"An order recently signed by Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar allows the Catholic Church to use the word “Allah” for God outside of the religion of Islam in its weekly newspaper, The Herald, as long as it follows certain terms and conditions. The order was gazetted on Feb 16 under the Internal Security Act (ISA)." -MalaysianInsider
********************************
KOTA KINABALU, Feb 28 — The Home Ministry has rescinded a government gazette that allowed conditional use of the word "Allah" in Christian publications with immediate effect.
Admitting that there was a mistake in enacting the gazette that resulted in confusion over the word in question, Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the government's decision to ban the use of the word “Allah” in Herald-The Catholic Weekly remained in force until the court decided otherwise.
The government had recently ordered a ban on the Herald's Malay edition until the court makes its decision, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue publishing in English, Chinese and Tamil.
"There is a judicial review on the matter and we leave it to the court to decide. I think there was a mistake in enacting the gazette. When we made a mistake I must admit that there is a need look at it thoroughly.
"As there was a mistake... so it is better we make a correction," he told reporters today.
Syed Hamid was commenting on the call by the Malaysian Islamic Da'wah Foundation (Yadim) earlier today, urging the government to withdraw permission for the conditional use of the word "Allah" in Christian publications.
Its chairman Datuk Mohd Nakhaie Ahmad said the government had not acted wisely in allowing the use of the word in Christian publications which he said could anger Muslims not only in the country but also throughout the world.
A government gazette dated Feb 16 has stated that documents and publications relating to Christianity containing the world "Allah" are prohibited unless the words "FOR CHRISTIANITY" was written on their front cover.
The condition was contained in an order entitled “Internal Security (Prohibition on Use of Specific Words on Document and Publication) Order 2009”.
Paragraph 2(1) of the order reads: The printing, publication, sale, issue, circulation and possession of any document and publication relating to Christianity containing the words Allah, Kaabah, Baitullah and solat are prohibited unless on the front cover of the document and publication are written with the words "FOR CHRISTIANITY". — Bernama
By Adib Zalkapli KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — In another sign that Pas has yet to abandon the idea of forging a closer relationship with Umno, the Islamist party's president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang has called for the formation of a national unity government in view of the current political turmoil.
In an interview with The Malaysian Insider, the Marang MP said Barisan Nasional could not on its own bring the country out of the economic crisis.
Hadi was also certain that the party would not suffer the same fate as in 1970s when it was expelled from BN and lost its control over Kelantan.
Last year, the party was split between the conservative faction which favours cooperation with Umno through what it calls muzakarah (dialogue) and another which prefers to strengthen the then newly formed alliance Pakatan Rakyat.
“We need to look common ground in uniting political parties in carrying out responsibilities, it’s not that we cannot disagree, but we want this common ground to be given priority, before we spend our time on issues that we disagree on,” said Hadi.
Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Hei, beruk!! Tuan N. Gobalakrishnan [Padang Serai]: Beruk sahaja kenal dengan beruk tau! Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Kamu jangan kurang ajar ya! Tuan N. Gobalakrishnan [Padang Serai]: Beruk besar kenal dengan beruk... Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Hei, anjing! Tuan N. Gobalakrishnan [Padang Serai]: Kalau saya anjing, kamu pun anjing. Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Kamu anjing!
Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Bagi pihak Melayu, you have no right. Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Hey, you shut up! You shut up! You shut up!Babi! Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Awak ingat awak seorang saja Melayu? Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Apa you bercakap macam itu? Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Beri saya laluan! Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Tak payah! Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Beri saya laluan! Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Tak payah! Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Kalau kamu berani! Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Tak payah! Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd. Samad [Shah Alam]: Penakut! Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: Apa penakut? Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar]: Yang Berhormat Shah Alam... Beberapa Ahli: [Menyampuk] Dato’ Ibrahim Ali [Pasir Mas]: [Menghempaskan songkoknya]
What the ^%#$.... real geniuses we have in the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs headed by none other than Mr. Hamid Albar himself!!!! **(LOL ...I'm sure Fr. O.C. Lim will be real pleased ....)
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — The controversial ban on the word “Allah” to mean God for non-Muslims is still in place, said a Malaysian Catholic priest involved in a court dispute over its use.
The Associated Press had reported earlier today that the ban had been lifted with conditions.
“The ban has not been lifted,” Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew, editor of The Herald, a Catholic weekly newspaper, told The Malaysian Insider this afternoon.
He said he had recently received a letter from the Home Ministry reinforcing the rule forbidding the word “Allah” in a non-Muslim context.
He explained the ban made exceptions for Christians to use the word “Allah” only in print and under stringent conditions.
“The printing, publishing, sale, issue, circulation and possession of any document and publication relating to Christianity containing the words ‘Allah’, ‘Kaabah’, ‘Baitullah’ and ‘Solat’ are prohibited unless on the front cover of the document and publication are written with the words ‘FOR CHRISTIANITY’,” Fr Lawrence said, quoting from the letter dated Feb 16, 2009.
“The words ‘FOR CHRISTIANITY’ referred to in subparagraph (1) shall be written clearly in font type Arial of size 16 in bold,” he added.
The notification, which falls under the Internal Security Act, was gazetted on Feb 16 this year.
