Problems? No rush - think about it!

Sometimes when you're angry with someone, it helps to sit down and think about the problem!

Corruption

Very interesting!

I’m mulling over the Corruption Perception Index 2009 formulated by Transparency International. There are 10 levels, with the highest, 9.0 to the perfect 10.0, being the least corrupt, and the bottom rung, 0.0 to 0.9, being of course the most corrupt.

Let’s pick out a few relevant countries for us to consider.

At its abysmal depth are 5 countries, all of which are war-torn. But it’s worth noting that two, Afghanistan and Iraq, are American ‘neo-colonies’ or client-states or in actuality, American occupied territories.

In being American occupied territories, they are not unique in their corruption as America has the notoriety of spreading rampant corruption in most places it occupies or occupied, like (previously) Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc.

It would seem the only American-occupied countries which could successfully resist the American disease are those with an established order which existed long before the Yanks run over the countries – notably Germany and Japan.

The Philippines has never gotten over its American legacy of corruption while Taiwan has successfully shrugged that off to rise up to an index of 5.6.

Just compare Taiwan’s rating with our own Malaysia’s 4.5. Isn’t it just galling?

But wait, there are more surprises - Hong Kong, once a most corrupt British territory, is now ranked at World's 12th least corrupt with an index of 8.7, while once-laughable near-lawless Macau is No 43 with an index of 5.3.

By shameful contrast Malaysia is together with Namibia and omigosh Samoa at No 56, one rung beneath quite corrupt South Africa.

Even more galling for Malaysia, the Island-Nation next door is ranked the World's 3rd least corrupt together with Sweden, with an index in the top bracket at 9.2.

Maybe this revelation is most galling for Dr Mahathir who can’t stand the red dot which is our southern neighbor where incidentally, its territory has recently expanded by an lighthouse-island wakakaka, thanks to AAB.

Anyway, contrary to western beliefs that corruption is inversely proportional to real democratic practice, the Sing case shows that Singapore is almost incorruptible even though it is in reality a very authoritarian state, carrying only a veneer of Westminster democracy.

Why is it then that our lil’ neighbor can be such when our state of corruption seem to be deteriorating, yes, to such an extent that the most distrusted and most feared man in the country is actually the nation’s top law enforcer, the IGP?

On the Singapore side, perhaps LKY saw that for Singapore to survive it needs to be, among many things, the most clean, not just environmentally – no spitting, flush your blooming toilet, no mini shrines or fortune telling shops sprouting all over, etc - but in its every day practice as well.

For example, if, say, a Kuwaiti tourist has been cheated at the airport shop with dodgy goods sent to the purchaser after sales, the Singapore authorities would fall on that cheat like a ton of bricks and ensure that the correct goods would be delivered safely to the purchaser. In short, Singapore wants to spell out to the foreigner its integrity, trustworthiness and reliability.

Compare this to our renown fruit sellers in Petaling Street, where by a sleigh of Malaysian hands your bag of luscious nashi pears would (between purchase and wrapping) transform into a bag of rotting mandarins, which of course you'd only realize when you reach home wakakaka.

But more importantly and sadly, what have our authorities done with such shameless swindling?

The above are very simple examples but if we take it to the extreme we now have perceptions of an IGP who is alleged to have links to the Triads (who apparently can control posting of police officers wakakaka).

We have the MACC being accused by an insider of having naughty liaison with a Selangor politician.

I bet when the Roman poet, Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis (better known in English as Juvenal), wrote his timeless phrase 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?' ('Who will guard the guardians?' or 'Who shall watch the watchers?') he must have had the 'future' Malaysian Police and ACA/MACC in mind.

We have Paradise Bali and the Port Klang Palace being obscenely flaunted in front of public eyes, and we have all sorts of multi-billion dollar projects handed over to cronies who despite being gifted with those lucrative contracts on a silver platter couldn’t even meet the terms of the contract.

Yet, in most cases, they have been allowed to get away scot-free.

I could go on and on, and so could other people, but suffice to say in conclusion that the Singaporean leaders consider the interests of their nation-state whilst ours consider their personal interests.

If the leaders in our nation are seen to be corrupt or living in unexplained and obscenely displayed wealth, can we the blame the ordinary mata mata for wanting to participate in the same short cut to prosperity?

I don't see any mitigating actions by the cabinet in the area of corruption. In fact I anticipate further worsening of this lamentable state of affairs.

Liow Tiong Lai's godfather coming to save him?

There's no doubt UMNO wants Liow.

I say this because I have been observing DPM Muhyiddin's utterances on the MCA leadership issue for quite a while - Najib of course being Najib acted dunno to appear impartial.

In his utterances Muhyiddin has indirectly indicated he wanted (and still do, for) Ong Tee Keat to leave his position as president of the MCA - net result: Liow gets automatically promoted to President, with the grace of God (or UMNO) - hallelujah!

