The real 'shooting' has started. Things have gone bloody ugly in UMNO.
At a press conference at Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Tronoh, Perak, Dr Mahathir has called upon his hand-picked successor AAB to quit his prime ministerial post.
The Grand Ole Man said: “If we have a prime minister who sold the country, why wait for five years? We have to take early action. If he sold the country, there’s no need to wait five years. We must not always say we support the prime minister.”
This is serious stuff! Consider – Mahathir has accused PM AAB of selling off Malaysia, obviously in a reference to his earlier accusation of AAB’s government giving in to Singapore.
What had seemingly sparked off Mahathir’s wrath against AAB had been the abandonment of the ‘scenic’ bridge project. He accused the government of ‘kowtowing’ to Singapore and failed to protect national interests. He alluded to greed among some UMNO personalities that had resulted in the project cancellation.
Early he had limited his anger and allegations to Khairy Jamaluddin, and only criticised AAB for allowing his son-in-law to exercise disproportionate unofficial powers. But this time he has gone for AAB’s jugular, despite his earlier statement he had no intention of overthrowing the prime minister.
Maybe AAB, having anticipated the MM-escalation, had called for the tightening up of media outlets, especially those on the Internet as Mahathir would relying on this medium to send his message of criticism and condemnation.
However, Mahathir carefully qualified his criticisms. He assured UMNO die-hards that he was not criticising UMNO in his on-going spat with Abdullah. He said: “I’ve never criticise UMNO in my speeches. I only criticised the leader who swayed away from the wishes of UMNO.”
He said that during his time he didn’t bar his UMNO competitors from challenging him, referring to Ku Li, Musa Hitam and AAB: “I was challenged until I almost lost, yet UMNO remained strong ... We are not condemning UMNO, we are condemning the leadership who are not following the party’s principles and struggles.”
Then he took another potshot (lots of shooting recently) at Khairy Jamaluddin, who last week vowed to answer the allegations against him including his multi-million ringgit purchase of shares in boutique investment bank, ECM-Libra.
Dr Mahathir scoffed: “What’s there to answer? He’s not answering. Where did he get RM 9 million? He said he borrowed from friends. Who are his friends whom he can borrow as much as RM9 million? I, too, would like to borrow ...”
Gee, I wonder whether he read my posting Khairy Jamaluddin - Questions on his Loans and borrowed my query, that Khairy should explain how he obtained his loan so that we may all emulate his skills at securing such a humongous one?
Dr Mahathir said: “There are some in UMNO Youth who also would like to borrow RM 9 million to buy ECM-Libra shares. Can they go and take a loan? Why did his friends give him the loan? Even if we want to get a loan from the bank, can we go borrow RM9 million to buy ECM-Libra shares?”
As I remarked in my earlier posting Khairy Jamaluddin - Questions on his Loans, AAB who spoke out in defence of Khairy, like Khairy, didn’t explain how in the world did a company, ECM-Libra, merely loan out RM 9.2 millions to a 31-year old bloke to buy the shares of the same company?
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Khairy Jamaluddin - Questions on his Loans
PM AAB has jumped in to defend his controversial son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin. Khairy had been accused as the power behind the throne, allegedly running the country for a passive AAB.
Since Dr Mahathir had come out recently with that insinuation, Khairy had stop working as an advisor for AAB.
AAB retorted: “It was not easy to become a prime minister, I will not hand over my power (so easily) to him.”
He admitted that Khairy had worked for him as one of his advisers, providing his [Khairy’s] opinions on matters involving the government. But AAB asserted that ultimately it was him who would decide.
But Mr PM, it’s not just Dr Mahathir. For years since you became the PM, that had been the perception of most Malaysians that your son-in-law allegedly called the shots (excuse the pun). Dr Mahathir merely voiced it out aloud publicly.
Then AAB went on to Khairy’s business dealings. He said: “He applied for loans to buy some small amount of shares in ECM-Libra.”
But AAB, like Khairy, didn’t explain how in the world did a company, ECM-Libra, merely loan out RM 9.2 millions to a 31-year old bloke to buy the shares of the same company?
Additionally, the approved merger of ECM Libra with Avenue Capital Resources Berhad, a Finance Ministry-linked company, has, as Malaysiakini reported, raised many eyebrows.
A Malaysiakini reader BOLH wrote in to the online newspaper to query the means by which Khairy had, as he [Khairy] himself confessed, ‘luckily’ obtained a loan from ECM-Libra. BOLH wants to know what collateral Khairy had offered. He asked:
“Khairy said that he borrowed money from certain parties to finance his acquisition of a substantial stake in ECM-Libra. We must not forget that Khairy is linked to the prime minister and he must come clean.”
“Who are these people who financed him? If these parties truly had financed him, surely there must be some form of collateral to back this loan and such collateral must be greater than or equal to the sum loaned to Khairy. Nobody gives out money for nothing even if you are the son-in-law of the prime minister.”
“If there is such a collateral, what is it and where did it originate from? If it is from Khairy, then how did he come by with such a collateral of such great amount?”
Very daunting questions, but then Khairy has just announced he has explained enough already, and will now focus on UMNO Youth’s struggle, whatever that would be.
As for Khairy’s explanations, other than he isn’t married to Maya Karin, many people including BOLH still are waiting for him to explain how he was given such a humongous loan by ECM-Libra. We all want to learn how to achieve that too.
But UMNO supreme council member Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the ‘jantan’ man, defended Khairy. Nazri said Khairy had sought his advice and he counselled only responding to Dr Mahathir’s accusation at the right time. He believed that Khairy has done well to remain cool. Give the laddie a pat on his shoulder.
Then none other than Rahim Tamby Chik came out in Khairy’s defence too – see, told you Khairy’s ‘popular’. Rahim even went one step further by suggesting that Khairy should only respond if there was evidence - in other words, Khairy should maintain 'elegant' silence.
Certainly heart-warming to see how UMNO stalwarts marshalled around young Khairy in his 'cool' though tearful defence. However, another Malaysiakini reader, Ibnu Hakeem, also wrote in and asked:
[…]
"Khairy has been a director of ECM-Libra since July 2004, not long after his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, succeeded Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister."
"According to Section 131 of the Companies Act, it is illegal for a company to make a loan to anyone (especially a director) to buy its own shares. In this case, ECM Libra is also a financial institution (a so-called investment bank) which means it is also under the purview of the Bafia (Banking and Financial Institutions Act). The Bafia has a few more restrictions than the Companies Act."
"Since Khairy has made a public confession, the attorney-general and Bank Negara should investigate if there is any breach of either the Companies Act, the Bafia, or both."
Hmmm, any chance of that happening?
Since Dr Mahathir had come out recently with that insinuation, Khairy had stop working as an advisor for AAB.
AAB retorted: “It was not easy to become a prime minister, I will not hand over my power (so easily) to him.”
He admitted that Khairy had worked for him as one of his advisers, providing his [Khairy’s] opinions on matters involving the government. But AAB asserted that ultimately it was him who would decide.
But Mr PM, it’s not just Dr Mahathir. For years since you became the PM, that had been the perception of most Malaysians that your son-in-law allegedly called the shots (excuse the pun). Dr Mahathir merely voiced it out aloud publicly.
Then AAB went on to Khairy’s business dealings. He said: “He applied for loans to buy some small amount of shares in ECM-Libra.”
But AAB, like Khairy, didn’t explain how in the world did a company, ECM-Libra, merely loan out RM 9.2 millions to a 31-year old bloke to buy the shares of the same company?
Additionally, the approved merger of ECM Libra with Avenue Capital Resources Berhad, a Finance Ministry-linked company, has, as Malaysiakini reported, raised many eyebrows.
A Malaysiakini reader BOLH wrote in to the online newspaper to query the means by which Khairy had, as he [Khairy] himself confessed, ‘luckily’ obtained a loan from ECM-Libra. BOLH wants to know what collateral Khairy had offered. He asked:
“Khairy said that he borrowed money from certain parties to finance his acquisition of a substantial stake in ECM-Libra. We must not forget that Khairy is linked to the prime minister and he must come clean.”
“Who are these people who financed him? If these parties truly had financed him, surely there must be some form of collateral to back this loan and such collateral must be greater than or equal to the sum loaned to Khairy. Nobody gives out money for nothing even if you are the son-in-law of the prime minister.”
“If there is such a collateral, what is it and where did it originate from? If it is from Khairy, then how did he come by with such a collateral of such great amount?”
Very daunting questions, but then Khairy has just announced he has explained enough already, and will now focus on UMNO Youth’s struggle, whatever that would be.
As for Khairy’s explanations, other than he isn’t married to Maya Karin, many people including BOLH still are waiting for him to explain how he was given such a humongous loan by ECM-Libra. We all want to learn how to achieve that too.
But UMNO supreme council member Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the ‘jantan’ man, defended Khairy. Nazri said Khairy had sought his advice and he counselled only responding to Dr Mahathir’s accusation at the right time. He believed that Khairy has done well to remain cool. Give the laddie a pat on his shoulder.
Then none other than Rahim Tamby Chik came out in Khairy’s defence too – see, told you Khairy’s ‘popular’. Rahim even went one step further by suggesting that Khairy should only respond if there was evidence - in other words, Khairy should maintain 'elegant' silence.
Certainly heart-warming to see how UMNO stalwarts marshalled around young Khairy in his 'cool' though tearful defence. However, another Malaysiakini reader, Ibnu Hakeem, also wrote in and asked:
[…]
"Khairy has been a director of ECM-Libra since July 2004, not long after his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, succeeded Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister."
"According to Section 131 of the Companies Act, it is illegal for a company to make a loan to anyone (especially a director) to buy its own shares. In this case, ECM Libra is also a financial institution (a so-called investment bank) which means it is also under the purview of the Bafia (Banking and Financial Institutions Act). The Bafia has a few more restrictions than the Companies Act."
"Since Khairy has made a public confession, the attorney-general and Bank Negara should investigate if there is any breach of either the Companies Act, the Bafia, or both."
Hmmm, any chance of that happening?
Imminent Natural Disaster in Phlippines
Thanks to my Penang kinfolk, Ali Akhbar, for writing in to alert me of a natural disaster about to happen next door. Ali buddy, kam siah.
One of our neighbour’s volcano, Mayon in central Philippines, began abnormal activity in February and then started emitting small lava flows on July 15.
Early yesterday, Mayon was rocked by six successive volcanic blasts, followed by a fountain of lava from its crater. By mid-morning, the peak was covered in a dark cloud of volcanic material rising several kilometres above the crater. Super-heated lava was flowing down its slopes, setting vegetation on fire.
The Philippine seismology institute has raised a five-step volcano alert over Mayon at the next-highest level of 4, meaning an eruption could occur within days. Mayon has been a bit of a fiery bitch, experiencing 47 eruptions in recorded history, the last before the current situation being a mild outpouring of lava in June 2001.
But it’s not just a little boiling pot, but more of a Pompeii. It buried the town of Cagsawa in the 19th Century, killing an estimated 1,000 people.
Volcanologists have said an explosive eruption by Mayon, one of the country's most active volcanoes, could threaten the lives of about 60,000 people.
Philippine Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz says the Government expects to move 34,276 people to 31state-run shelters during the day, with 80 military trucks doing the heavy lifting.
