2nd astronaut group by 2016?

19 September 2013

MALACCA: Malaysia is expected to send its second batch of astronauts to carry out research at the International Space Station (ISS) by 2016.

Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah said agencies under the ministry were working with numerous parties on the mission and direction of the proposed program.

"We are studying various matters, including sending two astronauts and carrying out experiments that would benefit the nation at the ISS.

"All these considerations have to be looked into, as the program involves a hefty allocation and is not merely a space tour.

"We will submit a proposal to the cabinet when our research is completed," he said after opening the Science4u Carnival in Air Keroh, here yesterday.

The one-day carnival, held to foster interest in science and technology among students nationwide, is among 103 programs implemented by the ministry in schools.

On Oct 10, 2007, Malaysia sent astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor to the ISS onboard the Soyuz TMA-11 rocket, with cooperation from the Russian Federal Space Agency.

He carried out experiments, including on cancer cells and leukemia, at the space station.

Source: New Straits Times.
Link: http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/2nd-astronaut-group-by-2016-1.358959.

Malaysia PM faces limited future after worst electoral showing

By Niluksi Koswanage and Stuart Grudgings
KUALA LUMPUR | Mon May 6, 2013

(Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak may have to step down by the end of the year, ruling party sources said on Monday, after his coalition extended its 56-year rule but recorded its worst-ever election performance.

Najib, 59, had staked his political future on strengthening the ruling coalition's parliamentary majority in Sunday's general election on the back of a robust economy, reforms to roll back race-based policies and a $2.6 billion deluge of social handouts to poor families.

But he was left vulnerable to party dissidents after his Barisan Nasional coalition won only 133 seats in the 222-member parliament, seven short of its tally in 2008 and well below the two-thirds majority it was aiming for.

It also lost the popular vote, underlining opposition complaints that the electoral system is stacked against it. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's People's Alliance won 89 seats, up 7 from 2008 but still incapable of unseating one of the world's longest-serving governments.

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, said in a statement on Monday that he would not accept the result because it was marred by "unprecedented" electoral fraud. He has called for a rally in the capital Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

Undermined by the result, Najib now faces a difficult task persuading his dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) to press ahead with economic reforms and phase out policies favoring majority ethnic Malays over other races.

"We could see Najib step down by the end of this year," said a senior official in UMNO, which leads the coalition.

"He may put up a fight, we don't know, but he has definitely performed worse. He does not have so much bargaining power," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, still a powerful figure in UMNO, told Reuters last year that Najib must improve on the 140 seats won in 2008 or his position would be unstable.

Kuala Lumpur's stock market surged nearly 8 percent in early trade to a record high on investor relief that the untested opposition had failed to take power, but later gave up some gains to close 3.38 percent higher. The Malaysian ringgit jumped to a 20-month high.

Ethnic Chinese, who make up a quarter of Malaysians, continued to desert Barisan Nasional, accelerating a trend seen in 2008. They have turned to the opposition, attracted by its pledge to tackle corruption and end race-based policies, undermining the National Front's traditional claim to represent all races in the nation of 28 million people.

MCA, the main ethnic Chinese party within the ruling coalition, only won seven seats, less than half its 2008 total.

Najib, the son of a former prime minister, said he had been taken by surprise by the extent of what he called a "Chinese tsunami." Alarmingly for Najib, support from ethnic Malays also weakened, particularly in urban areas, a sign that middle-class Malays are agitating for change.

Najib, who polls show is more popular than his party, could face a leadership challenge as early as October or November, when UMNO members hold a general assembly and elect the party leader.

"In the next round of elections within UMNO, you will see some dissidents emerging and asking for Najib to resign," said the official, who has held cabinet positions in government. He said Mahathir would be among those who back the dissidents.

ANWAR CRIES FOUL

Barisan Nasional also failed to win back the crucial industrial state of Selangor, near the capital Kuala Lumpur, which Najib had vowed to achieve.

"Najib is now leading a coalition that lost the popular vote, a coalition that will really struggle to prove its legitimacy," said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, head of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs in Kuala Lumpur.

"My feeling is it's not going to be very easy for him."

Investors had hoped that a strong mandate for Najib would enable him to push ahead with planned reforms such as subsidy cuts and a new consumption tax to reduce Malaysia's budget deficit, which is relatively high at around 4.5 percent of GDP.

Those reforms now seem in doubt, Credit Suisse said in a report on Monday, although Najib is expected to push ahead with $444 billion Economic Transformation Program aimed at boosting private investment and doubling per capita incomes by 2020.

For Anwar, the election was likely the last chance to lead the country after a tumultuous political career that saw him sacked as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and jailed for six years after falling out with his former boss, Mahathir.

His three-party opposition alliance had been optimistic of a historic victory, buoyed by huge crowds at recent rallies, but faced formidable obstacles including the government's control of mainstream media and a skewed electoral system.

Anwar, 65, had accused the coalition of flying up to 40,000 "dubious" voters, including foreigners, across the country to vote in close races. The government says it was merely helping voters get to home towns to vote.

"My heart is with every Malaysian who does not accept the results," Anwar said in his statement.

Malaysia's Bersih (clean) civil society movement, which has held large rallies to demand electoral reform, joined Anwar in withholding recognition of the result, saying it needed to study numerous reports of fraud.

(Additional reporting by Yantoultra Ngui and Siva Sithraputhran in Kuala Lumpur and Saeed Azhar in Singapore; Writing by Jason Szep and Stuart Grudgings.; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/06/us-malaysia-election-idUSBRE9430B720130506.

