UN votes to upgrade Palestinian status

Alhamdulillah. 

Dan tahniah kepada 138 negara yang berani meletakkan keadilan di tempatnya. Sesungguhnya rakyat Palestine telah lama menderita. Semoga ini adalah titik permulaan untuk pembebasan kepada mereka.

9 negara yang menentang dan kalah dalam pengundian ini adalah Israel, Amerika Syarikat, Canada, Republik Czech, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau dan Panama.

Kalau tak silap, Jerman dan United Kingdom adalah antara 41 negara yang memilih untuk tidak mengundi. Harap-harap, Malaysia tak termasuk dalam kelompok ini.



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UN votes to upgrade Palestinian status - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

The United Nations has voted overwhelmingly to recognise a Palestinian state.

The vote, which was taken at a meeting of the body in New York on Thursday, represents a long-sought victory for the Palestinians but a diplomatic defeat for the US, with 138 countries voting in favour of the upgrade.

Nine countries voted against it and 41 others abstained.

A Palestinian flag was quickly unfurled on the floor of the General Assembly, behind the Palestinian delegation.

The new status is an indirect recognition of the Palestinians' claims on statehood in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. It allows them to join a number of UN agencies, as well as the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Immediately after the results were announced, US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice reiterated the US opposition to upgrading the Palestinians to a nonmember an observer "entity".

"Today's unfortunate and counter-productive resolution places further obstacles in the path to peace. That is why the United States voted against it," she said.

"The backers of today's resolution say they seek functioning, independent Palestinian state at peace with Israel so do we. But we have long been clear that the only way to establish such a Palestinian state and resolve all permanent status issues is through the crucial if painful work of direct negotiations between the parties."

The US and Israel voted against recognition, joined by Canada, the Czech Republic, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Panama.

"Long after the votes have been cast, long after the speeches have been forgotten, it is the Palestinians and the Israelis who must still talk to each other and listen to each other," Rice said.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon renewed his call for the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
  

"Today's vote underscores the urgency of the resumption of meaningful negotiations," Ban said. 

"My position has been consistent all along. I believe that the Palestinians have a legitimate right to their own independent state. I believe that Israel has the right to live in peace and security with its neighbors. There is no substitute for negotiations to that end."

Dancing in the streets

As the votes were cast, there was silence among the thousands gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah, which erupted with cheers of joy and chants of "God is greatest" when approval was announced.

"I'm happy they declared the state even though it's only a moral victory. There are a lot of sharks out there, but it feels good," 39-year-old Rashid al-Kor told AFP.

Nearby, Palestinian-American Laila Jaman was waving a handful of Palestinian flags and carrying a picture of US President Barack Obama and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

"I feel so good, I cannot describe my feelings, it's as if we reached the end of a dark tunnel. With a Palestinian state we are now united as a people and a leadership," she said breathlessly.

There were celebrations in cities across the West Bank, as well as in Gaza, where the Hamas government offered tepid support for the bid and allowed backers to express their solidarity with the move.

In Bethlehem, fireworks were shot into the night sky, and churches rang their bells at midnight to mark the occasion.

Ali Abunimah, Palestinian-American activist and founder of Electronic Intifada, told Al Jazeera that the celebrations were uncalled for and that the UN was a "giant distraction."

"I wish that all this hype and dancing in the streets of Ramallah and self-delusion among the people were for a real achievement that actually returned rights to the Palestinian people.

"There is something incongruous and tasteless about the Palestinian Authority sponsoring a dance festival on the streets of Ramallah while families in Gaza are still mourning their children.

"This (vote) is a giant distraction. A cheap gesture, which allows people to celebrate as if they were in a football match."

Difficulties ahead

Abbas addressed the General Assembly, saying that Palestinians were not seeking to "delegitimise" Israel, but to affirm the legitimacy of Palestine as a state.

Abbas referenced the recent Israeli assault on Gaza, saying that Palestine had come to the UN at time when they were "still tending to [their] wounds and still burying [their] beloved martyrs of children, women and men who have fallen victim to the latest Israeli aggression".

"What permits the Israeli government to blatantly continue with its aggressive policies and the perpetration of war crimes stems from its conviction that it is above the law and that it has immunity from accountability and consequences [...] The moment has arrived for the world to say clearly: Enough of aggression, settlements and occupation."

"The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine."

"The moment has arrived for the world to say clearly: Enough of aggression, settlements and occupation."

Mark Regev, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Al Jazeera that the comments made by Abbas "make it more difficult" for Israel to negotiate with Palestine.

"Instead of speaking the language of reconciliation, we had libelous charge after libelous charge against the Israeli people."

Regev called "a distortion of history" how Abbas characterised the UN resolution calling for a two-state solution exactly 65 years ago.

"The way he talked about it. He forgot the most important thing. It was the Israeli side, the Jewish side that accepted accepted two states for two people."

Yang Mana Satu?

Aku baru sahaja langsaikan hutang pinjaman kereta. Alhamdulillah, aku tiada apa-apa hutang dengan majikan.

Tapi aku berhajat untuk membeli kereta baru. Bajet aku tak banyak. Aku tak mahu berbelanja lebih daripada RM100,000 untuk depreciating assets like a car.

