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Category: Politik

  • Malaysia, Indonesia, Tighten Security Net

    Malaysia, Indonesia, Tighten Security Net

    KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia is on high alert for the festive season – with armed soldiers making their presence felt at shopping malls, clubs and hotels – after its neighbour Indonesia foiled a planned Christmas Day bombing.

    Meanwhile, Indonesian police will deploy some 155,000 personnel to secure the country during the Christmas and New Year holidays, reported Agence France-Presse.

    Neither country is taking the terror threat lightly.

    In Malaysia, larger malls have deployed their own security teams, numbering more than 100 men each, to complement auxiliary police, according to The Star.

    “Certain malls go further by putting up notices to remind visitors about the steps they can take if they notice someone or something suspicious,” adviser to the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association H.C. Chan told The Star.

    The use of closed-circuit television cameras to keep an extra eye on crowded shopping spaces has also been stepped up.

    Still, Malaysia’s malls have stopped short of installing scanners and metal detectors at entry points, a common feature in Thailand and Indonesia.

    Malaysian police said on Tuesday that they had arrested seven people between Nov 3 and Dec 16 for suspected links to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and for planning attacks in Malaysia and abroad.

    Earlier this month, they revealed that they had prevented some 14 ISIS-linked attacks in the country.

    So far, the only successful assault by the Islamist group in Malaysia was a grenade attack in June on a bar in Puchong, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, which left eight people injured.

    In Indonesia, national police chief Tito Karnavian said security will be boosted at churches, entertainment venues and public gatherings during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. On Wednesday, the police discovered a cache of bombs on the outskirts of Jakarta and killed three suspected militants to prevent a suicide bombing.

    “Police will beef up security after these (raids)”, said national police spokesman Martinus Sitompul. Intelligence-gathering efforts and the monitoring of social media are also being intensified.

    While Indonesia routinely deploys security personnel for year-end celebrations, this week’s events have given the exercise an extra edge.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Why Malaysians Are Staying Home This Holiday Season

    Why Malaysians Are Staying Home This Holiday Season

    The end of the year is usually holiday time for Malaysians, especially with the long school break.

    Recent years have been different, however, as a combination of rising costs and a deteriorating ringgit have made holidays — particularly abroad — a greater luxury than they once were.

    Nearly a dozen families polled by Malay Mail Online said they were cutting back, either by trying to select more affordable options or even foregoing vacations altogether.

    One such family that has opted to give up holidays completely is that of Mr Jagjit Singh’s.

    “We just cannot afford holidays anymore. The cost of it is too expensive. We just end up taking them to malls or parks,” he told Malay Mail Online, referring to his children.

    The “trips” to the mall also do not mean they get to spend lavishly there, as the family mostly uses their time window-shopping or possibly watching a movie.

    According to his wife, Ms Taranjit Kaur, a local holiday would cost them between RM1,000 (S$322) and RM2,000 per trip, which they can ill afford.

    “In the current economic situation, my husband has to do Uber despite him having an office job. I also support our income by tutoring part time,” Ms Taranjit, 31, said.

    The ringgit this week fell to its lowest since the Asian Financial Crisis, spurred by an investor sell-down of emerging market assets as well as Bank Negara Malaysia’s ongoing crackdown on currency speculators.

    It traded at 4.48 to the US dollar on Monday (Dec 19) morning, a level that it has not reached since the 1998 crisis.

    Nurse Amutha Rayaretinam, whose family visited Istanbul, Turkey last year, said they would be travelling to a local destination this year, possibly Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan or Langkawi island in Kedah.

    “The currency is very bad… I used to go travelling once a year but this year I cut off because now our currency is very low.

    “Now wherever we go our currency value very low, last year I still went,” the 38-year-old mother of two told Malay Mail Online.

    Those who still plan to holiday abroad are also cutting back, opting to visit a single country rather than going on the multiple-nation tours that they previously chose.

    Mother of two school-going children, Ms Pei Gin, is among those considering this option to allow their families to still go for holidays outside the country.

    “There is not much travelling for us now. We have lessened our spending, of course. We used to go for long overseas holidays, like two to three places. Now, we have to narrow it down to one, if we do go at all,” the homemaker said.

