Najib: Youth must condemn violence
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26 , 2009) : Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today called on the youth to condemn violence and any fragmentation of humankind.
He said the youth should have the capacity to realise the futility and destructiveness of terrorism despite the difficult political circumstances or personal traumas that they faced. (unless it's against people in wheelchairs they don't like?)
At the same time, the younger generation should integrate with a multicultural society to respect religious diversity and believe in democracy and dialogue. ( Scuffling with people = dialogue?)
"One thing we all know and agree is that no religion or culture advocates violence to another. Let me also make it clear that no cause or political antecedent can justify acts of terrorism. (But it's OK to terrorise people who are physically unable to fight back?)
"Terrorism and violence cannot be justified under any circumstances," he said in his opening speech at the International Conference on Youth and Terrorism here.
His speech was delivered by Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. (who is still head of UMNO Youth...)
Present were Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, his deputy Datuk Tan Lian Hoe and deputy Youth and Sports minister Wee Jeck Seng.
Najib said it was also important for the youth to address the misconceptions and prejudices which arise in the discourse of terrorism, apart from finding the roots to the scourge.
There was also a need to analyse factors why young men and women were easily brainwashed into becoming sacrifical lambs and becominge suicide bombers.
"We are urged on a daily basis by mass media which associate terrorism with religious fundamentalism. It creates a perception that religion promotes terrorists and suicide bombers.
"Our own acquaintances further create a picture where we only see our sorrow and despair, and are not able to see beyond it, what exactly is the root cause of terror," he added.
Najib suggested that to make the world a better place, the youth must be guided by their conscience, where things which are immoral, regardless of the cause, must never be justified.
"Secondly, in the pursuit of knowledge, never forget wisdom. In this information age, the stress on acquiring knowlegde has been emphasised and rightly so. Nevertheless, knowledge without wisdom is like a powerful car without the capacity to steer," he said. (Oh but they are only (30-40 year old) youth kan, still too young for any wisdom...)
He said it was important for the youth to develop empathy and have an open mind in addressing terrorism, and to strive for unity in the multi-cultural society. (Empathy?? Don't think it's in their vocabulary.)
"Finally, we need courage. Let us not fool ourselves, most of the world would vehemently oppose those that try to live by such principles. Under such circumstances, living by the above would only be possible if we have both fortitude and resourcefulness," he added. (Yup, bullying a man in a wheelchair is REALLY courageous...)
The two-day conference was attended by 224 participants from 24 countries. -- BERNAMA
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Anas' Plea
Anas Zubedy, my fellow blogger, is taking out a full page ad in The Star tomorrow with this plea below. I think he's echoing what many of us are thinking, that enough is enough, everyone, including politicians, needs to get down and get to work. Like many employers, he is concerned about his employees and would rather not have to let them go. But that will be inevitable if things carry on this way.
If you agree with his thoughts below and are sick and tired of politics as he and I are, spread the message and make sure our politicians -ALL of them - hear us.
Thanks.
Dear Malaysian Politicians,
Please stop the power chase, call for a truce and focus on the economy.
I do not claim to speak on behalf of all Malaysians, but I have strong convictions that many share my sentiments.
Our concern today is not who rules the country or heads the state governments but the looming bad economy.
Whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat leads, it is meaningless if Malaysians have no job to go to, no money to pay rent and no means to put food on the table.
I am a business owner, like other business owners and managers of corporations I have a responsibility to ensure people under my care and payroll continue to have jobs and a decent income to take home. We work hard and willing to go the extra mile to make sure our nation not only survive this crisis but come out stronger and wiser. We need your help.
Let me explain. I am in the business of Training, Development and Consultancy and have 20 people in my team.
Saedah is 42. She keeps the office clean and helps organise the training rooms. She has four children and her husband is unemployed. She was first hired on a part time basis, because she is very hard working and has a great attitude, we offered her a full time job to help provide a stable income for her family. Even then, when her third child started school this year, it was a struggle for her to buy new school uniforms and other necessities. Saedah lives on a ‘kais bulan, makan bulan’ basis, so, if she is jobless, her tap runs dry.
Samsuri is 27 years old. He lives with his sister and her family in a low cost government flat in Sunway. He does our despatch, helps with various clerical works and occasionally acts as a driver. During the first week at zubedy, we learned that he not only did not have money to buy new clothes and shoes for work, he had no money for lunch. Like Saedah, if he has no job, his tap runs dry too.
Alicia in Client Servicing turns 26 this year. She lives with her dad who is 71 years old and retired. Her mom passed away when she was little. Alicia is a hard-working team member, has a gentle caring outlook and fun to be with. (We like to poke fun at her as she blushes easily). Last May her dad went through a major operation, thank God he has recovered well. Alicia needs a job, both for herself and her dad.
Sudesh, 38, is one of our facilitators. When his father passed away last year, he moved back and lives with his mother in Seremban. He shuttles between Kuala Lumpur and Seremban daily, leaving home sometimes as early as 4 in the morning and returning late at night. He is no stranger to hard work and sacrifice, he knows what he needs to do to survive and to care for his mother, but he too needs a job.
