Category: Society & Culture

Maldives Halal-Haram Committee researching Golden Churn Butter

Spokesperson for the Islamic Ministry, Sheikh Ahmedulla Jameel, has said that the Halal-Haram Committee of the Maldives has begun to determine whether ‘Golden Churn Creamy Butter’ contains any unlawful substance in it, after Malaysia’s Islamic Ministry declared that the product contains the deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) of swine and may be haram for Muslims.

The product is a popular food commodity in the Maldives and found in many local convenience stores.

Jameel said that the Islamic Ministry had received no official information from the Malaysian authorities, and was going by media reports.

‘’The Committee will declare whether it is haram or halal, as it is the committee that determines the status of food products in the Maldives,’’ he said, adding that the Islamic Ministry did not have further information to share on the matter.

Malaysian newspaper reports said the issue came in to light in April 18 when the Johor State Religious Department (JAJ) circulated a memo within its department to alert them of a swine DNA finding in Golden Churn Pure Creamery Butter products.

“There has been much confusion regarding the Golden Churn product. We have released a media statement before stating that the product contains pig DNA but many doubted it,’’ the newspaper quoted the Assistant Islamic Minister Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman saying.

President of Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Ibrahim said he heard about this incident but did not have any official information on the issue.

”These kind of issues do occur in the Maldives, in many cases these companies produce both types of the same product, one type which is for Gulf countries,” Sheikh Abdulla said. ”But the Maldives have sometimes received stocks produced for the Europe.”

He said the NGO has recently discussed the issue with the Islamic Minister.

”The ministry told us that because the cost of establishing a laboratory was expensive they were were many challenges they faced in solving the issue,” he said.

Andrew Ballantyne, Executive Chairman of the Australian company that produces the butter, Ballantyne Foods, said in a statement that both Ballantyne factories in Australia and New Zealand had been certified halal by halal certification authorities for all the butter brands produced and distributed by the company.

“It is important to understand that each delivery of butter out of Australia and New Zealand carries mandatory quality standards from relevant Government Food Authorities including Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, (AQIS) and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) in additional to strict Halal certification requirements. We confirm that our Golden Churn butter complies with the requirements of these authorities,” Ballantyne stated.

“Ballantyne only use high quality milk to make cream that is churned into butter. Ingredients are: cows milk, milk solids (non fat), moisture and 1.5-2 percent salt. No other additions, colours or preservatives are permitted.”

The particular canned butter variety under question in Malaysia had been certified halal by New Zealand Islamic Processed Food Management, “a recognised Islamic authority in New Zealand. NZIPFM is duly accredited by Jakim to certify products that are produced in New Zealand.”

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Parliament commences preliminary debate on amendment to Immigration Act

The parliament has commenced preliminary debate on an amendment presented by the government to the Immigration Act.

The amendment was presented to the parliament by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson and MP ‘Reeco’ Moosa Manik on behalf of the government, with the intention of easing the process for investors and foreign businessmen to settle down in the Maldives.

If the amendment is passed, residential visas will be issued for persons mentioned in article 6[a] of the Immigration Act: a foreigner married to a Maldivian, or a former spouse of a Maldivian citizen who is assigned the guardianship of their child by a court of law.

A foreigner who has invested in a business which is declared by the Economic Ministry as a large investment will also be allowed a residential visa according to the new amendment presented, or foreigners who have invested in a government project to enhance the economy of the country.

Speaking in parliament’s sitting today Peoples Alliance (PA) MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakur expressed concern that the bill would allow Israeli nationals to live in the Maldives, and that it was a threat to the sovereignty of the country.

Jamal said that the bill needs to clearly define how the Economic Ministry will determine the distinction between large businesses and investments, and how many persons can have residential visas.

He also alleged that the amendment was drafted with the intention of letting specific foreigners in the Maldives have residential visas, and said he would not support the amendment.

Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP and Parliamentary Group leader Riyaz Rasheed also alleged that the government was attempting to deploy Israelis to the Maldives and “make them wear white jubba [Arab garment] and promote their religion in this country.”

He also claimed that the government was intending to issue the residential visas to foreigners brought to the country by Indian infrastructure giant GMR, which is managing and upgrading the country’s main airport.

