Thursday, March 18, 2010

"A Democratic Islam?" in Jerusalem Post

A Democratic Islam?

by Daniel Pipes Jerusalem Post April 17, 2008
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/5517

There's an impression that Muslims suffer disproportionately from the rule
of dictators, tyrants, unelected presidents, kings, emirs, and various
other strongmen – and it's accurate. A careful analysis by Frederic L.
Pryor of Swarthmore College in the Middle East Quarterly ("Are Muslim
Countries Less Democratic?") concludes that "In all but the poorest
countries, Islam is associated with fewer political rights."

The fact that majority-Muslim countries are less democratic makes it
tempting to conclude that the religion of Islam, their common factor, is
itself incompatible with democracy.

I disagree with that conclusion. Today's Muslim predicament, rather,
reflects historical circumstances more than innate features of Islam. Put
differently, Islam, like all pre-modern religions is undemocratic in
spirit. No less than the others, however, it has the potential to evolve
in a democratic direction.


Marsiglio of Padua

Such evolution is not easy for any religion. In the Christian case, the
battle to limit the Catholic Church's political role lasted painfully
long. If the transition began when Marsiglio of Padua published Defensor
pacis in the year 1324, it took another six centuries for the Church
fully to reconcile itself to democracy. Why should Islam's transition be
smoother or easier?

To render Islam consistent with democratic ways will require profound
changes in its interpretation. For example, the anti-democratic law of
Islam, the Shari'a, lies at the core of the problem. Developed over a
millennium ago, it presumes autocratic rulers and submissive subjects,
emphasizes God's will over popular sovereignty, and encourages violent
jihad to expand Islam's borders. Further, it anti-democratically
privileges Muslims over non-Muslims, males over females, and free persons
over slaves.


Mahmud Muhammad Taha

For Muslims to build fully functioning democracies, they basically must
reject the Shari'a's public aspects. Atatürk frontally did just that in
Turkey, but others have offered more subtle approaches. Mahmud Muhammad
Taha, a Sudanese thinker, dispatched the public Islamic laws by
fundamentally reinterpreting the Koran.

Atatürk's efforts and Taha's ideas imply that Islam is ever-evolving, and
that to see it as unchanging is a grave mistake. Or, in the lively
metaphor of Hassan Hanafi, professor of philosophy at the University of
Cairo, the Koran "is a supermarket, where one takes what one wants and
leaves what one doesn't want."

Islam's problem is less its being anti-modern than that its process of
modernization has hardly begun. Muslims can modernize their religion, but
that requires major changes: Out go waging jihad to impose Muslim rule,
second-class citizenship for non-Muslims, and death sentences for
blasphemy or apostasy. In come individual freedoms, civil rights,
political participation, popular sovereignty, equality before the law,
and representative elections.

Two obstacles stand in the way of these changes, however. In the Middle
East especially, tribal affiliations remain of paramount importance. As
explained by Philip Carl Salzman in his recent book, Culture and Conflict
in the Middle East, these ties create a complex pattern of tribal autonomy
and tyrannical centralism that obstructs the development of
constitutionalism, the rule of law, citizenship, gender equality, and the
other prerequisites of a democratic state. Not until this archaic social
system based on the family is dispatched can democracy make real headway
in the Middle East.

Globally, the compelling and powerful Islamist movement obstructs
democracy. It seeks the opposite of reform and modernization – namely,
the reassertion of the Shari'a in its entirety. A jihadist like Osama bin
Laden may spell out this goal more explicitly than an establishment
politician like Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but
both seek to create a thoroughly anti-democratic, if not totalitarian,
order.

Islamists respond two ways to democracy. First, they denounce it as
un-Islamic. Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan al-Banna considered
democracy a betrayal of Islamic values. Brotherhood theoretician Sayyid
Qutb rejected popular sovereignty, as did Abu al-A'la al-Mawdudi, founder
of Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami political party. Yusuf al-Qaradawi,
Al-Jazeera television's imam, argues that elections are heretical.

Despite this scorn, Islamists are eager to use elections to attain power,
and have proven themselves to be agile vote-getters; even a terrorist
organization (Hamas) has won an election. This record does not render the
Islamists democratic but indicates their tactical flexibility and their
determination to gain power. As Erdoğan has revealingly explained,
"Democracy is like a streetcar. When you come to your stop, you get off."

Hard work can one day make Islam democratic. In the meanwhile, Islamism
represents the world's leading anti-democratic force.


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"Kubur Berbicara Padamu"

Kubur Setiap Hari Menyeru Manusia Sebanyak Lima (5) Kali ....

1. Aku rumah yang terpencil,maka kamu akan senang dengan selalu membaca
Al-Quran.

2. Aku rumah yang gelap,maka terangilah aku dengan selalu solat malam.

3. Aku rumah penuh dengan tanah dan debu,bawalah amal soleh yang menjadi
hamparan.

4. Aku rumah ular berbisa,maka bawalah amalan Bismillah sebagai penawar

5. Aku rumah pertanyaan Munkar dan Nakir,maka banyaklah bacaan

"Laa ilahaillallah, Muhammadar Rasulullah", supaya kamu dapat jawapan

kepadanya..

(Kirimkan Untuk Rakan-Rakan Muslim Anda Yang Lain Sebagai Tanda

Sahabatnya Sedang Mengingatinya ...)

Nabi Muhammad S.A.W bersabda:

Ada 4 di pandang sebagai ibu ", iaitu :

1. Ibu dari segala UBAT adalah SEDIKIT MAKAN .

2. Ibu dari segala ADAB adalah SEDIKIT BERBICARA.

3. Ibu dari segala IBADAT adalah TAKUT BUAT DOSA.

4. Ibu dari segala CITA CITA adalah SABAR.

Berpesan-pesanlah kepada kebenaran dan kesabaran.

Beberapa kata renungan dari Qur'an :

Orang Yang Tidak Melakukan Solat:

Subuh : Dijauhkan cahaya muka yang bersinar

Zuhor : Tidak diberikan berkah dalam rezekinya

Asar : Dijauhkan dari kesihatan/kekuatan

Maghrib : Tidak diberi santunan oleh anak-anaknya.

Isyak : Dijauhkan kedamaian dalam tidurnya

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Umno harus sedar majoriti Melayu teras kekuatan Anwar Ibrahim

Umno harus sedar majoriti Melayu teras kekuatan Anwar Ibrahim *Mohd
Rashidi
Hassan*
Wed | Apr 16, 08 | 4:46:52 pm MYT

Peristiwa pemecatan Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim daripada jawatan Timbalan
Perdana Menteri sekali gus Menteri Kewangan pada 2 September 1998 dan
disusuli pemecatan sebagai Timbalan Presiden Umno pada 3 September,
melakar
sejarah baru dalam politik Malaysia.

Anwar bukan sahaja dipecat, malah dihadapkan dengan dakwaan 10 pertuduhan
yang membabitkan penderhakaan terhadap negara, rasuah dan salah laku seks
yang menyebabkan beliau terpaksa meringkuk enam tahun dalam penjara.

Tindakan keras Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad itu,
mendorong penyatuan gabungan semua parti pembangkang yang terdiri daripada
PAS, Parti Keadilan Nasional yang baru ditubuhkan, DAP dan PRM.

Presiden PAS ketika itu, Dato' Fadzil Mohd Noor merupakan pemimpin
pembangkang yang pertama tampil ke hadapan mengkritik Dr Mahathir di atas
kezalimannya menganiaya Anwar.

Diikuti dengan Lim Kit Siang dan Dr Syed Husin Ali, turut menziarahi Anwar
di rumahnya bagi menyatakan sokongan pembangkang terhadap Anwar.

Gabungan erat empat parti pembangkang ketika itu, membentuk sebuah gagasan
politik yang dinamakan Barisan Alternatif dengan mengemukakan manifestonya
bertajuk 'Ke Arah Malaysia Yang Adil' bagi menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum
tahun 1999.

*Bermula era reformasi*

Sebelum daripada penggabungan pembangkang, era reformasi bermula sebaik
pemecatan Anwar. Rakyat di seluruh negara bangkit menentang kezaliman Dr
Mahathir terhadap orang yang dilatih selama 16 tahun untuk menjadi
pengganti
beliau.

Masjid Negara menjadi lokasi pertama perhimpunan 100 ribu umat,
menyaksikan
kebanjiran penyokong keadilan memenuhi setiap pelusuk kota dari Masjid
Negara hingga ke Dataran Merdeka.

Pada malam itu juga kediaman Anwar di Bukit Damansara diserbu anggota UTK
yang lengkap dengan senjata automatik, menangkap dan mengheret Anwar ke
Bukit Aman.

Serentak dengan itu berpuluh-puluh pengikut Anwar ditahan di bawah ISA.
Tindakan keras pihak berkuasa itu, tidak menghalang laungan reformasi
untuk
terus bergema, demonstrasi berterusan setiap minggu di Jalan Tunku Abdul
Rahman.

Laungan reformasi terus bergema di penghujung tahun 1998, walaupun Dato'
Seri Anwar Ibrahim sedang terbelengu di sebalik pasung jeriji besi di
Penjara Sungai Buloh.

*Pasca PRU 1999 dan 2004*

Keputusan PRU 1999 membuktikan majoriti orang-orang Melayu menolak Barisan
Nasional. Sehingga ada statistik kajian melaporkan suatu ketika, 7
daripada
10 orang Melayu menyokong Anwar.

Secara puratanya, rekod PRU 1999 membuktikan 60 peratus Melayu menyokong
Anwar dan gabungan pembangkang, manakala hanya 40 peratus Melayu kekal
menyokong BN.

Walaupun wujud gabungan padu Barisan Alternatif, yang wujud di dalamnya
keanggotaan dari kaum Cina, India dan lain-lain, namun ketika itu tidak
ramai daripada kaum bukan Melayu yang menyokong Anwar.

Hanya ada segelintir pimpinan utama PRM dan Keadilan ketika itu yang
'all-out' membela nasib Anwar sehingga terpaksa meringkuk dalam lokap
polis,
dipukul dan ditendang sehingga mengalami kecederaan.

Hakikat yang ditunjukkan pada PRU 1999, peristiwa lebam mata Anwar dipukul
Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Rahim Noor tidak menyelami lubuk hati kaum
bukan
Melayu.

Keadaan ini kekal sehingga PRU tahun 2004. Pindaan persempadanan semula
kawasan pilihan raya yang begitu 'bias' (berpihak) kepada BN pada tahun
2002
menjadikan kawasan-kawasan Parlimen dan Dun dirobek-robek dan dicampur
adukkan dengan lokaliti pengundi bukan Melayu.

Ketika itu Umno/BN mengetahui bahawa Melayu tidak boleh diharapkan untuk
menyokong mereka. Maka kaum bukan Melayu dipergunakan untuk terus
menyokong
BN.

Fakta PRU 2004 menunjukkan majoriti Melayu masih menolak Umno/BN dan
menyokong PAS serta KeADILan dan lain-lain pembangkang. Ketika itu DAP
tidak
bersama dalam Barisan Alternatif.

Sehingga Pilihan Raya Kecil Dun Ijok pada April 2007, kaum bukan Melayu
masih belum menunjukkan sokongan padu kepada pembangkang sehingga
menyebabkan Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim tewas dengan K Parthiban.

'Swing vote' atau tsunami pada PRU 2008 dari kalangan kaum bukan Melayu,
sememangnya di luar jangkaan pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat, juga di luar
jangkaan
BN.

*Melayu teras kekuatan Anwar *

Semua peristiwa ini membuktikan hakikat bahawa, teras kekuatan sokongan
Melayu yang majoriti beragama Islam ialah kepada Anwar dan pembangkang,
terutamanya PAS.

Fakta yang harus diingat ialah, sejak kerjasama erat yang dihulurkan
Almarhum Ustaz Fadzil, orang-orang PAS yang majoritinya Melayu memberikan
kerjasama dan dokongan erat kepada pembangkang, khususnya Anwar dan
KeADILan.

