Putrajaya stops the distribution of latest Herald in Sabah

Putrajaya has stopped the distribution of some 2,000 copies of this week's edition of the Catholic weekly Herald in Sabah, raising tension between the Catholic Church and the Barisan Nasional government.

Herald editor Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew told The Malaysian Insider that the forwarding company was informed by the Home Ministry that the copies were not to be distributed.

"As always, the Home Ministry will pick up a copy for vetting purposes when it arrives in Kota Kinabalu.

"But this time, after picking up the copy, the authorities informed the forwarding company on Friday morning that the consignment cannot be distributed," he said.

The forwarding company followed up with the Home Ministry that same evening on the status, and was told again that there was no "go-ahead" from Putrajaya for the weekly to be distributed.

Andrew said the word "Allah" was used in inverted commas in this issue, but only in reference to the comments and articles following recent court ruling.

On October 14, a three-man Court of Appeal bench ruled that he Herald was banned from using the word Allah in the publication's Bahasa Malaysia section, overturning a High Court decision in December 2009.

In the judgment, the court found that the word Allah was not essential to or is an integral part of Christianity.

The ruling has since attracted various comments and feedback, even from Muslim scholars at the international stage.

Locally, politicians and constitutional lawyers had criticised the ruling.

This latest development has raised eyebrows as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had recently told an audience in Sabah that East Malaysian Christians are free to use the word Allah in their worship and publications, including the Bahasa Malaysia bible, Al-Kitab.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup also commented on the issue, saying that Christians in West Malaysia can use the word freely in their services in church.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ban on the word Allah only applied to Herald and no other publications.

The latest minister to comment on the issue four days ago was Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who added more confusion to the Allah ruling when he said that East Malaysians cannot use the word in West Malaysia.

Lawrence Andrew reiterated that the reference to Allah in this week's Herald was merely in reference to the news that has been circulating in the media.

"After all, we are a Catholic newspaper that disseminates news to the Catholic community, and we used the word in quotes," he said.

He then referred to an article in the Bahasa Malaysia section headlined "Uskup Bumiputera seru jangan takut guna 'Allah'!" where the bishop for the Keningau archdiocese, Datuk Cornelius Piong, had called on Catholics in Sabah to continue using the word Allah, as they have done for generations.

Andrew urged Putrajaya to release the 2,000 copies as there is nothing objectionable that appears in the publication, other than merely reporting the news.

He said some 14,000 copies of the Herald are on sale in churches this weekend, and that it is a "direct shipment from the Herald office to churches".

"It is not for anybody else. It is a copy for churches only. There are no vendors involved," he said.

It is learnt that the 2,000 Herald copies in Sabah are still with the forwarding company. - October 26, 2013.

Sexual Assault by Koran Teachers in Public Glare

A Koran teacher in East Jakarta has been accused of having sex with his teenage student, resulting in her getting pregnant and giving birth to a baby boy, city police said on Thursday.

“We received the report on October 11 and we are still questioning the victim; the investigation is still ongoing,” East Jakarta Police spokesman Comr. Sri Bhayangkari told the Jakarta Globe.

The 54-year-old teacher, identified only by the initial P., a resident of Duren Sawit, is accused of impregnating L., his 15-year-old student, who gave birth last month.

Rather than report the teacher to the police, however, the girl’s family initially demanded that P. marry the girl and provide for the child.

Only when the Koran teacher, who is already married, dodged the request did the girl’s family file a report with police.

“He had been my daughter’s teacher for a long time, since she was still in elementary school,” said the girl’s father, A.H.

“My daughter said P started to lure her into having sex with him in 2012,” he said, adding that P often called his daughter and asked her to come to his house when there was no one else at home.

“She always did what he asked, as if she had been hypnotized,” A.H. added.

Meanwhile, in Temanggung, Central Java, another Koran teacher was arrested for molesting six of his pupils.

Temanggung Police arrested 40-year-old Nurokhim, who they said admitted he had sexually assaulted six teenagers and raped three of them.

“I really regret that I could not control my desire,” Nurokhim said on Thursday.

Temanggung Police spokesman Adj. Comr. Marino said the victims were between 14 and 18 years old.

“The suspect has been arrested and could face up to 15 years in prison for having sexual intercourse with minors. He also faces a fine of up to Rp 300 million [$27,0000],” Marino said.

He said the teacher sometimes asked one of his students to stay behind after class to help him clean up, before locking the door and assaulting the child.

The two recent cases are the latest in a series of abuses of trust perpetrated by teachers of Islam.

Last month in Ternate, North Maluku, a 56-year-old Koran teacher, Akhmad Basir, was arrested after he allegedly molested five of his pupils at an Islamic boarding school under his management. Akhmad victims said he forced them to have sex with him, later giving them Rp 20,000.

And earlier in the year, a Koran teacher in Cakung, East Jakarta, was accused of sexually harassing 14 of his students.

The teacher, 28-year-old Abdul Aziz Salam, apparently chose his victims randomly and raped them after lessons were completed.

The rapes reportedly began in December 2012 and continued until April 2013, with the teacher threatening his students not to tell their parents about the attacks.

However, in April, one of the students complained to his parents of rectal pain and revealed to them that he had been raped by Abdul.

The confession sparked outrage among other parents, who asked their own children if they too had been victims of the religious instructor.

Parents of eight of the victims decided to bring the case to the police. The neighborhood unit chief then called the Cakung police to arrest the perpetrator, who was almost beaten to death by an angry mob.

That case was reported shortly after the arrest of Muhammad Firman, 25-year-old Koran teacher at a Tangerang mosque. He was accused of inviting a 14-year-old female student to his house in the Bukit Modern Hill housing complex last January, raping the girl and threatening her with violence if she told anyone, police said.

Firman reportedly continued to rape the girl until the abuse was eventually discovered by the girl’s older sister.

The sister read the girl’s diary and discovered an entry detailing the rape. The family then reported Firman to the police and took their daughter in for medical tests on April 2 this year.

 http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/sexual-assault-by-koran-teachers-in-public-glare/

Dog Saves Man from Arab Assault

Dog saves Jewish man after random Arab attack on a Jerusalem street.

Natan Epstein was walking down a street in Jerusalem this week when a passing Arab driver slowed down to curse at him. Epstein, who is used to such incidents, simply continued walking.

Just moments later, the situation escalated into a potentially fatal assault as the driver attempted to run him down, then jumped out of the car with a second Arab man and began viciously beating him.

Epstein managed to escape thanks to his dog, Mona. He spoke to Arutz Sheva’s Yoni Kempinski about the attack, and told him how he was saved at the last minute.

Epstein expressed frustration at government’s failure to prevent such attacks, and explained the steps he thinks must be taken to keep Jews safe in Israel’s capital.

Jammu : 8 hurt in today's Pak firing

Mohit Kandhari (Jammu) :At least eight civilians, including two children were injured in the fresh exchange of firing along the International Border (IB) in Kanachak sector of Jammu frontier on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a family had a narrow escape in Ramgarh area of Samba when a mortar shell landed on their roof and pierced through the ceiling of a living room. The family members, however, escaped unhurt. Intelligence reports indicated that Pakistan Army regulars have taken control of certain crucial sectors along the International Border and assisting Pakistan Rangers in carrying out surgical strikes on the forward Indian posts to inflict maximum damage.

Ex-servicemen in RS Pura sector, who had participated in the 1965 and 1971 wars, claimed on the basis of their past experience that the intensity of exchange of fire and the use of weaponry is clearly indicative of the fact that Pakistan Army regulars must have been assisting Pakistan Rangers to target the Indian posts during the night.

Following these developments, the Indian Army has also started gearing up its defences along the border areas in RS Pura sector. On Thursday large number of Army men surfaced in the border areas to carry out repair work of bunkers abandoned in the border areas close to the International Border.

They also carried out demonstrations and practice drills in some of the bunkers after completing massive cleanliness drive of bunkers along the border area. The exercise was largely aimed at instilling confidence among the border residents. BSF had also rushed additional troops to plug the gaps and prevent any infiltration in the garb of intense exchange of firing. In several other sectors along the IB terrified villagers continue to live under the constant shadow of death and destruction.

