Catholic Church’s challenge to use ‘Allah’ to be heard on July 7

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — The Roman Catholic Church has withdrawn its 2008 judicial review application, due to the expiry of the review period, but maintains its challenge to use the term “Allah” in its weekly publication with the fresh application filed on February 16 this year.

High Court judge Lau Bee Lan struck out the 2008 application in chambers.

Counsel S.Selvarajah for the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, informed the media that the church withdrew the application as the permit for the Herald publication for the period January 1 to December 31, 2008, had expired.

As such, the judicial review sought in 2008 had become academic.

On May 5 last year, Pakiam, as publisher of The Herald, named the Home Ministry and Government of Malaysia as respondents in his action for a declaration that the decision of the respondents dated February 12, 2008, prohibiting him from using the word “Allah” in the Herald - The Catholic Weekly is illegal.

He also sought a declaration that he is entitled to use the word “Allah” and that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to the religion of Islam.

Selvarajah said Pakiam’s fresh application for judicial review which was filed on February 16 this year, would be heard on July 7.

Dr M wants Najib to use 'crooked bridge' as bargaining chip

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has stepped up his campaign to revive the idea of a crooked bridge to replace the Johore Causeway connecting Malaysia with Singapore, by calling on the government to once again use it as leverage in resolving outstanding bilateral issues with the republic.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has come under considerable pressure since he proposed a third bridge to connect the two countries earlier this month, instead of reviving Dr Mahathir’s scenic bridge proposal to replace the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.

But a number of Umno politicians have already objected to the third bridge, especially since it is likely that Singapore would want Johor to lift its ban on the sale of sand to the republic before agreeing to it.

Last week the Johore Sultan also rejected the third bridge proposal.

Writing in his blog today, Dr Mahathir said that since Singapore would only agree to a straight bridge to replace the Causeway if the ban on selling sand was lifted and that considering Johoreans were against the sale, the government’s only option was to build the crooked bridge.

“This is the sovereign right of an independent nation,” said Dr Mahathir.

The crooked bridge was the brainchild of Dr Mahathir before he left office in 2003.

His administration had decided to unilaterally build a crooked bridge and demolish the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.

But in 2006 his successor Tun Abdullah Badawi’s government decided to scrap the plan, leading to the souring of ties between the two men.

Dr Mahathir began an intense political campaign against Tun Abdullah and eventually left Umno last year, returning to the party only recently when Najib took office.

But Najib is now beginning to come under pressure from Dr Mahathir even though the latter has not openly criticised the current administration yet.

The former PM continued to single out Abdullah for blame in his blog entry today.

“Tun Abdullah decided not only to not build the bridge but to stop negotiating over all the other issues,” he wrote.

Dr Mahathir cited the package of outstanding bilateral issues, including Singapore’s refusal to release CPF contributions to Malaysians, the railway land issue and the low rate in which the island republic pays for water from Malaysia.

“All these issues are in Singapore’s favour and not negotiating better terms because the Johore people refuse to sell sand is like cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face.

“We are the losers. I think it is a very stupid way of punishing Singapore.”

Last week, Najib said no firm decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with the proposed third bridge.
-- MalaysianInsider

MACC chief plays coy, frustrates PAC probe into PKFZ

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23- Tempers flared today during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal when the head of the anti-graft agency refused to answer most questions thrown at him over its ongoing probe.

The Malaysian Insider understands Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan had stonewalled the bipartisan parliamentary committee by repeatedly citing legal provisions which he said prevented him from giving specific answers to questions from the lawmakers.

According to sources, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief's stance frustrated Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua to such an extent that he lost his cool and shouted at the government officer, accusing him of being in contempt of Parliament.

Pua also accused the MACC chief of double standards, citing Ahmad Said’s eagerness recently to make public statements about an ongoing investigations for alleged graft against Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Ahmad Said remained silent and refused to respond to the accusations.

When asked about previous reports on corruption and abuse of power lodged in relation to PKFZ in 2004, Ahmad Said said the old files had all been closed because it was concluded that there was no wrongdoing.

These included reports alleging a former transport minister had provided financial guarantees from the government for the project when he was not authorised to do so.

Asked if he still stood by the findings of the earlier investigation, Ahmad Said said he could not comment because the matter was still being investigated.

Ahmad Said also refused to disclose the identities of the 15 witness called so far by the MACC to assist in the probe.

He said the MACC would take up to six months to complete the probe.

The PAC was supposed be briefed last week on the MACC’s investigation into how PKFZ’s initial cost of nearly RM2 billion could rise to RM12.5 billion because of various discrepancies.

However the PAC inquiry was delayed when Ahmad Said failed to appear before the committee, sending MACC investigation director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul instead.

When contacted after the session, Pua refused to comment on what had transpired, saying only “Wait for the report”.

Briefing reporters later, PAC deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the committee was briefed on the land acquisition for PKFZ as well as the letters on guarantees provided by a minister.

When asked if the committee was satisfied with Ahmad Said’s explanation, Dr Tan said it was not a matter of being satisfied as the inquiry was an ongoing process.

He said the committee would meet again next Tuesday to decide if the Attorney-General (AG) should be called to the inquiry.
--malaysianinsider

Gerakan VP: Party out to finish me

GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan is crying foul over his three-year suspension for openly attacking the party and its leadership.

Huan said he was not given a chance to defend himself as he was not asked to attend the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting on Friday night.

“I was only informed about my suspension via a letter from party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow (yesterday morning).

“Usually when the party decides on a suspension, the person involved is allowed to defend herself or himself but I was not asked to be present and neither did anyone call me,” he said.

“I don’t even know what transpired at the meeting, or whether the allegations made against me had any basis.”

Asked about his next course of action, Huan said he needed a few days to make a decision as his supporters were angry.

“Three years is a long period. This means my political career is finished.” Huan also claimed that a national Youth leader had, at the meeting, alleged that he had met PKR members recently to negotiate positions.

“Don’t use such lines to finish me off. Don’t stoop so low to play such politics,” he said.

On May 29, Huan had told the media that he would quit the party in three weeks, citing disillusionment with the leadership for refusing to heed the lessons from losing Penang to the DAP in last year’s general election.

The CWC then gave him two weeks to reply to a show-cause letter, dated June 1, demanding an explanation for his outburst.

On June 15, Huan said he would remain in the party and was willing to face the consequences.

Teng in a statement said the action was taken since Huan had openly attacked the party leadership by declaring his resignation and threatening to bring his supporters out of the party.

“All these detrimental remarks in the media were made just because he and some of the grassroots leaders had objected to the appointment of a coordinator in one of the constituencies in the state,” he said.

Teng said the CWC decided to suspend him after having considered his written apology to party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and the party.

If he is not satisfied, Huan has the right to appeal within 14 days.