Fugitive cop surrenders, to be charged tomorrow

S Hare Krishnan, the police officer sought in connection with the custodial death of N Dharmendran, surrendered this morning and is expected to be charged tomorrow.

He surrendered at the Bukit Aman police headquarters at 10.30am and was later brought to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters at 11am to have his statement recorded.

Earlier, confusion reigned over Hare Krishnan's appearance in court as his family claimed that he was being charged today.

Hare Krishnan, who had been in contact with his wife Shaarmini Balakrishnan since surrendering, had sent her a text message claiming that he would be charged this afternoon.

The police however later clarified that he would be charged tomorrow.

This morning, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar also told the press that the police officer would be charged tomorrow.

"Hare Krishnan turned himself in to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director (Hadi Ho Abdullah) with his lawyer," he had said.

Shaarmini, who turned up at the Dang Wangi police headquarters, with six other family members, expressed surprise when she learned of Khalid's announcement.

"They have not concluded investigations and they want to charge him," she said.

The family was in the dark for over three hours about Hare Krishnan's status, as they claimed that the Investigating Officer (IO) handling his case had told them that Hare Krishnan would be released after having his statement recorded, without informing them that the 40-year-old inspector would be charged.

The police officer, who was attached to the serious crime division, had gone missing after Dhamendran's case caused a public uproar.

He had previously lodged a police report claiming innocence and this fueled speculation of him being framed by his superiors.

Three other policemen had since been charged in connection with the case.

It was revealed that Dhamendran had died due to blunt force trauma, while staples were found on his ears and ankles.

Menghidupkan Sepuluh Malam Terakhir Ramadhan

Masa berlalu begitu pantas. Sedar ataupun tidak, hari ini genaplah 19 hari kita menjalani ibadah puasa. Dalam tempoh tersebut, sudahkah kita berjuang habis-habisan untuk mencapai tahap takwa dalam erti kata yang sebenar atau sebaliknya? Jika tempoh tersebut belum mampu memperlengkapkan diri kita dengan takwa, masih belum terlambat untuk kita berusaha ke arah itu. Justeru, saki baki hari-hari terakhir Ramadhan perlu kita rebut dan gunakan dengan sebaik-baiknya agar kita tidak ketinggalan mendapat manfaat yang berganda dalam meniti pemergiannya.

Jika sepuluh hari terakhir Ramadhan merupakan saat di mana Rasulullah SAW memperbanyakkan amalan dengan berjaga malam, beriktikaf, dan mengejutkan ahli keluarga untuk bersama dengannya melaksanakan ibadah-ibadah sunat, bagaimanakah pula dengan kita? Sewajarnya contoh yang ditunjukkan oleh Baginda dalam menghayati sepuluh hari terakhir Ramadhan dijadikan teladan kepada seluruh umat Islam pada hari ini.

Sesungguhnya pedoman yang telah ditunjukkan oleh Rasulullah SAW jelas mencerminkan kepada kita betapa tinggi dan bernilainya detik-detik terakhir Ramadhan yang sedang kita lalui saat ini. Alangkah malangnya jika kita semakin alpa dan lalai dalam melaksanakan ibadah kita pada saat-saat Ramadhan yang kian melabuhkan tirainya.

Sedangkan kita seharusnya menghidupkannya dengan meningkatkan lagi amalan-amalan sunat bagi meraih pahala berlipat ganda yang telah dijanjikan oleh Allah SWT. Lebih manis lagi apabila Allah SWT turut menjanjikan kehadiran malam Lailatulqadar (yakni malam yang lebih baik daripada seribu bulan) pada sepuluh malam terakhir Ramadhan.

Sebagaimana firman Allah SWT di dalam surah al-Qadr (ayat 1-5) yang bermaksud: "Sesungguhnya kami telah menurunkannya (al-Quran) pada malam Lailatulqadar, dan apa jalannya engkau dapat mengetahui apa dia kebesaran malam Lailatulqadar? Malam Lailatulqadar lebih baik daripada seribu bulan.Pada malam itu, turun Malaikat dan Jibril dengan izin Tuhan mereka, kerana membawa segala perkara (yang ditakdirkan berlakunya pada tahun yang berikut); sejahteralah malam (yang berkat) itu hingga terbit fajar!"

Dalam ayat di atas, Allah SWT menerangkan bahawa Dia telah menurunkan al-Quran al-Karim pada malam al-Qadar. Ini adalah bukti yang jelas tentang keutamaan, kemuliaan, keberkatan dan keistimewaan malam Lailatulqadar. Malah, jika dihitung; seribu bulan adalah bersamaan dengan 83 tahun dan empat bulan, ini bermakna bahawa satu malam ini sahaja adalah lebih baik daripada seluruh umur seseorang. Ia secara jelas menunjukkam bahawa keistimewaan malam tersebut tiada tolok bandingannya.

Malam Lailatulqadar merupakan malam yang sengaja dirahsiakan oleh Allah SWT sebagai satu ujian kepada umat Islam dalam mencari rahmat dan kasih sayang-Nya.

Oleh yang demikian, bagi mereka yang benar-benar beriman kepada Allah SWT, maka mereka akan lebih ghairah dan teruja mencari keredhaan dengan memperbanyakkan amalan dalam meraih ganjaran pahala yang berlipat kali ganda daripada Allah SWT di penghujung Ramadhan.

Justeru, umat Islam dianjurkan agar mencari dan merebut Lailatulqadar. Hal ini bertepatan dengan sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud: "Carilah malam Lailatulqadar pada 10 malam terakhir" (hadis riwayat al-Bukhari). Dalam salah satu riwayat yang lain, dinyatakan juga bahawa Rasulullah SAW melakukan solat pada malam Ramadan dan membaca al-Quran dengan tertib. Baginda tidak akan melalui ayat rahmat kecuali berharap agar Allah memberikan rahmat itu dan tidak melalui ayat azab kecuali memohon perlindungan daripada Allah daripada azab itu.

Solat berjemaah juga sangat diutamakan pada malam-malam terakhir Ramadan. Rasulullah bersabda yang bermaksud:"Sesiapa yang mengerjakan solat Isyak dan Subuh secara berjemaah pada waktu malam,maka dia juga telah menghidupkan seluruh malam itu" (hadis riwayat Abu Dawud). Di sini bermaksud, sesiapa yang mengerjakan solat Isyak dan Subuh sahaja dianggap telah mendapat sebahagian daripada apa yang dimaksudkan dengan Lailatulqadar.

Apatah lagi jika mengisinya dengan amalan-amalan lain sepanjang malam itu. Antara amalan yang boleh dilakukan bagi menghidupkan sepuluh hari terakhir Ramadhan ialah menghidupkan malam-malam tersebut dengan memperbanyakkan solat sunat seperti tahajjud, hajat, taubat dan juga berzikir kepada Allah SWT.

Selain itu, amalan beriktikaf juga wajar diteruskan di penghujung Ramadhan yakni dengan memperbanyakkan duduk di masjid untuk beribadah kepada Allah SWT. Iktikaf merupakan sunnah yang dianjurkan oleh Baginda SAW demi memperolehi kelebihan dan ganjaran Lailatulqadar.

Malah, menjelang 10 akhir Ramadan secara rutinnya Rasulullah SAW mengisi waktu-waktunya dengan beriktikaf di masjid. Pelakuan baginda ini adalah berdasarkan hadis sahih riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim yang diriwayatkan daripada Aisyah r.a, bahawa Rasulullah SAW beritikaf pada 10 akhir Ramadan sehingga baginda diwafatkan oleh Allah SWT, kemudian (diteruskan sunnah) iktikaf selepas kewafatannya oleh para isterinya.