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Opposition behind assault on MP Nazim Rashad, MDP claims

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has strongly condemned the “uncivilised and brutal assault” on Thulhaadhoo MP Nazim Rashad last night, accusing opposition parties of planning and carrying out the attack.

A press release by the party today states that “the party believes the attack on Nazim was a planned, cruel and cowardly act.”

“In the view of the party, these cowardly acts planned by opposition parties are purposely carried out to obstruct the valuable efforts of the sincere MPs of the MDP parliamentary group and intimidate them,” it reads.

It adds that such incidents would not discourage or hamper “the hard work of MDP members to establish and consolidate democracy in the Maldives.”

The press statement concludes by calling on all political parties to choose peaceful dialogue to resolve political differences.

Local daily Haveeru meanwhile reports that the former Independent MP was assaulted around 11:30pm when he came out of the Thandhoor Cafe’ in Buruzumagu.

According to an eyewitness, a person riding a GN motorcycle struck Nazim on the face “about three times and yelled at him before getting away.”

The eyewitness told Haveeru that the attacker accused Nazim, a former Islam teacher, of expelling him from Majeedhiya School.

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Quad-bike in Kuredu fatal accident was registered and driver licensed

The quad-bike involved in the crash on Kuredu Island Resort, which claimed the lives of British honeymooners Emma and Jonathan Gray, was legally registered to the resort as a tractor according to registration documents obtained by Minivan News today.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik had previously alleged during an emergency motion in parliament last week that the King Quad 700 vehicle was not legally registered with the Maldives Transport Authority, and that the driver, 23 year-old Swedish national Filip Eugen Petre, was not licensed to operate it.

Opposition MPs accused Manik of indulging a personal vendetta against the resort’s owner, Champa ‘Uchoo’ Mohamed Moosa, in retaliation for coverage by Champa’s private DhiTV station of an incident last year in which 168 bottles of alcohol were found in Manik’s car while he was outside the country.

Manik further alleged in parliament that attempts were made to “to hide the boy [Petre] and put the blame [for the accident] on a Maldivian employee in the resort.”

When Minivan News contacted Manik today, he maintained that he had been informed by a person working on the resort that the vehicle was unregistered. He also claimed that foreigners who wished to drive in the Maldives were required to register with the Ministry of Transport.

“I have been watching that island for a long time and they are doing a lot of illegal things,” he alleged. “I am bringing this up in the national interest, not because of Champa. I don’t want this to happen on another resort otherwise it will affect the industry.”

Following widespread media coverage of Manik’s claims in parliament Jonathan’s mother, Cath Davies, called for a full inquiry into the accident “as somebody, somewhere, is responsible for having allowed that quad to be on the island, and those keys to be available to the young man who was unlicensed and unregistered.”

According to registration papers obtained by Minivan News, the 172 kilogram Suzuki 2007 King Quad 700 4X4 was imported on May 5 2007 and registered on August 2 the same year.

Minivan News also obtained a copy of Petre’s Swedish category B driving license, which would in Sweden, the UK and many other European countries, legally allow the operation of a four-wheeled motorcycle as well as a car.

According to Police Inspector Mohamed Riyaz, who is leading the investigation into the Kuredu accident, under Maldivian law foreign nationals with a valid overseas license are also able to drive in the country for a period of up to 90 days without a local license.

Riyaz said police were in the process of determining whether the quad-bike had been appropriately registered. He confirmed that the vehicle had been registered as a tractor under the ‘C1′ category “used for vehicles transporting goods, not passengers.”

“If it had been properly registered it would be under the A1 category and the driver would require a motorcycle license, as it has a fuel engine and is a very powerful 700cc,” he said.

He also noted that the vehicle was not designed to carry passengers other than the driver, and carried a warning to that effect.

Filip Petre was seriously injured in the accident and remains in hospital in Male’, following the confiscation of his passport on the order of the Criminal Court. Inspector Riyaz said that an application for Petre to be taken abroad for further medical treatment three days ago had been declined, “as police believed that based on the medical report there was no imminent threat to his life.”

