SEPT 11 SUSPECT GRILLS US JUDGE ON RELIGION

REUTERS
GUANTANAMO BAY (Cuba): Accused Sept 11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed asked a US military judge whether he belonged to an "extremist" religious group, at an unusual Guantanamo war-crimes court hearing on Tuesday.

Mohammed, acting as his own attorney, asked Marine Col. Ralph Kohlmann about his views on religion and torture at a pre-trial hearing of five accused Sept. 11 co-conspirators.

"We are well-known as extremists and fanatics, and there are also Christians and Jews that are very extremist," Mohammed told the judge.

"If you, for example, were part of Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson's groups, then you would not at all be impartial towards us," he said, referring to US evangelical Christian leaders who have denounced Islam as violent.

Kohlmann replied that he did not belong to a congregation. "When I have attended church, I was a member of various Lutheran churches and Episcopal churches, and I have not attended any of them for a long time because I have moved so often," the judge said.

Kohlmann dismissed as "inaccurate," an assertion by co-defendant Ramzi Binalshibh that he had a "Jewish name."

Kohlmann was also asked about how he followed news coverage on the day of the attacks and replied that his memory was imprecise. He also said he had no opinion on the facts of the Sept 11 incident, which triggered US President George W. Bush's "war on terror."

Binalshibh, Mohammed and three other defendants -- Mustafa Ahmed al Hawsawi, Walid bin Attash and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali -- are charged with conspiring with Al Qaeda to kill civilians in the attacks.

The men face 2,973 counts of murder, one for each person killed when hijacked airliners crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. Prosecutors want to execute them if they are convicted.

Extensive exploratory questioning of a judge's qualifications and bias by the defense is unique to military courts, including the commissions set up by Congress to try suspected terrorists at the Guantanamo US Naval base.

Defence attorneys said they had not yet decided whether to ask Kohlmann to disqualify himself based on his answers.

Mohammed is one of three Al Qaeda suspects known to have been subjected to CIA waterboarding, a form of simulated drowning used in interrogation that human rights groups consider torture. He asked Kohlmann about a high-school seminar the judge conducted in 2005 on interrogation and torture, and about his views on waterboarding.

Kohlmann said he had given two articles to the class at his daughter's high school, discussing the pros and cons of harsh interrogation techniques in circumstances such as when a suspect knows of an imminent attack. "I set out the scenarios ... to try to show it's a complex question," he said.

Binalshibh was absent from Monday's session, but appeared on Tuesday after his co-defendants urged him in letters to appear rather than be brought in by force under the judge's order.

Binalshibh appeared relaxed and unrestrained at the hearing, and chatted with co-defendants.
Kohlmann put a firm stamp on court proceedings.

He ruled out a late start to accommodate the Ramadan fasting schedule of the five Muslim defendants, and brushed off a request to end the day early for Ramadan. He denied Mohammed's request that he order some women participants to dress more modestly.

And after rejecting one request by the lead prosecutor for a bathroom break, Kohlmann relented 3 1/2 hours into the morning session, with an admonition that court participants should watch their fluid intake. "You all should be able to go as long as me without having to step out," he said.

DR M SLAMS US BAILOUT PLAN

NEW STRAITS TIMES

ALOR STAR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rapped the United States government for its intervention in the country's troubled financial sector.

He said the US government was practising double standards when it criticised Malaysia for helping out some troubled local firms during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

"The US ran us down when we wanted to help some of our companies which were hard hit by the financial crisis then.

"Today, the American government is doing the same thing and it is all right, but when we did it, it was wrong," he said after giving Raya gifts to more than 100 poor and needy folk in Kampung Pida 7 in Jerlun near here yesterday.

Present were his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir. The former prime minister was asked on the US government's bailout plan involving more than US$180 billion (RM615 billion) for a number of American firms facing financial turmoil .
Asked about the government's decision not to re-peg the ringgit, he said the government should consider doing so against the currency of the nation that Malaysia does the most trading with.

Asked if the price of petrol should be further reduced, Dr Mahathir said the government should do so since the price of a barrel of petroleum has gone down substantially.

"I know this would also reduce our petrol earnings but that is something that the government should do to cushion the effects," he said.

LAPORAN PALING GILA

Oleh ZULKIFLI JALIL- UTUSAN MALAYSIA

PUTRAJAYA 23 Sept. – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menyifatkan laporan agensi berita AFP bahawa perundingan sedang dibuat antara wakil pembangkang dan kerajaan mengenai peralihan kuasa sebagai ‘laporan paling gila’ yang pernah didengarnya setakat ini.Perdana Menteri menegaskan, pihak berkenaan sepatutnya berfikir dahulu sebelum mengeluarkan laporan seumpama itu.

“Ini laporan ‘paling gila’ yang pernah saya dengar.

“Tidak ada sebarang mesyuarat dengan orang (Ketua Pembangkang) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Ekonomi di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) di sini hari ini.

