Bhutto placed under house arrest again

LAHORE, Pakistan - Authorities mounted a massive security operation Tuesday to hold opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for the second time in five days and prevent her from staging a 185-mile protest march against emergency rule.

An aide to Bhutto said her supporters would sweep away the barricades and allow her to embark on the planned three-day procession. However, police swiftly detained the first demonstrators to arrive at the cordon around her residence.

The showdown intensified the political crisis engulfing Pakistan and further clouded the prospect of a pro-U.S. alliance against rising Islamic extremism forming between Bhutto and President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Bhutto's aide, Sen. Safdar Abbasi, said the seven-day detention order was not binding because neither Bhutto nor one of her representatives had been served with the document.

"She will defy the ban," Abbasi told The Associated Press by telephone. "We are ready for the long march, and our supporters will remove all the police blockades in the way of their leader."

However, Aftab Cheema, the chief of operations of Lahore city police, told the AP that a Bhutto representative had received the order issued by the government of Punjab province.

"She has been detained and she won't be allowed to come out," Cheema said.

Thousands of police in riot gear blocked all roads leading to an upscale area of Lahore from where Bhutto wanted to lead the procession. A total of eight trucks or tractors pulling trailers, all of them loaded with sand, were parked across one street early Tuesday.

Police stood behind the vehicles and a row of metal barricades topped with barbed wire. The house of a lawmaker where Bhutto was staying was out of sight for reporters, who were prevented from crossing the cordon.

The protest caravan was intended meant to pressure Musharraf to end the state of emergency he imposed on Nov. 3 and give up his post as army chief. It had been expected to take about three days, and Bhutto's party said thousands of supporters were expected to join en route.

Asked to comment on Bhutto's house arrest ahead of Tuesday's protest, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said: "While the situation continues to evolve, we believe that peaceful protests should be permitted and those detained should be allowed to participate." -AP

Malaysia PM defends keris at Umno assembly

November 7, 2007 - Opening the annual Umno meet at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur this morning, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, the act of unsheathing and kissing a keris is part of our cultural heritage but its meaning has been twisted to spread fear among non-Malays, and the image of Umno and Malaysia has been smeared overseas."

"Keris is a weapon, but it is a weapon to protect yourself and your friends," he said to a round of thunderous applause from more than 2,500 delegates who turned up this morning.

It was the first time that Abdullah, who has portrayed himself as a moderate Islamic leader, to strongly defend the party since it came under intense fire from various groups including those from the non-Malay-based BN component parties.

At last year's meeting, several delegates had also during the party debates - which was broadcasted live on a satellite television channel for the first time - vowed Umno members were ready to drown themselves in blood to defend their race.

Despite calls for actions against them, they were however let off with a warning by the Umno management committee, which is made up of the party's top leaders.

"Those who would wish to inflame communal sentiments have sensationalized the words of the four Umno speakers," lamented Abdullah, in reference to the speeches made at last year Umno's meet which were deemed as 'seditious' by critics.

The brandishing of the keris, a traditional Malay dagger, which has since been a regular feature at the party's youth wing was deemed as provocative to the non-Malay communities.

“On behalf of Umno’s leaders and members, I give assurance that Umno will never breach the spirit of the understanding that has been agreed with the other communities at the time of Merdeka,” added Abdullah in his 90-minute speech.

“Opportunities in Malaysia are available to all. There is a future for every Malaysian in this country,” he said to a loud cheer from his audience.

At the same time, he said, the other communities must also appreciate the sensitivities of the Malays.

“Basic matters relating to the sanctity of religion, beliefs and practices, Malay interests and the social contract between the communities are sacred to us and should not be raised,” he added.

He also said that Umno was willing to discuss on the sensitive matters in an "effective and appropriate manner".

“We are ready to seek intelligent resolutions and win-win outcomes when dealing with sensitive issues relating to race and religion.

No mercy for UN envoy in Burma

November 7, 2007 - Burma's ruling junta has rejected UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari's bid for three-way talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit, official media says.

Information Minister Kyaw Hsan told Gambari such a meeting was premature and he warned tougher international sanctions on Burma would only make matters worse.