Dalam sebuah hadis yang lain Abu Hurairah berkata:"Rasulullah SAW selalu beriktikaf pada tiap-tiap sepuluh hari terakhir Ramadan, manakala pada tahun Baginda diwafatkan, Baginda beriktikaf selama 20 hari" (hadis riwayat Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidzi dan dinilai sahih oleh al-Tirmidzi).

Di samping itu, kita juga turut dianjurkan untuk memperbanyakkan doa, khasnya dengan memohon keampunan kepada Allah SWT. Dalam konteks ini, para Ulama telah bersepakat bahawa doa yang paling utama pada malam Lailatulqadar adalah doa memohon keampunan ataumaghfirah daripada Allah SWT.

Dalam satu hadis sahih yang diriwayatkan daripada Aisyah dan dikeluarkan oleh al-Tirmidzi, Aisyah diajar oleh Rasulullah SAW membaca doa pada malam Lailatulqadar yang bermaksud: "Ya Allah, sesungguhnya Engkaulah Tuhan Yang Maha Pengampun, yang suka mengampun, maka ampunilah aku"(hadis riwayat al-Tirmidzi, 5:535).

Rasulullah SAW turut berdoa yang bermaksud: "Ya Allah, jadikan sebaik-baik umurku adalah penghujungnya. Dan jadikan sebaik-baik amalku adalah penutupnya. Dan jadikan sebaik-baik hari-hariku adalah hari di mana aku bertemu dengan-Mu kelak" (Musannaf Ibn Abi Syaibah 6: 65).

Begitulah teladan yang telah ditunjukkan oleh Rasulullah SAW kepada seluruh umat Islam dalam menjalani ibadah puasa. Namun persoalannya, sejauh manakah kita mencontohi keperibadian Baginda dalam melaksanakan ibadah puasa dan menghidupkan malam-malam terakhir Ramadhan?

Mudah-mudahan, dalam menghitung hari-hari terakhir Ramadhan kita dapat bermuhasabah diri dan merenung kembali pengisian yang telah kita laksanakan sepanjang tempoh 19 hari yang telah berlalu. Jika, masih terdapat banyak lagi kelemahan dalam kita melunaskan puasa kita sebelum ini, maka masih belum terlewat untuk kita memperbaiki kelemahan tersebut agar kita mampu mencapai takwa dalam erti kata sebenar.

Artikel ini pernah disiarkan dalam akhbar Utusan Malaysia.

Now the Chinese dilemma, sharing or grabbing power, says Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad accused the DAP today of trying to set up Singapore in Malaysia where Chinese wield economic and political power instead of sharing power under the Barisan Nasional (BN) concept.

In an opinion piece in Umno-controlled News Straits Times, the influential former prime minister said the DAP had weakened BN senior member MCA until "the idea of sharing with the Malays political and economic power has become insupportable".

He said since Merdeka in 1957, the Chinese had shared wealth and power with the Malays but the idea of a Singapore-like Malaysia seemed tempting and Penang had shown the way.

"The dilemma for the Chinese is whether to make a grab for political power while dominating economic power or to adhere to the principle of sharing which has made this country what it is today.

"That is the Chinese dilemma," Dr Mahathir wrote in the opinion piece.

He defended BN's rule, saying the “kongsi” government had benefited Malaysia greatly by bringing peace and stability without which economic growth and development would not be possible.

"It is unthinkable for any race, Chinese or Malay, to take everything for themselves, to dominate the economy as well as the politics of Malaysia," said the country's longest-serving prime minister.

He said as more young Chinese grow up without the experience of British rule, they were not able to appreciate their gains upon independence and easily influenced by DAP's argument that the Chinese had gained nothing from independence.

The DAP won 38 federal seats in Election 2013 while MCA won only seven. Other Chinese-majority parties in BN also suffered major losses that led the ruling coalition to win only 133 federal seats in the May 5 general elections against the 140 won in Election 2008.

Dr Mahathir wrote the DAP do not see any benefit from the role of the coalition of Chinese, Malays and others upon independence but "in the merit of meritocracy, in the ablest and the most qualified taking all".

But he said under British rule, the Chinese could not go beyond becoming petty traders and shopkeepers in towns and rural areas as big businesses were dominated by British firms and government procurement through crown agents.

"Banks, especially those carrying government accounts were all British. Only OCBC and Ban Hin Lee Bank (a small bank) were Chinese owned. They did not do much business with the government," Dr Mahathir said.

But no limits were placed on Chinese business expansion after Merdeka although some of the European firms and businesses were acquired by the government, he said adding the Chinese also bought up companies or replaced the British firms.

"Independence has clearly benefited the Chinese much.

"So successful were the Chinese under the Barisan Nasional 'kongsi' government that they can now venture abroad, buying foreign companies, setting up businesses and undertaking contracts all over the world, especially after Malaysia became better known internationally," he said.

Dr Mahathir also pointed out that Chinese Malaysians became millionaires and billionaires after making their first million in Malaysia.

He reasoned that the Chinese were not well-represented in the government administration because the Chinese see limited opportunities as salaried workers. Most of Malaysia's civil service is now dominated by the majority Bumiputera community.

"Even when they join government service, they tend to leave early to go into business. There is a distinct dislike for the uniformed services," he said.

But he said the average income of the Chinese after Merdeka was far higher than the average national income while the poverty rate was lower than the national rate.

The veteran leader said the Chinese have their own colleges and universities and that many of the private educational institutions at all levels were Chinese-owned and this included private universities.

"To say that the Chinese have gained nothing from independence and the 'kongsi' government, in which MCA is the second most senior partner, is to deny the reality in Malaysia.

"We are not practising meritocracy simply because it will create great disparities between the rich and the poor as well as between the different races," Dr Mahathir said.

But he said the DAP have ignored all these and kept on painting the MCA as the lackeys of the Malays. "This is racist in the extreme," he wrote.

He said in the BN cabinet, MCA leaders sit on the right side of the prime minister, who happened to be "a Malay simply because the Malay party, Umno, is the biggest party in the coalition".

"The Constitution does not preclude the Chinese from being prime minister but it must be with the support of the majority of the people.

"DAP, by undermining MCA is what causes the Chinese representation in the government to be weak. Without  DAP, MCA is likely to garner more seats in Parliament and in the government," Dr Mahathir said. - July 27, 2013.

Tahun ini, PAS, PKR dan Umno jaga tepi kain masing-masing

ANALISIS: PAS, Umno dan PKR sedang bergolak panas sekarang ini bagi menghadapi mesyuarat agung pemilihan masing-masing.

Ketika PAS dan Umno akan menyelesaikannya hujung tahun ini, PKR pula akan melaksanakan pemilihannya Mei tahun depan.

"Masing-masing tidak boleh kata mengata antara satu sama lain kali ini. Masing-masing ada masalah tersendiri untuk diselesaikan," kata seorang penganalisis politik mengenai suasana pemilihan parti politik kali ini.

PAS akan mengadakan Muktamar Tahunannya November ini. Selangor dipilih sebagai tuan rumah untuk muktamar yang mempunyai pemilihan ini.

Menjadi amalan PAS untuk mengadakan muktamar yang ada pemilihan di 'natural ground' iaitu ibu negara Kuala Lumpur berbanding negeri-negeri.

