliknya melapor terus kepada Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (MAIS) serta Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Penguatkuasa JAIS pada Khamis bertindak merampas 321 nashkah Bible berkenaan, manakala pengerusi dan pengurus pejabat persatuan itu dibawa ke Balai Polis Damansara Utama untuk diambil keterangan.

Tindakan itu dipercayai berkaitan dengan penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam nashkah Bible Bahasa Melayu dan Iban yang diimport dari Indonesia oleh persatuan itu.

Pengarah JAIS, Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad minggu lalu berkata JAIS akan menghantar surat kepada semua gereja di Selangor untuk mengingatkan mereka agar mematuhi Enakmen 1988 mengenai Agama Bukan Islam di Selangor yang melarang orang bukan Muslim dari menggunakan kalimah Allah.

Enakmen 1988 yang menyentuh mengenai Kawalan Penyebaran Agama kepada Orang Muslim yang diluluskan pada tahun 1988, juga melarang orang bukan Muslim di Selangor menggunakan 35 perkataan Arab dan ungkapan dalam agama mereka, termasuk “Allah”, “Nabi”, “Injil” dan “Insya’Allah”.

JAIS seperti lanun, kata aktivis Sabah

"Perbuatan mereka samalah seperti lanun yang masuk ke kawasan orang lain dan merompak serta merampas harta orang lain,"kata Datuk Patrick Sindu.

KOTA KINABALU : Seorang pemimpin masyarakat dan hak asasi terkemuka dari Sabah menyifatkan tindakan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) menyerbu pejabat Kristian dan merampas lebih 300 Al-Kitab termasuk dalam Bahasa Iban di Selangor semalam sebagai tidak ubah seperti lanun yang merompak sesuka hati harta milik orang lain.

Datuk Patrick Sindu, ketika dihubungi FMT, berkata: “Perbuatan mereka samalah seperti lanun yang masuk ke kawasan orang lain dan merompak serta merampas harta orang lain”.

Katanya perbuatan JAIS mencampuri agama lain itu menghina dan melanggari perlembagaan dan sudah cukup melampaui batas oleh kerana premis agama lain pun kini mereka hendak menghendap, mengintip malah menyerbu sesuka hati.

“Kalau begini gaya mereka mungkin, tidak lama lagi jabatan-jabatan hal-ehwal islam di Malaysia seperti JAIS teringin pula mencuba memasuki dan memeriksa gereja-gereja dan rumah-rumah orang Kristian di negara ini,” kata Sindu.

Beliau mengulas tindakan sekumpulan pegawai JAIS yang diiringi polis menyerbu premis Pertubuhan Bible Malaysia (BSM) di Selangor kelmarin dan dikatakan bertindak agresif terhadap kakitangan pusat Kristian di situ yang mulanya enggan membenarkan mereka memasuki pejabat pertubuhan Kristian itu.

Menurut Sindu, JAIS tidak mungkin mempunyai waran berbuat demikian dan menggunakan dikri Sultan Selangor hanya mencemar lagi pertimbangan masyarakat, termasuk masyarakat dunia, terhadap Islam dan para pemimpinnya khususnya yang berada di Malaysia.

`Kesakitan hati’

“Kesakitan hati seseorang akibat tindakan sebegini tidak kita boleh nampak, dan ia akan simpan dalam hatinya sampai akhir hayatnya tetapi Allah yang maha kuasa juga yang nampak,” kata Sindu sambil menambah manusia bertopengkan syaitan semakin membahayakan masyarakat majmuk Malaysia dewasa ini.

“Kita tiada masalah seperti ini di Malaysia Timur. Mahukah mereka kalau orang lain bertindak kasar dan agresif terhadap mereka?” katanya sambil menambah lagi bahawa bukan Malaysia begini yang diingini oleh orang Sabah dan Sarawak.

Beliau juga menyeru Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, supaya mengotakan 10 perkara kabinetnya menghormati penganut Kristian dan agama selain Islam di negara ini dan jangan berdiam membisu seribu bahasa.

Tindakan kontroversi JAIS itu mengundang pelbagai komen masyarakat di Sabah dan Sarawak termasuk di laman-laman maya namun pihak gereja setakat ini belum lagi mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan.

Bagaimanapun, Bishop Paul Tan dari diosis Katolik Melaka-Johor, terus-terang membidas keras tindakan ala-Gestapo (polis rahsia Jerman di bawah Nazi) JAIS itu sambil menyatakan jabatan islam berkenaan tidak mempunyai hak mempersoal penganut Kristian di premis mereka sendiri.

