Politics 101 Malaysia

Top leaders of opposition parties PKR, DAP and PAS have agreed to form a new coalition called Pakatan Rakyat or People’s Alliance.

At a joint press conference this morning, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said the leaders will now take the proposal back to their respective parties for approval.

Anwar, who was flanked by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, said that the People’s Alliance will hold its maiden conference after the proposal has been endorsed by all three parties.

Also present was the new parliamentary opposition leader, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is PKR president and Anwar’s wife.

"Pakatan Rakyat pledges to uphold the rights and interests of all Malaysians as enshrined in the Constitution," said Anwar.

He said the governments of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor would now be known as Pakatan Rakyat state governments. ”Continued”

I just came across the best description of PMS.

"A powerful spell that women are put under about once every month, which gives them the strength of an ox, the stability of a Window’s OS, and the scream of a banshee. Basically, man’s worst nightmare."

Now that I have got your attention, it appears blogosphere’s number one hypocrite mullah wannabe, MENJ, has some real gross fetishes. He’s been caught sarung down bookmarking some very unislamist videos on youtube.

50 lashes or stone to death? 

The Government has declared Thaipusam a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Thaipusam is already a public holiday in Negri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, Johor and Selangor.

Hey dude, how about making the Easter weekend, Nine Emperor God Festival, Khairy’s Circumcision Anniversary and Valentine’s Day holidays too?

Show your support in affirming the supremacy of the Federal Constitution and its protection of our fundamental liberties, including the freedom of belief.

A peaceful candlelight vigil will be held at 20:00hr tonight at Dataran Merdeka (at the flagpole)

Bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations including MCCBCHST (the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism) and various women’s rights groups (All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC) and Women’s Development Collective (WDC)).

God has okay-ed the event — ”Continued”

“To say that she is not under the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court - because she no longer professes Islam - is not appropriate… In other words, one cannot embrace or leave a religion according to one’s whims and fancies.” - Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim

“Illegal and unreasonable… to expect the appellant (Lina) to apply for a certificate of apostasy - when to do so would likely expose her to a range of offences under the Islamic law - is, in my view, unreasonable.” - Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Richard Malanjum

“I am disappointed that the Federal Court is not able to vindicate a simple but important fundamental right that exists in all persons; namely, the right to believe in the religion of one’s choice… The Federal Court has not only denied me that right but to all Malaysians who value fundamental freedoms.” - Lina Joy

Date: 7 June 2007 (Thursday)

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya

Room: Laksamana Room, Level 3

Speakers:

Y.B. Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader

Ambiga Sreenevasan, Malaysia Bar Council President

Dr Azmi Sharom, Associate Professor, UM Law Faculty

Lenard Teoh, Legal Advisor to Malaysia Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS)

Yusri Mohammad, President of Angkatan Belia Islam (ABIM)

Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, General Secretary of PKR

Chairperson: Tony Pua

Free Admission

Since Parliament is not prepared to do what it should do to redeem its honour in the face of derogatory, crude, vulgar, sexist and gender-offensive attacks on Fong Po Kuan last Wednesday, it is now up to society to do what the Speaker, Members of Parliament and Ministers have failed to do – by making their condemnation of the sexist, unparliamentary conduct of the two Umno MPs loud and clear to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the country.

The DAP is organising a forum entitled “Respect Women’s Dignity, Towards A 1st World Parliament!” to demand justice and respect for women.

When: Thursday, May 17.

Time: 19:00hr

Venue: YMCA Hall, Kuala Lumpur, No.95, Jalan Padang Belia, Off Jalan Tun Sambanthan (Opposite KL SENTRAL Station)

Speakers:

a) Ambiga Sreenevasan - Bar Council President

b) Maria Chin Bte Abdullah - Executive Director of Women Development Collective (WDC)

c) Zainah Anwar - Executive Director of Sisters in Islam

d) Azmin Ali - Vice-President of Parti KeADILan Rakyat

e) Lim Guan Eng - Secretary-General of DAP

f) Lim Kit Siang - Parliamentary Opposition Leader

g) Teresa Kok - MP for Seputeh (* to be confirmed)

h) Fong Po Kuan - MP for Batu Gajah

The forum is to be chaired and moderated by Tony Pua.

All are welcome. Admission is free.

(*this is a public service announcement)

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) is leading a protest against the two orangutan BN reps tomorrow.

It will be held 11:00hr at the Ministry of Women, Block E, Bukit Perdana Govt Complex, Jln Dato’ Onn, KL.

For further details : 03-79575636/0636

A Muslim-Christian conference, The Building Bridges seminar, scheduled to be held this week has been postponed, not canceled, claims Pak Lah.

Abdullah said the conference would still go ahead but at a later date so he could attend what he described as the “important” interfaith dialogue.

“I have asked for it to be postponed. We will find another suitable date.”

More suitable date?

Is it too close to the elections? Too chickenshit the Islamist votes will go to the mullahs?

Meanwhile, the Anglican Church is looking for an alternative venue for the conference.

Postponed? Or Islam Badawi?

“The crime of apostasy” — on Al Jazeera’s “Everywoman”

In today’s program, we examine the crime of apostasy…how a baby can be torn from its parents because a Muslim woman dared to marry a non-Muslim.

Religious freedom in Malaysia has been under the spotlight recently, with a string of disputes involving the country’s non-Muslim minorities. The most high-profile is that of Siti Fatimah; she was born a Muslim but she married a Hindu man out of love. She calls herself Revathi, a Hindu name, and together the couple have a 15 month old baby girl.

But because she was living as a Hindu, Siti has been accused of apostasy - or deserting her religion. She’s been detained at a Rehabilitation Centre, and her baby has been taken away. Her husband Suresh, who is banned from seeing both his wife and child, spoke to Everywoman about the battle to win back his family.

Joining Shiulie Ghosh to discuss the issue is Zainah Anwar from Sisters In Islam, and Farid Suffian Shuaib, Law Lecturer at Malaysia’s International Islamic University.

— Al Jazeera

Everywoman is scheduled to air at the following times:

Friday 20 April 2007 (11:30, 22.30 GMT)

Saturday 21 April 2007 ( 08.30 GMT)

Sunday 22 April 2007 (04.30 GMT)

Monday 23 April 2007 (03.30, 09:00 GMT)

Tuesday 24 April 2007 (05.30 GMT)

Wednesday 25 April (02.30, 07.30 GMT)

Thursday 26 April (06.30 GMT)

Friday 27 April (07.00 GMT)