MUSLIM MALAYSIA REVIEW ONLINE

NAJIB’S ADMINISTRATION IS EASY MEAT FOR ANWAR, OBAMA EYES GINGRICH AS EASIEST RIVAL

muslimmalaysia786 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:54:34 +0000

Malaysia needs to change. what the hell is Najib doing now?

MR. ANWAR, i don’t care what people say about you, you are one of my favorite people ever and i respect you a lot. You are the great person.

To see Najib tumble

The people are beginning to see Mahathir’s role in Najib’s administration is not receding but mounting. Apparently, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was squeezed out from his post as Prime Minister in 2009 by the maverick politician, Mahathir. Could the same happen to Najib if he decides not to ‘listen’ to Mahathir? Mahathir is still influential in UMNO politics not because he is too good a politician but there are factions within UMNO who would want to see Najib tumble. “But if Najib and UMNO tumble, BN has to close shop,” says a political observer. “Pakatan will form the next government.” Mahathir is thus perceived by some political observers as the right man who can decide Najib’s fate and possibly give more hope to the many other UMNO aspirants to climb up the political ladder.The buzz is that before Najib decided on his Cabinet line-up, he was somewhat ‘warned’ by Mahathir that Khairy Jamaluddin – the elected UMNO Youth leader – should be excluded from the Cabinet. True as envisaged, when the Cabinet line-up was announced, Khairy was excluded. Perhaps this must be the first time in the history of UMNO where its Youth leader has not been given any Cabinet post. “With that move by Najib, Khairy’s political fate is sealed,” says an UMNO lawmaker. To some political observers, even Khairy’s performance as a Youth leader is dismal: “He does not have the right charisma as a leader. The next general election would most probably see him not contesting at all.” The political murmur is that Khairy will lose his post as Youth chief in the next UMNO elections much to the delight of Mahathir.Not only that, the hum was that Mahathir signalled to Najib that all Abdullah’s men should also have been thrust aside from the post Abdullah Cabinet line-up. Shahrir Abdul Samad – being a fine politician – and realising the consequence, made a pre-emptive move. He decided to tender his resignation as a minister even before the new Cabinet line-up was announced. He nattily backed out before the axe fell on him. He could have sensed that the new Cabinet was going to be a Mahathir-charted Cabinet.But when Najib had the courtesy to include some of Abdullah’s men in, the whispers were Mahathir murmured that the Cabinet was still filled with some ‘tainted’ characters. Najib had no choice, as he saw some of these UMNO hardliners as his loyal supporters. Being a nebbish Najib needs them to ‘brawl’ for him against the Opposition for his controversial roles in many of the grim accusations on him by the latter. He is wary that he is not a political pugilist. Neither is he the pugnacious type. He is perceived by the people more as a ‘play-safe’ politician or prime minister unlike the belligerent Mahathir.Flip flop policyAbdullah in 2006 cancelled the famed half-crooked or curved bridge project into the Tebrau Straits to replace half of the Causeway that connects Johor Baru and Singapore. The project was mooted by Mahathir during his tenure as prime minister. When the iniquitous half-bridge was again cropped up by Mahathir during Najib’s time, the latter was rather quiet on the issue. Possibly, he must have known that the project was just unviable. Mahathir was again unhappy about this, as he is still adamant that the project must proceed. Najib has since been silent on this whole issue. The bridge project has stalled. The government lost RM740million of taxpayers’ money for this cock-upAbdullah scrapped the double-tracking railway project from Johor to Padang Besar which would have cost RM14billIon during his time as PM. Najib showed no enthusiasm on this project either. Instead the railway project is now being designated only from Ipoh to Padang Besar and the delay has cost the government RM12billion just for this short distance. Mahathir is riled, as he feels that had the project taken off very much earlier, just with an additional amount of RM2billion the double-tracking would have connected Johor Baru and Padang Besar.The use of English to teach Science and Mathematics (PPSMI) – Mahathir’s brainchild is being dropped by Najib’s government. Mahathir has been reported to have disagreed with the idea of dropping this plan that he implemented in 2003. Being averse to controversial issues, Najib smartly tossed ‘the hot potato’ to Muhyiddin Yassin to do the unpopular decision to scrap the policy. Muhyiddin has now ended up becoming a very unpopular education minister. This issue has dented his political career, but Najib is posing a chic silent on the matter. The dust has yet to settle and parents are not happy with this flip flop policy in education. BN is expected to lose more votes because of this issue and Mahathir is aware of this.Muhyiddin is obdurate that the policy has to be totally scrapped. RM5billion ringgit of taxpayers’ money was wasted on the PPSMI which lasted for only nine years before it came to naught. Had this been in another democratic country the whole cabinet members would have resigned and many leaders would have been sent to the political dungeon.Personal baggageThe campaigns leading towards a few by-elections during Najib’s premiership washed a lot of his dirty linen in public. ‘’Enough mud-slinging at me and smearing my name,” Najib was reported to have said during one of the crusades against the Opposition. Unfortunately, Najib is not perceived by the people as a leader free from personal baggage and this is not a good omen for UMNO and BN. To the political observers, Mahathir is more eager to save UMNO than to indulge on personal problems of UMNO leaders.In by-elections where Najib was quite reluctant to tramp Mahathir was seen more ready to tread. But, if Mahathir was to be seen going to the field jousting against the Opposition without Najib to be seen, what would the people perceive of the latter then? Despite Mahathir’s help, UMNO lost a few by-elections and this badly bruised Najib’s image.At that point of time, Najib was cagey when BN lost a few by-elections to the Opposition and Najib ended up becoming the punching bag for the Opposition as well many of his foes within UMNO. “Najib, who grew up in a political aristocratic family would naturally play out-of-harm’s-way politics. The most he would do is to have his people fight for him. But he has failed to realise that others cannot keep on doing the ‘stunt’ for him. Being the PM, the millstone will still hang around his neck,” says a political observer.

readmore http://suarakeadilanmalaysia.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/najib-the-jekyll-and-hydehumpty-dunpty-and-flip-flop-the-evil-that-coexists-within-najib/

With four candidates left in the Republican race, and Mitt Romney topping the polls, who would Barack Obama prefer to face in November?

Romney polls tends to poll better in swing states and with Newt Gingrich prone to the occasional gaffe, the answer seems clear.

Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane reports from Washington.

There is a not very fine line between issues that should concern a president and issues on which a Fox News commentator should spend his or her time. This was made very evident last week. On Tuesday night President Obama gave his State of the Union address. State of the Union addresses are a rarely compelling form of political theater, but they are significant because they allow the president to present his agenda and goals to the American people. On Thursday night, by contrast, the remaining four Republican presidential candidates engaged in what seemed like their 400th debate. Actually it was only their 19th.

The Republican debate included several strangely long digressions about space travel and moon colonies, widespread agreement that Ron Paul is in fine health for a man his age and a contest to see who could take the strongest anti-Castro position. Paul, of course, did not participate in this contest instead replying, not un-wisely, that if Raul Castro called him, he (Paul) would ask why Castro was calling. The contrast between the Republican candidates and President Obama could not have been more stark, or more favorable to the president. Obama talked about jobs and the economy, while the Republicans rabbited on about moon colonies. It is no surprise that the president’s poll numbers improved last week as well.

The Republican debates have been fun to watch and have given a great deal of exposure to the Republican candidates. However, on balance they have highlighted the weakness of the field and, like the debate last week in Jacksonville, forced the candidates to spend time talking about minor, even quirky, issues or on personal, and silly, questions such as whose wife would be the best first lady, or the role their religious faith would play in their presidencies.

The major issue in this election is, of course, the economy, but while the state of the economy may hurt President Obama in November, the Republican candidates gain little by talking about the economy now. This is because Republican proposals for addressing the economy such as lowering taxes on wealthy Americans, deregulating business more and cutting government programs are the precise ideas which have been so damaging to the ratings of Republicans in Congress. Moreover, there is little disagreement among the major candidates regarding these solutions. The differences are primarily of degree, not of kind. Accordingly, while most of the Republican presidential candidates are happy to criticize the economy and what President Obama has done to try to fix the economy, they are considerably more reluctant to spend a lot of time on their own uninspiring proposals. The debates are therefore taken up with other issues that, at best, make the Republican candidates look unpresidential and, in most cases, make the candidates seem less appealing to voters.

Successful candidates for president must evolve from being just another politician, to a plausible candidate for president to somebody who most Americans could envision sitting in the Oval Office. For challengers, the earlier in the process this happens the better. In 2008, John McCain, despite being a poor candidate in some respects was, due to his long service in the U.S. Senate and his extraordinary personal history, easily viewed as a potential president relatively early in the primary process. Barack Obama did not achieve this status until later in the process in 2008, but through his political skills and wave of well known early endorsers was still able to be viewed as a plausible president relatively early in the primary season.

There are many ways to persuade the American people that one is qualified to sit in the Oval Office, but discussing moon colonies with Newt Gingrich or speculating on Ron Paul’s fine physical health for a septuagenarian are not among them. This is the crux of the problems the debates raise for Mitt Romney, the likely Republican nominee. Even when he is winning them, as he did last Thursday, they are not moving him closer to convincing the American people he should be president. The debates create bigger problems for Romney because while he is trying to become president, his opponents are not. Ron Paul is trying to make a point, while Newt Gingrich is trying to rejuvenate his media career and have one last opportunity to lecture the American people.

It is only a slight overstatement to say that the Republican presidential candidates have debated 19 times and the winner of almost all of those debates has been Barack Obama. The extremist, and often poorly informed, views of most of the candidates, the emphasis on explaining minor differences and the time spent talking about issues which are of little importance to most voters have not helped any Republican seem like a strong threat to President Obama. With fewer debates in the next months, Romney may be able to focus more on Obama, but first he needs to make up for lost time and pass the presidential plausibility test.

Marching into 2012 Najib Abdul Razak is still not perceived as a strong leader by the masses. It is the perspicacity of the masses that his many personal, social and economic debacles will keep haunting him until the next general election – widely believed to be held before June 2012.

Race relations in the country is not getting any better and evidently religion is widely seen as a convenient gizmo used by UMNO to divide the people. Above and beyond, shady characters among some UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians , abuse of taxpayers’ money, and the ineffective economic strategies of the government have failed to convince the masses. Almost four years of BN at the helm after the March 2008 general election has not seen much clout in UMNO or Najib to shove the country to the right track. Their popularity seem to slide.Many social and economic woes relating to race relations, religion and the economy have since alienated the masses. Corruption is perceived as too rife among those having power and authority but more often than not these are swept under the carpet for political reasons.They only receive the crumbs The recent RM100 and RM500 one-off payments to students and the poor respectively have been perceived by the masses as trying to ‘bribe’ for votes in facing the next general election. Even the purported 1Malaysia RM5,000 loan to the poor to invest under a national unit trust scheme is not going to electrify the people into voting for BN.To an aid recipient in Kedah, he is not full of praise for the government: “This matters least, as the money given to the people is not from UMNO’s own pocket but it’s taxpayers’ hard-earned money. We have to edify the people on this political strategy of UMNO. For now, just accept the money as it’s the people’s money, not UMNO’s or BN’s. When it comes to voting, this is totally going to be a different issue.”The people sense that the amount of money given to the poor by the government is just pittance that could not even make ends meet in time of high inflation in the country now. “This ‘bribe of sort’ is for short-term delight,” says a farmer in Kedah. “The government has not come up with any concrete long-term plan to reduce inflation and bring down the cost of living to help the poor.” He adds, “Increasing the pay of those already earning big salaries is not going to help reduce the price of food. Only the rich are seen to be given huge incentives and rewards to become richer. The poor are becoming poorer, as they only receive the crumbs.”What is more interesting to the inquisitive minds of the masses is the quality of leadership the country has to offer. The buzz among voters is, ‘”Who is actually running the country now?” This is the question asked by many within and outside UMNO and BN. Everyone knows that officially Najib is the PM. But Najib has been perceived as a leader who could not steer the country free from Mahathir’s influence. “As long as Anwar is around, Mahathir will not give up harassing Najib’s administration. He fears that UMNO and BN will lose big in the coming general election with Pakatan’s increasing popularity,” says a young voter in Kerian.My father used to tell us not to be afraid or fear psychosis when I and my brother were young lads. He told us, people who fear things will happen to them will actually face it – eventually. Could it be karma?

Next person to lead Malaysia is Anwar Ibrahim being the next Prime Minister. READMORE http://themalay-chronicle.blogspot.com/2012/01/najibs-administration-is-easy-meat-

When at crossroads of life Fear Factor: The Religious Right’s Problem With Women

muslimmalaysia786 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:25:01 +0000

Dr.Raba aka JJ

After protracted wrangling between Washington and Kuala Lumpur for more than 1 year following the retirement of professional diplomat Ambassador Dato Rajmah Hussain, the issue of the next Malaysian Ambassador to the most powerful nation in the world has been resolved. Our new man in Obama Land is none other than a Najib crony and Member of Parliament for Rompin, Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis.

Two verses of the Holy Quran succinctly and candidly deal with the basic concept of veil in Islam. First; in Sura An-Nur (The light) the Quran says: “And tell the believing women to lower their gazes and be modest, and to display of their adornments only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms.”(24:31)
In this verse it is clearly mentioned that sex parts must not be exposed and must be covered. “Adornment which is apparent” alludes to the common body parts between male and female sexes more for more clickhttp://www.teachingquran.com/

The world has seen the terror and confusion on the porcelain face of eight-year-old Naama Margolese, who was insulted and spat on by ultra-Orthodox men as she walked to school in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. The Haredi, to use Israeli term, found her bare arms so immodest that they screamed “whore!”

