No land allotment for Gurdwara in Bayan Baru Penang

Panthic Weekly News Bureau

PENANG, Malaysia (KP)—The Bayan Baru Sikh community's dream of having its own Gurdwara has been shattered as the Penang Development Corporation announced that it does not have any land to spare for the Sikh Committee. A plea was submitted with the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi early last year to seek allotment of land in the Bayan Baru non-Islamic enclave for the Sikh Community.

Earlier, land was allotted to different communities, including the Christians, Hindus and Buddhists who have already constructed their places of worship; however other communities, including the Sikhs in Bayan Baru, have to share the common carpark with followers of other religious faiths.

Manjit Singh, an official of Bayan Baru Gurdwara Association, alleged that the Sikh Community has grown rapidly and greatly needed its own place of worship. He claimed that earlier, a 0.4 ha piece of land had been allotted to the Sikh Community but local Sikhs were never able to construct a Gurdwara building there. He asked the Prime Minister to re-allot the land bank to the Sikh Community.

Datuk Rosli Jafar of the Penang Development Corporation alleged that no such land was allotted for construction of a Gurdwara. He said that he respects the wishes of the Sikh Community but the question of returning the land to the Sikh Community was not feasible as the corporation does not have any spare land left for allotment purposes.

Mr. Jafar did say that he was open for a dialogue if the Sikh Community was keen at developing its own Gurdwara, however he suggested the use of the common carpark. Local Sikhs are expected to meet soon to discuss the possibility of raising a dialog with the Penang

Angry protests over Gaza offensive

People across several continents have staged rallies to protest against Israel's ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday, after calls by Hamas for a "day of wrath".

"We will sacrifice our soul and our blood for Gaza," chanted the demonstrators, shouting pro-Hamas slogans and calling on fighters to "hit Tel-Aviv".

In Jerusalem, protesters clashed with police after Friday prayers.

With a view to curb protests, Israel sealed off the West Bank for the day as well as key parts of Jerusalem. Men aged under 50 years were prohibited from entering the Al-Aqsa mosque.
In the Jordanian capital Amman, riot police fired teargas to push back hundreds of protesters marching towards the Israeli embassy. Several protesters were beaten and arrested by police, the news agency Reuters said.

More than 10,000 people marched through Indonesia's capital carrying banners and Palestinian flags. The demonstrators gathered in the city centre to pray for the safety of Palestinians before marching to the US embassy, which was guarded by hundreds of police.

Protests were also held in other Indonesian cities after Friday prayers.

Extensive outrage

Demonstrations were held in Kabul and other cities in Aghanistan, where people expressed their disappointment with Arab leaders for their inability to take action towards Israel.
In Indian-administered Kashmir, hundreds burnt Israeli flags and chanted anti-Israel and anti-US slogans. They marched through the streets of the provincial capital Srinagar, carrying pro-Palestinian banners and portraits of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah.

"Look how they are killing Muslims and no one seems to be bothered," said Akbar Ali, one of the protesters.

People shouted anti-Israel slogans during a rally near the Israel embassy in Moscow [EPA]
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood called for nationwide mass protests. Hundreds of riot police were deployed around key mosques in Cairo in anticipation of the protests. Egyptian police also detained 40 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, security officials said.

Thousands of protestors were out in Istanbul to support the Palestinians and show their outrage at Israel.

In Australia, more than 4,000 people gathered in the Parry Park in Sydney. Five local mosques had closed, asking worshippers to attend the vigil instead of the traditional Friday prayers.
Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, a local imam, led the service, urging Israel to recognise a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and agree to a ceasefire.

"Israel is committing an act of terrorism. It's the duty of all the free people in the world to stand against it and stop this evil," he said.

Hundreds took to the streets of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka after the Friday prayers and in the Philippines, dozens of demonstrators gathered in Manila, accusing Israel of war crimes.
In the Pakistani capital Islamabad, demonstrators called on the Arab and Muslim world to stop what they called the massacre committed against the population of Gaza.

