Revisiting the secular state debate
Posted by Kit in Islamic state on Sunday, 4 November 2012, 1:59 am
— Ahmad Farouk Musa
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 03, 2012
NOV 3 — One of the most contentious issues in our country is the debate on Islamic State vis-à-vis Secular State. It should be highlighted at this initial point that the Islamic State concept was borne out only early in the 20th century after the demise of the Ottoman Caliphate. Irrespective of which divide we are on, one basic fact that we have to agree upon is that the terminology Dawlah Islamiyyah or Islamic State was never mentioned in the Qur’an.
However, Islamic State remains the main agenda of political Islam that defines Islam as ad-deen wa-dawlah or “religion and state”. It could be argued that since there is no single predominant interpretation of what an Islamic state is, a vicious contestation still exists among the Islamists about the concept of Islamic State. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib should present Ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday on the RM40 million “donation for Sabah UMNO” scandal of Michael Chia as well as whether Nazri violated conflict-of-interest principles
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Najib Razak, Parliament on Saturday, 3 November 2012, 4:14 pm
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should present a Ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday on the RM40 million donation scandal of Sabah timber trader Michael Chia as well as whether the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had violated conflict-of-interest principles when answering questions in Parliament on the issue.
Although the Prime Minister last month (Oct. 19) denied that there was any attempt to smuggle the RM40 million “donation for Sabah UMNO” into the country and claimed that the whole issue had “already been explained in Parliament”, the facts are the contrary.
Instead of putting the issue to rest, Nazri’s various explanations, both inside and outside Parliament, some of which contradicted each other, on the alleged RM40 million “donation for Sabah UMNO”, have only aroused greater suspicion and reinforced widespread belief that a major cover-up is afoot about the RM40 million scandal – which went as far back as more than four years ago on August 14, 2008 at the Hong Kong International Airport allegedly over currency trafficking and laundering with S$16 million cash in Singapore currency in Michael Chia’s luggage before boarding a flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Nazri’s claim that when answering in Parliament, he was only reading the answers whether given by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or the Attorney-General and that he was not responsible for these answers is completely unacceptable and makes a total mockery of the principle of Ministerial responsibility to Parliament. Read the rest of this entry »
Ordinary, average Muslims are not easily confused, their faith is strong!
by P. Ramakrishnan
The Malaysian Insider
November 03, 2012
NOV 3 — It is difficult to understand the so-called Muslim elites who constantly and consistently convey the erroneous message that Islam is under threat and that Muslims will be easily misled.
They always seem to suggest that Muslims must be sheltered and protected otherwise they can go astray and embarrass their religion.
The latest episode involves the screening of the movie “My name is Khan” by TV3 on the second day of Hari Raya Aidil Adha.
The Muslim youth movement Abim has strongly protested against this film, claiming that the Shah Rukh Khan film “confuses Muslims as it promotes liberal Islam and religious pluralism, and warned Malaysian broadcasters not to air the hit film”.
Abim vice-president Ahmad Saparudin Yusuf “gave examples of scenes in the film such as the Muslim hero marrying a Hindu heroine, saying that it is ‘clearly against Islam’s teachings’”.
He also pointed out “that the depiction in the film of acceptance and mixing of other religions’ worship methods with Islam’s as well as giving zakat or alms to non-Muslims were ‘confusing’.”
This film has been available in Malaysia since March 2010. It has been screened in cinemas and the film’s CD has been widely sold. In the 2½ years that it was around, thousands upon thousands of Muslims and other Malaysians have seen and enjoyed the film. Read the rest of this entry »
Deceit on the ‘Islamic state’
Posted by Kit in Islamic state, Mahathir on Saturday, 3 November 2012, 8:31 am
KJ John
Malaysiakini
Oct 30, 2012
Marina Mahathir wrote in a recent column that for any candidate seeking to be voted in this general election, the following are good and civil traits:
1. Be nice, be gracious, be polite – rudeness makes you look ugly.
2. If you disagree with someone, fine. But disagree courteously and intelligently, and do not just bad-mouth them.
3. If you do not think that someone is right, give your reasons why.
4. At least pretend that your audience is smart, and live up to them.
5. If you really think violence is the answer, we will find you a ticket to Syria, where you can indulge in all that you want to.
6. If you really think you are a defender of Islam, we will get you a ticket to trail the Republicans on their election campaign. We will even get you a spot on Rush Limbaugh’s show, where you can do your defending thing.
7. Do suddenly stop kissing babies and hugging old people. Seriously, we are not buying it.
8. Leave your expensive watch at home if you are going to sympathise with how people are coping with their monthly expenses. Unless you are going to donate the cost of the watch to some worthwhile cause.