And currently, I'm driving a 1.6cc car. Therefore, my new toy should not have lower cc than the current one.

Apa pilihan yang aku ada?

Preve dan Inspira daripada Proton.

Atau pun Forte, buatan Kia/Naza.

Apa lagi? Ford Fiesta dan Chevrolet Cruze.

Ada lagi tak?

Kalau AC Mizal pun bertaraf VVIP...

... I really think there is something somewhere.

Kita tolak ke tepi diskusi kepartian. Secara logiknya, kalau AC Mizal itu tarafnya VVIP, apa label nak kita bagi kepada Dato' Fadhilah Kamsah? VVIP juga ke, setaraf dengan AC Mizal? Ke VVVIP?

Kalau para mufti? Para Menteri Besar dan Ketua Menteri?

Bagaimana Sultan dan Sultanah?

Orang kita, pada aku terlalu berlebih-lebihan dalam hali ni.

Tak begitu?

Kisah Pulau Pisang

Semua sudah tahu yang Malaysia kehilangan Pulau Batu Puteh kepada SingaPURA gara-gara kepincangan pengurusan maklumat dan bukti (knowledge management). Bukti mustahak iaitu  surat daripada Gabenor Butterworth kepada Temenggung Johor meminta kebenaran untuk membina rumah api tiada dalam simpanan kita.

Tapi kita dapat Middlerock.

Dan ada satu lagi pulau yang menjadi pertikaian di antara Malaysia dan SingaPURA iaitu Pulau Pisang.

Pulau ini berhampiran dengan Semenanjung Malaysia (5km dari Benut dan 12km dari Pontian Kechil) tetapi rumah apinya adalah di bawah kawal selia SingaPURA.

Kalau tidak betul-betul, kita mungkin kehilangan pulau ini juga.

Mari kita berdoa ke hadrat Allah agar kerajaan lebih berhati-hati dan teliti dalam menangani kes ini agar pisang tidak berbuah dua kali.



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Ghani: Malaysia has proof of Pulau Pisang ownership

JOHOR BARU: There is no danger of losing Pulau Pisang to Singapore as Malaysia clearly has sovereignty over the island.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said that this was despite Singapore operating a lighthouse on the 154ha island.

He said the ownership of the island was based on a treaty between Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar and the British in 1900, which clearly stated that Malaysia had sovereignty over the island.

Malaysian territory: This August 1998 file picture shows former Pontian MP Datuk Dr Hasni Mohammad pointing at Pulau Pisang.

“Our land office records show that Pulau Pisang belongs to Johor,” he said.

Abdul Ghani was responding to a suggestion made by Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan that the Government should conduct a study on taking over the operation of the lighthouse.

Ahmad said Pulau Pisang might suffer a similar fate as Batu Puteh where the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Singapore.

Abdul Ghani said the lighthouse, which guided ships into the Singapore Straits, was manned by four Singaporean guards.

“The guards are relieved by another team once a fortnight and are required to report to the marine department, Customs and immigration in Kukup every time they arrive and depart from the island,” he said.

He added that Malaysians were allowed to enter the island but were prohibited from entering the lighthouse.

Abdul Ghani said there were also 82 farmers who tend to orchards on the island.

“They are only given permission to work on the land but are not granted ownership of the land,” he said.

The island is about 12km from Pontian Kechil and 5km from Benut.

Meanwhile, Johor PAS officials lodged a police report against former foreign minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Abdul Ghani and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, accusing them of causing Malaysia to lose Batu Puteh.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob confirmed that the report had been received.

Perak Puteri Umno chief Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin, meanwhile, said Malaysia must take the necessary steps to ensure she irrefutably owned all her islands and territories.

She said the steps were crucial in view of the recent decision on Batu Puteh.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the Malaysian Government was “foolhardy to have placed the case before ICJ” without the necessary evidence.

He was referring to Malaysian ambassador-at-large Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad’s statement that he could not locate a letter sent by Governor Butterworth to the Johor Temenggong seeking permission to build the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Batu Puteh.

Abdul Kadir led the Malaysian team to The Hague.

“Discovery of the letter now or in future cannot restore Malaysia’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh,” he said.

Source: The Star, 27 May 2008

Life of Pi

Ang Lee talks about risks, spirituality of ‘Life of Pi’

November 24, 2012

Director Ang Lee (left) and actor Suraj Sharma (right) attend a special screening of the film "The Life of Pi" in Los Angeles November 16, 2012. — Reuters pic

NEW YORK, Nov 24 — Gay cowboy drama “Brokeback Mountain” may have been considered a risky film to make, but director Ang Lee said his new movie, “Life of Pi,” a 3D exploration of faith about a boy stranded on a boat with a Bengal tiger, is his riskiest yet.

The film, which was released in US theatres this week, is adapted from Yann Martel's best-selling novel of the same name and was once considered impossible to make.

Oscar-winning Taiwanese director Lee, 58, took on the laborious task of using computer-generated imagery to bring the sensational plot to the big screen, taking a year and a half just to edit the film together.

The director talked to Reuters about the film's themes, technical barriers and casting an unknown actor in the lead.

