PAS seeks Royal Commission probe on Najib-Altantuya
Suara Keadilan
By Wong Choon Mei,
Islamic-based PAS has asked the Malay Rulers’ Council to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to probe if Prime Minister Najib Razak was indeed involved in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“Reports alleging the existence of a relationship between Najib and Altantuya through the purchase of a fleet of submarines have been reported in India, Australia, Korea, Thailand, etc,” PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar wrote in the official party letter to the Council.
“This shows that Najib’s credibility as a prime minister has been openly questioned at the international level.”
PAS also urged the Rulers to grant the request as soon as possible as it was the only way to let the international community know that Malaysia was prepared to answer all allegations.
“These reports have been featured by no less than 19 international media organisations, and all of them depict the prime minister as a person who is corrupt and involved in abuse of power, sex scandals as well as the murder of the Mongolian model,” PAS said.
Otherwise, the negative publicity surrounding Najib and his lack of credibility could tarnish the country’s reputation and that of the Rulers’ themselves.
Foreign investors would also lose confidence in Malaysia’s legal system as Altantuya’s family has threatened to take the case to the International Court of Justice, PAS pointed out.
“We are also worried that if Altantuya father, Setev Shaariibuu, is unsatisfied with the Malaysian High Court, he may bring the case to the International Court of Justice.”
Not so easy for Najib and Dr M to gag the foreign media
The 28-year old Altantuya, who was pregnant when she was killed in 2006 by two elite policemen from Najib’s security detail, has haunted the newly-appointed prime minister but did not prevent him from taking over the country’s top job earlier this month.
Najib has denied all allegations including that she was his mistress at one time before she became the lover of his close associate, Razak Baginda. But with too many questions and coincidences surrounding her gory killing, the speculation has refused to die down.
The 55-year old Najib has now resorted to suppressing the media to prevent the stories from spreading. Soon after he took over as PM, the government ordered four local TV stations to stop mentioning Razak Baginda’s name, his name and his wife Rosmah Mansor’s name in their coverage of the murder case.
However, the Malaysian prime minister was not able to silence the international media.
While Najib’s mentor, ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, has accused the foreign press of a plot to demonise and topple him, the 83-year old has quietly omitted that perhaps part of the reason for the heightened international attention is that French shipbuilder Armaris is also involved.
To reward Malaysia’s order of three high-cost submarines, including two Scorpenes, Armaris paid a 114 million euros (about RM530 million) as commission to Najib through his intermediaries Razak Baginda and Altantuya, according to French newspaper Liberation.
The order was placed during Najib’s tenure as defence minister. Critics in Europe have asked if it was proper for Armaris to have paid out such money.
In Malaysia, there is also a growing movement to demand why the government has not carried out detailed investigation as the commission is huge and could have been used to reduce the acquisition price, saving tax payers some RM500 million.
Federal court to determine validity of conversion of children
MySinchew.com
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has been tasked to determine the validity of the conversion of children of a civil marriage into Islam by one parent without the consent and knowledge of the non-converted parent.
The Court of Appeal today (28 April) referred the Shamala-Ridwan custodial rights case to the Federal Court for determination of five constitutional questions. The apex court will have to adjudicate on conflicting Islamic and civil laws governing conversion and family matters and also on the Federal Constitution, inxcluding on equality and freedom of religion.
One of the questions is whether the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993 which gives rights to a converted parent to convert his or her children from civil marriage without the knowledge and consent of the other parent, is inconsistent with the Guardianship of Infants Act 1961.
The amended Guardianship of Infants Act gives equal rights to a mother and father on the upbringing and custody of their children.
Court of Appeal judge Abdull Hamid Justice Datuk Abdull, who presided with Justices Datuk Hasan Lah and Datuk Abdul Malik Ishak, unanimously granted the referral order sought by S.Shamala who is embroiled in a custody battle with her converted husband, Dr Jeyaganesh C. Mogarajah.
