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Herald Malaysia
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Malacca Johore Diocese News Update #224
Dear friends, The Easter people went about proclaiming the good news. They saw good. They welcomed good. They did good. As the Acts of the Apostles says: 'They put fresh hearts in the troubled, the suffering and the persecuted'. When one is able to see good, goodness, and good people, then we see God. To see good is to see God Local takes: Fatal accidents are never ending. Party strife and in-fighting continues. Broken promises claim doctors. More and more frauds and abuses are uncovered in government agencies. Illegal temples, 'gerai's' and extensions are under scrutiny. Factory workers struggle to make ends meet in Kulim, the heart of Silicon Malaysia. The Malay Muslim NGOs are calling for the 'May24Rally', claiming race and religion are under threat. Interesting statements in our midst: 'The Spirit Is Here' Times: With two weeks under his belt as Pope, Leo XIV has already shown himself to be a mild yet focused bridge-builder, with a soft spot for the underdog and a passion for the poor. At his inaugural Mass, in the homily, he signalled his priorities: A Thought For The Week: Three Bricklayers Three people were laying bricks. A passerby asked them what they were doing. The first one replied, 'Don't you see I am mixing the cement?' The second one said, 'Don't you see I am laying bricks?' The third one said, 'I am building a beautiful monument.' Here were three people doing the same thing who had totally different perspectives on what they were doing. They had three very different attitudes about their work. And would their attitude affect their performance? The answer is clearly yes. Lesson from the bricklayers: Excellence comes when the performer takes pride in doing his best. Every job is a selfportrait of the person who does it, regardless of what the job is, whether washing cars, sweeping the floor or painting a house. 'The quality of the work and the quality of the worker are inseparable.' Something's Happening Near You: Safeguarding of Minors Workshop 2. Two Pillars, One Mission: a stayin camp exclusively for single men and women, aged 18 and above. At the Church of St Philip, Segamat, from June 27 - 29. Contact: Kevin 017-7574490 or Clarence 017-7433817 3. Online programme on Ageing with grace - Living life to the fullest (John 10:10) with gerontologist Dr Cecilia Chan, counsellor-caregiver Justin Victor and psychiatrist Dr Fabian Dass, on July 13, 8.00pm-10.00pm. QnQ! Q asks? 'WHAT IF' points us to another side of reality? 'Trials we go through and the blessings we receive are the same thing. Those trials are lessons you can learn from, and those learnings are blessings.' - Tyler Perry 'God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.' -Rumi The Holy Spirit @work: I would say it simply: No one can give that which he doesn't personally possess, which means we cannot transmit the Holy Spirit in an effective way, rendering the Spirit perceptible, if we ourselves aren't close to the Spirit. Pope Benedict XVI Bishop Bernard Paul
Malaysia Sun
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysia Sun
Thailand: New Insurgent Attacks on Civilians Despite Pledge
(Bangkok, May 29, 2025) - Separatist insurgents in Thailand's southern border provinces should uphold their pledge and international legal obligations not to attack civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. Barisan Revolusi Nasional (National Revolutionary Front or BRN) insurgents have frequently targeted civilians, both Thai Buddhists and Malay Muslims, since the outbreak of armed insurgency in January 2004. On May 5, 2025, the BRN issued a statement expressing regret for recent attacks. While reaffirming the right to self-determination for Malay Muslims, the armed separatist group said that it "has no policy of targeting civilians" and "remains committed to international human rights and humanitarian law." Human Rights Watch has repeatedly condemned BRN laws-of-war violations. "The BRN took an unprecedented step by publicly pledging not to target civilians, after terrorizing people in Thailand's deep south for more than two decades," said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "But a pledge is not enough. The BRN needs to stop committing war crimes ." There were 57 insurgent attacks in April, resulting in 18 deaths and 50 injuries from the Buddhist Thai and Malay Muslim populations in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Songkhla provinces. On April 22, BRN insurgents shot dead Pongkorn Chumapan, 16, and wounded Pokanit Morasin, 12, in an attack on a pickup truck taking Buddhist monks and novices from Wat Kura temple to collect alms in Songkhla province's Sabayoi district. Pol. Lt. Wattanarom Chumapan, Pongkorn's father, told Human Rights Watch that his "son and his cousins were ordained as novices during their school break to study Buddhism and accumulate good karma. But they were targeted in this brutal attack." "I picked up my son, together with other novices and monks, from the temple to collect alms that morning," he said. "My pickup truck had just left the temple's gate when I heard gunshots coming from the roadside jungle. They sounded like M-16 assault rifles. I'm a police officer. I could tell." He said the bullets hit his son and another novice: "I grabbed my pistol and fired back at the two assailants until they retreated. I could see them escaping on a motorcycle, dressed