Saturday, February 27, 2010

Perlumbaan cari pengganti Taib berterusan...

Feb 27, 10 7:34pm

Persidangan perwakilan tiga tahun sekali Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) yang bermula di Kuching, Isnin ini mungkin satu perkara membosankan berikutan tiada pertandingan bagi jawatan-jawatan utama kecuali bagi beberapa kerusi dalam majlis tertinggi parti.

Bagaimanapun, atas sebab-sebab politik, persidangan ini akan menarik perhatian penganalisis politik dan para anggota parti memandangkan presiden parti yang telah lama berkhidmat dan Ketua Menteri Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud sekurang-kurangnya mungkin memilih majlis itu bagi membayangkan, paling sedikit, siapa bakal penggantinya.

Sesetengah anggota dalam parti membuat spekulasi bahawa Taib akan memberikan bayangan mengenai kemungkinan siapa selepas ini kerana ini boleh menjadi tempoh terakhir beliau menerajui PBB, parti politik paling kuat di Sarawak.

Tapi, biar betul? Ramai yang masih ragu-ragu bahawa beliau akan berbuat demikian demikian pada ketika ini.

"Beliau sepatutnya mempunyai strategi peralihan mulai sekarang tetapi tiada bukti mengenainya,” kata Datuk Seri Daniel Tajem, yang pernah berkhidmat sebagai timbalan ketua menteri kepada Taib pada awal 1980-an.

Tajem, yang kini seorang penasihat PKR Sarawak, berkata Taib perlu menghadapinya dan bergelut tanpa menghindarinya dan mengumumkan bahawa beliau akan berhenti dan melepaskannya.

Penganalisis politik Dr Sivamurugan Pandian percaya bahawa Taib akan melepaskan kedudukan tertinggi parti hanya selepas pilihan raya negeri kerana jika beliau meletakkan jawatan sekarang, ia mungkin mencetuskan pergelutan kuasa di dalam parti.

"Beliau perlu mempersiapkan seseorang untuk mengambil alih. Kita mungkin melihat beberapa petanda siapa orang itu selepas konvensyen PBB," katanya.

Dr Sivamurugan berkata daripada perspektif strategi politik, ia mungkin kurang bijak bagi beliau untuk melepaskan jawatan sebelum pilihan raya negeri memandangkan parti itu mungkin memberi perhatian yang lebih kepada siapa yang akan menjadi ketua menteri selepas itu daripada memenangi atau mengekalkan kuasa dalam pilihan raya negeri.

"Isu mana yang mahu diberi perhatian, kepimpinan negeri atau pilihan raya negeri? Taib tidak akan menjadi isu pilihan raya jika beliau terus kekal dan mengetuai kempen dalam pilihan raya negeri akan datang. Pendapat rakyat di Semenanjung, Sabah dan Sarawak semuanya berbeza. Sebab itu, adalah lebih baik bagi Taib melepaskan jawatan hanya selepas pilihan raya negeri," katanya.

Pengganti berpotensi mungkin datang dari mereka di dalam kedudukan timbalan presiden parti, mereka yang biasanya dipersiapkan untuk mengambil alih kepimpinan tertinggi. Tapi politik di Sarawak berbeza, ia tidak bermakna bahawa perkara itu akan terjadi.

Taib, 74, dipercayai serius mencari pemimpin untuk mengetuai parti. Beliau menerajui PBB sejak 26 Mac, 1981, satu tempoh kira-kira 29 tahun.

Apa yang menarik mengenainya ialah sesiapa yang bakal menggantikan beliau sebagai presiden PBB bakal menjadi ketua menteri Sarawak.

Pada masa lepas, Taib telah memerhati sejumlah pemimpin PBB yang boleh mengambil alih kepimpinannya termasuk Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Daud, Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi, Datuk Bujang Haji Ulis, Datuk Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha dan Datuk Seri Haji Adenan Satem. Bagaimanapun, kesemua mereka sedikit sebanyak telah dilupakan, atas beberapa sebab - sesetengah daripada mereka dikatakan tidak sabar, sesetengahnya enggan menunggu.

PBB ditubuhkan berikutan penggabungan antara Parti Bumiputra dan Parti Pesaka pada Januari 1973. Dalam sejarah parti itu, tiada siapa yang pernah mencabar presiden parti dan kebanyakan kedudukan tertinggi tidak ditandingi, kecuali dalam dua peristiwa, pada 1998 dan 2005, tetapi ia hanya membabitkan jawatan timbalan presiden.

