Published: Monday February 14, 2011 MYT 6:57:00 PM
Updated: Monday February 14, 2011 MYT 7:09:57 PM
The Star onlineNajib: Differences in religious beliefs not cause of tensions
PUTRAJAYA: Extremism from the followers of whatever religion, if not handled, will affect adversely a nation and humanity as a whole, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said in his World Interfaith Harmony Week address at the Putrajaya International Conference Centre on Friday.The Prime Minister said this was why he proposed the establishment of a global movement of moderates when addressing the United Nations General Assembly last year."For I believe this is the only way forward to save the world," he said at the gathering of religious leaders.
Najib with recipients of the 'appointed letter' (from left) JPNIN director-general Datuk Azman Amin Hassan, Allied Coordinating Commitee of Islamic NGOs chairman Datuk Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir, Ministers in the PM's Dept Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, INSAF chairman Dr. Amir Farid Datuk Isahak and Malaysian Consultative council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taosim president Dr Thomas Phillips.Malaysia is commemorating World Interfaith Harmony Week for the first time at the urging of Prince Ghazi of Jordan, who called for cordial relations between national and religious leaders in his speech at the UN last year.Najib said that Malaysia was a plural society which had proved that difference in race, religion, culture and language was not a big problem for people to live in peace and comfort."Malaysia has shown that difference in religion is not a big problem, but extremist understanding is, whether in Islam or any other religion," he said."In Islam, the Watiyyah (intermediacy) concept is the right way for Muslims, obeying God in His wish for them to be fair not only to other Muslims but also the followers of other religions," Najib said.Najib said the values that promote a sense of togetherness in all religions, calling for good conduct towards one another, would lead to harmony and a peaceful nation.He said that strength in planning transformation of the country depended on stability and harmony.He said the people should continue to build on the harmony among members of the various creeds so that no sceptic can claim it would not last.Najib said the setting up of a committee to promote interfaith harmony last year was one way to facilitate better understanding.He said the committee was a mechanism for bringing the leaders of all religions under an umbrella to plan ways to improve relations among people of various faiths. - Bernama
Akta Hasutan 1948 masih relevan
KUALA LUMPUR 26 Jan. - Walaupun digubal sebelum negara mencapai kemerdekaan, Akta Hasutan 1948 masih lagi sah dan boleh diguna pakai serta relevan dalam menjamin kepentingan awam.
Akta tersebut juga akan terus diguna pakai selagi ia tidak dipinda oleh Parlimen, kata Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi, Datuk Ghazali Cha (gambar), di sini hari ini.
Beliau menegaskan demikian semasa menolak permohonan peguam yang juga aktivis pertubuhan haram Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), P. Uthayakumar untuk mengisytiharkan bahawa akta tersebut melanggar Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
Dengan keputusan itu, permohonan Uthayakumar agar tuduhan yang dihadapinya di bawah akta tersebut digugurkan turut menemui kegagalan.
Pemimpin Hindraf itu memfailkan permohonan tersebut pada 24 November tahun lalu bagi menuntut satu deklarasi bahawa Akta Hasutan adalah terbatal kerana tidak sejajar dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
Menurut notis usulnya, Artikel 4(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan menyatakan Perlembagaan tersebut merupakan undang-undang utama negara dan sebarang undang-undang yang diluluskan selepas Hari Merdeka yang tidak selaras dengan Perlembagaan adalah tidak sah.
Pemohon turut mendakwa bahawa pertuduhan yang dikenakan ke atasnya merupakan satu pendakwaan terpilih.
Pada 11 Disember 2007, Uthayakumar didakwa atas tuduhan menerbitkan satu surat berunsur hasutan di laman web Police Watch Malaysia dan pertuduhan terhadapnya dikemukakan mengikut Seksyen 4(1)(c) akta itu.
Mengikut pertuduhan, dia didakwa antara November dan 8 Disember 2007 di No.8-10-5 Menara Mutiara Bangsar, Jalan Liku persimpangan Jalan Riong, Bangsar di sini telah menerbitkan satu surat berbaur hasutan.
Surat bertarikh 15 November 2007 itu diterbitkan di laman web police watch yang mempunyai alamat web http:// policewatchmalaysia.com iaitu sepucuk surat oleh Hindraf yang beralamat di No.135-3-A, Jalan Toman 7, Kemayan Square Seremban, Negeri Sembilan dan dialamatkan kepada Perdana Menteri Britain ketika itu, Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, 10 Downing Street.
