At 9.43 am I received the following SMS from DAP MP for Rasah and Negri Sembilan State Assembly Opposition Leader Anthony Loke:
“Another church attack in Seremban. SIB Seremban church. Door was damaged. I am at the scene now.”
This was followed by other SMS from him on the latest dastardly and cowardly sacrilege, viz:
“The name of the church – Siding Injil Borneo. They have BM service. This is the church mentioned by Wong Chun Wai, the fastest growing church in Malaysia.”
“Idris Jala belongs to this church.”
“The church is located less than 1km from the Seremban IPD”
This is the fourth day since the Black Friday of January 8, 2010 when Malaysia’s international reputation as a model of inter-religious peace, understanding and harmony was soiled and sullied, aggravating Malaysia’s international crisis of confidence as a safe haven for investors, tourists and international students as well as undoing all the multi-million ringgit “1Malaysia” propaganda of the past nine months.
However, apart from a RM500,000 allocation by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to help relocate the fire-bombed Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati, dire warnings by Najib and the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein not to blame Umno over the religious incitement and church attacks, and the far-from-convincing assurance by Hishammuddin that “the situation is under control”, nothing very concrete had been done to undo the grave damage to nation-building and our international image.
In my media statement yesterday, I had said:
When Najib visited New York end of November to attract American investors and boost trade and investment ties between Malaysia and the United States, he was dogged by Malaysia’s adverse international image, not only by our endemic crime rate but also controversies over moral policing and religious disputes.
Najib found out first-hand that it “takes us months” to clear up adverse international publicity like the case of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, even before the implementation of the order for six strokes of the cane for drinking beer.
If “Malaysia Kartika” is googled, it turns out 263,000 results – which is small fry if the “Allah” controversy is googled, as a google search for “Malaysia Allah” turns up 7.1 million finds, proof of the enormity of the damage the current “Allah” controversy is doing to Malaysia’s international image.
The adverse international image arising from the “Allah” controversy and the attacks on the places of worship would probably haunt all Najib’s investments overseas to attract investors, tourists and students in the rest of his premiership!
I issued my statement at about 2 pm yesterday when googling the two words “Malaysia Allah” turned up 7.1 million finds. At 12 noon today googling these two words produced 11.1 million finds or a three-million leap in less than 24 hours!
Najib should do what Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman would have done instinctively in such a situation – to convene and preside over an inter-religious roundtable to end the religious dispute over the “Allah” controversy.
Nobody is impressed by reports that the Barisan Nasional government is on the “damage-control mode”, with plans to dispatch several ministers to hold a series of dialogues between religious leaders.
All eyes will be on this Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, whether it is prepared to rise to the occasion to make amends for its past failures in allowing the “Allah” controversy to reach its present combustible point.
The biggest mistake of the Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers was to allow the the former Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to disrupt the religious equilibrium by imposing the ban on the use of Allah by Herald.
Yesterday I posed the following question:
Why no other Cabinet Minister, whether from UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, the Sabah and Sarawak parties had spoken up in Cabinet to stop such a ban because of long common usage of the practice particularly in Sabah and Sarawak predating the formation of Malaysia in 1963 we well as world-wide in the Middle East and Indonesia?
Can the Cabinet answer this question in a statement after its meeting on Wednesday?
The Cabinet’s mistake in 2007 was compounded by the haste with which the government appealed against the KL High Court judgment and secured an instant “stay”, without first allowing a full and balanced discussion and decision by the Cabinet last Wednesday on what was the appropriate response of the Barisan Nasional government, representing not only Umno, but also MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the Sabah and Sarawak component parties of Barisan Nasional.
The ball is in the Cabinet’s court at its meeting on Wednesday – whether it is prepared to act boldly to rescue the nine-month-old “1Malaysia” slogan and policy from having to be relegated to oblivion and to bring to a close the religious discord, hatred and incitement over the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the Allah controversy.
#1 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:02 pm
frankyapp,
Be careful and try not to get personal on political comment, especially when the Secretary General of the Home Ministry is a Public Servant post and not a political post.
For your information, since Christianity and Islam both shared the same origin from Judaism (which was the religion of the Common Ancestor for both Christians and Muslims, namely Abraham), it is no surprised that we can find “Adam” which has been used as a Muslim name among the Malays as well as a Christian name among the Kadazans. The Malay translation for “Eve” is Hawa, as written in the Malay version of the Holy Bible as well as in the Malay version of Al-Quran. Therefore we can clearly tell that a person is a Malay girl or Kadazan girl when her name is “Hawa” but we will never be able to tell whether she is a Muslim or Christian.
