Friday, 27 January 2012
New date for accused in Kugan case
The New Straits Times
PETALING
JAYA: The Sessions Court yesterday fixed Feb 13 to mention the case of
constable V. Navindran who was charged with causing hurt to detainee A.
Kugan, who died while in custody three years ago.
V.
Navindran, 29, was initially charged with two counts of causing
grievous hurt and two alternative counts of causing hurt to Kugan.
Navindran
was alleged to have committed the offences at the interrogation room of
the Taipan police station at 7am and 4pm on Jan 16, 2009.
The
accused claimed trial on Oct 1, 2009 and was acquitted without his
defence being called. The prosecution appealed and the Shah Alam High
Court allowed the appeal last Thursday when it ordered Navindran to
enter his defence on the two alternative charges.
The accused, who was represented by Datuk P.M. Nagarajan, was granted bail of RM10,000.
Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz then fixed Feb 13 for mention before Judge Aslam Zainuddin at the Sessions Court in Shah Alam.
Anwar pulls in the crowds
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Egyptian Sheikh: Driving a Chevy is Haram
(Photo via Facebook.com)
"And I think to myself, what a wonderful world..."
A Salafi sheikh in Egypt has reportedly issued a fatwa that buying [or driving] a Chevrolet vehicle is haram because the American brand’s logo looks like the Christian cross.
In the video below, prominent Egyptian TV presenter Amr Adeeb takes the sheikh’s joke-of-a-fatwa to task, saying, “We’ve reached a really strange place with this.”
“The car’s been around [for a century] and only now did you notice there’s a cross on the car?”
Adeeb also notes that the car is not used or presented as a form of religious iconography: “Do we hold mass for it? Do we pray for it?” And his guest chimes in with a comment about the self-centered nature of the fatwa itself: “As if the people who came up with the logo were thinking that we want to put this special logo on the car just to piss us [Muslims] off?”
The TV presenter concludes, “With all of the problems in Egypt, you’re concerned about the cross?... We’re calling for unity [in the country] and then you come up with [fatwas] like this?”
By the way, there’s actually a few theories going around about the symbolism behind the Chevrolet logo. One common story is that General Motors co-founder William C. Durant copied the design off some wallpaper he saw in a Parisian Hotel. But historian Ken Kaufmann says the logo is actually based on iconography used by the Southern Compressed Coal Company ad for its “Coalettes” logo.
Either way, it’s usually referred to as a bowtie emblem, of which there are many examples in various corporate logos.
Knowledge is power, people. And I’m too annoyed to comment further.
Cops deny aiding ‘school kids’ to disrupt ABU ceramah
SHAH ALAM, Jan 25 — Police said today they could not have aided a group of locals to disrupt an Anything But Umno (ABU) ceramah here last Saturday as officers only arrived after the two groups had clashed.Shah Alam police chief Zahedi Ayob told reporters “police were only told (of the ceramah) after the disturbance but calmed the situation down as soon as we arrived.”
“We were not informed of the event. Why did they not tell us? Only they know,” he said.
ABU said yesterday it would lodge a complaint with the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) claiming police had worked with a gang of men to disrupt the gathering in a hall on Jalan Kebun here.
Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin alleged that the “attack” was witnessed by plainclothes policemen who failed to step in despite the danger posed to the crowd by the group.
But Zahedi said today “even if a plainclothes officer had arrived earlier, he would not have been able to take action as he would have been alone and likely would have been whacked.”
“Even if you had been there, you would have had to wait for uniformed personnel. But as I said earlier, we did not know about the event at all and only arrived after the incident,” he said.
He also said allegations that the ceramah was disrupted by “30 to 40 men in Umno shirts are not true and only stories.”
“All six whom we detained for investigations are between 16 and 19 years old. School kids. Are they party members? Unlikely,” he said.
Zahedi added the six were identified as intruders during the ceramah through video and photographic evidence which showed “nobody there was in an Umno uniform.”
The anti-Umno coalition had claimed that the ceramah was cancelled after men in Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) T-shirts, allegedly armed with steel rods, kicked over tables and chairs and asked the attendees to leave.
Police also said they did not find any weapons at the scene but admitted there were unused flagpoles strewn about the venue.
Zahedi said organisers of public events should inform the police of their occurence as “we don’t want to obstruct, we want to protect.”
“If you do it in the hornet’s nest, then we will tell you not to and suggest another place. But if you say you like to get stung, then we will let you proceed,” he added.
He also said the six detained were not remanded and released on police bail after their statements were taken.
Police also said they were waiting to interview a 27-year-old who sustained injuries to his shoulder, back and eye in the clash and was hospitalised.
Aussie designer clarifies Rosmah shopping reports
A screenshot of Carl Kapp's press release to The Malaysian Insider
The South African-born Kapp acknowledged that the prime minister’s wife had visited his store in Paddington, Sydney as published recently in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The party of Datin Sri (Seri) Rosmah came to our store in a sizeable group, and during their visit, members of the party, including friends and the Chairman and organiser of Islamic Fashion Festival (IFF) separately made various purchases,” he said in a statement to The Malaysian Insider today.
“I believe Datin Sri Rosmah is the patron for this Islamic Fashion Festival.
“The article also stated that I alluded to being ‘flown to Malaysia next month’ solely for the benefit of the Prime Minister’s wife.
“This is also inaccurate. Visits to various parts of Asia, including Malaysia, for the purposes of channel marketing for our merchandise and sourcing of materials for future products are a regular part of my work calendar and ordinary course of business.” He added that the newspaper article had unfairly given the impression that the Carl Kapp establishment was indiscreet and was willing to divulge personal and private information about clients.
“This is manifestly untrue, and we wish to state unequivocally that we value greatly the privacy of our
Carl Kapp, courtesy of Carlkapp.com
Rosmah had on Monday dismissed claims of extravagant spending during a recent holiday in Sydney.
Several bloggers picked up the Sydney Morning Herald report that Rosmah had allegedly dropped an estimated RM325,000 in fashion designer Carl Kapp’s boutique during a private holiday a little more than a fortnight ago.
The paper reported Kapp as telling its ‘Private Sydney’ section that Rosmah “was absolutely gracious and very easy to deal with”, adding that she was nothing like the woman often portrayed by the local media for her extravagant lifestyle.
It was said that Kapp, who became suspicious of the identity of his mystery VIP customer when his Oxford Street store received a flurry of calls requesting valet parking for her limousine, said he was being flown to Malaysia next month with a collection of “toiles” for Rosmah to try on before completing her massive order of 61 dresses, pants, and tops.
Sodomy appeal: Saiful may have to wait longer
Parties filing notices of appeal have to wait for written judgments first, says Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh.
KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan may have to wait at least three months to know if the prosecution’s appeal against Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal on a sodomy charge will be heard.
Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh said today that under the Courts of Judicature Act, parties filing notices of appeal have to wait for written judgments first.
A standing order allows judges up to eight weeks to produce their written judgments.
“In Anwar’s case, the prosecution will then peruse the written judgment before deciding to file a petition of appeal.
“If the prosecution feels the grounds of the written judgment are favourable for an appeal, then they will file a petition, otherwise it’s the end of the matter,” said Karpal.
He also told reporters that it was the Attorney-General’s prerogative to appeal.
“Its nothing extraordinary. The other senior counsels and I have previously adviced our clients not to go ahead with an appeal after studying a written judgment.
Karpal was talking to reporters after meeting trial judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah’s secretary over the status of the written judgment on Anwar’s Sodomy II trial.
He said the judgment was still not ready and the secretary informed him that relevant parties will be notified as soon as it’s ready.
He explained that under Chief Justice’s practise directive, judges have eight weeks to come up with their written judgment from the filing day of notice of appeal.
Meanwhile, Mohamd Zabidin was back on duty today after having been on leave since delivering his judgment on Anwar’s case on Jan 9.
Last Friday, the AG’s Chambers filed notice of appeal which was signed by Solicitor-General Idrus Harun.
The chambers issued a statement that the decision to appeal was based on evidence and the law and was not swayed by emotion or sentiment.
Mohamad Zabidin acquitted and discharged Anwar after ruling that the court was not 100% certain that the integrity of the DNA samples had not been compromised.
He also ruled that the court was reluctant to convict a person solely on the uncorroborated evidence of complainant, Mohd Saiful.
KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan may have to wait at least three months to know if the prosecution’s appeal against Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal on a sodomy charge will be heard.Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh said today that under the Courts of Judicature Act, parties filing notices of appeal have to wait for written judgments first.
A standing order allows judges up to eight weeks to produce their written judgments.
“In Anwar’s case, the prosecution will then peruse the written judgment before deciding to file a petition of appeal.
“If the prosecution feels the grounds of the written judgment are favourable for an appeal, then they will file a petition, otherwise it’s the end of the matter,” said Karpal.
He also told reporters that it was the Attorney-General’s prerogative to appeal.
“Its nothing extraordinary. The other senior counsels and I have previously adviced our clients not to go ahead with an appeal after studying a written judgment.
Karpal was talking to reporters after meeting trial judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah’s secretary over the status of the written judgment on Anwar’s Sodomy II trial.
He said the judgment was still not ready and the secretary informed him that relevant parties will be notified as soon as it’s ready.
He explained that under Chief Justice’s practise directive, judges have eight weeks to come up with their written judgment from the filing day of notice of appeal.
Meanwhile, Mohamd Zabidin was back on duty today after having been on leave since delivering his judgment on Anwar’s case on Jan 9.
Last Friday, the AG’s Chambers filed notice of appeal which was signed by Solicitor-General Idrus Harun.
The chambers issued a statement that the decision to appeal was based on evidence and the law and was not swayed by emotion or sentiment.
Mohamad Zabidin acquitted and discharged Anwar after ruling that the court was not 100% certain that the integrity of the DNA samples had not been compromised.
He also ruled that the court was reluctant to convict a person solely on the uncorroborated evidence of complainant, Mohd Saiful.
‘Merit in Karpal’s one man-one seat proposal’
Some DAP leaders say the party should adopt the proposal and not cater to an elite few.
GEORGE TOWN: The DAP central executive committee must have the courage to adopt Karpal Singh’s one-man one seat proposal
The DAP chairman Karpal Singh made this proposal some time ago and the party is divided whether to take a stand on this for the coming election.
The Pahang DAP deputy chairman J Apalasamy and Bagan division assistant secretary G Asoghan feel adopting Karpal’s proposal is the only way forward for the party.
They said the one man – one seat policy would create more space for new talents to emerge.
Since many strongly supported Karpal’s proposal, they warned that some leaders and members will be frustrated if the party failed to adopt the proposal merely to satisfy a few.
Apalasamy and Asoghan were commenting on a recent statement by party deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw, who opposed Karpal’s proposal.
Tan was quoted as saying that the suggestion was not feasible and may not see the light of the day.
If adopted, the Kepong MP argued, the policy would cause a lot of dissatisfaction among current assemblymen and parliamentarians.
Apalasamy and Asoghan took Tan to task for seemingly suggesting that the ego and satisfaction of seven Peninsular-based double-seat representatives were far greater than wishes of thousands of grassroots leaders and members.
“Seng Giaw’s suggestion is a way backward, not forward,” said the duo.
If CEC failed to adopt the one man – one seat policy, Asoghan cautioned that majority members would perceive that the DAP leadership was using them to empower an elite few.
He said the party was not at all about seven double-seat holders, thus should uphold the rights of party grassroots and aspirations of the public.
“This is in line with the CAT theme of competency, accountability and transparency,” stressed Asoghan.
Bringing up fresh talents
Since the last general election, Apalasamy said many senior and new members have showed renewed enthusiasm to play active roles in the party.
He said the senior members, who have helped to build the party to its current strong political position, must be given due recognition.
“Hence, the seats must be distributed fairly and justly to accommodate these seniors and fresh talents,” he said.
Party supremo Karpal has proposed the one man – one seat policy with exceptions for candidates in Sabah and Sarawak, and Chief Minister of Penang, a post held by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Lim is currently Air Putih assemblyman and Bagan MP.
The one man – one seat policy would affect double-seat holders in Penang such as state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow (Padang Kota assemblyman and Tanjung MP) and Deputy Chief Minister II and party deputy secretary general P Ramasamy (Prai assemblyman and Batu Kawan MP).
