PERKASA dan UMNO Tidak Relevan Kepada Melayu

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"....Ibrahim menang di Pasir Mas atas ihsan PAS.

Sekarang ini, Ibrahim Ali sudah TIDAK diterima lagi dalam arena politik Kelantan. Beliau sudah tidak boleh 'cari makan' di sana. Orang-orang politik sudah jemu dengan gelagatnya, menggelarnya 'katak politik' yang flip flop.

Nasib Khairy Jamaluddin juga sama. Khairy menang di Rembau kerana bapa mertuanya, Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Umno, memilihnya sebagai calon BN.

Jawatan Ketua Pemuda yang setaraf Naib Presiden, tiada nilai dalam Umno, kerana beliau dimusuhi sekian lama, khususnya juak-juak mantan PM, Tun Mahathir Mohamad dan PM sekarang ini.

Walaupun beliau MP, Ketua Pemuda Umno, tetapi tiada nilai dalam Umno-BN. PM, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, yang juga Presiden Umno, sudah menunjukkan isyarat jelas bahawa Khairy tidak dikehendaki.

Perjuangan Khairy melalui Umno sudah gagal.

Perjuangan Ibrahim melalui Perkasa juga akan menemui kegagalan kerana Melayu yang berjuang bukan Melayu tulen, tetapi Melayu plastik....

Agama Islam bagi orang Melayu adalah amat sinonim. Maknanya, orang Melayu hendaklah mereka yang mengamalkan Islam dalam ertikata yang sebenarnya.

Bagi PAS, Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang dengan tegas menolak Perkasa kerana PAS tidak menerima perjuangan yang berlandaskan kepada PERKAUMAN yang dijadikan akidah...."
-Mohd Rashidi Hasan

Ibrahim Ali, Khairy Jamaluddin Usah Buang Masa

oleh

Mohd Rashidi Hasan

Kadang-kadang rasa meluat melihat pertelagahan Presiden Perkasa, Dato' Ibrahim Ali dengan Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar.

Tapi kadang-kadang hendak tergelak pun ada. Ibarat macam 'katak' dengan 'beruk' bergaduh, walhal tiada keperluan pergaduhan antara keduanya wujud.

Katak ketawakan beruk kerana, beruk hanya tahu melompat atas pokok. Katak ketawa kerana mendakwa perjuangan beruk tidak sesuai kerana 'tidak berpijak di bumi yang nyata.'

Manakala beruk pula mentertawakan katak kerana perjuangan katak 'tak sampai ke mana', tidak boleh naik ke atas, hanya melompat-lompat di bawah sahaja.

Hakikatnya perjuangan seumpama katak dan beruk tidak relevan sama sekali dalam dunia moden hari ini. Justeru ahli-ahli politik Malaysia, jika hendak kekal lama, usahlah meniru perangai katak dan beruk ini.

Penulis tidak bermaksud merujuk ungkapan katak dan beruk sama ada kepada Ibrahim, mahupun Khairy. Penulis hanya memberikan perumpamaan atau analogi sahaja.

Apa pun, tidak payahlah, Ibrahim Ali dan Khairy Jamaluddin hendak bergeseran lagi. Pergeseran kedua-duanya hanya membuang masa sahaja.

Umno, Perkasa tidak relevan kepada Melayu

Sejak beberapa bulan ini kedua-duanya asyik bertelagah, menyalahkan antara satu sama lain. Kedua-duanya sering mendakwa salah seorang di antara mereka sudah tidak relevan.

Ibrahim sering menyerang Khairy, manakala Khairy mengugut dengan menyatakan, beliau sanggup keluar Umno jika didapati Umno yang mendokong perjuangan Perkasa.

Sebenarnya, perseteruan Ibrahim dan Khairy yang digembar-gemburkan media, hanyalah suatu sketsa atau babak dari kartun politik yang tidak mempunyai apa-apa nilai.

Kedua-dua ahli politik ini, cuba meraih publisiti murahan untuk menarik perhatian rakyat dari kalangan penyokong Umno sahaja. Iaitu perjuangan menarik perhatian mereka-mereka yang confius dengan Umno, yang sudah lari daripada perjuangan asalnya.

Ibrahim dan Khairy, kedua-duanya memang tidak ada nilai apa-apa langsung, kepada para penyokong Pakatan Rakyat. Bak kata pepatah 'ada pun tak menambah, tak ada pun tidak mengurangkan'.

Hakikatnya mereka berdua hanya 'melukut di tepi gantang' dari guni beras Umno-Barisan Nasional. Jika selepas Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13, BN dilenyapkan, mereka pun turut sama terhapus.

Apapun setakat ini, walaupun mereka berstatus Ahli Parlimen, tetapi penulis menjangka, jika tidak ada aral, inilah kali terakhir mereka duduk di Parlimen. Mungkin kali terakhir mereka berkarier dalam dunia politik.

Ibrahim menang di Pasir Mas atas ihsan PAS. Khairy menang di Rembau kerana bapa mertuanya, Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Umno, memilihnya sebagai calon BN.

Sekarang ini, Ibrahim sudah tidak diterima lagi dalam arena politik Kelantan. Beliau sudah tidak boleh 'cari makan' di sana. Orang-orang politik sudah jemu dengan gelagatnya, menggelarnya 'katak politik' yang flip flop.

Nasib Khairy juga sama. Walaupun beliau MP, Ketua Pemuda Umno, tetapi tiada nilai dalam Umno-BN. PM, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, yang juga Presiden Umno, sudah menunjukkan isyarat jelas bahawa Khairy tidak dikehendaki.

Jawatan Ketua Pemuda yang setaraf Naib Presiden, tiada nilai dalam Umno, kerana beliau dimusuhi sekian lama, khususnya juak-juak mantan PM, Tun Mahathir Mohamad dan PM sekarang ini.

Antara Perkasa dan Islam Hadhari

Persoalan relevan atau tidak kewujudan mereka dalam dunia politik, harus dijawab sendiri oleh Ibrahim dan Khairy.

Harus dikaji atas dasar apa perjuangan mereka disandarkan. Bagi rakyat yang berfikiran matang, mereka tidak perlu diajak menilai Ibrahim dan Khairy. Perjuangan Perkasa tidak diterima dan Islam Hadhari juga sudah lama melingkup.

Bagi PAS, Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang dengan tegas menolak Perkasa kerana PAS tidak menerima perjuangan yang berlandaskan kepada perkauman yang dijadikan akidah.

Perkasa diwujudkan dengan dokongan sebahagian besar ahli Umno, kononnya hendak menjadi pressure group mempertahankan hak-hak keistimewaan orang Melayu dalam negara.

Mereka cuba menafikan hakikat, bahawa Perkasa adalah 'alat Umno', selepas Umno dilihat gagal menjadi juara memperjuangkan dan mempertahankan hak-hak Melayu selepas lebih 50 tahun menerajui negara.

Bila Umno yang mendabik dada sebagai induk perjuang Melayu pun sudah gagal, apa yang orang Melayu hendak harapkan daripada Perkasa? Perkasa itu sendiri wujud dengan ihsan Umno.

Oleh itu, Perkasa tidak perlu berlakon untuk bergaduh dengan Umno. Sebabnya, orang-orang Melayu yang sudah menolak Umno, sama sekali tidak akan menerima Perkasa kerana ianya merupakan sebuah intiti wayang kulit Umno.

Menyentuh mengenai Islam Hadhari pula, Presiden PAS sudah menghurai dengan panjang lebar dalam bukunya bertajuk 'Hadharah Islamiah bukan Islam Hadhari' yang terjual lebih 30 ribu naskhah.

Islam Hadhari yang dipelopor Abdullah dan grup-grup Khairy, pada suatu ketika dijadikan model klasik, betapa hebatnya Islam yang dipelopori Umno.

Habis semua ulama-ulama yang menjadi jargon politik mereka, dikerah mengeluarkan hadis dan ayat-ayat al-Quran, demi menghalalkan Islam Hadhari. Islam Hadhari bukan sahaja diucapkan, diseminarkan dan dijadikan dasar negara.

Namun apa jadi dengan Islam Hadhari? Habis melingkup. Tiada seekorpun pemimpin Umno yang menyebutnya, selepas Abdullah diturunkan dari jawatan PM. Mana ulama-ulama besar Umno yang beriya-iya memperjuangkan Islam Hadhari? Mana profesor-profesor kangkung yang meuar-uarkan slogan tersebut di media arus perdana?

Kalau ulama pun tidak menyebutnya lagi, usahlah diharap lulusan Oxford atau Cambridge hendak menyebut ungkapan Arab itu. Habis tergeliat lidah mereka.

Yang golongan ini faham bukan Islam Hadhari, tapi Islam yang ada 'Had' dan ada 'Hari'. Iaitu pada mereka, Islam di Malaysia hanya diamalkan pada had-had tertentu dan hari-hari tertentu sahaja.