“We feel good we can use ‘Allah’ again,” Fr Lawrence said, adding that the March 1 issue of The Herald will bear the required warning on its front page.
But he is wary of celebrating too soon, noting that the order does not allow Christians to use it orally, whether celebrating Mass or other forms of prayer and worship.
“If I had a Malay Bible, but if ‘FOR CHRISTIANITY’ were not printed on its front cover, ahhh, trouble,” the priest said.
Fr Lawrence noted that with the case still going on, the government’s latest move could be seen as acting in contempt of court.
Tomorrow, the High Court here will resume hearing the judicial review filed last year by the Catholic Church against the government over the “Allah” ban.
******************************************
Not to be left out in seeking publicity and conflict - we have the Rising Taliban of PKR, the one and only, the skullcap restrained mind of the intellectual amoeba, Zul Nordin!!
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — PKR’s Zulkifli Nordin today questioned the decision made by the Home Ministry in allowing the Catholic weekly The Herald to use the word “Allah” in its publications.
“Have they referred to the related decree? The ministry should not compromise on this matter,” said the Kulim Bandar Baharu MP when asked about the decision.
He told The Malaysian Insider that his opposition to the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims were not motivated by theological arguments.
The Home Ministry has allowed Herald to use the word “Allah”, but the publication has to clearly print the words “For Christianity” on its cover.
“We should look at the social context where the word is used by the Malay Muslims in the country, what is the reason behind their insistence on using ‘Allah’,” said Zulkifli.
Earlier in his speech while debating the motion of thanks to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the first term MP express his unhappiness with The Herald’s editor Lawrence Andrew’s statement on the use of the word Allah by the publication.
"... some Articles in the Constitution are cemented in stone and can't be amended even with 100% majority in Parliament". - "SuperAdmin" MalaysiaToday (comments section)
========================================
As much as some things may be "cast in stone" in the constitution, it cannot last forever.
The question is - How long the leaders can keep it viable, without corrupting the spirit in which it was drafted. Many things are said in the Constitution - but unless those who interpret it understand the spirit in which it is supposed to be applied and upheld, it is nothing but "toilet paper".
Right now, the extremists have thus far succeeded in manipulating the moderate secularist spirit in which it was drafted, so as to make demands based on a "literal" interpretation. This is made convenient through the draconian laws (eg EO, ISA, Police Act, UUCA, PPPA) which these extremists have formulated - laws which encourage ignorance and an unthinking mob mentality.
Discussion is deemed a danger. Debate is a danger. Education is deemed a danger. Progress is deemed a danger. Anything which threatens the comfort of the corrupt is deemed a danger. Laws are formulated to protect the pirates from the people. "Daylight Robbery" will also be translated as constitutional, and "cast in stone". To challenge it would be deemed "seditious" and would warrant "detention" (and not "arrest", mind you!)
This attitude is further aided by the servile & corrupt instruments of state, which facilitate fascism and obsession for "sectarian supremacy & purity". That too, is considered "constitutional". That the idea of "the unique identity and economic sustainability" is what the constitution intended, would be lost forever. It becomes a competition to plunder and rape the nation based on the fascist ideas of "supremacy" of an elite club of pirates, on the pretext of "constitutional rights" of a privileged "sect".
If the "spirit" of the Federal Constitution is lost for good thru this ignorance & manipulation, for better or for worse, one might as well resign oneself to an impending revolution and a new Constitution and the fracture of this "nation state" as we know it.
Whether this revolution will be peaceful or otherwise will depend on the level of education and enlightenment which the people espouse. In a worst case scenario, we will end up like the Swat Valley in Pakistan- in which case, even PAS as we know it wouldn't survive!
Then the we can kiss good-bye, all that is "cast in stone" ..... and sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" while we bang balls!
********************************* "To be, or not to be: that is the constitution." - with apologies to Shakespeare, Hamlet III.i
If a half dozen Pakatan Rakyat State Assemblypersons from Selangor cross over to Barisan Nasional, and what happened to Perak also happens to Selangor, would he still be a jolly good fellow? - RPK, For he’s a jolly good fellow,No Holds Barred
"It's the terror of knowing What this world is about Watching some good friends Screaming 'Let me out' Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high high Pressure on people - people on streets Turned away from it all like a blind man Sat on a fence but it don't work Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn Why - why - why ?"
It appears to me that RPK is under immense pressure and "needs to write a few things to straighten things out". With a few charges against him in the courts and mourning the passing of an Aunt, sometimes I really wonder how RPK copes on a day to day basis. The pressure must definitely be nerve wreaking and mind boggling.
There have been a few signs of "coping methods" embraced by RPK. First it was the Che Guevara style - complete with the cigar & then the Cap. Probably it was to "feel the revolutionary spirit" or whatever. Next came the angry statement of "a bullet" in the previous post. Maybe it was a sign of frustration at trying to put out the many bushfires that are being started by "vandals". As such, of late RPK has come up with a few statements which weren't exactly what MT is about - at least IMHO ... but then again, he may be trying to get his audience thinking again (as opposed to the many sickeningly unthinking commenters we see these days, who laud everything RPK says). It may be that he was just courting controversy, so as to provoke discussion.
