Muslims Praying Eid Mubarak Prayers in a Gurdwara (Sikh Temple)

Someone emailed me this report is from The Times of India

In bad weather, Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus make good friends

Subodh Varma, TNN Aug 22, 2012, 02.40PM IST

Tags:

• Uttarakhand|
• namaaz in gurdwara|
• mutual love and friendship|
• Muslim Community|
• Joshimath|
• Hemkunt Sahib|
• Garhwal Himalayas|
• Gandhi Maidan|
• Badrinath

• 

(Muslim residents of Joshimath…)

NEW DELHI: In a country where religious intolerance and communal hatred dominate the news nowadays, here is something that goes to show that all is not rotten and ugly.

Muslim residents of Joshimath in Uttarakhandoffered Eid namaaz (prayers) on Monday in a gurdwara (Sikh temple), after being invited in by its head priest, according to the local media. There is no mosque or idgah in Joshimath, a town perched above the Alakhnanda deep in the Garhwal Himalayas. Usually its 800-odd Muslim residents offer namaaz at the town's Gandhi Maidan, a public ground.

Peace

The Quran, The Dogs and The Lady

As usual, year in and year out, the entire of the Ramadan would have had many “religious events”. Most of the mosques would have been full of people doing the terawih – the long prayer. One will hope and expect that at the end of such “month of holy activities”, the Malay Muslim community will emerge more compassionate, more responsible for other makhluks of Allah, more aware of what Islam is and hopefully, more aware of what is IN THE QURAN.

My fear and I repeat – my fear only – that for many of the Malay Muslims, life will be back as usual until the next Ramadan comes along to perform the “religious rituals” all over again. I think some are concerned with the “pahala” (whatever that means to the beholder) of the ritual than the substance of what Islam is all about.

It was very disturbing the manner with which Maznah was handcuffed and put into lockup for 2 days simply because she happened to love and care for dogs. This says a lot about those involved in the episode.

It was already shocking (in one sense not shocking because one will not expect any differently from the ignorant) that a few Malay Muslims were chastising her for keeping dogs.  I also saw the video many times. Try as I might, I could not see anything offensive to Islam in that video.

OH my God – Muslims keeping dogs????? Haram ke? All this in Ramadan. Despite all the terawih, no one seems to care what Allah says in the Quran in surah Al Maidah verse 4. I honestly do not know what punishment Allah will visit on those who exert cruelty on others contrary to Allah’s injunctions and decree!

This is what surah Al Maidah verse 4 says with regards to what is lawful (halal) to eat:

‘They ask you what is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful  for you are (all) things good and pure: and what you have taught your trained hunting animals (mukallibina) (to catch) in the manner  directed to you by Allah: eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account’-(translated by Yusof Ali).

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The Malaysian Bar Supports the Attorney General in Rejecting Draconian Preventive Detention Laws

The Malaysian Bar welcomes and supports the statement made by the Attorney General that there is no need for any new preventive detention laws to replace the repealed Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969 ( “Emergency Ordinance”).

The Bar agrees with the Attorney General that it would be illogical and bizarre to have a new legislation providing for preventive detention without trial with respect to crime, when the legislation dealing with terrorism and national security, that is, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (“SOSMA”) 2012, does not provide for such draconian measures such as preventive detention without trial.  A person held or arrested under SOSMA may only be held for a maximum of 28 days for investigation purposes, after which he must be released or charged in a court of law.

The Bar is against any proposal for new legislation that provides for detention without trial, for continuous preventive detention or renewals of such detention without trial by Ministerial order, and the use of ouster clauses that seek to exclude the right to the due process of the law and access to the courts.

Addressing the increase in the incidence of crime requires diligence, intelligence, abilities and the dedicated resolve of the police.  It is not about giving them more draconian powers.

The Emergency Ordinance was repealed in December 2011 on the initiative of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, as part of his transformation and democratic reforms for Malaysia.  The Malaysian Bar urges those parties advocating for the reintroduction of preventive detention laws to refrain from seeking to reverse and undo the work of the Prime Minister in this regard.

Christopher Leong
President
Malaysian Bar

16 July 2013

English medium in elite schools BUT not in National Government Schools ????

I do not understand the rationale either. Good quality education is for the children of ALL citizens, not for a select few.

The Star Online reported as follows:

New MARA college in Parit is first in Perak to offer GCSE certificate

THE newly opened MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) in Parit is the first in Perak to offer the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said it was also the third in the country to offer the certificate.

The RM80mil school, which was the seventh MRSM in the state, was officially opened by Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah last Saturday.

Built on a 21.85ha land, the school began operations in May last year and has about 800 students.

Mohd Shafie said the model and philosophy behind MARA’s education system was to focus on human capital development and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills that are at par with international standards.

“MRSM has taken another step forward to ensure value-added education be given to students so that they can get a place in the world’s best universities,” he said in his speech.

“We hope to continue producing excellent graduates who will become successful wherever they are,” he said, adding that among the successful people to have graduated from MRSM are Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Air Asia chief executive officer Datuk Kamaruddin Meranum and Malaysia’s first astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.

Mohd Shafie said the setting up of MRSM was to ensure that young children could get the opportunity to study under a secondary education system that focused on Science and Mathematics.

He also said that several students from MRSM has achieved success at science and technology exhibitions at international level.

“Two MRSM Betong (Sarawak) students have won gold medals at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2013 and International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad 2013 in Houston, Texas for their science project.

“Another two from MRSM Kota Kinabalu also won gold with their robotics project at the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition 2013 here and during the 14th International Robot Olympiad in Gwanju, South Korea in 2012,” he added.

In his speech, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said with the latest MRSM branch here in the state, it will further enhance the development of the education system and benefit students.

“We hope that MRSM would continue to churn out more people with calibre. The country needs more human capital with integrity and possess high knowledge and skills.

