For the report on Malaysia, in pdf formal Click HERE
SOME EXTRACTS:
“Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are still restricted for government critics. Najib and his ministers defend preventive detention and outdated repressive laws in the name of public security and a fragile multi-ethnic society.”
“The Internal Security Act permits indefinite detention, without charge or trial, of anyone officials regard as a threat to national security, such as suspected terrorists, individuals allegedly promoting ethnic or religious divisiveness, and government critics.”
“Stepped-up arrests, combined with fewer deportations, have increased overcrowding in immigration detention facilities and produced a deterioration of already abysmal living conditions, including contaminated water supplies, inadequate access to medical care, and poor and insufficient food “
“Public rallies organized by government critics are routinely denied permits, while those supportive of government positions may proceed unencumbered even without the requisite permit.”
“The 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act acts as a censor by requiring annual renewal of publishing licenses and by controlling production and distribution of foreign publications. In August 2009 the government confiscated copies of the inaugural issue of Gedung Kartun, a political satire magazine, on the questionable grounds that it had not yet received a permit. The issue's cover satirized Najib's alleged indiscretions.“
“Malaysia's dual-track legal system permits Sharia courts to rule on religious and moral offenses involving Muslims and on issues involving marriage, inheritance, divorce and custody battles, and burial rites, many involving inter-religious disputed claims.”
“In July 2009 the Sharia High Court in Pahang state sentenced Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno to six strokes of a cane for drinking beer in a nightclub.”
“Malaysian authorities continue to harass and arrest human rights defenders including lawyers, journalists, NGO activists, opposition politicians, and even outspoken members of Suhakam, Malaysia's official human rights watchdog.”
“The US Trafficking in Persons 2009 report downgraded Malaysia to Tier 2 for its failure to adequately combat human trafficking. After Senator Lugar's report the head of the US Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons welcomed the arrests of immigration officials, but said the US wants to see "sustainability" and court cases.”
Muhyiddin Yasin
'We have done our best” - he was reported as saying.
Of course the Malaysian government, though Muhyiddin Yassin, denies everything and is unrepentant
What a truly shameful situation in Malaysia, human rights are trampled upon whist the rich and well connected live in a different Malaysia to the majority of the people.
The voters need to take their fingers out, use their brains and vote wisely in the next General Election.
Below is an open letter to Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Najib Razak, I wonder if he will read it and then have the common courtesy to reply? Most likely he will not!!
Well done Ms. Jeswan Kuar, you are a true beacon of common sense and enlightenment in the stinking quagmire that Malaysia is gradually turning into.
Najib talks about ‘1Malaysia’, which is a concept which is pure adulterated devilish devious political drivel. There is more religious intolerance and overt racism since the '1Malaysia' bandwagon began to roll.
His ball-carrying ministers are talking absolute rubbish and must be looking through rose coloured glasses, or are just plain stupid, if they think the people of Malaysia will even listen to them, let alone take one iota of notice of the verabl diarrhoea coming from their mouths.
Here is the letter, please read it carefully, I am sure the vast majority will wholeheartedly agree with all that is written in it by Ms. Jeswan Kuar.
I most certainly do.
An open letter to Najib Abdul Razak From: Jeswan Kaur | Jan 14, 10 10:33am Malaysiakini
“Mr Prime Minister,
I am compelled to pen you a letter, feeling very distraught over the racial discord rearing its ugly head yet again.
The negative outbursts resulting from the High Court's approval for the Catholic weekly Herald to go ahead and use the word ‘Allah' in its publication and the subsequent attacks on churches have made it very clear, that 1Malaysia is only and only political propaganda.
Your giving the go ahead for protests at mosques only added fuel to the fire, one that is sure to ‘engulf' Malaysians across the board if not enough effort is put into extinguishing it.
You know very well that the unity in diversity Malaysians once enjoyed has been destroyed by the powers that be for their own gain. God by any other name is God and the house of worship is simply that.
Is a Chinese denied entry into a kuil? If yes, then the annual show at Batu Caves in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration is nothing but an exercise at making money, thanks to the devotees who offer prayers at a fee.