Laporan AFP mendakwa Ketua Penerangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Tian Chua sebagai berkata bahawa pakatan pembangkang telah mula berunding dengan kerajaan berhubung peralihan kuasa selepas “mendapat sokongan mencukupi daripada Ahli-Ahli Parlimen untuk menumbangkan kerajaan.”

Laporan itu yang dilihat sebagai sebahagian daripada perang saraf PKR mendakwa Abdullah enggan bertemu dengan Anwar tetapi para pegawai dipetik sebagai berkata ‘kontak’ dibuat melalui orang tengah.

Di KOTA BHARU, Anwar terus berdolak dalik mengenai bila pakatan pembangkang dapat mengambil alih kerajaan daripada Barisan Nasional (BN), tetapi kali ini nada Penasihat PKR itu jelas berbeza kerana ia tidak seyakin seperti sebelum kegagalannya membentuk kerajaan menjelang 16 September lalu.

Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh itu mendakwa, faktor utama yang menghalang peralihan kuasa tersebut adalah prosedur Parlimen yang memberikan kuasa kepada Perdana Menteri untuk memanggil persidangan khas.

“Kalau (kita) tengok prosedur Parlimen, hanya kuasa Perdana Menteri untuk memanggil sidang khas bagi usul undi tidak percaya. Peruntukan Parlimen pula tidak jelas mengenai kedudukan untuk membawa usul khas seperti ini,’’ katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Perhubungan PKR Kelantan di Kota Bharu petang ini.

Sementara itu, Anwar berkata, beliau tidak pernah menggunakan khidmat orang ketiga untuk bertemu dengan Perdana Menteri bagi membincangkan peralihan kerajaan.

"Saya bersetuju dengan Abdullah bahawa memang tidak ada pertemuan dengan pihak ketiga secara langsung walaupun ada usaha daripada pelbagai pihak untuk memastikan pertemuan itu berhasil.

"Dengan ini saya memperbetulkan kekeliruan daripada kenyataan Ketua Penerangan PKR, Tian Chua yang dibuat baru-baru ini," katanya.

Anwar, bagaimanapun, tidak memohon maaf kerana membiarkan Tian Chua membuat dakwaan yang tidak benar itu kepada wartawan AFP.

Dalam perkembangan sama, Tian Chua hari ini mendakwa Anwar kini menumpukan usaha meyakinkan pemimpin Pas terutama Mursyidul Am parti itu, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat dan Presiden parti, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang untuk meredakan kekhuatiran bahawa ahli-ahli Parlimen beragama Islam akan diketepikan jika pakatan pembangkang mengambil alih kerajaan.

“Kita perlu berbuat demikian sebelum meneruskan bentuk tindakan yang seterusnya,’’ katanya kepada Bernama tanpa mendedahkan bentuk tindakan itu.

Minggu lalu, Anwar mahukan jawapan daripada Perdana Menteri selewat-lewatnya hari ini untuk mengadakan sesi Parlimen tergempar dalam usaha membawa usul undi tidak percaya terhadap Abdullah.

Anwar mendakwa beliau mempunyai sokongan daripada 31 anggota Parlimen BN yang akan lompat parti, satu dakwaan yang menimbulkan kemarahan para pemimpin BN kerana ia dianggap suatu pembohongan Anwar untuk menjejaskan kestabilan politik negara .

Bagaimanapun, Abdullah menolak cadangan Anwar itu.

Sebelum itu, Anwar secara terbuka mengumumkan bahawa beliau akan mengambil alih kerajaan pada 16 September tetapi tarikh itu berlalu begitu sahaja kerana BN masih kekal memerintah negara.

Ini menyebabkan banyak pihak melabelkan Anwar sebagai pembohong.

RAJA PETRA TO BE DETAINED 2 YEARS UNDER ISA

By M. MAGESWARI-THE STAR

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was served with an order Monday night that would see him detained in Kamunting for two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Raja Petra will be held without trial under Section 8(1) of the ISA, reporters were told by his lawyers, who were at the High Court hear to argue their habeas corpus application on Tuesday. The detention order was signed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Monday night.

On Tuesday, DPP Abdul Wahab Mohamad raised a preliminary objection over the blogger’s habeas corpus application saying that Raja Petra’s detention by the police under the Section 73(1) of the same Act has become academic.

DPP Abdul Wahab confirmed that he had been informed Tuesday morning of Raja Petra’s detention under the minister’s order which was effective Monday.

“The applicant is no longer detained under Section 73 (1) of the Act and we strongly contend that all the issues pertaining to the said detention have now become academic since the detention order under Section 8(1) of the Act came into effect,” he said.

DPP Abdul Wahab said the police no longer have authority on the applicant and that the burden has shifted to the Home Minister.

“Thus, any illegality in the prior arrest and detention cannot be the subject matter of inquiry. Any previous issues which transpired before the issuance of the detention order cannot be subject to judicial inquiry.

