Tit-For-Tat In Perak

First, it was Umno's Nasarudin Hashim's defection to Pakatan.
And then there were rumours of more defections.
Perak Umno swiftly quashed the rumours but two Perak Umno state assemblymen at the centre of the rumour yesterday said further defections cannot be discounted.

Lintang state assemblyman Ahamad Pakeh Adam and Pengkalan Baharu's Hamdi Abu Bakar said this was an option they ere considering if the situation in Umno did not change.

Based on their statements in th media, the two are disillusioned with Umno and its leaders.

Here are excerpts from the NST:

Both Ahamad and Hamdi, who were Sungai Siput and Beruas Umno division chiefs respectively, lost their posts at divisional elections last year.
Ahamad said he was "frustrated" when told by Perak Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali that he should not contest the Sungai Siput division chief's post.

"How can Tajol Rosli tell me not to contest the division chief's post? I am the only Barisan Nasional rep in the Sungai Siput constituency. Even Nasarudin was instructed not to contest the Parit division chief's post.

"Yes, I admit I met state PR leaders recently to discuss my deep frustration with Umno leaders' behaviour since the last general election.

"While I have not expressed my desire yet to join the PR, I may do so if things do not change for the better in Umno.

"People with money but who are not wakil rakyat have been elected as division chiefs because they were sanctioned to contest against incumbents who are elected reps," he alleged.

Ahamad said he was disappointed with the BN's policies when it was ruling the state and "impressed with the PR state government".

The full story HERE.

And here's the tat from BN.

Wanted Man Arrested At Kugan's Funeral

(source:Bernama)

A wanted criminal was among six people arrested today at the funeral A Kugan who died in police custody.

They were arrested at the main entrance of the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Petaling Jaya.

Brickfields police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Talib said the 55-year-old criminal is suspected to have been involved in a murder case.

They were arrested between 12.15pm and 1.35pm for defying a police order to disperse from the UMMC from where the hearse carrying the body of A. Kugan, a suspect who had died in police custody left for a cemetery in Puchong, he said.

The five other men, aged between 39 and 52 years, were brought to the Brickfields police station to have their statements recorded and would be released on police bond soon, he added.

It is believed that one of the men is a coordinator with the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
“All of them were detained under Section 186 of the Penal Code and the Societies Act for wearing the Hindraf T-shirt,” he said.

Kugan, 22, who was detained on Jan 15 at the Taipan police station on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, had died while being questioned.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said a post-mortem found that Kugan had died due to fluid in his lungs but Kugan’s family sought a second post-mortem, insisting that Kugan had died of injuries.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said later that Kugan’s death had been classified as murder.

A second post-mortem on Kugan has been done at the UMMC since.

About 300 had gathered inside the compound and outside of the UMMC, and about 100 policemen including from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) were on hand to monitor the crowd while a helicopter hovered above.

The hearse carrying Kugan’s body stopped at the Taipan police station for prayers and the funeral procession proceeded to the Batu 14 Hindu cemetery for the burial. Kugan was buried at 5.45pm.

Earlier, at the UMMC mortuary, those present included Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy, Teluk Intan MP M. Manogaran, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and N. Surendran, the lawyer representing Kugan’s family.

Abolish Puteri Umno And Putera To Make Umno Less Corrupt?

Umno veteran and Disciplinary Board chairman Ahmad Rithauddeen has suggested that these two wings be dismantled if the party is really serious about getting rid of money politics.

Here's the NST story datelined Kuala Lumpur:

Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen said the move was necessary to rebuild Umno’s image and strengthen the party, which for over 50 years had been the pillar of the nation’s stability.

He said the scourge of money politics in the party could be checked if the party elections could be reduced by abolishing the wings, especially those recently established.

“I was thinking whether there was a need for Puteri Umno and Putera, as this means more money politics. Perhaps even having the Youth and Wanita wings should be weighed now. In England, there is no women’s wing in the Conservative Party nor the Labour Party.” Speaking at the Disciplinary Board’s news conference here today, he added that Puteri and Putera members who were still young, should focus on their studies rather than on politics.

“They don’t need political exposure that early. Many of them are still in their teens and twenties,” said the Umno veteran, who believed that the young wings were involved in money politics but so far, none of the members had lodged complaints.
He said this group of people still needed to learn a lot of things as the country depended on its youths to lead the country in the future and to compete with the rest of the world.

“If they are preoccupied with politics, they won’t be able to focus on anything else,” he added.

Tengku Rithauddeen hoped that his suggestion would be considered and opined that the nomination quota system should also be abolished because of its ill effect of money politics.

Kugan's Funeral March

From Malaysiakini:

About 500 people marched behind a gold-coloured hearse carrying the body of Kugan Ananthan, who died in police custody last Tuesday.

MCPX

The procession from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Petaling Jaya - where the second post-mortem was conducted on Sunday - left at 2.05pm.

The crowd marched to a Hindu cemetery some 20 kilometres away in Puchong and briefly walked pass the police station in Subang Jaya where Kugan died.

The long march, under the hot sun and later in heavy rain, took two hours and 30 minutes to reach the destination.

The funeral procession has been organised to protest police brutality, the latest of which resulted in the death of 22-year-old Kugan.

Earlier this morning, police closed all roads leading to UMMC ahead of the funeral procession.

The police have arrested five people - three for wearing a T-shirt of the banned movement Hindraf, and the other two for trying to breach a police barricade to enter the UMMC mortuary.

Among those arrested was Hindraf coordinator RS Thanendran.

Fogging Is Not Effective Against Aedes

Fogging does not eliminate aedes mosquitoes as not all are killed in the process as some could have already moved to new breeding grounds, said Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) vector specialist Dr. Wan Yusoff Wan Sulaiman.

He said fogging must be done at the right place at the right time; otherwise it would not bring the desired results in eliminating aedes, the primary vector for dengue and chikungunya.

"We assume where the aedes breeding grounds are when we carry out fogging but the mosquitoes may have already moved to other places. The pesticide is only effective within the radius of 200 metres," he told Bernama.

Dr Wan Yusoff said the use of trap lamps containing carbon dioxide had also been proven ineffective to control the aedes population.

This was based on a study conducted by the Institute for Medical Research, he said.

He also said Malaysia could introduce attractants to trap mosquitoes but this method had yet to be proven effective in controlling the dengue outbreak.

Dr Wan Yusoff said checks should be carried out at potential mosquito breeding grounds like public toilets, construction sites, abandoned projects, parks and recreational areas, and clogged drains.

"Aedes could cling on to water containers like pales and flower pots even after they had dried up. They become active again when the containers are wet again.

"To remove them, we must scrub the pales and flower pots," he said, adding that, this explained how aegypti aedes from Africa was brought to Asia and albopictus aedes from Asia made its way to the United States. -- BERNAMA

Woman To Appear On South Korean Banknotes

Seoul: For the first time, South Korean banknotes will feature a woman in front of the bills, the central bank announced on Tuesday.

The front of the new 50,000-won ($36) bill will show a portrait of Shin Saim-dang, a well known artist who died in 1551. It will also show artwork by Shin.

Shin was also the mother of a famous Confucian scholar and is popularly referred to as "wise mother."

Shin was one of the most respected female figures in Korea's Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from 1392 to 1910.

