They were trying to recruit SUICIDE BOMBERS - IGP on arrest of 11 suspected militants

The 11 individuals recently arrested for suspected involvement in militant activities were allegedly trying to recruit Malaysians to become suicide bombers overseas, the nation’s top cop claimed today.

“If they want to go (become militants), go, but do not threaten the safety of the country,” inspector-general or police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar said during a press conference this afternoon.
"Don’t recruit our young as suicide bombers.

“If they (recruiters) want a sacrifice, they can sacrifice themselves,” he said.

Khalid said police detained the individuals as their activities "threatened the security of the nation and people".

Asked for details of the said threat, Khalid declined to comment, stating that the matter was under police investigation.

"When there are such elements (of threats to the nation), we will act.

"They use all kinds of methods. There is no need for me to go into details because this is still under investigation," he said.

Khalid advised youths not to be influenced by such attempts by similar groups to recruit them.

Up to yesterday, police have detained a total of 11 suspected militants under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said police are still hunting for more suspects who are believed to be linked to the recruitment for militant activities.

'Kidnapped duo still safe'

On a separate matter, Khalid said police are working closely with China and the Philippines to ensure the safety of their citizens who were kidnapped from Semporna.

A Chinese tourist and a Filipino worker were snatched by gunmen on boats from Singamata
Adventures and Reef Resort, off the coast of Semporna on April 2 and were believed to have been taken back to Southern Philippines.

"The latest development I received from our Filipino counterparts is that the victims are safe and we are doing our best to ensure they continue remaining safe," he said.-Mkini

Source: Malaysia-chronicle.com
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Sabah NGOs urge ban on Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali

Jambun (centre) with members of the three NGOs after they lodged separate police reports against Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali.

 
KOTA KINABALU: Three Sabah NGOs have strongly urged the state government and the relevant authorities to ban Perkasa president, Ibrahim Ali, from entering the state in view of the latter’s extreme remarks in the country which borders on racism.

The three NGOs, namely, Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPIM), Kelab Sosial dan Rekreasi Bundu Tuhan Ranau and Kelab Sosial dan Rekreasi Kampung Kaung Kota Belud, have each lodged separate police reports at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing, here at 10 am yesterday.

Speaking to reporters after lodging the police report, BoPIM president, Daniel John Jambun, said the three NGOs want the relevant authorities to bar and blacklist Perkasa president, Ibrahim Ali, their members and members of Pekida and ISMA in Malaysia from entering Sabah.

“We want the authority to bar Ibrahim Ali from entering the state as we are not interested in his philosophy which can lead to racial incitement. We believe that he (Ibrahim Ali) is trying to divide the people of Sabah, which have been living peacefully without any racial or religion tension for so many years,” he said.

Ibrahim has caused tension in the country for his comments and remarks on the Allah issue when he suggested that all native language bibles with the word ‘Allah’ should be seized and burned.

According to Jambun, Umno has since outsourced its racist ketuanan Melayu/ketuanan Islam agenda to Bible-burners Perkasa, Pekida, ISMA and other Muslim NGOs in Malaysia.

“Putrajaya has even gone on public record and admitted that it has funded Perkasa activities. These NGOs have since expanded to Sabah and Sarawak under the guise of the so-called Bumiputera Agenda.

“The Bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak are Orang Asal. That is in the Constitution. Except for the Orang Asli, the same cannot be said of others in Malaysia who claim to be Bumiputra. This must be a world first where those who are clearly not Orang Asal in Malaysia claiming to be Bumiputra.

“We are not concerned with the politics in Malaya but what we are concerned is that Malaya politicians do not export their racial polarization to the two Borneo Nations in the Federation.

“This means that it is incumbent upon the Chief Minister and the State Secretary to direct the director of Immigration to blacklist Perkasa president, Ibrahim Ali, their members and members of Pekida and ISMA in Malaysia from stepping foot in Borneo,” he said.

