PAS IS NOTHING WITHOUT CHINESE SUPPORT

PAS thinks that it is now a national party. The reality is PAS is a non-entity unless they can garner the votes of the non-Malays and the liberal Malays. PAS cannot swim against the tide. If PAS does not play ball with PKR and DAP then PAS might as well leave Pakatan Rakyat because it cannot remain in Pakatan Rakyat and at the same time have a mind of its own.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(NST) – The MIC today demanded an apology from a Muslim preacher, Ustaz Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd, who is a PAS member and who had allegedly insulted the Hindu faith during a talk. Party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said Shahul “should apologise with regard to his disparaging remarks.”

(The Kuala Lumpur Post) – Shahul, upon learning that the clip with his incendiary remark was uploaded on social media, posted an apology on his Facebook account on Tuesday and also released a video clip apologising for his remarks. He said that he had not realised anyone would upload the video as he had made the statement in a closed-door event, adding that it was not for public viewing.

However, Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan, the Hindu Sangam President, said Hindu Sangam would not accept the apology and added that he had written to both the Inspector-General of Police and Jakim to take action against Shahul for insulting the Hindu religion.

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Ustaz Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd is the second PAS member or leader after PAS strategist Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki to attract controversy within a week for saying something in private, which was then leaked to the public.

Shahul and Dr Mohd Zuhdi may argue that what they said was said in confidence, in private, or behind closed doors. However, once what they say in confidence, in private, or behind closed doors gets leaked, then all hell will break loose.

In Shahul’s case, the person who video-recorded what he said might have published that video without realising the damage that was going to be done. Hence it was merely an act of stupidity. In Dr Mohd Zuhdi’s case, though, it was intentionally done and calculated to get him into trouble because he is opposed to PKR’s Kajang Move and to the ouster of Khalid Ibrahim as the Selangor Menteri Besar.

In other words, it was meant to screw him good and proper and to teach him a lesson for going against Anwar Ibrahim.

Let this be a good lesson to the other PAS members and leaders. You must be very careful what you whisper to trusted friends, colleagues and comrades because in politics there is no such thing as friends, colleagues or comrades. In politics, every friend, colleague and comrade is a potential enemy if you do not share a common goal or aspiration.

Hence there are no trusted friends, colleagues and comrades. You must distrust everyone and not speak about what you think, even in private, in confidence, or behind closed doors. In other words, keep your mouth shut and not offer your opinion, share your thoughts, or respond to any question even if that person asking that question is someone you think you can trust because you never know who you can trust.

Remember what happened to the PKR chief for Penang, Dr Mansor Othman? He said something unfavourable about the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, during a confidential and closed-door meeting of the party and what he said was leaked.

Party meetings are supposed to be confidential and what is discussed behind closed doors is meant for the ears of only those in the meeting. But what Dr Mansor said was leaked to the public and all hell broke loose.

People should stop talking to one another. They should not discuss matters and exchange views. In fact, discussions and meetings should no longer be held. Just stay home and keep quiet and not text or WhatsApp anyone. You never know if what you say may be leaked and will get you into trouble.

Christians should stop attending church or Bible study classes. They should stop talking about Jesus Christ amongst themselves. If Christians make the terrible and unforgivable mistake of saying that Jesus is the saviour and the Son of God and that those who accept Jesus will go to heaven, and if this is leaked, it may upset Muslims who will think that you are insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

Insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad is a crime in Malaysia. It may even trigger unrest and make the Muslims angry, who may then respond in a hostile or violent manner. And we certainly do not want to see bloodshed in Malaysia like what we see in many other Muslim countries.

The government must also control all the sermons read in mosques during Friday prayers. Imams should not say that Islam is the true religion, even if Muslims believe that Islam is the true religion. By saying that Islam is the true religion you are implying that all other religions are not true religions. And this will upset Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and so on.

Muslims should not be allowed to loudly read the Qur’an, as they normally do in Qur’an recital sessions, even in the privacy of their homes. And public reading of the Qur’an, such as in Qur’an reading competitions, should be banned.

Some verses in the Qur’an are not complementary to the other faiths. And if you read the Qur’an, and if you happen to read those verses that are not complementary to the other religions, and if this is leaked to the public, you will get into a whole load of shit.

