Respect,Tolerance and Compromise ala 1Malaysia?

 

Taken from Malaysian Insider

 

Utusan’s Ridhuan Tee defends removal of crosses at Xmas party

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — Utusan Malaysia columnist Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah defended today the action by aides of Datuk Seri Najib Razak who sought the removal of Christian symbols at a Christmas gathering a week ago.

 

The conservative Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia lecturer said the instruction did not violate freedom of religion, and urged the Christians to respect the prime minister’s Islamic faith.

“In my opinion if there is any truth in the report, the request of the prime minister’s office is tolerable. It has nothing to do with violation of religious freedom, except for those who seek political mileage,” said Tee in his weekly column published by Utusan Malaysia’s Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia.

Notes:He is staunch supporter of UMNO,so what do we expect?This is 1Malaysia as being championed by our Prime Minister Najib?Yes,talking about Respect.Is it a Mutual Respect or a One Sided Respect?

He said Christians have never been prevented from celebrating Christmas despite forming less than ten per cent of the population and indicated that the community should tone down its celebration to reflect its population size.

“Christmas celebration sometimes looks as if they form more than 50 per cent of the population. Out of respect for religious freedom, no restriction has been imposed, although it should be celebrated moderately as they are less than ten per cent of the population,” he added.

Notes:This is what happen when someone or somebody starts to talk about Majority Vs Minority.Why do you have to talk about majority and minority?By being a majority,you have more authority to imposed restrictions and tolerance to the minority?Why do we have to moderate ourself in our Religion and Belief?Isnt it something that we called Injustice as far as the Article 11 of the Federal Constitution is concerned!!

Last week, The Malaysian Insider reported that Najib’s aides had instructed church officials to remove crucifixes and other overt Christian symbols from being displayed at the party grounds in Bukit Nanas before the PM’s visit, in their zeal to protect his Islamic credentials.

Hymns and prayers were also barred.

Sources disclosed that the orders were issued without the PM’s knowledge. He is now away on holidays in Dubai and is due to return this week.

Notes:With or without PM knowledge is not the issue.The issue is such order shouldnt arise at all!! We have former aide to the Prime Minister who made a Racist remarks and here goes another one,a Religious Bigots!! Again.1Malaysia Slogan is questionable!

It was Najib’s first time attending a Christian function in his official role since taking over power in April 2009.

Tee, however, said Najib’s presence at the Christmas celebration was a major compromise made as a Muslim.

“True, Christians have every right to mark the celebration. But shouldn’t they show some respect to the prime minister as the No 1 leader who is a Muslim?” asked Tee.

Notes:Like i said,Respect and Tolerance should be in MUTUAL.Compromise?Yes.dont talk about Compromise when you only compromise in 1 thing but say NO to the other 10!!Shouldnt the Prime Minister or BN Government compromised too with the Christians regarding the usage of the words “ALLAH” with the Christians?Why do you need to imposed restrictions to others in the name of  “Compromise”?

“According to the Islamic laws, Muslims are not supposed to attend many of the non-Islamic celebrations, but for the sake of promoting tolerance and harmony, our leaders decided to close one eye.

Notes:If that is the case,if it is probihited according to Islamic Laws,why dont he just choose not to attend it?This issue would never arise at all.Isnt it something that we called Hypocracy?Or his attendance to the gathering is just a Political Gimmick to win over the hearts of the Christians?

“In my opinion, even without the instruction, the church should have understood Muslim sensitivities in the country after 53 years of independence. However, if it is no longer an issue, I suggest for the Selangor or Kelantan mentri besar to one day officiate the opening of a temple or a church. I am confident non-Muslims too would not be comfortable if we have them attend Islamic celebrations in mosques,” he added.

Both states mentioned are run by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) governments and have been subject to criticisms by Tee, who has never hidden his admiration for Umno and its policies.

Notes:Now,that is a Political question!! If one claimed that someonelse purposely raise up this issue for Political Mileage,so how does he justify this type of question? Apolitical?

Tee also said that Najib would suffer political setback if his aides had not taken the precautions.

Notes:Damn if he DO and damn if he DONT!He is being traped by his own rhetoric Slogan of 1Malaysia

“Imagine if the prime minister was not cautious when entering the ‘house of worship’, pictures of the prime minister with a crucifix over his head would surface. It will be politicised by the opposition,” said Tee.

“I still remember how a crucifix was used to undermine a Muslim leader not too long ago. It does not matter who did it, but the incident should be a lesson,” he added.

