65 Reasons Why BARISAN NASIONAL Should Be Kicked Out......

AN ISSUE WHICH IS NOT YET BEEN ANSWERED BY BARISAN NASIONAL, MALAYSIAN DEMAND THE ANSWER FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT.

1. PKFZ RM12bill 

2. Submarine RM500mil 

3. Simedarby RM964mil 

4. Paya Indah Westland RM88mil 

5. Posmalaysia (transmile) RM230mil lost 

6. Eurocopter deal RM1bil waste? 

7. Terengganu Stadium Collapsed RM292mil 

8. MRR2 repair cost RM70mil 

9. Maybank Overpay for BII RM4bil 

10. Tourism -NYY kickback RM10mil 

11. 3 paintings bought by MAS—————– RM 1.5M 

12. Overpayment by Sport Ministry ————- RM 8.4M 

13. London 's white elephant sports complex —- RM 70M 

14. MRR2 Repairs—————————— RM 70M 

15. MATRADE repairs ————————– RM 120M 

16. Cost of new plane used by PM————– RM 200M 

17. InventQ irrecoverable debt —————- RM 228M 

18. Compensation for killing crooked bridge —– RM 257M 

20. Lost in selling Augusta ——————— RM 510M 

21. Worth of AP given out in a year ———— RM 1.8B 

22. Submarines (future Muzium Negara artifacts)- RM 4.1B 

23. PSC Naval dockyard ———————— RM 6.75B 

24. The Bank Bumiputra twin scandals in the early 1980s saw US$1 billion (RM3.2 billion in 2008 ringgit) 

25. The Maminco attempt to corner the world tin market in the 1980s isbelieved to have cost some US$500 million. (RM1.6 billion) 

26. Betting in foreign exchange futures cost Bank Negara Malaysia RM30 billion in the 1990s. 

27. Perwaja Steel resulted in losses of US$800 million (RM2.56 billion). 

28. Use of RM10 billion public funds in the Valuecap Sdn. Bhd. operation to shore up the stock market 

29. Banking scandal of RM700 million losses in Bank Islam 

30. The sale of M.V. Agusta by Proton for one Euro making a loss of €75.99 million (RM 348 million) 

31. Wang Ehsan from oil royalty on Terengganu RM7.4 billion from 2004 – 2007 

32. For the past 10 years since Philharmonic Orchestra wasestablished, this orchestra has swallowed a total of RM500 million.Hiring a kwai-lo CEO with salary of more than RM1 M per annum !! 

33. In Advisors Fees, Mahathir was paid RM180,000, Shahrizat AbdulJalil (women and social development affairs) RM404,726 and Abdul HamidOthman (religious) RM549,675 per annum 

34. The government has spent a total of RM3.2 billion in teachingMaths and Science in English over the past five years. Out of theamount, the government paid a whopping RM2.21 billion for the purchaseof information and computer technology (ICT) equipments which it isunable to give a breakdown. Govt paid more than RM6k per notebook vsper market price of less than RM3k through some new consortiums thatsetup just to transact the notebook deal. There was no math &science content for the teachers and the notebooks are all with theteachers' children now. 

35. The commission paid for purchase of jets and submarines to twoprivate companies Perimeker Sdn Bhd and IMT Defence Sdn Bhd amounted toRM910 million. 

36. RM300 million to compensate Gerbang Perdana for the RM1.1 billion "Crooked Scenic Half-Bridge" 

37. RM1.3 billion have been wasted building the white elephantCustoms, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities on cancellation ofthe Malaysia-Singapore scenic bridge 

38. RM 100 million on renovation of Parliament building and leaks 

39. National Astronaut Programme – RM 40 million 

40. National Service Training Programme – yearly an estimate of RM 500 million

41. Eye on Malaysia – RM 30 million and another RM5.7 million of free ticket 

42. RM 2.4 million on indelible ink 

43. Samy announced in September 2006 that the government paidcompensation amounting to RM 38.5 billion to 20 highway companies. RM380 million windfalls for 9 toll concessionaires earned solely from thetoll hike in 2008 alone. 

44. RM32 million timber export kickbacks involving companies connected to Sarawak Chief Minister and his family. 

45. Two bailouts of Malaysia Airline System RM7.9 billion. At atime when MAS incurring losses every year, RM1.55 million used to buythree paintings to decorate its chairman's (Munir) office. 

46. Putra transport system bailout which cost RM4.486 billion. 

47. STAR-LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion. 

48. National Sewerage System bailout costing RM192.54 million. 

49. Seremban-Port Dickson Highway bailout costing RM142 million. 

50. Kuching Prison bailout costing RM135 million. 

51. Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam bailout costing RM8.3 million. 

52. Le Tour de Langkawi bailout costing RM 3.5 Million. 

53. Wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in BursaMalaysia under guise of NEP to cronies, children and relatives of BNleaders and Ministers worth billions of ringgits. 

54. Alienation of tens of thousands of hectares of commercial landsand forestry concessions to children and relatives of BN leaders andMinisters worth tens of billions of ringgits. 

