"Taliban R Us": Architectural aspect of Places of Worship

Kelantan: Islamic designs a must KOTA BARU:

A controversy is brewing over the proposal for the construction of a Buddhist building here after the PAS-led state government ruled that new buildings should include Islamic designs to reflect the state capital’s status as an Islamic city. State Local Government, Culture, Arts and Tourism committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said developers must incorporate some Islamic elements in their plans or the proposals would be rejected.

“We will ensure development will be based on Islamic principles and features,” he told a press conference here yesterday. He claimed the ruling was well-accepted by the majority of developers, including non-Muslim developers. “I do not see it as an issue or something that could cause religious tension, as it only involves architecture and design. “They have accepted the new ruling well,” he said. Takiyuddin was commenting on an appeal by the Kelantan Buddhist Association for the state government to approve its building, to be constructed with Chinese features at Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin here.

It is understood that the association had been told that its building design should have dome-shaped motifs, which have created a controversy in the Chinese media. In an immediate reaction, Kota Baru MCA division chief Tan Ken Ten slammed the directive, which he said was an infringement of the rights of non-Muslims in the state. “The ruling is an extreme attempt to impose one’s beliefs into other people’s culture or religious beliefs. “The PAS government must be mindful that Malaysia is a multi-cultural and multi-religious society that respects the differences of each community. It should appreciate this diversity which makes this country unique,” Tan added. State MCA Youth chief Gan Han Chuan said the Kelantan government was showing disrespect towards the non-Muslims with its new policy. “With the new directive, PAS is trying to create discord by destroying the harmonious relations between the communities that had been built by the Barisan Nasional over the years,” he added. “One can only wonder what type of archaic policies PAS will introduce if Pakatan Rakyat manages to take over the Federal Government,” Gan said.(here)

Compare that to this

RANTAU PANJANG:The Kelantan Pas government has admitted having built only one mosque in the state, the Sultan Ismail Petra Golden Jubilee Mosque, from its own funds during its 21-year rule in Kelantan. State Economic Planning, Finance and Welfare Committee deputy chairman, Abdul Fatah Harun said all the other mosques in Kelantan had been built by the federal government. "The Golden Jubilee Mosque, better known as the Chinese Mosque, was built with state government funding, without a single sen coming from the federal government," he told Bernama, here, today. As for mosques in the other mukim (sub-districts), he said the state government was only responsible for giving allocations to carry out repairs and renovations. Abdul Fatah was responding to the state opposition's (Barisan Nasional) claim that the Pas government had not built even one mosque since ruling Kelantan for over 20 years. They had been built by the federal government or the BN government that ruled Kelantan from 1978 to 1990. Abdul Fatah said construction of the RM9.5 million Golden Jubilee Mosque began in 2005 and was completed in 2009. Its building was inspired by Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat after his visit to Beijing, China. - Source here 

Wanna know how it looks like ?

Between Zambry and Guan Beng which one was more truthful about State "Debt Reduction"?

Zambry: Perak ‘debt-free’ after RM1b water asset swap PUTRAJAYA, May 23 — Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir declared Perak “debt-free” after the state transferred RM999.2 million in water assets to Putrajaya’s Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) in exchange for it taking an equivalent amount in water-related debt. The Perak mentri besar told a press conference that the state had now wiped out debts to all parties except for RM72 million to the federal government for public housing projects and a loan taken for construction of the state secretariat building.

However, as the state’s water managers Lembaga Air Perak (LAP) will lease back the assets over a period of 45 years before it is handed back to the board, Zambry acknowledged it was a “restructuring of the 22-year water loan.”

“We are debt-free. If we use the same standards as Penang, then we have no debt at all,” the Pangkor assemblyman said. Penang had declared last October that it lopped off RM600 million or 95 per cent of the state’s debt since Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took over the state in March 2008. But Barisan Nasional (BN) pointed out that Penang’s outstanding loan of RM655 million was absorbed in a similar transfer of water assets to PAAB in June 2011. PAAB chairman Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali also said that the move would make LAP “asset light” and improve its annual profits by RM25 million, nearly a quarter more than the net profit posted last year of RM104 million. All states in Peninsular Malaysia must transfer their water assets to the federal government to clear their water-related liabilities under the Water Services Industry Act (WSIA). (here)

For the Cinabodoh claims go here and here 

In case you all are wondering what is the actual accounting treatment for these transaction refer PAAB Annual Report Section 2.18 (here)

Leases where the Group retains substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of the asset are classified as operating leases. Initial direct costs incurred in negotiating an operating lease are added to the carrying amount of the leased asset and recognised over the lease term on the same bases as rental income

Refer here and here for MASB Standards

In simple lay terms...once the state signs the agreement, the Water Assets is being exchanged for PAAB assuming the State Government Debt to the Federal and at the same time The State Water Operator enters into a Lease with PAAB in order for it to provide the services to the customers.

