People’s Call for Regime Change – Part 2

By

NH Chan

18 February, 2011

(The People’s Judge continues his call to the young to use the tools of modern communication to effect change in Malaysia, pointing out how we are stuck with a government using 19th century British colonial laws to further repress us. Read Part 1 of this article here.- LoyarBurok.com)

The Sedition Act as applied in this country

The sedition legislation is the most oppressive law ever devised by a colonial power to subjugate the natives by the colonialists who took over the land they had colonized. In this country the Sedition Act 1948 is typical of such colonialism – this word means ‘the practice of acquiring and controlling another country and occupying it’. If you read on you will know that this is the true picture of how our Sedition Act 1948 migrated from 1870 British India to Peninsular Malaya in 1948 when the country was a British protectorate except for Malacca and Penang which were colonies.

There is an excellent article in the Star, Wednesday, 9 February 2011, titled Sedition law’s overreach by Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi. It says:

Definition: Section 2 and 3(1) of the [Sedition Act 1948] state that any act, speech, words or publication are seditious if they have a tendency towards any of the following:

To bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or government.

Dissaffection does not mean absence of affection but refers to disloyalty, enmity and hostility: PP v Param Cumaraswamy [1986] 1 MLJ 526

Application of the law: In Param Cumaraswamy it was held that intention to incite to violence, tumult or public disorder is not a necessary ingredient of the crime.

As long as the words were intentionally published and they had a tendency to cause ill will, etc, the offence is complete.

The Professor also alluded to the acquittal of Mr Cumaraswamy:

But in PP v Param the defendant’s criticism of the Pardon’s Board for not applying uniform standards in considering applications for mercy was held not to constitute sedition.

I was the judge who tried Mr Param Cumaraswamy. At the conclusion of the trial, I acquitted him.

As pointed out by Professor Faruqi ‘As long as the words were intentionally published and they had a tendency to cause ill will, etc, the offence is’ established. I had to acquit Param Cumaraswamy because I made a finding of fact that the words when uttered by him, who is a mere lawyer without any following, could not possibly have any tendency ‘to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or government’. The Public Prosecutor, who in this case was the Attorney-General – he was Abu Talib – did not appeal.

Just think how repressive this law is. You can’t even say that the powers that be were practicing double standards. If Param had been tried before another judge he could have been convicted. For example, in Lim Guan Eng v PP [1998] 3 MLJ 14, HC & CA; [2000] 2 MLJ 577, FC an opposition leader who complained that justice was selectively administered was convicted of the sedition charge. Even members of Parliament can be convicted of sedition for words spoken in Parliament: see Mark Koding v PP [1982] 2 MLJ 120.

Mahathir when he was Prime Minister spoke in Parliament to remove the powers of the rulers yet nothing happened to him. But if anyone were to point out there is selective prosecution he can be charged for sedition and most probably he would be convicted.

At the end of his article, the Professor pointed out that:

The concept of sedition in Malaysia is much broader than in the UK, Ireland, India and Australia.

On ideal democratic standards, the law is open to many criticisms for its breadth and for its far-reaching implications on political life in the country.

For this reason it is ripe for review. Whether the technique for law reform will be legislative or judicial remains to be seen.

We are stuck in the 19th century

The professor is quite right. The Sedition Act 1948 is an archaic piece of legislation. It migrated from 1870 British India to Peninsular Malaya in 1948 (Sabah in 1964 and Sarawak in 1969). While other countries of the Commonwealth, of which Malaysia is a member, have advanced into the modern age, in this country, time stood still. We are still back in the time of Sir James Stephen in 1870 British India. This was pointed out by Sinha CJ in Kader Nath v State of Bihar [1962] AIR, SC 955. In fact section 124A of the Indian Penal Code was the work of Stephen J.

Sir James Stephen was the judge (he was Mr Justice Stephen in England) whose definition of sedition appeared as Article 93 of the Digest of the Criminal Law. I said this before I called on Mr Cumaraswamy to enter on his defence, “Although it may appear to be in English case law that incitement to violence or inciting others to public disorders is an essential ingredient of sedition, it is not so in a criminal code which has as its model Stephen’s definition.”

Article 93 of the Digest was used as the model for the crime of sedition in the Criminal Code of the Gold Coast.

So that when we look at section 124A of the Indian Penal Code or at the Criminal Code of the Gold Coast on Sedition, or our own Sedition Act, we are looking at the definition of sedition as apprehended by Sir James Stephen back in the year 1870. The English common law on sedition has developed separately from Stephen’s 1870 definition. As pointed out by Professor Faruqi other nations like the UK, Ireland, India and Australia have moved on to modern times. The modern law of sedition is no longer repressive in other countries but not so in Malaysia where our sedition law is the same law as applied to the colonies of Great Britain back in the year 1870. For us Malaysians we live in a retrograde – this word means moving backwards to a worse state – country where our clock had stopped in the year 1870.

Using the ability of the internet for change

Now, I trust you will realize that we Malaysians are in dire straits. Don’t you think it is time for us to move on to a better Malaysia. Like the people of Egypt we can use people’s power to change from tyranny to a true democracy. Use the power of your vote to unseat the oppressors.

We have been under their yoke for 53 years. Enough is enough!

Use facebook and twitter. Use your email and if every reader of this article emails it to his friends we will be able to persuade a whole generation of young people to vote out the BN and replace them with a new government.

It doesn’t matter that the new are inexperienced but at least we have a government of the people, by the people and for the people. It took the English peoples 700 years to get rid of their tyrannical kings. The American people took 250 years to get to where they are today.

I don’t think we will take that long because we are resilient and we have the benefit of hindsight. And above all we have our young people whose young minds will be able to meet the challenges ahead.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 18 February 2011, 5:19 pm and is filed under
Court
,
Law & Order
,
NH Chan
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Speaker: Court ‘unjust’ in hearing case ex-parte

Joseph Sipalan

Malaysiakini

Feb 18, 11

Selangor state assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim has criticised the Shah Alam High Court for hearing Badrul Hisham Abdullah’s application to be declared the valid Port Klang state assemblyperson without his (Teng’s) counsel present.

Teng ) said his lawyer had sought a postponement on Feb 11 as he would engaged in a three-day trial in Johor Baru and would not be able to make it for the hearing originally slated for Feb 17.

Speaking at a press conference in Shah Alam after the judgment was delivered, Teng said the trial was postponed by only one day, to today, during the case management on Feb 16 and that this made no difference to his lawyer.

“I don’t see the rationale behind postponing it to the 18th. They might as well have heard it on the 17th… The court should not have proceeded with the hearing in the absence of my counsel, and the court knows about it.

“Justice hurried is justice buried,” said Teng, who was formerly a successful lawyer.

He described the judgment as “unjust” as it was heard the absence of his counsel. He said that he would file an appeal next week to set aside the decision.

‘Where are my rights?’

Teng, a lawyer himself, said the High Court’s decision was a breach of natural justice as he, being the defendant, was not given the opportunity to be heard and neither did the court give him the benefit of a 40-day period to respond to Badrul Hisham’s affidavit to which they are entitled.

He added that as a speaker, both the federal and state constitutions clearly state that his decisions are immune to court proceedings.

“The court has to take judicial notice that this case involves the constitution, the House and the speaker… this is not a case of any Tom, Dick or Harry.

“The world will laugh at us. What kind of judiciary do we have? If a speaker can face a predicament like this, imagine what a regular citizen will face.”

Teng said he has instructed his counsel to file an application to set aside the High Court judgement, which he said will “certainly” be done by next week.

Last month, Teng declared the Port Klang seat vacant after he found that Badrul Hisham had been absent without leave from the state assembly for six months consecutively.

Badrul Hisham however denied the charge, insisting that he was still the rightful elected representative of Port Klang and later filing a court challenge to declare Teng’s announcement as null and void.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 18 February 2011, 10:16 pm and is filed under
Constitution
,
Elections
,
Selangor
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


BN has non-Muslim portfolio too, says Guan Eng

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

The Malaysian Insider

February 19, 2011

SHAH ALAM, Feb 19 — Lim Guan Eng has defended Penang’s new non-Muslim executive council portfolio by pointing out that Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Perak maintained a similar initiative in 2009.

The Penang chief minister claimed today that Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was responsible for continuing such a portfolio when he took over the state administration from Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin after the BN coup in February that year.

“The non-Muslim portfolio (in Perak) created by Nizar was continued by Zambry who gave it to MCA’s Datuk Mah Hang Soon to handle.

“Datuk Mukhriz (Mahathir) said that I insulted islam by setting up such a portfolio. If so it is more serious that a Muslim like Zambry ‘insults’ Islam by continuing with such portfolio,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider today, referring to the Jerlun MP.

The Penang CM then questioned Utusan Malaysia’s motives for attacking his administration over the setting up of the non-Muslim portfolio.

“So why is Utusan attacking the Penang government then?” said Lim today.

On Wednesday, the Penang government announced a new executive council portfolio to handle non-Muslim religious issues in the state, then thought to be the first such portfolio in the country.

However, a Utusan Malaysia report later claimed the portfolio to be a “tool” that can be used to threaten Islam as the official religion of Malaysia.