Burma will not bow to outside pressure. It will never allow any outside interference to infringe on the sovereignty of the state," state-run MRTV quoted Kyaw Hsan as saying during talks with Gambari in the new capital Naypyidaw.

The UN said Gambari "had very frank and extensive exchanges" with senior junta officials on the fourth day of a mission aimed at securing talks between Suu Kyi and the generals who crushed pro-democracy protests in late September.

He urged that dialogue "start without delay as an indispensable part of any process of national reconciliation and the lifting of restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political detainees as the necessary steps to that end", the UN office in Rangoon said in a statement.

The statement made no mention of Gambari's request for three-way talks involving himself, Suu Kyi and General Aung Kyi, who met the Nobel laureate for 75 minutes last month after he was appointed the junta's liaison minister.

Kyaw Hsan said Suu Kyi had not responded to the conditions set for direct talks with junta chief Senior General Than Shwe, which included ending "confrontation" and her support for sanctions and "utter devastation" - a term not defined.

"He asked Gambari to urge Aung San Suu Kyi to respond to it," MRTV said.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won a massive election victory in 1990 only to be denied power by the army, has said any negotiations should have no prior strings attached.

Gambari was due to meet other top junta members and brief the diplomatic corps in Naypyidaw on Thursday, but there was no word on an audience with Than Shwe.

Gambari expected to see Suu Kyi in Rangoon, where she met him twice during his last visit after soldiers crushed pro-democracy protests in September, triggering international outrage. He also met Than Shwe on that trip.

Rumours that Suu Kyi had fallen ill swirled around Rangoon, but NLD spokesman Nyan Win said the 62-year-old was "okay".

A source at Rangoon's Asia Tawwin Hospital said Suu Kyi, who has spent 12 of the last 18 years in detention, had a minor operation to remove an ingrown finger nail and was returned to her lakeside home, where she is under house arrest.

The UN has said Gambari will stay in Burma as long as necessary to accomplish his mission, but his work has been complicated by the generals' move to kick out the UN's top resident diplomat for highlighting the country's economic crisis.

However, the regime agreed to a visit by UN human rights envoy Sergio Paulo Pinheiro from November 11 to 15, the UN said in a statement, the first time he has received a visa in four years.

Cadangan bersifat rasialisme dan ekstrem

Bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah telah mencadangkan supaya kerajaan membawa masuk orang Jawa untuk menambah undi orang Melayu dilihat telah menimbulkan reaksi negatif. Isu ini telah mendapat liputan semua akhbar-akhbar Cina tempatan dan reaksi negatif antaranya:-

1. Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Penyelaras Tujuh Persatuan Utama Cina, Datuk Wu Teik Fong berkata, mengajukan cadangan membawa masuk orang Jawa ke Malaysia dianggap tidak munasabah kerana kemerdekaan negara diperjuangkan oleh tiga kaum utama. Menurut beliau,cadangan sedemikian menunjukkan bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah sendiri juga terdiri dari kelompok kaum asing. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:CADANGAN BAWA MASUK ORANG JAWA TIDAK MUNASABAH ms 10)

2. Hua Zong mengkritik cadangan bekas hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah untuk membawa masuk orang Jawa bagi menambahkan bilangan kaum Melayu di Malaysia. Cadangan itu disifat sebagai ketinggalan zaman kerana membelahi sesetengah kaum sahaja. Cadangan itu bercanggah dengan konsep Perdana Menteri yang inginkan semua kaum di Malaysia dibangunkan bersama serta menikmati pembangunan dan kemakmuran negara. (NANYANG SIANG PAU - Selasa,06/11/2007:CADANGAN YANG BERAT SEBELAH- ms M.A11)

3. Timbalan Presiden Dong Zong, Tu Shou Han berkata, cadangan membawa masuk orang Jawa ke Malaysia tidak harus disamakan dengan langkah membawa masuk pekerja China dan India pada zaman penjajahan Inggeris, satu kenyataan yang dianggap 'tidak bertamadun'.

