Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka!!!!!!!!!!!

Tunku, we really miss you .....a Truly Malaysian!!!!!!!



Monday, August 30, 2010

Bukan muslim, masjid dan mainan politik — Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin


 

August 30, 2010
30 OGOS: Saya amat bimbang apabila isu-isu agama dipolitikkan. Islam cuba ditafsirkan menurut kepentingan politik masing-masing. Hukum-hakam syarak menjadi mangsa. Permainan politik sanggup menggadaikan segalanya. Amat berbeza antara penilaian berteraskan politik kepartian dengan penilaian yang berasaskan metodologi ilmu dalam Islam.


Politik kepartian sering menilai isu atau sesuatu berasaskan kepentingan (political interest), persepsi dan prejudis. Sementara ilmu Islam yang sahih menilai sesuatu berdasarkan dalil dan fakta. Kebenaran dalam Islam itu buta warna parti atau kumpulan. Kebenaran itu kebenaran, tanpa mengira dari mana dan kepada siapa ia berpihak. Firman Allah: (maksudnya):



“Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, hendaklah kamu semua sentiasa menjadi orang-orang yang menegakkan keadilan kerana Allah, lagi menerangkan kebenaran; dan jangan sekali-kali kebencian kamu terhadap sesuatu kaum itu mendorong kamu kepada tidak melakukan keadilan. Hendaklah kamu berlaku adil (kepada sesiapa jua) kerana sikap adil itu lebih hampir kepada taqwa. Dan bertaqwalah kepada Allah, sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui dengan mendalam akan apa yang kamu lakukan.” (Surah al-Maidah, ayat 8).

Orang politik datang dan pergi. Parti politik juga demikian. Namun, Islam kekal abadi. Ia menjadi cahaya yang menyinari kehidupan manusia. Orang politik boleh musnah, parti juga boleh hancur. Manusia tidak semestinya bergantung kepada seseorang tokoh atau sesebuah parti. Namun, manusia sentiasa perlukan hidayah Islam yang membimbing ke jalan yang benar. Islam mesti kekal bersih, membimbing semua manusia. Malanglah jika orang politik sanggup mempertaruhkan Islam untuk survival mereka!

Tambah Keliru

Bukan muslim bertambah keliru dengan hukam-hakam berkaitan mereka yang dikeluarkan kebelakangan ini. Fatwa-fatwa ‘ala-Taliban’ yang menggambarkan sikap keras Islam terhadap pihak lain dicadang dan didendangkan oleh sesetengah media. ‘Juru-juru fatwa’ yang boleh ditekan suisnya oleh pihak politik bersedia menunggu. Islam dikaburkan oleh permainan yang seperti ini. Dalam Islam, hubungan dengan bukan muslim bermula dengan terang dahulu, setelah diperjelaskan dan masih ada permusuhan barulah tindakan ‘peperangan’ boleh diambil jika ada keperluan. Ini dalam masyarakat kita ‘perang dahulu’ tanpa sebarang penerangan awal yang jelas.

Saya telah ulas dalam banyak media tentang isu doa kebaikan kepada bukan muslim. Kini timbul pula isu bukan muslim masuk masjid. Ya, isu ini bermula dengan orang politik. Namun janganlah dalam keghairahan hendak menghentam musuh politik, fakta Islam pula yang dimangsakan. Jika kita enggan menerima mereka masuk, itu persoalan lain. Tetapi menggambarkan kepada mereka bahawa Islam melarang mereka sama sekali memasuki masjid, itu boleh menimbulkan salah faham. Islam ala melayu atau Islam yang ada dalam sejarahnya yang gemilang? Rasulullah menerima perwakilan dalam masjid, bagaimana tiba-tiba hari ini masjid diharamkan untuk mereka?!

Masuk Masjid

Ya, para fuqaha (ahli fekah) berbeza pendapat tentang hukum bukan muslim masuk ke dalam masjid. Namun, majoriti fuqaha termasuk dalam Mazhab al-Syafi’i berpendapat bahawa bukan muslim boleh masuk ke dalam masjid jika ada keperluan untuk itu. Pendapat ini disokong oleh beberapa dalil yang kuat. Di samping, ia juga membantu memahamkan masyarakat bukan Islam mengenai Islam. Dalam negara yang berbilang agama seperti negara kita, pandangan ini bukan sahaja kuat dari segi dalilnya, ia juga memberikan kebaikan kepada dakwah Islam itu sendiri.

Dalam hadis al-Bukhari dan Muslim meriwayatkan bahawa:
Nabi s.a.w telah menghantar pasukan (skuad) tentera berkuda dan menawan Thumamah bin Uthal yang merupakan kepimpinan Bani Hanifah dari Yamamah. Beliau dibawa ke Madinah dan diikat di tiang masjid Nabi s.a.w. Apabila Nabi s.a.w datang ke masjid dan melihatnya, baginda bertanya:

“Apa yang ada engkau dapati wahai Thumamah?”




Jawabnya: “Bersamaku kebaikan, wahai Muhammad! Jika engkau membunuhku, engkau membunuh orang yang punyai darah (berhak dibunuh atau mungkin beliau meminta simpati), jika engkau memberi kurnia, engkau memberikan kurnia kepada orang yang berterima kasih. Jika engkau mahu harta, engkau boleh minta seberapa banyak yang engkau mahu”.
Lalu Nabi s.a.w meninggalkannya. Keesokannya Nabi s.a.w bertanya lagi: “Apa yang engkau dapati Wahai Thumamah?”.


Jawabnya: “Seperti yang aku katakan, jika engkau memberi kurnia, engkau memberi kurnia kepada orang yang berterima kasih”.


Nabi meninggalkannya. Keesokannya lagi Nabi s.a.w bertanya lagi: “Apa yang engkau dapati wahai Thumamah?”.


Jawabnya: “Seperti yang aku katakan kepadamu”.


Lalu Nabi s.a.w memerintahkan: “Bebaskan Thumamah”.


Lalu Thumamah pun keluar pergi ke mata air berdekatan masjid, beliau mandi, kemudian masuk semula ke masjid dan mengucapkan: “Aku bersaksi bahawa tiada ilah (yang diabdikan diri) melainkan Allah dan Muhammad itu Rasulullah”.


Beliau juga berkata: “Wahai Muhammad! Demi Allah, duhulu tiada atas muka bumi yang lebih aku benci daripada engkau, sekarang berubah engkau telah menjadi orang yang paling aku sayangi. Demi Allah, dahulu tiada agama yang lebih aku benci dari agamamu, sekarang berubah agamamu menjadi agama yang paling aku sayangi. Demi Allah, tiada dahulu negara yang lebih aku benci dari negaramu, sekarang berubah negaramu menjadi negara yang paling aku sayangi..”.