Jambun added that if the authorities concerned fail to carry out their duties as expected by the peace loving people of Sabah, there would be a case for taking the matter to the Higher Court of Borneo to make a final determination

Source:The Borneo Post

Sadia Kapit slams unfair scholarship interview by MARA religious extremists

KAPIT: The Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) Kapit branch has slammed Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) for allegedly using Islamic-based questions for non-Muslim candidates during a recent scholarship interview in Kuching.

Sadia Kapit chairman Edward Manggah Kendawang said if proven to be true, Mara must take steps to ensure it never happens again.

“To ask non-Muslim students questions on Islam is wrong and should be stopped forever. It is most unethical and clearly a sign of racism and discrimination,” he said, stressing that such an act is contrary to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.

“In future when interviewing the indigenous people of Sarawak, I would suggest that the interviewers, at least one of them, must be an indigenous Sarawakian — Iban, Bidayuh, or Orang Ulu.”

He called on students who faced similar problems to highlight it to Sadia.

“We’ll bring it up to the higher authorities. You see, I’ve met a few parents and they are very angry about this issue. They want the police to take action against the concerned officers for disciplinary action. To the parents, these interviewers’ actions are racist and shouldn’t have happened in Sarawak,” he added.

“Sarawak state, we are  truly 1Malaysia. Anybody with this type of mentality should not come to Sarawak. Our Chief Minister Tan Sri (Datuk Amar) Adenan Satem has done the right thing to stop these people from coming to Sarawak. Their presence will destroy the existing friendly, tolerant and respectful practices that have prevailed in Sarawak since ancient days.”

Straight-A student Nigel Unchat Jeremaiah claimed he and other non-Muslim students were asked to name the prophets of Islam, precepts of Islamic prayers, as well as their opinion on Hudud law among other Islamic-based questions during the scholarship interview.

On Wednesday, Mara state deputy director Mariam Mohtar confirmed that the interviewers from Mara headquarters in Kuala Lumpur are currently being investigated as part of a probe on the issue.

Source: The Borneo Post

Sarawakians and Sabahans are unable to fill the 1,000 federal government allocated seats in public universities is because of the myopic Peninsular Malaysia-driven vetting process.

KUCHING: The case of 9As scoring SPM student Nigel Unchart Jeremaiah, being rejected for a scholarship has lent credence to commonly held believe here that scholarships meant for Borneo are being hijacked.

Now it appears that that one of the reasons why Sarawakians and Sabahans are unable to fill the 1,000 federal government allocated seats in public universities is because of the myopic Peninsular Malaysia-driven vetting process.

Nigel’s predicament has brought back into focus federal Minister Joseph Entulu’s shocking disclosure last September that more than 50% of federal scholarships had no takers and were “returned” to the peninsular for students there.

The reasoning was that Sarawak and Sabah students did not attain the necessary qualifications, which incidentally the state opposition has vehemently said “is impossible” because of the number of students with good scores who sought them out for assistance.

Nigel reportedly failed to secure a Universiti Tenaga scholarship to pursue Mechanical Engineering. He is still waiting to hear from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and the Public Service Department (JPA).

He was also left scrambling recently when interviewers for the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara)’s Indigenous Trust scholarships threw him off with questions about Islamic practices, hudud and related issues even after he informed the interviewing officer that he was a Christian.

In July last year, Sarawak PKR raised the issue of 17 top scorers failing to secure seats  in public higher learning institutions (IPTA). The students each had CGPA scores of 4 or just below.

In September last year federal Minister Entulu, a Sarawakian, said since 2008 less than 50% of the 1,000 scholarships allocated to Sarawak and Sabah in local universities were filled up.

Nigel’s situation has opened up a gnawing issue here that of biased attitudes, inequality and unfair treatment on not just education but in all segments of federal-linked activities.

Sarawak with its 2.4 million population is predominantly Christian in Muslim Malaysia and has seen little respect, notably in the Bible issue.