Others who would be affected are Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham (Sitiawan assemblyman and Beruas MP), Nga Kor Ming (Pantai Remis assemblyman and Taiping MP), DAP national organising secretary Teresa Kok (Kinrara assemblywoman and Seputeh MP) and national DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke Siew Fook (Lobak assemblyman and Rasah MP) who is also Negeri Sembilan Opposition.
Two more double-seat holders, DAP Sibu MP and Bukit Assek assemblyman Richard Wong Ho Leng, and Bandar Kuching MP and Bukit Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, would likely benefit from the exception to rule for now.
GEORGE TOWN: The DAP central executive committee must have the courage to adopt Karpal Singh’s one-man one seat proposalThe DAP chairman Karpal Singh made this proposal some time ago and the party is divided whether to take a stand on this for the coming election.
The Pahang DAP deputy chairman J Apalasamy and Bagan division assistant secretary G Asoghan feel adopting Karpal’s proposal is the only way forward for the party.
They said the one man – one seat policy would create more space for new talents to emerge.
Since many strongly supported Karpal’s proposal, they warned that some leaders and members will be frustrated if the party failed to adopt the proposal merely to satisfy a few.
Apalasamy and Asoghan were commenting on a recent statement by party deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw, who opposed Karpal’s proposal.
Tan was quoted as saying that the suggestion was not feasible and may not see the light of the day.
If adopted, the Kepong MP argued, the policy would cause a lot of dissatisfaction among current assemblymen and parliamentarians.
Apalasamy and Asoghan took Tan to task for seemingly suggesting that the ego and satisfaction of seven Peninsular-based double-seat representatives were far greater than wishes of thousands of grassroots leaders and members.
“Seng Giaw’s suggestion is a way backward, not forward,” said the duo.
If CEC failed to adopt the one man – one seat policy, Asoghan cautioned that majority members would perceive that the DAP leadership was using them to empower an elite few.
He said the party was not at all about seven double-seat holders, thus should uphold the rights of party grassroots and aspirations of the public.
“This is in line with the CAT theme of competency, accountability and transparency,” stressed Asoghan.
Bringing up fresh talents
Since the last general election, Apalasamy said many senior and new members have showed renewed enthusiasm to play active roles in the party.
He said the senior members, who have helped to build the party to its current strong political position, must be given due recognition.
“Hence, the seats must be distributed fairly and justly to accommodate these seniors and fresh talents,” he said.
Party supremo Karpal has proposed the one man – one seat policy with exceptions for candidates in Sabah and Sarawak, and Chief Minister of Penang, a post held by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Lim is currently Air Putih assemblyman and Bagan MP.
The one man – one seat policy would affect double-seat holders in Penang such as state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow (Padang Kota assemblyman and Tanjung MP) and Deputy Chief Minister II and party deputy secretary general P Ramasamy (Prai assemblyman and Batu Kawan MP).
Others who would be affected are Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham (Sitiawan assemblyman and Beruas MP), Nga Kor Ming (Pantai Remis assemblyman and Taiping MP), DAP national organising secretary Teresa Kok (Kinrara assemblywoman and Seputeh MP) and national DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke Siew Fook (Lobak assemblyman and Rasah MP) who is also Negeri Sembilan Opposition.
Two more double-seat holders, DAP Sibu MP and Bukit Assek assemblyman Richard Wong Ho Leng, and Bandar Kuching MP and Bukit Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, would likely benefit from the exception to rule for now.
Suhakam: Polis tak nak bicara tapi terus hukum
Shaani berkata polis sepatutnya mendidik masyarakat supaya tidak mengambil tindakan yang bertentangan dengan undang -undang.
KUALA
LUMPUR: Pesuruhjaya Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam) Shaani
Abdullahberpendapat institusi polis seolah-olah tidak faham dengan prinsip hak asasi manusia terutamanya dalam hal bertolak ansur semata-mata untuk melindungi kepentingan kumpulan tertentu.
Malah mereka menyalahgunakan kedudukan dengan mengurangkan kebebasan rakyat hanya untuk memudahkan kerja sendiri sedangkan tanggungjawab polis adalah untuk melindungi semua rakyat dan bukan untuk golongan majoriti, dakwa Shaani.
“Tak nak (guna) waran tapi mahu terus tangkap, tak nak bicara tapi mahu terus hukum,” tegurnya selepas mendengar aduan daripada wakil gerakan Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU) Badrul Hisham Shaharin di pejabat Suhakam di sini hari ini.
Beliau berkata sedemikian ketika mengulas mengenai cara polis bertindak menangani serangan kumpulan samseng semasa program ceramah anjuran ABU dan Barisan Bertindak Hak Asasi Hindu (Hindraf) di Dewan Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) Seksyen 30, Jalan Kebun, Shah Alam pada malam 21 Januari lalu.
Shaani berkata polis sepatutnya mendidik masyarakat supaya tidak mengambil tindakan yang bertentangan dengan undang-undang dan bukannya menggunakan hukum sendiri dengan menyerang majlis ceramah tersebut.
“Majlis diadakan oleh badan yang sah, bukannya majlis anjuran kongsi gelap. Kalau rakyat marah, pergi buat aduan polis bukan guna hukum sendiri,” katanya.
Turut hadir mendengar aduan tersebut Pegawai Bahagian Aduan dan Siasatan Suhakam Yustina Ishak.
Polis disyaki bersubahat
ABU dalam memorandumnya kepada Suhakam mendakwa salah seorang dari kumpulan penceroboh yang mengganggu ceramah itu adalah pegawai polis yang tidak mengenakan pakaian seragam dan mengesyaki polis bersubahat dengan kumpulan penyerang terbabit.
Badrul juga berkata polis pada malam kejadian tidak mengambil apa-apa
tindakan walaupun penyerang masih ada di tempat kejadian, sebaliknya
menyuruh penganjur memberhentikan ceramah.Selain memorandum, turut dikemukakan bukti rakaman video serangan malam kejadian dan gambar penyerang yang dikenal pasti.
Beliau turut menafikan laporan akhbar Berita Harian bahawa seramai 1,000 penduduk yang tidak berpuas hati mengepung dewan berkenaan, sebaliknya mendakwa hanya kira-kira 10 pemuda dipercayai penyokong Barisan Nasional (BN) mengganggu dengan menjerit dengan kata-kata perkauman sambil mengugut orang ramai keluar dari dewan itu.
“Mereka kemudian mengejar dan menyerang hadirin berrketurunan India dengan kayu, topi keledar serta mencampak kerusi ke merata tempat.
“Berikutan itu, sorang lelaki India yang juga ahli Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS mengalami kecederaan dan sehingga hari ini masih ditahan dalam wad,” katanya.
Sehubungan itu, ABU menuntut supaya Suhakam menubuhkan jawatankuasa khas menyiasat kejadian itu dan mengumumkan laporan penyiasatan tersebut.
Gerakan itu juga mahu Suhakam memastikan penyerang terlibat dikenakan tindakan undang-undang selain mengeluarkan kenyataan mengutuk tindakan menggunakan kekerasan dan berbaur perkauman bagi menghalang hak orang awam berhimpun secara aman.
“Kami juga mahu Suhakam menyiasat sama ada polis bersubahat dengan penyerang yang terlibat,” katanya.
Sementara itu Shaani dalam responnya berkata pihaknya akan membawa perkara ini ke mesyuarat pesuruhjaya untuk tindakan selanjutnya.
Katanya dalam mesyuarat itu terpulang kepada keputusan Suhakan sama ada wajar suruhanjaya itu ditubuhkan atau mengadakan sesi pendengaran inkuiri awam.
Cops come under fire for their 'inaction'
Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (Warga Aman) has called for urgent police
action against the "aggressors" who disrupted the Anything But Umno
(ABU) ceramah in Shah Alam last Saturday.
The coalition of 20 Indian non-governmental groups has demanded to know why there is no action against those who gatecrashed the ceramah, and insisted that it be called off.
"Where and why is the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussien and the inspector-general of police so quiet? Let’s see what action the police will take to bring the culprits to justice," said the coalition’s secretary-general S Barathidasan.
The 'End Umno/BN regime' ceramah organised by ABU and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) at the Shah Alam City Council hall in Jalan Kebun was cancelled following the scuffle, that left one injured.
The ceramah organisers lodged a police report yesterday, suspecting that police were also in cahoots with the assailants.
According to those who witnessed the incident, a “rowdy mob” interrupted ABU’s ceramah and hurled racial slurs at the participants, ordering them to vacate the hall.
“Such gangsterism must be stoped. It is the duty and responsibility of the police to protect citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble and speak.
“The police, however, have skirted around the matter contending that nobody was injured in the melee. The police are definitely in cohort with the gangsters for not taking any action immediately,” added Barathidasan.
He reminded that even if no one was assaulted, the authorities should investigate the incident nonetheless, “as (it’s) highly possible the incident will escalate into something serious”.
The coalition of 20 Indian non-governmental groups has demanded to know why there is no action against those who gatecrashed the ceramah, and insisted that it be called off.
"Where and why is the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussien and the inspector-general of police so quiet? Let’s see what action the police will take to bring the culprits to justice," said the coalition’s secretary-general S Barathidasan.
The 'End Umno/BN regime' ceramah organised by ABU and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) at the Shah Alam City Council hall in Jalan Kebun was cancelled following the scuffle, that left one injured.
The ceramah organisers lodged a police report yesterday, suspecting that police were also in cahoots with the assailants.According to those who witnessed the incident, a “rowdy mob” interrupted ABU’s ceramah and hurled racial slurs at the participants, ordering them to vacate the hall.
“Such gangsterism must be stoped. It is the duty and responsibility of the police to protect citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble and speak.
“The police, however, have skirted around the matter contending that nobody was injured in the melee. The police are definitely in cohort with the gangsters for not taking any action immediately,” added Barathidasan.
He reminded that even if no one was assaulted, the authorities should investigate the incident nonetheless, “as (it’s) highly possible the incident will escalate into something serious”.
Jangan salahkan kami, kata penduduk Kampung Jalan Kebun
(Malaysian Digest) - Satu laporan polis telah dibuat oleh wakil
penduduk Jalan Kebun bagi menggesa pihak berkuasa untuk menghalang
Hindraf daripada memasuki kampung tersebut.
Jurucakap penduduk Shaari Basri, 53, ketika ditemui pemberita mempersoalkan kehadiran Hindraf di kampung Sabtu lalu.
Shaari berkata, 100 peratus penduduk Jalan Kebun adalah berbangsa Melayu dan kehadiran Hindraf di kampung tersebut adalah mencurigakan.
"Hindraf adalah sebuah pertubuhan haram. Mengapa mereka mahu menganjurkan acara di kampung kami? Jangan salahkan penduduk kampung tentang provokasi yang berlaku. Mereka yang memulakannya," dakwa Shaari.
Beliau hadir bersama kira-kira 30 penduduk lain.
Dalam kejadian pada 21 Januari lalu, ceramah Asal Bukan Umno (ABU) di Jalan Kebun telah diganggu oleh sekumpulan lelaki bersenjatakan kayu dan topi keledar.
Jurucakap penduduk Shaari Basri, 53, ketika ditemui pemberita mempersoalkan kehadiran Hindraf di kampung Sabtu lalu.
Shaari berkata, 100 peratus penduduk Jalan Kebun adalah berbangsa Melayu dan kehadiran Hindraf di kampung tersebut adalah mencurigakan.
"Hindraf adalah sebuah pertubuhan haram. Mengapa mereka mahu menganjurkan acara di kampung kami? Jangan salahkan penduduk kampung tentang provokasi yang berlaku. Mereka yang memulakannya," dakwa Shaari.
Beliau hadir bersama kira-kira 30 penduduk lain.
Dalam kejadian pada 21 Januari lalu, ceramah Asal Bukan Umno (ABU) di Jalan Kebun telah diganggu oleh sekumpulan lelaki bersenjatakan kayu dan topi keledar.
Bar Council says homosexuals free to speak up
The Malaysian Insider
by Lisa J. Ariffin
by Lisa J. Ariffin
KUALA
LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The Malaysian Bar Council refuted today Utusan
Malaysia’s claims that it supports homosexuality but backed the freedom
of expression “minorities who face discrimination, abuse and persecution
for their sexual identity.