Shamala, 37, married Jeyaganesh, 41, in 1998 according to Hindu rites and their marriage was registered under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976.
In 2002, four years after the marriage, Jeyaganesh embraced Islam and subsequently converted Saktiwaran and Theiviswaran, who were then aged three and two, to Islam without Shamala’s knowledge and consent.
Shamala, who now has custody of the two boys, was also ordered not to teach them her religious beliefs or to make them eat pork.
Despite the fortnightly visitation rights granted to Jeyaganesh by the civil High Court in 2004, he claimed he had not seen his two boys for the past five years.
The application to refer the constitutional questions to the court was with the consent of Jeyaganesh, whose Muslim name is Muhammad Ridzwan Mogarajah, and the Federal Territory Islamic Council.
The Federal Court’s answer on the five questions is expected to be a crucial one to bring remedy to couples caught in a similar situation.
The five questions are:
1. Whether Section 95 (b) of the Administration of Islamic Law is ultra vires Article 12 (4) (which states that there shall not be discrimination against any citizen) and Article 8 of the Federal Constitution (that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law).
2. Whether Section 95 (b) of the Administration of Islamic Law , as state law, is by reason of Article 75 of the Federal Constitution, inconsistent with a Federal law, namely, Section 5 (1) of the Guardianship of Infants Act and therefore invalid.
3. In the context of Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution (which gives exclusive jurisdiction to the syariah court on Islamic matters), where a custody order is made by syariah court or the high court, on the basis that it has jurisdiction to do so, whether there is jurisdiction for the other court to make a conflicting order.
4. Where there has been a conversion of the children of a civil marriage into Islam by one parent without the consent of the other parent, whether the rights of remedy under Part II of the Federal Constitution of the non-Muslim parent is vested in the High Court.
5. Whether in the context of Articles 8, 11, 12 (4) and 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution, the Syariah Court has exclusive jurisdiction to determine the validity of conversion of a minor into Islam once the minor has been registered by the Registrar of Muallafs (Majlis Agama Islam).
A team of lawyers led by Datuk C.V.Das represented Shamala while Muralee Menon appeared for Jeyaganesh, and Tan Sri Azmi Md Rais and Zulkifli Che Yong for the Islamic council. (Bernama)
Anwar prepares PKR for long battle with Najib’s Umno
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made sweeping changes to PKR as Pakatan Rakyat (PR) prepares to face off with the resurgent Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
PKR insiders say there is an urgent need to hunker down for a long, tough battle with a Umno united under Najib and Anwar’s old nemesis Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Najib has been working simultaneously on several fronts — economic, financial and political — to consolidate his power base, mow down his political enemies and recoup the losses suffered by BN in the 2008 general elections.
“PKR is the main target as PKR is the glue that holds the Pakatan Rakyat together and it is we who will take the full brunt,” a PKR insider said of Najib’s strategy.
Anwar’s decision to give a bigger role as party spokesperson to Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail is significant because it was she, as the aggrieved wife and symbol of resistance, who had held the PKR together during the six-long years when Anwar was in prison.
Dr Azizah stepped back after Anwar’s 2004 release but remained as nominal party president.
She gave up her Permatang Pauh seat for Anwar in July 2008 at a time of great stress for Anwar and the PKR, with her husband again accused of committing sodomy with his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Anwar’s sterling victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election and his subsequent appointment as opposition leader in parliament helped considerably to overshadow the public fallout from the sodomy allegations.
The allegations however are set to reappear again and dominate the headlines with the opening of the sodomy trial soon and naturally the PKR is concerned about the political fallout of another trial.
It is felt that neither deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali nor the senior vice-presidents of PKR are able to handle a major crisis as well as Dr Wan Azizah who is experienced and enjoys a unique public appeal of her own unlike other PKR leaders.
Besides, she is also well known to and has developed a network of sympathetic editors and senior writers among the international media during the years in the political wilderness.