Hadis di atas menunjukkan bagaimana Thumamah bin Uthal seorang tawanan perang yang menentang kerajaan Nabi s.a.w dibawa masuk ke dalam masjid. Antara tujuannya, agar dia dapat melihat kehebatan ibadah dalam Islam. Sekalipun dia musuh dan tawanan perang, Nabi s.a.w menggunakan pendekatan yang menarik jiwanya sehingga dia akhirnya menganut Islam. Ini dengan cara menempatkannya dalam masjid dan baginda bertanya soalan selama tiga hari lalu memaafkannya. Kesan berada di masjid dan kemaafan Nabi s.a.w, akhirnya kepimpinan musuh tersebut menganut Islam. Hadis ini menjadi bukti bahawa orang bukan Islam boleh masuk ke dalam masjid. Inilah pegangan kebanyakan ulama termasuk dalam Mazhab al-Syafi’i. Kata al-Imam al-Nawawi (meninggal 676H):


“Hadis ini menunjukkan harus membawa orang kafir masuk ke dalam masjid. Mazhab Syafi’i mengharuskannya dengan izin muslim. Ini merangkumi kafir ahli kitab atau selain mereka”. (al-Nawawi, Syarah Sahih Muslim, 12/435, Beirut: Dar al-Khair).


Majlis Fatwa Tetap Arab Saudi mengeluarkan hukum tentang bukan muslim masuk ke masjid seperti berikut:


“Pendapat yang tepat bukan muslim boleh masuk ke dalam masjid untuk sesuatu kemaslahatan syariah atau sesuatu keperluan tertentu seperti mendengar sesuatu yang membawa masuk ke dalam Islam, atau keperluannya untuk minum air yang berada dalam masjid atau selainnya. Ini kerana Nabi s.a.w mengikat Thumamah bin Uthal al-Hanafi dalam masjid sebelum dia menganut Islam, baginda juga menempatkan perwakilan Thaqif dan perwakilan Kristian Najran di masjid sebelum mereka menganut Islam. Ini kerana ada banyak faedah mereka memasuki masjid, antaranya; mendengar ucapan dan nasihat Nabi s.a.w, melihat orang bersolat dan membaca al-Quran dan berbagai faedah besar yang lain bagi sesiapa yang melazimi masjid”. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah 6/276. Riyadh: Idarah al-Buhuth)

Luaskan Fungsi Masjid


Kita sepatutnya meluaskan fungsi masjid agar dapat menjadi ‘centre for Islamic Information’ yang mesra pelanggan. Masjid sepatutnya berfungsi menyampaikan Islam kepada setiap pihak; muslim dan bukan muslim. Di negara seperti Malaysia yang berbilang agama dan budaya, kaum muslimin perlulah aktif dan intraktif dalam menyampaikan mesej Islam. Jika masjid dijadikan zon larangan bagi orang bukan muslim sehingga tidak dapat mendekatinya, bilakah Islam akan dapat difahami oleh mereka. Sudahlah dalam negara ini banyak fatwa ala-taliban yang cuba menggambarkan seakan tiada rahmah antara muslim dan non-muslim, ditambah lagi dengan ditutup ruang untuk mereka mendengar ajaran Islam. Masjid digambarkan musuh mereka dan mereka dilarang menghampirinya. Sementara dalam masa yang sama ada pihak bukan Islam yang menjemput muslim dengan hormat ke tempat ibadah mereka serta menghulurkan berbagai bantuan. Akhirnya, kita terus bermusuhan tanpa mencari titik dakwah, atau sekurang-kurang noktah yang mengurangkan sangkaan salah terhadap agama hidayah ini.

 Ke manakah hala tuju Islam yang hendak kita bawa dalam negara ini?

In UmNo we trust........


DAP, sorrie.... tak tutup aurat cannot enter masjid.......


UMNO : tak tutup aurat boleh masuk juga........WHY WHY WHY? because we are UMNO.......


The party that always right ............KOREK KOREK KOREK






.



PUTERI UMNO TERKECUALI DARI HUKUM ISLAM KE???

Sunday, August 29, 2010

"Perang Besar" will happen in Malaysia?


 










Last night, as usual I had monthly dinner gathering  with my two business associates in a hotel located in  Hong Kong. One of them comes from Middle East while the other one is from Europe. Both of them look quite depressed after reading a translation article appeared in Utusan front page "Perang Besar akan berlaku in Malaysia (Big war will happen in Malaysia) as claimed by Ustaz.


According to the report,  the ever controversial Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria had received three copies of a "new" Federal Constitution during a ceramah in Alor Setar. It was said that some important and sensitive provisions had been omitted in the "new" Federal Constitution, which was going to replace the existing Federal Constitution. And it was said that a Perang Baser could take place in Malaysia.


I could not help but laughed and at the same time trying  to pacify them as they have investment in KL.


Bear in mind that foreign investors are normally quite sensitive with this kind of nonsense.


They have invested million or even billion in this country and that means all their investment will go into drain if something bad happen.


And no thanks to Utusan, I need to spend half and hour explain to them and at the same time "guarantee" them that Malaysia is still a best country,  that they can pour their money in.(I must thank God that Chinese and Indian news paper have not followed Utusan footsetps} 


It seems that they are not satisfied with my explaination and bombared me with the question  "How could  this news paper spreaded such lies and at the same time no action has been taken against the news paper editor and the USTAZ?"


Good question but sadly I do not have a good answer for them.........


Anyway I have promised them I will give them a good explanation by tonite.......

With heavy hearts, I search thru internet and thanks God I have managed to get a good article that explain the situation very well.......


http://www.mysinchew.com/node/43780



Talking about my home, my country, I just feel sad looking at  current situation of  the country......

FDI has dropped to all time low, crime rates still at high level, racial slurs getting rampants although it is a sin and......

Once before diversity is our strength, but now days we just heard quarelling among the politicians and well being of peoples are just neglected like that.....

I just hope that I can tell my friends that there is a  future for this country and they can  keep pouring their money in ........

Until then I can only keep my finger crossed and pray to God.........


ha ha can you spot the difference?


Saturday, August 28, 2010

Mirror Mirror on the wall.... tell me where the $$$$$$ gone?

Bangkit perkauman untuk tutup kehilangan RM52 bilion


GEORGETOWN, 27 Ogos: Tindakan Umno mengapi-apikan isu perkauman dan agama adalah cubaan menutup skandal kehilangan RM52 bilion saham Bumiputera, kata Lim Guan Eng.


Beliau yang juga Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang berkata demikian sebagai mengulas isu perkauman yang cuba dihangatkan Umno pada pada waktu ini.


"Mereka mengapi-apikan pelbagai isu perkauman supaya menutup skandal RM52 bilion.


"Dari RM54 bilion yang diberikan kepada Bumiputera sekarang hanya tinggal RM2 bilion sahaja," ujarnya semalam selepas mesyuarat Majlis Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat.


"Itulah sebabnya mereka mainkan isu-isu berkaitan agama dan perkauman ini, supaya isu sebenar boleh ditutup."


Sambil mendakwa Umno mengkhianati kepentingan orang-orang Melayu dan Bumiputera, Setiausaha Agong DAP itu turut mempersoal keengganan Umno BN untuk menubuhkan suruhanjaya diraja menyiasat punca ekuiti Bumiputera tinggal RM2 bilion sahaja.


