Najib’s headache: Allah, kangkung or Dr M?

Mariam Mokhtar

 | January 24, 2014

Najib is being attacked only because he is at his most vulnerable.

COMMENT

 

For Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to express an opinion about Najib Tun Razak and to act concerned for the hardship of the rakyat is quite unprecedented.

Perhaps Mukhriz should be given his own comedy show with his father former PM Mahathir Mohamad playing the part of the ventriloquist, and Mukhriz acting the part of the ventriloquist’s dummy, sitting on Mahathir’s lap. The “dialogue” between the two would be most entertaining.

During an interview with last Sunday’s edition of Berita Harian, Mukhriz warned that BN would be defeated in GE14 if it continued to be led by Najib. He blamed the rising cost of living on Najib’s unpopular decisions.

Mukhriz told Berita Harian, “Defeat is a real possibility if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak continues with his present policy of correct but unpopular decisions, especially issues concerning the rising cost of living….If Putrajaya continues to ignore the rakyat’s grouses and complaints, Barisan Nasional will find the 14th general election a tough nut to crack.”

A few days later, before Najib had time to recover from being blamed for the state of the economy, Mukhriz launched another attack.

The pressure piled-on with Mukhriz saying without a hint of irony that corruption and wastage in government spending should be addressed.

He claimed that Najib had failed to strike a balance between taking popular measures and “doing the right thing”. He feared that Najib’s short-term approach would have long-term consequences.

Only the naïve would think that Mukhriz was acting off his own bat. It is obvious that when his own future was jeopardised, Mukhriz’s stand shifted.

For months, if not years, Mukhriz neglected the suffering of Malaysians but almost overnight Mukhriz demanded that steps be taken for urgent action and remedial measures to be engaged to sort out the economy.

Attacking Najib was an indirect way of saying that he was a better leader than Najib.

Does Mukhriz live in a cocoon? Was he unaware that the day before his Berita Harian interview pro-Umno-Baru champions had threatened to unleash violence onto the streets of Malaysia in a re-enactment of May 13?

Mukhriz did not question Najib for failing to censure the people who threatened the peace. He also failed to condemn the IGP who failed to arrest the people inciting violence and spreading fear.

Allegations have recently surfaced that back in 1969 Najib’s father Abdul Razak Hussein acted in collusion with Mahathir to remove Tunku Abdul Rahman from power. Ironically, Najib is today facing that grim reality of a repetition of this coup.

Mahathir’s SOP

It was not chance which led Mukhriz to forget his father’s role in fomenting dissent.

About seven weeks ago Mahathir turned on the Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew for wanting to “hurt” Muslims. His father’s instigation has been used by extremists to whip up a frenzy of hate against Christians.

Mahathir’s standard operating procedure (SOP) is simple. First, he creates divisions in society with race and religion.

Then, he distracts them from important issues – like the GST and price hikes, and increasing energy bills.

Having paralysed people with fear Mahathir pretends to offer solutions. His son has been instructed to play the moderate role in what is seen as a highly volatile situation. Mukhriz’s concern about the rakyat is neither genuine nor sincere.

The whole carry-on by Mukhriz is a reflection of his father’s true character. Najib is being attacked only because he is at his most vulnerable. Najib’s kangkung faux pas gave Mukhriz the opening to make his “kill”.

Most people will know that Mukhriz is not capable of such protracted thinking. What goes around, comes around. The fate that awaits Najib is the one similar to the ignominious departure of his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Like a pack of hyenas circling their injured prey and waiting to pounce are Mahathir and his men.

Mukhriz is very vocal against Najib for one simple reason. This is payback time for Najib who insulted Mahathir during the last Umno-Baru internal election.

The anger of the poor Malays and the Muslim population who have genuine concerns about feeding their families or paying for medical help when they are sick have struck fear into Mahathir.

The distractions created by the Allah issue and Najib’s kangkung faux pas will blow over and the rakyat will soon be forced to focus once again on the economy and rising cost of living.

When the GST kicks in next year things will get much worse. Mahathir knows this and has instructed his son to act now.

Any delay may lead to public dissatisfaction and unrest. Mahathir’s living and recurring nightmare is the possibility that Pakatan Rakyat will finally occupy Putrajaya.

Mukhiz’s critique of Najib has little to do with your suffering, the future of the country or Najib’s failure to combat corruption.

