German Woman's Public Rebuke of Islam Goes Viral

Islam continues to grow in power and influence across Europe. But at a recent concert in Germany, one Christian woman decided to stand up to it.

"The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace" by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins was supposed to be an interfaith event to bring Christianity and Islam together.

But when the Muslim imam began his call to prayer during the concert, he was interrupted by a small woman in the balcony proclaiming that "Jesus Christ alone is Lord of Germany," and shouting, "I break this curse."

She also invoked the name of Martin Luther and warned the audience that what was happening was "a lie."

The video went viral.

'Brave German Woman'

The mysterious Christian lady became known on the Internet simply as the "brave German woman."

It happened on Nov. 10, 2013, at the Memorial Church of the Reformation in the Rhineland city of Speyer, built to honor Martin Luther.

It isn't just any church. It's a monument to the Protestant Reformation and a memorial to the spiritual transformation of Germany.

It was at this spiritual landmark that a Muslim imam was invited to give the call to prayer. When the brave German woman, whose real name is Heidi Mund, heard about the event, she prayed.

"I was asking Jesus, 'Lord, shall I go there?' So, when I have to drive one and half hours, you know, I think, 'Is it worth it to go or can others go?' So, this is human laziness, yeah?" Mund recalled.

She grabbed her German flag emblazoned with the words "Jesus Christ is Lord" and headed for the concert, still not sure what she would do when she got there.

"Until the imam started with his shouting, I did not really know what to do. I was just prepared for what God wants me to do," she told CBN News.

Then the Muslim call to prayer began, and Heidi said she felt something rising up inside her.

A Holy Anger

"I would call it a holy anger," she recounted. "And then I rose with my flag and I was calling and proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord over Germany."

"My purpose was, I broke this curse because [Muslims] say, 'Only Allah is the Lord. He is God, the only God.' And I broke this curse in this church and I broke it over my country," she continued.

And she repeated the words of Martin Luther in 1521 after he refused to recant his faith in scripture alone: "Here I stand. I can do no other" and "Save the church of Martin Luther!"

Video shows another concert-goer trying to calm her by saying, "This is a concert for peace."

Mund can be heard responding in German, "No it's not! Allahu Akbar is what Muslims scream while murdering people! Don't be fooled! Don't be fooled! This is a lie!"

She was thrown out of the church.

"They should have thrown the imam out and not me because I am a believer in Jesus Christ, but he serves another god. This Allah is not the same god. And this is not the truth."

"This 'allahu akbar,' they use it when they kill people," she argued. "This is, for me, worship to an idol, to their god. And when a Muslim calls 'allahu akbar' in a church, that means this church is not a church anymore, it's a mosque."

Church No Place for Imams?

With Mund at the concert was Kamel, who did not give his full name for safety reasons. Before coming to Germany he lived in the Muslim world.

Kamel told CBN News that an imam has no place in a church.

"Islam is one of the reasons for persecution, Muslims have persecuted me. They don´t want me to tell others that Jesus Christ is my Savior."

Also with Mund was Marion, who has also asked that her last name not be included. She belongs to a group calling itself the White Rose, which took the same name as the World War II anti-Nazi resistance group shown in the film "Sophie Scholl: the Final Days."

"Islam is inhuman, the same as in the Nazi time. For me, personally, there is no difference. We want to show Germany and the world that we will not bow down to the slow Islamization of our country," Marion said.

Afraid of Muslims?

Mund said she knows that her first television interview could place her in danger.

"Many people ask me, 'Are you afraid of the Muslims?' And I can only say, 'No, I'm not afraid of them,'" she told CBN News. "I know my God, the living God of the Bible can protect for me for as long as he wants. When my time is over I will go to him."

An evangelist by gifting, Mund grew up an atheist in communist East Germany. But now, as a believer, her burden and her ministry is for the spiritual rebirth of Germany.

"I feel I have to protect my country and my people. I am only a little woman but I feel I have to protect them," she said.

Reviving a Dead Nation?

Some might associate Germany with the Nazis, but Germany was once a base for world missions, sending missionaries to Africa and Korea and to America.

Mund is trusting God for a miracle in what is a very wealthy and, some would say, spiritually dead nation.

"I know nothing is impossible for my God. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing," she said.

"From a human point of view I feel our country is lost. It's already lost. It's done. Because I see so many changes in the country, in every area," she continued. "But I trust God that he has a 'Plan A' and that my country is not lost and that He will reach us and He will come and change the whole situation."

Indonesia: Aceh government approves new law saying every citizen, Muslim and non-Muslim, must obey Sharia

Women in Aceh must always wear headscarves when out in public — which must thrill Robert George and Michael Potemra. Islamic spokesmen in the West constantly insist that Sharia applies only to Muslims, and so non-Muslims need not be concerned about it. The government of Aceh seems to have missed that memo.
“Indonesia: Aceh Province Enforces Sharia for non-Muslims,” by Ludovica Iaccino for the International Business Times, February 7 (thanks to Twostellas):

The government of Indonesia’s Aceh province has approved a new law obliging every citizen to follow the sharia Islamic legal code regardless of their religion.
Councillor Abdulah Saleh told the Jakarta Post that the new behaviour law, or qanun jinayat, “does indeed oblige everyone in Aceh to follow sharia without exception.”
Saleh said that the qanun stipulated that all those found to have violated sharia would be tried under Islamic law regardless of their religion.
Non-Muslim violators of Indonesia’s national ciminal code (KUHP) will be given the option to choose between a sharia court or a regular court – but both courts will adhere to islamic legislation.
“If the violation committed by a non-Muslim is not regulated in the KUHP then the violator will automatically be tried in a sharia court, without exception” Saleh continued.
Violations of sharia that are not mentioned in the KUHP include drinking liquor, khalwat (affectionate contact between an unmarried couple), not wearing a headscarf or wearing tight pants for women.
Anyone found drinking alcohol or breaching the codes on moral behaviour, whether residents or visitors to Aceh, could face between six and nine lashes of the cane. Three violations of the dress code could lead to nine lashes.
The qanun jinayat was approved by the legislative council on 13 December and signed by Governor Zaini Abdullah. It was a revision of the controversial 2009 Qanun Jinayat that introduced the punishment of stoning to death.
According to Saleh, the application of sharia is based on the principle of justice for all, as Muslims would feel they were being treated unfairly if non-Muslim violators were not tried under the same law for the same violations.
“It would be unfair if Muslims were punished while non-Muslims were not, just because sharia violations are not stipulated in the Criminal Code,” Saleh said.
Key articles in the Qanun Jinayat
The sharia authorities will have the power to arrest suspected violators, and confiscate and conduct raids on their property, based on preliminary evidence.
Non-Muslim or military suspects will be tried in a sharia court unless the violation is covered by the Criminal Code (KUHP) or by the Military Code respectively.
Even if the sharia court acquits a defendant, he or she will be required to undergo rehabilitation.
Only one appeal may be filed with the sharia court.
Prison terms are for up to a maximum of 40 months.
Caning up to a maximum to 40 lashes.
Fines up to a maximum of 800 grams of gold.