“Serbuan JAIS semalam adalah sebahagian lagi bukti pihak-pihak berkuasa (di Malaysia) semakin cuba mengekang kebebasan penganut Kristian mengamalkan agama mereka seperti dijamin dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan,” katanya dipetik sebagai berkata.

Kavyan: Mengapa Perdana Menteri diam?

Protes depan gereja bahayakan orang Kristian dan melampaui batas, kata Presiden Kavyan, Uthaya Sankar.
COMMENT

PETALING JAYA: Pihak tertentu yang mahu mengadakan protes di hadapan atau berdekatan rumah ibadat bukan Islam adalah perbuatan melampaui batas tolerasi, kata Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan).

Kavyan bimbang bahawa protes yang kononnya aman ini akan bertukar ganas dan membahayakan keselamatan umat Kristian yang pergi bersembahyang di gereja pada pagi Ahad.

Presiden Kavyan, Uthaya Sankar SB berkata, protes haram ini sudah pun menanam rasa takut, gentar, bimbang dan tidak selesa dalam kalangan orang ramai, khususnya orang Kristian yang merupakan minoriti di negara ini.

“Kavyan amat terkejut dengan sikap yang ditunjukkan oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, dalam kenyataannya kepada pemberita pada Khamis lalu seolah-olah memberikan restu serta mengalu-alukan protes yang diterajui oleh Umno Selangor.

“Sementara itu, agak menghairankan mengapa Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yang sebelum ini sibuk melaung-laungkan slogan muluk “1Malaysia” dan “Kami Mendengar” seolah-olah masih menunggu “wahyu” turun sebelum bersuara,” kata Uthaya dalam kenyataan media hari ini.

Beliau menambah, penganjur protes haram mungkin memberikan alasan bahawa perhimpunan diadakan bukan di dalam kawasan gereja atau di hadapan gereja; sebaliknya berhampiran gereja.

Mengancam keselamatan

Dalam hal ini, katanya, mereka masih mengancam keselamatan pengunjung gereja dan orang awam (bukan Kristian) yang berada di sekitar kawasan berkenaan.

“Kavyan mahu menarik perhatian penganjur protes haram itu kepada Seksyen 4(2)(b) Akta Perhimpunan Awam 2012 yang secara terang-terangan melarang perhimpunan di rumah-rumah ibadat,” kata beliau lagi.

Kavyan meminta bangsa Malaysia yang terdiri daripada pelbagai kaum dan agama mengecam sebarang bentuk protes haram anjuran mana-mana pihak di hadapan, di dalam atau di sekitar mana-mana rumah ibadat; khususnya apabila rumah ibadat itu bukan bagi agama peserta perhimpunan haram terbabit.

“Najib juga perlu segera membuka mulut dan melakukan sesuatu sebagai bukti bahawa dia masih Perdana Menteri yang berkuasa dan berniat murni menegakkan slogan “1Malaysia” serta benar-benar “mendengar” suara rakyat; khususnya minoriti,” tegas Uthaya..

Menurutnya, Kayvan pernah mengadakan konvoi rumah ibadat dengan kempen “tolak perkauman, pupuk perpaduan, raikan kepelbagaian” dimusnahkan puak pelampau tertentu yang bermotif jahat.

Hindraf condemns JAIS’ raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia and calls for constructive approaches

HINDRAF PRESS STATEMENT

4th Jan 2014

Hindraf condemns JAIS’ raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia and calls for constructive approaches

Hindraf strongly condemns JAIS’s raid on the office of the Bible society of Malaysia and the arrest of its President and Office Manager on the 2nd of January 2014. This is just one more instance of the strong arm approach of the Islamic enforcement authorities in dealing with contentious inter-religious issues. They resort to such insensitive actions without understanding the significant implications to the entire fabric of Malaysian society.

These are in the same class of acts as the demolition of the many places of Hindu worship. All these acts are committed in the name of the law. In this case, it is the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988. In the case of the demolitions of the Hindu Temples and Shrines it is in the name of Federal Enactments governing Private Property.

These are all short-sighted actions which do no more than deepen the social divide within Malaysian society. There does not seem to be an appetite for real solutions to these key issues on both sides of the political divide. The scenario here is all too familiar – the issue surfaces driven by the needs of the elite and the corresponding enforcement agency shows up with the police, with the bailiffs and what have you. All hell breaks loose followed by devastating and divisive name calling and sabre rattling on both sides of the political divide. And then when it comes to accepting responsibility for resolving the problem the politicians on both sides duck.

