'1Melayu, 1Bumi': What’s Wrong With It?

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Q: '1Melayu, 1Bumi': What’s Wrong With It?

Asked by represntative from Kerala (India) and Palembang (Indonesia)

Best Answer (999 Votes): -

By Zaid Ibrahim

When Khir Toyo gave his undivided support for the 1 Melayu 1 Bumi idea, he asked what was wrong with it. Many things are wrong with it. Firstly, if the idea is that we need a movement to “unify” all Malays and Bumiputera under one political party (which is UMNO, presumably) it will not happen; not now, not ever. Malays are not sheep that will follow the likes of Ibrahim Ali and Khir Toyo without thinking.

There have been Malay leaders in UMNO who have tried since Merdeka to get this kind of narrow racial unity going, but to no avail. Indeed, they came up with their idea of “unity” not because they genuinely cared about the welfare of the Malays; but to sustain their race-based party which is the only political model they know. They are not prepared to change. They are not prepared to meet the changing world with honest courage. They are not brave enough to admit that their model of “unity” does not work. So, when the Malays support or join other parties, these politicians will cry wolf and create fear with race and religion. In the words of Khir Toyo:

“For the Malay people themselves, the voting pattern of the Chinese and the policy of the DAP, which seems to be anti-everything that involves the interests of the Bumiputera and the religion of Islam, are clear indicators that there already is a wave that wants to empower the Chinese race in politics after they have taken control of the economy.”

What control? What power?

What leaders like Khir Toyo and Ibrahim Ali fail to understand is that political power is not everything. Even without this recent “unity call”, the Malays are already in complete political control. More than two-thirds of the Cabinet is Malay. Even the Barisan Nasional is just a coalition in name, and the way the Government does things shows that UMNO is not “first amongst equals” but, simply, “first”. And this happens not just in the Federal Government: more than two-thirds of Parliamentarians are Malay or Bumiputera. The Sultans are Malay. All except one of the Menteri Besar and Chief Ministers are Malay-Bumiputera. Eighty-five percent of the Civil Service are Malay, including the diplomatic corps and the educational and judicial services. The Armed Forces and Police are composed primarily of Malays. Rela members are mostly Malay.

And what about the claim that the Chinese are in sole control of the economy? Have Khir Toyo and Ibrahim Ali forgotten about Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) such as Maybank, PETRONAS, Telekom Malaysia, TNB, Khazanah Nasional, PNB, Media Prima, Felda, Sime Darby, and many others, the vast majority of which are owned by the Government and managed by Malay-Bumiputera? The G-20 group of largest listed GLCs alone possess RM353 billion (around half) of the market capitalisation of the entire Bursa Malaysia.

Are we to believe that, despite all this, the Malays and Bumiputera are still not in power? What more control do people like Khir Toyo want?

We Malays do not need to control more than what we already have. Instead, we need to have a competitive spirit coupled with the right work attitudes and values. Individuals, not corporations, need more capital and know-how. We need to harness our entrepreneurial spirit. We need to have the right educational options so that we understand the history of our nation properly—so we understand the meaning of democracy, rights and freedom. Then, and only then, will we learn to be at peace with others in the country and face the changes taking place around us.

None of these things requires us to have more control over anything other than our own abilities. In fact, the kind of “control” that Khir Toyo wants is partly the cause of the dependency syndrome amongst the Malays, which encourages us to feel that we are entitled to special treatment all the time.

To look at it from the another perspective: if people like Khir Toyo and Ibrahim Ali were right, and control is indeed central to the advancement of the Malays, then surely the Malays would have grown very advanced in education technology and finance after all these years of control. So, if Malays remain poor and uncompetitive today—if we still lack capital and business opportunities—then it is the duty of responsible political leaders to identify the real root causes of these deficiencies.

TBH RCI Highlighting the obvious

1. Several weeks ago at the onset of TBH RCI, I had received an invitation by the reps of the family to be a member of an observer committee (RCI Watchdog) to the proceedings of the RCI. I had decline it on the basis of work as well as i find there isnt a need for such watchdog when millions of Malaysians are actually watching it. However I promised the rep that I will continue to monitor the progress in the media. I must state here that I am utmost disappointed at the family lawyers as they had chosen to abstain from participating in the RCI. In my opinion the reasons given by the family lawyers is weak. I must also states that so far I think the panel has been asking the right questions.

2. So far the panel has called so many experts and I must say that millions of tax payers money are being spent to establish something that is very obvious. All this would not have been necessary, if the I/O has done a decent job. Today I read that they called an aircraft accident investigator just to highlight another obvious point. He said TBH could not have jumped out because of the small window opening. For him to jumped out he would have to push the window hard to open it wide enough. For this happen I suppose his hand print would be all over then window which isnt the case.

3. When I wrote the TBH series, I didnt have the opportunity to go to the crime scene. I only deduced what happen based on images sent to me as well as those in the public domain. I had concluded that jumping out theory can be kicked out through the window. The aircraft investigator even measure the win resistance effect! He then came out with the theory on how the body could have ejected out of window.

4. The conclusion in my mind is obvious. It is not suicide. Its an accident during investigation and the panicking officers decide to the unconscious body. This I have explained before. If I am given a chance to interrogate the last two officers with the deceased, I am convinced that I would be able to solve the issue! s within days with a proper mind manipulation games.

5. Right now, the Thai pathologist and the aircraft investigator findings support my theory.

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Anwar says poligraph test a non-issue

MalaysiaKini - Datuk T

PETALING JAYA: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today refused to be drawn into the challenge to prove his innocence over the sex video scandal via a polygraph test.

He called the challenge made by businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, one of the three responsible for the screening of the video, as a non-issue.

Its a non-issue, a visibly annoyed Anwar told a press conference here after chairing Pakatan Rakyats presidential council meeting.

The former deputy prime minister dodged all questions on Shazryls challenge, forcing other Pakatan leaders to do the answering.

PKR had earlier today said it will not bow to the demands of Shazryl and two others who are collectively knowns as Datuk T or Datuk Trio who challenged Anwar to take the lie detector test.

Party leaders insisted that the trio should instead be tried under Syariah laws under qazaf for accusation of fornication without witnesses.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang defended Anwar and their qazaf demand, saying the sumpah laknat (religious oath) undertaken by Shazryl last Friday was invalid.

The way they performed the sumpah was wrong. They swear on the Al-Quran without following the basic tenets, Hadi told the same press conference.

Police reports against PKR


Anwar has been implicated in a 21-minute video showing a man resembling him having sex with a woman believed to be a Chinese prostitute. Anwar has denied that it was him.

