Showing posts with label Melayu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Melayu. Show all posts
Suara NGO bangang
'Mohammad Nizar angkuh tolak kerjasama Umno, Pas'
NGO anggap pembangkang sanggup gadai maruah Melayu, Islam
Berita Harian Online (21/4/09): Pelbagai pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) menyifatkan kenyataan bekas Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin bahawa Pas tidak akan bekerjasama dengan Umno sebagai bukti parti itu sanggup mempertikaikan kedudukan orang Melayu dan agama Islam.
Mereka juga berpendapat, kenyataan Mohammad Nizar yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang itu mencerminkan keangkuhannya dan sikap sebenar Pas yang tidak berminat berjuang untuk menegakkan perpaduan atau syiar Islam.
Pengerusi Pertubuhan Pergerakan Perpaduan Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, berkata kenyataan Mohammad Nizar bukan saja menggambarkan kesombongan dan keangkuhan, malah beliau rela diperkudakan oleh DAP yang sentiasa mencari jalan untuk meneruskan agenda mereka.
"Mohammad Nizar menjadi mikrofon suara kepada DAP sedangkan parti itu mengamalkan pendekatan 'baling batu sembunyi tangan' namun saya sentiasa yakin jalan menyelamatkan orang Melayu adalah menerusi permuafakatan Umno dan Pas di meja rundingan," katanya ketika dihubungi, di sini, semalam.
Akhbar semalam melaporkan kenyataan Mohammad Nizar bahawa Pas tidak akan bekerjasama dengan Umno walaupun untuk kestabilan politik di Perak, sebaliknya meminta Sultan Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah membubarkan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN).
Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), Datuk Ibrahim Ali, berkata beliau yakin keangkuhan Mohammad Nizar yang juga Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Pas Perak itu akan sampai ke peringkat rakyat benci pada Pakatan Rakyat walaupun ketika ini ada yang menyokong tindakan itu.
Ketua Umum Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar, berkata kenyataan itu menggambarkan bahawa Mohammad Nizar seorang pemimpin yang emosional sehingga mengeluarkan kenyataan bersifat peribadi.
Malah, katanya kenyataan itu mungkin tidak mewakili keseluruhan pemimpin Pas, terutama pada peringkat jawatankuasa perhubungan negeri dan pucuk pimpinan parti termasuk Presidennya, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan Mursyidul Am Pas, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Bagaimanapun, Presiden Pertubuhan Profesional dan Pewaris Bangsa (Prowaris), Feriz Omar, berkata beliau melihat kenyataan Mohammad Nizar itu mungkin sebagai pintu kejayaan mencari titik pertemuan antara Umno dan Pas.
Katanya, semua pihak perlu duduk semeja untuk merungkai apakah alasan pemimpin Pas terbabit membuat kenyataan seumpama itu kerana ia dilihat lebih baik berbanding jika tiada kenyataan dibuat.
NGO anggap pembangkang sanggup gadai maruah Melayu, Islam
Berita Harian Online (21/4/09): Pelbagai pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) menyifatkan kenyataan bekas Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin bahawa Pas tidak akan bekerjasama dengan Umno sebagai bukti parti itu sanggup mempertikaikan kedudukan orang Melayu dan agama Islam.
Mereka juga berpendapat, kenyataan Mohammad Nizar yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang itu mencerminkan keangkuhannya dan sikap sebenar Pas yang tidak berminat berjuang untuk menegakkan perpaduan atau syiar Islam.
Pengerusi Pertubuhan Pergerakan Perpaduan Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, berkata kenyataan Mohammad Nizar bukan saja menggambarkan kesombongan dan keangkuhan, malah beliau rela diperkudakan oleh DAP yang sentiasa mencari jalan untuk meneruskan agenda mereka.
"Mohammad Nizar menjadi mikrofon suara kepada DAP sedangkan parti itu mengamalkan pendekatan 'baling batu sembunyi tangan' namun saya sentiasa yakin jalan menyelamatkan orang Melayu adalah menerusi permuafakatan Umno dan Pas di meja rundingan," katanya ketika dihubungi, di sini, semalam.
Akhbar semalam melaporkan kenyataan Mohammad Nizar bahawa Pas tidak akan bekerjasama dengan Umno walaupun untuk kestabilan politik di Perak, sebaliknya meminta Sultan Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah membubarkan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN).
Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), Datuk Ibrahim Ali, berkata beliau yakin keangkuhan Mohammad Nizar yang juga Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Pas Perak itu akan sampai ke peringkat rakyat benci pada Pakatan Rakyat walaupun ketika ini ada yang menyokong tindakan itu.
Ketua Umum Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar, berkata kenyataan itu menggambarkan bahawa Mohammad Nizar seorang pemimpin yang emosional sehingga mengeluarkan kenyataan bersifat peribadi.
Malah, katanya kenyataan itu mungkin tidak mewakili keseluruhan pemimpin Pas, terutama pada peringkat jawatankuasa perhubungan negeri dan pucuk pimpinan parti termasuk Presidennya, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan Mursyidul Am Pas, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Bagaimanapun, Presiden Pertubuhan Profesional dan Pewaris Bangsa (Prowaris), Feriz Omar, berkata beliau melihat kenyataan Mohammad Nizar itu mungkin sebagai pintu kejayaan mencari titik pertemuan antara Umno dan Pas.
Katanya, semua pihak perlu duduk semeja untuk merungkai apakah alasan pemimpin Pas terbabit membuat kenyataan seumpama itu kerana ia dilihat lebih baik berbanding jika tiada kenyataan dibuat.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
KL to relax Pro-Malay policies
Changes likely to be unveiled in second stimulus package, says Muhyiddin
The Straits Times Singapore (24/2/09): Malaysia will relax some of its pro-Malay economic policies as part of a major stimulus package to keep the economy from faltering further, Minister of International Trade and Industry Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday.
This is likely to be announced in the second package on March10, that will be bigger than the RM7 billion (S$2.9 billion) one unveiled last November.
Analysts have suggested that it could be between RM10 billion and RM15 billion.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin declined to give details but said the Cabinet has agreed to liberalise the rules for foreign investment, including the bumiputera equity requirements. 'It has been agreed upon by the Cabinet, and would be announced soon. Even in the FIC (Foreign Investment Committee) where one of the important components is the bumiputera equity. That is also being looked at, and there will be a slight change,' he told reporters. The services sector would also be liberalised.
The local media had reported that the government was likely to scrap the guidelines for the retail sector, with the exception of hypermarkets.
Under the guidelines, retailers and restaurants were required to have 30 per cent bumiputera equity participation if they had more than 15 per cent foreign shareholding. They were also required to have boards, management and staff reflecting the demographics of Malaysia. It had never been fully implemented.
Certain aspects of the controversial pro-Malay policy had already been relaxed, notably in the manufacturing sector where foreigners can have full ownership. The main remaining quota is the 30 per cent Malay equity ownership for public-listed companies. This was relaxed a little last year, with the quota now implemented only for new listings.
Mr Muhyiddin defended the 40-year-old policy as having been 'one of the best' for Malaysia's needs, but acknowledged its flaws in implementation.
He said it was being liberalised gradually but will not be lifted fully until Malaysia was ready for it. However, he said once it was rolled back, it would not be reimposed.
In general, the policy assists the majority Malay community in the economic sector through share quotas, soft loans and preference for government tenders. It also gives them a helping hand in educational opportunities.
The Straits Times Singapore (24/2/09): Malaysia will relax some of its pro-Malay economic policies as part of a major stimulus package to keep the economy from faltering further, Minister of International Trade and Industry Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday.
This is likely to be announced in the second package on March10, that will be bigger than the RM7 billion (S$2.9 billion) one unveiled last November.
Analysts have suggested that it could be between RM10 billion and RM15 billion.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin declined to give details but said the Cabinet has agreed to liberalise the rules for foreign investment, including the bumiputera equity requirements. 'It has been agreed upon by the Cabinet, and would be announced soon. Even in the FIC (Foreign Investment Committee) where one of the important components is the bumiputera equity. That is also being looked at, and there will be a slight change,' he told reporters. The services sector would also be liberalised.
The local media had reported that the government was likely to scrap the guidelines for the retail sector, with the exception of hypermarkets.
Under the guidelines, retailers and restaurants were required to have 30 per cent bumiputera equity participation if they had more than 15 per cent foreign shareholding. They were also required to have boards, management and staff reflecting the demographics of Malaysia. It had never been fully implemented.
Certain aspects of the controversial pro-Malay policy had already been relaxed, notably in the manufacturing sector where foreigners can have full ownership. The main remaining quota is the 30 per cent Malay equity ownership for public-listed companies. This was relaxed a little last year, with the quota now implemented only for new listings.
Mr Muhyiddin defended the 40-year-old policy as having been 'one of the best' for Malaysia's needs, but acknowledged its flaws in implementation.
He said it was being liberalised gradually but will not be lifted fully until Malaysia was ready for it. However, he said once it was rolled back, it would not be reimposed.
In general, the policy assists the majority Malay community in the economic sector through share quotas, soft loans and preference for government tenders. It also gives them a helping hand in educational opportunities.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
PAS claims victory
Singapore Straits Times (17/1/08): Malaysia's opposition on Saturday snatched a parliamentary seat from the beleaguered coalition government, in a by-election seen as a test of the nation's political mood.
The opposition alliance said the victory in northeastern Terengganu state was a huge boost to its campaign to seize power after it won a third of parliamentary seats and five states in landmark general elections last year.
'Yes we have won,' said Mr Husam Musa, vice-president of the conservative Islamic PAS party, which fielded the winning candidate on behalf of the three-party opposition alliance headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Mr Husam said Umno, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition and has run Malaysia for half a century, had lost the support of Muslim Malay voters as well as the ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
'This shows a loss of confidence of majority (Malay) voters towards UMNO, and it also represents the national mood which is to reject Umno,' he told AFP.
The official tally showed that PAS had won with a majority of 2,631, claiming 32,883 votes against 30,252 for the government which last won the seat in the state capital Kuala Terengganu with a slim majority.
'I thank the voters for giving me their trust. I will do my best,' said the victorious PAS candidate, Mohammad Abdul Wahid Endut.
Ms Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at the US-based Johns Hopkins University, who observed the by-election, said the 'decisive' victory spelt trouble for the government as it prepares for a leadership transition.
Deputy premier Najib Razak is due this March to replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was a casualty of the March 2008 general elections that produced the worst results in Umno's history.
'This is going to call into question Mr Najib's rise to the prime minister's position. There will be those who will question whether he can deliver effectively,' she said.
Mr Najib personally headed the government's campaign in Kuala Terengganu, as well as another failed by-election last year which saw Anwar returned to parliament after a decade-long absence.
'Of course, this is a setback for us... We will not be disheartened by the result,' Mr Najib told a press conference, rejecting the suggestion that the outcome reflected badly on him.
'It's nothing to do with that,' he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition said its performance showed it is a working alliance despite being an unlikely partnership of PAS, Mr Anwar's multiracial Keadilan, and the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party.
'The two factors that contributed to our success are the combined efforts of all alliance partners and the credibility of the PAS candidate,' said Mustapha Ali, head of PAS in Terengganu.
'The support by Malays for Umno is diminishing now.' An opinion poll by the Merdeka Centre research firm last week indicated that support among majority Muslim Malays was split and that the votes of the ethnic Chinese who make up 11.6 per cent of the electorate could be decisive.
But Ms Welsh said that figures showed the victory had come from a shift in the Malay vote away from the government - highly significant for Umno which has counted on the majority community as its bedrock. - AFP
The opposition alliance said the victory in northeastern Terengganu state was a huge boost to its campaign to seize power after it won a third of parliamentary seats and five states in landmark general elections last year.
'Yes we have won,' said Mr Husam Musa, vice-president of the conservative Islamic PAS party, which fielded the winning candidate on behalf of the three-party opposition alliance headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Mr Husam said Umno, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition and has run Malaysia for half a century, had lost the support of Muslim Malay voters as well as the ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
'This shows a loss of confidence of majority (Malay) voters towards UMNO, and it also represents the national mood which is to reject Umno,' he told AFP.
The official tally showed that PAS had won with a majority of 2,631, claiming 32,883 votes against 30,252 for the government which last won the seat in the state capital Kuala Terengganu with a slim majority.
'I thank the voters for giving me their trust. I will do my best,' said the victorious PAS candidate, Mohammad Abdul Wahid Endut.
Ms Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at the US-based Johns Hopkins University, who observed the by-election, said the 'decisive' victory spelt trouble for the government as it prepares for a leadership transition.
Deputy premier Najib Razak is due this March to replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was a casualty of the March 2008 general elections that produced the worst results in Umno's history.
'This is going to call into question Mr Najib's rise to the prime minister's position. There will be those who will question whether he can deliver effectively,' she said.
Mr Najib personally headed the government's campaign in Kuala Terengganu, as well as another failed by-election last year which saw Anwar returned to parliament after a decade-long absence.
'Of course, this is a setback for us... We will not be disheartened by the result,' Mr Najib told a press conference, rejecting the suggestion that the outcome reflected badly on him.
'It's nothing to do with that,' he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition said its performance showed it is a working alliance despite being an unlikely partnership of PAS, Mr Anwar's multiracial Keadilan, and the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party.
'The two factors that contributed to our success are the combined efforts of all alliance partners and the credibility of the PAS candidate,' said Mustapha Ali, head of PAS in Terengganu.
'The support by Malays for Umno is diminishing now.' An opinion poll by the Merdeka Centre research firm last week indicated that support among majority Muslim Malays was split and that the votes of the ethnic Chinese who make up 11.6 per cent of the electorate could be decisive.
But Ms Welsh said that figures showed the victory had come from a shift in the Malay vote away from the government - highly significant for Umno which has counted on the majority community as its bedrock. - AFP
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Artis Malaysia terasa seperti ditampar anugerah Datuk Melaka
Harakah (13/10/08): Walaupun Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman) menyifatkan artis Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) menghina rakyat Malaysia kerana tidak hadir menerima anugerah Datuk dari kerajaan Melaka, tetapi persoalan berbangkit siapakah sebenarnya yang menghina?
Malah, ada di antara artis Malaysia yang menyifatkan anugerah itu seperti menampar mereka.
"Sabtu lalu, dia (SRK) juga tidak menghadiri upacara tersebut dan kami rasa seperti satu penghinaan kepada rakyat Malaysia," mStar memetik Presiden Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman), Datuk Mustapha Maarof dalam sidang media bantahan Seniman di pejabat Finas, Hulu Kelang,kira-kira pukul 3.30 petang tadi.
Beliau menggesa pihak kerajaan negeri membuat penilaian yang sebaik mungkin apabila mengurniakan sesuatu anugerah kepada mana-mana artis.
Bantahan tersebut dibuat mewakili artis tanahair terhadap penganugerahan Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) yang membawa gelaran Datuk kepada SRK sempena ulangtahun ke-70 Hari Jadi Yang DiPertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd. Khalil Yaakob Sabtu lalu.
"Ini hak mereka, kami tak larang mereka untuk beri anugerah itu, tapi kami harap ia diberi penilaian sebaik mungkin agar anugerah itu dihormati".
Bagaimanapun, Mustapha berpendapat pihak kerajaan negeri patut bertanya kepada pihak yang bersesuaian seperti Finas mengenai kelayakan untuk memberikan anugerah kepada seseorang selebriti.
"Kami bukanlah terdesak dengan kementerian dan kerajaan negeri, tapi kami harapkan keadilan," katanya.
Beliau turut menyuarakan nama artis lain yang lebih layak menerima anugerah seperti Azean Irdawaty, M. Nasir, Kuswadinata dan Ruminah Sidek atas sumbangan mereka kepada industri filem dan seni tanahair.
