Let all Malaysian moderates commemorate WIHW 2014 with resolve to save Malaysia from extremists and traitors who want to tear the country asunder with incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension

Today, the world begins a week-long celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week (3rd – 9th Feb) first proposed by King Abdullah of Jordan and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in October 2010 to spread the message of harmony and tolerance among the followers of the three monotheistic faiths and all the world’s religions.

It also seeks to promote the common basis of “Love of God and Love of the Neighbour, Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour” among religions to safeguard world peace.

Malaysia was in the global forefront last year in the celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.

The Prime Minister not only visited the places of worship of the nation’s five main religions in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, but also addressed a gathering of religious leaders at his official residence in Seri Perdana.

At this gathering, Najib stressed that the “World Interfaith Harmony Week” sought to raise awareness and understanding between religions, for universal peace and drive the world to be more progressive and prosperous.

He said that all faiths in principle promote moderation, through conduct and words.

He also boasted that “if there is a country which wants to showcase itself as a model of multiracial unity, I don’t think there is a country better than Malaysia”.

Najib would not dare to repeat such a boast 12 months later in this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, as Malaysia has fallen from its pedestal as a model of interfaith harmony.

In fact, in the past weeks and months, Malaysia has become a sick example of “interfaith disharmony” in a multi-racial multi-religious country. Continue reading “Let all Malaysian moderates commemorate WIHW 2014 with resolve to save Malaysia from extremists and traitors who want to tear the country asunder with incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension”

The calm before the storm

– Nehali
The Malaysian Insider
February 01, 2014

Recently, various community leaders and politicians appeal for calm, in view of recent simultaneous firebombing of churches in Penang.

Yes, we all need to stay calm but it can be the calm before the storm of racial, religious conflict and violence.

Police is working hard to apprehend the culprits for the Molotov. This is important to send the message that violence should be punished.

However, of greater importance is to investigate and punish the instigators of violence and sowers of hatred. We know who they are.

They are the Yang Berhormats who wear holy garbs or suits with neckties. They spread lies, fears, fanned hatred and division in the name of protecting the “inalienable” rights of one particular race. Continue reading “The calm before the storm”

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”

Lies, lies, and more lies

by KJ John
Malaysiakini
Jan 28, 2014

First there was the assertion that there exists an attempt by Christians to make Penang a Christian state; simply because the chief minister is reputed to be a Christian. No evidence was ever found or elicited for these unfounded rumours. The perpetrators of the crime were not charged. I believe they were Umno-linked bloggers.

Now there are ‘Jesus the son of Allah’ banners which, frankly, no Christian would ever make. The reason is simple: If we do, the whole sentence would be in Malay; never in English with the Arabic ‘Allah’ word. What will come next? Maybe a ‘Melayu balik kampung’ banner which then sparks another round of racial riot rumours, or pig-heads into mosques?

These were standard tactics since 1969 in Penang but it was stopped in good time because of the then chief police officer’s (CPO) quick response and actions?

But he was an outstanding Special Branch (SB) officer well-trained in the matters of psychological warfare, but there are no such people any more, since our communist threat is no more. Our current CPOs are only of one race and religion.

Today, police officers appear to pursue their partisan agenda against both citizens and foreigners alike. People are losing faith in the so-called ‘not-so-royal police force’, but which however does not act against Umno extremists. Selective persecution and prosecution seems the order of the day today. Continue reading “Lies, lies, and more lies”

Selesai segera isu kaum dan agama

A Shukur Harun
The Malaysian Insider
January 30, 2014

Pelbagai pihak kini sedang memerhatikan dengan cemas segala perkembangan yang berlaku di tanah air, yang dilihat sangat membimbangkan.

Ini akibat segala isu yang berbangkit menuju ke arah maraknya api perkauman dan pertentangan agama sedang dibakar oleh pihak tertentu yang mempunyai pelbagai kepentingan dan keadaan ini sangat mencemaskan.

Isu berbangkit yang mana tidak diheret ke lembah perkauman dan pandangan agama sempit? Isu kangkung turun harga, isu kalimah Allah, GST dan keputusan PRU13 lalu di mana ada pemimpin negara menganggap sebagai ‘tsunami Cina’ berikutan kebanyakan pengundi bandar, khususnya pengundi Cina, menolak calon Barisan Nasional. Semuanya diheret menjadi isu perkauman.