Malaysia's Anwar to retire if he loses next polls

(18th of August 2012, Saturday)

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim plans to end his 30-year political career if he fails to unseat Prime Minister Najib Razak at the next election, he said.

Anwar was once deputy prime minister in the Barisan Nasional (National Front) government that has ruled Malaysia since independence 55 years ago, but has campaigned against it since his shock ouster in 1998.

Najib must call national elections by June next year and many observers expect a tight contest after the ruling coalition suffered its worst showing ever at the last polls in 2008.

"I will try my best. I am confident we will win. But if not, I will step down," Anwar said Friday night when taking part in a Google Hangout that was streamed live on YouTube.

Anwar, who has taught at Oxford and Washington's Georgetown University, said he would return to academic life if he lost.

"If we don't get the mandate, then we should give space for the second-liners in leadership," he said during the one-hour question-and-answer event which has previously featured US President Barack Obama.

Anwar has been in and out of court on various charges he says are political ploys to tarnish his image and stifle his opposition coalition.

He was charged in May with participating in an illegal rally which saw tens of thousands take to the streets to call for reforms to the electoral system, which they say is biased towards the Barisan Nasional.

In January he was acquitted of having sex with a male former aide at the end of a lengthy trial.

Previously, Anwar was imprisoned for corruption and sodomy after he fell out with the then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998.

He was released from jail in 2004 after the sodomy conviction was overturned.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved.

Malaysia Scraps Controversial Internal Security Act

By George Fu
September 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has announced the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 and other emergency proclamations, in a move to gear the country towards greater civil liberties and democracy.

Addressing his special Malaysian Day message on prime time television on Thursday Sept. 15, Najib said new legislation will replace the ISA. The new laws, formulated to maintain public order and prevent subversive activities and organized terrorism, will have comparatively shorter detention periods and will rule that further detention can only be made with a court order.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) was passed in 1960 by the Malaysian government then fighting to suppress a communist rebellion. Under the preventative detention law, police can detain suspects without trial or criminal charges by the order of the home minister.

Under the act any person suspected of posing a threat to the security of the country can be detained for a period of 60 days to two years and is extendable thereafter for further periods not exceeding two years at a time. ISA has often been criticized by opposition parties and human rights groups as an abusive method to silence political critics and opponents of the government.

The prime minister also announced that the government would repeal the Banishment Act 1959 and review other laws to ensure that they meet current requirements, adding that other laws that ‘are no longer relevant’ or justifiable will be repealed.

Najib’s announcement telecast live across the country—marking the 48th anniversary of the foundation of the federation of Malaysia—was welcomed by many Malaysians to be a historic transformation towards greater freedom and rights.

Among the host of laws to be reviewed, the country’s current Restricted Residence Act 1933 and the law against assembly in public places will be evaluated to allow for free and peaceful assembly, as observed in most democratic countries.

In addition, the government will also review the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 where annual renewals of publications would be cleared, and replaced with issuance of license until it is revoked.

“I would like to stress in no uncertain term that Malaysia which we dream of and one that we are currently building, is Malaysia which practices functional and inclusive democracy, where peace and public order are safeguarded in line with the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law and respect for basic human rights and individual rights,” said Najib at the end of his speech.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/malaysia-scraps-controversial-internal-security-act-61726.html.

متحف للقرآن بماليزيا

13/8/2011

يقوم بطباعته وزخرفته وجمع نسخه الفريدة

محمود العدم-شاه علم

يسعى القائمون على مؤسسة رستو للفنون الإسلامية في مدينة شاه علم عاصمة ولاية سيلانغور الماليزية إلى توظيف الفن في خدمة الجهود المبذولة لنشر رسالة الإسلام, من خلال الاعتناء بالقرآن الكريم ونسخه وطباعته وزخرفته وجمع نسخه الفريدة في متحف بأرخبيل الملايو.

وأنشأت الحكومة المؤسسة عام 1988 بغرض نشر رسالة الإسلام للعالم من خلال إحياء الفنون الإسلامية والعناية بها, وجمع المخطوطات النادرة للقرآن الكريم فيما يعده القائمون على المؤسسة وفق النشرة التعريفية "عملا نادرا وفريدا من نوعه منذ سقوط مملكة ملاكا الإسلامية على يد البرتغاليين قبل نحو 500 عام".

رسالة استثنائية
ويوضح رئيس المؤسسة داتو عبد اللطيف ميراسا أن العناية بالفنون الإسلامية تشكل جانبا مهما في الدعوة للإسلام ونشر تعاليمه "لأن الفنون الإسلامية تشكل رسالة استثنائية, تقوم ركائزها على معاني الجمال اللامحدود الممتد من كلمات هذا القرآن العظيم".

من جهتها بينت مديرة العلاقات العامة في رستو، زارينا ماجوسين، في حديث للجزيرة نت، أن المؤسسة تحوي كلية لتعليم الفنون الإسلامية والخط العربي وكل ما يتعلق بفنون كتابة المصحف ونسخه وتصميمه وزخرفته, وتمنح هذه الكلية مؤهلا عاليا في فن كتابة المصحف.

ويقدم المتحف برامج منتظمة على مدار السنة تشمل دورات في الخط العربي والجاوي والزخرفة, وفصولا لتدريس القرآن تلاوة وبحثا وتفسيرا, وتعقد مؤتمرات وورشات عمل ومعارض إسلامية فيه.

كما تضم المؤسسة معرضا دائما لفن كتابة المصحف يحوى عددا من اللوحات النادرة لأشهر الخطاطين في جنوب شرق أسيا, إضافة إلى قسم خاص للوسائط المتعددة وبرامج الحاسوب وأساليب استخدامها في فن زخرفة المصحف.