"Siapa yang kebas RM52 bilion saham Bumiputera ini, tentulah Umno BN.


"Adakah disebabkan itu, mereka tidak mahu menubuhkan suatu siasatan suruhanjaya di raja," soal beliau di Ibu Pejabat PKR, Tropicana, Petaling Jaya.


Sehubungan itu, beliau menganggap DAP, PAS dan PKR atas muafakat Pakatan Rakyat wajar bersatu untuk menentang permainan politik Barisan Nasional itu.


"Kita boleh bersatu melawan kemungkaran yang dicerminkan oleh Barisan Nasional, baik Umno, MCA atau MIC," katanya lagi.


Sidang media tersebut turut disertai Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Timbalan Presiden PAS, Nasharuddin Mat Isa dan Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang.


Sebelum pada itu, beliau turut mengaku bahawa beberapa pemimpin DAP memang mempunyai perbezaan pendirian berhubung cadangan PAS melaksanakan hudud.


Namun, katanya itu hanya perkara kecil dan Pakatan lebih mengutamakan agenda menentang kemungkaran yang dilakukan dalam Umno BN dari mempopularkan idealogi kepartian masing-masing.


29 Mac lalu, Guan Eng di Dewan Rakyat mempersoal integriti Umno BN ekoran kehilangan RM52 bilion itu.


Persoalan itu lanjutan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Kewangan mendedahkan bahawa ekuiti Bumiputera hanya tinggal RM2 bilion sahaja.


Menurut Guan Eng juga, ekuiti Bumiputera mampu meningkat sebanyak 45 peratus melalui Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) sekiranya Umno tidak mengkhianati amanah rakyat, khususnya orang-orang Melayu.
-harakahdaily.net

Change is the ineluctable fact — Karim Raslan

AUG 27 — Several weeks ago, I hosted a lunch for a Malaysian politician and an Indonesian businessman.

The politician and I were struck by the tycoon’s steadfast support of his nation’s democratic traditions. He stressed that he would not be where he was now had it not been for Reformasi and the turbulence of 1998. Indeed, he made a powerful argument that his country wouldn’t be powering ahead were it not for the transformation that took place after Soeharto’s ouster.
Interestingly, I think most Malaysian businessmen, including those dependent on government contracts, would agree with my Indonesian friend.
All societies need change. Countries that don’t or can’t change (like Japan) remain ossified and stagnant. Malaysia is in danger of experiencing a “Lost Decade” like Japan did — being stuck in an unproductive (even destructive) socio-economic and political model.
In the past, I used to praise Malaysia’s slow but steady pace of change. The events of the last decade have changed my mind. I now see that our evolutionary (as opposed to revolutionary) political process is a formidable barrier to our future growth.
Politics is holding us back and until we resolve two core political challenges, we will remain in limbo. The first is the role of ethnicity and second, the civil liberties agenda. Economic reform cannot happen when race still governs our public life, and where our citizens are not allowed to think and speak independently.
We remain a top-down, illiberal and limited democracy. We have leaders who do not trust the rakyat. The rakyat, conversely are increasingly frustrated with what is going on. They clearly see that to maintain the status quo there is a cynical fanning of racial and religious sentiment that only pushes us closer to some kind of political Armageddon.
So, as Malaysia readies itself for what appears to be our 13th general election, I have a few points to stress, reflecting some of the developments over the past two years:

Public scepticism and distrust is peaking
Public distrust has mounted. We are face to face with too many scandals and legal travesties — ranging from the Teoh Beng Hock inquest to the second Anwar Ibrahim trial. These unresolved, and unresolvable, cases gnaw away at public confidence. They impact the entire system. As a result, there is less and less confidence in public institutions.
We are experiencing a breakdown of the culture of deference in the Malay society:
The Malay society has been highly disciplined and hierarchical for many decades. However, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Melayu Baru rhetoric has taken root. Like it or not, the vast expansion of the Malay middle class has changed the dynamic between the ruled and the rulers. The Malay community is no longer respectful of entrenched authority. Instead, they are critical and analytical.
Indeed, younger Malaysians of all races are more “transactional” in their approach to politics. They ask, “What’s in it for me?” Elected officials have to be more humble and service-orientated. MP’s and ministers can no longer expect to command respect. They have to earn it, step-by-step. And the best way to do it is by being honest and humble.

Not all political warhorses will deliver the goods
Sarawak’s Tan Sri Taib Mahmud has been in office for well over 30 years. Is he liked or disliked? Can he deliver his state again into the hands of the Barisan Nasional? Past success is no guarantee of future delivery. The next state election in Sarawak will be eagerly contested and watched.

The role of the media: what is the truth?
The continuing restrictions on the Malaysian media have proven to be a disaster for the Barisan. On the other hand, certain conservative papers appear to have been given a free hand to engage in race-baiting. These double-standards have not boosted public sentiment, but rob the government of a very effective method of understanding what is happening on the ground.
Without freedom of expression, journalists can only write what the leaders want to read, not what they need to. As a result, Malaysia’s elite have become insulated from the rakyat, something the former can ill-afford at this juncture.

The Age of Coalitions is here
The results of the UK and Australian elections show that the Westminster system of democracy — which Malaysia also practises — tends to produce hung legislatures when voter dissatisfaction is great. The question then arises: Who — Barisan or Pakatan Rakyat — has a sounder alliance? Who can better bring our fragmented socio-political sphere?
These factors will become apparent in the upcoming power plays. Whatever happens, there is no turning back and Malaysia will never be the same again.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

MACC Lawyer ------Joker of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I almost fall down from my chair when I watch the video depicts DPP Abdul Razak Musa asking a series of baffling questions that riled up those sitting in the gallery during the Aug 18 session of the inquest proceedings to determine DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock's cause of death. .


I just wonder whether this " cekik diri sendiri" laywer is the best ever lawyer engaged/produced by MACC ........

Mana you pergi Perkasa????????

Ibrahim Ali and the gangs where have you been? why so quiet?

