http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=99&artid=24058
Tamil youth of Malaysia: question of culture and empowerment[TamilNet, Friday, 21 December 2007, 17:00 GMT]If it could be realized that development, social empowerment and even winning a struggle are rather cultural than economic or political, then it won't be difficult to see that the problems of the Tamil Diaspora all over the world are more internal than external. The Tamil culture is one of the classical cultures of humanity. But if there is anything wrong in its contemporary manifestations, one shouldn't shy away from reform. The global Tamil Diaspora should come together in this regard and help each other by commonly addressing the cultural problems. The privileged and developed sections of the Tamil Diaspora bear more responsibility in this regard, writes Opinion Columnist Ampalam.
Opinion Columnist AmpalamThe Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is one of the most impressive centers of the world's air traffic today. Its transit and departure terminal is a mini city by itself.However, anybody who is familiar with the multicultural fabric of Malaysia may wonder how the Tamil community that consists of nearly nine percent of the nation's population is not duly represented among the modern and dazzling lineup of ethnic food, curios and international chic. Other than a single bookshop, there seem to be no other business establishments run by Tamils. Even the bookshop, which displays books on world's languages, doesn't have one book on Tamil. At the same, one would be surprised to see that all the numerous toilets in the Airport are invariably maintained by Tamils.This is just a representative picture of the development disparity among the communities of modern Malaysia today, which is obvious for any outsider to understand.
* * *We are told that the thousands of Malaysian Tamil youth who went on a protest march against disparity in development carried pictures of Mahatma Gandhi and Pirapaharan. This led to paranoid elements in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia becoming panicky and jumping to hastily drawn conclusions. It is now the beginnings of the demonisation of the Tamil identity beyond Sri Lanka.It is said that the youth carried those pictures as emotive symbols of extremity to highlight the choices left to them in the course of their struggle. If that was so, a structural interpretation would tell us that the frustration and resentment was directed more against India than against Malaysia, because both the symbols are meaningful antitheses especially to the Indian establishment today, which despises Gandhi secretly and Pirapakaran openly.
* * *Another noticeable feature of the protest was the Hindu banner under which it was carried out. If the protestors thought that a Hindu label would attract more attention and help from India, they were making a grave mistake. The Tamils in Malaysia in their origins don't belong to the social or economic elite of Hindus in India, in order for them to evoke sympathy from the Indian establishment.Only India might gain bargaining power by selling out the interests of its own Diaspora. Those who doubt this can always learn by seeing the example of the treatment meted out to the upcountry Tamils of Indian origin in Sri Lanka, whose rights were swapped in exchange for the global ambitions of India, right from the time of Nehru.The Hindu label for the protest march is also misleading as it doesn't include the Muslims, Christians and Sikhs of South Asian origin. The label is definitely not the appropriate symbol to represent the nature of the grievances of the oppressed masses of South Asian origin in Malaysia. It may only invite unwanted animosity from the Malay Muslim majority and serve those who exploit religious sentiments for political ambitions nationally and internationally. One has to go beyond religious fundamentalism to fight against it.The Tamil culture was never confined to a single religion in its long heritage. The Tamil language served a medium to almost all the major religions of the world, whether Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam or even to atheism.
* * *Ever since Narayanasamy Pillai, the lieutenant of Colonel Ruffles of the English East India Company brought in the labour force from his native place of Naakappaddinam, it was largely the poor, oppressed sections of Tamil people from the famine-stricken villages of Tamil Nadu who migrated to Singapore and Malaysia, then known as Straits Settlements, mostly to work in the tin mines and rubber estates.Many Tamils of Malaysia and Singapore may wonder how Thaippoosam, has today become the most important Hindu festival, nationally recognized in Malaysia and Singapore, whereas it has no significance in India, not even in Tamil Nadu.The full moon day of the month of Thai (Jan-Feb) in the Tamil luni-solar calendar, which occurs with the moon's transit through the Poosa constellation, was essentially an ancient Tamil festival of thanksgiving mentioned in the Theavaarams (the Tamil-Chaiva devotional hymns). If Thai-pongkal, the first day of Thai, is to offer new rice at home after harvest, Thai-poosam, the full moon day of the month is to offer it at temples. Even though both are non-Brahmin festivals, the latter is highly localized today and confined only to the agrarian folk in certain pockets in the Kaveri delta in Tamilnadu and Jaffna. It is also associated with the cult of the Tamil god Murukan.The prominence given to this festival by the Tamils of Malaysia and Singapore and the way it is celebrated reveal the socio-cultural context of the origins of a great portion of them and the myths of the subconscious mind that direct them. Understanding the background and the mindset is important to the Tamils as well as others in grasping what to look for and where to look for, to resolve matters related to the grievances of the Malaysian Tamil youth.The resentment of the Tamil Diaspora in Malaysia is not an isolated case. It is the same story all over the world with the Tamils. Disparity within the Indian community has even classified the gods and temples in Mauritius into two categories: 'Hindu' and 'Tamil'. The success of a few Tamils, belonging to the elite, priestly or mercantile communities, shouldn't be generalized as reflective of the condition of the Tamil Diaspora.
* * *The Naakappaddinam port in Tamil Nadu, from where the bulk of the South Asians went to Malaysia and Singapore in the colonial times, is the nearest point of navigation to and from Southeast Asia, following the Ten Degree Channel. The ship service was in operation until recent times.The Tamils of Jaffna origin in Malaysia and Singapore, disassociate themselves from the Indian Tamils and maintain a Ceylonese identity today. They are grouped along with Eurasians within one percent of the population in matters related to reservations. But, the Jaffna Tamils also migrated from the same Naakappaddinam port. The only difference was that their journey originated from the Kaankeasanthu'rai port in Jaffna to board the ship at Naakappaddinam. The two ports are only few miles apart on the opposite coasts of the entrance to the Palk Strait, and in those days it cost a mere 25 cents (one quarter of a rupee) of Ceylon money to travel from Kaankeasanthu'rai to Naakappaddinam by sailboats.Though they were only separated by a few miles of sea, there was a huge gulf in the status of the two Tamil communities. The educational institutions of Jaffna made all the difference at that time and there was no compulsion such as poverty as was in the case of the Indian Tamils. Today, the same situation has been reversed: migration forced upon by a civil war, coupled with declining educational opportunities and the resultant contemporary culture, has made recent sections of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora suffer all over the world.
* * *If it could be realized that development, social empowerment and even winning a struggle are rather cultural than economic or political, then it won't be difficult to see that the problems of the Tamil Diaspora all over the world are more internal than external.The Tamil culture is one of the classical cultures of humanity. But if there is anything wrong in its contemporary manifestations, one shouldn't shy away from reform. The global Tamil Diaspora should come together in this regard and help each other by commonly addressing the cultural problems. The privileged and developed sections of the Tamil Diaspora bear more responsibility in this regard.By 'culture' the writer doesn't refer to what is commonly assumed: temples, festivals, dance, music, attire, obsolete ways of life and so on.Today what is meant by culture revolves around education, healthcare, social equality, gender equality, harmony with environment, freedom to choose the ways of life, economic and human resources, elite formation in the society, and above all, the capability of a society to contribute to humanity in general.The Diaspora Tamils should not expect much of these to come from India or Tamil Nadu. What is exported in the name of culture to the Diaspora is a combination of colonial Orientalism and Brahminism on one hand and the rhetoric and media of the Dravidian movement on the other hand which ultimately amuses us with the Sun TV brand of culture.
* * *Mr. Badawi has a great responsibility to handle the matter delicately. Development is always comparative. This is a question of disparity in the development of a national community which is backward in education, employment and resources, needing conducive institutions of contemporary culture. The discrepancies have to be acknowledged first. Show of violence by one side and oppression in handling it by the other are capable of producing backlashes. The Tamil community needs to be sympathetically helped and strengthened through proper social, cultural and economic institutions. If there are any hurdles for the self-generation of such institutions by the community itself, they should be given the priority for removal.The people to people contact of Tamils and Malays in ancient times contributed to the emergence of the first states in the Malay Peninsula. The Malay language and culture bear considerable traces of the long interaction with Tamils. Those who are familiar with Malay history will acknowledge that even the advent of Islam in the Sultanate of Malacca is traceable to the Tamils of Naakappaddinam. The present day Tamils, who shared a common colonial oppression along with the other communities of Malaysia, contributed immensely to the nation-building of Malaysia through hard labour. It is now Malaysia's turn to help them becoming on par with the other communities. As for the Tamil youth of Malaysia, it is futile to look upon the establishments at Delhi, Chennai or any other power centre of the world for help. For those who are seriously seeking inspirations, a corpus of international scholarship is already available to rediscover what is culture for social empowerment.

'Who are you to rebuke politicians?'
Chua Sue-Ann Jan 8, 08 1:52pm
Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s call on everyone to stop speculating on the general election date has ruffled Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang. “Who is Khairy Jamaluddin to tell everyone, including ministers, to stop speculating on when the general election would be held when he has not even been elected as a member of parliament?” asked Lim rhetorically in a statement.
Lim also asserted that although it was the prime minister’s prerogative to call for elections, it is the right of every Malaysian to speculate on its dates.
“Of course, everybody knows that he (Khairy) is the most powerful man in the country, presiding over the fourth storey of Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya and who controls and manipulates the Prime Minister's moves and decision-making.“But such unaccountable and even unconstitutional exercise of power should not get to his head to make him publicly rebuke ministers for speculating when the next general election would be held...,” added Lim.“Of course, there will be those who will argue that this prerogative of the prime minister to decide when to call for election has been usurped by Khairy. “Whatever the truth, there can be no doubt that next to Abdullah, Khairy would be the first to know when the next general election would be held.”
The prime minister's son-in-law was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times today that it was the prime minister’s sole prerogative to decide on the election date.
"I do not understand why everyone from the politicians to the Election Commission chairman is speculating on the election date,” said Khairy.
Speculations rifePrime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had been widely expected to call the general election early this year but there are speculations about a sudden reservation on the government’s part due to the recent issues of street protests, a minister’s sex scandal and public anger over high fuel and food prices.Natural Resources and Environment Minister Azmi Khalid and Election Commission chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman are amongst those who have recently been quoted to predicting the impending general elections"When I say the election is around the corner, you better believe me because it is not a joke," Abdul Rashid was quoted as saying in the media.The Star had also reported that all leave applications for police officers would not be entertained, indicating that preparations for elections are well underway.While Chinese daily Nanyang Siang Pau quoted sources who speculated that the elections will be held 100 days from the end of 2007.Lim could not resist adding his own speculation, stating that the parliament could be dissolved during Chinese New Year.“Considering that the Umno general assembly could be held on Deepavali, utterly insensitive of the religious festival of the Hindus, I do not rule out parliament being dissolved during the Chinese New Year, even before Chap Goh Mei on Feb 21, 2008,” he said.

