The Story of Lut - (Lot) - لوط

According to Islamic tradition, Lut (لوط ) lived in Ur and was a nephew of Ibrahim (Abraham). His story is often used as a reference by traditional Muslim scholars to show that homosexuality is forbidden. He was commanded by God to go to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah to preach to his people on monotheism (the belief that there is only one God) and to stop them from their sinful acts.

Such acts include practicing all acts of indecency (aggression) in their public places of assembly and meetings. He was sent to a nation where homosexuality was widespread. He was sent to guide them out of this evil act. Islam prohibits homosexuality very strongly. They also used to kill and rob travelers, cheat their friends and cut off the highway.

As mentioned in the Qur'an Lut's messages are ignored by his people, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and his wife also was left behind to be destroyed. However, this does not mean that his wife used to practice homosexuality but worshiped what her people used to worship (i.e she was a polytheist).

“	And Lot, who said to his nation: 'Do you commit such indecency (sodomy) in a way that no one has preceded you in the worlds? You approach men lustfully instead of women. Truly, you are a nation who exceed (in sin).' The only answer of his nation was: 'Expel them from your village. They are people who keep themselves purified.' We saved him and all his family, except his wife, who was made to remain, and We rained down upon them a rain. So look how was the end of the evildoers.	”
	— Qur'an 7:80-84

“	Messengers came to Abraham with glad tidings. They said: 'Peace!' He replied 'Peace!' and in a while brought them a roasted calf. But when he saw that their hands did not reach towards it, he was wary and became fearful of them, but they said: 'Do not be afraid. We are sent to the nation of Lot.' His wife (Sarah), who was standing nearby, laughed. Thereupon, We gave her the good news of Isaac, and after Isaac of Jacob. She replied: 'Alas for me! Shall I bear (a child) when I am old woman and my husband is advanced in years? This is indeed a strange thing.' They said: 'What, do you marvel at the command of God? The Mercy of God and His Blessings be upon you, O people of the House. Indeed, He is Praised, Exalted.' And when the wonderment departed from Abraham and the glad tidings reached him, he pleaded with Us for the nation of Lot; indeed, Abraham was forbearing, tenderhearted and penitent. (It was said:) 'Abraham, turn away from this; your Lord's command has indeed come, and there is coming upon them a punishment that will not be turned back.' And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled and distressed for them, and said: 'This is a harsh day.' His nation came running towards him; whilst they were doing evil deeds. 'My nation,' he said: 'here are my daughters (take them in marriage), they are cleaner for you. Fear God and do not humiliate me by my guests. Is there not one man amongst you of right mind?' They replied: 'You know we have no right for your daughters. You know very well what we desire.' He said: 'Would that I were powerful over you, or might take refuge in a strong pillar!' They (the angels) said: 'Lot, we are the Messengers of your Lord, they shall not touch you. Depart with your family in the watch of the night and let none of you turn round, except your wife. She shall be struck by that which strikes them. Their appointed time is the morning. Is it not that the morning is near?' And when Our command came, We turned it upside down, and rained on it, stone after stone of baked clay, marked with your Lord, and never far from the evildoers.	”
	— Qur'an 11:69-83

“	Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful. Lot's nation, belied their Messengers. When their brother Lot said to them: 'Will you not be cautious? I am for you an honest Messenger. So fear God, and obey me. ask of you no wage for this; my wage is only with the Lord of the Worlds. What, do you come to the males of the world, and leave your wives whom your Lord has created for you? No, but you are a transgressing nation.' 'Lot,' they replied, 'if you do not desist, you shall be thrown out.' He said: 'Truly, I am a detester of what you do.' 'My Lord, save me and my people from that they are doing.' So We saved him and all his people, except an old woman who stayed behind, then We destroyed the others. We rained upon them a rain, and evil is the rain (of stones) on those that are warned. Surely, in that there is a sign. Yet most of them do not believe. Your Lord, He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.	”
	— Qur'an 26:159-175

The Qur'an makes a more explicit scriptural connection between homosexual aggression and Sodom. The city name ‘Sodom’ does not appear there, but the Sodomites are referred to as “the people of Lut (Lot).” Lot is the nephew of the Hebrew/Arabic patriarch Abraham and, in the Judaic Sodom stories, is head of the only family allowed by God to survive Sodom's destruction. In the Qur'an, he is also the divinely appointed national prophet to his people. Since their national name was unrecorded and “people of Lot” was the only available designation, the Islamic equivalent of ‘sodomy’ has become ‘liwat,’ which could be roughly translated as “lottishness”.

According to Islamic view, homosexuality is not a natural activity and it was initiated under the influence of Satan among the people who dwell in Sodom and Gomorrah. In order that they should abandon this immorality, Allah had sent to them Lut as a Prophet.

It is evident from this verse that the sin of the Sodomites was indeed homosexuality (specifically, amongst men) in the Islamic context.

In Islam sodomy (Anal sex) is forbidden whether done with a man or a woman.

Historicity and Archaeological remains of Sodom and Gomorrah

The historical existence of Sodom and Gomorrah is still in dispute by archaeologists. Some say they were located near the Dead Sea.

An Akkadian poem describing cities that were destroyed in a rain of fire, written from the view of a person who escaped the destruction, however the names of the cities are not given.

The name “Sodom” is probably related to the Arabic sadama meaning 'fasten,' 'fortify,' 'strengthen' and Gomorrah is based on the root gh m r which means 'be deep,' 'copious (water)'.

The cities may have been destroyed as the result of a natural cataclysm. Geologists have confirmed that no volcanic activity occurred within the last 4000 years, but it is possible that the towns were destroyed by an earthquake in the region, especially if the towns lie along a major fault, the Jordan Rift Valley, the northernmost extension of the Great Rift Valley of the Red Sea and East Africa.

Possible candidates for Sodom or Gomorrah are the sites discovered or visited by Walter E. Rast and R. Thomas Schaub in 1973, including Bab edh-Dhra, which was originally excavated in 1965 by archaeologist Paul Lapp, only to have his work continued by Rast and Schuab following his death by accidental drowning in the waters off of Cyprus in 1970. All sites were located near the Dead Sea, with evidence of burning and traces of sulphur on many of the stones and a sudden stop of inhabitation towards the end of the Early Bronze Age. Archaeological remains excavated from Bab edh-Dhra are currently displayed in Karak Archaeological Museum (Karak Castle) and Amman Citadel Museum.

The site of the present Dead Sea Works, a large operation for the extraction of Dead Sea minerals, is called "Sdom" according to its traditional Arab name, Khirbet Usdum. Nearby is unique Mount Sdom or Jabal Usdum in Arabic, consisting mainly of salt. In the Plain of Sdom to the south there are a few springs and two small agricultural villages.

Still others insist that the cities are located under the Southern most portions of the Dead Sea. In 1924 an Expedition found five Oases at the southeast corder of the Dad Sea, all made by fresh water streams. Also in the area, on a plain 500 feet above the level of the Dad Sea, they found the remains of a great fortified enclosure, evidently a high place for religious festivals. Just downstream from this site is thought to be the locations of Sodom and Gomorrah. However another quote from Josephus said "The traces or shadows of the ...cities are still to be seen", and the level of the Dead Sea has actually dropped since Josephus' time. So, one could reason, that if Josephus could see the ruins of the cities, we should be able to as well.

The most interesting theory found is that the two cities are above ground and easily researched and they have some pretty convincing evidence.

In areas just to the South/Southwest of the Dead Sea are rock structures which have an amazing resemblance to man made structures. The walls of a city, standalone buildings, even some sort of a sphinx formation which may have been an ancient place of worship. Many of the cuts in the rock are perfect 90 degree angles and symmetrical - which rarely happens in the wild.

The Qur'an says "We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): And evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)! - 26:174" and wouldn't you know it, they've found sulfur (brimstone) balls. Lots of them. Some of them are actually embedded in the walls (see right) which would seem to indicate that they were moving at an incredible rate of speed.