Such a network can be a powerful positive factor in times of crisis.
Considering the circumstances Dr Azizah is expected to play a prominent public role again as PKR leader even as Anwar battles his political enemies in court and in parliament — a role that only she can carry as the symbol of resistance.
Other changes involve the ever resolute vice-president Azmin Ali who has been taken-off as election campaign director and is expected to be given a major role in the PKR in a second round of changes the PKR is expected to undertake soon.
Azmin is expected to head a key state where PKR presence is dominant.
Another key PKR leader and Anwar-ally — the information chief Tian Chua has been made strategic director and his post given to human rights lawyer Latheefa Koya.
PKR sources said she is more “level headed” then Tian Chua who had several time angered top PKR leaders with his “theatrics” and “rash” media statements.
Like Tian Chua and troubled PKR lawmaker Elizabeth Wong, Latheefa is a well known human rights activist and a fixture in numerous demonstrations for justice.
Azmin is replaced as election director by Saiffudin Nasution, a former Umno youth leader who has shown his skills and organisational abilities in recent by-election battles.
“Saifuddin’s star is shining in the PKR…he is also close to PAS and well liked by the DAP,” PKR sources said.
WHO raising swine flu alert level, U.S. says
(CNN) — The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert level in response to the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico.
Relatives of flu patients wait outside Mexico’s National Institute of Respiratory Diseases.
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director-general, said the move did not mean a pandemic was inevitable. He added the agency would focus efforts on mitigating, rather than containing, the virus.
Fukuda said it was too early to predict whether there will be a mild or serious pandemic.
More cases were confirmed Monday in the United States, Canada and Europe. The WHO said the U.S. has confirmed 47 cases, Mexico 26, Canada six and Spain one. Two more were confirmed in Scotland.
In Mexico the virus is believed to be responsible for at least 149 deaths — though most of those have not yet been confirmed — while almost 2,000 have been hospitalized.
Some health experts fear the disease could become a pandemic, partly because it has killed young, healthy adults in Mexico.
Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos said, “The number of cases, unfortunately, will continue to increase.”
Mexico closed all schools until at least May 6 to help curb the spread of swine flu, officials announced Monday.
A U.S. federal official confirmed the U.S. figure — up from 20 with all the new cases coming from a New York school where eight cases were previously confirmed.
The European Union’s health commissioner Monday urged people “to avoid non-essential travel to the areas which are reported to be in the center of the clusters” of a swine flu outbreak.
Andorra Vassiliou’s latest comments soften an earlier statement urging people “to avoid traveling to both Mexico and the United States due to concerns about swine flu.”
The EU issued a statement clarifying that Vassiliou’s remarks were her personal comments and that travel advisories can be issued only by member states and not by the EU itself.
The first case of swine flu in Europe was confirmed Monday in Spain. Health minister Trinidad Jimenez said a 23-year-old man who returned from studying in Mexico last Wednesday tested positive for the virus at a hospital in the country’s southeast.
At least 16 more cases are being treated as possible swine flu, Jimenez told a news conference. Earlier, Jimenez met with health officials to discuss Spain’s response to the crisis.
“We do not have an emergency situation in Spain, but we are working to prevent any possible development, and we are taking action in accord with the World Health Organization,” she said.
Spain’s Ministry of Health has urged travelers recently returned from Mexico and the U.S. to be on the lookout for symptoms of the virus, including fever, coughing and respiratory problems.
A few hours later, Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, “Tests have demonstrated conclusively that the two Scottish cases of swine flu are positive.”
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “We are concerned that this virus could cause a new influenza pandemic. It could be mild, in its effects, or potentially be severe. We do not yet know which way it will go. But we are concerned that, in Mexico, most of those who died were young and healthy adults.
Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, said the EU warning was “not warranted.”
President Barack Obama said Monday that the outbreak was a “cause for concern” but not a “cause for alarm.”