Namun, kali ini Selangor terpilih yang boleh juga dikira berada di 'natural ground' iaitu Lembah Klang. Pemilihan Selangor mungkin kerana kemudahan yang ada di negeri Pakatan ini untuk menampung bilangan perwakilan dan pemerhati yang bakal hadir.

Ramai menjangka, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang akan menang tanpa bertanding kerana tidak ada tokoh yang jelas untuk mencabar kewibawaan beliau dalam memimpin parti Islam itu.

Cucukan bekas Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim yang berkata Datuk Husam Musa tokoh yang paling layak untuk memimpin PAS menuju masa depan tidak akan membawa kepada Husam menentang Ustaz Hadi dalam pemilihan ini.

"Saya hanya 1/10 dari Tok Guru Haji Hadi dan hanya 1/10 juga dari Tok Guru Nik Aziz," kata Husam dalam satu pertemuan dengan sekumpulan wartawan di rumahnya bulan lalu.

Namun, untuk jawatan timbalan presiden dan naib-naib presiden, ia bakal menyaksikan pertarungan sengit di kalangan pimpinan PAS. Mohamad Sabu akan mempertahankan kerusi timbalan presiden. Beliau sendiri yakin, akan bakal dicabar.

Salahudin Ayub, Husam dan Datuk Mahfuz Omar selaku naib-naib presiden juga bakal dicabar dengan sengit kali ini. Kemenangan Ustaz Idris Ahmad sebagai ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang, Nasrudin Hassan sebagai ahli Parlimen Temerloh dan pemilihan Datuk Mohamad Amar Nik Abdullah sebagai Timbalan Menteri Besar Kelantan memungkinkan perkara ini.

Idris dan Nik Amar pernah bertanding merebut jawatan ini namun kalah sebelum ini. Nasrudin pula pernah berkata, ini adalah penggal terakhir beliau selaku Ketua Pemuda PAS.

Umno

Di dalam Umno pula, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin sehingga kini masih tidak membuat pengumuman untuk bersetuju dengan cadangan beberapa pihak dalam parti itu supaya jawatan presiden dan timbalan presiden parti tidak ditandingi.

Kajian yang dibuat oleh Pusat Kajian Politik dan Pilihanraya Universiti Malaya (Umcidel) pula mendapati Muhyiddin lebih popular berbanding Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam Umno.

Apatah lagi isteri masing-masing. Puan Sri Norainee Abd. Rahman, isteri Muhyiddin jauh lebih popular berbanding isteri Najib, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansoh. Apa yang penting lagi, Muhyiddin tahu hal ini.

Namun, 'taiko besar' di belakang Umno kini adalah Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan Tun Daim Zainudin. Kedua-dua bekas pemimpin Umno ini sangat besar pengaruhnya dalam menentukan hala tuju dan kepimpinan Umno.

Selepas pilihan raya umum baru-baru ini, Dr Mahathir dikatakan hampir membuat kenyataan sama sebagaimana beliau buat terhadap Tun Abdullah Badawi selepas kegagalan BN mendapat kemenangan majoriti dua pertiga dalam pilihan raya 2008 lalu.

Mahathir dikatakan mahu membuat kenyataan, Najib patut berundur sebagaimana berundurnya Pak Lah selepas gagal mendapat majoriti dua pertiga. Namun ia tidak berlaku.

Najib jelas tertekan dengan keputusan pilihan raya umum ke 13 lalu. Hampir semua setiausaha dan pegawainya yang dipilih beliau supaya bertanding kalah dalam pilihan raya itu kecuali Datuk Jailani yang menang di Hulu Terengganu.

Datuk Mohd Shafei Abdullah kalah di Wangsa Maju, Datuk Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh kalah di Parlimen Kota Bharu, Datuk Sahlan Ismail tewas di Pokok Sena, Datuk Latt Shariman Abdullah kalah di kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kubang Rotan dan Datuk Mohamed Suffian kalah di Kuantan.

Orang harapan beliau, Datuk Seri Ali Rustam yang disebut bakal dilantik sebagai Menteri Dalam Negeri jika menang kalah di Parlimen Bukit Katil.

Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman yang Najib sandarkan untuk menghalang kemaraan DAP di Gelang Patah, Johor juga gagal. Ghani dikatakan akan memegang jawatan Menteri Kewangan jika menang. Kini Ghani dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Sime Darby dengan gaji RM100,000 sebulan oleh Najib.

"Bayangkan apa yang kami boleh buat. Dalam keadaan Kedah kita boleh menang, dua setiausaha kamu boleh tewas. Dua MB harapan kamu juga kami boleh selesaikan." Begitulah kata-kata yang dihamburkan kepada Najib.

Mungkin kerana tekanan itulah, Najib dikatakan mencuba pelbagai option dalam memperkuatkan kedudukannya dalam Umno. Antaranya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan PKR ditawarkan untuk menyertai kabinetnya.

Anwar ditawarkan untuk menjadi timbalan perdana menteri manakala empat pemimpin kanan PKR ditawarkan untuk menjadi menteri. Namun semuanya ditolak oleh Anwar dengan alasan tidak mahu meninggalkan rakannya dalam Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Perkara ini disahkan oleh Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifudin Nasution Ismail kepada penulis.

"Najib memang cuba berjumpa dengan Anwar di Jakarta dalam lawatan mereka berdua ke negara itu baru-baru ini, namun dielak oleh Anwar," kata Saifudin.

Anwar yang terlebih awal berada di Jakarta. Mereka sepatutnya berkongsi bilik VVIP di lapangan terbang Jakarta semasa Najib sampai dari Kuala Lumpur pertengahan Jun lalu. Namun Anwar mengelaknya dengan meminta agar beliau boleh memasuki kapal terbangnya 15 minit lebih awal.

Perkara ini disahkan oleh Dr Rahim Ghouse, pegawai kanan Anwar yang bersama-sama dengan Anwar dalam lawatan itu.

Umno buat pertama kalinya tahun ini akan menggunakan sistem pemilihan kepimpinannya secara langsung oleh perwakilan dari cawangan di seluruh negara. 146,500 perwakilannya akan mempunyai hak memilih siapa pemimpin mereka kali ini.

PKR

Poster calon PAS menghiasi sekitar Kuala Besut. - Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Afif Abd Halim, 24 Julai, 2013.Ketika PAS dan Umno panas dalam menghadapi pemilihannya, PKR juga panas.

Kenyataan timbalan presidennya, Mohamed Azmin Ali beberapa hari selepas PRU ke 13 lalu memperlihatkan perkara ini.

Tema PKR bukan parti kroni dan anak beranak jelas ditujukan beliau kepada Anwar sendiri.

PKR akan mengadakan perhimpunan khas hujung tahun ini. Ia bertujuan memperkemas tatacara pemilihan bagi memastikan kekecohan yang berlaku dalam pemilihan sebelum ini tidak berulang lagi.

Perhimpunan yang ada pemilihan pula akan diadakan bulan Mei tahun depan. Ini bermakna period kempen PKR lebih panjang lagi berbanding PAS dan Umno yang akan selesai hujung tahun ini.

Azmin disebut-sebut bakal bertanding merebut jawatan Presiden PKR yang kini disandang oleh Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah. Mengikut perlembagaan PKR, setiap orang hanya layak memegang jawatan presiden selama tiga penggal sahaja. Ini bermakna, Wan Azizah boleh memegang jawatan itu satu penggal lagi.

Di pihak yang menyokong Anwar pula, tujuh tokoh dipertaruhkan untuk mempertahankan serangan Azmin dan kumpulannya. Antaranya adalah Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Saifuddin, Nurul Izzah Anwar dan Rafizi Ramli jika Wan Azizah memutuskan tidak akan mempertahankan jawatannya.