Like fellow Malaysians, every one of us in zubedy needs employment, those that live from hand to mouth like Saedah and Samsuri and others like Alicia and Sudesh with family to care for. We Malaysians need the Malaysian economy to be strong. We need you, our leaders, to work hard and to work together to make our economy viable.
So this is my plea.
Pakatan Rakyat, please stop your attempts to take over the federal government and persuade BN’s lawmakers to join you. Stop all legal proceedings, no more 916 and let go, just let go. The nation can wait till the next general elections if they want change. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and gracious and give you their support in the next elections.
Barisan Nasional, please stop any attempts to take over PR states and win over PR’s lawmakers. You have proven your point with Perak. The nation can wait for the next general elections if they want your party. Focus all your talent, energy and hard work in steering the country out of an economic downturn. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and smart and give you their support in the next elections.
BN and PR! Call for a truce. Get together and compromise. Someone has to give in. Or has hate consumed your heart till it blinds you? You can do it. You have enough intelligent people between you. I am sure you can find solutions. Take the nation to heart. That is why you are in politics in the first place.
Focus on the people.
Focus on the economy.
Anas Zubedy
Managing Director
Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd
If you agree with his thoughts below and are sick and tired of politics as he and I are, spread the message and make sure our politicians -ALL of them - hear us.
Thanks.
Dear Malaysian Politicians,
Please stop the power chase, call for a truce and focus on the economy.
I do not claim to speak on behalf of all Malaysians, but I have strong convictions that many share my sentiments.
Our concern today is not who rules the country or heads the state governments but the looming bad economy.
Whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat leads, it is meaningless if Malaysians have no job to go to, no money to pay rent and no means to put food on the table.
I am a business owner, like other business owners and managers of corporations I have a responsibility to ensure people under my care and payroll continue to have jobs and a decent income to take home. We work hard and willing to go the extra mile to make sure our nation not only survive this crisis but come out stronger and wiser. We need your help.
Let me explain. I am in the business of Training, Development and Consultancy and have 20 people in my team.
Saedah is 42. She keeps the office clean and helps organise the training rooms. She has four children and her husband is unemployed. She was first hired on a part time basis, because she is very hard working and has a great attitude, we offered her a full time job to help provide a stable income for her family. Even then, when her third child started school this year, it was a struggle for her to buy new school uniforms and other necessities. Saedah lives on a ‘kais bulan, makan bulan’ basis, so, if she is jobless, her tap runs dry.
Samsuri is 27 years old. He lives with his sister and her family in a low cost government flat in Sunway. He does our despatch, helps with various clerical works and occasionally acts as a driver. During the first week at zubedy, we learned that he not only did not have money to buy new clothes and shoes for work, he had no money for lunch. Like Saedah, if he has no job, his tap runs dry too.
Alicia in Client Servicing turns 26 this year. She lives with her dad who is 71 years old and retired. Her mom passed away when she was little. Alicia is a hard-working team member, has a gentle caring outlook and fun to be with. (We like to poke fun at her as she blushes easily). Last May her dad went through a major operation, thank God he has recovered well. Alicia needs a job, both for herself and her dad.
Sudesh, 38, is one of our facilitators. When his father passed away last year, he moved back and lives with his mother in Seremban. He shuttles between Kuala Lumpur and Seremban daily, leaving home sometimes as early as 4 in the morning and returning late at night. He is no stranger to hard work and sacrifice, he knows what he needs to do to survive and to care for his mother, but he too needs a job.
Like fellow Malaysians, every one of us in zubedy needs employment, those that live from hand to mouth like Saedah and Samsuri and others like Alicia and Sudesh with family to care for. We Malaysians need the Malaysian economy to be strong. We need you, our leaders, to work hard and to work together to make our economy viable.
So this is my plea.
Pakatan Rakyat, please stop your attempts to take over the federal government and persuade BN’s lawmakers to join you. Stop all legal proceedings, no more 916 and let go, just let go. The nation can wait till the next general elections if they want change. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and gracious and give you their support in the next elections.
Barisan Nasional, please stop any attempts to take over PR states and win over PR’s lawmakers. You have proven your point with Perak. The nation can wait for the next general elections if they want your party. Focus all your talent, energy and hard work in steering the country out of an economic downturn. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and smart and give you their support in the next elections.
BN and PR! Call for a truce. Get together and compromise. Someone has to give in. Or has hate consumed your heart till it blinds you? You can do it. You have enough intelligent people between you. I am sure you can find solutions. Take the nation to heart. That is why you are in politics in the first place.
Focus on the people.
Focus on the economy.
Anas Zubedy
Managing Director
Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Update on To My Friend in Gaza
Tuesday February 24, 2009
Messages of hope for Gazan kids
THE first batch of 2,600 cards and letters written by Malaysian children to the children in war-torn Gaza will be sent out soon.
The cards were written by children of all ages from all over Malaysia in a project called �To My Friends in Gaza� jointly initiated by Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir and Unicef.
The project was launched on Jan 19 to provide moral support to children in Gaza, who have been affected by air strikes, by sending messages of hope and goodwill from Malaysia.
"When we are isolated and lonely, it is nice to receive letters and cards with words of encouragement. We know that we still have friends who care for us, even though from a distant land," said Marina.
She was speaking after receiving 2,500 cards from Cempaka School students at its Damansara campus. The cards were hand-made by students of all ages who are attending both Sri Cempaka schools in Damansara and Cheras.
