The USA must be getting worried that in its own backyard the dreaded socialists are on the ascendancy.
There was the evil Castro for years thumbing his nose at various US presidents (except at former President Jimmy Carter). Then Hugo Chavez took over control of his country’s oil assets to neutralise US arrogant presumptions. Brazil has a leftwing President, and a recent Chilean polls suggested the possibility of a leftwing President.
Now the ultimate nightmare for the USA has happened. If they think Hugo Chavez is bad, Evo Morales will make Chavez looks like a neo-con.
Morales is hated by the USA and the feeling is returned. A South American native, and an illustratious descendant of the Incas, Morales is an active environmentalist and the scourge of US mining companies in Bolivia. A former US Ambassador to Bolivia had warned Bolivians against voting for him, but the popular Morales has been elected President of his country.
Evo Morales has vowed to re-examine the contracts for its gas assets with American companies, just as Hugo Chavez has done.
Chavez has just threatened Exxon, the US giant oil company to re-negotiate its contract with Venezuela, or be kicked out. Chavez has had enough of those American oil companies ripping the Latin Americans off with their arrogant and disinterested attitude towards local interest. For years they have enjoyed disproportionate advantage and profits. The locals have wised up.
Let's see how many more Latino nations become socialist, the natural political ideology for the down-trodden people on that continent.
Related:
Bolivian Human Rights 0 : US Mining Rights 1
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Squatgate Lanka Quagmire
In my previous posting Squatgate Wayang Kulit, a friend asked me whether I had selected that title to allude to a script laid out for the investigation. Bloody cheeky of him!
Firstly, I was rather shocked by the extremely narrow and limited terms of reference for the Commission, particularly the first three. It tells us that the government wasn’t really serious about getting to the root of the disgraceful series of alleged police abuses, with some cases even related to death in police custody.
Secondly, I was extremely disappointed with the Commission in its refusal to accept additional and related submissions that could well be easily embraced by the fourth term of reference. The Commission gave the impression it just didn’t want anything beyond establishing the victim was not a Chinese national, and that ear squatting in the nude was an acceptable form of police physical ‘interrogation’, employed as a legitimate means to see whether drugs or weapons are hidden in body crevices.
Thirdly, to further confirm my disappointment with the Commission’s performance, ... here at this stage ... my friend intruded into my unhappy thoughts and suggested the script obviously called for the spiritual validation of the police punishment, and the due religious expert was then brought to give a spiritual OK to the unacceptable and shameful exercise.
Bloody KPC (busybody) - I reminded my pal sternly this is my posting and he's not to interrupt me as I put my troubled thoughts to pen! Carrying on ...
Fourthly, a doctor was also recruited to give the medical justification to the unjustifiable ear holding component of the naked squat. In my letter to Malaysiakini I had said in no uncertain terms what I thought of the doctor’s disgraceful explanation, by attributing a benefit (of holding the ears) that was totally opposite to its real effect.
Today, my sarcastic criticism of the doctor, also in an earlier posting has been vindicated further by another Malaysiakini reader who wrote in to lambaste the doctor’s professional credibility.
The anonymous writer who claimed to be a doctor him or herself went into great medical details, some of it not for delicate ears, to show that the medical witness to the Inquiry, Dr Zainab Shamsuddin had been wrong in her expert testimony. The writer of the letter titled Who says ear squats can dislodge hidden stuff? wrote:
“I am greatly concerned with the testimony given by Dr Zainab Shamsuddin as having been quoted by deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim during the hearings of the commission of inquiry into the nude ear-squats scandal."
"Zainab was quoted to have testified that the act of squatting was capable of dislodging any hidden foreign objects inside body orifices. As a medical doctor, I am shocked by the statement and wonder whether it was truly from a medical expert.”
Let’s see whether Dr Zainab has the guts to reply to that criticism of her professional competency. But perhaps the poor dear was deliberately misquoted, because the writer continued rather graciously:
“I really doubt the accuracy of Zainab’s testimony or it might have been intentionally misquoted due to political reasons.”
At least Dr Zainab must now come out to deny those medical explanations attributed to her, or respond to the writer’s criticism. I won’t require her to re-explain the ear pulling part because as I mentioned, every school student, including those august members of the Commission (being schoolboys themselves once) would know the given explanation, whether by her or mis-attributed, was plain horseshit.
The writer in damning the Commission for being obscenely hasty in concluding the inquiry, stated succinctly:
“I really think that their testimonies’ of some of the commission’s witnesses were more political than professional.”
Well, according to the wayang kulit script, Ravana called Mareecha up and said he wanted to abduct the truth … eh sorry I mean … Sita.
Mareecha advised Ravana: "To abduct Sita is a bad idea. Forget it."
But Ravana was insistent. "If you do not listen to me, your life is finished," he threatened Mareecha. (sounds familiar?).
What next?
Firstly, I was rather shocked by the extremely narrow and limited terms of reference for the Commission, particularly the first three. It tells us that the government wasn’t really serious about getting to the root of the disgraceful series of alleged police abuses, with some cases even related to death in police custody.
Secondly, I was extremely disappointed with the Commission in its refusal to accept additional and related submissions that could well be easily embraced by the fourth term of reference. The Commission gave the impression it just didn’t want anything beyond establishing the victim was not a Chinese national, and that ear squatting in the nude was an acceptable form of police physical ‘interrogation’, employed as a legitimate means to see whether drugs or weapons are hidden in body crevices.
Thirdly, to further confirm my disappointment with the Commission’s performance, ... here at this stage ... my friend intruded into my unhappy thoughts and suggested the script obviously called for the spiritual validation of the police punishment, and the due religious expert was then brought to give a spiritual OK to the unacceptable and shameful exercise.
Bloody KPC (busybody) - I reminded my pal sternly this is my posting and he's not to interrupt me as I put my troubled thoughts to pen! Carrying on ...
Fourthly, a doctor was also recruited to give the medical justification to the unjustifiable ear holding component of the naked squat. In my letter to Malaysiakini I had said in no uncertain terms what I thought of the doctor’s disgraceful explanation, by attributing a benefit (of holding the ears) that was totally opposite to its real effect.
Today, my sarcastic criticism of the doctor, also in an earlier posting has been vindicated further by another Malaysiakini reader who wrote in to lambaste the doctor’s professional credibility.
The anonymous writer who claimed to be a doctor him or herself went into great medical details, some of it not for delicate ears, to show that the medical witness to the Inquiry, Dr Zainab Shamsuddin had been wrong in her expert testimony. The writer of the letter titled Who says ear squats can dislodge hidden stuff? wrote:
“I am greatly concerned with the testimony given by Dr Zainab Shamsuddin as having been quoted by deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim during the hearings of the commission of inquiry into the nude ear-squats scandal."
"Zainab was quoted to have testified that the act of squatting was capable of dislodging any hidden foreign objects inside body orifices. As a medical doctor, I am shocked by the statement and wonder whether it was truly from a medical expert.”
Let’s see whether Dr Zainab has the guts to reply to that criticism of her professional competency. But perhaps the poor dear was deliberately misquoted, because the writer continued rather graciously:
“I really doubt the accuracy of Zainab’s testimony or it might have been intentionally misquoted due to political reasons.”
At least Dr Zainab must now come out to deny those medical explanations attributed to her, or respond to the writer’s criticism. I won’t require her to re-explain the ear pulling part because as I mentioned, every school student, including those august members of the Commission (being schoolboys themselves once) would know the given explanation, whether by her or mis-attributed, was plain horseshit.
The writer in damning the Commission for being obscenely hasty in concluding the inquiry, stated succinctly:
“I really think that their testimonies’ of some of the commission’s witnesses were more political than professional.”
Well, according to the wayang kulit script, Ravana called Mareecha up and said he wanted to abduct the truth … eh sorry I mean … Sita.
Mareecha advised Ravana: "To abduct Sita is a bad idea. Forget it."
But Ravana was insistent. "If you do not listen to me, your life is finished," he threatened Mareecha. (sounds familiar?).
What next?
Sydney Racial Violence - Public Perception
Looks like Sydneysiders may yet have their Christmas barbeques at the beaches. State Premier Iemma declared the rioting crushed and thus making the beaches safe.
In a related matter, a survey conducted by the Sydney Morning Herald revealed that 75% of people polled, including two-thirds of John Howard's Coalition Party supporters, disagreed with Howard’s claim that the riotings were not caused by racial prejudice.
Strangely, despite the racial rioting, another poll conducted by ACNielsen revealed that Aussies have been more comfortable with immigration levels than they were immediately after the Tampa crisis. The Tampa crisis was of course one of those ‘scare campaigns’ that the Coalition Party raised, coincidentally before a general election which saw them won handsomely as a stalwart defender of the nation aaginst West Asian refugees.
While I don’t have the figures immediately at hand, I read somewhere that today more than 90% of the Tampa refugees carted off to Nauru in a show of force by John Howard, have in fact been admitted into Australia [other than those admitted by New Zealand in a magnificent humanitarian effort at an earlier stage].
So the Rambo action and hundreds and hundreds of million of dollars spent building the Nauru camp came to nought other than to show Australian voters how tough John Howard had been with refugees.
The ACNielsen poll showed that those who considered immigration intake as too high fell from 41% in 2001 to only 33%. The number of people who thought immigration levels were too low climbed by one point to 11 per cent.
The poll revealed 81 per cent backing for multiculturalism. Despite all the right wing angst about and scoff at multiculturalism, support has actually been steadily growing since Pauline Hanson made her infamous anti-Asian maiden speech to Parliament.
ACNielsen's chief, John Stirton, concluded that the favourable showing of the polling for immigration and multiculturalism indicated that Aussies weren’t at all influenced by the Cronulla rioting. They must have concluded that it had been a case of young ethnic hotheads, perhaps even juvenile hooligans, invariably clashing once extremist groups from both sides acted as agent provocateurs.
However, one still needs to be alert to trouble makers as Police revealed that white supremacist groups have resorted to hand grenades, fire bombs, guns, and various implements of death and injury. The other side has just been as bad.
But the Police have been working magnificently overtime to crush the troublemakers. And the attitudes of the majority of Aussies have been equally magnificent.
In a related matter, a survey conducted by the Sydney Morning Herald revealed that 75% of people polled, including two-thirds of John Howard's Coalition Party supporters, disagreed with Howard’s claim that the riotings were not caused by racial prejudice.
Strangely, despite the racial rioting, another poll conducted by ACNielsen revealed that Aussies have been more comfortable with immigration levels than they were immediately after the Tampa crisis. The Tampa crisis was of course one of those ‘scare campaigns’ that the Coalition Party raised, coincidentally before a general election which saw them won handsomely as a stalwart defender of the nation aaginst West Asian refugees.
While I don’t have the figures immediately at hand, I read somewhere that today more than 90% of the Tampa refugees carted off to Nauru in a show of force by John Howard, have in fact been admitted into Australia [other than those admitted by New Zealand in a magnificent humanitarian effort at an earlier stage].
So the Rambo action and hundreds and hundreds of million of dollars spent building the Nauru camp came to nought other than to show Australian voters how tough John Howard had been with refugees.
The ACNielsen poll showed that those who considered immigration intake as too high fell from 41% in 2001 to only 33%. The number of people who thought immigration levels were too low climbed by one point to 11 per cent.
The poll revealed 81 per cent backing for multiculturalism. Despite all the right wing angst about and scoff at multiculturalism, support has actually been steadily growing since Pauline Hanson made her infamous anti-Asian maiden speech to Parliament.
