Activist on a mission, Haris Ibrahim says bent on serving truth to bottom 40%

BY RITA JONG

OCTOBER 25, 2013

Activist Haris Ibrahim (pic) has made it a personal mission to take the "40%" truth to the masses in the heartlands in the next general election.

“I serve the 40% (of people) who are marginalised and if they are prepared to wait it out, then I will serve them to wait it out. If they cannot sustain their daily lives having to wait out four years, I’ll (also) serve them,” he said in an interview with Australian Broadcasting Network’s Radio Australia in Sydney yesterday.

Haris is a member of the ABU – Anything But Umno – movement. He has been fighting to change the government and one of the reasons he gives is that 40% of Malaysians live below the poverty line.

In the interview with presenter Sen Lam, he explained the scenarios faced by Malaysians recently, including the Allah issue and the religious tension as well as the negative outlook and the deteriorating fiscal position of the country’s economy.

“We need to very closely monitor the economy, to see whether we can in fact survive the huge foreign debt that this regime and its predecessor have built up. We are expecting price hikes over the next year,” he said.

“We’ve seen international reports that suggest the economy of Malaysia is on the verge of a disaster. Now the questions are being asked. A lot of the Malaysian diaspora would like to know where the nation is going to and what can they do to take it back in the direction that our forefathers had intended, 'one people, one nation', all equal.

“History has taught us, the history of revolutions will teach us, that when the numbers who are marginalised are large enough, they will come around and change the way of life of the middle class. Now they (the middle class) don’t want that to happen, so I stand with the marginalised now.”

Haris told the radio show that over the years, as he worked on the ground, he has seen the injustice, the inequality that has been perpetrated.

"This has been served to the 40%, and I think reached the point where I say this cannot go on.

"It begins to make the comfortable life that I have seemingly meaningless when, around the corner, I have to pass abject poverty to get to my comfortable home."

He said a day after the May 5 polls, he did not recognise Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister.

"Nor do I recognise his regime as the legitimate government of Malaysia, because there was wholesale fraud on the 5th.

"We've seen the Umno election just conclude and Zahid Hamidi (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) is the Home Minister of a government I don't recognise and, therefore, I do not recognise his position.

"He was heard to say that a known notorious bunch of gangsters should carry on with what they're doing, that there may a policy on the part of the Malaysian police to shoot first when there is evidence, rather than to allow for due process.

"Now, should I to be encouraged then, by his recent huge victory at the Umno election? Is that a message of the kind of leadership that Najib is going to bring, to take this country forward, One Malaysia? Sorry sir, I beg to differ."

Haris made news recently when his visa application to Australia was rejected.

The Australian High Commission had described him as "high risk" as he might not want to return to Malaysia because he was facing a sedition charge. Furthermore, he was unemployed.

He obtained his visa after making a second application.

Haris was previously a lawyer by profession but gave that up to help the marginalised.

“You reach a point where it becomes meaningless if so many of your fellow Malaysians are deprived of the basic opportunities that you have been given simply because of ethnic considerations.

“I guess I find the comfort in seeing little incremental improvements. Undoubtedly, the young Malaysians give me hope that even as we appear to be in a state of seeming hopelessness, we will see the light at the end of the tunnel,” added Haris. – October 25, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/activist-on-a-mission-haris-ibrahim-bent-on-serving-marginalised-40

Status quo in Umno is good for Pakatan Rakyat

Anisah Shukry

 | October 22, 2013

Umno’s disconnect with the general public, as evident in the party elections last weekend, will be its downfall, says PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: The recent Umno elections which saw the likes of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil retain their power shows the disconnect between the Malay ruling party and the Malaysian public, said PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

That Umno members and the general public do not see eye to eye is one of the many problems that Umno is facing, paving way for it to be eventually replaced by the opposition coalition, the optimistic Seri Setia assemblyman told FMT in an exclusive interview.

“There were no major changes, it was the same lineup of leaders… people like (Home Minister) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who takes such a hardline stand, ended up getting the highest votes (in the race for vice-presidency),” said Nik Nazmi, who is also Selangor state assembly deputy speaker.

“And then there’s Shahrizat, who was embroiled in the [National Feedlot Corporation]. Not only did she win in the Wanita elections, but before her win she was basically given an endorsement by the prime minister as his advisor on women’s affairs.”

In contrast, he pointed out that Saifuddin Abdullah, who is popular among the public for being Umno’s “voice of reason”, had failed to garner enough votes to enter the Supreme Council.

“So I think this shows that Umno’s rank and file is not interested in anything beyond following what the president wants and preserving the status quo,” he said.

The former PKR communications director also rubbished claims that Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s victory in retaining the Umno Youth chief post signalled a new, “progressive” era of Umno and the end of Mahathirism.

“Khairy did not win because of his supposed liberal or progressive views. He won because he had the endorsement of the leadership and because he’s an incumbent, and now he also has the benefit of being a minister.

“That’s why to say that the liberals have won in Umno is truly a mistaken view.”