You can see the rectangular outline of the city walls. The white colored ash of the cities stands in stark contrast to the grayish brown of the surrounding desert.

The walls of the city in the picture below are quite evident. No speculation needed. The houses and buildings were actually quite substantial in size, suggesting a people of great stature once inhabited these cities. The walls and everything in the cities were turned completely to ash!

Here is a mound that looks as if it had been a ziggurat (a pagan pyramidal temple). Outside of some of the cities were large shapes that were very similar in shape to the Great Sphinx of Egypt.

The presence of scorpions made for a heightened awareness as one entered some of the houses turned to ash.

A worker picks up a chunk of wall and easily crushes it.

Hundreds of sulfur balls were found and collected. On two occasions, the investigation teams entered the cities after a rain fall. The glass surrounding the balls glistened in the light, the rain having exposed millions of the balls.

The balls themselves were composed of pressed pure powder sulfur. Checking with volcanic experts around the world confirmed that no where else in the world, even around volcanic activity, were any balls of this composition found.
When the balls had fallen from heaven, they were estimated to be around 5,000 degrees Celsius (or around 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit). After consuming everything that was around them, the heat continue to melt the ash that had formed around them, vitrifying (turning to glass) the ash. Thus the balls were surrounded by a glassy casing of melted and re-solidified ash.

Some what were thought to be gold coins were found. However, upon analysis, it was found that the coins had been turned into gold salts. The heat had literally burned up the gold in the coins turning them to gold ash.

The following photographs show the explorers finding some of the sulfur balls inside a house turned to ash, and then burning a sample.

One of the many sulfur ball sample collected by the verification teams. Independent laboratory testing confirmed that the balls had a high (95+%) sulfur content.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ANWAR BECOMES PM......

• Police Officer Musa Hassan, who was the lead investigating officer, and Abdul Ghani Patail, who was the lead prosecutor, will be charge in court with fabricating evidence against AI in 1998.
• Former PM Mahathir Mohamed and cronies will be charge in court for manipulating and corrupting the judicial sytem as exposed by the Royal Commission in March 2008.
• Former PM Abdullah Badawi and cronies will be ask to explain their involvement in the expenditure of Terengganu's Rm5 billion Duit Ehsan.
  

• Special investigations on Former Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and his close friend Abdul Razak Baginda that engineered a contract which netted Baginda’s company US$111 million in fees. Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, have been pursued by allegations that they may be linked to the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old Mongolian woman who was the translator on the deal and allegedly the lover of both men.

Will they let Anwar wrest control of the government easily? Nay. They will fight tooth and nail, as too much is at stake. What we are seeing now is the political ploy by Anwar's enemies to kill him off permanently.

What if by God's grace, Anwar becomes PM? Will he be magnanimous in victory, and let bygone's be bygone's. Will he say 'Let's forgive and forget' or 'I will forgive but I will not forget' again?.

Will he be big at heart and forge a united Malaysia?

The answer will yield itself in the next few months. Hold on to your seat as times are getting rougher by the day.

May, whoever is victorious, brings prosperity and solidarity in Malaysia.

TEMPURA BUT NOT SODOMEE!

Sorry for the catchy title, but let us get away from the stormy political scene for a moment as the tangled political web in Malaysia grows messier. Try this recipe tonight.

I love Tempura, and the most important ingredient is the batter. Malays like to fry their bananas or yams but sometimes it becomes too soggy. A nicely cooked Tempura is crispy and light. Try this recipe and you'll be hooked.

If you are in KL, drop by at Saisaki in UOA building (in front of KLCC Convention Centre) or their branches, Shogun at Sunway Pyramid or One Utama, for Japanese buffet. They charge only Rm50 per person and serve lovely Tempura and Sushis. I don't recommend eating at Sushi King. It is overpriced, i think.

This will work for most type of tempura, from shrimp to vegetables, and even bananas!

Ingredients

• assorted ingredients to tempura (shrimp, onion, carrot, broccoli, etc.)
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup flour-You can get a special Malaysian make Tempura flour at Giant
  
• 1/8 tsp baking soda- optional
  
• cooking oil
• Salt to taste
  

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the water and the egg.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking soda.
3. Stir the flour mix into the egg mix. It’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy.
4. Stick the batter in the fridge while you prepare the other ingredients.
5. If you are using shrimp, peel, de-vein, and wash it. Make some small cuts across the belly of the shrimp, to keep it from curling when you cook it.
   
6. If you are using vegetables, clean them and cut them into your desired size. Try not to use very soft ingredients, as they will soften as they cook (softer ingredients tend to fall apart when you take it out of the oil).
7. Heat the oil in a frying pan. The oil should be hot enough that when you drip batter in it, the drops come to the top immediately.
8. Coat your ingredients in the batter. Place the coated ingredients in the hot oil, turning when the bottom side is browned.
9. Place the fried ingredients on a paper towel to drain. Remove any skewers. Serve immediately

Tips for Making Crispy Tempura

Tip 1: Ice
Use ice water for the batter. This is really important to prevent the batter from absorbing too much oil. The colder the water, the better.

Tip 2: Batter
Do not make the batter ahead of time. Try not to over mix the batter and not to coat ingredients with the batter too much.

Tip 3: Frying Order
If you are frying both seafood and vegetables, fry vegetables first. Then, fry seafood. Fry vegetables at 340F degree and fry seafood at 350F degree. Do not overfill your kuali when frying tempura as the oil temp will drop and make the tempura soggy. Rule of thumb, only one third kuali fill with tempura.

Tip 4: Oil Temperature
To check the temperature of frying oil, drop a little batter into the oil. If the batter comes up right away instead of sinking to the bottom of the pan, it's about 360 F degree. If the batter goes halfway to the bottom and comes up, it's about 340F degree. This is said to be the right temperature to fry tempura.

Try it tonight.

SAIFUL KENA CACING KERAWIT!

Mohd Saiful ke Hospital Pusrawi mengadu mengalami "tenesmus" - kesukaran dan kesakitan membuang air besar. Ramai kanak kanak yang tinggal dikampung selalu kena gatal gatal dibahagian situ tetapi apabila diberikan ubat cacing, selalunya simptom akan hilang. Penyakit ini adalah kerana budak budak kampong selalunya berkaki ayam. Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid sepatutnya memberikan saja ubat cacing kepada Saiful.

Kita masih teringat kesah Umi Hafilda, sebab cinta dia ke Anwar Ibrahim tak berbalas sanggup dia fitnahkan kakak ipar dia sendiri. Teringat kita kepada peribahasa Inggeris 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'.

Tetapi apa kah jadahnya dengan Saiful? Adakah cintanya juga kepada Anwar tidak berbalas? Tidak ada peribahasa 'Hell Hath no fury like a MAN scorned'? Tetapi Orang German mempunyai satu terma, 'schadenfreude' - iaitu mendapat kepuasan dari kesengsaraan orang lelaki lain. Apakah Saiful mempunyai peribadi schadenfreude ini?

Saiful adalah saorang 'dropout', tetapi mempunyai cita cita yang tinggi. Saiful pun menginginkan apa yang diidamkan oleh manusia lain iaitu Kuasa dan Kekayaan. Apakah jalan pintas untuk mendapatkan semua itu, serta dihormati dan disanjung oleh manusia lain?

Sekarang satu dunia tahu siapa sebenarnya Saiful. Saiful biarkan diri beliau di-'tunggangi' oleh musuh Anwar.

Anwar perlu berhati hati kerana walaupun beliau merancang untuk menjadi PM didalam masa terdekat ini, musuh musuh beliau, maupun yang dikenali atau didalam selimut, kini sedang merancang dengan rancangan rancangan yang lebih dahsyat untuk menjatuhkan beliau.