An official with the Bank of Korea said the choice of Shin was significant because it marks the first time a woman will be featured on the banknotes of South Korea, a traditionally male-dominated society.-- (agencies)

Tajol Rosli To Quit As Perak Umno Chief And BN Chairman

He is expected to resign from both posts sometime this week. Umno deputy president Najib Abdul Razak will take over from Tajol.

Tajol is taking responsibility for the defection of Bota assemblyman Nasaruddin Hashim to Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

There has been talk that two other Umno wakil rakyat - Lintang assemblyman Ahamad Pakeh Adam and Pengkalan Baharu assemblyman Hamdi Abu Bakar -- were going to take the same road as Nasaruddin but that, apparently, is not happening. They have taken a pledge of loyalty to Umno and have given an assurance that they ain't going nowhere.

Click here for the NST report.

And NST columnist Zainul Arifin's two cents worth HERE.

Also ex-journo Aziz Hassan's HERE.

Looks like really big trouble in Perak Umno.

Yoga Ban For Muslims In Indonesia : Only The Physical Exercise Allowed

Muslims in Indonesia have been banned from doing yoga if they engage in Hindu religious rituals during the exercise, the chairman of the country's top Islamic body said on Sunday.

About 700 clerics from the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) agreed to ban the practice of yoga over fears that the use of Hindu prayers could "erode" Muslims' faith.

"The yoga practice that contains religious rituals of Hinduism including the recitation of mantras is "haram" (forbidden in Islam)," Ma'ruf Amin, a spokesman for the group, said.

"Muslims should not practise other religious rituals as it will erode and weaken their Islamic faith," he added.

The council said Muslims could do yoga as long as it is was only for physical exercise and did not include chanting, mantras or meditation.

The MUI has carved a key role for itself in Indonesia and its pronouncements on everything from Islamic banking to halal food can have a powerful influence. The fatwas are not legally binding but can influence government policy and it is considered sinful to ignore them.

Yoga, an ancient Indian aid to meditation dating back thousands of years, is a popular stress-buster in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

Indonesia, which is officially secular, has the world's largest Muslim population. Nearly 90 per cent of the country's 234 million people are followers of Islam. (source: wires)

Also read Rocky's Bru

Large-Scale Anti-Dengue Campaign Next Week

Better late than very late?

The Health Ministry will launch a big-scale dengue awareness campaign next week.

Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the campaign will focus on ways to prevent dengue.
For the first 22 days of 2009 alone, 12 deaths had been recorded.

Also click HERE.

No More Defections To Pakatan : Najib

(source NST)

DPM Najib Abdul Razak doesn't think there'll be anymore BN reps switching camps.

These are all rumours, he said.

It's still a shock to the BN, Najib remarked.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has dismissed talks that there will be other Barisan Nasional (BN) representatives defecting to Pakatan Rakyat.

“These are all rumours... I don’t think so,” he said when asked on the matter in the wake of Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim’s announcement yesterday that he had joined the Pakatan Rakyat.

Earlier Najib and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor joined thousands of people at the Chinese New Year open house organised by the MCA at Wisma MCA here.

Describing Nasaruddin’s action as unexpected, Najib said, he hoped that Nasaruddin could think carefully his decision to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a Pakatan Rakyat component member.

The Umno deputy president said he was made to understand that Nasaruddin’s action was due to several factors. He did not elaborate.
Meanwhile, Najib, when met by reporters at the Gerakan open house here, said Nasaruddin’s decision took many by surprise.

“We heard about this two days ago but it is still a shock,” he said.

Najib said Umno and BN elected representatives should understand that the party had done a lot of good deeds to the people and the country.

“It is not right to abandon the party because of personal problems or dissatisfactions at a time when the party needs our support,” he said.

Najib, who is BN deputy chairman, said he would meet Perak BN chairman Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali today to discuss the issue.

With Nasaruddin’s defection, the Perak Pakatan Rakyat government now has 32 seats compared to BN’s 27.

In a statement posted on PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s website, Nasaruddin said, he made the decision after considering the interests of his constituents.

In the March 8 general election, Nasaruddin, who polled 6,556 votes, defeated PKR candidate Capt (Rtd) Usaili Alias with a 2,068-vote majority.

Kong Hee Fatt Choy!

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all my Chinese friends.

Have a happy and prosperous new year and happy holiday, everyone...

More Indians In Police Force, Please....

Kuala Lumpur, Sun:

Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said he would raise with the Cabinet the need to increase the number of Indians in the police force at all levels.

The MIC secretary-general said a bigger representation of Indians in the force would help in the effort to combat the increasing crime rate among Indian youths.

The government and the MIC would continue to step up their efforts in combating the increasing crime rate amongst Indian youths through educational, training and self-enhancement interventions, he said in a statement.

His statement comes amid a controversy surrounding the death of detainee A.

Kugan while in police custody at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya, Selangor, on Tuesday.
Kugan, 22, who was detained on Jan 15 on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, died while being questioned.

CONTINUE READING HERE.

Umno Wakil Rakyat Joins Keadilan

Got this from NST alert:

Bota state assemblyman Nasarudin Hashim leaves Umno and joins Keadilan.

I have to say this. I think Nasarudin is free to join any party he wants. But he was elected (last March) on a BN ticket which means the people voted for a BN candidate.

So, the proper thing for him to do. in my view, is to vacate his seat which he won with 6,556 votes against 4,488 won by PKR's Capt (Rtd) Usaili bin Alias.

Wrong Way In...

But, who cares...

Actually I do.

Alamak TV3.

Around 2.15pm today, in front of Jasima Enterprise in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, one of your employees, driving one of your cars WPG 9545, simply went into the one-way street.

Maybe it is a Sunday, ya? So can simply break the traffic rule, ya?

No no....

If you drive your own car, you do what you want. But, TV3 car....presumably your employer's?

Here's the thing. No matter what day, you're not supposed to break the law. No matter if it is a traffic law. Even if you think it is a miserably minor regulation.

There are other drivers on the road, you know.

It could be my son you hit-lah.

We all have broken a traffic law or two....park along yellow lines or in no-parking areas. Sometimes we pay the price. Most times we get away with it.

I know a lot of us have breached a speed limit and beaten the red light. And have got away with it. Your time hasn't come yet, man.

I remember swearing at a police patrol car for beating the red light. (Of course, the policemen couldn't hear me).

Anyway, I did signal to this sweet young lady driving the TV3 car (sans passengers) that it was a one-way street.

Actually, there was no extenuating circumstances -- lazy day, many parking bays elsewhere - for her to enter this one-way street other than to get to a parking bay right in front of Jasima.

I say TV3. Cannot-lah like this. You report about people breaking the law and simple traffic rule like this, your girl cannot abide by.

May This Never Happen Again..

The latest case of police detainee A. Kugan, who died while in police custody two days ago, has further tarnished the image and reputation of our police force.

But that is not what I'm bothered about, although the fact that their reputation and image continues to slide worries me. I mean, if we cannot trust our police....

NOW...Kugan's case has already been classified as murder. I think it goes without saying that it is a serious matter.

But how seriously the police will handle this case from now, remains to be seen.

So far, the 11 constables and lance corporals have been removed from from the Subang Taipan police station. Kugan died in their custody.

According to Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar, the policemen are now on desk duties and are also helping to speed up the investigation.

The investigations are expected to be completed within three days.

I have yet to view the video and photos of Kugan in the morgue. I'm not sure I want to. I know they are awful.

Anyway, let's see the outcome of the police investigations.

