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Monday, March 03, 2008

Political snippets (11)

Based on news report from Malaysiakini and Star Online plus a post at People’s Parliament blog

Case I

Helen Ang who has a column Z Sunday in Malaysiakini wrote on the Kelana Jaya opposition candidate just two days ago but in the People's Parliament forum. I have always kept an eye on what Ang writes, because on politics in the Middle East, she stands on the opposite side of the fence to me.

But I like her as she is honest even to the extent of frowning upon Israelis when those Hebraic warriors embarked on their periodic murderous Taliban-ish rampage, which they are doing right now to Palestinian children and women in Gaza. Hmmm, must be full moon as the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians and Israelites all worshipped Moon Goddesses. A few bloodied bodies on the altar for Her Selene Majesty.

Anyway, writing on the choice of candidates in Kelana Jaya in her
Kelana Jaya: Compromise and keeping to convictions, while she acknowledged that at times it was necessary to compromise in elections, even for Opposition politicians, she believe that her position in The People’s Parliament forum requires her to maintain principles based on idealism – a case of jaga standards.

She wrote: … compromise is a slippery slope and this is very early in the game to be already backsliding. From the discussions in the Kelana Jaya threads, I see that some commentators have come to believe what is convenient is also what is acceptable.

Could it be possible that she was alluding to some pro PKR supporters averring that if a monkey is stood against a BN candidate they would vote for the monkey ;-)

She continued: On Loh Gwo-Burne’s shortcomings as a speaker and deficient in Bahasa Malaysia, there are excuses made: Not all MPs speak in Parliament; for the hot-button issues, BN could create a ‘no quorum’ precluding any chance for the Opposition even to speak; or this — MPs don’t need really to speak well lah (c.f. the BN ones). Will you allow this much leeway for lack of professional competence if you’re talking about your doctor?

Indeed – if you vote for a monkey to represent you in parliament, you get banana skins back or you are a monkey’s uncle ;-) [above underlining mine]

She said: We’re not angels here, we don’t claim to be overly moral or pious but I’d like to believe at least that the reason we’re all in this [People’s Parliament] forum is because we have a sense of right and wrong, and what we’re striving for is justice. And we, who are neither politicians nor politicking, have really got to start our journey on the right foot.

… Therefore, this forum had earlier established some clear standards on the MP qualifications we desire. Gwo-Burne does not meet these standards.


People’s Parliament would not be consistent if in our appraisal the Opposition is exempted from adhering to standards we ourselves had set, even if we are apt to be kinder to BN challengers given the obstacles they face, among them mainstream media’s biased reporting.

Some opposition supporters already have, that is, exempt their leader from adhering to (basic democratic) standards and I am not talking about Loh

… This means we give due respect to those segments of society who will put Lee Hwa Beng on the winner’s podium and remember that civil society is not a monopoly of Opposition supporters.

Indeed! Are those fanatics anwaristas, who think they have a monopoly on democracy and reform yet shamefully condone ‘de facto’ leadership (hypocrites), listening?

She continued: To return to Gwo-Burne, this unproven chap is not winnable. His candidacy is premised on too many structural weaknesses, and depriving Kelana Jayans of viable choice. There are certainly more qualified people in PKR. Or the seat could have been yielded to DAP to contest or an independent who can give Lee a run for his money.

“…and depriving Kelana Jayans of viable choice”. Such public disservice can only be ascribed to some bizarre or selfish motives of the PKR leadership.


OK, maybe giving way to the DAP may be too much of an altruistic ask of PKR, but why can’t someone highly qualified like human rights activist lawyer Elizabeth Wong who, would you believe, actually is a PKR member, represent PKR in Kelana Jaya? So, I must ask, what’s going on in that party?

Ang continued: The duty of People’s Parliament to me is to take a broader perspective on this issue. I cannot agree that we must go to the extent of doing ‘anything’ to deprive BN of votes. This forum was not established to canvass for the Opposition. We have our own rhyme and reason.

Bravo Helen Ang, I love you once again for your integrity and am gonna kiss your cute pert nose as a mark of my respectful admiration ;-) and blast those monkeys - we don't want any more monkeys in Parliament.

Case II

My dear peng yu, Anwar Ibrahim protested again
'I'm no chameleon'.

According to Malaysiakini, he was accused by the MCA in an Election 2008 campaign leaflet of:

(1) Being against the Chinese cultural lion and dragon dances when he was then culture, youth and sports minister in 1982


(2) Decreeing that the teaching of Chinese and Indian studies in Universiti Malaya be in Bahasa Malaysia in 1987 when he was education minister

(3) placing non-Mandarin speaking administrators in government-run Chinese primary schools [which provoked an attempted meeting among the anxious MCA, Gerakan and DAP a la Shaolin Temple that led to Operation Lallang - Uncle Lim gained his LLB while eating nasi kandar or perhaps nasi kosong in Kem Kamunting]

Malaysiakini reported his response as: “Nothing I did and said in the language and cultural spheres were not standard BN-Umno policy.”

