Throughout his eight-month whirlwind campaign, Narendra Modi exhorted India's youth to come out and vote in large numbers given that their future would be shaped by this game-changer of an election. Mumbai's youth, particularly first-time voters, heeded his call for 'development and good governance', and thronged polling booths to drive a record turnout.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (today warned youths to stay away from liberalism or pluralism, calling such ideologies a threat to the country’s peace and security.
He said youths needed to embrace the concept of "wasatiyah" or moderation and avoid being influenced by “militant and extremist ideologies”.Youths must distance themselves from extreme and militant ideologies which could harm the country.“They must also avoid from being trapped by liberalism or pluralism. The best approach is moderation or 'wasatiyah',” said Najib in his speech during the National Youth Day 2014 in Putrajaya today.
DAP’s candidate Ramkarpal Singh is not in the least threatened by the “Hudud in Penang 2020” campaign of his opponent, Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Sathar.
He does not consider Nabi Bux’s campaign to be a threat to DAP, even as the party strongly opposes the implementation of the Islamic penal code that its ally PAS is seeking. hushed tones speak of a new bugbear in town. Such is the fear that even ardent and otherwise proud DAP will try and avoid uttering the word – lest they be shunned and ridiculed. The word is hudud
DAP’s candidate Ramkarpal Singh is not in the least threatened by the “Hudud in Penang 2020” campaign of his opponent, Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Sathar.
He does not consider Nabi Bux’s campaign to be a threat to DAP, even as the party strongly opposes the implementation of the Islamic penal code that its ally PAS is seeking. hushed tones speak of a new bugbear in town. Such is the fear that even ardent and otherwise proud DAP will try and avoid uttering the word – lest they be shunned and ridiculed. The word is hudud
But is DAP really anti-liberal? Or does it denote one of the most tolerant faith/belief system, a tradition that can provide moral order and an ethical compass for the planet? How did a word that literally means the essence of HUD become so mangled?What is the essence of these traditions? I believe the essence is ‘freedom’. Freedom of thought, of belief, of practice. Freedom is what underpins this great belief system. So deeply ingrained
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told a press conference recently that militants were targeting humanitarian missions as a vehicle to increase their numbers.
The media also reported the existence of Muslim militants in Malaysia interested in joining the war in Syria.
He said while the government will not prevent the public from carrying out aid missions to other countries, organisers must be held liable should they be found guilty of harbouring terrorists.
“We are concerned that organisations are using humanitarian missions as a cover to train militant groups, and the police are constantly monitoring this.
“We encourage humanitarian missions, but we will not allow them to use the missions to train members for militant activity,” Zahid told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on May 2, 2014.
Zahid’s remarks were in response to Malay daily Utusan Malaysia’s report that many Malaysians, including a former musician from a popular 90s rock band, were believed to be involved with a militant group in Syria.
Quoting a security source, the paper said the Malaysians were purportedly influenced by the fight for “jihad”, which they believed would allow them to die as martyrs in the civil war waging in the Muslim country.
Fighting under the banner of “jihad”, they were believed to be trained to use firearms, before departing to Syria through flights in Turkey, Jordan or Lebanon.
Utusan Malaysia also reported that some Malaysians involved with the Syrian militant groups had died in battle.
The Malaysian Insider reported on May 2 that the 10 militants arrested last month intended to take part in the ongoing civil war in Syria.
Zahid also said that another militant was later arrested in Segambut, bringing the total number of arrests to 11.
Ghatkopar residents Meeta Dave and Rinkle Thakkar are thrilled that their maiden vote saw the BJP's Kirit Somaiya through with a decisive majority. Rinkle (25) got married in February and is upset to see how middleclass homes are forced to spend a major share of the household income on merely buying food and paying bills. "For me, Narendra Modi is like Anil Kapoor in the film 'Nayak'," she said. "I hope he manages to control inflation and corruption, which are the two factors that have driven people away from the UPA. Even well-to-do households are worrying about which vegetable to cook and whether to buy fruit."
Meeta (21) said, "In recent months, Somaiya has been doing visibly good work like helping amputee Monica More. He reflects the good intentions of Modi, who turned Gujarat into a prosperous state. At this stage India needs development and that drove my vote."
Advertising professional Shaarika Pandit (23) from Andheri made sure to vote Gajanan Kirtikar of the Shiv Sena, just to help the Modi combine. "It is a small price to pay for the larger good. The country needs change. We need a leader we can respect for his dynamism," she said. Nearby in Amboli, Shane Santos, brother of Keenan who was killed in the infamous Amboli streetfight, wants "change" as well.
Several young voters missed the opportunity to vote because their names were absent from the electoral rolls. In Byculla, law student Misbaah Solkar (22) could not vote and is not enthused by the outcome of the election. "All of India seems to have voted just one candidate, that is Narendra Modi. It is sad that Indian politics has descended into a celebration of personality cult. People are unwilling to consider that a local candidate from another party can do good work."
Misbaah campaigned for AAP and was closely associated with Milind Deora's campaign and is shocked to see him lose. Young Apurva Shetty who did not get her voter card either agrees. "I'd vote anybody but Modi given the insinuations that follow him," she said.moment
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