Malaysia's Muslims upset other faith groups
Posted by Raja Petra
Wednesday, 09 January 2008
(Religious Intelligence) - HINDUS have been joined by other faith groups in Malaysia in protesting about new laws that will limit the allocation of visas to non-Muslim priests working there.
The head of the Malaysian Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, said that the new rules would mainly affect Hindus as they made up the majority of foreign clergy working in the country.
He added that the new rules were already having an impact as clergy already working there have been issued with only six-month extensions to their visas, and told that they must leave the country when they expire.
Council president A Vaithilingam, himself a Hindu, said he was shocked at the new rules as previously the immigration authorities had carried out negotiations with religious groups in the past.
And it is not only clergy who will be affected. He said that visas for temple musicians had been reduced from one year to six months, and temple sculptors had theirs reduced from six months to one week.
"Why are they carrying out the sudden action to restrict foreign priests from practicing in the country when there are millions of foreign workers who are allowed to work here," he said.
This is the latest development in an ongoing row between Malaysia’s Muslims and those of other faiths. ReligiousIntelligence.com reported yesterday that a Government decree banning non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’ has been branded an affront to religious liberties by a Malaysian Christian group.
Last month British Hindus claimed that Muslims in Malaysia have been denying the Hindu minority of freedom of worship, tearing down Hindu temples, including the destruction of the over 100-year-old Maha Mariaman temple at Pendang Java.
Ethnic Indians in Malaysia have claimed they are being discriminated against by the majority Muslim Malays. But Taoists have also complained after they were blocked from constructing a statue.

Utusan Malaysia, 4 Januari 2008Oleh: ZUARIDA MOHYIN

MUHAMMAD Chan Abdullah bersama anak sulungnya, Amos Chan di hadapan restoran yang terletak di Jalan Melati, Bandar Bukit Beruntung, Rawang, Selangor.
KEINGINAN Chan Chean Chuan atau nama Islamnya, Muhammad Chan Abdullah mengucap dua kalimah syahadah berputik sejak enam tahun lalu. Namun, hasrat tersebut terpaksa dipendamkan demi menjaga hati semua pihak terutamanya kedua-dua ibu bapa dan keluarga terdekat.
Pada waktu itu juga, kesihatan Chean Chuan ibarat nyawa-nyawa ikan. Doktor bagai sudah putus harapan dengan menyarankan agar beliau dibawa pulang ke rumah.
"Sejak disahkan menghidap penyakit buah pinggang pada tahap kronik, kehidupan saya berubah sama sekali.
"Rutin seharian saya dihabiskan dengan berbaring di kerusi malas. Saya rasa tidak bermaya langsung, cepat letih dan mengalami bengkak-bengkak keseluruhan badan, walaupun telah diberikan suntikan bagi membolehkan saya membuang air kecil. .
"Sayangnya, rawatan itu tidak berfungsi malah saya terpaksa menanggung kesakitan yang amat sangat, kesan pengambilan ubatan itu," kata Muhammad Chan, 55, yang kini sudah sembuh sepenuhnya selepas puas berikhtiar.
Seperkara yang diakui Muhammad Chan mengenai beberapa asbab yang membawa kepada pengislamannya, selain menggemari kelunakan bilal melaungkan azan, meskipun tidak memahami maksudnya, beliau juga tertarik dengan salah satu ibadat wajib bagi penganut agama Islam iaitu melihat mereka mendirikan solat terutamanya solat Jumaat.
Katanya, melihat umat Islam berjemaah membuktikan satu disiplin serta kesatuan yang teguh. Kewajipan mendirikan solat lima waktu dalam sehari malah tidak termasuk solat sunat yang lain, turut menjelaskan betapa rapatnya hubungan seseorang Muslim itu dengan Allah. Ia secara tidak langsung menyedarkan saya betapa kita perlu kepada-Nya walau sesibuk manapun kita.
"Ini tidak pula kalau kita lihat kepada ibadat puasa, zakat dan lain-lain. Hakikatnya, syariat di dalam agama Islam itu sesuai dengan fitrah manusia. Malah Islam itu merangkumi segala aspek dalam kehidupan. Yang pastinya, Islam itu tidaklah terlalu susah kalau hati kita benar-benar inginkannya ditambah dengan hidayah yang diterima.
"Sebenarnya, saya sudah lama berkehendak kepada agama Islam ini tetapi pada masa itu, saya tidak tahu bagaimana caranya. Sehinggalah bila saya berjumpa dengan seorang teman dan dia membawa saya ke Pejabat Agama Islam di Kuala Kubu Baru, Hulu Selangor untuk melakukan pengislaman," terang Muhammad Chan yang mengucap dua kalimah syahadah setahun lalu.
Menariknya tentang kisah pengislaman anak kedua daripada empat adik-beradik ini, keputusannya bergelar Muslim langsung tidak mendapat tentang ahli keluarga yang lain, waima isteri dan tiga anaknya.
Kemanisan pengislaman Muhammad Chan tambah bermakna apabila isterinya juga menurut jejak langkah bergelar Muslim tiga bulan kemudian dengan menggunakan nama, Aminah Lee Abdullah.
Pengislamannya dilakukan oleh ustaz Yusuf Abdullah di Pejabat Agama Islam Kuala Kubu Baru, Hulu Selangor.
Lazimnya, anak-anak dan adik-beradik akan menentang apabila diberitahu bahawa ayah atau adik mereka hendak masuk Islam. Namun berlainan pula reaksi yang dialami oleh pasangan Muhammad Chan dan Aminah Lee.
"Sebelum saya memeluk Islam, saya ada beritahu abang sulung. Saya agak terkejut kerana abang saya yang merupakan seorang penganut Buddha yang taat dan pengamal vegetarian hampir 15 tahun, langsung tidak menentang.
"Malah dia menasihatkan saya agar menjadi seorang Muslim yang sejati bukan atas dasar suka-suka ataupun berkepentingan lain," kata Muhammad Chan yang sentiasa murah dengan senyuman.
Malah ditanya kepada anak sulung Muhammad Chan iaitu Amos Chan, 31, katanya: "Agama Islam bukanlah asing bagi saya. Ini kerana saya banyak bergaul dengan orang Islam sama ada di alam persekolahan mahupun pekerjaan.
"Jadi, apabila ayah dan ibu mengambil keputusan untuk memeluk Islam, kami tidak sekali-kali menganggapnya sebagai sesuatu yang memalukan malah kami hormati pilihan mereka berdua.
"Jika agama yang mereka pilih itu menggembirakan, tidak ada sebab kami adik-beradik menentang," kata Amos yang mengendalikan kilang pengeluaran jus minuman di Bandar Bukit Beruntung, Rawang, Selangor.
Di samping itu, akui Muhammad Chan, selepas bergelar Muslim, kehidupannya lebih tenang dan tenteram. Apatah lagi, dengan kenikmatan kesihatan yang sudah sihat sepenuhnya serta lebih memahami apa yang dimaksudkan nikmat sihat sebelum sakit.
Walau bagaimanapun, beliau akui mengalami cabaran di awal pengislaman iaitu dalam mendirikan solat terutamanya dari segi bacaan. Alhamdulillah, dengan adanya ilmu sewaktu mengikuti kursus-kursus jangka pendek anjuran Pejabat Agama Islam Kuala Kubu Baru dan mendapat bimbingan daripada ustaz Yusuf Abdullah serta ustaz-ustaz lain, perkara itu berjaya diatasi.
"Pokok pangkalnya, kita sendiri kenalah berusaha. Saya pernah pergi ke satu kursus di mana saya lihat dengan mata kepala saya sendiri, bagaimana orang yang Islam kerana sebab tertentu, bukan ikhlas kerana Allah. Saya jadi malu dan tidak menyangka ada yang berniat untuk kepentingan tertentu.
"Dalam bab belajar, saya percaya, di mana ada kemahuan, di situ ada jalan. Malah Allah telah berjanji mempermudahkan setiap usaha terutamanya kepada hamba-Nya yang berusaha ke arah lebih mengenali dan memahami Islam, insya-Allah," jelas Muhammad Chan yang gembira bisnes kedai makannya kini semakin mendapat sambutan sejak pembukaannya kira-kira tujuh bulan lalu.
Ustaz Yusuf Abdullah yang turut serta dalam pertemuan pada pagi Krismas itu mengakui, semenjak mengenali Muhammad Chan sewaktu mengislamkan Aminah Lee, komitmen pasangan ini kepada Islam contohnya dalam melaksanakan solat, puasa wajar dicontohi golongan mualaf lain.
"Apabila saya diminta untuk menyamak kedai makannya, saya agak terkejut dengan keprihatinannya yang belum setahun memeluk Islam. Ditambah pula, kedainya turut menyediakan kemudahan bilik solat kepada pelanggan. Ini juga memudahkan dirinya, isteri dan pekerja Muslim melaksanakan ibadat solat.
"Beliau juga seorang yang pemurah dan sentiasa ingin belajar walaupun secara tidak formal dengan tidak malu bertanya berkaitan amal ibadat yang sukar difahami.
"Saya yakin, sebab itulah bisnes yang diusahakan berjalan lancar selain penyediaan makanan dan minuman yang sedap dan cepat serta pengunjung berpeluang menikmati pelbagai juadah masakan Cina," katanya yang berbangga dengan Muhammad Chan.

Confirmed: Barack Obama Practiced Islam
by Daniel PipesFrontPageMagazine.comJanuary 7, 2008http://www.danielpipes.org/article/5354
In a recent analysis, "Was Barack Obama a Muslim?" I surveyed available evidence and found it suggests "Obama was born a Muslim to a non-practicing Muslim father and for some years had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of his Indonesian step-father." In response, David Brock's organization, Media Matters for America (MMfA), which calls itself a "progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media," has criticized one of my sources of information.
MMfA contends in "Daniel Pipes relied on disputed LA Times article to revive Obama-Muslim falsehood," that "key aspects" of a March 16, 2007, Los Angeles Times article I quoted were later challenged by another newspaper account, "History of schooling distorted," by Kim Barker in the Chicago Tribune on March 25.
Falsehood? That's a strong word.
To assess MMfA's claim, let's review its preferred article and examine what Barker has to say on four topics related to Obama's Indonesian years, 1967-71:
His attendance at a Catholic school;
His attendance at a public school;
His step-father, Lolo Soetoro; and
His friend, Zulfan Adi.
To start with, about the Catholic school, Fransiskus Strada Asisia, which Obama attended 1967-70 (words in square brackets are added by me):
Interviews with dozens of former classmates, teachers, neighbors and friends show that Obama was not a regular practicing Muslim when he was in Indonesia, despite being listed as a Muslim on the registration form for the Catholic school, Strada Asisia, where he attended 1st through 3rd grades. At the time, the school most likely registered children based on the religion of their fathers, said [Israella Pareira] Darmawan, Obama's former [1st-grade] teacher. Because Soetoro was a Muslim, Obama was listed as a Muslim, she said.
The enrollment form from the Catholic school, which has been cited as evidence that Obama was a Muslim in Indonesia [including by the Los Angeles Times], also was rife with errors. It listed Obama as an Indonesian, listed his previous school incorrectly and failed to list his mother, Ann, at all.