The whole country is waiting, and watching. So, don't screw up.

MIC Sacks Muthu...

In the NST on-line

SEREMBAN, Sat:

Former MIC vice-president Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan's plan to challenge Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for the party presidency was dashed after he was summarily expelled from the party today.

Reacting to the expulsion, Muthupalaniappan, 68, described the action as an “eyewash and a preemptive action” to stop him from contesting.

"He (Samy Vellu) has taken such undemocratic dictatorial preemptive measures as he fears enduring the same fate of his last parliamentary election in Sungai Siput,” he said when contacted.

"I am saddened by such great injustice to the party and the Indian community but I believe no right thinking person will accept him (Samy Vellu) as the president of MIC although he claims to be a popular leader in the community,"

CONTINUE READING HERE.

And According To Demi Negara.....

or rather the blogger Kijang Mas, Kuala Terengganu went to Pas because it was all about local Oghang Teganung factors and the wrong candidate.

In his latest posting, "The KT By-Election: A quasi-national plebiscite on Pak Lah or Najib or just a local Oghang Teganung affair?", he says:

This was just a local by-election that was inflated as a national happening by a clueless UMNO/BN and a delusional PR. In fact, this was not a BN vs. PR battle. This was not a Najib vs. Anwar beauty pageant. Of course it was never an irrelevant MCA vs an inconsequential DAP war either. Most importantly, KT was not a quasi referendum on Najib, as the increasingly bizarre Pakatan zealots would like the world to believe.

The KT by-election was nothing more than a pertarungan between an Oghang Teganung vs. another Oghang Teganung to win the hearts and minds, the hati sanubari, of the Ghakyak Kualaa Teganung. The issues were localised, grassroots, parochial, endemic, indeed, far removed from Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

and

Let this be a lesson to UMNO/BN. By-elections are won and lost on LOCAL issues, LOCAL personalities, LOCAL grievances, LOCAL sentiments.

Grandiose corridors and stupendous initiatives mean nothing if your candidate is not acceptable to the constituents.

I'm just taking excerpts from his posting. Read it all HERE.

Pakatan Rakyat Supports Pak Lah To Continue As PM..

"Saya meminta Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi terus kekal sebagai Perdana Menteri dan meneruskan reformasi yang diperlukan seperti dalam bidang pilihan raya dan beberapa bidang lain," -- Pas president Abdul Hadi Awang.

The story HERE.

This is interesting. Pakatan Rakyat bersatu dengan Barisan Nasional.

So. Are Hadi's views representative of Guan Eng's and saudara Anwar's.

Now what I'd really like to know is their stand on this.

And maybe, Pak Lah's too.

Using The Word "Allah"..

I've been reading on the issue of the Herald's insistence on the use of the word "Allah" until the court rules on whether or not it can. The case will be heard next month.

The Herald (the Catholic weekly) has already been ordered not to use the word in its Malay edition as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue publishing in English, Chinese and Tamil.
The order came last month from the government.

Home Minister Syed Hamid issued a warning on Wednesday. He said the Herald should, until the court makes its ruling, abide by the order to not use the word "Allah".

PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry may take legal action against the Catholic weekly, Herald, over its continued use of the word "Allah" in this week's issue. Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar warned that the show of defiance could cause conflict and anger among other races in the country.

"We should abide by the law and the government's decision. The decision to ban the use of the word 'Allah' in its publication does not come from the ministry but from the cabinet.

"If anything happens, then don't put the blame on us. I will refer this matter to our legal unit."

The weekly's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, was quoted by AFP as saying on Tuesday that he intended to continue doing so until the court rules on the issue next month.
"We find this restriction on the use of 'Allah' unacceptable when we have been using it as a translation for the word 'God' for centuries in Malaysia," he was quoted as saying.

The government last month ordered a ban on the Herald's Malay edition until the court makes its decision, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue publishing in English, Chinese and Tamil.

Andrew had also said Munshi Abdullah, the father of modern Malay literature, translated the Bible into Malay in 1852 and he also translated the word "God" as "Allah".

"So, there is strong historical proof of what has been used for centuries.

Click here to continue.

I didn't realize that Bahasa Malaysia has been used so extensively in churches or in their newsletters in the country for a long time.

Now I know.

The case is pending a ruling so I shan't make any comments on it.

But I'm just wondering why the Herald is defying a government order to continue using the word "Allah"?

I don't usually agree with the government's ban on issues, but on this one, I'd have to say that the ruling is acceptable.

Obama Gives One-year Deadline To Close Gitmo

The road is long and rough for President Barack Hussein Obama to make right the wrongs his predecessor had committed while in office.

But it's good to know that he kept his word on closing the evil Guantanamo Bay. He did not waste anytime issuing the order.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama took the reins of US foreign policy on Thursday with orders to close the Guantanamo prison, crack down on harsh interrogation methods and eliminate secret CIA detention centers that drew ire from US friends and foes alike.

The order to close the controversial prison, a symbol of detainee abuse and detention without charge under the Republican administration of George W. Bush, fulfilled a promise Obama made during his campaign and signaled the urgency he felt about improving the US image abroad.

We...will uphold our fundamental values as vigilantly as we protect our security. I can say without equivocation that the United States will not torture." Obama said during an afternoon visit to the State Department.

In the first of three executive orders Obama set a one-year deadline for closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and kicked off a review process to deal with relocating, releasing or prosecuting the remaining detainees.

The order halts the military commissions set up to try prisoners and requires that conditions at the facility until its closure be humane.

Deciding to close the facility is the first step in a complicated process to determine the fate of its 250 inmates, many of whom have been held for years without trial.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE....

Hail, The (New) Chief...

Let's hope that Barack Hussein Obama, America's 44th President will demonstrate that he is THE leader of the free world, and a man of his word.

"....Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort--even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. ......"

Click HERE for the full text of his speech.

For The Children Of Gaza...

The pain of children in war-torn countries is unimaginable.

For nearly three weeks, the children of Gaza had known nothing but bombings and, deaths.

Perhaps we can help in our own little way to ease their pain.

Marina Mahathir has come up with a support and healing project for these children.

Today, she launches "To My Friend in Gaza" (Untuk Kawan Ku di Gaza).

Here's a message in her blog RantingsByMM:

Dear folks, Since December 27, 2008 when the Israelis started bombing Gaza, children and women have suffered the most. Over 800,000 children have been exposed to extraordinary levels of violence and insecurity, some 1,600 have been injured and more than 300 children have died.

Gazan children who have survived are experiencing unimaginable trauma every day, cowering from fear and suffering from stress-related health problems such as asthma.

Even though there is now a truce, the ordeal of the children is not over. Many are still fearful, in pain and have an uncertain future because they have lost their parents and siblings.

In trying to think what I, as a mother, could do, I came up with this idea and have teamed up with UNICEF Malaysia and +wondermilk to launch To My Friend in Gaza (Untuk Kawan Ku di Gaza) today.

The basic idea is to get Malaysian children to write letters/cards/postcards or make drawings for the children of Gaza to show their support, provide encouragement and let them know that they have friends here who are thinking of them and praying for their safety.

Click here to continue.

Do join Marina to make it happen for the children of Gaza...

PEACE!

Dengue Alert....

Folks, please take cautionary measures to avoid contracting Dengue Fever which has killed eight people in the first two weeks of this year.

It is alarming. Dengue cases doubled this year, compared to the same period last year.