;-) that’s my boy – it’s always someone’s fault, with those ministerial policies of his being 'standard BN-UMNO polices', not his as Culture and Education Ministers respectively, but someone's, anyone's, whoever in BN or UMNO's.

Who developed policies then on culture if not the Culture Minister?

Who developed policies then on education if not the Education Minister?


He then diverted attention to some other UMNO champion for his keris antics, but note he didn’t (couldn’t) deny he issued those draconian polices, other than it was ‘standard BN-UMNO’ policies, and not His Teflon-ness'.

And you anwaristas wonder why I can’t accept him. If only he had said: “Yes, I did all those and regretted it. Being in prison and outside UMNO have made me see things differently” but alas, he has been too clever (or conceited) by half and lost a golden opportunity to show he has repented.

But then he’s Anwar Ibrahim, isn’t he!

Case III

Star Online reported
Pak Lah: Component parties decide based on consensus. It reported AAB saying: “Barisan Nasional is not an autocratic party but makes it decisions based on a general consensus among its component parties and there is no bullying between them.”

Puhleeeze lah, Pak Lah, didn’t you humiliate the 9 non-Muslim cabinet ministers in deference to PAS – I blogged on that 2 years ago in
PAS, non-Muslim Ministers & UMNO - an Article 121(1)(A) Ménage à Trois

What consensus? What con!

No bullying? No bull!

7 comments:

  1. Ktemoc...

    I really like your Political Snippets segment. Pretty much sums up what the issues are all about for the chosen day.

    May I suggest that you put dates to future headings? This will give readers some clues about issues that are you covering on your posts.Easy for us to track, you know what I mean.

    Malay Women in Malaysia Blog

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  2. If only he had said: “Yes, I did all those and regretted it. Being in prison and outside UMNO have made me see things differently”


    Anwar has make it an excuses that mainstream media will play up the issue and make Chinese hate him.

    Apparently Anwar DON'T understand Chinese. Nor he know anything about the uniqueness of Chinese philosophy. If he do it, it will lift his burden on the "Barisan nasionalism cultural revolution", free Malays from suffering the consequences from monolithic cultural policies.

    Numbers of Malay know to spell Confucianism and know little about its substances. And few people know general Chinese thinking actually more towards Zhuangzi liberation philosophy than Confucianism.

    If Anwar really make apologies, he deserve to become the opposition leader.

    I will keep my finger cross.

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  3. The principal racist instigator leading up to Ops Lallang was Najib Tun Razak.
    He was at the head of the mammoth UMNO rally , brandishing the Keris threatening it to be bathed in Chinese blood.

    Yet Ktemoc has given Najib a totally free ride in his blogs, nay, he has even been a Najib apologist in one or two posts in the past.

    Ktemoc writes well, but his unrelenting negativity towards Anwar Ibrahim diminishes him.

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  4. kittykat46 ,
    Apparently you don't have the idea about "art of responsibilities" and the power of apologies.

    Yuri Gorbashov open the investigation of Katyn massacre, Taiwan KMT Ma Ying-jeou apologies for the 228 incident, the meaning is more than "I didn't do it", or "when things happens I haven't born".

    If you understand it, congratulation, you know the meaning of political responsibilities.

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. mr yapchongyee spamming deleted ;-)

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  7. http://www.weechookeong.blogspot.com/

    The most famous term used by BN leaders is Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) is irrelevant, is this true? I was beginning to believe that maybe their claim was justified as it was being mentioned repeatedly over the months until I had personally attended his Ceramah at Buntong and Dewan Tow Bee Keong in Ipoh on the 11-1-08 between 7.30-11pm.

    There were banners displayed at several places around Ipoh for a Chinese New Year celebration with DSAI at Dewan Tow Bee Keong, so a crowd of 5,000, mostly Chinese did not take me by surprise. However, a crowd of more than 5,000 people at Buntong with a days notice and organizing it at a small terrace house, with no stage was an eye opener. So why was there such a large crowd ? Why an "irrelevant" person able to create such hype.

    The mere presence of Anwar Ibrahim created euphoria, his aura was immense, I was 50 meters away from like walking into a temple with strong vibration where you feel the sense of calmness and serenity. Anwar is definitely relevant!!!

    He did not scream all the way as most politician do, but there was pin drop silence when his tone of voice was soft, I mean pin drop silence amongst the Buntong crowd! He kept the crowd cheering and laughing all the way throughout his hour long speech. He was instantly a big hit amongst the Buntong crowd. He received the same ovation at Dewan Tow Bee Keong as well.