Hakikat yang hendak disebut di sini ialah, perjuangan Khairy sudah sama sekali tidak relevan dalam politik Malaysia. Beliau sepatutnya berundur dengan cara terhormat, sebalik sahaja Abdullah diundurkan pada 4 April 2009.

Dalam usia awal 30-an agak malang bagi Khairy kerana karier politiknya akan ditamatkan dengan cara yang memalukan.

Saranan buat Ibrahim dan Khairy

Kedua-dua mereka tidak perlu berbalah soal siapa lebih bijak berpolitik, atau siapa perjuang sebenar Melayu dalam negara.

Kedua-duanya harus memahami asas Melayu yang ditafsirkan dalam Perlembagaan, selain daripada bertutur bahasa Melayu, mengamalkan adat istiadat Melayu, mereka juga adalah mereka yang beragama Islam.

Agama Islam bagi orang Melayu adalah amat sinonim. Maknanya, orang Melayu hendaklah mereka yang mengamalkan Islam dalam ertikata yang sebenarnya.

Dalam soal kehidupan, jika hendak menjadi Melayu tulen, bukan dengan sentiasa memakai baju Melayu, bersampin dan bersongkok. Melayu mesti hidup cara Melayu, bukan hidup cara Barat.

Dalam soal berkahwin misalnya, hendaklah dibuat mengikut adat istiadat Melayu, bukan membuatnya di hotel besar macam 'orang putih'. Melayu hendaklah mendekati masjid, bukan mendekati kelab-kelab malam dengan botol-botol arak yang bersepah di atas meja.

Perjuangan Melayu Umno gagal kerana kepimpinannya tidak mengamalkan cara hidup Melayu dan Islam sebenarnya. Yang ditolong memang Melayu, tetapi kroni, adik beradik dan saudara mara.

Yang diberikan projek memang Melayu, tetapi segelintir kroni, buat mereka mengaut keuntungan peribadi.

Perjuangan Khairy melalui Umno sudah gagal. Perjuangan Ibrahim melalui Perkasa juga akan menemui kegagalan kerana Melayu yang berjuang bukan Melayu tulen, tetapi Melayu plastik.

Oleh itu lebih baik bagi Ibrahim dan Khairy untuk berhenti berpolitik seketika. Usah buang masa lagi. Pergilah berniaga atau berhijrah, pergi menambah ilmu dan mendalami ilmu Islam. Mudah-mudahan suatu hari nanti, kedua-duanya akan menjadi insan yang berguna buat negara.

NURUL IZZAH: Mengapa Saya Ajak PERKASA Berdebat Tentang Kedudukan Istimewa Orang Melayu

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oleh

Nural Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai.
Beliau mengalu-alukan maklum balas di: mp@nurulizzah.com

Semenjak tulisan saya menjemput Perkasa untuk berdebat tentang kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu pada 31 Ogos lalu diterbitkan, bermacam-macam tohmahan telah dikeluarkan terhadap saya.

Saya dipanggil pengkhianat, dituduh cuba mengelirukan rakyat, tidak matang, buta sejarah dan juga kini dilibatkan dalam siasatan polis kerana dituduh menghasut.

Hairan, kerana orang yang mencadangkan supaya pemilikan tanah Kampung Baru dibuka sebanyak 40 peratus kepada bukan Melayu tidak pula mengalami nasib yang sama seperti saya.

Saya sudah jelaskan bahawa bukanlah niat saya untuk meminda peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan tentang kedudukan orang Melayu, tetapi sekadar untuk mencari penjelasan tentang apa yang dilaung-laungkan oleh Perkasa tentang perjuangan mereka untuk melindungi orang Melayu.

Yang saya hujahkan dalam tulisan saya sebelum ini adalah bukan kedudukan istemewa orang Melayu dipersoalkan tetapi PELAKSANAAN dasar-dasar yang hanya menguntungkan segelintir orang Melayu dipersoalkan?

Sayangnya, jemputan saya itu ditolak mentah-mentah oleh pimpinan Perkasa dengan alasan soal kedudukan orang Melayu tidak boleh didebatkan, sedangkan yang saya mahu bincangkan hanyalah pelaksanaan dasar-dasar yang dikatakan dibuat atas peruntukan perlembagaan.

Kerana jemputan saya sudah ditolak, biarlah saya jelaskan sahaja di sini, apa sebenarnya menimbulkan kegusaran saya tentang perjuangan Perkasa dan soal kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu.

Pertama soal kuota dalam perkhidmatan awam. Mengikut statistik tahun 2009, 78.2 peratus daripada kakitangan awam adalah Melayu, dan Bumiputera lain membentuk 7.7 peratus. Selebihnya adalah bukan Melayu dan bukan Bumiputera.

Namun, kerajaan juga sedang berusaha untuk merekrut lebih ramai bukan Melayu dalam perkhidmatan awam, kerana keperluan menyampaikan perkhidmatan kepada warga pelbagai kaum.

Bagaimanakah dasar kuota ini selaras dengan keperluan untuk menunjukkan kepelbagaian dalam sektor awam?

Kedua, soalan yang sama juga boleh ditanya dalam hal kuota biasiswa kepada orang Melayu dan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak. Saya mahu melihat lebih banyak biasiswa diberikan sebagai usaha memastikan kesaksamaan yang boleh tercapai dengan pendidikan yang menyeluruh.

Oleh itu, bukankah lebih baik sekiranya semua pinjaman Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) ditukarkan kepada biasiswa penuh sebagai memenuhi semangat Fasal 153 Perlembagaan persekutuan?

PERKASA: The Symbol of Everything That is Ugly and Scary of Malaysians

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".... Who would forget the "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT " Al-Jazeera interview?

In FULL VIEW of international audience, PERKASA's real ugly, uncouth, unrefined and even uncivilised nature reveal itself.

It is comical. And it is tragic.

It is tragic because the international community may think - and I am sure they do think - that Malaysians in general are as uncouth as these Perkasa creatures.

And that my friends, is a insult to Malaysia and to ALL Malaysians.

It makes me wonder what UMNO's official stand on Perkasa is.

But one thing is clear. To many, Perkasa is NOT feared. Let alone irrationally feared.

What is feared is what Perkasa and its ilk represent. ..."
- Art Harun

Do WE fear PERKASA ?

by

Art Harun

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I refer to a post at Rocky's Bru titled "The irrational fear of Perkasa".

Perkasa. What does that name evoke?

Fear? Unlikely.

To me and many others, that name is almost comical and tragic at the same time, quite in the same mould as Roberto Benigni's "Life is beautiful," only that the later was poignant and sorrowful, rather than tragic.

Perkasa is comical in the way it - through its leader, Dato' Ibrahim Ali and its various extras whose names I do not even care to remember - went around calling people who do not agree with its views names. YB Khairy Jamaludin knows about this well. Minister Nazri also knows about this very well.

Whenever Perkasa's views are opposed or criticised, Perkasa has been unable to counter such oppositions or critics. When Perkasa cannot rebut another's opinion, what would it do? Yes. It will attack the person who expresses the opinion rather than the opinion itself.

And so, Khairy Jamaludin was a “stupid”, “crazy”, “feeble-minded” and a “confused child”. according to Dato' Ibrahim Ali. And not to mention, also "mentally ill."

Just look at one full sentence by Dato' Ibrahim Ali about YB Khairy:-

“This is the talk of a stupid, brainless person. He is talking like a crazy person." (source is here.)

Then, who would forget the "shit, shit, shit" Al-Jazeera interview? In full view of international audience, Perkasa's real ugly, uncouth, unrefined and even uncivilised nature reveal itself. It is comical.

And it is tragic. It is tragic because the international community may think - and I am sure they do think - that Malaysians in general are as uncouth as these Perkasa creatures.

And that my friends, is a insult to Malaysia and to all Malaysians.

It is also an insult to the Prime Minister, because as I am told, the Prime Minister has a voracious appetite for knowledge and is an avid reader. And what an insult would be to the Prime Minister if the international community thinks that Malaysians are generally uncouth because of that Al-Jazeera interview with Dato' Ibrahim Ali.

Ah, let's not forget about all the police report.

That Perkasa is only able to shout and scream slogans and misleading statements about rights which do not exist is exemplified by its inability to accept YB Nurul Izaah's polite, but firm, invitation to debate on the purview of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Perkasa's response - and no less than Minister Sharizat's response (I am addressing her as a Minister in a loose sense) - to YB Nurul Izzah's clear articulation on the subject matter was taken right from the 1st line of the 1st Chapter of Dr Mahathir's guidelines to a discourse, namely, twist and hijack the issue.

This they did by saying YB Nurul Izzah had "challenged" article 153. When in fact she did nothing of that sorts.

By twisting - and thereby, hijacking - the real issue, they hoped to make YB Nurul looked bad.