Pada 1998, Adenan dan Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg bertanding bagi merebut jawatan timbalan presiden, yang diperuntukkan bagi seksyen Melayu/Melanau dalam PBB. Abang Johari menang selepas mendapat sokongan kuat daripada anggota-anggota keturunan Dayak walaupun kenyataannya Adenan disokong kuat oleh Taib pada masa itu.

Adenan, kemudian dilantik oleh Taib sebagai naib presiden kanan parti itu. Tujuh tahun kemudian, Adenan mencabar Abang Johari, tetapi perwakilan persidangan ditangguhkan apabila dilaporkan sesetengah para penyokong Adenan didakwa menggandakan cawangan-cawangan dalam 40 kawasan.

PBB kemudian dinasihatkan Pendaftar Pertubuhan untuk mengadakan pemilihan atau berdepan dibatalkan pendaftaran seperti Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) yang sudah tidak wujud lagi.

Pada 2006 Taib telah membayangkan bahawa beliau akan menduduki kerusi ketua menteri sehingga pilihan raya negeri memandangkan tempoh pentadbiran negeri sekarang akan tamat pada Julai tahun depan.

Tetapi, seawal akhir tahun lepas, Taib menghantar satu isyarat bahawa beliau bersedia mengundur diri dan dilaporkan sedang mencari seseorang tanpa mengira kaum untuk dilatih bagi mengambil alih kepimpinan daripadanya.

Cakap-cakap bahawa Taib bersedia menyerahkan baton semakin bertambah April tahun lepas berikutan kematian isterinya, Puan Sri Laila Taib, yang disifatkan sebagai penyokong kuat kepada Taib dalam karier politiknya.

Oleh itu, tumpuan kepentingan kini ditumpukan kepada kelompok semasa para pemimpin kanan - timbalan presiden (1) Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, timbalan presiden (II), Abang Johari dan naib presiden kanan Datuk Seri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan sebagai calon pengganti.

Alfred Jabu, seorang graduan pertanian dan ahli politik berpengalaman, telah dididik oleh dua ahli politik terkenal Sarawak - Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub, mantan ketua menteri dan Yang Dipertua Negeri, dan kemudian oleh Taib sendiri.

Sejak dipilih sebagai ADUN Layar pada 1974, beliau telah dilantik dalam pelbagai jawatan kementerian, termasuk timbalan ketua menteri di bawah Rahman, dan sejak Mac 1981 di bawah Taib.

Seorang lagi calon ketua menteri ialah Abang Johari, yang datang dari keluarga ternama di mana bapanya, Tun Abang Openg, merupakan gabenor pertama Sarawak. Dengan memegang satu ijazah MBA dari sebuah universiti Britain, beliau dikatakan telah menunjukkan kebolehan sebagai menteri pembangunan
industri sebelum bertukar ke Kementerian Pelancongan.

Dalam rombakan kabinet terbaru negeri, beliau dipertanggungjawabkan untuk menjaga Kementerian
Pembangunan Bandar dan Perumahan negeri.

Anak Taib, Datuk Seri Sulaiman yang meletakkan jawatan sebagai timbalan menteri pelancongan baru-baru ini, juga telah disebut-sebut sebagai seorang lagi bakal calon kerana terdapat spekulasi bahawa bapanya mahu beliau kembali ke Sarawak dan "dilatih untuk mengambil alih".

Pemerhati politik yang memantau dengan teliti politik Sarawak berkata walaupun Sulaiman tidak menawarkan diri untuk bertanding apa-apa jawatan dalam pemilihan parti tidak lama lagi, ini tidak bermakna bahawa beliau tidak akan dipilih sebagai seorang calon dalam pilihan raya negeri nanti.

Seorang lagi yang bercita-cita sebagai ketua menteri ialah Awang Tengah, menteri kemudahan awam dan menteri kedua perancangan dan pengurusan sumber, yang disifatkan oleh sesetengah orang sebagai jawatan menteri yang cukup berpengaruh selepas Taib dalam kabinet negeri.

Terdapat cakap-cakap bahawa Taib telah mendapatkan pandangan rakyat yang rapat dengan beliau termasuk sesetengah menteri keturunan Dayak dan Cina berhubung bakal penggantinya.