PAS in particular needs to take special note of this. Read what the DAP leaders such as Tony Pua and Charles Santiago plus many others said. Read what the DAP supports, in particular the Chinese, said. PAS is nothing without Chinese support. Without the Chinese votes PAS will be reduced to an insignificant and mosquito party that will win votes only in the kampungs where the farmers and fishermen live.

PAS thinks that it is now a national party. The reality is PAS is a non-entity unless they can garner the votes of the non-Malays and the liberal Malays. PAS cannot swim against the tide. If PAS does not play ball with PKR and DAP then PAS might as well leave Pakatan Rakyat because it cannot remain in Pakatan Rakyat and at the same time have a mind of its own.

Le me put it another way. PKR is the driver and DAP the co-pilot. PAS is merely a passenger. So if PAS does not like the direction Pakatan Rakyat is going then just get off the bus.

As Anwar Ibrahim said, Pakatan Rakyat works on consensus. And if PKR and DAP vote one way but PAS votes the other way then no consensus can be reached. A consensus means all three must vote in concert. Hence to be able to reach this consensus PAS must vote according to how PKR and DAP wishes them to vote. If not then PAS will not be seen as a team player and therefore might as well get out of Pakatan Rakyat.

This is nothing personal. I am not picking on PAS or targeting them for reprimand. Even Khalid Ibrahim is under attack for not being a team player. And remember what happened to Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim? He, too, was not a team player and they whacked him good and proper.

So even non-team players in PKR and DAP have or are being punished. So do you think PAS can get away with not being a team player and not get punished?

PAS has to sit up and listen. No more private discussions regarding Pakatan Rakyat. No more resisting the Kajang Move. And no more talk regarding Islam, the Islamic State, or the Islamic laws of Hudud. Try to be a team player and respect secular Malaysia and the spirit of freedom of religion, which, of course, also means the freedom to leave Islam and to practice a liberal lifestyle.

And if PAS cannot do this then, as Tony Pua said, get ready to be punished and pack your bags and go back to the kampung.

Muslims, non-Muslims use song and service to spread unity

Friendship Group for Inter Religious Service founder Datuk J. Jegathesan says religion is supposed to be the greatest source of peace and love, but it has now become a cause for conflict. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Shafiq Safiee, July 30, 2014.

When Datuk J. Jegathesan went to see the Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) about being part of an interfaith friendship alliance after the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, he was shocked that they had a dossier on him and the charity work he was doing under the Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of Malaysia.

It became apparent to him that Abim had been checking up on him and the movement he belonged to, given their concern about the charity services the council was doing among Muslims in rural areas.

‎"We used to have medical camps in rural areas in Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor and 95% of the people we treated for free, were Muslims.

"So Abim was very curious as to why the Indians and Chinese were doing charity work among Muslims, and they told us that after we had the medical camps, they would go into the areas and ask the Muslims what we did or said to them," Jegathesan added.

He said Abim discovered they never spoke about the Sathya Sai Baba movement when they treated the poor.

"We tell our people that when they see a Muslim, they should tell the person to be a ‎better Muslim and tell a Buddhist to be a better Buddhist.”

He added that ‎after Abim discovered the council’s sincerity while in service, they came on board to be part of the Friendship Group for Inter Religious Service (FGIS), an informal coalition of the major religious groups in Malaysia.

From there on, Jegathesan, as the founder of FGIS, had no problems convincing other religious groups to join them.

Today, FGIS is made up various bodies, including the Council of Churches Malaysia (Federal Territory and Selangor), Buddhist Maha Vihara, Malaysia Hindu Sangam and the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council.

"It has been 13 years since the alliance was formed and we have been joining hands in song and service ever since in the name of promoting unity," the 70-year-old added.

Jegathesan also recalled that whenever he was asked to offer his views at meetings on interfaith in the past, he had always stressed that it was not enough to just “talk about promoting unity in air-conditioned boardrooms with like-minded people” but instead “go out and practise what you preach”.

Recently, FGIS brought people of different faiths together at the Iron Mosque in Putrajaya, officially known as the Sultan Mizan Mosque, for an interfaith session in solidarity with Palestinians, and to break fast with Muslims during Ramadan.

