FMT - 300 penyokong berarak solidariti Syria

FMT.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Kira-kira 300 penyokong daripada 30 NGO hari ini berarak ke kedutaan Syria bagi membantah kekejaman rejim Presiden Bashar al-Assad ke atas rakyatnya.

Perarakan itu dibuat bagi menunjukkan solidariti selepas setahun kebangkitan rakyat Syria menuntut kebebasan sejak 15 April tahun lalu apabila 40 tahun hidup sengsara dibawah kuasa al-Assad.

Berjalan sejauh kira-kira 2 kilometer daripada Masjid Tabung Haji ke Kedutaan Syria di Jalan U-Thant selepas solat Jumaat, turut serta dalam perarakan adalah kumpulan pelajar dan rakyat Syria di Malaysia.

Mereka dengan semangat melaungkan takbir dan beberapa tuntutan, antaranya ‘Undur Assad’, ‘Bebaskan Syria’.

Sementara empat wakil daripada NGO terbabit menghantar memorandum mengandungi empat tuntutan.

Mereka adalah Pengarah Sekretariat Gabungan Selamatkan Islam Syria Naim Jusri, Presiden Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia, Ketua Biro Relawan Haluan Ahmad Fisal Mat Salleh, serta Setiausaha Agung Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) Mohd Rahimy Rahim.



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FMT - Ibrahim Ali jamin tiada lagi ‘angpau putih’

RAWANG: Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) Datuk Ibrahim Ali memberi jaminan pihaknya tidak akan memberikan angpau berwarna putih semasa menyambut perayaan Tahun Baru Cina pada masa akan datang.

“Jika Perkasa anjurkan jamuan Tahun Baru Cina selepas ini saya jamin peristiwa lepas tidak akan berlaku lagi,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas melawat Masjid Nurul Iman Batu 18 di sini hari ini.

Mengakui kesilapan itu, beliau mempertahankan insiden itu tidak disengajakan apabila jamuan yang diatur dalam masa singkat itu sebenarnya memberikan sampul surat putih, bukannya sampul duit raya.

Katanya, pihaknya gagal mencari angpau merah memandangkan banyak kedai tutup semasa perayaan dan memutuskan untuk memasukkan wang RM10 ke dalam sampul surat berwarna putih.

“Perkasa tiada niat langsung mengguris sensitiviti masyarakat Tionghua, kami ikhlas membelanjakan duit meraikan perayaan Tahun Baru Cina,” katanya.

Malah katanya tiada seorang pun tetamu menegurnya tentang kesalahan menggunakan sampul warna putih.

“Kenapa tak tegur saya ketika itu sedangkan ada wartawan berbangsa Cina buat liputan tapi terus hentam saya dalam media,” soalnya.



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FMT - MCA: Anwar the master manipulator

PETALING JAYA: MCA today accused Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim of singing a different tune when he told a Chinese newspaper that Pakatan Rakyat will neither implement hudud or amend the Federal Constitution if it comes into power.

Utusan Malaysia today quoted excerpts of an interview Anwar gave Sin Chew Jit Poh, where he said: “When Pakatan Rakyat administers the federal government, we would not implement Islamic laws nor change the current constitution to realise the hukum laws, though personally I do not object to hudud.”

MCA national organising secretary Tee Siew Kiong said the statement was simply Anwar “skilfully” giving “false hopes” to Chinese-speaking audience.

“Anwar recognises he has to rein in the support of non Muslim voters, which is on the decline, especially after a series of articles by another Chinese-daily Nanyang Siang Pau highlighting the worries of non Muslims over PAS’ idea of one day implementing hudud.



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FMT - Will BN win the 13th GE?

Yes, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is too afraid of holding the 13th general election. He is afraid that BN will not win, and in reality he has no confidence of winning.

Otherwise, why would he not immediately call for the polls to be held the moment after he had presented the Budget on Oct 7, 2011?

