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Friday, November 16, 2007

Bersih gets royal spurn

Malaysiakini provided sad news for those who have pegged their hopes on royal intervention.

In a news article titled King: No royal support for Bersih rally the Yang di-Pertuan Agong said neither he nor Istana Negara had directly or indirectly supported the
massive Bersih rally.

Bernama (with glee?) reported that the King expressed regret over the claim that he and the palace had supported Saturday’s illegal gathering.

Bernama also rubbed in by saying that the King made what was a rare press statement!

Read through the news archives and see whether any Sultan or the Agong had come out to defend former Lord President Salleh Abbas when he was right royally shafted.

Read also my previous post The Politics of Yellow where I mentioned Thailand in a post Thaksin Sinawatra era - where's the expected democracy after the euphoria over ‘divine intervention’?

To make matters worse than it had been under Thaksin, in May this year, Thailand's Constitutional Tribunal dissolved and banned the Thai Rak Thai party and a hundred of its officials for 5 years - a convenient touch which is familiar to us, but did His Royal Majesty frown on that totally undemocratic action?

Thai Rak Thai’s sin was being Thaksin’s party.

And I explained precisely because I don’t expect heroic divine intervention after the Salleh Abbas case, I posted
The journey of a 1000 li and Rulers no 'Silver Bullet'.

Related:
Dangerous euphoria over 'political' royalty

10 comments:

  1. It does not surprise me that you believe Bernama. Afterall, they have proved you 'right'.

    BUT there is always two sides to a story. Please read

    http://www.malaysia-today.net/nuc2006/index.php?itemid=326

    Cheers.

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  2. Read this : http://www.malaysia-today.net/nuc2006/index.php?itemid=326

    To learn about who actually said what the King said.

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  3. do you believe that the King arranged for the RMR to standby to intervene, which was "why" the police backed off? ;-)

    do you believe the army takes orders "directly" from the King? ;-)

    it's entertaining reading but that's about it - of course I read Bernama with caution too, just as I read Malaysia-Today with caution, but unless the King himself comes out in public to say something on his own, then I have to accept that public news item

    so far no one has checked my reference to the Salleh Abbas case and the missing royalty yet

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read a similar article in Susan Sloone's blog, and wrote the following.

    “Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abdidin today stressed that neither he nor Istana Negara had indirectly or directly supported the massive rally held over the weekend in Kuala Lumpur.”

    This statement serves to state categorically the ABSOLUTE NEUTRALITY of the Agong concerning the massive rally. This is a WISE statement from the Agong. I say a wise and royal move of strategic importance. The anti-monarchy UMNO dogs will have no reason to accuse the Agong later on. The Agong has wisely covered his back in his first move.

    The Agong’s neutrality concerning the rally itself is NOT necessarily the rejection of the ISSUES involved of the Bersih rally, NOR is it the same as his neutrality concerning the issues submitted to him in the memorandum.

    “Tuanku Mizan said as the country’s supreme leader, it is incumbent upon him to ensure that the administration of the country as enshrined in the Federal Constitution is adhered to by all.”

    Did any of you give STRATEGIC and LOADED statement some careful thought?

    Don’t you think this statement from the Agong should give the Bersihans some real encouragement for their cause? Isn’t the demand of Bersih basically the restoration of the Rule of Law as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, which has been hijacked by Buruk Najis, and which is to be adhered to by ALL, even the administration of the day?

    I think this statement should send shivers down the spine of those who have hijacked the Federal Constitution for their own narrow political ends. Can you imagine what would happen if the truth of the Agong’s statement is implemented, when the Agong demand that the Federal Constitution be ADHERED to.

    According to the Constitution, the Agong - the SUPREME LEADER (do you notice these term?) has power to do a lot of things. He is ain’t no puppet! He is the Supreme Leader - something whom UMNO dogs have belittled and mocked. Let the UMNO dogs gloat over what the Agong has said for now.

    Be strong, and have courage. The God of heaven will not abandon those who fight for justice and righteusness.

    I believe the present Agong has acted very wisely, and strategically, in issuing those statements - THEY ARE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. One edge to slay the wicked, the other to protect the weak.

    Kay Tee, don’t gloat yet LAH. Things are not as BLEAK! Not yet anyway!

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  5. well this news doesn't surprise me nor sadden me. so what if the king does not support the rally. doesn't matter. what matter is that the people came out in full force, in solidarity to march for a cause. the people did something... which will bring me to quote gandi:

    "It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from you action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Miner, I am not gloating

    I am just saying don’t rely on those royalty but our own selves - at best they’re only for themselves, at worst one of them could bash you up - that’s not prejudice but a historical fact - ask a former hockey coach and the brother of a caddy, ask numerous people who were viciously slapped in public

    I know it's disappointing but we should take it on the chin - I took it better because I didn't have any faith in those royalty in the first place. I was just being realistic.

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  7. Never mind the semantics, and how you might skillfully argue your case - as usual.

    While I might never have commented here, I usually agree with you on Anwar. But now, here, in this particular instance, one can't help feeling the inexplicable -- you do seem rather pleased with yourself, for being proven right, I suppose. [if indeed you are, about this]

    Tis' sad, KT, how you let your hatred consume you, all else be damned.

    -anonymous-

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  8. "Tis' sad, KT, how you let your hatred consume you, all else be damned. "

    Well put, well put - not a wee bit improper.
    Kay Tea, the wound of a friend is far better than the kiss of an enemy.

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  9. From my viewpoint, the gist of the writing is to highlight the futile attempt to place hope on the royalty based on their past performance, which I agree. We have not see them interfering in matters that require them to do so ?

    I believe the rakyat should trust themselves to make changes. It is clear that the ruling parties need reformation, but more important is for the rakyat to reform the opposition parties as well. As voters, we would like to be given a choice of credible representives.

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  10. Quote "Tis' sad, KT, how you let your hatred consume you, all else be damned."

    Miner, you exceeded yourself in such hypobolic accusation. Don't you think 'hatred' is too strong a word to hurl at soemone who don't agree with your beliefs?

    ReplyDelete