Raja Petra trial: Transfer of case is 'illegal'

KUALA LUMPUR: The transfer of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin’s defamation case from the magistrates court to the Sessions court was “illegal, void and contrary” to provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), the Sessions court heard on Monday.

Raja Petra’s lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon said that the Section 117 of the CPC did not permit the transfer of a case by a magistrate’s to the Sessions Court where the case was properly before the magistrates court.

“The said order of the magistrate, which exposes the accused to an unequal and potentially higher punishment, is unconstitutional in that it breaches the equality provisions of the Federal Constitution,” he said.

Raja Petra is alleged to have defamed the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor by making a libelous statement in the declaration, which he affirmed on June 18.

He also faces two similar charges against Kolonel Norhayati Hassan and her husband Acting Kolonel Abdul Aziz Buyong.

He was charged with the three counts of defamation in the Kuala Lumpur magistrates court in July this year.

On Aug 15, the Attorney-General Chambers had applied to the magistrates court to transfer the cases to the Sessions Court on grounds that it “involved public interest”, and the cases were transferred.

Manjeet submitted that Sessions Court judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat could either send the case back to the magistrates court, or order a stay of proceedings and transmit the record to the High Court to determine if the transfer was valid.

-The Star Online

Can TDM cure Umno of money politics?

Umno has already nominated the candidates who will contest party elections for every post from the deputy president downwards. Unfortunately, there's more than four months of campaigning before the actual polls itself.

The reason for the delay is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Abdullah has declined nominations for the Umno presidency but he still wants to be Prime Minister until March so the party's supreme council, not without reservations, postponed the polls to that month while allowing nominations to begin in September.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is already premier-elect because no one secured enough nominations to challenge him for the presidency. But there are fights everywhere else with three candidates jostling for the deputy presidency; eight for the three vice-presidential posts; and contests for both the head of the Youth and Women's wings - unseen in Umno for a long, long time.

Some might say that this is a healthy development for a political party that claims to champion democracy. But this is Umno - where money politics has been on the rise since the late 1980s. The fear is that a successful candidate may actually have been the best that money can buy and it is a concern that is grounded in not inconsiderable evidence.

Most of the evidence is anecdotal but it is widely believed. Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen, a former foreign minister and current head of the party's disciplinary committee, has labelled the party "sick" and in need of "strong medication".

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad thinks that he knows the medication required. Writing in his blog last week, Dr Mahathir threatened to publicly reveal the people whom he alleges are involved in money politics.

There is considerable irony is his threat. It was under his 22-year tenure that corruption flourished and took root within the party. Dr Mahathir tried with words to root it out - scolding, cajoling, imploring, begging, even crying on occasion. He would have been better served by coming down hard on offenders, using some of his formidable powers that he amassed when he was premier.

Be that as it may, Dr Mahathir, 82, is now fed up and thinks that the time is ripe for stern action. He has proposed to do several things. He said that all reports on money politics submitted to him would be forwarded to the Umno disciplinary committee and the Anti-Corruption Agency. "If these two means are futile, I will reveal the names of those involved together with reports in my blog," he wrote.

Dr Mahathir has already endorsed both Najib and International Trade Minister and Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for Umno president and deputy respectively. But Muhyiddin faces a two-cornered challenge from Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Ali Rustam and Land and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Both are candidates whom Dr Mahathir scornfully described as "jokers" before they received enough nominations to qualify as aspirants to the post of deputy president.

His appraisal of them didn't stop them from receiving quite decent support for a deputy presidential bid. Truth be told, there are no lack of stories about most aspirants - except Najib, who does not have to - judiciously using money to help their causes.

There is only one thing wrong with the former premier's threat. He is an interested party as his youngest son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is among three candidates eyeing the Umno Youth chief's post. So he will have to be seen as impartial and come out with everything he knows or risk a backlash with those he named pointing fingers elsewhere.

That could be a disaster for a party that's trying to regroup and re-invent itself for the future. But that's just the talk. There has been no corresponding walk and Umno has shown no desire to change. Who knows? Dr Mahathir's "surgery" may be just what the doctor ordered.

Umno to take more steps to check money politics

Umno will take several more measures to check money politics which should be tackled in a more comprehensive manner, said Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Realistically, however, the problem could not be resolved in the very near future and efforts to eradicate it should be supported by a strong political will and commitment, he said when asked to comment on the statement by former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that money politics was still haunting Umno even when Najib takes over the party leadership.

He said this to Malaysian journalists after attending the last day of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit here yesterday.

