A friend of mine posted this youtube of Tourism Malaysia 2014 on facebook earlier today. Watching the video, brings back wonderful memories of when we were living still in Malaysia. Don´t get me wrong, I do love Malaysia. I have traveled excessively all over Malaysia ever since I could - back then with my ex husband, then together with my daughter. Malaysia is indeed a beautiful and remarkable place, with alot of untouched nature to explore and see. However, as of today, if I am to be asked.... if I will return to my homeland, I am abit reluctant to go.
Reading all these news about whats on going and happening in Malaysia, as a Malaysian, I don´t feel that it is all that safe for my girl and I to return to Malaysia for a visit. Maybe as a foreigner (the ang mohs etc) you might feel safe - even then we read and see news about how the foreigners, even a BRIT, was stabbed or robbed etc. But yet, nothing seems to be done by the Malaysian Government to ensure these safety. So how then will you expect people to go and visit Malaysia? Sweeping everything under a carpet/rug and hoping it doesn´t surface anymore is a very dangerous thing to do, especially crime rates.
I do feel, as a brand new year gradually rolls along..... that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet will enforce and do something about things like these.... instead of squabbling about all the things non Muslims are doing will threaten the Muslims etc. Everyone in Malaysia has lived together for God knows how many years, visiting each other, embracing the difference in culture and tradition etc...... why now only you all - the government and politicians - decide to have an itchy butt and tear all these valuable "assets" apart?
I hope you enjoy the song as much as I did...
Happy 2014
ღ♥ Wedding Anniversary ღ♥
ღ♥ My precious baby girl ღ♥
Sunday 5 January 2014
Marina Mahathir: Turn country’s slogan “Malaysia Boleh” to “Malaysia Tak Boleh”
Way to go Marina Mahathir! I just love the article and comments you pointed out! Hopefully, those wonderful Government people of Malaysia can finally think carefully about what they are doing to the future of Malaysia.... destroying the citizens who have lived so wonderfully harmoniously together for so many years....
Article from Malaysia Edition : Marina Mahathir: Turn country’s slogan “Malaysia Boleh” to “Malaysia Tak Boleh” (Clickable link)
Article from Malaysia Edition : Marina Mahathir: Turn country’s slogan “Malaysia Boleh” to “Malaysia Tak Boleh” (Clickable link)
Marina Mahathir: Turn country’s slogan “Malaysia Boleh” to “Malaysia Tak Boleh”
Picture by K.E. Ooi
Social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir hit out at Putrajaya today for keeping silent on simmering contentious issues affecting the country.
In her “Musings” column in English daily The Star, Marina said that the country’s leadership may preach about unity, but remained silent over sensitive statements made by certain parties.
“What sort of leadership do we have which only mouths platitudes about moderation and unity, yet has absolutely nothing to say about the type of extreme pronouncements made not only by so-called NGOs, but also by some parts of government?” she said.
“Are they oblivious or scared? And if they are scared, why?”
Her article struck a chord with Malaysians, with many sharing it on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Without mentioning names, Marina said that the country’s leaders would rather spend time defending family foibles than speak up for the most vulnerable and defenceless in society.
“How embarrassing is that?”
Malaysians, she said, were being led by people who were ignorant, unschooled and yet proud to be so.
“We have celebrated the Gregorian new year for ages. So how did it suddenly become a Jewish celebration?
“We have wished our fellow Malaysians the best during all our festivities. So how did it suddenly become a threat to our faith? Or is our faith so fragile that it can hardly withstand anything?”
She said on a daily basis, there are more and more things Malaysians are told they cannot touch on, so much so that the country’s slogan of “Malaysia Boleh” might as well be turned to “Malaysia Tak Boleh”.
“We are told we cannot be nice to each other because it might endanger the faith of some of us.
“We are told that we cannot talk frankly because some people, obviously with weaker constitutions than the rest of us, might get offended.
“We cannot do anything without treading on eggshells because some people have paper-thin skins.
“So basically, the Malaysians we are supposed to be proud of are those with weak faith, who need constant government help and have such inferiority complexes, that anything and everything that anyone else does better is offensive to them.
“These are the people who think the fastest way to heaven is to oppress other people. Lovely!” she said.
She said the country now has a government in power which is disliked by the people and yet, they were unable to understand why that is so.
“And it is responding by thinking that all that the people want is more religion and to be bought.”
Even that is “failing miserably”, she said.
“There is a simple premise behind election promises and pledges: They need to be kept. Either that or rely on people’s short-term memory. Which isn’t reliable by any measure.
“It’s astounding to me that simple logic doesn’t apply to the way our politicians think.”
She ended her column with her wish for 2014: that many more Malaysians will wake up and realise the danger our country is in.
“That to survive in the world today is by being strong.
“And strength comes from being educated and in tune with the realities of the world, not living in some fantasyland filled with bigots.”