What about the Sikhs, whose holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib Ji makes reference to ‘Allah' and its derivatives Alah, Alhu, Allahu and Allahi some 46 times?
What does this tell you? Will the Sikh holy book be tampered with to erase all references made to Allah? Will the Sikhs be banned from reciting prayers from their holy book? Mosque and blessed feeling for non-Muslim
If religion is so ‘private', I wonder what will happen to that tourist with a tattoo of the word ‘Allah' on her or his arm walking innocently along Petaling Street, Malaysia's very own Chinatown?
I was 22 when I started off as a journalist with an established newspaper company. Even then I had no hang ups over ‘my religion and your religion'.
This explained why I asked my Muslim colleague if I could accompany her to the surau and wait while she did her solat. She was more than happy and said ‘yes'.
As she fulfilled her religious obligations, I sat, feeling blessed at being in a house of worship.
It never crossed my mind that the surau was a place of worship exclusive to Muslims, until a senior reporter walked in and ordered me out, as she said the surau did not welcome a non-Muslim.
Along the way I had more Muslim friends, some who said it was a no-no for me to set foot inside a mosque or to hold the Quran.
But there was one Muslim whom I befriended who was only very helpful in helping me understand more about Islam, including going through the Quran, understanding the Sunnah, Hadith and even experiencing the month long fasting during the Ramadan month. Urgent need for comparative religion studies
As a reporter, I was assigned to cover assignments at mosques. It was never unnerving for me as it was for the Muslims who became restless noticing the presence of a non-Muslim at their place of worship.
I cannot understand why Muslims become so insecure at the sight of a non-Muslim inside their mosque. But they will only be too happy if the non-Muslim comes in with a purpose to convert.
Doesn't a non-Muslim have the right to set foot inside a masjid, since it is yet another house of worship, to seek God's blessings?
Maybe this is why many Malaysians especially are ignorant about religious practices in Malaysia because they are not given a chance to learn, with no conditions attached. Is comparative study not possible without converting?
We all know that Mecca is a city forbidden to the non-Muslims. But why? It is a place gifted with so much history and sadly the non-Muslims are only allowed to see the city through television and magazines.
A Muslim friend passed away a year ago and we, her non-Muslim friends, gathered at the mosque. We brought along selendang or scarfs to cover our heads, knowing well what was expected of us.
And we later marched to the Muslim burial ground after the Zohor prayers to bid our friend farewell. No hang-ups there. Even shampoo and toothpaste not spared
I remember as a child listening my grandmother uttering the word ‘Allah Taala' to the Muslim makciks in the kampung where we lived each time they talked about their respective health.
No one took umbrage then, so why today the unnecessary excitement over the court approval for a Catholic news bulletin to use the word ‘Allah'?
Why does the government take offence and demonstrate absolute authority in displaying its dismay over this, to the point that your colleague Nazri Aziz went on to say that the judge had erred in allowing the word ‘Allah' to be used? Is he saying that we no longer trust the judiciary?
Mr Prime Minister you definitely have lots to do, but your to-do list will be hogged by the utmost urgent need to address the issue of 1Malaysia, in the true sense of the word, where the Indians, Chinese and the Malays live as brethrens, with no hint of doubt or syak wasangka.
I believe advertisements showing toothpaste and shampoos exclusively for the Muslims have been doing a lot of damage. Is this a good example of 1Malaysia? Should the Indians and the Chinese follow suit?
I do not understand how Malaysians of today are united in their diversity. A walk to the pasar malam scares me as I dread passing by the stall that sells beef, as there hangs the head of the cow that was slaughtered. Can the non-Muslims make noise about this? We do not because we 'understand'. But if pork meat was sold openly there would be chaos in the country. Whither ‘love thy neighbour' ?
Why? Just like we ‘understand' when opulent mosques are built throughout the country.
But how would the Sikhs feel when Astro's Zee station abruptly ends the morning prayer telecast live from their holy shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, because of Astro's timing glitch.
This shows Astro's insincerity in making available such service to the Sikh community, not to mention complete disrespect for the prayers. Also, why must the term ‘babi' (pig) be used to hurl abuses at non-Muslims? Do the non-Muslims stoop as low as use the term ‘lembu' to offend the Muslims?
