Ratu Anjing; Yang Melengking Itu (Panggak Binasa Terlajak Kata)
Disiarkan dalam “Mega”, Utusan Malaysia, 16 Oktober 2008, m/s 17
I
Ratu anjing itupun melengking
menyalak galak mengasah taring
setelah lepas tersepit pengancing
lalu keluar dari kandang akal yang sinting;
munci;Wajah yang sering berpaling
dan sanggah yang polang-poling
menunjuk telunjuk berkait kelingking.
Makhluk juga; Takdirnya dia….anjing
tabiat ‘bagai melihat bayang di air yang bening’.
II
Masyarakat anjing itupun riuh
menyambut pulang seekor tokoh
dari paksina kedaksina gamat gemuruh
menggonggong tulang-tulang tanpa roh
pameo pusaka dari benua jauh
panggak yang terlanjur angkuh
alibi ‘telur tembelang’di hari ketujuh
telah jatuh ke wajah ratu yang selingkuh
mengandaikan kabilah mudah diperbodoh
III
Suci suatu subuh itu terganggu
salak anjing antara azan yang syahdu
melihat kelibat siluman dan hantu
tawakal muazin menuju nawaitu
tertip titipan taqwa pada yang satu
biarkan ratu anjing itu menyalak waktu
bukit bukau tetap jitu
gung-ganang tetap padu
manusia perlu berakal dan berilmu
IV
Alam maya bukan mutlak milik kita
dipinjamkan cuma sementara
dipentas ini kesempatan bersama
berjuta makhluk berbagai rupa
ketentuan anjing-anjing juga ada
V
Kok anjing biar menyalak
Kok bukit diar berpuncak
Kok terasa menyelar bijak
bumi juga tempat berpijak
padah kata bila kata terlajak
Dr Ibrahim Ghafar, Bukit Kapar,
Selangor, 22 September 2008
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/91410
Seeing red over poem ‘likening Kok to dog’
Beh Lih Yi & Rahmah Ghazali |
Oct 16, 08 6:44pm
Before the dust has settled over a fictional story on the assassination of a politician, Utusan Malaysia has raised the ire of DAP again.
This time, it is a poem, which the opposition party claims, likens its Seputeh MP Teresa Kok to a dog.
Titled ‘Ratu anjing; yang melengking itu’ (That queen of dogs that barks), the poem penned by Dr Ibrahim Ghaffar appeared in Utusan’s pullout ‘Mega’ today. The daily described the poem as a reminder to those who threatened Islam and the Malay race.
Over the weekend, Utusan published a short story titled ‘Politik baru YB J’ written by Malaysia Press Institute CEO Chamil Wariya. DAP claimed that the fictional piece, which is about the assassination of a female Chinese parliamentarian, was referring to Kok (left).
This afternoon, DAP Youth had filed a police report against Chamil and Utusan and described the story as ‘literary terrorism’.
Meanwhile, the poem, among others, contained phrases such as ‘Kok anjing biar menyalak’ (‘Kok the dog, let it bark’). It however did not specifically name any individuals.
Speaking to Malaysiakini in Parliament today, Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) argued that anyone who read the poem would know that it was referring to Kok.
“The poem is not necessary as Kok has done nothing wrong. This is too much and unfair not only to her but to all Muslims and non-Muslims.
“I believe Utusan has an agenda behind this,” he said, adding that DAP will consider lodging a police report on the matter.
Ibrahim, however, told Malaysiakini that his poem was not directed at anyone in specific but was a general call to all that “when they do something, it must be done with wisdom and maturity.”
Kok was detained under the Internal Security Act last month for a week after she was embroiled in a religious controversy. She was accused of questioning the loudness of the Azan (Muslims call for prayers) at a mosque in Puchong. She has denied the charge.
‘Show-cause letter should be issued’
In the Dewan Rakyat earlier, Kok, who is also a Selangor senior state exco, condemned the Utusan story on the political assassination.
Debating the Budget 2009 in the Dewan Rakyat, Kok asked: “Why do they hate me to the extent of shooting me dead?”
“I don’t want the ISA to be used against Chamil Wariya (the writer) but I think a show-cause letter should be issued to the paper,” she said.
At this juncture, Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) interjected and asked whether the writer should tender an apology to the Seputeh MP.
He also questioned why the Malay daily allowed an article which was inciting violence to be published.
