bobjots : redux

It looks like our inability to treat migrants with dignity and respect due to a fellow human being and our collective prejudice against nationals of our neighbours like Indonesia and Burma is coming back to haunt us.

This latest incident was triggered by an alleged assault on an official of the Indonesian Karate Federation last Friday (24 August 2007) by four officers of the Royal Malaysian Police. In that incident, an umpire for the 8th Asian Karate Championship attached to the Indonesian national team, Donald Luther Kalapita, was assaulted on his way back to his hotel in Nilai when four plainclothes policemen jumped out of a van and tried to arrest Kolopita. He claimed his assault continued (PDF'ed article here) even after he was handcuffed.

Our nation's Golden Jubilee marks the official launching of an initiative to bring together Christian thinkers to construct contextual theologies for the Malaysian context.

I have been informed that this ecumenical initiative has received expressed support from various leaders in the Christian community of the region, including the Rev. Dr. Hwa Yung (Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia); the Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Tan, SJ (Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Melaka-Johor), and the Rev. Dr. Simon Chan (Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology at the Trinity Theological College in Singapore).

Among the first document published is their manifesto; which I reproduce here:

Our Father… who always stands with the weak, the powerless, the poor, the abandoned, the sick, the aged, the very young, the unborn, and those who by victim of circumstance, bear the heat of the day.

Who art in heaven… where everything will be reversed, where the first will be last and the last will be first, but where all will be well and every manner of thing will be well.

A recent comment was left on my last blog entry about the birth of my daughter. I have thought about it and decided against deleting the comment as I think it serves as a good example to the character and motivations of who I suspect is the small same troll. In fact, I'm going to reproduce the comment here, purportedly posted by Robert Spencer of Jihadwatch, a site which I know about but don't usually visit :

Who's That Girl?

I prayed to Saint Leo I the Great and asking the great saint "Whose That girl?" and I then prayed to Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos asking "Whose That Girl?". Finally, I prayed to Jesus our Lord asking "Whose That Girl"?

All three answered saying "It is prophesied that demon-possessed girl will become a prostitute. She is no Christian as her father's baptism was invalid not to say her father is guilty of hypocrisy whenever he says 'I am Christian' for Bob K is a wolf in sheep clothing, an apostate who is rebelling against the Church of Christ our Lord"

With all the busy-ness associated with welcoming a newborn, I totally forgot that there was supposed to be a total lunar eclipse last night. Fortunately, my friends, Sam & Jerry, who are now in Shantou, China managed to catch these few wonderful shots of what Jerry called the blood red moon (血紅的月) :

Check out their blogs for more shots.

Time:
11:19 am

Date:
28 August 2007

Venue:
University of Malaya Medical Centre

And in this corner, weighing in at 3.02 3.25 kg, the latest bundle of joy for Mr & Mrs Bob K. We're still trying to achieve a consensus on the name and this is what we've gotten so far:

The story will continue to unfold :)

I have had the opportunity for some level of retrospection in my public call to Christians; particularly those who are Malaysians; to come out in support of the Tamil daily, Makkal Osai, in the wake of their suspension by the Ministry of Internal Security. The suspension came about after Makkal Osai published; in what they later said was totally accidental and have apologised for; a doctored icon of the Sacred Heart of Jesus where Jesus is seen holding on to a cigarrette and a can of beer.

I felt strongly about this as a Christian leader publicly called for the banning of the publication despite their apology and went to justify it on the basis of a precedent being set in the suspension and subsequent folding of another daily, The Sarawak Tribune, after they reproduced a set of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Muhammad offensively. This, I felt, was very inconsistent with the basis of Christian teachings which calls Christians; among other things; to :

Awang Selamat is the pseudonym of a popular pundit who has a small column on the Malay language daily, Utusan Malaysia. Of course, pundit is a very relative term here as one can arguably deduce that Awang Selamat doesn't generally comment on what people are actually thinking but rather drums the beat in which certain groups would want people to dance to.