Taking the middle ground

Nik Nazmi stressed that at this rate, Umno was going downhill, especially as it had succeeded in the past because of its “moderate” image – an image Malaysians would unlikely be able to reconcile with the party now, given the faces leading the charge.

“Umno was able, through BN and the Alliance, to galvanise support from all sections of society. But today, with what we have, Umno is increasingly becoming the sole dominant party within BN.

“The Umno model of power sharing, of galvanizing support from all races is deteriorating and is slowly being overtaken by Pakatan.”

Pointing to the recently concluded general election, Nik Nazmi said that there was no opposition coalition in the world that could win 51% of the votes in the face of restricted access to the media, a “weak” Election Commission and irregularities in the electoral process.

“Having said that, I accept that we must not be carried away, that we must be introspective. We need to deal on getting more Malay support, on Bumiputera support in Sabah and Sarawak.

“So that’s a big issue to address for us to win the next election. I think we must not get carried away in moving away from the centre.

“Why did we succeed in Election 2008 and 2013? Because we were very firm in staying in the centre. Why did Umno suffer? Because they veered away from the middle-ground,” he said.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/10/22/status-quo-in-umno-is-good-for-pakatan/

Award-winning American Muslim scholar on Allah ruling: “We are laughing at you”

BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
OCTOBER 22, 2013

Reza Aslan says Christians using the word Allah do not pose a threat to Islam. - Pic courtesy Wikimedia Commons / Roanoke College, October 22, 2013.A well-known American Muslim theologian has joined a long list of critics over the recent Court of Appeal ruling on the use of the word Allah, saying it was a "political decision more than anything else".

"This notion that Malaysian Muslims need to be protected by the court because you can't think for yourself, you can't make decisions on your own. We are laughing at you," said Reza Aslan, speaking on BFM Radio's Evening Edition programme yesterday.

"That you can control people's ideas, their behaviour, their faith and their minds simply by trying to control the words that they use, is absurd. It is an embarassment to a modern, constitutional, democratic and deeply Muslim state like Malaysia," he added.

Aslan insisted that Christians using the word Allah - which means God in Arabic - were not a threat to Islam.

"A Taliban put a bomb in the Quran and took it to a mosque in Pakistan, where Muslims were slaughtered on one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar. You want to talk about threats to Islam? That's a threat to Islam," he said, in dismissing the argument that allowing Christians to use the word in their worship was a threat to Malaysian Muslims.

He was referring to an incident during the Aidiladha holidays, in which Afghan governor Arsala Jamal was killed while scores were injured after a bomb placed in a copy of the Quran went off in a mosque during the Eid sermon.

Aslan, who wrote the international bestseller No God But God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, said he was mystified by the court ruling on October 14, stressing that the word Allah was merely an Arabic term for God, "any God".

"Allah is constuction of the the word al-Ilah. That's what the word is," he explained.

"Al-Ilah means 'The God'. Allah is not the name of God. Frankly, anyone who thinks that Allah is the name of God, is not just incorrect, but is going against the Quran itself. It is almost a blasphemous thought to think that Allah has a name.

"And this is not an interpretation. It is a historical fact," Reza added.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal's three-man panel ruled that the word Allah "was not an integral part of the Christian faith and practice and that such usage if allowed, will inevitably cause confusion within the community".

The decision sparked a debate among local clerics and scholars, while several editorials in Muslim countries expressed their surprise over the issue.

Pakistan's Daily Times questioned the ruling, asking why Malaysia would deny people of other faiths to "own God in all His attributes". The United Arab Emirates's The National called the court ruling "wrong", and said the word Allah was never exclusive to Islam but used by both Christians and Jews to refer to God even before the advent of Islam.

Aslan poured scorn on the court verdict, asking, "How can you read that and not laugh?"

Soon after the court ruling last week, he had taken to Twitter and remarked, "How stupid has Malaysia just become? In honor of Malaysia banning the word Allah by non-Muslims I suggest US ban the word 'twerking' by anyone over age of 17," he said, referring to a type of sexually provocative dance.

Much of Aslan's interview yesterday was made available on Podcast.

In it, he slammed those who argue that the faith of Malaysian Muslims can be undermined if Christians use the word Allah.

"This idea that not only should Christians not be able to use this word, but that using the word is somehow a threat to Islam... that Malaysian (Muslims) are so stupid if they hear a Christian use the word Allah, they will accidentally become Christians. I mean, the idiocy of that statement speaks for itself," he said.

Echoing many other Muslim scholars and writers, Aslan said Christians and Jews in the Arabian peninsula since before the time of the Prophet Muhammad had been referring to God as Allah.

"Why? Because they spoke Arabic... that's why. Not because Allah meant a specific God but because that it is nothing more than the Arabic word for God. It is not an opinion. It is a fact," he pointed out.