Biased questioning

Sarawak Senior Minister James Masing when contacted said testing Christians or any non-Muslims for that matter, of Islam is “plain wrong”.

Masing, who knew Nigel’s family, described the interview questions as “ridiculous”

““I’m not sure if there is an agenda behind this, but if there is, I will be very mad.

“Why were the questions posed on Islam, when the boy himself is a Christian?”

“He is attending the interview based on merit. To ask him questions based on Islamic matters is plain wrong.

“The question has no relevance to applying for a scholarship for higher-learning, He wants to learn mechanical engineering not become an ustaz” said Masing.

He said based on his results it shouldn’t be difficult for students like Nigel to secure scholarships
“Situations like these should not be happening, especially in Sarawak.

“Students like Nigel should be pursued by institutes of higher learning and not the other way around,” he said adding that he was aware that the problem was widespread among the rural native students.

He said many straight As students were unable to secure scholarships and places in public universities and ended up taking up random courses in lesser known private institutions.

“It’s a waste. The problem occurred because no offer was made to them. Scholarships are the way to fully harness Malaysia’s human capital,” he said.

Masing said he had already submitted a notice to the Prime Minister’s Office highlighting the issue of high-achievers in school.

“I asked for better access to scholarships and placements in local higher learning institutes,” he said.

LangRimba says:

My daughter scoring 8As 2Bs in her SPM in 2009. She applied to further her studies at UiTM through UPU web in 2010 but was rejected for no reason.

She waited for  one year hoping to be accepted at IPTA but was no reply. 

One year later she was accepted at one of the private College in Kuching. She completed her Diploma in Medical Assistant in December last year.

However, she wasted her time and money studying at private college (IPTS) because she seems no future.  She is still jobless till today. 

My question is why IPTA rejected her application?

Is it because of her SPM result of 8As, 2Bs not qualifying her to be accepted by IPTA college?

We are Bumiputra. May be because we are Christian? or May be because we are Iban?

I felt that the UMNO lead government is practicing double standard, corruption. 

During last general election we support BN candidate because we hoping that the candidate can help us but unfortunately for me both SWP/PR candidates nor BN representatives can help to solve these.

Nobody cares!

What are your contributions to the nation, says Isma to non-Muslims

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ

Source: The Malaysian Insider

Abdullah Zaik speaking at the International Muslim Thinkers Conference in Kuala Lumpur today. He believes that the country is still not ready for hudud laws to be implemented. - The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, May 1, 2014.

Muslim rights group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) has warned non-Muslims in the country that they have no right to oppose the plan to implement hudud, and said non-Muslims should understand that there are limitations to what they can say.

Its president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman said non-Muslims “should be thankful that they have more than what they need in this country”.

“I don't see what their contributions are for them to be given so many privileges in the first place,” he said on the sidelines of a two-day International Muslim Thinkers Conference organised by the group in Kuala Lumpur today.

"Their strong stand against hudud gives the impression that they are in a dream world; they must realise that they have no say in determining the future of Muslims in this country," he added, in a comment on PKR and DAP opposing the plan by their Pakatan Rakyat coalition partner PAS to implement hudud in Kelantan.

Abdullah also said that while Isma felt that Malaysia was not ready for hudud, they were supportive of it since it was a meeting point for two Malay parties - PAS and ruling party Umno.

"To us, the more important factor is the sanctity of Islam and putting power in the hands of the Muslim people.

"We need to strengthen our position to secure our hold in this country," Abdullah said.

Abdullah added that his only concern over the implementation of hudud was that the current situation was not ideal for the law to be introduced, but added that Isma supported Umno’s and PAS’s plan to implement the Shariah criminal law in stages.

He also said the only reason former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was against the implementation of hudud was because he was not properly briefed on it.

"I don't see him as being against hudud, it is just that perhaps those who presented the idea to him in the past did not give a clear and accurate picture," Abdullah ssid.

The controversial hudud issue flared up again when PAS announced plans last month to introduce two private members’ bills in Parliament to allow it to enforce the Islamic law in Kelantan.

