Skandal NFC: Mampukah BN menanganinya?

Setelah hampir sebulan sunyi sepi, National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC), yang menjadi sasaran dalam parlimen dan di luar parlimen, akhirnya membuka mulut.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, pengerusi NFC dan suami kepada Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil menganjurkan sidang akhbar pada 17 November lalu bagi mempertahankan NFC.

Beliau menjelaskan bahawa segala-galanya berjalan dengan baik, syarikat sedang menuju ke arah mencapai sasarannya dan tidak berlaku sebarang penyelewengan.

Tetapi fakta-fakta beliau jauh dari meyakinkan.  Malahan, ia hanya satu percubaan untuk menutup skandal, dengan beberapa penafian yang telah pun dibuat oleh para pemimpin Barisan Nasional (BN) sebelum beliau.

Sebelum kita pergi kepada subjek utama, mari kita sentuh dua isu.  Pertama, sidang akhbar Salleh dibuat secara eksklusif kerana hanya membenarkan enam organisasi media sahaja, iaitu akhbar berbahasa Melayu dan saluran-saluran televisyen membuat liputannya.

Akhbar berbahasa Cina dan lain-lain diharamkan dari sidang akhbar itu.  Jika NFC benar-benar ikhlas mahu menyatakan yang benar, mereka tidak harus bimbang kepada para wartawan selain dari media yang dikawal oleh BN, yang pada kebiasaannya dianggap perkakas propaganda BN?

Jelas kelihatan NFC tidak mempunyai keyakinan untuk menjawab soalan-soalan dari para pemberita dari media yang tidak dikawal oleh BN? Tidakkah ini jelas menunjukkan BN mahu rakyat membaca apa yang BN mahu mereka membacanya?

Pembelian kondo tidak boleh diterima

Kedua, Salleh mahu kita mempercayai bahawa pembelian dua unit kondominium mewah berjumlah RM14 juta itu adalah usaha menggunakan pinjaman mudah itu secara sah dengan menyatakan kedua-dua kondo ini memberi pulangan yang tinggi.

Beliau berkata, pulangan sewa dari sebuah kondo ialah RM70,000 tetapi tidak ada sesiapa yang mempercayainya.

Selain dari kredibilitinya tercabar, siapakah dia Salleh yang memikirkan dirinya membuat rakyat tidak keberatan untuk meminjamkan wang kepada keluarganya pada tempuh jangka panjang dengan kadar faedah 2% supaya mereka dapat meraih pulangan berlipat kali ganda hasil dari pelaburan dalam hartanah?

Alasannya bahawa ini (pembelian dua kondo) merupakan pelaburan sementara atas lebihan wang yang boleh digunakan kemudian nanti untuk projek lembu feedlot adalah tidak boleh diterima.

NFC tidak sepatutnya membuat permohonan dan kerajaan juga tidak sepatutnya memberi kebenaran untuk mengeluarkan wang yang banyak itu, yang tidak digunakan dari Akaun Pinjaman Khas. Pengeluaran wang dari akaun sepatutnya dikawal ketat dan diteliti

Kementerian Kewangan dan Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani.

Atau, adakah NFC memberitahu kita bahawa mereka tidak menyediakan unjuran aliran tunai dan akaun untung rugi untuk projek ini ketika membentangkannya kepada kerajaan sebelum kontrak ini diperolehi?

Salah guna dana awam yang berlaku mencerminkan kegagalan kerajaan untuk melindungi dana awam, atau lebih buruk, terdapat konflik kepentingan berunsur jenayah (disebut rasuah) kerana memberi kontrak kepada kroni tanpa pertimbangan yang saksama melalui kertas kerja projek yang lengkap..

Sekarang, mari kita lihat kepada fakta-fakta yang dikemukakan oleh Salleh untuk menyokong dakwaannya bahawa projek ini berjalan dengan baik.

Projek 'berjaya' satu ilusi

Salleh berkata, ini merupakan tahun ketiga operasi dan masalah remeh temeh adalah dijangka.  Salah.  Anaknya sendiri, Wan Shahinur Izran, ketika itu Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif berkata, ketika majlis menandatangani perjanjian kemudahan pinjaman RM250 juta itu pada 6

Disember 2007 bahawa "operasi dijangka bermula bulan Februari tahun depan." Maka empat tahun sudah berlalu sejak perjanjian itu.

Kata Salleh lagi, syarikatnya telah menternak 8,016 ekor lembu pada tahun 2010, "mengatasi sasaran 8,000 ekor lembu". Salah.

Kriteria yang harus dipertimbangkan ialah jumlah lembu yang disembelih, bukan "diternak", kerana projek ini adalah projek pembekalan daging lembu.

Jumlah lembu feedlot tidak boleh diukur dengan pengeluaran, kalau tidak, bilangan banyak lembu yang banyak yang tiba dari luar negeri dikira sebagai "pengeluaran".

Maka Ketua Audit Negara adalah betul dalam laporannya bahawa sebanyak 3,289 ekor lembu yang disembelih pada 2010 menyumbang hanya 41% dari sasaran, satu jumlah sasaran yang telah pun dikurangkan. Sasaran asal ialah 60,000 ekor lembu setahun seperti yang diumumkan oleh CEO Izran ketika majlis menandatangani perjanjian pinjaman itu.

