Moorthy case: MAIWP acted in bad faith, court told

Moorthy case: MAIWP acted in bad faith, court told

(Malaysiakini) In the ongoing battle surrounding Mount Everest climber S Moorthy who was buried as a Muslim despite his widow objections, the lawyers of the bereaved S Kaliammal has accused the Federal Territory Religious Council (MAIWP) of acting in bad faith (mala fide) when it obtained an ex-parte (based on a single party) order from the Syariah Court to declare the deceased a Muslim.

Counsel M Manoharan told the Court of Appeal today that MAIWP's application was made suddenly and with haste, on Dec 21, 2005 just one day after Moorthy's death without informing his client Kaliammal (right, in photo), thus depriving her of her right to be heard.

Manoharan said this during submissions for Kaliammal's application to reverse an earlier High Court decision in Devember 2005 to dismiss her bid for a declaration that Moorthy was a Hindu at the time of his death.

"This ex-parte order may also cause the non-Muslims to fear, because the Syariah Court seems to be trespassing in areas which it has no jurisdiction. In this case it has denied Kaliammal her rights," said Manoharan when approached by Malaysiakini after the conclusion of the Appeals Court hearing today.

The earlier High Court decision was made by judge Mohd Raus Sharif based on the ex-parte order from Kuala Lumpur Syariah High Court, which ruled that Moorthy, also known Mohamad Abdullah, was a Muslim and thus his religious status was out of the Civil Court's jurisdiction.

Kaliammal filed an application for a judicial review of the decision in January 2006, but had to wait nearly two years because M Manoharan had subsequently been detained under the Internal Security Act.

"We want the case to be sent back to the High Court and be heard again based on merit," said Manoharan.

He contends that as Kaliammal is a non-Muslim, the Civil Court must be the court to try the case, and not the Syariah Court which is exclusively for Muslims.

"She wants to (establish) the religious status of her husband at the time of his death," he explained.

Manoharan (left) in his submission criticised the MAIWP for using the "the back door" ruling of obtaining the ex-parte order, when they really should have brought their evidence - that Moorthy has converted to Islam - to the Civil Court to be heard and ruled on

At this juncture the bench requested the lawyer to rephrase his words, whereupon he changed the term "back door" to "without telling anyone", to stress what he maintained was the stealth of the move by the MAIWP.

Manoharan also claimed that they have evidence in the form of affidavits that will prove that "at all material times" Moorthy was a Hindu, evidence which he says was never heard by the High Court in making its earlier dismissal of their application.

'Only doing our job'

However Sulaiman Abdullah, the lead counsel for MAIWP, which is named as the first respondent in the appeal, strongly refuted Manoharan's allegation that the council had any bad intentions.

"The council was only trying to do its job in difficult circumstances," said the counsel.

Sulaiman also argued that Mohd Raus had ruled correctly in declining jurisdiction, as the matter of the religious conviction of a Muslim ultimately falls under the powers accorded to the Syariah Court, as provided for by the constitution under 'powers accorded to the state'.

Senior Federal Counsel Mohamad Nasir Bin Disa, lead counsel for the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital and the federal government – the second and third respondents respectively - also denied that the application for the Syariah Court order was made without Kaliammal's knowledge, saying that nothing in her affidavit said that she was unaware of the matter.

Counsels for both the government and the religious council maintained that they have informed Kaliammal of their intention to seek the order, but she "did not avail herself" to cooperate with them.

"We met her and told her that we are going to get the order, but she and her lawyers said that they will not have anything to do with the Syariah Court," he added when met by Malaysiakini after the court had adjourned.

Judgement on Aug 6

Both the counsels for the religious council and the government are asking that the court set aside the appeal, but has decided not to ask for costs.

After hearing the submissions from both sides, the Appeal Court judges who presided over the case - Zainun Ali, Wahab Patail and Clement Alan Skinner - fixed Aug 6 to announce their judgement.

"We have listened to all the points, but it will take several days of deliberation for us," said Zainun.

Moorthy was part of Malaysia's 1997 Mount Everest team and one of two members who reached the peak.

His death and subsequent Muslim burial in 2005 sparked an ugly row among Muslims and non-Muslims, exposing conflicts in Malaysia's dual-track civil and syariah law.

Chief Secretary says Penang CM’s accusations excessive

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan today defended Penang State Development Officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus and described the allegations by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng against Nik Ali as excessive and should not have been made in the open.

Mohd Sidek, who is also the Cabinet Secretary, said the Cabinet at its meeting today took a serious view on Lim’’s statement against Nik Ali particularly on the issue over illegal sand mining in Balik Pulau, demolition of the arches at the Penang Botanical Garden and the allegation that no seat was

provided for the Penang Chief Minister during the launch of the Penang Hill Railway.

“These three issues, for which Nik Ali was blamed by the Penang Chief Minister, were not under the jurisdiction of the officer as the State Development Officer,” Mohd Sidek said in his brief statement, here today.

He said the Penang Chief Minister should follow the correct procedure by channelling complaints on these issues to the relevant department/agency.

Previous press reports stated that the rift between Lim and Nik Ali emerged when the Chief Minister was alleged to have made several statements criticising the officer.

Among other things, Lim had labelled Nik Ali as “incompetent, useless, unprofessional and a coward” and that he should be sacked with regard to the issue on the illegal sand mining in Balik Pulau. — Bernama

Raja Petra probe: Malaysia happy with British cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is satisfied with Britain's cooperation in investigations pertaining to blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is reportedly in London. Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said the matter must be handled according to legal channels, with one country repecting the laws of another.

"Yes, I have no complaints. Everything has got to be done by legal means. One does not flout another country's laws and it is much more, even so, for the authorities in both countries to respect the laws of the other country," he said.

Abdul Gani was speaking at a press conference after the signing of the Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between Malaysia and Britian here today, to cooperate in the prevention and combating of transnational criminal activities.

Asked if the treaty would help in bringing back Raja Petra from London, the

attorney-general said: "It will help in all cases, not only Raja Petra. But remember, we still have to comply with each other's laws. This is not simple."

Abdul Gani said there was no extradition treaty between Malaysia and Britan, and that was a separate process from the treaty signed today.

However, he said Malaysia could make a request to any country on the directive of the home minister, and subjected to the laws of the country involved.

"There has always been an understanding on this extradition but so far, we have not made any application to the United Kingdom for a proper extradition treaty.

"An extradition treaty is a matter for us to think about later, but we are very happy with this mutual assistance treaty today," said Abdul Gani.

Raja Petra fled the country after two warrants of arrest were issued, following his failure to be present in court proceedings on April 23 and May 23 last year, for allegedly posting seditious and slanderous articles on his website.

Asked if written replies by former private investigator S Balasubramaniam to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was admissible in a court of law in this country, Abdul Gani replied:

"Whatever MACC does, it has to comply with our laws to determine admissibility. You don't actually need to have your statement recorded by the police. Documents are all admissible in court, provided you comply with the law. So, it's fine with me," he said.

The private eye courted controversy when he made two conflicting sworn declarations related to the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The MACC recently decided against going to London to record a statement from Balasubramaniam and instead, submitted questions for him via his lawyer.

