Lawan Bangladesh, jangan dok syiok sangat...

Lawan Bangladesh, jangan dok syiok sangat....

Apa dah jadi peruntukan RM 1 BILLION diperuntukan pada 2015 untuk Kompleks

Sukan Bukit Jalil ketika KJ Khairy Jamaluddin jadi Menteri Belia dan Sukan ketika itu?

Najib's palace visit casts shadow

on king's speech – MACC committee member...

Malaysia is fortunate to have a head of state who is vociferous in condemning the scourge of corruption, according to MACC special committee (JKMR) member Hassan Abdul Karim.

“Graft is the number one foe and inflation, second. If the two combine like in Malaysia, it can 'kill' 33 million citizens. So the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech was crucial and relevant,” he added.

However, the PKR lawmaker regretted that former premier Najib Abdul Razak's presence at the palace had cast a shadow on the monarch's words of wisdom.

“Permit me to speak the truth and to be frank although it might be bitter and dangerous,” he said in a hard-hitting statement this morning.

Hassan was responding to Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah's speech at Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UITM) convocation ceremony yesterday, where His Majesty emphasised inculcating noble values in students and denounced corruption as a cancer that could ruin civilisations.

Refraining from assigning the blame to the Agong out of respect for the royal institution and Istana Negara, the Pasir Gudang MP focused on his advisers and aides as well as the attorney-general.

“The palace officials have impressive titles such as 'Datuk Bijaya Diraja', 'Datuk Bentara Diraja' and so forth. The king also has access to the attorney-general, who acts as the government's lawyer.

“Did none of them have the courage to advise the king not to invite Najib (who was convicted for corruption) to Istana Negara?” he asked.

Hassan said while he respected an individual's right to invite whomever he or she chooses especially during the month of Ramadan, the Agong, however, is the nation's head and this role outweighs personal matters.

“The Agong's duties are official at all times because he is the chief of the executive, legislature and judiciary.

“Therefore, I believe Istana Negara erred when Najib was invited to dine with the king. This episode went viral on social media and the postings were shared by many, including students.

“Certainly, there were undergraduates at the UITM convocation who were reminded of Najib being invited to the palace upon hearing His Majesty's advise regarding corruption,” he added.

Najib’s moral obligation

Hassan (above) said Najib had the moral obligation to remind the monarch he was convicted and sentenced on over seven charges in connection with the RM42 million from SRC International.

“Najib should have been a statesman with the courage to tell the king that 'innocent until proven otherwise' does not apply to him because he was found guilty by both the High Court and Court of Appeal.

“Although he has filed an appeal with the Federal Court, this does not mean his conviction and sentence have been dismissed,” he added.

For the record, Hassan said his comments should not be construed as slander or incitement but rather made based on facts.

“There is no ill intention. I can choose to be quiet but this was not the will of the Agong when he appointed me as a member of the special committee on corruption,” he added.

Najib, whose critics claim is hoping for a royal pardon, is also on trial over charges related to 1MDB, which has been described as the biggest financial scandal in the world.

Previously, former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan also expressed disappointment over Najib's palace rendezvous. She claimed that judges were present at one of the events which the former premier attended.

“I am given to understand that at another gathering, judges were apparently present, thus putting them in an embarrassing position. These are, after all, His Majesty’s judges,” she said. - mk

The King's speech was excellent. The only problem was he was giving it to the wrong audience. He should be giving it to the Parliament and the cabinet. These people still think Corruption = Standard Operating Procedure. - GreenZebra9779

By looting SRC and 1MDB, Najib may think that he was a Robin Hood of Yore. But did he ever share a fraction of his loot with the poor Malaysians? The answer is NO! Or he may also think that he is a Botak Chin who robbed the rich in 1980s and donated part of his loot to the poor residents in Setapak. Did he? The answer is also NO! - Fookchin

At least Botak Chin was brave enough to die as a “Robin Hood”. Najib is no “Robin Hood”. So let’s see he is brave enough to accept his sentence and spent time in Bamboo River Resort.- Rupert16

Can't agree with you more. Thank you for having the courage to spell out what is on the mind of most Malaysians. We certainly need personalities like you to speak up. Due to the respect we have for the Agung and fear for the powers that be, most of us chose to keep our mouth shut. After all, they think we are nobodies. Even the opposition is as quiet as a mouse. As you said, the Agong's advisers should know better. They don't seem to earn their titles, perks and salaries that come with their jobs. Unfortunately this is not the first and neither will it be the last. As for Najib, we all know how desperate he is and he will do just anything to save his own skin even when we all think his case is a foregone conclusion. The guy has no shame. - Headhunter