ACNielsen's chief, John Stirton, concluded that the favourable showing of the polling for immigration and multiculturalism indicated that Aussies weren’t at all influenced by the Cronulla rioting. They must have concluded that it had been a case of young ethnic hotheads, perhaps even juvenile hooligans, invariably clashing once extremist groups from both sides acted as agent provocateurs.
However, one still needs to be alert to trouble makers as Police revealed that white supremacist groups have resorted to hand grenades, fire bombs, guns, and various implements of death and injury. The other side has just been as bad.
But the Police have been working magnificently overtime to crush the troublemakers. And the attitudes of the majority of Aussies have been equally magnificent.
Ku Li no longer Kool & Kalm!
Tengku Razaleigh or Ku Li, as he is affectionately known, - Kelantan Prince, former UMNO strongman, former Finance Minister, and an almost-Prime Minister - had his meteoric political ascendancy in UMNO truncated when he was effectively cast into the political wilderness.
After his bruising battle with Dr Mahathir, he left the most powerful political entity in Malaysia, UMNO, to form the rival Semangat 46. He had to, because as a Chinese saying goes, on one mountain there cannot be two tigers.
The current Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was then a member of Ku Li’s camp that dared to challenge Dr Mahathir for the top positions of UMNO. Dr Mahathir won and went on to be Malaysia’s longest reigning prime minister (I was going to use ‘serving’ but …).
In that UMNO battle, the winner took all, while in most cases, the loser, like the losing male of a lion’s pack, was politically ‘killed off’.
I said ‘most cases’ because, those who have lost but would concede defeat gracefully and show continued loyalty, especially if laced with servile humility and respect for the Alpha of the pack, and are not too prominent enough to be a threat to the winners, like the current PM Abdullah Badawi, might yet be rehabilitated.
Abdullah Badawi had the political nous to continue sticking with UMNO even if he had to eat humble pie for a while. Look where he is today. Just as well for him, for Ku Li's Semangat 46 was a political flop. Eventually even Ku Li had to creep back to UMNO. Undoubtedly Anwar Ibrahim has studied this clear lesson, that without UMNO no political aspirant could or would get anywhere.
But Ku Li had too many baggage - he departed UMNO in acrimonious circumstances, he took too long to return, perhaps he was unforgiven by Mahathir, and as a very senior member he was a virtual threat to every ambitious wannabe leader in UMNO.
He languished in the shadows in UMNO until he saw his old mate, Abdullah Badawi ascending to the No 1 position, when he thought he might have a place at the top again. But Comeback Kid he wasn't, for sadly his former supporter, now PM, saw no further use for him. Besides, a man long out of mainstream UMNO politics is considered as a political zombie, a political living dead. And the embarrassing part has been that he came back because he was a failure outside.
In desperation at being shut out, Ku Li even challenged Abdullah Badawi for UMNO’s top post, but how could a zombie outsider beat the incumbent, then the man of the season and at the centre of political power and authority. Again, Anwar Ibrahim would have seen all these and realises now that he has to deal with a very cautious, unsentimental and perhaps even very wily Abdullah Badawi.
One would have thought Ku Li would fade away by now but he wanted to give it one old jolly last go – he decided to assume a double pronged ‘attack’ for a role in UMNO. For a start, he adopted a controversial but old winner by publicly voicing strong criticism of the government in permitting non-Malay language educational institutions such as the Chinese-owned Tengku Abdul Rahman University to exist, a move that would prove undoubtedly a sure favourite with UMNO hardcore ‘warriors’. Sure enough the Malay NGOs supported him. Then, he bemoaned regrets that the government hasn’t helped the Malays solve their problems despite its power and authority to do so.
Many who had sympathised with him now feel sad that a man like Ku Li, once urbane, charming, cosmopolitan and so open-minded, has to resort to parochial language and tactics. Every Malaysian knows his accusation of the government not helping the Malays is sheer nonsense. Ku Li must be desperate because that kind of comment is totally out of character for him.
Now, the President of Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), has come out in damage control for Ku Li in the face of the Gerakan Party's accusation of Ku Li playing ethnic politics. He claimed that Ku Li had been misinterpreted. According to him, Ku Li had actually said if the government could entertain the Chinese needs for mother tongue educational institutions from primary schools right up to TAR University, surely it can entertain the Malays' educational requirements as well, and that shouldn't be misconstrued as ethnic politics directed against the Chinese.
They say old soldiers don’t die but fade away. Maybe Ku Li might want to consider that process instead of stirring up dangerous emotions.
After his bruising battle with Dr Mahathir, he left the most powerful political entity in Malaysia, UMNO, to form the rival Semangat 46. He had to, because as a Chinese saying goes, on one mountain there cannot be two tigers.
The current Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was then a member of Ku Li’s camp that dared to challenge Dr Mahathir for the top positions of UMNO. Dr Mahathir won and went on to be Malaysia’s longest reigning prime minister (I was going to use ‘serving’ but …).
In that UMNO battle, the winner took all, while in most cases, the loser, like the losing male of a lion’s pack, was politically ‘killed off’.
I said ‘most cases’ because, those who have lost but would concede defeat gracefully and show continued loyalty, especially if laced with servile humility and respect for the Alpha of the pack, and are not too prominent enough to be a threat to the winners, like the current PM Abdullah Badawi, might yet be rehabilitated.
Abdullah Badawi had the political nous to continue sticking with UMNO even if he had to eat humble pie for a while. Look where he is today. Just as well for him, for Ku Li's Semangat 46 was a political flop. Eventually even Ku Li had to creep back to UMNO. Undoubtedly Anwar Ibrahim has studied this clear lesson, that without UMNO no political aspirant could or would get anywhere.
But Ku Li had too many baggage - he departed UMNO in acrimonious circumstances, he took too long to return, perhaps he was unforgiven by Mahathir, and as a very senior member he was a virtual threat to every ambitious wannabe leader in UMNO.
He languished in the shadows in UMNO until he saw his old mate, Abdullah Badawi ascending to the No 1 position, when he thought he might have a place at the top again. But Comeback Kid he wasn't, for sadly his former supporter, now PM, saw no further use for him. Besides, a man long out of mainstream UMNO politics is considered as a political zombie, a political living dead. And the embarrassing part has been that he came back because he was a failure outside.
In desperation at being shut out, Ku Li even challenged Abdullah Badawi for UMNO’s top post, but how could a zombie outsider beat the incumbent, then the man of the season and at the centre of political power and authority. Again, Anwar Ibrahim would have seen all these and realises now that he has to deal with a very cautious, unsentimental and perhaps even very wily Abdullah Badawi.
One would have thought Ku Li would fade away by now but he wanted to give it one old jolly last go – he decided to assume a double pronged ‘attack’ for a role in UMNO. For a start, he adopted a controversial but old winner by publicly voicing strong criticism of the government in permitting non-Malay language educational institutions such as the Chinese-owned Tengku Abdul Rahman University to exist, a move that would prove undoubtedly a sure favourite with UMNO hardcore ‘warriors’. Sure enough the Malay NGOs supported him. Then, he bemoaned regrets that the government hasn’t helped the Malays solve their problems despite its power and authority to do so.
Many who had sympathised with him now feel sad that a man like Ku Li, once urbane, charming, cosmopolitan and so open-minded, has to resort to parochial language and tactics. Every Malaysian knows his accusation of the government not helping the Malays is sheer nonsense. Ku Li must be desperate because that kind of comment is totally out of character for him.
Now, the President of Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), has come out in damage control for Ku Li in the face of the Gerakan Party's accusation of Ku Li playing ethnic politics. He claimed that Ku Li had been misinterpreted. According to him, Ku Li had actually said if the government could entertain the Chinese needs for mother tongue educational institutions from primary schools right up to TAR University, surely it can entertain the Malays' educational requirements as well, and that shouldn't be misconstrued as ethnic politics directed against the Chinese.
They say old soldiers don’t die but fade away. Maybe Ku Li might want to consider that process instead of stirring up dangerous emotions.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Squatgate Wayang Kulit
This is my letter to Malaysiakini, which combines and expands on what I have blogged in Squatgate – Expert Advice? and Squatgate Commission – No Useful Public Purpose.
I don’t believe the Commission has done a good job. I also doubt we are likely to realise in full the PM’s promise made in Malta that there will be no cover up of the alleged police abuse.
Today, more questions than answers have emerged from the sordid affair. Azmi Khalid, the Home Minister who wanted to rush off to China to apologise for Squatgate but was initially rebuffed by Beijing, now sings a different tune, that the purpose of his trip wasn’t about Squatgate – yeah, and I am the Emperor of Mongolia!
The sad probability of him being treated like a mushroom by his ministerial colleagues must have been a bitter pill to swallow, especially as he had been the one assigned to kowtow to Beijing. And we know how mushrooms are treated, don't we? Kept in the dark and fed bullshit!
Three days ago, on Friday, the Malay Mail, a newspaper with strong UMNO connections, reported that the Home Affairs Minister would answer all questions pertaining to the Squatgate case at a press conference. It was to be a reveal-all briefing. His press secretary had also said that the minister would reveal when the 'top brass', presumably the Prime Minister, Deputy PM and Noh Omar the Deputy Internal Security Minister, had been informed of the victim's true identity.
However, before anyone could cry out ‘Squat’ the press conference was abruptly called off. By some strange coincidence the minister developed a fever shortly after the press conference had been announced. No, it’s not fowl flu though I heard it could well be ‘foul’ flu.
The Home Minister’s press secretary denied that there was pressure from the top to call the conference off.
And the terrible thing about the sandiwara (theatrical drama) was that details of the case were already known months ago! Why it was concealed, remains unanswered? Put it down to the amazing wayang kulit (shadow play) of UMNO politics.
I don’t believe the Commission has done a good job. I also doubt we are likely to realise in full the PM’s promise made in Malta that there will be no cover up of the alleged police abuse.
Today, more questions than answers have emerged from the sordid affair. Azmi Khalid, the Home Minister who wanted to rush off to China to apologise for Squatgate but was initially rebuffed by Beijing, now sings a different tune, that the purpose of his trip wasn’t about Squatgate – yeah, and I am the Emperor of Mongolia!
The sad probability of him being treated like a mushroom by his ministerial colleagues must have been a bitter pill to swallow, especially as he had been the one assigned to kowtow to Beijing. And we know how mushrooms are treated, don't we? Kept in the dark and fed bullshit!
Three days ago, on Friday, the Malay Mail, a newspaper with strong UMNO connections, reported that the Home Affairs Minister would answer all questions pertaining to the Squatgate case at a press conference. It was to be a reveal-all briefing. His press secretary had also said that the minister would reveal when the 'top brass', presumably the Prime Minister, Deputy PM and Noh Omar the Deputy Internal Security Minister, had been informed of the victim's true identity.
However, before anyone could cry out ‘Squat’ the press conference was abruptly called off. By some strange coincidence the minister developed a fever shortly after the press conference had been announced. No, it’s not fowl flu though I heard it could well be ‘foul’ flu.
The Home Minister’s press secretary denied that there was pressure from the top to call the conference off.
And the terrible thing about the sandiwara (theatrical drama) was that details of the case were already known months ago! Why it was concealed, remains unanswered? Put it down to the amazing wayang kulit (shadow play) of UMNO politics.
John Howard Wants Christmas Tree in OZ
Australian Prime Minister (PM) John Howard expressed his concerns that political correctness in some Aussie cities had toned down their Christmas celebrations, especially that of depicting the biblical nativity scenes or even a Christmas tree, out of fear of offending minority religions.
He said f**k it, and called on more department stores to have the bloody balls to return to a more Christian tradition – OK, he didn’t actually use the F or B-words, but KTemoc decided to employ them to typify his mood in his fight back against political correctness rhetoric. In fact what Howard has said was he "regarded with contempt those who downplayed Christianity during the festive season in case it offends the non-religious or people of other faiths."
