TEMERLOH, 28 Ogos 2007 (Hrkh) -* Timbalan Presiden PAS, Ustaz Nasharudin
Mat Isa yakin PAS mampu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai negara kebajikan
sekiranya PAS diberi mandat untuk memerintah.

Menurutnya , Malaysia mempunyai sumber ekonomi yang banyak seperti minyak,
gas dan sebagainya tetapi kekayaan tersebut tidak dimanfaatkan untuk
kebajikan rakyat sebaliknya diguna untuk tujuan lain.

Beliau berkata, sungguhpun Petronas untung berbilion ringgit setahun
tetapi keuntungan itu dibelanja kepada projek yang tidak memberi faedah
secara langsung kepada golongan miskin seperti membina gelanggang lumba
kereta dan menganjurkan perlumbaan kereta dunia Formula 1, menaja
rombongan ekspedisi keluar negara dan sebagainya.

Katanya, PAS akan memasukkan isu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai negara
kebajikan ini di dalam manifesto pilihan raya umum ke-12 yang sedang
dirangka. Ia akan ditawarkan kepada rakyat dalam pilihan umum akan datang.

Beliau berkata, hasil minyak yang banyak itu mampu memberi kebajikan
kepada rakyat termasuk memberi pendidikan percuma. "Hasil minyak petronas
yang banyak itu mampu memberi kebajikan kepada rakyat malah menurut satu
kajian jika Petronas membayar zakat ia mampu menampung kos pembelajaran
untuk semua pelajar di negara ini, ertinya rakyat akan mendapat
pendidikan percuma,"ujarnya ketika berucap sempena lawatan kerja beliau
ke Pahang baru-baru ini.

Jelas beliau lagi, jika berkuasa PAS akan mewujudkan 'Tabung Pendidikan'
khusus yang akan menyediakan biasiswa bukan pinjaman kepada pelajar. -
mks.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Fifty years on, race, religion still haunt Malaysia

(Reuters) - A six-minute rap video on YouTube that mocked Malaysia's
national anthem and enraged its majority ethnic Malay community has
reopened old racial wounds as the country prepares to celebrate its
50th anniversary.

Politically dominant Malays want the singer, a 24-year-old Malaysian
Chinese student living in Taiwan, to be jailed or even stripped of
his citizenship for the controversial video, which they say insulted
the Malays and Islam.

Chinese say the singer, whose lyrics implied Malays were laid-back
and Chinese worked hard, was merely restating a fact.

As Malaysia marks 50 years of independence from British rule this
week, the nation remains a split personality -- exposing worrisome
racial and religious divides, and stoking fears of more tension ahead
of an anticipated early general election.

There are still three separate stripes of Malaysians -- Malays,
Chinese and Indians -- and racial tensions rumble under the fun-
loving surface of this relatively prosperous developing nation.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult for the people of various
ethnic groups to participate in a common activity," said prominent
historian Khoo Kay Kim.

"It covers every aspect of life now, even sports. It never used to be
so sharp."

Race and religion are touchy issues in multi-racial Malaysia, where
Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of a population of roughly 26
million. Hindus, Buddhists and Christians dominate among the Indian
and Chinese minorities.

Many non-Muslims are also upset the authorities and the courts are
allowing their rights, including freedom of religion, to be trampled
by the Muslim majority.

MALAYSIA TRULY ASIA?

Dubbed the "melting pot" of Asia for its potpourri of cultures,
Malaysia has long been held up as a model of peaceful co-existence
among its races and religions.

That may no longer hold true.

"Views of increasing intolerance and religious polarisation have
negatively impacted how Malaysia has been perceived," said Bridget
Welsh, a political scientist at John Hopkins University.

"Malaysia has benefited from a largesse of resources, which, if
depleted, will lead to greater racial tensions," said Welsh, a
specialist on Malaysia.

Malaysia's economy, which relied heavily on rubber and tin during
British colonial rule, has since been transformed into one based on
manufacturing and services, and is now the region's biggest after
Indonesia and Singapore.

But while it has made progress on the economic front, race and inter-
faith relations are lagging and efforts to mesh the races into a
single Malaysian identity are far from reality.

The reasons for that are deep-rooted.

Malaysia's political, education and economic structures, as well as
faith, continue to be entrenched along racial lines.

Malaysia has been ruled since independence in 1957 by the Barisan
Nasional, a coalition of 14 race-based parties.

An affirmative action plan, the New Economic Policy (NEP), which
favours the economically backward Malays and introduced following
bloody race riots in 1969, remains in place despite long-standing
resentment from non-Malays.

The education system remains fragmented. Chinese parents prefer to
send their children to Chinese schools, rather than the mainstream
"national" schools to which Malays go.

The polarisation continues into universities and even in the
workplace, where the different races hardly mix with one another.

A recent survey on race relations found that 34 percent of those
polled had never had a meal with citizens of other races.

Much of the blame lies with the political system.

"The powers that be in Malaysia survive on the paradox of keeping
inter-ethnic peace and being champions of their race at one and the
same time," said Ooi Kee Beng, an analyst at the Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

"It is that balance that they keep, and in the process, Malaysia does
not develop where racial integration and understanding are
concerned," he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, widely expected to
call a general election within months, tried to soothe the growing
resentment among non-Malays when he promised last week that he would
be fair to all races.

"I have been fair. I want to be fair and I will always be fair,
that's my promise," he told a meeting of the Malaysian Chinese
Association, the nation's second biggest political party.

But his critics are not impressed.

"Abdullah will only convince Malaysians that his policies will be
fair and equitable to all communities by ending the NEP and open up
government procurement to all Malaysian contractors," said opposition
politician Lim Guan Eng.

Not surprisingly, Internet chatrooms are abuzz with racially charged
debate following the YouTube posting.

"Why, after 50 years of independence are there still these old
arguments between Malaysians?" one wrote.

"Why do some Malaysians still remain so immature, using the same old
stuff, bashing each other?"

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Untouchables Of The Klang Valley
24 August 2007 |

If you're someone who Pak Lah says is a good wakil rakyat, you can
expect to receive this sort of treatment:

All 37 charges against controversial Port Klang assemblyman Datuk
Zakaria Md Deros and five of his business partners instituted by the
Companies Commission (CC) have been withdrawn.

... Mozni Sham Ahmad and Joseph R. Samuel who appeared for Zakaria, his
partners and the two companies said the charges were withdrawn because
the "outstanding problems had been settled".

Companies Commission's prosecutor Azmil Haron told magistrate Fadzilatul
Isma Ahmad Refngah that he had been instructed to withdraw the charges
against the two companies and its directors. [The Star]

Semua boleh settle, innit? What can I say except, Hidup Pak Lah!

SPEAKING OF Port Klang, you caught the New Straits Times' front page
today - Govt throws lifeline to Port Klang Free Zone?

All I want to highlight here is this - remember the mug shots I put up
in that other post?

Some of you asked who they were. Ok. Turn to Page 4 of the New Straits
Times today. See the graphic, "Cost of Port Klang Free Zone", and read
the Note, which says:

Port Klang Authority bought land from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd at RM25 per
sq ft. Kuala Dimensi bought the land at RM3 per sq ft.

Who sold the land to Kuala Dimensi?

It was Syarikat Koperasi Nelayan Melayu Pulau Indah Sdn Bhd. The
cooperative's chairman at the time was Onn Ismail.

He is currently the Umno permanent chairman, Selangor State Assembly
speaker, as well as Kapar Umno permanent chairman. Abang Zek up there is
one of his machais.

The chairman of Kuala Dimensi is Azim Zabidi, who is currently Umno
treasurer, as well as chairman of Bank Simpanan Nasional and Bukit
Bintang Umno chief.

He is also the chairman of various other corporate concerns. Such a
talented man, he is.

The deputy CEO of public listed Wijaya Baru Global Bhd, which owns
Kuala Dimensi, is Faizal Abdullah.

He is Kapar Umno youth chief and Selangor Umno deputy youth chief, as
well as son-in-law of Onn Ismail.

Faizal resigned from the Majlis Perbandaran Klang after he was found to
have constructed his house without the proper approvals, just like Abang
Zek.

This is what he said then:

"I will take the punishment but will still like to serve the party and
the people in the future."

"Let this be an important lesson for me to be more responsible when
carrying out the mandate given by the party and the people," he added.

... "It shows the importance of the need to respect the law especially
now that the people have become more aware." [The Star]

The land agreement between Port Klang Authority and Kuala Dimensi was
drafted by Rashid Asari & Co.

The firm is headed by Abdul Rashid Asari, who is Kapar Umno vice-chief,
and member of Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam.

So there you go.

As I have said before, Malaysians are very generous.

People rob our country and what do we do? We give them more money.

And worst, after that, we let them go, just like that.

Because if I were a betting man, I would bet my mother, my father, my
wife and my children that these people will still be in positions of
power, authority and influence after the next general election.

Nothing changes if we Malaysians do not change things. MERDEKA!

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Lessons in Logic

If your father is a poor man,
it is your fate but,
if your father-in-law is a poor man,
it's your stupidity.

I was born intelligent -
education ruined me.

........................................................................

Practice makes perfect.....
But nobody's perfect......
so why practice?

.......................................................................

If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are the others here for?

........................................................................

Since light travels faster than sound,
people appear bright until you hear them speak.

........................................................................

How come "abbreviated" is such a long word?

........................................................................

Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.

........................................................................

One should love animals.
They are so tasty.

........................................................................

Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.

.......................................................................

Every man should marry.
After all, happiness is not the only thing in
life.

........................................................................

The wise never marry.
and when they marry they become otherwise.

........................................................................

Success is a relative term.
It brings so many relatives.

........................................................................

Never put off the work till tomorrow
what you can put off today.

........................................................................

"Your future depends on your dreams"
So go to sleep

........................................................................

There should be a better way to start a day
Than waking up every morning

........................................................................

"Hard work never killed anybody"
But why take the risk

........................................................................

"Work fascinates me"
I can look at it for hours

........................................................................

God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.

........................................................................

The more you learn, the more you know,
The more you know, the more you forget
The more you forget, the less you know
So.. why learn.