Barack Obama with his public school classmates in Indonesia.About Obama's time at a public elementary school, 1970-71, variously known as the Sekolah Dasar Nasional Menteng No. 1 or the Basuki school, Barker writes:
When Obama attended 4th grade in 1971, Muslim children spent two hours a week studying Islam, and Christian children spent those two hours learning about the Christian religion.
During a recent visit to this public school, Barker found that
Weekly religious classes are required for all students, whether Muslims, Christians or Hindus, under the government curriculum. A new shiny mosque is in the corner of the courtyard. "The Muslims learn about Islam, prayer and religious activity," said Hardi Priyono, the vice principal for curriculum. "And for the Christians, during the religious class, they also have a special room teaching Christianity. It's always been like that."
About Obama's step-father, Lolo Soetoro and his religiosity, Barker writes:
In their first neighborhood, Obama occasionally followed his stepfather to the mosque for Friday prayers, a few neighbors said. But Soetoro usually was too busy working, first for the Indonesian army and later for a Western oil company. "Sometimes Lolo went to the mosque to pray, but he rarely socialized with people," said Fermina Katarina Sinaga, Obama's 3rd-grade teacher at the Catholic school, who lived near the family. "Rarely, Barry [a nickname for Barack] went to the mosque with Lolo."
Barker learned from his friends and family that Lolo Soetoro, who died in 1987, was "much more of a free spirit than a devout Muslim" and "hardly the image of a pious Muslim."
His nephew, Sonny Trisulo, 49, said Soetoro always liked women and alcohol. One of his health problems was a failing liver. "He loved drinking, was a smart and warm person, the naughtiest one in the family," Trisulo recalled.
As for Zulfan Adi, cited in the Los Angeles Times piece:
Zulfan Adi, a former neighborhood playmate of Obama's who has been cited in news reports as saying Obama regularly attended Friday prayers with Soetoro, told the Tribune he was not certain about that when pressed about his recollections. He only knew Obama for a few months, during 1970, when his family moved to the neighborhood.
Does any of the above information from the Chicago Tribune article refute my analysis, as MMfA contends? It raises questions about two details in the Los Angeles Times account (the accuracy of the Catholic school's registration form and the reliability of Zulfan Adi as a source on Obama). But on the larger issue of Obama's religious practices during his Jakarta years, it confirms the Times account. Note in particular three excerpts from Barker's article:
"Interviews with dozens of former classmates, teachers, neighbors and friends show that Obama was not a regular practicing Muslim when he was in Indonesia" – implying he was an irregularly practicing Muslim.
"Obama occasionally followed his stepfather to the mosque for Friday prayers, a few neighbors said" – confirming that he did pray in the mosque.
"Obama's 3rd-grade teacher at the Catholic school, who lived near the family [said that] ‘Rarely, Barry went to the mosque with Lolo'" – confirming that Obama attended mosque services.
All this matters, for if Obama once was a Muslim, he is now what Islamic law calls a murtadd (apostate), an ex-Muslim converted to another religion who must be executed. Were he elected president of the United States, this status, clearly, would have large potential implications for his relationship with the Muslim world.
In sum: Obama was an irregularly practicing Muslim who rarely or occasionally prayed with his step-father in a mosque. This precisely substantiates my statement that he "for some years had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of his Indonesian step-father."
Therefore, what MMfA calls the "Obama-Muslim falsehood" is in fact confirmed by both articles as truthful and accurate.
Calling this a falsehood is in itself a falsehood.

Election fever running high in Malaysia
Political parties and police gearing up as electoral body chairman says early polls 'just around the corner'
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
Jan 7, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR - SPECULATION over Malaysia's impending general electionstepped up a notch yesterday when the election chief reiterated that thepolls are just 'around the corner'.All police officers and personnel have had their leave periods frozenindefinitely, further fuelling the speculation.'We have several reasons for doing so, the main reason being that we need tohave dry runs. There are many things that we need to do when the electionsare called,' police chief Musa Hassan was quoted as saying by The SundayStar yesterday.The Election Commission, which oversees the running of elections, is alsogearing up for the polls, chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said in aninterview with the newspaper, the weekend edition of The Star, the biggestEnglish daily.'When I say the election is around the corner, you better believe me becauseit is not a joke. It is definitely not a joke. You don't joke about thesethings,' he said.This is the second time in recent weeks that he has hinted that electionsare close.NO JOKE'When I say the election is around the corner, you better believe me becauseit is not a joke. It is definitely not a joke. You don't joke about thesethings.''

ELECTION COMMISSION CHIEF ABDUL RASHID ABDUL RAHMAN

As well, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) vice-president Fong Chan Onn confirmed yesterday that the party's election machinery has been asked togear up.The impending election - the second for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi - hasbeen anticipated for a long time.His mandate does not end until mid-2009, but the speculation is that thepolls will be held sooner rather than later because of the uncertain globaleconomic outlook, among other factors.While the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition is expected to romp to victory,it is unlikely to repeat its spectacular performance of 2004 when Datuk SeriAbdullah had just taken office.The election will be closely watched because it will be seen as a reflectionof Malaysia's race relations, which are increasingly strained.The Sunday Star's front- page report yesterday feeds into growingspeculation among opposition and ruling party politicians that the pollswill be held within a couple of months.The conventional thinking is a date in March, just before the legal ban onformer deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's eligibility to stand as an electoralcandidate expires in April. He is under a five-year ban on standing inelections due to a conviction over a corruption charge.Datuk Seri Abdullah has not given any hint, but pundits are reading signalsin the heightened grassroots preparations and the slew of announcements likea new body to investigate police misconduct.An official of the MCA told The Straits Times that the party is alreadypreparing for an early election.The opposition is doing the same. Mr Tony Pua, who will stand as candidatefor the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), said everyone seemed to beanticipating an election very soon.He told The Straits Times that the DAP recently found flags and bannersflying in three Selangor state constituencies, which suggest heightenedpolitical readiness.The government's recent tabling in Parliament of a Bill to set up a body toinvestigate police misconduct also sparked further speculation as this wasamong the promises made at the 2004 election.Last week, MCA president Ong Ka Ting announced a RM10 million (S$4.4million) government allocation for Chinese schools, seen as a move toplacate Chinese voters who have been angered by their perception of thegovernment's stronger Malay agenda.Government leaders have said they are convinced that the majority of votersare still behind them, despite facing problems over the spiralling cost ofliving, fear of crime, and increasingly strained race relations.____http://blog. limkitsiang. com/2008/ 01/07/najib- you-are-wrong/

Najib, you are wrong
Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 06: 06.30
by Richard Teo

Yes the tide is turning in Kelantan but certainly not in favour of BN butfor PAS. As a kelantanese I can safely tell Najib the true current politicalsituation in Kelantan. How could Zubaidah Abu Bakar speculate in the 6thJan.2008 NST that "there are many in Kelantan who want to see a change ofgovernment"?This is farthest from the truth. The Malay psyche in Kelantan is vastlydifferent from the psyche of Malays from the other states. The Malays inKelantan are astute when it comes to politics. That explains why it is theonly Malay state where the opposition party other than UMNO has ruled for asubstantial period since Merdeka.During BN's tenure, pork sellers in the Chinese market were harrassed daily.They were confined to a small inconspicous space where pork could be soldhidden from public view. There was conditional and restricted time when porkcould be sold. When PAS took over the government in 1990, they improved theChinese market and pork was sold without any restrictions. Inshort they were not harrassed.Again, during BN's tenure, Chinese could not buy houses built on Malayreservation land. Since most of the land come under the purview of Malayreservation, most Kelantanese Chinese could not own a home. But all thesechanged when PAS came to power.Under the able DUN of Kota Bharu, Dato Annuar Tan, 30% of houses built onMalay reservation land were allocated for sale to the Kelantan Chinese.Any doubts where the Chinese loyalty lies can easily be dispelled byvisiting the Chinese enclave in Jalan Kebun Sultan. Ask any Chinese businesscommunity there and they will brazenly tell you that they will vote for PAS.Yes the Chinese votes in Kelantan are solidly behind PAS.It is also a fact that the Chinese miniority's vote in Kelantan areinsignificant and confined to only few seats where their votes are crucialfor victory or loss. But in a state where a lot of seats are won and lost bya handful of votes this becomes immensely important where in the finalanalysis the fate of the government could merely depend on the margin of oneor two seats.The Malays in Kelantan were generous in giving Pak Lah a resounding victoryin 2004. But this was partly due to PAS over-zealous Islamic reforms whichpersuaded the Malays to vote for Pak Lah's Islam Hadhari. Further they werecaptivated by Pak Lah's assurance of tackling corruption which was beginningto be rampant in all branches of the government. But alas, Pak Lah was adisappointment. Instead he took it as an opportunity for his relatives andfamily to plunder the nation's wealth by giving contracts to his son andson-in law.There is a saying among the Malays in Kelantan that UMNO can fool the Malaysin the other states with their rhetoric of 'Ketuanan Melayu' but they cannotfool the Malays in Kelantan. They are aware that BN has introduced manyprogrammes and development projects.According to Datuk Annuar Musa "RM2 billion worth of projects are flowinginto the state". But the local malays will ask you who are the beneficiariesof these projects? Yes, its the UMNO cronies and the UMNO connectedpoliticians who will secure all the major contracts.Of late, the sprinkling of Indians are also behind PAS not due to Hindraf'seffort but because of the awareness that it was under PAS rule that aprominent land in Jalan Hamzah was approved for the Hindus to build a templewhen the same approval was rejected by BN four times before.Because of centuries of close proximity of Kelantan to Thailand and theclose rapport between the Chinese and the Kelantanese Malays, the localMalays are not only intelligent and well-versed in commerce but they arevery conversant with local and federal politics. This perhaps explain whyUMNO with their brand of politics can never fool the Kelantan Malays.In the coming general election BN will not only lose in Kelantan it willlose as badly as in 1990. This is not only a fact, it is a promise.

