Hindus are the First Immigrants to Malaysia - The Lost City of Kota Gelanggi

The Lost City of Kota Gelanggi Archeological Find
(The First Immigrants to Malaysia)

For those who read about it, you will recall that in 2005,
the Malaysian Govt. was excited about accidentally finding an ancient
civilization in Johor . This was reported in the various newspapers.
There was talk about excavating the huge site to rediscover this
civilization. And then.....silence! After that, no news at all about
this discovery.

A number of times I have discussed with friends that there was
definitely a cover-up because the authorities did not like what was
discovered - something that is contradicting what the Govt. is trying
to claim. And so many years passed and now I received this email
revealing what I suspected to be true! Read on.......

Good to know who are the real Pendatang... The Indians
and Chinese were here way before the Malays ... You have to start
learning the correct history.

A small piece of History for our future generation.. Why Kota
Gelanggi (lost city) touted as earliest civilization in Malay
Peninsula news were banned as they were Buddhist.

The Johor find of 2005 which was quietly dropped was none
other than Kota Gelanggi lost city reflecting Srivijaya and its
Buddhist splendour. But they deliberately disregarded it because that
would have sidelined Malacca Empire and Islam which was smaller and
came some 500 years later. I met Dr Lee Kam Hing, a former History
prof at MU in Singapore recently at a seminar. Dr Lee, who is now Star
research director, told me he was trying his best to highlight Kota
Gelanggi, but that the govt killed it off. This is clearly another
case to cover up the real history of Malaya and fool the younger
generations into believing that our history only began from Malacca
1400.. Not only that, they try to show Parameswara as Malay and
Muslim, but actually he was Hindu! If one were to condemn these UMNO
scumbags on how they distort history, it will never end......the
condemnations will more than cover 10 PhD thesis!

A small piece of History for our future generation. Hitler's
public relations manager, Goebbels, once said, 'If you repeat a lie
often enough, it becomes the truth.'

Once again our government wiped out any references to a famous
Melaka prince as being Hindu and belonging to the powerful Hindu
empire Sri Vijaya. So all of a sudden our museums, school text-books
etc. all refer to Parameswara as a Malay prince.

What race ruled or did not rule is besides the point. What is
important is not butchering history to create your own truths. You
cannot change your race even if you convert - Parameswara could have
been responsible for Umno's proud heritage of ' Ketuanan Melayu '.

If this is what it is based on, there is no ' Ketuanan Melayu'.
The lineage of Melaka Sultans are Indians, not Malays.
It is no secret that Parameswara was an Indian and a Hindu prince.

It is clear from records that Parameswara never converted to
Islam. He was an Indian Hindu who fled Palembang in Sumatra to
eventually found Melaka circa 1400 AD. It was Sri Maharaja who
converted himself and the court of Melaka to Islam, and as a result
took on the name of Sultan Muhammad Shah sometime after 1435...

The most famous of Indian Hindu Kings were Raja Chola and his
son Rajendra Chola who invaded Southern Thailand, Kedah, Perak, Johor
and Sumatra about 1000 AD. This is Raja-raja Chola - the Indian/Hindu
kings and not Raja Chulan - a Malay king. But what is really sad is
that our children are taught as though Malaysian history suddenly
began in 1400 with an Islamic Melaka.

We are led to believe that the Indians and Chinese first
arrived on the shores of Malaysia in about 1850 as desperate
indentured labourers, farmers and miners . Nothing could be further
from the truth.

The cultural influences of India in particular, and China, in
South East Asia span over 2,000 years, starting with the arrival from
India of the Brahmanical prince/scholar - Aji Saka in Java in AD78,
through to Vietnam, Cambodia (Indo China), Thailand, Burma, Indonesia,
Bali, Borneo, Brunei and beyond.

The findings at Bujang Valley speak of an ancient Indian/Hindu
presence in Kedah. There were Chinese settlements in Pahang and
Kelantan around the 13th-14th century and in 12th century in
Singapore .