Kini selepas lebih enam bulan PRU13, isu perkauman masih dimainkan dalam pelbagai variasi dan bentuk. Semuanya ini sangat membimbangkan.

Sehubungan itu, NGO Islam mengalu-alukan usaha Pakatan Rakyat untuk duduk bersama Umno/BN bagi membincangkan isu perkauman dengan segera bagi mencari formula terbaik demi memelihara kesejahteraan rakyat negara ini.
Continue reading “Selesai segera isu kaum dan agama”

Malaysia no longer land of peace and tolerance, says Pakistan website

by Elizabeth Zachariah
The Malaysian Insider
January 28, 2014

Malaysia’s global image as a moderate and progressive Muslim country is being tarnished by increasing racial and religious intolerance, and more recently, the attack on a church in Penang, a Pakistan online news website reported today.

Despite the millions of ringgit spent by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to promote this moderate image through his anti-extremist Global Movement of Moderates, the Allah row and incidents stemming from it show that this may not be the case anymore, Pakistan Today said.

The writer, Masood Khan, said for the rest of the Muslim world, Malaysia used to be an “island of peace and tolerance”.

“Sadly, it’s no more as an evil eye has cast its bad shadow on a moderate and progressive country,” he wrote. Continue reading “Malaysia no longer land of peace and tolerance, says Pakistan website”

Call on Chinese Malaysians to work hand-in-hand with Malaysians of other ethnicities to ensure a successful, progressive prosperous competitive nation where there is place for every citizen under the Malaysian sun

(2014 Chinese New Year message in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 29th January 2014)

Happy Chinese Year of the Horse to all Chinese Malaysians and increasing number of Malaysians of other races who also celebrate the Chinese New Year.

This is the unique characteristic of the Malaysia Dream, where an increasing number of Malaysians participate in the different ethnic and religious festivities as they are Malaysian events although they belong to other races or religions.

This why during my Chinese New Year visit to Johor, covering all the 5 Parliamentary and 13 DAP State Assembly seats apart from Jementah (which I will make up during the Chinese New Year period), I also wished Malays and Indians “Happy New Year” and distributed oranges to them signifying that regardless of race, religion, region or political beliefs, we all belong to one Big Family – the Malaysian Family!

Malaysians should seek to establish greater Malaysian Oneness from all different ethnic and religious festivities – based on the great values and virtues taught by all the religions and races. Continue reading “Call on Chinese Malaysians to work hand-in-hand with Malaysians of other ethnicities to ensure a successful, progressive prosperous competitive nation where there is place for every citizen under the Malaysian sun”

PR’s patriotic olive branch to PM and BN – to love and save Malaysia to preserve and promote unity, harmony and tolerance and ban spectre of May 13 to cobwebs of history

In my first Open Letter in 2014 to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on 8th January 2014, I urged the first Cabinet meeting to send our a clear and unmistakable message to end the national drift and loss of leadership and direction to create an united, harmonious, just, and competitive and great Malaysian nation.

I zeroed in on the nation’s quintuplet of national crisis which warranted priority and immediate attention by the Cabinet – nation-building, economic, educational, security and anti-corruption.

In my second Open Letter in 2014 to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on 22nd January, I posed the question whether the Barisan Nasional leadership is prepared to work with Pakatan Rakyat leaders to ensure that there could be no repetition of May 13 riots in Malaysia?

I lamented that the Najib administration had in the past fortnight remained
“leaderless, headless, clueless and rudderless” and the government’s “aimless drift” had worsened with “no resolution in sight for the quintuplet of five crisis”.

I am writing this third Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet before the Cabinet meeting today to welcome the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday that he will bring Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s idea of a “national consensus” to the Cabinet. Continue reading “PR’s patriotic olive branch to PM and BN – to love and save Malaysia to preserve and promote unity, harmony and tolerance and ban spectre of May 13 to cobwebs of history”

Nation on fragile ground, warns Kit Siang

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ | The Malaysian Insider
January 28, 2014

It only takes a spark to set off another May 13, said a worried Lim Kit Siang (pic) as he called on Malaysians to quell tension plaguing the country now.

