The Need to Eliminate the Grey Area Surrounding the Social Contract.

There have been many articles showered with numerous viewpoints with regards to the Social Contract, and it would be an act of repetition for me to indulge into it again. With my limited knowledge on this agreement, allow me to share, what I consider would be in the minds of most laymen in Malaysia. With exception to the tenet and the basic, underlying-fundamental concepts of the Social Contract, we may not be able to seize the entire framework of the contract. We, however, are not spared from feeling the effects brought about by what was said to be an agreement between our founding fathers.

The Social Contract has surely been one of the most debated agreements concerning Malaysians and yet, almost surprisingly, none have even come close towards drawing the curtain on it. Disputes vary in many forms of opinionated ideologies and thoughts; the only consistent element being the fact that it remains a barrier to racial unity. Different parties, have their own defined interpretation, all of which conveniently fit into their pre-established theories. Their motives, although some seemingly intellectual from the outset, masquerade in different shapes. Some use it as a trump card for political mileage, and the rest merely use it to suck up to the ones at the summit. I am not in a position to say whether there are flaws in its structure, but I can say, for certain, that the various forms of interpretations surrounding it does not help our course towards achieving the Bangsa Malaysia agenda.

For us to even consider moving pass this stalemate that we’ve gotten ourselves into, there is an urgent need for us to acknowledge that the Social Contract has to be reviewed. In the first place, does the Social Contract even exist? If it does, is it relevant today? It is time for various groups, particularly the law makers, to work together to ensure that a proper understanding of the Social Contract is crafted out. It wouldn’t take long for a non-Malay to point out, almost instantly, that the Social Contract is a fantasy; one that never existed to begin with. But again, are we being biased? Are we basing it on historical facts, or are we jumping into this conclusion simply because, we too, are inclined to structure our thoughts in line with what conforms to our own assembled set of beliefs. This is the sad state, we Malaysians are living in today. Consciously, or perhaps even subconsciously, we tend to judge from a racial perspective. And this is exactly the reason why we have yet to reach a consensus on this issue.

Could we, for once, act as Malaysians and resolve this issue? From a personal point of view, I believe that once this is done, it would set up a solid ground for us to think, act, and behave like Malaysians. But how do we do that? Firstly, as stated on the title head of my post, would be the need to eliminate the grey area surrounding the Social Contract, which is undeniably, ambiguous. The very existence of the Social Contract has been a question that many have failed to answer, as it was not explicitly stated in the Federal Constitution. However, the proponents of the Social Contract believe that it was an implied term agreed upon by our founding fathers, in return of citizenships being offered to the Non-Malays.

Some have since argued that, even if it was implied to be part of the Federal Constitution, it is not relevant for it be applied at a time when our nation had progressed through half a century of Independence. Tunku Abdul Rahman, was quoted as saying:-

"...when we (the Malays) fought against the Malayan Union (which upset the position of the Malays' rights) the others took no part in it because they said this is purely a Malay concern, and not theirs. They also indicate that they owe their loyalty to their countries of origin, and for that reason they oppose the Barnes Report to make Malay the national language. If we were to hand over the Malays to these so-called Malayans when their nationality has not been defined there will be a lot of problems ahead of us."

However, he continued to say that "For those who love and feel they owe undivided loyalty to this country, we will welcome them as Malayans. They must truly be Malayans, and they will have the same rights and privileges as the Malays."

As mentioned earlier, advocates of the Social Contract have often claimed that the founding fathers of our nation have agreed to adhere by the contract, and it would not be appropriate for it to be disputed now. However, if that was the case, why would Tunku Abdul Rahman, who could surely be considered the leader of the founding fathers, himself, explicitly say that the Non-Malays will have the same rights and privileges as the Malays, should they remain loyal to the country? Today, we have non-Malays who are of second, third and even fourth generation Malaysians living here, in this country. On that ground, arguably, it could be implied that the Social Contract, even if it was once accepted as an implied agreement, is no longer relevant today. Apart from that, the act of those who have, in recent times, attempted to equate the Social Contract with the New Economic Policy, and use it as a discriminatory tool, as some may opt to believe, have also been a subject of debate.

In contrast, there are many other basis used by those in favor of the Social Contract to believe that the agreement should be still upheld; among others, as a vital agreement to ensure racial unity. It is impossible for all the areas of this contract to be covered, unless an in-depth discussion is done to evaluate it. I think, most of us Malaysians, want a clearer picture of the Social Contract and its relevance to our nation today. But for us to even sniff this desired outcome, all relevant parties, including us, should move beyond our racially encircled mindset, and start carrying ourselves as a true Anak Bangsa Malaysia.

Daring to hope,

Argus Eye.

A Copy of My Reply to Datuk Saravanan.

I came across an article posted by Datuk M. Saravanan, who is the Deputy Federal Territory Minister and also Malaysian Indian Congress(MIC) Information Chief, titled ‘Indians need a sense of belonging’. My immediate impression was positive in nature, and it got me wondering if this chap had just received a stunning revelation from Abraham Maslow. But it was not to be. I had merely hoped against hope.