PAS mempunyai sejuta ahli dan hampir dua juta pengundi setia sejak
beberapa
kali PRU. Kekuatannya meluas di seluruh negara. PAS kawasan dan cawangan
berada di mana-mana.

Sehingga banyak kali PRU, calon-calon pembangkang (yang bukan PAS), boleh
bergantung sepenuhnya dengan jentera pilihan raya PAS kerana orang-orang
PAS
komited dalam soal kerja dan tugas menentang BN.

Komitmen ahli dan penyokong PAS dalam menjayakan gabungan pembangkang yang
dinamakan Pakatan Rakyat begitu besar dan ianya terus terbukti dalam PRU
ke-12 8 Mac lepas.

Justeru tuduhan bahawa Anwar akan mengetepikan Melayu, Melayu diambang
perpecahan, masa depan Melayu terjejas dengan Pakatan Rakyat sememangnya
tidak betul sama sekali.

Fakta yang harus difahami ialah sejak tahun 1999 sehingga 2008, kekuatan
Umno/BN hanya didokong oleh minoriti Melayu, sekitar 40 peratus dan
ditambah
dengan sokongan majoriti bukan Melayu.

Masalah yang berlaku hari ini ialah sokongan minoriti Melayu dalam Umno,
terhadap Umno semakin berpecah. Jika Umno berpecah, Melayu dalam Umno
bergaduh, kuasa politik Melayu terhakis, bukan salah Anwar, bukan salah
PAS,
ianya adalah kesalahan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno!

Hakikatnya, teras kekuatan Anwar adalah dengan dokongan majoriti Melayu
daripada PAS, tanpa dokongan PAS belum tentu Anwar akan terus berada dalam
kedudukan sekarang.

Oleh sebab itu, dakwaan bahawa, jika Anwar berkuasa menjadi Perdana
Menteri,
kuasa Melayu akan terhakis adalah propaganda jahat Umno/BN semata-mata.

Majoriti Melayu yang berada dalam PAS, juga dalam KeADILan adalah
pendokong
sebenar kekuatan Anwar Ibrahim.

Maka, jika kuasa berpindah daripada Barisan Nasional kepada Pakatan
Rakyat,
orang-orang Melayu tetap terjamin haknya dari sudut politik, pendidikan,
ekonomi dan sosial, malah mungkin lebih baik lagi!


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MB Kedah minta Karpal Singh tutup mulut

Orang kata, pisau dan timun telah di tangan. Apa yang ditunggu lagi? Jika
perlaksanaan hukum-hakam Islam masih lagi jadi teori, maka perlulah dikaji
kenapa ia tak dapat dilaksanakan sungguhpun angkat sumpah telah dilakukan.
Sesungguhnya bukan mudah untuk mendirikan Negara (Daulah Islam) kerana ia
bukan hanya satu janji yang termaktub dalam manifesto, misi dan visi
parti.
Penubuhan Negara Islam (Daulah/Khilafah) tidak bermula dengan hanya
mendapat
kuasa tetapi yang paling penting sekali ialah mendakwahkan umat Islam
hingga
kembali memahami ajaran agama hingga jiwa mereka memberontak mahukan
undang-undang Islam dan bukan hanya menukar pemimpin A kepada pemimpin B.
Pada masa kini, istilah Daulah, istilah Khilafah itu sendiri sebahagian
umat
Islam belum pernah mendengarnya. Mereka lebih mahir lagu-lagu di carta
pop,
atau siapakah bintang realiti yang baru tersingkir tetapi tidak mahir
tentang istilah-istilah dalam Islam. Umat Islam lebih arif tentang sistem
pemerintahan yang berasal dari Barat iaitu sistem demokrasi dan tidak arif
sistem pemerintahan Islam iaitu Khilafah, tidak tahu apa itu dan fungsi
Majlis Shura dalam Daulah Khilafah hingga menyamakannya dengan sistem
demokrasi. Umat Islam berjuang bukan dengan perjuangan yang dirintis
Rasulullah semasa di Mekah hingga berdirinya Daulah di Madinah kerana
telah
terkena serangan virus sekuler-Kapitalis hingga pemikiran Barat menjadi
asas
perjuangan. Pada akhirnya, disebabkan perjuangan menumpang ihsan
rakan-rakan
sekutu dalam Pakatan, maka apabila kuasa telah di tangan, undang-undang
Islam kekal sebagai teori. Sesungguhnya akal yang waras akan mencari,
mengapa ini terjadi? Apakah faktor yang menyebabkan undang-undang Islam
hanya teori selain yang telah dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan BN? Jawapan mudah
ialah apabila SISTEM pemerintahan masih mengekalkan SISTEM KUFUR, selagi
Perkara 4 Perlembagaan Persekutuan menolak mana-mana undang-undang yang
bertentangan dengan peruntukan di dalam PP itu sendiri, selagi itulah
hukum-hakam Islam akan kekal sebagai TEORI. Wahai pejuang-pejuang Islam,
kajilah jalan yang kau tempoh untuk meraih kuasa. Sesungguhnya jawatan
yang
kau sandang itu akan dipertanyakan - adakah dengan kapasiti itu kau mampu
merobah undang-undang kufur ini kepada undang-undang Islam? Apakah
natijahnya jika undang-undang sedia ada kekal status quo? Sampai bilakah
AlQuran dan Sunnah akan lebih banyak menghiasi rak-rak khutubkhanah dan
menjadi hantaran perkahwinan - sehingga umat Islam hanya memuliakan bentuk
fizikalnya sahaja, bukan isi dan ajaran di dalamnya. Kamu mahu meraih
redha
siapa? Redha Allah atau redha sekutu politikmu? Karpal Singh kah yang kau
geruni atau ancaman dari Allah? Adakah hanya menang pilihanraya yang kau
cari dan bukan menang dalam dakwah kepada umat hingga mereka membenci
sistem
Kufur? Sesungguhnya sekadar munajat sahaja tidak cukup untuk memartabatkan
deen yang mulia ini selagi jalan yang ditempoh masih di atas landasan
sistem
Kufur dan kekuasaan yang engkau raih tidak memungkinkan perlaksanaan Islam
secara kaffah. Kajilah sirah dan ubahlah method/thariqah perjuanganmu
sementara hayat dikandung badan. Allah pasti akan membantu jika engkau
berusaha memartabatkan deen-Nya dengan jalan (method) Junjungan Mulia
Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Waullahu a'lam. Sekian, Wassalam.*
**
*Berita Dalam
Negeri*<http://www.mykhilafah.com/modules.php?name=Utama&op=senarai&catid=1>
*: MB Kedah minta Karpal Singh tutup mulut*
[image: Dalam
Negeri]<http://www.mykhilafah.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=19>
Polemik
sensitif yang berlanjutan berikutan kenyataan Pengerusi DAP, Karpal Singh
tentang negara Islam telah mengundang balas daripada Menteri Besar Kedah
Ustaz Azizan Abdul Razak untuk menyanggah kata-kata beliau sebelum ini.

Malah Ustaz Azizan menyifatkan Karpal tiada pemahaman jelas berhubung isu
tersebut sehingga menyebabkan beliau mengeluarkan kenyataan yang
mengundang
kemarahan ramai di samping mendapat teguran daripada Mursyidul Am PAS Tuan
Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Menurut laporan, Azizan meminta Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh menutup mulut
dan
berhenti bercakap tentang PAS dan kaitan dengan negara Islam sebaliknya
harus memberi tumpuan kepada isu yang lebih besar yang boleh dibincangkan
di
antara PAS dan DAP.

"Saya rasa perkara terbaik adalah dia berhenti bercakap tentang perkara
tersebut.

"Banyak lagi isu-isu lain yang lebih besar untuk diperkatakan,"kata Azizan
yang dipetik daripada akhbar berbahasa Inggeris.

Beliau berkata Karpal bebas untuk menyatakan pendapatnya dan tidak ada
sesiapa yang akan menghalangnya.

"Kita juga tidak katakan kepada Karpal supaya jangan menentang usaha-usaha
PAS untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negera Islam,

"Karpal ada pandangannya terhadap hudud, tetapi ada juga pendapat lain
tentang undang-undang Syariah.

"Sebenarnya dia bukan sahaja kurang faham tentang perkara tersebut, bahkan
dia tak faham langsung," kata Ustaz Azizan.

Beliau berkata, kerajaan Kedah yang diketuai oleh PAS tidak pernah
berbincang tentang pelaksanaan hudud di Kedah sebab ia tidak termasuk di
dalam manifesto PAS Kedah dalam pilihan raya umum yang lalu.

"Mereka yang takut kepada hudud adalah perompak dan barang siapa yang
tidak
mencuri atau merompak, tidak takut kepada perlaksanaan Hudud," katanya.

*Sumber : Harakah 9/4/208*


*Ulasan:*

Apa lagi yang ditunggu-tunggu oleh kerajaan negeri yang diketuai oleh PAS?
Setiap kali ditanya berkenaan penerapan hukum-hakam Islam, pelbagai alasan
telah diberikan oleh Ustaz Azizan iaitu Menteri Besar Kedah yang mewakili
PAS. Umat Islam masih menantikan penerapan syariat Islam secara kaffah dan
semakin hari mereka semakin kecewa dengan pendirian PAS yang masih lagi
berdolak-dalik. Perlaksanaan syariat Islam dengan penubuhan Negara Islam
kini dijadikan polemik dengan Karpal Singh. Isu yang ditimbulkan oleh
Karpal
Singh akan terjawab dengan sendirinya apabila syariat Islam diterapkan
secara kaffah. Selagi syariat Islam tidak diterapkan secara kaffah,
bagaimana si Karpal Singh itu hendak memahami bagaimana syariat Islam
dapat
menjamin kehidupan yang sejahtera di bawah naungan negara Islam?

Menubuhkan negara Islam merupakan suatu kewajiban yang paling utama kerana
hanya dengan cara itu sahaja syariat Islam dapat dilaksanakan ke atas
individu rakyat. Sebagai seorang yang beriman, kita tidak boleh condong
atau
terhalang oleh tuntutan sesiapa pun terutama orang-orang kafir. Allah
s.w.t
berfirman yang bermaksud:


*"Sebahagian besar ahli kitab menginginkan agar mereka dapat mengembalikan
kamu kepada kekafiran setelah kamu beriman, kerana dengki yang timbul dari
diri mereka sendiri."**[TMQ Al-Baqarah(2):109]*

Menerapkan hukum Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala merupakan kewajiban utama yang
sebenar tanpa mengira samada ia terkandung di dalam manifesto ataupun
tidak.
Jika kuasa sudah berada ditangan, seseorang pemimpin itu wajib
melaksanakan
syariat Islam secara kaffah. Firman Allah swt yang bermaksud:

* "dan hendaklah kamu memutuskan pekara diantara mereka menurut apa yang
telah diturunkan Allah, dan janganlah kamu menuruti hawa nafsu mereka.
Juga,
berhati-hatilah kamu terhadap mereka, supaya mereka tidak memalingkanmu
dari
sebagian apa yang telah diturunkan Allah kepadamu.* *[TMQ
Al-Maidah(5):49]*


Kini, kuasa sudah pun ditangan, sampai bilakah umat harus menanti? Jika
sebelum pilihanraya dahulu PAS bermunajat dan berserah kepada kekuasaan
Allah, kini mereka juga harus yakin dengan pertolongan Allah untuk
menegakkan negara Islam tanpa mempedulikan rakan-rakan Pakatan Rakyat yang
lain.


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Hakim didakwa akibat lepas 3 Hindraf? - Gani Patail yg GIla

Hakim didakwa akibat lepas 3 Hindraf?

Apr 15, 08 3:08pm

DAP mempertikaikan pengendalian kes pemalsuan dokumen terhadap bekas hakim
Zunaidah Mohd Idris selepas beliau melepaskan tiga pemimpin Barisan
Bertindak Hak-hak Hindu (Hindraf).

