The Truth Revealed

Najib’s headache: Allah, kangkung or Dr M?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 08:15:00 +0000

| January 24, 2014

Najib is being attacked only because he is at his most vulnerable.

COMMENT

For Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to express an opinion about Najib Tun Razak and to act concerned for the hardship of the rakyat is quite unprecedented.

Perhaps Mukhriz should be given his own comedy show with his father former PM Mahathir Mohamad playing the part of the ventriloquist, and Mukhriz acting the part of the ventriloquist’s dummy, sitting on Mahathir’s lap. The “dialogue” between the two would be most entertaining.

During an interview with last Sunday’s edition of Berita Harian, Mukhriz warned that BN would be defeated in GE14 if it continued to be led by Najib. He blamed the rising cost of living on Najib’s unpopular decisions.

Mukhriz told Berita Harian, “Defeat is a real possibility if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak continues with his present policy of correct but unpopular decisions, especially issues concerning the rising cost of living….If Putrajaya continues to ignore the rakyat’s grouses and complaints, Barisan Nasional will find the 14th general election a tough nut to crack.”

A few days later, before Najib had time to recover from being blamed for the state of the economy, Mukhriz launched another attack.

The pressure piled-on with Mukhriz saying without a hint of irony that corruption and wastage in government spending should be addressed.

He claimed that Najib had failed to strike a balance between taking popular measures and “doing the right thing”. He feared that Najib’s short-term approach would have long-term consequences.

Only the naïve would think that Mukhriz was acting off his own bat. It is obvious that when his own future was jeopardised, Mukhriz’s stand shifted.

For months, if not years, Mukhriz neglected the suffering of Malaysians but almost overnight Mukhriz demanded that steps be taken for urgent action and remedial measures to be engaged to sort out the economy.

Attacking Najib was an indirect way of saying that he was a better leader than Najib.

Does Mukhriz live in a cocoon? Was he unaware that the day before his Berita Harian interview pro-Umno-Baru champions had threatened to unleash violence onto the streets of Malaysia in a re-enactment of May 13?

Mukhriz did not question Najib for failing to censure the people who threatened the peace. He also failed to condemn the IGP who failed to arrest the people inciting violence and spreading fear.

Allegations have recently surfaced that back in 1969 Najib’s father Abdul Razak Hussein acted in collusion with Mahathir to remove Tunku Abdul Rahman from power. Ironically, Najib is today facing that grim reality of a repetition of this coup.

Mahathir’s SOP

It was not chance which led Mukhriz to forget his father’s role in fomenting dissent.

About seven weeks ago Mahathir turned on the Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew for wanting to “hurt” Muslims. His father’s instigation has been used by extremists to whip up a frenzy of hate against Christians.

Mahathir’s standard operating procedure (SOP) is simple. First, he creates divisions in society with race and religion.

Then, he distracts them from important issues – like the GST and price hikes, and increasing energy bills.

Having paralysed people with fear Mahathir pretends to offer solutions. His son has been instructed to play the moderate role in what is seen as a highly volatile situation. Mukhriz’s concern about the rakyat is neither genuine nor sincere.

The whole carry-on by Mukhriz is a reflection of his father’s true character. Najib is being attacked only because he is at his most vulnerable. Najib’s kangkung faux pas gave Mukhriz the opening to make his “kill”.

Most people will know that Mukhriz is not capable of such protracted thinking. What goes around, comes around. The fate that awaits Najib is the one similar to the ignominious departure of his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Like a pack of hyenas circling their injured prey and waiting to pounce are Mahathir and his men.

Mukhriz is very vocal against Najib for one simple reason. This is payback time for Najib who insulted Mahathir during the last Umno-Baru internal election.

The anger of the poor Malays and the Muslim population who have genuine concerns about feeding their families or paying for medical help when they are sick have struck fear into Mahathir.

The distractions created by the Allah issue and Najib’s kangkung faux pas will blow over and the rakyat will soon be forced to focus once again on the economy and rising cost of living.

When the GST kicks in next year things will get much worse. Mahathir knows this and has instructed his son to act now.

Any delay may lead to public dissatisfaction and unrest. Mahathir’s living and recurring nightmare is the possibility that Pakatan Rakyat will finally occupy Putrajaya.

Mukhiz’s critique of Najib has little to do with your suffering, the future of the country or Najib’s failure to combat corruption.

This is Mukhriz making sure his father’s unfinished business is continued. Mahathir’s legacy has to flourish at any cost.

Najib, Umno Baru and Mukhriz are all part of the problem but the greater share of the problem lies with you!

If you had a hand in returning Umno Baru to power, especially if you were in the 47% portion of the rakyat who voted for Umno Baru; your reward has been that you will suffer the price hikes, alongside the people who voted for Pakatan.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

ALLAH - Why Christians are meekly defiant

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 07:52:00 +0000

January 24, 2014

FMT LETTER: From Stephen Ng, via e-mail

While I may want to congratulate Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi for his article, ‘Turning the other cheek on the ‘Allah’ issue’, the fact is that he is far from the correct interpretation of the phrase, ‘Turn your other cheek’.

Dr Tajuddin has at least the intellectualism necessary for discussion, compared to most other Muslim extremists from Perkasa, Jati and Isma. Allow me to therefore, briefly take him on with my side of the story, which will hopefully enlighten him further on the controversy of Allah in Malaysia. I speak as a layman, with little or no theological background.

Meek, of course!

Firstly, the Christian community in Malaysia, since the Alkitab was first banned during former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first year in power, has been ‘meek’ by comparison. For the past 20 years, church leaders have continued to tolerate the nonsense, but continued to bring in the Alkitab for the younger generation of Malaysians who were only fluent in Bahasa Malaysia. They have continued to use the name Allah in their worship service with great reverence for the name.

Those of us who did not agree initially began to understand why the name Allah has to be kept in the Alkitab translation, in order to be consistent with the rest of the Malay archipelago, which includes Indonesia, Sabah and Sarawak (where the majority of the Christians are based).

I cannot imagine, for example, for a West Malaysian preacher to speak in Malay to a congregation of East Malaysian brethren, “Kamu panggil Tuhan Allah, tapi kami panggil Tuhan kami, Tuhan.” (You call your God Allah, we call our God, God.”

Most of us did not like to use the name Allah as well initially, because of the connotations in Islam, but to remain in solidarity with the rest of the Christian world, which has been using the name Allah for centuries, including our Arab Christian brothers and sisters, we also accepted that our Allah is capable of a personal relationship with people who choose to know Him.

We have meekly explained our stand for the past 20 years. As the older generation of church leaders passed on, the younger generation of Christians like me, who have watched how the situation unfolded, have this one thing to say: Enough is enough!

Umno’s gutter politics has to be put to a stop, as it is destroying the country. I am not the only one who is saying this. A ‘pakcik’ who told me that he had hated Mahathir for many more years, said the same thing about Umno politics. Looking at TV3, he told me in grief: “Look at what we are teaching our younger generation.”

On another occasion, he said this: “In the past, Malays talk about religion. These days, they talk nothing but money.”

Fitnah has to stop

It is a lie that is being spread by Muslim extremists that the name Allah was included in the Alkitab in order to confuse the Muslims. This ‘reasoning’ only came about during the last 20 years. The first time the word Allah appeared in the Malay the Alkitab was in fact in the book of Injil Matius, translated by AC Ruyl between 1612 and 1629.

It is also a lie to say that the name Allah was used in the Malay translation of the Alkitab in order to convert Malays to Islam. We have always held that conversion is by one’s choice, and although I wish everyone, including Professor Tajuddin, to believe in Jesus, it is a personal choice. Anyone reading the Bible in English or any other languages can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ even without the so-called confusion over the name, Allah.

Even if the Alkitab is banned, digital copies of the Alkitab in Malay and Indonesian can be accessed via Youversion.com. The Catholic Herald, which I hardly can gain access for myself, I wonder if any Muslim has even laid hands on it to justify such an uproar!

To me, the Allah controversy is nothing but a polemic issue and at best, a political gimmick to win Malay votes at the expense of the other communities. Again, from what I can see in retrospect, the issue has been exploited by Dr Mahathir in the past. Is this the One Malaysia Najib Abdul Razak had been harping on when he first became the prime minister?

As far as we are concerned, religion is not, and should not, be made a State matter. Since Reformation, the church has always separated itself from the State in what is described by theologians as separation of the Church and State. Therefore, for Muslim extremists and Umno propagandists, when attacking the DAP, said that Christians had plotted to turn Malaysia into a ‘Christian nation’ is an absolute lie. It is nothing but ‘fitnah’.

For those who read Isma’s fitnah that Anwar Ibrahim is the cause of the rise of the Christian voice, I leave this to your good judgement. I rest my case. Any good Muslim man and woman should know the punishment meted against fitnah, and fear Allah, or face the punishment in one form or another, but despite all the fitnah, one question that I would like to leave with Professor Tajuddin is this: “Has the Christian community revolted with violence?”

Called to give an answer

The Christians are called to ‘give an answer’ for their faith, which includes the reason why the name Allah is being preserved in the Alkitab. Reading from its context in 1 Peter 3: 13-17, you will understand why Christians are meekly defiant: ‘Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.’

I do not need to go into the explanations why the name Allah is theologically correct to be used in the Alkitab. There are already a lot of articles written by theologians, but I like to add my point here: The word Allah is a combination of two words, “Al” (where the word ‘Almighty’ is derived) and “Lah” (which, I believe in Arabic, means God).

The origin on the word is from the pagan Arabs, which can be traced back to the original Hebrew word, Elahe, which means Almighty God. Therefore, to me, the word is not strictly a word used by the Muslims. Nowhere in the world can anyone copyright or trademark the name Allah. In fact, the rationale used by Umno and Muslim extremists all along has turned the nation into a laughing stock even amongst the Muslim community worldwide despite Najib promoting the image of Malaysia as a leading Muslim nation.

Meekly defiant

If Professor Tajuddin wants an answer to his proposition, I would like to end this by saying that the Christian community to date is ‘meekly defiant.’ This is in line with 1 Peter 3: 13-17.

If the Catholic Herald wants to bring this controversy to the highest court, it is well within their rights to do so in the context of a democratic nation. It is because they still have some faith in the courts that they have brought the matter to court in order to allow justice to be seen being done.

The two rallies that were being called for by Umno Selangor against Father Lawrence Andrew are nothing but political ugliness when religion is mixed with politics. As the Christian citizens in this country, we do not burn the effigies of Najib or Rosmah, or even the Sultan or the Agong; therefore, such meekness of the Christian church already speaks volume.

Perhaps, two other men, besides Martin Luther King would best explain the meaning of ‘meekly defiant’ – Mahatma Gandhi who, despite being critical was an avid reader of the Bible, and Nelson Mandela, who was professedly a Christian. Both were meek, but both were also defiant against injustice.

Be it a fatwa, a law or a Sultan’s decree, with all due respect to the Sultan and the authorities, the church will remain meekly defiant. Any good Muslim will understand the Christian sentiments. That, I believe, is the calling of the church, and with better communication, the Christians in both Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak are more united.

Even Christians from both political divide are of one mind, that when you touch the raw nerve of Christianity, you will have to face the consequences, as the proverbial saying goes: ‘Reap what you sow.’

Sorry Riza Aziz, your Mom's Money can't buy everything

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:23:00 +0000

http://www.malaysiakini.com

Buying over the rights and financing a film does not actually qualify one as a producer. At least not according to Hollywood's premier motion picture body, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In what the industry views as a "rare move", the Academy yesterday dropped Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz from the Oscars nominations list for best picture nominee, Wolf of Wall Street.

Instead, in the list of producers nominated for the US$100 million film are director Martin Scorcese, lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Riza's business partner Joey McFarland and Scorsese's partner Emma Tillinger Koskoff.

The list of nominated producers for the 'Wolf of Wall Street' was finalised by the Academy yesterday, a week after the other nominations were announced.

This marks a departure from the Producers Guild Association, that nominated Riza as producer but not Scorsese and DiCaprio, for the controversial film about debauchery in the world of finance.

According Deadline Hollywood, DiCaprio had worked to get the film to screen as producer for six years and had roped in Riza and McFarland's fledgling production company Red Granite Pictures, that fully financed the venture.

Red Granite then purchased the rights from Warner Bros and was caught in a legal battle with the original producer Alexandra Milchan for compensation. The matter has been resolved out of court.

Responding to the Academy's announcement, Red Granite, in a media statement, said it will not contest the decision and that Riza is honoured to have been part of the project. Riza is the son of Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor from her first marriage.

The movie has been banned in Malaysia, and his financing of the film has drawn scorn from right-wing Malay supremacists Perkasa.

Hollywood disdain

Meanwhile, whistleblower Sarawak Report as part of its expose on Riza cited “Hollywood insiders” as saying that the decision to dump Riza follow industry concerns over financiers “attempting to claim producer credits for films they bankrolled but did not make”.

“They are greener than green,” one “experienced producer” told Sarawak Report of Riza and McFarland, whom the portal reported previously acted as party planned for Malaysian wheeler dealer Jho Low (right).

“They are financiers, but have also taken producer credits. The producer credits have gone to Riza, Joey and some other producers, but the actual work is being done by people working for Red Granite and the other producers,” another unnamed “senior Hollywood producer” is quoted as saying.

Those in the know credit Milchan as the main driver for the film, having procured the rights to the Jordan Belfort (the jailed financier played by DiCaprio) story and commissioned the script before the project was taken up by Warner Bros.

Insiders say it was her who roped in DiCaprio and Scorsese, despite the Red Granite duo claiming to have done so in media reports, citing their friendship with the Hollywood heartthrob. They also claim that that Milchan “came back and took over” after Warner Bros dropped the film and then sold it to Red Granite.

“It's common knowledge. That is what producers do, but Red Granite just bought over a done deal. They aren't what I would call producers, they are financiers and money men,” one insider said.

Industry professionals told the website that while the film cost US$100 million, publicity and marketing would have cost an additional US$35-40 million. The film has grossed US$80 million so far, the insiders said, but producers only get a fraction of the takings.

“The threatre keeps 60 percent and the studio 40 percent, then there are all the payments before the producers get anything back,” one Hollywood professional is quoted as saying.

Deep pockets

Insiders also revealed that the film was not “pre-sold” for three months after it started production, and everything was on Red Granite's expense. Sarawak Report noted that the new kids on the block's deep pockets have also set tongues wagging, with seasoned professionals questioning the rookies' ability to raise so much funds.

It also reported that there is speculation that Riza was cut by the Academy over comments by "close friends" in Malaysian media which could be viewed as anti-semitic.

The Malaysian Gazette, a portal run by a journalist close to Riza's mother Rosmah Mansor, quoted these “close friends” as saying that Riza should be celebrated for “breaking the monopoly of Jews in Hollywood”.

