DAP questions DPM’s reluctance to slam racist remarks

KUALA LUMPUR, August 21 — The DAP questioned today Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s reluctance to condemn racist remarks uttered by a school principal, adding an investigating task force would just complicate a straightforward case.

Its national publicity secretary Tony Pua also called the education minister’s decision to set up a task force to investigate Johor school principal Siti Inshah Mansor’s allegedly racist remarks “an afterthought”.

“The question is, why is he, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, so reluctant to condemn such remarks and warn others in the Education Ministry from ever doing the same or face the harshest of consequences?

“His action, or in this case, inaction, has further damaged the “1 Malaysia” concept proposed by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to promote national unity,” Pua said in a statement.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said it would have been simple for Muhyiddin to determine if Siti Inshah had uttered racist words given the tens of witnesses present and the police report filed after the fact, and accused the Umno deputy president of complicating the probe.

Pua said that, while it was fair for the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra principal to receive a thorough investigation, the emphasis by Muhyiddin that the probe will involve several agencies was a “clear attempt” to unnecessarily prolong the investigation.

“[This] despite the obvious fact that Siti Inshah has apologised to the students for the offence,” he said.

Muhyiddin yesterday directed Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom to set up a committee to investigate the matter. Alimuddin had earlier said it was a misunderstanding that had been resolved in a failed effort to placate angry parents.

The police are currently investigating the case under section 504 of the Penal Code for provocation which carries a maximum imprisonment of two years, a fine or both.

A total of 20 complaints have been lodged with the authorities.

Sit Inshah had reportedly made the derogatory remarks during the launch of the school’s Merdeka celebrations earlier this week.

“Chinese students are not needed here and can return to China or Foon Yew schools. For the Indian students, the prayer string tied around their neck and wrist makes them look like dogs because only dogs are tied like that,” Siti Inshah was quoted as saying in at least one police report.

Pua added that it was telling that Muhyiddin’s investigative task force had not been set a deadline to present its findings when a week would have been enough to determine the outcome.

Lingam Tape at the Court of Appeal: Verdict will be?

August 22, 2010

Lingam Tape: Court of Appeal to hear three appeals tomorrow (August 23, 2010)

by Hafiz Yatim@ www.malaysiakini.com

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear the appeals by former lord president, Eusoff Chin, former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and lawyer VK Lingam over a 2007 royal commissions recommendations that action be taken against them.

All three appeals have been scheduled to be heard tomorrow.(August 23, 2010) However, it is not immediately known whether the appeals will be disposed of or a decision will be reached.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the VK Lingam video clip had recommended that the authorities take action against six persons, including former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, following evidence that they were involved in the brokering of senior judges.

Other than Mahathir, Eusoff, Fairuz and Lingam, tycoon Vincent Tan and UMNO secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor were also named by the commission.

On December 12, 2008 then High Court (Special Powers and Appellate division) justice Abdul Kadir Musa ruled that the findings from the commission of inquiry could not be challenged.

Abdul Kadir refused to grant leave for Lingam, Eusoff, Ahmad Fairuz, Tan and Adnan to challenge the commissions findings. It is uncertain as to whether Tan and Adnan have filed their appeals.

Low point in Malaysias judiciary

Dubbed the Lingam tape saga, the disclosure in September 2007 by Anwar Ibrahim of a video recording ! of Ling am in a phone conversation with Fairuz over the brokering of senior judges has been one of the lowest points in Malaysias judicial history after the removal of former lord president Salleh Abbas and four other senior judges in 1988.

The Royal Commission, which called a total of 21 witnesses to testify, found:

- the video clip was authentic;

- Lingam was engaged in a phone conversation with Fairuz in the presence of businessman Loh Mui Fah and his son Gwo-Burne, who took the video;

- Lingam had directly influenced the elevation of judges, including the appointment of Fairuz as president of the Court of Appeal and, possibly, the latters further appointment as chief justice;

- Lingam to have asked Tan and Adnan to be actively involved in the appointment of judges, in particular the appointment of Fairuz as chief judge of Malaya and subsequently, president of the Court of Appeal;

- the phone conversation indicated Lingams uncanny knowledge of what could be considered as matters classified as being under the Official Secrets Act; and

- Adnan could have been Lingams source in the Prime Ministers Department.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Manogaran to Muhyiddin: You are a hypocrite

By Zefry Dahalan, Free Malaysia Today

TELUK INTAN: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today was accused of putting on an act when he ordered the setting up of a task force to investigate allegations that a school principal had made racial slurs against her students. Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran slammed Muhyiddin for being hypocritcal and double-faced about the whole affair.

In the incident on Aug 12, SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra principal Siti Inshah Mansor allegedly uttered offensive remarks against non-Malay Muslim pupils during the launching of the school's national day celebrations.

Siti Inshah was reported to have said that "Chinese students should go back to China" and likened Indian students to "dogs".

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, ordered the setting up of the task force to be headed by ministry's deputy secretary-general (management) Rosli Mohamed.

Said Manogoran: “He (Muhyiddin) is merely play acting. He should know that the Biro Tata Negara (BTN or National Civics Bureau) emphasises racial hatred in its training modules.”

"Doesn't he know that principals, headmasters, teachers and civil servants sent to BTN for so-called self-motivational courses are indoctrinated to hate other races?”

"Principals or teachers should use common sense and be sensitive about other races. But I blame the government for this kind of incident.

"Where are we heading if the government stirs up racial sentiments with the Malays through BTN courses?”

Gerakan: 'Don't give face to racial extremists'

Gerakan calls for Malaysians not to give face or space to racial extremists who are out to destroy Premier Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia concept.

Party chief Koh Tsu Koon (left) said, There are racial extremists in Perkasa and some in Umno, who are out to promote their own political interests (at the expense of a multi-racial society).

We have to criticise (such activities in order) to promote racial harmony in the country, said Koh, who is also national unity and performance management minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

He said more Malaysians must subscribe to the spirit of promoting the 1Malaysia concept, and should not succumb to the racial hatred spread by people who have personal ulterior motives.

Koh says by not giving such people publicity and time of day, such hatred can be prevented from flourishing in the country.

He said this when asked what he thought of Perkasa being a thorn in the side of Najib's 1Malaysia concept.

Koh was speaking at a press conference after officiating the party's Perak convention in Ipoh today that was attended by 314 state delegates.

'Race-based parties outdated'

Party deputy chief Chang Ko Youn in his speech echoed Koh, saying that the issue of race and religion is again rearing its ugly head in the political arena.

He also said that Perkasa and some in Umno are playing the racial and religion cards to score points on Malay issues, and accused the DAP of playing along for political mileage.

Create any spark (in racial relations) and we are going to have problems, said Chang (left).

The political landscape f! or BN co mponent parties, of (being) race-based and fighting for one's community is outdated now, said Chang, who is also party state chief .

I urge race-based parties like MCA, MIC and Umno to change their party constitutions and open up as multi-racial parties to safeguard the interests of all Malaysians, he said.

At the same press conference, Koh commented on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Income Tax Department and the Malaysian Customs Department calling for them to punish the big fish rather than the small ones, in their efforts to fight corruption.

Catching a big fish is better than catching 1,000 small fishes, said Koh.

'Big fish getting away'

Gerakan believes that there are numerous big fish that think they are above the law and are getting away scot-free while these three departments hunt down the small fish.

He said the three departments must change their modus operandi of carrying out raids just to boost public confidence, otherwise the public may get the impression that they are only used to catch minor offenders.

Koh notes that small to medium business are being targeted while the big businesses seem to escape the authorities' dragnets.

In his speech Koh also supported the call by Malaysian employers to liberalise the intake of foreign workers as several sectors were facing acute labour shortage, which was holding back Malaysian businesses from flourishing.

Open up (the country to) foreign labour and in five or ten years time, we will have a high income economy, he said.

Koh also touched on corruption saying that after 50 years in power, power tends to corrupt and a new system to prevent abuse and misuse of power was needed.