This is Mukhriz making sure his father’s unfinished business is continued. Mahathir’s legacy has to flourish at any cost.

Najib, Umno Baru and Mukhriz are all part of the problem but the greater share of the problem lies with you!

If you had a hand in returning Umno Baru to power, especially if you were in the 47% portion of the rakyat who voted for Umno Baru; your reward has been that you will suffer the price hikes, alongside the people who voted for Pakatan.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

ALLAH - Why Christians are meekly defiant

January 24, 2014

FMT LETTER: From Stephen Ng, via e-mail

While I may want to congratulate Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi for his article, ‘Turning the other cheek on the ‘Allah’ issue’, the fact is that he is far from the correct interpretation of the phrase, ‘Turn your other cheek’.

Dr Tajuddin has at least the intellectualism necessary for discussion, compared to most other Muslim extremists from Perkasa, Jati and Isma. Allow me to therefore, briefly take him on with my side of the story, which will hopefully enlighten him further on the controversy of Allah in Malaysia. I speak as a layman, with little or no theological background.

Meek, of course!

Firstly, the Christian community in Malaysia, since the Alkitab was first banned during former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first year in power, has been ‘meek’ by comparison. For the past 20 years, church leaders have continued to tolerate the nonsense, but continued to bring in the Alkitab for the younger generation of Malaysians who were only fluent in Bahasa Malaysia. They have continued to use the name Allah in their worship service with great reverence for the name.

Those of us who did not agree initially began to understand why the name Allah has to be kept in the Alkitab translation, in order to be consistent with the rest of the Malay archipelago, which includes Indonesia, Sabah and Sarawak (where the majority of the Christians are based).

I cannot imagine, for example, for a West Malaysian preacher to speak in Malay to a congregation of East Malaysian brethren, “Kamu panggil Tuhan Allah, tapi kami panggil Tuhan kami, Tuhan.” (You call your God Allah, we call our God, God.”

Most of us did not like to use the name Allah as well initially, because of the connotations in Islam, but to remain in solidarity with the rest of the Christian world, which has been using the name Allah for centuries, including our Arab Christian brothers and sisters, we also accepted that our Allah is capable of a personal relationship with people who choose to know Him.

We have meekly explained our stand for the past 20 years. As the older generation of church leaders passed on, the younger generation of Christians like me, who have watched how the situation unfolded, have this one thing to say: Enough is enough!

Umno’s gutter politics has to be put to a stop, as it is destroying the country. I am not the only one who is saying this. A ‘pakcik’ who told me that he had hated Mahathir for many more years, said the same thing about Umno politics. Looking at TV3, he told me in grief: “Look at what we are teaching our younger generation.”

On another occasion, he said this: “In the past, Malays talk about religion. These days, they talk nothing but money.”

Fitnah has to stop

It is a lie that is being spread by Muslim extremists that the name Allah was included in the Alkitab in order to confuse the Muslims. This ‘reasoning’ only came about during the last 20 years. The first time the word Allah appeared in the Malay the Alkitab was in fact in the book of Injil Matius, translated by AC Ruyl between 1612 and 1629.

It is also a lie to say that the name Allah was used in the Malay translation of the Alkitab in order to convert Malays to Islam. We have always held that conversion is by one’s choice, and although I wish everyone, including Professor Tajuddin, to believe in Jesus, it is a personal choice. Anyone reading the Bible in English or any other languages can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ even without the so-called confusion over the name, Allah.

Even if the Alkitab is banned, digital copies of the Alkitab in Malay and Indonesian can be accessed via Youversion.com. The Catholic Herald, which I hardly can gain access for myself, I wonder if any Muslim has even laid hands on it to justify such an uproar!

To me, the Allah controversy is nothing but a polemic issue and at best, a political gimmick to win Malay votes at the expense of the other communities. Again, from what I can see in retrospect, the issue has been exploited by Dr Mahathir in the past. Is this the One Malaysia Najib Abdul Razak had been harping on when he first became the prime minister?

As far as we are concerned, religion is not, and should not, be made a State matter. Since Reformation, the church has always separated itself from the State in what is described by theologians as separation of the Church and State. Therefore, for Muslim extremists and Umno propagandists, when attacking the DAP, said that Christians had plotted to turn Malaysia into a ‘Christian nation’ is an absolute lie. It is nothing but ‘fitnah’.