This triggered an exchange of words between Kelantan deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah and DAP’s national organising secretary Anthony Loke.

Nik Amar told PAS's Pakatan partners that they had "no right to interfere" in the Islamist party's plan to implement hudud in the east coast state, prompting Loke to tell PAS to leave Pakatan if the party was adamant on going ahead with its plan.

DAP has always been against the implementation of hudud in Malaysia, with its late chairman Karpal Singh arguing that it was against the Federal Constitution and national interest.

Meanwhile, Abdullah told a press conference today that he will lead a delegation of 30 Muslim scholars to meet Dr Mahathir tomorrow to present the findings of the two-day conference and get the former PM's feedback on how the Muslim community the world over can move forward.

Abdullah said they also wanted to secure Dr Mahathir's support for an even bigger conference bringing together thinkers from Muslim countries in November.

Among the speakers at the conference was Jamal Isa, chairman of Hamas political bureau from Palestine, who thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for sponsoring the conference.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who was to have addressed the conference attended by 40 Islamic thinkers from 14 Muslim countries, was unable to attend at the last minute.

Among the issues raised by the international Muslim speakers were the destruction and bloodbath faced by Muslim nations due to outside interference and the need to unite for the Palestinian cause.

Mara religious extrimists depriving non-Muslim bumiputeras from applying scholarships

BY DESMOND DAVIDSON

 Tan Sri Amar Datuk Dr. James Jemut Masing

A senior Sarawak cabinet minister has taken Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to task for posing questions on Islam to non-Muslim bumiputera students applying for Mara scholarships, saying it smacked of religious bigotry.

State Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing (pic) also described Mara as “stupid” for quizzing the students on Islam during their interview for the financial assistance, and questioned the relevance of such questions.

“Don't tell me Mara, which runs several educational and technical institutions, after 51 years (of Malaysia) will claim ignorance in failing to understand the racial and religious make-up of the state.

“Neither would I want to believe there are religious bigots in Mara who want to deprive non-Muslim bumiputeras of the scholarships with those kind of questions,” Masing said.

Masing’s attack on Mara was prompted by a complaint he received from a straight “A” Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) student, Nigel Unchat Jeremaiah, who said he was asked questions on hudud, "rukun Solat" (prayers) and "adat menziarah jenazah" (visiting graves), among others, during the interview last Saturday.

Masing said the line of questioning appeared to suggest bigotry on Mara’s part.

Asking non-Muslims questions on Islam is plain wrong. What relevance anyway are these questions when applying for a higher learning scholarship?

Nigel, who was applying for the scholarship to study mechanical engineering at Kolej Mara Seremban in Negeri Sembilan, said he and the other non-Muslim students were also asked to name some Muslim prophets.

Nigel, who attended the interview at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Semariang outside Kuching, said out of about 30 students who went for the interview that Saturday afternoon, about 10 were non-Muslims.

He feared his failure to answers the questions could cost him the scholarship.

“I'm surprised Mara failed to understand there are many bumiputeras in Sarawak who are non-Muslims and that Muslims are a minority in the state,” Masing said after meeting Nigel and his mother, Sudan Nyanggau, at his house in Jalan Ong Tiang Swee.

“I don't like to believe they have some hidden agenda,” he said of the council which is responsible for facilitating the economic and social development of the bumiputeras, particularly in rural areas.

The council comes under the purview of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.

“They should not have asked non-Muslims such religious questions.

“Asking non-Muslims questions on Islam is plain wrong. What relevance anyway are these questions when applying for a higher learning scholarship?

“That boy was hoping to study mechanical engineering, not become an ustaz.

“If he was applying for a scholarship to become an ustaz, then those questions are appropriate.”

Masing, who has been vocal on the Allah issue, warned Mara not to display such bigotry in Sarawak.

He said just because Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country doesn’t mean the whole nation knows about Islamic teachings.