After all, it is blindingly obvious that the civil service, the national institutions, the rural folk and those in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak are supporting him. With this so-called overwhelming support, it is indeed amazing that he still lacks the courage to call for the general election.

In addition to that, he has also thrown in the RM500 aid as bait. However, the RM500 is no big deal as it is only a one-off. Even if he were to give this sum every five years, it only amounts to RM100 a year. And that is equivalent to RM8.45 a month – peanuts and pittance! Is Najib trying to make monkeys out of the rakyat?



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FMT - An eventful year for Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Though 2011 has been a challenging year for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, both at the domestic and the global front, it was still an eventful year. At the domestic front, Najib continued with the transformation programmes while addressing the ever-changing aspirations of the people. He continued with radical changes including abolishing the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA).

At the global front, the economic decay of the West in particular has created new challenges in promoting the national economy. The prospect of an impending global recession prompted Najib to thread a cautious path in managing the country’s financial resources.

Nonetheless, Najib, known for his tenacity and unwavering commitment, took on the task of leading the country based on his mantra – “People First, Performance Now”.

The year witnessed numerous bold transformation initiatives by the “Father of Transformation” based on the 1Malaysia aspiration that has been the hallmark of Najib’s initiatives.

It is apparent that many of his efforts are showing results. The people too in general appreciated his strategies and public approval on Najib’s leadership has improved tremendously.

A popularity study by Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (IIUM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) indicated greater approval for Najib from all races in the country.

IIUM’s four-year study pointed out that Najib’s popularity among the Malays shows a marked improvement from 35 percent in 2008 to 59 percent in 2011, an increase from 33 to 45 percent among the Chinese and from 41 to 62 percent among the Indians.

A similar study conducted by UPM this year on the minorities – Indian Muslims, Portuguese, Baba Nyonya, Orang Asli, Siam and Chitty – found a total of 54.2 percent of the minorities giving their thumbs-up for Najib.



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FMT - Stepping out of Anwar’s shadow

Being elected the youngest vice-president of PKR wasn’t part of a preordained plan. Neither was winning the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat.

In fact, Nurul Izzah Anwar used to duck the political spotlight until it was rudely thrust upon her in 1998. And even then there was no plan.

The then 18-year-old would have been forgiven had she wound up submerged by the waves of political pressure. Instead, the daughter of PKR de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, not only stayed afloat but sailed through her baptism of fire to earn the moniker Puteri Reformasi.

Some call it destiny, others call it an obligation. Nurul herself simply calls it putting things into perspective. And it was a perspective that seared itself so deeply within her that she still speaks of it in befittingly hushed tones.

“A part of me changed forever that day,” she said softly. “It wasn’t just about my father’s sacking and eventual arrest but having everything I held sacred just crumbled before me. I felt the fragility of life.”

“It then dawned on me that it wasn’t about any single individual but about a movement and the need to be part of something you believe in. That was my earth-shattering moment. And that has made me the person I am today.”

The people who ushered her onto the “reformasi” path were those who were by her side during Anwar’s arrest. After enveloping her with support, they told her that she had to take up the fight, not just for her father but for the scores of other political prisoners. Nurul didn’t hesitate.

“If I didn’t do it then no one would know of our plight,” she said earnestly. “They wouldn’t know of the judicious arguments for my father’s release, about the other political prisoners and why the Internal Security Act is unacceptable. These messages need to be propagated.”



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FMT - Umno takut berdepan gelombang kebangkitan mahasiswa

PETALING JAYA: Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata Umno menzahirkan ketakutannya dalam menghadapi gelombang kebangkitan mahasiswa dengan mengenakan berbagai bentuk tekanan.

“Perkembangan membabitkan Adam Adli, mahasiswa dari Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) yang kini berdepan dengan tindakan di bawah AUKU (Akta Universiti Kolej Universiti) sememangnya menzahirkan ketakutan Umno terhadap gelombang kebangkitan mahasiswa.