The first time they came together in unity at the Iron Mosque was to pray for passengers and crew of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which went missing with 239 on board on March 8.

According to Jegathesan, who was the former deputy director-general of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, they plan to repeat the goodwill in other places of worship, including churches and temples, stressing that Muslims in the coalition had no issue with this.

Abim vice-president, Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim who is active in FGIS, affirmed this when The Malaysian Insider caught up with him last week, where he said that he had no problems going to a temple or a church.

"In the past, churches used to be mosques and mosques used to be churches anyway.

"Therefore, as long as we are going with the intention to carry out programmes to sow solidarity, I don't have a problem because I am not compromising my faith in any way," he said.

Raimi recalled that he had just graduated as a lawyer in 2002 when he became part of FGIS and had been "very excited" to be part of the group that centred on volunteerism.

"There were common issues for Abim and FGIS at that time, where among our main aims were to showcase solidarity in the wake of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We were united on the basis of supporting peaceful solutions to war and to show that religion and war don't go hand in hand‎.”

According to Raimi, one of the main problems among religious communities today was the failure to know the basics of other religions.

"We seem to have this belief that religion is about converting people.

"Of course, every religion will have a mission to bring people into its faith but to see it only from that point of view can be misleading.

"‎So if you understand your religion well and how other religions perceive you, it is a matter of compromising some views, without the need to compromise your faith in order to accommodate others," the lawyer said. 

As such, Raimi, 36, stressed the need for all religions to know the basics of other faiths to be able to foster better understanding.

He added that in FGIS, they discussed issues in informal sessions and were able to have frank discussions and come up with solutions, in their aim to promote consciousness about the need for unity at the grassroots.

The father of four boys said this was better than making "strong" statements in the media about other religions without even meeting the other party “face to face”.

"Compared with the days of old, there is a lot of polarisation going on even in schools and universities so we need to communicate, converse and engage," he added.

Raimi also weighed in on the “Allah” issue, saying that it was unfortunate that the case was taken the court instead of both sides discussing the issue and trying to find a middle path.

"Both parties must now concur with the court ruling and this is what happens when you fail to discuss the matter.

"To me, this case should never have gone to court because religion is not about one party winning and the other losing.”

Raimi added that in a dispute like the “Allah” case, there was always room to accommodate each other’s views and to be flexible on certain issues.

"There is no need to be extreme, we need to find the grey areas which we can work on to try and find solutions," he said.

Given this need, Raimi said that going forward, FGIS would be having interfaith-building programmes in mixed areas such as Sentul and Klang, where there are "mosques and temples next to each other".‎

He added that they also wanted to build on their youth wing, which was involved in various programmes on filial piety and respecting one's neighbour, which he said were "common teachings in all religions".

‎Jegathesan said that Abim displayed amazing solidarity when it was proposed two years ago that the coordinator post for FGIS be rotated instead of Sathya Sai Baba holding the chair all the time.

"At the meeting when this was brought up, ‎the Abim representative actually stood up and said 'no need, Sai Baba is already doing a good job, there is no need to change'.

"That statement brought tears to my eyes," Jegathesan said.

He added that going forward, FGIS was committed to addressing a common concern in the world today – that religion can be a cause for world war.

"Religion is supposed to be the greatest source of peace and love, but now it has become a cause for conflict.

"Malaysia has been an incredible showcase to the world in terms of cultural diversity in the past and the only factor that can destroy the peace now is its people.”

Jegathesan said FGIS could play a significant role now given current religious and racial tensions in Malaysia.

He said that while most Malaysians were peace-loving, he was concerned that a "rabble-rouser could turn a peaceful crowd into a raging mob".

As such, he pleaded with politicians from both sides of the divide not to use race and religion as political tools.

- TMI

Ustaz says ‘sorry’, promises never to insult Hindus again

Ustaz Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd says he never meant to be offensive when he had told his audience not to buy curry powder from 'Hindu companies' four years ago. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 31, 2014.

Embattled Muslim preacher Ustaz Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd spoke today and reiterated that he never meant to insult Indians or Hindus in his ceramah four years ago.