Nevertheless, the pressure RPK is under, is just as heavy as that which plagues DSAI. I think both of them are showing signs of the stress involved in putting out the ever increasing bushfires lit by the "vandals". It is at times like these that we need to stand by our leaders - for a friend in need, is a friend indeed. Let is sing them "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow", despite the bad press in the MSM. Let us help them ride this wave of bushfires ....
*******************************
(The following was my comment on MT in the above mentioned RPK's column ...)
"Knowing you guys and gals you will smear my cousin to kingdom come." ================================
Indeed Pete - clarity of thought should be the order of the day. So I say - you've gone on a tangent, and lack the very clarity required here!
If the DAP/PAS/PKR farts don't smell so sweet to you at all times, why then do you carry the flag of all these parties (on the Barisan Rakyat banner) at all times? They may have signed the people's declaration for political expediency, but they don't exactly walk the talk at all times - Hassan Ali, Zul Nordin, that Manicka clown and the "Songkok issue man" are some to note. moreover, they back down, at the first sign of controversy! (My hats off to LGE, Karpal & LKS though ....)
Then you go on to say, "They aspire for an Islamic State and since some of you do not agree with this you feel that Pakatan Rakyat is better off without PAS. Many also do not support HINDRAF because they fight on a Hindu platform. Even Indians of Muslim or Christian persuasions do not have nice things to say about HINDRAF.
Well, to that, Pete - I'll say damn those guys who say that their kinda fart alone smells sweeter than all the rest! Period. There is no premise for sectarianism in the People's Declaration!
As for the office of the heads of state, is created by the real rulers of a state - the government. The legitimacy of it lies with the people- and hence, the people have a right to dispute a judgmental error. The onus is on the one who occupies the seat/office to maintain its credibility, and preserve its integrity against all odds, to uphold the constitution upon which it depends. The respect the office commands depends on the conduct of the office-bearer, and not his bloodline, heritage or "god-ordained rights" So there is nothing wrong in questioning a flawed judgment, and praising a good call.
So - about Perak and Selangor ... You're comparing apples & oranges, Pete! These are two different scenarios - one was about the installation of an illegal govt. The other was simply "advice" sought.
Without a doubt, HM Sultan Azlan Shah may also have personally been a "victim of circumstances" just as much as the Perakians. and it isn't necessarily him personally that the people condemned, but the office of the Sultan - the institution that was abused by "hidden hands" at work. Whatever said and done, the head of state cannot "fire" his MB - he may only select the candidate he feels, commands the majority in the assembly - and the argument about the "Interpretation Act" which Shad Faruqi highlighted is flawed. The MB can only be "fired" by a vote of no confidence.
Hence, I have no doubts whatsoever that the people would be pissed off should the office of the Selangor Head of State commit an indiscretion to the same effect - and it may not necessarily against your cousin in his personal capacity. That it is your cousin who occupies the seat, is incidental.
As for KJ, we all know what he's done, and the reputation he has as a "wormtongue" and how sweet his dog-breath is when the situation calls for it ..... but of course there are always people who believe that it's cool to jump into a barrel of shit, to clean it from within, while hoping to come out smelling like roses.
Come what may, despite my difference in opinion, I'll still sing "For he's a Jolly Good Fellow" for you - becos of what Malaysia Today has given to the people. So let's have some clarity over apples & oranges, and not get petty - passionate or not.
The BN Political Propaganda Machinery is rockin', and it's on a roll - and it's all over morality and legality!!! We had Frogs and illegal goverments seeking, Queens Counsels in Perak,then dirty pictures, Cows and Cars in Selangor, now we have Fellatio and 377A in Johor ..... The "sensation" created by the BN backed MSM over some perverted tendencies of a missing voyeur/ peeping-tom has hardly died down .... but move over Eli!
We now have Super Chua - (He's Da Man!, I say) - in the docks, as a testament to our Bolehsian Prudish Hypocrisy & stupidity!! "Poor" Chua .... being hounded for his "indiscretion", in "a moment of weakness" (or is it "strength"). He's to be charged under 377A!! This is definitely for the record books! According to Dangerous Liaisons , nobody has ever been charged under this section in our history (at least then when it was written), and now Chua has made Malaysian History!! Malaysia Boleh!!!
With all the stupidity shown by the certain quarters in using it to victimize political adversaries, one can only wonder which planet these guys come from. The depths of depravity our politics has sunk to is definitely mind boggling!! Do these slimeballs actually get-off on these things?
One might also say the same about the lawmakers who don't wish to discuss it in parliament ..... (I wonder what the skullcap restrained mind of the intellectual amoeba - Zulkifli Nordin, would have to say about it!) Anyway, the following was a comment in the discussion (forum mentioned below) I found: "it isn't that easy to update acts or codes. It has to go through a length process of drafting, tabling, debating and etc before it finally gets out as amending acts. Why it's not so easy is because every word, every comma and even a full stop makes a difference. Besides, we're talking about a bunch of monkeys in parliament. Do you honestly think that they would want to work that hard?"
Y'know what - I would never trust a lawmaker who confesses to never having experienced the pleasure of this "crime". Ong Tee Keat however says,“Do you think we should support something that is against the law?” Somebody... anybody - please tell me this wimp is trustworthy ...
