We will be having a conversation with Dr. Chandra Muzaffar when we are in Malaysia. He is currently serving as the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST). You may want to check out the JUST website for writings on current issues, nationally and internationally, by Dr. Muzaffar. They are very enlightening. The website is http://www.just-international.org/.
Our group will be hearing from and having conversation with the program manager of "Sisters in Islam," an NGO committed to the following:
- Promoting and developing a framework of women's rights in Islam, which takes into consideration women's experiences and realities;
- Eliminating injustice and discrimination against women by changing practices and values that regard women as inferior to men;
- Creating public awareness, and reform laws and policies, on issues ofequality, justice, freedom, dignity and democracy in Islam.
MCCBCHST representatives meet Deputy British High Commissioner
There is a worrying downward trend in inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations in the country, said a spokesman of the MCCBCHST EXCO at a recent meeting between representatives of the MCCBCHST and the Deputy British High Commissioner of Malaysia, Mr. Patrick Moody.
How can Malaysia be a model for dialogue as stated by Mr. John Prescott, the DPM of U.K. when he visited Malaysia recently, another added.
Other religious representatives present also added their voices to concern of minority religious communities in Malaysia.
Mr. Moody, in his response assured the people present that the British government monitors very carefully the political developments in the country. When our DPM Mr. Prescott visited Malaysia, the interfaith relation was not the single issue of his visit. said Patrick Moody.
However, as a plural society, Malaysia has managed to retain political stability and to a considerable extent, its social cohesion, he emphasized.
He is following very closely, the different ways the Federal Constitution is being interpreted, and in some ways threatening the delicate balance that holds the country together.
He agreed with the MCCBCHST that dialogue between all parties in interfaith relations is crucial. The more people are not talking together, the more they shall be talking against each other, he went on to say.
He informed the MCCBCHST that the U.K. government encourages British Muslims with moderate views to visit Malaysia and share their experiences. One or two of such visits in the past have proven to be useful in the on-going dialogue process.
The meeting ended by MCCBCHST calling on the Deputy High Commissioner to organize occasional dialogue sessions so that the views of all religious communities in Malaysia will be taken into account. Such views should be communicated to visiting dignitaries of the U.K. government in the future.
The CFM EXCO was represented at that meeting by Rev. Thomas Philips, Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri and Mr. Leonard Teoh.
MCCBCHST Press Statement - UMNO General Assembly Cause for Concern
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) is deeply concerned at developments at the recently concluded UMNO General Assembly. Although we appreciate the Prime Minister's sentiments in his final speech when he called for tolerance and mutual respect, the comments from other ministers, leaders and delegates are oppressive, deeply disturbing and manifest a lack of tolerance and respect for non Muslims.
It must always be remembered that Article 3 of the Federal Constitution reads in full that "Islam is the religion of the Federation; but all other religions may be practised in peace and harmony." Article 11 protects the freedom of religion of all Malaysians, and the freedoms of all religious communities to practise their faith.
The Article 11 coalition's initiatives are regrettably not well understood and have been misconstrued. The forums did not attack any religion, but merely pointed out that the Constitution protects the rights of all Malaysians. We regret the hasty end to the fruitful forums organised by the coalition.
Component bodies of the MCCBCHST were also key participants in the initiative towards the formation of an Interfaith Commission of Malaysia. That initiative was also totally misunderstood. The proposed Interfaith Commission poses no threat at all to any religion but is intended to be a body which performs a purely advisory, consultative and conciliatory role in protecting and promoting religious harmony.
The MCCBCHST is made up of religious organisations that respect all religions, and are committed to enhancing national unity through promotion of dialogue and mutual understanding and respect. Malaysians from all walks of life are suffering from injustices committed in the name of religion. When we criticise government departments and relevant authorities for these injustices, this is not an attack on the religion but on the people misusing their power in the name of that religion.
The continued insecurity evident from the comments of ministers, leaders and delegates made at the UMNO General Assembly (all of whom seem to be overcome with the need to somehow prove their Islamic credentials) is lending an air of uncertainty to many Malaysians from all other faith backgrounds. We urgently need greater dialogue between representatives of all our religions in order to achieve solutions to the inter faith problems faced by Malaysians. We ask the Government who represents itself to be a Government for all Malaysians to immediately take the lead on this.
R. Thiagaraja,
Honorary Secretary General
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism
Dated 25th November 2006
SOUTHEAST ASIA
VIETNAM
Wow,
What a wonderful class today. (12/02/06)
Here is a site I found today that I will be a little active in. It is "The Worldwide Malaysian Student's Network." There are chat rooms on different topics. One I looked at is concerning University education. If anyone is interested it is Recom.org.
Candis
NOVELS
Malaysian
Vietnam
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/countries/Malaysia/
Singapore Institute of International Affairs - The Southeast Asia Peace and Security Network
http://www.siiaonline.org/news_highlights?func=viewSubmission&sid=1006&wid=171
Council of Churches of Malaysia
http://www.ccmalaysia.org/
Pop Culture/Youth Culture
http://www.muslimedia.com/ARCHIVES/sea98/youth.htm
Culture and Society in Malaysia (general site with multiple links)
http://webdb.iu.edu/internationalprograms/scripts/accessinfo.cfm?categoryid=20&Country=malaysia
A good article on Youth in Malaysia
http://www.unescap.org/esid/hds/youth/youth_malaysia.pdf
Rukunegara (Principles of Nationhood)
http://allmalaysia.info/msiaknow/malaysiana/symbols_rukunegara.asp
Vietnam Human Rights Network
http://www.vietnamhumanrights.net/IndexE.html
Vietnam and the WTO…and more
http://www.economist.com/countries/Vietnam/
Vietnam Embassy
http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/
Vietnam: Yesterday and Today
http://www.oakton.edu/user/~wittman/index.htm
Viet Touch
http://www.viettouch.com/index.html
Information Portal
http://www.saigon.com/
NPR: A Look Inside the New Vietnam
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6492347&sc=emaf
New Media America – Andrew Lam stories & columns
http://blogs.newamericamedia.org/andrew-lam
State of the Environment in Vietnam, 2001
http://www.rrcap.unep.org/reports/soe/vietnam/
Mekong Network – Vietnam web links
http://www.mekong.net/vietnam/
Vietnamese music – pop culture – web “community”
http://www.vietmedia.com/
http://nhacso.net/Music/
Post-Transitional Vietnamese Families: Exploring the Legacy of “Đổi Mới” (“Renovation”) – an international conference in Paris, 2004
http://www-vietnamconf.ined.fr/anglais/default.htm
Berkeley Center for Southeast Asian Studies
http://ias.berkeley.edu/cseas/mission/mission.htm