The DAP adviser said this was the reason he had asked Penang PKR assemblyman Lee Khai Loon to apologise for stuffing kangkung into an effigy of the prime minister during a flash mob in Penang two weeks ago.

He said it was also why he has been crusading for Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to form a secretariat to discuss issues plaguing the country.

“The situation has become very unhealthy, with drawn-out stoking of religious and racial tension for the past eight months,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.

Lim, who is Gelang Patah MP, is worried that the currently escalating tension could lead to a scenario similar to the black day in Malaysian history almost 45 years ago. Continue reading “Nation on fragile ground, warns Kit Siang”

Najib should be the first to undergo mandatory media training to prevent gaffes like the “kangkung” hullaballoo which has highlighted the “feet of clay” of the Najib administration

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is reported to have directed mandatory media training for his ministers to prevent missteps that have made his administration a laughing stock among Malaysians.

Najib’s second term has been marked by “foolish” remarks from several ministers that spawned Internet memes and jokes detrimental to Putrajaya’s image.

The Malaysian Insider’s report today “To avoid more gaffes, ministers to learn to speak sensibly” quoted a source that Najib wants his ministers to undergo media training to avoid repeatedly delivering “foolish remarks”.

Specifically cited as examples of Ministerial bloopers which have spoilt Putrajaya’s image were those by the Minister for Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Datuk Seri Hasan Malek who wanted the people to be thankful for having “sincere” leaders who “prioritise people’s needs above all else” in response to the people’s unhappiness at subsidy cuts and price hikes and the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor who made insensitive responses to the complaints of property owners in Kuala Lumpur to the hike in assessment rates.

“You want me to revaluate your property at 0.1% for 21 years? It does not matter to me… up to you.” He had admonished the media over the issue, telling them: “I don’t know why people like to spin this issue out of control. You should tell the rakyat that this is good for them,” Adnan had said. Continue reading “Najib should be the first to undergo mandatory media training to prevent gaffes like the “kangkung” hullaballoo which has highlighted the “feet of clay” of the Najib administration”

All are welcome to the Tuesday dialogue in KL on what is the most rational response to the escalation of racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia in the past eight months after the 13th General Elections so as to create another May 13

I have initially decided on a dialogue session at DAP Hqrs (4th Floor) at Jalan Yew, off Jalan Pudu Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 28th January 2014 at 8 pm with netizens and social activists after reading a joint statement by 83 young activists and writers urging me to retract my statement asking the PKR Penang State Assemblyman for Machang Bubok Lee Khai Loon to consider apologizing for the “flash mob” demonstration where kangkung was stuffed into the mouth of a cardboard cutout of the Prime Minister as they alleged that I was bowing down to the intimidation of “racists and political hooligans”.

Clearly, these young activists and writers signatories to the joint statement could not have read my statements in full or in detail, or had thought through the entire problem from all sides as to make such a call, and a dialogue session with them would be useful, as it is will provide an opportunity for an interaction where they could hear my views and I can benefit from hearing their standpoints.

The big issue involved however is not just about the “kangkung phenomena”, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Lee Khai Loon or about any one personality, but about the escalation of the racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia in the past eight months after the 13th General Elections, where an irresponsible and reckless group had enjoyed immunity and impunity to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension so as to destabilise the country and create another May 13 racial riots to achieve their petty, selfish and even traitorous political objectives. Continue reading “All are welcome to the Tuesday dialogue in KL on what is the most rational response to the escalation of racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia in the past eight months after the 13th General Elections so as to create another May 13”

Kit Siang to meet critics over ‘kangkung’ issue

Lee Way Loon
Malaysiakini
Jan 24, 2014

Under criticism from netizens and social activists, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang will be holding a dialogue session with youth in Kuala Lumpur next week to explain his suggestion that PKR’s Machang Bubuk assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon apologise.

Organised by DAP’s party organ The Rocket, the event is scheduled to be held at the party headquarters at 7 or 8pm next Tuesday.

Lim told Malaysiakini this morning that he decided to hold the event after reading a news report, in which a group of youth urged him to retract his statement last Tuesday.