One of our neighbour’s volcano, Mayon in central Philippines, began abnormal activity in February and then started emitting small lava flows on July 15.
Early yesterday, Mayon was rocked by six successive volcanic blasts, followed by a fountain of lava from its crater. By mid-morning, the peak was covered in a dark cloud of volcanic material rising several kilometres above the crater. Super-heated lava was flowing down its slopes, setting vegetation on fire.
The Philippine seismology institute has raised a five-step volcano alert over Mayon at the next-highest level of 4, meaning an eruption could occur within days. Mayon has been a bit of a fiery bitch, experiencing 47 eruptions in recorded history, the last before the current situation being a mild outpouring of lava in June 2001.
But it’s not just a little boiling pot, but more of a Pompeii. It buried the town of Cagsawa in the 19th Century, killing an estimated 1,000 people.
Volcanologists have said an explosive eruption by Mayon, one of the country's most active volcanoes, could threaten the lives of about 60,000 people.
Philippine Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz says the Government expects to move 34,276 people to 31state-run shelters during the day, with 80 military trucks doing the heavy lifting.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Bigfoot's Kow-Tim-Yee!
Jaan-Tan: Darling, looks like we’re in the news again. Our usual wishful fans even claimed to have pictures of our ‘bloodshot eye’s and a photo of an entire head. Must say the head resembles your aunt, after she had been run over by one of those timber lorries (snarl/grin).
Betty-Na (alarmed): That’s a tasteless joke. Aunt has been missing for weeks. Maybe it’s her! You know there was some shooting around the time she disappeared.
Jaan-Tan (dismissive): Naah, you worry too much, dear, like those humans. Look darling, I’ll ring up a man who knows everything.
Betty-Na: Everything?
Jann-Tan (lumbering to the public telephone at the edge of a Johor forest reserve): Well ... he's after all an important bloke in the news world.
Betty-Na: Don’t use your name. You know how the word ‘Jann-Tan’ (jantan) drives them up the wall. Just refer to your self as … er … yes … use ‘Jay’. That will be more ambiguous.
Ring ring ring … ring iiiiing iiiiing
Operator: Halloooo, selamat pag …..
Jann-Tan (impatient): Er ... selamat pagi, tingkat empat please.
Operator: Nomber, Incik?
Jann-Tan (nonplussed, but decided to punt): Er … No 1.
Operator (now alert): No 1? Incik siapa?
Jann-Tan: Jay.
Operator (relieved): J? Baik tuan, sebentar … (30 seconds) … maaf tuan, ta’ada jawapan dari No 1 – saya sambung No 2, OK? (but without waiting for an acknowledgement, she connected Jann-Tan to Ext No 2)
Voice (abrupt): Ya, siapa?
Jann-Tan: Jay.
Voice: J? Hi Boss, you sound a bit hoarse and rough … hehehe … been through a lot these last few days, haven’t you ... (then breaking into a Cliff Richard song) ... Many a tears has to fall, but it's all in the game ...
********This one is for Howsy, again - mate, you owe me ;-)
Betty-Na (alarmed): That’s a tasteless joke. Aunt has been missing for weeks. Maybe it’s her! You know there was some shooting around the time she disappeared.
Jaan-Tan (dismissive): Naah, you worry too much, dear, like those humans. Look darling, I’ll ring up a man who knows everything.
Betty-Na: Everything?
Jann-Tan (lumbering to the public telephone at the edge of a Johor forest reserve): Well ... he's after all an important bloke in the news world.
Betty-Na: Don’t use your name. You know how the word ‘Jann-Tan’ (jantan) drives them up the wall. Just refer to your self as … er … yes … use ‘Jay’. That will be more ambiguous.
Ring ring ring … ring iiiiing iiiiing
Operator: Halloooo, selamat pag …..
Jann-Tan (impatient): Er ... selamat pagi, tingkat empat please.
Operator: Nomber, Incik?
Jann-Tan (nonplussed, but decided to punt): Er … No 1.
Operator (now alert): No 1? Incik siapa?
Jann-Tan: Jay.
Operator (relieved): J? Baik tuan, sebentar … (30 seconds) … maaf tuan, ta’ada jawapan dari No 1 – saya sambung No 2, OK? (but without waiting for an acknowledgement, she connected Jann-Tan to Ext No 2)
Voice (abrupt): Ya, siapa?
Jann-Tan: Jay.
Voice: J? Hi Boss, you sound a bit hoarse and rough … hehehe … been through a lot these last few days, haven’t you ... (then breaking into a Cliff Richard song) ... Many a tears has to fall, but it's all in the game ...
Jann-Tan: Siapa tu?
Voice: K.
Jann-Tan (quickly slipping in question about possible connection between auntie’s disappearance and the shooting at the forest reserve): K, you know, the shooting business ….. (but before he could finish)
Voice: Kow tim!
Jann-Tan: What, she’s been shot?
Voice: No, not her, remember, that’s settled. I meant J.
Jann-Tan: Jay? Me?
Voice: Hehehe … Hey Boss, we agreed we'll refer to you as J rather than K but it's that bloody J, he’s kow tim.
Jann-Tan (confused): I am Kay but also Jay but then not that Jay, with you as Kay but not me, cause I'm Kay ... er ... Jay? Hmmm, this reminds me of the Bush-Rice story of who’s the president of China?
Voice: Hehehe, Boss, you’re in top form. I love that one: Bush asked “Who’s the president of China?” And that poor Rice answered “Hu!”, and the president “Look, that what’s what I am asking: Who’s the president of China”. And we have the two of them throwing the Who, Hu, Who, Hu, Who to and from between themselves … hehehe .. that president really tidak guna.
Jann-Tan: Guna?
Voice: Kow tim. Hehehe … right smack on target … two birds with one bullet … hehehe, excuse the pun.
Jann-Tan: That’s a lot of kow tim and birds, but I want to know about the shooting …..
Voice: Boss, no names over the phone please, you never know who might be listening, the big MM-onster ... hehehe. Suffice to say those two have been kow tim.
Jann-Tan (decides to shoot his usual parting penalty shot): OK, if you say so, then kow tim yee.
Voice: Er … kow tim yee … what’s that?
Brrrrr …rrrrr. … rrrrr (phone cut off)
Betty-Na: Well?
Jann-Tan: Nothing about aunt. No news is good news.
Betty-Na: What’s that about kow tim yee – sounds like 9.2?
Jann-Tan (mischievous snarl/grin): Darling, have I told you about that Kelantan mufti who said women who abuse their husbands can be fined RM 1,000 or imprisoned for 6 months? Too many questions to a hubby would be a form of abuse, but I’ll settle for a hug (snarl/grin)
And the two loving Bigfoots stroll back into a forest near Kota Tinggi.
Voice: K.
Jann-Tan (quickly slipping in question about possible connection between auntie’s disappearance and the shooting at the forest reserve): K, you know, the shooting business ….. (but before he could finish)
Voice: Kow tim!
Jann-Tan: What, she’s been shot?
Voice: No, not her, remember, that’s settled. I meant J.
Jann-Tan: Jay? Me?
Voice: Hehehe … Hey Boss, we agreed we'll refer to you as J rather than K but it's that bloody J, he’s kow tim.
Jann-Tan (confused): I am Kay but also Jay but then not that Jay, with you as Kay but not me, cause I'm Kay ... er ... Jay? Hmmm, this reminds me of the Bush-Rice story of who’s the president of China?
Voice: Hehehe, Boss, you’re in top form. I love that one: Bush asked “Who’s the president of China?” And that poor Rice answered “Hu!”, and the president “Look, that what’s what I am asking: Who’s the president of China”. And we have the two of them throwing the Who, Hu, Who, Hu, Who to and from between themselves … hehehe .. that president really tidak guna.
Jann-Tan: Guna?
Voice: Kow tim. Hehehe … right smack on target … two birds with one bullet … hehehe, excuse the pun.
Jann-Tan: That’s a lot of kow tim and birds, but I want to know about the shooting …..
Voice: Boss, no names over the phone please, you never know who might be listening, the big MM-onster ... hehehe. Suffice to say those two have been kow tim.
Jann-Tan (decides to shoot his usual parting penalty shot): OK, if you say so, then kow tim yee.
Voice: Er … kow tim yee … what’s that?
Brrrrr …rrrrr. … rrrrr (phone cut off)
Betty-Na: Well?
Jann-Tan: Nothing about aunt. No news is good news.
Betty-Na: What’s that about kow tim yee – sounds like 9.2?
Jann-Tan (mischievous snarl/grin): Darling, have I told you about that Kelantan mufti who said women who abuse their husbands can be fined RM 1,000 or imprisoned for 6 months? Too many questions to a hubby would be a form of abuse, but I’ll settle for a hug (snarl/grin)
And the two loving Bigfoots stroll back into a forest near Kota Tinggi.
********
Lebanon Says 'NO' to US-French ceasefire draft
Not surprising that Lebanon said F-off to the proposed draft by the US-France for a ceasefire.
It doesn’t call for Israel to get out of Lebanon. Hezbollah has also nix-ed the draft proposal, saying there’s no cessation of hostility until all Israeli troops get out of Lebanon. The so-called ceasefire is worded in such a way that Hezbollah mustn’t fire a single shot while Israel reserves the ‘right to defend itself’, and knowing the Israelis, we know what that means.
The French did its best but with the USA insisting on everything Israel wants, that was the best the draft could come out with.
But that’s not good enough for the Lebanese, who knows that while they may be pulverised each day, time is on their side as the Sunnis are slowly gravitating towards their cause, much to the alarm of the Sunni rulers and governments. The Lebanese also know that Israel can’t take the sort of attrition that Hezbollah has been dealing out to them.
In fact, Hezbollah has just launched a barrage of rockets in northern Israel, at the communal farm of Kfar Giladi. Nine army reservists were killed while 14 others were injured, with 4 seriously. It’s always a terrible shame when civilians of both sides are injured.
From al Jazeera:
Hezbollah said it had also attacked Israeli forces in south Lebanon on Sunday, inflicting several casualties. There was no immediate word from the army on Israeli casualties in the fighting.
Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli military vehicles in Wadi Honeen on the border and an armoured Israeli unit trying to advance towards Adayseh village, killing or wounding several soldiers, the group said. Two tanks and two bulldozers were reportedly destroyed.
Israeli troops trying to advance north near Biyada village were also attacked and two tanks damaged.
A couple of days ago, significantly Hezbollah and the Lebanese military joined forces to repulse an Israeli raid by helicopter at Tyre. Several Israeli commandoes were injured. That was significant because the Lebanese military and Hezbollah had operated together, probably for the first time, which may yet prove more ominous for Israel. Israel brutal atrocities against the Lebanese has united the Shiite, Sunni, Christian and Druze communities of the Levantine State.
Things just aren’t going Israel’s brutal ways, which have been worrying Washington who thought it could pull a fast one on Beirut by an uneven-handed draft resolution that favours Israel, disproportionately.
It doesn’t call for Israel to get out of Lebanon. Hezbollah has also nix-ed the draft proposal, saying there’s no cessation of hostility until all Israeli troops get out of Lebanon. The so-called ceasefire is worded in such a way that Hezbollah mustn’t fire a single shot while Israel reserves the ‘right to defend itself’, and knowing the Israelis, we know what that means.
The French did its best but with the USA insisting on everything Israel wants, that was the best the draft could come out with.