55. Since 1997, Petronas has handed out a staggering 30 billionringgit in natural gas subsidies to IPPs who were making huge profits.In addition, there were much wastages and forward trading of Petronasoil in the 1990s based on the low price of oil then. Since the accountsof Petronas are for the eyes of Prime Minister only, we have absolutelyno idea of the amount. 

56. RM5700 for a car jack worth RM50 

57. Government-owned vehicle consumed a tank of petrol worth RM113 within a few minutes 

58. A pole platform that cost RM990 was bought for RM30,000 

59. A thumbdrive that cost RM90 was bought for RM480 

60. A cabinet that cost RM1,500 was bought for RM13,500 

61. A flashlight that cost RM35 was bought for RM143 

62. Expenses for 1 Malaysia campaign paid to APCO? 

63. RM17 billion subsidy to IPP。。。

64. USD24 million diamond ring for Ro$mah - cancellation of order - how much  compensation???

 65. Cattle/Cow gate by family of Sharizat RM250 million

A vote against Barisan Nasiona

Curi-curi Wang Malaysia

There is an expiry date on racism and that expiry date is getting closer... Jan or latest by March 2012. When next you go out to vote just remember that:

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against racism.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against religious extremism and manipulation.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against sacrilege against Islam and the abuse of Islam for political gains.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against corruption, mismanagement and abuse of power.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against persecution and discrimination.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against gambling the future of our children and grandchildren.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against corrupt and lying politicians.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against distortion of the truth and manipulation of the media.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the violation of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against a manipulated and non-independent judiciary.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the use of all the instruments of government to stifle dissent and opposition.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against a fraudulent, unfair and unclean election.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against the stifling of a civil society.

A vote against Barisan Nasional is a vote against…well, why not you fill in this last one, which I sure many of you are capable of & forward it to all your friends via chained emails..

List of racial discrimination in Malaysia.

(1) Of the five major banks, only one is multi-racial, the rest are controlled by Malays.

(2) 99% of Petronas directors are Malays.

(3) 3% of Petronas employees are Chinese.

(4) 99% of 2000 Petronas gasoline stations are owned by Malays.

(5) 100% all contractors working under Petronas projects must be of Bumis status.

(6) 0% of non-Malay staff are legally required in Malay companies. But there must be 30% Malay staffs in Chinese companies.

(7) 5% of all new intake for government police, nurses, army, are non-Malays.

(8) 2% is the present Chinese staff in Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), a drop from 40% in 1960.

(9) 2% is the percentage of non-Malay government servants in Putrajaya, but Malays make up 98%.

(10) 7% is the percentage of Chinese government servants in the entire government (in 2004); a drop from 30% in 1960.

(11) 95% of government contracts are given to Malays.

(12) 100% all business licensees are controlled by Malay government, e..g. Taxi permits, Approved permits, etc.

(13) 80% of the Chinese rice millers in Kedah had to be sold to Malay controlled Bernas in 1980s. Otherwise, life is made difficult for Chinese rice millers.

(14) 100 big companies set up, owned and managed by Chinese Malaysians were taken over by government, and later managed by Malays since 1970s, e.g. UTC, UMBC, MISC, Southern Bank etc..

(15) At least 10 Chinese owned bus companies (throughout Malaysia in the past 40 years) had to be sold to MARA or other Malay transport companies due to rejection by Malay authorities to Chinese applications for bus routes and rejection for their applications for new buses..

(16) Two Chinese taxi drivers were barred from driving in Johor Larkin bus station. There are about 30 taxi drivers and three were Chinese in Oct. 2004. Spoiling taxi club properties was the reason given.

(17) 0 non-Malays are allowed to get shop lots in the new Muar bus station (Nov.. 2004).

(18) 8000 billion ringgit is the total amount the government channeled to Malay pockets through ASB, ASN, MARA, privatization of government agencies, Tabung Haji etc, through NEP over a 34 years period.

(19) 48 Chinese primary schools closed down from 1968 - 2000.

(20) 144 Indian primary schools closed down from 1968 - 2000.

(21) 2637 Malay primary schools built from 1968 - 2000.

(22) 2.5% is government budget for Chinese primary schools. Indian schools got only 1%, Malay schools got 96.5%.

(23) While a Chinese parent with RM1000 salary (monthly) cannot get school textbook loan, a Malay parent with RM2000 salary is eligible.

(24) All 10 public university vice chancellors are Malays.

(25) 5% of the government universities' lecturers are of non-Malay origins. This percentage has been reduced from about 70% in 1965 to only 5% in 2004.

(26) Only 5% has been given to non-Malays for government scholarships in over 40 years.

(27) 0 Chinese or Indians were sent to Japan and Korea under the 'Look East Policy.'

(28) 128 STPM Chinese top students could not get into the course to which they aspired, i.e. Medicine (in 2004).

(29) 10% quotas are in place for non-Bumi students for MARA science schools beginning in 2003, but only 7% are filled. Before that it was 100% Malays.

(30) 50 cases in which Chinese and Indian Malaysians are beaten up in the National Service program in 2003.

(31) 25% of the Malaysian population was Chinese in 2004, a drop from 45% in 1957.

(32) 7% of the Malaysian population is Indian (2004), a drop from 12% in 1957.

