1 Malaysia 2 Laws

Police yesterday dismantled the stage meant for a Selangor government function at the Batu Caves scheduled to start at 4pm today. However Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar, today, at 4.15pm, informed Selangor exco Xavier Jayakumar that the function could proceed - but no stage was allowed. Not sure if it was for political reasons but they have no right to interrupt the Hindus celebration. Will they do the same if it a Muslim Celebration?
I just do not understand why the police have to interfere with Hindus Festival time and time again. Who are they to interrupt the Hindus religious celebration. The Police and FRU did the same in 2007 when the so called supporters of Hindraf were inside the Batu Caves Temple, they were locked in and sprayed with chemical water even one policemen reportedly lodge a complaint that they were attempting to kill him! Yet when the Muslims were congregating in mosque to rally against the "Allah" court ruling, they said that they can't do anything as it is within the vicinity of the mosque. Najib even said that he can't stop people from protesting!
Wow...so much for 1 Malaysia with 2 Laws.

Inter-faith council in Malaysia

Read an article on the internet in MT about Inter faith dialogue and formation of council to address interfaith issues. Malaysia as we have all come to know does have an interfaith council which consists of only representatives from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism but not from Islam! That reminds me of my university days when we arranged for an interfaith dialogue and invited representative of various religious denominations and the response was so similar. Is it because the other faith is not on par with Islam? I Wonder?
Anyway during Badawi's administration despite forced conversion and body snatching incidents during his tenure he did not support any inter-faith council or discussion but now he is singing a different tune. He suggested that inter-faith dialogue as a way forward to resolve “Allah” crisis! Nazri, the current law minister I think as I don’t pay much attention to him anyway, on the other end mentioned that it’s too late for a table discussion as the issue is already in court and as a responsible law minister he’ll advise the government according to the law. He also cited that it was Tan Sri Pakiam who brought the issue to the courts and not the government! I don’t quiet follow this, I thought Pakiam brought the matter to court after the government banned the word “Allah” being used by the church?
Anyway, we just need to look at Indonesia as they are formalizing an Inter-Religious Council that would bring together leaders from major faiths in the country to anticipate and tackle inter-religious conflicts in the country and ad-hoc meetings between leaders of different religious groups in Indonesia are not new! Maybe we can do a “ lawatan sambil belajar “ to Jakarta as part of “Satu lagi Projek Kerajaan Barisan Nasional”?

MIC.....no...MIED Scam

Know what, Malaysia lately has been highlighted for scams and controversies, UMNO, MCA had a share of theirs yet I was wondering how come MIC is clean like a cucumber?Than a friend of mine said, when have they been without one! Come to think of it. it may be true but as a responsible blogger I need to get some facts to justify his claim!
True enough Malaysia Today published one article about MIC, no...no it was about MIED which was the education arm of MIC I think, until Samy Velu said it was not! An ardent reader of my blog warned me to put a disclaimer so I shall heed her advise. (Disclaimer: that this article was reproduced from MT)

Frankie D'Cruz, of the Malay Mail ( wonder why it is called Malay Mail and not English Mail as it was written in English, maybe another topic for the future). Anyway I am taking bits and peices of the article to avoid any boredom to my readers.

" A Commissioner for Oaths here has been implicated in the alleged backdating of the annual accounts of the billion-ringgit Maju Institute for Education Development (MIED), the MIC’s troubled education arm.He is alleged to have attested that MIED chairman and MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu signed two statutory declarations on the MIED financial statements for 2004 and 2005 before him on Oct 15, 2008, and again on Dec 17, of the same year.The Malay Mail learnt that Samy Vellu was on Oct 15 that year attending the inaugural convocation of AIMST University in Semeling, Kedah, while his whereabouts on Dec 17 were not known.This was also confirmed by MIED trustee Tan Sri M. Mahalingam, who in a letter to company secretary Riteq Services Sdn Bhd and the MIED, said all trustees and Samy Vellu were in Semeling on Oct 15 for the convocation.

The plots get thicker!
The sources said it was peculiar that the external auditors, Kumpulan Naga, also had given their report on the same days that Samy Vellu and Marimuthu had signed the financial statements.When contacted, Marimuthu said: "I can’t remember. It was a long time ago and I signed many documents."