Many Christians understand that the Jews were the descendants of Abraham’s first wife, Sarah, and the Arabs were the descendants of Abraham’s second wife, Hagar, who was expelled by Abraham based on the complaint made to Abraham by Sarah. Therefore, most scholars who specialised in the Middle-East problems would try to understand the political conflicts in the Middle-East from the viewpoint of factionalism rather than from the viewpoint of religious differences.
The Malays are indeed quite different. Perhaps they are just like what had been described by Dr. Mahathir in 1998 when there were many Malays coming out on the street to protest against Dr. Mahathir over the police arrest of Anwar. Dr. Mahathir said that the Malays were very emotional people.
And we see now that the Malays are trying to monopolise the word “Allxh”, which would be a redicule which happening could have never been imagined by Abraham who lived several thousand years ago.
#2 by tin on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:08 pm
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
– Edmund Burke
#3 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:18 pm
“The landscape here is NOT a bit different from Indonesia. They have tropical trees and rivers just as in here.” (k1980)
k1980,
Be fair! Please don’t take a single word “landscape” out of context and begin to fire on someone!
By “landscape”, Mahmood Adam actually means “demograhic landscape”! He is saying that Indonesia have many different races who are Muslims (such as Javanese Muslims, Lombok Muslims, Minang Kerbau Muslims, Madura Muslims, Sundanese Muslims) but Malaysia has only one race (called the Malays) which is qualified to be classified as Muslims. For instance, a Kadazan who believes in Islam is a Malay (Kadazan-Malay), A Kadazan who believes in Christianity is not a Malay but is a Kadazan-Dusun.
#4 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:31 pm
However, I wonder how Mahmood Adam is going to classify the Lecturer Tee who also believes in Islam. Can Tee be classified as a Malay? Perhaps Tee is just a negligible number of Chinese Muslims who live in Malaysia and therefore there is no demographic classification for Tee in the landscape of Malaysia! However, Tee may be anxious wanting to be classified as “Malay” too.
#5 by tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 8:51 pm
Such atrocious double standards! They allowed the muslims to congregate today at their madrasah but the peaceful christians want to have a peaceful congregation but that’s deemed as illegal and police are threatening stern action.
I wonder what najib will say, will he say ‘they have the right to congregate’? Such double standards and piss bore claims by the police.
one should not make claims if one cannot perform….police kpi -ve 1000.
such claims like we are stepping up security at churches since saturday and we have few more burned churches? the police guarantees the safety of malaysians -recently claimed by hishmudin? don’t simply give false reassurances you ningkapoops.
#6 by tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:18 pm
so if the Sultan of Selangor has decreed the ban on the word ‘Al-lah’ in Selangor, i guess there’s no more case to be discussed? is that right?
#7 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:38 pm
“The biggest mistake of the Barisan Nasional Cabinet Ministers was to allow the the former Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to disrupt the religious equilibrium by imposing the ban on the use of Allah by Herald.” (YB Kit)
Pak Lah may be too dumb to allow such ban to be imposed on Herald. Najib is equally dumb to allow such ban to go on until the matter had to be brought up to the high court for judicial review on making the interpretation on the citizen’s rights to freedom of speech and expression and on the rights to freedom of religion.
Knowing that religious dispute is a highly sensitive issue in a plural society as that of Malaysia, Najib should have earlier on taken a much tougher control on the demonstration and protest and not to proclaim to the whole world that he was powerless to stop Muslims from gathering around the mosque either for worship purpose or for doing demonstration and protest! If Najib as the Prime Minister is willing to give in to the demand of the mobsters, then he is not leading the nation. He is not a good leader. He might as well let the mobsters take over the control of the Federal Government if he really meant that he was powerless!
#8 by Godfather on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:47 pm
The only thing instinctive about UMNO is how to steal from the rakyat.
#9 by cemerlang on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 9:54 pm
It is a Catholic magazine. But it is the evangelical church that is kaboomed. It is the Holy Spirit filled church that is kaboomed. Why ? May be we should look the other way. May be God is speaking to His people using these attackers.