His speech contained other gems such as a suggestion that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was not using the 1Malaysia slogan in Penang because he was scared that Najib will become more popular than him .
courtesy ! of Malay siakini
See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Remember my piece on Black Ops?

This reminds me of the National Mosque issue of 1999. Umno whacked the opposition for allowing Tian Chua, Gobalakrishnan and other unclean non-Muslims to enter the National Mosque. But it is okay for Japanese, Taiwanese and Mat Salleh non-Muslim tourists to enter the mosque because they are foreign tourists and not opposition supporters.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

PM wants full investigation into 'doa' issue

(Bernama) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wants the police and Penang Islamic Religious Council to conduct a full investigation into the alleged use of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's name, replacing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's, in the "doa" after the Friday sermon at some mosques in the state recently.

He said action must be taken against those responsible under the existing rules.

"I ask that this matter be fully investigated; who did it... as the delivering of Friday sermons is determined by the state Islamic Religious Council and people are not allowed to use our own script," he said at the handing of Raya goodies for the Malaysian Armed Forces, here, today.

Penang Umno liaison chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was this week reported to have revealed the use of Lim's name in the "doa" recited after the Friday sermon at some mosques in the Permatang Pauh and Jelutong areas recently.

"What happened was clearly against the state Islamic Religious Council's ruling and this should be investigated by the relevant authorities, and action taken in accordance with the stipulated procedures," said Najib.

******************************************

Umno denies lying, says six mosques dropped Kings name

(The Malaysian Insider) - Penang Umno has denied lying about state Chief Minister Lim Guan Engs name replacing the Yang di-Pertua! n Agong in Friday sermons, saying that it has happened in six mosques since last February.

State liaison deputy chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman told The Malaysian Insider that he was unsure if Guan Eng knew of the trend but disclosed that six mosques had used the term Chief Minister or Lim Guan Eng in their sermons to replace that of the King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

The mosques are Masjid Jalan Baru in Seberang Prai Tengah which mentioned Lims name on Aug 13, Masjid Padang Menora, Seberang Prai Utara (June 25), Masjid Pengkalan Tambang, Permatang Pasir (in May), Masjid Jamek Jelutong, George Town (in April) and Masjid Permatang Binjai, Kepala Batas (Feb 26).

And yesterday, Lim Guan Engs name was mentioned at the Masjid Kubang Buaya, in Butterworth by imam Ustaz Zakaria Ahmad... it was still being used despite media reports about the issue, he said in a telephone interview yesterday.

This is not an issue that was created, it actually happened, said Zainal Abidin, who sits on the powerful Umno supreme council.

He also criticised DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for saying Umno and its newspaper Utusan Malaysia had created stories and racial ill-feelings towards the Penang government.

It isnt good for Lim Kit Siang to say we created this on purpose. Now there is proof, what are they going to say, he said, asking the PR leaders to retract their statements.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the police and Penang Islamic Religious Council last night to conduct a full investigation into the matter, saying action must be taken against those responsible under the existing rules.

I ask that this matter be fully investigated; who did it ... as the delivering of Friday sermons is determined by the state Islamic Religious Council and people are not allowed to use our own script, he had said.

PR leaders have denied the Penang government had directed Guan Engs name be used to replace the Ki! ngs name but admitted it has been used by guest prayers leaders, who are out of their control.

Meanwhile, Zainal Abidin said Anwar had purposely defamed Umno by claimimg Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamids accusation was unsubstantiated as he had read the text of the sermons.

Kit Siang should also retract his statement as this is something that happens at the grassroots, he said, adding the practice of not mentioning the Kings name had started before Election 2008.

Before the 2008 general elections, several mosques controlled by PAS did not mention the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Governor but after the 2008 general elections, it has become a normal phenomenon in Penang, he added.

He described it as a bad act that can divide the people in the state especially the Muslims.

It is as though we dont acknowledge the existence of royalty and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. This is not good, said Zainal Abidin.

When asked if the chief ministers name was mentioned with the knowledge of Guan Eng, Zainal Abidin said he was unsure.

I still believe ... Umno hopes the State Islamic Affairs Council, that every order made by the head of the State Islamic Affairs Council, is not influenced or controlled directly or indirectly by the Penang Chief Minister.

We take a serious view ... the Islamic Affairs Council must control and ensure the sermon text is read fully. They must have full control, he said, adding people must disregard the past and follow the decision of the Penang Islamic Affairs Council.

The Sermon Writing Committee is headed by the Penang Mufti Datuk Hassan Ahmad.

Zainal Abidin also said that those delivering the sermons should get approval from the Penang Islamic Affairs Council even they were guest prayer leaders.

He said this in response to an Utusan Malaysia report yesterday which quoted the Masjid Jamek Padang Menora imam Ibrahim Ishak as admitting that a guest prayer leader had mentioned the chief ministers name when readi! ng the F riday sermon recently.

The prayer leader had invoked Allah to open Guan Engs heart to accept Islam as his faith, the imam told the Umno-owned newspaper.

Ibrahim also admitted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agongs name was not mentioned and he had censured the prayer leader for his mistake.

The imam had also said the mosque has a guest prayer leader to deliver the sermons every month, which will include a prayer for national leaders.

The Sinar Harian newspaper had quoted Jelutong Umno chief Abu Kassim Ismail as saying that sermons mentioning Guan Engs name is not new and has occurred between two and three months ago.

Zainal Abidin said the spate of incidents showed that guest prayer leaders must get permission from the states Islamic Affairs Council before being allowed to work.

Dont use the chief ministers name in a sermon. Dont use it in a prayer, if it is for good, OK but what if it is used to criticise, then it will cause dissension, he added.

******************************************

Asri sees no wrong in praying for leaders well-being

(The Malaysian Insider) - Popular Muslim preacher Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has urged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) to stop politicising the Penang sermon issue, saying it was acceptable to pray for the well-being of leaders.

Stressing that he was unsure if Umnos allegations were true, the Penang-born Mohd Asri said that praying for Lim Guan Engs well-being in his capacity as Chief Minister was a minor issue.

Dont politicise this issue. I told Pakatan and also BN not to politicise it, he said, adding that political parties need to work for the country and not always limit themselves to a partisan view.

I am not siding with anyone... There are a lot of important things to be done for the people of this country... This issue is not really that important, the former Perlis mufti said after returning from Mecca on Friday.

Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr! Ahmad Z ahid Hamidi claimed on Thursday that several mosques in the state had replaced the Kings name with Lims in their sermons.

PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hit back by claiming the allegations were a desperate attempt by BN to remain relevant, pointing out that he had personally read the text of the sermon.

When contacted yesterday, Mohd Asri explained to The Malaysian Insider that prayers fell into four categories. The first two involved praying that a leader receives guidance, and for a leader to be fair and sympathetic to the people.

These prayers can be read whether or not the leader is Muslim or not, he said.

He said the other two prayers involved wishing for the well-being of a leader even if he were unfair and outright praising of his leadership.

These two cannot be done, he said.

Mohd Asri also questioned why the prayer issue was being made a big deal of now despite the fact that there were political parties that prayed for a non-Muslim candidates election victory before.

He said if a prayer for victory could be read for a non-Muslim candidate, then a prayer for the well-being and guidance of a non-Muslim leader should be similarly permitted.

There are prayers that can be done and prayers that cannot... Prayers for the sake of good, we can do, he said.

He also advised that the sermon issue be solved fairly and factually from a religious point-of-view and not through emotional political platforms.

When asked about the alleged use of the chief ministers name to replace that of the King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Mohd Asri said he was not aware of the claim having just arrived back in Malaysia.

Penang Umno deputy chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that those delivering the sermons should get approval from the Penang Islamic Affairs Council even they were guest prayer leaders.

He said this in response to an Utusan Malaysia report the day before which quoted the Masjid Jamek Padang Men! ora imam Ibrahim Ishak as admitting that a guest prayer leader had mentioned the chief ministers name when reading the Friday sermon recently.

