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Gerakan wants Ibrahim’s ‘crusade’ threat against Christians investigated

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
May 15, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Dr Koh Tsu Koon today called on the police to investigate Datuk Ibrahim Ali for inciting racial and religious hatred in his recent speeches, especially Ibrahim’s threat last night to wage a crusade against Christians.

Dr Koh, who is unity affairs minister in the Prime Minister’s department, accused the Perkasa president of being “uncouth” in his outburst, saying Ibrahim had clearly violated the government’s 1 Malaysia concept and call for moderation among the various communities.

“I feel disgusted that he should beat his chest this way, trying to be a hero, especially after the Prime Minister has just met Muslim and non-Muslim leaders separately, calling for calm, understanding and mutual respect,” Dr Dr Koh said in a statement today.

Dr Koh reminded Ibrahim that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, together with Christian leaders, had met last week to discuss the row over allegations by Utusan Malaysia of Christian conspiracy, and had decided to put the matter to rest. Continue reading “Gerakan wants Ibrahim’s ‘crusade’ threat against Christians investigated”

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Ibrahim Ali is Umno

Shamsuddin Ghani
The Malaysian Insider
May 15, 2011

MAY 15 — I think it is time we stop this charade. Ibrahim Ali says he is an Independent MP and that Perkasa has nothing to do with Umno.

But we know better than to accept this nonsense from the King of Nonsense.

He is allowed by the Najib administration to plant seditious ideas everywhere, to brandish his thuggish behaviour on the national stage and insult everything decent about being Malaysian.

The police give him a free pass even though everytime he speaks he breaks a slew of laws. How can an intellectually-disadvantaged politician with supposedly no affialiation be so privileged?

Because he has the support of Najib Razak and Umno and the protection of Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Perkasa is Umno’s alter ego and was set up to give Umno the luxury of playing the chauvinist and right wing card and yet have the luxury of deniability. So Umno could assure its BN component party members that it was middle of the road while twin Perkasa targetted the vote of the Malays. Continue reading “Ibrahim Ali is Umno”

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Yemeni Opposition Says GCC-Backed Political Plan Is ‘Dead’

Bloomberg
By Mohammed Hatem
May 15, 2011

May 15 (Bloomberg) — Yemen’s Joint Meetings Party, a coalition of six opposition groups, says a plan to end the country’s political crisis is dead following a visit by the chief envoy of Arab Gulf states seeking to broker a deal.

While the coalition is willing to meet Abdel Latif al- Zayyani, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, again to explore new options, the current proposal was considered “dead,” Mohammed Qahtan, spokesman for the opposition, said in a telephone interview today.

Thousands of protesters returned to the streets in Sana’a, the capital, today calling for an end to the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Several people marched through the streets carrying a makeshift coffin with the words “GCC Initiative” written on the side.

Protests have persisted since the government and the Joint Meetings Parties failed to sign a GCC-brokered plan last month. Under the terms of the plan, Saleh would have ceded power within a month of signing the deal and would be granted immunity from prosecution. Al-Zayyani visited Sana’a yesterday to revive the group’s stalled peace initiative, the official Saba news service said. Continue reading “Yemeni Opposition Says GCC-Backed Political Plan Is ‘Dead’”

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Family wants independent inquiry into teen’s fatal shooting

By Clara Chooi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, May 15 — The family of Johari Abu Bakar have demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 17-year-old’s shooting, accusing the police today of giving inconsistent accounts of the incident.

The family will also file a court petition tomorrow, seeking for a second post-mortem on the school dropout, due to “suspicious” signs of assault found on the boy’s body, including a broken right arm.

Johari, an odd-job worker, was killed in a shootout with the police behind a budget hotel at the Cyber Valley Commercial Centre, Dengkil, at about 10.30pm on Friday.

According to a media statement by Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah following the incident, the suspect had been in his “20s” and was believed to have been hiding in the hotel after stealing a Toyota Alphard multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) near Taman Megah, Kelana Jaya, on May 10. Continue reading “Family wants independent inquiry into teen’s fatal shooting”

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Group pushes for ‘truly Malaysian’ history

By Melissa Chi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, May 15 — The campaign for “A Truly Malaysian Heritage” took root today, when a group of scholars and non-governmental organisations (NGO) pushing for greater accuracy in history textbooks for secondary school students gathered for the first time.

