Malaysia Independence Day and Political Polarization: Race, Religion, and Reform

 

Malaysia's Political Polarization: Race, Religion, and Reform

https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/08/18/malaysia-s-political-polarization-race-religion-and-reform-pub-82436

INDEPENDENCE DAY - August 31, 2022 - National Today

Malaysia Independence Day, also known as National Day or ‘Hari Merdeka’ in Malay is observed on August 31 and commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence of 31 August 1957. It is defined in Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia as the official independence day when it gained its freedom from the British colonial administration. Usually, the celebrations start from the beginning of August with various programs and national competitions. Owing to the celebrations, the month of August is also known as the National Month.

HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE DAY The efforts for the independence of Malaysia were headed by the first Malaysian prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. He led a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya to negotiate with the British for independence.

When the threat of a communist revolt, posed during the Malayan Emergency gradually became less, an agreement was reached on February 8, 1956, for Malaysia to gain independence from the British Empire. But due to some logistical and administrative reasons, their actual independence was declared in the following year on August 31, 1957.

On the night of August 30, 1957, crowds gathered at Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur to witness the handover of power from the British. At the stroke of midnight, the Union Jack in the square was lowered. The new Flag of Malaysia was raised as the national anthem Negaraku was played. This was followed by seven chants of “Merdeka” by the crowd. 

IINDEPENDENCE DAY TIMELINE

 1948 Malayan Emergency The British declare a state of emergency after the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) attempts to overthrow the colonial government and establish a communist republic.

1956 Treaty of London The Treaty of London 1956 is signed to set up the independent Federation of Malaya. 

Independence from Britain The Federation of Malaya is granted independence from Britain after 50 years of colonial rule.

1963 Federation of Malaysia The Federation of Malaysia, comprising the states of the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore is officially declared. 

INDEPENDENCE DAY FAQS

 What is the difference between Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day? Malaysia Day is on September 16 and marks the formation of the Federation of Malaysia. Hari Merdeka is celebrated on 31 August as the original independence day of Malaysia.

Who brought Islam to Malaysia? Islam is thought to have been brought to Malaysia around the 12th century by Indian traders. In the early 15th century the Malacca Sultanate, commonly considered the first independent state in the peninsula, was founded.

What does ‘Merdeka’ mean? Merdeka is a word in the Indonesian and Malay language, meaning ‘independent’ or ‘free.’ 

HOW TO OBSERVE MALAYSIA INDEPENDENCE DAY

1.Take part in the annual Merdeka Parade

The national day parade is all about decorated cars, royal inspection, flag raising, recitation of the ‘Rukun Negara,’ and cultural and patriotic performances. You can experience the culture of Malaysia by watching the parade live or watch the Merdeka celebrations on TV. 

2. Organize your own activities

You can even organize an event or different activities to inspire the spirit of patriotism and love for the country. A national speech competition, a Merdeka poetry contest, or a photography competition are some ideas to help you get started! 

3. Decorate your homes

Decorate your home and vehicle with flags. Flags and decorations can be seen all over the country. There are even neighborhood decorating competitions, too. 

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT MALAYSIA’S NATIONAL ANTHEM

1.Malaysia had no national anthem At the time of independence, Malaysia did not have a national anthem. 

2. Worldwide competition to find an anthem Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to organize a worldwide competition to find a suitable national anthem for Malaysia and 512 entries were submitted.

3. It is originally the state anthem of Perak In the end, Rahman opted to use the Perak State anthem’s melody for the Malaysian national anthem.

4. It was rearranged The anthem was rearranged to give it a livelier rhythm, which was unpopular with the citizens — in 2003, the tempo was returned to what it was originally. 

5.It has two versions There exists a full version of the anthem as well as a shorter version.

WHY MALAYSIA INDEPENDENCE DAY IS IMPORTANT

A. It inspires the spirit of patriotism

 It is the day when Malaysia gained independence from the British Empire. This day, on the one hand, demonstrates the significance of freedom and, on the other hand, it unites the whole nation under one flag.