Anwar Ibrahim's Visit to Kuala Kangsar and Lumut: More than 15,000Perakians Heard HimBy Din MericanJanuary 5, 2008.The Winds of Change have come to Perak Darul RidzuanThe trip with Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Kuala Kangsar and Lumut onJanuary 4, 2007 was indeed a punishing one. My colleagues and I didnot return to Kuala Lumpur until 3.a.m on January 5. But it providedme with the opportunity to be in another part of our country where Ihad not been for long time (I was a frequent visitor during my schooldays at the Penang Free School for competitive soccer and hockey withour great rivals, Maktab Melayu). Except for Kuala Kangsar, the placeswe traversed that day were unfamiliar to me.The programme was packed with places to visit, each precisely timed.We arrived on time for Friday prayers at Masjid Ridzwaniah (adjacentto the famous Maktab Melayu/Malay College) in Kuala Kangsar town. DatoSeri Anwar was warmly received by mosque officials and the jumaah,including the students who waited patiently to shake his hands andexchange pleasantries with their famous old boy. After prayers, weaccompanied Dato Seri Anwar to Taman Chandan Puteri for the opening ofa new Parti KeADILan Rakyat branch where some 230 Indian members werereceived. He spoke to a gathering of 500 people and encouraged them towork hard as the 12th national elections is only months away.We then proceeded to meet with Mesyarakat Sayong by the great SungaiPerak where we were treated to a nice lunch. The KeADILan de factorleader addressed a group of some 600 people including some Indiansfrom the neighbouring areas. His message to them was simple. It wasone of unity and tolerance. He also asked them to vote for agovernment that would have their interest at heart, not those who werecorrupt and incompetent. After that, he was introduced to a youngex-warder who was in Sungai Buloh when Dato Seri Anwar was the guestof the Agong for 6 years.Our delegation then proceeded to Kampong Senggang. It is an UMNOstronghold, as evidenced by the buntings and flags of UMNO and BarisanNasional that had been put up to eclipse those of KeADILan. This placewas off the beaten track, but the visit was made because the peoplethere wanted to personally thank Dato Seri Anwar for starting ahousing project for the poor there when he was Deputy Prime Ministerand Deputy UMNO President.Apparently, the people at Kampong Senggang had ignored theinstructions of the local UMNO politikus and decided, almost indefiance, to hold a simple function in his honour. He made a shortspeech in which he said that he was against UMNO leaders because theywere corrupt and arrogant. He was not against the ordinary UMNOmembers. In stead, he said that he had their interest at heart andwould continue to fight for justice for all Malaysians. This was alifelong struggle since the days he was a student at the University ofMalaya. He reminded them that for standing up for the poor people inBaling, Kedah, he spent two years (1974-1976) in Kamunting under theInternal Security Act. After that, he joined the Government and roseto be Deputy Prime Minister before being put in gaol for 6 years in 1998.The Pantai Remis ceramah was arranged for the Chinese community. Itattracted some 1000 people who were entertained to a meal. I am toldthat this is the way the practical and down to earth Chinese communityoperates: no meal, no talk. A number of KeADILan leaders from HeadOffice and local representatives spoke about the level of corruptionand incompetence of the present UMNO-BN leadership and emphasised theneed for change.When it came to his turn to speak, Dato Seri Anwar focused on thestate of the economy and the challenges the country faced in thecoming years. He said that Malaysia had been less attractive as aninvestment centre, losing out to Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan,Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, not to mention India and China. Hetold them that they should vote in a government led by KeADILan as itwill be able to implement polices and programmes that will create newbusiness opportunities and new jobs. He said that his government ifelected will fight corruption. He called on his audience to"Selamatkan Malaysia".After Mahgrib prayers and a brief speech at Surau Sri Manjung Lama, weproceeded to Setiawan where Dato Seri Anwar spoke briefly topredominantly Indian audience. He told that the Malays, Chinese andIndians must live in peace and that the Indian problem is not due tothe Malays but to the UMNO-BN leadership. He reminded the audience isthat he is committed to justice for all, each having rights of theirown. In order to achieve distributive justice, he would ensure thatour economy performs to its full potential. He opened a branch officeof the party. His speech at Kampong Koh was before an audience of some3,000. His message was loud and clear and the opportunity for changeis now and that the people must seize the opportunity to make thechange. It lasted for an hour.The highlight of our visit was without any doubt the Ceramah Umum inTeluk Rubiah, Sri Manjung (near Lumut). When we arrived at the venue,we noticed that there was a huge gathering of predominantly Malayswith a spatter of Indians and Chinese. Judging from the number of carsand other vehicles parked in a row stretching some 3 kilometers longon both sides of the road, I could say that there were at least 12,000people.Dato Anwar told the audience that he was here to explain the issuesand challenges facing Malaysia. He had been talking about them, butbecause the media including television is tightly controlled, hisviews and comments have not reached ordinary Malaysians. All they hearis about the good things the government have done and that he is demonand a traitor to his own race. He said in 1998 he was regarded as anagent for the Jews, in 2006 he was viewed as pro-Chinese ,and now heis seen as pro-Hindraf.He said he is a Malay and Muslim leader who seeks to speak the truth,to be transparent and to work for justice for all. He would protectthe rights of the Malays and those of the Chinese and Indians. AllMalaysians have rights under the Constitution. As a leader, he willdefended and respect the sanctity of the Constitution. He will not usepolitical power to amend the Constitution to suit his purposes. Hewanted to make his position clear so that people would not be taken inby propaganda by UMNO Youth.On the economy, he said that Malaysia is now longer in the same leagueas Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. For example, he said thatSingapore's average income is five times compared to Malaysia. Ateacher there would earn fives times compared to a Malaysian in thesame profession. In terms of economic growth, Malaysia is performingunder its full potential. It is also losing out to Singapore and ourother ASEAN neighbours, not mention India and China.The reason is very simple. We have not been managing our economy well.Investors no longer have any confidence in our economic policies andpeople who are in charge of our country. We still depend on foreigninvestment and when foreigners do not invest here, there will nogrowth and no new jobs. Corruption and crime are on the rise. Socialproblems like drug addition and moral degeneration are common. Oureducation system is in a mess.So the time for change is now. He appealed to his audience to vote forchange in government. We need an honest, transparent and responsiblegovernment that serves the people, not one that is corrupt andincompetent. A responsible government will manage our resources likeoil and gas for the benefit of the present and future generation.These resources belong to the people and must be used to benefitpeople in terms of quality education, healthcare and socialinfrastructure, not to be wasted in bailing out loss making governmentcompanies and on mega-projects.In response to Dato Najib's statement that if we use Petronas' profitsto reduce the price of petrol, diesel and gas, Malaysia would bebankrupt, Dato Seri Anwar said that if we managed the country to serveour personal interest and those of our families and cronies, then wewould be bankrupt in no time and that is why we must stop the rot. We,therefore, need a government that is open, accountable, competent andhonest.Sdr Mustafa Kamil and his team, thanks for your hard work and forarranging a very productive visit.

Kes Subashini & Suaminya Dalam Bidangkuasa Mahkamah Sivil

Mahkamah Persekutuan hari ini menolak rayuan R Subashini untuk menghalang suaminya yang telah memeluk Islam daripada membawa kes perceraian mereka ke mahkamah syariah, atas sebab-sebab teknikal.

Dalam keputusan majoriti 2-1, mahkamah tertinggi di Malaysia itu, memutuskan ia kerana Subashini telah memfailkan petisyen perceraian mereka terlalu awal daripada tempoh yang ditetapkan di bawah Akta Undang-undang Pembaharuan (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976 (LRA).

Bagaimanapun, mahkamah memutuskan bahawa pertikaian bagi membubarkan perkahwinan seorang bekas setiausaha itu dengan suaminya yang memeluk Islam serta bagi mendapatkan hak penjagaan anak mereka terletak di bawah bidangkuasa Mahkamah Sivil.

Rayuan Subashini itu didengar oleh panel tiga orang hakim - Datuk Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman, Datuk Azmel Ma'amor dan Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohamad.

"Perkahwinan bukan menurut Islam antara seorang suami dan isteri masih kekal sehinggalah ia dibubarkan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi berdasarkan petisyen perceraian oleh pasangan yang kekal dengan agamanya mengikut Seksyen 51 (1) Akta Membaharui Undang-undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976," kata Nik Hashim.

Beliau yang mengetuai panel hakim itu berkata Subashini berhak meneruskan permohonan mendapatkan hak penjagaan itu tetapi dia hendaklah mengemukakan petisyen baru untuk bercerai.

Nik Hashim berkata, perintah mahkamah syariah membubarkan perkahwinan sivil tidak mempunyai kesan dari segi undang-undang selain ianya merupakan satu keterangan perceraian mengikut hukum Syarak.

Pertukaran agama

Bagaimanapun, mahkamah menetapkan bahawa suami Subashini, T. Saravanan, berhak merujuk kepada mahkamah syariah kerana beliau tertakluk kepada undang-undang Islam selepas menjadi seorang muslim.

Di bawah LRA, Subashini hanya boleh memfailkan petisyen perceraian tersebut selepas tamatnya tempoh tiga bulan dari tarikh suaminya, T Saravanan memeluk Islam.
Bagaimanapun, Subashini memfailkan petisyen perceraian itu 12 hari sebelum tamat tempoh tiga bulan berkenaan.

Oleh itu, petisyen perceraian tersebut dianggap batal dan tidak sah.

Subashini, 28, yang beragama Hindu, mahu menghalang suaminya itu, yang telah memeluk Islam dengan nama Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah, daripada membawa prosiding perceraian mereka ke mahkamah syariah.

Suaminya telah memeluk agama Islam pada bulan Mei 2006 bersama-sama dengan anak lelaki sulung mereka, Dharvin Joshua, 4.

Suaminya kemudiannya membawa prosiding perceraian mereka ke mahkamah syariah serta memohon hak penjagaan anak lelaki kedua mereka, Sharvin, 2.

Mahkamah Persekutuan juga memutuskan hari ini bahawa Muhammad Shafi tidak menyalahgunakan proses mahkamah apabila menukar agama anaknya yang berusia empat tahun itu tanpa pengetahuan ibunya.

Menurutnya, mengikut undang-undang Islam, hanya seorang sahaja - ibu atau bapa - mesti dimaklumkan mengenainya pertukaran agama anak tersebut.

Bawa ke mahkamah syariah

Dalam rayuan Subashini kepada Mahkamah Rayuan pada 13 Mac, Hakim Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar dan Datuk Hassan Lah - dalam penghakiman 2-1 - telah memutuskan wanita itu membawa kesnya ke mahkamah syariah. Seorang lagi panel hakim ialah Datuk Gopal Sri Ram.

Menurut penghakiman majoriti itu, mahkamah memutuskan bahawa perintah yang dipohon oleh Subashani adalah tidak perlu kerana mahkamah syariah layak dan berkemampuan untuk memutuskan kes tersebut.

Bagaimanapun, pada 30 Mac, Subashini mendapatkan perintah sementara dari Mahkamah Rayuan untuk menghalang Saravanan daripada mengemukakan tuntutannya itu di mahkamah syariah.

Perintah mahkamah itu juga melarang Saravanan daripada menukar agama anak bongsunya serta melarangnya daripada membawa kes tuntutan hak penjagaan anak-anaknya ke mahkamah syariah.

Ia juga memutuskan bahawa seseorang pasangan yang telah memeluk Islam boleh memohon kepada mahkamah syariah untuk menukar agama anak-anak mereka yang masih di bawah umur, kepada agama Islam, tanpa perlu mendapatkan kebenaran daripada pasangan yang seorang lagi.

Subashini, suami tidak hadir

Bagaimanapun, panel hakim sebulat suara tidak bersetuju dengan penghakiman majoriti 2-1 Mahkamah Rayuan sebelum ini yang meminta Subashini membawa kesnya ke mahkamah syariah kerana bidangkuasa mahkamah tersebut adalah ke atas orang Islam sahaja.
Subashini dan suaminya - seorang ahli perniagaan - tidak hadir ketika mahkamah mengumumkan penghakimannya hari ini.

Sementara itu, peguam Subashini, K Shanmuga berkata pelanggannya tidak berjumpa dengan anaknya Dharvin, yang tinggal bersama suaminya sejak suaminya itu memeluk Islam.

"Beliau juga sangat bimbang tentang anak bongsunya, Sharvin, kerana berdasarkan keputusan hari ini, agamanya juga boleh ditukar pada bila-bila masa tanpa pengetahuannya," kata Shanmuga.

Shanmuga menyifatkan keputusan mahkamah hari ini sebagai 'satu pukulan' terhadap pelanggannya itu.

"Keputusan tersebut...menimbulkan ketidaktentuan mengenai anak-anaknya dan apa akan! jadi dengan agama mereka serta hak-hak penjagaan mereka," katanya.
Subashini gagal mendapatkan perintah mahkmah untuk menghalang suaminya itu daripada membawa prosiding perceraian mereka ke mahkamah syariah dan untuk menghalangnya daripada menukar agama anak-anak mereka.

Shanmuga berkata, Subashini tidak mencabar perceraian mereka tetapi mahu ianya diputuskan di mahkamah sivil.