Q. Why was “Life of Pi” considered unfilmable?

A. “Because you cannot make the tiger do everything you want to do, you have to use digital. A digital animal, up until two years ago, was not totally realistic yet, let alone in 3D, and then water is pretty difficult.”

Q. Was this your most difficult filming experience yet?

A. “Oh yes. And it was also the longest ... there was the technical difficulty and then it is a big movie. And it was across continents, I finally decided to shoot most of it in Taiwan, but we also had to go to India to shoot for two to three weeks. Because you can't fake Pondicherry, and Munnar. And then we have scenes in Canada.”

Q. But Brokeback Mountain was a risky film too?

A. “No, that wasn't for me. At least when I made it, I thought it was strictly arthouse and few people would see it. And it's a lot cheaper (to make). So I didn't care...And then I got nervous, 'Oh they are going to lynch me, making a gay cowboy movie, that will go into a shopping mall.'“

Q. It was only after you made it you realised that?

A. “Yes, I was afraid. I was looking around when I walked, when I would go home, to see if anybody was following me. Once it hit the shopping mall I was nervous, actually. My brother is a distributor in Taiwan and I told him not to buy it. He hates me to this day, he is still babbling about it.”

Q. Why choose unknown Suraj Sharma to play Pi?

A. “I wanted someone authentic, and no bad habits, that means you have to train them from the start.”

Q. Why did you replace Tobey Maguire and reshoot his scenes with the little-known Rafe Spall?

A. “It was a small part, and he is a big movie star. He is a good old friend of mine and he would do this for nothing, for me. But he is not doing anything (in the role), he is just sitting there listening most of the time. It becomes a little distracting I think.”

Q. How does the film explore spirituality?

A. “To me, faith can be elusive, but … As a Taoist would say, 'That's the apple's truth.' The source of all the material comes from nothingness, illusion is working more on things you can prove. That's the principle, the essence of life, it is actually an illusion, not immaterial. That's worth pursuing. So illusion is not nothing. In a way, that is the truth.”

“Sometimes I feel (illusions) are more of life's essence, I can trust them more than real life that is full of deceit and covering up.”

Q. Did exploring faith encourage you to make this?

“The book is fascinating, it talks about faith. But it didn't make me believe in God or anything...I didn't go to church or a temple after that. When I started making the movie, you do feel faith embody you and carry you through. But when I picked the subject, and chose to do the book, it was actually more storytelling in my mind. The value of storytelling. How people share a story. Because a story has structure, it has a beginning, middle and end. It seems to have meaning, where life has not.”

Q. Do you practice any religion?

A. “No, my mother is a baptised Christian, so she made me go to church every Sunday, and I prayed four times a day until I was 14. And at lunchtime kids at school would giggle at my praying ... I stopped praying. And two weeks later, nothing happened to me, so I didn't pick it up again.”

“I am not particularly religious. But I think we do face the question of where God is, why we are created and where does life go, why we exist. That sort of thing. And it is very hard to talk about it these days, because it cannot be proven. It is hard to discuss it rationally.”

Q. Do you consider yourself spiritual?

A. “I hate to think life is just facts and laws. And I am a filmmaker, I am a sensitive person, I like to think it is spiritual, so I like people to be more in that way. I think life without spirit is in the dark, it is absurd. Call it illusion or call it faith, whatever you call it, we have emotional attachment to the unknown. We yearn to find out. That is human nature. It can be, in a way, unrequited love, we don't know. I don't have a particular God I pray to, except sometimes a movie god.” (laughs) — Reuters

Gunting Rambut dan Politik

NO to Islamphobia.

NO to rasicm.

NO to sexim.

I strongly condemn the continuous anti-Islam campaign by any political parties.

Sebelum ini parti politik yang sama telah mempersoalkan tindakan seorang calon pilihanraya wanita Islam untuk tidak bersalaman dengan bukan mahram. Selain itu, parti tersebut memperlekehkan syariah dan hudud.

Umat Islam tidak pernah mempersoalkan agama-agama lain, mengapa perlu persoalkan agama dan kepercayaan kami?

Enough is enough. Please stop all these nonsense!

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Mahu gunting rambut di KB?

27 NOV — Sure heboh

Heboh di dada akhbar penguatkuasaan undang-undang oleh Majlis Perbandaran Kota Baru Bandaraya Islam (MPKB BI) ke atas sebuah saloon gunting rambut wanita di KB Mall. Tindakan itu berpandukan pada seksyen 107(2) Undang Kecil Majlis Tempatan yang sudah berjalan sejak 1991 lagi. Peruntukan undang-undang ini melarang wanita menggunting rambut lelaki dan begitulah sebaliknya. Biasalah di Malaysia, perkara lama boleh disensasikan asalkan ada kepentingan di situ. Kali ini undang-undang kecil yang sudah lama dikuatkuasakan tiba-tiba menjadi sensasi dan yang menariknya semua pihak menambah rencah mengikut selera masing-masing, sure heboh satu Malaysia punya.