Below are some extracted paragraphs from his post, which could be accessed at http://msaravanan68.blogspot.com/2008/10/indians-need-sense-of-belonging.html.

“From my observation over the last eight months since taking office as deputy minister, I realise that Malaysian Indians do not have a sense of belonging towards the government of the day, in this case the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). We used to feel that we belonged to the BN, but this is not the case anymore.”

“It has more to do in the way in which the BN has operated in the last decade or so. BN leaders at their meetings do not sense this because the comradeship is strong. The feeling of belonging is even stronger at this level. Meetings are conducted in an open manner. Leaders are more open-minded when issues are discussed. There is no Indian, Malay or Chinese distinction. That is good and well. But if one is to go down further, the spirit of togetherness deteriorates. The case in point is the civil sector. When an Indian walks into a government office, immediately he or she gets hostile based on the surroundings. Whatever the leaders are promoting gets lost down the line. The spirit of togetherness, that we are all Malaysian regardless of race and religion, is lost at government offices.”

“As a first step to remedy the situation, I suggest that each government department has a director or deputy director who is an Indian. This way, even if the lower rung staff are unable to offer sincere help, Indians can always look up to the said director or deputy director to solve their woes. These directors or deputy directors would be able to bring-up problems and issues confronting Indians at the department level and higher-up.” –Datuk M. Saravanan.

Basically, he is trying to signal that leadership crisis, with regards to racism, does not exist in UMNO. In fact, it probably remains a jargon to those who walk along the corridors of power. He believes that all is well and fine as far as the leaders are concerned, and that the problem lies with the lower rungs, particularly the civil sector and government offices. To address this, he suggests that each government department has a director or deputy director who is an Indian, so that Indians can look up to them to solve their issues.

Note: I have just sent an e-mail of my response below, to Deputy Minister Datuk Saravanan. For those who share my view and find his piece of article insulting, do send him your thoughts at msaravanan68@hotmail.com.

Datuk Saravanan,

I would start with touching on your claim that the comradeship is strong among the leaders, and that there is no distinction among the various races, before moving on to lambast you on your almost ignorant and equally silly suggestion. I would not go back as far as Mahathir’s premiership, but instead cite instances during Abdullah Badawi’s tenure as Prime Minister. Hishamuddin’s antics at the 2006 UMNO General Assembly which irked the Chinese, alone, are sufficient to contradict your statement about the existence of a strong sense of belonging at the top level. What about the youth wing of UMNO exerting pressure upon Gerakan by issuing them an ultimatum to clarify the issue surrounding S.Paranjothy’s statement, in which he claimed that Indians were being treated as 4^th class citizens? Dr. Koh himself was quoted as saying that UMNO should not threaten Gerakan. Is this the type of comradeship you are talking about? Datuk, I understand that by painting a rosy picture of UMNO, it would surely elevate your chances of climbing up the ministerial ladder, and subsequently be promoted to the rank of a Minister. But as much as you would like to believe, we Indians, aren’t that much a bunch of fools.

Now, moving on to your classic suggestion of appointing an Indian director, or deputy director, at each government department to resolve this issue. I am an Indian, and I am proud of my roots, but I find your suggestion downright ridiculous. I would like you, Datuk Saravanan, to read up a quote from one whom I consider a true Malaysian at heart and hopefully, with God’s grace, learn a thing or two from him.

“My name is Haris Ibrahim. Trained in the law. Late father was Malay and my mum is Ceylonese. I am Malaysian. My ethnic background is relevant in helping me to understand my cultural make-up but is irrelevant in defining my status as a citizen of Malaysia.”- Haris Ibrahim as stated in his blog, The People’s Parliament.

The very act of appointing an Indian director at every government department is an act of racism, and this is exactly what MIC is promoting. Why must an Indian turn towards another Indian for help? Divide and rule is the tenet of Barisan Nasional’s strategy, and this surely, has to be buried. We, the Indians, and I’m sure the others too, want a Malaysia for all Malaysians. Elect the best candidates for each position, without giving room for racial criteria to set in. We want a Malaysia whereby all Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion, would stand tall together as one and come to each others’ defense when the need arises. We, the Anak-Anak Bangsa Malaysia, do not want a Malaysia in which the spirit of racism precedes the spirit of nationalism, and this, my friend, is the reason why irrelevant leaders like you earn no respect from us.

Signing off,

Argus Eye.

http://pantheon-of-argus.blogspot.com/

by Argus Eye.

also published in Malaysiakini at http://malaysiakini.com/letters/93310

Tan Sri Zaki Azmi- The Unsolved Jigsaw Puzzle.

