Sri Mahakaliamman Temple Demolition

The recent demolition of the 19 years old Sri Mahakaliamman temple near Kampung Tasek Tambahan by officers from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council(MPAJ) on Sept 9 raised quite a number of questions.  Some of the questions are:-

1.  Was the promise not to demolish any place of worship by Pakatan Rakyat parties before and during the recent General Election just mere sweet talks and empty promises?

At least 10 notices of demolition to temples were issues by the MPAJ alone, what about the other councils?  Dear readers, you decide!!!

2.  Does Dr Xavier Jayakumar who is a Indian EXCO in the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government understand the paramount important of Hindu temples to the Hindus?

I doubt it, his attempt to trivialize this issue shows his lack of understanding of the Indian Hindu psyche.

3.  Is the one week suspension of the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council(MPAJ) Deputy President Hamid Hussain enough?

Definitely “NO” – he was already on leave and is enjoying his holiday in Langkawi.  

But, is he the person that should be hold responsible?

I don’t think so!!!

Someone higher up is covering his @#$$!!!

4.  Did the Kapar MP, S. Manikavasagam really intend to resign from his position as the Selangor PKR liaison deputy chairman or was it merely a "sandiwara"?

It is just SANDIWARA-lah.

S. Manikavasagam knows the sacredness of Hindu temples(at least he knows, unlike Xavier), it was a political gimmick to deflect mounting pressure on him and to score political points.

Today, he had retracted his threat of resigning as he is agreeable to the 1 week suspension of the Deputy President of MPAJ. This suspension is also just another sandiwara.

5.  Was there an attempt to cover up the demolition as a renovation soon after it was expose in the media?

Think.  

The Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin had said that the temple’s committee members had demolished the temple for renovation work, how can she said that when it was clearly a demolition?

Was there an attempt to cover up?

Who were involved in this attempt to misled the public?

Probably a report to the ACA is necessary to discover any element of wrongdoings. 

Descendents of The Dragon

I always consider myself a Malaysian first, yet most Malaysians whether they are Malay, Chinese, India, Kadazan, Iban , etc are proud of their heritage.

Today, a group of Islamic officers raided a kitchenware shop at Carnarvon Street to confiscate bowls, and plates that they deem to contained Islamic/Arabic/Jawi script surrounding Dragon print. These fire designs can also be found in Chinese temples whenever the dragon print , painting, etc adorned those temples.

The script is actually the fire motif/pattern that adorn the dragon print on the plate and bowls. These designs had existed for hundred of years in Chinese artwork. I wonder how after 50 years of independent that we still have people who do not understand the culture and heritage of other Malaysians.

The fire motif/pattern is a very common design that will usually accompany the dragon print. The Chinese considered themselves the descendent of the dragon, this attempt to confiscate those items are like asking the dragon to puff "water" instead of "fire". I am born in the year of the dragon, it really aggravate the insult.

I think there is a pressing need to have a few liaison officers of various religions attached to all Religious Departments to avoid such insulting actions from repeating again.

Only constructive comments welcomed.

Walk of Freedom For Tan Hoon Cheng

Last night (Friday, Sept 12, 2008) Sin Chew Daily senior reporter, Tan Hoon Cheng was detained under the Internal Security Act. It was a total surprise for nearly everyone.

At least 200 people gathered at the Penang Police HQ, off Penang Road to show full support for her. Most Penang-based reporters were there, more than 100 Gerakan leaders and members, some DAP YBs, Suaram members and a handful of MCA members. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was also there. Gerakan leaders that were there was Chia Kwang Chye, Teng Hock Nan, Teng Chang Yeow, Cheang Chee Gooi, and many others. Nearly all Penang Island Gerakan division youth chairmans were there to lend moral support to her.

Most political parties irrespective of political divide wanted her to be released immediately. Mr Chia Loong Thye a lawyer and also a Gerakan local leader provided assistance thru the Bar Council lawyer Mr Edmund Bon who is also the chairman of the Bar Council Human Rights Committee.