But two of Australia’s biggest department stores, Myer and David Jones, pulled the rug from under his political feet, when they averred they have been displaying nativity scenes in their shop windows every year. In fact, Myer store said it has displayed nativity scenes for the past 50 years. KTemoc has personally seen nativity scenes in other smaller store, so one wonders what or whom PM Howard had in mind when he made that fearless and resolute statement.
As a non-Christian I confess I like Christmas trees, and so do many of my non-Christian friends – we would stand near one at a Christian friend’s house, and when our hosts aren’t looking, would casually eat up the lollies hanging on the tree. Then last year I persuaded my non-Christian sister – in fact she’s a heathen (some kind of Asian religion which we needn’t corrupt our posting with) – to have a Christmas tree up in her non-Christian house. She did just that, with jingle-bell lights all included, and I became a hero to my nephews and nieces, but my intention was more ‘sweet’ than altruistic, if you know what I mean.
Quite frankly neither my sis and her family who have live in Oz for donkey years or I have ever encountered or heard of such silly political correctness, other than the accusations that have floated up from time to time, the latest case being from PM John Howard himself. In fact, among the Chinese and Malaysian communities, even those of the Islamic faith, we have wondered where this accusation of excessive political correctness regarding Christmas trees, carols and Christmas celebrations had originated from - certainly not from the non-Christian sources that we are familiar with.
OK, back to subject, Aussie religious leaders called on PM Howard instead to do more to promote peace and tolerance at Christmas, especially in the wake of the recent racial riots.
Uniting Church president Dean Drayton agreed with Myer and David Jones Stores that the Howard's demands for nativity scenes or Christmas trees were needlessly called for. He said he did not see anyone attempting to restrict the symbols of Christmas. As mentioned earlier, KTemoc also believes it’s more of a ‘myth’ than fact about political correctness preventing a country with a Christian majority from celebrating such an important Christian event in a fashion they want.
Drayton stated that PM Howard's call for those Christmas symbols has missed the most important point of putting Lord Jesus Christ back into Christmas. He reminded us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, which should be taken more seriously. He added:
"This Sunday we'll be wondering whether there will be further riots. I would have hoped the Prime Minister would speak about how the federal Government can provide initiatives towards the reduction of racial tensions."
But PM Howard had already refused to consider the riots as stemming from racial cause.
An Islamic leader Seyit said:
"What John Howard should be doing is promoting the spiritual aspect of Christmas rather than the external signs. They're good reminders, but they don't call people to issues of tolerance. Jesus is a person of Middle Eastern origin who turned the other cheek, never resorted to violence and promoted tolerance and love.”
Hmmm, I must say I have forgotten that Jesus was, to borrow an American term, a raghead as well, and thus of Middle-Eastern appearance.
Incidentally Jesus is also respected by Muslims as the Prophet Isa. Indonenesian Christians call him Yesus, while the Hebraic name for Jesus is either Yeshu or Yeshus or Yehoshua.
Meanwhile Labor Party leader Kim Beazley put in his political angle by saying the biggest threat to Christmas was the Government's new industrial laws, where a Treasury report to the Federal Treasurer, earlier kept under wraps by the government, revealed that lower income groups would not benefit much. Also, there will be a drop in productivity in the short term as employers hire greater numbers of less efficient workers. All these seem to contradict PM Howard and his Treasurer’s assurance on the effect of the new Industrial relations laws.
However, back to Howard's call for a traditional Christmas - he has support among the Catholic bishops, especially after its Aussie Primate, Sydney Archbishop George Pell has urged for more nativity scenes earlier this month. The spokesman said:
"It's hypocritical to cash in on the commercialisation of gift-giving while ignoring the origins of gift-giving in the original Christmas story as embodied in the nativity scene."
Incidentally, the Christmas tree was originally a pagan ritual, either of Norse pagans and Celtic Druids. One of England’s most devoted Christian, Oliver Cromwell condemned the heathen traditions of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated the sacredness of the birth of Christ. Over in the new colonies of New England (America), In 1659, Massachusetts had a law penalising people for hanging decorations on 25th December.
However, in 1846, after popular Queen Victoria and her German consort posed with their children next to a Christmas tree, the custom caught on and became the tradition that Howard wants back in Australia, even though the Christmas tree had never gone away.
But one of Australia’s most important Christmas tradition, that of the barbeque at the beach won’t be enjoyed this year in Sydney as the public have been advised to stay away from them due to existing racial tension.
He said f**k it, and called on more department stores to have the bloody balls to return to a more Christian tradition – OK, he didn’t actually use the F or B-words, but KTemoc decided to employ them to typify his mood in his fight back against political correctness rhetoric. In fact what Howard has said was he "regarded with contempt those who downplayed Christianity during the festive season in case it offends the non-religious or people of other faiths."
But two of Australia’s biggest department stores, Myer and David Jones, pulled the rug from under his political feet, when they averred they have been displaying nativity scenes in their shop windows every year. In fact, Myer store said it has displayed nativity scenes for the past 50 years. KTemoc has personally seen nativity scenes in other smaller store, so one wonders what or whom PM Howard had in mind when he made that fearless and resolute statement.
As a non-Christian I confess I like Christmas trees, and so do many of my non-Christian friends – we would stand near one at a Christian friend’s house, and when our hosts aren’t looking, would casually eat up the lollies hanging on the tree. Then last year I persuaded my non-Christian sister – in fact she’s a heathen (some kind of Asian religion which we needn’t corrupt our posting with) – to have a Christmas tree up in her non-Christian house. She did just that, with jingle-bell lights all included, and I became a hero to my nephews and nieces, but my intention was more ‘sweet’ than altruistic, if you know what I mean.
Quite frankly neither my sis and her family who have live in Oz for donkey years or I have ever encountered or heard of such silly political correctness, other than the accusations that have floated up from time to time, the latest case being from PM John Howard himself. In fact, among the Chinese and Malaysian communities, even those of the Islamic faith, we have wondered where this accusation of excessive political correctness regarding Christmas trees, carols and Christmas celebrations had originated from - certainly not from the non-Christian sources that we are familiar with.
OK, back to subject, Aussie religious leaders called on PM Howard instead to do more to promote peace and tolerance at Christmas, especially in the wake of the recent racial riots.
Uniting Church president Dean Drayton agreed with Myer and David Jones Stores that the Howard's demands for nativity scenes or Christmas trees were needlessly called for. He said he did not see anyone attempting to restrict the symbols of Christmas. As mentioned earlier, KTemoc also believes it’s more of a ‘myth’ than fact about political correctness preventing a country with a Christian majority from celebrating such an important Christian event in a fashion they want.
Drayton stated that PM Howard's call for those Christmas symbols has missed the most important point of putting Lord Jesus Christ back into Christmas. He reminded us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, which should be taken more seriously. He added:
"This Sunday we'll be wondering whether there will be further riots. I would have hoped the Prime Minister would speak about how the federal Government can provide initiatives towards the reduction of racial tensions."
But PM Howard had already refused to consider the riots as stemming from racial cause.
An Islamic leader Seyit said:
"What John Howard should be doing is promoting the spiritual aspect of Christmas rather than the external signs. They're good reminders, but they don't call people to issues of tolerance. Jesus is a person of Middle Eastern origin who turned the other cheek, never resorted to violence and promoted tolerance and love.”
Hmmm, I must say I have forgotten that Jesus was, to borrow an American term, a raghead as well, and thus of Middle-Eastern appearance.
Incidentally Jesus is also respected by Muslims as the Prophet Isa. Indonenesian Christians call him Yesus, while the Hebraic name for Jesus is either Yeshu or Yeshus or Yehoshua.
Meanwhile Labor Party leader Kim Beazley put in his political angle by saying the biggest threat to Christmas was the Government's new industrial laws, where a Treasury report to the Federal Treasurer, earlier kept under wraps by the government, revealed that lower income groups would not benefit much. Also, there will be a drop in productivity in the short term as employers hire greater numbers of less efficient workers. All these seem to contradict PM Howard and his Treasurer’s assurance on the effect of the new Industrial relations laws.
However, back to Howard's call for a traditional Christmas - he has support among the Catholic bishops, especially after its Aussie Primate, Sydney Archbishop George Pell has urged for more nativity scenes earlier this month. The spokesman said:
"It's hypocritical to cash in on the commercialisation of gift-giving while ignoring the origins of gift-giving in the original Christmas story as embodied in the nativity scene."
Incidentally, the Christmas tree was originally a pagan ritual, either of Norse pagans and Celtic Druids. One of England’s most devoted Christian, Oliver Cromwell condemned the heathen traditions of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated the sacredness of the birth of Christ. Over in the new colonies of New England (America), In 1659, Massachusetts had a law penalising people for hanging decorations on 25th December.
However, in 1846, after popular Queen Victoria and her German consort posed with their children next to a Christmas tree, the custom caught on and became the tradition that Howard wants back in Australia, even though the Christmas tree had never gone away.
But one of Australia’s most important Christmas tradition, that of the barbeque at the beach won’t be enjoyed this year in Sydney as the public have been advised to stay away from them due to existing racial tension.
AB Sulaiman Pissing into the Wind?
AB Sulaiman wrote a very interesting article titled A suggestion to the Chief Secretary in Malaysiakini, an independent Malaysian news online (subscription required). His article is sure to arouse the wrath in Malay and government quarters, for though it’s an advice or appeal to the Malaysian Civil Service chief to be what good civil servants ought to be in a Westminster democracy like Malaysia, it covers very comprehensively the racist, corrupt and shambolic state of the government.
In his article he reminded everyone of what Malaysia had been before the May 13 racial riots of 1969. The government was run on a system of check and balance as inherited from the British. The level of corruption was minimal and manageable unlike today.
But the 1969 May riots motivated the Malay dominated federal government to institute a policy of ketuanan Melayu (Malay dominance) in every strata of Malaysian political, economic and social activity. In its intention then to do so, the government decided that compliant implementers were vital to the programmes of ethnic supremacy.
The Civil Service, Police and Armed Forces had to be Malay dominated to ensure that any objections to its ethnic-biased policies, which might be deemed as unconstitutional or even legally dodgy, be minimised if not absent. The ideology of ethnic supremacy didn’t spare the educational institutions as well, where virtually all Vice Chancellors were/are Malays.
Sulaiman stated that having compliant civil servants, who became beholden to political parties (in reality only one, namely UMNO), effectively broke down the delicate but essential system of check and balance in good democratic government. He said:
“Without any check and balance, the warning of Lord Acton that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ came unmistakeably into fruition. Pandemonium ensued.”
“Malay racist tendencies came into full gear. When the Malays were trying to exert their hegemony and leadership they were trying to be very ‘Malay’, very Muslim and very nationalistic. They were championing the rallying call of 'untuk ugama bangsa dan negara' [for religion, race and nation] too literally. They went headlong into propagating the interests of the ugama and bangsa [religion and race] while forgetting the negara [nation] part.”
“Civil servants become yes men to political interests at the expense of the interest of the general population. There were many instances of breakdown of institutions, like the falling of education standards, and the disfiguration of the judiciary.”
The consequences of such institutional breakdown brought about “… the rise of the religious leaders whose main aim seems to maintain the conservatism of the Malay mind and the preservation of the status quo, …..the rise of corruption to an obscenely stratospheric level, ….. and, the creation of a massive cleavage in the social fabric of society.”