For those who read Isma’s fitnah that Anwar Ibrahim is the cause of the rise of the Christian voice, I leave this to your good judgement. I rest my case. Any good Muslim man and woman should know the punishment meted against fitnah, and fear Allah, or face the punishment in one form or another, but despite all the fitnah, one question that I would like to leave with Professor Tajuddin is this: “Has the Christian community revolted with violence?”

Called to give an answer

The Christians are called to ‘give an answer’ for their faith, which includes the reason why the name Allah is being preserved in the Alkitab. Reading from its context in 1 Peter 3: 13-17, you will understand why Christians are meekly defiant: ‘Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.’

I do not need to go into the explanations why the name Allah is theologically correct to be used in the Alkitab. There are already a lot of articles written by theologians, but I like to add my point here: The word Allah is a combination of two words, “Al” (where the word ‘Almighty’ is derived) and “Lah” (which, I believe in Arabic, means God).

The origin on the word is from the pagan Arabs, which can be traced back to the original Hebrew word, Elahe, which means Almighty God. Therefore, to me, the word is not strictly a word used by the Muslims. Nowhere in the world can anyone copyright or trademark the name Allah. In fact, the rationale used by Umno and Muslim extremists all along has turned the nation into a laughing stock even amongst the Muslim community worldwide despite Najib promoting the image of Malaysia as a leading Muslim nation.

Meekly defiant

If Professor Tajuddin wants an answer to his proposition, I would like to end this by saying that the Christian community to date is ‘meekly defiant.’ This is in line with 1 Peter 3: 13-17.

If the Catholic Herald wants to bring this controversy to the highest court, it is well within their rights to do so in the context of a democratic nation. It is because they still have some faith in the courts that they have brought the matter to court in order to allow justice to be seen being done.

The two rallies that were being called for by Umno Selangor against Father Lawrence Andrew are nothing but political ugliness when religion is mixed with politics. As the Christian citizens in this country, we do not burn the effigies of Najib or Rosmah, or even the Sultan or the Agong; therefore, such meekness of the Christian church already speaks volume.

Perhaps, two other men, besides Martin Luther King would best explain the meaning of ‘meekly defiant’ – Mahatma Gandhi who, despite being critical was an avid reader of the Bible, and Nelson Mandela, who was professedly a Christian. Both were meek, but both were also defiant against injustice.

Be it a fatwa, a law or a Sultan’s decree, with all due respect to the Sultan and the authorities, the church will remain meekly defiant. Any good Muslim will understand the Christian sentiments. That, I believe, is the calling of the church, and with better communication, the Christians in both Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak are more united.

Even Christians from both political divide are of one mind, that when you touch the raw nerve of Christianity, you will have to face the consequences, as the proverbial saying goes: ‘Reap what you sow.’

Sorry Riza Aziz, your Mom's Money can't buy everything

http://www.malaysiakini.com

Buying over the rights and financing a film does not actually qualify one as a producer. At least not according to Hollywood's premier motion picture body, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In what the industry views as a "rare move", the Academy yesterday dropped Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz from the Oscars nominations list for best picture nominee, Wolf of Wall Street.

Instead, in the list of producers nominated for the US$100 million film are director Martin Scorcese, lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Riza's business partner Joey McFarland and Scorsese's partner Emma Tillinger Koskoff.

The list of nominated producers for the 'Wolf of Wall Street' was finalised by the Academy yesterday, a week after the other nominations were announced.

This marks a departure from the Producers Guild Association, that nominated Riza as producer but not Scorsese and DiCaprio, for the controversial film about debauchery in the world of finance.

According Deadline Hollywood, DiCaprio had worked to get the film to screen as producer for six years and had roped in Riza and McFarland's fledgling production company Red Granite Pictures, that fully financed the venture.

Red Granite then purchased the rights from Warner Bros and was caught in a legal battle with the original producer Alexandra Milchan for compensation. The matter has been resolved out of court.

Responding to the Academy's announcement, Red Granite, in a media statement, said it will not contest the decision and that Riza is honoured to have been part of the project. Riza is the son of Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor from her first marriage.

The movie has been banned in Malaysia, and his financing of the film has drawn scorn from right-wing Malay supremacists Perkasa.

