Misc news items - IwantbustyKim

[IwantbustyKim]

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma...nt-lawyer-says


No more legal obstacle for Hadi’s hudud motion in Parliament, lawyer says -



KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — The High Court here struck out today a suit against Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, which according to PAS president’s lawyer, has opened the way for any other federal lawmaker to restart stalled talks on the controversial enforcement of Islamic criminal laws in Malaysia.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, who represented Hadi, said the High Court allowed his client's application to strike out the lawsuit filed by four Malaysians who wanted to block the Islamist party leader from tabling any Private Member's Bill related to hudud.

Takiyuddin said the court also decided that Hadi's past actions - in seeking the amendment of Act 355 or a 1965 law to increase the Shariah courts' powers to enable the harsher hudud penalties to be enforced — was done in line with rules.

"The court decided that the defendant Haji Abdul Hadi Awang has done something as a member of Parliament according to rules based on the Standing Order and Parliamentary Privilege Act.

"He has done something properly and in accordance with the law. He filed everything required by the law to bring the motion to amend the Act 355," he told reporters after High Court judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad delivered her decision in chambers.

Six grounds were given by the judge, who gave no order as to costs, as both Hadi and the other defendants who were sued did not seek for costs to be awarded, Takiyuddin said.

Farez Mohd Ali Jinnah, the lawyer for the four who had sued Hadi, told Malay Mail Online that he is still seeking instructions from his clients on their next course of action.

In June, a group of “concerned citizens” filed for an injunction to prevent federal lawmakers from debating Hadi’s private member’s Bill to remove the legal barriers preventing PAS from enforcing the Islamic penal code in Kelantan.

The group comprises Mansoor Saat, Azira Aziz, Hasbeemaputra Abu Bakar and Hazwany Jamaluddin.

The four named Hadi, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Mulia Amin, Deputy Speakers Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Datuk Ismail Mohamad Said as well as Dewan Rakyat Secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah as respondents in their application.

Hadi submitted his private member’s Bill twice earlier this year, but was unable to have it debated in Parliament during the last two meetings ostensibly due to a lack of time. He had not resubmitted it for the last Parliamentary meeting this year.

To implement hudud in Kelantan, PAS is seeking to amend the Shariah Court Act (Criminal Jurisdiction) 1965 or Act 355, which currently only allows the Shariah courts to mete out punishments limited to RM3,000 fine, five years’ jail and six strokes of caning.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma....hymqgSB3.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-...on-halal-foods

KL mulls over separate trolleys for non-halal foods



KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia is considering drafting new laws to make supermarkets supply different sets of trolleys for consumers.

Trolleys used for carrying halal foods would be different from those for non-halal foods, a Cabinet minister said, as reported by the Utusan Malaysia newspaper yesterday. The government might also seek to have different checkout counters for halal and non-halal products, said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainudin.

He said the proposal was being discussed by the ministry to ensure Muslims did not have to "worry" whether the goods they bought had mixed with non-halal items.



"The ministry plans to make special regulations so that people could differentiate the trolleys for use with non-halal products," Datuk Hamzah said.

"The segregation can be done with red trolleys for non-halal products and other colours for halal products," he was quoted as telling reporters after attending an event on Friday.

Halal foods are those that are permissible for Muslims to consume. Non-halal foods in Malaysia are currently sold in separate rooms or at separate counters in most supermarkets, with large signs to show that they are not for consumption by Muslims, who make up about 60 per cent of the 30 million population.

Mr Hamzah said studies would be undertaken first as providing different sets of trolleys would be costly for supermarkets.

The plan, if carried out, would represent yet another uptick in rising Islamic conservatism in Malaysia led by government officials.

Officials were inundated with complaints from non-Muslim women in recent months when they were prevented by security guards from entering some government departments unless they were "appropriately dressed".

The Malaysian Chinese Association on Friday called on the Health Ministry to investigate reports that a toddler was denied treatment at two government clinics and a hospital because his mother was deemed to be "inappropriately dressed", party vice-president Chew Mei Fun said. The government has also faced several legal cases involving Christians being blocked from bringing in Bibles and books in Bahasa Malaysia.