(33) 2 million Chinese Malaysians have emigrated in the past 40 years.

(34) 0.5 million Indian Malaysians have emigrated overseas.

(35) 3 millions Indonesians have migrated to Malaysia and become Malaysian citizens with Bumis status.

(36) 600,000 Chinese and Indian Malaysians with red IC were rejected repeatedly when applying for citizenship in the past 40 years. Perhaps 60% of them had already passed away due to old age. This shows racism, based on how easily Indonesians got their citizenships compared with the Chinese and Indians.

(37) 5% - 15% discount for a Malay to buy a house, regardless whether the Malay is rich or poor.

(38) 2% is what new Chinese villages get, compared with 98% - what Malay villages got for rural development budget.

(41) 0 temples/churches were built for each housing estate. But every housing estate got at least one mosque/surau built.

(42) 3000 mosques/surau were built in all housing estates throughout Malaysia since 1970. No temples or churches are required to be built in housing estates.

(43) 1 Catholic church in Shah Alam took 20 years to apply to have a building constructed. But they were told by Malay authority that it must look like a factory and not like a church. As of 2004 the application still have not been approved.

(44) 1 publishing of Bible in Iban language banned (in 2002).

(45) 0 of the government TV stations (RTM1, RTM2, TV3) are directors of non-Malay origin.

(46) 30 government produced TV dramas and films always showed that the bad guys had Chinese faces, and the good guys had Malay faces. You can check it out since 1970s. Recent years, this has become less of a tendency.

(47) 10 times, at least, Malays (especially Umno) had threatened to massacre the Chinese Malaysians using May 13, since 1969.

(48) 20 constituencies won by DAP would not get funds from the government to develop. These Chinese majority constituencies would be the last to be developed.

(49) 100 constituencies (parliaments and states) had been racially re-delineated so Chinese votes were diluted for Chinese candidates. This is one of the main reasons why DAP candidates have consistently lost in elections since the 1970s. (update to 2008 needed)

(50) Only 3 out of 12 human rights items are ratified by the Malaysian government since 1960.

(51) 0 - elimination of all forms of racial discrimination (UN Human Rights) has not been ratified by Malaysian government since 1960s.

(52) 20 reported cases whereby Malay ambulance attendances treated Chinese patients inhumanely, and Malay government hospital staffs purposely delayed attending to Chinese patients in 2003. Unreported cases may be 200.

(54) 20 cases every year whereby Chinese drivers who accidentally knocked down Malays were seriously assaulted or killed by Malays.

(55) 12% is what ASB/ASN got per annum while banks fixed deposits are only about 3.5% per annum.

AND THEN IT IS WINTER

This is one of the nicest e-mails I've seen in a very long time. Its very inspiring. Save it and read from time to time. I wonder who composed this. So philosophical.

And then it is Winter.

It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went.

I know that I lived them all...

And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... But, here it is... The winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well... Seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...

But, here it is... My friends are retired and getting grey... They move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me... But, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... But, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore.... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last... This I know, that when it's over.... Its over... Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done... Things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime...

So, if you're not in your winter yet... Let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life... So, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember.... And hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

"Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one."

PAS members firm on Hudud.

So PAS's fickle mindedness has once again becomes evident at their 'Muktamar' being held in Kota Bharu,with their 'Dewan Ulama' and Youth Wing reaffirming their conviction on implementing Hudud,if PR wins the 13th general election with them having the majority of seats(MPs) in Parliament,abandoning their earlier promise to implement a welfare sate.

If PAS is adamant wi

th its stand on Hudud,than Pakatan's chances of winning the election will all but,go up in smoke.I,for one will vote for a corrupted regime(anytime) to run this country where I'll be free of restrictions in how I run my life than having an Islamic party(PAS) that encroaches into my rights to freedom and the way I want to live,life the way I see it fit.

PAS has gone on record to say that Hudud won't affect the non-Malays,but their action on several issues have convinced me otherwise,they are:-

1. Banning the sale of pork/beer in Selangor
2. Separate sitting for male and female in cinemas and at payment counters in shopping complexes
3. Banning the construction of cinemas by non-Malays
4. Banning concerts,fashion shows
5. Calling for the ban on Valentine,Halloween and Christian bashing
6. Calling for the closure of shops/business during the Muslim fasting month
7. Suggesting/enforcing dress codes on non-Malays
8. PAS's silence on Islamic body's frequent raids on houses/businesses to confiscate dead bodies/books,one parent converting their children to Islam without the consent of the other
9. A non-Malay rape victim have to produce four Muslim witness to the crime
10.The contradiction/disparity between the Syariah and the Civil courts,for non-Malays.

The above are only some of the problems we,the non-Malays will face if PAS were implement Hudud,in this multi-religious/racial country.PAS is not interested in eradicating corruption,abuse of power,institutionalize racism or cronyism,they are more interested in going after petty theft,illicit sex and apostasy.