The Umno-owned Malay daily said the portfolio — which comes under Lim’s purview — could discuss religious conversion, preaching, use of religious terms, construction of houses of worship and cemeteries. These, it said, could be used to put other religions on an equal footing with Islam.

Lim, who attended a PAS convention on Malay rights earlier today, also stressed that the Penang government was neither anti-Malay nor anti-Islam.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 February 2011, 2:13 pm and is filed under
Lim Guan Eng
,
Penang
,
Religion
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Enough is enough!

by
Thomas Lee

MYsinchew.com

 2011-02-18 17:37

When announcing the establishment of the Penang Exco Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee early this week, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng pointed out that the Pakatan Rakyat-controlled Penang state government has been under siege with constant unwarranted attacks of being anti-Malay even over simple and small matters.

Even before the high-profile committee can start to meet to formulate its plan of action, the Umno newspaper Utusan Melayu has launched a harsh and raucous assault on it, claiming that it is a tool to sideline Islam, and bully the Muslims and Malay Rulers.

“To Muslim leaders and Muslims in Penang … beware the subtle and slick tactics of a certain leader to sideline Islam as the official religion and bypass the Conference of Rulers,” the Utusan said its Thursday 17 February 2011 edition.

The Utusan was commenting on the new state executive council portfolio initiated by Guan Eng to handle religious matters relating to the non-Islamic religions like Buddhisms, Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism and Hinduism.

The high-profile exco committee is headed by Guan Eng himself, with Deputy Chief Minister (II) Prof Dr P. Ramasamy as the deputy chairman.

The Utusan attack on the Pakatan Rakyat-controlled Penang state government is certainly not unexpected or surprising, given the fact that the Umno mouthpiece has been on an unbridled energetic campaign against the DAP and its secretary-general Guan Eng since the Barisan Nasional lost control of Penang after the March 2008 general election. The newspaper has lately become very ethno-centric and more race-centred in its reporting and writings.

In 2008, the Utusan campaigned against Selangor Senior Executive Councillor Teresa Kok of the DAP, accusing her of asking a Puchong mosque to stop playing the azan over its loudspeaker. Teresa was then arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), but released a week later. She had denied the allegation while the mosque committee members also came forward to defend her.

In August 2010, the Utusan had played up a story on DAP Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching entering the worship area of the Surau Al-Huda in Kajang Sentral during a ceremony to present aid to PAS members. The unwarranted sensationalizing of the inadvertent unwitting incident using thoughtless and emotionally toned language to stir up negative feelings against Teo was certainly despicable.

Then in December 2010, the newspaper attacked Teo again for alleged failure to dress appropriately during her visit to a mosque. She was condemned for allegedly wearing tight-fitting clothes at an aerobics exercise programme in the mosque’s car park. The Utusan had accused Teo of not respecting Muslim sensitivities for not covering her aurat and wearing what it called a tight-fitting T-shirt and track pants.

In December 2010, the Utusan accused the DAP of being a tool of a foreign government and called for the party to be banned. A day after the Pakatan Rakyat national convention, the Malay daily also accused Guan Eng of being anti-Malay as it zeroed in its assault on the Penang Chief Minister and the DAP.

In its Monday 20 December 2010 edition, Utusan featured remarks by Umno leaders who, among others, called the DAP the “king of racism”.

There was also an article entitled “Guan Eng’s rudeness” that listed Guan Eng’s alleged anti-Malay acts.

The Utusan had also claimed that Guan Eng had banned a Maulidur Rasul procession, prevented Malay traders from participating in the Ramadan bazaar in Komtar, and demolished various villages.

The newspaper had also condemned Guan Eng for allegedly using gambling revenue to fund compassionate payments to Muslim senior citizens.

The Utusan had also quoted Umno vice-president and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that the DAP was a tool of a foreign power.

“Guan Eng should ask himself if the DAP is a true political party that represents Malaysians, or whether it wants to be a tool of a foreign country by hiding behind democracy,” Ahmad Zahid was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

The Utusan Malaysia had also reported Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim as claiming that the DAP worshipped Singapore.

Given all these accusations the Utusan has been making and is making against Guan Eng and the other DAP leaders, and its constant contemptible assaults on the Pakatan Rakyat Penang state government, it is time perhaps for the people to put their act together and send a loud and clear message to the newspaper that enough is enough.

We should note that National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari, himself a senior reporter with the Utusan, has urged the authorities to act against the Utusan editors for allegedly stoking racial sentiments in its reports. Hata had also blamed the drop in the daily’s sales on the editors for pushing what he called racial rhetoric.

As a journalist of 35-year standing and one who would die for the cause of free speech and free press, I would, of course, not recommend any boycott of the newspaper, especially when the rice bowls of hundreds of journalists and newspaper workers are at stake.

However, I believe a concerted effort by newspaper readers to bombard the editors with letters of protest, and to send a strong message via the ballot box at the next general election to Umno to stop the Utusan nonsense will perhaps help to elicit a thorough change in the newspaper’s editorial policy.

Enough is enough! The Utusan must be made to stop its hate campaign against the legitimately elected state government of Penang.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 February 2011, 8:57 am and is filed under
Penang
,
Religion
,
Thomas Lee
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


TQ to you all for the 70th birthday  well-wishes

Rummaging through some old boxes, I came across this editorial which I wrote in the Form III class magazine “Light” (Vol. 2 – Nov. 1957) in Batu Pahat High School:

“During the past few years, the spirit of Malayan nationalism was aroused to such an extent that Malaya was granted Independence and a new nation was born.

“This grand and memorable achievement of Independence was only made possible through the united efforts of the various communities in the country.

“Now Malaya has become a young nation and she is taking her rightful place and her part of responsibility in this strifefuld world.  She must accept and overcome all challenges and, one day, be counted among the greatest of the great.  However, the great men of today who hold the steering-wheel of the country cannot be with us always.

“We, the youths of today, are the leaders of tgomorrow, who will take the helm and navigate the Ship of State to Utopia or Doom. We must now prepare ourselves to ‘serve to lead’. Let us not while away our time in meaningless pastimes and waste away precious moments. Say not that time is abundant, for,

‘Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though strong and brave,

Still, like muffled drums are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.’

“The role of youth in Independent Malaya is now more pressing and difficult for the inexperienced shoulders of the youth of this generation.  We will be the first true independent shoulders to bear this responsibility. Let us then work with greater zeal and will, that our standard be not flying at half-mast, so that the whole world may say that the youths of Malaya, our youths, have not been wasted.

“However, to accomplish this in this new nation with a cosmopolitan population, we must bear in mind that co-operation between the different races is of paramount importance.  It is only in the classrooms, where we are all working on a common basis, that we are imbued with the spirit of tolerance, co-operation and loyalty. Nowhere else is it tested more firmly, and , so let us ‘live and let live’ in friendly fraternity and harmony.”

Looking back, I have largely lived by the spirit of this schoolboy editorial 54 years ago.

I am turning 70 tomorrow and many thanks for your well wishes.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 19 February 2011, 4:52 pm and is filed under
General
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Dear Kit — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Breaking Views

The Malaysian Insider

Feb 19, 2011

FEB 19 — After a long journey in your political career, weathering the often rough and tumble of Malaysian politics, you somehow managed to survive and carve a popular name, an icon among your admirers and a ‘political bug’, so to speak, among your opponents.

So, you are now 70 years of age — not too young but not too old either — to go on treading the political journey.

You have consistently upheld and stood your ground on matters relating to the fundamental rights of all the rakyat, irrespective of race, to free and responsible speech, the rights to enjoy a just and fair distribution of the economic and social wealth of  the nation, and to political, judicial and legal justice.

You have consistently and courageously spoken up against the corruption and the various misdeeds and defaults of the government and demanded actions, both in Parliament as well as outside it, despite the possible reprisals, the threats and even possible punitive actions that might be taken against you, which in fact you have  suffered in the past.

But you have not kept your silence; you continue to grow bigger and speak even louder.

In the end, it seems to me you are the winner because, despite what your opponents say about you, as long as you know and believe what you stand for is good for the poeple and the country, you are on the right path.

Politicians, and especially those who have been given the mandate to ‘rule’ or ‘govern’ the country, must be honest, trustworthy, clean and efficient.

They must have PRINCIPLES and be consistent in their upholding and promotion of the principles for the good of the rakyat and the country and not be swayed or swerved by their personal interests and greed.

The rakyat look up to a Wakil Rakyat or to a government leader not because he or she is a Malay, a Chinese or an Indian, an Iban or a Kadazan; they look up to you because of your principles — principles that they can respect, trust and emulate.

On this auspicious day, may I quote Georges Pompidou who once said:

“A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation.  A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service”.

Let me now say “Selamat Menyambut Hari Jadi Yang ke-70”, in other words “Happy Birthday to You”.

Wishing you good fortune, good health and long life. May you continue to tread the rough and tumble of the Malaysian political road with even greater tenacity and thrust in the years ahead until we can all together ensure that no one in the country is allowed to create a situation of disaster of the type we have just seen in Tunisia and Egypt.