Former MIED chief executive P. Chitrakala Vasu mentioned "I believe the accounts for the years 2004 and 2005 were intentionally backdated with a collateral motive and do not depict the true and actual accounts of MIED," she said in her letter, a copy of which was made available to The Malay Mail.The accounts for the three years were passed during last Monday’s meeting, much to the chagrin of several MIED members and party leaders who felt that the meeting, the first official one in 26 years, should have been put off pending investigations by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).

Samy Vellu, when contacted yesterday, declined to comment.
There you go readers, MIC oops sorry MIED under the tutelage of Samy Velu has done it again. Kudos to his team!

Another Idiot Indian

Malaysikini wrote that the police today recorded the statement of Selangor exco Xavier Jayakumar at his office in Shah Alam with regards to a police report lodged against him.The report, filed with the Klang district police headquarters, concerned the alleged 'abuse' of RM1.67 million in allocations for Tamil schools last year.
It was lodge by, Klang's Parents Teachers Association chairperson G Jeganathan who claimed that the state government had given the funds, meant for upgrading the schools, to three NGOs without a clear explanation.The three NGOs are Child Information, Learning and Development Centre (Child), Tamil Foundation Malaysia and Educational, Welfare and Research Foundation.

Lets ask ourselves why the Indian community is in such disarray, one of the possible reasons could be due to the so called freedom of speech that they blatantly believed in without understanding the true meaning or the socio-economic repercussions that may bring about by this total ignorance. Indians generally are massively individualistic! Lets look at some examples; The Makkal Sakti Party which was officiated by Najib, are fighting among themselves? The Hindraf "Fabulous Five" is another joke with each suing the other! It looks like the Indians are forever doomed in this country as these type of idiots are deeply roted amongst the Indian community. If the so called "Educated and Intellectuals" were to behave like this, wonder how a laymen would behave?
They seems to be missing the point time and time again...hey idiots the community is suffering, children are suffering, the youth are suffering and good people of the Indian community are also suffering. Jega, don't be an asshole...see the bigger picture...if this project benefits the children, why not. I know of NGO's doing fantastic job for Tamil schools all using their funds!
These fools would go to the streets in large crowd shouting slogans and allow being whacked by FRU, form numerous political parties for a mere population of 2 million Indians ( Foreigners are at 1.8M, thinklah), will lodge report against the fellow Indians even when it benefits their society at large.
What is so wrong about the state government giving the grants through NGO? Is Jega wanting to manage the monies through PTA, then do a project paper and submit to the state government for their consideration. Bodoh..itu pun tak tahukah! There are numerous cases where money meant for Tamil Schools never came to their doorstep. By the way Jega, do you know that in Penang there is Tamil School in abandoned estate houses and another in a makeshift container because of idiots like you!Grow up and see the bigger picture!

25 forbidden words besides "Allah" in Pahang

NST quoted today that the Pahang government will take action against those who misuse the word “Allah” and other Islamic terms and references, either in written or verbal form, as provided for under the state religious jurisdiction. State Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz said the state government would enforce Pahang’s Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religious Enactment 1989 on anyone found guilty of such an act.
Not only the word " Allah" but also 25 others words are said to be forbidden or to be to be associated with other religions under the enactment. Those found committing the offence are liable to a maximum fine of RM5,000 or two years’ jail or both.
Wonder how the students in Pahang will answer questions on "Sejarah Islam" without using these 25 words. Would the Pahang State or Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka will offer substitute words for the non-muslims?

The God Must Be Crazy

I read this funny write up by G-Krishnan.

I was sitting in a coffee shop having some tea. It was rather empty at the time as I sat in one corner quietly sipping my teh. Suddenly, I heard a voice say: “Very sad, isn’t it? I can’t imagine what some people will do – and justify it in by invoking my name.”
I was shocked – I looked around but there was no one near me! “What’re you so terrified about,” said the voice. Now I started to really get scared.
“I am God – and I’m talking to you,” said the voice. I listened.
“This has to be a first. There have been a lot of atrocities in human history that have been justified by invoking my name. There have been genocides, wars, man-made famines, infanticide, honour killings, assassinations, hijackings, beheadings, persecutions, mindless bombings, executions, and all kinds of other madness carried out presumably in my name. Imagine – all that in order to honour me or presumably to serve me.”
I was very tense and sweating profusely. None of the attendants in the coffee shop noticed anything unusual or even glanced my way.
The voice went one: “But this is bizarre – and seems like a first: these people going bonkers about who can refer to me with what name. What is it with these people? Didn’t I give you all a mind so you may actually think – even a little?”
“Amazing! Truly amazing, I tell you,” is what I heard.
I just sat still; shell-shocked and by now wondering if I should just get up and leave.
“Do they not realize that I can take care of myself? After all, I’m God! I suppose it never crossed their minds that I am perfectly capable of deciding – when the time comes – who has insulted me and who has not; who called me by a name I found offensive and who dishonoured me. Really, do these people actually think I need mortals like them to protect my reputation and honour?
It’s obvious that these people have not grasped the extent to which they’ve developed an exaggerated sense of self-importance.”
"Madness! Utter madness."
I thought to myself: you won’t find me disagreeing with that!
G. Krishnan

