Cardinal Enters Holy Row
Cardinal Enters Holy Row
he head of Australia's Catholic church says the Pope's controversial comments on Islam have been proved right.
Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, said: "The violent reaction in many parts of the Islamic world justified one of Pope Benedict's main fears."
He added: "They showed the link for many Islamists between religion and violence, their refusal to respond to criticism with rational arguments, but only with demonstrations, threats and actual violence."
Pope Benedict XVI's quoting of a medieval text linking Islam to violence was met with a furious response from Muslims across the world.
An elderly nun was shot dead in Somalia while there were attacks on churches in Gaza and the West Bank.
And, despite a personal apology from the Pontiff, al Qaeda militants in Iraq have also vowed to wage war on the "worshippers of the cross".
The group said it would "break the cross and spill the wine".
Cardinal Pell, the conservative leader of Australia's 5.1 million Roman Catholics, said he was pleased there had been no violence in Australia.
But his views have been branded unhelpful by some of the country's Muslim leaders.
Ameer Ali, head of a government-appointed Muslim group, said the comments were "especially unhelpful in a charged atmosphere".
Academic Samina Yasmeen said leaders should remember that religion often dealt with raw emotions.
"The fact that Cardinal Pell decided to come into the controversy and add more to that, I think it's a dangerous thing."
A spokesman for Australia's Muslim community added: "Islam has nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of and if Cardinal Pell is up to this challenge he is welcome to this public forum."
More on This Story:
Thai army seizes power
The Thai armed forces seized power without firing a shot, dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government, revoked the constitution and promised a swift return to democracy after political reforms.
Army commander-in-chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who had dismissed the possibility of a coup in recent months as a political crisis dragged on, took the reins of power late on Tuesday without a government title.
A coup spokesman said Thaksin was ousted to resolve the near year-long political deadlock and stop "rampant corruption."(more)
Some quarters are saying that the king has no objection to what is going on. So far, he has not stepped in, he has not said a word.
Others are saying he might actually be behind it - as this may be the only way for him to finally intervene and say “thaksin get out!”.
Read between the lines:
“Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a prior government, told Reuters he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would head the reform commission and an interim government would be formed while political reforms were agreed”.
The coup adminsitrators said Thaksin, who is now on his way back from New York, will not be allowed to resume his post as Prime Minister.
While we keep our fingers crossed!!!
Blogger Susan Loone wrote. Read her blog here.
PWD probes school's repair work
The Public Works Department (PWD) is to investigate how RM30,000 was released to a contractor for repairs at SJKC Kung Yu in Muar when the work done was valued at only RM3,000.
"Repairs at SJKC Aik Hwa were completed satisfactorily at RM20,000. But the job at Kung Yu is not satisfactory," Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said when winding up the debate for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting inspected the two schools in Johor on Monday for a first-hand look following the fuss kicked up by MCA vice-president and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat who claimed that funds for the schools were "hijacked".
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein took offence of Ong's statement and complained to the cabinet which reprimanded Ong for breaching the rules by commenting on another ministry's affairs.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed then apologised to Hishammuddin on behalf of Ong.
Samy Vellu said: "I have no power to suspend or shoot people. Action can only be taken upon completion of investigations."
Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) asked: "Will the cabinet retract its decision to reprimand Ong?"
Samy Vellu: "I do not have any connection with the matter. I do not want to answer that."
To repeated questioning from Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) on why there was no action taken against the Kung Yu contractor, Samy Vellu told her that the matter is "still under investigation".
"You are a lawyer - you do not know the law is it? Don't tell me that you shoot a person first, and then take him to court?"
Earlier, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged the cabinet to retract its reprimand of Ong."
In an immediate reaction, Ka Ting said: "Lim is merely playing politics on the matter. Guan Eng can say what he likes. That's a very political statement. I will not fall into his trap."
UN Approves Malaysian Troops To Lebanon
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the United Nations had approved the deployment of 360 Malaysian peacekeepers in Lebanon.
The Prime Minister told Malaysian journalists here that the matter was conveyed to him during talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Tuesday.
Malaysia, the chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), had earlier planned to send 1,000 soldiers to join the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
PM jumpa Bush kerana Scomi?
Pengendali blog Cuit Sikit, Amin Yatim mendakwa terdapat khabar angin yang sedang bertiup kencang di kalangan pemimpin politik Umno bahawa seorang bekas pemimpin kanan parti itu mendakwa tujuan khusus perjumpaan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan Presiden Amerika, George W Bush baru-baru ini ialah untuk membincangkan isu skandal nuklear Scomi Group Berhad.
Scomi adalah gergasi korporat yang dikuasai anak Abdullah, Kamaluddin.
(find out more here)
Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Mid East Pope Benedict Bush'America Thailand coup
he head of Australia's Catholic church says the Pope's controversial comments on Islam have been proved right.
Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, said: "The violent reaction in many parts of the Islamic world justified one of Pope Benedict's main fears."