Jadi, siapa bakal pengganti Taib? Teka teki masih berterusan.

- Bernama
Komen: Banyak nama diberikan sebagai calon ganti, ramai yang sudah tidak berada dalam perlumbaan kecuali Awang Tengah dan mungkin Abang Johari. Namun selagi kita bercakap tentang Taib, sudah tentu peluang Abang Jo tetap tipis, melainkan jika Taib sudah tidak berkuasa lagi. Aneh nya dalam analisis Bernama di atas tidak langsung menyebut nama anaknya Sulaiman Taib.. sengaja atau terlupa.. rasanya tidak keterlaluan jika dianggap dia sedang berada di hadapan sekaliii..

Friday, February 26, 2010

Pakatan: Satu lawan satu di Sarawak

Hafiz Yatim Feb 27, 10 (Malaysiakini.com)
Pakatan Rakyat telah bersetuju agar semua pertandingan dalam pilihanraya negeri Sarawak yang akan datang adalah pertembungan satu lawan satu antara Pakatan dengan BN.

Setiausaha agung PKR, Saifuddin Nasution berkata, Pakatan telah mula membuat persiapan untuk menghadapi pilihanraya negeri itu yang dijangka diadakan beberapa bulan akan datang, kemungkinan antara bulan Jun dan Julai ini.

Pilihan raya negeri Sarawak - yang terakhir berlangsung pada 2006 - mesti diadakan dalam tempoh 16 bulan ini. Sarawak merupakan satu-satunya negeri di Malaysia yang tidak mengadakan pilihanraya negeri serentak dengan pilihanraya Parlimen.

Saifuddin berkata, strategi satu lawan satu itu - yang telah menghasilkan kemenangan besar kepada pembangkang dalam pilihanraya umum 2008 - akan digunakan dalam pilihan raya negeri Sarawak kali ini.

"PKR, DAP dan PAS pada prinsipnya telah bersetuju dengan pertandingan satu lawan satu dengan BN. Kita pastinya berharap ia akan memberi impak yang besar kali ini," katanya kepada Malaysiakini.

Tsunami politik pada 2008 menyaksikan lima negeri di Semenanjung jatuh ke tangan pembangkang serta menafikan BN penguasaan majoriti dua pertiga di Parlimen.

Sarawak mempunyai 71 kerusi negeri, dengan 62 daripadanya dikuasai oleh BN. Manakala DAp, Parti Cinta Malaysia yang baru ditubuhkan dan Bebas, menang sembilan kerusi.

Pilihan raya umum 2008 telah menyaksikan berlakunya beberapa pertandingan tiga penjuru yang membabitkan parti-parti Pakatan di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Saifuddin yang juga ahli parlimen Machang berkata, perkara itu telah dibincangkan oleh majlis presiden Pakatan pada hari Isnin.

Majlis itu, kata beliau, seterusnya akan menumpukan kepada perbincangan mengenai pilihan raya negeri Sarawak, khususnya mengenai strategi pertandingan satu lawan satu, serta memanfaatkan jentera pilihan raya bersama.

Komen:
Survival PR tidak bergantung kepada undi kaum, politik wang atau prinsip khusus, sebaliknya tergantung banyak kepada sejauh mana mereka boleh sepadu dalam satu gabungan yang mantap dalam politik Malaysia. Perpecahan dalaman atau persengketaan antara pemimpin adalah cabaran utama parti ini di samping tindakan keluar masuk parti. Jika PR dapat mengatasi masalah disiplin ini maka ia dipercayai boleh menjadi alternatif yang viable kepada BN. Jika tidak ia bukan tewas kepada BN tetapi kepada masalah perpaduan dalaman sendiri. Jika ia berjaya mewujudkan satu lawan satu pada setiap kawasan saya agak yakin PR boleh memberi cabaran yang amat kuat kepada regim Taib.
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Thursday, February 18, 2010

PhD Positions at Leiden University‏

From: Sijpesteijn, P.M.
[mailto:p.m.sijpesteijn@hum.leidenuniv.nl]
Sent: 17 February 2010 16:41
New PhD positions in the profile area Global Interactions

In the coming five years (2010-2014) the University of Leiden has made available special funds to build an integrated interdisciplinary thematic profile area which focuses on Global interactions of people, cultures and power through the ages. One of the main aims is to integrate and mobilise the knowledge and expertise in the field of globalisation, with a special stress on migration and global heritage.

