Must Read Article: Contesting "Malayness".

by

Michael Chick

It's been interesting to read such free-flowing comments on an all "Malaysian" free for all.

While we are on the subject, how many of you have read the book entitled "Contesting Malayness - Malay Identity Across Boundaries" Edited by Timothy P. Barnard published by Singapore University Press. (Read here for more and here and here )

It reflects the Anthropologists views that there is no such race as the "Malays" to begin with.

If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera.

The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Cambodia at 4,500yrs ago.

Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan. There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia. To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also "Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular")

Of course, we also have the Minangkabau's which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)

So the million Dollar Question…

Is there really a race called the "Malays"?

All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO.

Neither do the "Malays" who live on the West Coast of Johor. They'd rather be called Javanese.

What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as "Achenese"? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS.

Try calling a Kelabit a "Malay" and see what response you get… you'll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.

The definition of "Malay" is therefore simply a collection of people's who speak a similar type language. With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar. Linguists call this the "Lego-type" language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such.

Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this classification. They refuse to be called Malay…. Anyhow you may define it.

Watch "Malays in Africa"; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the "Champa Malays" by the same.

With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.

Getting interesting? Read on…

"Malay" should also include the Taiwanese singer "Ah Mei" who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the "Malays".

And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Funan Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.

Try calling the Bugis a "Malay". Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians. Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.

Ready for this?

The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Chinese and the Arabs. (FYI, a runaway Ming Dynasty official whom Cheng Ho was sent to hunt down).

Interestingly, the Bugis were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese! Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil)

Let's not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous "Hang" family member… Hang Li Poh And who was she? the princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won't that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline "Baba" ?

Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak.

Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh?

Next question. If the Baba's are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA? Which part of "Malay" are they not?

Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba's? Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600's.

Strangely, the Baba's here in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but a decided that they were strangely "declassified" in the 1960's.

WHY?

The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin. And what is this "coffee table book" by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed? Somehow we see Prof Khoo Khay Khim's signature name on the book.

I'll pay good money to own a copy of it myself. Anyone has a spare?

So, how many of you have met with orang Asli's? The more northern you go, the more African they look.

Why are they called Negrito's? It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates "mini Negros". The more southern you go, the more "Indonesian" they look.

And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50. You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak).

The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.

By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu Malay Empire in Kedah.

Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu.

It was, by the old name Langkasuka. Today known as Lembah Bujang. This Hindu Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600yrs later. Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it. By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?

So, in a nutshell, the "Malays" (anthropologists will disagree with this "race" definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! (main continent and West Asia included) .
- Michael Chick

UMNO is NOT a Malay Party, but a Bumiputra Party

From Kuda Ranggi: Read Here

Quote:

"...UMNO is NOT , in reality, a Malay political party.

Once upon a time in Penang, several UMNO branches in the Tanjong Division conducted their meetings in Tamil, their division leader then was a Tamil Muslim and most of the branches in the city were headed by Tamil Muslims. UMNO recognised them as "Malays" although they did NOT speak Malay at home or conform to Malay custom.

....thousands of Indian Muslims, Arabs, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Siamese, among others, have been accepted as UMNO members. Not forgetting the Bumiputeras of Sabah who are not Muslims.

The party's war-cry of "Hidup Melayu" should be change to "Hidup Bumiputera"."
-Syed Imran

by

Syed Imran

It is not a surprise when Datin Seri Jeanne (Danker) Abdullah was accepted as an UMNO member in the Kepala Batas division, Penang, headed by her "charming" husband-cum-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad.

Some people are asking when did Jeanne, a Eurasian, "converted to be a Malay " thus qualified to be a card-carrying member of UMNO, the biggest Malay political party heading the grand coalition government known as Barisan Nasional or National Front?

As I said it is no surprise if, firstly, one looks at the definition of "Malay" in the Federal Constitution, and secondly she is the wife of the Prime Minister who is also UMNO President, and thirdly thousands of Indian Muslims, Arabs, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Siamese, among others, have been accepted as UMNO members. Not forgetting the Bumiputeras of Sabah who are not Muslims.

Once upon a time in Penang, several UMNO branches in the Tanjong Division conducted their meetings in Tamil, their division leader then was a Tamil Muslim and most of the branches in the city were headed by Tamil Muslims. UMNO recognised them as "Malays" although they did not speak Malay at home or conform to Malay custom.

Article 161 of the Federal Constitution defines a Malay as "a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language and conforms to Malay custom".

On top of that, the persons or their parents have to be born or domiciled in Malaya or Singapore before Merdeka Day (31 August 1957).

The UMNO constitution or Perlembagaan UMNO stated that any citizen of Malaysia belonging to the Malay race or Bumiputera aged 18 and above can be accepted as an ordinary member of the party.

In Malay:

Fasal 4.2 Ahli Biasa ialah Warganegara Malaysia yang berbangsa Melayu atau Bumiputera yang berusia 18 tahun ke atas.

The key words are "yang berbangsa Melayu" or a Malay (by race) or Bumiputera (sons of the soil).

A Bumiputera is NOT necessarily a Muslim. Not all Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak, for example, and the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia are Muslims. They are free to join UMNO.

UMNO is not, in reality, a Malay political party. It is a Bumiputera political party and not all Bumiputeras are Muslims.

The party's war-cry of "Hidup Melayu" should be change to "Hidup Bumiputera".

Lina Joy Case: Sifting Facts from Fiction

From "People's Parliament": Read here

Lina Joy/Azlina Jailani's Baptism Certificate

by

Haris Ibrahim

Excerpts: Read here for more

(The Lina Joy's case) started out as an application to the IC department for change of IC particulars. IC department directed Lina to get confirmation from the Syariah authorities ( Jabatan Agama Islam or the Syariah Court ) that she was no longer a Muslim.

Instead, Lina went to the civil High Court.

(FACT): Lina did NOT ask the civil High Court to confirm that she had renounced Islam.

(FACT): Lina in effect asked the High Court to:

first declare her rights under Article 11 and then

to declare that as a consequence of her no longer being Muslim, the Syariah laws did not apply to her.(Re: the judgment of the High Court, at page 246)

(FACT): Lina did NOT ask the civil High Court to confirm her status as a non-Muslim.

Why?

Lina’s case involved a living person who had declared her religion. Lina did not need a declaration of any court as to her religious status.

She is alive. She could say ‘Muslim or non-Muslim’. And no one would know better than her.

She declared herself to be Christian. She exhibited her baptismal certificate.

In affidavits filed on behalf of the IC department, this documentary evidence has NEVER been disputed.

(FACT) Yet, THE High Court judgment again, in the second half of page 246 and the first paragraph at page 247, where Justice Faiza refers to the ‘undisputed facts’, NO reference is made to this piece of evidence. The judge does NOT refer to the fact that she has put evidence of her conversion to Christianity before the court.

(FACT) In the majority judgment of the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court, the veracity or validity of this certificate has NEVER been questioned.