It is the Hindraf’s express belief that politicians are ultimately responsible for resolving these issues. They must all act now and constructively.

Hindraf makes these calls to the UMNO and to the Pakatan leaders:

1) The Selangor UMNO leaders should not proceed to escalate matters by holding demonstrations against what will inevitably aggravate the situation. The Prime Minister must call for calm.

2) The Selangor MB must advise JAIS to rescind its order (which is of questionable legal authority anyway) requiring the two BSM officers to report to JAIS on the 10th of January.

3) The Selangor MB should stop giving silly reasons for why he cannot have JAIS on a leash. He should act now on the officials concerned, to clarify who is the boss and set the rule for all such potential acts in the future.

4) The Selangor Pakatan Government has it within its power to amend the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988 to resolve the conflict that the Statute has given rise to. The Courts for their part do not seem to have an appetite or will, to apply the rule of harmonious construction of the Statutes in these situations. The legislators have to act to clarify. The Pakatan Government in Selangor certainly has the numbers to do it if they really want to.

What is required is true leadership and some courage to address these complex issues. Every issue just cannot be turned into political circus. We need true bipartisan approaches to resolving the difficult problems at the interstices within our society – pushing and shoving is not the answer. The saying “The harder you push the more you stay in the same place”, is more than true in this situation.

N.Ganesan

Hindraf National Advisor.

Manmohan Singh Looks Back

A weak prime minister passes into history

As he approaches the end of his 10 years as India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh hopes the “history books will be kinder” to him than the media and other critics. That was a recurrent theme at a large press conference lasting about 100 minutes that he gave in Delhi Friday. It was only his third in 10 years (and second since 2004), apart from exchanges with selected journalists on flights abroad.

He has revealed little in the past, so not much was expected this time. His opening statement attempted to record his government’s performance in a good light. Most of his answers to journalists’ questions were bland, and many were evasive. He did announce that he would not be a prime ministerial candidate in the coming general election. That was expected and it turns the focus onto a Congress Party meeting in two weeks’ time when, it is rumored, Rahul Gandhi might announce for the role.

Manmohan Singh’s headline catcher was a blunt personal attack on Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate, who he said would be “disastrous for the country”. He then added that a man who had “presided over massacre of innocents on the streets of Ahmedabad” had not displayed “the kind of strength I will like to have.”

That was a reference to the Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002, where more than 2,000 are believed to have been killed with Modi as chief minister. The remark showed that Modi will continue to come under attack for his role then, even though he has been cleared of responsibility by the courts and said last week (without actually apologizing) that he was “shaken to the core” by the violence with feelings of “grief, sadness, misery, pain, anguish, agony.”

The most telling theme of the press conference was the way the prime minister shirked responsibility for corruption scandals, notably in the telecommunications and coal industries, that have dogged his administration with him being implicated for at least condoning what has happened.

First, he tried to dodge questions by saying the scandals had started in the 2004-09 United Progressive Alliance government and that people had re-elected him and the coalition in 2009, implying hat the electorate had not been bothered. That missed the point that the scandals had not fully surfaced in 2009 and that Singh’s role had fully developed and emerged – firstly with him allowing an implicated telecoms minister to be reappointed (because his party was needed in the new coalition), and second with him being in charge of the coal ministry during for some of that industry’s scandals.

So Manmohan Singh’s reliance on so-far unwritten history was significant. Will it excuse him his failings because he had to cope with both a fractious coalition that blocked some of his policies, and with Sonia Gandhi as his political boss who ruled the roost? He talked today, as he has in the past, about “coalition compulsions” and hoped that history would say he had done the best he could in the “coalition circumstances”

Or will it say he lowered the status of the prime minister’s post by condoning corruption and ceding authority, which was constitutionally his, to Gandhi and her son Rahul when he ought to have stood up to them or resigned?

Maybe, rather vengefully, he hopes that history blames the Gandhis for wielding power over the government without being responsible constitutionally, or in parliament, for what was done. That would be a just verdict but, even then, Singh will surely be blamed for being weak and allowing it to happen.

That however is all in the past, and a far more significant event also happened in Delhi today when Arvind Kejriwal began work in the city’s newly elected assembly as chief minister, following the devastating success of his anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party in recent assembly.

The implication of that, Singh said, was that coalition governments have to be corrupt in order to keep corrupt parties happy. Kejriwal is setting out to prove otherwise, with Congress supporting his minority government!

While the 81-year old Singh is looking to historians to produce their verdict on him, the 45-year old Kejriwal is beginning a new young era in Indian politics with massive support because of the failings of the Gandhi-Singh government and the lack of hope that the BJP would be much better.