The preacher from Penang said at a press conference he never meant to be offensive when he had told his audience not to buy curry powder from "Hindu companies", such as Alagappa's and Baba's.

In his speech four years ago, he had also made fun of the statue of a Hindu deity at the premises of an Alagappa's factory in Bukit Mertajam.

"It was never my intention to insult or to incite racial tension.

"I only wanted to attract the attention of my audience," he told a press conference at the Seberang Prai Tengah district mosque today after having his statement recorded by police.

Shahul incurred the wrath of the Hindu community after a video recording of him insulting Hindus was uploaded onto YouTube.

Yesterday, MIC Youth and several non-governmental organisations staged a protest in Brickfields, calling on the authorities to act against him.

In George Town yesterday, some 30 people representing MIC, PPP and several Hindu NGOs lodged police reports against him.

In the recording, Shahul had said: "If you go to the Alagappa's factory near Permatang Pauh, you will see a statue (goddess) at the entrance, and the tongue is out. Why is the tongue out? Because the goddess must taste all the curry powder before they sell it."

In a statement yesterday, MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel also took Shahul to task, telling the preacher that it is not his "job" to criticise the Hindu faith.

Shahul posted an apology to Hindus and Malaysians on his Facebook page and released a video clip apologising for the remark.

Shahul reiterated that he did not know that the ceramah, which took place "a long time ago", was recorded.

He said he also did not know that it would be uploaded.

"I sincerely and openly apologise for the remarks that might have insulted Hindus or the Indian community and others. I assure you that this will never happen again... this is the last time.”

He said he was aware of his Indian ancestry.

“I am willing to meet with Indian community leaders to explain myself.

"I also hope that the police reports against me will be retracted and I will not face any legal action.

"I hope I will be given the chance to make amends," he said.

Shahul also said he never spoke as a PAS member when he made the remarks.

"When I give ceramah, I do it as a preacher, not a PAS member. I don't hold any party positions.

"I don't know why it is an issue? Why link this to a political party?"

Shahul also said he had received death threats through the phone and on his Facebook page since the video went viral. He said he has lodged a police report about it.

- TMI

Shell Lundang

First time ever in my life,to all my best Muslim friend I here to say Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri,Maaf Zahir Dan batin.

But to those did this you can go to hell and let your Allah to punish you all,I don't understand raya why can't stay at home with full of family or play your firework at home??izit nice to play on the road with full of car?and hurt somebody?izit syiok to throw the firework or firecracker into petrol station??do you know how dangerous are petrol is?if the petrol station blow up?half of the lundang road gone,you want play we can't stop you,but go far far away and not play on the road.

THING HAPPENG:we going to warning you but you dislike it and this is what happen after that fight us,In Chinese we said "趁火打劫" mean rod the owner house when on fire.

THING DISAPPOINTED:Is our MALAYSIA POLICE when they start playing firework we have report 5time to IPK KELANTAN that they have lost control playing the firecracker,their feed back is "oooo kito akan hantar polis gi ronda" we report on 12am your polis come at 1am,but when you come is three motorbike polis just pass by in front our station.Then nvm after that we do report again to IPD,IPK,999,RAKAN COP when the thing happen on 3am your feedback is "okok Kita Akan hatar polis pergi kawal" nvm we try our best to protect our office and counter,but when you reach is 4am and when you reach our petrol station already damage and some of the thing have been stolen, nevermind but the word I can't tahan is when the polis say I can't do anything I just can control the crowd outside,you want you can go to petrol station and do report or you can settle your self here, Malaysia boleh!! That all!!! Shame on you polis and who did this to my station go to hell for those hit my father,for those brainless people let change our situation see how you feel?

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When the Malays go berserk, it is okay.

When PDRM does no work, it is okay.

When PM takes four Ministers, IGP, his wife, children and 30 entourage to Hall Lant as an excuse to look at pieces of flesh from MH17, instead went shopping and holiday WE KNOW WE ARE AT DEATH BED.

BILA KERETA AWAM ROSAK POLIS DATANG MEMBANTU MENOLAK .. BILA KERETA SENDIRI ROSAK TIADA SIAPA YANG SUDI DATANG MEMBANTU.