9. Lower your volume. Shouting something stupid does not make it smarter.
10. Tell us what your principles in life are, and how you aim to stick to them.
My only addition is that no serving member of parliament should lie publicly. It is worse if one is a member of the cabinet. And because of such lies, I would argue that we need a ‘truth-o-meter’ which the CNN uses to validate claims by US presidential candidates.
I am boiling mad because Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, the so-called minister responsible for parliamentary and legal matters, was quoted by theSun as saying: “None of the nation’s past prime minister (have) ever declared Malaysia a secular state … the only sitting prime minister who (has) made a statement on the issue was … (Dr) Mahathir Mohamad, who declared that Malaysia is an Islamic state.”
Since we do not have the privilege of a truth-o-meter service in Malaysia, allow me to assume that role since my column is also called ‘Truth Matters’. Read the rest of this entry »
In the shadow of strongmen
Posted by Kit in Bridget Welsh on Saturday, 3 November 2012, 8:22 am
— Bridget Welsh
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 02, 2012
NOV 2 — In the last few years, both Malaysia and Singapore have been undergoing political liberalisation, evident from the increasing parliamentary representation of the opposition and more open political discussion. Yet, with this opening, the challenges the two neighbours face in liberalising are becoming clearer. One of the main obstacles involves dealing with the legacies of Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as their imprint on politics continues to overshadow current transformations. How do the legacies of the two strongmen constrain contemporary political change?
Lee and Dr Mahathir were successful leaders, delivering economic progress and giving their countries international prominence. However, views of these leaders remain divided, with some lauding them as political strongmen who delivered development and stability and others highlighting their excesses. This debate will continue, and likely intensify over time. Still, few dispute the fact that the two leaders profoundly shaped the countries they led. In order to understand contemporary politics in both countries, we need to look beyond these leaders as individuals or their tenures and appreciate how the strongmen continue to shape the two societies. Read the rest of this entry »
Daydreaming or plain cocky?
Posted by Kit in Elections, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Friday, 2 November 2012, 7:40 am
Jeswan Kaur | November 1, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
Just why does BN/Umno find delight in playing the racism card when the issues beleaguering the rakyat are one too many?
COMMENT
The Barisan Nasional government is doing its worst to prevent the opposition alliance of Pakatan Rakyat from setting foot in Putrajaya and calling the shots.
Much castigation and accusations have been thrown upon Pakatan and its leaders by Umno, BN’s patronising arm.
Still, the rakyat seem eager to give Pakatan a chance to administer the nation, having had enough of ruling government BN’s domineering and rhetorics post-1957.
If BN is not puzzled as to why the rakyat are all thumbs-up for Pakatan, the former is either daydreaming or plain cocky.
To the people of this nation in particular the non-Malays, they have had it with the antics of BN’s top guns like Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister.
Two years ago Muhyiddin stunned Malaysians when he claimed that he was a Malay first and then Malaysian.
Why should the people be in favour of BN as the ruling government when its leaders are doing all they can to perpetuate an agenda that only serves to discriminate and segregate Malaysians of different faiths? Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia becomes rich ‘Tiger Cub’, but still intolerant
Posted by Kit in Economics, Education, Human Rights on Thursday, 1 November 2012, 1:39 pm
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 01, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 ― Malaysia has been singled out together with Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia as “Tiger Cub” countries fast catching up with regional leaders on a list of the most prosperous economies in the world, but was also named as among the worst countries for promoting personal freedom of its citizens.
Malaysia was ranked as the 45th most prosperous nation, trailing behind Singapore at 19th and with Indonesia fast catching up at 63rd position, on the Legatum Prosperity Index.
The London-based think-tank Legatum’s Prosperity Index assesses 142 countries based on performance in eight areas such as economy, personal freedom, health and social capital.
This year, Norway again topped the list of 142 countries, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. The United States, the United Kingdom and Germany came in at 12th, 13th and 14th spots, respectively.
The Central African Republic propped up the list.
The Legatum Institute, which publishes the index, noted that “a new generation of Asian ‘Tiger Cub’ countries has emerged, according to the latest findings from the Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index, with Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia all appearing in top half of the worldwide rankings this year.” Read the rest of this entry »
Nazri’s “Blow Job” in Parliament
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Parliament, UMNO on Thursday, 1 November 2012, 1:25 pm
by Martin Jalleh
1 November 2012
The Prime Minister has often preached about new winds of change and transformation blowing through Umno and into the country. There would be reform to deal corruption a deadly blow.
