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Behind the scenes of Raja Petra’s TV3 interview

By Koon Yew Yin | CPIAsia

At the PKR 11th anniversary dinner on Tuesday (April 19) in Ipoh, party vice president Chua Jui Meng alleged that Raja Petra Kamarudin had been bought. Chua said that money could do wonders as indicated by the recent Sarawak election result.

Why would the fugitive blogger and Malaysia Today editor just before the election, in the TV3 interview, cast doubts on his own sensational statutory declaration?

In his SD of June 18, 2008, Raja Petra swore he had been “reliably informed that between about 10pm on 19th October 2006 and early hours of the following day, the night Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered, three (3) other people were also present at the scene of the crime”.

In an e-mail interview with Malaysia Insider on April 15, Raja Petra insisted that he is not a turncoat. He said that he will continue to support the opposition – the Pakatan Rakyat.
Continue reading “Behind the scenes of Raja Petra’s TV3 interview”

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Hardtalk or money talks? Saga of the aborted RPK interview

by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee | CPI

Hardtalk is a flagship BBC television programme that has gained a large global audience due to its style of tough questioning.

According to its media note, Hardtalk “asks the difficult questions and gets behind the stories that make the news — from international political leaders to entertainers; from corporate decision-makers to ordinary individuals facing huge challenges.”

This reputation of independence and fearlessly getting the stories behind the news is now blotted.

On Aug 10, Nicholas Davis Blakemore, BBC planning editor sent an e-mail note to Raja Petra Kamarudin asking if he would be interested in appearing in Hardtalk.

Following confirmation from RPK (readers can read the full correspondence here), the live interview was to have been conducted on Sept 1.
Continue reading “Hardtalk or money talks? Saga of the aborted RPK interview”

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RPK dares Malaysia to fight him in UK

By Shannon Teoh | The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2010

LONDON, May 23 — Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has thrown down the gauntlet to Malaysian authorities, challenging them to bring standing charges against him to the courts in the United Kingdom.

Swaggering into a packed hall in the UK capital yesterday and flanked by two burly men in dark glasses, the controversial Malaysia Today writer insisted that he would fight charges of criminal defamation and sedition as well as the appeal against his Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, given a level playing field.

“I will take on the government and I will fight them but I will do what Sun Tzu said, ‘Fight him in your territory.’

“So my territory is here in the UK,” he declared to applause from a largely partisan crowd of over 300, who had their bags searched before entering the hall at the BPP Law School.

Many had to stand for the two-hour talk by the blogger, who repeated what he had written over the years, in his first formal appearance after over a year in self-imposed exile.
Continue reading “RPK dares Malaysia to fight him in UK”

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Ripping to shreds Shamsul Akmar’s arguments

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin

I would like to reply to Shamsul’s article that appeared in today’s New Straits Times. You can read the full text of the article below. The parts in brackets (Point number 1, 2, 3, etc.) are my own additions for easy reference — so that you know which part of the article I am replying to.

Point number 1: Ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been lamenting about the problem with the Malays his entire life. His letters to First Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman (which I have already published in the Internet back in 2001-2002) and his book, The Malay Dilemma, show that his opinion of the Malays go way back to the 1960s.

During one Umno general assembly, Mahathir cried because, according to him, he was disappointed about the attitude of the Malays. When asked by a journalist soon after he retired what he would consider his greatest regret in 22 years as Prime Minister, Mahathir replied that his greatest regret is that he could not change the attitude of the Malays.

And which part of the attitude of the Malays is Mahathir so upset about? He said it in his letters to Tunku Rahman, he said it in his book, The Malay Dilemma, and he said it many times more after that.
Continue reading “Ripping to shreds Shamsul Akmar’s arguments”

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RPK’s son beaten in prison?

The crisis of confidence in the key institutions in the country is also highlighted by Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s two days ago, viz:

“To those who walk in the corridors of power, I wish to inform you that I know you are beating up my son in the Sungai Buloh Prison. Every day he is being subjected to beatings to force him to withdraw his not guilty plea and to plead guilty to the various charges he is facing.

“I also know he is being subjected to these daily beatings to force him to withdraw his not guilty plea and instead plead guilty because there is no evidence against him and the charges are merely trumped-up charges.

“Furthermore, I know he is being threatened with six additional charges to the ones he is already facing and he is being beaten up to force him to plead guilty to these charges as well.
Continue reading “RPK’s son beaten in prison?”

