<iframe width=”425″ height=”349″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/1–w1ONqxac?hl=en&fs=1″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thirteen people arrested during a mass protest against Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir in 2009 will enter their defence against a charge of being present at an illegal assembly.

The people in the group, however, were let off the hook from another charge of disobeying the police, said their lead counsel Augustine Anthony.

He said the Kuala Kangsar Sessions Court found that the prosecution was unable to prove a prima facie case on the second charge, framed under Section 27(4) of the Police Act 1967.

Augustine, who leads a team of five other lawyers in representing the group, said the acquittal was good news as it absolves the 13 of the heavier of the two charges slapped against them.

Had the court decided to proceed with the charge under the Police Act, the group would have faced the possibility of getting a RM2,000 fine and a one-year jail term with no option to be bound over, he said.

Augustine said this leaves the 13 to face a lesser charge over their “presence in an illegal assembly”, framed under Section 145 of the Penal Code which carries a penalty of up to two years’ jail, but with the option of being bound over at the discretion of the judge.

“There is the expectation that people would plead guilty (to this charge) because it is a minor offence, but the 13 have decided to fight it,” he said when contacted after the court ruled on their two charges earlier today.

The Kuala Kangsar Sessions Court has set the group’s defence to be heard over four days from May 30-31 and June 1-2.

DAP national vice-chairperson and Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran said Pakatan Rakyat is giving its full support to the 13, stressing that the coalition will provide them with legal representation until the end of their court battle.

The 13 were arrested by police after a full afternoon of protests in Kuala Kangsar against the decision to swear-in Zambry as Perak Menteri Besar in February 2009, not long after the controversial ouster of Nizar Jamaluddin from the post.

The protests were among the more aggressive seen in recent years, with sporadic clashes between some 3,000 Pakatan supporters and riot police as they attempted to march on the Istana Iskandariah in a bid to scuttle Zambry’s swearing-in.

Penghuni Rumah Pangsa Pandan Perdana menghadapi kesulitan di kediamannya disebabkan oleh masalah sampah-sarap tidak dourus dengan betul, jalan yang berlubang, lif yang rosak lebih daripada 13 tahun belum dibaiki, proses penyelenggaraan disalah gunakan dan sebagainya. Pihak-pihak yang terlibat tidak mahu mengambil berat demi kebajikkan penghuni-penghuni Rumah Pangsa Pandan Perdana.

Cura Si Manja Kini

Royal Collar

Bezoar of Dew

Kris Taming Sari

I recently stumbled upon the fact that there is in the possession of the Sultan of Perak and the Perak Royal Family some astounding relics of antiquity that in all probability have an extremely significant bearing on the question of Malaysian identity and history.

One such astonishing artifact is the sword Cura Si Manja Kini or Chora Samanda Kian mentioned in John Leyden’s 1810 Malay Annals or Sejarah Melayu (published in 1821 by Sir Stamford Raffles). The same sword is said to have been used during the installation of Parmeswara as ruler of Melaka in 1400.

But in fact, its origins go further back, possibly 200-400 years earlier than 1400.

The sword was part of the regalia of a Indian/Hindu prince linked to the Chola Kings (Raja Cholan) from South India, i.e. Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama (founder of Singapore) narrated in the Sejarah as having landed on Mt. Segantang Maha Meru in Palembang, Sumatra together with two other princes, Vichitram and Karna Pandita, and a probable Brahmin Priest, Bat’h, exact date unknown!

Now, Bat’h is a pretty unusual name for an Indian and perhaps it’s a truncated form of Vadhyar (Tamil for priest), Vadh, which became Bat’h, in the same way Vichitram is spelt in the Sejarah as Bichitram. This is consistent with the fact that the Malay language generally does not have old words that commence with the letter ‘V’ and ‘B’ was substituted.

The Sejarah relates that it is this self-same sword that was used by the borrower (from Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama) and champion warrior Peramas Cumambang to slay the serpent monster Saktimuna (Sakatimuna/Ichktimani) into 3 parts in Minangkabau, Sumatra. In the process the sword became etched with 190 notches which strange “clue” of Dan Brown and da Vinci Code proportions, no Indonesia or Malaysian historian or anyone else has ever deciphered!

The list of relics, other than Cura Si Manja Kini, dating anywhere from 600-1,000 years includes:

1. Royal Collar (15th century) said to have been presented by the Emperor of China
2. Dokong or Kerongsang Besar (Neck Pendent)
3. Cap Lalulintar (Royal Silver Seal) of Sultan Muhammad Shah (Melaka) and Kayu Gampit mentioned in Sejarah Melayu. (The Royal Lance, Limbuar appears to be missing)
4. Betel Boxes
5. Mestika Embun (Bezoar of Dew)
6. Kancing Halkah (Royal Collar Ornament)
7. Kris Taming Sari (originally said to belong to Hang Tuah).

For full details (available at the official website of the Perak State Government) Click here

So, how did all these relics from Palembang and Melaka end up in the custody of the Perak Royalty?

After the fall of Melaka on 24th April 1511 to Portugal  led by Alphonso de Alburquerque, Melaka’s last ruler, Sultan Mahmud Shah eventually made his way to Kampar in Sumatra where he died in 1528. One of the sultan’s two sons, Muzzafar Shah journeyed to Perak where he was installed the first Sultan  in 1528. It was Sultan Muzzafar Shah who brought with him the artifacts which had been handed down to his father, Sultan Mahmud.

The inscriptions on Cura Sa Manjani Kini in Sanskrit are said to come from the the words “Churiga Si Mandakini” which means “the blade from Lake Mandakini of the Ganges (River) in India!! Refer to Sembangkuala’s blog for more details. click here.