The video of a very frightened young girl and the furious, arrogant men, who told reporters they were perfectly justified in their actions, has become a flashpoint in what some are calling a struggle for the soul of a country.

As I watched, I wondered: What is it about women that the men of deeply conservative religions find so threatening? What runs so deep that it justifies traumatizing an innocent eight-year-old?

It’s a question that echoes throughout the Middle East and beyond. The men of the Haredi and the men of the Taliban won’t be getting together any time soon to swap philosophies. But they might find they have a lot in common. In their subjugation and abuse of women, they are brothers united.

Consider the familiar ring of some of the recent actions of the Haredi.

Women on buses that pass through or even by their neighborhoods have been physically forced to the back seats — and one who refused ignited a small riot. Park benches have been removed from neighborhoods so men and women could not sit together, and women would not have a place to sit outside their homes. “Modesty police” harass and beat women on the streets.

Just last week, a woman was attacked in her car for being “immodestly” dressed. They smashed her car windows, punctured her tires, poured bleach in her car, and hit her in the head with a rock as she fled. A crowd gathered, but no one helped.

You could easily transport those incidents from the streets of Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh to the streets of Kabul and Cairo. Cultures differ, but female separation and oppression are the master gears in the far right’s machinery of control. Without them, it appears, there is terror that the machinery breaks down.

Find a place where men oppress women, and you’ll hear the same justification: we’re doing it for their own protection. It’s not protection. It’s projection.

The logic: My sexual urges take me away from a focus on God. Women cause me to have those urges. The obvious solution is to beat them down, cover them up, and lock them away. What I can’t see won’t tempt me.

And so: women see the world through the eye-slit in a burqa, or stay covered head to toe in a brutal Israel summer. They are beaten in the streets for showing a bare arm, a bit of blush, a flash of ankle. They are locked away to become brood mares to cultures that prize large families.

Those hoping for solutions from newly formed governments grateful to the women who were on the front lines of revolution will likely be disappointed. The Arab spring is already giving way to an Arab winter for women — as governments’ first orders of business appear to restore the default settings for female oppression.

Accommodations to the ultra-orthodox parties in coalitions are an increasingly worrisome influence on Israeli policy.

As Haredi men occupy more government positions, they can impose beliefs on a greater portion of the secular majority. The mere presence of ultra-orthodox men recently prevented a noted female Israeli pediatrics professor from receiving an award on stage from the Israeli Health Ministry, or even to sit with her husband. Fear of female sexuality in religiously conservative Arab cultures often takes us from control to savagery.

Police in Saudi Arabia forced schoolgirls back into a burning building because in their terrified attempt to escape the flames they were immodestly dressed. Girls in Afghanistan had noses sliced off or acid thrown in their faces because they wanted to marry the man of their choice, or ran away from abusive in-laws. The obvious point — throw them on society’s trash heap by making sure no other man will want them.

Some studies indicate such horrors radiate from a violent collision between the imperative to repress and control female sexuality and the cultural power of shame. A female that defies the norms brings a shame to families so corrosive, that it can only be washed clean by spectacular violence — the kind that not only delivers a punishment, but leaves an enduring message. Another argument holds that a combination of religious belief and a culture of gender separation cause a deep sexual anxiety in Arab men. If females aren’t free to express their sexuality, there can be no comparison-shopping. Women dare to insist on that expression invite violent reprisal.

We can also turn our view to the West, where female repression is alive and well in the precincts of the religious right.

The actions may not be as extreme, but the insistent urge to control female bodies is the same — from reproductive rights (we’ll tell you the answer to the unknowable question of when life begins in your body) to approving reimbursement for Viagra (which facilitates pregnancy) to denying reimbursement for birth control pills (which prevents it). As someone said: if men got pregnant, birth control would be a sacrament.

So the questions remain:

Why is female sexuality and empowerment so deeply threatening to the conservative religious cultures? What would happen to those cultures if women were free to make their own sexual choices, and exercise their own personal power? Would free, healthy, sexual, productive women bring down a society or dramatically strengthen it?

Whether we admit it or not, everyone wants apartner high on the oomph meter, says a study

You are fooling no one with the ‘looks don’t matter to me’ line. For researchers at anAmerican university found that no matter how much people say they are looking for someone smart, who they can trust and laugh with, they have an unconscious desire to get a sexually attractive partner – which applies both to men and women.

Dr Kersi Chavda, a psychiatrist, explains, “It is possible that the first impression of an attractive person causes the most positive reaction. However, overtime physical attractions tends to dip. A relationship does needs physical attractiveness to grow.” He says, “As one becomes more mature, physical attributes are not enough. Conversational chemistry also becomes essential, and it gets impossible ‘to continue’ in a relationship based only on physical attributes.” He also stresses that physical chemistry is vital. “And whether this chemistry could be due to a person’s figure, or smile or part of the anatomy, is immaterial.” There has to be some attraction he says, adding, “Often this attraction is different for different individuals.”

Psychiatrist Dr Kamaljit Singh terms such chemistry as the “click.” He attributes such attractions to the evolution of the brain. He says, “Our brain has learnt to pick up signs for health. These are scanned and a possibility of producing a healthy offspring is calculated,” and the best ones convert into attraction signals for us.

Dr Singh says we are well-equipped to screen the best partners. “After the physical attraction settles down, the prefrontal cortex can think about other areas and scan the person on other compatibility areas.”

Every once in a while I’ve been a junction or crossroads, personally and professionally, and I’ve wondered which route to take.

Sometimes the prospect of immediate gain, be it a job or relationship, has seemed an easier route to instant gratification. But not all short-term gain is desirable and if the end result of the action means deviating from, blurring or losing the larger picture, it’s simply not worth it. So how do you know when to take on a short-term endeavour or which route to take when you come to the fork in the road? My mom had once told me to shut my eyes and visualise a perfect day from the moment my eyes opened in the morning to the time I slept at night when I am 65-years-old. Where do I wake up? Am I in India or abroad? What does my home look like? Who’s in the home with me, a partner, my grown-up children, perhaps my grandchildren? If I have a spouse, what would he be like? What are the qualities in him that I am in tune with and appreciative of, now that the external appeal has diminished? What do I get up and do? Do I have servants or do I make my own breakfast? Do I work, have a hobby, or perhaps involved in social causes? What is my source of income? How do I fill my day? Who are my friends and what do we do together? She told me to visualise that one perfect day to its smallest detail and if the decision I take today in the tiniest way leads to the manifestation of that perfect day and life, it’s the right one to take!

Just a couple of days back I met a guy in my gym and we became friends. We exchanged numbers and since then he has been messaging me constantly. I don’t like this at all. How do I tell him to stop messaging me without hurting him?

You gave him your number with the intention of being friends and then get upset he’s being friendly? I suggest you take at least 15 hours before you reply to any texts and decline the enthusiasm levels by stating you’re just too busy with family, work, life and other commitments to be able to respond frequently. Keep your messages short or monosyllabic, polite with no fluff, no great dramatic excuses. He will get the message very quickly.

I am 18-year-old and am in love with this guy from college. We dated for ten months but my parents came to know about it and told me to break up. He’s not from a well-to-do family and if my parents are not happy with the guy I am with, I do not see any point to continue. But I just cannot take him off my head. Should I continue dating him?

I’m glad you are sensible enough at 18 to see the sense in your parents apprehensions regarding him and the implications of such a liaison emotionally, physically and financially. Most importantly, since you have stated that you do not see any point in continuing it, your focus should be academics, a happy family life and to enjoy your teenage years without chaos and unnecessary self-inflicted pressures. Enjoy these years. There are so many wonderful people out there. Do not settle for the first misfit that comes your way.

I am in a relationship with a guy who is a year younger to me but he doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. My parents are fixing my marriage with someone else but I do not wish to do so. Please help me.

Relationships are serious business and I firmly believe age has little to do with maturity. I have met 24-year-olds with uncanny wisdom and depth and in direct contrast 60-year-olds that exhibit practically no signs of maturity or ageing gracefully. When you think of marriage, both partners have to be serious about it and the words stable, loving and well-matched must pop-up. If either is missing in him, give the man a miss. That works both ways, with the man you love and with the man they intend for you to marry.

I am a 17-year-old girl in 12th standard. Due to some problem in my family I feel I am more mature than my counter parts. I cannot maintain a friendship with anyone but I do have a lot of friends around me who think I am orthodox in my thinking because I do not go out and freak out with them. I am more comfortable while talking to guys. I am a little disturbed. Please help.

You’re still in your teens and full of questions and confusion about life, the opposite sex, relationships, etc. First of all, just know it’s normal to be feeling this way. Secondly, I suggest you stop judging yourself and putting yourself in any bracket. This is a stage to simply enjoy being you, enjoy growing, learning, and developing different facets to your personality. It doesn’t matter what people think of you because as you evolve, so will their perceptions of you. Enjoy being who you are and do not be pressured to fit-in and do things that make you uneasy. Do whatever makes you happy and comfortable and whatever comes with a guilt free tag attached

Study says…

People will readily tell you what they value in a romantic partner – that’s usually attributes like being understanding, intelligent, good sense of humour. But study after study shows that those preferences don’t predict whom daters are actually attracted to when they meet flesh-and-blood partners.

Zodiac zing

Astro Sciences also recognise the ‘law of attraction’ and rate Scorpio, Leo and Cancer as the sexiest signs of the zodiac.

Scorpio (October 24 – November 22)

In Saudi Arabia, for example, compensation for a Muslim man is greater than that for a Muslim woman, which is greater than that for a Christian woman, which in turn is more than that for a Hindu man. Conversely, in Yemen, the compensation for a Jew is greater than that for a Muslim, on account of the former’s status as a protected member of the tribe. In Iran, compensation is not necessary for victims whose blood is considered mobah, or able to be spilled with impunity, such as members of the Baha’i community.

Can there be equal treatment?

Even if we were to accept uncontested the notion of the quantifiability of human life in cash terms, it is clear that there is a strong possibility for equality before the law to be compromised under such a system. The fact that we already bear witness to unaddressed inequalities in Malaysia, borne by adherence to some notion or other of ethno-religious supremacy, reflects badly on the prospect for equal treatment should qisas be implemented.

Above all, we must consider how guilt and innocence are determined in syariah law. The existing literature is not encouraging.

Human Rights Watch issued a report in 1999 detailing a case in Pakistan involving a man who murdered his wife’s lover upon finding them in a “compromising position”. In this instance, it was ruled that, as men were the “guardians of women” (according to Surah An-Nisa, 34), the jealous husband had merely been “protecting his property” when he killed the cuckolding man. It was accordingly adjudged a case of self-defense and no punishment, not even diyya, was levied upon the husband, who was declared innocent. The deceased victim, on the other hand, was deemed guilty by virtue of his complicity in adultery.

That the system of beliefs these moral justifications are based on is not one all Malaysians subscribe to merely compounds the problem. Apologists will, at this point, trot out the well-worn argument that syariah laws only apply to Muslims and not to non-Muslims, and therefore its wholesale implementation should not be of concern to non-Muslims.

That line of reasoning is a poor one. More than one-third of Malaysians are non-Muslims who live cheek by jowl with their Muslim countrymen and women, and sooner or later a non-Muslim will perpetrate a crime against a Muslim or vice-versa.

When this comes to pass, one of two things will happen, both of which are contrary to the purportedly exclusive nature of syariah. Either non-Muslims will be treated differently, in which case we go back to the problem of legal parity, or they will be treated identically, which would necessarily require the imposition of Islamic law on non-Muslims. There is no such thing as compartmentalised law in a multi-cultural society, regardless of what PAS would have us believe.

Hudud is thus only a small symptom of a much larger predicament. What is truly at stake here are the very notions of universal equality and justice. One hopes the majority holds these things dear.

This is said to be the sexiest sign in the entire zodiac. Those who have dated a Scorpio can vouch that they have an irresistible power of attraction. There’s a joke that even the ugly demented ones can get people to do what they want. The mystery surrounding them turns everybody on.

Leo (July 23 – August 23)

It is the next sexiest sign in the zodiac. People are often attracted to the warmth and charisma they exude. Leos make their partner the centre of their world. For a lot of people that kind of attention is very sexy.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22)

The third sexiest sign in the zodiac is Cancer. Cancerians have a zany sense of humour, and are very romantic.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON A SNAKE IN THE GRASS, LOVE TO WATCH MY FATHER HAVE SEX?

muslimmalaysia786 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:21:45 +0000

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON A SNAKE IN THE GRASS, LOVE TO WATCH MY FATHER HAVE SEX?

Posted by fawas on 31/01/2012 · Leave a Comment (Edit)

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON A SNAKE IN THE GRASS, LOVE TO WATCH MY FATHER HAVE SEX?

Posted by suarakeadilanmalaysia on January 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment (Edit)

Obsessions or fetishes are normal inclinations towards one thing or the other. Here is a list of a few fetishes – while some are innocent, the other are on the wild side.

We all have things that turn us on. Don’t be afraid of them, enjoy them as they will help make your sex life better. Check the list if any of these are yours and hey, you might even find something you didn’t know you liked.

1. Stomachs: Both men and woman like to flaunt their flat stomachs. Nothing is hotter than a woman who is fit, knows it and is oozing with confidence that says ‘I know my body is sexy’.

