Saifudin is new PKR sec-gen



KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PRK) has appointed Saifudin Nasution as its new secretary-general, replacing Datuk Salehudin Hashim.

Salehuddin told The Malaysian Insider tonight that Saifudin’s appointment takes effect on Feb 1.

Saifudin (in picture) is currently PKR’s elections strategy director. He has been a close aide and confidante of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim since they were together in Umno.

His appointment follows the resignation of Salehuddin, who says he is quitting politics but would remain a member of the party.

On Thursday, Salehuddin quit as PKR secretary-general, following months of speculation surrounding his rumoured rift with some party leaders, including Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

While Salehuddin said that he quit in order to return to the corporate world, his resignation has sparked fears of a fresh round of uncertainties in Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) leadership structure.

He had told The Malaysian Insider that he decided to quit because the party had not properly utilised him.

Saifudin’s appointment is seen as a move by Anwar to shore up his position in and control over the party.

Speculation has been rife for months of a rift between the vocal Salehuddin and Khalid, the Selangor Mentri Besar.

According to the grapevine, the rift deepened after the MB went ahead with the controversial multi-million Ringgit buyout of debt-ridden developer Talam Corporation Berhad, which Salehuddin vehemently opposed.

Anwar, who plays advisor to both the party and the Selangor state government, Malaysia’s richest, today dismissed rumours of a rift.

at

Religious tensions rise in 'One Malaysia'???????

Home » Blogs » Asia
By Teymoor Nabili in on January 8th, 2010
.
Share
Photo by EPA

Government's commitment to unity in diversity principle comes under scrutiny.

The row over the use of the word Allah has escalated into violence:

Attackers threw a petrol bomb at church in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and tried to set two others ablaze in a nearby suburb in the early hours of Friday.

As I write this, Muslim groups are promising to stage protest marches after Friday prayers, and have received the tacit blessing of the prime minister:

He said people could express their views as long as it was done properly and in accordance with regulations.

This last statement has already caused a degree of mirth and anger, and there will doubtless be more.

Certainly the former deputy prime minister and current member of parliament and head of the opposition coalition, Anwar Ibrahim, would be justified in asking why his reform rallies so often seem to be an exception to this ruling; the Hindu organisation Hindraf was told that their desire to deliver a petition to the prime minister of the day fell outside of the right to "express views", and suffered tear gas, water cannon and the arrest of many of its leaders when they tried; and yet Muslim rioters were defended by the home minister during the now infamous "cow's head incident" last year, despite dragging a severed cow head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.

The prime minster has denied accusations that the move against the Catholic church was politically motivated, but has yet to offer a plausible explanation as to why his government decided to act on the issue in the first place.

Minister in the prime minister's department, Nazri Aziz, has offered this:

We have to take into consideration the culture and nature of Malaysia. What is considered normal in the United States and Europe is not necessarily normal here.

Which fails to explain why what has indeed been normal practice in Malaysia for a very long time is suddenly deemed otherwise, or how allowing it to continue suddenly presents a threat to Muslim sensibilities and social stability.

Since taking office, Prime Minister Najib Razak has been pushing a programme he calls "1Malaysia", on the face of it a recognition of - and an attempt to resolve - the ethnic and religious tensions in the country:

1Malaysia’s goal is to preserve and enhance [the] unity in diversity which has always been our strength and remains our best hope for the future.

But his commitment to the principle has come under severe scrutiny, precisely because of events like this, and the response of government ministers and police when tensions do arise.

The opposition coalition has gone so far as to ask for a Royal Commission on religion, saying:

Malaysians have almost fallen into the boiling pot of discord and tension that was caused by manipulation of religious differences

Or, as veteran DAP politician Lim Kit Siang puts it:

What we have in Malaysia is not 1Malaysia but 2Malaysia – where there is one law for Umno and their supporters and another law for the rest.

at

LEBIH POULAR DARI PM

Nizar lebih popular berbanding Najib

Friday, 08 January 2010 11:49 AM Oleh Masdar Wahid

KUALA LUMPUR : Google.com meletakkan Menteri Besar Pakatan Rakyat Perak, Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaludin sebagai antara insan yang paling banyak mencetuskan berita atau diberitakan di Malaysia sepanjang tahun 2009.