“Even if the ‘YB J’ referred to in the article is YB Kinabatangan (Bung Moktar Radin), the writer should apologise to him,” replied Kok.
Earlier, Kok also asked in her speech why the Home Ministry had failed to justify her ISA detention, along with blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng.
Raja Petra, who is the Malaysia Today webmaster, is still being held under detention.
Oh my Allah, what have the people has resort to this time???
Allah have given us a place of dwelling with peace and quietness of harmonious relationship as we in HIM and HE in us, why the people still provoke themselves as a human? Create confusion fear and nightmare is not a way of the Holy path but rather Satan in it admonition in disgust.
We will continue praying that Allah will reside and bless those that follows his way rather that evocating the people and nation to destruction.
We Malaysia share loves and unity in our life and walk with Allah Almighty above with the assurance that we life in it holiness. What in the madness that we do not reside in Allah intelligence thru HIS holiness? Are we called ourselves Muslim yet convert to the way of Satan?
Is our prayer in the Friday bringing us peace or is it the sweetness of our deed to fellow people brings us further joy and peace? We believe that peace comes from Allah and if we cannot overcome our own “Satan” within ourselves than we are beginning to transform ourselves like the devil himself.
So all Malaysian in respect which background cultural and religion differences do the good things of God and believe that good thing and blessing will flow from it.
To those who continue residing in evil; evil will repay itself for the one who fear not even God, the Satan himself.
The battle of principality of good and evil is on….
The country is being held to ransom by religious and racist bigots such as those found at Utusan. No surprise really as this is the real living history of Malaysia. I have posted my comments to the world on http://www.scribd.com. Search for the article Shadow of Mahathir.
What is there to worry, YB ? They are barking up the wrong tree! Barking dogs seldom bite!
Dear Teresa,
I cannot help thinking you are being sucked into this silly games of immature men out to get some cheap publicity.
There will be no end to this if you respond to every cheap shot aimed at you. Please do not lower your dignity to their level. Ignore them and concentrate on your work. Why work yourself up?
Since they will deny that they are aiming at you, each time you complain, let them carry on and see how much fun they get without any response from you. It is very similar to you being wolf-whistled while walking on the road. Just be careful and take extra care.
back in the 1900’s, before world war II, malay language newspapers and novels played an important role in arousing malay nationalisme which led to independence of Malaya and later Malaysia.
writing sajaks, cerpens then was very much the instrument of drumming up sentiment against colonial master, albeit the story line can be stereotype – heartless imperialist, greedy chinese businessmen, poor and oppressed locals etc.
however, adopting the same model in the 21st century against a fellow Malaysian, a legally elected people’s representative via the process of democracy, a lady of integrity and capability, not only throw the literature scene back a century; in fact the justification for such writing is totally different and inferior in moral standing compared to the previous writers like Ahmad Boestaman, Ibrahim Yaakub etc.
I suppose in a democracy, people have a right to be stupid but the line must be drawn when an act f stupidity may cause actual harm to others.
I hope readers of Utusan Malaysia, by and large, can tell the difference between good and atrocious writing.
Antara Anjing, Manusia dan Hantu.
I
Ratu anjing masih melengking
menyalak penyamun yang bertaring
walaupun pemburu menabur pancing
pancing penyagak longgar terpelanting
tenang; Wajah yang sering jari menuding
dan berani demi benar yang tidak berpusing
penunjuk menunjuk hingga jari kelingking
Mahkluk juga; manusia dan anjing
Bah kata ‘bagaikan aur dan tebing.’
II
Masyarakat anjing tentunya riuh
menyambut kepulangan kebebasan tokoh
dari fitnah dusta aniaya mahkluk yang bodoh
mahkluk jahilliyah tanpa jiwa dan roh
pameo pusaka yang tidak jauh
panggak terlanjur masih angkuh
alibi umat sekalian sebelum subuh
masih dikurung ratu yang dituduh
sememangnya dunia telah diperbodoh
III
Suci suatu subuh tidak terganggu
kokokan ayam antara azan yang syahdu
melihat kelibat manusia dan hantu
kalangan manusia ada yang hantu
tertip titipan taqwa pada yang satu
ayam anjing manusia dan hantu
bukit bukau memang jitu
gung-ganang juga padu
manusia perlu bertaubat sebelum berilmu
IV
Alam maya ditumpang kita
menumpang cuma sementara
dipentas ini perjuangan bersama
berbagai mahkluk berbagai rupa
ketentuan pendusta juga ada
V
Toyol mahkluk dibiar menyalak
Bukit Kapar tentu berpuncak
Ayam anjing manusia dipijak
bumi juga tempat berpijak
padah semua masih saling memijak
Anonymous, Bumi,
Alam Semesta, 17 Oktober 2008
If the government didn’t step in to end these quarrels between the two sides, it will drag on for months to come. (if there is no change in the federal government) Both sides must sit down and try to patch up for neither side can gain anything from them.
