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What rubbish is this, Najib?

Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider
May 12, 2011

MAY 12 — Let me understand this correctly. Some discredited blogger put out something incredible about Christian pastors wanting to take over Malaysia and that fountain of all rubbish, Utusan Malaysia, published it.

There is no evidence that any such plan is in the works, and yet today, at the so-called fruitful meeting between Najib Razak and church leaders, the church leaders had to give the when-it-suits-him leader of all Malaysians an assurance that Christians respected the position of Islam in the country and had no desire to dispute it.

How wonderful. The rascals who stirred up this rubbish have not been taken to task but the “victims” have been asked to give some undertaking not to misbehave.

This is akin to your house being robbed and your family harmed but having the police sympathise with the robbers. Continue reading “What rubbish is this, Najib?”

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Utusan let off with ministry warning

The Malaysian Insider | May 12, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The Home Ministry has slapped Utusan Malaysia with a warning letter for publishing an unsubstantiated front-page article alleging a Christian plot to usurp Islam as the religion of the federation, which sparked a furore among the country’s majority Muslims and minority Christians.

The ministry today issued a statement that the editor-in-chief of the Umno-owned newspaper, Datuk Aziz Ishak, has been invited to the ministry to explain the daily’s violation of the Printing Presses and Publishing Act 1984.

The Malaysian Insider learnt he went to the ministry in Putrajaya at 4pm with another senior editor.
Continue reading “Utusan let off with ministry warning”

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10 days in May (4)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Unmitigated 1Msia disaster – only way 2describe outcome of Najib’s meeting w church leaders over Utusan’s outrageous “Christian Msia” lies.

Who in dock of public opinion? Church leaders or Utusan/UMNO? Ch ldrs’ undertakings 2respect Islam’s position/Constitution when not issues?

No word whatsoever from Najib on “mean/fast action” (MohdArshadRaji) agnst Utusan/Umno cyber ringleaders 4Utusan “Christian Msia” outrage?

No wonder in these “10 Days in May” more Msians say: “THOUGHT PAK LAH WAS BAD ENUF. Golly, Najib is annoyingly hopeless!” Real Pathetic.
Continue reading “10 days in May (4)”

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Utusan publishes notice on blogger’s ‘explanation’

Malaysiakini | May 12, 11

Utusan Malaysia, which came under heavy fire over its unsubstantiated report alleging a ‘Christian state’ conspiracy, today carried a notice that Bigdog, the blogger who created the controversy, had published an “explanation” on his blog.

Contrary to the earlier approach of highlighting Bigdog’s allegation at its front page, Utusan only published a two-paragraph notice on an inside page, without reporting the contents of the so-called “explanation”.

“Bigdog, who sparked controversy when he revealed the pledge by pastors during their meeting in Penang recently to make Christianity as the official religion of the federation, has come forward to make an explanation about this issue,” read the notice titled “Bigdog’s explanation”.
Continue reading “Utusan publishes notice on blogger’s ‘explanation’”

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Christians pledge to respect Islam’s position, says Najib

Bernama | May 12, 11

Najib Abdul Razak said leaders of Christianity in the country have pledged that they respect the position of Islam as official religion and have no intention of challenging the provision enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

The prime minister said the group had also given their undertaking to cooperate in nurturing peace and harmony between the various faiths so that Malaysia would continue to be a peaceful and prosperous nation.

“I am glad to inform that Christian leaders have given two very important and meaningful undertakings (today),” he told reporters after attending a luncheon with the Christian leaders at his office in Putrajaya today.
Continue reading “Christians pledge to respect Islam’s position, says Najib”

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DAP creating two-race system, says Soi Lek

By Shannon Teoh | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has accused DAP of dividing the country and causing the Chinese community to be isolated in the opposition.
“DAP’s suggestion of a two-party political system will soon turn into a two-race political system. The Chinese will be the opposition while the others will be in government,” the MCA president said in a video posted by his party on video-sharing site YouTube yesterday.

The former health minister’s statement mirrors that of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who accused DAP of running a racist campaign in the April 16 Sarawak election in which the party doubled its presence in the state assembly from six to 12.

“Malaysia faces a grave danger of being divided by two parties — one Malay-dominated by default and the other Chinese by choice. This will not be good for Malaysia.
Continue reading “DAP creating two-race system, says Soi Lek”

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Christian group airs grouses over Utusan report to PM

By S Pathmawathy | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today heard complaints from Christian leaders over Utusan Malaysia’s “irresponsible reporting” for claiming that there was a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.

“We only said we are very disturbed and unhappy… (over the) irresponsible, potential riot-type seditious words (which) shouldn’t be published in mainstream media or any media for the matter,” said Bishop Ng Moon Hing of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM).
Ng (right) was speaking to reporters after a 45-minute closed door meeting with the prime minister in Putrajaya.