........................................................................

A bus station is where a bus stops.

A train station is where a train stops.

On my desk, I have a work station....
what more can I say........

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Ke Arah Menjadi Bapa Mithali

Rahsia jadi ayah yang berkesan

BEBERAPA kajian menunjukkan bahawa kehadiran ayah menyumbang
terhadap kejayaan anak dalam setiap fasa kehidupan mereka. Kajian
itu disimpulkan dalam Father Facts, Edisi Ketiga (1998), antaranya:

Bayi yang mempunyai ayah yang selalu bersama-sama anaknya di lapan
minggu pertama, lebih berkemampuan menangani tekanan di alam
persekolahan.

Anak yang rapat dengan ayahnya pada zaman kanak-kanak menjadi ejen
`penyelesai masalah' yang baik apabila dewasa berbanding kanak-
kanak yang tidak dipedulikan oleh ayahnya.

Apabila anak lelaki dan perempuan dididik dan dibelai oleh ayahnya
serta sentiasa di sampingnya, sikap mereka apabila dewasa menjadi
lebih berinisiatif dan mampu mengawal diri.

Kanak-kanak yang mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan ayahnya ketika
zaman tumbesarannya akan menjadi seorang remaja dan orang dewasa
yang seimbang.

Anak yang tidak berbapa.

Kajian menunjukkan kekosongan daripada belaian kasih ayah mempunyai
hubungan rapat dengan pelbagai permasalahan gejala sosial dan
prestasi pembelajaran
anak-anak. Anak yang tidak tinggal dengan ayahnya menunjukkan gejala
seperti di bawah:

- Lima kali lebih teruk prestasi pembelajaran.

- Tiga kali lebih ramai yang mengandung tanpa nikah.

- Lebih 50 peratus kemungkinan keciciran dalam pembelajaran, terbabit
dengan gangsterism, penyalahgunaan dadah dan jenayah juvana.

(Sumber: Pusat Kebapaan Kebangsaan)

Tujuh rahsia menjadi ayah yang berkesan.

Ramai lelaki terbilang berjaya dan berbangga kerana menjadi seorang
ayah cemerlang dan berkesan. Menurut kajian Dr Ken Canfield,
pengasas dan juga Presiden Pusat Kebapaan Kebangsaan dalam
penyelidikannya mengenai `kebapaan' ada tujuh rahsia menjadi ayah
yang berkesan:-

Bapa yang komited dan bertanggungjawab.

* Jalankan tugas bapa dengan penuh dedikasi dan bertanggungjawab.
* Kenal pasti apakah tugas anda sebagai bapa dalam rumah tangga.
* Tunjukkan dan beritahu anak bahawa anda juga ada tugas dalam rumah
tangga, disamping ibu mereka.

Anda bukan hanya bertugas di luar.

Sekali-sekala berikan mereka peluang untuk mengutarakan pandangan
atau menegur anda jika terlupa atau terlalai melakukan tugas anda di
rumah.

Selalu memeriksa dan memantau apakah anda telah melaksanakan tugas
di rumah. Bayangkan `hadiah' atau `anugerah' yang bakal didapati
(sama ada di dunia
atau akhirat) jika anda menjadi ayah cemerlang!

Kenali anak anda.

* Ambil masa untuk mengenali secara khusus keunikan dan kualiti anak
anda.
* Libatkan diri dalam dunia mereka, hadiah yang mereka sukai,
ketakutan,
kekecewaan malah impian dan cita-cita mereka.
* Cuba ingatkan semua nama kawan mereka serta pembawaan masing
masing.

Kenal pasti apa yang selalu mengecewakan, ditakuti, dibenci, paling
memalukan serta yang boleh memberi motivasi dan perangsang kepada
mereka.

Istiqamah (tetap pendirian)

Apabila anak tahu apa yang bapa mahukan, mereka akan lebih berasa
yakin serta boleh menyesuaikannya dengan kehendak anda. Jadi,
istiqamah, tetap pendirian serta konsisten.

Ada enam tempat anda perlu konsisten iaitu hadkan perubahan mood
(jangan terlalu mengikuti perasaan); sentiasa ada di rumah (selalu
menghadirkan diri dalam acara kekeluargaan) ; kotakan apa yang
dikata, bukan cakap tidak serupa bikin; sentiasa menjaga moral dan
adab sopan; mempunyai atur cara kehidupan teratur serta ada hobi dan
kegemaran baik yang boleh dilihat dan diikuti.

Melindungi, menyara dan mendoakan.

Sediakan suasana dan rasa selamat dalam rumah dengan memberikan
respon yang positif setiap kali berlaku krisis dan permasalahan
dalam rumah. Paling penting anda memberikan saraan yang cukup kepada
mereka. Bapa tidak boleh menghalang berlakunya krisis, tetapi
tindakan anda ketika berlaku krisis dan mengembalikan suasana
normal, sebenarnya `mengajar' anak menangani krisis.

Jangan lupa doakan untuk anak selepas solat .

Mencintai ibu mereka.

Zahirkan cinta anda kepada isteri anda di depan anak untuk
menunjukkan satu hubungan suami isteri yang intim dan bermakna.
Jadikan diri anda sebagai
anggota dalam pasukan `keibubapaan' , bukan hanya ibu. Inilah langkah
dan hadiah terbaik untuk anak.

Dalam jangka panjang, anak mendapat manfaat yang sangat bernilai
daripada hubungan ibu bapa yang hormat menghormati, bekerjasama dan
berkasih sayang.

Menjadi pendengar yang baik

* Sedarlah bahawa anak mudah tersesat atau terpesong dalam arus
dunia.
* Dengar apa yang mereka katakan dan apa yang tidak terluahkan.
* Tunjukkan kepada mereka bahwa mereka `berhak' untuk didengari dan
diberi perhatian.

Jadikan diri anda `pemimpin' kerohanian.

* Beri peluang anak anda mengenali Allah dengan menunjukkan
`keimanan' dan amal harian anda yang selari dengan tuntutan agama.
* Bersolat bersama-sama dan jadi imam dalam solat lima waktu di
rumah.
* Bawalah mereka bersama-sama menunaikan solat berjemaah di masjid.
* Selalu bercerita mengenai makhluk yang dicintai Allah di bumi dan
langit.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Anwar: Raja Nazrin 'advocate extraordinaire'
Aug 9, 07 11:13am Malaysiakini

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim hailed the role of "advocate
extraordinaire of constitutional democracy" presently assayed by
Perak crown prince Raja Nazrin Shah in the often cacophonous national
debate over a slew of troubling questions.

"One of the foundation planks of the Malaysian polity is
constitutional monarchy," Anwar told malaysiakini.

"It is reassuring to find a voice from that often silent quarter
propound the merits of our founding documents like the Merdeka
Constitution," added the former deputy premier.

Anwar said Raja Nazrin's position as heir to the Perak throne, allied
to his standing as the son of a former head of the Malaysian
judiciary and his education at world-renowned wellsprings of rational
inquiry and discourse, all combined to give his public pronouncements
"pith and moment at a testing time for the Malaysian nation."

"He has become advocate extraodinaire of constitutional democracy at
a time when our democracy is being pulled every which way save the
direction it ought to: by the light of our founding documents, its
interpretation by our founding fathers, and by the settled
jurisprudence on salient aspects," he opined.

The Oxford-educated Raja Nazrin has recently used a series of high
profile public occasions where he was guest of honour to hold forth
in a tangential manner on a host of contentious issues that have been
the subject of often acrimonious public debate.

These pronouncements have been lauded by sections of the public as
reassuring expositions of stands taken by leaders who helped found
the Malaysian nation.

These stances, the nation's progenitors had contended, were based on
the postulates of the Merdeka Constitution.

New channel

Public perception of the meaning of these postulates has been
confounded by the pronouncements of present day political leaders
that are at odds with the ones held by the country's founding fathers.

This has further roiled the public debate on these matters.

"Amid the bellowing and screeching of recent months over
constitutional issues, Raja Nazrin's pronouncements have reassuringly
held the middle octaves,"Anwar said.

"His is the voice of recovered and refreshed memory amid the willful
- even diabolical confusion fomented by politicians who only seek to
pander to narrow constituencies."

Anwar hoped that Raja Nazrin would continue to speak out because
"adherents of the school of constitutional government in Malaysia
have been run ragged by the powers that be who are in stifling
control of the public space for healthy debate."

"His voice has opened up a new channel, one that is not easy to shut
because of the stature of its proponent and the non-partisan way his
expositions are couched.

"Raja Nazrin's role of advocate extraordinaire of constitutionalism
is a providential one for our troubled times," claimed Anwar.

"The forces for constitutional governance in Malaysia are fortunate
to enjoy his advocacy," he added.

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Sangkancil" group.
To post to this group, send email to sangkancil@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
sangkancil-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/sangkancil?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

----- End forwarded message -----

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Academicians reply to varsity's attack
Aug 9, 07 3:49pm Malaysiakini

Academics Dr Azly Rahman and his wife, Dr Mutiara Mohamad, ticked off
University Utara Malaysia (UUM) for resorting to personal attacks
when the main issue for their sacking was their refusal to sign the
loyalty pledge.

UUM in ahard-hitting press statement last Friday claimed that the
couple owed the university RM1.25 million in compensation and
suggested that their termination was not solely based on their
refusal to sign the pledge required from all academics.

"It was a tough decision for Mutiara and I to go public on the
'private' reasons," said Azly.

UUM said Azly, who is also a malaysiakini columnist, and his wife
were granted permission by the university to further their PhD
studies in Colombia University in the United States for three years
beginning from 1997.

All expenses, including their monthly salaries, were covered by UUM
during that period.

It said the couple had also asked for extensions on four occasions to
complete their studies, and this was granted with their monthly
salaries paid and their expenses financed by the university despite
being absent from duty.

Financial hardship

"The amount the university is claiming from us will take us perhaps
five lifetimes to settle. We shall leave the complexity of the issue
to our lawyers. It is a personal matter the public is perhaps not
interested in reading about," said Azly.
However, the academic said he had to respond to the university's
accusations and spell out the reasons behind their requests for study
extensions and then for a non-paid leave upon completion of their
studies.