Their say: Some of the younger pupils of Cempaka Schools in Damansara and Cheras with the cards they made for the children in Gaza. Also present at the event was Cempaka School vice-chairman Dr Iskandar Rizal Hamzah.
The students also kept the spirit high during the event by reciting poems on the theme and sang a few songs, including We are the World.
Marina said the idea for the campaign was inspired from the experience of people in East Timor. She said during the conflict, a group of Japanese children had written to the children there and the gesture had helped uplift the spirit of Timorese kids.
"We have decided to emulate the move and do the same for the kids in Gaza," she said.
She said the cards and letters, written in English and Bahasa Malaysia, would be translated into Arabic by a group of volunteers before they are sent to Gaza.
"The Unicef office here will send them to their office in Palestine which will then deliver them to the children in Gaza," she said.
Marina said Malaysian children were all invited to send letters, postcards and drawings to their friends in Gaza to tell them that they are thinking of them, wishing them well, praying for their safety and hoped that the troubled time would be over soon.
The cards and letters can be sent to 'To My Friends in Gaza', c/o 48 Jalan Terasik 2, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi folks, sorry for the long silence but have been sick and also very very busy. Just haven't been able to sit down long enough to post anything.
But thought you might be interested in this update. The cards and letters are pouring in every day. Today I received two boxes from SMK Labu, Negri Sembilan. Thank you!!!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hypocrisy Rules the World, Part 2
“This is about public morality … whether the pictures were taken with or without consent is another matter,” said former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo who is leading the charge against Wong.
This is NOT about public morality, this is about invasion of privacy. It becomes public morality when everyone scrambles to LOOK at the pictures. It is immoral to look at the pictures. If people were not so eager to look at the pictures, there would not be the possibility of blackmailing people or causing their downfall.
If Khir wants to take the moral high ground, he should be advising people to ignore the photos.
This is NOT about public morality, this is about invasion of privacy. It becomes public morality when everyone scrambles to LOOK at the pictures. It is immoral to look at the pictures. If people were not so eager to look at the pictures, there would not be the possibility of blackmailing people or causing their downfall.
If Khir wants to take the moral high ground, he should be advising people to ignore the photos.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
A Closing Message (though not a Farewell!)
Let’s Read the Quran Campaign: January 15th – February 14th, 2009
Peace be with you.
It is mid February, the year has just begun, and the four of us, Marina, Syed Akbar, Walski and Anas feel that we have started something meaningful to kick off the year .
Perhaps it is because it was on the very first day of the year, on January 1st that we took the first step to organise this campaign. Encouraging not just Muslims but also our brothers and sisters from the other faiths to read and ponder the Quran. Many have expressed enthusiasm towards the campaign, as you can gauge from the comments below..
We would like to thank you for being with us, contributing, sharing comments and reading our posts. Ribuan terima kasih to our fellow Bloggers, more than 50 blogs who proudly hosted the campaign logo thus helping us reach a much bigger audience.
We also would like to thank those who were opposed to our approach; for their gentle words, comments and disagreement, truly Islamic in behaviour. We are brothers and sisters of the same faith, we are not enemies. We can agree to disagree. Our platform may be different, but our goal is the same. Let’s keep this at heart.
While our campaign officially ends today February 14th yet our commitment to make the Quran relevant in our lives is unending. Let’s continue this good work as the Quran says,
“ And if all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea (were) ink, with seven (more) seas yet added to it, the words of God would not be exhausted: for, verily, God is almighty, wise. ”
(Quran 31:27)
“ Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding ”
(Quran 39:18).
Salam and thank you,
Marina Mahathir
Syed Akbar Ali
Walski
Anas Zubedy
Selected Comments from our postings:
Yusuf Martin:
What an excellent idea - it is better to understand the Quran, its nuances and meanings if you also have access to it in your own language. I read the Quran - 4 versions - in English
Anon:
Certainly a worthy goal. As a non-Muslim I can guarantee that I know more about Islam (it's history and culture)than 95% of Malay Muslims. However my knowledge of the Quran (and other scriptures) are pretty basic so an understanding of the Quran can only be a good thing especially in a multi-racial setting such as ours.
Michelle:
I decided sometime last year that I'd read the Quran too. Good to know about this campaign. Looking forward to many interesting posts from you guys!
Estrelita:
Isn't this a nicer way to educate and reach out? Thanks!
Kim Chow:
Hi
This has caught my attention. It has never crossed my mind before to read the Quran.
The ongoing bloody and brutal Gaza bombardment by Israel makes my stomach churn.
Last night, I received an email asking Christians to support Israel.
This Chinese New Year there is little reason for me to celebrate knowing that so many lives have perished like worthless creatures. I keep thinking of the children who have been maimed, crippled and orphaned.
Etched in my mind is the image of this cute and adorable two-year Palestinian girl who appeared on Aljazeera. I pray that God will keep her and her family safe.
Yes, I am interested to read the Quran.
Bard:
It is always good to see any initiative which will remove Muslims from their hibernation and an initiative which will paint a true picture of Islam to the masses who are misinformed by the media. All the best Insha Allah!