Non-Muslims keep their pet dogs miles away from their Muslim friends who avoid ‘man's best friend' like the plague.
Sad, truly that even animals are not spared by mankind, God's most challenging creation.
If we have stooped so low, then it is time the country's national anthem ‘Negaraku' be relooked, for the rakyat no longer live bersatu dan maju (the people live united and progressive) nor does the rahmat bahagia, Tuhan kurniakan (God bestow His blessings and happiness on us) seems applicable anymore, keeping the racial tensions in mind.
I am sure God is thoroughly dismayed with his creation, for they have failed to grasp the true meaning of ‘love thy neighbour' and are ever thirsty for each other's blood.
Attacking churches like that happened recently is a bleak demonstration of 1Malaysia.
When will the politicisation of religion stop? How many more hearts will your administration break to protect the interests of the dominant race of this country?
Is worshipping the creator an exercise in politics?
Mr Prime Minister, where were you when a Muslim transsexual was accused of bringing shame to Malaysia?
For human rights sake, why did you not utter a word? Is the issue of transsexualism a petty affair to you? What happened to your catch-phrase of ‘rakyat diutamakan etc'.
Is Malaysia gearing towards a second black May 13? If the current events are to be looked at, then yes, the worry and fear are very real as we watch the nation emasculate gradually but surely.
But if we all come to our senses and realise the truth and beauty of ‘love thy neighbour', all will be well, insyallah.”
Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum
So potent was religion in persuading to evil deeds.
BN / UNMO federal government of Malaysia seemingly 'concedes' on Allah for Sabah, Sarawak.
After months of bullshit, banter and verbal battles with the Roman Catholic Church, the UMNO / BN government, according to news heard on NTV7, and read at malaysiakini, appears to have finally 'conceded' regarding the 'Allah' non-issue for the Malaysian States of Sabah and Sarawak which are located to the north of Borneo.
This is a none-issue because Christians in those two states have always use the word 'Allah' in Malay Language Bibles, which, by the way, have to be imported and many have been recently been reported as having been prevented from import and impounded by the Customs & Excise Department.
Much ado about nothing once again, and seeming they concede when nothing has actually changed.
This is infantile premeditated political posturing, the typical sandiwara [Malay Drama] which has evidently become the normal modus operandi of UMNO / BN.
No one is fooled by what any bunch of crooked cronies concoct; their days are always numbered the writing written on the wall.
Malaysia has to change and it surely will be soon cleansed of the evilness now so prevalent.
AdiĆ³s to the corrupt, the arrogant, the selfish, the greedy, the liars and cheaters, the devious, the racists and the pretenders.
Let us all sing this to the tune of the lovely Christmas carol:"Hark the herald angels sing".
Hark the herald angels sigh, 'Gory are the lies, they've sinned!'Peace on earth and love not lies,
God with Allah reconciled. Joyful all ye Malaysians rise.Join in triumph as voters aye.
With a pure heart proclaim, Freedom is born in Bolehland again.
Hark the herald angels sigh, 'Gory are the lies, they've sinned!'
Acclinis falsis animus meliora recusat
The mind intent upon false appearances refuses to admit better things
Please listen to it carefully and clear-headedly and judge for yourself who speaks the most sense. The body-language tell a story too. LINK
One of the panel is 100% reading from a script and seems to be incapable of speaking knowledgeably about the issue, or perhaps is even totally ignorant of the facts.
One could be excused for labelling the ABIM [VP Khairul Faiz Morat) representative as acting an inherently stupid stooge, as he is clearly incapable of taking part in the interview properly.
It seems obvious that this issue is more a political and racial issue rather than a truly religious one.
Is '1 Malaysia' is a political, rather than a racially harmonious concept? It sure seems to be based on what is happening up to now in Malaysia.
Ab alio spectes alteri quod feceris
As you do to another, expect another to do to you
Accensa domo proximi, tua quoque periclitatur
When the house of your neighbour is in flames, your own is in danger
The ignorant evil ones in Malaysia are showing that they are not true Muslims.
Allah is the One God of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims, His name is not owned by the Malays or any other race.
As is written the Holy Qur'an:
"... And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and unto Him we surrender."