B. It acts as historical and cultural symbolism

 Any nation that possesses certain symbols feels pride in owning and celebrating them. The day bears historical and cultural importance and people celebrate it to demonstrate the significance of freedom.

C. It fosters love and responsibility for the country

 The day presents an opportunity to relearn the philosophy behind the formation of Malaysia and cultivate a sense of love and responsibility for the country.

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Race and religion, the sorry state of our unity

It is sad that mistrust among the different races is rising even after 62 years of independence, with the various communities having little interaction or empathy.

IN 10 days, we will mark our 62nd year of Merdeka but unlike last year when elation was in the air with a new government in Putrajaya, the prevailing mood is one of melancholy.

A year on, there is not much to show that we are doing better as a nation in terms of national unity and cohesion.

Instead, the deep fissures that threaten the very structure of the country have become more obvious, as seen daily on social media.

It is no exaggeration to say that highly provocative and sensitive comments stirring unrest among the people have become the norm.

Race and religion remain the most divisive issues, as they were under the previous six-decade-long administration but with the comparatively freer media today, they are being stoked to incite animosity and even flagrant threats of violence.

On Aug 14, a man threatened to behead lawyer Syahredzan Johan for urging the withdrawal of controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s permanent resident status in Malaysia. The 28-year-old security guard has been arrested and is being held under remand.

Last Saturday, an appalling video of man unsheathing three menacing weapons – a parang, a sword and katana (Samurai blade) went viral.

In the three-minute clip, he is heard threatening “impudent non-Malays” with violence as he demonstrates his supposed “invincibility” from harm by running the blades across his abdomen, hands and neck.

On Monday, police arrested a 43-year-old officer over a Facebook posting inciting Muslims to shed the blood of non-believers last Wednesday.

The man urged Muslims to “sharpen their parangs for kafir (infidels) who may want to become like sacrificial cows”.

Shockingly, the suspect is said to be an assistant director with the Islamic Development Department Malaysia (Jakim).

In the wake of such provocations, the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has set up email and WhatsApp hotlines to lodge complaints against those who insult race, religion or the royal institution.

It’s tragic that mistrust among the different races is rising even after 62 years of independence. Malaysia is more fragmented with its disparate communities having little interaction or empathy for each other.

In the elation following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in last year’s election, hopes were raised for “Malaysia Baru”, a resetting of the nation towards a more progressive and equitable society.

The new vision, Shared Prosperity 2030, as announced by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in May to mark Pakatan Harapan’s first year in power, was aimed at ensuring fair, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth; fostering unity; celebrating cultural diversity; and creating decent living standards for all Malaysians.

But events and issues over the past few months, such as the move to introduce khat calligraphy, the resistance by Chinese educationist group Dong Zong, the furore against controversial Indian Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik and the Selangor government’s plan to allow for one parent to unilaterally convert a child to Islam, have shown that the new government is not much different from the old Barisan Nasional when it comes to matters that are inextricably linked to race and religion.

With Umno and PAS upping the ante in playing the race card and the Pakatan Harapan’s ebbing support in the Malay heartland, the new government has been treading very carefully.

In April, the government withdrew from the Rome Statute, after a storm of protests from Umno, PAS and Malay NGOs, which claimed that acceding to the treaty covering the International Criminal Court (ICC) would affect the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers.

Last year, it retreated from assenting to the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) after similar protests.

As for the case of Zakir, who faces criminal charges of money laundering and instigating terrorism in India, non-Muslim Malaysians were dumbfounded by his hobnobbing with the Prime Minister, Education Minister Maszlee Malik and de facto Islamic Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa, especially when the preacher openly supported the previous administration during GE14.

The government’s earlier stance of refusing to deport the televangelist, who was given Malaysian permanent resident status by the previous government in 2015, was seen as a move to appease the Malay/Islamic vote bank.

But things have changed drastically for Zakir, who attracted a crowd of 70,000 and was treated like a VIP during a mammoth rally on Aug 3.