But that’s not good enough for the Lebanese, who knows that while they may be pulverised each day, time is on their side as the Sunnis are slowly gravitating towards their cause, much to the alarm of the Sunni rulers and governments. The Lebanese also know that Israel can’t take the sort of attrition that Hezbollah has been dealing out to them.
In fact, Hezbollah has just launched a barrage of rockets in northern Israel, at the communal farm of Kfar Giladi. Nine army reservists were killed while 14 others were injured, with 4 seriously. It’s always a terrible shame when civilians of both sides are injured.
From al Jazeera:
Hezbollah said it had also attacked Israeli forces in south Lebanon on Sunday, inflicting several casualties. There was no immediate word from the army on Israeli casualties in the fighting.
Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli military vehicles in Wadi Honeen on the border and an armoured Israeli unit trying to advance towards Adayseh village, killing or wounding several soldiers, the group said. Two tanks and two bulldozers were reportedly destroyed.
Israeli troops trying to advance north near Biyada village were also attacked and two tanks damaged.
A couple of days ago, significantly Hezbollah and the Lebanese military joined forces to repulse an Israeli raid by helicopter at Tyre. Several Israeli commandoes were injured. That was significant because the Lebanese military and Hezbollah had operated together, probably for the first time, which may yet prove more ominous for Israel. Israel brutal atrocities against the Lebanese has united the Shiite, Sunni, Christian and Druze communities of the Levantine State.
Things just aren’t going Israel’s brutal ways, which have been worrying Washington who thought it could pull a fast one on Beirut by an uneven-handed draft resolution that favours Israel, disproportionately.
Khairy Jamaluddin's Noble Challenge
Khairy Jamaluffin* Jamaluddin, deputy Head of UMNO Youth and also the PM’s son-in-law has been criticised by former PM Dr Mahathir for various alleged naughtiness.
* thanks Howsy, finger problem
Thus, in exasperation with such allegations and controversies, Khairy expressed his preparedness to quit his post in UMNO should he become a liability to the party …….. BUT only on condition ……..
…….. that the delegates of UMNO Youth feel he should go.
He said with great nobility and self-sacrifice: “Only they can decide. Nobody can force a person to leave except those who elected the leader ... Leaders carry out delegates’ mandate. If the leader does not have the credibility or is a liability to an organisation, he cannot cling on to his post. He must realise this.”
“So I want to seek the views of UMNO Youth members at the grassroots whether I've become a liability with all the speculations about me.”
There you are – bloke has made his move, his challenge! The onus is now on those UMNO Youth delegates. It’s no longer Khairy’s baby. The PM backs his very daring move, saying that if people don’t want him, he should resign.
Mind you, he is a very popular man because someone (can’t remember his name – that’s the danger of not contesting to be ‘someone’) had actually made way for him to contest the UMNO Youth Deputy Chief’s position.
Given his ‘popularity’ I wonder whether anyone among the UMNO Youth delegates would say “Go, we don’t want you in our movement”?
And to show you his ‘popularity’, Bernama reported that the Federal Territories Youth division called on irresponsible people (who?) who hurled various baseless allegations against Khairy to stop doing so immediately.
It head Mohamad Norza Zakaria announced sternly: "The movement considers stinging attacks on Khairy as efforts to undermine UMNO Youth."
In other words, an attack on Khairy would be an attack on UMNO Youth itself.
He said the State Umno Youth supported both Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Khairy as the most senior leaders in the movement and described them as ‘the country's most important asset’.
Well, one should never let go of an ‘important asset’.
* thanks Howsy, finger problem
Thus, in exasperation with such allegations and controversies, Khairy expressed his preparedness to quit his post in UMNO should he become a liability to the party …….. BUT only on condition ……..
…….. that the delegates of UMNO Youth feel he should go.
He said with great nobility and self-sacrifice: “Only they can decide. Nobody can force a person to leave except those who elected the leader ... Leaders carry out delegates’ mandate. If the leader does not have the credibility or is a liability to an organisation, he cannot cling on to his post. He must realise this.”
“So I want to seek the views of UMNO Youth members at the grassroots whether I've become a liability with all the speculations about me.”
There you are – bloke has made his move, his challenge! The onus is now on those UMNO Youth delegates. It’s no longer Khairy’s baby. The PM backs his very daring move, saying that if people don’t want him, he should resign.
Mind you, he is a very popular man because someone (can’t remember his name – that’s the danger of not contesting to be ‘someone’) had actually made way for him to contest the UMNO Youth Deputy Chief’s position.
Given his ‘popularity’ I wonder whether anyone among the UMNO Youth delegates would say “Go, we don’t want you in our movement”?
And to show you his ‘popularity’, Bernama reported that the Federal Territories Youth division called on irresponsible people (who?) who hurled various baseless allegations against Khairy to stop doing so immediately.
It head Mohamad Norza Zakaria announced sternly: "The movement considers stinging attacks on Khairy as efforts to undermine UMNO Youth."
In other words, an attack on Khairy would be an attack on UMNO Youth itself.
He said the State Umno Youth supported both Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Khairy as the most senior leaders in the movement and described them as ‘the country's most important asset’.
Well, one should never let go of an ‘important asset’.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
'Lucky' Khairy Jamaluddin
Last Friday, Dr Mahathir questioned openly in public how the PM’s 31-year old son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, had amassed his millions to purchase shares worth RM 9.2 million in the financial advisory company ECM-Libra. Mahathir said that only a person with money would have been allowed to borrow more money from a bank.
Aha, which explains why my application for a bank loan was turned down, despite years of keeping an account with that bank. And mind you, I didn’t even ask for one million, let alone 9. But I must admit my account figures before the decimal point are too pathetic and embarrassing to even mention here.
In response to that query, Khairy just clarified that he had borrowed the money, but not from the bank.
He informed Bernama: “I borrowed the money ... everything is loaned, not my own money. Luckily, there are people who want to give loans (to me). I took a loan from them (ECM-Libra) who sold their shares to me.”
‘Luckily …’ indeed. What a wonderful stroke of luck for him, that unfortunately has somehow eluded poor me. I would have settled for ‘love’ if ‘luck’ in money matters wasn’t to be, but alas, even I have failed in matters of the heart, which goes to prove the saying ‘lucky in love, unlucky in money, but unlucky in love, lucky in money’ very very wrong … well, at least for me.
And when you think of it carefully, that, according to Khairy, it has been ECM-Libra itself, and not a bank. that loaned Khairy the RM 9+ millions to buy 13 million of the company shares, just what marvellous luck this bloke has!
But I hope he won’t be hoodooed in any way by the ‘luck, love & money’ saying I have just quoted. After all he’s quite a lang chai (handsome bloke). But mind you, he's a married man so my concerns for him may be completely irrelevant.
Back to more serious stuff - Files from the Exchange showed that Khairy bought the shares in three separate transactions from acquaintance and ECM-Libra’s chairperson Kalimullah Hassan, chief executive officer Lim Kian Onn and chief operating officer Chua Ming Huat.
Khairy has been a director of ECM-Libra since July 2004, not long after his father-in-law succeeded Dr Mahathir as prime minister.
Luck sure runs like a thick lode for AAB’s family. Wish I could just have a wee sprinkling of their lucky dust. Hmmm, I best forget about 'money', but maybe I’ll re-examine my luck in 'love' again.
Aha, which explains why my application for a bank loan was turned down, despite years of keeping an account with that bank. And mind you, I didn’t even ask for one million, let alone 9. But I must admit my account figures before the decimal point are too pathetic and embarrassing to even mention here.
In response to that query, Khairy just clarified that he had borrowed the money, but not from the bank.
He informed Bernama: “I borrowed the money ... everything is loaned, not my own money. Luckily, there are people who want to give loans (to me). I took a loan from them (ECM-Libra) who sold their shares to me.”
‘Luckily …’ indeed. What a wonderful stroke of luck for him, that unfortunately has somehow eluded poor me. I would have settled for ‘love’ if ‘luck’ in money matters wasn’t to be, but alas, even I have failed in matters of the heart, which goes to prove the saying ‘lucky in love, unlucky in money, but unlucky in love, lucky in money’ very very wrong … well, at least for me.
And when you think of it carefully, that, according to Khairy, it has been ECM-Libra itself, and not a bank. that loaned Khairy the RM 9+ millions to buy 13 million of the company shares, just what marvellous luck this bloke has!
But I hope he won’t be hoodooed in any way by the ‘luck, love & money’ saying I have just quoted. After all he’s quite a lang chai (handsome bloke). But mind you, he's a married man so my concerns for him may be completely irrelevant.
Back to more serious stuff - Files from the Exchange showed that Khairy bought the shares in three separate transactions from acquaintance and ECM-Libra’s chairperson Kalimullah Hassan, chief executive officer Lim Kian Onn and chief operating officer Chua Ming Huat.
Khairy has been a director of ECM-Libra since July 2004, not long after his father-in-law succeeded Dr Mahathir as prime minister.
Luck sure runs like a thick lode for AAB’s family. Wish I could just have a wee sprinkling of their lucky dust. Hmmm, I best forget about 'money', but maybe I’ll re-examine my luck in 'love' again.
KTemoc 'shot' over 'shooting' posting
One visitor to my blog, Winston Smith (and I am the Rt Hon Rupert Clemont-Briggs), has warned (threatened?) me twice that ‘Big Brother is watching me’.
In his last (unedited) comments on my posting "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? he wrote:
Ktemoc, chill out man!
P Gunasegaram was merely expressing his opinion, just like you do with your pro Tun Mamak Kangkang articles. You and him just have differences in opinions. You have the right to say his writings nonsensical. No doubt about it.
But when people start using threats in order to silence others or force them to see things in another way, well, I don't think that's right. Perhaps, that is what you should be condemning. After all, your blog's not yet regulated by MiniTrue that's currently managed by Mamak Mydin.
If you do believe that, quote "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? unquote, then you are no better than those quote "who talked about keris dripping with blood and burning down the Chinese Assembly Hall, or UMNO trained hornets zipping in fiercesome formations at parties it didn’t like".
Big Brother Is Watching You
That’s the first I have been credited as a pro-Mahathir blog. Well, I am a bloke who sees a half glass of fluid as ‘half-full’ rather than 'half-empty', so I want all of you readers to tell Dr Mahathir - if you know him or have an opportunity to sembang (chitchat) with him - there’s a pro-him blogger at KTemoc Konsiders. He might yet leave me ‘something’ or better, I get introduced to Marina ;-)
As for Winston's ;-) defence of Gunasegaram, he missed the point. I did not post "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? to criticise Gunasegaram's article against Dr Mahathir but against his reporting Jeff Ooi to the CMCF.
I had queried exactly what another reader mob1900 had commented, that Screenshots reader Imran might have been blowing his top but his action was not with malice or ill-intent, other than an exasperated shout of ‘shutup’ to Gunasegaram.
Mob1900 hit the spot when he asked: “Don't tell me as an experienced journalist/reporter he [Gunasegaram] can't tell the difference between a genuine threat and a 'figure of speech'?".
And as a refresher for dear Winston, here’s what I wrote earlier:
If my reading of the situation is not incorrect, it would appear that Gunasegaram seeks acquittal (through the CMCF) from Jeff Ooi for not removing the comment in a time to his (Guna’s) satisfaction rather than some assurance that Imran or another reader will not ‘shoot’ him. Imran has become incidental while Jeff Ooi is now Gunasegaram's target.