Hadiah Krismas

Di Malaysia sesuatu isu itu apabila hangit sangat diputarkan sehingga kita tidak tahu apa puncanya dan apa isunya. Disensasikan dengan kebebasan media ala Malaysia, orang ramai disuap secara paksa dengan apa yang dimahukan oleh pencacai politik. Tiada budaya sihat di mana berbagai pandangan membentuk kematangan rakyat berfikir. MCA nampaknya seronok dalam isu saman di KB Mall ini ke atas pengusaha saloon sehingga menganggap ini adalah "hadiah dari tuhan untuk sambutan Krismas" dengan kata lain mereka mendapat "peluru percuma" membantai PAS dengan bantaian maut. Semua sedia maklum betapa MCA jadi parti yang terpalit dengan krisis termasuk moral di mana pelakon utamanya adalah presidennya sendiri. Walaupun demikian dia masih tetap Presiden, entah apa ilmu dipakainya ataupun perwakilan ada tahap tertentu menentukan kepimpinannya. Saya boleh bayang betapa sukanya parti ini mendapat hadiah Krismas dengan isu di KB Mall ini. Tapi... tunggu dulu, apa isunya?

Keselesaan atau paksaan

Apa yang dihebohkan adalah isu segregasi jantina, walaupun perbahasannya luas, saya mahu melihat dari sudut memberikan keselesaan dan menjaga hak wanita sebagai menangkis hujah pihak tertentu yang membawa konotasi negatif. Bukankah amalan segregasi ini telahpun diamalkan di negara-negara lain termasuk Jepun dan India wa imma di China dan Eropah sendiri? Tidak berbangkit isu ini dikaitkan dengan "memaksa hak bukan Islam" ia adalah untuk memelihara keselesaan kaum Hawa yang perlu pembelaan terhadap ruangnya yang tidak boleh dikongsi sama oleh kaum Adam. Keselesaan ruang dicipta eksklusif untuk wanita di dalam pengangkutan awam, tempat awam dan ketika berbaris panjang bukan kerana diskriminasi tetapi kerana menjaga sifat wanita yang lemah lembut supaya tak perlu berasak dengan lelaki atau berebut tempat.Manakala di saloon pula segregasi adalah bentuk keselesaan supaya wanita mendapat ruang eksklusifnya tanpa diganggu dengan kehadiran kaum lelaki sebagai pengguntingnya mahupun sebagai pelanggannya. Amalan segregasi jantina ini perlu dilihat dalam perspektif keselesaan dan bukan paksaan. Adakah ini bermakna semua wanita bersetuju ruang eksklusif mereka dicerobohi dan dikongsi khususnya di tempat seperti saloon wanita seperti yang dilaungkan oleh MCA dan yang sama waktu dengannya? Apakah yang MCA perjuangkan? Hak wanita atau mahu publisiti politik? Mengaitkan isu ini dengan kononnya memaksa bukan Islam adalah tersasar dari fahaman malah menggambarkan kecelaruan MCA dalam isu ini. Mereka tidak dapat membezakan antara memberi keselesaan dengan paksaan, apatah lagi MCA buat sekian kalinya menggunakan Islam sebagai temanya kononnya undang-undang ini memaksa bukan Islam!

Unisex

Perkataan unisex menggambarkan ianya terbuka untuk lelaki dan wanita. Ia adalah manifestasi kebebasan yang menggambarkan kemodenan apabila ia mula diperkenalkan, maka lahirlah unisex saloon. Bagi sesetengah pihak konsep ini disalahertikan untuk mewajarkan kegiatan yang boleh memberi ruang kepada aktiviti yang tidak ada kena mengena dengan pendandanan rambut. Banyak aktiviti di bandar besar menggunakan platform ini untuk menawarkan khidmat lain dari dandanan rambut. Walaupun tidak semua yang mengambil kesempatan tapi tiada jaminan kekal yang profesion ini terpelihara dari tujuan lain. Sebagai tanda prevention is better than cure, adalah normal bagi negeri seperti Kelantan yang padat budaya ketimurannya memelihara nilai-nilai ini dari dicemari. Bukankah budaya sebahagian dari faktor mempengaruhi sesuatu perundangan?

Undang-undang kecil

Oleh kerana tindakan ini adalah tindakan yang diperuntukkan oleh perundangan maka adalah wajar pihak yang tidak berpuas hati menangani isu ini mengikut perundangan juga. Masyarakat yang demokratik bukan sahaja melaungkan hak kebebasannya tetapi dia juga menggunakan saluran perundangan untuk memperbaiki keadaan masyarakatnya. Tiada yang mutlak dan tidak boleh dipertikaikan selagimana ia berlaku dalam konteks perundangan yang bebas memberi intepretasi kepada permasalahan yang timbul. Saya juga melihat di sebalik rencah selera politik Umno dan MCA yang ditambah dalam isu ini, MPKB BI perlu menilai semula peruntukan-peruntukan ini dengan semangat memperbaikinya dari masa ke semasa mengikut kesesuaian dan tahap persediaan. Sebuah kerajaan yang mahu berkhidmat kepada subjeknya perlu peka dan sensitif dengan respons yang tulen dari orang ramai lalu memperluaskan ruang dialog samada memahamkan undang-undang tertentu ataupun mengharapkan feedback orang ramai. Semangat dialog dan sikap demokratik ini perlu diambil oleh kerajaan Kelantan dan mana-mana kerajaan lain,supaya isu ini dilanggani dengan bijaksana dan sikap yang terbuka.