Zainal Abidin said the spate of incidents showed that guest prayer leaders must get permission from the states Islamic Affairs Council before being allowed to work.

The police have so far received three reports over the Friday sermon issue involving some mosques in Penang. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein said police were now investigating the allegation contained in the reports.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday ordered a full investigation into the matter by the police and the Penang Islamic Religious Council.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Forget about Talent Corporation and other transformation initiatives of NEM and TMP if Najib cannot stop extremist forces exploiting race and religion

This should be a special and unique month not only in the 53-year nation-building of Malaysia but the 18-month premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the theme of the Merdeka month celebrations from August 1 to September 16 is “1Malaysia Transforming the Nation” – first time after Najib’s full-year premiership and less than six months after the unveiling of the transformative NEM.

Messages and the spirit of Malaysian unity and inter-racial and inter-religious goodwill, harmony and solidarity should be pervading all nooks and corners of the country and infusing Malaysians with what they are saying are doing in these six weeks to put into practice and action the 1Malaysia slogan which Najib had proclaimed since becoming Prime Minister in April last year.

But the opposite had been the case as never had Malaysia been so divided, discordant and un1Malaysia in the past two decades, with persistent, irresponsible and inflammatory incitement of the politics of race and religion in recent months to stoke racial and religious animosity and hatred in plural Malaysia, going against the very grain of what 1Malaysia stands for.

Even the schools and the young generation of Malaysians are not spared, as illustrated by the cases of the racist outbursts against school children, one in the south in Kulai and the other in the north in Sungai Petani, demonstrating utter contempt and intolerance of 1Malaysia and our ethnic, religious and cultural diversity which are the country’s richest assets by school principals who should be the “role models” and standard-bearers of Najib’s 1Malaysia!

The NEM and the Tenth Malaysia Plan had both warned that the time for transformation is NOW, even painting the apocalyptic scenario of Malaysia on “a burning platform” if Malaysia is to successfully escape from the twin nation-building and economic crisis to become a developed, high-income nation with inclusivity and sustainability in 2020.

But the escalation of irresponsible and incendiary politics of race and religion by the powers-that-be (with Pakatan Rakyat component parties of DAP, PKR and PAS playing the nation-saving role of fire-fighters to douse racial and religious fires) cannot but raise the question whether Najib and his Cabinet Ministers have the shortest memory in the nation’s history as compared to all previous Cabinets – forgetting so quickly the dire warnings of NEM and Tenth Malaysia Plan.

It is no exaggeration to say that the country can forget about Talent Corporation and the other grandiloquent transformation initiatives of NEM and the Tenth Malaysia Plan and say goodbye to both foreign and domestic investment as well as Vision 2020 of a high-income developed nation if Najib cannot stop extremist forces from within his own camp who are dangerously exploiting the politics of race and religion from rearing their ugly heads.

The ball is in Najib’s court.

MCCBCHST CALLS FOR A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL

Rev. Dr. Thomas Philips
President
MCCBCHST

In the light of the latest, in an increasing line of provocative racist remarks, this time by a principal of a school in the state of Johor, MCCBCHST calls upon the authorities to take prompt, and appropriate action to demonstrate that such dastardly acts and words perpetrated by government servants regardless of their rank is not and will not be tolerated in Malaysia.

The Johor school incident occurring as it did in the runup to the coming National Day celebrations casts a sombre shadow over the nation’s commitment to a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society where all citizens can be guaranteed a shared destiny in Malaysia as Malaysians based on peace and justice.

The time has passed whereby mere platitudes and words from the national leadership and enforcement authorities in themselves will be enough. The nation needs just and fair actions rather than just words.

MCCBCHST calls for its component religious communities and all other Malaysians regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation to join together to pray that the sitting government will take responsibility to take appropriate action to stop blatant racist acts and utterances.

At the same time, let all peace-loving, fair-minded Malaysians join together to raise an unignorable chorus of disapproval against racism in all its forms.

LET US STOP RACISM BEFORE RACISM STOPS OUR NATION.

Sara The Super Awek

UMNO, why do you keep pushing me away?

from rights2write by drrafick

1. I don’t remember ever buying “Utusan Malaysia”. Judging by yesterdays headlines in Utusan “Nama Guan Eng Ganti Agong“, I doubt I will change my position and start reading this UMNO controlled newspaper. In my mind almost all the MSM in Malaysia does not meet the standard of independence and responsible journalism but “Utusan Malaysia” has proven that it is probably worth less than a toilet paper. The only reason I knew about this when I saw the headlines at my regular news vendor and after watching further propaganda on TV3.
   

2. We must accept that without proof we cannot deny or admit such a thing happened. However based on logical assessment and the majority Malaysian mentality of the religion of Islam, it does not make any sense at all. When I saw the news on TV3 where it was shown that 3 old man was interviewed on they claim that they heard while listening the Friday Prayers sermon, I sat back and think very hard on what is the probable thing that has happened.
   

3. It is a standard ruling where all Friday sermons in every state in Malaysia are regulated. The content is standardized in every state by the respective State Religious Authorities. If indeed what is claimed by the 3 man interviewed by TV3 news as true than it only means that some coordinated effort has been engineered by a third party to discredit LGE. Common sense will show that LGE will not dare to get involved in a sensitive matter like religion in Malaysia. He is not exactly a green thumb politician. MAIP has also denied that they have given out such instructions to replace Agong’s name with LGE.
   

4. The question that popped my mind is could it be it is a coordinated political play by UMNO? Maybe they get a few pro UMNO khatib in Penang to purposely deliver a sermon that has been modified in order to elevate the political game in Penang. If indeed this is the case, what are the probabilities that it is done by people other than those who are link to UMNO? I am not making an accusation but merely asking people to think rationally.
   

5. In any case, I also wonder sometime if it is wrong for a Muslim to DOA for the well being of a non-Muslim. I searched the Malaysian e-fatwa
   but did not find anything relevant. I found a discussion portal on religion which suggest that it is a non issue but then we would not know for sure because the discussion portal is a public portal which are not limited to scholars. I did not manage to find any specifics on my favourite site Islam-online other than the DOA for non Muslim parents. If we accept that all mankind are children and grandchildren of Adam and Hawa (Adam and Eve) then I would like to ask those who says that it is an offence to Doa for the non Muslim on why it is so?
   

6. My expectation from UMNO is for them to show us the way for better living. The weak reaction of the DPM on the Kulai HM statements shows very poorly of them. In an opposition state, I expect UMNO to show that they are better and they can deliver and able to compete for the people’s trust in an environment where they no longer have power.
   

7. Right now that is not happening. What they are doing is merely continue to divide the people along religion and ethnic lines. This is sad. Do they really think they can win votes this way? Don’t they realize that people voted them out because they are fed up with their ways? I wonder why UMNO is not able to do the right thing to regain my trust.




Ahhh… the good old days.. I missed them.


(Jeffry Mustapha, Cheok Mei Wan, Susan Loone, Latif, Nathan, Anuar Len Abdullah .. many others. (SRPT Batu 9 Kuantan Pahang 1970-1975 ) this one for you guys

Enter the Jester

August 21, 2010

Enter the Jester

by Mariam Mokhtar (August 20, 2010)

http://www.malaysianmirror.com

COMMENT Very few court cases are titillating but the cross-examination on Wednesday, of Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand by Abdul Razak Musa, the lawyer representing the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission, was a tragi-comedy.

This is Dr. Pornthip’s second appearance at the inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock, a DAP political aide who was suspected to have fallen from the 14th floor of the MACC’s state headquarters.

The facts are these: TBH died under mysterious circumstances. The investigation into his death is a charade. The inquest is a pantomime. The MACC prosecutor behaved like a court jester.

If it wasn’t for the seriousness of the crime, we wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. If Abdul Razak needed a change of job, he would make a successful stand-up comic.

Abdul Razak sought to discredit Pornthip because of the variance in her first and second post-mortem analyses, (she based her conclusions on the first-mortem report and on the observation of a second post-mortem).