That he had reported the matter to the CMCF and refuses to withdraw it, even after both Jeff Ooi and Imran had clarified the latter’s comments (already removed), would appear to be an unusually extreme case of merajuk (sulking) for a professional media person. Surely Gunasegaram can't be that angry or vindictive over a petty issue which he has seen fit to not even report to the Police, for 'fear of his personal safety'. Does he want the CMCF to ‘shoot’ Jeff Ooi?
In other words, why make an official mountain out of a blogging pimple, unless only Jeff Ooi’s blood would do.
And dear Winston, please stop your threats. I am aware that Big Brother is indeed watching. I am disappointed you didn’t read my earlier posting Malaysia an Orwellian's 1984?.
I tell you what - I'll refer to you as O’Brien from now on. Cheers, O'Brien.
In his last (unedited) comments on my posting "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? he wrote:
Ktemoc, chill out man!
P Gunasegaram was merely expressing his opinion, just like you do with your pro Tun Mamak Kangkang articles. You and him just have differences in opinions. You have the right to say his writings nonsensical. No doubt about it.
But when people start using threats in order to silence others or force them to see things in another way, well, I don't think that's right. Perhaps, that is what you should be condemning. After all, your blog's not yet regulated by MiniTrue that's currently managed by Mamak Mydin.
If you do believe that, quote "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? unquote, then you are no better than those quote "who talked about keris dripping with blood and burning down the Chinese Assembly Hall, or UMNO trained hornets zipping in fiercesome formations at parties it didn’t like".
Big Brother Is Watching You
That’s the first I have been credited as a pro-Mahathir blog. Well, I am a bloke who sees a half glass of fluid as ‘half-full’ rather than 'half-empty', so I want all of you readers to tell Dr Mahathir - if you know him or have an opportunity to sembang (chitchat) with him - there’s a pro-him blogger at KTemoc Konsiders. He might yet leave me ‘something’ or better, I get introduced to Marina ;-)
As for Winston's ;-) defence of Gunasegaram, he missed the point. I did not post "Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"? to criticise Gunasegaram's article against Dr Mahathir but against his reporting Jeff Ooi to the CMCF.
I had queried exactly what another reader mob1900 had commented, that Screenshots reader Imran might have been blowing his top but his action was not with malice or ill-intent, other than an exasperated shout of ‘shutup’ to Gunasegaram.
Mob1900 hit the spot when he asked: “Don't tell me as an experienced journalist/reporter he [Gunasegaram] can't tell the difference between a genuine threat and a 'figure of speech'?".
And as a refresher for dear Winston, here’s what I wrote earlier:
If my reading of the situation is not incorrect, it would appear that Gunasegaram seeks acquittal (through the CMCF) from Jeff Ooi for not removing the comment in a time to his (Guna’s) satisfaction rather than some assurance that Imran or another reader will not ‘shoot’ him. Imran has become incidental while Jeff Ooi is now Gunasegaram's target.
That he had reported the matter to the CMCF and refuses to withdraw it, even after both Jeff Ooi and Imran had clarified the latter’s comments (already removed), would appear to be an unusually extreme case of merajuk (sulking) for a professional media person. Surely Gunasegaram can't be that angry or vindictive over a petty issue which he has seen fit to not even report to the Police, for 'fear of his personal safety'. Does he want the CMCF to ‘shoot’ Jeff Ooi?
In other words, why make an official mountain out of a blogging pimple, unless only Jeff Ooi’s blood would do.
And dear Winston, please stop your threats. I am aware that Big Brother is indeed watching. I am disappointed you didn’t read my earlier posting Malaysia an Orwellian's 1984?.
I tell you what - I'll refer to you as O’Brien from now on. Cheers, O'Brien.
Another 'shooting' story - Impervious to bullets?
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali, the leader of the Al'Maunah group, an Islamic sect, was executed on Friday for treason.
Apparently Al’Maunah was a martial arts sect, somewhat like the Chinese martial art fighters of the Righteous Harmony Society or 'The Righteous and Harmonious Fists', who brought about what westerners called the Boxer Rebellion - to the Chinese it was of course a patriotic uprising against foreigners in China. This sinister game of who's the 'rebel' and who's the 'patriot' is still being played out today in the Middle East, depending on who owns the pen or the airwaves.
Like the Al’Maunah group, the Righteous Harmony Society told their members that they were invulnerable to bullets. Unlike Al'Maunah, the Righteous Harmony Society was actually supported and abetted by the Chinese authorities against the intruding European powers.
The Chinese Boxer rebellion occurred between November 1899 to September 1901 against foreign influence in areas such as trade, politics, religion and technology in the dying years of the Qing Dynasty. A large number of China’s best martial art boxers found during their dying breaths that their spiritual tangkai (amulets) were no match for bullets.
Like what the Righteous Harmony Society did, the Al’Maunah sect claimed on grounds of religion, a holy war to oust Mahathir and set up an Islamic state.
They disguised themselves as soldiers and stole more than 100 weapons from two military armouries, sparking one of the country's biggest security alerts in July 2000. After they raided the military armouries, they retreated to a jungle hideout where they broadcast calls over army radio for Mahathir to quit.
Sometimes I wonder at simpletons like the leaders of Al'Maunah, who imagined the government would resign on the calls of a ragtag bunch. What an imbecilic lot - it's a pity that some young people had ruined their lives by marshalling around their banner.
The group surrendered after a four-day of siege by some 2,000 troops, during which they murdered a policeman and a soldier they had held hostage. I recall they tortured either the policeman or the soldier, or perhaps both. In that they were unforgivably brutal.
However, I am against the death sentence. What purpose has it served our nation by executing Mohamad Amin when he was no longer a public threat. Sure, he tortured and murdered two officials but his punishment should be a sentence in prison for the rest of his natural life.
Killing him only brings us down to his level, that of low brow psychopathic mentality or a perverted ‘an eye for an eye’ sense of acquittal.
Let us remove from our legal system the ultimate punishment.
Apparently Al’Maunah was a martial arts sect, somewhat like the Chinese martial art fighters of the Righteous Harmony Society or 'The Righteous and Harmonious Fists', who brought about what westerners called the Boxer Rebellion - to the Chinese it was of course a patriotic uprising against foreigners in China. This sinister game of who's the 'rebel' and who's the 'patriot' is still being played out today in the Middle East, depending on who owns the pen or the airwaves.
Like the Al’Maunah group, the Righteous Harmony Society told their members that they were invulnerable to bullets. Unlike Al'Maunah, the Righteous Harmony Society was actually supported and abetted by the Chinese authorities against the intruding European powers.
The Chinese Boxer rebellion occurred between November 1899 to September 1901 against foreign influence in areas such as trade, politics, religion and technology in the dying years of the Qing Dynasty. A large number of China’s best martial art boxers found during their dying breaths that their spiritual tangkai (amulets) were no match for bullets.
Like what the Righteous Harmony Society did, the Al’Maunah sect claimed on grounds of religion, a holy war to oust Mahathir and set up an Islamic state.
They disguised themselves as soldiers and stole more than 100 weapons from two military armouries, sparking one of the country's biggest security alerts in July 2000. After they raided the military armouries, they retreated to a jungle hideout where they broadcast calls over army radio for Mahathir to quit.
Sometimes I wonder at simpletons like the leaders of Al'Maunah, who imagined the government would resign on the calls of a ragtag bunch. What an imbecilic lot - it's a pity that some young people had ruined their lives by marshalling around their banner.
The group surrendered after a four-day of siege by some 2,000 troops, during which they murdered a policeman and a soldier they had held hostage. I recall they tortured either the policeman or the soldier, or perhaps both. In that they were unforgivably brutal.
However, I am against the death sentence. What purpose has it served our nation by executing Mohamad Amin when he was no longer a public threat. Sure, he tortured and murdered two officials but his punishment should be a sentence in prison for the rest of his natural life.
Killing him only brings us down to his level, that of low brow psychopathic mentality or a perverted ‘an eye for an eye’ sense of acquittal.
Let us remove from our legal system the ultimate punishment.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
"Somebody, please shoot this Jeff Ooi for good"?
On 20 June P Gunasegaram, group executive editor of The Edge, posed 22 questions to former PM Dr Mahathir, one for each of his 22 years in power. Gunasegaram’s combative queries of Dr Mahathir’s years as premier came in the wake of Dr Mahathir’s 4 probing questions to PM AAB, on Proton's sale of MV Agusta; the exit of the former Proton chief executive officer; approved permits for cars; and scrapping of the bridge project. At that time AAB had maintained his ‘elegant’ silence.
Then suddenly and, of course, coincidentally, as if to fill in the Grand Canyon-ish gap left by the sheer ‘elegant’ silence, the pro-Singapore government Straits Times picked up the Gunasegaram’s questions by devoting one full-page to them.
In my posting AAB's Unexpected (or Expected) Defender? I remarked that while some of those 22 questions had been pertinent, others have been nothing more than kacau nonsense, perhaps to disturb, as the Malay word would translate into.
I gave a couple of examples of those nonsensical questions, but because of their pathetic relevance or logic, what they did had been, in my opinon, nothing more than to muddy the waters of Dr Mahathir’s questions to AAB.
Well, Gunasegaram has been back recently with another unfavourable-to-Mahathir article titled ‘The myth of Mahathir’s invincibility’ which appeared in The Sun on Thursday. I won't bother to read it as I won't be blogging on that, but rather the ensuing events from another blogger's posting on it.
Jeff Ooi of Screenshots, the don of Malaysian blogosphere (some people hate this word – blogosphere, that is), had blogged on Gunasegaram's article, when one visitor named Imran posted a comment which read: ‘Somebody, please shoot this Gunasegaram for good’.
At that, Gunasegaram took umbrage or fright or ‘whatever’ - you decide but only Gunasegaram himself knows. He wrote to Jeff about that remark. Jeff subsequently removed it while attempting to do the right thing by inviting Imran, a bono fide visitor with full registered credentials at Screenshots, to clarify his remarks.
Imran has been upfront with the fact that he’s a Mahathir supporter and his remarks had been nothing more than a loose comment that Gunasegaram should shut up on his anti-Mahathir articles.
But Gunasegaram was having none of that. Instead, on the very same day, he reported to the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) agency under the energy, water and communications ministry.
When Jeff Ooi explained the situation to Malaysiakini, Gunasegaram immediately told Malaysiakini his complaint has already been lodged and could not be withdrawn, adding the posting was ‘extremely irresponsible’.
He said: “In a sensitive situation like this (just after Mahathir’s pepper spray attack), the blogger should be careful. The meaning of ‘shooting Gunasegaram for good’ in normal language is to kill him. I’m not comfortable with the posting and that it was allowed to be published […] he had the chance to block it but he did not. If the posting’s language is ambiguous, then it should be removed.”
He declined to comment on Malaysiakini's question as to whether the incident was maliciously motivated.
Well, at this stage I wonder whether I could draw the conclusion that Gunasegaram was not frightened by Imran’s purported threat because Gunasegaram’s reporting action on the incident has been to the CMCF against blogger Jeff Ooi rather than to the Police against Imran.