Now- All you sexually active adults out there - Beware! The government now walks into your bedroom and your pants too - 24/7!! To the more "adventurous" - Whatever you do, remember that you are "protected" from a menage-a-trois (or more), by the Police Act (assembly of three - remember?), and the ISA.
Next, what you do in there, is governed by the Penal Code Section 377 (unless of course you're into Mongolians/ camels/ sheep or, are an Umnoputra, of course-readRahim Tambi Chik And 15 Year-Old Norhayati)!! With all the filthy porn infesting the world, bohsias infesting the streets and hostels of our IPTAs, Mongolians & underage girls corrupting our leaders, and what not, Umno believes that 377A makes it a better world - who knows, maybe it's a matter of "national security" and all ....
To all you hubbies out there - Sorry mate!! You're doomed to boooring "legal" sex if you're a law-abiding Malaysian citizen. And to all the gals who seek for a foreign spouse - (unless you're into "subs" only),Good Luck, sweetheart if you want them to settle in Bolehsia, knowing "377"! (To be fair, this is actually a British legacy, and there is actually nothing Malaysian/Arab/ Islamic about it!)
According to some politicians in Malaysia, you will not be charged if you're the complainant (as in the Saiful/ Najib "scholarship" case)- so, if you've got any doubts about your partner, just go ahead and get into the Umno habit of making 101 police reports with an FIR - whether there are "cows" involved or not.
I tried doing a Google on this 377, and reached the following forum, where the 377 was the butt (no- not that kindof butt!) of jokes!!
The following is what I got top most on the search results (at a "Malaysian Brides" forum!!):-
Let us analyze the Penal Code section 377: 377A. Carnal intercourse against the order of nature. Any person who has sexual connection with another person by the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the other person is said to commit carnal intercourse against the order of nature. 377B. Committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping. 377C. Committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature without consent, etc. Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature on another person without the consent, or against the will, of the other person, or by putting the other person in fear of death or hurt to the person or any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping. 377CA. Sexual connection by object. Any person who has sexual connection with another person by the introduction of any object into the vagina or anus of the other person without the other person's consent shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to whipping. [Exception: This section does not extend to where the introduction of any object into the vagina or anus of any person is carried out for medical or law enforcement purposes.] 377D Gross Indecency Any person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any person of, any act of gross indecency with another person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years ..........................................................................................................................
Now, it would appear to me that by virtue of section 377B and 377D: (1) a HB can be jailed up to 20 years & whipping if his wife performs oral sex on him. It is, however, not a crime if he performs oral sex on her. (2) a HB can be jailed up to 20 years & whipping if he has anal sex with his wife, even with her consent or blessing. (3) a pair of consenting male homosexuals who willingly perform oral sex on, or have anal sex with, each other can both be jailed for up to 20 years and whipping. It is, however, not a crime for a pair of consenting female homosexual to perform any sort of oral sex or anal sex (with the help of any "tools").
The good news for section 377B is that a HB can safely make use of any object (other than his penis) perform anal sex on his wife with her consent. It seems that section 377B favoring the ladies - we can enjoy as much oral sex as possible legally while the female homosexuals can legally enjoy their sex life too.
Hey.. don't be happy too early. By virtue of section 377D, (1) a couple who willingly spice up their sex life in any aspect other than the ordinary missionary pose in their own bedroom could be deemed as commission of act of gross indecency and can be jailed for up to 2 years. (2) anyone who own/buy any sex toy could be charged for "attempts to procure the commission of act of gross indecency" with another person and can be jailed for up to 2 years.
There is no clear definition of gross indecency, even kissing in the public can be summoned to Court - there was a case few years back where a chinese couple was charged with gross indecency as they kissed in KLCC garden.
If you think the above are bad enough, let me show you 2 big FLAWs in these sections: (1) by virtue of section 377B, the forceful and non-consensual insertion of any things other than a penis into the mouth of a man or woman by any man or woman, in a sexual context, is not a sexual offence. (2) by virtue of section 377CA, the forceful and non-consensual insertion of any part of a body (i.e. fingers) other than a penis into the vagina or anus of a man or woman by any man or woman, in a sexual context, is not a sexual offence.
I really wonder what's the purpose of the Penal Code - to restrict our private life or to protect us from being harmed ???
****************************************
Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts! Unsex me here,And fill me from the crown to the toe top fullof direst fellatio. - with apologies to Shakespeare (replace italics with "cruelty"), Macbeth I.v
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar (pix) said the ISA was aimed at correcting their understanding and ideology, not to punish individuals or groups.... (Is the ISA Repressive? "Forum") -Sun2Surf.
Also present was Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob......
“These torture stories are made up by anti-government groups. The detention period is also a time when you are given the opportunity to reflect on what you have done and the wrong belief that you have blindly embraced,” said Zabidi, who was detained for three years and served another three years under a Restricted Residence Order. -TheStar
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
**On the other hand, as reported in the media, we have a Court Judgment noting theexistence of TORTURE CHAMBERS which are used on detainees!!!
The following are two press releases, which have been reported internationally ......
