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Friday, March 19, 2010

The down and up and down of Hang Jebat

I am okay with constitutional monarchy ... on condition the monarch also agrees with his constitutional role and not imagine he is a modern day Sultan Mansur Shah who can sentence the likes of Hang Tuah to death on a mere unsubstantiated rumour, or bash a caddy on the head with a putter, or whack a hockey coach, all because he wasn't too happy.

But of course I am only a Chinese Malaysian and shouldn’t have said the above as the royal person of a Sultan is a sensitive issue for Malays, especially nowadays when there are a couple of guardian organizations for Malay rights like Perkasa etc.

But would I be insensitive in just reading Malaysiakini’s article Some can insult sultans with impunity?

Incidentally, now that I mentioned Perkasa, you may want to know the above MKINI article reported that on 10 December 1992 during a parliamentary session where UMNO chewed up the Malay royalty right royally, Ibrahim Ali, then the BN MP for Pasir Mas, urged the government to amend the constitution to spell out clearly what privileges should be accorded to the members of the royalty.

He made the comment following the most devastatingly speech made against royalty by Dr Affifuddin Omar (BN-Padang Terap).

Yes, the UMNO bloke who took the cake in that royalty-chewing session was reported by MKINI as follows:

Affifuddin asked, "How can we continue to uphold rulers who are known to be robbers, adulterers, drunkards and kaki pukul (thugs)?"

"The rulers must be reminded that they were not reincarnations of dewa-dewa (deities). They were put in their position as rulers by the people."

"The immunity gave the rulers the status of 'half-man and half-god' and allowed irresponsible rulers to commit serious crimes which tarnished the image of the institution."

"It was about time that the 'false sense of political power' associated with rulers in this country be abolished."

"They (the rulers) must be made to realise that they do not own this country. They are not Superman but placed on their thrones by the people. "The real power did not lie with them, but with us - the representatives of the people."

"The 'syndrome of religiosity' associated with the rulers was only to cloud the people's view of who the rulers actually were."

Strangely enough, for an UMNO bloke he wasn't exactly wrong on principles. But of course he and people like Ibrahim Ali only had the balls to say above after (then) PM Dr Mahathir pulled out the royal fangs.

With that, Hang Jebat had his final revenge. UMNO rehabilitated him.


I heard that UMNO named the biggest hall in its HQ building after Jebat, while the smallest was assigned the moniker of Hang Tuah. Is this true? If so, then it was the biggest UMNO two-fingers to Malay royalty. I am glad that Tunku Abdul Rahman was no longer around because it would have broken the heart of the nation’s most ardent monarchist.

Years ago during Tunku’s premiership, the RMN's second frigate was originally named after Hang Jebat but subsequently renamed KD Rahmat. The reason provided was that after some fires broke out in its engine room, the renaming was to break the jinx.


But according to my uncle who was in the Armed Forces then, he heard that the Tunku found it repugnant to name a navy frigate after Malay’s most notorious traitor.

Well, after 1992, the rehabilitation of Jebat was complete when a frigate was finally named after the No 2 Malaccan admiral.

Malay pollies quoted with pride his immortal words of "Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah" (A fair king is a king to obey, a cruel king is a king to fight against).

Jebat finally became the hero that he was, and Tuah was relegated to being a small time palace sycophant.

But did I just say: Jebat finally …?

Maybe that was a wee too soon because Tuah has struck back – apparently there’s still a use for disused hero, especially when UMNO needs him.

Yes, today UMNO is the world’s greatest defender of Malay royalty, especially the one who is reputed to have the Taming Sari.

20 comments:

  1. Dr Mahathir had been unscrupulous during his premiership but I guess all Malaysians should thank him for clipping the royalties' wings during the 1982 and 1993 constitutional amendments.

    Nobody would like to be assaulted, maimed or even killed; female family members got molested or raped and nobody can do nothing about it!

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  2. you know, i have this hypothesis that if jebat won and lived, the portuguese would not have conquered malacca and the empire encompasses indonesian and singaporean islands probably would have lasted until this modern day.

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  3. if jebat had won and lived, the portuguese would not have conquered malacca?

    You are talking about little brown men armed with spears and kris facing white barbarians armed with muskets and cannons.

