Wee Meng Chee, popularly known as Namewee will be investigated under the Sedition Act.
“Three police cars finally came to my Muar home to arrest me. This happened 15 minutes before our 53rd National Day Celebration, Yes, I’m still here but for how long more, I don’t know … my beloved Malaysia, where is our justice system?!”, reads a posting in his Facebook page.
The 27 year old rapper was not at home when police arrived at his house. However, he will be investigated for sedition due to a video he uploaded onto Youtube for allegedly stoking racial tension. If convicted, Wee faces up to three years of imprisonment.
The video entitled ‘Nah’, which is a slang word for ‘no’, used strong obscene language to refer to an incident where a Johor headmistress, Siti Inshah Mansor asked Chinese students to return to China; and made references to the Hindu’s prayer strings as dog leashes during school assembly, which irked the non-Muslims.
In Namawee’s official blog, there was an entry which explained the expletives he used.
“I have used obscene language blatantly as a form of communication in some of my videos but that does not mean I am not educated or that I have committed a serious crime. Vulgar content was chosen only with the objective of bringing forward my point of view (and the view of many people) with more impact”, he said.
In 2007, Namawee made headlines with another of his video posting ‘Negarakuku’ which was regarded as a mockery to the national anthem. In the video, Wee touched on issues like corruption. He made a public apology and the matter was laid to rest.
Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Mansor Othman, ketika memberi ucapan di Majlis Berbuka Puasa di Seberang Jaya, bercakap bahawa tuduhan yang Ketua Menteri Lim Guan Eng telah menggatikan di-Peruan Agong di masjid-masjid pada hari Jumaat adalah satu fitnah yang palsu. Juga berucap ialah President parti Keadilan Wan Azizah Ibrahim. Video by Carolyn Khor, Citizen Journalist
Palestine Prime Minister, Dr. Ismail Haniyeh praised the Selangor State Government and MAPPIM for braving the obstacles in their joint effort to raise funds to aid their war-torn country.
A delegation of 44 people from Malaysia went on a two-week humanitarian mission dubbed ‘Ramadhan March for Freedom’ to Gaza, Palestine from August 6 till August 18 led by the representative of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Central Committee, Ustaz Badrulamin. Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (MAPPIM) co-organized the event.
“People should all work towards world peace and reject inhumane acts that violate the human rights”, said Dr. Ismail Haniyeh.
He also conveyed his gratitude towards those who donated generously without prejudice to race, religion and nationality.
According to another report at www.islamidavet.com, a separate delegation from Malaysia, sponsored by Putera 1Malaysia Club in collaboration with the Malaysian Red Cross Society also arrived in Gaza on August 12. Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, chairman of Putera UMNO Malaysia, headed the delegation.
Branches of a tree collapsed after a heavy downpour in the wee hours of the morning at Paya Terubong, Penang. According to the Paya Terubong Fire and Rescue Department, four cars were involved in the incident. The response time was only three minutes after a call was received at 2:13am. Residents of Bukit Awana Condominium were rudely awakened by the buzzing of the electric circular saw and paging of the car owners through the loudspeaker.
Leow's new Toyota
Jimmy Leow, a Citizen Journalist with Malaysiakini, was shocked to find his new Toyota pinned under a huge branch. A resident on the 4th floor had heard the loud crash of the tree branch and had come downstairs to investigate the source when he realized that Leow’s car had been crushed. While the residents gather round the area, they realized that another branch was going to fall on other cars. However, their efforts to try to awaken other residents were futile and they watched helplessly while another huge branch fall atop three other cars on the other side.
Shrugging it off coolly, Leow said, “What to do? What has happened has happened. Luckily nobody was hurt.”
Another resident, who declined to be interviewed said, “Luckily, our new van was not crushed, although we are sad that another of our car was hit.”
The Paya Terubong Fire and Rescue Department sent out one fire engine together with a team of ten men. The whole operation was over by 3:30am.
Mohd. Ali Rustam, Chief Minister of Melaka and chairman of the State Islamic Council legalized child marriages due to the rising number of teenage pregnancies and baby dumping. He defended the move as being practical claiming that child marriages will reduce babies born out of wedlock, premarital sex and may even reduce instances of adultery. He also cited cases where under-aged girls were disowned by their families due to shame and had to turn to prostitution as a mean to support themselves.
Currently, the minimum age for Muslim females to wed is 16 years old. Minors must seek parental consent together with the approval of the Syariah Court who will oversee the fitness of such marriages. Much has been said about the disapproval of child marriages. Reasons range from the deprivation of a child’s rights to education, choice of a partner to emotional and physical readiness to fulfill the role of a wife and mother.