"Any Imam that tells you God has a name, is blasphemous. It is as simple as that. Allah is not God's name. Muslims do not own the word itself," said the 41-year-old Iranian-American, who is Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Iowa. - October 22, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/award-winning-american-muslim-scholar-on-the-allah-decision-we-are-laughing

维护国会当有的民声平台

    我国第13届大选后，出现许多针对少数族群和其宗教极端或打压的言论。有一种跟以往不同的现象，就是不在中央内阁的马华和民政议员开始反驳那些言论，斥责友族的行为，看起来好像它们已经痛定思痛，欲挽回华社的信任。

        这种现象是可喜可贺的，不过无论怎样驳斥，似乎极端的言论非但没有改善，反而有增无减！举例，最近国家领袖发表“先照顾支持国阵选民”的言论；上诉庭“阿拉”判决后有人发表“不满判决可移民”等之类的言论，国阵华裔领袖斥责，但有效吗？我在此阐释原因，并作建议：

        种族极端事件新闻，还有国阵华裔领袖驳斥友族极端言论和行为，中文报刊登，但马来报和英文报不刊登，也等于友族往往听不到华裔的不满。这说明为何极端言论无止休原因，包括学校一而再，再而三地发生“回中国，回印度”言论事件。

        虽然非硬体的马来文的电子媒体也报道马华和民政的反驳言论，但观看505大选国阵只赢得47%选票，比民联的51%少，却可以执政，证明是乡区人支持国阵。他们不用网络，只阅读马来文报及收看免费电视节目，所以对国家真正的课题不了解。所以一些极端主义者仍然爽于玩弄极端课题，因为乡下人只晓得被操纵的声音！

        我的建议很简单，就是希望巫统以外的国阵成员党议员，在国会敢秉持代表选民的身份发言。驳斥的言论不要只在中文报发表文告，也要在国会提出来。因为你们不讲，友族不知道你们的不满。举个例，前首相马哈迪曾经对记者声称，印裔的问题今天变得严重，原因是三美威鲁在位时不曾向他提起印裔困境。

        巫统要强大，还是需要靠国阵成员党的支持的。把成员党边沿化对国阵不利，虽然巫统比第12届大选增加议席，但国阵本身却退步，削减了七个议席。国阵要改革才能赢回民心，要作全民的政府，不是单一种族的政府。马来人对巫统的支持率已经达到饱和点，抛弃非马来人乃看走眼。

        国阵要改革，必须让国会变得民主，允许在朝在野的议员发表民声。国会的会议，每句言论都记录在案，让相关部门更清楚需要去处理和纠正的问题。记者也会报道国会新闻。国阵政府也应该嘱咐马来报和英文报不要偏颇地选择国会新闻。在国会投票时，朝野阵线，尤其是国阵，应该允许自己的议员凭良心投票。这是给国阵作出的“怎样改革”的建议。

        公义使邦国兴起，否则的话，要成为先进国也只是口号，因为先进国的定义，除了硬体的繁荣及富裕外，更是“公平对待人民，民主开放的言论，和谐共处的社会，平等的国民地位”等的。在资讯唾手可得的今天，没有政权可以沿用一贯的手法仍然可得逞。国民肯定是越来越明智的，国阵若不设法赢得民心，书写就已经在墙壁上！

Allah ban all about “Malay pride”, says critic in Australian daily

BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
OCTOBER 18, 2013

The ban on the use of the word Allah in Catholic weekly Herald is ultimately about the "maintenance of Malay pride", wrote a columnist in an Australian daily.

The Sydney Morning Herald's Waleed Aly, in a scathing commentary on the issue, pointed out that Putrajaya's decision to prohibit the word was a symbolic gesture of "ethno-nationalism", to defend against the threats to Malay supremacy.

"And that whole issue is becoming increasingly radioactive in Malaysian politics and society," Waleed Aly warned.

On Monday, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal reversed a High Court ruling allowing Catholic weekly Herald to use the word Allah. It reasoned that the word was not an integral part of the Christian faith and practice.

Waleed likened the situation to national car maker Proton's "absurd" decision to develop an "Islamic car" – the first of its kind.

"This immediately reminded me of Proton's Islamic car: strip both these stories of the pious language that decorates them, and they're ultimately about the maintenance of Malay pride," he said of the Allah ban.

The "Islamic car" would have compartments for storing a headscarf and the Quran as well as a compass to indicate the direction of Mecca.

"If you're in any doubt about how thin this Islamic veneer is, consider that Proton was considering a 'secular' version for non-Muslim markets," Waleed went on, adding that there has been no news of the car since its announcement in 2007.

He, however, said that the Allah issue was far more serious, but nothing short of strange as the "Islamic car", as the word predates Islam and it was "hardly surprising" that Malaysian Christians used the word as Bahasa Malaysia incorporated lots of Arabic words.

"Why should this suddenly be a problem? The fear, apparently, is that Muslims will suddenly start practising Christianity if both faith groups refer to God by the same name.  Malaysian Muslims therefore need a form of protection from their own ignorance that no Muslim community has needed anywhere at any time," he said.

But the deeper issue, Waleed argued, was that the Malays actually feared losing the "privileged position" that they have held since independence, referring to the Malay special rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

"Now they're lashing out, as if trying to resist the death throes of their own supremacy. The ruling party, Umno, is a great defender of this privilege. For decades it has served them well.