Nigel was hoping to follow in the footsteps of his two older siblings - one studying at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and the other at University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

He would only know if he is successful in obtaining a Mara scholarship when the result is out on May 8.

State Mara director, Yusof Wasli, could not be reached for comment as he was in Bintulu on official matters. His office would not give his handphone number. 


Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) hari ini berkata pelajar bukan Islam yang menghadiri temu duga biasiswa, tidak perlu disoal mengenai Islam, kata seorang pegawai Mara negeri ekoran dakwaan ketaksuban agama.

Timbalan Pengarah Mara Negeri Sarawak, Mariam Mohtar memberitahu The Malaysian Insider pegawai dari ibu pejabat di Kuala Lumpur yang menjalankan temu bual biasiswa berkenaan sedang disiasat.

Mariam berkata demikian kepada Menteri Pembangunan Tanah Sarawak, Tan Sri Dr James Masing (gambar) yang sebelum ini menyifatkan Mara sebagai "bodoh" kerana menyoal  pelajar bukan Islam  berkenaan Islam semasa temu duga mereka untuk bantuan kewangan.

 

Serangan Masing terhadap Mara disebabkan aduan yang diterima daripada pelajar cemerlang Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Nigel Unchat Jeremaiah, yang berkata beliau disoal mengenai hudud, rukun solat dan adat menziarah jenazah dan lain-lain semasa temu duga Sabtu lalu.

 

Mariam berkata siasatan kini mungkin akan melihat bagaimana temu duga dengan Nigel dilakukan.

Mariam, yang juga terlibat dalam temu duga tetapi  dengan kumpulan lain, "menyokong para pegawai dari Kuala Lumpur," berkata Mara mempunyai modul bagi soalan serta garis panduan “ketat” bagaimana temu duga perlu dijalankan.

"Ya, ada soalan mengenai Islam tetapi ia hanya untuk yang beragama Islam," katanya.

Bagi bukan Islam katanya, akan ditanya, apa yang digambarkan sebagai, "soalan sivik".
 
"Semua soalan ini pada dasarnya adalah untuk menilai pengetahuan am dan tahap pemikiran.

"Ini adalah kumpulan temu duga dan kita tahu siapa yang beragama Islam dan bukan Islam.

"Jika pelajar itu Muslim, dia mungkin mendapat soalan mengenai agamanya," katanya.

Nigel, bagaimanapun, mendakwa soalan itu tidak tidak ditujukan kepada pelajar secara individu.

Beliau berkata penemuduga melemparkan soalan kepada kumpulan dan mereka kemudiannya akan dinilai secara individu di atas jawapan yang diberi.

Nigel, yang menghadiri temuduga di Maktab Rendah Sains Mara di Semariang, luar Kuching, berkata daripada kira-kira 30 pelajar yang pergi untuk temu duga petang Sabtu itu, kira-kira 10 orang daripadanya bukan Islam.

Beliau bimbang kegagalannya jawapan semua soalan itu menggagalkan peluangnya untuk mendapat biasiswa.

Nigel berharap dapat mengikut jejak langkah dua adik-beradik yang terdahulu – seorang di Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) dan seorang di Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Beliau hanya akan mengetahui jawapan bagi temu duga biasiswa Mara apabila pada 8 Mei.

Scorpions drummer in Dubai jail for ‘insulting Islam’

DUBAI: The drummer for German rock band Scorpions has been in jail for almost a month after being arrested for "insulting" Islam and offensive behaviour at Dubai's international airport, media reported Wednesday.

James Kottak, a US citizen, was detained on April 3 while in transit to Bahrain. Kottak was on Tuesday sentenced to one month in jail by an Emirati court and based on time served would soon be released.

According to Gulf News daily, ground staff at the airport testified that Kottak, who was drunk at the time, refused to travel with a group of Pakistani and Afghani passengers.

He "started swearing", criticising "non-educated Muslims", and flashed his middle finger at Pakistani passengers, The National newspaper reported. - AFP