NAJIB THREATENS TO SUE MALAYSIAKINI OVER ‘DEFAMATORY’ COMMENTS FROM READERS

NAJIB THREATENS TO SUE MALAYSIAKINI OVER ‘DEFAMATORY’ COMMENTS FROM READERS

 

(The Malaysian Insider) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak has threatened to take legal action againstMalaysiakini over the publication of its readers’ comments with regard to his handling of the political impasse in Terengganu, the online portal reported today.

Malaysiakini said that the prime minister’s legal action was initiated in a personal capacity and jointly with Umno through law firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.

A letter of demand which was hand-delivered to the online portal late yesterday, stated: “The compilation of readers’ comments in two ‘Yoursay’ articles published on May 14, namely ‘A case of the PM reaping what he sows’ and ‘How much will Najib spend to keep Terengganu?’, were defamatory.”

According to Malaysiakini, the letter was signed by leading Umno lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun (pic), who said that comments made in particular by six Malaysiakini readers were also seditious.

“All the accusations made by users on Malaysiakini.com were totally baseless, without concrete proof and are very serious, on top of having ill-intent (mala fide) to damage the reputation and image of our clients,” Malaysiakini quoted the letter as saying.

“They, among others, are also intended to lower the honour and credibility of our clients as the backbone of the BN government…,” it said.

Malaysiakini said Najib and Umno demanded for an unconditional apology from the news portal within 48 hours from the issuance of the letter of demand, as well as a retraction of the allegedly defamatory articles.

They also wanted Malaysiakini to sign an undertaking that the news portal would not publish similar statements which they claimed were defamatory.

If Malaysiakini does not respond to these demands, Hafarizam was quoted as saying that his firm would initiate court action against them.

 ‘How much will Najib spend to keep Terengganu?’

Yes, we all would like to know also.Hard to believe that the ex MB and gang will just accept an apology from PM.

Maybe in court the truth will prevaiil!!

 

Who is the enemy?

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak is lucky to have Khairy Jamaluddin as an ally and mind-reader. Every time Najib says something silly, which happens quite frequently, Khairy is there to provide the necessary clarification or explanation so that the damage is minimised.

The latest offering from Khairy was an explanation that Najib’s statement—liberalism is dangerous—had been misunderstood because the Prime Minister used the word “liberalism” too liberally (that’s confusing enough but never mind).

Khairy then went on to explain that the Prime Minister was trying to say that there could not be “unfettered liberalism” or liberalism in excess, such as gay parades on the streets or topless parties.

That’s the trick apologists for the Prime Minister usually play on us. They always use ridiculous examples to distort points raised by the public. When people ask for freedom, they say “there is no such thing as absolute freedom”. When we ask for a free Press they say “a free Press will cause confusion”.

Now when we merely assert the need for a dose of liberalism consistent with the philosophy of the founders of our country, they quickly say that unfettered liberalism is dangerous. Nobody is asking for unfettered anything, Why not? Because these things are not dangerous. Indeed, they are the hallmarks of a free country.

Najib also said that Islam and its followers were now being tested by new threats under the guise of humanism, secularism, liberalism and human rights. Suddenly he becomes the new ISMA warrior

Why is our Prime Minister, who just a year before the 13th General Election was touting himself as a reformist on the march to transform this country and its people, suddenly doing this strange U-turn?

Reckless speeches and statements from the Prime Minister about “enemies within” only exaggerate the tension in the country. As the Prime Minister, Najib should be the one who calms frayed nerves, who arbitrates, who brings the voice of moderation and reason to a country that has been producing people like Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Dr Ridhuan Tee and Dato’ Ibrahim Ali in large numbers. A responsible Prime Minister does not put fuel on fire

What I find so annoying about leaders like Najib is the hypocrisy. Who could possibly be the “enemies” of Islam? Are they the Superpowers?

After all, the leaders who have espoused all the “dangerous” principles of liberalism and human rights have usually been from the United States and Europe: Barrack Obama, David Cameron, and so forth.

But wasn’t Najib showing off how close he was to Obama just a few weeks ago? He even had a free ride in the Presidential Car. He must have spent considerable time and money to gain acceptance by Washington and London.

If Christianity is the enemy, why didn’t Najib sort out the matter when he visited the Pope? If society is endangered by liberalism, secularism and human rights, how come Najib found comfort in London and New York—the capitals of decadence and sin?