According to the Health Ministry, from Jan 4 to Saturday, there were 3,211 cases with eight deaths compared to 1,514 cases and four deaths in the same period last year.

Another worrying matter is that of the number Chikungunya cases which is fasting rising.

The fight against the dreaded Dengue and Chikungunya is not the Health Ministry's or the respective State health department's alone.

Please read Doctor's 2008's Weblog on this. Very useful.

Learning To Read The Quran

I remember I never quite looked forward to my "mengaji" (reading the Quran) lessons.

It's nothing personal. I liked my dear ustaz. He was so gentle and so patient with us all.

It's a kid thing, you know.

If I had the chance, I'd "ponteng" (skip classes). But those opportunities were rare. Hardly presented themselves. Few and far between. It was not easy to "ponteng" when the ustaz gave home lessons and they were after-school hours.

Mak, of course, was never amused. She'd untiringly tell my sisters and I about the goodness, benefit of reading the Quran and reciting the holy verses.

She said it would keep "syaitan" away. And so forth.

Besides, how terrible we would be to our ustaz who had come all the way by bus to do God's work....

Really, it's not that I didn't like to "mengaji". I suppose, as with kids, anything that creeps into their play-time or TV-time is bothersome.

Needless to say, I "khatam" when I was 12 years old, just before I started Form One, together with my late sister, Kak Eda.

That was not the end of it. Mak made us all continue reading the Quran (with her), and "khatam" many times over until we went to college or abroad.

"Reading the Quran is life-long," she used to tell us.

She said we had to learn the "tajwid".

But over the years of doing "mengaji", I learnt to see the beauty of the Quran, because I read the translation as well.
For a lot of Muslims, I believe it is a natural progression after learning to read the Quran. You just have to know what you've been reading and reciting.

I remember, after my eldest was born, I joined Kak Ton and Abang Ani for "tafsiran" classes at the International Islamic University conducted by Prof Dr Kamal. Unfortunately, because of my busy work schedule, I had to quit.

I remember when I enrolled in college, I made my own poster depicting the Al-Fatihah. I wrote in Arabic script with the English translation and had it put it up on the inside of the door (of my room).

It read (as most of us know):
"In the name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation,
The Compassionate, The Merciful,
King of the Last Judgement
To Thee alone we worship; To Thee alone we ask for help,
Lead us to the straight path, The path of those whom Thou favour;
Not the (path) of those who have incurred Thine wrath,
Nor of those who have gone astray
- Amen".

It's nothing unusual. As most Muslim parents, I make sure that my children begin "mengaji" at an early age. Our ustaz comes over Thursday evenings.
I'm pretty old-fashioned in this. I feel it's important that they learn to read the Quran properly. Khatam and continue "mengaji"until whenever.

I'd like them to be able to read/recite the Yassin because the Yassin is the heart of the Quran.

But, of course, having the benefit of exposure and experience, I approach the issue a little differently from my own mother.
You know, kids these days.

But on the other hand, it's good to know that kids today have sources of learning readily accessible.
Without having to tell them, they're already looking up the translations of the Quran.

And that makes learning to read the Quran more fulfilling.

Another Vote For Pakatan In Parliament..

As though you couldn't have guessed it? Duh.

And one more vote for Hudud.

Pas' candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut, won the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat in what was dubbed a very close fight.
Actually, it wasn't that close.

Abdul Wahid obtained 32,883 votes against Umno's Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, who got 30,252 votes.
The Independent candidate, Azhazudin Mamat, received 193. There were 665 spoilt votes.

In the 12th general election last year, Datuk Razali Ismail who died on Nov 28, defeated Mohamad Sabu of PAS and an Independent candidate, Maimun Yusuf, with a 628-vote majority.

Here's the thing. The media (officially) hooted that it was 50:50 even in the last hours of counting the votes.

But, on the ground, it was clear that Pas was winning. Merdeka Central had indicated that crucial votes from the Chinese in the constituency were going to Pas.

As early as last week, reporters were saying that it was a foregone conclusion. Pas was going to win.
From the start, the buzz was that Wan Farid was the WRONG choice because he was not appealing to the KT voters.

As polling day drew nearer, this was beginning to get truer and truer.

To make matters worse, grassroots Umno in KT is so divisive and not u n i t e d. Alamak. Decide-lah. You want to win or not!

Besides, Umno formulas are not a one-size-fits-all. Surely we know that. And this being a by-election.

Reflect on earlier reports -- the feedback was that Wan Farid is arrogant and so forth and so on. Even our statesman Tun Dr M said so.

A little too late to make rectifications, so BN leaders pooh-poohed this.

No point in crying over spilt milk. Nasi dah jadi bubur. Again, the writing was on the wall.

As you can see, the margin in the Pas victory is wider.

Everyone's take on this victory would be apt: that of DAP's veteran LKS, veteran Umno leader Ku Li, journo-blogger Rocky, my old buddy Jai, my friend Voice, my friend and neighbour Wee and political analyst/blogger Sakmongkol.

The point is, the Opposition has one added vote in the Dewan Rakyat. Bravo!

I can hear my friends in Pas/Pakatan Rakyat thanking Umno, saying, oh..gloating..: Tebeng ah, buak gi.

I think it means, do that again (or more often)...something to that effect.

Good One, Datuk Zainun..

Putrajaya: The Court of Appeal ruled that the Election Commission has no duty to facilitate detainees held under preventive laws to vote in elections.

In a majority ruling, it said Friday that it was for the Home Ministry to decide whether to allow detainees to leave their detention centres and cast their votes at designated polling stations.

Judges Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin and Datuk Low Hop Bing, in dismissing an appeal by 22 Internal Security Act detainees, held that their inability to cast their votes was not caused by the act or omission of the commission.

Datuk Zainun Ali, who dissented, held the commission had violated the constitutional right of the detainees by denying them the right to vote in the 11th general election on March 21, 2004.

She also held that the commission's failure to respond to the detainees' letters seeking facilities to vote was unreasonable.
The detainees, held without trial at the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, had written to the commission a week before the polling date and requested that facilities be made available for them to cast their ballots.

They were walk-in voters registered in different constituencies throughout the country and not postal voters.

Unable to cast their votes, they filed an action in the High Court seeking, among others, a declaration that their fundamental right to vote was breached and they were not accorded equal protection under the Federal Constitution.

In naming the commission as respondent, the detainees, represented by Edmond Bon, also asked for punitive, aggravated and exemplary damages.

Low in his judgment said the Constitution and election laws empowered the commission to conduct elections but it was in no position to allow the detainees to leave their detention centres.

Zulkefli said the detainees were barred from voting at any polling station except the one in their constituency.

Zainun said it was the duty of the commission to make available voting facilities and it was for the detainees to exercise their voting rights as enshrined under the Constitution.

"The issue raised by the detainees is not their physical inability but the unavailability of such facility to do so."

Zainun said she was unable to accept the commission's argument that it was busy preparing for the election to reply to the detainees' letters.

"In my view, this bureaucratic arrogance is passe."

(source: NST)

Kuala Terengganu By-Election Results Tonight

Stay tuned to your radio or TV, or go online tonight, at about 10.30pm for the election results.

Three people are vying for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat. They are Barisan Nasional's Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, Pas' Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut and an Independent candidate Azharudin Mamat @ Adam.

The seat was left vacant following the death of Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail on Nov 28.