The video clip was first disclosed to the media at the prestigious Carcosa Seri Negara hotel here last month ! by a man who identified himself as Datuk T, which was later revealed to be Shazryl, former Malacca Chief Minister Rahim Thamby Chik and ex-Perkasa treasurer Shuib Lazim.

PKR leaders rose to defend Anwar, claiming the video was a conspiracy masterminded to tarnish the former deputy prime minister by political rivals Umno.

Umno has denied any involvement in the fiasco while PKR leaders immediately filed a qazaf report with the religious authorities against the trio for their role in showing the sex tape in public.

Shazryl, who is said to face the prospect of being charged with distribution of pornographic material, said yesterday he was willing to take a lying test to prove his accusation that Anwar was the man in the video.

But Shazryl said Anwar must also undergo the test which should be screened live on national television, saying the two conditions were to avoid any deception or conspiracy in taking the lie detector tests.

The businessman undertook his oath last Friday in Masjid Amru al-As in Sentul that his claims were true.

There were attempts by PKR supporters to block the event from taking place. Several pro-Umno supporters have since lodged a police report against PKR.

Cracks in Pakatan over Sarawak shadow cabinet?

MalaysiaKini - Pakatan

PETALING JAYA: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today said the pact has not named its official shadow cabinet line-up in Sarawak, just days after the state DAP leader said otherwise.

Anwars statement contradicted the Sunday announcement by Sarawak DAP and opposition chief Wong Ho Leng that Pakatans 16-member shadow cabinet was ready.

Anwar said Wongs line-up was only a proposal.

It was only a proposal by the DAP but they have to consult with Sarawak PAS and PKR too for a consensus, he said after chairing a Pakatan meeting today.

PKR and DAP in Sarawak have been at odds, albeit silently, on various issues even before the state elections kicked off.

The latter had accused PKR of arm-twisting over seat allocations which led to allegations that talks had collapsed.

It was later rectified but the crack remained apparent when the DAP again told the media without prior consultation with PKR that Baru Bian has been nominated as the candidate for the chief ministers post should Pakatan take over.

As it turned out DAP did better than PKR in the state polls and its state chief Wong was eventually named the state opposition leader.

Baru is PKRs Sarawak chief and won the BaKelalan state seat, one of only three seats won by PKR. He was present at todays press conference.

Anwar said that any decision made on the shadow cabinet issue must first receive the approval at the state and central levels.

The consensus must come from negotiations at the state and central levels. We are still discussing tha! t, he sa id.

Both PKR and DAP have denied any split between them. The Sarawak election results that saw Pakatan more than doubled their seats were attributed to the strong cooperation between the component parties.

The DAP won 13 seats. It had only won 5 in the last elections while PKR added two.

Also read:
Pakatan forms shadow cabinet in Sarawak

Briged Setia Negara - A force for evil

MalaysiaKini : A firebrand Malay group has been making a lot of threatening noise in its campaign to fight for Malay rights and supremacy. It called itself Perkasa and has rapidly won notoriety for its relentless assaults not on external foes but on the common citizens of other races. It has shed its innocent-looking NGO garb to reveal a blood-curdling ogre bent on creating fear and havoc. Thirsting for a fight, the increasingly militant organisation seizes every opportunity to bare its fangs and spill its venom. Its favourite tactics is to lodge police reports and hold placards in front of the intended target. In its self-anointed role as the guardian of the Malays, it has thrown sanity overboard in pursuing its agenda of total Malay supremacy. Ostensibly, the brown shirts are aiming their keris at leaders of ethnic parties for allegedly challenging the rights and special position of the Malays. But in reality their ultimate goal is not hard to guess cowing the next largest ethnic population into submission. Or getting rid of them altogether. In short, Perkasa is lighting the fuse of an ethnic-cleansing war.

To achieve its dastardly aim, Perkasa has set up a Rela subgroup which has all the strappings of a military wing. Called the Briged Setia Negara, the volunteer corps will presumably receive para-military training how to handle arms and kill with precision? and will no doubt be called out to preserve national peace and security if the government whistles. The government has given the Doberman its blessing courtesy of the home ministry, which means that it has the full backing of the ruling party to be the shield of the Bumiputeras and not in response to an external threat. Once activated, one can imagine the armed members going on ! a rampag e to stop citizens from exercising their right to stand up and speak out. It is unlikely the legitimate forces of law and order will stand in their way. As it is, Perkasa members seem to enjoy immunity when it holds rabid protests against its perceived enemies.

Perkasa is playing with fire with its aggressive political posturing. The mind of Perkasa is corrupted by the spirit of zeal and bigotry. By flagging the May 13 bogeyman, it is trying to intimidate the non-Malays to submit completely to the will of the dominant race. It threatens a replay of the 1969 race riots in the belief that the other races will back down and will forever keep quiet while waves of extremism wash over the land unchallenged. With its military wing, it probably sees itself as the angel of death sanctioned to spread terror and destruction. It gets bolder by the day in the knowledge that it has the tacit support of the two cousins occupying the seats of power. A governing political party needs an armed wing to do the dirty job while it maintains its seemingly neutral stance and caring attitude with its public behaviour. In Perkasa, Umno has found the ideal rabble-rouser to create a climate of dread to serve the Malay agenda.

The Rela or Peoples Volunteer Corps that Perkasa has in mind is different from the original Home Guards formed in 1948. Then there was real and tangible threat the communist menace, the Indonesian confrontation and the racial conflict. When the Home Guards or volunteer brigade was finally disbanded, its place was taken over by Rela in 1974 to preserve the peace of the land. It became the eyes and ears of the government. Now Perkasas Rela a subgroup in the organisation has become the binoculars and loudspeakers of Umno in their common objective to promote the 1Melayu power base. The friends of Umno are now regarded as threats to national security and therefore must be confronted with force. By resurrecting the May 13 ghost, is Perkasa saying the old Home Guards played a! sterlin g role in the killing fields? Is Perkasas Rela ready to shed blood again all in the name of Malay supremacy? Its provocative behaviour seems to invite trouble.

Perkasa wants to propagate a narrow-minded 1Melayu, 1Bumi concept with only the Malays standing tall. It wants to turn it into a movement first mooted by an ultra Malay language newspaper. The Malay daily and Perkasa have joined forces to confront the political allies of the ruling party and the communities they represent. Their message is clear: oppose the Malays at your own peril. The subtext is the Malays do not need the support of their partners to survive a political battle. They can rule on their own which means Perkasa and its militant Rela can impose their extremist will without any hindrance. When this happens, an iron curtain will surely descend on the country separating the Bumiputeras from their fellow citizens. Two hostile camps. Two antagonistic forces. Two irreconcilable principles. Perkasa and its commander-in-chief Ibrahim Ali, however, cannot bask in strength of numbers. When minorities are pushed to the wall, they have no choice but to turn back and fight for their lives.