“I think they probably did not look at the problem from all sides, or did not properly read the details of my statement, so I am prepared to exchange my views with them and I am prepared to listen to theirs,” he said. Continue reading “Kit Siang to meet critics over ‘kangkung’ issue”

Suggest Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat form a joint Summit secretariat comprising three representatives to decide on date, place and agenda of BN-PR Summit

The Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told The Malaysian Insider that the proposal by Pakatan Rakyat leaders for a Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit will be discussed by the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting tomorrow.

I welcome the prompt response of the Barisan Nasional in convening its Supreme Council tomorrow and hope that the BN Supreme Council will give a positive response to the PR proposal for a summit of the leaders of both coalitions to assure Malaysians that there could not be another May 13 riots, although there are irresponsible and reckless elements seeking to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create the conditions for another May 13 in the country.

The proposal by the Pakatan Rakyat leaders from PKR, PAS and DAP stem from their love and patriotism to Malaysia and I hope that the Barisan Nasional leaders could be similarly motivated by their love and patriotism to Malaysia to give a positive response to hold the first BN-PR Leaders’ Summit in the nation’s history. Continue reading “Suggest Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat form a joint Summit secretariat comprising three representatives to decide on date, place and agenda of BN-PR Summit”

Police and authorities must not allow the “spiral of violence” to begin and continue as this is the second stage of those who want to create the conditions for another May 13

Despite my Second Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet yesterday, the third Cabinet meeting of 2014 was a great cop-out, with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers failing to fulfill their commitment and responsibility to face the quintuplet of national crisis squarely and courageously to end the government drift and the leadership, clueless and rudderless Najib administration.

Worst of all, there was no word or acknowledgement let alone leadership to end the systematic campaign by a group of irresponsible and reckless elements out to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 situation to destabilize the country, to achieve their petty, selfish political ends.

All right-thinking Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region or political affiliation must deplore in the strongest terms the gross abdication of responsibility of the Cabinet yesterday to put a stop to the continued incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension as well as to all the saber-rattling to create another May 13 situation.

I agree with former MCA President Ong Tee Keat who recently warned that Malaysia will be left in tatters if the Prime Minister continues to ignore the raising issues that divide the country. Continue reading “Police and authorities must not allow the “spiral of violence” to begin and continue as this is the second stage of those who want to create the conditions for another May 13”

Second Open Letter to Najib and Cabinet – Are BN leaders prepared to work with PR leaders to ensure that there could not be another repetition of May 13 riots in Malaysia?

For the second time this year, I am taking full advantage of the Age of Information Technology which enables the instant communication of information with information travelling at the speed of light to pen this Second Open Letter this year to the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers just before their third Cabinet meeting of the New Year of 2014.

Members of the Cabinet who have not read or not informed of this Second Open Letter before the Ministers meet for their third Cabinet meeting later this morning clearly belong to the dinosaur epoch and are not fit to be in the Cabinet – and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak would have a very strong reason to get rid of these dead-wood and half-past six Ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle.

In my first Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet before their first Cabinet meeting on 8th January 2014, I urged the first Cabinet meeting to send our a clear and unmistakable message to end the national drift and loss of leadership and direction to create an united, harmonious, just, and competitive and great Malaysian nation.

I zeroed in on the nation’s quintuplet of crisis which warranted priority and immediate attention by the Cabinet, viz: Continue reading “Second Open Letter to Najib and Cabinet – Are BN leaders prepared to work with PR leaders to ensure that there could not be another repetition of May 13 riots in Malaysia?”

Shut the Mouths that Threaten May 13

By Kee Thuan Chye
news.malaysia.msn.com
21 Jan 2014

It’s disturbing, to say the least. Street protests staged by Umno and/or groups affiliated to or inspired by it invariably espouse the threat of violence and express racial venom. The most recent ones, held on January 18 and 19 in Penang, are further indications of this trend.

These were staged to protest against Lee Khai Loon, the PKR state assemblyman of Machang Bubok, for publicly mocking Prime Minister Najib Razak’s statement about the drop in price of kangkung. But the proceedings turned ugly when race was made into an issue when it was never one in the first place.

To begin with, Lee’s satirical flashmob on January 16, which culminated in his stuffing kangkung into the mouth of an effigy of Najib, was not a racial act. It was instead an act that summed up public disgust for the prime minister’s apparent failure to empathise with the rakyat, who are struggling with the problem of rising costs. Many Malaysians indeed blame the Government for contributing to the rise because it cut petrol and sugar subsidies and raised electricity tariffs.