Even from Rome where he now is, Muhyiddin has indicated the possibility of UMNO intervening in MCA's on-going leadership crisis ... of course to save UMNO's boy Liow who is now in dire straits in MCA.

And don't think that the Sri Gading UMNO MP had the initiative or independent mind to insult Ong Tee Keat in Parliament, by telling the leader of the BN's 2nd biggest component party to bugger off.

'Twas unmistakably an UMNO imprimatur to Sri Gading to harass/embarrass Ong, basically a publicly announced crude hint that UMNO doesn't want him - and I believe Koh TK getting the blunt end of Sri Gading's insult as well was just a red herring, so as to show that UMNO wasn't particularly targetting Ong and thus taking sides in the MCA leadership tussle.

In this, Koh had served his usual role as UMNO's tool again, this time as a punching bag. I wonder whether YB Sri Gading subsequently went behind the scene to the PM-appointed senator to tell him: aiyah, Ah Koon sayang, sebenarnya ai bukan mahu hentam lu lah, jadi tenang ok, ma'i ai belanja kopi-aw. kira akaun DPM. wakakaka!

What more, according to Ti Lian Ker's blog, when Liow was MCA Deputy President, and Ong Tee Keat had refused to resign after he saw Liow and his fraction reneging on their presumably agreement to resign together with him should they lose the EGM's support, Liow boasted or attempted to intimidate the CC that he has the PM's support to be MCA President, implying to the members of the MCA CC that they should support him. Tarn kuku ler!

Politics make strange bedfellows wakakaka, where we now see Chua SL joining up with his erstwhile foe Ong TK to effectively neutralise young upstart and UMNO fave Liow and his cohorts.

This has naturally alarmed UMNO who now indicates it wants to step in, notwithstanding Najib's euphemistic remarks of 'calling for a meeting with MCA leaders', no doubt to save its boy.

Such gleeful joy for Liow as he reckons his UMNO Tai Koh now can save his position for him in MCA - in The Malaysian Insider's Liow ready to meet PM and explain fresh poll solution where he shamelessly declared "I thank the prime minister for his concern on the ongoing political turmoil in MCA. Whatever steps the prime minister takes cannot be seen as interference in our party but as advice."

Whatever steps the prime minister takes ...? Rather obsequiously shameless, isn't he? Why not make Najib President of MCA as well?

However, according to The Malaysian Insider's Outside interference akin to ‘political godfather’ culture, says Ti Ti Lian Ker emphatically stated … "there should be no 'political godfather' culture in the party where party leaders turn to other component parties for support."

"There should be no culture of this sort from within the party, where certain individuals continually subvert and undermine the party's agenda, purely because they have the comfort of crying to their political godfather outside the party."

"We appreciate the DPM's concern, but at the same time we would like to see to the party's internal affairs ourselves in order to stabilise the party.”

"When other BN component parties have internal problems, they don't let other parties step in to solve their problems. MCA, as of late, seems to be orchestrating a scenario to justify external interference."

I agree. One Koh TK is more than enough for the Chinese Malaysian community!

IGP - ‘Thou shalt not question me’

Once upon a time there was a man who proved that good genes could not guarantee the progeny of possessing basic intelligence and a sense of logic. Is this what is meant by the quote ‘Got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn't watching’?

Born into an illustrious family, he astounded the world with his boorish irrationality and stupidity.

Unfortunately the oligarchical nature of the country’s politics endowed him with extraordinary powers, where he then proceeded to amply demonstrate the inconsistency of his family’s otherwise noble strain.

He had previously blasted a colleague who exposed corrupt practice in his schooling system – yes, he shot the messenger but did nothing about the corrupt officials.

He pampered racial and religious bigots with a penchant for spitting and stomping on decapitated cow's head while arresting people who conducted peaceful candlelight vigils.

He lamented his lack of opportunity to ‘rehabilitate’ Asia’s most notorious mass murderer when the criminal terrorist was shot dead, but he kept his silence when his Sturmtroopers gunned down 5 people in a car in Klang, on the allegation that those killed were criminals.

Was the massacre an act of excessive force, by jack-booted Sturmabteilung already notorious for a multitude of unexplained deaths occurring under their custody?

Due to our misfortune we learnt from him that crime rates are directly proportional if not to the square of our criticism of the so-called crime stoppers - in other words, the more we criticise the so-called lawmen for their failures in reducing crime, the higher the crime rate becomes ...

... and according to his gospel, if crime increases, it's not because of his men's failures but our criticisms.

Such demented illogic must have motivated his chief lieutenant to now throw in his (the latter's) two sens of illogic by brazenly stating that to question police action is to support criminals.