“The state is fortunate to have MRSMs here that can help realise the country’s vision to be a high-income nation, thus we are aware about the needs to equip our children with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete nationally and internationally,” he said.

“That being said, I also hope more sons and daughters of fishermen, farmers and labourers could benefit from studying here and to be successful,” he added.

Syed Akbar argues convincingly that if English medium is good for MRSM schools then why is it not good for National Government Schools. Read his take here - English Medium For Elites Only?.

Peace !

You have been sentenced to Death.

Imagine that you are in a courtroom. There are people who know you waiting anxiously for the Judge to come to announce the sentence that you must face. Then the court officer announces “All rise” and the Judge takes his place. You are stand up waiting to hear the sentence. 

Then the Judge looks straight into your eyes and says:

“By the powers vested upon me, I now sentence you to death”

How exactly would you feel? How exactly would those who are around you and care for you feel? What would you do now that you know you are going to die – just waiting to know when exactly?

What would those who care for you do that they know you will someday no longer be with them?

I am sure all sorts of unimaginable emotions may arise in you.

Being sentenced to death, however is not a novel thing. We all are.

The day we are born, the only thing that we are certain of is that we will someday die. We know that a death sentence has been passed on us – we only do not know when, where and how. We can do all we want in life but we can never avert this death sentence.

We can be kings or peasants, rich or poor, beautiful or ugly but we all carry the death sentence.

I am not being gloomy here but trying to be honest about life. When I was 12, I imagined how it was to be a lonely, old man waiting for death to come.  Or worse, some sort of sickness that I may have to suffer before death at even an earlier age. I imagined my still body on the ground totally helpless and at the mercy of those who are alive. How powerful or wealthy I may one day become (which is uncertain), I will certainly be absolutely helpless and dead one day.

We are overwhelmed when we hear a death sentence being pronounced on others without really being aware that we are waiting for our own death sentence to be executed. 

Despite the death sentence that we carry, we are busy with our lives segregating human beings on the basis of race, religion, culture, economic status and so on. Some of these differences we even institutionalise and make them laws to live by. We are busy, at all costs, preparing and consumed with the life that we must leave one day.

What would a person who is fully aware that he will die someday do with his temporary life on earth?

What would you do with your death sentence?

Peace !

A New Era of Democracy or Same Mediocrity ???

The first parliamentary sitting after the 13th General Elections begins on 24th June 2013 and ends on 18th July 2013.

For many years, the Rakyat did not know what was going on in Parliament except that the Yang Berhormats were are "busy debating and passing laws" in the "interest of the Rakyat".

After 2008 elections, THEY experimented with live telecast of the Parliamentary debates and that was when the Rakyats realised that some of the Yang Berhormats are not necessarily "Yang Bersopan" nor "Yang Berkebolehan". The Rakyat, I think were shocked at the low level of debates and sometimes at the speed with which some important bills are passed without debate. That was when I think THEY decided to stop live telecasting the Parliamentary debates. (who are "THEY" who decide anyway?)

I would like a TV station dedicated to live telecasting the parliamentary debates - apa yang nak di malu atau di sembunyi? It is just like a CCTV at work where the boss monitors the workers. SO, why cannot the Rakyat who can vote for them to get into Parliament not see and follow what they are doing there?

If live telecast of parliamentary sittings and debates are not allowed, the Rakyat will make an adverse inference - MPs are scared the people will know they are not performing.

My hope is that Parliament functions for the best interest of the Rakyat and the Nation. Partisan politics should be kept outside the door of the hall when the MPs walk into it. Leave the political campaigning and party whacking out.

The Rakyat hopes to see the Government and the Opposition engage in debates intelligently based on facts and statistics. The rules of the game should be fair and this should be ensured by the Speaker. Members bills should be given due regard and not dismissed outright.

The Rakyat will like to see the BN Government propose good bills and policies and, the Opposition to behave as a responsible opposition. Occasions where the interest of the Rakyat demands that both parties support bills tabled by either party should be readily grabbed.

Let us not turn parliamentary sittings into  a circus of mediocrity.

I wish all the MPs happy sitting and may you be true to the voters who voted you in.

Salam.

All The Excuses To Divide Human Beings !!!

Womens' breast and buttocks cause evil !!!

I made a mistake and switched on my TV at about 530 in the morning today. There was this religious program where the guest was a university lecturer.

He actually spend about 10 minutes on lecturing why breasts and buttocks of women should be covered up because that can be a cause of evil. I  have never advocated public nudity nor  "inappropriate" dressing for both men and women in public.  However, to think that this good professor and Islamic scholar found it to be his priority to speak about breast and buttocks of women ( yes it is always the Muslim womens' fault!) as a source of evil so early in the morning is both embarrassing and mind boggling. Is that the biggest problem faced by the Muslim community at the moment?

It is equally sad and disturbing that having uttered everything possible to make the women responsible for "sexual excitements", the good scholar omitted to state, as most of them often omit, that in the Quran Allah has also enjoined on men to lower their gaze if they find what they are seeing is morally objectionable or disturbing to them. Men too are under duty to maintain chastity and good moral behaviour. This, however, is often not quoted by the scholars who appear to have adopted a sexist interpretation of scriptures and " religious.

 Allah says in the Quran {Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty} (Surat Al Noor <24:30-31>)

Without the slightest of doubt, sex does play an important role in the relationship between man and women but certainly not all the time and neither is it the most important role. So why is it that I have this feeling that the sexual aspect of women are always highlighted by the religious scholars in this country and of course the advertisers.

Does not "lower your gaze" principle also teaches us that we do not have to look at women in sexual terms all the time? That they are also human beings like men with fears, hopes and aspirations  like men?  This morning's religious talk on the TV also annoyed me - I just could not empathise with the good professor's up skirt joke that he made.  It was in bad taste and if kids were watching it, he just introduced a deviant behaviour which probably was known to him alone!