Hollywood disdain

Meanwhile, whistleblower Sarawak Report as part of its expose on Riza cited “Hollywood insiders” as saying that the decision to dump Riza follow industry concerns over financiers “attempting to claim producer credits for films they bankrolled but did not make”.

“They are greener than green,” one “experienced producer” told Sarawak Report of Riza and McFarland, whom the portal reported previously acted as party planned for Malaysian wheeler dealer Jho Low (right).

“They are financiers, but have also taken producer credits. The producer credits have gone to Riza, Joey and some other producers, but the actual work is being done by people working for Red Granite and the other producers,” another unnamed “senior Hollywood producer” is quoted as saying.

Those in the know credit Milchan as the main driver for the film, having procured the rights to the Jordan Belfort (the jailed financier played by DiCaprio) story and commissioned the script before the project was taken up by Warner Bros.

Insiders say it was her who roped in DiCaprio and Scorsese, despite the Red Granite duo claiming to have done so in media reports, citing their friendship with the Hollywood heartthrob. They also claim that that Milchan “came back and took over” after Warner Bros dropped the film and then sold it to Red Granite.

“It's common knowledge. That is what producers do, but Red Granite just bought over a done deal. They aren't what I would call producers, they are financiers and money men,” one insider said.

Industry professionals told the website that while the film cost US$100 million, publicity and marketing would have cost an additional US$35-40 million. The film has grossed US$80 million so far, the insiders said, but producers only get a fraction of the takings.

“The threatre keeps 60 percent and the studio 40 percent, then there are all the payments before the producers get anything back,” one Hollywood professional is quoted as saying.

Deep pockets

Insiders also revealed that the film was not “pre-sold” for three months after it started production, and everything was on Red Granite's expense. Sarawak Report noted that the new kids on the block's deep pockets have also set tongues wagging, with seasoned professionals questioning the rookies' ability to raise so much funds.

It also reported that there is speculation that Riza was cut by the Academy over comments by "close friends" in Malaysian media which could be viewed as anti-semitic.

The Malaysian Gazette, a portal run by a journalist close to Riza's mother Rosmah Mansor, quoted these “close friends” as saying that Riza should be celebrated for “breaking the monopoly of Jews in Hollywood”.

Riza, it reported, has never made any overt statements of bigotry but such sentiments by Riza's “close friends” and his failure to “disown” the remarks have “appalled the liberal and egalitarian community in Hollywood”.

“Many of Hollywood’s high flyers are indeed rightfully proud of being Americans of Jewish heritage. However, America is passionately committed to success through merit, unlike in Malaysia, where it is increasingly complained that only certain well-connected families can expect to monopolise money-making opportunities.”

Sarawak Report had earlier exposed that Riza had purchased a US$17.5 million ((RM58.21 million mansion) in Hollywood, after purchasing a US$33.5 million (RM110 million) apartment in New York in 2010.

It reported that Riza, 36, worked with HSBC Bank in London for three years before making his Hollywood bid.

Agong is not the head of Islam, says constitutional law expert

V. ANBALAGAN, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
The Malaysian Insider

 

Malaysia has no head of Islam and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is only the head of religion in his own home state and in states without rulers, said a constitutional law expert.

Former International Islamic University Malaysia academic Dr Abdul Aziz Bari (pic) said the more appropriate platform to represent the rulers on religious issues is the Conference of Rulers.

"It appears that not all the rulers view the way of the Agong and the Sultan of Selangor," Abdul Aziz said in a statement.

As such, he said the statement made by the Agong on the "Allah" issue last week had no effect.

"It may not even bind the Muslims as the resolution made by the National Fatwa Council in 1986, which was cited by the Agong in his address, has no legal standing," he said.

On Sunday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah had stated that several Arabic words, including "Allah", were exclusive to Muslims.

The Agong, who is also the Kedah Sultan, cited a 1986 decree by the National Fatwa Council which prohibits non-Muslims from using the words.

In November, the Sultan of Selangor also said that non-Muslims in his state could not use the word.

The Agong is appointed on a five-year rotational basis among the nine Malay rulers and is head of the religion of his state, Sabah, Sarawak, Penang, Malacca and the Federal Territories.

Abdul Aziz said the rulers, despite being the head of religion, had no power to lay down the laws of Islam.

"Only the Holy Prophet has the power to do so. Even the companions and later the caliphs had no such power. The position of the rulers is inferior to that of the caliphs.