Najib, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said efforts to address money politics should be “supported by a strong political will and commitment in whatever way we can”.

Efforts in tackling money politics involved a process that needed a certain time frame, he said.

“Because even during the time of Tun Dr Mahathir, he had also initiated efforts to eliminate money politics and when he had relinquished the posts of prime minister and Umno president, he had expressed his disappointment for failing to check the problem," he added.

32 NGO Melayu buat laporan polis - malaysiakini

Kira-kira 500 ahli pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) berhimpun secara aman ( baca "menyertai perhimpunan haram" ) di Balai Polis Jalan Tun Razak di sini hari ini, sebelum membuat enam laporan polis berhubung isu perkauman, kedudukan bangsa Melayu dan agama Islam.

Antara enam isu yang dilaporkan ialah Melayu sebagai pendatang, pengkid, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), isu hina Islam dan dua isu berkaitan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA).

Laporan itu dibuat sejurus berakhirnya forum Majlis Permuafakatan Ummah (Pewaris) di Wisma Sejarah, Ampang di sini pada pukul 1.50 petang.

Mereka yang mewakili 32 NGO Melayu itu berhimpun di Balai Polis Jalan Tun Razak pada pukul 3 petang sebelum membuat laporan kira-kira 15 minit kemudian.

Timbalan Pengerusi Pewaris, Rahmuddin Mat Harun berkata, NGO terbabit mahu pihak berkuasa lebih tegas menangani isu pertikaian hak Melayu yang sering diperkatakan kebelakangan ini.

"Kami mendesak pihak yang cuba mengapi-apikan dan mempertikaikan kedudukan istimewa bangsa Melayu serta kedaulatan agama Islam agar berhenti berbuat demikian.

"Kami juga menyelar pihak yang cuba menggugat keamanan masyarakat berbilang bangsa dan agama di negara ini dengan kenyataan yang mencabar bangsa Melayu serta umat Islam," katanya ketika ditemui selepas membuat laporan polis tersebut.

Semasa piket secara aman itu ( baca "perhimpunan haram" ) , penyokong Pewaris dan Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah (Pekida) membawa pelbagai sepanduk antaranya bertulis, Bersatulah demi perpaduan ummah, Kekalkan ISA demi keamanan dan Melayu tidak akan biarkan agama Islam dan keutamaannya dipersendakan.

TP - perhimpunan ni dapat permit ke? PDRM bagi permit ke?

FRU tak turun ke?

Kan aku dah habaq awal-awal kat [sini]... skarang hangpa percaya dak?

TDM dirayu jangan dedah nama

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad dirayu agar memikirkan semula hasratnya untuk mendedahkan senarai nama pemimpin UMNO yang terbabit dengan politik wang.

Ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin berkata, ini kerana tindakan tersebut bakal memberi implikasi negatif yang besar kepada parti.

Calon Naib Presiden UMNO itu berkata, Dr. Mahathir kemungkinan menerima aduan daripada pihak-pihak lain tetapi penganiayaan boleh berlaku tanpa melakukan siasatan rapi.

Katanya, semua prinsip undang-undang meletakkan soal keadilan sebagai asas dan sebagai parti politik kewujudan unsur sabotaj tidak boleh dinafikan.

"Dalam hal ini, saya merayu dan berharap Tun memahami situasi implikasi yang beliau akan lakukan. Namun memang tiada siapa yang boleh menahan Tun untuk melakukannya.

"Seperti yang dikatakan, oleh kerana hanya terdapat maklumat dan siasatan sedang dibuat, maka dalam banyak hal kita tidak mahu berlakunya unsur penganiayaan," kata Menteri Pengajian Tinggi itu.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas merasmikan Program Pelajar di Luar Universiti Johor anjuran Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) dan kementeriannya di Pasir Gudang di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama, Naib Canselor UTM, Prof. Datuk Dr. Zaini Ujang.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Dr. Mahathir yang mendakwa mempunyai senarai pemimpin UMNO yang terbabit dengan politik wang dan berhasrat mendedahkannya jika Lembaga Disiplin UMNO tidak mengambil tindakan tegas ke atas ahli tersebut.

Khaled berkata, darip segi prinsip parti, UMNO telah menyerahkan aduan politik wang kepada Lembaga Disiplin untuk mengumpul maklumat dan menjalankan siasatan.

Namun jelasnya, kadangkala terdapat aduan yang sama dibuat tetapi lembaga itu tidak dapat mendedahkan nama-nama ahli selagi mereka belum didapati bersalah.