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What happened to Malaysia Today

By Malaysia Today’s technical team

With so much confusion and speculation making its rounds about what is happening to Malaysia Today over more than a week, we are compelled to offer our explanation so that the record can be set straight. Only limited technical details will be mentioned to allow you to appreciate the scale of challenge the site is facing.

You may now be aware that the site has been up and down since Friday, 17 September 2009. This was due to malicious activities by those behind the effort to cripple Malaysia Today. This is just one of the many rounds of cyber-attacks that we at Malaysia Today have had to face for more than a year now.

Coincidentally, this latest round of attacks started immediately after RPK’s explosive expose two weeks ago on Tuesday regarding the Malaysian Cabinet’s knowledge and ‘approval’ of the PKFZ scandal long before it became public knowledge. Suspicious activities against the site happened as early as Wednesday, but the first damage was done in the afternoon of Thursday, which brought the site down. Continue reading “What happened to Malaysia Today”

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Raja Petra’s Malaysia-Today website not accessible – any connection with disclosure of the PKFZ Cabinet documents?

Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s Malaysia-Today website is not accessible.

Has it anything to do with the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) documents, including Cabinet papers, on the website in the past three days?

New Straits Times reported today that investigations have been ordered into Malaysia-Today’s disclosures of secret official government documents showing how the Port Klang Free Zone issue had spiraled into disaster.

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail was quoted as saying that if the document was genuine, action could be taken against the editor of the website under the Official Secrets Act.

The time has come for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to honour his pledge of public accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance which must include a commitment to freedom of information and respecting the right of Malaysians to information about the entire process as to how Malaysia could be landed with a RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal through three Prime Ministers, three Transport Ministers and four Port Klang Authority Chairmen.
Continue reading “Raja Petra’s Malaysia-Today website not accessible – any connection with disclosure of the PKFZ Cabinet documents?”

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Najib and Altantuya murder case – KSK, OTK or any Minister dare to raise RPK’s latest blog in Cabinet tomorrow?

Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin has made more revelations about the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu C4 murder case which calls for response from an administration which claims to be committed to accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

In his latest blog, Raja Petra mentioned names, including Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis, former Cabinet Minister and confidante of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Lt. Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin, the number two in the Special Branch of the Military Intelligence, as well as other information which will add grist to the swirling serious allegations about the involvement of Najib to the Altantunya murder case.

Whether true or otherwise, and regardless of whether Raja Petra has become a fugitive from the courts, the net result of Raja Petra’s latest blog is that even more questions will be raised about the swirling, haunting and hounding allegations about Najib’s involvement in the Altantuya murder case.

This is completely unhelpful to Najib in establishing his credibility, integrity and legitimacy as the country’s Prime Minister, whether among Malaysians or the world.

These swirling serious allegations haunting and hounding Najib and his admistration concerning the Altantuya C4 murder case cannot be avoided and must be addressed frontally. Continue reading “Najib and Altantuya murder case – KSK, OTK or any Minister dare to raise RPK’s latest blog in Cabinet tomorrow?”

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Najib should answer – Is RPK to be detained under new ISA order and to be charged for treason?

The new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should answer two questions – has a new Internal Security Act (ISA) detention order been issued against blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and whether a decision had been taken to charge him for treason or equally serious capital offence?

If not, is Najib prepared to make two public commitments that under his premiership, Raja Petra will not be victimized and will not be detained under a fresh ISA detention order and will not be charged for treason or equally serious capital offence for what he had done so far?

Furthermore, is Najib prepared to make the further commitment for the withdrawal of the government’s appeal to the Federal Court against Raja Petra’s release under the ISA in November when the Shah Alam High Court ruled that his ISA detention was illegal.

Raja Petra’s absence from his sedition trial, the issue of a warrant of arrest against him and Raja Petra’s explanation in his news portal, Malaysia Today, of the reasons for his action yesterday have focused national and international spotlight not only on RPK but also on the new Prime Minister and his administration. Continue reading “Najib should answer – Is RPK to be detained under new ISA order and to be charged for treason?”

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Change has come to Malaysia!

by Martin Jalleh
(MJ from the Shah Alam Court )

It was a very moving moment in time – one which your memory will forever hold and behold. I had thought that we only get to see this in a Disney movie. But it was happening right in a courtroom in Bolehland today (7 Nov. 2008).