If my reading of the situation is not incorrect, it would appear that Gunasegaram seeks acquittal (through the CMCF) from Jeff Ooi for not removing the comment in a time to his (Guna’s) satisfaction rather than some assurance that Imran or another reader will not ‘shoot’ him. Imran has become incidental while Jeff Ooi is now Gunasegaram's target.
That he had reported the matter to the CMCF and refuses to withdraw it, even after both Jeff Ooi and Imran had clarified the latter’s comments (already removed), would appear to be an unusually extreme case of merajuk (sulking) for a professional media person. Surely Gunasegaram can't be that angry or vindictive over a petty issue which he has seen fit to not even report to the Police, for 'fear of his personal safety'. Does he want the CMCF to ‘shoot’ Jeff Ooi?
Now, Jeff Ooi is not new to such controversies. In his hard hitting and very readable blogging style he has invariably offended a few people. He has criticised various organisations for what he had deemed to be their poor adherence to governance.
One of his principal targets has been Kalimullah, group editor of the NST press. Kalimullah is of course the sidekick of the PM’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin. Together they form the 2 of the 3-K’s that Dr Mahathir had sneeringly criticised AAB’s administration as being lumbered with.
The 2-K’s had reported Jeff Ooi before in the now-infamous ‘oil & water’ saga, that arose from a remark posted by another Screenshot visitor named Anwar (no, not he who cannot be named).
Anwar's remark criticised AAB’s style of government as hardly Islamic, but had referred to a nasty fluid as an analogy. Jeff’s detractors seized on the mention of that 'fluid' to twist it into an insult against Islam per se, with of course Jeff as the alleged irresponsible blogger who permitted Islam to be insulted.
I have often wondered why a supposedly giant in the Malaysian media scene like Kalimullah allowed/allows himself to wrestle directly with a mere blogger like Jeff Ooi, notwithstanding the fact that Jeff is a very influential blogger.
Maybe Kalimullah would one day reveal that professional-social incongruity in his autobiography, or perhaps someone else would, in an unauthorised version.
Then suddenly and, of course, coincidentally, as if to fill in the Grand Canyon-ish gap left by the sheer ‘elegant’ silence, the pro-Singapore government Straits Times picked up the Gunasegaram’s questions by devoting one full-page to them.
In my posting AAB's Unexpected (or Expected) Defender? I remarked that while some of those 22 questions had been pertinent, others have been nothing more than kacau nonsense, perhaps to disturb, as the Malay word would translate into.
I gave a couple of examples of those nonsensical questions, but because of their pathetic relevance or logic, what they did had been, in my opinon, nothing more than to muddy the waters of Dr Mahathir’s questions to AAB.
Well, Gunasegaram has been back recently with another unfavourable-to-Mahathir article titled ‘The myth of Mahathir’s invincibility’ which appeared in The Sun on Thursday. I won't bother to read it as I won't be blogging on that, but rather the ensuing events from another blogger's posting on it.
Jeff Ooi of Screenshots, the don of Malaysian blogosphere (some people hate this word – blogosphere, that is), had blogged on Gunasegaram's article, when one visitor named Imran posted a comment which read: ‘Somebody, please shoot this Gunasegaram for good’.
At that, Gunasegaram took umbrage or fright or ‘whatever’ - you decide but only Gunasegaram himself knows. He wrote to Jeff about that remark. Jeff subsequently removed it while attempting to do the right thing by inviting Imran, a bono fide visitor with full registered credentials at Screenshots, to clarify his remarks.
Imran has been upfront with the fact that he’s a Mahathir supporter and his remarks had been nothing more than a loose comment that Gunasegaram should shut up on his anti-Mahathir articles.
But Gunasegaram was having none of that. Instead, on the very same day, he reported to the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) agency under the energy, water and communications ministry.
When Jeff Ooi explained the situation to Malaysiakini, Gunasegaram immediately told Malaysiakini his complaint has already been lodged and could not be withdrawn, adding the posting was ‘extremely irresponsible’.
He said: “In a sensitive situation like this (just after Mahathir’s pepper spray attack), the blogger should be careful. The meaning of ‘shooting Gunasegaram for good’ in normal language is to kill him. I’m not comfortable with the posting and that it was allowed to be published […] he had the chance to block it but he did not. If the posting’s language is ambiguous, then it should be removed.”
He declined to comment on Malaysiakini's question as to whether the incident was maliciously motivated.
Well, at this stage I wonder whether I could draw the conclusion that Gunasegaram was not frightened by Imran’s purported threat because Gunasegaram’s reporting action on the incident has been to the CMCF against blogger Jeff Ooi rather than to the Police against Imran.
If my reading of the situation is not incorrect, it would appear that Gunasegaram seeks acquittal (through the CMCF) from Jeff Ooi for not removing the comment in a time to his (Guna’s) satisfaction rather than some assurance that Imran or another reader will not ‘shoot’ him. Imran has become incidental while Jeff Ooi is now Gunasegaram's target.
That he had reported the matter to the CMCF and refuses to withdraw it, even after both Jeff Ooi and Imran had clarified the latter’s comments (already removed), would appear to be an unusually extreme case of merajuk (sulking) for a professional media person. Surely Gunasegaram can't be that angry or vindictive over a petty issue which he has seen fit to not even report to the Police, for 'fear of his personal safety'. Does he want the CMCF to ‘shoot’ Jeff Ooi?
Now, Jeff Ooi is not new to such controversies. In his hard hitting and very readable blogging style he has invariably offended a few people. He has criticised various organisations for what he had deemed to be their poor adherence to governance.
One of his principal targets has been Kalimullah, group editor of the NST press. Kalimullah is of course the sidekick of the PM’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin. Together they form the 2 of the 3-K’s that Dr Mahathir had sneeringly criticised AAB’s administration as being lumbered with.
The 2-K’s had reported Jeff Ooi before in the now-infamous ‘oil & water’ saga, that arose from a remark posted by another Screenshot visitor named Anwar (no, not he who cannot be named).
Anwar's remark criticised AAB’s style of government as hardly Islamic, but had referred to a nasty fluid as an analogy. Jeff’s detractors seized on the mention of that 'fluid' to twist it into an insult against Islam per se, with of course Jeff as the alleged irresponsible blogger who permitted Islam to be insulted.
I have often wondered why a supposedly giant in the Malaysian media scene like Kalimullah allowed/allows himself to wrestle directly with a mere blogger like Jeff Ooi, notwithstanding the fact that Jeff is a very influential blogger.
Maybe Kalimullah would one day reveal that professional-social incongruity in his autobiography, or perhaps someone else would, in an unauthorised version.
Israeli airstrikes murdered 40 civilians
The Israeli campaign of genocide continues in Lebanon, with the last air strike killing 40 civilians including women. An air strike hit a farm near Qaa in Lebanon, close to the Syrian border in the Bekaa Valley. 33 farm workers, mostly Syrian Kurds, were loading plums and peaches on to trucks, when the Israeli bombs dropped on them. 20 others were wounded.
The Israeli army spokesman claimed the air strikes in the Qaa area targeted two buildings which its military intelligence said were Hezbollah's weapon stores. But television footage showed bodies of farm workers lined up near the ruins of a small structure in fruit groves, with fruit baskets strewn nearby.
This has been a typical Israeli military lie, after killing innocent civilians. They would always claimed, as they did in Qana, that the Hezbollah either had arms at the devastated location or were hiding among the civilians. It's not unlike the American lies in Iraq and Afghanistan that their military had killed insurgent 'suspects' - meaning they have no proof or evidence other than the convenient word of 'suspects' to excuse their wilful and callous killings of innocent civilians.
It was one of the deadliest air strikes in 24 days of war. But another air strike on a house in the front-line Taibeh village in southern Lebanon also killed seven civilians and wounded 10. News source says civilians were sheltering in the house during fierce battles. But I am sure the Israelis would be able to aver Hezbollah was hiding there or there was a WMD factory.
In retaliation, Hezbollah fired several longer range rockets which landed in or near the Israeli city of Hadera, about 80 kilometres from the Lebanese border. This has been the deepest rocket attack of the war so far. While no report of its effect is still available , one thing the rocket attack has done is to prove Ehud Olmert’s boast of having destroyed Hezbollah’s rocket force as false.
But to compound the difficulties of UN relief aid efforts, Israeli aircraft have deliberately destroyed four bridges on the main coastal highway north of Beirut, which are the main lifelines for aid to Lebanon. The unwarranted destruction has severely disrupted efforts to aid civilians displaced or trapped by the conflict in Lebanon.
UN refugee agency spokeswoman Astrid van Genderen Stort said the destruction represents a major setback for the UN because it used the highways to move staff and supplies into the country. The UN World Food Program has also called off planned convoys to the southern port city of Tyre after air raids on a Beirut suburb prevented drivers from reaching the assembly point.
This is malicious vindictive genocide of the Lebanese people by an evil Israeli regime supported by another evil regime in Washington. The USA has brought death to the Middle East and many parts of the world.
Even as Lebanese civilians are killed by America’s hatchet man in the region, more Iraqis are killed everyday in neighbouring Iraq. US generals in Iraq have conceded that civil war is a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’, meaning more troubled times ahead for ordinary Iraqis, thanks to the Axis of Evil of Washington, London and Tel Aviv.
Where America is involved in the Middle East, death for the locals is a virtual certainty.
The Israeli army spokesman claimed the air strikes in the Qaa area targeted two buildings which its military intelligence said were Hezbollah's weapon stores. But television footage showed bodies of farm workers lined up near the ruins of a small structure in fruit groves, with fruit baskets strewn nearby.
This has been a typical Israeli military lie, after killing innocent civilians. They would always claimed, as they did in Qana, that the Hezbollah either had arms at the devastated location or were hiding among the civilians. It's not unlike the American lies in Iraq and Afghanistan that their military had killed insurgent 'suspects' - meaning they have no proof or evidence other than the convenient word of 'suspects' to excuse their wilful and callous killings of innocent civilians.
It was one of the deadliest air strikes in 24 days of war. But another air strike on a house in the front-line Taibeh village in southern Lebanon also killed seven civilians and wounded 10. News source says civilians were sheltering in the house during fierce battles. But I am sure the Israelis would be able to aver Hezbollah was hiding there or there was a WMD factory.
In retaliation, Hezbollah fired several longer range rockets which landed in or near the Israeli city of Hadera, about 80 kilometres from the Lebanese border. This has been the deepest rocket attack of the war so far. While no report of its effect is still available , one thing the rocket attack has done is to prove Ehud Olmert’s boast of having destroyed Hezbollah’s rocket force as false.
But to compound the difficulties of UN relief aid efforts, Israeli aircraft have deliberately destroyed four bridges on the main coastal highway north of Beirut, which are the main lifelines for aid to Lebanon. The unwarranted destruction has severely disrupted efforts to aid civilians displaced or trapped by the conflict in Lebanon.
UN refugee agency spokeswoman Astrid van Genderen Stort said the destruction represents a major setback for the UN because it used the highways to move staff and supplies into the country. The UN World Food Program has also called off planned convoys to the southern port city of Tyre after air raids on a Beirut suburb prevented drivers from reaching the assembly point.
This is malicious vindictive genocide of the Lebanese people by an evil Israeli regime supported by another evil regime in Washington. The USA has brought death to the Middle East and many parts of the world.