Why I Hate Astro

There goes Astro's excellent uninterrupted and often repeated "Services currently not available" show again,and it only drizzling,right now,and I pay RM125 to watch a blank screen,whenever it rains. WTF is wrong with Astro,even their often repeated programs/ shows are not available when the sky turns dark,

Free Malaysia Today reports that Astro's profit margins remain under pressure from escalati

ng content costs, accounting for some 30% of the revenue and over 50% of the operating costs,therefore Astro is not ruling out a potential subscription price hike to pass on some of the costs to viewers.

When just one company controls a particular market segment, it’s called a Monopoly. And nothing says monopoly better in Malaysia than cable TV operators Astro. Only when companies compete, consumers win. Usually with cheaper prices and better value, think about the hypermarkets and how they slash prices like crazy to pull-in customers.

Of course with Astro, there’s no such thing as competition for them cos their only competition is free-to-air TV,(RTM,TV3,NTV9) government controlled spin TV stations which might as well not exist at all.

I’ve been a bill-paying customer of Astro for close to 10 years, so I think I have earned the right,hence the reasons why I hate Astro:

I now pay double in fees for the same package I have subscribed since day one. Remember, more channels does not mean more value; I can only watch one channel at a time.
Astro always cite the rising costs of programming globally when increasing their prices. Why not pass on these costs to advertisers rather than us consumers?
Sometimes it feels like I am paying to watch ads. There are way too many ads for a subscription-based service.
The programming is much left to be desired. Repeats after repeats of old programmes. If you’re a fan of Jamie Oliver, you know what I’m talking about.
Absurd packaging of channels. Only one or two decent channels in a package. The rest is garbage. Why not let us choose the channels we want, individually?
Rain, solar interruption and sometimes even when it’s just very cloudy; you get the very familiar “services currently not available” message.
Even the 45-mins of watching a live football match is littered with on-screen running tickers, cross-promos and ads. My 32-inch TV is often reduced to a 21-inch!
The Box Office packages are a rip-off. They often show old, B-grade movies on regular movie channels and charge a premium for decent movies.
I’d probably have more luck getting an appointment with the prime minister than getting hold of someone on the other end of their customer service hotline.
They say Tutor TV helps school children learn better; but in actual fact they are just turning kids into TV addicts.

10 reasons for Indians to drop BN

By M Manoharan

Umno’s ‘Malay Supremacy’ agenda

I would be echoing the sentiments of the great majority of Indians in Malaysia when I say they are effectively second class citizens under Umno’s rule. Umno and BN can be used interchangeably because Umno is not only the dominant party but the de facto ruling party as well.

The much entrenched ‘Ketuanan Melayu ’ or Malay Supremacy is the unwritten code of Umno’s rule. The ruling party has perfected this philosophy to the extent of rivalling the notorious racist agenda of apartheid South Africa. Basically, Ketuanan Melayu aims to contain the progress and prosperity of the non-Malays.

The Indians have traditionally looked to the civil service for employment but in the last few decades they have seen their share of public sector jobs severely curtailed. Too many Indians have to eke out a harsh living outside the comfort of the government service and the GLCs. Many resort to low paying jobs which in turn locks them in a vicious cycle of poverty. Also, the high crime rate among Indians is a direct result of the lack of access to good, high- income jobs for Indians.

NEP’s lopsided implementation

The NEP introduced in 1970 and which has set the direction of the nation ever since was designed to:

a) restructure society so that race is no longer identified with occupation, and

b) eradicate poverty irrespective of race/ ethnicity.

However, none of these noble intentions ever reached the Indian community. The implementation of the NEP has bypassed the Indians. In the past, Indians were identified with the civil service, professions and the plantations. Today, they are increasingly associated with low pay jobs and hard, physical labour.

Many flagship projects of the NEP offered little to the Indian community. Felda which transformed the landless and the poor among the Malays to proud land owners had little impact on the Indians. It was the same story with Felcra, Risda and the numerous other schemes designed to uplift the rural poor.

Somehow, the Indian poor, a large proportion of whom were in the plantations were invisible to the formulators and the implementers of the NEP. There were no quotas assigned to the Indian community for jobs in the GLCs or the private sector. If the BN government could do it for the poor Malays, why did it overlook the poor Indians?

Was not the NEP designed for all Malaysians? Why the lop-sided implementation? Today, we have an Indian community that has high endemic poverty, the highest violent crime rate and a decreasing proportion in the top professions.

The pathetic state of the Tamil schools

Any responsible government would look into the education needs of its entire people. But then, BN has never been a responsible government. The BN government has systematically marginalised vernacular education. Fortunately, the economic and philanthropic strength of the Chinese community has mitigated the many challenges facing Chinese schools. There are 523 Tamil schools in the country, but up to 79% or some 379 of these schools are still occupying dilapidated, termite infested, semi-permanent buildings built on private land before Merdeka. The bigger majority of these schools are in a pathetic state – undersized classrooms, leaking roofs and some even without water or electricity.

Almost all face teacher shortage of some kind, some more acute than others. Promises are made from time to time by the government to improve trainee teacher intake, training temporary teachers and offering them permanent positions but the reality is the opposite. Some 40% of all Tamil school teachers are contract or temporary teachers.

This potent combination of poor infrastructure and teacher shortage is a definite recipe for the high failure rate of Tamil school students. Tamil schools are a neglected lot and the BN must be held responsible by all Indian voters.