نسخة نادرة
وذكرت زارينا أن المتحف يحتوي على نسخة نادرة من المصحف الشريف يعود تاريخها إلى نحو خمسمائة عام, غير أن ما يميزها عن غيرها أن أحد المهتمين بالمصحف جاء بها من إقليم آتشه الإندونيسي وقدمها للمؤسسة قبل ثلاثة أيام من وقوع كارثة تسونامي التي ضربت الإقليم نهاية عام 2004.

واعتبرت أن ما حصل يُعد منحة ربانية أن يكون هذا المتحف حاضنا لهذه النسخة, التي "ما كان لأحد أن يتعرف عليها لو بقيت في آتشه مع وقوع الكارثة".

وتقوم المؤسسة الآن بإعداد ترجمة جديدة من نوعها لمعاني القرآن الكريم باللغة الملايوية, حيث سيعمد المترجمون إلى تقديم ترجمة أكثر تفصيلا ووضوحا عن مثيلاتها, من خلال ترجمة كلمات القرآن كلمة كلمة ثم تقديم ترجمة للمعنى الشامل للآية "وهو ما يفيد القارئ بالتعرف على المعنى الحرفي للكلمة باللغة العربية مما يجعله أكثر فهما للإعجاز البلاغي للقرآن".

المصدر: الجزيرة.
الرابط: http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/EXERES/7F52DAB6-5F49-4F0A-9D83-E59B6C60CA24.htm.

Renewable Energy to be Fastest Growing Market in Malaysia

Hartford CT (SPX)
Dec 19, 2011

Global Information (GII) presents "Global Solar Power Market" by Frost and Sullivan. The implementation of feed-in-tariff (FiT) policy will bring the required momentum to accelerate solar PV market growth in Malaysia. Malaysia aims to become the second largest producer in solar manufacturing by 2020 and is emerging as the favored country for new PV manufacturing units.

Investments in solar PV power projects for 2012 is estimated at US$72 million, a 194% growth over 2011 and close to 12 MW of solar PV power is to be added in 2012, a massive year-on-year increase of 242.9%.

According to Ravi Krishnaswamy, Vice President of Energy and Power Systems, Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific, banks are actively considering large-scale solar power projects as the next wave of investment option as they are well-equipped to understand risks better now.

Government support through a subsidy rationalization program that gradually removes subsidies from items such as fuel, gas, electricity and tolls bring their rates close to market rate, making solar power look less expensive in the long term.

"Falling global prices for PV modules could also aid the growth of grid connected solar market in Malaysia," he said.

Conventional Power and Utility will remain the Largest Market
The shortage of gas will continue till Q3 2012 and is expected to get better after the commissioning of Malaccas regasification project.

Krishnaswamy commented, "However the recently agreed cost sharing mechanism between TNB, Petronas and the Malaysian government, will alleviate TNBs position. TNB will be looking to diversify its source of power in order to overcome supply challenges with any one fuel source."

"Approval for tariff hikes in tandem with gas price increase will help TNB to strengthen its financial performance and thus focus on investments in other areas of value chain including transmission and distribution," he continued.

The market for electrical equipment will remain strong with the transformers and switchgears segment alone representing a US$520 million market in Malaysia for 2012.

Malaysian companies including GLCs and private ones will actively look for investment opportunities in power sector in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Source: Solar Daily.
Link: http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Renewable_Energy_to_be_Fastest_Growing_Market_in_Malaysia_999.html.

Malaysia gov't fights criticism after rally chaos

July 10, 2011 — KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian authorities sought Sunday to deflect criticism that the government was suppressing dissent after making mass arrests and unleashing tear gas against at least 20,000 demonstrators who marched for electoral reforms.

The political fallout from rare scenes of mayhem in Kuala Lumpur is certain to complicate efforts by Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling coalition to bolster its support ahead of general elections that many expect to be held within a year.

International rights groups and Malaysian opposition parties denounced the government's response to the country's largest political rally in four years, which resulted in the arrest of 1,667 people Saturday. All were freed without immediate charges by Sunday.

Amnesty International called it "the worst campaign of repression we've seen in (Malaysia) for years," while Human Rights Watch said it was "a maelstrom of the Malaysian authorities' own making." Najib's declaration that the rally was unlawful and repeated warnings over the past month for people to avoid it have sparked criticism that his National Front coalition wants to extend its 54-year rule by ensuring that election policies favor the government. The coalition's mandate expires in mid-2013 but many expect national polls by next year.

The rally was organized by civic groups backed by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance. They were urging authorities to clean up voter registration lists, implement stricter measures to curb electoral fraud and allow fair access to the government-linked media for all parties.

Anwar's alliance said a 59-year-old member died from a heart attack during the rally, though police denied opposition allegations that he was hit by tear gas. Anwar himself was hospitalized overnight because of a knee injury after slipping when police tried to break up his group.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein insisted in a statement received Sunday that the demonstrators sought to "create chaos in this country and hoped to be arrested in order to portray the government as cruel."

Hishammuddin praised police, saying they performed their duties with "bravery, fairness and integrity" while confronting what he called provocative actions by protesters. He also claimed authorities over the past week discovered hidden stashes of weapons, homemade firebombs and other dangerous items that protesters might have used.

The minister's statement contrasted sharply with narratives by participants, who said they were marching peacefully to a stadium from various parts of downtown Kuala Lumpur when riot police repeatedly fired tear gas and chemical-laced water and charged at them to make arrests.