"In any case, only the laws of Islam that is contained in the constitution and the relevant legislation can be enforced," he said.

Abdul Aziz also said the Agong's statement was not quite in line with the 10-point solution agreed by the Federal Government in 2011.

The 10-point solution which was endorsed by the cabinet, among others, allowed Christians nationwide to use the AlKitab in their religious practices.

"The rulers have no effect on non-Muslims as the right to religious freedom is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. No authority can tell non-Muslims how they should practise their religion.

"Even for the Muslims, it is for the religion itself to regulate how they should practise Islam," he said.

He said the statement on the "Allah" issue may not even bind the Muslims as there was is no clear basis for it.

"In fact, some religious scholars such as Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawy had stated that it was fine for non-Muslims to use the name."

Abdul Aziz said the Agong, in his performance of the religous functions, may not listen to the advice of Putrajaya and was this was in line with the way the Constitution stipulated how the rulers function as head of religion.

He said the duty to abide by the government's advice under Article 40 (1) of the Constitution is a general requirement. "I do not think this includes the Agong's religious functions," he said.

Negeri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, at his investiture ceremony in conjunction with his 66th birthday last week, urged Malaysian Muslims to respect each individual’s religion to avoid disharmony.

“In a Malaysian context, the Constitution has set Islam as the official religion of the country without hindering others to practise their own religions," Tuanku Muhriz had said.

“With that, I urge Malaysian Muslims to continue living in harmony with each other and ensuring respect is given to others who practise different religions.”

Tuanku Muhriz also called on leaders of every community to cast aside sentiments which can destroy the harmony the country is thriving in.

Abdul Aziz said that not many people knew that the White Paper which accompanied the Merdeka Constitution final draft stated that Jakim (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) should be put under the Conference of Rulers.

"Now Jakim is being put as a unit under the Prime Minister's Department which I think is quite wrong," he said. – January 22, 2014.

Umno Baru's Ten Commandments

2:256 in the Quran states that “there is no compulsion in religion”, but in Malaysia, which boasts the best democracy in the world, forced conversions are de-rigeur and words like ‘Allah’ are copyrighted for the exclusive use of Muslims.  

Malaysian Christians (and non-Muslims) are at the mercy of the country’s religious zealots but Najib Abdul Razak, the prime minister for 47 percent of the nation’s population, is too timid or too scared to smooth tensions between the different communities. He claims that what he does is in the name of peace and harmony. What would happen if he meant to create disorder and chaos?

In this Christmas period, I hope you will forgive me for adapting ‘The Ten Commandments’ to critique Umno Baru leaders and to raise awareness about the importance of tolerance. One needs respect and understanding to live harmoniously. One should be protected by the right of religious freedom, as enshrined in the constitution of Malaysia; but the reality is that most of our freedoms are being eroded.

The following Ten Commandments of Umno Baru explain the decline in spirituality of Umno Baru members.

First Commandment: Thou shalt worship Umno Baru
(Thou shalt have no other gods before me)

When Umno Baru dictates, you obey. Only Umno Baru can “protect” the Malay race, Islam and the King. Sane Malaysians ask “Protect from whom or what?” but the answers are not forthcoming.

Blind allegiance means that the more simple minded members of the rakyat will soon face their day of ill-judgement. They will discover that despite Umno Baru’s promises made at GE13, price hikes will make them feel they are living in a hell on earth.

Second Commandment:  Thou shalt idolise the leader of Umno Baru
(Thou shalt not make for yourself an idol)

In 2011, Najib Abdul Razak’s image on soft drink cans caused a drop in sales and the company responsible was forced to withdraw the cans from sale and issue a grovelling apology.

Posters of Najib adorning the pillars and sides of KTM Komuter trains allegedly caused much anger among the cleaners because they had to clear more than the normal amount of spittle. KTM officials allegedly spent several thousand ringgits replacing broken windows because bricks often missed their targets.

Student Adam Adli, who removed a flag bearing Najib’s image, was charged with alleged sedition. Why can’t divine retribution be as swift as the one received by those who oppose Umno Baru?

Third Commandment: Thou shalt be charged with sedition
(Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord God in vain)

Using the word ‘Allah’ without proper authorisation can result in a charge of sedition. Non-Malays could do one of two things to freely use ‘Allah’; Convert to Islam. Go to Sabah or Sarawak.