Tokoh PAS itu turut mengatasi populariti Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak dan Menteri Pengangkutan, Ong Tea Keat yang masing-masing berada di tangga ke 8 dan ke 9.

“Ini merupakan penghargaan kepada rakyat khususnya di Perak yang selama ini kekal bersama dengan harapan ke arah perubahan dalam negara yang lebih baik,” katanya ketika dihubungi erapakatan.com sebentar tadi.

Menurut Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang itu, rakyatlah yang mencetuskan berita selama ini kerana mereka yang dahagakan keamanan dan keadilan yang semakin cuba dikuburkan oleh Umno dan Barisan Nasional.

Terdahulu, Nizar yang diamanahkan sebagai MB Perak selepas Pakatan Rakyat berjaya menawan negeri itu digugat oleh Umno dan BN yang melakukan rampasan kuasa setahun lalu sehingga mencetuskan pelbagai masalah dalam negara khususnya di Perak.

Rampasan kuasa itu turut meletakan ekonomi negeri Perak terganggu selain menyaksikan perlembagaan negara di atur sesuka hati oleh kerajaan Umno dan BN.

Nizar menambah, beliau tidak faham mengapa sehingga kini Mahkamah sukar menetapkan tarikh untuk menetapkan perbicaraan bagi menentukan siapakah Menteri Besar Perak yang sah.

Google turut meletakan Nizar sebagai lelaki paling popular dalam carian mereka sepanjang tahun 2009.

Turut tersenarai dalam 10 tangga teratas itu ialah Fasha Sandha, Zakiah Anas, Sufiah Yusof, Kartika, Elizabeth Wong, Manohara Odelia Pinot dan Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam, Khalid Samad.

at

LGE VISIT CHURCH

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng made a visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Penang to see Bishop Antony Selvanayagam and parish priest Father Francis Anthony. CM Lim was greeted by about 100 plus parishioners.

Bishop Selva and CM Lim reminded everyone to strive for peace, not to listen to rumours and be glad that there has been no protest in Penang.

at

ALIRAN MEDIA STATEMENT

Aliran media statementhttp://www.aliran.com
Bigotry in the name of Allah <http://www.aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1124:-bigotry-in-the-name-of-allah-&catid=93:2010&Itemid=46> Print <http://www.aliran.com/index.php?view=article&catid=93%3A2010&id=1124%3A-bigotry-in-the-name-of-allah-&tmpl=component&print=1&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=46#>
Friday, 08 January 2010 20:25


The Allah issue has now literally become a burning issue. We are appalled that extreme elements have resorted to fire bombs to target three churches in the Klang Valley. These are reprehensible and cowardly acts that deserve to be roundly condemned.

Malaysians are disturbed and disillusioned by the lack of a firm stand by the national leadership in putting a stop to the heat and tension that is being deliberately generated by the bigots and zealots in our midst.

Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had reportedly ''backed the right to protest within mosque grounds”(/Malaysian Insider/). The PM was quoted in the NST as saying, “As far as possible, we do not want people to protest, but we cannot stop them from doing so if they gather at mosques and if confined to a certain area.”

This may have been taken by some as a tacit go-ahead signal. Knowing how volatile the Allah issue had become, it was the height of irresponsibility to take such a stand. This stand did not pay any attention to /national security, our peace and harmony/ – favourite catch phrases - which are commonly used to justify detentions of those demonstrating against the government or their policies. In the name of /national security, our peace and harmony/, water cannons had been used in the past to disperse crowds, make arrests and brutally beat up demonstrating Malaysians gathered in or near mosques and temples.

But in this instance, no harsh instructions or stern warnings were given to discourage certain people from turning this political issue into an explosive one.
The talk around town suggests that certain quarters were desperate to win back lost Malay support and were therefore fanning this issue for selfish reasons.