In many vulnerable areas the villagers have started digging bunkers to ensure their safety in the wake of heavy exchange of firing while in some of the households where bunkers existed the families are forced to spend long nights huddled inside the bunkers. Sham Singh, a villager in Pindi said, I am spending nights in the bunker of my house along with other family members. According to BSF sources, “In the intervening night of October 23-24, two incidents of ceasefire violations were reported along the IB in Niki Tawi and Ramgarh sub-sector.

During the heavy exchange of firing from both sides two mortar shells landed on the BSF post in Ramgarh area while exchange of fire also took place in Nikki Tawi area where Pakistan Rangers targeted BOP Garuda till 3.00 am. During the day no fresh exchange of fire took place along the border.

However, the Pakistan Rangers opened ‘unprovoked’ firing in the Kanachak sector around 6.00 pm and targeted BOP SOHAN manned by 86 BSF battalion. Four civilians including two women and two children were injured when a mortar shell exploded near their house and all of them received splinter injuries. The injured belonged to the family of Tara Chand.

Due to continuous pounding of forward Indian villages in Garkhal area of Akhnoor, at least 250 local villagers including senior citizens, women and children were shifted by the local authorities to Government High School in Rajpura late Thursday evening. According to official sources, as intensity of shelling increased and rockets started raining over the forward villages in Garkhal the local residents were asked to shift to safer places.

We are Malaysians, Gerakan tells Perkasa

Gerakan acting president Chang Ko Youn also tells Barisan Nasional (BN) to fight extremism and stop punishing the 51% voters who voted against the ruling coalition at the last general election.

KUALA LUMPUR: Lashing out at Perkasa for its extremism, outgoing Gerakan acting president Chang Ko Youn today called on the BN not to take ‘revenge’ on the 51% voters who voted against the ruling government at the May general election.

In his keynote address at the 42nd Gerakan national delegates conference today, Chang also trained his guns at the Malay rights group Perkasa, led by firebrand Ibrahim Ali.

He said Ibrahim has undermined the spirit of ‘Merdeka’ and interracial relationship through his statements.

“It is most unfortunate that extremists like Perkasa gleefully challenge the non-Bumiputeras to either return to their ancestral lands or migrate to a third country.

“Let me make it clear, in front of all of you today, that we are all Malaysians and no Malaysian will ever have to leave this country simply because he does not agree with any policy or approach.

“We are all Malaysians, citizens of this nation, and no one can take that away from us,” he told some 2,000 Gerakan members at the conference. Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Tun Razak was the guest of honour of the delegates conference.

Chang also urged BN to fight extremism internally, as how it does internationally, and to ensure equal protection and application of the law on those who threaten the country’s peace and stability.

At the media conference later, Chang equalled Perkasa to the right-wing Tea Party in the US and said Gerakan was pushing for BN to condemn the NGO.

Asked about Najib’s lack of action against Perkasa for its offensive remarks, Chang said he was not sure if Najib had indeed criticised Perkasa before, but he “definitely does not endorse the statements”.

Don’t punish the 51%

On a separate matter, the former Perak executive councillor also urged BN not to punish the 51% of voters who deserted BN in the 13th General Election.

“BN and its component parties must not thrive in the fault lines of politics rather show humility in victory and accept that a new way is needed within BN as well.

“A new thinking must support that new way and the new thinking must encapsulate the hopes and aspirations of all Malaysians for clean, fair, just and inclusive government,” he said.

He said the failure by the BN to change will lead to its self-destruction, because its shortcomings will endear its supporters to cross to the opposition.

He said an in-depth analysis of BN’s victory in the 13th General Elections (GE13) shows that BN only won the federal administration with a margin of 44 seats with a combined majority of 25, 968 votes.

BN captured 133 while Pakatan Rakyat bagged 89 seats in the GE battle.

“Hence, we should not take our victory in GE13 for granted because it was a lot closer than many of us realise because 12,985 Malaysians voting the other way could have changed the results,” he said.

Standardised Admission Test for University

He said BN must transform itself into more inclusive coalition which constantly seek for consensus and adopt a more equitable power-sharing.

“I appeal to the YAB Dato Seri BN chairman (Najib) to ensure these changes are made.

“The component parties have borne the brunt of the urban rejection of BN resulting in significant losses for MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, LDP and SUPP,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chang also called on the government to reform the admission process into public universities and introduce a standardised admission test (SAT).

“An admission system that is equitable, that also takes into account the socio-economic background of all applicants, will give true meaning to meritocracy, stem the brain drain and most importantly contribute to a more inclusive Malaysia,” he said.

Gerakan would also conduct its internal polls in the NDC today, as some 2200 delegates were set to elect a new leadership to lead the party for the next three years.

Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Yeow is pitted against vice president Mah Siew Keong in a straight fight for president post.

Najib: BN ‘victims of own success’

Barisan Nasional president Najib Tun Razak assured Gerakan that its losses in Penang are a sign of BN's successful policies which brought "changes to mind, atitudes and values" of the younger generation.

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional was a “victim of its own success” in the past two general elections, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak told its embattled component party partner, Gerakan today.

In a bid to console the party after its bitter showing in the May 5 polls, Najib said: “With our successes, we developed this country not just physically, but in terms of human capital and intellectual development.

“This has brought changes to the minds, attitudes and values of society today, especially the younger generation…

“Thus we have become a victims of our own success. And we must change.

“I have initiated this process by introducing the concept of transformative leadership in the government and in the party.”

Najib, who was speaking to delegates at the 42nd Gerakan National Delegates Conference, attributed the growing support for the Opposition to BN’s success in allegedly developing the minds of the younger generation.

Gerakan suffered an embarrassing defeat at the May 5 polls when only one of the 11 candidates it fielded for a Parliamentary seat managed to win. Out of its 21 candidates contesting for state seats, only three emerged victorious.

The party also failed to wrest its former stronghold, Penang, from the DAP.

However, Najib said today the loss was not Gerakan’s fault, insisting again that it was a sign of BN’s “success”.

“Gerakan’s political base, Penang, was a beacon of light. The Gerakan state government developed Penang into a state not only famous for its tourism, but for becoming a magnet for foreign direct investment during the 70’s,” said Najib.

“This success has resulted in the situation today, where, ironically, Penang has become a challenge for us (to win back), not because of our failures, but because of the successes of the BN parties’ policies.”

Najib said that BN would continue to reject communal politics and maintain a “moderate, progressive, centrist, inclusive and fair stance”, to win back support for the ruling coalition.

He also stressed that the BN parties had room to improve and must adapt to the changing political landscape so as to be seen as a relevant, vibrant and reflective of the voice of the younger generation.

“Most of our problem lies with our ability to communicate, about selling what we are doing to the people,” he added, claiming that the Opposition coalition had managed to hoodwink the rakyat with their untruths.

“Why is a lie being swallowed wholesomely? I am looking into this… is it a problem of trust deficit? Are they trusting the opposition more than BN? Those are the questions and we have to find the solution.”

Sugar and libido

The prime minister also took the opportunity to defend the 2014 Budget released yesterday, reiterating that unpopular moves such as abolishing the sugar subsidy and introducing the goods and services tax (GST) was necessary.

“The Opposition says everything we do is wrong. We abolished the sugar subsidy. We did we do it. One is because the rationalization of subsidy is important. All the market analysts says so.

“Another reason is the fact that 2.6 billion of Malaysians aged 30 and above are diabetics. If you suffer from diabetics, this will lead to worse symptoms, such as your legs getting amputated. Your libido will also be affected,” he said.

Najib pointed out that that the introduction of the GST had also been lauded by economists, “without exception”, and this was why Pakatan had backtracked from its original anti-GST stance.

“(They) are against GST. At first they said no GST, now they are saying postpone the GST. They have modified their position. Why? Because all market analysts say GST is goof for Malaysia.

“But I don’t want to talk so much about GST, otherwise my speech would go on for two hours 20 minutes,” he said.

Today, some 2,000 Gerakan delegates will cast their votes for the party president and vice-presidency posts as well as the 18 Central Committee seats.

Boycott CHOGM, says DAP

While DAP wants the Prime Minister to boycott CHOGM in Sri Lanka, MIC says 'no comment' on the matter.

