Is free speech under attack?

So this means there are boundaries and limits to free speech. And the government and/or society define these boundaries of free speech. And you are not allowed to cross this boundary or limit or else you will be condemned and/or punished.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris has triggered a debate in the UK, France, Germany, and so on, regarding freedom of speech. Sky and BBC have called the Paris massacre an attack on free speech.
While the majority interviewed by Sky and BBC condemned the attacks as an example of Muslims being too sensitive and of not respecting or tolerating free speech, there are others who feel that the boundaries of free speech need to be defined.

As to whether the journalists and cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo crossed the line of free speech or not is a separate debate. As to the way they were punished is probably more of concern. Even if they did cross the line the punishment is way in excess of the ‘crime’.

In our modern, and hence we can also assume civilised society, violence can never be the response to however you may feel you have been hurt or insulted. Therefore the Paris massacre can never be justified however hurt or insulted you may feel.

The issue is: how far can we go in upholding free speech? Are there any limits or boundaries to free speech? Is the sky the limit to how far we are allowed to express what we feel?
In the outrage against the Paris massacre we will certainly focus on the violence and ignore the other and also important issue: where do we draw the line of free speech. Without trying to sound as if I support or am trying to justify the attacks — which I do not — we must not lose track of the fact that free speech does have its limits, even in Europe.

For example, I cannot wear a Nazi Swastika on my arm and say that I am just exercising my right of expressing my support of the Holocaust. I cannot even dispute the Holocaust and say that I doubt it happened and even if it did it is not possible that six million Jews were killed.
If I say this is sheer propaganda and a story fabricated with no evidence, I would be arrested in some countries and heavily condemned in others. Free speech does not extend to disputing the Holocaust or showing support for the Nazis.

Even if I use the anti-Islam or Prophet Muhammad cartoons as my justification to express my opinion regarding the Holocaust and the Nazis, this can never be accepted. I cannot argue that if you have the freedom to insult Islam then I, too, have the freedom to say what I want regarding the Holocaust and the Nazis.

So, Europe, too, sets a limit as to what you can and cannot say in expressing your opinion and in your exercising of free speech.

The question here is who defines these boundaries or limits? You set the boundaries and limits. I have no say in that decision. And I have to conduct myself according to those boundaries and limits that you have set and which I played no part in and never agreed to.
I can fly an Israeli flag outside my house. That is not a crime. But if I fly a banner that says ‘Israel is a terrorist state’ I would most likely get into trouble.

I will also get into trouble if I fly an IS (Islamic State) flag outside my house. But if I fly a banner that says ‘IS is a terrorist organisation and they should all be put to death’ that is not a problem.
Hence support for Israel is kosher. However, support for the enemies of Israel is haram. Do I have the freedom to express my opinion? Definitely not! You have to do the politically correct thing.
In Malaysia it is also the same. I can say that the Malays should not call the non-Malays pendatang because the Malays, too, migrated to Malaya from what is now called Indonesia. But if I say that if the Chinese and Indians are not happy then they can go back to China or India I would be condemned.

Who decided this boundary or limit? Why is it okay to whack the Malays but not the others? Who made the decision that it is kosher to whack the Malays but if you whack the others you are a racist?
The Muslims are allowed to say that the Bible is a fake and that the Christian doctrine, especially Catholicism, is heresy. Malaysian Muslims are allowed to call the Shias deviants who are not really Muslims. But if you say that the Qur’an is a fake and that Islam is actually a violent religion and not a religion of peace (and that is the reason for the Paris attacks) you will get arrested.

Kassim Ahmad has an opinion regarding the Hadith. And when he was asked his opinion and he gave it, they arrested him and put him on trial. So, Kassim Ahmad must go to jail because he has an opinion and because he expressed his opinion. Hence there is no freedom of opinion and freedom of speech after all.

So this means there are boundaries and limits to free speech. And the government and/or society define these boundaries of free speech. And you are not allowed to cross this boundary or limit or else you will be condemned and/or punished.