After an almost comical ride to the top post in Malaysia’s judicial hierarchy, Tan Sri Zaki Azmi keeps us guessing on what he has left to offer. Let us start by briefly looking into his controversial journey towards becoming the 12^th Chief Justice of Malaysia. As a lawyer, he created history in September 2007, becoming the first lawyer to be appointed directly to the highest court. The controversy of his appointment was fueled by his close ties with UMNO, in which he was their legal advisor. He also held several posts in UMNO, including the Chairman of Disciplinary Committee. Following his appointment, the public openly expressed their doubt over his integrity with regards to the highly held separation of powers notion, given his previous links with the country’s largest and most dominant party. Three months on, more eyebrows were raised when Zaki Azmi was appointed the Court of Appeal President, thus, occupying the No. 2 position in the judiciary. Today, Tan Sri Zaki Azmi is our Honorable Chief Justice of Malaysia. His credibility was also clouded by the infamous divorce case with his second wife, with whom he got married to in a ceremony conducted by a Thai kadi in a textile shop in Perlis three years ago. He allegedly burned the marriage certificate to hide the marriage from his first wife, as reported by The New Straits Times. Now, he may argue that this is a personal issue and has no bearing on his conduct as a professional, but being a Chief Justice, Yang Arif, I’m afraid some of the acts that you have resorted to, including burning the marriage certificate, in one way or another, gives us the right to question your integrity. You are no ordinary man, and your actions do reflect the image of our country in the eyes of the world.

In less than two weeks after occupying the country’s top judiciary position, in his first speech in his capacity as Chief Justice, he vowed to get tough of errant judges who destroy the reputation of the institution.

“And for those in the practice of toadying, I say ‘stop it’. This small group have failed to fulfill their responsibilities and have affected the image of our institution. If they are being dishonest, they are also being irresponsible.”

The above is a few extracted lines from his speech, in which, he appeared to have acknowledged the rot in the institution, caused by certain corrupt judges. He did not mince his words, and neither did he attempt to deny the true color of the judiciary system. Although it was a promising speech, many of us Malaysians were still very much skeptical about it. To us, he was merely playing to the gallery. History did not favor him either.

Two major judgments were delivered last Friday, one in Raja Petra’s habeas corpus application, and the other in the prosecutors’ application to have the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial be transferred to the High Court. Both cases were politically motivated, and surprisingly, both cases handed the Government knock-outs. In previous times, we rarely witnessed the Government been given a blow in judgments, but on the 7^th of November 2008, many of us pictured the Government on their knees giving out blow j***. Yes, it was a double blow to them.

Now, how does this fit in? We practically have an UMNO man as the Chief Justice, but the courts did not rule in favor of them. While it is understandable that it is not possible for all judgments to go in favor of UMNO even if their very own man occupies the seat, the vital and highly critical ones would’ve surely swung towards their side. Raja Petra would continue to bash UMNO and implicate their leaders, particularly Najib, for his alleged misconducts and Anwar, even if some may disagree, still poses a great threat in soon forming the Federal Government. Therefore, the stakes are too high for the government to slip up.

Should the credit for these court verdicts, which most of us consider just, go solely to the judges? Did they stand strong and weather the pressure and threats that came in their way for the sake of justice? If they did so, well done and thank you.

Did Tan Sri Zaki Azmi really practice what he preached in his opening speech by ensuring a free trial for all without exerting any pressure upon the judges? We wouldn’t really know, would we? If he did so, well done and thank you too.

However, the million dollar question would arise if Tan Sri Zaki Azmi did conduct himself professionally to ensure a free trial; why on earth did he do that? Well, it could be because of all the negative remarks that have been piled on him, and he sees this as an opportunity to clear his name even if it is at the expense of irking the wrath of those in UMNO.

But, there is an alternative answer to it, which is probably the one we are looking for. Ironically, it is the spicier answer. If we go back to the drawing pad, we would see the answer at the very beginning. It lies with Zaki Azmi’s history of being an UMNO man. It is no secret that Najib, along with Muhyiddin, have been the crafters that planned Abdullah Badawi’s early exit. Abdullah Badawi had no choice but to concede as the tides were moving strongly against him. Now, in his final few months, he has got nothing to lose. Until March 2009, power is something that he can still execute. Vendetta, perhaps? Tan Sri Zaki Azmi was appointed as the Chief Justice during Abdullah Badawi’s tenure as a premier, which only establishes the fact that they have good ties between them. Through Zaki Azmi, Abdullah Badawi has a chance to get back at Najib and give him a beating of his life for being ‘disloyal’. Raja Petra’s release would surely help. As for Anwar’s claim to take-over the government, the pressure is on Najib and Muhyiddin, not Abdullah Badawi. He is stepping out, with nothing more to gain or lose. The only thing he can do within his capacity now, is to create a platform for the battle, and enjoy the show with a cigar when it erupts.

But then again, is that who Zaki Azmi really is?

Whoever he may be, let us hope that during his term as Chief Justice, judgments would be delivered without fear and favor. Good judgments are not defined by the degree in which it favors us; it is defined by the ability of the court to interpret laws in a fair manner without any interference. For that purpose, and also for the sake of justice, I hope that these decisions favored Anwar and Raja Petra because the courts were acting impartially on the grounds of evidences presented before them, and not because they simply happened to be part of a political ploy.

by Argus Eye.

also published in Malaysia Today- http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/14787/84/

The Malaysian Bar, Hats Off to You.