(John Elliott is Asia Sentinel’s India correspondent. His blog, Riding the Elephant, appears on this page as well)

Islam tidak ajar ganggu tempat ibadat agama lain, kata bekas Mufti

Bekas Mufti Perlis Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (gambar) menegaskan agama Islam tidak mengajar penganutnya untuk mengganggu tempat ibadat penganut agama lain.

Dr Mohd Asri, 42, yang dihubungi The Malaysian Insider bagi memberikan komen mengenai kontroversi serbuan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) serta rancangan berdemo di gereja Selangor, berkata walaupun semasa perang pun agama Islam melarang umatnya daripada menyentuh rumah ibadat.

"Dalam agama Islam, hatta dalam masa perang pun, orang yang sedang beribadat pun tidak boleh diganggu... inikan masa aman kenapa pula perlu diganggu?" kata Dr Mohd Asri.

Tengahari semalam, Jais menyerbu pejabat Persatuan Bible Malaysia (BSM) di Damansara Kim dan merampas kira-kira 320 Bible berbahasa Melayu dan Iban.

Dua pegawai BSM iaitu pengerusinya Lee Min Choon dan Sinclair Wong diarahkan ke Balai Polis Damansara untuk diambil keterangan mereka dan hanya dilepaskan dua jam kemudian.

Dalam pada itu, Umno Selangor juga telah mendesak Pengarang Herald, Paderi Lawrence Andrew, menarik balik kenyataannya yang tetap mahu menggunakan kalimah Allah di semua gereja di Selangor.

Umno Selangor juga merancang untuk mengadakan demonstrasi di hadapan pejabat Lawrence di Klang pada Ahad ini sekiranya tidak tunduk kepada desakan mereka.

Ketua Umno Shah Alam, Azhari Shaari berkata kenyataan paderi itu bertentangan dengan enakmen syariah negeri malah ia juga melanggar titah Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, yang melarang penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh orang bukan Islam di negeri itu.

Dr Mohd Asri menyifatkan rancangan tersebut bukanlah berlandaskan ajaran Islam bahkan tidak mengajar penganutnya menyentuh mana-mana rumah ibadat bukan Islam.

"Agama Islam tidak pernah ajar penganutnya berbuat perkara-perkara begini, tempat-tempat ibadat Islam ajar supaya tidak sentuh.

"Apa yang mereka lakukan tersebut bukan berlandaskan ajaran Islam," tambah Dr Mohd Asri lagi.

"Jangan sentuh tempat ibadat bukan Islam."

Dalam pada itu, Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa juga menggesa Putrajaya halang badan Islam keruhkan hubungan antara agama susulan kontroversi terbaru yang tercetus di Selangor baru-baru ini.

Beliau menyeru kerajaan merujuk Majlis Perundingan Perpaduan Kebangsaan yang ditubuhkan Kabinet baru-baru ini, yang dijangka mengadakan mesyuarat mengenai kontroversi penggunaan kalimah Allah pada Isnin depan.

Mujahid, yang turut dilantik Putrajaya sebagai ahli panel majlis tersebut, berkata insiden hari ini perlu dibincang pada mesyuarat itu.

Jelas beliau, badan agama Islam tidak harus bertindak oleh kerana isu penggunaan kalimah Allah masih dibicarakan di mahkamah. – 3 Januari, 2014.

Hello, PM, Malaysia needs you to act now

Dear prime minister,

If I were still a member of parliament, I would table a motion of no confidence in you.

The Speaker would probably reject it even before it could be debated and votes counted, but I would do it anyway.

Your indifferent silence and total lack leadership on the “Allah” issue is bringing this country to the brink of catastrophe, one that neither you nor the government will be able to pull us back from once it is too late. The clock is ticking.

It is not my intention to ridicule you, for you have my utmost respect, but what else can be done to move you to act and manage the dangerous situation we are in at this moment?

This cannot be allowed to continue because there are elements, real troublemakers, who will bring turmoil to our peace-loving people.

You must first recognise that this is the most difficult, volatile and dangerous issue the country has ever had to deal with.

Never before has a conflict of this gravity been allowed to fester for 30 years with no solution in sight.

The problem did not start with you, but under your charge, it has reached the stage of implosion.

The animosity between Muslims and Christians has reached fever pitch and unless it is managed promptly and with sensitivity, the outcome will be grave for the whole country.

You may think that so long as the majority of Muslims in Tanah Melayu are kept appeased, the problem will disappear. You are wrong. The problems are more serious than you think.