We call upon the PM and the Home Minister to take a public stand and condemn acts and deeds that are not in keeping with the principles of Rukun Negara. In this most volatile period, it must be the national interest that should be paramount and must prevail.

Malaysians too must stand up for tolerance and respect for our differences as well as for the rule of law. We must isolate these un-Malaysian bigots, who are a small minority.

Aliran Executive Committee
8 January 2010








--

Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) (National Consciousness Movement)
103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +60 (0)4 658 5251 Fax: +60 (0)4 658 5197
e-mail: aliran@streamyx.com
Website: http://www.aliran.com/
ALIRAN is a reform movement dedicated to Justice, Freedom, and Solidarity and is listed on the roster of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
To subscribe to Aliran Monthly, click http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/subsform.html
To become an Aliran member, click http://www.aliran.com/content/view/2/8/
To donate to Aliran, click http://www.aliran.com/content/view/1/7/
To subscribe to the Aliran e-mailing list, send an e-mail to alirankn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the Charter2000 e-mailing list, click charter2000-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter.We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam.SPAMfighter has removed 159 of my spam emails to date.Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len
The Professional version does not have this message
at

ALIRAN MEDIA STATEMENT

Media statement http://www.aliran.com

Incendiary attacks on churches, faith and peace Aliran is deeply shocked, saddened and concerned by the recent incidents of arson attack on the Metro Tabernacle Church in Kuala Lumpur and the failed attempt on the Assumption Church and in Petaling Jaya. While the motive for these attacks have not been established yet, the current controversy over the 'Allah' use by the Catholic Church would lend credence to the suspicion that opposition to the recent court judgement over the issue might have triggered such violent actions.

Whatever the motive for the attacks may be, we are dismayed over disturbing sentiments expressed in the last few days which can only cause untold harm to not only our ethnic and religious relations but also the damaging effect they have on the democratic institutions in the country. We call upon those concerned to cease and desist their attempts in making political capital out of this controversy while totally ignoring the nation's ethnic and religious harmony. We call upon all parties concerned to exercise restraint and instead engage in meaningful and civilised dialogues.

The authorities concerned must provide the platform for this essential communication between faiths if we are to avoid going the way of certain countries torn asunder by ethnic and religious strife. In the name of the Almighty, let us all work towards a better Malaysia that promotes compassion, peace, understanding and mutual respect for differences and diversity.

Dr Mustafa K Anuar
Hon Asst Secretary
8 January 2010 --
at

KENYATAAN MEDIA PKR

KENYATAAN MEDIAUNTUK EDARAN SEGERA
Tarikh: 8 Januari 2010

NOTIS PERLETAKAN JAWATAN SETIAUSAHA AGUNG

Saya telah menerima melalui emel salinan notis perletakan jawatan sebagai Setiausaha Agung Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) daripada Dato' Salehuddin Hashim.

Notis itu dihantar kepada Presiden KEADILAN, Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, dan Ketua Umum, Sdr Anwar Ibrahim. Saya percaya mereka juga sudah menerima notis itu.

Mengikut Dato' Salehuddin notis berkuatkuasa mulai 31 Januari 2010. Beliau tidak memberikan apa-apa alasan meletak jawatan.

Kebetulannya esok Biro Politik dan Majlis Pimpinan Pusat mengadakan mesyuarat biasanya. Biro Politik akan membincangkan notis tersebut dan mengambil keputusan sama ada hendak menerima atau tidak perletakan jawatan itu.

DR. SYED HUSIN ALI Timbalan Presiden, Parti Keadilan Rakyat
###

Delivered to you by / Dihantarkan kepada saudara melalui:
BIRO KOMUNIKASIPARTI KEADILAN RAKYATA-1-09, Merchant SquareNo. 1, Jalan Tropicana Selatan 147410 Petaling Jaya
Tel: +603 7885 0530Fax: +603 7885 0531E-mail: komunikasi@keadilanrakyat.orgWeb: www.keadilanrakyat.org
at

JANGAN HASUT RAKYAT

at