Is the first step
Down the path of deceit
- Ram Tzu
Below are three interesting comments in Malaysiakini Vox Populi regarding the online news portal article about the frog hunter and froggies, namely Anwar: Defections to proceed as planned, and of course my comments in yellow highlights ;-)
Pharmwell: The defection of BN parliamentarians to Pakatan Rakyat? The earlier the better. Why wait until September if they can cross over earlier? I am sure millions of Malaysian have no confidence in the present BN government. Jump/crossover now. Let's have a new beginning.
What about the 'other' millions of Malaysians? Ever heard of the democratic process of elections, and words like ‘universal sufferage’, ‘ballot box’, ‘votes’ and ‘people’s choice’?
No? Never mind then.
Cheong Pah: All the protests, all the blogging, whatever campaign, all the talk and shouting in Parliament are not going to change much. The list of BN wrongdoings during the past 50 years can go on and on and on and on. Everyone with common sense knows that. So why wait for another five years? No way.
What this nation clearly needs is a change of government. Those BN MPs who still have hearts and souls and believe that there is still a God, I beg you (if you want me to go down on my knees I will) join Pakatan now. Your names will go down in history as saviours of Malaysia. Your descendants will be proud of you.
How does one change a government? See my comments above.
And no, their names will go down in history instead as treacherous unconscionable slimy frogs, and their descendants will curse their names for bringing shame (and curses) to their families. Mind you, they could well become very rich.
If we go on and allow the Umnoputeras to keep on plundering the nation, Malaysia will become the next Zimbabwe. The Umnoputeras will never change, no one would (I wouldn't) if they own the goose(s) that lays the golden eggs.
I agree that we must not allow the UMNOputras to continue raping the country, but frog hunting has been precisely the modus operandi of UMNO. There was an UMNO expert who showed this frog-enticing skill in Sabah many years ago – go ask Pairin.
How to stop UMNO's dodgy-ness? Monitor and challenge any dodgy dealings, but first of all, remember 'people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'.
I hate to say this, but if you don't join Pakatan, you will be the culprits of destroying this country, and for allowing Malaysia to be messed up compared to other countries in this region. May God bless Malaysia and bless the BN MPs with great courage and wisdom to join Pakatan.
Sounds like a threat, with a whiff of UMNO odour too a la ‘… only we can protect/save you … If you don’t support us … the others will dominate you, seize the country … don’t be a traitor … f**k democracy lah, etc etc’
So, is this the reformasi you were fighting for; the democratic process you desire; the public accountability you sought? Man, you sure got lost somewhere along the way.
Doraisamy Karuppiah: In my view, Anwar is giving in too much of a warning to the ruling BN government. As a capable leader, it’s advisable not to reveal too much to BN. Anwar shouldn’t openly give information. Maybe, he might have another dimension in diverting the ruling government’s attention.
If true, then it’s a good start. However, Anwar has to remember that by giving too much advance ‘warning’ of his intentions, BN gains by having more time to plan a sabotage.
No, Doraisamy, it’s precisely the opposite – he wants to provide plenty of warnings and threats so that UMNO will panick and invite him back into UMNO.
Conclusion: I am ashamed that these so-called supporters of political reforms are actually advocating a sinister shameful subversion of the democratic process. A bad BN-UMNO is no excuse to become a bad Pakatan Rakyat-PKR. If BN-UMNO wallows in the cesspool, should Pakatan-PKR wallow in that sh*t as well?
well said! Sometimes it baffles me about the comments people make online. Shows how shallow they are. Most are just following the majority of netizens without using their God given brains
ReplyDeleteInteresting entry... kind of voiced out feeling... :)
ReplyDeleteThe fact that everyone in the PKR shouting for jumping ship irks me... DSAI, Kak Wan, Tian Chua, Jeffrey, DCMI Penang and bla bla bla...
Are they trying to imply that jumping ship is good, and that dishonoring the General Election is morally and democratically correct? If jumping ship is OK, then what's the use of General Election? Why bother to talk about democracy, partisan-politics and "Ketuanan Rakyat", when what you are doing is against the Rakyat's will...
Shall the change of government like this happened, our country's name, Malaysia, will go down in democratic history to become a Katak country...