More postal votes moved

MalaysiaKini - IPOH: There are significantly more postal voters in Kamunting and Sungai Rapat now than last year, Perak PKRs ongoing research has revealed.

There appears to be a pattern of postal voters moving to state constituencies that Barisan Nasional won marginally in the last election, according to Chan Ming Kai, who is deputy election director of Perak PKR.

In the 2008 election, Umnos Mohamad Zahir Khalid polled 7,975 votes in Kamunting, beating his PAS rival by 555 votes.

In Sungai Rapat, Umnos Hamidah Osman polled 10,635 votes, just 636 more than the votes for PAS.

Chan reported yesterday that his investigative team had found that the number of postal voters had so far increased from 1,000 in 2010 to 1,242 now in Kamunting and from 163 to 427 in Sungai Rapat.

PKR is currently concentrating its research on state seats that BN won with small majorities in 2008.

Two months ago, it alleged that there was an inexplicably tremendous jump in postal votes in Pangkor, the seat of Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

There is a naval base near Pangkor. Postal voters there made up about 50% of all voters, according to the figures for 2010. But this has since shot up to 60%, Chan said.

The Election Commission has said that the jump was due to the increase in the number of uniformed personnel, but PKR is not accepting the explanation and has called for a public inquiry.

Chan also said PKR had found that some army areas had registered a decrease in the number of postal voters.

Utusan Rakyat may confuse, says ministry

MalaysiaKini - PUTRAJAYA: The promoters of a proposed weekly newspaper, Utusan Rakyat, are questioning the Home Ministrys reason for objecting to the name.

Lembah Pantai MP and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, one of the advisors for the paper, and Hata Wahari, who is slated to be its editor-in-chief, said they explained Utusan Rakyats objective at a meeting with a ministry official today.

The officer, Abdul Aziz, asked us to drop the name, Hata told a press conference. However, we told him that it is a pro-rakyat weekly and that is why we named it such.

Hata, recently dismissed from his job as senior journalist for the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, is the president of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

He said the ministrys Publications Control and Quranic Text Division had earlier informed him and Nurul that the name Utusan Rakyat might confuse the people.

Nurul had applied for a newspaper permit in March.

She said Utusan Rakyat would take a neutral stand in reporting on current national affairs.

It will be an ethical newspaper, said Hata. That is why we will have an advisory board that will ensure that we will remain pro-rakyat at all times.

Both said they would not abide by the ministrys advice to change the name. There is no meaning to it if you take the soul away from it, Hata said.

The name was not exclusive to anyone, Nurul noted. The ministry said it may confuse the people. Please have some respect for our readers.

She said the papers staff were preparing a new mock-up because the ministry found the headline for the earlier mock-up, Tumbangkan Pemerintahan Taib Mahmud (Oust Taib Mahmuds Administration), too extreme! .

< div>Hata also informed reporters that he remained NUJ chief despite having lost his job.

My sacking has been taken to court, and I am informed that NUJ is deliberating on my status.

However, he said would step down once Utusan Rakyat got its license to operate. Unless, of course, the NUJ holds an extraordinary general meeting to remove me before then. But I hope they will not do that.

Hata was dismissed last April 21 after a domestic inquiry by Utusan Malaysia found him guilty of issuing statements against the company. He was given 14 days to appeal.

Lings PKFZ case to start on Aug 1

MALAYSIAKINI - KUALA LUMPUR: The trial of the RM1.08-billion cheating case relating to the Port Klang Free Trade Zone (PKFZ) involving former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik will proceed on Aug 1.

Justice Ahmadi Asnawi said the court would not entertain any further requests for postponement and set the new trial dates from Aug 1-12.

The trial was supposed to start today until May 20 but had to be postponed after the prosecution told the court that they needed more time to declassify minutes of Cabinet meetings.

In todays proceedings, head of prosecution Tun Majid Tun Hamzah asked the court to adjourn the case to another date, saying that the 23 Cabinet meeting minutes between March 24, 1999 and o July 4, 2007 had yet to be declassified.

These minutes contained a lot of other information which could not be declassified and we only obtained approval of the Cabinet last week to declassify information related to the PKFZ project, Tun Majid told the court.

He said the documents were relevant to the prosecutions case and that without them, the prosecution could not go on with the case.

Tun Majid also told the court that the prosecution needed time to study the documents once they were declassified, saying there were conflicting High Court decisions related to the court cases of the PKFZ scandal.

Declassifying of those documents is the discretion of the Attorney-Generals office. We need to strictly comply with certain procedures and they are not simple procedures, said Tun Majid.

Defence wants early hearing

Lings lead counsel Wong Kian Kheong strongly objected to the request and pointed! out tha t his client was charged on July 29 last year.

He said that during the last mention date of the case on Dec 8, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail himself assurred that the documents would be declassified and handed over in time.

My client is now 67 years old and he had served as a Cabinet minister for nearly 17 years. He has given me strict instruction to get the trial moving because with each day of delay, he will be subjected to further suffering, said Wong.

At this juncture, Ahmadi interjected and asked Wong how he intended to start the trial without the documents.

Wong replied:: Ill do my best.

The judge also asked Tun Majid how many documents had been handed over to the defence as required under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the number of witnesses the prosecution would call.

Tun Majid informed the court that so far a total of 153 documents had been handed over and that the prosecution had listed 80 witnesses. However, only 40 of them were likely to be called, he said.

Deceiving the government

On July 29 last year, Ling was charged with cheating the Malaysian government by misleading the Cabinet on the land acquisition for the Mega Distribution Hub project in Port Klang.

According to the main charge, he is alleged to have deceived the Malaysian government between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002 by deceiving the Cabinet into agreeing on the land purchase in Pulau Indah for the project according to the terms agreed to between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and the Port Klang Authority.

According to the charge, the fraud was committed with the knowledge that he could cause a loss to the Malaysian government.

Ling pleaded not guilty to the first charge of cheating under Section 418 of the Penal Code and an alternative charge under Section 417.

If found guilty, he could be sentenced up to seven years in jail for the first charge and up to five years imprisonm! ent for the alternative charge. He could also be fined if convicted.