* This is Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s birthday greetings to Lim Kit Siang who turns 70 on February 20, 2011.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 20 February 2011, 2:34 pm and is filed under
DAP
,
General
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


70 and looking forward to more democratic breakthroughs (1)

Turned 70 yesterday. Humbled and overwhelmed by the  avalanche of well wishes and greetings by Malaysians, from all parts of the country and  abroad, whether in person as at the 70th birthday reception at the Equatorial Hotel Penang on Saturday (Feb. 19) organized by my family (happy to learn that many numbers-cognosenti made money as the winning numbers in yesterday’s 3D and 1+3D were 219 and 0219) or through sms, email, facebook, twitter, blogs or through the forums provided by online media like Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia Chronicle, Free Malaysia Today, etc.

Pleasantly surprised from the greetings that I share the same birthday with at least two others – firstly, with the hot online media columnist Mariam Moktar who said in her email:

Dear Mr. Lim.

Two people share the same birthday today…..

The first is you……THANK YOU for all your help in trying to make Malaysia a more just and fair country with a conscience.

You are a ‘good’ man. What more can I say…

The other is me……….hehehe……I am the devil in disguise though… as I cannot conform to the Ketuanan ideals and must be a disappointment to the extremists

Many happy returns of the day……..

Cheerio

Mariam

The other is from my friend Sarajun Hoda who said in
Malaysiakini
:

Sarajun Hoda
 I share the same Birthday with Lim Kit Siang, my hero. May Gpd give health and longer life so that Malaysia could be continued to be led by this great man who walked this earth. We are so lucky to have this man amidst us. Never has any man given so much in his life for the people of Malaysia irrespective of race, religion or creed. He is more than all Tuns put together. He deserves much much more. For his contribution, he puts Mahathir to shame.

Who else share our birthday. You are invited to speak up!

I want to thank Mariam, Sarajun and all for their well wishes and greetings as it is not possible for me to respond individually.

I am particularly touched  to receive the following email from Noelene Heyzer (Mrs Fan Yew Teng) and her twin daughters Lilianne and Pauline:

Our Dear Kit, This is to wish you a Very Happy 70th Birthday on the 20th.

Unfortunately we are not in the region. Lilianne is on her way to Haiti to complete her assignment; Pauline is in Oxford and I am in New York returning to BKK on the 23th. However, from all the different corners of our world, we want you to know that we have started thinking about you and sending you best wishes and all the blessings you so richly deserve. Fondest wishes from all three of us, Noeleen, Lilianne and Pauline.

Noelene, Lilianne and Pauline also graced the occasion, like Karpal and others, with delightful bouquets.

Undoubtedly, if Sdr. Fan Yew Teng had not unfortunately passed away in Bangkok last December, he would have been among the party stalwarts including all the old comrade-at-arms who had a rare re-union on Saturday – going back to the sixties with Dr. Chen Man Hin, Lee Kaw, Liew Ah Kim, Chian Heng Kai, Lau Dak Kee, Ngan Siong Hing, Madhavan Nair, Clement de Brito, Choong Quek Thiam, Tan Heng Swee; and seventies like Karpal Singh, Ngoi Thiam Woh, Dr. Kong Cheok Seng, Loke Swee Chin, Lip Tuck Chee, Pang Su Pin, R.K. Muthu and Chan Kok Wah.

A real pleasure of the 19th Feb gathering was the get-together of  my old class and school mates in Batu Pahat High School, including Aminah from TIGS who came with her specialist husband and two specialist children!

Today is the birthday of Allan Goh, one of my two companions in our bicycle trip from Batu Pahat to Malacca during our secondary schooldays.

On behalf of the Class of 59 of Batu Pahat (our Form V year), Allan had composed the following:

A Salutation: Lim Kit Siang(Classmate Extraordinary)

To our most respected classmate,

The politico, ultimate;

Hail, the lad from Batu Pahat,

Who lives in the Malaysian heart.

In School, you were most decisive,

In politics, most perceptive.

Integrity is your shadow,

You strive for the best tomorrow.

Prisons could not break your spirit,

Nor deprivations, your principles rid.

With ideals, courage and passions,

You fight against exploitations.

You inspire the dream of a life,

Where real values thrive, without strife!

You truly abhor the racial sin,

You want it sent to History’s bin.

Intolerant of unfairness,

That cleaves the Nation’s consciousness;

Faced with unmitigated offence,

You reply with reasoned defence,

Seeking truth, nothing but the truth,

Exposing lies and traits uncouth.

In adversities, your spirit rules supreme,

Despite provocations, threats extreme.

Classmates salute and stand by you,

True Malaysians share your view,

Giving firm support as your due,

With confidence, follow your cue.

Let’s have eternal harmony

And a just common destiny!

Lest we forget: united we stand,

Divided we fall, strand by strand!!

Class of ‘59

Allan is not the only poet of the class. Dr. Michael Ong, who came back from Canberra specially for the birthday do, had a poem on the Australian National University Asia-:Pacific website,
New Mandala
, which Michael never told me until I stumbled on it today, viz:

Happy birthday, Lim Kit Siang MP

Long has been the struggle

In your just journey of Life

Moving ever so slowly but surely

Knowing that the elusive end

Is well worth every sacrifice

To achieve the ultimate aim of

Saving the nation’s soul from

Insidious intolerance

And leading it increasingly towards a

New national harmony

Graced by a Malaysian majority

May this materialise in your lifetime, so

Press on, press on, as you see the finish line!

(to be contd)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 10:21 pm and is filed under
DAP
,
General
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


LIM KIT SIANG: The Legend

By
P. Ramakrishnan
 | Aliran President

My Dear Mr Lim,

This was what I meant to say if I had the opportunity on Saturday which observed your 70th Birthday. Unfortunately, and very understandably, it wasn’t possible. So let me share this with you:

LIM KIT SIANG: The Legend

YB Lim Kit Siang and Mrs Lim, Members of the Lim family, Distinguished Guests, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:

My wife and I are very grateful to the Lim family for extending their invitation to us to be part of this very special occasion. What we are observing today is an important milestone in the life of a remarkable parliamentarian.

YB Lim Kit Siang is no ordinary Malaysian; he is a legend. His public involvement spans over 40 years – a period covering the tenure of six Malaysian Prime Ministers – from the first to the present sixth PM. And he will certainly be there, I’m sure, when a new seventh PM takes over after the 13th General Elections!

This is a record that will not be matched or surpassed by any Malaysian. If he was from Umno, this feat would have gone into the Malaysian Book of records.

There would have been many grand celebrations to mark this occasion to claim this record as their own.

Fortunately, it will not be so! But, nonetheless, history will record this as an extraordinary and exceptional achievement, to be envied and admired. Kit Siang is an enduring and durable parliamentarian. In fact, he is an institution.

His indomitable spirit and fighting qualities have contributed to a large extent in preserving our democracy and what is left of our freedom. Without this man, things would have been very different for all of us.

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination – that’s what Nelson Mandela said. Kit Siang has a good head and a good heart. That’s why he is such a formidable politician.

Sometimes you wonder whether his day has more than 24 hours! He seems to have all the time in the world to respond to every challenge on a daily basis, refute every silly utterance, rebut what is wrong, rebuff what is unfair, rebuke misdeeds and corrupt practices, reprove unethical conduct and discriminatory policies – and much more.

He had defended victims of human rights violations ferociously and condemned police brutality without mincing his words and paid the price for exposing corruption and highlighting abuse of power. He has been in the forefront of every issue that mattered.

The authorities deprived him of three years of his precious freedom by locking him up in Kamunting on two different occasions but they never quelled the brave heart that kept on fighting for justice. He never compromised, he never wavered. He stayed the course faithfully and never betrayed his cause or his calling. He continues to be a tireless, relentless and fearless champion of democracy.

It is our earnest wish and hope that he may live long enough to celebrate many more birthdays because there are many more battles to be fought and many more victories to be won until we reach the ultimate dream of a fair and equitable life for all our citizens irrespective of race, colour and creed.

Happy Birthday, Kit Siang!

With very warm regards

RAMA

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 4:46 pm and is filed under
Letters
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Long Live LKS!

 By
Martin Jalleh

You have dared to continue to differ in spite of your double ISA detentions and the “dangers” that come with voicing and doing what is right and just.

You have made a difference whilst others dance to the tune of the status quo and become self-serving servile lap dogs to the dominant powers that be.

You were discouraged, down but not out when the DAP faced a near-death in its dismal 1995 general election performance. You bounced back defying all political odds.

You were determined to soldier on in spite of a debilitating spate of defections in 1996 and disturbing frequent internal conflicts, divisions and factional disputes.

You desired to quit and to assume full responsibility for the DAP’s election debacle in 1999. Yet, you went on to prove that you were no political dinosaur and to disappoint those hoping for DAP’s demise!

You have been the DAP’s driving force and strong disciplinarian for several decades, thereby giving your enemies within and without the DAP the excuse to label you a “dictator”.

You have never despaired in spite of the many downs and dark and depressing moments in your political career, whilst others grew disillusioned and eventually disappeared from the political scene.

Your great diligence and dedication as an MP can be easily seen in the speed and frequency of your press statements which either denounced what was wrong or demanded answers and action.