Das:
I have read The Holy Book from cover to cover. The whole 114 Suras and I came away from it with an over-abiding sense of respect and awe.
This is why I get puzzled by the many pronouncements about Islam by so called Important Persons in the media.
For instance, in Sura 18, in the story about the 'people of the cave' God entrusts the safety of the group with a DOG, which is made to lie at the mouth of cave to discourage any passersby from molesting the group whom God has made to sleep for an age.
And the pig on the other hand kept the people of the Islamic world safe from Pests and Pestilence by eating up all the offal that people threw out. Since sewerage systems need water to work, it is the pigs that fulfilled this function and kept society healthy.
"Thou shall not consume the flesh of swine that feeds on offal"
God did not want the pigs killed and eaten.
This to me makes more sense than to claim that God condemned these two animals as unclean. Who created these animals in the first place?
I'll stop by making this observation. If I live a life true to Islam, when I die would God reject me because some Kadi or other has not confirmed me as Muslim as such?
Oh, by the way I am a non - muslim.
Father Fez:
This is a great idea. If the non Muslims could also read the Quran and understand the timeless message it would do a lot of good in promoting better understanding.
Perhaps then, the brainless antics of some of our leaders in the name of Islam, can be seen as "brainless antics."
Basha:
great... a departure from the many verses that just stereotyped Quran into a book about how one would be punished in the hereafter. Nice linkage to ordinary events.
Snuze:
What a beautiful way to interpret the Gift that is the Al-Quran. Sometimes we forget that everyone is a creation of Allah SWT deserving of respect and communion. Lovely.
Pah Nur:
I think religion is a tool to unite the human race of different variety, be it black, white, sawa matang, or shades in between. But most had chosen to stay obtuse, rather,use religion to separate the human beings according to "branding", which is sad.
My:
Let’s Read the Quran Campaign.....well done!!..It’s realy.. really good initiative as the Quran is applicable for all generations and for all people regardless their races... Allah sent down the Quran to mankind as a book of guidance and an avenue for knowledge in every aspects as well as a medium to unite people to the right path
Abdullah:
The secret is when we appreciate each other for who we are, and the things we share in common...
Focus on the differences and that's all we're going to see.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
p/s Anas has one last illustrated posting here.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Canine Comfort from the Quran
This was not part of our Let's Read the Quran campaign but by coincidence I spotted this letter in The Star yesterday:
Wednesday February 11, 2009
We Are As Barbaric As The Israelis What a shame that barbarism is secretly dwelling in the dark corners of our society. People now seem to enjoy taking the lives of dogs by breaking their skulls and necks and brutally beating them to death.
What is the difference between these heartless humans compared with the Israeli army murdering innocent souls?
Constantly we hear the same old saying that we are forbidden to touch dogs and that this animal is filthy and indecent.
If so, why would God have planted such loyalty and love in this particular animal?
To all my fellow Muslims, I shall quote from Surah Al-Kahf in the Holy Quran verse number 18: “And you would have thought them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them on their right and on their left sides, and their dog stretching forth his two forelegs at the entrance [of the Cave or in the space near to the entrance of the Cave (as a guard at the gate)]. Had you looked at them, you would certainly have turned back from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with awe of them.”
If our very own Holy book shows us how loyal and protective these dogs were to those who did not do wrong, where did we learn to hate and despise this animal?
NOROZ Khan,
Kuala Lumpur.
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood beliefs in Islam is that about dogs. Malay-Muslims particularly believe that the dog is an unclean animal and therefore will have nothing to do with it. This then leads to all sorts of misunderstandings.
My friend Anthony Thanayasan is a disabled activist who is President of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) and is also the first disabled person to be appointed a city councillor in Petaling Jaya. Anthony gets around in a wheelchair but he also has a dog called Soo who is trained to help him wherever he is. For instance, Soo will retrieve Anthony's car keys if he drops them and can also assist him in the toilet. When he doesn't have anything to do, Soo will sit quietly under Anthony's table without making a sound or disturbing anyone.Soo is a service animal which is defined as any dog or other common domestic animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items, assisting an individual during a seizure, retrieving medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and assisting individuals, including those with cognitive disabilities, with navigation.
Unfortunately many Malaysians, especially Muslims do not understand what service dogs are and do. As a result Anthony has had many problems going into public places. At shopping malls, guards have stopped him from bringing Soo along with him. Similarly in other public places which, as a city councillor, he is required to go to. The excuse given is always that the presence of the dog would offend Muslims.
The odd thing is that nobody voices any objections when dogs are used to sniff out drugs or rescue people, for example, when buildings collapse and people are buried underneath. Nobody ever says that the dogs should only be used to rescue non-Muslims!
So we are inconsistent in our treatment of dogs and sometimes, as in the letter above, even worse. This despite what the Quran says about dogs.
In addition to what is quoted above, there is also Surah Al-Maidah, verse 4:
They ask thee (O Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good things are made lawful for you. And those beasts and birds of prey which ye have trained as hounds are trained, ye teach them that which Allah taught you; so eat of that which they catch for you and mention Allah's name upon it, and observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is swift to take account.
We can surmise that during the Prophet (pbuh)'s time, people used dogs to hunt animals and this was not forbidden. Which means that it is not wrong to keep dogs. Indeed, when I was in Bangladesh, I saw many Bangladeshis who kept dogs including in the villages where they are primarily used for security purposes.