An
Utusan Malaysia bureau chief’s column in the Malay daily questioned why
the Bar Council “supported” homosexuality among Malaysians, calling it
part of a “deviant wave” that is fast gaining acceptance throughout the
world.
But Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee (picture) told The Malaysian Insider “Utusan’s claims are irrelevant.”
“We
would not support same-sex marriage but we support freedom of
expression, even for (Perkasa president Datuk) Ibrahim Ali despite not
agreeing with him,” he said, referring to the leader of the right-wing
Malay rights NGO.
Lim said section 377 of the Penal Code bars both anal and oral sex without any distinction with regards to sexuality.
“Penetration
is sufficient to constitute the sexual connection necessary to the
offence described in this section. What is clear is that this provision
does not draw a distinction between homosexual and heterosexual
activity,” he said.
He
added that the Bar Council “supports the freedom of expression and
assembly by a group of minorities who face discrimination, abuse and
persecution for their sexual and gender identity.”
Section
377 provides that “any person who has sexual connection with another
person by the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the
other person is said to commit carnal intercourse against the order of
nature.”
Lim said that as heterosexual adults engage in oral and anal sex, such a law presented a “moral hypocrisy.”
Noraini
Razak, who was a news editor at the Malay daily until last month,
accused the lawyers today of supporting gays, lesbians and transgendered
people despite Malaysia being among 70 out of a total of 195 countries
which banned homosexuality.
“It
is honestly very strange when this deviant wave, which is being
defended by this group (Seksualiti Merdeka) as a human right, gets the
direct and indirect support from many local NGOs, including the Bar
Council,” she wrote in her column.
Umno’s
Utusan Malaysia also recently accused Opposition leader Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim of supporting homosexuality during an interview with BBC.
In
the interview, the BBC reporter had reportedly asked Anwar whether he
was prepared to push for the idea of anti-discrimination as far as gay
rights were concerned, to which he had allegedly said “we will have to
review some of our archaic laws.”
“We
Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia generally believe and are committed
to support the sanctity of marriage between men and women, but we
should not be seen to be punitive and consider the archaic law as
relevant,” Anwar had told BBC.
But
he had also pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) did not support
homosexuality, an excerpt of the interview which Utusan Malaysia did not
include.
Anwar
is now demanding a total of RM150 million in damages from the Umno
daily for allegedly tarnishing his reputation in an article accusing him
of being a gay rights proponent.
Malaysia Can Play Important Part In Creating New Growth Corridors, Says Najib
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia can play an important part in
expediting creation of a new growth corridor, encompassing China through
Southeast Asia and India to the Middle East, Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak said Wednesday.
In stressing the importance of the new corridor, he said the China-Asean-India-Middle East partnership would be able to create huge business and investment opportunities.
He said the launch of the Global Business Council was timely as it would be an effective means of bringing together business leaders and entrepreneurs not just from China, India, Asean and the Middle East but also from the Chinese diaspora around the world.
"This is our time and this is our opportunity. So let us capitalise on this momentous occasion in the world economic history and to ensure the 21st history is a century that is led by Asia," he said when speaking at a special conferment ceremony and launching of the World Chinese Economic Forum's Global Business Council.
Najib was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Chinese Economic Forum adviser, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, and the forum's patron, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, at the event.
Najib was conferred the award in recognition of his bold measures and contributions to transform Malaysia, especially his ambitious economic transformation programme.
The prime minister said that in the current economic climate and with the Eurozone still in a precarious financial situation, "it falls to this part of the world -- the East -- particularly to China, india, Asean and the Gulf states -- to fuel the global recovery and to propel world economic growth.
"I'm not someone who is advocating the kind of age-old rivalry between the East and West but rather we should complement each other, but given the situation that we find ourselves today, Asia must lead the way," he said.
The Global Business Council, expected to further link business leaders and entrepreneurs from China, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe, will also provide another platform for business ideas interchange, sharing of experiences and strengthening of relationship between countries in the regions.
"Open not only for the Chinese businessmen but for business personnel across all ethnic and nationality background, the council will also promote global corporate citizenship, corporate governance, business ethics and green growth," he said.
The Global Business Council will be headed by John So, the longest-serving Melbourne mayor.
Members of the council's International Advisory Panel include AirAsia's chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Public Bank co-chairman Tan Sri Thong Yaw Hong and other dignitaries from participating countries.
The Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) will provide the secretariat support for the Global Business Council here, with the other branches to be established in China, Hong Kong, Europe, the United States and Australia.
In stressing the importance of the new corridor, he said the China-Asean-India-Middle East partnership would be able to create huge business and investment opportunities.
He said the launch of the Global Business Council was timely as it would be an effective means of bringing together business leaders and entrepreneurs not just from China, India, Asean and the Middle East but also from the Chinese diaspora around the world.
"This is our time and this is our opportunity. So let us capitalise on this momentous occasion in the world economic history and to ensure the 21st history is a century that is led by Asia," he said when speaking at a special conferment ceremony and launching of the World Chinese Economic Forum's Global Business Council.
Najib was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Chinese Economic Forum adviser, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, and the forum's patron, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, at the event.
Najib was conferred the award in recognition of his bold measures and contributions to transform Malaysia, especially his ambitious economic transformation programme.
The prime minister said that in the current economic climate and with the Eurozone still in a precarious financial situation, "it falls to this part of the world -- the East -- particularly to China, india, Asean and the Gulf states -- to fuel the global recovery and to propel world economic growth.
"I'm not someone who is advocating the kind of age-old rivalry between the East and West but rather we should complement each other, but given the situation that we find ourselves today, Asia must lead the way," he said.
The Global Business Council, expected to further link business leaders and entrepreneurs from China, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe, will also provide another platform for business ideas interchange, sharing of experiences and strengthening of relationship between countries in the regions.
"Open not only for the Chinese businessmen but for business personnel across all ethnic and nationality background, the council will also promote global corporate citizenship, corporate governance, business ethics and green growth," he said.
The Global Business Council will be headed by John So, the longest-serving Melbourne mayor.
Members of the council's International Advisory Panel include AirAsia's chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Public Bank co-chairman Tan Sri Thong Yaw Hong and other dignitaries from participating countries.
The Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) will provide the secretariat support for the Global Business Council here, with the other branches to be established in China, Hong Kong, Europe, the United States and Australia.
Penang house prices becoming more unaffordable
Penang Island has a median house price to median income ratio
– a common indicator of housing affordability – of 8.1, high by any
standards and up from 6.8 five years ago.
The current average housing price on the island is RM429440 while the
median income on the island is RM52844. House prices on the island have
risen by 50 per cent over the last five years. (Even on the mainland,
prices have risen by 25-30 per cent over the last five years.)
For Penang state as a whole, the ratio is 5 (RM265010/RM52844) – up from 4 in 2006.
In contrast, the house price-to-income ratio for the USA was 3 until 2000, and then it rose to 5.8 by 2006, before the housing boom ended in an almighty bust. In the UK the ratio reached 11 in 2008, just before the credit crunch set in.
All the more reason for us to tread cautiously. The above figures are from an October 2011 research paper on ‘Supply and Demand in the Penang housing market: Assessing Affordability‘ published by Penang Institute.
Written by Stuart MacDonald, it makes for sobering reading and notes that house prices are becoming more and more unaffordable for more and more people.
Stuart has also come up with several recommendation on what can be done, including noteworthy recommendations to rebalance planning powers in favour of the state.
These are among the recommendations in his research paper ‘Drivers of house price inflation in Penang, Malaysia – planning a more sustainable future’:
Graph: Stuart MacDonald, Penang Institute
For Penang state as a whole, the ratio is 5 (RM265010/RM52844) – up from 4 in 2006.
In contrast, the house price-to-income ratio for the USA was 3 until 2000, and then it rose to 5.8 by 2006, before the housing boom ended in an almighty bust. In the UK the ratio reached 11 in 2008, just before the credit crunch set in.
All the more reason for us to tread cautiously. The above figures are from an October 2011 research paper on ‘Supply and Demand in the Penang housing market: Assessing Affordability‘ published by Penang Institute.
Written by Stuart MacDonald, it makes for sobering reading and notes that house prices are becoming more and more unaffordable for more and more people.
Stuart has also come up with several recommendation on what can be done, including noteworthy recommendations to rebalance planning powers in favour of the state.
These are among the recommendations in his research paper ‘Drivers of house price inflation in Penang, Malaysia – planning a more sustainable future’:
Recommendation 3 – Reform planning powers to rebalance in favour of the state.Touching on low-cost housing, Stuart notes in his paper:
Recommendation 4 – Review existing mechanisms for promoting affordable housing.
- Policies can be easily developed to rebalance power in favour of the state, for example by requiring developers to fund the cost of independent consultants hired by local authorities, rather than directly funding them themselves, would remove the potential for conflicts of interest, promote truly “independent” studies, benefit the most professional consultancy firms and force the local authorities to develop the capacity to understand and scrutinise the studies presented, allowing a more strategic and holistic view to be taken.
- A policy to regulate the process of “soft” launches can prevent developers selling properties to favoured purchasers, prior to general release, which forces up the price of property. The state can request the details of intended unit prices early in the development process and compare these with sales prices post launch to highlight developers that are restricting public access to units through their practices.
- The state should publicly develop clear policies on issues such as land reclamation and hill cutting, with the public benefits of such policies clearly articulated. The state should also halt the process of converting leasehold land into freehold land (emphasis mine) (with exceptions where it may harm investment or economic development), until a clear policy has been developed which considers the long term benefits and risks to the state.
- The amendment of regulations that prevent mixed commercial and residential development need urgent attention, as this is resulting in developments classifying its residential property as serviced apartments, which is also exempt of a requirement to provide a low-cost housing quota.
- Greater clarity over the location of state land and assets (along with local authority owned land and assets) and communal lands is also required so that these may be managed for the benefit of the state with a longer term view.
The state government, having developed the housing board, should initiate a review of all existing mechanisms for affecting the housing market in a way which would either raise revenue or reduce home ownership costs for those in middle to lower income groups or encourage developers and land owners to build housing appropriate to the needs of the people. Existing mechanisms, from density controls, to assessment rates should be reviewed, measured and evaluated in their total sum, understanding how one impacts upon another and assessing how progressive they are as forms of control or taxation, how feasible it may be to revise these mechanisms, taking into account the local context, cultural or historical and the political sensitivity of such reforms.
Low cost housing must be provided in the same district as any developments led by the private sector, which should help to sustain property mix at the district level, but to what degree this is enforced in unclear. The low cost housing market is argued to have operated inefficiently, with developers being able to transfer and sell quotas, and the state allocation process also argued to be inefficient. Low cost housing developments are over represented in abandoned projects. Outsourcing the role of “social‟ housing provider to the private sector without sufficient controls from the public sector has resulted in an inefficient condition on private sector development. Conflicts of interest arise and private developers are driven to minimise their costs on low cost housing to protect their bottom line. The low cost housing market needs detailed examination.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Cops in cahoots with rowdy mob, alleges ABU
(Malaysiakini) The Anything But Umno (ABU) movement suspects the police of being in
cahoots with a rowdy mob which halted their ceramah in Shah Alam on
Saturday.
ABU as well as the co-organisers Hindraf lodged a report on the incident at Dang Wangi district police headquarters today.
“It
is to be taken into account that the police officer at the scene was
seen chatting with a person from the group that attacked the
participants.
“If it is true they (the police) have to be held accountable,” said Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who lodged the report on the behalf of movement.
“The residents in the area assisted us in identifying several people who were captured on video at the scene that day.
“According to them they are local Umno leaders who were watching everything.
“If it is true, Umno must be wholly responsible for the violence,” said Badrul, who is better known by the moniker Chegubard.
He told reporters that they have submitted photos, CDs and video recording of the incident to the police.
The co-organisers will also lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) at 11am tomorrow.
The movement’s ceramah at Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) hall at Jalan Kebun was disrupted by the mob even before it commenced its session.
The ceramah was called off to ensure safety of the participants.
Badrul was accompanied by ABU coordinator Haris Ibrahim, Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam and PSM secretary- general S Arutchelvan, as well as scores of supporters.
