Victim Of Defending Allah

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"Cakap tak serupa bikin" is a Malay saying meaning 'not doing as one says'

The sacking of Zulkifli Nordin was expected.It's a good political strategy by PKR to preserve the status quo and the 'marriage of convenience' and save the image of PKR before Nordin decides to dump the party.

The rise of Pakatan Rakyat in the 12th General Elections was due to the general perception that Malaysians have lost their basic freedoms to a tyrannical and corrupt regime.They have lost the right to act,speak or think as one wants without hindrance.The connivance of the powers that be, robbing the nation of its resources and infringement of human rights, were inferred in the people's mind.Malaysians, were in a state of hopelessness until the rise of Pakatan Rakyat where it is assumed people can speak,think and act freely.Differences of opinion would be respected and tolerated.In a bigger sphere of things it should encompass all the basic human rights at no cost.

Is it what it seemed?

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said there is nothing personal in the sacking of Zulkifli Nordin, it's just a move to uphold the principles of Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

What are the principles of PR? Aren't the above-mentioned freedoms the principles and promises made to the people.Weren't they the ones you askance and fought, tooth and nail, in the last general elections.

If your own lawmaker do not have the freedom to express his religious beliefs and stood by his principles what chance would the people have when you become the powers that be?

Anwar went on to explained that the severe punishment was not due to political expediency but to uphold justice, Pakatan's style.

Short of saying Pakatan does not tolerate dissenting voices, it's total obedience or hell be with you, he seemed contented with his explanation.

It seemed Anwar missed the point between political expediency and political openness.The sacking of Zul is certainly in pursuit of political expediency.The party have scored more credits by sacking him rather than if Zul were to resign, which would be seen as dumping the party, an action taken by the three previous MPs that left the party.

Should a man be punished for his religious beliefs?

Sure, in politics one is expected to toe the line but than Zulkifli's lamentation is not about politics, it's not about party principles, it's about his religion which he felt strongly about.

Has Pakatan declared agnosticism as one of its principles? Since PAS associates itself with Islam it would be interesting to hear what PAS has to say about its stand on the parameters of Islam in the coalition.

Although I do not support the government's stand on the Allah issue, I do believe everyone should have the freedom to express his/her views on the matter and Zulkifli has every right to defend himself for his religious beliefs.

It's obvious that Anwar is under pressure from DAP and PAS to get rid of Zul before he gets rid of them.It is also obvious that Anwar and Pakatan have no stomach for differences of opinion.

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mental functions and behaviours and it is not hard to read what the future beholds with such leaders.Malaysia may be heading for worst time, a totalitarian regime

Penang and Selangor have shown their inclinations by their high-handedness.

Penang's Lim's absolute power to rescind any government contracts without giving any reason whatsoever and Khalid's retaliation of repossessing YBK's land in spite of the fact that a third party has sent him payment for the outstanding amount owing by YBK can be deemed as totalitarian tendencies.

Putting self-interest aside, no government would resort to such drastic measure if payments have been made, where delay or deferment, was with the indulgence of the state government,irrespective past or present, such indulgence is an agreement.

Zulkifli Nordin may be good riddance for now but it will have far-reaching consequence in the Malay hinterland.

How Do 'Rogue Waves' Work?

Workers clean up broken windows on the cruise ship Louis Majesty, anchored at the port in Barcelona

Manu Fernandez / AP

It was like something out of a Hollywood disaster movie. On March 3, a sudden wall of water hit a cruise ship sailing in the Mediterranean Sea off the northeastern coast of Spain, killing two people, injuring 14 and causing severe damage to the vessel.

According to Louis Cruise Lines, the owner of the vessel, the Louis Majesty was hit by three "abnormally high" waves, each more than 33 ft. (10 m) high, striking in clear weather and without warning. "We heard a loud noise, and it was the wave that hit us," Claudine Armand, a passenger from France, told the Associated Press Television News. "When we came out of [our room], we saw the wave had flooded everything." (See the top 10 scientific discoveries of 2009.)

The Louis Majesty wasn't hit by a sudden storm or any of the other expected dangers of maritime travel. Rather, it may have been the victim of rogue waves. For centuries mariners have told stories about sudden waves that would emerge out of the open ocean without warning, strong enough to topple even large ships. The S.S. Waratah, which vanished on a journey to Cape Town; the M.S. München, lost en route to Savannah, Ga.; even the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, "the good ship and true" of the Gordon Lightfoot song, which disappeared on Lake Superior — all were rumored to have been sunk by rogue waves.

Until recently, however, marine scientists dismissed the idea of rogue waves as little more than a sailors' fantasy, with reason — there was little evidence to back it up. But in 1995, an oil rig in the North Sea recorded an 84-ft.-high (25.6 m) wave that appeared out of nowhere, and in 2000, a British oceanographic vessel recorded a 95-ft.-high (29 m) wave off the coast of Scotland. In 2004, scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA), as part of the MaxWave project, used satellite data to show that freak waves higher than 10 stories were rare but did occur on the oceans. (Comment on this story.)