According to Bernama, all 36 polling centres were closed at 5pm today.

By 4pm, the voter turnout was 76 per cent.

The constituency has 80,229 voters, including 1,302 postal voters.

The ballot papers are being counted at the 143 voting channels and would later taken to the State Stadium here for tallying.

In the 12th general election in March last year, the turnout was 82.45 per cent or 66,231 out of 80,325 voters.

So, who do you think will win?

Bloody Gaza..

Relentless.
Israel will bombard every inch of Gaza because the Zionist regime is convinced that Palestinian "terrorists" are everywhere.
So what if they bomb hospitals?Are they not shelter for "terrorists" and Hamas militants?
So what if they bomb relief aid?

Oh...give them a break.

Who can stop them? They're on a killing spree. They've got a carte blanche from big brother to do that.

So you see.
They will bloody Gaza, if they haven't already.

Goodbye, Mr Bush....

Well, Mr Bush...you son-of-a-gun. You're leaving Barack Obama with a couple of unfinished business , I mean, wars. And a very bad White House record.

Have a good retirement, Mr Bush. I know you can sleep well.

Over to you, Obama baby. And Good Luck!

Just remember to keep your promise to close the Guantanamo detention centre.

Here's the story on George Bush's televised final address.

Let's Read The Quran...

Peace!

We need your participation!

Campaign name: Let’s Read The Quran
ame: Let’s Read The Quran

Logo/icon:

On January 1^st 2009, four friends Syed, Walski, Marina and Anas got together at Coffee-Bean Bangsar Village and decided to launch a campaign to encourage people to read and understand the Quran better.

This campaign is not only for Muslims, but also for our brothers and sisters who are Christians, Buddhists Hindus, Sikhs and those who believes in a God-Head but not so gung-ho about being in any brand of religion, too – come join us and share your ideas! You can join this campaign even if you are an atheist!

The goal of this campaign is to encourage people to read the Quran in the language they understand most and find in it areas of common values in our day to day living.

What is the Campaign all about?

Read the Quran in the language that you are familiar with.

When will the campaign start and end?

January 15^th to February 14^th (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

Where?

Participating blogs in the blogospheres.

Why?

So more people know what the Quran says and what the Quran does not say and to match it to what is really said in our daily lives.

Who?

Everyone who wants to – the more the merrier! If you have a Blog, Facebook, etc carry the logo/icon.

How?

• To join the campaign, place the accompanying logo/icon at your blog.
• Write or share short articles based on the Quranic text.
• Share what you find in the Quran with family and friends.
• Ask questions about the Quranic message
• Read the Quran – eg click here http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch , www.altafsir.com

Peace and Thanks,

Marina Mahathir

Syed Akbar Ali

Walski, and,

Anas Zubedy

Participating Blogs

1. 3540 Jalan Sudin http://www.nursamad.blogspot.com/
2. Anas Zubedy: http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com
3. ARTiculations: http://art-harun.blogspot.com/
4. Being Human in the World: http://www.peru.name/writing
5. Cowboy Malaysia: http://cowboymalaysia.wordpress.com
6. Disquiet: http://malikimtiaz.blogspot.com
7. Jebat Must Die: http://jebatmustdie.wordpress.com/
8. Lunch at the Lake Club: http://lunchatthelakeclub.blogspot.com
9. MACVAYSIA: http://macvaysia.com
10. myAsylum: http://asylum60.blogspot.com
11. O.B.E. http://shar101.wordpress.com/
12. OutSyed The Box: http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com
13. Poetic Justice: http://nizambashir.com/
14. Rantings by MM: http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com
15. Rapera: http://jahaberdeen.blogspot.com/
16. Renovatio: http://stephendoss.blogspot.com
17. Rocky's Bru: http://rockybru.com.my/
18. Write Away: http://elviza.wordpress.com/
19. Writing By Amir: http://amirmu.blogspot.com/
    

Passing Of Two TV Icons -- Ricardo Montalban And Patrick McGoohan

Two iconic stars. New York-born Patrick McGoohan died Tuesday. He was 80.
Mexican-born Ricardo Montalban died yesterday. He was 88.

Montalban was Mr. Roarke, who presided over a tropical island resort to "where visitors fulfilled their lifelong dreams", usually with lessons unexpectedly learnt.

Remember his welcoming remarks to arriving guests --"I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island."

McGoohan was prisoner Number Six trying to escape from the small enclave known only as The Village. His attempts made futile by a mysterious authority named Number One.

"Fantasy Island" was hugely popular when it aired from 1978 to 1984.
"The Prisoner" was a hit in the 60s. It was described as "surreal and cerebral". A "sci-fi tinged" spy series.

Their deaths, a day apart, have indeed evoked memories of two old television series about fantasy and dreams.

The Labi In Labu....

No question about it....we don't need a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in Labu.
I'm not at all convinced that the terminal will benefit anyone else other than a few self-serving fat cats.

Don't we already have an LCCT? Can't we expand KLIA to include an LCCT? Major airports in the world have terminals for specific airlines, you know.

Pssst....I smell a rat.

I'm no businessman or an economist but I don't think it is a complex issue.

Can't "keLABUkan mata saya" on this, to borrow a line from Rocky's Bru.

For a stimulating read, go to his posting on the proposed labulabi airport.

More Than 1,000 Palestinians Dead As War Rages in Gaza

This is the death toll as the Israeli attacks on Gaza enter its 20th day.

Some 5,000 Palestinians have been injured.

According to aid agencies and Palestinians medics, 40 per cent of the dead are civilians, and a third of them children.

Click this for the story.

Ten Aman Malaysia Doctors For Gaza

Let's hope the 10 Aman Malaysia doctors, including a radiology specialist who have volunteered to serve in Gaza, can really gain access into the war-torn area.

The team will be providing medical support and will also compile a report on Israel's atrocities on civilians.

Bernama, quoting Aman Malaysia coordinator Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, said the report will be submitted to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, Cuba supports Malaysia's motion condemning Israel's atrocities on Palestinians, which was tabled at a special parliamentary session on Monday.

Cuban ambassador to Malaysia Carlos Amores said Malaysia had shown it abhorred Israel's invasion of Gaza.

"The action by Israel is a crime. The resolutions adopted by Malaysian MPs condemning Israel shows Ma-laysians are against the Israeli invasion," he said after being interviewed on the Voices From the South programme on the Traxx FM radio station here yesterday.

He said as the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, Cuba had issued strong statements against Israel's invasion of Gaza.

"Israel acts with impunity because it is supported by the United States, which will use its veto power to prevent the United Nations from acting against Israel," he was quoted in the New Straits Times.

Al-Fatihah - Samani Mohd Amin

I received an SMS message from my sister, Kak Ton (Mariah) after Maghrib that Uncle Samani had passed away earlier this evening.

Uncle Samani suffered a heart attack and died at 6.55pm at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang.
He was 78 and leaves behind his wife and four children.

My heart sank. Innalillahi Wainnalillahi Rajiuun.

I was just on the phone with Uncle Samani on Monday to ask him whether he was up to taking part in a seminar "Pemikiran A Samad Ismail" scheduled to be held next month.

Uncle Samani had worked with Bapak since the early days of Berita Harian in the late 50s.
Perhaps, that worked against him when the government decided to arrest Bapak under the Internal Security Act in 1976. Uncle Samani who was then Berita Harian news editor was also taken in, accused of being Bapak's henchman in the alleged communist plot to topple the government.

