Posts Tagged ‘Politicians’

PM view on Lina Joy case

June 1st, 2007
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Nazri: “What is the point of keeping a person a Muslim if they no longer believed in the faith and made that publicly known?”
 
PM: No pressure exerted on judges in Lina Joy case

source

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

KUALA LUMPUR: It was not a political decision – that was what Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said about the Lina Joy decision by the Federal Court. 

The Prime Minister said the Government did not exert any pressure on the judges. 

When asked about critics who said the decision was political, he replied: “They must have a hole in their heads if they say it’s a political decision.”  

He said no one had hoped for or pressured the court into making any political decision. 

“That is emotions (talking). If people allow themselves to be influenced by emotions, they will think of all sorts of things and suspect this and that and make themselves uneasy,” he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting yesterday. 

On Wednesday, the Federal Court rejected Lina’s appeal to compel the National Registration Department (NRD) to remove the word “Islam” from her identity card. 

Lina, 42, was born Azlina Jailani to Malay parents and brought up as a Muslim but later converted to Christianity. She managed to get her name changed but was denied a change in her religious status. 

On whether the decision gave non-Muslims the wrong perception, Abdullah said: “If they have the wrong perception, what can we do? The court made a decision and I don’t question that. There are many decisions the court had made which many of us are not happy with.” 

Abdullah said he did not think there was a widening religious divide in the country of late. 

“Discussions on religion have become more widespread but this does not represent a divide,” he said.  

On a foreign report that said the Lina Joy verdict showed that Malaysia rejected Christianity, Abdullah said that if this was the case there would be no Christians and no churches in the country. 

He said the report was probably done out of ignorance “but if they know our country and said that, then that is being naughty.” 

On non-Muslims having problems in their dealings with the Syariah Court, he said such cases would have to be dealt with. 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who is the de facto law minister, urged everyone to respect the decision and not to speculate that Lina would not stand a chance in the Syariah Court. 

“What is the point of keeping a person a Muslim if they no longer believed in the faith and made that publicly known?” he asked. 

In Kota Baru, PAS deputy president Nasruddin Mat Isa welcomed the decision, saying that it had removed any ambiguity regarding the role of the Syariah Court on matters of Islamic faith and belief.  

SMC’s 25 Years Celebration

June 1st, 2007
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SMC’s 25th anniversary a time to rejoice over achievements
 

By WANI MUTHIAH

wani@thestar.com.my 

THE Sri Murugan Centre’s recent 25th anniversary celebration was filled with nostalgia as well as a sense of great achievement. 

Attended by scores of parents, students, volunteers and well-wishers, the event which was held at Universiti Malaya (UM), highlighted SMC’s strength as well as its growth over the years. 

One of the highlights of the event was the acknowledgement accorded to a group of former UM undergraduates who had helped founder Datuk Dr M. Thambirajah initiate the SMC in 1982. 

The group of 42, led by Kedah deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm (II) A. Thaiveegan who was then the university’s Tamil Language Society chairman, had set out to draft the initial modules and start tuition classes for Form Six students. 

Recognition: Prakash Rao being awarded the SMC Outstanding Student Award by his mentor Thambirajah at the event.

Not all of the 42 were able to make it for the event but Thambirajah honoured the 33 who did, which included Thaiveegan and his wife Komodhi, with garlands and mementoes. 

One of the centre’s co-directors Prakash Rao also received the SMC’s outstanding student award, for his achievements since he first started attending tutorial classes as a Form Six student in Ipoh. 

Prakash, 41, not only excelled academically but also returned to the SMC and has been a pivotal figure at the centre for the last 15 years. 

Meanwhile, SMC co-director K. Suraindran said the large turnout at the event indicated SMC’s successful journey from the time of its inception. 

He added that the event also highlighted SMC’s plans for the future. 

“We indicated at the event that the SMC is looking at a different direction now in addition to being a centre for academic excellence,” Suraindran said. 

According to him, besides continuing to help Indian students excel academically, the SMC would also be concentrating in creating Indian Malaysians with values par excellence. 

“When the SMC first started, Indian families were not conscious about the importance of education but now they are. 

“So, we are looking at other areas of development as what we had initially set out to do has been achieved,” he added. 

Among the guests at the event were deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S. Veerasingam, National Land Finance Cooperative Society executive chairman Tan Sri K.S. Somasundaram, Housing and Local Government Ministry parliamentary secretary Dr S. Subramaniam, Education Ministry parliamentary secretary Komala Krishna Moorthy and Selangor executive councillor Kamala Ganapathy. 

PM view on Lina Joy case – Malay papers

June 1st, 2007
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PM affirms that Constitution is the highest authority.
 
Kes Lina Joy: PM minta usah ikut emosi
 
 
Oleh Anwar Hussin, Saufi Hamzah dan Rohaniza Idris

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata, semua pihak perlu menerima keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan berhubung kes Azlina Jailani atau Lina Joy, dengan terbuka dan tidak membenarkan diri mereka dipengaruhi emosi.
 
