When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Some of you reading this article probably know my Auntie, Raja Fuziah. And those of you who know her probably do so because when you went to university she was the one who gave you your MARA scholarship. Could not my father's own sister who had given out scholarships to tens of thousands of total strangers not also give her own nephew a scholarship?

Posted By: Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaya gained independence or Merdeka from Britain in 1957. But the British Colonial masters would not willingly grant Malaya independence. It took a decade of haggling before the Union Jack could be lowered and the new Malayan flag that almost looks like the flag of the United States of America could be raised in its place.

One of the issues that delayed the granting of Merdeka was the matter of what to do with the Indians and Chinese once Malaya becomes independent. India had already gained independence from Britain earlier and China had turned Communist. No doubt the British had brought the Indians and Chinese to this country from the mid-1800s to about 1920 to work the tin mines and rubber estates, but there was no way they could be sent back to their 'homeland', in particular the children of the original immigrants who had been born in Malaya.

The British refused to consider Merdeka for Malaya until and unless the Malays, Indians and Chinese sat down and worked out a solution. Merdeka would be granted only when the three races come to an agreement on what to do with the 'immigrants' who after about 100 years were not only third or fourth generation 'Malayans' but had in fact become more Malays than the Malays -- at least some of them like the Mamaks and Babas who no longer spoke their mother-tongue but spoke better Malay than some Malays.

The British knew that a hurried Merdeka without resolving the citizenship issue would just result in a blood-bath when one race, in this case the Malays, would claim sole-ownership of the country and the 'pendatang' get evicted from their land and homes. The religious diversity would also pose a problem as the aftermath of the independence of India had proven when brother fought against brother just because of religious differences. What more when it involves a diverse set of races who were also of different religions.

Finally, wisdom and common sense prevailed and the founding fathers of the nation called Malaya came to an agreement, or maybe a compromise, on what would happen on Merdeka Day. The Indians and Chinese would be granted citizenship, unless they chose to return to their homeland, but the Malays, for 'sacrificing' their 90% or so majority, would be accorded certain rights and special privileges, to be reviewed after 15 years, meaning some time in 1972.

But something happened before 1972, and that was the race riots of May 1969, and to address the discontentment of the Malays who felt they had been left out of the economic race, the New Economic Policy was agreed upon by the leaders of the three component members of the Alliance Party -- Umno, MCA and MIC. Invariably, the rights and special privileges of the Malays were not reviewed in 1972 as originally intended. Instead, the NEP became the new policy which in a way 'strengthened' the rights and special privileges of the Malays even more. But this was supposed to end in 1990 -- which meant that the 15-year review would be reviewed after 33 years instead.

But the NEP was more than just about Malay rights and special privileges. It was a two-prong attack (serampang dua mata) aimed at reducing the disparity amongst ALL the races as well as to reduce the gap between the haves and the have-nots. In other words, the NEP was about helping all the poor and unfortunate, regardless of race. And that was when the term 'Bumiputera' came into being. But Murphy's Law says that anything that can go wrong will go wrong and the Bumiputera issue was exploited to become an Umnoputra policy. And Umnoputra did not just mean Malays but anyone who serves Umno -- Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, Dayaks, etc., included. In fact, as far as the corporate world was concerned, the non-Malays benefited more than the Malays who were reduced to mere 'rent-seekers' and commission agents who earned a small fee for fronting for the non-Malays and for selling their permits and quotas, in particular to the Chinese.

The Umnoputras, of course, did not totally lose out in this 'Ali Baba' arrangement as they still had some meat on the bones that were thrown their way. But the Indians, except for a very small handful, did not even get any bones, with or without meat attached to them. But it was the fault of the Indian leaders actually. Why did they not demand their share? Why did they not demand that at least one or two FELDA settlements be allotted to them like what the Malays got? After all, the Indians were the original estate workers so they would know how to grow palm oil, rubber, cocoa, etc. Instead, while the Malays became estate workers with the help of the government, the original Indian estate workers got displaced as estates got turned into townships and golf courses and in the process the Indians not only lost their homes but their livelihood as well.

It is not that the government did not set up funds and place money in these funds to help the 'retired' Indian estate workers. It is more that those 'elite' Indians entrusted with the task or managing these funds embezzled and misused the money. In short, the Indians had cheated their own kind, as did the Malays and, to a certain extent, the Chinese as well.

No doubt, for being relegated to second- and third-class citizens, the Indians and Chinese are carrying grudges against the Malays. But is it really the Malays who are to blame? Okay, maybe Umno can and should be blamed. But Umno is Umno. Umno is not 16 million Malays. It is not even 6 million Malays. MIC and MCA too have misbehaved. Should we hang 10 million Malaysian Indians and Chinese from the tallest tree just because of what MIC and MCA have done? The Indians and Chinese would get upset if we blame them for the sins of MIC and MCA. What makes the Indians and Chinese think the Malays too would not get upset if they are blamed for the sins of Umno?

If you want to find someone to blame for your troubles, don't look in my direction. Sure, I am Malay, but I am not Umno. I never voted for Umno. I never even obtained a government scholarship to send all my kids to England. In fact, my father, who was then the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong, did not have money to send me to England and he refused to get a government scholarship to pay for my education. I mention this fact that he was the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong to demonstrate how easy it would have been for me to get a scholarship since our family was so well-connected.

Some of you reading this article probably know my Auntie, Raja Fuziah. And those of you who know her probably do so because when you went to university she was the one who gave you your MARA scholarship. Could not my father's own sister who had given out scholarships to tens of thousands of total strangers not also give her own nephew a scholarship? No, my father would not allow it. That is dishonest. That is corruption. It would have been better if my father had not been Raja Kamarudin Bin Raja Tun Uda. Then I could have got a scholarship. Instead, my father sent me to Volkswagen to do an apprenticeship on a starting salary of RM105 a month.

At first Pak Arshad would not take me because I was 'over-qualified' and the pay was too little. But my father insisted and Pak Arshad relented. Sure, that was in 1970. But even in 1970 RM105 was pittance. And I slogged it out for three years learning the trade under a Hakka mechanic whose every second word was a four-letter word. And my 'training' involved the first six months in the washing bay where I had to wash the cars before and after they were serviced. That's right, I started my working life as a tukang basuh kereta.

But I did not mind. My father promised that if I passed my apprenticeship exam he would send me to England to do Automobile Engineering. So I studied hard. I was going to get distinction in my AMIMI exam. Automobile Engineering was kacang (peanuts) for me anyway. I was already tuning my own motorcycle and in 1968, at the age of 18, had participated in my first Malaysian Grand Prix. I could soup up an engine without having to even go to school to learn how to do it. I could make my 100cc motorcycle go as fast as a 250cc. I could ride from Kuala Lumpur to Penang in under three hours even before we had the PLUS Highway. Automobile Engineering was not a career. It was a passion, in fact a 'religion' as far as I was concerned. And I took my religion seriously.

Halfway through my final exam my father died of a heart attack. He was only 46. I got distinction, the only one out of more than 100 students who sat for the exam. The 'second best' student got only a 'B'. I brought my results home to show my mother. She looked at it and broke down and cried. I did not know why she cried but I cried as well. Seeing my mother cry makes my cry and barely two months since my father died I suspected that must have been the reason.

But that was not the reason. My mother cried because my father was not able to see my exam results before he died, and he missed it by only a couple of months. “Your father was worried about you,” my mother explained. “He did not want to send you to England because he was scared you would just 'play the fool' and not study. He wanted you to prove that you are serious about your studies before sending you to England. And now you have proved it but he is no longer around to see it.”

Then my mother cried again. “I have no money to send you to England. But you deserve to go and Daddy promised you if you passed your exam he would send you.”

“I don't want to go to England,” I told my mother between sobs. “I want to stay here and look after you.”

I framed my exam results and hung it on my bedroom wall and then went to work for a company at RM250 per month. RM250 a month is not a king's ransom even back in 1973 but that was all I could get. My exam results were of no use unless I wanted to go back to Volkswagen and become a car mechanic. It was supposed to be my 'passport' to England but my father was no longer around and sometimes plans have to change to suit changing situations.

Two of my 'best friends' went to university though. My Indian friend went to Singapore University and my Chinese friend went to England. But I repaired engines at RM250 a month because my father was the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong and he would not allow me to 'abuse' this 'position' by getting a government scholarship.

Yes, in 1957, Malaya gained Merdeka from Britain and the Indians and Chinese were granted citizenship. Then, in 1970, the New Economic Policy was launched and the Indians and Chinese became second- and third-class citizens. But at least as second- and third-class citizens they went to university. I, the 'first-class' citizen, had to start from the bottom and work my way to the top because I hated being at the bottom and longed to get to the top.