[IwantbustyKim]

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma...aysian-muslims

‘Haram’ to welcome Obama, Hizbut Tahrir tells Putrajaya, Malaysian Muslims -



PUTRAJAYA, Nov 6 — The local chapter of a hardline Islamist group claimed today that it would be “haram” for the Putrajaya and Muslims here to welcome United States President Barack Obama when the latter arrives in Kuala Lumpur later this month for his second visit to Malaysia.

The group, Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia (HTM), labelled Obama an “enemy” of Islam, citing the deaths of Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, as well as in the ongoing Syrian conflict, which they blamed on the US president’s administration.

“We hope that Muslims, specifically in Malaysia, realise that Obama is Islam’s enemy. Many of our brothers and sisters have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And now, as a result of the cooperation, the permission and the instruction of the US, we see Russia has invaded Syria and have dropped their bombs in Syria, killing many Muslims there,” HTM spokesman Abdul Hakim Othman told reporters outside the prime minister’s office here this afternoon.

“And we hope Muslims in Malaysia realise that they are our enemy and that it is haram to welcome them.”

The group handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Department today to state its objection to Obama’s scheduled visit this month.

In the memorandum, HTM pointed out that two visits by a US president in two years was out of the ordinary. The pro-caliphate movement also warned of Obama allegedly bringing with him agenda that could endanger Muslims here, and Malaysians in general.

It listed four official reasons for its rejection of the US president’s visit, including a claim that Obama is the leader of an imperialist country that shows hostility towards Muslims in the name of countering terrorism; and another claim accusing the world leader of backing Zionist Jews.

HTM said it has doubts over the true intention of Obama’s visit here, and that it feared the leader was looking to influence Malaysia with Western ideologies like democracy, human rights, liberalism, secularism, as well as strengthening Malaysia’s stand on moderation.

Abdul Hakim said HTM will continue to show its rejection of Obama’s visit and will hand another memorandum to the US embassy next Friday.

“What we are doing is for the good of the country, and the good of Muslims in Malaysia because we know the agenda of the US, that is filled with craftiness and tricks against Muslim countries,” he said.

Over 100 people turned up today as part of the delegation to hand over the memorandum to the prime minister’s department. The supporters held up banners and placards saying “TPPA haram di sisi Islam” (TPPA is haram in Islam), “Undang musuh Allah, undang murka Allah” (inviting Allah’s enemy is inviting Allah’s wrath) and “Kick Obama! World’s no.1 terrorist” among others.

Obama is expected to be in Malaysia from November 20 to 22 to attend the third Asean-US Summit and the 10th East Asia Summit.

He last visited Malaysia in April last year.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma....8nEdeLLj.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

Bumiputera will steal if left unaided, says law minister

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma...s-law-minister



KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Poor Bumiputera will resort to theft, minister Nancy Shukri said today in her defence of the government’s recent move to reintroduce a race-preferential economic policy that has drawn the ire of Malaysia’s minority Chinese and Indian communities.

The de facto law minister told a public forum on international covenants organised by the Malaysian Bar here that the Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Policy was needed to help fix the unequal wealth distribution among the races that remains prevalent half a century after the country was formed, and which she claimed could lead to a potential spurt in social ills and crime.

“As a politician now, I understand why there is a Bumiputera new economic policy... The Bumiputera, they are very marginalised in terms of economy. They’re very much lower than other groups.

“If there is no such policy to balance the economic distribution within Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, there could be a difficult situation as well,” Nancy said.

A former civil society activist, the Sarawakian MP for Batang Sadong said the public at large was unable to understand the necessity for such policy to reverse the imbalance in distributing wealth.

“If you don’t help... social ills will be happening. Because they will left very far behind, there will be social problems. That’s the situation, if they don’t have money, what will they do? They will start stealing.”