The whole world is facing the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression in 1929, and we have people in this country pitting each other over matters which shouldn’t have arisen.
But the fact remains that if you don’t play politics in a proper manner, then I’m afraid that the people will soon find out your dirty tactics and desert your party and put their faith in the opposing sides. It is what we call ‘backfire’. On the other hand, if you play politics according to rules and solving people’s problems irrespective of race, then not only your party but also the whole country stand to gain. This is common sense only, and need not elaborate here.
If you are a good politician, people irrespective of race, will come to know of it.
Utusan has nothing else to print or promote as UMNO is so clean…http://1426.blogspot.com/2008/10/big-mama-ke-putrajaya.html
I am not writing in support for Utusan Malaysia and its reporter, Mohd Zaini Hassan or anyone, but for fairplay and for the unfettered freedom of the press and of expression. They know how to defend themselves and the freedom of the press and of free speech.
But what I am utterly speechless is, how come there is no blogger or member of the ‘liberal’ crowd who is organizing a candle-light vigil to support and press for the freedom of the press and of freedom?
Have the stores run out of candles?
Have the supporters of the freedom of the press and of expression and bloggers and their supporters run out of candles to light?
Where are they, the liberals and democrats amongst the Malaysia, especially those who have been vocal to the point of annoyance and who demand these freedoms?
And where is the National Union of Journalists or NUJ? When is its president, Norlida Daud going to ‘ambush’ Teresa Kok and Karpal Singh to demand that they withdraw their suits against anyone or to stop using the defamation suits as the ‘ISA’ of the opposition?
What if their party is able to form the federal government, don’t you think that they, too, would want to take such drastic and even ‘draconian’ actions against anyone who do not write or speak like them?
Can’t they find their way to berate the journalists and newspapers for having uttered what they consider to be disparaging and defamatory remarks against them the same way that these papers have been said to have done that to them?
American president George W Bush has been called by many names, by the media all over the world; if he take similar actions, surely, he can’t call himself a leader who supports the freedom of the press and of expression.
Suing anyone for RM30 million is serious business by any account.
It is aimed to put the person who loses the case in permanent disability and castration much like the persons who are in detention under the ISA.
Therefore, by anyone’s rough calculations there is no difference in the ISA than filing a defamation suit. Now it seems that the opposition only has the defamation suits to use and they are using them to their full advantage and to get wide publicity which they could otherwise not get, unless if they go around to put up road signs in Mandarin or Tamil, a habit that they decided to stop with the arrest of the three under the last ISA roundout.
I am sure those who had wanted to put up more of the same road signs elsewhere, have now not given it a serious thought anymore.
Why stop doing that if they think it is good for the multiracial society? And when is Teresa going to put out more of these road signs?
But if they come to power and are able to introduce new laws will they not want to ban anyone from filing defamation suits since it is against the spirit of the freedom of the press and of expression?
Look at America or the United Kingdom and many other countries in the West, or for that matter, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, for instance; how many of the national leaders from both sides, have instituted defamation suits against anyone?
If the Malaysian politicians who are members of parliament can withstand insults and disparaging remarks that are uttered against them al the time in parliament, so surely, they can also withstand those that are hurled against them outside of it.
Is it because the members of parliament are immune to prosecution for whatever they say in parliament that the other members are not able to do anything about it?
If this the case, why not also allow the members of the public and especially, members of the press the same rights and immunity, since they are also in the same business, just to be fair and liberal?
What’s the difference being in parliament and in the public anyway?
I was speechless again when I heard on television that there is one opposition member of parliament who said that freedom of the press has its limits! Was he serious?
There is no such thing. Freedom of the press and of expression do not have their limits. If there are limits, then there is no such freedoms in the first place.
They cannot say that and expect anyone else to respect them for their stand; it’s the weird form of the freedom of the press and of expression. Maybe all of them are still in the happy Raya mood, and have their stomach full of ‘ketupat’ and ‘rendang’ and are ‘ketupat’ and ‘rendang’ – drunk.
