Anwar Ibrahim |
- 9/11: Who Hijacked Islam?
- Kerakyatan: Mahu lucut Mat Sabu Tapi Beri Pada Pendatang
- 6% Service Tax: PM Needs To be Strongly Rebuked For Unprincipled Conduct
| Posted: 11 Sep 2011 04:58 AM PDT nota Admin: From Time Magazine Never in Islam’s history have the actions of so few of its followers caused the religion and its community of believers to be such an abomination in the eyes of others. Millions of Muslims who fled to North America and Europe to escape poverty and persecution at home have become the objects of hatred and are now profiled as potential terrorists. The nascent democratic movements in Muslim countries will regress for a few decades as ruling autocrats use their participation in the global war against terrorism to terrorize their critics and dissenters. This is what Mohamed Atta and his fellow terrorists and sponsors have done to Islam and its community worldwide by their murder of innocents at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attacks must be condemned, and the condemnation must be without reservation. The foremost religious authorities are outraged and have issued statements denouncing the monstrous murders. All efforts to punish the perpetrators must be supported. One is therefore perturbed by the confusion among Muslims who responded to the attack with a misplaced diatribe against the U.S. In Malaysia, the government-controlled media have been deployed to stir up anti-American sentiments, while members of the political Elite use a different language for international diplomacy. Certainly there are legitimate grievances against the U.S. and good reason for despondency over the fate of the Palestinians, who now face an even more arrogant Israel. But this is not the time for sermonizing or moralizing over U.S. foreign policy. Had we Malaysians been the victims of such a tragedy, we would find such hectoring tasteless and repulsive. One wonders how, in the 21st century, the Muslim world could have produced an Osama bin Laden. In the centuries when Islam forged civilizations, men of wealth created pious foundations supporting universities and hospitals, and princes competed with one another to patronize scientists, philosophers and men of letters. The greatest of scientists and philosophers of the medieval age, ibn Sina, was a product of that system. But bin Laden uses his personal fortune to sponsor terror and murder, not learning or creativity, and to wreak destruction rather than promote creation. Bin Laden and his proteges are the children of desperation; they come from countries where political struggle through peaceful means is futile. In many Muslim countries, political dissent is simply illegal. Yet, year by year, the size of the educated class and the number of young professionals continue to increase. These people need space to express their political and social concerns. But state control is total, leaving no room for civil society to grow. The need for Muslim societies to address their internal social and political development has become more urgent than ever. Economic development alone is clearly insufficient: it creates its own tensions in the social and political spheres, which must be addressed. A proper orientation must be developed for Muslim engagement with the world at large. Participation in the global processes must not be the monopoly of the government. It is the sense of alienation and the perception that the world is against them that nurture bitterness among those who resort to terrorism. Confusion and anger against the global order and its only superpower have been brought about by the failure of the Muslim world to address two crucial issues: Afghanistan’s descent into chaos and anarchy as a result of the Soviet invasion and the subsequent rise of the Taliban, and the suffering inflicted on the Muslim masses in Iraq by its dictator as well as by sanctions imposed on that long-suffering nation. For ethical reasons, Muslims will support the global initiative against terrorism. But there is a growing perception that autocrats of all types will seize the opportunity to prop up their regimes and deal a severe blow to democratic movements. Russian President Vladimir Putin will use it to defend atrocities in Chechnya, Israel to defend its intransigence and Malaysia its detentions without trial. For more than 100 years, the Muslim world has had to grapple with the problem of modernity. Of greatest urgency is the effort to inculcate an intellectual and political orientation that promotes democracy and openness. Intellectuals and politicians must have the courage to condemn fanaticism in all its forms. But they must, in the same breath, equally condemn the tyrants and oppressive regimes that dash every hope of peaceful change. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Kerakyatan: Mahu lucut Mat Sabu Tapi Beri Pada Pendatang Posted: 11 Sep 2011 03:32 AM PDT “Menghalau penjajah lebih mudah berbanding membuang pemikiran penjajah” – itulah ungkapan untuk menggambarkan negara kita walaupun telah merdeka 54 tahun, namun pemikiran penjajah masih kukuh dan utuh dalam pemikiran sesetengah golongan sehingga ada yang masih berbangga dengan apa yang ditinggalkan penjajah. Apa yang menyayatkan hati ialah kebutaan golongan ini dalam membakulsampahkan golongan yang ikhlas berjuang menghalau penjajah kini sebagai komunis. Manakala golongan yang sanggup bersekongkol dengan penjajah dan taat menerima segala arahan penjajah sehingga membidas, mencedera dan malah ada yang sanggup membunuh orang sendiri yang melawan penjajah pula didewa-dewakan mereka sebagai hero. Seluruh fakta sejarah yang bersama Inggeris dikekalkan, bahkan nama-nama parti politik masih menggunakan bahasa penjajah (Umno, MIC, MCA – semua adalah singkatan bahasa Inggeris) masih bangga mendabik dada dan berulang-ulang menyebut "Kamilah pejuang bangsa, Kamilah pembela tanahair" sehingga bertukar menjadi "Kami sahajalah pejuang bangsa, Kami sahajalah pembela tanahair" sehingga mengabaikan dan menggugurkan jasa para pejuang lain yang tidak diiktiraf pihak Inggeris dalam sejarah. Dalam bab menjaga Islam lagi menyedihkan. Selepas 54 tahun negara merdeka, nama Islam bukan sahaja tidak bertambah harum, malah kian dilihat sebagai agama yang menghalalkan rasuah dalam pentadbiran, penyalahgunaan kuasa demi kekal berkuasa, rakyat didahulukan untuk disembelihkan apabila ekonomi negara