Come on, Mr Prime Minister, let’s get real and explain it all to the rakyat: who are the enemies you are referring to?

Leaders like Najib actually like everything about the West. In fact, they adore the West. They even buy properties in New York and London. They like the sights, the sounds, the food and the many wonderful things a free liberal society confers on its people.

The creativity of a free people enriches a country in many ways. That’s why leaders like Najib like go to Western countries for their holidays. There, they buy books that they ban in Malaysia and they watch movies that they would not allow into their own country.

Some politicians even like the nightlife, the casinos, and the same “immoral activities” that they say will cause harm to Islam and Muslims in Malaysia—but the liberal atmosphere in the West has not choked them. They have not found the music, the topless parties or gay parades so revolting that they must turn their backs on the West.

People know they are pretending, and slowly even those in Felda settlements will realise it. There are no real enemies other than manufactured ones . Our leaders will manufacture enemies for the Muslims because they do not want their fellow Muslims to experience the comfort of this liberal society, or to enjoy this freedom like they do.

They are afraid the truth will be discovered: when the people have no imaginary enemies, they do not need leaders who are hypocrites.

Attack on nuns: Was it a robbery or hate crime, ask netizens

Attack on nuns: Was it a robbery or hate crime, ask netizens

BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
MAY 15, 2014

The attack on two nuns on the grounds of the Church of Visitation in Seremban shocked and angered many concerned Malaysians. – May 15, 2014.Netizens roundly condemned the attack on two nuns on the grounds of the Church of the Visitation in Seremban yesterday, with many expressing doubts on whether robbery was the motive of the assault.

In Twitter and in The Malaysian Insider website, Malaysians expressed shock and disgust over the incident which had left Sister Juliana Lim, 60,in critical condition.

The other nun who was attacked in the incident which happened just before the 6.30am mass was 80-year-old Sister Mary-Rose who suffered various injuries and is also said to be in serious condition.

Hi, its me! ‏@kcl1308 said: "Nuns in church compound also get attack by the b*******. What's happening to Msia?

"What the headline says is disturbing enough. To learn that it happened in Seremban leaves a distinct taste of..." said Citizen ABU Walski @walski69.

Zashnain Zainal ‏@bedlamfury: "Two Catholic nuns viciously attacked on church grounds in Seremban; definitely a sign of increasing crime."

Leigh Wong ‏@giokleigh: "Hopefully not religious/racially motivated. It's damned low to attack elderly nuns."

Readers of The Malaysian Insider said the timing of the incident, with religious tension continuing to escalate, points towards it being a hate crime rather than a robbery attempt.

matsaleh said: "When irresponsible public figures use religion to bait people and gain publicity, it can lead to such horrible events on innocent private figures."

TMI reader PNL wrote: NUNS do not carry expensive handbags or wear jewellery!!!!!!!! Just what can the coward robber hoped to get from these nuns????????  This is really getting out of hand!!!!!  Besides we have NEVER heard of nuns getting robbed!!!!!!

"What was there to rob from a nun? A prayer rosary?" asked Harjim.

"Looks like a setup by some religious extremist to make it look like robbery but was in fact religious hatred and intolerance," said BolehBoleh.

MainDuaBola said: "I am not a Christian but I am praying that they recover. What monsters that can do such thing."

The two nuns were attacked just before 6.30am on Wednesday when they were about to attend morning mass at the church in Jalan Yam Tua.

The Malaysian Insider was told that the nuns were found sprawled on the steps leading to the church building when the caretakers open the doors just before the morning mass.

Jualiana is warded at the Seremban Hospital and is in critical condition while Mary-Rose is said to be receiving treatment for various injuries.

It was learnt that the nuns from the Infant Jesus Convent, located about a 10-minute drive from the church, are regulars at the early morning mass.

Both sisters drove to the church and their car was found parked in the church grounds.

The incident was also condemned by the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) which expressed shock over the attack on the nuns.

"The voices of antagonism and hatred have been on the increase in the country and it would be no surprise if the attack on the nuns were not conspired by those out to cause inter-religious conflict in the country.

"The police must investigate this case of outright religious intimidation and fear creation and bring those responsible to justice," said CCM general-secretary Reverend Hermen Shastri in a statement.

Seremban police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainal Abu, who confirmed the incident, said the attack on the nuns was being investigated. – May 15, 2014.

