PKR Sarawak Stands On Usage Of Word Allah By Catholic Herald

KUCHING
Malaysian Mirror (Joseph Tawi)
3rd January 2010

Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian has cautioned Sarawakians not to take religious freedom for granted as it must be nurtured and protected for it to flourish.

Speaking at a Christmas and a New Year gathering at the Blind Centre here today, he said: “This is because certain people in authority and power still impose hindrances on others by banning the use of certain terminologies and even to the extent of classifying the ‘Alkitab’ as a document prejudicial to national security under Section 22 of the Internal Security Act, which clearly amounts to an infringement of this constitutional right.

“But thank God, we do still have some right thinking people in Malaysia especially in the judiciary who are courageous and bold enough to uphold the provisions of the Federal Constitution”, Baru said.

“The recent judgment granted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to the Catholic Church by ruling that the Home Ministry’s blanket ban on the use of word ‘Allah’ is illegal is a landmark case for Malaysia.”

High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan, in her recent judgment, stated that the home minister’s order was “illegal, null and void”, adding that the ministry also failed to substantiate any of its claims of threats to national security, which could be caused by the use of the word “Allah” by the Herald.

“We welcome this judgment as a belated Christmas present not only to the Roman Catholic Church but to all peace loving Malaysians who believe in the principles of Rule of the Law and the sanctity and the supremacy of the Federal Constitution...Baru Bian, PKR Sarawak.

Consistent with Pakatan Rakyat's stand

“This judgment is also consistent with Pakatan Rakyat’s stand on this issue. Our leader Anwar Ibrahim at our convention in Kuching on Dec 13 publicly stated in no uncertain term that non-Muslims can use the word ‘Allah’. So did Tok Guru Nik Aziz, the respected PAS spiritual adviser. months earlier,” he said.

Baru declared that there “is no place for religious extremists and religious bigots in this country, as we are a nation of varied religious beliefs and practices.”

He said religious celebrations of all faiths had always been celebrated and respected by all Malaysians before and after independence and the formation of Malaysia.

“This is because religious freedom has been guaranteed as enshrined under Article 11 of our Federal Constitution. For Sabah and Sarawak, the historical Cobbold Commission Report clearly recorded that ‘freedom to profess, practice and propagate any religion’ should be guaranteed.

“Further it was recorded that ‘Sarawak should be a secular state’. This is the reason I believe that today Sarawak remains as such without any official state religion.

“But religious freedom today cannot be taken for granted,” Baru stressed.

Attending the function organised by PKR were residents of the centre, their parents, relatives and officials from the Society for the Blind, Cheshire Home, Salvation Army and the Society for the Deaf and Dumb.

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Ex-PBDS Strongman Tajem helps out PKR

Monday, 27th October 2009.

Reported by : Joseph Tawie, Malaysian Mirror

DDT - The Legend

KUCHING – Veteran Iban leader Daniel Tajem is not even a PKR member but he has accepted an appointment to sit in the PKR national integration council to help improve East-West Malaysia ties.

A former president of the defunct PBDS, Tajem who is now partyless said “that makes me free to accept any appointment and attend any function organized by any party if I want to. I'm a free man”.

Contacted by the Malaysian Mirror today, Tajem said he has agreed to sit in the council, asking “why not, if my services are required to help improve ties between the East Malaysian states and the peninsula”.

He added that PKR’s objectives and his are similar in many ways.

Expose Taib's land-grabbing policy

“As long as Abdul Taib Mahmud’s (Sarawak chief minister) policy of extremism especially with regard to the grabbing of NCR land and selling them to cronies and plantation companies, I will find some ways to help expose such a policy.

“PKR is one of them, although I hope it could be the Malaysian Dayak Congress but sadly, MDC cannot be registered by the authorities following strong objections from state leaders”, he said.

This government’s policy is a process of disempowerment of the natives by taking away their basic asset - land - in order to reduce them to a situation where they would be forever depending on them, he said.

The appointment of Tajem, 74, to the PKR national integration council was revealed by a news online portal as one of six personalities appointed to the council whose aim is to help improve ties between the peninsula and the East Malaysian states.

Sabahan’s Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has been named the coordinator. The other members are PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali and former Gerakan stalwart Dr Toh Kin Woon, both representing the peninsula, Tajem and former state minister Hafsah Harun from Sarawak and another Sabahan.

Tajem has described his appointment as very challenging, adding that he would give his best input to the council.

Lately, Tajem has been very busy on the political front; having lunch with PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and having tea on the same day with a PKR leader, Zaid Ibrahim. Later he addressed a gathering organised by PKR.

All these activities have prompted his supporters especially those who have remained partyless following the de-registration of PBDS in October 2004 that Tajem might return to the political scene.

Colourful political career

The veteran Iban leader has a colourful political career having served 23 years as state assemblyman and nine years as MP. He had also served as Sarawak deputy chief minister but chose to take part in the infamous Ming Court revolt against Taib in 1987. When the coup failed, Tajem retreated into the political wilderness. But CM Taib has been 'sored' with him ever since..

In 1996 he was appointed as High Commissioner to New Zealand and returned to Kuching in 2000 to defend his deputy president’s post in the PBDS party election.

In 2003, he was challenged by Dr James Masing for the top post of the party. Masing’s challenge caused a leadership crisis in the party that led to PBDS’ deregistration in October 2004.

Masing went on to form Parti Rakyat Sarawak that same year but Tajem has been partyless ever since.

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Memo From Lina Soo To PKR Leaders In Response To Ibi Uding Complaint

To Ibi....Please change your mindset, in and out!..As we want Change and Change We must!