Pendek kata, semua parti Melayu mempunyai isu masing-masing untuk diselesaikan dari menjaga tepi kain orang lain. Ketika Muhyiddin mahu melanggar Najib, Azmin pula mahu melanggar Anwar manakala PAS pula masuk ke 'gear gostang' apabila ulama berlawan profesional sekali lagi.

Aggressive BN can edge out PAS' 'local boy'

ANALYSIS KUALA BESUT With only one day to polling day, BN seems poised to retain Kuala Besut with a larger majority by mobilising an aggressive and seemingly effective election campaign.

In the last general election, the late Dr A Rahman Mokthar of BN won the constituency with the overall majority of 2,434 votes over PAS' Napisah Ismail.

Of the eight polling districts that make up the state constituency, five have been BN-held since 2004, namely - Seberang Barat, Seberang Barat Luar, Kampung Nail, Tok Saboh, and Pulau Perhentian.

Despite that, BN's candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman and BN federal ministers have been holding frequent meet-the-people programmes in these five constituencies where they have already won.

This is true even in Seberang Barat Luar and Tok Saboh where its majority is highest - 756 votes and 617 votes respectively.

They have held programmes for the community and have gone house-to-house to galvanise support for Tengku Zaihan.

With the ground-breaking ceremony of the RM10.35 million Kampung Lay Out affordable housing block and a RM28 million secondary school, both in Tok Saboh, this is likely to further solidify BN's support in its existing holdouts.

BN swift to respond to issues

As for issues raised by PAS related to land, infrastructure, and its campaign theme '16:16 New Terengganu', referring to a possible hung assembly should PAS win the seat, these do not seem to be gaining traction from the locals and are not given much coverage in mainstream media.

Instead, BN has been swift to respond to these issues by promising million-ringgit projects such as the Sungai Besut estuary dredging project and the international tourism gateway project.

At the same time, BN has been actively campaigning in PAS strongholds of Kampung Nangka, Kampung Bharu, and Bukit Puteri.

Special attention has been given to Bukit Puteri, where PAS won by only 90 votes out of 2,133 eligible voters. BN hopes to win this polling district by about 100 votes.

Checks by Media found no less than 10 programmes between voters there and ministers over the past two weeks of campaigning, including breaking fast and meet-and-greet sessions.

However, since polling day is held on a work day, this would hamper BN's ability to gain as many votes as it otherwise probably would.

In addition, PAS has been working hard to defend the polling districts that it had won on May 5, such as Kampung Nangka where it won by a majority of 79 votes.

PAS is also expected to wrest control of the Kampung Bharu polling district where it had lost by just 61 votes.

This is because PAS' candidate Azlan Yusof is born there and his relatives who had previously backed BN are said to have pledged support for him. This would reduce BN's overall winnings.

Kampung Bharu is also situated in between Kampung Nangka and Bukit Puteri polling districts, so it is conceivable that Azlan's approachable personality could influence voters in these areas.

"Our defeat by 61 votes in Kampung Bharu will be balanced and (the feedback) is positive. In other areas, overall there has been an increase of support.

"We can reduce the margin of our losses and gain support in other areas," PAS central election direct Dr Hatta Ramli said when met by Media on Sunday.

Votes for PAS, votes for Che Long

It is also conceivable that the support could spill beyond the three polling districts based on the body language of BN supporters who know Azlan, who is also affectionately known as 'Che Long'.

"Their support is spontaneous. So now, we have two category of votes. One votes for PAS while the other votes for Che Long," said Azlan's campaign manager Hanafiah Mat, who has been accompanying him throughout his campaigning.

Voters regardless of political inclination and occupation seem to be comfortable around Azlan, who lives in the area and is already known as a philanthropist.

"Praise to God that I am healthy and there are no problems in my campaigning. The people respond positively to me (especially in BN strongholds)," he told Media yesterday.

PAS is also capitalising on Azlan's influence as much as it can to sway voters, especially BN supporters who know the PAS Besut treasurer.

The Islamist party had changed it campaign strategy half-way through the campaigning period by increasing the number of "Vote for Che Long" banners and posters compared those that say "Vote for PAS".

In addition, the party also held "Let's meet Che Long" carnivals on July 19 and 20, further capitalising on his popularity.

Therefore, last-minute campaigning is vital for both sides, with BN still vying for its goal of winning the by-election by 4,000 votes.

As for PAS, the question is whether it can reduce BN's majority just less than three months after the general election. Kuala Besut decides tomorrow.

Govt’s appeal over Anwar Sodomy II starts tomorrow

The government's appeal against opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy acquittal will be heard at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya for two days, starting tomorrow.

Anwar was freed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in January last year of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara condominium between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 2008.

The much publicised trial saw local and foreign journalists covering it extensively.

The judge who presided over the case, Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah had acquitted the opposition leader after questioning the integrity of the samples taken in the case.

He had ruled the samples were tampered with and were not safe to reply on the DNA results obtained by the chemist as the investigating officer DSP Jude Pereira had opened the plastic bag containing samples.

With that, Anwar was freed at the end of the defence stage.

Twenty-seven prosecution witnesses and seven witnesses testified in the trial, which spanned more than three years.

Anwar himself had testified in his defence, from the dock. His case received much hype not only on the alleged incident alone, but there were also subsequent incidents, which added to the drama following the trial.

Former solicitor-general II, Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who led the prosecution team, had retired early last year and entered into private practice after the trial ended.

But subsequently after, Mohd Yusof turned heads and stunned everyone by turning up as one of Anwar’s defence counsel in another case where the latter was charged with participating in an illegal assembly over the Bersih 3.0.

Anwar is represented by lawyers Karpal Singh, Datuk Param Cumaraswamy, Sankara Nair and Ramkarpal Singh, while the prosecution will be led by head of trial and appeals division Datuk Nordin Hassan, DPPs Mohd Hanafiah Zakaria and Noorin Badaruddin.

Don’t hope for a changed Umno after party polls, says former editor

Even though Umno has introduced changes in the way it elected its top leadership, a former editor thinks it will not result in a changed party.

Some 146,500 Umno members from 161 divisions nationwide will elect the party’s top leadership in line with changes introduced to the party’s constitution in 2009.

In his latest blog entry today, former New Straits Times group editor Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said the October elections will not bring about much change.

“The only way the party will change is if it should lose in the general election,” he declared.

Kadir said there was little hope for any change in the party and noted that the strong elements of resentment which were present during former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration and which had served to hasten his departure from office was relatively non-existent or weak now, although the party had improved on its 2008 general election. However, the Barisan Nasional failed to regain its two-thirds majority.

He said many pro-Umno bloggers who had gone against Abdullah in demanding he leave after the party's dismal performance in 2008 and the loss of two thirds majority were aligned to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the current Umno president.

Kadir said that the country's longest serving prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who in 2009 had gone into a do-or-die battle against Abdullah with the help of now deputy prime minister and Umno's number two, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has now taken the stand that the party's top two posts should not be contested.

Muhyiddin, the current Umno deputy president, in fact is said to be not 'interested' to challenge Najib as he "is tired" and does not want to be viewed as someone who never saw eye-to-eye with all the prime ministers.

Kadir also does not foresee Muhyiddin contesting for the party president's post although Najib's performance is worse when compared with the previous prime minister.

Kadir said another reason for Dr Mahathir’s no contest call was to possibly slam “the door shut” on Kelantan prince and former Umno vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah from making a tilt for the president’s post.