disalahtadbir dan perundangan Islam hanya berlegar soal peribadi dan kekeluargaan.Bukan itu sahaja, malah majoriti institusi-institusi agama turut dikongkong untuk mengembangkan ajaran Islam dengan pelbagai enakmen yang direka bukan sahaja menyusahkan dan pada masa yang sama menyebabkan agama Islam ditertawakan. Banggakah kita sesudah 54 tahun merdeka, isu-isu utama seperti soal perpaduan kaum, soal agama dan dasar pendidikan nasional dan soal memartabatkan bahasa kebangsaan masih teraba-raba mencari jalan keluar? Setiap kali menjelang pilihanraya umum, isu agama dan kaum akan digunakan sebagai senjata sewenang-wenangnya oleh parti pemerintah untuk dijaja kepada kaum masing-masing bagi meraih undi.Inilah nasib bilamana negara dipimpin oleh mereka yang pemikiran masih dibelenggu oleh elemen penjajah. Akhir-akhir ini, gesaan untuk melucutkan kerakyatan dan memperbanyakkan laporan polis dan saranan seseorang agar ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) hanya kerana bercanggah pendapat dengan pihak pemerintah telah menjadi satu budaya baru dalam negara.Segalanya dibuat seolah-olahlah merekalah undang-undang, dan merekalah pendakwa dan merekalah jugalah hakim. Terbaru, timbul pula desakan menggugurkan kerakyatan Timbalan Presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu semata-mata kerana beliau mengangkat Mat Indera sebagai pejuang kemerdekaan. Tiada pula kedengaran, ada yang menyarankan mereka yang terlibat dalam konspirasi memberikan kerakyatan kepada warga asing dengan sewenang-wenangnya, yang terang-bederang khianat kepada negara selepas 54 tahun merdeka untuk dibuang kerakyatan. Sekiranya perlu Mat sabu digugurkan kerakyatan kerana menganggap Mat Indera sebagai seorang hero, bagaimana pula dengan penulis dan pakar sejarah yang menerbitkan buku Pengukir Nama Johor, yang dikatakan Menteri Besar Johor, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman sebagai "penulisan dan catatan tersebut menjadi bahan kajian di atas prinsip kebenaran akademik untuk memperkayakan khazanah maklumat dan rakaman peristiwa sejarah kemerdekaan untuk tatapan dan pengetahuan generasi sebagai iktibar, panduan dan peringatan" yang mengangkat Mat Indera juga sebagai hero. Kalau diikutkan kehendak Umno, rakyat langsung tak boleh bersuara menentang apa yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan – asalkan bercanggah dan menyebabkan kerajaan pemerintah tidak gembira, anda boleh disaran untuk dibuang kerakyatan. Sedangkan pada waktu yang sama, kerajaan pula beri warga asing kerakyatan walaupun mereka langsung tidak mempunyai apa-apa jasa kepada negara. Inilah contoh terbaik untuk mengungkapkan kata-kata P.Ramlee "fening, fening." Ustaz Dato’ Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man |
| 6% Service Tax: PM Needs To be Strongly Rebuked For Unprincipled Conduct Posted: 11 Sep 2011 03:22 AM PDT Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak's reaction to the latest uproar against the 6% service tax on telecommunication services is expected. It has become his trademark that every time his own policy ignites strong opposition from the public, he will wash his hands and blame others instead. It is unbecoming of a Prime Minister to plead ignorance that his government's decision to increase the service tax to 6% effective from 1 January 2011 has nothing to do with the telecommunication companies' decision to pass the tax burden to consumers. For a start, the public has to be clear that the 6% service tax is a government tax levied on all services specified by the government. The service tax contributes directly to the government coffers and not a single sen is retained by any companies, which only acts as a tax collector. It is estimated that the government collects up to RM750 million in service tax each year from the prepaid customers all these years. While I am of the opinion that it is obscene for the telecommunication companies to stop absorbing the service tax after the tax increase (considering the obscene profits enjoyed by these companies), it is also prudent for the public to fully understand the whole costing structure of the prepaid markets and the effects of the service tax increase on its costing. PM needs to be rebuked The Prime Minister's behaviour, however, deserves a strong rebuke and reprimand from the politicians and business leaders alike. A government cannot be selective in its taxation policies. It cannot pass a taxation act that clearly spells out how companies shall charge a service tax on 6% on services they provide in a form of a consumption tax; yet quietly expects the companies to absorb the tax. This behaviour will create havoc in the administration of our country at different levels and sectors. Philosophically, it dilutes the specific reasons, targets and means of using different taxation approaches to manage the economy effectively. When the Prime Minister who also happens to hold the Finance portfolio appears to be confused on the distinct features of an indirect tax (service tax) and a direct tax (tax on company profits), it is not a surprise that he struggles to build a market confidence in his policy. Cancel the service tax completely Administratively, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak's behaviour suggests that he expects different treatments for different companies and sectors although the taxation law is standard across. If he expects the 6% service tax to be absorbed by the telecommunication companies; he should expect that all other daily household services including Astro, KFC and restaurants to also absorb the 6% service tax. While he is at it (on his populist drive), he might as well cancel the 6% service tax altogether since his insistence that companies absorb the service tax renders the service tax useless. In the end, the public understands that it is his decision to increase the service tax to 6% in January that could have led to increases in cost. If he is really a responsible Prime Minister, he will announce in his next budget the exemption of daily household services including paid television broadcast services (Astro), telecommunications and restaurants from service tax. That is the behaviour expected of a principled Prime Minister, not one who always point fingers at others. - Mohd Rafizi Ramli is the Director of Strategies, Parti Keadilan Rakyat |
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