In other words, his chief lieutenant argued those who questioned their action in shooting ‘suspects’ should consider whether they are really supporting the lawmen or the criminals.

And our answer twould surely have to be: we need to know first, who are the lawmen and who are the criminals?

The chief lieutenant, a pathetic poor performer under whose watch the nation’s crime rate has soared as it has never soared before, like a solid fuelled rocketed turkey, is obviously and monumentally deficient in basic understanding of the concept of ‘accountability’.

He believes his men could shoot wantonly like American soldiers in downtown Baghdad and be similarly exempted from any need to account for their actions of dispensing death to 'suspects'. In Baghdad, coincidentally, those Iraqi civilians killed by Americans were all 'suspect' terrorists. We share the same explanation.

If there is no greater red light warning than his statement as to his Neanderthal mentality towards expending the powers he has been assigned, to protect the public but who now feel threatened by the so-called protector, then I like to know what would this be?

But I blame the chief lieutenant's unmitigated Caesar-like intimidation of ‘Thou shalt not question me’ on the man with supposedly good genes (which undoubtedly must have mutated since his birth). He was the one who employed a poor performing Ernst Röhm, despite allegations of the latter being involved with the triads.

Surely such idiocy has to be the weirdness of gene mutation.

“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak" - Michel de Montaigne

"All authority belongs to the people" - Thomas Jefferson

Balasubramaniam story - brave broadcast or Ben-Hur-ish bullsh*t

The statutory declarations (SDs) of private investigator Balasubramaniam, when compared to other stories on Najib and Altantuyaa Shariibuu, carry too many contradictions, inconsistencies and implausibility.

Who introduced Altantuyaa Shariibuu to whom? Was it Razak Baginda to Najib Razak, or Najib Razak to Razak Baginda?

Who was Altantuyaa’s lover? Razak Baginda or Najib?

Never mind that there are currently two men sentenced to death for her murder (they won’t do because the principal target of Gerakan Anti Najib or G.A.N hasn’t been among those sentenced to death) who murdered Altantuyaa Shariibuu?

[Ignore those two found guilty and already sentenced to the gallows] Was it Najib or** Rosmah or Razak Baginda*?

* just a rhetorical question - in this, Razak Baginda is fortunate because the G.A.N target is Najib, thus Razak Baginda is just in the bloody way.

** well I wish the G.A.N people could bloody make up their mind whether it's Najib or Rosmah. Kaytee is utterly confused. But what is not confusing is either Najib or Rosmah as the guilty party will mean the sorry end of Najib's political position. This is known as the 'shotgun' effect - kalau ta'boleh hentam Najib, hentam Rosmah pun jadi wakakaka.

In my post The Paradox of Balasubramanian Perumal I wrote:

I recall that when Bala made that initial Stat Dec, he was challenged on why he had signed the police statement about the Altantuyaa murder but which did not contain details that implicated Najib, yet had since come out with such a earth-shaking revelation about the DPM (in the initial Stat Dec, albeit in hearsay fashion).

Bala confessed that he had signed the police statement under duress.

In the Malaysiakini report he said he had given information on Najib to the police when they took his statement but was surprised that all mention of Najib were removed from the police statement. He claimed that he reluctantly signed that statement under duress.

Balasubramaniam explained he was held in the police lock-up twice during the investigation into the murder - the first time for five days, the second, seven days.

He lamented: “If you have experience in the cell, you will definitely sign the statement. I wanted to go out, I have three children.”

Surely all of us can sympathize with that – I wouldn’t dare dream of boasting to be a brave hero, more so for a man like Bala who has responsibility towards a family comprising 3 children.

But then …

Indeed but then … he subsequently, strangely and bravely came up with that Stat Dec damning Najib.

Noticeable at the press conference in the prominent seat was of course Anwar Ibrahim, nemesis of Najib.

I find it utterly strange and inconsistent that for a family man who was scared of the police because of his responsibility towards his 3 children (and we can understand this), he suddenly became ‘brave’ enough to verbally slaughter the DPM of the nation (this change of his attitude we still cannot come to grips with).

So … what has caused Balasubramaniam to change his mind?

Was it his conscience?

Was it the inspiring redoubtable magnificent Anwar Ibrahim?

… for more, read my post The Paradox of Balasubramanian Perumal.

In another earlier post Saiful sodomized? Bala sodomized! I asked:

Then, high drama (we all know about it by now) Bala did a go-starn (reverse) as Malaysiakini reported in PI retracts stunning statutory declaration after he was last known to have reported to a police station on the advice of his lawyer Americk Singh, when the police wanted to query him on the Stat Dec.

So, unaccompanied as Anwar himself definitely would NOT have been if the ‘world's greatest’ were to report to a police station, what would this former police corporal, alone by himself, have encountered?

