Day: October 21, 2016

Malaysians shouldn’t have to go to court to correct religious status, interfaith group says

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

MCCBCHST said many individuals have approached it over the decades because they have been wrongly designated as Muslims by the government. — Picture by Reuters

MCCBCHST said many individuals have approached it over the decades because they have been wrongly designated as Muslims by the government. — Picture by Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — An interfaith group called today for new legislation and government policies so that Malaysians would not have to go to court to correct their religious status on paper.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) welcomed the Court of Appeal’s recent decision to allow the appeal of Rosliza Ibrahim, who was born out of wedlock to a Muslim father and a Buddhist mother, for a legal declaration that Shariah courts do not have jurisdiction over her.

“The Cabinet and Parliament must take steps to formulate an inclusive policy and enact relevant laws respectively to resolve disputes faced by people like Rosliza Ibrahim,” said MCCBCHST in a statement. Read more →

Court of Appeal preserved and protected the Constitution — MCCBCHST

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

PRESS STATEMENT

OCTOBER 21 — The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) welcomes the decision of the Court of Appeal on October 11, 2016, allowing the appeal of Rosliza Ibrahim; a woman who was born out of wedlock to a Buddhist mother, was raised a Buddhist and continues to profess Buddhism as an adult.

Over the decades, many individuals have approached the MCCBCHST because of similar problems i.e. individuals wrongly designated as “Muslims” by the Government. They are designated as such despite never having professed Islam all their lives. It must be emphasised that these are not cases of people wanting to leave or renounce Islam, but cases where they are not even Muslims in the first place. Read more →

URGENT ACTION — Death threats AGAINST BERSIH ORGANIZERS

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Death threats AGAINST BERSIH ORGANIZERS

downloadDeath threats are the latest form of harassment levelled against the Chairperson of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) and other organizers, activists and supporters of the Bersih 5 rally, planned for 19 November, calling for electoral reform.

On 18 October, the Chairperson of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) Maria Chin Abdullah and her immediate family members; Bersih 2.0 Secretariat Manager, Mandeep Singh; and former chairperson, Ambiga Sreenevasan, received death threats via disturbing images in a WhatsApp message. Maria Chin Abdullah has previously faced threats for organizing the Bersih 5 rally. Following the rally’s announcement, she was reportedly subjected to a serious threat on her life which is now the subject of a police investigation.

Bersih 2.0 are organizing the Bersih 5 rally, planned for 19 November, calling for electoral reform. A Bersih convoy has been held around the country every weekend since 1 October and is planned to continue until the demonstration on 19 November. There have been a number of attacks by ‘anti-Bersih’ groups against the convoy as well as against three journalists covering the convoy. Those involved have lodged police reports for criminal intimidation and battery. There has been a pattern of arrests and excessive use of force by police against activists involved in the series of Bersih rallies held since 2007 as well as intimidation and threats by non-state actors. Perpetrators have rarely been held to account. Read more →

Terengganu eyes gender-segregated lines at government offices

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

The move is the latest in the state’s increasingly Islamic administration. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng, the Malay Mail Online.

The move is the latest in the state’s increasingly Islamic administration. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng, the Malay Mail Online.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Male visitors could be kept apart from women at government offices in Terengganu under a proposed initiative from the New Terengganu Transformation (TTB) plan.

The move is the latest in the state’s increasingly Islamic administration, which has so far outlawed unmarried men and women from riding motorcycles together and required shops to close between 12pm and 2pm on Fridays for Muslim prayers.

“This (the gender-segregated lines) is very good in facilitating women. We will make two main lines in government offices that are most visited,” Mentri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

“There is no problem in implementing this and it can be translated in the TTB.”

Federal agencies in the state such as the Road Transport Department and National Registration Department had between Tuesday and Thursday prepared counters specifically for women.

Gender segregation is a hallmark of Kelantan that has been ruled by conservative Islamist party PAS since 1990, but has gradually emerged in neighbouring Terengganu. Read more →

Wikipedia founder’s group urges Malaysia to cease Zunar harassment

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

The foundation said Malaysia has been harassing the cartoonist known as Zunar for years, including twice arresting him — Pic taken from the Malay Mail Online.