"But that edifice crumbled in 2008, when it lost an astonishing 58 seats and barely carried the popular vote. This year it lost even that, and clings to power only thanks to a brazen gerrymander," he added.

The government's only solution then is to "divide and conquer".

"To sell the image of a Malaysia where Malay supremacy is threatened by insurrectionist minorities – and, indeed, where its own power is falling victim to a 'Chinese tsunami'," said Waleed.

The columnist also said that young, educated and urban Malays are rejecting Umno's politics and were more inclined to be sceptical of their privileged status.

"Special access to government contracts has simply meant that Malays with good (often familial) government connections get rich, while the majority watched on from their scarcely adequate dwellings. What began as empowerment ended in corruption." – October 18, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/allah-ban-all-about-malay-pride-says-critic-in-australian-daily

Putrajaya trying to divide Christians, say church leaders, politicians

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ AND ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
OCTOBER 18, 2013

Putrajaya has come under heavy fire from church leaders and opposition MPs for saying that the controversial Court of Appeal decision barring the Catholic weekly Herald from using the word Allah will not affect Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.

Calling the stream of statements from Cabinet ministers Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (pic) "hurtful, nonsensical and ridiculous", they said it was an attempt by Putrajaya to divide Christians in the country.

Council of Churches Malaysia general secretary Rev Dr Herman Shastri said he was disappointed that the government was trying to divide the Christians in the country with such talk.

"How can there be one rule for Christians in East Malaysia and another for those of us in Peninsular Malaysia, it makes no sense,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

"For them to think that the Christian community would accept this arrangement is hurtful."

In separate comments made over the past few days, Kurup, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Ongkili, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, both insisted that the court ruling only applied to the Bahasa Malaysia section of the Herald.

They had further stated that there would be no restrictions on Christians in Sabah and Sarawak from using the word Allah in their worship and in the Bahasa Malaysia and native bibles.

Kurup (pic) had said that following a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, it was decided that Putrajaya will stick to the 10-point solution, which allows the word Allah to be used in Al-Kitab, the Malay translation of the bible.

Another church leader, Datuk Reverend Ng Moon Hing, former chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia, labelled the statements from the two Sabah ministers as "ridiculous".

"How can we as Christian leaders tell our people in Sabah and Sarawak it is alright for them to use the word, but tell the rest in West Malaysia they cannot do so?" he asked.

The churchman also pointed out the glaring reality that many Christians from East Malaysia had moved to the peninsula for various reasons, including to find employment.

"That means when they are back home they are free to use the word but when they are here they must remember not to?" he asked.

Rev Ng said that the two ministers had obviously "forgotten about the East Malaysians who live here".

"They think they are giving assurance to their people, but they are just proving how short-sighted they are," he added.

Earlier yesterday, several politicians had also weighed into the issue when they criticised Umno's Kota Belud MP, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who suggested that Putrajaya come up with two separate rules on the use of Allah for East and Peninsular Malaysia.

He said Putrajaya should revisit the proposal to have two laws, which was first brought up by the then de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz in 2010.

Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan asked, "How are you going to prevent Sabah and Sarawak Christians now living in the peninsula from using the word Allah? It is ridiculous."

Also calling Abdul Rahman's proposal “ridiculous” was DAP's Bandar Kuching MP, Chong Chieng Jen, who questioned the rationale behind the suggestion.

"Christians in Peninsular Malaysia and Christians in East Malaysia are the same. Why different laws for them?

"This is a political solution to rationalise a ridiculous decision," Chong argued, referring to the court's ban on the use of the word Allah in the Herald.

International Islamic University Malaysia academic Datuk Seri Dr Syed Arabi Idid concurred, adding that what is right in East Malaysia should also be right in Peninsular Malaysia.

"One country, one law. How can one country have different sets of national laws?" he questioned.

Political scientist Dr Jayum A. Jawan from Universiti Putra Malaysia was more biting in his comments.

"We can't have double standards. It is one law for the whole of Malaysia.

"He (Abdul Rahman) is speaking like a politician and trying to please all sides but it won't work," Jayum insisted.

Malaysia, he said, was formed with the fundamental principle that freedom of religion would be respected and this was what East Malaysians had been concerned about back then.

"The court's decision went against the spirit of that promised freedom," added Jayum. – October 18, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-trying-to-divide-christians-say-church-leaders-politicians

Pakatan Rakyat supports non-Muslims over the use of Allah

BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
OCTOBER 17, 2013

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) maintained its stand today that non-Muslims can refer to God as Allah, despite the Court of Appeal’s Monday ruling that banned the Catholic weekly, Herald, from using the word.

"We remain consistent with what we said earlier," said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) at a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Tropicana today. Also present were DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and Datuk Mustafa Ali from PAS.

The opposition pact had in January this year said they supported the non-Muslims' use of the word Allah in their publications and worship.

"We ask everyone to remain calm while waiting for the judiciary process to continue and the appeal to happen," Anwar said.