I pity the Indians and Chinese who have to accept being second- and third-class citizens and cannot do anything about it. I certainly know what it is like because that was where I started as well. But I have never grumbled about it. I don't blame the Indians and Chinese for how I have 'suffered'. I don't even blame Umno or the Malays. And I would certainly never blame my father for having too much principles; and maybe pride as well. I just drove from Kedah down to Johor and up to Kelantan, with my baby sleeping in the back seat of the car, to sell my engines so that by the age of 40 I can send all my children to England for a university education without having to run to Umno or the government for financial assistance.

Resurrecting the dead

Posted By: Raja Petra

PAS is contesting only 60 Parliament seats. They need 150 seats to control two-thirds of Parliament. PAS cannot implement Islamic laws even if they control two-thirds of the seats in the State Assembly without controlling two-thirds of Parliament.


“I do not want to send you to jail,” said the judge as he stared at me like he was trying to burn a hole right through my chest. “But I have to.”

“I plead leniency your honour,” was the only response I could come up with in such short notice. “I am, after all, a first-time offender,” I added, hoping that that would 'melt' him a bit.

“It's not that I want to punish you,” the judge replied without flinching and with the same cold stare. “Sending you to jail is not about punishing you. It is about protecting society from people like you. You may be a first-time offender, but what is there to guarantee you will not do it again? Society needs to be protected and that's why I have to send you to jail. If I thought you are repentant then I could give you a suspended sentence and bound you over for good conduct. But thus far you have not even said sorry for what you have done or promised never to do it again.”

I saw this as an escape clause and quickly jumped in. “But I regret what I had done, your honour, and I promise never to do it again. I now realise my mistake.”

“Hah, a leopard never changes its spots. If you did it once how would I know you will not do it again? Sure, you can always say you are sorry and that you regret what you did. But I am not too sure if I were to release you that you would keep your word.”

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No, I did not really go to court. And, no, I was not sent to jail. In fact, the entire dialogue above never happened. I just put that in to dramatise what the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) must be going through in the ongoing 'trial'. For eight years, the Chinese in particular and the non-Malays in general, have been screaming about the Islamic State Document (ISD) that PAS introduced in Terengganu not long after the Tenth General Election in 1999. Actually, long before PAS did that in Terengganu, they had done the same in Kelantan about eight or nine years earlier. But the ISD that PAS launched in Kelantan not long after the 1990 general election and the one launched in Terengganu not long after the 1999 general election both went nowhere. And PAS knew they would get nowhere with it.

Why in heaven's name did they launch them then? This would probably be what many of you would now be asking. Well, it's simple, really. PAS is an Islamic party and it is therefore their 'duty' to launch the ISD. What else would you have expected PAS to do? I would be very surprised if they had NOT launched them.

But PAS had only 27 Parliamentary seats in 1999 and even less in 1990. They would need at least 150 seats to control two-thirds of Parliament before they can implement the ISD and change Malaysia from a Secular State to an Islamic State.

Okay, PAS controlled Kelantan in 1990 and Terengganu in 1999. Maybe PAS did not, on both those occasions, have 150 seats in Parliament or controlled two-thirds of Parliament. But they did, in 1990, control two-thirds of the seats in the Kelantan State Assembly in and, in 1999, in the Terengganu State Assembly. So the ISD could have been implemented in these two states even though PAS would not have been able to do so at Federal level. Why, then, did PAS not do so at state level?

PAS could not do so at state level because, to make constitutional changes at state level, you require the approval of Parliament and PAS did not have 150 seats in Parliament or control two-thirds of Parliament. But this should still not stop PAS from 'pushing' the issue. Whether PAS does or does not control Parliament is not the issue. PAS' job is deliver its election promise -- the implementation of Islam -- and then leave it to Parliament to sort the whole thing out.

We must remember, PAS was under pressure. Umno was calling PAS a liar. UMNO was accusing PAS of cheating the voters by not delivering its election promise. The simple-minded village folks (orang kampong) are not able to rationalise issues the way we can. These people would swallow the Umno propaganda hook, line and sinker. “PAS bohong! PAS tipu! Sebelum pilihan raya janji Islam. Bila sudah menang pilihan raya diam, tak buat.”

PAS had to show that it delivers its election promises, or at least try to deliver even if it does not have the power to do so. We promise, we deliver. If Barisan Nasional blocks it at Federal level because they control more than two-thirds of parliament, then PAS can't be blamed for that.

PAS' job is to try to deliver what it had been mandated to do by the voters who voted for it. And PAS did just that. So it fulfilled its election promise. But Malaysia still remained a Secular State as everyone thought it would, PAS included. That is not PAS' fault though. That was Barisan Nasional's fault. So Barisan Nasional is the chow lang in the eyes of the Malay voters, not PAS.

When Umno challenged PAS to 'deliver its election promise', it did not think that PAS would actually do it. This is because PAS can't act alone but must act in the spirit of the opposition coalition, then called Barisan Alternatif. Umno was calling PAS' bluff. Then, when PAS fails to deliver, Umno can turn around and call PAS a liar and a cheat. Janji tapi tak buat.

Umno was in fact caught off-guard when PAS 'accepted' Umno's challenge and announced the launching of the ISD. Not only Umno was caught of-guard but the other three members of Barisan Alternatif as well -- DAP, PKN (now PKR) and PRM (now merged with PKN into PKR). DAP, PKN and PRM did not agree with the ISD and told PAS so. DAP even left Barisan Alternatif in a huff.

Umno realised that challenging PAS was a mistake. It thought the challenge was safe because surely PAS would not act alone and DAP, PKN and PRM would object strongly to the ISD. But PAS did act alone in spite of the protests from DAP, PKN and PRM. PAS had no choice, really. It was being challenged by the other Malay-dominant party and was being called a liar and a cheat. Either it faced Umno and accepted the challenge or else PAS would become irrelevant and might as well close down just like Semangat 46 before that.

Now it was Umno that was in a bind. Umno never for one minute suspected that PAS would put the opposition coalition in jeopardy by going against the wishes of the other three coalition members. But PAS did and the coalition practically broke up (hidup segan, mati tak mahu). PAS, however, managed to redeem itself in the eyes of the Malays. And Umno responded by hurriedly declaring, on 19 September 2001, that Malaysia is already an Islamic country, so why do we need PAS? PAS can only promise. It does not control two-thirds of Parliament so it can't deliver. Umno, however, through Barisan Nasional, does control two-thirds of Parliament. So Umno does not need to 'promise' like PAS does. Umno can deliver. So Umno, in a way, became Malaysia's new Islamic party, dislodging PAS from that perch.

Many may have not noticed this, but since the 2004 general election, when PAS lost Terengganu, almost lost Kelantan, and saw its 27 Parliament seats reduced to just nine, PAS has stopped talking about the ISD. DAP knows this. Talk to people like Ronnie Liu. He can tell you that PAS wants to treat the ISD as an embarrassing mistake that should be buried in the past and allowed to remain buried. But people would not allow it to remain buried. They kept resurrecting the ISD issue even though PAS themselves, those who gave birth to it, would like it to remain buried. It was no longer PAS that was talking about the ISD. It was those who would like this stigma to hang over the head of what could be the most successful and powerful opposition party.

Okay, PAS made a mistake in the past. They have learned from this mistake. But do we want to keep harping on the past? How far back into the past should we go? Is there any cut-off date? Should we continue killing every Japanese we see in Malaysia because of what they did to us during the Second World War? In 1834, the Chinese in Lukut massacred Raja Busu and his entire family plus hundreds of Malays. Raja Busu was a member of the Selangor Royal Family. Should I still hold that against the Chinese, in particular the Chinese from Lukut? Or maybe I am entitled to avenge the death of my ancestors by 'teaching' the Lukut Chinese a lesson?

Sometimes the past is better left in the past, especially when all has been forgiven, though not quite forgotten. What the Chinese in Lukut did to my family in 1834 and what the Japanese did to Malayans during the Second World War is now a footnote in history. What PAS did two elections ago is also a footnote in history. Should we condemn the Indians for giving 90% of the votes to Barisan Nasional (MIC) in the recent Ijok by-election or should we instead support them and stand by HINDRAF because of what they are doing today rather than because of what they did a few months ago in Ijok?

