theSun | TUESDAY MARCH 10 2009 2

news without borders

No hopping
FORMER Gerakan member Tan Hock Huat holds up frog puppets during a press confer-
ence yesterday to announce his wish to contest in the Bukit Selambau state by-election
as an independent candidate on April 7.
Violence at home
takes toll on children:
Tan said the frog puppet was symbolic of his wish to serve the Bukit Selambau
electorate as an independent, if he was successful, and not to jump to any party.
Tan is the eighth independent candidate to have publicly
offered to stand in the by-election, being held follow-
ing the resignation of Parti Keadilan Rakyat ‘s
V. Arumugam from the seat.

Report
that is safe and secure, where they learn that
domestic violence is wrong.”
Youssouf also highlighted the need to engage
men and boys in the fight against domestic
violence, by mobilising them to recognise the
needs of children exposed to domestic violence
as well as encouraging them to change attitudes
KUALA LUMPUR: The World Report from and traditions that condone abuse.
the United Nations Secretary-General’s Study “If the world is to protect the rights of chil-
shows that children who witness violence dren, then we must do more to prevent violence
between their parents, or between their against women and promote gender equality,”
mother and partner, can be psychologically he said.
and emotionally damaged. In conjunction with International Women’s
Domestic abuse also perpetuates a cycle Day (IWD) last Sunday, Unicef is looking at
of violence for the next generation. how children are affected when they witness
Children who grow up with violence in violence against their mothers, sisters, aunts or
the home use violence to dominate others, caregivers. – Bernama
the report says.
For instance, boys who saw their moth-
ers being abused are more likely to become
abusive husbands.
BERNAMAPIX

According to the UN Secretary-General’s

Study on Violence Against Children 2006,
up to 275 million children worldwide are
estimated to witness domestic violence
every year, proving that some of the biggest
victims of domestic violence are the small-
est and most vulnerable.
The United Nations Children’s Fund
(Unicef) said in a statement at least one out
of every three women worldwide was likely
to be beaten, coerced into sex or abused in
her lifetime. In Malaysia in 2006, 485 cases
of violence against women were reported to
the Social Welfare Department.
Unicef Representative to Malaysia and
Special Representative to Brunei Youssouf
Oomar said in a press statement women
were the primary care-givers for children
and thus, ultimately shaped children’s
lives.
“The well-being of women and children
is inseparable,” he said.
“Every child has the right to be protected
from all forms of violence, including vio-
lence perpetrated against loved ones. Chil-
dren need to grow up in an environment

Gazette on use of word ‘Allah’

in remaining four states soon
by Hemananthani Sivanandam
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minis-
ter’s Department Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
said yesterday the gazette for Penang, Federal
Territory, Sabah and Sarawak on the usage of
the words Allah, Baitullah, solat and Kaabah in
any non-Muslim publication will be published
soon.
“The gazette will follow the guidelines of the
Council of Rulers,” he told reporters after the
Maulidur Rasul national-level celebration.
Religious adviser to the Prime Minister Datuk
Dr Abdullah Md Zin had said action can be taken
against non-Muslim publications in 10 states
if they are found to be using the words Allah,
Baitullah, solat and Kaabah.
He said a fatwa had been issued to prohibit
the usage of the four words in non-Muslim pub-
lications.
The states – Malacca, Negri Sembilan,
Pahang, Kelantan, Perak, Terengganu, Perlis,
Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan – have gazetted
the ruling, which is now part of the respective
state enactments on Islamic matters.
The ban on the use of the word Allah by
Herald, the Catholic weekly, was lifted in a
government gazette on Feb 16. However, it was
rescinded on Feb 28.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
admitted that the government made a mistake
in publishing the gazette.
He said the government’s decision to ban
the use of the word Allah in the publication
remained until the court decided otherwise.

Take stiffer action, says Mohd Ali

MALACCA: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri
Mohd Ali Rustam called yesterday for stiffer legal
action by the government against those who at-
tempt to clip the powers of the Malay rulers.
He said the government’s inaction in enforc-
ing the existing laws had emboldened certain
quarters to insult the Malay rulers and incite the
people to defy them.
“I do not see the need for us to amend the
laws. The issue now is the implementation of the
laws, the enforcement of the laws ... that is what
must be done now,” he said after attending the
Malacca-level Maulidur Rasul celebration.
Mohd Ali, who is the Malacca chief minister,
was commenting on a news report which said
that continued defilement of the institution of
monarchy, including attempts to drag the palace
to court, was intentionally undertaken by the Op-
position to clip the powers of the Malay rulers.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim had
reportedly said the action of the Opposition of
late ostensibly portrayed them as wanting to
see the abolition of the powers of the Malay
rulers compared to what had happened by way
of amendments to the Federal Constitution in
1993. – Bernama