Tokoh utama parti itu Lim Kit Siang hairan dengan tindakan ketua
pendakwaan Jabatan Peguam Negara, Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, yang
terlibat dalam kes Zunaidah yang dianggap kecil.

Sedangkan, tambah Lim, Mohd Yusof atau Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani
Patail (foto) sendiri tidak terlibat dalam kes berprofil tinggi
melibatkan pembunuhan warga Mongolia, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

"Kes (Altantuya) itu lebih besar kesan politik dan tadbir urus yang baik,"
katanya.

Zunaidah, sebagai hakim di mahkamah sesyen Klang pada 26 November 2007,
melepaskan tetapi tidak
membebaskan pemimpin-pemimpin Hindraf - P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy
dan V. Ganapathi - yang didakwa bagi kesalahan menghasut.

Semasa membuat keputusan itu, Zunaidah berkata beliau tidak nampak tumpuan
pendakwaan kes itu dan atas sebab itu beliau melepaskan ketiga-tiga
tertuduh.

Hakim juga berkata rakaman percakapan asal perlu dibuat dalam transkrip
bahasa asal (Tamil) sebelum diterjemahkan kepada bahasa-bahasa lain.

Lim menambah dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, selepas membuat penghakiman
itu, Zunaidah dilucutkan jawatannya di mahkamah sesyen Klang dan
dipindahkan ke Jabatan Peguam Negara di Putrajaya untuk kerja-kerja
pentadbiran.

"Apakah pertuduhan terhadap Zunaidah atas kesalahan memalsukan dokumen
pada September 2005 berkaitan dengan keputusannya menolak pendakwaan kes
hasutan tiga pemimpin Hindraf?" kata ahli parlimen Ipoh Timur melalui
blognya petang ini.

Bekas hakim itu didakwa di mahkamah sesyen Raub pada Jumaat  lalu atas
tuduhan memalsukan rekod kes jenayah ketika bertugas sebagai hakim di
mahkamah itu tiga tahun lalu.

Zunaidah, kini pegawai pentadbiran di Pejabat Peguam Negara di Putrajaya,
mengaku tidak bersalah dan hakim menetapkan 8 Julai ini untuk
perbicaraan.

Beliau dibenarkan ikat jamin RM2,000 dengan seorang penjamin.

Zunaidah sebelumnya dilaporkan mengaku tidak bersalah terhadap tuduhan
yang sama di mahkamah majistret Raub pada 14 September 2005.

Mengikut kertas pertuduhan, Zunaidah
memalsukan satu dokumen rekod mahkamah yang dibuat majistret Nurul
Mardhiah Redza bagi kes tangkap 83-238-2005 di mahkamah majistret itu.

Beliau yang didakwa mengikut Seksyen 466 Kanun Keseksaan, dituduh
melakukan kesalahan itu di kamar hakim mahkamah sesyen, Jalan Bukit di
Raub.

Jika sabit kesalahan, Zunaidah boleh dipenjara sehingga tujuh tahun dan
didenda.

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Skandal tanah P. Pinang didedah

Malaysiakini
Skandal tanah P. Pinang didedah
Apr 15, 08 5:36pm

Butiran penyelewengan tanah yang menyebabkan Pulau Pinang kerugian
berjuta-juta ringgit akan didedahkan esok, kata ketua menteri Lim Guan
Eng hari ini.

Menjawab cabaran bekas timbalan ketua menteri Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdullah,
lapor laman web The Star Online, Lim berkata ahli exco kerajaan negeri
akan bermesyuarat esok sebelum memutuskan untuk membuat pendedahan itu.

Abdul Rashid - yang juga mantan pengerusi Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Agama,
Tanah dan Pembangunan Keusahawanan dan Koperasi - mencabar Lim agar
membuktikan tuduhannya berhubung penyelewengan tanah bawah pentadbiran
kerajaan BN.

Abdul Rashid hari ini berkata Lim tidak wajar menuduh tanpa bukti kukuh.

"Pada mulanya saya tidak berniat mendedahkan butiran terperinci sekarang,
saya tidak juga menuduh sesiapa kerana saya mahu memberi peluang kepada
Abdul Rashid menjelaskan kenapa potongan (harga) premium diberikan kepada
pihak-pihak tertentu dan kenapa tanah-tanah kerajaan negeri diperuntukkan
kepada syarikat-syarikat besar," Lim dilaporkan berkata di pejabatnya
selepas menerima kunjungan Majlis Suku Cina Pulau Pinang.

"Kami tidak bercadangkan mengenakan sesiapa tetapi kerana beliau mencabar
saya untuk memberikan butiran terperinci, saya akan dedahkan."

Agensi berita Bernama pula melaporkan, sebelum mengambil tindakan lanjut,
Lim mahu mengadakan pertemuan dan berbincang secara terperinci dengan
Abdul Rashid.

"Saya bersedia berjumpa dengan beliau (Abdul Rashid) pada bila-bila masa
dan saya buat undangan rasmi menerusi media," beliau dipetik sebagai
berkata.

Lim menambah, beliau ingin bersikap adil, oleh itu pertemuan dengan wakil
rakyat BN itu penting.


Jadikan Umar Abdul Aziz sebagai contoh, Kelantan ucap tahniah kepada
Lim Guan Eng Salmah Mat
Husain
Mon | Apr 14, 08 | 1:09:11 pm MYT KOTA
BHARU, 14 April (Hrkh) - Ketua Penerangan PAS Kelantan, Ustaz Ahmad
Baihaqi Atiqullah, mengucapkan tahniah kepada Ketua Menteri Pulau
Pinang, Lim Guang Eng, yang ingin menjadikan Khalifah Umar Abdul Aziz
sebagai rujukannya dalam memerintah negeri.

-->-->
Menurutnya, walaupun Guang Eng bukan orang Islam, namun kerana ilmu yang
ada padanya, beliau ingin jadikan khalifah yang masyhur itu sebagai
&#65533;idola&#65533;nya dalam pentadbirannya agar semua rakyat di negeri
itu mendapat pembelaan dan kebajikan.


Baihaqi berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas hasrat Lim Guan Eng
secara terbuka yang ingin menjadikan Khalifah Umar Abdul Aziz sebagai
model untuk dilaksanakan dalam pentadbiran Kerajaan Pulau Pinang.


Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui selepas menyampaikan taklimat
kepada hampir 300 orang rombongan pelawat dari empat buah negeri, iaitu
Pulau Pinang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan dan Johor.


"Walaupun dia (Lim Guang Eng) bukan orang Islam, namun hasil pembacaan
dan penelitiannya beliau berhasrat untuk meniru pentadbiran Umar
khususnya dari segi amanah, kebajikan.


"Ia merupakan satu sikap yang amat baik dan perlu diteladani oleh
pemimpin Islam itu sendiri, jadi saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada
saudara Guan Eng di atas hasratnya sedemikian,&#65533; ujarnya lagi.


Beliau yang juga Adun Pasir Tumboh berharap Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang
itu melaksanakan apa yang dijanjikannya sekiranya beliau ingin dilihat
sebagai seorang pemimpin yang benar-benar menjaga kebajikan rakyat
khususnya masyarakat Islam.


Sambungnya, sebagaimana masyarakat bukan Islam menghormati dan
menyayangi Menteri Besar Kelantan, Tuan Guru Dato&#65533; Nik Abdul
Aziz Nik Mat, kerana sikap kepimpinannya yang tidak meminggirkan
golongan minoriti di negeri itu, dalam masa yang sama diharap umat
Islam di negeri itu juga mendapat layanan yang sama.


"Namun saya berkeyakinan, saudara Lim akan melaksanakannya, apa lagi
menerusi Pakatan Rakyat yang ditubuhkan di empat negeri untuk menjaga
kebajikan rakyat," ujarnya lagi.


Menyentuh Pakatan Rakyat pula beliau berharap semua pimpinan di empat
negeri dapat memberikan contoh terbaik pada rakyat seluruhnya agar rakyat
dapat menilai sendiri tentang keadilan yang terdapat dalam Pakatan itu.


Tambahnya, apa yang penting perpaduan dalam Pakatan Rakyat hendaklah
jitu di samping menghormati pandangan di antara satu sama lain.


Terdahulu ketika menyampaikan taklimat kepada rombongan pelawat
berkenaan, Baihaqi berharap semua negeri yang ditadbir Pakatan Rakyat
termasuk Kelantan menjaga kebajikan rakyat sebaik mungkin.


Sambungnya, rakyat tidak perlukan pembangunan duniawi semata-mata,
sebaliknya mereka terlalu mengharapkan keperihatinan kerajaan untuk
mereka.


"Pembangunan sudah terlalu banyak terutama di Selangor, Pulau Pinang,
namun apa yang rakyat inginkan sekarang ialah pembelaan atau 'cakno'
terhadap mereka yang tidak diperolehi dari kerajaan terdahulu," ujarnya.


Pada majlis itu juga beliau turut mengucapkan tahniah di atas kesudian
mereka masih memilih Kelantan sebagai destinasi pelancongan.


Jelasnya, walaupun empat negeri lagi telah dikuasai pembangkang, iaitu
Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Selangor dan Perak, namun pelawat masih memilih
Kelantan untuk dilawati. - mns

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Kampung Baru hails Ketuanan Rakyat

Kampung Baru hails 'Ketuanan Rakyat' www.malaysiakini.com
Azreen Madzlan April 15, 2008
Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampung Baru once saw Malay nationalists
gathered to fight for independence from the British in 1946.


More than 60 years later, another mass gathering took place at the
99-year-old club last night when some 20,000 people from all walks of
life defied police ban to welcome Anwar's return to active politics
following the expiry of his ban.


And this time around the rallying cry made to 'awaken' the gathered crowd
was not 'Malay supremacy' as in 1946 but instead one which called for
'people's supremacy'.


"All of you will witness this tonight. We will not talk about Malay
supremacy but the supremacy for all Malaysians," said PKR de facto leader
Anwar Ibrahim to the cheering crowd.


In his fiery one-hour speech, the charismatic Anwar assured the crowd -
the majority of whom were Malays - that while he and his Pakatan Rakyat
would champion for the rights of all Malaysians, they would nevertheless
continue to protect the constitutional rights of the Malays.


At a press conference later, Anwar said that it was time for new politics
to take over this country from the single dominant ideology of UMNO, which
only fought for the Malay rights.


"We are here to counter the massive propaganda campaign by UMNO leaders,
who are talking on Malay supremacy.


"And giving clear definitive answer in reply of this, to say that what we
want, what we desire for is a new Malaysia is supremacy for all
Malaysians." he said.


Also in the crowd were PKR president and Anwar's wife Dr Wan Azizah
Ismail, daughter Nurul Izzah, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, PKR
vice president Azmin Ali and Batu MP Tian Chua.


'I owe it to you'

At the rally, Anwar also attacked his nemesis, former premier Dr Mahathir
Mohamad and accused him of abuse of power.


Once seen as the heir apparent to long-time leader Mahathir, Anwar was
subsequently convicted on sex and corruption charges and spent six years
in jail, before storming back to prominence in March elections.


"He claimed that under his time, the media is free to report anything. He
also claims that under his time, the judges are fair and clean.


"Listen Mahathir, the 'correct-correct-correct' lawyer was under your
administration!" he said, followed by a huge laugh from the crowd which
filled to the brim of the club's main gates.


Anwar also managed to elicit a pin-drop silence from the crowd when he
emotionally reminisced his six years in jail and the five-year political
ban that followed. The ban expires today.


"When people asked, what do you feel most satisfied after your release
from prison? The judge's verdict? No. But it's when the people make the
decision to release me.


"I owe it to the people. Because of me, some of you were beaten by the
Police, were thrown in jail, lost your jobs (during the reformasi). I owe
it to you." he said to the loud applause from the crowd.


Azizah as prime minister?

Back at the press conference later, Anwar said it was not his priority to
contest in Parliament for now.


He added the priority was to ensure that all the states under Pakatan
government were well administered.