The whole of the Federation of Malaysia will implode Mr Prime Minister, if nothing is done.

The people expect you to do something beyond spouting rhetoric to an Umno audience.

Like I said before, convene a meeting of the Rulers’ Council. Call for a meeting of the Council of Churches. Offer them something that all good leaders do: peaceful alternatives.

Talking to one another is the way civilised communities conduct themselves. Leaders who inflame the situation must be hauled up and discipline imposed on the rabble-rousers.

That is what you must do, because that is what leaders do.

The act of confiscating Bibles by an institution of the state is not carried out anywhere else in the modern world – this surely should alert you that something has gone out of control.

You must remind the country that you are the leader and that there is no one else. You must order a stop to such actions and if Jais does not accept your orders, then you must act accordingly.

We are facing an issue of public order and national security and you, as a leader, must recognise this and be prepared to act.

There are maybe just three million Christians in the country but believers and followers of other faiths are also watching how this situation develops.

The whole world is watching us, and it is watching how you deal with this.

You may be a moderate to David Cameron and Barack Obama, but the real test of your mettle is in your ability to find a peaceful solution to the problem in hand and not make Malaysia a news item like Central African Republic or South Sudan.

You have to act now.

This is not the time for false courage and saving face.

A century ago, Franz Ferdinand declared that the Weimar Republic would not be treated like a “second-rate power”.

Then British prime minister Lloyd George was equally vehement that Britain would not let any other power dictate the politics of Europe.

The protagonists would not back down and when Ferdinand was assassinated the bloodbath began.

Millions died and entire European civilisations were left in tatters. All because no one wanted to look second rate and no one wanted to back down. There were no leaders in Europe then, only those who wanted to save face.

In this conflict in Malaysia today, both sides are full of emotions. They need cool heads to temper their actions.

They need someone to bring them together. Here, the prime minister needs to summon all the strength he has and provide a peaceful solution to the problem.

This is what the country urgently expects from his leadership. – January 4, 2014.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

VMY 2014: Malaysia Ready To Welcome Tourists - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY2014) is set to offer wonderful experiences with a comprehensive range of products to cater the needs and preferences of the targeted 28 million local and international tourists.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said besides Malaysia's natural treasures of flora and fauna, from landscapes of impeccable beauty to cultural tourism, there were also various tourism products and services that would best suit any tourist coming to the country.

"These include the augmented tourism products and services under the key themes or affordable luxury shopping, nature adventure eco-tourism, health tourism, family fun, integrated, major events and business tourism," he said at the launching of VMY2014 at the Dataran Merdeka here, tonight.

Also present were Muhyiddin's wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Muhyiddin said, VMY 2014 would serve as a tool to extend the bridge of friendship and promote better understanding of various cultures and heritage.

Besides socio-cultural benefits, the significant of tourism could also be underscored from the economic perspective, with hope to generate RM76 billion in tourist receipts this year.

"This represents a significant increase of RM11 billion in foreign exchange earnings," he added.

In 2012, the total tourism income generated in the economy was recorded at RM103.3 billion in 2012, representing a growth of 7.2 per cent, comprising RM62.5 billion and RM40.8 billion in international and local tourism receipts respectively.

"Having outlined the immense impact of tourism, I hope it serves as a motivation and a clarion call to all of us to offer our very best to the tourists in ensuring VMY2014 a phenomenal success," said Muhyiddin.

Meanwhile, he said Malaysia was well on track to achieve the goal of being a top tourist destination in the world, especially following the Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 which had listed the country as one of the top 10 countries to visit.

CNN Travel also ranked Kuala Lumpur as the 4th shopping city in the world and three of Malaysia's pristine islands and beaches -- Perhentian Kecil Island, Juara Beach and Tanjung Rhu as among the Top 50 Beaches of the World's 100 Best Beaches.

"These accolades in the eyes of the world bear testimony of Malaysia being a premier tourist destination," he said.

To all Malaysians, Muhyiddin urged them to take the responsibility to ensure that the foreign guests were treated with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Deputy prime minister also gave his assurance that Malaysia was a safe tourist destination and this could be seen in the vastly ethnic groups living in harmony with a common bond of kinship and solidarity.

He said the government had also taken measures to ensure continued safety and security of tourists, including the National Blue Ocean Strategy of Police Omnipresence at tourist hotspots.

"To our guests and tourists, allow me to once again welcome you to celebrate VMY2014.

"Let this land of sunshine and warm friendly people capture your imaginations and hearts to bring home fond memories of your stay in Malaysia," he said.