Today, PAS is talking in another nada or tone of voice. That is what counts. Yesterday is yesterday. Today is what matters. And if today we still want to talk about what PAS did yesterday, then I too should condemn the Chinese for what they did yesterday to my family in Lukut and what the Indians did yesterday in Ijok. By the way, do you know we eventually lost Lukut, Linggi and the areas surrounding it because of this massacre? The British stepped in on the excuse of 'restoring law and order' and to protect their business interests. Negeri Sembilan would not exist and today it would still be part of Selangor if the Chinese had not started a 'war' down there.

Yesterday, 100 pro-government Malay Islamic groups led by ABIM announced that they want the government to Islamise this country. I need not go into details as you can read it here (Pro-government Islamic groups demanding stronger role for Islam ahead of polls in Malaysia) and here (PEMBELA declaration & press statement ).

Let us look at the track record.

Was it not PAS that summoned the Kelantan Hindus for a meeting and offered them a site for a Hindu temple even though they did not ask for one? Umno, however, during the time it was ruling Kelantan, blocked the building of a Hindu temple. Was it not Umno that declared Buddhist statues haram and blocked its construction in the state of Sabah? The court case is pending even as you read this. Was it not Umno that demolished Hindu temples in Selangor? Was it not Umno that shot tear gas and water cannons into the Batu Caves temple grounds? Was it not PAS that allowed pigs to be slaughtered in Kelantan while Umno, during the time it ruled Kelantan, forbade it? Look at the track record. Let the track record speak for itself.

Take a drive to Kelantan these next few days before the general election. Go visit the Kota Bharu market. See for yourself all the women selling at the Kota Bharu market. Yes, the women control the market. The women monopolise the economic scene. The batek and songket manufacturers are mostly all women. The signboards carry women's names. If you trade with them, you trade with the women. The women negotiate with you and the women handle all the money, not the men.

Where are the so-called 'separate check-out counters'? The men and women stand in the same line and the women serve you and you pay the women at the check-out counters. There are only separate toilets for men and women. The rest are all men-women mixed.

Go stay at the state government-owned Perdana Hotel in Kota Bharu. They have only one swimming pool. And you and your wife both swim in that same one pool. There are no two swimming pools, one for men and another for women.

You want to drink, fine, order a beer and send me the bill. Yes, you can get drunk in Kota Bharu if you want to, as you could in Terengganu when PAS was ruling that state from 1999 to 2004. Okay, Terengganu banned gambling when PAS was running that state. But that was because the PAS Menteri Besar had a meeting with the non-Muslims and they agreed that gambling is bad and should be banned. Some argue that gambling is Chinese culture and should not be banned. Well, why did the non-Muslims then ask the Menteri Besar to ban gambling? Anyway, I have made about ten trips to China thus far and have travelled the length and breadth of that country and none of the Chinese I met in China say that gambling is their culture. In fact, the Chinese government bans gambling and will not allow casinos on its soil.

If just because you want to gamble you would rather have Barisan Nasional rule Kelantan and Terengganu, then the Chinese are even shallower than I thought. But if it is really that important and really Chinese 'religion' that you gamble, then make this point clear to PAS. And if gambling is more important than a good future for your family, I am sure PAS will accommodate the Chinese and not interfere with Chinese 'religion', as it has promised. But please do not ask PAS to legalise child prostitution so that you can sell your children to the pimps for a profit as much as in some societies this is acceptable and very rampant.

Let me put it to you again in plain and simple English. PAS is contesting only 60 Parliament seats. They need 150 seats to control two-thirds of Parliament. PAS cannot implement Islamic laws even if they control two-thirds of the seats in the State Assembly without controlling two-thirds of Parliament. PAS is not pursuing the ISD any longer. Malaysia will remain a Secular State unless two-thirds of Malaysians demand this country be changed into an Islamic State through a referendum -- but then the referendum can only be called by Barisan Nasional and never by PAS because only Barisan Naisonal controls two-thirds of Parliament.

Now, are we still worried about Malaysia being turned into an Islamic State? If we are then we had better watch Barisan Nasional closely because only Barisan Nasional can do that. Look at this news item again (Pro-government Islamic groups demanding stronger role for Islam ahead of polls in Malaysia) and here (PEMBELA declaration & press statement ). See who is crying out for more Islamisation? Is it PAS? Or is it the Umno-led organisations? And who will control two-thirds of Parliament come this election? Will it be PAS when it is contesting only 60 seats and may end up winning only half or so? Or will it be Barisan Nasional as most of you believe will happen? Is it wise, therefore, that Barisan Nasional be given two-thirds of the seats in Parliament? You decide come 8 March 2008 when you go to cast your votes

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Pro-government Islamic groups demanding stronger role for Islam ahead of polls in Malaysia


By Eileen Ng, The Associated Press

A call is going out for a stronger role for Islam in Malaysia.

A group called the Defenders of Islam wants the government to declare Malaysia an Islamic-majority country and reject any attempt to make it a secular state.

The Defenders of Islam is a loose coalition of about 100 conservative organizations representing students, professions and others.

Among other things, it is also calling for wider powers for Shariah courts and stricter enforcement of religious and moral doctrines ahead of general elections next month.

The National Front coalition, which has governed Malaysia since 1957, is led by the United Malays National Organization. It draws support from Malay Muslims and espouses a generally moderate form of Islam.

About 60 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims. The rest are Christians, Buddhists and Hindus from the Chinese and Indian communities.

Yusri Mohamad, president of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), which leads the coalition, says recent racial and religious tensions in Malaysia stem from efforts by certain groups to challenge Islam's role in the multiracial country.

"We want to remind all Malaysians to preserve and maintain the status quo," he said. "The formula may not be perfect but it has worked reasonably well. It is acceptable and sustainable."

The Islamic groups' demands follow a campaign by Malaysian churches urging Christians to choose candidates in the March 8 polls who champion religious freedom.

There are growing concerns among religious minorities that their rights are being eroded by a rise in Islamic fervour, which many blame on overzealous Muslim bureaucrats in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government.

The fears have been fuelled by a recent government ban on the word "Allah" in Malay-language Christian literature, the demolition of Hindu temples, and court judgments favouring Muslims in disputes with non-Muslims.

Yusri said the Islamic demands, which will be distributed to all candidates and political parties, were aimed at highlighting Muslim needs, not countering the Christian campaign.

The groups' statement called for asserting "the significant role of Islam in the state."

It also called for the power of Islamic Shariah courts to be strengthened and new laws to block the propagation of other religions among Muslims, especially in states with large minority populations.

The groups also seek more Islamic studies in schools, increased scholarships for Muslims and the implementation of Islamic practices, such as prayers during school assemblies.

Television stations should ban western entertainment programs such as reality shows and promote Islamic programming.

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PEMBELA declaration & press statement


MALAYSIA’S 12TH GENERAL ELECTION: ISLAMIC NGOs ELECTION DEMANDS

In view of the upcoming general election, Malaysia’s Islamic NGOs exercise their democratic right by calling upon political parties, election candidates and the future state and federal government to address issues concerning the interests of Islam, Muslim society and the nation.

The calls for a responsive government which is receptive to the aspiration of the people and the Muslim majority contained in a document called “Malaysia’s 12th General Election: Islamic NGOs Election Demands”. The document is a product of a consensus reached through a series of consultation among Malaysia’s main Islamic NGOs including Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA), Syari’e Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PGSM), Allied Coordinating Council of Islamic NGOs (ACCIN), Wadah Pencerdasan Umat (WADAH), Muafakat Masyarakat Malaysia (MUAFAKAT) and Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA), Persatuan Ulama’ Malaysia (PUM), Teras Pengupayaan Umat (TERAS). (See the full list below).

The document comprises a host of demands which fall under six main items, namely the special constitutional position of Islam; Islamic education and da’wah (call to Islam); good governance; democracy and civil society; inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations; and Islamic faith and morals. Following are the summary of the demands:

1. Special Constitutional Position of Islam

• Defend the position of Islam as the Religion of the Federation under Article 3 of the Federal Constitution.
• Assert the significant role of Islam in the state and rejects the notion of Malaysia as a secular state.
• Defend and strengthen the position and jurisdiction of Syariah Courts under Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution.
• Legislate laws controlling the propagation of non-Muslim religions among the Muslims in Sabah, Sarawak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang and Federal Territories as provided by Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution.
• Enhance the level of professionalism among the staff of Islamic agencies.
• Legislate Halal Food and Processing Act as a means to govern halal industry and enhance the enforcement of halal requirements.
• Take stern action against employers who prevent employees from practicing their Islamic religious duties at work.
• Prosecute those who cause religious disharmony, especially by making offensive remarks against Islam, under Section 298A of the Penal Code.

