Live Blogging of NMF - YB Yusmadi Yusoff & YB Khalid Samad

, YB Yusmadi Yusoff (MP of Balik Pulau) & YB Khalid Samad (MP of Shah Alam)

- YB Yusmadi greeted everyone.
- On behalf of PKR, thanks for the invite
- How Wawasan 2020 will develop democratic society?
- Develop Malaysia as a democratic society
- is a good objective
- As an objective, it has to match criteria
- Work within negotiated parameter by underlying idea of Malaysia
- what was promised in Declaration of Independence, should be achieved.
- Unleashing opportunities, for those who are willing to work hard
- About "persahabatan sejagat"
- brotherhood of mankind
- If these criteria matched the criteria of democratic society, or else may see imbalance, if one of these principles is not matched.

YB Khalid Samad
- Thanked for the opportunities
- Opportunities to meet students
- Image problem for years.
- Question of Vision 2020
- Not a big fan of Dr. Mahathir, so not too familiar with his view
- Have done some brief research
- Been asked to speak on unity, democratic society and tolerance
- Unity only if justice is served
- As far as Malaysian public is concerned, we ourselves must all be advocates of these values.
- Insist on this kind of freedom
- Need for accountability
- Freedom of information
- Can agree that it is very restricted
- Not much available
- Many important issues are covered by OSA
- Develop attitude of tolerance
- Is a challenge that all of us to participate, and make people understand
- Tolerance is something that is key ingredient in multi-racial and multi-religious party
- This is propagated by all major religions in the world.
- what being said not equal to what being done.

YB Yusmadi
- If the ideal of "persahabatan sejagat" is achieved by BN, YB Yusmadi would support it.
- Personal sense is principled.
- People will say that they are being discriminated and be 2nd class citizen.
- Very fundamental value of teaching is not being given due recognition by government.
- Until today, we still see the outcry by non-Malays or even Malays.
- If government is able to achieve building a society which is based on "persahabatan sejagat", then there is nothing for PR to fight for.
- People's fundamental right shouldn't be compromised based on people's generosity.
- Cannot have the situation where people are being to be under the mercy of others.
- Prophet says "Hurt no one, so that no one will hurt you".
- Malaysia claims Islam Hadhari, but if we do not achieve this, then YB Yusmadi still have more jobs to do.

YB Khalid
- It is a question of social establishment.
- Not a question by who is the leader
- Member of societies are politically concious.
- In political arena, not to seize power, but to bring realization of society that we want.
- Society that is more just, and more caring.
- Question of brotherhood
- Sense of responsibility towards each other.
- This is what we're striving for.
- We do not see political involvement as merely a struggle
- It is a process of social change that need education/mobilization
- If government then conforms to values of societies, in order to maintain value of societies, then we don't necessarily need to be part of that conforment.
- Even though what YB Yusmadi mentioned is correct, but not necessarily the case.
- When you get a good government, it doesn't mean that there is no role for opposition.
- Need to reevaluate the strategy.
- Politics that we face may not be as antagonistic.
- Differences of approaches/opinion
- Then will have healthy debate.
- Matured politics

YB Khalid
- Concrete measure for PAS is question of educating them
- uphill task
- Islam and Malay is almost being seen as synonymous
- Debate on whether the words of Allah can be used.
- There are Muslims who still believe that Hindus cannot have temples.
- Need to do political re-education
- And need to build the understanding
- When Datuk Ngah recited Quran, people were intolerance.
- People are trying to put right, on this re-education.
- PAS has an influx in 1998, and there is difference in the thinking mindset.


Naim@Yale: PAS is at heart an Islamic party. Given the controversy surrounding hudud and syariah laws, how far is PAS willing to change its approach or compromise as part of a diverse political coalition seeking to appeal to all Malaysians?

YB Khalid
- What we are fighting for is not just for Muslim
- Within society at large
- Change of approach takes a bit of time
- Since 1997/1998, been more inclusive
- More directed to society in general
- The way to go
- Further reinforced through the formation of Pakatan Rakyat
- No stopping in the direction that we are going into
- Realization that we cannot make an impact
- This is what YB Khalid tries to drive
- Interaction with Non-Muslims since 1986-1987

Michael @ KL - Is Pakatan Rakyat merely a marriage of convenience? Without a common opposition, can the parties of PR even work together?