Let’s hope once they have cleared this that they would want to bring out their candles and light them outside of the Utusan office in Jalan Chan Sow Lin.
I do subscribe to the freedom of the press and of expression, especially those whose skins have become so thick that cutting them with razor blades would not hurt them at all. In fact, they won’t even mind to show the scars, that they can get from the cuts as a ‘badge of honor’; the more scars they have the better their reputation is.
There is no such a thing as a bad or negative publicity.
If those who had lost in any elections including those in the party had any real ‘reputation’, they would not stayed in politics, having lost in the elections even once before. Yet, with their ‘thick skin’ and being so shameless, they still pursued.
Thank You.
p/s : accepting liberalism but getting mad with ‘wild gossips’ is like preaching christianity but perform prayer in a kovil.
Shame on Dr Ibrahim Ghaffar as a doctor to penned such a poem with the use of holy Islamic words mixed with cursing and barking like a dog himself.
I was wondering if Allah allow us to practise that?It’s all against the true teaching of Islam. Dr Ibrahim’s act does not represent the teaching of Islam.
I am sure if such a poem were written by those from PAS,PKR or DAP…dah kena ISA pun.
Ibrahim Ghaffar alias Anjing Bodoh.
Malaysia Press Institute CEO Chamil Wariya, looks like a close friend to Syed Hamid. Otherwise ,why not ake him in under ISA?
He’s creating hatred and the cerpen actually encouraging people to kill someone.What’s the benefit of such a cerpen?
His act is worst than a beast’s act.
Chamil Wariya Penghasut dan Penganas.
Please send this 3 idiots to ISA once the PR took over the government.These three made Malaysia a scary place to live in.
True that enemy of god is thousand. Will god afraid of them? If he is not lord of all, he is not at all?
What the lord promise abraham????? What was the calling?????
We need to go to the wilderness and enemy camp and preach gospel or good news…..even in a difficult situation. The question is are we in a right frame of mine?
What is god love most?
A loving son and daughter with righteous that will grow in million with one voice and direction. God loves peaceful loving environment like the garden of eden.
Malaysia can set an example to the whole world that we are not that corrupted. Why are we in this situation? WHy…no body like corruption…..simple????
Dear YB,
We should stop playing their games of racial incitement,I really don’t know what type of mentality of so call Dr Ibrahim and Chamil have.This reflected badly on the very Malay race itselves .
There is a saying,
Why wallow in the mud and sh1t with the pigs,you gets all dirty and stinking ,while the pigs loves it.
We should move on,continue to serve the communities of all races,and I believe YB you are on track,actions will judged not by Utusan but the rakyat on the whole.I don’t believe fair minded Malays subscribes to the type of stupid mentality these people in Utusan have.Look at PAS,the leaders are very much respected and they don’t speak in fork/twisted (Samy type) tougue,the word they say ,you might not like it but it is the truth from their heart and unlike UMNO ,they will says all the thing you like to hear but do the opposite.
If the PR MPs continue serving the all the communities fairly and avoid corruptions,I can confidently declare BN is “history” in the next GE.
IpohMalay has some interesting views and I would like to share my take on his points raised.
“I am not writing in support for Utusan Malaysia and its reporter, Mohd Zaini Hassan or anyone, but for fairplay and for the unfettered freedom of the press and of expression. They know how to defend themselves and the freedom of the press and of free speech.”
— Utusan Malaysia is never fair. Cue: their reporting leaning in the run up to the GE…need I go thru the whole list?
“But what I am utterly speechless is, how come there is no blogger or member of the ‘liberal’ crowd who is organizing a candle-light vigil to support and press for the freedom of the press and of freedom?”
— Press freedom does not include the freedom to incite. A free press is about reporting the truth,abuse of power, providing check and balance against the powers to be, not writing fiction with the intention to provoke anger or violence.
“Can’t they find their way to berate the journalists and newspapers for having uttered what they consider to be disparaging and defamatory remarks against them the same way that these papers have been said to have done that to them? “
–I don’t think Utusan Malaysia would report the words of Teresa fairly anyway
–The Chinese newspapers and the PR’s respective newspaper and a lot of bloggers have come out to condemn UM, notably Mahathir’s daughter. That would make interesting discussion in the household
“American president George W Bush has been called by many names, by the media all over the world; if he take similar actions, surely, he can’t call himself a leader who supports the freedom of the press and of expression.”