“I seek your indulgence to strike out the application,” he submitted before High Court judge Suraya Othman when the case was mentioned Tuesday.

Raja Petra had filed a habeas corpus application on Sept 16 to get a court order for his release. The blogger named the Inspector-General of Police as the respondent in the application.

In a supporting document affirmed by Raja Petra’s wife, Mable @ Marina Lee Abdullah said she believed that Raja Petra was detained under ISA on Sept 12 to silence him as well as to extract information concerning his sources.

His lead counsel Malik Imtiaz Sarwar argued Tuesday that the minister’s action was only to defeat the wrongful detention application by his client and it was unacceptable.

Malik argued that Raja Petra’s detention by the police under Section 73(1) of the same Act was without basis, unconstitutional and in bad faith.

He submitted that the minister’s order was inter-related with the detention order by the police and that the applicant could still challenge the validity of the said order. “It is a very urgent matter and there is no evidence to suggest that he (Raja Petra) is a threat to national security. He just put in his comments,” he said.

Justice Suraya asked both parties to file in further written submissions before hearing the matter again on Oct 28.

Speaking to reporters later, Malik said he would file another application for his client under Section 8 of the Act.

Earlier, Raja Petra’s wife Marina and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok were spotted chatting with former de facto Law Minister Senator Datuk Zaid Ibrahim as they sat at the public gallery.

RAJA PETRA DITAHAN TAHUN BAWAH ISA

RANTAU PANJANG 23 Sept. - Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar mengesahkan pengendali laman web Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin telah ditahan selama dua tahun mengikut Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dan dihantar ke Kem Tahanan Kamunting, Taiping.

Syed Hamid berkata, beliau sendiri telah menandatangani perintah penahanan Raja Petra untuk tempoh dua tahun itu.

"Semalam, saya telah menandatangani penahanan Raja Petra untuk dua tahun ke Kamunting setelah berpuas hati dengan alasan yang cukup untuk menahannya," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan lawatan ke sempadan Malaysia-Thailand di sini, hari ini.

Raja Petra telah ditahan di bawah ISA kerana didakwa boleh mengganggu dan mengancam keselamatan serta ketenteraman awam pada 12 September lalu.

Selain Raja Petra, dua lagi yang turut ditahan adalah anggota Parlimen Seputeh, Teresa Kok dan wartawan Tan Hoon Cheng tetapi Teresa dan dan Tan telah dibebaskan.

Syed Hamid berkata, penahanan Raja Petra itu berasaskan kepada penulisannya yang mempunyai unsur menghina dan boleh membangkitkan kemarahan umat Islam.

"Oleh itu pihak polis telah mencadangkan (Raja Petra ditahan) dan selepas saya membaca kertas asas (siasatan) mendapati kita mempunyai alasan kukuh untuk terus menahan Raja Petra bagi tempoh itu," katanya.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata, kerajaan akan membuat kajian pertamanya iaitu tiga bulan pertama untuk melihat sikap Raja Petra ketika ditahan.

"Selepas itu kita membuat semakan untuk enam bulan berikutnya sama ada Raja Petra boleh dibebaskan atau tidak," katanya.

Beliau meminta masyarakat memahami kenapa kerajaan bertindak menggunakan ISA kerana apa yang lebih penting adalah menjadikan mereka sebagai masyarakat yang boleh menyumbang kepada pembangunan negara.

- Bernama

PERSOAL KES KARPAL 'SENYAP'

UTUSAN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR 23 Sept. – Beberapa pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) menuntut tindakan lanjut ke atas Pengerusi DAP, Karpal Singh berhubung kenyataannya yang mempertikaikan kuasa Sultan Perak dalam isu pertukaran Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Perak (JAIP), Datuk Jamry Sury disegerakan.

Kesemua NGO berkenaan rata-ratanya mahukan kes itu digerakkan dan mempersoalkan kenapa ia didiamkan sedangkan melibatkan maruah raja Melayu yang sangat mulia kedudukannya dalam masyarakat Melayu.

Presiden Persatuan Bekas Tentera Malaysia (PBTM), Datuk Muhammad Abdul Ghani berkata, rakyat perlu mengetahui apakah penghujung kepada siri laporan polis yang dibuat pelbagai pihak ke atas Karpal dan mengapa tiada tindakan diambil sehingga kini.

“Jika perkara itu (persoalkan kuasa Sultan Perak) ada asas, ada unsur derhaka dan mempersoalkan undang-undang, maka kita mahu tindakan yang sepatutnya diambil terhadap Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gelugor itu,’’ katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Pada 18 September lalu, dua buah NGO iaitu Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM) dan Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), mempersoalkan kenapa masih tiada tindakan diambil terhadap Karpal berhubung isu tersebut.

Menurut Muhammad, undang-undang dan hukuman di sini undang-undang perlu dikuatkuasakan dan “tidak boleh dikecualikan walaupun ia melibatkan seorang ahli politik kanan serta peguam terkenal”.