He was referring to the campaign in Election 1990 when photographs of then Semangat 46 leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah wearing a Kadazan headgear with a crucifix symbol was distributed. The photograph was printed by Umno-controlled newspapers on the eve of the election and was said to have helped secure victory by Barisan Nasional (BN) under then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Notes:Million Dollar question is,who has Politicised it before?Wasnt it UMNO?Now,please put your brain in your head.The same issue that you raised up is only pointing 10 other issues to yourself or UMNO or perhaps,your own Party

Tee said to avoid similar controversy in the future, Christmas celebrations should be held in public places and not in church grounds.

“We hardly see hari raya open house celebrations being held in mosques out of respect to non-Muslim’s sensitivity. Celebrations are usually held in public places to avoid controversy. The main objective is unity,” he said.

Notes:Again,it shows that you are suggesting and imposed restrictions to others!! It is our Religion and Belief,it is not you or anyonelse to imposed restrictions or guidelines to us the Christians!! Unity yes,but what kind of Unity?Ask yourself!!

The Christmas party last week was hosted by Catholic Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam and held at the car park of his official residence in Cardijn House in Jalan Bukit Nanas.

Ps:I have no problems with the Muslims or Islam,in fact some of my own relatives were married to Muslims,there would be a True Unity in every sense of words if we kick this Racial and Religious Bigots out in the next General Election.Without UMNO,Malaysia would be a better place for all Malaysians irrespective of Race and Religions.

As far as UMNO is concerned,there is no such thing as RESPECT,TOLERANCE and COMPROMISE!!

Lee Kuan Yew: Don’t judge a man until you’ve closed his coffin

Lee Kuan Yew – tougher than a nail

EDITOR’S PICK This is a very wide-ranging interview encompassing politics, religion, philosophy and love. Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew shares a very tender side that perhaps he would never have allowed himself to reveal when he was younger.

“I am an agnostic. I was brought up in a traditional Chinese family with ancestor worship. I would go to my grandfather’s grave on All Soul’s Day which is called “Qingming”. My father would bring me along, lay out food and candles and burn some paper money and kowtow three times over his tombstone. At home on specific days outside the kitchen he would put up two candles with my grandfather’s picture. But as I grew up, I questioned this because I think this is superstition.

“She (his wife Geok Choo) has been for two years bed-ridden, unable to speak after a series of strokes. I am not going to convert her. I am not going to allow anybody to convert her because I know it will be against what she believed in all her life. How do I comfort myself? Well, I say life is just like that. You can’t choose how you go unless you are going to take an overdose of sleeping pills, like sodium amytal. For just over two years, she has been inert in bed, but still cognitive. She understands when I talk to her, which I do every night. She keeps awake for me; I tell her about my day’s work, read her favourite poems.”

The following is the transcript of the interview Seth Mydans had with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, for the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. The interview was held on 1 September 2010.

Mr Lee: “Thank you. When you are coming to 87, you are not very happy..”

Q: “Not. Well you should be glad that you’ve gotten way past where most of us will get.”

Mr Lee: “That is my trouble. So, when is the last leaf falling?”

Q: “Do you feel like that, do you feel like the leaves are coming off?”

Mr Lee: “Well, yes. I mean I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality and I mean generally every year when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that is life.”

With his wife of 60 years- Kwa Geok Choo

Q: “My mother used to say never get old.”

Mr Lee: “Well, there you will try never to think yourself old. I mean I keep fit, I swim, I cycle.”

Q: “And yoga, is that right? Meditation?”

Mr Lee: “Yes.”

Q: “Tell me about meditation?”

Mr Lee: “Well, I started it about two, three years ago when Ng Kok Song, the Chief Investment Officer of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, I knew he was doing meditation. His wife had died but he was completely serene. So, I said, how do you achieve this? He said I meditate everyday and so did my wife and when she was dying of cancer, she was totally serene because she meditated everyday and he gave me a video of her in her last few weeks completely composed completely relaxed and she and him had been meditating for years. Well, I said to him, you teach me. He is a devout Christian. He was taught by a man called Laurence Freeman, a Catholic. His guru was John Main a devout Catholic. When I was in London, Ng Kok Song introduced me to Laurence Freeman. In fact, he is coming on Saturday to visit Singapore, and we will do a meditation session. The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts. It is most difficult to stay focused on the mantra. The discipline is to have a mantra which you keep repeating in your innermost heart, no need to voice it over and over again throughout the whole period of meditation. The mantra they recommended was a religious one. Ma Ra Na Ta, four syllables. Come To Me Oh Lord Jesus. So I said Okay, I am not a Catholic but I will try. He said you can take any other mantra, Buddhist Om Mi Tuo Fo, and keep repeating it. To me Ma Ran Na Ta is more soothing. So I used Ma Ra Na Ta. You must be disciplined. I find it helps me go to sleep after that. A certain tranquility settles over you. The day’s pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there’s less problem sleeping. I miss it sometimes when I am tired, or have gone out to a dinner and had wine. Then I cannot concentrate. Otherwise I stick to it.”