- Bernama

Don't wear 'devilish' Man Utd jersey, Muslims warned

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Muslims must not wear the famous Manchester United red jersey because of the "devil" emblem on its team crest, Malaysian clerics said today.
Manchester United and the rest of the English Premier League are massively popular in Muslim-majority Malaysia and the rest of the Asian region, but conservative religious scholars said the jersey is un-Islamic.

Also off limits are the shirts of teams including Brazil, Portugal, Barcelona, Serbia and Norway, all of which carry images of the cross on their team emblems.

"This is very dangerous. As a Muslim, we should not worship the symbols of other religions or the devils," Nooh Gadot, a top Islamic cleric from Johor, said.

"It will erode our belief in Islam. There is no reason why we as Muslims should wear such jerseys, either for sports or fashion reasons," said Nooh, an adviser to the Johor religious council.

"Even if it (the jersey) is a gift, we should decline it. It is even more sinful when people realise this is wrong and still buy these jerseys to wear," he added.

Nooh said there was no "fatwa", or religious edict, against the shirts but that one was not needed when it was clearly wrong for Muslims to don such a garment.

"These Muslims should repent, repent immediately," he said.

Another leading cleric, Harussani Zakaria, a cleric from Perak, agreed that devils should be shunned, not celebrated.

"Yes of course in Islam we don't allow people to wear this sort of thing," he said. "Devils are our enemies, why would you put their picture on you and wear it? You are only promoting the devil."

Malaysia is a generally moderate Islamic country, but conservative clerics have issued controversial edicts in the past including a ban on the ancient practice of yoga, which is criticised for including Hindu religious elements.

- AFP

Malaysia unfit to be in Human Rights Council, says Suaram

By Rahmah Ghazali

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia does not deserve to be in the United Nations Human Rights Council if it continues with its “rampant” human rights violations, said human rights watchdog Suaram.
The situation has deteriorated under Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's watch since he took office in April 2009, said Suaram coordinator John Liu at the launch of Malaysia Human Rights Report 2009 here this morning.
Liu cited the use of controversial preventive laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA), Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), which permit detention without trial, which had brought the country to an all-time low under Najib.
Altogether, he said that more than 1,000 people have been detained under the preventive laws until the end of last year.
He said that the EO and DDA had many more detainees, including minors, compared to the ISA, which has 16 detainees.
“Some 819 people were detained under the EO, including 36 minors, and this is in blatant contravention of the Convention on the Rights of a Child and the Child Act Malaysia.
“Until February 2010, somde 412 people were detained under the DDA; so in total, more than 1,000 have been incarcerated without being tried in court,” said Liu.
"Reviewing and amending such laws is not sufficient. Even the UN Human Rights Council has said so in response to calls to abolish the ISA," he said.
“In 2009, there were nine detainees under ISA. Even when the government talks of amending and reviewing the law, it continues to detain people. The number is now 16,” he said.
In its 228-page report, Suaram highlighted alleged abuses of power by law enforcement agencies, such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, deaths in custody, heightened intolerance towards dissent, mass arrests during protests against the government and critics of the government “targeted for harassment”.
It also focused on the plight on refugees and asylum seekers and the alternative media which has become the latest “victim” of political interests.

Less optimistic

Liu expressed fears about the Barisan Nasional government’s resistance to change although international reports were not favourable to it.
This was proven when at least two international reports in 2009 drew attention to the collusion between the immigration authorities in trafficking and refugees at the border.
“This is a major threat that we discerned in 2009 and it is expected to continue in 2010,” he said.
Malaysia also failed to comply with minimum human right standards in spite of recommendations made by bodies like Suhakam and the UN Human Rights Council.
“Inspite of this, it still did not stop Malaysia from seeking election into UN Human Rights Council in May 2010,” said Liu.
Suaram director, Dr Kua Kia Soong, was also less optimistic when asked whether Malaysia had a chance to get into the respectable council.
“If you ask any Suaram member, I’m sure you will know the answer,” he laughs.
“Those lobbyists in the UN asked us (whether Malaysia is qualified), but I don’t think we deserve to be in the council. Definitely not,” he said.
Former ISA detainee Mat Sah Mat Satray, who related his experience under detention for eight years, also attended the two-hour conference.

Five-point recommendation

Suaram urged the government to repeal all detention without trial laws, pointing out that “these legislations severely violate fundamental human rights”.
Other longstanding demands to the government include:

• Setting up immediately an independent and effective oversight monitoring body to ensure accountability in the police force and other law enforcement agencies;
• Repealing repressive legislations and/or provisions in laws which undermine freedom of speech, expression and assembly;
• Recognising the status and rights of refugees and asylum seekers;
• Ratifiying all the remaining core international human rights treaties (Malaysia has only ratified two of the nine core treaties); and
• Strengthening Suhakam’s independence and implementing the commission’s recommendations.

Moorthy's religious status: Court to decide on Aug 6

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal will decide on Aug 6 on whether the Civil High Court has the jurisdiction to determine the religious status of the late Everest climber Sergeant M Moorthy whose conversion to Islam has been disputed. A three-men panel comprising Zainun Ali, Abdul Wahab Patail and Clement Allan Skinner fixed the date today to deliver their verdict in the appeal brought by Moorthy's widow S Kaliammal after completing hearing submissions.

Justice Zainun said the panel members needed several days to deliver their decision on the matter because there were merits to consider, although there were no novel points.

If the court rules in favour of Kaliammal, 35, then her case would be reverted to the High Court for hearing.

She is appealing against the Dec 28, 2005 High Court ruling which had refused to determine the religious status of her late husband on the grounds that a matter of this nature was under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Syariah Court.

Kaliammal had filed an originating summons on Dec 21, 2005 to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which, among other things, sought a declaration that Moorthy was a Hindu.

The following day, the Kuala Lumpur Islamic Affairs Religious Council obtained an ex-parte order from the Syariah Court stating that Moorthy had embraced Islam prior to his death.

The order also permitted the council to bury Moorthy, whose Muslim name is Mohamad Abdullah, according to Islamic rites.

He was buried on Dec 28, 2005 at the Taman Ibukota Muslim Cemetery in Gombak, Selangor. Moorthy became paralysed from the waist down after a fall during training at the Sungai Udang Camp in Melaka on Aug 14, 1998 and was confined to a wheelchair. The former army commando went into a coma following a fall from the wheelchair and died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital'S intensive care unit on Dec 20, 2005.

Fair trial

In the appeal proceeding, lawyer M Manoharan representing Kaliammal said the Civil High Court could hear his client's application because Kaliammal, being a non-Muslim spouse, only had recourse to a court of civil jurisdiction.

He said it was in the interest of Kaliammal for a fair trial since the Syariah order declaring Moorthy a Muslim, was obtained ex-parte by the council.

Manoharan said the Civil Courts possessed the requisite powers and jurisdiction to deliberate upon matters relating to renouncement and conversion of Islam.

Counsel Sulaiman Abdullah for the council argued that the matter should not be remitted to the High Court for determination because the existence of a Syariah order stating that Moorthy was a Muslim, was sufficient to put to an end to the matter.

"The primary issue is justice to the deceased. Since there is evidence from the council that he is a Muslim, then he should be buried in a Muslim cemetery. The council is a body responsible for looking after the interest of converts including burial," he said.

Senior Federal Counsel Arik Sanusi Yeop Johari said Kaliammal had remedy under the law to challenge her late husband's conversion by testifying in the Syariah Court relating to Moorthy's religious status.