–in US, they are capable of laughing at themselves but in Malaysia it is different. We are constantly being warned about a repeat of an event, we do not have Jay Leno & gang.
In US, the movie “Bruce Almighty” and “Evan Almighty” with Morgan Freeman as God proved to be successful movies. “Wag the Dog” is another great one. Satire there is the culture. Malaysians cannot do the same for “different local sentiment, perception and belief”. Go figure this one out.
— in US the criticism is about how badly the President is running the country. In Malaysia, it is about baseless accusation on religious and racial lines thaparry the emergence of a viable alternative to the ruling federal coalition as well as what amounts to character assassination.
“Suing anyone for RM30 million is serious business by any account.”
— so is printing partisan/misleading article in a daily that is suppose to uphold the sacred position of the national language
— Utusan Malaysia might not want to publish / hear alternate opinions anyway
“Therefore, by anyone’s rough calculations there is no difference in the ISA than filing a defamation suit. Now it seems that the opposition only has the defamation suits to use and they are using them to their full advantage and to get wide publicity which they could otherwise not get, unless if they go around to put up road signs in Mandarin or Tamil, a habit that they decided to stop with the arrest of the three under the last ISA roundout.”
— defamation suit is still within the legal system. The plaintiff has to prove his or her case and let a learned judge decides. In ISA case, we still do not know now who ordered the protection for Tan Hooi Cheng and the pseudo-kidnapping of Teresa, since the esteemed minister-in-charge denied that he was in charge
“Is it because the members of parliament are immune to prosecution for whatever they say in parliament that the other members are not able to do anything about it?”
–so is Ahmad Ismail. Even local municipal little napoleons and those abusers’ of tax money as reported in the AG’s report. the officials in MPAJ is found by the court a few years ago as not accountable for the Highland Towers collapse.
“I was speechless again when I heard on television that there is one opposition member of parliament who said that freedom of the press has its limits! Was he serious?”
– but you sure can write a lot! Writing a lot does not count. It is about what you write. But fine, you are entitled to write a lot since it is your right.
– Freedom of press does not …aiaya read the one I wrote on the top
Well bloggers, what is blog all about? Is it not for publicising oneself? Or to show that we are more champion than the others?
Well, my dear sassy mp, u should stand above the normal blog or bloggers, n this include as an mp. Be an mp rather than M-enjadi P-engkritik.
Hav a nice thought
Raja Anjing yang melengkeng tu, seluruh rakyat m’sia tahu & faham siapa tu…… corrupted rejim racist umno ! hari in Bodohwi kata di M’sian Chicken Asso (MCA) “rejim umno is no BULLY !
ya ! ‘korek korek korek…100% korek’ bcos corupted rejim racist umno is BIG BIG BULLY ! definitely not just a bully !
Action of BIG BULLY BY REJIM UMNO:
– kuil-kuil tak kira >100tahun pun dirobohkan tanpa hiraukan rayuan SemiValue/rakyat hindu !
– tamil & chinese school left to die by itself w/o gomen finance >50years!
– telan semua projet gomen habis habisan dgn harga yang paling tinggi get d tender tru ‘close door nego’ !
– silent off all critics fr opposition/suara rakyat dgn OSA, PPP Act, Sedition Act & ISA !
– legalise all rejim corrupted practice by Polis, ACA, AG & korek korek…judiaciary ! rejim member Zaki appointed as CJ !
& d list goes on……
PR mesti kuburkan rejim umno fast & very very fast.
At the beginning I was riled up & upset after reading ‘the articles’ printed by UM. I belive a big number of Malaysians feels the same too. Then it hit me, we shouldn’t.
What we should do is to PITY the writers and the people who let it be printed. Why? Because GOD gave us a brain to think. These ‘people’ have either pea-sized or damaged/retarded brains. Either that or the brain was grown at the wrong place of the body. (The sit on it)
Belive me. I felt alot better after that.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
I Peter 3:12 KJV
Let our prayers rise to heaven, for surely He will avenge and humble those who dare condemn God’s creation. We humbly pray God, “forgive them, as Jesus did, for they know not what they say”. Let’s not fight evil with evil but with love. We love peace and our brethren, even our enemies. God love peacemakers.