Shanmuga juga menggesa kerajaan supaya menyegerakan pembaharuan undang-undang yang memberi hak yang sama kepada ibu dan bapa dalam perkara seumpama itu.

"Ini memerlukan pembaharuan perundangan yang segera bagi memastikan kedua-dua ibu dan bapa mempunyai hak yang sama dalam menentukan agama anak-anak mereka dan menghalang satu pihak daripada pergi ke mahkamah syariah berhubung sebarang perkara yang membabitkan perkahwinan bukan Islam," katanya.

Seorang peguam yang terbabit dalam kes tersebut berkata, keputusan hari ini mungkin memaksa Subashini lari bersama anak bongsunya kerana bimbang suaminya akan cuba menukar agama anaknya itu.

"Berdasarkan keputusan mahkamah, nampaknya suaminya boleh menukar agama anaknya untuk memeluk Islam," katanya kepada AFP tetapi tidak mahu namanya disebut.

"Satu-satunya pilihan yang ada padanya sekarang ialah untuk meninggalkan negara ini bersama anaknya itu bagi mengelaknya daripada masuk Islam," katanya lagi.
Sumber : Jundullah - Malaysiakini

Layari : http://www.pasjohorbahru.com/

Kenyataan Media


PEJABAT PRESIDEN
PARTI ISLAM SE MALAYSIA (PAS)
318A, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-26925000 Faks: 03-26938399


To : All News Editors

From : Roslan Shahir bin Datuk Mohd Shahir

Date : 3rd. January, 2008


KES DR CHUA SOI LEK TIDAK BERAKHIR
DENGAN PERLETAKKAN JAWATAN

PAS memandang serius isu pembabitan seorang Menteri Kabinet dalam perlakuan seks luar nikah yang dirakamkan dan diedarkan kepada orang-ramai dalam bentuk DVD. Sungguhpun Dato' Dr Chua Soi Lek telah pun mengumumkan perletakkan jawatannya semalam dan perletakkan jawatan itu diterima oleh Perdana Menteri, namun PAS merasakan tindakan tersebut sekadar suatu tindakan politik demi memelihara imej Barisan Nasional dalam menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum yang akan datang.
Sesungguhnya perlakuan seks luar nikah bukan hanya bertentangan dengan Islam tetapi ia juga bercanggah dengan mana-mana anutan, kepercayaan, amalan dan budaya serta nilai moral yang dipegang oleh rakyat Malaysia. Pemimpin negara ini perlulah memiliki akhlak dan keperibadian yang baik dan sempurna sehingga boleh menjadi contoh dan ikutan rakyat jelata.
PAS merasakan sepatutnya Perdana Menteri selaku Pengerusi Barisan Nasional mengarahkan parti MCA agar mengambil tindakan disiplin terhadap Dr Chua. Perletakkan jawatannya yang lebih merupakan tindakan menyelamatkan imej dan kedudukan BN itu tidak bererti tanpa sebarang tindakan disiplin diambil terhadap seorang pemimpin bertaraf menteri cabinet seperti beliau. Ini bermakna Perdana Menteri dan BN bersekongkol dengan pemimpinnya yang memiliki masalah akhlak.
PAS juga memandang serius kenyataan Dr Chua semalam bahawa bukan semua yang duduk dalam kerajaan itu bersih, ini mencerminkan yang barisan kepimpinan kerajaan BN yang ada pada hari ini menghadapi krisis moral dan akhlak yang serius yang perlu diberi perhatian oleh rakyat khasnya apabila mereka membuat pemilihan dalam Pilihan Raya Umum yang akan datang.
Rakyat perlu pastikan yang mereka dipimpin oleh pemimpin yang bersih dan berakhlak mulia demi kesejahteraan dan keselamatan mereka dan negara yang tercinta ini.




3 Januari 2008

DATO' SERI TUAN GURU HJ ABD HADI AWANG
PRESIDEN PAS

Sepasang suami dan isteri petani pulang kerumah setelah berbelanja. Ketika mereka membuka barang belanjaan, seekor tikus memperhatikan gelagat sambil menggumam "hmmm...makanan apa lagi yang dibawa mereka dari pasar??"Ternyata yang dibeli oleh petani hari adalah rerangkap tikus.Sang tikus naik panic bukan kepalang. Ia bergegas lari ke sarang dan bertempik, " Ada perangkap tikus di rumah....di rumah sekarang ada perangkap tikus...." Ia pun mengadu kepada ayam dan berteriak, " Ada perangkat tikus !"Sang Ayam berkata, " Tuan Tikus ! Aku turut bersedih tapi ia tak ada kena-mengena dengan aku." Sang Tikus lalu pergi menemui seekor Kambing sambil berteriak seperti tadi.Sang Kambing pun jawab selamba, "Aku pun turut bersimpati...tapi tidak ada yang boleh aku buat.Lagi pun tak tak ada kena-mengena dengan aku. " Tikus lalu menemui Sapi. Ia mendapat jawaban sama. " Maafkan aku. Tapi perangkap tikus tidak berbahaya buat aku sama sekali. Tak kanlah sebesar aku ni boleh masuk perangkap tikus." Dengan rasa kecewa ia pun berlari ke hutan menemui Ular. Sang ular berkata " Eleh engkau ni...Perangkap Tikus yang sekecil tak kan la nak membahayakan aku." Akhirnya Sang Tikus kembali kerumah dengan pasrah kerana mengetahui ia akan menghadapi bahaya seorang diri.Suatu malam, pemilik rumah terbangun mendengar suara berdetak perangkap tikusnya berbunyi menandakan umpan dah mengena.Ketika melihat perangkap tikusnya, ternyata seekor ular berbisa yang jadi mangsa. Buntut ular yang terperangkap membuat ular semakin ganas dan menyerang isteri pemilik rumah. Walaupun si Suami sempat membunuh ular berbisa tersebut, isterinya tidak sempat diselamatkan.Si suami pun membawa isterinya kerumah sakit. Beberapa hari kemudian isterinya sudah boleh pulang namun tetap sahaja demam.Isterinya lalu minta dibuatkan sup cakar ayam oleh suaminya kerana percaya sup cakar ayam boleh mengurangkan demam. Tanpa berfikir panjang si Suami pun dengan segera menyembelih ayamnya untuk dapat cakar buat sup. Beberapa hari kemudian sakitnya tidak kunjung reda. Seorang teman menyarankan untuk makan hati kambing.Ia lalu menyembelih kambingnya untuk mengambil hatinya.Masih juga isterinya tidak sembuh-sembuh dan akhirnya meninggal dunia. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.Banyak sungguh orang datang melawat jenazahnya. Kerana rasa sayang suami pada isterinya, tak sampai hati pula dia melihat orang ramai tak dijamu apa-apa.Tanpa berfikir panjang dia pun menyembelih sapinya untuk memberi makan orang-orang yang berziarah. Dari kejauhan...Sang Tikus menatap dengan penuh kesedihan. Beberapa hari kemudian ia melihat Perangkap Tikus tersebut sudah tidak digunakan lagi.

Malaysia's Anwar condemns use of security lawKUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Five ethnic Indians held under a Malaysianlaw that allows detention without trial should be charged in courtimmediately to avoid the risk of rights abuse, Malaysian oppositionfigure Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday.Authorities have said the activists, members of a group that staged amassive anti-government protest last month, were detained on Thursdayfor up to two years on the grounds that their actions had threatenednational security.The group, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) alarmed thegovernment by bringing more than 10,000 ethnic Indians onto thestreets of the capital to complain of racial discrimination.Anwar, a former deputy prime minister who was once himself locked upunder the colonial-era law originally designed to fight communists,said the legislation was easy to abuse."We are, as a principle, against the Internal Security Act and the useof the Act against anyone," he told reporters."We have evidence, we have experience of the abuse of the Act againstpolitical personalities and civil society leaders throughout the yearsafter independence."Anwar was himself beaten by the then police chief during his owndetention under the Act in 1998, for leading anti-government protestsdemanding political reform in the wake of being sacked by former PrimeMinister Mahathir Mohamad.Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said the government had been verypatient with the Hindraf group, and acted only after having given it asufficient chance to conform to the law."The public wanted the government to take a stern action much earlierbut we were very patient and tolerant," state news agency Bernamaquoted Najib as saying. "When the ISA was invoked, it should not havecome as a surprise to anyone."The Hindraf rally was one of two mass protests last month. A separatecrowd of around 10,000 people had earlier turned out on the streets ofthe capital to demand electoral reforms, amid expectations of a snappoll by March 2008.But the Indian rally, though largely peaceful, aroused deep concernswithin the government, and also among many ordinary Malaysians,because of the country's history of tense and sometimes explosivelyviolent race relations.In 2001, five people were killed and 37 wounded in riots betweenmajority ethnic Malays and Indians that began after an Indian kickedover a chair at a Malay wedding. In 1969, hundreds were killed inrioting between Malays and ethnic Chinese.But Anwar said he believed more arrests could follow, because PrimeMinister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi appeared to have decided to take a hardline against the protesters."I am extremely -- not only disappointed, but appalled -- by themanner in which Prime Minister Abdullah is acting right now," hesaid."He has just succumbed to pressures of extremist hue. From therhetoric of the government, the prime minister and the leaders, Iwouldn't be surprised if more arrests were made."

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/071213/3/3cbhh.htmlFACTBOX - Five facts on Malaysia's Internal Security ActREUTERS - Malaysia has invoked its notorious Internal Security Act(ISA) to detain five ethnic Indians from a group that staged a massanti-government protest last month.There are currently 74 people, mostly suspected Muslim militants,being detained under the ISA, the government said last month.Here are five facts on the ISA.-- Passed in 1960, three years after Malaysian independence, the ISAwas designed to curb a perceived communist threat. It grew out ofemergency regulations that were part of then Malaya's campaign againstthe Malayan Communist Party in British colonial times. NeighbourSingapore, once part of Malaysia, kept the ISA after leaving theMalaysian Federation in 1965.-- The act allows for the arrest and detention for an indefiniteperiod of a suspect judged as "likely" to commit an act deemeddangerous to national security. Detainees can be held for 60 dayswithout legal counsel, and preventive detention can then be renewedevery two years.-- Amended dozens of times, it also has provisions to restrict freedomof assembly, expression and movement, among others. Since the Sept.11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, it has been used to lock up dozens ofsuspected Islamic militants. Most ISA detainees are kept at Kamuntingprison in northwest Perak state.-- The Human Rights Watch has said governments have consistently usedthe ISA for their own political purposes to detain thousands ofcitizens, including political opposition leaders, academics, tradeunionists as well as religious, social, environmental and women'srights activists. Rights groups criticise the ISA as a draconianviolation of international human rights standards, and a tool tostifle peaceful political dissent.- In October 2007, opposition figure Abdul Malek Hussin became thefirst person to win a significant payment for illegal detention underthe ISA. He was awarded nearly $750,000 in damages for his Sept 1998detention, for addressing a "Reformasi" demonstration calling forpolitical reform.Source: Reuters

PARTI ISLAM SEMALAYSIA (PAS)
PEJABAT AGUNG
No. Pendaftaran 733 (Penang)
318A, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-26925000 Faks: 03-26921199


Kenyataan Akhbar
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PAS KUTUK PENGGUNAA ISA TERHADAP PIMPINAN HINDRAF


PAS kesal dengan penahanan lima orang pimpinan Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Front) di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) semalam. Penggunaan akta yang zalim dan menahan individu tanpa hak untuk dibicarakan ini jelas membuktikan yang pihak kerajaan sudah k! etandusan idea untuk menangani masalah yang dicetuskan oleh pihak Hindraf.

