Indonesia to examine Australian PM's Asia-Pacific plan

source: Agence France-Presse - 6/6/2008 6:53 AM GMT – via MSN Malaysia News

Indonesia is "really keen" to examine an ambitious plan by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to create a European Union-style grouping for the Asia-Pacific, an official said Friday.
Government officials in Australia's closest neighbour said they would discuss the proposal with Rudd when he makes his first prime ministerial visit to Jakarta to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono next week.
"We're following the issue with interest. We are really keen to study the issue further," foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
"I suppose the visit of PM Rudd next week to Indonesia will be an occasion for us to have a clear reference of what exactly (is) the vision of his statement," Faizasyah said.
Yudhoyono spokesman Dino Patti Djalal confirmed Jakarta was looking closely at the proposal and would discuss it when the leaders meet during Rudd's June 12-14 visit.
"We are actively reading the idea proposed by the prime minister and we will look forward to hearing more about it when the president meets him in mid-June," he said.
Rudd said Thursday an Asia-Pacific Community including the massive economies of China, India, the United States and Japan could be established by 2020.
A fluent Mandarin speaker and ardent Sinophile, the Labor prime minister has made closer engagement with Asia a foreign policy priority since his election last November.

Griffith University : Judge accuses Aussie varsity of promoting hardline Islam

Judge accuses Aussie varsity of promoting hardline Islam

MELBOURNE: A judge has likened Griffith University in Brisbane, which last year boasted it had attracted "two prominent Malaysian figures" to undertake their PhD research there, as propagating hardline Islamic teachings similar to the madrasah in Pakistan.

Queensland District Court judge Clive Wall also accused Griffith of promoting a Muslim ideology espoused by Osama bin Laden, founder of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

In an e-newsletter last June, the Griffith Islamic Research Unit (GIRU) announced that Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim would undertake research at GIRU.

The Australian newspaper quoted Wall as accusing Griffith of becoming an "agent" for propagating hardline Islamic teachings by using funds from Saudi Arabia.

But GIRU director Mohamad Abdalla rejected accusations that funding from Saudi Arabia would be used to promote Wahabism, saying that his centre was opposed to the hardline ideology, and was in favour of moderate Islam. - Bernama
Griffith Islamic Research Unit - The central aim of the Griffith Islamic Research Unit is to promote a Wasatiyya or balanced and contextualised understanding of Islam and Muslims.
The Asian Renaissance: Scholar - Anwar Ibrahim

Development and establishment of Islamic Real Estate investment trust in Australia : Scholar - Abd Khalid Ibrahim

Griffith gains Islamic Studies Centre - Story Deborah Marshall

Pilihanraya : Kisah Payung & Kotak – amatilah!

Di Malaysia di musim pilihanraya, memang banyak payung & kotak di tepi jalan dan ada pula ceritera suasana yang panas tentangnya. Begitu juga di Australia di musim pilihanraya, memang banyak payung & kotak di tepi jalan tapi di sana, di barat, ada kisah pencerahan yang cukup menarik tentangnya --- tentang suasana pilihanraya, payung & kotak di tepi jalan. Menelaahlah kisahnya berdasarkan pengalaman & pengamatan penulisnya di sana, di Australia, moga ianya bisa mencerahkan suasana di sini, di Malaysia. - ed.

Sehingga ke hari ini, sering aku teringat kepada sekaki payung besar yang terpacak di tepi jalan. Di bawahnya ada sebuah kotak di atas meja. Ia terletak di luar pagar Ironside State (Primary) School, St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia, di tepi jalan laluan seharian aku dari rumah ke kuliah di University of Queensland, sekitar tahun 1985. Walaupun lebih 20 tahun telah berlalu dan telah banyak negara serta kejadian yang aku tempuhi selepas itu, namun bila duduk-duduk sendiri merenung nasib umat kita di Dunia Ketiga ini, payung dan kotak di tepi jalan itu juga yang kembali menjelma dan mengisi ruang fikiran. “Ambillah iktibar walau (wahai –ed.) orang-orang yang mempunyai penglihatan” (Al-Hasyr:2).

Kotak itu adalah salah satu peti undi semasa Pilihanraya Umum di Queensland, Australia ketika itu. Hanya seorang duduk menjaganya. Terletak di tepi jalan supaya mudah pengundi yang memandu atau lalu lalang di situ untuk membuang undi. Di antara mereka yang singgah mengundi di kotak itu, ada yang pulang dari membeli belah di kedai-kedai berhampiran. Hari itu tenang, setenang hari-hari lain sepanjang musim Pilihanraya tanpa perhimpunan, ceramah apatah lagi buuu membuuu, penyelewengan atau penipuan. Begitulah suasana musim Pilihanraya Umum yang pernah aku saksikan sendiri di sana. Peralihan atau pertukaran parti yang akan memerintah sudah menjadi lumrah mereka, menuju kepada pentadbiran oleh kerajaan baru yang lebih layak dan akan lebih memberikan menfaat kepada Pengundi.

Setiap 4 tahun rakyat ditabal menjadi Hakim Negara dalam Mahkamah Pilihanraya. Hasilnya, rasuah dan penyelewengan wang rakyat sangat jarang kedengaran. AMATILAH PILIHANRAYA DI SINI