Just as I was about to leave for court at lunchtime today for RPK's Sedition Trial, i received a call from a friend saying the proceedings had ended for the day and would continue tomorrow morning. In a way, this has created some room for me to blog. In the light of the recent arrests of the Bersih/Anti ISA vigilors, the Malaysian Bar have come out strong again, reiterating the need to respect democratic rights of citizens. The Bar have also, in a verry consistent manner, condemned any action that compromises democracy. Below is the Press Release by Ragunath Kesavan, Vice-President of the Malaysian Bar.

Malaysian Bar's Press Release: Respect the Right to Peaceful Assembly

Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression were again dealt a severe blow yesterday with the arrest of 23 citizens – including journalists and activists, a Member of Parliament, State Assemblypersons and a City Councillor – who were participants in a peaceful gathering to commemorate the first anniversary of last year's BERSIH rally.

The Bar Council is alarmed at the disproportionate and heavy-handed approach adopted by the police, who purportedly began dispersing people as early as an hour before the start of the vigil. Needless physical force was allegedly used during the arrests, causing injuries to a number of participants. Such unprovoked intimidation and oppression is unjustifiable as the group was reportedly calm, did not pose any threat to public order and was merely exercising its democratic rights.

While the Bar Council disagrees with the laws curtailing the right to assemble and express dissent, we are concerned that the authorities seem to use these laws selectively to disperse and arrest demonstrators. Several demonstrations against the Pakatan Rakyat government's policies in Penang and Selangor have proceeded without much harassment nor arrests by the police.

This gives rise to the perception that police actions are not based on any objective criteria relating to preservation of public order. Such subjectivity breeds the notion that the authorities act in a biased, or even arbitrary, manner.

We call on the police to protect the rights of speech, expression and assembly of all those who legitimately engage in expressing dissent, fairly and without bias.

Ragunath Kesavan
Vice-President
Malaysian Bar


We should also note a special thank you to the Bar Council for their swift action in sending some members of the Bar to the PJ Police Headquarters immediately after the arrests of the vigilors, to assist them through the police procedures. You have shown that you indeed walk the talk. To Ambiga & Co, hats off!

by Argus Eye.

RPK Sedition Trial 10/11/08: Court rejects application by prosecutors to amend charge.

It was a positive day in the PJ Sessions Court today when judge Rozina Ayub rejected the application submitted by the prosecution team to amend the sedition charge leveled against Raja Petra Kamarudin. The additional elements that the prosecutors wanted to include were the website address and the title of the allegedly seditious article. The defense council argued that the original charge was not published by the accused and claimed that the prosecutors are attempting to substitute the appendix to seek new alternatives. Well, I guess this only goes to show that the prosecutors are running out of options and it now appears possible for this charge to be thrown out. Well, let’s hope. After the judge ruled out the application, the prosecution team proceeded to question their witnesses, forensic analyst S.Sivanathan, and ASP Wa’ie. The absence of Supt. Gan, who did not appear in court today supposedly because he was on medical leave, irked the defense team and they urged for a medical certificate to be produced in court as a document of verification.

Scene at 8.35a.m

I arrived late at the PJ Sessions Court at about 8.35a.m. Didn't get much of a sleep yesterday, thanks to the hide-and-seek experience with the cops. Previously, the court would be crowded by this time. The scenario has changed a little now that RPK is out of ISA.


Scenes in the Courtroom

There weren't many people in the courtroom when I got in. Despite my previous encounter with the court security, I continued riding my luck by secretly snapping pictures. The court was full about 9a.m.




Image stills in the courtroom before the proceedings began. Again, without authority.


Scene at 10.45a.m

Taken at the entrance of the court, during a short adjournment shortly before 11a.m. With RPK are his defence councils, Gobind Singh(extreme left) and Chandra(right). An interesting occurance took place here, as the European journalist came up to RPK to tell him that he's working on a documentary on the Altantuya murder. RPK and Gobind Singh agrees to give their cooperation. God Bless You, Najib Razak.


Scene at 1.00p.m

In the court compound during lunch break. RPK is partially hidden, and Zorro is in red.


Moments before making way for Nasi Kandar, at a restaurant opposite the court.

by Argus Eye.

Update on the BERSIH Candlelight Vigil: Selangor CPO, a man with Zero integrity.

The police force has come under fire again, this time by the blatant lie made by the Chief Police of Selangor, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar stating that the police did not storm into the crowd while the National Anthem was sung. Below are some excerpts from Malaysiakini:-

Excerpt 1-

Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has denied that the police moved in on participants at a candle-light vigil last night while they were singing the national anthem.

That is what they (participants) are claiming,” Khalid told reporters at the Petaling Jaya police district headquarters about midnight.

When told that there was a video recording of the police action, Khalid replied: “I am denying it.”