“Tatkala kesedaran menuntut kebebasan di kalangan mahasiswa mulai berkembang dan matang, pimpinan Umno semakin gusar dan resah dalam menghadapi asakan ini serta bertindak melulu dengan menzahirkan ancaman fizikal bersifat biadab dan semberono,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan media.

Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh berkata, komitmen pentadbiran Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, kononnya mahu meminda Seksyen 15, AUKU dan memberi lebih kebebasan kepada mahasiswa dalam politik kepartian kini dilihat tidak lebih sekadar omong kosong.

“Selain Adam Adli, tindakan sama turut dilihat dalam beberapa kes terdahulu dengan tindakan keras oleh pihak universiti termasuk risiko dibuang kampus,” katanya.

Menurutnya, insiden remeh di depan ibu pejabat Umno di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur yang dikaitkan dengan tuntutan mahasiswa tempoh hari diangkat oleh media milik Umno seolah-olah ianya jenayah besar walhal isu-isu yang berkait dengan fitnah, ugutan bunuh, jenayah dan rasuah seringkali diketepikan.



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FMT - PAS leaders: Apologies won’t save Hasan

KUALA LUMUR: Party officials say they are sceptical that Hasan Ali’s apologies to PAS’s top leadership will remove the clouds over his bleak future, with some saying the scars are too deep to heal.

According to party’s online mouthpiece Harakah Daily, embattled Hasan had met president Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and his deputy Haron Din in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, last night in what appeared to be a reconciliation meeting.

However former party deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, who like Hasan, has his future hanging by the thread after openly attacking the party and accusing it of deviating from its Islamic agenda was not present at the meeting.

The two are also advocating unity with archrivals, Umno, in the name of Islam and Malay brotherhood, something many in PAS consider as blasphemous and impossible.

The Harakah report said Hasan had apologised for his outburst and that the influential Nik Aziz had accepted his apology.

“I am thankful (to God) that Hasan has shown humility in apologising and withdrawing negative statements made against the party.



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FMT - No gag order, but no fodder for BN media

PETALING JAYA: DAP has denied that it has issued a gag order on members or that it is trying to cover up malpractices, as alleged by MCA figures in their comments on the current quarrel between party chairman Karpal Singh and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy.

DAP information chief Tony Pua said today that members had merely been advised against making public comments on the spat, adding that this was to prevent the pro-BN media from blowing it out of proportion.

The allegation about a gag order and a cover-up attempt has come mainly from Penang MCA Secretary Lau Chiek Tuan and the party’s national organising secretary, Tee Siew Kiong.

They said it was typical of the opposition parties to resort to those measures when negative developments surfaced.

The Karpal-Ramasamy spat took a new turn on Thursday when the Star, which is owned by MCA, quoted Ramasamy as saying that there was a plot to topple him.

According to the paper, Ramasamy, referring to DAP grassroots leaders and hinting at corrupt practices, said: “I think you would be astounded if I relate to you some of their demands.”

Zeroing on this, MCA said it was possible the spat involved graft and other criminal offences.

DAP has not announced a gag order, but the panel it has formed to resolve the spat has said the party would solve internal problems using internal channels.



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FMT - Disputes will scare off voters, Pakatan warned

GEORGE TOWN: A non-governmental organisation (NGO) here has slammed the DAP and PAS over their inability to manage their internal disputes.

Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak said the manner in which these open disputes have spilled onto the glare of the public was raising some concern.

Rahmad said as an NGO, the congress would not take sides but will voice out the sentiments of the society.

“The squabbles in DAP and PAS are injustices to the people. Some feel that since the people voted them in, they should be busy serving the nation instead of squabbling among themselves.”

Rahmad added that the squabbles were a form of a political gimmick to distract the attention of the people from the actual problems of both the political organisations.