Gerakan leaders and other BN components leaders spare no effort to secure her immediate release. A petition for her release was initiated by Gerakan, this was followed by a Walk of Freedom from Gerakan HQ to Sin Chew Daily Penang Office.

See Adrian Lim's Flickr slidshow -
http://flickr.com/photos/adrianlim/sets/72157607259424990/show/

Sin Chew Daily senior reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was released this afternoon after being held for 16 hours under the ISA and is now back at home in Bukit Mertajam.

Verify SMS, Before Forwarding

These are notes from my facebook:

Part 1:
Last night, from about 9.45pm I received a barrage of SMSes from friends and relatives urging the boycotting of a major petrol station in Penang.

The SMS message was as followed:

STOP BUYING PETROL AT THE STATION NEXT TO , THAT STATION BELONGED TO AHMAD ISMAIL.

The above message was clearly pinpointing a well-known, well-established and well-patronised petrol station in Penang.

The owner of the said station was a friendly Chinese lady with a Malay husband.I have never meet her husband, only her elderly but alert mother. I could not believe such a friendly person could be linked to such an infamous person.

Immediately, I decided to drive to that petrol station to verify the accuracy of that sms. The message was totally malicious, Madam Marie's husband was Mr Hassan Farouke. Their business have no link to Ahmad Ismail, they do not know him except what that had been written in the newspaper.

I decided to type an SMS to all my friends and relatives to stop forwarding that message. I hope it will help. (later, a friend sms me to thank for sending out the counter sms, Mr Hassan was his friend in Penang Free School, Class of 1965)

But, damaged had already been done.

I suggested she report to the police and held a press conference to rectified the situation.

The lesson - since March 2008 there are so many inaccurate SMSes circulating - we most be responsible. Check the accuracy of the SMSes before forwarding.

Part 2:
The updated or corrected sms on boycotting another petrol station circulating today is also not true.

The owner, Mr Seraz Ahmad have been operating the petrol station for 16 years. He is an UMNO member but strongly do not support Ahmad Ismail actions.

I agreed with Zhiyi that SMS is a tool, we have to learn to use it for JUST & USEFUL causes.

16th September 2008, Hari Malaysia - Anas Zubedy

Let us agree that …

There are thirteen states, and only one Malaysia
There are many parties, but we are one nation
While we may differ, we are not enemies
We can be critical, but not offensive
We shall seek and embrace truth, and reject deceit
We shall not take sides based on partisan views

Because wrong is wrong and right is right, no matter who does it

Let us all oppose corruption, racism and bigotry
Unite for one future, free from sleaze, discrimination and poverty;
Multiplicity is God’s creation; let us replace race with Unity
Let us see Unity in diversity, and learn to love all, because
When we dislike the other, we dislike part of God’s design,
We are One
We may greet each other in different ways, what we are all trying to say is:
I am pleased to meet you, my brother, my sister Malaysians

For there are

Many lamps, One Light
Many hearts, One Spirit
Many prayers, One God
Many Colors, One Race.

Have a meaningful Hari Malaysia

***************

Marilah kita setuju bahawa …

Kita ada 13 negeri, tetapi satu Malaysia
Berbagai parti, satu negara
Walaupun kita berbeza, kita bukan musuh
Kita boleh mengkritik, bukan mencemar
Mari mencari kebenaran, dan menolak penipuan
Jangan sekali-kali berat sebelah pada mana-mana pihak

Kerana yang salah tetap salah dan yang benar tetap benar, tanpa mengira siapa

Mari kita menentang rasuah, perkauman dan prejudis
Bersatu demi masa depan, bebas dari penipuan, diskriminasi dan kemiskinan
Kepelbagaian itu ciptaan Tuhan; ayuh gantikan dengan Perpaduan
Perpaduan yang dalam kepelbagaian, cintakan semua kerana
Apabila kita bencikan yang lain, kita menghina ciptaan Tuhan