Riza, it reported, has never made any overt statements of bigotry but such sentiments by Riza's “close friends” and his failure to “disown” the remarks have “appalled the liberal and egalitarian community in Hollywood”.

“Many of Hollywood’s high flyers are indeed rightfully proud of being Americans of Jewish heritage. However, America is passionately committed to success through merit, unlike in Malaysia, where it is increasingly complained that only certain well-connected families can expect to monopolise money-making opportunities.”

Sarawak Report had earlier exposed that Riza had purchased a US$17.5 million ((RM58.21 million mansion) in Hollywood, after purchasing a US$33.5 million (RM110 million) apartment in New York in 2010.

It reported that Riza, 36, worked with HSBC Bank in London for three years before making his Hollywood bid.

Agong is not the head of Islam, says constitutional law expert

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:06:00 +0000

V. ANBALAGAN, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia has no head of Islam and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is only the head of religion in his own home state and in states without rulers, said a constitutional law expert.

Former International Islamic University Malaysia academic Dr Abdul Aziz Bari (pic) said the more appropriate platform to represent the rulers on religious issues is the Conference of Rulers.

"It appears that not all the rulers view the way of the Agong and the Sultan of Selangor," Abdul Aziz said in a statement.

As such, he said the statement made by the Agong on the "Allah" issue last week had no effect.

"It may not even bind the Muslims as the resolution made by the National Fatwa Council in 1986, which was cited by the Agong in his address, has no legal standing," he said.

On Sunday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah had stated that several Arabic words, including "Allah", were exclusive to Muslims.

The Agong, who is also the Kedah Sultan, cited a 1986 decree by the National Fatwa Council which prohibits non-Muslims from using the words.

In November, the Sultan of Selangor also said that non-Muslims in his state could not use the word.

The Agong is appointed on a five-year rotational basis among the nine Malay rulers and is head of the religion of his state, Sabah, Sarawak, Penang, Malacca and the Federal Territories.

Abdul Aziz said the rulers, despite being the head of religion, had no power to lay down the laws of Islam.

"Only the Holy Prophet has the power to do so. Even the companions and later the caliphs had no such power. The position of the rulers is inferior to that of the caliphs.

"In any case, only the laws of Islam that is contained in the constitution and the relevant legislation can be enforced," he said.

Abdul Aziz also said the Agong's statement was not quite in line with the 10-point solution agreed by the Federal Government in 2011.

The 10-point solution which was endorsed by the cabinet, among others, allowed Christians nationwide to use the AlKitab in their religious practices.

"The rulers have no effect on non-Muslims as the right to religious freedom is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. No authority can tell non-Muslims how they should practise their religion.

"Even for the Muslims, it is for the religion itself to regulate how they should practise Islam," he said.

He said the statement on the "Allah" issue may not even bind the Muslims as there was is no clear basis for it.

"In fact, some religious scholars such as Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawy had stated that it was fine for non-Muslims to use the name."

Abdul Aziz said the Agong, in his performance of the religous functions, may not listen to the advice of Putrajaya and was this was in line with the way the Constitution stipulated how the rulers function as head of religion.

He said the duty to abide by the government's advice under Article 40 (1) of the Constitution is a general requirement. "I do not think this includes the Agong's religious functions," he said.

Negeri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, at his investiture ceremony in conjunction with his 66th birthday last week, urged Malaysian Muslims to respect each individual’s religion to avoid disharmony.

“In a Malaysian context, the Constitution has set Islam as the official religion of the country without hindering others to practise their own religions," Tuanku Muhriz had said.

“With that, I urge Malaysian Muslims to continue living in harmony with each other and ensuring respect is given to others who practise different religions.”

Tuanku Muhriz also called on leaders of every community to cast aside sentiments which can destroy the harmony the country is thriving in.

Abdul Aziz said that not many people knew that the White Paper which accompanied the Merdeka Constitution final draft stated that Jakim (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) should be put under the Conference of Rulers.

"Now Jakim is being put as a unit under the Prime Minister's Department which I think is quite wrong," he said. – January 22, 2014.

Umno Baru's Ten Commandments

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 12:46:00 +0000

2:256 in the Quran states that “there is no compulsion in religion”, but in Malaysia, which boasts the best democracy in the world, forced conversions are de-rigeur and words like ‘Allah’ are copyrighted for the exclusive use of Muslims.

Malaysian Christians (and non-Muslims) are at the mercy of the country’s religious zealots but Najib Abdul Razak, the prime minister for 47 percent of the nation’s population, is too timid or too scared to smooth tensions between the different communities. He claims that what he does is in the name of peace and harmony. What would happen if he meant to create disorder and chaos?

In this Christmas period, I hope you will forgive me for adapting ‘The Ten Commandments’ to critique Umno Baru leaders and to raise awareness about the importance of tolerance. One needs respect and understanding to live harmoniously. One should be protected by the right of religious freedom, as enshrined in the constitution of Malaysia; but the reality is that most of our freedoms are being eroded.

The following Ten Commandments of Umno Baru explain the decline in spirituality of Umno Baru members.

First Commandment: Thou shalt worship Umno Baru
(Thou shalt have no other gods before me)

When Umno Baru dictates, you obey. Only Umno Baru can “protect” the Malay race, Islam and the King. Sane Malaysians ask “Protect from whom or what?” but the answers are not forthcoming.

Blind allegiance means that the more simple minded members of the rakyat will soon face their day of ill-judgement. They will discover that despite Umno Baru’s promises made at GE13, price hikes will make them feel they are living in a hell on earth.

Second Commandment: Thou shalt idolise the leader of Umno Baru
(Thou shalt not make for yourself an idol)

In 2011, Najib Abdul Razak’s image on soft drink cans caused a drop in sales and the company responsible was forced to withdraw the cans from sale and issue a grovelling apology.

Posters of Najib adorning the pillars and sides of KTM Komuter trains allegedly caused much anger among the cleaners because they had to clear more than the normal amount of spittle. KTM officials allegedly spent several thousand ringgits replacing broken windows because bricks often missed their targets.

Student Adam Adli, who removed a flag bearing Najib’s image, was charged with alleged sedition. Why can’t divine retribution be as swift as the one received by those who oppose Umno Baru?

Third Commandment: Thou shalt be charged with sedition
(Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord God in vain)

Using the word ‘Allah’ without proper authorisation can result in a charge of sedition. Non-Malays could do one of two things to freely use ‘Allah’; Convert to Islam. Go to Sabah or Sarawak.

If you are non-Malay, don’t read the word ‘Allah’ out loud as this could be deemed seditious.

Showing dissent consumes many police man-hours. At a Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) forum this May, Adam Adli expressed his disappointment over the electoral process at GE13. Five days later, 10 policemen were sent to arrest him for alleged sedition.

Be warned because any opposition to Umno Baru is viewed as a personal slight by the IGP. Umno Baru want the rakyat to stop thinking. It would help if we were all brain-dead, like most of the Umno Baru politicians.

Fourth Commandment: Thou shalt not gather to celebrate any day
(Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy)

Joining street parties or rallies to celebrate special days, like Merdeka, Valentine’s Day or New Year’s eve, in the spirit of fun and merry-making, means that the reveller risks being charged with sedition and toppling the government.

The Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) stipulates that no one can protest within 500 metres of a fire hydrant. Has anyone noticed the proliferation of thousands of hydrants in towns and cities lately, doubtless all supplied by a crony company, at inflated prices and great cost to the taxpayer?

Fifth Commandment: Honour the Malays and Utusan, the messenger of Umno Baru
(Honour thy father and mother)

At the Umno Baru general assembly of December 2012, the Umno Baru Youth information chief, Reezal Merican Naina Merican (left), said “Umno is the party chosen by God to liberate the chosen land of Malaysia and to uplift the chosen race of the Malays... Remember, we are mukhtarin, the chosen ones.”

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the women’s minister who is best remembered for her fondness for cows and condominiums, is reported on the Utusan website to have said that God would be with Utusan Malaysia: “Percayalah, pada akhirnya Tuhan akan bersama Utusan”.

How did these two “Melayu Baru” manage to have direct communication with God?

Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt kill
(Thou shalt not kill)

As the Mongolian proverb states, “Least said, soonest mended”. Suffice to say, that sometimes, Umno Baru disciples think that killing is justified because the end justifies the means.

Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt commit adultery
(Thou shalt not commit adultery)

Contrary to popular belief, Umno Baru politicians believe that they work extremely hard. Consequently, they must also play hard. Their alleged choices of “playthings” range from other males, to maids, models and movie starlets. There is nothing that money cannot buy, when affection is absent.

Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt steal from the rakyat
(Thou shalt not steal)

Being in power means that one must make use of the resources available, ie taxpayers’ money. One’s role in government is to cook up new schemes to squeeze more money from the rakyat.
The BR1M scheme generates more money than the millions needed to set it up. Money-making ponzi schemes are easier and more profitable than having to save one’s pocket money from one’s teenage years. A prominent Umno Baru spouse can attest to this.

Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt lie
(Thou shalt not lie)

How else could Umno Baru convince the rakyat to do its every bidding? In a few months, the gullible 47 percent will realise their folly. By GE14, these same people will again fall for the same lies. Only a miracle may change things around.

If one had to go to court, one need not lie. Just feign forgetfulness. One Umno Baru demi-god did it and it worked.

Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt covet everything that does not belong to you
(Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbour, including his wife.)

Isn’t it amazing that the more the non-Malay succeeds, the more the Malays are angered and left feeling dissatisfied? The Malays retaliate by demanding more concessions or perks. Being deprived spurs those who are left with very little, to make the most out of things. It hardens them and encourages them to become stronger, to survive. At the same time, this creates a vicious cycle.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Zong Qinghou, The Billionaire Who Lives on $20 a Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 15:16:00 +0000

“For a long time, I couldn’t even afford food and clothing. I climbed from the very bottom of the society.” –Zong Qinghou

Zong Qinghou is the Founder and CEO of Hangzhou Wahaha Group. The most impressive thing about Zong is his humble beginnings, focused mindset and simple lifestyle. Zong went from selling soda and popsicles to schoolchildren to owning 15% of China’s soft drinks market and becoming the wealthiest man in mainland China.

But Zong doesn’t look like your average multi-billion dollar CEO. He wears average clothes, eats tofu and pickled vegetables for lunch with his employees in the staff canteen and lives off of $20 a day. His hard work and meticulousness are also praised by his employees and business partners. It’s no wonder he has grown his business from a small shop serving school children to a successful empire that continues to grow.

Zong was born in 1954 in Zhejiang, China. From 1964 to 1978, Zong lived and worked on a farm commune during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution where he read Communist books about leadership and persevering through struggling times. Although Zong only finished secondary school, he was dedicated to working hard in order to achieve a better life for himself and his family. “When you are poor, you’ll have to think of ways to be better off” says Zong. And that’s exactly what he did. After Deng Xiaoping came to power, Zong was able to move back to his home province in Hangzhou.

With limited education, Zong could only find menial work at a local school. Through hard work and dedication, Zong eventually moved up to a salesman for a consumer-goods company. It wasn’t until 1987 that Zong’s first real business venture took off. With a $22,000 loan from family members, he and two of his retired teacher friends took over a mini grocery store that sold beverages and milk products to school children in the Shangcheng District.

Zong was diligent in his spending, ensuring that he did not spend any more than what they would make in profits. They started out selling cheap items, however Zong recognized that in order for the business to survive long-term, they would need to start manufacturing their own products and expanding the business. In 1989, Zong formally established Hangzhou Wahaha (“laughing child”), producing nutritional food and drinks for children. With limited options for food and beverage in the community, the business was a hit. So much so, that by 1991 Zong was able to take over an old state-run canned food factory and formed the Hangzhou Wahaha Group Corporation.

Zong’s business expanded to other areas over the years, including a joint venture with Groupe Danone in 1996 which brought them into the bottled water and dairy products making industry and expanded their reach to over 30 new ventures. In 2007 the companies ended their partnership; however Wahaha was able to pick up the pieces and continue its success, becoming the largest beverage company in the People’s Republic of China.

Zong is most noted for his diligent workaholic attitude and attention to detail. He still insists on reviewing every office expense, even for small items and personally signs off on every major spending decision. He lives on only $20 a day and tells reporters, “my only exercise is doing market research…my only hobbies are smoking and drinking tea.” Even his wife and daughter work in the company and it is said that he sometimes sleeps in the office building.

Despite his billion dollar success, Zong Quinghou remains a humble man and leads a simple life. He serves as a sharp contrast to many of the extravagant business leaders of today. He detests fancy meals and banquets and makes it a point to eat the same food as his staff in the company’s cafeteria. He wears a simple wardrobe and has been quoted as saying, “people cannot tell if I were wearing clothes worth a thousand (US$160) or a hundred (US$16) yuan, so why would I want to spend money on them?” Although Zong is extremely proud of his success, he clearly hasn’t lost sight of where he came from.

Aziz Bari: Fatwa Council has no legal standing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 14:54:00 +0000

The National Fatwa Council has no legal standing as matters concerning Islam is a state affair, says constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari.

"The National Fatwa Council resolution has no legal standing as Islam is a matter for the states, and such a group has no constitutional status.

"This federal-state division of powers which put Islam in the hands of the states is maintained by the federal constitution," he said in a statement today.

As such, he stressed, whatever the council says about the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department's (Jais) raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia on Jan 2 has no effect, be it on Muslims or non-Muslims.

"Even opinions issued by the state muftis that are issued on a personal basis and not done in the procedure required by the law in that particular state, are not binding.

"They remain personal opinions of the muftis. They are different from the court decisions which form part of the country's law," Abdul Aziz (left) noted.

He also pointed out that there were inconsistencies of edicts in different states.

"Interestingly enough, there are issues in which muftis do not have similar rulings, such as smoking.

“Some rule it as haram (prohibited) while some others rule as makruh (disapproved)," he said.

He added that only provisions contained in the relevant state enactments would make them binding on Muslims in the state.

Read more here: http://beta.malaysiakini.com/news/252179

Rope-a-dope in Putrajaya

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 06:43:00 +0000

Mariam Mokhtar | January 10, 2014

Battlefield Putrajaya may be the final straw which tears this nation apart.

COMMENT

How do you convince the Umno Baru and Barisan Nasional diehard supporters that their diet of mainstream media news is unhealthy?

Truth, à la mainstream media, is like the dry kernels of corn which are cooked over heat, until they puff-up. Dry corn is unpalatable, but when cooked and laced with honey and butter, gullible readers consume the pop-corn with relish.

Fed on a diet of Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, The Star and the New Straits Times, the supporters of Umno Baru and BN believe Malaysia’s economy is rosy. Malays and Muslims are being threatened.

The only bad people are opposition politicians who spread filth through the alternative media. To Umno Baru lovers, writers for the alternative media who try to give readers facts, are liars.