What has been said again and again is that Lina must get clearance from the Syariah Court to remove the word ‘Islam’ from her IC.

That she is in fact a Christian is not in controversy.

Let us be clear about this. This is NOT the controversy.

Zainah Anwar's Article in New Straits Times

I felt the need to have clarity on this point after I read an article by Zainah Anwar entitled ‘Mediation the wiser path to take’ that appeared in the News Straits Times on 15/6/2007.

The article succintly points to the root of this controversy when Zainah concluded that ‘the state apparatus insists on an exit certificate…’.

This raises the question : what or who make up this ’state apparatus’?

I will try to spot light the key players within the ’state apparatus’ in the following posts

Zainah has missed the real issue.

Assumption 1 :

‘This effort at establishing official procedure for Muslims who wish to leave Islam is not meant to thwart freedom of religion, but to mitigate the deep concerns and sensitivity of certain segments of the Muslim community about one of their own wanting to leave that community’.

Please, Zainah, I appreciate that you mean well in trying to find a way out of this difficult situation we face today.

However, I do not see HOW we can avoid DENOUNCING the present arrangements for what they are.

Is what is happening to Revathi and Kamariah Ali not meant to thwart freedom of religion?

Revathi is in detention to ‘mitigate the deep concerns and sensitivity’ of the Muslim community?

Please, religious oppression by any other name is still just that. Religious oppression.

Assumption 2 :

‘This procedure is only to establish that the person wants to leave Islam out of his own free will and choice, and not out of coercion, and he has considered all the legal, social and economic implications of that change of faith’.

So if someone wants to sell his house and buy another in the exercise of his rights under Article 13, or wants to change employment, or leave an association, club or political party for another according to his rights under Article 10:

do we also establish a procedure to ascertain that he does so ’of his own free will and choice’?

Make sure there’s no coercion involved and he has thought through all the implications?

RECOMMENDATION 1,( in relation to the present exit procedure in Negeri Sembilan) :

‘It could form a basis for the government, faith groups, the Bar Council and human and women’s rights organisations, to begin to work out an acceptable compromise which will respect a citizen’s right to freedom of conscience, and at the same time assure the Muslim community that all effort has been taken to verify that this was a genuine change of faith’.

Work out an acceptable compromise? Of what? The rights guaranteed under Article 11(1)?

Who mandated the government, faith groups, Bar Council human rights and women’s rights organisations to ‘work out a compromise’ on the rights guaranteed under the Federal Constitution?

To what end?

To respect a citizen’s right of freedom of conscience? You respect his right by compromising it?

To assure the Muslim community that this was a genuine change of faith? How?Revathi? Kamariah Ali?

RECOMMENDATION 2

‘While for some, the time period for counselling is too long, this Negri Sembilan provision nevertheless sets a time frame for some certainty in outcome’.

If the individual dies during this period of counselling, then what? Muslim or non-Muslim?

If the individual does not attend the counselling, then what? Application dismissed?

Does the judge have a discretion to dismiss the application? If so, what right is guaranteed under Article 11(1)?

The right to apply?

RECOMMENDATION 3 :

‘Given the divided opinions over civil or syariah jurisdiction, and the lack of confidence in a judicial process, it could be decided that a more neutral civil institution like Suhakam could be the platform for mediation, negotiation or conciliation for applications for a change of religion’.

Mediate, negotiate or reconcile what?

Take Lina’s case. What do you want to mediate, negotiate or reconcile?

It’s undisputed that she is in fact a Christian. This is NOT the controversy.

The CONTROVERSY is a STATE APPARATUS that DENIES her ALL of her RIGHTS that flow with her exercise of her God-given right to choose her faith, a God-given right aceded to by the Constitution.

How do you mediate, negotiate or reconcile this? By Suhakam?

Are you serious?

It is Time for Moderate Muslims to QUESTION ISLAMIC Dogma

From Malaysiakini: Read here article by Dr. Syed Alwi Ahmad

Quote:

"It is time for the moderate Muslims in Malaysia to put their foot down for it is clear that Malaysia is headed in the WRONG direction.

Asean does not need 1,000 miles of an Islamic insurgency.

Perhaps when that happens, only then will Malaysian Malays wake up from their deep sleep and dreaming."
-Dr. Syed Alwi Ahmad

Abdul Rahman Abdul Talib, wrote from Cairo: "...secularism is the anti-thesis of Islam. To view Islam in the light of secularism is to do injustice to Islam. In Islam, there exists a consensus that apostasy is a felony. The legal action taken against Lina Joy will ensure that apostasy will not flourish in Malaysia." Read here for more

I refer to the letter (by Abdul Rahman Abdul Talib) "Secularism the anti-thesis of Islam. "

Who says Islamic law reigns supreme in Malaysia?

Who says Malaysia is an Islamic state where apostasy is a felony?

The author's assumptions reveal the Malaysian Malay weakness aside from the NEP; in a word, Islam.

Here is an INTELLIGENT Malaysian Malay Muslim saying that apostasy is a felony!

My God, where is Malaysia headed for ?

Let me ask all Malaysians two questions:

1. WHERE in the world is there a successful, multi- religious Islamic state and
   
   
2. WHEN - since the fall of Baghdad in the 13th century - did the Muslim world contribute meaningfully to science and technology? Eight hundred years of nothing!

With this sort of blind following of dogma - totally devoid of questioning and criticism - it is no surprise that the Muslim world is in a pathetic state today.

It is time for moderate Muslims to question Islamic dogma.

We cannot blindly follow dogma which is based on the socio-political context of the 10th century to guide us in the 21st century.

Scientific progress is based on the freedom of thought, conscience and speech. Ignore or oppress those liberties at the expense of progress.

I support Lina Joy's decision to apostasise because I ask myself:

Of what use is the ‘syahadah’ or faith of someone who is compelled by law to remain Muslim?

Is God so desperate that He needs the hypocritical faith of people who are forced by law to remain Muslims?

I do not believe so.

Islam is HIGHER than mere compulsion.

To me, treating apostasy as a crime is simply encouraging HYPROCRISY. They do NOT believe - but they will PRETEND to believe - only because of legal compulsion.

I do NOT believe that such a situation is Islamic. God must certainly rise above petty legalities and ethnic power-play.

Even INDONESIA does NOT have such laws.

Besides, how can Malaysia ever build a meaningful scientific community if it wants to come down on the freedom of belief and conscience?

Science and religion is not a good mix.

It is time for the moderate Muslims in Malaysia to put their foot down for it is clear to many foreigners like me that Malaysia is headed in the wrong direction.

ASEAN does not need 1,000 miles of an Islamic insurgency.

Perhaps when that happens, only then will Malaysian Malays wake up from their deep sleep and dreaming.