However, he said Kaliammal opted not to use her rights which was provided under Section 83 (2) of the Federal Territory Syariah Court Evidence Act 1997.

- Bernama

Raid on PKR HQ

Raid on PKR HQ aborted due to warrant glitch

By Jamilah Kamarudin - Free Malaysia Today
 PETALING JAYA: The police raid on the PKR headquarters hit a snag when it was discovered that there were defects in the search warrant.
Some 30 policemen had gone to the party headquarters in Tropicana Damansara here purportedly to look for a computer belonging to PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, popularly known as Chegu Bard.

The police were also waiting for the Seremban-based Badrul's arrival.

However, the raiding team with officers from Seremban left empty handed after recording the statements of two PKR officials, including the party's communications director Jonson Chong.

Badrul is being investigated over an article in his blog which allegedly insulted the King and the royal institution.

He was arrested on July 9 in Seremban and was quizzed for three hours. His house was also ransacked on the same day.

Meanwhile, Chong said the search warrant was defective because it did not state the section under which Badrul's alleged offence falls.

“This is a technical error on the part of the magistrate," he said.

According to Chong, the warrant should have stated Sedition Act 1948 but the document only contained the section which empowers the magistrate to issue the warrant.

Furthermore, he said Badrul had admitted to have made the blog posting. “There is nothing to hide. He never objected or denied the posting,” he added.

Chong also said there was no reason to search the PKR headquarters since the published material was available online and any extra information should be obtained from Badrul or his computer.
"They agreed not to proceed with the search and recorded statements from me and PKR organising secretary Radin Shamsul Kamal,” he added.

Malaysia intolerant of dissent

(Reuters) - MALAYSIA arrested nearly 1,000 anti-government protestors in 2009, signalling 'heightened intolerance', an influential and independent human rights group said on Wednesday.

Political tensions rose in this South-east Asian country following record 2008 polls losses by the government now led by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Tensions are still high and could rise further with the sodomy trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim resuming next month.

'Because the Prime Minister sought to regain his losses in 2008, 2009 saw a huge crackdown on dissent and the opposition,' said John Liu, a coordinator with SUARAM or Voice of the Malaysian People group.

Mr Najib took office in April last year pledging political and economic reforms to revive his coalition and woo foreign investments to the South-east Asian country.

The rise in political tensions and increasing competition from faster reforming regional neighbours like Indonesia have weighed on investor sentiment towards Malaysia where investment has languished.

Make public the specific proposals made by the Sabah Chief Minister’s Department Laboratory on the Management of Illegal Immigrants in Sabah

New Straits Times today front-paged its exclusive story of 55 proposals by various government agencies in a laboratory to combat terrorism and reduce the high number of illegal immigrants in the country.

These 55 proposals are to tabled at the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when it meets on August 2.

What has happened to the earlier Laboratory on the Management of Illegal Immigrants in Sabah formed under the Sabah Chief Minister’s Department a few months ago, which is to come up with a new strategy and specific proposals to end the long-standing problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah?

Sabah faces the worst problem of influx of illegal immigrants, causing the state’s population to explode from some 400,000 during the formation of Malaysia in 1963 to three to four million today – with over half of the population believed to be foreigners.

Various Cabinet Committees to resolve the Illegal Immigrant problem in Sabah together with their respective deadlines have come and gone but the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah have only got worse.

The promise by one Prime Minister after another to resolve the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah have also come and gone, but no one can see any solution in sight.

Is the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah coming under the wing of Muhyiddin’s Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers or is it treated separately like the Sabah Chief Minister’s Laboratory on the Management of Illegal Immigrants.

Sabahans and Malaysians are entitled to clear answers.

In the meanwhile, the proposals for resolving the problem made by the Sabah Chief Minister’s Department Laboratory on the Management of Illegal Immigrants should make public for discussion and consultation.

Low Taek Jho, Paris Hilton, Rosmah & RM 11 billion

ps- Please don’t forget to stand with Fadiah! Much more impt than this!
Isn’t it weird to have Paris Hilton and Rosmah in the same sentence? *shudders*
The Nutgraph has really come into its own, avoiding the saturated online news landscape and focusing on features and investigative reporting.
Their work on the New York Times Rosmah ad (here and here) was really fantastic, and a fun read.
Among the speculations that arose from there was the involvement of Low Taek Jho in the Rosmah ad. Yeah. This “fat bastard” (as one Twit put it):

Many have highlighted his Mr. Paris Hilton persona, but recently, Anil Netto did some more serious homework.
Let’s start with TNG’s work. These are two must read articles – the first, and the second.
They basically follow a trail of APCO-like public relations companies (esp in terms of sketch factor), in trying to determine who really arranged for the ad, and for Rosmah’s fake award.
Somewhere along the line:

Jones replied to Tichansky after reading Tichansky’s e-mail to The Nut Graph, and surprisingly copied us in an e-mail we received on 2 June, saying: “This is great. Thank you! Please send, and I’ll forward to Joh.”

This appeared to be an accident, and many suspected that there was a misspelling :)
TNG bravely followed up:

Henry Thomas Jones of Laurus Group DC, a “small public relations firm”, sent an e-mail on 7 June accusing The Nut Graph of blowing up a “trivial matter” and being unprofessional.
The Nut Graph had written to Jones on 3 June to ask what his involvement in the award and the ad was after he had surprisingly copied us on an e-mail to Tichansky. In that e-mail, sent on 1 June, Jones had responded to Tichansky’s e-mail to us which defended Rosmah as the award recipient. Jones told Tichansky: “This is great. Thank you! Please send, and I’ll forward to Joh.”
The Nut Graph then wrote to Jones, who is known to have worked in a powerful lobbying company and is a seasoned political campaigner, to ask him if Laurus Group, DC was the one that ordered and paid for the ad congratulating Rosmah. We also asked if he was involved in lobbying for Najib’s meeting with President Barack Obama and for Rosmah to be conferred an award.
Additionally, we asked him who “Joh” was, and whether it was a particular individual whose name has been circulating among the New York-based media, and among local business and political circles. Jones did not reply.
However, after our 7 June report on the NYT’s mistake, Jones’s apparent involvement, and the mysterious “Joh”, Jones wrote a scathing e-mail that said:
“‘Joh’ … is my receptionist, Jo. When typing on the iPhone, it is not uncommon for me to misspell words. In this instance, I added an ‘h’. My firm provides occasional PRO BONO services to the Business Council for International Understanding.

(nat: OH, iPhone ftl? hahaha)

“It is unfortunate that such a trivial matter, a misspelling in an internal communication, gives rise for your publication to generate unsubstantiated allegations, and then to publish the same. From an American perspective, I find The Nut Graph‘s standards for publication to be less than professional.”
Despite being asked to clarify in an e-mail we sent on 8 June, Jones did not reveal his receptionist’s full name and contact details. He also did not explain why a receptionist in his firm would need to be copied on a correspondence between him and his client.
He did not specify what about The Nut Graph’s reporting on 7 June constituted “unsubstantiated allegations”.