However, it was a sham to the public that both parties seemed to be quarelling to no end and on top of it, none of their top leadership has the political will to resolve it, he said in an interview. Rahmad was referring to the spat between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and his deputy secretary-general Prof P Ramasamy.

There is also the lingering rift between former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and former Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Hasan Ali with secretary-general Mustafa Ali and vice-president Mahfuz Omar.

He added that the public could not understand why the disputes were happening.

He said it appeared to him that the DAP dispute was over the apparent rift between Ramasamy and the Penang Indian DAP faction which was linked to Karpal.

And in PAS, he added, Nasharuddin and Hasan seemed to be the “poster boys” of the conservative faction (the ulama), which was unsettled by the progressive (Erdogan) faction.

“Is this true? Nobody knows! and if both parties continue their spat unabated and without proper engagement and constructive criticism, people would no longer care. People have better things to do,” he said.





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FMT - The tragedy that is Umno

Umno is full of Malays who are afraid to say “No”. “No” to corruption. “No” to power abuse. “No” to seeking as well as giving patronage.

Perhaps one can add, “No” to Mahathir, “No” to Najib.

Umno has been in power for over 54 years. Not all Malays wish to be in Umno, but Umno does need all of the Malays for it to be a potent force. Today, Umno refuses to accept that Malays are abandoning Umno.

Around the time of independence, Umno may have had people of quality within its ranks. Today, it is alleged that loyalty is determined by money. Is that what Umno think the Malays are proud of? That their allegiance is easily bought? Umno strips Malays of self-worth and self-respect.

Instead of using intelligent discourse and logic to dissect any issue, Umno uses sexual allegations or character assassinations, to blacken the reputation of members of the opposition. Opposition leaders had their characters or their children’s character tarnished with untrue allegations in pro-Umno blogs.

Gutter politics are prevalent in Umno and was witnessed during the last Umno general assembly. Name calling and snide insinuations seemed to be the order of the day. These men and women, who are supposed to be leaders and pillars of Malay society, are a disgrace to themselves and the nation.

In Umno, men who were guilty of sexual acts, against their hired help or against minors, talk about the sexual behaviour of other people, as if they led blameless lives. Those who are guilty of money politics tried to distract attention by calling on opposition members to resign. What happened to accountability and responsibility?

These men and women, talk about religion as if they were themselves, free of sin. These same people use any opportunity to say that the failure of the Malays is because of the dominance of the non-Malays.

In education, for instance, the Malays are given the best chances for obtaining a higher education. Things are made deliberately easy for them. The undesirable side-effect is that they and their children grow up lacking aspiration and ambition.

Malays who wanted to improve themselves by learning English are now considered traitors. Many Malays who study overseas have a poor grasp of English. Many who were not allowed to mix with other races at home, found great difficulty adapting to life with non-Malays.

Is this what Umno leaders want of the Malay? For them to be cocooned and their minds closed to what is happening in the global arena?



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FMT - ‘Dr M, pusing belakang, Alif-Lam-Lam-Ha!’

Kadang-kala isu semasa hari ini ada yang menyebabkan saya terkenang-kenang memori silam semasa saya masih lagi di alam budak- budak kampung dahulu.

Ketika di zaman kanak-kanak dahulu, musim cuti sekolah memang masa paling menyeronokan, asal celik sahaja mata, dalam kepala terus teringat ingin bertemu rakan-rakan untuk bermain.

Sehinggakan kadang-kala akibat terlalu seronok bermain, emak kami pula terpaksa menuruti kami gara-gara terlajak bermain dan tidak menghiraukan untuk pulang di waktu makan tengahari.

Bagi mengelakkan dimarahi oleh emak dan didenda tidak dibenarkan keluar pada sebelah petangnya, maka pelbagailah alasan ‘separuh benar’ (alasan benar tetapi ditambah sesedap rasa) diberikan.