2. Piercings: This is something that is popular with younger people. They pierce everything than can. They don’t stop at the ears like a normal person does. They may pierce their tongue, eye brows, nipples, lips, tongue, and even their genitals! Ouch!

3. Latex, leather, rubber: A lot of men love to look at women wearing very tight material. One doesn’t have to imagine what the person looks like underneath their clothes – it’s there for anyone to see.

4. Domination: Some men and women like to be told what to do. This may also involve whips, hand cuffs, or chains. It is extremely popular for unfathomable reasons.

5. Feet: This is a popular fetish. Some men like to adorn a woman’s feet with jewellery or henna, while others like to lick them.

6. Lipstick/ fingernails: Red lipstick – all men can think about is the ring that will be left during oral sex. This is one of the things that make a woman look like a woman.

7. Hair: This isn’t as weird. We all like to see a woman who keeps her hair clean and smelling great! Some guys like a woman who has a pony tail or has braids in her hair.

8. Water: Every man dreams of that woman who sticks her head up from the pool and is so very good looking. We like water because people tend to wear little or nothing in water. Nothing looks better on a woman than a wet t-shirt or a wet bathing suit that fits snuggly on her breasts.

9. Golden showers: This is where you urinate on your partner, or they urinate on you and it’s a great turn on. Sometimes it has to do with domination. There is no signal stronger than pissing on someone.

10. Voyeurism: This is the most popular fetish. People love to watch and be watched having sex. This is one of the reasons why porn is so popular. We love to watch someone have sex.

Most of us nurse hidden fetishes. A fetish is characterised as an obsession, not just something sexual that you are attracted towards.Sex expert Dr. Rajan Bhosle says, “Sexual fetishes are nothing more than unconventional, yet harmless sexual practices. There are many, which border on the unhealthy. One should understand that having a fetish is not abnormal, everyone has fetishes, but it’s just that we nurture them within set limits. There are different degrees of fetishes that range from mild to extreme.” He further goes to explain that if, “one is attracted to blondes that’s one thing, but if you are unable to get aroused unless you’re with a blonde, then you likely have a fetish”.

Fetish can be particular from individual to individual. They fall under three categories – media, form and animate. In the first category, a fetish is developed for a particular material with which one is obsessed with such as rubber, leather, latex, and silk. But with form fetish, it’s the shape of the object that gives a high such as a woman’s stilettoes, knee-high boots or lingerie. On the other hand, body parts like feet, hair, buttocks or breast are called “animate” fetishes.

It’s important to understand that fetish preferences differ from individual to individual. “Generally it’s seen that a fetish is accompanied with certain feelings of guilt or shame. Try and seek other people who share the same sexual desires and practice it,” opines sex expert Dev Karan.

Some of the top fetishes that couples seem to posses:
Body piercing: Ask the younger lot and body piercing seems to be a top fetish amongst them. Interior designer Priya Gill says, “A pierced body turns me on. It can be anything from belly buttons to tongues and eyebrows. Everyone should have at least one body piercing in “that” place to create a feeling of arousal”. Dr Rajan Bhonsle puts in a word of caution saying, “One should be very careful as to where he has got the piercing done from. The area should be free from any kind of infection and kept clean. One should also try to sterilise the ornament they are wearing”.

Latex fetish: Men love material. The “bad” and “naughty” are always attractive. Model Rahul Mehra states, “My girlfriend’s wardrobe has loads of garments in latex and leather. It’s quite a turn on for me and gives me pleasure, making me more innovative in bed”. Watching a woman move around in anything tight and shiny is a tease in itself. Dr Shekhar Shah says, “The hygiene factor is very important. Sweat blisters must be avoided. Signature stockings are common with women. Latex gear also acts a catalyst. Fetishes are, most of the times related to some object or palpable thing”.

Fetish of having sex with a sex worker: The high from having adulterated sex with a sex worker gives a kick. Sayali Singh, a student openly admits “Though I am into a relationship, but last year for the first time I made out with a gigolo. It was extremely exciting as we tried out new sexual positions as compared to my staid boyfriend whose company I don’t enjoy much”. Sexologist Dr. Shekhar Shah highlights that, “while having sex with a prostitute, one should be clear that the person is free from sexually transmitted diseases or he has to pay much more for a fun of a few minutes.”

Voyeurism and display: Many couples confess to being turned on by pornography or watching another couple in the act. HR executive Raj Kaushal admits, “Watching a porn movie makes a lot of difference to my partner and me. Erotic scenes give us a high”. On the other hand there are couples who liked to be watched or even video tape their sessions to later enjoy viewing them. Dr. Rajan Bhonsle explains, “This is a common phenomenon as porn movies are meant to give both partners a sexual boost and inspiration”.

Fetish for body parts: Having a fetish for body parts is a sexual interest most people have. Be it your partner’s hand, feet or even nails – it’s a sexual high. Journalist Ishita Mehra says, “My boyfriend loves it when I run my long nails on his back and he says that it arouses him”. The largest global study of sexual kinks conducted by the University of Columbia reveals that the feet and shoes are by far the biggest turn-ons. Dr Rajan opines, “The body part when well displayed acts as a turn on. The feet and objects associated with the foot are the most common fetishes”.

Braids and ponytails: A woman’s hair has always been a fetish for men. Blondes, brunettes, red heads, long haired, short haired, thick hair or curly haired – men enjoy the feel of a woman’s hair. Raj Kaushal says that, “any girl who has a funky hairstyle or indulges in experimentation with her hair attracts me. I think it’s attractive and sexy”. Hair is used as prop most often in sexual sessions. Dr Dev says, “Men love to play with a woman’s hair and get naughty. Even a slight f difference in colour or texture excites them”.

Unusual outfits to enhance sex: All one needs is to get more creative as Richa Sahoo, a PR executive explains saying “one day I had dressed like a nurse and then my guy’s excitement knew no bounds. He was all charged up with passion”. Dr Rajan explains, “This is very common amongst couples who love to experiment with role play.”

Group sex: Some couples consciously choose to involve other people in their sex play. Software Consultant Richa Singh says, “When I heard first about group orgies I found it to be weird and kinky. But gradually I started living my fantasies; it was a sort of my secret desire which came true”. It’s only necessary to seek help if any harmful consequences are emanating from your sexual habits. Dr Dev says, “Whenever involved in group sex be sure that none of the partners have STD infections and proper hygiene is maintained. Also take care of the place where all of you have got together for the act and ensure it’s a safe spot”.

So, finally it has been confirmed. The MCA has its sticky hands all over the white ‘ang-pows’ issue. But worse than Ibrahim Ali, who distributed cash to senior citizens in these ‘pak kam’ or funeral envelopes instead of using the traditional red packets, the MCA tried to pretend it was not involved.

And like a snake in the grass, Labis MP Chua Tee Yong even slammed Malay rights group Perkasa for the faux pas, when all the while there were MCA leaders who had helped to organize the event.

“Perkasa should have been aware. They should have learnt the practices of another race before organising such an event, so that they did not upset anyone,” said Tee Yong, the son of MCA president Chua Soi Lek, who has maintained a deafening silence while the community raged at what they perceived to be the ultimate insult.

For the issue is not just about an ancient taboo or superstition, it was the blatant and ruthless abuse by the MCA and Perkasa of the community’s senior citizens.

“If this is not betrayal, I don’t what is. If Soi Lek and Tee Yong are not careful, people will say they are capable of selling their own grandmothers to stay in power,” condemned PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng.

Snake in the grass

Indeed, Tee Yoong’s slick words aimed to give the impression that he was on the side of his community and firing at full ballast at the ‘rotten and racist’ ultra rights group Perkasa sickened many who knew the truth behind the incident.

MCA Seputeh division committee member Collin Tiew has confessed that he had helped organize Perkasa’s Chinese New Year gathering and brought along at least 50 senior citizens.

“I have been made a victim for bringing some 50 people to Perkasa’s Chinese New Year open house in Kampung Baru on Sunday. It was not my intention to offend anyone. If my action has hurt the people’s feelings, I would like to apologise to the Chinese community,” said Collin, who s also the MCA Sri Desa branch chief.

Collin’s involvement also confirms the sad suspicions that MCA has all along been playing a double or even triple game to dupe the Chinese community.

In 2008, the party was severely punished by its core electorate for subjugating their rights to Umno’s. MCA leaders were accused and declared guilty by Chinese voters of putting their personal interest and cushy government jobs ahead of Chinese rights such as fighting for fairer distribution of scholarships, licences, business and educational opportunities.

Soi Lek has denied this, always blaming opposition “spin” and “lies” for his party’s own woes. To revive confidence, he has waged a fight for greater economic rights with Umno and Perkasa, demanding that a long-held 30% quota for Malays be dropped.

However, the extent of this fight is always limited and MCA always stops when given a final reprimand from Umno, prompting Malaysians to suspect that it was all a “sandiwara” or playacting.

MCA’s ‘independence’ proven to be a ‘sandiwara’

Collin’s collaboration with Perkasa, although he claims he has never met Ibrahim Ali before, shows that MCA, Umno and Perkasa do work hand in hand together.

This despite, Perkasa staging a shaming and noisy demonstration last year, calling Soi Lek and the Chinese party all sorts of insulting names including “Porn King” to convince the Malays that it was doing its job as a fierce defender of Malay rights, while the MCA ‘co-starred’ to convince the Chinese that it was championing their rights.

“I do not endorse what he said, I merely translated it,” was Collin’s giveaway when asked why he took part in the Perkasa event to the extent that he went on stage and gave a speech.

“If Ibrahim did this for his personal agenda, then I regret it. I am being condemned, I’m a victim of this incident,” was Collin’s rather lame apology.

Exploited and manipulated once too often

But Collin is wrong. He is not the victim. The Malaysian Chinese are the victims – the victims of the MCA’s lies and manipulation of the past decades. And this is why there was such a furore.

“People get fed up of being used and exploited year in, year out. The MCA has gone too far this time. It has pricked its own bubble and the pus is spurting all over. Nobody wants to go near it, Malaysians want a clean country. We want a real country, not a make-believe world and definitely not sandiwara,” PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng toldMalaysia Chronicle.

Labis MP Chua Tee Yong Malay rights group Perkasa for the faux pas, when all the while there were MCA leaders to help to organize the event

readmore http://taxidriverstreetvoices.blogspot.com

/2012/01/like-father-like-son-snake-in-grass.html

TAN SRI NOR MOHAMED YAKCOP : HERO OR GOAT?

muslimmalaysia786 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:51:26 +0000

The age of intolerance Privileged class must realise its duty to the nation

The dragon has been birthed again this new lunar year and the Chinese have paraded and serenaded the creature no end. The dragon, the only mythical animal in the Chinese zodiac is a symbol of royalty, perseverance, luck and prosperity. The Chinese consider the dragon to be most auspicious and go to great lengths in trying to ward off evil and usher in dragon like qualities into their lives, one way or the other. What continues to always take me by surprise is the perseverance of the Chinese, one quality that they most certainly have plagiarized from the fiery dragon. And persevere they do in imitating without a hitch what the rest of the world has taken years to create

Really, there appears to be no such thing as a good time for Prime Minister Najib Razak to call for snap polls. By ‘a good time’, it meant conditions where positive factors outweigh negative ones for the re-election of the UMNO-BN government.

Najib has been trying to formulate and implement policies for this excess of positives over negatives since taking charge in April 2009.But every time he feels he has a surplus of good vibes over bad ones, his government is upset by gremlins that have the effect of stalling the recourse to a new mandate as every new PM who desires validity for his reforms is impelled to.

The latest instance of this imp of misfortune dogging him is the attorney-general’s filing of intent to appeal the High Court’s January 9 decision to acquit Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim on a charge of sodomy.

Najib had begun capitalising on that acquittal the day it was delivered, citing it as a demonstration of the liberal reforms he had initiated under his government.

Ironically, this credit-taking had the effect of confirming that the judiciary had indeed been subject to the whims of the executive. But the opposition was not going to protest this indirect confirmation of their suspicions for obvious reasons: Anwar’s acquittal on a case that was filled with unconscionable gaps was right and fitting.

More expediency than conviction

But the sequel for the credit-taking Najib began to turn sour almost immediately. Right-wingers in his party, already angry that the Police had allowed Pakatan Rakyat supporters to gather in numbers at the judgment’s delivery, now clamoured that the decision be appealed.

When the A-G’s Chambers filed its notice of intent to appeal, the PM decided that not only would he have his cake – take credit for the acquittal, he would eat it too – absolve himself of responsibility for the appeal.

It would have been better if Najib had signaled his displeasure with the A-G’s decision. It would have suggested there was more conviction than expediency to his reforms.

But the PM is not a man of conviction so much as convenience. Talk of reform and transformation of the economy and polity trips easily off his tongue.

The jargon of progressive management drips from his government’s public relations vents but because there is no conviction behind it, the exploitative convenience behind the cupcake soon enough becomes detectable.

It would be wishful thinking for the PM to hope for luck with the good fairies of electoral timing. Thus far it appears these good fairies have frowned more than fawned on him. Because of this, the PM has had to resort to munificent measures his deficit-battling government can ill afford, such as the RM500 handout to citizens earning less than RM3,000 a month, to keep on the credit side of the ledger by which, supposedly, the electorate evaluates its leaders.

But even these inducements cannot dispel the fumes emitted by the scandals that almost continually occur on the PM’s watch.

Less than rosy prognosis

The cattle-rearing project undertaken by the Wanita UMNO leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is only the most sensational of the lot in that it contains details lurid enough to sustain the buzz among the chattering classes. As if all this were not bad enough, details of his wife’s sybaritic shopping expedition in Sydney on a recent vacation only serve to keep the embers of controversy glowing.