RPK latest ATOMIC BOMB !!!

Good job RPK!

An evening with an ‘accomplice’
23 July, 2008

Actually, I did not know why we were going to see Najib. Saiful just said that he wanted to go and see Najib and he wanted me to follow him. So I followed him.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I am now facing one sedition charge and three criminal defamation charges. They say Muslims are allowed four and I have just reached my limit of four. Nevertheless, my great-grandfather, Sultan Ala’eddin Suleiman Shah, the Fifth Sultan of Selangor, had ten wives. He also had 44 children from these ten wives, my grandmother, Tengku Badariah, being one of those 44. Needless to say, with the track record set by my great-grandfather, would I be satisfied with stopping at just four? Certainly not! And, today, I am going to chalk up my fifth ‘criminal charge’, whatever that charge is going to be.

Today, in the spirit of my fifth criminal charge, I am going to make another ‘seditious’ or ‘criminal defamation’ allegation against Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, in the spirit of what Anwar Ibrahim said to CNN last week (see the CNN report here: http://72.47.236.85/2008/content/view/10077/1/ ). And this allegation is that Najib met Saiful to discuss the sodomy allegation against Anwar and for no other reason other than that -- and certainly not to discuss the young man’s future career or scholarship.

This time I am going for broke. This time I am prepared to go to jail for a long, long time just to make sure that Najib is not going to become Prime Minister of Malaysia in June 2010. Yes, I know I am headed for a fall, but I am going to bring Najib down with me. We shall both hit the dirt and become history, side-by-side.

And how will that happen? Well, this time I video-recorded a ‘confession’ session. And the video recording is now in a safe place, ready to surface during my trial when they charge me for this newest ‘crime’, whatever that crime is going to be.

The gist is as follows. When Saiful went to meet Najib, he brought a friend along. And this friend has confessed to the entire thing in a video recording, which I now have in my possession. So bring it on. Give me all you’ve got. Charge me and let us see what happens in court.

Yes, Najib met Saiful to discuss how to fix Anwar on a sodomy allegation. No doubt, at first Najib denied all this. At first he said he never met Saiful, not even once in his life. Then he admitted meeting Saiful but said he met Saiful to offer the young man ‘career guidance’ and to discuss his future, scholarship, and all such matters. The first statement was a lie. The second was also a lie. Najib met Saiful to discuss the sodomy allegation against Anwar.

If Najib can lie so many times with regards to his meeting with Saiful, would he not also be capable of lying about never meeting or knowing Altantuya? What would Najib say if during my trial I adduce a military intelligence report dated when Altantuya was still alive which confirms that he was involved romantically (or ‘involved sexually’ would probably be the more appropriate word to use) with Altantuya?

Sure, charge me. Put me on trial. Even obtain a conviction and send me to jail if you wish. Hey, I am 58. By the time I go to jail I would probably be 60, if I happen to still be around and not already dead by then. So, you can send me to jail, but for how long? What difference does it make when I am no longer alive anyway? And I really don’t expect to live to a ripe old age of 83 like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Najib, however, will never become Prime Minister in June 2010. And that is worth going to jail for, however long the sentence may be.

*************************************************

“What questions are you going to ask me?”

“No questions. We will not treat this as an interview. You just relax and relate what happened, like a story-telling session, and then I will video-record everything you say.”

“What exactly do you need me to say?”

“I suppose you can just relate how you first met Saiful, how he came to be employed by Parti Keadilan Rakyat, what he did in the office, and anything else you know about his allegation that Anwar sodomised him. The best thing is for you to relax and speak naturally, like you are telling a story, no questions and answers session which will make you stiff and not look natural.”

“Okay, if I make any mistake you will edit the tape?”

“No, we will not edit anything. That will tantamount to tampering with the evidence. Never mind if you make a mistake. Just repeat what you said or start over again. This video recording is not for broadcasting. This is for internal use only. We shall keep the recording in a safe place in case the police arrest you and force you to make a statement against your will. Then, if the police charge you for anything, we will be reveal this tape to prove that what you told the police under duress is different from what you said tonight. That is why you must speak naturally and not look stiff or like you are being forced to say whatever you are going to saying. This video recording is for your protection to ensure that they will not arrest you and force you to make any statement that is not true.”

“Okay.”

“Let me know when you are ready. Drink some water to clear your throat and finish your cigarette first. Then we will start. Be comfortable and don’t worry. No need to even look at the camera if that makes you uncomfortable. Speak to me. Look at me and talk. It is easier when you speak to a person than to the camera.”

Sessions starts and he relates his story. After 15 minutes he gestures for the camera to be switched off and I oblige.

“I am not sure whether I want this next part recorded on camera.”

“Never mind. We can record it anyway and then if you feel it is damaging it need never surface.”

“I would rather get my lawyer’s advice first before this second part is recorded because it implicates Najib in the sodomy allegation against Anwar.”

“Okay, we can leave the camera off and you can relate the second part off-camera. Then we decide later if it should be recorded or not.”

“This second part is about our meeting with Najib.”

“Oh, you also went to see Najib?”

“Actually, I did not know why we were going to see Najib. Saiful just said that he wanted to go and see Najib and he wanted me to follow him. So I followed him. I was present when Saiful discussed with Najib about the sodomy allegation against Anwar. I did not know he was going to see Najib about that.”

“You did not know he was going to see Najib about the sodomy allegation?”

“No, he did not tell me.”

“Was it staged?”

“Staged?”

“Yes, did Najib already know what Saiful was seeing him about or did Najib not know beforehand?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did Najib appear shocked or surprised or did he look like he already knew what they were going to talk about?”

“Najib looked very natural.”

“So Najib did not look shocked or surprised?”

“No.”

“So, from Najib’s reaction, he appeared like he already knew what they were going to discuss. Only you did not know. What about the other people in the room?”

“They also did not look surprised.”

“So it appeared like everyone in the room, except you, already knew what Saiful was going to talk to Najib about.”

“Maybe.”

“But why go to Najib to talk about this? Why not go to the police or the religious department?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did Najib offer any advice?”

“No.”

“Did Najib ask Saiful to make a police report?”

“No, he just listened.”

“Did Najib ask Saiful: ‘why come to me to complain? What has Anwar sodomising you got to do with the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia’?”

“No.”

“Do you think that maybe all this was a show just for your benefit? The fact that everyone appeared to already know what the discussion was all about, except you, appears like they wanted you, an ‘outsider’, to hear the discussion.”

“I am not sure.”

“Before the visit to Najib’s office, has Saiful ever told you or anyone else in the office that Anwar sodomised him?”

“No.”

“So the first time you heard of this was when Saiful brought you to meet Najib.”

“Yes.”

“Did Saiful discuss anything else with Najib like a scholarship or something like that?”

“No.”

“They just discussed the sodomy matter?”

“Yes.”

“Why not I video-record this part?”

“Let me discuss it with the lawyer first. If the lawyer says it is okay then we can record it tomorrow.”

“Okay, I will not force you. I don’t want you to tell anyone later that you were reluctant to let me video-record this part but I forced you to do so against your will. You speak to your lawyer first and then we can meet again tomorrow and record this part of your statement.”

RPK latest piece on Anwar sodomy case

The ‘evidence’ is ready. The semen specimen on Saiful’s underwear has been confirmed as Anwar’s. The only problem is if they allow an independent foreign expert to do an audit on the Chemistry Department’s findings, he or she might confirm that the specimen is ten years old and not dated 26 June 2008 as alleged.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It was a great party that night. The Chemistry Department was so pleased they had an airtight case against Anwar Ibrahim they decided to celebrate. And the RM25,000 party was financed by a Good Samaritan who was delighted that this time, unlike last time, they have got Anwar by the balls.