GEORGE TOWN: DAP has called on the government to boycott the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka next month due to blatant human violations committed by the island republic against ethnic Tamils there.

Party secretary general Lim Guan Eng said the DAP central executive committee (CEC) unanimously decided, on Wednesday, to call for the boycott as a humanitarian protest against the recalcitrant Sri Lankan government’s stubborn refusal to account for the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians during closing stages of the country’s civil war in 2009.

Until today, he said, Colombo had failed to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes against innocent Tamils during the civil war.

He noted that thousands of Tamils who disappeared during the civil war had not been accounted for by the government, while those responsible for the rapes against Tamil women and girls had not been brought to justice

He pointed out that international human rights organisations including the United Nations had warned Colombo to investigate allegations of murders, rapes and disappearances.

“However, the Sri Lankan government had not been forthcoming with any form of investigations into these allegations,” said Lim, the Bagan MP, in a statement here today.

The DAP also urged all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to press Putrajaya to boycott CHOGM on November 15-17 as a sign of protest.

“DAP has consistently opposed regimes that violate human rights and place constraints on democracy. In this respect, DAP thinks that holding of CHOGM in Colombo is not an appropriate thing to do,” said Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister.

Recently, United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, Naveen Pillay, issued a serious warning to the Sri Lanka government to address the pressing human rights concerns, failing which the UN would order an international investigation into the conduct of the government.

Given these gross violations of human rights and deterioration of democracy in Sri Lanka, some countries like Canada has expressed serious concern about Sri Lanka and whether Colombo is the rightful venue for CHOGM.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has already announced that he would boycott the meet.

Facing intense pressure from political parties in state of Tamil Nadu, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is still undecided on whether to attend the CHOGM, while Kenya is contemplating to boycott the Colombo’s international event.

Meanwhile, MIC President G Palanivel did not want to comment on the matter, when approached by reporters after the party’s central working committee meeting on Friday.

His ‘no comment’ remarks has come under fire from fellow CWC members, who feel it will have a negative impact on the party.

Palanivel said that he would concentrate on the largest Indian based party in the country rather than talking about CHOGM.

Although MIC is made up of various ethnic Indian groups, Tamils are majority in the party.

“As far as I know, people in India staged several protest (against the Sri Lanka government). But, there was no protest in Malaysia on this matter,” Palanivel had said at the press conference.

A CWC members, who did not want to be named, said most members at the meeting were shocked by Palanivel’s answer to the media on the issue.

“Everyone knows that Sri Lanka’s war crimes against its Tamil population was a very serious and it is a very sensitive issue in Malaysia. People in Malaysia donated millions of ringgit to help the Tamil population in Sri Lanka. Even, MIC itself staged several protests in the past on this matter.

“I do not know if he is ignorant and just plain careless,” said the CWC.

Grilled on human rights, but Malaysia remains adamant

As 104 countries took their turns to grill Malaysia on its human rights record in Geneva on Thursday, one common theme was Malaysia's lack of engagement with human rights instruments.

A delegation of local NGOs attending Malaysia's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights in the Swiss city said during the review, many countries called on Malaysia to sign and ratify six core human rights conventions.

As for the three human rights conventions that Malaysia has already signed, the country has been pressured to remove its reservations on them and stipulate a time-line to implement them fully.

"In our view it will not be easy for the government to ignore these recommendations, as they did not come just from Western countries, but also from other countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Muslim countries such as Egypt, the Maldives, Tunisia and Turkey also made this call, obviously seeing no threat to Islam in doing so, in contrast to views from certain Malaysian Muslim NGOs," the NGOs said in a joint statement yesterday.

The statement was issued by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs for the UPR Process (Comango), Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) and the Bar Council.

Malaysia urged to sign Rome Statute as well

In addition, they said, Malaysia has also been urged to sign the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which Malaysia said it would sign in April 2011 but has not done so.

The UPR is held every four-and-a-half years, during which each UN member has 75 seconds to comment and make recommendations on another member country's human rights record.

The NGOs also noted that despite being a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Malaysia's rate of cooperation with the UN special procedures and special rapporteurs, and its accession rate on international human rights instruments "leaves much to be desired".

For example, they said Malaysia has refused to extend a standing invitation to UN rapporteurs and independent human rights experts reporting to the UN, opting to extend invitations selectively instead.

Elections to the UN Human Rights Council will take place in October next year.

'Combat discrimination against religious minorities'

Among other calls on Malaysia, the NGOs said, Iran urged Malaysia to combat discrimination against religious minorities, while Canada, Chile and Italy has called on Malaysia to criminalise marital rape.

Japan urged Malaysia to promote Internet freedom, while several Asean nations urged Malaysia to protect migrant workers.

There were also calls to form the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) from New Zealand, and from a number of other countries to abolish the death penalty.

"In our view, Malaysia needs to be far more convincing that it is committed to the international system of law and order premised on acceptance of and compliance with international human rights norms and standards.

"If Malaysia wants to be active in the front yard of the international geopolitical scene, it must do more than make an outward show of professing, promoting and protecting human rights in its own backyard," the NGOs said, noting the wide range of complaints against the country.

Perkasa skins Kamalanathan over cow slaughter

Deputy Education Minister II P Kamalanathan's statement that the Education Ministry has never allowed the slaughter of cows in schools has insulted Islam, said Perkasa yesterday.

"The parliamentarian P Kamalanathan's statement that the korban ceremony cannot be carried out in schools is an act that insults the Malays and all Muslims," the Malay supremacist group's Youth chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris wrote on his blog.

"We have never questioned your religious ceremonies... you just don't respect the religion of the majority race," he said.
The posting 'Kamalanathan, don't kurang ajar (step out of line)' also never acknowledged the MIC leader and Hulu Selangor MP as a deputy minister.
He was responding to the Kamalanathan's clarification on Thursday that the slaughter of cows at SK Puchong Jaya in Selangor during Aidiladha last week was never allowed by the ministry.

Kamalanathan, in attempting to smoothen the outcry from non-Muslims over the act, said the school had not informed the ministry of its plans, otherwise they would have been advised to hold the traditional ritual in a nearby surau.

However, the first-time deputy minister skirted media questions on whether the ministry intends to issue a circular to remind schools of the matter, saying there was "no need" for this.

"We urge this MP to stop commenting on Islam. Don't be 'kacang lupakan kulit' (ungrateful to your masters).

"Have some respect," said Irwan (above).
'Topple Kamalanathan'

The row over holding the cow sacrifice ritual in the Kuala Lumpur primary school broke out when some non-Muslim parents complained that it was insensitive and inappropriate for the pupils.

Hindus and certain Buddhists consider the cow a sacred animal.

Meanwhile, Irwan warned Kamalanathan (left) that he should retract his statement or suffer the consequences in the next general election.

"We feel that we should topple such people in the next GE. Remember, your constituency has a lot of Malays," he warned.

"If you don't retract, let's see in the next general election," said Irwan.

LIVE: Najib unveils Budget 2014, announces GST

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak took two and a half hours to unveil the details of Budget 2014 today.

Clad in a bright orange 'baju Melayu', Najib - to the delight of Pakatan Rakyat MPs as they waved their orange alternative budget booklet - started to address Parliament at 4pm.

Malaysiakini brings you the salient points of the budget speech here as it unfolds.

You can also check out the updates on Twitter @malaysiakini and Facebook.com/malaysiakini.

In his speech, Najib takes potshots at Pakatan over allegations there were 40,000 Bangladeshis voting in the 13th general election.

"According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, estimates for 2013 indicate that there are 18.6 million Malays and bumiputera (67.9% of total population) including Muslims and non-Muslims, Chinese, 6.6 million (24%) Indians, 2 million (7.2%), while there are 259,000 (0.9%) people of other ethnic groups. This means there are about 27.4 million Malaysian citizens.

"However, this does not include the 40,000 Bangladeshis who were
brought in as phantom voters in the recent 13th general election as alleged by the opposition. Till today no one has even seen them or their shadow. Enough of lies. Ask for forgiveness from Him."

The theme of Budget 2014 is 'Strengthening economic resilience, accelerating transformation and fulfilling promises'.