Anyway, if these are the kind of thoughts and "ceramah agamas" that we deem important to be on national TV, it probably reflects on what we deem as "Islamic". The sad thing is that if these thoughts are the majority, then the minority will be oppressed by the majority's imposition of their understanding.  May Allah have mercy.

Peace.

Is UMNO now after Datuk Seri Najib?

Without the slightest of doubt, Najib had worked hard before the elections - traversing the whole country campaigning very hard for the elections. His advisers were very convinced that Najib was very popular with the  Rakyat.  All his policies GTP, ETP, NKRA and a few other acronyms were  presented to the people. There was massive advertisements covering these policies. His advisers were very happy but certainly they seemed to have forgotten to ascertain whether the Rakyat were happy.  Br1m, tr1m, kar1sma and so on were also given out and again it was assumed that this would give BN the support of the Rakyat.

In the midst of Zulkifli Nordins and Ibrahim Alis, BN sought to reach out to the Chinese voters in an unprecedented manner including a concert of Psy thrown in ( whose idea was it anyway????) and yet it did not achieve the desired result. Politics of ethnic and religious extremism does not only not work anymore but ought to be avoided.

When Barisan lost the popular  vote for the first time in Malaysian political history, it showed that whatever strategies BN employed failed. This means that Najib's election strategists failed big time. Admittedly, the cabinet did create a surprise of sorts but many in UMNO are now surprised why the cabinet looks the way it does. What's the direction and message the President of UMNO is giving?

Some quarters in UMNO fear that Najib is not only losing grip of UMNO but also Barisan Nasional.  Governance at the top most level requires the intellectual capacity to understand the reality on the ground and to asses the leader’s own doings and misdoings which probably only he knows for now.

Some things cannot be swept under the carpet. Daim has  already fired the first salvo. Is Tun Mahathir soon to follow? If Tun Mahathir joins the fray, be assured that he usually has basis for doing so. It is best that Najib engages him immediately if necessary to understand the political equation.

Word is that UMNO "big guns" are already planning something on the quiet (not so quiet!). What is the root cause?

Let us see what  Najib's brilliant advisers are going to advise him now. The future will tell whether they are sycophants or realists.

Peace.

Melayu di hina lagi? Kata Siapa?

Kalau betullah lapuran Utusan Online yang dipetik dari sini yang juga melapurkan seperti berikut:-

“Azran menerusi akaun Facebook dan Twitternya baru-baru ini bertindak mencerca Utusan Malaysia sebagai sebuah akhbar rasis hanya kerana menyiarkan artikel berbentuk pertanyaan bertajuk 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' pada 7 Mei lalu.

Menerusi akaun Facebook beliau, Azran menulis: "I am Malaysian. I am anti-racism. I am disgusted by Utusan's editorial stance. (Saya rakyat Malaysia. Saya antiperkauman. Saya meluat dengan pendirian pengarang Utusan),"

UMNO Veteran marah dengan pandangan dan kritikan Azran terhadap artikel yang dimuatkan dalam Utusan Malaysia. Kritikan ini dianggap sebagai satu tindakan biadab oleh Azran. Pendekata, bagi Veteran UMNO, mengeritik Utusan Malaysia adalah satu tindakan biadab.

Bukan itu sahaja, tindakan Azran mengeritik Utusan Malaysia juga dianggap sebagai “perbuatan Azran mencerca Utusan Malaysia bermakna beliau menghina kaumnya sendiri ketika kaum Melayu turut ditekan dari pelbagai sudut”.

Dari pemahaman minda Veteran UMNO, kritikan terhadap Utusan Melayu disamakan dengan penghinaan terhadap kaumnya sendiri. Disini lah cabaran untuk memahami lonjakan logik bagaimana kritikan terhadap satu artikel yang ditulis didalam satu surat khabar boleh dirumuskan sebagai satu peghinaan kepada satu kaum yang besar yang semestinya terdiri daripada anggota yang berlainan tahap pemikiran (dan pemahaman) serta pelbagai pandangan yang berbeza.

Bukankah kepelbagaian pandangan terhadap satu isu itu melambangkan kematangan satu kaum dan ekoran itu memuliakan kaum tersebut? Ini menunjukkan bahawa Melayu berupaya untuk melihat kepada satu artikel atau satu isu dengan pandangan dan kupasan yang berbeza.  Pada masa yang sama, keupayaan anggota dalam kaum itu untuk menerima dan berhujah berkaitan dengan pandangan yang berbeza secara berilmiah dan berasaskan fakta juga melambangkan peningkatan ketamadunan kaum itu. Mustahil satu kaum itu boleh maju kalau masih bergantung pada satu pendirian, atau fahaman atau kaedah yang telah ketinggalan zaman.

Didalam dunia keintelektualan, ada satu ungkapan yang sering diutarakan iaitu “those with brains can argue in a civilised manner but those with brawn will just flex their muscles”. Orang atau kumpulan yang yakin diri serta mampu berhujah balas tidak pernah gentar dengan pendirian orang lain yang berbeza, apatah lagi menggunakan kaedah pemikiran songsang dimana direspon balik dengan menggunakan taktik sentimen perkauman dan tunjuk kuasa. JIka ada pandangan yang berbeza, haruslah kumpulan itu memberi hujah balas yang boleh direnungi dengan akal. 

Veteran UMNO harus berhujah dengan fakta dan logik mengapa pendirian Azran terhadap Utusan Malaysia itu dikatakan sebagai “menghina Melayu”. Kalau pun kita andaikan dia menghina Utusan, bagaimana ianya boleh ditafsirkan sebagai menghina Melayu?