"We will see whether there's a possibility of moving in now (to form the
federal government), and promoting a candidate, maybe (Opposition Leader)
Azizah (as the new prime minister) if we can reach a consensus among the
Pakatan Rakyat leaders.


"Alternatively we wait until I'm able to contest in a by-election," he
said.


Anwar also touched on the issue of party-hopping, saying that the Pakatan
Rakyat had received enough support from BN elected representatives from
all over the country. However, he assured that no money was involved in
enticing the party-hopping BN MPs.


And to this, he promised that if Pakatan formed the next federal
government, Sabah will get up to 20 percent of royalties from petroleum
and timber for the development of the state.


Anwar reiterated that Pakatan had already secured the number of MPs but
Pakatan wanted to form a government with a strong majority. However, he
said that any decision made by Pakatan would be done through consensus.


"Do we want to become a government with a two-seat or five-seat majority?
There's also a decision that's got to be agreed upon by Pakatan. "My
personal view is we come in strong, at least with a comfortable majority
to be able to initiate changes. We are talking about vast changes." he
said.


Speech interrupted
The crowd had started filtering in to the venue since 5pm, fully filling
up every available place in the club's field by the time Anwar took the
stage for his speech.


This was his first public speech since the Pakatan Rakyat achieved a
remarkable victory in the March 8 general election.


The Police, including the Federal Reserve Unit and Light Strike Force,
patrolled the area but people were allowed to move about freely. There
was also a large foreign media presence, including television crew.


After speaking for an hour, at 10.30pm, the Police came on stage to
interrupt Anwar from finishing his speech on the grounds that he has no
police permit to hold a rally.


The Police have previously said that the gathering was illegal as it has
no police permit.


In response, Anwar said he would show a "good example" by ending his
60-minute speech and told the crowd to disperse.


Organisers claimed a crowd of about 40,000 had attended the rally. The
crowd dispersed peacefully by 11.30pm. Many agreeing with Anwar that they
had had witnessed a historic rally that night.


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Projek 'mee segera' Umno, ibu bapa bimbang keselamatan pelajar

KUALA TERENGGANU, 15 April (Hrkh) - 'Sudah terang lagi bersuluh'
begitulah ungkapan yang wajar diberikan terhadap kesilapan serta
penyelewengan Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) Terengganu dari tahun 2000
hingga 2004 lalu.

[Image] Kesemua projek-projek yang menggunakan kaedah Perundingan
Pengurusan Projek (Projek Management Consultant, PMC) di bawah
Rancangan Malaysia Ke-8 (RMK-8) di Terengganu tidak selamat.

Ini kerana, bangunan sekolah dan dewan di bawah kendalian PMC merupakan
projek 'mee segera' khusus diberikan kepada kontraktor-kontraktor yang
terlibat secara langsung dan tidak langsung dengan pemimpin Umno
Terengganu ketika negeri ini diperintah oleh kerajaan PAS.

Kerajaan pusat ketika itu di bawah kepimpinan mantan Perdana Menteri,
Tun Dr. Mahathir bertindak merampas hak Terengganu mendapat royalti
Petroleum semata-mata kerana PAS memerintah tahun 1999 hingga 2004.

Peruntukan dana khas (wang ehsan) yang diambil dari hasil royalti itu
disalurkan kepada Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan (JPP) melalui Umno
negeri bagi menguruskan kesemua projek-projek pembangunan termasuk
pembinaan sekolah, dewan dan pagar di Terengganu.

Kini, berpuluh-puluh buah sekolah dan dewan di bawah kendalian PMC
tanpa pemantauan Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) dianggap tidak selamat serta
mengancam keselamatan nyawa ribuan para pelajarnya.

Kes terbaru, Sabtu lalu sebuah Dewan Serbaguna bernilai lebih RM2 juta
di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Wakaf Tapai, Marang yang siap dibina
tidak sampai empat tahun ranap secara tiba-tiba pada jam 8.30 malam.

Bangunan dewan tersebut siap dibina tahun 2004 dan mula digunakan pada
tahun 2005 itu dipercayai mempunyai kaitan dengan pemimpin Umno
Terengganu.

Sumber Harakah memaklumkan runtuhan itu dipercayai akibat struktur pada
kekuda sendi bumbungnya tidak kukuh serta menyebabkan ianya tidak mampu
menampung berat atap genting berkenaan.

Berikutan itu, satu notis penutupan dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Pelajaran
Negeri Terengganu (JPNT) terhadap semua bangunan sekolah dan dewan yang
dikendalikan oleh PMC serta merta selama satu bulan.

[Image] Tinjauan Harakah menemui ibu bapa serta orang ramai mengenai
isu tersebut yang melahirkan rasa bimbang terhadap keselamatan nyawa
anak-anak mereka.

Abdullah Said, 55, dari Kampung Wakaf Tapai terkejut dengan tragedi
keruntuhan dewan serbaguna SMK Wakaf Tapai itu.

Katanya, bimbang kerana waktu itu para pelajar sekolah berkenaan sedang
mengikuti kem selama tiga hari termasuk anaknya.

"Alhamdulillah, syukur anak saya dan semua pelajar terselamat dalam
kejadian bumbung dewan runtuh Sabtu lalu.

"Apa akan terjadi jika waktu itu semua pelajar berada dalam dewan dan
bumbung itu runtuh menimpa mereka," ujarnya.

Menurutnya, ketika kejadian tidak berlaku ribut atau angin kencang yang
boleh menyebabkan bangunan itu runtuh.

Sementara itu, Aminah Yasin, 48, mahukan agar pihak berwajib segera
menyiasat punca kejadian yang membahayakan nyawa para pelajar serta
mendakwa pihak kontraktor tersebut.

"Kami (ibu bapa) mahu kerajaan siasat segera dan dakwa pihak kontraktor
yang buat dewan itu kerana telah membahayakan nyawa anak-anak kami,"
ujarnya.

Katanya, pihak kontraktor hanya fikir untung tanpa memikirkan tahap
serta mutu keselamatan bangunan yang dibina itu.

Dalam pada itu, Azman Razak, 43, dari Bukit Sawa yakin berlaku
menyelewengan tertentu yang menjadi punca struktur bangunan tidak
kukuh.

Katanya, kajian perlu dilakukan terhadap mutu serta bahan yang
digunakan mengikut piawaian JKR atau hanya keuntungan pihak kontraktor.

"Kami mahukan siasatan terperinci dengan mutu bahan binaan yang
digunakan dan saya yakin tentu ada penyelewengan di pihak kontraktor
atau di peringkat PMC itu," ujarnya.

Sebelum ini, katanya pernah berlaku kejadian yang sama melibatkan
keruntuhan bangunan makmal komputer di beberapa buah sekolah di
Terengganu.

Ketika kejadian, sebahagian pelajar tingkatan empat dan lima sekolah
berkenaan sedang mengikuti kem selama tiga hari yang diadakan di sekolah
tersebut namun mereka terselamat kerana pada waktu itu para pelajar
terbabit berada di kelas masing-masing.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pelajaran, Pengajian Tinggi, Sains, Teknologi
dan Sumber Manusia negeri, Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman mengesahkan dewan
SMK Wakaf Tapai itu dibina menggunakan kaedah PMC.

"Saya telah minta pihak JPNT mengenal pasti setiap sekolah di negeri
ini yang terlibat dengan pembinaan PMC kerana projek PMC tidak dipantau
oleh Jabatan Kerja Raya Negeri (JKR).

"Dewan ini (SMK Wakaf Tapai) antara yang disenaraikan dibina
menggunakan kaedah PMC," jelasnya pada sidang media di pejabatnya,
semalam.

Sebelum ini, Harakah pernah melaporkan tentang keretakan pada bangunan
dewan berkenaan tahun lalu tetapi tidak mendapat perhatian pihak
berwajib bagi mengatasi masalah tersebut. - mks.


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How Hunger Could Topple Regimes By TONY KARON

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080414/wl_time/howhungercouldtoppleregimes;_ylt=AmhL1ve7waDBemQYzEtn87e9F4l4

How Hunger Could Topple Regimes By TONY KARON
Mon Apr 14, 10:00 AM ET

The idea of the starving masses driven by their desperation to take to
the streets and overthrow the ancien regime has seemed impossibly
quaint since capitalism triumphed so decisively in the Cold War. Since
then, the spectacle of hunger sparking revolutionary violence has been
the stuff of Broadway musicals rather than the real world of politics.
And yet, the headlines of the past month suggest that skyrocketing
food prices are threatening the stability of a growing number of
governments around the world. Ironically, it may be the very success
of capitalism in transforming regions previously restrained by various
forms of socialism that has helped create the new crisis.


Haiti is in flames as food riots have turned into a violent challenge
to the vulnerable government; Egypt's authoritarian regime faces a
mounting political threat over its inability to maintain a steady
supply of heavily subsidized bread to its impoverished citizens; Cote
D'Ivoire, Cameroon, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Yemen and Indonesia are
among the countries that have recently seen violent food riots or
demonstrations. World Bank president Robert Zoellick noted last week
that world food prices had risen 80% over the past three years, and
warned that at least 33 countries face social unrest as a result.


The sociology of the food riot is pretty straightforward: The usually
impoverished majority of citizens may acquiesce to the rule of
detested corrupt and repressive regimes when they are preoccupied with
the daily struggle to feed their children and themselves, but when
circumstances render it impossible to feed their hungry children,
normally passive citizens can very quickly become militants with
nothing to lose. That's especially true when the source of their
hunger is not the absence of food supplies but their inability to
afford to buy the available food supplies. And that's precisely what
we're seeing in the current wave of global food-price inflation. As
Josette Sheeran of the U.N. World Food Program put it last month, "We
are seeing food on the shelves but people being unable to afford it."


When all that stands between hungry people and a warehouse full of
rice and beans is a couple of padlocks and a riot policeman (who may
be the neighbor of those who're trying to get past him, and whose own
family may be hungry too), the invisible barricade of private-property
laws can be easily ignored. Doing whatever it takes to feed oneself
and a hungry child, after all, is a primal human instinct. So, with
prices of basic foods skyrocketing to the point that even the global
aid agencies - whose function is to provide emergency food supplies to
those in need - are unable, for financial reasons, to sustain their
current commitments to the growing army of the hungry, brittle regimes
around the world have plenty of reason for anxiety.


The hunger has historically been an instigator of revolutions and
civil wars, it is not a sufficient condition for such violence. For a
mass outpouring of rage spurred by hunger to translate into a credible
challenge to an established order requires an organized political
leadership ready to harness that anger against the state. It may not
be all that surprising, then, that Haiti has been one of the major
flashpoints of the new wave of hunger-generated political crises; the
outpouring of rage there has been channeled into preexisting furrows
of political discontent. And that's why there may be greater reason
for concern in Egypt, where the bread crisis comes on top of a
mounting challenge to the regime's legitimacy by a range of opposition
groups.


The social theories of Karl Marx were long ago discarded as of little
value, even to revolutionaries. But he did warn that capitalism had a
tendency to generate its own crises. Indeed, the spread of capitalism,
and its accelerated industrialization and wealth-creation, may have
fomented the food-inflation crisis - by dramatically accelerating
competition for scarce resources. The rapid industrialization of China
and India over the past two decades - and the resultant growth of a
new middle class fast approaching the size of America's - has driven
demand for oil toward the limits of global supply capacity. That has
pushed oil prices to levels five times what they were in the mid
1990s, which has also raised pressure on food prices by driving up
agricultural costs and by prompting the substitution of biofuel crops
for edible ones on scarce farmland. Moreover, those new middle class
people are eating a lot better than their parents did - particularly
more meat. Producing a single calorie of beef can, by some estimates,
require eight or more calories of grain feed, and expanded meat
consumption therefore has a multiplier effect on demand for grains.
Throw in climate disasters such as the Australian drought and recent
rice crop failures, and you have food inflation spiraling so fast that
even the U.N. agency created to feed people in emergencies is warning
that it lacks the funds to fulfill its mandate.


