Semporna schools to re-open Monday; Lahad Datu awaits go-ahead

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — All 49 schools in the district of Semporna, comprising 40 primary and nine secondary, which were closed due to the Sulu militants armed intrusion, will reopen on Monday, said Sabah State Education director, Jame Alip.

However, the decision to resume classes at the eight schools in Lahad Datu would be made today after clearance from the security forces in the area, as they are near the offensive operations zone, he added.

He said that a special meeting would be held by a state security working group today in Kota Kinabalu to determine the level of safety where the schools are located.

“We will decide on the matter after receiving information from the security forces today,” he said when contacted through the live Malaysia Hari Ini (MHI) TV3 programme, this morning.

The eight schools are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tambisan, SK Tanjung Labian, SK Sahabat 16, SK Lok Buani, SK Sahabat 14, SK Cenderawasih, SK Fajar Harapan, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Desa Kencana.

Jame also advised parents to allow their children back to school and not worry for their safety as the security forces have secured the area. — Bernama

Polls sanctity is EC’s responsibility, can’t dismiss 28pc unverified Selangor voters

COMMENTARY, March 9 — Today, five years ago, Malaysia woke up to a changed political and national landscape with Barisan Nasional (BN) keeping the federal government with just a simple majority but losing four more states to a nascent Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Election 2008.

Today, the ruling BN federal government and the four states under PR have yet to call elections as their mandate only expires five years after their respective legislatures began meeting.

But the responsibility of ensuring democracy is alive and well and that only Malaysians can decide their government through the ballot box lies with the Election Commission (EC).

So, it is incredulous that the EC says that 28 per cent of unidentified new voters is normal, after Selangor reported the discrepancy found among the 500,000 new voters in the country’s richest state.

“The question of 28 per cent of new voters who can’t be traced, that is normal,” EC deputy chief, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, told a press conference yesterday.

Dismissing the opposition’s concerns, Wan Ahmad said people were moving around the country, changing jobs, graduating, and this had contributed to the number of voters who cannot be identified.

This is disturbing, coming from the agency that runs elections that decides the country’s political leadership.

Can people trust an agency that dismisses complaints and refuses to work to clean up the electoral rolls, or wrings its hands and blames mistakes and discrepancies on other government departments?

Isn’t the EC’s job to ensure that electoral rolls are checked and verified to ensure only eligible Malaysians can exercise their right to vote?

If the sanctity of polls cannot be guaranteed, then the EC will be held responsible, responsible not only for this election but in Malaysians’ belief in the electoral system.

Can those who serve in the EC take on that role responsibly for King and country, rather than serve the government of the day? And if not, can they leave the job to those more responsible?

The on-going royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on Sabah’s illegal immigrants has shown the effect of giving citizenship for votes, following testimony at the hearings.

The EC cannot shrug off the complaints as proof that other agencies are in the wrong and it only does what it can, that is to hold elections. That is the wrong attitude to take, just as it is wrong to dismiss the high number of unidentified voters in Selangor.

The EC has to do better than that. Anything less will erode the people’s confidence in the EC and affect the legitimacy of the country’s next government when elections are finally called.

We cannot have Malaysians doubting the electoral system. It is then imperative for the EC to work out the issues with all parties before Election 2013 takes place.

The failure to do so is unimaginable, a majority of people who do not believe in any institution and assume their country has been robbed from them through dirty tactics by unscrupulous people.

Where will the EC commissioners hide their face then?

It is just better to do the right thing and ensure there are no complaints about the electoral rolls and the conduct of the general election. Rather than be cursed for being partisan in running the elections.

This is the EC’s call, to hold clean and fair elections and not make excuses when anomalies and discrepancies are discovered.

Malaysians grateful for sacrifices made by security personnel, says Shafie

SEMPORNA, March 9 — Malaysians truly appreciate and hold in high regard the sacrifices of security personnel who are willing to die for the sake of the nation’s sovereignty, said Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.  

Shafie (picture) said it was these sacrifices, from both police and armed forces personnel which enabled the country and its people to achieve the progress and success enjoyed today.
 
“Your task is not easy. You work day and night, rain or shine, to defend the country’s peace. These are the sacrifices which enable the people to sleep peacefully at night and allow the country to progress,” he said at special tahlil and solat hajat prayers at the Semporna Police headquarters surau, last night.

Six policemen were shot dead in an ambush by the Sulu militant intruders at Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul here, on March 2. Six intruders were also killed in the incident.

Shafie, Semporna member of Parliament, said he will fully cooperate with the security forces to maintain peace in the area and Sabah as a whole and ensure the welfare of their families. — Bernama

Embrace spirit of wasatiyyah for nation’s sake, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak emphasised that the spirit of wasatiyyah (moderation) should not only be embraced by Muslims but also understood by those of other faiths and races to ensure the nation’s prosperity and well-being.

He said the concept of wasatiyyah should be made the main thrust and direction of the country as it promised fairness and well being in the material world as well as the hereafter.

Najib (picture) added that the concept of wasatiyyah should be a life-long practice for all groups and levels as taught by Islam.

“Moderation refers to the wisdom of forming good relations, harmony, mutual respect between Muslims and believers of other religions where there should be a balance between here and the hereafter.

The prime minister was speaking at the launching of the Malaysian Wasatiyyah Institute, here tonight.

Also present were the prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Ali Hamsa, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, Religious Advisor to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Md Zin and Malaysian Wasatiyyah Institute director Mohd Yusof Din.

Najib added that even though wasatiyyah was not something of Malaysian origin, as it has been found in other countries such as Qatar but if it was embraced and applied fairly, maybe Malaysia would be the leading country in the practice of wasatiyyah.

As an example, he said Muslims from all over the world respected Malaysia and were attracted by the ability of Malaysia to maintain harmony and national development even though it faced a challenging political environment.

He added that this was because, Malaysia had always practised the approach and concept of wasatiyyah even though the country faced various complex problems.

“As such, the philosophy of wasatiyyah was timely for national leaders in managing the direction of the country,” he said.

Therefore, Najib said the Malaysian government practised the concept of wasatiyyah by doing its part towards the peaceful resolution of the more than four-year conflict between the Filipino government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Southern Philippines.

“The Malaysian government also used the same concept to bring the Thai government and Islamic separatists last week to an agreement to end their war and start talks.

“Just imagine how many people have been saved from these conflicts, just with Malaysia’s peace efforts, as propounded in Islamic principles and wasatiyyah,” he said.

Citing the Lahad Datu and Semporna incidents, Najib said he and the line-up of leaders took a decision based on the wasatiyyah concept first before launching an offensive against the armed intruders there.

“I gave them a week, then extended it to three weeks because I didn’t want to see any bloodshed or innocent lives lost.  But the Malaysian government’s noble intentions were re-paid with war.

“So, war means the time for talk is up and we’ll go all out to eliminate them,” he said.

The prime minister also expressed hope that the Malaysian Institute of Wasatiyyah, which was established on January 17 last year, would be a catalyst for the expansion of the concept within the society.

“The wasatiyyah philosophy should actually be inculcated at the grass roots level, to our young ones, so that they can practice it fully,” he said. — Bernama