Inspector Riyaz said Petre’s family had approached the court to appeal the decision, and added that police were open to his treatment overseas if medical opinion was that urgent diagnosis was necessary.

In a statement to Minivan News, Filip’s father Lars Petre, a shareholder in the resort, described the accident as “by far the most tragic event in my life, and words cannot describe how saddened we are. I and my family are deeply concerned with errors on some of the media reports and we are also deeply saddened by some accusations made at my son.”

“My son Filip Petre (23 years) was taking the two guests home, to the other side of the island, when he experienced some difficulties with the bike, and crashed headlong into a tree on the road. The crash took two lives and badly injured my son.

“He fell unconscious with the crash and woke up some time later to find the two deceased also lying on the road. He immediately called for help and worked alongside with the doctor who arrived to try and save the victims of the crash, while he was bleeding himself.

“The quad bike which my son was driving was registered and my son Filip is licensed to drive such vehicles. My son Filip and his brother Tom (who was the first to arrive at the scene of the accident with the doctor), the management and staff of Kuredhu have been cooperating with the police investigation fully, and I give every assurance that they will continue to do so in the future.

“We understand the grief of the families who lost their loved ones in the accident, and we also respect the duty of the Maldives Police Service to investigate the matter. However the fact remains that what happened on August 6 is an accident, a very tragic fatal event, which my son no anyone else had the power to change.

“I wish to assure to the families of the deceased, the media and the public that there was absolutely no ill intention whatsoever in this accident. While my son and the staff of Kuredhu are shattered with the result of the accident, we remain helpless to change anything that has happened.

“The management of Kuredhu will do whatever is possible to corporate with the investigation and to avoid further distress for all families concerned.”

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Protesters outside immigration call for resignation of Controller following work permit rejections

A group of 50 protesters gathered outside the Immigration Department today demanding the resignation of Immigration Controller Abdulla Shahid, claiming that immigration staff were refusing to accept work permit documents issued by the Human Resources Ministry.

“They refused to accept documents that were issued last week, because last night the Immigration Department announced that the document’s name had changed from ‘Work Permit Document’ to “Employment Approval Document,” one protester said. “These documents they refused to accept were issued last week – when they make such an announcement all of a sudden, what can we do about it?’’ he asked.

The protesters claimed the arrival of expatriate workers would be delayed because of the name change.

“When they refused to accept these documents we cannot pay for the deposit fee, the payment receipt and the immigration approval stamp and the work permit card,” he said. “So now we will have to delay the arrival of expat workers expected to here earlier.”

The protesters also complained that only 15 queue numbers were being issued every day for work permit cards, “so only the first 15 persons who go near the Immigration Department get to apply for the work permit cards. After breaking fast, around 7:30 pm we have to go near the department and line up until it opens the next day at 9:00am,” he claimed.

An investigation into endemic human trafficking and abuse of the work permit system ordered by the government last month, and saw front line immigration and human resources ministry staff replaced by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) for two weeks.

Immigration authorities have previously speculated that of the 100,000 expatriate workers in the country, up to half may have entered the country illegally. Preliminary findings from the investigation last month unearthed a web of paper companies and ministerial corruption suggesting an industry worth upwards of US$123 million.

“People have been creating fraudulent companies and using them to apply for fraudulent work permit quotas, and then diverting these quotas to keep bringing in illegal workers,” said President Nasheed’s Spokesperson, Mohamed Zuhair, at the time.

“A would-be worker [overseas] pays money and ends up here on fraudulent papers obtained by a bogus agent, from quotas at a non-existent company,” Zuhair said. “Sometimes they are expected to work for 3-4 years to make the payment – workers have told police that this is often as much as US$2000.”

Police Sub-inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police had monitored the situation as the crowd gathered.

”No arrests have been made, but police were active in the area,” Shiyam said.

Immigration Controller Shahid was not responding to calls at time of press. Assistant Controller Ibrahim Naseer said he was unable to comment on the matter or provide an alternative contact at the department as he was on holiday.

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Mother of Jonathan Gray calls for full inquiry into Kuredu quad-bike accident

The mother of a British honeymooner who died when the quad-bike he was riding on crashed into a tree on Kuredu Island Resort has called for a full investigation into the couple’s death.

