Liu: RM27mil gone in 50 days

By EDWARD RAJENDRA

KLANG: All the 54 Barisan Nasional assemblymen in the previous state administration finished their combined annual allocation of RM27mil for 2008 in the first 50 days of the year, Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu revealed.

“There was shock and disbelief when the state executive councillors found out that the allocation of RM500,000 each meant for repairing roads and drains had been used up by February,” he said.

The state government would ask the 36 former Barisan assemblymen and the 18 who retained their seats to explain how the allocations were used, the State Local Government, Study and Research Committee chairman told reporters after visiting the Klang Municipal Council here yesterday.

Liu said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim decided last week to seek an explanation from the assemblymen to ensure accountability.

“Letters will be sent out to the assemblymen within the week, and they must give a detailed account on how the allocation was used and who the contractors were,” he said.

“We want to know how the ratepayers’ money was used.”

Liu said the assemblymen in the present government were forced to ask for another RM500,000 each to give the services in their constituencies.

“We're going to come out with a new method where every sen spent will be accounted for,” he said.- The Star : Tuesday April 15, 2008

Selangor pergiat dakwah, wujud surau di pasar malam, tani

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 April 2008 (Hrkh) - Anggota exco Hal Ehwal Agama, Adat-Adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam Selangor, Dato' Dr Hasan Ali bercadang mewujudkan suasana keagamaan di seluruh negeri termasuk di tempat tumpuan ramai seperti pasar malam dan tani. Beliau memaklumkan bahawa Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) sudah bersetuju mengadakan musollah (surau) di setiap pasar malam dan pasar tani.

Katanya, dengan adanya musollah tersebut memudahkan para peniaga dan pembeli menunaikan solat secara berjemaah. "Kita akan membuat tempat mengambil wuduk yang banyak. Kita mahu melihat suasana keagamaan terus berlaku di pasar, mencakupi semua peringkat umur anggota masyarakat," jelas dalam satu pertemuan dengan Harakahdaily.

Beliau yang juga Adun Gombak Setia dan Pesuruhjaya PAS Selangor mahu menjadikan kegiatan di Kota Bharu (Kelantan) dan Rusila (Terengganu) yang mengadakan kuliah agama setiap Jumaat bermula jam 9 hingga 10 pagi, sebagai contoh.

"Insya-Allah saya akan mulakan di Masjid Negeri. Orang yang memakai jeans, skirt boleh datang mendengar. Biar kita tarik mereka dengan cara begitu, begitu juga dengan orang yang berjoging di tepi tasik," katanya.

AJK Dewan Ulama negeri, Ustaz Ansori Mursid berkata, cadangan tersebut ada kesan positif negatif dan ia perlu dilaksanakan dengan adanya pemantauan daripada pihak penguatkuasaan.Menurut beliau jika solat itu dilakukan secara berjemaah, perlu ada penguatkuasaan untuk memantau kawasan pasar. Beliau yang juga Timbalan Ketua Pemuda PAS Kawasan Sepang turut mencadangkan supaya Dato' Hasan mengenakan peraturan kepada wanita supaya berpakaian sopan dan menutup aurat ketika berada di kawasan pasar.

Timbalan Ketua Muslimat Selangor, Noraini Husin berkata cadangan itu usaha baik kerana tujuan awal PAS adalah untuk berdakwah selain berpolitik. Apabila Pakatan Rakyat sudah menang katanya, PAS perlu menggunakan institusi agama seperti Jais untuk menyampaikan dakwah kepada rakyat Selangor. Menurut beliau, dengan cara itu ia boleh membuang dinding pemisah antara masyarakat dengan PAS.

"Rakyat Selangor sudah mengenali Hasan Ali dan sekarang ini beliau menjadi exco, secara tidak langsung beliau telah membawa imej PAS," katanya.

