FT / SELANGOR
* 31 Oct (Sun) @ Buddhist Maha Vihara, Jalan Berhala, B’fields KL, 8am-12noon
* 30-31 Oct @ Subang Parade, near Uncle Lim’s Kopitiam on Grd Flr, 10am-10pm
* 21 Nov @ Canaan Lutheran Church, Jalan Reko, Kajang, 10am-2pm

N. SEMBILAN (throughout November)
* Every Thurs @ Loop Road Pasar Malam, 6pm-9:30pm
* Every Sat @ Bahau Pasar Malam (Sat) 6pm-7:30pm
* Every Sun @ Pasar Besar Seremban, 9am-12noon

PENANG
* 31 Oct (Sun) @ Nibong Tebal Pasar Malam, 7.30-10pm
* 1 Nov (Mon) @ Kg Jawi Pasar Malam, 7.30-10pm
* 5-7 Nov @ PISA (HOMEDEC 2010 Fair), 11am-9pm
* 21 Nov @ Penang Bridge Marathon, 8-11am
* Every Wed @ Pasar Malam Farlim, 8pm-10pm
* Every first Sunday @ Gurney Plaza, 11am-9pm
* 14 Nov @ Balik Pulau Market, 8am-10am

THE GIFT OF DAILY BREAD (Chinese Edition) and
PETER’S PITHY POINTERS (Vol. 2)

will be launched as follows in conjunction with FIRST NATIONAL HOLISTIC CARE MINISTRY CONFERENCE:

Date: Tuesday 14 September 2010
Time: 5.00 PM
Place: Confucian Private Secondary School Hall, Lorong Hang Jebat, 50150, Kuala Lumpur

All are welcome!

(NB. There is an ongoing exhibition with many booths, displays and book sales on Holistic Care Ministry in the same venue before and after the Book Launch.)

EVENT:
To conclude the 47 years of Malaysia and usher in her 48th year with 47 MINUTES OF SILENCE

CONTEXT:
For the past weeks and in the run-up to the Merdeka and Malaysia Days, more than before, the nation has been bombarded with ethno-religious noises. These range from direct calls to expel some Malaysians, subtle references to other Malaysians and females as “dirty”, to vulgar attack on ethnicity and faith of fellow Malaysians.

Coinciding with the noises are the attempts to control media and suppress rational discourse on ethno-religious relations. Bloggers are harassed and dissenting views demonized. Critical journalists are sacked.

The contrast of the noisy racists and the muted media is in no way coincidental. Racism and bigotry grow when citizens are not allowed to speak their mind and listen to each other.

It’s time to reclaim our nation, our freedom, the promise that Malaysia was meant to be in 1963.
We need no colonial masters from within to control our public sphere and selectively grant more space for some to vent their racist slurs.
They say we are the silent majority.
So, let’s show them the power of deafening silence.
Let’s all say no to the manipulation of bigotry and media.
Let’s show them our determination for fraternity through freedom.

DATE /TIME:
15th SEPTEMBER, 2010 @ 11.12pm TO 11.59pm

VENUE:
Community Hall / NGO Premises/Associations / Clubs in all major towns
• Kuala Lumpur: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Carpark

GROUP ACTIVITY (subject to the preferences of the organisers/participants)

1. MEDITATION/REFLECTION
2. WRITE AN ESSAY/POEM based on the theme
3. DRAW/PAINT ON A WHITE PAPER/CLOTH based on the theme
4. READING IN SILENCE

Note: Items (2) and (3) can be used for display/ dissemination through different channels at later stage of campaign

11 September 2010
By Jayanath and Chin Huat

The Executive Director of Tenaganita, Irene Fernandez opened the forum. In her usual calm yet passionate manner, she reminded us that there is something fundamentally wrong in Malaysia, where discrimination on account of race, gender, religion, labour, poverty, minorities, HIV/AIDS victims, the disabled, etc. is rampant.

Irene was followed by Azmi Sharom of the Faculty of Law, University Malaya. Azmi noted that racism in most countries is “underground,” whereas in Malaysia it is mainstream, with public exponents like Tun Mahathir, Ridzwan Tee and Ibrahim Ali. Azmi noted that Malaysia has refused to become a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)(1966) and to the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT)(1984). From this Azmi inferred that Malaysia WANTS to discriminate and torture: it’s hard to argue with that inference.

In discussing Customary International Law, Azmi observed that racial discrimination and torture have “become wrong,” under international law, even though Malaysia has not signed the CERD and UNCAT Conventions. He also noted that Malaysia has signed some treaties while expressing reservations on some sections, e.g. in CEDAW, the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Malaysia has not accepted equal rights for husband and wife in marriage and its dissolution. He did not say whether these reservations are typical of all “Muslim” countries.

Azmi was followed by Sivarasa Rasiah, lawyer and Member of Parliament for Subang. Sivarasa began by noting the huge disparity in incomes in Malaysia: of all the ASEAN countries, the gap between the rich and the poor is highest in Malaysia, based on the GINI coefficient. According to Sivarasa, the gap is only slightly smaller than that of Papua New Guinea! He also observed that seventy percent of Malaysian households with income less than RM 2,000 per month are Malays.