Have you ever been to a football match where the spectators shift their focus from the players on the field, to a fight in the stands? That is what the Allah debacle is all about – it is a politically staged, and funded, sideshow to divert Malaysians from the issues which matter more.

In Najib Tun Razak’s case, he and his government are trying to hide from the rakyat the falling educational standards, the mismanagement of the economy, the hike in prices which will lead to a rise in our cost of living, the illicit outflows totalling billions of ringgits, the squandering of the nation’s wealth, the rise in crime and criminal activities, broken promises of GE13, and most glaringly, Najib’s failure to contain the wastage of his government including his inability to curb his own profligacy.

The Mahathir and Umno Baru lovers should try and be objective and read as much as possible from knowledgeable sources about the failures, cock-ups and cover-ups of the Umno Baru led government over the past 56 years.

Today, battlefield Putrajaya may be the final straw which tears this nation apart. The rakyat is compelled to endure the most savage face-off between the reigning heavyweight champion, “Nimble Najib”, and the 22-times heavyweight retired champion, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is staging a comeback. This is the most important fight of their lives. The rivalry is intense.

In a previous bout, Mahathir was given a bloody nose, causing him to be unsteady on his feet, (Najib snubbing Mukhriz in the Umno Baru internal elections), but with the Allah debacle in full swing, Mahathir has bounced back into the ring; he knows Najib is at his weakest and he is taking advantage of the situation.

The sparring between Najib and Mahathir is far from clean. The Queensbury’s rules do not apply. Instead of a gentlemanly approach, there is match fixing and all manner of dirty fighting.

The stakes are high. The winner inherits a nation, not just the prize money, even though it is worth millions of ringgits of unwritten contracts and other illegal deals. The winner has the freedom to run the nation as he pleases.

Minor distraction

Utusan Malaysia alleges that Mahathir had accused the Catholic weekly Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew of “hurting” Muslims. It also said that Father Andrew should respect the Court of Appeal decision that ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims.

Mahathir wanted to know why Allah should suddenly be used in the peninsula. He blamed non-Malays for refusing to speak the national language but not when it came to using the word Allah.

Has Mahathir forgotten? It is true when he said “Melayu mudah lupa”, although some readers would disagree and claim that Mahathir is not a Malay.

In 2009, Umno Baru and thugs torched churches and created havoc in the community, when they refused to respect the judgment of High Court Judge, Lau Bee Lan.

With Taib Mahmud and Musa Aman subjugating the natives, forcing compulsory takeovers of their ancestral lands and keeping the majority of oil and timber revenue for themselves, scores of east Malaysians migrated to the peninsula to improve their lives.

Mahathir claims that the non-Malays refuse to speak the national language but again, he is wrong. Malaysian schoolchildren nowadays are fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and to their credit, the non-Malays excel at Malay, doubtless much to the annoyance of some Malays.

In the opening round, Mahathir tried to deliver a punch to the bread basket of the portly Najib. He said that during his tenure, he did not need big, fancy jets to travel, and wanted to tarnish Najib’s reputation further, wondering why Najib required five jets, thus wasting taxpayers’ money.

Najib may have momentarily stumbled, but he was back on his feet before the count could begin. In perhaps, another minor distraction, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that a minister’s special officer and two other people were being investigated over a cleaning contract for a ministry.

Neither the minister nor the ministry were named. Is this to make it appear as if Najib is doing something about corruption?

The Perak river, which flows through Kuala Kangsar has a reputation for demanding a human sacrifice every five years. Is this cleaning contract the sacrifice that must be given to the MACC? The MACC may be happy with a sacrifice of ikan bilis, but the rakyat are not fooled so easily. We know that the MACC only catches the small fry and lets the big fish escape.

The Malays who consider themselves part of the establishment, and the new Malay elite with newfound wealth, should not look the other way.

Don’t even think that our current problem stems from the attitude of only the Malays. Umno Baru could not have continued trashing this nation, if MCA, MIC, Gerakan and the parties of Sabah and Sarawak had not given Umno Baru leaders carte blanche to wreak havoc.

When these two men hunger for power, everything else is immaterial. In their pursuit of power, they take others down, including the innocent citizens of a nation.

It is up to you, the rakyat, to save the country. If you do nothing, you will be able to stand aside and watch Malaysia go the way of other tin-pot, African banana republics.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

Ramon's Resolutions for 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 05:25:00 +0000

Ramon's Resolutions for 2014

by Tan Sri (Dr.) Ramon Navaratnam, Chairman, ASLI Centre of Public Policy Studies

WE are relieved that major elections at national and party levels are over. Thankfully they were conducted under peaceful conditions, although many would have preferred more “free and fair” elections.

We have passed the stage of politicking and rhetoric and should seek to implement all the election promises and deliver beneficial outcomes to the rakyat.Thus, it would be useful for us to review the past, examine our present concerns and needs and to propose inter alia, the following eight resolutions, for the adoption by our leaders and people.

We should resolve as follows:

Peace and national unity must be strengthened. We should all refrain from hurtful and divisive comments and actions that will cause disunity. We should isolate all those who indulge in extremist remarks and actions that erode our peace and national unity.

The Government should come down hard on all persons who pose a threat to peace and unity in a fair and equitable manner that is accepted by all;

Security standards have to be enhanced by greatly improving the crime index with more urgency.

The Police could use their new laws to go all out to break up the crime syndicates and get the kingpins, as they promised they would do, in order to get public support for the introduction of the new Crime Prevention Act;

Corruption is still high and despite all government initiatives, it has hardly improved. New laws need to be introduced and the MACC has to show that it is more effective by reducing the TI Index considerably and more significantly;

Inflation is a growing threat to our well-being. The poor and lower income groups are now burdened with rising prices.

Despite the BR1M, they find it difficult to cope with daily living costs. The recent reduction in subsidies and the increase in toll, electricity and property rates are not the only cases of rising prices. There has to be an anti-inflation strategy to combat inflation.

The Government has to remove or reduce monopolies, closed and negotiated tendering practices and liberalise the economy much more. We have to adopt principles of the New Economic Model and phase out the abusive practices of the protective policies;

Social stability has to be buttressed by basic needs policies that have to replace race-based policies and practices.

Race economics have also undermined national unity.Some even claim that there is political and economic apartheid, which is quite ridiculous.However, these issues have to be boldly addressed and overcome, to give greater priority to the poor of all races;

Unemployment is looming as a serious problem and must be curbed quickly.

Graduate unemployment is a rising social threat. Can the Government seek faster ways of improving our education system by introducing more technical teaching to make our school graduates more productive and thus employable. We might also be able to reduce drug consumption and gangsterism;

Religious bigotry and religious intolerance have to be clamped down more strenuously before we have more disharmony and less religious appreciation and understanding of each other in our multiracial society.

Can a National Interfaith Council under the Prime Minister or his Deputy be formed next year to promote more religious goodwill?; and

Malaysia’s Human Rights record has to be improved as a matter of high priority.

We have not signed and ratified all the Core Human Rights Conventions.Malaysia has now to respond to 232 recommendations before the Human Rights Council in March 2014.

Surely, we can show the world that we are far better disposed to the promotion and protection of human rights in our country?

In conclusion, I believe that if we can sincerely adopt and implement the above eight New Year Resolutions, we would make a big leap forward in ensuring for ourselves - a more Happy and Prosperous and United Malaysia in 2014 and beyond!

Preoccupation with Faith stays beyond 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 05:13:00 +0000

by The Malaysian Insider (12-26-13)

Najib is just another Politician

The Malaysian Insider on Najib: "... there is no reason to despair. Just understand that this man (Najib) is just a politician, not a leader or statesman. Just another politician. And they all come and go".

Faith in Malaysia has become a trickier issue in the past few years, first with the authorities insisting that the word Allah is exclusive to Muslims, and finally that Muslims must be Sunni, and not Shia.

The preoccupation with faith and the policing of it is perplexing to say the least when it has never been a bone of contention for the most part of the country's independence. If anything, the economy and the salaryman's pay packet has always been a greater issue.

But the usually taciturn Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak finally broke his silence on Christmas Day to speak about Islam and Christianity amid the Government's battle to keep the Arabic word Allah only for Muslims.

He spoke of common origins for both religions and called for mutual respect, saying "Although in terms of faith, we have our differences, for example, the concept of God. In Islam the concept of God is quite different.But if we are always quarrelling on this, then we will be distancing the Muslims from the Christians."

He is right, of course. Except that it has been the Government that has been quarreling about this and finally coming up with its Solomon-like ruling that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak can use Allah but not in the Peninsula.

Perhaps, the Kuala Lumpur Catholic Church Archbishop emeritus Murphy Pakiam put it succinctly when he said yesterday, "What did he say? Even if the world talks and laughs about this 'Allah' issue, Malaysia will not allow (its use by non-Muslims), we (Government) will defend the exclusivity of its use."

"his is not a man who was educated in our Catholic school. By talking like that, you are just a bickering politician. I am praying that Allah will enlighten him to become a statesman."

The Government's directive to the Church's weekly, Herald, to refrain from using the word in its Bahasa edition has been the subject of a court case that saw a 2009 High Court decision to allow the usage, only for the Court of Appeal to overturn the ruling last October.

The latest ruling and Putrajaya's opposition to a new appeal has caused outrage among the country's Christian community, particularly those who worship in Bahasa. Christians form 9% of Malaysia's 29 million population.

"You think I am not angry? But he is the Prime Minister, so I have to pray to God to please help him do his duty for the whole country and not just UMNO," Pakiam said at the Christian Federation's Christmas Day celebrations where a minister represented Najib.

The anger is palpable for Christians who feel the prime minister has pretended to be moderate and reasonable on a world stage, but is nothing like that when he returns to government business in Malaysia, pandering to the Malay far right, which seeks economic and religious dominance.

But at least the likes of Malay rights group Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali and controversial lecturer Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah are straight about their aims.With the two of them, it is what you see is what you get. They do not pretend to be champions of multiracial politics, unlike the Prime Minister and politicians from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

This includes the Christians who choose to remain as ministers, deputy ministers and MPs in the Najib administration – while making polite noises to their community but remaining silent in government – being just grateful that there is some financial aid or extra holidays for the festivities.

As DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said today, Najib has to prove he is a moderate by deed and conviction and not be a political chameleon who alternates between moderation and immoderation in his speeches, depending on the crowd and occasion.

The thing is, Najib and BN have constantly hammered Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for being a political chameleon. But the reality is this: Anwar and many Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are secure in their faith as Muslims, and have not played politics on the Allah issue.

In the run-up to the election, Anwar supported the right of Christians to continue using the word Allah, stumping Terengganu and other Malay-belt states.The same cannot be said for Najib and his ministers who have been chameleon like in their dealings with other communities, especially on religious issues. The Shia are now feeling the heat although Malaysia has cordial ties with Iran, the world's most populous Shia nation.

If anything, the only Malaysian Prime Minister with religious credentials has been Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, although it was under his time that Putrajaya began enforcing the exclusivity of Allah for Muslims.Yet, he was also the man who signed the Amman Message that agreed Sunni and Shia are legitimate branches of the faith.

For Putrajaya however, politics come first rather than interfaith harmony even if the Prime Minister did say, "I had mentioned before that I am not interested in winning an argument. I'm only concerned about preserving peace, harmony and stability in this country. This is my responsibility as Malaysia's Prime Minister."

That peace, harmony and stability means he needs to keep his vote bank happy. With the next election years away, he and BN have dropped their act of being good to every community, focusing only on one.

After all, the Allah appeal was only decided after the general election. And in time, perhaps people will forget that, and even forget prices only rose after the polls.

But there is no reason to despair. Just understand that this man is just a politician, not a leader or statesman.Just another politician. And they all come and go. Right? – December 26, 2013.

EXPOSED! ROSMAH'S SON buys RM110 MIL condo, funds 'X-rated' Leonardo di Caprio movie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 14:37:00 +0000

SarawakReport

27 Dec 2013

Wall Street Greed / Malaysian Money – EXPOSE!

Disrespectful? The Malaysian funded depiction of greed and debauchery on Wall Street was launched on Christmas Day in the US.

The wife of the PM, Rosmah Mansor, is apparently advocating that every Malaysian school child should be shown the newly released Leonardo di Caprio film, The Wolf of Wall Street, in order to warn them against greed and immorality.
One wonders how she proposes to get around the fact that the film has been X-rated owing to the violence and sex scenes, which extend to drug taking and mass orgies?
The makers of the film reportedly tempted director Martin Scorcese onto the project by allowing him a free hand to make the movie as hard core as he liked, thereby limiting audiences in America to over 17 unless accompanied by a suitable adult.
There is also the question of cost.

Riza Aziz (left) is reportedly the money behind Red Granite Pictures

In some schools in Sarawak children sleep side by side on the floor under leaking roofs, owing to cash restraints.
Yet mass screenings of a top new movie would presumably involve paying out scarce funds to the production company.
Perhaps the powerful wife of the PM figures that at least the production company is Malaysian owned, so that the public money would be supporting a local enterprise?
More specifically, the production company behind The Wolf on Wall Street, Red Granite Pictures, is headed and financed by her own son Riza Aziz (Riza Shahriz Bin Abdul Aziz).
Red Granite was founded by Aziz in 2010 and has already bankrolled a number of big name projects, including ‘Friends With Kids’ and ‘Dumb and Dumber To ‘, as well as The Wolf of Wall Street, which had been dropped by mainstream studios.
In the case of The Wolf of Wall Street the reasons for dropping the movie was its disgusting content – Scorcese was heckled at a recent Academy showing, according to reports, with the words “shame on you“!

Copious sex, drugs and violence – movie bankrollers Red Granite include Riza Aziz (right)

Where did the money come from?
How Riza Aziz emerged as a major bankroller of Hollywood movies is of obvious interest. Could it be linked to his family position and circle of associates?

Jho Low the partying ‘billionaire’

It has already been noted that Najib Razak’s step-son, is a close associate of the controversial and flamboyant financier Jho Low (Low Taek Jho) a Penang business graduate educated in the UK and US, who has acted as the front man in a number of eyebrow-raising business deals linked both to Taib Mahmud in Sarawak and Najib’s pet project the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad.
Indeed, Jho Low’s series of notorious antics, distributing Crystal Champagne around the world’s top nightclubs and lavishing vast sums on famous women like Paris Hilton and Taiwanese pop star Elva Hsiao, suggest a remarkably similar animal to the character supposedly deplored in the film, the jailed Wall Street financier Jordan Belfort (although Sarawak Report would not wish to imply that any of the misconduct depicted in the film applies to Mr Low).
Low was prominent at the launch party for the film, posing next to Riza Aziz and his partner in Red Granite Pictures, the Kentuky ‘private equity cowboy’, Joey Mcfarland, on stage at the event, which will further fuel speculation over possible links.