    So what were the issues addressed and why should we vote for any opposition party whether its keADILan, DAP or PAS.


    1. Rising price of oil and all essential goods.
    He insists that petrol price would be reduced immediately once he is PM.
    In contrast, Najib claims that the country would become bankrupt if this was done, so how would it be possible. Simple, presently PETRONAS annual profit after tax is RM80 billion, take RM 10 billion from it and further subsidize the petrol would not have any material effect on the government revenue as we are an oil exporting nation. During his 8 year tenure as Finance Ministerand Deputy Prime Minister, oil was kept at RM1.10/litre when profits from Petronas was between RM 25 - 30 billion annually. Remember that most robust projects were also undertaken during this period but we never went buzz.After his sacking in September 1998, petrol rose in October 1998 and tol rates rose in November 1998.

    2. Free education from primary to tertiary education.
    Hah ! Bolehkah ini ? Mana boleh ? Well, another RM 10 billion would do from Petronas profit, simple as that. When you can manage with RM 30 billion, why can't you manage with RM 60 billion from Petronas. He says that this is God given gift to the people, at least half of which should go back to the people in some way or rather. What is the point of the nation being rich yet the rakyat being poor?

    3. Racial tension like never before
    Why so much misconception between races, we are all Malaysians. The annual government revenue is RM 200 billion, to a population of 27 million is one the highest in the world, so there is no need to quarrel, we all can share the cake. So where is the problem, the bulk of the cake is being gobbled by few BN component leaders and leaving the poor rakyat to feel that we are being robbed by the other race. Morgan Stanley reported than corruption has cost the nation RM 100 billion since 2004. So please, let's unite and fight the true enemy, please pass this important message to as many as possible, because as election draws closer, and if BN is on the verge of defeat, they may just stir this sentiment as they have done in the past while we fall victims.

    4. Brain drain and lack of opportunities
    Many non-Bumis are with the perception that they are being deprived of tertiary education even after obtaining the best possible results, true.

    But who are the true beneficiaries, remember that only 30% of the Bumis are either professionals or some how benefited from the growth of the country or somehow is a crony to some prominent individuals. They are the ones able to give their children quality secondary education and they are the ones who have most benefited from government scholarships and tertiary education.
    The remaining 70% of Bumis are still neglected and aren't given much opportunity just as the non-Bumis.
    He promised to help the most deserving Bumis (70% who are still poor) and the most deserving non-Bumis from tertiary education to government job employment.

    5. Chinese and Tamil schools
    He vowed to make all schools as fully government aided schools if keADILan was to come to power. I wouldn't want to repeat the financial means as I've already done so.

    6. Fear of PAS or DAP
    This is BN propaganda, PAS is contesting in 60 seats and DAP even less, neither party on its own can come to power. Fear is put amongst non-Muslims that PAS are too radical, likewise DAP are a communist organization.
    Neither is true, 75% of non-muslims vote in Kelantan in the 2004 election went to PAS, there must be something right with PAS and something not so right with BN for people resorting to choose PAS. Lim Guan Eng served 2 years in jail protecting an underaged Malay girl who was having an affair with a top UMNO leader. Are they communist?
    Anyway, keADILan would have to win the most number of seats with PAS and DAP making up the numbers for them to govern. So, please do not fear PAS or DAP. Either they would be ideal oppositions in parliament or a coalition party in a keADILan led multiracial government.
    Likewise many other issues were addressed.

    Now the big question is, can Anwar be trusted?
    Well, how much worst can he be compared to the current leaders.
    Is there any credible leader in UMNO who can turn this country around?
    Petrol price is to increase again in April '08. All essential goods are going to go higher.

    Malaysia's Foreign Direct Investment (pelaburan asing) has dwindled from top spot in the 90's to 6th in 2007 after Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines in South East Asia.
    Anwar is a leading financial adviser to many large institution and businessman for investment opportunities in South East Asia.
    University ranking has dropped below 200 wherelse Univeristy of Singapore are No.3 in Asia and Indian Institute of Tech. are top 10 in the world.

    Anwar is currently serves as a professor in Harvard and Oxford Universities, needless for me to say about the reputation of these two top class universities.
    With all these in mind, why can't we give him 5 years to prove himself.
    We have prejudged him as untrustworthy, well, he was in UMNO, to be a leader in UMNO, you must be a fanatic Malay, likewise MCA and MIC because they are race based parties.

    Now he has formed a multiracial party to fight for all regardless of race and religion but promised to protect the Malay rights as stipulated in the constitution.

    It's TIME FOR A CHANGE. VOTE WISELY.
    p/s: please forward this e-mail to as many and pass this word around to
    whoever you see for a better future for ALL Malaysians.

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