Bagaimanapun kadang-kala emak tidaklah mudah terus percaya bulat-bulat alasan-alasan separuh benar yang saya berikan itu.

Meskipun lazimnya kanak-kanak dikatakan tidak akan menipu tetapi bagi saya, perumpamaan ini bolehlah dianggap hanya separuh tepat kerana terdapat juga kanak-kanak yang menipu, terutama kanak-kanak di zaman edan ini.

Bagi saya, lebih tepat dengan andaian bahawa kanak-kanak tidaklah pandai menipu kerana penipuan mereka lebih mudah dikesan berbanding penipuan orang dewasa atau orang tua-tua.



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FMT - Himpunan kebebasan akademik: 15 pelajar ditahan

KUALA LUMPUR: Kira-kira 15 pelajar universiti tempatan hari ini ditahan di Stesen KL Sentral di sini kerana terlibat dalam Himpunan Gerakan Menuntut Kebebasan Akademik (Bebas).

Ketua Polis Brickfields Asisten Komisioner Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid berkata pelajar terbabit ditahan dibawah Seksyen 27 Akta Polis kerana mengadakan perhimpunan haram.

Berumur lingkungan antara 20 hingaa 22 tahun, menurut Wan Abdul Bari antaranya merupakan pelajar Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), dan Universiti Tun Abdul Razak.

Selain itu, Presiden Bebas Mohd Safwan Awang turut ditahan.

“Pihak polis telah memberikan tempoh dua minit bagi pelajar terbabit untuk menyuarakan hasrat tetapi mereka mula berarak sekitar KL Sentral.

“Ini tidak boleh diterima kerana mengganggu orang awam yang hendak menggunakan perkhidmatan awam,” katanya kepada pemberita.

Mereka kini dibawa ke Balai Polis Travers untuk siasatan lanjut.

Sementara itu, ditanya tentang himpunan mahasiswa di Dataran Merdeka Sabtu ini, Wan Abdul Bari berkata mereka masih belum menerima permohonan permit daripada mana-mana pihak.

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FMT - Pakatan, be prepared for the worst

A statesman believes that political power comes from the people and that entrusted power should be used for the enrichment of the people and nation.

A dictatorial political leader, however, believes that political power can be won or usurped by force and used to establish an authoritarian government.

An undemocratic leader believes in the art of false leadership. The undemocratic leader bulldozes his way to secure political power from the people and will go to any length to maintain such power.

Very often the border-line between an undemocratic political system and that of a dictatorial system overlaps.

It is not surprising then for an undemocratic politician to walk through the corridors of power of an authoritarian government.

Such different kinds of leadership and political system are based on the value system a leader adopts as explained in my earlier articles.

In Malaysia, we have a number of political leaders who practise the undemocratic system where all kinds of malpractices are the hallmarks of their governance.

Over a period of time this bad system will become worse when it turns into an undemocratic-dictatorial government and then, if unchecked, could turn into a worst kind – the undemocratic-despotic rule.

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FMT - Kekayaan Taib bukan rahsia lagi

PETALING JAYA: PKR menyarankan pembentukan serta merta Suruhanjaya Di Raja bagi menyiasat empayar perniagaan Ketua Menteri Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud serta menangkap dan mendakwa beliau dan 13 ahli keluarganya.

Naib Presiden N Surendran berkata, PKR juga mendesak Taib segera meletak jawatan sebagai ketua menteri dan anggota keluarganya yang memegang jawatan di dalam anak-anak syarikat atau badan-badan berkanun kerajaan.

“Kekayaan Taib dan keluarganya yang diperoleh secara haram bukan lagi rahsia bagi rakyat Malaysia,” tegas beliau dalam satu kenyataan media semalam.

Beliau merujuk kepada surat bertarikh 13 Disember lalu daripada badan-badan bukan kerajaan enam negara, yang mendesak penangkapan dan pendakwaan ke atas Taib dan 13 ahli keluarganya di atas penipuan, rasuah, rampasan tanah secara haram dan penyalahgunaan kedudukannya.