Limited opportunities in the civil service and GLCs
Prior to the implementation of the NEP in 1970, Indians were well represented in the civil service. The lop-sided implementation of the NEP has decimated the Indian numbers in the civil service.

Indians and other non-Bumiputeras are severely discriminated both in the intake as well as in subsequent promotions.

For instance, there is not a single Indian judge in the Federal Court. The BN government must look into an Equal Opportunity Commission & an Equal Opportunity Act to redress the gross imbalance among the races in the Government service.

Citizens denied citizenship

Almost 300,000 Indians who are eligible for citizenship do not have MyKads. They are children born to citizen parents whose births were not registered for one reason or another. In a nutshell, they have been denied citizenship due to a government bureaucracy that is callous to their plight. Many dreams have been shattered, jobs and careers foregone and households mired in poverty due to citizenship denied.

Almost all are deserving cases because most were born in Malaysia or have lived here all their lives. Of late, the MIC has organised citizenship for about 4,000 cases but this hardly scratches the surface of the problem. It is more of a publicity stunt for the BN to dupe the Indian electorate as many of the cases publicised in the media are senior citizens in their twilight years and well past their prime.

Sadly, it is a case of political gimmicking taking precedence over resolution of people’s grievances.

Highest unemployment rate

Indians have the highest unemployment rate among the major races in the country. The neglect of the Tamil schools means it ill-prepares the students for secondary school and beyond. Many Indian students lack the linguistic and numerical skills needed for today’s job market.

Moreover, Indians do not have access to skills training institutes like GiatMara, polytechnics, Mara Training Institutes, vocational schools and numerous other training institutes’ set-up with public money at the state and national levels. Certainly, there is a lack of concerted action by the BN government to train and equip Indian youths with the necessary job skills.

The typical response by BN leaders is that Indians do not apply for these opportunities. How can Indians apply for these places when it is not made known to them?

As a result, the majority resort to the private sector. With low levels of education and absence of marketable skills, they are forced to work as lorry drivers, road sweepers, dishwashers, free-lance house maids, cleaners, despatch clerks, personal drivers, etc. These jobs are shunned by the other races because of the low pay, long working hours and physical risks involved.

The situation has got so bad that Indians are forced to compete with foreigners for these very jobs.

Extremely high crime rate/custodial deaths

The poor state of the Tamil schools which contributes in large part to the high school drop-out rate and school leavers with limited skills for the demanding modern job market means that crime is an attractive option.

BN government initiatives are focussed on the symptoms and not the causes. Therefore, we have a high violent crime rate that contributes to a disproportionate high number of detainees in the detention centres and remand prisoners in the police stations. Racial profiling and a very reactive, single race monopolised police force keen on violent interrogation procedures has led to an astronomical high number of unaccounted deaths in police custody.

The way BN chooses to put up a charade that all is well and often providing the most ridiculous of answers to custodian deaths points to a police force that belongs to the bottom tier of the 3rd world.

The politicisation of Batu Caves Sri Subramaniam Temple

For some time now, the BN has used the Batu Caves Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple for political capital. The temple committee played a pivotal role in the arrest of the Nov 25, 2007 Hindraf rally supporters who had gathered at the temple grounds on the eve of the historic event.

The presence of PM Najib Tun Razak on Thaipusam Day to endear himself to the Hindu electorate is an affront to the Hindus performing the sacred duty of fulfilling their spiritual vows. And most recently, we have the issue of the 29 storey condominium.

Vedic teachings tell us that a temple is a sacred place where one goes for peace of mind and to commune with the Almighty. But MIC and its cohorts have reduced Batu Caves to a political pawn to wage war against its political rivals. We must stop them from this sacrilege.

The labelling of Hindraf as a terrorist organisation

Until today, the police chief and the police force as well as the Home Ministry have yet to apologise to Hindraf, especially the five leaders detained under the ISA, for wrongfully and maliciously labelling Hindraf as a terrorist organisation detrimental to the security of our beloved nation.

Racist agenda against Indian leaders

We see a racist agenda in demonising Indian leaders who choose to stand out and fight for our rights. S Ambiga, Dr Xavier Jeyakumar and P Uthayakumar have all been labelled unilaterally as enemies of the nation by Umno and the BN. This is done surreptitiously by pro-Umno blogs and the mainstream media as well as other radical organisations which are funded by Umno and enjoy the tacit approval of the top BN leadership.MIC, the BN designated representative of the Indians chooses to play mute, so as not to offend its political master.

FREEDOM OF RELIGION

Sisters in Islam deplores the vehement attacks against YB Nurul Izzah Anwar on her position of freedom of religion at the forum on “Islamic State: Which version? Whose responsibility”.

Despite the numerous issues covered in the three-hour forum by a seven-member panel, it is regrettable that the focus has been solely on YB Nurul Izzah’s response to a question by the audience. These attacks reflect the shrinking of democratic space for civil public discussion and the increasing intolerance and authoritarian attitude in our society on the issue of freedom of religion. Malaysians are routinely reprimanded or attacked for raising this issue even though freedom of religion is enshrined in Article 11 of our Federal Constitution.