- Bernama

Police officer identified in Anwar smear campaign

MalaysiaKini - PETALING JAYA: PKR today presented more details of a senior police officer from Bukit Aman who is said to have started on a smear campaign against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

At a seminar on security matters organised by the Bachok education department in Kelantan, the police officer did not touch on security aspects but instead went on a tirade against Anwar, claimed PKR deputy president Azmin Ali at a press conference today.

The seminar was held on Feb 19 and officiated by the Deputy Finance Minister, Awang Adek Hussein.

Azmin said that the senior police officer who was the key speaker did not touch on national security but instead focused on the sex video.

Last Friday party vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar and communications director, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad alleged that a senior police officer based in Bukit Aman was lecturing slanderous material about Anwar to a group of teachers .

Today at the press conference, Azmin revealed the name of the officer as Abdul Rahman Ismail, the chief assistant director of the research and sectariat unit of Bukit Aman.

He also showed a picture of the man and the seminars itinerary.

This shows that Umno is in a desperate situation because they are forced to use government institutions to reach their goals, he said.

He also questioned why educators were being dragged to listen to Umnos slander through a high official from the police?.

Azmin claimed the senior official had said that it was Anwar who was the one in the sex video.

How can the police perform an unbiased investigation when their senior officers are involved in such disgusting allegations? he asked

Azmin claimed t! hat the organization committee for the event consists of officers from Malaysian Police Force, the National Security Council (MKN) and the Bachok education department.

Azmin also claimed that there were four series of lectures which involved the participation of 2,000 headmasters and teachers from the whole of Kelantan. It was mandatory for each school to send the headmaster and eight other teachers.

Officer wrongly named on Friday

Azmin also urged the IGP and his deputy to answer these allegations honestly so that the miss use of government servants for political ends can be prevented.

The itinerary showed that there were four objectives, one of which was to increase awareness of security matters to teachers.

Another objective was to prevent teachers from falling prey to allegations made by certain quarters and to increase cooperation between the police force and teachers in Bachok.

The party said that it has yet to bring the matter up with the police and is still discussing what to do next as the matter is still developing .

Nik Nazmi who was also at the press conference said on Friday they identified the man as Isa Abdul Rahman and the police responded by saying that there was no senior officer by that name.

However Nik Nazmi believed that they have identified the right individual this time as it is the same name in the programmes itinerary.

Umno comes a wooing again

MalaysiaKini - TAIPING: Umno is clutching at straws. The Chinese voters have shunned them, and a PAS top gun says Umno is wooing the Islamic party in a bid to hold on to Putrajaya.

PAS central committee member Mohamad Sabu said: Umno has lost the support of the Chinese in the recent Sarawak state election and even in the peninsula the Chinese have stayed away friom them .

With the Chinese not on their side, Unmo fears they will lose the next general election and that is why they want our cooperation, said Mohamad Sabu who is fondly called Mat Sabu.

Mat Sabu said Umno likes to paint PAS as a racist party but with their theme of 1Melayu, 1Bumi, they have turned racist to get the Malay votes.

The former ISA detainee claimed PAS with its moderate ways is more acceptable to the non-Malays now although BN had allegedly painted a negative picture of the party being a ultra Islamic party.

Najib is just repeating what his father Tun Abdul Razak said then on the offer of cooperation between PAS and Umno, said Mat Sabu.

Mat Sabu says after officiating the Perak state PAS Youth Wing 28th annual congress at Markaz Tarbiyyah PAS Negeri Perak at Air Kuning in Changat Jering here on Sunday.

Mat Sabu was responding to Najibs call for PAS to ditch DAP because their Malaysian Malaysia slogan clashed with PASs Islamic state objective.

Mat Sabu said PAS will not consider Umnos invitation but concentrate on strengthening Pakatan Rakyats cooperation in taking over Putrajaya in the coming general election.

He accused Umno of following a racist policy of divide and rule instead of good governance and good leadership.

Why is Najib wearing two political hats -1Malaysia for the non-Malays and 1Bumi for th! e Malays ? he asked

Umnos misconception

He said Umnos political propaganda that DAP will take control of power from the Malays if Pakatan takes Putrajaya was just propaganda.

He asked : How can DAP take control from the Malays when it is only contesting about 40 parliamentary seats in a Parliament of 222 seats ?

Mat Sabu also took Umno to task for its misconception that Islam is only for Malays, he said Islam is an universal religion for all.

Commenting on Perkasas chief Ibrahim Ali statement that PAS does not think about Malay unity but only to take power and Putrajaya, an angry Mat Sabu asked What Malay unity is he talking about, when Umno is only interested in using the Malay votes to stay in power?

Malay unity is (all about) sharing the countrys wealth to better the economic status of all Malays, he reminded.

The Houdini of Malaysian politics is a sodomite, or is he?

FMT LETTER: From Danildaud Estrop, via e-mail

Note: This article was written in the months soon after the aftermath of the 2008 General Election dubbed the Tsunami elections .

The blogger Prince who is editor of the Malaysia Today online portal in recent weeks has decided to make a 180 degree U-turn and says he no-longer believes in Anwars person .

And with the release of Phonographic material on YouTube and in several blogs depicting a person with a stark resemblance of the Malaysian opposition leader engaging in sex acts with a prostitute.

Anwar is yet again faced with an uphill tasked to convince the Malaysian electorate of his innocence.

The big question on every Malaysian mind is: Is the opposition defacto leader gay as proclaimed by his nemesis or is this the all to familiar recycle script resurrected with the intent to destroy his political career once and for all?

Some say they couldnt care less if he has a craving for the stinky male backsides, to them everyone is entitle to ones sexual preferenceand so it is a private matter. His staunch supporters though are blatantly convinced he is a straight god-fearing family man and all accusations hurled at him are politically motivated, the so called character assassination.

Having gone through a volatile political span he has on numerous occasions succeeded in pulling out the rabbit from the hat and if the Permatang Pauh by-election is viewed as an indicator, he has triumphed against all odds yet again Beaten, humiliated and sentenced to six years jailed term for corrupt practices at the pinnacle of his political career (which he claimed was a trumped up charged), he has proven his critics wronged by resurfacing and has given the reformist stance a new lease on life.

A master in the art of gamesmanship and endowed with excellent oratory skills, the Houdini of Malaysian politics with chants of ketuanan rakyat has garn! ered a n ew breed of followers amongst the young ethnic Indians and Chinese Malaysians, as well as the more liberal minded Malays who have grown fed up with the old system of racial base parties, seen by them as an obsolete concept that has lost much of its appeal and is not conducive to promoting a more unified Malaysia Facing fresh accusations of sodomy, has he or his defense attorneys one final ruse up their sleeves?

