Swift intervention by a Malaysian naval helicopter on Thursday saved an Indian vessel from a hijack bid by armed pirates dressed in military attire in the Gulf of Aden region, off Somalia.
Abdullah Badawi's remarks come after a ruling by this Muslim-majority country's National Fatwa Council that yoga was haram (forbidden) as it involved chanting of mantras which was against Islamic teachings and that people could deviate from Islam if they performed yoga which has its roots in Hinduism
Worried that Muslims could be swayed by Yoga's elements of Hinduism, Malaysia's top Islamic body on Saturday banned the community from practicing the ancient physical exercise.The National Fatwa Council issued a religious decree telling the Muslims, who comprise two-thirds of Malaysia's 27 million population, that practising Yoga was 'haram' or prohibited in Islam.
Terming India as an important market player in the region, Malaysia has expressed keen interest in strengthening financial ties with the country as the momentum of global business and growth shifts to Asia.
Nath told the Malaysia Indian Economic Conference that Malaysia's proven expertise and track record in infrastructure provided a large window of opportunity for Malaysian companies to invest in India in the infrastructure development projects.
Malaysian Unity and Culture Minister Mohammedd Shafie Apdal was on Saturday elected chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in a bitter contest defeating British Parliamentarian of Indian origin Lord Swraj Paul.
In a controversial turn to the election to a top Commonwealth parliamentary post involving high-profile Labour peer Swraj Paul and a Malaysian minister, the British delegation on Thursday alleged that India and the host country were involved in "shocking deals".
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was released on Thursday on bail after hours of interrogation and staying overnight in the lock-up for a sodomy case.
Anwar, 60, was picked by by police personnel at 10.30 IST and bundled up in a white car less than an hour before a deadline to appear at police headquarters, for questioning in the case filed by an aide on June 28.
While suggesting reorganisation of the CBI, Natchiappan said, "We recommend the implementation of the constitutional provision for institutionalising and reorganising the CBI as Central Bureau of Intelligence and Investigation and the Constitution already has a provision for it." But till the time a law is enacted for reconstituting or creating a federal crime agency, there should be a mechanism to hand over investigation of terror attack cases to CBI, in case it is needed.
"We will not hesitate to take the strictest measures, including using legal provisions against hoarding and profiteering whether in food, cement or steel," Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said. The minister, who is in Singapore to attend the Incredible India @ 60 event showcasing the growth of a resurgent India, told reporters that though there was the provision of 18G of the Industrial Act, "we don't propose to use it."
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has blamed the US' biofuel policy of diverting food grains such as corn for producing bio-fuels for the spurt in food grain prices globally. He also said that lack of adequate regulations in the US sub-prime market has led to global financial uncertainties. He said the demand for staple food was on the rise, leading to higher prices, but diverting food for fuel had also contributed to increase in food prices. He called US' priorities lopsided.
A victory for Abdullah's party is widely expected but it is not known as yet if it would capture the two-thirds majority, which it has done since 1957. The doubts have been sparked by a public show of discontent by the ethnic Indians who are demanding racial equality since the November 25 banned rally by more than 20,000 people who for the first time in decades held anti-government protest in this Malay majority Muslim nation.
The 'political war' in the television studios is expected to intensify in Tamil Nadu, where almost all television channels are identified with some political parties, with actor- politician Vijayakanth planning to launch a 24-hour entertainment venture to air his party's views.
Five ethnic Indian leaders, detained indefinitely under a draconian security law in Malaysia for organising a rally to demand racial equality, on Tuesday failed to get any reprieve from the high court, which turned down their application for freedom.
Hindraf's A Sivanesan is among the 11 lawyers contesting for the opposition DAP. He will face Malaysian Indian Congress vice president SVeerasingam in Sundkai seat in Perak state. M Manoharan, who is currently held under the draconian Internal Security Act that allows indefinite detention without trial along with four other Hindraf members for organising the November 25 rally of ethnic Indians here, is also in the fray.
Police said it detained at least 20 supporters of the non-governmental Hindu Rights Force (Hindraf), which organised the rally, days after announcing plans that its members would march to the Parliament house along with a group of children led by the organisation's chief Wayathamoorthy's five-year-old daughter Vvaishnnavi.Hindraf member and lawyer N Surendran, however, claimed that at least 60 people, including two leaders of the organisation, have been detained.
Ending months of speculation, Malaysian Premier Abdullah Badawi on Wednesday dissolved the Parliament to pave the way for snap elections, in which his ruling coalition is expected to emerge as a winner but with a reduced majority. Abdullah said the Malaysian King has given his approval for dissolving the Parliament so that the elections could be held early.
Lankan MP M K Sivajilingam of Pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance, said the Sri Lankan government's move to devolve powers to region is a 'joke played by them (Lankan government) on minority Tamils' who have 'not been able to lead a peaceful life in their own nation'.
Referring to a comment in a blog that Abdullah had asked him to resign and not seek re-election, Vellu said those spreading such 'lies' on the Internet and via SMS were 'mad'.
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