MY is not messed with religion,racial and poilitics issue.
Any group is behind all these activities or all are isolated
issues?
1.Religoion
22 Jul 2006
Lau Meisan
JOHOR BARU, SAT.: A forum organised by the Article 11 Coalition
here today was cut short on the advice of the police as some 400
demonstrators gathered outside.
But this time the organisers are not complaining.
The "Federal Constitution: Protection for All" forum which was
scheduled to run from 9am to 1pm at the Hotel Selesa here, wrapped
up at 11.15am following a "friendly recommendation" from the
police.
The protest was the second the coalition has encountered since it
started a roadshow on constitutional rights regarding religion. In
May, the umbrella group for 13 non-governmental organisations held
a similar forum in Penang which also attracted protesters.
Forum chairman Ramdas Tikamdas, who is also National Human Rights
Society (Hakam) exco member, said the decision to cut short the
question-and-answer session at the end of the forum was made based
on a police recommendation.
"It was a friendly recommendation, which we also agreed to. This is
not a compromise because all our speakers had presented their views
and we also had a fairly fruitful discussion with the audience," he
said.
The 167 participants were then escorted out through the hotels
side doors by police as the main exit through the lobby was
virtually blocked by protesters. The demonstrators were seen
chanting verses, holding up banners and placards that read "Crush
IFC" (Hancur IFC), "We are ready to sacrifice for Islam", "Don't
touch on the Sensitivity of Islam" and "Stop Anti-Islam Act".
The group, which included representatives from PAS Johor, UMNO
Pemuda and non-governmental organisations such as Jemaah Islam,
gathered at an outdoor carpark as early as 8.30am. About 200
policemen were at the scene.
At 10.25am, Johor Baru South police chief Roslan Ahmad told the
protesters to disperse as they did not have a permit to hold a
public gathering. A group spokesman insisted they would only
disperse when the forum ended, asking the police to stop the
meeting immediately.
A speaker at the forum, Professor Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, describing
it as a "a trial for democracy", added: We were having a
discussion about the Constitution in a civilised manner and we also
respect the rights of the people to express their views in the form
of a peaceful demonstration."
Article 11 Coalition secretariat spokesman Ivy Josiah said: "We are
satisfied that the forum was conducted peacefully. And we also
thank the police for their professional assistance, which helped
the forum run smoothly."
In May ,the group was also disturbed in Penang.
2.Racial relationship
Educationists, political parties welcome move
20 Jul 2006
Shamini Darshni
KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to end the shelf-life of a controversial
university guidebook on ethnic relations was roundly welcomed
yesterday.
But the Democratic Action Party (DAP), accused in the book of being
the instigators behind the 1969 race riots, was in no mood to let
bygones be bygones. It wants the matter investigated by the police
as there were seditious elements in the book used by Universiti
Putra Malaysia.
The Cabinet yesterday ordered that the book be withdrawn and
decided that a panel of historians would put together a more
acceptable alternative for the Ethnic Relations course.
Educationist and social activist F.R. Bhupalan said: "Its great.
This shows that our Government has developed a very open,
transparent and accountable position, and in future there will be
greater attention to the sensitivities of such a book.
"Whatever text we use must be based on a bedrock of understanding,
truth and respect, and the proper enunciation of certain historical
facts," she said.
Bhupalan hoped that the Ethnic Relations course could be broadened
to areas such as unity and understanding,
"If it is only on ethnicity then some may get worried because this
can be related to religion. The course must accept that we are
multi-religious and multi-cultural," she said.
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh felt that withdrawing the
guidebook was not sufficient.
"We cannot just sweep it under the carpet after the Cabinet makes a
decision. A criminal offence seems to have been committed," he
said.
He noted that the UPM teaching guide had blamed the DAP for the May
13 riots, an allegation which was not factual and clearly
seditious.
The Asian Strategy and Leadership Institutes Centre for Public
Policy Studies said that in view of the sensitive nature of the
course, there should be more consultation before any textbook is
published.
Centre director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said the entire process of
preparation and production of guidebooks should be made as
transparent as possible,
"Bias and subjectivity, whether political, racial or religious,
should be avoided, with the emphasis placed on relevant and correct
factual contents," he said.
He added that drafts of guidebooks could be posted on the websites
of universities and the Higher Education Ministry so that the
public could offer feedback.
He hoped that the Higher Education Ministry and the Education
Ministry would learn a valuable lesson from this episode.
The system, he said, should ensure that the curricula and courses
taught in schools and universities were historically accurate,
fully reflective of the countrys evolving multi-racial character
and did not contain propagandistic content or narrow analyses which
could distort history.
Dr Zainab Mohd Noor, the dean of the Faculty of Education at
Universiti Teknologi Mara, welcomed the move to withdraw the
guidebook.
She said that Ethnic Relations as a subject had been thoroughly
discussed and had the palm prints of different stakeholders.
"As our country matures and other issues come up, we will review
the curriculum," she said.
Zainab said she was all for multi-culturalism, which was the
foundation of liberal education for students.
3.Politics
Mr M and PM's struggle.