I don’t know why Mr. Jones is getting his knickers in a twist, if this really is a small issue?
Also, secretary or assistant we might understand. Receptionist? Err.
Another lead worth following is that there were considerable rumours going around that the Rosmah ad was connected to Taib Mahmud’s money, down in Sarawak.
Lo and behold, thanks to Anil:

Low is a non-executive director of UBG Bhd. He is a representative of Majestic Masterpiece Sdn Bhd and Abu Dhabi-Kuwait-Malaysia Investment Corporation (ADKM), a 53 per cent shareholder of UBG, whose chairman is Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, son of Taib Mahmud. (UBG has acquired a couple of CMS companies.)

Ouch.
Anyway, why should we really care about all this? A few hundred k is a lot of money, but not tons.
Oh. But wait. There’s more? After all, mebbe a few hundred thousand ringgit ain’t quite enough to put you on a boat with Paris in Paris.

Again, Anil:

Meanwhile, 1MDB is a “strategic development company” owned by the Malaysian government. The firm started life as the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which was set up to manage Terengganu’s RM1 billion annual revenue from oil royalties under what would be the country’s second sovereign wealth fund. TIA was established with the approval of the federal and state governments in March 2009, around the time Najib was set to take over as PM.
One of the key figures who advised the King (who comes from Terengganu) to establish the TIA was Low Taek Jho, reported the Edge on 14 December 2009.
(Low was previously reported in the Malaysian Insider, which cited a Singapore Straits Times report, as being part of Najib’s inner circle and having close ties with Middle East investment funds.)
The original idea behind TIA was to create a sovereign wealth fund with RM5 billion from the federal government and another RM6 billion to come from Terengganu’s securitised future oil royalties receivable from Petronas.

Good lord. RM 11 billion?
Yeah, I think there are some people who’d consider that kinda ‘hawt’.
I think what we’re looking at here is a Najib lieutenant that was entrusted to help siphon of billions of our money, and who got a little carried away.
(Not that he wasn’t willing to share the glamour, mind -

Apart from the NYT ad, Rosmah and Najib were also feted on 16 April at the five-star St Regis Hotel in New York where the award ceremony was held.
The star-studded event was emceed by Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx and attended by Hollywood glitterati including Oscar-winning Robert De Niro and Charlize Theron, and Emmy Rossum. Performances by Grammy-award nominee Leona Lewis, and the Harlem Boys Choir were also held. A rendition of We Are the World led by Foxx and sung by De Niro, Theron and others ended the night.
Various blog postings and Tweets on the event talk about how well Foxx warmed the party up. One blogger, who attended the event, wrote that Foxx performed a “flirty” karaoke version of You’ve Got a Friend with Rosmah, and danced with Najib.

That’s it? That’s why they work so hard to steal our money? To rub shoulders with movie stars?
Imagine what it would have costs to have those stars ‘entertain’ the PM of some far-off, tiny country.
Had enough of these guys? I have.
ps- added info via @Aisehman: also don’t forget dat bsides MCing at Hair’sz event, Foxx also gave Jho a car as gift, as reported
pps- Wah!! Eyewitness?! Via @anthraxxxx and @suanie

Stand w/Fadiah: spoke out against slave labour, hauled up by MACC

ursday, July 22nd:
10.30am: Handover of memo to Minister of Defence, to guarantee safety of Sgt. Tharmendran
(MINDEF, Jln Padang Tembak, KL)
1.30pm: Solidarity with Fadiah Fikri
(MACC, Rumah Perseketuan, Jln Sultan Hishamuddin, KL)

Fadiah on the right

Unbelievable. They’re doing it again.
Fadiah Fikri, from Lawyers for Liberty, the nicest person you’ll meet, is a relentless crusader for human rights. The attempt by her and others to speak up for the rights of migrant workers exploited in the construction of new Istana Negara, has now got her hauled up for questioning with the MACC on Thursday.
Said Istana Negara has a price tag of RM 800 million, but it appears that that only covers crony fees, and left nothing for payment to the human beings that are actually building the place (like the pyramids, built on slave labour).
While no action against has been taken against a single employer, and idiots like Ezam Nor yelp and scream about derhaka and racism, it is the brave few who dare to speak up for the downtrodden that are hauled up.
Don’t stand for this nonsense, Jangan jadi satu lagi Teoh Beng Hock! Stand together with Fadiah tomorrow at the MACC!
(and if you can, join what will likely be many of the same people in the morning, to stand up for Tharmendran)
The Star:

Many foreign workers hired to build the new RM800mil Istana Negara claim they have not been paid over the last three months despite working seven days a week.
Living in fear and frustration, the workers alleged they were exploited and cheated and held to ransom by their employers because many of them do not have work permits.
There are more than 1,000 migrant workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam hired by more than 130 sub-contractors who are involved in the Jalan Duta palace project.
Most of them stay in kongsi or long wooden houses near the construction site.
According to workers interviewed by The Star, some employers threatened to call the police when they persisted in asking for their wages.
Several workers even claimed they were harassed by the police and Rela officers and that their possessions like mobile phones, cigarettes and canned drinks were confiscated.
Indonesian Punawi, 32, who does plastering work, said he had not been paid for five months and barely had any money left for food.
“I only manage with one meal a day and that’s because the foodstall owner allows me to eat on credit. My work permit has expired and I don’t have RM3,000 to renew it,” he added.
Jatim, 37, said their employer would hold back their wages for three to four months and they would subsequently be paid a month’s salary.
Some employers, he claimed, would extend loans of RM50 to RM100 per week to the workers, leaving them in debt.
Jatim’s wife, Salimah, 32, who lives with him at the kongsi near the construction site with their five-month-old baby, said they often lived in fear of police raids.
“Each time there is a raid, I grab my baby and run. Some of us have to spend the night in the jungle to escape the authorities.”

French soccer stars questioned over prostitution ring

French star Franck Ribery was questioned Tuesday in connection with an alleged underage prostitution ring.

Paris, France (CNN) -- Two members of the French national soccer team, Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema, were being questioned by French police Tuesday in connection with an alleged underage prostitution ring, French police said.

Ribery, who also plays for German team Bayern Munich, and Benzema, who plays for Spanish side Real Madrid, were being questioned by a police brigade that specializes in surveillance of prostitution.

The case emerged earlier this year after police raided a night club near the Champs Elysees in Paris and detained 18 girls on suspicion of prostitution.

One of the girls, Zahia Dehar, appeared on the cover of Paris Match in April and told the magazine she had sexual relations with several players on the national team, including Ribery, whom she had met at the club. She said in the interview she hadn't told them she was younger than 18 at the time.

In an initial court hearing on the case, Ribery admitted he had sex with Dehar but insisted he did not know she was a minor. Benzema has made no public comment.

Neither of the players spoke to reporters Tuesday. A lawyer for Ribery said outside the police station where the players were questioned that her client had done nothing wrong, and that he would have had to have known the girl's real age in order for it to be an intentional offense.

The questioning adds to a disastrous summer for the French national squad, which crashed out of the World Cup in the first round following two draws and a defeat that left them at the bottom of their group of teams. It was an embarrassing exit for the team that had reached the final of the last World Cup, in 2006.

Forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home from the tournament after an argument with coach Raymond Domenech, causing the rest of the French players to refuse to show up for training.

French team director Jean-Louis Valentin publicly announced his resignation to the media, and team captain Patrice Evra -- who had publicly argued with the team's fitness coach during training -- was omitted from the team's match with South Africa.

Once the team arrived back in France, striker Thierry Henry spoke to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and French lawmakers grilled outgoing coach Domenech about the events.