However, she highlighted that procedures were not adhered to during the first autopsy. She said, “The other doctors made a mistake.”

This is not the only lapse in adherence to ‘standard operating procedures’. What will Abdul Razak say about the ‘suicide note’ that was ‘discovered’, two months after TBH’s death? Protocol was overlooked.

Are we to believe that Abdul Razak is the best lawyer the MACC can summon? He is a class-act, but for all the wrong reasons. He suggested that Teoh ‘strangled himself’ and was ‘depressive’.

Abdul Razak even amused the court with a comical demonstration of ‘strangling himself’. He might not be so thrilled to know that everyone present wished he had done so, and save the agony of listening to him.

The court was then transfixed when Abdul Razak suggested that Pornthip’s report was “based on her imagination”. He then asked if Pornthip had “any experience jumping off a building”.

Only a vacuous person, or someone who is high on drugs, could even contemplate such a ridiculous question. Abdul Razak then showed his ignorance of science and of common sense by saying that, “If (Teoh) was unconscious, his body would be heavier.” Is he alluding to the ‘dead weight’ of a person when it is motionless?

On the anniversary of Teoh’s death, the MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed pledged not to “cover up” Teoh’s death. Admittedly, he may be fighting a losing battle to regain public confidence.

At the end of July, the MACC operation review panel said the media should “protect” MACC to encourage foreign direct investment into Malaysia. It was suggested that the press had been unfair in its coverage of the MACC and should help rebuild its image.

Amanah Raya Berhad’s board director Aminah Pit Abd Raman said, “We are talking about image. This is the country that we love, you are the press. You can write one negative article that will effect investment for an example but you can also highlight the positive things.”

At yesterday’s inquest, Abdul Razak, accused Pornthip of having “already made up her mind (against suicide)”.

Having heard and read of the circus he conducted, I can write that Abdul Razak is a ‘determined’ person. Frankly, Abdul Razak – incoherent, incompetent and indelicate – has discredited himself by pressing the self-destruct button.

Malaysia has caught the world’s attention again – albeit for negative reasons: Corruption, injustice, religious absurdities, racial inequality, insubordination of women and this farcical inquest. The government will have a tough fight to regain credibility.

Teoh’s death is a disgrace to all Malaysians but the MACC seems more concerned about its image (does it understand that it is not in the image business but that it exists to fight corruption?).

Does the MACC feel that Teoh’s inquest is of little significance and no importance, and so they fielded a lawyer who was uninspiring?

If not, then people must be wondering if Abdul Razak Musa is the MACC’s secret weapon. But can anyone really be that daft?

Few in court yesterday will easily forget the collective sigh of relief when Abdul Razak finished questioning Dr. Pornthip.

The tragedy is that the comic side-show created by the MACC’s counsel is a distraction, and is diverting attention away from the more serious business of getting justice for Teoh Beng Hock.

* The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysian Mirror and/or its associates.

Tulang Besi: The Victim of American Discrimination

Not long ago, Tulang Besi applied for a position in United States. Despite being told by the agent that Tulang Besi has a great chance of getting the job due to the fact that Tulang Besi is an alumni of an American University and has a fully functional social security number registered with the American government.

Several months had passed, yet no answer from my agent in the US. Finally, after checking with a few sources, Tulang Besi concludes that Tulang Besi is rejected outright. And, the main reason for the rejection is because Tulang Besis real name starts with Abdul (Abdul Rahman Abdul Talib).

If only Tulang Besi had submitted a resume without mentioning the Abdul, the application would have been accepted.

THE SAME FATE IS SUFFERED BY TULANG BESIs BROTHER IN UK

Tulang Besis brother lives in the UK. When he first arrived, he submitted his resume various agents. Several weeks had passed yet none replied.
Tulang Besis brother, then, decided to rewrite his resume. This time, he omitted the word Muhammad from his name. He then sent out his resume to the same agencies.

Within hours after sending the new resume, Tulang Besis brother was bombarded with tens of requests for interviews or inquiries.

It goes to show, the American effort to compartmentalize Muslims and to jump-start a massive discrimination effort towards Muslims is working.
Now, Muslims having Muslim names that starts with Abdul or Muhammad are natural targets for discrimination. We are not worthy of any rights guaranteed in the Western world.

Another good example is the Frenchs obsession with Purdah or Burqa. They went out of their way to ban Purdah and Hijab in their schools.
Yet, they provide protection to a film director name Roman Polanski from facing charges of child molestations in the US. They even appointed a minister who openly admits to have had sex with boys in Thailand.

The message sent out is: Religious clothing is an abomination. Raping children is an una! lienable right

Thus far, we have never seen any evidence linking Osama and Al Qaeda with the September 11 bombings. Most of the American information is obtained from prisoners who underwent torture in Guantanamo Bay or various Central Asia republics.

It is a known fact that most men will confess anything under torture even to the extent of claiming oneself to be a woman. I know in Egypt, they will torture a political prisoner until he admits that he is a woman/girl. Only then, the political prisoner is released.

So, most of the information we read about the so call Terror Network are obtained from detainees confessions who had undergone the process of torture.
At the same time, people like me will have to undergo systematic discrimination whenever I enter the realm of the West.

In the West, Muslims are the cursed people and people who put Muhammad or Abdul in their names are automatic extremists and must be abolished from the face of the earth. Unless of course, if people like me is willing to come out in public that I am a child molester or someone who likes having sex with boys. Then, I can be assured of the protection of the West.

Tulang Besi

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

The Politics of Sarawak and the Pehin Sri

August 22, 2010

www.malaysiakini.com

The Politics of Sarawak and the Pehin Sri

Harrison Ngaus description of dirty politics in the rainforest state of Sarawak on Borneo island reads like a chapter in a spy novel, complete with subterfuge, threats, and contraband.

The amiable one-time lawmaker says the challenges he had to overcome to score an unlikely election victory will again face Malaysias opposition when it contests statewide polls expected within months.

A political earthquake in 2008 national elections, which shook the ruling Barisan Nasional coalitions half-century grip on power, has rendered timber-rich Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah state extremely strategic.

With Borneo now one of its last bastions of support, the coalition must fend off the resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim and retain its hold there in the next national elections if it wants to stay in office.

The upcoming Sarawak state polls will be a keenly watched bellwether with far-reaching implications for the multicultural, Muslim-majority nation which Barisan Nasional has ruled since independence in 1957.

But Harrison Ngau is quite sure that going on past performance, the coalition fronted in Sarawak by ageing chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has been in power for 29 years will put up a tough fight.

It was a nightmare and still remains a nightmare for the opposition to win in Sarawak polls, said Ngau, who served one term in parliament in the 1990s and is now a leading lawyer campaigning for native land rights.

When he decided to stand for office as an independent, n! o one ga ve him a chance of winning as his constituency was so huge, with voters scattered across jungles reachable only by boat, four-wheel-drive vehicles and plane.

We had to campaign in Bario (highlands district) but we could not get a flight nor send our election pamphlets. The order from BN was: Ngau should not set foot in Bario. His posters should not be seen here, he said.

Facing defeat, he came up with the idea of smuggling his election posters by hiding them inside empty biscuit tins, and air freighting them secretly to Bario, where they were quietly intercepted by friends.

The next morning my posters were hanging in Bario. It shocked my BN rival. To win elections in Sarawak one has to behave like a commando, said the 49-year-old in his offices in the coastal town of Miri.

Ngau says the state remains in thrall to powerful political masters and tycoons who control the timber and plantations industries that have plundered the states natural resources.

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance has set its sights on capturing Sarawak, campaigning on land rights for indigenous people, poverty and allegations of rampant political corruption.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (above) made a historic visit to the Sarawak interior last month, delivering multi-million-dollar development pledges and a promise to survey native lands to pave the way for ownership of ancestral territory.

But decades of exploitation that have stripped the forests and poisoned the waterways, together with their unsuccessful quest for land rights, have left a strong sense of frustration and betrayal among Sarawaks tribes.