Well, my friend, I was among the hundreds who had to flee away from the bunch of uncivilized, armor-protected personnel. It is downright stupidity to deny the obvious, and it takes a real fool to attempt deceiving the public when footages of the event are already being circulated online. It saddens us, Malaysians, to have an incompetent figure like you to head a state police force. Above all, it worries us. My friendly advice to you would be to re-enroll into Pulapol(Pusat Latihan Polis) in Jalan Semarak.

Excerpt 2-

Asked why Syukri had detained when he was on duty, Khalid said “He was part of the illegal organisation.” –This was in reference to the arrest of a Malaysiakini videographer, Syukri Mohamad.

It is the duty of a journalist to be present wherever there is a matter of interest to the public. Whether or not the event was legal, is secondary. Even if it was an illegal gathering, the journalist is duty bound to be present and report the event. These are the fundamental roles of the media understood even by fishermen at the shores of Tumpat district in Kelantan. Yet, the Chief Police Officer of Selangor fails to grasp it.

Excerpt 3-

Asked if the group had posed a danger to the public, Khalid replied “That doesn’t matter. The law says that a permit must be obtained.”

Asked if this amounted to double standards, since no action had been taken against pro-government groups such as those protesting against the appointment of a non-Malay to head PKNS (Selangor government investment arm).

Khalid denied this, and reiterated that the group had failed to heed demands to obtain a police permit for four weeks.

A typical UMNO response; a no-response. He did not even answer the question directed at him. Instead, he maneuvered his way around and kept on harping on the fact that a permit has to be obtained. Why doesn’t the same rule apply to UMNO. Maybe it does, but only theoretically. Never before has the police force rejected a permit by UMNO applicants, and never before has an UMNO event been disrupted by the police. That speaks for itself.

The press should bombard him with questions and push him for an answer. As RPK fondly says, “Let’s milk the cows till their tits run dry!”

The videos that contradict the statement by the Chief Police Officer of Selangor:-

The list of those who were arrested:

1. Tony Pua Tiam Wee
2. Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew
3. Lau Weng San
4. Teoh Way Keng
5. Ashok Kandiah
6. Ong Boon Keong
7. Father Paulino Miranda
8. Ambrose Goh
9. Shukri Mohamad
10. Sunny Lim
11. Andrew
12. Angelia Ooi
13. Arrif Abdul
14. Augustine
15. Goh Chien Li
16. Johny Andrew
17. Kenny Goh
18. Khairul
19. Mohd Faizal
20. Rahman
21. Ramesh
22. Syed Ahmad
23. Tinggaran

by Argus Eye.

BERSIH Candlelight Vigil: Police charge into crowd midway through Negaraku.

In an unwarranted display of sheer arrogance today, the police charged into a crowd of about 400 Malaysians while the National Anthem was sung. The timing of the storm alone is testimony to the quality of the Malaysian Police Force. I just got back from the Petaling Jaya Police Station, where the 24 detainees would most likely be kept overnight before being charged tomorrow. It is 4.10am now and I'm certainly not within the right scope of physical capacity to blog, especially after having to endure a hide-and-seek game with the police around PJ State. I shall allow the pictures below to do the talking. Sorry for the quality of the images, as it was taken using my faulty camera phone.

Early images: Scenes at the field opposite Amcorp Mall at about 7.30pm.







The normally packed Amcorp Mall parking zone appears empty as most vehicles couldn't make it through. Police blocks were set up at various points leading to Amcorp Mall, forcing people to park hundreds of metres away. I received the news of the road blocks through Anil Netto's blog, and opted to park at the Taman Bahagia LRT Station and commute the train to Taman Jaya, which is right opposite Amcorp Mall. As seen, there were several police vihicles and the personnels were all on stand-by mode.


The little girl with her huge RPK T-shirt on. Our hopes for tomorrow.


Scenes at about 8.30pm



The crowd picks up steam and the police tries to disperse the crowd. A minor stand-off takes place but everything was under control. Some policemen were seen beating their baton against the trees, probably as a sign of intimidation. The crowd stays, but many seemed confused.

Haris arrives shortly after, and the crowd gathers in front of him at the Amcorp car park.

Tony Pua joins in.

The police interrupts the gathering again, this time along with the Chief Police of Selangor, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar(in white). He warned that does who do not disperse will face the risk of an arrest as no permit was applied for the vigil. *Any sane citizen of Malaysia in the right frame of mind would know that the police permit would not have been approved even if it was rightly applied for.


The crowd then moves towards Amcorp Mall again, and conduct a short candlelight vigil. It ends with Haris leading them all to the tune of Negaraku. I met with 2 cops at the junction of the LRT Station, Sarjan Azizon and Sarjan Taufik. These men expressed their dissatisfaction over the course of events taking place in Malaysia, and conceded that they have no choice but to work under instructions of their higher ranking officials. They also suggested to me to wear my "I Am With RPK" T-Shirt upside down for if there were an order for an arrest-spree, those wearing this shirt and also the BERSIH ones would be arrested first.

At about 9.45pm, the crowd headed towards PJ Civic Centre, which is about 2 kilometres away. We marched there without any police intimidations. In fact, it appeared to many that the police have decided to call it a day. How they wish..