Ex-political detainee gets RM 2.5 Million for torture while in detention (Bangkok, 23 October 2007) Malaysian human rights activists are jubilant over a recent landmark court decision, granting a former detainee RM 2.5 million (about US $ 0.74 million) for his detention and torture in 1998 under Malaysia’s highly controversial Internal Security Act (ISA)..... Abdul Malek took to courtthe defendants – the government, then Inspector General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor and a special branch officer Borhan Daud– when he filed his civil suit in March 1999. During the trial, he testified that he was stripped naked in an air-conditioned room, blindfolded during interrogation, physically assaulted up to 60 times, beaten until he was unconscious, forced to drink urine and subjected to sexual abuse. He also testified that he saw the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) punching him in the chin in the interrogation room when his blindfold accidentally dropped. Abdul Malek won the rare lawsuit as the judge was convinced that his claim of assault and battery took place after major contradictions were found in the testimony of the defendants’ witnesses when compared with Malek’s own “consistent statements”. The judge also condemned the IGP for his “despicable conduct”, saying it was “shameful and a disgrace that shows a bad example to the department of men under his charge”. - Forum-Asia.org
MALAYSIA: Torture can never be justified under any circumstance
On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Abolish ISA Movement/Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI), a coalition of 80 organisations, together with Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Committee, Bar Council (HRC) would like to call on the government of Malaysia to show its commitment towards abolishing torture and other forms of ill-treatment by signing, ratifying and implementing the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment as well as the Optional Protocol to this Convention (OPCAT).
Torture and ill-treatment remain widespread in Malaysia, especially against individuals detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). The most recent case involves an ISA detainee, Sanjeev Kumar Krishnan, who is now suffering from torture that he had to endure during his first 60 days of detention.
According to the police report made by his wife, Sharmila a/p Uthiakumar (made on 20 May 2008), Sanjeev was detained under the ISA on 28 July 2007 in Tanjung Malim, Perak. During the first 60 days of detention, Sanjeev was reportedly kicked and beaten on his body and head. His ribs were kicked while his left leg and hand were beaten several times using a hard object. He was also beaten with a bottle filled with water. During the process, he was further forced several times to drink his own urine. His private parts were beaten and his anus was shoved with a hard object. Since then he has complained of difficulties in moving his left leg and hand and he now has to use a wheel chair.
According to ex-ISA and current ISA detainees, the police have applied no less that 59 types of mental and physical torture, among them, round-the-clock interrogation, sleep deprivation, forcing detainees to strip naked during interrogation, forcing them to urinate in a bottle, forcing them to drink the spittle of their interrogators, shaving and burning their beards, ordering the detainees to make tea and to massage their interrogators, threatening to arrest their family members, kicking and beating the detainees etc. Many of these instances have been well-documented by reliable and credible sources.
"On 18 October 2007, an ex-ISA detainee Abdul Malek Hussin won a lawsuit against the Government over his arrest and torture in 1998, and was awarded RM2.5 million in damages. Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Hishamuddin Mohd Yunus ruled that Abdul Malek's detention was unlawful and that he had been assaulted and tortured under custody.
In his judgement, the judge also noted the existence of "torture chambers" and that acts of torture committed by the police personnel still went unpunished. International law unequivocally prohibits torture and all forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The irrefutable evidence revealed in Abdul Malek's civil suit against the Malaysian Government for his unlawful detention under the ISA in 1998 reaffirms the fact that torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment goes hand-in-hand with detention without trial. "
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 – An Umno lawyer is understood to have been instructed by the Barisan Nasional (BN) party to seek advice from a Queen’s Counsel in London in an effort to break the constitutional impasse in Perak. The lawyer is said to have left for Londonyesterday to meet with an unnamed QC even as the question over the legitimacy of the current MB Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir is already before the courts here. British lawyers are occasionally instructed in courts here but only when the expertise is not available locally.......
Comment: Dang! I thot QC wasn't too welcome under the "ketuanan melayu" ideology (especially since the time of "constitutionally Malay" leader some time back)! After all these years, they couldn't find an ally among the best legal minds, good enough for their satisfaction? Maybe they're disillusined with Shad Faruqi - and they realized after his recent U-Turn (on the "Interpretation act says that Sultan can fire the MB" statement), that he wouldn't want to appear the fool as a legal spinmeister much longer .....
Umno cannot find any spin doctor ally in Malaysia these days, meh? "The usual suspects" won't do it? Maybe they have some pride and are too smart not to notice a minefield and a lost cause?
Malaysian police have launched a manhunt for a Singaporean detainee facing the death sentence, who escaped from custody in handcuffs while being escorted to court.
Comment:I had a Dream - A little bird said, "Don't believe in press statements - They just need to "build a relationship" thru "cooperation". As they say. there is 'honour among cops'.It's a 'Singaporean Wayang Kulit' for gottsakes!.... It was a case of "Kugan"! Case closed!
P.S.At least they didn't have a body, and didn't say that the victim died after drinking water in the police station during interrogation ..... ===============================================
******************************** "The ruler has defied the provisions of Article XVI, Clause (6) when he resorted to ordering the menteri besar to resign from his post when he has no power to do so." -NH Chan ( former Court of Appeals judge), "Sultan has no powers to ask Nizar to quit", Malaysiakini.
“Emergency rule should always be the last resort. Apart from emergency rule, there are three other alternatives that may be pursued to break the constitutional deadlock in Perak, of which the first and most obvious one is to hold fresh state elections." - Shad Faruqi.