Anwar said the crackdown showed the "extent of desperation of brutal action approved by Prime Minister Najib." Many demonstrators posted photos on Twitter and Facebook that they claimed were evidence of police brutality, including tear gas canisters apparently lobbed into a hospital compound where protesters sought shelter.

By midday Sunday, more than 58,000 people have joined a new Facebook group calling for Najib's resignation following the crackdown. The prime minister criticized the protesters late Saturday, saying they wanted to project "the impression that Malaysia had no political stability and exploit the issue as much as possible."

Government-linked media said numerous businesses suffered because stores and restaurants closed amid public transport disruptions and fears of violence. Protest organizers had no immediate plans for similar rallies. But Amnesty International urged the U.S. government to speak out against how Malaysian authorities handled Saturday's event, saying Washington's "credibility and effectiveness on human rights in the region" would suffer if it stays silent.

"Such silence will give (the) green light to other governments that they too can brutally suppress peaceful protests," Amnesty official T. Kumar said in a statement.

Rohingyas in Malaysia seek education, opportunities

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
June 8, 2011

Graduating from primary school was just a dream for Rohingya teenager Ali Tofik, who, until 2010, lived in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State, where access to education, particularly secondary education, is limited.

In recent decades, this ethnic and religious minority has been stripped of its citizenship and property rights by Myanmar's military-dominated government, leading to human rights abuses and exploitation and resulting in mass exodus.

Some 200,000 fled to Bangladesh over the years, with smaller numbers to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and elsewhere in the region by boat.

Now the 17-year-old is keen to get ahead, learning the Malay language with a group of younger students in the two-room Malaysian school. English, Malay, mathematics and science are taught on the second floor of a business block in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur.

"I would like to become a teacher so that I can help my people and I can teach them and talk with the international community," explains Tofik, who fled Myanmar with his family a year ago.

The local NGO-sponsored school, established in 2009, is accessible to Rohingya, but remains a rarity in Malaysia, with fewer than a dozen similar schools nationwide. Officially, Rohingya children in Malaysia cannot study in government schools without birth certificates or any other official documents.

"Most of the young children are actually born in Malaysia but can't attend the public schools because refugees do not have access to the Malaysian education system, including primary schools," Chris Lewa, coordinator of the Arakan Project, an advocacy organization for the Rohingya, told IRIN.

Illiteracy among the Rohingya is estimated at around 80 percent, with a higher percentage among women, according to the latest available data.

Without a proper education and work permits, job opportunities are severely limited for Rohingya, Lewa said.

But she has also witnessed some improvement in Malaysia's handling of arrivals by providing them with access to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), as well as halting forcing them into unscrupulous hands along the Thai-Malaysian border.

According to UNHCR, there are some 30,000 ethnic Rohingya seeking asylum in Malaysia today, including 20,800 registered with the agency.

"Based on information gathered from the refugee communities, it is estimated that there are about 10,000 more asylum-seekers who have not yet been registered," Yante Ismail, an external relations officer with the agency, explained.

At the Rohingya Society in Malaysia (RSM), a community-based organization, deputy president Abdul Ghani and a small staff assist in registering asylum-seekers for UNHCR, which then determines their status.

It is a difficult process as most Rohingya arrivals are male and often seen by authorities as economic migrants.

But Ghani is quick to deny this. "Please don't link Rohingyas to economic migrants. We Rohingya left our country because of harassment, because of torture, the confiscation of our land. That's why we left our country to get protection from a third country. We ran away from the military regime's harassment."

Indeed, many at the RSM center tell of the struggle to earn enough to survive and feed their families in Myanmar.

"It's impossible to maintain a peaceful family life, so I had to flee," said one young man, awaiting an interview. "Nasaka [paramilitary] forces would order us to work at their camps. If we don't go, they come to our houses during the night and take us. They lock us up in the stockade and beat us."

For many new arrivals, assimilation into Malaysia's Muslim-dominated culture is easier than in their former homeland, but until solid legislature is implemented for proper work permits, the refugees are in limbo, say aid workers.

According to UNHCR, those Rohingya who are working are in the informal sector, including irregular, low-paying menial work in construction, domestic positions, or in the local markets.

Source: All Headline News (AHN).
Link: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90050883?Rohingyas%20in%20Malaysia%20seek%20education%2C%20opportunities.

Malaysia's new rare earth plant provokes radiation fears

By Julia Yeow
May 29, 2011

Kuala Lumpur - In the quiet town of Gebeng in Malaysia's central state of Pahang, a new rare earth plant has evoked fears of radiation contamination as residents desperately seek to stop the construction of the world's largest such refinery.

The plant is expected to meet up to 30 per cent of the world's demand for rare earths outside China.

Rare earth elements, a group of 15 metals, are used in electronic devices for the defense, alternative energy and communications industries.

The 700-million-ringgit (233 million dollars) refinery is being constructed by Australia's Lynas Corp, which plans to ship rare earth ore mined from Western Australia's Mount Weld to the Gebeng plant by September.

News of negotiations between the Malaysian government and Lynas began surfacing in 2008, but it was only earlier this year that public outcry peaked after it was discovered that construction had already begun on the 20-hectare plant.

The main concern is the possibility of contamination from low-level radioactive waste from the rare earth refining process.

Gebeng is an industrial town of 10,000 people located 265 kilometers from Pahang's capital of Kuantan.

While the Malaysian government and Lynas have stressed that the facility will have state-of-the-art technology for contamination control, opponents claim crucial questions remain unanswered especially regarding the safe disposal of radioactive waste.

'We have read the facts, we know about the risks, and we have simply decided that this is not what the people of Pahang want in our backyards,' said Jonathan Wong, the spokesman for the Stop Lynas citizen's movement.