Wahai Anok NikMat :Why should the younger generation be deprived of the Nekmat?

As expected the Party Leader who does not want to represent his party in Federal or State Parliament has spoken

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — PAS insisted today there will be no talks between PAS and Umno, blaming the media for misreporting a proposal for a “muzakarah” (discussion) between the two Malay Muslim parties. President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the only discussion PAS was having was with non-governmental organisations over accusations that the Islamist party had veered from its religious principles. “The question of co-operation between PAS and Umno does not arise. It has been wrongly interpreted that PAS wants a muzakarah with Umno,” he told reporters at a press conference here today. “If we were to ever have talks with Umno, it would be better if such talks were focused on clean elections,” he added. He said that PAS was only interested in discussions with NGOs regarding the party’s role in developing the Muslim community in the country. “PAS is ready to have talks with NGOs to give a clear explanation of Islam, but not with Umno. “This issue always arises every time we are nearing elections,” he said. The Marang MP added that PAS is now focusing on its preparations for the upcoming general election, and asked that the issue of talks between the party and Umno no longer be raised (here)

Amusing all this side show freaks.


Anyway I am from a generation that had to endure sembahyang dua imam.

I was around 8 or 9 when folks from the Mosque suddenly had sides, they even approached me to ask me to join the other "halal" saf.

I looked at them with a confused face and asked why?


As a child I have witnessed breakups that lasts for years in the family due to political ideology...never understood it then.....

But now as a man.....

I'm sad to see all of this...

First Rule of Kencing Club: When pressed for facts do a Synonym Taichi if you cannot belit anymore

Ong Kian Ming of MERAP has been in contact with me on twitter.

Siap panggil gua bro...

Very eager to provide a counter to my post.(here)

I will dissect his counter post a little bit today....saje buang masa gua malam jumaat sebelum gua tengok DVD ciplak clear copy John Carter with my kids....

I have been asked many questions with regard to the 3.1 million potential non-resident voters which I first highlighted at a press conference together with members of the Bersih steering committee on April 23. I subsequently wrote about this issue in greater detail here.

In response to these questions, I would like to make the following points: 1. That not all 3.1 million of these potential non-resident voters are dubious voters.

2. There are many reasons why voters are not registered in the same constituency indicated by their IC address.

3. That one of the reasons is because of politicians registering their supporters in their respective constituencies even though these voters do not and have never lived in these constituencies.

4. A manifestation of this practice is the presence of addresses with many voters registered in them or voters registered without house numbers.

5. That the Election Commission (EC) has decided to move to a new registration system where a new/transferred voter could only be registered in the constituency indicated by his/her IC address.

6. That the EC still refuses to acknowledge the problem of non-resident voters as well as the problem of many non-resident voters being registered in the same address.

7. The example of the locality where Mimos (Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems) ‘misinterpreted’ the electoral data has a large number of newly-registered Kod 71 voters.

8. It is difficult for politicians and the EC to locate voters without house numbers, especially in the urban areas.

Not all are dubious voters but… I have never said that all these 3.1 million potential non-resident voters are dubious voters. What I wanted to highlight was that there were 3.1 million voters in Peninsular Malaysia whose IC address did not correspond with their voting constituency and that these voters were identified in a National Registration Department (JPN in BM) project called ‘Projek SPR’. (here)

This is what he said in the BERSIH press statement few days before the riot to provide modal for Ambiga and gang

Today, I want to announce that upon further investigation and analysis, another 3.3million cases of doubtful voters which needs further investigation have been uncovered. Among this 3.3 million voters are: (1) 3.1 million voters whose IC addresses shows a different voting constituency from the constituency in which the voter is actually voting in. (here)

Dubious Vs Doubtful

Lu kasi Synonym Taici ka brader??

