Uthaya, save the Indians, go for self-immolation

Uthayakumar has to wake up to the reasons for Tamil marginalisation and then see if he is really a champion of the marginalised or is he trying to be the champion of Indian marginalisers, attempting to outdo Samy Vellu and the BN.

Uthaya is no better than Samy Vellu. In the first place he is not in Pakatan so how can he make demands? He is threatening to play spoiler with his racial party, the very kind of politics that Pakatan is trying to get rid off.

I think parties in the HRP mould should be discarded; let them go to BN, or go on their own and let them face the brunt of their own folly.

The problems of the Indian community lie within the community itself, every Samy, Subramaniam, and Uthaya can claim to represent the community, and they come out with numbers of 'supporters', and each of them espouses to champion the "Indian cause."

The funny thing is many of Samy's supporters are Subramaniam's supporters and also Uthaya's supporters too, and to understand this better you have to take a close look at what happened in Kampung Buah Pala. These so-called politicians thrive on the ignorance of the Tamils.

Uthaya demands that the Indians be given the same kind of rights that were accorded to the Malays by the NEP, I say Malay and not bumiputera because if one takes a close look at the native population of this country, the natives (asli) seem to be in worse shape than the Malaysian Indians.

It is not only the Indians who are marginalised, the Senoi, the Jakun, the Negrito, the Dayak, the Iban, the Kadazan and all the other real natives of this country are far more marginalised than the Indians so what is this marginalisation that these champions of the Indian cause are talking about?

I am not saying that there is no marginalisation amongst the Indians, there is, but are they the only ones marginalised?

In the first place will Uthaya show me one constituency where the Indians make a majority? There is none, and knowing this the Tamils should be the last people wanting to play the racial card. This is plain stupid.

Never before in the history of this country have so many Indians turned up as state assemblymen and Parliamentarians than after the last election as members of Pakatan-based parties.

They were chosen on merit not on their race, and they won, and instead of seeing the light here Uthaya decides he will be Samy Vellu's successor in screwing up the Tamils.

I keep saying Tamil, because he cannot expect to represent anyone else other than the Tamils. I have talked about this before, the reasons for Tamil marginalisation, and it is so clear that,  it is the type of Uthaya/Samy politics that is the cause of this.

Uthaya is not keen on a united Malaysia; he can't get one with these kinds of race based demands. He is only bent on demanding and disturbing, I think he needs the MIC and the BN and that is where he should be. Go suck up to them again, let them whip the hell out of his community, because he knows that that is what will happen if he decides to go it alone. To him it looks like a, "never mind as long as I land up with the goodies it is okay," that seems to be his mentality.

If the Tamils can't read the game, blame yourselves and only yourselves. Probably you should not bring them out to be killed and maimed, you should opt for self-immolation, Uthaya.

What is your opinion regarding the issue in Malaysia regarding the use of the word ‘Allah’ in their newspaper?
 What is your opinion regarding the issue in Malaysia regarding the use of the word, 'Allah' in their newspaper?

Imran N Hosein 

No one should ever be prohibited from using this name. Anyone and all of mankind must have the freedom to call upon Allah by His name.

Allah issue in Court of Appeal for too long.

 It's been ages  since the name of God - Allah became an issue in Malaysia.

The Court had ruled in favor of the fact that  Allah was not exclusively for the Muslims, ans so too, did Nik Aziz when he said "Allah is for All."

The Court ruled and the Government got the Catholics to stop, and have since appealed. This appeal which is an urgent issue is taking too long and the Church itself has decided to remain  calm and wait for the decision of this appeal.


I do this because it may noit seem urgent to others but to us who have a duty to protect our rights it is urgent. Its not a matter of tolerance it is our rights that are being trampled here by this government.


The attempts by Syed Hamid the former minister of home affairs  the person who turned this into an issue, and the statements by the present minister of home affairs have been ridiculed by Muslim scholars themselves. There seems to a loud cry from the entire Muslim world that this is a non issue, so why make an issue of it just for political mileage.