Red Granite Picture’s Riza Aziz and Joey Mcfarland with finance ‘whiz kid’ Jho Low at the launch of Wolf Of Wall Street

Mega Finance linked to Malaysia
The Hollywood coverage of the fast trajectory of Red Granite Pictures from nowhere in 2010 to a “top company to watch” in just three years has made no bones about the supposedly deep pockets of Riza Aziz, widely described as the ‘son of the Malaysian Prime Minister’.
This was how the New York Magazine’s ‘Vulture’ section put it back in 2012:

Reported in the New York Magazine

“For days now, talent agencies have buzzed with the news that Leonardo DiCaprio might be finally committing to star in The Wolf of Wall Street for director Martin Scorsese, a project that was first reported exclusively by Vulture almost a year ago today. Then, earlier this morning, Deadline carried the news that the funding had at last been locked into place, courtesy of Wall Street big-shots themselves: Riza Aziz, a former HSBC investment banker from London, and Joey McFarland, a private equity cowboy from Kentucky. Their Red Granite Pictures will be fully financing the feature adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s memoir of his boozy, debauchery-rich journey to multimillionaire in the Reagan eighties to federal convict..”[Vulture 3/15/12]

The Hollywood Reporter described Red Granite Picture’s launch party in Cannes as “one of the hottest parties in years”, describing the up-coming Wolf of Wall Street as a $100 million dollar film. They boast a rare interview with Aziz, which for Malaysians provides some fascinating information:

“Red Granite was formed by Riza Aziz — the 35-year-old son of Malaysian Prime Minster Tun Abdul Razak and among the new generation of film financiers flocking to Hollywood — andJoey McFarland, 40… In one of the few interviews they’ve given, Aziz and McFarland, both with a background in finance, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how they’ve spent the last year, their plans for the company and their determination to stay on budget with Wolf…..
Aziz: We’d like to make three to five films a year, with one tentpole and two or three films with more modest budgets in the $20 million to $40 million range.
THR: How much money are you backed by?
McFarland: We do not talk about that.
Aziz: I will say that I have money invested in the company. It shows that I have skin in the game and am committed from a financial point of view. We also have a group of investors, mainly from the Middle East and Asia.
THR: What does your father think of your new venture?
Aziz: I have leeway, but he likes to know that the projects we do have pedigree.[Hollywood Reporter]

Sarawak Report suggests that the above remarks by Najib’s step-son imply strongly that his money is family money and that he is to an extent accountable to his ‘father’ the Prime Minister, who gives him ‘leeway’.

Aziz (left) in a family pose with Rosmah and siblings

If Malaysia was blessed with a free media this would be enough to provoke a barrage of questions as to exactly how the son of Rosmah Mansor has acquired these hundreds of millions of dollars to flush through major Hollywood movies?
Because, if the money is Najib’s, how did the PM get to be so rich?
This is unlikely to be a comfortable subject for the Malaysian BN leader, who is heavily caught up in the Scorpene Submarine kickback scandal that is soon due to appear in a French court over the payments of €119million to a Malaysian company run by his personal negotiator on the deal, Razak Baginda.
Alternatively, there is a lot of reference in the Hollywood Press to Mr Aziz’s own personal fortune, allegedly made as an investment banker in the UK. This is how Riza Aziz described his money-making career as an investment banker to the Hollywood Reporter:

THR: Riza, you come from a political dynasty. How did you get from Malaysia to Hollywood?
Aziz: My background is in finance and I was in London for close to 10 years. I took a sabbatical from all the chaos that was happening in 2008 and decided to travel the world. I came to the U.S. and was offered the opportunity to get involved in a lot of different things business-wise, and one of them was to be involved in a film with some friends. From that one project, more kept coming in, so we decided to have a company. We began building the team and I brought Joey in at an early stage.

So could Aziz have made the money himself?
Sarawak Report has researched Riza Aziz’s banking career after leaving the London School of Economics in the year 2000. It appears that he worked with the management consultants KPMG for two years till 2002 and then at HSBC London from 2005 until the financial crash in 2008:

Multi-million dollar investment banker’s CV?

According to the Financial Services Authority, Riza Aziz was employed in a relatively minor role at HSBC for five years, although Aziz himself says he resigned in 2008. It is a perfectly respectable CV, but for a man who didn’t inherit family money from his mother or father (who worked as a bureaucrat) his ‘investment banking career’ does not explain the source of his finances.

‘Investment banker’, Riza Aziz

Yet flush with cash the young Malaysian most undoubtedly now is, raising comment even in the capitalists’ capital of New York, where he recently bought a flash 7 bedroom home for $33.5 million in a smart zone of town.

Big spending Aziz makes no secret of his connections in Malaysia

Reports on the purchase once again refer to the unconvincing ‘investment banker’ explanation for Aziz’s money:

“Aziz, who reportedly makes his money as an investment banker, has been pegged as a producer to watch. He is one of a new generation of film financiers making their mark in Hollywood, according to a recent story in Variety.” [The Real Deal]

Mystery Malaysian investment – the Jho Low connection?
However, other Hollywood newspapers speak of a separate form of income entirely, in the form of third party investors.

Big money buy outs of movie projects that other studios decided were too dangerous to handle

For example, The Los Angeles Times refers to “undisclosed investors in the Middle East and Asia”.
If so, these investors are mighty trusting.
Red Granite Picture’s business model is one that may very well bring success, if it bets on the right movies. However, it clearly demands an ability to be able to risk enormous sums of money up-front.
The LA Times repeats the narrative that Red Pictures buys up promising production projects that other studios have dropped, because they have become too fraught and dangerous:

“Where movie studios see trouble, Red Granite Pictures sees opportunities”, the paper says. It continues:
“The new finance and distribution company’s business plan is both contrary and simple: Make the films the studios don’t.
Among its first projects are Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which comes out Wednesday, and next year’s “Dumb and Dumber To,” the intentionally misspelled sequel to the 1994 comedy.
On the surface, those pictures don’t exactly seem like the sort that a major studio would cast aside.
But both were complicated projects, fraught with thorny issues. Red Granite’s founders, Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland, said they thrive in these sorts of scenarios.
“One of our sweet spots is movies that have died in the studios — movies that are just great product that everyone was hot on but for some reason or another just didn’t make it to the greenlight stage,” said McFarland,41, a Louisville, Ky., native who is Red Granite’s vice chairman. [Los Angeles Times 24/12/13]

It all gives the impression of young men with breath-taking self-confidence and more importantly money to burn. Co-producer Joey McFarland has confirmed that the money comes not thanks to him, but Riza Aziz.

Joey Mcfarland’s movie ambitions were made possible by Malaysian money and Riza Aziz

The recent LA Times article continues:

“Every movie is different,” said Aziz, 37, who is the son of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. “We are very flexible in the model we [can] pursue.”
Red Granite raises money from a pool of undisclosed investors in the Middle East and Asia, and finances its movies on a one-off basis. The company is able to greenlight a picture without a distribution deal in place. But because it doesn’t have a fund it can tap, Red Granite must convince its investors that an individual project is worth the risk, rather than having the comfort of money to underwrite an entire slate.”

It is surely interesting for Malaysians to know that the PM’s step-son has such access to enormous funds for such enormous risks. There is talk in KL that a number of Malaysian companies are among those who have been encouraged to put money into Wolf of Wall Street. One can only speculate as to why they might have felt encouraged to do so.
Meanwhile, it also seems valid to ask whether the peculiar financial background of Aziz and Rosmah’s close friend, the 28 year old Jho Low (described as a “billionaire” in a number of American news reports), be linked to this financial muscle?
The flamboyant financier’s own interest in the movies and friendship with Di Caprio certainly pre-dates Red Granite Pictures.

‘International Man of Mystery’

Back in 2009 The Star Newspaper reported:

“He [Low] has been trying to convince his Hollywood friends like Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Leonardo di Caprio to use Malaysia as a location for movies.”[Star

In which case was it the connection with Low that brought his friend Leonardo di Caprio and his film project about a 'modern day Caligula' to Red Granite Pictures and Riza Aziz?

Partying Paris Hilton at San Tropez

If so, it throws a new perspective onto Jho Low’s links with Najib Razak’s pet project 1MDB Malaysia, the development bank, which has raised billions through undisclosed, private bonds arranged by, amongst others, Goldman Sachs.
1MDB’s investments have been increasingly controversial, focusing mainly on buying up ageing power companies, which appear to be of questionable value in developing the state of Malaysia.
One of the investors involved in 1MDB is the low profile Middle Eastern venture Petro-Saudi, who were also the buyers when the Taib family sold out of their controversial stake in UBG bank back in 2011.
Jho Low himself had earlier become involved in UBG, coming onto the board as a Director in 2008 after a major share purchase, on behalf of the Abu Dhabi owned company Majestic Masterpiece.
The young Penang born financier makes much of his fantastic connections, both in Hollywood and the Middle East (particularly Abu Dhabi), allegedly made through networking as a Harrow schoolboy and at Wharton Business School in the US.
But it is his ostentatious high living that has mainly brought Jho Low to the attention of the Malaysian public. It was he who apparently topped the record for high spending in a New York nightclub, buying champagne for all the assembled guests.
Jho Low also astonished onlookers with the sheer lavishness of a party put on for a girlfriend on a yacht in Taiwan and again drew attention when he partied Paris Hilton with jaw dropping extravagance.
So, could Jho Low be the organiser assisting in the financing of Red Granite Pictures and is that why he was so prominent at the launch and at Leonardo di Caprio’s recent birthday bash?

One of the ‘billionaires’, 20 something Jho Low owns Jynwell Capital

In which case, many may wonder if the link to the top political players in Malaysia and friendship with the PM’s step-son might account for Jho Low’s easy access to investment income or indeed if he is the front man for others?
Court action
Meanwhile, it is not all praise from the Hollywood establishment. One major production company, Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA), is suing Red Granite Pictures for a breach of covenant over the other major movie it has ‘bought out of trouble’, the sequel to the popular 90s comedy Dumb and Dumber.
The on-going case has been widely covered in the media and MPCA is far from complimentary about the skills and know-how of the brash newcomers who bought up their original idea:

“using money from the Malaysian PM’s family to squeeze them out”..

In their legal deposition the veteran producers Steve Stabler and Brad Krevoy who own MPCA have harsh words for Aziz and Mcfarland, who they say owe them hundreds of thousands for the original work on the film:

“McFarland and [Aziz] lack the experience necessary to successfully produce motion pictures themselves. Although Red Granite apparently has family money from [Aziz], Red Granite will not succeed with money alone because McFarland and [Aziz]‘s experience producing motion pictures during their short tenure in the industry consists of cavorting at nightclubs with Paris Hilton and making dinner reservations at posh nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles.” [Legal deposition against Red Granite Pictures]

“Macfarland and Aziz’s misconduct and hubris will cause Red Granite to crash and burn”

It is an attack that strengthens the apparent links with Jho Low. Malaysians will be interested to see that the very parties attended by Jho Low appear to have also been linked to Riza Aziz, according to this deposition.
Surely, in the name of accountability and transparency Malaysians are due a clear explanation as to the links between the two men and whether Najib Razak is involved?

Appealing to greed and envy?

This is not least because of the large and controversial public loans that have been raised on behalf of Najib (who is also Finance Minister) and his 1MDB development bank, in which Jho Low is so widely reported to have been involved.
Glamourising greed?
It remains to finally point out that not everyone is likely to interpret the film as a moral lesson, in the manner apparently suggested by Rosmah Mansor.
In fact, Wolf of Wall Street is likely to be a success for the very reason that it glamourises greed, high spending, ostentation and extreme debauchery.
People will be flocking to watch Leonardo di Caprio making billions in corrupt deals and indulging in immoral behaviour, not to be taught the evils of big money but to escape into a make-believe world of unlimited wealth.
Films like this, it is widely argued, do not bring a Christmas message. To the contrary they are corrupting and they encourage more people to try their luck in the world of unscrupulous finance.
This is how the magazine GQ sums up the project:

‘glamour’ of greed

“When Wall Street came out in 1987, it famously inspired certain people to go into banking, despite its deplorable subject matter. With that in mind, the impressionable might want to stay away from Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street: from the trailer alone, there’s enough ostentatious displays of wealth to drive another financial crisis. Strippers, dwarves, Ferraris, Jags, $26,000 meals (“it was the sides”) and enough money to throw off yachts and still have plenty spare.
The performances also look incredible, with Jonah Hill particularly eye-catching as Leonardo DiCaprio’s naïve assistant. Consider next year’s Oscar race well underway.”
Quite so. As the box office profits roll in for this production, based on greed and immorality, Red Granite Pictures will stand charged of exploiting and glamourising greed, not confronting it.
Given that ill-gotten wealth, ostentatious living and mysterious business links underpin so much of Malaysia’s ruling BN regime, it seems a suitable topic for Red Granite’s first major foray into the film business.
Although, that irony is doubtless entirely lost on the famously extravagant Rosmah Mansor.

With Adam Scott from Red Granite’s first money spinner “Friends With Kids”

More victories for NCR landowners

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 06:51:00 +0000

Winston Way | December 21, 2013

The Court of Appeal again confirmed that the ‘pemakai menoa’ and ‘pulau galau’ land groups fall under native customary rights (NCR).

KUCHING: Native landowners in Sarawak who are fighting for their NCR land rights scored another major victory when the Court of Appeal again validated their claim that lands under the ‘Pemakai Menoa’ and ‘Pulau Galau’ groupings are indeed native customary rights (NCR) land.

A senior NCR lawyer here, Baru Bian said the verdict disproved the stand of the Sarawak state government as asserted by Adenan Satem, a minister in the Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s office during the recent state assembly sitting.

Adenan said during the sitting last month that the state government only acknowledged ‘temuda’ land (farmland) created before January 1, 1958 as NCR land.

“Once again the Court of Appeal has confirmed that ‘pemakai menua’ and ‘pulau galau’ are NCR lands.

“This was held in a decision handed down on Thursday in two appeals which were heard together,” Baru said in a press statement.

Bian who is also state PKR chief, said the native landowners had at the trial in Sibu High Court claimed amongst others for a declaration that their NCR land included the ‘pemakai menua’ and ‘pulau galau’ groupings.

The lands in question had been included in the area of a Provisional Lease (PL) issued to Rosebay Enterprise Sdn Bhd, ‘without’ the natives’ knowledge and had been ‘done wrongfully’ and in ‘utter disregard’ of the native landowners acquired or accrued rights over their said NCR.

“After considering the submissions of all the parties on the evidence and the law, the learned trial judge found in favour of the plaintiffs (natives) and the defendants ( Rosebay) appealed against the decision of the High Court.

“The second and thirrd defendants; the superintendent of Land and Survey Department Sibu Division and the government of the State of Sarawak filed their appeal under Civil Appeal No. Q01-138-03-2012 whereas the first defendant, Rosebay Sdn Bhd appealed under Civil Appeal No. Q-02-661-03/2012,” Baru said.