Syariah lawyers want heavier penalties for Islamic offences

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — The Malaysian Syariah Lawyers Association (PGSM) urged the government today to impose heavier penalties for Islamic offences and to standardise religious criminal laws in all states.

Its deputy president Musa Awang also claimed that the existing laws which provide for maximum imprisonment for three years, fine of RM5,000 and six strokes of the cane, had failed to deter Syariah offenders.

He said that the “3:5:6 formula” stipulated by the Syariah Courts Act 1984 was too light and outdated.

“It has been 20 years since the Syariah Courts Act 1984 was amended which has encouraged a lot of people to take the easy way out by pleading guilty, because the punishment is not as severe as the civil courts,” Musa told The Malaysian Insider.

“For offenders RM5,000 in 2010 is nothing because they can come up with the money in one day,” he added.

Musa said that amendments were necessary to protect the image of the Syariah courts.

“From a maximum fine of RM5,000, maybe it should be increased to RM20,000 or more. In Islam, gambling, adultery and consuming alcohol are considered major sins, but RM5,000 is too low,” he said.

Musa also wanted the punishment to be standardised in all states.

“For example in Selangor, if convicted for consumption of alcohol the punishment is fine and imprisonment, but in Pahang the punishment is fine, imprisonment or caning,” he said.

“The same with gambling, there are different punishments in Selangor and in other states. Same offence but different punishment,” said Musa.

He added that the different punishments could cause confusion.

“When different punishments are meted out, society will not respect the courts. We do not want this to happen,” said Musa.

“Is Selangor’s Islam different from the one in Pahang? Or is Islam in Pahang more extreme as it provides for caning for Syariah offenders? So there is a need for uniform laws so as to protect the image of the judiciary,” he added.

Policemen keeping watch on PKR headquarters

FMT ALERT PETALING JAYA: About 30 policemen have arrived outside the headquarters of PKR at Tropicana Damansara here this morning. They are keeping watch on the building, apparently awaiting for the arrival of PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, popularly known as Chegu Bard.

Najib set to 'charm' Sarawak's Orang Ulu

By Pushparani Thilaganathan - Free Malaysia Today

MIRI: Riding on 64.1% popularity high in Sarawak, Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak is set to head straight for the state’s deepest interiors tomorrow to “see for himself the real situation” among the Penan, Kelabit, Kenyah, Kayan, Saban, Berawan and Lakiput communities.
Najib is keeping his word. He had once told Sarawakians that he wanted a first-hand look at the state’s remotest areas, accessible only by boat, helicopters or trekking.

This will be only the second time since independence that a prime minister has ventured into the interiors of this vast landlocked state sliced by the mighty Rajang river.

The last visit was when former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad visited Long Bedian in 2003.

Excitement is high among the simplistic Orang Ulu sub-ethnic communities as they await Najib’s arrival to launch a bridge in Long Banga in Ulu Baram, which is an eight-hour drive from here along a dirt road.

Ulu Baram is home to the Orang Ulu comprising the Penan, Kelabit, Kenyah, Kayan, Saban, Berawan and Lakiput. Together with downriver tribes, Lun Bawang and Lun Dayeh, they make up 5.5 % of Sarawak’s population, a voter base that state BN officials have touted as unreacheable to the opposition. (The recent Merderka Centre Survey polled 11.2% support for the opposition Sarawak, but political analyst Faizal Hazri notes that Pakatan Rakyat will need 20% swing in votes to take Sarawak.)

According to Telang Usan assemblyman, Lihan Jok, the Orang Ulu are a minority community long since left behind by progress.

The prime minister’s visit, he said, will give them a chance at experiencing development.

“I believe this historic visit by Najib to Ulu Baram will pay off. He can see for himself their needs and explain many things to them.

“We are a minority community that has long been left behind by progress and development because we live in the far interiors of the rainforest,” Jok said.

The wish list

Reiterating his confidence in the imminent change which Najib will bring, Jok said he had forwarded the people’s wish list to the Prime Minister’s Department during his recent visit to Putrajaya.

“We’ve asked for development that will directly benefit each community’s quality of life and I believe the government will implement these plans for the Orang Ulu,” said Jok.

He said all the Orang Ulu sub-communities will be given a fair share of the development plan.

“For the Kelabit who live in the highlands, we have asked for roads and a bridge linking them to Miri city.

‘For the Penan, we have asked for clinics. The Penan community needs better healthcare and clinics that are closer to their settlements.

“For the Kenyah in Telang Usan, we have focused on economic development such as mini rubber estates for them to improve on their income.

“For the Kayan in Ulu Baram Tengah, we have also asked for a road and a bridge linking them to the outside world.

“And for the Berawan and Lakiput communities, they live in the low-lying areas and face regular water problems so we have asked for clean water to be supplied for their daily use,” said Jok.

While Jok has put forth the infrastructural needs of the Orang Ulu community, another group is fervently hoping to convince Najib to save its women and children from an endemic scrounge.

Said a source close to the Penan Support Group (PSG): “We know the visits into the Sarawak interior is time consuming but since he (Najib) is here in Baram, we sincerely hope that he will meet with groups like us.

“We want to tell him the real issues… that the Penan children are vulnerable. They are prone to rape and sexual exploitation because they are dependent on the logging companies for transport to schools... There are no schools near their settlements.

‘The fact is, he is the only one who can put a stop to this wide-ranging endemic exploitation.”

The PSG incidentally has rankled both state and federal governments with its recent report entitled “A wider context of sexual exploitation of Penan women and girls in Middle and Ulu Baram, Sarawak,” which contains intimate details and first-hand interviews of the scrounge in the interiors.

"Many BN leaders have slammed us. They find these confessions embarrasing and say the Penan are lying. But the report is factual and far more real than police reports and professed government action," said the source.

Coming soon: Malay sequel to Kg Buah Pala

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: Umno is planning to turn the Kampung Pokok Asam re-development project into another Kampung Buah Pala fiasco, should one read between the lines of an Umno leader's comments on the issue.
Teluk Bahang assemblyman Dr Hilmi Yahaya demanded that the state government work out compensation for the affected Malay residents of Kampung Pokok Asam on the same quantum formula tabled for Kampung Buah Pala's Indian residents.

He said the compensation offered to residents of the now demolished Kampung Buah Pala was the highest ever given in the state.

Since 24 Kampung Buah Pala residents were offered RM500,000 double-storey houses each, Hilmi said it is only fair that the 23 families affected by the new township project in Kampung Pokok Asam receive the same compensation.

“The state government should broker a similar compensation based on the precedent set in the Kampung Buah Pala project,” insisted the Penang Barisan Nasional secretary.

Although the fundamental dynamics between Kampung Buah Bala and Kampung Pokok Asam are different, Umno is bent on capitalising on the issue, which is set to be another thorn for the DAP-led state government.

What Hilmi failed to disclose is that unlike the residents of Kampung Buah Pala, Kampung Pokok Asam residents have been squatting on the developer's land for years without rent.

In the case of Kampung Buah Pala residents, they were staying for more than two centuries on what they claimed was trust land given to their forefathers by colonial estate owners – the Brown family.

At the height of the fiasco, all ex-Kampung Buah Pala residents, minus nine, were verbally offered a double-storey house each in the same area by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's administration.

But the ex-villagers are still in the dark over this as the offer was not documented in black and white.