After Anwar’s triumphant press conference where he presided in majestic moralizing mood as Bala first announced to a stunned Malaysian media the alleged dirt on Anwar’s Nemesis, Najib, I find Anwar's complete apathy and tidak-apa (couldn't care less) attitude towards Bala’s post press conference protection amazing (or should I be?).

He was advised by his lawyer to report to the police station, as summoned, but unaccompanied by his own lawyer. Equally amazing!

Indeed, where was his lawyer? Why didn’t he accompany Bala to the police station? How could Bala, who looked like the type down and out financially, afford the service of a lawyer? Was it pro bono?

Now we read in RPK’s Malaysia-Today that contrary to the MKINI report PI retracts stunning statutory declaration Bala did not report to the police station but instead went to Rawang with one ASP Suresh to meet one Deepak where he was offered RM5 million by the latter to withdraw his 1st SD.

So here’s a man who confessed he was so scared of the police lockup that he, under duress, signed a police statement on the Altantuyaa’s murder with no mention of Najib Razak at all (we must be sympathetic with his concerns as afterall he’s a dad with 3 kids to feed and look after), …

… BUT who subsequently decided to be another courageous RPK and make a SD of earth-shaking proportion against the man who was going to be (then) the next most powerful political leader of Malaysia …

… and here he was , in Rawang with ASP Suresh burning some copper wires … huh?

… and presumably as he would have us believed him, he was again under duress (AGAIN for fear of his family's safety, this time under mafioso threat) and thus withdrew his 1st SD by way of a 2nd SD.

It’s just too full of contradictions (from being fearful to utterly courageous back to being fearful; going to police station without a lawyer as if he didn’t know what a police station in Malaysia for a man who just made a damning SD against the DPM means?).

Totally implausible.

What would be more plausible?

We need to ask ourselves three questions:

(1) Who would be damaged by the SD?
(2) Which SD (1st or 2nd) would be the far more damaging?
(3) What’s in it for Balasubramaniam – in other words what scenario would best benefit a father of 3 kids, fearful of the police lockup and for his family, to motivate him to make such a damning report against a powerful man?

Would it be a pre-planned package of 2 prepared SDs, the 2nd to be released after the inevitable visit to the police station but PLEASE without a lawyer (“No, Mr Americk Singh, I don’t need you, it’s OK, just a fish head curry with an old buddy”)?

And YES he did retract the 1st SD which meant he must have been paid … but by whom???

Quite frankly, despite MKINI reporting that Balasubramaniam rang them up to claim he had been back in Malaysia a few times to sort out family matters, I doubt that he made those calls within Malaysia.

The YouTube clip that RPL put up on his blog claimed he, a man who confessed he was so scared of the police lockup, made his latest ‘revelation’ in front of 3 prominent but unnamed Malaysian lawyers? And only after he had withdrew the first SD and made his far-more damaging 2nd SD.

To much man man lai lah.

Ghettos - from Warsaw to Gaza

From Ha’aretz:

UN human rights official: Gaza evokes memories of Warsaw Ghetto
By Haaretz Service and Reuters

There is evidence that Israel committed war crimes during its 22-day campaign in the Gaza Strip and there should be an independent inquiry, UN investigator Richard Falk said Thursday.

The mental anguish of the civilians who suffered the assault is so great that the entire population of Gaza could be seen as casualties, said Falk, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Falk, speaking by phone from his home in California, said compelling evidence that Israel's actions in Gaza violated international humanitarian law required an independent investigation into whether they amounted to war crimes.

"I believe that there is the prima facie case for reaching that conclusion," he told a Geneva news conference.

Falk said Israel had made no effort to allow civilians to escape the fighting.

"To lock people into a war zone is something that evokes the worst kind of international memories of the Warsaw Ghetto, and sieges that occur unintentionally during a period of wartime," Falk, who is Jewish, said, referring to the starvation and murder of Warsaw's Jews by Nazi Germany in World War II.

"There could have been temporary provision at least made for children, disabled, sick civilians to leave, even if where they left to was southern Israel," the U.S. professor said.

Falk said the entire Gaza population, which had been trapped in a war zone with no possibility to leave as refugees, may have been mentally scarred for life. If so, the definition of casualty could be extended to the entire civilian population.

Falk, who was denied entry to Israel two weeks before the assault started on Dec. 27, dismissed Israel's argument that the assault was for self-defense in the light of rocket attacks aimed at Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza strip.

"In my view the UN charter, and international law, does not give Israel the legal foundation for claiming self-defense," he said.

Israel had not restricted fighting to areas where the rockets came from and had refused to negotiate with Hamas, preventing a diplomatic solution, Falk said.

A Foreign Ministry official rejected Falk's accusations.

"There's no need to lose one's temper. Falk is a well-known Israel hater," he told Army Radio.