The early Brunei Sultanate had a Chinese Queen. One need not
ponder at length the implications of Angkor Wat and Borobudur or that
40%-50% of Bahasa Malaysia comprises Sanskrit/Tamil words. To
illustrate, some of these words are :

bumi = boomi singgasana = singgasanam
putra = putran perdana = pirathamar
raja = rajah menteri = manthiri
desa = thesa kapal = kappal
syakti = sakthi samudra = samuthiram
kolam = kulam sepatu = sappattu
bahaya = abahya jaya = jeya
maha = maha aneka = aneha
nadi = naadi kedai = kadai
mahligai = maaligai mantra = manthrum
tandas = sandas (This list can go on)

An extremely important archeological find that pointed to one
of the greatest empires in history - the Raja Chola empire that ruled
from the Maldives through India , Sri Lanka and right down to South
East Asia found deep in the jungles of Johor a few years ago and made
headlines in the mainstream newspapers in 2005, suddenly disappeared
from the news...

The time has arrived for us to record our history as the facts
tell us and not as we would like to wish it.

The truth will never hurt anyone. Lies, always will .

Regards,
LEE Ong Kim (Dr)
Associate Professor and Head
Policy and Leadership Studies
National Institute of Education
NIE2-03-54, 1 Nanyang Walk,
Singapore 637616

Yo, people, listen up!

Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin certainly stirred a hornet’s nest and in the process spawned an entirely new satire/music video industry. So much has been said about this incident that I think it is totally unnecessary for me to comment about the matter any further.

What is of interest to me, however, is Sharifah’s comparison of those with a mere ‘O’ level to those who are university graduates. According to her, those who do not have a tertiary education are inferior to those who do.

Actually, if you were to drive on Malaysian roads, you will never be able to differentiate between those who have no (or a lower) education and those who have a higher/tertiary education. From their bad manners on the road and the inconsiderate attitude that they demonstrate, you will never be able to tell the difference.

If education is meant to make you a better and more learned person, Malaysia has certainly failed in this respect. Whether you have a Ph.D. or you are a fisherman or farmer it makes no difference. The way Malaysians drive, those who have a Ph.D. and those who have never gone to school are exactly the same.

I have said this before, many times, and I am going to say it again. In the UK, you go to a driving school to learn how to drive. That is because you need to know how to drive to be able to pass your driving test and get a driving licence.

In Malaysia, you go to driving school to learn how to pass your driving test. It does not matter whether you know how to drive or not. Passing your driving test and getting your driving licence does not depend on whether you know how to drive. It depends on whether you got your driving licence ‘through’ the driving school.

Hence people who know how to drive, but did not go through a driving school to sit for their driving test, will fail the driving test while those who do not know how to drive, but went through a driving school to sit for their driving test, would pass the driving test.

And that is why the majority of Malaysians do not know how to drive plus the fatality rate due to traffic accidents in Malaysia, on a per capita basis, is ten times that of the UK.  

Actually, more than half of those people driving on Malaysian roads should never have been allowed to drive. The tragedy is not so much that they kill themselves but that they kill others due to their recklessness and inconsiderate attitude.

Do you want to know one thing? If you have a driving licence from Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, Australia, the Republic of Korea, (mainly the Commonwealth and EU countries), etc., (a total of 50 countries in all) you can exchange it for a UK driving licence. Malaysian driving licences, however, are not accepted for exchange. That says a lot about the ‘quality’ of Malaysian driving licences.

And the same applies to Malaysia’s education system. Just like in the case of Malaysian driving schools, Malaysia’s education system is not about getting an education and becoming learned but about passing your exams.

And they will ‘lower the bar’ if necessary to allow more people to ‘jump over’. Hence those who do not deserve to pass get passed and are then sent for their tertiary education, and in some cases to an overseas university.

Over the last four years since 2009, I have bumped into many Malaysian students -- those post graduate students doing their masters and/or Ph.D. as well. And I have come to a very troubling conclusion. Nevertheless, this is merely my own opinion and, not being from the academic field, I am looking at things from the eyes of a layman and not from the eyes of an academician.

First of all, Malaysian Malays at overseas universities are mostly government-sponsored students while those non-Malay Malaysians, according to what they tell me, are FAMA-sponsored students.