Jika benar Azran telah “menerusi akaun Facebook dan Twitternya baru-baru ini bertindak mencerca Utusan Malaysia sebagai sebuah akhbar rasis hanya kerana menyiarkan artikel berbentuk pertanyaan bertajuk 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' pada 7 Mei lalu” dan jika ini dianggap sebagai satu tindakan memfitnah, maka Utusanlah yang seharusnya mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap Azran.  Undang-undang Negara kita mantap dan jelas dalam hal ini. Dimana pula peranan Veteran UMNO dalam hal ini dan apakah locus mereka bercakap bagi pihak Utusan kecuali mereka sekadar melaksanakan hak bersuara mereka?

Ini yang saya kerap tidak faham dengan ”perjuangan” beberapa kumpulan dalam Negara ini. Utusan tidak mengambil sebarang tindakan undang-undang. Lembaga Utusan tidak berkata apa-apa namun Veteran UMNO yang tidak ada kaitan korporat atau undang-undang atau moral pula bertindak sebagai pelindung Utusan!

Memang pihak-pihak tertentu boleh berhujah bagi pihak lain yang dianiayai. Namun pembelaan haruslah berdasarkan hujah-hujah bernas, munasabah dan yang tidak menghina akal orang yang mendengarnya. Dizaman ini, ramai sudah kurang sabar dengan taktik-taktik yang menggunakan ungkapan sebagai “Melayu dihina”, “tidak kompromi dalam isu Melayu” dan ungkapan-unkapan yang seangkatannya yang tidak diiringi dengan hujah bernas atau fakta.

We have to evolve and therefore we have to learn to present our case. It is becoming embarrassing to use sentiments and superlatives to cover up our lack of thinking ability.

Saya berpendirian Veteran UMNO tidak perlu gusar. Melayu hari ini tidak mudah latah atau mudah terasa terhina dengan pandangan orang lain apatah lagi pandangan berbza daripada ahli kaumnya sendiri. Melayu hari ini lebih bersenjatakan maklumat dan fakta serta mempunyai keyakinan diri yang lebih tinggi. Mereka tidak perlu orang lain, apatah lagi orang-orang politik untuk melentur emosi mereka. Yakinlah kepada keupayaan Melayu untuk menilai sesuatu dan Insha Allah, mereka akan menilai dengan baik. Lagipun, kita bangga ada anak Melayu yang maju, kenapa pula kita nak taburkan pasir dalam periuk nasi Azran pulak kerana berbeza pendapat dengan dia?

Salam.

Will BN be Opposition in 2018?

What happened to BN is something that is bound to happened under the circumstances. In fact, they could very well have lost the government. Almost everyone who is in touch with the grassroots could see this except, I am afraid those within the BN and especially those who are entrusted to "strategise" for BN were unable to fathom the ground swell of "anti-BN" sentiments caused by various factors. 

While I acknowledge that there was a cry for change and it appears unstoppable to BN advisers, I believe that BN could actually have done better IF it had chanced to so some of the things that it was advised to do and it did not do many of the things that it did. Unfortunately, penetrating the "fortress of BN walls" to the Ears that matter is a tough uphill task for those with decency and pride. 

Even 3 years before several advices were given to those who were supposedly entrusted to advise the Ears that matter. The advise that there need to be changes in THEIR own mindset BEFORE they can hope to assist BN to retain or improve its strength fell on completely deaf ears. I do not know to this day if the advice ever went to the Ears that matter to this day. I have never been one of those born to wait and ambush the "King or Lord" to kiss his hand and then give him my advice. 

Being a Muslim, I find it extremely tough to kneel and bow to another fellow human being, especially one whom I am trying to assist. I would be insulted even more if he thinks his presence alone is a major blessing in my life. But many in UMNO are indebted in this way to the point of selling their souls! Anyway I have digressed.

The think tanks I have been invited to (which I could not repeat my attendance more than once) was to me an immediate failure - it was largely made up of people with like-minded. one track mind founded on past strategies - race, reward, fear, etc. They still do not understand the ground sentiments and ground perceptions. It was very tiring.

They missed a big opportunity and I am prepared to be chastised here for exposing it. They missed the big opportunity to meet up with the key civil society personalities and groups that had been skilfully and secretly arranged for them. They also missed the opportunities to embrace the wave of change but instead treated it as a threat. The advisers to the Ears that matter fatally underestimated the tenacity, sincerity  and passion of these groups and individuals. Instead, they would rather be happily seen with the "NGOs" which are actually them in different clothes - a further insult to the Rakyat's mind.

Pakatan on the other hand readily embraced civil society. Many of the ideas that were given to BN advisers were dismissed as too "youthful" and replaced with very superficially "cool" measures and transparent feudal strategies - " Peasants, here are some silver coins! Kneel and be grateful". This does not work any more. People do not care on which throne you sit any more. They just do not wish to keep sitting on the toilet bowl as it stinks!

I think BN, to date has not changed in its political outlook - it is being sordidly comfortable with its rural base which it does not realise is eroding. Once again please do not dispute me with the JASA, SB and other data - go on the ground yourself. You have been proven wrong twice already - 2008 and now, 2013.

The problem is that BN has become so straight jacketed and not so cool and this makes new ideas very difficult to be articulated to them.

Without saying much in public, I'll say this - if BN continues to think in the way it has been thinking (and it will if it keeps using the same advisers or advisers from the same school of thought), it will definitely be the opposition in parliament in 2018.

BN, you should just learn to be cool - and learn to listen. To be able to listen emphatically, you must get off your high horse.

Peace !

