Universiti Teknologi Mara For Malay Only

Although Universiti Teknologi Mara is a Malaysian public university, but the main objective is to provide maximum opportunities for Bumiputeras only to pursue professionally-recognized programmes of study in science, industry, technology, business, arts and humanities.

It began in 1956 as “Dewan Latihan”, by Rural and Industrial Development Authority Training Center in Petaling Jaya. The school name changed to MARA College in 1965 and since then became the most important unit of the MARA Training Division.

MARA stands for Council of Trust for the Indigenous People and Universiti Teknologi Mara is belong to MARA, it can’t mean different things to different people, it is for Malay Only!

The government of BN-UMNO formed MARA, neither non-Bumiputeras nor Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has power to make a proposal, or rather a say in this matter, the point here is clear that it is a University monopolized by Bumiputeras.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has no power to make a proposal that the student quota for Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) be opened to the non-Bumiputeras too.

He said those who had the rights to decide on the enrolment policy were those who had links to the educational institution.

“It is not within his jurisdiction of power. Matters pertaining to the intake (of students) lie with the educational institution concerned.”

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is suggesting that 10 per cent of the current student quota at UiTM be opened to non-Bumiputeras and foreign students.

He said the suggestion could raise the quality of education and spirit of competition among students at the institution. The suggestion to open up the university was to improve the quality of education and competency amongst its students as the university is currently only open to Bumiputeras.

He proposed to sit in a special meeting with some state executive councillors and the university's student representatives to come up with ideas to further advance the achievements of higher learning.

The suggestion, however, were met with opposition from former UiTM students who described it as illogical and did not deserve any consideration.

About 5,000 UiTM students assembled in front of the state government administration building, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (SAAS) to protest against the suggestion.

Anwar charged under section 377B, Penal Code for sodomy

PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim questioned why he was the only one brought to court if he supposedly had ‘consensual’ unnatural sex with his former aide.

“If it is consensual, why was I the only one being charged? This is a political persecution.”

To answer to him, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is not being charged for sodomy because he is the complainant in the sodomy case against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said that in a criminal justice system, when a person comes forward to report on a matter, the person would be protected.

"Usually, the victim would be given protection," said Syed Hamid.

The charge against Anwar: That you, on Jun 26, 2008 between 3.01 pm and 4.30 pm at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, No 99 Jalan Setia kasih, Bukit Damansara in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, intentionally had carnal intercourse against the order of nature with Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan where you inserted your penis into his anus, and therefore you had a crime which can be punishable under section 377B of the Penal Code.

Penal Code, section 377B - Committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature : Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years, and shall also be liable to whipping.

America should not interfere in Anwar sodomy case

Malaysia's de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was charged in court with sodomy with a former male aide Saiful. As a person should be presumed innocent until proven guilty in court and international political pressure should not be allowed to interfere with justice, the statement from the US embassy is clearly interfered with a legal exercise in Malaysia’s jurisdiction, disrespected Malaysia’s sovereignty by meddling in its domestic affairs, thus seemed to be improper and unjustified.

Malaysia's de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with sodomy with a former male aide Saiful under Section 377B of the Penal Code on June 26 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condo in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

He was charged with "carnal intercourse against the order of nature," which carries a maximum 20-year jail term and shall also be liable to whipping. The former deputy prime minister has slammed as politically motivated and he pleaded not guilty against the charge of having carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

"This is malicious and treacherous slander," Anwar told Sessions Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah. He repeated this twice from the dock. Sessions Court Judge SM Komathy Suppiah set bail at 20,000 ringgit and fixed September 10 for the start of the trial. Anwar posted bail.

Anwar was represented by a nine-member legal team headed by Sulaiman. The other defence lawyers are R Sivarasa, Leela J Jesuthasan, Sankara Nair Edmund Bon, Saiful Izham Ramli, Amer Hamzah Arshad, Latheefa Koya and Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin.

Despite being charged in court, Anwar Ibrahim will run as a candidate, will now be able to submit his nomination paper in person on Aug 16. Polling has been fixed for Aug 26.

Accordingly, US had issued a statement from the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, "It is our hope that the rule of law will be applied fairly and transparently, given the flawed nature of the process that led to Anwar’s past sodomy conviction, which was ultimately overturned by a Malaysian court."

"Transparent and impartial application of the law in this case is critical to continued confidence in Malaysia’s democratic institutions, particularly its legal and judicial systems."

ACA report against Abdullah and Najib

What is the motif of Umno youth EXCO member Mazlan Harun lodging a complaint against party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and deputy president Najib Abdul Razak? It is an interesting question being asked by the public now.

Umno youth EXCO member Mazlan Harun today lodged a complaint against party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and deputy president Najib Abdul Razak with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for alleged abuse of power.

The complainant, Mazlan Harun claimed that both Abdullah and Najib - who are prime minister and deputy respectively - had abused government machineries to garner support among Umno members in a bid to sustain their positions in the coming party elections.

The complaint was based on an open letter written by Umno Petaling Jaya Selatan division chief Zahar Hashim and addressed to the party’s secretary-general, demanding that both Abdullah and Najib be disciplined for allegedly abusing their power.

In a blog that published the letter, the Umno president and his deputy were accused of using a government agency under the Information Ministry called the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) as their party campaigning platform.

"Abdullah met with Umno leaders through Jasa in Kuala Lumpur and gave them money and kain pelikat (sarong) or batik while providing them with four-star hotel accommodation as well as entertainment," read the blog.

Zahar said a memo dated July 8 - issued by the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur - had invited all Umno division, branch, Putera, Wanita and Puteri wing leaders nationwide to attend a closed door briefing on July 10 at the party headquarters.

At that briefing, Zahar in his letter accused Abdullah and Najib of explicitly campaigning for them in view of defending their number one and number two positions respectively at the party polls scheduled for December this year.

The content of their speeches clearly reflected abuse of power and were intended at persuading division leaders (to support their party positions)," Zahar said in the letter.

According to Zahar, holding gatherings and giving out ‘pocket money’ to party members are clear violations of party guidelines and both the president and deputy president are not exceptions to the rule.

He said both Abdullah and Najib went against guidelines, which they themselves had helped compile. "Is this what they mean by leadership by example?" asked Zahar.

The letter also slammed the planned handover of power by Abdullah to Najib in two years time as a ‘political bribery of the highest order’ though it did not specify why such a move was considered a form of political bribery.