Christians pledge to respect Islam’s position, says Najib
Posted by Kit in Islam, Najib Razak, Religion, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 5:17 pm
Bernama | May 12, 11
Najib Abdul Razak said leaders of Christianity in the country have pledged that they respect the position of Islam as official religion and have no intention of challenging the provision enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
The prime minister said the group had also given their undertaking to cooperate in nurturing peace and harmony between the various faiths so that Malaysia would continue to be a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“I am glad to inform that Christian leaders have given two very important and meaningful undertakings (today),” he told reporters after attending a luncheon with the Christian leaders at his office in Putrajaya today.
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DAP creating two-race system, says Soi Lek
By Shannon Teoh | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has accused DAP of dividing the country and causing the Chinese community to be isolated in the opposition.
“DAP’s suggestion of a two-party political system will soon turn into a two-race political system. The Chinese will be the opposition while the others will be in government,” the MCA president said in a video posted by his party on video-sharing site YouTube yesterday.
The former health minister’s statement mirrors that of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who accused DAP of running a racist campaign in the April 16 Sarawak election in which the party doubled its presence in the state assembly from six to 12.
“Malaysia faces a grave danger of being divided by two parties — one Malay-dominated by default and the other Chinese by choice. This will not be good for Malaysia.
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Christian group airs grouses over Utusan report to PM
By S Pathmawathy | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today heard complaints from Christian leaders over Utusan Malaysia’s “irresponsible reporting” for claiming that there was a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.
“We only said we are very disturbed and unhappy… (over the) irresponsible, potential riot-type seditious words (which) shouldn’t be published in mainstream media or any media for the matter,” said Bishop Ng Moon Hing of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM).
Ng (right) was speaking to reporters after a 45-minute closed door meeting with the prime minister in Putrajaya.
He said it was a fruitful meeting as this was first time the group had been engaged in this way.
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Utusan Malaysia doesn’t speak for Malay majority
Posted by Kit in Media, Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 4:15 pm
By Maclean Patrick | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
What is the ultimate aim of Utusan Malaysia? Is Utusan Malaysia hell-bent on destroying the peace and harmony with sectarian violence? Or is the newspaper the unpaid spin doctors of corrupt political leaders?
Utusan Malaysia’s reporting, if we can call it that, seems to serve the needs of a few who want to maintain an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the communities living in Malaysia.
The few we are talking about here must be in a position of power. Otherwise, what is the reason for Utusan Malaysia not being reprimanded for its brand of reporting.
Utusan Malaysia is not racist; instead it is propagating an even worse mind-set –xenophobia or an excessive fear of strangers. Is Utusan Malaysia referring to those who are not Malays as strangers?
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Guan Eng to Najib: Replace Utusan editors
Posted by Kit in Lim Guan Eng, Media, Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 4:11 pm
By Susan Loone | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the editors and reporters of Utusan Malaysia involved in the DAP-Christian state conspiracy issue to be replaced.
According to Lim, this is the only way Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can convince Malaysians that Utusan does not enjoy full legal immunity and that Umno, its largest shareholder, diagrees with the newspaper publishing “dangerous lies.
“Najib Razak can also convince Malaysians by directing Utusan Malaysia to withdraw and apologise for the false report and replacing the editors and reporters involved in such dangerous lies that can burn 1Malaysia,” he added.
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Letter from a Malaysian to his PM
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Letters, Najib Razak on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:27 pm
By Singa Pura Pura
I am but a lone voice. But a million lone voices make a million votes. You know that now. So I’ll tell you what this loner needs. And I’ll tell you directly. No UMNO, no MCA, no MIC, no Gerakan or any other historical parties. Just you and I my PM.
And it’s not a threat, it’s a fact. Facts are not threats.
I want a few good men of my choice on the Bench. A better A-G. A better IGP. A much better Home Minister. The removal of a few incompetent ministers. And the addition of a few able ministers of my choice. They can be from anywhere, as long as they are answerable in and to Parliament.