Sivarasa focused on answering the question “how did we get to this state of affairs.” He began with a history lesson, reminding us that on 10 August 1947 a coalition of non-Malay civil and political organizations, the All Malaya Council of Joint Action (AMCJA) was formed with Tan Cheng Lock as leader. The AMCJA soon formed an alliance with [Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy’s] Malay-based Pusat Tenaga Raayat (PUTRA).

On 21 September 1947, Putra-AMCJA revealed a blueprint for Malaysia’s future, called The People’s Constitution, which reflected a consensus of all the races in Malaysia. Sivarasa stressed two aspects of this blueprint: (1) it conferred equal citizenship rights to all who make Malaysia their home and (2) it called for the creation of a council of races with power to block any discriminatory legislation based on ethnicity or religion. The British however chose to work with UMNO and it’s allies – this produced Article 153 of the current constitution which gives a “special position” to the Malays.

Sivarasa explained that “special position” does not equal “special rights;” rather, article 153 enshrines affirmative action to reduce inequality, not to increase discrimination. Per article 153, the Agung may set quotas for Malays in the Civil Service, education and business. The intent was that article 153 would be in force for a limited time only.

Alas, post-1969, UMNO/BN politicians turned article 153 into a tool of discrimination. Now, institutions such as the army, police, judiciary and the civil service – all of which express state power – are dominated by Malays. And any Malay millionaire can get a ten percent discount on an expensive bungalow!

The Forums are off to a good start – educational and evocative. Also, there was good input from the floor, all given in a very orderly manner, with Ambiga Sreenevasan, former president of the Bar Council, as moderator.

I am excited at the energy behind countering discrimination and promoting equality!

Rama Ramanathan maintains the blog “Rest Stop Thoughts”.

How Much Religious Freedom Is There

Date & Time
27 June 2009; 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Venue
Trinity Methodist Church
6, Jalan 5/37
46000 Petaling Jaya
(location map)

Panelists
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
(Minister of Plantations, Industries and Commodities)

Tan Sri Simon Sipaun
(Vice Chairman of SUHAKAM)

Mr. Tommy Thomas
(Prominent Lawyer)

Mr. K. Shamuga
(MCCBCHST Think Tank & Article 11)

Moderator
Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Admission Is Free.

For more details, contact:

Council of Churches of Malaysia
No.10, Jalan 11/9
46200 Petaling Jaya

cchurchm@streamyx.com
www.ccmalaysia.org

Come and be encouraged to care for God’s creation at these discussions. Find out about God’s word on the stewardship of His creation and a theocentric, love-based motivation to care for creation and communities. Learn about the A Rocha story and its conservation projects in 18 countries. Connect with likeminded Christians, ask questions freely, and share your stories and ideas.

These discussions will help all Christians discover hope for their environment, and be energised for our work of change, rescue and transformation within the present world.

Dr Graham McAll will also be leading a session on: “Climate Change, Health & Faith: Calling Christians in Medicine”.

Dr McAll will introduce the current understanding of anthropogenic climate change and how it is thought to affect human health. He aims to encourage those in healthcare to see themselves as uniquely placed to respond to these issues, and encourage the responsibility to care for the earth with hope, remembering the vocation’s respected place in the community. Using examples of good practice, with contributions from discussion, he will discuss how environmental initiatives may be supported in mitigation, adaptation, education and research (read abstract).

Why Creation Is Waiting For Christians
&
Climate Change, Health and Faith – Calling Christians in Medicine
An A Rocha conference in Malaysia

Date
Saturday, 18 July 2009

Venue
City Discipleship Presbyterian Church
W-10-2 Subang Square Business Centre,
Jalan SS15/4G,
47500 Subang Jaya
Malaysia
(location map)

Admission
RM 15.00
RM 10.00 early bird registration closes 4 July
Organic lunch & tea provided

Speakers
Peter Harris, Founder/Director of A Rocha
& Dr Graham McAll, MA, MB, FRCSEd, MRCGP

Downloads & Registration
» Poster «
» Brochure «
» Register Online «

Intense fighting between militant groups and Pakistani forces in and around the Swat Valley of Pakistan’s North West Frontier province has resulted in the largest displacement of people in the country since 1947. Many families have fled their homes and villages to find safety in already overcrowded camps, losing their only source of income along with livestock and homes destroyed by the fighting.

World Vision plans to support host families and communities by providing food supplies and shelter, while helping families to access education and healthcare.

>> Learn more (PDF)

To contribute to World Vision’s Emergency Response Fund, please complete and return the attached form. Thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,
World Vision Malaysia

In this upcoming forum, we hope to explore new ways forward as we bring together the stories and perspectives from two complementary experiences as minorities in pluralistic societies: as Muslims in a Western society and as Christians in a Muslim majority society.

We believe that our stories and aspirations can provide new ways of mutual understanding as we all aspire to play a constructive role in shaping the societies that we are in for the better.

This forum is co-organised by Friends in Conversation (FIC) and the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF).