The foundation said Malaysia has been harassing the cartoonist known as Zunar for years, including twice arresting him — Pic taken from the Malay Mail Online.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The Jimmy Wales Foundation has told Putrajaya to lift travel restrictions on cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque and discontinue the numerous cases against him over his work and comments.

The foundation, which the Wikipedia founder started in 2015 to assist bloggers and activists arrested by authorities, said Malaysia has been harassing the cartoonist known as Zunar for years, including twice arresting him.

“JWF calls the Malaysian authorities to remove the travel ban from Zunar immediately and drop all charges against him,” it said in a statement.

Zunar was told by an immigration officer at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport of his travel ban when he tried to fly to Singapore on October 17. Read more →

Jamal Yunos released on bail, promptly declares war on Bersih

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Source: New Strait Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Red Shirts leader Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos was released on police bail today.

He was released about 5pm, greeted by around 50 Red Shirt supporters in front of the Dang Wangi police headquarters.

Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh confirmed the release. Shortly after his release, Jamal declared all-out war against Bersih 5.

“The arrest has not weakened me. After this, I will deploy the Red Shirt movement nationwide and declare war against Bersih 5,” he said. Jamal said his arrest showed double standards, as police have yet to detain any Bersih 5 leaders despite numerous reports lodged against them. Read more →

Bersih 5.0 has deviated, says PAS

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Source: The Sun Daily

KOTA BARU: PAS said the organisers of Bersih 5.0 had deviated from their original struggle, hence why the party decided against joining the rally.

Its secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said PAS also frowned on Bersih 4.0 participants’ action to stomp on images of the country’s top leader.

“Other than deviating from the original focus, the participants at the Bersih 4.0 last time also stomped on photographs of the country’s top leader, which we cannot accept,” he said last night. Read more →

More pro-Islamic State websites blocked

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Source: FMT News

An additional 25 websites and 50 URL links banned by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Pic taken form FMT News.

An additional 25 websites and 50 URL links banned by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Pic taken form FMT News.

SUNGEI PETANI: The government has been stepping up its efforts to block websites that are involved in the propagation of Islamic State (IS) ideology.

Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Jailani Jailani said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had blocked 36 websites that promoted IS ideology in Malay, English and Bahasa Indonesia

He said 72 URL links and 12 social media accounts were removed for promoting IS related ideology.

Johari told this to reporters after opening the Current Issue Forum: Threat by Islamic State at Dewan Majlis Perbandaran Sungai Petani, here yesterday

“We are aware that the Islamic State group are experts in using new social media to propagate their IS ideology. They gain support and assistance or recruit new members by twisting facts from the Quran. Read more →

Prof Ramlah’s unbecoming lecture — Ravinder Singh

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Source: The FMT News

By Ravinder Singh

Pick taken from FMT News.

Pic taken from FMT News.

There goes another one, this time from the lofty seat of a professor from Universiti Malaysia Perlis. We had got sick of hearing school teachers telling non-Malay children to “balik India” and “balik Cina”. Although we haven’t seen such news in the media for a while, it doesn’t mean this sort of taunting has completely stopped.

Prof Ramlah Adam, who still may be a Perkasa leadership council member, recently went to Kuching to tell Sarawakians that if any of them wanted to raise questions about the position of their homeland in Malaysia, they should just get out of the country.

Why? Where is the crime in seeking clarifications about the status of Sarawak in Malaysia? Read more →

Ministry open to discussion on chemical castration

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is open to a suggestion to consider following Indonesia’s footsteps in introducing chemical castration for paedophiles.

Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin (PKR-Bukit Katil) had made the suggestion to follow Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s move during the question-and-answer session yesterday.

Replying, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said: “I am confident that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman and the rest in the taskforce are having an in-depth discussion on the terms and guidelines that they are going to use to reach a consensus on how to deal with paedophiles. Read more →