I wrote about Uncle Samani in one of my "Tuesdays With Bapak" postings HERE.

When I called Uncle Samani on Monday, his wife, Kak Azizah, picked up the phone. Uncle Samani who lived in Klang with his family, was busy attending to his "dusun".
When we spoke, he told me he was keen but it was a case of the spirit being willing, but the body not being up to it.
He asked me for details of the event. He said if he was not able to participate, he would like to attend it anyway.
He sounded tired. He suggested that I also call another former Berita Harian journalist, Pak Cik Asni, to take part in the seminar. He was sure Pak CikAsni would be more than keen to be part of the event.

"You remember Asni..Dia kerja sama-sama di Berita Harian," Uncle Samani said and gave me Pak Cik Asni's number.

I promised that I'd call Pak Cik Asni.

I know Uncle Samani was never the same after he was released from ISA detention.

My deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Kak Azizah, Marx Aidied, Mus Chairil, Mas Dati and Mas Elati.

Al-Fatihah.

Rock For Gaza....

Papa Rock Ramli Sarip will take part in a charity event : an evening of poetry themed "Di Bawah Langit Gaza" (Under The Gaza Sky), for the Palestinian humanitarian aid.

The event, scheduled early next month, is co-organized by Yayasan Salam.

I was in Chawan (Bangsar) when Malaysia's rock legend met up with journo-bloggers Datuk Ahmad Talib of Yayasan Salam and Ahirudin Attan to discuss the initiative. Blogger Zakhir was also there.

Read Rocky's Bru, Pahit Manis and Zakhir's Zoo.

Our Condemnation Of Israel...

Ours and almost the entire world's.
Israel continues undeterred in its persecution and systematic extermination of the Palestinians -- as it has been doing for the past 60 years in the land the Zionist regime has been occupying.

The global voices reverberate. They are hard and strong. But Israel continues to disregard humanity and persists relentless in its atrocities.

Israel fears no one. Israel is the world's biggest terrorist and with wanton support and blessings of the US, it continues to inflict crimes against humanity in the Gaza and the Occupied Territories.

Our Malaysian voice maybe pipsqueak, inconsequential and cannot therefore possibly make a difference. Right?

It matters not. We continue to make noise.

I remember how loud our little voice was when we condemned apartheid in South Africa and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans.

TODAY, I am deeply proud that we are one -- our government and us, Malaysians -- in our condemnation of Israel's atrocities and in urging the UN General Assembly to immediately set up an International Crimes Tribunal to investigate and prosecute Israelis guilty of war crimes.

We brought this to Parliament.

Bless y'all, Malaysians!

Thank you, Anak Si Hamid for reminding us of the words of Moshe Yaalon, then the Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, in 2002:

“The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”

Let's Leave Out The Kids...

Great idea, Hishammuddin Hussein, but perhaps we could leave the children out.

Ministry plans huge protest by schoolkids.

MARA Scholarships...

(source:NST)

Bumiputera undergraduates with excellent results can apply for scholarships to study in top universities overseas under Mara's Excellent Students' Scheme.

Those with a cumulative grade point average of three and above are encouraged to apply. Advertisements in newspapers will be out from today until Sunday.

The Mid-East Conflict: The Same Old S**t..

I'll say one thing. We may disagree on the war on Gaza (some people are insistent that Hamas was the instigator and provoked the attacks but disregard the reasonS for it).

However, that doesn't mean we're blind to the realities such as the apathy of the Arab nations.

We weep for the children of Palestine. We do. Because we see very little hope in finding lasting peace in the Middle-East.

If only some things do not remain unchanged.
And, yeah..if only Malaysia was bigger and more powerful than the United States....

Read Adrian Hamilton's take on the path to Mid-East Peace:

There are four iron laws of the Middle East: that the Palestinians will always end up at the bottom of the heap and that they will always be let down by their Arab bretheren; that Israel will act unilaterally whenever it sees it in its interest to do so and that the international community will do nothing to stop them, only intervening once the battle is drawn and they can help bring a messy end to the bloody proceedings.

Click here to continue.

Israel Forces Delay Help For Wounded Palestinians

From The Associated Press (AP)
The international Red Cross accuses Israeli forces today (Thursday) of failing to assist wounded Palestinians and of "unacceptable" delays in letting rescue workers reach a Gaza home where four small children were found alive next to their mothers' bodies.

Rescuers had been refused permission by the Israeli army to reach the site in the Zaytun neighborhood of Gaza City for days, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

The neutral aid group's head of delegation for the region described the incident as "shocking."

"The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded," Pierre Wettach said in a statement. "Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded."

Rescuers eventually received permission to go to the site Wednesday, four days after it was hit by Israeli shells.

They found 15 dead and 18 wounded in three houses, including the children who were too weak to stand.

The ICRC said requests to be allowed to reach other destroyed houses in this neighborhood, reportedly containing more wounded, were refused by the Israeli army.

"The ICRC believes that in this instance the Israeli military failed to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded," the Geneva-based group said in a statement.

"It considers the delay in allowing rescue services access unacceptable."

A spokeswoman for the Israeli mission in Geneva said she was unable to comment on the incident at this time.

IJN Deal Off..

Bless y'all, Malaysians...

(source:Star Online)
Sime Darby Bhd has dropped its plans to acquire a 51% stake in the National Heart Institute (IJN). In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday, the company said the decision was based on public sentiment and feedback it received after the government deferred its plan to allow Sime Darby to start talks with the Ministry of Finance on the IJN stake.

I Weep For You, Sons And Daughters of Palestine

May Allah bless the souls of those killed in the attacks.

More and more civilians are being killed and dying as Israel intensifies its savaged attacks on Gaza. We're here in peaceful Malaysia. We have no idea what is going on until we read about it in the media. Until we see pictures and images.

Israel is the world's biggest terrorist. And the United States is Israel's accessory in atrocities against the Palestinians.

The pictures you see are just two of the many that depict the brutality taking place in Gaza. This is not the first time this happening. This is not the first time babies and children are killed in the conflict.

Bully for Malaysia! Pak Lah has called for as called on the United Nations to convene a special meeting to oppose the latest Israel atrocities against Palestine.

And Dr Mahathir has urged citizens of the globe, including the Muslim states, to boycott American products and the use of the US currency because the US is the main driving force behind Israel's atrocities against the Palestinians.

Dr Mahathir said the power to cripple Washington lied solely in the people's hands and not their governments who were "scared stiff" of Uncle Sam.

Meanwhile, I'll say one thing, Kudos to the New Straits Times for its frontpaged play of the Gaza.


Bull's eye, NST, You nailed it!

For more on the atrocities, go HERE and HERE!
For Muslims....the fast of Asyura falls tomorrow.

Let's Save IJN!

... for many OBVIOUS reasons!

I can't see any RIGHT reason for the proposed Sime Darby take-over of IJN. Do you?

Rocky's Bru has been pursuing relentlessly the take-over issue.. Read the bru's latest HERE. Rocky tells us the proposal is one of the Abdullah's administration midnight regulations.
It sure looks like it!

So, I think we should do whatever we can to SAVE IJN. Oh you bad bad Sime Darby!

Don't Forget To Buckle Up!

From today, the buckle-up ruling for rear seat passengers will be enforced.

Police will issue summonses to violators.