The reason officials such as Zoellick are sounding the alarm may be
that the food crisis, and its attendant political risks, are not
likely to be resolved or contained by the laissez-faire operation of
capitalism's market forces. Government intervention on behalf of the
poor - so out of fashion during globalization's roaring '90s and the
current decade - may be about to make a comeback. View this article on
Time.com

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Anwar claims enough support to form gov't

Malaysia's Anwar claims enough support to form gov't

(Kyodo) _ Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed late
Monday he could form the government anytime as there are enough
support from parliamentarians in the ruling National Front coalition.

"Now I can say for the first time that we are ready to govern the
country. We have the numbers," he told a press conference after making
a speech to his supporters, which was halted midway by police as it
was taken as marking his official return to politics.

"Some have had discussions with us but we are not in a hurry," the
former deputy prime minister said, adding the opposition prefers to
wait until it has a comfortable majority.

Anwar, 60, who was once relegated to the dustbin of history after he
was sacked by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 and
subsequently jailed for a total of 15 years on corruption and sodomy
charges, has made a spectacular comeback after the March 8 general
election.

He was widely credited with galvanizing the ideologically disparate
opposition parties to their best-ever showing in the election, winning
82 seats in the 222-seat Parliament and seizing control of five of
Malaysia's 13 state assemblies.

His own party, the People's Justice Party, won 31, the most seats
among the opposition.

But Anwar was personally barred from running in the election due to
his criminal convictions which he has always maintained were cooked up
by Mahathir to ruin his political career.

Anwar had spent six years in jail before he was released in 2004,
after the court acquitted him of sodomy.

Under the Federal Constitution, he could not run for office until five
years after his release, a deadline that passed Monday.

To celebrate the end of the ban, over 10,000 supporters swamped a
field in downtown Kuala Lumpur for what has been billed as "Freedom
Rally" and to hear Anwar's first public speech after the election.

But toward the tail-end of his speech, police suddenly came in to
break up the party.

The police had earlier warned of "stern action" against those
attending the "illegal gathering." as the organizer did not apply for
a permit which is required under the law for any public gathering of
more than five persons.

Dozens of riot police personnel were on guard around the venue but
Anwar's supporters dispersed peacefully.

Now that Anwar could seek political office, the question most
frequently asked of him is when he would intend to return to
parliament and become the next prime minister.


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Pipes asks "Europe or Eurabia" in The Australian

Daniel Pipes Mailing List
April 14, 2008
Europe or Eurabia?

by Daniel PipesThe AustralianApril 15,
2008http://www.danielpipes.org/article/5516

The future of Europe is in play. Will it turn into "Eurabia," a part of
the Muslim world? Will it remain the distinct cultural unit it has been
over the last millennium? Or might there be some creative synthesis of
the two civilizations?

The answer has vast importance. Europe may constitute a mere 7 percent of
the world's landmass but for five hundred years, 1450-1950, for good and
ill, it was the global engine of change. How it develops in the future
will affect all humanity, and especially daughter countries such as
Australia which still retain close and important ties to the old
continent.

I foresee potentially one of three paths for Europe: Muslims dominating,
Muslims rejected, or harmonious integration.

(1) Muslim domination strikes some analysts as inevitable. Oriana Fallaci
found that "Europe becomes more and more a province of Islam, a colony of
Islam." Mark Steyn argues that much of the Western world "will not survive
the twenty-first century, and much of it will effectively disappear within
our lifetimes, including many if not most European countries." Such
authors point to three factors leading to Europe's Islamization: faith,
demography, and a sense of heritage.

The secularism that predominates in Europe, especially among its elites,
leads to alienation about the Judeo-Christian tradition, empty church
pews, and a fascination with Islam. In complete contrast, Muslims display
a religious fervor that translates into jihadi sensibility, a supremacism
toward non-Muslims, and an expectation that Europe is waiting for
conversion to Islam.

The contrast in faith also has demographic implications, with Christians
having on average 1.4 children per woman, or about one third less than
the number needed to maintain their population, and Muslims enjoying a
dramatically higher, if falling, fertility rate. Amsterdam and Rotterdam
are expected to be in about 2015 the first large majority-Muslim cities.
Russia could become a Muslim-majority country in 2050. To employ enough
workers to fund existing pension plans, Europe needs millions of
immigrants and these tend to be disproportionately Muslim due to reasons
of proximity, colonial ties, and the turmoil in majority-Muslim
countries.

In addition, many Europeans no longer cherish their history, mores, and
customs. Guilt about fascism, racism, and imperialism leave many with a
sense that their own culture has less value than that of immigrants. Such
self-disdain has direct implications for Muslim immigrants, for if
Europeans shun their own ways, why should immigrants adopt them? When
added to the already-existing Muslim hesitations over much that is
Western, and especially what concerns sexuality, the result are Muslim
populations that strongly resist assimilation.

The logic of this first path leads to Europe ultimately becoming an
extension of North Africa.

(2) But the first path is not inevitable. Indigenous Europeans could
resist it and as they make up 95 percent of the continent's population,
they can at any time reassert control, should they see Muslims posing a
threat to a valued way of life.

This impulse can already be seen at work in the French anti-hijab
legislation or in Geert Wilders' film, Fitna. Anti-immigrant parties gain
in strength; a potential nativist movement is taking shape across Europe,
as political parties opposed to immigration focus increasingly on Islam
and Muslims. These parties include the British National Party, Belgium's
Vlaamse Belang, France's Front National, the Austrian Freedom Party, the
Party for Freedom in the Netherlands, the Danish People's Party, and the
Swedish Democrats.

They will likely continue to grow as immigration surges ever higher, with
mainstream parties paying and expropriating their anti-Islamic message.
Should nationalist parties gain power, they will likely seek to reject
multiculturalism, cut back on immigration, encourage repatriation of
immigrants, support Christian institutions, increase indigenous European
birthrates, and broadly attempt to re-establish traditional ways.

Muslim alarm will likely follow. American author Ralph Peters sketches a
scenario in which "U.S. Navy ships are at anchor and U.S. Marines have
gone ashore at Brest, Bremerhaven or Bari to guarantee the safe
evacuation of Europe's Muslims." Peters concludes that because of
European's "ineradicable viciousness," its Muslims "are living on
borrowed time" As Europeans have "perfected genocide and ethnic
cleansing," Muslims, he predicts, "will be lucky just to be deported,"
rather than killed. Indeed, Muslims worry about just such a fate; since
the 1980s, they have spoken overtly about Muslims being sent to gas
chambers.

Violence by indigenous Europeans cannot be precluded but nationalist
efforts will more likely take place less violently; if any one is likely
to initiate violence, it is the Muslims. They have already engaged in
many acts of violence and seem to be spoiling for more. Surveys indicate,
for instance, that about 5 percent of British Muslims endorse the 7/7
transport bombings. In brief, a European reassertion will likely lead to
on-going civil strife, perhaps a more lethal version of the fall 2005
riots in France.

(3) The ideal outcome has indigenous Europeans and immigrant Muslims
finding a way to live together harmoniously and create a new synthesis. A
1991 study, La France, une chance pour l'Islam (France, an Opportunity for
Islam) by Jeanne-H&#1497;l&#1496;ne Kaltenbach and Pierre Patrick
Kaltenbach promoted this idealistic approach. Despite all, this optimism
remains the conventional wisdom, as suggested by an Economist leader of
2006 that concluded that dismissed for the moment at least, the prospect
of Eurabia as "scaremongering."

This is the view of most politicians, journalists, and academics but it
has little basis in. Yes indigenous Europeans could yet rediscover their
Christian faith, make more babies, and again cherish their heritage. Yes,
they could encourage non-Muslim immigration and acculturate Muslims
already living in Europe. Yes, Muslim could accept historic Europe. But
not only are such developments not now underway, their prospects are dim.
In particular, young Muslims are cultivating grievances and nursing
ambitions at odds with their neighbors.

One can virtually dismiss from consideration the prospect of Muslims
accepting historic Europe and integrating within it. U.S. columnist
Dennis Prager agrees: "It is difficult to imagine any other future
scenario for Western Europe than its becoming Islamicized or having a
civil war."

But which of those two remaining paths will the continent take?
Forecasting is difficult because crisis has not yet struck. But it may
not be far off. Within a decade perhaps, the continent's evolution will
become clear as the Europe-Muslim relationship takes shape.

The unprecedented nature of Europe's situation also renders a forecast
exceedingly difficult. Never in history has a major civilization
peaceably dissolved, nor has a people ever risen to reclaim its
patrimony. Europe's unique circumstances make them difficult to
comprehend, tempting to overlook, and virtually impossible to predict.
With Europe, we all enter into terra incognita.

Mr. Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and Taube/Diller
distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford
University. He is in Australia for the Intelligence Squared debate to
take place this evening in Sydney. This article derives from a talk he
delivered yesterday to the Quadrant.


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"Turkey's Turning Point"

Rubin in Nat'l Review Online: "Turkey's Turning Point"

Middle East Forum
April 14, 2008

Turkey's Turning Point Could there be an Islamic Revolution in Turkey?

by Michael Rubin National Review Online April 14, 2008
http://www.meforum.org/article/1882

Few U.S. policymakers have heard of Fethullah Gülen, perhaps Turkey's most
prominent theologian and political thinker. Self-exiled for more than a
decade, Gülen lives a reclusive life outside Philadelphia, Pa. Within
months, however, he may be as much a household a name in the United
States as is Ayatollah Khomeini, a man who was as obscure to most
Americans up until his triumphant return to Iran almost 30 years ago.

Many academics and journalist embrace Gülen and applaud his stated vision
welding Islam with tolerance and a pro-European outlook. Supporters
describe him as progressive. In 2003, the University of Texas honored him
as a "peaceful hero," alongside Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi,
and the Dalai Lama. Last October, the British House of Lords and several
British diplomats celebrated Gülen at a high-profile London conference.
Later this year, Georgetown University scholar John Esposito will host a
conference dedicated to the movement. As in 2001, Esposito will cosponsor
with the Rumi Forum, an organization Gülen serves as honorary president.

The Gülen movement controls charities, real estate, companies, and more
than a thousand schools internationally. According to some estimates, the
Gülen Movement controls several billion dollars. The movement claims its
own universities, unions, lobbies, student groups, radio and television
stations, and the Zaman newspaper. Turkish officials concede that Gülen's
followers in Turkey number more than a million; Gülen's backers claim that
number is just the tip of the iceberg. Today, Gülen members dominate the
Turkish police and divisions within the interior ministry. Under the
stewardship of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo&#287;an, one of Gülen's
most prominent sympathizers, tens of thousands of other Gülen supporters
have entered the Turkish bureaucracy.

While Gülen supporters jealously guard his image in the West, he remains a
controversial figure in Turkey. According to Cumhuriyet, a left-of-center
establishment daily — Turkey's New York Times — in 1973, the Izmir State
Security Court convicted Gülen of "attempting to destroy the state system
and to establish a state system based on religion;" he received a pardon,
though, and so never served time in prison. In 1986, the Turkish military
— the constitutional guardians of the state's secularism — purged a Gülen
cell from the military academy; the Turkish military has subsequently
acted against a number of other alleged Gülen cells who they say
infiltrated military ranks.

In 1998, according to Turkish court transcripts cited in the Turkish Daily
News, Gülen urged followers in the judiciary and state bureaucracy to
"work patiently to take control of the state." The following year, the
independent Turkish television station ATV broadcast a secretly taped
Gülen telling supporters, "If they . . . come out early, the world will
squash their heads. They will make Muslims relive events in Algeria," a
reference to the Islamic Salvation Front's overwhelming 1991 election
victory in the North African state. After party leaders spoke of voiding
the constitution and implementing Islamic law, the Algerian military
staged a coup leading to a civil conflict that killed tens of thousands.