He has a very dependable Minister in his department who makes up for his frequent absence in Parliament, one who is very adept at blowing in the wind in the august House, i.e., providing answers that are as intangible (in meaning) as the wind – Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
Nazri Aziz is also reputed for blowing a fuse and spewing caustic invective when he finds himself in an intellectual and logical void and when all sense and sensibility deserts him in parliament.
He blows his cool when challenged and when his trademark nonsense is made bare. Similarly, when his theatrics, temper tantrums, threats and taunts fail, he blows off steam, accompanied by low blows.
Occasionally, Parliament hears Nazri’s own blown up importance, the latest being his loud declaration and reminder to the Opposition that he is the “number one” minister of law – and of course, he knows everything about the law. Read the rest of this entry »
What Everyone Should Know About Operasi Lalang
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Mahathir, UMNO on Thursday, 1 November 2012, 1:13 pm
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
1 November 2012
Last week, we marked the 25th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, that black day in our history that changed our country for the worst.
Like May 13, 1969, it was a Malaysian tragedy. And after all these years, we have yet to fully recover from it.
The beneficiaries of that notorious official move on Oct 27, 1987, to detain 106 Malaysians under the Internal Security Act (ISA) were – as journalist uppercaise has rightly pointed out in his blog – the then prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, and Umno.
Or, to be precise, Mahathir’s Umno Baru, which came about after the original Umno was declared illegal by the High Court in February 1988. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Malaysia should ratify ICERD
Posted by Kit in Human Rights on Thursday, 1 November 2012, 9:26 am
— Simon Sipaun
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 31, 2012
Oct 31 — PROHAM is a new human rights NGO formed by former Suhakam and the Police Commission commissioners. It was launched on 21st March, 2011.
Incidentally, 21st March every year is the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This RTD will go a long way towards realizing PROHAM’s hope to see that Malaysia will, sooner rather than later become a party to the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1969 (ICERD).
This move represents a realistic approach to the issue rather than sweeping it under the carpet and pretend it is not there.
2. I am unable to find one good reason why Malaysia should persistently continue to be not a party to ICERD.
Any government which refuses to be a party to ICERD is a government that supports racism and racial discrimination.
How else can I interpret such state of affairs? 175 countries are currently party to ICERD including many Islamic countries.
Only 15 countries have yet to be a party to ICERD and Malaysia is one of them. It is in the company of countries like North Korea, Myanmar and a dozen of authoritarian countries. Read the rest of this entry »
Oil Trading: Dark Side of PETRONAS
By Koon Yew Yin
Last week, the international financial media carried the story that Canada intended to block the planned $5.3bn acquisition of Calgary-based Progress Energy Resources by Petronas. According to these reports, the country’s industry minister, Christian Paradis had issued a statement saying he had written to Petronas saying he was “not satisfied that the proposed investment is likely to be of net benefit to Canada”.
Much of the subsequent analysis has focused on questions related to Canada’s policy on foreign takeovers and its investment policy especially with regard to foreign state-owned entities. This should be of little interest to us.
Of greater interest to Malaysians should be how the Petronas takeover of Progress will benefit our country. Is it in our best interests? What are the pros and cons of this very expensive takeover? Let us always remember that the company belongs to all Malaysians, and not simply to the government of the day or a group of company directors.
Petronas has done well. Since its incorporation, Petronas has grown to be an integrated international oil and gas company with business interests in many countries. The group is engaged in a wide spectrum of petroleum activities, including upstream exploration and production of oil and gas to downstream oil refining. Oil trading is one of the key activities of the group.
Read the rest of this entry »
Kong Cho Ha would have no choice but to resign as Transport Minister if there is a majority of at least 112 out of 222 MPs supporting the suspension of AES
Posted by Kit in MCA, Parliament, Transport, UMNO on Wednesday, 31 October 2012, 4:55 pm
In the past 24 hours, two UMNO MPs have broken ranks and swung their support for Pakatan Rakyat’s call for the immediate suspension of the Automatic Enforcement System (AEA) for traffic offences, pending full study of various public interest issues related to its implementation.
The first to do so is the UMNO Youth leader and MP for Rembau Khairy Jamaluddin who, after a meeting of the UMNO Youth executive council yesterday, called for the government to defer the implementation of AES as a review of the system was necessary to rectify weaknesses in it.
Today, a UMNO MP for Sabah, Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, who is also Deputy Chairman of Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) also crossed the political divide to back the PR call for suspension of AES.
The Pakatan Rakyat state governments of Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan have already suspended approval for the implementation of the AES until conclusion of full study and a proper consultation process with all the relevant stakeholders.