Mongolian Woman's Murder Trial: The Attorney-General Compromises Malaysian Justice System and the Rule of Law

Media Statement From:

1. Alaigal
2. Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)
3. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
4. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
5. Civil Rights Committee of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
6. Community Development Center (CDC)
7. Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
8. Kata Gender
9. Labor Resource Centre (LRC)
10. Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
11. National Council of Women’s Organization Malaysia (NCWO)
12. National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)
13. Persatuan Alumni Persatuan Bahasa Tionghua USM (Lihua) Selangor and Kuala Lumpur
14. Persatuan Masyarakat (PERMAS)
15. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
16. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
17. Tenaganita
18. Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
19. Women’s Aid Organization (WAO)
20. Women’s Development Collective (WDC)
21. Youth for Change (Y4C)
22. Youth Section of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

" We, the undersigned, express our grave concerns regarding the sudden twist of events in the murder trial of Mongolian national, Altantuya Shaariibuu, which has led to an unfair delay in the court process.

The abrupt replacement of the public prosecutors by Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail raises a number of disturbing concerns.

1. First: WHY was the replacement team informed less than 24 hours before the start of the trial, when it was widely known in the legal fraternity that the sitting judge and the former lead prosecutor had been playing badminton for months before 4th June?
   
   While changing prosecutors during a trial may not be uncommon, the manner and speed in which the change took place fuels justifiable speculation that there is political interference in the trial by third parties trying to derail the court process.
   
   
2. Second: WHYC Tun Majid Tun Hamzah, the CIVIL Division head of the AG Chambers, is appointed to lead a criminal prosecution as with the Altantuya’s case, as opposed to prosecutors from the Criminal Division?
   
   We question this unusual appointment by the AG’s chambers. Surely there are equally capable and experienced prosecutors in the Criminal Division to lead the team.
   
   
3. Third: The two-week postponement of the June 4th trial is unjustified and has unnecessary disrupted the court schedule of the trial judge, prosecutors and legal counsels, while prolonging the agony of the family of Altantuya.

We demand an assurance that there be NO further delay as this will mean justice being denied, not just for the family of Altantuya, but for the three accused as well.

ONCE AGAIN, our criminal justice system comes under the international scrutiny.

After the despicable court process and condemnation by the international community of the sham trials of Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Guan Eng, the AG and the judiciary owe it to the public and Altantuya’s family that there will be a free, fair and transparent trial to ensure that justice will not only be seen to be done but will truly be done.

It is not only the accused who are on trial, but justice and the rule of law of this country.

Endorses:

1. Alaigal
2. Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)
3. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
4. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
5. Civil Rights Committee of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
6. Community Development Center (CDC)
7. Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
8. Kata Gender
9. Labor Resource Centre (LRC)
10. Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
11. National Council of Women’s Organization Malaysia (NCWO)
12. National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)
13. Persatuan Alumni Persatuan Bahasa Tionghua USM (Lihua) Selangor and Kuala Lumpur
14. Persatuan Masyarakat (PERMAS)
15. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
16. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
17. Tenaganita
18. Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
19. Women’s Aid Organization (WAO)
20. Women’s Development Collective (WDC)
21. Youth for Change (Y4C)
22. Youth Section of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

Read here on SUARAM'S Website

A Blogger Accuses a Minister as " PALING CELAKA" in MALAYSIA

Read here full article by "Tun Telanai": in JEBAT BLOG (in Bahasa)

Excerpts: Read here for more

".....Assalamu'alaikum wm.wrt,

Maafkan saya, saya telah memilih tajuk di atas ( "MENTERI PALING CELAKA DI MALAYSIA ").

Rasanya kurang beradab mengikut budaya kita.

Apa boleh buat saya telah hilang ‘perkataan’ berbudaya itu. Saya bukan memilih perkataan itu tidak bersebab untuk berkata sedemikian...Tentunya bersebab.

(Here are the reasons:)

1. Pertamanya , (Menteri ini) terlalu lama sangat menjadi menteri [sejak di zaman Dr. Mahathir sebagai PM] sehingga beliau tidak atau malas hendak menjadi wakil kepada rakyat. Semuanya diserahkan bulat-bulat kepada wakil-wakil yang dilantiknya bagi mengwakili dirinya untuk mengatasi sebarang masalah yang dihadapi rakyat. Turun padang, jarang-jarang sekali, kecuali majlis-majlis berbentuk ‘grand’ barulah beliau turun menemui rakyat sebagai Raja. Dan ketika sampai masa pilihanraya 5 tahun sekali. Keraplah beliau kelihatan bersama rakyat.
   
   
2. .... lebih suka menjalankan tugas di luar Negara [kononnya selaras dengan peranan beliau sebagai menteri.] Banyak masanya habis di luar Negara, terbang ke sana ke mari, kakinya jarang memijak bumi. Beliau lebih gemar menghadiri mesyuarat, forum, seminar dan lawatan perdagangan di luar Negara kerana ianya lebih berimejkan antarabangsa dan penuh glamour. Yang dipentingkannya ialah imej popular diperingkat antarabangsa. Mengikut rekod yang ada, ia hanya menghadiri 31 hari dalam tempoh enam tahun dan 400 kali Parlimen bersidang.
   
   
3. ....Beliau memimpin secara kuku besi. Beliau lebih suka kepada orang yang pandai mengampu, memuji dan memuja beliau setiap masa. Sesiapa yang berani mengkritiknya, orang itu akan dicantas dan ditimbuskan dalam kongkongan politik kuno [jungle of politic] UMNO.
   
   
4. ...adalah manusia hipokrit [atau kalau tidak menjadi kesalahan boleh juga boleh disebut munafik]. Ketika Dr.Mahathir memerintah, beliau kaki mengampu dan bodek nombor wahid. Apa sahaja tindakan Mahathir lakukan semuanya betul dan benar, tidak ada yang tidak benar melainkan benar-benar belaka. Inilah orang yang pertama meluru naik ke pentas sehingga kasut tumit tingginya patah, menerkam Dr.Mahathir, ketika itu Dr.Mahathir sedang mengumumkan perletakkannya di penutup Mesyuarat Agung UMNO pada tahun 2002. (Ia) memutarkan jarumnya balik ke 360 darjah apabila Abdullah dipilih menjadi PM mengantikan Dr.Mahathir... (Ia) kembali menyembah Abdullah sepertimana yang beliau telah lakukan terhadap Dr. Mahathir.
   
   
5. ...(ia) telah mencetuskan kontroversi mengenai AP yang diperlukan untuk mengimport motokar buatan luar negara ke Malaysia. Isu ini tercetus apabila Dr Mahathir [Penasihat Proton], semasa membuat kenyataan mempertahankan Proton, mendakwa AP disalahgunakan hingga membolehkan kereta import diisytiharkan lebih rendah daripada nilai sebenar dan dengan demikian dibawa masuk dengan murah dan mewujudkan persaingan yang tidak adil bagi pembuat kereta nasional pertama itu. (Ia) menafikan dakwaan tersebut dengan berkata Proton yang tidak memperlihatkan prestasi yang baik dalam pasaran seberang laut..... Ini menimbulkan kekecohan kerana ia mendedahkan tiga orang iaitu Nasimuddin SM AMin, Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim dan Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz, memegang kebanyakan daripada 67,157 AP bagi mengimport kereta. Paling mengejutkan apabila terdapat bekas pegawai MITI yang rapat dengan (Menteri tersebut) yang tidak ada pengalaman dalam industri auto-mobil ini turut tersenarai sebagai penerima atau anugerah terbesar AP ini. Persoalan juga timbul tentang bagaimana 20 syarikat diberikan 80 peratus AP kerana ini menjejaskan dasar untuk memajukan bumiputera sebagai usahawan dalam bidang auto-mobil.
   