The NFC Blowjob: Did Rafizi just admitted his guilt under BAFIA?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

The Future of Centripetal Politics in Malaysia

What ever happened to this proposal

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 2010 (Bernama) -- The Management Committee of the Barisan Nasional (BN) will study how the ruling coalition can be more open and inclusive to admit BN-friendly individuals, political parties and non-governmental organisations into the coalition, Deputy Prime Minister and BN Deputy Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said on Saturday. He said the committee, chaired by him, would consider all the proposals before submitting them to the BN Supreme Council meeting. "Many BN-friendly political parties and non-governmental organisations have been unable to join the coalition as there is no provision for this in the BN constitution," he told reporters after presenting the SAM-100Plus awards, here. Muhyiddin said all BN component parties were asked to send their representatives to sit on a special committee headed by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein which would study and refine details of the amendments. "We have to study the pros and cons of the proposals, whether the BN should be restricted to political parties or opened also to non-political organisations such as economic, social and welfare bodies, which are friendly to the BN, as well as individuals," he said. Yesterday, Prime Minister and BN Chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the BN would hold a convention to amend its constitution to be more open and inclusive to admit BN-friendly individuals, political parties and NGOs into the coalition. -- BERNAMA (here)

I once touched upon the structure of our political parties in the The Ugly Truth of Consociational Centripetalist Democracy (here)

Allow me to reproduce some of the references

What is Consociational Democracy?

Its main Theorist Arend Lijphard came out with the term after studying deeply divided societies,

"Consociational prescriptions are based on the principle that each ethnic polity should enjoy a significant degree of autonomy and a right of veto over matters directly affecting the welfare of its members. Emphasising the need for elite cooperation if democracy is to survive in ethnically-cleaved societies, consociational agreements entail a balance of power within government between clearly defined social segments, brokered by identifiable ethnic leaders representing distinct social groups" Benjamin Reilly

“Consociationalism guarantees that each ethnic group would share political power and constrains the elite of those different groups to govern together. Consociationalism is therefore a powerful means for protecting minorities and for imposing accommodation at the political level. However, consociationalism suffers of schizophrenia: if consociation compels political elites to find a compromise between the demands of ethnic groups, it does not give group leaders any incentive to adopt a moderate discourse on ethnic questions. On the contrary, in order to obtain the support of their electorate, leaders must adopt an aggressive attitude.” Laurent De Brey .

And what is Centripetalism

"Centripetalism is as a political system or strategy designed to focus competition at the moderate centre rather than the extremes, and identified three facilitating components:

(i) the presentation of electoral incentives for campaigning politicians to reach out to and attract votes from a range of ethnic groups other than their own, thus encouraging candidates to moderate their political rhetoric on potentially divisive issues and forcing them to broaden their policy positions;

(ii) the presence of multiethnic arenas of bargaining such as parliamentary and executive forums, in which political actors from different groups have an incentive to come together and cut deals on reciprocal electoral support, and hence perhaps on other more substantial policy issues as well; and

(iii) the development of centrist, aggregative and multiethnic political parties or coalitions of parties which are capable of making cross-ethnic appeals and presenting a complex and diverse range of policy options to the electorate. Like consociationalism, centripetal proposals for conflict management focus on parties, elections, and representative institutions as the key focus of political engineering. However, the institutional recommendations made by centripetalists often run sharply counter to those of consociationalists. For instance, rather than focussing on the fair representation of ethnically-defined political parties, centripetalists place a premium on promoting multiethnic parties and cross-ethnic activity" Benjamin Reilly

So folks how does this fit into what we are observing in Malaysia.... Take the Barisan for instance its 3 main component parties are actually Consociationalist and the Barisan National itself is the Centripetalist when they go for election la...policy making is still dictated by the Consociationalist extremist...... So what happens now when an issue that falls into the ethnic cleavage crops up? how would the Elite Political Actors react to the demand of each ethnic interest group......do they move to the center to find a solution or do they go to the extreme to gain the ethnic political support

Hence the paradox

Each time BN goes for Election it uses the Dacing Symbol Vs the Other Party

And yet No Individual can join the Party...

Why?

For 50 over years BN been asking Malaysians to vote for a Party that has No Individual Member

Strange don't you think.

Should Xylophone be allowed to walk?

INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon has had teargas fired in his direction during a demonstration for electoral reforms in central Kuala Lumpur. Tens of thousands of demonstrators swamped the Malaysian capital today to demand the reforms, ahead of national polls expected soon. Senator Xenophon, who is in Kuala Lumpur on an international fact-finding mission on election processes in Malaysia, was among the crowds when police fired teargas and chemical-laced water at demonstrators. (here)

This is what the Law says.