ISA is abusive

The Internal Security Act cannot be used as a pre-emptive strike weapon to whomever that the state sees as a threat.

Technically the Federal Constitution is subservient to the ISA as legislators willingly molested the Federal Constitution.

What shocks me even more than that is the authorities unwillingness to release a ISA detainee simply because he can’t sing Negaraku. Its ridiculous.

Oddly enough the Singaporean terror suspect, Mas Selamat Kastari, happens to be more comfortable in detention under Malaysia’s ISA rather than the Singaporean one.

Doesn’t this prove that the government is holding on to false premises that is irrelevant to current times.

Hence, instead of getting more feedback from the so called public, it is best that the government provide the bite for Suhakam and implement their recommendations as a first step.

63rd MIC AGM

Sept 13 and 14 2009 would be forever hatched in my mind as I covered the first party elections as a journalist. It was the MIC elections.

The first thing that struck me as I entered the hall in PWTC is the large number of beautiful women who were clearly lobbying delegates to vote in favor of deputy presidential candidate S Subramaniam.

The party itself is 63 years hence I was surprised to see MIC president S Samy Vellu playing the role akin to a teacher as he personally ensured that no one apart from delegates were in the hall after Prime Minister Naji Razak officially opened the the party’s annual general assembly. I mean, for a president who leads a 63 years old party it definitely says a lot about the type of members that the party have.

An observation that I made on day two revealed that grass root leaders are unaware of national issues and vice versa. Similarly I also found out that certain grass root leaders are unaware of what is happening in their localities. This is something detrimental that needs to be arrested immediately if MIC is ever interested of achieving their KPI which is regaining the Indian community support.



I also had a chat with deputy Puteri MIC chief, Mrs Shaila Nair Vell Paari (see above with husband, S Vel Paari) who comes across as a friendly person.

She promoted her event management company as the company to contact if I were to settle down. In response I told her that as a Puteri MIC she should organise Cupid Club a la MCA so that I can meet someone as I am currently single, available and not having much time to spare.

Campaign for change in the MIC polls

US President Barack Obama got into White House after campaigning for change. After being elected on Nov 4, 2008 he was sworn in Jan 20 2009.

His campaign not only made Americans want to believe in change. The whole world believed that change can be brought upon for the betterment of the society.

His campaign for change ‘bug’ has infected the MIC party polls. The party polls would take place on September 12, 2008.

All three deputy president candidates - incumbent, G Palanivel, former deputy president, S Subramaniam and current vice president S Sothinathan, are all campaigning for change.

They have also raised their stakes into the cyberspace. Apart from the party president’s candidate, the other two have websites. Sothinathan’s campaign site can be seen viewed here whereas Subramaniam’s site is here.

The Tamil press highlighted the fact that party president S Samy Vellu is also chanting the change mantra to ensure his preferred one - Palanivel - to win this three cornered tussle.

My question therefore, are simple.

If change is so important to MIC, why didn’t Samy step down to make way for newer crop of leaders to helm the party?

If Palanivel and Subra want change, why did not they execute the change after becoming deputy president at different point of time?

What rebranding exercise is MIC looking at if they can’t even bring the new generation of leaders to helm the party.

Another point to be noted is the fact that, Sothinathan and Palanivel lost in the March 2008 elections, whereas Subra was not listed as a candidate.

As such, how can they bring about change to the community without having the power to execute?

Reviewing the Indian community empowerment dream

Hindraf activist and Human Rights Party pro - tem secretary general, P Uthayakumar’s book is the first to be under scrutiny.

Going by its title, there appears to be a huge masterplan laid by Uthayakumar in his 109 pages of English and Tamil bilingual book.

For a book with a grand plan title I am disappointed that the author only has one point to empower the Indian community politically.

Gerry - mandering appears to be sole tool towards political empowerment.

The book also took a jibe at DAP for not standing up for the Indians. I remember speaking to the author prior to his trip to London. He said that HRP would be filling the void of an Indian party in the opposition front. It makes me wonder how HRP is going to fill the void of an Indian based opposition if it continues to take pot shots at its future allies.