Di mana silapnya

Di negeri-negeri lain berselerak lesen yang dikeluarkan oleh majlis kerajaan tempatan yang disalahgunakan untuk kegiatan tidak bermoral. Walaupun operasi demi operasi dilakukan ia tetap tumbuh seperti cendawan. Harga yang dibayar oleh masyarakat dalam gejala ini amatlah tinggi di mana seks bebas, pemerdagangan orang dan perhambaan moden telah meluas dan melata. Semuanya bermula dengan pemberian lesen untuk mereka beroperasi, walaupun tidak adil isu KB Mall ini dikaitkan dengan kegiatan tidak bermoral tetapi sekurangnya MPKB BI mahu menutup ruang-ruang ini daripada berlaku, di mana silapnya? Adakah kerana bukan Islam dipaksa untuk menerima undang-undang segregasi jantina ini ataukah kerana undang-undang kecil ini mahu memelihara kemaslahatan yang lebih besar untuk semua? Ataukah silapnya ialah MPKB BI mahu memelihara kesopanan wanita timur?

Skim Persaraan Swasta: Apakah bendanya itu?

PRS (Private Retirement Scheme) adalah satu inisiatif tambahan kepada caruman Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja. Tiada paksaan untuk mencarum tetapi caruman sehingga RM3,000 adalah layak untuk menikmati pelepasan cukai.

Setakat ini, sebanyak 8 syarikat insurans/kewangan telah diluluskan untuk menawarkan dana-dana persaraan, di mana 3 syarikat telah pun melancarkan produk mereka.

Modus operandinya juga lebih kurang KWSP, di mana 70% caruman masuk ke dalam Akaun 1 dan tidak boleh dikeluarkan sehingga mencapai usia persaraan. 30% caruman yang selebihnya akan masuk ke dalam Akaun 2 dan layak dikeluarkan sekali setahun. Akan tetapi, setiap pengeluaran adalah tertakluk kepada 8% potongan cukai kepada kerajaan.

Untuk maklumat lanjut tentang Skim Persaraan Swasta sila muat turun dokumen ini dari Suruhanjaya Sekuiriti.

Peringatan buat semua, sebarang caruman adalah tidak dijamin pelaburannya mahupun pulangan kepada pelaburan. Tidak seperti KWSP yang dijamin pulangan tidak kurang daripada 2.5% setahun.

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Slow start seen for private retirement funds

By DALJIT DHESI 

daljit@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Despite competition heating up among private retirement funds, it is expected to take off at a slow pace as more education and promotion are needed to boost the take-up rate of these funds, according to fund managers.

To date three fund houses CIMB-Principal Asset Management Bhd, Manulife Asset Management Services Bhd and Hwang Investment Management Bhd have launched a total of 17 private retirement funds under the private retirement scheme (PRS). Eight fund houses are granted licences in April by the Securities Commission as PRS providers.

Areca Capital CEO Danny Wong told StarBiz he expected a slow start for these funds as they were voluntary, flexible and discretionary retirement savings or the third pillar under the world bank's 2005 Five Pillar Pension Model.

"Many tax payers are also EPF contributors. As such I expect a very small number from this group of working adults to consider PRS given that the EPF's return is quite reasonable historically, whereas PRS is not guaranteed and does not have any track record. There are non-EPF members who will consider this scheme but more time and publicity are needed to promote it,'' he added.

Based on unofficial estimates, Wong said there were about six million registered individual tax payers of which less than two million pay taxes. "Let's say the PRS manage to attracts 10% of these actual tax payers i.e. 200,000 potential PRS investors, and each of them on average contributes RM3,000 to benefit from the tax relief, hence the potential market size is RM600mil," he said.

Hwang Investment Management Bhd (HwangIM) chief product officer Steve Lim said it was looking at a three-year horizon for the contribution momentum to pick up and for the public to warm up to the idea of contributing to a privately-managed and voluntary retirement scheme.

This was an entirely new scheme that was less than a year old, he said, adding that for starters, any form of investing required education, understanding and confidence, and PRS was no different.

Manulife Asset Management Services Bhd CEO Edward Ooi felt that since PRS was new to the market, hence education and awareness building were crucial to ensure that Malaysians fully understand its mechanism as well as gain sufficient savings for a more comfortable retirement lifestyle. He expected PRS take-up to gradually build up over a period of time as awareness for retirement planning grew.

A higher tax relief is necessary to make this scheme more appealing, according to Wong. Currently, individuals are granted tax relief of up to RM3,000, while employers are provided tax deduction on contributions to PRS made on behalf of their employees above the statutory rate and up to 19% of employees remuneration.

With the escalating inflation rate, he said an investment scheme should be one that yields better-than-inflation rate.

Lim said ideally, the tax relief should be more to kick-start the process in attracting contributors, noting that for now many would contribute up to the RM3,000 level to benefit from the tax relief and would not see the benefit in putting away more.

However, he hoped the Government would consider increasing the tax relief since it would benefit the Malaysian ageing population.

Malaysia Negaraku

Treasure Hunting

Please do not disturb. Currently, hunting for hidden treasure. 