#10 by lkt-56 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:02 pm
///The Malays are indeed quite different. Perhaps they are just like what had been described by Dr. Mahathir in 1998 when there were many Malays coming out on the street to protest against Dr. Mahathir over the police arrest of Anwar. Dr. Mahathir said that the Malays were very emotional people./// Onlooker Politics.
Stop the racial stereotyping please…. We are all humans… Malaysians… We all have feelings. What is needed now is common sense and some one in the current leadership should take the lead and start the ball rolling. Who is the better candidate than the prime minister of Malaysia?
#11 by c730427 on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:19 pm
I have to agree many Malays especially those socially and economically unexposed are mostly emotional beings.
Why? Thanks for UMNO’s social lengineering program to shrink the brains and good soul of their own people.
#12 by Onlooker Politics on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:27 pm
“Who is the better candidate than the prime minister of Malaysia?” (Ikt-56)
By right, Najib as the Prime Minister of Malaysia should have taken charge to put a stop on all these nonsenses of demonstration and protest against the High Court decision on the court ruling about the Freedom of Speech and Expression and the Freedom of Religion in using the word “Allxh” as a name for “God”. By right, Najib as the Prime Minister of Malaysia should have also taken the responsibility to safeguard the safety of the Church Buildings and to stop the mobsters from setting fire or throwing the stones on the Church Buildings. As a matter of fact, Najib said that he was powerless to put a check on the mobsters. Najib is supposed to be someone in the current leadership who shold take the lead and start the ball rolling. Unfortunately, he is tragically lack of the right kind of leadership quality which is much needed for keeping the Malaysian people of different religious backgrounds and different racial backgrounds to live in peace and harmony. Najib has obviously failed to perform as the leader of the whole nation. He does not fit to be the leader of 1Malaysia because he is incompetent in keeping the different religious groups of Malaysia from falling apart!
#13 by ReformMalaysia on Monday, 11 January 2010 - 11:46 pm
….”Tee may be anxious wanting to be classified as “Malay” too..” – this seems to be very true….. Tee has being talking about ‘Malay rights’ in his articles although he do not have ‘locus standi’ to talk about Malay Rights as he is not a Malays based on ordinary definition of Malay….but in Malaysia, perhaps being a Muslim convert will turn you into a “Malay’…… we can see it in other cases too -like Dr Mahathir and the ‘notorious’ Bukit Bendera’s Ahmad Ismail -they talked about Malays’ rights and never feel that their have some ‘Indian element’ in themselves from their Indian’s paternal grandfather….. they felt they are very much Malay(no Indian) so they feel that they have more rights than the other groups of citizens,,,, this implies some sorts of ‘duo-nity’ between Malay & Muslim in Malaysia….. being a muslim, converts you to ‘Malay’ too,,, and confer you with some special rights …..
#14 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:12 am
“What for then for the rest to engage in civilised and rational talks and discussion on what is right and wrong if by results the Molotov Cocktails are made to appear speaking louder and more effectively?” (Jeffrey)
Molotov Cocktails would never make someone to be able to speak louder and more effectively. The indulgence and quiet consent as a form of encouragement from the gun-carrying Police Forces to the throwers of Molotov Cocktails would.
#15 by tenaciousB on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:18 am
what’s with molotov cocktails? if we look back carefully in history, teresa kok’s house was attacked with molotov cocktails too, so doens’t it make a bit of sense if you are in the same frequency as me as to who the culprits are or rather the poltical entity behind these?
#16 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:52 am
Malaysia Insider reported on 11 Jan 2010:
//Najib said civil servants must be bold in coming forward to bring transformation to the government in order to turn Malaysia into a modern nation.//
//He said transformation did not mean an increase in the Gross Domestic product (GDP) but in terms of the various aspects of life of the people who were more mature, more educated and with stronger values.//
//“We are now living in the 21st century which is more challenging compared to the past. We are facing new competitors in the country.//
//“We are also facing new demands from the society who are better educated and expect higher aspirations from the government,” he said.//
If Najib is really sincere enough in wanting to bring transformation to the Government, the first thing he should do now is to give instruction to the Attorney-General in order for the AG to withdraw with immediate effect the appeal to the Court of Appeal on the High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan’s court ruling about the Herald Vs. Home Minister case. The throwers of the Molotov Cocktails should be given a psychological punishment by the Federal Government as soon as possible in order to tell them a clear message that the irresponsible arson acts will never bring anything beneficial to them, but the criminal acts will only drive the Federal Government to show much sympathy towards the Catholic Church and to take up a tough stand for fighting against anarchism — a wise decison which will work to the disadvantages of the throwers of the molotov cocktails. As a punitive measure against the throwers of molotov cocktails, the Federal Government should permit the Catholic Church the total freedom of using the word “Allxh” in the Catholic literatures.
