Terengganu a battleground: Critical test for Umno-BN in state by-election

Malaysia's coalition government faces a by-election next month which analysts say will be a critical test of public reaction to its reform promises after disastrous polls in March. (ref Malaysiakini : BN faces critical by-election test –ed. )

The by-election in northern Terengganu state, a battleground between the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the Islamic opposition party PAS, was triggered by the death of a deputy minister.

Election Commission deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar announced Friday that the vote would be held on January 17, with parties to declare their candidates on January 6.

After wrangles in the past over allegations of fraud and vote-buying, Wan Ahmad said that MAFREL (Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections) would be allowed to monitor the process.

"We like having MAFREL as observers as it boosts the confidence of people and transparency," he told a press conference.

The vote comes at an unfortunate time for the UMNO, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition that was humbled in March elections -- losing a third of parliamentary seats and five states to the three-member opposition alliance.

Since then it has been in a state of disarray that is unlikely to be resolved until its annual assembly next March, when deputy prime minister Najib Razak is expected to replace unpopular premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Infighting and rivalries helped it lose an August by-election that allowed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to return to parliament -- a decade after he was sacked as deputy premier and jailed on sex and corruption charges.

Analysts said the UMNO faces a tough fight against the PAS, which along with Anwar's Keadilan party and the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party, makes up the opposition alliance.

"It will be a classic battle between two Malay political parties in a Malay heartland," said James Chin, professor of political science at the Kuala Lumpur campus of Monash university.

"If PAS wins it means the people do not believe UMNO's reform programme. It means their sentiments against the ruling party since the March elections are still there," he said.

"It could also demonstrate that voters do not have confidence in Najib Razak's leadership and believe that UMNO is not capable of any reform."

Najib, who as deputy premier will direct the ruling party's election campaign, has promised to make good on Abdullah's promises of change, which were never realised after he came to power in 2003.

But there are doubts whether the UMNO, which has become plagued by corruption in the half-century it has dominated Malaysian politics, is capable of undergoing the changes that voters are demanding.

The party won the vacant seat of Kuala Terengganu in March, but only with the slimmest of majorities.

"There is no escape but face the Kuala Terengganu by-election, which is wholly unexpected and could not have come at a worse possible time for UMNO and Barisan," the Star newspaper said in an analysis.

It said that a major factor would be the 11 percent of Chinese voters among the more than 80,000 eligible to vote. Malaysia's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities abandoned the coalition in the March polls.

A victory would be a major boost for the PAS, which lost control of Terengganu state in 2004, after having held it for just one term and alienating voters with extreme measures such as enacting Islamic "hudud" laws.

Since then it has dropped its hardline rhetoric and tried to reach out to Malaysia's minorities who are alarmed over rising "Islamisation" in the multicultural country. -- Agence France-Presse - 12/5/2008 7:24 AM GMT

MPs to be sworn in on April 28

MPs to be sworn in on April 28

[KL, March 27, 2008]: The 222 newly-elected members of parliament will be sworn in on April 28, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Depart-ment Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said yesterday (March 26, 2008 - ed). YDP Agung Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin will open both houses of parliament on April 29.
Nazri told the NST that the Dewan Rakyat will sit for 16 days. He said notices were being prepared to be sent to the MPs.
Nazri said the 3 opposition parties – DAP, PKR, and Pas – will also have their own offices in the parliament complex. Previously, only a single office was provided for the opposition.
Another change will see the establishment of between 16 and 20 functional offices for the various cabinet portfolios and their ministers. “This will be their office when parliament is in session,” he said, adding that this would also enable the ministers to attend the parliament sessions.
On the seating arrangement in the Dewan Rakyat, which will see a drastic change this time compared with previous parliaments, Nazri said it was still being finalized. The seating arrangement in the Dewan Rakyat is in the form of a horse shoe comprising 8 blocks. In the 12th general election, BN won 140 seats, PKR 31, DAP 29 and PAS 23 seats. The opposition will occupy 3-and-a-half blocks, with the remainder going to the BN. -- nstonline