Broken-hearted Waytha Moorthy gives up, as Barisan fails to deliver, says ex-ISA detainee

It has been a rough eight-month ride for Hindraf chairman P. Waytha Moorthy (pic) who finally threw in the towel when he announced his resignation as deputy minister in the Najib administration today.

Hindraf adviser N. Ganesan said the central committee had unanimously decided that Waytha resign, as it was felt the government had been dragging its feet in delivering the aid promised to the Indian community.

Hindraf had signed an MOU with Barisan Nasional (BN) just before the general election last year, whereby the ruling coalition had promised to resolve the chronic socio-economic problems afflicting the Indian community if BN was returned to power with Hindraf's support.

Lawyer R. Kengadharan said Waytha was a "broken man" as the Barisan Nasional government had failed to implement any of those pledges.

"He joined the prime minister's administration on the basis that the government will encourage the implementation of programmes for poor Indians and that he could oversee them," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Kengadharan, who was once Hindraf legal adviser, said Waytha’s resignation served to show that Putrajaya was not serious in resolving problems faced by Indians over the last 50 years.

"This includes education, housing and economy," he said, adding that more socio-economic problems cropped up when Indians were displaced about 20 years ago upon the conversion of rubber estates into oil palm plantations.

He said this caused the unskilled workers to be displaced when their families moved to urban centres in search of employment.

"We spoke about a month ago and he indicated his frustration," said Kengadharan who was among the five Hindraf leaders who were arrested in December 2007 under the Internal Security Act which has since been repealed.

All were freed soon after Najib was appointed prime minister in April 2009.

Kengadharan said BN could not boast that it could protect the interest of Indians following Waytha's departure.

"All their pledges before the election have proved to be hollow," he said.

He pointed out that Hindraf, which was formed in June 2007, was founded on the principle that it would represent the Indians in general.

"We made no distinction between the poor and rich," he said.

He said after their release from Kamunting, Hindraf was reduced to a mere mouthpiece for the voiceless poor.

Waytha had a public spat with his brother Uthayakumar when he signed the MoU with BN for the betterment of the Indian community, as Uthayakumar did not agree on the pledging of the support of the Indian community to BN.

"Waytha hijacked Hindraf and pledged support to BN, which is against the founding principles of Hindraf," Uthayakumar, who was one of the five who served time under the ISA, had said at the time.

"Do not vote for BN. Whether they want to vote for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is up to them, but Hindraf will not take responsibility for Pakatan's non-delivery if they get to Putrajaya," Uthayakumar said.

Uthayakumar is currently serving a 30-month sentence in jail after he was found guilty of sedition last June.

Waytha's appointment as senator was also questioned along with four others who were made minister and deputy ministers.

However, the High Court ruled that the appointments of Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar and Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan as ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, and deputy ministers Waytha, Dr Loga Balan Mohan Jaganathan and Ahmad Bashah Hani were constitutional.

In August last year, the Hindu rights activist came under fire when he alleged that five Indian criminals in Penang were shot "execution-style" by police.

Waytha was admonished by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Cabinet members Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to toe the line and reminded that he was a member of the government.

Waytha's resignation as deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department will take effect Monday, according to media reports. – February 8, 2104.

Balai polis dibaling bahan letupan di PP

Kejadian di Balai Polis Bukit Tengah berlaku awal pagi tadi.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Sebahagian kawasan pintu masuk dan pos pengawal di Balai Polis Bukit Tengah, di sini rosak selepas beberapa suspek yang tidak dikenali melontar sejumlah bahan letupan dipercayai mercun awal hari ini.

Timbalan Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Pulau Pinang ACP Nasir Salleh berkata dalam kejadian 4.50 pagi itu empat anggota polis yang sedang bertugas tidak mengalami sebarang kecederaan.

“Dua anggota berada dalam balai polis manakala dua lagi sedang buat rondaan di kawasan balai. Mereka hanya menyedari kejadian itu selepas terdengar bunyi dentuman kuat di bahagian pintu masuk balai.

“Mereka bergegas melihat kawasan kejadian dan mendapati beberapa cermin tingkap dan siling di pintu masuk balai polis itu pecah manakala pos pengawal berhampiran pagar juga rosak akibat letupan berkenaan,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Katanya kerugian akibat kejadian itu dianggarkan antara RM10,000 hingga RM15,000.

“Berdasarkan siasatan awal, beberapa suspek yang dipercayai menaiki motosikal membaling mercun bola yang diikat dalam jumlah yang banyak ke arah pintu hadapan balai berkenaan dan melarikan diri sebaik berbuat demikian.

Kejadian itu berlaku dengan pantas, kata Nasir.

Setakat ini polis belum mengetahui motif sebenar kejadian itu dan siasatan lanjut masih dijalankan.

“Tiada kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) di balai berkenaan tetapi kita akan mendapatkan rakaman CCTV yang terdapat di kawasan berhampiran bagi mengenal pasti suspek terlibat,” katanya.

Beliau berkata kes itu disiasat menurut Seksyen 5 Akta Bahan-bahan Hakisan dan letupan.

Orang ramai yang mempunyai maklumat atau melihat kejadian berkenaan diminta menghubungi Ketua Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT), DSP Aziz Ahmad di talian 04-5382222 atau mana-mana balai polis berdekatan.

Mapim kecam NGO Islam `ancam’ pemimpin DAP

Orang Islam tidak memerlukan NGO-NGO seperti ini, mereka tidak boleh mendakwa mewakili orang Melayu dan Islam.

PETALING JAYA: Sebuah NGO Islam – Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Mapim) menolak dan mengecam tindakan beberapa NGO Islam lain yang menyembelih dua ayam dan menawarkan ganjaran RM1,200 kepada sesiapa yang berani menampar pemimpin DAP, Teresa Kok.

NGO berkenaan melakukannya sebagai tanda mara marah kepada pemimpin pembangkang yang didakwa menghina kepimpinan Melayu dan Islam.

“Orang Islam tidak memerlukan NGO-NGO seperti ini, mereka tidak boleh mendakwa mewakili orang Melayu dan Islam.
“NGO ini menghalalkan perbuatan batil untuk mencapai matlamat yang yang sah tetapi cara ini tidak boleh dibuat,” kata presiden Mapim, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid.

Beliau meminta pihak berkuasa mengambil tindakan segera dan tegas supaya ia tidak menjadi bom jangka dan seterusnya mencetuskan keganasan.

Beliau menambah, tindakan NGO berkenaan, Islam melarang umatnya membuat kemudaratan, apatah lagi jika berlaku kemudaratan kaum.

“Kalau hendak berjuangan jangan lalukan yang tidak senonoh, ini bukan islam dan tapi emosi. Ini bukan cara Islam, pihak berkuasa tidak boleh pandang ringan, boleh jadi bom paksa, kita bimbang pihak lain akan cetuskan tindakan balas,” tambah beliau.

Bagaimanapun, Mohd Azmi kerana bertindak menangani isu seperti itu secara berat sebelah menyebabkan ia semakin menjadi-jadi.

Katanya, tindakan kerajaan membiarkan kumpulan pro kerajaan melakuakannya tanpa sebarang tindakan telah menyebabkan mereka tidak takut mengulanginya.
“Kalau kumpulan pro pembangkang, tindakan cepat diambil, akhirnya tercetuslah perkara yang tidak diingini,” beliau menambah.