The trust has been damaged. Look, our longhouses are falling apart, said Richard Jeng! an, a 50 -year-old member of the Penan tribe in the remote village of Long Lamai.

The soil is no longer fertile. It is impossible to hunt or look for food in the jungle, said 45-year-old neighbour Connie Lingga. I think this time we should vote the opposition.

Baru Bian, the new leader of Anwars Keadilan party in Sarawak, said the opposition alliance will contest all 71 seats in the state parliament currently it holds just seven.

I am confident that with the mood on the ground we can topple Taib provided vote-buying and threats are not used, Baru Bian said, but admitted their slim resources may be no match for the coalitions vast election machinery.

The state polls will provide Najib with an opportunity to gauge voter sentiment as he prepares for national elections expected to be held in 2011.

In 2008 the coalition was humbled with its worst results ever, losing control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats as ethnic Chinese and Indians swung to the opposition. Currently, 54 of its 137 seats in parliament are Borneo electorates.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng) predicted the opposition would do well in urban seats, but said they faced a much more difficult job in the interior, where there is a long-established system of patronage and vote-buying.

I do not see a change in the state government. It will be tough for the opposition to win because the state is huge and it will need a lot of resources to campaign.

- AFP

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

PM wants full investigation into 'doa' issue

PEKAN: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wants the police and Penang Islamic Religious Council to conduct a full investigation into the alleged use of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's name, replacing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's, in the "doa" after the Friday sermon at some mosques in the state recently.

He said action must be taken against those responsible under the existing rules.

"I ask that this matter be fully investigated; who did it... as the delivering of Friday sermons is determined by the state Islamic Religious Council and people are not allowed to use our own script," he said at the handing of Raya goodies for the Malaysian Armed Forces, here, today.

Penang Umno liaison chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was this week reported to have revealed the use of Lim's name in the "doa" recited after the Friday sermon at some mosques in the Permatang Pauh and Jelutong areas recently.

"What happened was clearly against the state Islamic Religious Council's ruling and this should be investigated by the relevant authorities, and action taken in accordance with the stipulated procedures," said Najib.

-Bernama

Also read:

LGE in sermons: Zahid told to name mosques [video]

Racist we all are

August 22, 2010

Racist we all are, but despair not too much

by ZAINUL ARIFIN
zainul@nst.com.my

SOMEONE suggested to me that the level of racism is rather alarming these days.In the anonymity of the World Wide Web and the all-narcissistic social media, the tone is harsh and divisive. One can imagine the depth we have descended to in matters of race relations.

Having lived quite a bit, I would say that there were a few points in the nations history when race relations were far worse.But that surely is no comfort. It is just like saying, with apologies to cancer victims, some types of cancer are better than others.

I believe, we would rather not have to deal with this, and in an ideal world we should not have to. But deal with racism we must.

We are living in different times. Circumstances have changed. What was fine previously, is not any more. What was taboo then, is now spoken out loud. The challenge for us is to adapt to the changes forced upon us by circumstances, sensibilities and the environment that we live in.

The young people of today, for instance, are different from the generations of their parents or grandparents. They live in an era of possibilities, global in outlook and they see things differently. They are not weighed down by past baggage and are keen to look at issues the way they want to see them.

And there are more of them these days, by some counts more than two-thirds of the population. Now what have young people got to do with racism, one may ask? In fact, anecdotal evidence would suggest they are the least racially conscious. 1Malaysia is them, and they adapt to it rather well when compared with their older fellow citizens.

I have a theory. Because of their potentially game-changing role in the countrys political process several millions more of them are eligible to be voters in the next general election than previously they are much-sought after.

The astute po! litician s would have known this and it is no great stretch that they would tap into their worries and concerns, to be amplified and processed for good measure. Some would accentuate the positives, others the negatives.

The latter, of course, could be a contributor to racial issues. The older ones may see race issues as a fact of Malaysian life, but the young may look at it as something to be abhorred.

Race relations issues, good or bad, are constants in a multiracial country. These days, they are everywhere as the number of mono-ethnic nations is getting fewer.

Humans by nature are racist, the sooner we admit it, the better. In its most basic form, it is a sociological survival instinct and the desire to belong. In some ways, it is akin to us cheering and waving the flag when our badminton team plays we call this nationalistic.

We tend to mingle with our own kind, marry or live with people of the same race. We observe our cultures, some of us think ours are better than others.

It is also when we allow racism to dominate discourse and chatter that racism becomes a problem. Incidentally, racist is also a label conveniently used to disparage or make a social pariah of someone. Who would want to be associated with racists or keep them company?

Most times, the label is used to silence, since who in his right mind, even dye-in-the-wool racist, would want to be known as one? It is worth pondering that when a person calls someone a racist, is he being a racist himself?

Are racists like addicts who do not see themselves as the problem? How do we define racism, especially in the Malaysian context, when everything is defined by race from our politics, policies and economy?

Is someone championing vernacular education racist? Is someone calling for more Bumiputera participation in the economy racist? Is someone questioning the lack of Chinese in the armed forces or the number of Malays in the civil service racist? Is the New Economic Policy or it! s succes sor, the New Economic Model, racist?

Are terms such as meritocracy, equality, fairness, opportunity, dominance, incompetency, corruption, etc, code words for racism, even if discussions are as plain as vanilla? Can we say we are a functional realist-racist society? We know the issues and we talk about them, perhaps at times a tad too much, but we do not shy from it.

The level of discourse and the language used now seem to suggest the implicit is now explicit. The anonymity offered and prized by the Internet has become a good cover for private feelings, no matter how vile or how much bile in them, to be made public.

We can, of course, blame our favourite whipping boys, the politicians. To be fair, they are not entirely to be blamed, nor are they entirely blameless.

They work on the lowest common denominator and prey on our individual and collective fears that the others are getting, controlling or having more. Some argue for equality, as Bob Dylan said, like a wedding vow. Some call for fairness, a much more difficult concept, as the word would suggest.

People with doom and gloom often have a political agenda. They belong to the sub-species of politicians, who I like to call politicus animalus opportunistus.

They are quick to sense the mood on the ground, tap into it and amplify it, and could we suggest that it could be politically beneficial to be racist, if not in words but in subtle messages and actions that no one could miss? The knowledge of which button to push is, of course, advantageous.

Racism rears its ugly head easily and often. A teachers remark, a rappers parody, a columnist musing, a politician posturing, any of these can spark a new row. We latch on the negatives like drunks fortuitously lost in a brewery.

Racism unearths the worst in us, and, unfortunately, some of us seem to revel in it. We jump, point and moan the racial divide, and yet do our best, in our righteousness, to widen it further.

Are we not s! craping the bottom of the barrel if we were to say that things are not that bad? We are not getting better, of course, but it is not something that we think will drive us at each others throats.

I would be worried of the racial situation now, but not despair too much. Could I say it is the norm? Well, thats my ever-optimistic opinion.

Yet, we can expect racism to heighten further in our political processes. Race seems to be an underlying force in our politics, though few of us would readily admit it.

It is often not the words that are racist, but the actions and posturing that exude subtle yet so distinct messages that it cannot be missed for anything else but racism. But I suppose all is fair in love, war and politics.

We understand they are politicians, but such verbal agility and gymnastics is impressive, nonetheless. The idea is if you say it often enough some of the mud will stick, and it does not matter if it is the truth or not.

It is when we allow racism to consume us that it becomes a problem. These days, with active politics all year round, race is a convenient fallback to cater for the basest of fears, angers and insecurities.

Racism is a convenient and effective tool to use. It is also self-fulfilling, the more we lament it, the more it is going to be a problem. Nonetheless, racism can also turn around and bite us back.

See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Racist we all are, but despair not too much by

by ZAINUL ARIFIN

zainul@nst.com.my

SOMEONE suggested to me that the level of racism is rather alarming these days.In the anonymity of the World Wide Web and the all-narcissistic social media, the tone is harsh and divisive. One can imagine the depth we have descended to in matters of race relations.