*****************************
********************************
The events since the Perak coup d'etat has shaken the country to its core - more out of Umno's refusal to see reason than anything else. Amidst all these high drama, we have our longest serving PM, Dr. Mahathir, who would jump at the slightest opportunity for making his 2-cents worth known - conspicuously silent!! And Ku Li on the other tangent, is at odds in opinion with "mainstream Umno" - stating that Nizar is Too Legit to Quit.
With the constitution being trampled on, Umno is more concerned about fooling the people that the "Kedaulatan" Raja-raja Melayu is being threatened, and hence the Malay Race as a whole is in jeopardy! More than ever, it is being shown to the populace that it doesn't wish to change, despite all the lip service which they have been indulging in. As usual, they have picked on "bogeymen" to divert the attention of the people from the core issue - the subversion of the Constitution (not to mention the Royal House).
It is plain and simple to any decently knowledgeable man, that the Perak crisis which was sparked of by the coup, was unconstitutional and discredits the Raja-raja Melayu - and that Nizar is still the legitimate MB. After all, the erudite Sultan of all people must surely be aware that he doesn't have the power to dismiss the MB.... Why then did he make this decision, which erases all the good that he has done, destroys his legacy and the credibility of the Royal household?
******************************** “Who says Umno Youth has no spirit and is not brave? We will show them,” - Hishamuddin. ********************************
What could have been so "convincing" in "Najib's" contention, that he proceeded to destroy his sterling reputation as among the most erudite & respected of Sultans? Had the Sultan been compelled to make the decision he made? Your guess is as good as mine .... What we saw probably wasn't as simple as it may have seemed - there must have been "severe ramifications", should "Najib's" overtures have been scorned (you know how the saying goes about a women scorned ...). The Sultan, probably in a "moment of weakness", had fallen for (or victim to?) the "methods" of Umno - should that be the case, the Perak Royal House (and that of other states, too) are just as much victims, as the Rakyat!
Nevertheless, His Highness now has a golden opportunity to set it right - in the face of a political stalemate, he could now dissolve the assembly so as to make way for elections, and set things right once again. But then again, can he do it? Maybe ... maybe not - the "ramifications" of a such a decision may be too much for him to handle!
************************ "My name is UMNO...... I am the Law. I am above the Constitution. Don't you forget that. Oh! The Rulers? When I feel like it I criticize them. When I am in need of them I cry 'Daulat Tuanku' night and day. I am immortal and I will rule this country till Judgement Day." - Mr. Smith
***********************
But, is the "peaceful resolution" of this "crisis by design", what Umno wants or needs? Not a chance in hell!! Umno wants this "crisis". Umno needs this "crisis". It is a matter of survival for Umno! This "crisis" serves the Umno agenda to divert attention from their inadequacies - it is an opportunity for them to "destabilize" in order to impose laws that can bring "law & order". If one has noticed, the mantra that they use is always about "stability" - and that will be the excuse for those "lower down" to seize the mantle of power, should Pak Lah refuse to quit the PM's post. The anxiety over the possibility of Pak Lah remaining, is definitely fraying some nerves in Putrajaya (and of course - at the "Perdana Leadership Foundation" too!!) - and Pak Lah may be holding his cards pretty close to his chest. Is it any wonder why KJ claimed that "some people" are hellbent on "burying him"?
It can go two or three ways, and righteousness doesn't figure in what is most likely. We may get "just what the doctor ordered" (ie, elections), Pak Lah staying on "to solve the problem" for his successor, or the fat lady may call for a "Sarawak-'66" or "Kelantan-'77" to materialize in Perak. Should push come to shove, my guess is that the latter will be the "drug of choice" - and there isn't much that we can do in a dictatorship with an emasculated and subservient security services/ institutions of state.
Umno Baru seeks to, and will perpetuate the feudalistic dynasty of aristocratic rule in Malaysia - and it is hellbent on doing so. With Mahathir's Umno Baru adopting an increasingly extremist & polarising stance (through the current crop of "future leaders"), it is surely making Malaysia into the latest failed state in town- to join the "club of doom".
But then again - who cares if that happens, RPK is jailed, the Constitution is trampled upon, Uthayakumar dies in Kamunting, our children are born to pay tolls and taxes, suspects mysteriously die in custody (ala Kugan), Emergency is declared in Perak or even if Malaysia goes up in smoke? Malaysians just want to go on praying for divine intervention, cari makan for the table, eat kuey teow, ... Who cares .... we just need "sleep & peace" - that will make us a great nation of spiritual prostitutes - a wonderland for economic pirates!
Aliran would like to echo the plea of secretary-general Jean-Francois Julliard of Reporters Without Borders requesting His Majesty the Yang diPertuan Agong to intercede in the case of Raja Petra Kamarudin who is better known as RPK.
RPK was detained under the ISA for posting certain articles in his web-page that were deemed to be a “threat to internal security.” He has been posting many, many provocative articles for years. His articles have been eye-opening, thought-provoking, sensational, and simply incredible. His web-page has an amazing number of daily hits, proving that he has a large following. His readers are from all backgrounds. They are amused, angry or incredulous but no one has rioted or threatened the security of the nation because of RPK’s articles. This is why it is difficult to believe that RPK is a “threat to internal security.” There is no evidence even to hint of this possibility.