Even so, the minister admitted that the Bumiputera cannot forever depend on help from Putrajaya, and the New Economic Model (NEM) itself does not just simply gift the ethnic group cash handouts.

In September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had detailed the far-reaching NEM that is set to offer the dominant Malay community access to tens of billions in aid and contracts.

In a high-profile announcement, Najib trotted off a list of over RM31 billion in various loans, contracts and programmes that will be made available to the group, with the stated aim of strengthening Bumiputera economic participation and boost their ownership of commercial property.

The commitment towards uplifting the lot of the Malay community — which Najib described as integral in charting the country’s fortunes — follows recent criticism against the Umno president for failing to fully acknowledge the support the group had extended to the ruling Barisan Nasional during the recent general election.

The move had received heavy criticism from opposition Pakatan Rakyat, with DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang claiming that the NEM will only result in greater benefits for Umno’s upper echelon.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had also said that Bumiputera special privileges cannot justify Putrajaya’s decision to lavish billions on the community without care for the rest of Malaysia.

Najib however received support from Malay rights group Perkasa which urged the prime minister to not be apologetic over the NEM as it is the government’s obligation to repay the Bumiputera for their support in the recent general election.

The group also thanked Putrajaya for listening to its recommendations while forming the NEM, claiming now that empowering the Bumiputera is a “national agenda” instead of a racial one.

The Malays and Bumiputera make up the majority of Malaysia’s population at an estimated 67.4 per cent of the 28.3 million population, followed by the Chinese at 24.6 per cent, according to the most recent census at 2010.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma....Lxyqfyw1.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

Penang removes playground structures with pig-like designs

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-...g-like-designs



GEORGE TOWN • Several playthings that resembled a pig were removed from the Esplanade hours after photos of the structures went viral in cyberspace.

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) immediately replaced the spring-operated ride with a pig design with those of birds at the outdoor playground last Saturday.

Penang Muslim non-governmental organisations coalition secretary Ahmad Yakqub Nazri said he was shocked when he saw the structures that resembled a pig.


"Those who installed such items are clearly insensitive to the Muslims in the state," he said.

MBPP secretary Ang Aing Thye said that the officer-in-charge of the project had been told to submit a report.

"We are investigating the matter. Action will be taken against those at fault," he said.

[IwantbustyKim]

Tun Dr Ismail’s son wants Jakim abolished




here was a time in the country's history when the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) did not exist, Putrajaya did not tell Malaysians how to practise their faith, and no one batted an eye when Muslims owned dogs.

And the former deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman's eldest son, Tawfik Ismail, wants those days back.

The main step is to dissolve Jakim, Tawfik said during an interview in conjunction with the release of "Drifting into Politics", a collection of his late father's writings during the nation's formative years, edited by Tawfik and academic Ooi Kee Beng.


Jakim was created during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's time and seems to serve no other purpose than to intervene in the personal lives of Malaysians, Tawfik told The Malaysian Insider when met at his house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
"I think Jakim should be abolished. I don't think Jakim should exist. What is the government afraid of? You have 13 muftis with 13 different fatwas and 13 different ways of approaching it (religion).

"What is the purpose of Jakim? Halal certificates? That can go to the health ministries, trade ministry. What else does Jakim do? Print the Quran? We have a communications minister," said the softspoken, yet candid, 64-year-old former MP.

Naysayers may argue that Jakim is needed to "protect" the sanctity of Islam, but Tawfik was quick to point out that the Agong, sultans, imams (Muslim scholars) and muftis already filled that void.

"Jakim is an advisory body to the government, but constitutionally it really has no role. Islam is the province of the sultan of the state, it has nothing to do with the government."

So which areas of Muslim life should the government intervene in? Tawfik flat-out said nothing at all.

"National integration in this country is the biggest challenge. How do you integrate the nation if you are going around this route of looking for faults among Muslims?" he asked.