"Ikutkan, anak seni dan karyawan belakang kamera juga mempromosi bukan sahaja Melaka malah negara kita tetapi kenapa mereka tidak diberi perhatian.
"Kita harap mereka yang berjaya juga mendapat anugerah itu," ulasnya dalam sidang media yang turut dihadiri oleh kira-kira 20 orang artis itu.
Antaranya adalah Harun Salim Bachik, Ahmad Idham, Datuk Aziz Sattar, Jalil Hamid, Arash Mohamad, Rahim Jailani, Mas Omar, Zulkifli Zain, Normala Omar, Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan dan Rusdi Ramli.
Menurutnya, Seniman akan menyerahkan surat bantahan kepada Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan (KPKKW) pada pukul 4 petang esok.
Dalam pada itu, pengarah filem pecah panggung Jangan Pandang Belakang Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri menambah, berita tersebut memberikan tamparan hebat kepadanya.
"Apabila saya melihat akhbar pagi Sabtu yang lalu, saya rasa macam kena tampar, apa ini?
"Saya macam badut atau kita macam main-main dalam industri hiburan ini? Kita selalu meuar-uarkan tema 'Filem Kita Wajah Kita'. Kalau nak kata bawa filem ke luar negara, filem saya pun bersepah dibawa ke luar negara.
"Apa yang saya tahu, belum pernah lagi artis yang berhak menentukan lokasi pengambaran filem atau drama," tegasnya.
Sementara itu, pelakon Arash Mohamad pula berpendapat alasan kerajaan negeri Melaka mengurniakan gelaran Datuk kepada SRK kerana mempromosikan A' Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah melalui filem One Two Ka Four adalah tidak munasabah.
"Memanglah orang yang menonton filem tersebut mengenali Melaka, tetapi persoalannya adakah mereka datang ke negeri tersebut?
"Alasan itu membuatkan kami kecil hati. Kami bukan cemburu sebab tak dapat anugerah itu tetapi apa revelannya memberi kepada dia?," luah Arash yang dikenali menerusi drama tempatan seperti siri Masih Ada Cinta dan Badai Metropolis.
SRK yang dilahirkan di New Delhi pada November 1965, adalah antara 758 penerima anugerah darjah, tauliah, bintang dan pingat kebesaran negeri Melaka tahun ini. Tarikh penyampaian anugerah kepadanya belum ditetapkan lagi.
Sabtu lalu, Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam berkata penganugerahan DMSM kepada SRK adalah pelaburan yang mendatangkan banyak keuntungan balik kepada Melaka dari segi promosi secara percuma tanpa melibatkan wang.
Malah, ada di antara artis Malaysia yang menyifatkan anugerah itu seperti menampar mereka.
"Sabtu lalu, dia (SRK) juga tidak menghadiri upacara tersebut dan kami rasa seperti satu penghinaan kepada rakyat Malaysia," mStar memetik Presiden Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman), Datuk Mustapha Maarof dalam sidang media bantahan Seniman di pejabat Finas, Hulu Kelang,kira-kira pukul 3.30 petang tadi.
Beliau menggesa pihak kerajaan negeri membuat penilaian yang sebaik mungkin apabila mengurniakan sesuatu anugerah kepada mana-mana artis.
Bantahan tersebut dibuat mewakili artis tanahair terhadap penganugerahan Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) yang membawa gelaran Datuk kepada SRK sempena ulangtahun ke-70 Hari Jadi Yang DiPertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd. Khalil Yaakob Sabtu lalu.
"Ini hak mereka, kami tak larang mereka untuk beri anugerah itu, tapi kami harap ia diberi penilaian sebaik mungkin agar anugerah itu dihormati".
Bagaimanapun, Mustapha berpendapat pihak kerajaan negeri patut bertanya kepada pihak yang bersesuaian seperti Finas mengenai kelayakan untuk memberikan anugerah kepada seseorang selebriti.
"Kami bukanlah terdesak dengan kementerian dan kerajaan negeri, tapi kami harapkan keadilan," katanya.
Beliau turut menyuarakan nama artis lain yang lebih layak menerima anugerah seperti Azean Irdawaty, M. Nasir, Kuswadinata dan Ruminah Sidek atas sumbangan mereka kepada industri filem dan seni tanahair.
"Ikutkan, anak seni dan karyawan belakang kamera juga mempromosi bukan sahaja Melaka malah negara kita tetapi kenapa mereka tidak diberi perhatian.
"Kita harap mereka yang berjaya juga mendapat anugerah itu," ulasnya dalam sidang media yang turut dihadiri oleh kira-kira 20 orang artis itu.
Antaranya adalah Harun Salim Bachik, Ahmad Idham, Datuk Aziz Sattar, Jalil Hamid, Arash Mohamad, Rahim Jailani, Mas Omar, Zulkifli Zain, Normala Omar, Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan dan Rusdi Ramli.
Menurutnya, Seniman akan menyerahkan surat bantahan kepada Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan (KPKKW) pada pukul 4 petang esok.
Dalam pada itu, pengarah filem pecah panggung Jangan Pandang Belakang Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri menambah, berita tersebut memberikan tamparan hebat kepadanya.
"Apabila saya melihat akhbar pagi Sabtu yang lalu, saya rasa macam kena tampar, apa ini?
"Saya macam badut atau kita macam main-main dalam industri hiburan ini? Kita selalu meuar-uarkan tema 'Filem Kita Wajah Kita'. Kalau nak kata bawa filem ke luar negara, filem saya pun bersepah dibawa ke luar negara.
"Apa yang saya tahu, belum pernah lagi artis yang berhak menentukan lokasi pengambaran filem atau drama," tegasnya.
Sementara itu, pelakon Arash Mohamad pula berpendapat alasan kerajaan negeri Melaka mengurniakan gelaran Datuk kepada SRK kerana mempromosikan A' Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah melalui filem One Two Ka Four adalah tidak munasabah.
"Memanglah orang yang menonton filem tersebut mengenali Melaka, tetapi persoalannya adakah mereka datang ke negeri tersebut?
"Alasan itu membuatkan kami kecil hati. Kami bukan cemburu sebab tak dapat anugerah itu tetapi apa revelannya memberi kepada dia?," luah Arash yang dikenali menerusi drama tempatan seperti siri Masih Ada Cinta dan Badai Metropolis.
SRK yang dilahirkan di New Delhi pada November 1965, adalah antara 758 penerima anugerah darjah, tauliah, bintang dan pingat kebesaran negeri Melaka tahun ini. Tarikh penyampaian anugerah kepadanya belum ditetapkan lagi.
Sabtu lalu, Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam berkata penganugerahan DMSM kepada SRK adalah pelaburan yang mendatangkan banyak keuntungan balik kepada Melaka dari segi promosi secara percuma tanpa melibatkan wang.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Majoriti Melayu dan rakyat tolak ISA
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Sept (Hrkh) - Ketika para pemimpin Umno tidak putus-putus dengan dakwaan kononnya penggunaan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) direstui oleh majoriti senyap atau silent majority, tinjauan pendapat yang dibuat oleh Merdeka Centre membuktikan sebalikinya.
Sejak kebelakangan ini, beberapa kenyataan pemimpin Umno juga seolah-olah mahu memberi gambaran penggunaan ISA direstui oleh orang-orang Melayu.
Bertentangan dengan gambaran yang cuba diberikan oleh para pemimpin Umno itu, tinjauan yang dibuat oleh Merdeka Centre itu dengan jelas membuktikan bahawa majoriti orang-orang Melayu dan rakyat Malaysia tidak percaya ISA perlu digunakan untuk memelihara keselamatan negara.
Dalam tinjauan mengenai ISA itu, 3,600 orang telah diminta pendapat mereka. Dari jumlah itu, 49 peratus darinya adalah orang-orang Melayu, 31 peratus Cina, lapan peratus India, enam peratus bumiputera Sabah dan enam peratus bumiputera Sarawak.
70 peratus dari mereka tidak bersetuju dengan dakwaan kononnya tindakan menangkap dan menahan tanpa bicara perlu dilakukan untuk menjaga keselamatan negara.
Apabila dipecahkan mengikut bangsa, didapati 71 peratus responden Melayu tidak bersetuju ISA digunakan untuk keselamatan negara; Cina 79 peratus, India 90 peratus, bumiputera Sabah 71 peratus dan bumiputera Sarawak 66 peratus.
PM tidak peduli
Tinjauan-tinjauan Merdeka Centre sebelum digunakan oleh para pemimpin Umno sendiri terutama tinjauan yang menyatakan Perdana Menteri mendapat sokongan majoriti Melayu sebelum pilihan raya umum 8 Mac lalu.
Bagaimanapun bulan lalu, apabila ditanya tentang kajian Merdeka Centre yang mendapati popularitinya menurun di bawah paras 50 peratus buat pertama kalinya sejak 2004, Perdana Menteri berkata, beliau tidak peduli dengan hasil kajian itu.
Melaporkan secara detail dalam blognya (kuda-kepang.blogspot.com), blogger Umnno, Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad mendedahkan bahawa tinjauan Merdeka Centre mendapati hanya tujuh peratus responden berpuas hati dengan cara Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi melaksanakan tugasnya sebagai Perdana Menteri.
Bekas Ahli Parlimen Parit Sulong itu seterusnya mendedahkan, 35 peratus agak berpuas hati, 17 peratus sangat tidak berpuas hati, dan 37 peratus pula agak kurang berpuas hati.
Beliau juga mendedahkan, hanya 10 peratus responden amat berpuas hati bahawa Umno memperjuangkan aspirasi dan kehendak rakyat berbanding 25 peratus yang amat tidak berpuas hati.
Responden yang agak berpuas hati adalah 26 peratus tetapi yang agak tidak berpuas hati adalah 33 peratus.
Mengenai kerajaan pusat di bawah Barisan Nasional (BN), katanya, lapan peratus responden berpuas hati berbanding 16 peratus yang sangat tidak berpuas hati. Mereka yang agak berpuas hati adalah 36 peratus dan yang agak tidak berpuas hati adalah 38 peratus.
Merosot mendadak
Rasa puas hati rakyat jelata terhadap perkembangan semasa ini, katanya, merosot secara mendadak daripada 71 peratus pada tempoh 29 Februari - 4 Mac 2008 (sebelum PRU12), kepada 68 peratus bagi tempoh 5 Mac - 7 Mac 2008 (menjelang hari pembuangan undi PRU12), 44 peratus bagi tempoh 30 April - 5 Mei 2008 (selepas PRU12), dan 28 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008.
Kemerosotan ini banyak dipengaruhi oleh faktor ekonomi (59 peratus), jenayah dan keselamatan awam (25 peratus), rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa (15 peratus) dan faktor politik (10 peratus).
Mengenai ekonomi, 24 peratus responden menyatakan pada tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008 bahawa ekonomi Negara adalah favourable. Angka ini menurun daripada 59 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008.
Mengenai kedudukan ekonomi negara mutakhir ini berbanding tiga tahun lalu, hanya 19 peratus responden mengatakan ianya favourable berbanding 51 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008.
Kemerosotan keyakinan responden terhadap hakikat di atas adalah berasaskan pandangan mereka yang tidak favourable mengenai pendapatan peribadi (60 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 34 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), kos harga barang dan perkhidmatan (24 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 merosot kepada 8 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), peluang pekerjaan (merosot daripada 50 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 29 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), dan peluang perniagaan (merosot daripada 49 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 33 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008).
Sejak kebelakangan ini, beberapa kenyataan pemimpin Umno juga seolah-olah mahu memberi gambaran penggunaan ISA direstui oleh orang-orang Melayu.
Bertentangan dengan gambaran yang cuba diberikan oleh para pemimpin Umno itu, tinjauan yang dibuat oleh Merdeka Centre itu dengan jelas membuktikan bahawa majoriti orang-orang Melayu dan rakyat Malaysia tidak percaya ISA perlu digunakan untuk memelihara keselamatan negara.
Dalam tinjauan mengenai ISA itu, 3,600 orang telah diminta pendapat mereka. Dari jumlah itu, 49 peratus darinya adalah orang-orang Melayu, 31 peratus Cina, lapan peratus India, enam peratus bumiputera Sabah dan enam peratus bumiputera Sarawak.
70 peratus dari mereka tidak bersetuju dengan dakwaan kononnya tindakan menangkap dan menahan tanpa bicara perlu dilakukan untuk menjaga keselamatan negara.
Apabila dipecahkan mengikut bangsa, didapati 71 peratus responden Melayu tidak bersetuju ISA digunakan untuk keselamatan negara; Cina 79 peratus, India 90 peratus, bumiputera Sabah 71 peratus dan bumiputera Sarawak 66 peratus.
PM tidak peduli
Tinjauan-tinjauan Merdeka Centre sebelum digunakan oleh para pemimpin Umno sendiri terutama tinjauan yang menyatakan Perdana Menteri mendapat sokongan majoriti Melayu sebelum pilihan raya umum 8 Mac lalu.
Bagaimanapun bulan lalu, apabila ditanya tentang kajian Merdeka Centre yang mendapati popularitinya menurun di bawah paras 50 peratus buat pertama kalinya sejak 2004, Perdana Menteri berkata, beliau tidak peduli dengan hasil kajian itu.
Melaporkan secara detail dalam blognya (kuda-kepang.blogspot.com), blogger Umnno, Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad mendedahkan bahawa tinjauan Merdeka Centre mendapati hanya tujuh peratus responden berpuas hati dengan cara Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi melaksanakan tugasnya sebagai Perdana Menteri.
Bekas Ahli Parlimen Parit Sulong itu seterusnya mendedahkan, 35 peratus agak berpuas hati, 17 peratus sangat tidak berpuas hati, dan 37 peratus pula agak kurang berpuas hati.
Beliau juga mendedahkan, hanya 10 peratus responden amat berpuas hati bahawa Umno memperjuangkan aspirasi dan kehendak rakyat berbanding 25 peratus yang amat tidak berpuas hati.
Responden yang agak berpuas hati adalah 26 peratus tetapi yang agak tidak berpuas hati adalah 33 peratus.
Mengenai kerajaan pusat di bawah Barisan Nasional (BN), katanya, lapan peratus responden berpuas hati berbanding 16 peratus yang sangat tidak berpuas hati. Mereka yang agak berpuas hati adalah 36 peratus dan yang agak tidak berpuas hati adalah 38 peratus.
Merosot mendadak
Rasa puas hati rakyat jelata terhadap perkembangan semasa ini, katanya, merosot secara mendadak daripada 71 peratus pada tempoh 29 Februari - 4 Mac 2008 (sebelum PRU12), kepada 68 peratus bagi tempoh 5 Mac - 7 Mac 2008 (menjelang hari pembuangan undi PRU12), 44 peratus bagi tempoh 30 April - 5 Mei 2008 (selepas PRU12), dan 28 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008.
Kemerosotan ini banyak dipengaruhi oleh faktor ekonomi (59 peratus), jenayah dan keselamatan awam (25 peratus), rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa (15 peratus) dan faktor politik (10 peratus).
Mengenai ekonomi, 24 peratus responden menyatakan pada tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008 bahawa ekonomi Negara adalah favourable. Angka ini menurun daripada 59 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008.
Mengenai kedudukan ekonomi negara mutakhir ini berbanding tiga tahun lalu, hanya 19 peratus responden mengatakan ianya favourable berbanding 51 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008.
Kemerosotan keyakinan responden terhadap hakikat di atas adalah berasaskan pandangan mereka yang tidak favourable mengenai pendapatan peribadi (60 peratus pada tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 34 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), kos harga barang dan perkhidmatan (24 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 merosot kepada 8 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), peluang pekerjaan (merosot daripada 50 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 29 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008), dan peluang perniagaan (merosot daripada 49 peratus bagi tempoh 23 Februari - 27 Februari 2008 kepada 33 peratus bagi tempoh 4 Julai - 14 Julai 2008).