Seterusnya Salleh berkata, "dari operasi tahun 2009, NFC masih belum mendapat pasaran dan tempat penyembelihan hanya diluluskan pada bulan April tahun tersebut, sijil halal diperolehi dua bulan kemudian dan Piawaian Kesihatan Veterinar, adalah wajib sebelum daging dapat dijual, dalam tahun 2010."

Salleh menambah, NFC perlu menghantar para pekerjanya untuk menjalani latihan untuk mendapatkan kepakaran bagi mengendalikan operasi ternakan lembu.

Perkataan yang disebut Salleh ini nampak seperti seorang yang amatur dalam bidang ini, merayu supaya kita memahami masalah ini akibat prestasinya yang mengecewakan.

Ini berbeza dengan ucapan Izran pada 2007 apabila beliau berkata, "kami ingin memainkan peranan penting untuk memimpin, struktur dan mentransformasi industri daging lembu bagi mencapai 40% keperluan negara."

Izran juga berkata, aktiviti-aktiviti syarikat termasuk "lembu feedlot dan pengeluaran makanan melalui kontrak dan perladangan satelit,  penyembelihan, pemprosesan, pemasaran dan lain-lain aktiviti hiliran dan huluran."

Untuk perladangan kontrak, NFC akan "membantu pihak-pihak terpilih untuk mendapatkan pinjaman, untuk memula projek dan latihan lanjutan dalam bidang pengeluaran dan pentadbiran perniagaan termasuk menyediakan lembu, bahan pemakanan dan perkhidmatan veterinar. Skop aktiviti ini terdapat dalam laman web NFC.

Ekuiti yang cukup?

Maka amat jelas wujudnya jurang di antara realiti dan retorik dalam kisah NFC ini.

Salleh berkata, NFC hanya memulakan operasi pada 2009. Tetapi kenapa tidak pada 2008 memandangkan syarikatnya telah memperolehi pinjaman besar ini lebih awal?

Secara tidak langsung, operasi syarikat ini bergantung sepenuhnya kepada pinjaman mudah ini tanpa mempunyai ekuiti yang mencukupi dari para pemegang sahamnya. Jika ini benar-benar terjadi maka terdapat unsur-unsur penyelewengan dalam penganugerahan projek ini.

Salleh memberitahu bahawa permintaan dalam pasaran menjadi penghalang hingga membantutkan perkembangan projek ini sehinggalah pada 2010. Tetapi bagaimana mungkin ini terjadi sedangkan negara kita telah mengimport 80% daging lembu dari luar negara?

Aduan serupa ini hanya mendedahkan kelemahan mereka untuk mengendalikan perniagaan ini.

Dengan mendawa pihak yang memberi projek melambatkan kelulusan-kelulusan yang diperlukan hanya sebagai alasan sahaja.
Hakikatnya, sukar untuk menolak kemungkinan berlakunya salah guna kuasa dalam pemberian projek ini, termasuk kecuaian jenayah (oleh pihak kerajaan) dan pecah amanah (pengendali projek) dalam menyalah guna dana awam.

Langkah yang sebaik-baiknya ialah dengan mendakwa pihak yang terlibat, mendapatkan semula dana itu dan melantik usahawan yang benar-benar berwibawa untuk mengendalikan projek ini.

Adakah kerajaan BN sanggup melakukannya, atau perkara yang sama, seperti biasa akan dibiarkan terus berlaku?

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Karpal: Leave Koh alone

GEORGE TOWN: Embattled Gerakan president Senator Koh Tsu Koon has found an unlikely sympathiser in DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.

Karpal has called on all quarters to a ceasefire on Koh, who announced last Thursday that he would not to contest in the next general election.
He said everyone should respect Koh's decision and said that he could understand how painful it must have been for Koh to arrive at his decision.

"We should stop making any undue comments on him. We should all leave him alone," Karpal told newsmen during his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency visit here today.

However, Karpal concurred with prevailing sentiments that Koh should relinquish all his political positions in the party, Barisan Nasional and government.

Following his decision to opt out from electoral contest, Karpal said it would be unsustainable for Koh to remain as Federal Minister for Unity and Performance, Gerakan president and Penang Barisan Nasional chief.

"It's inevitable that Koh has to relinquish his posts… he can't hold them anymore," said Karpal recalling that Koh was appointed as minister via back door vis-à-vis senator appointment.

Karpal, however, called on all Penangites to thank Koh for doing a commendable job as the state Chief Minister for 18 years between 1990 and 2008.

Koh gave his best

He blamed Umno instead for hampering Koh from carrying out his task effectively for the people of Penang during his tenure.

He said Umno's constraints have frequently put the brakes on Koh from doing what he wanted to do.

Nonetheless, said Karpal Penangites cannot run away from the fact that Koh did as much as he could within his capacity and capability.

He said one should note that comparatively Koh did not have political stature or aura of his predecessor the late Dr Lim Chong Eu, who could not be touched by Umno.

He recalled how Umno members in Tanjung division stepped on Koh's portrait at a meeting with then Umno president and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a couple of years ago.