Furthermore, with the economic indices – stemming mainly from the glitz outlooks for the United States and Europe – pointing to a less than rosy prognosis for 2012 than that painted by the government, Najib must be wondering what would it take to create a favourable time for an election.

“I can call spirits from the vasty deep?” says a character in Shakespeare’s Henry the Fourth.To which the protagonist replies, “Why, so can I, so can any man. But will they come when you do call for them?”

Besieged leaders seeking a mandate must wonder at the elusiveness of a propitious time in which to summon electoral spirits from the “vasty deep.” With the clock winding down on his inherited (from predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s) mandate, with the downward draft exerted by recurrent scandals on his watch, and with the glitz of his reforms getting plainer by the month, can Najib avoid the musings of Cassius to Brutus in another of Shakespeare’s plays (Julius Caesar): “The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

The age of intolerance Privileged class must realise its duty to the nation Suppression of religious freedom and a curb on the right to protest is the order.thealmost totalitarian one party tyrannical approach,

readmore http://themalaybusinesstribune.blogspot.com/2012/01/tan-sri-nor-mohamed-yakcop-hero-or-goat.html

Discovering Islam Tun Dr Mahathir’s forgotten Rohingya: Myanmar’s outcasts. Will he help?

muslimmalaysia786 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:04:00 +0000

mahathir said shoot them

Millions of residents of western Myanmar have been stripped of citizenship and basic human rights. Will Suu Kyi help?

PKR has accused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of having close ties with Zionists and pro-Israeli US leaders back when he was prime minister, stating that these were well-recorded facts.

Dr Mahathir had yesterday labelled arch rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a Jewish sympathiser and a leader who disregarded the plight of the Palestinians. The former prime minister was responding to Anwar’s recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, in which the latter expressed support for “all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel.”

In a statement today, PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (picture)said Dr Mahathir had “twisted” Anwar’s remarks, and that the former PM had conveniently forgotten his “close ties” with the US and pro-Jewish lobbyists.

“Anwar has explained that his statement in the Wall Street Journal played up by Umno and their media is consistent with a two-state solution which is an initiative accepted by the Arab world, Malaysia as well as Hamas, who are Palestinian freedom fighters.

“Mahathir might seem to be against Zionists and the West but he actually has a good relationship with them, to the point where he was willing to sign a private military agreement with America in 1984 — the Bilateral Training and Consultation Agreement (BITAC) which enabled the US to conduct military training in Malaysia,” said Nik Nazmi.

The PKR leader claimed that Dr Mahathir paid Jack Abramoff, a Zionist lobbyist, US$1.2 million (RM3.7 million) to arrange a meeting with former US President George W. Bush shortly after Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister.

“This has been admitted by Dr Mahathir himself,” said Nik Nazmi, adding that Abramoff had close ties with Bush as well as Israeli extremists.

The Seri Setia state assemblyman said that according to a Newsweek article Abramoff collected funds for the Jews in Israel to be used in their fight against the Palestinians, and that he (Abramoff) eventually pleaded guilty to charges of corruption and fraud in 2006.

“It looks like Dr Mahathir stills harbours his old grudge against Anwar. He and the Umno leadership cannot seem to stop their slander just so it could be a distraction from numerous scandals that have plagued them,” he added.

Anwar has since clarified his remarks by saying he was referring to a “two-state solution”, and that his support was also contingent on Israel respecting the aspirations of Palestinians.

Dr Mahathir had also claimed that his former protégé had close ties with many US elected representatives who were Jews, and that he was their “friend”, and named Paul Wolfowitz as one of them.

Wolfowitz, a former US Secretary of Defence and World Bank president, is of Jewish descent.

Anwar came under heavy fire from Umno and its media after his statement was published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

The opposition leader was forced to defend himself by stressing that his remarks in the newspaper meant that he supported a two-state solution, which he said was mentioned by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman when the latter addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September last year.

But Anifah responded by saying Anwar’s interview “clearly shows full support for all actions taken by Israel to protect its security, unless he is accusing the Wall Street Journal of making a mistake.”

Muslim-majority Malaysia is a staunch supporter of Palestine and has no diplomatic ties with Israel.

Muslim politicians have long vied for support from Malays by denouncing what they say are inhumane acts of aggression by Israel towards its neighbour.

Anwar has previously been attacked as a supporter of the Zionist movement due to his interaction with prominent Jewish figures in the West.

But the opposition leader turned the tables on Umno and Barisan Nasional in 2010 when he claimed public relations firm APCO Worldwide, then contracted by Putrajaya, was responsible for both the 1 Malaysia and 1 Israel campaigns.

why mahathir spoeak about other muslims who are have been stripped of citizenship and basic human rights

HARMJAHDA is Chandra Muzzafar BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY Mahathir Mohamad

Malaysia’s ruling party has again brought out its anti-Jew drum in a bid to discredit Anwar Ibrahim, the popular Opposition Leader and his resurgent Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Among those leading the charge for Prime Minister Najib Razak and former premier Mahathir Mohamad is Chandra Muzzafar, a Brahmin who gave up Hinduism to embrace Islam. Chandra’s latest tirade on national television on Saturday night against Anwar on the question of Israel — and by extension Palestine — must be the most outrageous lies ever concocted by anyone, politician and non-politicians, alike.

readmore
http://themalay-chronicle.blogspot.com/2012/01/harmjahda-is-chandra-muzzafar-bought.htm

This article is the first in a series by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, a former Pakistani high commissioner to the UK, exploring how a litany of volatile centre/periphery conflicts with deep historical roots were interpreted after 9/11 in the new global paradigm of anti-terrorism – with profound and often violent consequences. Incorporating in-depth case studies from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Ambassador Ahmed will ultimately argue that the inability for Muslim and non-Muslim states alike to either incorporate minority groups into a liberal and tolerant society or resolve the “centre vs periphery” conflict is emblematic of a systemic failure of the modern state – a breakdown which, more often than not, leads to widespread violence and destruction. The violence generated from these conflicts will become the focus, in the remainder of the 21st century, of all those dealing with issues of national integration, law and order, human rights and justice.

Washington, DC - The image of a smiling Daw Aung San Suu Kyi receiving flowers from her supporters is a powerful message of freedom and optimism in Myanmar, the symbol of democracy in a country which has known nothing but authoritarian oppression for decades.

Yet few ask one of the most pressing questions facing Daw Suu Kyi. How will she deal with the Rohingya?

“The Rohingya,” you will ask. “Who are they?”

The Rohingya, whom the BBC calls “one of the world’s most persecuted minority groups”, are the little-publicised and largely forgotten Muslim people of the coastal Rakhine state of western Myanmar. Their historic lineage in Rakhine dates back centuries, as fishermen and farmers. Over the past three decades, the Rohingya have been systematically driven out of their homeland by Myanmar’s military junta and subjected to widespread violence and the total negation of their rights and citizenship within Myanmar. They are a stateless Muslim minority.

The continued tragedy of the unrecognised Rohingya, both in Myanmar and as refugees abroad, casts a dark shadow over the bright hopes and prospects for democracy in a country plagued by violence and civil war. Suu Kyi is ideally placed to extend democratic reforms to all ethnic peoples, including the Rohingya, in a free Myanmar.

Though the Rohingya may be small in number at less than two million, the real lesson of the Arab Spring is that no notion of democracy can succeed without the inclusion of all people within a country’s borders. Every member of society, regardless of race and religion, must be given their due rights as citizens.

“While many ethnic minorities in Myanmar have been the victims of the central government’s oppressive measures, the Rohingya stand apart in that their very existence is threatened.”

While many ethnic minorities in Myanmar have been the victims of the central government’s oppressive measures, the Rohingya stand apart in that their very existence is threatened. The Rohingya’s plight abroad as refugees in places such as Bangladesh and Thailand has seen glimmers of the media spotlight, but less attention has been brought to the underlying cause of their flight: the violence and cultural oppression at home.

These policies were enacted by Myanmar’s government to force the Rohingya outside of Myanmar as a result of their being Muslim and ethnically non-Myanma. The government erroneously labelled them as “illegal Bengali immigrants” in their efforts to eradicate the Rohingya culture.

Kings to refugees

Yet, the long history of the Rohingya and the Rakhine state contradicts the government’s claims. The medieval Kingdom of Arakan, encompassing the Muslim Rohingya, was once an enlightened centre of culture, knowledge and trade, displaying a harmonic blend of Buddhism and Islam in its administration and court life. The kingdom’s cosmopolitan and international capital city, Mrauk U, was described in the 17th century as “a second Venice” by a Portuguese Jesuit priest and was often compared to Amsterdam and London by travellers and writers of the time.

It was the 1784 military conquest by Bodawpaya, the king of Burma (now Myanmar), that transformed this once vibrant kingdom into an oppressed peripheral region. After this, many haunting tales began to circulate of Burmese soldiers rounding up the Rohingya in bamboo enclosures to burn them alive, and marching thousands to the city of Amarapura to work, effectivley as slave labour, on infrastructure projects.

With the rise to power of the military junta in 1962 under General Ne Win, a policy of “Myanmarisation” was implemented as an ultra-nationalist ideology based on the racial purity of the Myanma ethnicity and its Buddhist faith. The Rohingya, as both Muslims and non-Myanma, were stripped of their legitimacy and officially declared foreigners in their own native land. With the passage of the junta’s 1982 Citizenship Law, they effectively ceased to exist legally.

Stripped officially of their citizenship, the Rohingya found their lives in limbo: prohibited from the right to own land or property, barred from travelling outside their villages, repairing their decaying places of worship, receiving an education in any language or even marrying and having children without rarely granted government permission. The Rohingya have also been subjected to modern-day slavery, forced to work on infrastructure projects, such as constructing “model villages” to house the Myanmar settlers intended to displace them, reminiscent of their treatment at the hands of the Burmese kings of history.

The denial of citizenship and rights was accompanied by a military strategy of physical and cultural war designed to drive the Rohingya out of Myanmar

The initial push of the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign came in 1978 under Operation Naga Min, or Operation King Dragon. The purpose of this operation was to scrutinise each individual within the state as either a citizen or alleged “illegal immigrant”. This resulted in widespread rape, arbitrary arrests, desecration of mosques, destruction of villages and confiscation of lands among the Rohingya people. In the wake of this violence, nearly a quarter of a million Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, many of whom were later repatriated to Myanmar where they faced further torture, rape, jail and death.
In 1991, a second push, known as Operation Pyi Thaya or Operation Clean and Beautiful Nation, was launched with the same purpose, resulting in further violence and another massive flow of 200,000 Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh.
Non-governmental organisations from Europe and North America estimate that 300,000 Rohingya refugees remain in Bangladesh, with only 35,000 residing in registered refugee camps and receiving some sort of assistance from NGOs.
Acknowledging the Rohingya
Those remaining, more than 250,000, are in a desperate situation without food and medical assistance, largely left to slowly starve to death. The December 2011 refugee repatriation agreement reached between Myanmar President Thein Sein and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will exclude the Rohingya, due to their lack of Myanmar citizenship, one of the conditions for repatriation for the expected 2,500 returning refugees.
The Rohingya predicament underlines a paradox for the world’s great faiths, straddling the divide between Islamic Asia and Buddhist Asia. Each emphasises compassion and kindness and yet, we see little evidence of this in their dealings with the Rohingya people.
As part of this current study on the relationship between centre and periphery in the Muslim world, we recently interviewed Dr Wakar Uddin, Chairman of The Burmese Rohingya Association of North America (BRANA). A gentle and learned man, he is an energetic ambassador for his Rohingya people with a firm grasp of regional history. All the Rohingya want is the reinstatement of their citizenship in their own land, as revoked by the former dictator General Ne Win, and the dignity, human rights and opportunities that come with it.
Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy have a unique opportunity to reach out to the Rohingya people and include them in the new democratic process. The NLD should work with the central government to expand the role of all ethnic minorities as full Myanma citizens.
By acknowledging their rights, the government will bestow upon the Rohingya the dignity and the responsibilities of citizenship and present opportunities for mutual cultural understanding and the repatriation of the thousands of refugees existing in purgatory, separated from their homes and families. Great strides have recently been made by the Myanmar government towards the creation of an open and democratic political system and an end to ethnic violence, yet this is only the beginning.
With the recognition of the Rohingya as Myanma citizens, Suu Kyi will honour the memory of her father, Aung San, as he, before his untimely and tragic death, also reached out to ethnic minorities to participate in an independent Myanmar. Only then can a democratic and modern Myanmar be legitimate and successful in the eyes of its own people.
But the first step is to acknowledge the Rohingya exist.
This article is based on research being conducted by Professor Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, Washington, DC, and Harrison Akins, a Research Fellow attached to the Chair, for the forthcoming study, Journey into Tribal Islam: America and the Conflict between Center and Periphery in the Muslim World, to be published by Brookings Press, exploring the conflict between Muslim tribal groups and central governments across the Muslim world in the context of the US-led ‘war on terror’.
Ambassador Ahmed is a former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK and former administrator in Waziristan and Balochistan. He is the award-winning author of numerous books, including Discovering Islam, and Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam (Brookings Press, 2010).

MUNAFIK MEN OF GOD-UMNO Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, JAMIL KHIR BAHAROM & CHE MAT CHE ALI (JAWI) APA JENIS BINATANG MEREKA INI

muslimmalaysia786 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:11:26 +0000

embroiled in controversy over the alleged use of RM63,650 in zakat funds to pay for legal fees related to the qazaf case YAH ALLAH SAVE US FROM THIS EVIL POLITICAN

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today accused arch rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of being a Jewish sympathiser and a leader who disregarded the plight of the Palestinians.