Anwar had previously said that Allah can be used by anyone as long as it was used in a proper manner and with good intentions.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had also maintained that there was nothing wrong with non-Muslims using the term in their faiths provided it was not misused or misinterpreted.

On Monday, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal reversed a High Court ruling allowing Catholic weekly Herald to use the word Allah. It reasoned that the word was not an integral part of the Christian faith and practice.

Anwar criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's silence on the issue, noting that it reflected on his "poor" style of leadership.

“The PM never seems to be around for this issue so I think it reflects on poor leadership in this country. The country is like running on auto-pilot," he said.

Anwar also pointed out that there was no need for those who supported the Court of Appeal's decision to condemn those with deferring views.

"The general consensus is for calm and discourse on the subject and not curse those who may have different views with us," he said, referring to the statement by the former mufti of Johor, Datuk Noh Gadut, who warned that Muslims who questioned the Allah ban could be regarded as infidels.

PAS secretary-general Mustafa said he hoped this issue will not be used by Umno in the Sungai Limau by-election.

"I think Umno will use it to campaign but it is a sensitive issue that will cause a lot of confusion," he said. – October 17, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pakatan-supports-non-muslims-over-the-use-of-allah

Court of Appeal’s findings on Allah issue “unnatural”, says Malaysian Bar

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
OCTOBER 16, 2013

The Malaysian Bar expressed deep concern over the Court of Appeal's ban on the word Allah in the Catholic weekly, Herald, notably in the way the court interpreted the provisions on the status of Islam and other religions in the Federal Constitution.

The Bar also questioned the court's quick research on the Internet in coming to the conclusion that the word was not integral to the Christian faith.

In a strongly-worded statement, Bar president Christopher Leong (pic) highlighted among others the "unnatural" way in which the three-man bench interpreted Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution on the status of Islam and other religions.

He pointed out that the finding of the court was that the words "in peace and harmony" in Article 3(1) is to protect the sanctity of Islam and also to "insulate against any threat".

"The court found that the purpose and intention of the words 'in peace and harmony' was to protect the sanctity of Islam as the religion of the country and to insulate it against any threat.

"This is an unnatural reading," Leong argued.

"The words simply mean 'the  right of other religions to be practiced unmolested and free of threats'."

The Bar also took issue with the court's finding that the word Allah in Herald would cause confusion among Muslims.

Instead, Leong explained that it was unreasonable for a person's fundamental liberty to be denied on the basis that it might cause confusion to others.

He stressed that the decision of the court did not address or resolve this so-called confusion.

"Instead, the effect of the decision would be to encourage a perpetual state of confusion or ignorance as justifiable grounds for denying the rights of others.

"A better way would have been to educate those who might be confused, instead of restricting the rights of others," he opined.

On the finding that use of the word could threaten public order, Leong said that this served the notion that the use, or threat, of violence, would "win its day in court".

"It is unacceptable that citizens are denied their right of religious freedom and expression on the basis that others who disagree or who are confused, would resort to aggression," Leong noted.

Lastly, the Bar also expressed concern that the court had conducted its own Internet research in coming up with the finding that the word Allah was not integral to the Christian faith.

"There appears to be no basis for this finding, other than what has been described in the written judgments as 'a quick research' and research conducted on the Internet," Leong pointed out.

Leong also noted there was no prohibition on the use of the word by people of different faiths in the Arab world and other countries.

"It is difficult to understand how we are able to declare exclusivity of a word over which we do not have proprietary rights."

The Bar, in calling for calm and maturity to prevail, stressed that the Herald publisher's right to appeal to the Federal Court should be allowed to be carried out without threat or intimidation. - October 16, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-of-appeals-findings-on-allah-issue-unnatural-says-malaysian-bar

不滿批國陣重返種族政策，馬哈迪抨《經濟學人》

马哈迪，何必反驳？你越驳越抹黑自己！国际的眼光是雪亮的！
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2013-10-16 09:34

（雪蘭莪‧八打靈再也15日訊）前首相敦馬哈迪抨擊英國新聞雜誌周刊《經濟學人》一篇指“強化土著經濟政策”顯示國陣返回種族政策的報導，反諷後者的邏輯是任何想要賦予（佔馬來西亞68%人口的）馬來人和土著企業股份（及財富），並成為專業人士的政策都是不公平、錯誤和不公正的。

該篇報導名為“Bumi, not booming（不蓬勃發展的土著社群）”，副題是“The ruling party returns to it sold habits of race-based handouts（執政黨返回到種族政策的舊習慣）”。

他昨日在其部落格發表的《政治家對比記者》一文中反諷《經濟學人》，“（他們認為）自由人士不應該這麼做，若人們得不到任何的財富共享和專業地位，那麼他們就應當只做可憐的觀眾。”

指納吉拉攏華人卻被拒

“（原來）做正確的事情就是幫助那些殷實富裕的人們變得更加富裕，更富有的社群變得更富有，並使貧困的社區變得更貧窮。”