The packed courtroom of Raja Petra (RPK) supporters could not contain their joy. They clapped and burst out into cries of excitement and elation even before Justice Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad could finish delivering his judgment.

They were gently reprimanded by the judge that they were in a Court of Law. But for some it was impossible to be silent. You can’t be restrained when it is such a great and glorious victory! And so they whispered: “We have won! We have won! RPK is free!”

The judge ruled that the detention of RPK under the ISA was illegal (unconstitutional) and ordered his immediate release. The court found the (Home) minister had not followed proper procedure under Section 8 of the ISA.

As the judge left for his chambers, everyone sprung up…some with their clenched fists raised high in the air – speechless. Others grabbed the nearest person available to express their elation whether it be a stranger, supporter or Special Branch. Continue reading “Change has come to Malaysia!”

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RPK’s rearrest under ISA – Cabinet/Parliament must overrule Hamid

Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s announcement in Kota Kinabalu last night that the Home Ministry will appeal against the Shah Alam High Court decision on Friday to free Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) is most deplorable and reprehensible.

It shows Hamid’s utter contempt for the fundamental concept of the rule of law and the most rudimentary commitment to human rights in the country.

In ordering Raja Petra’s release after a 56-day ISA detention, Shah Alam High Court judge Justice Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad ruled in the blogger’s habeas corpus application that the Home Minister acted outside his powers in detaining Raja Petra under the ISA, as the grounds given for Raja Petra’s detention were insufficient rendering the ISA detention unlawful.

Syed Ahmad Helmy held that although Section 8 of the ISA on the detention order by the minister barred judicial review, there was a procedural non-compliance by the Minister resulting in an “ultra vires” order.

As illustration, the judge gave the example that the minister cannot act in bad faith to detain a person who decided to colour his hair red.

In actual fact, Hamid acted mala fide in a very substantive manner in issuing a detention order under Section 8 of the ISA late in the night of September 22 not because Raja Petra constituted a threat to national security but to frustrate the administration of justice and the rule of law by “killing off” Raja Petra’s earlier habeas corpus application. Continue reading “RPK’s rearrest under ISA – Cabinet/Parliament must overrule Hamid”

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Great news – Court orders RPK’s release

The Shah Alam High Court this morning ordered the release of Malaysia Today editor and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin who had been detained under the Internal Security Act since Sept. 12, 2008.

The judge, Justice Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad ordered the police to produce RPK, who is detained in Kamunting Detention Centre, in Shah Alam court by 4 pm today to be formally released.

I would be in Shah Alam Court myself to be a witness to this historic moment if I am not in Penang now and have to be in Alor Star tonight.

The Shah Alam High Court decision sustains hope that basic judicial decency, independence and integrity have not been completely destroyed despite two decades of judicial darkness.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should ensure that the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and the police fully respect the Shah Alam High Court’s decision on RPK’s habeas corpus application and uphold the rule of law and should slap down any trickery or stratagem to frustrate the judicial decision, such as a re-arrest.

Welcome back RPK!

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Police should stop harassing Hindraft/RPK supporters over PM’s Hari Raya Open House

Police are taking things too far in initiating investigations against two groups over their presence at the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Hari Raya Open House last Wednesday – the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members and “I’m with RPK” supporters who had turned up at the Open House with T-shirts bearing the theme of their cause.

Four Hindraf members, K Shanti, wife of Hindraf leader-in-exile P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf information chief S Jayathas, Selangor coordinator K Tamilselvam and national events coordinator R Kannan have been served with written notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Tuesday to give their statements for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act, as well as trespass under Section 447 of the Penal Code.

Three persons, lawyer-blogger Haris Ibrahim, lawyer Amarjit Sidhu and blogger P. Surind Raj are required to report to the police in connection with their “I’m with RPK” demonstration at the PWTC Hari Raya Open House.

Are the Umno leaders and Police seriously suggesting that the allegedly 200,000 people who visited the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Open House, particularly who went with more than five in number, could be investigated by the police for illegal assembly and trespass? Continue reading “Police should stop harassing Hindraft/RPK supporters over PM’s Hari Raya Open House”

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Release Hindraf 5, RPK and all ISA detainees by Deepavali – or leave Barisan Nasional

With the approach of their respective party conferences and elections, It is common nowadays to read of the fierce speeches and statements by leaders and ministers of MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and other Barisan Nasional component parties, undertaking to learn from the mistakes of the past and pledging to stop being puppets or parrots of UMNO “Big Brother” and to speak up for the basic rights and interests of the people.