Jonathan Gray and his wife Emma Gray, both 25, had been married on July 30 in West Yorkshire. They were killed a week later on August 6 at 4:00am on a Saturday morning.

Jonathan’s mother Cath Davies told the BBC she had been led to understand that the vehicle was unregistered and the driver unlicensed, and called for a full investigation to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring.

“Somebody, somewhere, is responsible for having allowed that quad to be on the island, and those keys to be available to the young man who was unlicensed and unregistered. I’m sure I’m not mistaken, but he shouldn’t have been there,” she said.

“The lad himself, my heart goes out to him and his family because he has done something reckless and really foolish which has ended in the most tragic way possible, but he never meant for this to happen. I don’t want the responsibility to be solely his.”

The driver of the quad-bike, subsequently identified by police as Swedish national Filip Petre, a guest relations officer and son of one of the resort’s shareholders, remains in hospital in Male’ being treated for injuries he sustained during the accident.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that Petre’s was not under arrest but that his passport had been confiscated pending the outcome of the investigation, as was standard procedure in such serious cases. If Petre’s injuries required him to receive treatment outside the Maldives, “that would be a matter for our legal officers.”

Shiyam said that police had completed examining the scene of the accident and were now working to conclude the investigation as swiftly as possible.

In an emergency motion in parliament last week MDP MP ‘Reeko Moosa Manik alleged that the King Quad 700 was unregistered and Petre unlicensed to operate it.

Opposition MPs claimed that Reeko Moosa’s motion was a “personal attack” against the owner of the resort, Champa ‘Uchoo’ Mohamed Moosa, in retaliation for Champa’s television network DhiTV’s coverage of alcohol bottles found in Reeko’s car last year.

The bodies of the couple were reported to have been flown back to the UK for the funeral. Davies told the BBC that the fact the couple had been married and had enjoyed six happy years together had made the tragedy easier to endure.

“They had that day. It was perfect. Both were fantastically successful in their own lives and have their wonderful little boy. It was so perfect for them. It was almost too perfect,” she said.

The Gray’s six-month old child, Jake, will grow up “much loved by all his family,” Davies told the BBC. “He is a very happy little baby and will grow up into a wonderful man just like his father.”

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Taxation is allowed “under conditions”, says Adhaalath Party

Adhaalath Party has today claimed that taxation us allowed in Islam but “under conditions”, stating that there were “some issues” with proposed taxation regulation in the Maldives.

In a press release issued today detailing the party’s views on taxation, the Adhaalath Party said that some scholars believed that taxation was haram and some that it was was halal.

The party said that according to Islamic jurisprudence and economists, tax was something withdrawn from citizens without their consent and without specific profit in return.

Taxation would be allowed ‘’only in exceptional situations and it has to be stopped when the situation returns to normal’’, the party said.

‘’Thinking of taxation economically, it could be taken from the people permanently as a source of income to run the state, but under Islam tax can be taken if the state reaches a certain situation,’’ the Adhaalath Party said.

The Hanafi, Maliki, hanbali and Shafi’e sects of Islam allowed for taxation, said the Adhaalath Party, adding that there were scholars who believed that taxation was haram because it was something taken by force.

The party acknowledged that it would be “very difficult” to cover the expenditure of the state only by using the amount the state received through zakat.

However, the party urged that any money earned by taxation was to be shared justly and divided to fulfill the needs of all citizens.

‘’A tax has to be taken from the amount left after fulfilling the basic needs of the tax payers,’’ the party said. ‘’If there was nothing left after completing their basic needs, tax should not be taken from them.’’

Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz has previously stated that the proposed income tax will only affect those earning more than Rf 30,000 (US$2000) a month.

The Adhaalath Party claimed the Import Duty tax had to be stopped and said it would be more beneficial to replace this with a business profit tax, as this would be collected after the business sold the product and not before.

‘’It is a  burden for small and medium businesses to pay a heavy import duty before a product has been sold,’’ the Adhaalath Party said.

The party also called on the government to abolish “useless political appointees”and to “introduce a Zakat Act”.