When they first told me they are ‘FAMA-sponsored’ students I thought they meant FAMA the Lembaga Pemasaran Pertanian Persekutuan (SEE HERE: http://www.fama.gov.my/). “Does FAMA give out scholarships or grants?” I asked these Non-Malay and mostly Chinese students. This was certainly news to me.

I had to chuckle when they explained that FAMA means fada-mada (father-mother). But this is no chuckling matter. I feel it is sinful that all the Malay students are ‘government scholars’ whereas the non-Malay students are ‘private funded’. Why is there not a more equitable balance, at par with the racial composition of the country?

I know this has, for a long time, been a bone of contention amongst the non-Malays. The Malays, no doubt, hide behind the New Economic Policy (NEP) to justify this ‘sin’ while the non-Malays resent the NEP for this very reason. Hence discussing this matter is just going to open up a can of worms and I suspect the comments below this article are going to turn this article into a race-bashing exercise.

But I am not trying to turn this into a race-bashing exercise. My concern is that when I speak to these students (of all races) I find that the attitude, mentality and intelligence level of the Malay students leave much to be desired whereas the attitude, mentality and intelligence level of the non-Malay students are far superior compared to that of the Malay students.

And herein lies the tragedy. When I talk to the non-Malay students I get the impression that those selected and sent overseas are the crème de la crème. But when I talk to the Malay students I do not get this impression. In fact, if I had been given the job of vetting through the students, many, or maybe even the majority, of those selected would have been disqualified.

The other side of the argument, of course, is that if only the ‘higher grade’ Malay students are selected and sent overseas while those who fail to make the grade are excluded, then the ratio of Malay to non-Malay students sent overseas would be very low. At the end of the day, the ratio of Malays to non-Malays would probably be reduced to 1 in 10.

I can understand and appreciate this argument. We need to give the Malay students a chance. If not then very few Malay students would have the opportunity of an overseas tertiary education. Other countries, too, have racial quotas to help the minorities get ahead.

But in the case of the other countries, the racial quotas and the lowering of the bar are meant to help the minorities, who otherwise would be left behind. Malaysia, however, is doing this for the majority, not the minorities such as the Ibans, Dayaks, Orang Asli, etc.

Instead of lowering the bar to allow as many Malays as possible to ‘jump over’, the government should explore how to increase the standard of education to enable more people to clear the bar (without having to lower it).

In other words, don’t teach Malays how to pass their driving test. Teach Malays how to drive. Then, when they sit for their driving test, they will pass. If you mass-produce graduates like on an assembly line, then you will end up getting low quality people. And that is not the objective of an education.

So those who have degrees/masters or Ph.D. should not be too proud of that fact. It is not the piece of paper that you possess which we should talk about but the quality of that paper. And when you open your mouth you reveal that the paper you possess is…well…not worth the paper it is written on.

Why we need to protest and hold public rallies

I was too young to remember the 1998 reformasi demonstration in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

There were no Facebook or Twitter or any social media tools for live updates and the only mobile phones available were those huge solid ones, resembling a brick!

However, I do remember reading about the event on Utusan Malaysia. Yes, I used to read Utusan Malaysia. Anyhow, I was too callow to understand the politics and reasons of those events being unfolded.

As time goes by, everything changes. From September 11, 2001 to the recent Arab Spring (Arab Awakening as put by Robert Fisk) a new chapter of human struggle was created.

If in the 60s, Americans were protesting against the Vietnam War, today not just the Americans but the whole world is protesting against war, any war.

We have anti ‘gitmo' demonstrations in New York or London; and we also have anti Internal Security Act (ISA) demonstration in Kuala Lumpur.

Anti nuclear power demos in Japan for instance, also happens in Australia, France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

Public rallies or street protests, civil disobedience or whatever you want to call it, is a manifestation of rejection against the unpopular regime in that individual countries.

It can be one-man protest, a hundred, one thousand or a million, it doesn't matter. When you are oppressed, you stand up and fight for your rights. As simple as that.