He is being investigated for intentional insults to provoke a breach of the peace by making disparaging remarks against Malaysian Indians and Chinese. He has also been effectively barred from speaking across the country.

On Sunday, Dr Mahathir said Zakir had “crossed the line” by delving into politics and stirring racial tension in the country.

Among other things, he was supposed to have said that Malaysian Indians were more loyal to the Narendra Modi government in India and described the Malaysian Chinese community as “old guests” who should go back to China before he is made to leave the country.

Claiming that his remarks were taken out of context, Zakir has filed legal action against Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran, Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy, Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, Klang MP Charles Santiago and former ambassador Datuk Dennis Ignatius.

Dr Mahathir’s assurance that the rule of law will be imposed on the preacher has somewhat allayed fears that the government would treat him with kid gloves to placate his supporters.

The last thing our already tattered state of unity needs is a foreign agitator adding fuel to fire.

Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan likes this view of Mark Twain: Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. The views expressed here are entirely the columnist’s own. - Source link


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The importance of being united

Why is unity important to us? What is the Meaning?

The Kembara Merdeka Jalur Gemilang convoy in Kuching

' I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.'

THERE is a well-known fable about a father who called his four sons together and gave each one a stick; he then asked them to break their sticks and, of course, all four easily broke their sticks. But when he asked them to break 100 sticks held together, they failed.

The moral of the story is that phrase you all must have heard of before: “United we stand, divided we fall”. People can easily break you, crush you and disregard you if you are alone, but when you stand together, nobody can touch you.

Last month saw the formal ascension to the throne of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. The institution of the King is the embodiment of all Malaysians irrespective of gender, creed, colour, religious inclination and any other stripes we can think of. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong himself has also said that he wants to see a Malay-sia whose citizens are united and living in a peaceful, stable and harmonious country during his reign.

Such an aspiration can only come if we, as citizens, can think for ourselves and accept one another as Malaysians first. The operative word here is “accept”. For a long time we have been operating under the word “tolerate”. To tolerate is to allow something or someone that you dislike to exist without interference. Acceptance is embracing that something or someone as part of your world, as your brethren.

This is how we should build our society.

We should build a society where all Malaysians are seen as one. Where race or religion, culture or background, don’t determine positions and opportunities. Where we know that these are not what gives us special positions over others.

We should build a society that embraces this diversity because it is what makes us collectively great. A society in which we work with each other as equals towards the common goal of making a better nation where we all prosper and progress together.

Is that so difficult?

I think not if we are determined to see it through. I have come to the conclusion that if we aspire for a better Malaysia for our children and our children’s children, we, the citizens of this nation, need to do the work ourselves.

We cannot depend on politicians. Politicians cater to the lowest common denominator. They are about power first and they sacrifice ideals at the altar of power.

May 9, 2018, showed us the way. Though it may seem a long time and a thousand disappointments ago, our government was changed by the votes of moderate, liberal and progressive Malaysians of all races and religions, working in concert.

Yes. The moderates, liberals and progressives threw out a kleptocratic government that had been in power for 60 years. We did that.

This scared those looking out only for their own interests. They became loud. Politicians, being politicians, succumbed to the loudest voices, catering to those making the most noise. They practically forgot who voted them into power. Because politicians, true to their very nature, have no convictions except to power and to retaining that power.

I know whenever you see injustice, you feel like saying something but at the same time you feel afraid. Fear of reprisals, fear of upsetting people, fear of getting caught by wide-ranging laws – there are so many fears that you end up keeping quiet and hoping the injustice will just go away.

It won’t, it doesn’t. It will build momentum and, soon, it will become a permanent feature and by then, it is too late.

But what if you have support and back up from like-minded people? You become brave and stand tall against that injustice and face it. You have courage because you know there are people standing with you, supporting you against that injustice.

To deal with any injustice, we need to fight together, only then will we see the change we desire.

But how do we move forward from when we were united on May 9 to where we truly want to be? Relying on politicians to affect change is a mistake – events of the past year have shown us this.

The people need to be the ones to show the way. This, to me, is what Merdeka is about this year.