On top of that, Najib made the extra howler of saying that although the price of kangkung has come down, the people do not praise the Government for it, but when prices go up, they are quick to blame the Government. For that, he was widely condemned. And on social media, he was satirised as well. Even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) picked up the story. Continue reading “Shut the Mouths that Threaten May 13”

Can Malaysia step back from the brink?

– Lim Teck Ghee
CPI/The Malaysian Insider
January 21, 2014

In early 2011, I provided a paper to the United Nations system in Malaysia on various scenarios facing the country, giving special emphasis to the impact of political and economic issues on social development. In it, I explored three scenarios:

• A best case one where the government can achieve its goals and targets as set out in various government documents,

• A midway scenario where targets are partially achieved, and

• A worst case scenario where targets are mostly not achieved and where the economic, political and social situation deteriorates significantly over the medium-term.

Unfortunately, the worst case scenario is becoming a reality. Excerpts from the report below identify the key steps and processes leading to the establishment of an autocratic ethnocracy which would be a huge step backwards for the country.

It is still not too late for the Prime Minister and other leaders, especially from the BN and Umno, to lead the country away from the worst case scenario outlined in the paper.

But time is running out. Continue reading “Can Malaysia step back from the brink?”

Time for all Malaysians to separate patriots who want an united peaceful, harmonious and prosperous Malaysia from traitors who want to create another May 13 by inciting racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict through lies and falsehoods

Yesterday, the extremist group Perkasa claimed the “kangkung furore” can result in a repeat of the May 13 racial riots if it continues to be played up, claiming that the issue has become racial and is against Malaysia’s multi-racial society.

A Perkasa spokesman said many people are seen as disrespecting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib on this issue.

He said: “The May 13th incident may repeat itself if people want it to happen again. If the kangkung issue goes too far, it is not impossible that it might.”

Can there be a repeat of the May 13, 1969 riots?

Yes, if extremists and intolerant groups and element are allowed to continue and even to escalate their campaign of incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict using lies and falsehoods without immediate action by the authorities to put an end to such irresponsible, inflammatory, incendiary and seditious spewing and incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict in our plural society. Continue reading “Time for all Malaysians to separate patriots who want an united peaceful, harmonious and prosperous Malaysia from traitors who want to create another May 13 by inciting racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict through lies and falsehoods”

Putrajaya imposes ‘very high’ restrictions on religion, global study finds

by Trinna Leong
The Malaysian Insider
January 15, 2014

Putrajaya’s restrictions on religion are among the worst in the world, revealed a study by American think tank Pew Research Centre.

The report, Restrictions on Religion, which covered 198 countries, found that Malaysia is among the 24 nations with “very high” government restrictions on religion.

It also found that the number of countries with “high or very high level of social hostilities involving religion reached a six-year-peak in 2012”.“A third (33%) of the 198 countries and territories included in the study had high religious hostilities in 2012, up from 29% in 2011 and 20% as of mid-2007,” said the report.

Placing Malaysia on par with countries like Egypt, Syria, Somalia, Russia, Sudan and Iraq, the report measured “government laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices” for its Government Restrictions Index (GRI).

The report, which covered more than 99.5% of the world’s population, had looked at “efforts by governments to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversions, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups”. Continue reading “Putrajaya imposes ‘very high’ restrictions on religion, global study finds”

Remembering my father, Tun Razak

by Nazir Razak
The Malaysian Insider
January 14, 2014

Thirty-eight years ago today, on January 14, 1976, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein passed away in London from complications wreaked by leukaemia.

Malaysia lost its prime minister. I lost my father. Malaysia was 19. I was nine.

The days immediately after were shrouded in personal sorrow and national mourning.

My four brothers and I sought to comfort our mother, while the public and heartfelt outpouring of grief throughout the country served as a resounding reminder that we were not alone in our time of tragedy.

I must confess that given my age and my father’s hectic schedule, I sometimes lament the fact that he gave so much to the country, leaving too little for his family.

However, I have never wavered from being enormously proud of his selfless dedication to our young nation.

I did not get the time to know him. But imprinted in me are the values he imparted, the integrity that he insisted upon, above all. Yes, above all, including his family. Continue reading “Remembering my father, Tun Razak”