Sulaiman also viewed with alarm Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi’s backtrack on his earlier exhortations for the Malays to stop depending on government spoon feeding and be self made personalities (Towering Malays). He saw this in the prime minister’s attempt at rationalising the continuation of the NEP or National Economic Policy, basically a very aggressive affirmative action for Malays, when Badawi argued that for every one ringgit the Malay earns, the non-Malay earns 80% more.
It's a timely wake-up call against a corrupt and racist system that has eroded the foundations of good public governance in a democracy. However, while I admire Sulaiman's brave, excellent and spot-on article, his call will be against extremely powerful vested interests. It'll be like pissing into the wind.
In his article he reminded everyone of what Malaysia had been before the May 13 racial riots of 1969. The government was run on a system of check and balance as inherited from the British. The level of corruption was minimal and manageable unlike today.
But the 1969 May riots motivated the Malay dominated federal government to institute a policy of ketuanan Melayu (Malay dominance) in every strata of Malaysian political, economic and social activity. In its intention then to do so, the government decided that compliant implementers were vital to the programmes of ethnic supremacy.
The Civil Service, Police and Armed Forces had to be Malay dominated to ensure that any objections to its ethnic-biased policies, which might be deemed as unconstitutional or even legally dodgy, be minimised if not absent. The ideology of ethnic supremacy didn’t spare the educational institutions as well, where virtually all Vice Chancellors were/are Malays.
Sulaiman stated that having compliant civil servants, who became beholden to political parties (in reality only one, namely UMNO), effectively broke down the delicate but essential system of check and balance in good democratic government. He said:
“Without any check and balance, the warning of Lord Acton that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ came unmistakeably into fruition. Pandemonium ensued.”
“Malay racist tendencies came into full gear. When the Malays were trying to exert their hegemony and leadership they were trying to be very ‘Malay’, very Muslim and very nationalistic. They were championing the rallying call of 'untuk ugama bangsa dan negara' [for religion, race and nation] too literally. They went headlong into propagating the interests of the ugama and bangsa [religion and race] while forgetting the negara [nation] part.”
“Civil servants become yes men to political interests at the expense of the interest of the general population. There were many instances of breakdown of institutions, like the falling of education standards, and the disfiguration of the judiciary.”
The consequences of such institutional breakdown brought about “… the rise of the religious leaders whose main aim seems to maintain the conservatism of the Malay mind and the preservation of the status quo, …..the rise of corruption to an obscenely stratospheric level, ….. and, the creation of a massive cleavage in the social fabric of society.”
Sulaiman also viewed with alarm Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi’s backtrack on his earlier exhortations for the Malays to stop depending on government spoon feeding and be self made personalities (Towering Malays). He saw this in the prime minister’s attempt at rationalising the continuation of the NEP or National Economic Policy, basically a very aggressive affirmative action for Malays, when Badawi argued that for every one ringgit the Malay earns, the non-Malay earns 80% more.
It's a timely wake-up call against a corrupt and racist system that has eroded the foundations of good public governance in a democracy. However, while I admire Sulaiman's brave, excellent and spot-on article, his call will be against extremely powerful vested interests. It'll be like pissing into the wind.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Amazing Ads on Star Online
I first notice the unusual ads when I read about the King Cobra visit to a Hindu Temple in Puchong which I blogged in Holy Snake?. There, alongside the Star Online article about the serpent’s homage to a Hindu deity, I noticed with some amusement on the right hand side of the page reserved for Google ads, some advertisements of goods related to snakes, like snake cures, etc.
Then from time to time I noted that Star Online’s advertisement of Google ads were very cleverly selected to ‘match’ the news presented on the page.
Today, in one news item on the Middle East problem titled ‘Israeli helicopter fires missile in Gaza - witnesses’, I noted the typical 'matching' advertisements, which in today's case are even more than just unusual for Malaysia, because I am just surprised the Malaysian political police haven’t jumped on Star Online.
BTW, don’t worry about the news item as that’s incidental to this posting, apart from the fact that no one was killed; just the usual Israeli military firing missiles at a target in Gaza - maybe some Palestinian kindergarten schoolgirls.
The page shows 4 advertisements in the Google ads section, of which two displayed offers from Israel. Anyway, in conjunction with the Israeli missile attack on a Gaza location, the ads are:
(1) Jewish prophecy - What the Torah says about current events. How a Jew should prepare!
I wonder whether that had instigated the IAF missile attacks?
(2) Fear No Man – discover what the army doesn’t want you to know.
When I click on to it, it boasts:
"Astonishing Shortcut Fighting Secrets So Dangerous They Were Banned By Congress Finally Revealed By Notorious Former Military 'Secret Weapon' Who Scares Even Top Martial Art Pros... By Quickly Turning Even Scrawny Weaklings Into Monster Killing Machines Almost Overnight!"
Surely not Charles Atlas resurrected? Atlas' ads always promise to turn scrawy weakling into He-man in 7 days or money returned, but this one provides a more immediate result, overnight or if we read it a bit more carefully almost overnight, which could mean anything from 1 day to 100 years. The it went on:
"Until now, this former military trainer (who shall remain nameless because his brutally effective techniques are so dangerously powerful that the government shut him down... not once, but twice!) only shared his 'street-fighting' self-defense killer secrets with Spec-Op Soldiers, Secret Service agents and top CIA operatives."
Bold underlining done by KTemoc. I am not surprised he chooses to remain nameless with such extravagant promises of his secrets. But has the advertisement been to remind those that if the aircraft missile strikes weren't successful, there may be a need for arm-to-arm combat, and the course secrets will ensure the subscriber would be prepared ... eh ... overnight?
(3) The third one is an invitation to subscribe to Israeli TV channels though it doesn’t clarify which one. It will provide a software that enables one’s PC to receive those amazing Israeli TV shows via the Internet ... of the missile strikes?
Hmmm, I know of at least one Malaysian bloke who, if he knows about this offer, will undoubtedly rush to subscribe. It’s US$25 per month. But to him, anything Israeli is bloody good. Once he told anyone who would listen to him that Jews have a special gene that makes them ... eh ... special. My doctor, an European Aussie told me that Chinese have a special gene that keeps them younger than other ethnic group. Subsequently he confessed to me he is married to a Chinese. Wise man, sure knows how to keep his wife happy.
(4) Then in case one is worried about killing Palestinians, the 4th advertisement titled ‘God loves soldiers’ reminds man of his sin because he’s separated from God, and not because he kills. But no worries, the solution is at hand. It promises that "Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for soldier's sin. Through Him you, as an individual soldier, can know and experience God's love and plan for your life."
Thank God! Oh, I mean thank goodness.
Then from time to time I noted that Star Online’s advertisement of Google ads were very cleverly selected to ‘match’ the news presented on the page.
Today, in one news item on the Middle East problem titled ‘Israeli helicopter fires missile in Gaza - witnesses’, I noted the typical 'matching' advertisements, which in today's case are even more than just unusual for Malaysia, because I am just surprised the Malaysian political police haven’t jumped on Star Online.
BTW, don’t worry about the news item as that’s incidental to this posting, apart from the fact that no one was killed; just the usual Israeli military firing missiles at a target in Gaza - maybe some Palestinian kindergarten schoolgirls.
The page shows 4 advertisements in the Google ads section, of which two displayed offers from Israel. Anyway, in conjunction with the Israeli missile attack on a Gaza location, the ads are:
(1) Jewish prophecy - What the Torah says about current events. How a Jew should prepare!
I wonder whether that had instigated the IAF missile attacks?
(2) Fear No Man – discover what the army doesn’t want you to know.
When I click on to it, it boasts:
"Astonishing Shortcut Fighting Secrets So Dangerous They Were Banned By Congress Finally Revealed By Notorious Former Military 'Secret Weapon' Who Scares Even Top Martial Art Pros... By Quickly Turning Even Scrawny Weaklings Into Monster Killing Machines Almost Overnight!"
Surely not Charles Atlas resurrected? Atlas' ads always promise to turn scrawy weakling into He-man in 7 days or money returned, but this one provides a more immediate result, overnight or if we read it a bit more carefully almost overnight, which could mean anything from 1 day to 100 years. The it went on:
"Until now, this former military trainer (who shall remain nameless because his brutally effective techniques are so dangerously powerful that the government shut him down... not once, but twice!) only shared his 'street-fighting' self-defense killer secrets with Spec-Op Soldiers, Secret Service agents and top CIA operatives."
Bold underlining done by KTemoc. I am not surprised he chooses to remain nameless with such extravagant promises of his secrets. But has the advertisement been to remind those that if the aircraft missile strikes weren't successful, there may be a need for arm-to-arm combat, and the course secrets will ensure the subscriber would be prepared ... eh ... overnight?
(3) The third one is an invitation to subscribe to Israeli TV channels though it doesn’t clarify which one. It will provide a software that enables one’s PC to receive those amazing Israeli TV shows via the Internet ... of the missile strikes?
Hmmm, I know of at least one Malaysian bloke who, if he knows about this offer, will undoubtedly rush to subscribe. It’s US$25 per month. But to him, anything Israeli is bloody good. Once he told anyone who would listen to him that Jews have a special gene that makes them ... eh ... special. My doctor, an European Aussie told me that Chinese have a special gene that keeps them younger than other ethnic group. Subsequently he confessed to me he is married to a Chinese. Wise man, sure knows how to keep his wife happy.
(4) Then in case one is worried about killing Palestinians, the 4th advertisement titled ‘God loves soldiers’ reminds man of his sin because he’s separated from God, and not because he kills. But no worries, the solution is at hand. It promises that "Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for soldier's sin. Through Him you, as an individual soldier, can know and experience God's love and plan for your life."
Thank God! Oh, I mean thank goodness.
Malaysia - Let there be no light!
Out of 10 bumiputra (Malay) and 18 non-bumiputra companies involved in the manufacturing of electrical/electronic lights and accessories in Malaysia, the government through a Treasury announcement has decreed that only three – Amat Sinar Sdn Bhd, Permintex Electronic Sdn Bhd and Muarlite Industries Sdn Bhd – may provide the items to government contractors.
The Treasury has ordered contractors and government agencies to acquire street lights, light accessories and decorative lights outside government buildings only from the lucky 3, or face surcharge and government blacklisting.
Needless to say, there has been a hugh uproar from the other 7 bumiputra and all non-bumiputra manufacturers. These companies have invested large sums in the manufacturing business and now see the government 'blockade' of their goods as undermining their ability to export the same products. Then, there is the question of monopoly.
But this favouritism or cronyism is quite common in Malaysia. Looks like the Malaysian Prime Minister religious doctrine of honesty, trustworthiness and whatever other noble virtues I have already forgotten, as propounded by him in his Islam Hadhari, is facing difficulty being implemented. Hey, don’t be harsh with him – he’s only the prime minister, without capital letters.
Hmmm, I wonder who own, or even owns, the those lucky 3?
The Treasury has ordered contractors and government agencies to acquire street lights, light accessories and decorative lights outside government buildings only from the lucky 3, or face surcharge and government blacklisting.
Needless to say, there has been a hugh uproar from the other 7 bumiputra and all non-bumiputra manufacturers. These companies have invested large sums in the manufacturing business and now see the government 'blockade' of their goods as undermining their ability to export the same products. Then, there is the question of monopoly.
But this favouritism or cronyism is quite common in Malaysia. Looks like the Malaysian Prime Minister religious doctrine of honesty, trustworthiness and whatever other noble virtues I have already forgotten, as propounded by him in his Islam Hadhari, is facing difficulty being implemented. Hey, don’t be harsh with him – he’s only the prime minister, without capital letters.
Hmmm, I wonder who own, or even owns, the those lucky 3?