Perdana Menteri menegaskan, kerajaan tidak pernah mempengaruhi mahkamah untuk membuat sebarang keputusan, termasuk berhubung kes Lina Joy yang merayu di Mahkamah Persekutuan untuk menggugurkan perkataan Islam dalam kad pengenalannya

“Kalau kita membenarkan emosi mempengaruhi kita, kita akan fikir macam-macam… syak itu dan ini,” katanya pada sidang media selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno di sini, petang semalam.

Abdullah yang juga Presiden Umno diminta mengulas mengenai reaksi pelbagai pihak berikutan keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan kelmarin yang menolak rayuan Lina Joy yang mengaku murtad sejak 17 tahun lalu untuk menggugurkan perkataan Islam dalam kad pengenalannya.

Mahkamah menegaskan Azlina, 42, atau nama Kristiannya, Lina Joy perlu mendapatkan perakuan bahawa dia sudah murtad daripada Mahkamah Syariah sebelum Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) boleh menggugurkan perkataan Islam dalam kad pengenalannya.

Ditanya sama ada keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan itu melebarkan jurang perbezaan agama di negara ini, Abdullah berkata: “Saya tidak fikir ada jurang perbezaan yang luas walaupun perbincangan berhubung agama semakin meluas”.

Sementara itu, Abdullah menyifatkan media Barat yang memburukkan Malaysia dengan mendakwa tidak mempraktikkan kebebasan agama selepas tidak berpuas hati dengan keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan itu sebagai jahil mengenai negara ini.

“Mereka mempunyai persepsi salah mengenai apa yang kita boleh lakukan. Ini adalah keputusan mahkamah, saya tidak mempersoalkannya. Ada banyak keputusan yang dilakukan mahkamah dan (kadangkala) kita tidak berpuas hati tetapi apa yang boleh kita buat,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata, Malaysia juga tidak pernah menolak kebebasan beragama dan perkara itu jelas terbukti kerana jika tidak, sudah tentu tiada penganut Kristian atau gereja untuk mereka di negara ini.

Beliau turut menyangkal dakwaan media asing kononnya undang-undang Islam kini mengatasi Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
 

Terima keputusan Lina Joy – PM

source

Oleh: HAMDEN RAMLI

KUALA LUMPUR 31 Mei – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi meminta rakyat supaya menerima keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan dalam kes Azlina Jailani atau Lina Joy dengan terbuka dan tidak membenarkan diri mereka dipengaruhi emosi.

Perdana Menteri berkata, sekiranya masyarakat menerima keputusan itu dengan emosi dikhuatiri ia boleh menimbulkan pelbagai syak wasangka.

“Kalau kita membenarkan emosi mempengaruhi kita, kita fikir macam-macam, syak itu, syak ini,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi UMNO di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra di sini, hari ini.

Perdana Menteri berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan semalam menolak permohonan Lina Joy yang mengaku murtad sejak 17 tahun lalu untuk menggugurkan perkataan Islam dalam kad pengenalannya dengan penghakiman secara majoriti 2-1.

Mahkamah menegaskan Azlina, 42, yang menukar namanya kepada Lina Joy perlu mendapatkan perakuan daripada Mahkamah Syariah bahawa dia telah murtad sebelum Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) boleh menggugurkan perkataan Islam dalam kad pengenalannya.

Menurut Abdullah, kerajaan tidak pernah mempengaruhi mahkamah dalam membuat sesuatu keputusan.

“Tiada campur tangan politik. Ini keputusan mahkamah dan saya percaya hakim yang membuat keputusan ini telah mengambil kira semua aspek,” tegas beliau.

Dengan keputusan itu juga, kata Perdana Menteri, ia tidak bermakna Malaysia menolak agama Kristian seperti yang dilaporkan BBC yang bertajuk Malaysia Reject Christianity.

“Jika Malaysia menolak agama Kristian, tidak adalah agama itu di negara ini. Tidak adalah gereja-gereja,” katanya.

Ditanya sama ada keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan itu akan melebarkan jurang perbezaan agama di negara ini, Abdullah berkata: “Saya tidak fikir ada jurang perbezaan yang luas walaupun perbincangan berhubung agama semakin meluas.”

Mengenai persepsi buruk masyarakat antarabangsa terhadap negara berikutan penyiaran meluas keputusan kes berkenaan, Perdana Menteri berkata, tidak banyak yang boleh dilakukan kerana ia adalah keputusan mahkamah

“Ada banyak keputusan yang telah dibuat oleh mahkamah dan banyak juga yang tidak menggembirakan sesetengah pihak, apa yang kita boleh buat,” ujarnya.

Pada masa yang sama, Abdullah turut menyangkal dakwaan seorang wartawan media asing bahawa undang-undang Islam kini mengatasi Perlembagaan Persekutuan negara ini.

“Tak ada perkara macam itu (undang-undang Islam mengatasi Perlembagaan Persekutuan). Perlembagaan Persekutuan ialah Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Ada satu set undang-undang yang perlu kita patuhi. Ia merupakan sesuatu yang perlu kita patuhi, itu sahaja,” katanya.