as Muslim women and covering their faces." The BRN considers Buddhism emblematic of the Thai state's occupation of Malay Muslim territory. At least 23 Buddhist monks and novices have been killed and more than 30 injured during the conflict, most while collecting alms. Victims of the BRN's violence in May included teachers, police officers, older people, and children. On the morning of May 28, Pol. Sgt. Abdulloh Makaseng, 30, was shot dead when insurgents attacked the Chanae district police station in Narathiwat province. Later that day, insurgents opened fire into a community sport event in Narathiwat province's Tak Bai district, seriously wounding Muhammad Sukri Ha, 37, and Sainuddin Jehbueraheng, 34, both teachers. On May 2, in Chanae district, insurgents fatally shot Sa-Nga Saeng-Yoi, 76, a blind Buddhist Thai, and critically wounded her son while they were returning home from the hospital on a motorcycle. On the same day, in Tak Bai district, six insurgents opened fire with assault rifles into a Buddhist Thai neighborhood. They killed Sasita Jankong, 9, a Buddhist Thai, and two older relatives. Civilians have also been victims of BRN insurgents' indiscriminate shootings and bombings. The laws of war , applicable to the armed conflict in Thailand's southern border provinces, prohibit attacks on civilians and civilian objects, including reprisals, or attacks that fail to discriminate between combatants and civilians. Anyone who commits serious violations of the laws of war with criminal intent is responsible for war crimes . Abuses by both BRN insurgents and Thai authorities have long fed a cycle of violence and impunity, Human Rights Watch said. Phra Kru Kositasudabhorn, a prominent Buddhist monk and peace advocate from Pattani province, told Human Rights Watch that the April 22 attack on novices in Sabayoi district appeared to be in retaliation for the killing of an Islamic religious teacher, allegedly by Thai security forces, in Narathiwat province on April 18. "As long as that killing remains unresolved, Buddhist Thais will still be at risk," he said. "Buddhist novices and monks are especially vulnerable. Government officials should understand that insurgents use [state-sponsored] abuses and heavy-handed tactics to recruit new members and justify their violence." Claims by insurgents that attacks on civilians are lawful because the victims are part of the Thai state or that Islamic law, as they interpret it, has no justification under international law. The office of Sheikhul Islam, Thailand's central Islamic council, issued a statement on May 6, 2025, condemning the attacks on civilians "in the strongest terms" and stating that there is no justification for such heinous crimes, which are also serious religious offenses. Thai authorities have imposed special security legislation in the southern border provinces. Under the Executive Decree on Government Administration in Emergency Situations and under martial law, Thai security forces can arrest and hold suspected BRN members for up to 37 days without effective judicial oversight, which has led to deaths in military custody. On May 22, representatives of the Internal Security Operations Command, Region Four, which is responsible for counterinsurgency operations in the southern border provinces, told a Thai parliamentary committee that such arrests and detentions served as deterrence even when authorities did not have sufficient evidence to press charges. Jaringan Mangsa Dari Undang-Undang Darurat, a human rights group, reported at least 41 arbitrary arrest cases of Malay Muslims from January through April. The mother of Nasri Tugae, 22, told Human Rights Watch that her son was arrested under martial law on April 23: "Soldiers raided my house, accusing Nasri of being involved in the killing of a Buddhist novice [on April 22]. We tried to explain that my son was away on that day to apply for his passport in Yala province. But they did not listen." She said he was taken to Ingkayuth Camp in Pattani province for interrogation: "My son was scared when I told him that there were allegations about him all over social media, saying he was a murderer. My son was held for 26 days. Now he was released without charge. My son was treated unfairly. Where is justice? Something like this will only make Muslims trust officials less." There is an entrenched culture of impunity for state-sponsored abuses in the southern border provinces, Human Rights Watch said. There has been no successful prosecution of those responsible for extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and torture of suspected BRN members. The 20-year statute of limitations of the Tak Bai crackdown, which left 85 dead and several hundred injured, ended in October 2024, preventing further legal action. "Insurgent atrocities and retaliatory government abuses have sowed distrust between the Thai Buddhist and Malay Muslim communities," Pearson said. "Both sides should end abuses, hold abusers accountable, and commit to respecting human rights as they negotiate an end to the conflict." Source: Human Rights Watch
Malaysiakini
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Many good Malays don't share sentiment of May 24 rally