Even as Lebanese civilians are killed by America’s hatchet man in the region, more Iraqis are killed everyday in neighbouring Iraq. US generals in Iraq have conceded that civil war is a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’, meaning more troubled times ahead for ordinary Iraqis, thanks to the Axis of Evil of Washington, London and Tel Aviv.
Where America is involved in the Middle East, death for the locals is a virtual certainty.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Khairy Jamuluddin on OIC & the Pontianak lady
I have to admit that I haven't heard this one before, about Khairy Jamaluddin having a secret second wife. But now I do, because none other than Khairy himself has emerged to dismiss that rumour, according to Bernama. Thanks Khairy!
Khairy swore before God that he is married to only Nori binte Abdullah, the PM's daughter, and that he isn't interested in a second wife.
Other than this vow before God, he informed UMNO that he would soon reveal all against those accusations and slander against him, which he condemned as sheer punitive attacks when the attacker(s) couldn't find any weakness in PM AAB.
He advised UMNO Youth to focus instead on the Israeli aggression against Palestine and Lebanon. He wants the issue discussed seriously before the movement take pro-active action to urge the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the United Nations (UN) the stop the inhumane acts.
Thank goodness he has come to the party finally, when I was beginning to think that only bloggers mahaguru58, MENJ and yours truly were the only 'hi profile' ;-) Malaysians to show any care.
Khairy also said the time had come for Islamic countries to form their own peacekeeping force to help deal with such conflicts.
This is precisely the sort of 'us' and 'them' approach that won't do the Palestinians or Lebanese any good. I see it as nothing more than rhetoric, lots of empty gas! What have the Arabs (other than the Palestinians themselves) or for that matter, Malaysia done for the ordinary Palestinians all these years? Please tell me.
It has been the UN's Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) which has been providing relief care for the Palestinians. Those of you who want the OIC to pull out of the UN should think carefully of what the UN has been doing for the unfortunate Palestinians versus the virtually nothing-ness from the Arab or Islamic states. And I can tell you that the OIC is hardly likely to be able to replicate the good effort of the UNRWA.
Please read my previous postings (below) to see who was the compassionate and intrepid Commissioner-General of the UNRWA who defied the Israelis for the protection and benefit of the Palestinians:
(1) Palestinians: Now's Time to Remember Peter Hanson!
(2) Peter Hanson: "The deprivation of dignified human life"
Khairy promised us that UMNO Youth also wants the UN to abolish the veto power that is held by superpowers like the US because it clearly suppresses Islamic countries.
I am disappointed that an Oxford graduate would even suggest that (1) the removal of the veto of the UNSC permanent members would be possible, or (2) the veto had always been against Islamic countries.
To me, he has only been making flamboyant but empty meaningless gestures. In the final analysis, I find the rumours about his alleged association with Maya Karin more interesting than his proposals for the Middle East.
Photos from Fotopages
Khairy swore before God that he is married to only Nori binte Abdullah, the PM's daughter, and that he isn't interested in a second wife.Other than this vow before God, he informed UMNO that he would soon reveal all against those accusations and slander against him, which he condemned as sheer punitive attacks when the attacker(s) couldn't find any weakness in PM AAB.
He advised UMNO Youth to focus instead on the Israeli aggression against Palestine and Lebanon. He wants the issue discussed seriously before the movement take pro-active action to urge the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the United Nations (UN) the stop the inhumane acts.
Thank goodness he has come to the party finally, when I was beginning to think that only bloggers mahaguru58, MENJ and yours truly were the only 'hi profile' ;-) Malaysians to show any care.
Khairy also said the time had come for Islamic countries to form their own peacekeeping force to help deal with such conflicts.
This is precisely the sort of 'us' and 'them' approach that won't do the Palestinians or Lebanese any good. I see it as nothing more than rhetoric, lots of empty gas! What have the Arabs (other than the Palestinians themselves) or for that matter, Malaysia done for the ordinary Palestinians all these years? Please tell me.
It has been the UN's Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) which has been providing relief care for the Palestinians. Those of you who want the OIC to pull out of the UN should think carefully of what the UN has been doing for the unfortunate Palestinians versus the virtually nothing-ness from the Arab or Islamic states. And I can tell you that the OIC is hardly likely to be able to replicate the good effort of the UNRWA.
Please read my previous postings (below) to see who was the compassionate and intrepid Commissioner-General of the UNRWA who defied the Israelis for the protection and benefit of the Palestinians:
(1) Palestinians: Now's Time to Remember Peter Hanson!
(2) Peter Hanson: "The deprivation of dignified human life"
Khairy promised us that UMNO Youth also wants the UN to abolish the veto power that is held by superpowers like the US because it clearly suppresses Islamic countries.
I am disappointed that an Oxford graduate would even suggest that (1) the removal of the veto of the UNSC permanent members would be possible, or (2) the veto had always been against Islamic countries.
To me, he has only been making flamboyant but empty meaningless gestures. In the final analysis, I find the rumours about his alleged association with Maya Karin more interesting than his proposals for the Middle East.
Photos from Fotopages
Wives not satisfying husbands are abusive!
Am fed up with wars and political intriques. How about a bit of sex, everyone? This news is about 2 weeks old, and had been held up by more dramatic news. But it's an amazing revelation for men. I have to 'fess up I have been and still am quite excited.
Kelantan deputy mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad told Berita Harian that wives would be deemed to be unjust and abusive if they cannot satisfy their husbands' sexual needs.
Abusive?
He explained that in a marriage, it's not always the wives who were abused as it could also happen to the husbands. He advised that Islamic laws protect both women and men.
He warned: “Thus wives who do not provide proper care for their husbands, including not fulfilling their sexual needs, can be considered as being unjust and abusive towards their husbands.”
“These women can be charged under Section 128 (1) of the Kelantan Islamic Law Enactment 2002, which provides for a fine of RM 1,000 or jail of up to six months or both upon conviction.”
Wow and double wow, though unfortunately he didn’t elaborate on how the courts would determine any husband’s claims of his wife failing to satisfy his sexual needs.
As we know, some men/husbands may have excessive sexual needs, so the poor wives could be required to perform to supranormal Herculean standards, you know, 'above and beyond' the call of duty.
Then there would be some who, like me, could be quite kinky* - blush blush, please don't tell anyone - which may well put some shy or conservative women off.
* No, absolutely not! Don’t ask me for details or elaborations, as there could be kids reading this posting. All I am prepared to say is there is a very very wide range of kinky-ness.
Would it then be fair to accuse those women of abusing their husbands if they fail to ... er ... participate ethusiastically? Whaaat! Did I just hear a disgraceful, unsympathetic but resounding 'YES' from the men?
But the mufti advised: “However, to date, no husband has ever complained that his wife has failed to sexually satisfy him, although he has the right to do so.”
Hmmm, I wonder whether this could be due to utterly wonderful sex in Kelantan or a complete unawareness of Section 128 (1) of the Kelantan Islamic Law Enactment 2002.
Then, there could well be the possible (and favourable) impact of budu, a question I posed in Has Aphrodisiac Budu Been Responsible? when I commented on less noble (in fact, despicable) cases of sexual encounters. I have always suspected budu as viagra by stealth, a sort of Indonesian jamu-jamu (herbal tonic) or Chinese ginseng..
But whichever, I reckon it’ll be a win-win situation for those lucky Kelantan blokes. I have taken a cutting of the article to show some very assertive ladies. I wonder whether those fiercesome cuties would go ballistic. Now, weren't we just discussing kinky-ness? ;-)
Kelantan deputy mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad told Berita Harian that wives would be deemed to be unjust and abusive if they cannot satisfy their husbands' sexual needs.
Abusive?
He explained that in a marriage, it's not always the wives who were abused as it could also happen to the husbands. He advised that Islamic laws protect both women and men.
He warned: “Thus wives who do not provide proper care for their husbands, including not fulfilling their sexual needs, can be considered as being unjust and abusive towards their husbands.”
“These women can be charged under Section 128 (1) of the Kelantan Islamic Law Enactment 2002, which provides for a fine of RM 1,000 or jail of up to six months or both upon conviction.”
Wow and double wow, though unfortunately he didn’t elaborate on how the courts would determine any husband’s claims of his wife failing to satisfy his sexual needs.
As we know, some men/husbands may have excessive sexual needs, so the poor wives could be required to perform to supranormal Herculean standards, you know, 'above and beyond' the call of duty.
Then there would be some who, like me, could be quite kinky* - blush blush, please don't tell anyone - which may well put some shy or conservative women off.
* No, absolutely not! Don’t ask me for details or elaborations, as there could be kids reading this posting. All I am prepared to say is there is a very very wide range of kinky-ness.
Would it then be fair to accuse those women of abusing their husbands if they fail to ... er ... participate ethusiastically? Whaaat! Did I just hear a disgraceful, unsympathetic but resounding 'YES' from the men?
But the mufti advised: “However, to date, no husband has ever complained that his wife has failed to sexually satisfy him, although he has the right to do so.”
Hmmm, I wonder whether this could be due to utterly wonderful sex in Kelantan or a complete unawareness of Section 128 (1) of the Kelantan Islamic Law Enactment 2002.
Then, there could well be the possible (and favourable) impact of budu, a question I posed in Has Aphrodisiac Budu Been Responsible? when I commented on less noble (in fact, despicable) cases of sexual encounters. I have always suspected budu as viagra by stealth, a sort of Indonesian jamu-jamu (herbal tonic) or Chinese ginseng..
But whichever, I reckon it’ll be a win-win situation for those lucky Kelantan blokes. I have taken a cutting of the article to show some very assertive ladies. I wonder whether those fiercesome cuties would go ballistic. Now, weren't we just discussing kinky-ness? ;-)
Ops 'Tiga Monyet Bijak'
This is sheer misuse of police resources and nothing more than a reflection of UMNO leaders’ media clamp-down policy in the wake of Typhoon Mahathir.
It seems the police have started their investigations into a possible case of defamation by Malaysiakini which had published an earlier article about suspected police special operations squad being possibly involved in the Kota Baru ‘spray attack’ on Dr Mahathir Mohamad and ex-UMNO strongman Ibrahim Ali last week. Malaysiakini had followed up with a clarifying article which carries an apology for the initial article.
Kelantan acting CID chief Shafie Ismail said the state police was being assisted by IT experts from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters.
He claimed: “We need the services of technology experts to trace those responsible in producing the report which has been classified as slandering the police.”
Why would they need IT experts? Just pull up those Malaysiakini articles!
Shafie said the online media’s report was defamatory. A few days ago, the police lodged a report against Malaysiakini regarding the alleged defamatory article. The case is being investigated under the Penal Code for criminal defamation, which carries a two-year jail term, or fine or both upon conviction.
The reality is throughout the western world, which practises democracy, the police don’t bother with such actions. The sort of accusations, that the public or press would regularly hurl at police would be merely repudiated (or accepted) by the police spokesperson or even the Police Minister.
Public or press criticism of a public service is a norm of democracy, and shouldn’t be threatened with legal actions based on the police own investigation. The police shouldn't be so thin skin, as being criticised by the public or press comes with the territory of being a public service. In fact, AAB as the Internal Security Minister should immediately instruct the police to stop the misuse of its time, which should be better invested in solving crimes.
