Nude photos: MB to talk to Wong on March 15

Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and Bandar Tun Razak MP told reporters at the Parliament lobby today that he would be discussing with Selangor exco Elizabeth Wong over her political future on March 15.

Wong recently made headlines when semi-nude photos of her appeared in the public domain.

Wong, also the Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson, is currently on long leave to allow her "to find peace of mind" (in her own words). She had offered to resign as executive councillor and state assembly representative.

“I will be calling her on March 15 to talk about her future role in the state government,” said Khalid, when approached on the issue.

He, however, declined to elaborate whether Wong would remain firm on her offer to quit the state government or stay on.

Rais shoots down poser on Altantuya

The high profile murder case of Altantuya Shaariibuu once again surfaced in Parliament today when Saifuddin Nasution (Machang - PKR) asked whether the report on her murder in the French newspaper Liberation would tarnish the image of Malaysia.

Saifuddin read out a paragraph of the report which described Altantuya begging not to be killed by the police officer and that she was pregnant.

However, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim (Jelebu - BN), who was winding up his debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address, shot down the question saying that it has nothing to do with his ministry.

Rais added that the report was merely a speculation.

Deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee also refused to allow Saifuddin's question, because it was irrelevant to the ministry and the matter was in court.

Yoga fatwa contemplated

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Bagan Datoh - BN) remarked that praying is the most effective activity to maintain "a fit and healthy body" compared to the yoga exercise.

Wrapping up his speech on the motion of thanks for the royal address, Ahmad Zahid said: "It is alright for Muslims to adopt practices which do not affect their akidah (faith), but for practices which would influence their akidah... we must avoid".

"For example, gambling and consuming liquor are illegal because they are against Muslim principles and jeopardise a Muslim person's akidah. Likewise, yoga has to be banned because it is based on Hindu mystic beliefs which would affect a Muslim person's akidah," he said.

However, Khalid Samad (Shah Alam - PAS) pointed out that there are many cultural practices that were in contrast to Islamic principles.

"There are many things which our society have come to adopt that are fundamentally based on ideologies contrary to the principles of Islam," said Khalid.

"For example, capitalism rests on the ideology that we are economic animals that care for only basic needs such as food, shelter and sex.

"If we are to discard everything that has its fundamentals in principles contrary to Islam, then we will have to do away with many, many things...but I believe that Islam is an accommodating religion," he added.

Nevertheless, Khalid agreed that Muslims must avoid practices which might affect their faith.

"However, I do not see how Muslims who practice yoga will naturally adopt the mystic beliefs that are associated with it.

"It is fallacious to draw a parallel between drinking, gambling and yoga. While the former have been clearly banned in the Koran, the fatwa on yoga is a purely preventive measure.

"In fact, I would say that almost 100 percent of Muslims yoga practitioners do not adopt, or are even aware of, its theological roots," said Khalid.

He concluded that there is a line between practicing yoga as a recreational activity and devoting oneself to the mystic beliefs that inspired the practice.

On Kugan's death

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Hueng (Alor Star - BN) said the death of suspected car thief A Kugan in prison was unfortunate but claimed that the police followed the same Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in dealing with all suspected criminals.

Chor said this during a supplementary question by Ismail Abdul Muttalib (Maran - PAS) on the causes of murder cases in the country including suicides as well as bullying cases.

The deputy minister, in his reply, said that as Malaysia was a prosperous country there were many foreigners who come here and employ illegal means to survive.

"In our country, a very small percentage also use such easy means to obtain material wealth," said Chor.

"In cases where criminals are shot dead, I would like to inform the Dewan that all police personnel are trained and they follow the SOP before they proceed to face criminals. The police are not like how the opposition portrays them to be … like always engaging in a shooting spree," said Chor.

Khalid Samad (Shah Alam - PAS) then interrupted Chor, asking whether it was the same during Kugan's interrogation.

The deputy minister first said that it was but declined to elaborate when 'ambushed' by other opposition MPs.