他也說，首相拿督斯里納吉在大選前曾試圖拉攏華人而忽視馬來人的困境，甚至忽略國家教育政策，而以金錢支援華教。

“不過，華裔選民拒絕了他，他只獲得3%的華人選票，這聽起來多麼忘恩負義。”

“對此，（經濟學人卻說）納吉應發放更多的錢，這才是正確的事。”

他表示，馬來人支持納吉，納吉回報大選支持，但顯然地，根據《經濟學人》的說法，“支持那些支持你的人是錯誤的，你不（應該）在文明國家這樣做，讓支持者腐爛去吧。”

馬哈迪在其部落格點名《經濟學人》多篇有關里約熱內盧、巴西、德國、巴基斯坦、印度及斯里蘭卡的重要政經新聞報導，以及該刊物針對西方政府、電子煙、伊朗核武的分析，總結認為，《經濟學人》作者似乎自以為知道這個世界的一切，也知道如何治愈所有這些苦痛。

“依照西方媒體及經濟學家的智慧話語，顯然地，由記者和專業作家掌舵的世界才可高枕無憂。

為甚麼我們之前想不到呢？”

《經濟學人》：被迫走回頭路
“納吉信譽大受打擊”

《經濟學人》“Bumi,not booming”發佈於9月28日，指出首相拿督斯里納吉是倒退回種族政治的“主要損失者”；在大選前，他被視為一個偉大的改革家，然而為了從巫統保守派的衝擊下生存下來，納吉現在被迫突然走回頭路，信譽大受打擊。

報導說，“強化土著經濟政策”是納吉明目張膽地在取悅那些批評他在大選時放棄馬來人的人士，這些舉動至少在目前讓納吉保存勢力，使其在巫統的領導地位不會面臨挑戰。

指慕克力崛起威脅納吉

再者，前首相敦馬哈迪兒子拿督慕克力勢力的崛起也是納吉的隱憂，若慕克力勝選，反納吉勢力可能會圍繞著他，納吉可不願變成弱勢首相而後在內部政變被推翻。

“然而，無可否認地，納吉的信譽已遭受損害。許多馬來西亞人，甚至馬來人，都認為納吉為了挽救權位不惜犧牲政治原則；他強調種族和諧的“一個馬來西亞”口號，如今只是一番空談。”

報導指出，在馬來西亞為“強化土著經濟政策”耗資數十億令吉的同時，華印裔人才將因厭惡種族主義而持續外流他國。這個國家2020年成為高收入國的目標，將會如同納吉的偉大改革一樣，進一步消退。

来源：http://news.sinchew.com.my/node/328578?tid=1

Academic, religious scholar knock ruling on ‘Allah’ ban

By Boo Su-LynOctober 15, 2013

Malay rights group Perkasa said in response that the word 'Allah', and 31 other words prohibited to non-Muslims by Islamic enactments in some states, should subsequently be removed from the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Christian bible. — Pictures by Choo Choy MayKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — An academic and a religious scholar reacted with incredulity today towards the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the word “Allah” was exclusive to Muslims, saying the decision was un-Islamic and portrayed Malaysia as “stupid”.

Dr Faisal Hazis, a political analyst from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), said that the appellate court as well as Malay and Muslim groups should not sow “fear and hatred” among Muslims against “our Christian brothers and sisters for wanting to exercise their religious freedom”.

“This itself is not Islamic. There is no compulsion in Islam,” Faisal told The Malay Mail Online today.

“Why are we worried that the Muslims would be confused over the use of ‘Allah’ by other religions? I would blame the Muslims themselves for being confused. Obviously, they lack knowledge about their Creator if they are confused,” he added.

Faisal also pleaded other “moderate and level-headed Muslims” today to speak up against “this fear-mongering and chest-thumping Islamic supremacy”.

“I fear for my children and the future of Malaysia... we should not let these minority groups speak on behalf of the majority of moderate and level-headed Muslims in this country,” added the academic.

The Court of Appeal ruled yesterday against a High Court decision allowing the Catholic Church to refer to the Christian god with the Arabic word “Allah” in the Bahasa Malaysia section of its weekly paper, the Herald.

The court adjudged the usage of the word “Allah” as not integral to the Christian faith and said that allowing such an application would cause confusion in the Muslim community.

Malay rights group Perkasa said in response that the word “Allah”, and 31 other words prohibited to non-Muslims by Islamic enactments in some states, should subsequently be removed from the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Christian bible.

Perkasa vice-president Datuk Zulkifli Noordin also said that Sabah and Sarawak churches, which have been using the word “Allah” in worship and in the Al-Kitab for centuries, should emulate white Americans who had “changed”, after wrongly using the derogatory words “negro” and “nigger” to refer to African Americans for years.

Another Muslim group, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, told Christians yesterday to emigrate if they could not accept the sovereignty of Islam and the king in Malaysia.Another Muslim group, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA), told Christians yesterday to emigrate if they could not accept the sovereignty of Islam and the king in Malaysia.

Iranian-American religious scholar Dr Reza Aslan also weighed in on the controversial court verdict, pointing out the folly that it attaches to Malaysia in the eyes of the world.

