From: raisagorbie@yahoo.com

Efforts to revive banned Al-Arqam: Same Sh*t Different Day

Has the Government justified it's allegations on Arqam's militancy

This is in response to what I read on this piece STS: Efforts to revive banned Al-Arqam

The government's objection to Arqam's existence was that it was deviant (due to the mystics of Al Awrad Muhamadiah and the other reason known to us was that it was building-up the "Badar" military units). It had been quite a success for the BN propaganda, publishing dubious pics of robed Arqamites on parade, giving the impression that it was a snapshot of the militant wing, which later turned out to be just a civilian's parade.

The main target is of course the person: Ustaz Ashaari whose leadership had managed to round up large number of followers, most of whom succesfully run businesses independently and creatively without UMNO's patronage. It was only a few top echelons that should have been acted upon by the religious authorities if it was deemed deviant. But the Government and the police acted to wipe out the movement in toto.

To act on Ashaari alone would not be seen as right and proper so it has to be linked to some "anti-national", "militant" and dangerous elements. So they had this Badar Army invented. Likewise, due to the predictable and uncreative ideas of Mahathir's think-thanks and advisors, the same pattern had to be reenacted on other forces of opposition. It's just same sh*t, different day.

RaisaGorbie - Moskva

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,1870,67773,00.html?

Efforts to revive banned Al-Arqam

KUALA LUMPUR - Former members of Al-Arqam are trying to revive the banned movement in the country, raising fears in the government that members of the group have not given up their deviant beliefs even after going through months of rehabilitation.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Hamid Zainal Abidin said the Cabinet had ordered a special team to be set up immediately to monitor their activities.

The team will have officers from agencies such as the Malaysia Islamic Development Department, the police, the Education Ministry and the National Security Department from the Prime Minister's Department, he said.

He said the government had detected several former members of Al-Arqam who were using their businesses to cover up their activities of spreading their deviant teachings to the public, especially students.