Bukit Gelugor By Election - DAP Candidate Ramkarpal racing against dad in bid for record win

Saturday, 24th May 2014
Kuantan, Pahang


Ramkarpal the late Karpal Singh third son is expected to win Bukit Gelugor by-election but the big  question is whether he can win with bigger majority compare to his late father. Let's all wait for the result which is going to be known tomorrow, Sunday, 25th May 2014.

Since he was nominated on May 12 until today, DAP Bukit Gelugor candidate Ramkarpal Singh Deo’s daily schedule has been packed with programmes from dawn till long past midnight.

Today, the last day of campaigning before voters head to cast their ballots tomorrow, was no exception.

Despite the mega ceramah at Han Chiang High that went on well past the witching hour, the 38-year-old was up at the crack of dawn today to begin his final round of markets visits — popular haunts on the weekend — to meet and greet his potential future constituents.

“From Day One, I’ve not had a moment of rest due to the back-to-back programmes,” the lawyer told The Malay Mail Online during a rare break on his marathon campaign trail at the DAP Bukit Gelugor operations centre here.

The third son of the late Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh was kept on a fast-paced punishing schedule to make his presence felt almost everywhere. It worked. He was warmly received at all the events he attended.

Most of the constituents acted familiar with the political greenhorn, albeit as “Karpal’s son”.

Wherever he went, crowds flocked, curious and eager for an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the man who would inherit the mantle of the Tiger of Jelutong, as Karpal was known for decades.

Ramkarpal was frequently stopped on his walkabout with requests for group photos. Some even asked for his autograph on the DAP Bukit Gelugor pamphlets that were being handed.

In the absence of contest from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the Bukit Gelugor race, Ramkarpal believed he is likely to take the MP’s hat but played down his confidence, voicing his biggest fear that the number of voters may not be as many of the turnout in last year’s general election.

“Voters turnout is really a major concern as some, who are outstation, may not even come back to vote. We need to reach out to as many voters as possible to get them to come out to vote,” Ramkarpal said.

The Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat, covering three state constituencies of Paya Terubong, Air Itam and Seri Delima, was triggered by Karpal’s sudden demise after a car crash last month.

The constituency, with 82,431 registered voters, is a DAP stronghold after Karpal wrested it from MCA in 2004. He had retained the seat in the last two general elections with bigger vote majorities each time, garnering 42,706 vote majority last year.

Certain of retaining the seat when MCA has bowed out from contesting in the by-election, DAP’s campaign had initially focused on securing an even bigger majority while introducing Ramkarpal as a capable lawyer who happens to be Karpal’s son.

By the second week, the party realised that many constituents, especially those in the low income group areas of Air Itam and Paya Terubong, were not aware that they are within the Bukit Gelugor constituency.

The party had started sending out postcards to all registered voters with information of their voting centres to encourage them to come out to vote.

At the DAP ceramah, held mostly twice a night at two different locations within residential areas, the party had been constantly reminding registered voters to turn up at the polling centres and cast their ballot tomorrow.

Karpal had garnered a total 56,303 votes last year while MCA’s Teh Beng Yeam got 13,597 votes.

The only real hurdle that may trip the party in its quest to secure a rousing victory would be the low numbers that often plague by-elections compared to a general elections.

The voters turnout last general election was 86.3 per cent, one of the highest in the country.

Ramkarpal is facing a four-corner fight against Parti Cinta Malaysia’s Datuk Huan Cheng Guan and independent candidates Mohd Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar and Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan.

Let's All pray to god  for DAP to retain this parliamentary seat with bigger majority!

Mupok Aku


 

Penduduk Rumah Panjang Di Kapit Di Tipu Masuk Islam Oleh Sekumpulan Ustaz dan Ustazah

Tuesday, 20th May 2014

Kuantan, Pahang

Penduduk Malaysia yang beragama Kristian hendaklah menubuhkan satu pertubuhan yang dapat melindungi penduduk Malaysia terutamanya penduduk di kawasan pendalaman Sabah dan Sarawak daripada ditipu oleh NGO Muslim yang mengambil kesempatan di atas kelemahan golongan ini untuk ditipu dan masuk agama Islam. Kes terbaru yang berlaku kepada penduduk sebuah rumah panjang yang terletak di pedalaman Kapit hendaklah dijadikan ikhtibar.