The route is Kuala Lumpur to Sungai Petani. 

Is Hang Tuah fact or fiction?

Aku secara peribadi percaya tentang kewujudan Hang Tuah. Cuma aku rasa perwatakannya di dalam Hikayat Hang Tuah telah ditokok tambah bagi memberi gah kepadanya dan gah kepada bangsanya.

Mungkin lebih banyak kajian perlu dilakukan bagi menangani persoalan ini tetapi aku setuju dengan Dr. Farish Noor, nilai-nilai yang 'dibawa' oleh Hang Tuah mahu pun Hang Jebat, adalah lebih penting daripada perdebatan remeh tentang kewujudannya.


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Is Hang Tuah Fact of Fiction?
By RASHVINJEET S. BEDI
rashvin@thestar.com.my

The historical status of Hang Tuah is now the subject of debate in Malaysian circles.
ASK Malaysians what they think of Hang Tuah and most would probably say they see him as a real figure/hero who was an integral part of the history of Malacca in particular and Malaysia in general.
While there always seem to be questions about his ethnicity and origin, there seems to be a general belief that he was a real warrior who displayed virtues of bravery and loyalty to his king.

Heroic role: The legend of Hang Tuah has been immortalised in films, as in the 1957 movie ‘Hang Tuah’ with Tan Sri P. Ramlee playing the role, and in the 2004 ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’ with singer-songwriter Datuk M. Nasir as Hang Tuah.

In fact Hang Tuah seems to be more ingrained in the memory of those who studied local history than any of the past Sultans of Malacca. His mausoleum is supposedly in Tanjung Kling while a well associated with him is in Kampung Duyung. And Hang Tuah supposedly grew up in Kampung Duyung, where there are families who claim to be his descendants.

So when historian Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Khoo Kay Khim said last week that there was no written record of Princess Hang Li Po, Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat and the stories that have made it into the history books are just myths, he opened a can of worms.

Overnight, the issue became one of the hottest topics in both the mainstream media and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as Malaysians came out to debate it.

There were those who felt “betrayed” and asked if everything else they had learnt in History was false and mythical as well.

Twitter user Imran Syed Jaffar said it was pathetic that some Malaysians were arguing about Hang Tuah's authenticity. “Even Indonesians acknowledge his existence. (Is this an) effort to discredit Malay history?”
Hang Tuah, along with his four warrior friends Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu, Hang Kasturi and Hang Lekir was said to have served the Malacca ruler Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th century. Meanwhile, Hang Li Po was said to have come from China and was the fifth wife of Sultan Mansur Shah.

Datuk M. Nasir

In previous history textbooks, the story of Hang Tuah and his friends was given great prominence. In the current Form One History textbook, however, Hang Tuah is mentioned only in passing as a Laksamana (Admiral) and a brave warrior. There is no mention of Hang Li Po and the other Malacca warriors.
So is Hang Tuah a man or a myth? A fact or a fable? Reality or fiction?

Hang Tuah, who is said to have sworn that “Tak Melayu hilang di dunia” (Malays will never vanish from the earth), is mentioned in the semi-historical Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) and the Hikayat Hang Tuah.
Saying that Khoo is entitled to his opinion, Prof Datuk Dr Yusoff Hashim, vice-chancellor of the Malacca Islamic University College (KUIM), is steadfast in his belief that Hang Tuah was a historical figure. He points out that Hang Tuah is mentioned in 19 of the 28 chapters in Sejarah Melayu.

Dr Yusoff suspects the reason behind why some people don't believe in Hang Tuah is the embellishment of stories about him especially in the Hikayat Hang Tuah where the warrior is described as having super-human and mystical powers.

“The story has been made (so) flowery that the real essence of the figure is lost. He has been glorified too much that he became mystical or legendary,” says the historian.

It doesn't help that his story has been immortalised in films, as in the 1957 movie Hang Tuah with Tan Sri P. Ramlee playing the role, and in the 2004 Puteri Gunung Ledang with singer-songwriter Datuk M. Nasir as Hang Tuah.

Khoo has actually said that views on Hang Tuah were influenced greatly by public perception and not by actual facts.

“We get our view of what Hang Tuah was like from movies portrayed by the late P. Ramlee to the extent that even a painting of the legendary figure at the National Museum bore resemblance to the actor,” he has been quoted as saying.

Historian Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi says he understands Khoo's concerns and agrees that myths should not be included in History textbooks.

Without really committing his view on whether Hang Tuah existed or not, Dr Ranjit points out that the Sejarah Melayu, despite being littered with numerous myths, is regarded by certain leading historians including O. W. Wolters and C. Mary Turnbull as a useful historical work.

He says that even Encyclopaedia Britannica considers Sejarah Melayu as one of the finest literary and historical works in the Malay language concerning the Sultanate of Malacca.

Monument to a legend: The mausoleum in Tanjung Kling that is supposedly Hang Tuah’s. He is believed to have grown up in Kampung Duyung, where there are families who claim to be his descendants.

But he himself has doubts about the existence of Hang Li Po, saying that there is no mention of her in the Ming Dynasty Chinese records.