PAS merasakan pihak kerajaan sepatutnya meneruskan usaha mendakwa mereka yang berkenaan menerusi proses undang-undang di mahkamah yang terbuka sebagaimana yang telah pun dimulakan dan tidak sewenang-wenangnya menggunakan ISA. Tindakan menahan tanpa bicara melalui akta kejam ISA ini hanya akan mencetuskan ketegangan dan membuktikan yang negara ini sesungguhnya menuju ke arah "Negara Polis" sebagaimana yang dinyatakan oleh Presiden PAS baru-baru ini.

Sehubungan dengan itu PAS sekali lagi menegaskan yang kami sentiasa bersedia bekerjasama dengan semua pihak bagi mempertahankan kemanan dan keharmonian rakyat dan negara dan tidak sekali-kali cenderung kepada sebarang tuntutan melampau dari mana-mana pihak yang berkemampuan menjejaskan kestabilan yang sedai ada.

PAS dan semua pihak yang prihatin terhadap agenda perpaduan nasional sekali lagi mengulangi kesediaan bertemu dengan Perdana Menteri untuk berbincang bagi mengatasi kekusutan yang meruncing yang sedang kita semua hadapi ini.


14 Disember 2007

YB DATO KAMARUDIN JAFFAR
SETIAUSAHA AGUNG PAS*****.*.*****husammusa.com
PAS dan Isu Kebebasan Beragama
Terlalu banyak diperkatakan tentang hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan beragama di negara kita se! jak kebelakangan ini. Dakwaan orang-orang Hindu (melalui Hindraf) berh ubung isu perobohan kuil-kuil mereka dan terbaru cadangan beberapa orang ahli parlimen UMNO supaya dibuang lambang-lambang Kristian seperti tanda salib dan patung di sekolah-sekolah tertentu telah menghangatkan lagi suasana politik negara yang telah pun sedia panas.
Kadang-kadang kita rasa hairan bagaimana selepas 50 tahun memerintah, UMNO dan BN masih lagi terkial-kial mencari penyelesaian isu perkauman dan agama di tanah air kita. Malah tidak keterlaluan jika kita katakan bahawa macam ada satu agenda tersembunyi UMNO dan BN, acapkali rakyat menolak mereka maka mereka akan mainkan isu perkauman dan agama untuk menarik kembali sokongan kaum masing-masing.
Berikut cuba kita teliti kenyataan dan pengakuan pihak ketiga berhubung tindakan kerajaan Kelantan yang diterajui PAS berkaitan isu di atas.
Terdapat lebih daripada 30 buah kuil Buddha di seluruh Kelantan. Ini adalah agak pelik memandangkan penduduk Kelantan terdiri daripada 95% beragama Islam. Antara kuil yang paling popular ialah Wat Pothvihan yang terletak di Cabang Empat, yang menempatkan patung Buddha yang panjangnya 40m. Patung yang sedang berbaring ini dianggap antara yang terbesar di dunia dalam kategori yang serupa dan ia dikenali sebagai “the sleeping Buddha”. Wat Uttamaram pula yang terletak di Pasir Mas dianggap sebagai kuil Buddha tertua dan tercantik di Malaysia…..
(The most popular Buddhist temple in Kelantan would be the Wat Pothvihan near Cabang Empat, which houses the 40m long reclining Buddha (one of the largest of its kind in the world) draped in pink robes -- it is larger than the one in Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram in Penang. This statue took six years to build. It is known as the sleeping Buddha…..)- Petikan daripada Wikipedia
Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Pengerusi Lajnah Perpaduan Nasional PAS telah menulis surat kepada Malaysiakini mengutuk tindakan merobohkan kuil Hindu di Kampung Rimba Jaya. Malah wakil PAS berkenaan telah menyatakan kekesalan yang amat sangat terhadap bagaimana kasar isu berkenaan ditanggani. Sesuatu yang menghairankan! Saya maksudkan, ini adalah PAS, Parti Islam Se Malaysia. Kuilnya pula adalah untuk penganut agama Hindu. Sepatutnya ia bukanlah perkara yang perlu mereka beri perhatian. Mungkin PAS bukanlah golongan yang 100% tidak boleh bertolak ansur sebagaimana yang cuba digambarkan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu. Kelantan, yang diperintah oleh PAS, juga menempatkan Wat Pothvihan, patung Buddha yang sedang berbaring terbesar di Asia Tenggara. Ada juga khabar angin yang tersebar bahawa PAS malah telah membenarkan kuil Hindu dibina di kawasan parlimen yang mereka baru menangi. Orang-orang Hindu telah cuba mendapatkan kebenaran daripada AP terdahulu, yang dari parti lain, bertahun-tahun lamanya tetapi gagal. Mungkin sudah sampai masanya kita melihat dengan lebih lanjut apa yang PAS ingin tawarkan kepada rakyat…..
(Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Chairman of National Unity Bureau of PAS had written a letter to Malaysiakini condemning the demolition procedures of the Hindu temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya. In fact, the PAS representative had expressed deep regret over the violent manner the issue was handled. Surprising isn’t it? I mean, this is PAS, the Islamic Party of Malaysia. The temple was of the Hindu religion. It is supposed to be no concern of theirs. Perhaps, PAS is not 100% intolerant as certain parties painted it to be. Kelantan, the state in which PAS reigns, houses Wat Photivihan, biggest reclining Buddha statue in Malaysia. There were rumours circulating that PAS even allowed a Hindu temple to be built in one of their newly obtained constituency. The Hindus were asking for permission from a previous MP of another party for years but to no avail. Maybe it is high time that people take a deeper look at what PAS has to offer for the people…..)- www.sagaladoola.blogspot.com
Di Kelantan (di mana kami dibesarkan), kerajaan fundamentalis Islam PAS di Kelantan dan cawangan-cawangan PAS pun tidak pernah membantah kuil Sivan Hindu ditempatkan di tengah-tengah 99.99% kampong Melayu di Kota Bharu. Malah, Menteri Besar Kelantan telah meluluskan 1 ekar tanah tambahan berhampiran ku! il Hindu yang sedia ada supaya kuil berkenaan dapat dibina dengan lebih teratur dan lebih besar kerana seluruh kampong Melayu terpaksa dipindahkan untuk memberi laluan kepada pembesaran Bandar Kota Bharu. Kuil Hindu yang baru ini sekarang berdiri megah di tengah-tengah Bandar Kota Bharu. Juga, Kuil Hindu Sri Maha Mariamman yang terletak di tengah-tengah kawasan kuat PAS di Tumpat, Kelantan yang dikelilingi oleh 99.99% orang-orang Melayu juga tidak pernah menghadapi sebarang masaalah…..
(In Kelantan (where we were brought up), even the fundamentalist Islamic PAS government in Kelantan and PAS branches had never objected to the Sivan Hindu temple being located in the midst of a 99.99% Malay village in Kota Bahru. In fact the said Kelantan PAS Chief Minister had granted a bigger one acre nearby land for this Hindu temple to be properly relocated built and expanded as the said whole malay village had to make way for the Kota Baru town expansion. This brand new Hindu temple now sits majestically in the heart of Kota Bahru town. Further, the Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple in the fundamental Islamic PAS stronghold in Tumpat, Kelantan is also surrounded by 99.99% Malays but we never ever had problems…..) - Hindraf in www.bangkit.net
Kerajaan yang diterajui PAS di Kelantan tidak pernah merobohkan satu pun kuil Hindu atau kuil Buddha. Malah, patung Buddha berbaring yang terbesar di Asia Tenggara bukanlah di Thailand tetapi di Kelantan, di Kampung Neting, Tumpat, di tempat saya dibesarkan. Kerajaan PAS tidak merobohkan kuil-kuil, hanya kerajaan UMNO yang merobohkan kuil-kuil…..(The PAS-led government in Kelantan has not broken a single Hindu or Buddhist temple. In fact the largest sleeping Buddha in Southeast Asia is not in Thailand but in Kelantan in Kampung Neting, Tumpat, where I grew up. The PAS-led government does not break temples, only the Umno-lead government breaks temples…..)- Uthayakumar in malaysiakini.com
Pernah pada satu hari MB Kelantan (Tok Guru Nik Aziz) telah mendapati salib di sebuah gereja di Kota Bharu telah tiada (yakni salib gereja tertua dan terbesar di Kota Bharu, Church of Our Lady Fatima). Lantas beliau pun bertanya kepada Dato Annuar Tan (EXCO Kerajaan Negeri) kemana perginya salib besar di atas gereja berkenaan? Rupanya Tok Guru perasan yang salib di gereja berkenaan telah tiada. Tok Guru mengarahkan Dato Annuar supaya menyiasat jika salib itu diturunkan atas arahan mana-mana pihak samada PBT atau kerajaan negeri, maka ianya mesti dinaikkan kembali. Setelah disiasat didapati bahawa pihak gereja yang menurunkannya untuk kerja-kerja pengubahsuaian…..
(It happens that one day, the CM of Kelantan, Tok Guru Nik Aziz found that a cross fronting th! e oldest church in Kelantan (Church of Our Lady Fatima) was missing. He immediately consulted Dato Annuar Tan (the state’s EXCO) on the cross’s disappearance. It is surprising that he noticed the cross was missing. Tok Guru instructed Dato’ Annuar to investigate if the cross was brought down upon instruction from local authority or state government, and if it is so then it must be reinstated. Upon investigation, it was found that it is the church authority which brought down the cross for some repair works…..)- Hu Pang Chow, Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong PAS
Ini hanyalah sebahagian daripada testimoni pihak ketiga berhubung layanan baik kerajaan PAS Kelantan kepada kaum dan agama lain di negeri yang penduduk Islamnya melebihi 95%. Ini belum kita berbicara mengenai bagaimana PAS membantu sekolah-sekolah Cina dan menyelesaikan masaalah hakmilik tanah mereka dan lain-lain lagi. Semua ini adalah contoh praktikal yang telah ditunjukkan oleh PAS dan bukan retorik semata. Saya bersetuju dengan saranan saudara Sagaladoola bahawa sudah tiba masanya rakyat Malaysia meneliti betul-betul parti PAS dan segala tawaran mereka kepada rakyat.Anak Bapa: Sejarah tidak akan menipu kita kerana faktanya tercatat jelas untuk dilihat semua. Peristiwa hitam 13 Mei umpamanya, memaparkan dengan jelas wajah sebenar PAS. Ketika peristiwa ini berlaku kebetulan PAS yang memerintah Kelantan. Di kala negeri-negeri yang diperintah UMNO berlaku pertumpahan darah sesama kaum, di Kelantan satu bulu roma kaum lain pun tidak disentuh oleh penduduknya majoriti Melayu Islam. Malah kerajaan PAS pada masa itu telah mengeluarkan arahan kepada penduduk Melayu Islam supaya melindungi kaum lain daripada sebarang ancaman dan bahaya. Ini satu hakikat yang tiada sesiapa boleh nafikan. Cuba kita ramai-ramai renungkan…..