“Although Ku Li and Dr Mahathir are contemporaries, the later is still active in politics and has become someone whom many quarters look upon for advice and to voice their complaints,” he said.

Kadir said that many elected representatives, especially from Sarawak and Sabah have been known to "liase" with Ku Li and it is possible that the former Umno vice-president may have diffculty making a move for the top post as he may not have the resources to fight Najib's rich election machinery.

Ex-IGP: AG wrong, we need preventive detention

Preventive detention should be included in the mooted replacement law Emergency Ordinance 1969 (EO) that was repealed last year, said former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor.

"We can see gangsterism-related violent crimes thriving after the EO was repealed. Unfortunately, all the police can do is look on because their hands are now tied.

"The NGOs that fight for human rights and the Attorney-General Chambers does not understand these realities because they do not need to manage crime prevention like the police do," he said in an interview in Mingguan Malaysia today.

The EO allows for detention without trial but more than 2,000 detainees were released when the law was repealed as part of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's democratic reforms.

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail (right) had ruled out the introduction of preventive detention in the planned replacement law and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had also echoed this.

"The AGC does not know fully about the twist and turns and modus operandi of criminals especially those involved in gangsterism.

"The information gathering and tracking is done by the police. They know more deeply about the crime world," said Abdul Rahim.

He argued that without preventive detention, intelligence on gangsterism could merely be documented as the police's wings are clipped to act against them.

"The police do their duties as usual, but only for surveillance and filing - but they cannot act. No prevention can be done to stop the gangster groups from moving in society.

"They are free to extort businessmen and rob businesses. Gang fights also keep happening around Klang Valley and Malacca where they kill each other," he said.

He queried if the only prevention powers police should get is to give talks to the community to discourage crime.

When the kampung speaks, what the city hears…

What do kampung folk and city folk think about the way each group voted so differently from the other in the last general election? In the fourth of The Malaysian Insider series on reconciliation, a look at the so-called urban-rural divide.

The village is pretty, with tall, ringed coconut trees leaning like a welcoming wave to the visitor on the gravel road to Kuala Selangor. There are cows – brown, white and black – everywhere in Kampung Pasir Tuntong but hardly any chickens scampering about, maybe not surprising given the record price chicken is fetching on the market these days...

The air is fresh, just as one would expect in a village, and a soft breeze is tugging at your arm, maybe asking you to stop here for awhile. Sure. It is a good place as any to stop and ask the kampung folk of Malaysia just what happened in the past general election.

Why were they the ones who returned the ruling Umno to power when their city cousins pulled so strongly for the opposition? Is it only because the kampung is mostly Malay and Umno, the largest part of the ruling coalition was founded as the voice of Malay nationhood.

Or could it be like what one city boy lawyer Jason Lim says, "The rurals think more on short-term gains. They can be satisfied with a little handout the government gives once in a while. While those of us in the city are more concerned about the long-term effects. So good governance and corrupt-free leaders are important to us.”

Is he right? Do people in the villages think so differently from urbanites about basic human rights?

Cannot really be that simple, can it? After all this kampung is part of the Bukit Melawati state seat that five years ago went to the opposition PKR. It was in the last election on May 5, that it turned back to Umno.

Ask village headman of Kampung Tuntong Pasir Bu Naip Mohd Yusof about it. At 63, the father of seven spends most of his time reading newspapers like Utusan and Harian Metro and meeting his old pals at a nearby community centre.

At first he appears to sound like he is making Lim’s point, when the headman says,  "More and more people are moving to the city. Their views and lives have changed."

But he adds a different perspective to their different needs, one of helplessness versus independence, not a divide in beliefs about rights.

"They have everything in the city. Those people can stand on their own two feet even if the government does not help them " But it is different for us in the kampung. We need the government's help in a lot of things that the city folks take for granted."

And out of this is born a certain gratitude for what they see as the helping hand, something anybody would feel.

His friend Ramli Toh Mad, 51, adds, "We in the kampung remember history. We went through a lot of hardships in those days – and we only know that this is the same government that helped us then."

But yes, there is a perspective among the kampung folk that the urbanites, especially the younger generation, have gone a certain way.

"Their minds have been 'poisoned' by politicians and by the things that they read and the things that they see.

"So they ask for this and that and eventually are not happy with what they have," Ramli says.

The city sees it differently.

Anita Mammen, 40, from Puchong says those in the kampung are more comfortable with a way of life that is not too fast-paced for them.

"Political parties use certain agendas, like the race card, to scare the rural people.

"They are told that if a new politician comes in, their benefits would be cut off and will make life difficult for them," the manager argued.

Basically, she adds, rural and urban folks want different things in life and have different expectations of the country's leaders.

"It is a gap that, I fear, will only get wider in time.”

There certainly was some kind of gap highlighted on May 5. BN wrestled the state seat here back from PKR after its candidate Jakiran Jacomah beat S. Manickavasagam with a majority of just 806 out of 16,153 registered voters, the majority being Malay.

Nationwide, rural areas backed BN. It was a phenomenon that led Parti Keadilan Rakyat director of strategy Rafizi Ramli to say last week, "We can't keep riding on urban dissatisfaction to make the numbers. We are working on strategies to get the message across to rural areas."

Back in KL, Lim argues that the rural folks are not much for change.

"They are not exposed to the 'outside world' and as such, they are susceptible to a certain propaganda by political parties.

"The only information they get is from the mainstream media. So how much can they be aware of the real political situation?”

But again, why was this not a problem for the opposition in 2008 when they won this seat?

Maybe it is not about a divide but more about a pendulum. And maybe that is where the answer for the urbanites lies, in looking back to look ahead.

Maybe the kampung has its own mind but it is not different from what urbanites want if they can promise to deliver to the heartland.

Dr M: Cash aid didn’t help BN as people think it’s their money anyway

Malaysia's grand old man of politics Tun Dr Mahathir opened up in an interview to say that direct cash grants did not help the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013 as people thought it was rightfully their own money.

In an interview carried in Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia's Sunday edition, the country's longest-serving prime minister answered leading questions on the political and social scene.

He was asked about BN's efforts to do everything to court support from voters including ensuring all races received aid but was not reflected in the May 5 general election results.

"Actually, what was given was not effective," Dr Mahathir told the interviewer in the Mingguan Malaysia article today.

"For those who receive the aid, they were not thankful, especially opposition supporters who thought it was their own money anyway. That is tax money and not government money or BN's," he added.

Dr Mahathir contrasted the cash aid to his administration between 1981 and 2003.

"Previously, the government ensured an environment that facilitated society to find work, conduct business, investment and others that the people enjoyed. That wasn't government money but we created space and a suitable environment for people to make their livelihood.

"Now we see many including graduates who don't have a job yet. Maybe people feel that once they get the cash aid they will be satisfied but actually the money is not enough, it will just last a few days," the still-influential politician said.

BN has given two direct cash aid under the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) plan and promised in their Election 2013 manifesto to give RM1,200 to families who earn less than RM3,000 a month.

Despite that and a slew of other promises, BN lost more seats to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Election 2013, taking only 133 federal seats to 140 gained in the 2008 general elections.

In another leading question, Dr Mahathir was asked about liberal Malays who have achieved success such as a chief executive and who then condemned other Malays, in what is seen as a reference to AirAsia X's Azran Osman Rani's criticism of Utusan Malaysia for its racially-slanted reports.

"That is a type of Malay who is low quality. This is because their life values have no gratefulness or thanks or gratitude considering that for the Malays, there are many poems about gratitude," the former prime minister replied.