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ISA: Umno, BN mengata sesama sendiri
Wrong use of ISA: De facto law minister
The Star (14/9/08): The Internal Security Act (ISA) should not be used against civilians, de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.Explain arrests, cops told
The Act should only be used against terrorists or those trying to topple the Government by force, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said at a press conference at his home here on Sunday.
He was commenting on the arrests of three people -- Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng -- under the ISA.
Tan has since been released.
“I will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to have a frank discussion about this issue to seek his views as soon as possible,” he told reporters.
“I know I am breaking rank here ... I am prepared to face the consequences. If I am to resign, I will do so.
"I am not a trouble maker and I don't want to cause any trouble for the Prime Minister, but I have my principles and will always be a vocal critic of the use of the ISA," he added.
The Star (14/9/08): The police should explain to the public why they made three recent arrests using the Internal Security Act (ISA).Act cannot be used to ‘protect’ detainee, says Liow
Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said: “I think it’s necessary for them to explain the rationale for those arrests.
“I don’t think it’s suitable for politicians to comment. I would prefer the police to answer,” he said after attending the All Malaysian Solidarity Lantern Carnival here yesterday.
He said this when asked to comment on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s statement that Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was arrested under ISA on Friday for her own safety.
Two others arrested were Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.
Asked if the arrest of Tan, who was released yesterday, would affect the freedom of the press in Malaysia, Shabery replied that Malaysia always had press freedom.
“Everyone can do these things freely. The action taken was not because of the press, but because there have been things which were thought to threaten the safety or harmony between the different communities,” he said.
In Kota Baru, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said those detained on Friday had themselves to blame because they chose to ignore racial and religious sensitivities of the country.
Dr Ahmad, a former ISA detainee himself, now defends the Act in the context of a greater good, as he now realised the benefits of the Act which allows detention without trial for a stipulated period.
He also lambasted those who wanted to use religious principles to justify whether the ISA was Islamic or not, adding that they must differentiate between what was criminal, civil and syariah laws.
He assured the families of those detained now that the safety of their loved ones was of utmost priority to the Government.
The Star (14/9/08): The Internal Security Act 1960 should never be used for protecting a person, MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said.MCA leaders protest trio's ISA detention
He said if Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng’s safety was threatened as claimed, the police should have given her special protection and not arrested her under the ISA.
“It is not a clever excuse,” he said in a statement.
He was commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s explanation that Tan was arrested under Section 73(1) of the Act because her safety was under threat.
Tan was arrested on Friday evening.
The wing’s secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong said there was no justification for Tan’s detention.
“We are disappointed as the person who made the remark was not arrested but the person who reported the matter was arrested,” he said after meeting the Perak MCA Youth members here yesterday.
Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the party has been pressing for a review of the ISA to check abuses and confusion.
“The ISA must be used only for national security with the confidence of all Malaysians. But, if the ISA is seen to create a lack of confidence and confusion among Malaysians, then the Government must review it,” she said after attending a Seberang Prai MCA delegates conference in Bukit Tengah in Butterworth yesterday.
MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the country did not need to resort to the ISA to detain Kok and Raja Petra. He said the country had sufficient legal means to maintain law and order without having to use the ISA.
“If they had carried out any misdeeds that infringed any laws, they should be prosecuted in the court of law.
“This logic applies to all Malaysians, irrespective of race, creed and religion,” he said in a posting on his blog (www.ongteekeat.net) yesterday.
Penang MCA deputy chief Lau Chiek Tuan said the MCA would “protest loudly” over Tan’s arrest.
Former vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said MCA ministers must bring up the matter in Cabinet to show that MCA was concerned with what had happened to Tan.
Former party vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng said he was dismayed at Tan’s arrest since she “did the nation a favour by exposing racism.”
NST (14/9/08): Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said yesterday journalists, especially, should not be detained under the ISA.MCA: Don’t use ISA on newsmen
Its vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the country has sufficient legal means to maintain law and order and does not need to resort to the ISA.
"If they had perpetrated any misdeeds or infringed any laws, then they should be prosecuted in a court of law.
"This logic applies to all Malaysians, irrespective of race, creed and religion," he said on his blog, referring to the detention of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
However, Tan was released from detention less than 24 hours after she was picked up from her home by a group of 10 police officers on Friday night.
MCA Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the government must respond to public demands for a review and possible abolition of the ISA, which she said was open to "improper implementation".
"Malaysia is a government by the people for the people. Therefore, we should listen."
However, Dr Ng called for calm and wisdom, stressing that Malaysians must not allow the seeds of anger and disappointment to enable opportunists to create national unrest.
MCA Youth secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong questioned the rationale for arresting the journalist when the "individual who uttered the racist remarks" had not been picked up.
"The incident has a big implication on the community as we want to maintain peace and harmony in the country."
Meanwhile, DAP chairman Karpal Singh said police should not have used the ISA on the trio and action could have been taken against them according to other laws. Raja Petra could be prosecuted under the Sedition Act, Teresa Kok could be charged under the Penal Code and Tan Hoon Cheng could be prosecuted under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
The Star (14/9/08): The MCA is against the use of Internal Security Act (ISA) on any journalist.Koh: Amend or abolish ISA
Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said journalists were just carrying out their duties and should not be detained under the Act.
While welcoming the release of Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, Ong said the party could not accept what had occurred as it felt it was inappropriate for the ISA to be used on any journalists.
“Journalists are merely reporting the news.
“They should not be detained under ISA for carrying out their duties,” he told a press conference after opening the Perak MCA convention at Syuen Hotel here yesterday.
After learning of the arrest of the Sin Chew reporter, Ong said he had immediately discussed the matter with the party leadership.
He then conveyed the public and party’s views and feelings to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“The party leaders told me that I have their backing and they were with me.
“We have principles and we are standing by them. We are drawing a clear line that the MCA is against the use of ISA on any journalist, more so in this case,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Ong called on members to give their unwavering support to the party’s new leadership which would be elected next month.
Urging members not to be demoralised by the results of the recent general election, Ong said what was important was for members to stay united.
“Everyone should be selfless and put the party above themselves,” he added.
MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said MCA had voiced the concerns and frustration of the people over the use of the ISA on Tan for the sake of the country.
“We are not trying to put the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Umno in a difficult position.
“We are staying under the same roof of Barisan,” he said in his opening speech at the convention.
He said the party was voicing out the truth and no one should question its sincerity over the matter.
Ka Chuan, who is Perak MCA chairman, stressed that it was important for the Barisan component parties to stay united.
“The Pakatan Rakyat’s plan to take over the Government on Sept 16 is merely a lie.
“But if the Barisan itself keeps creating issues and problems, the collation will collapse by itself,” he said.
NST (14/9/08): He said the act painted a negative perception of the country to the outside world, adding that it was also irrelevant, considering the country had a sound judicial system.Koh: Enough laws to safeguard security
"It is time the government looks at this act. Gerakan urges the government to abolish the ISA," he said after opening the state Gerakan convention here.
"There is no reason why anyone should be subject to the provisions of this act, which simply means detention without trial, when the authorities can use the judicial system instead."
Koh said the judicial system was far more transparent from the legal and social aspects compared with the ISA.
"When you detain someone under the ISA, it gives room for people to draw all kinds of conclusions and provides room for manipulation.
"Gerakan is against taking action against the press as this is against the freedom of expression which is provided for under the Federal Constitution."
Referring to former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail, Koh said it was ironic that the "man who burnt down the house was still free, while the person who cried fire" had been detained.
"The minute we heard about the reporter's detention, I called the prime minister and his deputy to express Gerakan's disappointment."
Koh said Gerakan was also against the detention of Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
"If they have done anything wrong, use the legal system to seek justice. Give the alleged wrongdoers a trial and if they are found guilty, punish them."
Earlier, he said Gerakan was reevaluating its role in the present and future politics of the country.
On whether there were plans for the party to leave Barisan Nasional, he said the matter would be discussed in detail. He said what was important now was for all parties to strengthen multiracialism in the country and not harp on racial issues.
The Star (14/9/08): Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was among several Barisan Nasional leaders who have urged the Government to review the Internal Security Act as it was no longer relevant.Opposition slams ‘ridiculous’ reason for using ISA
Dr Koh said he did not understand why the ISA needed to be invoked, noting that there were many laws to ensure that the nation’s security was not compromised.
“It is better to let the courts decide if a person was guilty of an offence he was accused of rather than detaining him without trial,” he told reporters after opening the state Gerakan’s 33rd assembly in Seremban yesterday.
He was commenting on the detention of Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Selangor senior executive councillor and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under the ISA on Friday. Tan was released yesterday.
Thanking the Government for the release of Tan, Dr Koh said the authorities should also immediately release Kok and Raja Petra. MIC president Datuk Seri Samy Vellu said he had appealed to the Prime Minister to release Tan, adding: “By releasing her, certain elements wil not blame the Government for curtailing press freedom. She is only a young reporter who reported what was said.”
The Star (14/9/08): Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s statement that Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng had been arrested “to ensure her safety” was “downright ridiculous”.Malaysia criticized for 'ridiculous' arrests
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Parliament had to meet to amend the Internal Security Act (ISA) to provide for such a “new provision to protect the safety of reporters”.
“If not, that is not the purpose of the ISA,” he said.
He added that there had been no basis for Tan’s detention, and that the other two detainees – Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok – should be “released immediately and unconditionally.”
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also present at the press conference, stated that the Home Minister “cannot protect Malaysians by detaining them.”
He also said the DAP was very upset with Kok’s arrest as she was “a duly-elected representative, an MP, and a state assemblyman.”
PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar also condemned the arrest of the three individuals under the ISA “in the strongest terms”.
Kok’s lawyer S. Sankara Nair said he was refused permission to see Kok, who has been held at the Wangsa Maju police station since Saturday night.
Sankara said he managed to see Kok from outside the police station gates together with DAP members of Parliament Tan Kok Wai and Gobind Singh Deo. She appeared to be in good spirits despite her arrest.
“She remained cheerful and waved to us from the police station compound,” he said.
Gobind, who is also the party’s legal bureau chairman, said the DAP would submit a habeas corpus application to the court for her release in the next few days.
In Shah Alam, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the arrest of elected representatives under the ISA would not solve problems and would only give the country a bad name.
“On behalf of all the elected representatives, I want to voice our protest over the arrests and hope the Federal Government will release her (Kok) soon,” he told a press conference.
Khalid said Kok had never shown any bias towards any race during state-level discussions and was mature in discussing and seeking solutions to problems faced by the people regardless of their race or religion.
“We (state government) made all our decisions collectively and Teresa (Kok) was part of the discussions which were frank and fruitful.
“This is the first time that an elected representative at the state level has been detained – it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Khalid said the arrests were a political move to scare the people and prevent Pakatan Rakyat’s efforts to topple the Government.
MySinchew (14/9/08): Malaysia's ruling establishment faced fresh criticism Sunday (14 Sept) after claiming that a journalist was detained under a draconian law for her own safety, with even a pro-government newspaper calling the explanation "most ridiculous."‘Reporter’s life was threatened’
Tan Hoon Cheng, a reporter of the Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew, was arrested Friday (12 Sept) under the Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial. She was, however, freed Saturday (13 Sept).
An opposition lawmaker and the editor of a pro-opposition news Web site were also detained under the ISA on Friday, but have not been released.
The action has drawn widespread criticism from opposition politicians, the Bar Council, human rights groups and now even by some in the government-controlled media.
Tan's arrest "will go down in Malaysian history as the most controversial, if not most ridiculous," Wong Chun Wai, the editor of the influential Sunday Star, wrote in a signed opinion piece.
The Star is owned by the Malaysian Chinese Association, the second largest party in the ruling coalition after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's United Malays National Organization party.
Wong's article is in some measure a reflection of the Chinese association's growing unhappiness with UMNO, which controls most power in the country. A wedge was driven between the two last month after Ahmad Ismail, an UMNO politician, described the ethnic Chinese minority as "squatters" and accused them of hungering for power.
Tan was the first journalist to report the comments.
The schism in the ruling coalition comes as it faces the threat of being ousted by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who has capitalized on a deep feeling of discrimination among the minority Chinese and Indians.
On Saturday, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended the three detentions by saying they were necessary to prevent racial conflict. He said Tan, an ethnic Chinese, was arrested because police received information that her life had been threatened.
If that was the case, police should have given her protection instead of arresting her, said Malaysian Chinese Association youth wing chief Liow Tiong Lai.
"It is not a clever excuse," he said in a statement.
"To put it bluntly, the arrest was outrageous and went against the grain of natural justice," Wong wrote.
"In the eyes of the world, we are becoming more like a political basket case each day as old politicians attempt to bring back their outdated tricks," he wrote.
Many Malaysians have also been outraged that Ahmad, the Malay politician, faced no legal action for his allegedly seditious statements. He was suspended from the party for three years.
"There is a sense of injustice and hurt among people that the perpetrator has been let off scot-free while the messenger has been penalized," Wong wrote.
He said Ahmad's racist comments were sufficient to get him charged with sedition or arrested under the ISA.
"But the ISA is a draconian and archaic law. It shouldn't be used even against Ahmad, as this deprives him of the right to defend himself in open courts," he wrote.
In a separate editorial, the newspaper joined opposition parties, lawyers and human rights groups in demanding an end to the Internal Security Act.
The law "is a shameful blot on the country's dignity," it said. By VIJAY JOSHI/ AP)
The Star (14/9/08): Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) because police received information that her life had been threatened, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
“Police wanted to get to the bottom of it,” he said.
However, the minister vehemently denied that he had anything to do with the arrests and detention of Tan and two others — Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Selangor senior executive councillor Teresa Kok — under the ISA on Friday.
Raja Petra was arrested for being a threat to security, peace and public order while Tan was picked up for her report on former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks. Kok was detained over a residents’ petition in Puchong over a mosque.
He said the action was taken by the police themselves based on their assessment of the current situation as they had “strong and good reason” to believe that conflict could happen and public order could be jeopardised.
“The police need not refer to me. It’s their discretion and their assessment of what happened. There has been no malice on their part,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman.
He said he was informed of the police decision on Friday to detain Tan, Raja Petra and Kok but did not interfere with it.
Tan was released yesterday afternoon.
Asked if he thought the police action was justified, Syed Hamid said: “If I start to interfere with the administration of enforcement then it’s difficult.”
“I am a minister. I am a politician. If I start to interfere, then people will say I have a political motive. It will send the wrong signals. I cannot interfere,” he said.
Syed Hamid said there was concern among the public who felt that the race issue might worsen and some people were even stocking up food.
“People may agree or disagree with the police position but they are in the best position to judge,” he said, denying that the ISA arrests had anything to do with the Sept 16 date set by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to take over the government.
He said Tan was the journalist who first reported on the racist comments by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh by-election in which he said the Chinese were squatters in the country and not deserving of equal rights.
This caused a furore among the non-Malays and led to Umno suspending him for three years.
Syed Hamid said the police thought it was best to get first hand information from Tan and thus took her in under the ISA and released her a day later after they got the necessary information.
“I don’t think we are being unfair or mistreated her in any way,” he said when asked if Tan had posed a security threat in any way.
Asked why the police did not just ask Tan to come in for questioning instead of arresting her, Syed Hamid said it was always difficult when police had to deal with reporters.
On Raja Petra, he said the blogger had been given numerous warnings as well as been charged but he continued to create tension.
As for Kok, he said she had questioned the sensitive issues such as the azan (call for prayers for Muslims) and that could cause ill-will and disharmony.
On why Ahmad was not detained for making racist comments, he explained that Umno had already punished him by suspending him for three years and stripping him of his party posts.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Ahmad Ismail blames Koh for tensions
Malaysian Insider (8/9/08): It was supposed to be a press conference for the Bukit Bendera Umno chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail to diffuse the situation.