This court is taking a bit too long on such an issue, in cases where Anwar Ibrahim makes an appeal it is dispensed with at almost lightening speed, in fact sometimes I tend to think faster, so why the delay here?

Whilst the whole of Malaysia awaits the appeal, I have decided to share the thoughts of other Muslims on this issue. These Muslims come from countries where they are a minority, they do not have radio and TV programmes thrice or five times a day to teach the religion, the do not have as many mosques and yet they do not feel threatened or do not feel they'd get "confused" if others use the word Allah. 

I publish their views here for all to see, I shall publish one letter a day, so that Malaysian Muslims who are confused only, do not get confused.

Please note most of my Muslim friends are not confused, they are more confused with the Government's stand and Najibs's rhetoric over the matter.

Malaysia, Allah, and God

by Sheila Musaji

Back in 2007 when Malaysia The Malaysian Catholic Herald, a publication by and for Catholics in the country, was told that it could no longer use the word “Allah” to mean God because Allah was a “Muslim” term for God, The American Muslim (TAM) published a number of articles about this ridiculous non-issue. 
Backgrounder on the word “God” in Arabic and English, Joachim Martillo http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/allah/ 
Do Malaysian Muslims understand what ‘Allah’ means?, Farish A. Noor http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/do_malaysian_muslims_understand_what_allah_means/
Do Malaysian Muslims understand what ‘Allah’ means? Part 2, Farish A. Noor http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/do_malaysian_muslims_understand_what_allah_means_part_2/
Islamic Marcionism in Malaysia:  Is Allah Equivalent to God?, Joachim Martillo http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/islamic_marcionism_in_malaysia_is_allah_equivalent_to_god/
Just this week, this sad saga has a new chapter - The publisher of the Malaysian Catholic Herald has been told that it cannot challenge the home minister’s prohibition on the use of the word “Allah” in its publication, the High Court heard today.  It is amazing that both Muslim extremists and Islamophobes hold the same beliefs on so many issues including this one.  It seemed likely at that time that the government of Malaysia would be so embarrassed by the world reaction to this ban that the case would be dropped.  It is difficult to believe they do not understand: “And dispute not with the People of the Book but say “We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and that which came down to you…our God [Allah] and your God [Allah] is One, and it is to Him we bow” (Qur’an, al-Ankabut, 29:46)
The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) says it supports the Catholic Church’s fight to overturn a government ban on the use of the term ‘Allah’ to describe God in Christian texts.  “I personally believe and PAS as well believe the way forward for a mutually respecting religious relationship, especially in a plural, multi-racial and multicultural society like Malaysia, is not to deny the right of others to use the name of Allah,” Zulfikar Ahmad, a PAS official, said. 
The Malaysia High Court is to issue a final ruling on this Christian ‘Allah’ Case on December 30th.  The government of Malaysia needs to hear from as many American Muslims as possible to let them know that there is no justification for such a ban.  Please send them an email.
Embassy of Malaysia, Washington, D.C.  malwashdc@kln.gov.my 
Malaysian Consulate, NYC malnycg@kln.gov.my
Malaysian Consulate, LA mwla@pacbell.net 
Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the U.N. malnyun@kln.gov.my
UPDATE 12/31/2009
According to the Wall Street Journal the Malaysian high court has struck down the ban.  “The court overturned a three-year-old government ban that prevented the Catholic Church from using the term Allah as a translation for God in its local-language publications. The Arabic word has been used by various faiths in this predominantly Muslim nation for centuries, and the Church argues that it is the only suitable translation for God in the Malay language.”
UPDATE 1/3/2010
According to the Wall Street Journal this battle isn’t over yet.  “Government spokesman Tengku Sharifuddin Tengku Ahmad said Sunday the government will file an appeal against the ruling. Among other things, the verdict potentially upholds the constitutional right of the Church’s Herald newspaper to refer to Jesus Christ as the son of Allah—something that might inflame many Muslims here and set back Prime Minister Najib Razak’s efforts to bring Malaysia’s different religious groups closer together.”