Gambar Hiasan " Islamisasi di London".

Seperti yang dilaporkan di dalam Utusan Sarawak hari ini, pada bulan November 2013, sekumpulan ustaz dan ustazah seramai 20 orang datang ke rumah panjang Along Anak Asong di Nanga Majau, Sungai Mujong yang mempunyai 18 buah rumah yang terdiri daripada lebih kurang 150 penduduk. Menurut Tuai Rumah Asong, sekumpulan ustaz dan ustazah berkenaan yang berasal daripada Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching dan Kapit  datang ke rumah mereka serta memujuk mereka untuk masuk agama Islam.Setelah dpujuk masuk Islam, anggota rumah panjang merasa menyesal di atas perbuatan mereka.

“Kami diminta masuk Agama Islam pada  24 November 2013 apabila seramai 20 Ustaz dan Ustazah dari Johor ,Kuala Lumpur, Kuching serta Kapit melawat ke rumah panjang kami.

“Masa itu mereka berjanji untuk memberi wang RM RM100, barang-barang makanan serta pakaian kalau kami masuk agama Islam. Kumpulan tersebut telah meminta nombor kad pengenalan penduduk-penduduk. Kumpualan tersebut juga turut memaklumkan bahawa setelah masuk Islam mereka tidak perlu mengubah cara hidup serta mereka juga tidak menghalang penduduk dari makan babi ” kata Tuai Rumah Along.

“Selesai tugas pengislaman orang-orang rumah panjang saya, kumpulan berkenaan meninggalkan rumah panjang kami pada 25 November 2013, dan semenjak daripada tarikh berkenaan mereka tidak pernah melawat kami. Oleh yang demikian kami menyedari telah melakukan kesalahan terutamanya setelah disedarkan oleh penduduk yang pulang daripada bandar yang memaklumkan bahawa kami telah melakukan kesilapan kerana masuk Islam.

Kumpulan 20 orang Ustaz enggau Ustazah yang terlibat di dalam proses pengislaman tersebut terdiri daripada Haji Mohd Chathazaman, Ustaz Osman Bujang, Haji Abdul Rahman, Hussein Mustaffa, Idris Ahmad,  Sulaiman,  Ahmad Zaki,  Nazan Wahad,  Wan Raifizan, Ivurul Safiyna, Johari Bujang, Awang Syamal, Syamal, Norehan, Dayang Norejaing, Samsuddin, Ezamuddin, Latiffah enggau Ismail Ibrahim.

“Bermula daripada hari itu, kami termasuk diri saya serta JKK berasa tidak senang hati dan selalu mencuba untuk berjumpa dengan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing supaya dapat memberikan nasihat kepada kami. Kami juga ada mendapatkan nasihat daripada PRS Kapit berkenaan dengan perkara tersebut, ” kata Tuai Rumah Along

Menteri Pembangunan Tanah , Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing apabila diminta mengulas berkenaan dengan masalah yang dihadapi Tuai Rumah Along dan anak buahnya turut menasihati anak-anak buahnya serta lain-lain yang penduduk rumah panjang bahawa di Malaysia kita bebas mengamalkan agama tetapi apabila kita telah masuk Islam amat susah hendak berpatah balik. Oleh yang demikian sekiranya didatangi oleh kumpulan-kumpulan yang macam ini kita hendaklah lebih berhati-hati. Kali ini ia berlaku kepada Rumah Along, besok lusa ianya mungkin menimpa lain-lain kampong, kata Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing 

Saya secara peribadi amat bersetuju dengan pendapat Dr James Jemut Masing, di samping itu turut mencadangkan agar satu pertubuhan untuk melindungi penduduk dayak daripada proses Islamisasi yang dikebelakangan ini turut menjadikan penduduk yang tinggal di pedalaman sebagai sasaran. Saya juga ingin mencadangkan agar pertubuhan ini nanti turut mendidik serta menyediakan pesarana untuk bersembahyang seperti gereja serta kelas-kelas Hari Ahad (Sunday School) kepada anak-anak di kawasan pedalaman Sarawak. Pemimpin Iban-Dayak hendaklah berkempen untuk meninggikan taraf agama di kalangan penduduk yang beragama Kristian.