Nevertheless, the problem of unwed mothers remains an unsolved problem, both in the west and here. In the US, abstinence-only education, a programme established in 1996, is aimed at minors especially from age 12 to 13 to abstain from sex before marriage. It is a solemn promise by minors, characterized by signing a contract to seal their agreement. This move has so far been the most successful as compared to campaigns for safe sex and sex education in schools. The results are gauged from a two-year mark after the implementation of the programme. Studies show that safe-sex campaigns that promote the use of birth control methods like condoms rarely go beyond the two-year period.
Sexual activity from a young age increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy and also multiple partners. Marriage is not a form of assurance and is just as unpredictable as divorce; more so in the Malaysian Islamic context as a divorce may be appropriated merely by the utterance of talaq three times over by the men-folk.
Adolescents engage in sexual activities for a variety of reasons. Although largely due to peer pressure, sexual curiosity stems from hormonal changes present during puberty. However, it would be quite ridiculous to say that minors have intentions to get married and have children when they are not yet mature enough to know the responsibilities and consequences that come along with domestic duties.
Child marriages are mostly associated with the poor and illiterate. Being in a marriage as a child might also prevent the child from getting help in case of abuse or domestic violence. A marriage dictates a whole new set of rules and circumstances which may cause the child to be helpless to seek help from outside. Once in a marriage, quarrels and fights will mostly be deemed an internal affair, and most people would seem reluctant to interfere. Furthermore, there must be considerations for the couple’s offspring that makes leaving a bad marriage seem impossible, more so if the young bride is dependent on her husband financially.
Even if the state provide young pregnant mothers with special schooling to help them cope with their new role, its suitability still remains to be seen. Even young adults in colleges or universities drop out of schooling just to cope with pregnancy; what more about minors?
It is very interesting to note that Mohd. Ali truly believes that he is fighting for the rights of these minors to get married and have children legally, yet still within religious context. However, more surveys and studies need to be done and its implications studied thoroughly before these genuinely good intentions become wasted on pedophiles.
1st – 7th August is World Breastfeeding Week.
Bringing a life into this world is described by most as one of the most joyous moments in life. There is little in comparison to this wondrous feeling of overwhelming love towards a newborn; and especially so for first time mothers as her labour of love is finally rewarded by her bundle of joy. Joy and immense bond that is tantamount to being monumental to say the least.
I remember being a first-time mother. Holding my daughter in my arms the first time brought tears into my eyes. Seeing her small fragile frame being so helpless and delicate made me want to protect her with all my life. My first thought was `Welcome to this world, baby. I will take very good care of you.’ With that, I smiled, beaming with a newfound pride that a child is born, and all pain just melted away…
Needless to say, nature has provided all living beings to cope with the continuity of life. Mammals are equipped with mammary glands to suckle their young and there is just no reason for us to not utilize this as a way to nurture the growing infant. Colostrum, also known as the first milk, is produced during late pregnancy and is vital to a newborn. It has all the correct combination of nutrients for the child’s well-being as well as antibodies which provides for the child’s first immunity towards pathogens.
The introduction of formula milk, although provides relieve and ease, can never be the substitute for mother’s milk. Simply put, other animals’ milk is to provide for their young, not ours. Therefore, the content of the milk is specifically for their offspring rather than ours. Imagine feeding your baby cow’s milk, something which is meant for calves!
World Breastfeeding Week is an awareness campaign to promote breastfeeding. In conjunction with this cause, there will be a one-minute simultaneous breastfeeding event held in Disted College, Penang at 3 o’clock, 7th August 2010. It is recommended to breastfeed a child exclusively for the first six months. Breastfeeding may continue up to 2 years and beyond. For more information on breastfeeding, please visit www.waba.org.my.
CM Lim and delegates at UEM casting site, Batu Kawan
The 2nd Penang Bridge in Penang connecting Batu Maung in the south-eastern part of the Penang Island to Batu Kawan on the mainland will supersede the existing bridge in being the longest in the country and South-East Asia when completed. Its total length of 23.5km will take approximately 20 minutes to travel across at 80km per hour. In the latest update, the bridge is scheduled for completion in September 2013, after numerous delays.
Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong raised questions at the Dewan Rakyat pertaining to the cost of the second bridge which now stands at RM4.5 billion. It was formerly RM4.3 billion in 2008 when the price of oil was at its peak. He further asked for clarifications for an amount of RM20 million which was being allocated for ceremonial duties and RM63.51 million which was for overhead and support expenses. The Prime Minister, Najib Razak in his reply stated that the cost of the bridge had not risen but did not elaborate on the RM83.51 million. He also confirmed that the said cost includes the construction of the casting yard by CHEC Construction (M) Sdn. Bhd. and UEM Builders Bhd.