2. Islamic Education and Da’wah

• Increase the learning period of Islamic subjects in national primary and secondary schools.
• Set up Islamic higher learning and research institutions in specific fields such as education, technology and management.
• Guarantee academic and intellectual freedom by giving autonomous status to the universities.
• Re-instate and increase the per-capita aid to People’s Religious Schools (Sekolah Agama Rakyat, SAR) and provide free textbooks to students of these schools.
• Re-introduce the teaching of Mathematics and Science in Malay at national schools.
• The Ministry of Education to allow excellent students from private religious schools to enrol in boarding schools under the supervision of the ministry and the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).
• Extend the provision of government scholarships, which are currently enjoyed by Malay students, to non-Malay Muslim students.
• Increase the number of recipients of the Public Service Department’s scholarship award to Muslim students to further their studies abroad.
• The Ministry of Education to continue encouraging Islamic practices in schools.
• Provide special allocation to Islamic NGOs to carry out Islamic educational activities.
• The Ministry of Information to be sensitive toward the feelings of Muslim majority in devising broadcast policies; prioritize television programs that contribute to the development of a moral society; increase the number of Islamic education programs; and stop airing entertainment programs that promote hedonistic culture.
• Private television stations must adhere to the National Culture Policy and the National Education policy in selecting their programs.

3. Good Governance

• Step up the efforts to curb graft and abuse of powers among public officials.
• Appoint public officials among those who are free from graft, abuse of power and immoral conduct.
• Foster the internalization of Islamic values among civil servants.
• Public officials to make public declaration of their assets.
• Appoint senators among the leaders Islamic NGOs to oversee the implementation of Islamic policies and promote the welfare of Muslims.

4. Civil Society and Democracy

• Ensure that elections are clean, free and fair.
• Select election candidates among those who are of high integrity, good conduct and able.
• Ensure that the government exercises its powers in accordance with the rule of law and the constitution.
• Widen the democratic space in order to allow civil society institutions to contribute to social empowerment and nation building.

5. Inter-Ethnic and Inter-Religious Relations

• Enhance commitment to religious and racial harmony.
• Reject political parties and politicians who disregard special position of Islam in Malaysia and those who advocate the secular understanding of absolute religious freedom.
• Strictly enforce laws on the building of houses of worship irrespective of religions.
• Ensure that the sensitivities of local residents be taken into consideration before a house of worship is built in the area.
• Form a special committee comprising the representatives of Muslim organizations and local authorities to deliberate on applications to build non-Muslim houses of worship in Muslim-majority residential area.

6. Islamic Faith and Morals

• Reject the notion of religious pluralism which claims that all religions are the same.
• Reject the use of specific Islamic terms like “Allah”, “Ka’abah”,”Baitullah” and “Solat” to refer to certain dissimilar concepts in non-Muslim religions.
• Increase the number of religious enforcement officers and their level of professionalism.
• Strictly enforce the existing laws on religious and moral crimes.

The full document can be accessed at www.MYISLAMNETWORK.NET

The Islamic NGOs Election Demands are endorsed by the following organizations:


PERTUBUHAN-PERTUBUHAN PEMBELA ISLAM (PEMBELA)*ALLIED COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF ISLAMIC NGOs (ACCIN)*AKADEMI AIDIT*AL-HUNAFA*AL-ISLAH, BANDAR BARU SUNGAI BULOH*ALUMNI KOLEJ ISLAM KELANG (ALKIS)* ANGKATAN BELIA ISLAM MALAYSIA (ABIM)* BADAN NADWAH ISLAMIAH PAHANG*BADAN UGAMA & KEBAJIKAN MARA*DARUS SYIFA’*FORUM BERTINDAK ANTI MURTAD *FUTURE GLOBAL NETWORK (FGN)*FORUM PENYELARASAN UMAT [15 NGO GABUNGAN PULAU PINANG]*GABUNGAN MAHASISWA ISLAM SEMENANJUNG (GAMIS)* GAPETA*HALUAN* IKATAN INTELEKTUAL MUDA ISLAM (IIMI)*IKATAN MUSLIM MALAYSIA (ISMA)*IKATAN PENGKAJIAN ISLAM PAHANG (IKATAN)*ILMUAN*INTERNATIONAL MUSLIM IMAN NETWORK (IMAN)* MUSLIM WOMEN UNION (IMWU)*ISLAMIC INFORMATION AND SERVICES FOUNDATION (IIS)* ISLAMIC OUTREACH ABIM (IOA)*ISLAMIC PROPAGATION SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, PENANG (IPSI)*JAMAAH DAKWAH & ISLAH (JADID)*JAMAAH ISLAH MALAYSIA (JIM)* JARINGAN SISWAZAH MUSLIM MALAYSIA (JASA)*KELAB AL-QURAN AL-KARIM, BANGI*KELAB HARAPAN, YAYASAN HARAPAN*KELAB REMAJA ISLAH MALAYSIA (KARISMA)*KESATUAN PELAJAR ISLAM JOHOR (KPIJ)*KESATUAN PELAJAR ISLAM PERAK (KPIP)*KHALIFAH INSTITUTE*KEPENTINGAN BANGSA (KKB)*MADRASAH HIDAYATUL MUSTAQIM, SELAYANG BARU*MAJLIS TINDAKAN INDIA MUSLIM MALAYSIA* MARKAZ DAKWAH AL-ISLAMIAH AL-ANSAR, KUALA SELANGOR*MASJID BUKIT INDAH* MASJID JAMEK PAKISTAN*MUSLIM BROTHERS, SHAH ALAM*MUSLIM CARE* MUSLIM PROFESIONAL FORUM BERHAD (MPF)*NGO ISLAM CASMARIA, BATU CAVES*PEGUAM PEMBELA ISLAM (PPI)*PERKIM*PERSATUAN AL-HIDAYAH*PERSATUAN DARUL FITRAH MALAYSIA*PERSATUAN FALAK SYARIE MALAYSIA*PERSATUAN KEBAJIKAN ISLAM MALAYSIA (PERKIM BANGSAR)*PERSATUAN KEBAJIKAN PEKERJA ISLAM, TNB (PKPI-TNB)* PERSATUAN KEBAJIKAN PELAJAR ISLAM SARAWAK (PERKEPIS) PERSATUAN KEBAJIKAN PELAJAR ISLAM W.P (PERTIWI)*PERSATUAN KEBANGSAAN PELAJAR ISLAM MALAYSIA (PKPIM)*PERSATUAN MAHASISWA AKADEMI PENGAJIAN ISLAM UNI. MALAYA*PERSATUAN MAHASISWA ISLAM UNIVERSITI MALAYA (PMIUM)* PERSATUAN PEGUAM MUSLIM MALAYSIA*PERSATUAN PEGUAM SYARIE MALAYSIA (PGSM)*PERSATUAN PELAJAR ISLAM KELANTAN (PPIK)*PERSATUAN PEMBIMBING ISLAM PUALAU PINANG (PEMBIMBING)*PERSATUAN PEMBIMBING PELAJAR ISLAM KELANTAN (PPIK)*PERSATUAN PENDIDIK INSAN NEGERI SEMBILAN (PPINS)*PERSATUAN PENDUDUK PENDUDUK KAMPUNG BATU MUDA TAMBAHAN*PERSATUAN PENGUSAHA RESTORAN MUSLIM MALAYSIA (PRESMA)*PERSATUAN SERUAN ISLAM SELANGOR DAN WP (JAMI’YAH)* PERSATUAN ULAMA ISLAM (PUM)*PERTUBUHAN AL-NIDAA’*PERTUBUHAN CINA MUSLIM MALAYSIA (MACMA)*PERTUBUHAN KEBAJIKAN & DAKWAH ISLAMIAH MALAYSIA (PEKIDA)*PERTUBUHAN MUAFAKAT SEJAHTERA MASYARAKAT MALAYSIA (MUAFAKAT)*PERTUBUHAN SINAR DAMSYIK MALAYSIA (PSDM)*RESEARCH & INFORMATION CENTER ON ISLAM (RICOI)*SURAU AL-AMIN, BANDAR TUN HUSSIEN ONN SURAU AL-ANSAR, TAMAN SRI RAMPAI, SETAPAK*SURAU AL-IKHWAN BANDAR BARU SUNGAI BULOH*SURAU MUHAMMAD AL-FATIH KG BATU MUDA TAMBAHAN, KL*TERAS PENGUPAYAAN MELAYU (TERAS)*WADAH PENCERDASAN UMAT (WADAH)*YAYASAN BASMI KEMISKINAN (YBK)* KAJIAN & STRATEGIK MELATU (YKSM)*YAYASAN MUSLIMIN* YAYASAN PEMBANGUNAN UMMAH (YPU).