He was also questioned about the growing interference by foreign quarters in the country's internal situation and their real agenda in the matter.

"This is our fault as we cannot control after repealing laws that previously protected the people's and country's interest, such as the ISA.

"But we eliminated the laws to be more liberal but the United States and Britain now have the same laws as the ISA. They can detain people without trial for up to 10 years - and there are no protests - and also passing the death sentence without trial.

"We at least only detain for as long as two years and then we release, we don't kill anyone. Why should we follow people and now that we don't have such laws, many things happen," Dr Mahathir said.

He said an open situation would lead to foreigners trying to influence Malaysian politics.

"For the US, they openly want an administration change and those who are not friendly, they will change.

"In this matter, I think they have a tendency to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and they will help him although they haven't shown any hostility with Datuk Seri Najib Razak. But their best choice is still Anwar," Dr Mahathir said.

Why our cops are not crime fighters anymore – ex-police chief

Crime is out of control. Gang activity is out of control. Indian gangsters are so brazen that they wear their gang numbers openly, like badges of honour, and kill and rob with impunity.

On the flip side, the police are helpless and increasingly despondent and detectives are now mostly observing criminal activity and filing the information away.

Welcome to Malaysia, as sketched by former Inspector General of Police and Perkasa heavyweight Tan Sri Rahim Noor. In an interview with Mingguan Malaysia today, the man, who gained infamy for nearly killing Anwar Ibrahim after the latter's detention under the Internal Security Act, makes a case for a return of a law which will allow for preventive detention, much like the abolished Emergency Ordinance.

The way Rahim tells it, without laws which allow for preventive detention, the Royal Malaysian Police is ineffective and incapable of battling crime. Unwittingly, he paints a picture of a force that has become so reliant on the EO to keep Malaysia safe.

Rahim was asked to comment on the impact of abolishing the EO on the police force. He said: "I have received information from police officers at all levels that the situation is out of control. Preventive detention cannot be done because there are no laws that allow this. Gangsterism is getting worse but there is no way to control it. Police personnel are only observers and cannot make any arrests."

Gang fights and murder are common, especially in the Klang Valley, as is extortion but police are powerless to keep a lid on the crime situation and monitor the activities of the gangsters as there are no preventive laws, says Rahim.

The opposition and critics of the police will pounce on Rahim's comments as further evidence of how the Malaysian police force have forgotten investigate skills and have used preventive laws as a crutch.

Rahim was less than impressed with the assertion by Attorney-General Gani Patail that he would not support the introduction of any new legislation which would re-introduce some form of preventive legislation. He said that the AG did not have a complete picture of the crime situation and pointed out that while the AG's Chambers had the final word on prosecution, the police had a bigger say on matters of crime prevention.

What comes across from this interview is of a former police officer wanting a return to the old days when the police had unfettered power to do as they wished. He lamented how laws regarding investigation had undergone seismic changes.

"Amendments after amendments have been done and now police investigations are dictated by court decisions and instructions from the Attorney-General," he said, noting that before the law was amended four years ago, police had to seek the approval of a magistrate to hold a suspect in remand for 14 days. Now the remand period cannot be for more than seven days, and even then two applications had to be made for a seven-day remand period.

He was also unhappy with a requirement for the police to inform the National Legal Aid foundation of every drug case, saying that it adds another layer of administrative work.

Rahim's sketch of the crime fighting landscape will be seized upon by Umno ministers who have been quietly critical of Prime Minister Najib Razak's decision to do away with the Internal Security Act and the EO. Still, it is unlikely that Rahim will have the last word on crime in Malaysia.

Over the past few years, the Najib administration has been at pains to convince Malaysians that the crime situation has improved and that it is only a perception that there is a breakdown of law and order. Rahim's sketch of a country in the throes of a crime explosion will only add to scepticism.

Perkasa wants Marino out, demands new Vatican envoy

Some 30 people, led by Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, submitted a protest note to the embassy of the Holy See in Kuala Lumpur, demanding that the Vatican appoint a new envoy to Malaysia.

However, none of the embassy officials came out to meet the group, forcing Ibrahim to hand over a copy of the note to the police guard.

He also pasted another copy on the guard house wall.

Ibrahim, who was accompanied by Jati president Hasan Ali, said current ambassador Archbishop Joseph Marino's apology was insufficient.

Perkasa and other Muslim groups are upset with Marino's reported move to laud a local church's campaign to include the Arabic word 'Allah' to refer to God among Christians.The protest note, co-signed by Ibrahim and Hasan also demands that Vatican City withdraw Marino's statement and issue an official apology.

They claimed that Marino's statement "forms a grave breach of diplomatic etiquette and in particular breach of Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 on the duty of ambassadors not to interfere in the internal affairs of the receiving state".

Marino is 'enemy of the state'

Speaking to media later, Ibrahim clarified that they were not demanding the embassy closure.

"I would like to pronounce that Marino ( below ) is a persona non grata. .. in Malaysia, he's not wanted and he should leave Malaysia.

"As far as I'm concern, he is an enemy of the state. We are demanding his departure but not the embassy's closure. We want the Vatican to appoint a new one (envoy)," he said.

Earlier, a small altercation ensued between Ibrahim and on-duty police personnel who had formed a cordon line about 10 metres in front of the embassy front gate.

Ibrahim was dissatisfied that the personnel only allowed five representatives from the group to approach the front gate.

"Even this is difficult!" he decried before proceeding to the front gate with his entire group.

The group later chanted Allahu Akbar twice after pasting the note at the guard house.

No bail for Alvivi an 'overkill', say lawyers

Not granting bail for infamous bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee is "overkill", said lawyers.

They said that it is also "extremely rare" for bail not to be granted, be it for offences under the Sedition Act or Film Censorship Act under which the duo were charged, and especially for "minor" offences.

"It is overkill...Even the ' pramugara terlampau ' was allowed bail. Offences under the Film Censorship Act are not heinous offences," lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said referring to the 2003 cases involving a former flight attendant.

In the 2003 case, Mohd Rizal Mat Yusof was granted bail of RM8,500 after he claimed trial to producing or making a pornographic video compact disc (VCD) that allegedly starred several 'air stewardesses' in lewd acts, titled ' Kehidupan Pramugara Yang Terlampau '.

However, Mohd Rizal was charged under Section 292 (a) of the Penal Code and not the Film Censorship Act 2002.

Tan and Lee were charged under subsection 4 (1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 298A (1)(a) of the Penal Code, and subsection 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for displaying pornographic pictures on their 'sex blog'.

The prosecution asked the sessions court not to grant bail as offences under the said subsections of the Penal Code and Film Censorship Act are non-bailable offences.

Amer Hamzah ( left ) added that by denying bail, the court is equating the offence with offences which carry the death penalty.

"Even in rape cases there is the possibility of bail. Sometimes when the accused knows the victim, bail may not be granted for fear of (victim) intimidation but we see bail granted even for the recent Sukma (athlete) rape case," he said.

'No evidence' given for denying bail

According to lawyer Syahredzan Johan ( below ), when an offence is "non-bailable", the granting of bail is at the court's discretion.

However, the decision should be made on legal principles, including on whether the offence was grave, or if there is possibility of flight risk or the tendency to interfere with witnesses.

He said in the duo's case, the offences were "relatively minor" and the prosecution did not put forth any evidence to show that the duo are a flight risk or that they will interfere with witnesses.

"In any event, the judge can always impose conditions to say that if they post similar messages, bail is revoked," he said in a text message to Malaysiakini .

Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen added that the duo clearly did not pose a flight risk as they had "cooperated fully with the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)".

"There was no evidence offered by DPP Noordin Badaruddin, other than her flimsy statement that both accused were infamous and had a tendency to upload pictures that could arouse public outrage.

"This is wrong in law and by denying bail at this stage clearly shows bad faith and an attempt to punish the duo even before their guilt has been proven," Paulsen said in a statement.

Link to abduction case speculation

The statement of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail ( left ) linking his chambers' decision to a recent abduction case also indicates that outside elements may figure in the decision not to grant bail, Amer Hamzah said.

"It is speculation to say that it has anything to do with the case at all," he said, noting that public pressure may have factored into the decision.

Agreeing with his colleagues, lawyer Edmund Bon said public pressure and comments from politicians on both sides of the political divide may have factored into the decision to deny bail, "even if indirectly".

"There is a danger that the public is going after something that will not translate to justice," Bon said.

He added that the hype surrounding the duo may also affect the trial, and the defence could argue that Tan and Lee cannot get a fair trial.

"We have not seen this in Malaysia, but it could lead to the trial being stayed permanently or for the trial to be heard again under a different judge," he said.

Bar Council Human Rights Committee chief Andrew Khoo added that public interest should not be a consideration as to whether bail should be granted.

"It appears the intent was to send them to jail as an immediate punishment... before they are found guilty. The law should not be abused for this end," Khoo said when contacted.

BN MP escapes censure, colleague wants fist fight

Drama unfolded in the house with one Gerakan MP escaping being referred to the Parliament Rights and Privileges Committee for alleging that Anwar Ibrahim has bank accounts abroad, while an Umno MP challenges an opposition member to a fist fight.

Liang Teck Meng (BN-Simpang Renggam) claimed that the opposition leader has 20 bank accounts overseas including nine in a certain 'National Bank of Israel'.

However, 107 parliamentarians voted against a motion brought by Jeff Ooi (DAP-Jelutong) to refer Liang to the committee in en bloc voting after two hours of debate.

Sixty MPs voted in favour of referring Liang to the committee, for misleading the house in contravention of standing order 36(12).

Liang ( right ) while debating the royal address on July 2 quoted whistleblower organisation Wikileaks when he claimed that Anwar has RM332 million stashed overseas.

This led to Ooi suggesting, while tabling his motion, for Liang to be suspended for six months.

Defending himself, Liang said he obtained the information from "blogs" which "many people, including himself, believe".

As such, the Gerakan MP said, he did not meet the criteria set to determine if a MP has misled the House as he did not know that the information was untrue.

He also added that a statutory declaration was made by one Abdul Murad Halim that Anwar has money stashed overseas.

"I have no personal interest in this but it is a matter of national security. It has to do with foreign intervention in Malaysian politics...," he said.

However, this was attacked by Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz (DAP-Raub) who said that Liang was trying to liken himself to US whistleblower Edward Snowden by stressing that it is a security issue.

The fact was, he said in his speech, Liang cited anonymous blogs without verifying his facts.

Johari Abdul (PKR-Sungai Petani), while debating the motion, said Liang had said these things in the hope that the media would "pick it up" and it would result in character assassination.

'Let's have a fist fight'

Johari and other opposition MPs were, however, heckled by Othman Abdul (BN-Pendang) who among others taunted the MPs with cries of "penakut" (coward) and "pondan" (transsexual).

His theatrics prompted one MP to call him a "gangster" to which he retorted: "Did you say 'gangster'? If you did then let's have a fist fight outside. If I'm really a gangster see me outside. Bullshit lah ."

At one point, Johari ( left ) told Othman: "People in your kampung can watch you (through the live streaming). They will see how their ustad (religious scholar) is behaving."

Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PKR-Bukit Katil) also debunked Abdul Murad's statutory declaration with another statutory declaration by a former Anti-Corruption Agency investigator who testified to having found no basis for Abdul Murad's claim after extensive and international investigations.

Debating in Liang's defence was Anuar Musa (BN-Ketereh) who said that Liang was justified in raising the matter as it involved a former high ranking official and a sizeable amount of money.

"The Dewan should, in fact, laud Simpang Renggam for his bravery," he said.

Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) also noted that Liang may have appeared "reckless" in the manner he expressed himself during the royal address but the latter was not guilty of misleading the house.

Following the vote in which the motion was defeated, the Dewan Rakyat adjourned to the next session.

PAS kesal jenayah 'bertopengkan agama'

Pemuda PAS hari ini menyuarakan kekesalannya terhadap insiden seorang pekerja kafeteria siber Ng Mun Tatt yang diculik, dikasari, dibogel dan diconteng badannya dengan perkataan "saya hina Islam".

Bagaimanapun, kata setiausaha dewan itu Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil, mangsa akhirnya tampil menafikan dakwaan serius terhadapnya itu.

Justeru, katanya Khairul Faizi ( kiri ), insiden itu jenayah yang tidak boleh diterima dan lebih dikesali apabila menggunakan isu agama untuk menghalalkan tindakan dan menjadikan bukan Islam sebagai sasaran.

"Sekumpulan pemuda yang memukul dan mencederakan Ng Mun Tatt sebenarnya telah menjatuhkan maruah agama Islam serta menghina agama yang suci ini," katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.

"Mereka ini sebenarnya wajar ditangkap dan diadili dengan hukuman setimpal kerana merosakkan kemuliaan agama Islam serta perpaduan masyarakat di negara ini."

Ng, 21, dalam sidang media di Klang semalam berkata, penculik menconteng perkataan "saya hina Islam" di badannya untuk mengelirukan individu yang boleh membantunya dan menggambarkan beliau menghina agama negara.

Katanya, beliau diculik pada awal pagi Isnin ketika sedang minum di sebuah restoran di Shah Alam sebelum dibawa dengan sebuah kereta sedan dengan mata tertutup ke satu pangsapuri dan dipukul menggunakan batang kayu.

Beliau juga mendakwa, penculik memeras wang daripada abang iparnya. Menurut Ng lagi, beliau kemudian dibawa ke sebuah ladang sawit dan dipukul lagi setelah gagal mengingat nombor pin kad ATM.

NG juga mendakwa dipaksa menghidu gam dan sangat kehausan sehingga terpaksa minum air longkang ketika melepaskan diri.

Beliau menafikan penculikannya berkaitan dengan tindakan Alvin Tan dan Vivian Lee - penulis blog seks yang didakwa menghina Islam.

Laporan media yang memetik kenyataan Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar pada Selasa lalu bagaimanapun menyebut sebaliknya.

Suaram: Where are the other custody death charges?

Suaram has called for police to be made accountable for the increasing numbers of deaths in custody, noting that of the 12 cases this year alone, only three policemen have been charged in just one case.

"From (the 12), only three police officers have been charged for the death of N Dhamendran, and only after public pressure and outcry, while one of the accused has gone missing.

"In the case of P Karunanithi, who died in Tampin in June, till today no officer has been charged despite the fact that the post-mortem and video show evidence of bruises and injuries on his body," Suaram coordinator R Thevarajan ( right ) said in a statement today

Thevarajan reiterated the widespread call for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to be set up, saying the police were failing to hold the perpetrators of these murders accountable.

"The failure to ensure effective police accountability mechanisms highlights the lack of political will by the government to take genuine steps to reform the police force in this country" he said.

Dhamendran died in police custody on May 22 and on June 5, police charged three of their men with his murder, while a fourth officer is still on the run with the police, who finally released the name and picture of the runaway officer on Tuesday.