Arahan

Awal Mei lepas, Karpal dilaporkan mempertikaikan tindakan Sultan Perak, Azlan Shah menitahkan Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin menarik balik arahan penukaran Jamry yang disifatkan sebagai campur tangan istana dalam pentadbiran negeri.

Karpal mempertahankan kenyataannya itu dan enggan meminta maaf walaupun dikritik pelbagai pihak. Katanya, kenyataan tersebut membabitkan isu perundangan.

Sikap degil Karpal itu yang dilihat banyak pihak sebagai merendahkan-rendahkan darjat seorang raja Melayu telah mendorong beberapa NGO membuat laporan polis.

Pada 22 Mei lalu, Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan berkata, polis telah selesai menjalankan siasatan terhadap Karpal, namun Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail pada 5 Jun dilaporkan mengarahkan polis membuat siasatan lanjut.

Kini, banyak pihak yang prihatin dengan kedudukan raja Melayu mula mempersoalkan mengapa kes Karpal itu yang dikendalikan oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara tidak memperlihatkan sebarang perkembangan.

Setiausaha Satu Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (Gapena), Prof. Madya Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan berkata, ahli politik seperti Karpal sepatutnya memahami batas bila bercakap mengenai kuasa sultan Melayu.

Beliau berharap pihak berkuasa dapat mempercepatkan tindakan lanjut ke atas peguam berkenaan jika siasatan mendapati ada asas untuk bertindak demikian.

“Jangan ganggu kedaulatan sultan,” katanya.

Penyelaras Kumpulan Prihatin, Khairul Arifin Mohd. Munir pula berkata, secara dasarnya apa yang dibangkitkan Karpal mengenai bidang kuasa Sultan Perak itu adalah sesuatu yang sangat serius.

Katanya, Karpal sepatutnya berfikir panjang serta membincangkan isu itu dengan cara baik dan bukannya mempersoalkan kedudukan raja-raja Melayu.

NGO GESA UTUSAN MALAYSIA SAMAN TERESA KOK

UTUSAN MALAYSIA

Oleh NIZAM YATIM

KUALA LUMPUR 23 Sept. – Para pemimpin pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) menggesa Utusan Malaysia menyaman Exco Kerajaan Selangor, Teresa Kok kerana membuat pelbagai tuduhan tidak benar terhadap akhbar itu.

Menurut mereka, langkah tersebut wajar kerana tuduhan Ahli Parlimen Seputeh itu bahawa Utusan Malaysia memutarbelitkan kenyataannya pada 19 September lalu adalah serius dan telah menjejaskan kredibiliti akhbar berkenaan.

Ketua Umum Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar berkata, pihaknya hairan kerana tuduhan itu hanya ditujukan kepada Utusan Malaysia dan tidak terhadap TV3, portal berita Internet Malaysiakini dan Sin Chew Daily yang turut menyiarkan laporan sama.

‘‘Saya tidak faham kenapa Utusan Malaysia sahaja diserang. Jika Teresa masih enggan memohon maaf, maka pihak akhbar berkenaan berhak menyaman bagi memulihkan imejnya.

‘‘Kita juga sedang meneliti untuk membuat laporan polis bagi membolehkan siasatan dilakukan terhadap Teresa berikutan pelbagai tuduhannya terhadap kerajaan dan pihak akhbar,” kata Osman kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Teresa semalam yang menafikan pernah mengeluarkan kenyataan ‘teruk... mungkin sama seperti makanan anjing’ bagi merujuk kepada makanan yang disediakan kepadanya ketika ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA). Teresa sebaliknya menyalahkan Utusan Malaysia yang didakwanya memutarbelitkan kenyataan beliau bagi memburukkan imejnya.

Teresa mendakwa kenyataan sebenar yang dibuatnya ialah ‘lebih baik sedikit daripada makanan anjing.’

Menurut Osman, Teresa perlu sentiasa mematuhi ikrar yang dibuat ketika mengangkat sumpah sebagai Ahli Parlimen iaitu untuk sentiasa bercakap benar ketika di dalam dan di luar Dewan Rakyat.

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Syed Anuar Syed Mohamed pula berkata, tindakan menyaman Teresa itu adalah wajar sebagai pengajaran kepada semua pihak supaya bercakap benar dan tidak mempolitikkan sesuatu isu.

Beliau berkata, ahli-ahli politik perlu berhati-hati membuat tuduhan terhadap akhbar kerana pihak pengurusan syarikat penerbitan itu turut diberi hak oleh undang-undang untuk menyaman balik bagi memulihkan kewibawaan yang tercalar.

‘‘Saya sendiri ada mendengar kenyataan Teresa seperti disiarkan oleh TV3 yang nampaknya bercanggah dengan penafian yang dibuatnya semalam.

