Posted on

Blackout in Sarawak – Why?

Star Online
Blackout in Sarawak
By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: A state-wide power cut in Sarawak on Saturday evening saw the blackout affect more than two million people over a distance of 1,000km from Kuching to Miri.

Cities and towns in the state were plunged into total darkness causing massive chaos as everybody was caught by surprise.

The power failure started in Kuching at about 6.30pm Saturday and rapidly spread northward to Sibu then to Miri by 7.30pm.

Deputy chief minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam when contacted by The Star confirmed that it was a blackout that seemed to have affected the main power grid. Continue reading “Blackout in Sarawak – Why?”

Posted on

Disruption of Bar Council forum on conversion – adverse reflection on law and order/religious harmony

The police yielding to pressure to disrupt the half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to Islam at 10 am in Kuala Lumpur today is a most adverse reflection on law and order as well as religious harmony in Malaysia on the eve of the 51st Merdeka anniversary.

Malaysia has failed a major test in nation-building to demonstrate that we are shaping up to be a more civil society where sensitive issues of inter-faith problems can be discussed in a mature and responsible manner to promote national unity and religious harmony in the country.

As the Bar Council has made it clear that the forum on religious conversion is not to question the provisions of Article 121(1A) of the Constitution which conferred syariah jurisdiction over Muslims but to address the conflicts of laws facing families caught between the separate jurisdictions of civil and syariah laws, greater understanding, tolerance and sensitivity should have been shown by all Malaysians concerned.

Such understanding, tolerance and sensitivity would undoubtedly have been present in the first four decades of Malaysian nationhood and I have no doubt that if such a forum had been organised ten years ago, there would not have been the insensitive, intolerant and deplorable reaction evident today. Continue reading “Disruption of Bar Council forum on conversion – adverse reflection on law and order/religious harmony”

Posted on

Anwar Sodomy II – challenge to MCA, Gerakan, MIC leaders to declare stand

Two days ago, the MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said that instead of development and prosperity, the key issue during the Permatang Pauh by-election would be Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II charge.

He said:

“Permatang Pauh will be a battle of public confidence. The winner will be the side that most convincingly explains the situation surrounding Anwar’s charge.

“If the opposition succeeds in painting a picture that Anwar is a victim of some government conspiracy, then they win. But if the Barisan Nasional can convincingly explain to the grassroots that what’s happening to Anwar is just a criminal justice process, then we win.”

Ka Chuan should not be so fast to jump the gun. Continue reading “Anwar Sodomy II – challenge to MCA, Gerakan, MIC leaders to declare stand”

Posted on

Police wants half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to end by 10 am because of protests

[News Flash 2 at 10.02 am: A few minutes ago, a woman participant went up to the floor mike defending the forum, but was met by shouts by protestors demanding the immediate end of the forum – forcing Bar Council President Ambiga Sreenevasan to announce its closure.]

[Flash – Just informed that police accompanied a few of the protestors into the forum to observe proceedings, five minutes before the forum is to have abrupt end at 10 am.]

The Bar Council half-day forum on conversion to Islam is going on now at its auditorium in Kuala Lumpur – in the face of a crowd of protestors outside bearing slogans and chanting Arabic verses and demanding the immediate cancellation of the forum.

It is a test whether Malaysia is shaping up to be a more civil society where sensitive issues of inter-faith problems can be discussed in a mature and responsible manner to promote national unity and religious harmony in the country.

The Police wants the forum to end by 10 am because of the protests.

As stated by the Bar Council Vice President Ragunath Kesavan, the Bar Council forum on religious conversion is to address the conflicts of laws facing families caught between the separate jurisdictions of civil and syariah laws.

It is not to question the provisions of Article 121(1a) of the Constitution, which conferred syariah jurisdiction over Muslims. Continue reading “Police wants half-day Bar Council forum on conversion to end by 10 am because of protests”