This included the financial hardship the couple faced when the value
of the ringgit fell sharply as a result of the 1997 Asian financial
crisis during their PhD studies.

In addition, the couple had to take care of a loved one who had a
terminal illness which resulted in death, and that one of their
children had to undergo numerous specialist's visits after suffering
from loss of hearing,

Mutiara also faced years of debilitating medical condition which
culminated in a major surgery recently.

Dismissed and punished

"The public is interested in knowing that one can actually be
dismissed and lose everything by taking a stand against the letter of
the oath of loyalty (Akujanji), although one is already confirmed in
the job and although the Akujanji was a later addition to existing
rules/circular already in place.

"Had we been given the much-needed non-paid leave, we would by now
have already gone back to serve the university," said both husband
and wife, who are now teaching in United States.

"Had we been given the explanation and guarantees that the Akujanji
will not criminalise and victimise us as academics with a voice and a
stand to make, we would have signed it.

"Better still, had the letter not existed, the universities will not
be seeing a petition sent to the prime minister and currently
circulated to major Malaysian public universities to have it removed."

The duo reiterated that they were "dismissed, punished, and stripped
off of our life-long earned retirement benefits" because of their
opposition to Akujanji.

UUM had recently sent a legal notice to Azly demanding for a public
apology and to stop writing articles that tarnish UUM.

However, the academic has refused to do so.

"We hope the public will appreciate our explanation of the private
and public dimensions of the issue," said Azly and Mutiara.

"Let us now work on removing the repressive oath of loyalty, so that
no academician will be fired for refusing to sign it nor any student
will be suspended for asking questions in a public forum and so forth."

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Turunkan harga minyak, agih untung Petronas

KUALA LUMPUR,20 Ogos 2007 (Hrkh) - Jika menang pilihan raya umum akan
datang, Penasihat KeADILan Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim berjanji kepada
rakyat untuk
menurunkan harga minyak yang semakin membebankan serta menekan kos sara
hidup, di samping mengagihkan keuntungan Petronas untuk membasmi
kemiskinan.

Demi memastikan kemenangan tersebut, beliau menyarankan kepada seluruh
rakyat mengembleng tenaga dan bekerjasama bagi merealisasikan matlamat
tersebut.

"Apa yang perlu adalah semua bekerja keras untuk memastikan kemenangan
pada pilihanraya akan datang," katanya ketika berucap di Pahang baru-baru
ini.

"Sudah tentu, semua golongan tidak mengira Melayu, Cina dan India akan
mendapat manafaatnya untuk dikongsi bersama," jelasnya.

Menurut Suara KeADILan online, beliau sebelum itu turut menyentuh isu
kepentingan menggantikan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang jelas merugikan
semua
pihak serta menguntungkan kroni tertentu dan perlu digantikan dengan
Agenda
Ekonomi Nasional yang mempunyai dasar yang lebih adil dalam pengagihan
ekonomi negara kepada semua tanpa mengira latar belakang bangsa dan agama.

Beliau yang digandingkan dengan Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Pahang, Dato' Tuan
Ibrahim Tuan Man memberi ceramah di hadapan 5,000 orang hadirin di Jengka
4,
Pahang.

Anwar dalam ucapannya turut menyelar tindakan kerajaan pimpinan Abdullah
Badawi membeli jet VVIP baru bernilai RM400 juta menggunakan wang rakyat
sedangkan jet yang sedia ada masih boleh dipakai.

Beliau menegaskan berkali-kali dalam ucapannya bahawa rakyat sekarang
sudah
semakin pandai dan tidak tahan lagi dengan keburukan kerajaan UMNO/BN.

Dalam masa yang sama,Anwar membidas Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno Khairy yang
didakwanya menyalahguna kuasa untuk mengaut kekayaan dalam usia yang
begitu
muda.

Anwar dengan tegas mengumumkan akan memfailkan saman terhadap Khairy di
atas beberapa tindakan dan kenyataan yang dibuat Khairy terhadapnya.

Katanya, beliau mempunyai bukti yang mencukupi untuk menyaman Naib Ketua
Pemuda Umno itu.

Anwar dalam ucapannya turut menafikan kehadiran beliau dalam arena politik
tanah air adalah untuk merampas jawatan menteri dan sebagainya.

Menurut Anwar, beliau telah melalui kehidupan di dunia yang tidak pernah
dirasai oleh orang lain, dari layanan sebagai Pemangku Perdana Menteri
hinggalah kepada layanan seperti binatang, diaibkan dan di penjarakan
selama enam tahun dimana makanan pun dibaling kepadanya seperti memberi
makanan kepada binatang.

"Saya telah melalui kehidupan daripada kehidupan mewah sebagai pemangku
perdana menteri hinggalah kepada kehidupan hina di penjara," katanya yang
dipetik daripada Suara Keadilan online.-Az

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Mahathir 'meletup'
Harakahdaily, Aug 17, 2007

Walaupun perjumpaan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dengan Perdana Menteri di
Langkawi masih baru, dengan paparan gambar makan semeja dengan Timbalan
Perdana Menteri, semuanya itu tidak boleh dijadikan asas untuk berdamai,
semuanya sudah buntu, kecuali jika hanya Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
meninggalkan tampuk pemerintahan.

Ucapan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad di Putrajaya, kelmarin (15 Ogos) begitu
mengejutkan, nadanya amat keras, tiada tanda-tanda kesihatannya boleh
menghentikan ketegasannya menolak kepimpinan Umno yang ada sekarang.

Mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia mengajak seluruh rakyat Malaysia,
khususnya
orang-orang Umno memikirkan semula sokongan yang diberikan kepada
penggantinya Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Mahathir bukan sahaja menempelak Abdullah, bahkan beliau menggesa rakyat,
khususnya orang-orang Melayu dalam Umno untuk menolak kepimpinan orang
yang
dipilihnya menggantikan beliau empat tahun lalu kerana Malaysia sudah
diibaratkan sebagai 'rotten state'.

Pada majlis perjumpaan yang dianjurkan oleh pengendali laman web dan blog
di
Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana anjuran Majlis Prihatin Malaysia (PRIMA),
Mahathir sudah tidak boleh menutup kemarahannya yang membuak-buak terhadap
Abdullah.

Selepas 22 tahun menerajui Umno, empat tahun mewariskan kepada Abdullah,
Mahathir begitu kecewa dengan partinya sendiri.

Mahathir tidak segan mengulangi betapa kesetiaannya kepada Umno, tetapi
tidak boleh menyembunyikan betapa ahli-ahli Umno kini seolah-olahnya
manusia
yang tidak bermaruah dan tiada harga diri.

Dalam ucapannya Mahathir berulangkali mengungkit betapa maruah perwakilan
Umno Kubang Pasu, dalam pemilihan G7 tahun lalu, digadaikan dengan hanya
RM200 sahaja.

*Berdiri tiga jam membelasah Abdullah*

Bagi Mahathir, kepimpinan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bukan sahaja merosakkan
kerajaan, malah menghancurkan parti Umno kerana membenarkan rasuah
berleluasa dalam parti, menjadikan ahli partinya penakut seperti 'lembu
dicucuk hidung'.

Di sebalik mengalami beberapa serangan jantung, Mahathir begitu bertenaga
berdiri hampir tiga jam untuk berucap dan menjawa pelbagai persoalan yang
dibangkitkan para hadirin.

Jelas Mahathir tidak segan untuk menyifatkan orang Melayu bacul kerana
akan
mengundi Umno pada pilihan raya akan datang, walaupun parti itu akan
meletakkan 'tunggul' sebagai calon.

Mahathir menempelak Melayu dalam Umno yang disifatkan tiada pendirian,
tiada
jati diri dan tiada maruah.

"Saya kecewa dengan kaum saya…kalau letak tunggul kayu pun mereka akan
sokong kerana tunggul kayu itu tunggul Umno," katanya.

Mahathir mahu orang Melayu mencontohi kebijaksanaan kaum Cina yang tahu
menilai kewibawaan sesebuah parti dan melihat kredibiliti calon sebelum
mengundi.

Bekas Presiden Umno itu mendakwa ahli-ahli parti tersebut tidak mempunyai
pemikiran strategik ketika membuat keputusan dalam pilihan raya seperti
pengundi Cina.

Dengan nada kesal Mahathir berkata orang-orang Melayu khususnya ahli Umno
tetap akan memberikan undi kepada parti itu walaupun pemimpin parti itu
menjual agama, bangsa dan negara.

*Majlis Tertinggi Umno tidak berfungsi*

Menambah kekecewaannya yang tidak terubat itu, Mahathir dengan nada keras
mengkritik Majlis Tertinggi Umno kerana seolah-olahnya tidak berfungsi
lagi
sebagaimana MT pada zamannya menerajui Umno selama lebih 22 tahun.

Bukan sahaja ahli-ahli Umno yang 'bacul' malah anggota MT juga sama, tidak
berani menegur dan hanya menyerah tunduk kepada keputusan yang dibuat oleh
Presiden dengan dibantu oleh Timbalan Presiden.

"Sekarang kesetiaan kepada pemimpin (dirujuk kepada Abdullah lebih
daripada
setia kepada raja. Kalau tak sanggup menentang itulah nasib kita…kalau tak
berani menentang, kita akan jadi kuli di negara kita sendiri," katanya.

Di sebalik kecaman kerasnya kepada Abdullah, Mahathir pada masa yang sama
menafikan beliau menyebelahi pembangkang, tetapi setia dengan Umno untuk
memperjuangkan agama, bangsa dan negara.

"Saya menyebelahi parti Umno tidak bermakna saya menyebelahi pemimpin
parti.
Dulu saya lawan Tunku (Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra) sebab saya
sayang
Umno tapi akhirnya dia dengar dan berundur.

"Saya sebelahi parti (Umno) tetapi itu tidak bermakna saya menyebelahi
pemimpin parti (Abdullah)," ujar beliau.

*Isu-isu yang dibangkitkan dan diulangi Dr Mahathir*

Pada peringkat awal ucapannya, Mahathir dengan tegas mengkritik pelancaran
Koridor Utara yang dilancarkan Abdullah baru baru ini.