Apart from Tanjung Umno, Bukit Bendera Umno members linked its former division leader Ahmad Ismail, also tore Koh's portrait in state Umno office in 2008.

That led to state Gerakan severing its ties with state Umno until recently.

"We should cease from attacking Koh from now. He is on his way out. Let him retire in peace," said Karpal.

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Imran Khan – playboy cricketer to PM?

By Chris Allbritton

BANI GALA (Pakistan): The road to Imran Khan's palatial spread in the hills above Pakistan's capital is a perfect metaphor for his vision of his political career: Twisty and pot-holed, but ending in a grand estate.

Alone in the beginning but now surrounded by smaller buildings, the house itself is cool and pleasant, with Mughal-era swords arrayed on a coffee table and two playful dogs – one a German shepherd named Sheru – romping about the carefully manicured lawn.

"I built this house," Khan said as he sat on the shaded verandah eying the sweeping vista overlooking the city. "There was nothing here. It was scrub jungle all around. There was only a dirt track here."

For Khan, creating something from nothing could be the slogan for a much-chequered life.

A graduate from Oxford and very much a man-about-town in London in the late 1970s, he became one of the world's most admired cricketers.

He was captain of Pakistan's team of talented but wayward stars and, with many whispers of autocracy, led them to win cricket's World Cup for the first and only time in 1992.

After years of fund-raising, Khan opened a cancer hospital in the memory of his mother in his native Lahore in 1994.

He is a conservative Muslim but was married to a Jewish heiress and then divorced, joined politics and for years been somewhat of a joke in Pakistan's unruly democracy.

But in the past 15 years, through sheer force of will and a reputation for personal integrity, he has gone from political punch line to a superstar now attracting heavy-hitting politicians to his party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (Pakistan's Movement for Justice).

He and a lot of other people believe he could very well be Pakistan's next prime minister.

Khan's confidence stems from what he sees is a tsunami of support for the PTI in Pakistan as traditional parties falter amid charges and counter-charges of corruption and petty jealousies.

On Oct 30, he staged a gigantic rally in Lahore that observers said pulled between 100,000 and 200,000 people, one of the largest political rallies ever in Pakistan.

But Khan remains relatively untested. In the last 15 years, his party has only briefly held one seat in parliament – his. He has had tumultuous relationships with the established political parties as well as the military, the real decision maker in the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people.

He does not openly criticise the military but in a book on Pakistani politics published in September, he walks the line, saying: "Only a credible government can save and strengthen the Pakistan army by making sure it stays within its constitutional role. We have no other choice: In order to survive, we have to make Pakistan a genuine democracy."

Khan also has a touchy relationship with the United States, Pakistan's ally in the war on militancy and its biggest aid donor. He says that if he's elected prime minister, he would end Pakistan's cooperation in the fight against militants based in its tribal areas, end the American drone campaign and refuse all US aid, which totals some US$ 20 billion since 2001.

Revolutionary

It may be all pie-in-the-sky, but Khan, 58, is nothing if not charismatic. Still athletic and craggily handsome with darting eyes and an intense demeanour, he can rarely sit still for long. He fidgets and twists, almost as if he were about to leap to his feet and launch into his fearsome pace bowling.

"For a lot of people who don't have hope in their political system, in a democratic system, he's the one person they seem to have hope in," said a senior Western diplomat, who requested anonymity to speak about internal Pakistani politics.

"I think he's an important phenomenon because he articulates the very real frustration of the country at a time when they need articulation."
And articulate he does. In an interview, Khan quickly lists Pakistan's very serious economic problems: electricity shortages, crumbling railways, a crisis in education, massive unemployment and endemic corruption.

"We've hit rock bottom," he said. "It doesn't get worse than this, where to qualify for any position of important public office, you have to have committed a crime."

For Khan, the current government headed by Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Khan's old Oxford classmate Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007 after returning to Pakistan from self-imposed exile, is the most corrupt government Pakistan has ever seen.

Transparency International, which listed Pakistan as the 143rd most corrupt country in its 2010 corruption index, might agree.

As such, Khan believes in a fresh start for Pakistan, a country that, like his home above Islamabad, is a jungle ready to be cleared out and made anew. He believes Pakistan should wipe out the past and rebuild from a clean slate, with he as architect-in-chief.

"You only get out of this by a complete U-turn and what we call a New Pakistan."

He is calling not only for a new government, but a new political order, one based on what he says are the real ideals of Pakistan's founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who worked to forge a homeland for South Asia's Muslims before the bloody partition in 1947 that created India and Pakistan.

Instead of fighting the Taliban militants, Khan said, Pakistan should enter into dialogue with them. He says if he were in power, he could end militancy in 90 days.

A senior Taliban commander and spokesman contacted by Reuters laughed off this idea and said they would continue the fight. "He is, in fact, living in a fool's paradise," the commander said.

And yet, Khan is no fundamentalist. The idealized Islamic state he says he would build in Pakistan would focus on justice, fairness and equality for all its citizens before the law. It would, above all, be "humane."

Khan often veers between shrewd political calculations,  "as a political party, you can't rule out alliances", and what seems to be naive idealism.
His plan to raise revenue for Pakistan is to "inspire" people to pay their taxes through his personal example and somehow rooting out all corruption, boosting the country's pitiful tax-to-GDP ratio of about 10 percent, one of the lowest in the world.