He is already facing a series of court charges for some of the articles. Aliran has no quarrel with this. If anybody felt defamed or hurt by his articles, the aggrieved party should sue him and take him to court.
The government should not be suing RPK on behalf of the aggrieved party.
While some of the cases are on-going, why is it necessary to detain him under the ISA? Instead of resorting to the ISA, can’t RPK be pinned down by existing laws and taken to court to be judged for his alleged offence? The obnoxious thing about the ISA is that there are no charges against a person and no right of defence is available to the unfortunate detainee. He is simply detained for no definite reason.
He was detained on 12 September 2008. RPK challenged his detention. The High Court released him on 7 November 2008. Can’t we let matters rest at that instead of pursuing it further to put him away?
As far as the people are concerned, the widespread perception is that the government is intent on putting him away because he has damaging information that could discredit the BN government. The BN is worried that his articles will expose the BN and ridicule it in the eyes of the public. This is a very persuasive belief.
Aliran hopes that His Majesty will intercede to ensure that every subject of his will be treated with courtesy and accorded justice, which is a fundamental right of a person.
“He had persuaded Lim to defect from Pakatan to BN for RM4 million before it was raised to RM5 million. Secret meetings were also planned between Lim and Mahadzir together with the deputy prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak),”
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said Sivakumar's move to suspend the MB was a joke, and accused the speaker of making a mockery of the Perak State Assembly."
- Bernama ****************************************** **Image from zorro-unmasked and Malaysia Today “It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individual,.... -Allegedly "misinterpreted" words of CJ Zaki in Kuching, now head of the JAC.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) spent RM15.153 million for deployment of personnel for the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election, the Dewan Rakyat was told Wednesday (18 Feb).
Travelling and living allowance - RM2,700,000.00
Foodstuff and accommodation - RM4,500,000.00
Dried food and beverages - RM65,000.00
Communication and utilities -RM50,000.00
Canopy rental - RM6,000,000.00 (someone said that the earlier figure was RM 10,000,000.00)
Fuel and spare sparts - RM698,000.00
Raw material and others -RM310,000.00
Maintenance and minor repairs -RM830,000.00
Total expenditure incurred by rakyat - RM15,153,000.00
$$$$$$$$$$$$ “It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individuals to get back into their good books before our files were attended to” -Allegedly "misinterpreted" words CJ Zaki, now head of the JAC.
When Alan Paton wrote ‘Cry The Beloved Country’ he was lamenting over the inhumanity of man over man, of how the whites can devise, construct and implement race- and colour-based social and economic injustices over the blacks in apartheid-era South Africa.
The whole world had condemned this practice; we were among the loudest screaming against it.
South Africa has moved on since then, and today it is one shining example of an emancipated, open and progressive country, enjoying a respectable place in the community of nations. It has thrown apartheid into the bins of its history.
Here in Malaysia, yes we condemn apartheid, and quite rightly so. But in the same breath we were and are still its major proponent our version of apartheid.
We do not call it apartheid; of course not. We call it instead ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ under the guise of ‘championing Malay rights,’ and implementing it under the New Economic Policy. It’s smart, right? In none of them does the word ‘apartheid’ appear!
Yes, we are smart. We do not blatantly call it apartheid, we merely perfected the process of social separation. First of all we ensure the great majority of civil servants, the police, and the military are manned by Malays (the target benefactors). We give them good salaries, good perks and assured employment. We then devise rules and regulations, and even laws, to ensure the NEP’s easy implementation.
We then brainwash our Malay brethren with the notion ‘untuk agama bangsa dan negara’ that there is a higher ideal beyond performing a duty with professionalism and dedication, and that is doing things in the name of religion and race.
We devise rules and regulations, and even laws, to ensure the NEP’s easy implementation.
Then we design and implement social and economic policies like channeling lucrative government contracts, separate education streams, housing rebates, banking and financial support, in favour of, you guessed it, the Malays.
It does not stop there. We devise measures to prevent the people from raising too much objections to all these by introducing or continuing legislation and religiously implementing them.
The Sedition Act for example stops people from talking too much about language and religion. The Official Secrets Act prevents people from gaining access to government files.
Students and lecturers are not allowed to discuss and make public any subject that would appear to be critical to government (yes, government, not political) policies and philosophies.
All publications must, first of all, get operating licences. Newspapers must not only get a licence before publishing but it must be renewed every year.
Sacrifices conveniently forgotten
The king of all of the suppressive and oppressive laws is the Internal Security Act, when a citizen can be put under detention without the benefit of any charge!
All said and done, we sacrifice the rule of law in favour of rule by private individuals. To show that we are really smart, we pooh pooh the loyalty and patriotism of the non-Malay segment of the population.
We call them pendatang or immigrants bearing the stigma that they are social discard from their original country, similar to rogues, rascals, refugees, mercenaries and scoundrels. We just ignore their proven talent and ability in wealth creation and economic productivity, as well as to their demonstrated loyalty and patriotism.
Many of such pendatangs have made the ultimate sacrifices as military personnel defending its security, during the Emergency, the Confrontation period with Indonesia and as policemen while policing the social environment.
They have contributed and are continuing to, in sport and the arts. Their record as loyal and patriotic Malaysians is quite impeccable. But we do not really care.