“He (Anwar) never mentioned about the plight of the Palestinians… his sympathy is towards the struggles of the Jews,” Dr Mahathir told reporters here after attending a function.

The former prime minister was responding to Anwar’s recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, in which the latter expressed support for “all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel.”

But the opposition leader has since clarified his remarks by saying he was referring to a “two-state solution”, and that his support was also contingent on Israel respecting the aspirations of Palestinians.

Today, Dr Mahathir claimed that his former protégé had close ties with many US elected representatives who were Jews, and that he was their “friend.”

“Anwar is not confused, he is close to Israel. When he got out of prison in 2004, he met with (Paul) Wolfowitz in Munich, Germany, for three hours,” claimed Dr Mahathir.

Wolfowitz, a former US Secretary of Defense and World Bank president, is of Jewish descent.

Anwar came under heavy fire from Umno and its media after his statement was published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

Muslim-majority Malaysia is a staunch supporter of Palestine and has no diplomatic ties with Israel.

Muslim politicians have long vied for support from Malays by denouncing what they say are inhumane acts of aggression by Israel towards its neighbour.

Anwar has previously been attacked as a supporter of the Zionist movement due to his interaction with prominent Jewish figures in the West.

PENGARAH JABATAN AGAMA ISLAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN (JAWI) DATUK CHE MAT CHE ALI MASIH MEMBISU BERHUBUNG KEHADIRAN BELIAU DI MASJID AMRU AL-AS DI SENTUL PADA HARI DATUK SHAZRYL ESKAY ABDULLAH BERSUMPAH LAKNAT.

Ketika banyak pihak menagih penjelasan daripadanya – yang dianggap sesetengah pihak menyokong tindakan tiga anggota Datuk T itu – Che Mat masih belum mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan kepada media.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lawyers walked out of the Syariah Court of Appeal this morning after it gave Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and two others leave to set aside the opposition leader’s qazaf appeal without first providing grounds.

Anwar’s lead counsel Kamar Ainiah Kamarulzaman had objected to the hearing of the application by the Islamic affairs minister and two senior Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) officers, arguing that procedure had not been followed.

“Our lawyers argued that you must provide grounds but the judges ruled in favour of Jamil Khir (picture),” PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad told The Malaysian Insider.

But the three-man Bench, headed by Datuk Zohdi Taha, said grounds were not needed for the trio’s application to be heard.

Kamar Ainiah then said her team of four lawyers could not be associated with the court’s decision and left the courtroom along with PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Anwar’s wife.Lawyers representing Jamil Khir, MAIWP chief prosecutor Shahsuddin Hussain and MAIWP director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali then asked that Anwar’s lawyers be cited for contempt, saying they must show cause as to why they should not be cited.

Zohdi fixed March 8 for proceedings to continue, but did not decide as to whether the court will hear the matter of contempt.PKR de facto leader Anwar had filed an application in January 2010 to compel Shahsuddin to prosecute his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan after he declined to proceed with the qazaf case.The Permatang Pauh MP then took his case to the Syariah Court of Appeal after the High Court had dismissed his application.The former deputy prime minister, who was recently acquitted of sodomising Saiful by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, named Jamil Khir, Che Mat and Shahsuddin as respondents.The trio have also been embroiled in controversy over the alleged use of RM63,650 in zakat funds to pay for legal fees related to the qazaf case.But they have denied abusing the alms money, with Che Mat insisting that zakat can be used to “defend the sovereignty and honour” of Islamic institutions.

Zakat is the third pillar of Islam. The Qur’an mentions Zakat many times along with prayer’s Salat to emphasize the importance of it. Literally Zakat means Blessing, purification, increase and goodness. It is so called as it blesses the wealth from which it is taken and protects it from misfortunes.

Zakat – A means for eradicating poverty

To whom Zakat cannot be given

1. Zakat cannot be given to a person who owns atleast 7 1/2 tolas of gold or 52 1/2 tolas of silver or equivalent wealth in cash, kind or in trade goods. If Zakat money is given to such a person, then the obligation will not be discharged. For such a person to receive and accept Zakat is forbidden and to use it is haram. If a person owns household goods over and above that which are necessary for his normal use, such as carpets, utensils or other goods which are owned and kept in possession, but are hardly in frequent use, then such goods do not come under essentials, but in accumulated wealth and Zakat cannot be given to the person possessing them.

2. To some relatives: Zakat cannot be given to one’s mother, father, paternal and maternal grandparents, great grand-parents, etc. Likewise, Zakat cannot be given to one’s offspring-sons, daughters, grand-children, great grand-children, etc. Zakat cannot be given by husband to wife, nor by wife to husband. Except for these, Zakat can be given to other relatives such as brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc.

3. To children: The position of a minor child is linked with his or her father. If the father is wealthy, then the child will also be considered as rich and Zakat cannot be given to him. If the father is poor enough to receive Zakat. but the mother is rich, then Zakat could be given to the child because the child’s financial position is linked with that of the father, not the mother.

4. To Syeds: Syeds are the descendants of Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima. Zakat as well as Sadaqah and Fitra cannot be given to them.

5. Zakat cannot be given to a person in payment of services rendered by him or in payment of wages to a teacher, caretaker, etc. It can, however, be given to such a person as a gift, if desired.

6. Zakat cannot be given to domestic or other servants as wages. Zakat money can be given to them as a gift over and above the wages paid to them.

Pig is the most shameless animal The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. It feels no jealousy

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend

Muslims also believe in the same Prophets mentioned in Jewish and Christian traditions, including Noah, Moses, Abraham and Jesus, and they believe that all prophets came with the same message – to worship God alone, without partners, sons or daughters. There is a difference, however, between all other prophets and Prophet Muhammad. Before Muhammad, prophets were sent to particular people in particular places and periods. Muhammad however, is the final Prophet and his message is for all of humankind.

God tells us in Quran that He did not send Prophet Muhammad except as a mercy for humankind. “And we have sent you O Muhammad, not but as a mercy for humankind and all that exists.” (Quran 21:107) God did not say Muhammad was sent to the people of Arabia, or to men, or to the people of the 7^th century. He made it clear that Prophet Muhammad was a prophet like no other, one whose message would spread far and wide and be applicable in all places for all times. Muslims love him, respect him and follow him. They hold him in such regard that for many it is emotionally painful to see or hear their beloved mentor ridiculed or disrespected.

Throughout history and around the world non-Muslims have shown great respect and honour to Prophet Muhammad and he is considered influential in both religious and secular matters. Mahatma Ghandi described him as scrupulous about pledges, intense in his devotion to his friends and followers, intrepid, fearless, and with absolute trust in God and in his own mission. Prophet Muhammad taught Islam as a way of life, founded an empire, laid down a moral code and instituted a code of law focusing on respect, tolerance and justice..[2]

What is it about Prophet Muhammad that inspires such devotion? Is it his gentle and loving nature, his kindness and generosity or is it his ability to empathise with all of humanity? Muhammad was a selfless man who devoted the last 23 years of his life to teaching his companions and followers how to worship God and how to respect humanity. Prophet Muhammad was acutely aware of just how much responsibility had been thrust upon him by God. He was careful to teach the message just as God had prescribed and warned his followers not to adulate him the way Jesus, son of Mary was praised.[3]

Muslims do not worship Prophet Muhammad; they understand that he is only a man. However, he is a man worthy of our utmost respect and love. Prophet Muhammad loved humanity so much that he would weep out of fear for them. He loved his Ummah with such deep and profound devotion that God remarked on the depth of his love for us in Quran.

“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to God, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers he is full of pity, kind, and merciful.” (Quran 9:128)

Prophet Muhammad taught us to love God and to obey Him. He taught us to be kind to each other, to respect our elders, and care for our children. He taught us that it was better to give than to receive and that each human life is worthy of respect and dignity. He taught us to love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves. Prophet Muhammad taught us that families and communities are essential, and he pointed out that individual rights although important are not more important than a stable, moral society. Prophet Muhammad taught us that men and women are equal in the sight of God and that no one person is better then another except in respect to his or her piety and devotion to God.

Who is Prophet Muhammad? Quite simply he is the man who will stand before God on the day of Requital and beg God to have mercy on us. He will intercede for us. Muslims love him because he is the slave and messenger of God, he is a mercy to humankind and his gentleness, and devotion to humanity is unprecedented.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accused the Syariah court today of being politically manipulated and for blundering in rejecting his application to prosecute his former aide for making a false accusation of sodomy against him.

The opposition leader is appealing against a decision to dismiss his application for qazaf, or false accusation, in the Syariah court.

The PKR de facto leader filed an amendment today to his notice of appeal over his qazaf appeal to compel the prosecution to charge Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

“The Syariah prosecutor failed to fulfil their duty because of political instructions and did not prosecute based on my report,” he said.

Pig is the most shameless animal The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. It feels no jealousy

YAH ALLAH SAVE US FROM THIS EVIL POLITICAN

Where is the prophetic voice within this? How do we understand the moral sense of outrage that a lot of people are feeling right now mostly around inequity?
By Harun Yahya In the Quran, Jews and Christians, the members of the religions who abide by the Divine Books revealed by God, are called the “People of the Book.” There are many nations in the world with different colors, creeds, and languages. These differences have been a cause of enmity throughout history in societies that …Read more

JUSTICE & TOLERANCE IN THE QURAN THE GREAT HUDUD DEBATE DR DZULKEFLY AHMAD

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continued his attacks on PAS’s proposal to enact hudud today, saying the Islamic penal law would lead to lopsided administration of justice.

“They said the hudud is only for Muslims. So if you happen to go stealing with a Chinese friend, they’ll chop off your hand but your Chinese friend or Indian friend, they will get two months’ jail.

WHERE IS THE PROPHETIC VOICE WITHIN THIS? HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THE MORAL SENSE OF OUTRAGE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW MOSTLY AROUND INEQUITY?

By Harun Yahya In the Quran, Jews and Christians, the members of the religions who abide by the Divine Books revealed by God, are called the “People of the Book.” There are many nations in the world with different colors, creeds, and languages. These differences have been a cause of enmity throughout history in societies that …Read more JUSTICE & TOLERANCE IN THE QURAN THE GREAT HUDUD DEBATE DR DZULKEFLY AHMAD

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continued his attacks on PAS’s proposal to enact hudud today, saying the Islamic penal law would lead to lopsided administration of justice.

IGP Ismail Omar: Do What is Right

Given these clear provisions of the Law, I would like to see some action and genuine legal advice from A-G Gani Patail to IGP Ismail Omar. Already Ismail Omar has failed the first test when he opened his mouth to make this no brainer retort to reporters - “What offence (did they commit), you tell me?” when asked why the Trio were not arrested.

Last week I asked Ismail Omar to wake up and do the right thing. Obviously Ismail Omar needs some guidance on the provisions of the Law as to the kinds of offences that this case can come under. Granted that an IGP may not know all the Laws of the country. However, Ismail Omar is a law graduate himself and the Penal Code is the principal Law of the country for criminal offences. Thus, I find it alarming that the IGP does not know these basic laws. So, I will ask Ismail again- Please wake up, the Rakyat is watching you!

I would like to conclude this piece by reproducing the Press Statement by my friend, Anti-Corruption Crusader Tan Sri Robert Phang. Once again, I call on our leadership – Stop this Gutter Politics!