Menurut beliau, cadangan membawa masuk warga Jawa hanya mahu menambah nisbah kaum Melayu bukan saja tidak menghormati kaum lain, malah bakal mencetus kacau bilau di masyarakat. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:BAWA MASUK ORANG JAWA BEZA DENGAN BAWA MASUK PEKERJA CHINA DAN INDIA, ms (M. 10)

4. Ketua Pemuda MCA, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai mengkritik kenyataan bekas hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah untuk membawa masuk orang Jawa bagi menambah bilangan kaum Melayu di negara ini. Menurut Liow kenyataan yang berunsur rasialisme itu tidak membawa makna kepada perpaduan dan keharmonian rakyat. (NANYANG SIANG PAU - Selasa,06/11/2007:LIOW TIONG LAI KRITIK KENYATAAN DATUK MOHAMAD NOOR ABDULLAH ms M.A11)

5. Setiausaha Agung MCA, Dr Wee Ka Seong menganggap bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah mencadangkan kerajaan membawa masuh orang Jawa bagi menambah nisbah kaum Melayu adalah dasar negatif, maka beliau membantah cadangan tersebut. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:WEE KA SEONG BANTAH CADANGAN BAWA MASUK ORANG JAWA ms (M. 10)

6. Timbalan Setiausaha Agung ACCCIM, Datuk David Chua berkata, cadangan bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah untuk membawa masuk orang Jawa bagi menambah nisbah orang Melayu bercanggah dengan usaha kerajaan untuk mengeratkan perpaduan nasional. Katanya, mustahil rakyat Malaysia akan mengiktiraf rasialisme sedemikian, sudah tentu kerajaan tidak akan menerima cadangan itu. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:CADANGAN BAWA MASUK ORANG JAWA LANGGAR USAHA ERATKAN PERPADUAN ms M. 10)

7. Ketua Biro Publisiti Pusat Gerakan, Chua Chong An berkata, ketika Perdana Menteri dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri mengingatkan perwakilan UMNO supaya menghormati perasaan kaum lain dan tidak membuat kenyataan ekstrem, tetapi bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah telah mencadangkan supaya kerajaan membawa masuk orang Jawa untuk menambah undi orang Melayu yang bersifat rasialisme dan ekstrem. Menurut Chua, kenyataan Mohamad Noor Abdullah itu boleh dianggap mencabar seruan Perdana Menteri dan Timbalannya secara terbuka, malah juga menghalang keharmonian dan kemajuan berbilang kaum. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:CADANGAN BEKAS HAKIM MAHKAMAH RAYUAN BERSIFAT RASIALISME ms M. 10)

8 Setiausaha Agung Pusat Penyelidikan Cina, Chen Sung Qing berkata, bekas Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdullah berpendidikan tinggi, tidak harus mengajukan cadangan membawa masuk orang Jawa dan mencetuskan rasa tidak senang di kalangan rakyat. Katanya, cadangan tersebut boleh dikatakan tidak masuk akal dan sekiranya tidak ditolak, sudah tentu akan membawa kesan negatif. (SIN CHEW DAILY - Selasa,06/11/2007:TIDAK HARUS BUAT KENYATAAN YANG CETUS RASA TIDAK SENANG ms M. 10)

9. Demi meningkatkan bilangan pengundi Malayu, bekas hakim Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Mohamad Noor telah mencadangkan negara ini membawa masuk orang Jawa bagi membangunkan sektor pertanian di Kuala Selangor. Cadangan beliau langsung tidak menghiraukan perasaan kaum bukan Melayu di negara ini dan juga daya saing negara pada masa jangka panjang. Negara asing daripada negara kecil seperti Singapura sehingga negara besar seperti Amerika Syarikat mementingkan kepakaran dan kebolehan apabila mengambil masuk warga asing dan bukan berdasarkan kaum. Ini bertujuan supaya kepakaran warga asing akan membawa manfaat kepada negara ini. Bilangan Orang Melayu telah melebihi separuh daripada jumlah penduduk Malaysia. Orang Melayu kini telah menguasai politik negara ini dan ketuanan politik Melayu tidak mudah dirampas oleh kaum lain. (ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS - Selasa,06/11/2007:TINDAKAN TERHADAP MEREKA YANG MELUAHKAN KENYATAAN MELAMPAU).