The Sejarah Melayu mentions Sultan Mansur Syah dispatching Tun Perpateh Puteh on a mission to China and that he returned with a Chinese princess (Hang Li Po) as wife for Mansur Syah and many Chinese followers who settled at Bukit China, Dr Ranjit says.

But, he adds, “We need to ascertain whether this is a historical fact or a mere myth to show the greatness of the Malaccan rulers.”

Josephine Chua, 55, who lives in Malacca and is particularly interested in the history of the state since her ancestors arrived there in 1765, reckons the issue of Hang Tuah and his friends is not that important in nation building or the history of the country.

Instead she believes the Sultans of Malacca had a more important role to play.

Having read both the Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Hang Tuah, Chua thinks they are more a compilation of stories rather than history books.

She says she has read several versions of the Sejarah Melayu (it is known that there are more than 20 versions) and believes there are too many inconsistencies among the different versions. When pressed if she believes that Hang Tuah existed, she uses the word “legendary”.

“It's very tricky because it's been in our schoolbooks. It might be something that needs to be looked into,” she says, adding that Hang Jebat was more of a hero to her than Hang Tuah.

As for Hang Li Po, Chua doubts that the Chinese would have allowed any of their princesses to become the fifth wife or a concubine of a Sultan.

Tunku Abidin Muhriz, president of think tank IDEAS, believes there were possibly several individuals whose deeds became known in time as the deeds of Hang Tuah.

He believes this is quite a normal way for myths and legends to come into being and evolve.

“I have seen conflicting evidence of the existence of a single person called Hang Tuah, but I think the imagery and symbolism of the story can have many positive applications,” he replies in an e-mail interview.

If you deny Hang Tuah’s existence, it means you also deny the whole historical text of the ‘Sejarah Melayu’. - Prof Datuk Dr Yusoff Hashim

He points out that the legend itself contains important themes such as loyalty, friendship and love, and that it allows us a glimpse into the political institutions of the past.

He believes that while it seems implausible that Hang Tuah did everything he purportedly did, these acts have been part of Malay folklore for a long time and it is only recently that academic doubts have been cast.

“I hypothesise that the story of Hang Tuah much like the stories of the English figures of Robin Hood or Sir Lancelot (at least according to some) was based on an actual individual, but other stories of heroism were combined and enhanced to make the stories more interesting and inspirational,” he says.

“Also, despite what some purists might say, learning about myths and legends in general may actually inspire young Malaysians to learn about real history later on,” adds Tunku Abidin.

Political scientist and historian Dr Farish A. Noor, who labels the whole debate as silly, believes it is irrelevant if Hang Tuah existed or not. While he agrees with Khoo, Dr Farish says the role Hang Tuah played in the shaping of political and social consciousness in Malaysia is more important.

“He is powerful in the sense that people turn to myths on how to live out their lives as there are certain models of behaviour. There are debates on who is the real hero Hang Tuah or Hang Jebat for instance,” he says.

Dr Farish also points out that at the end of Hikayat Hang Tuah, the warrior renounces politics and power to opt for salvation.

“He is not a Malay supremacist, if anything, but a wandering diplomat who had no sense of superiority or arrogance towards others,” he says, explaining that in the second part of Hikayat Hang Tuah, the current subject of controversy travelled to different parts of the world such as India, China and Turkey to embrace their cultures.

In a note later posted on Facebook, Dr Farish says that Hikayat Hang Tuah ought to be taught in our schools but only if it is taught in full and that equal emphasis is given to the development of the character who eventually becomes a universal figure, standing above narrow ethnic and political loyalties, and who sees the human race as his family and the world as his home.

“What a great message that would be for a new generation of global and globalising Malaysians!” says Dr Farish.

Stop the Aggression on Palestine!

I strongly condemn the current attack and killing of innocent Palestinians by Israel!

Also, I strongly condemn the United States of America's lack of courage to do something to stop the aggression by Israel on Palestinians.

While I applaud any campaigns to boycott companies that benefit from the illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory or companies who contribute to the Zionist regime, I urge friends and family members to refrain themselves from abusing anyone who might not agree to their ideals. Similarly, those who do not want to undertake such boycott SHOULD NOT criticise or condemn whomever embrace the said measure.

Let us say:
NO to occupation or imperialism;
NO to war;

NO to Islamophobia, racism and sexism.

Transcipt of Nurul Izzah's Q&A at Forum

The article was first published by Malaysiakini on 8 November 2012. Click the link to read original article.

Transcript of Nurul Izzah's Q&A at forum

2:33PM Nov 8, 2012

Last Saturday's forum in Subang Jaya, on the topic 'Islamic state: Which version? Whose responsibility?', was jointly organised by the Oriental Hearts and Minds Study Institute and Islamic Renaissance Front.

At the forum, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar had said that there was "no compulsion in religion" when responding to a question from a member of the audience on whether religious freedom also applied to Malays.

This was reported by Malaysiakini under the headline, 'Nurul: There should be no compulsion in choosing faith.'

Nurul Izzah had also said, in her reply to the question, that she was "tied to the prevailing views" in the country.

On Monday,Utusan Malaysiaattacked Nurul Izzah for her comments at the forum in a report on its front page, and quoted the Malaysiakini report in the article headlined ‘Melayu perlu bebas pilih agama?' (Should Malays be free to choose religion?).