Because of his statements and veiled threats, the judiciary in 1998
charged Gülen with trying to "undermine the secular system" while
"camouflag[ing] his methods with a democratic and moderate image."
Convicted in absentia, but free to run his organized from his U.S. exile,
Gülen continues a rather inconsistent approach to tolerance and
secularism. He often equates the separation of religion and state with
atheism, an assertion many of Turkey's most secular officials find
offensive: Believing that religion is best kept to the individual rather
than state sphere does not equate with any lack of belief in God. In
2004, Gülen equated atheism with terrorism and said both atheists and
murderers would spend eternity in Hell.

Gülen has received a legal break, however. In 2002, Erdo&#287;an's Justice
and Development party (Adalet ve Kak&#305;nma Partisi, AKP) won a
plurality in parliamentary elections and, because of a fluke in Turkish
election law, was able to amplify one-third of the popular vote into a
two-thirds parliamentary majority. Erdo&#287;an used this advantage to
enact reforms which had the net affect of stacking not only the civil
service, but also banking boards and the judiciary with his political
supporters and religious fundamentalists. Erdo&#287;an's judges wasted no
time. They placed liens against political opponents' property, seized
independent newspapers and television stations including, not by
coincidence ATV, and assigned sympathetic judges to hear appeals against
earlier decisions levied against Islamists. On May 5, 2006, the Ankara
Criminal Court overturned the verdict against Gülen. While a public
prosecutor — a secularist hold-out — appealed the court's action, the
pro!
cess is now nearing conclusion. Gülen's supporters are ecstatic. His
slate wiped clean, Gülen has indicated he may soon return to Turkey.

If he does, Istanbul 2008 may very well look like Tehran 1979. Just as
Gülen's supporters affirm his altruistic intentions and see no
inconsistency between a secretive, cell-based movement and transparent
governance, too many Western journalists also give Gülen a free pass.

If this sounds familiar, it should: Three decades ago, the same phenomenon
marked coverage of Iran. "I don't want to be the leader of the Islamic
Republic; I don't want to have the government or power in my hands,"
Khomeini told a credulous Austrian television reporter during the
ayatollah's brief sojourn in Paris. In November 1978, Steven Erlanger,
the future New York Times foreign correspondent, penned a New Republic
essay arguing that Khomeini's vision for Iran was essentially a "Platonic
Republic with a grand ayatollah as a philosopher-king," and predicting the
triumph of an independent liberal left worried more about labor conditions
in Iran's oil fields than pursuing any theological tendency.

In Tehran then as in Ankara now, U.S. ambassadors preferred garden parties
with the political elite and maintained contacts with only a narrow
segment of the population. They were blind. As the State Department and
Central Intelligence Agency remained clueless or belittled concerns about
Khomeini's intentions, millions of Iranians turned out to greet their Imam
at Tehran's international airport. Turks now say that similar crowds might
greet Gülen when his plane touches down in Istanbul.

Gülen is careful. He will not order the dissolution of the Turkish
Republic. But, ensconced in his Istanbul mansion, he could simply begin
to issue fatwas prying Turkey farther from the secularism to which
Erdo&#287;an pays lip service. As Khomeini consciously drew parallels
between himself and Twelver Shiism's Hidden Imam, Gülen will remain quiet
as his supporters paint his return as evidence that the caliphate formally
dissolved by Atatürk in 1924 has been restored.

The secular order and constitutionalism in Turkey have never been so
shaky. The government now controls most television and radio stations.
Erdo&#287;an has gained the dubious distinction of launching more
lawsuits against journalists and commentators than any previous Turkish
prime minister.

As Erdo&#287;an discourages dissent, his and Gülen's supporters among
prominent Turkish columnists and commentators equate Islamism with
democracy, and secularism with fascism, a line too many Western diplomats
eager to demonstrate tolerance with an embrace of "moderate Islam" accept.
Erdo&#287;an himself has argued that it was secularism which led to
Hitler; that Islamism would never produce such a result.

Last month, after one of the few independent judicial authorities filed a
lawsuit against Erdo&#287;an and the AKP for violating constitutional
provisions separating religion from politics, the prime minister
responded with a midnight round-up of leading academics and journalists
who had criticized him. Even Erdo&#287;an's supporters were shocked to
wake up on March 21 to learn that &#304;lhan Selçuk, the bed-ridden
octogenarian editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet described by Turks as their
Walter Cronkite had been arrested in a pre-dawn raid on charges of
plotting to launch a military coup; the police have yet to provide any
evidence. Nor is Selçuk the only victim in the most recent intimidation
campaign. A Hürriyet columnist, Ahmet Hakan, has received threatening
phone calls from lawyer Kemaletin Gülen, a relative of Fethullah.

When Islamists pursue campaigns of hatred, Western officials not only
pretend nothing is amiss but also, as in the case of Palestinian leaders,
often increase their support. This week Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice will address the judicial case against Erdo&#287;an and the AKP.
Members of her staff suggest she will lend subtle support to the prime
minister. Indeed, it may be tempting to condemn the court action as a
political stunt: The prosecutor's legal brief is shoddily written and
poorly argued. Despite its faults, however, the underlying legal issues
are real.

Rice should be silent. Any interference will backfire: Turks, already
upset that U.S. ambassador Ross Wilson seldom meets with opposition
leaders, will interpret any criticism of the case as White House support
for the AKP. Secularists will ask why Turkey's liberal opposition should
not have the right to all legal remedies. They already ask why the West
applauds legal action taken against Austrian populist Jörg Haider and
French demagogue Jean Marie Le Pen, but the same U.S. and European
officials appear to bless Erdo&#287;an's legal exceptionalism. By
undermining judicial recourse, Rice may accelerate violence and lead
support to those who argue — wrongly — that the government's disdain for
the law and constitution should be met with the same. On the off-chance,
however, that Rice accepts that the court case should run its course,
Turkey's religious conservatives will accuse her of masterminding the
approach.

Over the past seven years, the Bush administration has made many mistakes.
Bush was correct to recognize the importance of democratization; bungled
implementation has turned a noble ideal into a dirty word. By equating
democracy only with elections, the State Department and National Security
Council fumbled U.S. interests in Iraq, Gaza, and Lebanon. One man, one
vote, once; parties that enforce discipline at the point of a gun; and
politicians who seek to subvert the rule of law to an imam's conception
of God do little for U.S. national security. Never again should the
United States abandon its ideological compatriots for the ephemeral
promises of parties that use religion to subvert democracy and seek mob
rather than constitutional rule.

Turkey is nearing the cliff. Please, Secretary Rice, do not push it over
the edge.

Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, is
editor of the Middle East Quarterly.

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Royal Indiscretion

It is most unfortunate that His Royal Highness should speak his mind on
such a sensitive matter indiscreetly.

The definition of Malay in the Federal Constitution is quite broad. Thus
Zainuddin Maidin, the former Minister of Information a pure Tamil was
able to obtain official classification as a Malay Bumiputra with all the
womb to the tomb privileges which are denied to ethnic Chinese and
Indians who pay the bulk of the taxes. Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, a
former Minister of Tourism also a pure Tamil is now a Bumiputra Malay.
Likewise ethnic Chinese adopted by Malays have been classified as
Malays. Worse, people like Mohd Khir Toyol whose indigent parents
immigrated from Indonesia have been granted Malay Bumiputra status too.
He is the former Chief Minister of Selangor.

In a 2006 issue of the Suara KeADILan the organ of Anwar Ibrahim's
party, 18 allegations of corruption and influence peddling were made
against this man. During his tenure he did not clear himself of the
serious allegations. Anyway, the taxonomy used by the ruling clique to
bestow Malay Bumiputra status is so capricious and arbitrary that the
ordinary Malaysian is as confounded by it as any penghulu ( village
headman ) would be if consulted on the matter.

Now the real natives of peninsular Malaysia are the Orang Asli but they
have been displaced just like the Sami of Norway. Even after 50 years of
independence not a single member of that community has been appointed to
high public office. Sections of the community have protested from time
to time against the alienation of their lands by predators linked to the
ruling clique. Some years ago, during Christmas time the municipal
authorities in a township in Johor tore down a wooden chapel built by a
community of Christian Orang Asli on their own land.

Previously, according to local Orang Asli researcher, Colin Nicholas a
wooden church built by another community of Christian Orang Asli also on
their own land on the outskirts of Tanjong Malim was bulldozed on the
orders of the District Officer. Nicholas claimed that the JHEOA ( the
Dept in charge of OA affairs ) was more interested in the conversion of
the OA to Islam than in their welfare. A researcher from New York found
much truth in Nicholas' allegation. As a result the JHEOA refused him
their cooperation and, if I am not mistaken, had his visa quickly
terminated. Several of Nicholas' articles appeared in the independent
Aliran. Recently some Orang Asli in Kelantan complained that they were
converted to Islam under false pretences. The story was published in
malaysiakini.com.

Indonesians who have come to Malaysia including illegal immigrants are
able to acquire Malay Bumiputra status quickly so that they even
supersede the Orang Asli in rank. Khir Toyo is a case in point. Although
the son of Indonesian immigrants, he was granted bumiputra status and
became a chief minister of the state of Selangor. But ethnic Chinese and
Indians who can trace their domicile in the country to several
generations back are relegated to 2nd class citizenship.

The Prime Minister Dato Abdullah Badawi denied that ethnic cleansing of
any sort, contrary to the allegations of HINDRAF, the Human Rights
activists, had taken place in Malaysia. He was obviously construing the
term in a very narrow sense. Actually, a scheme hatched at the highest
levels of Government to flood the Borneo state of Sabah with Muslim
illegal immigrants from Indonesia and the Philippines in order to reduce
the native population to a minority was in fact carried out. In a
petition heard in the High Court of Kota Kinnabalu, Sabah challenging Mr
Yong Teck Lee's election to the State Assembly, the presiding Judge
acknowledged that huge numbers of foreigners were illegally given PR
papers and enfranchised by officials of the National Registration and
the Elections Commission.

The scheme has been popularly called Project M for Mahathir is alleged
to have had a hand in it. Despite an Opposition party's demand in
Parliament to investigate the case and bring all the pariahs who were
involved to justice nothing has been done to date. Mahathir must be
investigated minutely in this matter too, and if his strange memory does
not suffer those egregious lapses we shall know the truth, specifically
in regard to the extent the Federal Government was responsible for the
huge number of foreigners in Sabah.who have reduced the native peoples
to a pathetic minority.

As Prime Minister, Mahathir at press conference declared that it was not
possible to spare the young Australians, Chambers and Barlow convicted
on a drug trafficking offence. Ironically it was under his
administration that a convicted murderer, Mokthar Hashim -- at that time
a Federal Cabinet Minister -- was granted a free pardon by the king. If
I remember correctly, Mr Karpal Singh queried in Parliament as to how
Bahariah got pregnant when her husband the convicted murderer M H was
supposed to be in jail. About the same time Abdullah Ang who was serving
a jail sentence for a commercial crime was found gallivanting in town.
He was photographed by reporters.

I feel that an team of independent and impartial anthropologists and
historians should be appointed to to study the history and anthropology
of the region specifically Malaysia. When that has been done, the need
to differentiate Malaysians along racial lines will mot be tenable
anymore. One of the pillars on which Singapore rests is the reasonable
assumption that all Singaporeans are either immigrants or the children
of immigrants. Which is why you don't find people there endlessly
quarrelling about who has superior blood etc.for such things not only
waste valuable time and divide us, but also distract us from the goal of
nation building.


Tengku Faris: Non-Malays should not seek equality
Andrew Ong
Apr 12, 08 2:10pm
( copyright article from malaysiakini.com )

Kelantan Crown Prince Tengku Faris Petra said today that Malays had
given into granting non-Malays citizenship and the latter should
therefore not seek equality or special treatment.

He said this during his keynote speech at a forum titled "Malay unity is
the core of national unity" organised by the newly formed Barisan
Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu in Kuala Lumpur today.

