vox populi small thumbnail 'Instead of addressing the issue head-on, they outlaw it and make it illegal. What a way to teach our children. We might as well let BTN conduct courses there.'

Utar warns students over anti-tower cake party

Lim Kuan Keat: If Utar vice-president Teh Chee Seng's definition of an illegal gathering is that narrow, then every birthday party held in McDonald's or any public restaurant in the future is technically an illegal gathering. How ridiculous!

A light-hearted and peaceful protest met by the threat of police action? And here I thought Utar was an esteemed local educational institution dedicated to opening student minds to the world. Teh's warning shows otherwise, and reflects badly on his administration and his institution. Shame on you.

Magnus: "In reply to comments from students, Teh explained that ‘a gathering of more than five persons in a public area with a 'specific' intention is illegal.'"

Even if the ‘specific' intention is to get together and eat some cake socially in support of a good cause?

MySecret: What a load of rubbish coming from the MCA-sponsored Utar vice-president. Where do these people come from? Instead of addressing the issue head-on, they outlaw it and make it illegal. What a way to teach our children.

Utar is going the same way as the rest of the BN's institutions of higher learning. We might as well get the National Civics Bureau (BTN) to conduct courses there.

Sleekk: Despite being a vice-president of Utar, he is such an ignorant fellow. The call is not made by any political party but by a Facebook group against the construction of the 100-storey tower.

What is this nonsense about taking part in political activities? Since when has the protest been political? This man is trying to become a hero for MCA.

Mikey: This is a case of misguided concerns. MCA and Utar should back off. Leave the students be and let them express themselves. What political motive is there when they are just against the 100-storey tower?

By the way, I usually make arrangements to meet with five or six friends for dinner. Is this illegal?

Changeagent: Let's vote BN out so that we can go to McDonald's anytime and eat as much cake to our heart's content without fear of arrest or persecution. Teh Chee Seng and PDRM, ‘qu'ils mangent de la brioche'. Let the students eat cake!

Victor Johan: Why is it that each time someone fights for freedom, Umno/BN says they are indulging in politics? So each time more than five students gather in McDonald's or other eateries to discuss their lessons, they are committing an offence? Unless of course, they first go to the police station to get a permit to assemble to study.

When Umno/BN loses in the coming GE, they are the very ones who will need the freedom of expression to try to get back to power.

Disgusted: When Umno, MCA and MIC, etc, demonstrate in an aggressive manner in every state, particularly in Pakatan Rakyat states, the police do not consider it an illegal gathering. In fact, they are there to protect them.

However, when citizens gather in a food outlet to eat and drink and not cause any problem for anyone except stimulating the economy by spending money, it is considered an illegal gathering.

Kazakh: I don't see what's so political about young people gathering to show their concern about something that's not good for the country. Is this country's educational institutions suppressing the mental development of our future leaders so that they become slaves to the ruling regime?

Kopi O: With such comments like Teh's, no wonder the wise say knowledge does not mean wisdom nor does it yield righteousness.

Parent uses Syariah Court order to 'snatch' her child

Alan Goh: Common sense dictates that if a marriage has been contracted under civil law, any dispute, including child custody, should be dealt with under the civil law.

Syariah courts have no business intervening in the first place and allowing unscrupulous people to take advantage of the loopholes by merely converting to Islam to take custody of the child/children.

What about the rights of the child who is a minor? The law should also be amended to include that no conversion of religion be allowed until the child reaches 18.

De facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, please bring the matter up in Parliament and have the law amended/gazetted at the next sitting.

KSN: How long is this sort of charade going to continue? The civil courts are abdicating their duty to protect non-Muslims and non-Muslim parents as was seen in another recent decision by the Federal Court. Is there no end to this sort of ‘apartheid'?

Josephine: It's a sad situation - where parents fight, they focus only on winning, but overlook the adverse effects the fight rubbing off on the child. Shame on you, Fatimah, for subjecting your child to this.

I also wonder what is Jakim's views on this type of conversions motivated by unholy motives. Would Allah be pleased with such conversions?

Mercy: The mother should get custody if the child is very young, but if the mother did indeed care for the child, why did she put on a disappearing act for three years without even so much as visiting the child?

In Indira Gandhi's case, she got custody of the court but to no avail as her ex-husband has yet to surrender the child to her. In the case of the woman above, police and religious authorities came to help her get the child.

Lim Chong Leong: Will Nazri dare to bite the bullet when it comes to implementing laws to protect civil rights against syariah ones? Will his Umno brethren via Perkasa isolate and hang him out to dry if he dares to pursue this line of politics?

The answer is clear. They all talk about getting votes, but when it comes to the crunch, they will be cowed.

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