   
6. ...seorang menteri yang tidak bertanggungjawab apabila membiarkan bil telefonnya tertunggak bertahun-tahun lamanya sehingga mencecah mencecah RM 10,291.17 . Ini satu tindakan yang paling tidak adil kepada rakyat, apabila rakyat gagal membayar bil-bil utiliti seperti elektrik, air dan telefon, maka dengan pantasnya pihak berkenaan akan menambil tindakan dengan memotong perkhidmatan. Tetapi menteri ini tidak menjelaskannya, pihak TM senyapkan sahaja. Apakah undang-undang dan peraturan di Malaysia hanya terpakai untuk rakyat jelata sahaja? Atau apakah para menteri dan golongan dif-dif dikecualikan atau dilindungi oleh pihak-pihak tertentu?
   [ http://www.harakahdaily.net/bm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view]
   
   
7. ....juga banyak melakukan kesalahan trafik, tetapi payah untuk membayar saman tersebut. Selaku menteri dilindungi oleh polis dan JPJ. Rakyat juga yang dimangsakan.Ada yang ditangkap, digari dan sebagainya para menteri yang terlibat dalam kesalahan ini, polis berdiam diri tidak berani bertindak. [ http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/55030]
   
   
8. ....anaknya, (berumur) 33 tahun telah membuat laporan kewangan palsu mengenai kedudukan kewangan Kumpulan NasionCom yang anak beliau menjadi pemiliknya. Anaknya mendakwa kumpulan NasionCom sebuah syarikat telekomunikasi terkemuka di Negara ini telah membuat keuntungan berjumlah RM200 juta pada tahun 2005, tetapi dalam siasatan pihak Suruhanjaya hanya mendapati keuntungan Kumpulan Syarikat NasionCom hanyalah sebanyak RM143,109,727 sahaja, bukan RM200 juta seperti yang didakwa. Jika sekiranya didapati bersalah, anak ini boleh didenda sebanyak RM3 juta atau dipenjara tidak lebih daripada 10 tahun atau kedua-duanya sekali. Sepanjang zaman, orang akan kenang dua beranak ini sebagai perompak Melayu moden yang diselamatkan [ada imuniti] disebabkan adanya kuasa dan kedudukan. Kuasa digunakan untuk menyelamatkan diri dari dikenakan sebarang hukuman dunia.
   
   
9. ...kes rasuah yang tidak pernah padam dalam kamus kehidupan rakyat Malaysia, walaupun berkali-kali pihak Peguam Negara [AG] menafikan Menteri ini tidak terlibat dan tidak ada bukti cukup untuk membuat pendakwaan terhadap, namun rakyat Malaysia yang masih celik tidak mudah percaya terhadap mainan politik AG itu. Pendedahan ini menyebabkan Ezam Mohd.Noor merengkok dalam penjara selama dua tahun [dan juga ditahan di bawah ISA].

Jadi, apabila tenguk akan salah-laku yang lakukan oleh Menteri ini yang merupakan seorang menteri kanan dalam karbinet Dr. Mahathir dulu dan kini dalam karbinet Abdullah, maka sewajarnya beliau patut disebut sebagai “MENTERI PALING CELAKA DI MALAYSIA” kerana menteri-menteri lain yang dituduh rasuah [kecuali Samy Vellu] telah meletakan jawatan Menteri, Ketua Menteri dan MB seperti bekas Presiden MCA, Dr.Ling Leong Sik, Isa Samad, Osu Sukam, Kasidah Gaddam Osman Aroff [MB Kedah] dan lain-lainnya.

June-19, 2007 (Tuesday) : A Candle-Light Vigil for MRS. REVATHI MASOOSAI, Incarcerated and Prevented by the SYARIAH Court to become a HINDU

From People's Parliament Blog: Read here

MUST WATCH : CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO FROM ALJAZEERA TV SHOWING REVATHI MEETING HER HINDU HUSBAND (SURESH) AT THE GATE OF THE ULU YAM REHABILITATION CENTRE -
Put on your speakers (courtesy of malaysiakini)

The video captured emotional moments when Revathi met her husband (Suresh) on either side of the locked gate at the entrance of the Ulu Yam Rehabilitation Centre.

The conversation of a few minutes between the couple - in Tamil - was closely monitored by a religious official.

The footage also showed a camp official threatening the programme maker to stop filming, saying that he would call the police if the crew continued shooting.

The footage showed Suresh comforting his wife and telling her to be brave and strong: “I am making every effort to get you out of here. We will be together again.”

The footage also showed a camp official threatening the programme maker to stop filming, saying that he would call the police if the crew continued shooting.

Candlelight Vigil

Date: Tuesday, 19 June 2007

Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Dataran Merdeka (at the flagpole)

Show your support in affirming the supremacy of the Federal Constitution and its protection of our fundamental liberties, including the freedom of belief.

Bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

Members of Catholic Lawyers' Society are urged to attend in unison and show support in affirming the supremacy of the Federal Constitution that affords protection for, inter alia, freedom of religion

There will be a peaceful candlelight vigil in support of Mrs. Revathi Masoosai/Siti Fatimah , and many others like her, who are unable to fully exercise their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of faith.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations including:

MCCBCHST (the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism) and

Various women’s rights groups

All Women’s Action Society (AWAM),

Sisters in Islam (SIS),

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO),

Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC) and

Women’s Development Collective (WDC)).

BACKGROUND - Summary of Mrs. Revathi Masoosai’s/Siti Fatimah case:

Revathi is an ethnic Indian woman.

She has been held in a Rehabilitation Center run by Islamic authorities since January 2007.

Reason for the incarceration:

Simply because she wants the State to acknowledge she is a Hindu and NOT a Muslim.

Revathi was advised by the Malacca Islamic Religious Department to make an application at the Malacca Syariah High Court to confirm her status as a Hindu.

She did as she was told.

Instead, the Syariah Court ordered her detained in a rehabilitation centre in Ulu Yam, Selangor under Melaka’s Syariah criminal laws for 100 days.

This detention was extended in Revathi’s absence for a further 80 days supposedly because she had NOT “repented”.

In the meanwhile, Revathi’s Muslim mother obtained a Syariah Court order granting her custody of Revathi and Suresh’s 15 month old baby.

That order was enforced on Suresh’s Hindu family with the assistance of the police.

Revathi was born to Indian parents who had converted to Islam before her birth. But she claims she was raised by her grandmother as a Hindu.