UPDATE 1/5/2010
ISNA has now issued a statement on this issue:

ISNA Commends Malaysian Court Ruling that Affirms Religious Freedom of Christians
(Plainfield, IN – January 4, 2010) The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) commends the landmark ruling by a Malaysian Court on December 31, 2009, that affirms the religious freedom of Malaysian Christians. The ruling asserts that Christians have the right to use the word “Allah” to translate “God” into Bahasa Melayu, the Malaysian language. It strikes down a government ban that was placed in 2007 on the use of the term in Christian literature.
The opponents of the use of the word Allah in reference to God have argued that the term “God” is usually translated by Malaysians who follow faiths other than Islam as “Tuhan” in Bahasa Melayu, not “Allah.” They insist that “Allah” should only be used to refer to God in Islam. This argument is contrary to both Islamic understanding and practice.
The Qur’an is quite explicit that Muslims worship the same God recognized by Christians. The Qur’an commands Muslims to declare that the God they worship and the one worshiped by the followers of revealed books, including Christians, is one:  “… and say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him do we submit.” (Qur’an 29:46)
With regards to actual and historical practices, Christian Arabs have been using the word “Allah” to refer to God in their religious sources since the inception of Islam, and have never been challenged by private Muslims or Muslim governments on this ground. Islamic law is clear that followers of the Christian faith have the right to practice their religion according to their own religious teachings.
We call on the Malaysian government to uphold the religious freedom of Christians and to let the court ruling stand. We also urge Muslim NGOs to respect Islamic teachings and long-held Islamic traditions, and to withdraw their opposition to the use of the word “Allah” by their Christian compatriots.

UPDATE January 9, 2010
It is tragic that this story only gets worse.  According to the AFP:  “Two Malaysian churches have been attacked, leaving one badly damaged, in an escalating dispute over the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims.  ...  The ground floor of the three-storey Metro Tabernacle church, part of the Assemblies of God movement, was destroyed in the attack.  ...  Several hours later, the Catholic Church of the Assumption in Kuala Lumpur’s southwest was targeted, parish priest Philip Muthu said.”  Reuters is now reporting that four churches have been attacked.  The PAS Islamic Party has condemned the attacks.  I pray that they go beyond just condemning, and that the perpetrators of these crimes are prosecuted, hat Muslims help the victims to rebuild, and that the Muslim leadership in Malaysia works hard to educate people on the meaning of Allah, and of Islam.  If there are Muslims in Malaysia who do understand Islam, they should be protecting every church in the country.  Such actions are crimes against fellow human beings, against fellow citizens, and against Islam.  This is hirabah and terrorism.
UPDATE January 10, 2010
It has now been reported that “Eight churches have been attacked over three days amid a dispute over the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims, sparking fresh political instability that is denting Malaysia’s image as a moderate and stable Muslim-majority nation.”
UPDATE January 11, 2010
Anwar Ibrahim has issued a Statement on Malaysian Church Bombings http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/statement_on_malaysian_church_bombings/0017840
Marina binti Mahathir, who is the daughter and eldest child of the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Mahathir Mohammad, has a petition, hosted by http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Msia0801/, that now has more than 600 signatures.  (Note:  only Malaysian citizens can sign.) 
UPDATE January 12, 2010
There are now nine churches that have been attacked http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/asia/12malaysia.html
CAIR Establishes Spirit of Islam Fund to Help Rebuild Malaysian Churches http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/cair_establishes_spirit_of_islam_fund_to_help_rebuild_malaysian_churches/0017843 

— IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:
Demonstrate your desire to reclaim Islamic values and to promote the true spirit of Islam by protecting all houses of worship.
Go to http://www.cair.com to donate securely to the “CAIR Spirit of Islam Fund.” One hundred percent of the donations will be turned over to the Malaysian embassy for use in repairing the churches.
Checks may be made payable to “CAIR” and mailed to:  CAIR Spirit of Islam Fund, 453 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20003
(Put “Spirit of Islam Fund” in the memo area of the check.)

