February-01-2012 Israel, Malaysia, and Christians
1. Malaysian Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
(1) Anifah: Malaysia does not support ‘all efforts to protect Israel’, 29 January 2012
by Shannon Teoh
The foreign minister said today Anwar’s interview “clearly shows full support for all actions taken by Israel to protect its security, unless he is accusing The Wall Street Journal of making a mistake.”
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — Datuk Seri Anifah Aman insisted tonight that despite supporting a “two-state solution,” Malaysia has never supported Israel in its conflict with Palestine.
The foreign minister said this differed from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he “supports all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel.”
“His statement clearly shows his acceptance and support for actions taken by Israel against Palestinians up to now.
“Actions interpreted as security measures by Israel include military attacks on Gaza causing the death of thousands of innocent Palestinians including women and children,” the Kimanis MP said in a statement sent to The Malaysian Insider.
Anifah stressed that Malaysia has never supported these actions but joined the global community in condemning Israel that clearly breaches international law.
“Malaysia calls for all parties to find a comprehensive solution that is fair and just based on the ‘Roadmap’ and United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions whereby both nations can live side-by-side in a peaceful and safe manner,” he added.
Anwar came under heavy fire from Umno and its media after his statement was published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
But the international business daily said Anwar stopped short of saying he would open diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, a step the former deputy prime minister said remains contingent on Israel respecting the aspirations of Palestinians.
The opposition leader was forced to defend himself last night by stressing that his remarks in the newspaper meant that he supported a two-state solution as mentioned by Anifah when the latter addressed the UN general assembly in September last year.
But Anifah said today Anwar’s interview “clearly shows full support for all actions taken by Israel to protect its security, unless he is accusing the Wall Street Journal of making a mistake.”
Muslim-majority Malaysia is a staunch supporter of Palestine and has no diplomatic ties with Israel.
Muslim politicians have long vied for support from Malays by denouncing what they say are inhumane acts of aggression by Israel towards its neighbour.
Anwar has previously been attacked as a supporter of the Zionist movement due to his interaction with prominent Jewish figures in the West.
But the opposition leader turned the tables on Umno and Barisan Nasional in 2010 when he claimed public relations firm APCO Worldwide, then contracted by Putrajaya, was responsible for both the 1 Malaysia and 1 Israel campaigns.
(2) Hasan Ali: Christians going undercover to convert Muslims, 28 January 2012
Hasan said Muslims were susceptible to the alleged conversion bids due to their weak faith.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Former Selangor Islamic affairs executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali claimed today Christian ministers have resorted to handing out electronic gadgets and wearing kopiah (skullcaps) to mosques in their efforts to convert Muslims.
The Gombak Setia assemblyman, who was sacked from PAS and the state government earlier this month, told an anti-apostasy rally in Kepala Batas, Penang that Muslims in the country were vulnerable to these methods due to their lack of faith.
He said that when he was Selangor executive councillor, he received at least 60 reports of apostasy including how Muslims were enticed with money and given gifts of laptop computers, cameras, cars, monthly food provisions and gadgets like solar-powered bibles.
“There were reports of foreign Christian ministers wearing Muslim skullcaps and attending prayers at a certain mosque in Petaling Jaya to establish a communal relationship with Muslims before converting them.
“I was told these international Christian groups have unlimited funds,” he told a crowd of about 2,000, a tenth of Himpunan Sejuta Umat’s (Himpun) targeted 20,000 attendess.
The coalition of Muslim NGOs has organised several such gatherings in response to the “challenge of Christianisation”.
Himpun was mooted following last year’s controversial August 3 raid by Selangor Islamic authorities on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya, where it was alleged that Christians were converting Muslims.
Hasan had backed the raid and said there “could be hundreds, maybe even thousands” of cases of Muslims being converted by Christians.
Last November, the former Selangor PAS chief told the Selangor Legislative Assembly that evangelical Christians are using high-tech devices such as solar-powered talking bibles to proselytise Muslims in the state.
Hasan was axed by PAS after urging opposition supporters to avoid the rally on January 9 in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the day his sodomy trial verdict was handed down by the High Court here.
He had also repeatedly criticised PAS as having deviated from championing Islam.
2. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
Time Indians reclaim M'sia's ancient history, 31 January 2012
by Datuk Raja
Contrary to the claims of certain quarters in Malaysia and abroad, the link and association of Indians with Malaysia goes as far back as 110 AD, as evidence has been unearthed from Lembah Bujang in Kedah.
Lembah Bujang or Bujang Valley is a sprawling historical complex covering an area of about 224 square kilometers and is located between Gunung Jerai in the north and Muda River in the south and is the richest archaeological site in Malaysia.
This is an important and significant discovery as it asserts and testifies to the fact that the Indian community has had a link with Malaysia dating back to almost time immemorial.
It clearly debunks the myth that Indians should be classified as ‘pendatang’ (immigrants) as they were long established in the country and not as imports of indentured labourers by the British in the last century only.
The archaeological remains at Bujang Valley reveals there was a Hindu-Buddhist polity in this area as far back as more than 2,000 years ago and this means the Malaysian government should push for Bujang Valley to be designated as a Unesco World Heritage site.