Tindakan melampau

Sehubungan itu Mohd Azmi menginggatkan organisasi yang mahu membela Islam supaya tidak bertindak melanggar undang-undang .

Kita tidak mahu orang bukan Islam marah terhadap tindakan yang melampau itu, katanya.

“Walaupun berapa banyak kita marah ia tidak boleh jadi alasan sehingga bertindak dengan tidak wajar,” katanya lagi.

Kelmarin, kumpulan yang menggelar diri mereka sebagai Jemaah Islamiah menyembelih dua ayam dan menawarkan ganjaran RM1,200 kepada sesiapa yang berani menampar Teresa .

Mereka mendakwa ahli parlimen Seputeh menghina kepimpinan Melayu dan Islam.

Mereka melumurkan darah ayam itu ke atas kain rentang yang terdapat gambar Kok, Lim Guan Eng, , Lim Kit Siang dan Adun Machang Bubuk daripada PKR, Lee Khai Loon.

Bagaimanapun, Teresa yang juga ahli parlimen Seputeh telah membuat laporan polis di Balai Polis Tun H S Lee, Kuala Lumpur.
Beliau menggesa polis mengambil tindakan terhadap kumpulan itu kerana ia membabitkan keselamatan dirinya.

Najib’s son fumes over ‘misleading’ report

Oscar nominated 'The Wolf of Wall Street' producers Red Granite Pictures are threatening Sarawak Report with legal action for 'false' and 'malicious' reporting.

KUCHING: The producers of the Oscar-nominated ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ movie, Red Granite Pictures, is fighting to dispel insinuations that it was fueled by proceeds from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s allegedly corrupt government.

Red Granite Pictures has apparently issued a legal letter to investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown for “false, misleading and malicious” articles published on her widely read blog Sarawak Report.

Reporting the latest development, UK’s The Independent newspaper said the company has threatened to sue Rewcastle Brown over her claims that Malaysian monies was behind the movie.

Rewcastle Brown, who is the sister-in-law of former British prime minister Gordon Brown, posted a series of stories in her blog about Red Granite Pictures, the Los Angeles-based independent company which financed the US$100 million (RM330 mil) Leonardo DiCaprio film about corrupt stock market trader Jordan Belfort.

Rewcastle Brown, 53, a former BBC World Service journalist, was in America recently to investigate the company which was co-founded by Riza Aziz, the stepson of Najib. His mother is Rosmah Mansor.

The company was launched in 2011 and swiftly established itself as a backer of big-budget films.

In an article published after the film’s release she asked how Riza Aziz had managed to emerge as a major bankroller of Hollywood movies.

“Could it be linked to his family position and circle of associates?” she asked.

The activist also questioned the “special thanks” full screen credit on the film given to Jho Low, the Malaysian “billionaire tycoon” who posed on the red carpet with Aziz and DiCaprio at the Wolf of Wall Street premiere.

The article alleged that Low is involved in Malaysian government business projects led by Najib and Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

No appology

Local opposition here have taken up on her disclosures.

Rafizi Ramli, who is PKR’s director of strategy reportedly said: “The Prime Minister has a duty to prove that his stepson’s source of funds is legitimate and does not have anything to do with public funds.

“We want to know who are the financiers in his company. Who are so generous as to give such huge amounts of money.”

Red Granite, which rescued the Wall Street film by getting Paramount Pictures on board after the project stalled at Warner Bros, has sent a “cease and desist” letter to Rewcastle Brown following her reports.

The newspaper said it had seen the letter from the producer’s lawyers Loeb & Loeb which objected to the “false, misleading, damaging and malicious statements” on the blog and demanded their retraction and an apology.

It argued that talents of the calibre of director Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio would never have got involved in the film if there had been anything “illicit”, “improper” or “tainted” over its financing.

The letter states that the film was not financed by Aziz, his relatives or “any other sources of finances emanating from Malaysia,” but utilised “traditional sources of movie picture financing” such as major financial institutions and any suggestion that Jho Low was an investor in Red Granite, or the film, was also false.

Meanwhile Rewcastle Brown has refused to comply with the letter and has continued to publish the posts on the Sarawak Report.

“I believe I am asking valid questions about this company and the sources of their finance. No-one had heard of these individuals in Hollywood until a couple of years ago,” she told The Independent.

Rewcastle Brown said she spent a week in Los Angeles talking to industry figures about Red Granite.

“People in Hollywood have sent me mystery emails. I have more information which I intend to run in further posts.

“Everything I have written is based on evidence. They told me to get off their properties but they haven’t followed up their libel threats so far.”

Sex queries part of health poll in schools

The Negeri Sembilan Health Department defends the controversial survey carried out in Nilai.

SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan Health Department today defended the controversial survey conducted among school children in Nilai last month, saying its objective was to prevent heath and social problems among youths.

The department’s director, Dr Zailan Adnan, said the explicit questions on sexual behaviour formed only a part of the questionnaire.

She also said the Health Ministry had been conducting the survey throughout the country for the past three years.

Last Thursday, state assemblymen J Arulkumar of Nilai and P Gunasekaran of Senawang lodged a report with the state education department on behalf of a parent who had found out that his 10-year-old child was involved in the survey at Sekolah Kebangsaan Desa Jamin in Nilai.

The survey was also conducted at two other schools in Nilai.

Page Three of the five-page questionnaire contained the following questions:

Question 2: I have done the following (Yes or No)

a) Read/watched pornography

b) Masturbated (Caused myself to be sexually aroused)

Question 4: I have (Yes or No)

a) Sexual desire for people of my own gender

b) A desire to change my gender

Question 5: I have experienced sexual intercourse (If Yes, answer Question 6)

Question 6: I have

a) Changed partners

b) Had sexual intercourse with someone of my own gender

c) Engaged in unnatural sex

d) I/my partner use condoms during sexual intercourse

e) I/my partner practise birth control (with family planning pills, etc)

Profiling the students

The students were not supposed to take the questionnaire home, Dr Zailan told FMT.

She said the questions were prepared by specialists in various fields.

“From the answers given, we can detect if any of the students have health or social problems. Then we take that particular problematic student’s survey form and refer the registration number with a master list that contains the student’s name.

“Then we will take action and help the problematic students by referring them either to a counseling, obstetrics or gynaecology specialist.”

She said her department had its own method of informing the respective parents about the problem cases.

“The health survey questions are not weird because they have been used all over the country for the past three years by the Health Ministry,” she added.

“I would like to stress that the questionnaire is only for youths from the age of 10 to 19 years.

“Students in Standard Four, Five and Six are entitled to answer the questions with the condition they must be guided by a medical or health officer on duty.”

She said the completed survey forms were supposed to be given back immediately to the officer on duty.

“Probably one of the students didn’t answer the questions in the survey form and instead brought it home.

“However I’ve already reminded the respective officers, and an investigation is ongoing.”

She also said she would take the matter to a “higher level” and seek a review of the questionnaire.

“Another thing I would like to stress is this survey is not solely on sex; there are also questions on health, smoking, food and other matters related to health.”

Hindraf: Waytha Moorthy to quit all govt posts

(The Star) - Hindraf chairman P Waytha Moorthy has tendered his resignation from all positions in the government and the Senate, effective Feb 10, according to a statement from Hindraf.