About 1,300 Palestinians, many of them civilians, were killed and 5,000 wounded in the assault. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians, hit by cross-border rocket fire, were killed.

Related articles:
· Staunch Israel critic at UN reports receiving death threats


Related post here at KTemoc Konsiders:
How do you like your shin shot?

Zaid Ibrahim's 'Malay unity'?

Malaysiakini Pakatan en route to victory or disaster?

Zaid Ibrahim in identifying Pakatan Rakyat’s several weaknesses and problems proposed Pakatan work together with Ku Li (Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah).

Zaid said Ku Li is reform-driven.

Malaysiakini reported: But in order for this to happen, he said, Pakatan's larger-than-life leader Anwar Ibrahim would have to 'sacrifice'.

Sacrifice? But how, what, when …….. etc?

Using a soccer analogy, Zaid added: "Pakatan needs a few more strikers than what it already has to strengthen the team. Ku Li (Razaleigh) is an old timer, but he has integrity and a contemporary political outlook."

He said Razaleigh does not have to switch parties to do this but could work together in terms of holding political rallies and campaigns.

"I am aware that he still harbours the dream of rehabilitating Umno, to revive the original Umno which is dead (and now a tool for party cronies with problems of corruption and money politics).

"For me, there is nothing wrong in cooperating as we both want to initiate changes towards establishing a clean, efficient and corrupt-free system of governance," he added.

Using Ku Li from UMNO as a 'striker' for Pakatan?

Is this another ‘Malay unity’ proposal, this time by stealth?

Lord's 6th Commandment only applicable to non-Jews

From the Ha’aretz

Just weeks after the arrest of alleged Jewish terrorist, Yaakov Teitel, a West Bank rabbi on Monday released a book giving Jews permission to kill Gentiles who threaten Israel.

Rabbi Yitzhak Shapiro, who heads the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva in the Yitzhar settlement, wrote in his book "The King's Torah" that even babies and children can be killed if they pose a threat to the nation.

Shapiro based the majority of his teachings on passages quoted from the Bible, to which he adds his opinions and beliefs.

"It is permissible to kill the Righteous among Nations even if they are not responsible for the threatening situation," he wrote, adding: "If we kill a Gentile who has sinned or has violated one of the seven commandments - because we care about the commandments - there is nothing wrong with the murder ."

Several prominent rabbis, including Rabbi Yithak Ginzburg and Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, have recommended the book to their students and followers.

Babies posing a threat to Israel?

I suppose so, because above two photos are of babies killed by the very very brave 'world's most moralistic' Israeli Armed Forces in Gaza. Bravo, the Israelis have certainly surpassed the Nazis.

…because we care about the commandments … like God's 6th Commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill', to the rabbi must mean the ‘Thou’ only applies to goyim (kaffirs or gentiles or non-Jews), whereas Israelis can keep on killing non-Jews, even babies, especially Palestinian babies.

This is what the Lord of hosts has to say: 'I will punish what Amalek did to Israel when he barred his way as he was coming up from Egypt. Go, now, attack Amalek, and deal with him and all that he has under the ban. Do not spare him, but kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses. (1 Samuel 15:2-3)

Millionaire Bala

Hey hey, good to be back after a few weeks and posting again.

And I just read this rather interesting Malaysian Insider's headline PI Bala claims offered RM5m to retract statement

Wow, and if my recollection is correct, Bala did retract his initial declaration.

Does this mean he collected 5 million ringgit?

MACC diverting attention from Teoh Beng Hock's murder?

MACC has gone on a so-called anti corruption blitz but I am not convinced of the sincerity of its crusade. Who believes in the MACC anyway?

Until the murder of Teoh Beng Hock has been brought to account and his murderer faces due justice, it’s all a bloody sandiwara, a diversion of attention from its iniquity and shameful political involvement (while still targetting Selangor DAP people).

Indeed, I might also include ...

... until the King of Bali is dealt with for his unaccountable life style and assets ...

... until the notorious Disney World foray has been investigated ...

... until the act of former Selangor BN ADUNs going into frenzied spending of RM500,000 in a mere two months has been looked into ...

... until the alleged corruption against MCA’s now you see it now you don’t deputy president Liow has been fully investigated ...

... until Sarawak ...

... the police … [see GANG WAR? - but within Police Force]

... etc etc etc

And not forgetting the MACC is perceived as a corrupt organization! Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Anwar Ibrahim & PKR - sprinter not a distance runner

The reason why PKR is in strife today is its lack of endurance. What do I mean by that?

PKR like its principal predecessor KeADILan has been built as a sprinter, a one-issue party, to get to the finishing line of a political 100 metres as swiftly as possible. And the ‘finishing line’ (at the end of that political 100 metres) is the restoration, the return, the resurrection of Anwar Ibrahim in UMNO.