'Lynas itself has not seen the people, they have not even come up with a solid plan to manage the waste, and they expect us to just accept that they know best,' Wong told the German Press Agency dpa.

Those opposing the Gebeng plant have pointed to the Asian Rare Earth plant built in the northern state of Perak in the 1980s by Japan's Mitsubishi Corp as an example of the refinery being a 'disaster in the making.'

That facility was blamed for the unusually high number of birth defects and leukemia cases among the 11,000-strong population living nearby. It ceased operation in 1992 after protests from locals and environmentalists.

The owners were never sued and no compensation has been paid to the plant's alleged victims.

Almost a decade later, Mitsubishi is still cleaning up the radioactive waste from the area in a project estimated to cost at least 300 million ringgit.

Lynas has been quick to distance itself from that disaster by stating that different ores of lower radioactivity would be used in Gebeng, but critics complained of the apparent lack of transparency in the mining company's dealings with Malaysian authorities.

'There has been no full public disclosure of this proposed project,' said SM Mohamed Idris, president of the Friends of Nature environmental group.

'A detailed environmental impact assessment was not required due to a loophole in our law,' he said.

The government is keen to continue with the Lynas project as the refinery is expected to generate up to 5 billion ringgit (1.67 billion dollars) a year in exports as well as hundreds of jobs.

Protesters insist that radiation contamination is too high a price to pay for any economic gain.

'If the government failed to regulate the Asian Rare Earth plant, what makes us believe it will be different now?' said Wong.

'They are asking us to take a gamble with our lives and those of our children.'

Authorities eager to allay public fears said last month that the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was assessing the threat of contamination from the planned plant.

The government assured the public it would only approve the operation based on the findings of the agency's nine-member panel scheduled to visit the proposed site on Sunday for six days.

But the move has failed to win over the critics, who claim that officials from the nuclear watchdog would be pro-nuclear and therefore fail to produce a fair assessment of the Lynas plant.

Calls for local and environmental groups to be represented in the monitoring team have also gone unheeded, critics said.

'While it is agreed that IAEA scientists are experts in many fields, we believe their findings will be a biased report and on that ground, we reject it,' Wong said.

'Whatever their findings, our final agenda - which is our ultimate goal - is to stop Lynas.'

Source: Monsters and Critics.
Link: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1642157.php/Malaysia-s-new-rare-earth-plant-provokes-radiation-fears.

Israel forces Malaysia aid ship from Gaza coast

Monday 16/05/2011

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli naval forces fired warning shots at a Malaysian aid ship as it approached the Gaza Strip on Monday, forcing the vessel to retreat to Egypt, organizers and the Israeli military said.

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning at 6:54 am (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

"The vessel was in the Palestinian security zone, about 400 meters from the Gaza shoreline, when they were intercepted by Israeli naval forces," he told AFP, adding it was now anchored 30 nautical miles away in Egyptian territory.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed that the vessel, flying a Moldovan flag, had been intercepted as it sailed from Egypt's El-Arish port, where it had been docked for several days.

"A navy patrol boat contacted the vessel, which claimed to be heading for the Gaza shores. Once it crossed into Israeli naval territory and didn't answer calls to turn back, warning shots were fired in the air and it returned to El-Arish," she said.

The Perdana Foundation is helmed by former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, an 85-year-old firebrand who was a strident critic of the West and Israel over the treatment of Palestinians during his two decades in power.

The organization was also involved in the first "Freedom Flotilla", a May 2010 attempt to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza, which ended in disaster when naval commandos raided the aid ships, killing nine Turks on board one of the vessels.

Perdana Foundation officials said the MV Finch left Greece on May 11, carrying plastic pipes to help restore the "devastated" sewage system in Gaza.

Alang Bendahara, a Malaysian journalist on board, told AFP that Israeli naval ships fired a volley of gunfire to stop the vessel as it approached the shore.

"The Israeli naval vessel fired a warning shot at us upon approaching and asked us to leave the waters but the ship's captain refused and the Israelis fired again, circling the MV Finch before firing twice more," he said.

"At that point they threatened the ship's captain that they would board the vessel and we were forced to turn back. It was lucky that no one was injured.

Bendahara said Egyptian officials monitoring the boat had escorted it back to Egyptian waters and then boarded it to inspect its cargo.

He said there were 12 people on board the vessel -- seven Malaysians, two Irish nationals, two Indians and a Canadian -- including anti-war activists and journalists.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman condemned Israel for preventing the ship from reaching Gaza.

"Malaysia strongly condemns the attack by the Israeli naval forces on the humanitarian aid ship," he said, calling on Israel "not to take any further drastic and violent military action on the unarmed passengers."

"Malaysia also calls on Israel to ensure a safe passage for the vessel to Gaza to deliver the humanitarian cargo," he added.

Israel has maintained a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2006, after militants there snatched Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who is still being held.

It was tightened a year later when the Islamist Hamas movement seized control of the territory, ousting forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

Israel agreed to relax some of the restrictions in July 2010, following a wave of international pressure after the botched raid on the Freedom Flotilla.

The incident sparked heavy criticism of Israel and led to a sharp deterioration in ties between Turkey and Israel.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=388054.

Excellent Sudan-Malaysia Ties Despite North-south Separation

By R. Ravichandran

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- Despite Southern Sudan seceding from the North, its relations with Malaysia continue to be excellent, both at the economic and political level, as well as people-to-people relations.

Little wonder why Sudan's Ambassador to Malaysia Nadir Yousif Eltayeb describes the Khartoum-Kuala Lumpur relations as a "strategic relationship".