She and Suresh were married according to Hindu rites in March 2004.

The family is now torn apart - with the MOTHER in detention, the CHILD with the grandparents and the FATHER in limbo WITHOUT his family.

Malaysia is in the US Black-List for Human Trafficking

Read here and here

Malaysia, which was on a "special watch list" last year, was added today to a Washington blacklist of countries trafficking in people, the State Department said.

Other countries included this year to the black list in the "Trafficking in Persons Report".
were Algeria, Guinea, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar .

These seven countries join Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan and Venezuela in the dreaded 'Tier 3' ie the worst offenders in human trafficking.

Most of this year's additions to "Tier 3" are Muslim or predominantly Muslim nations, many of which have the means to enforce foreign workers' rights and anti-trafficking laws.

The Report (click here to read) analysed efforts in about 150 countries to combat trafficking for forced labor, prostitution, military service and other purposes.

Being on the blacklist, they could face sanctions, including withholding by the United States of non-humanitarian, non-trade related foreign aid.

Malaysia made its first appearance on "Tier 3" for its failure to protect and identify victims of trafficking, many of them Indonesian domestics.

"The Malaysian government needs to demonstrate stronger political will to tackle Malaysia's significant forced labor and sex trafficking problems," the report said

Countries that receive no such foreign assistance would be subject to withholding of funding for participation by government officials in educational and cultural exchange programs.

US government research shows 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders, about 80 pct of them women and girls and up to half of them minors, the State Department said.

The majority of victims are females trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, it said.

Belize, Laos and Zimbabwe were removed from the blacklist this year.

Singapore, which had been in the Tier 1 list, was relegated to Tier 2 this year.

"Tier 2" countries are those that do not fully comply with minimum standards but are making significant efforts to do so.

Countries with "Tier 3" ranking "do not fully comply with the minimum standards (to fight trafficking) and are not making significant efforts to do so," which makes them eligible for U.S. economic sanctions.

Three countries that had been placed on "Tier 3" in 2006 — Belize, Laos and Zimbabwe — were promoted to "Tier 2" this year for improving their records, according to the report.

The recognition is rare U.S. praise for Zimbabwe, long singled out by Washington for harsh criticism on its overall human rights record, a point noted by Rice's pointman on the trafficking issue, Mark Lagon.

The complete list of "Tier 3" countries in this year's report is: Algeria, Bahrain, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

Government Demolished Christian Church Building in Gua Musang, Kelantan

From Malaysiakini: Read here

Note: The Federal Member of Parliament for Gua Musang is Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah



The Church Built by the Kg. Jias Orang Asli Community in Gua Musang, Kelantan


What was left of the Church.
Demolished in Rubbles by the District Land Office
Read here commentary on "People's Parliament" Blog by Haris Ibrahim

Excerpts: Read here for more and here

"...The Land Office had demolished a church in an Orang Asli settlement in Gua Musang, Ulu Kelantan on June 4.

... the Orang Asli community in Kampung Jias had embraced Christianity in February.

They consulted the Village Development and Security Committee and the Department of Orang Asli Affairs to erect a small church to mark their faith.

They proceeded with the construction with the help of volunteers and donations.



Orang Asli Community in Kg, Jias and volunteers building the church
According to Pastor Moses Soo, on several occasions, people from religious groups came to the site uninvited and took photographs of the construction and those involved in the work. “They came in cars that had car plates indicating they belonged to Islamic religious groups. They looked scary and tough, but the villagers refused to stop work even though they were afraid of the people who came,” he told malaysiakini today.

On April 11, the Gua Musang district land office issued a stop work order. Reason: The letter stated that the construction was being carried out on state land without permission from the authorities.

The following day, the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia (NECF), in a letter to the land office, said the land belonged to the Orang Asli villagers.

“Their right is guaranteed under Section 2 6(1) and 7(1) of the Orang Asli Act 1954,” read the letter signed by NECF secretary-general Reverend Wong Kim Kong.



Copies of the letter were sent to:

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,

Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat,

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail.

Work on the church continued.

On April 19, the Land Office slapped them with another stop work order.

Five days later, several policemen had asked Pastor Moses Soo to follow them to the police station without providing any reason. “Three police officers stopped me while on my way to Gua Musang at about 11am. They demanded for my IC (identity card), which I obliged afer seeing the officers' identification.They insisted without reason that I should follow them back to the police station, which I declined as I was heading back to Kuala Lumpur to celebrate my wife’s birthday."

Pastor Soo also said the policemen then went to the village and took down the IC numbers of the volunteers involved in the building of the church.

On May 24, the Land Office issued a third notice informing the village headman Pedik Busu that the “illegal” structure would be demolished.

Despite various efforts to block the demolishment, the church was finally torn down by bulldozers.

Pastor Moses Soo claimed that the land (on which the church was built) belongs to the Orang Asli.

The district land office did NOT have any right to reduce the church to rubble.

The land belonged to the headman of Kampung Jias but was donated to the community for the purpose of building the church.

On June 6, a police report was made at the Gua Musang Police Station by the headman Pg. Pedik bin Busu of Kg. Jias and he was accompanied by the lawyer Mr. Lum C. S.

Its All About Malay-Muslim Hegemony, Not About Islam, Stupid !

by

Izza Basarudin

Read here full article in Malaysiakini by Izza Basarudin from Cairo, Egypt

Excerpts: Read here for more

" ..... the larger debate currently taking place in Malaysia (is) on:

the RIGHT to determine one's faith and

the NEED TO UPHOLD the secular Malaysian (Federal) Constitution.

Lina Joy's case has highlighted, above everything else, the Malay-Muslim obsession with the boundaries of who is considered an ‘insider’ and who is an ‘outsider’.

Individuals, particularly women, who transgress the preset borders of racial and/or ethnic purity are seen as deviant communal actors with blatant disregard for the survival of the Muslim ummah.

Thus, the act of transgressing these borders allows for racial and/or ethnic supremacy to be normalised, reproduced and reinforced (in this case, through manufactured consent of ethno-religious uprising).

WHY the obsession with demanding that Lina Joy remain a Muslim?

Is THIS OBSESSION a reflection of Malay-Muslim religiosity?

Is it REALLY about Islam?

... this debacle is NOT about one's FAITH.

1. It is about politics, or more accurately, the politicisation of religion in the public sphere.
   
   
2. It is about maintaining Malay-Muslim hegemony and the power of the ruling coalition party.
   
   
3. It is about preserving special privileges accorded to the Malays in the name of national unity and ethnic ‘tolerance’.
   
   
4. More importantly, it is about having the Malay majority rule the country WITHOUT contest, ever.

Where do we locate Islam Hadhari (Civilizational Islam) in this controversy?

(Islam Hadhari) has been hailed as the foundation for promoting a more liberal interpretation and legislation of Islam,.

But do we see this IN PRACTICE in Malaysia?

Is it ‘civilized Islam’ to deny Lina Joy justice and dignity in the name of politics?