Moderates, liberals and progressives are the real movers of this nation. They are the ones powering the economy of Malaysia. They provide the intellect, the progressive capacity, and the hard work that has developed this country. They are the ones underwriting the subsidies that help build better lives. They are the ones who will continue to be that source of national wealth and health.

If you believe that you are moderate, liberal and progressive and proud of it, you cannot shy away from your responsibility to change this nation into a truly just, fair and equitable one.

I can no longer do it alone. This is, therefore, a call to action for all Malaysians to unite to make this a better country. To set the agenda to take this country higher. To be active with one voice and one body. We need to stand and be counted. We need to put our money where our mouths are. Let us organise and get active. We can make it happen.

A group of like-minded friends and I have put together a platform for this very purpose. We have incorporated the Malaysian Action For Just And Unity Foundation – in short, Maju.

The foundation came about from a realisation some of us had as long ago as a year before that momentous May 9: We realised that the voice of moderates, liberals and progressive Malaysians was weak and disorganised. It is a voice that is always trying to walk a soft path for fear of offending, and thus its message was being lost.

Subsequent to May 9, those thoughts became almost prophetic. We need such a foundation more than ever. We need a voice and a platform that will be a rallying point for progressive citizenry, that is consistent, loud and unwavering in its causes, expressed without fear or favour.

It took us a while but with our own initial funding and lots of hard work and perseverance, Maju was approved and incorporated in January this year.

A public launch is just around the corner, gift-wrapped for all Malaysians in this month of Merdeka.

We want you, the individual citizen, to be our supporters and funders: We will be funded with a minimum RM50-a- year-contribution from each person who registers as a supporter. We want to create a nationwide network and branches of supporters to carry out our agenda and activism.

We need your support to make a developed and progressive Malaysia a reality. Vision 2020 may not arrive next year but Maju intends to see that reality happen no matter how long it takes us.

We intend to achieve the goals that will make Malaysia great by:

> Promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

> Empowering civil liberties;
> Protecting marginalised communities;
> Ensuring progressive education.

The last point is vital. Through-out history, it is basic science literacy and its progress that has propelled technology.

Nations did not develop due to commerce first; instead it was the scientific discoveries that were the engines of technological progress, which in turn gave a nation’s commerce a distinct advantage that led to economic prosperity. We need to make a science-centric education system a reality.

We want Maju supporters who are science educators and academics to help us revamp the system to ensure our children’s education is substantively science-based from the primary level until students leave the secondary level.

We believe an emphasis on science will also have the by-product of producing students who are strong critical thinkers regardless of their final chosen vocations.

Join me. Let us Maju together and make a just, fair, equitable and progressive Malaysia a reality. As Mother Teresa once said, “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Sunday Star.

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SST - for better or worse ?

What is Sales & Service Tax (SST) in Malaysia? - SST Malaysia

Today, the Sales and Service Tax (SST) makes a comeback on our tax radar screen to replace the three years and two months old Goods and Services Tax (GST), which was implemented on April 1, 2015.

The abolition of the GST and replaced with SST is an election promise of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto.

It has been claimed that the GST is a regressive broad-based consumption tax that has burdened the low- and middle-income households amid the rising cost of living. The multi-stage tax levied on supply chains also caused cascading cost and price effects on goods and services. That said, the Finance Minister has acknowledged that the GST is an efficient and transparent tax.

Following the implementation of the SST, the Government will come to terms that the budget spending will have to be rationalised and realigned with the lower revenue collection from the SST to keep the lower budget deficit target on track.

The expected revenue collection from SST is RM21bil compared to an average of RM42.7bil per year in 2016-17 from GST.

During the period 2010-2014, the revenue collection from the SST, averaging RM14.8bil per year (the largest amount collected on record was RM17.2bil in 2014), of which 64% was contributed by the sales tax rate of 10% while the balance 36% from the service tax of 6%.

Faced with the revenue shortfall, the Government expects cost-savings, plugging of leakages, weeding out of corruption as well as the containment of the costs of projects would help to balance the financing gap between revenue and spending.