Kampung Pokok Asam has been gazetted for a mega project, comprising flat units, luxury houses and shophouse lots, to be developed by Nova Mulia Development Sdn Bhd.

Even though the developer owns the three-acre land and has a court eviction order, Nova Mulia has nonetheless offered the residents between RM75,000 and RM120,000 in compensation.

'Don't use them as political pawns'

Last week, PAS state deputy commissioner Mujahid Yusuf Rawa cautioned Umno against using the villagers as “pawns” for the party's political interests.

“The developer owns the entire project site. We can only hope for the company’s goodwill in accepting our proposal for preserving the village as a Malay heritage site and to look into post-development resettlement for the villagers,” he said.

Mujahid Yusuf defended the state government's decision to approve the project plan given that it was already in the pipeline of gazetted projects during the previous Barisan Nasional administration.

He said Umno was merely trying to stir Malay sentiments against the Pakatan Rakyat government by spreading misinformation about the issue.

However, Umno state secretary and state opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim disagreed.

While conceding that the project was initiated by BN, he also pointed out that the previous state government inserted a clause demanding that the developer resolve the compensation issue before the project can be approved.

He accused the current government of ignoring the clause when approving the project.

“Pakatan is now pretending to protect the villagers’ interests when it should have done so prior to approving the project,” he said.

Twist in BN's land promise for Tamil school

By G Vinod and B Nantha Kumar

FMT EXCLUSIVE LUKUT: A Tamil school, which operates from a double-storey rented shoplot here, was promised land by Barisan Nasional during the Bagan Pinang by-election last year.
But the story has now taken a twist.

A member of SRJK (T) Sungai Salak's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) said despite the initial promise of six acres, a new school building is now being constructed on a three-acre site.

“During that time (the by-election), another Tamil school SRJK (T) Kem Askar Melayu was awarded a plot of land worth RM1.8 million to build its own school.

“But for some reason it did not want to move. So we urged the state government to give the land to our school,” explained the parent, who wished to remain anonymous.

According to him, a pro-government group called MyNadi had helped them secure the land during the by-election period.

“We actually spoke to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's aide then and the matter was later raised with the PM and we received the land,” he said.

The parent added that the six-acre plot was allocated on condition that both Sungai Salak and Kem Askar Melayu Tamil schools merge.

However, the latter opted not to merge and the Sungai Salak Indian community was delighted thinking that their school would get the land.

“But our hope was dashed. In September 2009, the Education Ministry sent a letter informing us that the school would have to share the land with the new District Education Department,” he said.

The Education Ministry also promised to find another three acres in the near future for the school.

“But our question is, why wasn’t the six-acre plot given to us when it was gazetted for two schools?” asked the parent, who hopes that the government would clear the air on this matter.

'Cannot become a fully-aided government school'

The parent pointed out that by erecting the school on a three-acre land, SRJK (T) Sungai Salak would not qualify to become a fully government-aided institution.

“The government's requirement is that a school must be built on a minimum of five acres in order to qualify to become 'sekolah kerajaan bantuan penuh' (fully-aided government school).

“Right now the new premises is being erected on a three-acre site. I don’t know if we still qualify to become a fully aided government school,” he said.

Currently, SRJK (T) Sungai Salak is supported by its PTA and donors. The school spends about RM1,400 a month for rentals and other expenses.

The school moved to the shoplot after it was “forced out” of another premises, which it shared with SRJK (T) Spring Hills.

“A local MIC leader pressured the Spring Hill school to force us out. So after five years, we moved to this shoplot. We did not get a single sen from the government. The parents and some donors spent almost RM80,000 to relocate the school,” said the parent.

The PTA member also expressed concern about the new location of the school.

“I am concerned for the safety of the children. It is being built in a relatively remote area covered with oil palm trees. You never know, some dangerous animals or unscrupulous people may prey on our children,” he said.

Is Syria Anti-Muslims?

By G. Krishnan

Following the French government’s effort to ban the niqab and burka in public premises, it must come as particularly surprising to many that Syria appears to be following in the footsteps of France (and Turkey) by restricting the use of the niqab.

Based on recent reports in the international media, it appears that “Syria has forbidden the country's students and teachers from wearing the niqab”.

The Syrian government, grounded in secularism, seems intent on keeping what it sees as “extremism” in check. Perhaps not so ironically, we have not heard much of an outcry against Syria from religious zealots and various misguided liberals, as we did when this issue in the French context first became widely publicised.

I am curious if the religious zealots and even pseudo-liberals will also jump on the case of the Syrian government and accuse it of being anti-Islamic. Perhaps the pseudo-liberals and religious extremists do believe that Syria, whose population is well over 85 percent Muslim, has a government that is anti-Muslim?

If I were a betting person, however, I would bet that we won’t find a hue and cry in the Islamic world about Syria’s recent action to ban the niqab and burka as we did when the topic happen to make the headlines in the case of France.

It is understandable that religious zealots would invariably have an issue with secular principles. However, it is deeply disappointing indeed when so-called liberals jump on the same bandwagon with religious bigots to condemn secular governments such as France when it seeks to elevate and preserve secularism.

It seems that pseudo-liberals have a problem when a secular country such as France seeks to preserve its identity as a secular nation, but become tongue-tied when predominantly Muslim countries such as Syria or Turkey act in a similar vein to affirm their commitment to secularism.

Too many liberals are quick to latch on to simplistic claims about xenophobia, anti-Islamism, and such without appreciating the more subtle and nuanced elements of such means to preserve the distinction between religion and a secular system of governance.

We’ve seen all too well what tends to happen when a secular government begins to indulge - and then over-indulges – religion, and especially self-professed religious experts.     

Despite all its flaws and shortcomings, hats off to the Syrian government – a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference - for understanding the need to preserve religion in the private sphere.  

G. Krishnan

Who wants PAS-Umno unity?

By Gan Pei Ling | The Nut Graph,


For an Islamic state

“Jika Umno dan PAS bekerjasama banyak perkara boleh dilaksanakan termasuk hukum hudud berbanding tindakannya bekerjasama dengan DAP dan PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) yang ternyata mempunyai dasar dan matlamat perjuangan yang berbeza.”

Lokman Nor Adam, who represented the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry’s special affairs department, commenting during an 11 July 2010 forum titled Can Malay Malaysians unite?. The former PKR member said it would be impossible for PAS to set up an Islamic state without cooperating with Umno to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament. (Source: Malaysia mudah asal dasar Islam jika PAS, Umno bersatu, Utusan Malaysia, 11 July 2010)

For Muslim unity

“Semua pihak di dalam kedua-dua parti itu harus sedar bahawa kegagalan mereka menjalinkan kerjasama dalam isu-isu disepakati akan terus melemahkan kedudukan umat Islam di negara ini.”

Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) president Razak Idris, suggesting the establishment of a special committee for Umno-PAS cooperation. He said both parties should set aside old grudges and work together to unite Muslims.
Following Lokman and Razak’s statements, Utusan Malaysia got both PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to comment on the idea. Both were quoted as saying they were open to cooperation between both parties. (Source: Wujudkan jawatankuasa khas, Utusan Malaysia, 12 July 2010)

For Malay Malaysian unity

”Kalau kita terus berpecah-belah, kita akan terima kekalahan (pada PRU-13), itu sahaja. Dan akan berlaku satu bentuk penjajahan baru.”

Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, claiming that Malay Malaysians would lose power in the next general election if Umno and PAS still refused to unite. He went on to claim that leaders from both parties had consulted him about unity between both parties. (Source: Melayu hilang kuasa pada PRU-13?, Utusan Malaysia, 17 July 2010)

Umno: We can talk

“I do not want to make any more statements because the Umno deputy president (Muhyiddin) has already issued a statement … I just want to say that Umno is itself strong, and it is not that we are too weak that we have to forge a new friendship with PAS.”

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, commenting on the issue of cooperation between Umno and PAS.
On 13 July, Muhyiddin said Umno was open to working together with PAS on economic and cultural issues apart from “building unity for the good of the ummah and country”. He added that non-Muslims should not feel threatened by these talks.
On 18 July, Najib said PAS should stop criticising Umno and imposing preconditions if the party was serious in wanting to hold talks with Umno on Malay Malaysian unity. (Source: Umno not too weak as to forge new friendship with PAS – Najib, Bernama, 14 July 2010)

PAS: Not a chance

“PAS is not open to any discussions with Umno. The issue is closed. We are with Pakatan Rakyat and that’s final.”

Nik Aziz, commenting on certain parties’ attempts to revive unity talks between Umno and PAS. Bernama also reported on 16 July that the Kelantan menteri besar was only willing to meet Muhyiddin to discuss cooperation between the state and federal governments, especially on the issue of oil royalty.
PAS vice-presidents Salahuddin Ayub and Mahfuz Omar also refuted Harussani’s claim that PAS leaders had approached the Perak mufti to help mediate talks between Umno and PAS. Both said their party would not work with Umno. (Source: Embrace Islamic policies first, Nik Aziz tells Umno, Free Malaysia Today, 16 July 2010)

A gross violation of the civil service code

By Thomas Lee Seng Hock | Mysinchew

The current spat between Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the state development officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus highlights a fundamental flaw in the Malaysian civil service.

In the democratic system of government, of which Malaysia professes to practise, the civil service is a politically non-partisan and neutral body, with all its officers supposed to function and operate impartially in the implementations of the policies, programmes, and projects of the elected government.

Article 132 of the Federal Constitution states that federal civil servants hold office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and state civil servants at the pleasure of the respective Sultan. Which means that the civil servants are not beholden to any political party but to His Majesty’s government of the day. His Majestic is above politics, and so must all those civil servants appointed under his royal command and name.

As is supposed to be the practice, a change in the government after a general election is not supposed to affect the administration and public service of the nation or a state as the civil service’s loyalty is absolutely with His Majesty’s elected government of the day.

The fundamental flaw in Malaysia is that civil servants think they are officers of the Barisan Nasional, specifically Umno, and even with a change of government at the state level, they operate as if Umno is the authority and Umno leaders their bosses, taking orders only from Umno.

Such a dangerous attitude borders on sedition, as if it could be interpret to mean the civil servants are not serving His Majesty’s elected government, but taking order from those not authorised constitutionally to give them.

The very fact that Nik Ali participated at a press conference called by Umno and used it to launch an unwarranted and unjustified verbal attack on the chief minister is a gross violation of his status as a non-partisan and neutral civil servant.

The fundamental integrity and probity of the civil service have been desecrated by Nik Ali’s involvement in the political press conference initiated by an Umno state assembly member, something not to be taken lightly by the Cabinet and the Public Service Commission.

Nothing less than an appropriate disciplinary action should be taken against Nik Ali for such a serious case of lese majeste. And he should be made to apologise to His Majesty for exposing the civil service to ridicule and derision, and to the chief minister.

Guan Eng, and perhaps also the other Pakatan Rakyat state chief executives like Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim of Selangor, has been facing a lot of difficulties in the running of the state government due to uncooperative civil servants whose loyalty is apparently to Umno.

In the Nik Ali case, Guan Eng has no choice but to publicly reprimand the federal officer for allegedly not being accountable and responsible for his mistakes which affect the well-being of the state.

“These officials get high pay and do nothing for the people and instead cost losses. We hope he can be more professional,” Guan Eng was quoted as saying by various newspapers.

Guan Eng has also claimed that Nik Ali tried to sabotage the state government openly and blatantly. On this allegation, the very fact that Nik Ali was at an Umno press conference with prepared media statements to lambaste the chief minister proves that Guan Eng is telling the truth.

Obviously, Nik Ali has failed as a senior civil servant to exercise his impartiality and neutrality when he allowed himself to be used by Umno to attack Guan Eng, calling the chief minister rude.

If the Najib administration truly professes to practise the “People first” concept, then justice must be done and seen to be done for the people of Penang, who elected Lim Guan Eng as their chief minister, by taking disciplinary action against the federal officer who violated the sacred principle of impartiality in the civil service.

That is the least Datuk Seri Najib Razak should do to show the people that he is a fair, just and righteous prime minister, worthy of their respect.

Ensuring education for all

The New Straits Times
by Eileen Ng

KUALA LUMPUR: Education programmes for stateless children may be coordinated by the Education Ministry.

Currently, the various education opportunities for these children are being offered by the non-governmental organisations, the private sector and individuals.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister, welcomed these initiatives but said the implementation of the education programmes would have to be monitored carefully.

This is to ensure that its original objective is met, in line with the national education philosophy.

"As such, I feel it is time for the Education Ministry to act as a coordinating agency so that the education programmes can be standardised and a sense of identity and love for Malaysia, as a country that gives them protection, can be inculcated into the children," he said in reply to a question from Senator Noriah Mahat in the Dewan Negara yesterday.

Muhyiddin said the government would ensure that stateless children were given education in line with the principles of ensuring education for all children irrespective of religion, race or location.


The government has categorised stateless children into 10 categories. These are:

- Malaysian children with underprivileged background;

- Malaysian and non-Malaysian children living along borders such as Thailand and Kalimantan;

- Foreign children whose parents come to Malaysia to work;

- Children of nomadic sea gypsies;

- Children whose parents are refugees from Southern Philippines with IMM13 documents;

- Rohingya children whose parents are issued UNHCR cards;

- Aceh children whose parents are issued UNHCR cards;

- Children from foreign illegals;

- Street children with unknown background; and

- Children of high-risk parents such as those who indulge in drugs and prostitution.

He said the Education Ministry had approved a policy to provide alternative education opportunities for stateless children, equip them with basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills as well as civic education and providing them with useful skills.

To date, the ministry has formed smart partnerships with agencies such as the Federal Special Task Force to organise Kafa (religious) classes and the armed forces for a community project in Sabah for the stateless children there.

He said such smart partnerships would be expanded, where he hoped other government agencies, NGOs and the private sector would help to provide education programmes for the children.

For Malaysian children without documents, Muhyiddin said they would be accepted into government schools as long as they fulfilled the condition that one of the parents is a Malaysian. However, this must be endorsed by a community leader such as a village chief.

He added that the cost to educate stateless children was minimal.

Meanwhile, in his speech at the 17th National Seminar on Educa-tional Management and Leadership at the Institut Aminuddin Baki in Genting Highlands, Muhyiddin said leaders in the field of education must have the courage to manage change to churn out human capital capable of competing at the global level.

He said unwillingness and fear on the part of the leaders or educators to initiate changes would result in the education system becoming static.

"Quality and excellence today will not guarantee quality and excellence tomorrow because the yardstick used in evaluating quality and excellence always changes.

