#negara-ku

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Pak Samad: What more does Isma want?

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24, 2014:

With recent controversial statements issued by Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said claims that the group is acting on behalf of a “certain power”.

When probed by The Rakyat Post to respond to Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman’s claims that it is healthy for the Malay community to feel their race is under threat, Samad questioned the group’s motive.

“What more do they (Isma) want? (Do they want) absolute power to feel safe?” the Negara-Ku patron asked the Muslim non-governmental organisation.

On Nov 15, in an interview on Malaysiakini, Samad had rubbished the group’s claims that the Malay community was under threat and said that the community had been in power since the country had achieved independence in 1957.

The very next day, Abdullah claimed that Malays were once a powerful community that subsequently became divided and had their land taken away.

He went on to allege that Malays were still targeted by “greedy forces” and that they were under threat. He then asked what had happened to Pak Samad.

The 79-old-year, however, stood his ground.

“I still believe it is not healthy to feel fearful.”

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Negara-Ku: 'Unfortunate' that Ambiga banned from entering Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15, 2014:

Negara-Ku, a coalition of non-governmental organisations, has described the banning of its patron and prominent lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan from entering Sabah as “unfortunate”.

Its chairman, Zaid Kamarudin, in a text message to The Rakyat Post today said the state was being indifferent despite the fact that Ambiga planned on coming to Sabah to promote the movement’s roadshow — part of Negara-Ku’s nationwide campaign to “reclaim Malaysia”.

“It is most unfortunate for a person recognised for her contributions to the country is barred from Sabah,

“The state seems to be indifferent to the fact that she is coming to Sabah to encourage Malaysians to contribute positively to nation building, based on the Federal Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement and Rukunegara.”

Earlier today, The Malaysian Insider reported that Ambiga was declined entry by the Sabah Immigration Department through a letter received today.

She was reported to have sent a letter on Nov 11 on the basis of formality to Sabah Immigration Department director Noor Alam Khan A. Wahid Khad to speak at a forum on national unity.

The forum is part of the roadshow which began on Wednesday in Malacca and is set to cover six states; Perak, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur.

Explaining that she would not be appealing, the matter would instead be brought to the courts where Ambiga swore to fight for her rights.

Consisting of 60 NGOs, Negara-Ku is led by its patrons national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said and former vice-chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), Tan Sri Simon Sipaun.

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Negara-Ku picnic spreads the message of unity

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16, 2014:

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Negara-Ku marked the 51st Merdeka Day celebration by organising a picnic at Taman Jaya this morning.

The picnic was held to also mark the day the people’s movement called on the rakyat of Malaysia to reclaim the nation from those who have divided and weakened it.

Themed “Kembalikan Negara Ku”, the picnic saw some 100 Malaysians from all walks of life get together for the cause, Roketkini reported.

Present with the crowd was Negara-Ku patron Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan who reportedly said the presence of so many there proved that many wanted a country in which everyone could live together in peace and harmony.

She said every citizen should be treated equally and not thrown into jail, referring to the slew of sedition charges of late.

“What we want is a government that can take care of its people. Not a government that puts its people in jail just for expressing their opinion,” she was quoted by Roketkini.

Also present at the Malaysia Day picnic were Negara-Ku steering committee chairman Zaid Kamaruddin, national laureate A. Samad Said, law lecturer Dr Azmi Sharom, activist Haris Ibrahim and Centre for Independent Journalism executive director Masjaliza Hamzah among others.

Zaid echoed Ambiga’s sentiments in that the many attendees at the picnic proved that Malaysians can live together.

“We must take any steps to mend the relationship between one another and today is the time to do so,” he reportedly said, adding that Malaysians should also reject actions that had a bad effect on unity.

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Isma slams Negara-Ku for 'promoting' sodomy

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27:

Just a day after the government declared Negara-Ku illegal, a Muslim non-governmental organisation has claimed the outfit is promoting sodomy.

Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) alleged this on the basis that Projek Dialog had published a cartoon strip on Friday that is said to encourage the act.

Projek Dialog, the controversial NGO, is supported by some of Negara-Ku’s members, such as SIsters In Islam and Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran) among others.

The Facebook posting garnered several negative comments with many lambasting the group for sharing the online comic strip.