In a multi-religious society such as Malaysia, problems and conflicts will always arise in a multitude of ways. These include cases where non-Muslims convert to Islam without resolving their duties and responsibilities to their earlier non-Muslim marriages and families, thus affecting the rights of their non-converting family members. They also include cases of born-Muslims who have never led a Muslim life as they were brought up by non-Muslim family-members; or converts to Islam who later want to leave Islam; cases of born-Muslims who wish to leave Islam out of their own free will; and also cases where one converting spouse unilaterally - and coercively - effects the conversion of his or her children who are legal minors.

Freedom of religion has always been contentious in this country but there have been court judgments allowing Muslim converts to leave Islam. The Administration of the Religion of Islam (Negeri Sembilan) Enactment 2003 contains legal procedures by which one may do so.

The Qur’an is explicit and consistent in its recognition of freedom of religion. Surah al-Baqarah, 2:256, “Let there be no compulsion in religion” has been widely interpreted to mean that no one can be compelled to embrace Islam. Other verses in the Quran speak about people who believed then disbelieve with no mention of any temporal punishment like in Surah an-Nisa 4:137, “Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief - never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way.”

Faith in any religion is contingent upon free will, and this would be meaningless if induced by force.  Islam itself means submission to the will of God – not the will of men. The willing submission of the self to faith and belief must therefore be attained through conviction and reason of the individual, not by coercion and duress. This is clearly mentioned in Quran, Surah Yunus 10:99, “And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then would you compel the people in order that they become believers?”.

Freedom of religion must recognise the freedom to change religion. How can Muslims demand this notion of religious freedom for those wishing to convert to Islam and at the same time argue the denial of this freedom to leave Islam for those who no longer believe? Faith by compulsion may lead to hypocrisy.

SIS has consistently maintained a strong position against the legislation of faith. We support all voices that call for freedom of religion and therefore condemn the attacks made against YB Nurul Izzah. 


SIS Forum (Malaysia)
9 November 201

Nurul's watershed idea for the nation

This poignant truth surpasses even the remarkable observation made by former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the country's "first rate infrastructure and third world mentality."

It shows that Malaysian leaders know what's wrong with their country but do they have the moral courage and political capability to right the wrongs?

I am sure Nurul Izzah and her political coalition will win many votes if she makes her suggestion a key policy in their political manifesto.

It will bring Malaysia in line with contemporary values of human rights because the Malays are still a bonded people, controlled by all sorts of rules and regulations that exempt other Malaysians.

This one-nation two-system method of governance is retrograde and reason why despite all the high-sounding political slogans about 1Malaysia, real unity remains elusive.

Control is a double-edged sword and the government has done harm to the image of Islam because to non-Muslims the double standards it practises in propagating Islam while restricting other religions, shows Muslims as weak in their beliefs and need cocooning from the world.

The Malay mind thus becomes like a licensed mind because the government and its religious authorities decide what they can and cannot believe and do.

For example, they cannot marry a non-Muslim without having their intended spouse convert to Islam. Such a practice is not seen in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country.

We have also seen Lina Joy, a Malay who had converted to Christianity, unable to have her conversion recognised. I know of others in similar circumstances who have faced persecution and Operation Lallang in 1987 saw several Malays unfairly jailed and beaten while in custody.

The politicians are not concerned about the welfare of the Malays or Islam but their political control over the Malays so that they can keep them as a fixed deposit.

With political control, the corrupt politicians are then able to plunder the nation and prove they are the real enemies of Islam, and fortunately more Malays are seeing the truth.

You only need to meet a Singaporean Malay to observe how myopic Malaysian Malays appear in comparison.

It seems pointless to send Malays on government scholarships to obtain PhDs in various fields when the Malay mind is still like the proverbial frog's under a tempurung (coconut shell).

Thus such a Malay mind is a closeted mind and this is often reflected in the sorts of ridiculous ideas we often hear or read about in the media when those sorts of leaders open their mouths and give us a peek into their minds.

Did not one even ludicrously suggest to vote for the DAP is a sin?

Sometime in the early 80s, I wrote a letter with a similar view as Nurul Izzah's that was published in the New Straits Times.

I opined that the Malays have a right to be exposed to various ideas including different religions and I still believe that when the Malay mind is liberated from government control, then the country may soon see the enlightenment that Anwar Ibrahim wrote about in his book 'The Asian Renaissance'.

Malays are not inferior to the Chinese or anyone but after 55 years of feudalistic control by their political overlords, the system of political largesse has resulted in a government-sanctioned policy of treating Malays as inferior and needing special treatment and the government continues to labour this perception.

States that practise religious or ideological control over citizens are like the communists that dictated what the people should believe. They failed miserably and their capitalism today can only succeed when the human spirit is free to soar.

We are told Malay graduates fare poorly in the queue for jobs in the private sector and the finger can be pointed at the government's failed policy of racial segregation and producing what the employers consider an inferior product.

Until meritocracy is practised the Malays will continue to suffer a bad image.

When we were in school the Malays in our class were always among the top students and ours was a top school in the country. But because of the government's subsequent policy of racial discrimination, sadly our alma mater has lost its former glory.