‘‘Jika Utusan Malaysia mempunyai fakta yang jelas dan mencukupi bagi membuktikan wujud percanggahan ini, maka ia boleh meneruskan tindakan saman,” ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu, Presiden Persatuan Pegawai-Pegawai Kanan Polis Bersara Malaysia (RESPA), Mohd. Jamil Mohd. Hassan berkata, tindakan menyaman ahli politik pembangkang bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa kerana ia sering dilakukan oleh pemimpin kerajaan Singapura.

‘‘Budaya pemimpin di republik berkenaan menyaman ahli politik pembangkang sehingga bankrap boleh dibawa ke Malaysia sebagai pengajaran kepada semua pihak supaya berhati-hati dalam membuat tuduhan,” katanya.

Selain pihak akhbar, katanya, kerajaan juga boleh menyaman wakil rakyat pembangkang itu jika benar Teresa menyamakan hidangan dalam penjara seperti makanan anjing kerana ia adalah tidak betul sama sekali.

Presiden Kesatuan Wartawan Kebangsaan (NUJ), Norila Daud pula berkata, tuduhan Teresa bahawa Utusan Malaysia telah memutarbelitkan kenyataannya adalah satu penghinaan terhadap profesion kewartawanan.

Beliau berkata, Exco kerajaan Selangor itu tidak wajar mengeluarkan kenyataan sedemikian kerana ia seolah-olah menyifatkan para wartawan tidak beretika.

‘‘Saya tidak faham kenapa Teresa menuduh Utusan Malaysia memutarbelitkan kenyataannya sedangkan laporan sama turut disiarkan oleh pihak media lain.

‘‘Semua pihak harus sedar bahawa akhbar sentiasa memastikan ia mematuhi etika. Penyiaran berita adalah berdasarkan transkrip daripada sidang akhbar dan dalam kes ini, Teresa sendiri yang mengungkapkan kenyataan tersebut,” ujarnya.

Mengulas isu sama, Presiden Penaja Ikatan Rakyat Insan Muslim Malaysia (IRIMM), Amir Amsaa Alla Pitchay menegaskan, kenyataan Teresa dalam media bahawa hidangan yang diberikan kepadanya adalah lebih baik sedikit daripada makanan anjing adalah bertujuan mendapat publisiti murahan.

‘‘Tidak perlu ia dihebohkan melalui media kerana sebagai Ahli Parlimen, beliau boleh membawa perkara ini ke Dewan Rakyat supaya tahanan ISA diberi makanan lebih sempurna,” ujarnya.

"POI KOLANG"

www.mandailing.org

The most important occurrence of Mandailing migration to 19th century Peninsula Malaysia was during and after the Padri Wars (1816-1833). The economic, social, political, religious and ecological disruptions caused by the war resulted in the movements of people within, as well as out of Mandailing.

According to Asal-Oesoelnja Bangsa Mandailing (The Origin of the Mandailing People), the Mandailing have sojourned (merantau) to Klang and Melaka even before they moved to Tanah Deli in East Sumatra. Klang and other places in the Peninsula were described as well-known destinations for Mandailing migration even before the 19th century. Pahang was famed throughout Sumatra for its gold and attracted Minang miners since the 16th century. The Mandailing and the Minangs have been known to "Pai Kolang" (literally, Go Klang) since centuries ago for centuries.

An important historical source about Mandailing migration is the Tarikh Raja Asal dan Keluarganya (The History of Raja Asal and His Family), a family chronicle written in the 1934 by Raja H.M. Ya'cob, the grand-nephew of Raja Asal, about the migration of Raja Asal, Raja Bilah (Raja Ya'cob's father, and Raja Asal's nephew) and Mandailing noteables to the Peninsula.

The Tarikh attributes Raja Asal's "kesumat" (differences, rivalry) towards the Dutch as a cause of his migration. Family oral tradition also account for family differences as a cause; this points to political rivalry for rajaship under Dutch rule.

At the point of Raja Asal's departure to the Peninsula, the Dutch were introducing corvee coffee cultivation in Mandailing while the Peninsula was experiencing a "period of great discoveries of rich and extensive tin deposits" south of Kedah and north of Melaka.

It was the prospect of mining gold that brought Raja Asal and his clansmen to sojourn to Pahang around the 1840s. The Tarikh named the Mandailing, the Minangs (these are usually Talu or Tolu as the Mandailing calls them), the Rawa and other Sumatrans as those who went to Raub in Hulu Pahang in search of gold. According to the Riwayat Hidup Tuan Abu Bakar (The Memoir of Tuan Abu Bakar), a memoir of a Mandailing migrant written in the 1930s, the Mandailing, Rawa, Minang and Talus were engaged in gold mining in Raub. (These ethnic groups were still to be found in Raub up to 1931). This gold, according to the Riwayat, was sold in Melaka. The Riwayat was written by Abu Bakar, a follower of Raja Bilah and whose father, Raja Pinayungan Lubis Saba Dolok, was a follower of Raja Asal.