Beliau dengan tegas menyatakan kekesalannya, pada ketika zaman
pentadbirannya melancarkan projek sejumlah RM 2 billion yang dianggap mega
Mahathir menerima kritikan yang pedas.

Namun katanya, apabila Abdullah melancarkan projek jauh lebih mega
sehingga
berbelas billion, semua mendiamkan diri dan tidak berani menegur Abdullah.
Secara sinis Mahathir berkata, PM begitu rajin mengumumkan projek mega
untuk
pembangunan negara, "but nothing on the ground."

Begitu juga dengan Syarikat Berkait Kerajaan (GLC) sekarang itu tidak
wujud
untuk kepentingan rakyat jelata, malah ia disalahgunakan untuk
memperkayakan
individu tertentu dari kalangan keluarga, katanya.

Mahathir juga terus menempelak kerajaan khususnya dalam kelemahan
pengendalian penjualan MV Agusta dengan harga 1 Euro.

Malah Mahathir mendedahkan kemungkinan perundingan antara Proton dengan
Volkswagen juga akan merugikan negara apabila syarikat asing tersebut
dikatakan mahu membeli kepentingan 51 peratus dalam Proton hanya dengan
RM1
sahaja.

Jika benar, fenomena ini begitu memalukan. Apakah kerugian Proton yang
menjadi kebangaan rakyat begitu besar sehingga terpaksa digadaikan kepada
syarikat asing hanya dengan RM1?

Mahathir membuat pendedahan ini bukan sebagai rakyat biasa, beliau adalah
Penasihat Proton dan juga Penasihat Petronas yang dilantik secara rasmi
oleh
kerajaan.

"Well you know this country, this is not British Advisor, this is
Malaysian
Advisor," perlinya, merujuk kepada perlantikan yang menafikan sebarang
peranan kepada beliau.

Sepanjang ucapan dan soal jawab bersama beliau, Mahathir turut
membangkitkan
isu 'panas' yang didakwanya Abdullah begitu takut dan tunduk kepada
kehendak
Singapura antaranya, pembinaan jambatan, Kompleks CIQ, isu air, isu
penjualan pasir, isu wang rakyat Malaysia dalam Central Provident Fund
(CPF)
Singapura dan juga isu Pulau Batu Putih.

*Persepsi Mahathir terhadap Abdullah*

Kesimpulan, apa yang dipertegaskan Mahathir adalah mengenai kredibiliti
PM,
Abdullah tiada wibawa dan tidak mampu menerjui kerajaan.

Kepada satu soalan yang mempersalahkan Mahathir kerana melantik Abdullah
menjadi penggantinya, beliau tidak menafikan, dahulu beliau melihat
Abdullah
seorang yang baik, "...tapi hati orang mana kita nak tahu."

Secara jelas Mahathir mengulangi bahawa hasratnya untuk melihat Abdullah
sebagai PM hanya satu penggal sahaja dan selepas itu diberikan kepada
orang
lain.

Mahathir seolah-olahnya seperti gunung berapi yang sedang meletup dan
memuntahkan laharnya. Harapannya kepada Abdullah sudah musnah, negara
kelam
kabut, Umno sudah dihancurkan.

Kata Mahathir secara berseloroh, dulu daging tangannya luruh dicium
anak-anak buah dalam Umno, baru dua minggu melepaskan jawatan beliau
kehilangan sebahagian besar sahabatnya.

"La (sekarang) ni daging dah tumbuh balik dah, sebab tak dak sapa nak
cium,"
katanya sambil ketawa.

Apa pun yang diperkatakan, apa pun yang diucapkan Mahathir sebenarnya
adalah
manfestasi daripada kekecewaan yang amat sangat terhadap pengantinya yang
semakin lembab dan hampas.

Masalahnya bukan sahaja rakyat sudah terpesong. Sindrom mandom Umno yang
dibawa dan diwar warkan oleh media sudah meresapi ke benak rakyat.
Siapakah
lagi yang boleh diharap untuk memperbetulkan kemandoman ini?

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

No PM, we ARE a secular state: Karpal

No PM, we ARE a secular state: Karpal
Aug 6, 07 Malaysiakini

A veteran lawyer-politician has rebutted Prime Minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi's statement that Malaysia is neither a secular nor a
theocratic state.

"There is no doubt that Malaysia is a secular state," DAP chairperson
Karpal Singh said in a media statement in respond to the premier's
remarks.

According to Karpal, the views that Malaysia is a secular state were
of those from the former prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun
Hussein Onn.

"This was also the view of a five-man bench of the supreme court
which unanimously ruled as far back as Feb 29, 1988 as follows, 'we
have to set aside our personal feelings because the law in this
country is what it is today, secular law...'", added the opposition
politician.

Against constitution

Karpal also argued that the Federal Constitution - the supreme law of
the land - declared Malaysia as a secular state with Islam as the
official religion as provided under Article 3 (1).

"The framers of the constitution intended Malaysia to be a secular
state and not an Islamic state. Any person or authority which
publicly states that Malaysia is an Islamic and not a secular state
contradicts the provisions of Article 3(1)," he said.

Karpal also pointed out that Abdullah's stand on the matter was
contradictory with his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak who recently
declared that Malaysia has never been a secular state.

Abdullah's remark was reportedly made during a mass gathering held in
Penang over the weekend.

Although news reports did not state in what context Abdullah made the
stand, it was however clear that his remarks were made following his
deputy's 'declaration' that did not go down well among the non-Muslim
community.

Last Friday, one of the nine non-Muslim cabinet ministers, Bernard
Dompok became the first to break rank by stating that he disagreed
with the notion that Malaysia is an Islamic state.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

The Chinese dilemma Pt 1: Clash of the titans?

The Chinese dilemma Pt 1: Clash of the titans?
Sim Kwang Yang
Aug 4, 07 11:20am

SIM KWANG YANG was DAP MP for Bandar Kuching in Sarawak 1982-1995.
Since retiring in 1995, he has become a freelance writer in the
Chinese-language press, and taught philosophy in a local college for
three years. He is now working with an NGO in Kuala Lumpur, the Omnicron
Learning Circle, which is aimed at continuing learning for working adults
and
college students. Suggestions and feedback can reach him at:
kenyalang578@hotmail.com.

As the prospect of another general election intensifies, war drums
are rumbling on the horizon. Politics is best selling news these days.

To understand the nuances and under-currents in Chinese politics in
Malaysia, you really have to read the Chinese dailies, bearing in
mind the political ownership and the larger loyalty of these massive
media empires. For balance and antidote, you must then read the
alternative net portals, the www.merdekarview.com and the Chinese
version of www.malaysiakini.com.

The front page of the Oriental Daily on July 29 carried a front page
report that the MCA president Ong Ka Ting may (and may not) contest
in the Bukit Bintang constituency in the coming general election.
Like a bold move in a tight chess game, this gambit must have plucked
the heartstring of many-a-politician.

Since then, the Chinese press and the Internet have been flooded with
endless comments and analysis on this revelation. The front page
story has not been denied or confirmed by the MCA, although there is
no shortage of response from both sides of the political divide,
treating the suggestion as a kind of interesting possibility.

A prominent commentator and a known MCA member opined that the news
could have been leaked deliberately by the think-tank buried deep
within the inner sanctum of the MCA headquarters. It is a tactical
move targeted at testing public opinion on the issue, like throwing a
pebble into a placid still pool of water. It is also probably
designed to redirect public attention back to MCA offensive in their
media war with their arch nemesis, the DAP.

In recent weeks, DAP has been launching a series of media blitz,
announcing with great fanfare the entry of a number of bright young
and prominent citizens into their fold as possible party candidates
in the coming lection. Their latest prize is Jeff Ooi, reputed by
some to be the godfather of Malaysian blogsphere. (Would Kim Kuek be
next, or is he not a DAP member already?)

The story, if confirmed, is indeed a piece of major news. Since it
has not been confirmed, whether a major national daily should make
mere speculation into its exclusive headline scoop is a matter
subject to reflection and debate. But the Oriental Daily is
struggling to survive against the Sin Chiew media juggernaut in their
own media war. One can understand why every tiny morsel and every
juicy bit of roadside story must be squeezed into a scoop.

About Bukit Bintang

In any case, for those familiar with the perennial rivalry between
MCA and DAP, the story that Ong Ka Ting may move from his safe but
mixed seat somewhere in Johore to the overwhelmingly Chinese
constituency of Bukit Bintang makes a lot of sense.

Bukit Bintang sits at the heart of the nation's capital. It is a
small area of high population concentration, embracing many of the
old streets and back lanes that make up the traditional KL
"Chinatown". Ever since independence, it has always been a DAP
stronghold. In the 60s right up to 1990 when he left the DAP, Lee Lam
Thye - dubbed the "Godfather of Hawkers" - won the seat consistently
with monstrous majorities, sometimes well over 10,000! After he left
the DAP, Bukit Bintang was ably defended by Wee Choo Kiong, until a
court case gave it briefly to MCA, and shortly afterwards, Wee too
left the DAP. The current DAP rep there is Fong Kui Lun, the party
treasurer.

Like all their strongholds elsewhere in the country, die-hard support
for the DAP in Bukit Bintang has been waning in recent decades for
various reasons. In the last general election in 2003, fighting a
little-known lady candidate from the MCA, Fong Kui Lun scrapped
through with a razor thin margin of over 300 votes, after many recounts!

If the exalted MCA president decides to descend into the Lion's Den,
marshalling the kind of election machinery and financial resources
that only he, as the president of the cash rich party can, then all
kinds of flashing red lights and screaming alarms must go off for the
besieged DAP in this one of their last few perceived strongholds.

Such a bold move will also work wonders in marshalling the morale of
the MCA nationwide. It would be leadership by example, the top-most
MCA leader abandoning his safe seat for the minefield of Bukit
Bintang, where the DAP has enjoyed a stranglehold for what must seem
to the MCA like eternity. Granted that the DAP has declined somewhat
in KL, but even a sinking ship will have a ton of nails to be
salvaged, as the Chinese says.

