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Editor iKDN | 7 September 09 12:18pm
Dept cleared to cane part-time model Kartika
By PAUL GABRIEL
KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has “cleared” the Prisons Department to cane part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno.
He said department director-general Datuk Zulkifli Omar and a woman officer came to his office last week to conduct a caning demonstration for him.
“She tapped the back of a chair with the cane.
“There was little force involved and it was not going to inflict pain, not even like the caning carried out in schools in those days.
“I am now satisfied that the caning can be carried out by the department if the court decides to proceed and enforce the sentence,” he said in an interview.
Hishammuddin had recently said the ministry needed to study the proper procedures before caning the woman according to Syariah law, adding that he would not allow the department to execute the caning sentence if it did not have the knowledge and expertise to do it.
Kartika, a 32-year-old mother-of-two, was fined RM5,000 and ordered to be whipped six times for drinking beer in a hotel in Cherating last year.
Her sentence has been deferred until after Ramadan.
Several parties, such as the Bar Council, have called for the sentence to be annulled.
Hishammuddin said that although he was now satisfied that the department was able to conduct the caning, he still felt it had no experience to do so.
“This is because the woman (Kartika) will be the first to be caned (under Syariah laws applicable to Muslims). Four men who have received caning sentences by the Syariah Court are appealing their sentences,” he said.
On the merits of Kartika’s caning sentence, the minister said he had told the department not to get “embroiled in this.”
“That is not their purview. It is the judicial process which decides that. If the caning sentence is to be imposed, it is their duty to carry it out fairly.”
Kartika’s father, Shukarno Mutalib, when contacted, said the family was happy to hear that the department was able to handle the caning.
“Alhamdullillah (praise be upon Allah). Kartika wants it over and done with,” he said.
Sumber: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/6/nation/4660845&sec=nation
Hisham assigned a senior cop
KUALA LUMPUR: The drive to reduce street crimes is moving into high gear with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein being personally assigned a senior police officer.
Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd has been seconded as special officer to Hishammuddin.
SAC Wan Najmuddin will be based at the ministry and report directly to Hishammuddin on efforts to to reduce street crimes by 20% by the end of 2010.
“Security and public safety is the core business of my ministry. I am encouraged by the fact that this fight against crime has been made a national KPI (Key Performance Indicator) spearheaded by the Prime Minister himself,” Hishammuddin said.
The crime target tops the list of six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) announced by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in July, with Hishammuddin named as lead minister in charge of crime prevention.
SAC Wan Najmuddin, 51, was legal and policy head at Bukit Aman before being handpicked by Hishammuddin.
He holds a law degree from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa and a Masters in Social Science (UKM), and was also legal and investigations head of the Police College and ADC to the Raja Permaisuri Agong.
Sumber: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/6/nation/4662183&sec=nation
Police must be consistent and fair in dealing with protests
By YENG AI CHUN
PETALING JAYA: The police should come up with a standard procedure or guideline to deal with demonstrations and protests to show that it is consistent and fair in all its actions, said minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
He proposed that the police did not immediately arrest those who were protesting peacefully but use modern technology, such as video cameras, to record the demonstration in order to identify the perpetrators and take action later.
“If the police act harshly even before there are signs of aggression, not only will this bring displeasure to the group demonstrating but also to the public, who will view this as being unfair,” he said in a press conference after officiating the Selangor Gerakan AGM Sunday.
Dr Koh, who was commenting on the cow head protest in Shah Alam, said the incident had raised a lot of doubt and unhappiness.
“If the protest causes disturbance or violence, the police can act immediately after recording the incident. What is important is that the police must be seen to be fair and consistent in their action.
“The police must not give an impression that they only take action against certain parties. We must be consistently fair and they must be fairly consistent in handling of demonstrations,” he stressed.
Dr Koh, who is also Gerakan president, earlier mentioned in his opening speech that the police must be sensitive to public perception when they carry out their duty.
He said the number one key national results area was to fight crime and the police must fight crime with justice and professionalism.
“This is to ensure that the public accept the positive presence of the police and work with the police.
“Current public perception towards the police is that they are more effective in catching demonstrators than criminals,” he said, adding that public perception on the police is a reflection towards the Government.
He pointed out that the people have started questioning why the cow head protesters were not arrested on the spot during the demonstration but 16 people were arrested at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday for carrying out a candlelight vigil.
“People who carry out candlelight vigils and people who are sitting in mamak shops wearing black clothes are arrested. I think that is not correct,” he said, drawing laughter from the delegates.
Dr Koh also called for all parties to remain calm over the cow head incident and allow the state and local government to resolve the matter.