One final act of the legendary Houdinis great escape a figure of speech so to speak. Saving him from being plunged into the bottomless pit forever. A blogger Prince is keeping his fingers cross , for his faith is pinned on Anwars deliverance.

Najib's 'forked tongue' finally catches up

MalaysiaKini : It looks like embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak has painted himself into a fresh corner.

His call to the Chinese to vote for the MCA is being slammed as political blackmail, while his latest overtures to PAS are also souring fast with his and his Umno party's Islamic credentials coming under intense scrutiny and criticism.

"If not for the mainstream media glossing over his political blunders, Najib would be in hot soup by now. This is what happens when you don't deal sincerely and with unclean hands. All the bad intentions hit back at you," PKR vice president Tian Chua told reporters.

Najib had created an uproar in the Chinese community by confirming a proposal from MCA president, Chua Soi Lek, to refuse all posts in the government should the party do badly in the coming general elections.

"They have to choose. If they want the opposition, they must sacrifice the party in government. If they want a bigger say to serve their interests, they have to support a Barisan Nasional component party. Chinese voters have already been given a clear message on this," Najib had said over the weekend.

Waffled when the crunch came

But even before the fire from those comments, which were regarded by the Chinese as "forcing them to vote for the MCA" had faded, Najib went and lit another fuse.

He urged the Islamist PAS to re-join his BN coalition.

Why play nice with DAP? Does DAP champion Islam? (PAS president) Hadi Awang, enough of the DAP, leave the DAP, join BN, taunted Najib.

That set off a string of demands from the DAP on whether such a merger would be acceptable to the other BN partners such as ! MCA, whi ch has said it is against an Islamic state.

MCAs stand has been very clear that we will not accept PAS trying to make this country into a theocratic Islamic state. We will not accept that and PM is fully aware of MCAs stance. They can join BN if they abandon their policy of turning this country into a theocratic Islamic state, was Soi Lek's reply.

Yet, when asked if he and Umno were indeed aware and agreeable to Soi Lek's 'No to Islamic state' comments, Najib waffled.

"I do not want to enter into this polemic over what is an Islamic state because there are various interpretation of what is Islamic state, Najib told reporters on Monday.

What is Najib's and Umno's stand on an Islamic state

Again, his reply is bound to invite further controversy as the Muslim community dissected his words.

They are bound to want clarification on whether Umno would support or condemn an Islamic state and why. Another hot question would be what constituted an Islamic state and how would Umno define one.

Analysts and political observers have long warned that Najib's policy of saying "diffferent things to different communities" could not last.

"Yes, all those speeches with forked tongue have finally caught up with him," MP for Gopeng Lee Boon Chye told reporters.

"Najib now needs to clarify to the Muslims what is an Islamic state, and also what he thinks about Soi Lek and MCA's stand, which actually reeks of Islamophobia. To some Islamists, it is a real affront to their religion."

Malaysians are terrorized by Mamak even till this day

In Malaysia, who does not barricade his or her house with padlocks, chains, security systems and what have you?

By J. D. Lovrenciear

The latest reported incident where a 13 year old girl was traumatised as robbers entered her home in Kemaman and robbed her of a mother, once again re-affirms that Malaysians are still being terrorized by robbers and thieves.

Those of us who have had the benefit of travelling around the world including our own regions will tell that it is not the same in those countries. Citizens there are free and do not worry about break-ins into their homes - let alone worrying about the gold ornaments and valuable handbags when they are out in the streets.

But in Malaysia, who does not barricade his or her house with padlocks, chains, security systems and what have you?

Do we not even grill and padlock the trap opening on the ceiling leading to the roof top? Do we not pay a premium to live in a 'gated and guarded' housing area?

Each time we step out into the street do we not hug our handbags tight? Each time we walk into a shopping mall do we not slip our hands into the trouser pocket just to make sure our wallet is still there?

Each time we return from work do we not check around the fencing and gates of our home to make sure no stranger is lurking in the vicinity, before we get off from the car to open the gate?

Before we retire for the night, how many times do we make that routine check-out to make sure the house is secured? And when we go off for a hard earned holiday, do we not worry about our home? And do not forget, almost all of us have to ask our neighbours to have a look out on our property when we take a holiday.

Oh what a life of fears!

Despite all the talk; despite all the highlights in the media; despite so many citizens writing in to the press; despite so many promises; despite all these, we are still struggling in terrorized fear not knowing when we will be the next victim at home, in the mall, on the streets or in the car park.

That is the sad reality of the actual safety and security standards for citizens in Malaysia.

Yes the authorities will get annoyed. They will counter by saying 'do not make a big issue about just one break-in in Kemaman'.

Or they will remind you that they are doing all they can. It is the rakyat who are foolish. And foolish in what way may we ask? And their answer will be, 'you must do your part; you must have safety and security features in your home and when out in the streets or malls.'

But how come people in other countries do not have to worry about their safety and security so much as we do? How come street crimes and house break-ins are extremely rare and in some countries it is so rare that it does not even make news?

Then again the authorities will tell you the media is making false alarms. They are sensationalizing the issue. Our crime rates have been coming down.

Please. Only last week one university lecturer from the Subang Jaya / Sunway vicinity wrote in the media that on the average they have about 10 cases of students falling vistim to snatch thieves every other week. And even their reports are not making any positive contribution to alllay the fears of the students who are largely foreigners.

Let us face facts. Our country is plagued by terrorism of robberies and snatch theives. If this is not true, look at the signage we post at public areas: 'Beware of" this and "Beware of" that.

Look at how aggressively new housing developments are being marketed highlighting that it comes with "Gated and 24-Hour Security".

Look at how even the ordinary man has to grill his entire house and put padlocks all around the property. Every window and door is padlocked!

Now who will take up this matter? Who will look into the real serious state of affairs involving citizens' safety and security? Citizens? But they havce done everything possible. They listened to the authorities and even leave their front and back door lights switched on when they take leave. They do not carry handbags these days. they do not don heavy-weight gold chains in public. But they still die! Get maimed! Loose property!

And so we continue to remain in fear in our own land and our very own country we call 1Malaysia - a nation that is on the verge of being proclaimed a developed world.

Look even in the once war ravaged Sri Lanka, people do not bolt their doors at night like how we do. In Thailand, nobody talks about snatch thieves and house break-ins. Not in Cambodia for sure for even petty traders will display oppulently in public their gold decked hands and ears and necks. Of course in Hong Kong they will tell you that if you dropped your wallet it will come back to you for all the streets are CCTV-ed.