We are required to cleanse ourselves should we touch dog saliva for instance. But this is not license to treat dogs cruelly at all. Indeed if dogs can be trained to be of service to humans, especially disabled humans, then we should welcome it. Otherwise we will have the odd situation where non-Muslim disabled persons become more mobile and are able to access the world like able-bodied persons while Muslim disabled people are not. Surely we should not unnecessarily create injustice upon ourselves?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Two Announcements...
Here are two announcements which may interest you:
1. Malaysia's human rights record is coming under review by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations this Wednesday February 11 in Geneva. Malaysia's review will be facilitated by 3 countries (the troika): Egypt, Qatar and Nicaragua. During that review, the three main documents they will be referring to are:
1) the national report (prepared by the Government of Malaysia);
2) the UN agencies' report (a compilation report prepared by the UN based on their interaction with Malaysia through e.g. UNFPA, UNDP and the CEDAW Committee);
3) the stakeholders' report (a compilation of reports from 11 organisations that submitted reports to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) in September last year. From Malaysia, we have the main NGOs report - COMANGO's, then one from MWG-JUMP, JOAS and another from the Malaysian Bar. SUHAKAM submitted a report as well.
Also Malaysia's pledges and commitments and advance questions received by Malaysia for the UPR. (Also these.)
You may be interested to know that some of the issues that will be addressed are the Inernal Security Act, women's rights in Malaysia and the rights of migrant workers in our country.
If you are interested to follow the review live online, you can watch the live webcast on the website of the OHCHR. This is the first time that this review is being broadcast live so also the first time you get to see our officials at work at the UN overseas.
If you would like to watch it with other people, ERA Consumer is hosting a screening of the live webcast to which everyone is invited. Here are the details:
The University's Access Academy, which prepares students for entry into the university, is looking for candidates for the coming academic year from Malaysia. Eligible candidates must fulfill the following criteria:
For more information on admissions, please do go to the website. It should be understood that students must come from families who cannot afford to send their daughters to university and there will be needs-based scholarships on offer to the successful candidates. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2009.
Thanks folks!
1. Malaysia's human rights record is coming under review by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations this Wednesday February 11 in Geneva. Malaysia's review will be facilitated by 3 countries (the troika): Egypt, Qatar and Nicaragua. During that review, the three main documents they will be referring to are:
1) the national report (prepared by the Government of Malaysia);
2) the UN agencies' report (a compilation report prepared by the UN based on their interaction with Malaysia through e.g. UNFPA, UNDP and the CEDAW Committee);
3) the stakeholders' report (a compilation of reports from 11 organisations that submitted reports to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) in September last year. From Malaysia, we have the main NGOs report - COMANGO's, then one from MWG-JUMP, JOAS and another from the Malaysian Bar. SUHAKAM submitted a report as well.
Also Malaysia's pledges and commitments and advance questions received by Malaysia for the UPR. (Also these.)
You may be interested to know that some of the issues that will be addressed are the Inernal Security Act, women's rights in Malaysia and the rights of migrant workers in our country.
If you are interested to follow the review live online, you can watch the live webcast on the website of the OHCHR. This is the first time that this review is being broadcast live so also the first time you get to see our officials at work at the UN overseas.
If you would like to watch it with other people, ERA Consumer is hosting a screening of the live webcast to which everyone is invited. Here are the details:
Date : 11th February 2009 (Wednesday)
Time : 9.30pm to 12.30am
Venue : No 1, Lorong 22/44 A
Seksyen 22,
Petaling Jaya
46300 Selangor
Tel : 03-78764648
(Note: those taking the PUTRA LRT kindly get off at Paramount Station and take the left exit, walk till the first junction and turn right).
2. You may recall that last August I visited the Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh.My post about my visit and how impressed I was is here.The University's Access Academy, which prepares students for entry into the university, is looking for candidates for the coming academic year from Malaysia. Eligible candidates must fulfill the following criteria:
- Young women whose parents are NOT University graduates.
- Age: 17-26 years
- Education: Completion of 10+2= 12 years of education
- 60% or above marks in Secondary School Certificate (SSC)/ 10 year equivalent exam and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) / 12 year equivalent exam
- Around 50% marks in English of HSC/ equivalent exam
- Intention for leading and working for the advancement of own country and society.
- Students appearing for 2009 HSC/ 12 year equivalent examinations can apply.
For more information on admissions, please do go to the website. It should be understood that students must come from families who cannot afford to send their daughters to university and there will be needs-based scholarships on offer to the successful candidates. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2009.
Thanks folks!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ruling through Ignorance
PESHAWAR, 20 January 2009 (IRIN) - Shaista Bibi has been out in Peshawar to buy school text books for her 15-year-old niece. "Now I have to find a way to get these safely to my sister, who lives in a village near the town of Matta in Swat," Shaista told IRIN.
Shaista's older sister, Qudsia Bibi, hopes to use the books to home-school her 15-year-old daughter. The girl, who was planning to take her school-leaving exams in spring, has been unable to go to classes for weeks because of threats posed by militants.