According to its Facebook page, Projek Dialog is a social group that wants to encourage debates and understanding between the various races and religions in the country.

Isma central committee member Mohd Hazizi Abdul Rahman argued that Negara-Ku was “directly and indirectly” linked to promoting sodomy at it was part of Projek Dialog’s network.

He went on to accuse Negara-Ku of going against the Constitution and the Rukunegara.

“Everyone knows that sodomy is a crime in Malaysia and punishable by law.

“The action of promoting a crime is a crime itself and should be punished,” Hazizi said in a statement published on Isma’s website today.

Negara-Ku is a coalition consisting of 68 non-governmental organisations including All Women Action Society (Awam), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Malaysian Indian Transformation Action Team (Mitra), Lingkaran Islam Traditional (LIT) and Asalkan Bukan Umno (Abu) among others.

Yesterday, the Home Ministry declared Negara-Ku illegal as it found that the organisation did not send an application to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to be registered as an NGO.

Negara-Ku could not be reached for comment.

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Home Ministry says Negara-Ku illegal, but Ambiga unfazed

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26:

The Home Ministry (KDN) has declared the Negara-Ku coalition illegal as it found that the organisation did not send an application to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to be registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

In its statement earlier today, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the organisation was not registered under the Societies Act 1966, thus it could also not conduct activities legally in the country.

He said any unregistered organisation that conducted activities was considered illegal and those that did not meet the requirements of Section 7 of the Act were considered unlawful and action could be taken against them.

“However, if an application for registration is made to the Registrar of Societies, the name Negara-ku is not appropriate because it belongs to Malaysia.

“This is because Negara-Ku refers to the national anthem under Section 2 of the National Anthem Act 1968.

“It can confuse the public and, therefore, in accordance with Section 7(3)(d)(i) and (iii) of the Societies Act 1966, it is inappropriately registered that way,” Ahmad Zahid stated.

Unfazed by the statement, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, one of the patrons leading the coalition, said: “It is a movement and we do not believe it is necessary to register.”

With regards to the name, the coalition cross-checked the legislation and did not find anything that legally prevented them from using the name, she said in a text reply to The Rakyat Post.

“It will not create confusion. We are disappointed that the Home Ministry is always following the views of the most extreme in our society and allowing them to frame their policies.

“They should look at Negara-Ku objectively and look at what our cause is about. It is one of unity. What is wrong with that?”

Ambiga said that the minister should also look into the support the coalition is receiving, adding that many Malaysians wanted a movement like this.

Meanwhile, Negara-Ku committee member Haris Ibrahim, responding to the minister’s statement,  indicated no intention to stray away from the coalition’s objectives.

In his blog, the Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU) secretariat wrote: “I love my country and her people.

“And I do not need permission, leave or licence of anyone or any authority to love my country and her people. I will not sit by and do nothing.”

He expressed that he was not in this alone, saying that his was “one voice among the greater multitude”.

“This is Negara-Ku. Negara-Ku is not mine. Not Ambiga’s. Not Pak Samad’s.

“Negara-Ku is the spirit of the rakyat, too long silenced, now risen to reclaim the nation,” he wrote today.

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Negara-Ku to spread its wings to Sabah, Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR July 24:

Following the overwhelming response from various non-governmental organisations (NGO) in the peninsula, the Negara-Ku coalition now plans to spread its message to Sabah and Sarawak.

Its chairman Zaid Kamaruddin said that following its inception two weeks ago, 17 more NGOs have since joined the movement.

“We are very encouraged that at the time of our launch, 68 NGOs had endorsed our charter, and now there is a total of 85 NGOs in our movement,” he told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, today.

When asked on the foray into Sabah and Sarawak, Zaid said that as the movement is all encompassing, it is important that the problems and issues affecting both sides of Malaysia be addressed.

“We are glad to have former Suhakam vice-chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, a Sabahan as one of our patrons.

“He had said that on the ground the people of Sabah and Sarawak are encouraged by the setting up of the coalition and would like to be a part of it.

“One of our deepest wishes is for out brothers and sisters in Sabah and Sarawak to realise all that was intended for Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement,” he said adding that efforts to get Negara-Ku to launch its campaign there will begin after the Hari Raya holidays.