Two's company, three's a crowd

Posted By: Raja Petra

The opposition has a very good chance of winning a good number of seats. The opposition also has a very good chance of denying Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in Parliament. Furthermore, the opposition has a very good chance of forming the Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Sabah state governments. And if the opposition fails to do all this it is not because Barisan Nasional is strong but because the opposition is shooting itself in its own foot.


Umno says it is not Malay culture to use blogs and internet websites to whack the government. Umno further says blogs and internet websites are irrelevant and insignificant because Malaysians go to the internet only to buy cheap airline tickets and for entertainment purposes. Granted, the internet is not going to swing the elections. Other factors will. But the internet can play a role in more ways than one which those who walk in the corridors of power do not seem to appreciate.

Let us not speculate. Let us instead look at the track record and real statistics in arriving at our assumptions. Only then can our assumptions be regarded as credible and believable. And using your own children as the example and then saying that this is reflective of what the other 26 million Malaysians do and think, like what our Minister of Information did, does not hold water. After all, your children are products of your sperm cells, at least we would like to believe that. So, if you are a nut, chances are your children will equally be nuts.

Ten years ago, in 1998, there were only 280,000 internet subscribers opposed to about eight million registered voters. Even then the internet did have some impact on the election results and the more than 100 Reformasi websites managed to disseminate 'alternative' information far and wide. The 1999 general election saw the ruling coalition get a beating that resulted in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad handing over the government to his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Mahathir knew that the next election in 2004 would be even worse so he did what the opposition prayed he would not do -- he resigned and allowed Abdullah to lead Barisan Nasional in the 2004 election. Mahathir played his cards well. He handed over just a few months before the elections so that Abdullah would have the advantage of the 'honeymoon' period. If he handed over too early and there was a too large a gap between Abdullah taking over and the elections being called, then the 'honeymoon' effect would wear off.

So the 2004 general election should not be the yardstick. Those were abnormal conditions. People were overjoyed that Mahathir had left and even if a donkey took over the people would support it, as long as it was not Mahathir -- and Abdullah is certainly slightly better than a donkey. So the people gave this slightly better than a donkey a landslide win and 92% of the seats in Parliament.

The 8 March 2008 general election must therefore be compared to the 1999 general election, not the 2004 general election. What prevailed back in 1998-1999 prevails today. Both situations are the same.

Over the last ten years, the eight million voter population has increased to almost 11 million. And more than half of them are youths, which can be translated to internet users. In terms of internet subscribers, the mere 280,000 has increased to about 15 million according to international statistics. (Internet World Stats). Some say it is not that high and maybe only about half that. Nevertheless, whether it is really 15 million or just 7.5 million, it is still a large increase from just 280,000 ten years ago considering the voting population increased a mere 35% or so.

What should be of concern is not how many people go to blogs and internet websites to read what is published but how people are aware of the information that goes onto the internet. Articles, commentaries, analysis and news items are forwarded via e-mail to mass recipients, they are printed out and photocopied and distributed to those who do not have access to the internet, in particular in the rural areas, and they are translated into Malay and Chinese for those not too proficient with English.

This is almost like a direct-selling operation. As it goes down-line, the network of agents and distributors gets larger and larger. One 'unit manager' could be controlling a network of 10,000 agents and distributors five or six levels down. And that is how the unit manager makes money, not by personally selling anything because he or she would be too busy by then to do any personal sales, but by controlling the down-liners so that they do all the selling for you.

The late MGG Pillai was surprised to discover that when he went to the rural villages (kampong) they knew who he was. He then found out that they knew him because they had read everything he had written. But these people who knew him and had read what he had written do not own a computer or have internet access. They do not even speak, read or write in English. They had read the Malay translation of his pieces in 'hard copy'. Certain people were translating all his English pieces from the internet into Malay and had photocopied them and distributed them to the Malay-speaking people in the villages.

And that was almost ten year ago and MGG Pillai left us a couple of years back.

As a rule of thumb, I normally work on the 35:35:30 ratio. 35% of the voters support the government and there is nothing you can do or say to change their minds into voting for the opposition. 35% of the voters support the opposition and there is nothing you can do or say to change their minds into voting for the government. The balance 30% are atas pagar or fence-sitters, the undecided.

Based on the statistics of the last 11 general elections, about 75% of the registered voters come out to vote. This means about eight million Malaysians will be voting this coming election. Three million people will just stay home and will not bother to come out to vote.

Out of this eight million, about 5.5 million have made up their minds who to vote for, split almost equally between the ruling party and the opposition. Therefore, 2.5 million Malaysian are still undecided who they want to vote for. And if you add this 2.5 million to the three million voters who will not come out to vote, this means there are 5.5 million 'virgin' voters who have not yet committed themselves to any political party.

Look at the figures again. 5.5 million have already decided who to vote for, and it is about half-half for the government-opposition. 5.5 million have not yet decided who to vote for or whether to even bother coming out to vote.

Forget about the first lot of 5.5 million. They are already 'taken'. Concentrate on the second lot of 5.5 million. They may not even come out to vote or, if they do, they can still be swayed to vote either for the ruling party or the opposition even on Polling Day itself. And many within this second lot of 5.5 million do have computers and internet access and do go to blogs and internet websites to read the 'alternative' news. And many of those within this second lot of 5.5 million have never voted before, did not even bother to register to vote until quite recently, will be coming out to vote for the first time, and will definitely vote opposition. If not they would not bother to vote or to register as a voter.

And these people are not kids. Some are in their forties and fifties. Many are professionals and are in the upper-middle class group. This should have been their fifth or sixth election, not their first. But they never bothered to vote or even to register as a voter until quite recently because they have no wish to vote for a government they despise and they do not see any alternatives who they can vote for. So they do not vote or register to vote merely because they do not like what they see on both sides of the political divide.

But that has now changed. They still do not like the government. But they now feel that it was a gross mistake giving Barisan Nasional 92% of the seats in Parliament the last time around. Barisan Nasional has grown arrogant. Success has gone to its head. Barisan Nasional needs to be cut down to size. Granted, Barisan Nasional will still form the government, maybe even still with a two-thirds majority. But at least send as many opposition candidates as possible to Parliament. And, if in the process Barisan Nasional's two-thirds majority can be taken away, then well and good. That would be the bonus.

So, no, blogs and internet websites can't touch the first lot of 5.5 million 'committed' voters. But, yes, it can influence the second lot of 5.5 million undecided voters and those who normally will not come out to vote. And if the opposition can win over two million of them, leaving one million for Barisan Nasional while the 2.5 million still stay home and do not come out to vote, Barisan Nasional will still be ruling this country but without its two-thirds majority in Parliament and minus a few states like Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Sabah which will see opposition governments.

But the extra two million voters will not come cheap. It will come with a price. The three main opposition parties -- PAS, DAP and PKR -- have all announced that they are launching their individual election manifestos. This is a major disappointment. We had hoped that the opposition parties would not launch their own individual election manifestos but instead adopt the Peoples' Declaration or Deklarasi Rakyat as their manifesto. At least this would demonstrate to the voters that the opposition is united. But, alas, this is not going to be so.

Nevertheless, the Peoples' Declaration will be officially launched at 11.00am on Saturday, 23 February 2008, at the Blog House (No: 66, Lorong Setiabistari 2, Bukit Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur). All the political parties that have endorsed the Peoples' Declaration -- PAS, DAP, PKR, MDP, PSM and Pasok -- will be invited for the launch, as will representatives from various civil societies and the internet-blogging community. In fact, all members of the public who feel strongly about this matter are also invited.

Equally important is; there must not be any three-corner fights. The last two elections saw quite a few three-corner fights in spite of the existence of an opposition coalition called Barisan Alternatif and the electoral pact that was agreed upon. Threesomes are great when it comes to sex but in an election it will be disastrous.

In some seats, the votes the two opposition candidates garnered were more than what the solitary Barisan Nasional candidate got. This means, if it had a been a straight fight, the opposition would have won that seat instead of Barisan Nasional. In other seats, because of the three-corner fight, the opposition candidate lost his deposit. One hapless opposition candidate in Kampong Medan actually borrowed money from an Ah Long (loan shark) thinking he would be able to refund the money after the election. The poor fellow disappeared after that and I am not sure whether he had gone underground to escape the Ah Long or the Ah Long finally caught up with him and dumped his body into a mining pool.