BERSIH Memorandum to the
Parliament of Malaysia and All Its Members
11 December 2007



SAY NO TO THE “SAVE RASHID”
AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION






The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) urges the Parliament of Malaysia, which consists of His Majesty the Yang diPertuan Agong, Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara to reject the proposed bill to amend Article 114 of the Federal Constitution, which will effect in Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman’s extension as the Election Commission (EC) Chairperson up to one-and-a-half years.
BERSIH stresses that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid, whose service is continuously marred with recurring electoral frauds and manipulations, is not fit for the job and must go immediately. All parliamentarians must therefore vote against this Constitutional Amendment Bill so obviously being rushed through to keep him the job is an insult to both the Constitution and Parliament.
1. In principle, BERSIH has no objection to the extension of the retirement age from 65 to 66 years for all members of the EC. The removal of an EC is constitutionally stipulated to be done in the same manner as a Federal Court judge, whose retirement age has been increased from 65 to 66 years, such synchronization is not objectionable.
2. The Constitutional Bill, if passed through both chambers of the Parliament and consented by HM the Yang diPertuan Agong by this December 31, will however become a back-door extension for Tan Sri Abdul Rashid whose birthday falls on the same day. In other words, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has to retire if Article 114 of the Federal Constitution is not amended in time. On the other hand, if the amendment is passed, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid may stay on effectively till June 2009 with the conventional half-year extension after retirement. In other words, this will ensure that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid oversees the next elections.
3. The Constitutional Bill, hastily tabled for first reading in Dewan Rakyat on November 20, 2007 and scheduled for second reading on December 11, 2007, is therefore a “Save Rashid” Amendment. Such “Save Rashid” Amendment, by reducing the Federal Constitution to a tool to serve the interests of one individual especially one unfit for the job, is an insult and assault to constitutional democracy.
4. Article 114(2) stipulates “the importance of securing an Election Commission which enjoys public confidence”, which Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has clearly failed. Here is a non-exhaustive list of 10 failures and scandals in the electoral process under his service in and leadership of the EC:
4.1 The electoral rolls is contaminated with the names of the dead, non-citizens, multiple registrations and the under-aged, allowing election outcomes to be determined by phantoms rather than citizens. In 2001, Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang nullified the election result of Likas state constituency in Sabah on the grounds that the 1998 state electoral roll was illegal as phantom voters, including non-citizens, had cast their votes on polling day.
4.2 The government responded to the Likas verdict by changing the Election Act so that election outcome can no longer be challenged on the grounds of electoral roll validity. All EC wrongdoings are now protected. In a manner amounting to contempt of court, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid attacked Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang on December 4, 2007, alleging that the judge took it out on the government because he was 'frustrated with certain things'.
4.3 Voters are transferred from one constituency to another to secure victory for the ruling coalition. In October 2007, EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor blamed some assistant registration officers for cases that happened before 16 July, 2002. If found guilty under the Election Offences Act 1954, those officers shall be liable for imprisonment up to two years, fine up to RM 5,000 or both. However, no names have been disclosed and no police reports lodged.
4.4 Such transfer or implantation of voters continues to happen after 2002. The latest case is the increase of 8,463 voters within three months at Ipoh Barat constituency which the Parliamentary Opposition Leader Mr Lim Kit Siang won with a margin of 9,774 votes in 2004.
4.5 The extent of irregularities and fraudulent registrations, seen particularly in the Ijok by-election on 28 April 2007, is shocking:
· Over 50 dead voters were still on the electoral roll and 12 of them, all of them Malays from the Jaya Setia polling district, rose up from their graves to cast their votes on polling day.
· Three Chinese voters at Pekan Ijok had their votes stolen by impostors, who had turned up earlier at the polling station.
· As many as 23 voters were registered without national identity cards.
· As many as 32 voters aged between 100 and 132 years old were still listed on the electoral rolls.
4.6 In the 2004 general elections, the use of three different versions of the electoral roll led to a breakdown and chaos in polling in at least 17 parliamentary constituencies in Selangor and three in Kuala Lumpur. EC then ordered an illegal extension of polling for two extra hours in some of these constituencies. No EC officers have been prosecuted or penalized for the chaos.
4.7 Also in the 2004 general elections, provisional results showed that 98% of the registered voters collected parliamentary ballots in Kuala Terengganu, but 10,254 ballots were not returned. Tan Sri Abdul Rashid offered an absurd explanation that KT voters had the hobby of collecting ballot papers. The final result published on the Gazette saw the reduction of turnout rate to 84% and the missing ballots to 240, with no explanation offered for this changes.
4.8 For years, elections have seen high number of missing ballots in many constituencies. Top on the list for four elections from 1990 and 2004 was the Lumut constituency, which saw the extent of unreturned ballots soaring from 2,763 in 1982 to 8,176 in 1999. Had these missing ballots found their ways to polling stations in other constituencies, they would have overturned outcomes in many marginal seats. Blaming it on the weakness of postal voting registration, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has failed to end this phenomenon so damaging to the credibility of the EC and electoral process.
4.9 Mal-apportionment and gerrymandering of constituencies have gone from bad to worse with the 2002 constituency re-delineation exercise. In 2004, BN won an unprecedented 91% parliamentary majority with a mere 64% popular votes. This effectively means that one vote for BN was equivalent for 3 votes for DAP, 8 votes for PAS and 26 votes for Keadilan. Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has made a mockery of the “one person, one vote” principle.
4.10 Ultimately, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid is unfit to chair the EC for he lacks the most fundamental quality: the moral courage and the commitment to act independently, guided only by the Constitution and the best interest of Malaysia’s democracy.
In 2003, he conceded that EC’s ability to carry out its task independently has been hampered by the government. In November 2007, he indirectly admitted that the election date was set by the Prime Minister. On December 8, 2007, he inappropriately said that the ruling coalition is the only regime capable of running the country.

5. On the grounds that Tan Sri Abdul Rashid is unfit to chair EC and his retirement on this December 31 in the best interest of the nation, BERSIH urges all parliamentarians to vote against the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IL12Ae01.htmlMalaysia's crackdown on dissent widensBy Anil NettoPENANG - The administration of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, rattled in recent months by a series of street protests, launched on Sunday another tough crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in which at least 23 human-rights lawyers, activists and opposition politicians were arrested.The Malaysian Bar Council planned its annual walk for human rights in downtown Kuala Lumpur, which some predicted could have seen a turnout similar to an earlier march held in theadministrative capital of Putrajaya in September where some 2,000 people participated.But the council backed down in the face of warnings from the authorities that stern action would be taken against those involved in public demonstrations. Its "Festival of Rights" celebrations were then moved to its premises in Kuala Lumpur. A group of prominent human- rights lawyers and several dozen activists and supporters, however, decided to press ahead with the march. Observers said police outnumbered the marchers by a ratio of around five-to-one.Eight demonstrators were arrested after they tried to negotiate an extension of the short time that police had granted them to complete their march on the planned route. They were charged in court Monday with participating in an "illegal assembly" and failing to disperse when ordered. They were later released on bail, but the offenses carry possible fines and jail terms of 30 months."If the choice is between public safety and public freedom, I do not hesitate to say here that public safety will always win," said Prime Minister Abdullah, according to media reports. "Malaysians must never, ever, take their peace for granted and they must continue to be responsible to each other."Rights groups, for their part, slammed the arrests. "We are appalled that even a small gathering of marchers to a nearby destination in an orderly manner without obstructing the traffic or causing any chaos to the public cannot be allowed or tolerated by this oppressive regime," said P Ramakrishnan, president of the social reform group Aliran."If this little act of a democratic principle cannot be exercised in a responsible manner, can we pretend to be a democratic country any longer?"Police also detained Edmund Bon, head of the Bar Council human-rights committee, for allegedly trying to obstruct security personnel from removing publicity banners placed on the Bar Council's buildings. A Malaysian Bar official said that the banners were clearly within the Bar's premises. Bon was released on bail Monday.On Sunday evening, two prominent opposition politicians, Tian Chua and Mohamad Sabu, along with 12 activists, were also arrested for their involvement in another gathering the authorities considered an "illegal assembly". Most of them were crowd control marshals from the opposition Parti Islam Malaysia (PAS) who had participated in a November 10 rally in the capital which called for electoral reforms.The rally was organized by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), an initiative spearheaded by civil society groups and backed by a number of opposition parties. PAS marshals were widely credited for ensuring a peaceful and orderly rally attended by some 50,000 people, mostly ethnic Malays, though other ethnic groups also participated. Police, however, used tear gas and water cannons on sections of the crowd in a bid to disperse them.The BERSIH rally was followed by another large protest on November 25, when an estimated 30,000 ethnic Indians from across the country converged in Kuala Lumpur to highlight what they perceived to be systematic ethnic marginalization and religious discrimination by the government.The rally was spearheaded by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) and led by a small group of vocal ethnic Indian Malaysian lawyers. Last week a group of 31 HINDRAF protesters were slapped with the charge of "attempted murder" of a policeman during the November 25 rally, while 16 of them were also charged with taking part in an illegal assembly.In the eastern state of Trenggganu, two PAS members have been charged with causing injury to a police officer during another rally in September which similarly called for electoral reforms. Both opposition party members have been denied bail.Still, the string of arrests have not deterred another small group of five lawyers and opposition politicians from marching in Kuching, East Malaysia on Monday morning in a symbolic gesture to mark Human Rights Day, reported the independent news portal Malaysiakini.Some analysts believe that the widening gap between rich and the poor in Malaysia is fueling the growing number of protests. They point out that neo-liberal economic and privatization policies, cuts in subsidies for essential services, and rising fuel and food prices have burdened the poor.Indeed, most of those attending the recent large BERSIH and HINDRAF protests appeared to be from lower income groups. "The underlying causes [of the protests] are economic," said prominent economist Subramaniam Pillay. "There is a widening income disparity between unskilled and semi-skilled workers on the one hand, and skilled workers and connected people on the other."He added that the incomes of unskilled and semi-skilled workers had been depressed by cheap foreign labor. Subramaniam is also chairperson of the steering committee of the civil society Coalition Against Health Care Privatization. The Coalition today received the 2007 Malaysian human rights award from the Kuala Lumpur-based rights group Suaram for its campaign.The mass arrests and trials of demonstrators in court are worryingly reminiscent of the mass trials during the so-called Reformasi streets protests of 1998-2001, when dozens were hauled to court to face charges of illegal assembly. Some believe that the protracted trials of that period, including of former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, served two purposes: they sapped the energy of the Reformasi demonstrators by dragging them through the court system, while the trials also deterred others from taking part in more protests.Unlike his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister Abdullah has not yet used the draconian Internal Security Act against those mobilizing the demonstrators - though he has not discounted the possibility. Abdullah, whose reform agenda to stamp out corruption and abuse of power has floundered, now faces a ground swell of popular disenchantment which has spilled onto the streets.The year-end season of discontent could force him to delay plans for calling an early snap general election, which is due at the latest by early 2009. Instead, prominent opposition politicians believe the embattled premier is on the brink of ordering a major crackdown against dissent.(Inter Press Service with editing by Asia Times Online)

