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Respecting our children’s freedom

Amar Singh
The Malaysian Insider
July 02, 2013

I want to thank every media or editor that has spoken up against the proposal by our government to introduce a law allowing one parent to change their children’s religion. It shows the courage of that media/editor and expresses the opinion of the majority of Malaysians. This attempt by the government to introduce such a law is a violation of the basic human rights of any individual and shows how little they respect the fundamental freedoms of our children.

The United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has been available since 1989 and signed by our Malaysian Prime Minister in December 1994. The UNCRC outlines the basic rights that should be accorded to any child. The fact that Malaysia is signatory underlines that the government of Malaysia is committed to uphold these fundamental rights. When countries ratify the Convention, they agree to review their laws relating to children.

Article 3 of the UNCRC clearly states that the best interests of children must be the primary concern in making decisions that may affect children. And that all adults, including the governing body of the country, should do what is best for children. This clearly includes policies and laws.

Article 14 speaks about the freedom of thought, conscience and religion. To quote “Children have the right to think and believe what they want and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should help guide their children in these matters. The Convention respects the rights and duties of parents in providing religious and moral guidance to their children. Religious groups around the world have expressed support for the Convention, which indicates that it in no way prevents parents from bringing their children up within a religious tradition. At the same time, the Convention recognises that as children mature and are able to form their own views, some may question certain religious practices or cultural traditions. The Convention supports children’s right to examine their beliefs, but it also states that their right to express their beliefs implies respect for the rights and freedoms of others.” Continue reading “Respecting our children’s freedom”

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Getting us at get lost

– Jahabar Sadiq
The Malaysian Insider
July 02, 2013

The classic cliche from Umno is this – if you don’t agree with us or criticise us, just get lost. Leave the country, now.

And they wonder why they lost the popular vote in Election 2013.

Barisan Nasional’s Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin repeated the line today when telling off AirAsia X chief executive Azran Osman-Rani for criticising Umno newspaper Utusan Malaysia over its racially-slanted articles after the May 5 general elections.

Calling Azran “Melayu Biadap” while debating the royal address in Parliament this morning, Bung Mokhtar said Azran should move if he was not happy in Malaysia.

The same line was said by Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in May when saying those unhappy with the GE13 results can also leave the country.

Is that really a solution when the Najib administration specifically set up the Talent Corporation to bring back Malaysians who can push the country to a high-income nation by 2020? Continue reading “Getting us at get lost”

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Fictitious tale of DAP-funded “Red Bean Army” of 3,000 cybertroopers being kept alive testimony of power and influence of vested interests who want RM350 million allocation whether from UMNO or public funds to pay UMNO/BN cybertroopers for next five years

I am tickled no end by news report today that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Shahidan Kassim would raise in the Cabinet on Friday the proposal for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the allegation that DAP funded the “Red Bean Army” cybertroopers during the 13GE to demonise UMNO/BN leaders and supporters.

Shahidan revealed this at a media conference at the Parliament lobby after receiving a memorandum from 130 Malay-Muslim NGOs on the fictitious DAP-funded “Red Bean Army”, which had purportedly 300 to 3,000 cybertroopers with a budget of RM100 million to RM1 billion in the past six years to demonise and character-assassinate UMNO/BN leaders on the cyberspace, and which is credited as a major cause for the defeat of UMNO/BN in the social media war and their 13GE setbacks.

I do not believe that any UMNO/BN leader of minimum intelligence would believe in the tall tale of the DAP-funded “Red Bean Army” of 3,000 cybertroopers with a budget ranging from RM100 million to RM1 billion.

It is now more evident than ever that the so-called DAP-funded “Red Bean Army” is a concoction of a well-funded UMNO/BN conspiracy to demonise and destroy the DAP (the DDD Brigade) which is controlled from the inner sanctum of the 13GE Umno/BN “War Room”, and the ability to keep alive the fictitious tale of the DAP-funded “Red Bean Army” is testimony of the power and influence of vested interests who want RM350 million allocation whether from UMNO or public funds to pay for UMNO/BN cybertroopers for the next five years. Continue reading “Fictitious tale of DAP-funded “Red Bean Army” of 3,000 cybertroopers being kept alive testimony of power and influence of vested interests who want RM350 million allocation whether from UMNO or public funds to pay UMNO/BN cybertroopers for next five years”