“How stupid has Malaysia just become? This stupid: Malaysian court bans use of ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims,” Reza tweeted early this morning, referencing an Al-Jazeera news report on the court case.

“In honor of Malaysia banning the word Allah by non-Muslims I suggest US ban the word ‘twerking’ by anyone over age of 17. Your suggestions?” mocked the religious scholar and author of two books on Islam and one on Christianity.

Aslan, who has a PhD in the sociology of religions and a degree on the New Testament, shot to fame last July when an interviewer with US channel Fox News repeatedly ignored his credentials and focused on his motivations, as a Muslim, for writing a controversial book on Jesus Christ.

The interview by the US news channel was based on his latest book titled “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth”.

The Allah row erupted in 2008 when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke the Herald’s newspaper permit, prompting the Catholic Church to sue the government for violating its Constitutional rights.

In 2009, the High Court here upheld the Catholic Church’s constitutional right to use the word “Allah”, shocking Muslims who considered the word to only refer to the Muslim God.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/academic-religious-scholar-knock-ruling-on-allah-ban#sthash.xX3AfkZT.dpuf

Allah decision against Constitution, gives Home Minister more power, says DAP

BY LEE SHI-IAN
OCTOBER 15, 2013

The decision by the Court of Appeal on the usage of the word Allah by non-Muslims has given the Home Minister wide-ranging discretionary powers to make pre-emptive executive decisions, said DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua (pic).

"The court argued that 'such usage if allowed would inevitably cause confusion within the community... so the Home Minister had sufficient material before him to ban the Herald from using the word'. With this, the court has empowered the Minister to make pre-emptive executive decisions to ban words or publications which he deems will cause confusion," Pua said.

"With such powers, the Home Minister will be able to rule that the Sikh Holy Book should be banned, as such any Bahasa Malaysia church material in East or West Malaysia should be declared illegal if they use the term Allah. The Court will deem itself to have 'no plausible reason for the High Court to interfere with the minister's decision'," he added.

In a statement, Pua highlighted several key points which he had deduced from the judgment read out yesterday by appellate court judge Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

He said the Federal Constitution clearly stated that other religions could be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation and every religious group has the right to manage its own affairs.

"But the court had decided on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church on what was deemed an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity," he said, arguing that the court's only role was to decide on the legality of the use of the word Allah by the church and nothing more.

"The court has no role in deciding what is integral or otherwise in any religion practised in Malaysia. The court has clearly overstepped its authority into the realm of theological discourse and also breached the Federal Constitution," he said.

Another key point, Pua said, was that the appellate court had defined the rule of law as the "wishes of the majority" and ruled that the welfare of an individual or group must yield to that of the community. He said the court had neglected its role to protect and defend the rights of the minority.

"Article 8 of the Federal Constitution clearly states that 'all persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law'. But the court has made a decision which is based purely on the wishes of the majority," Pua pointed out.

He quoted the third United States president, Thomas Jefferson, who proclaimed in his presidential address that "All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable, that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate which would be oppression”.

Pua added, "In ruling that the welfare of an individual or group must yield to that of the community, the Court of Appeal should define the community or the majority and their needs and wants. It is not the place of the appellate court to decide who the majority are and what they want.

"It should be emphasised that the role of the appellate court is to determine legality and not make such highly subjective moral judgment on ill-defined subjects," Pua argued.

Pua said the far-reaching consequences of yesterday's ruling meant that the appellate court has given itself the authority to make discretionary judgment which are not based on the Federal Constitution and the laws passed by the Parliament, but based on the judges’ own personal viewpoints and bias.

"Secondly, the appellate court has trampled on the rights of the minority by endorsing the oppression by the majority. The court has also given discretionary and absolute pre-emptive powers to the Home Minister to take action against anyone who is deemed to be wrong," he added.

Pua said the argument by the Court of Appeal in delivering its judgment on the usage of the word Allah was clearly unreasonable and must be challenged in the Federal Court.

It was not because of the usage of the word Allah, he said, but because of the implied powers of judges and the executive branch of the government to mete out punishment without legal or factual basis. - October 15, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-decision-on-allah-against-the-federal-constitution-gives-home-ministe

It’s worship as usual, Sarawak Christians will continue use “Allah” - state Minister

BY DESMOND DAVIDSON
OCTOBER 14, 2013

Sarawakians attend Bahasa Malaysia mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Kuching, in this file picture dated April 2011. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 14, 2013.Sarawak will continue to allow the use of the word Allah in Bahasa Malaysia and native language Bibles and church publications, said State Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, following the Court of Appeal's ruling today not to allow Catholic weekly The Herald to use the term.

Masing described the ruling as “not genuine”, saying the use of the word Allah predated Islam.

“We (Christians in Sabah and Sarawak) have been using the word Allah for over 100 years. Why suddenly we are now told we cannot use it?" he asked, adding that the court's decision would have a negative impact on non-Muslims beyond Sabah and Sarawak.