The crime rate is alarmingly disgusting. We have just witnessed the shocking robbery-cum-murder of a TARC student last Saturday in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, which was followed five minutes later by another robbery of yet another TARC student. We have heard of Setapak's citizens accusing the police of uncooperative response to reports of snatch thefts. That's where the police should be devoting their resorces to, instead of harrassing the 4th estate.
But as we know, such an unprecedented police action could only come on with political instruction. The action against Malaysiakini is just part of the ongoing government campaign to silence any media or Internet conduit for Dr Mahathir.
The government wants the media to be like the 3 wise monkeys, seeing, hearing and saying not when things aren't favourable to the authority. And if any refuses to stay that way, one would be treated like a chook meant for the pot to frighten the other monkeys.
It seems the police have started their investigations into a possible case of defamation by Malaysiakini which had published an earlier article about suspected police special operations squad being possibly involved in the Kota Baru ‘spray attack’ on Dr Mahathir Mohamad and ex-UMNO strongman Ibrahim Ali last week. Malaysiakini had followed up with a clarifying article which carries an apology for the initial article.
Kelantan acting CID chief Shafie Ismail said the state police was being assisted by IT experts from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters.
He claimed: “We need the services of technology experts to trace those responsible in producing the report which has been classified as slandering the police.”
Why would they need IT experts? Just pull up those Malaysiakini articles!
Shafie said the online media’s report was defamatory. A few days ago, the police lodged a report against Malaysiakini regarding the alleged defamatory article. The case is being investigated under the Penal Code for criminal defamation, which carries a two-year jail term, or fine or both upon conviction.
The reality is throughout the western world, which practises democracy, the police don’t bother with such actions. The sort of accusations, that the public or press would regularly hurl at police would be merely repudiated (or accepted) by the police spokesperson or even the Police Minister.
Public or press criticism of a public service is a norm of democracy, and shouldn’t be threatened with legal actions based on the police own investigation. The police shouldn't be so thin skin, as being criticised by the public or press comes with the territory of being a public service. In fact, AAB as the Internal Security Minister should immediately instruct the police to stop the misuse of its time, which should be better invested in solving crimes.
The crime rate is alarmingly disgusting. We have just witnessed the shocking robbery-cum-murder of a TARC student last Saturday in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, which was followed five minutes later by another robbery of yet another TARC student. We have heard of Setapak's citizens accusing the police of uncooperative response to reports of snatch thefts. That's where the police should be devoting their resorces to, instead of harrassing the 4th estate.
But as we know, such an unprecedented police action could only come on with political instruction. The action against Malaysiakini is just part of the ongoing government campaign to silence any media or Internet conduit for Dr Mahathir.
The government wants the media to be like the 3 wise monkeys, seeing, hearing and saying not when things aren't favourable to the authority. And if any refuses to stay that way, one would be treated like a chook meant for the pot to frighten the other monkeys.
Hezbollah Warns Israel of Tit for Tat
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, and touted as the new Saladin has warned Israel about attacking central Beirut. He said Hezbollah would fire rockets at Tel Aviv in retaliation.
Nasrallah said in a televised message: "If you strike Beirut, the Islamic Resistance will strike Tel Aviv and it is able to do so. If you bombard our capital we will bombard the capital of your aggressive entity."
Arabs consider Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel rather than Jerusalem, that is, if they even accept the existence of Israel.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah would end rocket attacks against northern Israel if the Jewish state stopped attacking civilian areas in Lebanon.
"(If) at any time you decide to stop your campaigns on our cities, suburbs, civilians and infrastructure, we won't strike with rockets any settlement or Israeli city ..."
Many people have forgotten that the current crisis, purportedly started off with Hezbollah capturing two Israeli soldiers, saw the Israelis started the bombardment of Lebanon first, and not the other way around as Israel and America would want us to believe.
Political experts are already saying that there have been growing doubts, even among former Israeli generals, that the current Israeli military has the competency of its predecessors. Its intelligence has failed miserably in not realising Hezbollah has accumulated over 10,000 rockets during the past 6 years, and constructed tunnels a la Vietnam in southern Lebanon in anticipation of the Israeli bombardment.
Hezbollah's military formation has been highly decentralised, trained to act independently, thus making it difficult for Israeli (and US) vast electronic intelligence array to detect radio or electronic issuance of military commands. The Israelis are quite lost as to what Hezbollah is doing or planning. Its regular claim of large numbers of Hezbollah militants being killed had been grossly inflated to boost morale at home.
As the saying goes for insurgencies, all Hezbollah has to do to claim victory over Israel is just to continue staying in existence. The Israeli public is beginning to suspect that their once invincible Armed Forces has become like the US', a mad bull in a china shop, smashing up everthing in sight but without any purpose or objective other than wanton destruction because of its brute nature.
Nasrallah said in a televised message: "If you strike Beirut, the Islamic Resistance will strike Tel Aviv and it is able to do so. If you bombard our capital we will bombard the capital of your aggressive entity."
Arabs consider Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel rather than Jerusalem, that is, if they even accept the existence of Israel.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah would end rocket attacks against northern Israel if the Jewish state stopped attacking civilian areas in Lebanon.
"(If) at any time you decide to stop your campaigns on our cities, suburbs, civilians and infrastructure, we won't strike with rockets any settlement or Israeli city ..."
Many people have forgotten that the current crisis, purportedly started off with Hezbollah capturing two Israeli soldiers, saw the Israelis started the bombardment of Lebanon first, and not the other way around as Israel and America would want us to believe.
Political experts are already saying that there have been growing doubts, even among former Israeli generals, that the current Israeli military has the competency of its predecessors. Its intelligence has failed miserably in not realising Hezbollah has accumulated over 10,000 rockets during the past 6 years, and constructed tunnels a la Vietnam in southern Lebanon in anticipation of the Israeli bombardment.
Hezbollah's military formation has been highly decentralised, trained to act independently, thus making it difficult for Israeli (and US) vast electronic intelligence array to detect radio or electronic issuance of military commands. The Israelis are quite lost as to what Hezbollah is doing or planning. Its regular claim of large numbers of Hezbollah militants being killed had been grossly inflated to boost morale at home.
As the saying goes for insurgencies, all Hezbollah has to do to claim victory over Israel is just to continue staying in existence. The Israeli public is beginning to suspect that their once invincible Armed Forces has become like the US', a mad bull in a china shop, smashing up everthing in sight but without any purpose or objective other than wanton destruction because of its brute nature.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
AAB calls for Muslim troops for Lebanon
I wonder whether PM AAB has been spurred by Dr Mahathir’s criticism of him as a passive Chair of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), because today at an emergency meeting of the OIC in Putrajaya, he said the Muslim world must commit troops for a proposed UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon. He also criticised the UN, or more specifically its Security Council (UNSC) for not taking a harder line on Israel.
I am not sure whom he blasted - the UNSC or Muslim nations – but he lamented that it was not enough to merely sympathise with victims of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
He said: "We cannot continue issuing mere statements of condemnation for the violence. We must play a more proactive role in the present conflict. We must show preparedness to contribute forces for peacekeeping operations under the United Nations banner. Malaysia is ready to do that."
"We must also request a role for the OIC to play in building the peace after the ceasefire is in place.”
AAB accused Israel of a ‘bigger objective’ beyond the recovery of two Israeli soldiers captured on July 12 by the militant Hezbollah, which sparked the crisis.
He said: "Until now, unfortunately, the international community is in paralysis. The United Nations has not been able to do much except to try organising the distribution of humanitarian aid."
"The Security Council could not even muster the moral courage to condemn Israel for the attack on Qana or the killing of UN observers at Khiam."
"Let us be clear. What is happening to Lebanon and Palestine cannot be tolerated and should be condemned."
Now, I don’t want to diminish his statements because saying something against the atrocities committed in Lebanon is better than keeping mum like those bloody Sunni Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, some Gulf States) did at the beginning of the conflict, because those unconscionable states were actually silently cheering Israel on to hammer the Hezbollah, and thus Lebanon, because those useless Arab states were scared of the influence of Shiite Iran extending into the region. For their religious affiliation, they were quite contended to let Israel whack another Arab state.
But what Dr Mahathir may seize upon would be the cry of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who asked of her fellow OIC members: "The question that may come up is why this meeting could not be convened earlier?"
She was expressing the frustration of many across the Muslim world (and may I just add, not just across the Muslim world), who has been shocked by an uncaring callous and indeed evil USA who has allowed, nay, encourage Israel to slaughter at least 643 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians, and almost destroy an entire country because Hezbollah had captured two Israeli soldiers, alive if I may remind everyone.
Indeed why has the OIC waited so long to condemn the Israelis? Well, the answer could be found above where I had discussed the attitudes of those Arab Sunni nations.
But AAB’s remarks need analysing for what it’s worth. However, we need to bear in mind two primary issues: firstly, he’s the current chair of the OIC so he needs to say something for the Lebanese, which I (a non-Muslim) supports 101%; secondly, he has been under pressure from you-know-who, so perhaps, who knows, his strong condemnation has been in response to that – like saying “f-you, I am not as passive as you had unkindly insulted me.”
Now, on his remarks:
His proposal for Islamic nations to contribute to the peacekeeping force may be more symbolic than practical because Israel (and thus the USA) is unlikely to accept any Muslim contingent. Israel has already mentioned its preference for European or NATO troops, obviously trusting Christian nations more than Muslim ones. This doesn’t mean that Jewish Israel trust any Christian nation at all (no, not even the USA), but only that it expects them to be more fair than any Muslim contingent.
Now, it may well be that, though most unlikely, the USA may eventually persuade Israel to accept troops from its tame lapdogs like the Egyptians or Jordanians.
However, AAB’s proposal for the OIC to assume a major role in building the peace after the ceasefire has started, like aiding and reconstructing Lebanon, is a good one. The Lebanese obviously would prefer a Muslim nation to help in its practical recovery and rehabilitation from the Israeli rape, than it would from an American concern. Keep the Yanks out from Lebanon because no one should ever trust it to be even handed where Israel is involved.
The USA should of course be made to contribute its bloody millions as due compensation for its culpability and liability in supporting a rampaging Israel in the wanton destruction of the Levantine country, just because Bush thinks (or persuaded by his pro-Israeli advisers) that the Ahmadinejad bogyman has been behind every cedar tree.
Though AAB's condemnation of the UN, and subsequently narrowing it down to the UNSC, is technically correct, the reality is that it’s the USA (supported by its toady Britain) who has been the one preventing the world’s body from condemning and warning Israel about its terrible war crimes.
That is the truth about the UN. It’s bloody hostage to 5 veto wielding nations. And the USA will use its veto to prevent any criticism of its spiritual lord and master Israel, while the UK (Britain) will suck up to its transatlantic cousin.
In that sense AAB should have clarify his criticism to that of the USA as the unconscionable and culpable UNSC member. The USA is equally guilty of war crimes in facilitating the Jewish State's atrocities in Lebanon through American direct political and material support.
While Malaysia or the OIC cannot do much to stop or drag the USA or Israel to the International Court of Justice, it can voice its criticism of the American administration more pointedly so that the American people may be aware of what Bush has been guilty of, should they happen to listen in.
The only way to handle the Yanks is to direct one’s appeal to the American people because the Bush Administration doesn’t care two hoots unless you’re an Israeli or Jew.