Some of the parties he has associated himself with in the past are notably lacking in democratic and liberal bona fides, such as the conservative Jamaat-e-Islami, which has cheered the murder of blasphemers and campaigned against laws that would grant women and religious minorities equal status to Muslims.

Polls?

But how might Khan do in the election? Given the current flux in Pakistani politics, few analysts would hazard a guess. Many think he could split the right-leaning, nationalist vote currently dominated by the former Prime Minister Nawaz Shari's Pakistan Muslim League and keep Zardari's Pakistan People's Party in power.

"He seems to have inspired more people to join the political process," said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress in Washington. "But to date, his political organisation has seemed weak and not well managed, particularly in contrast to his charity."

Khan himself believes his time has come. "I have this very clear vision, as I say in the book," he said. "This has been a 15-year struggle which no one has conducted in Pakistan before. And now I feel I'm closer to my destiny."

But all that's really clear right now is that Khan reflects the yearnings of a deeply disillusioned and frustrated country that has seen 63 years of military and civilian governments repeatedly fail it,  all in the service of a national ideology looking for a nation.

It is this ideology, a home for South Asia's Muslims and a shining beacon of Islamic democracy,  voiced by Allama Iqbal, considered the spiritual founder of Pakistan and the man who coined the name of the country, that motivates Khan.

"He says your vision or your destiny for your dream, it should be so great, it should be so noble and selfless that rather than you asking God that God grant you this destiny, that God would be so impressed by your dream, that he asks you: What do you want?"

He paused to consider this. "In other words, our destiny is in our hands. We have to dream; the bigger the dream, the bigger the man."

- Reuters

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Unscrupulous actions, unethical behaviour

FMT LETTER: From P Ramakrishnan, via e-mail

Wild tales are being told and blatant lies are being spread with impunity. What is being done is to deliberately create uneasiness, anger and hatred against the Christians and their faith in order to undo our peace and unity.

Christian bashing has become a way of life for some unscrupulous people that their conduct seriously threatens to undermine our harmony. It would appear that these people are intent on causing chaos to promote their evil political agenda on behalf of the Barisan Nasional and Umno.

All kinds of absurd rumours have been spread to suggest that there is a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. Accusations have been levelled that rampant attempts are underway to convert Muslims to Christianity.

On Nov 5, 2006, the mufti of Perak, Harussani Zakaria, spread a malicious and vicious rumour that a church in Ipoh was conducting a baptism ceremony for Muslims. As a result, about 300 Muslims gathered at the Ipoh church in Jalan Silibin to protest against the 'conversion', forcing the police to be called in. This incident could have led to an ugly religious clash.

According to Sisters in Islam (SIS) programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi, "this is not the first time the mufti has made careless statements and allegations." She cited a number of previous statements made by the mufti, including in February where Harussani claimed that between 100,000 and 250,000 Muslims had renounced Islam.

To date he has not been able to furnish any proof for his outlandish claim, which had the potential to outrage Muslim sensibilities. He did not even do the decent thing that is expected of a person who had genuinely committed an error. There was no remorse; there was no apology.

The latest claims by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) – that it had found that eight ways by which Christian missionaries are spreading the Gospel, one of which is by means of a high-tech device called a 'Solar-Powered Handheld Talking Bible' – is ridiculous and appalling.

Selangor state exco member in charge of Islamic affairs Hassan Ali revealed that the other ways in which the 'Good Word' is being spread to convert Muslims include setting up welfare groups to extend financial and other forms of assistance to single mothers, the poor, the elderly and others.

He further stated that, in addition to cash, inducements by Christians to the target groups also come in the form of the provision of daily necessities, capital for business purposes and other aid.

If Hassan has so much irrefutable evidence, then he should make a police report. It is a moral responsibility that he should exercise immediately. Very likely, the police will spring into action. In matters of this nature, we can expect the police to be super efficient.

If indeed there was evidence, then the culprits attempting to convert the Muslims should be prosecuted. Aliran very strongly supports such prosecution for any violations of the law.

The very fact that no one has been charged so far would mean that Hassan and the others of his ilk should stop talking nonsense and behave in a reverential manner befitting their religious personage. They bring shame to their office and lose their dignity and they can never be looked upon as respected religious leaders.

This unverified wild claim of conversions to Christianity raises a very pertinent question. Is the faith of the Muslims so weak and superficial that Muslims can be so easily swayed, induced and bribed to renounce their faith in spite of the fact "the al-Quran is disseminated through loud speakers, television, radio and at government functions," as pointed out by former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin?

Doesn't this situation call for some soul searching as to why – in spite of great efforts made and billions of ringgit spent on building mosques, suraus, madrasahs, religious instructions, al-Quran reading competitions – all this had failed to strengthen the faith of the Muslims? Does this suggest that the method of religious teachings undertaken to instil the Islamic faith among the Muslims is either totally wrong or utterly ineffective.

The Attorney-General should have instituted action against those for spreading false information. Their act was blatant, unscrupulous and demeaning to Islam. Wasn't Lim Guan Eng made to serve 18 months of imprisonment for 'spreading false information'? Why didn't he deserve the tolerance that these people seem to be enjoying and benefiting from?