Najib's Transformers - The Malaysian New Cabinet

The StarOnline today reported:

The new line-up of Ministers and Deputy Ministers:

*Prime Minister: Najib Razak (UMNO)

*Deputy Prime Minister: Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO)

Prime Minister's Department:

*Ministers:

Jamil Khir Baharom (UMNO), 2. Abdul Wahid Omar (Senator), 3. Idris Jala (senator); 4. Joseph Kurup (PBRS), 5. Shahidan Kassim (UMNO), 6. Nancy Shukri (PBB), 7. Paul Low Seng Kwan (senator), 8. Joseph Entulu Belaun (PRS)

Deputy Ministers: 1. Razali Ibrahim (UMNO); 2. Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy (Senator)

*Ministry of Finance:

Minister of Finance 1: Najib Razak (UMNO)

Minister of Finance 2: Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah (UMNO)

Deputy Minister of Finance

Ahmad Maslan (UMNO)

Ministry of Transport:

Minister: (Acting post being held open pending MCA decision) Hishammuddin Hussein (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Ab Aziz Kaprawi (UMNO)

*Ministry of Defence

Hishammuddin Hussein (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Abdul Rahim Bakri (UMNO)

*Ministry of Home Affairs:

Minister: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (PBB)

*Ministry of Education & Higher Learning

Minister 1: Muhyiddin Yassin (UMNO)

Minister 2: Idris Jusoh (UMNO)

Deputy Minister 1: Mary Yap Kain Ching (PBS)

Deputy Minister 2: P. Kamalanathan (MIC)

*Ministry of Works:

Minister: Fadillah Yusof (PBB)

Deputy Minister: Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin (UMNO)

*Ministry of International Trade & Industry

Minister: Mustapa Mohamed (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Hamim Samuri (UMNO)

*Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Anifah Aman (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Hamzah Zainuddin

*Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism

Minister: Hasan Malek (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Ahmad Bashah Mohamad Hanipah (Senator)

*Ministry of Communication & Multimedia

Minister: Ahmad Shabery Cheek (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Jailani Johari (UMNO)

*Ministry of Human Resources

Minister: Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP)

Deputy Minister: Ismail Abdul Muttalib (UMNO)

*Ministry of Rural & Regional Development

Minister: Shafie Apdal (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Alexander Nanta Linggi (PBB)

*Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing & Local Government

Minister: Abdul Rahman Dahlan (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Halimah Mohamad Saddique (UMNO)

*Ministry of Youth & Sport

Minister: Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: M. Saravanan (MIC)

*Ministry of Health

Minister: S. Subramaniam (MIC)

Deputy Minister: Hilmi Yahaya (UMNO)

*Ministry of the Federal Territories

Minister: Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: J. Loga Bala Mohan (Senator)

*Ministry of Plantation Industries & Commodities

Minister: Douglas Uggah Embas (PBB)

Deputy Minister: Noriah Kasnon (UMNO)

*Miistry of Energy, Green Technology & Water

Minister: Maximus Johnity Ongkili (PBS)

Deputy Minister: Mahdzir Khalid (UMNO)

*Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry

Minister: Ismail Sabri Yaakob (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (UMNO)

*Ministry of Tourism & Culture

Minister: Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (UMNO)

Deputy Minister: Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS)

*Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

Minister: Ewon Ebin (UPKO)

Deputy Minister: Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah (UMNO)

*Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment

Minister: G. Palanivel (MIC)

Deputy Minister: James Dawos Mamit (PBB)

*Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development

Minister: Rohani Abdul Karim (PBB)

Deputy Minister: Azizah Mohamad Dun (UMNO)

Ministers: 30

Deputy Ministers: 27

Total: 57

Total ministries: 24

I must say that the Honourable Prime Minister has come up with quite a surprise!

Peace !

If You Do Not Vote For Me, You Are Ungrateful? -Apa Lagi???

This 13th General Elections in Malaysia (PRU13) is interesting for so many reasons. Clearly it shows that democracy is evolving and that incumbents cannot depend on their traditional logic for support from voters. There has been shifts in issues and shifts in mindset.

At the same time, it also presents various peculiar mindsets that I never thought is possible. One of which is the "apa lagi Cina mau" kind of mindset. I have been trying very hard to understand what it actually means and I suspect even the writer who wrote that does not know exactly what he meant. Maybe he didn't give much thought to it or maybe it was a result of past faulty thinking processes which has become a mental habit.

Let me explain why I have difficulty understanding what it really means and what it has now become to mean. If I am not mistaken, it means this "The Chinese has been given so much by the BN and now that a large percentage of them voted against BN, therefore what more do they want from BN"? I may wrong, but  I think this is what it is supposed to mean. Whether it is a "Chinese" or "Malaysian" tsunami has been researched by many and I do not intend to go into it too. The researches generally show that it is generally an urban vote and Malaysian rather than racial.

Be that as it may, I find the "apa lagi Cina mau" very hilarious and illogical.

For the first time, BN lost the popular vote. BN got approximately 48% and PR got 51% of the popular votes ( I have rounded up). The total number of voters for Parliament is 11,257,147. This means BN got about 5.4 million votes and PR got 5.7 million votes (approximately).

It is said that Chinese make up about 27% of the total voters population. SO if we give ALL of these votes to PR (which is not the case in reality), PR will end up having 4.2 million votes.

So these 4.2 million voters are Non-Chinese. These are Malays, Indians, Sabahans, Sarawakian, etc. SO by the same peculiar logic, does it not sound hilarious to ask "apa lagi Melayu, India, Sabahan, Sarawakian yang tidak undi BN mau"?

Actually, this does not sound as hilarious as I thought it will be because putting a group of Malaysians together seems okey but isolating a race does sound ridiculously funny in the context.

In any event I do not think BN government is going to punish the 52% of Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, etc, etc that did not vote for it.

So the appropriate question for BN should have been: "Apa lagi 52% yang tidak mengundi BN mau?".

And for PR would be "  "Apa lagi 48% yang tidak mengundi PR mau?".