Hence the Paris attacks should be condemned. But they should be condemned because of the violence and deaths. These attacks, however, should not be treated as an attack on free speech because one man’s free speech is another man’s crime. To condemn the attacks as an attack on free speech is giving the impression that anything goes in the interest of free speech, and this is definitely not the case even in Europe.

http://www.malaysia-today.net/is-free-speech-under-attack/

 

Modi throws open doors to people of Indian origin around the globe

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people of Indian origin to turn to their homeland in a bid to lure overseas talent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed to millions of people of Indian origin across the world to turn to their homeland after he eased visa rules to lure overseas talent, in a bid to make the country a top power.

India has the world's second largest diaspora after China, with more than 25 million people settling overseas since colonial times, from Guyana in South America to Singapore in East Asia.

Modi's desire to harness the group's skills and resources is bolstered by his Hindu nationalist leanings towards reasserting India's position as a global leader with a unique civilisation stretching back thousands of years.

"There was a time when professionals in India went to distant lands to explore new possibilities," Modi told an annual gathering for people of Indian origin in the western state of Gujarat. "Now India awaits you with opportunities."

The diaspora event was timed immediately prior to a large investment meeting that will be addressed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

Yesterday, President Pranab Mukherjee approved an executive order to ease the way for those whose families left India as many as four generations ago, as well as their spouses, to get lifetime visas and own property in India.

Modi's pitch has a harder economic aspect too, as the diaspora holds investments of more than US$100 billion (RM357 billion) in India.

Young, foreign-educated Indians came back in droves at the turn of the millennium and poured in funds as the economy took off with a roar, but the flow has dried up as growth sputtered in the past few years. Modi is keen to reverse that trend.

Officials said they are also assisting citizenship efforts by those whose ancestors left India centuries ago, shipped by British rulers to distant corners of the globe as indentured labourers.

Last year, overseas Indians greeted Modi with a rockstar welcome and stadium rallies on his state visits to the United States and Australia.

The energetic leader's popularity has already won over some high-profile individuals, including Arvind Panagariya and Arvind Subramanian, two of the world's top economists, who recently joined his government after long careers in the United States.

The diaspora meeting was attended by Guyana's President Donald Ramotar, and also sought to tap into the French-speaking Indian diaspora from island nations such as Mauritius. – Reuters, January 8, 2015. –

See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/modi-throws-open-doors-to-people-of-indian-origin-around-the-globe#sthash.ah5ATr9t.dpuf

Keliling dunia – Fudzail

Published: 5 January 2015

Jet peribadi mewah eksklusif
sebagai kenderaan rasmi
membawa kami
keluarga perdana ke merata bumi
keliling dunia
urusan rasmi atau cuti
sebagai keistimewaan
kemudahan khas eksekutif
hak-hak yang termaktub
dalam persetujuan kabinet
yang tidak perlu dipertikaikan
oleh sesiapa sahaja
terutama mereka yang tidak
mengundi kami!

Jangan sekali ungkitkan
sama ada keistimewaan kami
wasatiyyah atau transformasi
mengikut perbelanjaan berhemah
dikala hutang negara menggunung
atau negara dilanda malapetaka
rakyat dalam musibah
itu bukan permaslahan
untuk menjadi umpatan
kerana privilege ini
lambang kemakmuran negara
sesuai untuk pemimpin
yang diiktiraf golf diplomasi
dengan Obama
pemimpin no1 dunia.

Ya! Rakyat harus berbangga
bersyukur dan berterima kasih
kepimpinan bertaraf global
telah membawa keuntungan
pulangan berbilion RM untuk 1MDB
di Cayman Islands
kerana itu memang berbaloi
untuk keliling dunia
rasmi atau bercuti
sendirian atau famili
menggunakan harta
dan dana rakyat! – 5 Januari, 2015.

* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/rencana/article/keliling-dunia-fudzail#sthash.6WoPnoYO.dpuf

Legasi Tunku Dalam Politik

Menjelang sambutan ulang tahun kemerdekaan kali ke 57 banyak seruan-seruan dibuat bagi menimbulkan kemeriahan sambutan dan menaikan semangat patriotik. Orang ramai digalakan mengibarkan bendera sebagai tanda penglibatan dan patriotik. Upacara di pagi hari dengan perbarisan dan di malam hari dengan acara kesenian dan bunga api.

 

Ada beberapa sisi dalam sambutan ulang tahun kemerdekaan yang boleh dikembangkan atau ditonjolkan dengan lebih ketara lagi. Antaranya menghayati polisi-polisi atau tindakan-tindakan yang dibuat oleh pendiri atau pengasas kemerdekaan. Mereka inilah yang telah meletakan asas kukoh bagi membolehkan kemajuan dan kemakmuran Malaysia seperti yang dicapai sekarang. Dalam erti kata yang lain memahami dan menghayati legasi-legasi peninggalan mereka. Terutamanya legasi-legasi pandang ke hadapan yang membentuk Malaysia sehingga ke hari ini.

 

Sudah tentu tokoh utama yang perlu ditonjolkan ialah Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra sebagai Bapa Kemerdekaan. Legasi Tunku sebagai tokoh utama mendapatkan kemerdekaan sering ditonjolkan. Namun banyak lagi legasi-legasi Tunku yang lain perlu dihebahkan untuk mendapat pengiktirafan. Sehinggga ke hari ini setelah 57 tahun merdeka kita boleh lihat dengan jelas legasi Tunku yang masih hidup bahkan diperkembangkan mengikut peredaran masa.

 

Dari segi politik kejayaan Tunku membentuk Perikatan banyak diperkatakan. Konsep Perikatan kemudiannya dikembangkan oleh Tun Razak menjadi Barisan Nasional (BN). Satu konsep keluarga besar yang berlandaskan parti-parti mengikut kaum. Walaupun terdapat badai dalam mengharungi gagasan itu dengan cabaran-cabaran masa kini. BN masih lagi kekal memerintah Malaysia dan berjaya mengharungi Pilihan Raya Umum terkini pada 2013.

 

Suatu konsep muafakat politik dan pengkongsian kuasa antara kaum-kaum yang berada di Semenanjung, Sabah dan Serawak. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sendiri menggunakan konsep muafakat politik dengan menunjukkan kejayaan. Terutamanya mereka telah berjaya mendapat undi popular melebihi daripada apa yang diperolehi oleh BN dalam Pilihan Raya Umum baru-baru ini.

 

Umumnya di Semenanjung dalam pembahagian kerusi, bagi kerusi yang pengundi majoritinya orang Cina akan diberikan kepada MCA. Kawasan pengundi bercampur diberikan kepada Gerakan atau MIC dan kawasan pengundi yang majoritinya Melayu diberikan kepada UMNO. Begitu juga PR kawasan-kawasan yang pengundinya majoriti orang Melayu diberikan kepada PAS. Kawasan yang bercampur diberikan kepada PKR dan majoriti Cina diberikan kepada DAP.

 

Legasi Tunku dalam membentuk keluarga besar dan perkongsian kuasa di terima oleh kedua-dua BN dan PR,

 

Selepas mencapai kemerdekaan Tunku tidak meniru apa yang dilakukan di Thailand dan Indonesia. Kedua Negara itu dalam membina negara bangsa telah mewajibkan seluruh penduduk mereka menggunakan bahasa kebangsaan, tulisan kebangsaan dan nama     Dengan demikian semua penduduk tidak mengira latar belakang telah diasimilasikan ke dalam budaya negara itu. Tunku memberi kebebasan kepada orang Cina dan Orang India terutamanya yang baru diterima sebagai warga negara meneruskan bahasa, tulisan dan nama mengikut identiti bangsa masing-masing. Asalkan mereka menerima bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa Kebangsaan. Legasi inilah yang menjadikan masyarakat Malaysia satu masyarakat yang majmuk.