To challenge article 153 would make YB Nurul anti-Malay "rights" and therefore anti-Malay. How convenient.

This tactic has been employed so many times.

• Ustaz Asri, the former Perlis mufti, of course, is branded as a "Wahabbi" and therefore anti-Islam.
  
  
• Zaid Ibrahim is of course an "alcoholic" and therefore is unfit.
  
  
• Haris Ibrahim is a "liberal-secularist" and therefore he is also anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-whatever.

What YB Nurul was trying to do was to set out the REAL provision of article 153. She NEVER challenged it. To challenge it would mean she was asking that that article ought to be repealed or amended. But she was not doing that.

Since she challenged article 153, according to these real smart people, she has committed an offence.

The standard offence nowadays is of course the dreaded "S" offence. No, it's not Sodomy. It is SEDITION.

And so Perkasa had to lodge a police report against YB Nurul. And then they would take pictures of themselves while holding the police report.

That's the standard operating procedure.

The new IGP should come down hard on this kind of police report. It wastes the police's time and the tax payers' money. The police has many other more important things to do. Like investigating murders, corruptions, breach of trusts, drug trafficking and taking care of the traffic during this festivity.

Not to spend time on all these totally moronic police reports. But then again, that's Perkasa. Nothing more and nothing less.

And now, YB KJ, Minister Nazri, Minister Khalid and Datuk Tengku Adnan, the secretary general of UMNO have come out to distance UMNO from Perkasa.

These are big people. Not some cikus from UMNO. Can we take it then that UMNO now does not want to be associated with - and is not associated with - Perkasa?

I think we can make that conclusion.

Well at least I will make that conclusion, personally.

• The Prime Minister wants change. He wants to transform Malaysia and the Malays in general.
  
  
• He wants the Malays to stop being spoon fed and promote meritocracy.
  
  
• Of course he is not doing away with affirmative actions just yet, because he recognises the needs for such actions. However, I believe the Prime Minister wants to change the way the affirmative actions are being implemented.
  
  
• He wants to introduce a semblance of accountability to it. A certain level of defined methodology which is rooted in meritocracy to it.
  
  
• But I also believe he is facing a revolt from within his own party about what he wants to do, particularly the was he wants to redefine the affirmative actions and its methodology.
  
  
• Sometimes, the perception is, even his own deputy is against him on this.

And of course we have Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is dead against the Prime Minister's well intent moves. And Perkasa - like Dr Mahathir - is also dead against it. in fact, personally, it is my perception that Perkasa is just echoing Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

No, not echoing. But parroting him. Yes, that's more apt.

So, it is high time that UMNO, as a party, puts a stop to this insidious counter-movements against its own President, who happens to be our Prime Minister. He needs full support of UMNO for this much needed - if a bit radical to the Malays - change which he intends to introduce. And he also needs support from the BN component parties.

These supports are not forthcoming. MCA is too lame to do anything. MIC is mired in internal problems. AS for the others, I do not even know their names to begin with.

The statements by YB KJ and gang wouldn't have come at a better time for the Prime Minister.

However, I note with a bit of puzzlement, that no such statement has been forthcoming from the likes of Minister Hishamuddin; Minister Shafie Afdal, the Wanita Wing chief, Minister Rais and other top leaders of UMNO.

And so it makes me wonder what UMNO's official stand on Perkasa is.

But one thing is clear.

To many, Perkasa is NOT feared. Let alone irrationally feared.

What is feared is what Perkasa and its ilk represent. And I don't think there is any need for me to spell out what they represent.

RELATED ARTICLE

Najib Flip-Flops on Rejecting Perkasa

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As expected, Prime Minister Najib Razak has already begun back-pedaling on recent statements from certain Umno leaders that the party would reject Perkasa, an ultra Malay rights NGO whose patron is former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

“No, we do not want to be in conflict with any NGO. It (Perkasa) is just like any other NGO. We have so many NGOs. There are times we can agree, and there are times we cannot agree. No, I do not want to refer specifically to anyone,” Najib was reported as saying on Friday. He was asked to respond on Mahathir's comments that for Umno to break off with Perkasa, it would hurt its ability to win over Malay votes.

But at a glittering event on Wednesday, the signs were already evident that he may have knocked out a deal or some form of preliminary truce with Mahathir. This would pre-empt the power tussle predicted by many pundits after several leaders aligned to Najib publicly distanced Umno from Perkasa, which has been stirring up unprecedented social discord with its racist rhetoric.

Najib Made Fools of MCA and GERAKAN

Najib's latest statement is bound to disappoint those who had hoped to see his administration finally make headway in implementing sorely needed social and economic reforms. Many Malaysian had been hoping to hear him personally confirm that Umno would no longer support Perkasa.

Indeed in his Malaysia Day address on Wednesday night, Najib had spoken out against extremism in the country. On Friday, he reiterated that his government would distance itself from extremists but again refused to say who he meant.

PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle:

“Well, now we know he DOESN'T mean Perkasa.

We have always warned that the whole Umno-Perkasa row was a charade because at the end of the day, Najib just does not have it in him to go head to head with Mahathir. You don't need any great analytical skills to see that.

Now it looks like the fools are MCA, MIC and Gerakan. They rushed to celebrate and tell their constituents that Umno has changed its racist ways but it hasn't. The BN is still manipulating and deceiving the public."

Malaysia-Today Blocked to Cover-Up Deep Corruption at Highest Level of Malaysian Government

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Malaysia Today , the hard-hitting news website edited by Raja Petra Kamarudin, has been blocked by mysterious technical problems twice in the last 24 hours after publishing damning articles of deep corruption at the top of the Malaysian government.

It wasn't clear who was doing the blocking, but whoever it is must be learning that the Internet is a sieve. The offending stories almost immediately appeared in another anonymous blog called "(Click HERE:) Malaysians Must Know The Truth."

Raja Petra said in an email from London,

"We are under severe attack. We've been down for the last 12 hours and a day before that for 24 hours.Looks like someone is spending a lot of money to keep us off the air.The website's technology personnel restored access, only to have it disappear again."

1. Looting of MAS by UMNO
   
   One implicated the United Malays National Organization, the country's leading political party, in looting MAS, the country's flag carrier.
   
   Raja Petra has been particularly hard-hitting with a series of articles based on verbatim documents concerning the misdoings in MAS.Raja Petra said,

   "It was the MAS story. The site was brought down just a few hours after that. We revealed documents to and from the court to compromise the MAS case against Tajudin Ramli."
   

   The Asia Sentinel, in an Aug. 24 article using the same documents, wrote that Tajudin Ramli, a crony of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, was accused of looting the airline of tens of millions of dollars and very nearly putting it into bankruptcy by investigators who themselves then faced a campaign to discredit them.
   
   The airline, which had been privatized and turned over to Tajudin, had to be rescued by the GOVERNMENT.
   
   After it had incurred RM8 billion in losses, Tajudin returned the airline to the government for almost the original price, the losses notwithstanding.
   
   Raja Petra continued to write about the issue, culminating in an article on Sept. 8 in which he said Tajudin had been given immunity by UMNO with the backing of former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and that reports by investigators and whistle-blowers went unheeded by the police.
   
   In the article, Raja Petra said he had been visited by Tajudin's lawyers in London, who told him that he (Tajudin) had only been a front man for UMNO and that :

   "UMNO not only has to protect him from prosecution but that they also had to ensure that the government bought back the shares at the same price that they were sold to him although the shares were only worth a portion of the real value."
   

   According to the article (CLICK HERE) ,"This was going on not only for MAS but for other deals as well."
   
   The depositions listed a long series of documents detailing misdoings in UEM/Renong, an UMNO-linked construction company once headed by Halim Saad, another Mahathir crony, which has long been accused of looting the government treasury through vastly overpriced construction contracts.
   
   Raja Petra wrote:
   

   These are all Tajudin's allies working in concert to now spill the beans. They were all Umno front men and nominees. And they all now have an axe to grind with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
   
   And, more importantly, it appears like the current Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, is giving his tacit approval for Tajudin Ramli, Rahman Maidin and Halim Saad to sing like a canary and finger UMNO, Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim Zainuddin as the real rogues behind the plundering of billions of ringgit of taxpayers' money."

   That wasn't all.
   
   
2. Siphoning RM 200 Million Contract for PM Najib's Family
   
   A second alleged that a friend of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was attempting to steer RM200 million into the pockets of Najib's family from China Railways Engineering Corporation (CREC), for double-tracking the national railway.
   
   On Sept. 5, Malaysia Today posted an article (Click Here) alleging that Tan Kay Hock, the controlling shareholder of Johan Holdings Bhd, a publicly-listed investment holding company and golfing partner of the prime minister had asked Chinese officials who had contracted to double-track the national railway for RM500 million and told them that RM200 million is for Najib's family.
   