Then we can grow up as a democracy instead of being trapped in primitive thinking.

Peace !

Thank You From the PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Friend yang dikasihi,

Kita baru sahaja menempuh satu proses demokrasi yang terbesar dan paling mencabar di negara kita. Di setiap kampung, pekan dan bandar, setiap rakyat telah berdebat, berkempen dan mengundi untuk masa hadapan negara. Saya amat berterima kasih dengan segala usaha yang telah dilakukan oleh semua pihak yang selama ini telah berusaha gigih dan berdiri teguh di samping saya dan parti. Dengan penuh tawaduk saya juga mengucapkan terima kasih kepada para pengundi yang telah memberikan kepercayaan kepada kepimpinan Barisan Nasional untuk terus mentadbir negara.

Saya telah berkhidmat sebagai penjawat awam hampir sepanjang pengalaman kerjaya saya selama ini. Saya masih ingat lagi kali pertama saya dipilih menjadi Ahli Parlimen, kali pertama saya berucap di Parlimen dan kali pertama saya menjalankan tanggungjawab sebagai ketua jabatan kerajaan. Sepanjang empat tahun yang lalu saya telah diberi peluang pula untuk berkhidmat untuk negara ini di peringkat tertinggi sebagai Perdana Menteri.

Namun pencapaian paling bererti tercatat pada awal pagi Isnin lalu adalah apabila saya diberi mandat oleh rakyat untuk menyempurnakan segala perancangan dan perlaksanaan yang telah saya mulakan sejak empat tahun yang lalu.

Saya merasakan pilihan raya kali ini merupakan yang paling sengit dalam sejarah negara. Sepanjang beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini, begitu banyak pandangan dan hujah-hujah yang berbeza ditawarkan kepada rakyat. Ada yang menyemarakkan semangat, tetapi ada juga yang menimbulkan kemarahan dan prasangka. Kini tempoh pilihan raya telahpun berakhir; tibalah masanya untuk kita kembali ke arah kedamaian dan keharmonian demi Malaysia yang dicintai.

Kerajaan Barisan Nasional akan berusaha bersungguh-sungguh untuk menolak fahaman ekstrem dan perkauman yang tidak memanfaatkan negara kita. Selain itu, kami juga akan meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan amalan konsep kesederhanaan atau wasatiyyah di kalangan rakyat berbilang kaum di Malaysia.

Janji saya kepada anda hari ini adalah untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri bagi seluruh rakyat Malaysia – tidak kira agama, bangsa, mahupun ideologi politik anda. Cinta saya terhadap negara kita tidak mampu saya jelaskan dengan kata-kata, dan saya amat bangga serta bersyukur dengan pencapaian Malaysia sehingga ini. Saya percaya, jika kita bekerjasama sebagai satu bangsa negara, insya-Allah kejayaan yang lebih besar lagi akan berada di dalam genggaman kita.

Najib Razak

Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia

YAB Datuk Seri Najib,

Salam and congratulations on succeeding in retaining Federal government in the hands of Barisan Nasional. It is a remarkable feat considering the intensity of the elections, the mood in the country and the still 19th century mentality of UMNO in general.

I do not think anyone bright in UMNO will nor should ask you to step down as President of UMNO on the basis that BN performed worse off than 2008. These are two different scenarios.Pak Lah started with a landslide victory but you had lead BN at the worst of its times.

PM Sir, you have courageously come with one policy that will carry Malaysia into the future as a united and successful Nation - 1Malaysia policy. I say this is courageous (even before in my articles) because the first opposition that you faced was from UMNO leaders who could not understand that we must evolve. Now that you have the People's mandate, please give 1Malaysia its true meaning and translate it into the best policy ever.

It is now important that you take the bold step of forming the right cabinet members. You can listen to all advice and suggestions but at the end of the day, you are the PM and you must make the right decision in the interest of the Nation as a whole.

Datuk Seri, being the gentleman that you are, you spoke about reconciliation. Reconciliation is often the next step after a hard fought election in a civilised Nation. Reconciliation means getting together in harmony putting aside our political and partisan leanings and focusing on what is best for the Nation.

I sincerely hope that the Government under you is open to the views of ordinary citizens and genuine NGOs. Please liberalise the registration process for the formation of NGOs so that more citizens can help shape the Nation. The days that politicians have absolute control is over, or more correctly, that illusion is over.

I wish you all the best and may you make us all proud of you as the best Prime Minster Malaysia ever had.

Salam.

Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos.

The PRU 13 Election - Parliamentary Results

Barisal Nasional retains the Federal Government with 133 seats. Though this is slightly lower than the 137 seats won in 2008, in this age of political uncertainty, a simple majority is completely acceptable. Further, it has been the general impression that only Datuk Seri Najib alone has been working hard on the national level without much support from others in UMNO. As usual, many in UMNO have not woken up to the impact and influence of civil society activitism and changes in the mindset of the voters, both rural and urban going beyond racial lines.

In any event, BN securing 133 seats under the currents political scenario which was very competitive and intense is a success for Najib. The issues in 2008 and now are completely different. I do not think that the loss of 4 seats by BN this time around can credibly be used by anyone in UMNO to unseat Najib.  If UMNO embarks on this foolish move within it is definitely going to weaken UMNO. In fact, Najib as the chairman of Barisan Nasional should  be congratulated for working hard to retain the government under BN.

I had apprehensions over some of the candidates that BN choose to support and put forth because they did not seem to represent his transformation mindset.  Quite a number of BN candidates that won are hard working politicians who had served their constituencies way before the election dates. There is a pool of young talent in UMNO that is evolving away from the past and in line with healthy current politics of service to the people without the feudal relationship!

Personally, I am happy that the Malay voters had rejected the kind of politics that is represented by Zulkifli Nordin and Ibrahim Ali. This is the kind of new political landscape that is evolving which is more consistent with Malaysian and Islamic principles.