You have been a fearless and fiery debater and defender of democracy in parliament. There is no equal to your defiant endurance. You undoubtedly deserve the title of “Mr. Opposition”.

You have earned the respect and admiration of many a Malaysian for your indomitable and indefatigable spirit, your incorruptibility and integrity.

No honourific title would do justice to your faithfulness in your duty to king and country, except the honour that comes from the hearts of the rakyat who consider you a distinguished statesman and a principled politician.

May continue to God bless you Mr Lim Kit Siang! Happy Birthday Yang Berhormat (in every sense of the word)!

(20.02.11)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 3:33 pm and is filed under
DAP
,
Martin Jalleh
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #54

By
M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 7:  Enhancing Human Capital

Enhancing Human Capital Through Better Health

Good health is good for the economy.  A National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper showed that a one-year improvement in a country’s life expectancy (an index of health) contributes to a four percent increase in its economic output, and that good health has a greater impact on the economy than work experience or years of schooling.

            The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH) Report reaffirms the powerful link between health, poverty reduction, and economic growth.  The report challenges the traditional argument that health of the citizens will automatically improve as the result of economic growth.  Indeed the opposite is true; improved health is a critical requirement for economic development in poor countries.

            Spending relatively small sums of money on basic public health measures and peri-natal and maternal care yields considerable returns in terms of increased economic output through improved health and productivity of the citizens.  This alone justifies such expenditures quite apart from the humanitarian arguments.

            The diseases that have such a crippling impact on human productivity and thus economic growth are the common infectious diseases that have been successfully eradicated in modern societies.  The exception is HIV/AIDS.  The others (gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue, and measles) can be easily prevented through simple and cheap public health interventions.  Cuba is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with meager resources.  Cuba has much better health indices than many wealthy countries because it rightly emphasizes community health.  Even diseases like HIV/AIDS that are terribly expensive to treat are amenable to cost-effective preventive public health measures.  San Francisco leads the world in introducing innovative and non-intrusive measures that have significantly reduced the number of new HIV/AIDS cases through such measures as effective sex education, wider availability of condoms, and clean needle exchange programs.

            The WHO Report is based on studies of some of the poorest countries.  Its findings cannot however, be extrapolated to advanced nations.  In America the concern is the opposite, that is, escalating health care cost is crippling the economy.  America now spends close to 14% (and rising rapidly) of its GDP on medical care, with no corresponding improvement in the health indices of Americans.

            The current all-consuming effort in America is to rein in the costs of medical care.  Beyond a certain point there is little advantage of pouring more money into health care.  I fail to see the benefits to society of expanding resources to enable an 80-year-old for example, to get a heart transplant or expensive chemotherapy.

            A word of caution:  we need to discern between cause and effect.  Certainly if one were economically well off and could afford good nutrition, adequate housing, and modern medical care, those would contribute greatly to good health and increased longevity.  Good health may thus be the consequence rather than the cause of economic growth.  Nonetheless one can also intuitively agree that a population that is sick and malnourished will not be very productive.

            Contrary to widespread belief, the truly effective medical interventions are cheap, safe, and relatively simple.  The lowly eyeglasses greatly extend the productive and quality of life of everyone.  Work-rule modifications such as using safety harnesses and protective gears save many workers’ lives and limbs.  At American construction sites, everyone wears hard hats, including visitors.  Roadside workers wear reflective yellow attires for easy visibility.  Stringent adherence to work-rule safety, reinforced by hefty fines for those not complying, has made the American workplace remarkably safe and healthy.

            The impact of health on productivity is not generally appreciated because it is hidden.  When someone is incapacitated or unhealthy, one simply considers that to be part of the normal rhythm of life.  He is sick or injured and cannot work, and that’s it; we never consider the lost opportunity of that individual’s talent being sidelined.  To concretize my argument, consider this.  If Mahathir had not had his life-saving heart surgery in 1989, imagine the loss of his considerable subsequent contributions.  Similarly, had the late Tun Razak’s leukemia been detected earlier and effectively treated, no telling the wonders he would have performed for the nation.

            When the great singer and composer P. Ramlee died at the peak of his career (also of heart attack), few wondered of the songs not written, music not composed, and movies not shot.  But we all fondly remember his great songs.  The gifted entertainer Sudirman, taken away in the prime of his youth, was similarly an incomparable loss.  Imagine the flowering of his enormous talent had he lived longer.

            Muslims in particular, because of our religious fatalism, do not dwell much on such matters.  We consider death the will of Allah.  Yes, Allah may decide when our time will be up but that does not mean we should not take care of our health, vaccinate our children, and drive carefully.  As our prophet (pbuh) so wisely observed, yes, trust in Allah but first tie up you camel securely; only then would you pray to Allah that it does not escape.

            Investments in preventive and pubic health give the highest returns relative to the cost.  Adequate maternal and perinatal cares greatly reduce both infant and maternal mortalities, and can be delivered cheaply with minimal advanced technology or expertise.  Vaccinating all children, for example, would pay dividends far in excess of the costs.  The cumulative cost of treating one polio patient would pay for the vaccination of millions.

            There are other simple public health measures that would also greatly improve citizens’ health.  The provision of potable water and adequate sewer system would greatly reduce many enteric diseases.  UN agencies had designed simple and cheap outhouses suitable for rural areas.  By mass-producing them, the government would greatly reduce its unit costs and pass on the savings to citizens.  Diseases like cholera still plague Malaysia, a reflection of its appalling standard of public health.  Cholera is non-existent in the West simply because of clean community water and effective sewer treatment.

            Another major killer in Malaysia is trauma, in particular road accidents.  Trauma involves mostly young adults, previously healthy and productive citizens at the peak of their careers.  Most accident victims have many more years of productive life ahead of them.  The sad aspect of highway accidents is that they are preventable.  Yet Malaysia simply ignores the problems and instead put all the blame on the drivers.  True, Malaysian drivers are reckless, tailgating at high speed and suddenly changing lanes without signals.  In part this is attributable to the fact that freeways are new to Malaysia and drivers are not familiar with the road dynamics and dangers imposed by cars traveling at high speed.  In the West automobile accident injuries have been greatly reduced through better-designed cars (airbags and seatbelts), well-engineered roads, high visibility signage, and improved driver training.  Driver education is mandatory in American high schools.  Many states are also experimenting with graded licenses for teenagers instead of giving them the full license at once.

            The impact of well-engineered roads on fatalities was dramatically demonstrated in my California practice.  Twenty years ago I saw many mangled traffic accident victims in the emergency room.  I have done more than my share of fixing busted livers and broken limbs.  Those were the lucky ones, the ones who managed to arrive at the hospital alive.  Many more were dead at the scene of the accident.  The reason was that the highway into the town was not divided and people were driving as if it were a freeway.  Repeated public campaigns to caution motorists, including increased police enforcement, did not make a dent.  Ten years ago the road was upgraded into a divided freeway complete with a median barrier, and suddenly the number of accidents and fatalities plummeted.  The savings of lives and medical expenses more than recouped the cost of the highway improvement.

            The carnage on Malaysian roads is truly horrifying.  The accident rates, adjusted for the number of registered vehicles, are nearly three times that of Western nations.  Malaysian roads are poorly engineered, lack a median, poorly maintained, and over strained.  I have often wondered that should a rigorous economic analysis be made, it would be far more effective, in terms of number of lives saved and maimed bodies prevented, to improve the roads than to build hospitals and medical schools.

            There are other cheap public health measures that would save millions by reducing the expenditures on medical care.  Case in point:  smoking, a significant health risk worldwide.  Lung diseases like cancer and emphysema, together with premature heart diseases, hardening of the arteries, and strokes are directly attributable to smoking.  Discouraging and curtailing smoking would reduce immensely the related medical costs.  California successfully reduced smoking through a combination of tough public health measures like banning smoking in public places and strict prohibition against selling the product to minors.  California also imposed “sin” taxes making cigarettes expensive and thereby decreasing consumption.  There are also aggressive public health campaigns against smoking targeting the young.  Today California has the lowest per capita cigarette consumption.

            I would go further and nationalize the distribution and marketing of tobacco.  Once the industry has the efficiency of the postal service, where one has to wait in line to buy cigarettes, the consumption would surely go even lower.  Canada, in an effort to reduce alcohol consumption, has laws where the product can only be distributed and sold by a government agency.  In this way it also gets to keep the revenue!

            We must distinguish between real medical advances (which are effective as well as cheap) and what the American pathologist Lewis Thomas called “halfway technology” advances which are dramatic and expensive but of limited utility.  A ready example would be the advances in the treatment of polio.  In the 1950’s we had a number of those halfway technologies used in treating polio patients.  Vast engineering skills were consumed in designing better iron lungs for paralyzed patients.  Creative orthopedic surgeons were performing a variety of ingenious operations to strengthen muscles and stabilize joints of these unfortunate victims.  These were very expensive; they were also all halfway technologies.

            Then came real advance with the development of the polio vaccine.  It is very cheap and effective.  Today polio is essentially wiped out.  Meanwhile all those elaborate iron lungs and textbooks on the delicate surgeries –quaint reminders of halfway technology – are now seen only in medical museums.