Traditionally, a member of the raja (ruling) family would lead a band of his followers comprising a few interrelated clans, on an exodus from a large settlement or village to the frontier to establish control over a new settlement. "Merantau whole clans at the same time, under united command" was the classic pattern of migration, practiced within Mandailing and also outside Mandailing.

The Mandailings followed the well-trodden path treaded by the Minangs from the west coast of Sumatra to the east coast of the island, and from there to Melaka or Penang. The route taken by Raja Asal from Mandailing led him to Rao, Pendalian, Tandun, Kesipakan, Patapahan, Pantai Cermin, Pekan Baharu and Bengkalis before he landed in Melaka, and from there to Sungai Ujong before going to Pahang. Raja Pinayungan, the father of Tuan Abu Bakar proceeded from Mandailing to Rao before going to Indragiri (Rokan) and then Melaka in the 19th century. By the early 20th century, the Mandailings found a shorter route to the peninsula via Penang.

From Melaka or Sungai Ujong, Raja Asal and the Mandailing made their way to Pahang, and in all probability took the Penarikan route, the trans-Peninsula crossing up the Muar or Bera river to the Pahang basin. In the 18th century most overland travel to Pahang took the old Melaka-Pahang route. Penarikan means drag-way or portage, where boats and merchandise or both were transported overland from one river to another.

CHUN WAI : BLINKERED RACISM ANALYSIS TO DEMONISE A STATESMAN

Ramblings of 13 million Dollar Plus Man

Wong Chun Wai, kudos for being quick on the draw when it comes to exposing racism or any other misdemeanour of a Malay leader and in this case, the Fifth UMNO President and Fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

From what we have perceived in his blog New Malaysia, Wong, who is the Group Editor in Chief for The Star, is truly the very essence of what Dr Mahathir had intended to highlight in his blog in the posting “Pohon Maaf” which Wong took offence and accused of the former Prime Minister of sharpening racial tones.

This is not the first time Wong had targetted Dr Mahathir for wrongdoings. Among others, corrupt practices as well as curtailing press freedom.

We will address the accusation of Dr Mahathir sharpening racial tones in his blog of the title mentioned above. We all read Dr Mahathir’s blog and his subsequent follow up posting called “Pohon Maaf 2“.

While Wong’s criticisms was on the first and not the second. Reading Dr Mahathir’s posting, it was obvious he was expressing the sentiments of many Malays and what they felt about the whole issue of Deputy PM Najib Tun Razak’s apology on behalf of Ahmad Ismail which was rejected by the non-Malay political leaders, including from the MCA which Wong is serving.

While it can be argued that Dr Mahathir, by bringing in the issue of Wee Meng Chee and Hindraf, it was not whether they apologised or that they were arrested under the ISA, the point is that the non-Malays did not take issue with Wee nor Hindraf when his action and their memorandum was definitely insulting to the Malays.

We do think Dr Mahathir’s views are shared by many Malays who felt that when a Malay commit an act which insulted the non-Malays, the non-Malays are quick to react and chastise him or her but when the non-Malays commit the act, instead of practising similar standards, tend to either be an apologist of the perpetrator or become defensive when criticised by the Malays.

It is so in the case of Wee Meng Chee. No doubt the MCA organised the “apology” for Wee but the intention was to ensure that he would not bear the full brunt of the anger of the Malays.

In short, the MCA was not upset with Wee for demeaning Negaraku and making fun of the Muslim call for prayers, rather to ensure that he goes unpunished. In other words, the MCA did not find Wee’s action as offensive or offensive enough to deserve any punishment other than probably a smack on the hand.

Similarly in the case of Hindraf. If Wong and the rest of the non-Malay community found that Ahmad Ismail’s remarks offensive and deserving a punishent even to the extend of the full force of the sedition laws as proposed by the MCA president wannabe Ong Tee Keat (not forgetting Lim Guan Eng’s police report to the ACA in case Ahmad gets away unpunished), surely similar demand should have been made against the Hindraf leaders by the alert MCA leaders and newspaper editor, the DAP and the rest who are bent on seeing Ahmad crucified for his alleged seditious slurs (alleged because he has denied it and accused Sin Chew of manipulating his speech – in the case of Hindraf, their seditious slurs are there in black and white in the memorandum which Wong could have donwloaded and printed it and judge it as quick as he judged Dr Mahathir).

What can we conclude from here?

Obviously that Dr Mahathir had pointed out that when a Malay makes a remark which hurts the non-Malays, they will come out in full force to condemn and demand for “blood” but when actions or remarks uttered which hurts the Malays, the silence can be deafening or worst, becoming apologists or the defender of the non-Malay perpetrator or perpetrators.

It is obvious that such a racially divide reactions are a sing of the times – the present Umno leadership is too weak to keep his the Malays at bay and equally weak to have any regards from the component parties to trust him to handle the issue fairly.