He expressed satisfaction with the political and economic ties which bind the two countries.

"Our relations continue to be strategic and good even after the separation of South...strategic because we have very close relations in the last 20 years," he told reporters when asked about the current bilateral relations after the North and South separation.

Earlier, Nadir called on Senate president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang at the latter's office in the Parliament building here today.

More than 98 per cent of Southern Sudanese voted to secede from the North, in a referendum held from Jan 9 to 15. The split will make Southern Sudan as the world's newest country on July 9.

South Sudan has been chosen as the name, but this will require approval by the Southern Sudan parliament.

On the political level, Nadir said, the leadership of the two countries engaged in close contact.

He said the countries also enjoyed good coordination on various issues at international fora, such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), where they were members.

Nadir said that on the economic level, despite the separation, Malaysian national oil company Petronas, which had been operating successfully in the African country for the last 15 years, continued to involve in the oil and gas sector.

He said Petronas was involved in new discoveries in about three states in the North.

On the people-to-people relationship, Nadir said Sudan's community in Malaysia now numbered more than 3,000, mostly students, and the numbers were increasing.

"They chose Malaysia because it is a good hub for education...because of the quality of the education. The hospitality of the people and also the environment which is very good and also relatively cheap," he said.

He said the number of Sudanese tourists visiting Malaysia was also on the rise, with some 11,000 visiting in 2009.

Nadir also said that Sudanese participating under the Malaysia, My Second Home program was also on the increase.

"All these reflect Malaysia's very special relations with Sudan, in terms of people-to-people, as well as government-to-government relations," he said.

Nadir also said that Khartoum had welcomed and recognized the referendum results, and would cooperate with the government of the South in the interest of the peoples of both sides.

"We will help the South...the new state. We will be very close to them because we believe that we want to make sure that peace and stability prevail for the benefit of the peoples of the North and South," he said

Meanwhile, Abu Zahar said that both of them had friendly discussions on general issues, adding that Sudan and Malaysia enjoyed a good bilateral relationship.

He said, being representative of the Malaysian Government, he looked forward to further enhancement of the relationship between Malaysia and Sudan in all aspects.

He noted it was also important for Sudanese students intending to pursue their studies here to check the education institutions with the relevant agencies here, as well as with the embassy.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=585047.

Government Wants To Bring Back Malaysian In Yemen - Anifah

KOTA KINABALU, March 13 (Bernama) -- The government wants to bring back 443 Malaysians who are in Sanaa and Eden in Yemen following the turmoil in the country worsening, said Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman.

He said the government was following closely developments in Yemen and that his ministry had submitted a report to the government on what needed to be done.

"We will bring Malaysians in Sanaa and Eden home directly because the situation in the two cities has become worrying, However, the security situation in other areas in Yemen are still under control," he told reporters here Sunday.

Meanwhile, Anifah said as of 1.30pm today (Malaysian time), Malaysia's embassy in Tokyo had been able to contact 544 Malaysians living in the worst hit areas of Japan's twin earthquake and tsunami disaster and that all of them were safe.

He said they were reported to have been moved to safety shelters by the Japanese authorities.

He said 298 Malaysian students living in the same areas were also reported to be safe and that the government had no plans to bring them home for now.

He added that a total of 5,009 Malaysians were registered with the embassy of whom 2,100 were students.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=570696.

Malaysia Sends Rescue Workers To Quake-Hit Japan

PEKAN, March 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is rushing disaster assistance personnel, sniffer dogs and doctors to help with search and rescue efforts in Japan where an earthquake and tsunami yesterday left more than 1,000 people dead and several more missing.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who announced this on Saturday, said 15 members of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), several doctors and medical assistants and six sniffer dogs would leave for Japan in two C-130 aircraft at 6pm Saturday.

"This (assistance) demonstrates our sympathy and support for the government and people of Japan," he told reporters after a visit to the Universiti Malaysia Pahang campus here.

Najib said all Malaysians in Japan were reported to be safe.

Asked whether the government would evacuate Malaysians from Japan in view of a possible radiation leak from nuclear power plants following the earthquake, the prime minister said the Japanese government would have to determine whether there was any danger from the plants.

An 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan yesterday afternoon and triggered a 10-meter high tsunami which lashed onto the northeastern part of the country, resulting in up to 1,000 people killed in the twin disasters.

Najib said the government would monitor the effects of the disasters on the country's economy and prices of goods.

He also said that efforts were being made to increase the supply of essential goods through the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry and Felda besides encouraging competition among industries with a view to reducing prices.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry had been instructed to monitor traders who raised the prices of goods too high, he said.

"We do not want inflation to go up too much. It will be manageable at two per cent to 2-1/2 per cent," he added.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=570539.

Malaysia and Turkey agree to cooperate in police training

Feb 26, 2011

PUTRAJAYA - MALAYSIA and Turkey have agreed to cooperate in police training which will also see Turkish police personnel attending the Malaysian Academy on Trans-national Organized Crime (Matoc) in Langkawi, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

Datuk Hishammuddin said the exchanges would help build stronger relations between the police forces of both countries.

He said he had met with his Turkish counterpart Besir Atalay when he accompanied Prime Minis-ter Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on an official visit to the country, and they both agreed there was a need to strengthen cooperation and commitment in combating cross-border crimes.

'To follow up on my discussions (with Besir), I have asked the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar to visit Turkey on April 10 to attend the 178th Turkish Police Day celebrations as well as hold further talks,' he said.

He added that Malaysian police personnel would be sent to Turkey, ahead of the IGP's arrival, to look into the details of the cooperation. -- THE STAR/ANN

Source: The Straits Times.
Link: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_639144.html.