“We need to provide the alternatives to what we think are much better balanced more truthful Malaysian history syllabus in textbooks,” said Dr Lim Teck Ghee, director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives.

Lim told reporters at the Hotel Singgahsana here that the group was formed shortly after February 10, when the online History Book Reform Signature Campaign was launched by the Plan of Action 4 Malaysia.

Aside from Lim, the group also counts professors and lecturers as among its member, along with 18 NGOs including human rights group Aliran, the All Women’s Action Society (Awan), the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), and the National Interlok Action Team (Niat). Continue reading “Group pushes for ‘truly Malaysian’ history”

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Snap forms committee to study merger with DAP

By Ang Ngan Toh
May 15, 11 | Malaysiakini

Sarawak National Party (Snap) has formed a four-member committee to head preliminary discussions with the DAP on the merger proposal.

Announcing this today, Snap secretary-general Stanley Jugol said the party wants to know “what the DAP actually wants” in black and white.

“The party’s central executive committee will discuss the report to be submitted by the committee later,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

The CEC would then make a decision after studying the report, he added.

The committee, formed by the CEC at its meeting yesterday, is headed by the party’s vice-presidents Augustine Liom and vice-president Johnny Wong, with CEC member Johari Bujang and Youth chief Dayrell Walter Entrie as members. Continue reading “Snap forms committee to study merger with DAP”

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10 Days in May (10)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Kuantan Police cynosure. Is Lynas already exercising Xtraordinary influence over Kuantan Police? Contd subversion of national institutions?

Internet-savvy IGP, r u following this? Shd apologise n tel/stop Kuantan police from its folly b4 Police become world laughing stock.

Hisham will have 2explain Parliament wh Police have new SOP 2get urine test from all arrested, rationale – recipe 4PDRM become world-class?

Hisham – in national interest, wld Police arrest IbrahimAli n demand urine test 2stop lies n seditious race/religious baiting?

Hisham – can explain Y police so tough overbearing w loyal peaceloving defenders environment? @LeeChinChen they want us to do urine test!

If DAP/Christian rep had said 10% what Ibrahim did, ISA/worst laws wld have been thrown at him.Hisham – Y so soft now? Continue reading “10 Days in May (10)”

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Two Pakatan leaders demand immediate action against Taib

By Joseph Tawie

The Broken Shield
Saturday, May 14

KUCHING: Two Sarawak Pakatan leaders today (14 May) demanded an immediate investigation to be taken against Chief Minister of Sarawak Abdul Taib Mahmud following reports by Sarawak Report that the President of Swiss Federation Micheline Calmy-Rey has revealed Taib’s assets in Switzerland.

Calmy-Rey has forwarded the information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.

The Swiss President said that Switzerland takes extremely seriously the concerns that have been raised internationally about Taib’s alleged profiteering from timber corruption and are unhappy that such assets may have been invested in Switzerland.

In a statement on the report, Sarawak PKR Chief Baru Bian said: “For the President of a foreign country to acknowledge that her government has begun investigation into Taib Mahmud’s assets is indeed an indictment on the credibility of the Chief Minister. Continue reading “Two Pakatan leaders demand immediate action against Taib”

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Sabah health services limping along

By Michael Kaung
May 15, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah DAP said that it has received scores of complaints regarding the services rendered by the Federal Health Ministry to Sabahans in terms of quality of treatment, medical supplies and equipment.

Junz Wong, state DAP assistant secretary, said that both the patients and doctors are unhappy and frustrated with the state of affairs in the medical and health services.

The party believes that Sabahans are among the most ill-cared for citizens in Malaysia due to lack of drugs and healthcare equipment.

Wong justifies his claim by pointing out that Sabah only one radiotherapy machine for the whole state.

In the past, before the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) was bought over by government, the hospital rented the radiotherapy machine.

Now after taking over the SMC hospital, the government is still renting it. Continue reading “Sabah health services limping along”

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Ibrahim Ali doesn’t represent all Malays, says Hisham

By Melissa Chi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

SUNGAI BESAR, May 15 — UMNO Vice President Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (picture) said today that Perkasa President Datuk Ibrahim Ali does not represent all the Malays in the country.