Bendera Malaysia dibakar, diludah dalam demonstrasi di Jakarta

August 26, 2010
JAKARTA, 26 Ogos — Penunjuk perasaan di hadapan kedutaan Besar Malaysia di sini terus bersikap liar dengan membakar dan meludah Jalur Gemilang serta bergaduh dengan pasukan polis Indonesia yang mengawal di situ hari ini.
Seramai 600 orang menyertai demonstrasi itu berteriak “ganyang Malaysia” bagi membantah apa yang mereka dakwa pencerobohan pihak berkuasa Malaysia di perairan perbatasan kedua-dua negara, berhampiran Bintan, Kepulauan Riau 13 Ogos lepas.
Ketika emosi memuncak, penunjuk perasaan bergaduh dengan pasukan Polis Indonesia yang menghalang mereka daripada menghampiri pintu pagar untuk masuk ke dalam kawasan kedutaan.
Mereka membaling batu dan selipar ke arah polis. Seorang daripada mereka ditahan polis kerana membaling sebatang buluh, yang sebelum itu digunakan untuk mengibarkan bendera Indonesia, ke arah pasukan keselamatan.
Insiden pada 13 Ogos itu membabitkan penahanan tiga pegawai penguatkuasa laut Indonesia oleh Polis Marin Malaysia ekoran penahanan tujuh nelayan Malaysia oleh bahagian penguatkuasa Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan Indonesia kerana didakwa meneroboh.
Malaysia mempertahankan bahawa nelayan tersebut berada di perairan sendiri apabila ditahan oleh pihak penguatkuasa Indonesia itu. Kesemua tahanan itu telah dibebaskan pada 17 Ogos.
Kumpulan penunjuk perasaan hari ini menuntut Malaysia memohon maaf serta meminta kerajaan Indonesia memanggil balik Duta Besar Indonesia di Malaysia.
Keadaan reda apabila anggota kumpulan yang beremosi dapat ditenangkan oleh beberapa orang pemimpin kumpulan tersebut.
Sejak insiden 13 Ogos itu, beberapa demonstrasi dilakukan oleh kumpulan-kumpulan kecil antara 20 dan 40 orang sahaja namun ia tetap ganas sehingga ada yang bertindak merosakkan plak nama Kedutaan Besar itu, memanjat pintu pagar dan tembok pintu pagar dan berdiri di atasnya.
Kerosakan pada harta benda kedutaan besar itu telah dilakukan oleh penunjuk perasaan dari kumpulan Laskar Merah Putih.
Penghinaan paling buruk dilakukan terhadap Malaysia ialah perbuatan melempar najis manusia ke dalam kawasan Kedutaan Besar Malaysia di sini oleh penunjuk perasaan dari kumpulan Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) pada Isnin lepas. — Bernama

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Bicara harmoni buat Mufti Perak — Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin

August 25, 2010
25 OGOS — Saya rasa amat wajar untuk saya mengulas sendiri tentang isu doa untuk bukan muslim yang “dikecohkan” sekarang. Ini memandangkan ada media telah memainkan perbezaan antara pendapat saya dan yang dihormati SS Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, Mufti Perak mengenai isu ini. Tujuan tulisan ini agar salahfaham dapat dielakkan.

Apabila seorang tokoh Umno yang agak veteran menghubungi saya dan menyatakan beliau tidak puas hati (ayat asalnya “malu”) dengan fatwa SS Tuan Mufti Perak yang mengharamkan doa kesejahteraan untuk bukan muslim, saya jawab saya tidak pasti sebab saya sendiri belum membaca fatwa tersebut. SMS beliau kepada saya: “apakah saudara bersetuju dengan Mufti Perak bahawa hukumnya haram kita mendoakan kesejahteraan bukan Islam. Salahkah saya mendoakan kesejahteraan mak mertua saya yang bukan Islam?

Atau mendoakan penyokong saya yang bukan Islam?” Setelah mendapat SMS itu saya cuba mencari kenyataan SS Tuan Mufti dalam media, saya dapati demikian yang dilaporkan oleh beberapa media.
Sebagai husn al-zan (sangka baik) saya anggap mungkin laporan media kurang kemas, atau ada maksud di sebalik pandangan hukum yang dikeluarkan oleh SS Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria itu. Ungkapan yang digunakan bahawa Islam mengharamkan doa kesejahteraan kepada orang bukan Islam itu mungkin mempunyai maksud lain di luar apa yang saya faham. Perkataan “sejahtera” itu mungkin ada maksud tersendiri yang beliau ertikan. Cumanya, saya ingin mengulas kenyataan itu dari beberapa sudut. Pandangan saya dalam isu ini seperti berikut:

1. Setiap orang yang mempunyai pengetahuan agama hendaklah sentiasa adil dengan pandangannya. Tidak boleh berpihak untuk kepentingan pembangkang ataupun kerajaan. Saya tujukan nasihat ini kepada mereka yang daif seperti saya ini agar berusaha mendisiplinkan diri dalam pandangan ilmu. Adapun SS Tan Sri Harussani, Mufti Perak sudah pasti seorang yang teguh — bukan lemah seperti saya — dan saya doakan agar keteguhan itu menjadi contoh insan yang berdisiplin dalam ilmu.

2. Pandangan agama yang membabitkan hal bukan Muslim di negara kita khususnya, dan dunia moden amnya, jika salah ditangani boleh memberikan kesan negatif kepada kefahaman masyarakat mengenai Islam. Kita memberitahu dunia “Islam adalah agama yang rahmat”, pasti mereka akan ragu jika kita mengeluarkan pandangan sebaliknya. Di kala dunia menuduh Islam pengganas, tiada nilai toleransi dan seumpamanya, pandangan-pandangan golongan agamawan janganlah membantu menyuburkan tuduhan palsu itu.

3. Di Malaysia, secara praktiknya, ramai yang terbiasa memberi ucapan — terutama di media-media kerajaan — “assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera kepada yang bukan beragama Islam”. Walaupun Nabi s.a.w — seperti riwayat al-Bukhari-dalam praktik baginda, jika ada bukan Muslim bersama dengan Muslim baginda hanya memberikan “assalamualaikum” sahaja. Perkataan “assalamualaikum” itu memang bermaksud “kesejahteraan ke atas kamu”. Namun, diulangi oleh amalan media kerajaan dan majlis-majlis kerajaan dengan ungkapan “salam sejahtera kepada yang bukan beragama Islam”. Tidakkah “salam sejahtera kepada bukan beragama Islam” itu satu doa untuk mereka. Mengapa tidak difatwakan ia haram selama ini? Demikian salam ciptaan baru “salam 1 Malaysia” juga bermaksud kesejahteraan untuk semua termasuk bukan muslim. Mengapa tidak diharamkan? Saya sekali lagi berpesan kepada diri saya sendiri yang amat daif ini: janganlah bersifat terpilih dalam berfatwa.

4. Para ulama berbeza pendapat tentang hukum mendoakan rahmat dan keampunan kepada bukan muslim yang masih hidup. Mereka sepakat melarang doa tersebut kepada yang sudah mati dan menolak Islam secara jelas. Kesepakatan itu disebabkan ia disebut dalam al-Quran dalam Surah al-Taubah ayat 113. Adapun mendoakan untuk mendapat hidayah, adalah ijmak (sepakat tanpa kecuali) para ulama membolehkannya, bahkan menggalakkan.

5. Kata Abdullah bin Mas’ud: “Aku seakan masih melihat Rasulullah s.a.w menceritakan tentang seorang dalam kalangan nabi a.s yang kaumnya memukulnya sehingga berdarah, sedangkan dia hanya menyapu darah di mukanya dan berdoa: ‘Ya Allah! Ampunkanlah kaumku kerana mereka itu tidak tahu’ (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim).”

Hadis ini menunjukkan berdoa agar Allah memaafkan atau jangan menurunkan bala kepada golongan kafir yang jahil adalah harus. Dalam erti kata lain diberi peluang untuk mereka. Ini sebenarnya, mendoakan agar mereka selamat dari bala yang Allah bakal turunkan.