Also going by its current issues against the interest of HRP, would the party see the dawn of 2012-2013 when Malaysia once again holds a general election?

On the cow head protests

I pity the Islamic faith and my Muslim brothers in light with the actions by a minority few Muslims who protested the moving of a temple to Section 23.

Their actions would create a negative perception of the Muslims in general and the Islamic faith itself.

Worse still, they did it after Friday prayer session during Ramadan.

The video of their short mindedness can be seen here.

Based on my rather limited understanding on fasting in the Muslim faith, I dare say that in conducting the way they did, they have broken their fast.

I wonder what Selangor Exco for Muslim affairs, Hassan Ali would do over this?

Would he get authorities to arrest these Muslims who have erred in fasting?

Dad's name vacant because no marriage registered

The National Registration Department is at it again.

They are not allowing Teoh Beng Hock's child to have a father's name.

It is high time for NRD to understand that fathering a child doesn't require registration.

Ending tug-of-war of corpses between Muslims and non-Muslims

The body snatching cases by the Muslim religious authorities - from Moorthy to Mohan Singh would continue as long as there are conversions taking place in private. In fact, this causes the non - Muslim families much discomfort.

A Malaysiakini reader illustrated it by using the notion if Mikaeel Jackson died in Malaysia.

In the longer run, the Islamic faith would receive negative limelight due to these actions. In fact it may already be perceived negatively by the non - Muslim communities.

Yusuf Islam (formerly known as rock singer, Cat Stevens) once defined ISLAM as I Shall Love All Mankind during his visit here in the 1990s.

Unfortunately the pain endured by families such as Moorthy and Mohan Singh may not see the love at all. Only hate and disheartenment is haboured.

This does not mean to say that propagation of Islam or conversion to Islam should be stopped. That would deny freedom of to practice a faith. Plus Islam is the religion of the federation of Malaysia as prescribed in the federal constitution.

This issue can actually be sorted out via dual prong strategy by two key players - the would-be-converts and the state religious authorities.

Individuals who wish to convert must relay their intention of embracing Islam to their immediate family members. Division of properties, inheritance and child care also must be resolved to avoid another Syamala saga.

As for the religious authorities they should play a pro - active role too. The propagation of the Islamic faith is guaranteed as per Islam’s status as the religion of the federation, it does not mean that their duties are accomplished by conducting conversions per se.

Instead religious authorities must ensure that renunciation of faiths to embrace Islam is made for the sake of Islam and nothing else.

Why so? For this one should re-look at the history of Islam. Prophet Muhammad having moved from Mecca to Medina created the world’s first Islamic state.

There were several tribes who became citizens of Medina under the prophet’s administration - Aus and Khazraj who moved with the prophet from Mecca to Medina forming Muhajirin, Ansar who were the locals, Jews and a group known as Munafik

Of these groups of people, the Jews signed the Hudaibiyah treaty and later on betrayed the prophet. The Munafiks, on the other hand accepted the Muslim faith but betrayed the prophet and the first Muslim kingdom.

In a similar manner, it would be in the best interest of the religious authorities to screen would be candidates.

This pre - emptive move would also avoid unnecessary body snatching by the authorities.

I do not mean to say that converts to Islam only convert for ulterior motives. There are those who convert and become better individuals.

However there are also cases such as Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah alias Tan Ean Huang of Penang who converted just for the sake of marrying a Middle Eastern man. Cases from M Moorthy to Mohan Singh is also happening rampantly, hence the need for screening would-be-converts.

Former Minister of Housing and Local government, Ong Ka Ting had suggested that converts be allowed to revert to their former faith if their marriage ended. Why do you need to do so? Instead it would be best if they are allowed to convert for the sake of Islam and nothing but Islam.

Do you want hypocrite Muslims who do not practice Islam as it should be? The ball is in the court of the state religious authorities.