Having lived quite a bit, I would say that there were a few points in the nations history when race relations were far worse.But that surely is no comfort. It is just like saying, with apologies to cancer victims, some types of cancer are better than others.

I believe, we would rather not have to deal with this, and in an ideal world we should not have to. But deal with racism we must.

We are living in different times. Circumstances have changed. What was fine previously, is not any more. What was taboo then, is now spoken out loud. The challenge for us is to adapt to the changes forced upon us by circumstances, sensibilities and the environment that we live in.

The young people of today, for instance, are different from the generations of their parents or grandparents. They live in an era of possibilities, global in outlook and they see things differently. They are not weighed down by past baggage and are keen to look at issues the way they want to see them.

And there are more of them these days, by some counts more than two-thirds of the population. Now what have young people got to do with racism, one may ask? In fact, anecdotal evidence would suggest they are the least racially conscious. 1Malaysia is them, and they adapt to it rather well when compared with their older fellow citizens.

I have a theory. Because of their potentially game-changing role in the countrys political process several millions more of them are eligible to be voters in the next general election than previously they are much-sought after.

The astute po! litician s would have known this and it is no great stretch that they would tap into their worries and concerns, to be amplified and processed for good measure. Some would accentuate the positives, others the negatives.

The latter, of course, could be a contributor to racial issues. The older ones may see race issues as a fact of Malaysian life, but the young may look at it as something to be abhorred.

Race relations issues, good or bad, are constants in a multiracial country. These days, they are everywhere as the number of mono-ethnic nations is getting fewer.

Humans by nature are racist, the sooner we admit it, the better. In its most basic form, it is a sociological survival instinct and the desire to belong. In some ways, it is akin to us cheering and waving the flag when our badminton team plays we call this nationalistic.

We tend to mingle with our own kind, marry or live with people of the same race. We observe our cultures, some of us think ours are better than others.

It is also when we allow racism to dominate discourse and chatter that racism becomes a problem. Incidentally, racist is also a label conveniently used to disparage or make a social pariah of someone. Who would want to be associated with racists or keep them company?

Most times, the label is used to silence, since who in his right mind, even dye-in-the-wool racist, would want to be known as one? It is worth pondering that when a person calls someone a racist, is he being a racist himself?

Are racists like addicts who do not see themselves as the problem? How do we define racism, especially in the Malaysian context, when everything is defined by race from our politics, policies and economy?

Is someone championing vernacular education racist? Is someone calling for more Bumiputera participation in the economy racist? Is someone questioning the lack of Chinese in the armed forces or the number of Malays in the civil service racist? Is the New Economic Policy or it! s succes sor, the New Economic Model, racist?

Are terms such as meritocracy, equality, fairness, opportunity, dominance, incompetency, corruption, etc, code words for racism, even if discussions are as plain as vanilla? Can we say we are a functional realist-racist society? We know the issues and we talk about them, perhaps at times a tad too much, but we do not shy from it.

The level of discourse and the language used now seem to suggest the implicit is now explicit. The anonymity offered and prized by the Internet has become a good cover for private feelings, no matter how vile or how much bile in them, to be made public.

We can, of course, blame our favourite whipping boys, the politicians. To be fair, they are not entirely to be blamed, nor are they entirely blameless.

They work on the lowest common denominator and prey on our individual and collective fears that the others are getting, controlling or having more. Some argue for equality, as Bob Dylan said, like a wedding vow. Some call for fairness, a much more difficult concept, as the word would suggest.

People with doom and gloom often have a political agenda. They belong to the sub-species of politicians, who I like to call politicus animalus opportunistus.

They are quick to sense the mood on the ground, tap into it and amplify it, and could we suggest that it could be politically beneficial to be racist, if not in words but in subtle messages and actions that no one could miss? The knowledge of which button to push is, of course, advantageous.

Racism rears its ugly head easily and often. A teachers remark, a rappers parody, a columnist musing, a politician posturing, any of these can spark a new row. We latch on the negatives like drunks fortuitously lost in a brewery.

Racism unearths the worst in us, and, unfortunately, some of us seem to revel in it. We jump, point and moan the racial divide, and yet do our best, in our righteousness, to widen it further.

Are we not s! craping the bottom of the barrel if we were to say that things are not that bad? We are not getting better, of course, but it is not something that we think will drive us at each others throats.

I would be worried of the racial situation now, but not despair too much. Could I say it is the norm? Well, thats my ever-optimistic opinion.

Yet, we can expect racism to heighten further in our political processes. Race seems to be an underlying force in our politics, though few of us would readily admit it.

It is often not the words that are racist, but the actions and posturing that exude subtle yet so distinct messages that it cannot be missed for anything else but racism. But I suppose all is fair in love, war and politics.

We understand they are politicians, but such verbal agility and gymnastics is impressive, nonetheless. The idea is if you say it often enough some of the mud will stick, and it does not matter if it is the truth or not.

It is when we allow racism to consume us that it becomes a problem. These days, with active politics all year round, race is a convenient fallback to cater for the basest of fears, angers and insecurities.

Racism is a convenient and effective tool to use. It is also self-fulfilling, the more we lament it, the more it is going to be a problem. Nonetheless, racism can also turn around and bite us back.

Miss World Romania 2010 beauty contest news

from Global Miss Contest Beauty Contest

Loredana Violeta Salanta, Miss World Romania 2009

The finale of Miss World Romania 2010 beauty pageant will be held on September 11 at the Cantacuzino Castle in Busteni. Loredana Violeta Salanta, Miss World Romania 2009 (photo above) will pass her crown to the successor at the end of beauty contest.

The new beauty queen will represent Romania in Miss World 2010 in Sanya, People’s Republic of China on October 30th.

Letter & Opinion From Joe Public

Diva: Ralin Syah, The Luna Maya Topper

This is the model who potentially top Luna Maya position. She is Raline Rahmat Shah or you can simply call her Raline.

Raline was born on March 4 1985 , she's gorgeous and can sing well. Raline Rahmat Shah was the Idol Puteri Favorit In Miss Indonesia Contest 2008. the winner was Zivanna Letisha Siregar. Previously she was the 2008 Northern Sumatera Princess .

Raline Rahmat Shah born from Nobel family. Her father, Rahmat Shah is The Nobel Consulate of Turk in Medan. Raline also the nephew of Anuar Shah alias Aweng, The Pemuda Pancasila (PP) leader in North Sumater. Raline speaks English and French also. She got 'Gold International Youth Award' in 2004. Raline jworked also in Indonesian Embassy as MC for tourism event. SSlightly, she is the combination between Manohara Odelia Pinotand Velove Vexia.

UMNO and MACC strangling each other

By Pak Bui

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) head prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa made a humiliating spectacle of himself in front of the coroner’s court during the hearing into the death of Teoh Beng Hock.

His self-abasement is a terrible setback for UMNO’s efforts to regain votes in the next general election. The MACC has plumbed the depths of public mistrust, and in so doing has reflected badly on its masters in UMNO.

Public anger towards the MACC will also be directed against UMNO, since Malaysians of all races understand that the MACC behaves as a political weapon, wielded by UMNO and its allies against their opponents.

The MACC’s move to attack celebrated Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand appears to have backfired. Abdul Razak Musa was ill-prepared, and cracked under the intense pressure on him to cast doubt on the Thai doctor’s findings that Teoh’s death was no suicide.

Abdul Razak inexplicably mixed up ‘dead’ and ‘unconscious’. He blurted out irrational statements and questions, drawing laughs and jeers from the public gallery, and even from the coroner himself.

He asserted that a man could “strangle himself” (as Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim was said to have given himself a black eye during his persecution a decade ago). He also insisted a man would weigh more when unconscious than conscious.

In short, he brought shame to the Malaysian legal profession, and to our nation as a whole. He also embarrassed his masters in UMNO. UMNO and MACC are now caught in a fatal embrace that is suffocating both institutions. UMNO has lost votes, while the MACC has lost credibility in the midst of this mutual strangulation.