Scenes at about 10.00pm

At the entrance of PJ Civic Centre. There weren't many there yet when i reached. Most of them were still on their way.

The small crowd make their way from the entrance of PJ Civic Centre to the park which is about 30 metres aways.

The man himself, Raja Petra Kamarudin arrives, much to the joy of the crowd and gives a short speech. He asserts the importance of our continuous struggle against the abolishment of ISA.


Someone from the crowd proposed that we sang the Negaraku before releasing the balloons to mark the 1st anniversary of the BERSIH Rally. At this point, I was having a conversation with Hishamuddin Rais somewhere behind the main crowd. Midway through the National Anthem, the FRU charged in and started nabbing individuals. One seemingly plain-clothed FRU/Police personnel chased us as we ran towards the main entrance. We split at the entrance, with me moving towards the main road and Hishamuddin running into the PJ Civic Centre Building. Well, now that the cop did not trail me from there on, I can only assume that he had followed Hishamuddin into the building. Let's just hope he's safe.

I made my way across the road to meet up with my cousin, who also had a share of sprinting moments. The police were lurking around there as well, and we witnessed people being chased even into the Lotus Restaurant opposite the park. I wasnt able to take pictures of these events. It takes time for my faulty camera phone to start up, and time was something that wasn't on my side. We knew that we could be arrested any moment, and continued to flee the place. When we reached the HSBC Building, we noticed Raja Petra running too. That was surely a sight to remember.

Scene at 11.00pm

This is how it looked like outside the Petaling Jaya Police Headquarters. YB Charles Santiago was present(in picture, on the handphone). Others who were there include YB Lim Kit Siang, YB Gobind Singh Deo, YB Gwo Burne and YB Dr.Jeyakumar.

It is learnt that Tony Pua and Lau Weng San are among the 24 who had been arrested. Tony Pua was practically dragged and pulled into the Black Maria, while Weng San suffered major bruises as a result of being punched twice on his face.

The Malaysia Police Force never fails to amuse us with their constant act of stupidity. Well, if Syed Azidi was arrested for placing the Malaysian Flag upside down in his blog, what action should be take against the force who brutally stormed and physically assaulted the people of our country who were singing the National Anthem?

Im off to bed to catch an hour of sleep before attending Raja Petra's trial shortly at the PJ Sessions Court. Will keep you posted on that.

by Argus Eye.

Recap: Blame the People, Not the Religion.

After a span of more than a year, I have decided to blog again. I would kick-start this blog with my last post, dated May 13, 2007. During these trying times, I find this post relevant in helping us, Malaysians, understand that race and religion should not be the stumbling blocks from helping us achieve the much sought after Anak Bangsa Malaysia status.

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Blame the People, Not the Religion.

I was in a Golf Club House in Selangor downing whiskey with my pals Rocky and Sarj earlier in the evening when a professional looking middle-aged Indian chap walked in with a guy whom I assume is his son. From what it looked like, they were coming in for drinks after their golfing session. However, that didn't matter. Moments after they took their seats hardly a metre or two away from us at the bar, the Maghrib prayers were heard. Within seconds, their conversation topic diverted to Islam. They began to condemn the religion, and blamed it for the massacre around the world. Now, this did matter. As much as I would've loved to be part of them and engage in their conversation, I decided not to after seeing all the bottles stacked up in the bar. I knew that the presence of alcohol could trigger a potential brawl or a hardcore argument, especially with that middle-aged guy whom I had just lost respect for. I chose to keep mum, leaned back and whispered to Sarj that I've just decided to post my second blog. He shrugged it off.

So here I am, half drunk, doing it in his house.

Be wise and stop the attack on Islam, for it is a beautiful religion, just like all other religions. I often say this and I would like to say it again. The problem lies with the people, not the religion, be it Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism etc etc. The problem lies with the oblivious ones who translate and comprehend religious scriptures into something that gets them into an advantageous position. This has been the pinnacle of all problems. All religion teach their disciples that there's only one God. Hindus know Him as Brahman(*different from Brahma), Muslims call Him Allah, Sikhs use the term Waheguru and other religions have their own ways to call Him. However, they are all referring to the same God, the one and only. Only the names differ, but the Truth remains One. If you were to check the definition of all the terms above in the various scriptures, you would see just how well they tally. That's if you choose to be tolerant and read them all.

I am a non-Muslim, and I've come across many non-Muslims harping on a verse in the Quran that says "Tiada tuhan lain melainkan Allah" or "There are no other gods other than Allah" if translated into English. These non-Muslims have been misled. In fact, Islam never said those of other religions do not have a God. What they mean by the term "Allah" is in fact God Himself, the same God everyone prays to. One should not ignore the environmental and situational factors when reading or understanding a particular religion. Islam arrived at a time when Arab was in a state of social illness known as Jahiliyyah, where the community was ignorant of the divine guidance. The verse "There are no other gods other than Allah", if put into proper context, actually means "believe in God, and nothing else..not spirits, not supernatural powers, not paganism". It has to be noted that the society at that point of time were inclined towards paganism. Islam brought them all to the right path with the teachings of the Quran. Sadly, many non-Muslims fail to grasp this concept AND many Muslims actually believe that only they pray to the 'right' God. Lesson to be learnt: The Muslims and the non-Muslims are getting it wrong, not Islam. The religion is perfect, but the people chose to fit ambiguous verses in the Quran into something that conforms to their own assembled beliefs. Therefore, blame the people, NOT the religion.