Zimbabwian changed their government through ballot box... so does Nepali... Malaysian changed through FROGS... interesting hah?
and By the way... even though our law allows MPs to resign... I'm actually opposing the idea of resignation... again, you are dishonoring the General Election... in UK, you are not allowed to resign unless you departed to the heaven, why? You sworn in front of the God and the House, that you will serve the country, the people and the people in your constituency , during your term as a people representative! So can someone suddenly go resign, and say "Aiyah, I suddenly don't feel like serving my people already... so I give up lor"?
This reminds me Dr Kua calling those who are MP, ADUN and EXCO at the same time "political greed", and that they should resign as an MP... I can't believe these words are coming out from such a respectable academician... Not did he dishonor the General Election, he also called the voters in Seputeh, Kinrara, Ijok, Bdr Tun Razak, Bagan, Ayer Puteh, Tanjung and etc foolish at the same time! The people decided that they are okay with their rep holding so many positions (rather accidentally), and shall these MPADUNEXCO failed to deliver, they will see the political obituary written for them in the next GE...
We might as well cancel the general election since everyone is so keen on resigning... then the MP can choose to resign within 5 year period... and subsequently a by-election... Why do we ever need General Election since everyone doesn't care about it?
Oh by the way... Did you mention Pairin? you should also talk about Jeffrey Kitingan lah... the King of the katak... who so happen... to be a VP in PKR...
I've had it up to my nosehairs with your finger-up-your-own-arse political punditry, Ktemoc. People who hide behind masks and anonymity give me the creeps. To me they are the O'Briens of all Orwellian societies. Being clever is one thing, Ktemoc. But where is your HEART???
ReplyDeleteI'm pressing the REJECT button on you!
I found this presentation very interesting: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/270
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part of that talk was when the author lamented that data indicates that bringing democracy to a developing country seems to destabilize it's economy! Surely something none of us would want to concede. But then he took a closer look... and discovered that there are two aspects to democracy:
1) choosing who gets to have power
2) checks and balances to regulate the power.
Where you had 1 without 2 -- i.e. the people could vote for whom they like, but the democratic institutions to keep the leaders in check and enforce transparency weren't there -- then instability and corruption not only remained, but thrived.
In the context of Malaysia, what is important is that we achieve 2. Is toppling the Federal Government the best way to get there? I cannot imagine UMNO simply "gulung tikar" once they have been toppled. There will be noise. Lots of noise. So much noise that the new government will be tempted - and if they're REALLY loud, obligated - to silence them. And that will not be putting us on the road to checks and balances, will it...?
By the way, the video recordings of TED presentations contain a treasure trove of incredibly interesting talks, check it out, everyone would find something they like!
Our country is as rich in natural resources as Australia and Canada combined, but our standard of living is little better off than an African country.
ReplyDeleteBarisan "Nasional" has been given 50 years of leading the country BUT it has miserably failed in almost every aspect. It has instead engaged itself in playing off one race against another, by dividing so as to easier rule the people.
So why not give PR a chance to lead the nation out of the darkness we are in today?
kok ben, Pairin was the victim of frogs in 1994. His PBS won the State elections by 2 seats but lost control of the state because of UMNO induced froggies. Guess who headed the BN-UMNO campaign in Sabah in 1994?
ReplyDeleteantares matey, you should really control your temper and desist from your ad hominen attacks. Debate if you must and which would be most welcome.
Alas, instead you have demonstrated typical anwarista traits, complete intolerance with a hint of violence.
But more importantly, are you people really ready for parliamentary democracy and true political reforms, or will you people merely perpetuate UMNO style of governance, like the 1994 frog style robbery of political power? More of the same?
And who heads your current frog hunting campaign?
Where is my heart? Always in the same place, aspiring for decency, integrity and true democracy, not the bullsh*t deformed version.
What about my eyes? I see, and am not blind as those who refuse to see.
My brains, I use it, discern, differentiate and make fair comments, sometimes good for PR or BN, sometimes bad for the two sides. The world is not plain white and black or a Bush bullshit threat of "either you're with us or against us".
Just because I support DAP in the recent election doesn't mean I am blind to the folly of its members, unlike the anwarista lemmings (using your description).
