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MIC saravanan interview on radio

January 5th, 2008
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Heard the interview of Datuk Saravanan, MIC information chief today between 2 and 3pm over Minnal FM. Among other things he said:
 
1. the sri lankan indians, northern indian, indian muslims, and indians who lived in town areas around 50 years ago were better off unlike the southern indians bought to malaya by the british as workers. The southern indians who were primarily in estates and rural areas were given lodging, schooling, and liquor shops were contented until in early 80s when the realization to improve their lives came about. He said TDM's policy was one of the main factors. (Perhaps closing of estates and discriminative policies played a role too.)
 
2. He said, if compare in the last 20 years or so, indians from estates have progress well if compared to malays and chinese. this is due to efforts of MIC and other groups as well. this was because the chinese had economic strength and the malays were helped by the govt. but the indians did it on their own.
 
3. He said the indians, especially youths, are now more politically aware and show interest in national issues, due to the "happenings" lately. He thanked all those who have created this awareness, without mentioning names (i assume he meant HINDRAF?).
 
4. He asked indians to attend the 20th january function by MIC to voice out their opinions and ideas. He said PM will be there and we should come and show the support to PM so that PM will agree to provide more for indians. He asked all interested parties to contact MIC with their ideas/opinions so that can compile and present to PM. (perhaps he forgot to mention that the gathering is organised by MIC to show that indians still support PM, BN, UMNO, and MIC).
 
5. he said let bygones be bygones and make use of the opportunity created by "recent events" to voice our needs to the govt. he said it is important to stay united (behind MIC?) so that the govt will listen to the community.
 
I didn't listen to the early part, only managed to catch it at 2.30pm.

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5.9% increase in enrolment

January 5th, 2008
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 Increase of 5.9% is quite good! I suppose percentage of Indian students in nationals schools also increased, due to more number of eligible school going students!
 
 
 
More pupils enrolling in Tamil schools
 
 
TAMIL NESAN, in its editorial, said the increase in the enrolment of Year One students in Tamil schools reflects the confidence parents have in these schools. This increase was seen both in rural and urban areas. 

There was a 5.9% increase in enrolment over the previous year. 

The paper said MIC had taken constructive action to refurbish many Tamil schools throughout the country, while a few new Tamil schools had also been built. 

The paper said positive response from parents showed that Tamil schools and Tamil education had a bright future in this country. 

The hard work of Tamil schoolteachers and headmasters in producing more outstanding students showed that the standard of education in Tamil schools had increased, which earned the confidence of parents. 

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MIC wants temples to stop suspicious special prayers

January 5th, 2008
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In other words, if the devotee want to do prayer for HINDRAF ISA detainees, MIC wants the temple to block them? Hmmm…how about wanting to have prayer for children education, winning lottery, doing well in business, etc? Also considered personal reasons right?
 
 
Temple committees responsible for activities conducted on temple grounds
 
 

Temple committees must be responsible for activities conducted in temple premises, said MIC secretary-general and parliamentary secretary to Housing and Local Government Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam in a press statement, reported Tamil Nesan. 

He said temple committees and devotees must responsibly safeguard their rights, and added that temples had the freedom to conduct prayers and religious classes, and also celebrate festivals, in their compounds. 

He said when individuals or organisations wanted to conduct special prayers, it was the duty of the committee to ensure these were for religious purposes and not anything else. 

If organisers wanted to have speeches, then they should seek approval from the committee, which had the right to immediately stop any politically motivated speeches.

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Sikhs use Allah as well

January 5th, 2008
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'Allah': What about us? ask Sikhs
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz | Jan 4, 08 1:55pm

For centuries, Sikhs have used the words ‘Allah’ to refer to God as well as the Arabic terms ‘iman’ and ‘ibadat’ for faith and worship.

Following the government’s ban against the usage of purportedly ‘Islamic’ terms by non-Muslims, what will happen to the practice of the Sikh religion in Malaysia?

This was among the question raised today by Malaysian Gurdwara Council head Harcharan Singh following reports that the cabinet had decided against allowing the use of the term Allah by those practicing religions other than Islam.

“We have used the terms Allah and Rahim (Most Merciful), for example, extensively in our writings and in our prayers to refer to the One God. The word Allah is used in our main holy scripture.

"Sikh gurus in India have used these terms for centuries, they have become part of the Punjabi language, and we are still using them today,” said Harcharan when contacted.

Sikhs also use the word ‘Khuda’ for God, he noted in reference to the term used, among others, by Bangladeshi Muslims.

“In addition to these words, we also use the terms 'iman' and 'ibadat' among the many other words (that are used by Muslims),” added Harcharan, whose organisation represents Sikhs in Malaysia.

“If the word Allah has been banned for use by non-Muslims, what’s going to happen to Sikhs and the practice of their religion?” he asked.

Harcharan’s (photo) comments follow on the heels of a decision announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdulllah Mohd Zin yesterday that the cabinet had disallowed Catholic publication Herald from using the words Allah (God), solat (prayer), Kaabah and baitullah (House of God) in its weekly’s Bahasa Malaysia section.

Abdullah, who oversees Islamic religious affairs, was reported today as having said the prime minister had directed him to clarify the matter so that the public would not be confused.

“One of the reasons given to uphold the restriction is because that it has long been the practice of this country that the word Allah refers to God according to the Muslim faith,” said Abdullah according to the Star.