According to an official in Swat’s education department who asked not to be named, enrolment in the area for girls has fallen from about 120,000 to under 50,000 since 2007. Over 130 schools - mainly girls’ schools - in Swat have been destroyed in the past year, according to education department sources.
"I am too terrified to even send my daughter to a private school. I will try and teach her at home, as I have a B.A. degree, and am one of the few graduates in this area," Qudsia told IRIN from Swat.
She has also agreed to offer lessons to some of her daughter’s former classmates, provided they come to her house in ones and twos - and in secret, on the pretext of errands to avoid attracting the attention of militants.
Local residents fear a ban announced by the Taliban on education for girls, from 15 January, will lead to harsh measures to clamp down on learning for women.
Private schools in the area were due to reopen on 15 January, but according to Mussarat Hilali, a lawyer and a senior official in the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), "they have refused to reopen till they have assurances from the militants that they will not attack the schools."
Afraid to go to work
This is not the only kind of hardship women in Swat Valley are facing: Many are afraid of showing up for work.
Photo: Kamila Hyat/IRIN
Working women are facing growing harassment in Swat
"I worked as a pharmacist in Mingora [Swat's principal city]. But my parents were warned my behaviour was 'immoral' because I worked alongside men, and now I have stopped, even though this means a loss of income for my family, who badly need the Rs 8,000 [US$105] I brought in each month," Shandana Jabeen (not her real name), 21, told IRIN. She said her parents were fearful the militants could 'punish' them if she continued to work.
Such fears are not far-fetched. Hamid Mir, a well-known talk show host on Geo TV, gave a shocking account in a newspaper article of a woman school teacher, who was labelled a prostitute by militants and then killed as she had refused to give up work. The woman, a mother of three from the village of Kuza Bandai, was a widow and the sole supporter of three children.
"We have been hearing of more and more cases of women being prevented from going to work. Messages broadcast on FM radio warn men to keep them at home or face reprisals. In the case of the woman killed because she worked, she was terribly humiliated both before and after she died and had ankle-bells placed around her feet, to show she was a prostitute," the HRCP’s Hilali told IRIN.
“Even women in gynaecological wards in Swat are being harassed by the militants who tell them to plait their hair and not to use decorative clips or bands," she said.
Other women in villages around Mingora have been ordered to dress in 'burqas', the head-to-toe veil favoured by the Taliban. "My wife and daughter were asked to don 'burqas' by a band of young militants, even though they were fully covered in thick 'chadors' [a long outer garment worn by women]," Jahanzeb Khan, from Swat, told IRIN in Peshawar. He is currently seeking work in the city, so that he can move his family out of Swat. Tens of thousands of people are estimated by local rights activists to have already fled.
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When people like the Taliban do this to their own women, I have to wonder how they justify it in the name of Islam. Nowhere in the Quran does God say that women are to be kept from learning or from working.
Among them are unlettered folk who know the Scripture not except from hearsay. They but guess. (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 78)
There can be few things more tragic than when ignorant men rule supposedly in the name of religion. In the same Quran, God commanded:
Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth,
Createth man from a clot.
Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous,
Who teacheth by the pen,
Teacheth man that which he knew not.
(Surah Al-'Alaq, verse 1-5)
To not allow learning must surely go against the Quran. And one wonders what benefit is it to society if girls were not allowed to go to school and women were not allowed to work especially as teachers? To kill the mother of three children only makes three orphans which society then has to care for. Hard to believe that this is what God intended.
Today in 2009, the female literacy rate in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is 42% as compared to the male literacy rate of 67%. Ironic when the Quran commands us to 'read!'.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Let's Read the Quran: More Updates
For a slightly different view of the Quran, read Jordan McVay's post here.
Jordan is a Canadian who is a convert to Islam, married to a Malaysian girl and now lives in KL.
For those who might be wondering what the Quran says about Hudud, do read what Syed Akbar Ali has to say here.
And Nizam Bashir blogs about what the Quran says about modesty here.
Hypocrisy rules the world
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
When I heard this quote yesterday at the Forum for Palestine, it gave me reason to ponder. To me, this quote is also a call to end hypocrisy and selective justice, that is, deciding that only some cases call for justice and others don't. That discrimination can only be called hypocrisy and hypocrisy is in abundance right now.
What else could it be when both Britain and the US calls for an immediate ceasefire to the fighting in northern Sri Lanka in order to allow humanitarian aid for the more than 250,000 civilians trapped between Government forces and the LTTE? They had not done the same for Gaza, and when they finally did, laid down conditions only for one side, that is, the Palestinians.
Yet what is the difference? In Gaza, the Israelis bombed hospitals and schools claiming that Hamas were using civilians as human shields. In Sri Lanka, the Defence Minister has used exactly the same words -'human shields' - to defend military shelling which has hit a hospital as well. One aggressor gets defended, the other gets chided.
Meanwhile, human beings die horrible deaths. I listened to two Jordanian doctors yesterday describe the 'unusual' injuries they saw at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza, injuries which Norwegian doctors, experienced in treating the wounded in other conflict areas such as Afghanistan and Somalia, also say they have never seen before. These injuries are caused by white phosphorus, which burns the skin as long as oxygen is available, right down to the bone, as well as by Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) munitions. This is a type of bomb fired from Israeli planes which hit the ground, bounce up again and then explode sending out hundreds of sharp blades and shrapnel. The injuries caused by these sharpnel include amputated legs, arms and heads ( and need I tell you that they don't differentiate between adults and children, militants and civilians?). The Norwegians believe that this is a new type of weapon which the Israelis are experimenting with in Gaza. (See this story on Israeli use of white phosphorus and DIME from the Christian Science Monitor.)