It is not like these three-corner fights were because of renegade members who went into the fray against their parties wishes. They had Surat Watikah from their parties. This means their parties endorsed the three-corner fight. And when a complaint is raised with the parties concerned, they just offer excuses like it was a mistake (tersilap), but no action was taken against those concerned.

This time around we must punish those parties that perpetuate three-corner fights. If your voting constituency is subjected to a three-corner fight then we must vote for the Barisan Nasional candidate. Let both the opposition candidates lose their deposits. It must be a straight fight or nothing at all. The people must send this very strong message to the opposition parties.

DAP, PAS, PKR, MDP, PSM, PRM are all guilty of this. This is because there are many egos at play here. Everyone thinks that they are terra. Azmin Ali of PKR and Hassan Ali of PAS are quarrelling as to who is going to be the new Menteri Besar of Selangor. Aiyoh. Boleh menang ke tidak? You are not even sure you can deny Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the Selangor State Assembly. Try that first if you can. Taking over the state and forming the next government and throwing tantrums because you want to the next Menteri Besar is pure bullshit. Nak cerita pun malu!

Last election, DAP and PAS engaged in a three-corner fight in Puchong. This election, Karpal Singh's son will be contesting that seat and PAS has graciously agreed to withdraw to allow DAP to have that seat -- and he has a better than average chance of winning the Puchong seat. But just as we thought the Puchong matter is already settled, PKR jumps in and says it wants that seat. Aiyah! Apa ni? PKR does not even have a candidate yet. They just want that seat and if they get it they will be frantically looking around for someone to field in Puchong. Why not DAP, PAS and PKR all contest in Puchong and we make it a four-corner fight instead? Semua kepala tak betul.

Thus far I have only touched on the inter-party quarrels. If I start talking about the intra-party quarrels like what we have seen in Batu Gajah, Penang, Sarawak, and many more places, you would probably decide to just stay home and not bother to come out to vote. We settle the problems between parties and problems within parties raise its ugly head.

Anyway, I do not want to depress you more than necessary. These are just some of the seat-tussle problems plaguing the opposition. The point I would like to make is if there are any three-corner fights we must punish BOTH opposition candidates by voting for Barisan Nasional in that particular constituency. This is the era of Peoples' Power. The people must decide, not the political parties. We accept the opposition, but on our terms, not theirs. If they turn their backs on us then we must turn our backs on them as well.

The opposition has a very good chance of winning a good number of seats. The opposition also has a very good chance of denying Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in Parliament. Furthermore, the opposition has a very good chance of forming the Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Sabah state governments. And if the opposition fails to do all this it is not because Barisan Nasional is strong but because the opposition is shooting itself in its own foot.

The new Member of Parliament for Putrajaya, Azim Zabidi

Posted BY: Raja Petra

The evidence is clear. Azim Zabidi works for a Chinaman. Azim Zabidi is just an Ali Baba front. And Azim Zabidi is going to be the next Member of Parliament for Putrajaya while the god-fearing, squeaky-clean opposition candidate is not only going to lose, but will probably lose his deposit as well.


It seems Tengku Adnan Bin Tengku Mansor is out. The new Member of Parliament for Putrajaya may instead be Azim Zabidi. It is pertinent, therefore, that we get to know our incoming Member of Parliament.

Putrajaya is the Administrative Capital of Malaysia. It really does not need a 'powerful' wakil rakyat to help build bridges, roads, mosques, schools, etc. In fact, Putrajaya may already be 'overbuilt' as it is. Furthermore, with only 5,500 or so voters who are 98% Malays and 97% civil servants, what is there that the wakil rakyat needs to 'fight' for?

What is more important is whether the new wakil rakyat is a slime-ball and scumbag. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the Anti-Corruption Agency, Special Branch, Bankruptcy Office, etc., will vet all proposed candidates to ensure that none of them are carrying any baggage.

Well, in the event the powers-that-be and those who walk in the corridors of power may have overlooked some of the baggage Azim Zabidi may be carrying, allow Malaysia Today, as part of our community service, to assist in providing the necessary evidence to answer the question whether Azim Zabidi is or is not a suitable candidate.

On 9 February 2008, Malaysia Today published in this column an article called A scam, by any other name, smells just as foul. This was what we said then:

On 20 October 2003, Azim was appointed a Director of Transquay Ventures Sdn Bhd. The purpose of appointing him a Director of that company is so that he can help the company with its listing exercise on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

However, the company would have to be a Bumiputera company to qualify, said Azim, so half the shares had to be transferred into his name and the balance into the name of another Malay. With the shareholding reflecting 100% Bumiputera equity it would now qualify.

Azim 'paid' Lu Leong Seng for the shares on 5 April 2004 through three RHB Bank cheques. The sale was not a genuine sale of course but just a 'paper' transaction to show that Azim really owned the shares and had paid for them. Lu was supposed to refund the money, but not to Azim, as he did not want the money trail to lead to his door. Instead, Lu was asked to pay the money to Tan Boon Keong, the infamous BK Tan. This was done through four cheques issued through Public Bank Berhad on 8 April 2004.

The listing never happened so Lu called off the deal and asked for the return of his shares. But Azim refused to return the shares or refund the RM1,318,000 that was paid to his nominee, BK Tan. On 31 November 2007, Lu made a police report at the Kajang Police Station. To date, of course, and as expected, no action has been taken by the police.

The perplexing thing about this whole arrangement is that a Chinese by the name of BK Tan is prominent in this whole thing. Who is BK Tan to Azim Zabidi? BK Tan is Azim Zabidi's 'boss'. In other words, the RM1,318,000 that Azim Zabidi paid the vendor of the shares came from BK Tan. What did Azim Zabidi have to do for BK Tan to earn this money? Azim Zabidi, unknown to the vendor of the shares, is just the Ali Baba front. And that is why after Azim Zabidi paid RM1,318,000 for the shares he asked that the money be handed back (serah balek) to BK Tan.

Yes, Azim Zabidi is working for a Chinaman. He is an Ali Baba front, just a rent-seeker and commission agent like most Malays in this country. But this is an important rent-seeker. This rent-seeker is going to be the new Member of Parliament for Malaysia's Administrative Capital, Putrajaya.

Azim Zabidi, in fact, not only asked that the RM1,318,000 be 'returned' to BK Tan. He also instructed that all matters relating to his business affairs be handled by his 'representative', BK Tan. On 20 March 2007, Azim Zabidi's lawyer, Rahman Hashim & Partners, sent the vendor a letter saying that 'all proposals and/or negotiations should be conducted directly with our client's representative, BK Tan'.

On 21 March 2007, the vendor replied through their lawyer, Sng & Co., that they would need this in writing.

That same day, Azim Zabidi issued a letter authorising his representative BK Tan to handle all proposals and/or negotiations on his behalf.

The exchanges of letters between the two legal firms and Azim Zabidi can be viewed below.

The evidence is clear. Azim Zabidi works for a Chinaman. Azim Zabidi is just an Ali Baba front. And Azim Zabidi is going to be the next Member of Parliament for Putrajaya while the god-fearing, squeaky-clean opposition candidate is not only going to lose, but will probably lose his deposit as well. But Azim Zabidi is not going to be the real Wakil Rakyat for Putrajaya. Azim Zabidi is 'owned' by a Chinaman so that is who is going to be the real Wakil Rakyat for Putrajaya. And Azim Zabidi is considered relatively 'clean' compared to the other Barisan Nasional or Umno candidates. Imagine what those 'not so clean' have been up to.

Selamat mengundi 8 Mac 2008.

Here in body, gone in mind

No, legislation and laws are not what we need. What we need are Muslims setting good examples to prove that Islam is everything they say it is. Only then would Muslims not want to leave Islam. Instead non-Muslims would become Muslims in droves. At the moment, though, I can't see that happening, not in 100 years.


Posted By: Raja Petra Kamarudin

Converts to Islam can change their minds, Egyptian court rules

Cairo, February 11, 2008

In a landmark case, an Egyptian court has ruled that the state must recognise the right of Christians who convert to Islam to change their minds and revert to Christianity.

While Egyptian law is largely secular, personal status issues such as conversion, marriage and divorce are governed by the religious laws of the relevant community.

Egypt is primarily Muslim but has a substantial Coptic Christian minority.

Saturday's ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court said 12 people who had converted to Islam from Christianity and back again could have their reversion to their original faith stated on their government identity papers.