The sales tax rate (0%, 10% and 5% as well as a specific rate for petroleum) and service tax of 6% is imposed on consumers who use certain prescribed services. The taxable threshold for SST is set at annual revenue of RM500,000, the same threshold as GST, with the exception for eateries and restaurants at RM1.5mil.

As SST is levied only at a single stage of the supply chain, that is at the manufacturers or importers level and NOT at wholesalers, retailers and final consumers, it has cut off the number of registered tax persons and establishments from 476,023 companies under GST as of 15 July to an estimated 100,405 under SST.

The smaller number of registered establishments means no more compliance cost to about 85% of traders.

The distributive traders (wholesalers and retailers) will be hassle-free from cash flow problems, as they are no longer required to submit GST output tax while waiting to claim back the GST input tax. During GST, many traders imputed refunds into their pricing because of the delay in GST refunds. This was partly blamed for the cascading cost pass-through and price increases onto consumers.

For SST, 38% of the goods and services in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket are taxable compared to 60% under the GST.

It is estimated that up to RM70bil will be freed up to allow consumers to spend more.

Expanded scope

The proposed service tax regime has a narrower base (43.5% of services is taxable) compared to the GST (64.8% of services is taxable).

Medical insurance for individuals, service charges from hotel, clubs and restaurants as well as household’s electricity usage between 300kWh and 600kWh are not taxable. However, the scope of the new SST has been expanded compared to the previous SST. Among them are gaming, domestic flights (excluding rural air services), IT services, insurance and takaful for individuals, more telecommunication services and preparation of food and beverage services as well as electricity supply (household usage above 600kWh).

For hospitality services, the proposed service tax lowered the registration threshold of general restaurants (not attached with hotel) from an annual revenue of RM3mil under old service tax regime to RM1.5mil, resulting in expanded coverage of more restaurants.

Private hospital services will be excluded under the new SST regime.

How does SST affect consumers?

Technically speaking, the revenue shortfall of RM23bil between SST and GST is a form of “income transfer” from the Government to households and businesses. This is equivalent to tax cuts to support consumer spending.

Will it lead to higher consumer prices?

The contentious issue is will the SST burden households more than that of the GST? It must be noted that the cost of living not only encompasses prices paid for goods and services but also housing, transportation, medical and other living expenses.

The degree of sales tax impact would depend on the cost and margin (mark-up) of businesses along the supply chain before reaching end-consumers.

The coverage and scope of tax imposed also matter.

As the price paid by consumers is embedded in the selling price, this gives rise to psychology effect that sales tax is somewhat better off than GST.

The good news to consumers is that 38% of the goods and services in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket are taxable compared to the 60% under the GST.

Technically speaking, monthly headline inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is likely to show a flat growth or even declines in the months ahead.

It must be noted that consumers should compare prices before GST versus the three-month tax holiday (June-August).

Generally, consumers perceived that prices should either come down or remained unchanged as the sales tax is levied on manufacturers.

On average, some items (electrical appliances and big ticket items such as cars) would be costlier when compared to GST and some may come down (new items exempted from SST).

Nevertheless, we caution that consumers may experience some price increases, as prices generally did not come as much following the removal of GST in June.

There are concerns that prices may still go up in September when the new SST kicks in as irresponsible traders may take advantage to increase prices further.

Household consumption, which got a big boost during the three-month tax holiday in June-August, could see some normalisation in spending.

The smooth implementation of the new SST, accompanied by strict enforcement of price checks and the curbing of profiteering, especially for essentials goods and services consumed by B40 income households, are crucial to keep the level of general prices stable.

Strong consumer activism with the support of The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association and the Consumers Association Penang as well as the media must work together to help in price surveillance and protect consumers’ interest.

Credit to Lee Heng Guie - comment

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New Malaysia should push for meritocracy

The Meritocracy Paradox

Pakatan Harapan’s unexpected win in the recent 14th General Elections sent a signal that it is time for the country to move towards focusing on being more performance oriented and making decisions on the basis of meritocracy for the long-term good of its citizens.