“I don’t think Ibrahim Ali represents all the Malays or all the Muslims. Same as Osama bin Laden, he doesn’t represent all the Muslims. There are extremists, I’m not saying Ibrahim Ali is an extremist, please don’t quote me wrongly but I’m saying that there are different levels of understanding. so let the public decide who they want to represent (them),” he said, adding that there are extremists in the Chinese community as well.

Despite police still investigating unsubstantiated reports of a move to a Christian Malaysia, the Malay rights group president threatened Christians nationwide last night that he would wage a crusade or holy war should they proceed with their agenda to usurp Islam. Continue reading “Ibrahim Ali doesn’t represent all Malays, says Hisham”

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Police detain four DAP members in anti-Lynas protest

By Clara Chooi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUANTAN, May 15 — Police arrested four DAP members here this morning for holding a demonstration to protest the Lynas Corp rare earths refinery in Gebeng.

DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chief Anthony Loke (file picture), who was present at the time, told The Malaysian Insider that the police moved in to arrest the four just as the event on was nearing its tail end.

He explained that the programme had began with the opening of the Kuantan DAP service centre on Jalan Beserah at 10am this morning before moving on to a short demonstration.

“It was just a small one… three of us gave speeches, (Triang assemblyman) Leong Ngah Ngah, (PKR’s Indera Mahkota MP) Azan Ismail and then me. Continue reading “Police detain four DAP members in anti-Lynas protest”

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Four arrested at anti-Lynas protest

By S Pathmawathy
May 15, 11 | Malaysiakini

At least four people were arrested in Kuantan, Pahang today during at a rally organised by the anti-Lynas Advanced Material Plant (LAMP) movement.

The protestors had gathered in front of DAP’s service centre in the state capital at about 11.30am.

Barely 10 minutes into the demonstration, the police had moved in.

DAP Pahang publicity secretary Chow Yu Hui and organising secretary Lee Chin Chen as well as Khor Huey Ying and Thing Siew Shuen, from the DAP’s headquarters were arrested. Continue reading “Four arrested at anti-Lynas protest”

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Malays and cerita cerita hantu

By Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
May 15, 2011

There has been a sudden surge in Malay preference for ghost films recently. Perhaps the implications for this preference are more serious than just the indication of productivity of the artistic creativity that produced them. Let’s see the political implications.

When DS Najib addressed the UMNO hoi poloi, the UMNO lumpen-proletariat, the UMNO murba, I was sure he wanted his message to reach a wider audience.

In particular the Malay masses who have deserted UMNO in the 2008 elections. Even more so, the 1.5 million UMNO members who did not vote for UMNO candidates for various reasons. Najib’s call for unity is not made to a vacuous audience, this he must know.

I hope he doesn’t underestimate the discerning capabilities of the rural folks and UMNO members. UMNO members can no longer be divided into old and new UMNO. By old I mean those UMNO members who desire a return to the old UMNO. Continue reading “Malays and cerita cerita hantu”

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The Ugly Muslim

By Mariam Mokhtar
May 9, 11 | Malaysiakini

The Muslim NGO Pembela is wrong to blame Christianity for the alleged decline of Islam in Malaysia because the worst enemies of Islam, in Malaysia, are from within the ranks of the Muslims.

Islam may be a beautiful religion, but some of the Muslims in Umno, Utusan Malaysia, and the extremist groups like Perkasa and Pembela are ugly. Islam may preach love and tolerance, but Muslims in Umno, Utusan, Perkasa and Pembela are bigots who are consumed with hate.

Perhaps the so-called Muslims in these organisations, who profess to be true Muslims, are Muslim in name only. They lust after power and are aware that without the Malay vote, the activities of their party, their newspaper, their institution or their way of life (the Ketuanan Melayu lording it over other communities) will be curtailed or cease to exist altogether. Continue reading “The Ugly Muslim”

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The Ugly Malaysian

By Mariam Mokhtar
May 2, 11 | Malaysiakini

It was to be expected that when ‘The Ugly Chinaman’ appeared in this column last week, the Chinese ‘face’ was slighted. Many ignored the fact that the offensive bits were attributes, made by the writer Bo Yang, about his fellow Chinese.