Menurutnya, mungkin persepsi orang terhadap mereka yang didedahkan nama itu akan disyaki bersalah tetapi akhirnya tidak bersalah selepas siasatan selesai.

"Persepsi beginilah yang telah menimbulkan masalah apabila kita mendedahkan nama mereka yang disiasat.

"Namun pada masa sama, saya bersetuju gejala politik wang perlu dihapuskan dan saya juga berharap jangan terlalu tinggi keghairahan hendak menangkap orang, kita hanya akan menutup pintu keadilan," katanya.

Sokong fatwa haram yoga

Peniaga, Mohd. Khalid Ishak, 35, berkata, sekiranya umat Islam mengamalkan yoga yang melibatkan unsur-unsur mantera, maka ia boleh mengakibatkan seseorang itu terpesong akidah.

''Yoga sebenarnya adalah untuk menjaga kesihatan dan itulah yang membuatkan ramai orang mengikuti senaman ini,'' katanya.

Pemandu lori, Mohd. Riduan Illias, 38, pula berkata, mantera digunakan oleh semua agama, namun mestilah mengetahui tujuan menggunakan mantera itu.

''Jika yoga untuk senaman tidak mengapa, iaitu tidak disertakan dengan mantera. Malah kebanyakan yoga hanya dilakukan oleh kaum wanita,'' katanya.

Tambah beliau, wanita yang selalu menggunakan senaman yoga ini adalah untuk menjaga kesihatan.

Pembantu jualan, Maizatul Noranirah Mohd. Nordin, 19, berkata, yoga merupakan senaman yang bagus untuk kesihatan, namun dengan memasukkan unsur-unsur mantera ia boleh memesongkan agama seseorang Islam itu.

''Mengapa mesti memasukkan unsur-unsur mantera di dalam yoga jika sudah mengetahui bahawa mantera itu adalah amalan yang syirik,'' katanya.

Beliau berkata, mereka yang mengamalkan yoga beserta mantera bagaimanapun perlu segera menghentikan perbuatan tersebut.

Seorang kakitangan swasta, Lailinazirah Abdul Rahman, 26, berkata, yoga adalah satu senaman yang sihat dan sangat bagus dilakukan setiap hari.

''Yoga akan membantu menenangkan fikiran seseorang itu jika dia melakukannya dengan betul dan tidak menggunakan mantera,'' katanya.

SIS Persoal Keputusan Majlis Fatwa

Sisters In Islam (SIS) menolak keputusan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan mengharamkan amalan senaman yoga kerana tiada sebarang bukti dikemukakan bagi mewajarkan yoga diharamkan.

Pengurus Program SIS, Norhayati Kaprawi berkata, sehingga kini negara tidak pernah menerima apa-apa aduan atau bukti yang mengatakan ada individu beragama Islam bertukar kepada agama Hindu selepas mengamalkan senaman yoga.

''Jadi, mengapa perlu ia diharamkan? Mengapa terburu-buru untuk meletakkan undang-undang terhadap aktiviti senaman itu sedangkan ia tidak mengancam kedudukan agama Islam setakat ini?" soalnya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas tindakan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan semalam, yang mengharamkan umat Islam mengamalkan yoga secara sistematik kerana dibimbangi akan menghakis akidah jika pengamalnya meneruskan amalan itu ke peringkat lebih tinggi.

Menurut Norhayati, pihaknya mempunyai alasan kukuh mengapa pengharaman itu tidak patut dilakukan memandangkan amalan yoga tidak lebih daripada sekadar satu senaman untuk kesihatan.

''SIS tidak nampak ia boleh memesongkan akidah seseorang pengamalnya sama ada yang beragama Islam atau bukan Islam.

''Ini kerana yoga tidak lebih dari sekadar senaman untuk kesihatan jasmani, sama juga seperti senaman Tai Chi dan Qigong, '' katanya.

Pengusaha kelab nafi mantera dalam senaman yoga

Beberapa pengusaha kelab yoga menafikan amalan senaman itu mempunyai unsur-unsur agama Hindu, sebaliknya dilakukan untuk kesihatan yang kesannya dibuktikan menerusi kajian saintifik.

Pengusaha Moya Yoga Studio, Datin Suleiha Merican berkata, senaman yoga yang dilakukan di studio miliknya tidak mempunyai bacaan mantera dan berzikir tetapi semata-mata amalan senaman.

Menurutnya, ramai pelajar di studionya itu yang menghidap sakit kepala, migrain, asma, sakit belakang, tekanan darah tinggi dan rendah mengamalkan senaman ini dan merasai keberkesanannya.