To allow the non-muslims a larger freedom for using the word “Allxh” in their worship literatures will indeed be a big leap forward towards a positive transformation to the Federal Government!
#17 by puvan1437 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:55 am
another failure by our leader to maintain the inter religious among the rakyat in this country ……..
#18 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:07 am
Everyone agrees that arson on churches should be condemned – here even Muslim NGOs who evinced intent to demonstrate against Herald’s ruling could bring themselves to safeguard churches from attacks – but going forward how does one stop its continuance or recurrence in relation to the Herald’s controversy? This is the fundamental question of who is wrong to create a milieu for such violent acts disruptive of harmony and peace to take place in first instant, and who should then by virtue thereof compromise in the interest of preserving peace and security….
Look at these various options: -
First, JPs (Sabah’s justices of peace)’s suggestion that Home Ministry allows Herald to use the “word” for Sabah/Sarawak but not in Peninsular. This suggestion is illogical. Why should East Malaysia and West Malaysia have different standards on how God is described in Bahasa Malaysia? This “compromise” satisfies neither side of the controversy.
Second, the government withdraws the appeal against Justice Lau Bee Lan’s decision favouring Herald. This again looks well neigh impossible for it implies (a) govt was wrong in the first place to ‘create’ the issue by the ban and in second instant, to appeal; (b) besides it implies govt is departing from its traditional support of Muslim NGOs position that it has always been mindful of (c) the UMNO govt is not upholding Ketuanan in respect of the Official Religion….
Third option : Herald should compromise (as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom has urged) “to help maintain peace and security and ease tension” – Malaysiakini’s report Jan 11. This option again won’t work. For it implies a few terrorists throwing molotov cocktails could blackmail and hold the country hostage to their demands and are rewarded in their work and appeased in respect of their anger at the expense of a million odd 900,000 Christians. It implies that the show of terror always procures results that reason and dialogue cannot.
Fourth option : Let the Court of Appeal decide. After the arson attacks, if it decides in favour of Herald it would engender the same implications ensuing from the second option above; if against the Herald, then the same implications in the third option above, both unpalatable…..
Fifth option of inter-religious roundtable or interfaith dialogue whether private or public. What can these dialoques achieve? At the end end result they still have to conclude whether Herald can or cannot use the word, or can use the word in East Malaysia but not in West Malaysia just like the options canvassed above with all their respective limitations – or perhaps use the word, subject to certain conditions, difficult to monitor, much less enforced. In any case, whatever inter-religious roundtable or interfaith dialogue decides, what makes anyone think that the views of panelists with credentials will pacify and be acceptable by majority of those on opposing side of the controversy or those who throw molotov cocktails or those with political agenda that hire them???
Can anyone think of any other alternatives or options?
In the absence of viable options and a precipitation of such a gridlock, the Ketuanan way will predictably be asserted in the name of peace and security that those subject to it will resent, and for better or worse, the BN will have to face the consequences of alienating Herald’s readers and Christian voters especially in its bastion Sarawak come the next general election.
#19 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:31 am
///If Najib is really sincere enough in wanting to bring transformation to the Government, the first thing he should do now is…etc/// – Onlooker Politics.
You have to ask whether “sincerity” suffices (even assuming you are in the position to gauge a man’s innermost feelings and thoughts, which you can’t). To effect “transformation” one must be in the position of strength relative to those around him in the party’s apparatus in the position to make or prolong one’s tenure or break and cut that tenure short. What transformation can one bring – even if sincere – if one’s tenure were immediately cut short by challenges from within one’s party eyeing one’s position and opposed by majority to such transformation??? See what happened to the predecessor who gave up his poisition before expiry of tenure due to pressure of party warlords. One should be mindful of the byzantine and convulated nature of politics and complex powerplay : what one sees on the apparaent outside is not what is so in the inside. See the spin given to May 13 incident to usher out Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman. Even the public exposure of the theft of the jet engines, not brought to public attention for 2 years by our own maintream media (regulated by the Printing Press Publication Act) until the time coinciding with the number one being overseas.