If (Prime Minister)Abdullah Badawi is sincere in promoting Islam Hadhari and conscious of the rising ethno-religious conservatism that might, in the near future, lead Malaysia down the road of religious extremism, then government-sponsored Islamic institutions responsible for monitoring ‘proper’ understanding and practices of religion should be re- evaluated, re-structured and eventually abolished.

These institutions are not only dictating how a person's faith should be practiced, but also dangerously narrowing the diversity of Islamic understandings and interpretations according to the limited worldview of its visionaries.

Muslims of any race and ethnicity should value their own thought process and ability to understand and interpret religion (to a certain extent) for themselves.

Islam is the religion for those who THINK and REFLECT.

Privileging the doctrine of blind imitation (taqlid) denies Muslims the right to independent reasoning (Ijtihad) and the understanding that Qur’anic messages and teachings are amenable to change according to the socio-historical conditions of contemporary Muslim societies.

The Qur'an is a blue print for living one's life and NOT a blue print for oppression and tyranny.

Gatekeeping is at best, an embarrassment to Malay-Muslims specifically, and to the ruling coalition generally because it reflects a mentality that is frozen in time.

Gatekeeping will NOT ensure that more Malay-Muslim will not renounce Islam.

Lina Joy was denied justice and dignity NOT because she transgressed the boundaries of the religion (remember, the Qur'an states that there is no compulsion in religion, Al-Baqarah 2: 256), but because she transgressed the boundaries of what is permissible and beneficial to Malay- Muslim hegemony.

Lina Joy is punished because she dared question the power and authority of the gatekeepers who must, for their own political hegemony,maintain a tight rein over the main defining characteristic of the Malay-Muslim majority, that is ALL MALAYS are Muslims. "

- Izza Basarudin

A Singapore Muslim's Perception of Malays and Muslims in Malaysia

Quote:

"...Unfortunately in Malaysia, Emotions over Islam have OVERCOME Reason.

The Malay Muslim CANNOT overcome their attachment and awe for Islam.

Malaysia does NOT even teach Evolution and in fact, BANS the books of Darwin (e.g. Origin of Species). In other words - in Malaysia - Islamic dogma is held SUPERIOR to Science !

Essentially this is very typical of pre-modern, medieval societies. Witness the FEUDAL nature of Malaysian politics. One is therefore dealing with people with a medieval mindset. They live in a world of angels, spirits, bomohs and so on. It is NOT surprising to me that the( two Federal Court Muslim ) judges made that decision (on the Lina Joy case).

We must view religion with a mature and enlightened outlook.

Where will we draw the line?

Pretty soon even the non-Muslims will be affected by all this Islamisation. And after that - based on the concept of ‘amar ma'ruf dan nahi munkar’ - I suppose the Islamists will want to spread their ‘enthusiasm for a theocracy’ around the Asean region too.

That’s when Malaysia will get one very hard knock reminding her of her limitations. Everything has its time and place. Even the Islamisation programme.

I say it is time to stop any further Islamisation BEFORE serious harm is done. ..."
-Dr. Syed Alwi Ahmad

Background

Kim Quek wrote an article entitled " Untangling the knotty Lina Joy case" which was posted on Malaysia-Today (Read here)

Kim Quek concluded in his analysis of the Lina Joy's case:

"...There are indications that the fundamentalists have rapidly gained the upper hand under the weak leadership of Premier Abdullah Badawi, (who ironically has advocated his pet Islam Hadhari to reverse the fundamentalist trend).

(This is) evident by the spate of suppression of discourse and dialogue promoting religious harmony such as the proposed inter-faith commission, Article 11, and the most recent abrupt cancellation of World Christian-Islam dialogue, held annually since 911 and participated by top scholars of both faith.

These suppressions bear the unmistakable hallmark of religious intolerance, and bode ill for the future of this multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious country.

The demographic make-up of this country is such that if Malaysia were to survive as a nation it has to overcome its ever worrisome religious and racial fault lines.

But that may be a bit of wishful thinking under a decadent political power that is hell bent to exploit racial and religious fissures for its own political survival. "

The following is a response from Dr. Syed Alwi Ahmad, a Singapore Malay Muslim scholar to an essay posted by Kim Quek on Malaysia-Today. (Read here in the thread's Comments)

Dear Kim Quek,

Its all a question of how one views organised religion. Do you view it with some scepticism and some doubt - or - do you view it as an unquestionable absolute truth ?

The majority of mainstream Muslims view Islam as THE unquestionable, infallible Absolute Truth coming from Almighty God. So of course for them - apostasy is a major sin. If one takes religion very very seriously - then of course apostasy is viewed with seriousness and with much anguish.

Look, Kim Quek, - Malaysia does NOT even teach Evolution and in fact, BANS the books of Darwin (origin of Species).

In other words - in Malaysia - Islamic dogma is held superior to Science !

Essentially this is very typical of pre-modern, medieval societies.

Witness the feudal nature of Malaysian politics. One is therefore dealing with people with a medieval mindset. They live in a world of angels, spirits, bomohs and so on.

Ask yourself this question - how much technological innovations originate from the Muslim world ?

How many scientific discoveries originate from the Muslim world ? Hardly any over the past 800 years since the fall of Baghdad in the 13th century !!

That should put your whole essay in context.

It is NOT surprising to me that the judges made that decision. The Malay Muslim CANNOT overcome their attachment and awe for Islam.

Is this good or bad ? Depends. Indeed - is organised religion good or bad for humanity ?

My answer is this - ALL religions are good - PROVIDED - we take them with a pinch of salt and with some scepticism.

We must view religion with a mature and enlightened outlook.

Regards
Dr Syed Alwi

Other Articles and Commentaries of Dr. Syed Alwi Ahmad

Dr. Syed Alwi has written commentaries on socio-political issues of Malaysia and Singapore and those issues facing Malay Muslims in general: Read below:

"From Bad to Worse" -Malaysia-Today (Read Here)

"... There is nothing wrong with religion or affirmative action. But, like everything else in life, they must be taken in moderation and with a pinch of salt. A little doubt is good.

Unfortunately in Malaysia, EMOTIONS over Islam have OVERCOME REASON .

What we see today is the result of the NEP and Islamisation policies of the past thirty years or so.

No one owes Malaysian Malays a living. Let me assure you that should Malaysia fail - the Malaysian Malay will suffer enormously. And rightly so.

After all - they have been pampered with all sorts of goodies over the years. They cannot now expect more goodies. Perhaps the day of reckoning for them, is near.

Whatever it is, Malaysia had better wake up to the realities around her.

The globalised world of the 21st century has no NEP to offer the Malaysian Malay. And humans cannot live by religion alone...."

"Singapore’s Islam diluted" -Malaysiakini (Read here)

"....I think the Islamisation programme in Malaysia has gone too far.

Firstly, to criminalise any act and then say one is free to do it is certainly not the freedom of choice. Where is the criminality in wanting to interpret and practice religion differently? The state should not interfere in religious choices.