malaysia’sTV3 Norazlina Redzuan Sexy News Reader

Zakah is indispensable for the Muslim community as it achieves reform, both financially and spiritually. It eliminates misery and greed from hearts and consolidates the Islamic economy, leading to its stability and prosperity. Besides, the Qur’an pictures Zakah as:
The means of attaining Allah’s mercy, “But My Mercy extended to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and practice regular charity”. (Surah Al-A`raf 7:165)
Also the Sunnah equally stresses the importance of Zakah.
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying, “I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, perform Prayer, and pay Zakah.” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
Ther are two conditions for Zakat to be obligatory on the wealth.
1. Being in possession of Nisab i.e. possessing property in excess of a minimum exemption limit.
2. On completion of one Lunar year on the wealth. According to the Hanafi fiqh, if a person possesses wealth equal to or in surplus of Nisab in the beginning and at the end of the lunar year, (even though in between the year, the wealth was less than the Nisab), Zakat is obligatory, but if at the end of the lunar year, if the wealth is less than the Nisab (though one had wealth equal to or in surplus during the year), zakat is not obligatory. According to the Shafie fiqh, the passage of one lunar year is a must on the wealth (Nisab). The zakat is calculated on the day on which a year is completed on that wealth (Nisab).
Nisab
Zakat is paid on the surplus of wealth which is left over after the passage of a year (Lunar Year).
It is thus a payment on the accumulated wealth, leaving our animal and agricultural yield. Zakat is paid at almost a uniform rate of 2 1/2%. The minimum standard of surplus of wealth over which Zakat is charged is known as Nisab. It differs with different kinds of property. In case of silver, it is 52 1/2 Tolas (634 grams), in case of gold, it is 7 1/2 Tolas (88 grams). The Nisab for cash is the same as that of gold and silver.
On whom Zakat is obligatory
Zakat is obligatory on every adult free, Muslim man and woman provided the above two conditions are fulfilled. According to Imam Malik, Shafie and Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal, Zakat is obligatory on the wealth of the minor and insane person, and it has to be paid by the guardian.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa, it is not obligatory. Since Zakat is an act of worship, the intention is a must and hence it is not obligatory on the wealth of a minor and the insane person.
Zakat on woman’s Mehr
According to Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik, the wife need not pay Zakat on the Mehr amount still due by her husband. However, Zakat will have to be paid on the amount she has claimed provided, it is equivalent to or more than the Nisab and on which one year has been completed. According to Imam Shafie, the wife has to pay the Zakat every year (though she herself is not claiming the Mehr, even though it can be claimed). According to Hanbali, the wife has to pay the Zakat for the entire number of years at the time when she gets it.
Zakat on the Business Goods or Stock-in-Trade
All types of goods for sale, whatever may be its form, whether hand- made or machine products or fruits or books or jewellery or clothes or cattle or property brought with the intention of buying and selling etc., are liable for zakat, provided it is in one’s possession for one complete lunar year and the rate of zakat applicable is 2 1/2% on its total value. The prescribed limit on goods is after conversion, in terms of its value, the total amount thus evaluated must be equivalent to the price of 634 grams of silver. If less, then zakat is not obligatory.
Zakat on Company or Partnership, Silver, Gold, Currency and Shares
If any wealth or property is held jointly by two or more persons, then according to Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik, Zakat is not obligatory on any person until each individual’s share is equal to the value of the Nisab.
Zakat on Silver, Gold, Currency and Shares
The minimum prescribed limit on which Zakat becomes obligatory on silver is 52 1/2 Tolas (634 grams), and of gold 7 1/2 Tolas (88 grams) and is known as Nisab. Zakat on silver or gold items is one fortieth of its weight, i.e. 2 1/2%. Zakat on silver or gold is not calculated on its value, but on its weight. However if one possesses some gold and some silver and neither of them is in the prescribed limit, then if their total cost is equal to the price of 634 grams. of silver, Zakat becomes due on it.
Zakat on Jewellery of a Woman
Zakat is due on all the gold and silver ornaments, jewellery, and gold or silver lace woven into cloth, gold thread embroidered dresses for ladies, etc. Hazrath Umm Salmah says that she used to put on (gold) bracelets. When she asked the Prophet (Pbuh) whether it was Kanz (hoarded wealth), he replied. “When a piece of property reaches upto the prescribed limit and Zakat is duly paid on it, it is not Kanz”.(Abu Dawood)
Imam Abu Hanifa, his disciples and some scholars hold the above opinion. According to Imam Malik, Shafie, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal and other scholars, there is no Zakat on the woman’s ornaments. According to some other scholar,s the Zakat on ornaments is due only once in a lifetime. The difference of opinion among scholars is only on the ornaments in use by the woman, but there is a consensus among all the scholars that Zakat is liable on the excess of the ornaments held in possession as wealth.
Zakat of the Bank Deposit and on Provident Fund
Both these fall under the status of debt. According to the Hanafi school of thought: Both of them are liable for Zakat for all the years and it has to be paid when out of it, an amount equivalent to the value of 10 1/2 Tolas of silver or more is claimed. According to the Hanbali school of thought, also the Zakat is liable on both for all the years. It has to be paid when an amount equivalent to the Nisab or more is claimed.According to the Maliki school of thought, the Zakat on bank deposit is liable for all the years.And it has to paid when the amount is received. On the provident fund, since the person does not have any power to claimit, so Zakat is liable at the time when it is received and it has to be paid for one year only. According to the Shafie school of thought, the Zakat on the bank deposit has to be paid every year. The Zakat on provident fund has to be made for all the years and it has to be paid when he is entitled to receive it, though he may claim it or not in time.

Najib threatens to unleash Rela act against unruly Taxidriver just remember how they defended K.L.C.C

muslimmalaysia786 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:31:38 +0000

Allahyarham Baharuddin Ahmad – Malaysia’s 1st. Martyr

59-year-old taxi driver

An inquest into the cause of death of 59-year-old taxi driver Baharudin Ahmad who died at the Bersih 2.0 rally last year, will commence tomorrow.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak today issued an open warning to would-be demonstrators, saying that the paramilitary People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) was ready to defend the country from turmoil.

Speaking in front of an estimated 20,000 Rela members here, the prime minister pledged his administration’s commitment to look after the interests and welfare of the corps.

“When the chips are down, Rela will be with this government to defend the country.

“Do not cause havoc in this country because the 2.8 million Rela members will not stand idly by and watch the country descend into chaos,” he said to a chorus of approval from the audience.

Najib pointed out that the government allowed peaceful demonstration in accordance with the recently-passed Peaceful Assembly Act, but maintained that the country’s peace and security was his administration’s utmost priority.

He acknowledged Rela’s past contributions to the country and said that the time had come to escalate its role and function in society.

“We are looking at the current Act, and a new Act will be tabled to Parliament soon,” said the PM.

“We want to see a cleaning up of Rela’s organisational structure, a new image…Rela has to become more professional, its image can be upgraded,” said Najib.

He told Rela members here that the country faced “new threats” like drugs and human trafficking, and that the corps will play a pivotal part in tackling these threats.

“Peace, national security, has to go back to the will of the people… the will of the people is seen through the chosen government, why it is chosen by the people, legitimate,” he added.

Najib’s administration came under widespread condemnation for its clampdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform in July last year, which saw nearly 2,000 arrested leading up to and during the march.

But authorities allowed opposition supporters to gather at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on January 9 in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ahead of the verdict for his sodomy charge.

Today, Najib also announced an additional allowance of RM2 per hour for Rela officers, and said that the government’s goal was to “strengthen” Rela as an organisation.

Klang Valley taxi drivers want the authorities to abolish the coupon system put in place in several city landmarks, saying today it burdens the driver with less revenue and the consumer with higher charges.

Two hundred taxi drivers gathered today and asked the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to meet them and resolve issues, including abolishing the coupons which was instituted to prevent rampant over-charging.

“(We) strongly feel the coupon system on metered taxis has led to two systems — a premise charge for the taxis, and also a counter charge,” taxi driver Amran Jan told a press conference here today.

“Additionally, only members are allowed to queue up for passengers. This clearly points to monopoly,” he added.

Amran said under the coupon system, taxi drivers are required to pay a monthly membership fee of RM100 to operate in designated areas which includes tourist hot spots like the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), Sunway Pyramid and KL Sentral.

“The system profit is 10 per cent from the coupon price, but zero per cent is given to the taxi drivers. The coupon price is also not fixed,” he said, citing KL Sentral to LCCT as an example.

“From KL Sentral to LCCT, the price is fixed at RM90, but from LCCT to KL Sentral, it is fixed at RM75. Why the double standard?” he asked.

“Moreover, the time spent queueing up for passengers (at least 45 minute a trip) leads to profit loss in the long run,” he added.

Cab driver Zaki Bashir said the system would lead to haggling of fares and concentration of drivers following loss of operating areas.

“(We drivers) have to earn a living too. We have families to feed. Right now, there is no protection for us. All the negative perception is put upon us,” he said.

“SPAD’s coupon system, which they say was implemented “to increase service quality”, is only rhetoric. They do not care for the taxi drivers.”

The group was accompanied by Batu MP Chua Tian Chang and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar. There are nearly 40,000 taxis in the Malay peninsula with some 32,000 operating in the Klang Valley.

Apart from taxis, SPAD is charge of public transport such as buses and commuter trains. The city bus system has also received complaints from operators who say they have incurred losses due to controls over ticket prices. SPAD has allocated RM400 million to help bus operators overcome their problems

CNN REPORTS THE DEATH OF BAHARUDDIN, HISHAMMUDDIN AND PRIME MINISTER DATUK SERI NAJIB RAZAK IS BLAME FOR LOST OF LIFE

Posted by fawas on 09/07/2011 · Leave a Comment (Edit)

watch Malaysian brutalpolice Malaysia cracks down on protesters – Asia-Pacific – Al Jazeera English

Malaysia cracks down on protesters – Asia-Pacific – Al Jazeera English

(CNN) — More than 1,600 demonstrators have been arrested in Malaysia, Police say, after clashing with riot police Saturday as they marched in the capital Kuala Lumpur to demand electoral reforms.

Police fired tear gas as several thousand people gathered near a sports stadium where the demonstrators had planned to rally.

Some 1,667 people had been arrested as of early evening local time, according to the Royal Malaysia Police, with 16 children among them. Protest organizers said at a news conference earlier in the day that about 400 had been detained.

The protest, which the government says is illegal, was organized by a loose coalition of opposition groups known as Bersih 2.0.

The government has previously declared Bersih an illegal organization. Police said that anyone found with Bersih-related materials, such as yellow T-shirts, could be arrested.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was among hundreds of protesters who gathered at the Hilton hotel in Kuala Lumpur before heading toward the Sentral Station. There the protesters breached police lines to march through the rail station, before being met by riot Police with tear gas on the other side.

Ibrahim posted on his Twitter account that he had sustained a minor injury during the demonstration and that a staff member had been badly hurt. He also said his youngest daughter had been arrested.

Writing on his blog ahead of the protest, Ibrahim said the “intended peaceful gathering” was to bring Malaysians together “as one united people in pursuit of clean and fair elections.”

He went on: “Our reason for gathering is pure and simple — to demand that the electoral roll be cleaned, that the postal voting system be reformed, that indelible ink be used, a minimum 21 day campaign period be instated, free and fair access to media for all be provided, public institutions be strengthened, and for corruption as well as dirty politics to be stopped.”

The protesters planned to rally at the Merdeka sports stadium in the city, Ibrahim said. Opposition groups have been seeking to put pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government, which has been in power for decades, ahead of elections expected to be called next year.

The Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported that the prime minister had attended an event Saturday at which he described the protest as “an illegal rally organised by a section of our community.”

“If there are people who want to hold the illegal rally, there are even more who are against their plan to hold the illegal gathering,” he is quoted as saying.

There was a strong police presence around the city and many roads had been closed off, local media reports said.

A similar demonstration called by the Bersih coalition in 2007 was broken up by Police using water cannon and tear gas, local reports say.

The “success” of the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform today was soured by the death of Baharuddin Ahmad, the husband of the Setiawangsa PKR Wanita division chief.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Baharuddin, who was marching along with the thousands who turned up today in support of Bersih 2.0, died when he fell during a scuffle with police at KLCC this afternoon.

Police confirmed earlier today that 1,401 of the estimated 6,000 protestors were detained during the gathering, which lasted for over four hours.

Scuffles reportedly broke out between protestors and the armed riot police when the march, which was originally intended to be peaceful, descended into chaos.

Tear gas canisters and water cannons were also fired at various points across the city as the police attempted to force protestors to disperse.

This is Bersih 2.0’s second such rally since 2007 calling for free and fair elections. Its leaders attempted to march to Istana Negara today to hand a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong but were held back by the police about 200m away.

At a press conference after the crowd slowly began to disperse, Bersih 2.0 declared that the rally had been a success, claiming it had drawn a crowd of over 50,000 supporters despite efforts by the police over the past few weeks to restrict the turnout.

CNN’s Eve Bower contributed to this report

More than 20,000 people demonstrated for electoral reforms across Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, on Saturday in a rare protest that was declared illegal by police. The protest was called for by opposition groups, including the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, Bersih (Clean). Police fired tear-gas and water cannons at demonstrators and arrested more than 1,400 people, including top opposition leaders, according to protest organisers. The activists’ demands include an overhaul of voter registration lists, tougher measures to curb fraud and fairer opportunities for opposition politicians to campaign in government-linked media. Malaysia’s next general election is planned due in 2013.

1) With Kuala Lumpur under police lockdown since the morning, protesters tried to gather and seek refuge inside a railway station before being led outside by police where many were detained and put into police vans. [Saeed Khan/AFP]

2) Protesters display the yellow shirts of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, or Bersih (Clean}, during a rally calling for electoral reforms in Kuala Lumpur [Ahmad Yusni/EPA]

3) Riot police stand making a cordon in front of Malaysia’s iconic twin towers before demonstrators gather [Saeed Khan/AFP]

4) A Bersih supporter shouts at police during clashes in downtown Kuala Lumpur [Shahir Omar/Reuters]

5) Police use a water cannon to spray Bersih supporters in downtown Kuala Lumpur [Samsul Said/Reuters]

6) A Bersih supporter throws a water bottle at a police water-cannon truck [Mohd Rasfan/AFP]

7) Police face off against thousands of Bersih supporters [Saeed Khan/AFP]

8) A Bersih supporter holds the Malaysian flag in front of a police water cannon [Damir Sagolj/Reuters])

9) Police in riot gear march under heavy rain toward protesters calling for electoral reforms [Saeed Khan/AFP

10) Police face off against thousands of protesters in a scene shrouded by tear gas [Saeed Khan/AFP]

11) A Bersih supporter is detained by police during protests in downtown Kuala Lumpur [Damir Sagolj/Reuters]

12) A Bersih supporter is detained by police during protests in downtown Kuala Lumpur [Saedd Khan/AFP]

13) Bersih supporters are detained by police during protests in downtown Kuala Lumpur [Damir Sagolj/Reuters]

14) Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (C) is surrounded by supporters, one of whom is injured, after a protest in Kuala Lumpur calling for electoral reforms [AFP]

15) Bersih supporters chant slogans during a protest calling for electoral reforms in downtown

Nazri says Mahathir -World’s most Bloody Racist, Utusan says DAP world’s most racist party

muslimmalaysia786 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:16:11 +0000

We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life enables us to disregard them.The former Prime Minister is a master of using language he thinks supporters want to hear – but did he hear them?