He also stated that in October 2013, the Court of Appeal heard the appeal, and the three judges led by Abdul Wahab Patail, were unanimous in their judgement where the appeal was dismissed with costs and damages.

The natives , Usang Labit and three others, were represented by Baru, Simon Siah, Chua Kuan Ching and Joshua Baru.

Timely victories

‘Pemakai Menoa’ is an Iban phrase referring to the territorial area of a longhouse community where customary rights to land resources were generated by their pioneering forefathers.

Meanwhile, ‘Pulau Galau’ is a term referring to a communal reserve intentionally left untouched for upcoming resources by the community.

In September, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kuching ruled that ‘pemakai menoa’ and ‘pulau galau’ are NCR lands under the Iban ‘adat’ (customs).

The three-judge panel made its decision after hearing two cases together, involving landowners from Serian against the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), Nirwarna Muhibbah Sdn Bhd and the Sarawak government.

Baru, who also represented the native landowners in the cases involving the lands in Melikin, illustrated the judgement as ‘very important and timely’, and that it signified another triumph for the Sarawak natives.

“This is because the state government had all these while argued that NCR in Sarawak is only restricted to the felled area or the ‘temuda’, not the ‘pemakai menoa’, or ‘pulau galau’ area.

The decision in September was the third judgment by the Court of Appeal after its verdict in the milestone case in 2010. -- Free Malaysia Today

Debunking the UMNO Baru Myths

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:43:00 +0000

by Mariam Mokhtar@http://www.malaysiakini.com

Malay apathy is one of the most depressing features of Malaysian life. It is widely known that many Malays are work-shy, addicted to drugs and in long-term unemployment. Despite the early introduction of religious indoctrination, many Malays are said to be promiscuous and involved in incestuous relationships.

Some Malays are not afraid to say what our politicians are fearful of revealing. Perhaps, it is time to debunk UMNO Baru’s lies. You may wish to add to the list below.

1. Only UMNO Baru can protect the Malays

UMNO Baru only protects the Malays who are beholden to them. The critical Malay does not win tenders for projects. He may find all manner of problems with his business licence. His application for government permits may be delayed or rejected.

A civil servant who dares to openly criticise may be demoted or sacked, and find his income tax being scrutinised, as punishment. Meritocracy, intellect and hard-work count for nothing in the UMNO Baru world, only blind allegiance does. When will the Malays realise that UMNO Baru would cease to exist without the Malays?

2. Janji di tepati (Fulfilled promises)

In the run-up to GE13, Mat Sabu of PAS claimed that despite warning the rakyat about a petrol hike if BN were to win, the Malays said that Pakatan leaders were telling lies about BN in order to garner votes.

In the coming weeks, we will be further burdened with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and crippled by increased costs of daily goods, travel and energy. Things that were abolished before GE13 are returning in a recycled version - the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA) will be replaced with the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA). There is no further news about BR1M, version 2, worth RM1,200.

3. Malays benefit from the NEP

Most ordinary Malays cannot afford good cars. The cheapest car may be a Proton, but in the long run, the cost of replacing substandard parts is high. Homes in good locations are overpriced and people spend hours commuting or trapped in traffic jams.

When top Malay civil servants allegedly ask housing developers to make “special arrangements” so they can purchase luxury homes that are designated solely for non-Malays, it is a subtle way of disagreeing with the government’s social engineering methods in housing.

When middle class Malays complain about houses being unaffordable, the government proposes the construction of more low-cost houses. Malays are angered by a government which thinks Malays are only worthy of cheap housing.

Would-be entrepreneurs without political connections lose out because only cronies win tenders for projects. Creative and hardworking people who want to boost the economy and create jobs, emigrate. Many Malays contribute significantly to the brain-drain.

4. Types of immigrant

If not for the millions of immigrants who helped develop the rubber and tin trade in Malaya, the UMNO Baru politicians would not be here today, dictating policies to undermine the descendants of this first-wave of immigrants.

We should be grateful to the ‘pendatangs’ who worked in the mines, estates and in commerce, to build English companies like Sime Darby, Guthrie and Harrisons & Crosfields. These corporations have morphed into government-linked companies (GLCs), now controlled by UMNO Baru.

The recent crop of immigrants from Muslim countries do not share much of our history and are made welcome only because they help keep UMNO Baru in power.

5. Malays want syariah law

Both young and old Malays are said to be opposed to syariah law, which is a bogey that UMNO Baru uses to maximum effect to create fear amongst the Malays to make them vote for UMNO Baru, (and not PAS) in elections.

Malays are averse to other areas of their lives being controlled by syariah laws, because they have seen that syariah laws concerning child maintenance and polygamous marriages are not strictly enforced.

6. Malays are stupid and lazy

Policies which benefit the Malays have created distrust and contempt. Non-Malays brand the Malay as lazy, stupid, ignorant and selfish. This is wrong and unproductive. Many decent Malays are disgusted with UMNO Baru, but the people who insult the Malays crush any hope of solidarity. Malay bashing will not help get rid of a racist party like UMNO Baru.

7. Malay quotas

Despite a lack of formal education, many of our grandparents spoke better English than most fresh Malaysian graduates and diplomatic staff.

Ordinary Malaysians are subject to educational quotas but the children of politicians, cronies and the rich, are allowed to excel and compete with other races and nationalities in elite and international schools in Malaysia, or abroad. Select Malays can hone their competitive skills, in an environment which develops their confidence. Why not other Malaysians? Meritocracy helps; quotas do not.

8. Handouts are good

Handouts are a ploy to make people waste their hard earned savings, to enrich the government and their cronies. The BR1M handout of RM500 may be accompanied by a smartphone discount. All of the RM500 is spent but more of the victim’s savings will be used to buy the smartphone. With an initial outlay of RM500, the government and his crony receives more money from the BR1M recipient.

The same abuse happens with the government book voucher scheme, where students trade them in to participating bookshops, for the value of the voucher, minus RM50 for ‘administrative’ purposes. The crony recoups the cost of the voucher from the government but is richer by RM50. The student may have received some petty cash but the loser is the taxpayer, who funds these poorly managed schemes.

9. UMNO Baru rewards Malays

UMNO Baru conned the rakyat into giving money to the government, as if it were doing the rakyat a favour. In exchange, the rakyat’s money was used to fund the lifestyle of the jet-setting ministerial spouses, on their expensive foreign junkets and fashion shows. The ordinary rakyat have to make do with a nasi lemak bungkus and stale curry puffs, when they are ferried in coaches, to attend UMNO Baru ceramahs.

10. Urban Malays are pro-opposition

The urban Malays are made up of middle-class Malays who are content in their comfort zones, and the very poor, who are desperately trying to survive. Many urban Malays are mesmerised by the lies perpetuated by UMNO Baru. They enjoy the glamour of rubbing shoulders with UMNO Baru leaders at government functions.

The urban Malays may have access to the alternative media, but have no time to think about injustice, human rights, good governance and equality. They are happier pursuing material goods.

UMNO Baru and the selfish agendas of its leaders, sacrificed the nation’s interest and betrayed generations of Malays. If Malaysia is to progress, we must overcome the two threats posed by UMNO Baru and the complacent Malays.

Without Umno, Malays would be more civilised, says ex-minister

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:38:00 +0000

The Malaysian Insider, December 09, 2013

In a Malaysia without Umno, Malays would be more civilised and would accept the plurality and diversity of this country, said former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (pic).

He posted this statement in his blog today where he also said Umno is “a true blue extremist, racist and religious party”.

“It’s a party that panders to emotions about religion and race, and feels no remorse about attacking others."

The vocal former minister in the prime minister’s department said despite the numerous protestations of Umno leaders that the party is not racist, its gathering last week had proved otherwise.

The party’s 2013 general assembly had received wide coverage because of several key issues that cropped up including calls by the Youth wing to amend the Constitution to define Islam as Sunni Islam, a move that followed the recent clampdown on Shias in the country.

Delegates also publicly denounced homosexuals and deviants by declaring war on these individuals before urging Putrajaya to set up a commission to protect the country’s official religion.

Zaid said the delegates used the assembly as an opportunity to ask for “goodies” from the government, including more contracts and the appointment of more party members to the boards of state companies.

The lawyer singled out important national issues that did not reach the podium, such as economy and education.

“There was no debate on the rising cost of living, the lack of affordable homes for the lower-middle-class or even the National Education Blueprint,” he said.

In a response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s question to the delegates, “Where would Malays be without Umno?”, Zaid pictured a Malaysia with a freer press, Malays who are “reasonable, humble and kind … religious and pious but without the need to show off.”

“In short, without Umno, the Malays would be more civilised," Zaid opined. – December 9, 2013.

Putrajaya should reconsider Allah ruling as it goes against the Quran, says US scholar

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 15:45:00 +0000

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
The Malaysian Insider, December 07, 2013

Imam Shamsi Ali says the Allah ruling has reduced the greatness of God.

The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, December 7, 2013.

A well-known New York-based Muslim scholar and community leader has urged Putrajaya to seriously look into the ruling prohibiting Christians from using the word Allah, saying that it is against the teachings of the Quran.

Imam Shamsi Ali told The Malaysian Insider that as a Muslim, he could not accept the Court of Appeal ruling as it "reduced the greatness of God".

"I cannot accept it because for me, it is a matter of faith.

"It (the ruling) is reducing the authority of God as the powerful, the creator, the God of All, to being the God of only 1.5 billion people in the world," said Shamsi, adding that the ruling was unfortunate as it had the tendency of limiting God to Muslims.

He was speaking to The Malaysian Insider on the sidelines of the 2013 Global Peace Convention.

Some 500 participants from 40 nations are attending the four-day convention titled, "Unity in Diversity: Building Social Cohesion for Sustainable Peace through Universal Aspirations, Principles and Values".

The topics of the convention include "Global ethic for inclusive and moderate societies", "How young people today shape the world tomorrow" and "How globalisation impacts the institution of family".

Commenting further, Shamsi said the first chapter of the Quran does not say the Lord of the Muslims, or the King of Muslims, it says the Lord of the Universe and the King of Human Beings.

"So when the government limits god to God of Muslims, basically that contradicts the teaching of the Quran, which is universal," he explained.

Shamsi said that in a previous interview with FoxNews where the topic was over the use of the word Allah by Christians, he had advocated that God can be called by any name as long as it was the proper name to refer to the Almighty God.

He added that during his time living in other Muslim countries, he had never come across attempts by Muslims to limit the use of the word Allah by other religions.

Shamsi also pointed out that the Allah issue in Malaysia was not merely a legal question, but one that was related to faith.

The Muslim scholar was commenting on the Court of Appeal ruling on October 14 where a three-member bench led by Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali allowed Putrajaya's appeal on the banning of the word from the Catholic weekly, Herald, as there was a 1986 directive by the Home Ministry which prohibited non-Muslim publications from using four words – Allah, Kaabah, Solat and Baitullah.

Apandi, in his judgment, said the prohibition was to protect the sanctity of Islam and prevent confusion among Muslims.

The decision sparked an outcry among Christians and other non-Muslims in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.

On Thursday, Putrajaya and seven Muslim organisations said they are opposing the Catholic Church's leave application to appeal against the Court of Appeal ruling.

The eight respondents maintained that the Court of Appeal ruling was correct and that it was not worthwhile for the Federal Court to determine the question of law outlined by the church. - The Malaysian Insider

The Man that Serves Najib Tun Razak

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:28:00 +0000

Malaysia Today Online News

Until 2 weeks ago, 98% Malaysians were under the apprehension that precious resources of this country is being wasted on subsidy.

The main man behind the dissemination of this information is the esteem CEO of PEMANDU (equivalent to a Minister without a Portfolio in the Cabinet), Mr Idris Jala.

He had given a list of subsidies that has been paid out by the government totalling RM74 billion. A staggering sum considering Malaysia being a small nation.

Idris went on to say that should we fail to cut these subsidies, Malaysia will turn into a bankrupt nation by 2019.

The plan is to spread fear of seeing our children eating from garbage cans and sleeping on the streets among the electorate so as to create a mood among the people to accept painful cuts and increase in prices.

Many Malaysians swallowed this bait hook, line and sinker. Many have changed their minds about getting angry with the government for raising the price of petrol. In short, Idris’s con has begun to work.

YOU CANNOT FOOL EVERYONE EVERYTIME

Suddenly, in a budget discussion presented by visiting associate professor Subramaniam Pillay, the truth came out.

True to the saying, “The Truth Shall Set You Free”, every Malaysians felt liberated by Subra’s presentation.

It turns out, the RM74billion figure quoted by Idris is nothing more than a storyline made by a con men to con people.

Half of RM74 billion (RM40 billion) actually goes into spending on Education and Health. Hardly a form of subsidy by any standard considering Health and Education is the responsibility of the government.

Idris was trying to sell government spending as a form of subdidy. Idris knows that in order to make space for one form of government spending, one is forced not to spend on another spending.

In short, in order to continue spending RM40 billion on healthcare and spending, the government will have to cut spending on other items. Naturally, this will upset the UMNO cronies and UMNOPUTRAs because it will definitely result in the rapid deflation of their respective wallets.

So, the ingenious way of cutting this item is masking it as subsidy and tell the people that subsidy is bad.

Another good point made by Subramaniam is the subsidy on fossil fuel. THe total subsidy spent on Fossil Fuel is RMRM23.5bil.

What Idris Jala conveniently left out is the one little detail about the majority of this subsidy going to the IPP. Out of RM23.5 billion, only RM7 billion goes to the people. The rest goes to UMNO cronies and UMNOPUTRA in the form of Independent Power Producers(IPP).

Idris also failed to mention the fact that ALL of the RM4.6billion subsidy for infrastructure goes to HIGHWAY CONCESSIONAIRES. It’s not a secret that ALL HIGHWAY concessionaires are UMNO’s CRONIES. So, essentially, UMNO is subsidizing their cronies.

In short, the bulk of the actual subsidies goes to UMNO’s cronies in the form of Highway concessionaires and IPP Producers. We, the people, only get a small portion of the subsidies which has to be shared among the 27 million people.

Idris Jala is nothing more than a con-man, doing the bidding of his master, Najib TUn Razak, of course for a hefty rewards.

Thank god we have the internet, for the internet helped us to see lies like this very quickly.

Tulang Besi. Pray for Idris Jala

You better with Santa IGP is coming to town

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 14:31:00 +0000

by Mariam Mokhtar@http://www.malaysiakini.com

I am on the waiting-list for membership of the exclusive ‘Sedition Club Uniting Malaysians’, (SCUM) which has several distinguished members like Adam Adli, Haris Ibrahim, Tian Chua, Tamrin Ghafar, Safwan Anang and Zunar. I don’t think many people know the criteria which makes one eligible for membership.