Iraq War - Colin Powell Revealed Some Facts
If there is one American politician I have great admiration for, it’s Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State. OK, former politician!
Typically of a former general, he acted in a manner that was perceived by some Americans as too dovish. Dear readers, former soldiers are usually dovish unlike what cartoons may wish to portray them. Those people have seen blood or had committed young men into battles that killed some or many. They might have written some letters of condolence to bereaving parents and new widows or even orphans. Many have experienced being under combat fire.
By contrast, the most hawkish US politicians (and indeed of other nationalities too) would usually be those who have never been to battle, or experienced the combat/battle traumas and decision making that soldiers do. Typical of these ultra hawkish politicians is Dick Cheney, Vice president of the USA. Cheney had 5 deferments from the draft to Vietnam. Today, with the luxury of never being fired upon or been in a combat zone he talks tough, and may explained why he is the chief architect of the US invasion to occupy Iraq.
Cheney is also termed as a chickenhawk – you work it out why this fowl-ish or foul-ish label has emerged with the ascendancy of the Bush Jnr Administration. I give you a hint – look the credentials of the members of the Bush Administration, both 1st and 2nd terms, here.
Powell is a still a much sought after personality by the media because he may be expected to give balanced accounts, and not like the BS of Cheney and his "last throes" of the Iraqi insurgency. Whenever he made any statement or provided any revelation, like the good soldier he has been in the military as well as a member of two Bush Administrations, he has never badmouthed his boss.
Interviewed by David Frost (whom I thought had been recruited by al Jazeera?) Powell shot at those European nations for pretending not to know that their countries were (or even are) used by the USA either as a staging point or the destination for extraordinary rendition, or in layman’s term, torture centres. Powell said the shock exhibited by those nations has been hypocritical considering those arrangements with the US have been in place for many years.
He admitted that not only US moral authority was under pressure at the moment, but that many in the world considers the US as unilateralist, a powerful nation that doesn’t give a stuff about what the rest of the world thinks. I reckon in mentioning the ‘unilateral’ bit, Powell, for all his loyalty to Bush, might be indirectly giving Dick Cheney an elbow in the ribs because Cheney is well known to be contemptuous of the world ever since the USA emerges from the debris of the Cold War as the sole superpower.
But Powell again showed his American-ness by declaring that impression of the USA was not quite fair. Sorry Mr Powell, it is what it is – an impression! And we know ‘impression’ sends people to war, as it did with America who had the impression, spun up no doubt, that Iraq had WMDs which could reach London in 45 minutes – the ‘45 minutes’ credit is Tony Blair’s.
Powell also talked about the extremely poor relationship between him and Cheney-Rumsfeld. He bemoaned the terrible quality of intelligence that had been mis-employed to launch the invasion of Iraq. Now, what he said next was most telling. He cried out that what truly upset him more than anything else was that there were people in the intelligence community that had doubts about some of the Iraqi WMD intelligence sourcing, but those doubts never surfaced up to the State Department. Could he be indirectly averring that Cheney cut off those doubts deliberately because the neo-cons were set on the war?
When a country has a foreign affairs simpleton for a President and the VP is one devious neo-con with Iraqi oil on his mind, the doubts by the American intelligence community on the state of Iraq’s WMD would naturally be bothersome facts that would not see daylight under a Cheney hand. Cheney is known to have visited CIA Headquarters several times prior to the invasion.
Powell added:
"Often maybe Mr Rumsfeld and Vice-President Cheney would take decisions into the president that the rest of us weren't aware of. That did happen, on a number of occasions."
The USA had been condemned numerous times for launching a war without adequate planning for the postwar situation. Powell revealed that his State Department had in fact made very detailed post-war planning for Iraq, but they were discarded by Rumsfeld, and unfortunately for the Iraqi people and over 2000 dead American soldiers, Rumsfeld disagreement was backed by the White House - though Powell didn’t particularly specify who in the White House, the President as it is usually understood, or the VP Dick Cheney?
Powell said: "Mr Rumsfeld and I had some serious discussions, of a not pleasant kind, about the use of individuals who could bring expertise to the issue. And it ultimately went into the White House, and the rest is well known."
Typically of a former general, he acted in a manner that was perceived by some Americans as too dovish. Dear readers, former soldiers are usually dovish unlike what cartoons may wish to portray them. Those people have seen blood or had committed young men into battles that killed some or many. They might have written some letters of condolence to bereaving parents and new widows or even orphans. Many have experienced being under combat fire.
By contrast, the most hawkish US politicians (and indeed of other nationalities too) would usually be those who have never been to battle, or experienced the combat/battle traumas and decision making that soldiers do. Typical of these ultra hawkish politicians is Dick Cheney, Vice president of the USA. Cheney had 5 deferments from the draft to Vietnam. Today, with the luxury of never being fired upon or been in a combat zone he talks tough, and may explained why he is the chief architect of the US invasion to occupy Iraq.
Cheney is also termed as a chickenhawk – you work it out why this fowl-ish or foul-ish label has emerged with the ascendancy of the Bush Jnr Administration. I give you a hint – look the credentials of the members of the Bush Administration, both 1st and 2nd terms, here.
Powell is a still a much sought after personality by the media because he may be expected to give balanced accounts, and not like the BS of Cheney and his "last throes" of the Iraqi insurgency. Whenever he made any statement or provided any revelation, like the good soldier he has been in the military as well as a member of two Bush Administrations, he has never badmouthed his boss.
Interviewed by David Frost (whom I thought had been recruited by al Jazeera?) Powell shot at those European nations for pretending not to know that their countries were (or even are) used by the USA either as a staging point or the destination for extraordinary rendition, or in layman’s term, torture centres. Powell said the shock exhibited by those nations has been hypocritical considering those arrangements with the US have been in place for many years.
He admitted that not only US moral authority was under pressure at the moment, but that many in the world considers the US as unilateralist, a powerful nation that doesn’t give a stuff about what the rest of the world thinks. I reckon in mentioning the ‘unilateral’ bit, Powell, for all his loyalty to Bush, might be indirectly giving Dick Cheney an elbow in the ribs because Cheney is well known to be contemptuous of the world ever since the USA emerges from the debris of the Cold War as the sole superpower.
But Powell again showed his American-ness by declaring that impression of the USA was not quite fair. Sorry Mr Powell, it is what it is – an impression! And we know ‘impression’ sends people to war, as it did with America who had the impression, spun up no doubt, that Iraq had WMDs which could reach London in 45 minutes – the ‘45 minutes’ credit is Tony Blair’s.
Powell also talked about the extremely poor relationship between him and Cheney-Rumsfeld. He bemoaned the terrible quality of intelligence that had been mis-employed to launch the invasion of Iraq. Now, what he said next was most telling. He cried out that what truly upset him more than anything else was that there were people in the intelligence community that had doubts about some of the Iraqi WMD intelligence sourcing, but those doubts never surfaced up to the State Department. Could he be indirectly averring that Cheney cut off those doubts deliberately because the neo-cons were set on the war?
When a country has a foreign affairs simpleton for a President and the VP is one devious neo-con with Iraqi oil on his mind, the doubts by the American intelligence community on the state of Iraq’s WMD would naturally be bothersome facts that would not see daylight under a Cheney hand. Cheney is known to have visited CIA Headquarters several times prior to the invasion.
Powell added:
"Often maybe Mr Rumsfeld and Vice-President Cheney would take decisions into the president that the rest of us weren't aware of. That did happen, on a number of occasions."
The USA had been condemned numerous times for launching a war without adequate planning for the postwar situation. Powell revealed that his State Department had in fact made very detailed post-war planning for Iraq, but they were discarded by Rumsfeld, and unfortunately for the Iraqi people and over 2000 dead American soldiers, Rumsfeld disagreement was backed by the White House - though Powell didn’t particularly specify who in the White House, the President as it is usually understood, or the VP Dick Cheney?
Powell said: "Mr Rumsfeld and I had some serious discussions, of a not pleasant kind, about the use of individuals who could bring expertise to the issue. And it ultimately went into the White House, and the rest is well known."
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Squatgate Commission - No Useful Public Purpose
This is what pisses me off, and I dare a large number of other people as well.
Like the Bar Council, I don’t believe the Commission of Inquiry into the Squatgate shame has done enough considering it’s such a high powered and experienced commission, personally convened by the prime Minister to look into one of the most scandalous Abu Ghraib-ish misconduct of the Malaysian police.
It was a Commission that has been welcomed in view of, and despite the lack of action by the government on the recommendations of an earlier Commission into alleged police corruption and misconduct, with many members of the public hoping that it might catalyse the required overhaul of Malaysia's terrible law guardians.
Instead, the Commission satisfied itself with the mere identification of the nationality of the victim, which was already known to the police and ministers, and looking into the case of that sole individual. Though it had been restricted by the extremely narrow terms of reference, that shouldn't have stopped it from accepting submissions on related issues under the Commission's 4th term of reference, which states:
And it has been hardly surprising that UMNO members have been baying for Lim Kit Siang and Teresa Kok's blood as part and parcel of the government's intention to divert public attention from the unresolved cases of police abuse.
Related:
(1) Squatgate - Who cares about her nationality!
(2) Squatgate Yawnnnnn
(3) Squatgate - Expert Advice?
(4) 3 Police Cases - a comparative study
(5) Squatgate - Dodgy Police Excuses
Like the Bar Council, I don’t believe the Commission of Inquiry into the Squatgate shame has done enough considering it’s such a high powered and experienced commission, personally convened by the prime Minister to look into one of the most scandalous Abu Ghraib-ish misconduct of the Malaysian police.
It was a Commission that has been welcomed in view of, and despite the lack of action by the government on the recommendations of an earlier Commission into alleged police corruption and misconduct, with many members of the public hoping that it might catalyse the required overhaul of Malaysia's terrible law guardians.
Instead, the Commission satisfied itself with the mere identification of the nationality of the victim, which was already known to the police and ministers, and looking into the case of that sole individual. Though it had been restricted by the extremely narrow terms of reference, that shouldn't have stopped it from accepting submissions on related issues under the Commission's 4th term of reference, which states:
Investigate the standard operating procedure, approaches or regulations in the handling of body searches in connection with arrest and detention by the police, and to propose any changes if needed.
What was truly disappointing has been the commission glaring refusal to take submissions from the 5 female Chinese nationals who had suffered humiliating police abuses too. Then it compounded that inexcusable omission by rejecting a submission from the Bar Council chairman Yeo who asked for a mere 5 minutes of its time.
Why did it refuse to consider those submissions?
By so refusing it has failed to look at the bigger issue of police abuse and their uncontrolled, unmonitored, unfettered, unaccountable and unacceptable humiliating body search on detainees, even on foreigners who had merely not carry their passports with them when they moved around. Malaysian Bar Council chairman Yeo Yang Poh said:
“That, to us, is unacceptable and must change. It violates existing laws, namely, the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that any body search must be performed with strict regard to decency.”
The Commission seems adamant that the Inquiry be closed once the nationality of the Squatgate victim was known, which in reality was already known to ministers right from the very start. Maybe that explains why the deputy Inspector of Police was so cocky as to welcome an independent inquiry into the Squatgate scandal.And as usual in Malaysia, once the authorities sensed public dissatisfaction or anger, it would wave the seditious law pertaining to racial issues to intimidate and silence members of the public who wanted to question the way the Commission has refused a number of submissions on police abuse.Predictably, Deputy Prime Minister Najib warned people not to make a racial issue of the naked ear squats incident. By categorizing the Squatgate issue as a racist issue instead of the police abuse it has always been, as with several other police cases, he hopes to impress upon his constituencies that he and the authorities are resisting parochial interests rather than human rights questions.