All these are political “sharp practices” – as the leaders and Ministers from MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and other BN component parties are equally guilty as their Umno counterparts for the worsening multiple crisis of confidence in the past seven months because of their failure to insist on government reforms after the March 8 political tsunami.

Seven full months have passed since the March general elections – and it is not only the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and UMNO which have nothing to show, the MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and other BN component parties have also nothing to show in terms of long-needed reforms.

What is worse, things have gone from bad to worse as could be seen by the worsening multiple crisis of confidence, whether political, economic, educational, institutional, anti-corruption or nation-building.

In the last seven months, nation-building suffered a major setback when Umno leaders took communalism to a new height in drumming up slogans on “ketuanan Melayu” when all Malaysians should be focusing on “ketuanan rakat Malaysia” after more than half-a-century of nation-building.

UMNO Bukit Bendera division chief Ahmad Ismail’s “Chinese are penumpang” was the last straw, furnishing another completely unacceptable example of first-generation or second-generation locally-born “bumiputras” questioning the loyalty and patriotism of sixth or seven-generation locally-born “non-bumiputras”! Continue reading “Release Hindraf 5, RPK and all ISA detainees by Deepavali – or leave Barisan Nasional”

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RPK sedition trial begins in PJ

In Petaling Jaya sessions court now where the celebrated RPK sedition trial has just started.

Big crowd of RPK supporters and well-wishers including household names in Malaysian blogosphere like Haris Ibrahim, Zorro and delCapo in court but space too limited to accommodate even a substantial number of people who had to overflow outside.

RPK in the dock looks his devilishly irreverent best ready to take on the powers-that-be although he has just become a freshie Internal Security Act detainee.

Let all bloggers and Malaysians concerned about human rights and Internet freedom come to PJ court to support RPK.

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RPK from Kamunting cell

GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH

By Raja Petra Kamarudin

I was perturbed when I read YB Teresa Kok’s statement that the food under ISA detention is equivalent or slightly better than dog food. It costs RM8 to feed a dog, according to the Malay Mail survey and only RM4.50 to feed on ISA detainees.

I feed my cats and fish premium food such as science diet and would never dream of feeding my pets the food that we are fed here. I actually stopped eating the food here after the first couple of days because it gave me diarrhea.

A couple of nights ago I vomited after eating the food and now I cannot even stand the sight or smell of the trays that they send to our cell twice a day.

I now survive on dates and plain water and I suppose if that is good enough for camels to survive in the Arabian Desert, it should be good enough for me. Continue reading “RPK from Kamunting cell”

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Selamat Hari Raya – Speak Truth To Power

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Muslims in Malaysia.

As all Malaysians, Muslim and non-Muslim, celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, it is appropriate that thought should also be given to recent major developments in the country, including:

• Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin spending the Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Kamunting Detention Centre as an Internal Security Act detainee, not because RPK has committed any crime but because of his great act of patriotism to speak truth to power. Together with RPK in Kamunting Detention Centre are the Hindraf Five and some 60 other ISA detainees – all of whom should be released immediately and unconditionally.

• The last Hari Raya Aidilfitri for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister as a very clear message has been made in the “926” Umno Supreme Council emergency meeting that the “knives will be out” if he does not heed the ultimatum to announce before October 9 that he will relinquish the post of Prime Minister by March next year and that he would not seek re-election as Umno President. In case the message is not clear enough, four UMNO divisions have publicly stated their intention to nominate Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as candidates for Umno President and Deputy President respectively. Will there be a stampede of Umno divisions declaring their intention to nominate Najib and Muhyideen for the two top Umno posts in the next seven days should Abdullah continue to be ambivalent whether to re-contest as Umno President or not?

• Whether the Prime Minister presiding over the Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year will be Najib or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim heading a new Pakatan Rakyat federal government; and Continue reading “Selamat Hari Raya – Speak Truth To Power”

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Peerless Patriot & Prince

By Martin Jalleh

Umno’s “internal security” is being severely threatened. The Umno elite are scared stiff as their political survival is seriously at stake. Split into camps, they scramble to save themselves.

The PM and DPM put on a see-through smile together as they sit side-by-side – and struggle with the hidden question – who is going to sink or swim by the end of the “show”?

The sad and solitary-looking president of Umno is stunned and left speechless after the Umno supreme council made a decision to “smoothen” his early exit.