The article also incorporated answers from a questionnaire I had circulated within a small cross-section of Malaysians (Chinese and non-Chinese), that although unscientific, gave a flavour of what people perceived of the Chinese.

For a brief moment, the normally reticent Chinese was indignant. The messenger had to be shot.

When previous articles appeared under this column, condemning the Malays, I was seen as a champion of all races and praised for ‘seeing it from the other side’. Continue reading “The Ugly Malaysian”

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The Ugly Chinaman

By Mariam Mokhtar
Apr 25, 11 | Malaysiakini

It is heartbreaking for Malaysians to see that the country is more fractured and divided than at any time in its history – Malays against Chinese, east Malaysians against peninsular Malaysians, Muslims against non-Muslims, and so on.

In the aftermath of the Sarawak election, the swing of votes to the opposition alarmed BN, but instead of looking in the mirror at itself, BN has again sought to blame others for its faults.

As is the norm after any election, it is the Chinese which BN conveniently picks on to ‘explain’ its poor showing in the voting pattern.

Why should we question the loyalty of the Chinese when BN should examine its own leadership, its policies and the way its conducts itself before, during and after an election? Continue reading “The Ugly Chinaman”

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As police probe, Ibrahim Ali threatens crusade against Christians

By Clara Chooi
May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

GOMBAK, May 15 — Despite police still investigating unsubstantiated reports of a move to a Christian Malaysia, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali threatened Christians nationwide last night that he would wage a crusade or holy war should they proceed with their agenda to usurp Islam.

The pint-sized Malay rights leader thundered to a ceramah audience of some 200 at Kampung Changkat here that he was willing to take the fall for his statement for the sake of defending the dignity of Islam.

Although he complained of fatigue from his nine ceramah stops from Kelantan to here since Friday night, the Pasir Mas MP also said his blood was boiling with rage and “hairs standing on end” following recent reports of a Christian conspiracy between religious leaders and opposition party politicians. Continue reading “As police probe, Ibrahim Ali threatens crusade against Christians”

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Perkasa ready to crusade against ungrateful Christians

By Aidila Razak
May 15, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali said that he is willing to wage a crusade against the Christians if the community allegedly continues to challenge Islam’s position in the country.

“If they want a crusade, so be it. If they say that the peace that we enjoy is not good enough … we shall take up the challenge. Don’t take the silence of Muslims as a sign of fear,” he warned to cheers from about 150 people at a ceramah last night.

“Before our followers fall in this battle, (Perkasa) leaders will first lay down their lives and die sprawling in blood,” he thundered.

Speaking at a function organised by the Komuniti 1Malaysia group of Kampung Kerdas and Kampung Changkat in Gombak, Ibrahim accused the Christians of “challenging the sovereignty and dignity of Malays and Muslims.” Continue reading “Perkasa ready to crusade against ungrateful Christians”

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Gloom, anger mars Kaamatan celebrations

Casey Lee
Free Malaysia Today
May 14, 2011

KOTA BELUD: At the foothills of the majestic Mount Kinabalu, quiet gloom sits on scenic Kampung Tambatuon.

Despite being well into the festive month of Kaamatan or harvest festival in Sabah, there is little cheer here and much of it has to do with the state government’s insidious plan to build a dam nearby.

When we decided to visit Kampung Tambatous for a festive story, we were not prepared for the air of forebrooding that assailed us entering the village from the Kota Belud-Ranau bypass.

Fresh signs and banners shouting ‘No’ and ‘Amaran!’ (Warning) littered the winding 4km drive along a narrow gravel road into the village.

It belies a suspicion rarely found in any kampong in Sabah, where one usually senses welcome and amused curiousity.

Its mid-morning in Kampung Tambatuon and as we drove into the village a middle-aged woman stared suspiciously at our vehicle while others looked at us from doorways and windows .

This is the site of the state government’s proposed Tambatuon dam.

The villagers have been up in arms against the project for two years now.

These days all strangers are suspects and we are in their crosshairs. Continue reading “Gloom, anger mars Kaamatan celebrations”