The Prime Minister should take to task these people who spread false information so that others will not be reckless in stating things that are far removed from truth. He has a moral responsibility to safeguard truth and justice in the national interest and preserve our peace and harmony.

The writer is president of Aliran

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Panchayat: Bahagian 48 – Arivalahan

Memang saya sudah sedia maklum bahawa Sitambaram bijak membuat dalih. Entah dari mana dia mendapat segala idea untuk mereka cerita dalam masa yang relatif singkat.

Walau dalam apa situasi sekali pun, dia pasti boleh mereka cerita yang kedengaran cukup realistik.

Malah, itulah salah satu modal utamanya dalam memperdayakan orang selama ini.

Sitambaram memang ada kebolehan kubarasa yang sangat menakjubkan. Dia ibarat Thandira Nari, watak Sang Serigala yang ditemui dalam cerita rakyat India.

Menyedari hakikat kebijaksanaan Sitambaram dalam menangani apa jua keadaan, saya memberanikan diri untuk keluar dari dalam bilik kecil berkenaan.

Kim Seng dan Mahmood menurut. Tentu mereka juga sedar bahawa Sitambaram pasti akan dapat menangani masalah yang sedang kami hadapi sekarang ini.

"Dengar dulu penjelasan kami," dia berkata kepada Raja dengan suara memujuk apabila kami bertiga sudah berdiri di sisi. "Jangan terburu-buru membuat andaian."

"Usah berdalih, Sitambaram. Saya tidak memerlukan penjelasan daripada awak. Saya sudah melihat dengan kepala mata saya sendiri tindakan awak berempat tadi!"

Sitambaram memandang kami bertiga yang berdiri di sisinya; Kim Seng dan Mahmood di sisi kiri manakala saya di sisi kanan.

"Sekarang juga saya akan melaporkan kepada Pak Cik Senthamarei! Awak berempat pasti dihadapkan ke panchayat untuk dikenakan hukuman yang setimpal."

"Sabar dulu, Raja. Kau tak kenal Senthamarei sepenuhnya. Dengar dulu kata-kata saya."

Sitambaram bersuara agak gelisah kali ini. Tentu sahaja dia turut bimbang memikirkan apa yang boleh berlaku jika kami berempat dihadapkan ke panchayat Kubur Gajah.

Kim Seng turut gelisah. Saya sendiri sudah tidak berupaya mengawal kaki saya yang mula menggigil sedikit.

Mahmood usahlah diceritakan lagi. Mungkin dalam sedikit masa sahaja lagi, dia akan terkencing berdiri!

"Kita boleh berunding …," tambah Sitambaram apabila Raja bersedia untuk pergi dari situ.

Rakan kongsi baru

Agaknya kata-kata Sitambaram membuahkan hasil.

Raja yang memakai baju kemeja biru berbelang putih tidak meneruskan langkah. Dia kelihatan merenung penuh tanda tanya ke arah kami.

Berunding macam mana? Saya tertanya-tanya. Apakah Sitambaram bermaksud hendak memberikan sejumlah wang bagi menutup mulut Raja?

"Berunding …?"

"Ya, Raja." Sitambaram mengangguk-angguk pantas. "Awak boleh menjadi rakan kongsi kami."

"Eh, Sitambaram!" Kim Seng mencelah.

"Awak diam, Kim Seng. Sayalah ketua kumpulan ini. Saya yang berhak membuat keputusan," dia membabarkan.

Saya sudah terasa risau. Mungkinkah Raja akan bersetuju? Kalau pun dia bersetuju, berapa banyak wang yang akan Raja terima?

Tentulah tidak adil jika Sitambaram memutuskan untuk membahagikan wang hasil jualan berhala emas ini sama rata kepada lima bahagian.

"Tidak, Sitambaram! Saya tidak sanggup menjadi petualang. Saya tidak sanggup memikul dosa mencuri berhala Kaali Devi yang saya sembah sejak kecil."

"Macam mana ni?" Saya terdengar Mahmood berbisik kepada Kim Seng. "Saya rasa macam nak terkencing!"

"Isy! Diamlah. Buat malu sahaja."

Mahmood kelihatan mencebikkan bibir.

"Jangan terburu-buru, Raja," Sitambaram pula berkata sambil tersenyum mesra. "Fikirkanlah semasak-masaknya."

Raja masih berdiri tegap di hadapan kuil.

"Tak lama lagi, awak dan Ramani akan berkahwin. Bukankah awak memerlukan wang yang banyak?" Sitambaram meneruskan.

Saya memandang Kim Seng dan Mahmood. Mereka sedang memandang ke arah Sitambaram dan Raja.

"Kalau awak mengharapkan hasil penternakan lembu semata-mata, bila awak boleh jadi kaya? Lagi pun, awak tak kenal peribadi sebenar Senthamarei."

"Ah! Jangan cuba mempengaruhi saya, Sitambaram," kata Raja sambil berundur ke arah pintu pagar kuil. "Saya akan pergi sekarang juga."

Menerkam dengan tiba-tiba

"Jangan terburu-buru, Raja!" Sitambaram mendesak.