   Raja Petra wrote:

   "And this is making the Chinese very unhappy because, in China, both the givers as well the sis charged to the family of the deceased.
   
   The Chinese are wondering whether it is worth the risk to pay Kay Hock the RM500 million he is demanding. The national railway is being used as Najib's new cash cow."

   A deal to supply coaches worth RM1.4 billion went to a company involving Najib's wife Rosmah and two other women.
   
   The coaches were said to be worth only RM300 million and do not function.

Raja Petra Exposes UMNO's Corruption on the MAS Financial Scandal

Read here for more in Malaysia-Today

Tajudin Ramli will not be enjoying his Hari Raya this year

by

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Posted on Malaysia-Today 08 (Wednesday) September 2010

In the previous parts in this series of articles, Malaysia Today told you about how the former Chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Tajudin Ramli, plundered the national airline close to RM9 billion.

When Tajudin took over MAS in 1994, MAS had more than RM600 million in cash reserves.

When he left in 2001, MAS was running at a DEFICIT in excess of RM8 billion.

Malaysia Today also revealed that Tajudin was given immunity by UMNO.

This is not what Malaysia Today alleges. This was Tajudin himself declared in his Affidavit. We are just repeating what Tajudin swore in his testimony.

And the punishment for the crime of signing a false Affidavit is very serious indeed. So Tajudin would surely not dare lie in a document such as an Affidavit.

Undeniably, Tajudin is still a wealthy man while those who pursued him -- ex-CCID Director Ramli Yusuff and lawyer Rosli Dahlan -- ended up in court facing trumped up charges.

Tajudin could get away with murder because Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was also plundering MAS.

So the PM could certainly not endorse the prosecution of Tajudin without the risk of the shit hitting the fan.

And that was why MAS’s various reports to the Police and the MACC went unheeded. And that is also why Abu Kassim’s pledge to resign if the MACC does not investigate the big cases is just a public relations spin at best, mere lip service.

But that is not all to the story.

Tajudin's Lawyers Meet in London

In the past weeks, Tajudin’s lawyers and agents requested to meet me in London so that they could explain the ‘true’ story behind this entire episode. Tajudin wants Malaysia Today to know his side of the story -- about how the government ‘cheated’ him.

Basically, the story that Tajudin’s people related in London recently was that he was merely the ‘government agent’ in the MAS scam.

The MAS shares did not belong to him. They belonged to Umno.He was merely Umno’s ‘front man’.

And that was why Umno not only has to protect him from prosecution but they also had to ensure that the government bought back the shares at the same price that they were sold to him although the shares were worth only a portion of its real value.

This appears to be the trend. This was going on not only for MAS but for the other deals as well.

Read what the ex-Malay Chamber Chairman of Penang, Rahman Maidin, said about Realmild/MRCB. Read also what Halim Saad said about UEM/Renong.

These are all Tajudin’s allies working in concert to now spill the beans.They were all Umno front men and nominees. And they all now have an axe to grind with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

And, more importantly, it appears like the current Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, is giving his tacit approval for Tajudin Ramli, Rahman Maidin and Halim Saad to sing like a canary and finger Umno, Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim Zainuddin as the real rogues behind the plundering of billions of Ringgit of taxpayers’ money.

Coming back to MAS, after the Government bought back the MAS shares from Tajudin at RM8 per share -- whereas the market price then was just RM3.80 per share -- Danaharta foreclosed on Tajudin’s shares in Naluri Bhd. Danaharta then sold Naluri to Atlan Bhd.

Now, the person who brokered the deal was Dato’ Khalid Jewa a.k.a ‘Dato’ K’. That’s how Dato’ K became so filthy rich he managed to court the singing Diva, Siti Nurhaliza, a man much older than her.

Tajudin became angry and sued Danaharta and several others for RM13.6 billion. His motive was to fire a warning shot and warn the government that he will spill the beans if they go for him. Unfortunately for Tajudin, his case was struck out.

Now see the announcement that MAS made to the Bursa Malaysia about Tajudin counter-suing MAS for RM500 million.

Tajudin is repeating his threats to the government.

Check out the announcement to the Bursa Malaysia here (http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/34369-malaysia-today-at-the-centre-of-the-mas-tajudin-scuffle-part-1).

Tajudin specifically mentioned the name Raja Petra Kamarudin in his counter-suit.

The announcement also mentions that Tajudin failed to strike out MAS’s claims against him for RM174 million. But hey, why mention my name? What have I got to do with a money-losing GLC?

Tajudin is running amok like a bull in a china shop. He is showing both MAS and the government that he will split wide open the can of worms if the government pursues civil and criminal actions against him.

Unknown to Tajudin and his agents who met up with me in London recently, it is not just Bukit Aman, the MACC and the AG Chambers that report to me.

Even the courts in Malaysia do as well. So I am being told more that what they think.

Yes, the courts in Malaysia do NOT report to Tun Zaki Tun Azmi, the Chief Justice. They report to me.

How do you think I knew that they that were coming for me on 23 February 2009 and managed to go underground just 24 hours before they pounced?

And how could I escape the police dragnet if not for the fact the some officers from Bukit Aman themselves were the ones who whisked me to safety?

So eat your heart out Musa Hassan. Your own officers made sure I was safe and free so that I can continue to whack you till the day you fall. And that day has come.

The story I received from the courts is even more interesting. After selling off Naluri to Atlan (and making Dato’ K very rich), and after stripping Naluri off all its assets and business, they will now make Naluri redundant as a dormant RM2 company. This will erase all the records and stories on how Tajudin used Naluri to plunder MAS.

Tajudin and UMNO are trying to broker a deal on a 'Global Basis' to settle all his cases. Why are they doing that? Well, because UMNO and Tajudin are afraid that Malaysia Today will expose more of their shenanigans. They are afraid we will not rest until all these plunderers of the nation’s wealth are brought to justice.

On Sunday, Musa Hassan said in his interview with Mingguan Malaysia that I am a traitor. Now let me ask him who is the traitor? If the IGP and the MACC Chief want to cover up for a corporate crook are they then not traitors? And isn’t ex-Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi also not a traitor for selling out Limbang and MAS?

Just so that Malaysia Today is not accused of making up stories, we will show you the grand scheme where Tajudin will do a ‘Global Basis’ settlement with the government and all the GLCs that have suffered losses as a result of his actions.

In the mother of all scandals in nation plundering, Tajudin is doing a deal involving the ‘Mother Suit’. Malaysia Today is not saying this, it is mentioned in a letter by Tajudin’s own lawyers.

Tajudin’s lawyers think they are smart. They are trying to camouflage this mother of all schemes by using the courts to validate their crooked actions. They reckon by implicating the courts they would be safe.

In truth, however, these lawyers are mere amateurs. They have just provided the missing link between Shahidan Shafie and Tajudin.

Remember this name in the MACC report filed by Shahahri Sulaiman, Managing Director of MASKargo, which Malaysia Today exposed some weeks back?

Yes, this is the camouflage and front man that Tajudin now uses. Shahidan is the cousin of Rizana Daud, the wife of Bistamam Ramli and one time supremo Company Secretary of MAS when Tajudin plundered MAS.

Shahidan was a former police officer and once the OC Secret Societies in Johor Bahru. In 1990, he was charged for corruption when he released some gangsters for a fee. Through his ACA (MACC) contacts he escaped prison. Since then he has become a very successful wheeler-dealer.

Shahidan is very close to Zahid Hamidi and Nazri Aziz. He also cuts deals with AG Gani Patail and maintains a close friendship with Nordin Hassan, the former Director of Prosecution of the MACC.

Now look at the series of letters where a deal is being cut with the courts to postpone the cases against Tajudin so that he has time to make this mother of all deals work.

And remember, you read it from Malaysia Today first.

Malaysia-Today Shutdown Linked to Reports of Govt Buying Illegal Arms from Underground Sources

Read here for more

The second-day shutting down of Malaysia Today run by Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) is sparking speculation PM Najib Razak may use force to retain control of Malaysia.

RPK had accused Najib’s government of buying small arms – pistols, sub-machine guns, stun-grenades and so forth – from underground sources in the overseas black markets.

RPK wrote in an article late last month (see article BELOW) :

“The rakyat cannot remain silent about this very alarming turn of events. We know that there are moves to buy these armaments.

That, the Malaysian government cannot deny. To deny this is futile.

But what we do not know yet is the reason the Malaysian government is buying them on the black market and whether these would all finally end up on the streets of Malaysia in the hands of UMNO Youth who would soon be trained on how to use them.”

Until now, the PM has not responded to the allegations nor has he explained why the Youth wing of his Umno party is suddenly embarking on paramilitary training.

PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle:

“This is extremely worrying. There must be impartial investigation to check if the allegations are true.

It is very alarming because it has all the footprints of an Umno maneuver.