Secondly, the issue of criminality should not even be raised because no damage or harm has been done.

So what if I do not follow strict Islamic teachings? Maybe I party hard ... but what damage or hurt have I inflicted upon others?

Where will we draw the line? Pretty soon even the non-Muslims will be affected by all this Islamisation. And after that - based on the concept of ‘amar ma'ruf dan nahi munkar’ - I suppose the Islamists will want to spread their ‘enthusiasm for a theocracy’ around the Asean region too.

That’s when Malaysia will get one very hard knock reminding her of her limitations. Everything has its time and place. Even the Islamisation programme.

I say it is time to stop any further Islamisation before serious harm is done...."

"No reason needed for leaving religion" -Malaysiakini (Read Here)

"....In the case of Islam, how does the Syariah of the 10th century adapt itself to the 21st century?

Do we still believe that we can segregate the sexes? Do we still believe that adulterers should be stoned to death?

Do we have to accept that people of other faiths are condemned to an eternity in hell? Is it not deeds that matter most and not one's beliefs in ideas which cannot be materially proven?

And what about Darwinian evolution? Where does that put God?

The questions can go on endlessly. But the ideas of modern skepticism armed, with the blades of modern science, have clearly torn apart the domain of religion.
One must remember that the business of religion is not necessarily a rational one.

On Malaysian Malay-Muslims Outlook:
Read Here in Comments on Malaysia-Today thread

"... Regarding Malaysian Malay-Muslims, essentially they are very similar to pre-Enlightenment, pre-Reformation European Christians. BEFORE the birth of the Scientific/Industrial Revolution.

Whether the Muslim world will progress towards an Islamic version of the Enlightenment - remains to be seen.

Whatever it is, the hallmark of the modern attitude towards religion is Scepticism. NOTHING is beyond question...."

On Lina Joy Seeking Permisson from Syariah Court to Leave Islam

(Read here in Comments on Malaysia-Today)

"...No - Lina Joy will NEVER be able to get permission from the Syariah Courts because the Syariah Courts will send her for counselling and if that fails - they will send her to prison !

Those who think that Lina Joy will get fair treatment at the Syariah Courts are HYPOCRITES pretending that the Syariah Courts will not punish her instead."

ABIM President, Yusri Mohamed, Taken to Task by Muslim Lawyer

Background:

A day after the Federal Court made its decision on Lina Joy's case, Yusri Mohamed, who is the Present of Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) issued a media statement on behalf of Organisations to the Defence of Islam (PEMBELA). (Read here the media statement .)

Haris Ibrahim is a trained lawyer, a stronge defender of the supremacy of the Federal Constitution, challenges the views of Yusri Mohamed and the position of PEMBELA in the Lina Joy case.

Yusri Mohamed had said in his media statement:

" We welcome and applaud this (Federal Court) decision by which we believe that justice has been served. We believe that this decision is a relief for the majority of both Muslims and non-Muslims alike in Malaysia.

We say this because we see this decision as vindicating and upholding the existing arrangement relating to the position of Islam and the Shariah courts in the constitutional and legal set-up of the country..."

Readers are strongly recommended to go to Haris Ibrahim's blog, "People's Parliament", for a rebuttal of Yusri/PEMBELA'S position on the Lina Joy case and for detailed understanding of how the Federal Court ruling had undermined the supremacy of the Federal Constitution.

Below are Recommended Reading of Haris Ibrahim's articles on the Lina Joy case:

• Unemotional reactions to the judgment
  
  
• One more unemotional reaction (reposted HERE)
  
  
• Lina, why the controversy?
  


• Lina, why the controversy? : A first look at the Constitution ( reposted HERE)
  


• Lina, why the controversy ?: Historical and constitutional position of Islam judicially examined (reposted HERE)
  


• Lina Dialogue : My Take



• Lina Dialogue : My Take (2)




Read HERE also Azmi Sharom's article

BELOW excerpts of Haris Ibrahim's Response to Yusri Mohamed's Views: Read here for more and here

"... Yusri Mohamed had said in the PEMBELA media statement released after the Federal Court judgment:

‘We also plead to those who were hoping for an opposite outcome to consider modifying their expectations to suit what is good and more sustainable given our circumstances’.

I am amongst those who had hoped for an ‘opposite outcome’.

We are NOW asked to MODIFY our EXPECTATIONS !!!

What ??

We should modify our expectations and :

NO longer hope that the Constitution will be upheld?

NO longer expect that our judges would honour their oath of office and ensure that where the Constitution confers a right on ‘every person’, then every person without any exception will be fully protected in the exercise of those rights?

Why?

"...to suit what is good and more sustainable, given our circumstances, " you say?

WHAT circumstances?

.... 60% Malay and 40% non-Malay population?

Is that what you mean by ‘our circumstances’?

Look, if YOU :

really have the 60% of the Malays behind you ( yes, I am calling your bluff. You do not have all the Malays behind you. )

get support from enough of the non-Malays,

make ‘Islamic state’ your election manifesto,

get your 75% into Parliament and, as Azmi Sharom said,

go and amend the Constitution,

and make this an Islamic state.

Do that, and I will concede that you have won the day. I will then pack my bags, get out and leave you to your theocracy.

Until then, do NOT imagine that everyone will be bullied into surrendering this country merely because someone says ‘modify your expectations’.

Yes, I was at the DAP dialogue.

I attended the dialogue specifically to listen to what Tan Sri Khalid and Yusri had to say in the hope that I might get an idea of the official PKR stand on the majority judgment of the Federal Court.

We have already heard from Anwar Ibrahim . If Anwar’s stand is also the PKR stand, then they should make it publicly known. Let the voters know.

I have to say Tan Sri Khalid disappointed me. He spoke for about 10 minutes, after which I was none the wiser where he or PKR stood on this issue. Even in answering questions during the Q&A session, I was left with the sense that Tan Sri Khalid was NOT there to contribute intelligently to the dialogue.

Yusri Mohamed said several things that warrant comment and correction.

1. Yusri (said) he had attended the Experts Conference on Human Rights in Islam in KL last year and that "there was NO consensus arrived at the Conference that there is no earthly punishment for apostasy. "

Well Yusri, I too attended the Conference. ALL 5 days.

I was part of the ‘Freedom of Thought and Conscience’ workshop on the FIRST day under the moderation of Professor Hashim Kamali.

I do NOT recall YOUR participation in this workshop.

At the workshop, I can confirm that after much discussion on this issue, when Professor Hashim put to the group a recommendation to be taken to the plenary session on the last day, that there is NO punishment in THIS life for apostasy, the only objections came from 2 representatives of our Attorney-General’s chambers.

These 2 representatives, sensing that they were not going to swing the group to their viewpoint, chose to leave the group discussion.

I can confirm that the group resolved to carry Professor Hashim’s recommendation to the plenary session.