Only a change in government can improve the MACC and, for that matter, UMNO itself. Any rehabilitation efforts will mean wholesale reforms and changes of leadership: it will take years to repair the damage inflicted by UMNO warlords’ domination.

Lawyers’ duty to search for truth

Razak refused to speak to the press after the hearing, realising perhaps that his catastrophic performance had done more harm than good for UMNO apologists, in the shambolic coroner’s investigation.

The MACC’s Abdul Razak and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail have made a mockery of the process of justice. The Attorney-General tried to submit a so-called ‘suicide note’ to the coroner, nine months after the inquiry began. Teoh’s family members have told the press the note is a forgery. The prospect of a Royal Commission into his death appears ever more distant.

Abdul Gani has also supervised the removal of a Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) from Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, following reports of a sexual affair between the female DPP and the prosecution’s star witness, Saiful Bukhari. There has been irreparable harm done to the credibility of the trial, with this potential breach in confidentiality of the prosecution’s information and lack of impartiality.

The MACC, the Attorney-General’s Office, and their masters in UMNO, have made Malaysia, our judiciary and legal profession a laughing stock worldwide. Our worldwide reputation now matches that of the Singaporean legal profession, infamous for its meek subservience to the executive.

Jangan heret agama, Jamaluddin kepada Chua Soi Lek

Lim Hong Siang

Agama diheret ke dalam isu stesen radio 98.8, antara pengacara rancangan call-in "Say Hi to Malaysia", Jamaluddin Ibrahim dengan Presiden MCA, Chua Soi Lek. Isu ini bermula daripada pertikaian sama ada wujudnya campur tangan politik ke dalam media, tetapi kini pula beralih kepada identiti Jamaluddin sebagai muslim.

Ia berpunca daripada satu temuramah antara Jamaluddin Ibrahim dengan MerdekaReview, yang mana Jamaluddin mendakwa bahawa dalam satu pertemuan antara dirinya dengan Chua Soi Lek yang berlangsung kira-kira 45 minit, Chua telah memberi jaminan sekurang-kurangnya lima kali bahawa beliau tidak akan campur tangan dalam stesen radio 98.8 dan kebebasan akhbar.

Chua serang Jamaluddin

Bagaimanapun, kesilapan berlaku apabila kenyataan "jaminan sebanyak lima kali" oleh Jamaluddin tercatat sebagai "pertemuan sebanyak lima kali". Maka, Chua Soi Lek mengeluarkan kenyataan semalam, "Dakwaan Jamaluddin bahawa beliau bertemu dengan saya sebanyak lima kali adalah kenyataan yang tidak benar. Sebagai seorang muslim, Jamaluddin seharusnya lebih bertanggungjawab dan tidak patut mengeluarkan kenyataan yang salah dan mengelirukan, terutamanya dalam bulan puasa yang suci ini."

MerdekaReview sebenarnya telah memperbetulkan kesilapan tersebut pada pagi 20 Ogos (semalam), selepas menerima panggilan daripada Jamaluddin untuk menjelaskan keadaan sebenar. Bagaimanapun, MerdekaReview meminta maaf atas kesilapan tersebut.

Dalam kenyataan yang sama pada petang semalam, Chua Soi Lek menegaskan bahawa pimpinan MCA tidak pernah campur tangan dalam urusan Star Publications (M) Bhd dan stesen 98.8 di bawahnya. Malah, beliau mendakwa bahawa MCA menyedari realiti Star Publications (M) Bhd sebagai syarikat tersenarai, lantas perlu bertanggungjawab kepada pemegang sahamnya.

MCA tidak memberi sebarang arahan berhubung isu Jamaluddin Ibrahim, dan parti politik ini tidak akan campur tangan dalam hal siasatan Suruhanjaya Multimedia dan Komunikasi (MCMC) terhadap stesen radio 98.8, sebaliknya menyerah kepada pihak pengurusan yang berkenaan untuk mengendalikannya, tegas Chua Soi Lek.

Beliau menambah, "Saya yakin institusi media tidak harus diperalatkan dan disalahgunakan oleh sesiapa yang mempunyai agenda tersendiri."

Jamaluddin membalas Chua

Dalam satu kenyataan pada hari ini, Jamaluddin Ibrahim pula membalas, "Sebagaimana yang diperjelaskan Presiden MCA Chua Soi Lek, saya pernah bertemu sekali dengan Chua di pejabat Presiden MCA, tingkat sembilan ibu pejabat MCA pada 3 Mei tahun ini. Dalam perbualan selama 45 minit, Chua mengulangi sekurang-kurangnya lima kali, bahawa beliau tidak akan campur tangan dalam stesen 98.8 dan kebebasan media."

"Sehingga hari ini, saya berharap beliau tidak pernah mungkir janji, malah berterima kasih kerana penjelasan beliau kepada media," sambung Jamaluddin.

Beliau bersambung, "Namun demikian, apa yang saya kesal dan keliru, mengapa beliau memilih untuk mengaitkan isu ini dengan identiti muslim dan bulan puasa? Kenyataan beliau berbunyi 'Sebagai seorang muslim, Jamaluddin seharusnya lebih bertanggungjawab dan tidak patut mengeluarkan kenyataan yang salah dan mengelirukan, terutamanya dalam bulan puasa yang suci ini', seolah-olahnya membawa maksud bahawa 'muslim seharusnya lebih bertanggungjawab daripada bukan muslim."

"Saya berharap beliau memberi penjelasan dan memohon maaf berikutan kenyataannya yang mendiskriminasi agama secara terang-terang ini. Stesen radio 98.8 kini berdepan dengan detik saat yang paling genting, di mana kebebasan media ditindas. Presiden Chua Soi Lek seharusnya bersama kami, dan bersama jutaan audiens yang meminati rancangan Say Hi to Malaysia," kata Jamaluddin.

Jamaluddin yang mengeluarkan kenyataan medianya dalam bahasa Cina menambah, "Pada hakikatnya, setiap warga negara harus bertanggungjawab, dan bukan hanya umat Islam. Kita tidak harus membezakan antara siapa harus bertanggungjawab, atau tidak harus berbohong dengan identiti agama atau kaum seseorang. Saya tidak berharap mereka yang mempunyai niat lain, untuk mengalih isu penindasan kebebasan media ini kepada isu agama atau kaum." - Merdeka Review

Umno denies lying, says six mosques dropped King’s name

KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysian Insider) — Penang Umno has denied lying about state Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s name replacing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Friday sermons, saying that it has happened in six mosques since last February.

State liaison deputy chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman told The Malaysian Insider that he was unsure if Guan Eng knew of the trend but disclosed that six mosques had used the term “Chief Minister” or “Lim Guan Eng” in their sermons to replace that of the King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

The mosques are Masjid Jalan Baru in Seberang Prai Tengah which mentioned Lim’s name on Aug 13, Masjid Padang Menora, Seberang Prai Utara (June 25), Masjid Pengkalan Tambang, Permatang Pasir (in May), Masjid Jamek Jelutong, George Town (in April) and Masjid Permatang Binjai, Kepala Batas (Feb 26).

“And yesterday, Lim Guan Eng’s name was mentioned at the Masjid Kubang Buaya, in Butterworth by imam Ustaz Zakaria Ahmad... it was still being used despite media reports about the issue,” he said in a telephone interview yesterday.

“This is not an issue that was created, it actually happened,” said Zainal Abidin, who sits on the powerful Umno supreme council.

He also criticised DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for saying Umno and its newspaper Utusan Malaysia had created stories and racial ill-feelings towards the Penang government.

“It isn’t good for Lim Kit Siang to say we created this on purpose. Now there is proof, what are they going to say,” he said, asking the PR leaders to retract their statements.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the police and Penang Islamic Religious Council last night to conduct a full investigation into the matter, saying action must be taken against those responsible under the existing rules.