TEST OUT HUDUD ON POLITICIANS AND ROYAL FAMILY FIRST

TEST OUT HUDUD ON POLITICIANS AND ROYAL FAMILY FIRST, ACTIVIST SUGGESTS

May 11, 2014

by Super Admin

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Zainah Anwar suggests Sultans and members of the Royal Family deserve punishment under Hudud

Hudud law should be first tried on the country’s elites and royals, Muslim activist Zainah Anwar suggested today as a way to prove that the Islamic penal code will be applied fairly before it is introduced to the rest of Malaysia.

The director of Musawah and former Sisters in Islam chief argued the controversial hudud law is vulnerable to abuse, pointing to evidence of injustice in countries where the law is in effect.

“If you really want to implement the hudud laws, let’s do a test run and I think it should only apply to the Cabinet ministers, members of parliament, to the state assemblymen, to the mentri besars, and to the royal families.

“Let’s test on them first because you know they are not going to be prosecuted, you know it’s going to be people like you and I here,” she said at the forum entitled “What is hudud” at the MCA headquarters.

Zainah said the debate on implementing hudud is distracting the society from more important matters such as corruption, urban poverty and the goods and services tax (GST) that will be implemented next year.

She also insisted that hudud law could not be applied in Malaysia, adding that the continued push for its implementation was feeding existing “Islamophobia”.

“There is more to Islam than laws. There is more to Islamic laws than hudud.”

Others who spoke at the forum included PAS MPs Hanipa Maidin and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Fathul Bari from Umno Youth, and Islamic Renaissance Front director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa.

In 1993, the PAS state government passed the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II, allowing it to impose the strict Islamic penal code in the state, but the laws have not been implemented yet.

PAS is now looking for parliamentary approval to implement hudud. It plans to put forward two private members’ bills in parliament. One seeks approval for punishments including whipping, stoning and amputation while the other seeks to empower Shariah courts to mete out the sentences.

In all previous attempts, PAS had been frustrated by Barisan Nasional (BN) tactics to prevent any vote by employing a “talking out” tactic where BN MPs have been allowed to speak for an extended period of time to prevent such private members’ bills from even being debated.

However, Umno leaders have now said they have no objections to the implementation of hudud and have constantly challenged PAS to try to introduce the law.

Earlier today, PAS announced that it will delay tabling the two bills.

Party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the Islamist party was agreeable to Putrajaya’s proposal for a technical committee involving both the federal and state governments to examine and provide suggestions on how best to enforce hudud in Kelantan.

TEST OUT HUDUD ON POLITICIANS AND ROYAL FAMILY FIRST and all the religious leaders + all hudud advocates!!!

Air-purifying billboard does the work of 1,200 trees

By Lakshmi Sandhana
May 6, 2014

15 Comments

UTEC's billboard filters 100,000 cubic meters of air every day, benefiting residents in a 5-block radius (Credit: UTEC)

Billboards could do more than just advertise, if scientists at the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Peru have their way. While UTEC's earlier billboard produced drinkable water, its latest creation scrubs the air free of pollutants. According to the team, a single billboard can do the work of 1,200 trees, purifying 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet) of air daily in crowded cities.
The University has installed its first air-purifying billboard near a construction zone in Lima, a city that's famous for having the worst air quality in all of South America. The billboard works by combining polluted air with water, using basic thermodynamic principles to actively dissolve the pollutants (such as bacteria, dust and germs) in water to release fresh air.
The scientists claim that their billboard filtered around 500,000 cubic meters of air within one week in March, scrubbing it free of 99 percent of its airborne bacteria. The effects of the billboard can be experienced, the team says, within a 5-block radius, benefiting both construction workers and the area's residents. The extracted pollutants are held for analysis, presumably with a view to creating more effective billboards in the future.
The purifying process is continuous, uses 100 percent recyclable water and consumes little energy, the team says – roughly 2.5 kW (2,500 watts) per hour. Ad agency FCB Mayo is helping the University promote the billboard.
"We seek to demonstrate that engineering is behind it all," says Jessica Rúas, Director of Promotion at UTEC. "And what better way to also show that than through advertising that changes the world, helps the community and cares for the environment."