Of late, it has been displaying the characteristics of ultra movements in line with the rise of Nazism and Facism.”

The latest attack on Malaysia Today symbolizes the start of Najib’s clamp down on the Internet – the last bastion of freedom of expression in the country and a key communication channel for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

There has also been widespread speculation that RPK’s site was closed off to prevent him from exposing the corruption in the MAS-Tajudin Ramli case. The ramifications behind the national airlines' RM8 billion ringgit in losses are astounding.

No less than two former prime ministers, Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Badawi, as well as shadowy ex-finance minister Daim Zainuddin are believed to be involved.

Pakatan leaders including PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub are demanding an explanation. They want recovery of taxpayers’ money and have vowed to appeal to the King for a Royal Commission of Inquiry. A series of awareness campaigns will also be launched as they take the case to the people.

Salahuddin told Malaysia Chronicle:

“It is obvious those involved are afraid that more of their secret wheeling-and-dealing will be exposed.

At RM8 billion, the MAS debacle is even greater than the Port Klang Free Zone and here the link to the top Umno leaders is clearer.”

RELATED ARTICLE

Why is the Malaysian Govt Buying Pistols, Grenades From Underground Sources

by

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Read here for more

What I am concerned with is the latest revelation of the Malaysian government purchasing millions of rounds of ammunition and tens of thousands of pistols, submachine guns and stun grenades.

And this is the Malaysian government's shopping list:

• 9mm pistols & accessories
  
  
• 9mm submachine guns & accessories
  
  
• 7.62mm sniper ammunition
  
  
• 9mm para subsonic ammunition
  
  
• 9mm para hollow point ammunition (a hit from this bullet in the body = 100% dead)
  
  
• Stun grenades One-Bang
  
  
• Stun grenades 7-Bang

Now, there is nothing wrong with governments buying bullets, pistols, submachine guns and stun grenades, even in the millions of rounds and tens of thousands of pieces like what the Malaysian government is doing. All governments do this, even the Malaysian government.

But this particular cache is NOT being procured through normal channels.

There is NO tender being called for this purchase. It is being negotiated through "underground" sources, the way illegal organisations or terrorist groups would normally do.

1. Why would Malaysia want to by-pass the official or legal channels in buying all these guns, ammunition and grenades?
   
   
2. Are they meant for illegal purposes?
   
   
3. Are they meant for onward transmission to terrorist groups that Malaysia is supporting?
   
   
4. Or is the final destination of this cache of weapons Malaysia itself?

This is most alarming.

They most certainly cannot be for the Malaysian security forces. If they were, then the government would buy them through an official tender and from authorised or legitimate suppliers instead of through underground sources.

But if they were for foreign terrorist groups then for sure Malaysia would not want to do it the legal way because then they can be traced back to Malaysia.

Is It to Illegally Arm UMNO Youth Thugs?

What is most worrying is the recent announcement that Umno intends to send its Youth Movement members for paramilitary training.

Does Umno intend to train and arm its Youth Movement? If so then what is the purpose for doing so?

And is this latest underground procurement of millions of rounds of ammunition and tens of thousands of pistols, submachine guns and stun grenades part of this plan?

The Malaysian government needs to reply to all these questions. The rakyat cannot remain silent about this very alarming turn of events.

We know that there are moves to buy these armaments. That, the Malaysian government cannot deny. To deny this is futile.

But what we do not know yet is the reason the Malaysian government is buying them on the black market and whether these would all finally end up on the streets of Malaysia in the hands of Umno Youth who would soon be trained on how to use them.

The Members of Parliament from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat need to demonstrate outrage.

This is not just about swindling the rakyat out of billions of our tax money. That, after all, is only money.

This is more serious. This involves the nationâl security.

Governments cannot turn rogue by dabbling in illegal arms and ammunition purchases without explaining what they intend to do with enough firepower to start a civil war in the country.

Lim Kit Siang, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang, and all those presidents of the non-Umno component members of Barisan Nasional hello can you hear me? Please get to the bottom of this matter and demand that the government explain itself.

Don' deny it. Don't issue statements that the police will be asked to investigate this latest lie from Malaysia Today.

This is no lie.

We are aware of what you are buying.

What we want to know is why you are buying them and what you intend to do with them.

And why are you going onto the black market to buy them from underground sources if there is nothing sinister about what you are doing?
- Malaysia Today

Australia: Ms Julia Gillard Remains PM with a One Seat Majority from an Independent MP

Read here for more in AFP News

Australian Labour Prime Minister Julia Gillard retained power by a tiny, ONE-seat majority Tuesday after winning the backing of two key independent MPs following inconclusive polls.

The country's first woman leader, who took power in a party revolt just 10 weeks ago, scraped over the line to form a fragile minority government with support from the "kingmakers", after 17 days of frantic negotiations.

Gillard ended with 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament, with Abbott's Liberal/National coalition on 74, the closest possible margin.

The obscure independents, suddenly handed a starring role in the political drama, on Monday announced parliamentary reforms agreed by both sides including having an independent speaker, rather than a member of the ruling party.

Both Oakeshott and Windsor said their main priority was picking the side most likely to provide a stable government capable of seeing out its three-year term and strongly backed Labor plans for a national broadband network.

Independent Rob Oakeshott, the last MP who declare his support for Julia Gillard as PM, said.

"I will ... give confidence and supply to government, and in effect that means confidence and supply in Julia Gillard. Unless, and I emphasise unless, exceptional circumstances determine otherwise."

The nail-biting climax caps more than two weeks of furious horse-trading after August 21 elections produced the first hung parliament in 70 years, extending a period of unusual political upheaval.

Gillard staged a shock party revolt against elected prime minister Kevin Rudd in June and announced polls just three weeks later, hoping to ride a wave of public support.

But her anticipated honeymoon period failed to materialise as many voters rejected both main parties and turned to the environment-focused Greens, which enjoyed a record ballot share.

The knife-edge campaign, election and its aftermath have kept Australia's government in limbo for nearly two months, in the worst political crisis since the queen's representative sacked an elected prime minister in 1975.

Hishamuddin Hussein is an Idiot and Unbecoming of a Home Minister

Read here in Malaysia-Today

Read here related article," Melayu Membangsatkan Nama Islam"



Home Minister and UMNO vice-president Hishamuddin Hussein truly sank to a new low when he called Teo Nie Ching "dirty" and likened her presence in the surau to a "disaster". Read here for more

I question where Hishamuddin received the knowledge and moral authority to judge anyone to be dirty, least of all Teo Nie Ching who entered the surau in sincerity and with an open heart, and only because the surau leaders invited her in. She has already issued a humble public apology to all concerned.

I shudder to think if Hishamuddin considers Teo Nie Ching dirty because she is non-Muslim or simply because she is female.

Hishamuddin should look in the mirror to check if he himself is spotless and clean before judgment on others.

Hishamuddin's statement smacks of a holier-than-thou hypocrisy and is truly shameful for a cabinet minister who propogates this 1Malaysia concept which supposedly espouses unity among all Malaysians.

With that disparaging statement, Hishamuddin is once again fanning the flames of racial discontent like how he openly supported the Shah Alam cow head protestors last September. He backtracked later only upon public uproar.

Hishamuddin must immediately retract his statement and publicly apologise to Teo Nie Ching or he and 1Malaysia will forever have no credibility in the eyes of the public.

UPDATED! Melayu Membangsatkan Nama Islam

Quote

“The approach of some politicians of late, who use Islam as an excuse to invoke inter-racial strife, can actually create misunderstandings about Islam.

“It is THESE actions that truly sullies the religion."
- Former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin

Quote:

Sebuah NGO Melayu membuat laporan polis kerana membantah pementasan yang hendak dianjurkan oleh sebuah geraja di Shah Alam.

• Dengan nama Islam, ada yang mahu menentukan nama tuhan yang boleh dipanggil oleh penganut agama lain.
  
  
• Dengan nama Islam, ada yang membakar gereja.
  
  
• Dengan nama Islam, ada yang membantah pembinaan kuil dengan berarak membawa kepala lembu yang telah disembelih.
  
  
• Dengan nama Islam, ada yang memberi jusitifikasi penggunaan akta zalim seperti ISA.

Ini BUKAN Islam yang saya kenali. Ini BUKAN Islam yang menjadi cara hidup saya.

Islam TIDAK pernah mengajar penganutnya berfikiran sempit, bertindak melampau dan berlaku zalim.

Islam mementingkan keadilan dan kesaksamaan. Islam adalah agama indah dan keindahan itu dapat dilihat melalui kehidupan dan ajaran Nabi Muhammad S.A.W, junjungan umat Islam.

Tindakan mereka ini adalah jelas bertentangan dengan apa yang disampaikan oleh baginda.

Mereka telah membangsatkan nama Islam demi kepentingan sendiri. Lebih menyedihkan lagi, mereka adalah berpangkat, samada pemimpin politik atau agama.

