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Umno Youth chief accepts PAS challenge for debate on 'independence heroes' issue

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 10:36 PM PDT

Umno Youth chief accepts PAS challenge for debate on 'independence heroes' issue

KUALA LUMPUR -- Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaludin has accepted the challenge for debate thrown by PAS over the controversial Bukit Kepong incident and who the real heroes of independence are.

Khairy said he accepted the challenge thrown by the PAS-led Kelantan government to debate the issue with PAS Deputy President Mohamaad Sabu or better known as Mat Sabu.

"I have accepted an invitation by the PAS-led Kelantan government for a debate with Mat Sabu at Balai Islam Lundang Kota Bharu, the same place I had faced PAS Vice President Datuk Husam Musa.

"I will be there," said Khairy through a Twitter message yesterday, adding that he was not afraid of walking into the party's fortress.

Khairy said although he would be entering the opposition's den, he would not be intimidated by the presence of PAS supporters or by whom he would be facing, be it Mat Sabu or Husam.

"No matter whom I will face, Mat Sabu or Husam, I will be there. When I face Husam there were about 3,000 PAS supporters cheering on. Its okay. No need to look for a neutral venue. I will go AGAIN to Balai Lundang. Your lion's den.

See you there Mat Sabu," he said.

The debate invitation was issued by PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to his counterpart in UMNO over the weekend.

In his invitation, Tuan Ibrahim had slammed UMNO for the concerted attacks against Mat Sabu who is feared for his oratorical skills.

The PAS-proposed debate will carry the title 'Siapakah layak digelar pejuang kemerdekaan sebenarnya?' or 'Who are the real free fighters for Malaya's independence?'

Mat Sabu was alleged to have slammed UMNO as not being the true fighters for Malaya's independence as they have always claimed to be. -- Bernama

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Umno Youth chief accepts PAS challenge for debate on 'independence heroes' issue

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Noramfaizul gets hero's burial

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 09:58 AM PDT

Noramfaizul Mohd Nor's mother, Naemah Abdul Majid, at the burial of her son at the Universiti Putra Malaysia Muslim cemetery in Serdang yesterday. — NST picture by Yazit Razali

KUALA LUMPUR: BernamaTV cameraman, Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, who was shot dead last Friday in Mogadishu, Somalia, was buried at the Universiti Putra Malaysia Muslim cemetery in Serdang about 2.30pm yesterday.

Noramfaizul, 39, was killed in a four-wheel-drive vehicle while covering Putera 1Malaysia Club's Malaysian humanitarian aid mission in the Horn of Africa country.

His coffin arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang, along with other members of the mission, about 10.15am, in a C130 Hercules RMAF transport plane.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was among those waiting at the air base, then led a group of volunteers, made up of army personnel, into the plane.

The coffin carrying Noramfaizul's remains, draped in Jalur Gemilang, was brought out by military personnel, Putera 1M'sia Club members and loaded into a hearse and taken to the RMAF Mosque at the base for prayers.

After prayers, the cameraman's coffin was taken to his family's home in Taman Serdang Raya about 11am.

A large crowd of well-wishers, colleagues, friends and family members were waiting at Noramfaizul's home in Serdang Raya when his coffin arrived.

It was then taken to the nearby Al-Islah Mosque for prayers for the second time before the burial at the cemetery.

About 500 people paid their last respects to Noramfaizul at the cemetery.

Apart from family members, colleagues and friends, present were Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Seputeh Member of Parliament Teresa Kok, Seri Kembangan state assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, former information minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin and Putera 1Malaysia Club president Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

As the burial ceremony concluded about 3pm, Noramfaizul's colleague in Somalia, Khairul Anwar Yahya, handed over personal effects of the late cameraman to his uncle Aziz Majid.

It was an emotionally-charged moment. A teary-eyed Khairul Anwar, who was also a friend of Noramfaizul, spoke of the experience he shared with his late colleague and close friend.

He said the BernamaTV cameraman was unusually energetic, right up to the fatal incident.

President of the State of Udubland, in Somalia, Ibrahim Abdullahi Addo, who was also at the funeral, said the local government in Mogadishu was doing all it could to find out what had happened that led to the death of the BernamaTV cameraman

"I am waiting for the report, which will be out today, before I say anything else," he added.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Ahad, 4 September 2011