Interview with Tan Sri G.Gnanalingam

Westports Holdings Bhd’s chairman Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam says this is the basis of how the company has been operating all this and notes that it is paying off today.

“Westports has always prided itself on being a performance-oriented organisation, being innovative and treating our employees as family members,” he says.

Gnanalingam, who has been the face of Westports for more than 20 years, says this idea can be extended to how the country can be governed as well.


He says that in the company, everyone is treated equally irrespective of race or gender and this has worked tremendously well.

He notes that this also comes with some form of a safety net for those who can’t perform as well as their counterparts.

“The system should be such that we reward success but provide some safety needs for the unfortunate few who didn’t make it, but the safety net is not so big that it promotes complacency.

“There will always be some members of the community who do not do as well as others. This is where we need to lend a hand to support them, regardless of race or gender,” Gnanalingam adds.

This is important because innovation is best built on meritocracy and is a needed ingredient for the country to excel in the new economy of the Internet.

“Innovation is needed as the world prog­resses forward; we cannot move backward. Today, we have a computer in our pocket called the smartphone, which does all kinds of things.

“Malaysia needs to forge ahead as the future is increasingly influenced by information technology, artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0,” Gnanalingam says.

“As for the new Malaysia, I believe that transparency, good governance and people first should be values that are celebrated,” he adds.

Gnanalingam, who is the founder of Westports, also tells of the company’s humble roots, noting that it has grown by leaps and bounds and is now listed on Bursa Malaysia.

“The year 1994 was when we started building Westports. In fact, we were the first private company to build a port after the British left in 1957.

“Prior to the birth of Westports, Port Klang was a port that had less than one million container volume. Malaysia transshipped everything from Penang, Kuantan, Johor and even East Malaysia to Singapore,” he says.

He also highlighted that while the company is primarily a family-owned firm and is now helmed by his son Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, who is Westports’ group managing director, the family still takes heed of the advice of professional managers.

“Leading Westports is a bit like managing a football team. In order to win, we must assemble the best players, train very hard, formulate specific strategies and out-do our opponents. And we must continuously improve our skills and knowledge of the game. There will always be room for innovation and a better way to do things,” Gnanalingam says.

Westports has grown steadily since its inception in the year 1994.

Today, the company is a RM12.8bil company in market capitalisation on the Bursa Malaysia Main Board.

Recalling the the company’s early days, Gnanalingam says Westports had to focus on what was important: its productivity.

“I always tell our people to focus on raising productivity, being innovative and being cost-effective. Westports is ranked among the top five in the world in terms of productivity.

“Westports has also risen from 27th place to 12th place in the world port traffic league rankings.

“Once Westports was born, we focused on producing the best service for our customers, the shipping lines. To do that, we improved our productivity.

“Our crane operators are well trained. Their performance is world class as they are able to do 35 or more containermoves per hour,” he says.

The company’s terminal tractor operators and stowage clerks have also been upskilled to create a fast turnaround time for the cargo from the container yard to the vessel and vice versa.

While the going seems smooth now, Gnanalingam notes that it was not always smooth sailing for Westports, as it had to go through several financial crises and political uncertainty on the global front, where it threatened or slowed down shipping demand.

However, hHe notes that it has grown its market share steadily and incrementally over the past 20 years.

Today, he notes that Westports captures 16% of the container volume moving through the Straits of Malacca and supports 38% of all container volume in Malaysia.

“And today, we are proud to be one of only three mega-transhipment hubs in the entire Asean region,” he says.

Costs to ship and out of Malaysia have also fallen tremendously and Gnanalingam notes that both exporters and importers pay some 90% lower in freight charges today.

“Before 2005, it cost about US$800 (RM3,280) to freight a container from Port Klang to Busan in Korea. Today, the cost is about US$35 (RM143) only.

“To cite another example, before 2005, it cost about US$500 (RM2,050) to freight a container from Port Klang to Kaoshiung in China. Today, the cost is about US$110 (RM450), which is almost 80% lower,” he says.