In a press conference held at the CHEC office in Batu Maung, CM Lim Guan Eng revealed that the 2nd Penang Bridge was now 25% completed. The substructure of the bridge, at RM2.2billion is managed by CHEC Construction, a China-based company, while its superstructure, at RM1.5 billion by UEM Builders. Three other companies were awarded to build the highways. Cergas Murni Sdn. Bhd. for the Batu Maung area at RM67 million; IJM Corp Bhd for the Batu Kawan area at RM350 million; and HRA Teguh Sdn. Bhd. for the roads joining the North-South Highway at RM152 million.
An impact study on the bridge showed that it could withstand collision of up to 1 Mega Newton; and has a seismic loading of up to 8.0 on the Richter scale. The 2nd Penang Bridge has a lifespan of 120 years.
Commenting on the toll increase in 2013, CM Lim said that Penang will oppose the hike and that there will be an anti-RM9.40 Penang Bridge Toll Rate meeting. This would be a 34% increase from the current RM7.00. Drawing parallels to Najib’s Persian cat which he recently purchased to which he asked for suggestions for names, Lim was peeved that the PM did not consult the 1.5million residents in Penang Island for the hike in toll rates.
Citizen journalism is fast emerging as the latest trend in reporting. With the aid of technology and handy gadgets, information gets circulated in a matter of seconds. Social-networking sites on the internet like Facebook and Twitter are two of the more popular and powerful platforms to disseminate and share news that are of interest. The birth of citizen journalism has given the public a chance to participate in what has always been exclusive to the media industry. Whereas traditional media or the main stream media have corporations and editors to check and counter-balance what is written and be published, citizen journalists have no such barriers, and are much more liable to be sued by those they write about.
Although we citizen journalists may have first-hand news or snapshots as we happen to be at the correct place at the correct time, there is little we know about responsible reporting, as most of us have not gone through formal journalism training. Citizen journalists rely very much on our own interpretations, moral viewpoints, judgments and code of ethics when writing a commentary. Comprising mainly of seasoned bloggers who are dissatisfied with the reporting methods of the main stream media, citizen journalists do at times get carried away, and project much of our personal emotions into the writings or videos that are produced. That being said, citizen journalists should be aware that the Code of Ethical Journalism does apply to everyone who writes, and that they are not only for professional journalists.
First and foremost, in an effort to further promote citizen journalism as a trustworthy source of news, the authenticity and factual element of the reporting must be clear and not bent toward sensationalism or exaggerism. There have been complains that certain videos by citizen journalists are being edited to delete the allegedly undesirable parts that may have been of interest to the viewers. However, viewers should understand that this is the prerogative and call of the editor. If such a viewer still insists that he deserves airtime, he should consider hopping on to the world of blogging and citizen journalism.
Perhaps the primary concern for citizen journalists still lies with the privacy and legal aspects of which we are exposed to constantly. There is a pressing need to address the possibility of being hauled up just because we dared to write or publish a video on certain issues. Although the facts might all be there, there always exists a very thin line between defamation and stating something for the way it is. As we all know, the pen is mightier than the sword (although now the video is even mightier), and that there is much power in the media. And, with power comes great responsibility. I hope we are all working towards the same goal of forging unity, integration, peace, love and harmony for the country.
Georgetown, Penang was again brought to life during the Penang International Indian Shopping Festival held at Penang Times Square from 5th June to 13th June 2010. This nine-day shopping festival was an amazing feat as everything was well-organized and orderly. This festival will continue to be an annual attraction in the years to come. It is the most recent event that is touted to attract close to a 30K crowd to the Penang Times Square all in a day. Directors of Agenda Suria, Jaggarao and Ganaa have been organizing such events in Kuala Lumpur since 2002, but this is only the second time it is held in Penang, and packed with even much more gung-ho as compared to last year.
“Besides Thaipusam, there is nothing else that is held on a grand scale to promote the Indian culture to the rest of the community. This is what we hope to achieve. Besides that, we also hope to provide an avenue for the young talents to show-off their skills on stage,” said Jaggarao.
As one approaches the air-conditioned tented canopy, he is greeted by the upbeat Indian music blaring from the various loudspeakers on all sides. Adding to the carnival-like atmosphere were stage performances from various local performers who enthusiastically entertained the cheering crowd outside the exhibition area. A very young and talented group called the Villianz took the opportunity to promote their newly launched album. The exhibition area consists of two halls, occupying a total area of about 20k square feet, and accommodating slightly more than a hundred exhibitors. 40% of these exhibitors came from various parts of India while the rest of them were from all around the country.
Many products that were on display were consumer-ready products like foodstuff, clothes, bags and accessories, textiles, bedding items like bed linens and blankets, household items like rugs, decorative items and religious figurines. There was also a stall for applying decorative henna onto the skin and a palm and tarot card reader. There was a lingering sense of excitement all around as people leisurely browsed through the items and haggled prices with the store-keepers.
While most people were initially skeptical of the success of such a grand-scale event, the organizers had proven them otherwise. Kudos to them!
June 15th,2010
Culture |
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