Budget 2014 in graphics
AT A GLANCE

Total budget: RM264.2 billion

Operation expenditure: RM217.7 billion
Development expenditure: RM46.5 billion
GDP growth

2014: 4.5% - 5.5%
2013: 4.5% - 5.5%
2012: 4.5% - 5.0%

Revenue

2014: RM224.1 bil
2013: RM220.1 bil
2012: RM206.2 bil

Deficit

2014: 3.5% of GDP
2013: 4.0%
2012: 4.5%
Domestic economic prospects

• Net foreign direct investment was higher at RM18.2 billion in the first half of 2013 compared with RM15.9 billion during the same period in 2012.

• International reserves remained strong at RM444.9 billion at Oct 14, sufficient to finance 9.7 months of retained imports and 3.9 times the short-term external debt.

• For entire 2013, domestic economy expected to expand 4.5% - 5%. Growth supported by private investment, increasing 16.2% to estimated RM165 billion.

• Private and public consumption expected to grow 7.4% and 7.3% respectively

• Domestic economy projected to grow at a stronger pace of 5% to 5.5%. Growth to be driven by private investment at 12.7%, and private consumption 6.2%.

• Exports of goods expected to grow 2.5% over improving external demand. On the supply side, construction sector expected to grow 9.6%, services sector at 5.7%.

• Unemployment rate estimated at 3.1%, inflation rate to remain low between 2% and 3%.

• Per capita income for 2014 expected to reach RM34,126. Plans to achieve the target per capita income of RM46,500 in and even "achieve developed nation status much earlier than 2020".

Goods and Services Tax

• Government to introduce Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 6% starting April 1, 2015. Sales and Services Tax to be abolished.

• Items to be exempted from GST - rice, sugar, salt, flour, cooking oil, dhal, chilli, herbs, salted fish, cincalok, budu, belacan, piped water, electricity (for first 200 for domestic use), government services, public transport (bus, LRT, ferry, toll) sales and purchase of property or rental of property.

• Implementation comes with a reduction in tax structure effective from 2015. Generally, those with family and earning RM4,000 and below need no longer pay income tax.

• After GST, a one-off cash payment of RM300 to be made to those now receiving BR1M help.

• GST monitoring committee to be chaired by Minister of Finance II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah to ensure smooth implementation.

Tax incentives

• In tandem with GST, individual income tax rates to be reduced by one to three percentage points for all taxpayers.

• Chargeable income subject to maximum rate to be increased from exceeding RM100,000 to exceeding RM400,000.

• Current maximum tax rate at 26% to be reduced to 24%, 24.5% and 25%. These measures to be effective from 2015.

• Tax rebate of RM2,000 for those earning less than RM8,000

• To help the employer's burden of implementing of minimum wage scheme - RM900 in Peninsula Malaysia and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak, the government will introduce extra tax incentives for whole of 2014. This is to help employers to top up salaries of their employees to the minimum level.

• Corporate tax rate cut by 1 percentage point from 25% to 24%, for SMEs reduction from 20% to 19% from year of assessment 2016.

• Cooperative tax rate cut by 1 to 2 percentage points from year of assessment 2015.

Projects and allocations

• Projects to be implemented include 316km West Coast Expressway from Banting to Taiping. and double-tracking projects from Ipoh to Padang Besar and later from Gemas to Johor Bahru.

• National Entrepreneur Development Office to be established to plan and coordinate all entrepreneurship activities.

• RM1 billion investment in companies scoring high on Environmental, Social and Governance Index.

• RM265 mil to resolve electricity cuts in Sabah.

• Government to conduct audit on projects valued at more than RM100 million.

• 496 more CCTV at 25 areas. RM200 mil allocated for police to get more equipment (weapons, bulletproof vest, forensic vehicles, biometric equipments)

Education

• Education budget for 2014: RM54.6 billion or 21 percent of total budget.

• RM450 mil funds for school maintenance. Breakdown: RM100 mil for SK, and RM50 mil each for all the rest: SJK(C), SJK(T), Sekolah Mubaligh, Sekolah Asrama Penuh, MRSM, government-aided religious school and sekolah agama rakyat.

• Government to continue giving RM100 cash to all primary and secondary school students.

• Baucer Buku 1Malaysia for pre-U and tertiary students of RM250 to continue. RM325 mil to be allocated and it is estimated that this will help 1.3 million students nationwide.

• RM100 mil to improve education and training for Indians.

Tourism

2013 - RM25 mil tourist arrivals
2014 - Target: 28 mil tourist arrivals

2014 - Visit Malaysia Year
2015 - Year of Festivals

• Government to spend RM 1.2 bil to develop, promote and publicise tourism in 2013-2014.

• RM2 bil for Special Tourism Infrastructure Fund to finance building tourism infrastructure.

Air transport

• RM700 million to build new air traffic control and management system at KLIA. This is to replace the existing one in Subang.

• RM312 million to upgrade Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Miri, Sibu and Mukah airports, additional upgrade of terminals in Langkawi International Airport and Kuantan Airport.

• Services sector blueprint to be launched next year, the logistics sector master plan and national aviation policy to be formulated.

Public transport

• RM62 million for 'park and ride’ facilities at LRT, KTM Komuter and ERL stations.

• RM15.3 million for Centralised Taxi Service System to ensure efficient mobilisation of taxi services.

• RM28 million for building ‘last city terminals’, upgrading of bus stops and providing ‘drop-and-ride’ facilities. 

• Refurbishing electric trains at a cost of RM28 million to ensure frequency and efficiency of services.

High-speed broadband

• Second phase of the High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) project in collaboration with the private sector involving RM1.8 billion investment to expand coverage to major towns. Internet speed to be increased to 10 Mbps.

• RM1.5 bil to build 1,000 new telecommunications tower over three years. RM850 mil to build new undersea cable to improve internet in East Malaysia over 3 years.

Agriculture

• RM6 bil allocated to implement high value-added and commercially viable agriculture programmes.

• RM2.4 bil for agricultural subsidies and incentives for paddy and fish farming.

Subsidies reduction

• Sugar subsidy of 34 sen to be abolished tomorrow. Price to go up to RM2.84 per kg.

• Government to allocate RM47 bil for subsidies in 2013 and 53% or RM24.8 bil went to petrolem products that benefitted all, even the rich, the businessmen and foreigners.

• Najib cites the recent petrol price subsidy cut as an example of this structural changes to come for subsidies, which make up to a fifth of the total national budget. 

Retirement scheme

• To allocate RM210 mil for a private retirement scheme (PRS) to encourage young to start saving. Starting Jan 1, the government will top up RM500 into the account for those aged 20-30 years old who can save RM1,000.

• It is estimated that 420,000 youths may join this scheme to run for five years.

Increase of Real Property Gain Tax (RPGT)

• RPGT increased as follow:

        - 30% (first 3 years)

        - 20% (fourth year)

        - 15% (fifth year)

        - For foreigners: 30% for all five years

• Minimum property purchase price for foreigners to be doubled from RM500,000 to RM1 mil.

• Cheaper homes: Subsidy of RM15,000 to RM20,000 for private and public developers for low and medium cost homes, for sale to first home buyers.

BRIM 3.0

• Those earning household income of below RM3,000 to get RM650, an increase of RM150.

• RM450 for those households earning between RM3,000 and RM4,000.

• For single individuals earning below RM2,000, they get RM300 each.

• In total, RM4.6 billion will be handed out under BR1M 3.0.

Health

• Additional 6,400 nurses in government hospitals.

• RM3.3 bil for medication and medical equipment.

Why Saudi Arabia can't ban women from driving forever

(CNN) -- There's something extraordinary happening in Saudi Arabia right now. I should know -- you see, I was born there, lived there half my life, speak the language and understand the customs. Lately, I'm both amazed at and humbled by what I'm seeing: Extremely brave Saudi women, more driven than ever to change their society, despite the sad fact that they still aren't allowed to drive.

And while it's true there's no formal law that bans females from getting behind the wheel in the ultra-conservative kingdom, it is also by no means a stretch to say they are, indeed, prohibited from doing so. Unfortunately, that's just the way it's always been in a society where religious edicts are often interpreted to mean it is illegal for women to drive.