Credit to : Daniel Khoo The Star

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Islamic State terror attacks on eve of Malaysia's National Day foiled

End of the road: Bukit Aman anti-terror officers arresting the butcher in Temerloh (above) before going after the student in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/ Asia News Network

KUALA LUMPUR - For months, the three men laid low, going about their daily routine while waiting for the signal to attack to come from Syria.

When at last the instruction came from notorious Islamic State (IS) militant Mohamad Wanndy Moha­mad Jedi at the end of July, the men quickly started gathering arms and putting together a chilling plan.

They were going to attack on the eve of National Day when the rest of their countrymen were celebrating what it meant to be Malaysians and among their targets are a temple in Batu Caves, the Kajang police headquarters and various entertainment outlets.

The men were in the last phase of their plans - even going to the extent of monitoring their targets - when the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division moved in on them.

Anti-terror officers detained the men - a 20-year-old contractor, a 27-year-old butcher and a college student, also 20 - in Selan­gor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur between Aug 27 and 29.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said all the planning and logistics had been masterminded by Mohamad Wann­dy, who appeared to be pulling the strings among the network of IS militants here.

"They were taking orders from him," he said in a statement yesterday.

Sources revealed that the contractor was arrested on Aug 27 when officers raided his home in Sungai Merab Luar in Kajang.

"We seized a K75 grenade and a CZ 2075 RAMI pistol along with 24 .9mm bullets. We believe he obtained the weapons from a middleman," said Khalid.

The man was believed to have picked up the weapons from a drop-off location at a cemetery in Damansara at about 9pm in late July.

"It was no doubt arranged by Mo­hamad Wanndy. Authorities believe that militants from another cell supplied the weapons and placed them at the drop-off point.

"Militants from different cells often do not know each other to reduce the risk of being tracked by the authorities," a source said.

It is learnt that the butcher was detained in Kampung Paya Kecil in Temerloh, Pahang, while the college student was picked up from his home in AU3, Keramat, in the city.

"The other two did not have weapons with them but authorities believe they were waiting for supplies," added the source.

Authorities are also not ruling out the possibility that one of the men could have been tasked to pick up a ready-made Improvised Explosive Device.

"Some of their targets were police patrol units in Kajang. The authorities believe that Mohamad Wanndy really wanted his cell members to carry out a big attack on the eve of National Day.

Malaysia's National Day Parade kicks off Photo Source: The Star/ANN: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other VIPs are seen here on the main stage during the National Day celebration at Dataran Merdeka.

"He wanted to make a big impact as he was not satisfied with the scale of the Movida bomb attack," a source said.

It is learnt that the three men had been communicating with Moha­mad Wanndy since January but the order to attack was only given on July 30 once they had gotten hold of the explosives and ammunition.

It is also believed that they were planning to escape to Thailand before eventually making their way to Syria, where they are expected to meet Mohamad Wanndy.

With the grenade seized in this latest case, this brings to seven the number of those still unaccounted for after the Movida attack on June 28.

The first known IS attack on home soil injured several people after a grenade was thrown at the Movida Restaurant in Puchong.

Four people are expected to be charged in various courts in Johor for abetting in the bombing of Movida today.

With the latest arrest, the number of militants detained since 2013 has risen to 239 and the attacks foiled to date, 13.

When police detained nine IS mi­­li­­tants in early August, three of them - two were involved in the Mo­­vida bombing - had also been taking orders from Mohamad Wanndy.

They were ordered to launch another attack against an entertainment outlet in Johor.

Mohamad Wanndy has emerged to be the main influence on the IS militant network in the country, with people caught following his orders and raising funds.

By Farik Zolkepli The Star/Asia News Network

Malaysia celebrates 55 years Merdeka, a truly independence at retirement age?