"Thus, leaders should not be complacent on the success enjoyed by the organisation today, but must be bold in implementing changes and innovations in a proactive manner."

His speech was read by Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

Police at PKR headquarters

1233: Police are now at the PKR headquarters in Tropicana.
They are believed to be interested in confiscating a computer in connection with investigations into an allegedly seditious posting by Chegubard, according to a senior PKR official.
The blog posting apparently was made from the PKR office.
According to the official, PKR cannot understand why the police need to take away the computer when Chegubard was arrested for the blog post itself.  He said Chegubard had acknowledged that the posting was his.

Kelantan Sultan ambushed by special ops cops

Gel 'helps prevent' HIV infection

At least 33 million people worldwide have HIV, two-thirds of which live in sub-Saharan Africa [GETTY] Researchers have found that a vaginal gel containing a prescription drug could dramatically cut the prevalence of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in woman. Results of a study conducted in South Africa showed that the microbicide gel reduced the HIV infection rate by 39 per cent over two and a half years. Experts at a International AIDS conference being held in Austria said that the development could provide hope in protecting women who's partners refuse to use condoms. At least 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV, two-thirds of them in sub-Saharan Africa and another 32 million have died of AIDS complications. "This is a big moment we need to celebrate because this is the first time in the history of fighting HIV/AIDs that we can talk about a prevention revolution that will help us have a tool that can help women initiate and control their prevention methods," Michel Sidibe, the executive director of the United Nations' AIDS-fighting agency, said. "The only things we've known until now has only been for men," he told Al Jazeera. "I am so proud that this discovery is coming from Africa and also from researchers who are themselves African." 'Positive result' Anthony Fauci, an expert from the US National Institutes of Health, said: "This is the first time we've ever seen any microbicide give a positive result. "Even partial protection is a huge victory that could be a boon not just in poor countries" Salim Abdool Karim, South African researcher "Given that women make up the majority of new HIV infections throughout the world, this finding is an important step toward empowering an at-risk population with a safe and effective HIV prevention tool," Fauci said. The gel, spiked with the AIDS drug tenofovir, cut the risk of HIV infection by 50 per cent after one year of use and 39 per cent after 2 1/2 years, compared to a gel that contained no medicine. Research is under way to try to improve the gel and if further studies show the gel to be safe and effective. The level of protection is probably currently not enough to win approval of the microbicide gel in countries like the United States, but researchers say they are optimistic it can be improved. To be licensed in the US, a gel or cream to prevent HIV infection may need to be at least 80 per cent effective, Fauci said. Researchers suggested that better results could be achieved by adding more tenofovir or getting women to use it more consistently. 'New hope' In the study, women used the gel only 60 per cent of the time; those who used it more often had higher rates of protection. The gel also cut in half the chances of getting HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes. That would be important because other sexually spread diseases raise the risk of catching HIV. Dr. Salim Abdool Karim, the associate director of the programme that carried out the study, told Al Jazeera that "the traditional four tools, which is abstinence, being faithful, condoms and circumcision, have very limited capability" to fight HIV transmissions. "So essentially we have very little to offer a woman to protect herself from HIV, but this finding offers new hope," he said, speaking from Austria's capital Vienna.      "We did some mathematical modeling that showed what would happen if we took this gel and made it available to the whole of South Africa. "Our model shows that over the next 20 years if the gel is available, we could prevent 1.3 million HIV infections and could avert over 800,000 deaths in South Africa. "39 per cent (efficiency) is not the last word. What we have done is showed that the concept works. This is the first time an anti-retroviral has been shown to prevent sexual transmission. "It is also the first time that we have a microbicide gel that has been shown to prevent HIV infection. This is a starting point.  "The most important thing at this point is for us to is to put all of our sources together to find the fastest ways to get it approved by regulator authorities. "Until a regulator says that this product is safe and effective, we will  not be able to make it available. " Karim will present results of the study in Vienna at the International AIDS Conference on Tuesday.

Ex Fiji Prime Minister shocked at extent of discrimination in Malaysia. Letter to HRP.

20^th July 2010
Mr. P. Uthayakumar
Human Rights Party
Malaysia
Dear Mr. Uthayakumar.
Thank you for forwarding us your Party’s statements and newsletters.  I am indeed shocked by the extent of discrimination and the denial of human rights of the people of Indian origin in your country.
I have always considered Malaysia a friendly and multi-racial country but can now imagine how difficult it is there for Indians, particularly those who exist in poverty.
The only sure way in which their problems can be addressed and justice meted out to them is to make the international community aware of their plight and appeal for their assistance to redress the situation.
It can be a long drawn and frustrating experience but it is, in the end, sure to achieve satisfying results.
I wish you and your Party the success you all deserve in your worthy struggle and commend you for your courage in taking up the cudgels on behalf of your people.
With warm personal regards.
Sincerely,
Mahendra P. Chaudhry
Secretary General
Fiji Labour Party

Siva Subramaniam’s MIC membership ?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 Sacked MIC Central Working Committee member K P Samy’s alleged that Siva Subramaniam is not an MIC member as reported by Makkal Osai Tamil daily. But a document -- imol could not verify the authenticity -- indicates Siva Subramaniam, Selangor MIC information chief is indeed an MIC member.

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BN Youth report shows most young voters undecided

Both BN and Pakatan are racing to sign up unregistered voters, most of whom are youths. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth today presented a report to the prime minister over its survey that found three in five Malaysian youths were undecided with their vote.

BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and his BN Youth Lab team submitted the report which also contained policy proposals and results of the survey to Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the Prime Minister’s Office this afternoon.

“We’ll be presenting it to the public via a town hall meeting with the prime minister very soon,” Khairy told The Malaysian Insider after submitting the report to the prime minister

He later said the town hall meeting will be at 3pm on August 20, with those interested having to register through the BN Youth Lab’s Facebook account.

Khairy said the BN chairman was “happy with the analysis and many of the suggestions”.

The series of surveys were conducted nationwide between March and June by the BN Youth Lab programme through telephone calls, social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, and polls to detect relevant issues and problems affecting the Malaysian youth. It said a majority were not political party supporters, with 62 per cent undecided on their vote.

The major concerns voiced by the interviewees were employment, education, rising cost of living and public transportation. Most of these concerns pushed Malaysians to hand four states and 82 federal seats to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Election 2008.

Both coalitions are now racing to sign up the 4.4 million unregistered voters in the country, comprising mainly youths. The DAP is the leading political party registering new voters ahead of the 13th general election, and has helped PR register two voters to BN’s one for the first half of 2010.

According to the BN Youth Lab, its survey also discovered that 30 per cent of the 1,000 youths surveyed are worried with the country’s current situation while 50 per cent are unhappy with the rising crime rate in Malaysia.

It reported that around 65 per cent of respondents felt the country was on the right track against the 30 per cent concerned over its future.

The survey said more were most concerned about employment/career (66 per cent), beating out children’s education and future (20 per cent), and cost of living (12 per cent).

Apart from the crime rate, the respondents were also dissatisfied about public transport (22 per cent), housing (10 per cent) and education (13 per cent).

The top most aspirations for those surveyed were economic progress (33 per cent) and freedom of expression (24 per cent), as opposed to transparency (19 per cent), religious tolerance (14 per cent) and race-related policies (7 per cent).