Malaysiaa whole, the land is soaked with religiousity and racism, like the rest of the world, the land has been soaking in them for about 400 years. The result is that religion and racism are completely natural features in the landscape of public affairs – and that to notice would be like noticing the air you breath and the water you drink, and doing that is to stand outside of the normal patterns of political life.As such, they are like a thick mist lingering over a salt marsh obscuring the this journalist’s view,Eventually, voters, even the racist ones whom liberals love to hate, will stop allowing Gingrich to assume a shared culture, because a shared culture only gets you so far when you’re sick, out of work or struggling to build a better future for your children

The editorial went on to accuse Lim of pushing for “only the rights of the Chinese” and not for other races, and also took pot shots at the opposition party’s latest attempt to recruit more Malay members.

“What he (Lim) will not be able to do is repair DAP’s racist image which is becoming worse. The addition of Malays in the party will not change anything.”

Mahathir’s political career has come through a full circle. He had started as a racist politician, became a PM, promoted unity through Bangsa Malaysia and had gone back to his racist past by championing race supremacy and dominance. There is nothing wrong to defend his race. What is wrong is Mahathir had manipulated race to protect the interest of a few selected elites in the ruling regime.
Does Mahathir care about the poor Malay? If he was, why are Malays still form the largest percentage of the poorest in this country? Why was the government willing to waste billions on PKFZ, Bakun Dam, Cyberjaya, Putrajaya, corruption, wastage, new palaces, and a few newly proposed multi billions projects but peanuts for the poor?

If he was nasty, he would have done something terribly bad to Mahathir for bad mouthing him and plotted for his downfall. To him, Mahathir is simply a big bully. Mahathir was acting like a spoilt brat who had set Abdullah up for stealing the ice cream when he had actually ate it himself.
Second, did Mahathir protect the interest of the poor Malays? Mahathir had created a new class of Malay cronies during his rule. His action had distorted the main focus of NEP from poverty alleviation to 30% equity. Would it be right if the 30% Bumiputera equity was held in the hands of a few super rich businessmen?Malays need a leader who can focus on a bottom’s up approach to socio-economic restructuring. No extremist would argue against the need to help the poor regardless of race. But Mahathir was more keen to protect the interest of super rich. Who created and promoted the APs, negotiated contracts, nepotism, corruption, money politics, racial politics and cronyism if not Mahathir?Who muzzled the judiciary and ripped the credibility of the once independent civil service and public institutions?Did Mahathir flip-flop on policies? Yes, many e.g. education, economics, NEP and many more. In fact, policy inconsistency was the main reason why investors avoided coming to Malaysia since the mid-90′s.Did Mahathir put any opposition members under ISA arrest? Truck loads of them. It is hilarious for him to accuse Abdullah for doing the same.

This statement is a completely untrue, false, malicious and a Seditious statement calculated to tarnish dap, cause disunity among the peaceful Chineseand Malay communities in Malaysia and to cause racial disharmony.Utusan Malaysia the paper of racism and religiousity has accused DAP of being the world’s most racist party following Lim Kit Siang’s recent call for Chinese voters to unite and ensure a change of government The DAP parliamentary leader had in a Chinese New Year message said that the Chinese community had managed to attain economic prosperity despite the failings of the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, which has been mired in “corruption” and “abuses of power.”

“It is evident that Kit Siang cannot hide DAP’s true agenda in inciting the Chinese community ahead of the 13th general election. It shows the truth that DAP is not only the most racist party in Malaysia, it is the most racist party in the world,” said a Mingguan Malaysia editorial under the Awang Selamat pseudonym.

Lim’s remarks were in response to a statement made by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who had called on Chinese voters not to “experiment” in the next general election, as Barisan Nasional’s leadership has continually allowed the nation to prosper.

Lim said Malaysians needed to vote the opposition into power as Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) suffered from an “incorrigible disease of denial complex” in refusing to admit the failures of government and nation-building.

In response, Utusan accused Lim of bringing up the issue of concentration of wealth among the Chinese, and that it was being used as a “political model” to win over votes.

“Kit Siang’s actions in bringing up the issue of wealth among races is dangerous. Everyone knows that the economy is controlled by the Chinese because of what the colonists had done in placing the race in cities, the business culture had been inherited a long time ago.”

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has called Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad a “bloody racist” for defending the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) courses, and reasserted the Cabinet’s earlier decision to overhaul the programme.Nazri pointed out to reporters in Parliament today that patriotism was not meant only for the Malays but for all Malaysians.“He is a bloody racist. You must be a Malaysian whether you’re a minister or not. You must walk your talk. Don’t just because when you were PM, you wanted everyone to support you, you’re Malaysian and the moment you’re no longer PM, that’s it, only talk about the Malays so I cannot accept his comment.

“I strongly feel the BTN courses must be in line with the 1 Malaysia slogan by the PM,” he said.

Dr Mahathir had said yesterday that there was no need to revamp BTN’s training modules in the current form and that it was suitable for instilling the patriotic spirit among Malaysians.

Nazri also slammed Umno’s Utusan Malaysia newspaper today, saying its “denial syndrome is making me laugh.” The minister in the prime minister’s department also repeated his stand “everybody knows what the BTN is,” so there was nothing to hide.

“I just want them to know, they should not go on a denial syndrome because their syllabus is known to everybody. Don’t think that people outside do not know about the syllabus based on patriotism for Malays. I just want to remind that the in the opposition, Hasan Ali was a former deputy director of BTN and Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul was a BTN former director and Anwar Ibrahim’s father in law was involved with the BTN.

“They all know what the syllabus is all about so who are we to say that it did not happen? You want to lie? You make people laugh. I mean there are people who attended the courses who came out very angry. There were many instances of the use of words like Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy). It is ridiculous so I want them to tell me where did I go wrong in supporting the revamping of the BTN syllabus. Tell me where I went wrong?” He asked.

Nazri stressed that BTN is funded by public money and should be spent properly for the betterment of all communities.

“The BTN’s allocation is mentioned in the PM’s department’s budget. So it’s public money. So if it’s public money then we need to ensure that it is spent properly, not to have courses only to concentrate on one community in the country.

“You talk about patriotism, love for the country, patriotism is for all Malaysians regardless of race. Therefore, the money spent on BTN to have courses must reflect the 1Malaysia slogan by the PM. It should not only be to raise patriotism among the Malays. Malaysia is for all races so I disagree with any syllabus which only concentrates on patriotism just on one community, I disagree. If they have a problem with that, I want to know what is their problem,” he said.

Nazri questioned if Utusan Malaysia, which has been at the forefront of defending BTN courses, believes that Malaysia belongs only to the Malay community.

“Do they want to say that Malaysia belongs only to the Malays and the government is only a Malay government? Should only the Malays be given the spirit of patriotism? Other races are not patriotic about their country? So I want them to point out to me where is it that I’ve gone wrong If I disagree with the past syllabus,” He added.

Nazri also denied the claim made by Utusan that it was only him who wanted BTN to be revamped and not the Cabinet.

“The moment PM took over, when he introduced the 1 Malaysia slogan. It was soon after that because courses run by BTN using public funds must be used properly and it amounts to millions so if you want to talk about patriotism, patriotism for all, not just the Malays, for all Malaysians. It’s not because of the Selangor state government that we changed the syllabus so it’s long before that,” he said.

Nazri also questioned Utusan for deceiving Malaysians on BTN.

“You tell me, can I lie? I can’t. They must use their head lah. If they want to deny and all that, if the other side they do not know, it’s different but all these people were involved with BTN before. They were facilitators and directors so they know what’s going on.

“Come on lah, please, this is not 1961 or 1970s. information is freely available. I want them to get out of the denial syndrome, admit it and that’s in line with the PM’s slogan so why shouldn’t we change?” he asked.

- There are some days that will stain our collective conscience for generations to come.

April 22, 1993, was one of these. This was the day that black teenager Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death by a group of young white men in an act of racist abuse in Eltham, south London. The victim was 18.

January 3, 2011, was another of these days. Almost two decades after Lawrence was killed, 35-year-old David Norris and 36-year-old Gary Dobson were convicted of perpetrating his racially motivated murder, and later sentenced to a minimum of 14 years and 15 years respectively.

The verdicts may have been cathartic in the minds of some, a sense of relief that Britain and its attitudes toward race have come a long way since 1993. Stephen’s race-related murder, London’s Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) abysmal investigation of it and two failed prosecutions forced the country to take a long, hard look at itself. And we didn’t like what we saw. For when Stephen’s future was stolen from him, the UK was also robbed of the comfort blanket that it had cocooned itself in.

Living with illusions

We had been under an illusion that the days of widespread racism, of the National Front marches in the 1970s andBrixton race riots of 1981 had been consigned to history. This was a fact that many non-white people had long known: that certain elements within British society were still racist. And the myth that only white working-class youths were bigoted was exposed for what it was: a lie. Some in the middle classes and in our institutions – the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the judicial system – the very people we, as Britons, turned to for justice, were also racists.

The publication of the Macpherson report in 1999 in the wake of Stephen’s death was seminal in modern British culture. The official inquiry catalogued a series of failures in the criminal justice system and the Metropolitan Police handling of the murder investigation. It branded the force, and British police in general, as “institutionally racist”. The findings shocked mainstream British society to the core.

In the weeks after Stephen’s murder, I recall my mother’s fears for my teenage brother’s safety. She urged him not to stay out late, for fear the next time she would see him would be in a hospital morgue. Many mothers, whose children were not white, also felt the same.

These anxieties are nestled alongside of childhood memories of having friends of various races. At school in London, my classes included children of many ethnic backgrounds, a diversity that I took for granted. But this was a childhood that was also punctuated by flashes of racism – of growing up on a council estate where being south Asian wasn’t acceptable to some.

“Why are you riding a bike when you should be on a camel or an elephant?” Or: “Paki, go home.” These would be among the insults my older brother and I would sometimes receive from white teenagers. When he was 11, I saw him take a beating from a much older white boy because of the colour of his skin. So when covert police surveillance footage of Dobson and Norris – in which they boasted of how they’d like to kill “coons” and “Pakis” – was made public, something hit home. Hard.

Progress?

Britain has come a long way since then. Stephen’s death and the public outcry which followed forced a long period of introspection that led to procedural and institutional changes within law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

The Macpherson report prompted the Metropolitan Police to initiate reforms that vastly improved the ways victims of race crime were treated by officers. The force also worked towards recruiting more black and Asian officers. Today, almost ten per cent of the MPS’ approximately 32,000 officers are from ethnic minority backgrounds – almost three times the number a decade ago – though rising to a senior rank remains elusive to many.

Legislative reform also formed the backbone of Macpherson’s recommendations. England and Wales’ double jeopardy law – which meant a person could not be re-tried for an offence they had already been acquitted of – was amended in 2005. This meant that suspects could be re-tried if new evidence was discovered – a change that was instrumental in securing Dobson’s conviction, after he was acquitted of Stephen’s murder in 1996.

Courts also came under greater pressure to impose heavier sentences on racially motivated and faith-based crimes, and political pressure led to the extension of the Race Relations Act to legally require all public institutions to promote race equality.

Today, we can also see many more MPs of different ethnic backgrounds in parliament. This inclusive participation in the democratic process is a marked change that should be acknowledged. Recent official figures point to this heterogeneity – around 12 per cent of the 55 million people in England and Wales are not white.

Not enough

But though societal attitudes are changing, progress in addressing systematic institutional discrimination has been far too slow. Legislation is only as fair if it is correctly implemented. Nowhere is this more evident than in police stop and search figures, conviction rates and the sentencing of black and Asian people. These are controversial litmus tests against which the police, courts and broader criminal justice system continue to fall short.

Convicted blacks and Asians are more likely to be imprisoned than white people – around 27 per cent of all prisoners in Britain are non-white. Black people are also 27 times more likely to be stopped and searched by police under laws designed to tackle gun, drug and gang crime. This is an ugly reality that 19-year-old student Marc faces every day. The Computer Science undergraduate, from Brixton in south London, said the police often follow him.

“I would become a lawyer, but the police? You can’t the trust the police – especially when you are black – for the same reason, they always target you,” he said. “It’s not just the police, it’s everyone. If I’m standing at a bus stop, there will be an older woman and she will have a bag on the floor. She will see me and grab her bag. They either move away, or take their bag and hold it very tightly. They think you’re a thief.”

None of this helps to instil a greater sense of trust in the police, courts or judicial system in the minds of many young black and Asian people, making it increasingly difficult for police forces to recruit officers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Though the discrepancy in sentencing rates between ethnic groups may the result of a variety of factors, it is hard to see how discrimination does not play a significant role.

Brian Paddick, former MPS Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said: “You are more likely to be stopped and searched if you are black. You are more likely to be sent to court, rather than cautioned, if you are black. You are more likely to be given a custodial sentence if you are black … Nobody has been able to provide me with a convincing alternative explanation [of why this is other than] that these sections, the police, racially stereotype black people as criminals and that prejudice exists at every level of the criminal justice system.”

Robin Richardson, former director of the race equality think-tank the Runnymede Trust, goes further. He said: “I think certain elements of British society, the criminal justice system, the judiciary, are institutionally racist, in the technical sense of the term – the institution produces racist effects and racist inequalities.”

Politicians and government departments deny these allegations but have vowed to do more. Prime Minister David Cameron, in a recent TV interview, said he believed the UK is “a less racist country” than it was in 1993, but admitted “there’s still a lot more to be done”. The Home Office is soon due to publish its new Hate Crime strategy. But whether the political will exists to traverse the thorny issue of racism in ways that lead to effective changes on the ground still remains to be seen.