He said the federal government was “closely monitoring” emerging cases and had declared a public health emergency as a “precautionary tool” to ensure the availability of adequate resources to combat the spread of the virus.
Israel and New Zealand, where 22 students and three teachers were quarantined after returning for a three-week trip to Mexico, are also investigating suspected cases. South Korea says it will test travelers arriving from the U.S.
Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease that usually affects pigs. It is caused by a type-A influenza virus. The current strain is a new variation of an H1N1 virus, which is a mix of human and animal versions.
When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight off because people have no natural immunity.
The symptoms are similar to common flu. They include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person. People can become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.
In 1968, a “Hong Kong” flu pandemic killed about 1 million people worldwide. And in 1918, a “Spanish” flu pandemic killed as many as 100 million people.
1 Malaysia: A cruel joke?
“Does he really believe that he has what it takes to reconcile Umno’s pathological obsession with bumiputra rights on the one hand with the principles of inalienable equality for ALL Malaysians on the other”?
The Malaysian Insider
Tunku Aziz
APRIL 27 – It never ceases to amaze me how simple and trusting we Malaysians are.
We have heard all these promises before. Pak Lah, the Mr Clean and Mr Nice Guy of Malaysian politics proclaimed his great mission of fighting corruption after 22 years of unprincipled and largely unaccountable governance under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
We lapped it all up, initially at any rate, and believed every word the spin doctors spewed out about Abdullah Badawi.
It was not too difficult a job for Abdullah Badawi, or anyone else for that matter, after Mahathir, to look ethically spotless, clean and pure as the driven snow.
Badawi, with his religious credentials, gave every appearance of being the reformer that this country had been praying for. Alas, his leadership proved a total let-down for Malaysia.
What began as a journey full of hope and promise turned very quickly into a national nightmare. Abdullah, who skippered the good ship MALAYSIA, was in truth an incompetent and inept rating playing at being Admiral of the Fleet.
We discovered soon enough that he could not tell north from south and a sexton from a pair of compasses. We had to put up with his erratic command, watching with increasing anxiety as he set the ship adrift aimlessly, with no prospect of ever making landfall.
Now let me move away from naval to boxing metaphors, and I hope I am not mixing them in the process.
Abdullah had come to lead us laden with his own strange stock-in-trade. It was a mix, in no particular order, of Islam Hadhari that he himself could not explain to save his life, the memorably inane “Work with me and not for me” catchphrase, and the almost absurdly messianic anti-corruption clarion call that he had used to fool the entire nation.
I am embarrassed to admit, on reflection, that he had me fooled from Day One.
Abdullah was persuaded by close family members and advisers that he was doing a brilliant job, and this was what he wanted to hear.
He believed that he had what was needed to punch above his weight. He did not realise until too late that the Islam Hadhari as he had postulated it was no match for the reality of Umno politics with its long-established culture of money politics (for which, read grand corruption), in-fighting and back-stabbing.
Soon enough, he found himself out-pointed at every turn by his own seconds, Najib and Muhyiddin, whose protestations of eternal love and loyalty made with a straight face before the disastrous March 2008 elections seemed the height of black humour.
They pushed all the responsibility for the electoral failure to him, and with indecent haste, distanced themselves from him. They turned collective responsibility on its head. This was their interpretation.
And now, they are now leading Malaysia.
I am recalling the Abdullah years as a way of reminding ourselves not to be tempted into swallowing the “right noises” that Najib is making, hook, line and sinker.
He is apparently good at developing popular policies on the trot, and all his reform promises seem to flow so effortlessly and glibly off his silvery tongue and that worries many people who are looking more for substance rather than form.
His 1 Malaysia is a case in point. How does Najib propose to give practical effect to his excellent concept given the reality of Malaysia’s race-biased policies of racial discrimination?
Does he not see a contradiction? Is he clear in his own mind what he is talking about? For now, it remains a slogan and, without a clear vision of what 1 Malaysia is intended to be, it could well turn out to be nothing more than a grand illusion.
