Can you, as a Malaysian believe this could be a big issue ? So they gathered and they wanted it to be off, who was behind all these acts ?
Aren't they caused problem to the society ? Why they are not put behind bars ?
THIS IS MALAYSIA (TIM)
So, think twice when you vote next election or come the byelection.
The Star Online > Nation Sunday August 10, 2008
Bar Council forced to stop forum early
By SHAILA KOSHY, ZULKIFLI
Protesters rally outside Bar Council! KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council went ahead with its controversial forum on Conversion To Islam yesterday, but was forced to stop it about an hour after it began following advice from the police and noisy intervention by protesters.
Former Suhakam commissioner and activist Mehrun Siraj was applauded by the 200 people at the forum when she said she was there because she believed that conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims should be resolved through open discussion.
Before she could complete her second statement, five men representing Umno, PKR, PAS and Malay / Muslim non-governmental organisations trooped into the auditorium – flanked by policemen – at 9.53am, and shouted for the meeting to end immediately although council chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan had announced at 9.30am that it would end at 10am at the request of the police.
The protesters included Malaysian Islamic Propagation and Welfare Organisation supreme council member Mohd Syahrir Abdul Aziz, Federation of Malay Students Union vice-president Jais Abdul Karim, Kulim-Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Nordin, and Alumni of Umno Club Overseas Students information director Mohamad Nazari Ahmad.
After some commotion, Ambiga announced at 10.04am: “We have no issue with anyone who has a different point of view. We respect everybody’s point of view. That is what the Bar Council is about; we have no quarrel with anyone. The forum is now closed.”
The group of about 300 people from various NGOs and political parties had started gathering at about 8.20am outside the Bar Council building in Lebuh Pasar Besar here to protest the forum which they said would undermine Islam.
Holding banners and chanting, the group threatened many times to storm the building if the forum was not stopped.
About 50 policemen and Federal Reserve Unit personnel members lined themselves between the crowd and the building entrance.
At about 9.15am, Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman told Bar Council representatives to stop the forum by 10am in the interest of safety.
Mohd Mokhtar Ghazali, who is president of the Umno-affiliated Insan Bakti Welfare Organisation, said the forum should have not been held in the first place.
He added that the protest by Malays from different political groups was to display their unhappiness on groups that allegedly wanted to question the privileges of Malays and Muslims.
© 1995-2008 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Aren't they caused problem to the society ? Why they are not put behind bars ?
THIS IS MALAYSIA (TIM)
So, think twice when you vote next election or come the byelection.
The Star Online > Nation Sunday August 10, 2008
Bar Council forced to stop forum early
By SHAILA KOSHY, ZULKIFLI
Protesters rally outside Bar Council! KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council went ahead with its controversial forum on Conversion To Islam yesterday, but was forced to stop it about an hour after it began following advice from the police and noisy intervention by protesters.
Former Suhakam commissioner and activist Mehrun Siraj was applauded by the 200 people at the forum when she said she was there because she believed that conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims should be resolved through open discussion.
Before she could complete her second statement, five men representing Umno, PKR, PAS and Malay / Muslim non-governmental organisations trooped into the auditorium – flanked by policemen – at 9.53am, and shouted for the meeting to end immediately although council chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan had announced at 9.30am that it would end at 10am at the request of the police.
The protesters included Malaysian Islamic Propagation and Welfare Organisation supreme council member Mohd Syahrir Abdul Aziz, Federation of Malay Students Union vice-president Jais Abdul Karim, Kulim-Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Nordin, and Alumni of Umno Club Overseas Students information director Mohamad Nazari Ahmad.
After some commotion, Ambiga announced at 10.04am: “We have no issue with anyone who has a different point of view. We respect everybody’s point of view. That is what the Bar Council is about; we have no quarrel with anyone. The forum is now closed.”
The group of about 300 people from various NGOs and political parties had started gathering at about 8.20am outside the Bar Council building in Lebuh Pasar Besar here to protest the forum which they said would undermine Islam.
Holding banners and chanting, the group threatened many times to storm the building if the forum was not stopped.