Conversation Partners

Waleed Aly is an Australian lawyer, Muslim community leader, academic and rock musician. He is a frequent commentator on Australian Muslim affairs. In 2008, he was selected to participate in the Australia 2020 Summit. Waleed is regularly invited to address audiences of academics, businesses and community leaders, as well as senior Australian politicians. He is currently a lecturer at the Global Terrorism Research Centre at Monash University.

Tricia Yeoh is a Malaysian currently serving as Research Officer to the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office. She was previously the Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, at which she now sits as Member of its Advisory Panel. Her opinions as political analyst have been quoted by a range of international media, including Al‐ Jazeera, Bloomberg, The International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, The Economist magazine, and the local media. She is Christian and member of Bangsar Lutheran Church.

Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa, a founding member of MPF is a cardiothoracic surgeon and lecturer at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University. His involvement in social work has seen him giving talks at universities and other Islamic centres in Malaysia on Islam and related topics. His life is deeply inspired by a true revolutionary, Ernesto Che Guevara, whose early life as a medical student was depicted in The Motorcycle Diaries.

The conversation will be facilitated by Rev Sivin Kit, founding member of FIC and pastor of Bangsar Lutheran Church.

Event Logistics

Date / Time
June 12, 2009; 8.00 pm – 10.30 pm

Venue
The Father’s House
@ Bangsar Lutheran Church
23, Jalan Abdullah, off Jalan Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur
Location Map

Download and distribute the event flyer here. For further details and latest updates on the event, visit our Facebook event listing.

There are also public policy implications pertaining to ethnic relations which no politician or government official can ignore. In a similar way private sector and business communities are also seriously paying attention to the potential of multi cultural aspects for economic implications. Likewise civil society actors have realized the tremendous potential and dynamics of multi cultural issues and concerns.

There is therefore an urgent need for us in Malaysia to study the different models of multi cultural societies around the world. This will enable us to understand their history, their struggles and achievements, their policies and programs in fostering greater understanding and appreciation.

It is in this context of understanding ethnic relations in other countries that the UKM Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) has co-organized this First KITA Public Forum on Race Relations: The British Experience, with some of our partners.

Date
June 16, 2009

Time
3.30 pm – 5.00 pm

Venue
Auditorium
Malaysian Institute of Integrity
Jalan Duta
Kuala Lumpur

The objective is to provide a critical analysis on race relations in the British context and understand their struggles, challenges and achievements. In so doing, we in Malaysia can draw some parallel lessons which might be useful for us in the Malaysian context.

We have invited a prominent person Prof Aneez Esmail who will deliver a special lecture on this theme. He is Professor of General Practice and the Associate Vice-President for Equality and Diversity at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

Prof Aneez’s family was expelled from Uganda where he was born, during the time of Idi Amin in 1972, on racial grounds. Together with his family they came to Britain as refugees. During his student years he became active in the anti-racist struggle especially in exposing racial discrimination in the medical profession.

Prof Aneez’s commitment and determination in fighting racism and championing equality continues through his professional capacity as a professor in one of the top universities in the UK. His role as Vice President for Equality and Diversity is to oversee the programme for increased participation in higher education from the lower social groups.

KITA has received encouraging support from Department for National Unity & Integration, Prime Minister’s Department, Government of Malaysia, Juken Consultancy Sdn Bhd., Malaysian Bar Council, Centre for Public Policy Studies, ASLI, The Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce, The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Malaysia, Sri Murgan Centre (SMC) & Malaysian Medical Association (MMA). These organizations are organizing partners of this Public Forum with KITA

We really hope that you will take time to be with us at this KITA Public Forum. There is no registration fee. However, please confirm your participation by June 12, 2009 as there are limited seats by calling KITA at 03 8921 4641 or fax at 03 8921 5641 or email sue@ukm.my

Tenaganita’s Shelter for Trafficked Women & Children has rescued hundreds of trafficked women and children sold into the sex trade or in debt bondage or trafficked for labor.

The women are abused, raped, beaten, denied food and medical care. They are held in captive, extremely exploited and denied any rights. The trauma they experience is incomprehensible. The road to recovery is a very long one. And the struggle to regain their dignity demands collective support.

Tenaganita’s Shelter journeys with the woman or child who has been trafficked, forced into prostitution or enslaved in bonded labor. The shelter’s team of people is committed to rescue, protect, care, counsel and empower the survivor. And then help to repatriate them safely back to their home countries in partnership with other organizations and support groups.

The shelter is now facing a CRISIS. We do not have enough funds to keep it going. We seriously need your support to continue our support to our daughters who have been trafficked.

A local Malaysian abstract artist, Eddie Lim, has agreed to give 30% of the proceeds from the sale of his art pieces to the Tenaganita’s Shelter. So if you’ve been on the look out for that right piece to rest above the piano, or an investment of a more cultured sort, look no further. Not only will you be able to own a lovely art-piece, you’ll be helping to give trafficked victims a fresh start.

Please go to www.eddielimgallery.com or www.artbreak.com/eddielim to preview Eddie’s works. For enquiries, purchases or commissioned works, kindly contact him at: +60.12.251.1553 or e-mail mr.eddielim@yahoo.com