Q: “So…”

Mr Lee: “.. for a good meditator will do it for half-an-hour. I do it for 20 minutes.”

Q: “So, would you say like your friend who taught you, would you say you are serene?”

Mr Lee: “Well, not as serene as he is. He has done it for many years and he is a devout Catholic. That makes a difference. He believes in Jesus. He believes in the teachings of the Bible. He has lost his wife, a great calamity. But the wife was serene. He gave me this video to show how meditation helped her in her last few months. I do not think I can achieve his level of serenity. But I do achieve some composure.”

UMNOPutra?Bumiputra Malaya?Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak?

 

Taken from Borneo Post

Struggle for equal rights continues

by Peter Sibon
August 14, 2010, Saturday

 Sarawak, Sabah Bumis should enjoy position as enshrined in federal constitution — Dompok

 PUTRAJAYA: Bumiputeras from Sarawak and Sabah should be accorded equal opportunities as their counterparts in the peninsula in all sectors especially in civil service, education and economy, said Minister of Primary Commodities and Industries Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

Tan Sri Bernard Dompok

He said under the federal constitution, Bumiputeras from Sarawak and Sabah were accorded equal status as their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia.

 “Under the Technical Committee for Bumiputeras in Sarawak and Sabah, of which I am the chairman, we aim to achieve equality for all Bumiputeras regardless of their religion,” Dompok told The Borneo Post, Utusan Borneo and Oriental Daily at his office here on Thursday.

 He said the committee would meet from time to time to discuss pertinent issues which the members would then bring up to the cabinet.

Members comprise three federal ministers from Sabah and one from Sarawak: Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Safie Apdal; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (all from Sabah) and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Sri Douglas Uggah Embas (Sarawak).

 He said their next meeting would be held at Uggah’s office.

 “The committee will meet and continue to discuss pertinent issues which we hope could be resolved by the cabinet, which is usually chaired by the prime minister,” he revealed.Read more here

Pengayau comment

Satu isu lapuk yang sepatut nya sudah lama di ketengah dan di bincangkan dan bukan hanya sekarang!!Sebagai contoh,Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang di ilhamkan Tun Abdul Razak pada tahun 197o an  dengan 30% Pegangan Ekuiti Bumiputra sebagai sasaran.DEB dirancang sebagai satu program jangka panjang yang akan berjalan selama 20 tahun, bermula dari tahun 1970 hingga tahun 1990.Setelah 40 tahun,adakah sasaran itu berjaya di capai?

Bumiputra mana kah yang menikmati Dasar ini?Bumiputra Malaya?Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak? ataupun sekerat dua golongan UMNOPUTRA?

Apabila kita berbicara tentang soal Hak dan Keistimewaan dan Melayu dan Bumiputra,kita sepatut nya berpaksikan Artikel 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang dengan jelas mengatakan:

Perkara 153. Perizaban kuota berkenaan dengan perkhidmatan, permit, dsb. bagi orang Melayu dan anak negeri mana-mana antara Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak.

(1) Menjadi tanggungjawab Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk melindungi kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan anak negeri mana-mana antara Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak dan kepentingan sah kaum-kaum lain mengikut peruntukan Perkara ini.

(2) Walau apa pun apa-aa jua dalam Perlembagaan ini, tetapi tertakluk kepada peruntukan Perkara 40 dan peruntukan Perkara ini, Yang di-Pertuan Agong hendaklah menjalnakan fungsinya di bawah Perlembagaan ini dan undang-undang persekutuan mengikut apa-apa cara yang perlu untuk meindungi kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan anak negeri mana-mana antara Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak dan untuk memastikan perizaban bagi orang Melayu dan anak negeri mana-mana antara Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak apa-apa perkadaran yang difikirkan munasabah oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong daripada jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam (selain perkhidmatan awam sesuatu Negeri) dan daripada biasiswa, danasiswa dan keistimewaan pendidikan atau latihan yang seumpamanya atau kemudahan khas lain yang diberikan atau diadakan oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan dan, apabila apa-apa permit atau lesen dikehendaki oleh undang-undang persekutuan bagi mengendalikan apa-apa pertukangan atau perniagaan, maka, tertakluk kepada peruntukan undang-undang itu dan Perkara ini, daripada permit dan lesen itu.