Now that I've spoken about the misconception of Islam, let me speak about a significant misconception of Hinduism. Many believe that Hindus pray to many Gods. Hindus pray to one God, the Brahman. The Vedas refer to Him as the formless and the infinite, just like how other religions describe God. The idols that are associated with Hinduism are the attributes of God, and not God Himself. It can be said that Hinduism speaks in a language of symbols. Every idol symbolizes Hinduism and aspects of life. Many of you would have heard of the elephant god known as Ganesha. Do bear in mind that this is just symbolic. The trunk of an elephant can bring down a huge tree and yet, pick up something as tiny as a needle. Thus far, I'm not aware of any machines that are capable of performing both these functions. The trunk of an elephant can also extract water from a muddy pond and yet, leave the mud behind. The message is solely about discriminating the bad from the good; man may live in a corrupt-society, but he should be able to distinguish the good from the bad and leave the bad aside. If one were to have a glance at statues or drawings of Ganesha, one would notice a mouse at its feet surrounded by sweet delicacies. Now, Hindus do NOT pray to rats. If you were to look properly and pay attention to it, you would notice that the mouse always has its head up facing Ganesha and not at all tempted by the sweet delicacies. The point? That is how mankind should be; devoted towards God and not towards materialistic desires. All these convey messages on good deeds and the teachings of the religion. Many would notice the presence of spears in Hindu idols. A spear is of a shape where it gets broader when in penetrates into an object. It sends a message stating the more you learn or enquire the broader your mind gets. The shape of the spear which is broad, sharp and deep also indicates broadness of mind, sharpness of intellect and depth of knowledge. Lotus is also a fairly significant flower associated with Hinduism in drawings. Although it exists in a dirty pool of mud, it emerges white, pure and untouched. Again, an example of how man should be. Others that can often be noticed are snakes and demons. Snakes move in a crooked path, just like the path man takes when he is consumed by desire. If one were to look at the idol of Lord Vishnu, it can be seen that the snakes bow to Him. In other words, it portrays a message where one should have complete mastery over desires. There is also Goddess Kali, who appears to be blood-thirsty and ferocious. Again, these are just symbolic meanings. Goddess Kali is seen killing demons. The demons represent ego, jealousy and wickedness. The image of the idol in fact carries the concept that one should get rid of negativity within them. These are basics of Hinduism. Hinduism is not a religion of idol worshipping but sadly today, many Hindus have become idol worshippers simply because they fail to grasp these concepts of symbolism in their religion. Again, blame the people, NOT the religion.

Another misconception of Hinduism is the caste system. Hinduism never once stated that castes are linked with an individual by family lineage or birth in a certain family. In fact, it even states clearly that one can only be a Brahmin by conduct, and not birth. The Upanishads and Vedas have classified the caste system as a well organised and efficient human society. This was significantly practiced during civilisation in ancient India. The castes were the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. Vedic scriptures would tell you that the pillar and strength of any organisation would depend on a knowledgeable system. That's where the Brahmins come in. It would then depend on security, which include military and defence; this are the Kshastriyas. Next would be the business and economic system; the Vaishyas and finally the productive working force which are the Shudras. It refers to an efficient society structure. Probably it would be clearer if I were to apply it into a more understandable context. Take a country as an example. It has the Government, Military Defence, Investors and Labor Force. If any of these functions fail, it would no longer be an efficient structure. This was the tenet of the caste system in Hinduism. However, many Hindus themselves have exploited this system for their own well being and used it as a stepping stone to leap ahead of others when they should in fact be working hand-in-hand in all departments. They operate no differently from those in a cabal. Need I say it again? Blame the people, not the religion.

I find it odd that religion has become the cause of aggression. Has a Hindu not read the Al-Fatihah before? Has a Muslim not read the Gayatri Mantra before?

GAYATRI MANTRA:-

Aum Bhoor Bhuwah Swaha,
Tat Savitur Varenyam,
Bhargo Devasaya Dheemahi,
Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat.

translated into English:-

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

SURA AL-FATIHAH:-

bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
al-hamdulillâhi rabb il-âlamîn
ar-rahmân ir-rahîm
mâliki yawm id-dîn
iyyâka na`budu wa iyyâka nasta`în
ihdinâ s-sirât al-mustaqîm
sirât al-ladhîna an`amta `alayhim
ghayr il-maghdûbi `alayhim wa la d-dâlîn

translated into English:-

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
Master of the Day of Judgment,
Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek,
Guide us on the right path,
The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,
Those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.