Not too long ago, we have witnessed a classic example of the domino effect in the Arab world.

From one country to another, each one of those ruthless regimes responsible for numerous atrocities and human rights abuses collapsed due to the peoples' uprising.

But did it solve the problem? No! Does it create more problems? Yes!

The problems are yet to be solved and as a matter of fact the problems have only worsened.

Arbitrary killings, executions, violence against women, minorities and children and in fact a humanitarian crisis ensured at rather alarming rates.

Civil conflicts become our daily feed. Still the question, why such discontentsbe met with further escalations of violence?

It is very important for us to be fair and to assess this matter wisely. If we were those young Egyptians, are we going to march on the street screaming "Enough is Enough" or we rather watch it live on TV?

Mubarak's oppressive regime is no secret to the world. Political opponents and progressive thinkers were often sentenced to jail and subjected to torture, the minority groups such as women's rights groups and student's movements were not allowed to voice out their concerns.

The most important issue that triggered the Uprising in Egypt is that only the rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

By knowing all of these injustices happening for the last 30 years, as a young liberal minded Egyptian, what would you choose next?

Demanding an uncompromised and democratic change in the governing system or sit back, spend the fat cheques, raise the family, occasionally change hobbies, get sick and watch your government continue oppressing the people even if the people is your own family?

It is the same saga in Syria, Tunisia and Libya. Corrupt governments, fat wealthy leaders sipping expensive champagnes, puffing Havana-bounded cigars, while the people had to fight for a loaf of bread and steal just to buy a bottle of water.

Yet, all we do is, we condemn those people who took the streets, we portrayed them as thugs, branding them as uncivilized or ungrateful human race.

If we were those people in Libya or Syria, what do we have as an option? Do we send letters to Gaddafi saying "Dear Honorable Colonel Gaddafi, me and my kids have not eaten for three days. Would you mind sending us a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken?" hoping for Gaddafi to say this as an answer "To my loyal citizen, I will not send you one bucket but instead I will send you five buckets of KFC so you and your kids can eat for a week. But remember do not join any street rally!"

Do we really believe that this is the option that we have? And do we really believe that Gaddafi would eventually read those letters?

Then we argue: "In Malaysia we are much better than those Arab or African countries". "The word ‘democracy' is always muttered by our leaders.

"We managed to have elections without missing a single ballot paper". "We have been living peacefully for more than 50 years, why do we need to change? Why can't we just live normally?"

Yes, we are living in a logical sense of harmony. No doubt about that.

But does that mean our ruling system is corruption-free and puts humanity and the rule of law into practice? I believe no.

Let us all be honest with ourselves. We are living in a corrupt system. From the judicial institution to the election commission and to most government departments.

Corruption is endemic but it's almost tolerable! Will this corrupt system disappear when Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya? No!

Will Pakatan be able to remove and replace it with a more transparent system within 100 days after they ‘seized' Putrajaya? The answer is again, no!

It would take them years and years and years to repair the whole system. This is the process that we Malaysians are about to go through right now.

This is the ‘moment of transition' that we are trying to walk through and this period will not going to be easy.

In fact this is the hardest part for us Malaysians and we need to realise that we are making a huge change in our life. A change that is irreversible.

It is also important for all Malaysians to realize another matter. We are calling for a better system.

A system that can guarantee our rights and a system that based on the rule of law and is people-oriented.

We are not calling for Pakatan to replace BN just because we hate BN. Pakatan can be as corrupt as BN as soon as they take over Putrajaya.

This is not impossible.

All we want is Pakatan to guarantee the people's rights, improve judicial system, promote transparency and accountability within the governing bodies, shut ISA detention centres completely, try those who committed human rights violations in a fair people's court, demand openness and accuracy on information related to government spending i.e. military budgets, overseas trips and individual assets, improve the education system for all Malaysians - the list goes on.

January 12 2013 was the date vital to both BN and Pakatan. There is no turning back.