RM25,000 is not a lot to spend on a party if it is a party to celebrate the wedding of the Prime Minister. Last year, when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi got married to the Maid from Putrajaya, they spent millions. RM25,000 is also not a lot to spend on a celebration the day Najib Tun Razak finally takes over as Prime Minister in 2010. Rosmah Mansor spends more than that on a handbag. But RM25,000 is certainly a lot to spend on a party to celebrate the ‘success’ of the Chemistry Department in being able to nail Anwar’s balls to the wall.

Why does the Good Samaritan need to sponsor a RM25,000 party for the Chemistry Department staff? What is there to celebrate? Do they always celebrate with a RM25,000 party whenever they succeed in cracking a case? Or was this an once-in-a-lifetime celebration for successfully coming up with the ‘evidence’ to send Anwar to jail for at least ten years, which will ensure he will never be able to form the new federal government on 16 September 2008?

Hold on awhile though. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that Anwar must volunteer his ‘new’ DNA profile. The 1998 DNA profile that the police have on record is ‘too old’, argued Abdullah. The police, in turn, said that if Anwar refuses to volunteer his ‘new’ DNA profile then they would have to obtain a court order to force him to do so. Hmm…..there appears to be many things wrong with all this.

Firstly, if the Chemistry Department has already wrapped up its case and the airtight ‘evidence’ against Anwar has already been secured then why the need for Anwar’s new DNA profile? DNA profiles never expire. Would the police also need Anwar’s ‘new’ fingerprints because the one they took ten years ago has ‘expired’? Fingerprints never change from the day you were born till the day you die. And the same goes for DNA profiles as well.

If you can remember, they once dug up Napoleon Bonaparte’s grave and did an examination to prove he had died of arsenic poisoning. And Napoleon died on 5 May 1821, which is more than 187 years ago. You mean to say that Anwar’s DNA profile of ten years ago is already basi?

The truth is, the airtight ‘evidence’ that the Chemistry Department recently conjured is based on Anwar’s specimen of 1998. So they need a new specimen dated 2008. If not, if Anwar calls in an independent foreign expert to audit the Chemistry Department’s evidence, he or she might just discover that the so-called ‘evidence’ is actually ten years old and not from the 26 June 2008 ‘sodomy’ incident as alleged by the government.

Yes, that’s right, they not only can tell whether the so-called ‘semen’ on Saiful’s underwear belongs to Anwar, they can also tell whether it is from September 1998 when they first took Anwar’s specimen, or whether it is dated 26 June 2008 as alleged by the government.

The ‘evidence’ is ready. The semen specimen on Saiful’s underwear has been confirmed. The only problem would be if they allow an independent foreign expert to do an audit on the Chemistry Department’s findings, he or she might confirm that the specimen is ten years old and not dated 26 June 2008 as alleged.

So they need to exchange the September 1998 specimen with a new one dated July 2008. And that is why Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Syed Hamid Albar, and all those others, have asked Anwar to volunteer his new specimen. They need this new specimen to ‘prove’ that the semen on Saiful’s underwear is dated 26 June 2008 and not September 1998. And Abdullah himself ‘confirmed’ this when he asked Anwar to volunteer his new specimen whereas the old specimen is good enough if it is just required for DNA profiling -- only that it would not pass the test if an independent foreign expert was to audit the Chemistry Department’s ‘evidence’ and then come out with a report that says the specimen is ten years old.

Yes, in September 1998 they already took Anwar’s specimen. But they can’t use it as evidence in this latest sodomy allegation. They need to ‘update’ the evidence and unless they can force Anwar to give them his new specimen then the evidence will be shot full of holes. And that is why the police had to reluctantly release Anwar on police bail one day after his dramatic Hollywood-style arrest. They either had to release him or bring him to court to be charged. But how to charge Anwar when the evidence is defective? And evidence of Anwar’s so-called sodomy crime supported by a specimen from September 1998 will certainly be defective and will not stand up in court. Anwar is alleged to have sodomised Saiful on 26 June 2008, not in September 1998.

Now can you see how the slime-ball AG and scumbag IGP work? And these two slithery creatures are the same slime-balls and scumbags who fabricated evidence in 1998 that resulted in Anwar having to spend six years in jail. And am I committing an act of sedition and criminal defamation in saying this? I certainly hope so. And, while we are at it, why not I commit yet another ‘crime’? I am going to accuse the AG and IGP of fabricating evidence and of intimidating witnesses.

You see, they asked a certain doctor from a certain hospital to conduct an examination on Saiful. The doctor did so and he came out with a report that said there is no evidence Anwar had ever penetrated or sodomised the young man. The police then picked up the doctor and detained him for three days. As much as they tried to force him to change his report to implicate Anwar he refused to do so.

Until today, the doctor stands by his report that there is no evidence Anwar had sodomised Saiful. He knows he is going to be made to pay for this but he doesn’t care. He is not going to change his report and say that Anwar sodomised Saiful whatever they do to him. Exasperated, the police had to release Anwar on personal bond or police bail. The doctor refuses to doctor his report and neither does Anwar want to volunteer his new specimen.

The ‘evidence’ against Anwar is no good. They now need to look for another way to ‘prove’ that Anwar sodomised Saiful. In the meantime, let us see if the AG will be making another police report against me and whether the IGP is going to arrest me and charge me in court for sedition and criminal defamation for this latest allegation of mine.

Hey, I already face four charges of sedition and criminal defamation. What are another two or three charges? The important thing is not whether I get sent to jail or not. What is important is that the world is told that they are attempting, yet again, to fabricate evidence against Anwar Ibrahim. And that is worth going to jail for.

Malaysia’s legal pursuit of Anwar Ibrahim is destroying the country’s reputation

John Berthelsen, ASIA SENTINEL

It is about time for Malaysia to drop the charade. Attempting to convict opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of forcible sodomy is an embarrassment in contrast with the completely ignored and much more serious allegations linking the deputy prime minister to the execution-style murder of his reputed former girlfriend.

As has been reported widely, two sworn declarations have been filed that raise reasonable suspicions that the October 2006 murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu is tied directly to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor. Yet instead of this high profile politician being in the dock to explain himself, one of those who filed a sworn declaration about his actions is about to go on trial for criminal libel. The other was dragooned into recanting his statement before he fled the country.

The courts and the legal system have deliberately overlooked allegations of Najib's complicity in the Mongolian woman's murder, and considerable related evidence of massive corruption on his part in the purchase of three French submarines for the Malaysian military - a purchase that Altantuya apparently participated in as a translator. This has been pushed under the carpet repeatedly and now the nation is being distracted by accusations of Anwar's peccadilloes, real or fabricated.

Mahathir Mohammad, the long-serving prime minister who quit in 2002, had a single ambition - to reach developed-nation status by 2020. But you cannot be a first-world country with a legal system whose main characteristics are shared by the likes of Zimbabwe, Burma and North Korea. Mahathir, of course, bears a major part of the blame for the legal system, starting from his destruction of the judiciary in the 1980s. But what is going on now, six years after he was succeeded by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is nothing more than the United Malays National Organisation's manipulation of the system a la Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. This has nothing to do with ideology but with the dubious necessity of maintaining a political party in power.

When the legendary American bank robber Willie Sutton once was asked why he robbed banks, he famously replied: "That's where the money is." Government in Malaysia is where the money is, and that is where UMNO intends to stay despite its disastrous March 8 election results, which cost the national ruling coalition the two-thirds hold on parliament it has enjoyed for half a century. There is no better example of this than the submarine and its ties to the murder of Altantuya.

As Asia Sentinel has repeated frequently, according to testimony in the trial of Altantuya's accused murderer Abdul Razak Baginda, her then-lover and one of the three men accused of killing her, the murdered woman accompanied him to Paris at a time when Malaysia's defense ministry, headed by Najib, was negotiating through a Malaysian company, Perimekar Sdn Bhd, to buy two Scorpene submarines and a used Agosta submarine produced by the French government under a French-Spanish joint venture, Armaris. Perimekar at the time was owned by a company called Ombak Laut, which was wholly owned by Abdul Razak.