And what is the link between the Chiri of Perak, nobat players and Bat’h the Brahmin Priest cum charitra or cheritra teller in the Sejarah (pg. c4/23 – 25 John Leyden’s Sejarah Melayu)? Click here and refer to the document below extracted from the Sejarah and a translation of it from page 175 of ‘A History of Perak’ by R.O.Winstedt and R.J.Wilkinson published by The Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS): :

In short, Bat’h had recited the lineage of the 3 Indian/Hindu princes who landed in the mountains of Palembang to Demang Lebar Daun, the aboriginal chief and his people in Sanskrit !! Astonishing, is it not?

The Sejarah clearly states Parameswara was buried in Tanjung Tuan (Cape Rachado) near Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan (in Malaysia). It is Demang Lebar Daun and Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama who are reputed to have actually been buried in Fort Canning, Singapore!!

There is therefore some serious error with the claim that Parameswara was buried in Fort Canning (Bukit Larangan) in Singapore. Click here for Keramat Iskandar, Singapore details. It absolutely makes no sense that Parameswara would be buried in Singapore when he originally fled from there in fear of his life, before founding Melaka!!).

The time has come for the Singapore Government to initiate investigations to identify through modern scientific procedures such as carbon dating, DNA testing etc., exactly who is buried in Keramat Iskandar and Fort Canning.

Some of these artifacts and regalia must be at least a thousand years old and there is not a shadow of a doubt about their links to Parameswara and the Melaka Sultanate of the 15th and early 16th century, Indonesia and INDIA!

So, why haven’t our Government and Department of Antiquities engaged an archaeologist and expert in Sanskrit and Indian languages/dialects and South East Asian history (and there must literally be hundred of them in India) as well as China counterparts to piece together what must surely be THE story of the century?

In particular, the Sanskrit inscriptions on Parameswara’s sword need to be investigated in depth!

So, why the leaden footedness? Too busy “interloked” in controversies?

Segala penerokaan dihentikan serta-merta dengan arahan Menteri Besar Kelantan kepada Dr Haji Nazmi selaku CEO Perbadanan Ladang rakyat sehingga 10-042011 untuk membela nasib Orang Asal daripada Projek Ladang Rakyat. Kata persetujuan ini adalah hasil daripada rombongan 3 peguam dari Majlis Peguam, Wartawan Masyarakat bersama Orang Asal Kelantan ke Pejabat Menteri Besar Kelantan. Pada 10hb April 2011 perbincangan selanjutnya akan mengambil tempat dengan Exco-exco kerajaan bersama pegawai Perbadanan Ladang Rakyat lebihkurang pukul 10.00 pagi sehingga tengahari. Berharap melalui perbincangan ini segala masalah Orang Asal dapat diselesaikan dengan sempurnanya.
CEO Perbadanan Ladang Rakyat memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya dengan mengambil kira kebajikan Orang Asal di Kelantan.

Six more Human Rights Party (HRP) members were charged in the Ipoh magistrate’s court today with participating in an illegal organisation.

The six are Perak HRP chief P Ramesh, vice-president S Nagroon, Taiping coordinator K Sivakumar, and three other members, R Mohan, S Jayakumar and V Lingam.

They are alleged to have committed the offence under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1996 while partipating in an HRP-organised convoy at Jalan Besar Jelapang, Ipoh on Feb 13.

The six accused were represented by lawyer Augustine Anthony and Amani Williams-Hunt Abdullah, former president of Persatuan Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (POASM).

Yesterday, five HRP leaders and members were also charged with the same offence at the Selayang magistrate’s court, but they refused to post bail set at RM2,500.

The five are HRP vice-president K Tamil Selvam, information chief S Jayathas, K Navakrishna, T Periasamy and S Loshna Rau.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Anthony said that all the six charged in Ipoh pleaded not guilty and were released on RM2,000 bail each.

April 4 has been set for mention of the case, said Anthony.

“For now, I will wait for the DPP to supply all the relevant information and pictures pertaining to the event,” he said.

NONEMeanwhile, HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar (right) said that he was disappointed with the arrests and charges against HRP members.

He claimed that at 6.30am this morning, several police officers were waiting outside Lingam’s house in Ipoh. “This is a form of intimidation and harassment by them (the police),” he claimed.

Uthayakumar also mentioned that lawyers’ fees and bail charges are being paid from Hindraf’s funds.

“We received contributions of over RM200,000 from members of the public who supported the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) back in 2007, that is held in our accountant’s bank account. So we will be using those funds to clear up these bills,” he added.

Another 28 expected to be charged

Uthayakumar mentioned that another 24 adults and four minors are also expected to be charged at the Seremban magistrate’s court tomorrow morning over similar charges.

“I was informed today that those who participated during the convoy in Seremban will also face the same music… even the minors who are aged between 10 and 17. We will see what happens tomorrow,” he added.

In Penang, HRP information chief K Maran said he was informed that he and another two members, N Kanasundran and S Shankar, were required to be present at the Barat Daya district police headquarters, Ayer Hitam, tomorrow evening for questioning.

NONE“I do not know why we are required to be at the balai tomorrow, but I suspect it has something to do with the forum (on the controversial ‘Interlok’ novel) that was held at Farlim Public Hall on Feb 20,” Maran said when contacted by Malaysiakini.

On Feb 13, 59 HRP members and supporters in Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur were arrested as police came down hard on their nationwide convoys to protest against the novel ‘Interlok’, which is used in secondary schools.

A controversy arose following the ministry’s decision to use the novel, written by national laureate Abdullah Hussein, as a literature textbook, with several parties claiming that it contains words deemed sensitive to the Indian community.

Indian NGOs decry the book’s description of Indians in Malaysia as being from the lower caste, among other racial stereotypes.