In this profile area the faculties of the Humanities (History, Cultural Studies, Religious Studies, Philosophy), Social Sciences (Anthropology) and Archeology, are involved.

In order to stimulate this interdisciplinary initiative the profile area is looking for applicants to fill the position of four PhD positions.

Applicants, with an MA degree and proficiency in English, are asked to submit a concrete interdisciplinary research plan which directly speaks to at least one of the two focus points of the program (migration and global heritage). In order to stimulate interdisciplinarity each projects will be supervised by two advisors from different disciplines.

Candidates can already indicate whom they would like to work with from the Leiden faculty or should make clear what disciplinary background they are looking for in their supervisors. We strongly advice applicants to consult the full length position paper of the profile area (to be downloaded from the profile area website) and position their research plans within this conceptual framework.

Apart from a letter of motivation, we expect two letters of recommendation and a two page research proposal (1000 words). The positions are 1,0 fte for 4 years (or 0,8 for 5 years). The Ph.D. candidates will be appointed initially for eighteen months. At satisfactory performance during that period, the appointment will be renewed for another two and a half years.

Remuneration will be ? 2,042 gross per calendar month in the first year, increasing to a maximum of ? 2,612 gross per calendar month in the fourth year is in accordance with current pay scales as indicated in the 'CAO voor Nederlandse Universiteiten'.
You will also receive a end-of-year bonus of 8.3% of your yearly income. For more information about this profile area consult the following website:

And for further information (including the full length position paper of the profile area), please contact prof. dr. Leo Lucassen (l.a.c.j.lucassen@hum.leidenuniv.nl) or 071-5272724.

Applications Letters of application can be sent by post or email to the address below, and should reach our office no later than 1 April 2010. Please quote the vacancy number in your application. Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen Afdeling Personeel en Organisatie Postbus 9515 2300 RA Leiden Email: vacature@hum.leidenuniv.nl

For those interested... gd luck..

Monday, February 15, 2010

Wishing u all a very
Happy and Prosperous New Year..


Friday, February 5, 2010

Saudi girl, 12, accepts her marriage to an 80-year-old man

Fudzail: http://1426.blogspot.com/
I am speechless and have to borrow this entry from another blogger:-

A little girl was raped here in Saudi. She was 12. Her rapist was 80.
It’s a terribly sad story. It’s a story that just keeps getting sadder.

The little girl had been sold to her rapist by her father. The two of them – the father and the rapist – called the sale a marriage and, since here in Saudi a man can – and does – treat his wife any way he chooses – including forcing her to have sex with him against her wishes, there surely will be no charges brought against the rapist.

Thanks to the little girl’s mother, the story made headlines, and before long – as occcasionally happens here – word got out about this little girl who’d been married off and raped by an 80 year old man.

In a place where appearance is everything, and where form nearly always wins out over substance, having others – especially outsiders – think your country allows this sort of thing – you know, fathers selling little girls to old men, old men raping little girls, clerics announcing that girls as young as six are totally ok with getting married – well, having people think that about you – even when it is true – just isn’t acceptable.

...another coverage on d case..
Shock as girl, 12, accepts aged husband
By Majed Al-Marshad


BURAIDAH – A Buraidah girl, 12, sent shockwaves through the courthouse here when she said that she accepted her marriage to an 80-year-old man because she wanted to obey the wishes of her father.

The marriage has caused a great deal of controversy in the Kingdom and resulted in widespread condemnation from local and international human rights activists. The elderly man paid SR85,000 dowry which the father claims he is holding for his daughter.

The decision surprised Ibrahim Al-Amr, the judge of the General Court in Buraidah on Monday. Al-Amr was expected to issue a verdict in the matter when the girl made the announcement.
During the court session, she said: “The marriage took place with my consent and I accept him as my husband in obedience to my father.”

The child’s statement was not the only surprise of the day. The girl’s divorced mother also dropped a bombshell by withdrawing the lawsuit she had filed to annul her daughter’s marriage to the 80-year-old man.

The girl’s mother has now added a condition to the marriage, that her daughter must be allowed to complete her education and that her former husband should drop previous cases he had filed against her. Also, she stipulated that she be given custody over her son.

Sources said mediation is taking place between representatives of the girl’s father and mother to settle the case amicably.

