'Sisters in Islam' to keep its name

The High Court today allowed an application by Sis Forum (Malaysia) to strike out an originating summons filed by Dewan Pemuda Masjid Malaysia (MAMY) to prohibit the organisation from using "Sisters in Islam" as the organisation's name and identity, Bernama reported.

Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof made the decision in chambers in the presence of lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who represented Sis Forum, and Mohd Ibrahim Mohd, who represented Dewan Pemuda Masjid Malaysia.

Malik Imtiaz told reporters later that Zabariah made the decision after hearing submissions from both parties.

The judge allowed the application on the grounds that the plaintiff, MAMY, had no locus standi, he added.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ibrahim said his client would appeal against the decision.

SIS issued a statement Friday has said: ""We believe the court’s decision today (Friday) clearly indicates that any dispute or differences of opinion should be addressed in a civil and rational dialogue, instead of through intimidation by resorting to police reports or filing suits."

On March 22 this year, MAMY filed an originating summons for a declaration that Sis Forum's legal name was not Sisters in Islam, it has breached the Company Act 1965 by "using an unregistered company name" and that the word "Islam" was controlled and limited by the Registrar of Companies.

MAMY sought an order prohibiting Sis Forum from using Sisters in Islam as its name and identity in any pamphlet, correspondence, publication and/or statement whether on the Internet or print or electronic media until it was legally allowed to do so.

The applicant also sought an order forcing the respondent to remove the name "Sisters in Islam" from the signboard on the respondent's website, printed materials and publications and prevent the respondent from distributing printed materials which used the name until the respondent was legally authorised to do so.

According to SIS, MAMY had also alleged that SIS made statements that contravened the basic teachings, principles and laws of Islam.

It further alleged that the use of “Sisters in Islam” had caused harm and confusion among Muslims in Malaysia and internationally, said SIS in a statement Friday.

Referring to MAMY allegations as "frivolous" and "scandalous", SIS said that MAMY did not have the requisite legal standing to seek such an order and it was an abuse of the court process.

Gratify the Greens or Protect the Poor?

Greenpeace and other radical green groups are big on "corporate social responsibility" (CSR). What constitutes CSR, you ask? Among other things, the willingness to let the "green" agenda trump sound business practices.

Of late, the greens have taken to pressuring Western multinational companies to forswear buying paper and palm-based products from the Asian tropics. The campaign thrills Greenpeace donors, but threatens lasting harm to millions of men and women in poor nations.

Timber, paper and palm oil produced in the tropical belt are valued for their high quality and low cost. But radical greens oppose any commercial development in the tropics, which they want to preserve as pristine wilderness. And so they harass the multinationals, accusing them of razing the rain forest and destroying habitat for orangutans, tigers, and other endangered species.

The gambit works. Global food giant Nestlé recently suspended imports of palm oil from Asia. So have Unilever and Procter & Gamble.

Now retailers Wal-Mart and Carrefour are under fire for buying paper goods from the Asian region. And mega-bank HSBC is being pressured to halt economic development projects in Indonesia, Malaysia and other developing countries.

But in pressing its cause, Greenpeace willfully ignores some inconvenient, yet vitally important facts. For starters, palm oil is environmentally friendly. On a per-liter basis, palm oil production requires less energy and land-and fewer fertilizers or pesticides-than other vegetable oils.

What's more, Indonesia and Malaysia--both major palm oil and paper producers--have put 25 percent and 50 percent of their forest cover, respectively, off limits to development and established extensive wildlife protection efforts. In other words, both nations are being socially responsible.

So what's the real driver behind the anti-development campaigns led by European green groups? First, let's consider Europe's vegetable oil producers, timber producers and paper manufacturers. They don't much like competition from the Asian market.

European policymakers know protectionism is illegal, so they are trying to block imports on environmental and public relations grounds. EU member states support radical green groups which then demonize trade in foreign goods. What European policymakers and companies can't do legally in global trade courts they are trying to accomplish instead via the court of public opinion.

Western multinationals shouldn't go along with what amounts to illegal protectionism that threatens to undo the decades-long drive to open markets led by Western nations.

....read more here.

1Funny Malaysia

The government has banned three publications containing political cartoons for criticizing its 'policies' of running the country.

The books, titled 'Perak', 'Land of Cartoons in Malay' and '1 Funny Malaysia', were published late last year.

"All three publications have been banned for their contents that can influence the people to revolt against the leaders and government policies,", Malaysian Home Ministry said in a statement.

"The contents are not suitable and detrimental to public order," it added.

The works are mainly collections of comics by Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, known as Zunar, and other local cartoonists, questioning current events, such as the trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Zunar said that he was waiting for an official letter from the ministry, but vowed that he would not stop drawing.

"In Malaysia the government is like this. They won't allow alternative views. You can do cartoons, you can do whatever art work you want, but it must be in line with the government (view)," Zunar said.

"Drawing cartoons it's my social obligation ... I will highlight the issues that Malaysian cartoonist have failed to highlight so far. They can ban my books, they can ban my publications, but they can't ban my mind," he added.

Zunar has well over RM50,000 worth of reasons for demanding that the Home Ministry provide him with solid reasons for banning three of his books.

That sum, still rising, is what the government's move is costing Zunar from loss of sales.

"I want a proper explanation for the reasons given by the ministry, that the book could influence people to revolt against the leaders and government policies," he said.

"These are serious allegations that should be supported with strong evidence," he added.

However, Zunar remains unfazed by the government's action, saying that the Home Ministry's continued threats will not put a stop to his struggles.

Meanwhile, Malaysiakini plans to mount a court challenge against the Home Ministry's decision yesterday to ban 1Funny Malaysia, a cartoon book published by the independent news portal.

Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran described the action by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to ban the book as “peculiar”.

"The cartoons in 1Funny Malaysia have already been published on the Malaysiakini website (in the Cartoonkini section). As far as we know, there has been no revolt against the government since they were uploaded," said Premesh.

He said Malaysiakini will therefore immediately file for a judicial review of the Home Ministry's decision.