If you are non-Malay, don’t read the word ‘Allah’ out loud as this could be deemed seditious.

Showing dissent consumes many police man-hours. At a Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) forum this May, Adam Adli expressed his disappointment over the electoral process at GE13. Five days later, 10 policemen were sent to arrest him for alleged sedition.

Be warned because any opposition to Umno Baru is viewed as a personal slight by the IGP. Umno Baru want the rakyat to stop thinking. It would help if we were all brain-dead, like most of the Umno Baru politicians.

Fourth Commandment: Thou shalt not gather to celebrate any day
(Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy)

Joining street parties or rallies to celebrate special days, like Merdeka, Valentine’s Day or New Year’s eve, in the spirit of fun and merry-making, means that the reveller risks being charged with sedition and toppling the government.

The Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) stipulates that no one can protest within 500 metres of a fire hydrant. Has anyone noticed the proliferation of thousands of hydrants in towns and cities lately, doubtless all supplied by a crony company, at inflated prices and great cost to the taxpayer?

Fifth Commandment: Honour the Malays and Utusan, the messenger of Umno Baru
(Honour thy father and mother)

At the Umno Baru general assembly of December 2012, the Umno Baru Youth information chief, Reezal Merican Naina Merican (left), said “Umno is the party chosen by God to liberate the chosen land of Malaysia and to uplift the chosen race of the Malays... Remember, we are mukhtarin, the chosen ones.”

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the women’s minister who is best remembered for her fondness for cows and condominiums, is reported on the Utusan website to have said that God would be with Utusan Malaysia: “Percayalah, pada akhirnya Tuhan akan bersama Utusan”.

How did these two “Melayu Baru” manage to have direct communication with God?

Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt kill
(Thou shalt not kill)

As the Mongolian proverb states, “Least said, soonest mended”. Suffice to say, that sometimes, Umno Baru disciples think that killing is justified because the end justifies the means.

Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt commit adultery
(Thou shalt not commit adultery)

Contrary to popular belief, Umno Baru politicians believe that they work extremely hard. Consequently, they must also play hard. Their alleged choices of “playthings” range from other males, to maids, models and movie starlets. There is nothing that money cannot buy, when affection is absent.

Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt steal from the rakyat
(Thou shalt not steal)

Being in power means that one must make use of the resources available, ie taxpayers’ money. One’s role in government is to cook up new schemes to squeeze more money from the rakyat.
The BR1M scheme generates more money than the millions needed to set it up. Money-making ponzi schemes are easier and more profitable than having to save one’s pocket money from one’s teenage years. A prominent Umno Baru spouse can attest to this.

Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt lie
(Thou shalt not lie)

How else could Umno Baru convince the rakyat to do its every bidding? In a few months, the gullible 47 percent will realise their folly. By GE14, these same people will again fall for the same lies. Only a miracle may change things around.

If one had to go to court, one need not lie. Just feign forgetfulness. One Umno Baru demi-god did it and it worked.

Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt covet everything that does not belong to you
(Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbour, including his wife.)

Isn’t it amazing that the more the non-Malay succeeds, the more the Malays are angered and left feeling dissatisfied? The Malays retaliate by demanding more concessions or perks. Being deprived spurs those who are left with very little, to make the most out of things. It hardens them and encourages them to become stronger, to survive. At the same time, this creates a vicious cycle.

---

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Zong Qinghou, The Billionaire Who Lives on $20 a Day

“For a long time, I couldn’t even afford food and clothing. I climbed from the very bottom of the society.”  –Zong Qinghou

Zong Qinghou is the Founder and CEO of Hangzhou Wahaha Group.  The most impressive thing about Zong is his humble beginnings, focused mindset and simple lifestyle. Zong went from selling soda and popsicles to schoolchildren to owning 15% of China’s soft drinks market and becoming the wealthiest man in mainland China.

But Zong doesn’t look like your average multi-billion dollar CEO. He wears average clothes, eats tofu and pickled vegetables for lunch with his employees in the staff canteen and lives off of $20 a day. His hard work and meticulousness are also praised by his employees and business partners. It’s no wonder he has grown his business from a small shop serving school children to a successful empire that continues to grow.