Hindraf secretary P. Ramesh said the central committee unanimously decided that Waytha Moorthy should tender his resignation, claiming the government had been “dragging its feet” in delivering its promises to aid the poor Malaysian Indian community.

“Hindraf owes its loyalty to the Malaysian Indian poor community and to them only.

“We did the most unthinkable – signing a pact with our one-time nemesis, entirely in the interest of the Malaysian Indian poor and in the honest belief that Barisan Nasional will fulfil its promises.

“We have given up hope of that happening, after eight months of trying,” he added.

Hindraf signed a memorandum of understanding with the government on April 18 last year, just before the May general election, in a bid to resolve the socio-economic problems afflicting the Indian community in Malaysia.

The memorandum’s contents were not disclosed at the time, but Ramesh said the Prime Minister, in his speech, had apologised for the past lapses by the government and promised action.

Ramesh claimed that it was agreed that a Hindraf representative would lead the charge.

Although Waytha Moorthy had been appointed senator, and then as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Hindraf claimed he had met with nothing more than an “unending series of delays and dead ends.”

“It is now clear to us that the Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional are not going to honour the memorandum, as they have neither the political will nor courage to deliver.

“Hindraf’s only regret is that we have not been able to deliver the changes to the Malaysian Indian poor which we had promised with this initiative.

“We sincerely apologize to them for the hopes we raised,” said Ramesh. Attempts to reach Waytha Moorthy for comment have been unsuccessful.

No sex please…. We are PKR

Another Brick in the Wall

“No Sex Please … We are British” was a 1970s play about a Bank Manager with a young wife who send for a mail order of Scandanivanian glassware.

However, he ended up getting a stream of pornography, photographs, books, films and eventually girls. The hilarious part of the play, which was made into a film, was the attempt to get rid of the embarassing paraphenalia.

Before making any guess that this posting is more sexual expose on the sexual escapade of Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, please read on because your guess could be wrong.

Talk of Anwar’s homosexuality must have started sometimes in the mid-1990s when his political career took a meteoric rise when he did a blitzkrieg to takeover late Tun Ghaffar Baba position as Deputy President UMNO and Deputy Prime Minister.

It became public coincidentally in the midst of the financial crisis and the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.

Since then, any election involving Anwar or PKR or other Pakatan Rakyat parties, his homosexual court cases and extramarital sexual escapades will be made into an issue to question his moral standing and integrity.

Kajang by-election will be no exception and expect it to be another bi-election like Permatang Pauh in 2009.

This time, the ex-Keadilan started the first salvo with their statements that got frontpage coverage in Utusan Malaysia.

They claim the Kajang “bi-election” is merely Anwar’s attempt to delay his sodomy case at the Court of Appeal.

Part of it was touched in our past posting here.

Subsequently, UMNO Chief of Information, Dato Ahmad Maslan repeated the same message uttered to emphasize that Anwar is running in the “bi-election” to seek ways to escape his sodomy trial.

Then news reported effort to gather 3,000 former Adil or PKR members to campaign against Anwar

in Kajang. Former tennis partner and provider of speacial services to Anwar back then, Dato Nallakaruppan announced his intention to run as candidate.

When the news of the resignation of the PKR Kajang state assemblymen followed by Anwar’s announcement to run, there was widespread resentment.

Certain faction among the liberals within the pro-opposition fold, PAS and DAP supporters have legitimate issues against the necessity of Anwar and PKR for holding the by-election and his interest to assume the position of MB.

Till today, Rafizi has not been able to give a proper reason and Anwar has to step in to convince his supporters on the reason for the removal of Tan Sri Khalid as Selangor Menteri Besar and replaced by himself.

There is also Anwar’s ability to govern and administer. When he was a Federal Minister till assuming the Minister of Finance position, most in the know see Anwar as only a Ministry spokesman and deliverer of prepared speech.

IF not for the support of Tun Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim Zainuddin to guide him, Anwar would have been worse than Dato Hasan Malek.

However, these former foe turned allies seemed to be only concerned for his overdeveloped libido.

Anwar merely brushed aside that predicatable line of attack by saying he will not delve into personal character attack. The Malaysian Insider’s reported:

 READ MORE HERE

KPRU: ‘Kajang Move’ kickstarts PAKATAN’s Road to Putrajaya 2.0

A resounding theme in Malaysia’s 13th General Election on May 5th had been the prospect of change, and the popular slogan being bandied about was ‘Ini kalilah! Ubah!’. Yet May 5th had passed, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) that has ruled Malaysia for the past half-century still succeed to retain Putrajaya. And this, too, put a full stop to Pakatan Rakyat (PAKATAN)’s road to Putrajaya 1.0.

So, 267 days after the May 5th 2013, we have now witnessed the PAKATAN, or Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN), to be precise, has taken the initiative to steer the electoral politics of Malaysia by calling for by-election in Kajang. Despite criticisms and contestation, think tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) opines that Kajang by-election is a new departure for PAKATAN in the quest for Putrajaya, again – not by following the same old road, but hewing out a new path instead. It is a strategic move to re-deploy against the attack from BN – it has come to the time wherein PAKATAN does not passively combat in BN’s warfield by complying to their rules, but to become the game master. As the Chinese saying goes, catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack. Kajang Move is definitely a strike beyond expectation, and this strike just come in time to invigorate PAKATAN’s quest for Putrajaya 2.0.

Losing the 13th general elections with 52% popular votes was indeed a great disappointment; it is a huge blow to people’s morale and confidence, as well as of the oppositions. Furthermore, the temperature of the general election last year had then cooled, the euphoria and excitement hoping for a regime change had evaporated. The following price hikes have furthermore rendered the ordinary folks in despair and helplessness. The recent hype on Prime Minister Najib’s ‘kangkung’ price remark has gone viral and spread like wildfire but nevertheless a harmless joke. Meanwhile, as Selangor PAKATAN government, as well as Pulau Pinang, has entered its second term, people will inevitably place higher expectation on its performance in every respect, and how Selangor, as a targeted state, play a strategic role to strengthen PAKATAN’s strategies to Putrajaya 2.0.

Recap PAKATAN’s Road to Putrajaya 1.0: From 308 to 505

The historic results of the 12th general election, later widely known as March 8th political tsunami, was an unprecedented massive swing towards the opposition, and since then a newly formed PAKATAN has begun to pave the way towards Putrajaya.

The results of the 2008 general elections were remarkably stunning, and it played a pivotal role as a stepping stone for the forming of KEADILAN-DAP-PAS coalition, later known as PAKATAN. Since then, we can hardly dismiss the evolvement of a new Malaysia with a brand new political sky, where opposition coalition taking 82 seats in Parliament and winning state power in four states on top of PAS’s Kelantan, namely Pulau Pinang, Selangor and Perak. However, Perak was later seized by BN, not through legitimate elections but unethical and unconstitutional power grab.