Who would have realised that a well-meaning article ‘One Idealogy, Two Reactions’ about the need to be compassionate to Malaysians, regardless of their political leanings or social background, would have upset the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar?

Does Khalid suffer from an inferiority complex or was he under extreme pressure to explain his involvement in the Lahad Datu debacle?

More importantly, he wanted to divert attention from the terrible handling of the Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab story, by the Malaysian government and himself. They probably thought they would capitalise on the story of Aishah’s enslavement.

Initially, the Metropolitan Police in England refused to divulge the identity of the Malaysian woman who had been “freed”, but Khalid jumped the gun and blurted out her name before the English Police were ready to make this public.

Even before Kamar Mahtum and Hishamuddin Rais arrived in London, the IGP was already boasting about the welcome they would give Aishah on her return home. Khalid said she would not be arrested as her “crime” was in the past. Meanwhile, the Women’s Minister talked about providing counselling.

It was like a couple expecting their first child, preparing the nursery to receive the baby, except the ‘baby’ - Aishah - refused to come home.

IGP Khalid Ashburn

As information trickled back to KL, the IGP was probably told that Aishah had not deviated from her ideology. She had not been enslaved, as was previously reported. She had no intention of returning to Malaysia. She was not remorseful, nor did she want to resume ties with the land of her birth. Sources also allege that the reunion between Kamar and Aishah was far from cordial.

If Aishah really wanted to flee from her captors, she would have. Khalid and the government realised, too late, that Aishah had outsmarted them. Aishah did not follow the UMNO Baru script.

The IGP and Najib Abdul Razak probably wanted to give Aishah a heroine’s welcome at KLIA. Then, after a six month religious rehabilitation at one of the indoctrination centres, arrange a photo-shoot of Aishah kissing Najib’s hand, renouncing her previous ideology, giving up her Marxist beliefs, and praising Najib’s government as the saviour of her body and soul.

The penny must have dropped as Kamar and Hisham passed through passport control at Heathrow, on Saturday morning to return home. So, Khalid had to divert attention from the government’s terrible handling of the Aishah story. A distraction had to be found. Me! The rest is history.

A means to intimidate the public?

Did Khalid, in a moment of madness, lose his judgment and decide to abuse his position and utilise the publicity machinery of the state, and use me as a means to intimidate the public?

He was foolish to think I would be intimidated. Perhaps, he wanted me to be cowed and cower under the bed, as a certain politician, who was caught in flagrante delicto in Port Dickson, was alleged to have done.

Khalid believes that writers for the alternative media write, merely to get hits. They don’t! One would like to ask the IGP if his men have been given orders to use their weapons, just to score hits, on their victims?

Will Khalid understand that one of the reasons the mainstream media is failing the public is because they are economical with the truth. They manipulate facts and tell lies to mislead and also incite hatred.

If Khalid were to talk to former Utusan journalists, he would learn many painful truths. Those who joined the exodus, in 2007, have alleged that their wages have not been paid. Another journalist alleges that the paper is losing money, because UMNO Baru takes out full page advertisements in Utusan, and then fails to pay the paper.

Utusan loses revenue, and Najib, the President of UMNO Baru knows that the party is bankrupt. So, he urges the government-linked companies (GLCs) to place advertisements in Utusan Malaysia.

My calling is to continue informing the public and stimulate them to ask questions of their parliamentarians and people in positions of responsibility, like the IGP. What are Khalid’s good points? People have lost faith in the police because of leaders like Khalid.

One would have thought that Khalid would have understood the nuances of my article. Surely, someone could have explained them to him, before he was allowed to shoot his mouth off.

It was Khalid who incorrectly mentioned race as the reason for the different treatments meted out to Chin Peng and Aishah. Perhaps, he would like to tell us why the dead Malaysian terrorists like Dr Azahari Hussein and Noordin Mat Top, the masterminds of the Jakarta and Bali bombings, were allegedly given the VIP treatment? Not many dead Malaysians would be returned to Malaysia at the taxpayer’s expense, in an RMAF transport.

Khalid warned me via a Bernama report that, “She (Mariam Mokhtar) had better watch out...” Despite his failings, we should praise Khalid for his ‘1Malaysia’ spirit. During his visit to multicultural and predominantly Christian Sabah, he has kicked off the Christmas season with the classic song ‘You’d better watch out’. Most readers may know it by its original title, ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’.

A Malaysian makeover

With apologies to the original songwriters, J Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, whose song made its debut in 1934, I have given the song a Malaysian makeover, and substituted the words ‘Santa Claus’ with ‘The IGP’.

The older generation may recall Fred Astaire, Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra singing this song. Khalid and younger Malaysians may prefer Miley Cyrus’ catchy rendition on YouTube.

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
The IGP is coming to town!

He’s making a list,
He's checking it twice,
Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.
The IGP is coming to town!

He sees you when you’re sleeping,
He knows when you're awake.
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

So...You better watch out, You better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why.
The IGP is coming to town.

Who knows? The Khalid inspired song, ‘You Better Watch Out’, may prove to be this year’s Christmas hit.

Khalid was wrong to attack and intimidate the rakyat. This harassment should be our catalyst for real, meaningful change. It is Khalid and UMNO Baru who had better watch out! Change is coming to town.

Najib: Taking us down the Road to Disaster

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:31:00 +0000

by Dato Ahmad Mustapha Hassan (received by email on 11-22-13)

It is quite normal for anyone to ask this question: Where are we going and where is Najib taking us? Since Najib took over the reins of government in 2009, we are neither here nor there. Most people are baffled because Najib seems disconnected from reality while the country is facing innumerable critical problems which require urgent attention.

Even as these problems are left unattended, more problems are being added. Najib's words have no meaning whatsoever as his cabinet ministers have been acting to dismantle what he had promised the people before he was given the mandate to run the country.

Najib andTun Razak

His father was completely different. Tun Abdul Razak’s words were meant as instructions to all, ministers, civil servants and the people. No member of his cabinet would go against what he decided for the people.

The Tun was very prudent and would not spend people’s money unnecessarily. He limited his overseas travel to not more than twice a year. He would cut out all non-essential expenses. He did not believe in creating unwanted and expensive icons. He was interested in uplifting the economic situation of the whole nation, not just creating a few wealthy and self-centred individuals. He believed that he should not waste the rakyat’s money by bringing hangers-on his overseas trips. That was how astute and concerned Tun Razak was about the welfare of the people and the country.

Najib, on the other hand, is away from the country most of the time and it had been reported that so far his travels have cost the country RM44 million. That is a very huge amount even for a prime minister.

Tun Razak relied on advice from local experts, and placed trusted people in positions, in the knowledge that their contribution would see to the success of projects. He started MARA to take over the role carried out by RIDA (Rural and Industrial Development Authority) before and placed capable officers to man the various divisions in MARA. He had the late Mansor Osman (later Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan) placed in the training division to offer scholarships and aid to needy rural students.

He entrusted Tan Sri Arshad Ayub to steer the MARA College (now Universiti Teknologi MARA) towards developing more Bumiputera professionals. He placed people where he knew they would be able to assist his goal in uplifting the professional capabilities of those who had been neglected before.

Tun Razak appointed an able and dedicated civil servant Tan Sri Thong Yaw Hong in a position to assist him realise the objectives of his rural development programme.

He recognised and trusted those civil servants whom he knew personally and appointed them to positions of high trust, like Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, Tan Sri Tunku Shahriman, Dr Agoes Salim, Raja Alias and Tan Sri Rama Iyer in planning and development units in the Prime Minister's Department.

To him, all were Malaysians and he overrode any racial or religious sentimentality. He was a man of the people of all shades and religious beliefs. The Tun had only one goal in mind and that was the welfare of the people and to him it would take all Malaysians to achieve this. He was also not distracted by petty and hollow sloganeering.

None would dare to approach him and shout “Ketuanan Melayu” or any such nonsense. The government would help all the people towards achieving a better life.

Government involvement in religion, to him, should also be on a minimum scale. Religion was a faith adhered to by individuals and that should be about all there was to it. He did not encourage the religious department to expand its jurisdiction whereby it could pose a threat to national harmony.

But unfortunately, at present, things seem to have gone out of hand. Ministers contradict what the Prime Minister had promised. Voices of disharmony were allowed free reign. Acts that harm the sensitivities of those not of the Muslim faith are on the rise.

And yet Najib champions 1Malaysia. It was there all along but subsequent leaders, especially those from UMNO Baru, had dismantled that by allowing anti-national elements from the cabinet itself to “flourish” uncontrollably.

Najib told the Sabah and Sarawak people of the freedom in practising their religion and then a ban was imposed on their newsletter. Sarawak and Sabah together with Malaya then had formed Malaysia, and there was no need to tell them that they are part of Malaysia. They definitely were and are part and parcel of Malaysia.

One very important factor was that Tun Razak walked the talk. The Malay paper Utusan Melayu with national calibre editors like Yusof Ishak (later President of Singapore) and Said Zahari had been vocal in fighting for the truth and even when it was taken over by UMNO, it still remained as a national paper that was very much respected.

But once UMNO Baru led by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad took over the country, Utusan has become the party’s organ and has been allowed to become a national trash. The TV channels have also become the mouthpiece of the party. They have miserably failed to play a positive role in fostering national unity.

Every single effort should be coordinated like during Tun Razak’s time to achieve the national goal of equality, prosperity and happiness for all. Pray! Tell us! Are you, Najib, taking us towards disaster!

Ahmad Mustapha Hassan is a former press secretary to second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the author of the book, "The Unmaking of Malaysia".

‘Government no money, lah’

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 06:10:00 +0000

Selena Tay | November 20, 2013

What better way to obtain the funds than from the rakyat itself - take from the rakyat to give to the rakyat.

COMMENT

Friends, folks and fellow ordinary citizens, crunch time is here. The inevitable will happen. We must brace ourselves for the impact. Price and rates hikes are imminent between now and February next year and the hikes will involve petrol, diesel, electricity tariff, cooking gas, sewerage charges, quit rent and assessment rates.

This columnist’s reliable source of information has mentioned that the nation is running on near-empty and that is the reason for the gigantic increase in assessment rates between 100% to 300% for properties in KL. A 10% to 20% hike is already substantial, over 20% is a lot but over 100% is just simply crazy and ridiculous.

The government is also in dire need of funds for the BR1M payout. Therefore they need to source for funds and what better way to obtain the funds than from the rakyat itself – take from the rakyat to give to the rakyat.

In actual fact, the nation is in ‘technical bankruptcy’ which means that the national debt is more than its reserves. The national debt stands at RM541 billion while reserves is less than RM500 billion.

Although there is trade surplus, this is being used as operating expenditure and does not help to lessen the national debt which also incurs servicing of its high interest of its loan.

A layman’s explanation goes as follows: You have only RM500 in your savings account but you are owing your friend RM700. Your salary is RM1,000 but you are still unable to pay your friend because your salary is used for daily expenses.

As the government is in dire need of funds for its operating expenditure, it has no choice but to tax the people. Actually, the government should cut down on its own extravagance and unnecessary spending instead of taxing the rakyat.

That is also the reason why the people of KL are unhappy with the hike in the assessment rate – they view it as mismanagement on the part of the government. More than 200 people interviewed by this columnist have only this to say about the BN government: ‘Government no money, lah’.

But now it is too late to do anything. BN has won the 13th general election and we will be on a slippery slide downwards swiftly as the government needs to source for funds from the citizens.

The way the government is running the country is akin to having 10 pots but nine lids. They are in hot soup and they choose to dump the hot soup on us – the ordinary rakyat.

This columnist’s source of information also revealed that the news that has been given to us is untrue especially news pertaining to the nation’s economic health because prior to the news being fed to the public, it first has to be filtered and then changed wholesale.

Therefore if you read a piece of news saying that such-and-such a world organisation is praising Malaysia for its financial prudence, then the opposite is true.

Something sinister

All this simply means that many Malaysians including urban folks are kept in the dark as to the actual health of the nation’s economy.

With the citizens being kept in the dark, the government continues to tax the ordinary people via the hike in rates while some gullible citizens still continue to believe that Malaysia’s financial situation is healthy and robust due to reading polished news in the media.

However the situation is like the Indian saying of using a coconut leaf to cover an elephant and someday in the near future, an implosion is imminent.

With the price hikes expected to take place before Chinese New Year on Jan 31, the Chinese are already grumbling due to the expected massive expenditure needing to be forked out besides the usual year-end expenses.

Is the government punishing KL folks for voting Pakatan Rakyat? The Chinese certainly think that there is something sinister behind this increase besides the fact that the government is in a dire financial situation.

Besides the hike in assessment rates, the petrol hike for RON95 is expected to be between 10 sen to 30 sen. After the petrol hike which is expected to be implemented very soon, the prices of all goods will of course follow suit.

This then will surely awaken many people to the fact that the government’s coffers must be quite empty. If the economy collapses, then the foreign workers here will be jobless, hungry and angry.

If such a situation were to occur in Malaysia, we the citizens will be at the mercy of the foreign workers because there are too many of them here and they can cause a great chaos if there is an economic downturn in Malaysia.

It is only a matter of time before an implosion occurs. What will Malaysia’s economy be like then?

Do not forget that we depend a lot on domestic consumption to fuel the nation’s economy. But for now, the situation is that the people of KL are angry with the federal government for being unreasonable and many have remarked that the government is robbing the rakyat.

It is useless for the government to give BR1M as it is not only a matter of giving out but taking back many times more from the citizens – the whole thing is nothing but a charade.

Selena Tay is a DAP member and a FMT columnist. - Free Malaysia Today

DUMPED! Rajah Brooke Memorial Cross Left Cracked And Neglected On Junk Heap

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 07:23:00 +0000

Voted by the DUN? New administrative block and mosque being put up on the historic site of the Astana

DUMPED! Rajah Brooke Memorial Cross Left Cracked And Neglected On Junk Heap

Consigned to the junk yard?

Shocking disrespect towards one of Sarawak’s most treasured historical figures has come to light, with this image of a Rajah Brooke memorial cross, plucked from its position outside the Governor’s Mansion in Kuching and dumped in a junk heap.

The white marble cross had stood in front of the Astana, as a memorial to three Brooke children, who were lost at sea.

It provided a poignant Christian symbol, with the famous phrase “suffer little children to come unto me” wrapped round its simple stem.

But, now as these exclusive photographs reveal, it has been unceremoniously ripped from its position and dumped lopsidedly alongside discarded junk, as an enormous building renovation gets underway.

At a time when extremist groups have started loudly targeting Christians and other faiths in Malaysia, this careless attitude towards a religious and historical symbol in Sarawak is particularly disquieting.

The militant Islamist ‘NGO’ Perkasa, has just announced it plans to open a branch of its agitator organisation in the state. Imagine the fury of its members if such a desecration had been meted out on a symbol that was held dear to Muslims instead?

Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who has relentlessly promoted his own minority Muslim faith at the expense of the majority Christians in Sarawak during 30 years of government, has nevertheless insisted that he can be trusted to protect their religious rights.

If so, he needs to intervene to rectify this act of neglect in the grounds of the Governor’s own mansion in Kuching.

Vast building project at the Governor’s Palace

Mysterious Building Project

This issue throws light on another significant matter that has so far received little attention, even though it concerns the development of one of Kuching’s most iconic historical buildings at evidently large public expense.

What on earth is going on down at the Astana?

Onlookers have been increasingly amazed at the sheer scale of the “renovation works” that have been taking place in the heart of the capital, on the once green banks opposite the town centre.

The gracious, low-level, colonial-style mansion was built by the second Rajah and is a nostalgic piece of period architecture.

It has already been recently over-shadowed by the high-rise, gold roofed “hat” that forms the new DUN Assembly, built of course by the Chief Minister’s family company CMS.

But, now it appears that it is about to be dwarfed and destroyed by what the signage describes as a new “administrative wing”, which looks to be far larger than the original palace itself.

Inevitably, it seems, the new wing will also contain a Surau, a mini-mosque.

One onlooker told Sarawak Report:

“We have just seen the site for ourselves and the new wing is going to dwarf the original Palace! What is going on with this ‘Administrative Wing?’ The Governor has no administrative role in the state. He appears in public three times a year: his birthday when he confers honours, his birthday dinner later which is really not all that grand, and at the Independence Day parade. So, what on earth is going on?”

New Administrative Block and Mosque?

Brookes’ dismay?

The insensitivity of this destruction of a historic building comes hard on the heels of the recent 50th Anniversay celebration of Sarawak’s Independence – or at least its union with Malaysia.

On this occasion the State Government seemed willing enough to take the highly popular step of inviting the descendants of the Raja Brooke family to join the consecration of the ashes of the last Rajah Mudah of Sarawak, Anthony Brooke, who wished to be laid to rest in the state.

Consigned to history? – Jason Brooke (2nd left) the next in line, led members of his family at the consecration in Kuching

Many might consider it to be with unseemly haste that the old mansion of the Rajahs is now being torn apart, the Christian cross plucked from its position and replaced with a mosque.

Taib Mahmud has every right to his faith, but should he not show more respect to the majority religion of the people of the state?

So who is moving into the Astana?

Traditional style – the current Astana building sums up Kuching’s unique historic heritage.

Which brings us to the nub of this issue. The speculation on everybody’s tongues is that the reason for all this building frenzy is that the elderly Chief Minister is finally making his move – a move that he plans will take him into the Governor’s Palace!

After all, this would explain the administrative wing, because Taib Mahmud would certainly expect to continue to rule the country, even if he stepped aside into the Governor’s role. It would also explain the mosque.

The speculation is backed up by the news buzzing round Kuching that various Taib cronies have been busy in Europe, ordering the bespoke guilt furniture, which the elderly Chief Minister is well-known to favour over traditional local products.

After all, the current Governor is in his 90s, two decades older than Taib and Taib has been under intense pressure to move. There is also the suggestion (untrue) that has long been circulated that by moving into the role of Governor, Taib would somehow become immune from all laws of prosecution.

Massive new wing is already being thrown together

Perhaps he has done a deal with Najib?

Could it have finally have been agreed that if Taib takes his increasingly discredited personage out of the position of Chief Minister, the Prime Minister will play lip-service to the fiction that Governors are immune to prosecution for crimes, including kleptocracy (vast theft of public monies)?

This way, UMNO/BN may be hoping that the people of Sarawak will continue to vote for a similar successor.

This might well partly depend on what they do about the cross in the back yard dump at the Astana!

Poignant history – In memory of three of the Rajah’s children who drowned at sea in 1875

State rulers have no right to dictate religion to non-Muslims, says constitutional expert

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 11:18:00 +0000

BY LEE SHI-IAN
November 18, 2013

State rulers in Malaysia have no power to suspend or deny the rights of non-Muslims to refer to God as Allah or their rights to religious freedom, which are guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, says constitutional law expert Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

He said the laws are clear about the authority of the state rulers, just days after Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah reminded non-Muslims in the state not to refer to God as Allah, which was affirmed a month ago by an appeal court ruling.

"The powers of all the rulers must be seen within the context of the Federal Constitution. The authority of the rulers as heads of religion only applies to Muslims within their respective states," Abdul Aziz told The Malaysian Insider.

"But the non-Muslims, even those who are residing in those states, are outside the jurisdiction of these rulers. Even with regard to Muslims, orders issued by the rulers are not absolute as they are subject to Islamic laws," he added.

For example, the former academic said the rulers cannot ask Muslims in their states to do something which goes against the Islamic religion.

Although the Federal Constitution has made clear the councils and clerics were under the authority of the rulers, there was nothing which empowered the rulers to issue their own laws.

Abdul Aziz said when the Federal Constitution was drawn up, it was envisaged that the rulers would be allowed to retain their religious authority free of government interference.

But the Federal Constitution certainly never imagined that the rulers might go against the tenets of Islam, he added.

"Islamic law is not entirely clear on the issue of Allah. Religious authorities in the Middle East, which has long been the cradle of Islam, have expressed their views that prohibition on the usage of
Allah by non-Muslims has no basis in Islam," Abdul Aziz said.

He said although the Court of Appeal ruled on October 14 to uphold the ban by the Home Ministry on the use of the word Allah by Catholic publication Herald, perhaps it was better for the highest court in Malaysia to make an ultimate decision.

"While the rulers are free from the advice of the government of the day in exercising their powers as the heads of Islam in their respective states, but they are still bound and subject to the provisions of the Federal Constitution," Abdul Aziz said.

"With regards to the various councils, they have no legislative authority to make laws. Even when it comes to Muslims, what eventually binds them is the legal provisions, not the decision of the councils," he said, adding that Islamic religious councils only had the authority to assist and advise the rulers.

Selangor is Malaysia's richest state and counts many Christians from Sabah and Sarawak as its residents. Most of them worship in Bahasa Malaysia and refer to God as Allah.

Putrajaya has said that it would stick to a 10-point agreement that would allow the usage of the word in East Malaysia but not in Peninsular Malaysia where the majority are Muslims.

Restrictions on other religions using certain Arabic words was first introduced in 1982 just after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took power but they were never strictly enforced until the past few years, much to the chagrin of the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations who use Bahasa Malaysia to preach to a generation of Malaysians who use the language more than English. – November 18, 2013. -- The Malaysian Insider

Of Parliamentary "APES" and Penchant for Con-Sultants

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 06:43:00 +0000

by A Kadir Jasin

On June 27, I published a posting entitled Malaysian Parliament vs Animal Planet. On November 14, judging from media reports, the Dewan Rakyat was transformed from the more respectable Animal Planet into a mere zoo.

It was the climax of yet another uncivilised behaviour of our elected representatives, when the Opposition PKR member from Padang Serai, N. Surendran was suspended for six months for allegedly insulting Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia outside the House on November 12.

How I wish the government of Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak acts equally swiftly and decisively on the plights of the rakyat, like the plan by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to hike assessment rates by as much as 200% or the spike in deadly shootings around the country.

It is interesting that the National News Agency, Bernama should use the term “allegedly” to describe the circumstance surrounding the Surendran’s suspension.

Does this mean that the charges against the PKR member were never conclusively proven?

According to Bernama, the suspension motion, which was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri (left) amid protest by members of the Opposition, was passed via block voting.

The Opposition questioned the legitimacy of the motion, triggering a heated argument, which lasted almost 90 minutes.

When the division was called by Deputy Speaker, Datuk Ronald Kiandee, 92 BN parliamentarians voted for the motion while the opposition representatives abstained.

On Tuesday, Surendran was given a marching order by Pandikar Amin for challenging his decision to reject an emergency motion he proposed over the alleged demolition of the extension to Sri Maneswarar Kaliyaman Temple extension in Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.

The dissatisfied Surendran told a press conference outside the chamber that Pandikar Amin was bias and likened the Dewan Rakyat to the Zimbabwean Parliament.

They deserve no honour

I have no intention of honoring the bravado of these people, be they on the government or opposition bench.These people are not fit to be elected “wakil rakyat”. Sadly, over the years, we see more and more of these characters being elected to the august house.

I miss the gentler and more decorous days of the Parliament when members were more civilized, tolerant and more gentlemanly in their verbal exchanges.

As one former members of Parliament noted, those were the “jahiliah” days when liquor was served in the Parliament and some members took time off to play a round of poker.

Has the current breed of politicians lost the ability to debate with civility, flair and candor using powerful yet inoffensive terms and expressions? Or does this mean that the standard of the Malay language and the intellect of today’s YBs are so inadequate that they have resort to uncouth language and vulgarities when making their points?

Somebody should broadcast parliamentary debate in totality for the entire period of sitting so that the rakyat can judge for themselves who are humans and who are apes among the YBs. Maybe live telecast will force them to be more civilized and thoughtful.

It is puzzling that a temple issue should lead to expulsion. I am not saying that it was not an important issue, but no less important were debates on top government leaders and important people spending RM182 million last year alone on private jet travels.

Or more shocking is the revelation by the Finance Ministry that the Federal government had spent RM7.2 billion since 2009 to hire private consultants for national projects.

It is clear that Mohd Najib as PM and Finance Minister loves private consultants despite the government having a whopping 1.4 million staff. This is not counting his special envoys and special advisers with ministerial status.

In response to question by the DAP MP for Kelana Jaya, Wong Chen, the ministry revealed a gradual rise in the bills for private consultancy firms from RM1.3 billion in 2009 — the year Mohd Najib became PM — to RM1.63 billion in 2010, RM1.8 billion in 2011, RM1.82 billion in 2012 and RM722 million from January to October this year.

In a damning indictment of the civil servants, the Finance Ministry said: “The capabilities of government researchers are limited in terms of their competency and human resources.”

If they are not good, sack them or train them. What's the point of having a million over civil servants and paying them better salaries if Mohd Najib has to rely on outsiders and foreigners? Actually we can get free consultancy from such multilateral organisation as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank if we want to.

As a footnote, I congratulate a former BN MP, who now chairs a statutory body, for telling two Ministers –Mustapha Mohamed and Idris Jala – in a meeting with journalists a few days ago to stop hiring foreign consultants. I would not ask if he dares saying that if he is still an MP.-- kadirjasin.blogspot.com,

Sarawak church SNUBS Najib's hazy Allah assurance, hints of Taib's support, wants CLARITY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:07:00 +0000

Written by Bolly Lapok

The Bumiputera Church will continue to use the word “Allah” as it is the fundamental to all aspects of our profession and practice of our Christian faith.

As we have heard from the public forum today, and has been stated numerous times to the media by church leaders from both East and Peninsula Malaysia, the word “Allah” has been used or spoken by the native communities of Sarawak and Sabah for generations. “Allah” has been used long before the formation of Malaysia and is part of our native language. It is used in all aspects of Christian faith and practice by Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Christian and other native speaking including in services, prayers praise, liturgy, worship and religious education. As such, it is reasonable to expect that the word also be used in our Christian publications and multi-media resources.

It thus makes no sense that only Christians in Sarawak and Sabah may use “Allah”. Christians from Sarawak and Sabah move across the country from East to West to live and work and carry with them their Alkitab and other Christian materials in the Bahasa Malaysia language. Even non-native from West Malaysia own and read the Alkitab as Bahasa Malaysia is our national language.

Nonsense to say judgement to be 'interpreted' as only for the Herald

It also makes no sense for the Court of Appeal’s recent judgement to be interpreted as being applicable only to The Herald. While The Herald may have been the case brought before the court, it is our view that the judges have overstepped their boundaries in determining that using the word “Allah” was not “intergral to the Christian” faith. In deciding thus, the judges have arrogated to themselves a right that does not belong to any human court of law-the right to determine religion. It is the fundamental right of every religion to determine its expression and practice of its own faith.

As such, the “Allah” controversy is about unreasonable government policies and laws that infringe on the right of non-muslim Malaysians to practice their religion of choice. In the face of such unreasonableness we cannot and should not remain silent.

The right of native Bumiputras to profess and practice their faith in their own language is safeguarded by the Federal Constitution. When Sarawak and Sabah agreed tojoin in the formation of Malaysia in 1963, they did so as sovereign states and with conditions attached; these being known as the Sarawak 18-point and Sabah-20-point Agreements a kind of covenant to which Malaya was a party.

Very first point concerns freedom of religion

It was not coincidence, it was intentional that the first point in both these agreements concerns the freedom of religion, Sarawak and Sabah consented to form the greater Malaysian nation with Islam as the religion of the Federation on the express condition that there will be complete freedom of religion without hindrance placed on other religions. According to these agreements, Sarawak and Sabah were not to have any official religion.

Appeals court re-interpreted Article 3

We thus view with grave concern the Court of Appeal judgement on The Herald which has re-interpreted Article 3 of the Federal Constitution to mean that non-Muslim religions may only be practiced in peace and harmony subject to Islam. We do not believe this was ever the original meaning of Article 3, which simply states that other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.

We need more that just a display of and ad hoc benevolence by the Malaysian Government. We need a tangible commitment from the authorities to respect and uphold the freedom of religion guaranteed. By the Federal Constitution which is the supreme law of the nation.

We thus ask the Government to recongnise and affirm:

1. that the word “Allah” is an integral part of, and inherent to the practice of the Christian faith by Bahasa Malaysia-speaking and other native speaking churches in Sarawak and Sabah and Christians in and from these two States;

2. that the Churches expect that guarantee of religious freedom enshrined in the Federal Constitution when Sarawak and Sabah joined Malaya to form the Malaysian nation will be full respected and honoured; and

3. that the 10-point Agreement by the Federal Cabinet in April 2011 on the printing, importation and distribution on the Alkitab in which the word “Allah” is an intergral part of the Bahasa Malaysia Holy Scriptures and also on the practice of the Christian faith in Bahasa Malaysia-speaking churches based on the Alkitab, will be fully honoured.

Full backing from Taib and the Council Negeri

Two thirds of Christians in Malaysia are the 1.6 million Bumiputra Christians of Sarawak and Sabah who use the Bahasa Malaysia language of worship in addition to their native languages. The rights of these Bumiputra Christians must be respected and upheld.

Any attempt to forbid the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims would be most regrettable and wholly unacceptable as it is a flagrant disregard and betrayal of the Malaysia Agreements which guarantees the inalienable rights of non-Muslims in Sarawak and Sabah to complete religious freedom.

With greatest respect, we asked that these rights be given its rightful place and that religious bigotry, racism and extremism should not be allowed to show its ugly head. Mutual respect and acceptance of each other community of faith should be the order of the day in a plural society like Malaysia.