Menurutnya, selama bertahun-tahun individu, pertubuhan dan parti-parti pembangkang telah mendesak Barisan Nasional (BN) untuk menghentikan rompakan kekayaan dan hasil mahsul Sarawak oleh Taib. Tetapi tiada tindakan diambil terhadap Taib dan kroni-kroninya.

Katanya, fakta-fakta yang didedahkan di dalam surat ini amatlah memeranjatkan. Kepentingan keluarga Taib di dalam 14 syarikat sahaja bernilai RM4.6 bilion. Keluarga Taib dikenalpasti mempunyai kepentingan di dalam 332 syarikat Malaysia dan 85 syarikat asing.

read more at FreeMalaysiaToday.com

FMT - BN sudah sedia tawan Selangor

PETALING JAYA: Umno Selangor membayangkan mereka sudah bersedia merampas semula negeri itu dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Ketua Umno Ampang Datuk Ismail Kijo berkata, majoriti rakyat Selangor kini mahu BN kembali berkuasa.

Katanya, BN negeri menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke 13 dengan semangat baru iaitu merampas semula dari Pakatan Rakyat.

Menurutnya, semangat dan kekuatan ini tidak sama dengan pilihan raya 2008 yang menyebabkan negeri itu jatuh ke tangan pembangkang buat kali pertama dalam sejarah.

“Paling kurang 50 peratus rakyat Selangor menyokong BN tetapi saya merasakan peluang sekarang ialah 60 peratus untuk BN dan 40 peratus untuk Pakatan Rakyat,” katanya.

read more at FreeMalaysiaToday.com

FMT - BN berpeluang cerah menang, kata Dr M

PUTRAJAYA: Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini berkata BN berada dalam kedudukan yang baik untuk memenangi pilihan raya umum akan datang, yang mungkin diadakan awal tahun depan.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata persoalannya ialah sama ada BN akan memperoleh majoriti, memandangkan sebuah kerajaan yang lemah akan diserang oleh pembangkang, yang akan mewujudkan isu untuk melemahkannya.

“Saya fikir mereka kini sibuk berkempen untuk memastikan mereka boleh menang.
Perhimpunan Agung Umno agak baik, sambutannya agak bagus. Nampaknya seperti Umno kini kembali semula menjadi popular kepada rakyat,” katanya kepada pemberita di Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana di sini.

Dr Mahathir berkata pilihan raya mungkin diadakan tahun depan, sungguhpun tempoh penggal Parlimen sekarang hanya akan berakhir pada 2013.

“Jika pilihan raya diadakan terlalu awal, negeri-negeri yang dikuasai pembangkang mungkin tidak mahu mengadakannya kerana mereka ingin mengekalkan negeri-negeri berkenaan dan cuba memenangi negeri lain pula. Mungkin itu yang akan menjadi strategi mereka.

read more at FreeMalaysiaToday.com

FMT - Gamis: Siasat video Sembang Rakyat

Kuala Lumpur: Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam SeMalaysia (Gamis) mendesak agar siasatan segera dijalankan terhadap penyebaran video Sembang Rakyat di laman sosial facebook dan youtube.

Video tersebut yang berjudul ‘Musim Hudud PAS’ dan ‘Lagi Hudud’ dikhuatiri akan mencetuskan salah faham serta penghinaan terhadap hukum Islam yang juga menjatuhkan kesucian agama Islam.

Sehubungan dengan itu, Gamis telah membuat laporan polis di Pejabat Polis Daerah Dang Wangi berhubung isu ini, demikian menurut Presidennya Akram Ikrami Taib Azamudden dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini.

Beliau meminta pihak berkuasa terutama polis dan Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan menjalankan siasatan segera dan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya.