Tawfik Ismail questions the need for the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), saying over the years the department has only been intruding into the private lives of Malaysian Muslims. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 9, 2015.Tawfik Ismail questions the need for the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), saying over the years the department has only been intruding into the private lives of Malaysian Muslims. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 9, 2015.But, Tawfik clarified that his views on dismantling Jakim were his own, and that G25, the group of retired Malay top civil servants of which he is a member, did not share them.

G25 does, however, want Jakim to justify its existence as well as the hundreds of millions of ringgit it receives from the federal budget each year, which he said could have been funnelled to the Health or Education Ministry instead.

"I think there's a subversion of the constitution by religious authorities at the state level where they are actually testing the limits that they can go in intruding on a person's personal life," he added.

Putrajaya had not always acted as the defender of the people's faith, revealed Tawfik, who served as MP from 1986 to 1990.

He said that during the time of Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, only a small religious department existed in the Prime Minister's Department.

There was no minister of religious affairs, and no national outcry over the fact that his father, Tun Dr Ismail, owned a dog.

"My dad had a Boxer, and, before that, an Alsatian," recalled Tawfik.

He said all this changed after Dr Mahathir took over and his then deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, tried to infuse their definition of "Islamic values" into every aspect of Malaysian life.

This was done to counter the growing influence of PAS, which had never been an issue during the early years of Independence, said Tawfik.

As a result, Malaysia today is now facing "Arabisation", with society eschewing its Nusantara roots in favour of appropriating the culture of the Middle East, he said.

"We seem to be delighting in coming up with creative ways of 'speaking' Arabic in this country."

Tawfik said it was for this reason that Drifting Into Politics may not sit very well with Putrajaya.

"Certain things my father says here are quite interesting.

"For example, he said whenever Tunku had a meeting at his house with a group of people... occasionally one or two of them would go into the kitchen and have a drink of brandy and whisky, then come back and join in. He admits this.

"Yes, it's an open secret, but it's never been in writing by a leader," chuckled Tawfik.

His father died in 1973 at the age of 57, after just three years of serving as deputy prime minister. November 4 was his 100th birth anniversary.

With such records in existence, no matter how it tried to Islamise Malaysia, Tawfik said, the government would never be able to rewrite history nor erase its roots. – November 9, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m....YTex6EJs.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

EXCLUSIVE: Perverted Saudi prince ordered his entire staff to strip naked at his Beverly Hills mansion's pool and said: 'I want to see some naked p****,' court papers claim

• Prince Majed Al-Saud, 29, is being sued by three female staff members over allegations of sexual assault at his rented $37m home in Los Angeles
• The son of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah - who died this year - has been cleared of felony sexual assault but faces misdemeanor charges
• Fresh court documents seen by Daily Mail Online claim he ordered his entire household to strip naked so he could see 'naked p***y'
• Alleged that he had male aide break wind in his face to order and that he was also pleasured by the man - gay sex is punishable by death in Saudi

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ers-claim.html

[IwantbustyKim]

Putrajaya defends Islamic charity foundation involved in graft claims

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m...n-graft-claims



utrajaya has defended an Islamic charity foundation under the Prime Minister's Department accused of misappropriation, saying it was an independent body that did not directly involve any minister.

Deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said ministers also do not interfere in the management of the foundation, which has come under the spotlight of an anti-graft whistleblower group for various alleged offenses.

"It is true that it is under (our) supervision but remember, the foundation is independent. It has its own board. The minister has no power over the board. So we need to get information from the organisation itself," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.



The foundation is under the oversight of the minister in charge of Islamic affairs, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who is also a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
Earlier this week, anti-graft watchdog group National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) revealed the foundation's involvement in channelling RM223,000 supposedly for community programmes in the Rompin by-election in May this year, that instead went to a Kelantan Wanita Umno leader.

The Wanita Umno leader has also been under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for misappropriating flood relief funds held in trust by the same foundation for flood victims in Kelantan.

Yesterday, NOW alleged that the same foundation gave its top office bearers multiple positions, enabling them to earn huge amounts in allowances.

A family of three, where the wife held seven posts; the son six directorships and the husband a fellowship, took home RM81,700 a month, it revealed.