I am the discerning Malaysian, not an unthinking political acolyte of a so-called idol. And you know what they say about idol worship?
Wake up!!! The facts are all in front for you to see and think - that is, if you are willing to? Getting angry won't make it go away. The TRUTH is out there.
Dont finger2 up somewhere la brader Anteres. KT has enough porn in last 2 days
ReplyDeletei agree with antares that kt is a heartless UMNO goon. only one would support BN and pretend to be pro-PR.
ReplyDeleteKT, you may claim that you're "not blind as those who refuse to see"... but you've totally missed the fact that DAP is also doing some katak-work of its own. Already at least two Gerakan bigshots have been wooed over by giving them posts in the state gov. KeADILan's MPs are still on paper only.
ReplyDeleteYou can spin & evade all you want. But the fact is the DAP has another plan in mind besides getting experienced men who happen to be from BN component parties. By wooing these men over, the DAP will further deprive the crippled Gerakan of capable leaders... also helped in part by the Gerakan's reactionary top leaders who will start writing showcause letters.
I know from your posts that you're a somewhat diehard DAP supporter. You even defended Kit Siang when he short sightedly called for a boycott of the Perak MB's swearing-in ceremony.
brighteyes, let me quote you relevant extracts of a letter written to malaysiakini http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/84171 by a blogger Dr Darren Hsu (a blogging mate of mine - Darren is a Gerakan man) on the two Gerakan men you mentioned:
ReplyDelete"Gerakan’s Lee Kah Choon who was roped in by the new Penang government to help bring investments to Penang and offered a directorship of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC). This is a position like that of a civil service, and Lee’s acceptance was in no way hurting Gerakan. We must realise a politician’s first loyalty should be to the people. If by taking up the directorship of PDC (which is not a political appointment), Lee is able to contribute to the development of Penang, then no one should stop him from doing so. Sometimes, politicians must be prepared to go above partisan politics.
He was, however, forced to resign because after he announced his acceptance, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak immediately asked what Gerakan was going to do in Lee’s case. The rest is, of course, history with the Gerakan leadership issuing him a show cause letter with Lee chosing to quit the party rather than to play politics and reply.
Another case then arose involving Dr Tan Kee Kwong, who is the Gerakan Kuala Lumpur chairperson. He was invited to be the co-chairperson of a task force to oversee land matters in Selangor. This is an administrative position, again like that of a civil service. This position would have enabled him to tackle the problems faced by land owners in Selangor and increase the efficiency of the land offices, which will translate into a saving of time and money for the land- owning raykat. There will be thousands and thousands of beneficiaries if land offices can be made more efficient.
So, who will benefit? The people will benefit. Even the non-land owners will benefit because whatever cost that can be saved can be channeled to development of the state. Political parties exist because of the people. Without the people, there is no party. This is the most basic fact. So in helping to chair a task force which can help thousands of people solve their headaches and nightmares regarding land matters, why should disciplinary action be taken against Tan? Why can’t leaders of political parties be less partisan and work more for the people?
Gerakan leaders have publicly stated that they would go back to basics and go back to the people. Well, this is the best opportunity, in fact, to prove to the people that they are going back to the people by allowing their members to hold non-political administrative positions to help the people. To do otherwise will give a perception that the promise to go back to the people is only lip service."
The two cases above did not involve katak-isation a la de facto deceitful deformasi. The approach of DAP is about meritocracy, not mediocrity!
Dear Ktemoc
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, much as we deplore the fact, politics is not about principles. Politics is about power.
The best we can hope for is
an intellectual-cum-politician who, once in power, tries his or her best to retain some principles and do good for the ordinary people e.g. French President Leon Blum of the 1930s.
See for example Lewis Coser's classic book
"Men of Ideas" and its chapter on
intellectuals and power.
For Leon Blum, see "Three Intellectuals in Politics" by James Joll. The other two intellectuals mentioned are the liberal Walther Rathenau and the fascist Filippo Marinetti.
Phua Kai Lit
it's a chess game isn't it. if taken at face value, dap's moves are indeed sincerely for the benefit of the people, but they did kill more than 2 birds, revealing the ungentlemanly bn , made them quit their party posts, and leave the door open for future maneuvers.