We may sound like a Dr Mahathir’s apologist but we do not mind being labelled as one as we believe that during his tenure, Malays and non-Malays were kept at bay and any who attempted to cross the unseen lines of racial sensitivities.

Having said that, we go to the second issue of Wong targetting Dr Mahathir. To us, it is a clear signal of Wong’s opportunistic nature to remain as the chief editor in The Star.

As we have stated very early in this article Wong epitomise the very essence of what Dr Mahathir was trying to remind Malaysians, Malays and non-Malays alike, to be wary of.

A simple example will suffice to prove this point. At one time Wong had hailed the present leadership of promoting more openess and freedom for the Press and that it was muzzled during Dr Mahathir’s time.

Lest the public forget, Wong was in the forefront in supporting MCA’s move to takeover the control of two Chinese publications – much to the chagrin of the Chinese community.

The reason the MCA and Wong wanted the takeover was very simple – these publications were highly critical of the MCA. After the takeover, the circulation of the publications went down south but that was not of concern to Wong as it served the purpose of his political masters in the MCA.

To legitimise the move, the MCA leaders and Wong convinced Dr Mahathir that the takeover was necessary, accusing the publications as anti-Umno as much as anti-MCA.

While it does not absolve Dr Mahathir of partaking in the MCA and Wong’s devious move, Wong should not get on the moral high horse to judge others.

Another example would be Wong’s new found courage (after Dr Mahathir had stepped down and spurred on by the present administration) to raise issues of corruption and nepotism during Dr Mahathir’s reign.

Without providing any prove, Wong stated that corruption today was a legacy from Dr Mahathir’s time. It sounds fair as someone who had written on issues like corruption when Dr Mahathir took over would probably had said that it was inherited from Tun Hussein Onn.

But what Wong had written was not a glib as such – it was intended to paint that corruption was caused by Dr Mahathir.

Granted that there were corruption during Dr Mahathir’s rule, Wong was however muted about the corruption and nepotism of the MCA president during that period.

In fact, Wong would never encourage any reports on the questios raised about then MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik’s integrity when his son Hee Liong became a billionaire (mind you, a billionaire) before he was even 30 (the issue was raised by maverick businessman Soh Chee Wen but nary a word in The Star).

It can then be concluded that Wong was merely defending the MCA and his then master Dr Ling, but Wong had then contributed to the issue Dr Mahathir raised – why is it that the non-Malays, in this case Wong, was quick to point corruption and nepotism among Malay leaders but was silent when it comes to their own kind.

Such manner of reporting in actual fact, contributes to the sharpening of the racial tones, painting a picture that all that is bad only involves the Malay leaders and the non-Malay leaders are saints, not by declarations but merely by being silent.

The Malays, Dr Mahathir included, had readily admitted that abuses of power, corruption and all the ills one could think off in a capitalistic democracy. But the silence by Wong and his ilk when it comes to the shennanigans of the non-Malays would, for the short term, triumphed the non-Malays, but it would not contribute anything to the Bangsa Malaysia that Wong is proclaiming to be a champion of.

In that sense, Wong did not miss any points. He only gave us a glimpse of how racist he is, and being paid to be one.

Published in:

• Commentary

on September 7, 2008 at 3:39 am

THE STAR KURANG AJAR TERHADAP PRESIDEN PARTI MELAYU TERBESAR

Malaysia Aktif

Kopitiam Talk
7 September 2008

SERENTAK dengan amaran Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi supaya semua pihak termasuk media tidak mensensasikan isu perkauman ekoran daripada kenyataan Ketua UMNO Bahagian Bukit Bendera ,Ahmad Ismail yang meanggap orang Cina sebagai pendatang, akhbar The Star telah menyiarkan sebuah berita untuk menegakkan kesahihan berita itu walaupun hal sebenar telah dijelaskan oleh Ahmad.

Selain dari itu secara `sembunyi' dengan meletakkan fakta sensitif di bahagian terakhir kandungan berita di muka dalam, The Star 7 September menyiarkan kenyataan berikut oleh Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam yang tidak perlu saya terjemahkan kedalam bahasa Malaysia:

He said `` the recent incident in which an UMNO leader described the Chinese who do not deserve rights was very regrettable.

“Our right as Malaysian have been guaranteed by the Constitution.

“We have the right to defend these rights. This sort of things (the questioning of citizens right) should not be happening in our country anymore.

“Look at the United States. Right now an African American (Barack Obama) is on the verge of becoming president.”

Kemudian disiarkan pula kenyataan Setiausaha Agung MCA, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan bahawa orang Cina diberikan kerakyatan oleh British kerana kira-kira 300,000 orang Cina mati melawan Jepun di negara ini.

Apa perlunya disiarkan lagi berita seumpama ini?