I want you to outlaw Perkasa as you have Hindraf. And I would like you to suspend Utusan Malaysia for a quarter of the period your predecessor had suspended The Star – although the latter’s indiscretion was less than one eighth that of the former. Do the math and be fair.
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‘Utusan’ best recruiting agents for Pakatan
Posted by Kit in DAP, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:25 pm
By Yin Ee Kiong | 12 May 2011
CPI Asia
First things first: DAP’s ban on Utusan Malaysia is wrong. Wrong because it is hypocritical to damn Umno-BN when they ban certain media from covering party or official functions and now DAP is doing the same thing.
DAP banning Utusan is wrong because it is the right of every paper to attend events so that they can report to their readers. Let the readers decide on the veracity of each report and let the authorities deal with the paper if it has overstepped the mark. Wrong because to call for freedom of the press on the one hand and now to ban a paper on the other all only the party does not like what it’s reporting is an indefensible position to take.
And wrong again to kick up such a ruckus as it did over the Utusan issue. It is enough to refute such false statements. There is no need for the brouhaha because it is in the opposition’s interest that Utusan and their fellow travellers be given enough rope to hang themselves.
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The rise of pop-litical culture
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Sarawak, Zairil Khir Johari on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:23 pm
By Zairil Khir Johari | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
Midway through the Sarawak campaign I received a text message from an unfamiliar number. The sender turned out to be a woman in Kuching, wanting to know when my next layover at the state capital would be.
Feeling perplexed, I glanced at my campaign itinerary. Some days I didn’t even know where I was. Spaced out as I was by the constant travelling, I was even more bemused by the rest of her message.
She went on to explain that her teenage daughter had a collection of five Ubah (the DAP hornbill mascot) plush toys, four of them bearing autographs of various party leaders and ceramah speakers. One of them, still in its original plastic wrapping, had been especially reserved for my John Hancock. Hence, she wanted to know if Kuching would be part of my tour.
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DAP plans to censure Hisham, Rais
Posted by Kit in DAP, Parliament, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:14 pm
By Patrick Lee | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: The DAP may move motions of censure in Parliament against two Umno ministers for their reactions over an alleged Christian plot.
DAP national vice-chairman M Kulasegaran took Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim to task for their acceptance of the plot without any prior investigations.
“These are two government leaders in charge of ministries that should immediately investigate the malicious and baseless report.”
“Yet, instead of giving immediate orders to investigate the report and calling for calm among the people, they have chosen to play politics,” he said.
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Time to make a stand, Malaysians
Posted by Kit in environment, Religion on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:12 pm
By Mustafa Sharif | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
One common feature of us Malaysians is our ability to stomach so much nonsense and then don’t do anything to make a change.
We are lied to on a daily basis by politicians, bureaucrats and the media but still shrug our shoulders and get on with our lives. The strange part of this is that if our wife, children or siblings fudge the truth, we chew their heads off and threaten Armageddon.
And yet, arguably, it is the daily deception by politicians, bureaucrats and the media which impacts our life greatly. Let me just list a few examples of these lies and deceptions.
1) The great Lynas scam. If not for the role played by Internet portals, the Lynas rare earth project would have flown under the radar. Federal politicians and Pahang Mentri Besar Adnan Yaakob knew about the toxic nature of the project but FDI is more important than TMR (the mortality rate). When the firestorm about the project could not be contained, the newsletters@newspapers suddenly discovered the issue. More like, they could not bury it. It is crazy man. Hundreds or thousands of lives could be at stake and government politicians and their newspapers are either ignorant or part of a deception.
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It’s tough being Malaysian Chinese
Posted by Kit in nation building on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:09 pm
By Tan Shang Neng (loyarburok.com) | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
As a young Malaysian Chinese, when asked to draw my vision of the year 2020 in our primary school Pendidikan Seni classes, I would draw flying cars, floating buildings, a city of steel and glass, people in jet-fighter styled suits covering arms and legs and a helmet to top, using jetpacks strapped to their backs.