            I am not suggesting that all expenditures on health care bear such dramatic returns.  Beyond the basic public health and preventive measures discussed above, the benefits of ever increasing expenditures on medical care produce rapidly diminishing returns.  In America, nearly percent of the Medicare (a federal medical program for those over 65) dollars are spent on patients who would die within six months.

            One of the diseases that have the greatest impact on the productivity and longevity of citizens is malaria.  Someone once made the remarkable observation that Rachel Carson (the author of Silent Spring, a book that raised so much public consciousness on the dangers of chemicals) was responsible for more deaths than Hitler.  It was her crusade that led to the banning of one of the most effective pesticides against mosquitoes, DDT, and with that came a resurgence of malaria and its terrible toll.  At the public health level, DDT was indeed a major advancement:  cheap and effective.  But on a broader ecological consideration, it represented a halfway technology.  Real advance would be an effective vaccine against malaria or an effective biotechnology weapon specifically targeting the offending mosquito specie.

            While waiting for that real technology, there is much that can be done to reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.  In my childhood mosquito nets were essential.  One would never sleep without being covered by one.  Today I rarely see them in Malaysian homes.  Malaysians have been lulled by the wonders of chemicals.  Similarly, covering roadside ditches and drains, cutting grass and bushes, and clearing the garbage would all reduce the vector population.

            A major breeding ground for mosquitoes is septic tanks.  A health engineer in Sarawak ingeniously designed a mechanism to prevent this by having foam balls fill the venting duct.  In this way the gas could escape but not the mosquitoes – a cheap yet effective innovation.

            We do not need the empirical studies of the NBER or WHO to convince us that investing in the health and well being of our citizens is the right thing to do.  That it also enhances economic growth is merely icing on the cake.

Next:   Enhancing Human Capital Through Education

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 11:08 am and is filed under
Bakri Musa
,
globalisation
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Non-Muslims back Penang interfaith portfolio

By
Debra Chong
 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The national non-Muslim council has given its thumbs-up to the Penang government for setting up a new interfaith portfolio, and called on other states to follow its example in a bid to counter rising religious extremism.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) applauded Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s (picture) initiative to form and head the new executive portfolio to handle non-Muslim religious issues in the state.

“Further, we are deeply encouraged that he has taken it upon himself to head it to give the seriousness it deserves,” it said in a statement today.

Religious tensions in multicultural Malaysia have been on the rise in recent years and have led to clashes in court and on the street between Muslim and non-Muslim communities last year in disputes over religious terminology and places of worship, among others.

The MCCBCHST also urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to support Penang’s effort, and linked it to his rallying call to world leaders at the United Nations meeting in New York last September.

The PM, in his speech, had called on world leaders to build a “global movement of the moderates from all faiths who are committed to work together to combat and marginalise extremists who have held the world hostage with their bigotry and bias”.

However, several parties — including Najib’s Penang-born predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi — have reportedly dismissed the Penang initiative, saying it was not needed.

“The federal government has never marginalised anyone and as such I do not think there is need for a specific institution to look into non-Muslim affairs,” national news agency Bernama had reported Abdullah as saying yesterday.

But the MCCBCHST said it hoped all state governments will emulate the positive efforts of the Penang government and reclaim the moral ground from extremists.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, had announced last week that that the state government would be adopting a portfolio to look into the affairs of Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, Sikhs and Hindus.

The portfolio will be chaired by Lim himself while Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy was appointed the deputy.

Penang’s interfaith portfolio is not the first to be formed as Lim himself noted, pointing to Perak’s, which is headed by state executive councillor Datuk Mah Hang Soon.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 4:03 pm and is filed under
Penang Government
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Not for PM to say one religion superior to another

By
John Malott

Bernama recently commented that I have “gone off the rails” because of my Feb 8 op-ed in the Asian Wall Street Journal.

To prove its point, the news agency gave just two examples. First, that I was wrong in saying that Malaysia’s needs to grow by eight percent annually over the coming decade to achieve Vision 2020 and higher income status.

In my defence (Who’s off the rails, Bernama? Part 1), I revealed the source of my ‘error’ – a speech and report from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Bernama also took me to task for saying that racial and religious tensions in Malaysia are higher today than when Najib (right) took office and are worse than at any time since the riots of 1969.

It pointed out that one week after my article appeared, Najib attended a meeting of the Malaysia Interfaith Council to commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week.

My crystal ball obviously was out of order, because I did not know that the prime minister would attend that meeting and express his support for the group’s work. Bernama is right; he should be praised for doing so.

But Bernama’s crystal ball also was out of order, because it did not know that just four days later, Najib would undercut his good deed when he warned against religious pluralism and said that other religions are not equal before Allah.

Asma Uddin, a Muslim attorney in Washington, who is the editor-in-chief of Altmuslimah, has pointed out that there are four different views of religious pluralism among Muslims.

A few, she says, see non-Muslims as the enemy. Others view non-Muslims as people to whom the message of Islam must be preached.

Still others see people of other faiths as deserving of tolerance and mutual respect, while still believing that Islam is superior to other religions. Another group goes beyond mere tolerance and believes that other faiths are equally valid theologically to Islam.

With his comments that other religions deserve respect but are not equal before Allah, Najib appears to hold the third view – that Islam is superior to other religions.

When Islamic scholars and a government think tank said the same thing last December, (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department) Nazri Aziz (left) disagreed and said, “I cannot accept [that]. I believe Islam does not ask you to say things like that.”

Nazri told The Malaysian Insider, “You should have enough faith to be confident of your own beliefs and not belittle the beliefs of others. It all comes from inferiority complex.”

But it’s OK for the prime minister to say that Islam is superior, says Rev Thomas Phillips, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism. Followers of every faith believe that their religion is the best, he says, and the prime minister is just taking a theological stand.

Phillips is correct that the leaders and adherents of every religion believe that their faith is better than all others. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI asserted that Christianity is superior to other faiths, and within Christianity, Catholicism is superior to Protestantism.

Even within Islam, there are disagreements. Malaysia recognises only the Sunni form of Islam, and last December religious police arrested over 200 Shiites who were praying on the Day of Ashura.

But the prime minister of 1Malaysia is not a theologian or religious figure. He is the leader of the government. The constitution simply says that “Islam is the religion of the federation;” the constitution does not say that Islam is superior to all other religions.

It says that other religions “may be practised in peace and harmony”. In asserting his views on what should be left to religious leaders as a theological issue, Najib, who says that 1Malaysia’s goal is to enhance the nation’s unity, has demeaned the religious beliefs of 40 percent of his fellow citizens who are not Muslim and told them that they are not equal before God.

Jakim to explain

The prime minister reportedly said that he will call on government Islamic agencies such as Jakim to explain the issue of religious pluralism to Muslims.

But even before it could try to explain the issue, Jakim has been told by the Prime Minister’s Office that its first act is to identify groups in Malaysia and overseas that are trying to promote pluralism, so it does not take root and “destabilise the country”.

Jakim, of course, is the agency that has been on a crusade against Valentine’s Day and issued the guidelines that Hardev Kaur enforced when she “recommended” that crosses be removed before the prime minister came to the Catholic archbishop’s Christmas Day open house.

Those guidelines even said that Muslims should not attend events where people wear “red costumes like Santa Claus or other garments that reflect religion”.

That is the first time I have heard that a Santa Claus suit is a religious garment.

As for Valentine’s Day, Jakim’s head Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz (right) said that it “is associated with elements of Christianity”, and “we just cannot get involved with other religions’ worshipping rituals”.

Here’s a message for Wan Mohamed: When I give my wife chocolate and roses on Valentine’s Day, it’s about my wife, not Jesus.

When Jakim – an arm of the Malaysian government and part of the Prime Minister’s Department – displays this level of ignorance, it casts doubt on their ability to provide guidance and educate Muslims about other peoples’ religions.

It also demonstrates the need for a genuine interfaith dialogue in Malaysia.

When he attended the Interfaith Council gathering, Najib said its discussions should be kept private because they are too sensitive for public debate.

Perhaps what is needed is the opposite. If religion is a sensitive issue, then why are people like Siti Nor Bahyah allowed on the airwaves to disparage other religions? Why does Wan Mohamed utter the words “Christianity and vice activities” in the same sentence?

Is it not possible to conduct an informed interfaith dialogue in public in order to strengthen understanding and reduce religious tensions in Malaysia?

Does Najib really believe that Islam is superior to all other religions? Would he really be offended if he entered a room where a crucifix is displayed?

In my Wall Street Journal op-ed, I said that Najib and his government are doing and saying these things to shore up their political base in the Malay community. And I stand by my opinion.

——–

JOHN MALOTT is a former US ambassador to Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 4:52 pm and is filed under
Najib Razak
,
Religion
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


The Najib position on pluralism

By
Thomas Lee

Another religious controversy is brewing over the Prime Minister’s warning to Muslims last week that religious pluralism is un-Islamic because it places Islam on an equal footing with other faiths.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also asked government Islamic agencies and religious teachers to explain the issue of pluralism to the Muslim community.

Najib’s statement is being challenged by various quarters alleging that his stand would cause confusion and religious disharmaony among the people.