Now that Datuk Seri Najib is the Prime Minister for the new term, all eyes will be on the kind of cabinet that he is going to form. The cabinet members that he appoints will give a clear indication of where he wants to take the country and the kind of politics that Najib intends to project. I hope he does to make the mistake of bringing back through the "backdoor" candidates that the voters have rejected.

I also hope that Najib is bold and is seen to be bold by the people of Malaysia in appointing  the right people to his cabinet and in appointing the right, energetic and intelligent candidates as senators. Senatorships should now be seen as another important avenue to include people who can actually serve the Nation.

DAP has done better than 2008 with an additional 10 seats with 38 seats now. I see this increase in the number of seats by DAP as reflective of the urban voters analysis of issues rather than Chinese based as some view it. I have long held the view that DAP, with some transformation within has the potential to be a credible political party that can serve the interests of Malaysians. It has the potential to be the main alternative as compared to PKR or PAS.

PAS has less seats by 2 this time with 21 seats. PAS needs to undergo tremendous transformation if it is going to be relevant in the long term. I believe that PAS must rid itself of the " conservative and exclusive" theological approach to politics . I know of quite a number of capable PAS leaders who have the capacity to make PAS more acceptable to the more educated and critical Malays but the conservative dinasours in PAS has to allow this. Malays are equally tired of being talked down to in religious matters because many Malays are getting critical and knowledgable in Islam.

Undeniably, there are many potential young political talents in PKR that have won and this is heartening for the evolution and maturing of politics in the country. Many would have been sad had Nurul Izzah lost this election as she is refreshing for the future of politics in this country.

In short, we see a flourishing of political talents in the country and not necessarily from a single party. What excites me is that politicians are beginning to lose monopoly over determining the destiny of the Nation and this is a good things. A simple majority government is more likely to listen to several views than a solid 2/3 majority government.

After all, politicians always fall into the ego trap of thinking that just because they won an election (or several elections), they must necessarily be clever in all things.

My plea to all the political parties and the candidates (who won or lost) is this: lets move on with building this Nation into a better, more prosperous and civilized Nation.

To the Raperas: - your work now becomes more relevant to share with the Rakyat the ideals of a "people inclusive governance" of the Nation free from mere politicking. There are many ideals that you can share and reach out to the people, for example, the fusion of love and power.

May Allah bless this Nation of ours.

Peace

Now That We Have Cast Our Vote ....

Now that we have exercised our democratic right of casting our votes in this election, we now wait for the results. Whoever gets elected and forms the government, the elected members of both the Parliament and the State assemblies must know that they are there because the majority of the Rakyat trusts them to perform the best in the interest of the Nation.

The ordinary Rakyat will go back to their ordinary life.  The RAPERA must remember that the end of the election is the beginning of us to be wary that the elected Government serves the People.

Henceforth, we have to be vigilant of the new Government, how it distributes the resources of the Nation and how the policies are formulated and implemented. We cannot afford another 5 years of disastrous policies that are more politically inclined than serving the rakyat  in the long run.

Raperas work really begins now.

As I have always maintained, we cannot leave the fate of our home - Malaysia completely in the hands of the politicians alone.

Peace.

Vote the Right Candidate !

Tomorrow is THE day that Malaysian citizens get the one chance in every five years to decide who will be in Parliament and in the State Assemblies to REPRESENT them for the next five years.

These elected representatives will get to decide on the future development and landscape of the country. They get to decide on the KIND of Malaysia that will evolve in the next five years.

They get to decide how the budget of the Nation and the tax layers money will be used - whether it will be honestly and effectively used for the benefit of the People or to enrich themselves and their cronies.

They get to decide what KIND of laws that will be passed, what laws will be repealed, and what laws will be reviewed. This in turn will have a major impact on how we can live our lives, how ,much  freedom we have, how we are allowed to earn our living, how peaceful our country will be, whether there will be true justice or oppression by oppressive laws.

They get to decide the policies that will determine the KIND of future generation that will be shaped through the education system, youth programmes, women empowerment and protection policies and so on.

In short, these elected representatives will have tremendous power to influence our lives while we are busy with our lives for the next five years.

So we have to vote with care from the available candidates, who may or may not be the best that we have in the country.

Sometimes it is difficult to decide who to vote especially in our country where there no free flow of information and facts.  But we are able to agree that the following should probably be some of the criteria/questions that may help us to decide:

1. We don't want leaders who are corrupt, enrich their own families and amass wealth for themselves

2. Do we still want space after the elections to influence policies and leaders who will consider our views? - if so, we need humble leaders who are willing to listen to the Rakyat

3.  Do we want political leaders to control and decide what we believe and how we believe?

4. Do we want political leaders who are racists, sexists, bigotry and who keep dividing us rather than uniting us as Malaysians and humans?

5. Do we want political leaders who are difficult to see once they become Ministers or whom we have to beg or pay toll to see them but have too much of them during election campaigns?

6. Do we want political leaders who would rather toe the party line instead of championing what is right for the Rakyat and the Nation?

7. Do we want political leaders who behave like feudal lords instead of being the servant of the Nation?

8. Do we want politicians who have no vision, or ideas because they do not read or make time to think but are busy officiating functions set up to promote themselves?

9. Do we want politicians who keep insulting the general intelligence of the Rakyat with their statements?

10. Do we want politicians who are rich with slogans but poor with compassion,empathy and action?

11. Do we want politicians who manipulate the form of religion to control the masses and deny the substance from being assimilated in the hearts?

12. Do we want politicians who not only want to control the body of the Rakyat through political power but also the soul of the Rakyat through religious power?

13. Do we want politicians who cry nationalism but give their children and families everything foreign, including education, housing,etc?

