In Malaysia, its on the 27 of November 2008, and its the Hindu Festival of lights. To all my Hindu mates out there, have a good one!

To All my muslim readers, wishing you a “Selamat Hari Raya AidilFitri! Maaf Zahir and Batin”

Teresa Kok, Sin Chew reporter arrested under ISA
[Source]
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP’s Teresa Kok is the latest to be arrested under Section 73 (1) if the ISA Friday.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok - arrested under ISA.

Kok, who is Seputeh MP and also assemblyman for Kinrara, was arrested at 11.20pm Friday.

Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar confirmed Kok’s arrest.

Earlier, Sin Chew Daily News reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was arrested from her home in Taman Permai in Bukit Mertajam at 8.40pm Friday.

Family members said they were told that she would be taken to the Bandar Perda police station in Seberang Jaya.

Ismail Omar said was also arrested under Section 73 (1) of the ISA.

A colleague said Tan called the office to inform them that the police had picked her up when they went to her home at 8.30pm.
Arrested Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoon Cheng.

However, when several colleagues tried to call her back on her handphone some 10 minutes later, the phone had been switched off.

On Friday night more than 100 people, including politicians, members of non-governmental organisations and journalists, gathered at the state police contingent to stage their silence protest on the arrest.

Tan, who is Mass Communications graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia, has been a journalist for nine years.

She had reported on former Bukit Bendera division Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s alleged racist remarks while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

The arrest comes on the same day that Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin was detained, also under the ISA.

Sigh. The reported who reported the racist remarks by an UMNO leader has been placed in ISA together with one of the opposition members of Parliment, while the so mention leader is happily at home given a holiday from his position in UMNO. The world is laughing at Malaysia. Pray for our nation in this time of trouble, that people will remain calm.

Ahmad: Why should I apologise?
By ANDREA FILMER [Source]

GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail has refused to apologise over his racist remark calling the Chinese community “immigrants who do not deserve equal rights”.

“Why should I apologise? I didn’t do anything wrong. Those who do wrong should apologise but I haven’t done anything,” Ahmad said when The Star met him outside his Bayan Baru office yesterday.

He, however, refused to comment on whether the press misquoted him.

Sounding calm and collected on the phone, he said a full statement on what transpired would be released after a Penang Umno liaison meeting tomorrow.
Man in the news: Ahmad gesturing as he replies to a question in Bayan Baru yesterday. He said he had been leading a sepak takraw team to a tournament in Bangkok.

He added that he would not say much at present, but wanted to clear up the issue of reporting to the police.

Police are currently investigating five reports lodged against Ahmad under the Sedition Act 1948 for uttering the remarks at a ceramah on the eve of the Permatang Pauh by-election.

He said there were reports of his going to the Bukit Mertajam police station on Wednesday night (to make a statement).

“I want to make it clear that I never told anyone or informed anyone that I would be there. It was their assumption,” he said.

Ahmad recorded a statement at the police contingent headquarters in Penang Road at about 10pm the same night while pressmen from television, online and print media were waiting for him on the mainland.

Asked where he had been over the last few days, Ahmad confirmed that he had been leading a sepak takraw team to a tournament in Bangkok.

“My phone has been on and off, but a lot of my anak buah (supporters) have been calling me, so maybe that’s why it has been hard to get through,” he said.

On the alleged misappropriation of funds involving now-defunct company Popular Profile Sdn Bhd (PPSB), Ahmad said he had resigned before any action was taken on the company.

“This issue has nothing to do with me. Action is taken on a company, not on a personal capacity. Moreover, I resigned from the company on Sept 1, 1998. What happened after that, I don’t know.

“The Chief Minister (Lim Guan Eng) shouldn’t be using his political muscle and power to attack me,” he said, adding that he would not say more on the land deal until he had checked the details.

Lim had recently attacked Ahmad on a 1997 land deal involving PPSB, in which Ahmad had been a director. Lim alleged that the company had cheated the state of RM500,000 in a deal involving 4.2ha of industrial land in Bukit Minyak.

Looks like somebody has been lying again. Is it me or do they really think we are immigrants and will never truly be treated as citizens? I read somebodies blog that said ,”Yes, they are really immagrants. Pay bus fair still called passenger what?“.  Are you really supprised he didn’t think it was wrong to say that?  So many generations of Chinese and Indians who have known no other country but Malaysia, paid years of taxes, poured out blood, sweat and tears in this nation to build it as it is and some people still call us imigrants? If this racist policy is truly not the UMNO policy then our PM should be a little more MAN and prove it. Or is he affraid that all those who hold this racist beleive will rebel against UMNO? And I am totally ashamed of the other BN component parties, who have traded the birth right of all us Malaysians of other races just to earn dollars in thier pockets. When will you truly represent your people! Malaysia does not belong to just one race of people. It belongs to every citizen. You don’t own the Bus. Jus soli (Latin for “right of the soil” or, somewhat figuratively, “right of the territory”), or birthright citizenship, is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognised to any individual born in the territory of the related state. Look it up.

Najib: Umno apologises
[source]
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has apologised for the statement made by one of the party’s division leaders which resulted in a lot of criticism from the Chinese community.

“We will apologise. Umno apologises,” he told a press conference after launching the Chery Eastar multi-purpose vehicle at a hotel here yesterday.

“It (The comment) was totally unwarranted and doesn’t reflect the position and attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” he said.
Looking East: Najib taking a closer look at the Chery Eastar MPV after it was officially launched at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail had called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) at a ceramah prior to the Permatang Pauh by-election.

His statement caused a furore and condemnation from various political parties both within the Barisan Nasional and outside.

Several police reports were also lodged against Ahmad.

Najib said the statement was wholly Ahmad’s.

He stressed that Umno and the Government did not subscribe to such a stand.

“We have never considered the Chinese, Indians and other races in Malaysia as lodgers (penumpang). They (the non-Malays) are citizens with full rights and we will continue to protect their rights and dignity.

“We hope the non-Malays will not be too disturbed by the statement,” he said.

Asked if Umno would take action against Ahmad, Najib said the matter would be discussed at the Umno supreme council meeting.

Attempts to contact Ahmad over the past few days have been unsuccessful.

On car manufacturer Chery Automobile, Najib said it had teamed up with local partner Chery Alado Holdings Sdn Bhd to set up a completely knocked down vehicle assembly plant in Pekan, Pahang.

“If everything goes to plan, the plant will assemble 100,000 Chery cars in the next three years,” he said.

The plant is targeted to start operations by the end of next year.

Najib said Chery would also market its hybrid model here by next year.

I am not convinced of the sincerity here. Firstly, I want the person who uttered those words to apologize. How do I know he is truly sorry if I don’t hear it from his mouth? When somebody wrongs you, do you want his boss to apologize? No, you want him to do so. Secondly, He should be charged for sedition, regardless the apology. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. We are not talking about a everyday Mat here, we are talking about an official who speaks on behalf of the Party. He is not some small fry! He must step down and he must face the legal consequences! And thirdly, I want it to be publized in ALL newspapers including the Malay Dailies. It must be made known to all MALAYSIANS of all LANGUAGES and RACES that we are ALL Citizens. A half hearted apology is no apology at all.