As the BN suffered a major setback in the 12th general election, yielding one of the worst results in the coalition’s history, former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was urged to step down in favour of his successor Najib Tun Razak during the UMNO General Assembly held on April 1st 2009, and the latter sworn in as the Prime Minister on April 3rd 2009. During Najib’s days in Prime Minister Office, he had and is still tirelessly launched various ambitious programmes with bombastic names, including the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and Government Transformation Prograam (GTP), as well as introducing one after another airy-fairy slogans – from ‘1Malaysia’ to the latest ‘Endless Possibilities’. Nonetheless, your average Joe and Jane on the street does not necessarily understand those big words, as they were, and are still being left out from the fruits claimed in his Janji Ditepati rhetoric.

Meanwhile, unceasing scandals broke out in corruption-riddled BN, from Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal to National Feedlot Corporation (NFC)’s “cattle and condos” scandal, from diamond to private jet, and the lists go on. People’s dissatisfaction and anger has been brewing and reaching its peak.

We have witnessed a growing social movement having bigger impact. Hundreds and thousands courageous Malaysian flooded the heartland of Malaysia during the third rally by the Bersih organization for free and fair elections on April 28th 2012. Also, between 300,000 to 500,000 Malaysians from all walks of life, gathered in the historic Merdeka Stadium just before the 13th general election on January 12th last year, showing that they are aware of the issues at stake in Malaysia, and they want their government to hear them. People’s political consciousness and awareness have underpinned the emergence of new political landscape.

PAKATAN has not only harnessed the dynamics, but at the same time also working hard to consolidate and strengthen its influence. PAKATAN had launched alternative budget in 2012 and 2013 prior to the tabling of federal government’s budget. Additionally, PAKATAN also presented its common manifesto, highlighting people’s most needs and concerns, and essentially making sure they are on the right track to capture Putrajaya.

However, the journey to Putrajaya 1.0 came to an abrupt end when PAKATAN failed to capture more than half of the 222 seats in parliament, although successfully garnered more than half of popular votes. What is worse, PAKATAN merely succeed to retain Kelantan, Selangor and Pulau Pinang, whilst losing Kedah to BN and failed to regain Perak.

Creating a level playing field

Anwar Ibrahim’s Kajang Move will be a new sheet of history in Malaysia politics. Malaysians, especially those young one will no longer recognize him as the ex-Deputy Prime Minister or ex-Finance Minister who were once holding the second most powerful post in the government, or merely a figure of politically active and of international repute, but a reformist-cum-office holder who dare to force the dysfunctional political system to evolve through the legitimate use of the electoral system.

To compete with the current Prime Minister Najib – who wields not merely executive power, but also resourceful enough, Anwar as the Opposition Leader, on the other hand, should at least have considerable power and resources, if not equal one, to compete competently with the federal ruling coalition’s top leader. Kajang Move provides such an opportunity enabling the shackles of restraint to be wrecked, and thus creating space for the rise of a stronger and more resourceful leader, who can then carries much more weight in a political and parliamentary system choosing to ignore its fundamental flaws. Worse still, the whole discussions about strengthening opposition forces used to ignore those fundamental flaws while assuming a Plato type of philosophical king as the leader par excellence.

Recognizing the hardship ahead

Sooner or later, the Election Commission (EC) is about to embark on an exercise to redelineate electoral boundaries, and the constituency re-delineation motion is most likely to be tabled in the March parliamentary sitting. It is doubtful that the redelineation will be done in a free and fair manner, considering the fact that EC had just help BN winning 60% of seats with a mere 47% of vote in the last general election. In addition, the substantial increase in the number of voters, which carve out new demography, will render another challenge to PAKATAN ahead of the 14th general election. All these lump together with the economic hardship laying ahead coupled with heightened political tensions currently faced by Malaysia, signals an urgent need that PAKATAN has no other alternative but to take initiative to master the game so that the road to Putrajaya will be possible, again.

Kajang Move, is beyond strengthening and entrenching PAKATAN’s foothold and influence in Selangor as to counter BN. Crucially, Kajang Move, as a starting point of the PAKATAN’s road to Putrajaya 2.0, will likely to determine PAKATAN’s fate on the coming 14th general elections. Nonetheless, what should be borne in mind is that, PAKATAN winning Kajang by-election must not be at the expense of ignoring criticism.

 http://kpru2010.wordpress.com/2014/02/07/kpru-kajang-move-kickstarts-pakatans-road-to-putrajaya-2-0/

Is Zahid seriously suggesting that it is perfectly lawful and permissible to organise public demonstrations to offer RM1,200 to anyone to slap the PM, DPM or Home Minister?

By Lim Kit Siang,

Overnight, Malaysians are asking whether the law of the jungle have replaced the rule of law in the country on our way to a fully developed nation status in six years’ time in 2020.

This follows the shocking statement by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who dismissed calls to investigate the organisers of Thursday’s chicken slaughter protest against DAP MP Teresa Kok, and who dismissed the RM1,200 reward offered by the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” who slaps Teresa saying “there is nothing to investigate as it is not a threat”.

He said: “Why do we need to investigate that?

“Slapping is not a threat. If they say murder, then it is a threat.”

Is Zahid seriously suggesting that it is perfectly lawful and permissible to organise public demonstrations to offer RM1,200 to anyone to slap the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Home Minister?

Is the Home Minister advocating the law of the jungle instead of the rule of law? Then we are not heading towards a fully developed nation in 2020 but down the abyss to a failed state by the end of the decade!

Zahid’s dismissal of the country-wide police reports by DAP/PR MPs and State Assembly members against the 30-odd people in the “Council of Islamic NGOs” demonstration committing offences of criminal intimidation, sedition, incitement of violence against a woman MP and incitement of another May 13 riots, is the height of irresponsibility for a Home Minister and raises the question whether the Home Minister is committed to upholding the rule of law, peace and harmony in the country.

I want to ask Zahid whether his comments amount to a directive to the police not to investigate the police reports which have been launched countrywide by DAP and Pakatan Rakyat MPs, State Assembly members and leaders against the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” for a battery of criminal offences, including criminal intimidation, sedition, incitement of violence against a woman MP and incitement for another May 13 riots?

Is Zahid also telling the Police that they should not investigate the Council of Islamic NGOs for breaches of the Peaceful Assembly Act in not giving the police 10 days notice for the assembly?

At Thursday’s chicken-slaughtering and blood-curdling demonstration, a spokesman of the Council of Islamic NGOs even raised the spectre of May 13 riots, saying that the blood of the slaughtered chicken was symbolic of the May 13 riots.

He even demanded that the government expel Chinese and Indian citizens who were not fluent in Malay from the country?

There are also Malays who are not fluent in Malay. Are they also to be expelled from the country?

If Zahid thinks that the above extremist and ultra statements and demands are perfectly legitimate and acceptable, then he is not fit to be Home Minister for all Malaysians.

I want to ask the new MCA leadership led by Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Datuk Dr. Wee Ka Siong whether they agree with Zahid that there is nothing wrong and therefore nothing to investigate with regard to the shocking and outrageous incidents of the the offer of RM1,200 to slap Teresa and the slaughter of chickens and smearing of the chicken blood on banner featuring DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

If not, are they prepared to take a principled stand including requisitioning of an emergency meeting of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council as the very basis of a rule of law and a legitimate democracy have been brought into question by Zahid’s heretical statements, which completely repudiates the rule of law in Malaysia.