Speaking to a crowd of about 1,000 people, Tengku Faris said the Malay
rulers would be an umbrella to foster unity among all Malaysians, based
on the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

bbpm tengku faris 120408 tengku faris"Therefore, the rakyat must unite
and never raise issues regarding Malay rights and special privileges
because it is a quid pro quo in gratitude for the giving in of
citizenship (/beri-paksa kerakyatan/) to 2.7 million non-Malays into the
Tanah Melayu federation.

"Thus, it is not appropriate for these other ethnic groups to have
citizenship, only (later) to seek equality and privileges," said Tengku
Faris, who read from a 11-page prepared text.

However, the crown prince stressed that in an effort to unite the
Malays, non-Malays also have rights that must be protected, such as in
areas of religion.

As an example, Tengku Faris said non-Malays are allowed to practice
their respective religions in peace. They must however do so in
accordance with the law and "not be provocative towards Islam".

"The Malay rulers are the head of the Islamic religion and Malaysia is a
Islamic country (/negara Islam/), not secular. We have our own formula
(as a country) which is different from others," he added, drawing
thunderous applause from the crowd.
*
'Dominance'*

He added that the effort to instil Malay unity and defend Malay special
rights does not mean that other races would be ignored.

"In fact, if Malay rights and special privileges are taken care of and
is not disturbed, it would ensure national harmony. It does not just
benefit the Malays but all ethnic groups," he said.

bbpm tengku faris 120408 crowdIn his speech, Tengku Faris said the 12th
General Election results have shown that the Malays are being
"challenged" and thus Malays unity is of the outmost priority.

"The election results have shown that the Malays are disunited and
facing other ethnic groups who are more dominant politically and
economically," he said.

As the constitution provides that the Malays are the natives (/penduduk
asal/) of Malaysia, Tengku Faris said every Malay must defend the
constitution and Islam and this can only be achieved through Malay unity.

"We have to make an effort to unite. Don't spilt up. Avoid polemics that
can distance us. Ideology (and) having different interpretations does
not contribute to Malay unity.

"Discussing about polemics such as Islamic state, secular state, welfare
state... confuses the people... Resulting from this confusion, Malays
are becoming more disillusioned," he added.

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Malaysia PM seen bidding early farewell

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080414/3/3i0ek.html

Malaysia PM seen bidding early farewell

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's premier may have thought he had
bought some time to remain in power by putting off his party elections
until December.

But a growing revolt within his United Malays National Organisation
following last month's poll disaster has fed speculation that Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi may be forced to throw in the towel sooner rather than
later.

Some UMNO leaders have told him to immediately unveil a succession
plan, ignoring his protestations that he would not leave without a
fight.

The chorus of calls for Abdullah's resignation suggested he would not
remain as prime minister for more than a few months, one Western
diplomat said.

"If he goes, he goes early," said James Chin, a political scientist at
Monash University's Malaysia campus.

"I suspect he will go this year. Everywhere he goes, the delegates are
telling him to reconsider his position and prepare for a smooth
transition of power."

For the first time in 40 years, the opposition denied Abdullah's
ruling Barisan Nasional coalition a two thirds parliamentary majority
and seized control of five states in the election, spelling trouble
for Abdullah's future leadership.

There are many reasons why many within and outside UMNO are reluctant
to wait a few more months.

A protracted leadership tussle and a deep split in UMNO -- the bulwark
of the coalition -- would heighten Malaysia's political risks, hamper
policy-making and further delay moves to reform the fuel subsidy
system that is draining national finances.

The main stock index has fallen by nearly 5 percent since the March 8
polls, with the nation's largest listed firm, Sime Darby losing nearly
20 percent, on political worries.

Following the election, Abdullah has been snubbed twice by the
country's largely ceremonial Malay sultans. His slimmer, new-look
cabinet has yet to make any impact and his popularity rating has
slumped to a record low.

The $200 billion-economy, Southeast Asia's third largest, is starting
to cool following a fallout from the U.S. slowdown while rising food
prices could spark widespread anger.

"From the policy front, it is also doubtful that the government can
remove the food and energy subsidies as originally envisioned," HSBC
said in a report released late last month.

"It is likely that the government's finances will slip further as it
runs bigger deficits to maintain the economic expansion."

RED CARPET

Another push-factor for Abdullah, 68, is opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim. Anwar's political comeback could pose a big headache for
Abdullah and his coalition, already facing a more independent-minded
parliament and closer scrutiny by the country's constitutional
monarch.

From April 15, Anwar will be allowed to run for office again when a
five-year ban, imposed following an earlier conviction for corruption,
expires.

Anwar, 60, said last week he would not immediately run in a by-
election but would help strengthen the opposition People's Alliance,
which snared 82 parliamentary seats and controls five of Malaysia's 13
states.

Some UMNO grassroots' leaders have warned that UMNO must take Anwar's
challenge seriously. It would need just 30 Barisan MPs to defect and
cause the government to fall.

"UMNO and Barisan Nasional are now deemed to be quite irrelevant, so I
would certainly appeal to them to join the People's Alliance," a
confident Anwar said after meeting his Parti Keadilan's lawmakers at
the weekend. The hotel where the event was held rolled out a red
carpet to welcome him.

The loudest calls for Abdullah's ouster have come from his outspoken
predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad. The 82-year-old, still widely respected
in UMNO, said Abdullah should immediately quit or face a challenge for
UMNO's presidency in December.

By tradition, the UMNO leader is the prime minister.

Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, 61, -- the No. 3 in UMNO -- has also
emerged as a critic of Abdullah.

"I think the grassroots are boiling with utter dissatisfaction. If
changes don't happen in UMNO, many adverse things will surface," he
said in an interview published by the UMNO-controlled Mingguan
Malaysia newspaper at the weekend.

Abdullah has publicly endorsed his deputy, Najib Razak, as his
successor, in a bid to prepare for his eventual exit and to keep Najib
as his running mate in the December party elections, if he is still
around by then.

He has so far kept his cards close to his chest on the timing of his
eventual departure. "There are certain things that I like to do now. I
cannot leave at a time when the party is in this condition."


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Mufti Perlis nasihat pemimpin bertaubat, mohon maaf pada rakyat

Mufti Perlis nasihat pemimpin bertaubat, mohon maaf pada rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 April (Hrkh) - Pilihan raya lalu membuktikan bahawa
rakyat mengundi untuk kebaikan negara malah mahukan perubahan ke arah
yang lebih positif, adil dan telus.

Mufti Perlis, Dato' Dr Asri Zainul Abidin berkata usaha-usaha ke arah
hasrat tersebut kelihatannya sedang giat dilakukan di mana kerajaan
pusat juga telah merangka berbagai cadangan dan gagasan agar ketelusan
dan keadilan dapat dilaksanakan.

"Begitu juga sesetengah kerajaan negeri yang baru dan yang lama.
Sokonglah usaha-usaha yang baik serta berikanlah kritikan yang membina,"
katanya dalam rencana Pena Mufti yang disiarkan Mingguan Malaysia.

"Politik bukan untuk membalas dendam atau ruang mencurahkan emosi yang
tidak sudah-sudah. Sebaliknya, berpolitiklah untuk keadilan dan
kebahagiaan kehidupan manusia di dunia dan akhirat," katanya.

Dalam pada itu beliau turut mengingatkan peristiwa pilihanraya yang
lepas, perkara pertama yang mesti dilakukan oleh pihak pemerintah bagi
mengeluarkan diri dari krisis dan kegawatan politik yang saban hari
mengganggu rakyat adalah dengan cara bertaubat kepada Allah dengan
taubat nasuha.

"Segala kesalahan, ketidakadilan, ketidaktelusan, kecuaian atas
tanggunjawab yang Allah amanahkan selama ini hendaklah benar-benar insaf
dan memohon ampun daripada Allah.

Kata Dr Asri, pasca politik kini adalah ujian untuk kepimpinan negara
dan bukan masa untuk menunjukkan ego, atau mencari-cari kesilapan pihak
lain sebaliknya melupai dosa-dosa politik yang pernah dilakukan.

"Kita ingin mendengar kepimpinan memohon kemaafan kepada rakyat di atas
segala kesilapan yang pernah berlaku sepanjang pentadbiran yang lalu.
Inilah yang akan mendatangkan keberkatan dan menimbulkan rasa hormat
rakyat.

Dalam laman web drmaza.com beliau juga menjelaskan bahawa para pemimpin
adalah contoh untuk sekelian rakyat dan diperhatikan malah kemewahan
yang tidak betul cara akan menimbulkan tanda tanya.Ini termasuklah sikap
dan perwatakan para pemimpin yang dipersoalkan, kata Dr Asri.

"Demikian jugalah anak isteri mereka. Gaya yang berlebih-lebihan membuat
rakyat merasa jelak. Ada yang sehingga ketika artis hindustan datang ke
Malaysia yang terlebih Bollywood dari Bollywood. Sedangkan dia isteri
orang besar," katanya dalam laman web terbabit.

Ramai pemimpin seketika dulu merasakan mereka manusia kebal yang tidak
mungkin ditumbangkan sedangkan mereka lupa bahawa rakyat sedang merasa
mual,katanya.

Malah jika pemimpin bercakap soal Islam, hendaklah dibuktikan menerusi
percakapan, pendekatan, sikap dan juga pakaian anak isteri.

Sementara itu beliau mengakui banyak perkara yang patut diberi komen
berhubung konsep Islam Hadhari namun menangguhnya terlebih dahulu dan
akan menjelaskan dalam buku yang bakal di tulisnya.

"Banyak perkara yang patut saya komen tentang Islam Hadhari. Sejak
dahulu saya selalu mengelakkan dari menyebut jenama yang mengundang
'seribu kekeliruan itu'.

"Saya akan menulis tajuk khas mengenainya, insya-Allah. Apa yang penting
banyak perkara perlu dibetulkan. Bertaubat!," katanya. - mks.


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Bila BN kalah pilihan raya, babi pun jadi mangsa

Ahmad Tajdid
Mon | Apr 14, 08 | 11:07:34 am MYT

Tidak tahulah bila isu tapak ternakan babi moden warisan kerajaan BN
Selangor bakal reda. Sehingga rencana ini ditulis, media massa utama
khususnya TV3 dan Utusan Malaysia menjadikan isu babi itu sebagai
'hidangan utama' mereka.

Bukanlah menjadi satu kesalahan kepada media massa pro-BN untuk
mengetengahkan isu rakyat termasuk isu babi ini. Tetapi sejak ia
dicetuskan oleh berita tunjuk perasaan puluhan penduduk kampung dari
daerah Sepang di hadapan Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam; isu babi ini
dipolitikkan dan dijadikan bahan untuk menghentam kerajaan negeri
Pakatan Rakyat.

Ironinya, walaupun sudah puluhan tahun ladang ternakan babi bertapak
di daerah Sepang, bantahan mengenainya hanya kedengaran setelah baru
sebulan pentadbiran Selangor bertukar tangan. Sehingga kini, terdapat
137 ladang babi peninggalan pentadbiran kerajaan BN terdapat di
Selangor. Jumlah keempat tertinggi selepas Pulau Pinang, Perak dan
Kelantan, dakwa Utusan Malaysia!

Yang lebih membingungkan, projek tapak ternakan babi moden itu telah
diluluskan Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Selangor (MTES) pada 9 Februari
2008. Mustahil bekas Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Mohd Khir Toyo dan Ahli
Parlimen Tanjung Karang, Dato' Noh Omar tidak mengetahuinya?

Malah Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (Exco) Permodenan
Pertanian, Sumber Alam Sekitar dan Pembangunan Usahawan Selangor,
Yaakob Sapari mendedahkan bekas Setiausaha Politik Khir Toyo pernah
mengadakan lawatan ke Jerman bersama wakil penduduk Kampung Ladang
Tumbuk, untuk melihat lebih dekat teknologi penternakan babi secara
moden di sana.

Malah wakil-wakil penduduk terbabit, jelas Yaakob bersetuju dengan
kaedah penternakan babi di Jerman itu dan tidak keberatan untuk
menyokong pelaksanaan projek yang serupa di Sepang.