What happened instead after the press conference was his supporters tore up in anger a picture of former Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and engaged in a shouting match with reporters.
This happened after Ahmad, while defending his position, urged the Barisan Nasional leadership to expel Gerakan from the coalition.
His supporters also engaged in a shouting match with a reporter from an English language daily that reached its lowest point with death threats hurled at her.
Ahmad had been directed by Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to hold a press conference today to try to diffuse the tensions sparked by his controversial remarks during the recent Permatang Pauh by-election campaign in which he referred to the Chinese in Malaysia as "squatters".
He read from a prepared statement, in which he defended his decision not to apologise for his remarks, and repeated his stand that he had been quoted out of context.
Ahmad put the blame for mounting racial tensions squarely on the shoulders of Koh, whom he accused of being a good actor who was instigating the Chinese.
He also attacked the reporter from a Chinese language daily for misreporting his speech.
"I was only mentioning the facts of what was the situation before Merdeka. Nobody can change history," he said.
He said Gerakan leaders were trying to make him a scapegoat, and that Koh was creating a "sandiwara," which caused tensions to rise.
"I have worked with him for the past 18 years. I know him very well. He is a good actor," he said.
He said the patience of Malays had its limits.
"I want to appeal to the Chinese not to become like the Jewish in America. It is not enough they control the economy, now they want political control."
Ahmad only answered one question from the press, before he ended the press conference.
Ahmad's supporters, who were also present during his press conference last Friday, even took down the picture of former Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, from the wall of the conference room.
"One reporter insisted that I answer one more question from her, she was being a little bit rude, so some people got upset, you know how we Malays sometimes get angry with this kind of behaviour," said Ahmad when contacted.
"I was already in the office when they were arguing," he told The Malaysian Insider.
He added that he came out of the office when he heard the commotion to calm down his supporters.
Ahmad, however, said that the supporters ended up tearing the picture of Koh, as the frame was firmly nailed to the wall.
"Nothing serious happened," said Ahmad who reiterated that he was subjected to unfair trial by the media.
However, according to eye witnesses present at the press conference, some of Ahmad's supporters shouted, "sudah lah (enough)" and "bunuh dia (kill her)," at one reporter from an English daily who insisted on asking one more question.
"Of course she got angry as she was just doing her job, and the supporters were trying to intimidate her," said a reporter who was present at the press conference.
The reporter who was verbally abused by the Umno supporters said she would check with her employer on the next course of action.
On Friday, Penang opposition leader and state Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said that one reporter from a Chinese daily should be blamed for twisting Ahmad's words.
"What was written may lead to a racial riot. If such a thing happens, he is the first person that should be shot," said Azhar.
On Saturday, during the state Umno liaison committee meeting chaired by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Ahmad presented his case and explained that his remark was made in a historical context.
Abdullah later said that Ahmad is not a racist although he did not say whether he accepted Ahmad's explanation.
What happened instead after the press conference was his supporters tore up in anger a picture of former Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and engaged in a shouting match with reporters.
This happened after Ahmad, while defending his position, urged the Barisan Nasional leadership to expel Gerakan from the coalition.
His supporters also engaged in a shouting match with a reporter from an English language daily that reached its lowest point with death threats hurled at her.
Ahmad had been directed by Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to hold a press conference today to try to diffuse the tensions sparked by his controversial remarks during the recent Permatang Pauh by-election campaign in which he referred to the Chinese in Malaysia as "squatters".
He read from a prepared statement, in which he defended his decision not to apologise for his remarks, and repeated his stand that he had been quoted out of context.
Ahmad put the blame for mounting racial tensions squarely on the shoulders of Koh, whom he accused of being a good actor who was instigating the Chinese.
He also attacked the reporter from a Chinese language daily for misreporting his speech.
"I was only mentioning the facts of what was the situation before Merdeka. Nobody can change history," he said.
He said Gerakan leaders were trying to make him a scapegoat, and that Koh was creating a "sandiwara," which caused tensions to rise.
"I have worked with him for the past 18 years. I know him very well. He is a good actor," he said.
He said the patience of Malays had its limits.
"I want to appeal to the Chinese not to become like the Jewish in America. It is not enough they control the economy, now they want political control."
Ahmad only answered one question from the press, before he ended the press conference.
Ahmad's supporters, who were also present during his press conference last Friday, even took down the picture of former Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, from the wall of the conference room.
"One reporter insisted that I answer one more question from her, she was being a little bit rude, so some people got upset, you know how we Malays sometimes get angry with this kind of behaviour," said Ahmad when contacted.
"I was already in the office when they were arguing," he told The Malaysian Insider.
He added that he came out of the office when he heard the commotion to calm down his supporters.
Ahmad, however, said that the supporters ended up tearing the picture of Koh, as the frame was firmly nailed to the wall.
"Nothing serious happened," said Ahmad who reiterated that he was subjected to unfair trial by the media.
However, according to eye witnesses present at the press conference, some of Ahmad's supporters shouted, "sudah lah (enough)" and "bunuh dia (kill her)," at one reporter from an English daily who insisted on asking one more question.
"Of course she got angry as she was just doing her job, and the supporters were trying to intimidate her," said a reporter who was present at the press conference.
The reporter who was verbally abused by the Umno supporters said she would check with her employer on the next course of action.
On Friday, Penang opposition leader and state Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said that one reporter from a Chinese daily should be blamed for twisting Ahmad's words.
"What was written may lead to a racial riot. If such a thing happens, he is the first person that should be shot," said Azhar.
On Saturday, during the state Umno liaison committee meeting chaired by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Ahmad presented his case and explained that his remark was made in a historical context.
Abdullah later said that Ahmad is not a racist although he did not say whether he accepted Ahmad's explanation.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Ahmad: Tsu Koon a "great liar"
Penang opposition leader: Reporter should be shot
Umno P Pinang sokong Ahmad (Malaysiakini 5/9/08)Malaysian Insider (5/9/08): Penang opposition leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim, who was at the press conference to show support for Bukit Bendera Umno head Datuk Ahmad Ismail, criticised the reporter from the Chinese newspaper who allegedly twisted Ahmad's words during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.Ahmad: Tsu Koon a "great liar"
However, the state Umno secretary did not name the reporter but claimed that only one Chinese publication reported Ahmad's statement.
"What was written may lead to a racial riot. If such a thing happens, he is the first person that should be shot," he said to loud cheers from Umno supporters who packed the meeting room at Menara Umno here.
Azhar also called on the police to investigate the reporter to find out the truth.
"This issue was blown out of proportion just because of one idiotic reporter. Why should anyone believe him... did he ask Datuk Ahmad for an explanation," he said.
"Did he just write or record the speech? If there is a recording, he should show it to us... this is not a small matter," said the Penaga state assemblyman.
Journalists who were present at the press conference expressed shock with Azhar's comment but vowed not to be intimidated.
"It is a form of intimidation, but the threat will not change the way I do my work," said Low Chia Ming of Malaysiakini's Chinese edition.
Kwong Wah's Ang Yee Shuan also agreed. "I wasn't there at the rally, but I am sure there were other media representatives who can back the report," she told The Malaysian Insider.
Only Chinese newspapers reported Ahmad's remark at the rally on Aug 23 in Kampung Pelet near Bukit Mertajam.
Earlier, Ahmad said the reporter should apologise to every Malay and Muslim in the country for inciting racial hatred.
MySinchew (6/9/08): UMNO Bukit Bendera divisional chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail said he absolutely believed that if Gerakan Rakyat, which had been discarded by the voters of Penang, chose to leave BN, MCA would secure unprecedented victory in the next election.Reporters: He said it
He said, "If Gerakan wants to leave BN, then let it go. Anway, having worked with (Gerakan acting president) Koh Tsu Koon for 18 years, all I can tell you is that he is a great liar!"
Ahmad Ismail made the above statement when asked to comment on the earlier remarks by Koh that if UMNO failed to resolve the pendatang issue, Gerakan would consider pulling out from BN, during a press conference at Menara UMNO in Penang Friday.
MySinchew (6/9/08): Two other reporters covering the event in which UMNO Bukit Bendera divisional chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail made the pendatng remarks during the Permatang Pauh by-election, said they clearly heard what he said, and were shocked and feeling comfortable with it.Sin Chew Media stands by reporter and story
Guang Ming Daily reporter Li Weihua pointed out that after covering the first event of deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on 23 August, he went on to cover the DPM's second event, in which he clearly heard the pendatang remarks made by Ahmad Ismail, and was shocked by what was being said.
He said Najib had not yet arrived when he reached Kampung Belah Dua that evening. However, Ahmad Ismail was already giving his speech. As he was not very familiar with the speaker at that time, he did not pay too much attention to what was being said.
He went on, "But later he raised his voice louder and louder, and suddenly I heard this: 'Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini sahaja.' (The Chinese are only squatting here)"
He said after hearing this, he was very shocked and understood how serious it could be.
Nanyang Siang Pau reporter Chen Minghao also said when he was at Kampung Belah Dua to cover the event, he heard very clearly Ahmad Ismail's pendatang remarks, and felt very uncomfortable with it.
He said after covering Najib's first event, he rushed to Kampung Belah Dua to cover his second event. However, when he reached there, Najib had not arrived yet, while Ahmad Ismail was alreary talking on the stage.
He said although he did not know who Ahmad Ismail was at that time, he heard very clearly that he said, 'Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini sahaja,' and he felt very uncomfortable with what was being said.
China Press reporter Chen Fengquan, meanwhile, said he arrived too late and missed that part on pendatang.
He said Najib was already talking on the stage when he reached Kampung Belah Dua, and he missed what Ahmad Ismail had said earlier.
The Star (6/9/08): Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad will stand by its reporter who wrote the story about Bukit Bendera Umno chief Ahmad Ismail’s alleged racist statements.
Its chief editor Pook Ah Lek said the newspaper would not apologise as it had done nothing wrong.
“It is a normal tactic by politicians to look for a scapegoat when they are under attack. It is just something he is doing to divert attention,” said Pook.
Koh slams Ahmad's 'irresponsible' attitude (Malaysiakini 6/9/08)
PM could go sooner than later: Lim (Malaysiakini 6/9/08)
Ahmad: Many support my statement (Malaysiakini 6/9/08)
Journalists: We did not hear it wrongly
The Star (6/9/08): Two reporters have vouched for the accuracy of the Chinese newspaper’s report on Bukit Bendara Umno division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s allegedly racist remark.
Guang Ming Daily journalist Lee Kelvin said he was sure he heard Ahmad utter Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini sahaja (the Chinese are only squatting here.)
"I was following Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's second assignment at Kampung Pelet.
"When I reached the place, Ahmad was already giving his talk but I did not pay much attention to the content of his speech.
"It was only when Ahmad gradually spoke louder towards the end of the speech that the phrase caught my attention," he said.
Nanyang Siang Pau journalist Tan Ming Xao said the Kampung Pelet ceramah was also his second assignment.
"Najib was already there when I arrived. I don't really know Ahmad so I did not bother much over what he was talking about. Yet, I'm very sure I heard that remark from Ahmad but I did not pay much attention to the rest of his speech after that," he said, adding that he was focusing more on Najib.
Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng wrote in her journal, which appeared in the newspaper Saturday that she was sure she did not hear wrongly the alleged remarks.
Tan explained that Ahmad was talking about PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the talk that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang would be the next Deputy Prime Minister.
She said Ahmad then asked if anything happened to Anwar, who would be the next Prime Minister.
She said he then asked if they (those attending the talk) wanted Lim to be the Prime Minister.
"After that, Ahmad said 'Chinese were only immigrants (Orang Cina cuma tumpang di sini) and it was impossible for them to achieve equal rights among races'.
"Upon hearing these remarks, I was thinking, did I hear it wrongly? Another journalist came by and whispered to me saying 'How could he say this; (it would) make people angry after hearing it," she said in her journal.
Tan said among some 200 attendees in the hall, some of them turned around and looked at her at the time.
"The look was more of embarrassment."
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Temui pemimpin Umno bukan di atas kepentingan peribadi - Nasharuddin
Harakah (14/8/08): Timbalan Presiden PAS, Ustaz Nasharuddin Mat Isa sekali lagi menjelaskan perjumpaan pemimpin PAS dan Umno bukan di atas kepentingan peribadi.
Beliau berkata, tidak salah untuk PAS mengadakan perjumpaan dengan sesiapa sahaja termasuk pemimpin Umno sebagai medan dakwah.
Lagi pun katanya, pertemuan yang diadakan sebelum ini sudah diputuskan Majlis Syura Ulamak yang bersidang pada April lalu.
"Pemimpin PAS bertemu dengan pimpinan Umno adalah restu daripada Majlis Syura Ulamak. Dan rundingan yang diadakan bukan untuk mendapatkan kerusi atau jawatan.
"Tetapi apa yang kita lakukan untuk memastikan mereka menerima Islam," katanya pada perasmian muktamar Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat kali ke-49 di Stadium Indera Mulia, di sini, malam ini.
ImageBeliau berkata, rakan-rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat perlu didakwah sepanjang masa biar pun kita berada dalam satu bumbung dengan PAS sekarang.
Kata beliau juga politik adalah alat, manakala PAS merupakan wadah untuk meneruskan kerja-kerja dakwah berasaskan al Quran.
"Perlukan kepemimpinan ulama hanya mengutamakan pandangan aspek politik semata-mata dan meninggalkan perkara sebenar dalam dakwah," ujarnya.
Beliau berkata, asas dakwah yang berpandukan al Quran ialah perkara mutlak dalam perjuangan PAS.
Oleh itu beliau berharap setiap ahli hendaklah bertenang dan melihat apa yang berlaku dalam isu muzakarah dari pelbagai sudut.
Menurutnya, sikap Saiyidina Omar yang menghunus pedang marah kepada orang yang mengatakan Rasulllullah saw wafat seharusnya menjadi iktibar.
"Sayangilah jemaah dengan panduan al Quran dan bukan sahaja dengan kepentingan politik.
"Pastikan segala langkah yang diambil oleh ahli mestilah berdasarkan panduan dari al-Quran," ujar beliau.
Sementara itu Ustaz Nasharuddin menyampaikan anugerah kepada Dewan Pemuda PAS yang berjaya mengumpul jumlah ahli teramai.
Zon Timur dimenangi Dewan Pemuda PAS Tumpat, Baling (zon utara), Lumut (tengah), Tampin (selatan) dan Petrajaya (Malaysia Timur).
Manakala bagi kategori pengurusan pejabat terbaik tempat pertama dimenangi Dewan Pemuda PAS Kedah, Terengganu (kedua) dan Johor (ketiga).
Pengurusan Pasti terbaik pula dimenangi Selangor bagi kategori A, Perak (B) dan Melaka (C).
Pada majlis itu Timbalan Presiden PAS juga melancarkan tiga buku terbaru karya terbaru beberapa pemimpin PAS.
Beliau berkata, tidak salah untuk PAS mengadakan perjumpaan dengan sesiapa sahaja termasuk pemimpin Umno sebagai medan dakwah.
Lagi pun katanya, pertemuan yang diadakan sebelum ini sudah diputuskan Majlis Syura Ulamak yang bersidang pada April lalu.
"Pemimpin PAS bertemu dengan pimpinan Umno adalah restu daripada Majlis Syura Ulamak. Dan rundingan yang diadakan bukan untuk mendapatkan kerusi atau jawatan.
"Tetapi apa yang kita lakukan untuk memastikan mereka menerima Islam," katanya pada perasmian muktamar Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat kali ke-49 di Stadium Indera Mulia, di sini, malam ini.
ImageBeliau berkata, rakan-rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat perlu didakwah sepanjang masa biar pun kita berada dalam satu bumbung dengan PAS sekarang.
Kata beliau juga politik adalah alat, manakala PAS merupakan wadah untuk meneruskan kerja-kerja dakwah berasaskan al Quran.
