1. The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)
Marwan’s decade-long tale of terror, 3 February 2012
PETALING JAYA: Zulkifli Abdul Hir, born in Muar in 1966, was a telecommunications engineer trained in the United States.
Zulkifli, whose aliases included Marwan and Musa, was believed to be the head of the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM), accused of being a senior member of the regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and blamed for multiple bomb attacks in the Philippines.
He was a protege of JI bomb expert Dr Azahari Hussin, a Malaysian killed by an Indonesian anti-terrorism unit on Nov 9, 2005.
He was wanted for his role in leading KMM in a Southern Bank robbery in Petaling Jaya in May 2001, and the murder of Lunas assemblyman Dr Joe Fernandez and the bombing of a Hindu temple in Pudu, both in 2000.
He fled to Indonesia where he was believed to be involved in the Bali bombing in 2002, which claimed more than 200 lives. It is thought that he then escaped to Jolo Island in Southern Philippines in 2003.
In the Philippines, he cooperated with Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to attack and bomb several American interests and military bases there.
This led him to being placed in the top 10 list of the world's most wanted terrorists with a US$5mil (M15mil) bounty on his head.
He was also high on the Philippines police's wanted list after two of their personnel were killed in a clash when they attempted to approach his hideout near Manila in August 2006.
Marwan had also been accused of helping to secure funds and weapons for Abu Sayyaf from foreign donors.
In March 2010, the Philippines marines launched an assault against Marwan, killing at least seven al-Qaeda linked militants in a raid at Laminusa Island, off southern Sulu province.
However, he managed to escape.
In October last year, Marwan fled from a military assault by the Philippines, which killed three Abu Sayyaf commanders and two other militants near the Indanan town in southern Sulu province.
His brother-in-law, Taufik Abdul Halim, was caught when he tried to set off a bomb at Plaza Atrium in Jakarta in 2001.
However, he ended up losing part of his right leg when the bomb exploded prematurely.
© 1995-2012 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
2. The Malaysian Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
PM luncheon with religious reps highlight of UN interfaith week, 2 February 2012
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 – For the second year running, Putrajaya is marking an international week-long celebration of religious harmony with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak hosting a luncheon for Malaysia’s multi-religious national leaders.
The luncheon, as announced today by National Unity and Integration (NUID) Minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, appears to have replaced a week-long series of school programmes aimed at fostering better religious understanding among students, which was to be the highlight of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week that started yesterday.
“The highlight will be a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for major religious leaders on 15 February 2012,” Koh said in a statement today.
The school initiative, mooted by members of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHST) had won the approval from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last month.
Muhyiddin, who is also in charge of the Education Ministry, was reported to have agreed to launch the programme.
The Malaysian Insider understands that Muhyiddin is no longer launching it and that the range of extra-curricular activities that were to run through the Rukun Negara clubs set up in each national school have also been axed.
Instead the heads of each school will deliver a speech on behalf of the Education Minister during assembly, a source from the Cabinet’s Special Committee to Promote Understanding and Harmony Among Religious Adherents (JKMPKA) told The Malaysian Insider.
The source also said that the Federal Territory NUID will be holding several activities, such as a community clean-up, aerobics exercises and a religious forum in the city from tomorrow, while various events will be held at the national level in the Sultan Idris University of Education (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim, Perak and will see youth participants from abroad, including South Korea.
The Cabinet’s interfaith panel chief, Datuk Azman Amin Hassan, who is also director-general of the NUID, did not respond to The Malaysian Insider’s calls for confirmation.
Koh said that three religious and cultural festivals coincided with the world harmony week and remarked that it gave Malaysians “special reasons” to celebrate.
Muslims in Malaysia mark the birthday of Prophet Mohamad or Maulidur Rasul on February 5 while ethnic Chinese of Hokkien descent will celebrate Chap Goh Meh (the 15th day of the Lunar New Year and regarded as the end of the festival) on February 6. Hindu Malaysians celebrate Thaipusam on the following day, February 7.
Koh said it was an opportunity for Malaysians to “condemn, combat and contain the extremists” within society “emphasise and reaffirm the principles of moderation and inclusiveness in line with 1 Malaysia” as PM Najib advocates.
The senator urged faith organisation to “organise talks, joint charitable programmes and other initiatives, phased out in the month of February.”
The UN World Interfaith Harmony Week was first proposed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II in the UN General Assembly in October 2010 as a way for member countries to show a united front in the fight against religious extremism and violence and promote a culture of peace.
Malaysia had first observed it last year with PM Najib hosting a lunch for leaders of the different faith groups in Putrajaya on February 14.
But Datuk Ilani Isahak, who was the Cabinet’s first interfaith panel chief but died after a year on the job, had grander plans to build up a group of “peace ambassadors”and involve talks with religious leaders from strife-torn countries towards that goal.
(End)