Sekali lagi saya ingin menyeru kepada penganut Kristian di Sarawak agar dapat menghindarkan penyebaran agama Islam di kalangan penduduk Iban-Dayak terutamanya yang tinggal di pedalaman. Perlu diingatkan bahawa musuh utama orang Kristian adalah Islamisasi, kerana Islamisasi akan mengubah hubungan sosial dan politik orang-orang Iban-Dayak.

Mupok Aku

 

Program Anak Angkat By NGO from Peninsular In Sarawak Schools Suspends

Thursday, 15th May 2014
 KUANTAN

Semenanjung NGO tries To Convert Christian Students In Sarawak

Sarawak's education department today suspended the controversial "Anak Angkat" (adoption) programme in schools in the state following protests from parents that the event was a covert attempt to convert Christian students to Islam.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman (pic), who ordered the suspension of the programme, however, said the entire issue was a misunderstanding.

He said it was a sanctioned motivational programme funded by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, aimed at students from poor families.

He said the programme was run by an NGO called the Organisation of Graduates and Educational Institutions Malaysia, or better known as Haluan, which is based in Bangi, Selangor.

Daud said all religious elements in the future module of the programme would be removed.

“There was no intention to convert non-Muslims to Islam in the programme,” Daud said.

Yesterday, Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing highlighted this issue after parents of students in SMK Balai Ringin complained about the programme.

The parents told Masing the programme, first held at SMK Serian, a school about 60km from Kuching, was attended by about 50 mostly non-Muslim students on March 8.

The second was held at SMK Balai Ringin, a school about 6km from SMK Serian, last Saturday but the number of students who attended was only 21.

The whole programme was supposed to be run for 10 weeks on every Saturdays.

Students told their parents two teachers picked who should attend the programme and said it was a co-curriculum activity, but added they were asked questions on Islam.

They also pointed out that the programme facilitators were all Muslims and the talks had religious elements.

Daud said the suspension would allow the education department to review the module of the programme to remove all suspicions about it being a covert religious conversion programme.

“What happened in SMK Balai Ringin is a very regrettable affair. Even though the intention of the motivational programme was good, it was misunderstood by the students and their parents,” Daud said.

He said if it is found that there was an attempt by the NGO, Haluan, to use the programme to convert students in Sarawak schools, action would be taken against them.

“We believe that conversion is up to the individual. Any attempt to covertly convert non-Muslims to Muslims is not right.”

Daud made it clear that it was the policy of the state that Islamic religious agencies in Sarawak would never become involved in attempts to convert non-Muslims into Islam.

He also said to preserve the harmony and religious tolerance in the state, the Sarawak Majlis Islam kept tabs on all “dakwah” (missionary) activities in the state.

“Any missionary group coming into the state would be vetted and their programmes scrutinised.”

He said those that do attempt to break the state's "no-forced conversion" policy would be deported.

Haluan started its programme in 2009 with the aim to motivate poor students to perform better academically. 

Mupok Aku


 

Mawan Ikom , Wong Soon Koh and The Gangs Form-Up TERAS

Thursday, 15th May 2014
Kuantan , Pahang

Dayak Political Crisis

TERAS Members Line up!

Tan Sri William Mawan and Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh led eight other state Barisan Nasional 

(BN) lawmakers to quit their respective parties to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) . Among the members are four from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) namely Datuk Peter Nansian, Datuk Sylvester Entri, Paulus Palu Gumbang, Rosey Yunus and Baram MP Anyi Ngau.

Mawan said the door was still open to other interested representatives including Anthony Nogeh and Wong Judat. He stressed, however, there was no room for SPDP deputy president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. Mawan surprised the room when he announced Teras was also working to accommodate three Parti Keadilan Rakyat representatives if they were interested in joining the political entity.

From Sarawak United Peoples Party, Soon Koh is joined by Dr Johnical Rayong, Dr Jerip Susil and Ranum Mina. A surprise inclusion is Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong of Sarawak Workers Party (SWP). Nansian mentioned that Teras would soon submit its application to join BN. The party will also start working on its new protem committee lineup.

With this new lineup, Teras has two ministers and four assistant ministers.

Hope this is not another  "Dayak Political Destruction"