“Gamis juga mendesak agar semua krew penerbitan video ini termasuk pengarah dan pelakon yang terlibat memohon maaf secara terbuka terutama kepada seluruh umat Islam kerana penyiaran dan penyebaran video ini menyentuh sensitiviti umat Islam.

“Apa yang menjadi perhatian Gamis berhubung isu ini adalah pertikaian soal pelaksanaan hukum hudud.

“Bagi peringkat mahasiswa, kami tidak peduli soal pertembungan parti politik dalam video ini, tetapi yang kami rasa tercabar ialah penghinaan terhadap hukum Islam tersebut,” ujar beliau.

Menurut Akram Ikrami, lakonan mereka jelas menunjukkan penyelewengan tentang kefahaman hukum hudud dan yang lebih merisaukan ialah ia akan menimbulkan salah faham dan kekeliruan dalam kalangan masyarakat.”

read more at FreeMalaysiaToday.com

FMT - ‘Jangan politikkan perpustakaan’

SHAH ALAM: Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah tidak mahu Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda yang diilhamkan baginda dipolitikkan daripada segi pentadbiran mahupun penggunaannya.

Baginda bertitah anggota Lembaga Pengarah perpustakaan itu harus memberi pandangan, pendapat dan nasihat berguna bagi meninggikan status perpustakaan baru itu agar menjadi sebuah entiti yang boleh dibanggakan rakyat negeri itu.

“Harapan beta dengan adanya perpustakaan ini, rakyat Selangor akan sentiasa aktif untuk mencari lebih banyak ilmu pengetahuan di samping mempunyai pemikiran waras dan matang serta mempunyai cita-cita tinggi.

“Janganlah hendaknya masyarakat berpendapat bahawa perpustakaan sebagai satu tempat yang membosankan tetapi sebaliknya dilihat sebagai tempat yang begitu bernilai serta berharga yang akan menjadi khazanah kelak,” titah baginda ketika merasmikan bangunan baru Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda di sini, hari ini.

Sultan Sharafuddin menyarankan kerajaan negeri, pihak swasta dan tokoh-tokoh korporat menyumbang peruntukan kepada perpustakaan itu bagi meningkatkan koleksi buku dan bahan-bahan rujukan.

Baginda turut melahirkan rasa puas hatinya dengan koleksi bahan bacaan serta sistem susun atur di kesemua rak perpustakaan itu yang boleh memuatkan 400,000 naskah buku pada satu-satu masa.

“Jumlah terkini koleksi buku adalah sekitar 190,000 naskhah sahaja dan ia boleh ditambah dari semasa ke semasa bagi mempelbagaikan pilihan bagi pengunjung yang mencari rujukan dalam sesuatu subjek,” titah baginda.

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FMT - Taib directed ‘changes’ to his Wikipedia entries

KUALA LUMPUR: Doctored entries of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, his family and businesses on online encyclopedia Wikipedia were allegedly directed by Taib and his Canadian son-in-law via UK-based public relations giant Bell Pottinger.

This was revealed following a sting operation by the UK-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism and London-based national daily The Independent.

Among others the operation discovered that Bell Pottinger had secretly altered information of their A-list clients listed in Wikipedia. Among their clients was UK-based Ridgeford Properties, owned by Taib’s daughter Jamilah and Sean Murray.

Wikipedia which released the details of several pseudonyms used by Bell Pottinger to carry out its ‘operation’, also revealed that one of the key users of this service was Taib and Murray.

Using the pseudonym ‘Biggleswick’, Bell Pottinger had altered entries on the profiles of Sarawak state and of Taib, Murray and their companies Ridegford Properties and Ottawa-based Sakto (Canada).

It is learnt that Ridgeford Properties had hired Bell Pottinger earlier this year to make the necessary changes in Wikipedia.

Also doctored, on instructions from Ridgeford Properties, were the entries of Clare Rewcastle Brown, the editor and founder of online investigative blog Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak.

read more at FreeMalaysiaToday.com