The main reason why we chosed PKR rather than BN was because we want change. The defination of change is broaden. It does not mean changing the government alone but it also means changing the way how the party should operated. In BN , the minority must respect the majority even to the extend of sacrificing the basic need of such community, and the subordinate must follow whatever being said by the superior..to the extend neglecting the development of such community. In PKR, we should operate in a different way...We fight for everyone regardless of their races or religions. In order to fulfill this, everyone must be ready for any criticism.

Ibi Uding should take the comment positively. This is PKR.....We Want Change and Change we Must!

Below is a Memo from Lina Soo, denying the claim made by Ibi Uding regarding the publication of  some detrimental postings about PKR in http://www.linasoo.com/  which according to Ibi own by Lina Soo.

MEMO

To : Pengerusi Perhubungan Negeri

Cc : Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah bin Ismail, Party President

Yang Berhormat Dominique Ng

Datuk Hafsah Harun

Datuk Michael Bong

Saudara Wan Zainal Wan Sanusi

Saudara Jimmy Donald

Saudara Dr Michael Teo

Saudara Granda Aing

Setiausaha Perhubungan Negeri

Setiausaha Wanita

Puan Ibi Uding

Ketua-Ketua Cabang dan Ranting (via email)

Date : 21st October 2009

Subject : Publication of Offensive Content On The Internet  Against Parti Keadilan Rakyat

________________________________________________________________

I am writing this letter in response to an alleged complaint by Puan Ibi Uding that I have been publishing content detrimental to PKR at www.linasoo.com which I am told, she claims is owned by me.

I wish to clarify that I am NOT the legal owner of www.linasoo.com. Even though the website carries the same name as mine, I wish to reiterate that I have nothing whatsoever to do with it. For your information there are three other citizens who possess the same name in spelling, but not IC number, on their identity cards - one from Ipoh, one from Sarikei and also one other person from Kuching. I have also lodged a police report at Batu Kawa Police Station on 25 July 2009 ref: BT Kawa/002336/09 to put on record that I disclaim all responsibilities for any words or images published on www.linasoo.com

In Malaysia, we are protected by Section 211 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 which states that no content service provider, or other person using a content application service shall provide content which is indecent, obscene, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person. The offender is liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both, and a further fine of RM1,000 for each day during which the offence is continued after conviction.

The ownership of a website can be verified by visiting www.whois.net which records the name of the registrant, address and contact details of the owner. Only the owner of the website has access to, and control over the domain name with a unique password known only to the registrant owner. (Hence, I have no control over someone else' property in cyberspace).

No blogger or PKR party member, in his or her right mind would publish anything offensive to PKR, party members and leaders using his or her own real name. This could be, the work of mischievous blogger(s) to create hostility and enmity amongst PKR party members, and we should be intelligent enough not to fall for it so easily. Having said that, suffice to say that me and my friends do not care to visit www.linasoo.com to know what is posted up there.

Frame-ups, trumped-up charges and miscarriage of justice have been the mainstay for the cause of our party struggle. Even top party leaders have not been spared.

I would advise Puan Ibi Uding to take the following steps:

1. Check the registration data on www.whois.net which gives the name

of owner, address and telephone contact

2. Make a police report of her grievances against the perpetrator

3. Lodge a complaint to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for investigation.

In fact I insist, Puan Ibi as responsible party leader, undertake the correct procedure to find out the truth.

Incidentally I am pleased to invite party members to visit my blog www.linasoosarawak.com, registered and truly owned by me.

Please do not to hesitate to contact me at 013-8164219 for further clarification if necessary.

Lastly, the wise leadership of our party leaders is sought in viewing this matter.

Thank you.

Lina Soo

PKR Party Member (Ranting N13 Batu Kawa)

 
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YB Dominique Ng and Not Baru Bian Should Head PKR Sarawak!

Thursday,22nd October 2009.

"Baru Bian as Sarawak PKR Chief. Will he Get the Support from the Iban ? Is he more qualify than Dominique Ng"

Joseph Tawie of the Broken Shield reported in Malaysian Mirror this morning that a reliable source has said that Baru Bian a prominent native customary rights (NCR) land lawyer will be appointed as head of Sarawak PKR. According to Joseph, the official announcement from PKR on the appointment will be made on Sunday after a supreme council meeting of the party. Baru is also a council member .

Baru is from the Lum Bawan tribe a minority native which lives in the northern part of the State. Baru appointment will close the issue of state PKR being controlled by the outsiders or Peninsular Malaysia. But whether his appointment can strengthen the party will be another issue in which PKR Sarawak has to look carefully into. PKR Sarawak cannot become a strong party without the support of the Iban. Iban is a majority group in Sarawak and counts about 27% of Sarawak total population. But since the deregisteration of PBDS, without Datuk Daniel Tajem and Leo Monggie, Iban seem to be exhausted of  a charasmatic leader that can unite the Iban.

According to Joseph Tawie,  Baru’s appointment is hope to bring more professionals and the hardcore members of the deregistered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) who have remained partyless to join the party. But personally I felt that PKR is making a wrong move if it decided to appoint Baru  as it head in Sarawak. The move will  distablised the party. Iban will split into two, one remains with PKR whereas another group will follow Gabriel Adit.

The most qualified person to lead PKR Sarawak is YB Dominique Ng. The person who was responsible to bring PKR to Sarawak and the only PKR assemblyman in DUN Sarawak.

Therefore if PKR want to be remained stronger, someone not from the dayak community should be appointed. At this moment  and until the calibre and charasmatic Iban leader has been groomed to lead the party, Dominique Ng the only PKR State Assemblyman in Sarawak, should be appointed as its head in Sarawak.

PKR must think carefully before making any  decision on whom it would like to choose to lead  it sarawak branch as failure to do so, can cause a grave damage to the party in Sarawak.

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