Cara kita berucap agak berbeza, namun apa yang ingin diluahkan adalah;
Saya gembira bertemu denganmu, saudaraku seMalaysia

Kerana

Berbagai pelita, hanya Satu Cahaya
Berbagai jiwa, Satu Azam
Berbagai doa, Satu Tuhan
Berbagai Warna, Satu Bangsa

Salam Hari Malaysia

Salam Sejahtera,
Anas Zubedy
http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com

Foreign Direct Investment Setback

NST Online » Letters
2008/09/03

PENANG INVESTORS: Explain this FDI setback
By : CALVIN SANKARAN, Bkt Mertajam

I AM deeply disappointed to read Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's admission on the loss of US$1 billion (RM3.3 billion) in foreign direct investment from Samsung and his attempt to link it to calls by Penang Umno politicians to the Federal Government to scrap the second Penang Bridge.

Lim, who would like us to believe his administration is run on his much-hyped principle of competency, accountability and transparency (CAT), displays none of the attributes he preaches.

I had earlier written that due to the incompetence and inexperience of the new Penang administration, Samsung had decided to locate its new test and assembly facility at Clark, Manila, instead of Batu Kawan, Penang ("Penang investment: Inexperience caused failure" -- NST, July 14).

I wrote this after receiving confirmation from sources in Clark Development Corporation that Samsung and the CDC had started negotiations to finalise the details of the project. I was also told that Samsung made its final decision on the site location in May.

This means that Lim, who visited Samsung at the end of May, would have known Samsung's decision then. Revealing this news only now and claiming he was not informed of the Korean company's decision is highly irresponsible.

However, this should come as no surprise. Since coming to power, Lim has consistently demonstrated the unfortunate habit of blaming others for failures while being quick to claim credit for success reaped through the efforts of the previous state government and the Federal Government.

It was also reported that Samsung is planning to invest up to US$2 billion in the Clark Special Economic Zone for this project.

This is not the first FDI Lim's administration has lost and, I am afraid, it won't be the last. Further, some existing investors in Penang have started to scale down or even close their operations completely.

Instead of acting on the real causes keeping investors away, Lim has elected to indulge in political one-upmanship by assigning the blame to his political opponents.

If Lim keeps to his current ways, I am afraid Penang's reign as one of the major global electronic manufacturing hubs will soon be over, with investors heading to Vietnam, India, the Philippines or Thailand.

Lim must take responsibility for this failure and also come clean on what actually transpired.

Penangites have the right to know why FDI of such magnitude could be lost in such a manner.

In keeping with his CAT principles, Lim owes Penangites a full and detailed explanation of this incident.

Sedition Act & Double Standard

On 30th August 2008, I led a team of Gerakan Tanjong Youth members to lodge a police report at the North-East District Police HQ at Petani Road on the alleged seditious speech made by an UMNO Division Chairman.

The alleged seditious speech was made during the Permatang Pauh by-election (based on Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper report on 25th August 2008 and sinchew-i online news on 24th August 2008).

On 1st September, Lim Guan Eng's political secretary, Ng Wei Aik also lodged a near carbon copy police report on the same issue. If the Pakatan Rakyat want to be a copyCAT, it is their choice.

The point I want to highlight is the double standard or inconsistencies of the Pakatan Rakyat. PR want to abolish the Sedition Act but yet they are using this particular act. Ng Wei Aik said that since the act had not been abolished, he want it to be used on that UMNO politician. What a hypocrite party!!!

I am a supporter of the Sedition Act - it is necessary in our country. Of course, it must be used only when applicable.

I am curious what effective "law" can be used against politicians that use seditious words or statements. Can the PR readers on my blog advise?

P.S. See my earlier post titled What Does Sedition Mean (Friday, May 16) which is Azmi Sharom thoughts on sedition, while the table is my compilation of sedition law in other countries.