The people are moving forward, you can put barricades as you will, those barricades will surely be toppled by the people. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

And for those of you who are against public rallies in Malaysia, I have a question, are you against public rallies because you do believe there is another solution for the problem i.e. (sending out letters and hoping your leaders will read it) or you'd prefer to pass on your "talk to the hand" mantra to your offspring so they too can suffer like you?

Oh wait, will you go onto the street now that Pakatan is bullish?

Ya ALLAH

This is about Islam and its teachings with regard to the issue of whether non-Muslims can use the word “Allah”.

Invariably in doing so, it is unavoidable to relate some theological aspects of Islam that may or may not offend the teachings of other religions.

If it does so, please understand that it is not my intention to do so but merely to illustrate and substantiate the content of this article.

Islam teaches that the highest legislative authority on Earth is God.

After that comes the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

No legislation passed by Man can override or conflict with what God and/or the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has decided.

Surah Al-Ahzab verses 33: 36 of the Holy Qur’an has been interpreted to read:

“It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.”

Where a matter has been decided by God and the Prophet therefore, Muslims have no choice but to obey.

God in the Holy Qur’an warns Mankind against simply declaring this or that to be lawful or unlawful where it goes against what God and/or the Prophet have decided.

Surah Al Tawba verse 31 of the Holy Qur’an has been interpreted to read:

“ They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!”

The Prophet (pbuh) explained this verse by saying:

 ”It was not that they (Jews and Christians) worshipped these people, but rather whatever they made permissible for them, they believed it to be permissible and whatever they forbade, they believed to be unlawful. ” (Tirmidhi)

Hence if a Muslim is to take as lawful what God and His Prophet have made unlawful or if a Muslim is to take as unlawful what God and His Prophet have made lawful, then that Muslim has committed the one unforgivable sin of having lords besides God.

Having established thus that it is not open for a Muslim to go against any decision of God and His Prophet and that if he does so he then commits the most unforgivable of sins of giving partners to God, let us then examine whether God and the Prophet had anything to say or whether they had decided on the matter of non-Muslims using the word “Allah”.

Surah Az Zukhruf verse 87 of the Holy Qur’an has been interpreted to read :

 “And if thou ask them who created them, they will surely say: Allah. How then are they turned away?”

In this verse “them” refers to the unbelievers or, in the context of the Holy Qur’an, the non-Muslims. Hence here God is saying that when the non-Muslims ask who created them they will use the word “Allah” in reply.

Likewise Surah An Ankabut verse 63 of the Holy Qur’an has been interpreted to read:

 “And if thou wert to ask them: Who causeth water to come down from the sky, and therewith reviveth the earth after its death? They verily would say: Allah.”

 Again “them” here refers to the unbelievers or, in the context of the Holy Qur’an, the non-Muslims.

 In Surah Al Hajj verse 40 of the Holy Qur’an, its interpretation is even more interesting. It reads:

 “For had it not been for Allah’s repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down.”

 There you have it.

The name of Allah mentioned in churches.

Who tells the Muslims this?

Why, God Himself.

What is the Prophet’s attitude towards Christians? It is exemplified in what is known as the Treaty Of Najran made in 631 AD and also known as the Charter of Rights made to the Christians of Najran.  (The original document is preserved in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul)

In 628 AD, a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, extracts of which read as follows:

 ”This is a message from [Prophet] Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.

Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion [in religion] is to be on them.

No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.

Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

Their Churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (of Muslims) is to disobey this covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

Note that this charter of rights is to last “till the Last Day.” Note also that it imposes no conditions on Christians to alter their beliefs. It is enough that they are Christians.

Note too the Prophet’s father’s name—“Abdullah”—meaning the servant or slave of Allah.

He was given this name and it establishes that Allah was in use before the Holy Qur’an was revealed. 

There is some basis for claims too that other religions use “Allah”.

In Sikhism one of the names by which Guru Nanak Sahib refers to God is “Allah”.

In Hindu Scripture, in Rig Veda Book 2 Hymn 1 Verse 2 “Ila” is used, which is the same as the Arabic “Illah” or “Allah”.

Further, the Arab Christians and Jews use “Allah” freely without hindrance.

Can something in the religious context be haram in one area and halal in another?