Groups laud stay of execution of death row prisoner

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Several groups have lauded the stay on the execution of P. Chandran, but warned that there are many others still in death row who are yet to be executed.

Amnesty International said the Government's move to halt Chandran's execution scheduled for Friday was a positive step forward.

"We are glad that Chandran Paskaran will not be put to death today (Friday), but his life is still at risk – his death sentence must be commuted immediately," said Isabelle Arradon, Amnesty International's Asia Pacific deputy director in a statement.

"It is shocking that it took an outcry from human rights groups for this postponement to happen. What about the other secretive executions Malaysia is planning to carry out that do not get the same attention?," added Arradon.

The execution of death row prisoner P. Chandran was halted after a reprieve from Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, following pleas from his family.

The Bar Council welcomed the show of compassion and the swift intervention of the Sultan.

"The Malaysian Bar is heartened by, and, which resulted in the stay of execution of the death sentence on Chandran s/o Paskaran," said its chairman Christopher Leong in a statement.

Leong added that the Bar also commended the Prime Minister and the Government for their role in the matter.

"The Bar notes that the Malaysian Government has, since 2010, announced its willingness to re-look at the mandatory death penalty, with a view to its possible abolition or the reintroduction of a discretionary death penalty.

"In light of such review, the authorities and the Government should, in the interests of justice, impose an immediate official moratorium on any and all executions of the death sentence," said Leong.

Chandran, then 29, was sentenced to death in 2008 after a Johor Baru High Court convicted him for the murder of K. Muthuraman Krishnasamy, 36, by slashing him with a parang in front of the victim's house in Taman Puteri Wangsa, Ulu Tiram, at about 8.15pm on July 19, 2003.

The court found that Chandran and 11 others, who were still at large, had attacked the victim following an argument over a CD player.

Post-mortem results revealed that Muthuraman suffered 24 slash wounds all over his body.

Chandran's previous appeals at the Appeals and Federal Courts were dismissed.

Bukit Gasing being raped by MBPJ

BUKIT GASING IN PETALING JAYA IS UP FOR SALE: I don't think any one party can save it as GREEN LUNG anymore. We, human are the dangerous creature in this world. The future generation will loose the beautiful landscape of Malaysia. Who is responsible for all this? Responsible citizen should question their atrocities.

Soon this green lung will vanish, huge bungalows are being built all along the slopes...

This huge bungalow at Bukit Gasing is up for sale...

This tree is ear marked for chopping....

These poor creatures have no where to go....their home is being demolished...

Sivan temple being demolished...sign at the entrance gate to the temple...

This one near the temple : Parcel 25

Going up the hill on the right, left some huge bungalow is being constructed...

This old tree along the roadside is marked for chopping

Parcel 84 is along the snake temple road

Parcel 59 already sold

This is what happens to the nature when parcel of land in Bukit Gasing are sold for greed against nature

This parcel already bought by one Dato K Durai and the sign shows a bungalow will be up soon given approval by MBPJ

MBPJ do not respect Allah and his creation

NGO Melayu lumur darah ayam di poster pemimpin DAP, PKR

Christian girl abducted, converted and forced to marry a Muslim in Lahore

by Jibran Khan
The family of Samariya Nadeem staged a protest this morning in front of the city's press club. For the past three weeks, their 16-year-old daughter has been in the hands of a wealthy landowner. As police and the authorities fail to free her, the Catholic Church calls for justice on the family's behalf. But for Muslim cleric, it is "not illegal to abduct and convert non-Muslims".

Lahore (AsiaNews) - After a Pakistani Christian girl from Lahore (Punjab) was abducted by a Muslim landowner, she was forced to marry him after conversion to Islam. Her family reacted in a public protest, demanding justice from civil authorities.

Police and the courts have failed so far to act and return the girl to her parents. The local Catholic Church has instead backed the family, condemning the "widespread practice" of kidnapping young Christian and Hindu women to marry them forcibly to Muslims and reduce them to a "state of slavery".

The latest episode involves a 16-year-old girl, Samariya Nadeem (Masih), who was abducted and forcibly married to a rich landowner.

The abduction took place 22 days ago in Lahore's 270-TDA Layyah District when the young woman was on her way to school.

The family filed a complaint (First Information Report 14/14, under Section 365 B of the Penal Code) with the police for the abduction reporting that Samariya was taken against her will and forced to marry the man.

So far, police have failed to pursue any legal action against the local wealthy Muslim landowner who abducted the girl because of the influence he wields. Police investigators were also unable to talk to the bruised and terrified victim.

Anonymous police sources confirmed that the girl was "abducted" and forced to marry. However, an Islamic cleric involved in the affair said that it was "not illegal to abduct and convert non-Muslims".

This morning, the family organised a protest rally in front of the Lahore Press Club. Under Pakistani law, no one underage can be married without parental consent.

Civil society groups and human rights activists have appealed to Punjab's chief minister to take action and return Samariya to her parents and bring her abductor to justice.

Kidnapping and forced marriage have become a major issue in Pakistan, especially in southern Punjab and in the interior of Sindh province.

This is "very common in the region," said Fr Haroon James, a priest and activist in Lahore. Young women and girls "are forcefully converted and married to influential landlords who keep them as slaves."

Unfortunately, people seem to be increasingly "hopeless". For this reason, the Church has spoken out in the case, "demanding justice for her and the family." Yet, "Despite the fact that a FIR has been registered, the authorities have failed to act and protect the vulnerable," the priest added.

With a population of more than 180 million people (97 per cent Muslim), Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, the second largest Muslim nation after Indonesia.

About 80 per cent of Muslims are Sunni, whilst Shias are 20 per cent. Hindus are 1.85 per cent, followed by Christians (1.6 per cent) and Sikhs (0.04 per cent).

Violence against ethnic and religious minorities is commonplace across the country, with Shia Muslims and Christians as the main target, with things getting worse.

Dozens incidents of violence have occurred in recent years, against individuals or entire communities, like in Gojra in 2009 or Joseph Colony in Lahore in March 2013, often perpetrated under the pretext of the country's blasphemy laws.

RM5,000 reward for info on Facebook user

MIC Youth slams MCMC for failing to locate Man Namblast, who said Hindus celebrating Thaipusam were demons.

PETALING JAYA: A RM5,000 reward awaits anyone who can help MIC Youth identify and locate a Facebook user who referred to Hindus as “syaitan”, an Arabic-derived Malay word that means “evil spirits” or “demons”.

The Facebook user, calling himself Man Namblast, made the derogatory remark in a comment on the recent Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves.

MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh made the offer today after what he said was a disappointing meeting with officials of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

He told FMT the commission had failed to track down Man Namblast, who on Jan 17 posted a picture on his Facebook page with a caption that read: “Berpuluh ribu syaitan sedang berarak menaiki tangga Bt Caves,” which translates as “Tens of thousands of demons are marching up the stairs at Batu Caves.”

The Facebook page has been deactivated, but a screen shot of the posting has gone viral across social networks.

Sivarraajh said Man Namblast’s insult was compounded by another Facebook article defending it, posted by a user calling himself Mohd Hidayat.

“I urge the relevant authorities to take immediate action against the Facebook users Man Namblast and Mohd Hidayat,” he said.

“What has been done is a national threat and no apology will be accepted.”