"Perlukan kepemimpinan ulama hanya mengutamakan pandangan aspek politik semata-mata dan meninggalkan perkara sebenar dalam dakwah," ujarnya.
Beliau berkata, asas dakwah yang berpandukan al Quran ialah perkara mutlak dalam perjuangan PAS.
Oleh itu beliau berharap setiap ahli hendaklah bertenang dan melihat apa yang berlaku dalam isu muzakarah dari pelbagai sudut.
Menurutnya, sikap Saiyidina Omar yang menghunus pedang marah kepada orang yang mengatakan Rasulllullah saw wafat seharusnya menjadi iktibar.
"Sayangilah jemaah dengan panduan al Quran dan bukan sahaja dengan kepentingan politik.
"Pastikan segala langkah yang diambil oleh ahli mestilah berdasarkan panduan dari al-Quran," ujar beliau.
Sementara itu Ustaz Nasharuddin menyampaikan anugerah kepada Dewan Pemuda PAS yang berjaya mengumpul jumlah ahli teramai.
Zon Timur dimenangi Dewan Pemuda PAS Tumpat, Baling (zon utara), Lumut (tengah), Tampin (selatan) dan Petrajaya (Malaysia Timur).
Manakala bagi kategori pengurusan pejabat terbaik tempat pertama dimenangi Dewan Pemuda PAS Kedah, Terengganu (kedua) dan Johor (ketiga).
Pengurusan Pasti terbaik pula dimenangi Selangor bagi kategori A, Perak (B) dan Melaka (C).
Pada majlis itu Timbalan Presiden PAS juga melancarkan tiga buku terbaru karya terbaru beberapa pemimpin PAS.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Umno sendiri 'bunuh' Melayu - Dr Syed Azman
Harakah (4/8/08): PAS tidak akan mengkhianati amanah rakyat dengan bekerjasama menubuhkan kerajaan baru bersama Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN).
Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi berkata, tidak ada pemimpin PAS yang rasional akan menerima pelawaan Umno untuk bergabung menubuhkan kerajaan di peringkat pusat dan negeri.
"Hanya orang yang tidak rasional sahaja boleh menerima pelawaan Umno itu," ujarnya ketika berucap di Kuala Ibai, di sini baru-baru ini yang turut disertai Ahli Parlimen Machang, Saifuddin Natusion.
Dr. Syed Azman yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Batu Burok berkata, Selepas pilihan raya umum ke-11 tahun 2004 sehingga menjelang pilihan raya 2008, Setiausaha Agung PAS telah menghantar tiga pucuk surat untuk bermuzakarah dengan Umno atas isu Melayu, Islam dan perkembangan semasa.
"Sementara Dewan Pemuda PAS menghantar tidak kurang dari empat pucuk surat untuk tujuan yang sama tetapi satu pun surat-surat berkenaan tidak dijawab oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Umno,"jelasnya.
Ketika PAS tidak mempunyai banyak kerusi di Parlimen, Terengganu jatuh semula ke tangan BN dan Kerajaan PAS Kelantan tidak kuat, Umno tidak layan pelawaan PAS tersebut.
"Tetapi selepas pemimpin Umno bercakaran sesama sendiri, MIC, Gerakan dan MCA, bercakaran dan berpecah, baru Umno mahu mengajak PAS bermuzakarah kononnya bagi membincangkan soal survival Melayu,"katanya.
Menurut beliau ketika Umno memerintah Terengganu 50 tahun lalu, seramai 18 peratus orang Melayu negeri itu berada di bawah paras kemiskinan sedangkan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno negeri itu hidup senang lenang mengaut kekayaan dari hasil pendapatan negeri termasuk royalti petroleum dan gas.
Ketika itu Umno membunuh Melayu dengan menjadikan bahasa Ingeris sebagai bahasa mata pelajaran Sains dan Matematik di sekolah-sekolah seluruh negara.
"Umnolah yang membunuh bangsa Melayu sendiri bukan orang lain,"tegasnya.
Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi berkata, tidak ada pemimpin PAS yang rasional akan menerima pelawaan Umno untuk bergabung menubuhkan kerajaan di peringkat pusat dan negeri.
"Hanya orang yang tidak rasional sahaja boleh menerima pelawaan Umno itu," ujarnya ketika berucap di Kuala Ibai, di sini baru-baru ini yang turut disertai Ahli Parlimen Machang, Saifuddin Natusion.
Dr. Syed Azman yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Batu Burok berkata, Selepas pilihan raya umum ke-11 tahun 2004 sehingga menjelang pilihan raya 2008, Setiausaha Agung PAS telah menghantar tiga pucuk surat untuk bermuzakarah dengan Umno atas isu Melayu, Islam dan perkembangan semasa.
"Sementara Dewan Pemuda PAS menghantar tidak kurang dari empat pucuk surat untuk tujuan yang sama tetapi satu pun surat-surat berkenaan tidak dijawab oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Umno,"jelasnya.
Ketika PAS tidak mempunyai banyak kerusi di Parlimen, Terengganu jatuh semula ke tangan BN dan Kerajaan PAS Kelantan tidak kuat, Umno tidak layan pelawaan PAS tersebut.
"Tetapi selepas pemimpin Umno bercakaran sesama sendiri, MIC, Gerakan dan MCA, bercakaran dan berpecah, baru Umno mahu mengajak PAS bermuzakarah kononnya bagi membincangkan soal survival Melayu,"katanya.
Menurut beliau ketika Umno memerintah Terengganu 50 tahun lalu, seramai 18 peratus orang Melayu negeri itu berada di bawah paras kemiskinan sedangkan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno negeri itu hidup senang lenang mengaut kekayaan dari hasil pendapatan negeri termasuk royalti petroleum dan gas.
Ketika itu Umno membunuh Melayu dengan menjadikan bahasa Ingeris sebagai bahasa mata pelajaran Sains dan Matematik di sekolah-sekolah seluruh negara.
"Umnolah yang membunuh bangsa Melayu sendiri bukan orang lain,"tegasnya.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Muzakarah, Muslimat PAS setuju tetapi...
Harakah (30/7/08): Dewan Muslimat PAS Pusat bersetuju mengadakan muzakarah bersama Wanita Umno berhubung hal kepentingan menjaga agama Islam dan memelihara kemaslahatan rakyat secara umumnya.
Setiausaha Muslimat PAS, Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi berkata Muslimat PAS lebih berminat dengan perbincangan mengenai usaha menjaga Islam dan menjaga kebajikan rakyat.
"Bagi Muslimat PAS, muzakarah ini dilihat untuk mencari persefahaman bagi menjaga Islam dan memelihara kepentingan rakyat secara umum," ujarnya ketika dihubungi Harakahdaily.
Beliau diminta mengulas mengenai cadangan Wanita Umno melalui Sekretariat Advokasi dan Pemerkasaan Wanita Islam (Senada) yang akan mengadakan muzakarah dengan Dewan Muslimat PAS bagi membincangkan isu-isu berkaitan wanita Islam di negara ini.
Walau bagaimnapun, muslimat melihat pelawaan itu lebih menggambarkan seolah-olah terdapat wujud usahasama mewujudkan kerjasama politik kedua-dua parti.
Tegasnya, kenyataan tersebut disokong oleh pendedahan Abdullah mengenai pertemuan-pertemuan yang dibuat bersama dengan pemimpin PAS.
"Muslimat sentiasa berwaspada dengan sebarang pertemuan mahupun kerjasama yang mahu dijalinkan dalam apa jua bentuk sekalipun setelah terdapat beberapa kenyataan daripada pemimpin Umno sebelum ini yang kelihatan 'bias'," katanya.
Hal ini digambarkan apabila Presiden Umno, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Perak, Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Ghazali menawarkan kerjasama serta pelawaan
"Apabila mereka membuat pelbagai tawaran kepada PAS, ianya kelihatan seolah-olah PAS ini 'hubbun dunia' yakni cintakan pangkat dan kedudukan," tegasnya.
Dalam perkembangan lain, pihaknya menyatakan bahawa Muslimat kini lebih cenderung untuk mengadakan perbincangan bersama sayap wanita KeADILan dan DAP.
"Jika benar mereka ingin mewujudkan kerjasama itu, berikan dulu keadilan kepada para isteri dan anak-anak mangsa tahanan ISA, baru boleh bercakap mengenai kerjasama untuk kepentingan rakyat lain," ujarnya.
Setiausaha Muslimat PAS, Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi berkata Muslimat PAS lebih berminat dengan perbincangan mengenai usaha menjaga Islam dan menjaga kebajikan rakyat.
"Bagi Muslimat PAS, muzakarah ini dilihat untuk mencari persefahaman bagi menjaga Islam dan memelihara kepentingan rakyat secara umum," ujarnya ketika dihubungi Harakahdaily.
Beliau diminta mengulas mengenai cadangan Wanita Umno melalui Sekretariat Advokasi dan Pemerkasaan Wanita Islam (Senada) yang akan mengadakan muzakarah dengan Dewan Muslimat PAS bagi membincangkan isu-isu berkaitan wanita Islam di negara ini.
Walau bagaimnapun, muslimat melihat pelawaan itu lebih menggambarkan seolah-olah terdapat wujud usahasama mewujudkan kerjasama politik kedua-dua parti.
Tegasnya, kenyataan tersebut disokong oleh pendedahan Abdullah mengenai pertemuan-pertemuan yang dibuat bersama dengan pemimpin PAS.
"Muslimat sentiasa berwaspada dengan sebarang pertemuan mahupun kerjasama yang mahu dijalinkan dalam apa jua bentuk sekalipun setelah terdapat beberapa kenyataan daripada pemimpin Umno sebelum ini yang kelihatan 'bias'," katanya.
Hal ini digambarkan apabila Presiden Umno, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Perak, Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Ghazali menawarkan kerjasama serta pelawaan
"Apabila mereka membuat pelbagai tawaran kepada PAS, ianya kelihatan seolah-olah PAS ini 'hubbun dunia' yakni cintakan pangkat dan kedudukan," tegasnya.
Dalam perkembangan lain, pihaknya menyatakan bahawa Muslimat kini lebih cenderung untuk mengadakan perbincangan bersama sayap wanita KeADILan dan DAP.
"Jika benar mereka ingin mewujudkan kerjasama itu, berikan dulu keadilan kepada para isteri dan anak-anak mangsa tahanan ISA, baru boleh bercakap mengenai kerjasama untuk kepentingan rakyat lain," ujarnya.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Jerat politik Umno
Pas anggap pelawaan jerat politik
Berita Harian (30/7/08): Pas menyifatkan pelawaan Umno untuk bergabung menjadi sebuah parti Melayu sebagai jerat politik kerana Umno tiada keikhlasan untuk menyatukan orang Melayu.Pas kekal dalam Pakatan Rakyat: Mat Sabu
Sehubungan itu, Mursyidul Am Pas, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, tetap dengan pendirian asalnya tidak akan menerima pelawaan itu kecuali Umno memenuhi janjinya kepada Pas sebelum ini.
"Kita sudah serik pakat (berpakat) dengan Umno kerana dia (Umno) banyak tipu kita (Pas), tetapi kali ini kita lebih berhati-hati dan tidak mudah menerima pelawaan mereka.
"Setakat berunding dan bermuzakarah dengan Umno boleh, tetapi untuk bersatu tidak setuju kerana takut diperangkap politik kali kedua.
"Kecuali mereka (Umno) tunjuk keikhlasan mansuhkan Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan (JPP) Kelantan dan meluluskan semula peruntukan RM8 juta bagi pembinaan pasar di Pasir Mas," katanya ketika berucap pada majlis makan malam bersama pegawai kerajaan dan masyarakat Gua Musang, di sini, malam kelmarin.
Nik Abdul Aziz yang juga Menteri Besar Kelantan mempertikaikan kewujudan JPP itu kerana negeri lain di bawah pemerintahan Kerajaan Pusat tidak ada jabatan berkenaan.
Malah katanya, ketika Kelantan di bawah Bekas Menteri Besar Kelantan, Datuk Mohamad Yaacob jabatan itu tidak diwujudkan di negeri ini.
Berita Harian (30/7/08): Pas menegaskan parti itu terus kekal dalam perjuangan Pakatan Rakyat bersama Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) dan DAP, sekali gus tidak berminat menjalin kerjasama dengan Umno Perak untuk membentuk kerajaan negeri.
Naib Presidennya, Mohamad Sabu, berkata setakat ini pihaknya belum menerima tawaran rasmi daripada Umno Perak berhubung rancangan pembentukan kerajaan negeri Umno-Pas di negeri itu, tetapi jika tawaran itu dikemukakan Pas akan menolaknya.
Setakat ini, katanya segala kegiatan untuk kepentingan bersama termasuk ceramah umpamanya masih dijalankan secara kerjasama dengan PKR dan DAP.
“Tidak perlu timbul isu kami (Pas) hendak termakan dengan tawaran itu kerana kami masih kekal dengan Pakatan Rakyat,” katanya.
Ketua Dewan Pemuda Pas, Salahuddin Ayub, berkata Pas akan terus konsisten dengan Pakatan Rakyat dan tidak akan keluar daripada perjuangannya.
Beliau turut menyelar Tajol Rosli kerana menyifatkan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Perak itu tidak menggunakan kebijaksanaan dalam membuat tawaran itu.
Sikap diskriminasi Umno punca muzakarah tidak diminati - Nik Aziz
Harakah (24/7/08): Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat mendedahkan beliau tidak berminat untuk bermuzakarah dengan Umno memandangkan banyak penganiayaan yang dilakukan terhadap parti lawan.
Malah kata Menteri Besar Kelantan itu bermuzakarah dengan Umno tidak ada kesudahan dan hanya membuang masa sahaja.
"Kelantan menjadi mangsa diskriminasi pemimpin kerajaan pusat dan terbaru Kementerian Pelancongan menyekat bantuan sebanyak RM8 juta kepada negeri ini bagi membangunkan bandar pelancongan di Rantau Panjang.
"Selain itu sampai sekarang pegawai kanan Lembaga Kemajuan Pertanian Kemubu (Kada) yang bertanggungjawab bagi projek penanaman padi tidak memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya kepada kerajaan negeri," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan masjid Sekolah Menengah Ugama (Arab) Taqadumil Ilmi dekat sini, hari ini.
Menurutnya agensi lain di bawah persekutuan termasuk Mara juga menganaktirikan penyokong bukan Umno bagi menyewa premis milik agensi terbabit.
"Baru-baru ini ada penduduk di Tanah Merah diberi borang permohonan untuk menduduki bangunan Mara, tetapi di saat-saat akhir permohonan tersebut ditolak dengan alasan penyokong pembangkang," katanya.
Sementara itu ketika ditanya mengenai isu pembelian kereta Mercedes Benz oleh kerajaan Terengganu bagi kegunaan Exco dan pegawai kanan beliau mengakui Proton Perdana V6 membabitkan kos penyelenggaraan tinggi.
Namun katanya, kerajaan Kelantan masih lagi menggunakan kereta buatan Malaysia dan Mercedes sedia ada masih digunakan.
Menurutnya kerajaan negeri mendapati kos penyelenggaraan kereta nasional lebih tinggi berbanding kenderaan yang diimport dan sering mengalami kerosakan.
Kata beliau apa yang diperkatakan Menteri Besar Terengganu, Datuk Ahmad Said mengenai masalah kereta Proton Perdana memang berasas.
"Kerajaan Kelantan pun pakai Perdana dan Mercedes lama, ada sedikit kelonggaran kita bagi. Namun sering rosak. Kadang-kadang cermin tak boleh naik, kadang-kadang nak tutup tak boleh sedangkan baru keluar dari kilang," katanya.
Isu pembelian 14 buah Mercedes jenis E200 Kompressor sebagai kenderaan rasmi baru Menteri Besar dan anggota Exco Terengganu dipertikai jemaah kabinet.