It was only proper for other religions to use the word God and not Allah when referring to their God in respective beliefs, he added.

Poser for the government
Harcharan pointed out that the usage by Sikhs of Arabic and Persian terms normally used by Muslims is understandable given, among other facts, that Sikhism founder Guru Nanak had traveled extensively throughout Muslim lands.

Nevertheless, the issue raises a poser for the government, said Harcharan.

“I don’t know whether the basis of the government’s ban on the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims is political or religious. But if in today’s age of globalisation we are stopping people of one religion from using the words ‘belonging’ to another, I don’t know where we are heading,” he said.

Herald had earlier faced proscription following the Internal Security Ministry’s directive for it to refrain from using the word Allah in its weekly’s Bahasa Malaysia section.

Herald was later informed it’s permit had been renewed, with its editor Father Lawrence Andrew saying he had received a letter indicating it can resume printing without any restrictions.

Notwithstanding, the publisher has filed a writ of summons in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to seek declarations of use of the word Allah.

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court allows husband to block muslim burial

January 5th, 2008
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read the initial articles here:
 
 

Court allows Christian husband to block Muslim funeral

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/76691
Jan 4, 08 5:48pm

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today granted an order to a non-Muslim husband to bar Islamic authorities from giving his dead wife a Muslim funeral.

The tug-of-war over the body of Wong Sau Lan, who died Dec 30, would mean that she will remain unburied until the court determines whether she converted to Islam before her death.

Wong's Christian husband, Ngiam Tee Kong, sought the court order after the Federal Territory Islamic Council claimed that Wong had converted to Islam on Dec 24. The religious body sought to bury her according to Muslim rites.

Wong’s body would now remain in the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) mortuary until the court starts hearing the case on her alleged conversion on Jan 18.

Ngiam’s lawyer Karpal Singh was quoted in the media today as saying that it was unclear as to how long the case might take to resolve.

Ngiam, a 53-year-old manager of an entertainment outlet, is claiming that his wife, who was 53, remained a Christian at her death and that any conversion was legally invalid.

In his affidavit, Ngiam said when he went to HUKM to claim his wife's body, he was informed that it would only be released to him if he confirmed that she was a Muslim at the time of her death.

He was also told that the body would be released to him only for having Christian rites to be performed, after which it was to be returned to the hospital for it to be buried according to Muslim rites.

Invalid conversion

Ngiam claimed that on Dec 31, a day after Wong died, he received a declaration of conversion dated the same day signed by the Federal Territory Religious Department director, stating that Wong converted to a Muslim on Dec 24 at a flat in Jalan Siakap, Cheras.

Ngiam said the letter given to him did not state his wife's Muslim name. He said she was a practising Christian at the time of her death.

He said the letter of conversion was not in compliance with the provisions of Section 90(1) of the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act, 1993, as it was not given to Wong before her death.

Ngiam is seeking, among others, declarations that:

– Wong was a Christian at the time of her death;

– she did not fully embrace Islam before she died;

– she was not a Muslim at the time of her death.

He also wants the court to issue an order that he had the right to his wife's body and for the HUKM hospital director to release it to him immediately.

This case is the latest in a string of similar cases which have been referred to the civil courts over disputes involving the burial of people whom Muslim authorities claimed had converted to Islam.

A national debate erupted when M Moorthy was buried as a Muslim in December 2005, ignoring objections from his Hindu wife, after an Islamic court ruled he had converted from Hinduism before his death.

Ethnic Malay Muslims make up about 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, while the rest are predominantly Buddhists, Hindus or Christians from ethnic Chinese and Indian communities.

 
Court allows husband to prevent MAIWP from claiming wife’s body

BERNAMA

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

The High Court (Appeals and Special Powers Division) here today granted temporary injunction to a snooker centre manager to prevent the Federal Territory Islamic Council (MAIWP) from claiming the remains of his wife who died on Sunday.

Justice Lau Bee Lan made the decision after hearing an ex-parte application by lawyer Karpal Singh who representd the plaintiff, Ngiam Tee Kong, 52, in his chamber.

Lau also allowed Ngiam’s application to prevent the Director of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM), its agents or staff from handing over the remains of his wife, Mong Sau Lan, 53, to MAIWP.

The judge set Jan 18 as the date for hearing of the inter-parte application.

In the writ of summons filed on Jan 2, Ngiam said Mong died on Dec 30 and her remains were being kept at the HUKM morgue.
Ngiam said they were married in 1979 at the Civil Registration Office, Petaling Jaya, and before her death, his wife was practising Christianity.

He said he had made a claim for his wife’s remains at HUKM but was informed (by HUKM) that the handing over of his wife’s remains to him was only for the purpose of performing rituals according to the Christian faith and thereafter the body must be returned to MAIWP for a Muslim burial.

Ngiam said he refused to comply with the request and demanded that his wife’s remains be handed over to him as the legal husband but the defendant disagreed to do so.

He said that on Dec 31, he had received a letter declaring that his wife had converted to Islam authorised by the Director of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department and according to the letter, his wife had converted to Islam at a house at the Sri Melaka Flats, Cheras, at 10.45am on Dec 24, last year and this had been registered at the department on Dec 31 of the same year.

Ngiam claimed that the declaration of conversion to Islam was not in accordance with the law. – BERNAMA

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