#20 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:36 am
[deleted]
#21 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:38 am
After the arson attacks, we expect to see a change in voting pattern among Malaysians (esp. East Malaysians) in the 13th GE. I believe many will cross over to PR.
#22 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 5:39 am
I don’t think things are that simple. There must be more than meet the eye.
#23 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:11 am
[deleted]
[Stereotyping a race or religion is not only unfair and unjust, and does not contribute to any debate or discussion, it will justify overreaction by cybertroopers and their masters against this blog which will completely divert attention from the real issues at hand. - Admin]
#24 by ekompute on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:14 am
Ooophhhs, forgot to say what I wanted to say about yhsiew’s comment. Yes, you are right… without East Malaysia to support them, they don’t stand a chance.
And they will act exactly like what these hooligans are doing now, when they lose. Wanna bet?
#25 by passerby on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 6:49 am
tenaciousB on Monday, 11 January 2010 – 8:51 pm asked:
“Such atrocious double standards! They allowed the muslims to congregate today at their madrasah but the peaceful christians want to have a peaceful congregation but that’s deemed as illegal and police are threatening stern action.”
This is how muslims behave all over the world. They act like hooligans and if they always use threat and coercion against non-muslims. If that fails they will resort to terrorism. Let hope the west will place all these extremists, including the Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah bin Sanusi, on the no-fly list.
#26 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 7:26 am
The truth is the issue whether to let the Christians use the word or not is OVER..The issue now is whether its acceptable to resort to bombing or violence to resolve sensitive issues religious or otherwise. If the answer is NO, then the Christians MUST be allowed to use the word. There is NO other answer to the issue. Anything else just sent out the message to the wrong people – maybe or yes. THAT is not acceptable. It won’t take long before a Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist temple is bombed or worst yet a crazy will go after a mosque and many innocent lives will be lost because of it…
#27 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 7:54 am
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/121657
See what I mean?
#28 by monsterball on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:12 am
Good piece …”Onlooker Politics”.. on your first comment.,,,,but I think Mahathir knows why Malays were emotional…and took advantage over that..by using that emotions to play race and religion politics..fooling his own… half race..purposely to achieve his own objectives..to be a Dictator.
You see…Malays were farmers and fishermen….and hate going to schools…during the formation of Malaysia. Tunku asked all Malaysians…especially the Chinese to support helping the Malays for 20 years..all written in the Constitution. All agreed.
By the time Mahathir took over..the Malays were very well educated.
He could easily embarked to the project to unite all as Malaysians…..to be mutually rich…with a win win situation…so noble and true…but he chose to expand the race and religion politics from a noble cause by Tunku.. to become dirty and corrupted politics….by him…as all evidences are so clear now.
He purposely keep dividing and rule…and encouraged corruptions.
So your point that Malays are still emotional..is mainly due to the fact… UMNO BARU keep brainwashing them to be landlords and depend on UMNO BARU to protect them from that status.
After 22 years …he succeeded to produced thousands of half past sixes Malays…closing his mind and eyes to all his evil and cunning selfish ways..
Emotional was due to lack of education in the past.
Under Mahathir…they became lack of confidences to compete with their races…because…UMNO BARU keep pampering them…to be lazy…contented and unproductive..thus developing weak minds purposely.
This is the cruelest act in dirty politics…that Malays are awakened to know it too well now.
Today..you can see….thousands of Malays..are competing with Chinese in hawker food and road side stalls selling everything with confidence..working hard with pride to earn a living…..and Chinese are one of their best customers.
This frightens UMNO BARU…as seen in the 12th GE results.
Malays are no more emotional.
What we are experiencing right now are some Malays can be bought to do anything…by UMNO…as Mahathir have said…”Money is power”…hinting present lot to use money to do the work they wish t do….including burning churches.
#29 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:33 am
Why mamaktir is misbehaving? Because he knew well that his 22yrs in power has practically led us all to the doghouse. All roads lead to rome they say and in malaysia all maladies originate from mamakthir.
Of course, he wouldnt want to admit this. And so he has to defend his policies. The do-nothing alternative on the basis of “the results will speak for themselves” is not available to him. The results of his policies had spoken and had done so abysmally and gibberishly.