Arutchelvan said that they choose to report the incident at the Dang Wangi police station, instead of where it took place because they “have no confidence” in the cops in charge at the Shah Alam district.
“This
is not new hence we aren’t surprised. Every time we organise an event
there will be provocation by police, plainclothes or otherwise... but in
return we are the ones who will be accused of disturbing them,”
lamented Sambulingam.
“If the police were efficient this could have been avoided altogether,” added Arutchelvan.
Haris added that the person who was allegedly beaten up in the scuffle, Krishnan, 33, was still recovering from the trauma at the Seri Sentosa Specialist Centre.
Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah, refuted that there were any unruly incidents and that a person was injured as no police report was lodge soon after the event.
However, according to Haris one report was lodged on the night of the incident itself but not by the movement.
Another NGO group Aktivis 901 also lodged a police report along with ABU's today condemning the "racist slurs" of the intruders at the ceramah.
As for allegations by a blogger that the assailants were engaged by ABU, Haris laughed off the claim.
"Let the police arrest them and let them tell we are behind it. Since their faces are in the video and photos.
"We also want to know... who among us have so much money to hire gangsters," said Badrul.
ABU as well as the co-organisers Hindraf lodged a report on the incident at Dang Wangi district police headquarters today.
“It
is to be taken into account that the police officer at the scene was
seen chatting with a person from the group that attacked the
participants.“If it is true they (the police) have to be held accountable,” said Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who lodged the report on the behalf of movement.
“The residents in the area assisted us in identifying several people who were captured on video at the scene that day.
“According to them they are local Umno leaders who were watching everything.
“If it is true, Umno must be wholly responsible for the violence,” said Badrul, who is better known by the moniker Chegubard.
He told reporters that they have submitted photos, CDs and video recording of the incident to the police.
The co-organisers will also lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) at 11am tomorrow.The movement’s ceramah at Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) hall at Jalan Kebun was disrupted by the mob even before it commenced its session.
Scores of supporters
According to eye-witnesses’ accounts one participant was “badly injured” and had to be hospitalised after a scuffle.The ceramah was called off to ensure safety of the participants.
Badrul was accompanied by ABU coordinator Haris Ibrahim, Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam and PSM secretary- general S Arutchelvan, as well as scores of supporters.
Arutchelvan said that they choose to report the incident at the Dang Wangi police station, instead of where it took place because they “have no confidence” in the cops in charge at the Shah Alam district.
“This
is not new hence we aren’t surprised. Every time we organise an event
there will be provocation by police, plainclothes or otherwise... but in
return we are the ones who will be accused of disturbing them,”
lamented Sambulingam.“If the police were efficient this could have been avoided altogether,” added Arutchelvan.
Haris added that the person who was allegedly beaten up in the scuffle, Krishnan, 33, was still recovering from the trauma at the Seri Sentosa Specialist Centre.
Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah, refuted that there were any unruly incidents and that a person was injured as no police report was lodge soon after the event.
However, according to Haris one report was lodged on the night of the incident itself but not by the movement.
Another NGO group Aktivis 901 also lodged a police report along with ABU's today condemning the "racist slurs" of the intruders at the ceramah.
As for allegations by a blogger that the assailants were engaged by ABU, Haris laughed off the claim.
"Let the police arrest them and let them tell we are behind it. Since their faces are in the video and photos.
"We also want to know... who among us have so much money to hire gangsters," said Badrul.
High court directs Muslim man to return boy to his mother
MADURAI: Rejecting the claim of a Muslim man that he had adopted a Hindu boy as his son, the Madras high court today directed him to handover the boy to his mother.
"There is no concept of adoption known to Muslim Law," a division bench comprising Justices N Paul Vasantha Kumar and P Devadass said.
The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by S Mala, mother of Giridharan.
"It is a well settled proposition of law that creating a relationship of parentage by adoption was unknown to Mohammedan law as it was forbidden by the Quran. Besides the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act 1956 permitted adoption by a Hindu alone," the judges said.
Mala, in her petition, submitted that she had left her son under the care of Shaik Dawood in a children's home run by him and was paying for maintaining him in the home at Sangiliayandavarpuram in Tiruchi district.
Later when she had gone to the home to pick her son, she found Dawood had shifted her son to some other place and refused to give her son back. He also "threatened" her of dire consequence if she insisted on getting her son back, the petitioner said.
Mala said though she had filed a complaint to police no action was taken by them.
Dawood said Mala had given Giridharan to him for adoption. However, she denied that she had signed any such deed.
"There is no concept of adoption known to Muslim Law," a division bench comprising Justices N Paul Vasantha Kumar and P Devadass said.
The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by S Mala, mother of Giridharan.
"It is a well settled proposition of law that creating a relationship of parentage by adoption was unknown to Mohammedan law as it was forbidden by the Quran. Besides the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act 1956 permitted adoption by a Hindu alone," the judges said.
Mala, in her petition, submitted that she had left her son under the care of Shaik Dawood in a children's home run by him and was paying for maintaining him in the home at Sangiliayandavarpuram in Tiruchi district.
Later when she had gone to the home to pick her son, she found Dawood had shifted her son to some other place and refused to give her son back. He also "threatened" her of dire consequence if she insisted on getting her son back, the petitioner said.
Mala said though she had filed a complaint to police no action was taken by them.
Dawood said Mala had given Giridharan to him for adoption. However, she denied that she had signed any such deed.
Perkasa: Bigger Christian threat with MB Khalid in charge of Islam
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — Perkasa today warned of renewed efforts by Christian groups to convert Muslims in Selangor with Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim in charge of the state’s Islamic affairs.
The Malay rights group questioned the Selangor mentri besar’s religious credentials, comparing him to his recently axed state executive councillor in charge of Islam Datuk Dr Hasan Ali.
“The faith of Islam, of Muslims is under siege in Selangor... Perkasa is concerned of a more aggressive Christianisation attempt, especially with Khalid in charge of the exco portfolio for Islam,” Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali (picture) told The Malaysian Insider.
He described Hasan as a “Muslim warrior” who fervently defended Islam and ensured that Muslim apostates returned to their faith.
Hasan, a former Selangor PAS commissioner, gained notoriety last year for backing the Selangor Islamic department’s (JAIS) raid of a church over apostasy claims.
Weeks before Hasan was dropped as state executive councillor this month, he was spotted taking part in pub raids by religious authorities.
Like Perkasa, Hasan has consistently claimed there is a movement to convert Muslims to Christianity.
“Hasan was a firm exco, he is a religious man... but Khalid how is he to carry out his duties? He is also mentri besar and at the same time he lacks the religious credentials.
“What Perkasa can see is that Islam in Selangor will be weak if an unqualified person leads the state religious portfolio. If you look at any state, the exco holding this portfolio has to have an exemplary Islamic education,” said Syed Hassan.
Earlier this month, Hasan was sacked from PAS and dropped from the Selangor executive council for breaching party discipline.
He was axed after urging opposition supporters to avoid the rally on January 9 in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the day his sodomy trial verdict was handed down by the High Court here.
Hasan’s Islamic affairs portfolio was taken over by PKR’s Khalid, who also appointed PAS lawmaker Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi to take Hasan’s place on the council.
Syed Hassan repeated a challenge made by Hasan to Khalid recently, and dared the Selangor MB to lead Friday prayers and deliver a sermon.
“With Khalid, vice will increase in Selangor,” Syed Hassan said, echoing the words of Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali.
Ibrahim claimed Khalid’s role was not to uphold the interests of Muslims but was instead a political ploy to curry favour with “immoral” business owners as snap polls loom.
The Malay rights group questioned the Selangor mentri besar’s religious credentials, comparing him to his recently axed state executive councillor in charge of Islam Datuk Dr Hasan Ali.
“The faith of Islam, of Muslims is under siege in Selangor... Perkasa is concerned of a more aggressive Christianisation attempt, especially with Khalid in charge of the exco portfolio for Islam,” Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali (picture) told The Malaysian Insider.
He described Hasan as a “Muslim warrior” who fervently defended Islam and ensured that Muslim apostates returned to their faith.Hasan, a former Selangor PAS commissioner, gained notoriety last year for backing the Selangor Islamic department’s (JAIS) raid of a church over apostasy claims.
Weeks before Hasan was dropped as state executive councillor this month, he was spotted taking part in pub raids by religious authorities.
Like Perkasa, Hasan has consistently claimed there is a movement to convert Muslims to Christianity.
“Hasan was a firm exco, he is a religious man... but Khalid how is he to carry out his duties? He is also mentri besar and at the same time he lacks the religious credentials.
“What Perkasa can see is that Islam in Selangor will be weak if an unqualified person leads the state religious portfolio. If you look at any state, the exco holding this portfolio has to have an exemplary Islamic education,” said Syed Hassan.
Earlier this month, Hasan was sacked from PAS and dropped from the Selangor executive council for breaching party discipline.
He was axed after urging opposition supporters to avoid the rally on January 9 in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the day his sodomy trial verdict was handed down by the High Court here.
Hasan’s Islamic affairs portfolio was taken over by PKR’s Khalid, who also appointed PAS lawmaker Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi to take Hasan’s place on the council.
Syed Hassan repeated a challenge made by Hasan to Khalid recently, and dared the Selangor MB to lead Friday prayers and deliver a sermon.
“With Khalid, vice will increase in Selangor,” Syed Hassan said, echoing the words of Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali.
Ibrahim claimed Khalid’s role was not to uphold the interests of Muslims but was instead a political ploy to curry favour with “immoral” business owners as snap polls loom.
Who is playing Chinese chess?
MCA uses PAS as a smokescreen to send flying daggers at the direction of DAP.
COMMENT
Chinese Chess is a terminology that is used by the Chinese to describe political maneuverings and plots to cause the opponent’s downfall.
This is the brand of politics that is being played by MCA against DAP as MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his son Chua Tee Yong (Labis MP) are daily attacking DAP although they are always attacking PAS using these points:-
Kedah and Kelantan which are helmed by PAS have not seen any progress nor development; and,
The implementation of hudud law by PAS will thwart development and have a great impact on the lives of non-Muslims.
Although the attacks are aimed at PAS, the real target is DAP. This is called ‘attack without attacking’ which is more like shadow-boxing.
This strategy of indirect attack is executed so that the Chinese will be unable to detect MCA as attacking DAP.
MCA being a Chinese party will surely incur the wrath of the Chinese if it is seen as attacking DAP because DAP is popular among the Chinese.
Therefore, MCA uses PAS as a smokescreen to send flying daggers at the direction of DAP but make no mistake about it: the target is actually DAP.
MCA’s father-and-son team have also challenged DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng to state who will be the Prime Minister in the event Pakatan Rakyat manages to capture Putrajaya.
Lim responded to the challenge by saying that if Pakatan captures Putrajaya, the Prime Minister will be Anwar Ibrahim but the Chua-and-Chua team then turned around and said that Lim was bluffing as the Prime Minister will be from PAS.
This twisting of words shows that Soi Lek and his son are both sneaky and sly as Lim was genuine in responding to their challenge.
Back to MCA’s first attacking point of the lack of progress nor any concrete development in Kedah and Kelantan as mentioned above, this point is always rehashed to show that DAP has associated with a backward party. This is to sway the support of the Chinese business community away from DAP.
Point No 2 pertaining to the implementation of hudud law is connected to point No 1 (no progress in Kedah and Kelantan) but hudud is given emphasis to scare the Chinese. MCA also stresses that hudud law will scare away investors.
High deception
MCA leaders also never fail to exhort DAP to state its stand on hudud law but to DAP this is a non-issue as PAS will never be able to implement it.
Besides making use of PAS as a decoy, Soi Lek also throws in a red herring by saying that Pakatan Rakyat has failed to keep its promises in states such as Penang and Selangor. This wide-angled attack is meant to show that MCA is attacking the whole of Pakatan and not targetting PAS alone so as not to anger the Malays.
This is deception at the highest order as Chua and Son’s actual target is still only DAP.
Another of Soi Lek’s ploy is to frighten the Chinese especially the business community and clan associations that without MCA’s representation in the government, Chinese voices will be muffled.
This is Soi Lek’s idea of a psy-war and the business community and clan associations may vote MCA due to being frightened in this manner although the layman or average Chinese could not be bothered about it.
So far, DAP does not seem to respond to MCA and treats MCA as a dog barking at the moon (also PAS’s party symbol).