UPDATE January 14, 2009
Muslim groups in Malaysia are offering their help to prevent any further attacks on Christian places of worship amid a spree of attacks on churches in the multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority Asian country, The Star reported on Sunday, January 10.  http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1262372217702&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout#ixzz0cbJeDsYZ
SEE ALSO:
The Allah-God controversy in Malaysia, Eric Munir Winkel http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the_allah_god_controversy_in_malaysia/
CAIR Establishes Spirit of Islam Fund to Help Rebuild Malaysian Churches http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/cair_establishes_spirit_of_islam_fund_to_help_rebuild_malaysian_churches/0017843
Can Allah Be Monopolised By Any Community?, Asghar Ali Engineer http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/can_allah_be_monopolised_by_any_community/0017853 
Church Bombings in Malaysia:  The Politics Behind the Dilemma, Dr. Robert D. Crane http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/church_bombings_in_malaysia_the_politics_behind_the_dilemma/0017842
Combating Muslim Intolerance, John L. Esposito http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/combating-muslim-intolera_b_417319.html
Malaysia, Allah, and God, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/malaysia_allah_and_god/
Malaysia, Allah, and God, Part II, Dr. Robert D. Crane http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/malaysia_allah_and_god_part_ii/
Malaysia Catholics allowed to call God ‘Allah’ again. Why the fuss?  http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/0104/Malaysia-Catholics-allowed-to-call-God-Allah-again.-Why-the-fuss 
Malaysia: Government Appeals Ruling on ‘Allah’ Use http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/world/asia/05briefs-Malaysia.html
North American Muslims Determined to Counter Violence and Terrorism, Sheila Musaji http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/north_american_muslims_determined_to_counter_violence_and_terrorism/0017836 
Protecting Houses of Worship a Duty for Muslims, Sheila Musaji http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/protecting_houses_of_worship_a_duty_for_muslims/0017844
Statement on Malaysian Church Bombings, Anwar Ibrahim http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/statement_on_malaysian_church_bombings/0017840
Zaid calls for inter-faith council in wake of church attacks http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/49169-zaid-calls-for-inter-faith-council-in-wake-of-church-attacks-
Our Responses to Extremism Section has the following listing on incidents in Malaysia: — Malaysian judge ordering Christian paper to stop referring to God as Allah - [1] (Ali Eteraz) - [2] (Farish A. Noor), [3][4] (Eric Winkel), [5] (Dr. Robert Crane)  — Malaysian Bible confiscation incident [1]1] (Farish A. Noor). — Malaysian fatwa against Yoga [1],  [2] (Farish Noor).  — Malaysian sentencing of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor to a fine and lashes for drinking beer [1] (Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf), [ 2] (Farish Noor) 3] (Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf) — Malaysian church bombings 1 (Anwar Ibrahim)  — Malaysian Muslim ‘cow head’ demonstration against Hindu Temple [1] condemned by Malaysian lawmakers,  [2] 
  (Sheila Musaji), (Farish A. Noor). — Malaysian decision to enforce Shariah punishments on non-Muslims also who are involved with mixing of the sexes with Muslims

BN Stupidity Showing!!!!!!

I could not believe my eyes when I read the headlines  in"the Star of December 12.

"Doc's on hold."

I just can't believe that our Government is so stupid as to impose a, "moratorium of medical programmes as an immediate measure to prevent the glut of housemen from becoming worse" as reported in the Star of 12 December.

"A moratorium of medical programmes" and one wonders what this moratorium of medical programmes covers besides the introduction of more places of study to encourage Malaysians from studying medicine.