The question now is whether there is any MCA MP, Deputy Minister or Minister who dare to break ranks to call for immediate suspension of AES to produce the first fruit of MCA’s two-year-old “high profile politics” or whether all the boasts of “high profile politics” are just bunkum. Read the rest of this entry »
Warisan Merdeka to have 118 storeys
By Ida Lim
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 31, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 ― The controversial Warisan Merdeka tower next to Stadium Merdeka here will have 118 floors, the government said today, sparking renewed objections from the local MP who said the skyscraper would only contribute to a property glut.
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun told reporters today that Kuala Lumpur City Hall should reject the development, after the Federal Territories Ministry told Parliament of the plans for the skyscraper that had originally been for 100 storeys.
“The supply of office space in Kuala Lumpur has exceeded demand without Warisan Tower and Tun Razak Exchange. It’s not reasonable to give new approval for new development of office space,” Fong said.
He also cited the unsatisfactory traffic conditions in the Jalan Hang Jebat area where the mega tower is planned to be built, as a reason why DBKL should reject the application.
The Warisan Merdeka project was announced in 2010 by the government, and immediately sparked public outcry over the need for another skyscraper in the city. Read the rest of this entry »
Selayang Council must come clean
Posted by Kit in Local Goverment on Wednesday, 31 October 2012, 10:40 am
R. Nadeswaran
The Sun Daily
30 October 2012
IN early February, 2006, I was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport awaiting the arrival of passengers on Flight MH9042 from Mauritius. Among them was a delegation from the Selayang Municipal Council which included nine councillors, the president, the secretary and his wife, two officials and four businessmen who had contracts with the council. They had also dropped by South African cities, among others, to study how public toilets are maintained and kept clean. I had then asked: “How did contractors become part of an official delegation? Don’t the rules require councillors to keep at arm’s length, dealings with suppliers of goods and services?”
Subsequently, I wrote outlining their programme in both the countries and asked what they had learnt when they were out shopping and sight-seeing all the time. As usual, the silence was deafening.
All these memories came back last week as I read about the same council and the proposed development around Batu Caves. Both sides – the present and past administrations – have started pointing fingers and let it be stated that it is not this writer’s intention to take sides but put the record straight. The remarks made by some of the past councillors who approved the development are so ludicrous that they have to be taken with more than a pinch of salt.
Former councillor and current Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk A. Kohillan Pillay who was one of those who went on the toilet inspection trip said what had been approved in 2007 was only a “planning permit” which did not specify the number of storeys.
May be, after all these years he has forgotten terms like “planning permission”; “development order” and other terminology because he is concentrating on foreign policy matters and more travelling. Thus, we shall not burden him compelling him to read the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in its entirety. However, he should not overlook the central concept – the definition of what amounts to development. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib’s Achilles heel and poison arrow
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 31 October 2012, 10:26 am
Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | October 31, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
Every Umno leader knows that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blames Rosmah Mansor for the position Umno and Najib Razak find themselves in today.
COMMENT
It’s none of our concern if Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attacks on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak are tactical or real. What we know is that they are all masters and practitioners of subterfuge and deception.
I suspect the Umno camp is really worried about the attacks on their man that they have to do a spin on the whole works.
That’s Umno thinking for you. When something is not working for them, they will manufacture a preferred storyline.
Hence the story line they come out with is that Mahathir is doing his usual reverse psychology.
Every Umno leader knows that Mahathir blames Rosmah Mansor for the position Umno finds itself today.
Rosmah is the heel to Najib’s Achilles. Mahathir is the poison arrow.
Mahathir never ceases to bully Malays into believing they are inadequate and therefore the solution is to entrust their future in the hands of good people like him.
Social evils, intoned Mahathir, arise from the activities of evil people and if only known devils like him and the band of marauders and plunderers are in control, Malaysia is safe.
What is wrong with this kind of thinking? Well, it only requires one to be unthinking and self-praising.
Mahathir likes to self-praise although he has a round-about way of doing it. The medical doctor uses self-deprecation to disarm and defeat opponents. Read the rest of this entry »
Controversial ‘Tanda Putera’ film release shelved indefinitely, say sources
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Media, Najib Razak on Wednesday, 31 October 2012, 10:13 am
By Jahabar Sadiq
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 31, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 ― The public release of the “Tanda Putera” film that deals with the May 13 race riots has been put off indefinitely and now may hit the silver screen after the next general election, say sources.
The Malaysian Insider understands that senior government officials and the Najib administration did not want any distractions and potential flashpoints in the run up to the polls, which is likely to be held in the first quarter of 2013 after the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysian 2.0 (BR1M) is paid out.