Sivarraajh criticised MCMC for its failure to track down the two Facebook users.

“I was really surprised when MCMC officials told us they could not find out who Man Namblast was because, it seems, he used a fake account,” he said, adding that the officials also admitted to having no clue about Mohd Hidayat’s identity.

“Being a government body, MCMC is in the position to ensure information security and network reliability and integrity. So I am shocked that they cannot track a fake account.

“What will they do if someone threatens national security through a fake account?”

Sivarraajh said MIC Youth had in fact managed to find out Mohd Hidayat’s personal details, including his residential address.

“All the details have been given to MCMC and we want them to investigate immediately,” he said.

Family makes last minute plea to stop hanging

Shocking sex survey in primary school

Students asked to answer a five-page questionaire on their sexual activities and preferences.

SEREMBAN: A survey conducted in a national primary school in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, has shocked parents when the questions posed to the students were about their sexual activities and preferences.

The issue was brought to the press and the Negeri Sembilan Education department this morning by DAP’s Nilai state assemblyman, J Arulkumar, and Senawang state assemblyman, P Gunasekaran.

Arulkumar said he was approached by a parent of one of the students who took part in the survey last week and was told the five-page form contained questions on their sexual habits and orientations.

“The questions on the third page are really shocking. Question 2 asks students if they engaged in masturbation (melancap/masturbasi – merangsang diri sendiri secara seksual).

“Question 4…if they had sexual desires for their own gender (keinginan seks terhadap kaum (jantina) sejenis) and question 5 if they have had sex before?

“If the answers are in the afirmative, Question 6 follows:

“Do they change partners? (bertukar-tukar pasangan); have they had sex with own gender? (melakukan hubungan sejenis); and do they or their partners use condoms during sexual intercourse?”

Investigation underway


Arulkumar said all the questions had a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ option box for the students to tick their answers.

Gunasekaran said one parent was flabbergasted when his 10-year-old child asked for explanations (based on the questionnaires in the survey form), and brought up the matter to him and Arulkumar.

“The parent who brought up this issue to me told me that his child asked him what was sex, masturbation and other related questions on sex, based on the questions in the form.

“Arulkumar and I were unable to meet the state education department director Kalsom Khalid as she was in meeting when we went to lodge a complaint regarding the matter at her office this morning.

“However, Arul and I met the deputy director of communication and registration, Muhamad Rusli Abdullah and submitted the copy of the survey form,” said Gunasekaran.

Gunasekaran and Arulkumar said even though the state education department denied the survey was initiated by them, the department has to take the responsibility for allowing the survey in the school.

Meanwhile, Kalsom later said she was unable to give any comment just yet as she had initiated an immediate investigation into the matter.

Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan, when contacted, said he needs to check with the state education department first before commenting.

Muslim NGO slaughters chickens, offers RM1,200 to anyone who slaps Teresa Kok

(TMI) – Temperatures rose today after a Muslim NGO slaughtered two chickens and offered a RM1,200 reward to anyone who dared to slap Seputeh MP Teresa Kok as a sign of anger towards opposition leaders for allegedly insulting the Malay leadership and Islam.

Members of the Muslim NGO then smeared the blood of the slaughtered chickens on a banner featuring photographs of Kok, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Machang Bubuk PKR assemblyman Lee Khai Loon.

The act was carried out in Kuala Lumpur today as a sign of protest against the opposition leaders who were alleged to have insulted the “Malay leadership, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Islam and Malay dignity”.

The focus of the group, which called itself the Council of Islamic NGOs, was Kok and her Chinese New Year greeting video, entitled “Onederful” Malaysia CNY 2014.

The group had initially offered a reward of RM500 to anyone who dared to slap Kok and provided photographic evidence of their act. That sum was revised after the 50-odd protesters did a collection among themselves and came up with RM1,200.

Group leader Zulkfli Sharif said the reward is open to all Malaysians.

“This offer is open to anyone who can slap Teresa Kok. But they must provide a picture to claim the RM1,200,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The group then stomped on the “faces” of the opposition leaders. The banner also contained reference to the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

Kok had lodged a police report yesterday over the numerous threats she had been receiving after her controversial Chinese New Year video went viral.

In an immediate response, Kok said she will lodge another police report on Friday.

“What the protesters did is total madness and the police must immediately take action against the person. Lawlessness and such open acts of encouraging violence must not be tolerated.” she said.

Lee Khai Loon irked Umno and some Malay NGOs when he had had organised a "I Love Kangkung" flash mob last month where he had stuffed an effigy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with kangkung (water spinach).

Guan Eng had refused to reprimand Lee but had said he will direct Pakatan representatives not to engage in provocative activities.

Kit Siang appeared to have been singled out as he had been critical of the ruling Barisan Nasional on a range of issues and in recent days has been steadfast in defending Kok’s Chinese New Year video satire. – February 6, 2014.