There is one noticeable difference. In all these countries public safety is the sole job of the authorities.

Perhaps we need a renewal of a citizenry concern and demand for a better living environment just like what our fellow neighbours in the region and even in the world are having.

Why should we live like caged birds in our own country? Why should we hide our prosperity in public? Why should we fear to even have a wallet in our pockets?

It is now or never for despite so many injuries, fatalities, tragedies, and loss of properties and belongings, and despite taking our own initiatives to build our security and safety at great cost, we are still at a loss and unable to get the authorities to give us what citizens in other countries enjoy without even asking.

UMNO makes Malaysia an Information Pariah ?

Malaysia ranks 143 in global press freedom index

By Debra Chong

May 03, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Malaysia was ranked 143 out of 196 countries surveyed worldwide in the latest media freedom study, which shows it is not free.

Together with Angola and Madagascar, it earned a score of 64 out of 100, which is considered not free.

In the Freedom of the Press Index, the lower the evaluation score the freer the country.

The countries are evaluated based on legal, political and economic environments.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia ranks below East Timor (18), the Philippines (21), Indonesia (23), Thailand (29) and Cambodia (30) but above Singapore (32), Brunei (34) and Vietnam (36).

The world top spot went to Finland. Norway and Sweden both tied for second place, followed by Belgium, Iceland and Luxembourg for fourth.

According to the Freedom of the Press Survey 2011 released in conjunction with World Press Day today, the overall freedom of the media has plunged to its lowest in over a decade.

Just one in six people worldwide today lives in countries with a media designated as free, said the report published by Washington-based research group Freedom House.

The survey recorded a steady deterioration in media freedom from 2005 to 2010, and the trend has affected every region of the world.

Of the 196 countries and territories assessed last year, a total of 68 were rated free, 65 rated partly free, and 63 were rated not free.

The report also noted several key trends driving the ongoing threats to media freedom, namely misuse of licensing and regulatory frameworks as a key method of control.

The report also said repressive regimes have intensified their campaign on new media — including satellite television, the Internet and mobile telephones — as well as the news outlets that employ them.

French probe ignites interest in Altantuya death row duo

MalaysiaKini : Mariam Mokhtar - When Najib Abdul Razak was Malaysias Defense Minister from 2000 to 2008, his grand plan to upgrade the nations armed forces included the purchase of three submarines from the French defense shipbuilder, DCN.

Little did he know at the time, that the spectre of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the Mongolian who served as translator for the Malaysian government, would surface like one of the faulty submarines which refused to submerge and still haunt him five years later.

Next month, the inquiry by Parisian prosecutors on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organization Suaram, will be confined to bribery allegations involving the Scorpene submarines and will not look into the 2006 murder of Altantuya.

Altantuya had served as a translator in Paris for the Malaysian government's US$1 billion purchase of three French submarines. The deal was brokered by a firm owned by Abdul Razak Baginda, who belonged to Najibs inner circle and which netted Baginda a 114 million commission.

The 28-year-old Mongolian was also Razak Baginda's jilted lover, and in a letter found after her death, she admitted she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000.

Altantuya was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office. When Altantuya kept pestering Baginda for money, at his home, Baginda asked Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, to help keep her away from him.

Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar who served as bodyguards in the elite police unit supervis! ed by Na jib, were sent to apprehend Altantuya.

The two men were aided by Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan, who was Azila's former girlfriend. They packed Altantuya into a red Proton Wira from whence she was never seen alive again.

The private detective hired by Baginda, an ex-policeman called P. Balasubramaniam aka Bala, was detailed to prevent Altantuya from harassing him. Bala swore in a detailed statutory declaration that Baginda told him Altantuya had been Najibs lover initially but when he had designs on becoming Prime minister, Baginda took over as her lover to prevent Najib from further sexual scandals.

Bala also said that Baginda told him she liked anal sex. In the declaration, Bala said he had seen text messages from Najib after Altantuyas disappearance advising Baginda to be cool and that the matter would soon be resolved.

After delivering his statutory declaration, Bala was forced to withdraw the document. After this, Bala and his entire family disappeared.

Meanwhile, Baginda was acquitted in November 2008 and left Malaysia for England.

However, High Court Judge Zaki Yasin said that the two bodyguards were unbelievable as each blamed the other and convicted the two of murdering Altantuya sometime between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2006. Zaki said, They failed to raise any reasonable doubt of the prosecution's case.

The case is mired in controversy as there was no attempt to establish their motive for killing her despite a confession by one of them, which was not allowed in court, but which said they would be paid a large sum of money to get rid of her.

In Sirul's cautioned statement, he said that Azhar informed him that Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, had ordered them to pick up the young woman.

Azhars first suggestion was the Hotel Malaya, where Altantuya and her cousin and friend were staying, to kill them all. The presence of closed-circuit cameras prevented this from happening.

How deep and to what exte! nt is Mu sa's involvement?

In addition, what is the relationship of these two men with Najib?

The press conference in London, in July 2010, held by Bala and his team of lawyers, was supposed to be a platform to discuss issues raised during a scheduled interview of Bala by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). When the MACC cancelled at the last minute, their non-appearance generated more questions than answers.

According to lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, What we intended to do if MACC had turned up in London, was for Balasubramaniam to highlight a whole series of events surrounding this Altantuya matter that pointed to the centre of a conspiracy web. A conspiracy at the very highest level to keep out all references to Najib.

So next month, in Paris, the sordid details of Najibs submarine deals will surface. Back in Malaysia, our attention will focus on the two bodyguards, charged with Altantuyas murder.

Some say that the two are convenient scapegoats. Others say that it is curious their faces were hidden from the glare of journalists and say this is because the men will have an identity change and be free to rejoin society under an assumed name. Many questions remain unanswered.

In fact, we have no proof that they men are who they claim to be. No one knows them and has vouched for them. Who knows if they are masquerading as Azilah and Sirul? At the end of the day, it does not matter who the men really are.

It is all a smokescreen for in our part of the world, those in charge of dispensing justice end up protecting those in power. We expect criminals to be experts at keeping secrets and telling lies, but few expect those who are entrusted with keeping law and order, to lie. Governments of all types have a tendency to manipulate information and hide the truth.

Not convinced? Remember the Bank Bumiputra scandal in 1980 when a Bank Bumiputra official was murdered to prevent information about corrupt practices from being unearthe! d? Bank Bumiputra lost millions and had to be bailed out by taxpayers money. The country that prosecuted one of the accused was Hong Kong.

No, not Malaysia. We tend to shield the guilty.