“I ask that this matter be fully investigated; who did it ... as the delivering of Friday sermons is determined by the state Islamic Religious Council and people are not allowed to use our own script,” he had said.

PR leaders have denied the Penang government had directed Guan Eng’s name be used to replace the King’s name but admitted it has been used by guest prayers leaders, who are out of their control.

Meanwhile, Zainal Abidin said Anwar had purposely defamed Umno by claimimg Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid’s accusation was unsubstantiated as he had read the text of the sermons.

“Kit Siang should also retract his statement as this is something that happens at the grassroots,” he said, adding the practice of not mentioning the King’s name had started before Election 2008.

“Before the 2008 general elections, several mosques controlled by PAS did not mention the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Governor but after the 2008 general elections, it has become a normal phenomenon in Penang,” he added.

He described it as a bad act that can divide the people in the state especially the Muslims.

“It is as though we don’t acknowledge the existence of royalty and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. This is not good,” said Zainal Abidin.

When asked if the chief minister’s name was mentioned with the knowledge of Guan Eng, Zainal Abidin said he was unsure.

“I still believe ... Umno hopes the State Islamic Affairs Council, that every order made by the head of the State Islamic Affairs Council, is not influenced or controlled directly or indirectly by the Penang Chief Minister.

“We take a serious view ... the Islamic Affairs Council must control and ensure the sermon text is read fully. They must have full control,” he said, adding people must disregard the past and follow the decision of the Penang Islamic Affairs Council.

The Sermon Writing Committee is headed by the Penang Mufti Datuk Hassan Ahmad.

Zainal Abidin also said that those delivering the sermons should get approval from the Penang Islamic Affairs Council even they were guest prayer leaders.

He said this in response to an Utusan Malaysia report yesterday which quoted the Masjid Jamek Padang Menora imam Ibrahim Ishak as admitting that a guest prayer leader had mentioned the chief minister’s name when reading the Friday sermon recently.

The prayer leader had invoked Allah to open Guan Eng’s heart to accept Islam as his faith, the imam told the Umno-owned newspaper.

Ibrahim also admitted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s name was not mentioned and he had censured the prayer leader for his mistake.

The imam had also said the mosque has a guest prayer leader to deliver the sermons every month, which will include a prayer for national leaders.

The Sinar Harian newspaper had quoted Jelutong Umno chief Abu Kassim Ismail as saying that sermons mentioning Guan Eng’s name is not new and has occurred between two and three months ago.

Zainal Abidin said the spate of incidents showed that guest prayer leaders must get permission from the state’s Islamic Affairs Council before being allowed to work.

“Don’t use the chief minister’s name in a sermon. Don’t use it in a prayer, if it is for good, OK but what if it is used to criticize, then it will cause dissension,” he added.

DAP gag order on Ronnie issue: Time for some soul-searching

Amid persistent press speculation about Selangor executive councilor Ronnie Liu, DAP chairman Karpal Singh has slapped a gag order on all party members over Ronnie's alleged misuse of letters of support to help his cronies win contracts from the state government.

Indeed, there are many DAP members who blame Ronnie for tarnishing the party’s near spotless record since sweeping into national power two years ago. The Pandamaran assemblyman has been accused of a whole variety of wrongdoings from benefiting his alleged underworld friends with licenses for reflexology centers that double as illegal massage parlors to issuing business recommendation letters to help his friends.

So far, Ronnie has denied all the accusations and his party has found him not guilty because of insufficient evidence. Still, some of his party mates are unhappy and believe he got off lightly. They have minced no words castigating him in the media – both mainstream and alternative.

Ronnie too has been using the press to defend himself. And it looks like things can boil up again – especially with the help of the Umno-controlled media. Unsurprisingly then, Karpal has called for time-out.

“I am directing party members to stop speaking to the media regarding the matter. I am not appealing. I am directing them," the Star reported Karpal as saying.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

But media storms come and go. Turbulence will remain a way of life until Malaysians become more accustomed to a two-party system. The thing is did DAP do the right thing. No doubt, there was not enough evidence to punish Ronnie more severely, other than issuing him a stern reprimand. But is DAP sure?

If after checking its conscience, DAP still believes it would be an even greater injustice to force guilt onto Ronnie just because of persistent public suspicions, then it should stay the course regardless of the media pressure. And Ronnie and his foes within DAP should fall in line. Otherwise, Karpal and team should continue probing Ronnie's case either privately or publicly.

Earlier this year, Pakatan partner PKR suffered massive negative publicity. But it stood its ground and refused to bargain with people like Zul Noordin, Zahrain Hashim, Salehuddin Hashim, Tan Tee Beng, Wee Choo Keong and Badrul Hisham Abdullah. And when news finally broke that PKR had really gone ahead and sacked Zul Noordin, there were party stalwarts who actually wept with pride.

Such are the high standards that now are beginning to form the minimum benchmark in Malaysia’s political system. No wonder that Umno has to resort to the worst bout of racial and religious politicking to sour the peoples’ minds.

But Pakatan being the younger son, so to speak, has to work harder. It has to go for quality and be seen to go for quality, no matter how much bad publicity it encounters.

Soi Lek rapped for turning press freedom issue into religious one

Malaysia Chronicle

Radio talk show host Jamaluddin Ibrahim has demanded an apology from MCA president Chua Soi Lek for suggesting he was not a good Muslim for having said he met Chua 5 times before.

Jamaluddin also rapped Chua for trying to turn the issue, which he said was about the freedom of the press, into a racial and religious one.

"Chua has openly made a religiously discriminatory remark. I hope he can clarify and apologise," Jamaluddin said in a statement issued on Saturday.

"As Chua had clarified earlier, I have met him once in his office on May 3 this year. In the 45-minute meeting, Chua had promised at least five times that he won't interfere in the radio's affairs and would respect press freedom. I hope he can keep his promise and I thank him for his clarification to the media."

The error came about after an online news portal reported that Jamaluddin met Chua five times before. The portal has since clarified its report after Jamaluddin called up.

Chua, MCA copping out on civil rights

But pundits say the number of times that Chua met Jamaluddin was a small detail. They accused Chua of pouncing on it to deflect criticism that he and MCA had sacrificed the radio-show, which is enjoyed by a million-strong audience, just to toe the Umno and BN line.

“The point is that MCMC under orders from the BN government tried to curtail freedom of expression in Jamaluddin's talk-show. By doing that, they are actually trying to denying his audience which is mostly the Chinese community of their civil rights to participate in discussions on current issues," an MCA watcher toldMalaysia Chronicle.

"And even if words like racism and racial politics were used in the show as it has been reported in the media, what is wrong? Is MCMC saying there is no such thing as racism in Malaysia and there is also no racial politics in this country? If they believe it, they must be blind. But why is Chua and MCA perpetuating these sort of lies when it is unhealthy and works against the interest of their community? Are they trying to keep the Chinese dumb and un-knowledgeable. Is this what they are supposed to do?"

Racial and religious overtones

The son of Malaysian freedom fighters Shamsiah Fakeh and Ibrahim Mohammed, Jamaluddin was born in Beijing and speaks fluent Mandarin. His Zhao Dian Shuo Ma or Say Hi to Malaysia show is very popular with the Chinese-speaking crowd, who enjoy the discussions on current issues and regular phone-in sessions.

Jamaluddin was asked to go on indefinite leave and several of his colleagues suspended after industry regulator Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission wrote a complaint letter to his bosses that the Hi Malaysia program was suspected of "threatening national security" and "compromising race relations". Jamaluddin’s 988 channel is owned by Star RFM, which is in turn controlled by the MCA.

Under fire for making Jamaluddin and his colleagues scapegoats to appease the Umno-dominated BN, Chua held a press conference on Friday and chastised Jamaluddin for making “misleading” allegations. Chua also reminded Jamaluddin of his Muslim responsibilities.

“Jamaluddin, as a Muslim, should be more responsible and not make misleading and wrongful statements, particularly in this holy month of Ramadan,” Malaysian Insider reported Chua as saying.

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