Sebahagian besar Muslim di Malaysia TIDAK pernah terdedah dengan kehidupan sebagai penduduk minoriti di sesebuah negara. Maka dari situ timbul retorik bahawa sensitiviti Muslim harus dijaga kerana Islam dianuti oleh majoriti rakyat Malaysia.

Menggunakan logika yang sama, sudah tentu Perancis boleh mengharamkan pemakaian purdah dan Switzerland boleh mengharamkan pembinaan mimbar kerana “menyinggung sensitiviti” majoriti rakyat negara-negara tersebut.
- Syahzedzan Johan

Membangsatkan Nama Islam

by

Syahredzan Johan
(Syahredzan Johan adalah seorang peguam muda dan rakan kongsi di sebuah firma guaman di Kuala Lumpur. )

Read here for more

Profile:
Syahredzan Johan, born in 1983, is a lawyer by profession and currently residing in Petaling Jaya.

He is a self-professed ‘social critique’ and believes "the nation of Malaysia still has so much unfulfilled potential, yet Malaysians are pegged back by their divisive nature, their desire to divide rather than unite."He wrote in his blog, Refleksi Minda, that "....I will not mince my words when I feel it is needed."

Pada dekad pertama abad ke 21, akibat serangan pengganas yang dikatakan beragama Islam, dunia telah mengaitkan agama tersebut dengan keganasan dan ekstrimisme. Namun persepsi negatif ini tidak menular ke Malaysia. Untuk sekian lama, Malaysia dikenali di persada dunia sebagai “a moderate Muslim country.”

Islamic La Alhambra Generalife

Malangnya, akhir-akhir ini kita tidak lagi boleh berbangga dengan panggilan ini. Kini kita menjadi tajuk utama seantero dunia kerana pelbagai perkara negatif yang dilakukan atas nama Islam. Islam di Malaysia semakin dilihat sebagai agama yang tidak toleran, angkuh dan melampau. Islam di Malaysia semakin dikatakan sebagai agama yang menekan hak-hak orang bukan Islam. Islam di Malaysia semakin disamakan dengan kezaliman.

Manakan tidak?

Dengan nama Islam, ada yang mahu menentukan nama tuhan yang boleh dipanggil oleh penganut agama lain.

Dengan nama Islam, ada yang membakar gereja.

Dengan nama Islam, ada yang membantah pembinaan kuil dengan berarak membawa kepala lembu yang telah disembelih.

Dengan nama Islam, ada yang memberi jusitifikasi penggunaan akta zalim seperti ISA.

Terbaru, sebuah NGO Melayu membuat laporan polis kerana membantah pementasan yang hendak dianjurkan oleh sebuah geraja di Shah Alam.lasan yang diberikan adalah kerana Shah Alam adalah sebuah bandar yang majoriti penduduknya Muslim dan pementasan tersebut adalah pada bulan Ramadhan. Kononnya, ini akan “menyinggung sensitiviti” umat Islam yang sedang berpuasa.

Di Pulau Pinang, seorang khatib didesak untuk meminta maaf kerana telah mendoakan kesejahteraan seorang pemimpin bukan Islam. Alasan yang diberikan adalah kononnya perbuatan mendoakan orang bukan Islam adalah salah.

Terkini, isu yang hangat diperkatakan adalah kunjungan seorang ahli Parlimen bukan Islam ke sebuah surau untuk memberi sumbangan. Isu ini telah dipolitikkan oleh pelbagai pihak, sehingga ia melibatkan pihak istana. Maka jawatankuasan pengurusan surau itu digantung dan ahli Parlimen tersebut diberi amaran oleh majlis agama yang berkenaan.

Saya tidak tahu sejak bila pula orang bukan Islam tidak boleh memasuki masjid atau surau. Tidak pula diberikan dalil atau hujah untuk menjustifikasi arahan yang tidak masuk akal ini.

Adakah ini cara kita berdakwah pada abad ke-21?

Kita tolak orang bukan Muslim sejauh-jauhnya daripada Islam, kita berlaku zalim ke atas mereka dan kita rampas hak mereka untuk mengamalkan agama mereka.

Adakah kita beranggapan bahawa dengan tingkahlaku kita ini, mereka akan lebih dekat dengan Islam? Kalau inilah strategi dakwah abad ini, saya berpendapat kita harus memikir semula strategi bodoh ini.

Tindakan seperti ini memburukan nama Islam dan menyebabkan orang bukan Islam berfikir bahawa Islam itu adalah agama yang sempit, melampau dan zalim.

Kononnya, orang bukan Muslim seharusnya menjaga “sensitiviti” orang Islam. Kita harus bertanya, apakah “sensitiviti” yang dimaksudkan ini? Adakah terdapat justifikasi ke atas “sensitiviti” ini?

Sebahagian besar Muslim di Malaysia tidak pernah terdedah dengan kehidupan sebagai penduduk minoriti di sesebuah negara. Maka dari situ timbul retorik bahawa sensitiviti Muslim harus dijaga kerana Islam dianuti oleh majoriti rakyat Malaysia.

Menggunakan logika yang sama, sudah tentu Perancis boleh mengharamkan pemakaian purdah dan Switzerland boleh mengharamkan pembinaan mimbar kerana “menyinggung sensitiviti” majoriti rakyat negara-negara tersebut. Juga menggunakan logika sama, cadangan membina masjid di tapak berlakunya serangan World Trade Centre tidak boleh diterima kerana ia kononnya “menyinggung sensitiviti” keluarga mangsa kejadian.

Mengikut logika yang digunakan, maka hak penganut agama Islam yang menjadi minoriti di negara-negara tersebut harus dikorbankan demi menjaga “sensitiviti” majoriti.

Apabila kita majoriti, terlalu mudah untuk kita jatuh dalam perangkap pemikiran bahawa kekuatan itu adalah kebenaran.

Adakah kita lupa bahawa ketika menyebarkan Islam, Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. telah mengajar bahawa semua manusia adalah sama di sisi Allah, yang membezakan seseorang itu hanyalah iman? Sudah tentu perkara ini “menyinggung sensitiviti” sebahagian besar Arab Quraisy pada ketika itu, lebih lagi mereka yang mempunyai status di dalam masyarakat Quraisy.

Adakah Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. seharusnya menghentikan ajaran Islam pada ketika itu demi menjaga “sensitiviti” masyarakat Quraisy?

Ini bukan Islam yang saya kenali. Ini bukan Islam yang menjadi cara hidup saya. Islam tidak pernah mengajar penganutnya berfikiran sempit, bertindak melampau dan berlaku zalim. Islam mementingkan keadilan dan kesaksamaan.

Islam adalah agama indah dan keindahan itu dapat dilihat melalui kehidupan dan ajaran Nabi Muhammad S.A.W, junjungan umat Islam. Tindakan mereka ini adalah jelas bertentangan dengan apa yang disampaikan oleh baginda.

Mereka telah membangsatkan nama Islam demi kepentingan sendiri. Lebih menyedihkan lagi, mereka adalah berpangkat, samada pemimpin politik atau agama.

Orang Islam sering mempersalahkan media Barat kerana memberi gambaran yang salah tentang Islam, tetapi apa kurangnya golongan ini yang telah memberi gambaran negatif terhadap Islam melalui tingkahlaku mereka?

Harapan saya adalah bahawa orang yang bukan beragama Islam tidak tersalah anggap bahawa Islam yang sebenar adalah Islam yang mana namanya telah dibangsatkan oleh mereka ini.

RELATED ARTICLE

Serdang MP Need NOT Apologise to Selangor Sultan

by

Dr. M Bakri Musa

Read here for more

EXCERPTS:

"....Ramadan thus should be a time for us to re-commit to the central message of the Holy Book. As Eboo Patel so eloquently wrote in the inaugural Ramadan series of the HuffingtonPost.com, “Ramadan is about remembrance and return – remembrance of the origins of Islam, and return to its essence.”

I pity the poor freshman MP from Serdang, Teo Nie Ching. She had in the best tradition of Ramadan come to a surau in her constituency to share in the iftar and to present a modest donation from the state.

She had RIGHTLY assumed that to be her role as their representative to Parliament.

She must have been blown away by the storm of controversy that subsequently erupted. I am not at all surprised that characters like Khairy Jamaluddin and Ibrahim Ali would seize the opportunity of Neo’s visit to the surau to expose their hideously ugly chauvinism by condemning her. That would be par for the course for any ambitious but untalented leaders everywhere.

I am however severely disappointed in the reaction of the Sultan of Selangor.

According to the state religious council (MAIS – its Malay acronym), the sultan was “murka dan dukacita” (angry and disappointed).

The sultan should NOT be so quick to react; he should at least wait for the full facts.

Ramadan after all calls for patience and restraint.