He said it was a fruitful meeting as this was first time the group had been engaged in this way.
Continue reading “Christian group airs grouses over Utusan report to PM”

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Utusan Malaysia doesn’t speak for Malay majority

By Maclean Patrick | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

What is the ultimate aim of Utusan Malaysia? Is Utusan Malaysia hell-bent on destroying the peace and harmony with sectarian violence? Or is the newspaper the unpaid spin doctors of corrupt political leaders?

Utusan Malaysia’s reporting, if we can call it that, seems to serve the needs of a few who want to maintain an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the communities living in Malaysia.
The few we are talking about here must be in a position of power. Otherwise, what is the reason for Utusan Malaysia not being reprimanded for its brand of reporting.

Utusan Malaysia is not racist; instead it is propagating an even worse mind-set –xenophobia or an excessive fear of strangers. Is Utusan Malaysia referring to those who are not Malays as strangers?
Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia doesn’t speak for Malay majority”

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Guan Eng to Najib: Replace Utusan editors

By Susan Loone | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the editors and reporters of Utusan Malaysia involved in the DAP-Christian state conspiracy issue to be replaced.

According to Lim, this is the only way Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can convince Malaysians that Utusan does not enjoy full legal immunity and that Umno, its largest shareholder, diagrees with the newspaper publishing “dangerous lies.

“Najib Razak can also convince Malaysians by directing Utusan Malaysia to withdraw and apologise for the false report and replacing the editors and reporters involved in such dangerous lies that can burn 1Malaysia,” he added.
Continue reading “Guan Eng to Najib: Replace Utusan editors”

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Letter from a Malaysian to his PM

By Singa Pura Pura

I am but a lone voice. But a million lone voices make a million votes. You know that now. So I’ll tell you what this loner needs. And I’ll tell you directly. No UMNO, no MCA, no MIC, no Gerakan or any other historical parties. Just you and I my PM.

And it’s not a threat, it’s a fact. Facts are not threats.

I want a few good men of my choice on the Bench. A better A-G. A better IGP. A much better Home Minister. The removal of a few incompetent ministers. And the addition of a few able ministers of my choice. They can be from anywhere, as long as they are answerable in and to Parliament.

I want you to outlaw Perkasa as you have Hindraf. And I would like you to suspend Utusan Malaysia for a quarter of the period your predecessor had suspended The Star – although the latter’s indiscretion was less than one eighth that of the former. Do the math and be fair.
Continue reading “Letter from a Malaysian to his PM”

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‘Utusan’ best recruiting agents for Pakatan

By Yin Ee Kiong | 12 May 2011
CPI Asia

First things first: DAP’s ban on Utusan Malaysia is wrong. Wrong because it is hypocritical to damn Umno-BN when they ban certain media from covering party or official functions and now DAP is doing the same thing.

DAP banning Utusan is wrong because it is the right of every paper to attend events so that they can report to their readers. Let the readers decide on the veracity of each report and let the authorities deal with the paper if it has overstepped the mark. Wrong because to call for freedom of the press on the one hand and now to ban a paper on the other all only the party does not like what it’s reporting is an indefensible position to take.

And wrong again to kick up such a ruckus as it did over the Utusan issue. It is enough to refute such false statements. There is no need for the brouhaha because it is in the opposition’s interest that Utusan and their fellow travellers be given enough rope to hang themselves.
Continue reading “‘Utusan’ best recruiting agents for Pakatan”

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The rise of pop-litical culture

By Zairil Khir Johari | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

Midway through the Sarawak campaign I received a text message from an unfamiliar number. The sender turned out to be a woman in Kuching, wanting to know when my next layover at the state capital would be.

Feeling perplexed, I glanced at my campaign itinerary. Some days I didn’t even know where I was. Spaced out as I was by the constant travelling, I was even more bemused by the rest of her message.

She went on to explain that her teenage daughter had a collection of five Ubah (the DAP hornbill mascot) plush toys, four of them bearing autographs of various party leaders and ceramah speakers. One of them, still in its original plastic wrapping, had been especially reserved for my John Hancock. Hence, she wanted to know if Kuching would be part of my tour.
Continue reading “The rise of pop-litical culture”

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DAP plans to censure Hisham, Rais

By Patrick Lee | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: The DAP may move motions of censure in Parliament against two Umno ministers for their reactions over an alleged Christian plot.

DAP national vice-chairman M Kulasegaran took Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim to task for their acceptance of the plot without any prior investigations.

“These are two government leaders in charge of ministries that should immediately investigate the malicious and baseless report.”

“Yet, instead of giving immediate orders to investigate the report and calling for calm among the people, they have chosen to play politics,” he said.
Continue reading “DAP plans to censure Hisham, Rais”

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Time to make a stand, Malaysians

By Mustafa Sharif | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

One common feature of us Malaysians is our ability to stomach so much nonsense and then don’t do anything to make a change.

We are lied to on a daily basis by politicians, bureaucrats and the media but still shrug our shoulders and get on with our lives. The strange part of this is that if our wife, children or siblings fudge the truth, we chew their heads off and threaten Armageddon.