Malah kata Menteri Besar Kelantan itu bermuzakarah dengan Umno tidak ada kesudahan dan hanya membuang masa sahaja.
"Kelantan menjadi mangsa diskriminasi pemimpin kerajaan pusat dan terbaru Kementerian Pelancongan menyekat bantuan sebanyak RM8 juta kepada negeri ini bagi membangunkan bandar pelancongan di Rantau Panjang.
"Selain itu sampai sekarang pegawai kanan Lembaga Kemajuan Pertanian Kemubu (Kada) yang bertanggungjawab bagi projek penanaman padi tidak memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya kepada kerajaan negeri," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan masjid Sekolah Menengah Ugama (Arab) Taqadumil Ilmi dekat sini, hari ini.
Menurutnya agensi lain di bawah persekutuan termasuk Mara juga menganaktirikan penyokong bukan Umno bagi menyewa premis milik agensi terbabit.
"Baru-baru ini ada penduduk di Tanah Merah diberi borang permohonan untuk menduduki bangunan Mara, tetapi di saat-saat akhir permohonan tersebut ditolak dengan alasan penyokong pembangkang," katanya.
Sementara itu ketika ditanya mengenai isu pembelian kereta Mercedes Benz oleh kerajaan Terengganu bagi kegunaan Exco dan pegawai kanan beliau mengakui Proton Perdana V6 membabitkan kos penyelenggaraan tinggi.
Namun katanya, kerajaan Kelantan masih lagi menggunakan kereta buatan Malaysia dan Mercedes sedia ada masih digunakan.
Menurutnya kerajaan negeri mendapati kos penyelenggaraan kereta nasional lebih tinggi berbanding kenderaan yang diimport dan sering mengalami kerosakan.
Kata beliau apa yang diperkatakan Menteri Besar Terengganu, Datuk Ahmad Said mengenai masalah kereta Proton Perdana memang berasas.
"Kerajaan Kelantan pun pakai Perdana dan Mercedes lama, ada sedikit kelonggaran kita bagi. Namun sering rosak. Kadang-kadang cermin tak boleh naik, kadang-kadang nak tutup tak boleh sedangkan baru keluar dari kilang," katanya.
Isu pembelian 14 buah Mercedes jenis E200 Kompressor sebagai kenderaan rasmi baru Menteri Besar dan anggota Exco Terengganu dipertikai jemaah kabinet.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Perak MB wants Umno-PAS dialogues halted
The Star (24/7/08): The top level Umno-PAS dialogues should be stopped as it would lead to speculation, said Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.
Noting that the speculations were not healthy, Nizar pointed out that it was the Prime Minister who eagerly wanted the talks between both parties.
"Pakatan Rakyat is not in dire need of that relationship as now we are stronger," he said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after launching the public service work quality group convention at the State Secretariat building here, Nizar said he was more open to the idea of muqabalah (face-to-face discussions).
"You cannot disconnect relationships between individuals. We cannot avoid meeting or extending salam (greetings) with leaders of other parties," he added.
On whether the muqabalah would lead to uneasiness among Pakatan Rakyat component parties, Nizar said: "I don't think so as there had been an understanding among the three parties."
On a suggestion by Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang that the talks should be on Malaysian unity, Nizar said that would be one of the agendas.
"The main agenda concerns all Malaysians and not a particular community," he said.
Asked about Kelantan's proposal to hold an inaugural meeting of mentris besar and the chief minister from the five Pakatan Rakyat states, Nizar said it was a good idea.
"There are many issues that need to be ironed out with the Federal Government such as water and land.
"With the meeting, the five states can speak as one voice to present their views to the Government," he said.
Kelantan had proposed the meeting to be held next month to counter allegations of a split in the alliance.
Noting that the speculations were not healthy, Nizar pointed out that it was the Prime Minister who eagerly wanted the talks between both parties.
"Pakatan Rakyat is not in dire need of that relationship as now we are stronger," he said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after launching the public service work quality group convention at the State Secretariat building here, Nizar said he was more open to the idea of muqabalah (face-to-face discussions).
"You cannot disconnect relationships between individuals. We cannot avoid meeting or extending salam (greetings) with leaders of other parties," he added.
On whether the muqabalah would lead to uneasiness among Pakatan Rakyat component parties, Nizar said: "I don't think so as there had been an understanding among the three parties."
On a suggestion by Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang that the talks should be on Malaysian unity, Nizar said that would be one of the agendas.
"The main agenda concerns all Malaysians and not a particular community," he said.
Asked about Kelantan's proposal to hold an inaugural meeting of mentris besar and the chief minister from the five Pakatan Rakyat states, Nizar said it was a good idea.
"There are many issues that need to be ironed out with the Federal Government such as water and land.
"With the meeting, the five states can speak as one voice to present their views to the Government," he said.
Kelantan had proposed the meeting to be held next month to counter allegations of a split in the alliance.
Jalal berusaha jatuhkan Pakatan Rakyat Selangor
Harakah (24/7/08): Pendedahan mantan Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo yang mendakwa Umno dan PAS Selangor ada usaha pakatan untuk membentuk kerajaan negeri merupakan strategi Umno untuk terus memecahbelahkan sokongan rakyat terhadap Pakatan Rakyat.
Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Selangor II, Iskandar A. Samad menegaskan, apa perlu Khir mengungkit pertemuan itu kerana PAS bertemu Umno hanya untuk mendengar apa yang dikehendaki oleh Barisan Nasional (BN).
Menurut beliau,pengakuan Khir menunjukkan bahawa beliau hendak memecahbelahkan Pakatan Rakyat sebab Umno sedang dilanda masalah kurang mendapat sokongan daripada orang Melayu.
Sebab itu katanya, Umno menggunakan pendekatan 'muzakarah' untuk menarik PAS berbincang tentang perpaduan Melayu atau Islam.
Beliau menegaskan jika benar Umno ikhlas untuk berbincang perkara tersebut sepatutnya sudah dilakukan ketika Umno mencapai kemenangan besar dalam pilihan raya umum tahun 2004.
"Umno tidak ikhlas untuk membincangkan masalah orang Melayu tetapi muzakarah itu hanya mahu dijadikan medan menaikkan imej Umno supaya mendapat sokongan semula daripada orang Melayu," tegasnya ketika ditemui Harakahdaily di Pejabat Suk semalam.
Iskandar berkata, kononnya selepas pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat orang Melayu tertindas tetapi jika dilihat banyak polisi-polisi Umno yang meminggirkan orang Melayu.
"Bagaimana dengan polisi perumahan, siapa yang merobohkan masjid dan surau bukankah itu semua kerja Umno?
"Umno tidak layak untuk bercakap soal perpaduan Melayu sebab Umno merupakan parti yang memecahbelahkan perpaduan orang Melayu," katanya.
Beliau berharap sebelum PAS mahu bergabung dengan Umno perlu dilihat sejarah lalu seperti tragedi Memali begitu juga dengan Akta Hasutan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang membuktikan bahawa Umno sememangnya jahat.
"Sia-sialah pengorbanan kita kalau kita hendak bergabung dengan Umno," katanya.
Mengulas tentang media yang sengaja membesarkan isu muzakarah katanya, memang Umno buat untuk mengucar kacirkan keadaan Pakatan Rakyat.
Sebelum isu muzakarah katanya, Umno membesarkan isu Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang akan dihapuskan oleh kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Pulau Pinang tetapi tidak berjaya.
Tambahnya,Umno terpaksa menggunakan isu liwat oleh Ketua Umum KeADILan, Dato' Anwar Ibrahim tetapi menimbulkan banyak masalah dan akhirnya muzakarah dijadikan gelanggang untuk memecahbelahkan kesepakatan Pakatan Rakyat.
Beliau berkata, Umno akan serang satu demi satu untuk melemahkan Pakatan Rakyat dan isu muzakarah merupakan strategi Umno untuk terus memerangkap PAS.
"Ini adalah rentetan perangkap yang sengaja dibuat oleh BN kepada parti -parti komponen dan PAS tidak sepatutnya terpedaya dengan perangkap ini," katanya lagi.
Beliau mengingatkan rakyat khususnya ahli PAS jika hendak mengetahui tentang apa yang berlaku di Selangor tanya dengan orang yang terlibat dalam pentabdiran kerajaan negeri.
"Jangan dengar kata-kata orang luar bahawa berlaku perpecahan dalam Pakatan Rakyat dan PAS dianaktirikan oleh kerajaan. Dengar sendiri daripada exco dan Adun Selangor," jelasnya.
Beliau mendakwa ada pihak yang cuba memberi laporan yang tidak tepat terhadap PAS negeri Selangor dengan mendakwa bahawa PAS telah terpinggir dan sebagainya dalam kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat.
Sehubungan itu Iskandar berharap ahli PAS di Selangor perlu bertenang dan tetap dengan pendirian bahawa sebelum dan selepas pilihan raya ahli PAS Selangor tetap berdiri di belakang Mursyidul Am PAS, Dato' Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Selangor II, Iskandar A. Samad menegaskan, apa perlu Khir mengungkit pertemuan itu kerana PAS bertemu Umno hanya untuk mendengar apa yang dikehendaki oleh Barisan Nasional (BN).
Menurut beliau,pengakuan Khir menunjukkan bahawa beliau hendak memecahbelahkan Pakatan Rakyat sebab Umno sedang dilanda masalah kurang mendapat sokongan daripada orang Melayu.
Sebab itu katanya, Umno menggunakan pendekatan 'muzakarah' untuk menarik PAS berbincang tentang perpaduan Melayu atau Islam.
Beliau menegaskan jika benar Umno ikhlas untuk berbincang perkara tersebut sepatutnya sudah dilakukan ketika Umno mencapai kemenangan besar dalam pilihan raya umum tahun 2004.
"Umno tidak ikhlas untuk membincangkan masalah orang Melayu tetapi muzakarah itu hanya mahu dijadikan medan menaikkan imej Umno supaya mendapat sokongan semula daripada orang Melayu," tegasnya ketika ditemui Harakahdaily di Pejabat Suk semalam.
Iskandar berkata, kononnya selepas pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat orang Melayu tertindas tetapi jika dilihat banyak polisi-polisi Umno yang meminggirkan orang Melayu.
"Bagaimana dengan polisi perumahan, siapa yang merobohkan masjid dan surau bukankah itu semua kerja Umno?
"Umno tidak layak untuk bercakap soal perpaduan Melayu sebab Umno merupakan parti yang memecahbelahkan perpaduan orang Melayu," katanya.
Beliau berharap sebelum PAS mahu bergabung dengan Umno perlu dilihat sejarah lalu seperti tragedi Memali begitu juga dengan Akta Hasutan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang membuktikan bahawa Umno sememangnya jahat.
"Sia-sialah pengorbanan kita kalau kita hendak bergabung dengan Umno," katanya.
Mengulas tentang media yang sengaja membesarkan isu muzakarah katanya, memang Umno buat untuk mengucar kacirkan keadaan Pakatan Rakyat.
Sebelum isu muzakarah katanya, Umno membesarkan isu Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang akan dihapuskan oleh kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Pulau Pinang tetapi tidak berjaya.
Tambahnya,Umno terpaksa menggunakan isu liwat oleh Ketua Umum KeADILan, Dato' Anwar Ibrahim tetapi menimbulkan banyak masalah dan akhirnya muzakarah dijadikan gelanggang untuk memecahbelahkan kesepakatan Pakatan Rakyat.
Beliau berkata, Umno akan serang satu demi satu untuk melemahkan Pakatan Rakyat dan isu muzakarah merupakan strategi Umno untuk terus memerangkap PAS.
"Ini adalah rentetan perangkap yang sengaja dibuat oleh BN kepada parti -parti komponen dan PAS tidak sepatutnya terpedaya dengan perangkap ini," katanya lagi.
Beliau mengingatkan rakyat khususnya ahli PAS jika hendak mengetahui tentang apa yang berlaku di Selangor tanya dengan orang yang terlibat dalam pentabdiran kerajaan negeri.
"Jangan dengar kata-kata orang luar bahawa berlaku perpecahan dalam Pakatan Rakyat dan PAS dianaktirikan oleh kerajaan. Dengar sendiri daripada exco dan Adun Selangor," jelasnya.
Beliau mendakwa ada pihak yang cuba memberi laporan yang tidak tepat terhadap PAS negeri Selangor dengan mendakwa bahawa PAS telah terpinggir dan sebagainya dalam kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat.
Sehubungan itu Iskandar berharap ahli PAS di Selangor perlu bertenang dan tetap dengan pendirian bahawa sebelum dan selepas pilihan raya ahli PAS Selangor tetap berdiri di belakang Mursyidul Am PAS, Dato' Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Muqabalah tu menatang apa?
PAS mahu muzakarah ditukar kepada muqabalah
PAS mahu muzakarah ditukar kepada muqabalah (Bernama 23/7/08)
PAS 'tidak minat tawaran' Umno (Malaysiakini 23/7/08)
'Even PM post cannot tempt us' (Malaysiakini 23/7/08)
Berita Harian (23/7/08): Mesyuarat kepemimpinan tertinggi PAS petang tadi, sebulat suara bersetuju meneruskan perbincangan dengan Umno berhubung isu membabitkan kepentingan orang Melayu dan umat Islam.Tutup fail muzakarah, hanya ada sekadar muqabalah - Mursyidul Am
Mesyuarat hampir sejam dihadiri Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang serta Timbalannya, Nasharudin Mat Isa, Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat; dan Timbalannya, Datuk Dr Haron Din, turut membuat pendirian mahu perbincangan itu dikenali sebagai muqabalah, bukannya muzakarah.
Nik Abdul Aziz yang sebelum ini berkeras menentang usaha perbincangan dengan Umno itu, hari ini bersetuju membenarkan pemimpin parti itu meneruskan pertemuan dengan Umno kerana ia juga sudah dipersetujui Majlis Syura Ulama yang bermesyuarat pada 23 April lalu.
"Kenyataan saya serupa saja dengan kenyataan Presiden. Kalau perjumpaan untuk masuk Barisan Nasional (BN) memang tak ada, tapi kalau boleh tukar (istilah) muzakarah kepada muqabalah.
"Muqabalah itu benda apa...carilah sendiri," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat itu di kediaman rasminya, di sini.
Harakah (23/7/08): Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat menjelaskan isu muzakarah sudah tutup fail dan apa yang berlaku sekadar pertemuan biasa (muqabalah).PAS mahu muzakarah ditukar muqabalah
"Pada kenyataan yang lepas saya benarkan pertemuan di antara pemimpin PAS dan Umno berkaitan Islam dan masalah rakyat, serupa sahaja dengan kenyataan yang disebut Presiden PAS.
"Kalau difahami betul-betul tidak bercanggah di antara satu sama lain. Kalau ada perjumpaan hendak masuk Barisan Nasional ia langsung tidak ada. Kenyataan Presiden pun memang begitu,"katanya pada persidangan media di sini, lewat petang ini.
Sebelum itu rombongan anggota Majlis Syura Ulama mengunjungi Menteri Besar Kelantan di JKR 10 di sini. Perbincangan terbabit diadakan hampir dua jam.
Turut kelihatan Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang; timbalannya, Ustaz Nasharuddin Mat Isa; Timbalan Mursyidul Am, Dato' Dr Haron Din; Naib Presiden, Ustaz Ahmad Awang dan Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat, Dato' Mohamed Daud.
Ikut serta pertemuan tersebut Ahli Parlimen Pengkalan Chepa, Dato' Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman.
Bagaimanapun Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz mahu perkataan muzakarah yang di'geger'kan sebelum ini ditukar kepada istilah muqabalah (perjumpaan biasa).
Menurutnya keputusan syura sebelum ini bersetuju diadakan pertemuan biasa dengan pemimpin Umno kerana syura sudah membuat keputusan sebulat suara.