Beliau berkata, selama ini ramai di kalangan pembeli berkunjung ke pasar pada waktu maghrib dan kemungkinan mereka tidak sempat menunaikan solat kerana rumah dan masjid jauh. Justeru tambahnya dengan ada surau di kawasan pasar akan memudahkan penjual dan pembeli menunaikan solat secara berjemaah atau sendirian. Bagaimanapun, Noraini berpendapat, peniaga di Selangor tidak boleh disamakan dengan pekedai di Tanah Suci yang boleh meninggalkan jualan untuk menunaikan solat.

"Penguatkuasaan perlu diwujudkan iaitu di kalangan ahli JKKK selain mengawal keselamatan barangan, mereka juga boleh memastikan pembeli dan peniaga berhenti untuk solat," tegasnya. - lanh

GURU AL-QURAN DISARAN TINGKATKAN SAHSIAH DIRI

SHAH ALAM – Pemegang Tauliah Mengajar Al-Quran kategori D3, disaran supaya mempertingkatkan sahsiah diri agar menjadi contoh teladan kepada masyarakat setempat. Demikian saranan yang telah diberikan oleh YB Dr. Halimah bt Ali, EXCO Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan semasa merasmikan penangguhan Muzakarah Ilmu kepada Pemegang Tauliah Mengajar Al-Quran yang telah diadakan di Bangunan Annex, Shah Alam pada 29 Mac, 2008 yang lalu.

Selain itu, penekanan juga perlu diberikan dalam aspek-aspek kesalahan-kesalahan dalam pembacaan Al-Quran. “Ini kerana, sebagai seorang guru Al-Quran, tuan-tuan dan puan-puan seharusnya mendalami lagi aspek-aspek tersebut dari masa ke semasa, agar tuan-tuan dan puan-puan dapat memberikan bimbingan yang betul dan tepat kepada anak didik yang diajar.” Katanya. Peserta muzakarah seramai hampir 150 orang patut berasa bertuah kerana mendapat bimbingan Guru Al-Quran terkenal tanahair, Y.Bhg Dato’ Haji Hassan Azhari. Antara tajuk perbincangan dalam muzakarah tersebut adalah “mendalami Ilmu Tajwid” dan “Kesalahan Dalam Pembacaan Al-Quran”.

Pemberian Tauliah Mengajar yang mula diperkenalkan sejak tahun 2003, setelah Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor menyedari perkembangan ajaran salah dan fahaman yang bertentangan dengan amalan majoriti umat Islam semakin membimbangkan di Selangor. Sejak tahun 2003 sebanyak 1,216 kad tauliah telah diberikan kepada mereka yang layak setelah melalui proses temuduga bagi melayakkan mereka diberi tauliah. Buat masa ini tauliah yang diberikan tertakluk kepada 3 tahun sahaja. Sehingga kini seramai 300 orang telah tamat tempoh tauliah mereka pada tahun 2006 dan telah membuat permohonan lanjutan.

Sementara itu, Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor bercadang memaparkan profil penceramah di laman web JAIS bagi memudahkan masyarakat mengenali serta menghubungi penceramah yang dikehendaki. Penyenaraian penceramah juga dibuat mengikut kemahiran dan bidang masing-masing bagi memudahkan masyarakat.Majlis Muzakarah Ilmu turut dihadiri oleh Tuan Haji Ahmad Zaki bin Arsad, Ketua Penolong Pengarah, Bahagian Dakwah, Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor. (dari laman web JAIS)

EXCO HAL EHWAL ISLAM SARAN ADAKAN TAZKIRAH SEBELUM MESYUARAT

Shah Alam – 31 Mac 2008, YB Dato’ Dr. Haji Hassan bin Mohamad Ali, Pengerusi, Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat-adat Melayu, Infrastruktur dan Kemudahan Awam Negeri Selangor, hari ini telah diberi taklimat mengenai Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor dalam satu majlis ringkas di Bangunan Sultan Idris Shah. Taklimat yang disampaikan oleh SS Dato’ Haji Mohammed Khusrin bin Haji Munawi, Pengarah, JAIS juga turut dihadiri oleh Ketua-ketua Bahagian.