The contract was not competitive. The Malaysian ministry of defense paid €1 billion (RM4.5 billion) to Amaris for the three submarines, for which Perimekar received a commission of €114 million (RM510 million). Deputy Defense Minister Zainal Abdidin Zin told the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia's parliament, that the money was paid for "coordination and support services" although the fee amounted to a whopping 11 percent of the sales price for the submarines.

Altantuya, by her own admission in the last letter she wrote before her murder, had been blackmailing Razak, pressuring him for US$500,000. She did not say how she was blackmailing him, leaving open lots of questions.

Myriad questions have been raised by the year-long trial of Razak and two of Najib's bodyguards for Altantuya's murder. At every turn, those questions could have been answered by calling Najib to the stand. How could Razak, a civilian and Najib's closest friend, get the two bodyguards to kill Altantuya without Najib's knowledge? Najib could answer. How could the record of the victim being in the country disappear completely from Immigration Department records, as was sworn in court? Najib could answer. How could the murderers get their hands on the plastic explosives available only to the military used to blow up her body? Najib could answer. Why did neither the prosecution nor the defense push to investigate a statement made by Altantuya's cousin on the stand that she had seen a picture of Najib, Razak and Altantuya together at a dinner? Najib could answer.

The statutory declaration of P Balasubramaniam, the private detective hired by Razak to keep Altantuya away from him after their relationship had ended, is so closely detailed that it beggars disbelief that it was fabricated. It makes Najib an integral part of the case, something most of Malaysia's top government and judicial officials have been seeking to avoid ever since the trial began.

Balsasubramaniam released his sworn statement in the company of his lawyer, which makes it difficult to believe he was coerced. But immediately afterward he was summoned to a meeting with an assistant superintendant of police in Jalan Brickfields, where he was convinced - outside the presence of his lawyer that his memory was faulty. He then signed a statement that his original one had been compelled, and left the country.

In the original declaration Balasubramaniam said Razak told him he had been introduced to Altantuya "by a VIP...who asked him to look after her financially." Najib, the declaration said, had introduced Razak to Altantuya at a diamond exhibition in Singapore and that Najib had had a sexual relationship with her in the past. Razak was to look after the woman because Najib "did not want her to harass him since he was now the Deputy Prime Minister."

Is that true? Najib could answer.

Interestingly, according to the document, Razak told Balasubramaniam that Altantuya liked anal sex, which is illegal in Malaysia whether performed with men or women. Anwar might like to make that point to the authorities.

Balasubramaniam also detailed cell phone calls between Najib and Razak in the period after Altantuya's murder. Did the police check Razak's phone? Najib could answer.

Raja Petra Kamarudin, the influential internet journalist, is expected to go on trial for criminal defamation for saying that Najib's wife was present at the murder. Rather than bringing in Najib and Rosmah to answer questions, they have gone after Raja Petra, who has threatened his own time bombs during his trial. Asked by Asia Sentinel what those revelations might be, he said he would prefer to save them for testimony under oath.

The one truly sad dupe in all this is the prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who in all of his sorry reign as prime minister has largely preserved his reputation for integrity despite his fecklessness. Badawi has defended his deputy's reputation in the face of the fact that virtually all of Kuala Lumpur's chattering classes have long since become convinced of the couple's complicity. Unleashing two thoroughly corrupt law enforcement officials to go after Anwar - Abdul Ghani Patail, the Attornet General, and Musa Hassan, the head of the police - who plainly fabricated evidence in Anwar's 10-year-old conviction on the same offense, is particularly egregious.

This isn't to say Anwar is innocent. The jury, to use a newly valid cliché, is still out. But compare the two. What kind of priorities does this government have in going after a 61-year-old opposition leader with a bad back who presumably would have had a hard time chasing down a mobile 23-year-old aide, when there is the possibility of finding the true perpetrators of an execution murder of a defenseless 28-year-old mother? This is the behavior of a despotic system with an eye only to its own preservation. The Malaysian people deserve better

Debat Anwar vs Shabery:Dari Kaca Mata Seorang Pendebat

Oleh: Yusfarizal Bin Yussoff

Andaian bahawa pendebat universiti masa kini mempunyai kegagalan untuk memfokus kepada isu sebenar dalam perdebatan rupanya telah menjadi fenomena global dan melarat kepada ahli politik Malaysia. Saya berasa kecewa melihatkan pendebat yang sepatutnya telah mencapai darjat kematangan minda yang tinggi kelihatan melompat-lompat dalam ucapan dari satu hujah ke hujah yang lain, tanpa premis, tanpa definisi dan tanpa struktur yang kemas. Pembunuhan karekter yang cuba dilakukan oleh Shaberi ternyata amat amat memualkan dan meloyakan. Seharusnya landasan debat yang ditampilkan bersifat bebas, matang dan profesional dan bukannya dijadikan medan melampiaskan nafsu dan amarah seluruh kabinet kerajaan kepada Pakatan Rakyat. Teringat pula rasanya ketika Debat 100 jam dahulu. Saya terpaksa memuji Anwar yang bertindak bijak dalam mengawal kemarahannya dan menampakkan kematangan beliau dalam arena politik dan pengucapan awam. Cuma, persediaan yang rapi dipihak Anwar dengan hujah yang tersusun akan lebih membantu mesej yang beliau ingin sampaikan. Pendebat yang baik adalah pendebat yang tidak lari daripada isu yang diutarakan. Dalam Debat ini, terdapat banyak isu yang tidak dijawab oleh Shaberi. Antara ialah seperti berikut:-

1. Perjanjian dengan IPP merugikan TNB dan Petronas

2. Syarikat Teras Kimia yang merupakan kroni Kerajaan

3. RM4.3 billion untuk perbelanjaan pengangkutan

4. RM13 billion untuk menanggun kerugian Perwaja Steel

5. Dividen Khas Petronas

Isu yang tidak dijawab oleh Anwar ialah tentang subsidi yang akan menguntungkan Exxonmobil.

Shaberi juga gagal memperlihatkan penguasaan bahasa Melayu yang optimum kerana kedengaran beberapa kesalahan diksi seperti “peminjam-peminjam atau along antarabangsa” yang sepatutnya dikatakan “pemiutang-pemiutang”. Anwar ternyata masih mengekalkan kesegaran dan keindahan bahasa Melayunya dengan perkataan-perkataan seperti “wacana segar”, “maudhu’”, “harga menetap”, dsb.

Dari segi strategi perdebatan, Shaberi ternyata hilang arah kerana gagal mengawal emosi dan gejolak nafsu amarah beliau. Dalam masa yang sama, kegagalan riak wajah beliau untuk menipu dan gerak tubuh yang seakan-akan “kalah” diakhir Debat menunjukkan strategi yang tidak tepat dalam menghadapi lawan yang besar. Pembunuhan karekter adalah kaedah yang boleh digunakan, sekiranya sesuai. Namun terhadap Anwar, kaedah tersebut bukan sahaja tidak sesuai malahan langsung mencacatkan dan membunuh kredibiliti Shaberi sebagai Menteri. Anwar yang bermatlamat meraih simpati, dengan mudah berjaya menguasai pentas dengan bujukan dan rayuan kepada rakyat. Sikap beliau yang profesional dalam menghadapi tekanan Shaberi adalah strategi terbaik. Senyuman dihadapan 22 juta rakyat Malaysia adalah ubat paling mujarab untuk meraih belas dan sokongan berbanding lendir liur yang berbondong-bondong menghiasi rongga bibir yang telah kelat.