The court ruling, which overturned a lower court decision in April, now obliges the Ministry of the Interior to issue the plaintiffs with birth certificates and identity papers identifying them as Christians.

"This opens the door of hope to hundreds of Copts who converted … and were then unable to return," said Mamdouh Nakhla, a human rights lawyer.

But the paperwork will note their previous conversion to Islam - a caveat one human rights activist said was an invitation to discrimination. It "will open the door to discrimination … by extremist officers or civil servants when they see in the entry that they left Islam," said Gamal Eid, head of the Arabic Network for Human Rights.- REUTERS

Let me paint a hypothetical situation. Say I was born a Muslim. I learned to recite the Quran at a very tender age and by puberty I was already praying five times a day. I even performed my pilgrimage to Mekah, a couple of times in fact, and practically did everything that a Muslim is supposed to do, at least as far as rituals are concerned.

Then, later in life, I decided I would like to educate myself on what the other religions are all about. Being not of these religions I was therefore free to roam the realms of the other religions and not confine myself to any specific doctrine. I was intrigued that the Quran says we are all followers of the religion of Abraham. Be it Jew, Christian or Muslim, you are all followers of Abraham. Are you therefore a Jew or Christian and I, a Muslim, or are we all 'Abrahamites', but of various sects that have been labelled Orthodox Jew, Samaritan, Hasidic, Haredi, Catholic, Coptic, Greek Orthodox, Adventist, Anabaptist, Baptist, Congregationalist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Pentecostal, Anglican, Restorationist, Sunni, Wahabbi, Salafi, Shiah, Ismailiyah, Kharijite, Sufi, Naqshbandi, Bahai, Druze, Ahmadiyya, Nation of Islam, Zikri, Hindu, Buddhist, etc.?

I eventually began to believe that there is only one religion, the religion of God. But humankind decided to compartmentalise itself into various boxes and then posted labels that now run into scores. When did it all start? Where was the beginning? And when did the rot first set in?

Okay, I can accept the argument that, along the way, many Prophets were sent down by God to correct the distortions and deviations to His religion that were perpetuated by mankind throughout the ages. According to Islamic tradition, there were more than 124,000 Messengers and Prophets since the beginning of time. Abraham himself did not introduce a new religion. He just 'reverted' to the original and correct doctrine of the One God. He opposed the many Gods created by humans from stone, metal and wood. And the same went for Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

So, if this is true, then where did Judaism, Christianity, Islam and their numerous sects and sub-sects come from? Only one can be true. They can't all be true. Of course, it could be that they are actually all false and none are true. Humankind does have this bad habit of distorting history. Even the most recent history of Merdeka and the May 13 tragedy have been grossly distorted. What we have been told is not at all what really happened. We have been fed lies upon lies. And Merdeka and May 13 happened in an era when there were still and moving cameras. The evidence is clear. Yet, in spite of this indisputable evidence and the many witnesses still alive who can testify to the truth, they are still able to lie to us, distort the truth, and fool 90% of Malaysians into believing 'their version' of events.

What about events that happened more than 2,000 years ago in the age before there were any proper records? No doubt, today, records exist in the form of 'holy books'. But when were these books written and who wrote them? Did the Prophets themselves record history in their own handwriting or was history recorded centuries after their deaths by 'hidden' hands? Were these books written as a true reflection of events or were they tailored to justify and strengthen certain beliefs and myths? In other words, was the cart placed after or before the horse?

After pondering over the 'evidence', or lack of it as the case may be, I form an opinion that Judaism, Christianity, Islam and all their numerous sects and sub-sects never came from God but are mere inventions of mankind. This very belief of rejecting 'organised' religion causes me to 'leave' religion. How would Muslims deal with this?

I never renounce Islam. I never ask to leave Islam to become a Christian, or whatever. In fact, I now don't believe in any religion. I officially still remain a Muslim though. But because of my very belief that religions do not exist but were mere creations and distortions of mankind, this causes me to have left not only Islam but religion itself. How would Muslims deal with this?

You can prevent Muslims from leaving Islam if they do so openly. You can pass laws making it a crime or even sentence apostates to death. But for every one Muslim who openly leaves Islam, thousands or tens of thousands more 'leave' Islam secretly. They do not wish to make their exit official. But Islam has left their hearts so they have therefore left Islam. And it is not just Islam that they have left. They have abandoned the very concept of organised religion.

You can legislate acts. But you cannot legislate thoughts or beliefs. What is in the mind of an individual only that individual, plus God, knows. You can't get into the minds of individuals to scan their thoughts. If they act out their belief then you could probably suspect what they are thinking. But if they act opposite to what they believe then not even their own parents would be any the wiser.

It is futile to try to legislate belief. If they can't believe openly then they will go underground and believe secretly. Maybe it would be better to focus on setting good examples and win converts through positive acts rather than reinforce their disbelief though negative acts. Persuasion instead of force wins more converts. And proper education and understanding would turn converts into staunch believers. You can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink. You can force a person to remain a Muslim but you can't force that person to believe in the Quran, Muhammad or God. That is a matter of the heart and mind.

But how do you win the battle of the hearts and minds when the very people who are supposed to uphold the dignity of the religion are instead defiling the religion? If I was a doubter, what I see around me would just confirm my doubts. It would not make me doubt my doubts. It would convince me that I am justified in doubting.

Look at how Muslims act. They scream that Islam is a religion of peace but they preach war. They scream that Islam is a compassionate religion but they preach death. They scream that Islam is a tolerant religion but they condemn kafirs (infidels). They talk about going right but they turn left. That is the greatest disservice these people do to Islam and which not only puts off non-Muslims but even Muslims themselves.

I used to have great respect for imams, gurus, ulamaks and all such people of the cloth. I would go out of my way to be near them and kiss their hands. There is nothing I would not do for them. All they need to do is to open their mouths and consider it done. Money was no obstacle in the way of the Lord. But the closer I got to them, the more I detected hypocrisy. I began to suspect that the 'cloth' they wore was merely a camouflage to fraud and deceive. This is not confined to just Muslims but is apparent in all societies and religions. No doubt there is some good amongst all that bad. There may even be many good amongst just some of the bad. But all it needs is one buffalo to muddy the entire herd.

I personally met a Malay contractor who testified that the imam of the National Mosque (Masjid Negara) demanded a bribe of RM30,000 for a maintenance contract his company was going to be awarded. This contractor showed me documents to convince me he is telling the truth because he realised such a story would be very hard to swallow. This imam eventually joined Umno and contested against Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Pematanag Pauh. Another supplier of cleansing chemicals testified that he too had to pay the bilal of the National Mosque a bribe for the items he supplied the mosque. This supplier, a convert to Islam who I had known since school days, was shocked and understandably became very disillusioned with his new-found religion. Can you blame him if he decides to go back to Christianity?

No, legislation and laws are not what we need. What we need are Muslims setting good examples to prove that Islam is everything they say it is. Only then would Muslims not want to leave Islam. Instead non-Muslims would become Muslims in droves. At the moment, though, I can't see that happening, not in 100 years.

Let the track record speak for itself

Posted By: Raja Petra



This is going to be the shortest article I have ever written. I do not want to say anything more than: LET THE TRACK RECORD SPEAK FOR ITSELF! Did Abdullah Ahmad Badawi deliver his 2004 election promises?

(Berita Harian, 16 Mac 2004) - KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) semalam melancarkan manifesto Pilihan Raya Umum ke-11 yang mahukan rakyat terus memberi mandat untuk masa depan Malaysia yang ‘Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang’.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berharap rakyat memberikan peluang kepada beliau dan BN untuk membawa lonjakan pembangunan baru ke arah mencapai kejayaan yang lebih kepada negara dan rakyat.

Perdana Menteri merangkap Pengerusi BN melancarkan manifesto itu di Dewan Merdeka Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini, yang disiarkan secara langsung menerusi TV1 dan TV3.

Manifesto setebal 19 muka surat itu menggariskan beberapa perkara daripada ekonomi, pembangunan seimbang, pendidikan, agama, pembangunan sahsiah, akhlak dan nilai-nilai etika, undang-undang dan keselamatan awam serta dasar luar negara.

Abdullah dalam ucapannya pada majlis itu, menegaskan bahawa BN mahu mendapatkan mandat besar daripada rakyat dalam pilihan raya kali ini untuk mencapai hasrat ke arah itu.

“Kita mahu rakyat mengundi BN bagi masa depan negara. Dengan kekuatan, keteguhan dan pengaruhnya, BN terbukti sebagai parti yang benar-benar mewakili semua kaum di negara ini. Parti ini mempunyai pengalaman lama dalam perjuangan membangunkan negara ini, memajukannya dalam semua bidang serta membawa kejayaan kepada rakyat tanpa mengira kaum atau agama yang dianuti.