I've reported on this subject for years and must admit, it's a personal one for me. Some of my earliest memories entail trying to figure out why my American mother would always drive me around Oklahoma City, where we spent our summers, but could never take me around Jeddah, where we lived the rest of the year.

To be honest, I only began pondering that mystery at the age of four on the days when my Saudi father was out of town on business, our driver was off, and I wanted ice cream. In the U.S., it was easy for my mom and I to hop in her car and go grab a banana split. What I wanted to know was why it was such a big deal in Saudi Arabia. Now, as a new online campaign urging Saudi women to defy their country's driving ban kicks into high gear, I find myself reflecting on how much the issue has impacted my life.

Much of it goes back to one brutally hot afternoon when I was 6 years old, living in Jeddah, playing in the front yard -- completely startled seeing my 15-year-old neighbor sneaking out of her house dressed like her Saudi father. She wasn't just wearing his clothes, she'd drawn a moustache on her face and was hoisting his car keys too.

Her mission was simple but dangerous: Take her dad's car for a spin around the neighborhood as he napped. In any other country, a simple act of rebellion. In Saudi Arabia, one that can, and has, gotten women arrested.

A few days ago, as we were filming our latest report on the women's driving campaign, I asked prominent Saudi journalist Buthaina Al-Nasr if she'd ever done anything similar.

Laughing at the memory, she admitted how, once, at the age of 14, she'd borrowed her older brother's car and taken it for a spin around the farm, far from the traffic of the city and any of its police.

Buthaina went on, describing how much she and her female friends longed to drive cars. She explained how they also wanted to ride bikes, or even just simply walk around "freely" - other activities for which Saudi women can face severe disapproval. There was really only one solution.

"We'd dress up like men," explained Buthaina, "like boys, and we'd go around and it felt fun."

Her anecdote made me smile even as it struck me as terribly sad. You see, "fun" is something that many of my female Saudi relatives told me over and over again they needed a lot more of.

It was the main reason my neighbor took her dad's car for that joyride -- which she'd been able to do without getting caught. To me, seeing how absolutely exhilarating the experience had been for her, she'd become a hero. A couple of days later, I asked her when she'd do it again. A funny look appeared on her face.

"I don't know. I'm not sure what the point is," she told me. "It'll just make me want to keep driving more and more. I shouldn't want that."

It took me a long time to finally understand. She'd had a small but wonderful taste of fun and freedom, one she felt most Saudi women would never get. That made it hard to deal with, harder still for her to do it again. For her, it ended up being more bitter than sweet.

In Saudi Arabia, women aren't simply kept from obtaining drivers' licenses. No, they must contend with many more restrictions. The country's mandatory guardianship system means women cannot legally be responsible for their own affairs. As such, a growing number of voices, both male and female, are calling for those laws to be repealed.

Author Abdullah Al-Alami, one of the most prominent Saudi men supporting the women's new driving campaign, is among them.

"There is a group of ultraconservatives here who will try to do anything and everything to prevent women from exercising their rights," Al-Alami told me. "Be it driving, going to school, working, traveling for that matter, receiving medical care. Many men that I know, we feel that it is crucial for us to support women who do this."

During my formative years, I was lucky -- I got to spend lots of time with very strong, independent, assertive women. My American mother, Saudi aunts and female cousins - they discussed women's rights all the time. I listened to countless conversations where it was decided how it would be impossible for Saudi Arabia to forever bar women from driving.

They said the reasons were numerous: that it didn't make sense economically; that it was too much of a burden on families to hire drivers; that Saudi society was advancing.

And then there was the horror story recounted by my aunt about the woman who lived down the street from her -- the woman whose husband was at work, whose driver was running an errand, whose child had been injured. There was no way for her to get him to the hospital in time.

The laws will have to change, they'd say. In five to 10 years, they insisted, women would, no doubt, be allowed to drive. I first heard that refrain 33 years ago, in 1980, before my parents and I moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital.

I've been hearing it ever since. It wasn't until 1991 that I thought the time might have finally come. That's when 47 women protested the prohibition by driving through the streets of Riyadh. It was scandalous -- dozens of the women were detained, banned from travel and suspended from their workplaces.

A second ray of hope appeared in May 2011, when prominent women's rights activist Manal Al-Sharif uploaded to YouTube a video of herself driving in Saudi Arabia. As a result, she spent nine days in jail. But on June 17, dozens of women across Saudi Arabia, emboldened and inspired by her ordeal, went ahead, risked punishment and participated in the "Women2Drive" campaign -- they didn't just drive around, they also filmed and uploaded videos of themselves doing so. Still the laws did not change.

And now, the latest iteration is at hand. The October 26 Women's Driving Campaign has so far garnered more than 16,000 signatures on its online petition, but as it turns out, women aren't waiting until October 26. Many have already gone out, taken videos, posted them online. It's incredible to see.

Buthaina Al-Nasr is an active supporter of the campaign. She lives in Lebanon now but talked to me at length about why the Saudi government needs to finally lift the ban -- after all, it is the last country in the world that does not allow women to drive.

After driving her eight-year-old son Hisham to school, she told me a bit more about how much she'd love to be able to do the same in Saudi Arabia. She then shared a recurring daydream she has about being able to drive a car in her home country while wearing a dress -- not while dressed up like her father or brother.

"It's a silly daydream," she told me, "but that's a fact. It's the reality of my society."

Then she added, "I mean the daydream of a young girl should be how to get to the moon ... Not driving a car."

A little theatre does help first-time MP

Sometimes Parliament is not just a legislative arena for the clash of political opinions but can also be useful as theatre for the stirring of conscience gone insipid like leftover coffee on a backburner. 

Some must have felt it when PKR MP for Padang Serai, N Surendran held up a picture of tortured custodial death victim, A Kugan, during yesterday's debate on the Prison (Amendment) Bill.

Photos of the brutalised Kugan can conjure up visions of the anguished forms in Pablo Picasso's great depiction of suffering humanity in his painting ‘Guernica’.

Thus when Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar chided Surendran for engaging in what he called cheap drama, the PKR vice-president urged his detractor to convey the point to Kugan's mother.

Admittedly, conscience can be a poor resonator when it is swaddled in suits and ties and immured in air-conditioned chambers.

"They are so remote from the sufferings of others," sighed Surendran when commenting the morning after on his resort to histrionics during debate on the Prisons Bill.

That's probably why Surendran accepted inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar's unlikely invitation to be embedded in police operations against armed criminal suspects.

The matter is in limbo because the police are adamant about a 'no fault under any circumstances' indemnity for them while Surendran insists that he can only be an observer and not participant in the police operation.      

These days Surendran appears not only indefatigable in highlighting the causes he represents - stateless residents, custodial death victims, the indigent and the handicapped - he is increasingly resourceful in finding ways to project their plight on the national arena.

Suspension order

During last month's session of Parliament, he dusted off a long forgotten rule in the Standing Orders to raise as a public petition the cause of the N Karuna Nithi, the engineer who died in suspicious circumstances while in police custody earlier this year.

A series of custodial deaths in the middle of this year raised anew the subject of custodial deaths that has periodically sizzled in the public arena over the last 17 years at least.

Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (left) rejected Surendran's petition under a rule that allowed for the suspension of the day's proceedings if a public petition is signed by the requisite number of people.

When Surendran insisted on the applicability of the rule in legitimising the petition he raised, Pandikar overruled him and ordered his suspension, which nominally would be for a period of two days.

But perhaps realising that the PKR lawyer was right, Pandikar curtailed the suspension order by a day which saw the MP return to the chamber after a day's absence.

Ironic vindication attended Surendran's return: he was informed that the speaker had chosen him to be a member of the select committee on standing rules which Pandikar himself chairs.

For the former Hindraf counsel who decided to diverge from the movement's radicalism and opt for the pursuit of a more egalitarian polity under the PKR banner, his relentlessness is opening up byways beneath the parliamentary mound.

The upshot: a few dormant consciences are being stirred to sit up and notice. No mean achievement for a first-term parliamentarian.

Prisons Dept confirms Uthaya held in solitary as punishment

Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar has been placed in solitary confinement at the Kajang Prison for a total of 13 days, on two separate occasions, for "refusing to take instructions".