He added: "They showed the link for many Islamists between religion and violence, their refusal to respond to criticism with rational arguments, but only with demonstrations, threats and actual violence."
Pope Benedict XVI's quoting of a medieval text linking Islam to violence was met with a furious response from Muslims across the world.
An elderly nun was shot dead in Somalia while there were attacks on churches in Gaza and the West Bank.
And, despite a personal apology from the Pontiff, al Qaeda militants in Iraq have also vowed to wage war on the "worshippers of the cross".
The group said it would "break the cross and spill the wine".
Cardinal Pell, the conservative leader of Australia's 5.1 million Roman Catholics, said he was pleased there had been no violence in Australia.
But his views have been branded unhelpful by some of the country's Muslim leaders.
Ameer Ali, head of a government-appointed Muslim group, said the comments were "especially unhelpful in a charged atmosphere".
Academic Samina Yasmeen said leaders should remember that religion often dealt with raw emotions.
"The fact that Cardinal Pell decided to come into the controversy and add more to that, I think it's a dangerous thing."
A spokesman for Australia's Muslim community added: "Islam has nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of and if Cardinal Pell is up to this challenge he is welcome to this public forum."
**********
Thai army seizes power
The Thai armed forces seized power without firing a shot, dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government, revoked the constitution and promised a swift return to democracy after political reforms.
Army commander-in-chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who had dismissed the possibility of a coup in recent months as a political crisis dragged on, took the reins of power late on Tuesday without a government title.
A coup spokesman said Thaksin was ousted to resolve the near year-long political deadlock and stop "rampant corruption."(more)
Like most of the previous 19 military coups since 1932, there was no violence. Tanks surrounded Government House and apparently some newspaper offices. All broadcasting on local TV was interrupted, and replaced by a notice which stated the military takeover and apologised “for any inconvenience.
Tonight there maybe clashes….but lets hope peace survives…
Tonight there maybe clashes….but lets hope peace survives…
Some quarters are saying that the king has no objection to what is going on. So far, he has not stepped in, he has not said a word.
Others are saying he might actually be behind it - as this may be the only way for him to finally intervene and say “thaksin get out!”.
Read between the lines:
“Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a prior government, told Reuters he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would head the reform commission and an interim government would be formed while political reforms were agreed”.
The coup adminsitrators said Thaksin, who is now on his way back from New York, will not be allowed to resume his post as Prime Minister.
While we keep our fingers crossed!!!
Blogger Susan Loone wrote. Read her blog here.
**********
PWD probes school's repair work
The Public Works Department (PWD) is to investigate how RM30,000 was released to a contractor for repairs at SJKC Kung Yu in Muar when the work done was valued at only RM3,000.
"Repairs at SJKC Aik Hwa were completed satisfactorily at RM20,000. But the job at Kung Yu is not satisfactory," Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said when winding up the debate for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting inspected the two schools in Johor on Monday for a first-hand look following the fuss kicked up by MCA vice-president and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat who claimed that funds for the schools were "hijacked".
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein took offence of Ong's statement and complained to the cabinet which reprimanded Ong for breaching the rules by commenting on another ministry's affairs.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed then apologised to Hishammuddin on behalf of Ong.
Samy Vellu said: "I have no power to suspend or shoot people. Action can only be taken upon completion of investigations."
Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) asked: "Will the cabinet retract its decision to reprimand Ong?"
Samy Vellu: "I do not have any connection with the matter. I do not want to answer that."
To repeated questioning from Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) on why there was no action taken against the Kung Yu contractor, Samy Vellu told her that the matter is "still under investigation".
"You are a lawyer - you do not know the law is it? Don't tell me that you shoot a person first, and then take him to court?"
Earlier, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged the cabinet to retract its reprimand of Ong."
In an immediate reaction, Ka Ting said: "Lim is merely playing politics on the matter. Guan Eng can say what he likes. That's a very political statement. I will not fall into his trap."
UN Approves Malaysian Troops To Lebanon
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the United Nations had approved the deployment of 360 Malaysian peacekeepers in Lebanon.
The Prime Minister told Malaysian journalists here that the matter was conveyed to him during talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Tuesday.
Malaysia, the chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), had earlier planned to send 1,000 soldiers to join the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
PM jumpa Bush kerana Scomi?
Pengendali blog Cuit Sikit, Amin Yatim mendakwa terdapat khabar angin yang sedang bertiup kencang di kalangan pemimpin politik Umno bahawa seorang bekas pemimpin kanan parti itu mendakwa tujuan khusus perjumpaan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan Presiden Amerika, George W Bush baru-baru ini ialah untuk membincangkan isu skandal nuklear Scomi Group Berhad.
Scomi adalah gergasi korporat yang dikuasai anak Abdullah, Kamaluddin.
(find out more here)
Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Mid East Pope Benedict Bush'America Thailand coup
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