Asyraf said today the relevant parties would issue a statement soon and as such, it was unfair for him to respond to questions raised by NOW.

"The thing is now under MACC. Let the statement come from the institution first. I think maybe this evening or tomorrow morning they will issue a statement.

"This has gone viral today, so they should issue a statement as they are bound by their own trust deeds, and as such, it is inappropriate for others, including me, to make a statement.

"It's not fair if I don't know the matter and I have to make a statement. We need to get accurate information," he said. – November 12, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m....07rtAqQk.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

Family members in government-linked foundation earn RM80,000 a month, says anti-graft group

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m...-month-says-an


ational Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) director Akmal Nasir says a charity foundation under the Prime Minister's Department gave its top office bearers multiple positions, enabling them to earn huge amounts in allowances. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 11, 2015

A charity foundation under the Prime Minister's Department is again under the spotlight of an anti-graft whistleblower group for giving its top office bearers multiple positions, enabling them to earn huge amounts in allowances.

A family of three, where the wife held seven posts; the son six directorships and the husband a fellowship, took home RM81,700 a month, the National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) said today.

NOW director Akmal Nasir said the woman, who is the deputy chairman of the board of trustees, was also its deputy president, held seven positions in total earning her RM45,500 a month. One of these positions was as chairman of the foundation's audit committee.



Her son also held six director positions in several of the foundation's subsidiaries, earning RM31,200 a month, while her husband was appointed as a fellow who received RM5,000 a month.
This meant the family of three earned RM81,700 a month, Akmal told the press. He also produced copies of the allowance statements, the foundation's organisational chart and appointment letters to the office bearers at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

"This information was from last year. This year there may even be an increase.

"This is evidence obtained from the monthly allowance letters and yearly income statements," Akmal told reporters.

The chairman of the foundation's board of trustees, meanwhile, earned a total of RM73,000 a month, also from being its president, in addition to having ten other positions on panels, committees and subsidiaries of the foundation.

The foundation is under the oversight of the minister in charge of Islamic affairs, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom. The minister has not responded to calls and messages from The Malaysian Insider on the matter.

"This is an institution under the Prime Minister's Department. Datuk Seri Jamil Khir should come forward to explain how this could happen under his watch," Akmal said.

NOW has been exposing alleged corruption by this particular government-linked foundation which received public donations as well as government grants.

Earlier this week, NOW revealed the foundation's involvement in channelling RM223,000 supposedly for community programmes in the Rompin by-election in May this year, that instead went to a Kelantan Wanita Umno leader.

The Wanita Umno leader has also been under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for misappropriating flood relief funds held in trust by the same foundation for flood victims in Kelantan. – November 11, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m....BliWZVJ9.dpuf

[IwantbustyKim]

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m...-says-minister



Don’t label me racist because I fight for Bumiputera, says minister -



Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said he should not be labelled as racist simply because he voiced the interests of the Malays and Bumiputera.

The Rural and Regional Development minister also stressed that he would continue fighting for the Malay and Bumiputera without suppressing the interests of others.

"I have probably been labelled as racist, but my principle is quite easy...we fight for our people, but we do not afflict others. As long as we keep it that way, I think there's nothing wrong with what we do.


If the Chinese leaders want to talk about Chinese people, go ahead, no problem, but just don't go calling me racist when I talk about the Malays," he said in response to MCA central committee member Datuk Choon Hann Lua's remark accusing him of using electronic cigarettes or vape issue as a racial issue.
Ismail said this to reporters after opening the 14th convocation of Kolej Universiti Agrosains Malaysia at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.

Ismail said as Barisan Nasional component party, MCA should understand his responsibility as an Umno leader in helping the Malays because other BN component party leaders would do the same for their respective community.

He said Umno had no problem if MCA tried to so something for the Chinese and even willing to collaborate for the purpose.

Ismail also called Lua to stop labelling him as racist, but instead to focus on winning the hearts of the Chinese voters to support MCA and BN.