“Did they have a dream that Allah said they (the Christians) can't use the word Allah?” he asked, referring to the opposition by some Muslim groups in West Malaysia on the usage of the word in Christian texts.

Referring to Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak as "brothers", Masing said they had no qualms about Christians using the word.

Masing reminded Christians in the state that Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had in the past weighed in on the issue by giving assurance that he would not stop them from using the word Allah.

PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian, saying he was stunned by the decision, said churches and Christians in Sabah and Sarawak would continue using the word Allah.

“I am stunned by the decision.

“We have produced very clear facts that we were promised a guarantee by our forefathers when Sabah and Sarawak helped form Malaysia.

“The ruling appears to go against the fundamental rights that were promised," said Baru, adding that the decision goes against the Malaysia agreement.

Baru, a church elder of the Kuching Evangelical Church for over a decade until he joined politics, said the ruling went against Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which allows people to profess and propagate their religious beliefs.

Believing that the Catholic church would appeal today's decision, Baru appealed to Christians, who are majority in the two states, to remain calm and “look at the whole issue rationally”.

“There will be an appeal to the Federal Court so the decision is not final.”

Christian churches grouped under the Association of Churches in Sarawak have refrained from making any statements, saying they would wait for more details on the ruling.

“We need to consult with the other churches first,” the association's secretary-general Ambrose Linang said when contacted.

Its chairman Datuk Bolly Lapok said on Saturday that the association “finds it completely unacceptable that what have been common practices of the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak for generations, more than 100 years before the very idea of Malaysia was conceived, are now held as unlawful by the government”.

He said to stop using Allah in the practice of their faith would amount to a curb on religious freedom.

Outside the court today, Perkasa vice-president Datuk Zulkifli Noordin said that Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible, could continue to be distributed in Malaysia.

However, Zulkifli insisted that the holy book must not contain 32 words, including “Allah”, as the words are prohibited for use by non-Muslims, as stated in Islamic enactments in several states.

“I have no problem if they want to publish the Al Kitab without those words, not just ‘Allah’, but 32 words in the Syariah Criminal Enactment,” Zulkifli told reporters after the verdict.

Former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said the appellate court ruling clearly indicated that the word “Allah” is exclusive to Muslims.

“So, everyone should stick to that decision,” Nasharuddin told reporters. - October 14, 2013.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/its-worship-as-usual-sarawak-christians-will-continue-use-allah-state-minis

Court of Appeal quashes ‘Allah’ judgement

BY JOSEPH SIPALANOCTOBER 14, 2013UPDATED: OCTOBER 14, 2013 12:04 PM

Members of Perkasa hold a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on October 14, 2013 before the court ruling on the ‘Allah’ appeal. — Picture by Saw Siow FengKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — The Court of Appeal today ruled unanimously against allowing the Catholic Church to use the word “Allah” in its weekly publication The Herald, saying that the government did not impugn on the Church’s constitutional rights in banning the use of the word.

Justice Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali, who read out a summary of the judgement, said the home minister had acted well within his powers to disallow the Herald from using the word “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

“It is our common finding that the usage of the name ‘Allah’ is not an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity.

“From such finding, we find no reason why the respondent is so adamant to use the name ‘Allah’ in their weekly publication. Such usage, if allowed, will inevitably cause confusion within the community,” he said before a packed courtroom. 

The Allah case returned to the courts last September, over three years after Putrajaya filed an appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision in favour of allowing Catholic weekly the Herald to continue using the word “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia section. 

The Catholic Church had in July this year moved to strike out the government’s appeal after patience ran out with the lack of progress in the government’s challenge on the decision that has contributed to festering interfaith ties in the country. 

The Allah row erupted in 2008 when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke the Herald’s newspaper permit, prompting the Catholic Church to sue the government for violating its Constitutional rights. 

Apandi, who sat on a three-member bench with Justices Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Datuk Mohd Zawawi Salleh, said they were satisfied the home minister had considered sufficient material before exercising his powers under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 when he banned the Catholic Church’s newspaper from using the word “Allah”. 

“Although the test under the written law is subjective, there is sufficient evidence to show that such subjective decision was derived by considering all facts and circumstances in an objective manner,” he said. 

Apandi also cited legal maxims that place the safety of the public and state above all else and that “the welfare of an individual or group must yield to that of the community”. 

The Court of Appeal also ruled that the earlier judicial review at the High Court only considered the manner in which the home minister came to his decision and not at the merits behind the decision. 

Apandi noted that when a decision involves the use of discretionary powers, as in the Allah case, the “determinable issues” would depend on the facts of the case. 

The Catholic Church will have 30 days from now to file an application for leave at the Federal Court to appeal against today’s judgement. 

The 2009 High Court decision upholding the Catholic Church’s constitutional right to use the word “Allah” had shocked Muslims who considered the word to only refer to the Muslim God. 

It also led to Malaysia’s worst religious strife, with houses of worship throughout the country coming under attack. 

Christians are the third largest religious population at 2.6 million, according to statistics from the 2010 consensus, behind Muslims and Buddhists.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/court-of-appeal-quashes-allah-judgment