Today, if asked to draw my vision of 2020?
I hope to have trees with leaves still green, less floods, less killing around the world. And, hopefully in the myriad hands I have drawn holding on to each other in the middle in harmonious unity, there will be a pair of hands with the colour that best represents my Chinese skin (another conditioning from primary school: “NO! People cannot be blue because they are nice or green because they are jealous! They must be coloured brown because this guy with songkok is evidently Malay, and this girl in this cheongsam must be yellow because she is evidently Chinese, and this Indian boy must be coloured black!” Boy was my little self so confused.)
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Lim: Konflik agama, kaum gagalkan konsep 1Malaysia
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:06 pm
By Fazy Sahir | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: Penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang berkata konsep 1Malaysia yang sering dicanangkan oleh para pemimpin Umno-Barisan
Nasional (BN) mula tercemar apabila timbul konflik keagamaan dan ketegangan kaum sejak kebelakangan ini.
“Para pemimpin Umno-BN bertanggungjawab di atas kegagalan konsep itu yang diperkenalkan Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) sejak mentadbir negara ini mulai April 2009,” katanya ketika dihubungi FMT.
Sambil merujuk kepada fitnah berterusan yang dilemparkan ke atas DAP sejak akhir-akhir ini, Lim berkata Umno-BN kini kian terdesak untuk mengembali dan mengukuh kuasa mereka.
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Cartoons are no threat to public order, Utusan is
Posted by Kit in Media, nation building, UMNO, Zunar on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 2:03 pm
Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers
‘Cartoons can cause public disorder? Then what do you call the writings by Utusan and the two pro-Umno bloggers?’
‘Terrible accusations’ in Zunar’s cartoon books
Mt KK: Never in any country have I learnt that cartoon books created public disorder or even banned. Indeed, many people, except Malaysiakini fans, may not have heard or read about Zunar’s cartoons. This ban has made it more popular.
My copy of Zunar’s cartoon book has been circulated to more than two dozens people so far. All enjoy the candid illustrations and not one was agitated enough to cause any disorder. They only felt upset at the ways the Home Ministry arbitrarily took actions and/or made partial decision to go after any matter not in favour of Umno leaders.
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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 10 of 14)
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 11:45 am
By M. Bakri Musa
Free Minds, Free Individuals
In the remote possibility that you may not readily identify with these giants in our history and legends, let me cite examples of ordinary individuals just like you are now who dared think independently, that is, have a free mind.
There was a student sent abroad to pursue his masters in engineering. Through smarts and diligence, he was soon admitted directly to the doctoral program. He did not bother to tell his administrative supervisor back home for he anticipated the negative response. His scholarship however, was only for two years, not enough time for a doctoral pursuit. That however, did not deter him. At the end of the second year he wrote his supervisor back home for an extension, citing a “slight snag” in his studies. He filled his pleading letter with sob stories of the challenges with English and mathematics.
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10 Days in May (3) (Updated)
Posted by Kit in Islam, Najib Razak, Religion, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 10:21 am
Tweets @limkitsiang:-
10DaysinMay(3):Najib irredeemably losing Msian centre/bury signature 1Msia concept if he mishandles Utusan “ChristianMsia” issue @lunch 2day
All patriotic Msians want an end 2irresponsible/treacherous rhetoric hate/lies ala Utusan – can PM promise/deliver @lunch w Church leaders?
Is Najib checkmated in looming Umno power struggle Umno? KhirToyo spokesman of powerful UMNO forces 2defend Utusan w “So What?” stance!
Endless Umno gutter politics.1st blame DAP/JeffOoi 4DAP/Christian conspiracy. Now blame Jeff/Bigdog conspiracy 2trap Utusan/Umno
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Skepticism abounds over PM-Christian group meeting
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building, Religion on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 7:51 am
Terence Netto | May 12, 11 7:35am
Malaysiakini
Today’s meeting between representatives of the Council of Churches of Malaysia and Prime Minister Najib Razak that was requested by the PM’s office to lower tensions arising from inflammatory reports in Utusan Malaysia is not likely to resolve anything.