Recently, the column has published a few pieces (see here and here) that would have subjected the publication to calls for suspension and banning (not that either options are acceptable) for stirring up ethnic and religious tensions and possibly constituting a threat to public safety if it were published in any other publication apart from Utusan Malaysia and maybe Berita Harian.

Again, Shane Claiborne has some good ideas to share :

Some additional resources on the Christian perspective on social justice can be found here but before you proceed ..

I read The Star's report today on Makkal Osai's suspension with some sense of relief. The relevant sections of the article are quoted below :

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism, however, expressed regret over the one-month suspension.

“It is an unfair and hasty decision when the council, including its Christian religious leader, had accepted the apology by the newspaper.

“It is our opinion that a warning would have been sufficient. We will appeal to the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister to reconsider,” said its president Datuk A. Vaithilingam.

I am trying to get a hold of this particular statement (if one was issued). The earlier statement by MCCBCHST when the issue broke can be read here. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) also issued a statement; Accept paper's apology, revoke suspension; which I fully support.

Bravo MCCBCHST! Now if only the ELCM could retract its call for a ban and express the same regret. And the Internal Security Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, should lift the suspension of Makkal Osai immediately.

Have a look at Anil Netto's brilliant piece on this fiasco; Would Jesus Want the Makkal Osai Suspended?. And thanks to those like Lucia, Nat, Maj (Rtd) D. Swami, Maverick SM and so many others who have come out in support for the lifting of Makkal Osai's suspension. Let's continue to press on.

Jangan memperlagakan rakyat Malaysia. Beginikah ragam pemerintah yang cemerlang, gemilang dan terbilang?

I apologise for the distraction caused by the comments placed by some fellow claiming to be Julius Paul. FYI, the Rt. Rev. Julius Paul is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and if it was the intention of the commentator to give the impression that its the same Julius Paul, I think he failed quite miserably.

Update (27 Aug 2007): Read this post for a more detailed rationale as to why I took the stand that I did on this issue.

Lift The Suspension Of Makkal Osai Immediately!
Do Not Use My Faith As An Excuse For Oppression!

When the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM), Rev Dr Julius Paul, went on the record to ask for the banning of Makkal Osai in the aftermath of the publishing of a doctored picture of the Sacred Heart with Jesus portrayed as holding a cigarette and a can of beer, The specific section where his reaction was reported reads (the whole article is PDF'ed here in case the link above expires):

I just got this from the grapevine that the Makkal Osai has been given a 30 day suspension by the Ministry of Internal Security which regulates the publication permits "industry" in Malaysia. Now this really offends me!

Repeat after me ..

I am a Christian* Malaysian and I was not offended by the accidental depiction of a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can in Makkal Osai.



Lift The Suspension Of Makkal Osai Immediately!
Do Not Use My Faith As An Excuse For Oppression!

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
(Isaiah 58:6)

Note
* strike off if not applicable

This has been confirmed by Malaysiakini:

.. or at the very least, trying to ..

.. interestingly, there's so much that can be contextualised to our Malaysian context:

The picture on the left which portrays an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with Jesus holding a cigarette on one hand and what looks like a can of beer on the other has been the subject to some controversy over the last 24 hours or so.

According to Malaysiakini, the Tamil daily, Makkal Osai, published this image (or something similiar) on its front page as part of their daily "Thought of the Day" feature which highlights famous quotations of world leaders and philosophers. The picture was accompanied by a message encouraging sinners to repent.

The aftermath was of course to be expected. Since the picture was a parody of a common representation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I wasn't surprised that the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, the Most Revd. Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam, would voice his displeasure at the desecration of the image. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is after all an important object of devotion in Roman Catholic practice.