Dalam ucapan ringkas di majlis tersebut, YB Dato’ Dr, Hj. Hassan menyarankan agar diadakan tazkirah ringkas sebelum memulakan mesyuarat. Usaha ini dilakukan bagi menerapkan nilai-nilai murni melalui tazkirah atau peringatan bagi membentuk sahsiah diri serta pengisian rohani di kalangan pegawai dan jabatan-jabatan kerajaan. “Bayangkan kalau dalam sehari kita menghadiri 3 mesyuarat dan setiap mesyuarat diadakan 15 minit tazkirah, kita dapat 45 minit tazkirah dalam sehari, dalam 45 (minit itu) pelbagai ilmu dan peringatan yang kita perolehi.” katanya.

Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor sebagai salah satu jabatan kerajaan yang mengurus hal ehwal islam disaran memulakan program ini agar dapat dicontohi oleh jabatan-jabatan lain. Isntitusi Islam lain seperti Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (MAIS) dan Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LeZaS) juga disaran memulakan program ini.

Pembangunan sahsiah diri penting bagi melahirkan pegawai yang berdedikasi, berhemat tinggi, bermoral. Dengan adanya sifat-sifat terpuji diterapkan dalam diri semua pegawai segala tugas yang diberikan akan dilaksanakan dengan sempurna.

Dr. Hassan juga telah menyarankan beberapa aktiviti dan program keagamaan yang menjurus kepada pengisian rohani juga boleh dilaksanakan di Selangor yang dipertanggungjawabkan kepada JAIS untuk melaksanakannya.

Menyentuh berkaitan aktiviti penguatkuasaan, beliau menyarankan agar pendekatan yang berkesan dapat dilakukan. Beliau akan mengadakan perbincangan mengenainya secepat mungkin.

Masjid dan Surau perlu mempergiatkan serta membanyakkan (aktiviti) yang boleh memberi manfaat kepada masyarakat. Jawatankuasa yang sedia ada tidak perlu bimbang akan dipecat kerana beliau belum lagi memikirkan perkara tersebut

Beliau mengharapkan kerjasama yang erat daripada pegawai dan kakitangan JAIS dalam usaha melaksanakan aktiviti serta program yang dirancang. Banyak program yang boleh dilaksanakan tetapi tanpa kerjasama yang erat daripada pegawai, aktiviti dan program tersebut hanya tinggal perancangan sahaja. (dari laman web JAIS)

Taklimat JAIS

WAKIL RAKYAT KERAJAAN BARISAN ALTERNATIF SELANGOR HADIR TAKLIMAT ENAKMEN PENTADBIRAN AGAMA ISLAM

Shah Alam - Seramai 14 wakil rakyat beragama Islam daripada Barisan Alternatif telah menghadiri satu taklimat berkaitan Enakmen Pentadbiran Agama Islam Selangor yang telah diadakan di Bangunan Sultan Idris Shah, Shah Alam pada hari ini, 25 Mac 2008.

Majlis taklimat yang dipengerusikan oleh YAD Dato’ Haji Mohd Adzib bin Mohd Isa, Pengerusi Majlis Agama Islam Selangor telah membincangkan berkaitan enakmen Agama Islam khusunya yang berkaitan dengan enakmen tauliah penceramah, pengurusan masjid dan enakmen khutbah. Wakil-wakil rakyat yang hadir adalah YB Dato’ Dr. Haji Hassan bin Mohd Ali, EXCO Hal Ehwal Agama Islam, EXCO Kerajaan Negeri lain yang baru dilantik turut hadir antaranya YB Tuan Haji Yaakob bin Sapari, ADUN Kota Anggerik (EXCO Pemodenan Pertanian, Pengurusan Sumber Alam dan Pembangunan Usahawan), YB Puan Rodziah Ismail, ADUN Batu Tiga (EXCO Kebajikan, Hal Ehwal Wanita, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi), YB Tuan Iskandar bin Abdul Samad ADUN Cempaka (EXCO Perumahan, Pengurusan Bangunan dan Setinggan) dan YB Puan Dr. Halimah bt Ali ADUN Selat Klang (EXCO Pendidikan, Pendidikan Tinggi dan Pembangunan Modal Insan).Lain-lain wakil rakyat yang hadir termasuklah YB Tuan Dr. Ahmad Yunus Hairi ADUN Sijangkang, YB Tuan Mat Shuhaimi bin Shafiei ADUN Sri Muda, YB Tuan Badrul Hisham bin Abdullah ADUN Pelabuhan Klang, YB Puan Haniza bt Mohamed Talha ADUN Taman Medan, YB Tuan Dr Mohd Nasir bin Hashim ADUN Kota Damansara, YB Dr. Haji Abd Rani bin Osman ADUN Meru, YB Tuan Khasim bin Abdul Aziz, ADUN Lembah Jaya dan YB Tuan Haji Shaari bin Sungib ADUN Hulu Klang. Ahli Parlimen Kota Raja, YB Puan Dr. Siti Mariah bt Mahmud juga hadir.