Malaysia And Turkey Announce Lifting Of Visa Requirements

From Khairdzir Yunus

ANKARA, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Turkey have agreed to lift the visa requirements for their citizens to travel to each other's country.

This was announced at a joint press conference by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after their four-eyed meeting, which was followed by a delegation meeting between the Malaysian and Turkish delegations, at the Prime Minister's Office here Tuesday.

"We have decided that there will be no visa requirements between our two countries which is also a momentous and significant decision that will definitely enhance people to people contact between our two countries," Najib said.

"Of course, we have very much in common between our two countries. Some of us also have the same origin and we need to rediscover that heritage that we have. We should not take it for granted, we should rediscover that, and that could be a very strong basis for much closer people to people relationship," he added.

Currently, ordinary and official passport holders of Malaysia or Turkey are exempt from visa for their travels up to 90 days.

In a move to foster closer relations between the people of the two countries, Erdogan also announced that Turkey would declare a "Malaysia Year" in Turkey soon, to which Najib responded that Malaysia would reciprocate the move.

Erdogan also announced that Turkey's national carrier, the Turkish Airlines, would resume its direct flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Najib thanked Erdogan for agreeing to the resumption of the Turkish Airlines' direct flight to Malaysia, and added that: "We will look at increasing our frequency and more flights from Kuala Lumpur to Turkey."

Najib said that he was glad to hear that his visit was very much awaited in Turkey since the last official visit by a Malaysian Prime Minister to this country was 28 years ago, and he was delighted that he was able to make the visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Erdogan.

The Malaysian Prime Minister said they had "very warm and very productive" discussions during the meeting by both sides as well as during the preceding private meeting between him and Erdogan.

He said the most important thing that had been decided was to elevate their bilateral relationships towards achieving strategic level.

"And for this reason we will work towards an agreement, the draft agreement of which has been submitted to the Malaysian side and we are studying the framework agreement and hoped that this agreement can be signed by the end of this year and to add substance to the strategic framework agreement.

"We also decided that the FTA agreement between Malaysia and Turkey should also be signed simultaneously and in this regard, I have extended an invitation to my brother Prime Minister Erdogan to visit Malaysia at the end of this year so that we can sign two very momentous and significant agreements that will open a new chapter, in fact, a new era, between the two countries," he said.

On Erdogan's suggestion that the trade volume between both countries be increased from the current US$1.2 billion to US$5 billion, Najib said that US$5 billion was not an ambitious target for them to try to achieve in the near future.

"We will definitely improve the level of trade between the two countries. 1.2 billion US dollars doesn't do justice to the importance of bilateral cooperation and I cannot agree more with the (Turkish) prime minister," he said.

He said both leaders were also looking at areas to expand between the two countries and two specific possibilities that had been identified were the automobile industry and the oil and gas industry.

On the current uprising and unrest in a few Muslim countries, Najib said the only solution to ensure stability in the Muslim world which was undergoing a traumatic period right now was for them to adopt good governance that was based on the principle of democracy with the necessary adjustments according to the country's peculiarities and needs.

"But it is important that we listen to the people and the people must be given the right kind of avenues for them to express their aspirations and their hopes for the future," he said.

Najib, who arrived in Istanbul on Monday, is on a three-day official visit to Turkey, his first since assuming the premiership in April 2009.

He is accompanied by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, as well as several cabinet ministers, members of Parliament and senior government officials.

On the last day of his visit on Wednesday, Najib will participate in the Malaysia-Turkey Business Roundtable Talks organized by the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) and the Global Movement for Justice, Peace and Dignity (Kemuliaan Insan) co-organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and International Movement for a Just World (JUST), which will all be held in Istanbul.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=565819.

Unsung Heroes In The Evacuation Of Malaysian Students

By Luqman Nul Hakim Mazlan

CAIRO, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- While the 'Ops Pyramid' has been hailed as a success in bringing home more than 8,000 Malaysian students from Egypt and boosted the image of the parties involved, there was a handful of unsung heroes who provided a helping hand as well.

These individuals felt that they too have a responsibility in helping fellow citizens trapped in a crisis ridden country.

It was a baptism of fire for these individuals too with many of them spending sleepless nights helping to organize the passage out from Cairo for the students.

Some recalled that they came face to face with vigilante groups and security personnel armed with AK-47 when they were on their rounds to help out.

ITS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NATION

Former Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim who was one of the individuals involved told Bernama he came on his own to assist as he felt he has a role to play there.

Shahidan also praised Najib for his quick decision to evacuate Malaysian students from Egypt and calling various parties to help in ensuring the success of the 'Ops Pyramid'.

"It was a quick decision to evacuate and the operation had to be conducted within a very short time frame".

Admitting that it was tiring work, especially when he had just finished helping flood victims in Johor, Shahidan said he is always available for the nation in times of need.

"It is my way of showing gratitude to a nation that has helped me all this while, I'm a citizen who is thankful and count my blessings.

"I came on my own with four media representative from Malaysia, paid my own fare," he said.

Shahidan explained that he and the media team hardly slept for four nights as they helped out with the 'Ops Pyramid'.

A DRAMATIC MOMENT FOR TAHA

Mohd Taha Hassan, 30, the younger brother of former Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, also came to Cairo to help.

Unlike Shahidan, for Mohd Taha it was quite a dramatic experience when he encountered armed Egyptian security personnel.

The incident happened while he was on his way with three members of the 1Malaysia Putra Club from the Cairo International Airport to deliver food to the Malaysian students taking refuge at the Abbasiah Malaysia Hall.