Both white phosphorus and DIME munitions are illegal when used against civilians. But just imagine, someone somewhere sat down to invent them. What sort of diabolical mind is that? And who supplies these weapons to Israel? The same people who say they need these to ensure peace and security. (If you want to see what a victim of white phosphorus looks like, see here. I warn you it's not a pretty sight.)
I'm not saying that the war in Sri Lanka is not worthy of our concern. Of course it is, because just like Gaza, it is also an injustice especially to people who have to suffer living in fear, having their homes burnt down, their children's schools destroyed and hospitals and other public facilities rendered non-functional. But for countries like Britain and the US to use their power to stop one and not the other is nothing but unjust.
Not that we at home are immune from hypocrisy either. The very same people who snorted at the idea of MPs crossing over and causing the government to fall, did the same thing to Perak yesterday. What's good for the goose is good for the gander? Anas Zubedy has something to say about that here.
In this day when there are injustices all round, neutrality is not an option. That can just be a mask for underlying bias. Thus, the anger of many people including lawmakers, activists, journalists and even its own staff towards the BBC for its supposed 'neutrality' towards Gaza is justified. Read Muhammad Idrees Ahmad's eloquent analysis of the BBC's case here. To quote:
'The BBC cannot be neutral in the struggle between truth and untruth, justice and injustice, freedom and slavery, compassion and cruelty, tolerance and intolerance.'
Thus read a 1972 internal document called Principles and Practice in News and Current Affairs laying out the guidelines for the BBC's coverage of conflicts. It appears to affirm that in cases of oppression and injustice to be neutral is to be complicit, because neutrality reinforces the status quo. This partiality to truth, justice, freedom, compassion and tolerance it deems 'within the consensus about basic moral values'. It is this consensus that the BBC spurned when it refused to broadcast the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)'s video appeal to help the people of Gaza.
Martin Luther King also had this to say:
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
Are we good but silent people?
When I heard this quote yesterday at the Forum for Palestine, it gave me reason to ponder. To me, this quote is also a call to end hypocrisy and selective justice, that is, deciding that only some cases call for justice and others don't. That discrimination can only be called hypocrisy and hypocrisy is in abundance right now.
What else could it be when both Britain and the US calls for an immediate ceasefire to the fighting in northern Sri Lanka in order to allow humanitarian aid for the more than 250,000 civilians trapped between Government forces and the LTTE? They had not done the same for Gaza, and when they finally did, laid down conditions only for one side, that is, the Palestinians.
Yet what is the difference? In Gaza, the Israelis bombed hospitals and schools claiming that Hamas were using civilians as human shields. In Sri Lanka, the Defence Minister has used exactly the same words -'human shields' - to defend military shelling which has hit a hospital as well. One aggressor gets defended, the other gets chided.
Meanwhile, human beings die horrible deaths. I listened to two Jordanian doctors yesterday describe the 'unusual' injuries they saw at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza, injuries which Norwegian doctors, experienced in treating the wounded in other conflict areas such as Afghanistan and Somalia, also say they have never seen before. These injuries are caused by white phosphorus, which burns the skin as long as oxygen is available, right down to the bone, as well as by Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) munitions. This is a type of bomb fired from Israeli planes which hit the ground, bounce up again and then explode sending out hundreds of sharp blades and shrapnel. The injuries caused by these sharpnel include amputated legs, arms and heads ( and need I tell you that they don't differentiate between adults and children, militants and civilians?). The Norwegians believe that this is a new type of weapon which the Israelis are experimenting with in Gaza. (See this story on Israeli use of white phosphorus and DIME from the Christian Science Monitor.)
Both white phosphorus and DIME munitions are illegal when used against civilians. But just imagine, someone somewhere sat down to invent them. What sort of diabolical mind is that? And who supplies these weapons to Israel? The same people who say they need these to ensure peace and security. (If you want to see what a victim of white phosphorus looks like, see here. I warn you it's not a pretty sight.)
I'm not saying that the war in Sri Lanka is not worthy of our concern. Of course it is, because just like Gaza, it is also an injustice especially to people who have to suffer living in fear, having their homes burnt down, their children's schools destroyed and hospitals and other public facilities rendered non-functional. But for countries like Britain and the US to use their power to stop one and not the other is nothing but unjust.
Not that we at home are immune from hypocrisy either. The very same people who snorted at the idea of MPs crossing over and causing the government to fall, did the same thing to Perak yesterday. What's good for the goose is good for the gander? Anas Zubedy has something to say about that here.
In this day when there are injustices all round, neutrality is not an option. That can just be a mask for underlying bias. Thus, the anger of many people including lawmakers, activists, journalists and even its own staff towards the BBC for its supposed 'neutrality' towards Gaza is justified. Read Muhammad Idrees Ahmad's eloquent analysis of the BBC's case here. To quote:
'The BBC cannot be neutral in the struggle between truth and untruth, justice and injustice, freedom and slavery, compassion and cruelty, tolerance and intolerance.'
