==KUALA LUMPUR - Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) women chief Nuridah Salleh has come out to defend the party's track record in its efforts to repeal "unIslamic" draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which provided for detention without trial.
Nuridah said the party had struggled to get the ISA repealed "for a long time" and that the late PAS president Datuk Fadzil Noor had played a role in forming the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI).
"He was the first (working committee) chairman for GMI and before the formation of GMI, PAS has been consistent (to oppose the draconian act)," she told English Section when met after a press conference to announce a GMI candle light vigil at Kamunting Camp on June 7, on May 29.
Nuridah said this when asked to comment on the move by Selangor state assembly to pass a motion calling on the ruling National Front federal government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to abolish the ISA.
The Selangor state government is administered by a Pakatan Rakyat coalition led by People's Justice Party (KeADILan) together with the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and PAS.
The non-binding resolution also called on the federal government to release all ISA detainees or for them to be brought to Court.
More Pakatan Rakyat states expected to follow suit
Nuridah also hope that PAS led Pakatan Rakyat states would soon follow suit in the footstep of Selangor.
"May be the idea started in Selangor but this does not mean that PAS has not been on the forefront on this issue, whatever it is we would like to congratulate Selangor state government (on the move)," she said.
Nuridah who is also a GMI working committee member however declined to comment on whether PAS should appoint a senator who is well versed on the issue of ISA and how to get it repealed, to be seen as at the forefront to get the draconian act abolished.
"However we will get more top (PAS) leaders to be involved in (GMI) activities," she said.
GMI working committee chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said Pakatan Rakyat states like Penang, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan should pass a similar motion to put more pressure on Abdullah.
"We understand that although they don't have the power to repeal (ISA) but the motion is important for the record. The move will become part of history," he said. – Saadon Aksah/ES
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
A mother's cry on Mothers Day
Dear HINDRAF supporters
Uthayakumar had a visit by his mother on Mothers Day on Sunday 11th May 2008. She spent about 40 minutes talking to him. This is how she described Uthayakumar to me over the phone
“ I was sad to see him. Every year he visits me at home and takes me out for dinner with the other siblings but this year was a strange and awkward visit by me instead. His beard has overgrown and he wears a torn pants with an old shabby t shirt. I know he was trying to keep me in good spirits by trying his best to smile the moment he saw me. I was holding to my tears. It hurts to see a son who I raised now to be detained by the country accused of a threat to national security. What national security are they talking about. It doesn’t make sense. A person who speaks out for the community and for the best interest of the community is behind bars now. This is “aniyayam” (oppression).
I told kumar not to worry about me. I will learn to take care of myself. But it makes a lot of difference having him visiting home though it would be only once a month. He feels guilty that he visited me once a month but I take the trouble to see him almost every week.
But it doesn’t matter. At least there are talks now that the Government is willing to treat the Indians better. I hear many promises made for the Indians. I’m happy at least the community is benefiting. Though it saddens me to be separated from my son I feel proud of his sacrifice”.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Uthayakumar had a visit by his mother on Mothers Day on Sunday 11th May 2008. She spent about 40 minutes talking to him. This is how she described Uthayakumar to me over the phone
“ I was sad to see him. Every year he visits me at home and takes me out for dinner with the other siblings but this year was a strange and awkward visit by me instead. His beard has overgrown and he wears a torn pants with an old shabby t shirt. I know he was trying to keep me in good spirits by trying his best to smile the moment he saw me. I was holding to my tears. It hurts to see a son who I raised now to be detained by the country accused of a threat to national security. What national security are they talking about. It doesn’t make sense. A person who speaks out for the community and for the best interest of the community is behind bars now. This is “aniyayam” (oppression).
I told kumar not to worry about me. I will learn to take care of myself. But it makes a lot of difference having him visiting home though it would be only once a month. He feels guilty that he visited me once a month but I take the trouble to see him almost every week.
But it doesn’t matter. At least there are talks now that the Government is willing to treat the Indians better. I hear many promises made for the Indians. I’m happy at least the community is benefiting. Though it saddens me to be separated from my son I feel proud of his sacrifice”.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Malaysia woman scores rare legal win to quit Islam
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian religious court granted a woman's wish to formally renounce Islam on Thursday, a decision described by her lawyer as a landmark case that could enable many others to leave the faith.
Islamic courts in the mainly Muslim nation rarely allow Muslims to convert to other religions. Often, they prescribe counselling or sometimes even fine them for apostasy.
"It's a landmark case," said lawyer Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani, who represented Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, 38, in her two-year court battle to convert back to Buddhism from Islam.
Siti Fatimah, an ethnic Chinese woman formerly known as Tan Ean Huang, had converted to Islam in 1998 in order to marry her Muslim lover at the time. In Malaysia, non-Muslims must convert to Islam before they can legally marry a Muslim.
But Siti Fatimah later broke up with her husband and in 2006 sought to have her conversion to Islam annulled, Ahmad Jailani said, adding that she had never practised as a Muslim and had only adopted Islam in name to ensure her marriage was recognised.
The lawyer said the ruling was important because it accepted that Muslims could renounce Islam on the grounds that they had never really practised the faith.
"We brought in two witnesses from her family to say that (because of) the way she prays and way she lives in her house, she is not a Muslim," Ahmad Jailani said.
Islam is Malaysia's official religion, but a big minority of around 40 percent of Malaysians profess other faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
Islamic affairs are governed at state level, so Thursday's ruling by the Penang Sharia High Court does not necessarily form a precedent for sharia courts in Malaysia's 12 other states.
Ahmad Jailani said the Penang state religious council, which had opposed Siti's renunciation of Islam, had signalled it was likely to appeal the ruling.
(Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by John Chalmers)
Islamic courts in the mainly Muslim nation rarely allow Muslims to convert to other religions. Often, they prescribe counselling or sometimes even fine them for apostasy.
"It's a landmark case," said lawyer Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani, who represented Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, 38, in her two-year court battle to convert back to Buddhism from Islam.
Siti Fatimah, an ethnic Chinese woman formerly known as Tan Ean Huang, had converted to Islam in 1998 in order to marry her Muslim lover at the time. In Malaysia, non-Muslims must convert to Islam before they can legally marry a Muslim.
But Siti Fatimah later broke up with her husband and in 2006 sought to have her conversion to Islam annulled, Ahmad Jailani said, adding that she had never practised as a Muslim and had only adopted Islam in name to ensure her marriage was recognised.
The lawyer said the ruling was important because it accepted that Muslims could renounce Islam on the grounds that they had never really practised the faith.
"We brought in two witnesses from her family to say that (because of) the way she prays and way she lives in her house, she is not a Muslim," Ahmad Jailani said.
Islam is Malaysia's official religion, but a big minority of around 40 percent of Malaysians profess other faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
Islamic affairs are governed at state level, so Thursday's ruling by the Penang Sharia High Court does not necessarily form a precedent for sharia courts in Malaysia's 12 other states.
Ahmad Jailani said the Penang state religious council, which had opposed Siti's renunciation of Islam, had signalled it was likely to appeal the ruling.
(Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by John Chalmers)
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