Saturday, November 29, 2008
THE ELEGANT SILENCE OF M.I.C
In all these instances, whenever an UMNO M.P suffering a sudden attact of contrivitis ( a sudden rush of shit into the brain), spews out profanities and makes derogatory and racist remarks against the Indians, have you heard of any M.I.C M.P standing up to chide the recalcitrant and calling him to withdraw and apologise.
It will be interesting to read the bloggers comments !
YOGA AND THE NON MUSLIMS CONCERN.
Yes, the fatwa is applicable to Muslims and that is comforting. Nevertheless, Non Muslims will be concerned by the implications arising from the fatwa. Though the National Fatwa Council edict is restricted to yoga excersises which involved chanting of mantras and acts of worship which is deemed haram and against Islam, the implications of the edict could result in yoga centres and particularly commercial yoga centres in the near future facing various obstacles and restrictions.
The real concern is that Local Authorities and their "little Napoleans" may soon draft new rules for compliance before licence for yoga centres and particularly for commercial yoga centres is issued. In the Auditor General's Report for Johor a new phrase has creeped in - "perniagaan sensitif'". Now with "perniagaan sensitif" appprovals and consent from various authorities is required. Would Yoga centres may be added to the list of "perniagaan sensitif" ?.
It is also possible that those who run yoga centres or intend to open up yoga centres particularly commercial yoga centres will need to first "isi borang permohonan" and then wait for the local authorities licensing officers to visit and inspect the yoga centre and wait for their "lapuran" before licence is issued. There is a real possibility that in future yoga centres applications could be rejected due to the surrounding's "sensitiviti". The operators of commercial yoga centres may have to forward "untuk diluluskan" by these "little Napoleans", the course manuals and paraphernalias to ensure that the yoga practice do not contain any religious or spiritual elements and importantly there are no chanting of mantras. Yoga instructers may even be required to attend "kursus" and obtain"sijil' before they can operate a yoga cente. There may be restrictions in how many yoga centres can be opened in one area. Lastly, yoga centre operators may be asked to put a sign "untuk orang bukan Islam sahaja or "Orang Islam Di Larang Masuk". The licence for yoga centres and particularly commercial yoga centres may contain "syarat-syarat" to be adhered.
All these may be far fetched and work of an imaginary mind but taking into account the obtacles and hurdles one has to go through before a pub can be opened, I would not be surprised if commercial yoga centres will meet an almost similar fate. I pray that I am proved wrong.
Thus, although the fatwa may be meant for Muslims only, Non Muslims still have every reason to be concerned.
Friday, November 28, 2008
A SENTENCE RIGHTLY METED OUT AND JUSTLY DESERVED
These are the shocking and horrific pictures of Nirmala Bonat, the Indonesian maid who was tortured by her employer . On Thursday, the Kuala Lumpur Session Court, imposed an 18 years jail sentence on Nirma's former employer Yim Pek Ha. That sentence is rightly meted out and richly deserved. What an evil person Yim Pek Ha is !.
Some have opined that the 18 years sentence meted out to her is excessive. Now, those who suddenly find sympathy for the employer ought to first see these pictures. Spare a moment and imagine the pain the poor maid had undergone and the mental scars she will forever carry. In fact, do surf the net and you will find more horrific pictures of Nirmala Bonat injuries. Clearly, her employer not only abused her but worst she was tortured.
A maid is not a chattel or a slave that one by virtue of paying a monthly salary can then abuse and torture her.
Let the court's sentence in this case serve as a warning to other employers that they may face a similar fate should they abuse their maid.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tajuddin Abdul Rahman
Malaysiakini
According to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), who evoked the Standing Orders against Tajuddin, the BN MP had made the offensive remarks during yesterday's sitting.Section 36(4) of the Standing Orders prohibits parliamentarians from using offensive language.
The following is exchange between Tajuddin, Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee and Mujahid as was published in the Hansard.
Tajuddin: Oh, tak masuk lagi?
Kiandee: Dia tak bagi Yang Berhormat, tak bagi.
Tajuddin: Dia tak masuk lagi? Dah lama tak masuk-masuk. Main tepi saja.
Mujahid: Yang Berhormat Pasir Salak sabarlah.
Tajuddin: Bila nak keluar lagi air dia?
Kiandee had presided over yesterday’s session.Tajuddin's sexual innuendo remarks were missed in the uproar he had sparked off when he called M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) “keling”, a derogatory term for Indians.Following pressure from Pakatan MPs to withdraw his remark, Tajuddin had today reluctantly obliged and made the retraction.Although Kulasegaran requested Kiandee to take stern action against Tajuddin, the deputy speaker, however, said a retraction was sufficient.
BLOOD POLITICS
Now here comes the reply ! (as reported in today's STAR pg.29). Responding to his query State Womaen, Family, Welfare and Health Committee chairman Dr Robiah Kosai is reported to have replied:-
"it was better that blood donation drives be organised by NGO's, voluntary or religious bodies rather than political parties."
"She contended that if a blood donation campaign was organised by a political party those with a different political view might not want to participate in the donation".
"If the DAP organised a blood donation drive, those from UMNO may not donate their blood during the campaign."
This is an answer from a doctor- politician !. Abraham Lincoln once said " Better to remain silent and thought of as a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." Dr Robia Kosai's reply has no doubt removed that doubt.
It is simply amazing how low some will be prepared to stoop, to the extent that they can even politicise blood. Since UMNO members may be reluctant to receive blood from those who are not from UMNO, perhaps the members could inform the hospital authorities that should they ever need blood transfussion, the blood should come from their fellow members own.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Somali view on Dr.Mahathir and Malaysia
IS IT MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA OR MAHKAMAH TINGGI TANAH MELAYU ?