Today religion and ideology-repressed states are failed states and even China, the remaining major bastion of communism, no longer practises thought control and freedom of faith is upheld albeit religious persecution still happens within certain places.

Malaysians have seen that rapid Islamisation and religious zeal by the authorities have not produced a society that reflects the high moral values that Islam and all religions advocate.

Instead in Malaysia we see Muslims act against the teachings of their religion and even so-called religious leaders have allowed themselves to be used as political tools in a political agenda at the expense of Islam.

Is that not why corruption is rife and many Muslims are culpable of all sorts of crimes even the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, linked to the incumbent political leadership?

The religion of force has not produced true believers and no matter what the religion, it becomes diluted and delusional when its adherents become nominal and have to play hypocrite to avoid persecution.

Even the enigmatic Dr Mahathir Mohamad had to concede that his Muslim brothers and sisters conform more to form than substance but his half-truths overlook that it was due to his Islamisation and failure to right the wrongs after 22 long years in the driver's seat, that is largely to blame.

If anything is deficient in the Malay mind blame it on a government that has fed the disease, not cure it.

Not long ago a Malay friend of mine died and was buried a Muslim though I know he had since stopped being a Muslim and was a strong follower of a strange foreign cult and he had not been tacit about his real beliefs and even tried to convert me.

Is it so difficult for those who claim they believe in the true religion to accept the hard truth? Is form more important than substance and face-saving more important than honouring the truth?

Pseudo-believers can be found in any religion and that is why no religion that takes its own teachings seriously advocates coercion though all religions have spread through proselytisation.

When religionists confuse submission with subscription they lose the plot. Forcing someone to submit to something is different from seeing someone subscribe to something out of willingness and conviction.

It results in the sort of silly actions by teachers who whip students for not obeying their enforced Islamic zeal in schools.

The forcing of non-Muslims to convert to Islam when they marry Muslims only creates a class of nominal Muslims.

The same can be said of forcing those who are born into Muslim families to be Muslims. Malays therefore are like 'religious slaves' if I may use the analogy.

They are born into religious and ideological bondage. They are often fed lies about other religions. Reading what some of their books describe of subjects that I know intimately is like reading horror fiction.

So when I hear enlightened Muslims like Nurul Izzah talk sense, I feel there is hope for the truth to be vindicated.

Anyone who is not free to think for himself or herself and has the freedom to adopt the religion of personal conscience and conviction is still a slave in reality. For this reason, religion becomes a farce.

Can anyone afford to entrust his or her eternal future to any political party?

It is reason why those Muslims who go to mosque every Friday and pray five times a day and fast at Ramadan still think it is okay to accept bribes in their jobs because it has been the practice for so long.

They are no different from the prostitute who has a shrine of Kuan Yin in her room while engaged in a sinful business.

The same hypocrisy can also be found among the practitioners of other religions because nominalism and hypocrisy go hand in hand and produce spiritual blindness and intellectual darkness.

Is that not why we find so many Muslims in high office guilty of corruption and sexual misconduct, not unlike those who do not believe in God or consider themselves religious?

At least the latter unlike the former are acting out their beliefs and can't be called hypocrites. Sometimes I respect the atheist more than the religious hypocrite. Nevertheless, God tells us the fool believes there is no God.

The liberation of the Malay mind will not only enhance the quality of Muslim faith but also enrich the Malay race as a people and community.

The government has been hypocritical in preaching about diversity but practising a system of racial and religious discrimination.

Add to it a policy of keeping the Malays in religious bondage and you have the ingredients for an incendiary society that can be ignited by the political conspirators as we saw in May 13, 1969.

Only this time we have bright and enlightened Malays who prevent history repeating itself.

I don't see the Chinese hung up about their religious and political diversity. The fact a Malay is defined as a follower of Islam defies logic, natural justice, and the fact race is not synonymous with religion. So were the pre-Muslim Hindu Malays not real Malays?

The doctrine of Ketuanan Melayu is really a misguided idea of nationalism, a subversion against nationhood, a political ploy and an idea bound to fail because it has no moral authority in contemporary society.

You cannot believe that European colonialism is morally repugnant when you replace it with your own local variety.

Fifty-five years of political feudalism as we have seen in Malaysia is enough for Malaysians to realise until they discard the status quo, they will never see radical change and remarkable progress as we see in Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

Even Indonesia is outpacing Malaysia in its democratisation and economic progress.

The sooner the political cocoon is discarded the quicker we will see the Malay emerge as a beautiful butterfly instead of remaining in the suspended stranglehold of political ugliness.

There are many emancipated Malay minds and the hope of the Malays lies in their intellectual leadership, not those who exploit race and religion to advance their own perverted, selfish and greedy interests and still speak the language of deceit.

It is time Malaysians reject the idea that the government is the licensing board for intellectual freedom.

The Malays have to emancipate themselves and it is young leaders like Nurul Izzah who offer hope for them.

The archaic ideas and ways of the old political guard that has controlled the country for so long, is out of sync with the times and aspirations of contemporary Malaysians.

