Archive for February, 2009

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Lim Guan Eng to sue Utusan over inter faith council

February 24th, 2009
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Well, Malaysiakini report says that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has denied a report in Utusan Malaysia today that the state had established an inter-faith council last year.

“These are lies…we have no such council,” he told reporters in Parliament today.

Thus, his lawyers will be file a defamation suit against the daily.

“And if they have any evidence of us setting up such a council, then bring it to the court,” he said.

The paper published the news on front page today:

Utusan Malaysia today published a front-page lead stating that the DAP-run government in Penang was insulting Islam with the setting up of the inter-faith council.

The daily quoted the Penang Islamic Council chief Shabudin Yahaya as saying that the inter-faith council must not be allowed to be established as it would place Islam on par with the other religions.

This, said Shabudin, was an insult to Islam.

The daily said that the inter-faith council was headed by Lim and three-Malay members as well.

Original Malay version:

DAP hina Islam?

Oleh HASNURUL MOHAMED
utusanpenang@utusan.com.my

NIBONG TEBAL 23 Feb. – Penubuhan Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama oleh kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang mesti dihentikan kerana ia meletakkan Islam sama taraf dengan agama-agama lain.

Yang Dipertua Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (MAINPP), Shabudin Yahaya berkata, cubaan menyamakan Islam dengan fahaman agama lain ternyata menghina Islam dan tindakan seperti itu mesti dihentikan.

Katanya, MAINPP berasa cukup tersinggung apabila ada beberapa ahli jawatankuasa (AJK) majlis tersebut terdiri daripada orang Melayu.

‘‘Saya difahamkan ada tiga orang AJK Melayu beragama Islam duduk dalam majlis tersebut yang kononnya mahu menuntut kesamarataan agama.

‘‘Ini sesuatu yang cukup menakutkan kerana agama Islam dipandang sama seperti Buddha yang diasaskan oleh manusia bernama Gautama Buddha, disamakan juga dengan Kristian, Taoism dan Bahai,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada Utusan Malaysia ketika diminta mengulas ucapannya semasa majlis penyerahan Dana Zakat Program Didik Cemerlang Akademik 2009 di Sungai Dua di sini semalam.

Ketika berucap pada majlis tersebut, Shabudin melahirkan rasa kurang senangnya terhadap penubuhan Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama Pulau Pinang yang bertujuan meletakkan semua agama, termasuk agama Islam sebagai sama rata dengan agama-agama lain.

Majlis tersebut ditubuhkan tahun lalu iaitu selepas kerajaan pakatan pembangkang yang diterajui Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng mula memerintah negeri itu.

Majlis itu dipengerusikan Guan Eng sendiri. Mengulas lanjut, Shabudin yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Permatang Berangan, Tasek Gelugor berkata, agama Islam itu tinggi dan tidak ada yang lebih tinggi daripadanya.

Looking through my archives, I found that Guan Eng did mention setting up a council, but the name is different:

We have also formed an inter-religious council called Majlis Silaturahim to promote goodwill and understanding among all religions

Its from the Star article dated 23 June 2008.

Is there a difference between “inter faith council” and “inter-religious council”, or in Utusan’s report “Majlis Perundingan Antara Agama” which translates to inter-religious consultation council”?

BTW, isn’t the Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang under Penang state government authority?

Any comments?

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Posted in BornInMalaysia, Religion

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Abdul Ghapur stands up for Kugan in parliament

February 24th, 2009
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One month has passed by as pointed out by Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) since Kugan died in custody. He is the rare voice from BN side to express some sort of disappointment over the pace of investigation. He also was disatisfied that police were investigating Murugiah and Devamany, citing that he would have been at the scene if was informed earlier.

One month has passed since the controversial death of 23-year-old car theft suspect A Kugan in police custody, but his spirit still lingers on in Parliament today as a BN MP stood up in protest over the issue.

MCPX

Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) has expressed his disappointment over the investigation into Kugan’s death as no one from the police force has been charged so far.

He stressed that an independent inquiry should be set up to investigate the police officers who are alleged to be involved in the case.

The independent inquiry, he explained, could be set up by anybody as long as it runs impartially and is not bias in favour of the police.

“We cannot defend the police who are criminals. Even if the Indian boy (Kugan) was a criminal, it was not up to the police to punish him,” the outspoken MP told the House during his Royal Address speech.

Abdul Ghapur also expressed his dissatisfaction over the police investigations into two deputy ministers – SK Devamany and T Murugiah. The two were investigated over the “barge-in” at the mortuary last month.

“They were there to help the family and also to express their sympathies, but why were they investigated? Police are the ones who should be investigated here!

“If I knew about it (Kugan’s custodial death) in the first place, I would have joined them!” exclaimed Abdul Ghapur.

… Met later in the lobby, Abdul Ghapur said the government would have to pay a big price if it does not do something to solve the matter.

“Otherwise, the next (political) tsunami will sweep us all,” he said, adding that people would start losing confidence in the police force and the BN government would lose the federal government in the next general election.

When asked as to why Kugan’s custodial death has got his attention rather than previous similar cases, Abdul Ghapur said Kugan’s case was such a “high-profile” one that it was constantly highlighted in the media.

“We also want the police to behave. So, we must have an independent investigation and the investigator must report the outcome to the public,” he said.

Abdul Ghapur further agreed that the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), as recommended by the Royal Commission “would be the perfect body” in investigating such cases in the future.