Majlis Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang dibentuk

3 Januari, BAYAN BARU - Parti-Parti Pakatan Rakyat Pulau Pinang menyatakan persetujuan rasmi membentuk Majlis Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Pulau Pinang (MPR) hari ini.
Majlis ini terdiri dari setiap 7 orang pegawai dan wakil parti-parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat dalam sesuatu mesyuarat yang akan dipengerusikan secara bersama.

Kesemua pemimpin negeri Pengerusi Perhubungan Keadilan Pulau Pinang, YB Dato' Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, Pengerusi DAP Pulau Pinang, YB Chow Kon Yeow dan Persuruhjaya PAS Pulau Pinang, Ust Mohd Salleh Man hadir memberikan komitmen terhadap penubuhkan sekretariat yang dibentuk sehinggalah MPR tersebut mampu membina kekuatannya.
Secara interim, sekretariat bagi MPR ini akan beroperasi di Pejabat Parti Keadilan Rakyat Negeri Pulau Pinang, Seberang Jaya.

Wakil NGO bakal berubah

Menurut Dato' Zahrain, MPR yang bermesyuarat hari ini sependapat bahawa prestasi dikalangan wakil-wakil NGO dalam Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) dan Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP) kurang memuaskan.

"Penglibatan NGO sebelum ini kurang baik, bagaimanapun kita akan kekalkan peranan serta jumlah NGO sebagai ahli-ahli majlis perbandaran namun tempat tersebut akan diperuntukan kepada NGO-NGO yang menunjukan minat" tambah Zahrain serta menafikan akan mengurangkan khota untuk NGO-NGO dalam majlis perbandaran kerana persetujuan awal semenjak kemenangan Pakatan Rakyat di negeri ini masih belum berubah.

Menurut Chow mesyuarat MPR hari ini tidak mendedahkan nama-nama ahli-ahli majlis yang akan dilantik untuk tahun ini, bagaimanapun akan dimaklumkan sebelum majlis angkat sumpah yang akan diadakan dalam bulan ini.

Kesemua pemimpin komponen MPR ini menyatakan akan berlaku sedikit perubahan dan pengekalan dikalangan ahli-ahli majlis yang bakal dilantik.

Lantikan politik YDP

Chow turut menyatakan bahawa MPR menerima cadangan untuk mengantikan Yang Di-Pertua (YDP) majlis perbandaran yang dilantik oleh Kerajaan Pusat, apabila mesyuarat MPR hari turut berpendapat bahawa selain kuasa mutlak yang terletak kerajaan negeri melantik seseorang YDP serta keserasian dan perlaksanaan dasar yang dihadapi.

Chow turut menambah adalah wajar pemilihan YDP dikalangan tokoh-tokoh politik dibuat dan sejajar dengan konsep pilihanraya dalam kerajaan tempatan (local council election), pihaknya akan maklumkan keputusan berkenaan lantikan YDP dengan kadar segera.

Pegawai daerah dan pegawai kerajaan akan dijemput

Selain itu, Dato' Zahrain menjelaskan bahawa mesyuarat MPR turut bersetuju mengantikan kapasiti Pegawai Daerah sebagai ahli-ahli majlis perbandaran.

"Kesibukan dan kehadiran Pegawai Daerah dalam setiap mesyuarat penting telah dikaji, malah peranan mereka selama ini sebagai pegawai kerajaan adalah badan pelaksana" jelas Zahrain.
Beliau turut menambah keperluan Pegawai Daerah akan digantikan sebagaimana kehadiran pegawai-pegawai kerajaan yang lain seperti polis yang turut dijemput dalam sidang Dewan Undangan Majlis Perbandaran.

Terdapat 3 Pegawai Daerah mewakili MPSP manakala 2 Pegawai Daerah mewakili MPPP, kekosongan jawatan ahli majlis tersebut akan digantikan dengan lantikan politik.