In the first place every student going abroad to study medicine is registered with the  Ministry of Education, and this means the government is always updated on the statistics of the number of students going abroad to study in medical schools, and when these students would be available in Malaysia.

With this data available year in year out how come we are faced with this "problem?"

If this data is only for the education ministries purposes, then what is it for, to monitor the number of doctors by race? As is the priority of this government for almost anything.

This glut is not a problem but rather a blessing where the ratio of doctors to population stands at approximately 1400, and this is worse then Cuba of course which is amongst the highest  in the world, with a  ratio of 170 persons to 1 doctor, South Korea with a ratio of one doctor to 300 people, Mongolia with a ratio of 380 people to 1 doctor, Turkmenistan 240, Ukraine 240, Lithuania 250, China with the world's largest population at 950, North Korea 650, and here we with about 1400 people to a doctor looking at what we call a 'Glut of housemen" as a problem.

In all developed countries the ratio is one in 450 at the very least, and here we are about three hundred percent below the mark, with about 9 years to go to catch up  just to "save face" as 2020 is fast a approaching and now the government goes to put the brakes and calls for a "moratorium?"

This so called "glut" is the result of cronyism, nepotism, and corruption, nothing more, nothing less, take a look at the building of the Shah Alam Hospital, the deal with our submarines, the Port Klang Fiasco, the billions down the drain could have been used for better purposes and what better purposes, then hospitals and other essential institutions  adequately manned.

How many "deserving doctors" have we sent overseas to train as specialist? I am not saying we have not sent enough, I do not think we are in the position to send too many either with our doctor to patient ratio being so high, 1:1400, there just aren't enough doctors locally for us to send to many overseas. The money spent to send a man to space could have been better utilized here.

Our high and mighty are not aware of this problem, when they land in government hospitals, the doctors are put at their beck and call, and other patients do not matter, they come first, and even then there are others who feel it is better to be treated in Singapore, they do not have the trust of our own medical institutions.

Put on your thinking caps, there  are countries with good doctors, specialists I mean who will be ever willing to come over and help, bring them here on special contracts, to tide over the present "problem"  or rather blessing, sot that our housemen can have easy access to good medical training on the job.

How about cutting our defense budget by a few billion to send our housemen abroad to do their horsemanship, there are countries that may have them, this will help us tide over the problem rather then go for this outlandish though of a  "moratorium," when the country is in dire need for doctors.

This situation is a failure on the part of this government, the problem has manifested itself elsewhere too, you have huge housing projects then you do not have enough water to supply those areas with because the various bodies in the government do not share information. There is the case of Tenaga, and a Water works digging roads after they are newly built becuase of lack of coordination, now it is here. it is compulsory for stdents going abroad to register themselves with the Ministry of Eduction,a nd the Ministry of health and the government as a whole being caught with its pants down, it's a shame, it's disgustful when we have so many young men and women who have responded to one of the greatest needs of the nation now being looked upon as a problem.

It is acts like this that make them shy away from the profession, go to the hospitals, see the hours they spend there as houseman, some do a complete 24 hour shift, I have been to the hospital, I stayed there looking after my brother and I have seen it so do not tell me this is not true and now these young people have become a problem.

The problem is the ministry, go take a look at the trainee nurses that come there for training from institutions the ministry has sanctioned, and see their quality, they are a problem, they are no help to the resident staff nurses, in fact they are a bigger problem there. the Minsitry of health has failed, Malaysians die needlessly due to lack of adequate health care, patients are falling like flies because there are'nt enough doctors, go to the hospitals and see the situation, doctors are overworked, nurses are overworked, and yet we are being told there is a glut, and the government is imposing a five year mortorium, what nonsense.

This so called moratorium will turn the clock back, it will result in less doctors in a nation that has records a very high  population growth in the world and it will only worsen the doctor to population ratio in this country.

This is the Barisan National's way of running our country.