This is DAP’s strategy – let MCA babble on because if DAP engages in a verbal battle with MCA, MCA will achieve prominence. Thus, it is better to let MCA sink into oblivion instead of giving them publicity.
In the world of politics, any publicity, whether good or bad is still publicity. Therefore, leaving MCA alone is DAP’s stance towards MCA and that is the reason why MCA is talking nineteen to the dozen everyday – to obtain publicity.
Copying strategies
Next, MCA also copies strategies belonging to Pakatan, albeit with great modifications such as the giving of RM100 to their party members who are senior citizens.
This idea was copied from Pakatan’s Penang state government whereby RM100 is given to the public senior citizens. Pakatan is giving to the rakyat unlike MCA who gives this sum to their own party members.
Another idea which MCA copied from Pakatan is the microcredit scheme which MCA wants to give to young business entrepreneurs but the keyword here is ‘young’.
MCA’s idea is copied from the brainchild of Pakatan’s Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s idea of ‘Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor’ where budding entrepreneurs will be enrolled in the microcredit scheme with no age criteria attached to it. MCA adds the age clause so as not to be seen as copying Pakatan.
MCA focuses on highlighting Pakatan’s faults but copying those Pakatan’s programmes which they think they can use to garner votes.
Is MCA then genuine in their intentions? If they were genuine, they would not criticise Pakatan only to copy the latter’s ideas.
Still, MCA has got a good level of support from the rural Chinese who are hellbent on voting MCA as it was done by their forefathers even before 1957.
To these rural Chinese, MCA is the be-all and end-all in their daily existence as in their minds the DAP is only an opposition party good in making noise. It is difficult for DAP to change the mindset of the rural Chinese because the latter only read the MCA-controlled Chinese dailies.
Therefore, wherein the rural Chinese are influential, for instance in Perak, Soi Lek himself is spearheading the war effort there in an attempt to woo Chinese support for BN.
DAP must never underestimate MCA. It is when the enemy seems to be down that he is at his most dangerous.
This is because the hudud issue can influence the rural Chinese while the lack of representation in government can greatly influence the clan associations and businessmen unless DAP can convince the Chinese that MCA’s voice in the BN federal government is nothing much to shout about.
Besides the above methods of attack, MCA’s latest ploy is to tell the Chinese that DAP is neglecting the Chinese to focus on pandering to the Malays by recruiting more Malay members.
Is MCA trying to imply that DAP wants to have a DAP Menteri Besar by recruiting Malays? MCA is sly in a subtle manner in the use of the race card as this DAP Menteri Besar issue will also frighten the Malays and prevent them from voting for DAP.
All in all, MCA is playing the politics of Chinese Chess – the politics of deceit, decoy and deception but will the rakyat be able to read their nefarious tactics?
Selena Tay is a FMT columnist.
COMMENT
Chinese Chess is a terminology that is used by the Chinese to describe political maneuverings and plots to cause the opponent’s downfall.This is the brand of politics that is being played by MCA against DAP as MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his son Chua Tee Yong (Labis MP) are daily attacking DAP although they are always attacking PAS using these points:-
Kedah and Kelantan which are helmed by PAS have not seen any progress nor development; and,
The implementation of hudud law by PAS will thwart development and have a great impact on the lives of non-Muslims.
Although the attacks are aimed at PAS, the real target is DAP. This is called ‘attack without attacking’ which is more like shadow-boxing.
This strategy of indirect attack is executed so that the Chinese will be unable to detect MCA as attacking DAP.
MCA being a Chinese party will surely incur the wrath of the Chinese if it is seen as attacking DAP because DAP is popular among the Chinese.
Therefore, MCA uses PAS as a smokescreen to send flying daggers at the direction of DAP but make no mistake about it: the target is actually DAP.
MCA’s father-and-son team have also challenged DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng to state who will be the Prime Minister in the event Pakatan Rakyat manages to capture Putrajaya.
Lim responded to the challenge by saying that if Pakatan captures Putrajaya, the Prime Minister will be Anwar Ibrahim but the Chua-and-Chua team then turned around and said that Lim was bluffing as the Prime Minister will be from PAS.
This twisting of words shows that Soi Lek and his son are both sneaky and sly as Lim was genuine in responding to their challenge.
Back to MCA’s first attacking point of the lack of progress nor any concrete development in Kedah and Kelantan as mentioned above, this point is always rehashed to show that DAP has associated with a backward party. This is to sway the support of the Chinese business community away from DAP.
Point No 2 pertaining to the implementation of hudud law is connected to point No 1 (no progress in Kedah and Kelantan) but hudud is given emphasis to scare the Chinese. MCA also stresses that hudud law will scare away investors.
High deception
MCA leaders also never fail to exhort DAP to state its stand on hudud law but to DAP this is a non-issue as PAS will never be able to implement it.
Besides making use of PAS as a decoy, Soi Lek also throws in a red herring by saying that Pakatan Rakyat has failed to keep its promises in states such as Penang and Selangor. This wide-angled attack is meant to show that MCA is attacking the whole of Pakatan and not targetting PAS alone so as not to anger the Malays.
This is deception at the highest order as Chua and Son’s actual target is still only DAP.
Another of Soi Lek’s ploy is to frighten the Chinese especially the business community and clan associations that without MCA’s representation in the government, Chinese voices will be muffled.
This is Soi Lek’s idea of a psy-war and the business community and clan associations may vote MCA due to being frightened in this manner although the layman or average Chinese could not be bothered about it.
So far, DAP does not seem to respond to MCA and treats MCA as a dog barking at the moon (also PAS’s party symbol).
This is DAP’s strategy – let MCA babble on because if DAP engages in a verbal battle with MCA, MCA will achieve prominence. Thus, it is better to let MCA sink into oblivion instead of giving them publicity.
In the world of politics, any publicity, whether good or bad is still publicity. Therefore, leaving MCA alone is DAP’s stance towards MCA and that is the reason why MCA is talking nineteen to the dozen everyday – to obtain publicity.
Copying strategies
Next, MCA also copies strategies belonging to Pakatan, albeit with great modifications such as the giving of RM100 to their party members who are senior citizens.
This idea was copied from Pakatan’s Penang state government whereby RM100 is given to the public senior citizens. Pakatan is giving to the rakyat unlike MCA who gives this sum to their own party members.
Another idea which MCA copied from Pakatan is the microcredit scheme which MCA wants to give to young business entrepreneurs but the keyword here is ‘young’.
MCA’s idea is copied from the brainchild of Pakatan’s Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s idea of ‘Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor’ where budding entrepreneurs will be enrolled in the microcredit scheme with no age criteria attached to it. MCA adds the age clause so as not to be seen as copying Pakatan.
MCA focuses on highlighting Pakatan’s faults but copying those Pakatan’s programmes which they think they can use to garner votes.
Is MCA then genuine in their intentions? If they were genuine, they would not criticise Pakatan only to copy the latter’s ideas.
Still, MCA has got a good level of support from the rural Chinese who are hellbent on voting MCA as it was done by their forefathers even before 1957.
To these rural Chinese, MCA is the be-all and end-all in their daily existence as in their minds the DAP is only an opposition party good in making noise. It is difficult for DAP to change the mindset of the rural Chinese because the latter only read the MCA-controlled Chinese dailies.
Therefore, wherein the rural Chinese are influential, for instance in Perak, Soi Lek himself is spearheading the war effort there in an attempt to woo Chinese support for BN.
DAP must never underestimate MCA. It is when the enemy seems to be down that he is at his most dangerous.
This is because the hudud issue can influence the rural Chinese while the lack of representation in government can greatly influence the clan associations and businessmen unless DAP can convince the Chinese that MCA’s voice in the BN federal government is nothing much to shout about.
Besides the above methods of attack, MCA’s latest ploy is to tell the Chinese that DAP is neglecting the Chinese to focus on pandering to the Malays by recruiting more Malay members.
Is MCA trying to imply that DAP wants to have a DAP Menteri Besar by recruiting Malays? MCA is sly in a subtle manner in the use of the race card as this DAP Menteri Besar issue will also frighten the Malays and prevent them from voting for DAP.
All in all, MCA is playing the politics of Chinese Chess – the politics of deceit, decoy and deception but will the rakyat be able to read their nefarious tactics?
Selena Tay is a FMT columnist.
‘Urimai’ first, ‘nambikkai’ later
Hindraf wants the government to ensure the rights of the Indian community first before asking for their trust.
GEORGE TOWN: Ethnic Indians will never have “nambikkai” (trust or belief) in the Barisan Nasional as long as Umno continues to blatantly violate the community’s “urimai” (rights).
Hindraf Makkal Sakti supremo P Waythamoorthy reminded Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that nambikkai without urimai was meaningless like a headless human body.
“Najib can’t expect members of a marginalised community to pin their hopes on a government that had systematically discriminated, isolated, and sidelined them for more than 50 years.
“Indians want urimai first before nambikkai,” he told FMT here today.
Following the emergence of Hindraf as a voice for working-class Indians, he said the community has finally realised that the BN government can never be trusted.
Waythamoorthy said Indians knew that the Umno-helmed government has been pursuing racist policies merely to serve the interests of a single community at the expense of millions of others.
He added that Najib should not expect the working-class Indians to place their nambikai in Umno and its “jaaldra” (stooge), the MIC.
He was commenting on Najib’s call on Indians to have nambikkai in BN government to deliver the goods for their well-being.
Najib said the community should build a vision centred on nambikkai to bring it forward
Waythamoorthy questioned whether Najib has the political conviction to correct all the wrongs that his Umno government had committed on ethnic Indians.
“Until and unless he shows guts to recognise and uphold our urimai, he should not talk about nambikkai,” he said.
He added that ethnic Indians knew too well Umno’s racist policies.
“They know that these racist policies were implemented with MIC’s support.”
He said thousands of Indians remain stateless in the country of their birth while foreigners, especially Muslims, have been granted full citizenship.
Obvious discrepancies
Waythamoorthy also said MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam had claimed that the government had disbursed RM235 million to Tamil schools since 2008.
But he said Indians were sure that the cash did not trickle down to the schools.
Similarly, he said Indians would not believe Najib’s claim that the government had been investing some RM2 billion for Tamil schools since 2009.
“There are obvious discrepancies in the sums mentioned by MIC and Umno,” he said.
He proposed that Najib carry out pro-active policies for Indians if he wants their nambikkai.
For a start, he said the government should allocate free land to all landless Tamil schools and make them fully-aided schools.
Secondly, he said the Najib administration should also create Indian housing areas in the vicinity of Tamil schools, which would provide space for the community’s religious and cultural growth.
“Ethnic Indians are no longer going to trust in political propaganda. They had had enough.
“They want the government to walk its talk first.”
He also took a swipe at the appointment of MIC president G Palanivel as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Indian socio-economic development.
“It was just another typical mandore appointment to hoodwink the Indians,” he said.
GEORGE TOWN: Ethnic Indians will never have “nambikkai” (trust or belief) in the Barisan Nasional as long as Umno continues to blatantly violate the community’s “urimai” (rights).Hindraf Makkal Sakti supremo P Waythamoorthy reminded Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that nambikkai without urimai was meaningless like a headless human body.
“Najib can’t expect members of a marginalised community to pin their hopes on a government that had systematically discriminated, isolated, and sidelined them for more than 50 years.
“Indians want urimai first before nambikkai,” he told FMT here today.
Following the emergence of Hindraf as a voice for working-class Indians, he said the community has finally realised that the BN government can never be trusted.
Waythamoorthy said Indians knew that the Umno-helmed government has been pursuing racist policies merely to serve the interests of a single community at the expense of millions of others.
He added that Najib should not expect the working-class Indians to place their nambikai in Umno and its “jaaldra” (stooge), the MIC.
He was commenting on Najib’s call on Indians to have nambikkai in BN government to deliver the goods for their well-being.
Najib said the community should build a vision centred on nambikkai to bring it forward
Waythamoorthy questioned whether Najib has the political conviction to correct all the wrongs that his Umno government had committed on ethnic Indians.
“Until and unless he shows guts to recognise and uphold our urimai, he should not talk about nambikkai,” he said.
He added that ethnic Indians knew too well Umno’s racist policies.
“They know that these racist policies were implemented with MIC’s support.”