What Now Najib

Malaysiakini quoted that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said that the government cannot stop people from gathering at mosques tomorrow to protest against a court decision which had allowed the Christian publication Herald to use to term 'Allah'.
"We cannot stop them if they want to congregate in mosques," said Najib, when asked if the government was practising double standards in handling demonstrations.
Speaking to reporters after the national level launch of the 1Malaysia clinic in Kampung Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur, Najib said the authorities are prepared and will take necessary action. Najib said he hoped that there would be "minimal" protests tomorrow as to not cause tension in the country as he wanted the matter to be resolved through the courts. If this is not double standard than why did the government stopped Hindraf, BERSIH gathering with Water Cannon and Tear Gas? I guess one rule for them and one for others! Is this the 1Malaysia that the PM is talking about?As a PM he can't control this issue and how is he going to manage the arsenic act that happened yesterday mid-nite?
Malaysiakini said that a church has been fire-bombed in an attack that gutted its ground floor, church officials said, escalating a dispute over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims.Al least four other churches are also believed to have been attacked in the last 12 hours in the Klang Valley, including the Assumption Church in Petaling Jaya.
Where is the Muslim world? Why aren't they condemning this barbaric and cowardly act? Is this what Islam stands for? I truly feel sorry for this pea brained people and whoever behind this action who think they can change the truth or think that they are greater than "ALLAH"? I wonder how they will answer during "Hari Khiamat" or judgement day?

Marina Mahathir Rantings on "ALLAH"

Confident people do not get confused — Marina Mahathir

JAN 4 — I found by chance this article the other day: “Prophet Muhammad’s Promise to Christians”.
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person, says Muqtedar Khan.
Muslims and Christians together constitute over 50 per cent of the world and if they lived in peace, we will be half way to world peace. One small step that we can take towards fostering Muslim-Christian harmony is to tell and retell positive stories and abstain from mutual demonisation.

In this article I propose to remind both Muslims and Christians about a promise that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) made to Christians. The knowledge of this promise can have enormous impact on Muslim conduct towards Christians. Muslims generally respect the precedent of their Prophet and try to practise it in their lives.
In 628 AD, a delegation from St Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery. It possesses a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1,400 years under Muslim protection.

The Promise to St Catherine:

“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
“Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
“No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
“Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

“No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. (Wow this is interesting)
“No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

The first and the final sentence of the charter are critical. They make the promise eternal and universal. Muhammed asserts that Muslims are with Christians near and far, straight away rejecting any future attempts to limit the promise to St Catherine alone. By ordering Muslims to obey it until the Day of Judgment the charter again undermines any future attempts to revoke the privileges. These rights are inalienable. Muhammed declared Christians, all of them, as his allies and he equated ill treatment of Christians with violating God’s covenant.

A remarkable aspect of the charter is that it imposes no conditions on Christians for enjoying its privileges. It is enough that they are Christians. They are not required to alter their beliefs, they do not have to make any payments and they do not have any obligations. This is a charter of rights without any duties!
The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 AD it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person.

I know most readers must be thinking so what? Well the answer is simple. Those who seek to foster discord among Muslims and Christians focus on issues that divide and emphasise areas of conflict. But when resources such as Muhammad’s promise to Christians are invoked and highlighted it builds bridges. It inspires Muslims to rise above communal intolerance and engenders goodwill in Christians who might be nursing fear of Islam or Muslims.
When I look at Islamic sources, I find in them unprecedented examples of religious tolerance and inclusiveness. They make me want to become a better person. I think the capacity to seek good and do good inheres in all of us. When we subdue this predisposition towards the good, we deny our fundamental humanity. In this holiday season, I hope all of us can find time to look for something positive and worthy of appreciation in the values, cultures and histories of other peoples.
Dr Muqtedar Khan is director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware and a fellow of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.