UPDATE: I have struck out the above 2 paragraphs which I wrote based on a Star Online news article that provided me with that impression. Since then, I have read the New Straits Times which showed DPM Najib in a completely different light, where he mentioned that:
"The most important lesson to be learnt from the nude squat case is the need to ensure that the human rights of everyone in this country is protected."
I apologise for my wrong conclusion in those struckout paragraphs. However the following paragraph stays.Related:
(1) Squatgate - Who cares about her nationality!
(2) Squatgate Yawnnnnn
(3) Squatgate - Expert Advice?
(4) 3 Police Cases - a comparative study
(5) Squatgate - Dodgy Police Excuses
Bob Hawke calls for Palestinian Well-Being
Bob Hawke, one of Australia’s most popular and long serving Prime Minister, though some dislike him too, has been a staunch supporter of Israel, like most (or should I say, all) Aussie prime ministers. Therefore I was most surprised when I read of him speaking on the most important factor that has caused Arab/Muslim resentment against Western nations.
Rhodes scholar, intellectual, sportsman, union leader, once a piss-head, and compassionate bloke, Bob Hawke said correctly that until the Palestinian problem is resolved, the issue of international terrorism will not be solved, abated nor won over.
He called on the international community to pour massive supply of capital, technical and educational aid and expertise into the Palestinian community, so that the Palestinians, now living in semi-bondage under the Israelis, may perceive that there may be hope in life afterall.
He wants the World Bank (unfortunately under neo-con Paul Wolfowitz, who is pro-Israel), US, Europe, moderate Arab state and even Israel to provide the delivery mechanism, technical assistance, commitment and a massive supply of capital into Palestine.
Only by helping the Palestinians become a community enjoying decent standards, would the Palestinian feel that living in peace may be worthwhile. Right now, when one is at the bottom of the heap, life is considered cheap and associated with despair, and we know that’s how terrorism gets its recruits from.
He pointed out that the Palestinians exist in a hopeless economic environment with virtually no hope of employment or maintenance, let alone improvement of their living standard. What he didn’t say was that Israel has contributed towards that state by restricting Palestinian economic movements and placing all forms of trade, immigration, social and political limitations, subtle or otherwise, to prevent the Palestinian from progressing towards the develoment of a viable state economy and independent Statehood.
He took a shot at his old ally, the USA, by criticizing President Bush for the latter’s adventurism in bombing and invading Iraq. Hawke as Aussie prime minister had supported Bush’s father in Gulf War I, which didn’t invade Iraq. That war had a more above-board objective, which was why it was supported by most nations. Compare Bush Snr's handling of Gulf War I with his son's handling, or more correctly, mishandling of Gulf War II.
Hawke said the American argument that war on Iraq was essential to the fight against terrorism was bullshit - OK, he didn’t exactly use the word ‘bullshit’, but I thought a more colourful equivalent might add some spice to his condemnation of the US claim.
One thing I notice of his speech. He didn’t criticise Israel for its land grab from the Palestinians, nor did he mention once the Israeli continuous frustration of Palestinian Statehood. As I mentioned, Hawke has been very pro-Israel so it may still be difficult for him to tell his friends in Tel Aviv to stop the land robbery, and the 'Berlin Wall' that snakes avariously to embrace choice Palestinian land plots.
But for such a pro-Israel politician, Bob Hawke in delivering such a frank and spot-on speech must certainly be considered as revealing. I consider it as an incredible milestone for the cause of the Palestinian people.
Rhodes scholar, intellectual, sportsman, union leader, once a piss-head, and compassionate bloke, Bob Hawke said correctly that until the Palestinian problem is resolved, the issue of international terrorism will not be solved, abated nor won over.
He called on the international community to pour massive supply of capital, technical and educational aid and expertise into the Palestinian community, so that the Palestinians, now living in semi-bondage under the Israelis, may perceive that there may be hope in life afterall.
He wants the World Bank (unfortunately under neo-con Paul Wolfowitz, who is pro-Israel), US, Europe, moderate Arab state and even Israel to provide the delivery mechanism, technical assistance, commitment and a massive supply of capital into Palestine.
Only by helping the Palestinians become a community enjoying decent standards, would the Palestinian feel that living in peace may be worthwhile. Right now, when one is at the bottom of the heap, life is considered cheap and associated with despair, and we know that’s how terrorism gets its recruits from.
He pointed out that the Palestinians exist in a hopeless economic environment with virtually no hope of employment or maintenance, let alone improvement of their living standard. What he didn’t say was that Israel has contributed towards that state by restricting Palestinian economic movements and placing all forms of trade, immigration, social and political limitations, subtle or otherwise, to prevent the Palestinian from progressing towards the develoment of a viable state economy and independent Statehood.
He took a shot at his old ally, the USA, by criticizing President Bush for the latter’s adventurism in bombing and invading Iraq. Hawke as Aussie prime minister had supported Bush’s father in Gulf War I, which didn’t invade Iraq. That war had a more above-board objective, which was why it was supported by most nations. Compare Bush Snr's handling of Gulf War I with his son's handling, or more correctly, mishandling of Gulf War II.
Hawke said the American argument that war on Iraq was essential to the fight against terrorism was bullshit - OK, he didn’t exactly use the word ‘bullshit’, but I thought a more colourful equivalent might add some spice to his condemnation of the US claim.
One thing I notice of his speech. He didn’t criticise Israel for its land grab from the Palestinians, nor did he mention once the Israeli continuous frustration of Palestinian Statehood. As I mentioned, Hawke has been very pro-Israel so it may still be difficult for him to tell his friends in Tel Aviv to stop the land robbery, and the 'Berlin Wall' that snakes avariously to embrace choice Palestinian land plots.
But for such a pro-Israel politician, Bob Hawke in delivering such a frank and spot-on speech must certainly be considered as revealing. I consider it as an incredible milestone for the cause of the Palestinian people.
Squatgate & Cronulla - Divide & Conquer Strategy
I find this article titled ‘It’s harder to be Australian’ by Paola Totaro and Robert Wainright of the Sydney Morning Herald extremely interesting. At the end of the posting I’ll tell you why!
Basically the article recounts the difficulties of non Anglo-Celtic or non-Caucasian migrants perceiving themselves as real Aussies. Most of them would unhesitatingly claim Australia as their homes, but when asked whether they feel Australian all the time, the answer seem to be in the negative.
Note my underlining – in other words, sometimes or maybe even most times they do feel Aussie, but the feeling seems to be not all of the time.
The finding of this social study was conducted by Dr Greg Noble, of the University of Western Sydney's Centre for Cultural Research.
Dr Noble said "It is the mix in the messages that emerges so strongly in this research. There is both a sense of Australia being home and yet that they are also made to feel not at home. That they feel Australian but are also strongly, profoundly attached to their cultural backgrounds.”
"At the same time, they feel that they are constantly made to feel as though they must choose, as if these two sentiments are in opposition when to them, they clearly are not. These are deeply paradoxical statements that are being made."
His academic colleague, Professor Mary Kalantzis at RMIT University in Melbourne identified the underlying cause, that it’s engendered by a deliberate political motive or strategy,which is aimed solely at winning the hearts and minds of that most valuable of voting blocs, the aspirational working class, but which unfortunately is also increasingly and intolerantly volatile.
She said "How do you win over the working class? It is consistently done with fear. From the first victory and Pauline Hanson to today … and this week in Cronulla, in the anxiety about industrial relations law and the fear that working people will drift back to Labor … the idea is to inflate fear to keep your core constituency.”
In other words, Professor Kalantzis agrees with ole KTemoc, that John Howard’s refusal to admit the Cronulla mob violence was racist has more to do with his fear of offending potential Anglo-Saxon working class voters, which he had lured away not only from Pauline Hanson but also from the Labour Party.
His fear of losing this vital voting bloc is further compunded by his recently introduced industrial laws which had angered the working class, so he wants to make himself and his party a very small public target by not condemning them for the Cronulla violence.
Professor Kalantzis continued: "That is why John Howard said the actions we saw on the beach were not racism. Bob Carr did it too … fear of ethnic crime, that became his political strategy. This issue is not about racism nor criminality. They are just inflammatory words. It is about how to win the votes of the disaffected Anglo-Saxon poor. And it is not that the older immigrant groups are immune … they, too, express great fear and suspicion often of non-white, non-Christian immigrant groups."
OK, the politicians or ‘pollies’ as Aussies termed them milk their constituencies if their fears of the ‘others’ , and then represent themselves as ethnic or, to be more euphemistic, ‘working class’ heros, or as they say in Australia, a man for the ‘battlers’. That's how John Howard and indeed some other pollies have been presenting themselves.
So don’t expect the ethnic divide to narrow in the near future. But to my earlier point – why I find this article intersting?
The above political manipulations should sound very very familiar to virtually every Malaysian. The local pollies in power are just like their Aussie counterparts, playing on their constituency’s fears of ‘others’ or in Malaysian derogatory parlance, the 'nons', meaning non-Malays.
The Malay parties would promote the ‘ketuanan Melayu’ or ‘Malay dominance’ ideology, supposedly to protect Malay rights and rightful position in Malaysian society from the rapacious grasps of the 'others'.
The Chinese and Indian based parties are just as bad, promoting themselves naturally as protectors of the ethnic minorities under seige.
In a tactical reversal of Howard’s approach in the Cronulla incident, the Malaysian pollies in power deliberately projected the recent Malaysian Abu Ghraib case, otherwise known as Squatgate, as an ethnic issue, which naturally aroused ethnic feelings – many pemutations of the real motive could be derived or speculated upon – subject of another Ktemoc posting soon.
But like those non-Caucasian migrants in Australia, the Malaysian 'nons' would unhesitatingly aver they are Malaysians and Malaysia is their homes, but if asked whether they feel Malaysians all the time, the answer would not be dissimilar to some Aussies.
As I have said for Australia, so I say for Malaysia - don’t expect the ethnic divide to narrow in the near future.
Related:
PM Howard Tiptoed Thro' The Tulips
Basically the article recounts the difficulties of non Anglo-Celtic or non-Caucasian migrants perceiving themselves as real Aussies. Most of them would unhesitatingly claim Australia as their homes, but when asked whether they feel Australian all the time, the answer seem to be in the negative.
Note my underlining – in other words, sometimes or maybe even most times they do feel Aussie, but the feeling seems to be not all of the time.
The finding of this social study was conducted by Dr Greg Noble, of the University of Western Sydney's Centre for Cultural Research.
Dr Noble said "It is the mix in the messages that emerges so strongly in this research. There is both a sense of Australia being home and yet that they are also made to feel not at home. That they feel Australian but are also strongly, profoundly attached to their cultural backgrounds.”
"At the same time, they feel that they are constantly made to feel as though they must choose, as if these two sentiments are in opposition when to them, they clearly are not. These are deeply paradoxical statements that are being made."
His academic colleague, Professor Mary Kalantzis at RMIT University in Melbourne identified the underlying cause, that it’s engendered by a deliberate political motive or strategy,which is aimed solely at winning the hearts and minds of that most valuable of voting blocs, the aspirational working class, but which unfortunately is also increasingly and intolerantly volatile.
She said "How do you win over the working class? It is consistently done with fear. From the first victory and Pauline Hanson to today … and this week in Cronulla, in the anxiety about industrial relations law and the fear that working people will drift back to Labor … the idea is to inflate fear to keep your core constituency.”
In other words, Professor Kalantzis agrees with ole KTemoc, that John Howard’s refusal to admit the Cronulla mob violence was racist has more to do with his fear of offending potential Anglo-Saxon working class voters, which he had lured away not only from Pauline Hanson but also from the Labour Party.