YAD Dato’ Setia Pengerusi MAIS dalam ucapan pembukaan taklimat berkata, tujuan taklimat mengenai enakmen ini dilakukan adalah atas titah perintah DYMM Sultan Selangor yang mahukan agar wakil-wakil rakyat Barisan Alternatif diberi pendedahan mengenai enakmen pentadbiran agama Islam agar tidak timbul sebarang kekeliruan yang akan berlaku selain memberi kefahaman yang jelas memandangkan enakmen ini mungkin sesuatu yang baru bagi mereka yang baru bergelar Yang Berhormat di Selangor.

Sementara itu, YB Dato’ Dr. Haji Hassan bin Mohd Ali, EXCO Hal Ehwal Islam berkata, Institusi Islam di Selangor harus lebih efisien dan berdaya saing agar ia akan dihormati serta dipandang tinggi oleh Jabatan-jabatan yang lain. Pengukuhan asas akidah dan sahsiah diri kakitangan perlu ditingkatkan dan diutamakan dalam melaksanakan tugas-tugas seharian agar mereka bukan sahaja mendapat gaji malah kerja akan diberkati dan dirahmati Allah.Beliau juga melihat bahawa Institusi Islam di Selangor perlukan beberapa penyusunan semula agar lebih efisien, cekap dan berkesan dalam usaha untuk berkhidmat dan berbakti kepada masyarakat.

Majlis turut dihadiri oleh SS Dato’ Setia Haji Mohd Tamyes bin Abdul Wahid, Mufti Negeri Selangor, Pegawai kanan JAIS, MAIS dan LeZaS.Taklimat telah disampaikan oleh SS Dato’ Haji Mohammed KHusrin bin Haji Munawi, Pengarah, Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor yang juga Setiausaha MAIS. (dari laman web JAIS)

Kedah and Penang Umno leaders want changes at the top

By ZARINAH DAUD and SIRA HABIBU

PENANG: Umno leaders here and in Kedah have told the party management committee that the leadership needs to be changed in order to save the party. The 250 division, Wanita, Youth and Puteri leaders in Kedah at a meeting held in Sungai Petani even went as far as to suggest who should take over as the party’s number one and number two.

“Umno is running out of time and a change is needed soon,” said a party member who was at the closed-door meeting yesterday.

The three-hour meeting was conducted by the party’s management committee headed by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. It is part of a post-mortem exercise undertaken by the party after the poor showing in the March 8 general election.Another division chief said it was a free-for-all session and the committee told them to speak frankly. Some leaders also called on party leaders to stop “attacking” Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and for the committee to end the “expose” against the former Prime Minister in the media.

Later at a similar meeting at the Penang Umno building, the management committee was also told of the unhappiness of members there with the current leadership. The leaders from the 13 divisions told the committee that the Barisan did badly because the people, especially the Malays, had swung to the Opposition as they felt that Umno leaders had lost touch with the grassroots.