Zong was born in 1954 in Zhejiang, China. From 1964 to 1978, Zong lived and worked on a farm commune during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution where he read Communist books about leadership and persevering through struggling times.  Although Zong only finished secondary school, he was dedicated to working hard in order to achieve a better life for himself and his family. “When you are poor, you’ll have to think of ways to be better off” says Zong.  And that’s exactly what he did. After Deng Xiaoping came to power, Zong was able to move back to his home province in Hangzhou.

With limited education, Zong could only find menial work at a local school. Through hard work and dedication, Zong eventually moved up to a salesman for a consumer-goods company.  It wasn’t until 1987 that Zong’s first real business venture took off. With a $22,000 loan from family members, he and two of his retired teacher friends took over a mini grocery store that sold beverages and milk products to school children in the Shangcheng District.

Zong was diligent in his spending, ensuring that he did not spend any more than what they would make in profits. They started out selling cheap items, however Zong recognized that in order for the business to survive long-term, they would need to start manufacturing their own products and expanding the business. In 1989, Zong formally established Hangzhou Wahaha (“laughing child”), producing nutritional food and drinks for children. With limited options for food and beverage in the community, the business was a hit. So much so, that by 1991 Zong was able to take over an old state-run canned food factory and formed the Hangzhou Wahaha Group Corporation.

Zong’s business expanded to other areas over the years, including a joint venture with Groupe Danone in 1996 which brought them into the bottled water and dairy products making industry and expanded their reach to over 30 new ventures. In 2007 the companies ended their partnership; however Wahaha was able to pick up the pieces and continue its success, becoming the largest beverage company in the People’s Republic of China.

Zong is most noted for his diligent workaholic attitude and attention to detail. He still insists on reviewing every office expense, even for small items and personally signs off on every major spending decision. He lives on only $20 a day and tells reporters, “my only exercise is doing market research…my only hobbies are smoking and drinking tea.” Even his wife and daughter work in the company and it is said that he sometimes sleeps in the office building.

Despite his billion dollar success, Zong Quinghou remains a humble man and leads a simple life. He serves as a sharp contrast to many of the extravagant business leaders of today. He detests fancy meals and banquets and makes it a point to eat the same food as his staff in the company’s cafeteria.  He wears a simple wardrobe and has been quoted as saying, “people cannot tell if I were wearing clothes worth a thousand (US$160) or a hundred (US$16) yuan, so why would I want to spend money on them?” Although Zong is extremely proud of his success, he clearly hasn’t lost sight of where he came from.

Aziz Bari: Fatwa Council has no legal standing

The National Fatwa Council has no legal standing as matters concerning Islam is a state affair, says constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari.

"The National Fatwa Council resolution has no legal standing as Islam is a matter for the states, and such a group has no constitutional status.

"This federal-state division of powers which put Islam in the hands of the states is maintained by the federal constitution," he said in a statement today.

As such, he stressed, whatever the council says about the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department's (Jais) raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia on Jan 2 has no effect, be it on Muslims or non-Muslims.

"Even opinions issued by the state muftis that are issued on a personal basis and not done in the procedure required by the law in that particular state, are not binding.

"They remain personal opinions of the muftis. They are different from the court decisions which form part of the country's law," Abdul Aziz (left) noted.

He also pointed out that there were inconsistencies of edicts in different states.

"Interestingly enough, there are issues in which muftis do not have similar rulings, such as smoking.

“Some rule it as haram (prohibited) while some others rule as makruh (disapproved)," he said.

He added that only provisions contained in the relevant state enactments would make them binding on Muslims in the state.

Read more here: http://beta.malaysiakini.com/news/252179

Rope-a-dope in Putrajaya

Mariam Mokhtar | January 10, 2014

Battlefield Putrajaya may be the final straw which tears this nation apart.

COMMENT

How do you convince the Umno Baru and Barisan Nasional diehard supporters that their diet of mainstream media news is unhealthy?

Truth, à la mainstream media, is like the dry kernels of corn which are cooked over heat, until they puff-up. Dry corn is unpalatable, but when cooked and laced with honey and butter, gullible readers consume the pop-corn with relish.

Fed on a diet of Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, The Star and the New Straits Times, the supporters of Umno Baru and BN believe Malaysia’s economy is rosy. Malays and Muslims are being threatened.

The only bad people are opposition politicians who spread filth through the alternative media. To Umno Baru lovers, writers for the alternative media who try to give readers facts, are liars.