The move will be a brilliant stroke of political strategy. It will
solve many problems for the MCA and its president in one fell swoop.
Ong Ka Ting should really give this proposal long and hard
consideration, if he is worth his salt.

The MCA Bukit Bintang division has been embroiled in internal discord
for quite a number of years now. The hard working division chief, Dr
Lee Chong Meng, has been whittling away support from the DAP. He
confided in me once that he had spent over a million of his own money
in his task. But his party members in Bukit Bintang are restive.
There has been a string of vague allegations against him from his
rank and file. The disagreement over his candidature in the coming
election may just hand the seat over to the DAP on a silver platter.
If Ong Ka Ting decides to contest in the Bukit Bintang constituency,
everybody in the local MCA will have to rally behind the party
supreme leader.

Ka Ting's legitimacy

The stake is even higher for Ong Ka Ting.

Ong came to the presidency of the MCA, to the surprise of many
observers, because of a compromise reached to resolve the acrimonious
fight between Team A of the last president Dr Ling Liong Sik, and
Team B led by Lim Ah Lek. .

Ong's problem is one of legitimacy in his capacity as the leader
representing the interest of some five or six million Malaysian
Chinese. His has an image problem, lacking the kind of flamboyant
extrovert charisma that people associate with top political leaders
like the MIC president Samy Vellu, DAP's Lim Kit Siang, or Gerakan's
Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

His dead-pan seriousness is typical of a school teacher, which Ong
was, before he was plunged into his role as Ling Liong Sik's protégé,
his heir apparent, and finally as MCA president-elect.

Ong's public persona can be described as nondescript at best. He is a
pale shadow of his predecessors, his greatest claim to fame being the
forgettable slogan for "life-long learning". (What do you expect from
a teacher turned politician?)

But if and when Ong decides to contest in Bukit Bintang, he would be
on course for a re-engineering of his public image. He would be seen
as a man of courage and principle, ready to take the risk of losing
in an opposition stronghold, proving the point that a top MCA leader
pursues public office and power not for the sake of self interest,
but for the sake of increasing the strength and meaning of Chinese
participation in government within the BN framework of power sharing.

KL is also the nerve centre of the nation. Once Ong shows up in Bukit
Bintang, the national attention would fall upon this battle. In media
capital alone, his race against the DAP will take on a national
symbolic meaning extending far beyond the constituency. His stature
within the hearts of the Chinese electorate nationwide will grow by
many notches. Everywhere, the MCA will use this contest as a major
publicity offensive against the DAP, and may even take the wind out
of the sail of the DAP election campaign.

Already, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has announced that he is
prepared to face off against Ong Ka Ting in Bukit Bintang - if he is
recommended by their central executive committee. This may be just
another piece of pre-election posturing. But if the scenario becomes
a reality eventually, the clash of the titans from the two mainstream
parties among Chinese voters will be a mother of all battles watched
by the whole nation. The outcome will be anxiously anticipated by
Chinese citizens everywhere.

For many years now, the DAP has been taunting the MCA, with endless
public challenges for MCA top guns to contest in Chinese-majority
urban constituencies. The opposition party claims that, if the MCA
leaders continue to win on the strength of Umno and MIC support in
constituencies with a significant Malay and Indian presence, then the
MCA cannot be said to represent the aspirations of the Chinese. Worse
still, the MCA will have to kowtow to Umno forever, because their
electoral success depends so much upon Umno domination of Malay
politics throughout the Peninsula.

By going into Bukit Bintang, Ong Ka Ting will end once and for all
this talk of MCA being cowardly self-promoting opportunistic
politicians. A battle to settle the issue of who will genuinely
represent Malaysian Chinese will then begin.

To be continued next week

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

MANDIKAN AKU BONDA!

Sering kali orang tidak mensyukuri apa yang diMILIKInya sampai akhirnya.

Rani, sebut saja begitu namanya. Kawan kuliah ini berotak cemerlang dan
memiliki idealisme tinggi. Sejak masuk kampus, sikap dan konsep dirinya
sudah jelas: meraih yang terbaik, di bidang akademik maupun profesion
yang akan diceburinya. ''Why not the best,'' katanya selalu, mengutip
ucapan seorang mantan presiden Amerika.

Ketika Universiti menghantar mahasiswa untuk studi International Law di
Universiteit Utrecht, Belanda, Rani termasuk salah satunya. Saya lebih
memilih menyelesaikan pendidikan kedoktoran. Berikutnya, Rani mendapat
pendamping yang ''selevel''; sama-sama berprestasi, meski berbeda
profesion.

Alifya, buah cinta mereka, lahir ketika Rani dilantik sebagai staf
diplomat, bertepatan dengan selesainya suami dia meraih PhD. Lengkaplah
kebahagiaan mereka. Konon, nama putera mereka itu diambil dari huruf
pertama hijaiyah ''alif'' dan huruf terakhir ''ya'', jadilah nama yang
enak didengar: Alifya. Saya tak sempat mengira, apa mereka bermaksud
menjadikannya sebagai anak yang pertama dan terakhir.

Ketika Alif, panggilan puteranya itu, berusia 6 bulan, kesibukan Rani
semakin menggila. Bak garuda, hampir setiap hari ia terbang dari satu
kota ke kota lain, dan dari satu negara ke negara lain. Sebenarnya saya
pernah bertanya, ''Tidakkah si Alif terlalu kecil untuk ditinggal-tinggal?
'' Dengan pantas Rani menjawab, ''Oh, saya sudah mengandaikan segala
sesuatunya. Everything is OK!'' Ucapannya itu betul-betul ia buktikan.

Layanan dan perhatian anaknya, ditangani secara profesional oleh baby
sitter "mahal". Rani cuma mengawal jadual Alif melalui telefon. Alif
membesar menjadi anak yang kelihatan lincah, cerdas dan mudah mengerti.

Nenek-neneknya selalu menonjolkan kebanggaan mereka kepada cucu yang
amat dikasihi itu, tentang kehebatan ibu-bapanya. Tentang jawatan dan
nama besar, tentang kekerapan menaiki pesawat, dan wang yang banyak.
''Contohlah ayah-bonda Alif, kalau Alif besar nanti.'' Begitu selalu
nenek Alif, ibu Rani, berpesan di akhir cerita sebelum tidurnya. Ketika
Alif berusia 3 tahun, Rani bercerita kalau dia minta adik.

Terkejut dengan permintaan tak terduga itu, Rani dan suaminya kembali
menagih pengertian anaknya. Kesibukan mereka belum memungkinkan untuk
menghadirkan seorang adik buat Alif. Sungguh anak kecil ini "memahami"
orang tuanya. Buktinya, kata Rani, ia tak lagi merengek minta adik. Alif,
tampaknya mewarisi karaktor ibunya yang bukan perengek. Meski kedua
orangtuanya kerap pulang lewat, ia jarang sekali merungut.Bahkan, kata
Rani, Alif selalu menyambut kedatangannya dengan penuh ceria. Maka, Rani
menyapanya ''malaikat kecilku''.

Sungguh keluarga yang bahagia, fikir saya. Meskipun kedua orangtuanya
super sibuk, Alif tetap membesar penuh cinta. Diam-diam, saya irihati
pada keluarga ini. Suatu hari, sebelum Rani berangkat ke pejabat, entah
mengapa Alif menolak dimandikan baby sitter. "Alif ingin Bonda
mandikan", ujarnya penuh harapan. Serba salah saja Rani, yang setiap
detik waktunya sangat berharga, gusar. Ia menolak permintaan Alif sambil
terus berdandan dan mempersiapkan keperluan pejabatnya. Suaminya pun
turut membujuk Alif agar mau mandi dengan Tante Mien, baby sitter-nya.
Sesungguhnya, Alif mengerti dan menurut, meskipun wajahnya berkerut.
Peristiwa ini berulang sampai hampir seminggu. ''Bonda, mandikan aku!''
kian lama suara Alif penuh tekanan. Lalu, Rani dan suaminya berfikir,
mungkin itu kerana Alif sedang dalam masa pra-sekolah, jadinya agak
lebih minta perhatian. Setelah dipujuk-pujuk, akhirnya Alif dapat
ditinggal juga.

Pada satu petang, saya dikejutkan oleh telefon Mien, si baby sitter.
'Puan doktor, Alif demam dan kejang-kejang. Sekarang di Emergency."
Dengan pantas, saya terus ke ICU. But it was too late. Allah swt sudah
punya rencana lain. Alif, si malaikat kecil, telah dipanggil pulang
oleh-Nya.

Rani, ketika diberi tahu tentang Alif, sedang merasmikan pejabat
barunya. Ia sangat terperanjat. Setibanya di rumah, satu-satunya
keinginan dia adalah memandikan putranya. Setelah seminggu Alif mula
menuntut dimandikan, Rani memang menyimpan komitmen untuk suatu masa
memandikan anaknya sendiri.

Dan siang itu, janji Rani terkabul, meskipun setelah tubuh si kecil
terbaring kaku. ''Ini Bonda Lif, Bonda mandikan Alif,'' ucapnya lemah,
di tengah-tangah jamaah yang sunyi. Satu persatu rakan Rani menjauhi
dari sisinya, berusaha menyembunyikan tangisan.

Ketika tanah merah telah menutup jasad si kecil, kami masih berdiri di
sisi pusara. Berkali-kali Rani, sahabatku yang tegar itu, berkata, ''Ini
sudah takdir, ya kan. Sama saja, aku di sebelahnya ataupun di seberang
lautan, kalau sudah masanya, ia dia pergi juga kan ?" Saya diam saja.

Rasanya Rani memang tak memerlukan hiburan dari orang lain. Suaminya
tegak seperti tak bernyawa. Wajahnya pucat, pandangannya kosong. "Ini
konsekuensi dari sebuah pilihan," ujar Rani, tetap mencuba tegar dan
kuat. Hening seketika. Angin senja meniupkan aroma bunga kemboja.