Thus read a 1972 internal document called Principles and Practice in News and Current Affairs laying out the guidelines for the BBC's coverage of conflicts. It appears to affirm that in cases of oppression and injustice to be neutral is to be complicit, because neutrality reinforces the status quo. This partiality to truth, justice, freedom, compassion and tolerance it deems 'within the consensus about basic moral values'. It is this consensus that the BBC spurned when it refused to broadcast the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)'s video appeal to help the people of Gaza.
Martin Luther King also had this to say:
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
Are we good but silent people?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
To My Friend in Gaza...with Love
Folks, here are some of the letters that have come in:
I'm sure these letters will cheer the children in Gaza up. You can send them in any language and I will get them sent for translation before UNICEF takes them to the Occupied Territories.
So keep those letters/postcards/drawings coming folks. They should be sent to
To My Friend in Gaza/Untuk Kawan Ku di Gaza,
c/o 48, Jalan Terasek Dua,
59100 Kuala Lumpur.
I've put a deadline of February 20 to send the first batch of letters. But whatever is sent after that will be accepted as well. In fact, we can carry on as long as we want since children will need support for a long time.
I'm sure these letters will cheer the children in Gaza up. You can send them in any language and I will get them sent for translation before UNICEF takes them to the Occupied Territories.So keep those letters/postcards/drawings coming folks. They should be sent to
To My Friend in Gaza/Untuk Kawan Ku di Gaza,
c/o 48, Jalan Terasek Dua,
59100 Kuala Lumpur.
I've put a deadline of February 20 to send the first batch of letters. But whatever is sent after that will be accepted as well. In fact, we can carry on as long as we want since children will need support for a long time.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
More updates on the Let's Read the Quran campaign, plus, plus...
Hi folks, just got back from a short break. I haven't managed to write another piece for this campaign yet but I will soon.
Meantime Anas has written some more observations on his outings and sightings at the park here. He's quoted the same passages as I did in my last post but has extended it in a different way which you may find interesting.
I will get back to regular blogging soon. The holidays have been good because being away means I can take a break from some of the things going on here but it also means when I get back home, trying to catch up with what's happening has been quite a chore. What's happening in Perak?? I get the Star News Alerts and believe me, when you're overseas and all you get are one-liners on the news, it can be pretty bewildering. Not that reading the full news stories makes things any clearer.
This is the funny thing about news though. I was just in Bangkok and my Mum sms'd me to ask if we were alright since she had read about demos over there. Well, apart from some sightings of people in red shirts (pro-Thaksin people), we did not notice the demos at all. Bangkok is a big busy city and demo or no demo, people still go about their business. As did tourists like us.
Meantime I am saddened to hear about the ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka and been giving moral support to my friends there as much as I can. With 250,000 civilians trapped in the north of the country and very little information coming out, it is very worrying. A school was hit by artillery and nobody is owning up to who did it. I guess, as Israel found out, there is no worse public relations than when you start killing children.
I will also update you soon on the To My Friend in Gaza project. Have been receiving some very sweet letters and drawings from children, with more due to come in. I'm trying to scan some and put them up here soon. Do look out for them.
If any of you are interested to know more about the Palestine issue, do head for the forum on February 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, KL, organised by the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War. Among the speakers are Prof Michel Chossudovsky and Ms Cynthia McKinney, former US Congresswoman and Green Party candidate for President. It's RM50 per entry for the whole day which will go to a fund for the victims of the Israeli attack on Gaza.
Meantime Anas has written some more observations on his outings and sightings at the park here. He's quoted the same passages as I did in my last post but has extended it in a different way which you may find interesting.
I will get back to regular blogging soon. The holidays have been good because being away means I can take a break from some of the things going on here but it also means when I get back home, trying to catch up with what's happening has been quite a chore. What's happening in Perak?? I get the Star News Alerts and believe me, when you're overseas and all you get are one-liners on the news, it can be pretty bewildering. Not that reading the full news stories makes things any clearer.
This is the funny thing about news though. I was just in Bangkok and my Mum sms'd me to ask if we were alright since she had read about demos over there. Well, apart from some sightings of people in red shirts (pro-Thaksin people), we did not notice the demos at all. Bangkok is a big busy city and demo or no demo, people still go about their business. As did tourists like us.
Meantime I am saddened to hear about the ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka and been giving moral support to my friends there as much as I can. With 250,000 civilians trapped in the north of the country and very little information coming out, it is very worrying. A school was hit by artillery and nobody is owning up to who did it. I guess, as Israel found out, there is no worse public relations than when you start killing children.
I will also update you soon on the To My Friend in Gaza project. Have been receiving some very sweet letters and drawings from children, with more due to come in. I'm trying to scan some and put them up here soon. Do look out for them.
If any of you are interested to know more about the Palestine issue, do head for the forum on February 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, KL, organised by the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War. Among the speakers are Prof Michel Chossudovsky and Ms Cynthia McKinney, former US Congresswoman and Green Party candidate for President. It's RM50 per entry for the whole day which will go to a fund for the victims of the Israeli attack on Gaza.
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