    No matter how brave and strong, the human body can never ward of the devastating impact of a bullet or cannon ball. That was how the Manchus fell to the Europeans in the Opium Wars

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  4. The following article was controversial for saying that the kings should behave: (see here).

    One of PM Najib Razak's aides, Rusdi Mustapha, had written a commentary in The Malay Mail, criticising it (see here).

    This invited a scathing response from the author of the original article (see here), following which no further response ensued from Rusdi Mustapha.

    Dr. Lim Teck Ghee's Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) retorted to Rusdi Mustapha calling it a 'communist' organisation for publishing the author's piece on its website (see here).

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  5. Ktemoc,
    I have just pasted 2 letters from 2 malaysiakini readers....which clearly shows people are frustrated with PR disunity on the local council elections.
    Instead of you keep on writing about Tan keng liang, I think it is better for you to write and tell PR how to unite on the local council election issue.

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  6. pakatan rakyat cannot even have a common policy for local council elections. PAS say one thing, DAP say one thing and PKR say another thing.

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  7. local council elections--- it is umno which refuses to allow them. Dump umno and there will be local council elections within 30days of a PR federal govt

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  8. mmm...... PR want the local council election. But PAS MB say no in Kedah. Kelantan ....no news so far.
    So, I really don't know what is happening to Pakatan Rakyat on this.
    Hope that PR can keep their promise on local council election.
    People are getting tired.

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  9. more productive if you ask Najib if he's worried people are tired of him preventing local elections - better still, ask Tan Keng Liang to pester Najib, i.e. if Tan dares to, instead of trying to be a pseudo-jaguh harassing Lim GE.

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  10. O.k., since all these trolls wish to talk about promises, lets all talk about BN's promise (in a signed treaty). They promised to allow Chin Peng to return BUT hey apa sudah jadi ?

    So Tan Keng Liang, please pressure your boss (or is it Lady Boss) to keep to your promise.

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  11. both BN and PR need to keep all their promise.
    But on the local council election issue, it looks like PR had failed to keep the promise after 2 years in administration. They even dare to openly say in Kedah they don't want to have it.

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  12. Ktemoc,
    I suggest if you can research what BN and PR promise before last GE. And compare what have been fulfilled, what have not and what they openly refuse to fulfill (i.e. break the promise openly).

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  13. brian, re local elections, consider what najib had said, so let's NOT be like Tan Keng Liang becoz one Tan KL is one too many wakakaka

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  14. ktemoc,
    we have to be fair and look at both sides. Najib says NO. But PAS also says NO. DAP and PKR delayed more than 2 years and now, just trying to pass the blame to Election Commission (this is what most people are thinking).
    If DAP and Guan Eng so serious in starting local council elections, why not do it straight? Law may not allow,....but they can always do the election themselve and then appoint to councillors from the result of the election.
    That's why I say I don't really trust DAP & PKR on this.
    Look at both sides!

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  15. i supported Pakatan in last GE. But I am actually very very disappointed on pakatan who had not keep their promise on a lot of things.
    This is not an issue whether I support Tan Keng Liang or not. I am just looking at the issue which he highlight and I think there is truth in it.

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  16. brian

    PAS can say 'yes' or 'no' and it wouldn't have made an iota of difference to the intentions of DAP and PKR. Unlike BN where UMNO is Taiko and detremines all component parties' intentions and actions (like working covertly to select the MCA president it prefers), the Pakatan is a loose coalition of 3 independent sovereign parties, so PAS's decision doesn't impede DAP and PKR - as I said in an earlier post, PAS must answer for its own decision in the next election.

    It's najib's 'no' that's preventing DAP and PKR from implementing their promise to have local elections. This is the crucial factor, the PRINCIPAL obstacle to local elections, which Tan has NOT help by ranting against Lim GE, telling the CM NOT to see Najib - thus Tan has in fact become an obstacle to the DAP's plans to get najib to agree to local elections - explain that, why Tan is in fact anti local elections!

    the reason DAP and PKR state governments didn't attempt to have local elections immediately after 08 March 2008 has been a case of prioritization (I explained this previously in an earlier post) - it would have been totally irresponsible of them to do that straightaway after being elected as it would mean they just liked to dabble and thrive in the flamboyant and the grandstanding for cheap political gains (which we must leave to the BN).

    It was far more important for them to tackle the issues of running a state until they have settled down and achieved running the state efficiently, competently, transparently and and in an accountable manner.