Does he really believe that he has what it takes to reconcile Umno’s pathological obsession with bumiputra rights on the one hand with the principles of inalienable equality for ALL Malaysians on the other?
1 Malaysia without complete equality of opportunity is nothing if not a cruel and dishonest practical joke.
So, until Najib sets out his plan for 1 Malaysia that accords with the conditions for a truly “Malaysian Malaysia” (with apologies to Lee Kuan Yew), I suggest, in a manner of speaking, we do not put the champagne on ice as it could be premature.
Sidang Dun Perak 7 Mei : Pakatan Rakyat timbang pulau sidang sebagai tanda protes
Suara Keadilan
Anna Yusof
IPOH, 27 April (SK) : Pakatan Rakyat sedang mempertimbangkan kemungkinan untuk memulau sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) Perak 7 Mei ini sebagai tanda protes.
“Pakatan akan mengadakan mesyuarat untuk memutuskan perkara ini samada memulau sidang 7 Mei,” kata Setiausaha Dap negeri, Nga Kor Ming berkata semikian pada sidang media hari ini.
Nga berkata, keputusan Barisa Nasional memanggil sidang Dun juga bertentangan dengan kenyataan Perdana Menteri Najib Razak sendiri pada 1 Mac bahawa sidang tidak seharusnya diadakan sehingga mahkamah memutuskan status kerajaan negeri.
Najib yang juga Perdana Menteri mesti menjelaskan pendiriannya memandangkan orang bawahannya bertindak bertentangan dengan kenyataan beliau, kata Nga.
Jelas beliau, Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur sedang mendengar kes bagi menentukan siapa yang merupakan Menteri Besar sah bagi Perak iaitu Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin atau Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Sambil menggesa kerajaan negeri pimpinan BN supaya menangguhkan sidang Dun sementara menunggu keputusan kes, Nga berkata, langkah mengadakan sidang Dun adalah perbuatan tidak menghormati sistem kehakiman.
Nga yang juga bekas Exco Kerajaan Negeri berkata, Ahli-ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri masih belum meneima agenda sidang minggu depan itu.
“Di bawah suasana normal, agenda perlu diedarkan kepada kami dalam tempoh dua minggu sebelum sidang,” katanya sambil menambah, beliau ada dimaklumkan bahawa BN akan mengemukakan usul untuk menggugurkan Speaker V. Sivakumar.
Kes membabitkan Nizar dan Zambry yang kini merupakan Menteri Besar telah ditetapkan untuk didengar pada 5 dan 6 Mei ini.
Kepimpinan ulama sentiasa terbuka, pastikan PAS mantap – Haron Din
Harakah Daily
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 April (Hrkh) – “Kepimpinan Ulama hanyalah satu arah tuju yang dilihat sebagai pengemudi parti. Ulama laksana juruterbang yang membawa kapal terbang atau nahkoda bagi sebuah kapal. Namun itu bukan kerja dia seorang tetapi beserta kakitangannya. Hal ehwal penumpang, kebajikan, keselamatan diuruskan oleh yang bukan ‘pilot’. Kesinambungan itu yang membuatkan sesuatu perjalanan menjadi lancar.”
Demikian antara petikan kata Timbalan Mursyidul Am PAS Dato’ Dr Haron Din ketika diminta memberi pandangan berhubung kepimpinan ulama dalam PAS yang telah pun menjangkau 25 tahun sejak mula diperkenalkan sewaktu Muktamar PAS pada tahun 1983.
Kata Haron Din walaupun kepimpinan ulama baru melintasi suku abad, namun pelbagai kejayaan telah dikecapi silih berganti menandakan keberkesanan ulama memimpin PAS menjadikannya sebuah parti yang dihormati, disegani dan semakin mendapat sokongan sekaligus memikat hati rakyat.