Kerana dicabar lagi maka orang Melayu boleh menjawab semua kenyataan ini. Di Amerika seluruh rakyatnya dibangunkan menerusi satu sistem pelajaran yang membenarkan hanya bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar. Dengan itu seluruh rakyatnya berfikiran , berjiwa, bersetia dan berbangga dengan Amerika tetapi Sistem Pelajaran Malaysia ternyata gagal kerana sebaik sahaja negara Cina melangkah maju, nasionalisme Cina bersemarak di Malaysia sehingga pelajar Malaysia di Taiwan menghina lagu Negaraku dan orang Cina tidak lagi dapat membuktikan kepada orang Melayu sebagai kawan setia ketika susah dan ketika senang.

Kenyataan Ka Chuan jelas melupakan budi orang Melayu. Beliau hanya ingat pada British dan melupakan budi orang Melayu. Orang Cina tidak akan mendapat kerakyatan Malaya tanpa persetujuan orang Melayu. Presiden MCA mendiang Tun Tan Siew Sin terpaksa memperjuangkan habis-habisan hak kerakyatan bagi orang Cina kerana di tolak oleh orang Melayu. Akhirnya Tunku Abdul Rahman Presiden UMNO berjaya memujuk orang Melayu.

Setelah persetujuan itu, Siew Sin telah menulis sepucuk surat berterima kasih kepada Tunku dan menyatakan tidak akan melupakan hati budi orang Melayu selamanya dan Tunku menjadi sahabatnya hingga ke akhir hayat.

Tetapi ternyata sebahagian besar orang Cina termasuk Ka Chuan sendiri tidak tahu mengenang budi dan termasuk dalam apa yang disebutkan oleh Abdullah Badawi di Parlimen baru-baru ini iaitu ``sukar untuk dicari kawan yang sanggup bersama ketika susah dan ketika senang.”

Saya menimbulkan pekara ini untuk menunjukan kepada Abdullah bahawa akhbar The Star adalah akhbar “traitor” atau penderhaka. Kalau tidak masakan ia menyiarkan isu yang boleh dijawab lagi oleh orang Melayu. Saya menjawab untuk buktikan jika The Star berbahasa biadab dengan menggunakan orang Cina, maka orang Melayu juga boleh menjawab secara kurang ajar. Jika The Star terus memainkan isu ini maka tidak ada kesudahannya.Tetapi The Star ada agendanya.

Cukuplah dengan penjelasan Ahmad Ismail malahan pula dia bukan mewakili pandangan seluruh orang Melayu. Tujuan The Star memainkan isu ini ialah kerana ia telah berkonspirasi dengan lain-lain akhbar Cina untuk memprojekan UMNO sebagai parti rasis dan perkauman sesuai dengan kehendak Lim Kit Siang.

Pegawai pegawai Kementerian Dalam Negeri yang tidak berpengalaman dan cetek (tidak membaca) tidak nampak semua ini.

Tidak menghiraukan amaran Perdana Menteri dan Presiden UMNO hanya sehari selepas amaran itu diberikan adalah merupakan perbuatan biadab dan kurang ajar. Mereka berani berbuat demikian kerana mereka percaya Abdullah Badawi tidak lagi mendapat sokongan orang Melayu. Abdullah mesti membuktikan dengan pantas bahawa hal ini tidak benar dan sekaranglah kesempatan paling baik untuk membuktikannya.

Perbuatan ini The Star juga merupakan satu cabaran besar kepada maruah Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Syed Abdul Hamid Albar.

Tidak lama dahulu The Star menjuarai para pemblog untuk memberhentikan “politiking” dengan tujuan untuk menutup tangannnya yang memegang pisau. Hari ini 7 September akhbar itu memakai berita Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak dengan kepala berita ”Fed up with politicking” tetapi isi beritanya menjirus minyak keatas api politik perkauman.

The Star tahu bahawa pegawai pegawsai Kementerian Dalam Negeri sangat lemah, tidak tajam politik dan hanya cekap dan bijak membuat teguran terhadap penyiaran lucah dan sebagainya.

Dan apabila Menteri Dalam Negeri yang baru berakap pasal nak tubuh Majlis Media yang sudah pernah ditolak oleh Pejabat Peguam Nagara kerana dikatakan bertindih dengan tugas Suhakam dan telah ``tak jadi” berkali-kali kerana tentangan hebat dari NUJ (Kesatuan Kebangsaan Wartawan Malaysia), maka wartawan-wartawan tahu bahawa menteri ini pun boleh dimainkan.

Sementara menunggu penubuhan Majlis Media, The Star boleh merharajalela dulu.Yang jadi mangsa sebagai akhbar rasis dan perkauman kelak ialah akhbar Melayu kerana bahasa Inggeris yang bersifat antarabangsa mempunyai kekuatan untuk melindungi perkauman Cina dan India. Akhirnya yang perkauman ialah UMNO dan Melayu.

Pak Lah mungkin sudah terlambat.

MUNSYI ABDULLAH