He said thousands of Indians remain stateless in the country of their birth while foreigners, especially Muslims, have been granted full citizenship.
Obvious discrepancies
Waythamoorthy also said MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam had claimed that the government had disbursed RM235 million to Tamil schools since 2008.But he said Indians were sure that the cash did not trickle down to the schools.
Similarly, he said Indians would not believe Najib’s claim that the government had been investing some RM2 billion for Tamil schools since 2009.
“There are obvious discrepancies in the sums mentioned by MIC and Umno,” he said.
He proposed that Najib carry out pro-active policies for Indians if he wants their nambikkai.
For a start, he said the government should allocate free land to all landless Tamil schools and make them fully-aided schools.
Secondly, he said the Najib administration should also create Indian housing areas in the vicinity of Tamil schools, which would provide space for the community’s religious and cultural growth.
“Ethnic Indians are no longer going to trust in political propaganda. They had had enough.
“They want the government to walk its talk first.”
He also took a swipe at the appointment of MIC president G Palanivel as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Indian socio-economic development.
“It was just another typical mandore appointment to hoodwink the Indians,” he said.
Ibrahim Ali, politikus tua lagi kotor
"Siapa yang dapat melupakan bagaimana beliau mengkhianati PAS umpama parasit setelah parti itu memberi beliau tiket bertanding pada 2008," tegas Faekah Husin.
PETALING JAYA: Tindakan Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas Dato’ Ibrahim Ali mencampuri urusan pentadbiran Selangor dalam isu pelantikan Exco kerajaan negeri yang baru dan rombakan portfolio Hal Ehwal Islam menunjukkan beliau kehabisan modal.
Setiausaha Politik kepada Menteri Besar Selangor Faekah Husin berkata, tindakan Ibrahim yang juga Presiden Perkasa (Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia) itu untuk membuktikan dirinya masih relevan di arena politik tanahair walaupun sudah tua lagi kotor.
“Percubaan beliau melaga-lagakan PAS dan Kerajaan Selangor juga agak pelik apabila melihat sejarah beliau sendiri dengan PAS,” kata beliau dalam satu kenyataan media.
Faekah menegaskan “siapa yang dapat melupakan bagaimana beliau mengkhianati PAS umpama parasit setelah parti itu memberi beliau tiket bertanding pada 2008.
“Hari ini beliau terhegeh-hegeh pula dengan Umno sedangkan parti yang bakal tumbang ini pun melihatnya sebagai liabiliti dan tidak mempunyai sebarang kredibiliiti,” katanya.
Ujar beliau, “kita tidak mempersoal tindakan Ibrahim Ali yang kini begitu akrab dan bersekongkol dengan mantan Exco Agama Dato’ Dr Hasan Ali.
Hina Sultan Selangor
“Namun keceluparan Ibrahim mempertikaikan kedudukan (Menteri Besar) Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim sebagai Exco Hal Ehwal Islam merupakan satu penghinaan kepada Sultan Selangor yang sesungguhnya adalah Ketua Agama Islam di Selangor.
“Keputusan Abdul Khalid memegang portfolio ini adalah setelah berbincang dan mendapat perkenan baginda Sultan kerana pentadbiran di
Selangor mengamalkan konsultasi berterusan dengan pihak istana dalam banyak hal apatah lagi dalam soal hal ehwal Islam,” katanya.
Menurut Faekah, tuduhan Ibrahim Ali bahawa pelantikan Abdul Khalid sebagai Exco Hal Ehwal Islam hanya akan menyemarakkan rumah maksiat di Selangor amat keterlaluan.
“Kita ingatkan Ibrahim Ali bahawa keutuhan dan kesucian agama Islam di Selangor, pengawalan kegiatan tidak bermoral, termasuk perjudian dan rumah-rumah maksiat adalah di bawah bidang kuasa Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais) dan Jabatan Agama Islam
Selangor (Jais) yang kedua-duanya dalam pemerhatian rapat Baginda Tuanku,” jelas beliau.
“Menuduh bahawa Tan Sri Khalid akan merelakan kegiatan tidak bermoral atas perkiraan politik seolah-olah mempersenda kedua-dua institusi agama tersebut termasuk baginda Sultan,” tambah beliau.
Khianati PAS
Katanya, pada perkiraan Ibrahim semua ahli politik akan menggadai maruah demi undi sebagaimana dirinya yang sanggup mengkhianati
PAS walaupun parti tersebut mengutipnya setelah dicampak oleh Umno.
“Selaku umat Islam seharusnya Ibrahim Ali mendoakan setiap pemimpin berkhidmat dengan ikhlas, mentaati hukum dan menggalas jawatan sebagai amanah Allah agar negeri menjadi aman sejahtera dan diampuni Allah swt.
“Sebaliknya, beliau sanggup menuduh bahawa Selangor akan menjadi negeri peliwat. Ungkapan yang menggambarkan betapa kotornya pemikiran politikus tua ini.
“Bercakap tanpa iman; penuh dendam dan nafsu serakah. Ini merupakan penghinaan kepada seluruh rakyat Selangor yang seharusnya Ibrahim Ali dihalang dari menjejakkan kakinya di negeri berdaulat ini,” katanya lagi.
Faekah menerangkan bahawa Menteri Besar amat memandang serius tohmahan jahat ini dan akan membincangkan isu ini dengan semua agensi terbabit dan Kamar Penasihat Undang-undang Negeri termasuk juga pihak Istana.
“Kita tidak akan teragak-agak mengambil tindakan terhadap Ibrahim Ali kerana keceluparan melampau beliau semata-mata mendapatkan publisiti murahan,” tegas beliau.
PETALING JAYA: Tindakan Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas Dato’ Ibrahim Ali mencampuri urusan pentadbiran Selangor dalam isu pelantikan Exco kerajaan negeri yang baru dan rombakan portfolio Hal Ehwal Islam menunjukkan beliau kehabisan modal.Setiausaha Politik kepada Menteri Besar Selangor Faekah Husin berkata, tindakan Ibrahim yang juga Presiden Perkasa (Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia) itu untuk membuktikan dirinya masih relevan di arena politik tanahair walaupun sudah tua lagi kotor.
“Percubaan beliau melaga-lagakan PAS dan Kerajaan Selangor juga agak pelik apabila melihat sejarah beliau sendiri dengan PAS,” kata beliau dalam satu kenyataan media.
Faekah menegaskan “siapa yang dapat melupakan bagaimana beliau mengkhianati PAS umpama parasit setelah parti itu memberi beliau tiket bertanding pada 2008.
“Hari ini beliau terhegeh-hegeh pula dengan Umno sedangkan parti yang bakal tumbang ini pun melihatnya sebagai liabiliti dan tidak mempunyai sebarang kredibiliiti,” katanya.
Ujar beliau, “kita tidak mempersoal tindakan Ibrahim Ali yang kini begitu akrab dan bersekongkol dengan mantan Exco Agama Dato’ Dr Hasan Ali.
Hina Sultan Selangor
“Namun keceluparan Ibrahim mempertikaikan kedudukan (Menteri Besar) Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim sebagai Exco Hal Ehwal Islam merupakan satu penghinaan kepada Sultan Selangor yang sesungguhnya adalah Ketua Agama Islam di Selangor.
“Keputusan Abdul Khalid memegang portfolio ini adalah setelah berbincang dan mendapat perkenan baginda Sultan kerana pentadbiran di
Selangor mengamalkan konsultasi berterusan dengan pihak istana dalam banyak hal apatah lagi dalam soal hal ehwal Islam,” katanya.
Menurut Faekah, tuduhan Ibrahim Ali bahawa pelantikan Abdul Khalid sebagai Exco Hal Ehwal Islam hanya akan menyemarakkan rumah maksiat di Selangor amat keterlaluan.
“Kita ingatkan Ibrahim Ali bahawa keutuhan dan kesucian agama Islam di Selangor, pengawalan kegiatan tidak bermoral, termasuk perjudian dan rumah-rumah maksiat adalah di bawah bidang kuasa Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais) dan Jabatan Agama Islam
Selangor (Jais) yang kedua-duanya dalam pemerhatian rapat Baginda Tuanku,” jelas beliau.
“Menuduh bahawa Tan Sri Khalid akan merelakan kegiatan tidak bermoral atas perkiraan politik seolah-olah mempersenda kedua-dua institusi agama tersebut termasuk baginda Sultan,” tambah beliau.
Khianati PAS
Katanya, pada perkiraan Ibrahim semua ahli politik akan menggadai maruah demi undi sebagaimana dirinya yang sanggup mengkhianati
PAS walaupun parti tersebut mengutipnya setelah dicampak oleh Umno.
“Selaku umat Islam seharusnya Ibrahim Ali mendoakan setiap pemimpin berkhidmat dengan ikhlas, mentaati hukum dan menggalas jawatan sebagai amanah Allah agar negeri menjadi aman sejahtera dan diampuni Allah swt.
“Sebaliknya, beliau sanggup menuduh bahawa Selangor akan menjadi negeri peliwat. Ungkapan yang menggambarkan betapa kotornya pemikiran politikus tua ini.
“Bercakap tanpa iman; penuh dendam dan nafsu serakah. Ini merupakan penghinaan kepada seluruh rakyat Selangor yang seharusnya Ibrahim Ali dihalang dari menjejakkan kakinya di negeri berdaulat ini,” katanya lagi.
Faekah menerangkan bahawa Menteri Besar amat memandang serius tohmahan jahat ini dan akan membincangkan isu ini dengan semua agensi terbabit dan Kamar Penasihat Undang-undang Negeri termasuk juga pihak Istana.
“Kita tidak akan teragak-agak mengambil tindakan terhadap Ibrahim Ali kerana keceluparan melampau beliau semata-mata mendapatkan publisiti murahan,” tegas beliau.
Are we having a popularity contest?
We
want to know more than just who is winning the popularity contest. We
want to know from both Najib and Anwar what are their strategies to make
Malaysia self-sufficient in food production and how long is this going
to take? We also want to know what are the back-up plans and
contingencies in the event there is crop failure in our neighbouring
countries and they refuse to continue selling food to Malaysia?NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Chua Soi Lek said that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is ahead of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in the popularity contest. I did not realise that we were running a popularity contest.
This is what I was trying to say in my latest articles in ‘The Corridors of Power’. This is not a popularity contest. This is not about ‘do you love Najib?’ -- and if you do not then vote Pakatan Rakyat because if Pakatan Rakyat wins then you will get Anwar as the new Prime Minister to replace Najib.
Malaysia is not the US. It is not about two people contesting to become the country’s leader. It is about which government can better serve the country’s interest.
Malaysia’s Westminster system of government is modelled after the UK. In the UK, they vote for the party that can best serve the British voters. They talk about Labour or Conservative (care a damn who the leader is) although now LibDem is also on their lips. Most voters are not concerned about the party leader although I admit some do vote based on who is leading the party.
Okay, let’s say we want Anwar rather than Najib as the next Prime Minister. I have no problems with that. But why do we want Anwar rather than Najib? Is it because we hate Rosmah Mansor? (That’s a good reason). Is it because we believe that Najib is somehow involved in Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder? (That’s another good reason). Is it because of the rampant and blatant corruption? (That’s a damn good reason).
So, yes, we have our reasons as to why we don’t want Najib. But that is not enough. We can’t say we want Anwar because we don’t want Najib. We must say we want Anwar because we want Anwar.
So why do we want Anwar (other than because we don’t want Najib)? Let’s be clear in our minds about this. Even more important than that, let’s make sure Anwar too knows why we want him and not Najib (and not that we want him just because we don’t want Najib).
There are three things that are more important than Rosmah and Altantuya (and probably at par with our detest for corruption). And these are health, education and food.
When we are young (like my five grandchildren) we need a good education system (and good meaning comparable to global standards, not just Malaysian standards). I want to know that my grandchildren can survive, not only in Malaysia, but anywhere in the world -- and that they can compete with the more than seven billion world population. And, to do that, they will have to be damn smart and backed with a damn good education.
When you are old, like me, you need a good health care system. And at my age, 61, I am beginning to require all sorts of health care. I now fall down when I walk and bump into things and whatnot. I realise that I am getting old and unless I get good health care I will not last too long in this world. (And that is why I am taking all these courses in Oxford. I realise that my body is failing but I want to make sure that my mind remains sharp till the day I take my last breath).