Perkara itu diputuskan pada 23 April lalu manakala pertemuan dengan pemimpin Umno hanya diadakan pada 20 Julai lalu.
Ustaz Abdul Hadi pula berkata, apa yang sebenarnya berlaku bukan muzakarah sebaliknya muqabalah di antara PAS dengan Umno bagi menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang dialami umat Islam dan rakyat seluruh negara.
"Masalah yang dialami di negeri-negeri yang diperintah oleh Pakatan Rakyat kita minta kerajaan pusat menyelesaikan. Itu yang kita bincangkan dalam pertemuan dengan pemimpin Umno.
"Tidak timbul masalah PAS menyertai kerajaan kerana PAS masih lagi bersama dengan Pakatan Rakyat. Kita akan terus dengan Pakatan sekarang memenuhi hikmah-hikmah politik yang kita perjuangkan,"katanya.
Bagaimanapun katanya dalam Pakatan Rakyat persefahaman kita tidak akan menjadi halangan, masing-masing memperjuangkan ideologi dan tetap berganding dalam isu-isu bersama.
Menurutnya sebagai orang Islam, PAS wajib menyuarakan kepada orang Islam lain dan dalam masa yang sama tidak mengabaikan keadilan Islam kepada semua kaum yang ada di negara ini.
Kata beliau di atas prinsip itulah diputuskan Majlis Syura Ulama di mana Timbalan Presiden dan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pilihan Raya PAS Pusat, Dato' Mustafa Ali bertemu dengan pemimpin Umno bagi menimbulkan isu-isu berkaitan.
Manakala Dr Haron berkata, Majlis Syura Ulama PAS menyedari masalah tersebut berlaku sebelum disedari wartawan, di mana perbincangan Majlis Syura mengenainya dibuat pada April lalu.
"Ketika itu tidak timbul isu muzakarah. Majlis Syura telah menangapi perlu diberi ruang untuk kita bermuqabalah dari face to face.
"Namun apa yang timbul sekarang perkataan muzakarah itu seolah perlawanan seperti yang berlaku di Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka baru-baru ini di antara Menteri Penerangan dan Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Kita tidak mahu berlawan macam itu, kita nafikan ada muzakarah. Kalau dedahkan begitu akan menimbulkan masalah kerana akan ada yang kalah dan menang. Hanya apa yang ada sekadar pertemuan biasa," katanya.
Beliau menjelaskan mengapa hendak dilarang pertemuan biasa dan PAS bersetuju bekerjasama dalam semua perkara demi kebaikan semua rakyat di Malaysia.
Ditanya pertemuan lain bakal diadakan selepas ini, kata beliau itu mengikut keperluan.
"Bagaimanapun kita mahu lihat respon daripada Umno terhadap apa yang kita kemukakan terlebih dahulu," ujarnya.
Menurutnya juga usaha pertemuan itu sebenarnya dianjurkan pihak Umno.
Kata beliau, mereka yang mengusahakan dan bukti jelas dilihat kepada kenyataan ada tiga pertemuan sebelum ini dibuat sendiri Presiden Umno.
"Mereka yang membuat kenyataan dan merekalah yang mengusahakan pertemuan sebelum ini,"katanya.
Harian Metro (23/7/08): Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata PAS sememangnya berminat untuk mengadakan pertemuan dan bersemuka dengan pemimpin Umno bagi membincangkan mengenai masa depan umat Islam.Tok Guru: DAP tidak pernah tipu PAS (Maverick SM 24/7/08)
Bagaimanapun, Menteri Besar Kelantan itu berkata perbincangan itu perlu diadakan secara bersemuka berbentuk “muqabalah” dan bukannya dalam bentuk perdebatan yang dinamakan muzakarah seperti diminta oleh Umno.
“Saya mahukan muzakarah itu ditukarkan kepada muqabalah dalam membincangkan isu berkaitan umat Islam kerana ianya lebih sesuai,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat tertutup pemimpin tertinggi PAS di sini hari ini.
Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan Timbalan Presiden PAS Nasharudin Mat Isa turut hadir pada mesyuarat yang berlangsung selama sejam setengah mulai 4 petang.
Nik Abdul Aziz berkata tidak timbul isu pertemuan PAS dan Umno akan membawa kepada penggabungan kedua-dua parti kerana pertemuan itu lebih berbentuk kerjasama demi satu matlamat dan turut menafikan isu muzakarah itu memecah-belahkan kepimpinan PAS.
PAS mahu muzakarah ditukar kepada muqabalah (Bernama 23/7/08)
PAS 'tidak minat tawaran' Umno (Malaysiakini 23/7/08)
'Even PM post cannot tempt us' (Malaysiakini 23/7/08)
Nasharudin Mat Isa and Malay unity
CERITA LAH BY KARIM RASLAN
Malaysians voted for a two-party system on March 8, not for a hastily assembled collaboration between PAS and Umno.
The Star (22/7/08): NASHARUDIN Mat Isa, PAS deputy president, is a neat, well-dressed man. Unlike many of the opposition MPs, Nasharuddin does not come across as a street activist.
His spoken English is exact and he conducts himself in a manner that is both calm and statesman-like, selecting his words with extreme care. This is a very polished and considered politician.
With talk circulating across the country about the possibility of an Umno-PAS tie-up, Nasharudin’s pronouncements have attracted greater scrutiny, especially since he is viewed (along with figures such as Mustafa Ali, Terengganu PAS chief, and Hassan Ali, Selangor PAS chief) as a more Umno-inclined, PAS leader.
When asked about the talk of the collaboration, he tells me: “I was mandated by the Syura Council of Ullama after the general election to explore and to look at the political landscape with anyone and anywhere.
“I didn’t meet (Umno deputy president Datuk Seri) Najib Razak in London but I have met him in Parliament.”
He adds the last comment as a cheeky aside, all too aware of the rumours about his supposed meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister in London recently.
While many in Umno would welcome closer ties with PAS in the oft-stated interests of ‘Malay unity’, PAS’ rank and file (most of whom have tussled with Umno for decades) are sceptical – and in certain cases downright angry – about the possibility of just such a move.
The issue reveals deep fissures within PAS, which might also explain the recent contradictory statements made by party leader Hadi Awang, who has confirmed both his party’s on-going commitment to Pakatan Rakyat as well as acknowledged high-level meetings with Umno.
The relationship between the two largest Malay parties has increased in importance as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s position has come under fire.
Indeed as PKR struggles to cope with the fallout from the Saiful Bukhari scandal, PAS could end up as the ‘king-maker’, delivering both Umno and Abdullah from their current ‘funk’.
Whether it chooses to do so is a major test of the Pakatan’s solidity and PAS’ commitment to its oft-stated principles of good governance, anti-corruption and institutional reform.
Given that there has been very little actual progress from Barisan Nasional in terms of the reform agenda, any collaboration would seem to suggest that race and religion – and specifically securing and ensuring Malay dominance and power – are more important to PAS than issues such as civil liberties, justice and governance.
I would hesitate to call PAS hypocritical, but certainly this would be an extremely disappointing development were it to be true.
Malaysians will be watching to see how PAS responds to these challenges. PAS’ credibility hangs by a thread as does its future expansion: power play could ruin the party’s hard-won reputation for integrity.
It should also be remembered that many newly elected PAS MPs such as Khalid Samad, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud and Dr Lo'Lo Mohd Ghazali – representing Shah Alam, Kota Raja and Titiwangsa, respectively – were carried into Parliament on the back of a strong anti-Barisan wave.
They also secured unprecedented non-Malay support. It is unclear whether voters would be willing to forgive PAS were the party of the Ullama to leave the Pakatan for short-term gain and power.
Now, I would be the first to state that I am definitely not a PAS supporter – its insistence on Islam as the basis for all its political activity is something I cannot accept.
Nonetheless, I have to commend the party’s principled commitment to the reform agenda. Moreover its ability to remain at one with the rakyat is something that Umno desperately needs to (re)learn.
Still, it is hard to see how PAS can manage such a controversial move (a linkage with Barisan and Umno) without losing credibility. Having attacked Umno consistently for decades a rapprochement would surely undermine the Islamicist party's popularity.
Indeed there are those within PAS who consider it better to team up with non-Muslims (the DAP) rather than with a party that has been viewed as cruel and unjust.
Clearly the power play could have immense costs for PAS.
Nonetheless, when Nasharudin speaks it’s important to listen very closely – partly because he speaks so quietly but also because of his carefully calibrated language.
When I asked him about Anwar Ibrahim, he is circumspect: “I am not sure of his popularity when compared to 1998. The latest developments – the Saiful event and the statutory declaration by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam – have affected Anwar’s credibility.
“Still, his ability to lead is unquestionable. It’s arguable that the Malay community is also starting to believe the accusations against Anwar. His delay in taking an oath to swear on the Quran is also an issue.”
Nasharudin is frank about his views on the coalition: “With recent developments, my personal view is that the Pakatan is very fragile; but we are trying to strengthen the coalition.
“Nobody can deny this. There are problems at both state and federal levels. Pakatan must get its house in order and consolidate its position.”
When asked how this can be achieved, he answers: “The level of communication among ourselves isn’t up to standard. This is because everyone is busy. We need to increase the regularity and frequency of communication.
“We are still to a large degree polarised (Malays, Indians and Chinese) and are still finding it difficult to overcome these differences which remain at the core between the different Pakatan members.”
Given his more cosmopolitan west-coast background, it’s perhaps disappointing that Nasharudin hasn’t been leading the engagement across the racial and political lines. Certainly he must be one of the few senior PAS leaders to have studied at a mission school – St Gabriel’s in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur.
At the same time, his educational background includes time spent both in the Middle East (eight years in Amman, Jordan) and in Britain (Glasgow University).
Indeed Nasharudin who was very much the late Fadzil Noor’s anak emas (blue-eyed boy) appears to be the personification of PAS’ modern leadership.
He is an impressive mix – a Malay professional with a deep knowledge of Islam, even though he resists labelling himself as an Ullama (one with knowledge).
Maybe I’ve made Nasharudin sound overly calculating, which he wasn’t; he was open and thoughtful, as befits a man with such a scholarly demeanour.
Still, I am very troubled by the reluctance to deal across the racial divide. The Malaysian voting public entrusted the Pakatan with a mandate for change and even if the putative leader Anwar Ibrahim has been (perhaps temporarily) derailed, we expect PAS to continue with the venture of building on what Nasharuddin himself concedes as “the shared ground of equality and fairness”.
Should it fail to do so, it will show us that the men in green are no less susceptible to money and power than their friends in blue.
I hope PAS will resist the temptation. On March 8, Malaysians voted for a two-party system.
They did not vote for a hastily assembled collaboration between PAS and Umno. PAS should be extremely wary of misinterpreting the March 8 results.
Malaysians voted for a two-party system on March 8, not for a hastily assembled collaboration between PAS and Umno.
The Star (22/7/08): NASHARUDIN Mat Isa, PAS deputy president, is a neat, well-dressed man. Unlike many of the opposition MPs, Nasharuddin does not come across as a street activist.
His spoken English is exact and he conducts himself in a manner that is both calm and statesman-like, selecting his words with extreme care. This is a very polished and considered politician.
With talk circulating across the country about the possibility of an Umno-PAS tie-up, Nasharudin’s pronouncements have attracted greater scrutiny, especially since he is viewed (along with figures such as Mustafa Ali, Terengganu PAS chief, and Hassan Ali, Selangor PAS chief) as a more Umno-inclined, PAS leader.
When asked about the talk of the collaboration, he tells me: “I was mandated by the Syura Council of Ullama after the general election to explore and to look at the political landscape with anyone and anywhere.
“I didn’t meet (Umno deputy president Datuk Seri) Najib Razak in London but I have met him in Parliament.”
He adds the last comment as a cheeky aside, all too aware of the rumours about his supposed meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister in London recently.
While many in Umno would welcome closer ties with PAS in the oft-stated interests of ‘Malay unity’, PAS’ rank and file (most of whom have tussled with Umno for decades) are sceptical – and in certain cases downright angry – about the possibility of just such a move.
The issue reveals deep fissures within PAS, which might also explain the recent contradictory statements made by party leader Hadi Awang, who has confirmed both his party’s on-going commitment to Pakatan Rakyat as well as acknowledged high-level meetings with Umno.
The relationship between the two largest Malay parties has increased in importance as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s position has come under fire.
Indeed as PKR struggles to cope with the fallout from the Saiful Bukhari scandal, PAS could end up as the ‘king-maker’, delivering both Umno and Abdullah from their current ‘funk’.
Whether it chooses to do so is a major test of the Pakatan’s solidity and PAS’ commitment to its oft-stated principles of good governance, anti-corruption and institutional reform.
Given that there has been very little actual progress from Barisan Nasional in terms of the reform agenda, any collaboration would seem to suggest that race and religion – and specifically securing and ensuring Malay dominance and power – are more important to PAS than issues such as civil liberties, justice and governance.
I would hesitate to call PAS hypocritical, but certainly this would be an extremely disappointing development were it to be true.
Malaysians will be watching to see how PAS responds to these challenges. PAS’ credibility hangs by a thread as does its future expansion: power play could ruin the party’s hard-won reputation for integrity.
It should also be remembered that many newly elected PAS MPs such as Khalid Samad, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud and Dr Lo'Lo Mohd Ghazali – representing Shah Alam, Kota Raja and Titiwangsa, respectively – were carried into Parliament on the back of a strong anti-Barisan wave.
They also secured unprecedented non-Malay support. It is unclear whether voters would be willing to forgive PAS were the party of the Ullama to leave the Pakatan for short-term gain and power.
Now, I would be the first to state that I am definitely not a PAS supporter – its insistence on Islam as the basis for all its political activity is something I cannot accept.
Nonetheless, I have to commend the party’s principled commitment to the reform agenda. Moreover its ability to remain at one with the rakyat is something that Umno desperately needs to (re)learn.
Still, it is hard to see how PAS can manage such a controversial move (a linkage with Barisan and Umno) without losing credibility. Having attacked Umno consistently for decades a rapprochement would surely undermine the Islamicist party's popularity.
Indeed there are those within PAS who consider it better to team up with non-Muslims (the DAP) rather than with a party that has been viewed as cruel and unjust.
Clearly the power play could have immense costs for PAS.
Nonetheless, when Nasharudin speaks it’s important to listen very closely – partly because he speaks so quietly but also because of his carefully calibrated language.
When I asked him about Anwar Ibrahim, he is circumspect: “I am not sure of his popularity when compared to 1998. The latest developments – the Saiful event and the statutory declaration by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam – have affected Anwar’s credibility.
“Still, his ability to lead is unquestionable. It’s arguable that the Malay community is also starting to believe the accusations against Anwar. His delay in taking an oath to swear on the Quran is also an issue.”
Nasharudin is frank about his views on the coalition: “With recent developments, my personal view is that the Pakatan is very fragile; but we are trying to strengthen the coalition.
“Nobody can deny this. There are problems at both state and federal levels. Pakatan must get its house in order and consolidate its position.”
When asked how this can be achieved, he answers: “The level of communication among ourselves isn’t up to standard. This is because everyone is busy. We need to increase the regularity and frequency of communication.
“We are still to a large degree polarised (Malays, Indians and Chinese) and are still finding it difficult to overcome these differences which remain at the core between the different Pakatan members.”
Given his more cosmopolitan west-coast background, it’s perhaps disappointing that Nasharudin hasn’t been leading the engagement across the racial and political lines. Certainly he must be one of the few senior PAS leaders to have studied at a mission school – St Gabriel’s in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur.
At the same time, his educational background includes time spent both in the Middle East (eight years in Amman, Jordan) and in Britain (Glasgow University).
Indeed Nasharudin who was very much the late Fadzil Noor’s anak emas (blue-eyed boy) appears to be the personification of PAS’ modern leadership.