PKR blames Bukit Aman police for Anwar smear

PKR has zeroed in on federal police headquarters Bukit Aman, saying it is involved in a series of talks to spread 'lies' and 'slander' against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in PAS-led Kelantan.

At a press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya, deputy president Mohd Azmin Ali reiterated PKR's accusation that a senior police officer at the national level is playing political agent for Umno.

According to Azmin, the talks - themed 'Seminar Isu-Isu Keselamatan Negara Masa Kini' - were organised in Bachok and other areas in Kelantan and were directed at school principals and teachers. As many as 2,000 principals and teachers are said to have attended the events.

Azmin said one of the main speakers is a senior police officer with the rank of SAC. Named as Abdul Rahman Ismail, he is the chief assistant director in the research and secretariat unit in Bukit Aman.

Azmin, the member of parliament for Gombak, showed what was claimed to be evidence. By engaging with the public in such a manner, Azmin said Abdul Rahman had become one of the BN-government's "slander agents to talk about sex and sodomy issues".

"He claimed Anwar is guily in the case of sodomy and sex video issue," claimed Azmin, who described the alleged police involvement in the talks as an abuse of the police force by Umno.

Last Friday, vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar had said she received complaints that a senior police official - erroneously named as 'Isa Abdul Rahman' from Bukit Aman - had given talks to teachers in several schools in Kelantan over the past month to discredit Anwar.

"This officer from Bukit Aman" has been telling teachers! that An war is a threat to national security and that he is actually the one in the sex video screened to journalists at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on March 21, Nurul Izzah said she was told.

Fellow vice-president Tian Chua accused the police of "dancing to the tune of the ruling parties", saying he personally has received complaints that Malay party workers have been pulled aside for "friendly advice" from the police.

"My election workers have been pulled aside and given a lecture by the police, saying that 'it's true that Anwar is the man in the video' and that they have 'inside information'," he claimed.

"It's not isolated but widespread. Many of our Malay party members have been targeted to be given this sort of 'advice' that Anwar truly is the actor. Such talk has been experienced by many PKR members."

Meanwhile,at the press conference today, copies of the programme of one of the seminars held on February 19 and a picture of the man they claim is Abdul Rahman was handed out to reporters. Nik Nazmi explained that before the 21-minute video first surfaced on March 21, the seminars focused on Anwars ongoing sodomy trial but the sex video was added to the agenda later.

Police say the investigations are not yet concluded so how can they go around saying Anwar is the man in the video? he said.

Abdul Rahman declared that Anwar was guilty of sodomy and also a client of prostitutes. How can the police conduct a professional investigation if one of its officers is involved in this disgusting agenda? Azmin added.

He called on the Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and his deputy Khalid to explain the involvement of the senior cop in the seminars.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.

Jeffrey lets supporters down gently on new party

MALAYSIAKINI - KOTA KINABALU: Former PKR vice-presidentlet down his supporters gently at a dinner function on Sunday night when they demanded that he set up and lead a new political party to translate the Borneo Agenda into action. The Borneo Agenda touches on the unfulfilled rights of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia.

The function at Jeffreys house in Likas here was supposed to be a pre-Tadau Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) event. However, it turned into an impromptu political dialogue for Jeffrey after he was asked by his supporters to update them on the direction for their political activities.

If someone wants to set up a political party, I will not stand in the way, said Jeffrey who dismissed the idea of him heading any such forum for now. Eventually, the Borneo Agenda movement as expressed in our numerous Borneo tea party functions will have to find expression in some sort of political movement.

He disclosed that various Borneo tea party activities had already been lined up for the duration of May which will culminate in the Tadau Kaamatan on May 30 and 31. The first will be in Ranau this morning. The Borneo tea parties are an initiative under a committee, the United Borneo Front (UBF), within the Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF) headed by Jeffrey.

Jeffrey also said that the Common Interest Group Malaysia (CigMA) under Daniel John Jambun could explain the Borneo Agenda at international forums. Jeffrey is adviser to the ad hoc apolitical movement and the Human Rights Foundation Malaysia, the London-based mothership.

Between the Borneo tea parties the first or village/state phase and the international initiatives the third phase would be the second or political phase at the state/nati! onal lev els, he added.

This is where Jambun and others can start the process of political mobilisation, he said.

Jeffreys explanation on the Borneo tea parties did not appear to satisfy his supporters who renewed, from numerous angles, the demand for a new political party headed by a credible person like Jeffrey.

Asked what they would do without a political party if the general election was called tomorrow, Jeffrey said: In that case, I would not tell you who to vote for.

Political equation

Speaker after speaker from the dialogue floor went on to reiterate the importance of setting up a new political party to cater for those who had quit PKR, following in Jeffreys footsteps, since January this year. They signalled, in no uncertain terms, that they felt stranded and naked without a political party of their own.

We keep coming back to the same subject of forming a new political party, said Jeffrey. The struggle for change and reform is more important than party politics.

The former PKR de facto chief in Sabah and Sarawak pointed out that the political party system had failed Sabah and Sarawak over the last 50 years.

He did not see how setting up a new political party will change the political equation created by Putrajaya extending its Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) Umno to Sabah and Sarawak.

Our problem is Umno staying in Sabah and perhaps soon entering Sarawak, said Jeffrey. This is what we have to focus on instead of worrying about a political party to join the others in a crowded field.

The key, according to Jeffrey, is to take away several seats from Umno in Sabah so that a new political equation emerges in the state.

If Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman can help translate the Borneo Agenda into action, Jeffrey added, he sees no reason why he should set up a new political party.

He said that he did not want anyone to con! tinue fl ogging the theme that he was only focused egoistically on heading his own political party and being the chief minister of Sabah.

King of Frogs

Already, Jeffrey said, he is being accused of being the King of Frogs after moving through several parties since joining and leaving Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) within a month in 1994.

He reminded the gathering that he had been through various political parties, consistently raising Sabah and Sarawak issues, but failed to make any headway. One result was his detention under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) for two terms in the early 1990s.

His last attempt for Sabah and Sarawak, he said, was through PKR which rejected his quit letter the first time and refused to discuss it the second time.

He has since considered himself as being out of the party another platform for Ketuanan Melayu despite continuing attempts to woo him back.

Lets not be distracted from the cause by party politics, said Jeffrey. We have no quarrel with the Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN), except with Umno, and we have no quarrel with the opposition parties they are all locals except those who want to promote Ketuanan Melayu.

The role of the Sabah BN and the opposition parties in supporting the Borneo Agenda, said Jeffrey, could not be underestimated or dismissed outright.