Confirming this, the Prisons Department in a letter to the home minister and prime minister however denied that the solitary confinement was in a "dark room" as Uthayakumar had claimed.

"He was not placed in a dark room as the Kajang Prison or any prison in Malaysia does not have dark rooms," states the letter which was read out by Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (left) while winding up the Prison (Amendment) Bill debate in Parliament yesterday.

The solitary confinement room also has a mattress, blanket and toilet, just like other cell and Uthayakumar was given the same food as other prisoners.

The letter also says that while Uthayakumar was in solitary confinement on Oct 13, he was visited by his clerk and lawyer M Manoharan.

The letter also painted Uthayakumar as a recalcitrant prisoner who "often did not take instructions" and caused "tense situations" with the prison staff.

However, the Prisons Department said that the staff never treated him harshly and there was "no abuse" of the prisoner.

'MRI scan done'

The letter added that Uthayakumar, like other diabetic inmates, was being supplied with bread and vegetables instead of rice, as advised by the prison nutritionist.

He was reportedly sent for an MRI scan at Hospital Ampang for his bad back, caused by a prolapsed disc, on Oct 2 and a follow-up appointment has been set for next month.

Treatment has been administered by Hospital Kajang and has been approved by the Health Ministry deputy director-general, said the Prisons Department.

Uthayakumar, who is serving his 30-month sentence for sedition, has complained that he is being tortured, made to sleep on the floor and treated badly.

His open letter to the prime minister was read out by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) during the debate in the Dewan Rakyat at the same sitting.

Meanwhile, the Prisons (Amendment) Bill to add more lock-ups was passed, by a voice vote, without any change.

Unfinished slaughtering

by Mista A,

Saravanan, who had a heated argument with a school headmaster over slaughtering of cows in school compound, is ready to meet the police over the issue, albeit one condition. He demands the police took stern action on “racist” blogger Papa Gomo and his fans for instigating religious and racial hatred and issuing death threats to him on the issue. Saravanan said the police shall not practise double standards by going after him while Papa Gomo and his fans go scot-free. 

Anyway Saravanan, who claims to be based in an unnamed foreign country, said he was shocked to learn that the police was looking for him for questioning over his argument with the headmaster. “I have said nothing bad about other religions or uttered anything seditious. “I had only questioned the headmaster on whether the education ministry had allowed the cow slaughtering to take place in his school. “I don’t understand why the police are after me over baseless seditious allegations,” he said here today. Saravanan had the heated chat with the headmaster on Oct 16 on the same day when cows were freely slaughtered in the primary school compound in conjunction with Muslim Hari Raya Aidil Adha festival. 

Saravanan had promptly posted the recorded audio clip of his conversation with the headmaster. In the audio recording, Saravanan was heard questioning the headmaster on whether he had permission from the education ministry to slaughter cows in school. He also challenged the headmaster to produce a documented proof to show that cow slaughtering was allowed under the ministry’s rules and regulations, which the school head could not. Headmaster trying to justify that it was Muslim religious obligations to slaughter cows and that he had received consent from all teachers including Indian and Chinese staff. Saravanan then questioned on pigs can be slaughtered in schools during Chinese festivals, to which the headmaster claimed non-Muslim religious activities were disallowed in schools. 

Saravanan removed the audio posting, which drew many commentators criticising the headmaster, after a day. However, what appeared to be an inoffensive posting took a ugly turn when blogger Papa Gomo apparently downloaded Saravanan’s audio recording and posted in his blog. Papa Gomo also remarked: “Memang kurang ajar Keling DAP ni. Elok sembelih je haramjadah ni.Sampai bila Umat Islam nak bersatu? Ni tanah air kita tempat kita bukan tempat pendatang!!!!” Papa Gomo posting drew some 3524 comments, in which majority issued threats to Saravanan and verbally him and Hindu community in general. Following a report lodged by Perkasa Johor, police have said they were locating Saravanan for questioning. 

The case has been classified as seditious. Saravanan is bemused on why police were looking for him when they should press charges of criminal intimidating and sedition on Papa Gomo and his blog commentators. “It’s as if non-Muslims have no right to defend their religious rights and sensitivities in Malaysia. “I don’t mind meeting the police but they must take action on Papa Gomo and his followers. “They are threatening me and abusing me with racist remarks. “Why pick on me when I have done nothing wrong?” asked Saravanan. Slaughtering of cows in schools have drawn criticisms from non-Muslims parents, social commentators and Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) due to religious insensitivity, especially to Hindus.

Kula tells Kamala to opt for plain talk

DAP national vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran described the statement by Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan that the ritual slaughter of cows in schools is not permitted and that its sporadic practice was an oversight as "another instance of wavering by authorities belatedly trying to retrieve what is proper from what is plain folly."

In response to growing criticism over scattered incidents of cows undergoing ritual slaughter on school premises in commemoration of the Muslim feast of Eid-al-Adha, Kamalanathan said the practice was not permitted in schools but that no circular to that effect had been sent to the district education offices.

Presumably, schools that held the ritual slaughter were not aware that the practice was not permitted on the school grounds but could be staged at the nearest surau.   

Kulasegaran (left), the DAP MP for Ipoh Barat who had led the chorus of criticism against incidents of ritual slaughter, said he was relieved to know that the practice was not permitted by the Education Department but that knowledge of its impermissibility was not widely disseminated.

"Properly speaking, if the practice is not permitted, that should have been plainly made known to school principals," said the federal legislator.

"Perhaps, the authorities were reluctant to publicly make impermissible something that affects an Islamic practice but by not plainly proscribing it on school premises, no admonition can now be served on those principals who assumed that ritual slaughter is permitted," said Kulasegaran.

He said this reticent attitude on matters affecting Islamic practice would only lead to confusion.

"Reticence means no correction can be served on those who allow what is not permitted and have to infer rather than be informed of their mistake," he observed.

"This is a strange way to educate," observed the MP.

Muhyiddin: Peluang BN tawan Sg Limau cerah

Mukhriz: Alternative media as capable as mainstream to influence

NOT IN WORDS, ATTACK PAKISTAN IN LOC AND POK. THE BLOOD OF JAWANS IS NOT WORTHLESS. TEACH A LESSON TO PAK ENEMIES. JAI HIND.

Shinde don’t betray your words. Prepare a War against Pakistan, while they broke all norms of Peace and Friendship with Bharat. 

But, is this the duty of the Home Minister? When did Shinde become the Border Minister from Home Minister? What is our Defence Minister doing? If he is not well, can the country go without a DM?

Angry Shinde tells troops to give fitting reply to Pakistan….

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said India will befitting reply to Pakistan. (PTI)

Bharti Jain | TNN | New Delhi| 23 Oct 2013::  Agitated over the killing of a BSF jawan in firing by Pakistani troops along the international border in Jammu on Tuesday night, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde upped the ante, saying that all such unprovoked acts would be met with a “befitting” reply from the Indian side.

“We will give a befitting reply to Pakistan,” Shinde told reporters here, reacting to the large-scale firing since Tuesday on BSF positions along the international border in Jammu. He added that additional BSF troops were being deployed at vantage points in the wake of the recurrent ceasefire violations.

Senior officials in the BSF told TOI that each ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops was being countered with retaliatory fire, and that the force was fully geared to respond to every act of aggression from across the border. They feel that the large scale firing on Tuesday night, covering nearly 50 BSF outposts, was pre-meditated and part of a Pakistani ploy to step up border tensions.

Pakistan has reportedly shown little interest in sorting out issues through flag meetings. Their commanders failed to turn up for the flag meeting on October 18, when one of their jawans was killed in retaliatory fire, as well as on Wednesday.

The Pakistani Rangers, had on Tuesday opened fire and heavily shelled over 50 border outposts along the International Border overnight, in the biggest-ever provocative act from across the border during the last few years. BSF jawan, M L Meena of Rajasthan was killed in the firing.

Minister of state for home RPN Singh said acts of aggression on Indian soil would not be tolerated and “our troops will reply in the same coin”.