"Now, in this latest case of Chew Siang Giap, his father has also found bruises on the ears, shoulder and thigh of Chew's body.

"It is unacceptable that Chew's family has to plead for an independent investigation to be made in order for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

"Why can't the police be proactive in investigating deaths in custody? Further, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission has also been silent on this matter and has yet to initiate any investigation.

"The people want an independent body to probe these deaths in custody and for the perpetrators to be held accountable for these serious human rights violations," Thevarajan added.

Gov't trying to steal our land, claim Orang Asli groups

Two grassroots Orang Asli groups have strongly accused the government of trying to steal as much as 60 percent of their ancestral land by pushing through a law in Parliament without consulting the people most affected.

Orang Asli representatives from villages in Pahang and Malacca have put their voices to a growing protest against Act 134, an amendment to the Aborigines Act 1954.

The amendment, they said, would allow the government to assign Orang Asli land titles to individuals, breaking up the communal land ownership that is now in practice. The result is that land that is not assigned, which could make up the bulk, would then revert to the state governments.

"We are sad to hear about Act 134... with this Act, as much as 60 percent of our land will be lost," Shafie Dris ( left ) from Jaringan Orang Asli Pahang (JOAP) told reporters in Kuala Lumpur after submitting a two-page petition to Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal.

"These are the lands where our ancestors are buried and the fruits from which have been jointly shared and used to sustain our way of life."

Shafie warned that the government's attempt to parcel out the land under the proposed amendment would also cause friction among the Orang Asli community who currently share the land.

The representative from Jaringan Orang Asli Malacca, Faridah Goskan ( right ), chimed in and said the livelihood of the Orang Asli was already under threat as the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) has lured many out of their forested lands for minimal payouts.

Many of these Orang Asli were given small land grants, for which they were then required to pay a hefty tax afterwards to keep, Faridah said.

Last week, Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Villages Coalition (JKOASM) coordinator Tijah Yok Chopil also protested against the government's move to amend the 1954 Act.

Tijah said that the government has yet to engage with human rights activists, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) and the Bar Council about the amendment.

Jakoa was subsequently reported as saying that it would consult the Orang Asli community in a meeting on July 24-25, which had been postponed from its original July 7-8 date.

"We ask that the meeting be cancelled as it does not involve the people who matter or who know about the way the Orang Asli live," JOAP's Shafie said.

He cited cases in the past when these meetings were merely subterfuge, used to build a false consensus among Orang Asli community by only allowing 'pre-approved' delegates to attend.

"They have no right to decide on what the Orang Asli have protested against all this while," Shafie said.

NGO: Nik Aziz dihalang solat di masjid kem TUDM

Pengerusi NGO Kebajikan Rangkaian Bekas Tentera (KERABAT) Mejar (B) Yusoff Ali mempersoalkan tindakan pengurusan kem tentera Gong Kedak di Besut yang menurutnya menghalang mursyidul am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat daripada menunaikan solat di masjid kem tersebut.

Laporan Harakahdaily yang memetik kenyataan Yusoff menyebut, pengurusan kem pada awalnya membenarkan bekas menteri besar Kelantan itu diundang untuk menunaikan solat Maghrib di masjid tersebut pada malam tadi.

Namun pengurusan kem Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) itu bertukar fikiran di saat akhir, kata Yusoff yang menambah, tindakan itu mungkin dibuat atas arahan pihak atasan.

Katanya, perkata itu tidak sepatutnya dibuat kerana pemimpin Umno sebelum ini juga bebas mengunjungi masjid tersebut.

"Kita faham kerana pegawai di kem berkenaan semuanya kawan-kawan saya yang pernah khidmat bersama di TUDM sebelum ini, namun kerana tekanan atasan mereka tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa," katanya seperti dipetik Harakahdaily .

Menurut laporan itu lagi, Masjid di kem Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia itu mengadakan majlis berbuka puasa setiap hari sejak penamaan calon pada Jumaat lepas.

Sedangkan, masjid berkenaan sebelum ini tidak pernah membuat majlis berbuka puasa secara besar-besaran setiap hari, yang terbuka kepada penduduk tempatan, lapor lidah parti PAS itu lagi.

Retribution is quick if you're sex bloggers

COMMENT In a flash, the authorities cracked their whips when a non-Muslim couple, infamous for their exhibitionist sexual trysts, posted a photograph of themselves dining on pork ( bak kut teh ) soup.

Next to the photograph was a caption that linked the consumption of the forbidden meat to Muslims breaking their fast in the holy month of Ramadan.

The move courted an uproar and numerous quarters clamoured for the heads of Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee to roll for being so blatantly and brazenly insensitive to Muslims.

The couple later apologised but this fell on deaf ears.

One minister warned that insulting Islam on the social media is becoming rampant and this must be curbed while another declared that repentance will not absolve the offenders of their callous deed.

The authorities are now considering charging the lovebirds under the Sedition Act.

The indignation is understandable. The posting was downright ridiculous and offensive. There is no excuse to belittle a faith and the couple should have been aware of the repercussions when trampling on what is sacrosanct to others.

However, there appears to be two diametrically opposed approaches to such matters in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia.

The same authorities, politicians and religious leaders did not even squeak when Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin ( right ) degraded the Hindu religion or when university lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah derided the Thaipusam festival.

This begs the question whether Muslims have the right to be offended while others should just accept the blatant disparagement of their respective faiths as a fact of life in Malaysia.

Zulkifli, in a video recording of his sermon posted on YouTube, had ridiculed the Hindu belief that the Ganges River in India is sacred.

He also mocked Hindu deities for failing to prevent a flood from ravaging a shop that sold statues of these deities.

Ridhuan ( right ), on the other hand, saw red over the attempts by certain organisations to lift the temporary ban imposed on a Tamil film, which critics claimed equated Islam with terrorism.

In his argument that appeared in a Malay-language daily, the associate professor, who ironically teaches ethnic relations, penned derogatory remarks about the Thaipusam festival in Batu Caves.

He also complained about the proliferation of Hindu temples and shrines since the 2008 general election.

In both cases, there were calls to take stern action against Zulkifli and Ridhuan, including charging them under the Sedition Act. However, these voices went unheeded.

For Hindus, an apology is sufficient?

And what about Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali's incendiary remark to torch Malay bibles which contain the word 'Allah'?

Mahathir, who is the patron of Perkasa, later defended Ibrahim, stating that it is common to burn banned publications.

Once again, there were the familiar calls for Ibrahim to be dragged to court, including from outraged Christian leaders and clergymen, but the firebrand continues to roam free to commit verbal ethnocide.

And as if to rub salt into the wound, Najib, who fathered the 1Malaysia slogan, named Zulkfli as the BN candidate for the Shah Alam parliament seat in the last general election.

To make matters worse, Zulkifli is the vice-president of Perkasa, the right-wing movement with an unenviable track record of stoking racial and religious flames.

Defending his candidature, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had described Zulkifli as a man with calibre.

Muhyiddin ( left in photo ) also reminded the people that Zulkifli had since admitted his mistake and apologised for insulting the Hindu faith.

So in the case of slighted Hindus, an apology is sufficient.

There is no justification for Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee's action as freedom of expression cannot be used as a shield to rattle religious and racial ties.

But the same rule must also be extended to those Muslims who insult the faiths and beliefs of others. In short, 1Malaysia needs one approach on issues concerning religious rows. There should be no double standard.

Failing which, it would prove that 1Malaysia is the most hollow, superfluous, deceptive, insidious and deceitful slogan ever coined to hoodwink a nation.