His fear of losing this vital voting bloc is further compunded by his recently introduced industrial laws which had angered the working class, so he wants to make himself and his party a very small public target by not condemning them for the Cronulla violence.
Professor Kalantzis continued: "That is why John Howard said the actions we saw on the beach were not racism. Bob Carr did it too … fear of ethnic crime, that became his political strategy. This issue is not about racism nor criminality. They are just inflammatory words. It is about how to win the votes of the disaffected Anglo-Saxon poor. And it is not that the older immigrant groups are immune … they, too, express great fear and suspicion often of non-white, non-Christian immigrant groups."
OK, the politicians or ‘pollies’ as Aussies termed them milk their constituencies if their fears of the ‘others’ , and then represent themselves as ethnic or, to be more euphemistic, ‘working class’ heros, or as they say in Australia, a man for the ‘battlers’. That's how John Howard and indeed some other pollies have been presenting themselves.
So don’t expect the ethnic divide to narrow in the near future. But to my earlier point – why I find this article intersting?
The above political manipulations should sound very very familiar to virtually every Malaysian. The local pollies in power are just like their Aussie counterparts, playing on their constituency’s fears of ‘others’ or in Malaysian derogatory parlance, the 'nons', meaning non-Malays.
The Malay parties would promote the ‘ketuanan Melayu’ or ‘Malay dominance’ ideology, supposedly to protect Malay rights and rightful position in Malaysian society from the rapacious grasps of the 'others'.
The Chinese and Indian based parties are just as bad, promoting themselves naturally as protectors of the ethnic minorities under seige.
In a tactical reversal of Howard’s approach in the Cronulla incident, the Malaysian pollies in power deliberately projected the recent Malaysian Abu Ghraib case, otherwise known as Squatgate, as an ethnic issue, which naturally aroused ethnic feelings – many pemutations of the real motive could be derived or speculated upon – subject of another Ktemoc posting soon.
But like those non-Caucasian migrants in Australia, the Malaysian 'nons' would unhesitatingly aver they are Malaysians and Malaysia is their homes, but if asked whether they feel Malaysians all the time, the answer would not be dissimilar to some Aussies.
As I have said for Australia, so I say for Malaysia - don’t expect the ethnic divide to narrow in the near future.
Related:
PM Howard Tiptoed Thro' The Tulips
Mahathir: East is East, & West is West
Malaysia’s former PM Dr Mahathir is not a man to easily forgive and forget.
Once he had loved Anwar Ibrahim like a son, and after parachuting the former ABIM leader into UMNO’s upper echelon to the dismay of many UMNO senior brass, anointed Anwar as his heir apparent, but today Mahathir despises him to the nth degree. Yes, Mahathir never forgives a hurt, and Anwar had hurt him big.
Likewise with Australia. Even before former Aussie PM Paul Keating’s 'recalcitrant' insult of Mahathir, the Malaysian senior statesman didn’t like Australia – why, I am not sure? But Keating added to his dislike for Oz.
So it hasn’t been surprising that Mahathir stated Russia has more right to be in the East Asia Summit than Australia and New Zealand. He told President Putin that when the Russian leader paid him a visit, and I dare say it wasn't just to please Putin - Mahathir had meant it.
Mahathir would like to see Russia and North Korea included in the East Asia Summit as he deemed both countries as Eastern nations. He then goes into geographic pedantry by reminding everyone that Australia is in the south, and not the east.
As far as he is concerned, if Australia is included, it will only be an American proxy, which threatens the very objective of Mahathir's vision for an Eastern trading bloc to counter American influence and control. So Howard's Australia as a 'deputy sheriff' represents an unacceptable inclusion in the bloc.
And the United States of America? Now, geographically, would it be east or west of East Asia?
I am reminded of Frankie Laine's song 'Rose, Rose I Love You' about his Malayan love. There is a line in the song which says what Mahathir believes, that "East is East and West is West, our worlds are far apart".
For the complete lyrics read here.
Once he had loved Anwar Ibrahim like a son, and after parachuting the former ABIM leader into UMNO’s upper echelon to the dismay of many UMNO senior brass, anointed Anwar as his heir apparent, but today Mahathir despises him to the nth degree. Yes, Mahathir never forgives a hurt, and Anwar had hurt him big.
Likewise with Australia. Even before former Aussie PM Paul Keating’s 'recalcitrant' insult of Mahathir, the Malaysian senior statesman didn’t like Australia – why, I am not sure? But Keating added to his dislike for Oz.
So it hasn’t been surprising that Mahathir stated Russia has more right to be in the East Asia Summit than Australia and New Zealand. He told President Putin that when the Russian leader paid him a visit, and I dare say it wasn't just to please Putin - Mahathir had meant it.
Mahathir would like to see Russia and North Korea included in the East Asia Summit as he deemed both countries as Eastern nations. He then goes into geographic pedantry by reminding everyone that Australia is in the south, and not the east.
As far as he is concerned, if Australia is included, it will only be an American proxy, which threatens the very objective of Mahathir's vision for an Eastern trading bloc to counter American influence and control. So Howard's Australia as a 'deputy sheriff' represents an unacceptable inclusion in the bloc.
And the United States of America? Now, geographically, would it be east or west of East Asia?
I am reminded of Frankie Laine's song 'Rose, Rose I Love You' about his Malayan love. There is a line in the song which says what Mahathir believes, that "East is East and West is West, our worlds are far apart".
For the complete lyrics read here.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Plot to Assassinate John Howard
Two Aussie Muslims wanted to assassinate John Howard and his family. They were egged on by Abdul Nacer Benbrika of Dallas, presumably in Texas, USA. Whether Benbrika is an American or just an Aussie or of another nationality residing there wasn’t explained in the news.
Abdul Nacer Benbrika
(photo from Sydney Morning Herald)
The news article showed that the bloke, Abdullah Merhi, who had contemplated a suicide attack on the Aussie PM, as payback for Iraqis killed in the American invasion and occupation, had doubts about Allah condoning such an act. He wanted assurance that God did really want him to carry out the bombing.
The following was a conversation between 20-year old Merhi (‘M’), and the alleged leader of the terrorist group, Benbrika (‘B’).
M: "To do a big thing."
B: "Like Spain."
M: "If I'm sincere, Allah will open a path for me … if I'm sincere and I go there now, will He open the door there tonight? If I'm sincere now, will He open the door in a month?"
"Just lately my eyes have been opening … (They) have got control of us and the world, the whole world, I just realised this recently."
"For example if John Howard kills innocent Muslim families do we … do we have to kill him and his family … his people like at the football?"
Here he was alluding to a football game, probably the grand finals that is traditionally atttended by the PM. His conscience seemed to bother him about killing people. But trust the leader to push him on.
B: "If he kills our kids, we kill (inaudible) little kids."
Next is where Merhi expressed his doubts about doing the terrible act in God's name.
M: "Sometimes I have got doubts. If I do this, is it pleasing to Him?"
B: "… it’s what God wants."
Apart from the terrible intention to assassinate the elected prime minister of his country, his family and other football fans, we can see how the alleged leader was egging him on with assurances of God’s wish.
Those scumbags have always played around with the minds of young impressionable man, using God’s name as if He talked to them directly, and sending those immature unstable youths to their deaths, taking along other innocents, while they sit comfortably in their home, miles away.
The wannabe bombers are in police custody.
White Goose, Black Gander
When I titled the inter-ethnic violence in Sydney turning into a religious war, with churches being attacked, I used the term ‘metamorphosis’ to indicate the change or conversion. I even numbered it as (1) as I have another article of change in mind.
See Metamorphosis (1) - Race War into Religious War
Then I saw this news article on John Howard and his changing public pronouncements over a number of years, and wonder whether this posting on that article deserves the title ‘Metamorphosis (2)’. But I reckon no, as Howard's change is more chameleon-like rather than a real change.
I leave it to you to read the article and judge for yourself its criticism of Howard.
However, there is one item from it that I want to raise – namely that of his unhappy disagreement with former Aussie Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser’s ban of refuelling for an aircraft carrying the South African rugby team, the Springbok, to New Zealand in 1981. At that time, South Africa had a white supremacist regime practicing the heinous racist Apartheid policy. Malcolm Fraser was morally right to disassociate Australia from such an evil regime.
Additionally, Fraser's decision was in complete commitment to the Commonwealth's Gleneagles Agreement, which Commonwealth members signed to form a united stand against racism, by not having sporting contacts with evil regimes like Apartheid South Africa. Unfortunately Howard then didn’t share his commitment, and even objected to economic sanctions against the Nazi-like Afrikaan government.
Yet recently, the most strident objectors to New Zealand and Aussie cricket teams playing in Zimbabwe have been the governments of New Zealand, Australia and Britain. President Mugabe of Zimbabwe has adopted the policies of his predecessor, Ian Smith, in practising the evil discriminations that blacks had previously suffered from.
Of the 3, New Zealand had been the one most obdurate in maintaining sporting links with white supremacist South Africa and Ian Smith’s Rhodesia (today’s Zimbabwe). In Australia there were many personalities too, like John Howard, who supported the continuation of sporting and other links with those two international pariahs.
The hypocrisy and double standards have been breathtaking, though in New Zealand’s case, one could argue that the current Labour government of Helen Clarke is certainly not that of Robert Muldoon’s conservative National Party.
Now, we know why there is the English homily of “What’s good for the goose ought to be good for the gander”, which existence ironically proves that it’s seldom applied.
Related:
It's Not Cricket, Old Boy, It's too Black & White!
See Metamorphosis (1) - Race War into Religious War
Then I saw this news article on John Howard and his changing public pronouncements over a number of years, and wonder whether this posting on that article deserves the title ‘Metamorphosis (2)’. But I reckon no, as Howard's change is more chameleon-like rather than a real change.
I leave it to you to read the article and judge for yourself its criticism of Howard.
However, there is one item from it that I want to raise – namely that of his unhappy disagreement with former Aussie Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser’s ban of refuelling for an aircraft carrying the South African rugby team, the Springbok, to New Zealand in 1981. At that time, South Africa had a white supremacist regime practicing the heinous racist Apartheid policy. Malcolm Fraser was morally right to disassociate Australia from such an evil regime.
Additionally, Fraser's decision was in complete commitment to the Commonwealth's Gleneagles Agreement, which Commonwealth members signed to form a united stand against racism, by not having sporting contacts with evil regimes like Apartheid South Africa. Unfortunately Howard then didn’t share his commitment, and even objected to economic sanctions against the Nazi-like Afrikaan government.
Yet recently, the most strident objectors to New Zealand and Aussie cricket teams playing in Zimbabwe have been the governments of New Zealand, Australia and Britain. President Mugabe of Zimbabwe has adopted the policies of his predecessor, Ian Smith, in practising the evil discriminations that blacks had previously suffered from.
Of the 3, New Zealand had been the one most obdurate in maintaining sporting links with white supremacist South Africa and Ian Smith’s Rhodesia (today’s Zimbabwe). In Australia there were many personalities too, like John Howard, who supported the continuation of sporting and other links with those two international pariahs.
The hypocrisy and double standards have been breathtaking, though in New Zealand’s case, one could argue that the current Labour government of Helen Clarke is certainly not that of Robert Muldoon’s conservative National Party.
Now, we know why there is the English homily of “What’s good for the goose ought to be good for the gander”, which existence ironically proves that it’s seldom applied.
Related:
It's Not Cricket, Old Boy, It's too Black & White!
Squatgate - Expert Advice?
The Squatgate Commission obtained two expert advice that made me wonder what’s going on?