And, to make sure that we all live to a ripe old age, we need food, good and nourishing food. And this is something that all Malaysians should be worried about because the country is not self-sufficient yet. Most of what you see in the market is imported. There is nothing that Malaysia produces that is enough, let alone surplus that can be exported.
Of course, we also need jobs, a house, transportation, some entertainment, a holiday now and then, some spare shopping money to go buy a Birkin handbag, and whatnot. But we will not die if we can’t do all that. We will if our health is not taken care of and we have no food to eat. And, without a good education, how do we support ourselves after we leave school -- unless we want to go to Indonesia to work as maids and construction workers (which one day might just happen, so don’t laugh too fast)?
Anwar was both Education and Agriculture minister at one time. What did he do when he headed these Ministries? Today, we complain about the state of affairs of our agriculture industry and our education system. Are not all these ‘inherited’ problems (they did not just happen recently)? These were problems prevailing since the time Anwar was the Minister. Nothing has changed.
I don’t want to know who is winning the popularity contest. Sukarno was also popular, more popular than Najib and Anwar combined. But was Indonesia heaven on earth when Sukarno was its President? He messed up the country good and proper.
So did his successor, Suharto, another very popular leader. Only now can Indonesia be said to be moving forward. In the very near future, Malaysia is going to be the poor cousin of Indonesia, just like East Germany was to West Germany.
We want to know more than just who is winning the popularity contest. We want to know from both Najib and Anwar what are their strategies to make Malaysia self-sufficient in food production and how long is this going to take? We also want to know what are the back-up plans and contingencies in the event there is crop failure in our neighbouring countries and they refuse to continue selling food to Malaysia?
We also want to know how the health and education systems are going to be reformed and when we can expect not just quality health care and education but also they being available FREE to all Malaysians.
Can we start with these three very crucial areas? Then, in that same breath, we can also talk about how to eliminate or reduce corruption. A popular leader is of no use to Malaysia if he does not have vision. So what is the vision and mission of both Najib and Anwar who are offering themselves as ‘the most popular leader of Malaysia’?
*********************************
Najib always ahead of Anwar in popularity contest, says Soi Lek(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak has always been the preferred leader for Malaysians, says Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, rather than Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has lost support after “crying wolf” too many times.
The MCA president also believed that Anwar’s sodomy acquittal had vindicated the prime minister and not the opposition leader, as it proved the judiciary’s independence — a line that the Najib administration has used after the verdict was handed down on January 9.
As such, Dr Chua (picture) disagreed that the acquittal had placed both rivals on a level playing field and was unlikely to have a great impact on the results of the coming general election.
“To begin with, it has never been a level playing field and all the studies have shown that Najib, on his own, is more popular than Anwar.
“Their (the opposition’s) own studies also show that. So it never started with the same level playing field,” the MCA chief told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview here.
Following Anwar’s highly-publicised sodomy acquittal, analysts said both political rivals Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) were now neck and neck in the contest for Malaysia’s middle ground.
They added that with the end of the sodomy trial, both sides could now focus their attention on the economy and reforms needed to ensure Malaysia remains competitive.
“The positive outcome of the case evens out the playing field,” Ibrahim Suffian from the Merdeka Center had told The Malaysian Insider.
But Dr Chua said Anwar’s initial popularity when he re-entered the political scene had lost steam over the years.
“I think he has been calling bluff too many times. First, they said they would take over. I still remember receiving the SMS that the Agong was going to swear in Anwar as the new PM.
“So when you cry wolf or fire too many times, there will be a day when you actually catch fire and nobody pays attention to it,” he said.
Dr Chua was referring to Anwar’s controversial September 16 takeover attempt, when the PR de facto leader had boasted mass defections from BN would help the fledgling opposition pact claim Putrajaya.
The failed attempt haunted Anwar for years, with BN leaders trumpeting to the public that the incident showed the opposition leader’s penchant for lying to the public.
“Next, people can also see that what we call the ‘PM-elect’ (Anwar), apart from his rhetoric, what has he done?
“As RPK (blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin) correctly pointed out — in three years, he (Anwar) has gone overseas 60 or 100 times. Can you imagine? Hopping around the world, giving lectures... people can see whether you are just spinning, playing politics,” Dr Chua said.
In contrast, the former health minister said Najib has been concentrating on running his administration and transforming the economy.
“Whether you like Najib or not, he has paid a lot of attention to the economic transformation of the country and all the indicators show that in terms of foreign direct investment, we have done up,” he said.
Dr Chua said the business community are “practical people” who believe in delivery more than political rhetoric and in that respect, Najib has far surpassed Anwar in the popularity contest.
Buoyed by the feel-good factor following Anwar’s acquittal and cash handouts from Budget 2012, it is widely expected that Najib will call elections within months, ahead of the BN mandate expiring in May 2013.
Najib is due to celebrate the Chinese New Year later today in Penang, where the sizeable Chinese community voted in PR in Election 2008, paving the way for Lim Guan Eng to be chief minister.
Dei, s/o Mohamed Kutty, you empty your pockets first, lah
By Harris Ibrahim,The cheek of this old bugger!
Malaysiakini has him supporting the call for public officers to declare their assets, but then takes Nazri’s position that such a disclosure should not be made to the public.
Yes, not to us.
Mahathir’s reasoning?
“… people will be focussed on that instead of unity and nation building”, he is reported to have said
This racist bigot who destroyed our national institutions and, with his cronies, plundered the wealth of the nation by playing the race card whenever it suited him, now speaks of unity and nation building?
He should be the first to make full and frank disclosure of what he owns.
Here and abroad.
In his own name and that of his next-of-kin.
Doc, please don’t die on us just yet.
I want to see the day when we strip search you to retrieve every single sen you have stolen from us.
Saudi: no cash from emerging economies until given more clout
By Andrew Torchia - Reuters
RIYADH (Reuters) – Big emerging economies such as China, India and Saudi Arabia will not aid the West in its financial crisis unless they are given more influence in running the global economy, a senior figure from Saudi Arabia’s ruling establishment said on Monday.
“The financial crisis and great recession were born in the West, developed in the West yet hit hard throughout the world,” former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal said in a speech to a business conference in Riyadh.
He said this showed the need to give emerging economies more representation and more authority in global bodies such as the Group of 20 nations, a forum of the world’s major industrialized countries, and the Financial Stability Board (FSB), which discusses regulation of banks and financial markets.
So far, however, organizations such as the FSB “have yet to take these new realities into consideration,” while the G20 is making little headway in coordinating economic policymaking around the world, he said.
Big emerging economies’ lack of influence in international bodies reduces their willingness to contribute money to fight the global crisis, the prince warned.
The International Monetary Fund is seeking to more than double its war chest by raising $600 billion in new resources to help countries deal with the fallout of the euro zone’s sovereign debt crisis.
“What we can be certain of is that large developing nations will not agree to provide additional funds without a greater say in the IMF, and this applies to all global economic governance organizations,” Prince Turki said.
The prince, who chairs the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, a major think tank, no longer holds government office but is still seen as influential, and his position outside government may give him room to speak more frankly in public than current Saudi officials.
He is a former ambassador to the United States and Britain.
ECHOES OF CHINESE CRITICISM
His speech criticized Western governments for “leveraging up” their economies over the past six decades and letting their financial sectors spiral out of control, saying the United States and the European Union would continue to struggle with debt problems for five or 10 years.
Much of his criticism echoed comments by officials in China, another emerging economy that is being asked to help fight the global financial crisis.
Oman’s central bank governor told Reuters last week that his country was prepared to increase its contribution to the IMF.
In general, however, officials in the Gulf’s rich oil exporters have indicated they are in no rush to contribute funds to bail out the West, and expect Europe first to do more to resolve its debt crisis.
Prince Turki noted that the Saudi central bank’s holdings of roughly $360 billion in foreign securities, most of them in the form of U.S. Treasuries, helped to underpin the value of the U.S. dollar and the stability of the global economy.
He said his country would continue to play a stabilizing role but added that because it faced its own challenges, including the need to create jobs for a young population and cope with political strains across the Arab world, it would need in the future to focus more of its resources domestically and within the Middle East.
The Arab Monetary Fund, a regional body which lends to governments, and Saudi development funds such as the Islamic Development Bank need to be strengthened to help the Middle East develop economically, he said.
“We will continue to support our neighbors where we are able, including financially, but now we also face new exigencies of our own,” Turki said.
(Editing by Susan Fenton)
Mallika Sherawat, Dhanush Voted Hottest Veg Celebrities 2011
CHENNAI, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat and
'Kolaveri' fame Dhanush have been voted 'Hottest Vegetarian Celebrities
2011' in a poll by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA),
overcoming competition from veterans Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini,
among others.
"Thousands of people cast their votes to help PETA India determine the Hottest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2011, and Dhanush and Mallika Sherawat have been declared the winners," the animal rights advocacy group said in a press release.
National award-winning Dhanush and Mallika beat out early leaders Vivek Oberai and Vidya Balan and faced further competition from Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sonu Sood, Shahid Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor, Press Trust of India (PTI)quoted PETA India.
"If I had to pick the very best thing about being vegan, it's my clear conscience", Mallika was quoted as saying.
While, Dhanush, who shot to national fame with his chirpy video "Why This Kolaveri Di" was quoted as saying he felt light and healthy being vegetarian.
"There's nothing sexier than someone who exudes passion and compassion - and our winners have plenty of both," PETA India's chief functionary, Poorva Joshipura, said.
The winners were chosen based on the total number of votes each celebrity received, plus other factors, the release said and advocated following a vegetarian style of diet, as it helped reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer "and saves animals from a lifetime of suffering on cramped, filthy factory farms."
"Thousands of people cast their votes to help PETA India determine the Hottest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2011, and Dhanush and Mallika Sherawat have been declared the winners," the animal rights advocacy group said in a press release.
National award-winning Dhanush and Mallika beat out early leaders Vivek Oberai and Vidya Balan and faced further competition from Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sonu Sood, Shahid Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor, Press Trust of India (PTI)quoted PETA India.
"If I had to pick the very best thing about being vegan, it's my clear conscience", Mallika was quoted as saying.
While, Dhanush, who shot to national fame with his chirpy video "Why This Kolaveri Di" was quoted as saying he felt light and healthy being vegetarian.
"There's nothing sexier than someone who exudes passion and compassion - and our winners have plenty of both," PETA India's chief functionary, Poorva Joshipura, said.
The winners were chosen based on the total number of votes each celebrity received, plus other factors, the release said and advocated following a vegetarian style of diet, as it helped reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer "and saves animals from a lifetime of suffering on cramped, filthy factory farms."
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Kerala is Kashmir in South India. Kerala Hindus are under strangulation by Jehadi Islam.
Sharon, the RSS Activist - The last Victim of Marxist-Islamist Terrorism Nexus in Kerala.~ Upananda Brahmachari.
Hindus in Kerala are almost under siege in the Muslim majority districts of Malappuram and Kottayam and also in Christian majority district of Ernakulam. The Hindus of other three or four districts in Kerala are also in danger line. The Mallapuram district was carved out to create a Muslim majority district by the Communist government headed by E.M.S Namboodiripad on 16 June 1969.
This land of Kerala is famous for the birth place of Adi Shankarayara and bearing a strong legacy of Hindu tradition and culture. But for a long drawn strategy of the anti Hindu force in Kerala, the Hindus are now decreasing the numbers and powers in Kerala which is very alarming
In the last week, two disastrous incident happened in Kerala one at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam District
Slaughter of Pregnant cow near Sasatha Temple at Peumbavoor - A warning to Hindu society in Kerala
Dawn-to-dusk
shutdown and rallies in Ernakulam district at Muvattupuzha,
Kunnathunadu and Kothamangalam area marked vehement Hindu Protest
against Cow Slaughter in front of Perumbavoor Temple.