He also expressed hope that the Health Ministry would meet and discuss with vape traders to find the best solution to the issue. – Bernama, November 12, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m....3zwwZyBH.dpuf

[DramaQueen]

Thank you for sharing news!

[IwantbustyKim]

DAP hands over ‘racist’ video of Ali Tinju to cops, wants case reopened

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/m...-case-reopened



Police should reopen investigations against Mohd Ali Baharom, said DAP after the party handed over to the authorities videos of the former soldier allegedly making racist remarks in the July Low Yat Plaza incident.

Chong Zhemin, organising secretary of Perak DAP Socialist Youth, said  a CD containing the recordings of Ali, also known as Ali Tinju, was handed over to the police at the Ipoh headquarters.

“Video recordings of Ali Tinju making the inflammatory remarks have gone viral on the Internet and it is inconceivable and unimaginable that the police are unable to come up with the recordings.


“With this evidence of him making racist and seditious remarks, the police should not have any more excuse to drop the charge against Ali Tinju,” Chong said in a statement.

Police have been criticised for dropping sedition charges against Ali, who is president of the Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association, for his role in sparking a racist-fuelled fracas outside Low Yat Plaza in Kuala Lumpur.

In a recent interview with The Malaysian Insider, Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali revealed that the charge was dropped because the police could not come up with recordings of the alleged remarks. – November 14, 2015.

[TheAllBlacks]

Thank you bro for sharing.

[IwantbustyKim]

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...paign=addtoany

ISIS social media post in May cites Singapore as possible target

Singapore has been identified as a possible target for attack by a recent Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) posting on social media, a report this week said.

ISIS supporters from the region have also cited the Philippines and the United States as targets, the report's author, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies analyst Jasminder Singh, told The Straits Times.

This development comes as Malaysia last month nabbed a cell with explosives targeting Putrajaya and the federal Parliament, and as Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday announced the detention of a 19-year-old student who made plans to join ISIS in Syria and carry out attacks here.

It is not the first time Singapore has been cited by radicals. Last year, extremist English-language magazine Resurgence cited the Phillip Channel and Sembawang Naval Base in a piece on how militants could attack at sea.

The threat to Singapore and the region is set to grow as ISIS' Malay archipelago combat unit, Katibah Nusantara, formed in Syria last August for South-east Asian fighters who find it easier to communicate in Bahasa Indonesia and Malay rather than Arabic, gains ground.

There are now more than 700 fighters from Indonesia and over 200 fighters from Malaysia fighting in Iraq and Syria, Mr Singh noted in the report published this week. While they make up a small proportion of over 30,000 foreign fighters from 90 countries, the unit scored its first major combat success last month, seizing five Kurdish-held areas in Syria.

The unit is likely to gain importance in ISIS' strategic goal of setting up a worldwide caliphate, with returning fighters mobilised to undertake attacks and even declare a new branch in this region.

"The downward slide of jihadist appeal and success since 2009 has been reversed by Katibah Nusantara's success in Iraq and Syria," Mr Singh wrote.

He said Malaysian fighters have also seized on local issues like the push for an Islamic penal code to win support. More recently, ISIS sympathisers online have called on Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar to go to Syria.

Professor Rohan Gunaratna, who heads Singapore's International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, says the unit poses a severe threat to Singapore and South-east Asia.

"It has multiple functions: to train people capable of carrying out attacks in Iraq and Syria, to instigate South-east Asians to mount attacks in their home countries, and to radicalise South-east Asians online, recruit them and physically facilitate their entry into Iraq and Syria," he said.

Hence, the strategy to counter this influence has to be multi-pronged, from engaging the community to exposing ISIS' evils online. Muslim leaders worldwide are also leading the effort to counter ISIS, he added.

They include Singapore's Mufti, Dr Fatris Bakaram, who said it was a religious obligation for Muslims here to report to the authorities those who pose a threat.

[IwantbustyKim]

Great post on Facebook by Sulaiman Daud

https://www.facebook.com/sulaiman.da...53827144425955