It is the corrupting ways of the old guard that is why Malaysia is unable to make real progress and falling further behind Singapore, because while Malaysia protects its corrupt police and politicians, Singapore prosecutes them, and they don't even have to factor in religion to act righteously.

We only need to look across the Causeway to realise that an honest and sincere respect for others is the way to build a successful nation.

It gave me great joy to listen to the public announcement in Tamil as I alighted from a train in Singapore's MRT station.

Singapore has no hang-ups about its colonial past or that promoting Malay, Tamil, English and even Japanese is less nationalistic among its majority Chinese leaders.

What is wrong with Malaysia begins in the Malay mindset because they control the government and its machinery.

It has affected even non-Malay minds of certain MCA and MIC leaders who have sold out their own people for the same reasons the Malay leaders have sold out theirs.

Watching them shadow box with their Umno comrades while their constituencies continue to suffer serious injustices gives credence to the notion of the Ugly Chinaman and the Ugly Indiaman.

They need to prove to the majority race that they can be relied on to put their own people in their place as long as they are recipients of political largesse.

Nurul Izzah offers hope for the nation because she thinks like a Malaysian and a Muslim coming to terms with the reality that God is not just the God of the Malays but everyone and that faith is not about clobbering others and cocooning oneself in ignorance and bigotry but engaging those who differ from us.

I have just spent more than two weeks in Taiwan and though this country has been colonised by various nations, it has no chip on its shoulder and is not xenophobic.

Its tourism slogan is ‘Taiwan the Heart of Asia' and I soon found out why, because its people are generous.

Malaysia claims it is Truly Asia but is it really?

How is it truly Asia? Or is it just another slick slogan? How Asian are you when you compel others to speak like you, dress like you and believe like you?

Fortunately it is the people themselves, the ordinary Malaysians who reflect the virtues of the country and its appeal to foreigners as a friendly and hospitable place.

The victims of this ugly political bigotry are the Malays themselves who in my purview are among the nicest people anywhere.

The same can't be said of some of their lying and conniving political leaders and that is why Nurul Izzah is a leader of the times and the future despite her youth.

Pak Lah hit the nail on the head with his 'first world infrastructure, third world mentality' comment and it is my hope that younger politicians like Nurul Izzah will be able to liberate the Malay mindset from its bondage to the political and religious status quo.

What Pak Lah could only diagnose, perhaps Nurul Izzah, her mom and dad in politics, and others who love their country will be able to cure.

The hope of Malaysians is in the hope that a new government will cure the sickness that sees the country bedevilled by the devils they know and want no more of.

There is a brave new world waiting for Malaysians but it is not in hanging on to the past and the present political leaders whose performance despite the fresh slogans, are banal at best, and who have yet to learn that slogans, spin and lies do not make a nation, least of all a great one.

If Malaysians want change they have to work hard for change and if a report that more than 20 percent of Malaysians are still not registered to vote, it is yet another challenge the opposition face to rouse them to act because every vote counts when the system is against you.

President Barack Obama's speech in Chicago after his re-election

Thank you so much.

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.

It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.

Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.

I want to thank every American who participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time. By the way, we have to fix that. Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone, whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.

I just spoke with Gov. Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign. We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight. In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Gov. Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.

I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America's happy warrior, the best vice president anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden.

And I wouldn't be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago. Let me say this publicly: Michelle, I have never loved you more. I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you, too, as our nation's first lady. Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes you're growing up to become two strong, smart beautiful young women, just like your mom. And I'm so proud of you guys. But I will say that for now one dog's probably enough.

To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics. The best. The best ever. Some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning. But all of you are family. No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together and you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president. Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley. You lifted me up the whole way and I will always be grateful for everything that you've done and all the incredible work that you put in.

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics that tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests. But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along a rope line in a high school gym, or saw folks working late in a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you'll discover something else.

You'll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who's working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. You'll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who's going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift. You'll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who's working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.

That's why we do this. That's what politics can be. That's why elections matter. It's not small, it's big. It's important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated. We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.

That won't change after tonight, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty. We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America's future. We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers. A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.

We want our children to live in an America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't weakened by inequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. We want to pass on a country that's safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this – this world has ever known. But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.

We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant's daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker's child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president – that's the future we hope for. That's the vision we share. That's where we need to go – forward. That's where we need to go.

Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It's not always a straight line. It's not always a smooth path. By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin.

Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over. And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you've made me a better president. And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.

Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together. Reducing our deficit. Reforming our tax code. Fixing our immigration system. Freeing ourselves from foreign oil. We've got more work to do.

But that doesn't mean your work is done. The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote. America's never been about what can be done for us. It's about what can be done by us together through the hard and frustrating, but necessary work of self-government. That's the principle we were founded on.

This country has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that's not what makes us strong. Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That's what makes America great.

I am hopeful tonight because I've seen the spirit at work in America. I've seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job. I've seen it in the soldiers who reenlist after losing a limb and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.

I've seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm. And I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.

I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father's story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright. That's who we are. That's the country I'm so proud to lead as your president.

And tonight, despite all the hardship we've been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I've never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I'm not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight.

I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.

America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.

And together with your help and God's grace we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth.

Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless these United States.