He SHOULD also remember that he is not only the head of Islam by virtue of being a sultan, but he is also sultan to ALL Selangorians,

Muslims as well as non-Muslims, and that each should be treated no differently from the other. It is time to tell our sultans that we expect more from them if they wish to remain on the public payroll.

For her part, Teo was quick to put in her formal apology to the sultan. She should not have done so. She should have the courage to stand by her conviction that she had done nothing wrong. In this she can rely on the arguments put forth by Tok Guru Nik Aiz and Datuk Asri, the former Mufti of Perlis.

As a Muslim, I would rely on these two luminaries on matters pertaining to Islam rather than from the likes of Khairy, Ibrahim Ali, or Datuk Sharizzat...."

Scholars: Islam doesn't bar non-Muslims from mosques

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Former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin today refuted media claims that he defended Serdang parliamentarian Teo Nie Ching 's presence in a surau, though he saw NOTHING wrong with a non-Muslim being in the house of God.

“There are media reports that I defended Teo , I must say that those are not entirely accurate. I do not interfere in politics and I don't really know what actually happened,” said the religious scholar in a press statement to the media.

However he stressed that in his to knowledge nothing bars a non-Muslim to enter a Muslim house of worship.

“Non-Muslims can enter into a mosque or surau with the right intent, like to get to know Islam, understand and study it. They are also allowed to enter the houses of worships to conduct dealings with Muslims.”

He gave as an example, how in the time of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself, non-Muslims were allowed to enter the mosque to meet the Prophet.

Asri also reminded all parties that Islamic issues must be looked at with the proper religious considerations based on proper dalil (evidence) and hujjah (arguments).

He warned that using the scales of partisan politics to weigh religious issues can damage the sanctity of Islam.

“Islam is built on dalil and hujjah, while partisan politics are often built on perception and prejudices,” pointed out Asri.

The fact is, added the former mufti, not only non-Muslims but Muslims, too, are prohibited from using the house of God for partisan politics or self interest.

He reiterated that all views with regards to Islam must be based on the real teachings of the religion.

“The approach of some politicians of late, who use the Islam as an excuse to invoke inter-racial strife, can actually create misunderstandings about Islam.It is these actions that truly sullies the religion,” concluded Mohd Asri.

Masuk Surau: Nie Ching temui Nik Aziz

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"...Ahli Parlimen Serdang, Teo Nie Ching hari ini bertemu Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat bagi mendapatkan pandangan berhubung isu kunjungannya ke Surau Al-Huda, Kajang 22 Ogos lalu.

Nie Ching ketika ditemui selepas pertemuan 10 minit itu berkata, beliau gembira dapat bertemu Tuan Guru dan mendapat pandangan yang jelas dari Tuan Guru yang juga Mursyidul Am PAS itu.

"Tok Guru jelaskan kepada saya bahawa dari segi Islam bukan menjadi satu isu orang Islam masuk ke surau atau masjid.Dia beritahu sebenarnya pada zaman Nabi Muhammad SAW, orang bukan Islam selalu masuk masjid untuk bertemu Nabi," katnya menjelaskan isi pertemuan.

Menurutnya, dalam pertemuan itu juga, Tuan Guru memberitahunya bahawa yang menyempitkan pemahaman berhubung isu bukan Islam kunjungi masjid adalah Umno.

Menurutnya, Umno kini sangat terdesak sehingga sanggup menyempitkan isu tersebut sehingga memberi tanggapan salah bukan Islam kepada Islam.

"Dia juga memberitahu saya, di Malaysia ini, Umno guna Islam untuk takutkan orang bukan Islam dan menjadikan Islam itu agama eksklusif sedangkan Islam itu adalah untuk semua manusia," katanya lagi.

22 Ogos lalu, Nie Ching berkunjung ke Surau Al-Huda, Kajang untuk menyampaikan bantuan membaiki pagar surau tersebut.

Beliau juga dijemput oleh jawatankuasa surau untuk menyampaikan ucapan ringkas.

Insiden itu bagaimanapun dieksploitasi media arus perdana dan Umno dengan mendakwa ia satu kesalahan dan mencemar imej Islam.

Nie Ching berkata, biarpun insiden tersebut dimainkan Umno, sehingga hari ini beliau masih berkunjung ke masjid dan surau yang menjemputnya.

Teo: Nik Aziz encourages me to visit more surau

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"...Shrugging off attacks by Umno and Selangor religious authorities over her visit to a surau last week, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching said she is emboldened to visit even more Muslim houses of worship after being encouraged to do so by PAS' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Teo said her 20-minute meeting with the top spiritual leader of the Islamist party today bore fruit in the form of his assurance that there was nothing wrong with non-Muslims visiting and entering suraus and mosques.

“Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) clarified to me that from the viewpoint of Islam, it is not an issue for a non-Muslim to enter a surau or mosque. He said that in fact, during the time of Muhammad, non-Muslims entered the mosque (of Medina) to meet with the Prophet,” she said about the meeting with Nik Aziz in Kuala Lumpur.

Asked why she did not wear a tudung when entering the prayer hall, Teo, who is also deputy head of the DAP publicity committee, said she had NOT been advised to do so.

"I was not advised by the surau committee to wear one. Furthermore, I did not expect to be invited into the prayer hall. This is not my first visit to the surau, as the last time I went there, I stood outside," the Serdang MP added.

In several mosques such as the National Mosque and the Putrajaya mosque, non-Muslims are required to cover their heads when visiting the area.

Despite condemnation of Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching's visit to a surau (Muslim prayer hall) in her constituency last week to attend a breaking of fast ceremony, she repeated the act yesterday.

Teo was invited to the Al-Muhajirin surau, Bukit Mahkota where she also handed RM500 to People Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel.

This time however, she stayed clear of the prayer hall and sported a selendang headscarf. The entire ceremony took place under a tent within the surau compound.

“(The visit) is based on the principle of serving the people regardless of their race and religion,” she said in a statement today.

Teo said that she was received with the same warmth shown during her visit to the Al Huda surau in Kajang, which sparked the controversy.

She said the congregation seemed unperturbed with the criticism against her and the series of articles condemning her, primarily by Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.

“Some even shook my hand and expressed their support,” said Teo.

PAS Serdang division feels it is not a problem for a non-Muslim leader to deliver a speech in a mosque or surau, as Islam is a flexible religion.

"We do not have a problem and do not want to prolong this issue," PAS Serdang Youth chief Mohd Adram Musa said today.

Therefore, Mohd Adram added, the issue of Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching (DAP) visiting a surau in Kajang, as highlighted by several Malay dailies today, presented the wrong interpretation that Islam is only for Malays.

"When a Chinese or an Indian comes to a surau or a mosque, there may be some negative views. But in the context of dakwah (propagating the religion), we must have flexibility, especially in Selangor. We have to prioritise harmony among the races and also the propagation of the religion," said Mohd Adram, who is also a Kajang municipal councillor.

He was responding to Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia's front page report on Teo's visit to the Al Huda surau in Kajang Sentral on Aug 22, where the congregation invited her into the prayer hall.

The issue, he said, was being exploited to the fullest to attack DAP and PAS.

Mohd Adram, who is also the PAS Youth treasurer, said during the time of Prophet Muhammad, non-Muslims were allowed inside mosques to get information on Islam.

Countering PERKASA's Ibrahim Ali’s View on Teo’s Mosque Visit

by

Faroukaperu

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The racism and religious bigotry practiced by some of our Malay Muslims have reached a crescendo. Things will only get worse with time if we fail to reverse this mental condition.

We will simply be unable to dig ourselves out of that hole if that happens and our nation will fall to ruin.

Why? All because we choose to be political over the lowest discriminating factor: RACE.

The latest incident is about the Serdang MP’s visit to Surau Al-Huda.

We must take YB Teo Nie Ching’s visit in good faith. She went to the surau with a donation and gave a talk about higher education loans. There was nothing political about her visit. Regrettably even the most sincere intentions can be played upon to stoke the most heinous sentiments.

One can expect no less from Ibrahim Ali who seized upon this opportunity faster than a cobra strikes its victim.

Ibrahim Ali’s language about the issue reflects a horrible bigotry. He used the word ‘desecrate’ and the phrase ‘UNCLEAN DAP politician’.

He also rhetorically claims that this is a lesson from God showing how PAS has ‘sold out’ Islam and that this is visit is ‘shaitan confusing the Muslims’.

The former Perlis Mufti, Dato’ Asri had already given evidence on why YB Teo’s visit wasn’t against Islamic laws but his evidence was historical.

I hope to refute Ibrahim’s claims from a Quranic perspective and to show how the Quran completely rejects his point of view. Worse still, it considers Ibrahim’s own views as the views which run contrary to the Quran.