Tanpa kecuali beliau menyatakan peri pentingnya gabung-jalin antara ulama dengan golongan profesional dalam PAS demi memastikan hala tuju parti tercapai seterusnya memantapkan kecemerlangan perjuangan Islam sepanjang masa.
“Dalam PAS itu masing-masing ada kelebihannya dan saling tampung-menampung. Oleh itu kelangsungan kepimpinan ulama mestilah diteruskan. Gandingan dengan tenaga profesional harus terus dimantapkan. 
“Untuk berdepan dan menyaingi mereka (parti lawan), kita perlukan bukan sahaja ulama tetapi juga tenaga dan buah fikiran golongan profesional untuk memantapkan parti dan bergerak memastikan kejayaan perjuangan Islam ini,” katanya dalam temubual eksklusif Harakah di kediaman semalam
Sementara itu, ditanya berhubung salah faham, kelemahan dan kritikan terhadap kedua-dua golongan ini di dalam PAS, beliau menjelaskan isu itu sewajarnya diperbaiki sebaiknya dan bukan untuk diperbesarkan
“Begitu juga dengan hal peperangan, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w sentiasa menerima pandangan daripada sahabat yang arif berperang. Itu bukan kesilapan tetapi petunjuk ringkas daripada Rasullulah bahawa pemimpin boleh ditegur, dibantu dan diberi pandangan.
“Begitu juga dalam PAS. Kelemahan kepimpinan ulama bukan untuk diperbesarkan tetapi diperbetulkan. Kita kena ingat, semua orang mempunyai kelemahan dan sewajarnya ditampung bersama. Adakah dengan menukar kepimpinan maka kelemahan dan kesilapan tidak akan wujud sama sekali?” kata Haron Din lagi.
Beliau menasihati pihak media, blog dan internet sepatutnya berlaku adil kepada kepimpinan ulama jika berlaku kelemahan ataupun salah faham dengan membuat pertemuan dan mengadakan perbincangan sebelum membuat sebarang ulasan ataupun kesimpulan.
“Saya lihat keterbukaan kepimpinan ulama tidak mempunyai sebarang halangan untuk bersua dan mendapatkan penjelasan. Mereka sedia bertemu dan berbincang demi untuk kukuhkan parti sekaligus memantapkan perjuangan Islam yang menjadi dasar dan teras PAS selama ini,” katanya. – azm
(Ikuti wawancara eksklusif bersama Timbalan Mursyidul Am PAS Dato’ Dr Haron Din dalam keluaran Harakah edisi Jumaat akan datang) _
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Pengumuman Calon KeADILan Bagi PRK DUN Penanti
Pengumuman rasmi calon KeADILan bagi PRK DUN Penanti akan dibuat 9 malam ini di Yayasan Aman, Penanti InshaAllah.
Ketua Menteri merangkap Setiausaha Agung DAP, YAB Lim Guan Eng, wakil MB Kedah dan pimpinan KeADILan Negeri menyatakan komitmen untuk turut hadir.
Lewat petang semalam saya telah mengadakan pertemuan Majlis Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat yang turut dihadhiri oleh Tuan Guru Abd Hadi Awal dan YB Lim Kit Siang. Mereka telah dimaklumkan mengenai cadangan calon KeADILan dan memberi perakuan untuk sama-sama membantu kempen PRK DUN Penanti kelak.
Sementara itu pimpinan Umno masih terus membelek kitab dan meneliti fakta sebelum membuat keputusan muktamad samada bertanding atau tidak. Datuk Sri Najib membayangkan bahawa Umno tidak bersedia bertanding demi menjimatkan belanja. Namun amat sukar buat beliau mengenepikan saranan Tun Dr. Mahathir untuk tetap bertarung ‘demi maruah dan tradisi Umno-BN’.
Manakala ditanya, saya sekadar menjawab, saya yakin dengan kematangan, kebijak-
sanaan sanak saudara dan rakan taulan saya di Penanti dan Permatang Pauh, inshaAllah.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
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