Subsequently, Nurul Izzah was accused of advocating apostasy among Muslims - a claim she has vehemently denied and has threatened law suits against both Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who also stepped into the row through a Bernama report yesterday, questioned why the Lembah Pantai MP was suing the two dailies, but not Malaysiakini.

Here, Malaysiakini produces the transcript of the event, during the period Nurul Izzah responded to questions from the floor. 

She took the questions ahead of other speakers because she had to leave early.

Question 1: It's heartening to know that you just cannot coerce someone into believing your beliefs, right? On any matter.
Now, I do want to ask a very controversial question, so what then the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community) here or the sexual minority here?
I'd like your views on that because there are people who feel that just by being able to love the same sex goes against their religion or beliefs, but we don't believe that.
Our own beliefs are such that we are answerable to God, yes, but let us be answerable to God. Thanks.

Moderator: YB Nurul can you... all right, we'll have one more, just one more question, then she'll answer both then take leave. Yes.

Question 2: I'm very happy to hear YB Nurul speak about freedom of religion. Does she actually apply that to Malays as well in terms of freedom of religion? That is number one.
Number two, I think it is a fallacy to believe that Egypt now is (in) a better condition than it was before. Everybody knows that it is getting worse.
I have a friend in Egypt and she is really not happy about what is going on over there, so I do believe YB is trying to promote the idea of an Islamic state, like you know this which is completely not true.
But mainly my question is, when you speak of freedom of religion, are you actually applying to the Malays as well? Thanks.

Moderator: Well YB Nurul, that's a good way to start the morning.
The audience laughs.

Moderator: You have two questions of great import at two ends of the spectrum. Could you try to answer that, please.

Nurul Izzah: Thank you, Cyrus, I love too.

The audience laughs.

Nurul Izzah: Okay, so the first question. In terms of the sexual rights of LGBT, Tariq Ramadan addressed this question when IRF organised his programme, I think about three months back and I think, of course, you're not just talking about Islam.
There are limitations and you know, implemented in Christianity with regards to people of - you know - LGBT, but one thing is important is you should not victimise anyone. 

You should not also implement and you know, ensure the laws of the land encroach into private... uh.. into public space.
I think that is the main underlying principle. But if you ask me whether, as a Muslim, I can accept, I think yes, you or whoever that, besides their particular sexual orientation.
Yes, in private you cannot enforce them certain regulation, etcetera. But as a Muslim, I also cannot accept and that is regulation of my faith and as well as my friends who are Catholic, etcetera. 

I think here you want to make sure that they are not victimised, the current practise, whether how, through the Borders (bookstore) ... sort of, err, how Jawi or Jakim at that time went to the Borders, some books etcetera, so the way it is practised does not respect and does not give any meaning for the sanctity of Islam, or any religion for that matter.
You must always use hikmah, so yes, I will say here, we have limitation, but certainly it should not be encroached into public space.

The second question with regards (to) what you think I'm trying to promote, I would correct that assumption. Yes, Egypt is undergoing a tumultuous process. It has not been resolved, there are many challenges they face.
I am not saying they have achieved a Utopian ideal view of a state and how it should be governed but I always take the development of the Muslim Brotherhood, in particular, from seen as a rather dogmatic Islamic movement come up with a political entity to meet the needs of the time and their relationship and collaboration with the Christian Coptic is something in particular that we have to observe and appreciate.

So if you say things are bad for Egypt, no. You, and we, must not be so judgmental and that is partly the society or the country that we have inherited that allows us to see things in black and white, whereas sometimes it is not as simple as that.
Sometimes in a stormy period, it is important for them to undergo and hopefully, because we wish for the best. We wish that they will have wisdom and finally manage the governance of the country itself.

But... 

The bell rings.

Nurul Izzah: Okay, one more minute.

The audience laughs.
Nurul Izzah: Yes, umm, but the idea itself, I think, goes back. And when you ask me, there is no compulsion in religion, even Dr (Ahmad) Farouk (Musa) quoted that verse in the Quran.
How can you ask me or anyone, how can anyone really say, 'Sorry, this only apply to non-Malays.' It has to apply equally.

The audience applauds.

Nurul Izzah: In the Quran, there is no specific terms for the Malays. This is how it should be done. So I am tied, of course, to the prevailing views but I would say that.

So what you want is of course in terms of quality. You believe so strongly in your faith, that even me, being schooled in Assunta with a huge cross in the hall and an active singing Catholic society will not deter you.
The bell rings and the moderator thanks the speaker.

The audience applauds.

A.B.O.M

Takziah buat keluarga Syed Alwee

Dari-Nya kita datang, kepada-Nya kita kembali.

Semoga Allah mengampunkan segala dosa-dosa arwah dan tempatkannya di kalangan orang-orang yang beriman.

Kepada Syed Md. Fithree dan keluarga, semoga tabah dan redha dengan ketentuan ini.

Gerakan Inovasi by Simfoni Kijang

Take a look at this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/YQqlG9kR-gM


Sent from my iPhone

Gerakan Inovasi by Simfoni Kijang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQqlG9kR-gM


Sent from my iPhone