When they reached near Tahrir Square, were millions of Egyptians were rallying, they were stopped by about 20 security personnel armed with AK-47 rifles.

"We were taken to a military police station and questioned on our presence there. I vividly remember an AK-47 rifle being pointed at 1Malaysia Putera Club media unit head, Mohd Khairul Rizzuan Abu Hassan.

"I have never faced such situation, I was really worried, I had studied in Egypt for eight years and had never came across such situation.

"There were many security personnel, but thank god we were released without any harm," he added.

Despite the dramatic event, Mohd Taha has no regrets in helping 1Malaysia Putera Club to deliver food for Malaysian students.

Mohd Taha is proud of the fact that he was there to help fellow Malaysians when conditions were deteriorating in the land of the Pharaohs and the government was forced to evacuate Malaysians under 'Ops Pyramid'.

MALAYSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO LIBYA ALSO CHIPS IN

Another one who appeared in person to help is the Malaysian Ambassador to Libya, Dzulkepli Mohd Nor.

Though he was requested by the Foreign Ministry to help in the evacuation, Dzulkepli took it as his personal mission.

It was a baptism of fire for Dzulkepli too as he had to work under conditions that can be best described as chaotic.

"No matter what, I was happy to be able to help fellow Malaysians in time of need," he said.

AIR ASIA PILOT PROUD TO BE PART OF OPS PIRAMID

Meanwhile, Dinish Alwyn Prabakaran, who is AirAsia's pilot involved in 'Ops Pyramid', is also proud of the fact that he was able to help Malaysians in Egypt.

Piloting the plane involved in 'Ops Pyramid' is definitely a memorable experience for Dinish especially when it is the first time that an AirAsia plane has touched down in Egypt.

"Though there were some initial problem over flight permit and the landing rights because AirAsia has no flights to Cairo and Jeddah, the airline managed to iron them out and after that it was all plain sailing," said the pilot.

While the Malaysian students are back safe and sound, the Egyptians are back with their lives after successfully unseating President Hosni Mubarak who ruled Egypt for more than three decades through 'people power'.

The students want to go back to Egypt to finish their studies and the Egyptians want to see a new future for their country.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsfeatures.php?id=565403.

Malaysian police arrest Iranians over drug haul

Feb 21, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian police said Tuesday they have dented a major drugs syndicate with the arrest of two Iranian women with over 6.2 kilograms of methamphetamine on a resort island.

Northern Penang state police chief Ayub Yaakob told AFP the women were arrested on Saturday at Penang international airport after their suitcases were found containing drugs worth 1.55 million ringgit (510,793 dollars).

"We became suspicious about the women as they had traveled to Malaysia three times in less than three months and they did not have any business dealings or any other reason to keep them coming back so frequently," he said.

"The two Iranian women, we believe, are part of one of the region's biggest syndicates which is trying to use Malaysia as a transhipment point for its drug and it has been dealt a significant blow with this arrest," he added.

However, Ayub said police would not be releasing any more details on the arrests as investigations were ongoing and could lead to further arrests.

Iran's ambassador in Kuala Lumpur has said international crime gangs are using Iranians to smuggle drugs into Malaysia.

Last month, a suspected Iranian drug trafficker died in a Malaysian hospital after 137 capsules of methamphetamine -- also known as crystal meth -- broke open in his stomach.

There has been a steep increase in the number of Iranian suspected drug traffickers caught in Malaysia, with 138 arrested from January to October last year compared with 16 in the whole of 2009.

Police have said that many of the drugs are destined for export to China, the Philippines and other neighboring countries.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Libyan Embassy in Malaysia condemns 'massacre,' distances itself from Gadhafi's regime

Feb 21, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The Libyan Embassy in Malaysia is distancing itself from Moammar Gadhafi's regime, and has condemned the "barbaric" killing of civilians protesting against him.

An embassy statement says it will "stand with our Libyan nationals."

It says, "We strongly condemn the barbaric, criminal massacre ... of our innocent civilians."

The statement was issued Tuesday after embassy officials opened the compound's gates to about 200 Libyans in Malaysia, mainly university students.

They staged a peaceful protest for about an hour, chanting, "Game over, Gadhafi!"

Embassy official Osama Saleh said the ambassador and most other staff planned to return to work Wednesday, and that no diplomats in Malaysia were stepping down.

Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Malaysian prime minister arrives in Turkey

2/21/2011

Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Razak arrived in Turkey on Monday.

Razak, who is the formal guest of Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will meet with Turkish and Malaysian businessmen in a round-table meeting in Istanbul.

Razak will also attend a forum to be jointly organized by Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, non-governmental organization "The International Movement for a Just World" (JUST) and Turkey’s Bahcesehir University.

Source: Turkish Press.
Link: http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=364242.

Malaysian prime minister to visit Turkey

19 February 2011 Saturday

Bilateral relations and cooperation opportunities between Turkey and Malaysia, as well as regional and international matters that concern both countries will be on the agenda of Razak's talks in Turkey

Malaysia's prime minister will hold a series of talks in Turkey between February 21-23.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Razak will arrive in Turkey as the guest of Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a statement from Turkish Prime Ministry's Press Office said on Friday.

Bilateral relations and cooperation opportunities between Turkey and Malaysia, as well as regional and international matters that concern both countries will be on the agenda of Razak's talks in Turkey, the statement said.

As part of the visit, Razak will also get together with Turkish and Malaysian businessmen in Istanbul and attend a forum to be jointly organized by Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, non-governmental organization "The International Movement for a Just World" (JUST) and Turkey's Bahcesehir University, the statement noted.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=70005.