Berhubung dakwaan pendakwaan terpilih, Hakim Ghazali menyatakan, pendakwa raya mempunyai kuasa mutlak sebagaimana termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk mendakwa seseorang individu berdasarkan bukti-bukti yang dikemukakan kepada mereka.
Selain itu, alasan-alasan yang dikemukakan oleh pemohon adalah pra-matang di peringkat ini kerana perbicaraan masih di peringkat awal.
''Atas alasan-alasan itu, permohonan-permohonan yang dituntut oleh pemohon tidak dapatbertahan dan perbicaraan kes perlu diteruskan sebagaimana yang telah dijadualkan,'' kata Hakim Ghazali.
Perbicaraan kes itu dijadualkan untuk sambung bicara di peringkat pendakwaan pada 17 Februari ini.
Sejurus selepas penghakiman tersebut, peguam N. Surendran yang mewakili Uthayakumar memohon agar perbicaraan kes tersebut digantung sementara menunggu rayuan.
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Melissa Mohd. Akhir memaklumkan bahawa permohonan penggantungan perbicaraan itu sebelum ini telah ditolak oleh Mahkamah Sesyen dan terpulang kepada budi bicara Mahkamah Tinggi untuk memutuskan mengenai perkara tersebut.
Hakim Ghazali kemudian membenarkan penggantungan prosiding perbicaraan tersebut.
Published: Monday February 14, 2011 MYT 6:57:00 PM
Updated: Monday February 14, 2011 MYT 7:09:57 PM
The Star online
Najib: Differences in religious beliefs not cause of tensions
PUTRAJAYA: Extremism from the followers of whatever religion, if not handled, will affect adversely a nation and humanity as a whole, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said in his World Interfaith Harmony Week address at the Putrajaya International Conference Centre on Friday.
The Prime Minister said this was why he proposed the establishment of a global movement of moderates when addressing the United Nations General Assembly last year.
"For I believe this is the only way forward to save the world," he said at the gathering of religious leaders.
Najib with recipients of the 'appointed letter' (from left) JPNIN director-general Datuk Azman Amin Hassan, Allied Coordinating Commitee of Islamic NGOs chairman Datuk Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir, Ministers in the PM's Dept Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, INSAF chairman Dr. Amir Farid Datuk Isahak and Malaysian Consultative council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taosim president Dr Thomas Phillips.Malaysia is commemorating World Interfaith Harmony Week for the first time at the urging of Prince Ghazi of Jordan, who called for cordial relations between national and religious leaders in his speech at the UN last year.
Najib said that Malaysia was a plural society which had proved that difference in race, religion, culture and language was not a big problem for people to live in peace and comfort.
"Malaysia has shown that difference in religion is not a big problem, but extremist understanding is, whether in Islam or any other religion," he said.
"In Islam, the Watiyyah (intermediacy) concept is the right way for Muslims, obeying God in His wish for them to be fair not only to other Muslims but also the followers of other religions," Najib said.
Najib said the values that promote a sense of togetherness in all religions, calling for good conduct towards one another, would lead to harmony and a peaceful nation.
He said that strength in planning transformation of the country depended on stability and harmony.
He said the people should continue to build on the harmony among members of the various creeds so that no sceptic can claim it would not last.
Najib said the setting up of a committee to promote interfaith harmony last year was one way to facilitate better understanding.
He said the committee was a mechanism for bringing the leaders of all religions under an umbrella to plan ways to improve relations among people of various faiths. - Bernama
Published: Monday January 24, 2011 MYT 4:48:00 PM
Updated: Monday January 24, 2011 MYT 5:20:01 PM
The Star
One year to process citizenship papers: Hisham
By DHARMENDER SINGH
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry has set a one-year limit for decisions on all future citizenship applications received by the National Registration Department (NRD), said its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
Hishammuddin said the ministry had used its experience as it worked last year to clear the backlog of over 32,000 such applications and decided there was no need to take more than a year to process a citizenship application.
“The reason for the one-year time limit for the processing of all citizenship applications is so that we can keep any applications we receive current and we are no longer burdened with huge backlogs.
“Previously, there was no time limit set for processing such applications and due to various reasons, we ended up with a huge backlog that included applications that went back decades,” he told a press conference after attending his ministry’s Key Performance Index Achievement Celebration here Monday.