If people chose to read, they would've noticed similarities and known that ALL religions guide their disciples through the right path. Compare the Gayatri Mantra and Al-Fatihah above with Lord's Prayer of Christianity[The New Testament, King James Version] and one could see greater similarities.

When comparing Islam to Sikhism, we can look at the case where the Muslim King Akbar went to Guru Ji to check if there were anything against Islam in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. As he flipped the pages, he wanted Guru Ji to read them to him, and below was the Shabad that Guruji read:-

"Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Some call Him, 'Raam, Raam', and some call Him, 'Khudaa-i'. Some serve Him as 'Gusain', others as 'Allaah'. ||1|| He is the Cause of causes, the Generous Lord. He showers His Grace and Mercy upon us. ||1||Pause|| Some bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and some make the pilgrimage to Mecca.| Some perform devotional worship services, and some bow their heads in prayer. ||2|| Some read the Vedas, and some the Koran. Some wear blue robes, and some wear white. ||3|| Some call themselves Muslim, and some call themselves Hindu. Some yearn for paradise, and others long for heaven. ||4|| Says Nanak, one who realizes the Hukam of God's Will, knows the secrets of his Lord and Master. ||5||9|| (Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 885)"

Being shocked and extremely pleased that there were nothing against Islam and their acceptance of other religions, the King bowed at the feet of Guru Ji before leaving.

From what I am aware of, misconceptions of Christianity is slightly different from other religions as it normally revolves around the Gospels. For instance, many question the differences among Gospels themselves when mentioning about the sign thats incorporated on Jesus' cross[New Testament]. Mark 15:26 states "The King of the Jews", Matthew 27:37 states "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews", Luke 23:38 states "This is the King of the Jews" and John 19:19 states "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews". Now, different they may be, but it has to be understood that there were four languages that were being used in Palestine at that time; Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin. Slight differences are bound to occur, but the Gospels are still accurate, without a doubt.

Religion is a topic too wide too mention about in a blog. Thousands of pages would still be deemed insufficient. However, a rough idea on different religions and a proper understanding of them all could change the peoples' perception of other religions.

By pointing out the similarities between religions, let me make it absolutely clear that I am not saying all religions are the same. They are NOT the same. However, many similarities exist. And the similarities that exist are in fact, the vital ones. For example, believing in one God and righteousness in deeds.

Differences do exist. Islam and Christianity believe in Heaven and Hell; Hinduism believes in karma and reincarnation. However, these differences do not create much of an impact on mankind as both teachings share the same point, which is be righteous and one shall be rewarded with a better life in Heaven(according to Islam and Christianity), or probably a blessed life in the next birth(according to Hinduism and Buddhism). Whichever it may be, we are still better of. I believe that no religions have teachings that contradict another religion in terms of righteousness.

Despite some differences in concepts and theories, each and every religion teaches their disciples to be tolerant towards religions of others.

The Quran has stated that " Those who believe (in the Quran ), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians ,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve"[Quran 2:62]. It went on stating "We believe in God, and that which has been sent down to us, and sent down on Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and the Prophets, of their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we surrender ( Muslimun )"[Quran 3:83-84]. This is evident that Islam is a tolerant religion, and not a religion of aggresion.

Sikhism believes that there should be "Respect and tolerance for other religions"[Guru Grant Sahib Ji]

Swami Vivekananda came up with a classic parable when he addressed the crowd in Chicago at the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893:-
"A frog lived in a well. It had lived there for a long time. It was born there and brought up there, and yet was a little, small frog. Of course, the evolutionists were not there then to tell us whether the frog lost its eyes or not, but, for our story’s sake, we must take it for granted that it had its eyes, and that it every day cleansed the water of all the worms and bacilli that lived in it with an energy that would do credit to our modern bacteriologists. In this way it went on and became a little sleek and fat. Well, one day another flog that lived in the sea came and fell into the well.
“Where are you from?”
“I am from the sea.”
“The sea?! How big is that? Is it as big as my well?” and he took a leap from one side of the well to the other.
“My friend,” said the frog of the sea, “how do you compare the sea with your little well?”
Then the frog took another leap and asked, “Is your sea so big?”
“What nonsense you speak, to compare the sea with your well!”
“Well, then,” said the frog of the well, “nothing can be bigger than my well; there can be nothing bigger than this; this fellow is a liar, so turn him out.”

That has been the difficulty all the while. I am a Hindu. I am sitting in my own little well and thinking that the whole world is my little well. The Christian sits in his little well and thinks the whole world is his well. The Mohammedan sits in his little well and thinks that is the whole world. l have to thank you of America for the great attempt you are making to break down the barriers of this little world of ours, and hope that, in the future, the Lord will help you to accomplish your purpose." [Swami Vivekananda, 1893]

Religion should never be exploited for personal gains. And I personally believe that while one should practice his own religion whole-heartedly, he should also understand and appreciate other heavenly religions that do exist. Respect and venerate other religions and never once condemn them, for God is One.

Blame the People, Not the Religion.

Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahudha Vadanti (Truth Is One; the wise know Him by Many Names)

by Argus Eye.