I'll have to reserve my comments for later .. but a new BN mandate this coming elections is something we all have to beware of. To quote an e-mail I received today which I find myself in agreement with :

.. With the common law being ousted .. what should be make up the new body of judicial precedents in Malaysia.From another jurisdiction or justice system or worst still full and exclusive reference to our very own executive driven precedents.Just when we thought that the judiciary will cure the issues contained in our problematic laws.The Judiciary is moving to assist the executive control of the judiciary and to protect the will of the executive ..

Here's the bad news :

Mansuh Common Law -- Ketua Hakim Negara mahu perundangan lapuk Inggeris diganti
- Utusan Malaysia Online, 22 Ogos 2007

PETALING JAYA 21 Ogos – Ketua Hakim Negara, Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim hari ini mencadangkan rujukan kepada Common Law Inggeris dimansuhkan daripada undang-undang sivil negara ini kerana ia menggambarkan minda pengamal undang-undang tempatan yang masih terjajah.

Sorry for the delay in the follow up. Selected highlights from the forum are presented here :

And Malaysiakini's report is as follows :

A public forum will be held to discuss the Negarakuku controversy and the meaning of patriotism in our context today. The panelists will also discuss the state of inter-ethnic relations in Malaysia today, lessons learnt the fallout of the controversy etc. Let not the picture on the right reflect our nation's soul.

In conjunction with the forum, a competition for The Most Creative Alternative Negaraku Video Clip will also be launched. Details are as follows:

Date:
Monday, 20 August 2007

Time:
8.00 pm

Venue:
Selangor & Chinese Assembly Hall
(location map here)

Panelists include Tian Chua, Khalid Jaafar, Amir Sari, Hishamuddin Rais and Amin Idris.

As an aside, here're the apologies of Namewee (the creator of the original Negarakuku video):

• Apology Announcement & Metro News
• Menunjukkan Kesilapan Tentang Laporan Berita Pihak Media Metro

I was listening to the August podcast of the Methodist Web Radio where the online church St. Pixels was featured. It turns out that the Ship of Fools' online church has rebranded itself as St. Pixels and this naturally made me go have a look at the Ship of Fools again.

Apart from my favourite Mystery Worshipper section, one other thing caught my attention. It was simply entitled From Christ to Islam with the following as its intro text:

"I am a convert to Islam, born and bred in England, and if you really want to know, Caucasian!"

Yang Tersurat

dan ....

.. defined as being apathetic about the millenial and rapture theories (HT: Think Christian blog).

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Just came back from one full day at the KeADILan HQ for a strategy meeting. Too tired to post anything meaningful so I thought I'd have some fun and take the 80's Cartoon Personality Test...

Your Score :Muppet Babies! You scored 35 Aggression and 60 Silliness! Creative and funny, you're the Muppet Babies! To be honest, I never watched this show when it was on, but I feel like I missed something special. You have the ability to find magic in everyday situations. You're also not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Good for you! Link: The 80s Cartoon Personality Test written by TheLadyEve on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Wow .. I remember this cartoon :D

“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example”, said the late Benjamin Disraeli, twice Prime Minister of Great Britain (1868; 1874 - 1880).

He could easily have been speaking about Pak Razak. It speaks a lot about the measure of a man from the words of those who appreciate him and his work. I reproduce below two obituaries I received by e-mail; the first one being from Sdr Hassan Karim, president of Parti Rakyat Malaysia :

Perginya Seorang Pejuang Rakyat
- Hassan Karim, Presiden Parti Rakyat Malaysia

ABDUL RAZAK AHMAD bekas Timbalan Presiden Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) dan peguam terkenal telah meninggal dunia pada 12 haribulan Ogos 2007 jam 1.20 petang di Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru dalam usia 62 tahun. Beliau meninggalkan seorang isteri Hajah Kintan Binti Hj Mohd Amin, empat orang anak. Mereka ialah Zulkifli, Julia, Faizal dan Azlina serta enam orang cucu. Jenazah Abdul Razak dikebumikan di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Mahmodiaah, Johor Bahru.