"Saya akan laporkan kepada ketua panchayat sekarang juga! Awak tak akan dapat melarikan diri daripada hukuman panchayat."

"Eh, nanti dulu!"

Pemuda itu terus berundur sedang matanya masih terus terpaku ke arah kami.

Sitambaram pula memandang kami bertiga sekilas lalu dengan ekor mata. Kemudian dia menerkam tiba-tiba.

Tanpa berfikir panjang, saya turut meluru ke arah Raja yang cuba berpaling untuk melarikan diri. – Bersambung esok

Bahagian terdahulu

Uthaya Sankar SB pernah dilantik menganggotai Panel Bebas Mengkaji Pindaan Novel Interlok Edisi Murid pada Februari 2011. Beliau juga menjadi kolumnis FMT sejak Januari 2011.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY YB Nurul Izzah Anwar

 

Many happy returns of the day

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PAS cooking up a lot religious nonsense

 

DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN

Which Christian can help being angered by the accusation by PAS' problematic Hasan Ali that Christian missionaries are using eight ways to proselytize Muslims - one of which included using a rather far-fetched 'solar-powered handheld talking Bible.' He also said that Christians were setting up welfare groups that handed out financial and other forms of assistance to single mothers, the poor, the elderly and others with inducements including daily provisions, capital for business purposes and other aid.

It is no surprise then that he got a proper tongue lashing from Islamic scholar, Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, for insulting both Muslims and the Islamic faith, and from Rev. Thomas Philips, the vice chairman of inter-faith group The Malaysian Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) who said, "Talk is cheap. Where is the proof. There are more than ample laws to punish those that try to proselytize Muslims so if Hasan Ali has evidence, put it on show. Don't just accuse."

I would like to remind Hassan, that his pro-Islamist party is the number one source of religious intolerance in Malaysia. In fact PAS was the original group that forced the once liberal Umno to become a religious extremist organization as well because it felt the need to compete to get Malay support since the 1970s. This was the biggest wrong turn in the history of the nation which has now become a country with little tolerance, in which racial groups have been so polarized that religious debates and mutual attacks are happening in a daily basis nowadays. What a shame!

Why is PAS so eager to make the Christian its enemies? Isn't it enough that Perkasa has been attacking Christians to make the Christians appear to be the political devil in the country? Why is Hassan complaining about solar-powered Bibles? I have never seen, nor even heard of such a Bible, but let me tell Hassan this: If there is such a Bible, then I am very glad because now there is a new portable Bible which can help Christians keep up with the holy book while they are on the move, and without having to flip through the pages. And why would such a Bible a problem to Muslims? What about the electronic Al-Quran which is in the market to help Muslims read the holy book whole traveling? Are the Christians complaining about that? No! I would say, congratulations to the Muslims!

For Hassan's information, although I have never se! en a sol ar-powered Bible, there are already many portable Bibles everywhere now. Anyone can install a complete Bible text even in handphones. If you want the easier to read versions with larger fonts, there are other that can be uploaded into i-Pads and laptops. There are also thousands of websites in the Internet where the Bible is available in its many versions, in all languages of the world, including in Indonesian. But why should such a situation be a problem to Muslims when the Al-Quran is also available in many languages in the internet, including in the English and Malay languages. I myself have even glanced through these but id didn't bother me at all. I didn't feel that I was being proselytized, so why should the Muslims in PAS be so sensitive that they have to attack the Christians for having electronic Bibles? And why blame us if the Internet is full of Bibles and evangelism materials?

And let's please understand that the meaning of the word proselytize comes both ways. Both Christians and Muslims are commanded by their holy books to proselytize others, but in Malaysia we are not allowed to proselytize Muslims, so we obey the law. But what is the point if we are still accused of proselytizing Muslims whether we do it or not? And we Christians all know that the Muslims are free to proselytize us, and as law-abiding citizens, we try to live with this unfair situation. But because we so obedient, groups like PAS and Perkasa are now expecting more from us: (a) Perkasa has demanded that Christians be not allowed to become teachers, (b) We are not allowed to use our own national language for our religious services, (c) We are not allowed to use around 30 words in our religion, especially "Allah" which unofficially can be used in Sabah and Sarawak but not in the Peninsular – a most stupid decision!, and (d) and Baru Bian in Sarawak had just claimed that Christian pre-schoolers in Sarawak are being taught Muslims prayers.

PAS also needs to answe! r one ve ry critical question about the sensitive matter of conversions: What if a Malay converts according to his own wish without any effort to proselytize him from anybody? Will PAS still be saying it is all the fault of Christians in Malaysia? What of the person was converted by studying Christian materials in the Internet or from books he bought from the bookstores? Does this mean that the Christians in Malaysia must now brace themselves the horror of  PAS coming into power because they will be arrested and jailed in case some Muslim becomes Christians, even though the Christians have nothing to do with the conversion?

They want to step over our heads and make all sorts of accusations against Christians such as (a) We are supposed to be trying to convert Muslims, (b) We want to have a Christian Prime Minister in the country, and now (c) We are spreading electronic Bibles. What other sins will we be accused of next, I wonder.