Have you ever been to a football match where the spectators shift their focus from the players on the field, to a fight in the stands? That is what the Allah debacle is all about – it is a politically staged, and funded, sideshow to divert Malaysians from the issues which matter more.

In Najib Tun Razak’s case, he and his government are trying to hide from the rakyat the falling educational standards, the mismanagement of the economy, the hike in prices which will lead to a rise in our cost of living, the illicit outflows totalling billions of ringgits, the squandering of the nation’s wealth, the rise in crime and criminal activities, broken promises of GE13, and most glaringly, Najib’s failure to contain the wastage of his government including his inability to curb his own profligacy.

The Mahathir and Umno Baru lovers should try and be objective and read as much as possible from knowledgeable sources about the failures, cock-ups and cover-ups of the Umno Baru led government over the past 56 years.

Today, battlefield Putrajaya may be the final straw which tears this nation apart. The rakyat is compelled to endure the most savage face-off between the reigning heavyweight champion, “Nimble Najib”, and the 22-times heavyweight retired champion, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is staging a comeback. This is the most important fight of their lives. The rivalry is intense.

In a previous bout, Mahathir was given a bloody nose, causing him to be unsteady on his feet, (Najib snubbing Mukhriz in the Umno Baru internal elections), but with the Allah debacle in full swing, Mahathir has bounced back into the ring; he knows Najib is at his weakest and he is taking advantage of the situation.

The sparring between Najib and Mahathir is far from clean. The Queensbury’s rules do not apply. Instead of a gentlemanly approach, there is match fixing and all manner of dirty fighting.

The stakes are high. The winner inherits a nation, not just the prize money, even though it is worth millions of ringgits of unwritten contracts and other illegal deals. The winner has the freedom to run the nation as he pleases.

Minor distraction

Utusan Malaysia alleges that Mahathir had accused the Catholic weekly Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew of “hurting” Muslims. It also said that Father Andrew should respect the Court of Appeal decision that ‘Allah’ is exclusive to Muslims.

Mahathir wanted to know why Allah should suddenly be used in the peninsula. He blamed non-Malays for refusing to speak the national language but not when it came to using the word Allah.

Has Mahathir forgotten? It is true when he said “Melayu mudah lupa”, although some readers would disagree and claim that Mahathir is not a Malay.

In 2009, Umno Baru and thugs torched churches and created havoc in the community, when they refused to respect the judgment of High Court Judge, Lau Bee Lan.

With Taib Mahmud and Musa Aman subjugating the natives, forcing compulsory takeovers of their ancestral lands and keeping the majority of oil and timber revenue for themselves, scores of east Malaysians migrated to the peninsula to improve their lives.

Mahathir claims that the non-Malays refuse to speak the national language but again, he is wrong. Malaysian schoolchildren nowadays are fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and to their credit, the non-Malays excel at Malay, doubtless much to the annoyance of some Malays.

In the opening round, Mahathir tried to deliver a punch to the bread basket of the portly Najib. He said that during his tenure, he did not need big, fancy jets to travel, and wanted to tarnish Najib’s reputation further, wondering why Najib required five jets, thus wasting taxpayers’ money.

Najib may have momentarily stumbled, but he was back on his feet before the count could begin. In perhaps, another minor distraction, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that a minister’s special officer and two other people were being investigated over a cleaning contract for a ministry.

Neither the minister nor the ministry were named. Is this to make it appear as if Najib is doing something about corruption?

The Perak river, which flows through Kuala Kangsar has a reputation for demanding a human sacrifice every five years. Is this cleaning contract the sacrifice that must be given to the MACC? The MACC may be happy with a sacrifice of ikan bilis, but the rakyat are not fooled so easily. We know that the MACC only catches the small fry and lets the big fish escape.

 

The Malays who consider themselves part of the establishment, and the new Malay elite with newfound wealth, should not look the other way.

Don’t even think that our current problem stems from the attitude of only the Malays. Umno Baru could not have continued trashing this nation, if MCA, MIC, Gerakan and the parties of Sabah and Sarawak had not given Umno Baru leaders carte blanche to wreak havoc.

When these two men hunger for power, everything else is immaterial. In their pursuit of power, they take others down, including the innocent citizens of a nation.

It is up to you, the rakyat, to save the country. If you do nothing, you will be able to stand aside and watch Malaysia go the way of other tin-pot, African banana republics.

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.