Many Malays haven’t signed up as voters

Monday September 24, 2007

MALAYS are the biggest group of people yet to register themselves as voters, Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abd Rashid Abd Rahman said.

He said Malays comprised 90% of 1.5 million Malaysians who had not registered as voters, compared to other races, after the EC launched the voter registration campaign which ended last month.

“The recent campaign failed to attract bumiputras, including those in Sabah and Sarawak, to register as voters. These people are aged 21 to 35 years old.

“I’m perplexed by their attitude. They are not even aware that their failure to register can affect the country’s future,” he told Mingguan Malaysia.

Abd Rashid said non-bumiputras were more aware of their rights as citizens, citing that for the Chinese community, the parents reminded their own children to register.

Internal Security ban al-Arqam's book

> The Internal Security Ministry has banned a book on former al- Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad entitled Politik Islam Membawa Kasih Sayang (Islamic Politics Brings Love), which it said was aimed at propagating his teachings and mislead Muslims with contents of fake hadis (prophetic traditions).

The ministry’s Publications and Quranic Texts Control Division secretary Che Din Yusoh told Berita Minggu the ban came into force on Sept 12.

According to a Jakim official, the book’s contents claimed that Ashaari could communicate with Prophet Muhammad.