Of course many well meaning members in PKR, especially those coopted from PRM, have no idea of the covet objective of PKR’s inner/core leadership.

Remember, there was G.A.N or Gerakan Anti Najib, a parallel organization working against Najib (but not/never AAB) while KeADILan/PKR promoted Anwar Ibrahim … to an UMNO audience – basically a classic military pincer attacking movement, to (a) remove Najib from Anwar’s path back to UMNO’s NO 2, while (b) preparing UMNO to re-admit Anwar, hopefully as No 2 again. After that, getting rid of AAB should be (theoretically) a cinch.

Recall, the crooked bridge issue and how Anwar Ibrahim made cooing sounds to AAB? I stated in my post A Bridge Too Far - Anwar Ibrahim 3.5 years ago that Anwar eagerly offered (unsolicited) assistance to AAB on the crooked bridge business. I wrote:

Anwar has offered assistance to the government, saying he could draw from his experience in the government, including as finance minister between 1993 and 1998. That’s a fantastic CV, man.

Anwar continued: “I would not discount any possible meeting with Abdullah if he were to ask my views on the issues ... like the negotiations with Singapore on the bridge and even information on the negotiations with Indonesia on border issues.” […]

Mind you, Anwar assured us his offer does not imply a wish to rejoin UMNO - of course not! Everyone knows the UMNO-led government always gets ‘outsiders’ to negotiate with foreign governments on its behalf.

Alas for him, AAB snubbed him.

Recall, his court case challenging his dismissal from his No 2 position in UMNO. What for, if not to explore such a possibility.

Then there was his eagerness to be seen with AAB – read Anwar Ibrahim - AAB: Encounter of the thirsty kind.

Alas, I couldn't but help notice his very obvious and painstaking efforts to stand at arms’ length from PKR itself, the very party that has fought so valiantly for him ..... I suppose, so that he may remain ‘untainted’ as a true blue UMNO man ...

... until of course Sodomy II forced him (apart from running off to the Turkish Embassy and wearing flak jacket) to quickly seek parliamentary sanctuary by becoming a federal MP, where his long suffering but faithful wife had to vacate her Permatang Pauh seat for him.

Anwar hadn’t expected the March 08 general election to put him so close to his obsession, the PM position. He was no doubt as shocked as AAB or Najib with that amazing tsunamic result.

With such an amazing result, can you blame him for suddenly going ape-crazy with his 916 - all his long pent-up frustration at missing the PM job at the 11th hour in 1998 had then (finally) boiled over.

In reality Anwar had more modest expectations from that general election, namely, to get just enough federal seats (held by his inner core group) in order to pose that bloc as a strong bargaining chip in his wheeling and dealing with UMNO.

Even if Pakatan had won that election and he become PM (after Wan Azizah had vacated her seat to allow him to become MP in order to assume the PM position), I suspect he wouldn’t have been as comfy as he would as an UMNO PM ..... because PAS and DAP won't be as compliant and subservient as MCA, MIC or Gerakan, etc; indeed PAS and DAP could prove to be too difficult for him as PM.

Shadow cabinet? Sure it’s a hard task, divvying up the ministerial positions among PKR, PAS and DAP (not forgetting PSM), but it’s do-able. That's the job of a strong leader. But Anwar has studiously avoided that … because I suspect it’s not important enough to him as he really wants to be PM when in UMNO, not outside.

Besides he probably doesn't have any visions of Pakatan becoming government even in the long run. Yes, in my opinion, to Anwar, Pakatan serves him, not him Pakatan.

Apart from his charisma and his gift of the gab, which probably is the main (though not all) ingredient holding Pakatan together, he hasn’t done much for the loose alliance in terms of nurturing it into a viable and credible alternative government, despite his experience in government.

As I said, his inner support group has been built as a sprinter, not a distance runner like PAS or the DAP.

He may yet reap from what has been his gross neglect of PKR let alone Pakatan. Already he has lost significant grounds in Sabah and Sarawak, Najib’s so-called ‘fixed deposit’. It’s becoming all unstuck for Anwar.

Pakatan (TGNA, Lim KS and the non-UMNO people in PKR) must now consider a future minus Anwar. While Pakatan winning state governments again in 2013 is not impossible, I believe the prospect of winning federal rule is fading fast. It must re-shape the alliance as an Anwar-less distance runner, for victory in 2018 if not 2013.

Haris Ibrahim reveals Anwar Ibrahim's true colours

Today when I read Art Harun’s Zul Noordin and PKR – the lame and the lamer in The Malaysian Insider and Salbiah Ahmad’s Adding grey to Article 3 in Malaysiakini, I thought Anwar Ibrahim has gone too far in allowing this renegade Kulim Wonder a free hand in proposing monumental legislation changes according to his (the latter's) personal prejudice, specifically to the Kahuna of all, our Malaysian Constitution.