“The divisional leaders called for new blood in the leadership and that the party needed someone who could bring back the Malay support. “Most division leaders wanted the leadership to be transparent and to consult the divisions when choosing candidates in the election. They did not want 'parachute' candidates.“The management committee only came to meet us when damage had already been done,” said one leader.

A state leader said the local leaders also wanted the leadership to take PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim seriously. “It is a serious matter when PKR said it could form the government within six months,” he said.

Another leader also questioned why the leadership wanted to take action against members for alleged sabotage because party grassroots had actually worked hard during the elections.

“The people rejected Umno,” he said. “It is better for our leaders to close ranks than go on a witch hunt.”">(The Star :Friday April 11, 2008)

Door now open for election petitions

Thursday, 10 April 2008 (Daily Express) - Election Commission (EC) Sabah Director, Haji Mohd Idrus Ismail, said candidates in the recent elections who wish to file election petitions are now at liberty to do so.

According to him, the EC gazetted the March 8 election results on Tuesday (April 8), leaving the door open to candidates for both Parliamentary and State seats until April 29 this year to file their petitions. He also said if anyone intends to contest the result of the Kalabakan parliamentary constituency, which was won unopposed (by Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh), they would have to file the petition by today (April 9).

"This is because we have gazetted it earlier, on March 19," he stressed. As provided for under Article 118 of the Federal Constitution, candidates who object to the outcome of the election results and who have strong evidence to do so may file an election petition with the High Court to review the results.

In Sabah, among those expected to go to court are Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) and defeated DAP candidate for the Sandakan Parliamentary seat, Shanty Chong.

PKR State Liaison Committee Chairman, Ansari Abdullah, has stated that the party would be filing election petitions over the parliamentary areas of Pensiangan, Papar, Kota Belud and Tuaran and the State seats of Kota Kinabalu, Pantai Manis and Kimanis.

He claimed the Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to honour many of its promises such as getting rid of serial numbers on the ballot papers, among others, and scrapping of the indelible ink plan.

On the continued practice of putting serial numbers on the ballot papers, he contended it was clearly denying the voters' democratic rights to make a choice without fear or favour.

He also claimed that the postal votes could have had a role in the massive defeat of Keadilan candidates in Sabah.

"All the election workers were asked to cast their votes through postal system (and) they are all civil servants. Once you put serial numbers on the ballot papers, the civil servants have no choice but to vote for the Government."

Ansari had also claimed that the business community and village folk including in Kiulu and Tamparuli were threatened into voting for the BN by being told their subsidy, rubber seedlings, fertiliser, electricity or any assistance would be recalled if they voted otherwise.

He said the party had lodged more than 100 police reports all over the State about such threats.

Chong, who lost by a mere 176 votes to LDP President and BN's Datuk VK Liew had alleged irregularities during the counting of votes and refusal by the Returning Officer to entertain her request for a recount, among others.

General Election Malaysia 2004 Report revealed that there were a total of 43 petitions - 17 against parliamentary seats and 26 against State seats were registered with the High Courts throughout the country.

The highest number was in Kelantan with seven against State seats. Sabah filed three petitions - two State, against Api-Api and Lahad Datu and one, parliamentary area, Ranau.

All the petitions were resolved by the High Courts by Oct 29, 2004. Out of the 43 election petitions that were submitted, 42 were rejected by the Election Judges.

Only one petition from the parliamentary constituency of Pasir Puteh, Kelantan was accepted. The Election Judge ruled that the result was null and void and consequently declared the BN candidate as the winner.

Meanwhile, Mohd Idrus advised all candidates to submit their expenditure reports by May 9.

According to Section 23 of the Election Offences Act 1954, candidates contesting are required to submit a statement of their election expenditure within a period of 31 days from the date the election results were gazetted.

In accordance with the provisions of the law, candidates or their election agents who failed to submit their election expenses may be disqualified from voting as well as contesting in elections for the next five years from the gazette of the election results.

In the 2004 election, there were 39 offenders throughout the country with Sabah recording the highest number, 12. Two were from Parti Keadilan, four, Independents, one, Pasok and five, Parti Setia.