MPs urged to follow the rules

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 ─ New Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has urged MPs to follow the rules when debating issues. The House sits on Monday.
"I want to be fair to everybody but all MPs should know what to do and they must do it within the parameters of the rules. If they follow the rules, everybody will be happy," he told reporters at the rehearsal of the opening ceremony for the first session of the 12th Parliament yesterday.
Also present were Santubong MP Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Beluran MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who were both appointed Deputy Speakers.
Pandikar Amin, 52, a former minister in the Prime Minister's Department, replaces Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib and become only the seventh Speaker since Parliament was created in 1959.
Asked whether errant MPs would be asked to leave the House, he said: "I don't know yet. Let us wait and see."
Pandikar Amin, who was surprised over his appointment, thanked those involved in the decision and pledged to give his best.
Monday's sitting is set to make a record of sorts with 99 new MPs and a strong Opposition with 82 MPs, a four-fold increase from the last one.
The 12th Dewan Rakyat session will be opened by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin on Tuesday. ─ Bernama

Wakil Syaitan, Perumpamaannya Saperti Anjing

Cuplikan dari kitab an-Nashaih ad-Diniyah wal-Washaya al-Imaniyah karya Imam Habib Abdullah Haddad –ed.

Sebahagian dari orang-orang yang berlimu, sudahlah tidak beramal dengan ilmunya, atau mengajarkannya kepada orang lain, mereka suka pula menyeru kepada yang serong dengan menjual ilmunya untuk mendapat habuan dunia. Mereka gemar membuka pintu takwil (interpretasi) dan menunjukkan kepada orang-orang awam cara-cara yang mudah untuk menentukan sesuatu hukum agama, sehingga terbukalah jalan untuk membelit atau menipu, supaya mereka dapat mengelakkan diri dari mengeluarkan hak-hak yang diwajibkan ke atas mereka oleh agama, ataupun untuk merampas hak-hak orang lain.

Orang berlimu yang bersikap saperti ini, ialah syaitan yang durjana, pengingkar dan penentang Allah SWT dan Rasul-Nya. Sebenarnya ia telah dilantik oleh syaitan untuk menjadi wakilnya di dunia, agar ia bisa menabur fitnah dan menunjuk kepada kesesatan dan kekeliruan dengan menjual ilmunya untuk mendapat habuan dunia.

Dan bacakanlah kepada mereka berita orang yang Kami berikan keterangan-keterangan Kami kepadanya. Kemudian dibuangkannya dengan menjadikan dirinya terkeluar dari mematuhinya, lalu ia didatangi syaitan, maka dia itu termasuk orang-orang yang sesat jalan. [7:al-a’raf:175]

Dan kalau Kami kehendaki nescaya Kami angkat kedudukannya (sebab mengamalkan) ayat-ayat itu, tetapi dia bermati-matian cenderung kepada dunia dan menurut hawa nafsunya; maka perumpamaannya adalah saperti anjing, kalau engkau menghalaunya dihulurkan lidahnya, dan jika engkau biarkan dihulurkan juga lidahnya. Demikianlah perumpamaan orang-orang yang mendustakan ayat-ayat kami. Maka ceritakanlah kisah-kisah itu supaya mereka berfikir [7:al-a’raf:176]

Orang ini dipandang oleh Allah SWT sama saperti anjing dalam kelakuannya yang buruk dan hina. Kalau tidak, tentulah anjing itu lebih utama daripadanya, sebab anjing sesudah mati akan menjadi tanah, akan tetapi ia akan diseret kepada api neraka.

Baca minda berkaitan: Kita Ketandusan Kejujuran Ulama Dan Keikhlasan Umara, kemudian teliti CIP Anwar: Keengganan Suruhanjaya Menerima Bukti Menghakis Keyakinan, juga CIP Al-Qaradawi dikafir oleh kumpulan Ahbash, digelar sebagai anjing oleh kumpulan Salafi.