Art Harun commented: I am even more astounded — not to mention bitterly angry — that PKR has not seen it fit to read the riot act in full DTS 6.1 mode to Zul Noordin.

Well, I'm mortified ... because PKR is not just the Kulim Wonder or Anwar Ibrahim. What happen to the rest of its leadership?

We know that Dr Syed Husin had wanted to disciplined the Kulim Wonder for his act of thuggery at the Bar Council’s interfaith forum but we also heard Anwar Ibrahim was reluctant to bring him to heel and swept the entire issue under the carpet.

The reason for Anwar Ibrahim’s reluctance to pull the Kulim Wonder into party line may be found in Haris Ibrahim’s powerful post The End Days of PKR in Sabah.

It tells you in no uncertain terms what sort of person Anwar Ibrahim is, and indeed as kaytee has always asserted, has been.

No, I don’t need to say I’ve been vindicated because one doesn’t need any vindication when one knows what he’s talking about. In fact in more than 1 way, I feel sad to be proven right by an independent blogger.

And I hope my matey Antares, who criticised me for being ‘all head and no heart’ where Anwar is concerned, reads Haris' post. Matey, sunshine doesn’t beam from Anwar’s 6 O’clock la, au contraire.

May a sweetie whom I adore, gasp gawd omigosh, also do so.

And let the Hindu temple bells ring to note my lamentation at the so many gullible. But hey, it’s never ever too late to wake up!

The season for division

Is it the nature of the beast?

For political parties to split …

… because of strong (self centered) personalities? Or the pie is too small?

There is a saying that there is even honour among thieves, but alas, not so with pollies ….. prob because they are worse than thieves wakakaka.

The Godzilla of all party splits had to be the Titanic struggle between Mahathir and Ku Li. Ku Li was the PM we didn’t have.

The following one between Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim didn’t quite reach Olympic proportion, prob for the reason the greater majority of UMNO factions were actually glad (and perhaps had plotted) to see Anwar ousted. Yes, the Anwar faction was deeply feared in UMNO for its feral take-no-prisoner mentality.

Next, the MCA was (and may still be) in centrifugal flight until the recent ‘greater unity’ plan brought Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek together, … well, at least for the immediate period.

But this truce may not be long in tenure unless Chua Soi Lek’s faction sees it too has a long term stake in the party’s future.

Lurking behind all this is MCA newly minted deputy president Liow who is now seen by both blocs (especially Ong Tee Keat’s loyalists) as opportunistically treacherous.

And there is that mysterious 3rd force which is more likely those previous leaders ousted by a combination of Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek’s factions, the Ong Ka Chuan group.

Though Liow has been accused as being behind the 3rd force, I suspect he is not but had merely exploited a unique situation following the 10-10 EGM to abandon his so-called place ‘beside’ Ong Tee Keat and went for broke to climb over a besieged Ong. He and a few others in the MCA central council decided that Ong ought to be the sole sacrifice.

Aiyoyo, the MIC had recently considered a MCA-style EGM to get rid of Samy but alas, the man is just too powerful to dislodge, so as usual the wannabe but kiasu MIC revolutionaries will continue to suck up to his whims and pleasure.

However, S Subramaniam has come to realize he lacks the mass to overcome the Vellu obstacle, so poor old Subi is considering leaving MIC with his bloc. But being a realist he knows that outside MIC, an Indian based party doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre apart from annoying Taikoh, UMNO. So ... how man?

Much as Najib made a play on Makkal Sakthi, prob to give MIC a kick in the pants, I don’t believe the party with the hijacked name will have much future ..... maybe at most a Datukship for Thanenthiran who’ll end up like Koh TK, a powerless so-called leader heading a near-dead party which is now a pale shadow of what the 1969 Gerakan Party was.

But Koh TK (and Gerakan) is still useful to Najib and UMNO, to (1) prevent migration of its members to either PKR or DAP, or even, god forbid, MCA, and (2) to have a stooge to forestall, frustrate and f*up MCA as and when required. UMNO doesn’t like a too-powerful and uppity MCA – thus it uses Gerakan as and when required to divide and conquer the pro-BN Chinese community.

PPP? Poor Kayveas must be livid with rage but biting his tongue as Najib ignores him by keeping non-BN member Murugiah as a deputy minister. Like Subi of MIC, Kayveas knows that that outside BN, an Indian based party (though PPP purports to be multi-racial) doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre.

Kayveas had long realized the PPP is nothing more than a pimple on the BN’s backside (note: D.R Seenivasegam rolling in his grave), and was intelligent enough to attempt merging his PPP with Gerakan but alas, his gambit was spurned, diplomatically by Koh TK and less so by Lim KY wakakaka.

