ZAM: NO MORE Street Protests; Slams Bar Council Ulterior Motive People's Freedom Walk; Nazri – Minority Not Marginalized; Zahid: Foreign Media Misle

ZAM: NO MORE Street Protests; Slams Bar Council Ulterior Motive People's Freedom Walk; Nazri – Minority Not Marginalized; Zahid: Foreign Media Misled by Opposition

November 02, 2007 14:07 PM
Don't Hold Any Form Of Street Protests Now, Says Zam
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Don't hold any form of street protests now as the move will only stir up uneasiness among the people and harm racial unity in the country, says Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin. He said street rallies, regardless of whatever reasons given, should not be permitted. The Minister was responding to the Bar Council's plan to organise a "People's Freedom Walk on Dec 9 in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day. Bar Council president Ambiga Sreneevasan had said they met the police on Friday to discuss how best to organise the Human Rights Day march.

Zainuddin questioned the Bar Council's real motive to organise the walk, which according to him was "only a front under the guise of human rights." "Any form of street rallies for whatever reasons should not be allowed now as they will only tarnish the nation's image in the eyes of the international community. "I believe the Bar Council's intention to hold the People's Freedom Walk is to condemn the government under the guise of human rights," he told Bernama. Zainnuddin said for whatever reason or excuse the Bar Council wants to hold the walk, the people knew the hidden agenda behind the move. "Solutions cannot be found to human rights issues merely by staging street protests.

Moreover, such protests will only worsen the current situation in the country," he said. Zainuddin said two street rallies held in Kuala Lumpur last month by two non-governmental organisations calling themselves "BERSIH" and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) had only created adverse effects and aroused the people's anger. The minister also chastised an English daily for publishing reports promoting the Bar Council's plan to organise the "People's Freedom Walk". He said the daily was not bothered about racial unity in the country. The newspaper had given details on the time to gather for the walk and also encouraged the people to bring along posters.

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December 02, 2007 12:26 PM
Government Never Ignored Minority Races In Malaysia, Says Nazri

KANGAR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The Government has never forsaken the interests and welfare of minority races in Malaysia, what more launching an "ethnic cleansing" to wipe them out from the country. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said all races are given due protection under the law and adequate avenues to seize opportunities available in the country. The Government has never imposed restrictions on their freedom to embrace the religion of their choice and practise their respective cultures and traditions, he told reporters after launching the state-level Thai Loy Krathong festival in Pengkalan Asam here last night. The minister said the well-being of the minority Thai community in Malaysia was also given due protection by the Government.

"Although there are only about 60,000 Siamese in the country, the Government had never ignored their interests and welfare. This showed there was no racial discrimination in Malaysia," said Mohamed Nazri, who is also Malaysian Siamese Association patron. "I intend to ask for a bigger allocation from the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry and the Tourism Ministry to preserve the Siamese art and culture which have been well accepted by Malaysians," he said. Mohamed Nazri said every year he gave RM25,000 financial aid for the Siamese community to carry out their arts and cultural programmes including to buy costumes.

On allegations by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that Indians in Malaysia are being marginalised, prompting them to stage an illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, Mohamed Nazri said the Indian activist group's irresponsible action had only made things difficult for the Indian community in this country. Hindraf did not represent Malaysian Indians, he added. Malaysian Siamese Association president Senator Siw Chun a/p Eam said the Thai community was happy in Malaysia as their interests were never neglected by the Government. In fact, the Government gave full freedom for the Thais to practise their cultures and traditions, she added. Various activities were held for the Loy Krathong celebrations jointly hosted by the association and the state government including Loy Krathong beauty pageant in which local beauties were pitted against Thai girls. Last night, thousands of krathong flowers were set adrift in the Perlis River, marking the climax of the festival, also attended by Thais from neighbouring Thailand.

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Opposition Using Foreign Media To Disparage Government - Zahid

KUANTAN, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Opposition party leaders have been found using the foreign media to disparage the government, Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says. He said he knew of this from reports and newspaper cuttings sent to him by a number of colleagues in Indonesia since recently. He said the opposition leaders' action was inappropriate as it would not only confuse readers but also create suspicion on government policies as well as the country's economic and political situation. "The disparaging reports on Malaysia create suspicion among foreigners because they think what is told by the opposiiton leaders is true," he told reporters after launching the Paya Besar election machinery here today. He said opposition parties deliberately used the foreign channel knowing that the foreign media had the tendency to splash bad reports on Malaysia. Zahid said opposition party leaders should solve their problems with the government politically instead of disparaging their own country. "I hate those who run down their own country to others... it is unpatriotic," he added. He said the move by opposition leaders was weird because foreign nationals would not going to vote in Malaysian elections. To enlighten the foreign media on the real situation in Malaysia, he said the Information Ministry and the Tourism Ministry planned to invite newspaper editors from neighbouring countries to come here.

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December 01, 2007 22:59 PM
Tengku Adnan Denies Making Statement On Weapons Discovery In Batu Caves
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor has denied making a statement on the discovery of several weapons in Batu Caves as alleged through the short-messaging service (SMS). "I have not made such a statement nor have I sent an SMS to anyone on the matter," he told Bernama here today. Meanwhile, Gombak district deputy police chief Supt Abdul Karim Abu Hassan when contacted said police had not received any report or information on the weapons discovery. "It's not true. There are people trying to worsen the situation by spreading such stories. However, we will investigate the matter," he said. Prior to this, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also became victim of a malicious SMS message on a statement allegedly made by him regarding Indian and Chinese votes.

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December 02, 2007 14:17 PM

Three Paratroopers Drowned During LIMA Training Session

LANGKAWI, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Three paratroopers, two of them women, drowned while 11 others were injured during a training session that went awry at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2007 exhibition here today. A police spokesman said strong winds pushed them away from the intended landing spot in the 10.30am incident. "Strong gusts of wind pushed them out to sea near the Kuala Muda beach, not far from the Langkawi International Airport," he said. Meanwhile, Langkawi OCPD Supt Mohamed Ali Jamalludin identified the victims as Siti Hajar Yaakob, 24, Nurul Wahida Yusof, 20, and Raymond Duncan, 25. He said the bodies were now at the Langkawi Hospital morgue and would be released to the military after post-mortem.

A check showed that the hospital was guarded by military personnel and the morgue was off-limits to members of the media. Royal Malaysian Air Force public relations officer Major Zulkiflee Abdul Latiff said those involved were among 138 members of the 10th Para Brigade who were training for the opening of LIMA 2007 tomorrow. He said that erratic wind patterns during the exercise caused some of them to stray off course. "The search and rescue team was mobilised. The rest of the paratroopers are safe," he said in a statement, adding that further updates would be provided from time to time. Mohamed Ali said that some of the paratroopers became entangled in tree branches near the beach.

The injured were being treated at the Langkawi Hospital, he added.

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Watch Video Clip (2min 46s) –SAMY & Government Failed the Indian Community; Over past 2 Months He submitted Reports after ; Meetings, were called and KIV; Hindraf: Special Committee – an Eyewash?

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Video –SAMY & Government Failed the Indian Community; Over 2 ...

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