Malaysia’s Anwar Takes a New Dare

Anwar changes horses

Ousting a popular chief minister in his own party risks trouble but repositions him nationally
The surprise decision last month by Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to push aside Khalid Ibrahim, the respected chief minister of Selangor, one of the country’s two biggest states, and try to take the post himself is a complex gamble.
Among other things, it is designed to preserve or enhance Anwar’s standing as a national figure, according to political analysts in Kuala Lumpur, by giving him a state to run. Should he lose the March 23 state by-election that would give him the job – considered unlikely – it would consign him to political oblivion and make his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) appear riven with factionalism.
Former state Assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh raised the curtain on the drama last month by resigning his seat in a Kuala Lumpur suburban district that would allow Anwar to stand for the state seat. That has upset many within the party who view it as an opportunistic move by Anwar and who have applauded Khalid’s stewardship of the state.
One think tank head joked that watching the opposition crack heads also gives Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak a respite from the barrage of personal attacks he has been under from the ruling Barisan Nasional’s right wing.
Helpful move
Whatever issues Anwar’s decision raises, strategically it settles the problem of a nagging internal party dispute, repositions him politically and resolves the issue of a popular but tight-fisted chief minister who has come under fire for refusing to spend money on infrastructure projects.
“Anwar will tackle national issues using a state platform,” said a longtime United Malays National Organization political operative. “I think he is going to give UMNO real trouble. It is a good move for the opposition, but it has put UMNO on the back foot. I think as Selangor chief minister he will give Najib a tougher fight.”
Although the decision was a surprise, it has been percolating since before last May’s general election, when some elements of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition were already pushing to replace Khalid, who has clashed with PKR party chief, Azman Ali, over a number of issues, including state contracting.
Khalid responded to the brewing challenge by leading the opposition coalition to a smashing victory based on his corruption-free stewardship of the state; the Pakatan Rakyat took 77 percent of the vote while the BN got just 23 percent.
Anwar, despite his leadership of the PR coalition, is said to have been frustrated because he lacks a platform to influence national politics and leading the coalition in parliament was not a sufficiently commanding arena. As chief minister, he would attend the Malaysia Conference of Rulers, where he can interact with the country’s nine sultans, who play a role in amending the constitution.
It would also give him a forum at the National Land Council, Finance Ministry and other key meetings with the federal government chaired by the prime minister. In the past, Anwar has shined in such gatherings, in contrast to Najib’s performance in front of key civil servants and ministers.
How do we spell G-O-D?
In any case, the decision to push Khalid aside was triggered in early January when religious authorities in Selangor seized hundreds of Malay-language bibles using the word “Allah” in reference to the Christian God. The issue has been boiling for months if not years, and appears to have been manufactured entirely by UMNO strategists, since Christians in the east Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak have been using the word to denote God for more than a century, as have Christians across the Middle East and Indonesia.
The states of Selangor and Penang in particular have become the focal point for a push by UMNO over the primacy of religious law, according to political observers, who say that despite Khalid’s reputation for running a clean and efficient state government, he didn’t push back sufficiently against the decision to seize the bibles.
“This religious police issue is exactly where Anwar should speak out,” the UMNO source said. A Malay political analyst agreed, saying Khalid has found it difficult to control religious officials who are constantly on the backs of Christians, Hindus and other minorities.
The opposition has grown concerned that it could lose ground in the next general elections in 2018 over the religion issue. Anwar figures he is the best person to resolve this. While that may not be true, he is certainly more decisive than Khalid.
“Make no mistake, the Allah and seizure of bible issues is not end of the story,” wrote Kim Quek, a PR strategist. “It is the beginning of a determined conspiracy built on race and religion to restore the hegemony of UMNO. It will go on and on until UMNO feels that its political supremacy is secured. Selangor government’s impotence to deal with what could have been a minor incident if promptly nipped in bud, has already caused widespread dismay among non-Malays for failing to protect minority rights. Imagine the consequence of similar incidents of greater magnitude and frequency hereafter.”
Wild card scenario
Khalid’s careful stewardship of the state’s contracts apparently also caused friction in the coalition because it meant that companies linked to the opposition Democratic Action Party as well as Anwar’s PKR were frozen out, whether the contracts were above-board or not.
“Khalid is a good administrator but he doesn't believe in spending money,” said another political analyst. “So he has a healthy cash surplus in the state coffers but in the outer areas, there is little infrastructure spending. That has been a source of frustration for the DAP and PKR who want contracts where they can, all UMNO-style, make some money for their politics. The DAP are also frustrated that the Chinese find it difficult to start sin businesses like massage parlors, karaoke and betting joints.”
One senior Malaysian political observer added a wild card, saying the Selangor post could also be linked to a complex game being played out over so-called unity talks that have been going on for several months between the opposition and the government. One of many stumbling blocks to forming a unity government would be the likely demand that Anwar, as leader of the opposition in parliament, be given a senior cabinet post or even some kind of co-prime minister's job by Najib, which is thought to be out of the question from the prime minister’s side.
"If Anwar is in the Selangor post that problem is out of the way," said the observer. "This move seems linked to the unity talks as a way to help the process along." As chief minister he would no longer be in parliament and would not be part of a possible unity government cabinet.
That is a questionable scenario, others say, pointing out that Anwar has pledged to retain his Penang area seat in the national parliament, which presumably would keep him in the leadership there as well.

Mine! Mine! Shafie is now digging a bigger hole for himself!

By Lim Kit Siang

Mine! Mine! Umno Vice President and Minister for Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal seems to make himself a bigger fool and is now digging a bigger hole for himself.

I feel enormous sadness that we have Cabinet Ministers who cannot be humble and admit that they have made mistakes.

Let me tell the UMNO Ministers that there is nothing wrong with them admitting that they have made mistakes, and that in this case, Apdal had wrongly accused DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s video “Onderful Malaysia CNY 2014” of lampooning the Malaysian security forces and the Lahad Datu intrusion tragedy.

After all, UMNO Ministers are mere mortals. Even Homer nods!

Apdal’s mistake is all the more understandable and excusable as he did not understand Mandarin or Cantonese, the languages used in the video dialogue, and he could only have heard a garbled, inaccurate, biased and tendentious version of the video from his colleagues in the Barisan Nasional, whether MCA, Gerakan or Liberal Democratic Party, who have political axes to grind.

Apdal’s accusation that the video lampooned security forces and the Lahad Datu incursion tragedy made me, and I am sure very many Malaysians, to visit YouTube and check the video, and I find no reference whatsoever in it which could substantiate Apdal’s allegation of lampooning the Malaysian security forces and the Lahad Datu incident.

This is why I had invited Shafie to a public get-together with Teresa and he could come with his experts and advisers so that his team could publicly point out where the security forces or the Lahad Datu incursion tragedy had been the subject of ridicule by the video satire.

Today, Shafie was very dismissive when he publicly turned down my proposal to host a get-together for Shafie to watch the video clip together with Teresa Kok.

He said: “I have better things to do…I have a country to manage.”

Is Apdal aware that he had made a public confession that he had not even seen the video clip but he had the audacity to pass public judgment on it?

Is this the reason why former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had said that the present Cabinet is full of “half-past six” Ministers?

There have been allegations that Teresa’s video is anti-Malay and anti-Islam. I invite those who made these allegations to step into the open to show where in the video there are anti-Malay and anti-Islam references.

Actually Teresa must thank Apdal, the Minister for Communications and Multimedia Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, and other misinformed and/or malicious Umno/MCA/Gerakan leaders who have brought the video to the attention of a larger audience than it would otherwise get.

In ten days, Teresa’s video on “YouTube” have exceeded 300,000 hits, with 3,825 likes and 2,159 dislikes – far exceeding the most popular That Effing Show on YouTube, “Let Them Eat Kangkung” which has scored 183,861 hits after three weeks though Teresa’s video still well behind the top “kangkung video”, the kangkung remix video by Yuri Wong which is just short of one million hits at 980,957 hits.

May be those who create videos in future should enlist Umno Ministers to help them publicise their works so as to get more hits on the Internet.

Toll Rates At 14 Expressways To Remain Unchanged

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Toll rates at 14 expressways will remain unchanged following the government's announcement that there will no toll increase this year, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said.

However, he said as a long-term solution, the ministry would carry out a comprehensive review on the existing toll concessions, as well as toll collection terms and conditions agreeable by the concessionaires.

"The ministry will fine-tune several options, such as restructuring the toll rates by taking into account the costs of operation and maintenance, traffic volumes, company's profit and losses, and facilities provided for the comfort of expressway users," he said in a statement here Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Wednesday announced that there would be no toll rate hikes this year and that the government would need to pay RM400 million in compensation to the concessionaires involved.

Fadillah said the ministry would also meet with the concessionaires, as well as other relevant parties, to discuss and find short, medium and long terms solutions to the issue, and to create a win-win package for all quarters involved, namely the government, the people, the concessionaires and the investors.

The following are the 14 expressways where the toll rates would remain unchanged.

1. Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (Akleh)

2. Western KL Traffic Dispersal System (Sprint) Expressway

3. New Pantai Expressway (NPE)

4. Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (Smart)

5. Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (Silk)

6. Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP)

7. Kajang-Seremban Expressway (Lekas)

8. Senai-Desaru Expressway (SDE)

9. Shah Alam-Kuang (Guthrie Corridor) Expressway

10. South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE)

11. Sungai Besi Expressway (Besraya)

12. Butterworth Outer Ring Road (Borr)

13. Maju Expressway (MEX)

14. Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (Duke)