Currently only the driver and front-seat passenger have to wear seat belts.

Whatever your cynicism (or misgiving, if any) about the new ruling (believe me, there are so many cynics), just put that aside and buckle up. And don't even think of bribing the policemen who stop you, okay!
No? Okay, so you're not one of them but I do know of people who, having broken the law, have no qualms about offering bribes or attempting to offer bribes to policemen who have caught them.....
Of course, of course, I hear you -- policemen shouldn't even think of accepting bribes.

In case, you didn't know, corruption is a social ill and a huge problem in this country. So YOU do what you can to eliminate, rather (for now) minimize, the problem. No giver, no taker and vice-versa.
You and I know that when a new traffic ruling is enforced, there will be many hardworking policemen in several locations to make sure you abide (by it) and stay safe.

So...buckle up because it can save lives. Do it for safety and don't break the law.

According to Road Safety Department director-general Suret Singh, research showed that, every year, the lives of 200 backseat passengers are saved because they buckle-up.

"Half of the accident victims were saved from severe and minor injuries by wearing rear seat belts,” he was quoted in the Star recently.

We'll just have to take his word for it, won't we?

Meanwhile....just buckle-up and stay safe!
And if you don't and get caught, you'll just have to pay the fine, won't you?

May We All Have A Better New Year!

How time flies so quickly!

So many things happened this year. Good , bad and sad.

I'll remember 2008 as the year I lost my father. Al Fatehah. You're in our heart and our memory, Bapak. Always.

But, as they say, as cliched as this may sound, but it is true....life must go on. And we must move on.

Let's hope 2009 will be better. Who knows, miracles do happen.....

HAVE A HAPPY AND WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!

PEACE!

Tuanku Muhriz Is The New Yam Tuan Of Negri Sembilan

Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, 60, has been proclaimed the 11th Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan.

The announcement was made Undang Luak Sungai Ujong, Datuk Klana Petra Datuk Mubarak Dohak at the Throne Room, Istana Besar Seri Menanti on Monday.

The proclamation of the 11th Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan was made following the demise of Tuanku Ja’afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

The appointment of the Yang Dipertuan Besar was made according to the “Adat Perpatih” of Negri Sembilan.

Tuanku Muhriz was appointed as the new Yang Di-Pertuan Besar from among the “Putera Yang Empat” (the Four Princes) in accordance with the state constitution in a simple ceremony here Monday.

The other three princes -- Tunku Laksamana Tunku Naquiyuddin Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, Tunku Muda of Serting Tunku Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar and Tunku Panglima Besar Tunku Nazaruddin Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar -- were also present.

On Sunday, the four Undangs (ruling chiefs) namely Undang Luak Sungai Ujong, Undang Luak Johol, Undang Luak Jelebu and Undang Luak Rembau together with the Tunku Besar of Tampin held a conference behind closed doors to elect the new Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan.

Born on Jan 14 1948, Tuanku Muhriz received his early education at Sekolah Menengah King George V, Seremban and continued at the Aldenhem School in Britain.

Tuanku Muhriz obtained his LLB from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Tuanku Muhriz,is the only son out of six siblings of the late Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman with his consort Tunku Ampuan Durah Binti Tuanku Besar Burhanuddin.

Tuanku Muhriz is married to Tengku Datuk Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud of Terengganu and they have three children: Tunku Ali Redhauddin Muhriz, 31, Tunku Zain Al’Abidin Muhriz, 26, and Tunku Alif Hussein Saifuddin Al-Amin, 23.

In 1967, Tuanku Ja’afar, who was Tuanku Muhriz’s uncle, was elected by the Undangs as the 10th Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan over him due to his youth after his father Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman passed away.

Tuanku Muhriz is a businessman and a director of Bangkok Bank. -- Bernama

Israeli Show Of Might In Gaza..

...and going by what Israeli leaders are saying, there's no stopping the attacks in Gaza until Hamas bleed and is brought to their knees. The Israeli offensive which began with surprise rocket attacks -- the Israeli version of “shock and awe” -- on Saturday, has already killed hundreds.

What a bloody start to the new year for the people in Gaza.

Israel has said that the military operation in Gaza is a response to Hamas' rocket attacks in southern Israel and is therefore forcing Hamas to end its rocket barrages and military buildup.

But middle-east political analysts say that Israel's motive is "to expunge the ghost of its flawed 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and re-establish Israeli deterrence".

Israel has a rep to protect. And Hamas and Palestinians and everyone else had better know that.

That display of power in Gaza is for the benefit of Israel's enemies who seem, of late, to be less afraid of it than they once were. Now, that's been worrying Israel.

A news analysis in the New York Times quoted Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, remarking about the weekly government meeting that he attended.

“In the cabinet room today there was an energy, a feeling that after so long of showing restraint we had finally acted,” he was quoted to have said.

Mark Heller, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University was also quoted as saying that that energy reflected the deep feeling among average Israelis that the country had to regain its deterrent capacity.

“There has been a nagging sense of uncertainty in the last couple years of whether anyone is really afraid of Israel anymore. The concern is that in the past — perhaps a mythical past — people didn’t mess with Israel because they were afraid of the consequences. Now the region is filled with provocative rhetoric about Israel the paper tiger. This operation is an attempt to re-establish the perception that if you provoke or attack you are going to pay a disproportionate price.”

Granted that Hamas had fired rockets into southern Israel. (But let's not start debating the Palestinian offensive). Israel's response was disproportionate in its force..

So, will the violence end? Is it in someone's interest that the violence continues? And if there is a will to end it, who will be one to end it?

Meanwhile, read this. And this.

And may there be peace on earth!

Selamat Menyambut Maal Hijrah!

This is the first day of the Muslim new year and, in this country, it is also called Awal Muharram.

It is also to commemorate Hijrah or the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Mekkah to Madinah in the year 622 A.D.

Celebrating Maal Hijrah means starting the new year by seeking blessings.
Muslims recite the Quran and "zikir" on the last day of Zulhijjah which is tonight.
It is most blessed and rewarding to fast on the first of Muharram.

Fasting on certain days of Muharram is most encouraged. According to a hadith, after Ramadan, the fasts of Muharram have the greatest excellence.

Of course, any day is a good day to do good. But for Muslims, the 10th day of Muharram or the day of Ashura holds great historical significance.

Fasting (the fast of Ashura), helping orphans and feeding the hungry (including those who are fasting) on this day gives immense rewards.

"On this day (of Ashura): Allah SWT accepted the repentance of Adam after his exile from Paradise; Allah SWT saved Nuh and his companions in the ark; Allah extinguished the fire in which Ibrahim was thrown by Nimrod; And Allah spoke directly to Musa and gave him the Commandments. On this same 10th of Muharram, Ayyub was restored to health (from leprosy); Yusuf was reunited with his father Ya’qub ; Yunus was taken out from the belly of the fish; and the sea was divided as the nation of israel was delivered from captivity and Pharoah’s army was destroyed. ‘Ashura is also the day when the kingdom of Sulaiman was restored; Isa was raised to Jannah; and Sayyidina Husayn (grandson of Prophet Muhammad SAW) achieved the honor of Martyrdom."

I wish Muslims a blessed Maal Hijrah and everyone, a glorious new year (1430). Ameen.

Merry Christmas!

Have a very happy Christmas, everyone!

Go easy on the cakes, cookies and stuffings!

Hujan Emas Di Negeri Orang...