The RM4.8 million film, financed with public funds, was first due to be released last September 13 but it was later pushed to November 17.
“There is too much controversy about the film and the authorities have decided on a later release date,” a government source told The Malaysian Insider. Read the rest of this entry »
BR1M – Betrayal Rakyat 1M’sia
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Mariam Mokhtar on Tuesday, 30 October 2012, 1:13 pm
by Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Oct 29, 2012
Without any surgical instruments, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has managed to create the Malay master-race. Dr Josef Mengele, the Nazi ‘Angel of Death’, would have been proud of him.
Mengele is best remembered for his work to create an Aryan master-race, befitting the Third Reich. During WWII, he performed experiments on inmates at Nazi concentration camps, many of which had no scientific basis.
People were operated on without anaesthetics. Mengele was motivated by the desire for racial purification and he satisfied his passion for the study of genetics, by experimenting on twins.
These experiments started during WWII and continued in Argentina, after his escape from Germany.
We are aware that Mahathir has a morbid obsession with all things Jewish. He has a special mention of the Jews in his book ‘The Malay Dilemma’; he blamed the 1997 financial crisis on a Jewish conspiracy; and, in 2003, his anti-Semitic speech caused an international outcry.
Last week, he reiterated his stance that the Jews “created many problems for us and the rest of the world” but then, appeared to distance himself from the comments of his former cabinet minister, Sanusi Junid, who said Mahathir’s economic policies were anti-Jewish.
In their youth, both Mengele and Mahathir were both intelligent and popular men, but within a few years of finishing their medical degrees, their racist views shaped their future lives. Read the rest of this entry »
Barisan Nasional has lost all credibility, legitimacy and moral authority to continue to rule in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Elections, MCA, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Monday, 29 October 2012, 3:23 pm
The latest report to emanate from the Barisan Nasional camp is that in the 13th General Election, it expects to win more than the 140 parliamentary seats it took in the 2008 General Election and that its worst-case scenario is winning just over 120 seats.
But this is only one of the many projections making their rounds with the worst-case scenario for the Barisan Nasional ranging from the bleak one of losing majority control of Parliament to the even more dismal one which would give Barisan Nasional a total of less than 100 parliamentary seats.
For the first time in the nation’s 55-year history and in thirteen General Elections, Malaysian voters have within their hands the power to decide whether the time has come for a change of Federal government although this would be heavily dependent on whether the next general election is a free, fair and clean one.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not confident that he will survive unscathed to continue as the sixth Prime Minister after the 13GE, and this is why he had dillied and dallied for almost two years over when to call for general election although he cannot be unaware of the pressure from the ignominy of being the longest unelected Prime Minister without his own national mandate for the highest office in the land.
Whatever the electorate’s verdict in the 13GE, what is becoming increasingly evident is that Barisan Nasional has lost all credibility, legitimacy and moral authority to continue to rule in Malaysia because it is prepared to undermine the Malaysian nation-building process with contradictory lies, deceit and hypocrisy when campaigning to different racial groups. Read the rest of this entry »
Now, DAP unveils its own election war truck
By Nigel Aw | 11:02AM Oct 29, 2012
Malaysiakini
DAP has launched its very own war truck ahead of what pundits expect to be the most competitive general election ever, with fierce campaigning everywhere.
The red trailer launched in Seremban yesterday by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is wrapped with a giant image of DAP’s hornbill mascot Ubah, with the words ‘Ubah! Bersihkan Malaysia’.
“Basically, the truck will be a mobile ceramah stage that is equipped with a big back drop and some lighting,” Negeri Sembilan DAP chairperson Anthony Loke said when contacted.
Read the rest of this entry »
Guan Eng calls for apology on Ops Lalang anniversary
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, Lim Guan Eng on Sunday, 28 October 2012, 11:11 am
Malaysiakini
Oct 27, 2012
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has called on the government to apologise and provide closure for all Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Operasi Lalang.
Furthermore, Lim said all remaining detainees should also be immediately freed to put an end to the ISA saga.
The mass arrest action, Operasi Lalang in 1987, saw 106 politicians and activists incarcerated but also for the first time prodded public consciousness to the ISA issue.
“25 years ago on 27 October 1987, I was among the first victims of Operasi Lalang detained under the ISA by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“I remember as a newly-elected MP for Kota Melaka, how stunned I was to hear that I was a threat to national security who would cause the country to descend into chaos, ruin and riots if I was not arrested.
“Then followed the dark days of solitary confinement, endless interrogation and intimidation to force me to recant which I managed to endure, survive and prevail,” hesaid in a statement today. Read the rest of this entry »