Tiba-tiba Rani berlutut. "Aku ibunyaaa!" teriaknya seperti histeria,
lalu meraung hebat. Rasanya baru kali ini saya menyaksikan Rani
menangis, lebih-lebih lagi tangisan yang meledak. "Bangunlah Lif, Bonda
mau mandikan Alif. Beri kesempatan Bonda sekali saja Lif. Sekali saja,
Aliiif.." Rani merintih merayu-hiba. Seketika kemudian, ia mencampakkan
dirinya ke pusara dan tertelungkup di atasnya. Air matanya membanjiri
tanah merah yang menaungi jasad Alif. Senja pun makin tua.

Nasi sudah menjadi bubur, sesal tidak lagi dapat menolongnya. Hal yang
nampaknya mudah sering kali menimbulkan sesal dan kehilangan yang amat
sangat. Sering kali orang yang sibuk 'di luar', asik dengan dunianya dan
ambition sendiri hingga mengabaikan orang-orang di sampingnya yang
disayanginya. Akan masih ada waktu 'nanti' buat mereka jadi abaikan saja
dulu. Sering kali orang takabur dan merasa yakin bahawa pengertian dan
kasih sayang yang diterimanya tidak akan hilang. Merasa mereka akan
mengerti kerana mereka menyayanginya dan tetap akan ada.

Pelajaran yang sangat menyedihkan.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

“Bloggers will be put to sleep” - yr guide to the best blogs!

"Bloggers will be put to sleep"
Ruhanie Ahmad

Ancaman yang membimbangkan?

Saya kembali ke tanahair malam tadi dengan satu perasaan yang amat
pilu. Bukan kerana saya bersedih. Tetapi kerana saya dalam
kebimbangan. Ini kerana pada hari kedua saya berada di luar negara -
1 Ogos 2007 - saya telah menerima dua pucuk sms daripada seorang
Hamba Allah yang tidak saya kenali.

Mesej Hamba Allah itu penuh dengan ugutan dan ancaman terhadap
"bloggers." Antaranya, mesejnya itu menyatakan "bloggers will be put
to sleep."

Perkataan "will be put to sleep" seperti di atas sangat-sangat
membimbangkan saya. Ianya membawa maksud yang luas. Satu daripadanya
adalah "dilenyapkan." Lebih direct lagi, ia bermaksud "dibunuh."

Mungkin ramai lagi bloggers yang telah menerima mesej yang sama pada
hari tersebut. Tetapi. oleh kerana saya adalah salah seorang daripada
penerimanya, saya terpaksa menyifatkannya sebagai serius. Apatah lagi
bila mesej itu mengandungi perkataan "will be put to sleep" di mana
maksudnya adalah "akan dilenyapkan" atau pun "akan diubunuh."

Saya masih dalam proses mendapatkan nasihat daripada beberapa
bloggers dan peguam mengenai mesej berkenaan. Saya juga belum pasti
sama ada akan membuat laporan polis untuk melindungi keselamatan diri
saya berikutan penerimaan mesej berkenaan.

Bagaimanapun, mesej itu mengingatkan sama kepada satu pesanan seorang
sahabat kepada saya kira-kira dua minggu yang lalu. Kata sahabat
saya, seorang pegawai polis di sekitar Kuala Lumpur pernah bertanya
kepada beliau, sama ada saya mempunyai senjata api.

Sahabat saya bertanya kepada pegawai polis berkenaan, apa maksud
sebenarnya. Pegawai polis itu dikatakan sebagai berkata bahawa kalau
saya mempunyai senjata api, bawalah senjata itu bersama-sama pada
setiap kali saya keluar rumah.

Saya tersenyum mendengar kata-kata sahabat saya itu. Saya pun katakan
kepadanya, tidak mungkin ada pihak di Malaysia sanggup membunuh
semata-mata kerana saya disifatkan kononnya sebagai kritikal terhadap
kepimpinan negara dalam beberapa tulisan di dalam blog saya.

Tetapi, dengan adanya mesej seperti di atas, kenyataan sahabat saya
itu mungkin jadi relevan. Soalnya, bolehkah mesej di atas diterima
akal? Tidak mungkinkah ianya sekadar untuk menakut-nakutkan bloggers
tertentu termasuk saya?

Bila saya kemukakan pertanyaan di atas, seorang blogger menasihati
saya supaya memandang serius mesej tersebut. Katanya, nama saya
adalah di antara berpuluh bloggers sosio-politik yang sudah berada
dalam "watch-list" UMNO. Buktinya, kata beliau adalah seperti berikut:

This morning I was alerted to a 29th July posting in Malaysia Unplug.
Short of a better choice, the omnipotent son-in-law CONDEMNED the
following MONKEYS to UMNO's WATCH-LIST, probably without the Supreme
Council's nod.

NOTE: The Malaysian bloggers ie 'Monyets/Monkeys' as classified by
UMNO Youth Deputy Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, are :

Lim Kit Siang, Jeff Ooi, Ahiruddin Attan, Anwar Ibrahim, Bakri Musa,
Azly Rahman, Ong Hock Chuan, Husam Musa, Malik Imtiaz Sawar, Zainol
Abideen ("Mahaguru58"), Ronnie Liu, Ruhanie Ahmad, Raja Petra
Kamarudin, Marina Mahathir, Nuraina Samad, Hajjah Fuziah Salleh,
Rustam Sani, Ahmad Zaki Yamani, Faisal Mustaffa, A.Kadir Jasin,
Bernad Khoo (Zorro), Syed Shahir, Dato Shahrir Abdul Samad, Shieh
("Kickdefella"), Haris Ibrahim, Kula Segaran, Imran Idris, Captain
Yusuf Ahmad, Dr. Hsu Dar Ren, Husin Lempoyang, Hizami Iskandar, Susan
Loone, Syed Imran ("Kuda Ranggi"), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Nizam Bashir,
Zaharin Mohd Yasin ("Sang Kelembai"), Annuar Mohd Nor, Ibnu Hakeem,
Hishamuddin Rais, Amir Hafizi, Mohd Adib Nor, Nathaniel Tan, Zaharah
Othman ("choc-a-blog"), Patrick Teoh ("Niamah"), Fathi Aris Omar,
Amin Yatim ("Cuit Sikit"), Khalid Jafar, Amin Iskandar, Ahmad A.
Talib ("Pahit Manis"), Pak Idrus (In Passing - Malaysian"), Saari
Sungib, etc.

So fellow-targeted Bloggers, you know who your friends and enemies
are. But fear not. Be United. - Dipetik daripada http://zorro-zorro-
unmasked.blogspot.com

Demikianlah kedudukan diri saya ketika ini. Apa pun, mesej yang saya
terima dan nombor telefon pengirimnya hanya akan saya siarkan
sepenuhnya di blog ini setelah saya mendapat nasihat undang-undang.
Saya juga hanya akan membuat laporan polis setelah menerima nasihat
berkenaan. Buat sementara waktu ini saya serahkan diri saya kepada
Allah Yang Maha Berkuasa.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

[MToday] Not much to celebrate in 50 years

Not much to celebrate in 50 years
Sense of disappointment rife as Merdeka Day nears

By PAULINE NG
KL CORRESPONDENT
Business Times

MALAYSIA is about to celebrate its 50th year of independence in less
than a month. But except for the 'Merdeka articles' in the dailies,
one hardly gets a sense of a nation on the cusp of a golden
anniversary, happy with what it has achieved so far, and ready and
confident - and united - in facing the challenges of a globalised world.

Indeed, the Merdeka spirit is so muted that it has even become
apparent to the government. Minister of Domestic Trade & Consumer
Affairs Shafie Apdal has expressed disappointment at the lack of
Merdeka bonhomie displayed by the private sector and has seen fit to
announce tax exemptions and discounts on electricity tariffs to
business owners so they will be encouraged to fly the national flag,
as well as to 'light up' this month in the spirit of celebrations.

Individuals haven't been offered the same carrots but the need to
induce businesses with tax breaks on such a historic occasion seems
surprising - but then again, maybe not.

On the surface, Malaysia appears to be in good shape. Its
infrastructure is quite advanced and the economy is poised to grow
about 6 per cent this year and next. The stock market has been on an
upward trend even though it took a hit from last week's US sub-prime
fears - as did most markets. And the government has come up with at
least three massive development plans in recent times with another
two slated in the near future to ensure greater participation for all
in Malaysia's economic growth in the future.

Why then, instead of a celebratory mood, is there this palpable sense
of angst, fear, uncertainty among a not inconsiderable portion of the
population?

Those unhappy with where Malaysia is headed span many levels of
society and even include Perak crown prince Raja Nazrin Shah. Raja
Nazrin has been increasingly pointed in his public observations. This
week, he said those with a chequered past or clear evidence of
questionable morality should be prevented from taking public office.
Previously, he had spoken of the need for Malaysia to be an inclusive
society, to ensure everyone is assured of a place under the Malaysian
sun.

Overcome with emotion at times during the launch of The Reluctant
Politician - a biography on Ismail Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's former
deputy prime minister who died aged 53 in the 1970s - he observed Dr
Ismail had been a true Malay patriot, but not a racist. Equally
crucial, he was known as a man of principles who brooked no corruption.

In 2004, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won a landslide
majority on a promise to treat all equally and to tackle corruption.
Mr Abdullah will seek a new mandate soon but few believe corruption
has been reined in.

And now the plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on growth
corridors and development projects in the coming years are being met
with mounting scepticism. Will these projects, like many before them,
also end up as white elephants built at the expense of other
programmes which would produce better economic benefits?

The Port Klang Free Zone fiasco is but one recent example of a
project gone wrong for reasons yet to be explained. Costs to develop
the zone ballooned by more than four times from RM1.1 billion to
RM4.6 billion (S$2 billion), and yet the zone remains a ghost town.

On the talent front, Malaysia's brain drain is accelerating, and is
being replaced, not by skilled talents, but by an exponential rise in
low-skilled foreign labour. Going by the current trends, the
Malaysian Institute of Economic Research projects that the current
2.7 million legal and illegal foreign workers in the country will
rise to around 5 million by 2010, or nearly a fifth of the total
population.