ReplyDeletein the lay people's perspective, it's simple, we don't want to wait another 5 years. we want the change to fully go through. the guy promised to lower fuel price, it can't be sweeter than that. and repercussions? are there any worst that what we have at present. at least give him credit for openly declaring the crossover, with a schedule and all, unlike sudden announcements of parliament dissolution and price hikes that are contrary to earlier statements. a smart move, making it a people's agenda.
we, or i, will rather take a supposed vengeful, personal vendetta ridden pm with an international flair, popular regional appeal, and more importantly one that dares to lay out his cards, inviting people to participate along, any day than a clueless, lying one who makes decisions then shove it down people's throats. after all, they say success is the best revenge.
come on, this is the classic comeback kid story. TunM had his, so does the current guy, but you can't beat the story of someone at the highest office imprisoned, accused of unnatural sex and watched his whole life go down the drain overnight. plots worthy of a brown-grisham novel.
exciting times indeed, let's start the 3 months countdown.
A more to-the-point response to brighteyes...
ReplyDeleteThe simple answer is this. The Penang and Selangor state governments pulled in individuals to work NOT in the capacity of ELECTED officials. These individuals, in their capacity as profesionals, are given profesional positions. The trust to chose the best people for such jobs was placed in the hands of the state government by the voters, so there is no problem there.
On the other hand, what Team-Katakification is trying to do is to get ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES whom the people CHOSE under a particular banner to CHANGE BANNER, and therein lies the violation of public trust. QED, FTW.
And hey, why bang DAP only? Khalid also brought in a Gerakan leader to work in Selangor, what? Nobody complained about that.... wellllllll, okay that's not entirely true... Gerakan complained, kekeke ;)
Also, can we try to move away from finger pointing? E.g. attributing Projek Katak to Anwar alone is not really accurate because PAS leaders have expressed support for such movements as well, and so has Jeff Ooi in at least one blog entry. And, roping in BN fellas to work for Pakatan governments is not an exclusively DAP maneuver either, as I mentioned above.
Why is Malaysia in such dreadful situation today? Malaysians' blind devotion to the Barison National in the past 50 years and their unquestioning attitude towards mahathir in the past 25 years is the reason!
ReplyDeleteTo sad result of this strong attachment to one particular individual and to one particular party is now unfolding before our eyes.
This hard lesson should never be allowed to happen again. We should wise up, never again should we allow ourselves to become too attached to any one individual or to any one party.
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely! Do not give our power away.
KT,
ReplyDeleteYou have very sound views, no question about that. Like you, I tend to cast my lot with DAP as it is the least untrustworthy of the lot. However, I do have quite a few angst about DAp. For one, they have hardly been impressive if i based on their public utterances over the years, LKS is no great thinker and I tend think he is just big tough hombre who will brood no nonsense from other dappers to become the Godfatherhis party (just an opinion). Alas he is all we have against BN. Definitely better than the MCA capitalist-comprador sell-outs ar*e kissers for that one-dollar more.
Between LKS and AI, AI is more impressive in his thinking and his leadership ability. If one is objective, PKR under AI is a better party than DAP under LKS or KS for that matter.
The only problem with AI is that he still has some baggage. I cannot forget the many times his racist body language imitated that of his "master" - that moron M! Nor of the corrupt scums he surrounded himself with in UMNO in order to battle M. (Could it be just a case of riding the tiger until the battle is won?)
Other than this, it must be said principles are fine. But it is not everything. Unhinking and blind adherence to principles per se too can cause much hardship and suffering. Imagine allowing a son to be tortured or a daughter be raped because you have a principle to maintain and that is for example, not to betray a friend or colleague. As you have rightly put it, the world is not in black o white but in shades of grey. That's is why we need people like Lord Denning. The law can be an ass ar whatever time!
"Unhinking and blind adherence to principles per se too can cause much hardship and suffering."
ReplyDeleteThat applies both ways; it should also apply to those who believe that BN is pure evil and the only way forward for Malaysia is to change the Federal Government though MP crossovers.
IMHO, that attitude is unthinking and blind to the very negative consequences such maneuvering will have on the country.