A lot of the problems today can be resolved if mamakthir came out to the open and admit for the country’s sake that he was wrong and is responsible.
But his own sake would take weighty priority over the country’s sake. And our obvious solution then is: VOTE DAP. VOTE PAKATAN.
#30 by negarawan on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:52 am
Tuesday January 12, 2010
Alimony aid for Muslim women caught in divorce wrangles
————————–
What about non-muslim women who are caught in similar situations? We see news like this everyday. This goes to show that the UMNO and BN race-based politics in Malaysia contradicts 1Malaysia. 1Malaysia is just a political gimmick and a multi-million advertising contract for UMNO cronies. What say you, Najib?
#31 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 8:54 am
Apples and oranges. Islam in malaysia is apple and islam elswhere is orange. Something like that. That’s wot that adam fellow said anyway. But no, no, no. That cant be. It does not make sense. The landscape is different. That must be his real point. That is to say, the people, their culture and their general mentality are different. And that turn the religion they practice into apple or orange as the case may be. So is that adam fellow suggesting/implying that somewhere in this world muslims eat pork? Maybe? Perhaps? Because their perculiar lanscape turn their religious practice into yet something else like say rambutan – and rambutan is neither apple nor orange? Of course not. They dont eat pork whether they are apples or oranges or rambutans. So what is that adam fellow really talking about? BTN and ketuanan umno. That’s wot!
#32 by lkt-56 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:11 am
///What transformation can one bring – even if sincere – if one’s tenure were immediately cut short by challenges from within one’s party eyeing one’s position and opposed by majority to such transformation???/// – Jeffrey
Let us not conjecture here. The power and authority is in the hands of the pm. It is his call to put right what is wrong. No two ways about it. Is it not the duty of the leader to protect and ensure that the welfare of her people are look after? What we want to see is genuine efforts taken to settle this issue that has been festering for some time.
#33 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:46 am
“See the spin given to May 13 incident to usher out Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman. Even the public exposure of the theft of the jet engines, not brought to public attention for 2 years by our own maintream media (regulated by the Printing Press Publication Act) until the time coinciding with the number one being overseas.” (Jeffrey)
Jeffrey,
I am of the concurring opinion with you that the powerplay within the monster organization of Umno is indeed too complex and convoluted. I have to admit that Dr. Mahathir indeed still has strong influence within Umno. Najib will never be able to acquire full control on Umno’s warlords so long as Dr. Mahathir’s final wish of getting his beloved son Mukhriz elevated to the higher political position within Umno and within the Cabinet Cabinet is still not fulfilled.
Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that Najib as the Prime Minister is still having a lot of legal instrument, manpower and monetary resources been put under his disposal at his sole discretion. The positive news to Najib is that Najib can still balance out the political advancement of Dr. Mahathir with the position of his cousin, Hishammuddin, as the Home Minister and the position of Pak Lah’s faction with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the Defence Minister. I am still favouring the opinion that Najib can do it if he really has the strong political will to do it.
Given the current world economic situation of showing the twilight sign of mild recovery for the second half of 2010, Najib can indeed have a little chance of getting some minor improvement on people’s confidence in his adminitrative skill if he is really committed to keeping peace, harmony and security in Malaysia. However, he did make big mistake by announcing to the world that he was powerless to keep the mobster in control when they intended to hold demonstrations and protests within the mosque compounds.
When we see from many evidences Najib is not so much a person of strong mindset of religiosity, he can by right adopt a secular policy in his administration in order to please the majority Malaysian people who are not really keen to live within the tight control on the personal freedom –an uneasy restriction which has been imposed by rigidity of the Islamic law implementation, especially in terms of punishment on womanising.
#34 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:45 am
For a long, long time, even b4 d formation of Malaya n Malaysia
Ppl hv been using A. lah as god in lands which r now part of M’sia, no problemo
The suddenly a few Umnoputras started 2 want 2 monopolize d term
Or 2 stir up emotions 2 show their ketuanan, who knows
What is yours is no longer yours but mine n mine alone, n stop using d term
What a big bully – eventually this leads 2 d current KA-BOOM
After d big bang, they pandai told d world they r not apples but oranges, busuk (?)
