CONTROVERSIES DOG PAS-LED KEDAH GOVERNMENT

By Noor Adzman Baharuddin  | noadzman@nst.com.my

STEERING COMMITTEE: What is it doing about it?

Although nearing the end of this term, considering the general election is around the corner, the Pas-led Kedah state government has attracted yet another controversy.

This is no surprise since the rookie Pakatan Rakyat state government has been dogged by controversies since the March 2008 general election.

They ranged from causing an outrage of the Chinese community over the demolition of a pig abattoir, to forcing entertainment outlet operators to settle their licensing fees a full year in advance.

The latest to dog the Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers in Kedah is the introduction of Section 22A of the Mufti and Fatwa (Kedah) Enactment. The section states that a fatwa (religious edict) decided by the mufti or fatwa committee, whether gazetted or not, cannot be challenged, appealed, reviewed, denied or questioned in any civil court or syariah court.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak bragged that Kedah was the first state to enact such a ruling.

He explained that the new enactment was not intended to stop differing or opposing views on a fatwa, but aimed at preventing the fatwa from being challenged in court.

He argued that it was not right for a non-Muslim judge to hear and decide a case involving a fatwa.

Even a syariah judge, he argued, is not an ulama and his job was only to interpret enactments and make decisions based on provisions.

He stressed that any fatwa involved syarak and syariah issues and any confusion should be referred to the mufti or fatwa council and not civil or syariah judges.

Many quarters, both Muslim and non-Muslim, found the new enactment disturbing.

Among the first to raise his concerns was Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya. Without mincing his words, the religious scholar charged the new enactment was against Islam.

He also charged that the state government was moving towards a theocratic state and, worse still, the section could be perceived as intending to impose beliefs on others.

Azizan was quick to rubbish Juanda, chiding him for failing to fully understand the "issue" and said he had "simply jumped the gun after reading about it in the newspapers".

Azizan also said that non-Muslims should not be worried since the amendment did not apply to them.

There has been a little support online, mostly from pro-Pakatan Rakyat bloggers.

However, Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang begged to differ and described the amendment as Taliban rule in Kedah.

Also supporting Tan is Bar Council constitutional law committee chairman Syahredzan Johan who told an online news portal that the enactment was unconstitutional.

And businessman Tunku Monsor Tunku Kassim, a member of the Kedah royalty, has lodged a police report.

He fears that the amendment would allow the mufti or fatwa council to usurp the powers of the sultan as head of Islamic religious affairs.

The DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat have, however, been keeping mum over Section 22A, just like they did when the state Pakatan Rakyat government was rocked by a coup attempt by two of Azizan's most loyal lieutenants -- the biggest controversy to dog the Pas-led state government to date.

A five-member steering committee was set up by Pas leadership as part of the "settlement". It was to advise Azizan on major issues, including the explosive controversy involving the proposed demolition of Madrasah Sahiliah for a RM500 million shopping-cum-residential complex.

Considering the public clamour over the latest fatwa changes, surely Section 22A should be a major concern of the committee.

Azizan had said that the bill to amend the Mufti and Fatwa (Kedah) Enactment was planned two years ago. It was learnt the matter was not referred to the committee since the bill was to be tabled two years ago, but was delayed. But surely the DAP and PKR have opinions on the matter.

Taking Juanda's fears of a possible creation of a theocratic state, DAP veteran Karpal Singh must surely have an opinion on Section 22A in light of his famous "over my dead body" war cry over Pas' plan then -- and which appears to have since been abandoned -- to turn the country into an Islamic state. But his silence is deafening.

The committee is also silent on this and their role to keep Azizan away from trouble.


Read more: Controversies dog Pas-led Kedah government - Columnist - New Straits Times 

THOUSANDS EAGERLY AWAIT EVENT

KUCHING: TENS of thousands of people in the Sarawak capital and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to meet Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the Jelajah Janji Ditepati carnival and expo this Saturday. 

The prime minister will be launching the two-day state-level carnival, which will begin at 8am at the Wisma Bapa Malaysia car park in Petra Jaya.

The government's programme is aimed at fostering closer ties with locals and engage more with the public.

"At the same time, it would also give the people a chance to learn more about the government's initiatives in a more interactive setting," said Primeworks Studios business development and operations general manager Azhar Borhan, who is also the project coordinator.

Read more: Thousands eagerly await event - General - New Straits Times

US TRADE CHIEF SEES MALAYSIA AS INVESTMENT MAGNET

Putrajaya: US trade chief Ron Kirk described Malaysia as a magnet for investments and its ongoing economic transformation plan enhances its attractiveness.

And, the benefit of that all is the Malaysian people, he said.

American businesses want to be in Malaysia as they are comfortable in this country, which is one of the reasons that the US wants to engage with Malaysia in the multilateral Trans Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement.

“We heard from businesses here that if we can do this well with the structured engagement that we have now, imagine how dynamic it would be if it’s fully liberalised,” he said in an interview with Business Times yesterday.


Read more on: US trade chief sees Malaysia as investment magnet

MALAYSIA 'ON TRACK IN GRAFT WAR'

HIGH PRAISE: US federal judge lauds country’s efforts as well planned

United States federal judge Frank Montalvo, who is on a visit to Malaysia, says corruption is a problem in every country.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is on the right track in fighting corruption with its well planned strategies and approaches.
United States federal judge Frank Montalvo believes that in order to prevent and deal with corruption and other crimes, every country needs to grow its own solution, besides adopting the general principles.

"For example, it has been suggested that some crimes should be included in every country's Penal Code in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.


"From everything that I have seen, Malaysia is doing just that and is on the right track in fighting corruption," Montalvo, who was on a five-day working visit here since Sunday, said during a press conference at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here yesterday. 


It was Montalvo's first visit to Malaysia.


Read more on: Malaysia 'on track in graft war' - General - New Straits Times 

2 STADIUMS OFFERED AS RALLY VENUE

Clearing The Air: Issue is not about sit-in protest but the location, says Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The management of Bukit Jalil National Stadium and Stadium Merdeka have agreed to allow Bersih organisers to use them as the venue for their rally on Saturday.

"The issue here is not the sit-in protest but the location.

"We have no problem if they (Bersih) have it at Stadium Merdeka, Bukit Jalil, Cheras or Titiwangsa," Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein posted on his Twitter page yesterday.

Bersih had earlier accused the government and City Hall of giving "mixed signals" on the issue.

Its steering committee yesterday announced that the sit-in protest would proceed as planned at Dataran Merdeka despite City Hall's objections.

Bersih had filed for permission to stage the assembly at the historic venue to City Hall and the police, but were sent a rejection letter by the Dang Wangi police on Monday.

Meanwhile, taxi drivers and traders yesterday urged Bersih 3.0 organisers to hold their rally in a closed venue, preferably in a stadium, to avoid traffic congestion and disturbances that could affect their day's takings.

The Malaysian Association of Taxi/Limousine Drivers and Operators and Car Rental Operators (Petekma) yesterday lodged a police report against the rally, expected to be held at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday afternoon.

Petekma deputy president Syahrir Abdul Aziz said the sit-down demonstration, organised by Bersih would disrupt their members' income for the day.

Read more on: 2 stadiums offered as rally venue - General - New Straits Times