Judicial sources have confirmed that the girl’s father has asked the judge to withdraw her case. The mother would also withdraw the case she filed at the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) opposing the marriage, according to the sources.

Questions are now being asked about the dramatic change in the course of the matter. Saleh Al-Dubaibi, a lawyer who has been hired by the Mawaddah Charitable Society, said that the mother had not informed him personally that she had dropped her case. She had also not notified the NSHR either.

“Mediation is going on now between the girl’s divorced father and mother aiming to contain the matter and prevent it from being given too much attention in the media, as it has become a public opinion case.”
The lawyer said there should be laws preventing marriage of underage girls to old men because it is the children who become the victims.

“There are people who are trying to exploit public opinion to achieve personal goals,” stressing that the case “necessitates enacting laws that curb marriage of underage girls.” He said the girl was still a child even though she appeared to be physically mature. As she was still a child, she could be influenced easily, he said.

“She is the age of his great grandchildren,” he said.

The marriage was solemnized in September 2009 and the wedding ceremony took place a few weeks ago.

Saudi Arabia has no laws preventing underage marriages. Plans are under way to prevent this from happening with a law that will raise the age of marriage of girls to between 16 and 18 years. – Okaz/SG

..another one..
12-year-old bride to testify, court delays verdict
By Majed Al-Marshad and Solieman Al-Nahabi

BURAIDA – A court here has delayed its verdict into the marriage of an 80-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl until next Monday, so that it can first hear testimony from the bride.

Judge Ibrahim Al-Omar had earlier listened to the arguments of the child’s lawyer Saleh Al-Dabibi, who was hired by the Muwada Charity Organization headed by Princess Sara Bint Musa’ed Bin Abdul Aziz.

Al-Dabibi called for an immediate divorce between the two and for punishment to be meted out to the child’s father and the 80-year-old husband.

“This marriage does not meet the conditions of legal consent of the bride,” he said. He called for the courts to remove the father as the legal guardian of the daughter as per Islamic rulings in these types of cases.

Al-Dabibi argued that the mother of the child should have full guardianship.

The lawyer based his case, for the annulment of the marriage, on verses from the Qur’an, arguing for the fulfillment of Islamic legal conditions for the marriage, including a wise and more conscious guardian.

The case has become of public interest, Al-Dabibi said.

During the hearing, the father said that he did not make use of his daughter’s SR85,000 dowry. “It has gone into a savings account for her,” he said.

The marriage contract of the child was signed in Ramadan, last September, and the wedding ceremony was held a few weeks ago.

The mother, who is separated from the father, said she was not consulted about the marriage.

The father had simply reported the news to her after the marriage had taken place, she said.

“I told him I would not accept it now because she was still too young, but he did not listen to me,” she said.

The 80-year-old husband said that his child bride had agreed to the marriage and “wasn’t forced into it”. The man, who is a nomad, said that he invited the mother to attend the wedding, but she did not come. The man has married three times before.

Monday’s hearing was attended by the Human Rights Commission’s head Bandar Al-Aiban.

“The mother of the Buraidah girl asked for our help, to help her daughter get a divorce,” Al-Aiban said.

“Child marriages are rare in the Qassim region,” a court official said, refusing to label it as a common practice in the region.

This is the only child marriage case being seen in Qassim’s courts, he said.

The only legislative body responsible for enacting laws against child marriages in the Kingdom is the Council of Senior Ulema (Scholars), the official said. He expected new laws against this type of marriage to be announced soon.

Al-Aiban had said in June that the government was working on new regulations to impose a minimum age for marrying that could range from 16 to 18 years.

A senior scholar, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manie, recently said that the Prophet Muhammad’s marriage to a nine-year-old girl some 14 centuries ago cannot be used to justify child marriages today.

Al-Manie said that circumstances were different today from when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) married young Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her.

Lady Aisha’s marriage “cannot be equated with child marriages today because the conditions and circumstances are not the same,” Al-Manie said. - Okaz/SG
Posted by fudzail

Comment: This is not merely a gender issue, but also human rights, freedom and religious as well, I'm afraid. The society should play important role on ensuring the 'adat' or common practice does not violate individual rights, childs rights and etc. How in the world we want Islam to be respected when this kind of practice prevails in this world.. The Arabs / or middle eastern intellectual, leaders and ulamak should lend your brain n hand here..