Maclean's: Malaysian model caned for drinking

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Malaysian model caned for drinking
By: Tom Henheffer

Six lashes—that's Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno's sentence for quaffing a beer with a few friends in a Malaysian bar. Kartika, a part-time model, will be the first woman caned there, and her case has divided the Southeast Asian country. Drinking isn't technically illegal in Malaysia, but since Kartika is Muslim she is subject to Islamic sharia law, under which the consumption of alcohol is a punishable offence.

Moderates and non-Muslims say the ruling establishes a dangerous precedent by disregarding human rights and undercutting the mainstream Malaysian legal process. According to Hamidah Marican, executive director of Sisters in Islam, which works to strengthen women's rights in Malaysia, "Kartika's case has . . . caused damage to Malaysia's reputation as a model Muslim country."

Meanwhile, Islamists support the decision, saying it's needed to deter others from breaking sharia law. "Sharia in Malaysia is not strong, so maybe Kartika is the first person to help spark the needed change," Shah Rizul Ayuni Zulkiply, spokesperson for the conservative University Malaya Student Representative Council, told a Malaysian news website. "Now [young people] will know what the punishment is if they do the same as Kartika."

Kartika has refused to appeal, but she is protesting her punishment in another manner. She wants to be caned in public—not behind closed doors in a prison, as the sharia court plans to do—in order to show the world the senselessness of her government's actions. "My daughter wants to be whipped in public, not in prison," says Kartika's father, Shukarno Abdul Mutalib. "We're supposed to be an open country. She wants the world to see."

Shukarno says Kartika will get over the physical pain quickly, but he's worried about the long-term effect the lashing may have on his country's image. "I'm in an Islamic country. I must obey the rules here," he says. "[But] our government must work hard to show the world that they're not the Taliban."

"Freedom Is Not Free"

Local Executive Committee Meeting

There will be a Local Executive meeting on Nov. 4, 2009. Main points of discussion will center around scheduling a general membership meeting. Along with that the topics of discussion for the general membership meeting will be placed on a formal agenda.

If there any topics that you would like on the agenda for the next membership meeting please see a union representative.
"Freedom Is Not Free"

Making Waves

During my time as chief steward for this local, the bane of my existence and the cause of untold hours of aggravation, and frustration was when a member said, “I don't want to make waves”. Every time I heard that phrase it mad my blood boil. The reason being, that the member would come to me with what they thought was a violation of the collective agreement, and as soon as I said that they  would have to file a grievance out came that phrase.

There are a couple of thing wrong with this line of thinking. First off a person has the ability to disagree with something that they feel is unfair. In every aspect of life we have the ability to disagree with decisions that are made. If you are over charged for your water bill, you file a complaint to get your money back. If you feel that you have wrongfully been given a parking ticket, you can go to court and have it overturned. You wouldn’t say “Oh well, I don't want to make waves so I will pay the extra to the water company”. So why should our place of employment be any different ?  

Another thing is that when we all started working here, the employer made a deal with us. In a nut shell they said we will pay you this much money and you will give us a certain type of conduct. They did not make a deal, that in any way gives up your right to disagree with something that may be unfair or a violation of our collective agreement. They did not make a deal to purchase your heart, mind and soul with a paycheque. If that is what you allowed them to purchase from you, you gave up entirely too much for the amount of money they are paying you.

Having said that, let me make something very clear, in no way am I suggesting that you commit violations of our S.O.P.,I.C.M., or any other rule or law.

In any club, business or government, Change does not occur by remaining silent. I understand that silence is safer and without risk, but if change is expected you must assume some sort of risk 

Unions protest against retirement age rise < Community News | Expatica The Netherlands

 

Unions protest against retirement age rise < Community News | Expatica The Netherlands

Just some labour news form another  part of the world, thought someone might find it interesting.

Fresh Start

Well hello there everyone, it has been a while since I have written anything here. I have been asked by the new president to continue this blog in the spirit that it was intended and that is to inform and communicate.

First let me say welcome and congratulations to the new executive, they have a lot of work ahead of them and I wish them all the luck in the world. I know that they are already working diligently among themselves and with the management team to further our agenda.

It is now time to look ahead and see what can be accomplished by this local. That is where you, the members come in to play. All though it may not appear so, the members have a large part to play in the operation of the union. So having said that, the Union needs to accommodate that role by holding  regular membership meetings. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss issues and to address concerns that the members may have. General membership meetings provide the members with a venue out side of work to air  their problems.

I know that meetings are in the works in the near future. As many of you know I have always said communication is key to any success, so when communication fails so will our issues. If there are members that have issues that they would like to have addressed at a membership meeting, they need to get the issue put on the agenda of the next meeting. That can be done by putting in a formal request to the secretary of the local.

In the coming weeks I will put different types of information here to help our members to understand how our union should operate .