First and most strangely, it sought the the opinion of a religious official on the appropriateness of police conducting naked ear squats of detainess. Since when has a religious official become an expert on such matters?
Then came the vexing question. We have been informed by the police that the objective of squatting has been only to expose any hidden items in the detainee's body crevices. If so, the burning question is why make the poor detainee hold on to her ears, if not to humiliate her?
To that, the commission had a doctor advising by doing so, it would improve the balance of the person performing the squatting exercise. How thoughtful of the police.
But every school student in Malaysia and around the world would tell you the best posture to enhance balance during a squat is to stretch one's arms out horizontally, in front or to the side of the body, and certainly not the exact opposite of keeping those arms close to the body as would be the case when hanging on to the ears. Or, why not ask the tightrope walker how he balances himself best when walking on the wire? Perhaps we can even answer the question ourselves by observing our natural reaction when we attempt to balance on a very narrow plank.
Perhaps the doctor missed mentioning that holding the ear lobes might stimulate the vestibular system, put the brain into Zen-like meditation and encourage the body apertures to cooperate.
We would also like to know how far true has been lawyer Sankara Nair's comment that the commission had relied only on information provided by the police? Nair is the legal counsel for the 5 Chinese women (also Chinese nationals) who had lodged complaints against police abuses experienced by them.
Nair sought to present his clients’ complaints to the Independent Inquiry on the Squatgate scandal, but the commission refused to allow that because its terms of reference didn’t permit the inquiry to go beyond identifying and investigating the case of the woman doing the naked ear squats, caught in a video clip.
Woman identified. Case closed!
First and most strangely, it sought the the opinion of a religious official on the appropriateness of police conducting naked ear squats of detainess. Since when has a religious official become an expert on such matters?
Then came the vexing question. We have been informed by the police that the objective of squatting has been only to expose any hidden items in the detainee's body crevices. If so, the burning question is why make the poor detainee hold on to her ears, if not to humiliate her?
To that, the commission had a doctor advising by doing so, it would improve the balance of the person performing the squatting exercise. How thoughtful of the police.
But every school student in Malaysia and around the world would tell you the best posture to enhance balance during a squat is to stretch one's arms out horizontally, in front or to the side of the body, and certainly not the exact opposite of keeping those arms close to the body as would be the case when hanging on to the ears. Or, why not ask the tightrope walker how he balances himself best when walking on the wire? Perhaps we can even answer the question ourselves by observing our natural reaction when we attempt to balance on a very narrow plank.
Perhaps the doctor missed mentioning that holding the ear lobes might stimulate the vestibular system, put the brain into Zen-like meditation and encourage the body apertures to cooperate.
We would also like to know how far true has been lawyer Sankara Nair's comment that the commission had relied only on information provided by the police? Nair is the legal counsel for the 5 Chinese women (also Chinese nationals) who had lodged complaints against police abuses experienced by them.
Nair sought to present his clients’ complaints to the Independent Inquiry on the Squatgate scandal, but the commission refused to allow that because its terms of reference didn’t permit the inquiry to go beyond identifying and investigating the case of the woman doing the naked ear squats, caught in a video clip.
Woman identified. Case closed!
63 Days in Hell and Back!
This must be the most amazing demonstration of the will to live. A Pakistani woman has survived after being trapped beneath the rubble of the earthquake TWO MONTHS AGO in freezing conditions.
Villages digging in the rubble to salvage items chanced upon Naqsha Bibi after she had been immobilised among the debris for a frightening 63 days, and in the worst environmental conditions.
She is a bad state but doctors reckon she may survive. What an amazing woman! Her Will to Survive must be studied and recorded for posterity!
UPDATE:
It seems that our amazing woman who went to hell and back, was only in Hades for only 2 days instead of the 63 that was attributed in an earlier report. She has wasted her physiological self because she ate too little. But let me say that 2 days in Hell is still terrible, let alone the 63 claimed by some newspapers. And I am truly glad she was pulled out to safety, regardless of whether her foray into Hades was brief or long.
Thanks to Anonymous who pointed out the new report on the Daily Times of Pakistan.
Villages digging in the rubble to salvage items chanced upon Naqsha Bibi after she had been immobilised among the debris for a frightening 63 days, and in the worst environmental conditions.
She is a bad state but doctors reckon she may survive. What an amazing woman! Her Will to Survive must be studied and recorded for posterity!
UPDATE:
It seems that our amazing woman who went to hell and back, was only in Hades for only 2 days instead of the 63 that was attributed in an earlier report. She has wasted her physiological self because she ate too little. But let me say that 2 days in Hell is still terrible, let alone the 63 claimed by some newspapers. And I am truly glad she was pulled out to safety, regardless of whether her foray into Hades was brief or long.
Thanks to Anonymous who pointed out the new report on the Daily Times of Pakistan.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Anti-Terrorism Act requires Community Bridge Building
Highly respected Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said out the thing on everyone’s mind, which I reckon won’t win approval for him from Prime Minister Howard. However, Keelty has bucked Howard before, not deliberately of course, but in the course of speaking the plain truth.
Keelty is disappointed that the racial violence in Sydney will set back the new anti-terrorism laws, because the Arab minorities would view it with even greater distrust, as something that may be used against them. This will make the work of his officers even more difficult.
Note I underlined "even greater distrust" because the Aussie Muslim community has fearfully viewed Australia's new anti-terorrist laws as a Sword of Damocles. Unfortunately Prime Minister Howard has a reputation of having staff who provided advice on threats that were subsequently found to be either false, exaggerated or even creative - eg. the Children Overboard case, otherwise known as Truth Overboard.
There have been other such cases which haven't lent confidence to the Aussie Muslims that the new anti-terrorist laws are really needed, and not something that would be used against them when it suits a political situation.
Keelty believes that it is essential for the police to build bridges with young Muslims who are already feeling targeted by the new anti-terror laws. He stated:
"The basis for our progress in terms of the security environment will be ameliorating any of the differences with the next generations around the country. There's a lot of concern about the new legislation, a lot of concern about how the police will apply the new legislation and we need to demonstrate from the policing perspective that it will be enacted upon appropriately.”
“But we need the trust of the community, and at the moment that trust will be very challenging in an environment if that is allowed to go unabated. I'm not saying that anyone's at fault here, what I'm saying is that all of us need to realise that our country is a much better place than this behaviour demonstrates."
Yes, Mr Keelty, you are right again.
Keelty is disappointed that the racial violence in Sydney will set back the new anti-terrorism laws, because the Arab minorities would view it with even greater distrust, as something that may be used against them. This will make the work of his officers even more difficult.
Note I underlined "even greater distrust" because the Aussie Muslim community has fearfully viewed Australia's new anti-terorrist laws as a Sword of Damocles. Unfortunately Prime Minister Howard has a reputation of having staff who provided advice on threats that were subsequently found to be either false, exaggerated or even creative - eg. the Children Overboard case, otherwise known as Truth Overboard.
There have been other such cases which haven't lent confidence to the Aussie Muslims that the new anti-terrorist laws are really needed, and not something that would be used against them when it suits a political situation.
Keelty believes that it is essential for the police to build bridges with young Muslims who are already feeling targeted by the new anti-terror laws. He stated:
"The basis for our progress in terms of the security environment will be ameliorating any of the differences with the next generations around the country. There's a lot of concern about the new legislation, a lot of concern about how the police will apply the new legislation and we need to demonstrate from the policing perspective that it will be enacted upon appropriately.”
“But we need the trust of the community, and at the moment that trust will be very challenging in an environment if that is allowed to go unabated. I'm not saying that anyone's at fault here, what I'm saying is that all of us need to realise that our country is a much better place than this behaviour demonstrates."
Yes, Mr Keelty, you are right again.
China: Peace Good for Business
China has announced her 15 years’ vision for the Asian region. It’s all very straightforward and simple, and typically Chinese. She wants to get richer – but through trade and not invasions of sovereign nations to steal their oil.
But the vision statement is more than just about China getting rich through trade. The Chinese premier wants peace in the region as this would be vital to her trading activities. She needs what Premier Wen in a speech to an ASEAN business conference in Malaysia called a ‘durable and peaceful international environment that enables it to concentrate on economic development’.
Wen avowed that China will strive for a region that is peaceful, open, cooperative and harmonious. And to tantalise the ASEAN ministers, she wants the benefits to pass on to other countries in the region as well, namely ASEAN.
Wen tossed a few juicy figures to motivate the ASEAN countries. China intends to double her GDP from the current US$2 trillion. This will involve China importing more than the US$370 billion in goods and services from Asia that had been traded in 2004.
Amd just to make sure ASEAN listens to her more attentively, Wen said that Asia accounts for about 65 percent of China’s imports, and 80% of China's overseas investment. Trade between China and the 10 ASEAN countries topped US$100 billion last year, and rose another 25 percent over the first nine months of this year.
Unlike the USA, ASEAN countries have enjoyed an US$8 billion surplus in their trade with China.
And wait for this - These juicy trade figures may be expected to soar further under a China-ASEAN free trade area, that is planned to come fully online in 2010. No wonder Australia wants to be in and has signed the Treaty of Amity & Cooperation with ASEAN after an initial refusal to do so. No wonder Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi wishes to emulate his predecessor's call to restrict the trade grouping to only ASEAN + 3, namely China, Japan & Korea - case of less men, more share.
I see these China pronouncements as taking a leaf out of the postwar Japanese economic book – namely, conquer through trade!
Don’t believe me? Look around your house and tell me whether there are 5 electronic or electrical gadgets that aren't of Japanese brand.
Isn't this approach more profitable than dropping cluster bombs on kids or getting killed by roadside bombs, so as to get cheap oil? China will be happy to pay top dollars for anybody's oil, and that's easy when she has very deep pockets with cheap labour.
But the vision statement is more than just about China getting rich through trade. The Chinese premier wants peace in the region as this would be vital to her trading activities. She needs what Premier Wen in a speech to an ASEAN business conference in Malaysia called a ‘durable and peaceful international environment that enables it to concentrate on economic development’.
Wen avowed that China will strive for a region that is peaceful, open, cooperative and harmonious. And to tantalise the ASEAN ministers, she wants the benefits to pass on to other countries in the region as well, namely ASEAN.
Wen tossed a few juicy figures to motivate the ASEAN countries. China intends to double her GDP from the current US$2 trillion. This will involve China importing more than the US$370 billion in goods and services from Asia that had been traded in 2004.
Amd just to make sure ASEAN listens to her more attentively, Wen said that Asia accounts for about 65 percent of China’s imports, and 80% of China's overseas investment. Trade between China and the 10 ASEAN countries topped US$100 billion last year, and rose another 25 percent over the first nine months of this year.
Unlike the USA, ASEAN countries have enjoyed an US$8 billion surplus in their trade with China.
And wait for this - These juicy trade figures may be expected to soar further under a China-ASEAN free trade area, that is planned to come fully online in 2010. No wonder Australia wants to be in and has signed the Treaty of Amity & Cooperation with ASEAN after an initial refusal to do so. No wonder Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi wishes to emulate his predecessor's call to restrict the trade grouping to only ASEAN + 3, namely China, Japan & Korea - case of less men, more share.
I see these China pronouncements as taking a leaf out of the postwar Japanese economic book – namely, conquer through trade!
Don’t believe me? Look around your house and tell me whether there are 5 electronic or electrical gadgets that aren't of Japanese brand.
Isn't this approach more profitable than dropping cluster bombs on kids or getting killed by roadside bombs, so as to get cheap oil? China will be happy to pay top dollars for anybody's oil, and that's easy when she has very deep pockets with cheap labour.
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