Dari segi fakta juga, terlalu banyak yang menyimpang daripada kebenaran. Inflasi adalah sangat berkait rapat dengan cara pentadbiran makroekonomi sesebuah negara dan juga dasar fiskal. Sekiranya Venezuela dijadikan sandaran, sudah tentulah kadar inflasi mereka mencecah 30% kerana mereka mengimport 100% makanan dari luar dan dalam masa yang sama mempunyai krisis makan dengan Columbia. Pengurusan yang tidak cekap oleh Hugo Chavez juga banyak membantu menaikkan inflasi walupun harga minyak rendah. Sejak 2003 lagi, dasar Hugo mengawal ketat harga barang dan matawang telah menyebabkan krisis makanan yang teruk sehingga tinjauan yang dibuat oleh Datanalisis pada 2007 menunjukkan 9 makanan asas seperti gula, daging, susu tepung, ayam, telur, beras, jagung, tepung, sardin dan kacang amat sukar diperolehi.

Begitu juga dengan negara seperti Arab Saudi yang walaupun kaya tetapi tidak mempunyai tataurus yang baik sehinggakan sistem pelupusan sampah pun menggunakan kaedah “dimakan oleh kambing”. Maka sudah tentu dinegara sebegini inflasinya tinggi dan Malaysia jika tiada tadbir urus yang baik akan menjadi seperti mereka juga.

Berkenaan dengan fakta bahawa Malaysia pengeluar minyak yang kecil juga saya kira satu penipuan kerana setahu saya (melalui pembacaan dan kajian), telaga minyak terbesar selepas Arab Saudi adalah di Malaysia, dan kita masih belum mengekplotasi sumber minyak di Sabah dan Sarawak dan pantai timur dengan sempurna. Tan Sri Hassan Merican sendiri menyatakan bahawa eksplorasi hidrokarbon di Sabah dan Sarawak adalah sukar kerana ia berada di laut dalam dan beliau juga menyatakan bahawa sumber rizab minyak mungkin boleh bertahan selama 22 tahu lagi, iaitu sehingga 2030 dan bukan 2015. Itupun hanya jangkaan kalau tiada sumber baru ditemui.

Sudah berada ditahap ini, masih tidak mahu membuat kajian mendalam? Itu amat menyedihkan.

Format Debat yang dirangka juga agak menarik dan mungkin boleh dikembangkan lagi secara lebih berstruktur. Cuma yang menggelikan hati saya ialah gelagat Nordin yang menunjukkan kecetekan pendapat dan kebankrapan idea beliau dengan melontarkan analogi atau perumpamaan yang gagal difahami dengan jelas dan mudah pula dipatahkan. Beliau jelas tidak langsung membantu Shaberi bahkan meranapkan kredibiliti Kerajaan dan Shaberi.

Pendek kata, dari segi debatnya, masih banyak kelemahan pada kedua-dua pendebat dan ini perlu diperbaiki segera. Dalam keadaan begitu, hanya pengalaman menentukan kemandirian seseorang pendebat di akhir perdebatan, dan bukannya kuasa atau jawatan.

Dari Anjung Saujana

YUSFARIZAL BIN YUSSOFF

Nota: Penulis adalah seorang bekas pendebat Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia. Pernah menjuarai pelbagai kejohanan debat termasuk Debat Piala Diraja dan Debat Perdana (anjuran Majlis Peguam). Pernah dianugerahkan Anugerah Kecemerlangan Pencapaian Individu oleh Majlis Debat Universiti Malaysia. Pernah menjadi jurulatih debat kepada beberapa buah universiti seperti UIAM, UPSI, etc. Memegang jawatan sebagai Timbalan Presiden Alumni Debat UIAM. Merupakan seorang rakan kongsi di Tetuan Zulpadli & Edham, Peguambela dan Peguamcara Kuala Lumpur.

OPICK - Obat Hati - Dengar Liriknya

The first part is in Javanese, the second part in Bahasa Malaysia.
'Obat hati itu ada lima perkara,
yang pertama baca Quran dengan maknanya,
yang kedua solat malam dirikanlah
yang ketiga berkumpullah dengan orang soleh
yang keempat berpuasalah
yang kelima zikir malam berpanjangan...
salah satunya siapa dapat menjalani
moga moga allah taala mencukupi'

Why I believe Anwar is not guilty

Why I believe Anwar is not guilty

K Bing | Jul 18, 08 6:00pm

First of all, I must say that I do not possess any information which is not already public knowledge. However, I have been following news of the new sodomy allegation against Anwar closely and I’m analysing this from the perspective of ‘reasonable behaviour’ and ‘balance of probability.’ Here are the reasons why I think Anwar is not guilty.

1. Is Anwar gay? A person who has fathered six children has established his sexual orientation firmly. Bisexuality is very rare and in any case he does not fit the mould. He has a loving family and his wife is standing steadfastly by him which says a lot.

2. The highly controversial sodomy conviction of 1998 failed to convince most people. A person in a position of power who allegedly cannot control himself to even keep away from his wife’s driver, must have a string of partners. One must ask, why has nobody else come out of the woodwork? Why was it necessary to coerce false confessions from two of his associates?

3. A person on the cusp of attaining political power would not be so stupid as to risk everything. If indeed one assumes that he cannot control his urge, where are the others that he may have violated or other consensual partners? With multiple partners, it’s a secret which is almost impossible to keep for a public figure.

4. Anwar’s anger and outrage at the new allegation is exactly how a wronged person will react. His body language when he speaks of the issue is consistent with his words.

5. When news broke of the police report against him, Anwar took refuge at the Turkish embassy. I believe he did so as he feared immediate arrest and not so much a threat on his life. This shows that Anwar believes there is a conspiracy against him rather than a private complaint which would not warrant immediate arrest. A guilty person would immediately assume it’s a private complaint.

6. Saiful’s resignation e-mail to Anwar did not suggest he had been sodomised and traumatised by his boss. This e-mail has not been denied by him.

7. The notion that a 61-year-old man can force himself on a 23-year-old youth is unthinkable. If threats were used, what can Anwar possibly threaten him with as he is not in a position of power?

Is there a conspiracy against Anwar? I believe there is for the following reasons.

1. The accuser, Saiful was obviously closely connected with Umno and has been photographed with a few Umno leaders including an aide to the deputy prime minister.

2. Saiful is obviously pro-Umno as had been revealed by his online postings. Why then did he induct himself into PKR as a volunteer if not for some ulterior motive?

3. His visit to the DPM’s office a few months before the incident was explained as him having gone there to apply for a scholarship. This is a very awkward explanation. As a college dropout, Saiful was not in the market for a scholarship and in any case, the DPM’s office is the wrong department to go.

And why would a scholarship applicant have his photograph taken with a senior aide? One must ask, why is it necessary to obfuscate and conceal the real purpose of his visit?

4. Najib at first denied he had ever met Saiful and later admitted that he met Saiful at his residence when a traumatised and sodomised Saiful came to ask for his advice. Why did Najib first deny and then admit later when under pressure? Was he trying to conceal something?

5. Najib said he listened to Saiful’s story and told him it’s up to him whether he wants to lodge a police report or not. This is not credible. Wouldn’t Najib have jumped at the opportunity to discredit his political nemesis and insist that Saiful make a police report?

It is wrong for anybody - much less a minister - who has been told a crime not to bring it to the attention of the law enforcement agencies. Why is Najib giving unbelievable explanations? Is he trying to divert all thoughts away from a conspiracy and overdoing it?

6. Najib said that Saiful visited him a few days before he made his police report. The report was made on Saturday and the sodomy was alleged to have occurred on Thursday. This means Saiful could only have visited Najib on Friday, one day before he made his report.

This is stretching the definition of ‘a few days’ to breaking point. Establishing when the meeting actually took place will shed light on the veracity of the allegation.

7. How easy is it for an ordinary person to drop in and see the DPM at his residence or office on such short notice? If he has been sexually violated, there is no need to hawk his allegation to politicians first before going to the police.

8. Saiful’s smiling and confident demeanor when he emerged a few days after his police report certainly does not indicate a man who has been sodomised and traumatised.