    Alas, your persistence in refusing to see this issue of prioritization either shows you don't quite understand management strategy or are attempting to make a political mountain out of a low priority molehill. It makes you sound like a supporter of Tan Keng Liang wakakaka.

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  17. ktemoc,
    i am not a supporter of Tan Keng Liang or anybody. I only support and give my vote to people who can support the people. And obviously, I hate people who do not keep the promise.
    btw when you say what PAS decide will not make a difference to DAP or PKR, you sound like forgetting that PAS is part of Pakatan Rakyat.
    You also forget that Kedah and Kelantan is under Pakatan Rakyat (not PAS).
    But why is PAS allowed to decide everything themselve in Kedah and Kelantan? So, what do you mean PAS decision make no impact???
    IS PAS trying to behave like UMNO after getting power in this states?

    Think about that!
    p/s: you are definitely right that I will support Tan Keng Liang & Gerakan on this issue. They at least stand firm on the local council election and even defy Najib's rejection. But where is Dap and PKR....who don't even dare to defy PAS on this issue?

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  18. Ktemoc,
    Come on, Ktemoc! Spare those people who are blinded in supporting leaders such as Tan Keng Liang. Like the Scribes & Pharises, they are good at the letters of Law of Moses.
    But they twist & turn to suit their need. Just as the epistles said, treat them like Pagans.
    Anyway, This is how that little prick Tan Keng Liang got famous. Can't ask Tan Keng Liang to bertembung. Else, you would have a burning effiges on Tan Keng Liang.

    Ktemoc,
    We should ask Tan Keng Liang...Why he's not there when the only pig abattoir kenna demolished? DAP was there. MCA was there. No Gerakan buggers. Why?
    It's Thomas Su did the ultimately of withdrawing DAP Kedah support send Azizan flying to KL to look for Lim Kit Siang
    Ask this Brian Teh, what the heck Gerakan does when kenna gang raped by UMNO. The best was crawling for support from DAP during Lim Chong Eu time when UMNO wanna snatch CM Penang.

    Ktemoc,
    Coming back to the point, I agree there is a certain element of political sloganism on LGE's part. Oh come on, who doesn't? By now, I am now PR in Penang & Selangor would win big if local government elections held
    Kedah part is a bit tricky....Watch Yes Ministers/Prime Ministers, you would know the culprits are the civil servants who seemingly wanting to maintain status quo, supporting BN. That little prick Tan Keng Liang knew this hence pricking everybody not just as LGE but the main target Azizan.

    Ktemoc,
    As for the part of quota, perhaps, we should ask Tan Keng Liang. Why just stick to status quo? Ask that prick Tan Keng Liang go to UMNO Kedah building asking for abolishment of quotas?
    Watch Black Hawk Down.....See that naked man kenna dragged out......It could ahem....

    Brian,
    There are people in Gerakan who are far better than Tan Keng Liang. Tan Tee Kwong & Toh Kin Woon. It's an insult to these people. Hehehe, of course, not Tan Kim Hwa, Tee Beng's daddy...Hahaha

    Regards

    P.S : Again Tan Keng Liang is like a Pharises. Pharises knows all selok belok of issues/laws especially the Kedah issue by manipulating the issue to its advantages. We should ask Keng Liang, why not just abolish it? Make it a Gerakan plan. I will support with 2 arms & 3 "legs".

    I would always support Tan Keng Liang with Mr Brown's Singapore Army Song......I will teach folks how to cheong sioa....Me can be "Encik" - non commisioned warrant officer....Of course, not real ofiser

    Shouting
    1) LC
    2) BLP
    3) HJLHLS

    Sorry, these terms are too vulgar. Only meant for Singaporeans & second generation Permenant Residents who served in the National Service.

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  19. loose74,
    you may want to know this that Tan Keng Liang is the person who protested the increase of the bumi quota 50% in Kedah. It is because of him, the Pakatan government got to cancel their plans. So, he deserves more respect that what you write.

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  20. Again, Anonymous, what's the solution? Go back to 30%. Plus, you guys don't know that malay reserve land is 100% when it's in BN time. That little never tell you

    Ah so, why stop at 30%? ABOLISH IT, EXPUNGE IT, EXTERMINATE IT.

    Can Tan Keng Liang do it?

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