''Banyak artikel mengenai kebaikan amalan yoga untuk memulihkan beberapa penyakit dan turut disokong oleh pakar perubatan telah dihasilkan,'' katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian berhubung kenyataan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan yang mengharamkan umat Islam mengamalkan yoga secara sistematik kerana dibimbangi akan menghakis akidah jika pengamalnya meneruskan amalan itu ke peringkat lebih tinggi.

Suleiha, 57, seterusnya memberitahu, beliau yang telah 40 tahun menjadi guru yoga tidak pernah merasa akidah dan keimanannya terhadap Islam dan Allah terjejas.

Malahan, katanya, kesihatan dan ketenangan yang diperoleh melalui senaman yoga sejak berusia lima tahun membuatkan dirinya lebih mendekati Allah dengan membaca al-Quran beserta tafsirannya.

Sementara itu, Vanaja Dhanan, pemilik Yoga2Health pula berkata, senaman yoga ada kaitan dengan sains kesihatan tetapi tidak ada kena-mengena dengan agama.

Menurutnya, pelajar dilatih untuk melakukan pergerakan anggota dan cara pernafasan yang betul bagi mendapatkan bekalan oksigen yang mencukupi.

''Ramai orang mendapat sakit kerana tidak mengamalkan cara pernafasan yang betul. Senaman yoga mengajar kita teknik untuk bernafas cara betul.

''Menerusi senaman yoga, kita boleh mendapat ketenangan jiwa, sihat dan mampu mengawal perasaan,'' katanya.

Shilpa dari Yoga Shakti pula berkata, yoga yang diamalkan di tempatnya tidak menyertakan mantera.

Menurut Shilpa, beliau mengajar pelanggannya untuk membentuk anggota supaya lembut dan fleksibel mengikut gerakan senaman dan teknik bernafas dengan betul.

Katanya, dalam senaman itu tiada meditasi tetapi mengajar pelanggan bernafas cara betul kerana ia akan menyihatkan tubuh badan di samping menenangkan fikiran.

'Letak jawatan jika skandal seks, rasuah'

Wanita Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) mengusulkan agar Ahli Parlimen dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) parti itu meletak jawatan sekiranya terbabit dalam skandal rasuah mahupun seks.

Cadangan usul itu akan dikemukakan pada Kongres Nasional Wanita PKR yang diadakan 28 November ini.

Usul itu dibuat sebagai salah satu cara bagi membersihkan parti termasuk di peringkat kepimpinan daripada gejala tersebut.

Ketua Wanita PKR, Zuraida Kamaruddin berkata, sekiranya usul itu diluluskan, mana-mana pemimpin yang didapati terlibat dalam skandal tersebut, jawatan mereka dalam parti termasuk wakil rakyat akan digugurkan secara automatik.

''Ini yang kita bawa dan bahaskan dalam kongres parti yang akan diadakan nanti.

''Kita tidak mahu ada pemimpin khususnya daripada PKR terlibat dalam gejala rasuah atau seks, kita mahu pemimpin yang bersih.

''Sekiranya diluluskan, kita turut mahu supaya usul ini dapat diikuti oleh parti sekutu seperti DAP dan Pas,'' katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

M'sian bishop dead after boat capsize in Guatemala

A Malaysian bishop was drowned after a boat carrying 14 people capsized in Lake Atitlan, about 170km west of the Guatemalan capital.

He was among two others - a Frenchman and a Guatemalan - who died in the incident.

The bodies of the drowning victims were identified as Malaysian Bishop Julius Danaraj Paul, French tourist Guillermo Fresseth and Guatemalan Valerio Jowittz Cotzal, the Public Ministry's assistant prosecutor, Diego Sisay, told local press.

Bishop Paul was from the the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur.

The 63-year-old bishop was in Guatemala City for two weeks to attend the Lutheran World Federation Meeting.

Sisay said relief workers are still working to locate the three other people who disappeared during the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon.

Boat Overloaded

Survivors indicated that the boat was overloaded and capsized after strong winds hit the region, according to Sisay.

The accident occurred three kilometers from the pier at Santiago Atitlan, a town popular with tourists, and near the Isle of Los Gatos in the Santiago Atitlan Bay.

Roberto Vega, chief operating officer of the National Civil Police, said that the passengers were immediately assisted by other boats in the vicinity as well as local emergency personnel who rescued the survivors.

The boat's operator, Oscar Rene Sajbin, was being questioned by authorities to determine responsibility and to clarify details of the tragedy, Vega added.

Lake Atitlan is one of Guatemala's top tourist destinations.