About 50 policemen and Federal Reserve Unit personnel members lined themselves between the crowd and the building entrance.
At about 9.15am, Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman told Bar Council representatives to stop the forum by 10am in the interest of safety.
Mohd Mokhtar Ghazali, who is president of the Umno-affiliated Insan Bakti Welfare Organisation, said the forum should have not been held in the first place.
He added that the protest by Malays from different political groups was to display their unhappiness on groups that allegedly wanted to question the privileges of Malays and Muslims.
© 1995-2008 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Comments
NATIONAL MIC YOUTH COORDINATOR
T.MOHAN
THE MIC YOUTH STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE TACTICS OF IRRESPONSIBLE GROUPS IN DISRUPTING THE BAR COUNCIL FORUM ON CONVERSION TO ISLAM IN KUALA LUMPUR TODAY.
THEIR ACTIONS IS A STEP BACKWARD TOWARDS THE UNITY AND RELIGIOUS HARMONY AMONGST THE VARIOUS RACES IN MALAYSIA ENVISIONED UNDER VISION 2020.
WE ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE GROUPS FOR FAILING TO ALLOW THE DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES OF INTER-FAITH IN A MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
THE BAR COUNCIL HAS REITERATED THAT THE FORUM ON RELIGIOUS CONVERSION WAS NOT TO QUESTION THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 121 (A)
OF THE CONSTITUTION BUT TO ADDRESS THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS FACING FAMILIES CAUGHT BETWEEN THE SEPARATE JURISDICTIONS OF CIVIL AND SYARIAH LAWS.
THE MIC YOUTH REALISE THE NECESSITY OF THE ABOVE FORUM AS IT WILL CLARIFY CONFUSION OF THE CONCERNED GROUP AND WILL BE A BASE FOR GUIDELINE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING TO CONVERT TO THEIR ORIGINAL RELIGION DUE TO THEIR PERSONAL JUDGEMENT.
WE BELIEVE OPEN DISCUSSIONS AND DIALOGUES ON THE PROBLEMS ARISING OUT OF THE SYARIAH AND CIVIL COURTS SEPARATE JURISDICTIONS AND OTHER ISSUES TO RELIGIOUS CONVERSIONS ARE IMPERATIVE TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
THERE ARE SO MANY CASES WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WERE AFFECTED BECAUSE OF THE CONVERSION IN AND OUT OF ISLAM. MANY WHO HAD CONVERTED WERE ALSO IN A DILEMMA AS THEY WERE UNABLE TO REVERT TO THEIR FORMER RELIGION.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE GROUPS SHOULD HAVE USED THE FORUM TO COME AND GIVE THEIR VIEWS INSTEAD OF ACTING HIGH-HANDEDLY AND FORCING THE CANCELLATION OF THE FORUM.
WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE POLICE HAD ALSO FAILED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THESE GROUPS FOR STAGING DEMONSTRATIONS AND HAD INSTEAD ASKED BAR COUNCIL TO CANCEL THE FORUM.
THE MIC YOUTH IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE STATEMENTS MADE BY CERTAIN LEADERS WHO HAD STRONGLY OPPOSED THE FORUM AS IT HAS CAUSED RESENTMENT AMONGST THE NON MUSLIMS
THEY SEEM TO HAVE IGNORED THE FACT THAT THE BAR COUNCIL HAS ALREADY CLARIFIED THAT THE FORUM WAS TO ADDRESS THE CONFLICTS OF LAW.
THEY SHOULD HAVE COME OUT WITH THEIR PROPOSALS IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF NON-MUSLIM HUSBANDS WHO ABANDON THEIR SPOUSES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CONVERT INTO ISLAM RATHER THAN TO STOP A LEGITIMATE FORUM.
THE MIC YOUTH ALSO CALL ON HINDRAF TO PUBLICLY STATE THEIR STAND AS THE GROUP WHO OPPOSED THE FORUM WAS LED BY A PARTI KEADILAI RAKYAT MP. IS THIS WHAT HINDRAF GETS FOR SUPPORTING PKR IN THE GENERAL ELECTION?
ENDS