 

Legasi ini juga menolak pendapat yang sempit menonjolkan seolah-olah Malaysia hanya terdiri daripada satu bangsa sahaja.

Logik Juga Harga Minyak Kena naik.

Selepas solat subuh surau menyajikan nasi lemak dengan teh bersusu. Sambil borak-borak dengan ahli jamaah banyak yang dibicarakan. Topik hangat tentulah kenaikan harga minyak 20 sen seliter. Turut juga naik serta merta harga-harga barang makanan. Ketua SPAD turut mengatakan harga pengangkutan awam dan letrik akan naik. Menteri yang jaga pengguna kata kenaikan barangan seharusnya tidak melebihi 1.3 peratus.

Apakan daya sebagai orang rakyat bawahan aku laksana mentimun. Logik juga kata-kata mereka yang mengatakan harga minyak  kena naik. Logik aku pula pendapatan aku tidak meningkat tetapi sudah tentu perbelanjaan yang selama ini sudahpun sempit akan menjadi lebih sempit lagi. Logik aku kedai mamak akan menaikan harga teh tarik 20 sen sama dengan harga kenaikan minyak seliter untuk segelas. Kueh dan nasi lemak makanan pagiku akan naik. Sekarang ini akupun telah berjimat pergi ke kedai-kedai borong untuk membeli barang basahan dan harian. Apa lagi ya yang perlu aku buat ?

Aku pernah dengar seorang motivator terkenal pernah berkata. Usahakanlah buat 2 kerja. Kalau perlu tiga kerja untuk melawan kenaikan harga barang. Sekali fikir memang betul kata-kata motivator tersebut. Dua kali fikir beliau benar-benar dah gila, insane. Tidak berpijak ke alam nyata. Tidak perihatin,  pembodek tegar.    

Aku bertanya-tanya diri sendiri adakah orang Melayu yang 40 peratus berada di bawah ekonomi Malaysia ini masih lagi dapat bertahan.   Sekiranya peratus 40 peratus ini boleh dikurangkan ataupun kekal, kenaikan harga minyak itu tidak memberi kesan yang besar kepada kehidupan rakyat terutama orang Melayu. Sebalik sekiranya data menunjukan peratus orang Melayu yang dibawah ekonomi Malaysia melebihi 40 peratus kenaikan harga minyak ini memberi kesan yang sangat negatif kepada orang Melayu. Bahkan ia menunjukkan polisi yang salah.

Kita juga tidak tahu adakah jurang antara mereka yang berada dengan yang tidak semakin menjauh atau berkurang. Kita juga tidak tahu siapakah golongan yang paling beruntung atau paling rugi dengan polisi kenaikan harga petrol ini.

Satu hal lagi aku tidak fasih untuk berbincang tentang hubungan ekonomi dengan peningkatan jenayah. Minda 5 sen aku mengatakan jenayah akan meningkat sekiranya ramai yang merasakan kesan negatif daripada ekonomi. Rompakan dan kes ragut akan bertambah. Sekiranya itulah yang bertambah kenaikan minyak yang dikatakan hanya 11 Peratus memberi kesan yang sangat-sangat tidak lestari kepada kehidupan.

Aku pernah dengar seorang professor ekonomi berkata. Negara manakah yang mempunyai pakar-pakar ekonomi yang paling ramai. Negara itu juga mempunyai universiti-universiti yang terkemuka. Tapi lihatlah ekonomi negara itu  dan krisis-krisis ekonomi yang dialaminya. Aku menambah kita masih menjadi pak pandir dalam menguruskan ekonomi mengikut pandangan-pandangan pakar-pakar ekonomi yang menunjukan kegagalan. Negara itu adalah Amerika.