Here we have so-called Muslims insisting that non-Muslims cannot use “Allah”.

Do they not know the Holy Qur’an then?

Do they not know Islam?

Do they then take partners besides God and commit the one unforgivable sin?

Do they not know that the Prophet has warned:

 “Beware!  Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)

88-Day Countdown to 13GE – KL112 the major turning point for maturing democracy in Malaysia

The peaceful and successful holding of the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka (KL112) yesterday is a major turning point for maturing democracy in Malaysia.

It achieved many historic firsts in Malaysia, including:

• The peaceful gathering of 100,000 patriotic and visionary Malaysians of all races, religions and region, regardless of age or gender, coming together in hope, goodwill and unity for a better Malaysia where there is freedom and justice for all Malaysians and future generations;
• No playing of the race or religious card, no race or religious baiting or incitement to provoke hatred and conflict in any of the speeches whether by Pakatan Rakyat leaders or civil society representatives;
• No dissemination of lies or falsehoods, as has become the wont and modus operandi of Barisan Nasional leaders and their propaganda organs in their attacks on the Pakatan Rakyat;
• 10-point call by Pakatan Rakyat and civil society for freedom, justice and sustainable development representing all races, religions and regions to build a united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous Malaysia;
• Pakatan Rakyat pledge with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim leading 100,000 Malaysians chanting “Merdeka” to continue the Merdeka legacy of Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman who shouted “Merdeka” seven times in Merdeka Stadium on August 31, 1957 – symbolising the new phase of the Merdeka struggle to free the country from local oppressive rule;
• At the end of KL112, never before in Malaysian history has the national anthem Negaraku been sung with such passion, hope and deep feelings by Malaysians of all races, religions and regions for democratic change to bring about a better Malaysia.

The politics of lies and falsehoods, as well as the irresponsible playing of the race and religious cards, to create fear, sow conflict and divide Malaysians which had contaminated Malaysian politics in the past few years have failed to stop the momentum for peaceful and democratic change as symbolised by the peaceful and successful holding of KL 112.

The next step for maturing democracy in Malaysia is to institutionalise a two-coalition system by ushering in peaceful alternation of power and government through the ballot box.

The 13th general elections remain a great challenge to Pakatan Rakyat but KL112 is an important barometer that however arduous and difficult, a change of government in Putrajaya in the next polls is within reach.

In fact, KL112 should be a turning point for the UBAH agenda, with the upgrading of the call to Malaysians not only to unite to vote for a change of Federal government in Putrajaya, but to ensure that it is not enough for Pakatan Rakyat to win but equally important to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat has a strong and firm parliamentary majority of at least 28 seats, i.e. ensuring that PR wins at least 125 parliamentary seats or PKR with 45 seats and DAP and PAS each with 40 parliamentary seats.

Thus from KL112 to 13GE!

Big brother Jakim angers Malaysians-Mariam Mokhtar

Muslims like to tell the world that theirs is a tolerant religion and yet certain Muslims and Muslim organisations act like bulls in heat, when they vent their anger.

Malays will be chucked out of their own land, Muslims will not be allowed to practise their religion, Tanah Melayu as they know it will be destroyed. These are some of the not-so-subtle warnings that the extremists have touted and yet, it is the Malays and Muslims who are undermining a peaceful co-existence with their intolerance and insidious methods.

The notice, placed beside three elevators in a Kuala Lumpur hotel which say that the lifts should only be used to transport halal goods, have plunged many Malaysians into despair.

Muslims like to tell the world that theirs is a tolerant religion and yet certain Muslims and Muslim organisations act like bulls in heat, when they vent their anger.

Today, we are told that only certain goods can be carried in lifts, but in the near future, will notices indicate which sorts of people are to be banned? What precedence is this setting?

Today, only a few hotels and restaurants have received instruction from the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) regarding the strict requirements to qualify for halal certification. Muslims are trying to gain a monopoly on the use of the word Allah, how long will it be before other things will be dragged onto the Jakim-Jais list?