They pandai told d grp who has d original right 2 use d term
Stop insisting 2 use d term 4 d sake of peace n stability
Rather than they themselves agreeing 2 stop wanting 2 monopolize d term
Typical thieves – gasak ppl’s homes n chase owners away
What logic is this n d Umno B/BN gomen fully supports it
East Malaysians, esp, for Ch rist’s sake, many of whom r d TRUE orang asli
Must STOP this bullying n NOT ALLOW their religious right 2 b killed by Umno B/BN
For d sake of your children n grandchildren, D BUCK MUST STOP HERE
#35 by Counterpoint on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:54 am
So now what? Are the Herald people supposed to be cowed by this local brand of terrorism and give in by not using that word anymore?
I’d say no way Jose. The world has just got to see just what kind of nonsense, Najib’s 1Malaysia stand for.
1Malaysia=One load of bullshit, One herd of bigots and One brand of state sponsored terrorism.
#36 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:56 am
While we flip-flop over d ALH issue
A Malaysian girl who studied in a Singapore school emerged tops in the city-state after she scored 10 A1s in the 2009 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) Examination
She is Lai Kai Rou, 16, who hails from Selangor
We do hv invaluable export fr 1M’sia
#37 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:03 am
Ha, ha – d apple indeed responded differently fr d orange
Indonesia’s two biggest Muslim organisations yesterday called on their followers not to copy the attacks on churches that took place in Malaysia
1M’sia truly boleh – leadership by example?
#38 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:51 am
Again, I will argue that BN govt HAVE NO CHOICE in the matter. They must back the Christian use of the word.
It does not matter the sensititivities or the truth and origin of it. It really does not. The same excuse given for the NEP is the same reason why they need back the Christian stand – to avoid collapse of social peace.
If the govt do not back the Herald, all it takes is for an ambitious unscrupulous Indian leader which there are plenty off in MIC/PPP etc. to bait the same zealots to bomb a Hindraf temple and all hell will break lose. Alternatively, a crazier scheme would be for any ambitious politician to bomb a mosque and all hell will break lose.
The bottom line is whether you like it or not, the bombers have taken the BN govt hostage. What is happening is political terrorism – its no longer about religion or other sensitivities. If BN bow to political terrorism, my advise is to plan your emigration immediately and pack your bags ready to leave..
#39 by k1980 on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:57 am
umno will soon launch “Operasi Molotov” with the arrest of all PR leaders for “inciting the church attacks” and the indefinite postponement of elections under emergency rule. Same as the burning of the Reichstag by the nazis in 1932.
#40 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 11:59 am
I was saying that Najib could adopt a secular policy which would give much more personal freedom to the majority people of Malaysia, especially in respect of the punishment on womanising. This recommendation is based on the rationale that religious faith should be left as personal choice, instead of a state choice, of building a closer relationship between individual and God. Therefore, the state should not intervene too much into the personal life style of the individual, especially in terms of the individual’s handling the personal sexual relationship with a soulmate.
When Najib is able to convince his cabinet ministers that they will not be pursued with the Islamic law prosecution if they were found engaged in the extra-marital sex with their kept woman for the male minister or kept zicolo for the female minister, then the BN ministers will most likely pledge their committed loyalty to Najib. This was the way Dr. Mahathir adopted for ensuring loyalty from his cabinet ministers and government top officers. This is also part of the rewarding system which functions well in the system of cronyism. This is because political power, wealth and sex are the three basic rewards which the Umnoputras seek as a return from working hard as a BN ministers or top officers.
When Najib feels that he is powerless in bringing changes to Umno, it will be much better for him to stick to the status quo in terms of the Government Policy in order to avoid strong resistance and sabotage attempts from the warlords of Umno. Otherwise, we will only see that Najib’s lifespan in the premiership will be shortened by Dr. Mahathir’s checkmate with the use of Muhyiddin Yassin and the son of Sanusi Junid as soldier chesses for putting circumvention on Najib.
Pakatan Rakyat should let Najib hold on to the premiership a little bit longer until the next General Election, lest the replacement of Najib will be a much tougher enemy for Pakatan Rakyat if Najib is to go off too soon!
#41 by wanderer on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:08 pm
Mongolian C4 cannot smell the f#rt of Bapa Tuanku Abdul Rahman…what an insult even to suggest for the comparison….
