Jakim’s Friday sermon yesterday a triple regret, going against Najib’s positive response to Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch for national reconciliation, his advocacy of Wasatiyyah for ASEAN and world conduct of nations and World Interfaith Harmony Week 3-9 Feb

The Friday sermon of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) yesterday saying that the division among Muslims is not only caused by a weak faith but also because of the instigation of Christians and Jews is a triple regret as it goes against:

• The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Cabinet’s positive response at its Cabinet meeting on 29th January 2014 to the Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch reiterated by PR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday for a Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit on national reconciliation to check worsening national situation in the country, in particular the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history as a result of incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension by a small group of reckless and irresponsible persons bent on destabilizing the country through lies and falsehoods, even to create another May 13;

• Najib’s advocacy of Wasatiyyah (moderation in Arabic) as important policy in ASEAN and world conduct of nations – affecting not only Islam but also in respect of all other faiths; and

• The World Interfaith Harmony Week (3 – 9 February 2014) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th October 2010 as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith as “mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace”.

The question that needs to be asked is whether Jakim officials who prepare the Jakim Friday sermons are aware and support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on inter-religious harmony and dialogue, and in particular to Najib’s promotion of the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) and the “Wasatiyyah” concept as well as Najib’s support for the World Interfaith Harmony Week every February? Continue reading “Jakim’s Friday sermon yesterday a triple regret, going against Najib’s positive response to Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch for national reconciliation, his advocacy of Wasatiyyah for ASEAN and world conduct of nations and World Interfaith Harmony Week 3-9 Feb”

Najib must neutralise his enemy

Mariam Mokhtar| January 31, 2014
Free Malaysia Today

If Mahathir is allegedly trying to bring down the government of Najib, then isn’t this a coup?

COMMENT

Sometimes, leaders can be so silly. Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, alleged to be the victim of a plot to oust him is desperate to cling on to power. Bizarrely he has done nothing to repel the attacks. He will almost certainly weaken his own position.

The bile must rise in Najib’s throat each time he reads allegations that former PM Mahathir Mohamad is plotting against him. If Najib were to arrest Mahathir for undermining his rule, his popularity rating which has dipped will soar to 97% overnight. The nation will be solidly behind Najib.

When groups of people like Perkasa react against Mahathir’s arrest, Najib should arrest them too.

Najib has the power, why does he not use it? Mahathir did, when he was PM. He used his sweeping powers to silence his detractors. In situations which could damage his career he would direct from behind the scenes whilst his deputy took the flak.

Of course Mahathir denies all allegations of plotting against Najib. Didn’t he claim that Project IC in Sabah was not his doing? Didn’t he say that he did not pull the trigger in the Memali incident? Didn’t he neuter the students (in 1975), with the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA)?

If Mahathir is allegedly trying to bring down the government of Najib, then isn’t this a coup? So, where is the IGP? Najib should use the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) to lock-up Mahathir. Continue reading “Najib must neutralise his enemy”

Does the palm oil industry meet the UN’s Climate Change Convention?

– Koon Yew Yin
The Malaysian Insider
January 30, 2014

What kind of men would cut down these ancient irreplaceable giants trees? Each of them was over one thousand years old. Over a period of a few decades around 1850, 95% of the two million acres of Redwood forest in California were cut and destroyed.

Now they say we are wrong to cut our trees to plant oil palms. What do they say when Brazil cut down their rain forest to plant soya beans? Let us examine the true situation.

Oil palm smallholdings and plantations meet the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change which defines a forest as an area of 0.5 to one hectare having more than 30 per cent canopy cover and having a potential height of two to five metres.

To accuse the industry in Malaysia and Indonesia of contributing to global warming is sheer nonsense. In fact oil palm trees just as with other forest species, produce oxygen for us to breathe and act to counter coal and oil emissions which are the major cause of global warming. Continue reading “Does the palm oil industry meet the UN’s Climate Change Convention?”