9. Saiful’s public challenge to Anwar to swear his innocence on the Quran is unbecoming of a real victim who would be expected to feel depressed and keep a low profile rather than play politics.

To round it up, let me deal with some objections.

1. It is too outrageous to imagine that Umno would weave a sodomy conspiracy against Anwar again as nobody would believe it.

Do you think negative public opinion will stop them? Umno controls the AG’s chambers, the police, the judiciary all of which are sufficient to convict a man of trumped-up charges. For good measure, they also control the mainstream press.

2. The allegations will increase sympathy for Anwar so a conspiracy is unlikely.

On the contrary, it could well discredit Anwar. The tactic could backfire but it is not beyond politicians to miscalculate the effects of their action.

3. Anwar stands to gain the most from it so Anwar must have planned all this.

Isn’t this even more outrageous than the above? No need to waste words on this.

4. Why sodomy again? Isn’t the script 10 years old?

What else can they pin on Anwar? He is not outwardly corrupt. A legal conviction is the most efficient way to get Anwar out of the political scene for good. After serving the sentence, he will have to wait another five years before running for public office by which time he may be too old to have any political ambition.

5. It is too transparent as Saiful has been photographed with high-level Umno politicians.

The plot may have been hatched after all those photographs. We have to be realistic, there are not many candidates who would do this.

6. Why did PKR take in a person without background checks?

He volunteered at a time when PKR was desperately short of staff. Once in, a person is not easily dislodged even when his previous pro-Umno leaning is known. There’s always the notion of fair play and judging a person by his work rather than his past.

In conclusion, when events really happen, details automatically fall into place. When there’s nothing to hide, explanations do not create more questions. A person’s demeanour and facial expression is a reflection of his inner thoughts.

All the bits and pieces collected together can create a complete picture. The picture is not complete but it is complete enough for me to decide that on the balance of probabilities, the incident never happened and Anwar is again facing another political conspiracy.

Pak Lah shoots himself on the foot

Malaysiakini reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi supporting the claim by the police that a fresh DNA from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was required to establish the sodomy claim. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah further informed that the previous DNA sample was too old since it was almost 10 years and no longer 'good'.

We all know that Pak Lah hates reading books. Even a simple task of reading a working paper would make him doze off within 5 minutes. Our not-so-bright PM should consult his Science Adviser about DNA before making a public statement. Even though he is not the brightest spark in the room, his advisers and kaki-bodek surely can do some simple research and brief him about the subject.

"So we are asking for a new sample," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

But forensic experts claim that DNA samples could be conserved for years and still be able to produce the required results.

Please Pak Lah, do not embarass us by shooting yourself on the foot.

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MALAYSIA NOW?

• Anwar was arrested by commando styled balaclava clad policemen, although he pose no threat to the country's security. Malaysia is not a Banana Republic. Who gave the instruction?
  
• Roadblocks were set up by police to deter phantom demonstrators while thousands of commuters slog it out on the road, wasting thousands of economic man hours and wastage of petrol. Who's great idea was it?
  
• The Ringgit has fallen 5 percent since July.
• Inflation is more than 6 percent (some analyst say as high as 8 percent and climbing).
• The Rakyat is feeling the pinch of rising food prices.
• Malaysia's stocks slump to a one year low yesterday.
• Cost of Government tendered projects are up by 30-50 percent since the fuel hike.
• Steel is Rm5,500 per ton, and increasing. It was Rm3,500 per ton a few months ago. Developers will surely raise the cost of building houses soon.
  
• Cost of most building materials are up by more than 30 percent since the fuel increased.
  

Whoever is in charge, please govern Malaysia now before it is too late!!

BAKRI ZININ OUR FUTURE IGP?

This article dated 2nd May 2002 in the 'Free Anwar Campaign-FAC' blog. As i see it, Bakri Zinin is cast in the same mould as other IGP, Rahim and Musa Hassan. God help us all. http://www.freeanwar.net/jan2002/facnews020502.htm FAC News - Thursday, May 2, 2002 8:48 AM Bakri the “Karate Man” Yesterday, around 20 or so people were arrested (including an eight-year old “terrorist”) for participating in a May Day March. According to reports received, 17 or 18 were arrested in the march, while another three were arrested at night when they went to the police station to send the detainees their dinner – certainly an act detrimental to the security of the nation. It seems,1st May, which is a public holiday in Malaysia, may not be celebrated in any public way other than by staying at home and watching Walt Disney movies on TV. In a press statement issued by SUARAM, a Malaysian NGO, “The march came to a startling halt when police officers from the Dang Wangi Police District assaulted leaders and workers halfway through their peace walk.” “An estimated 150 people started their May Day Peace Walk from Chow Kit at 10.00am towards the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC Twin Towers) for their gathering,” said SUARAM. “After walking for 1.5 km, they were confronted by a group of police officers who charged the crowd without warning or provocation.” ”Officer in Charge of Police District (OCPD) Dang Wangi, Bakri Zinin, led the attack, personally shoving and assaulting negotiators at the front. Many workers were hurt when police officers grabbed banners, clothes and leaflets.” Bakri Zinin is a well-known Reformasi-hater. In March last year, Bakri Zinin arrested the Director of the Free Anwar Campaign, Raja Petra, together with his wife, Marina, in a candlelight vigil. The following day, the police raided Raja Petra’s house and confiscated his personal computer and the “evidence” obtained from this computer resulted in Raja Petra’s arrest a month later under the Internal Security Act. Raja Petra’s March 2001 arrest was most interesting to say the least. Initially, the police had arrested Marina and another seven people that included an old lady who was limping due to a knee injury and could not run away when commanded to do so. She was arrested for “disobeying the order to disperse quickly”. Marina, who was propping her up when it appeared she was going to collapse, was also arrested for not dispersing fast enough. Raja Petra then followed the two unfortunate ladies into the police station. A few minutes later, Bakri walked in, saw Raja Petra, and charged towards him. Bakri gave Raja Petra a karate chop that sent him reeling. Why Bakri attacked Raja Petra is not known to this very day. Raja Petra immediately got up to face his assailant but was surrounded by about seven police officers. Marina, who was more worried that Raja Petra may beat up the OCPD than the other way around, held him back and begged him to sit down again. Raja Petra stood there pointing his finger at Bakri and shouted, “I will never forget you. I will always remember this incident.” Bakri went into a rage and tried to attack Raja Petra again but the other police officers held him back. “I am the OCPD here!” Bakri shouted. “So what?” shouted Raja Petra in reply. “That still does not give you the right to attack me.” The police officers quickly shoved Bakri out the door before the shouting match could turn to bloodshed. Bakri then told one of the police officers to arrest and handcuff Raja Petra. When asked what the charge was, the police officer said, “We will think of something later.” Raja Petra was made to sit the rest of the night with his hands uncomfortably handcuffed behind his back. Raja Petra was eventually not charged for any crime but was put through the humiliation of spending the night sleeping on the dirty lockup floor in the company of a cell-full of drug addicts and one person facing a murder charge. When Raja Petra was arrested under the ISA a month later, this incident was raised during the two-month long interrogation. Raja Petra told the police officers he is prepared to face Bakri one-on-one anytime. “If Bakri is such a fighter, then ask him to come and face me one-to-one,” said Raja Petra to the bemused officers. “He is such a hero when it comes to ten beating up one. Is he prepared to go one-on-one with me?” “Oh, so you think you can take him just because you are a black belt holder is it?” the interrogators remarked. “Maybe you are more suited to Azalina (Puteri UMNO). She too is a black belt,” quipped the officer. “I am sure she and you can get along well.” “No! I don’t think so,” said another officer. “Azalina would probably prefer your wife to you.” “That’s okay with me,” replied Raja Petra cheekily. “After all, I am into group sex.” The police officers probably thought they could shock Raja Petra with all the sex talk (which, if you read the Affidavits of the ten ISA detainees, was what was discussed most of the time) but the tables had been turned and they immediately changed the subject. A friend of Raja Petra, a newspaper distributor, also faced the same fate one day when Bakri gave him a karate chop. This chap, however, retaliated and gave Bakri a hard kick on his groin. Bakri limped away clutching his balls and never troubled the chap again. The newspaper distributor was detained for two weeks for this episode and is still awaiting trial. It looks like Bakri is only brave if he has a dozen police officers to help him assault you. And I am sure Raja Petra is now going to be on Bakri’s “hit list” for this revelation.