(3) Yang di-Pertuan Agong boleh, bagi memastikan, mengikut Fasal(2), perizaban bagi orang Melayu dan anak negeri mana-mana antara Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak jawatan-jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam dan biasiswa, danasiswa dan keistimewaan pendidikan atau latihan atau kemudahan khas lain, memberikan apa-apa arahan am yang dikehendaki bagi maksud itu kepada mana-mana Suruhanjaya yang baginya Bahagian X terpakai atau kepada mana-mana pihak berkuasa yang dipertanggungkan dengan tanggungjawab bagi pemberian biasiswa, danasiswa atau keistimewaan pendidikan atau latihan atau kemudahan khas lain itu; dan Suruhanjaya atau pihak berkuasa itu hendaklah mematuhi arahan itu dengan sewajarnya.

Selain daripada itu juga,perkara yang sama telah di tekan kan oleh 20/18 Point of Agreement  yang dengan jelas mengatakan:

Point 12: Special position of indigenous races

In principle, the indigenous races of North Borneo should enjoy special rights analogous to those enjoyed by Malays in Malaya, but the present Malays’ formula in this regard is not necessarily applicable in North Borneo

Secara amnya,kerajaan sering merujuk istilah Bumiputera sebagai warganegara Malaysia yang terdiri daripada tiga kategori iaitu:

(i) Orang Melayu yang ditakrifkan dalam Fasal (2), Perkara 160,
Perlembagaan Persekutuan;

(ii) Anak negeri Sabah dan Sarawak, ditakrifkan dalam Fasal (6)
Perkara 161A, Perlembagaan Persekutuan; dan

(iii) Orang Asli seperti yang ditakrifkan dalam Fasal (2) Perkara 160,
Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Berhubung dengan kedudukan bumiputera Sarawak, perenggan (6)(a) Perkara 161A, Perlembagaan Persekutuan memperuntukkan bahawa ‘anak negeri’ bagi maksud negeri Sarawak ialah seseorang yang merupakan warganegara dan sama ada yang tergolong dalam salah satu daripada ras dengan izin race,yang dinyatakan dalam fasal (7) sebagai ras asli bagi Negeri itu atau yang berketurunan campuran yang berasal semata-mata daripada ras-ras itu.

Fasal (7) Perkara 161A memperuntukkan bahawa ras-ras yang dikira sebagai ras asli bagi negeri Sarawak bagi maksud takrif anak negeri dalam fasal (6) ialah:

Bukitan, Bisayah, Dusun, Dayak Laut, Dayak Darat, Kadayan,Kalabit, Kayan, Kenyah (termasuk Sabup dan Sipeng), Kajang (termasuk Sekapan,Kejaman, Lahanan, Punan, Tanjong dan Kanowit), kemudian Lugat, Lisum, Melayu,Melano, Murut, Penan, Sian, Tagal, Tabun dan Ukit.

Ini semua sudah jelas sejelas-jelas nya dan tak perlu di perjelaskan dgn lebih lanjut lagu.Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak adalah sama taraf dengan Bumiputra di Malaya tetapi apa yang terjadi pada hari ini adalah sebaliknya.UMNO sering kali mengait kan Hak Keistimewaan Melayu dan Bumiputra ini dengan “Ketuanan Melayu” atau Ketuanan UMNO dengan lebih tepat nya.Bagaimana pula dengan Kuota Kemasukan ke IPTA?Saya di fahamkan Kuota yang di peruntukan adalah seperti berikut:

Melayu=60%
Cina=15%
India=15%
Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak=10%

Persoalan nya sekarang,mengapa kah Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak di letak kan di dalam kategori yang berlainan dan hanya di berikan 10% Kuota Kemasukan ke IPTA?Mengapa kita di berikan Hak dan Keistimewaan yang berlainan dengan Bumiputra Malaya?

Saya berpendapat,apabila kita menggunakan terma Ketuanan,ini bermakna,dengan ada nya Tuan.sudah tentu ada nya Hamba.Ataupun “When there is a Slave,there would always be a Slave Master” dalam Bahasa Inggeris nya.Setelah hampir setengah abad Merdeka,ada kah kita(Bumiputra Sabah&Sarawak) menikmati Hak dan Keistimewaan seperti yang di nikmati saudara2 kita di Malaya?

Ini adalah salah satu contoh jelas perlanggaran Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang merupakan asas,tiang dan sendi Negara kita.Dengan itu,persoalan nya sekarang,apa kah yang telah di lakukan oleh Pemimpin2 kita dari Sabah&Sarawak selama ini untuk memperjuangkan Hak dan Keistimewaan ini?????

1Malaysia