Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Hopes To Form 'Islamic Space Agency'

National astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor said today his main mission this year is to gather all the nine Muslim astronauts worldwide to form an Islamic Space Agency.

He said he had already met Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to discuss how to form the agency when he performed the haj in Mecca last year.

Prince Sultan is a retired officer in the Royal Saudi Air Force and a former astronaut. He is a grandson of King Ibn Saud and is the only Saudi citizen to travel in space and the first Muslim to do so.

"I hope more Muslim astronauts will travel in space and more Muslim aerospace experts can meet and contribute in the fields of science and technology," he told Bernama after a Batek Modelling exhibition in conjunction with Chinese New year 2009 at the Galeri Seri Endon.

On another related matter, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar said he had also met the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations, Fadillah Yusof to clarify on the allegation that he had amassed wealth from giving talks on his space experience and was waiting for a response whether his contract with the ministry would be continued.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was alleged to have charged a fee of RM8,000 per hour for his talks and had amassed RM1.2 million from 150 companies upon his return from the International Space Station (ISS) in October last year. (Bernama)

***** How much of islamising everything in sight will suffice? Lawyers have the Muslim Lawyers Association and doctors have to contend with the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (IMAM). Now Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor wants to take this religious fervour to space!

Of course this lofty talk of forming an Islamic Space Agency could be just an attempt to divert attention from the accusations that he had capitalised on his space trip to make huge sums of money. Stranger things have happened.

Police Lockups - Malaysia's Mini Guantanamos Where Cops Beat, Abuse & Splash Hot Water On Suspects

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or individuals should not politicise the issue of police personnel allegedly abusing and pouring hot water on carpark attendant B. Prabakar.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Director Datuk Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin made this appeal after 35 people from certain NGOs and political parties came to the Brickfields police headquarters with Prabakar to lodge another report this morning.

He said the man complained that police had not taken action on his earlier report and did not inform him of the development of the case.

"Today, Prabakar submitted 10 names said to be involved in the incident and we will call them to give statement.

"Yesterday alone the police had called him to make six identification sessions involving hundreds of police personnel," he said at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters.

He said that so far, the police had recorded 22 witness statements regarding the case including from two doctors, one from a government hospital while the other a private hospital.

Bakri said the allegation by some NGOs that police had their own agenda was not true because the police had to fair in their investigation and they must be given space to conduct the probe.

"If Prabakar has new issues, he can see the investigating officer but he does not need to bring along NGOs and politicians," he said.

Prabakar was picked up by police at his work place in Sri Hartamas about 9.30pm on Dec 23 to assist in the investigation into a robbery and taken to the Brickfields police headquarters for questioning.

While in custody, he was allegedly beaten up and splashed with hot water by 10 police personnel including a sergeant.

Two days after his release on Dec 28, he lodged a police report, claiming among others that he was offered RM500 to keep his mouth shut but he did not take the money. (Bernama)

***** How does the government expect the average citizen to have any respect or trust for the police as long as torturers and thugs are part of the force?

Malaysia Muslims Urged To Shun U.S. Goods Over Gaza. Colgate, Starbucks, Coke Targets

A Malaysian Muslim group began a boycott of top U.S. products on Friday as protesters demanded a halt to the Gaza conflict amid growing anger in the Muslim world over Israel's 14-day offensive.

The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia said Muslims in the Southeast Asian country would not buy goods produced by U.S. toothpaste manufacturer Colgate-Palmolive Co, soft drink maker Coca-Cola and coffee chain Starbucks to protest U.S. inaction against the attacks.

"We urge Muslim consumers internationally to unite so that we can teach a lesson to Israel and its allies," Ma'amor Osman, an official with the association, told reporters in the compound of the national mosque after Friday Muslim prayers.

"This is to object to the arrogance and cruelty of Israel and its allies towards the Palestinians."

He urged the Malaysian government to end all its contracts with U.S.-owned firms.

The United States is among Malaysia's single largest export markets, absorbing more than a tenth of its total shipments.
Read the whole story HERE.

***** What about the employees of the above companies, both Muslims and non-Muslims? Aren't they the ones who would be really affected by the boycott move if it ever succeeds? Why should this consumer group try to flex muscles it does not have? After all our government has already pressed the UN as well as the OIC for action over the Gaza issue. We can however be sure that the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia's protests would not have even the remotest of response from the Israeli aggressors. So why announce boycotts which won't work and have the end effect of hurting our own people? Perhaps the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia could not be bothered with such consequences as long as their religio-political agenda gets its fifteen minutes of fame.

As it is many of our workers are being laid off due to the economic downturn in the US. Why stupidly invite more trouble for ourselves?

Hindraf Accuses Malaysia Of Racism At International Conference. MIC Says "Semuanya OK!"

The banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which had distributed pamphlets smearing Malaysia's image at an international conference attended by thousands of overseas Indians here, was flayed by MIC leaders today.

MIC secretary-general and Malaysian Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said he would raise the Chennai incident in the Cabinet next week, and added that he had also briefed several top Indian leaders about the status of Malaysian Indians during his visit to New Delhi last week.

"I will bring this to the Cabinet. I have also explained to several Indian leaders about the situation in Malaysia. All of them are committed to the good relations with Malaysia. They are aware of the tremendous progress achieved by Malaysian Indians," Subramaniam told journalists on the sidelines of the 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in Chennai.

Subramaniam met Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayal Ravi last week.

Several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy are in Chennai to attend the three-day conference which started today in this southern Indian city.

Several Hindraf members distributed their annual report to the local media and conference delegates at the Chennai Trade Centre where the meeting is being held.

A few local television stations also interviewed Waytha Moorthy who had flown in from London. It is believed that he does not hold a Malaysian passport anymore.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu described some of Hindraf's claims as "utter lies" and said the group disseminated incorrect information about the welfare of Malaysian Indians.

"That the 150,000 Malaysian Indians of the fourth and fifth generations are stateless is an utter lie. There are only 21,000 without birth certificates, and the Home Ministry has ordered that they be issued the birth certificates.

"Demolition of one temple a day is an old tune which he (Waytha Moorthy) is still singing. If one temple a day (is demolished), it means in the last 25 years there won't be any Hindu temple," Samy Vellu told Malaysian journalists.

On the calls by Hindraf to the Indian government to stop bilateral trade with Malaysia, Samy Vellu said the group failed to understand how two nations do business and that Indian leaders were wiser in dealing with such issues.

"We will reply to the Indian government on these utter lies. Indian leaders are very wise and they will not listen to this rubbish. They will go ahead with their arrangements," he retorted.

About 1,500 Indians from over 50 countries are attending the conference. (Bernama)

***** Who would you believe? MIC bosses who paint such a rosy picture of our country or Hindraf which got banned and had its leaders incarcerated for raising the evil practice of racism in Malaysia?