Some people forget that we Christians have equal rights as Malaysians! We contribute to the development of the country, and we pay our taxes too. In fact more than 80 percent of the taxes in Malaysia are paid by non-Muslims! But when we build our churches or do evangelism work, we have to come up with our own money, while the Muslims have can use part of the taxes to build their mosques.

I just want to ask Hassan Ali a few more questions: If PR ever rules the country, is PAS going to create laws to suppress Christians even worse than what is happening now? Is the party going to ban all electronic Bibles?  Will the party ban all kinds of social and welfare programs from being carried out by Christian organizations? And in view of the strange behavior that Hassan Ali is showing the public right now, is he saying that PAS doesn't need the votes of Christians? I look forward to his response. And I can assure him this won't be the last he will hear from me on the issue!

 

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Unscrupulous actions, unethical behaviour

by P Ramakrishnan
19 November 2011

Wild tales are being told and blatant lies are being spread with impunity. What is being done is to deliberately create uneasiness, anger and hatred against the Christians and their faith in order to undo our peace and unity.

Christian bashing has become a way of life for some unscrupulous people that their conduct seriously threatens to undermine our harmony. It would appear that these people are intent on causing chaos to promote their evil political agenda on behalf of the Barisan Nasional and Umno.

All kinds of absurd rumours have been spread to suggest that there is a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. Accusations have been levelled that rampant attempts are underway to convert Muslims to Christianity.

On 5 November 2006, the mufti of Perak, Harussani Zakaria, spread a malicious and vicious rumour that a church in Ipoh was conducting a baptism ceremony for Muslims. As a result, about 300 Muslims gathered at the Ipoh church in Jalan Silibin to protest against the 'conversion', forcing the police to be called in. This incident could have led to an ugly religious clash.

According to Sisters in Islam (SIS) programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi, "this is not the first time the mufti has made careless statements and allegations." She cited a number of previous statements made by the mufti, including in February where Harussani claimed that between 100000 and 250000 Muslims had renounced Islam.

To date he has not been able to furnish any proof for his outlandish claim, which had the potential to outrage Muslim sensibilities. He did not even do the decent thing that is expected of a person who had genuinely committed an error. There was no remorse; there was no apology.

The latest claims by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) – that it had found that eight ways by which Christian missionaries are spreading the Gospel, one of which is by means of a high-tech device called a 'Solar-Powered Handheld Talking Bible' – is ridiculous and appalling.

Selangor state exco member in charge of Islamic affairs Hassan Ali revealed that the other ways in which the 'Good Word' is being spread to convert Muslims include setting up welfare groups to extend financial and other forms of assistance to single mothers, the poor, the elderly and others.

He further stated that, in addition to cash, inducements by Christians to the target groups also come in the form of the provision of daily necessities, capital for business purposes and other aid.

If Hassan has so much irrefutable evidence, then he should make a police report. It is a moral responsibility that he should exercise immediately. Very likely, the police will spring into action. In matters of this nature, we can expect the police to be super efficient.
If indeed there was evidence, then the culprits attempting to convert the Muslims should be prosecuted. Aliran very strongly supports such prosecution for any violations of the law.

The very fact that no one has been charged so far would mean that Hassan and the others of his ilk should stop talking nonsense and behave in a reverential manner befitting their religious personage. They bring shame to their office and lose their dignity and they can never be looked upon as respected religious leaders.

This unverified wild claim of conversions to Christianity raises a very pertinent question. Is the faith of the Muslims so weak and superficial that Muslims can be so easily swayed, induced and bribed to renounce their faith in spite of the fact "the al-Quran is disseminated through loud speakers, television, radio and at government functions," as pointed out by former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin?

Doesn't this situation call for some soul searching as to why – in spite of great efforts made and billions of ringgit spent on building mosques, suraus, madrasahs, religious instructions, al-Quran reading competitions – all this had failed to strengthen the faith of the Muslims? Does this suggest that the method of religious teachings undertaken to instil the Islamic faith among the Muslims is either totally wrong or utterly ineffective.

The Attorney-General should have instituted action against those for spreading false information. Their act was blatant, unscrupulous and demeaning to Islam. Wasn't Lim Guan Eng made to serve 18 months of imprisonment for 'spreading false information'? Why didn't he deserve the tolerance that these people seem to be enjoying and benefiting from?

The Prime Minister should take to task these people who spread false information so that others will not be reckless in stating things that are far removed from truth. He has a moral responsibility to safeguard truth and justice in the national interest and preserve our peace and harmony.

This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 November 2011, 4:44 pm and is filed under Islam, Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.  

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Syed Husin: Ezam's throwing up a smokescreen...

Former PKR No 2 Syed Husin Ali said today PKR renegade Ezam Mohd Noor was attempting to throw up a smokescreen over the issue of his motive for quitting the party.

Syed Husin, in his memoirs launched last Wednesday, revealed that the former PKR Youth chief had resigned from the party for monetary gain.

In a swift response, Ezam admitted he was broke at the time he quit PKR but had not done so from pecuniary gain.

Further, he claimed, Syed Husin had in frequent chats with Ezam at a favourite restaurant in Petaling Jaya criticised Anwar and Azmin for what he perceived as their lavish lifestyles.

"In general, I criticise any and everybody who offends against the unspoken rule against ostentation in their lifestyles," said Syed Husin in remarks made to Malaysiakini.