6. Dalam hadis yang sahih riwayat al-Nasai dan Abu Daud, sahabah Nabi s.a.w pernah menjampi untuk seorang gila yang bukan muslim dengan Surah al-Fatihah sehingga sembuh. Ketua kabilah lelaki itu memberikan kepada sahabah berkenaan 100 ekor kambing. Nabi s.a.w bersabda kepada sahabah tersebut: “Makanlah, selama ini orang memakan dari jampi yang batil, engkau memakan dari jampi yang sebenar”. Jampi adalah sebahagian dari doa kepada Allah. Hadis ini menunjukkan boleh mendoakan kesembuhan dan kesihatan kepada bukan Muslim.

7. Bagi saya, doa kebaikan untuk bukan Muslim seperti agar memerintah dengan adil atau mendapat kesejahteraan kesihatan, keamanan, harta dan seumpamanya adalah dibolehkan. Dada Islam amat luas dalam hal ini. Syaratnya, doa kesejahteraan itu bukan untuk orang bukan Muslim yang bermusuh dengan Islam. Firman Allah: (maksudnya):
“Allah tidak melarang kamu berbuat baik dan memberikan sumbangan harta kepada orang-orang yang tidak memerangi kamu kerana ugama (kamu), dan tidak mengeluarkan kamu dari kampung halaman kamu; Sesungguhnya Allah mengasihi orang-orang yang berlaku adil. Sesungguhnya Allah hanyalah melarang kamu daripada menjadikan teman rapat orang-orang yang memerangi kamu kerana agama (kamu), dan mengeluarkan kamu dari kampung halaman kamu, serta membantu (orang lain) untuk mengusir kamu. dan (ingatlah), sesiapa yang menjadikan mereka teman rapat, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang zalim”. (Surah al-Mumtahanah ayat 7-8).

8. Adapun berdoa agar diberikan kekuatan atau kekuasaan kepada mereka yang zalim adalah haram. Sama ada yang didoakan itu Muslim atau bukan Muslim. Firman Allah: “Dan janganlah kamu cenderung kepada orang-orang melakukan kezaliman nanti api neraka akan menyentuh kamu, sedangkan kamu tidak ada sebarang penolong pun selain dari Allah. Kemudian (dengan sebab kecenderungan kamu itu) kamu tidak akan mendapat pertolongan” (Surah Hud: 113).

9. Namun, saya akui bahawa permainan politik boleh berlaku dalam semua aliran kepartian. Doakan mungkin digunakan dengan tujuan baik, juga mungkin tujuan kempen politik. Sebab itu ‘Ali bin Abi Talib pernah menyebut kepada golongan Khawarij yang menggunakan slogan agama: “Perkataan yang benar, tetapi bertujuan batil” (Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad, 304/10, Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah).
Saya tidak pasti doa dalam kes di Pulau Pinang tersebut dalam kategori mana.

10. Pun begitu, golongan agama tidak boleh membuat fatwa untuk keredhaan sesuatu pihak semata. Hukum yang bersifat merentasi masa dan tempat seperti kenyataan mengharamkan doa untuk kesejahteraan orang bukan muslim secara mutlak akan dipakai selamanya jika rakyat menerima sedemikian rupa tanpa penelitian atau pendetilan.

11. Dalam sebuah negara yang berbilang agama, adakah kesejahteraan dan keamanan akan tercapai jika salah satu masyarakatnya porak peranda. Jika masyarakat bukan Islam hidup dalam keadaan tidak aman dan bergolak sesama mereka, apakah negara akan aman? Jika seorang pemimpin Muslim dibolehkan berusaha secara pentadbiran memulihkan keamanan dalam komuniti bukan Muslim, apakah munasabah Islam mengharamkan pemimpin tersebut berdoa agar Allah memulihkan keamanan dan kesejahteraan dalam kalangan mereka?

12. Tambahan lain, perlu kita di Malaysia mendoakan agar bukan Muslim menerima Islam ini. Orang Cina khusus mereka rajin dan kaya. Jika mereka menerima Islam, agama ini menjadi teguh. Jika Nabi s.a.w pernah berdoa: “Ya Allah! Engkau kuatkan Islam dengan salah seorang dari dua lelaki yang Engkau lebih sayang; Abu Jahl atau “Umar bin Al-Khattab”. (Riwayat al-Tarmizi dan al-Hakim, dinilai sahih oleh al-Zahabi).

Alangkah perlunya kita juga berdoa agar tokoh-tokoh yang hebat di negara ini menerima Islam.

Inilah pandangan ringkas saya. Saya percaya SS Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria mempunyai tafsiran atau andaiannya yang tersendiri. Apapun, kita harapkan andaian dan tafsiran itu sentiasa memberikan nilai yang positif untuk Islam dan bebas dari belenggu kepentingan mana-mana pihak. Ini adalah pandangan saya.
* Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin ialah bekas Mufti Perlis.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Hey UmNo Warlord ? How do you explain this photo?


By Yoges Palaniappan, The Malaysian Insider


Penang today counter-attacked Umno’s claims that chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s name was used in Friday sermons, saying the Malay party itself had performed prayers for P. Kamalanathan in the Hulu Selangor by-election campaign last April.

State religious affairs executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim claimed Barisan Nasional (BN) had recited the Yassin in a hajat prayer held specifically for their candidate in a tough contest. Kamalanathan won beating PKR strongman Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

“If mentioning the chief minister’s name in sermons is considered not appropriate, holding a hajat prayer and reciting Yassin for a non-Muslim is even more inappropriate,” Abdul Malik said, pointing out at a picture of a BN banner inviting the public for the prayer.

He said the picture was retrieved from the internet.

“Solat hajat and reciting of Yasin are big things in the religion, it should not have been done in that aspect,” Abdul Malik added.

“The people who held this special prayers are the same people who have brought up the Friday sermon issue,” he said, referring to Umno who had claimed that several mosques in Penang have dropped the King’s name in favour of Lim’s.

Both Abdul Malik and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman, who was also present at the press conference, insisted that the King’s name was never dropped from Friday sermons.

They also urged the police to speed up their investigations because the “malicious slander” have put khatibs and imams in a dilemma.

Mansor asaid the state was also conducting its own investigations over the issue and would publish the probe’s outcome soon.

Monday, August 23, 2010

What does Umno Penang fear? — Sakmongkol AK47

 

August 23, 2010
AUG 23 — Some Muslims in Penang were highly agitated when the khatib ( the man who reads sermons) offered prayers for the Penang chief minister. In what manner was it said? Was LGE's name mentioned in the context of something?


Actually we have not heard what actually transpired other than listening to a few emotionally charged statements from some people. Who are these people? If they are Umno members, then their response was hardly surprising.


To me, the fearful responses thus far only reflect how desperate Umno is in re capturing the Malay support in Penang. I won't say re-capture Penang, because that is already impossible. What Umno fears now is losing Malay support in Penang. That is like the end of the world.


What Umno fears is a rising consciousness among Penang Malays that despite detaching themselves from Umno, their lot can still be improved. This will be the beginning of a wider consciousness debunking the myth that equates loyalty and allegiance to this country to loyalty and allegiance to Umno. The two things are not the same. If Penang is successful in demolishing this long perpetuated myth and this awareness becomes a national phenomenon, Umno is in serious trouble.