The bosses of the servile mainstream press continue to suck up to their political masters, giving stories a spin and a slant that suits, soothes and serves the Umno-dominated government.

As it slowly self-destructs, a desperate Umno begins yet another senseless season of intimidation with a slew of repressive laws to contain, cripple and crush legitimate dissent. Continue reading “Peerless Patriot & Prince”

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All eyes on MCA Ministers in Cabinet today – censure Hamid for RPK ISA detention and harassment of Wee Meng Chee?

The formal detention of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) hours before his habeas corpus application hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday is a gross violation of human rights, a blatant abuse of power and downright contempt of court by the Home Minister and a travesty of the rule of law in Malaysia.

One would have expected that being a lawyer by training, the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar would have greater regard, respect and understanding of the principles of a just of rule and would not do anything to frustrate the legal process as in RPK’s habeas corpus application hearing yesterday. But Hamid has proved everyone wrong.

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail should explain whether he was privy to the Home Minister’s decision on Monday night to frustrate the legal process over RPK’s habeas corpus application hearing yesterday challenging the police detention under Section 73 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) by the simple but most cynical and irresponsible expedient of the Minister signing a formal detention order under Section 8 of the ISA.

Was the Attorney-General consulted and his agreement sought to this irresponsible ploy to frustrate RPK’s habeas corpus application and did he advise the Home Minister against such flagrant contempt of court and to trust in the impartiality and integrity of the judicial system to pronounce on the legality of the police detention of RPK under the ISA under Section 73?

Whose idea was it that the Home Minister should abuse his powers to expedite the formal detention of RPK under Section 8 of the ISA in order to frustrate RPK’s habeas corpus application, when RPK had been detained for only 10 days under Section 73 which provides for a 60-day police custodial detention?

All eyes are on the four MCA Ministers in Cabinet today – will they censure Hamid and demand immediate release of RPK under ISA? Continue reading “All eyes on MCA Ministers in Cabinet today – censure Hamid for RPK ISA detention and harassment of Wee Meng Chee?”

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Pak Lah Desecrating Ramadan

by M. Bakri Musa

When President Nixon ordered the bombing of Hanoi during Christmas of 1972, I knew then that his fate was sealed. I am not a Christian, but living in the West I am very much aware of the spiritual significance of Christmas. As such I found Nixon’s action, coming from a self-professed Christian who regularly had Billy Graham pray with him in the White House, abominable beyond comprehension.

A Just God would not let such a barbaric action go unpunished. Sure enough, a few months later the Watergate scandal broke out that would ultimately lead to Nixon’s resigning under threat of impeachment. This was less than two years after he won a landslide re-election victory.

As a Muslim I feel profoundly the spirituality of Ramadan. It was the month that Allah first revealed the Quran to His Last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w. That was a measure of His generosity upon us. It is said that the gates to Heaven are wide open, and to Hell closed shut, during this season, again reflecting His mercifulness during this blessed month.

We are expected to reciprocate this divine gift by being generous to our fellow beings. Ramadan is thus a season to be charitable, to be forgiving of each other and the seeking of forgiveness from others. All faiths have such a special period in their calendar when their followers are expected to be extra generous to and tolerant of their fellow human beings.

Imagine my horror, shared by many, when Prime Minister Abdullah, the self-declared Imam of Islam Hadhari, chose this particular month to incarcerate Raja Petra Kamarudin and others under the draconian Internal Security Act that allows for detention without trial, or even the filing of charges.

I would have expected the reverse. That is, during Ramadan the Prime Minister would grant amnesty to deserving prisoners as a gesture of the government’s generosity and charity of spirit.

I have yet to see this happen in Malaysia, or any other Muslim country for that matter. Instead we have the odious act of the police bundling up Raja Petra and others into prison, right in front of their families. Where in the Quran or the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w., did Imam Abdullah find the justification for such a cruel act? Where is the spirit of generosity or sense of forgiveness demanded from each of us by our faith during this holy month?

As a Muslim Abdullah will be paying his zakat fitr (tithe) this Ramadan, and come Hari Raya he will be generous with his duit raya to the children calling upon the gates of Sri Perdana. That is the extent of his understanding of the concept of charity and generosity called for in our faith: simplistic, ritualistic, and materialistic. Those he jailed under the ISA or the millions made miserable through escalating living costs as a consequence of his economic policies never enter his heart. Continue reading “Pak Lah Desecrating Ramadan”