    According to travel consultant Annuar Rizwan, his profit is down by nearly half compared to last year due to Malaysians opting to remain in the country as well as from competition of the ever-growing number of “staycation” providers.

    To cope, he said he either takes his family for domestic holidays or to theme parks such as Sunway Lagoon.

    “Usually we just go window shopping at malls. We don’t buy anything because we can’t afford it. We just look and see,” the father of two school-going daughters said.

    Mr Annuar added that his family is prioritising education for his two girls, and needed to scale back any luxury spending.

    They also try to save where they can, such as shopping for discounted school supplies or during sales.

    “Education is one thing we don’t think we can cut down or reduce on. We have cut down on their shopping allowance and have tried restricting them from spending unnecessarily.”

    But not everyone is complaining about foreign trips becoming more expensive

    The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) told Malay Mail Online that business has been booming for its 1,500 members, although it did not provide statistics.

    Mita president Uzaidi Udanis also said local holidays is still very affordable if consumers are shrewd at spotting deals, such as early booking discounts or choosing off-season stays.

    “The local destinations are ever popular among Malaysians. There might be a drop from overseas travels but as far as local travels are concerned there is an increase. Fewer people are leaving the country,” he said.

    Even travel agents are opting to holiday locally.

     

    Source: TODAY Online

  • Bandung Mayor Forms Tolerance Task Force Following Intolerant Incidents

    Bandung Mayor Forms Tolerance Task Force Following Intolerant Incidents

    Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil has announced the formation of the Tolerance Task Force to maintain peace during services of any religion following at least two incidents in the past two weeks.

    The formation of the task force, which will coordinate with the Bandung Police, is a response to incidents in which groups forcibly dispersed religious activities.

    “This is the first response team that you can contact if you encounter the prospect of a disruption in worship activities. I hope the Tolerance Task Force can maintain peace and make everyone feel protected by the state and that they do not have to give in to those who disrespect unity,” Ridwan said on Tuesday.

    The task force is comprised of young people of various religious backgrounds. Bandung Religious Affairs Agency head Yusuf Umar said the young people would get training on the law on religious rights.

    Besides an incident in which Ahlu Sunnah Defenders (PAS) broke into an event held to celebrate Christmas, the Padjadjaran University choir’s fund-raising performance in Trans Studio Mall was also disrupted and halted by one person.

    It was reported that members of the choir were in the middle of singing Christmas carols when a man approached them and asked them whether there were any Muslims among them. He also recorded the choir’s songs using a smartphone.

    “The choir should have reported the incident to security guards. They should have talked with the mediation of security guards. And if that didn’t work, they should have reported the matter to the police,” Ridwan said.

     

    Source: The Jakarta Post

  • Polis Swiss: Lelaki Yang Lepaskan Tembakan Di Dewan Solat Zurich Ditemui Mati

    Polis Swiss: Lelaki Yang Lepaskan Tembakan Di Dewan Solat Zurich Ditemui Mati

    Polis Switzerland hari ini (20 Dis) menyatakan pihaknya sudah menemui mayat lelaki yang disyaki melepaskan tembakan hingga mencederakan tiga lelaki di sebuah dewan solat di Zurich.

    Serangan pada petang Isnin itu (19 Dis) dipercayai tidak ada kaitan dengan ISIS, tambah kenyataan itu lagi.

    “Kami menganggap lelaki yang sudah mati yang kami temui itu adalah dalang insiden tembakan di pusat Islam di Zurich,” menurut polis Zurich di laman Twitter.

    Ia menambah “tiada tanda-tanda bahawa dalang itu ada kaitan dengan ISIS.”

    Mayat tersebut ditemui selepas polis melancarkan operasi memburu suspek berhampiran tempat kejadian.

    Ini setelah seorang lelaki, berusia sekitar 30 tahun, menyerbu masuk ke Pusat Islam di tengah Zurich sekitar 5.30 petang waktu tempatan dan mula melepaskan tembakan.

    “Dia melepaskan beberapa das tembakan ke arah para jemaah,” sebelum melarikan diri, menurut polis.

    Kebanyakan mereka yang berada di Pusat Islam itu, yang digunakan sebagai masjid, berasal dari Afrika Utara, Somalia dan Eritrea, menurut agensi berita ATS.