Neither Umno nor Zaid Hamidi who is the Pengerusi Perhubungan Umno Penang have the answer to counter this rising tide. The only way they can hit back is by manipulating the sermon issue. You hope this will escalate into a tidal wave of resentment.

I say, if we truly love Umno we should stop this childish and very shallow strategy. Offer Penang Malays a better vision and promises of a better future. Zahid Hamidi is wishing he is not the Pengerusi Perhubungan Umno Negeri. Ini kes nyaya kat chek no.

Since capturing Penang from Gerakan and Umno in the last elections, the state government has made serious inroads into winning the hearts and minds of the Muslim community. Mosques and suraus have been receiving a lot of facilities and assistance from the state government. What is the civil thing to do if someone has given you assistance? You say thank you sir.


So the particular imam who created the present controversy who happens to be the brother of the Penang mufti was telling the congregation that Muslims should pray the good deeds undertaken by the state government under Lim Guan Eng are carried out continuously. Muslims are thanking the state government under Lim Guan Eng. In addition, Muslims should be hopeful that Lim Guan Eng embraces Islam. What probably happened was perhaps Guan Eng's name was mentioned in that context.


To me, this is a stupid way of trying to leverage on a religious issue. The present controversy serves to further expose our hypocrisy. For so many years while Penang was under the JV government of Gerakan and Umno, the lot of Penang Malays has not improved greatly. You even had a PM from Penang and he didn't achieve anything much for Penang Malays. He could offer only some nebulous ideas about Islam. People wanted more physical improvements not more sermonising.


Before that you also had a former deputy PM from Penang, who did not achieve much either. All he could do was gurmal here and gurmal there. Senator Koh Tsu Koon could never match what Guang Eng has achieved in 2 years with what he has done all those years while in power. So really, you don't have any defence against what the present state government is doing.

The better action by Penang Malays is to throw out all those useless Umno leaders who rose to prominence not through offering great ideas and thinking, but got where they are by mastering political intrigues. It's the comeuppance for many of these hollow leaders. For years you have come up not through the brilliance of your ideas or competency but you rise because you are more skilful at demolishing your political rivals, you rise by stabbing the backs of your political comrades, you rise because you plot here and there — suddenly you find you don't have the substance to sustain your political relevance.


So you have incompetent Umno leaders thinking they can stand toe to toe with better qualified Gerakan leaders. Suddenly you realise, your skills in removing your own political comrades don't work when dealing with people from other parties.


So I find the Penang Umno leadership and its 'spokesmen' behaving hypocritical in using religion to counter the state government.


Let's have some finesse fellers.
* Sakmongkol AK47 is the nom de plume of Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz. He was Pulau Manis assemblyman (2004-2008).

Friday, August 20, 2010

OMG!!!!!!!!!! UMNO is getting desperate......

"Hanya orang yang tidak waras sahaja yang akan menggantikan nama Yang di-Pertuan Agong dalam khutbah Jumaat"

To UMNO Warlord, your strategies are already out dated.......only foolish people will fall into your trap...... 

If you want to win a war, win like a gentleman.....

Penang calls Umno ‘desperate’ for sermon claim

August 20, 2010

Ahmad Zahid had claimed that Lim’s name was being used in place of the Agong’s in several Penang mosques. — file pic
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 20 — The Penang Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration denied today allegations by the state’s Umno information chief, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s name was used in a Friday mosque sermon instead of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s.
State Islamic affairs and domestic trade executive councillor Malik Kassim said the sermon text prepared by the state Islamic affairs department had never replaced the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin with Lim’s.

“The state or the Islamic affairs department have not received or issued any directive regarding this issue,” said the Batu Maung assemblyman.
“In fact, the Islamic affairs department’s directive clearly states that permission must be obtained from the department before inviting an external khatib (sermon reader),” he said.


“I am sure that after failing to play up racial issues by trying to portray the state government as discriminating against the Malays and Islam, certain quarters are now trying to sabotage us by using this issue.”
Malik claimed “the desperate move” was meant to pit PR leaders against the Palace, which would then be used to anger the Malays.

He added the state government had proved that Islamic development in the state had always been a priority.

Nik Aziz fed-up with Umno's badgering

"They don’t really care if the policies are sound and effective… all they are interested in is looking and sounding great in front of their followers. As far as I can remember in the two decades that PAS has ruled Kelantan beginning in 1990, that’s all we have faced!

“When we introduced a five-day week, they called it a “lazy man’s culture”. Then the very same people ate their own words… then we introduced 60 days maternity leave and that too was regarded with cynicism. Then they copy us and introduced it nationwide,”

“The list of objections and complaints by Umno leaders against us is endless… the latest to rile them is the Kelantan government’s decision to introduce the syariah dinar and dirham currencies on Aug 12.

Niz Aziz said it was the same attitude that induced the federal government to lash out at the state over the introduction of the “dinar and dirham” Islamic currencies.

Tok Guru I cannot agree with you anymore........

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Escaping the middle-income trap

I returned a few days ago from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, where the talk of the town – well, at least among economists -- is the “middle-income trap.” What's that, you ask? A developing nation gets “trapped” when it reaches a certain, relatively comfortable level of income but can't seem to take that next big jump into the true big leagues of the world economy, with per capita wealth to match. Every go-go economy in Asia has confronted this “trap,” or is dealing with it now. Breaking out of it, however, is extremely difficult. The reason is that escaping the “trap” requires an entire overhaul of the economic growth model most often used by emerging economies.

Malaysia's caught in the “trap” right now, and getting out if is going to be tough. Simply put, Malaysia needs to change what it has been doing economically for the past 40 years. How Malaysia got itself into the “trap,” and how it could escape from it, can provide us with some valuable lessons on development and, more specifically, how developing nations can graduate into becoming fully advanced economies.

The concept behind the “middle-income trap” is quite simple: It's easier to rise from a low-income to a middle-income economy than it is to jump from a middle-income to a high-income economy. That's because when you're really poor, you can use your poverty to your advantage. Cheap wages makes a low-income economy competitive in labor-intensive manufacturing (apparel, shoes and toys, for example). Factories sprout up, creating jobs and increasing incomes. Every rapid-growth economy in Asia jumpstarted its famed gains in human welfare in this way, including Malaysia.