My attention is drawn to the legal notices placed by the Insolvency Department Negeri Sembilan as appeared in the Utusan Malaysia 22nd November 2008.
The intitulement in the notices uses the following words:-
DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI
TANAH MELAYU DI SEREMBAN
DALAM KEBANGKRAPAN No.....
Mahkamah Tinggi Tanah Melayu ? Since when ? Now, this is clearly a departure from the usual form which is:-
DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA
DI (Name of Town/City)
DALAM NEGERI (Name of State)
DALAM KEBANGKRAPAN No......
A cursory examination of all legal notices advertised in the newspapers would reveal that they are usually in the form and manner as stated above. It is always Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya and never Mahkamah Tinggi Tanah Melayu.
Thus, the legal notice by the Negeri Sembilan Insolvency Department is a radical departure from the usual.
Under the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 " High Court" means the High Court in Malaya and the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak or either of them as the case may require. Clearly the act envisages the words "Malaya" and not "Tanah Melayu'.
'local jurisdiction" means:-
(a). in the case of the high Court in Malaya, the territory comprised in the states of Malaya, namely Johore, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, selangor, Trengganu and the Federal territory of Kuala Lumpur; and
(b). ....
Further, in respect of bankruptcy proceedings, The Bankruptcy Act 1967 states the following:-
S.1 (2) The Act (Bankruptcy Act) shall apply throught Malaysia.
S.2 "The Court" means the courts having jurisdiction in bankruptcy under the Act.
S.3 A debtor commits an Act of bankruptcy in each of the following cases:-
(a). if in Malaysia....
(b). if in Malaysia....
(c). if in Malaysia....
(d). if in Malaysia....
(e). if in Malaysia....
Note that the bankruptcy act has to be committed in Malaysia and not in Tanah Melayu.
Meanwhile, under the Bankruptcy Rules 1969, Rule 9 states:-
"Every proceeding in the bankruptcy matter shall be dated and shall with necessary additions be intutuled as in Form 1."
Form 1 states :-
In the High Court in............... at................................
In Bankruptcy( name of debtor) (NRIC) No............... of (Year)
It would be interesting to know the reason of the Negeri Sembilan Insolvency Department as to why they have changed the usual format and begun using a different form.
In any event, I have written to the Bar Council highlighting the matter and seeking a clarification.
I sincerely hope, this will not turn into a political issue but be quickly resolved. In the interim stand corrected.
Monday, November 24, 2008
FOMCA's brilliant idea : RM3 as petrol retail floor price !
The letter "M" in Fomca would fit to represent Planet Mars instead of Malaysia since they seem to be completely out of touch with the living cost of average Malaysian even with current petrol prices.
NST
KUALA LUMPUR: RM3 as the retail floor price for a litre of petrol is what the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) would like to see.
"We should set a floor price that would encourage the prudent use of petrol, promote the use of public transport and push for development in alternative energy," Fomca secretary-general Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah said when contacted by the New Straits Times yesterday.Sha'ani said a floor price of RM1.92 per litre was too low to regulate the price of petrol.
That was the price at the pump before the meteoric hike in price by 78 sen on July 1."Continued reductions in pump prices will only benefit those who drive their own vehicles but leave out low-income earners and the poor who do not own vehicles."At the same time, people will stop thinking about prudence in petrol use and start using their cars more, and then our roads will be jammed again."
Since the July 1 high of RM2.70 per litre of petrol, the government has been reducing prices in tandem with the fall in global crude oil prices. There is speculation that by early next month, pump prices will be below the pre-July prices.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad has proposed a price floor plan.Yesterday, Shahrir gave the assurance that every detail would be considered before the government decided whether to implement a price floor plan for the pump.He stressed that everyone must acknowledge that global oil prices were bound to go up at some point so the government would need something to fall back on.
"In the end, the money (for subsidies) has to come from somewhere."Even if we save the subsidy for petrol, it will still go to the consolidated fund, which in turn will be used for something else for the benefit of the people."Whatever the case, just wait for Dec 1 and the Economic Council will decide on it (price floor plan).
"The Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam (Cassa) agrees that the price floor plan is workable.Cassa president Datuk Dr Jacob George, however, cautioned against imposing a price floor that was too far removed from the prevailing global crude oil price."We should not be seen as tampering with market forces because it may be viewed as Malaysians being unable to handle (the economic crisis).
"Both Sha'ani and George agreed that the crux of change lay in consumer habits.Consumers, they said, must keep tabs on their petrol consumption and avoid waste.The associations advised consumers to find an alternative mode of transport for their daily commute and consider at least a partial shift to public transport.
"Everyone is talking about saving 10 or 15 sen at the pump, but ultimately it is the millionaire who enjoys the low prices as this does not have much impact, if any, on the mid-income class," Sha'ani said.
He stressed that instead of pushing for lower prices of goods, the government should focus on bringing down the overall cost of the use of public amenities such as public transport, medical care and education.Sha'ani noted that by allowing the private sector more freedom to set their own prices, it would help spur the economy and reduce the stranglehold of a handful of companies that monopolised the sale of certain goods such as sugar and flour.
George agreed that it was necessary to "get rid" of cartels and parallel importers, who he said were stifling the development of healthy competition among businesses."We need to promote competition which is good for everyone, and this is where we all can come together and come up with a plan which is fair and reasonable for both consumers and the business community."Consumers and the private sector need to compromise and this is where the government can play its part, by helping both sides come to a consensus."This is not the time for protests. This is the time for prudent thinking and we all need to be accountable and work according to our conscience."