Persoalannya, mengapakah wakil-wakil penduduk yang sama tiba-tiba
membantah projek yang mereka sokong semasa pentadbiran BN?

Jawapannya adalah kerana sentimen politik. Kawasan Sepang adalah
antara saki baki kubu BN yang masih bertahan selepas dilanda tsunami
politik pilihan raya umum, 8 Mac lalu.

Calon BN, Dato' Mohd Zin Mohamed menang di Parlimen Sepang mengalahkan
calon PAS, Mohamed Makki Ahmad dengan majoriti 4849 undi berbanding
majoriti 18837 undi pada 2004.

BN juga menang di 2 Dun majoriti Melayu di Tanjong Sepat dan Dengkil
dengan majoriti rosot berbanding 2004.

Di Dun Sungai Pelek yang mempunyai komposisi 41.03% Melayu, Cina
(37.86%) dan India (20.81%), calon BN tewas di tangan DAP dengan
majoriti 1572 undi. BN menang di Sungai Pelek pada pilihan raya umum
2004 dengan majoriti 4107.

Jelas usaha Umno untuk mempolitikkan isu ternakan babi ini lebih
bertujuan memainkan sentimen kaum sekaligus cuba menjuarai isu-isu
kepentingan Melayu di Sepang dan Selangor umumnya.

Cubaan mempolitikkan isu ini diserlahkan dalam kain-kain pemidang yang
dijulang para penunjuk perasaan di hadapan Bangunan SUK, baru-baru ini.
Foto tiga ekor babi yang setiap satunya tertulis perkataan DAP, PKR dan
PAS dipaparkan melalui baner. Babi yang ditulis perkataan PAS ditunggang
oleh seorang Arab Badawi - mengingatkan kita tentang Dato' Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi yang pernah mengetuai jawatankuasa bertindak isu JE
(Japanese Enphylitis), Bukit Pelanduk, Port Dickson (yang menyaksikan
puluhan ribu babi dihapuskan kerana dikesan membawa virus JE).

Para pemimpin Umno Selangor juga mendakwa projek ternakan babi secara
moden itu sebagai 'hadiah' kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat kepada rakyat.

Malah, Utusan Malaysia dalam laporannya cuba memburuk-burukkan Kelantan
dengan mendakwa negeri tersebut mempunyai ladang babi ketiga tertinggi
di Malaysia (151 ladang) di belakang Pulau Pinang (227) dan Perak (152).

Akhbar yang sama bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan statistik ladang babi di
negeri-negeri dikuasai BN khususnya Negeri Sembilan dan Melaka.

Bagaimanapun statistik Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar (JPV) menunjukkan
Kelantan hanya mempunyai 682 ekor babi yang semuanya diternak di
belakang rumah oleh penduduk-penduduk Siam-Buddha di jajahan Tumpat.

Soalnya, dari manakah statistik ladang babi Kelantan itu diperolehi
Utusan? Dan mengapakah maklumat palsu itu diwar-warkan jika bukan
bertujuan mengocak sentimen pembaca?

Apa yang pasti para penduduk di daearah Sepang dan Hulu Langat perlu
diberikan penjelasan sebenar berhubung isu ini. Amat malang jika
penduduk menjadi mangsa percaturan politik pihak-pihak tertentu yang
dihinggapi sindrom hilang kuasa.

Isu yang perlu difahami para penduduk berkaitan cadangan projek tapak
penternakan babi moden di Ladang Tumbuk, Hulu Langat adalah:

* Ia adalah pelaksanaan konsep peladangan babi moden (MPF) yang
diputuskan kabinet Kerajaan Pusat BN pada Julai 2007. MPF mempunyai
empat kriteria iaitu ladang tertutup; mempraktikkan pengolahan sisa
buangan sifar (zero discharge); membangunkan infrastruktur yang baik dan
mencukupi untuk ternakan; dan menetapkan kuota untuk pengeluaran babi.

* Ia adalah projek MPF yang telah diluluskan Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi
Selangor (MTES) pada 9 Februari 2008; di saat kerajaan negeri masih
ditadbir BN.

* Pelaksanaan projek telah mendapat persetujuan wakil-wakil penduduk
kampung Ladang Tumbuk yang telah melakukan lawatan kerja ke Jerman
bersama bekas Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Selangor.

* Projek bernilai RM100 juta ini bukan bertujuan menambah kapasiti dan
keluasan ternakan babi, sebaliknya erperanan memusat dan mengawal
penternakan babi di daerah Sepang dan Hulu Langat.

* Tiada lesen baru ternakan babi akan dikeluarkan kerajaan negeri
selepas projek ini terlaksana.

* Najis dan sisa kumbahan babi dari ladang akan dikumpulkan dalam satu
takungan bercampur sisa rumput, yang kemudian menghasilkan bio-gas
untuk menjana kuasa elektrik bagi keperluan ladang.

* Tiada bahan buangan yang akan menjadi sisa dan keluar dari kawasan
ladang sekaligus membanteras pencemaran air, bau dan alam sekitar yang
kini dialami penduduk.

* Projek seluas 119 ekar itu tidak dibiayai kerajaan negeri sebaliknya
dibiayai penternak. Sebagai contoh, para pengusaha ladang dikenakan bon
sebanyak RM40 juta untuk membiayai kos pengambilan tanah.

Sehubungan itu isu berhubung projek penternakan babi moden ini perlu
difahami dan diteliti sungguh-sungguh oleh pihak-pihak terbabit.

Rundingan dan pandangan daripada masyarakat setempat perlu bagi
memastikan projek yang dirancang mampu menyelesaikan masalah peninggalan
kerajaan BN ini.

Di masa yang sama, media massa dan para pemimpin Umno negeri perlu lebih
bertanggung jawab dengan tidak memainkan sentimen masyarakat.

Kegagalan kerajaan negeri BN di Negeri Sembilan dan Melaka dalam
mengawal penternakan babi perlu dijadikan iktibar.

Amaran Yaakob bahawa kerajaan negeri tidak teragak-agak mendedahkan
dokumen rasmi berhubung projek yang telah diluluskan MTES pada 9
Februari lalu perlu diberi perhatian serius pemimpin Umno negeri.

Jangan jadi bagai meludah ke langit terkena batang hidung sendiri
ataupun menepuk air di dulang terpercik ke muka sendiri.

Mungkin Karam Singh Walia punyai perumpamaan yang lebih baik bagi
mengulas isu babi dan BN ini?


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Warkah buat DYTM Tengku Mahkota Kelantan

Warkah buat DYTM Tengku Mahkota Kelantan
Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra

Ampun Tuanku beribu ampun sembah patik harap diampun.

Patik menumpang gembira diatas keprihatinan Tuanku terhadap prinsip
ketuanan Melayu sebagaimana yang dititahkan oleh Tuanku di PWTC semalam.
Siapalah lagi yang sewajarnya bimbang dan prihatin terhadap isu ini jika
tidak Tuanku dan Raja-raja Melayu sekalian.

Ampun Tuanku

Rakyat Melayu yang menerima dan menganut Islam, disamping rakyat Malaysia
keseluruhannya patik yakin akan terus menerus taat dan menjujung
institusi Raja-raja Melayu sebagai simbol keadilan dan payung negara.
Sesungguhnya kebijaksanaan dan keberanian Raja-raja Melayu mutakhir ini
menggunakan kuasa Duli-duli Tuanku sebagaimana yang termaktub dalam
undang-undang tubuh negeri masing-masing, jelas disokong dan dijunjung
rakyat jelata khasnya di Perlis, Terengganu, Perak dan Selangor.

Ampun Tuanku

Perpaduan Melayu rentetan Pilihan Raya Umum ke 12 lalu ternyata kelihatan
rapuh namun hakikatnya ia tidak pernah mengakibatkan runtuh dan robohnya
ketuanan Melayu sebagaimana yang cuba digembar-gemburkan oleh pihak-pihak
tertentu khasnya yang telah hilang kuasa di negeri-negeri tertentu. Orang
Melayu pada hakikatnya masih menguasai lebih separuh dari kerusi-kerusi
di Dewan Rakyat dan di Dewan-dewan Undangan Negeri. Cumanya perbezaan
politik mengakibatkan mereka terpisah namun tidaklah ia mengakibatkan
kurang atau hilangya kuasa politik bangsa kita itu.

Ampun Tuanku

Perbezaan politik orang Melayu tidak boleh dielakkan, malah sistem
demokrasi yang kita amalkan dalam negara meraikan perbezaan sihat ini.
Orang Melayu telah berbeza politik sejak sebelum Merdeka lagi, tetapi
sejarah telah membuktikan walaupun demikian mereka tidak pernah
menggadaikan agama dan bangsa hasil dari perbezaan itu. Orang Melayu di
Kelantan contohnya juga demikian sehingga ke hari ini namun Institusi
Raja-raja Melayu dan konsep ketuanan Melayu terus mereka junjung dan
pelihara.

Ampun Tuanku

Apa yang berlaku dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke 12 lalu, adalah perubahan
kecenderungan politik orang Melayu yang selama ini taat dan setia pada
Umno. Setelah 50 tahun orang Melayu mula menyedari bahawa amanah yang
telah mereka berikan kepada Umno telah dikhianati sehingga umat Melayu
tidak lagi menjadi agenda utama perjuangan Umno tetapi yang dipenting dan
diperjuangkan adalah nasib dan masa depan para pemimpin dan kroni mereka
belaka dari peringkat tertinggi sehinggalah kepimpinan akar umbi.

Ampun Tuanku

Umat Melayu terganggu apabila ada dikalangan mereka masih miskin dan kais
pagi makan pagi kais petang makan petang sedangkan pimpinan Umno yang
mereka amanahkan untuk membela nasib mereka beratapkan mahligai mewah,
berkenderaan mahal dan berharta dari harta yang diamanahkan kepada mereka
untuk menjaganya.

Ampun Tuanku

Umat Melayu menghukum Umno melalui proses demokrasi dalam Pilihan Raya
Umum lalu. Mereka menjatuhkan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno yang korap dan kotor
ini dan menggantikannya bukan dengan pemimpin bukan Melayu tetapi pemimpin
Melayu jua dari PAS dan PKR. Perubahan ini bukannya durhaka terhadap agama
dan bangsa tetapi hakikatnya membersih umat Melayu dari pemimpin yang
durhaka.

Ampun Tuanku

Rakyat jelata mengharapkan Tuanku Raja-raja Melayu akan terus menjadi
payung bagi rakyat berteduh memperoleh keadilan dan kesaksamaan. Rakyat
khasnya umat Melayu siapa sahaja patik sekalian termasuklah samada PAS
atau PKR tidak sekali-kali akan bertindak menghakis kuasa Tuanku atau
konsep ketuanan Melayu kerana sesungguhnya Islam dan Melayu itu tetap dan
terus bangsa dan agama patik-patik jua. Yang patik-patik benci dan
kesalkan adalah pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu yang menggadai dan memperjudikan
nasib dan kepentingan umat angkara amalan rasuah yang merupakan amalan
puaka dalam parti mereka.

Ampun Tuanku

Insyallah bangsa dan umat Melayu akan terus mulia dan dipandang tinggi
kiranya mereka terus taat dan menjunjung perintah Allah swt. Pemimpin
Melayu yang baik adalah pemimpin yang taat berpegang kepada al Quran dan
Sunnah. Pemimpin Melayu seperti inilah patik yakin akan mempertahan dan
mendaulatkan terus institusi Raja-raja Melayu, memelihara bangsa dan
agama serta memeprtahankan kemerdekaan negara.

Ampun Tuanku

Patik menjunjung kasih ke bawah Duli Tuanku kerana berkenan menatap warkah
ini. Semoga Allah swt melanjustkan usia Tuanku dan memberi taufik dan
hidayah tidak putus-putus kepada Tuanku dan Raja-raja Melayu sekalian.

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