By fate or fortune, Mr Abdullah has the privilege of being the
country's leader in what is a landmark year of independence. If his
administration chose to listen, what they would hear is this: there
is little accountability, the racial and religious divide is
widening, crime is going up and foreign investment, as well as high-
value job creation, is going down. It should be hardly a surprise
that not many are in the mood to celebrate.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

A reader's response to Info Minister Zam
Time to stop believing your own propaganda

Dear Sir,

I refer to your August 3 report on the comments made by the Minister
of Information in response to the launch of the Merdeka Statement.

On the contrary, I believe it is the Honourable Minister that needs a
healthy reality check. If theSun's report is correct, I am
astonished that barely within 24 hours of the launch of the Merdeka
Statement he has managed to consult the majority of the people in
this country and, having consulted them, he has come to the
conclusion that the majority of the people in this country are
offended by the first item of the Merdeka Statement.

Be that as it may, the world doesn't live in Malaysia. We do. The
world has an outsider's view of racial unity in Malaysia. We live
the reality on a daily basis. Yes we did enjoy the spring of greater
racial unity in the earlier years of our lives. But as we get older
we now experience the increasing winter of discontent, and our
concerns have grown for the future of our children, and our
children's children, in the next 50 years. If the unity of our
country is not in trouble, why have there been press reports (which
have not been challenged) about the increase in racial polarisation
in our schools and universities?

Why has there been a flight from the sekolah kebangsaan to the
sekolah jenis kebangsaan? If the unity of our country is not in
jeopardy, why was there a need to start National Service? So that our
youths could play around with M16 rifles? If the unity of our country
has not been under threat, why is it that we actually have a
Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity and National Service looking
into issues of national unity, having public hearings, compiling a
report, etc.

Why was the Jabatan Perpaduan Negara re-named Jabatan Perpaduan
Negara dan Integrasi Nasional? The 42 organisations which were listed
as supporting (whether in whole or in part) the Merdeka Statement
either deal with or represent ordinary people of all walks of life on
an everyday basis. Does the Honourable Minister really think that the
Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations is elitist? Or the
Malaysian Confederation of the Disabled? Or Yayasan Strategik Sosial?
This last organisation is a body that works with underprivileged and
marginalised, mainly Indian, children and youths. How more "un-
elitist" can you get?

Does he consider the Malaysia Hindu Sangam elitist? Or the Malaysian
Buddhist Association? Rather than face the reality, the preferred
response appears to be to classify these groups as an elitist
unrepresentative fringe group, and then to dismiss them as
"Irrelevant!"

Furthermore, when you actually take a look at the Merdeka Statement,
is it so bad that under the first item there is a call to ensure
that "all new policies should be tested against the tenets of the
Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara? Is it so horrible that
"an independent and transparent National Consultative Council on
Vision 2020 should be established immediately? Is it so intolerable
that "a National Research Institute on Ethnic Relations should be
established?" Are these things, in and of themselves, so repugnant
to the average person in the street that the majority of Malaysians
would be offended by such suggestions?

And finally, what is so objectionable about the setting up of a truth
and reconciliation committee, designed to listen to people, talk
about their personal experience of nation-building, of instances
where government action or policy has, instead of bringing good,
caused hurt and pain. It would be ordinary people sharing their
stories, recounting their difficulties, letting the rakyat speak for
themselves. There are so manythings that we are not allowed to talk
about, so many things that are the subject of threats of prosecution
or incarceration, or actual gag orders.

Why would a Minister of Information consider a suggestion of hearing
directly from the rakyat something which is "uncalled for"? If it
shatters the picture postcard image of Malaysia that his ministry
tries so hard to portray, that is unfortunate. He should not believe
his own propaganda.

Andrew Khoo
Kuala Lumpur

via email on Aug 4, 2007

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

2 BEAUTIFUL STORIES TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE

There was once this guy who is very much in love with his girl. This
romantic guy folded 1,000 pieces of paper cranes as a gift to his girl.

Although, at that time he was just a small fry in his company, his
future didn't seem too bright, they were very happy together. Until one
day, his girl told him she was going to Paris and will never come back.
She also told him that she cannot visualize any future for the both of
them, so they went their own ways there and then...

Heartbroken, the guy agreed. But when he regained his confidence, he
worked hard day and night, slogging his body and mind just to make
something out of himself.

Finally with all the hard work and the help of friends, this guy had set
up his own company ..

You never fail until you stop trying. One rainy day, while this guy was
driving, he saw an elderly couple sharing an umbrella in the rain
walking to some destination. Even with the umbrella, they were still
drenched. It didn't take him long to realize they were his girl's
parents.

With a heart in getting back at them, he drove slowly beside the couple,
wanting them to spot him in his luxury sedan. He wanted them to know
that he wasn't the same any more; he had his own company, car, condo,
etc. He made it! What he saw next confused him, the couple was walking
towards a cemetery, and so he got out of his car and followed...and he
saw his girl, a photograph of her smiling sweetly as ever at him from
her tombstone and he saw his paper cranes right beside her...

Her parents saw him. He asked them why this had happened. They
explained, she did not leave for France at all. She was ill with cancer.
She had believed that he will make it someday, but she did not want to
be his obstacle... therefore she had chosen to leave him.

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to,
doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have. She had wanted her
parents to put his paper cranes beside her, because, if the day comes
when fate brings him to her again...he can take some of those back with
him...

Once you have loved, you will always love. For what's in your mind may
escape but what's in your heart will remain forever.

The guy just wept...The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting
right beside her knowing you can't have her, see her or be with her
ever again.........hope you understand.

Find time to realize that there is one person who means so much to
you, for you might wake up one morning losing that person who you
thought meant nothing to you.

KINDNESS Pays !

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was
hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost
his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal
he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought
him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much
do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied

"Mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness." He
said.... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger
physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been
ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors
were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called
in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly as called in
for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from,
a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he we nt in to see her. He recognized her
at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best
to save her life.

From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the
business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked
at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her
room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her
life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught ;
her attention on the side as She read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk." (Signed) Dr. Howard Atmond Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Christianity finds a fulcrum in Asia

Christianity finds a fulcrum in Asia
By Spengler

Ten thousand Chinese become Christians each day, according to a
stunning report by the National Catholic Reporter's veteran
correspondent John Allen, and 200 million Chinese may comprise the
world's largest concentration of Christians by mid-century, and the
largest missionary force in history. [1] If you read a single news
article about China this year, make sure it is this one.

I suspect that even the most enthusiastic accounts err on the
downside, and that Christianity will have become a Sino-centric
religion two generations from now. China may be for the 21st century
what Europe was during the 8th-11th centuries, and America has been
during the past 200 years: the natural ground for mass
evangelization. If this occurs, the world will change beyond our
capacity to recognize it. Islam might defeat the western Europeans,
simply by replacing their diminishing numbers with immigrants, but it
will crumble beneath the challenge from the East.
China, devoured by hunger so many times in its history, now feels a
spiritual hunger beneath the neon exterior of its suddenly great
cities. Four hundred million Chinese on the prosperous coast have
moved from poverty to affluence in a single generation, and 10
million to 15 million new migrants come from the countryside each
year, the greatest movement of people in history. Despite a
government stance that hovers somewhere between discouragement and
persecution, more than 100 million of them have embraced a faith that
regards this life as mere preparation for the next world. Given the
immense effort the Chinese have devoted to achieving a tolerable life
in the present world, this may seem anomalous. On the contrary: it is
the great migration of peoples that prepares the ground for
Christianity, just as it did during the barbarian invasions of Europe
during the Middle Ages.

Last month's murder of reverend Bae Hyung-kyu, the leader of the
missionaries still held hostage by Taliban kidnappers in Afghanistan,
drew world attention to the work of South Korean Christians, who make
up nearly 30% of that nation's population and send more evangelists
to the world than any country except the United States. This is only
a first tremor of the earthquake to come, as Chinese Christians turn
their attention outward. Years ago I speculated that if Mecca ever is
razed, it will be by an African army marching north; now the greatest
danger to Islam is the prospect of a Chinese army marching west.

People do not live in a spiritual vacuum; where a spiritual vacuum
exists, as in western Europe and the former Soviet Empire, people
simply die, or fail to breed. In the traditional world, people see
themselves as part of nature, unchangeable and constant, and worship
their surroundings, their ancestors and themselves. When war or
economics tear people away from their roots in traditional life, what
once appeared constant now is shown to be ephemeral. Christianity is
the great liquidator of traditional society, calling individuals out
of their tribes and nations to join the ekklesia, which transcends
race and nation. In China, communism leveled traditional society, and
erased the great Confucian idea of society as an extension of the
loyalties and responsibility of families. Children informing on their
parents during the Cultural Revolution put paid to that.

Now the great migrations throw into the urban melting pot a half-
dozen language groups who once lived isolated from one another. Not
for more than a thousand years have so many people in the same place
had such good reason to view as ephemeral all that they long
considered to be fixed, and to ask themselves: "What is the purpose
of my life?"

The World Christian Database offers by far the largest estimate of
the number of Chinese Christians at 111 million, of whom 90% are
Protestant, mostly Pentecostals. Other estimates are considerably
lower, but no matter; what counts is the growth rate. This uniquely
American denomination, which claims the inspiration to speak in
tongues like Jesus' own disciples and to prophesy, is the world's
fastest-growing religious movement, with 500,000 adherents. In
contrast to Catholicism, which has a very long historic presence in
China but whose growth has been slow, charismatic Protestantism has
found its natural element in an atmosphere of official suppression.
Barred from churches, Chinese began worshipping in homes, and five
major "house church" movements and countless smaller ones now
minister to as many as 100 million Christians. [2] This quasi-
underground movement may now exceed in adherents the 75 million
members of the Chinese Communist Party; in a generation it will be
the most powerful force in the country.

While the Catholic Church has worked patiently for independence from
the Chinese government, which sponsors a "Chinese Catholic Patriotic
Association" with government-appointed bishops, the evangelicals have
no infrastructure to suppress and no hierarchy to protect. In
contrast to Catholic caution, John Allen observes, "Most Pentecostals
would obviously welcome being arrested less frequently, but in
general they are not waiting for legal or political reform before
carrying out aggressive evangelization programs."