He had hoped to be a VP of Gerakan-PPP and through that, continue to offer himself as a federal candidate and eventually a full minister in the BN cabinet.

Quo Vadis Kayveas?

Then PAS? Tok Guru Pak Haji Datuk Nik Aziz has decided that ‘nuff is ‘nuff, and that pro-UMNO Pak Haji Hadi Awang and his henchmen have to go.

Perhaps TGNA wants to save the Pakatan which has been seriously and deliberately undermined in Selangor by Hadi’s man Hassan Ali? Perhaps TGNA cannot stand the very thought of PAS people lying in bed with the enemy?

But the Ulamas are resisting his demand for an EGM, knowing they had a lucky escape in the last party election when the Erdogen faction was split. Now it'll once again be a confrontation between the Erdogen faction led by TGNA against the Ulama faction led by ‘Malay unity’ champion Pak Haji Hadi Awang.

Will the party split asunder? TGNA has openly stated he is quite prepared to see that so long as he can get rid of the pro-UMNO faction (mainly the group collectively called the Ulamas).

And in dear PKR, we see glimpses of new thoughts that maybe Anwar Ibrahim may not be indispensable after all – Zaid Ibrahim is gradually gaining stature day by day by his dignified demeanor.

There is also new intra party schism caused by the ambition of Azmin Ali, and the reluctance of Anwar Ibrahim to curb his favourites like Azmin and the Kulim Wonder.

And an obituary note on Hindraf:

Here lies a once great movement
That had wanted its people to be free
It’s now itself no longer independent
Shackled by its own leader’s hubris

'Tis the season for division.

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Penang

A public service message from my blogging matey Lucia Lai of Mental Jog:

Penangites, block out 15th November, 2009 in your diary.

The Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Roadshow, which has been planned as a full-day event, hits Penang on that day.

The venue : Hu Yew Seah Hall, 43 Madras Lane, Penang

We will kick off the event with a half-day youth workshop “Ada Apa Dengan Bangsa?” that morning, anchored by our smart partner, KOMAS. Participants will be urged to explore our identity, who we really are and what we believe in as Malaysians.

Numbers at the youth workshop, which is scheduled to start sharp at 9.00am, to be conducted with a mix of both Bahasa Malaysia and English, will be limited to 30 participants so that there will be greater scope for interaction.

If you’re aged between 17 – 25 and would like to participate in the youth workshop, send your details ( name, i.c. number, address, telephone contact number, and what you are presently doing ) to admin@sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net

The SABM forum, simply entitled “Bring Along A Friend”, kicks off in the afternoon, tentatively scheduled to start at 2.30pm, with the screening of “Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka”, an excellent documentary by Fahmi Reza, who will himself be at the forum to share some of his thoughts with us. The documentary gives an insight into the state of politics some 10 years before Malaya attained independence from the British. This documentary makes for an excellent backdrop for the forum and Q & A session that will follow immediately after.

A panel of speakers is being assembled to deliver some thought-provoking ideas whereafter participants will be given ample time during the Q & A session to get in on the healthy discussion that we hope will happen. The names of panellists will be announced at a later date.

We will serve light refreshments after the forum and Q & A session and then we will be screening KOMAS’ “Gaduh”. If you have not yet watched this short film, this screening in itself may be reason enough for you take make the effort to attend the forum.

Why is the forum entitled “Bring Along A Friend”?

Quite simply, because that’s what you’ll have to do to attend the forum.

This is how it works.

Attendance is by invitation.

So you’ll have to e-mail us for an invitation, both for yourself and a friend of yours.

Now if you’re a Malay Malaysian, you’ll also have to register a non-Malay Malaysian friend, besides registering yourself for the forum. Conversely, if you’re non-Malay Malaysian, we will require you to also register a Malay Malaysian friend.

As with the youth workshop, if you’d like to attend the forum, send your and your friend’s details ( name, i.c. number, address, telephone contact number, and what you and your friend are presently doing ) to admin@sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net

Looking forward to seeing you in Penang.
url: http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/sabm-roadshow-heads-out-to-penang/

If I’m not mistaken, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia is the brainchild of Haris Ibrahim. Here’s your chance to meet a wonderful man, and wow, double bonus, the venue is the best State in Malaysia, my Penang wakakaka.

Sexy talk

Love it – these sexy talk ;-)

(1) Nik Aziz wants EGM to 'axe' Hadi? (good on you, Tok Guru)

(2) Downsizing Polis Diraja (Bloody high time too)

(3) The demolished temple that never was (Samy, eat sh*t lah)

(4) Nudity no big deal for Emma (Bravo sweetie)

(5) Goldstone dares US on Gaza report (Good on Richard Goldstone – shows US 'blind' cringe towards anything Israeli, including Israeli war crimes - assh*le$))