However, that growth model eventually runs out of steam. As incomes increase, so do costs, undermining the competitiveness of the old, low-tech manufacturing industries. Countries (like Malaysia) then move “up the value chain,” into exports of more technologically advanced products, like electronics. But even that's not enough to avoid the “trap.” To get to that next level – that high-income level – an economy needs to do more than just make stuff by throwing people and money into factories. The economy has to innovate and use labor and capital more productively. That requires an entirely different way of doing business. Instead of just assembling products designed by others, with imported technology, companies must invest more heavily in R&D on their own and employ highly educated and skilled workers to turn those investments into new products and profits. It is a very, very hard shift to achieve. Thus the “trap.”
South Korea is probably the best current example of a developing economy making the leap into the realm of the most advanced. Companies like Samsung and LG are becoming true leaders in their fields. Taiwan isn't far behind. China's policymakers are fully aware that, with labor costs rising, it needs to follow suit. (More on Time.com: See a stimulus report card at the one year mark)

Malaysia, though, is quite far from where it wants to be. That's a bit surprising based on its remarkable recent history. Malaysia has been among the best performing economies in the world since World War II, one of only 13 to record an average growth rate of 7% over at least a 25-year period. The country has an amazing record of improving human welfare. In 1970, some 50% of Malaysians lived in absolute poverty; now less than 4% do. Yet Malaysians also feel that they've become somewhat stuck where they are. GDP growth has slowed up, from an annual average of 9.1% between 1990 and 1997 to 5.5% from 2000 and 2008.

Meanwhile, other Asian economies have zipped by Malaysia. According to the World Bank, the per capita gross national income (GNI) of South Korea in 1970 was below that of Malaysia ($260 versus $380), but by 2009, South Korea's was three times larger than Malaysia's ($21,530 versus $6,760).  Malaysia is getting “trapped” as a relatively prosperous but still middle-income nation.

Can Malaysia escape? The initial indications are not encouraging. The economy's growth engine remains unchanged – export-oriented manufacturing backed by foreign investment. Its companies are just not innovating or adding much value to what they produce. You can find all of the ugly details in a very thorough study by the World Bank, released in April. Private investment has sunk precipitously, from more than a third of GDP in the mid-1990s to only some 10% today. Labor productivity is growing more slowly than in the 1990s. The “value-added” in manufacturing in Malaysia trails many of its neighbors – an indication that Malaysian factories are mainly assembling goods designed elsewhere. R&D spending remains frighteningly low, at about 0.6% of GDP (compared to 3.5% in South Korea). If Malaysia is going to break the “trap,” it has to reverse all of these trends.

How can Malaysia achieve that? The World Bank report has pages of recommendations. The basics include slicing apart the bureaucratic red tape that stifles competition and suppresses investment, bolstering the education system so it can churn out more top-notch graduates, and funneling more financial resources to start-ups and other potentially innovative firms. To its credit, the government of Malaysia is fully aware of what it needs to do. In March, Prime Minister Najib Razak introduced a reform program called the New Economic Model. You can read the initial report here. The NEM shows that Najib realizes that excessive government interference in the economy is dampening investor sentiment and holding back Malaysian industry. All eyes now are waiting for the more detailed policy recommendations for the NEM (though it is not clear when those might appear).

Yet I'm wondering if getting policy right is really enough. Of course, it would help, by setting in place better incentives for private businessmen to invest in innovative projects, and creating the tools they need to make those projects work. But I don't think that's the whole story. I've been musing on the differences between South Korea and Malaysia. Why has Korea jumped so far ahead? I think the reason is embedded in the different methods the two countries used to spur rapid growth.

Both countries relied exports to create rapid gains in income, but they did so differently. South Korea, from its earliest days of export-led development in the mid-1960s, had been determined to create homegrown, internationally competitive industries. Though Korean firms supplied big multinationals with components or even entire products, that was never enough – Korea wanted to manufacture its own products under its own brands. The effort was often a painful one – remember Hyundai's first disastrous foray into the U.S. car market in the late 1980s and early 1990s – but Korea is where it is today because its private companies have been working on getting there for a very long time, backed in full by the financial sector and the government.

Malaysia, on the other hand, relied much, much more on foreign investment to drive industrialization. That's not a bad thing – multinational companies provide an instant shot of capital, jobs, expertise and technology into a poor country. MNCs, however, aren't going to develop Malaysian products; that has to take place in the labs and offices of Malaysia's private businesses. But those businessmen have been content to squeeze profits from serving MNCs and maintaining their original, assembly-based business models.

In other words, what is needed for Malaysia to break from the “middle-income trap” is a greater national commitment to innovate on its own. Entrepreneurs and bankers have to be willing to take more risks to support inventive ventures and new technologies. Talented workers have to be willing to take jobs at home instead of Silicon Valley. The Malaysian private sector has to be more devoted to the country's future. This is fuzzy stuff, outside of the realm of usual economics. But I fear the kind of commitment needed to escape the “trap” unfortunately can't be created by government initiatives alone.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Some 60pc distrust mainstream media, poll shows

New Strait Times, Utusan, Berita Harian and Star's Editors should be sacked .....why ? read below ........

By Adib Zalkapli

August 14, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Six out of 10 Malaysians don’t trust the mainstream media while only one out of five has access to online news, according to a synopsis of a recent survey here.

The June 27 to July 25 Merdeka Center survey commissioned by a research organisation showed that 57 per cent of Malays polled said they did not trust reports in the mainstream media, while 33 per cent trusted the media and 10 per cent said they did not know.

As for the Chinese community, 58 per cent said they did not trust the mainstream media, 30 per cent trusted and 12 per cent did not know.

A total 590 Chinese and 413 Malays as well as five focus group discussions with Chinese voters in Peninsula Malaysia were involved in the survey.

The findings will provide sober reading for many mainstream media organisations. Recent circulation figures show that English and Malay-language newspapers like New Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia have all suffered significant drop in circulation this year compared to 2009, with some as severe as 20 per cent.

Privately, newspaper executives note that partisan political coverage has hurt sales.


A man browses through newspapers at a shop. The circulation figures of English and Malay-language newspapers have dropped significantly. — Picture by Jack Ooi
The survey results also showed that access to the alternative media remained low with 80 per cent of the respondents said newspapers were still their main source of information.

Only 21 per cent of those surveyed had read the news on the Internet over the past one month but most were found reading the online version of the mainstream media.

The majority of the respondents also said that they did not have a strong trust in the alternative media although many agreed that they are more trustworthy.

Comments from the focus group discussions also showed that many felt that there is limited media freedom in the country because of the practice of censorship.

Some participants in the focus groups also pointed out that Malay-language newspapers were the most biased.

Two political scientists said the survey results were not entirely unexpected.

“This is probably the group that has not registered as voters or are not bothered with what is happening in the country,” said political scientist Dr Sivamurugan Pandian when asked about the survey results.

“Or maybe because of the high expectation after 2008, they might have become fence-sitters,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

“And it could be also there has been too much politicking, that people are getting tired of them,” he added.
Sivamurugan explained that the failure of both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties to explain their political agenda could have resulted in the outcome.

UKM’s Dr Agus Yusoff agreed, saying that ownership of media alone would not guarantee the success of the political parties.

“In managing information, managing media, the messages, both sides would have to work harder now,” Agus told The Malaysian Insider.

“If they go on spinning, sensationalising issues they will be drowned,” said the political scientist.

“Information is just a click away, whether it is mainstream media or the Internet people do not believe everything they read. They know how to judge,” he added.