YB Yusmadi
- Can PR work together?
- Makes Exclusive Revelation today
- Soon to announce "Pengisytiharan Pakatan"
- PAS and DAP has done their part
- PKR is a little slow
- Announce the common goal
- Can the party work together?
- Can see for the first time in election, have common machinery
- In parliament, fighting for the same issues.
- Clear on ISA, policies which discriminate others.
- PAS explains and clarifies ideological fight
- PAS speaks to the heart of non-Malays
- Chineses and Indians were using PAS flag during the by-election.
- Unprecedented in Kuala Terengganu, Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang
- Joint Manifesto
- What else to see Pakatan Rakyat works together
- YB Anwar, YB Lim Kit Siang and Tuan Haji Hadi Awang - agrees on a common agreement
- Idea maybe articulated differently.
- Younger ones can see things differently.

Q: Can Non-Muslims use the word of Allah? How about Lina Joy's issue
YB Khalid
- In the use of Allah by non-Muslims, in the Quran, it is very clear that Non Muslims use it.
- Issue on the reading of political reality at ground level
- And that may create confusion.
- Purely theocratically, no problem for non-Muslims to use the word Allah
- Politically, there might be issues.
- As far as PAS is concerned, no firm decision on this.
- On theocratically, in many verses of Quran, non Muslims are using the word Allah.
- In the case of Lina Joy, the case of Ulama has to do "isytihar".
- In God's will, God could have made everyone a believer
- Are you going to force people to be believer?
- No one will believe, unless with God's consent.
- No way to force a person to believe
- If based on basic principle and Ulama is allowed to study the situation, and we go on a proper debate on the issue, there is a way out.
- There is a difference of opinion within the Ulamas.
- Some say it is by Hudud Law, some say it is Takzir.
- YB Khalid says that the issue of apostasy should be by Takzir.

YB Yusmadi
- Globalization speeds up the process
- The tsunami is not just by political parties.
- Political parties put in the strategies
- Fight by people
- No more about candidate of Keadilan or PAS, but it is a fight by people.
- Joint election secretariat, who is the director and who is responsible for each area.
- Process of enlighthenment is happening in PR.
- If were to say in definitive term what is happening in PR
- Anwar has developed political capital for years in Permatang Pauh
- New development of Pakatan Rakyat value adds
- From Permatang Pauh is carried forward to Kuala Terengganu
- Seen a good manifesto, campaign machinery, or even media level is coordination
- Issue of DCM of Penang, Issue of YB Elizabeth.
- Now, PR knows how to react.
- Get people based on value add of the moment.

Q: Amirah@Chicago: How can we revamp the Shariah Law that we feel is unjust esp towards women like Family law (Polygamy, Inheritance, Women leadership/politics, Divorce etc) and can Malaysia Muslims one day choose to be under civil or Syariah law and be the Muslim they choose to be? This is also in relation to Naim's question which is not addressed yet.

YB Khalid
- System of Islamic Law to be polished.
- Areas within Islamic Law is clear.
- Polygamy is allowed.

Q: In Tunisia (Sorry for my typo earlier, Andrew) and Jordan, polygamy is not allowed.

YB Yusmadi
- Tunisia, polygamy is an offence.
- Syariah Law - Beauty of democracy
- Someone has to fight for the values of the country
- Meeting the needs of the country
- Sometimes have to see the difference between Syariah Law and Palestine.
- Hamas went for election and still say not democratic.
- Whatever PAS wants to do, has to do within democracy.
- PAS has to think more on how to articulate their believes.

YB Khalid
- Polygamy is allowed
- We can argue till cows come home, but still no solution.
- If someone wants to seek for divorce, they can do so.
- Polygamy is not a favourite topic.
- YB commented that his wife is here.
- For non-Muslims, have to be tolerant of Muslims, just as vice-versa.
- To Muslims, what is important is the Islamic Law
- Once we say that this is Syariah, Muslims should abide, and non Muslims should tolerate.

Q: What is civil law contradicts with Syariah Law?
- Islam has always established a society of plurarism.
- Muslims have their laws, Christians and Jews have their own laws too.
- Each group abides by their own law.
- That is a sign of tolerance.
- We have a similar approach.
- Muslims are religiously obliged to conform to Islamic Law
- This is a right that Muslims want.
- As we develop more Islamic Law, Muslims will opt for that.

---> Note that this is a live blogging and I might misinterpret what the speaker says.



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