Dual-functioning electrolyte improves capacity of long-life batteries

By Nick Lavars
May 4, 2014

3 Comments

2 Pictures

A new type of dual-functioning electrolyte developed at ORNL could result in an improved capacity for long-life batteries (Photo: Shutterstock)
Image Gallery (2 images)

The three main components of a battery's makeup: the anode, cathode and the ion-conducting electrolyte, have been long understood to serve separate, independent functions. A team of researchers at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking to challenge this theory, experimenting with a dual functioning electrolyte that supplements the cathode to significantly improve the capacity and longevity of long-life batteries.
In testing the effectiveness of its newly-developed electrolyte, the team worked with a lithium carbon fluoride battery, deemed an ideal test subject for its long life, high energy density and stability. By incorporating a solid lithium thiophosphate electrolyte, the team created a battery chemistry wherein the electrolyte and the cathode worked in cooperation, resulting in a battery capacity 26 percent higher than if they were to function independently.

"As the battery discharges, it generates a lithium fluoride salt that further catalyzes the electrochemical activity of the electrolyte," says Chengdu Liang, Staff Scientist at ORNL and one of the study's authors. "This relationship converts the electrolyte, conventionally an inactive component in capacity, to an active one."
According to the researchers, this new form of cooperative chemistry could add years or even decades to the life of such batteries. The findings hold promise for any application where recharging or replacing a long-life battery can be problematic, such as in pacemakers, keyless systems or remote sensors.
“If you have a pacemaker, you don’t want to undergo surgery every 10 years to replace the battery,” Liang says. “What if a battery could last 30 to 50 years? Our fundamental research is opening up that possibility through a new design mechanism.”
The team's findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) at fault, says expert

Selangor water management at fault, says expert

Anjulie Ngan

 | May 5, 2014

The current water crisis would not have happened if the supply had been well managed, says a retired water engineer.

PETALING JAYA: Selangor would not be struggling with a water crisis if Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) had done their job and had distributed water correctly.

Retired water engineer, A Somnath, 84, has had more than 45 years of experience in the planning, construction, operations and maintenance of water supply in the state of Selangor.

He insists that the current management of Selangor’s water supply does not have the basic knowledge or the experience in how to manage their operations properly.

“Most of them lack knowledge and experience in this particular discipline. They have made wrong estimations and most likely have not followed the proper guidelines in the overall operations of a dam or a water treatment plant (WTP),” he told FMT here today.

“These days there is no universality in the way a dam or WTP is planned and executed.”

“Back then everyone followed the guidelines I had drawn up and we never had any major hiccup because everything was handled professionally,” he said.

Somnath retired in 1985 but continued working as a consultant for another 10 years with a private engineering company. Till today, he has not stopped updating his notes and keeping a close eye on the latest water developments and issues.

He pointed out that Kuala Lumpur and Selangor were the only states facing the problem and hinted that the people in charge of managing the water supply are the one’s who need to be questioned.

“I have virtually overseen the construction and operation of almost 30 WTP’s. This, so far, is the worst management system I’ve ever seen,” he chided.

The Sungai Tinggi and Sungai Selangor dams have a combined full capacity of 75 billion gallons of water.

“Syabas should have taken into account the climate changes, rainfall levels and the increase in domestic water consumption, to be able to distribute the water correctly.”

“If this had been done, we would not be in this predicament. It is the distributor’s responsibility to make sure that every household in Selangor has enough water, equally,” he said.

He added that all dam or WTP designers and planners need to conduct a risk analysis study to ensure that the facilities will continue to work perfectly, years into the future.

“It is a must! Predictions of water consumption, climate change, the volume of raw water available and so on must be taken into account before the construction of these facilities,” he stressed.

The failure to do so, according to Somnath, is what has contributed to the current water supply management failure.

Over the past four years, Somnath had written to the state government forewarning them of the impending water shortage from the Sungai Selangor source and his warnings were ignored by the authorities.

“I wrote to them and received replies, but nobody bothered to conduct an investigation. Now, see what has happened,” he said.

When the predicted  drought season hits in June, the rakyat will most probably need to depend on water from the dams.

If the Sungai Selangor dam which provides about 60% of Selangor’s water supply dries up, Somnath says that people “will have to move elsewhere.”

“That is the worst case scenario. Where are we going to get water, if, during the drought season, Sungai Selangor dam dries up?” he asked.

Well said Somnath,

What can we expect from Syabas, they only know how to pay themselves fat salaries and demand this and that but gives poor performance for what is expected of them!!!

Get them all out quickly!!!!