The notice in the Crystal Crown Hotel was placed at the entrance to the trade lifts. How does Jakim think that cross-contamination could occur between halal and haram foods in a lift? If food is being prepared in the lifts, then the hotel should be prosecuted for unhygienic practices.

If the meat and vegetables are dripping blood and fluids onto other foodstuffs, then the suppliers should be made to package their goods properly.

FMT reported that security personnel and CCTV would make sure Jakim’s orders were enforced. Is it so difficult to allocate one elevator for transporting non-halal foods? Is this the hotel management or Jakim at work?

Jakim has persevered in making both Muslim and non-Muslims mock their (Jakim) policies. Jakim’s directives reflect badly on Islam and has brought the religion into disrepute. Has Jakim an ulterior motive behind their moves, besides making life difficult for non-Muslims and Muslims alike?

The butter fiasco

The Goldenchurn brand of butter fell foul of Jakim a few years ago. Butter is made by churning high-fat milk or cream until the butter separates from the liquid (buttermilk). Butter becomes semi-solid from emulsification and the process does not involve gelatin, pork or any other ingredients, except salt and colouring.

When the ban on Goldenchurn was enforced, many wondered if the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Taib Mahmud and his cronies were involved in this alleged sabotage. Had Taib wanted to promote his palm oil margarine alternative especially as he had invested heavily in the halal hub called the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE)?

Similarly, when Tabasco and the HP Sauce was banned in Malaysia, critics allege that a highly attractive sweetener had not been paid to smooth the import of these sauces into Malaysia.

These same critics, who are Muslims going on the haj and umrah, wondered why the sauces were on sale in Mecca and other cities in Saudi Arabia.

Friends claim that when visiting a government department in Ipoh, they have been told what to wear and in a few cases, have been asked to return only after they are suitably attired. Short sleeved blouses are not allowed and even non-Muslims have been asked to cover up their hair with a scarf.

Are we going the way of Saudi Arabia where expat colleagues have said that the religious police will beat women with a stick if their arms are exposed?

Jakim receive their orders from Umno, and the erection of the signboards in the Crystal Crown Hotel is a manifestation of Umno’s desperation.

At a time when Malaysians are facing serious problems caused by poor governance, with the country haemorrhaging billions of ringgits, its police force facing a crisis of public confidence and members of the cabinet from the prime minister downwards maintaining silence over corruption scandals at the heart of government, Jakim just provokes Malaysians.

If only Jakim were to extend its reach to some VVIPs who when they are at home, play the pious Muslim but who gamble, drink and fornicate when they are abroad.

A recent birthday bash for an eighteen year old with his 81 year old father in a London hotel is one such event. London is a playground for such people as it is far from the prying eyes of the rakyat.

Malaysians must confront Jakim’s issues head on. The lifts may be an issue today, but how long will it be before Muslims are themselves subjected to archaic laws?

Perhaps, in time, women will be denied the vote, or be barred from education, employment or sport. Maybe, Muslim women will be banned from driving or leaving the house without their husband’s permission.

For centuries, the nation had no problems with the word Allah being used by Christians, Sikhs and Muslims. Are Umno’s lackeys trying to create problems before GE-13? How long will it be before Jakim and the various institutions encroach further into our lives?

Blatant double standard

The double standard adopted by Jakim and Jais are blatant. They are not concerned with cheating, theft, murder, perjury, forced conversions, deaths in police custody, body-snatching, corruption, sex with children, children being married off, incest among Muslims and domestic violence.

The Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria has warned non-Muslims not to provoke Muslims and to stop using the word Allah. Other prominent people have followed suit.

Harussani said: “Christians should not interfere with Islam, they’d be better off taking care of their own religion. If they want to use Allah, convert into Islam.”

If Malaysians, especially Muslims do not help stop this madness, it will not be long before people like Harussani will bring in even more ridiculous demands and prohibitions.

The bans on yoga and the poco-poco dance seem quite sensible, when compared with the latest foolishness.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

Msia can set example for Islamic nations but EC, govt too "defensive" - Muslim polls group

The Muslim American Election Observers Committee, in Malaysia on a fact-finding mission, says the country has the chance to "set the standard" for the Muslim and emerging worlds if the authorities could be less "defensive" and more sincere in conducting free and fair polls.