I can also confirm that on the morning of the last day of the conference, at the plenary session, the ‘no punishment by man for apostasy’ proposal was mentioned as one of the recommendations that would be carried from the Conference.

2. Yusri had said that dialogue was always possible, but certain things had to be adhered to. 'Respect for Islam and authority' have been picked up by the media.

What was missed was the word ‘representation’. Did anyone else present also hear this word?

‘Respect for Islam’ is to state the obvious.

What HE should have gone on to say is respect for ALL religions and ALL participants in any dialogue is an imperative.

The Malaysiakini report ‘Respect Islam first, then dialogue’ reports Yusri to have said:

‘Who gets to determine which part of Islam is already settled and definite and which part is still open to debate? There must be a respect for authority, specialisation and expertise in Islam’

Yusri is welcome to refute my following observation. In fact, I hope he will prove me wrong.

Ambiga Sreenevasan (President of the Malaysian Bar Council )and many others urged a follow-up dialogue. In fact, the call was for ABIM to organise the next.

If this happens, you might begin to see the linkage between ‘representation’ and ‘respect of authority’.

Since the initial efforts to form the IFC (Inter Faith Commission ) in 2001, an objection that has constantly been taken by ABIM and other ‘Muslim’ NGOs has been that dialogue must only involve ‘mainstream Muslim representatives’.

Why ("the dialogue must only involve mainstream Muslim representatives" )? I have a theory.

As far back as the year 2000, 28 others and I, by way of a memorandum of complaint to Suhakam had made it plain that if ‘mainstream Muslim’ meant only the ‘Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jamaah’, then we were not mainstream.

The 29 individuals have never been taken in by the ‘greater number must therefore be right’ mentality, taking comfort from the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:

If you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead you astray from God’s way; they follow but conjecture and they only lie’. - Surah 6 verse 116.

Representative’ and ‘respect for authority’, as postulated by Yusri, as pre-conditions to dialogue, envisage EXCLUDING from such engagement and dialogue

• the likes of myself, Azmi Sharom who has openly voiced a preference for the retention of our secular state, Malik Imtiaz, Sisters in Islam, and
  
  
• anyone else who does not see eye to with ABIM & Co. and yet profess a belief in the way of life enjoined through the Holy Qur’an.

Why ? Our inclusion would undermine their claimed authority to speak for Islam. Yusri, please prove me wrong.

3. Note again Yusri’s poser as reported :

‘Who gets to determine which part of Islam is already settled and definite and which part is still open to debate?’

Yusri, correct me if I am mistaken: Does not God comfirm in Surah 5 verse 3 that the way of life of peace through submission to God (Islam) has already been settled by God?

That if you and I differ in our respective understanding of God’s commands in relation to anything, are we NOT commanded to leave the final determination thereof to God? (Surah 42 verse 10; Surah 6 verse 164; Surah 39 verse 46; Surah 22 verses 68-69)

4. Yusri is also reported to have offered :

‘… there is still room to revisit apostasy laws through dialogue…“I’m not saying that it’s written in stone and that you cannot try to revisit it, you can do it…” ‘

• Revisit apostasy laws through dialogue?
  
• Not written in stone?
  
• Can revisit it?
  
• Dialogue with whom?
  
• Those in authority?
  
• Will those who claim such authority produce their authority from God?

What has been inflicted on Lina is NOT divinely ordained, but wrought by the hand of man.

5. I had meant to ask Yusri and every Muslim in the hall that night a simple question. Let me pose the question now.

If the Hotal Amada management had made the following announcement in the midst of the dialogue :

‘We ask every person here to leave the hotel immediately. Please do not use the lifts. Use the fire escape. Please do not rush’,

Would Yusri or any other Muslim have complied or stood up and asked :

‘Does ‘every person’ include Muslims?’

If you would have unquestioningly complied, why do you now contend that ‘every person’ in Article 11(1) does NOT necessarily include enjoyment by Muslims of all the rights guaranteed thereunder?

Truth is, when you are alone, by yourself before God, and not having to defend your apostasy laws that are not cast in stone before a captive audience, you KNOW that :

Your denial of the plain meaning of ‘every person’ is a dishonest, un-Islamic attempt to re-write an agreement that our forefathers entered upon in 1957.

Even if you must pursue your agenda, please do not pretend to be PEMBELA Islam."
- Haris Ibrahim

Samy Vellu Outed a PLAGIARIST, and a Cheap One

UPDATE : 11th June

Samy Vellu's Press Secretary, E Sivabalan, has come out to take the flak on behalf Samy Vellu for the plagiarised poem.

Poor guy!

How else can Samy Vellu get out of this mess after being outed as a plagiarist of the worst kind

Read here:

"I refer to the letter, "Samy Vellu plagiarised wedding poem," and wish to make the following clarification.

The Minister for Works Dato' Seri S Samy Vellu had asked me to issue a congratulatory message on his behalf to the prime minister on the occasion of the latter’s marriage on Saturday.

In the preparation of the message, I added a poem by way of dedication to reflect the happiness and joy of the occasion. I, however, inadvertently omitted to mention the authorship of the poems.

I regret the omission and for any inconvenience caused.
E Sivabalan
Press secretary to the Minister of Works.

-- end of update--

From Letter to Malaysiakini: Read here by Jason L

Excerpts: Read here for more

(The Star) reported Works Minister S Samy Vellu allegedly composing an original poem for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on occasion of the latter’s wedding tomorrow.

... the fact (is) that Samy Vellu has plagiarised this poem.

Below is Samy Vellu's alleged poem:

‘From this day forward
You shall not walk alone.
Her heart will be your shelter,
And her arms will be your home.
A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make the mountain less, but more;
and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it’


Do you know where he plagiarised the above poem from? It is from here and here.

...Reproduced below the original poems from which Samy Vellu had employed a ‘cut and paste’ operation.

From This Day Forward
Author Unknown

From this day forward,
You shall not walk alone.
My heart will be your shelter,
And my arms will be your home

Blessing For A Marriage
by James Dillet Freeman

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding
May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.
A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make the mountain less, but more;
and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it.
So let it be with you and you

Really, how cheap can one get?


Commentary:

From Splattering Consonance Blog

".. Here's a poem about Samy's latest faux pas.

Original mind you!

by Martin Jalleh

Samy had proudly sent to Jeanne and Badawi,
A congratulatory statement in perfect poetry,
So spellbound was Bolehland by his originality.

But damn, a sharp reader of Malaysiakini
Spotted Samy’s true and hidden capability
For from two poems, the Minister did copy.

As shame no longer exists in our country
Slowly but surely, silently, subtly and slyly
Samy sends in his handy press secretary.

“Blame not my master,” said he slavishly
“But blame rather on my lapse of memory.
“The authors I have left out inadvertently!”

Our sympathies, dear Jeanne and Badawi
For being treated to Samy’s cheap publicity
and pathetic excuses of his press secretary.

In light of government’s leaking credibility
Samy should stay focused on his Ministry
And save plagarised poems only for MIC.
(12 June 2007)