Scientists still don't know exactly how rogue waves occur, nor do they know how to predict them. Open ocean waves, possibly including rogue waves, form when wind produces distortion over the surface of the sea — the stronger the wind, the higher the wave, which is why hurricanes can create such destructive walls of water. Tsunamis, on the other hand, like the one produced by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake in coastal Chile on Feb. 27, don't create rogue waves; tsunamis barely make a ripple on the open ocean and gather in size only when they reach shallow land near a coastline. (See TIME's special report on the environment.)

Rogue waves generally occur out in the open ocean. They may be the result of a number of factors coming together — strong winds and fast currents coinciding, for instance — or of a focusing effect, in which several smaller waves join together to form one big wave. There may even be a nonlinear effect at work, in which just a small change in wind speed multiplies to form a big wave. And certain areas of the ocean, like the strong waters off Africa's coast, may be more vulnerable to rogue waves than others. Read more..

Al-Islam Stood Tall

Hantu Laut

Muslims should laud and be proud of Al-Islam for its humility to apologise to the Catholic Church and Christians who may have been offended by its foolish caper at a Catholic church.The reporters concerned have also apologised for hurting the feelings of Christians in the country.Case closed.

Of course, there will always be shit-stirrer who gets the kicks out of issue like this to stir religious fervour.Those who get the high when there is trouble in the country.

My hat off to Al-Islam.Congratulations.

The Pesky Monkey Warrior

Across the South China Sea from the Malayan peninsula lay a legendary place known as "Land Below The Wind" at the northern tip of Borneo well known for its sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters. A place of tranquility and ethnics melting pot of disparate harmony.

From ocean deep to mountain high one can encapsulates its multifarious natural existence, the beauty of its people and the state of its calmness.

A week ago a pesky character came to town with a glorious ambition of conquering the state and its people with his ethnocentric and intrusive political rhetoric, shit stirring racial sentiments among the KDM (Kadazan Dusun Murut) people to go against the government.

The pesky character who claimed to champion equal rights for all races in the country is also the biggest closet racist.The KDM people are not buying his story or falling into his trap. Story below.

IDS boss dismisses Kit Siang's claim as nonsense

Kota Kinabalu: The statement by DAP Adviser Lim Kit Siang insinuating that the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) community in Sabah are the biggest losers under the Barisan Nasional (BN) is baseless, said a KDM leader, Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun.

"Lim's statement on KDMs being the biggest losers under the BN is undeniably nonsense, baseless and malicious," said Malakun who is also a Deputy President of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA).

Malakun said it was rather amusing for someone who had only stayed for a short duration in Sabah to claim knowledge of the local scenario, thus qualifying himself to comment on local issues which were far from the truth.

In fact, he said the BN government in Sabah, under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, had been performing excellently, not only on matters concerning physical development but also on matters related to social development, particularly maintaining racial harmony among the various ethnic races here.

"Indeed the level of tolerance among the various races residing in Sabah has been acknowledged at large, as unique, if not the best," he said.

Lim made the comments during a dinner function with DAP KDM leaders and members here last week. He cited the 16-year rotation system of the CM post during the Mahathir era implemented following the BN takeover of the State Government, saying that the KDM community only had the chance to occupy the post for nine months (Tan Sri Bernard Dompok) while Umno (11 years - Datuk Salleh Said and Datuk Seri Osu Sukam) and Chinese (four years - Datuk Yong Teck Lee and Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat).

However, it was revealed at a farewell dinner to former Permanent Secretary to the Finance Ministry, Datuk Yusof Kassim, that the rotation period was one of excesses which drained the State Treasury and that financial and political stability was only restored when the system was scrapped in 2003. Musa has been the Chief Minister since then.

Malakun, the Chairman of the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah said a high level of tolerance was brought about by the fact that everyone knew discrimination based on racial background was not an issue in Sabah.

"As a matter of fact, the Chief Minister himself is half KDM.

His mother is a Dusun from the Gunsanad family originating from the Sundang and Sodomon family tree.

"As such, this provides more reasons for the Chief Minister to be extra concerned with the well-being of the KDM," he added.

Malakun also said a large number of Kadazandusuns in Sabah were holding important positions in the government sector.

"In fact, two KDMs are holding very important ministerial posts in the Federal Government. KDMs are also well represented in the State Cabinet.

"Out of the 10 ministries under the State Government, four Permanent Secretary posts are held by the KDM community. In terms of scholarship, ever since Usno, the KDMs have been among the major recipients of state scholarships," he said.

Malakun said both the State and Federal governments were continuously taking steps to improve the livelihood of the people in Sabah "no matter who they are".

"The Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), is one good example of the Government's seriousness in trying to eradicate poverty in Sabah.

"Various programmes are being outlined under the SDC by the Government to uplift the living standards of the poor and to bring them out from the poverty cycle."

A good example of poverty eradication programmes under the SDC, he said was the agropolitan project that focused on areas in Tongod, Pitas, Nabawan, Keningau, Kemabong and Beluran.

"These are areas with a KDM majority. Looking at these facts, does Lim really have an issue to raise on the KDM in Sabah?," he asked.

Malakun said it was clear that Lim's statement was made to divert attention from major political woes currently faced by the opposition.

"Indeed there is no doubt that Lim made an ignorant statement without proof and justification," he said.

Daily Express