    “Tiga lelaki, berusia 30, 35 dan 56 tahun cedera, setengah cedera parah. Suspek kemudian melarikan diri dari masjid itu ke arah Stesen Central,” menurut polis sebelum ini.

    Mayat berkenaan ditemui beberapa ratus meter dari tempat kejadian tembakan itu di tebing sungai di bawah jambatan.

    Sekitar 12 orang berada di dewan solat itu ketika insiden tersebut berlaku, lapor ATS.

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Ahok Supporters Finding New Strength

    Ahok Supporters Finding New Strength

    As prosecutors read out their statement that rejected Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s refutation, hundreds of supporters of the blasphemy defendant staged a demonstration outside the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, asking the judges to release the beleaguered incumbent Jakarta gubernatorial candidate.

    It was the first time since his allegedly blasphemous remarks started to trouble him two months ago that a large number of demonstrators openly voiced support for the capital’s first Chinese-Indonesian
    governor.

    Wearing the iconic blue and red plaid shirts, the protesters carried signs that read, “We are Muslims who forgive Ahok” and “Release Ahok”.

    “I’ll tell you what Ahok has done to Islam. He sent mosque keepers to go on the umrah and built mosques. He is not an enemy of Islam,” a man in a white cap said through a loudspeaker to supporters who responded with a thunderous applause.

    The scene at the old Central Jakarta District Court building on Jl. Gajah Mada stood in contrast to Ahok’s first trial hearing a week before. At that time, no Ahok supporters were present. Instead, hundreds of protesters swarmed the street to demand that Ahok be jailed immediately.

    At least three large rallies with similar demands were staged in Jakarta, as well as in other cities, shaking the country’s political stability.

    With the “anti-Ahok” protestors also present on Tuesday, the two groups were separated by dozens of police officers and a police Barracuda vehicle.

    “We were trying to display support for Ahok and send a message to the judges and other people that there are Muslims who support tolerance and a fair trial,” Yayong Waryono of the Bara-Badja (Volunteer Front for Basuki and Djarot) told The Jakarta Post. The abbreviation refers to Ahok and his running mate Djarot Saiful Hidayat.

    Yayong said they decided to stage a rally because they were concerned with the hundreds of anti-Ahok protestors “trying to put pressure on the panel of judges”.

    A recent survey carried out by Jakarta-based pollster Poltracking Indonesia found that most Ahok supporters in Jakarta were from the middle class group, which seemed to make up most of the
    demonstrators.

    Inside the court building, prosecutors asked the judges to ignore the refutation statement emotionally presented by Ahok last week.

    Lead prosecutor Mukartono said the refutation by Ahok and his legal team was baseless and urged the judges, presided over by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, to proceed with the trial.

    In his refutation, Ahok said as evidence of his great respect for Islam, he had funded many mosque keepers to go on the umrah, therefore leaving him with no reason to commit blasphemy against the religion.

    But Mukartono brushed off the claim.

    “The source of the funds was from the Jakarta regional budget and it was normal for a regional leader to do such a thing,” he said.

    Prosecutors also questioned a claim conveyed by Ahok’s legal team in the previous hearing that it was a “trial by mob”.

    Prosecutors claimed that despite the blasphemy allegation that stirred public controversy, it was the crime that brought Ahok to court, not the public pressure.

    “The legal process had been made under the proper procedures and none of it was affected by public pressure,” Mukartono said.

    The trial has been adjourned until Dec. 27, when the panel of judges are scheduled to issue an interim decision on whether to accept the refutation statement and terminate the trial, in which Ahok would be cleared of the blasphemy charge.

    Ahok has been indicted on Article 156 section (a) of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on blasphemy, which carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, for his controversial remarks that included a reference to a Quranic verse when he made a visit to Thousand Islands regency in September.

    The Jakarta Police said they deployed 2,986 officers to secure the area surrounding the court building.

    The police have repeatedly voiced concerns over possible security issues during the trial hearings and asked the Supreme Court to consider relocating the trial as the current venue is located in the heart of Jakarta where many government institutions and major businesses operate.

     

    Source: The Jakarta Post

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