“Kita menekankan dalam manifesto kita ini betapa perlunya kita memandang ke hadapan. Inilah yang kita tawarkan, inilah yang kita serahkan kepada rakyat untuk pertimbangan mereka. Undilah untuk masa depan negara kita bersama yang akan melaksanakan cita-cita rakyat bagi negara kita yang cemerlang, gemilang dan terbilang,” katanya dengan menerima tepukan gemuruh penyokong BN.

Hadir sama pada majlis pelancaran itu ialah isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood; Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Setiausaha Agung BN, Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob; Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting; Presiden MIC Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu dan presiden parti komponen BN yang lain.





Sebanyak tiga juta salinan dalam tujuh versi bahasa Melayu dalam rumi dan jawi, bahasa Inggeris, Cina, India dan untuk bacaan Bumiputera di Sabah dan Sarawak dalam bahasa Kadazan dan Iban.

Ini adalah pilihan raya umum pertama pada alaf baru dan yang pertama bagi Abdullah mengetuai BN sejak dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri 31 Oktober lalu, mengambil alih daripada Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Berdasarkan tema ‘Ke Arah Malaysia Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang’, manifesto itu menggariskan bahawa BN untuk semua bagi memastikan tiada golongan yang dibiarkan atau diketepikan, bahkan setiap warga ada peranan dalam pembangunan negara.

BN juga memastikan semua kaum akan diwakili selaras amalan perkongsian kuasa yang tulen; menjamin keamanan, kemakmuran dan keharmonian seluruh rakyat serta mengutamakan perpaduan negara dan memastikan satu sistem kerajaan untuk seluruh negara.

Bagi tujuan itu, BN menyokong rakyat untuk memenuhi tuntutan dengan memerangi rasuah dan memperbaiki mutu perkhidmatan kerajaan, sentiasa prihatin terhadap keperluan rakyat dan akan merujuk kepada pandangan rakyat dalam isu-isu penting serta mengiktiraf semua golongan yang turut merangkumi generasi muda, wanita dan penduduk luar bandar sebagai aset negara, kerana semua perlu dibabitkan dalam pembangunan negara.

Dalam manifesto itu di bawah tajuk kecil ‘BN untuk masa depan yang maju, aman dan makmur’ antara lain menggariskan:

* BN terus melaksanakan strategi pembangunan ekonomi untuk mencapai Wawasan 2020. Bertekad meningkatkan keupayaan daya saing, menjamin suasana mesra-perniagaan dan berusaha ke arah pengurusan kewangan negara yang berhemat;

* BN bertekad menerokai sumber kekayaan dan pendapatan baru dengan membina potensi kawasan luar bandar;

* Bertekad membasmi kemiskinan, menambahkan pembangunan rumah kos rendah dan meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan kesihatan, dan

* Mendokong Islam sebagai agama rasmi Malaysia dan terus membangunkan Islam Hadhari yang progresif dan moden.

Ia menyebut bahawa BN adalah untuk semua rakyat yang mempunyai peranan dan suara kerana BN komited kepada demokrasi berparlimen serta menjamin kepentingan semua selain menjemput semua kumpulan menyertai proses pembangunan negara.

BN juga akan terus memelihara keamanan, kestabilan dan keharmonian di kalangan rakyat, dengan semua kumpulan etnik diwakili dalam BN melalui perkongsian kuasa, selaras dengan semangat bersatu hati dan bekerjasama.

Mengenai ekonomi, manifesto itu menyatakan bahawa rakyat segenap lapisan boleh berasa bangga dengan pencapaian ekonomi hasil kerjasama erat semua pihak.

Bagi menghadapi cabaran masa depan, BN bertekad untuk terus menggalakkan pertumbuhan ekonomi bagi mencapai Wawasan 2020, meningkatkan daya saing dan daya tahan ekonomi berdasarkan prestasi serta mewujudkan suasana mesra-perniagaan dan mempelopori sumber kekayaan dan pendapatan baru dalam bidang pertanian, bioteknologi dan perkhidmatan kewangan Islam.

Dalam usaha untuk memastikan pembangunan sosioekonomi seimbang yang berterusan, BN bertekad membasmi kemiskinan sepenuhnya dan merapatkan jurang pendapatan, memastikan pembangunan wilayah yang seimbang di negeri-negeri serta mempertingkatkan keberkesanan program sosial untuk membantu kumpulan tercicir seperti Orang Asli, golongan kurang upaya dan warga tua.

Dalam bidang pendidikan pula, BN bertekad menjadikan sekolah kebangsaan sebagai sekolah pilihan melalui peningkatan kualiti termasuk pengajaran bahasa ibunda yang lebih baik di samping memelihara kedudukan sekolah jenis kebangsaan yang sedia ada.

Mengenai agama, BN bertekad memperbaiki pelaksanaan undang-undang syariah dalam negara dan memastikan wanita Islam dapat menikmati sistem perundangan yang adil dan saksama.

BN juga komited meningkatkan pendidikan Islam dan memperbaiki sukatan pelajaran pendidikan Islam pada semua peringkat, mensyaratkan pelajar beragama Islam mengambil mata pelajaran bahasa Arab dan khatam al-Quran sewaktu di sekolah, meningkatkan kebajikan imam dan pegawai agama serta memastikan urusan jemaah haji dilakukan secara cekap dan memastikan kos mengerjakan haji dikawal pada paras munasabah.

Manifesto itu juga menyatakan, BN bertekad memupuk nilai akhlak yang tinggi, keyakinan diri serta keberanian untuk menghadapi cabaran di kalangan belia dan remaja melalui Latihan Khidmat Negara, Rakan Muda dan program khidmat masyarakat yang lain.

Ia juga mahu memperkenalkan satu kod etika dan integriti untuk sektor awam dan swasta, parti-parti politik serta masyarakat umum.

Selain itu, BN bertekad untuk menjamin kebebasan badan kehakiman dan menyediakan prasarana moden untuk meningkatkan kecekapan pentadbiran keadilan.

Bagi perkhidmatan awam pula, BN akan meneruskan usaha untuk memperbaiki sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan awam menerusi perkongsian dengan sektor perkhidmatan awam untuk memenuhi keperluan rakyat yang semakin meningkat.

Untuk dasar luar pula, BN berazam memastikan Malaysia tetap memainkan peranan aktif dalam isu antarabangsa serta mengekalkan hubungan damai dengan semua negara tanpa mengira taraf ekonomi, ideologi dan sistem politik.

Untuk semua itu, BN berikrar untuk terus mempertahankan kemerdekaan serta kedaulatan, menjunjung prinsip Rukun Negara, demi menjamin kestabilan negara serta keutuhan perpaduan rakyat untuk terus hidup dalam suasana harmoni, aman dan damai.

“Berlandaskan keazaman ini, kami akan meyakinkan rakyat melalui teladan dan bukti nyata agar rakyat terus bersama kerajaan Barisan Nasional untuk mencapai hasrat dan inspirasi murni negara,” kata BN dalam manifesto itu yang mula diedarkan ke seluruh negara semalam.

Bercakap dalam sidang akhbar kemudian, Abdullah berharap rakyat akan melihat manifesto itu secara positif.

“Saya harap mereka dapat diyakinkan kerana apa yang terkandung dalam manifesto ini adalah apa yang kita akan laksanakan...ia bukan semata-mata untuk meraih undi. Undilah untuk masa depan anda kerana kita berupaya membawa kemajuan dan membentuk masa depan yang baik.

“Mengundi BN adalah memilih masa depan yang lebih makmur untuk Malaysia. Kita mempunyai keyakinan yang tinggi mengenai kemampuan kita untuk melaksanakan (janji-janji dalam manifesto). Ia bukan untuk menunjuk-nunjuk,” katanya.

Sementara itu, mesejnya yang terkandung dalam manifesto itu antara lain mengajak rakyat untuk terus meyakini BN yang bertekad membangunkan negara secara menyeluruh dan seimbang berlandaskan pentadbiran, pengurusan, perkhidmatan malah pemikiran ‘kelas’ pertama serta sahsiah yang mulia di kalangan semua rakyat Malaysia.

“Lonjakan pembangunan baru ini, selain memberi makna kepada kejayaan-kejayaan yang sudah kita kecapi, sebenarnya mampu membawa negara tercinta kita menjadi lebih Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang,” katanya.