#42 by frankyapp on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:11 pm
Onlookerpolitics,thanks for the advice . Ok you said a kadazan believes in Islam is classified a malay and our chinese friend Tee is still pending classification. Don’t you think this’s bribery and against ethics value especially the very religion which preaches morals and good conduct.Moreover it also practises double standards or racial discrimination. The religion won’t allow such act ,right,therefore why the believers subscribed to such act which is against their own faith.Don’t these fellows know that all these religious discrimination acts and many more other acts are disuniting the various races of this country.Is there any demoncracy in Islam ? I think religion is a choice and it’s a person’s right to choose and not the power to decide for him or her. Humans are not cows which could be led around and humans are no slaves to any religion as well. Even store age people realised it,how on earth our modern and well educated poeple could not realise it. What a shame indeed.
#43 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 12:46 pm
frankyapp,
I think DAP leaders and an ordinary man like me should opt out from making further comment about how the Islamic authority of Malaysia should classify whether a person is a Malay or not a Malay. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia and the State Constitution of Malaysian states have given the rights and powers pertaining to the Islamic religious matter to the Yang Dipertuan Agong and the inherited state rulers.
The classification of Malay and all rulings in relation to Islamic Law should be under the jurisdiction of the Yang Dipertuan Agong, the Sultans, Yamtuan of Negeri Sembilan, and Raja of Perlis.
#44 by taiking on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 1:08 pm
Bigjoe said that “BN govt HAVE NO CHOICE in the matter. They must back the Christian use of the word”.
Yes indeed except that they ought to have done so much earlier. In fact they should not have impose the ban in the first place. Having allowed the matter to escalate, no easy solution is now available. Obvious or even correct solution will almost certainly not be an easy solution. So checkmate jib.
For the btn issue jib was similarly trapped. Junking btn means losing direct control over a million plus voters. Not junking it means making a mega nonsense of his 1malaysia thingy. Similarly, allowing “all_h” to be used by catholics means upsetting a large number of umnoputras and not allowing it means upsetting voters in sabah and sarawak.
Must be welcomed news to all of us. Yeah, satu lagi own-goal yg cantik.
My advice: Jib dont tie politics to too many unnecessary and unrelated issues. You will end up in knots.
#45 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 1:20 pm
Interviewer: Why is it that Umno always seems to play the race card when in a tight spot?
Tengku Razaleigh: Not only the race card, but also the RELIGION CARD — anything. It’s about putting fear into the minds of the people. And fear that they may lose their positions.
#46 by Onlooker Politics on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 2:27 pm
But the race card and the religion card are no fool-proof solution to the card players. The card players may be backfired when the targets of their attacks start to unite and cooperate for a counter-attack through uniform vote casting during the process of General Election in the wake of racial fervour and passion for their own God!
#47 by cemerlang on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 9:35 pm
The attacks took place in BN’s governed areas. Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Miri, Johore, Klang.
#48 by Loh on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 - 10:56 pm
No, religion is the basis for classifying Malays, and with that the entitlement to NEP. That is why people like mamakthir talk about race and religion.
Islam in Malaysia to Malays has a special position quite unlike Islams to Muslims in other countries which serves purely religious purposes. Religion will continue to be a sensitive issue as long as NEP remains. The opportunists are seizing the opportunity to be defenders of their monetary faith. That is the different landscape the SG of Home Ministry alluded to.
#49 by alorting on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 12:43 am
this country’s majority is suffering from religion superiority complex. What makes another religion superior over another, one that makes the government bend according to its will?
See, this is why at times I would favour a secular state. It clearly separates religion and state.
In 1Malaysia, religion IS the state. Maybe that’s the whole concept of 1Malaysia. 1 religion, 1 state. Sad..sad…and to think they made recite Rukunegara every week in school back then….
#50 by tenaciousB on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 - 6:31 am
So far i’ve noticed the Muslims have no solid arguements in preventing the use of the word by the others. Many of their statements are essentially coercions, emotionally laden statements and some don’t make any sense like the one posted in malaysian insider by a syariah law person. it actually looks very bad on those leaders who want the decision overruled when the major islamic leaders from indonesia have stated it to be insignifcant and also the word apparently is an english word in the dictionary. i find this hillarious when people have absolutely no clue what they are talking about resort to challeging the courts and if they dont have their way resort to violence, sounds like a child to me.
i can see why the high court verdict sounded like a unanimous decision with beyond unreasonable doubt.