Ugly two sides of a coin

Merdeka Day used to bring Malaysians together for one big do, but politics has changed all that
 

National colours, in droplets: The Malaysian flag, or Jalur Gemilang, is reflected in thousands of raindrops on a windscreen of a car during a rainy day in Kuching. It’s Aug 31 — Malaysians from all across the nation are flying the Jalur Gemilang with pride as they celebrate the 55th Merdeka Day. This photo is taken close up with a 90mm macro lense. —ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star

TODAY, Aug 31, is Merdeka Day. It’s usually an occasion celebrated with parades and speeches remembering heroes in the struggle for indedependence, marked by the singing of patriotic songs and much flag-waving.

The celebrations also generally include groups of participants in colourful traditional costumes to remind us of our rich cultural heritage and diversity.

It should be a time of reflection on what nationhood means for Malaysia and how we want our country to move forward, a time of celebrating together as Malaysians with no regard to race, religion or political affiliation.

Unfortunately, we live in such a politically-charged atmosphere, with the impending 13th general election looming over us, that even National Day has turned into an occasion for petty squabbling and the inevitable politicking.

The official theme of Janji Ditepati (Promises Fulfilled) has been met with derision by the Opposition, who claim it is an empty slogan as many Government promises have not been fulfilled.

For their part, Pakatan Rakyat leaders have said they will skip the official celebrations for their own state-level one, complete with their own theme of Senegara, Sebangsa, Sejiwa(One Country, One Nation, One Soul).



So, instead of uniting the people as befits Merdeka Day, the celebration has been split along partisan lines.

Public reaction seems to range from indifference to disdain. We’re grown weary from waiting for the polls to be called and it’s hardly surprising if people are skeptical of the endless campaigning.

Meanwhile, there’s the important matter of what Merdeka Day means for Sarawak and Sabah. On this day in 1957, it was the Federation of Malaya which gained independence from the British. Sarawak became independent on July 22 1963 and Sabah on Aug 31 1963, shortly before Malaysia came into being on Sept 16 1963.

Some quarters have raised the point that today’s celebration has no relevance to Sarawak and Sabah, and that Malaysia Day on Sept 16 should be the rightful National Day.

Coupled with this is the tricky question of whether Malaysia is 55 or 49 years old, depen-ding on whether the birth of the nation is deemed to be in 1957 or 1963.

We’re in the peculiar position whereby Malaya became independent on Aug 31 1957, but the country of Malaysia was formed on Sept 16 1963 through the merger of Malaya, Singapore (which left in 1965), Sarawak and Sabah.

For Sarawakians and Sabahans, Sept 16 is the more meaningful date because it commemorates the birth of Malaysia, a nation of which we are a part. Peninsular Malaysians need to understand this and realise why Sept 16 is important to us here.

On our part, we should accept that Aug 31 is likewise an important date for the peninsula. However, since Sept 16 is Malaysia Day, it should be given equal, if not greater prominence, than Aug 31 as a truly national celebration of our coming together as a country.

Nevertheless, as we celebrate National Day today, let us be reminded of the Proclamation of Independence read out by Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1957. It ends with the hope that the newly-independent nation “with God’s blessing shall be forever a sovereign democratic and independent state founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations.”

In line with this, the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s Merdeka Day message is a timely call for Malaysians to forge ahead and invest in building a progressive and better country for all.

“In this celebratory occasion let us dream a new dream for all Malaysians. We pray to Almighty God that He will grant us a new vision of Malaysia for ourselves and all our children. We are a nation truly blessed with so much potential in our multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious communities.

“Let us mutually share all our resources, our wealth and opportunities and be a model nation to the nations around us. We can begin to do this by loving God and our neighbours as ourselves. Let us be responsible citizens of our beloved Malaysia. Let us care for those in need like the orphans and widows. May we meet the needs of the marginalised and others left by the wayside. In concert, let us jointly prosper our neighbours first.

“As Malaysians we step forward together in unity and harmony for all Malaysians and not pay heed to the strident voices of some with their narrow interests,” it said.

It also called for justice and righteousness to be upheld and for friendship, unity and harmony to be strengthened in the country.

May this be our prayer and hope for Malaysia as we celebrate this Merdeka Day.

ET CETERA By SHARON LING

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