DO YOU REALLY KNOW PAS?

Kee Thuan Chye   
PAS has never been so appealing to non-Malays as it is right now. Its just concluded muktamar (general assembly) has seen the rise of the progressives, and PAS president Hadi Awang has redefined the party’s goal of setting up an Islamic state to that of a welfare state. In essence, they mean almost the same thing, and Hadi himself has acknowledged that the difference is merely semantic, but “welfare state” has a friendlier ring to it to non-Muslims, and even some Muslims. It also connotes concern with earthly matters, which in these days of rising prices and inflation are more pressingly relevant to most Malaysians, especially those whose income is low.

This change of emphasis bodes well for PAS as it shows the party’s sensitivity to the times. Its delegates exhibited awareness of political realities by voting in more of the progressives and diluting the influence of the conservative ulamas. It should cheer non-Malays to see the return of Husam Musa as vice-president and also to see among the Central Committee names like Khalid Samad, who has gained the respect of many non-Malays for his intelligent and inclusive stance, Mohd Hatta Ramli, Kamaruddin Jaffar, Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Dzulkefly Ahmad. I know of a Chinese person who can listen to Dzulkefly discourse on religion for hours!

PAS’ biggest step towards change is probably the election of Mohamad Sabu as its new deputy president, making this the first time a non-ulama has taken that position since the party adopted the Kepimpinan Ulama (Leadership by the Ulama) policy in 1985. Mat Sabu is well-regarded by the non-Malays. He is a powerful orator and he is expected to be an effective counter to Umno’s attempts at brainwashing the Malays with irresponsible propagandizing. His inclusion in PAS’ top leadership will be an asset to Pakatan Rakyat as the coalition braces for the next general election.

To be sure, the general election could have been a factor influencing the muktamar voting outcome as PAS would need to consolidate itself as a party that can gain support. Party members know that if it is to present itself as an alternative to Umno, it will need votes not only from the Malays but also the non-Malays. But such an agenda does not detract from affirming the party’s other attributes and the course it has set for itself.

Hadi has announced that PAS will remain with Pakatan, which is a boost to the coalition and a blow to Barisan Nasional (BN), particularly Umno. Despite the recent overtures that have been made by Umno to PAS to join BN and form a “unity government”, PAS has rejected them outright. Its spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat disclosed last month that Umno offered PAS three ministerial posts to cross over. At the muktamar, Hadi said in no uncertain terms that a merger with Umno would lead to narrow communalism whereas Islam recognizes the existence of plural societies.

On the whole, he spoke out strongly against Umno, excoriating it for practicing “corruption, money politics, slander, racism, lying and every other filthy act that pollutes young minds”. He accused Umno of having “created a flock of Malays and Muslims who are blind as a result of money politics and excessive entertainment that has made them weak and consigned them to a state of stupor”.

Apart from all that, PAS’ rejection of the offer achieves a dual purpose – it proves itself to be morally superior to Umno, and it shows that it stands by its partners. This confirms the perception the public already has of PAS – that it is a party with integrity, a party whose faith is unshakable and whose commitment is solid. Even if you don’t like it or agree with it, you have to respect it.

That its party elections were free of money politics already speaks well for it and its members; that the party has now clearly told Umno off gives a feel-good twist to current politics. This is something truly welcome when so much that has transpired in recent weeks has been so ugly, sordid and plain dirty.

What automatically springs to mind in this regard is the sex video antic pulled by the Datuk T trio to implicate Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim in a compromising position. Although the underhanded attempt by the trio has actually turned against Umno – now publicly perceived, rightly or wrongly, to have been involved in one way or another – it has nonetheless tainted Malaysian politics and given the country a negative image.

To its credit, the PAS Ulama Council has now come out to call the use of sex videos for political slander “a sin”. It also berated the BN government for allowing the sex video to be aired on television and excerpts to be published in the print media. “We condemn the silent stance taken by the official government ulama,” it declared. This move has further put Umno on the defensive.

Apart from providing the feel-good factor, PAS also shows it is rising to the need for better governance, social justice and national healing. Its welfare state idea has been around for some years already, but now seems the right time to promote it.

As Husam spells it out, the welfare state is about following the rule of law, establishing a fair system, sustaining strong finance, and providing equality to all the races in the country. “One of the components of a welfare state is saving the country’s revenue, which can only be achieved with good governance. The country’s extra revenue can then be returned to the people,” he explains.

Hadi reinforces this by referring to the current Government practice of going into business through government-linked companies (GLCs) and dividing the profits among its cronies while burdening the losses on the people by way of taxes. “PAS must remove the culture of obtaining revenue by way of burdening the people, which is the hallmark of the Umno-BN government,” he advocates.

Of course, PAS needs to explain in greater detail to the people its vision of the welfare state. And it needs to do so before the next general election rolls around. But for now, it seems a better deal than what the BN Government is dishing out – rising prices of essential goods due to higher costs of fuel and electricity, and the prospect of a goods and services tax (GST).

It’s ironic that for all the Government’s talk about transformation, including political transformation, it is PAS that has transformed, while Umno and its BN partners remain dinosaurs, plugging outdated racial politics. They continue to play on Malay insecurity and to threaten the Chinese with no representation in government if they don’t support the MCA. They are still dominated by warlords, and their members continue to hanker after projects.