Tiada kata yang dapat diungkapan hanya sekadar rasa sedih dan sayu apabila rakyat hanya pandang tanpa menghulurkan bantuan.

Perlu perubahan sikap. .. macai-macai UMNO, PERKASA, JATI, PPIM dan ISMA cakap jer besar berdegar tetapi nak hulur bantuan jauh panggang dari api.

Ubah sikap dari pemerhati menjadi ejen pemberi kudrat dan khidmat.

Gempar " Orang Minyak " di tangkap di Melaka pada pagi raya

Mengikut laporan akhbar China Press orang ramai di sekitar Dataran Pahlawan Melaka di gempar kan dengan " Orang Minyak " yang berjaya di tangkap oleh orang ramai.

Seorang lelaki yang tidak dikenali identitinya berjaya di tangkap, lelaki tersebut yang badan nya berlumuran minyak hitam mengemparkan orang ramai.

Orang minyak ini cuba untuk mengusik orang ramai, khasnya perempuan di sekitar tempat kejadian tetapi berjaya ditangkap oleh beberapa pengawal keselamatan.

Orang minyak tersebut dikatakan agak kuat dan cuba melarikan diri, Pengawal Keselamatan turut mendapati satu botol yang berwarna hitam dengan lelaki terbabit.

Lelaki terbabit di tangkap dan diserahkan kepada pihak berkuasa untuk tindakan lanjut, sememangnya kejadian ini mengejutkan orang ramai pada pagi hari raya. Credit China Press

Aduhai!!! (Video) ALLAGAPA, BABAS: MIC Kaitkan Ustaz 'Serbuk Kari' Dengan PAS.. Jom Terjah!!!

Kira-kira 150 orang berhimpun di Dataran Brickfields petang ini bagi mendesak supaya tindakan diambil terhadap seorang pendakwah bebas dikenali sebagai Shahul Hamid.

Naib Presiden MIC, Datuk M Saravanan yang hadir pada protes itu menuntut PAS menjelaskan sama ada Shahul adalah seorang anggota parti itu selepas beliau didakwa menghina agama Hindu dalam satu ceramahnya di Shah Alam, Februari lalu.

"Jika ia benar, PAS mesti mengambil tindakan terhadapnya," kata Saravanan (kiri) yang mendakwa "diberitahu" akan perkara itu.
 
Dalam video kontroversi itu, Shahul Hamid didakwa menyeru umat Islam agar tidak membeli serbuk kari daripada "pembekal Hindu".

Shahul dalam video tersebut menyebut nama dua syarikat pengeluar produk rempah masakan popular.

"Jika anda pergi ke kilang Alagappas terdekat Permatang Pauh, akan ada patung (dewi) di pintu masuk dan lidah keluar.

"Mengapa lidah keluar? Kerana dewi mesti rasa semua serbuk kari sebelum mereka menjualnya," Shahul berkata demikian dalam video tersebut.

Video berkenaan dikesan tersebar meluas di Facebook dan menimbulkan kemarahan dari kumpulan penganut Hindu.

Menyedari perkara itu, Shahul dikesan memuatkan satu lagi rakaman video di Facebook bagi memohon maaf, dan menjelaskan bahawa kenyataan tersebut dibuat di majlis tertutup.

Katanya, beliau tidak menyangka videonya itu akan disebar meluas dan menimbulkan kontroversi.

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Pemuda PAS, Mohd Nasaie Ismail ketika dihubungi menafikan yang pendakwah berusia 39 tahun itu merupakan anggota kepada sayap tersebut.

Beliau bagaimanapun mengakui mengenali Shahul sebagai salah seorang daripada peserta program TV bagi mencungkil bakat pendakwah, Mimbar Pencetus Ummah.

“Dalam rekod keahlian Pemuda PAS tiada rekod nama beliau.

"Kita (PAS) tak pernah kenal Ustaz Shahul Hamid, tapi mengetahui beliau menyertai program Pencetus Ummah,” katanya ketika dihubungi Malaysiakini.

Setiausaha Agung PAS, Datuk Mustafa Ali sewaktu dihubungi pula menjelaskan pihaknya memerlukan sedikit masa untuk memeriksa jika nama Shahul terdapat dalam daftar keahlian mereka.