1. For a start, the Quran does not bar anyone from entering a masjid. The Quran actually tells children of Adam , that is to say anyone at all, to enter every masjid with their best clothing and to eat and drink yet not be wasteful (7/31). This shows that anyone can go and participate in any of the mosque activities and even participate in their festivities.
   
   
2. Secondly, the Quran equates the establishment of social justice as the cornerstone of every masjid (7/29). This verse is also addressed to the children of Adam, thus not restricting people according to faith. What was YB Teo doing if not helping the members of the surau’s congregation, thus establishing social justice?

It seems Ibrahim Ali is in a muddle! YB Teo was in no way desecrating the surau at all. Indeed she was honouring it.

Ibrahim also said that YB Teo is ‘unclean’. This is a favourite insult Islamofascists use against our friends of other faiths. It builds upon a false notion of purity exclusive to Muslims. This notion is absolutely against the Quran and furthermore ironic (as we shall see below) considering Ibrahim’s own vitriolic politics.

The term ‘unclean’(najas) is used in the Quran (in 9/28) for one particular people:

Those who renege on peace treaties. (9/1-12).These people are considered to be those who associate partners with God, an act which is of the highest wrong.

There is NOTHING in the Quran to insinuate that non-Muslims are ‘unclean’.

What’s even more ironic is that in the Malaysian context, the people who renege on our peace treaty (i.e. our constitution) are those people who harp on race issues and stir up emotions. Who is then closer to being ‘unclean’, YB Teo or Ibrahim himself?

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Lastly, Ibrahim says that PAS’s support of this visit is ‘shaitan confusing the Muslims’.

Well the Muslims have nothing to be confused about.

A cursory look at the Quran will show the reader that it is people like Ibrahim whom Muslims need to look out for, not YB Teo who is doing (knowingly or otherwise) exactly what the Quran wants.

The biggest irony is perhaps this:

The Quran does tell the believers NEVER to stop into one kind of masjid – the masjid where division is being preached (9/107-108)!

Sounds familiar, Ibrahim Ali?


Ibrahim Ali dan Khairy Jamaluddin Sepakat.

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Sekarang kita berdepan dengan isu lembik, iaitu isu Ahli Palimen berbangsa Cina masuk kesebuah surau diSerdang untuk menyampaikan bantuan dan bercakap perkara ‘non-political’ dalam perjumpaan itu.

Banyak pihak dan individu yang sentiasa mencari isu, tangkas membuat kenyataan khbar dan mejerit-jerit mengatakan yang YB Teo tidak sepatutnya berucap didalam surau itu kerana kononnya merosakkan kesucian Agama kita serta menyentuh sensitivity masyarakat Islam dan Melayu kita.

Ketua Pemuda UMNO dan Ibrahim Ali kali ini sepakat untuk menyanyikan ‘chorus’ yang ‘harmonic’ dalam isu YB Teo ini.

Kedua-duanya begitu selari dan saya yakin isu ini diadakan BUKAN kerana nak jaga kesucian Agama tetapi kerana hendak menarik perhatian ramai sahaja.

Seorang wakil rakyat boleh memberikan bantuan dimana beliau suka dan dalam kes ini beliau dijemput untuk memberikan bantuan disurau tersebut dan bagi saya itu bukan masalah besar.

Rasanya saya pun seorang Islam juga dan saya tidak nampak ianya menghina Islam malah saya begitu suka mendengar Ahli Parlimen itu mengakui yang ramai pengundinya beragama Islam.

Kalau kerana tidak memakai tudung kepala kenapa isu ini hendak diperbesarkan tanpa had. Biarlah Majlis Agama Islam mengambil ‘initiative’ untuk membetulkan keadaan, bukannya orang politik.

Saya juga tidak nampak Teo sengaja hendak melukakan sesiapa apa lagi untuk menyentuh ‘sensivity’ orang Melayu. Beliau hanya melaksanakan tugas beliau sebagai seorang wakil rayat bagi kawasan Parlimen tersebut.

Apa yang perlu diberitahu kepadanya ialah tata cara dan adab bila memasukki rumah ibadat orang Islam.

Saya rasa tentu beliau dapat menerimanya. ‘She will be more than happy to accept it’.

Yang disebut ramai dan diisukan rakyat sekarang ialah sikap UMNO sendiri yang tidak menjaga ‘sensivity’ orang Melayu yang dipimpinnya. Pemimpin UMNO lebih sayangkan bangsa lain dengan berkompromi dalam banyak hal tentang masa depan dan nasib Melayu akan datang.

Ramai orang termasuk diri saya faham UMNO sedang tercari-cari kelemahan parti lain kerana PRU 13 mungkin tiba tidak berapa lama lagi.

Oleh kerana tidak dapat menunjukkan perkara yang baik maka jalan yang lazim digunakan ialah dengan mencari isu demi isu untuk mendapat perhatian ramai; untung-untung orang Melayu akan kembali menyokong mereka.

Ramai yang mentertawakan mereka yang menjadikan ini sebagai isu.

Yang ‘sensitive’ ialah pemimpin UMNO yang mengelabah tak keruan termasuklah Pemudanya sendiri.

Nak tunjukkan sesuatu hasil kerja mereka tidak ada, maka gunakanlah isu ini untuk menunjukkan yang mereka masih ada dan belum mati lagi.

PEMUDA UMNO

Kalau hendakkan orang Melayu mengikut kita, Pemuda UMNO mesti perjuangkan isu-isu yang mana pemimpin-pemimpin kita telah menyelewengkan wang ringgit dan menyalah gunakan harta benda rakyat.

• Pemuda mesti bertanya secara ‘detail’ kemana perginya 67 peratus dari 4.08 billion ringgit wang Felda dibelanjakan hingga kantung Felda merosot dengan teruk sekali. Tanya Felda kenapa Felda membeli hasil peneroka dengan harga yang terlalu rendah dari harga pasaran diluar sana.
  
  Ingatkan PM itu bahawa Felda ditubuhkan untuk menjadikan orang Melayu yang tidak bertanah dulu untuk memilikki harta, bukannya untuk Felda dan pegawainya yang kaya raya. Kita selalu nampak kurap orang, tetapi kita tahu dibalek pakaian kita yang cantik-cantik itu, dikulit kita penuh dengan kurap-kurap yang tak kunjung kering.
  
  
• Khairy patut pergi berjumpa Mirzan Mahathir untuk memulangkan wang PETRONAS yang berbillion yang digunakannya untuk ‘bail out’ sebuah syarikat perkapalannya belasan tahun dahulu.
  
  Khairy mesti beritahu Mirzan, di Amerika Syarikat semua syarikat yang di’bail out’ oleh kerajaan, sekarang sedang dalam proses memulangkan kembali wang rakyat yang mereka gunakan untuk menyelamatkan konglemerate mereka semasa kejatuhan ekonomi tidak berapa lama dahulu.
  
  Beritahu Mirzan wang yang berbillion itu dipindahkan kepada MARA; boleh hantar puluhan ribu anak-anak kita keAustralia, New Zealand atau keEngland untuk belajar. Bila balik nanti mereka boleh berkhimat kepada negara kita.

Kalau Khairy berani berbuat demikian barulahlah dia dianggap anak jantan dan Ketua Pemuda yang tulin dan tidak ada tolok bandingnya.

Kita tidak payah berucap menjerit-jerit untuk berjuang.

Pemimpin yang menjerit dan beretorik dengan nada suara tinggi itu selalunya orang yang banyak kelemahan sendiri yang hendak ditutpinya. Setakat mempamerkan ‘silat pulut’ sahaja Pemuda tidak akan berjaya menarik perhatian orang ramai.

Kalau tidak ada isu ini mungkin orang akan bertanya; mana Pemuda, mana Khairy? Kita tidak boleh berbuat apa-apa kepada Pergerakkan Pemuda sekarang ini, kerana mereka sudah hilang hidayah politik.

Nak dirotan, dia sudah besar walaupun masih keanak-anakkan. Jadi kita sabar sahaja melihat telatah dan langkah anak-anak muda ini.

Orang tua-tua dulu selalu berkata, ‘anak muda yang julung berkeris, batang pisang pun dia sanggah’.

Kita sabar sahajalah.

Mari kita tunggu sehingga Khairy menjadi dewasa. Insyaallah dia akan menjadi dewasa walaupun agak lambat sedikit.

Itu fenomena biasa, setengah kanak-kanak cepat dewasanya, hanya Khairy ini agak lambat sedikit. Lambat laun dia akan jadi dewasa. Kita boleh sayanginya. Tak mengapa.

Oghang-oghang lamo ado bokato, ‘yang tuo kito hormati, yang mudo kito sayangi’.

Ingat Khairy, kami bukannyo mombonci anda.

Abang kau ni nak togo sikit-sikit. Kalau boto jalan eh, jadi taklah ghosak pojuangan kau.

Itu pun kok ado pojuangan sobagai mano yang dikato.