However, the Rev Thomas Phillips, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCST), has come out in defence of Najid, saying that all religions had their own theological stand and advised the people against taking Najib’s statement out of context.

“Najib’s statement should be taken as a theological stand. He was addressing a Muslim group so he has his own right as a Muslim,” Phillips was quoted by The Malaysian Insider as saying, adding that he did not see anything wrong with the PM’s speech. “If I were addressing a Christian group, I’d say the same thing. What’s a fact is that all religious groups are not equal,” said Phillips, who is also the head of the Mar Thoma Church in Malaysia.

Philips also does not foresee Najib’s statement holding up ongoing talks in the government’s year-old national interfaith panel because “we’re not talking about theology in there.”

The Committee to Promote Harmony and Understanding Among Religious Adherents was established by Najib in April last year following a spate of attacks against houses of worship nationwide earlier the same year, following the controversy over the use of the word Allah by Christians. The High Court had ruled on 31 December 2009 that Christians have the human and constitutional right to use the word.

I endorse and support what Philips says, and would want to be fair to Najib that as Islam claims to be an exclusive faith with its Declaration of Faith (Shahada) that “There is no God, but Allah” (La ilah illa Ilah) and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger (Wa Muhammad rasul u’llah)”, his stand is consistent with his faith. Najib would be consider a hypocrite if he has not make such a stand.

From the strictly theological perspective, Islam, like Christianity, is certainly an exclusive religious faith, and the Najib position is certainly consistent with the fundamental theology of Islam, and no one should dispute the fact (see my Comment published in December 2010, appended below).

The fundamental issue which many people fail to note is not so much about the exclusive theological position of each faith, but the matter of mutual recognition and acceptance of the right of all religions to co-exist without any legal restraint and political constraint in our multifaceted plural society.

The concept of pluralism in religion is generally viewed as a threat to the theological integrity of the monotheistic religions like Islam and Christianity, whose hardcore adherent consider it an excruciating and harrowing compromise and dilution of their doctrinal beliefs.

Such a view is understandable, and should be respected by all people of all faiths and belief systems.

Having said that, there is another side of pluralism, which I think should be renamed multi-credo co-operation, which does not involve any theological, doctrinal, or spiritual compromise on the part of all participating religious groups.

This is the coming together on the basis of our common humanity and the universal moral values, to fellowship, share, dialogue, articulate, and work together to preserve, protect, promote and propagate our fundamental human, civil and constitution rights, and to strive together as one people to build and develop our nation for the greater good of all citizens.

Much misunderstandings, confusion, and conflicts could be resolved amicably if we are able to come together to dialogue, discuss and even debate on issues of common concern.

In our multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-idealogical society, it is very obvious that pluralism is the defining way of life and lifestyle now and in future.

Hence, there is an urgent need to ensure that the matter of interfaith relation would not be exploited as a racial-religious issue by the evil politicians who are out to deliberately damage and destroy the harmony and unity of the people to achieve their immoral political ambition.

Most of the time, these wicked politicians suceed in their perverted and perversed agenda, simply because of the ignorance and gullibility of the people who are being bombarded daily with distorted news reports, socio-political analysis and commentaries in the mainstream news media.

The urgent task needed now is for the honest political, community and religious leaders to articulate the need and relevance of a pragmatic approach to interfaith relationship, in terms that are meaningful, relevant and authoritatively among the people so that they could be led to explore, discover, recognise, and accept each other’s religion without any suspicion and phobia.

Hence, the Federal Committee to Promote Harmony and Understanding Among Religious Adherents initiated by Najib, and the Penang executive council portfolio to handle non-Muslim religious issues headed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng are both relevant and deserved to be supported by all people of all faiths.

Religious misunderstanding is a ticking time-bomb ready to explore anytime if no effort is taken now to defuse it.

Here, the media have a very vital responsibility to accurately report the truth, and not to allow the immoral and irresponsible politicians and racial-religious bigots to use and exploit them to deactivate the sensitive time-bomb to damage and destroy our beloved nation.

This task of curbing the spread of religious fanaticism, bigotry, and zealotry takes place within the context of the historical time-space religious, traditional, cultural and socio-economic environment of our nation, and must therefore take into consideration all these factors when formulating strategies to achieve it.

Hence, the necessity for the formulation of an incarnational co-operative policy among all religious groups, and the development of grassroots programmes to bring together people of various faiths for fellowship and sharing in ideas and ideals.

Hence, the necessity for the introduction of comparative religious studies in our education system so as to promote understanding, recognition, acceotance, and respect for each other’s religion among our young people.

Hence, we must, in our various ways, unite in prayer and action to strive for a peaceful and harmonious co-existence of all people of all religious faiths in our nation.

Malaysians are not just religious people living in a spiritual vacuum; our spirituality must be demonstrated visibly and vocally by how we live together in peace, harmony and love in the midst of our plural society.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 11:55 am and is filed under
Najib Razak
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Who’s off the rails, Bernama?

John Malott | Feb 20, 11

Malaysiakini

Bernama news agency recently commented that I have “gone off the rails” because of my article in the Asian Wall Street Journal.

Because Bernama is owned by the Malaysian government, it is no surprise that they would feel obliged to say something critical.

But who really is off the rails? It is too bad that Bernama went into attack mode before it did its homework. Indeed, the article reads like it was written by a PR firm, trying to spin the truth.

So let’s take a look at what Bernama said.

It cites two alleged errors. First, Bernama said I was wrong about how fast Malaysia’s economy needs to grow in the coming decade to achieve Wawasan 2020.

Second, it appears my crystal ball is out of order, because I did not know that one week after my article appeared, Prime Minister Najib Razak would suddenly attend a meeting of the Malaysia Inter-Faith Council (which, by the way, was a good thing to do).

Let me deal with the economic issues today, and save the Inter-Faith Council issue for Part 2 tomorrow.

Bernama says that I took a potshot when I said that Malaysia, once one of the developing world’s stars, has underperformed over the past decade. I said that reforms are necessary and that foreign investors would shun Malaysia unless they are undertaken.

Who else has said that? Answer: The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In its report on the 2010 Annual Article IV Consultations with Malaysia, the IMF said that there is “a stark choice for Malaysians and their political leadership, a choice between muddling through in a business-as-usual mode – or going for an historic transformation of the economy”. The report also says that “rolling back affirmative action” and improving human capital are “necessary to revive the business climate and double Malaysia’s per capita income by 2020.”

For its part, the World Bank has said in their report, “Until solid implementation of reforms is seen, there is unlikely to be a groundswell of positive sentiment of foreign investors towards Malaysia.”

From the horse’s mouth

Bernama also says that I had “claimed that Malaysia needs to grow by 8 percent annually if it hopes to attain developed status by 2020, contrary to what has been projected by the government, which is a modest 6 percent annually for the rest of this decade.”

So who told me that Malaysia needs to grow by 8 percent over the coming decade to achieve 2020 and not 6 percent?

The answer is Prime Minister Najib Razak. Check out the big chart on page 47 of the government’s official report, ‘Challenges to Realising Vision 2020’, issued last year. It clearly shows that the required growth rate is 8 percent.

At the bottom of the chart, it says that the source of the information is the World Bank – and an August 2009 speech by Najib. So I Googled for that speech, and here is what the PM said:

“For Malaysia to qualify and meet our goals, we must grow at an annual growth rate of 8 percent over the next ten years. Anything less will delay our goal.”

What about the 6 percent growth rate that Bernama claims is correct? Najib said, “Annual growth of 6 percent means reaching high income status would be delayed by ten years – to 2030 rather than 2020.”

It’s all on the Prime Minister’s official website. Check out paragraph 6.

The whole issue of economic growth rates can get very boring, very quickly. That’s why they call economics the dismal science. But for certain, Bernama’s attempt to play “gotcha journalism” also was a dismal failure.

JOHN MALOTT is former US ambassador to Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 21 February 2011, 12:18 am and is filed under
Economics
,
Media
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


70 and looking forward to more democratic breakthroughs (2)

This was not the only poem composed by Michael.

A fortnight earlier he had emailed me from Canberra the following acrostic on my 70th birthday.
(Learnt a new word.
acrostic
: a poem or other composition in which certain letters in each  line form a word or words. – Concise Oxford Dictionary)

Lim Kit Siang MP

L
ong has been the struggle

I
n your just journey of Life

M
oving ever so slowly but surely

K
nowing that the elusive end

I
s well worth every sacrifice

T
o achieve the ultimate aim of

S
aving the nation’s soul from

I
nsidious intolerance

A
nd leading it increasingly towards a

N
ew national harmony

G
raced by a Malaysian majority

M
ay this materialise in your lifetime, so

P
ress on, press on, as you see the finish line!

Michael did not bring along his wife but he brought Judith’s 100 hours of labour of love – a cross-stitch of the Chinese character “Longevity”. Thanks Judith. Most appreciated.

Judith could not leave Canberra as he  had devoted her life to look after the disabled children for which she had been deservedly honoured by the Australian Government.

I still remember when I first met Judith about half a century ago, when she first came to Malaysia with Michael, I had shared with her my hopes and fears, dream and nightmare of my political commitment.