The palace probably subscribes to the view that Najib is innocent until proven guilty. Since his final appeal in the Federal Court is still pending, the palace may feel that it would disrespectful to ignore Najib as a former PM. Najib also remains as a Orang Besar Berempat Pahang. I believe when Anwar was convicted by the Court of Appeal for sodomy the second time but execution of the sentence was stayed pending his appeal to the Federal Court, he too was received by several royal houses until he went to jail when he lost his final appeal. - Gerald Lourdesamy

Misery caused by confused MPs,

ministers and muftis...

We should not have to put up with confused MPs like the Tangga Batu parliamentarian Rusnah Aluai, who last year demanded a name change for Timah whiskey, saying drinking Timah was like “drinking a Malay woman”.

At the same time, we should not have to put up with confused ministers like Ahmad Faizal Azumu, the sports minister who blamed the loud cheers of support from fans for the defeat of the national football team in a recent match against Bahrain.

Alarmingly, we now have to put up with confused muftis, like the Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, whose illogical suggestion was to rename the Bon Odori festival. He said his proposal was to “avoid confusion” among Muslims. If anyone is confused in Malaysia, it is these three groups of people: MPs, ministers and muftis.

Our laws appear to be shaped by confused MPs and ministers. Our spiritual lives are monitored by confused muftis. When will the rakyat have a break from these ignorant and irresponsible people?

How on earth did some of us vote for these confused MPs to dictate our laws? How did we get to the point of nominating confused muftis who freely assume that ordinary Malaysian Muslims are as easily confused as them?

Confused MPs and muftis threaten to destroy our national harmony, divide the nation and prevent us from acknowledging and appreciating other peoples’ cultures.

The latest confusion involves the Bon Odori festival, an annual dance event first organized in 1977 by a group of Japanese expatriates. The festival may have its roots in Buddhism and Shinto, and the dance performed is to welcome the spirits of their ancestors.

Outside Japan, the event excludes the religious connotations and for decades, Malaysians have been happily joining in the celebrations held at various locations throughout the country. Why should Malaysians have to put up with confused and nonsensical MPs, ministers and muftis who make our lives a misery? For most people, Bon Odori is just another family reunion event.

Malaysians enjoy mixing and mingling, and learning from other people’s cultures. There is much to be gained from a simple exchange of ideas and pleasantries. However, enjoyable events like these are frowned upon by kill-joy officials in the name of “religious authority” to save our souls.

This year, religious affairs minister Idris Ahmad warned Muslims not to attend the event, claiming that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) had researched Bon Odori and the conclusion was that Muslims would be led astray.

It is baffling that for several years, JAKIM finally awoke from its slumber and only now, presented its findings. The festival cannot have deviated much from its original cause, which is basically a dance event.

So what change that made JAKIM suddenly show concern? Did JAKIM take many years of intense research to come up with these findings? Could JAKIM explain how Muslims would be led astray?

Many Muslims believe that our religious authorities are eager to control their lives, especially when it looks like people are having fun. It is increasingly looking as if this simple assertion is true.

Ironically, the Sultan of Selangor decreed that the Selangor Bon Odori event scheduled to take place in August should go ahead as planned. He has also urged Idris to attend so that he would improve his understanding of the celebration, but more importantly, he wanted the minister to appreciate the difference between culture and religion.

Meanwhile, Asri has said that the original Japanese celebration has “elements of syirik (idolatry) and khurafat (superstition)”, and to “avoid confusion”, he has suggested renaming Bon Odori as a Japanese cultural or community festival.

There are many religious issues that Asri could prioritize to improve the lives of Muslim Malaysians, renaming Bon Odori not one of them. Moreover, what right does Asri have to demand a name change? Why spread more confusion, inaccurate statements and promote negative sentiments?

Why should the organizers of the festival succumb to political and religious bullying? Why should Malaysians have to put up with confused and nonsensical MPs, ministers and muftis who make our lives a misery?

For decades, self-serving MPs and muftis have used religion to divide the nation. We watched idiotic ministers refuse to take responsibility over their actions. The combined efforts of muftis and MPs in undermining the rakyat have worn us down and left us dispirited.

It is time we put a stop to their nonsense and kick them out of office. That option is available in GE15. - Mariam Mokhtar