“It is the responsibility of the state and local government to come up with a solution. In addition, the Home Minister had asked for action to be taken against those responsible. The public is also hoping for stern and swift action.
“But we must control our emotions and based on the 1Malaysia muhibah spirit, we must remain calm and come up with a suitable solution,” he said.
Sumber: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/6/nation/20090906161506&sec=nation
Use your head, not your heart
On The Beat by WONG CHUN WAI
IT’S time for cool heads to prevail. The controversy over the cow-head protest, which arose because of the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam, has degenerated.
Raw emotions were displayed at the meeting between Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and the residents yesterday.
The emotionally-charged meeting turned ugly when some residents reportedly shouted profanities and even tried to throw chairs and shoes at the Mentri Besar.
Insults were hurled and insensitive remarks were made by those present, which shocked the Selangor elected representatives and pressmen.
The Aug 28 protest by about 50 people who marched from the state mosque to the state secretariat building to oppose the relocation of the 150-year-old Maha Mariamman temple from Section 19 to Section 23 has now become international news.
It would have been just an ordinary demonstration if the protestors had not paraded the head of a cow, an animal deemed sacred by the Hindus, and placed it at the state secretariat building.
The residents’ action committee has denied any involvement in insulting a religious symbol, saying the cow’s head was symbolic of the state government’s stupidity.
It is unlikely that their defence, if not excuse, would be accepted.
They could have just stopped those who brought the cow’s head and led the parade; but they didn’t. Or they failed, if their argument is to be used.
Never mind if the cow’s head was used to insult the state government. They simply didn’t use their head to think it over because the protest was over a Hindu temple. To use a cow’s head was sheer stupidity.
It has now put the Government in a fix. Police have interviewed over 70 people and have submitted their report to the Attorney-General for a decision.
The AG has sent the report back to the police asking for more details.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has given his assurance that no one is above the law.
He has said clearly that those who brought the cow’s head should be hauled to court, and that the action should not be tolerated as the cow is considered sacred in certain religions.
Hishammuddin said the ministry viewed seriously issues that could undermine the harmony, national security and stability of multi-racial Malaysia.
It is important that such reassuring statements are made by our leaders because no one should give the impression, not even the slightest one, that such seditious actions are tolerated.
If they are allowed to get away with it, then the whole mission of 1Malaysia would be jeopardised.
The Government must not let one group hijack what they are trying to do for a better Malaysia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sent a clear message when he said Muslims should refrain from condemning or insulting other religions and their believers.
Follow the true Islamic teachings of showing respect, he said.
He added that Prophet Muhammad allowed believers of other religions to practise their creeds and forbade his followers from going against them. The Prophet guaranteed the rights of the minorities under the Medina Constitution.
In fact, Muslims are obligated to protect and honour any house of worship that is dedicated to God, even if it is a church, temple or a synagogue.
Any attempt to prevent the followers of any other faith from worshipping God, according to their own rights, is condemned in the Quran as sacrilege.
The history of the Islamic empires shows that in dominant Muslim societies, people of other faiths were allowed to flourish.
Just study the history of the Moghul Empire in India where there are huge numbers of Hindus and temples.
In Baghdad, under the Abbasid Khalifahs, the Jews and Christians enjoyed the freedom of religion that they never allowed for each other.
These historical facts are well documented and any student of basic Islam would learn about the tolerance showed by true followers of the faith.
The religious rights of minorities must never be ignored. Muslims in some European countries, for example, have found themselves being discriminated against when it comes to building mosques because of opposition from Christian residents in some areas.
In May, about 250 people protested against the Attakwa mosque in a Belgian neighbourhood and in 2007, Germans staged a protest during the opening of a mosque in Berlin.
In contrast, a massive mosque stands on Nathan Road in Kowloon even though the area is predominantly Chinese. It is accepted and even promoted as a tourist destination. And rightly so too.
Muslims may be minorities in these places but they have the right to worship. Any place where people gather to honour God is always good.
Closer to home, Penang Island is predominantly Chinese but Mesjid Kapitan Keling sits majestically in George Town. It is the pride of not just the Muslims but Penangites of other faiths.
We have to be careful when we use terms like “majority” and “minority” because Malay¬sia is a multi-racial country where one community would outnumer another in some areas.
Malaysia must encourage more multi-racial neighbourhoods like Subang Jaya in Selangor.
Enclaves with one race sometimes breed intolerance and the voice of a noisy and demanding minority can sometimes drown those of a moderate majority.
Moderate Malaysians must rise to the occasion as the world is watching how we are handling the the cow-head protest.
We have no place for hot-headed people who invoke God’s name with no understanding of tolerance and peace. Let’s use our head.
Sumber: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/6/focus/4662823&sec=focus
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