...lebih baik hujan batu di negeri sendiri.
How apt this adage is for us, and for different reasons.

Our annual "balik kampung" trip to Singapore is probably icing on top of our cake! It is usually an Aidilfitri affair except for this year because most of the kids -- my nephews and nieces -- were sitting for their national (UPSR, PMR and SPM) exams. Our visit this year had to be resheduled for Aidil Adha when everyone was "free" and it coincided with the school year-end holidays.

This means that there were no all-day Hari Raya rounds of visiting our uncles, aunts and senior cousins. Therefore, no feasts.
This was the fourth consecutive year that we had opted to stay at a hotel on Orchard Road, and not at our aunt's place.
This is because our aunt and her husband who are living with their daughter, are both quite unwell. So we really did not want to trouble them, and we had to go through great length to explain to our aunt why it was near impossible for the lot of us to stay at her place.

We know Cik Ah. She'd insist on cooking every meal -- from breakfast to dinner -- for us.

We felt she was just too frail to be doing this for us. We see her get older and more frail with each passing year.

But we made a deal with her -- we'd let her prepare a feast for us every annual visit.

"That's the least I can do," she had told Nina.

So, for the past four visits, hers was the first house we'd gather at. Depending on our arrival time, we'd either have brunch, lunch or dinner at her place.

It was no different last week when the busload of us descended on Bedok, Singapura.

And what a lovely lunch it was.

We decided to stay in Singapura a day longer than we usually did. This was because the kids had been complaining that our visits had always been too short.

"Tak puas-lah," they had lamented.

It was great to stay a day longer. Besides, our niece, Saleha (a grandaughter of my late eldest aunt) was holding a "tahlil" for Bapak and our family members who had passed on.
We had also wanted to visit my dad's surviving brother whose health was declining.

Saleha made a point to have us all for tea or "makan" everytime we visited. It was an occasion to also get everybody together, including those we were unable to meet.
It was wonderful, as usual.

But the downside to our visit this time around was the fact that we had to have our meals around Orchard Road.

In the past, we would have our day revolve around our visits to our relative's homes. Which means that, we'd have our meals taken care of. So, when we were out shopping, we'd just grab snacks here and there. No problem.

How we had taken this for granted. We never actually thought about this. Until last week.

As we were out "traversing" Orchard Road, we realized that we had to have our meals -- essentially lunch and dinner -- within the vicinity.

I am convinced that there are not enough eateries in Orchard Road. Most of the restaurants were crowded and we had to wait in queue like we had never stood in queue before.

It's not as though we could go to another place when the place we had gone to was crowded. It was full house with a long queue at the other eateries. I remember the food court in Paragon was just brimming with people that it was better to wait in line -- like 20 minutes -- than to look for another makan place elsewhere.

The one marked difference between shopping complexes in Singapura and Malaysia is the availability of and accessibility to eateries.

Imagine, queuing up at Swensen's? Well I never....

Of course, the first night we were there, we had our dinner at Carousel's in the Royal Plaza on Scotts. It was a buffet. Lovely. $55.50 per person. So, all you can eat and it was worth every cent. But, every night there? Don't think so.

That was why, my niece, Marisssa was already missing "shopping in KL".

And when we got to KL on our way home, the kids waved so hard at Mid Valley Mega Mall.

"Ooooh. I love you Mid Valley," screamed Shaira. And not that she is a Mid Valley regular. But she was remembering the oh-so-wonderful varieties of eating places there.

"I can't wait to go to the Mamak shop," Adel said, breathless.

"And all the makan places at Ikano and One Utama," chipped in Amalina.

Oh yes indeed. It maybe golden raindrops across the causeway......but there's nothing like home.

That's where the heart is. And will always be.

Salam Dari Temasek...

Friends...

I am now in Singapore with my family -- children, siblings, nieces and nephews -- visiting relatives.

I shall try to blog...

Maju-lah Singa...I mean Malaysia...:-)

Salam Aidil adha

Selamat Hari Raya Haji to my Muslim brothers and sisters.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!

Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik. Labbaik, La Shareek Laka, Labbaik. Innal Hamdah, Wan Nematah, Laka wal Mulk, La Shareek Laka!
(Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners)

Aidil Adha is the feast of sacrifice which commemorates the willingness Prophet Abraham SA to sacrifice his first-born, Ishmael, for God.
Aidil Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of the month of Zul-Hijjah.

Some of us can celebrate Aidil Adha with our loved ones. In safety and comfort. For victims of the landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa, it will be a very sad one.

Let's hope that the situation gets better for the residents of the housing estate.
Following the disaster early Saturday morning, the main road to the area was cut off.

A temporary tactical bridge has now been laid across a monsoon drain to connect landslide affected Taman Bukit Mewah to Riverdale Park nearby. This will enable the residents to move in and out of the area.

In a related developmnent, the Star reported that many of the residents (numbering some 3,000) of four areas in Bukit Antarabangsa have refused an order for them to move immediately as they are in landslide-danger areas.

Selangor chief police officer Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the four areas are the Impian Selatan Condominium, Taman Bukit Mewah, Jalan 6A Taman Bukit Jaya and Jalan 9 Taman Wangsa Ukay.

DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said that despite repeated pleas, some residents still continued to defy the calls and would not leave their homes.

Continue reading HERE.

Read Rocky's Bru on the Selangor Red Crescent's appeal....HERE.

Zaid Won't Be Joining The Opposition For Now...

Zaid Ibrahim, who was sacked by Umno two days ago, will not be joining any political party (i.e the Opposition) for now but does not rule out doing so later.

(Read more Here)

And there's no way he's ever going to consider rejoining Umno even if there was a change of heart in the leadership.

Zaid, former de facto Law Minister, was sacked from Umno for attending the opening of Parti Keadilan Rakyat's annual national congress in Shah Alam over the weekend.

But he reckons that he was sacked not "simply" for that but "because many leaders in Umno are not comfortable" with his views and stand on many issues.

He claims to be a "victim of double standards in Umno" and that he had not been given the opportunity to be heard.

He is also not aware of any specific violation that he had committed.

Zaid said this at a Press conference at the Tropicana Club in Petaling Jaya.

(*Zaid resigned as Minister in the PM's Department and senator on Sept 17 after he disagreed with the government’s decision to detain a journalist, a blogger and a Pakatan Member of Parliament under the Internal Security Act (ISA).)

Mumbai Terror : Searching For Answers & Pointing Fingers

As Indian security officials investigate the attack on Mumbai, India has already blamed "some elements in Pakistan" for the massacre that left some 174 people dead.

India said the 10 militants who rampaged through its financial capital were not only from Pakistan but were also controlled from within that country.

India has blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, who oppose Indian rule in Kashmir, for the attacks.

If Pakistan fails to act swiftly against those responsible, India has threatened to pull out of a nearly five-year-old peace process between the nuclear rivals.

Islamad has denied that"Pakistani elements" were behind the violence and has called on India to share evidence.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi avered:
"Our hands are clean, we have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of because this government feels that good neighbourly relations with India are in the interests of Pakistan."

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari told CNN that he had been given no tangible proof that the surviving gunman was a Pakistani, and that he doubted the Indian claim.

Naturally such suggestions and accusations are threatening to further escalate the already tense relations between the two countries.

And with this latest terror attacks, the US-initiated and sponsored war on terror must be stepped up, for sure.