Dr Nicholas Guntabon from Keningau cautioned Jeffrey against allowing the Sabah BN parties to benefit from his Borneo tea parties.

We are not here to benefit the Sabah BN parties like the United PasokMomogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (Upko), said Guntabon. The benefits of the Borneo tea parties must be realised by our own political party when it is set up.

Its not known why Guntabon did not mention PBS as one of the Borneo tea party beneficiaries but it may be because it is headed by Joseph Pairin, Jeffrey elder brother in politics.

Guntabon, according to those in the know, had ! a reason for bringing up the issue. It is being speculated that he heads the proposed Sabah Peoples Congress which is yet to submit its application for registration. He reportedly wants Jeffrey to bless his initiative and agree to eventually head the party.

Jambun, who earlier also briefed the function as CigMA chairma on his recent trip to Europe on the Borneo Agenda, conceded on the sidelines that people in the kampungs were politically confused.

They understand the Borneo Agenda but keep saying that they dont know who to vote for since we dont have a political party, said Jambun. We dont know how we are going to politically mobilise the masses without a vehicle in place.

It has also been learnt that Kita, headed by former Pakatan Rakyat chairman Zaid Ibrahim, expanded to Sabah two months ago as an independent local chapter after some former PKR Barunai (Brunei Malay) members took the initiative. It will make an official announcement on its presence in Sabah once Jeffrey decides on the form of his own political vehicle.

SUMPAH: Nak Ikut UMNO atau Nak Ikut AlQuran?

Saya naqal dari posting Dr Badrul Amin di alam Tweeter:

Umno kata 'Kalau Anwar tidak mahu bersumpah maka dia bersalah'. Quran kata 'Jika yg menuduh tidak bawa saksi maka sebat dia 80 kali' (Surah an-Nur ayat 4). Nak ikut yang mana ya?

Tindakan UMNO menjana Eskay dan the gang untuk bersumpah dalam kes berkaitan Zina/Qazaf adalah salah satu dari ajaran sesat yang selama ini disebarkan oleh UMNO.


UMNO memang senantiasa diselubungi ajaran sesat. Bermula selepas merdeka apabila UMNO menjual loteri UMNO dan mereka anggap loteri itu halal. Kemudian mereka menyebarkan ajaran "Politik Suku Agama Suku". Dan akhirnya hari ini, UMNO mengajar umat Islam dengan ajaran sesat terbaru mereka: bersumpah laknat dalam perkara berkaitan Qazaf.

Amalan yang dibuat Eskay/UMNO itu adalah satu BIDAAH yang tidak pernah dilakukan dalam 1400 tahun sejarah hukum Jinayah Islam.

Tapi, apa nak heran dengan UMNO. Kalau judi mereka boleh halalkan, Najib boleh luluskan lesen judi bola yang ditolak oleh orang bukan Islam, maka apa nak heran puak-puak ni cipta syariat baru?

Kita orang yang mengaku Islam kita wajib pilih: Nak ikut UMNO atau nak ikut Alquran?

Tulang Besi

Burials at sea for Osama against Islam

MalaysiaKini - CAIRO: Islam is opposed to burials at sea, a spokesman for Al-Azhar, the top Sunni Muslim authority, said today after US officials said Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been given a watery grave.

If it is true that the body was thrown into the sea, then Islam is totally against that, Mahmud Azab, an adviser to the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, told AFP.

Any corpse, if it belongs to someone murdered or someone who died of natural causes, must be respected. The bodies of believers and non-believers, Muslim or Christian, must be respected, he added.

The Cairo-based Al-Azhar is the most prestigious centre of religious learning in the Sunni Muslim world.

US officials said today that Osama was buried at sea after being shot dead in a US helicopter-borne raid on his fortified villa in Pakistan to avoid a shrine situation.

We wanted to avoid a situation where it would become a shrine, one official told AFP, adding that there was no time for negotiations with other countries to arrange for a possible burial.

Earlier, an administration official said of the corpse: We are ensuring that it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition.

This is something that we take very seriously. And so therefore this is being handled in an appropriate manner.

-AFP

Malaysian senior citizen caught with 11kg of ketamine in India

CHENNAI - A 63-YEAR-OLD Malaysian was arrested at the Tiruchi Airport after Customs officials discovered nearly 11kg of ketamine stashed in his luggage on Sunday. -- PHOTO: CNB

CHENNAI - A 63-YEAR-OLD Malaysian was arrested at the Tiruchi Airport after Customs officials discovered nearly 11kg of ketamine stashed in his luggage on Sunday.

Investigators suspect the Malaysian, a daily wage earner from Kuala Lumpur, was hired by a well-linked drug trafficking syndicate to smuggle the contraband from South India to Malaysia.

"We usually monitor closely passengers traveling to Malaysia because of the rise in drug trafficking. When our officers scanned his luggage we found several bags hidden inside which contained ketamine packed in polythene packets and covered with clothing," D. Shivasankaran, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Tiruchi told Bernama on Monday.

The suspect, a widower, arrived in Chennai late last month and was about to return to Malaysia from Tiruchi on a low cost carrier on Sunday morning, when the arrest took place.

Mr Shivasankaran said the suspect refused to divulge any detail about himself but told investigators he was in India as a tourist and that a stranger had asked him to send the bags to Kuala Lumpur.

"We believe it was planned in Malaysia and he was carefully chosen by the syndicate to do the job. He is merely a carrier," added Mr Shivasankaran.

Cheese made from human breast milk

A person holds a portion of a breast milk ice cream named 'Baby Gaga' at the Icecreamists cafe in central London, on March 19, 2011. -- PHOTO: AFP

NEW YORK - A NEW York gallery offered adventurous eaters on Sunday the opportunity to sample cheese made from human breast milk, getting mixed reviews and some puzzled looks.

The Lady Cheese Shop is a temporary art installation by Miriam Simun, a graduate student at New York University who hopes to use the craft of cheese-making to raise questions about the ethics of modern biotechnologies.

'Cheese is the conversation starter,' Ms Simun said. 'Some people are loving it, and some people are gagging.'

Ms Simun found three nursing women willing to have their milk turned into cheese. She screened the milk for diseases, pasteurized it and learned the basics of cheese-making.

Three varieties were available on Sunday - West Side Funk, Midtown Smoke, described as 'creamy and just pure heaven,' and Wisconsin Chew, the taste of which apparently reflected the vegetable-filled diet of the woman who provided its milk.

Last year, a New York chef served diners at his restaurant cheese made from his wife's milk, and earlier this year an ice cream parlor in London began buying women's breast milk and turning it into frozen treats. -- REUTERS