A policeman shows mortar shells recovered at Jerda village in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, about 52 kilometers south of Jammu. (AP Photo)

Pakistan’s aggressive act, which cost a BSF jawan his life in RS Pora, coincided with Shinde’s trip to Jammu on Tuesday to review the situation at forward positions on the international border/Line of Control and discuss steps with arms of the Unified Command to beef up Indian positions and effectively counter aggression from across Pakistan.

Altogether, more than 130 ceasefire violations have been reported so far this year, the highest in the past eight years.

Pakistani Rangers had on Monday opened fire at 10 border posts and heavily shelled over 50 border outposts the following night, killing a head constable of BSF.

Asked about the rise infiltration attempts – they totaled 254 until September 30 this year – Shinde said, “There are rivers and rivulets which are tough to fence. But we have discussed possible solutions”.

Shinde had on Tuesday conducted an aerial tour of the fenced areas along IB, besides surveying infiltration routes and damaged fencing and riverine border belts with Pakistan lying between Akhnoor in Jammu district and Pahadpur (in Kathua district). He even presided over a meeting with agencies that make up the Unified Command, asking the J&K Police, BSF and Army to get their acts together and work in complete synergy while countering the terrorists.

Culprits caught: Five-year-old allegedly given in Swara

 The National Assembly had earlier passed the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices 

(Criminal Law Amendment) Act 2011. PHOTO: FILE

MATTA: A case of Swara surfaced on Tuesday wherein a five-year-old girl was allegedly married off to settle a dispute in Baz Khela village of Matta tehsil.

Police said they arrested five members of a jirga along with the nikkah khawan who took the decision. “The jirga, which was convened last week, gave five-year-old Shah Mina, daughter of Sherzada, to be married off to Habibullah, son of Mohammad Iqbal,” a police official told reporters. “We arrested all five members of the jirga along with the nikkah khawan after receiving information from our sources about the incident,” he added.

After arresting the jirga members and parents of the girl and boy, police registered a case against them.

On Monday, two tribal jirgas in Kalam ordered five girls be handed over under swara to settle family disputes. Similarly last week, four girls were given away by two jirgas in Kalam.
Swara, an ancient custom, allows girls, including minors to be married – against their will – to men of rival families to settle disputes.

In 2011, the National Assembly (NA) passed The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act, which declared swara among other oppressive social practices unlawful. The bill had been stuck for three years prior to its passing, first in various NA committees and then the house itself.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2013.

Over 100 Saudi scholars say no to female driving

Authorities warn women against joining a driving campaign on Saturday

117 Saudi scholars signed a statement rejecting any decision to reverse 

the age-old ban and allow women to drive cars. (SUPPLIED)

Saudi Arabia appeared to be heading for a showdown over moves to allow women to drive cars after more than 100 prominent Muslim scholars voted against such moves and authorities warned women against joining a fresh driving campaign on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the scholars from Saudi Arabia said they were vehemently opposed to any decision to permit women to drive cars amidst intense female campaigns to have a permanent ban on their driving lifted.

The statement was issued just before the Ministry of Interior announced that it would not allow women to take to the streets and drive in response to a fresh call by female activists to break the official and social barriers for female driving.

Newspapers in the Gulf Kingdom said Sheikh Abdulla bin Al Jabrin, one of the most prominent Muslim scholars in the Gulf, and 117 other scholars signed a statement rejecting any decision to reverse the age-old ban and allow women to drive cars.

The statement, published in Alsaudeh Arabic language daily and other Saudi newspapers, said any such decision would give rise to family disputes, allow women to stay out of their houses for longer periods, push them to take their face veil off, mix with men more often and encourage rape and harassment of them.

“We say that allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia is not acceptable because this will lead to corruption and serious consequences in the society,” the statement said.

“There is no doubt that a decision to allow women to drive is the shortest way for them to take off their face veil so they can see the road more clearly and for security reasons…it will also push women to be absent from their homes for longer periods.”

The statement said in case the ban is lifted, women have to produce photographs of their faces to have a driving licence issued for them.

“This means men will see her face when a licence is issued or renewed or when she is stopped at a checkpoint, has an accident or commit an offence…this decision means women will be seen more by men and mix more often with men while it will also give them an excuse to travel on their own without a guardian.”

The statement said women driving cars on their own would also be vulnerable to harassment, molestation and rape by men.

“Allowing women to drive will also make husbands more suspicious of their wives and this in turn will lead to rifts and eventually to divorce.”

“Finally, we call on those who advocate lifting the ban on female driving to return to their senses and repent…they must stop spreading confusion and causing sedition in our society…we ask them to fear God the Almighty and at the same time express our thanks to all those who have warned of the consequences of such a decision.”

Female activists in Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative Muslim nations, have urged local women to take to the streets on Saturday and join another campaign for mass driving to force the government to bow to their demands. It will be the second major push by women after many of them defied the ban and drove cars through the Kingdom’s streets two years ago, prompting police to arrest some of them,.

“Regarding calls on social networks for women to gather and drive cars on October 26, and considering local laws which prevent any moves that will harm social peace and security and open the door for a sedition, the Ministry of Interior affirms to all that the competent authorities will enforce discipline and security with all available means and full force,” the Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Gov't: M'sia now worse than US mafia wars

PARLIAMENT The government is forced to include organised crime into the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma) because the gang situation is now very dire.

In fact, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Malaysian gangsters are even more daring that American gangsters during the 1920s gangster wars.

"They dare to hold a public procession during the funeral of their gang member.

"Even the Mafia in the United states in the 1920s-1930s did not dare do so and did things in secret," he said when winding up during the committee stage of the debate.

The US mafia wars of that era is recorded as a notorious period of violence, which saw incidents such as the 1929 Valentine's Day massacre involving seven rival gangs, and the prominent gangster Al Capone.

This period was compared by the deputy minister to a funeral procession for a slain gang member which brought traffic to a standstill in Penang, last August.
Wan Junaidi added that the members of gangs declared illegal by police outnumber the Communist Party of Malaya insurgents.

“They (the communists) had access to weapons before but today, (the gangsters) have access to weapons far more sophisticated,” said the deputy minister, who served in the police during the insurgency.

“Our concern is the 20 million people out there, their worries and their fears.”

Gov’t can’t guarantee no wrongful arrest

Meanwhile, to a question by Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), Wan Junaidi said that the government cannot guarantee that no one will be wrongfully arrested under the Sosma.

“No government in the world can give this guarantee, but please believe that the government has no intention to mistreat (aniaya) anyone.

“The police or prosecutors will not act beyond limits, this I can guarantee, that they will play their roles well,” he said.

Khalid had raised the case of an individual who was arrested and remanded for 28 days, but released without charge.

After that, Khalid said, the police issued a “pathetic” letter “addressed to ‘whomever it may concern,” saying there is no evidence to charge him and that the police are “sorry for any inconvenience”.

“The only way to ensure the law is not abused for police to immediately pay compensation when it is found that someone has been wrongly arrested,” he said.

To this, Wan Junaidi said that those wrongly arrested are free to bring a civil case against the government for compensation.

‘Opposition funded by gangsters?’

Earlier, when debating in the second reading of the Bill, Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (BN-Setiu) speculated that the reason Opposition MPs are so against the amendment is because they are bankrolled by gangsters.

“What I mean to say is that maybe you are anxious (about the amendment) because some of you are funded by criminal groups,” he said when asked to clarify by Opposition backbenchers.

Che Mohamad Zulkifly added that the amendment to Sosma may not even be used, like many existing provisions of the law, so there is no need to worry.

To this Khalid (right) asked: “Let me try to understand your argument, are you saying that even if the Sosma is amended, it won’t be used?

“What kind of argument is this? It is this logic which cannot be used,” he said.

The Bill, which is to include organised crime into the Sosma, which primary deals with terrorism, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat without amendment by voice vote.

Kamalanathan: Korban in schools not permitted

The religious sacrifice of cattle, known as korban, cannot be carried out in schools and the incident in Puchong was an oversight, says Deputy Education Minister II P Kamalanathan.

"Actually that act (korban in schools) is not permitted. We have already investigated the matter. Usually it is not permitted, but the problem arose because the district education department (PPD) was not informed," Kamalanathan told a press conference today.