While it is well that George Town and Malacca are Unesco sites, the Malaysian government should recognise the ancient link of Indians with Malaysia and not just be limited to setting up 'Little Indias' here and there.
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and other groups representing Indian interests in this country should take it upon themselves to champion for the site to be designated as a Unesco site and highlight the fact that Indians are no newcomers to Malaysia.
Indians take pride and stand tall in this country because they have settled in this nation and have a long-standing heritage which shows the significant contribution that they have made to nation building and not just in building rail lines, road works and tapping rubber.
Credible historians will testify and reveal that the Indian community has shed blood, sweat and tears to bring Malaysia to the forefront of development. Indians in Malaysia should see themselves as second to none and continue to strive and be industrious in their efforts to further excel in life. Indian groups representing the community should pay heed to these historical facts and not subscribe to the fictional evidence of novels like Interlok. They should now take inspiration from Bujang Valley evidence to motivate themselves and fellow Indians in Malaysia to improve and better themselves.
It is also interesting to note that the sultanate of Kedah was founded in 1136 by Sultan Mudzafar Shah who ruled Kedah until 1179 before he embraced Islam. Before he embraced Islam, Sultan Mudzafar was known as Maharaja Durbar Raja and was a practising Hindu.
Our present beloved Yang di-Pertuan Agung Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is the 28th Sultan of Kedah which is also the oldest sultanate in the peninsula of Malaysia.
(End)
BN no moral standing to comment on Israel
by Alan
Jan 30, 2012
I wish BN leaders would stop posturing over the issue of Israel-Palestinian affairs, I am really sick of it.
Admit it, they are only after Anwar Ibrahim, otherwise the only thing they have been consistent in is their hypocrisy.
While talking about how Israel treats Palestinians, BN doesn't exactly have a clean track record in using force and violence on its own citizens, for example in the Bersih 2.0 crackdown and teargassing the Tung Shin Hospital (that Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said with a straight face never happened) and the numerous deaths in custody cases.
Nor is its treatment of minorities spotless, what with the land grabs and dispossession of Orang Asli in Selat Johor, in Dengkil, ad nauseum in Baram and elsewhere in Sarawak, of the Indians in Kg Buah Pala, in Ladang Bukit Jalil, and what of the forced takeover of Chinese property in Jalan Sultan?
And what of the talk of pendatangs being asked to go home, and bathing the keris in Chinese blood, or warning the Chinese to stock on food and not to test the patience of the majority masters and so on and so on?
I say, stop wasting our time and money talking Palestinian politics, take care of our own backyard first.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Anwar calling for security for Israel - what kind of leader advocates or condones harming of another person to further one's own political position?
Regardless of whose side one is on in the Palestinian issue, and I am no fan of what the government of Israel has done to Palestinians, I am equally no fan of terrorist acts on civilians regardless of circumstances.
As outsiders and a nation of people who, really, have no bone to pick with neither Israelis nor Palestinians as people as opposed to as the government (and I am sure most Malaysians have never met any people from either state), it is morally wrong for any individual here to advocate anything other than peace and safety from harm for the peoples of both sides.
We should not be teaching our young to hate one party over the other. We also should be teaching them that violence is not the solution.
Especially since there are cases of ordinary Palestinians and Israelis who have been joining hands to advocate peace, although such acts are not popular with those fixated on taking sides in the issue.
But of course, BN politicians are not concerned with real moral issues.
Especially since BN members, when convenient, hadn't exactly been unwavering enemies of the Israelis and Jews, if stuff about foreign PR companies and luxury diamond suppliers are true.
regards
alan
(End)
Issue of Israel devalued by emotional responses, 3 February 2012
by Animah Ferrar
It is a tragic phenomenon of contemporary Malaysian politics that a leader, especially a member of the opposition, cannot open his or her mouth without those words being pounced upon and twisted out of all recognition.
It is also a sad reflection of the irrationality of much political dialogue that the issue of Israel in particular is inevitably devalued by overly emotional responses.
The comment by the redoubtable Dr Mahathir Mohamad is typically devious and malicious: he claims that Anwar Ibrahim supports the actions of Israel, when Anwar said nothing of the sort.
In fact, Anwar has repeatedly condemned Israel's brutal treatment of the Palestinians and its twisted diplomacy.
What Anwar did say was that Israel's security has to be ensured. Many decent people around the world are outraged by Israel's behaviour, and feel that the way it was initially created was very unethical, the existence of Israel is, as they say, a "fact on the ground".
Even Palestinian leaders, including Hamas, acknowledge this, behind the scenes if not in front of crowds of their supporters.
It is of course true that Israel's own bad behaviour is a major cause of it being surrounded by hostile neighbours, but since Israel consistently uses this fact to justify its aggression, strategically it is necessary to remove this excuse by taking steps to ensure its security.
This assurance, therefore, has to be factored into any serious and realistic proposal for a settlement of the Palestinian problem. And this is the only way the Palestinians will ever have a hope of finally enjoying a peaceful, stable and prosperous future.
Mahathir also never misses a chance to attack Anwar for "having many Jewish friends". This is Hitler-thinking - that if you are Jewish, you are essentially evil. Having witnessed the shocking and horrific deeds that such simplistic attitudes give rise to, the rest of the world has long rejected it.
（End）