Now, when that delegation from St Catherine's monastery came to meet with Prophet Mohamad (pbuh), I suppose it's fair to assume that they spoke Arabic to one another. And when they were conversing, surely the word “God” must have come up. As in "May God Be With You" and such like. What word did the Prophet (pbuh) use for “God” I wonder? And what did the St Catherinians use in return? For monotheists like them, was there a “your God” and “my God” type of situation, or did they understand that they were both talking about the same One?
While some idiots are mourning over the “loss” of the word “Allah” and therefore basically telling the world that they are people easily confused by nomenclature, and others are predicting riots over what is basically a “copyright” issue, let me define what I think a confident Muslim should be:
1. A confident Muslim is unfazed by the issue of God's name. God speaks to all of humankind in the Quran and never said that only Muslims could call him by the name Allah.
2. A confident Muslim has 99 names to choose from to describe that One God. My favourites are Ar-Rahman (The All-Compassionate) and Ar-Rahim (The All-Merciful).
3. A confident Muslim never gets confused over which is his/her religion and which is other people's. For instance, a confident Muslim knows exactly what the first chapter of the Quran is. And it's not the Lord's Prayer.
4. A confident Muslim will not walk into a church, hear a liturgy in Malay or Arabic where they use the word “Allah” and then think that he or she is in a mosque. A confident Muslim knows the difference.
5. A confident Muslim is generous, inclusive and doesn't think that his or her brethren is made exclusive through the use of a single language. The confident Muslim is well aware that in the Middle East, all services of ANY religion are in Arabic because that's what they all speak.
6. A confident Muslim knows the basis of his/her faith are the five pillars of Islam and will not be shaken just because other people call God by the same name.
7. A Muslim believes in only One God. Therefore it makes sense that other people should call God by the same name because there is no other God.
ART THOU NOT aware that it is God whose limitless glory all [creatures] that are in the heavens and on earth extol, even the birds as they spread out their wings? Each [of them] knows indeed how to pray unto Him and to glorify Him; and God has full knowledge of all that they do: (Surah Nour, Verse 41) (Asad).
So I would ask those people demonstrating against the court decision, have you no pride? Are you saying you're easily confused?
And before anyone says I have no qualifications to say these things, read what Dr Asri Zainal Abidin (who does have qualifications no matter what JAIS says) has written about this very subject here.
And here's something interesting. In 2007, the Majlis Agama Negeri Perlis, which is a large majlis filled with people very learned in Islamic religious knowledge, discussed the question of the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims. Their unanimous decision? They issued a fatwa to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with non-Muslims using the word at all. (This was told to me by Asri but I cannot find the fatwa anywhere online because all the religious departments' websites are so useless.)
Are we now going to excommunicate the whole of Perlis?

Intellectually stimulating article!

The "Allah" Controversy

There been lot of commotion and outcry recently on the use of the word 'Allah' by The Herald to use in their publication. All hell broke loose as there were public protest staged by various UMNO branches throughout the nation and some calling for the Council of Sultan to interfere to save Islam being demonized by non-muslims!
The worst is to hear from people like Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Defence Minister who can’t even answer the missing jet engines speaking on behalf of the Muslims in Malaysia. He was quoted by Malaysiakini that this may be used for their own agenda and to confuse the Muslims, the decision by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to allow Herald -The Catholic weekly, to use the word 'Allah' in their publication, had offended Muslims. Are the Muslims easily confused? I talked to some of my Muslim friends and they are not even offended by the ruling and yet they welcome such a decree.
He went on to say that Muslims in the country observe a very high respect for other religions and do not want others to interfere in matters pertaining to Islam. Hello! How do explain the body snatching and forced conversion even while they are still kid that has been happening in Malaysia. Is this your definition of how the Muslims respect the non-muslim?
Zahid said National Fatwa Council had clearly stated that 'Allah' was exclusively for Islam because 'Tuhan' (God) was a general reference. "Even in the Federal Constitution it is stated that Islam is the official religion but other religions can be observed but cannot preach their religion to those who are Muslims," I wonder how the Jews and Christians in the Arabic world would say about his comments as they have been using Allah, Insyallah and many other Arabic words in their daily lives. I wonder whether this fatwa applies to them as well? Over to you Zahid.