On January 13, the MPS also announced it would reform part of its stop and search policy. But this change took place only after it became clear that the courts might rule that the police’s use of the power was unlawful. Officers will now carry out fewer stop and search operations, and the threshold for evidence needed to authorise these procedures will be raised.

A collective issue

But this is a collective issue, not one where we can apportion blame on the police, judges, lawyers and politicians from the safety of the sidelines. Juries and police forces are made up of ordinary people, and politicians listen to the demands of the electorate that votes them into power.

What about the subtler undercurrents of prejudice that fester unchecked on our streets and in our homes, which are harder to expose and fight? What about the fact that we may cross the street to avoid a group of black teenagers, eye with a suspicion a young Asian man with a beard carrying a rucksack on the Underground system, or fear a young white man with tattoos and a shaved head?

For British society to tackle ignorance and prejudice, we must grasp how complex racism is. We must also recognise how racial hatred has diversified to find new groups of people to demonise. You don’t have to look too far back in Britain’s history to see instances of open anti-Semitism. From the 1940s, growing immigration to the UK of people from the former British colonies of the Caribbean, south Asia and Africa meant these communities became the targets of racism at both the institutional and street levels.

Open racism predominantly against young Africans and Afro-Caribbeans followed. Now, after 9/11 and the 7/7 London bombings, people who may be Muslim – and often look or are south Asian or Arab – are also targeted disproportionately by police. Almost 20 per cent of those stopped and searched by police under anti-terror laws in Britain in 2010 and 2011 were Asian.

But overt forms of racism are not always by white people against ethnic minorities – vitriol about people of different ethnicities and faiths comes also from Asians and blacks. And it is not solely the institutional racism that reports such as Macpherson unveiled, or the undisguised bigotry shamelessly celebrated by men like Norris and Dobson, which we must face head on.

When you speak to police officers, lawyers and ordinary people, most would say they are not racist. And most probably they aren’t – at least not consciously. But what about the subtler undercurrents of prejudice that fester unchecked on our streets and in our homes, which are harder to expose and fight? What about the fact that we may cross the street to avoid a group of black teenagers, eye with a suspicion a young Asian man with a beard carrying a rucksack on the Underground system, or fear a young white man with tattoos and a shaved head?

These are mental calculations that take place all the time; they are an important part of the collective debate on race in Britain. Although this prejudice is markedly different from the “institutional racism” the MPS was charged with, the two are linked: Overt, violent racism and institutional racism can only thrive in a broader framework of covert forms of discrimination that are often overlooked.

What next?

None of us are naïve enough to think racism will ever disappear. Yet as migration and globalisation grow and Britain becomes increasingly diverse, these are challenges we will be forced to face as we continue to question ourselves, others, and society. If we fail to do so, public confidence in our institutions will be further undermined. Blacks, Asians and people of mixed backgrounds will continue to be jailed, attacked and killed because of their faith or ethnicity.

The colour of Stephen Lawrence’s skin cost him his life. His family’s relentless pursuit of the men responsible is a testament to their strength and conviction that Britain can surmount racism. But this is not a time for us to rest easy. Some of the men who murdered Stephen remain free and racially motivated crimes still blight our society. Almost 40,000 hate crimes were reported in the country in 2010. In December, Indian student Anuj Bidve was murdered in what appears to be a racially motivated attack in Salford. These are the benchmarks we must judge ourselves against in a country that has, in many ways, nurtured a strong tradition of diversity.

Perhaps, then, the final words here should be those of Stephen’s mother, Doreen Lawrence, who, after this month’s convictions, said: “The fact is that racism and racist attacks are still happening in this country and the police should not use my son’s name to say we can move on.”

THE STING MAHATIR THE GHOSTBUSTER WHEN YOU BUY A HAUNTED AIRASIA ,TONY,YOU GET THE GHOST FOR FREE

muslimmalaysia786 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:48:57 +0000

when Tony did a political campaign for the cow he has become a cowhimself

Indian Kingfisher and Malaysia Air asia: An endangered species, warn experts When you buy a haunted airasia,Tony,you get the ghost for free perhaps, a more appropriate analogy would be that of someone buying a haunted house. True, the buyer did not bargain for a ghost in the house, nor did he pay for it; but it is there with him, whether he likes it or not. He can keep ranting that he just bought the house and so it is entirely wrong for the ghost to haunt him, but that would get him nowhere. He has get Mahathir to finally exorcise the ghost.

When Tony F launches his guerrilla tactics, how are people taking that? Perhaps that feeling is best represented by a short e mail to me, sent by a person using the name of JL.
“What is this chap from AA trying to prove? Who is he to declare war on the authority? If he cannot accept the increase, move to somewhere else where he does not even require to pay anything for that matter (that is if he can find such a place). How about Indonesia that he has been harping about? Go man, go, nobody is going to stop you from moving away. He only knows how to pin-point on others, what about himself e.g. all those unreasonable charges that he has imposed on the travellers? Aren’t all these increases from his end driving the cost of travelling up too? His agenda is very clear i.e. to make as much as possible at the expense of others including MAHB. Only AA can increase on anything that this bloke and his team can think of as and when they like but not others!
Umno lawmakers accused Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes today of cheating the public in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia share swap.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin called on Khazanah chief executive Azman to be investigated by graftbusters after the state investment agency exchanged 20.5 per cent of the national carrier for a 10 per cent stake in Asia’s top-performing budget airline. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must call Tan Sri Azman … all of them … if there is any misappropriation, stuff them into jail,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers deputy chief told Parliament. “How can Khazanah be fooled? Azman Mokhtar, how can he be so stupid, to be ‘tuned’ by Tony Fernandes. If I was in such a position, I would resign rather than troubling others. “Maybe they are not stupid. Maybe they get huge profits by squeezing and grabbing money from the public,” he said, referring to the AirAsia CEO’s company Tune Air which now owns a fifth of MAS.
Sri Gading MP Mohamad Aziz also accused AirAsia of “clearly cheating the public and now trying to cheat MAS.” “If this kind of man (Fernandes) can control us, God forgive us,” he said while debating Budget 2012.Bung Mokhtar also said the government should “not be scared of Fernandes. Whatever he wants, we give. He wants to overcharge for excess baggage and suck the blood of poor villagers.readmore http://themalaybusinesstribune.blogspot

.com/2012/01/sting-mahatir-ghostbuster-when-you-buy.html

MAHATHIR’S PECULIAR FORM OF DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS.. EVEN A MASTER OF THE LANGUAGE CAN BECOME ITS SLAVE.

muslimmalaysia786 — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:19:21 +0000

Vinita Dawra Nangia says In an era that prides itself on ripping away dreamy veils to reveal ugly truths, a sense of mystique is a rare, undervalued commodity!

If most people were left gawking after actor Sonam Kapoor’s verbal ‘full monty’ recently at an event in the capital, it was certainly not in admiration! Some snickered, others turned up their noses, while yet more frowned in disapproval. Tsk, tsk, tutted the capital’s swish set, how can a well-brought up lady talk of unmentionables like saggy bums, cellulite and facial hair!

More to the point, how can an actor, who is by the nature of her profession a dream merchant, unpeel the glossy layers to reveal an ugly truth?! Let’s be honest, this is not about honest revelations; it is more about shattering illusions! Tough to forgive someone who does that! One can never look at Sonam again without thinking of all that is hidden from view!

As it is, social media sites haven’t left much to the imagination. This is an era that has ripped away the aura of mystique, where very few see the advantage of maintaining an enigmatic image. You do not need to wonder anymore what celebrities are doing, with their obsessive compulsion to tweet minute-to-minute ideas and thoughts; gosh, even details of their illnesses and fears!

Compare this to the mysterious aura that surrounds stars of yesteryears, or even Rekha for that matter. A mistress of mystique, never has she stepped out to confirm or deny a rumour. She has been accused of many things but the lady has never reacted. In fact she has smartly teased rumour mongers further by well-executed, pre-meditated acts. Remember the time she stepped out in public with sindoor in her hair, giving rise to rumours that she had secretly married Big B? Or, another time when at an Awards Nite she hugged each member of the Bachchan family till she reached the man himself, who in panic staged a walk-out?

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a truly enigmatic woman who despite living out a life in full public glare, was able to maintain her mystique. So is Sonia Gandhi; she leaves people with a sense of wonder and curiosity even in an era of totally intrusive and aggressive media coverage. To their credit, a few actors who keep a distant from tweets and tell-all interviews and so retain some enigma, are Aishwarya Rai, Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif!

Those who know the art of dwelling long in public imagination and hearts, learn the art of keeping the veil in place; it is those who are desperate for any kind of attention, even if short-lived, that insist on tearing all veils down and executing regrettable full montys!

The incessant blows to imagination by hard-hitting reality make it impossible to indulge the ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ (S.T Coleridge’s term for suspending judgement on unreal elements in literature), which is so intrinsic to the true enjoyment of art — be it fiction, films, theatre or painting and sculpture. It’s almost as if everybody has a compulsion to keep lifting the veil of imagination to let reality make its way through.

For instance, how can you possibly enjoy a television serial when there is a raging controversy on Facebook regarding “double frames vs single frames” and body doubles? When you are made to realize that the romantic lead has actually not shot a single scene together for weeks on end and what you are witnessing is actually a slick job by editors? When while watching a programme, facebook starts vibrating with protests about how the creative team has messed up and the real actor and the body double used for the same scene from different angles, are dressed differently?

You do not want to notice these things! I, for one, find it extremely irritating when people watching a movie keep critically pointing out the liberties the filmmaker has taken with reality. For heaven’s sake, he is supposed to do that in order to build a reality away from your actual world — a space where you can escape for some blissful moments! A space where you give in to a willing suspension of disbelief and allow yourself to believe all that the dream merchant wants you to believe.

Of course if you allow yourself to do so… And yes, with your permission, all you actors out there busy washing your dirty linen through tweets!

And yes, of course Ms Sonam Kapoor, once you are done telling us all about your bodily hair, insisting we count your moles and warts along with you and critically examine your “rolls of fat” while you confess that your “t*t and a*s are not very nice”!!!

After all that… please, please allow us to weave back together our web of shattered dreams once again…. Allow us to suspend disbelief!

related article

MP Ong Tee Keat. The govt needs to stem the rot Over the better part of last year the country has been engaged in a debate on corruption and money stashed abroad.While corruption is an important issue the more important issue plaguing the nation is lack of Lack of morals Sex & scams: How we turn a … Read more

MP ONG TEE KEAT. SAYS B.N ‘S LACK OF MORALS A MALAISE THREATENING TO ERODE THE INTEGRITY AND COMPETITIVENESS OF A NATION.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the performance of the opposition in the states under their rule left much to be desired.

“They’ve already been given a lot of chances. A lot of unhappy things have happened in Penang, the same (is happening) in Selangor.

“They have been given the chance. What’s there left to try. If we allow the situation to deteriorate badly, it will be difficult to repair,” he told Bernama here.

He was queried on the opposition’s strategy of asking voters to give them just one chance to rule Malaysia and that they could be changed later if they failed to perform.

But eventually the ANWAR lost patience with UMNO. Najib was speaking about the Umno’s crony agenda. Not the Malay agenda. For those reasons we must do the exact opposite. Deny these so-called Malay leaders a chance to concentrate power. It’s power which they shall apply to the misfortune of the majority of Malays and to

To another question, Dr Mahathir, who was Malaysia’s prime minister for 22 years until 2003, said the selection of winnable Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the next general election should take into consideration the views of the grassroots.

“If they don’t support the winnable candidates, the winnable candidates will not win,” Dr Mahathir pointed out.

He said that members of BN component parties should be willing to support the chosen candidates irrespective of who they were.

Don’t let Dr M and his hawks blackmail the nation anymore

A truly suspicious case feedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on the truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put in this world has been put there for a reason and has something … Read more ADEI PARIAHTULUKAN MAHATHIR DON’T FUCK AROUND ENOUGH OF SODOMIZING THE MALAYS

Dr Mahathir also brushed aside claims that the Malaysian electoral process was unfair.

“In Malaysia, throughout our electoral history, there has never been a time the opposition did not win (any seats). They won to the point of capturing states.

“Many states have fallen into opposition hands. If there is manipulation, no way they can win,” he added.

We begin trumpeting the oft-repeated phrases of freedom and the greatness of our age-old civilization, patriotic values and the glory to the motherland. We speak about the lofty ideals of pluralism and freedom of expression and repeat ’Umno laying groundwork for Sex Video 2.0′Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia’s front-page report yesterday quoting one of the ‘Datuk T’ trio about a new sex video allegedly involving Anwar Ibrahim is yet another attempt to further tarnish the opposition leader’s reputation. Despite being front-paged by Umno newspaper Utusan, the much-threatened Datuk T sex video sequel drew a big yawn, reflecting the low esteem the Malaysian public held for Prime Minister Najib Razak’s party which has been blamed for sinking the country into unprecedented depths of gutter politicking. …
“Basically, the game is up. Nobody is so stupid as to fall for it anymore. Malaysians have made up their minds how capable a PM Anwar will be and how capable a PM Najib has been. They will make their decision at the ballot box, and it will be in Anwar’s favor even if Datuk T screens a different sex video every night,” Batu MP Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

most Malay professionals would like to see the two go toe-to-toe on policy issues.
“There appears to be a change in what the people want. They want a new culture of debate rather than smear campaigns,” Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian had said.

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