"We are fighting for the have-nots in Malaysian society; it requires we be modest in our lifestyles," parried Syed Husin in reply to what he claimed was Ezam's attempt to divert from the main issue of the motive behind his departure from PKR.

Ezam claimed the main reason for his leaving was his dim view of the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim.
Syed Husin expanded: "I know this is coming down to a 'I said, he said' sort of thing but if you look at page 157 of my book, you will find that Hishamuddin Rais says in a letter that he wouldn't be surprised if Ezam leaves PKR. That letter was written in 2002."

Ezam left PKR in 2007.

"In the same breath that Ezam told me he was a kept man, reliant on his wife for his maintenance, he said he needed to get onto the boards of some companies," said Syed Husin.

Resignation letter sent to S'gor PKR

"He did not send his letter of resignation from PKR to the party's secretary-general but instead sent it to the party's Selangor chapter secretary.

"He was too embarrassed to send it to the proper authority, so he chose a diversionary tactic, sending it instead to the Selangor secretary.

"He said he needed to show proof that he had indeed quit PKR to the people who would then recommend him to become a board member in some companies.

"He chose an indirect channel rather than a direct one to announce that he was quitting and that, to me, showed his embarrassment over the whole matter," said Syed Husin.
< br> The issue of politicians repudiating the party of their initial - or in Ezam's case - newfangled allegiance (he was from Umno before he enlisted with PKR, and now is back to his original confession) is a highly vexed question in Malaysian politics.

It has led to the downfall of state governments, in Sabah in 1995 and in Perak in 2009, causing huge dismay among voters and party supporters.

Syed Husin Ali, whose memoirs 'Perjuangan Politik', launched earlier this week, dwells on this topic, is equipped to talk on the issue because his career has been singularly free of the malady.

source:malaysiakini

cheers.

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Doctors

		Saturday, Nov 19, 2011 The New Paper
Drug caused kidney failure
By Amanda Yong SHE had complained about the pain in her right elbow and shoulder. And he diagnosed her with osteoporosis and recommended her a $ 1,500 drug that would last her for a year. Mrs Wong Chen Li Chu, 63, agreed to go ahead with the treatment. Three days after the drug injection, she was taken to a hospital emergency department and diagnosed with renal impairment. One month later, doctors told her she had chronic renal failure. This later developed into end-stage renal disease. In August 2009, 11 months after the drug injection, she got started on dialysis and has been on it since. Mrs Wong is now suing consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Chan Heng Thye of Chan Orthopaedic Clinic at Gleneagles Medical Centre for medical negligence. The clinic is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit filed through her lawyer, Mr Yap Gim Chuan of Soh Wong & Yap, in September. Mrs Wong claims among other things that Dr Chan did not warn her of the possible side effects of the dru! g, known as Aclasta, and failed to put her through blood tests to check her kidney functions and calcium levels as recommended by the drug manufacturer, Novartis. ************************************ There are three kinds of doctors. The first only interested in money. The second cannot be bother. The third who has passion. Today the third is extinct. So if you treasure your life, keep away from the doctors.

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This will happen to us Malaysians if we allow UMNO to sit in Putrajaya longer.

BEWARE!!!! Graphic Pictures.

If you are faint hearted, don't proceed!!!

Lawrence Omboto says, "Take courage comrades this is a heart breaking, disturbing and disgusting scene!"

Ifeanyi Obiekezie says" I have never seen anything like this before! The Asian appetite for "exotic" taste sometimes scare me – from stories of cat eating to dogs, to lizard, snakes to all sorts of crazy fish, then human embryos and now to fully grown humans! The photo of the person you are about to watch could have been somebody's fiance, husband or Dad! This looks too real to be true. How I wish all black leaders watch these photos and give guidelines of who they allow to migrate into their coun! tries. T he time has come for black (Africans, American, West Indies etc) to rise and unite together against attrocities committed by foreigners on them either on their soil or abroad. Time to pray to God is now"!

Elizabeth Asung says "Could this be true? God forbid!!! This is unthinkable! what is going on"???

The human body, black, ready to be sliced for a great meal in Thailand .
It is wise for everyone to know who is next door!

This man is either from Europe, Carribean, Africa or America .
The black flesh dish is so delicious in Thailand . W! ho is yo ur neighbor where you live?
Some where in the forest after kidnapping this man from where he was and killed him.






Cutting the head





A black man's flesh is being prepared for a nice Thai dish. Do we have United Nations?

The head is chopped and placed at a place they would be loooking before they start removing the skin.



This lady is happy.

Pieces of human flesh


Are this government officials from health department? Which uniforms are these?

Boil t he black human flesh.


Are this people really allowed to travel to other countries?
Do governments think that missing persons are slaughtered in any country for meat to be served in restaurants?
Look at this man.
He has to take out all the human fresh around the head ready to be cooked.
It is being cooked in the drum ready to eat a very enjoyable meal

They have cooked human flesh and are eating happily.
Why should Thai Restaurants in any country not be inspected for missing persons cooked fresh.

^**************************** This will happen in Malaysia if we continue to take in Indonesians and Bangladashi as instant citizens. They will eat us alive. So continue to vote for BN.

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