Hindraf: Anwar ingatkan jangan terpedaya dengan taktik Umno
Wan Nordin Wan Yaacob Wed Dec 05, 07 3:07:13 pm MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Dis (Hrkh) - Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KeADILan), Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyatakan beliau tidak bersetuju dengan kenyataan agresif Badan Bertindak Hak Hindu (Hindraf), tetapi dalam masa yang sama menggesa kerajaan BN segera mengatasi masalah peminggiran golongan tertindas.
Ada beberapa pihak menyuarakan ketidaksenangan mereka terhadap kenyataan Perdana Menteri India, Manmohan Singh yang meluahkan keprihatinan beliau terhadap penindasan masyarakat India di Malaysia, katanya.
"Sewaktu di Mumbai, saya nyatakan penghargaan kepada Perdana Menteri India yang prihatin terhadap kegelisahan masyarakat India di Malaysia tetapi juga melahirkan harapan agar beliau menekankan isu hak asasi seluruh rakyat Malaysia," kata Anwar dalam blognya.
Menurut Anwar, akhbar Daily News & Analysis India jelas merakam kenyataan beliau, bahawa masyarakat Cina dan juga Melayu ditindas.
"Saya juga tegas menyatakan saya tidak bersetuju dengan kenyataan agresif HINDRAF, tetapi masalah peminggiran golongan tertindas harus ditangani segera," kata Anwar.
Anwar juga melahirkan rasa kecewanya dengan asakan yang dilakukan oleh media arus perdana berhubung kenyataan Anwar dalam isu Hindraf.
Katanya, begitu hebat sekali asakan media arus perdana ke atas beliau dan pembangkang lainnya.
Tetapi dalam masa yang sama, ruang untuk pembangkang dibisukan, dankenyataan diputarbelit untuk memuaskan nafsu pemerintah, kata Anwar.
Anwar berkata, beliau menyokong hak mereka menyuarakan bantahan secara aman.
Anwar juga berpendirian, isu komuniti India miskin dan terpinggir perlu ditangani bersama Melayu dan lain-lain kaum.
Tetapi kata Anwar secara jelas, sanggahan mereka (Hindraf) terhadap Agama Islam dan Artikel 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan ditolak.
"Janganlah mudah kita terperangkap dengan taktik Umno dan media mereka," kata Anwar
"Sudah sampai masanya media arus perdana digasak," kata Anwar yang mahu semua pihak termasuk yang mempertikai kenyataannya mengenai Hindraf merujuk semula kenyataan asalnya itu.
Anwar telah mengeluarkan dua kenyataan sebelum dan selepas himpunan Hindraf. Ikuti dua kenyataan penuh beliau itu di bawah:
1. 21 Nov - Benarkan Himpunan 25 November
Kerajaan Malaysia dan Polis Diraja Malaysia sewajarnya menyegerakan kelulusan permit membenarkan Hindraf menganjurkan perhimpunan sebagaimana dirancangan pada 25 November 2007.
Ini aadalah merupakan hak demokratik bagi seluruh rakyat Malaysia untuk menyatakan pendapat dan hak mereka secara aman.
Sebagaimana yang berlaku dalam perhimpunan BERSIH sebelum ini, sekiranya pihak polis sedia memberikan kerjasama, keselamatan dan perjalanan apa sahaja perhimpunan boleh terjamin.
Sebagai individu yang percaya akan prinsip keadilan untuk semua, saya tidak mempertikai hak menganjurkan perhimpunan aman tersebut.
Komuniti India telah sekian lama menderita dan adalah penting pada waktu ini untuk menghentikan segala bentuk penindasan senyap dan jurang kemiskinan semua bangsa.
Saya berharap agar perhimpunan ini akan mencapai matlamatnya untuk menjamin hak komuniti India sebagai rakyat Malaysia, dan adalah menjadi hak mereka untuk mendapatkan upaya sara hidup dan kualiti kehidupan seharian komuniti India seluruh Malaysia.
Saya kekal menyatakan pendirian saya untuk menuntut keadilan dan kesaksamaan seluruh rakyat Malaysia.
Kita perlu mengiktiraf pengorbanan rakan-rakan komuniti India seluruhnya yang telah berkhidmat kepada negara dengan jujur dan penuh dedikasi dalam pelbagai bidang.
2. 22 Nov - Himpunan Hindraf: Tumpu Pada Kelemahan Dasar BN
Saya menyokong hak Hindraf untuk berhimpun secara aman dan ingin mengulangi rayuan saya kepada Polis DiRaja Malaysia untuk memberikan permit agar perhimpunan mereka dapat berlangsung pada 25 November 2007.
Hak untuk berhimpun secara aman telah termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia dan Perhimpunan Aman Bersih telah membuktikan bahawa rakyat Malaysia dapat bertindak secara bertanggungjawab sesuai dengan amalan masyarakat madani.
Tetapi saya saya menyeru kepada Hindraf agar mereka mengambil pendekatan yang lebih sederhana dan bertanggungjawab di dalam menyuarakan ketidakpuashatian mereka, khususnya di dalam soal Perlembagaan, khususnya Perkara 153.
HINDRAF sepatutnya menumpukan perhatian mereka kepada kerajaan BN yang bertanggungjawab di atas salahguna kuasa yang telah menindas kaum India yang miskin, dan juga pada masa yang sama gagal menyelesaikan masalah semua rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum, warna kulit ataupun agama.
Gerakan Hindraf menggambarkan masalah asas yang terus menular di negara kita dan membakar api perkauman yang hanya mengeruhkan lagi ketegangan kaum dan permusuhan sesama rakyat Malaysia.
Rakyat Malaysia terus komited untuk melaksanakan pembaharuan di negara ini mesti sedar bahawa pembangkang yang berwibawa adalah penting untuk Malaysia dan masanya telah tiba untuk menyokong pembangkang.
Parti-parti yang menyokong Reformasi mesti bekerjasama secara efektif, dan menekankan isu-isu bersama, terus bekerjsama dan mengelakkan menyalahkan kaum lain untuk masalah mereka.
Apabila kita berpecah, suara kita lemah. Tetapi bersatu, kita boleh hidup secara rukun dan aman damai di negara yang boleh kita banggakan bersama. -->

MB Kedah minta penghulu bekerja secara profesional bukan ikut arahan JKKK

ALOR SETAR,31 Mac (Hrkh)- Menteri Besar Kedah, Ustaz Azizan Abdul Razak menyeru para penghulu di negeri ini menjalankan tugas mereka secara profesional tanpa memikirkan fahaman politik walaupun Kedah kini diterajui oleh PAS.
Katanya, selaku pegawai kerajaan negeri yang lebih hampir dengan rakyat, para penghulu diminta tidak bekerja untuk ahli politik tetapi bekerja dengan untuk rakyat.
"Tuan-tuan jangan takut dan bimbang dengan kerajaan negeri yang baru walaupun berbeza parti politik. Itu hak masing-masing yang telah ditetapkan mengikut perlembagaan negara.
"Yang pentingnya kita berusaha untuk memantapkan pentadbiran, kita bekerja sebagai pegawai kerajaan negeri mengikut profesionalisme masing-masing. Kerjasama dengan kerajaan bukan dengan saya," katanya.
Justeru katanya, kerajaan negeri akan memperkasakan tugas penghulu yang kini dilihat agak terkebelakang berbanding peranan Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK).
"Dulu JKKK berperanan menolong penghulu tetapi akhirnya penghulu lepas ke tepi. JKKK dari lantikan politik ini nampaknya lebih berkuasa dari penghulu.
"Jadi kita akan memperkasakan semula para penghulu dan adakan dikembalikan semula peranan mereka ke landasannya," ujarnya dalam majlis pertemuan dengan para penghulu seluruh negeri Kedah.
Terdahulu, dalam ucapan aluannya, Pengerusi Persatuan Penghulu dan Penggawa Malaysia Cawangan Kedah, Md Fuad Zainol Abidin menyatakan sokongan para penghulu kepada pimpinan kerajaan negeri yang baru.
"Kami berharap agar kerjasama yang erat diteruskan antara YAB Menteri Besar dengan para penghulu untuk menjadikan negeri Kedah lebih sejahtera," katanya.
Majlis perjumpaan dengan penghulu dari seluruh negeri Kedah ini diadakan di Seri Mentaloon, kediaman rasmi Menteri Besar dekat sini semalam.
Ustaz Azizan yang ditemui pemberita kemudiannya menyokong kenyataan bekas Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Mahdzir Khalid agar JKKK meletakkan jawatan dengan segera.
"Kita bukan nak pecat mereka, tapi kalau mereka tak mahu terima jawatan, kita boleh lantik JKKK baru dan senang kita nak terus buat kerja" katanya.

Pilihan raya, demokrasi Denmark bagaikan pesta

Pilihan raya, demokrasi Denmark bagaikan pesta
Nov 16, 07

Saya adalah salah seorang rakyat Malaysia yang bekerja di Denmark. Tujuan saya bukan berniat menyinggung mana-mana pihak tetapi mahu berkongsi dengan rakan-rakan di tanahair bagaimana sebuah negara bukan Islam menjalankan proses pilihan raya secara demokrastik. Pada 13 Nov 2007 yang lepas ialah Pilihan Raya Umum Denmark.
Setelah Perdana Menteri membubarkan Parlimen pada 2! 4 Oktober 2007, bermakna itulah tarikh terakhir untuk rakyat Denmark menukar "kommune" atau pusat komuniti. Buat pengetahuan semua, adalah kewajipan setiap rakyat berdaftar dengan pusat komuniti, mereka tidak boleh sewenang-wenangnya menukar pusat komuniti melainkan berpindah rumah. Setiap perpindahan hendaklah disertakan surat perjanjian sewa/beli rumah.
Setiap rakyat berumur 18 tahun secara automatik layak mengundi di bawah kawasan pusat komuniti mereka dan semua pengundi akan menerima kad mengundi yang dihantar oleh pusat komuniti mereka. Kad mengundi adalah wajib dibawa sebagai bukti mereka adalah pengundi yang sah di kawasannya.
Jentera parti diberi kebebasan untuk berkempen melalui TV, radio, akhbar, iklan, internet dan lain-lain media massa.
Semua parti diberi kebebasan untuk menganjurkan debat secara terbuka atau siaran langung.
Dua minggu sebelum pilihan raya, bakal-bakal perdana menteri diberi peluang berdebat secara langsung di TV membincangkan isu dan topik kempen mereka.
Dua hari sebelum pilihan raya, semua ketua parti mesti menghadiri forum membincangkan isu kempen secara live di TV. Masing-masing diberi peluang melontarkan soalan kepada parti lawan, tapi mereka bagaikan profesional, gelak ketawa dan emosi masing-masing terkawal sepanjang forum itu.
Pilihan raya bermula jam 6 pagi hingga 8 malam, suasana sunyi macam tiada apa yang berlaku. Dewan Gymnasium sekolah, berdinding kaca lut sinar dijadikan pusat membuang undi.
Di pusat membuang undi pulu, ia bagaikan satu pesta, setiap orang datang membuang undi tanpa rasa takut.
Anak kecil, kanak-kanak boleh dibawa masuk ke tempat membuang undi, bahkan ada yang meminta anak kecilnya memasukkan kertas undi.
Tiada seorang polis pun menjaga dewan undi mereka.
Tiada undi pos, polis tentera dan semua yang terlibat dengan pilihan raya mengundi macam biasa.
Alangkan sedihnya bila difikirkan, sebuah kerajan bukan Islam boleh telus dalam menjalankan pilihan raya demokrasi.

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