He was responding to the outcry from the non-Muslim community over the slaughter of cows at SK Puchong Jaya in Selangor during Aidiladha last week, which the school principal has reportedly defended.

"If they had informed the district education office, they would have been advised to carry out the ceremony at a nearby surau," Kamalanathan said.

He said everybody needed to remember school populations are multicultural and multireligious, and respect should be accorded to all.

Asked whether the authorities would issue a circular on the matter if none had been issued before, the deputy minister, who is from the MIC, said there was no need to issue a circular.

"No, we will advise from time to time. No need for that," he said.
To Hindus and Buddhists in particular, the cow is a sacred animal and carrying out the slaughter ritual in a public place like a school has been viewed by non-Muslim parents as insensitive.
Parents from a primary school kicked up a fuss last week, saying the ritual had shocked and distressed some children, who thought that the cows had strayed into the school compound by mistake.
The issue escalated when a man named "Saravanan" called the headmaster of SK Puchong Jaya, just one of the schools where the korban took place, to complain.

The conversation was posted on YouTube and it went viral. In the eight-minute conversation, Saravanan, claiming to be an overseas caller, is heard asking repeatedly about government rules, and challenging the principal, Mohd Amin Bahari, to explain: "Why can't the Chinese also slaughter pigs at the school during festivals?"

In his defence, Mohd Amin said non-Muslims were not made to watch the cow slaughtering. It was done only as a means to educate the Muslim students in the school and it was agreed to by the other school teachers.

However, this irked Malay rights NGO Perkasa, which filed a police report in Johor, calling for an investigation against Saravanan for making seditious remarks and challenging the rights of Muslims in the country.

Another pre-Deepavali briefing for teachers

A number of Hindu primary school teachers in Penang are being forced to change their holiday plans this coming weekend because of a last minute re-scheduling of a course that they have been instructed to attend.

Those affected are Year 4 English teachers in vernacular schools. The course is to brief them on changes to the curriculum following the implementation of the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) in 2011.

The course was originally scheduled to run between Oct 23 and 26, but the affected teachers were only informed on Monday about the new dates, which will be from Oct 28 to 31. The course is conducted by the Penang Education Department at the District Education Office in Seberang Perai Utara.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy (right) told Malaysiakini that he had received several complaints from the affected teachers who are celebrating Deepavali.

"The course ends two days before Deepavali. It spoils the plans of those teachers who need to leave for their home towns a few days earlier," he said.

'Make sure it doesn't recur'

Ramasamy said it was distressing that he received such complaints almost every year and it showed that the Education Ministry was insensitive to Hindus.

"Would they do this if it was Aidilfitri? This just shows that they are insensitive to others. Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan is aware of this and is keeping quiet.

"I want the Education Ministry to rescind this directive and make sure that this never happens again," Ramasamy said.

One senior teacher who spoke to Malaysiakini said that the course could have been conducted much earlier in the year and lamented that the Education Department often held courses only towards the end of a year.

"It's always like this. It always clashes with Deepavali," said the teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This is the second of such incident brought to light in three days. On Tuesday, Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran raised the case of invigilators for SPM and STPM examinations having to undergo training on Nov 1, which is the eve of Deepavali.

Is Perkasa running our schools?

VOXPOP 'If you want to educate Muslim students studying in a national school, then take them to the nearest masjid where the ritual is carried out.'

'Man insulted Islam by questioning cow slaughter'

Pputeh: This is the height of not caring for others. We live in a multiracial country. It cannot be one-way traffic. If Muslims need to carry out religious activities like the slaughtering of cows, they should perform it in mosques or other places where only Muslims congregate.

It is not only against some religious beliefs but it's also inhumane to slaughter animals in school compounds.

MockingYou: If you want to educate Muslim students studying in a national school, then take them to the nearest masjid where the ritual is carried out. This a lame excuse from the headmaster.

Oriole: Is Perkasa running national schools in this country? If so, the government needs to clarify this so that people can make their own conclusions about the suitability of national schools for their children.

As for slaughtering cows, pigs or sheep, please use modern facilities that are efficient and hygienic. Stop traumatising children in schools, unless you're aiming to nurture brutish human beings.

Or is that part of the new education blueprint, Deputy Education Minister Mary Yap?

Siegfried: I heard the Saravanan's phone conversation on YouTube and opine that the school's headmaster was very calm and collected whilst responding to his questions and comments.

Saravanan could have been more civilised in his choice of words. Kudos to the headmaster for remaining calm throughout the phone conversation.

James Dean: A school is not a place to conduct religious rituals. Any religious ceremony must be done in the proper place, ie a house of worship. Pure and simple.

In any case, the headmaster should be the first to object such practices. By saying all the teachers were consult only goes to show the headmaster's lack of understanding between right and wrong.

MCA, MIC: A school is not a slaughterhouse. Where is Hindraf, Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Deputy Minister P Waythamoorthy, MCA, Gerakan and PPP? MIC is irrelevant.

Hamisu: I disagree that nothing can be done. This mindset represents giving up. There are times we need to give and take.

But Perkasa needs to take note that respect goes both ways. I doubt you will get respect when you keep disrespecting others.

Spate of senseless killings

Four innocent lives lost, in three separate tragedies. Killed with a dumb-bell, shot in the head and stabbed to death and all senseless.

PETALING JAYA: Three senseless killings all in a span of three days – four innocent lives lost and two women severely injured.

The latest occurrence took place in Gombak at 11.20am today, when a cigarette delivery man ran amok and stabbed four people with a rambo knife, killing two – an elderly man and a college student, and injuring two women.

The two women, a 60-year-old owner of a convenience store at the Gombak LRT station and her assistant, a pregnant 40-year-old, were badly injured in the incident and were rushed to Selayang hospital.

According to Kuala Lumpur deputy CID chief Khairi Ahrasa, the suspect was supposed to have delivered cigarettes to the convenience store but he stabbed the duo instead, before fleeing the scene in a white Daihatsu van.

“The man, a cigarette delivery personnel, stopped at the kiosk and stabbed both women before leaving the scene in his van driving towards Taman Melati,” said Khairi.

Khairi added that the suspect then collided with another van driven by an elderly man some 300 hundred meters away from the Taman Melati LRT station.

The elderly man became the third victim, when he was stabbed three times whilst trying to inspect the damage to his van – instantly killing him.

“The old man was with a lady believed to be his wife, the suspect hit the man’s van and the old man got out of his vehicle to check the damage.

“The suspect also got out of his van and mercilessly stabbed him [the old man] three times, killing him on the spot,” Khairi told reporters at the scene.

It is learnt that after killing the elderly man, the suspect then drove another kilometer before ramming his vehicle into a Toyota Prius driven by a teenager.

Khairi said that the young man was checking the damage to his car when the suspect proceeded to stab him, once.

The young man tried to run but the suspect managed to track him down before killing him with two more fatal stabs.

“The guy tried to run away after he was stabbed once, but the suspect chased him down and stabbed him two more times,” he added.

At this point, witnesses successfully apprehended the suspect and held him until the police arrived.

It is said that the man was reciting mantras when he was overpowered by the crowds.

Shot by security guard


The latest incident came right at the heels of another shocking killing yesterday when a female bank officer, 37, was shot at close range by a security guard at a bank in USJ Sentral Subang Jaya.

The bank officer, identified as Noarzita Abu Talib was shot in the head with a pump gun in the 6.20pm incident.

It was reported that the victim was opening the bank safe before she was shot by the guard who escaped with an unknown amount of cash from the vault.

The security guard is still at large.

While in a third incident – at about 8.30pm, on Tuesday, police located the body of a 15-year-old girl which was stuffed into a suitcase and discarded at a location near Jalan Kebun Nenas in Shah Alam.

The victim, Ng Yuk Tim, was murdered, with a dumb-bell, by her friend, a 23-year-old man after the suspect had tried to make sexual advancements towards her.

The incident happened at the suspect’s house in Petaling Jaya after the victim had gone to the suspect’s house on Monday morning to work on cosplay costumes for an event.

The suspect has been arrested.

This spate of killing has come at a time when the nation is just returning to normalcy after a brutal round of gun violence that rocked the nation which saw numerous assassinations by gangsters fighting to control turf, resulting in the police launching a special operation to nab gangsters.