Friday, August 13, 2010

KL building boom may struggle to find takers

 

August 13, 2010

Upcoming projects and increasing traffic congestion will deal a double blow to Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle area. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Nearly 15 million sq ft of new office space is in the pipeline in the greater Kuala Lumpur area between now and 2014, and could result in fierce competition to find tenants to fill it up.

This includes about five million sq ft in the city’s Golden Triangle central business district (CBD) and office rental rates are already feeling the pressure. The bulk of the new office space is expected to be completed in 2012 as developers bank on the oil and gas along with the financial services sectors to drive demand.

Decentralisation has also hollowed out the CBD with many multi-nationals moving to areas like Damansara Heights, Mid Valley and KL Sentral, lessening the city centre’s appeal as a financial and corporate hub.

One developer of a completed office tower near KLCC said he was worried about the looming oversupply and a “herd mentality” among developers.

“Who is going to fill up all this new office space?” he said to The Malaysian Insider.  “The developers rushing to develop new office towers are all having a herd mentality.”

A Mah Sing Group leasing and marketing executive said that competition was particularly stiff along Jalan Tun Razak, where the group’s newly completed Icon development has to compete with rivals G-Tower, Integra and The Intermark, which offer a total net lettable area (NLA) of about 2.2 million sq ft.

“The market is now very competitive so we have to work very hard,” the executive said, adding that only 30 per cent of Icon was currently occupied.

He was confident, however, that Mah Sing will be able to achieve an occupancy rate of 70 to 80 per cent for Icon’s more than 500,000 sq ft NLA by the end of this year.
A report by property consultancy DTZ

Research shows that office rents continued to drop marginally over the second quarter due to the anticipated incoming supply, which has led to a tenants’ market with the ability to negotiate cheaper rates upon renewal as well as when signing new leases.

Brian Koh, executive director of DTZ Research, said that there are concerns pending supply would put downward pressure on rental yields.

“Growth in demand may lag substantially behind supply,” he said.

DTZ Research figures show that average prime office rents fell from RM6.02 per sq ft per month in the first quarter of this year 2010 to RM6.00 per sq ft per month in the second quarter.

The report forecasted further downward pressure on office rents due to significant levels of new supply over the next few years as intense competition is anticipated amongst new office buildings to secure tenants.

The stakes are high as the revitalisation of Greater Kuala Lumpur has been identified as one of 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) under the Najib administration’s ambitious 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

Elvin Fernandez, managing director of property valuer Khong & Jaafar, said the commercial property market will benefit from better fundamentals should the New Economic Model (NEM) and 10MP succeed, despite the 88 million sq ft of office space already available.

“All optimism is hinged on the new Malaysia,” he cautioned.

Fernandez said it was important for rentals to increase from current levels but added that there had to be demand for sizeable spaces of 10,000 sq ft or more for that to happen.

“This must come from expanding local companies and the establishment of new companies, preferably foreign companies attracted by Malaysia’s new openness,” he said.

“We hope this will happen soon and in a substantial way,” said Fernandez.

The city, however, has to compete with mini CBDs like Damansara Heights and KL Sentral that have cropped up outside the city as the lack of a comprehensive master plan for developing a world-class central business district and traffic congestion helped drive the decentralisation of Kuala Lumpur.

Upcoming mega-projects under the 10MP such as the 85-acre KL Financial District, the redevelopment of the 3,300-acre Rubber Research Institute Land in Sungai Buloh and the 400-acre redevelopment of the Sungai Besi Airport is also expected to impact the KL property sector.

OSK Research said in a recent report that the 10MP projects could threaten the prospects of commercial properties in the Golden Triangle and, in the long run, the larger part of the Klang Valley if the developments are rushed and traffic congestion worsens.
Not all analysts are negative on the incoming supply however.

RAM Rating Services acknowledged that the owners of new buildings may also find it a challenge to fill up their buildings if they have not already pre-let the space but the incoming supply is not expected to have a significant adverse impact on the office sector in KL.

“Historically, annual occupied office space in KL has been largely on an increasing trend,” said RAM.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Political and economic costs of Teoh Beng Hock case

 


 
Jaringan Melayu Malaysia has explicitly claimed that one of the defense counsels, Tan Hock Chuan, has concealed the suicide note.
By Lee Wee Tak
It is a bit difficult for me to write with a detached mindset on this one but I have to give it a go....

The latest Revelation of a suicide note purportedly written by Teoh Beng Hock has thrown the whole inquest into disarray and causing great anger for Gorbind Singh and re-open the deepest wound of the Teoh family.

We respect and, in deserving cases, honour the dead, not to heap more disrespect on the dead and more hurt on the living.
Richard Loh in his excellent write up eloquently sum up the possibility that it is a fabrication. Channel News Asia, the Singapore official news channel, reported that Gorbind Singh considered citing Abdul Ghani Patail for contempt. All I have to add is that:
1) suicide notes are meant to be found and if a note is meant to be discovered after 2 months, and held in secrecy over a year, then the time it took for the note to surface render its authencity extremely doubtful
2) the first instance of this suicide note was revealed by Jaringan Melayu Malaysia here .
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Sunday, July 25, 2010
Siasat surat terakhir Beng Hock

syahrir.bakar@utusan.com.my This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

KUALA LUMPUR 24 JulaiPihak berkuasa diminta segera menyiasat kewujudan surat terakhir tulisan tangan dalam bahasa Cina oleh Teoh Beng Hock sebelum dia ditemui mati di bangunan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Shah Alam, tahun lalu.
Yang Dipertua Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), Azwanddin Hamzah berkata, kewujudan surat itu penting kerana ia berupaya membuktikan bahawa Beng Hock pada waktu itu menghadapi tekanan serta diugut bunuh oleh pihak tertentu dan bukannya SPRM.
‘‘Kewujudan surat tersebut perlu disiasat supaya mendiang Beng Hock dan SPRM mendapat inkues yang adil sementara peguam-peguam yang mewakili inkues tersebut tidak dipengaruhi oleh agenda jahat yang mahu memecahbelahkan perpaduan dalam negara.
‘‘Pelbagai pihak termasuk portal propembangkang, The Malaysian Insider, Malaysiakini dan Malaysia Today telah menyiarkan artikel yang menyalahkan SPRM dan kerajaan dengan mendakwa mendiang telah dibunuh oleh pihak SPRM,” katanya kepada Mingguan Malaysia di sini hari ini.
Azwanddin mengulas tentang maklumat yang diperolehi JMM berhubung kewujudan surat terakhir ditulis Beng Hock sebelum ditemui mati yang kononnya menyatakan dia pada masa itu menghadapi tekanan serta menerima ugutan bunuh.
Kewujudan surat berkenaan turut didedahkan oleh beberapa blog termasuk blog Gerakan Anti PKR.
Azwanddin turut mempersoalkan kegagalan pihak pendakwaan mengemukakan surat itu pada sesi inkues kes berkenaan
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How come this website have exclusive access into withheld evidence not even available to Teoh Beng Hock's counsel or, MACC who is clinging on to dear life defending itself?
Has JMM breached any Official Secret Act provision, contempt of legal proceedings etc?
Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2010/08/political-and-economic-costs-of-teoh.html