Politics in Kerala has always been controlled by either Left power led by CPIM or the Rights counterpart led by Congress in their term were obviously dependent upon the Kerala Congress (A Christian Political force) or the Muslim League to grab the power in Assembly. The vote bank policies never facilitated Hindu voters in recent past except in the case of Pallakad Municipality was captured in 2005. In the recent years the Muslim and Christian political groups are putting various pressures upon all the political parties in Kerala to fulfil their goal for a ethnic cleansing of Hindus in the furthest destination in the south India. Newly built ‘Kerala Religious Police” a Muslim fanatic wing, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Islamic Sevak Sangh (ISS), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) floated by the Islamists of Kerala, all are very musch active Keralian Jehadi road maps or the reorganized National Democratic Front (NDF) have recently emerged as stronger alternatives to ISS and SIMI and have allegedly masterminded communal violence in recent years.
T
J Joseph, a professor at the New Man College, Thodupuzha - a victim of
the Islamists. His right palm was chopped off by fanatic Muslims for
setting a controversial question paper for an examination.
surrounding areas have witnessed a rise in Islamist operations recently. The place is just 25 km away from Muvattupuzha, where activists of Islamist organization Popular Front of India had cut off the right hand of a college professor on July 4, 2010.
In 1921, present day Malappuram district witnessed a devastating revolts and massacres known as the Moplah rebellions killing lacs of innocent Hindus overnight. Through the establishment of Mallapuram, all the then Hindu majority districts in Kerala was divided in two parts as the Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode in the North were separated from the districts of Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam , Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram in the southern part. And if the non Muslims in Ernakulam and Idukki get majority in any chance (high chance is there) the Kerala Hindus will be divided by three parts geographically. All these are happening under a certain plan by the anti – Hindu force in Kerala.
Demographic change in Kerala marks a disastrous destiny of Kerala Hindus.
larger now than the Hindu population there. These districts are (i) Malappuram (ii) Wayanad (iii) Ernakulam (iv) Idukki and (v) Kottayam in which Muslims are singly majority in Mallapuram and Kottayam and Christians are singly majority in Ernakulam Districts as per projection reports available on the basis of Census Report 2001 (published) and the Census Report 2011 (un-published).
As per Census Report 2001, the district-wise population of Hindus, Muslims and Christians is as follows: Kasaragod: 7,05,234 (Hindus), 4,13,063 (Muslims), 84,891 (Christians); Kannur: 14,80,748 (H), 6,65,648 (M), 2,61,090 (C); Kozhikode: 16,69,161 (H), 10,78,759 (M), 1,27,468 (C); Wayanad: 3,92,141 (H), 2,09,758 (M) 1,75,495 (C); Malappuram : 10,57,418 (H), 24,84,576 (M), 1,75,495 (C); Palakkad: 18,02,766 (H), 7,03,596 (M), 1,09,249 (C); Thrissur : 17,61,842 (H), 4,88,697 (M), 7,20,152 (C); Ernakulam: 14,44,994 (H), 4,51,764 (M), 12,04,471 (C); Idukki : 5,66,744 (H), 81,222 (M), 4,80,108 (C); Kottayam: 9,63,497 (H), 1,16,686 (M), 8,71,371 (C); Alappuzha: 14,57,188 (H), 2,08,042 (M), 4,41,643 (C); Pathanamthitta: 6,94,560 (H), 56,457 (M), 4,81,602 (C); Kollam : 16,85,044 (H), 4,74,071 (M), 4,23,745 (C) and Thiruvananthapuram: 22,02,112 (H), 4,31,512 (M) and 5,95,563 (C). In the red lined districts Hindus became minority now below the strength of Non-Muslim population there.
Following the path of Muslim dominated Mallapuram district, Kottayam also became a certain Hindu Minority District in Kerala.
The current demographic trends in Kerala
indicate that within the next five years Hindus will become a minority
in the land of Sankaracharya (Kerala). As per recent census, Kerala
population is: Hindus 56.20 per cent. Muslims 26.7 per cent and
Christians 20.90 per cent. But the joint effort of the Muslims and
Christians to end the Hindu majority and hold in Kerala to make a
Kashimr or Nagaland in the certain parts of the state has been speeding
up gradually since the declaration of Mallapuram as the first Muslim
majority district in India in 1969. More over, the area wise increase of
Muslims and Christians and the decrease of Hindus in Kerala in general
is a dangerous threat to so called secular and democratic atmosphere in
Kerala. Once Hindus become a minority, Hindu slaughter will begin like
in Kashmir and Nagaland. Keralite Hindus cannot stop it in Kerala alone
if the others Hindus in every Indian state do not retaliate and restrict
the Jihad and Evangelization in Kerala just now. Yes, now or never. We
should support the Hindu cause in Kerala.
PM: ‘Blueprint’ necessary for the development of Tamil education system
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — For Tamil schools to improve, educators need to work on a “blueprint” for the entire system, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. “I propose Tamil school educators to organise a seminar and produce a ‘blueprint’ that will be used to develop Tamil schools in the country,” the prime minister said in a speech after meeting with the community today.
He said such an overhaul was necessary for Tamil schools to be more forward and provide competitive and excellent education.
Najib (picture) also announced his government has agreed and will build six new Tamil schools, as requested by the community.
Six locations nationwide have been earmarked for construction. They are Taman Keladi in Sungai Petani, Kedah; Heawood Estate in Sungai Siput, Perak; Bandar Seri Alam in Masai, Johor; with the rest concentrated in Taman PJS1, Petaling Jaya; Bandar Mahkota in Cheras; and Taman Sentosa, Klang.
Najib also announced that his government has approved a budget of RM3.5 million for SJK (T) in Pakatan Rakyat-held Puchong.
Mob disrupts ABU/Hindraf event, one hurt
Organisers believe that the assailants, who had caused serious injuries to at least one person, were linked to Umno.
VIDEO INSIDE
KLANG:
A rowdy mob gatecrashed a ceramah organised by Anything But Umno
(ABU)/Hindraf in Jalan Kebun here, causing serious injury to at least
one person earlier tonight.
Organisers told FMT that one of the volunteers at the ceramah was badly assaulted and had to be
rushed to the hospital.
The incident happened at about 9.15pm when the ceramah was about to start.
About 30 attackers, waving sticks and helmets, rode their motorcycles into the ceramah venue – a hall – and rammed into participants and chairs.
Others had followed on foot and had allegedly ’caused havoc’ by tossing chairs, throwing away ABU brochures, and hurling insults at participants, demanding for them to leave.
Organiser and ceramah participants believe the attackers were linked to Umno.
“I
believe they were Umno people. They had the BN and Umno flags, and were
wearing Umno t-shirts,” said one participant who alerted FMT of the
incident.
“There was some arguments and one boy was badly beaten by the unruly youths using helmets,” said Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director E Nalini who was there to observe the ceramah.
She said the group left the venue when a couple of police patrol cars arrived. She added that the group however loitered outside the hall, shouting slogans and ignoring the policemen.
The speakers of the disrupted ceramah were supposed to be lawyer-activist Haris Ibrahim, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, PKR leader Badrul Hisham Shahrin and Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam.
Mohamad Sabu said he was on stage when the incident happened.
“They can’t do this, if they disagreed with us or our programmes, they can complain to police, not attack people. This is very bad image for democracy,” he said.
Hurling racial abuses
Meanwhile,
another ceramah participant told FMT that the incident had gotten
racial at one point when one of the ‘uninvited guests’ hurled racial
abuses shouted at the participants, many who were Indians.
“One of them called us ‘keling’ while others proceeded to taunt the Indians present and shouted at the Malays there ‘you orang tak kenal hutang budi‘ (you unappreciative lot),” said legal executive M Yuktesvaran.
The organisers meanwhile said they were calling off the ceramah tonight, and will be resheduled to a venue in Seremban on Jan 28.
It is also learnt that they will be lodging a police report soon.
Police: Villagers were angry
Meanwhile Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah brushed off claims of any attacks at the ceramah tonight.
“No such incident though there was some dissatisfaction by the residents about the activity,” he told FMT.
“No
damages or injuries to people as alleged…no riots occurred,” he said,
adding that Hindraf supporters were present at the venue.
However Shah Alam OCPD Zahedi Ayob confirmed there was “shouting and pushing” at the ceramah but everything calmed down after the arrival of the police.
He said that the tension was caused by the anti-Umno ceramah in a Malay area. He added that the Malay residents got angry with the ceramah, especially with a banner which called for the end of the Umno/BN “regime”.
“The villagers were also angry with the 20-odd Malays who had attended the ceramah…the kampung people came out to protest against the presence of the Malays in the Hindraf organised ceramah,” he told FMT when contacted.
He said the face-off between the villagers and the ceramah organisers caused a confrontation and “they were shouting and pushing in the dewan”.
He said that the ceramah, attended by about 70 people, was cancelled and so far the police had not received any reports of anyone being injured.
“I’ll like to say that we managed to avoid the incident from becoming worse apart from shouting and pushing. There is no such thing as people being beaten with sticks.
“The act of holding the ceramah was provocative. How can you hold such a meeting in a predominantly Malay area? No permit was requested as well,” he said.
He also warned the public not to spread rumours of a racial tension in Jalan Kebun, adding that false messages were being spread through SMSes that a Malay stall had been set on fire.
“That is untrue. When the group was leaving, the police were already there. They managed to control the situation,” he added.
rushed to the hospital.
The incident happened at about 9.15pm when the ceramah was about to start.
About 30 attackers, waving sticks and helmets, rode their motorcycles into the ceramah venue – a hall – and rammed into participants and chairs.
Others had followed on foot and had allegedly ’caused havoc’ by tossing chairs, throwing away ABU brochures, and hurling insults at participants, demanding for them to leave.
Organiser and ceramah participants believe the attackers were linked to Umno.
“I
believe they were Umno people. They had the BN and Umno flags, and were
wearing Umno t-shirts,” said one participant who alerted FMT of the
incident.“There was some arguments and one boy was badly beaten by the unruly youths using helmets,” said Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director E Nalini who was there to observe the ceramah.
She said the group left the venue when a couple of police patrol cars arrived. She added that the group however loitered outside the hall, shouting slogans and ignoring the policemen.
The speakers of the disrupted ceramah were supposed to be lawyer-activist Haris Ibrahim, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, PKR leader Badrul Hisham Shahrin and Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam.
Mohamad Sabu said he was on stage when the incident happened.
“They can’t do this, if they disagreed with us or our programmes, they can complain to police, not attack people. This is very bad image for democracy,” he said.
Hurling racial abuses
Meanwhile,
another ceramah participant told FMT that the incident had gotten
racial at one point when one of the ‘uninvited guests’ hurled racial
abuses shouted at the participants, many who were Indians.“One of them called us ‘keling’ while others proceeded to taunt the Indians present and shouted at the Malays there ‘you orang tak kenal hutang budi‘ (you unappreciative lot),” said legal executive M Yuktesvaran.
The organisers meanwhile said they were calling off the ceramah tonight, and will be resheduled to a venue in Seremban on Jan 28.
It is also learnt that they will be lodging a police report soon.
Police: Villagers were angry
Meanwhile Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah brushed off claims of any attacks at the ceramah tonight.
“No such incident though there was some dissatisfaction by the residents about the activity,” he told FMT.
“No
damages or injuries to people as alleged…no riots occurred,” he said,
adding that Hindraf supporters were present at the venue.However Shah Alam OCPD Zahedi Ayob confirmed there was “shouting and pushing” at the ceramah but everything calmed down after the arrival of the police.
He said that the tension was caused by the anti-Umno ceramah in a Malay area. He added that the Malay residents got angry with the ceramah, especially with a banner which called for the end of the Umno/BN “regime”.
“The villagers were also angry with the 20-odd Malays who had attended the ceramah…the kampung people came out to protest against the presence of the Malays in the Hindraf organised ceramah,” he told FMT when contacted.
He said the face-off between the villagers and the ceramah organisers caused a confrontation and “they were shouting and pushing in the dewan”.
He said that the ceramah, attended by about 70 people, was cancelled and so far the police had not received any reports of anyone being injured.
“I’ll like to say that we managed to avoid the incident from becoming worse apart from shouting and pushing. There is no such thing as people being beaten with sticks.
“The act of holding the ceramah was provocative. How can you hold such a meeting in a predominantly Malay area? No permit was requested as well,” he said.
He also warned the public not to spread rumours of a racial tension in Jalan Kebun, adding that false messages were being spread through SMSes that a Malay stall had been set on fire.
“That is untrue. When the group was leaving, the police were already there. They managed to control the situation,” he added.
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