This is the opinion of a frequent past attendee at meetings of Christian groups with Malaysian PMs who asked to remain anonymous.
“We have met him (Najib) and his predecessor and his predecessor’s predecessor often enough,” said the now retired past participant.
“There’s plenty of froth but little of substance achieved at these meetings. It’s good at promoting a ‘feel good’ atmosphere but after you have come away, the same difficulties recur,” he added. Read the rest of this entry »
Up and around, here and there
Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
May 11, 2011
MAY 11 — Umno and its mathematics.
I was “bad” at math when I said out of 10, 11 do not believe. I almost believe that I was terrible at math until I scanned the mainstreams papers screaming that DAP wants a Christian PM and Christianity to be made an official religion.
I know, the trappings of power have made some people soft. What I didn’t realise as quickly as I should have is they have made some people soft in the head.
We have 222 parliamentary seats for grabs. DAP contests, at most, 40. Assuming they win all the 40 parliamentary seats, perhaps Umno mathematicians can tell me how, with 40 seats, DAP or anyone else can form a national government? You have 82 seats and even you can’t form a national government.
Malays number 17-18 million. They form 60 over per cent of the population. Even if DAP marshals the entirety of the Chinese support, can 20 per cent of the population outnumber the 60 over per cent? Perhaps the Umno mathematicians can enlighten me.
Next we have the screamer who says “hidup Melayu”. There is no way we will allow DAP to take over the country. If that makes you happy, please scream some more. We can’t argue much against such emotions and illogic.
But PAS is also Malay. So “hidup Melayu” can also mean “hidup PAS” in as much as it can also mean Umno. Umno people have this self-conceited idea, borne from uncontested arrogance perhaps, that Umno is Malay and Malay is Umno. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib not being fair
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Media, Najib Razak, nation building, Religion, UMNO on Thursday, 12 May 2011, 7:31 am
by Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
May 11, 2011
MAY 11 — How much more humiliation and many more indignities should non-Muslims/non-Malays have to suffer at the hands of the government?
It seems there is no limit. Remember the cow head protests by Umno supporters in Shah Alam and how Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein placated and even sympathised with them?
Heck, he even blamed the Hindus and the Selangor state government for their temerity in wanting to build a temple near a mosque. Talk about consoling the inciters and lecturing the victims.
And now Najib Razak, the PM of all Malaysians is doing the same. Imagine he supposedly calmed down Muslim leaders in the wake of a false report by Muslim bloggers and a Malay newspaper.
The aggrieved party here are Christians and Malaysians who are sick and tired of the divide and rule by Umno and its sycophants.
And yet, here is the prime minister silent on the insidious role played by his party’s bloggers and Utusan Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »
200 NGOs lodge report against Utusan
by Charles Ramendran, Himanshu Bhatt and Bernand Cheah
The Sun
KUALA LUMPUR (May 11, 2011): A coalition of more than 200 NGOs has criticised the editors of Utusan Malaysia for publishing an article taken from two weblogs alleging a group of Christian pastors were conspiring to make Christianity the official religion of the country.
A. Rajaretinam, who heads the coalition called angkatan Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (Aman), said the actions of the editors of Utusan were unethical and could trigger grave consequences among the races in the country.
Accompanied by a dozen members including Aman adviser Datuk Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim and legal adviser A.Sivanesan who is also Sungkai assemblyman, Rajaretinam lodged a police report against the Bahasa Malaysia national daily at 2pm today urging the police and Home Ministry to take stern action.
“What they have done is irresponsible and goes against journalistic ethics. It is malicious and threatens national security. We urge the police to investigate this and the Home Minister to act by suspending the publication of Utusan immediatly pending an investigation.
“We have seen his ministry take action against other newspapers in the past for such mistakes and he should be fair by doing likewise in this case. Utusan has been doing this over and over again and gets away with it. We do not know what is their agenda but they must be punished.” he said. Read the rest of this entry »