14. Do we want politicians who provide bungalows for their families but 600 sq feet cubicles for the majority of the low and middle income Rakyat as homes?

15. Do we want politicians who manipulate the prejudices, ignorance and sentiments of the Rakyat instead of  educating them with facts and allowing an environment that will allow civilized society to evolve?

There are many more criteria and questions that you may want to ask to determine the kind of leader that you want.

Peace !

Khalid Samad For Shah Alam?

I have to write this. I have experience with both contenders for the parliamentary seat of Shah Alam. I know Khalid Samad well and have dealt with him on several matters. I even have had a long discussion with him on Islam, the constitution and various issues. I find him sound on the Quran and a good Muslim in the sense that he strikes me as a person who tries to live the SUBSTANCE of the Quran.

It is therefore not surprising that he is generally kind to all -Muslims and Non-Muslims. The Quran is very clear that a good Muslim is one who champions the causes of those in need and those oppressed, regardless of whether they are Muslims or not. I personally know that he has been serving the constituents of Shah Alam from his service center. There was once where I had wait for him for one hour because he was busy solving someone's problem. I personally believe that he is good for the country.

As to his contender, who name I shall not repeat on this blog, I have had an unpleasant experience with him in the Bar Council when Datuk Ambiga was the chairperson. I had been invited to the meeting because the issue was something that relates to Islam. I shall refrain from commenting on the contender's behaviour at the meeting and to me. I "husna zan" (give him the benefit of the doubt) by thinking that he may have good motives but not much true knowledge of Islam yet. I have seen his videos and his uttering on the youtube. I pray to Allah that people do not associate what he utters on some of the youtube as representative of the teachings contained in the Quran. If he has repented, Alhamdullilah (praise to Allah swt).

As it stands now, Khalid Samad has been consistent and is a good man,

This is my personal view and does not represent the views of the Rapera team. This endorsement of Khalid Samad by me is not an endorsement of PAS, the political party where I have always held the view that political parties should not be associated with religion and that Islam should never be politicised.

Peace and happy voting

Sidang Media: Pilihanraya Bebas Keganasan

Hari ini pada pukul 3 petang team Rapera bersama dengan lebih kurang 30 NGO-NGO, peguam-peguam, dan individu-individu berkumpul untuk menyatakan hasrat mereka supaya PRU 13 ini bebas daripada keganasan.

Berikut adalah antara saranan-saranan yang dipersembahkan pada sidang media tersebut:

Disebabkan kesedaran ini serta kecintaan kita pada Negara, kami menyarankan perkara-perkara berikut:-

·        agar calon-calon lebih bertanggungjawab dan menapis ucapan mereka supaya tidak menyentuh perkara-perkara yang berbaur perkauman, agama, peribadi yang tiada kaitan untuk menjatuhkan pihak lain. Ia adalah untuk mengelakkan perselisihan dan politik keganasan berlaku akibat sikap tidak berpuas hati sesetengah pihak lain.

·        Calon-calon harus menampakkan etika dan bertanding dalam suasana sihat tanpa mewujudkan kebencian dalam diri penyokong mereka terhadap calon lain yang bertanding,  sekali gus mengelakkan unsur keganasan.

·        Calon-calon juga harus bertanggung jawab dalam memimpin dan menasihati penyokong-penyokong mereka supaya beradab dan tidak sesekali mencetuskan sebarang provokasi.

·        Kami juga menyarankan supaya dalam pilihan raya ini Islam tidak dipolitikkan sehingga boleh mencetuskan perpecahan diantara rakyat Muslim. Perpecahan dan pergaduhan diantara masyarakat Melayu adalah merbahaya untuk kestabilan negera kerana mereka merupakan populasi yang tertinggi di Negara ini. Sebarang keretakan serius dalam masyarakat Melayu akan memberi kesan buruk kepada Negara amnya.

·        Calon-calon juga diingatkan supaya tidak menghina atau membuat sesuatu yang boleh ditafsir sebagai percubaan untuk meruntuhkan institusi Rakyat yang bertanggunjawab terhadap keamanan Negara seperti Agensi Penguatkuasaan PDRM, SPR, Barisan pertahanan Negara dan lain-lain. Ini adalah penting untuk mengelak sebarang keganasan selepas keputusan pilihanraya diumumkan.

·        Kami menyeru supaya calon-calon fokus kepada isu-isu dan perkara-perkara yang dapat mendatangkan manfaat kepada Rakyat dan Negara daripada membangkitkan isu-isu yang bertujuan untuk menanam perasaan kebencian.

·        Kami difahamkan bahawa agensi penguatkuasa keselamatan negara sudah bersiap sedia untuk memantau dan melakukan segala sesuatu yang dibenarkan oleh undang-undang Negara untuk menjaga keselamatan Rakyat amnya. Kami menyokong penuh usaha pasukan keselamatan untuk menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka.

·        Kami juga menyarankan pihak penguatkuasa keselamatan mengambil langkah-langkah awal untuk menepis sebarang rancangan untuk mencetuskan kekecohan jika terdapat intelligence reports dan bertindak dengan tegas dalam lingkungan undang-undang Negara.

·        Pihak SPR juga telah mengeluarkan panduan mengenai etika berkempen dan tatacara kelakuan penyokong. Harap calon-calon baca dan amalkannya.

·        Kami menyeru supaya semua calon-calon membuat kenyataan rasmi mengutuk sebarang keganasan politik serta sebarang tingkah laku intimidasi terhadap sesiapa.

Akhir sekali, kita yang hadir disini yakin bahawa kesemua Rakyat Malaysia mahukan satu proses pilihanraya yang bebas daripada keganasan. Terima kasih juga kepada semua rapera-rapera yang telah berkerja keras dalam masa yang begitu suntuk untuk menjayakan sidang media ini.

Salam