ANWAR MAKING OUR POLICE PARANOID!

*The two policeman chit chat, while we suffer in the traffic jam.

The police are still manning roadblocks around the city. Thousands were caught off guard this morning and spend many hours in the bumper to bumper crawl towards the city. Why is the police so paranoid with Anwar Ibrahim?

If this is their ploy to pit the public sentiment against the opposition, then they are DEAD WRONG!.

What ever little sympathy that the public have for the police is now all quash by their stupid actions.

Do not think that by having roadblocks and causing mindless jams will make the public more incensed towards the oppositions. On the contrary, more are supporting Anwar than ever before.

This only shows how the ruling party is panic-stricken and terrified by the thought of Anwar grabbing power by 16 September 2008.

Some stupid remarks from Wan Farid and Bakri Zinin

CID Director Bakri Zinin said:
"He was arrested as we had reason to believe he was not going to show up"......(It was not 2pm yet)

"However, we were informed that after he left the ACA headquarters in Putrajaya, he had changed his route and was heading back to his house in (Bukit) Segambut." (That is Anwar's prerogative where he wants to go, as the dateline is 2 pm and he still has ample time).

"Anwar will be safe in police custody". (The last time IGP said that, Anwar got a black eye).

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Farid Wan Salleh said:
".........he was on his way home. He couldn’t possibly have made it on time." (He assume only)

“What's the difference between 20 or 50 minutes?” (only a stupid fool can say that!)

ANWAR ARRESTED, STOCK TAKES A BEATING

Bloomberg reports that investors/traders have dumped the ringgit, and the currency suffered the sharpest decline immediately after news of Anwar’s arrest broke.

Investors have sold Malaysian stocks since the elections, driving the benchmark index down 23 percent this year. That’s worse than the performances of the indexes in neighboring Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite index extended declines today after the arrest, losing 0.7 percent to a 16-month low. The Malaysian ringgit was the region’s worst performer today, weakening 0.3 percent against the U.S. dollar.

PADAN MUKA HANG SEMUA

WILL ANWAR GET JUSTICE FROM PAK LAH?

It was a new dawn for Malaysia's political scene when a government minister was pitted against an opposition leader live on television. Never in our wildest dream, the debate of such nature would be telecast live by the government. This seems to open up a new era in maturity for our BN leaders. Surely it must have got the go ahead from the PM himself.

This surely is a significant milestone in Malaysian politics as we venture down the path to becoming a more matured democracy.

But just a few hours later, all our hopes for a new Malaysia were dashed when Anwar again were arrested UTK styled, men with balaclava snatching Anwar away to IPK. For a moment we thought that we were still living in Mahathir's era!

Why can't the police act professionally and show some dignity and respect to Anwar. The manner at which Anwar was arrested shows that the police is acting in bad faith. He is not a common criminal nor he is a terrorist.

Anwar was at the ACA headquarters in Putrajaya earlier giving his statement regarding his claims that the IGP and AG had fabricated evidence in his black eye assault back in 1998 and had appealed to the ACA to let him off early to make his appointment with the police, to which they agreed. The arrest came over an hour before the deadline set for him to report to the city police headquarters.

Will Anwar be treated decently by the police? Doesn't the AG and IGP has a bone to pick with Anwar?

I hope Pak Lah, in all his gentle decency, kindness and fairness, step in and accord the rights of Anwar, as a human being with respect and dignity.

'NO CONFIDENCE' : POINT TAKEN

We salute our YB's for attending Parliament today, although they know that the motion will never see the living daylights of the Speaker's chamber.

The rakyat has made a point and that motion itself is history.

Our YB's should continue to pursue the interest of the Rakyat, fight injustice, strive against oppression and be the rock that cradle the values Malaysian holds dear.

Again i salute you, SYABAS.

DON'T MISS IT: Ahmad Shabery/Anwar fuel price debate live telecast

A debate on the fuel price increase between Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Parti Keadilan Rakyat(PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be telecast live tomorrow, TUESDAY 15-07-08, on Bernama TV (Astro channel 502) and TV9.

The one-and-a-half-hour debate, entitled “Hari Ini Membentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak” (Today Form the Government, Tomorrow Decrease the Fuel Price) and organised by the news portal, Agenda Daily, will be held at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) starting at 9pm.

MV Augusta sold for 1 euro; Harley buys it for US$109m

This report from anilnetto's blog
read on........

I think Proton has some explaining to do. It sold MV Augusta for 1 euro after buying it for RM368 million. Now look at this - AP reports on 11 July the following:

Harley-Davidson Inc. said Friday it will buy Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Group for about $109 million to boost its presence in Europe, giving it entry into the popular performance bike market there.

And here’s a report from Bernama a couple of years ago.

Proton Defends Sale Of MV Agusta

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) — In what appears to be an unending saga, Proton Holdings Bhd has again come out in defence of its sale of financially-troubled MV Agusta, reiterating that there were no synergies between the motorcycle maker and Proton as a car maker.

Describing continued criticisms over the sale and change in management announced by Proton in July 2005 as “uninformed speculation”, the national car company said there was “a refusal among some to acknowledge explanations provided earlier”.

Proton was obviously referring to its adviser and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and its former chief executive officer Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff who have continued their criticisms over these matters.

“There were no operational, engineering, and technological synergies between Agusta and Proton. This has been independently confirmed by Proton’s appointed advisers. Proton manufactures cars for the masses while Agusta manufactures motorcycle,” the company said in a statement Friday.

The saga began to unfold on June 28, 2005, when Tengku Mahaleel, in an interview with a vernacular paper, complained that the government was not supporting Proton enough and that it was being treated unfairly.

His last salvo on the matter was at a press conference at his house in Damansara here on April 14, where he claimed that key questions raised by himself and Dr Mahathir have not been answered, among which was the loss that Proton, which bought MV Agusta for RM500 million, incurred when it sold its stake in the Italian company for one euro.

Proton bought a 57.75 percent stake in MV Agusta in December 2004 for 70 million euro (RM367.6 million).

The current management sold the stake to Italy’s GEVI Spa, which also assumed the motorcycle maker’s 107 million euro debt.

Proton said the entire purchase consideration of RM367.6 million was treated as goodwill and written off in the financial year ended March 31, 2005.

The additional provisions relating to MV Agusta in the accounts of the Proton group for the financial year ended March 31, 2006, amounted to RM136.2 million.

“In the event MV Agusta falls into bankruptcy, Proton would have been subjected to a contingent liability for an amount of up to RM923.1 million,” Proton said.

The company also reiterated that the decision to dispose the stake in MV Agusta was after careful consideration of the financial and operational implications to the Proton group, both in the immediate as well as the long term.

“The primary consideration was to minimise future potential losses for the group,” it said.

According to Proton, it wants to put the matter to rest as it needs to move forward to focus on its core business, which is designing, engineering, manufacturing and selling cars that appeal to the market.

“The key challenge now for Proton is to achieve real progress and advancement in this very competitive global automotive industry,” the company said.

– BERNAMA

Read here, another good article on the deal.

Zack:

Those guys at Khazanah Nasional Bhd. has a lot of explaining to do. With a twitch of their fingers, the country lost hundreds of millions of our money due to mismanagement and bad business judgement.