Marina is also the daughter of Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. – TMI
Friday 3 January 2014
Umno Veterans to Herald Editor : Embrace Islam to use "Allah"
I feel rather angry about this article that I found in the Yahoo Newsportal. I feel that somehow the Malaysian government are the ones overreacting and that somehow they seem to be practicing another type of Islam compared to the ones that are normally practiced all over the world. Actually, the word "Allah" means God in Arabic. So what´s so special about Malaysia that only the Muslims are allowed to use this word? Allah is a word which means God. So, if writing in Bahasa Malaysia and you want to refer to God, Allah is the word. It´s not illegal or even going against the Quran. Or is the government trying to say Malaysians are having their own Islam faith which is different from the other Islam countries all over the world?
Don´t get me wrong, I am not the kind of person who makes fun of another person´s religions or upbringing. I have lived all my life in Malaysia, back then during the days where everyone DOES live happily together under one big blue sky without the squabbles of who´s religion is more superior or whatsoever... so hence, reading such articles in the current days is kinda disturbing.
Malaysia is always preaching about how they are a democratic country and they value the freedom of speech... so...... where are these aspects you preach about so greatly? Do you really want to be the laughing stock of the entire world then only you realize your own mistakes? Some great many things to ponder upon.....
Happy reading folks
Title : Umno Veterans to Herald Editor : Embrace Islam to use "Allah" (Clickable Link)
The Malay Mail Online – 22 hours ago
Don´t get me wrong, I am not the kind of person who makes fun of another person´s religions or upbringing. I have lived all my life in Malaysia, back then during the days where everyone DOES live happily together under one big blue sky without the squabbles of who´s religion is more superior or whatsoever... so hence, reading such articles in the current days is kinda disturbing.
Malaysia is always preaching about how they are a democratic country and they value the freedom of speech... so...... where are these aspects you preach about so greatly? Do you really want to be the laughing stock of the entire world then only you realize your own mistakes? Some great many things to ponder upon.....
Happy reading folks
Title : Umno Veterans to Herald Editor : Embrace Islam to use "Allah" (Clickable Link)
Umno veterans to Herald editor: Embrace Islam to use ‘Allah’
The Malay Mail Online – 22 hours agoRELATED CONTENT
- Father Lawrence leaving the Court of Appeal, September 10, 2013. — Picture by Choo …
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — Umno veterans have asked a senior Christian priest to convert to Islam if he insists on using “Allah”, saying this would allow him to comply with a Selangor ban on the non-Muslim use of the Arabic word.
Datuk Mustapha Yaakub, the secretary of Umno Veterans Club, also expressed the group’s readiness to hold the ceremony of religious conversion for Father Lawrence Andrew, who is the editor of the Catholic Church’s newspaper the Herald.
“Umno veterans are ready to arrange a ceremony of his conversion to Islam anytime after the priest receives hidayah (guidance) from Allah.
“We will also ensure he becomes an imam (Muslim leader) and pendakwah (preacher) that is successful and respected,” Mustapha was quoted saying in a statement yesterday by Utusan Malaysia.
Mustapha further said that the Catholic priest’s conversion to Islam would be the best way to avoid angering the Muslim community, while also ensuring that the Selangor Sultan’s decree is respected.
Andrew has come under fire from Muslim groups since criticising a Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) plan to compel churches in the state to stop using the Arabic word for God, saying the Catholic Church would not abide by such a directive.
Last week, Jais said it would soon issue letters to all the churches in Selangor to remind them to obey a 1988 state law banning non-Muslims from using the word “Allah”.
The Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988, passed by the then Barisan Nasional state government, prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases in their faith, including “Allah”, “Nabi” (prophet), “Injil” (gospel) and “Insya’Allah” (God willing).
Last November, the Sultan of Selangor renewed his decree that non-Muslims in the country’s most developed state should be barred from using the word “Allah”.
The November 14 decree by the Sultan, who is the head of Islam in the state, came after a discussion with the Selangor Royal Council, where it was decided that Selangor citizens should abide by the 1988 enactment, which is enforceable regardless of one’s religion.
But several lawyers later argued that the Sultan’s decree was not legally binding on Selangor residents as the ruler’s powers in Islamic matters were ceremonial.
Lawyers have questioned whether Jais’s actions could test the guarantee of religious freedom in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, which also provides for the right of all religions to practice and regulate their faith.
Temperatures have risen of late over the so-called “Allah” row that remains unresolved four years after it shocked the nation and led to the worst religious strife in the country’s history.
The ongoing legal dispute between the government and the Catholic Church over its right to print the word “Allah” in the Herald’s Bahasa Malaysia section is still pending before the Federal Court, which is set to hear arguments from both sides on February 24 before deciding on whether it will hear an appeal by the Catholic Church.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)