On July 10, the Negara-Ku coalition was formed in light of recent events soaked in racism and religious extremism happening in the country.

The Negara-Ku coalition, is led by patrons Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said and Simon is aimed at resisting such challenges and unite Malaysians.

The coalition includes the All Women Action Society (AWAM), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Malaysian Indian Transformation Action Team (MITRA), Lingkaran Islam Traditional (LIT) and Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU).

- more to come-

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Gerakan to Ambiga: Don't organise something you can't handle

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17:

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said he is not against Negara-Ku, a newly formed coalition, or peaceful assemblies for that matter.

His chief concern, he told The Rakyat Post to clear the air, was street demonstrations that could spiral out of control, citing the Bersih 2.0 rally as an example.

This is why, Tan said, he would have no problem if Negara-Ku wanted to hold a gathering in a stadium or a hall.

“Hold something where it can be controlled, but don’t organise something you cannot handle,” he said directing his advice to Negara-Ku patron Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Tan was responding to Ambiga’s assertion that the electoral reform group was cleared of any wrong doing by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) of which also noted that policemen were responsible for inflicting violence and an excessive use of force.

He had earlier on Twitter ask Ambiga, who previously co-chaired Bersih 2.0, if the injuries obtained by 20 policemen in the 2012 rally were self-inflicted.

Tan again asked Ambiga to reassure that Negara-Ku would not lead to a “violent street demonstration”, to which the former Bar council president asked the former for assurance that authorities would not repeat the violence.

“So scared already and Negara-Ku has not even mentioned a rally! You speak to the people who caused it,” she later tweeted.

The duo, who had been involved in a Twitter feud last week over Negara-Ku, however agreed that the men in blue had acted professionally in the subsequent rallies of which Ambiga pointed out had been “trouble free”.

Tan later said that while some Bersih members wanted a peaceful demonstration, there were those who did not.

“Just hope you won’t allow those hooligans to join Negara-Ku,” he said.

Negara-Ku is a coalition of 68 non-governmental organisations, including the All Women Action Society (Awam), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Malaysian Indian Transformation Action Team (Mitra), Lingkaran Islam Traditional (LIT) and Asalkan Bukan Umno (Abu).

The coalition was created to go back to the three basics — the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land, the Malaysia Agreement, and Rukun Negara, a guide for national objectives and values, in light of the recent rise in racism and religious extremism.

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Negara-Ku under fire

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13:

A Twitter war ensued between Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and Gerakan’s Tan Keng Liang over Negara-Ku, a coalition to promote unity, peace and harmony.

The outspoken politician, questioned Ambiga on the motive behind forming the coalition and urged the former Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson to guarantee that another street demonstration such as Bersih 2.0 would not happen again.

Ambiga, who is Negara-Ku’s patron, responded by lambasting the Gerakan Youth chief over his silence on issues pertaining to racism and extremism and instead attacked “ordinary citizens” who voice their say through rallies.

“If Gerakan and other leaders spoke with courage for the people there would be no need for citizen movements. Heal thyself!” she said.

Ambiga said she gave her views frankly, no matter who it was and wondered if Tan was prepared to speak out against Umno, declaring that because of politicians like Tan “we are in a mess”.

Tan then responded that there wouldn’t have been much distrust over the coalition had Bersih 2.0 been peaceful, to which Ambiga urged the latter to “stop pleasing” his political masters and read the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (Suhakam) report instead.

He then retorted: “I have spoken many time against violent street demo like Bersih 2012. Only ask @Ambiga_S assure no more repeat. Is it so hard 4 ‘Negara-Ku’?”

Ambiga, who had earlier slammed accusations by Utusan Malaysia that Negara-Ku had a hidden political agenda, however, dodged Tan’s question and asked him in return what he was doing to address the issue of people leaving the country as well as the “capital flight out”.

He then took her to task for failing to reply his question, which he claimed was posed to her five times.

Tan went on to urge Ambiga to form a political party instead of being Pakatan Rakyat’s “lackey”.

 Negara-Ku is a coalition of 68 non-governmental organisations, consisting of All Women Action Society (Awam), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Malaysian Indian Transformation Action Team (Mitra), Lingkaran Islam Traditional (LIT) and Asalkan Bukan Umno (Abu).