While its heartening to see an MP focusing on the lack of investigation (even though its for political reasons), one wonders if anything will change.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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Karpal shouldn’t waste time with Samy

February 23rd, 2009
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I think Karpal Singh should not be wasting his time nor energy advising Samy Vellu. He’ll be better off worrying about impending court cases or by-elections. No one can beat Samy Vellu. Gerakan fella already got his share, next will be Karpal.

DAP chairperson Karpal Singh today trained his sights at long-time MIC leader S Samy Vellu, urging the latter not to seek re-election for the party post which he had held since 1979.

“I would advise Samy Vellu to step down as president of the MIC. He does not have the moral right to even consider standing for re-election as president of the MIC,” Karpal said in a statement.

Karpal added that Samy Vellu should “repent for the woes brought about by his leadership on the Indian community”.

He also said that Samy Vellu has no rights to seek the support of the Indian community which he took for granted.

Karpal, himself a veteran politician, said that the results of the last general election proved how Samy Vellu fared amongst the community.

“He had boasted that no one could dislodge him as the member of parliament for Sungai Siput.

“The boast was blasted to smithereens by the voters in Sungai Siput and for good reason,” added Karpal.

In general election, almost the entire MIC leadership was defeated, leaving just three parliamentarians from the party. As a result Samy Vellu also lost his place in the cabinet.

Karpal added that Samy Velly had failed the Indian community which has been sidelined by the government.

“He was more interested in the enhancement of his own interests and those of his cronies.”

Karpal further said that Samy Vellu’s retirement will be one in disgrace, adding that he should have stepped down when the time was up.

The veteran lawyer, who has long crossed horns with Samy Vellu, also urged MIC members to leave the party to join the DAP or the PKR.

These two parties, he said, can effectively advance their (the Indian community’s) interests.

Karpal’s attack on Samy Vellu had come in response to the latter’s recent decision to contest for the top post in the party during the presidential election in April.

The contests for all other party posts in MIC will be held in September.

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Samy to Pakatan: What have you done for the Indians?

February 23rd, 2009
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Interesting to see Samy Vellu asking what Pakatan Rakyat has done for Indians since last year’s general elections (a total of 11 months).  Its time for Pakatan to bring out the report cards. I only hope its not thicker than MIC’s reports card for last 11 months. We should compare apples with apples, no? The makkal would love to see both report cards filled with As. I hope we don’t see a string of Fs for either one of them.

Samy Vellu also criticised Pakatan Rakyat, in particular Parti Keadilan Rakyat, for misleading the Indians in the country.

He said many youths were swayed by PKR’s empty promises. He asked what Pakatan Rakyat had done for Indians after last year’s general election.

“We must show them, teach them a lesson in by-elections and other elections. Don’t just make empty promises,” he said at the launch of the MIC Youth Recruitment and Voters Registration Bureau which attracted some 700 youths from Selangor.

The next thing to pique my mind was this:

MIC’s youth coordinator T. Mohan said about 20,000 youths were waiting to join MIC.

err…waiting for what ah? I don’t suppose position of sun, moon and stars have anything to do with it? Whatever it is, good news for MIC as 20,000 is not a small number. Hopefully they are for real.

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A R Rahman wins double Oscars

February 23rd, 2009
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Well, this news will be soon around the world. People in India and Tamil Nadu especially, will rejoicing over this victory. Rahman’s win double the number of Indian wins in the last decade to four. Rahman won the Original Score and Original Song (Jai Ho) for the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Rahman started his career under Maestro Illayaraja and was given his first break as music composer for movie by director Maniratnam in the 1991 1992 (0r 1993?) hit Roja, a Tamil movie.

Here’s some info from NST:

In doing so, the 43-year-old once called “the Mozart of Madras” becomes only the third Indian to be honored by the Academy, just weeks after becoming the first person from the sub-continent to win a coveted Golden Globe.

Born A.S. Dileep Kumar in the southern city of Madras (now Chennai) on January 6, 1966, Allah Rakha Rahman’s father, R.K. Shekhar, was a musical director for movies in the Indian language of Malayalam.

The young Dileep’s father died when he was nine, prompting his mother to convert from Hindu to Islam and forcing Rahman into playing music to support his family.

Rahman, who also switched faiths, went on to write jingles and scores for Indian television and eventually set up a high-tech recording studio in his home city where he still lives and works.

His break into the Hindi-language film industry of Bollywood came in 1991 when he composed the music for the movie “Roja.” Its box office success won him plaudits among audiences and peers.

Leading Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar described Rahman’s composition as a “masterpiece.” Rahman has never looked back and is responsible for music on some of the biggest hits in Indian cinema in recent years and is thought to have sold more than 100 million albums.

The legendary Indian film singer Asha Bhosle once said he had “brought about a freshness, a new sound to film music.” Rahman’s move onto the world stage began in 2001, when British composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber asked him to compose the music for the musical “Bombay Dreams.” Work on the stage version of “Lord of the Rings” followed.

“Slumdog Millionaire” brought him even wider acclaim, with its versatile soundtrack fusing hip-hop and pulsing electronica, haunting ballads, instrumentals and upbeat Bollywood-style numbers.

Hard-working Rahman, a devout Muslim who composes only at night, is not one to court the limelight, preferring instead a simple life with his wife Saira and three children and working on charitable projects.

He even missed the wild celebrations with the cast and crew at the Indian premiere of “Slumdog” just after the film was nominated for 10 Oscars. He was putting the finished touches to music for a new movie.

The composer’s Golden Globes win, which he dedicated to India, was greeted with drums and dancing in movie-mad India. His Oscar win assures him of immortality.

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Posted in Indian, Movies