YOURSAY | 'They strongly feel the crutches need to be removed for self-reliant purposes.' Malay-Islamic NGOs to hold 'Daulat Melayu' rally on May 24 Mazilamani: We have more than 150 Malay Muslim members of Parliament, 90 percent of civil servants are Malay Muslims, uniform personnel (90 percent), teachers in public schools (85 percent), the population (70 percent), and a similar percent of Malay Muslim votes, and students in public universities are 80 percent Malay Muslims. Suddenly, some NGOs feel that their rights are being deprived and eroding. They want to hold a grand demonstration on May 24 to demand their rights. Perkasa is supported by some 700 NGOs that feel the same. deprived and eroding. They want to hold a grand demonstration on May 24 to demand their rights. Perkasa is supported by some 700 NGOs that feel the same. This sentiment is not shared by many Malays. They strongly feel the crutches need to be removed for self-reliant purposes. They want to be competitive like others. They understand the ways of the world that are ever changing, and the good things coming their way now may also change. We are seeing a drastic change in the Malay mindset. Malay parents are beginning to send their children to Chinese medium schools. These are parents courageous enough to teach their children to think, act and manage their lives independently. RedRaven6070: Here we go again - another rally to protest the government's 'failure' to protect Malay-Muslim rights. Because clearly, having 90 percent of the civil service, university quotas, job quotas, housing discounts, and being financially coddled from birth isn't nearly enough. Despite being handed institutional privileges on every level - paid for by non-Malay taxpayers, no less - the narrative of victimhood must be maintained at all costs. It's almost poetic how a group can enjoy the lion's share of public resources while claiming they're being marginalised. At some point, it stops looking like protection and starts looking like a parasite-host dynamic. But sure, let's rally and demand even more. Why not? Entitlement knows no shame. Dr Suresh Kumar: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the biggest loser here. Despite allocating billions to the four northern states, RM2 billion to the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), converting an Indian youth, pathetically claiming victory over the recent temple issue, sending millions to Palestine, shaking hands with Hamas leaders, allocating peanuts for Indians and Chinese in the national budget, bringing in Palestinians for treatment to placate the Malay voters, the Malays are preparing to rally against him. And the worst of all is, Anwar has also lost (will tell confidently) the non-Malay base. The English say - penny wise, pound foolish! Anwar's goose is cooked, unless the non-Malays/non-Muslims become greedy and accept the goodies he will surely give just before the 16th general election. Not to worry, I will remind them to jog their memories. Zaheed: We seem to be the only majority race in the world which suffers inferiority complex and low self-esteem compared to the minorities. This can be traced to the fact that throughout our lifetime, we were given everything, which is sometimes referred to as the tongkat (walking stick). The minorities had to battle their way and compete all their lives without the tongkat. This has made us what we are today, suffering the effects of it. The politicians should be blamed for giving us the tongkat. We are now suffering from an inferiority complex and low self-esteem for not being able to compete without help. This is very sad, and it's so embarrassing to even participate in a protest such as this. DragonKing: I assume these NGOs lost focus and direction because there is too much feeding by the government, and they lost the ability to use knowledge and common sense. Most importantly, easy money for their living, so they have nothing to occupy their minds. So, they find some issues even though it sounds stupid and portrays their ideocracy. They still want to protest and go for a rally. They don't mind! Aren't they an amazing group of individuals? MS: What Syed Hassan Syed Ali and the mob he leads are really saying is that all the sultans in their respective states are simply looking the other way as all Malay-run agencies in government and the government-linked companies, including the 99.99 percent Malay civil service and the uniformed services, are systematically eroding Malay rights. If nothing else warrants an investigation, this accusation certainly does. TurnedBack: Only those who are handicapped seek for more tongkat and spoon feeding. Why can't they work smart and hard to be firmly independent? Don't they feel ashamed compared to those non-Malays who can survive hardship to succeed? BlueRaven5300: The police are so eager to clamp down on gatherings. This is one they should nip in the bud. But then we won't be surprised if it's not. Winning Scarecrow: It is very encouraging to see that there are people and NGOs still willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of fighting for the sovereignty and dignity of the Malays. Hopefully, these Malay NGOs will demand that Bossku (nickname for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak) be released from jail as soon as possible. The Malays cannot consider themselves as 'berdaulat' (sovereign) as long as Bossku remains in prison. PKR deputy president and Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli was largely responsible for getting Bossku into prison by wrongly exposing the 1MDB scandal. Hopefully, the Malay NGOs will support Nurul Izzah to take over as PKR deputy president from Rafizi in the upcoming party elections. Ismail Sabri: I will be attending this great rally on this glorious day of May 24. I suggest every Muslim based organisation, political or non-political, including Umno, Bersatu, PAS, Pejuang, Perkasa, as well as multi-racial but Muslim-dominated parties like PKR and Amanah should also attend this rally. The Council of Malay Rulers can also attend, so they can establish a royalist-guided democracy. Like Turkiye. The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now. These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