The Committee highlighted 3 main areas of weaknesses that it said would hinder confidence amongst the Malaysian people, including the questionable integrity of the electoral roll; the lack of free and fair access for the Opposition to the mainstream print and broadcast media; the absence of any plans to establish a caretaker government immediately preceding the ballot to ensure fairness.

"As democratic movements sweep across the Muslim world, we believe that Malaysia is in a position to set the standard. Our presence here is an effort to urge continued progress towards meeting international standards for free and fair elections," Dr Inayat Maliki, co-chair of the Interfaith Dialogue at Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) told a press conference on Thursday.

"Malaysia has shown steady progress. Material progress is important but progress in the political arena is also important because that's what will ensure the viability and financial health of a country. A lot of Muslim countries lack a truly democratic process. A lot of Muslims nations are ruled by dictatorships and the change of rule of government has been or by military coups. There have not been many models for peaceful transitions especially in a multi-party format."

ISNA or Islamic Society of North America is an umbrella group and the largest Muslim organization in that region.

EC & incumbent government not doing enough

Malik and his colleagues Mirza Baig (from the Elections & Democracy Committee) and Mazen Asbahi (Counsel for ISNA), who came to Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of the office of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, made it clear that they were non-partisan observers and would have responded if Prime Minister Najib Razak's government or any other party had extended the same invitation.

Malik took the Election Commission and the authorities to task for not doing more to ensure free and fair polls. When meeting EC officials, his Committee offered to return to Malaysia to observe the 13th general election, which must be called before June 2013.

However, they were rebuffed with the EC replying that they could visit Malaysia any time as "tourists".

"That would hardly be fulfilling our role," said Malik, adding that although the Najib administration knew they coming, the authorities made no apparent effort to contact them.

Nurul Izzah, the PKR MP for Lembah Pantai who was also at the press conference, expressed regret at the EC's 'discourtesy'.

"It's sad but why are we not surprised. We were very disappointed when Transparency International Malaysia announced its decision to pull out because it knew it would not be given a chance to carry out its work. Why reject international observers if the elections are going to be fair," Nurul told Malaysia Chronicle.

Very unsual to have same government for a prolonged period of time

Malik also said that it was "very unsual" for democratic nations not to experience any changes in governments for a prolonged period of time.

"It is seldom for democratic nations to continue to be ruled for a period of time by the same government. Not that there is anything wrong if there is transparency and accountability. But it is very unusual because the people themselves want to see changes, try new things, new ideas and people should be allowed to decide. We hope that Muslim nations across the world can transform or move into a democratic form of transition. This is necessary for continued progress."

Malik pin-pointed the lack of a "free press" to be the greatest obstacle currently hampering free and fair polls.

"The media seems to be totally reflective of one viewpoint. Reading the newspapers since we were here, there're very little divergent viewpoints offered There may be different angles but these eventually converge to the same viewpoint. It is a free media that makes a country democratic and the ability of the media to criticise the government, and not have to fear having their licence revoked or being hauled to jail. That's where Malaysia needs to make progress," he said.

'Dirty' electoral roll & caretaker government

In the Committee's meeting with EC reps, Malik said his Commitee also raised the issues of -

> "significant numbers of non-resident voters being registered by political parties in closely-contested constituencies";

> "questionable use of government authority to register foreign-born resdents";

> "difficulties in challenging the validity of the electoral rolls given the lack of access to electronic records and time and cost requirements".

The Committee also recommended a caretaker government to ensure "fairness and prevent abuse of government powers and resources to impact the conduct and outcome of elections".

Somebody must do something

Malik, however, does not appear to expect much positive response from either the EC or the Najib administration, and this could reflect on the country going forward.

"[For example], we feel it is the duty of the EC to say it [the lack of equal access to the mainstream media] is a hindrance to free and fair election. They say there's only so much they can do," said Malik.

"They shouldn't get defensive. Somebody needs to be doing something , somebody, the government, the Ruler, somebody needs to be doing something."