We are most heartered by YAB Pehin Sri Chief Minister of Sarawak public stand that Allah is non-issue in Sarawak. We are also most encouraged to know that many members of Council Negeri had expressed their dismay and deep disappointment over how the Allah issue was handled.

Malaysia was formed and built upon trust and mutual respect of all that made the rich diversity of Malaysia. Let us build upon that foundation and defend it from any who would want to rob it away from us.

God bless Malaysia!

Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok

Chairman, Association of Churches in Sarawak

Full article: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=186871:swak-church-snubs-najibs-hazy-assurance-hints-of-taibs-support-demands-clear-affirmation&Itemid=2#ixzz2kWfpk0vm

Follow us: @MsiaChronicle on Twitter

Pope Francis Embraces a Modern Leper and the World is Drawn to its Knees

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 07:22:00 +0000

By Deacon Keith Fournier
09/11/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The moving encounter caught the attention of those in the square. The scenes of the tender embrace went viral.

Pope Francis kissed a modern day leper on Wednesday. The whole world is being drawn to its knees. I believe this a move of the Holy Spirit. I only pray that Christians will respond and seize the moment.Pope Francis, a man who moves in the Holy Spirit, responded to Jesus Christ on Wednesday. He left the pope mobile and embraced this man with the affection of a spiritual father. He kissed him with paternal tenderness. He recognized his beauty as a gift from God, the source of all beauty. He saw this man as the Father does and drew us to our knees. In so doing, he calls us all to conversion.

May this beautiful action of love by Pope Francis, a new Francis, draw the whole world back to God.

VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - On Wednesday, November 6, 2013, Pope Francis traveled through the crowd of the faithful gathered in St Peters square to hear his weekly catechesis. This is a tradition of the modern popes. Each, in their own manner and style, teach the Christian faithful on an aspect of living the Christian life.

The whole world paused in the face of an authentic witness of God's love and Mercy on Wednesday. The gates of hell were rattled. We all beheld the very heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ spoken in a language much more powerful than words.

Francis usually delivers a simple and popular exposition on living the Christian life. He is a pastoral pope, a man who speaks in simple words and prophetic action. On Wednesday, after his beautiful address, he followed his customary practice of driving through the crowd in an open pope- mobile.

This is an evangelical Catholic Pope. He is a man deeply in love with Jesus Christ, the Living Word - and deeply in love with the people whom Jesus loves. He speaks with words and actions. Like his namesake, he is a word walking, a living testimony to the prophetic meaning of the Christian message.

Pope Francis saw a man in the crowd who was severely disfigured by neurofibromatosis. This is a debilitating disease which has devastating effects. The effects can include intense pain and suffering, vision problems, learning impediments, cancerous lesions and severe disfigurement.

The physical effects can sometimes render those afflicted with such severe disfigurement that people recoil from even being around them. This reaction is much akin to the reaction people had toward lepers during the life of Francis of Assisi. He was among them. He hated lepers and avoided them at all cost.

However, during the movement of God's grace which occasioned his profound conversion and commission, Francis confronted a leper. He was moved by the love of God to embrace and kiss this leper. When he did, the leper was revealed as Jesus Christ.This changed Francis and spawned a movement which changed history.

Pope Francis kissed a modern day leper on Wednesday. The whole world is being drawn to its knees in response. I believe this a move of the Holy Spirit. I only pray that Christians will respond and seize the moment.Pope Francis, a man who moves in the Holy Spirit, responded to Jesus Christ on Wednesday.

He left the pope mobile and embraced this man with the affection of a spiritual father. He kissed him with the paternal tenderness of the heavenly Father. He recognized his beauty as a gift from God, the source of beauty. He saw this man as the Father does and drew us all to our knees. In so doing, he calls us all to conversion. He saw this man as one of those whom God fashioned in His Image. We do not see with the eyes of the Lord.

Our capacity to see true beauty is limited and fractured by sin.

The moving encounter caught the attention of those in the square. The scenes of the tender embrace went viral. News sources around the globe covered the event, with very little commentary. Instead, the photo footage spoke the mystery. Many in the main stream media were - finally - at a loss for words. It touched that place in all of us which needs to be reawakened. Our heart - Our soul - Our deepest center - this is a prophetic moment.

The successor of Peter, the Vicar of Jesus Christ, the man who took the name of the little poor man of Assisi, Pope Francis, kissed a modern day leper on Wednesday. The whole word is being drawn to its knees. I believe this a move of the Holy Spirit. I only pray that Christians will respond, and seize the moment.

This event is one more demonstrated that we are entering into a time of conversion, a moment of grace, for the whole word. Dear Lord, please help us to seize the moment and turn back to you. Help us to seize the moment to lead others back to you.

There is a saying attributed to St Francis of Assisi. Whether he actually said it or not matters little. It expressed the heart of his charism, I preach the Gospel at all times and sometimes I use words.
St. Francis became a living word from the Lord - through the witness of his life. Chapter 11 of the Legenda Maior, the testimony of St. Bonaventure, explains what Bonaventure called the spirit of prophecy in the life of Francis of Assisi.

Francis of Assisi was a word walking, a living letter of the Gospel. (2 Cor. 3:2) He lived the Christian vocation through example - and those who encountered him were drawn to Jesus. He invited others to follow the same pattern of life. I suggest that his namesake, the 265th successor of Peter, also named Francis, is following in his footsteps.

Are we hearing that message? Are we responding? Are we willing to be a prophetic sign?

The world is beginning to pay attention. A world which routinely looks aside when our youngest neighbors are killed every day through the evil of procured abortion - is beginning to see the implications and obligations of love, mercy and authentic solidarity.

This is a moment of grace. Are those who bear the name Christian ready to act?

When I read the 25th chapter of Matthews Gospel I am drawn to my knees by the words of Jesus, "I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison, and you visited me." (Matt. 25: 31-46)

I understand the question posed by his stunned disciples, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs." (Matthew 25.35-36) It was an extraordinary statement!

I have come to see there are so many faces of poverty. I am just beginning to learn to recognize the face of Jesus revealed in them all. Pope Francis is becoming my teacher. I am certainly not alone.
Have you ever considered the significance of the fact that the same Jesus who promised to be with us always also told us that the poor would be with us always? That is because they are connected.

Indeed, in a sense, they are one and the same - in a way that is revealed with the eyes of living faith.
"The poor you will always have with you; but you will not always have me" (Jesus, Matthew 26:11) "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Jesus, Matthew 28:20)

The face of Jesus is revealed in the face of the poor, for those with eyes to see. The word of Jesus is spoken through the poor, for those who cultivate the ears to hear Him asking for love. The cry of Jesus is heard in the cry of the poor, at least for those who stop to listen.

This is the deeper meaning behind the sobering scene recounting the last judgment recorded by the Evangelist Matthew in the 25th Chapter of his Gospel:

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.
Those who love the poor - like Jesus loved the poor- are given as a gift and instruction manual for the rest of us. They are a sign of the kingdom, making it present in their wake. We have a Pope named Francis who is such a man. He teaches us in prophetic action.

I will never forget that visit to the Jail on Holy Thursday. As he washed the feet of those prisoners, he washed the feet of Jesus with an alabaster flask of ointment and tears. I asked in an article I wrote back then, whose feet did Pope Francis really wash?
I answered my own question in that article. He washed the feet of Jesus. I know, even some well intended folks were caught up in examining the rubrics. After all, this was Holy Thursday! Why did he wash the feet of women when the event commemorated the Lord calling the Apostles? The connection between the Lord's Supper and the Institution of the ministerial priesthood prompted such concern.

I wrote in that same article on the two streams of footwashing in Christian history. It was an effort to try to quell the growing animosity between the "camps" which arose over the Popes action. The one tradition, connected to the Last Supper and the Institution of the ministerial Priesthood, and the other, reflecting the Christian call to practice hospitality. The latter reflected the practice of footwashing which had become the custom at monastries and religious houses, where both men and women religious lived.There, footwashing was a sign of charity.

However, I suggest the Holy Spirit wanted us all to dig deeper and put aside controversy. That the action taken by Pope Francis was prophetic. We must all turn back to Jesus Christ and His mission.We need to open ourselves to this moment in the history of the Church.We are called to radical charity in imitation of Jesus Christ.That is the way that this culture will turn away from the sin and idolatry of this age - and turn toward the Cross.

Pope St Leo the Great once wrote of Jesus: He took the nature of a servant without stain of sin, enlarging our humanity without diminishing his divinity. He emptied himself; though invisible he made himself visible, though Creator and Lord of all things he chose to be one of us mortal men. Yet this was the condescension of compassion, not the loss of omnipotence. So he, who in the nature of God had created man, became in the nature of a servant, man himself.

God became the least of these. Will we? Will we allow the truth revealed in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ to become our pattern for daily living? Will we cooperate with the grace of conversion and be emptied of ourselves for others? When we empty ourselves, He comes and takes up His residence within us.

Then, we can become His arms, embracing the world; His legs, still walking its dusty streets; and His Heart, still beating with the Divine Compassion manifested in Jesus Christ, the One who became the least of these in order to bring all of us into the full communion of Love. The Call we are witnessing is a call to return to Gospel Simplicity.

I believe we have been given a real gift from heaven in Pope Francis, just in the knick of time. He is another Francis for the Third Christian Millennium. God knows we desperately need such a witness. This pope chose the name Francis under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Once he did, that same Holy Spirit has been speaking to and through him. The world is enamored with the message. May the God of mercy use this moment for conversion. Francis of Assisi was a word walking. He lived the Christian life and vocation in a manner that was intended - through example- to invite others to follow the same pattern.

I suggest that his namesake, the 265th successor of Peter, also named Francis, is following in his footsteps. Are we hearing the message? This embrace of this modern leper by Pope Francis is a moment of grace. It is akin to the actions of the little poor man of Assisi. It is a prophetic moment.

May the loving Father, in the name of Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, bring about a spiritual movement of renewal like that which accompanied the first Francis. May the one whose embrace of a leper effected his own conversion and has come to symbolize the heart of the Gospel, draw us to repentance through his prayers and example.

May this beautiful action of love by Pope Francis, a new Francis for this age, draw the whole world back to God.

Please Lord, renew your Church. Then, through her vibrant witness of love, let the world of our age be drawn to the foot of the Cross where Love was fully revealed - and to the empty tomb where hope is made manifest and the meaning and end of life revealed in glory. Give all of us the courage to do what the moment requires. Amen.

Sun, sex and Muslim tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:20:00 +0000

Mariam Mokhtar | November 1, 2013

Najib delights in telling the world that Malaysia is a 'moderate Muslim nation', but his failure to make his country practise what he preaches, is a total disgrace.

COMMENT

The president of the extremist NGO Ikatan Musliman Malaysia (ISMA), Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman said that Muslim tourists from the Middle East would “cringe” at the manner in which the government promotes “infidel religions”, like Hinduism.

Zaik claimed that Muslim tourists “looked up to Malaysia as a modern Islamic country” and he issued a thinly veiled warning that Umno Baru president, Najib Tun Razak should maintain religious harmony.

ISMA objected to the Sri Sundaraja Perumal Hindu temple renovation in Klang, because the effort involved in the upgrade would imperil Malaysia’s image as a “model Islamic country”.

If anyone is wrong, it is ISMA. Multi-cultural Malaysia, and its present liberal stance, attracts Muslims from the Middle East; but once we become as extremist and intolerant as ISMA, or some middle-eastern nations, we might as well wave goodbye to all those middle-eastern petro-dollars which the nation currently enjoys.

Zaik and other members of ISMA should travel to Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta, Manila or London, to witness the major attractions for Muslims tourists.

Zaik may be delightfully surprised to find that many “unhealthy, infidel practises” are a magnet for the Muslim tourist who finds that being in these countries is liberating, unlike the repressive and stifling atmosphere which he faces in his own country.

London’s Hyde Park and the banks of the Serpentine in summer are bathed in a sea of black robed middle-eastern women walking hand in hand with their husbands. Young middle-eastern women, in western clothing, drive or are seen clinging to young men, safe in the knowledge that they will not be accosted by their religious police.

Zaik will find many similarities between the Malaysian Muslims and the middle-eastern Muslims who choose to go to places which are free of people, who share the views of ISMA.

Many of the Londoners are angry that their city is hijacked for three months of the year, every summer, by the middle-easterners who take over the centre of their city and treat their roads as racing tracks. These rich playboys are like the infamous Umno-Baruputra children who run riot in Kuala Lumpur.

The rich middle-easterners think they own the city, they park indiscriminately, they drive recklessly, they do not pay their parking fines and they drive without insurance. Their cars are often impounded.

Total disgrace

The night clubs are full of young middle-eastern men and women enjoying themselves, whilst the casinos are full of middle-eastern men, spending their money on a past-time which they cannot enjoy in their own homelands.

Zaik must know that Thailand, a Buddhist nation, attracts large numbers of tourists from the Middle East. By day, the temples have not proved a deterrent to these tourists; nor have the nightspots in Patpong, been off-limits to any of their men-folk.

Last September, ISMA declared that syariah law should be the only law that is practiced in Malaysia and last week, continued their uncompromising stand, saying that the ban on the word ‘Allah’ should be applied to all Christians throughout Malaysia. ISMA alleges that the ‘Allah’ debacle is an attempt to convert Malays to Christianity.

ISMA demanded to know why the Bible should be translated into Malay and said that Chinese and Indian Christians read Bibles in English. He then said that Christians in East Malaysia did not necessarily read Malay Bibles and said, “Malay bibles are published in a larger number than the Christians themselves. Which means, to whom are they meant to be distributed?” (sic)

Zaik is wrong, again. He claims that our moderate Muslim image is at risk, but Malaysia’s moderate credentials were destroyed by the extremists like Hasan Ali, Ibrahim Ali and organisations like Perkasa.

Najib delights in telling the world that Malaysia is a “moderate Muslim nation”, but his failure to make his country practise what he preaches, is a total disgrace.

Keen to cultivate the friendship of foreign heads of state and mindful of their investments, Najib thrives on the false image that he has presented to them.

These leaders either do not know, or have chosen to ignore, that Malaysians back home are subjected to one of the most intolerant societies and unjust rules ever imposed on a modern quasi-democratic state.

He has not accepted that he is responsible for the deep divisions in society, nor has he shown remorse for encouraging the attacks, both verbal and physical, on the non-Muslims and non-Malays.

Najib’s inability to censure the extremists and advise them that non-Muslims have a right to practice their religion freely, have shown us precisely why he is not fit to lead Malaysia.

The irony is that a conservative Malaysia has no appeal to the tourists from the Middle East. Zaik has a difficult choice.

Would he prefer a multi-cultural moderate Malaysia which attracts an influx of middle-eastern wealth and all the benefits or drawbacks which this brings? Or would he prefer the purity of a truly religious and conservative Muslim nation, like Iran or the Yemen?

p/s: Happy Deepavali to everyone

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.