Focus Malaysia
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'PAS Youth leader Sukri forgets Singapore's meritocracy offers equal chances, not ethnic-based'
IT IS understandable for Selangor PAS Youth Chief Mohamed Sukri Omar to be concerned about the status of Malay Muslims in Singapore. Sukri has claimed that he was not interfering in Singapore's domestic politics but merely expressing moral concern over the alleged marginalisation and political under-representation of the Malay Muslim community. However, his remarks came at a sensitive time – coinciding with Facebook (FB) postings from Australia urging Malays in Singapore to vote along ethnic and religious lines. This led to the Singaporean authorities having requested the FB administrator to remove or block such postings as they border on interference in the country's internal affairs, especially with general elections slared for May 3. While Sukri's concerns might stem from the ethnic and religious dynamics of Malaysian politics, it is neither appropriate nor wise to subtly recommend Malaysia's model of ethnic and religious governance to Singapore. In Singapore, it is not just the Malays but also the Indians who are sometimes considered marginalised communities. However, Singapore's emphasis on meritocracy, performance and hard work offers opportunities to all Singaporeans even if the pace of progress may be slow for some groups. Singapore excels in meritocracy By contrast, in Malaysia, meritocracy is constrained by ethnic-based privileges accorded to the majority community. While Malaysia has tremendous potential, it remains hampered by ethnic structures that inhibit full and equal participation across races and religions. I can understand Sukri's sentiment, but he must realise that imposing Malaysia's ethnic governance framework onto Singapore is unwise. We may have legitimate criticisms of Singapore's governance, particularly concerning minority communities but we must also acknowledge that the Singaporean system – however imperfect – allows for evolution, progress and reform. Meanwhile, Malaysia continues to grapple with systemic issues that prevent it from fully realising its diverse potential. While Sukri is entitled to his views and may feel a moral duty toward Malay Muslims in Singapore, he must exercise greater caution when making statements that may be construed as interference in another country's internal affairs. Given the challenges within their own system, Malaysian politicians should be humble and cautious in judging or commenting on Singapore's governance. – April 27, 2025 Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Malay Mail
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Linking PAS to WP? Accused of meddling in Singapore's polls, Iskandar says he's not even influential at home
KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — PAS treasurer Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad has denied accusations that he was attempting to influence Singapore's ongoing general election through his Facebook postings. In a statement, Iskandar also slammed Singapore government's attempt to link his Islamist party and the opposition Workers' Party (WP) — calling it 'preposterous and counterproductive'. 'I do not believe my Facebook page is influential even in Malaysia and was shocked when it was blocked and cannot be accessed in the republic,' he posted on Facebook. 'Therefore, I am still wondering what the true intention was, but I hope that it was not to link my party to the opposition as such attempt is preposterous and will be counterproductive.' Iskandar explained he was merely sharing information about notable Muslim candidates from WP, as well as a video of a young Muslim candidate from the rulingPAP introducing himself to voters. The former Selangor exco explained that his posts were aimed at his predominantly Malay Muslim audience in Malaysia and were not intended to sway voters in Singapore. 'I had never urged the voters to vote along racial and religious lines,' he said, adding that while he expressed hope that some Muslim candidates would win, he did not know them personally and had never met any of them. Iskandar noted that the only Singaporean politicians he had met were from the PAP, including ministers and MPs, and joked that this could equally be seen as a PAP connection. 'As a politician, I cannot be faulted for having an interest in the political developments of other countries apart from Malaysia,' he said, citing his previous writings on UK politics and his support for the Labour Party during their last general election. 'However, it would be ridiculous to accuse me of interfering with the election process of that country. I have also commented on the politics of other countries as well without any repercussions.' On Friday, Singapore told Meta to block local access to several Facebook posts by foreigners allegedly attempting to influence the city-state's upcoming election. The posts were made by two leaders from the Malaysian Islamist party PAS, and an ex-Singaporean who is now an Australian citizen.