For how can we say we love God whom we cannot see but hate our brethren whom we can see. Therefore God says, “love your enemies” and “vengence belongs to me”. We will continue to pray for your protection and also your enemies. May the peace of God be with you always. Amen.
Khairi my kawan,
a blog is a diary and it is personal in nature. Of course it is about publishing oneself and why not championing your belief?
If Utusan Malaysia publish disparaging articles, and contestable ones at that, surely it is Teresa’s prerogative and right to put her view into her own blog.
Her blog has a variety of theme and orientation. There are articles about herself, her views, about things that she has done for others etc. As a politician seeking re-elections at GEs, self advocacy is a means of survival.
Self advertisement is not a sin. If commercial entities can advertise about contaminated products, a politician self advocate in the event of personal attack by media not under her control hardly seems excessive. In a democracy,the right to voice one’s right is a basic feature….mature democracy…respect other people’s right to air their opinion? It is certainly better for her to air her views and let people to judge rather than holding back, something that our OSAs seems to achieve in other respect.
If one talk about M-enjadi P-engkritik, Che Det’s blog definitely fits the bill better.
Khairi A,
YB Teresa MP adalah Pembangkang mestilah jadi Pengkritik yang positif terhadap corrupted rejim racist umno/bn !
tapi semua MP rejim umno adalah M-enjadi P-engkhianat negara yang merompak wang khazanah negara secara terang terang (most recent Eurochopter!) & membinasakan pasukan/badan Polis, ACA, AG, Judiciary, EC, University, GLC, Bandaraya & kesemua jentera jentera gomen ! Ranking dunia menjunam fr bad to WORSE !!!!
Just let this slip, YB Kok. It’s really not worth your time. Show us that you are truly an MP for the people, not some politicians who’s more preoccupied with all the silly food fight and mud-slinging than doing their job.
Let Utusan say whatever the hell they want. People who are not blind or stupid will know who’s the fool here. Go and make us proud, YB Kok.
teresa
dont waste your time making police report for even the police are scared and move their police base out of chow kit.we,the rakyat have eyes and we do see who is rigft or wrong.we have ears and can discern the voice of the evil one.Take heart,you have done a good job.continue to reach out to the muslims as they are our brothers too.
Malaysians Warned Not to Question Islam
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081019/malaysians-warned-not-to-question-islam.htm
An influential council of Malaysia’s state rulers has warned people not to question the supremacy of Islam or the special privileges enjoyed by the country’s ethnic Malay majority.
Sun, Oct. 19, 2008 Posted: 04:01 AM EDT
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – An influential council of Malaysia’s state rulers has warned people not to question the supremacy of Islam or the special privileges enjoyed by the country’s ethnic Malay majority.
Racial and religious tensions have increased in the past year as minorities have become more vocal in their complaints about an affirmative action program that they say unfairly favors Malays. They also complain that their religious rights are being ignored.
In an unprecedented comment on current affairs, the sultans of nine states did not directly accuse the Chinese and Indian minorities of stoking anti-Malay feelings, but said recent statements and forums “held by certain quarters” had “caused provocation and uneasiness among the people.”
Questioning the special position of Malays “can lead to disunity and racial strife that can undermine the peace and harmony,” the state rulers said in a statement.
The warning underscores the social tensions in Malaysia, where Muslim Malays are about 60 percent of the nation’s 27 million people. Chinese and Indians, who are mostly non-Muslims, comprise a third of the population and friction among the three ethnic groups is always below the surface.
The lengthy statement issued Thursday night follows a two-day meeting of the sultans, known as the Conference of Rulers. The hereditary sultans, who are Muslim Malays, occupy ceremonial offices but wield considerable moral authority among Malays.
“It (the warning) is quite unprecedented and I think it is coming in response to what the country is facing — what the rulers perceive as the fracturing of racial harmony,” said Tricia Yeoh of Center for Policy Research think-tank.
Last month, an ethnic Chinese opposition lawmaker was accused by a Malay newspaper of being anti-Islam. She was detained by police for a few days but no charges were filed. In August, lawyers were forced to abandon a conference on religious conversion after protesters stormed the forum.
The statement reiterates the supremacy of Islam, the special position of the Malays and the guarantee to protect minority rights — all enshrined in Malaysia’s constitution.
“Non-Malays should not harbour any apprehension or worry over their genuine rights because these rights are guaranteed,” the statement said.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press Writer
Vijay Joshi