When we were in Form V in Batu Pahat High School (1959),  some of our classmates bunked at the room at Jalan Mohd Akil which Michael and his  brother Hung Kee used as study room not only to prepare for examination such as testing the 10-year Exam Series but as headquarters for some of our schoolboy escapades like visitation with the “Spirit of the Coin” and “forays” into town in the deadly-quiet early  hours of the morning.

It was great to meet up again not only with the “old gang” but the old boys like Pek Teck Soon (Form 5A monitor), Tan Tik Sing, Ong Yen Chong, Allan Goh,   Khoo Huan Hooi (class jester and photographer), Liam Chung Hay, Tang Guan Bee (very successful architect in Singapore), P. Palanivel , Lim Jin Siew,

 K. Kumarendran, Lim Soh Wah,  Wee Soon Chong, Foo Ee Kim  together with Hung Choon and Hung Kee, their missus and offsprings.

My batch produced two volumes of class magazines in Form IIIA – “The Light” in 1957; a short-lived school “bimonthly” and three volumes of class magazines in Form IVB – “The Phoenix” in 1958; and the school magazine “The Pilot” (I was editor).

My old teachers Ang Hock Ming and Chanan Singh sent greetings but were unable to make the trip from Batu Pahat, and  they were missed greatly by the “old boys”.

Looking back at these amateurish  Form III and Form IV class magazines 53-54 years ago, my classmates and I are surprised that despite our schoolboyish preoccupations, we could be quite a serious lot.

This is what the Form 3A Form Master Khaw Eng Chin wrote in his message for the inaugural issue of  “The Light” in 1957:

“The first issue of ‘The Light’ – the first class magazine ever to be produced in the history of the High School – caused quite  an interest in the upper forms. It was published, with all its faults, by your own effort and enthusiasm. All of you worked together as one solid unit to accomplish what you had intended to do.  I had my doubts then, and kept my fingers crossed – hoping for the best! Well, the finished article was beyond my expectations. You had my blessings too! I am sure the second volume of “The Light” will be better than its predecessor backed by all the backaches, headaches and the experience you have had.”

This was the Board of Management of the inaugural issue of “The Light” of Form 3A in 1957:

Hon. Adviser – Mr. Khaw Eng Chin

Editors
 – Lim Jin Siew

                 Lau Ann Lan (Allan Goh)

                 Chua Hock  Guan

                 Lim Kit Siang

Art Editors
– Hee Tien Lai

                       Tang Guan Bee

                       Abdullah b Hj Nasir

Business Managers
– Chan Yin Pang

                                       Ong Hung Choon

Typists
 –          Chan Chong Meng

                        Hee Tien Lai

                        Lee Mun Fong

                        Lim Kit Siang

The 56 items in the class magazine included articles entitled “Merdeka”,”My idea of a great man”, “My opinion of LCE”, “The theory of evolution”, “Humour the wine of life”, “The will to achieve”, “Science and space” and “The influence of the Earth and Heavenly Bodies” – quite heavy subjects for Form III pupils.

I contributed a piece on “Student – Politics”, taking the stand that while students should not “take part in politics”, I fully supported students “taking a deep interest in politics”.

I wrote:

“We must form our opinions when any event of note occurred in our land, on the bills passed, on the foreign policy pursued, and the trend of international events. We must not be like ‘dumb-driven cattle’ but ‘be a hero in the strife’. We must form our own political ideals, although we should not yet put it into ‘practice’.  Our ideas may be the fruit of the passion of the spur of the moment. Time, and time alone,  will teach us whether we and our ideologies are right or not. We will also learn from other people’s experiences.

“We must cultivate an interest for political thought. For we, if we are going to be responsible citizens, must understand how we are governed.”

It was Huan Hooi who reminded me of the following poem which I wrote in 1957:

 One for all and all for one

    We care not what colour, creed or religion you belong

    For aren’t each of us Malaya’s son

Then why let silly racial quarrels prolong

Enough of reminiscences. Let me thank surgeon Dr. Chris Anthony for his tribute which he has been so kind to email me and to
blog
:

Tribute to Lim Kit Siang

(70th Birthday 20 February 2011)

Ever since my childhood I only knew one opposition leader, that is you.

I did not know then why you were called Mr. Opposition but I know now it was your courage to stand up for justice in our society.

I did not understand then why they labeled you a racist and troublemaker but I know now that it is the ‘reward’ righteous people get for their uncompromising stand against injustice and abuse of power

Despite all the forces arrayed against you and even incarcerated in jail with your son you stood firm to your principles, an attribute so rare in politicians today.

Your sacrifices have paid you today where there is hope for realizing your vision for a truly Malaysian nation in the near future, as the flame of liberation that you have ignited will gain intense in the years to come.

All right-thinking Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity, salute a great man like you who had stood steadfast to your principles in the fight for justice through thick and thin all your life.

You did not buckle under pressure from the mighty powers arrayed against you but only got stronger with every blow you received.

You are truly a great Malaysian whose resilience and courage had touched the hearts of all who yearn for justice.

You may be 70 but the nation is at the crossroads and still needs your steering hand

We pray that God bless you with health and strength to lead us in OUR struggles for a just and united Malaysia, A Malaysia where all citizens can live together as equal and proud Malaysians.

Sir, you may not see us physically behind you but be rest assured we will all be there with you at the right time – the 13GE when together we will help to realise the dawn of a new Malaysia.

Happy Birthday and May God Bless you & your family

Dr. Chris,  I take heart from your assurance and of all the wellwishers that “you may not see us physically behind you but be rest assured we will all be there with you at the right time – the 13GE when together we will help to realise the dawn of a new Malaysia”.

(to be contd)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 2:52 pm and is filed under
DAP
,
General
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


A Malaysian Dream – Life and Times of Lim Kit Siang

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 12:37 pm and is filed under
DAP
,
nation building
,
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Guan Eng calls BN hypocrites in non-Muslim portfolio flap

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

February 21, 2011

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 21 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today accused the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition of double standards for rejecting the state’s new non-Muslim affairs portfolio while endorsing the same in Perak.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, appeared taken aback by the verbal attacks from his political foes — particularly Gerakan chief Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon — following his government’s decision to set up a portfolio to complement the existing one for Muslims in the state.

He said the state believed the initiative would “promote civilisational dialogue, interaction and understanding” among followers of different creeds as all religions talk about peace.

He pointed out that the BN-led state government in Perak also has a similar portfolio to care for followers of religions other than Islam, which is headed by Datuk Mah Hang Soon, according to the
silver state’s official website
.

Mah refused to comment on his portfolio when contacted by The Malaysian Insider this evening, saying he was in the middle of a discussion.

(Mah’s portfolio is described on the Perak State government website as “Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan, Kerajaan Tempatan, Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Alam Sekitar, Pengangkutan dan Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam)

Lim then questioned why Penang was being singled out and accused of having a racial agenda.

“What’s wrong with setting up this portfolio? It’s not wrong if BN sets up one but it’s wrong if PR does it?” an annoyed Lim asked at a news conference here today.

He said he was responding to criticism from several parties yesterday, including Koh and International Trade And Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir , but stressed that he was not replying to former prime minister, Penang-born Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whom he noted was retired from the government.

Koh, who was the island state’s chief minister for 13 years before being toppled in the landmark 2008 general election, had called the new non-Muslim interfaith portfolio a publicity stunt.

“This is deliberately being used as an extremist and racial issue to incite fights among the different religions,” Lim said.

Defending the new portfolio today, he said: “Everyone knows it has nothing to do with the status of Islam as the official religion.”

“Mukhriz said I insulted Islam… if so, then Zambry is equally guilty or more so, because he is a Muslim,” he continued, drawing Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir into the fray.

“That’s why we did not include Islam, because we did not want to be accused of disrespecting Islam. But this also cannot… if so, then where’s the freedom of religion?” he added, sounding exasperated.

He warned that the BN front, especially its leaders from Umno, was “playing with fire” and claimed they were ready to put everything on the line, including the religious fundamental rights safeguarded by the Federal Constitution.

Lim, who is also heading the state interfaith panel, explained that it was working on two levels — the first involved the state lawmakers, and the second would include religious representatives and other non-governmental organisation members.

He said the panel had yet to meet and would do so only after getting feedback from the rest of the assemblymen on problems they faced within certain districts, but did not elaborate.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 9:13 am and is filed under
Lim Guan Eng
,
Penang Government
,
Religion
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Season of goodwill

MIND MATTER

By
Raja Zarith Idris

Sunday Star

Sunday January 9, 2011

If Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

DURING the days before Christmas last year, I wished my friends who were celebrating it “Merry Christmas” in much the same way they would wish me “Selamat Hari Raya” or “Happy Eid”.

I find it rather sad that such a simple greeting – one which I grew up with and which I have never regarded as something that would compromise or de-value my own faith – is now regarded as something so religiously incorrect for us Malaysian Muslims.

When I was at boarding school in England, I had to go to church every Sunday because it was part of the rules. My father advised me to consider it as part of my “education” and he had no doubt that the experience would strengthen rather than weaken my own faith.