The perplexing thing is that despite these attributes and positive records of the non-Malays, we are still going about championing and implement apartheid principles. In this new year, perhaps we can do with a little reflection: why are we doing all this?
We do this apparently to recover our lost soul. We perceive that we have been victims of colonisation when the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisers all but butchered the Malay entity, psychology and culture. In the process we perceive that we have lost our Malay identity.
With independence, we thought we could recapture the lost glory of Malay suzerainty by
becoming masters of all facets of a nation, especially its commerce, and economy. We found out that the Chinese community had beaten us to it.
We felt the Chinese had capitalised on our weakness and captured the economic initiatives (and wealth) as well as the social characteristics of the country. We lost ‘face’.
Now we want to regain the mertabat or dignity and pride of the Malay race!
Yes, we feel that we have to recover our soul and it is here that we are reminded of Paton’s book title, but in this case suitably paraphrased to – cry my beloved Malay soul.
Our Malay soul needs to cry for doing the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason; even for the wrong thing for the wrong reason, but not for the right thing for the right reason.
To start with colonisation is really not an excuse for our psychological malaise and ineptitude.
Colonisation has been a feature of human history and felt all over the world. There are very few countries that have not been colonised in the world.
It is thus a neutral concept in human social and economic development. It is certainly not an impediment to social or economic progress as we are wont to portray it. We should dump this notion that we hold dear into the bin of history.
Rethinking our way of thinking
Just look at the records. The Koreans were once colonised by the Japanese, but today Korea is an industrial power house. Singapore was once colonised by the British and was indeed a part of us, and today we see this tiny country being a solid financial, trading and industrial entity.
Most pointedly of all, the US was once a British colony and today it is the mightiest nation in the world. Our second grouse - that the Chinese have cornered the economic sector of the country also needs re-looking into, on two counts.
First, the Chinese did not become successful based on any conscious and concerted economic programme to economically marginalise us.
We did this self-inflicted wound ourselves. As proof, we have to note that most of the Chinese came to our shores with only their feet, hands, guts and brains and perhaps a bundle of clothes, nothing more.
They become successful for their hard work, both physically and mentally and for the sacrifices they were prepared to make and had undertaken. They were successful for having the mental fortitude to seek opportunities, grab those that come along and worked extra hard to realise the potentials of these opportunities.
Secondly, we have been given a chance to be equal with them, both under numerous 'special privileges' enshrined in the Constitution, as well as under its NEP implementation programme.
The special privileges have always been in the constitution while the latter began in 1970. In short, we have been given the chance - the opportunity - many times over, to better our Malay polity.
Whereas the Chinese had to struggle just to find and identify the opportunities, in our case they were handed to us on a silver platter!
Thus far we have failed to capitalise adequately on them. It rather shameful we missing out on these chances specially created for us in the first place.
Either way the root cause of our weaknesses and the strength of the Chinese lies in two words - positive thinking. Our thinking is mired with so many dos and don’ts, so many musts and musn’ts, so many cans and cannots, may and may nots, plenty enough to created and internalise doubts and fears in our minds.
So much so that we have doubt over what we can and what we can’t do, what is allowed and what is not. We spend a lifetime looking for these highly complex cans and cannots, musts and must nots, that we have hardly any mental energy left to develop and self-confidence to get on and face the realities of life.
Let’s refer to this case as the ‘can’t don’t and won’t syndrome’. The Chinese by the way are not encumbered by such syndromes.
What appears to have happened is that this syndrome has affected our mental ability to conceptualise. We see things on the straight and narrow. We accept wisdoms handed down to us by our elders as the gospel truth.
Blinded by sentiment
We do not see that things can be seen and interpreted in many alternative ways. We feel we have the monopoly on truth; we therefore think that we are right all the time and other people are wrong all the time. Witness the way we see religion for example.
We think that we as Muslims are right and other people who profess other religions are wrong, all the time.
We need to cry for thinking that we can and have doctored the way the people think and do things. We have been intimidating the people with what they can read or write or think and do.
We seem to be saying "you can think anything, do anything, write anything so long as it does not criticise or condemn the government".
Soul-searching and resuscitating is not or should not be about pointing accusing fingers at some bogeys. That would be a most negative thing to do. It would be better for us to be open-minded and be able to identify our own strengths and weaknesses.
We improve upon our strengths and dump our weaknesses. Mainly we must be able to develop the awareness that we have both the strengths and weaknesses in the first place.
To illustrate, the NEP has proved many time over as a failed strategy for our socio-economic advancement. Let us be aware of this in the first place and move on seeking other ways with better chance of success.
How about secularising the Malay mind? It might make for a good start for we can see many of the don’ts, can’ts, musn’ts dissipating into the wind.
In the meantime, here we are in the early days of a new year. We should begin by realising that whatever 'smart’ moves we had undertaken all this while have not really been that smart after all.
The joke is on us. Everybody says so – the liberated Malays, the non-Malays, our neighbours and the rest of the international community. Only those of us basking in our closed mind and benefiting from the profits of the status quo say it’s alright.
Happy New Year all the same and here’s hoping this year we can get a good perspective as to what propagating a good mertabat really means. It’s long overdue.