Allen adds:
The most audacious even dream of carrying the gospel beyond the
borders of China, along the old Silk Road into the Muslim world, in a
campaign known as "Back to Jerusalem". As [Time correspondent David]
Aikman explains in Jesus in Beijing, some Chinese evangelicals and
Pentecostals believe that the basic movement of the gospel for the
last 2,000 years has been westward: from Jerusalem to Antioch, from
Antioch to Europe, from Europe to America, and from America to China.
Now, they believe, it's their turn to complete the loop by carrying
the gospel to Muslim lands, eventually arriving in Jerusalem. Once
that happens, they believe, the gospel will have been preached to the
entire world.
Aikman reports that two Protestant seminaries secretly are training
missionaries for deployment in Muslim countries.

Where traditional society remains entrenched in China's most backward
regions, Islam also is expanding. At the edge of the Gobi Desert and
on China's western border with Central Asia, Islam claims perhaps 30
million adherents. If Christianity is the liquidator of traditional
society, I have argued in the past, Islam is its defender against the
encroachments of leveling imperial expansion. But Islam in China
remains the religion of the economic losers, whose geographic
remoteness isolates them from the economic transformation on the
coasts. Christianity, by contrast, has burgeoned among the new middle
class in China's cities, where the greatest wealth and productivity
are concentrated. Islam has a thousand-year presence in China and has
grown by natural increase rather than conversion; evangelical
Protestantism had almost no adherents in China a generation ago.

China's Protestants evangelized at the risk of liberty and sometimes
life, and possess a sort of fervor not seen in Christian ranks for
centuries. Their pastors have been beaten and jailed, and they have
had to create their own institutions through the "house church"
movement. Two years ago I warned that China would have to wait for
democracy. [3] I wrote:
For a people to govern itself, it first must want to govern itself
and want to do so with a passion. It also must know how to do so.
Democracy requires an act of faith, or rather a whole set of acts of
faith. The individual citizen must believe that a representative
sitting far away in the capital will listen to his views, and know
how to band together with other citizens to make their views known.
That is why so-called civil society, the capillary network of
associations that manage the ordinary affairs of life, is so
essential to democracy. Americans elect their local school boards,
create volunteer fire brigades and raise and spend tax dollars at the
local level to provide parks or sewers.
China's network of house churches may turn out to be the leaven of
democracy, like the radical Puritans of England who became the
Congregationalists of New England. Freedom of worship is the first
precondition for democracy, for it makes possible freedom of
conscience. The fearless evangelists at the grassroots of China will,
in the fullness of time, do more to bring US-style democracy to the
world than all the nation-building bluster of President George W Bush
and his advisers.

Notes
1. The uphill journey of Catholicism in China, August 2, 2007,
National Catholic Reporter.
2. See Luke Wesley, "Is the Chinese Church predominantly
Pentecostal?" in American Journal of Pentecostal Studies 7:2 (2004).
3. China must wait for democracy, Asia Times Online, September 27, 2005.

(Copyright 2007 Asia Times Online Ltd. All rights reserved. Please
contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Umno blamed for Pak Lah’s unpopularity

Umno blamed for Pak Lah's unpopularity
Kuek Ser Kuang Keng and Soon Li Tsin
Aug 6, 07 Malaysiakini

The dip in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's approval rating,
especially among Chinese Malaysian voters as found in a recent
survey, is the fault of leaders of ruling party Umno, said a former
MCA leader.

Former housing and local government minister Dr Ting Chew Peh said
the Chinese are not happy because of a series of incidents including
the remarks made by deputy premier Najib Abdul Razak, Umno Youth
chief Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy, Khairy Jamaluddin.

"This is especially true for Hishammuddin who has refused to meet
Chinese educationists Dong Jiao Zong. The Chinese think he is
arrogant," he told malaysiakini.

"So these sentiments will go back to the PM because he is the head
(of the party)," he added.

The Gopeng MP said other reasons such as the sluggish economy and the
'low-key' battle against corruption are contributing to the poor
image of the Abdullah as well.

A recent poll conducted between June 14-20 by Merdeka Centre revealed
that the Chinese are less than impressed with the Abdullah's
performance compared to other ethnic groups.

Chinese least impressed with Pak Lah

The results indicated that only 54 percent the Chinese Malaysians
supported Abdullah administration. However the premier's approval
rating appeared high among the Malay (86 percent) and Indian
Malaysians (71 percent). [See chart here]

On Saturday, Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian attributed the
poor results to the fact that the majority of the Chinese think
Abdullah had failed to keep his election promises.

"They're less confident with the government's ability in fulfilling
the people's aspirations. More Chinese also think that the problem of
the sluggish Malaysian economy can be addressed by having more
opposition leaders in Parliament," he added.

Khairy singled out

Ting's views were echoed by a Chinese guild leader who singled Khairy
out as the person who has cast a negative impression in the Chinese
business community.

The businessman, who declined to be named, said the Chinese business
community at first viewed the Abdullah's son-in-law highly because of
his education and background.

"We thought that being an Oxford graduate he would be more open as we
see him as future leader.

"However, it's the other way around especially with his racist
remarks and demand for more quotas for bumiputeras," he lamented.

The guild leader - who sees Khairy as "very symbolic" in representing
the new Malay leadership - expressed little hope that things will get
better.

"What more can we hope for from him?" he asked.

He added affirmative action such as the New Economic Policy has also
resulted in 'administrative distortion' which prevented Chinese
businesses from functioning properly.

"Like loans to small and medium enterprises. They will argue the
business needs 30 percent bumiputera employees... the NEP becomes the
excuse for everything," he said.

Not easy to reform

Meanwhile, Kota Melaka MP Wong Nai Chee opined that the questions
phrased by the research centre must be looked at first before
attacking Abdullah's popularity.

"It is difficult to say if Chinese are unhappy with Pak Lah's
administration. I don't know what and how the questions were posed to
elicit such answers," said the rising star of MCA.

Despite admitting that certain issues such as police reforms,
independence of the judiciary, action taken against corrupt officials
and public delivery have generated high expectations from the people,
Wong said the Abdullah cannot be solely blamed for this.

"To be fair to the PM, I don't think we gave an impression that we
can resolve these issues in three years. The system has been in place
for so many years, it's not easy to reform.

"Like the police, we can see they are getting tough on their own
boys. You can't say the government has had zero achievement even if
the speed is not up to expectations," he elaborated.

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

AG faulted for clearing Zulkipli

AG faulted for clearing Zulkipli
Kuek Ser Kuang Keng & Soon Li Tsin
Jul 30, 07 6:37pm

Former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Zulkipli Mat
Noor was cleared of corruption allegations only because the attorney-
general failed to investigate the claims thoroughly, said
whistleblower Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan.

He also claimed that AG Abdul Gani Patail (photo) had acted more like
Zulkipli's defense counsel than a public prosecutor, when revealing
the outcome of the investigations last Friday.

Abdul Gani said that Zulkipli and Inspector-General of Police Musa
Hassan have been cleared of the complaints lodged separately against
them.

He said two investigations into alleged sexual misconduct by
Zulkifli, undertaken in 1997, were referred to the deputy public
prosecutor.

However, the cases were declared 'NFA' (no further action) for lack
of evidence. Zulkipli was also cleared of 28 complaints of alleged
graft.

"Gani was talking more like a defence attorney for Zul in saying that
he had managed to explain how he had acquired all these properties.
He was not talking like a public prosecutor," Ramli told malaysiakini.

"A prosecutor would never be satisfied with this sort of preliminary
investigation and would have asked the police investigators to get
all evidence which is available and obtainable."

Ramli (left), who had made a report containing several explosive
allegations ranging from corruption to sexual crimes against Zulkipli
last year, outlined what should have been the AG's role in handling
this case.

Check his assets

He said the AG would typically issue an order under Section 32 of the
Anti-Corruption Act 1997, which lists the extensive powers of the
public prosecutor to obtain information on Zulkipli's properties,
income, assets, business and travels.

According to the ACA Act, only the public prosecutor can invoke
Section 32 under the 'Public Prosecutor's powers to obtain
information'. The police do not have the powers to do so.

Information of similar nature from Zulkipli's family members and
associates too could be obtained under this Act.

"If the information provided by the informant is found not to be
true, a prosecutor will ask the investigator to check and counter-
check with the informant again," he said, adding that he as an
informant was not recalled by the police to counter check on his
information.

"Three petrol pumps (service station), apartments in Australia and
Ireland, and a host of other properties known and unknown throughout
Malaysia which are disproportionate to his official known source of
income, the inevitable presumption is that it must come from corrupt
practices; unless he can explained himself.

"Under the ACA Act, we are allowed to make that presumption. This is
for the investigators to get the evidence using all the available
powers in accordance with the anti-corruption laws.

"That is why for the investigation to be complete, the PP (public
prosecutor) should issue an order under section 32 of ACA (Act)
asking Zul to declare all his properties belonging to him, his
families and associates including all bank accounts; kept locally and
overseas."

'Check the law'

The former Sabah ACA chief also pointed out that the AG has no power
in law to direct an investigation agency to close a particular
investigation

"You must ask the question, where is the law which says that Gani as
AG and public prosecutor can direct an investigation agency to close
a particular investigation?

"Under Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the AG - the
public prosecutor - has control and direction only of all criminal
prosecutions and proceedings in court. He decides whether to
prosecute or not to prosecute an offender."

Ramli had already pointed out in March that Abdul Gani should not be
investigating Zulkipli's case as they had been close friends while
serving in Sabah.

"Gani and Zulkipli are buddies. Gani should not make the decision,"
he reiterated today.

Ramli, who served the ACA for 28 years until his retirement, also
claimed that the police are not familiar or experienced enough to
investigate a case of this nature and (therefore) did not conduct a
thorough investigation into his complaints against Zulkipli.

He would have preferred the deputy ACA director to lead the
investigation into the case.

Asked about the civil suit he had filed against several government
bodies and a newspaper earlier this year, he said: "The government is
in the process of settling my suit out of court. The terms of the
settlement are under negotiation. There definitely won't be a court
hearing."

----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my