He is an impressive mix – a Malay professional with a deep knowledge of Islam, even though he resists labelling himself as an Ullama (one with knowledge).
Maybe I’ve made Nasharudin sound overly calculating, which he wasn’t; he was open and thoughtful, as befits a man with such a scholarly demeanour.
Still, I am very troubled by the reluctance to deal across the racial divide. The Malaysian voting public entrusted the Pakatan with a mandate for change and even if the putative leader Anwar Ibrahim has been (perhaps temporarily) derailed, we expect PAS to continue with the venture of building on what Nasharuddin himself concedes as “the shared ground of equality and fairness”.
Should it fail to do so, it will show us that the men in green are no less susceptible to money and power than their friends in blue.
I hope PAS will resist the temptation. On March 8, Malaysians voted for a two-party system.
They did not vote for a hastily assembled collaboration between PAS and Umno. PAS should be extremely wary of misinterpreting the March 8 results.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Mursyidul Am tidak mahu sejarah hitam berulang kembali
Harakah (21/7/08): PAS dibimbangi akan menjadi seperti kera sumbang, manakala di kiri kanan pula kena marah sekiranya meneruskan muzakarah dengan pemimpin Umno.
Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata, apabila berlaku muzakarah penyokong kita marah kepada PAS dan orang Pakatan Rakyat juga curiga.
Oleh itu bagi mengelakkan kekecewaan penyokong, muzakarah antara PAS dan Umno dianggap tidak perlu bagi mengelak berulang sejarah hitam yang pernah berlaku sebelum ini.
"PAS akan lebih berhati-hati agar tidak terkena perangkap Umno kali kedua. Itu bukan cara parti yang memperjuangkan Islam berpolitik di mana cara berkenaan tidak ubah seperti menolong pihak lawan dan bukannya untuk menjaga kestabilan parti.
"Itu perangkap namanya," katanya pada persidangan media di Kota Darulnaim petang ini.
Beliau diminta mengulas kenyataan Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang mendedahkan muzakarah bersama PAS sudah tiga kali diadakan bagi membincangkan beberapa isu berkaitan agama dan orang Melayu.
Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz sebelum ini menegaskan muzakarah yang dicadangkan perlu bersyarat di mana Umno perlu meminta maaf secara terbuka kepada PAS terhadap banyak kesalahan yang dilakukan sebelum ini.
Beliau berkata, PAS tidak akan menerima nasib buruk diperangkap Umno kali kedua, cukup hanya sekali.
"Umno sekarang sudah lemas dan dia nak minta tolong PAS, sedangkan PAS sendiri bekerja keras untuk melemaskan Umno, tetapi apabila Umno lemas sekarang kita nak angkat dia balik, itu bukan kerja kita.
"Biar lemaslah dia, dah 50 tahun kita lawan Umno, bila dia lemas kita lanyak dia.. sepatutnya begitu," ujarnya.
Beliau yang juga Pesuruhjaya PAS Kelantan meminta anggota parti menyoal diri masing-masing sama ada mereka ingin menjaga parti atau Islam.
Katanya, sekiranya hanya untuk menjaga parti, ia bukan hala tuju perjuangan parti yang sebenarnya.
"Kita nak jaga Islam, jaga Umno apa yang akan kita dapat. Umno ni sebenarnya parti yang melonggarkan iman, orang Melayu selama ini longgar kerana Umno.
"Tetapi kalau PAS nak jaga Islam, bukan caranya untuk PAS bekerja sama dengan Umno, sebab parti itu parti sekular yang hanya memperjuangkan dasar untuk dunia semata-mata," ujarnya.
Katanya, soal bangkit dari kubur dan akhirat tidak pernah menjadi hala tuju dan perbincangan di kalangan pemimpin Umno.
Ditanya isu muzakarah sengaja diperbesarkan media, beliau berkata, ia sudah menjadi agenda media untuk melariskan jualan.
"Itu kerja orang surat khabar, dia akan berbuat sesuatu untuk melariskan akhbar masing-masing, itu jelas.
"Jadi untuk melebarkan perjuangan PAS hanya melalui ceramah dan internet. Apa yang menjadi isu di media sekarang kerana mereka mempunyai agenda sendiri, sebab semua suratkhabar harian proUmno belaka," ujarnya.
Beliau juga turut menafikan wujud perbezaan pendapat antara beliau dengan Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang dalam isu muzakarah.
Katanya kewujudan berbezaan pandangan tidak bererti parti itu mengalami masalah kepemimpinan.
"Sehingga hari ini ia tidak menjadi masalah, sebab kita hidup tidak boleh senyap, banyak mana yang kita nak luah, kita luahkan, kemudian kita dengar balik.
"Sekarang masing-masing sudah meluahkan pandangan, jadi terpulang kepada penyokong untuk membuat penilaian," ujarnya.
Beliau juga berkata, biar pun sudah ada pertemuan pemimpin PAS dengan Presiden Umno, ia tidak bererti sudah ada persefahaman antara kedua-dua parti tersebut.
Ditanya adakah beliau kecewa dengan tindakan pemimpin PAS mengadakan pertemuan dengan pemimpin tertinggi parti Umno beliau berkata, tidak juga.
"Benda atas dunia ni begitulah, masalah perkara biasa berlaku seperti dalam rumah tangga antara suami isteri, kesilapan dilakukan suami adakalanya tidak disedari.
"Saya setuju benar biar Umno jadi pembangkang bukan sahaja di Kelantan, tetapi di seluruh negara termasuk di peringkat pusat," ujarnya.
Beliau juga meminta ahli parti dan penyokong Pakatan Rakyat bertenang dalam menghadapi situasi sekarang serta tidak mudah termakan taktik yang dimainkan musuh.
Mursyidul Am juga berharap perwakilan membahaskan isu tersebut di Muktamar PAS di Ipoh Ogos depan.
Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata, apabila berlaku muzakarah penyokong kita marah kepada PAS dan orang Pakatan Rakyat juga curiga.
Oleh itu bagi mengelakkan kekecewaan penyokong, muzakarah antara PAS dan Umno dianggap tidak perlu bagi mengelak berulang sejarah hitam yang pernah berlaku sebelum ini.
"PAS akan lebih berhati-hati agar tidak terkena perangkap Umno kali kedua. Itu bukan cara parti yang memperjuangkan Islam berpolitik di mana cara berkenaan tidak ubah seperti menolong pihak lawan dan bukannya untuk menjaga kestabilan parti.
"Itu perangkap namanya," katanya pada persidangan media di Kota Darulnaim petang ini.
Beliau diminta mengulas kenyataan Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang mendedahkan muzakarah bersama PAS sudah tiga kali diadakan bagi membincangkan beberapa isu berkaitan agama dan orang Melayu.
Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz sebelum ini menegaskan muzakarah yang dicadangkan perlu bersyarat di mana Umno perlu meminta maaf secara terbuka kepada PAS terhadap banyak kesalahan yang dilakukan sebelum ini.
Beliau berkata, PAS tidak akan menerima nasib buruk diperangkap Umno kali kedua, cukup hanya sekali.
"Umno sekarang sudah lemas dan dia nak minta tolong PAS, sedangkan PAS sendiri bekerja keras untuk melemaskan Umno, tetapi apabila Umno lemas sekarang kita nak angkat dia balik, itu bukan kerja kita.
"Biar lemaslah dia, dah 50 tahun kita lawan Umno, bila dia lemas kita lanyak dia.. sepatutnya begitu," ujarnya.
Beliau yang juga Pesuruhjaya PAS Kelantan meminta anggota parti menyoal diri masing-masing sama ada mereka ingin menjaga parti atau Islam.
Katanya, sekiranya hanya untuk menjaga parti, ia bukan hala tuju perjuangan parti yang sebenarnya.
"Kita nak jaga Islam, jaga Umno apa yang akan kita dapat. Umno ni sebenarnya parti yang melonggarkan iman, orang Melayu selama ini longgar kerana Umno.
"Tetapi kalau PAS nak jaga Islam, bukan caranya untuk PAS bekerja sama dengan Umno, sebab parti itu parti sekular yang hanya memperjuangkan dasar untuk dunia semata-mata," ujarnya.
Katanya, soal bangkit dari kubur dan akhirat tidak pernah menjadi hala tuju dan perbincangan di kalangan pemimpin Umno.
Ditanya isu muzakarah sengaja diperbesarkan media, beliau berkata, ia sudah menjadi agenda media untuk melariskan jualan.
"Itu kerja orang surat khabar, dia akan berbuat sesuatu untuk melariskan akhbar masing-masing, itu jelas.
"Jadi untuk melebarkan perjuangan PAS hanya melalui ceramah dan internet. Apa yang menjadi isu di media sekarang kerana mereka mempunyai agenda sendiri, sebab semua suratkhabar harian proUmno belaka," ujarnya.
Beliau juga turut menafikan wujud perbezaan pendapat antara beliau dengan Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang dalam isu muzakarah.
Katanya kewujudan berbezaan pandangan tidak bererti parti itu mengalami masalah kepemimpinan.
"Sehingga hari ini ia tidak menjadi masalah, sebab kita hidup tidak boleh senyap, banyak mana yang kita nak luah, kita luahkan, kemudian kita dengar balik.
"Sekarang masing-masing sudah meluahkan pandangan, jadi terpulang kepada penyokong untuk membuat penilaian," ujarnya.
Beliau juga berkata, biar pun sudah ada pertemuan pemimpin PAS dengan Presiden Umno, ia tidak bererti sudah ada persefahaman antara kedua-dua parti tersebut.
Ditanya adakah beliau kecewa dengan tindakan pemimpin PAS mengadakan pertemuan dengan pemimpin tertinggi parti Umno beliau berkata, tidak juga.
"Benda atas dunia ni begitulah, masalah perkara biasa berlaku seperti dalam rumah tangga antara suami isteri, kesilapan dilakukan suami adakalanya tidak disedari.
"Saya setuju benar biar Umno jadi pembangkang bukan sahaja di Kelantan, tetapi di seluruh negara termasuk di peringkat pusat," ujarnya.
Beliau juga meminta ahli parti dan penyokong Pakatan Rakyat bertenang dalam menghadapi situasi sekarang serta tidak mudah termakan taktik yang dimainkan musuh.
Mursyidul Am juga berharap perwakilan membahaskan isu tersebut di Muktamar PAS di Ipoh Ogos depan.
Monday, July 21, 2008
PAS confirms meetings with PM, Anwar not worried
Malaysian Insider (21/7/08): PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has confirmed that his party had met Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss Islam and Malay unity.
The first meeting took place just after the March 8 general election, attended by the party's deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, national election director Datuk Mustafa Ali and Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad.
"We have informed about the meeting to the PAS central committee meeting and (the highest decision-making body) ulama' syura (religious scholars advisory) council.
"As a result, the syura council decided to give the mandate to the president, deputy president and secretary-general to strive harder towards uniting Muslims and Malaysians according to the way of Islam," Hadi said in a statement.
Based on the resolution of the council, he said a second meeting took place between Nasharudin and the Prime Minister at Parliament House.
"PAS is prepared to ensure the success of a dialogue with Umno for the sake of Muslims and Malays," he added.
The Prime Minister had revealed that he met PAS leaders three times in the past few months.
Will this affect the Pakatan Rakyat coalition?
De facto opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said he was not worried as Hadi had reaffirmed the party's commitment to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition that controls five states and 82 parliament seats.
He claimed that the Prime Minister had also met Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and vice-president Azmin Ali recently.
"Wan Azizah and Azmin Ali have met the PM too. As recently as yesterday, Ustaz Hadi said their commitment with Pakatan Rakyat remains."
PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali is also confident that Hadi would not backtrack on his promises.
"From Hadi's statement it is clear that PAS will remain with Pakatan Rakyat," he told The Malaysian Insider.
But PAS vice-president Husam Musa yesterday criticised Abdullah's disclosure of the talks, saying the prime minister was trying to "plant seeds of destruction in PAS", with his description of meeting party decision-makers.
"PAS is an Islamic community which functions with Islamic methods and ethics that includes discussion among members," he said in a statement carried by party information website HarakahDaily.net.
He pointed out the announcement was an attempt to strengthen Abdullah's position amidst the Umno infighting while getting the people to lose confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat and hindering the post-12th general election agenda and breaking non-Malay support for PAS like 40 years ago.
In Kota Baru, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat today made a surprise call to stop plans for the proposed unity talks, claiming it could cause a split in the party.
Describing attempts to be friendly with Umno as "sleeping with the enemy", the Kelantan Mentri Besar put a challenge to his party leaders whether they were really interested in safeguarding PAS and Islam.
Nik Aziz who was not present in any of the meetings with the Prime Minister said he was not happy with certain statements issued by party leaders who were keen with meeting their Umno counterparts.
"It's not that I'm not in line with Pas leaders' thinking but if they are not careful, they would be played out by Umno," he said in a press conference today. He reiterated his stand that the grassroots members should decide whether a dialogue with Umno should be held or not.
Umno offered PAS to jointly rule S'gor (Malaysiakini 21/7/08)
Pakatan leaders unperturbed by PAS-Umno talks (Malaysiakini 21/7/08)
The first meeting took place just after the March 8 general election, attended by the party's deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, national election director Datuk Mustafa Ali and Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad.
"We have informed about the meeting to the PAS central committee meeting and (the highest decision-making body) ulama' syura (religious scholars advisory) council.
"As a result, the syura council decided to give the mandate to the president, deputy president and secretary-general to strive harder towards uniting Muslims and Malaysians according to the way of Islam," Hadi said in a statement.
Based on the resolution of the council, he said a second meeting took place between Nasharudin and the Prime Minister at Parliament House.
"PAS is prepared to ensure the success of a dialogue with Umno for the sake of Muslims and Malays," he added.
The Prime Minister had revealed that he met PAS leaders three times in the past few months.
Will this affect the Pakatan Rakyat coalition?
De facto opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said he was not worried as Hadi had reaffirmed the party's commitment to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition that controls five states and 82 parliament seats.
He claimed that the Prime Minister had also met Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and vice-president Azmin Ali recently.
"Wan Azizah and Azmin Ali have met the PM too. As recently as yesterday, Ustaz Hadi said their commitment with Pakatan Rakyat remains."
PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali is also confident that Hadi would not backtrack on his promises.
"From Hadi's statement it is clear that PAS will remain with Pakatan Rakyat," he told The Malaysian Insider.
But PAS vice-president Husam Musa yesterday criticised Abdullah's disclosure of the talks, saying the prime minister was trying to "plant seeds of destruction in PAS", with his description of meeting party decision-makers.
"PAS is an Islamic community which functions with Islamic methods and ethics that includes discussion among members," he said in a statement carried by party information website HarakahDaily.net.
He pointed out the announcement was an attempt to strengthen Abdullah's position amidst the Umno infighting while getting the people to lose confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat and hindering the post-12th general election agenda and breaking non-Malay support for PAS like 40 years ago.
In Kota Baru, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat today made a surprise call to stop plans for the proposed unity talks, claiming it could cause a split in the party.
Describing attempts to be friendly with Umno as "sleeping with the enemy", the Kelantan Mentri Besar put a challenge to his party leaders whether they were really interested in safeguarding PAS and Islam.
Nik Aziz who was not present in any of the meetings with the Prime Minister said he was not happy with certain statements issued by party leaders who were keen with meeting their Umno counterparts.
"It's not that I'm not in line with Pas leaders' thinking but if they are not careful, they would be played out by Umno," he said in a press conference today. He reiterated his stand that the grassroots members should decide whether a dialogue with Umno should be held or not.
Umno offered PAS to jointly rule S'gor (Malaysiakini 21/7/08)
Pakatan leaders unperturbed by PAS-Umno talks (Malaysiakini 21/7/08)
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