I was able to see the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. I learned more than the average Malaysian Muslim would about Christianity. I learnt that just as we Muslims categorise ourselves according to the four different schools of thoughts of the four Imams (Imam Malik, Imam Al Shafi, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmad Abn Hambal) and are either Sunnis or Shias, so Christians too are divided into different sects or churches.

Going to church did not make me less of a Muslim when I was a young girl, and neither does saying “Merry Christmas” make me less of a Muslim now. My faith has not been shaken just because I wished some friends a time of joy with their families. Neither will I suddenly suffer from amnesia and forget what my religion is.

What I do not wish to forget, however, is that there are good, kind people who are not of the same faith as me.

As Harun Yahya, the Turkish writer (he was selected last year as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan) noted: “Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.

Today, however, some circles have been presenting a false image of Islam, as if there were conflict between Islam and the adherents of the two other monotheistic religions. Yet Islam’s view of Jews and Christians, who are named ‘the People of the Book’ in the Quran, is very friendly and tolerant.

“This attitude towards the People of the Book developed during the years of the birth of Islam. At that time, Muslims were a minority, struggling to protect their faith and suffering oppression and torture from the pagans of the city of Mecca. Due to this persecution, some Muslims decided to flee Mecca and shelter in a safe country with a just ruler. The Prophet Muhammad told them to take refuge with King Negus, the Christian king of Ethiopia. The Muslims who followed this advice found a very fair administration that embraced them with love and respect when they went to Ethiopia. King Negus refused the demands of the pagan messengers who asked him to surrender the Muslims to them, and announced that Muslims could live freely in his country.

“Such attitudes of Christian people that are based on the concepts of compassion, mercy, modesty and justice, constitute a fact that God has pointed out in the Quran.”

I do not wish to be a self-centred Muslim who expects friends of other faiths to wish me Selamat Hari Raya or, for those who are not Malaysians and therefore do not know about Hari Raya, a Happy Eid and yet do not return their goodwill when it is Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Vesak Day.

Every year, friends who are Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs or those without any faith come to our home to celebrate Hari Raya with us. They do so with sincerity and as a mark of respect for one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. Why should we not reciprocate their kindness, show them the same mark of respect for their religion and wish them the same joy on their holy days of celebration?

An Islamic scholar and lecturer also reminded me that as Muslims we must remember the importance of both the five Pillars of Islam and in the six Pillars of Iman (Faith), which are:

> Belief in Allah;

> Belief in the angels;

> Belief in the revealed Books (which include the Bible, the Torah and the Holy Quran);

> Belief in the Prophets (May Peace be Upon Them);

> Belief in the Resurrection and the events of Kiamah, the Day of Judgement; and

> Belief in the predestination (Qada’ and Qadar) by Allah in all things.

The prophets include not just Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon Him) as the last prophet and as the Messenger of Islam, but also in the 24 earlier ones who are mentioned in both the Bible and the Quran. Four of them are Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daud (David), and Isa (Jesus).

So, if Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

We are now in the second decade of the 21st century. Surely, we should, now more than ever, be far more enlightened at a time when information of any sort and of all kinds are so readily available to us.

What is most important is that we regard one another as fellow citizens and treat each other with respect, regardless of our race or religion.

 The writer is Royal Fellow, School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and holds a BA (Honours) degree in Chinese Studies, University of Oxford.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 2:41 pm and is filed under
nation building
,
Religion
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


70 and looking forward to more democratic breakthroughs (3)

Many have asked whether I have plans to retire after 45 years of politics.

With the DAP founding chairman Dr. Chen Man Hin a hale and hearty 86, keeping vigilant daily scrutiny of political developments; the declaration by DAP Chairman Karpal Singh, who is eight months my senior, of unremitting commitment in the cause of justice and freedom despite his physical problems; and the “good wishes” of the doyen of Barisan Nasional politicians, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, 74, that I “continue to tread the rough and tumble of the Malaysian political road with even greater tenacity and thrust in the years ahead until we can all together ensured that no one in the country is allowed to create a situation of disaster of the type we have just seen in Tunisia and Egypt”, the least I could do was to pledge, as I did at my 70th birthday dinner at Hotel Equatorial Penang,  that I will continue to  contribute to party, people and the nation so long as I can be of use and contribution.

Three years ago in Feb 2008, I made a birthday wish that the DAP can succeed in winning the Penang State Government in the 2008 general election, which I had not made public at the time.  This had come true.

My 70th birthday wish is that Malaysia will become a normal democratic country with the two coalition system fully institutionalized where change of political power would be regarded as a  normal process and not once invoking threats and intimidations of national calamity like riots and unrest.

I was honoured by the presence of the “People’s Judge”, Datuk N. H. Chan of “Something is rotten in State of Denmark” fame, and his wife, Anne, especially as the restoration of a just rule of law and a truly independent judiciary must top the agenda of national reforms 54 years after Merdeka.

Others from the civil society pantheon who did me honour with their presence included former Bar Council presidents Yeo Yang Poh and Ambiga Sreenevasan, Aliran President P. Ramakrishnan, FOMCA President Marimuthu Nadason, Director Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) Dr. Lim Teck Ghee and stalwarts like Wong Chin Huat, Tommy Thomas and my old friend Dr. Goh Cheng Teik.

I thank Anwar Ibrahim, Mohd Sabu, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Syed Husin Ali among many others for their well wishes.

I must mention bloggers like Sakmonglol AK47 who were gracious in joining many in extending birthday greetings.

The Penang Hotel Equatorial reception was the occasion for the biggest gathering of my extended family – with brother Kit Hee and family,  brother-in-law Ho Lai Chee and family, sister-in-law Yeo Keng Hong, nephews/nieces Bok Wu, Bok Sze, Bok Xin and family members from Batu Pahat, Petaling Jaya and China; Neo Kim Seng, Kim Thong, Kim Chuan, Poh Lai, Poh Choo, Poh Tuan, Poh Lay, Poh Lian and families; Dr. Lim Kok Hoo, Kok Seng, Kok Kuan, Lay Yong and Lay Cheng and families, etc.

Thanks most of all to my children Guan Eng, Hui Ming, Hui Ying and Guan Choon  as well as Betty and Siew Suan for the idea of the 70th Birthday reception, and my wife, Neo Yok Tee, for sterling support down the decades despite the trials and tribulations.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 5:15 pm and is filed under
Personal
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.


Church backs Penang’s non-Muslim portfolio

Susan Loone

Malaysiakini

Feb 23, 11

The Anglican church wants the Penang government to immediately activate the newly-minted non-Muslim Affairs portfolio to address issues which affect this group.

West Malaysia Anglican Diocese assistant bishop Andrew Phang (left) said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who heads the portfolio, must “act now” and put into practice what has been preached by the state government.

“(Otherwise) it would remain merely a committee; the state should start the ball rolling and gather all the relevant groups for a meeting soon,” suggested Phang, a vicar at the Redeemer Church in Butterworth.

“The churches can play an active role by organising groups to participate in the portfolio’s activities like dialogues between the different communities.”

Phang said that initiating the portfolio is a timely move, adding that the urgency to get it up and running is not intended to insult Muslims, who have always had their interests taken care of by the government.

“We just want to say that, with this portfolio, we can push for our issues to be looked into,” he told reporters last night on the sidelines of the Southeast Asia Provincial Gathering for Anglican Churches in Tanjung Bungah.

He said the exco could help address issues like difficulties in obtaining land for places of worship and cemeteries.

“When we are not able to build our churches, we have to conduct our services in houses (in residential areas) and sometimes this can create tensions within the community.

There is no platform to discuss these things,” he said.

Phang said dialogues can now be organised to discuss issues, which would contribute to harmony.

‘Portfolio stays’

Opening of the church event, Lim warned of “extremists” politicising and stigmatising the non-Muslim Affairs portfolio as an insult to Islam although the status of the religion is not in question.

This is the first time he has labelled detractors “extremists”. All the while, he had referred to them as “racists” for trying to disrupt his efforts to unite the different communities.

“We will not bow down to these political opportunists and extremists but will stand firm in going ahead with the portfolio,” he said.

“The formation of this portfolio is timely as it promotes diversity and positive human interaction on cultural, religious and social spheres.”

The portfolio was upgraded from the Committee for Places of Worship under the Penang Municipal Council.

‘Need for change’

About 400 participants are attending the three-day Anglican gathering themed ‘Rising Above the Storms’, hosted by the West Malaysia Diocese.

Asked why this slogan has been picked as this year’s theme, Phang explained that the church will always support and encourage changes that are beneficial to the people.

He said there is a need for change within the churches which have their own issues to handle, including factionalism, ‘extremist’ groups and administrative problems.

“But we should not allow these (problems) to damage us and will hold on to our biblical truth as the basis (of our faith and understanding with one another,” he said.

Asked if the reforms include a change of government at the federal level, Phang declined to comment.

However, he said even without a change of government, the Southeast Asian region is a challenging place in which to live.

“It is so because this region has a large Muslim community, and a strong Buddhist presence; we have to learn how to live together peacefully,” he added.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 12:22 pm and is filed under
Penang
,
Religion
. You can follow any responses to this entry through
RSS 2.0
.