In view of all this, when the reckoning comes at the next general election, which side should the voters stake their future on?
[This article first appeared in Malaysian Digest. The author is actor, dramatist, poet, journalist and civil rights activist. - Ed.]

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Pendidikan tumpuan utama kerajaan Selangor


Selangor serah RM6 juta bantuan pendidikan
Harakahdaily   
SHAH ALAM, 9 Jun: Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah mengadakan Majlis Penyampaian Cek Bantuan Pembangunan Pendidikan Fasa Pertama 2011 sebanyak lebih RM6 juta untuk tiga kategori sekolah iaitu Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR), Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) dan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) di seluruh Selangor.
Majlis penyampaian itu melalui Jawatankuasa Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan diserahkan melalui Ahli-Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri dan penyelaras Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat di kesemua 56 Dun Selangor untuk diserahkan kepada sekolah-sekolah yang terlibat di Dun masing-masing.
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan negeri, Dr Halimah Ali (gambar) menyarankan supaya Adun-Adun dan Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat dapat menyampaikan maklumat berkenaan peruntukan itu kepada sekolah-sekolah dalam Dun masing-masing dan membantu urusan permohonan itu.
“Pihak Adun dan Pusat Khidmat juga diminta untuk memantau sekolah-sekolah yang menerima bantuan pembangunan pendidikan daripada kerajaan negeri,” ujarnya dalam satu kenyataan.
Bagi tahun 2011, katanya kerajaan negeri telah meluluskan peruntukan pendidikan sebanyak RM16 juta untuk SAR (RM6 juta), SJKC (RM6 juta) dan SJKT (RM4 juta).
Katanya, keseluruhan peruntukan bagi bantuan pembangunan pendidikan fasa pertama melibatkan SAR, SJKC dan SJKT adalah sebanyak RM6,652,786.
Beliau yang juga Adun Selat Klang berkata, Sekolah Agama Rakyat yang menerima peruntukan Fasa Pertama 2011 adalah sebanyak 121 buah sekolah, manakala Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina sebanyak 75 buah sekolah dan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil pula sebanyak 97 buah sekolah.
Permohonan Bantuan Pembangunan Pendidikan bagi Fasa Kedua pula akan dibuka bermula 10 Jun 2011 manakala tarikh tutup permohonan pada 11 Julai 2011.
Borang boleh didapati sama ada melalui portal selangor http://www.selangor.gov.my/main.php, pejabat Adun, Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat atau Unit Pendidikan di talian 03-55212283.

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Spiritual food

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Penilaian professor madya sains politik daripada US terhadap muktamar dan pemimpin PAS

Tak kenal maka tak cinta

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Aktiviti ADUN Selat Klang Bersama YDP Majlis Perbandaran Klang serta Para Pegawai pada 29/04/11




YB Dr Hjh Halimah Ali bersama  YDP MPK serta rombongan untuk turun padang di kawasan Selat Klang bagi memberitahu keadaan sebenar di padang yang menjadi rungutan dan aduan berulang penduduk di kawasan DUN Selat Klang.

    YDP MPK Dato' Mislan Tugiu membawa semua ketua-ketua jabatan daripada kejuruteraan, alam sekitar, kesihatan, taman dan padang, perlesenan, penguatkuasaan dll bersama-sama melihat keadaan sebenar.

Bermula dengan longkang di sepanjang Jalan Sg. Bertih yang sudah pecah-pecah dibeberapa tempat menyebabkan air tidak boleh mengalir dengan berkesan dan mengakibatkan banjir di kawasan sekitar yang rendah.
MPK berjanji akan menggantikan kepada sistem yang lebih baik.Gerai-gerai MPK depan Econmart juga diperiksa kerana sudah uzur.
Sistem perparitan yang di bawah jalan di simpang 4 juga di minta ADUN untuk diselenggarakan supaya tidak tersumbat.
Parit disepanjang Jln Tepi Sungai terutama depan Surau juga diambil maklum keadaannya yang sering mengakibat banjir di kawasan sekeliling.
Keadaan padang dan tanah lapang juga diperiksa dan di minta rumput dipotong serta tanah diratakan.Sampah yang masih merata-rata juga di arah untuk diambil tindakan segera dancara berkesan.





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EXCO PENDIDIKAN DALAM PROGRAM PERASMIAN SEK RENDAH AGAMA OLEH SULTAN SELANGOR

7.4.11
Tanjong Karang, Selangor
DYMM Sultan Selangor berkenan mencemar duli merasmikan SRA Sg Tengi Kanan, Tanjong Karang,
Majlis meriah disertai oleh YAB Menteri Besar Selangor, EXCO Agama,  EXCO Pendidikan, Pengarah JAIS,  Pengarah MAIS, SUK dan pegawai-pegawai kerajaan Selangor.
Beberapa pameran diadakan oleh sekolah-sekolah,JAIS,UNISEL dan lain-lain

EXCO bersama guru-guru

DYMM Sultan Selangor bersama MB, EXCO-EXCO dan guru-guru

DYMM tunduk menanya nama pelajar tahun 1

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SORRY. BY THE WAY, JUST IN CASE....Download Quran, Hadeeth dan lain-lain