Dalam penghakiman semalam, Ketua Hakim Negara, Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim dan Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan, Datuk Alauddin Mohd Sherif menolak rayuan tersebut, manakala Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak, Datuk Richard Malanjum membenarkan permohonan itu.

Hakim Ahmad Fairuz berkata, JPN berhak mengenakan syarat kepada Lina Joy supaya mengemukakan sijil atau deklarasi atau perintah Mahkamah Syariah untuk mengesahkan dia murtad sebelum boleh menggugurkan perkataan ‘Islam’ daripada kad pengenalannya itu.

Hakim Malanjum pula berpendapat arahan JPN supaya Lina Joy mengemukakan sijil murtad dari Mahkamah Syariah Wilayah Persekutuan tidak munasabah kerana walaupun jabatan tersebut tidak melakukan apa-apa kesalahan undang-undang, namun adalah mustahil bagi syarat itu dipatuhi.

Malaysia’s Crisis of Faith

May 31st, 2007
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Malaysia's Crisis of Faith
Wednesday, May. 30, 2007 By HANNAH BEECH

Muslims gathered for a vigil outside Malaysia's Palace of Justice awaited the verdict on Lina Joy's case, May 30, 2007
Tengku Bahar / AFP/Getty Images
 
In what has been dubbed a blow to Malaysia's religious freedom, the country's highest court on Wednesday denied an appeal by Christian convert Lina Joy to make her switch from Islam recognized by law. A multi-ethnic state composed largely of Muslim Malays, Christian and Buddhist Chinese, and Hindu and Sikh Indians, Malaysia has long prided itself on its diversity of faiths. To safeguard this religious heterogeneity, the country's constitution sets out a dual-track legal system in which Muslims are bound by Shari'a law for issues such as marriage, property and death, while members of other faiths follow civil law.
 

Malaysians expected Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to be cautious, but he has quickly emerged as a bold reformer

But the parallel system has occasionally faced snags. Joy is a Malay originally known as Azlina Jailani, and by Malaysian law her ethnicity automatically makes her a Muslim subject to Shari'a law. In order to make her 1990 conversion to Christianity legal, she needed permission from the Shari'a courts, which consider a renunciation of Islam a major offense. But, since she is still classified as a Muslim by the state, Joy was not allowed to have her case heard by the civil courts. Her six-year-long campaign to convince the civil system to legalize her conversion failed, prompting her appeal to the Federal Court, after the Court of Appeal rejected her claim in September 2005.

On Wednesday, the Court announced that it had no jurisdiction over the case since it was under the purview of Shari'a law, effectively punting on any attempt to clear up the gray space that exists between Malaysia's two legal systems. The ruling was greeted by shouts of "God is great!" from many in the assembled crowd outside the Palace of Justice in Kuala Lumpur. More secular observers were far less jubilant. "I see this case not just as a question of religious preference but one of a potential dismantling of Malaysia's … multi-ethnic, multi-religious [character]," warned Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, a member of Joy's legal team, before the decision was announced.

The Joy verdict, which will likely become a precedent for several other pending conversion cases, is seen by many in Malaysia as evidence of how religious politics are cleaving the nation, with a creeping Islamization undermining the rights of both non-Muslims and more moderate adherents to Islam.. Last November, at a party conference for the Muslim-dominated United Malays National Organization ruling party, one delegate vowed he would be willing to "bathe in blood" to defend his ethnicity ? and, by extension, his religion. In several Malaysian states, forsaking Islam is a crime punishable by prison time.

Earlier this week, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who in December acknowledged that race relations in his homeland were "fragile," hosted the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur. In an era where Islam is so often partnered with extremism and autocratic governance, Malaysia was held up at the annual conference as a model of a moderate Muslim nation committed to safeguarding the rights of its diverse population. But the Federal Court's verdict on Joy's case, which represented her last legal recourse, may undercut that reputation. After all, is it complete religious freedom if a 42-year-old woman isn't allowed to follow the faith of her choosing?

post-Ijok, MIC issues show cause letter

May 30th, 2007
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MIC issues show-cause letters to 14 branch chiefs
 

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC has issued show-cause letters to 14 branch chairmen from the Kuala Selangor division for voicing their dissent against the Barisan Nasional's choice of candidate for the Ijok by-election last month. 

Party disciplinary committee chairman Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar said the letters were issued following complaints against the branch chairmen. 

He said the chairmen had two weeks to give their explanation. 

“We will call them to explain further if a clarification is needed. If the explanation is unsatisfactory, the committee can expel them from the party. 

“Those aggrieved with the decision can appeal to the party's central working committee,'' he added. 

Nijhar said the MIC did not encourage dissent over a decision made by the Barisan leadership, as it would be based on the recommendations of party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. 

“It was an embarrassment to the party, leadership and to Barisan when members criticised the party’s decision. This was also exploited by the opposition during the campaign,” he added.