>> See Charles Hector's for more

Pada 31 Ogos 1957, Perdana Menteri Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, Tunku Abdul Rahman, telah membaca Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan di Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Pada ulangtahun ke 50 kemerdekaan negeri-negeri Semenanjung Malaysia dan ulangtahun ke 44 kemerdekaan negara bangsa Malaysia, saya ingin memperingati diri sendiri supaya berpegang kepada kata-kata yang merupakan dasar asas wujudnya negara Malaysia ini.

Rencana karya Sdr Syed Hamid Ali untuk kolum Enjit-Enjit Semut sempat disiarkan didalam akhbar Suara KeADILan isu 113 (31 Jul 2007 - 13 Ogos 2007). Namun malang tidak berbau. Tidak pula disangka bahawa Pak Razak (Abdul Razak Ahmad) pula akan pulang ke Rahmatullah sebelum sempat dikeluarkan isu 114 yang dijadualkan untuk penerbitan esok.

I was on my way back from church today when I got a call from Elizabeth Wong informing me that a long-time comrade, Sdr Abdul Razak Ahmad, just passed away within the hour (1.20pm at Sultanah Aminah Hospital). Once again, Malaysia has lost a principled and loyal son, a committed anti racist and civil rights advocate, and I suspect many would not even know of this passing.

Pak Razak was the last Deputy President of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) prior to her merger with Parti Keadilan Nasional to form what is now Parti KeADILan Rakyat (KeADILan). Until the congress this year, he was a member of the Supreme Council of the party and has since served as the Chairman of KeADILan Johor.

At least that's what an online Myers-Briggs Type-Indicator (MBTI) test seem to imply (HT: IcyQueenGoddess):

INFP - The "Dreamer"

INFPs are introspective, private, creative and highly idealistic individuals that have a constant desire to be on a meaningful path. They are driven by their values and seek peace. Empathetic and compassionate, they want to help others and humanity as a whole. INFPs are imaginitive, artistic and often have a talent for language and writing. They can also be described as easygoing, selfless, guarded, adaptable, patient and loyal.

.. more on INFP's

For some reason, I'm supposed to be musical too .. haha!

So, to those of you who know me, how accurate do you think this is?

There's perspectives and then there's perspectives (click on the thumbnailed image for a larger image) :

I was just made aware that I was tagged by Dr Alex Tang ..

"My challenge to my blog friends is this: write 8 of your blog friends names in a unique way and post them. Then come back over and let me know. You must write the blogger's name that tagged you, then add 7 others. Be creative and if possible use the natural wonders of the world!"

Thanks, Doc .. I'm quite flattered. I'll need to take a while to figure out how to creatively tag others .. so give me some time :)

I am weary, and drained ..

Seems like it to me ..

Dua gabungan NGO Islam bantah Kenyataan Merdeka ASLI
Malaysiakini

Dua gabungan pertubuhan Islam di Malaysia membantah dan menolak Kenyataan Merdeka oleh Pusat Kajian Dasar Awam (CPPS), Institut Kepimpinan dan Strategi Asia (ASLI) yang disokong oleh beberapa pertubuhan bukan kerajaan di negara ini yang didakwanya cenderung untuk merombak terma-terma penting kontrak sosial yang dipersetujui oleh kaum-kaum di Malaysia ..

In a sense I think I was blessed right from the start. As a very very young Christian, I walked into a Glad Sounds outlet in Ipoh and picked up a cassette album by this guy called Steve Taylor. The album was entitled "On The Fritz" and it contained some pretty weird recordings. So weird, in fact, that when I first played it, my cousin from FGA asked me if those were even songs, let alone "Christian" ones. I was barely entering into my teens then, so I guess my tastes were still developing.

But the one legacy that buying that album (for a princely price of $7.95 - yep .. we still used the $ sign those days) was a dose of healthy cynicism that perhaps helped me in discerning what proceeded from the pulpit over the years and a focus on God rather than the people who served God.

So, enjoy ..