And yet, arguably, it is the daily deception by politicians, bureaucrats and the media which impacts our life greatly. Let me just list a few examples of these lies and deceptions.

1) The great Lynas scam. If not for the role played by Internet portals, the Lynas rare earth project would have flown under the radar. Federal politicians and Pahang Mentri Besar Adnan Yaakob knew about the toxic nature of the project but FDI is more important than TMR (the mortality rate). When the firestorm about the project could not be contained, the newsletters@newspapers suddenly discovered the issue. More like, they could not bury it. It is crazy man. Hundreds or thousands of lives could be at stake and government politicians and their newspapers are either ignorant or part of a deception.
Continue reading “Time to make a stand, Malaysians”

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It’s tough being Malaysian Chinese

By Tan Shang Neng (loyarburok.com) | May 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

As a young Malaysian Chinese, when asked to draw my vision of the year 2020 in our primary school Pendidikan Seni classes, I would draw flying cars, floating buildings, a city of steel and glass, people in jet-fighter styled suits covering arms and legs and a helmet to top, using jetpacks strapped to their backs.

Today, if asked to draw my vision of 2020?

I hope to have trees with leaves still green, less floods, less killing around the world. And, hopefully in the myriad hands I have drawn holding on to each other in the middle in harmonious unity, there will be a pair of hands with the colour that best represents my Chinese skin (another conditioning from primary school: “NO! People cannot be blue because they are nice or green because they are jealous! They must be coloured brown because this guy with songkok is evidently Malay, and this girl in this cheongsam must be yellow because she is evidently Chinese, and this Indian boy must be coloured black!” Boy was my little self so confused.)
Continue reading “It’s tough being Malaysian Chinese”

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Lim: Konflik agama, kaum gagalkan konsep 1Malaysia

By Fazy Sahir | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang berkata konsep 1Malaysia yang sering dicanangkan oleh para pemimpin Umno-Barisan

Nasional (BN) mula tercemar apabila timbul konflik keagamaan dan ketegangan kaum sejak kebelakangan ini.

“Para pemimpin Umno-BN bertanggungjawab di atas kegagalan konsep itu yang diperkenalkan Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) sejak mentadbir negara ini mulai April 2009,” katanya ketika dihubungi FMT.

Sambil merujuk kepada fitnah berterusan yang dilemparkan ke atas DAP sejak akhir-akhir ini, Lim berkata Umno-BN kini kian terdesak untuk mengembali dan mengukuh kuasa mereka.
Continue reading “Lim: Konflik agama, kaum gagalkan konsep 1Malaysia”

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Cartoons are no threat to public order, Utusan is

Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers

‘Cartoons can cause public disorder? Then what do you call the writings by Utusan and the two pro-Umno bloggers?’

‘Terrible accusations’ in Zunar’s cartoon books

Mt KK: Never in any country have I learnt that cartoon books created public disorder or even banned. Indeed, many people, except Malaysiakini fans, may not have heard or read about Zunar’s cartoons. This ban has made it more popular.

My copy of Zunar’s cartoon book has been circulated to more than two dozens people so far. All enjoy the candid illustrations and not one was agitated enough to cause any disorder. They only felt upset at the ways the Home Ministry arbitrarily took actions and/or made partial decision to go after any matter not in favour of Umno leaders.
Continue reading “Cartoons are no threat to public order, Utusan is”

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 10 of 14)

By M. Bakri Musa

Free Minds, Free Individuals

In the remote possibility that you may not readily identify with these giants in our history and legends, let me cite examples of ordinary individuals just like you are now who dared think independently, that is, have a free mind.

There was a student sent abroad to pursue his masters in engineering. Through smarts and diligence, he was soon admitted directly to the doctoral program. He did not bother to tell his administrative supervisor back home for he anticipated the negative response. His scholarship however, was only for two years, not enough time for a doctoral pursuit. That however, did not deter him. At the end of the second year he wrote his supervisor back home for an extension, citing a “slight snag” in his studies. He filled his pleading letter with sob stories of the challenges with English and mathematics.
Continue reading “Longing For A Free Mind (Part 10 of 14)”

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10 Days in May (3) (Updated)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

10DaysinMay(3):Najib irredeemably losing Msian centre/bury signature 1Msia concept if he mishandles Utusan “ChristianMsia” issue @lunch 2day

All patriotic Msians want an end 2irresponsible/treacherous rhetoric hate/lies ala Utusan – can PM promise/deliver @lunch w Church leaders?

Is Najib checkmated in looming Umno power struggle Umno? KhirToyo spokesman of powerful UMNO forces 2defend Utusan w “So What?” stance!

Endless Umno gutter politics.1st blame DAP/JeffOoi 4DAP/Christian conspiracy. Now blame Jeff/Bigdog conspiracy 2trap Utusan/Umno
Continue reading “10 Days in May (3) (Updated)”