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President forms office to oversee “second chance” inmates

President Mohamed Nasheed has formed an office to oversee the release of almost 400 inmates released under the “second chance programme”, and has also formed a steering committee and a technical committee to monitor the reintegration of former inmates into society.

According to the President’s Office, the Second Chance Office will be administered by the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS), which is under direct authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs

“The Second Chance Programme Office is a government agency which will provide employment assistance, counselling for substance abuse, mentoring and other services that can help to reduce recidivism and promote social reintegration of inmates,” the President’s Office said.

The Steering Committee consists of Minister of Health and Family Dr Aminath Jameel, Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Hassan Latheef, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem, Deputy Minister for Health and Family Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussain, and Director at the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Aishath Rasheed.

The members appointed to the Technical Committee are the Mayor of Male’ City Maizan Ali Maniku, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Farooq, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muneer, and Deputy Director at the Maldives Police Service Sabra Nooraddeen.

At a press conference today, Deputy Health Minister Lubna Mohamed announced that 47 inmates will be released this evening.

Lubna told press that all inmates will be given three days free to spend with their families before they will have to come out for work and attend programmes held at the Second Chance Office.

Of the 47 inmates to be released tonight, 16 have job placements secured at the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) engineering corps, Lubna said.

Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem stressed that all the inmates will be closely monitored by police.

He added that any inmate that fails to fully comply with the Second Chance Office will be promptly sent back to prison to complete the rest of their sentence.

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Maldivian fishermen to teach pole-and-line method to Seychellois, says President Nasheed

A bilateral agreement has been reached for Maldivian fishermen to instruct the Seychellois in environment-friendly pole-and-line fishing methods, President Mohamed Nasheed told press yesterday upon his return from an official visit to Seychelles this month.

President Nasheed explained that the Seychellois fisheries industry was based on long-line fishing by licensed foreign parties, with an annual catch of 250,000 tonnes compared to 140,000 tonnes per annum in the Maldives.

Long-line fishing and bottom trawling in the Indian Ocean has adversely affected fishing in the Maldives, which has been declining steadily for the past eight years.

“Our thinking was to carry out discussions with the Seychelles government for the Maldives to help introduce pole-and-line fishing to the Seychellois people,” he said.

While about 25,000 Maldivians were employed in fishing with 5,000 privately-owned fishing boats, Nasheed continued, the Seychellois were not involved in the local fishing industry in the country.

Indian Ocean Island Games“We believe that if this is done, the Seychelles government could easily stop issuing [fishing] licenses without any loss,” he said. “The Seychelles government has agreed for Maldivian fishermen to go to Seychelles, fish there and teach pole-and-line fishing skills to the Seychelles people.”

Discussions also took place over the possibility of establishing a trans-national shipping line comprising the Indian Ocean island states of Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoros Islands and La Reunion, President Nasheed revealed.

A team with officials from the five nations is to be formed with a view to forming a joint shipping line with a board representing all the countries, Nasheed said.

“The third point we discussed with the Seychelles government was to import goods jointly,” he said, adding that a mechanism for joint imports would significantly lower the prices of oil, foodstuff and pharmaceuticals.

Nasheed also noted the remarkable economic recovery of the Seychelles following the turnaround of its economic policies – which was faced with similar macro-economic challenges as the Maldives – including foreign exchange, market liberalisation and floating of the rupee.

President Nasheed said that the Maldives can learn from the Seychelles’ successful economic reform activities and recovery following its debt crisis in 2008.

Speaker Abdulla Shahid – who participated in the visit along with senior MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party – meanwhile discussed the possibility of forming an inter-parliamentary organisation for Indian Ocean island states.

Anni and Ashfaq 'Dhagadey'President Nasheed however added that the “main purpose” of the official visit was to attend the opening of the Indian Ocean Island Games of 2011 and provide support and encouragement to the Maldivian sports teams, which was one of the largest delegations from the country for an international sporting event.

The competitions at the games include football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, laser sailing, badminton, weight lifting, boxing, table tennis, cycling, and judo.

Maldives is participating in the basketball, volleyball and badminton events. The national football team drew its first two matches against Mauritius and Comoros and are due to face host nation Seychelles tonight at 7:00pm local time.

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