I am not sure whom he blasted - the UNSC or Muslim nations – but he lamented that it was not enough to merely sympathise with victims of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
He said: "We cannot continue issuing mere statements of condemnation for the violence. We must play a more proactive role in the present conflict. We must show preparedness to contribute forces for peacekeeping operations under the United Nations banner. Malaysia is ready to do that."
"We must also request a role for the OIC to play in building the peace after the ceasefire is in place.”
AAB accused Israel of a ‘bigger objective’ beyond the recovery of two Israeli soldiers captured on July 12 by the militant Hezbollah, which sparked the crisis.
He said: "Until now, unfortunately, the international community is in paralysis. The United Nations has not been able to do much except to try organising the distribution of humanitarian aid."
"The Security Council could not even muster the moral courage to condemn Israel for the attack on Qana or the killing of UN observers at Khiam."
"Let us be clear. What is happening to Lebanon and Palestine cannot be tolerated and should be condemned."
Now, I don’t want to diminish his statements because saying something against the atrocities committed in Lebanon is better than keeping mum like those bloody Sunni Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, some Gulf States) did at the beginning of the conflict, because those unconscionable states were actually silently cheering Israel on to hammer the Hezbollah, and thus Lebanon, because those useless Arab states were scared of the influence of Shiite Iran extending into the region. For their religious affiliation, they were quite contended to let Israel whack another Arab state.
But what Dr Mahathir may seize upon would be the cry of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who asked of her fellow OIC members: "The question that may come up is why this meeting could not be convened earlier?"
She was expressing the frustration of many across the Muslim world (and may I just add, not just across the Muslim world), who has been shocked by an uncaring callous and indeed evil USA who has allowed, nay, encourage Israel to slaughter at least 643 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians, and almost destroy an entire country because Hezbollah had captured two Israeli soldiers, alive if I may remind everyone.
Indeed why has the OIC waited so long to condemn the Israelis? Well, the answer could be found above where I had discussed the attitudes of those Arab Sunni nations.
But AAB’s remarks need analysing for what it’s worth. However, we need to bear in mind two primary issues: firstly, he’s the current chair of the OIC so he needs to say something for the Lebanese, which I (a non-Muslim) supports 101%; secondly, he has been under pressure from you-know-who, so perhaps, who knows, his strong condemnation has been in response to that – like saying “f-you, I am not as passive as you had unkindly insulted me.”
Now, on his remarks:
His proposal for Islamic nations to contribute to the peacekeeping force may be more symbolic than practical because Israel (and thus the USA) is unlikely to accept any Muslim contingent. Israel has already mentioned its preference for European or NATO troops, obviously trusting Christian nations more than Muslim ones. This doesn’t mean that Jewish Israel trust any Christian nation at all (no, not even the USA), but only that it expects them to be more fair than any Muslim contingent.
Now, it may well be that, though most unlikely, the USA may eventually persuade Israel to accept troops from its tame lapdogs like the Egyptians or Jordanians.
However, AAB’s proposal for the OIC to assume a major role in building the peace after the ceasefire has started, like aiding and reconstructing Lebanon, is a good one. The Lebanese obviously would prefer a Muslim nation to help in its practical recovery and rehabilitation from the Israeli rape, than it would from an American concern. Keep the Yanks out from Lebanon because no one should ever trust it to be even handed where Israel is involved.
The USA should of course be made to contribute its bloody millions as due compensation for its culpability and liability in supporting a rampaging Israel in the wanton destruction of the Levantine country, just because Bush thinks (or persuaded by his pro-Israeli advisers) that the Ahmadinejad bogyman has been behind every cedar tree.
Though AAB's condemnation of the UN, and subsequently narrowing it down to the UNSC, is technically correct, the reality is that it’s the USA (supported by its toady Britain) who has been the one preventing the world’s body from condemning and warning Israel about its terrible war crimes.
That is the truth about the UN. It’s bloody hostage to 5 veto wielding nations. And the USA will use its veto to prevent any criticism of its spiritual lord and master Israel, while the UK (Britain) will suck up to its transatlantic cousin.
In that sense AAB should have clarify his criticism to that of the USA as the unconscionable and culpable UNSC member. The USA is equally guilty of war crimes in facilitating the Jewish State's atrocities in Lebanon through American direct political and material support.
While Malaysia or the OIC cannot do much to stop or drag the USA or Israel to the International Court of Justice, it can voice its criticism of the American administration more pointedly so that the American people may be aware of what Bush has been guilty of, should they happen to listen in.
The only way to handle the Yanks is to direct one’s appeal to the American people because the Bush Administration doesn’t care two hoots unless you’re an Israeli or Jew.
Malaysia an Orwellian's 1984?
My mate Howsy of Sensintrovert seemed to be the first to air this. He quoted a Bernama news release that the KB Police has lodged a report against Malaysiakini for accusing the police of using the mace on Dr Mahathir.
Howsy asked whether Malaysiakini, which has been the principal news conduit for Dr Mahathir’s statements lately, would become the first casualty of PM AAB’s crackdown on the Internet world.
If we recall, AAB had started off by advising the mainstream media not to ape the blogging world because they (mainstream media) should set the example by providing reliable news. What was he implying about the non-mainstream Internet news?
Then his Info-Minister Zainuddin Maidin stepped in to warn of a possible Internet censorship, which was followed by Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow wanting to use the draconian Printing Presses and Publications Act to cover the Internet.
Then today, the Star Online publishes a warning that bloggers better watch out! The Star reported: “The Prime Minister has issued a warning – those who spread untruths and slander on the Internet will face the law.
If information in blogs, websites and online portals were incorrect, bordered on slander, caused disturbance or compelled the public to lose faith in the nation’s economic policies, their authors would be detained for investigation, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“We cannot allow such matters to flow through uncontrolled,” he told newsmen.”
Obviously these various but incremental dire warnings by the government have been against Internet news portal and bloggers.
I believe the government has begun tightening up news outlets to silence or embargo statements by Dr Mahathir, after AAB has failed with the tactic of ‘elegant’ silence. Mainstream media have been blanking out any damaging statements by the former PM, so Dr Mahathir has resorted to the Internet media like Malaysiakini and even blogsites. There are a number of the latter supporting him.
Additionally, as part of the news blackout on Dr Mahathir, UMNO top leaders warned the party’s divisions not to invite Mahathir to address their divisional openings, on the excuse that there has been no such precedence for anyone who is not an UMNO council member or cabinet minister.
But Zahidi Zainul Abidin, UMNO Padang Besar division head, whom I had blogged in UMNO Div told Mahathir's persona non grata as insisting on inviting Dr Mahathir, was threatened with disciplinary actions if he persisted. So poor Zahidi has backed off by withdrawing the invitation to the former PM.
But he couldn’t resist having the last shot. He virtually demolished the claim of ‘only council members or UMNO cabinet ministers’ rule as sheer bullsh*t by pointing out that former deputy PM Musa Hitam was given the honour of opening UMNO meetings even though he had already left the Cabinet.
Then he added extra power to his demolition process by drawing on other examples such as heads of Barisan Nasional component parties being given the honour to open UMNO meetings in the past, which had included Samy Vellu, Chong Kah Kiat (Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party) and Dr Lim Keng Yaik.
But meetings by themselves are still not as efficient as the world-wide-web for disseminating what Dr Mahathir wants revealed. Take as an example my previous posting Khairy Jamaluddin's Millions & Power, where the ole man lambasted AAB’s son-in-law for allegedly misusing his relationship with the PM to order States’ menteri-2 besar (States premiers) around. This scandalous and damaging exposure was published by Malaysiakini.
I am inclined to agree with Howsy that Malaysiakini could well be the chook offered as a sacrifice to the angry God of Silence to frighten the Internet monkeys - an example of what can happen to those who don’t keep their mouths shut about AAB and his son-in-law.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang advised AAB against his current crackdown on Internet freedom. Lim wants AAB to fully consult all political parties and the civil society before ‘out Mahathiring Mahathir’.
Lim was drawing AAB's attention to Mahathir being the more draconian suppressor of press freedom. Was he playing to AAB's ego - an effort at reverse psychology?
Lim said an AAB’s blitz against the internet could mark the ‘death knell’ for the prime minister’s reform pledges - 'reform pledges' being another play on AAB's conceit or honour.
Lim asked: “Has Abdullah’s position become so weakened from recent developments, particularly the challenge mounted by his predecessor Dr Mahathir, that he has so easily succumbed to the hardline proposals of [Info-Minister] Zainuddin?”
But I reckon AAB has lost confidence in his ability to handle Dr Mahathir's very damaging accusations of him, his son-in-law and his son. No doubt he's receiving very bad advice from the people surrounding him, but he obviously wants to see such Mahathir's radioactive revelations neutralised, A-S-A-P.
What next? Is George Orwell's Big Brother here in full force now?
Howsy asked whether Malaysiakini, which has been the principal news conduit for Dr Mahathir’s statements lately, would become the first casualty of PM AAB’s crackdown on the Internet world.
If we recall, AAB had started off by advising the mainstream media not to ape the blogging world because they (mainstream media) should set the example by providing reliable news. What was he implying about the non-mainstream Internet news?
Then his Info-Minister Zainuddin Maidin stepped in to warn of a possible Internet censorship, which was followed by Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow wanting to use the draconian Printing Presses and Publications Act to cover the Internet.
Then today, the Star Online publishes a warning that bloggers better watch out! The Star reported: “The Prime Minister has issued a warning – those who spread untruths and slander on the Internet will face the law.
If information in blogs, websites and online portals were incorrect, bordered on slander, caused disturbance or compelled the public to lose faith in the nation’s economic policies, their authors would be detained for investigation, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“We cannot allow such matters to flow through uncontrolled,” he told newsmen.”
Obviously these various but incremental dire warnings by the government have been against Internet news portal and bloggers.
I believe the government has begun tightening up news outlets to silence or embargo statements by Dr Mahathir, after AAB has failed with the tactic of ‘elegant’ silence. Mainstream media have been blanking out any damaging statements by the former PM, so Dr Mahathir has resorted to the Internet media like Malaysiakini and even blogsites. There are a number of the latter supporting him.
Additionally, as part of the news blackout on Dr Mahathir, UMNO top leaders warned the party’s divisions not to invite Mahathir to address their divisional openings, on the excuse that there has been no such precedence for anyone who is not an UMNO council member or cabinet minister.
But Zahidi Zainul Abidin, UMNO Padang Besar division head, whom I had blogged in UMNO Div told Mahathir's persona non grata as insisting on inviting Dr Mahathir, was threatened with disciplinary actions if he persisted. So poor Zahidi has backed off by withdrawing the invitation to the former PM.
But he couldn’t resist having the last shot. He virtually demolished the claim of ‘only council members or UMNO cabinet ministers’ rule as sheer bullsh*t by pointing out that former deputy PM Musa Hitam was given the honour of opening UMNO meetings even though he had already left the Cabinet.
Then he added extra power to his demolition process by drawing on other examples such as heads of Barisan Nasional component parties being given the honour to open UMNO meetings in the past, which had included Samy Vellu, Chong Kah Kiat (Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party) and Dr Lim Keng Yaik.
But meetings by themselves are still not as efficient as the world-wide-web for disseminating what Dr Mahathir wants revealed. Take as an example my previous posting Khairy Jamaluddin's Millions & Power, where the ole man lambasted AAB’s son-in-law for allegedly misusing his relationship with the PM to order States’ menteri-2 besar (States premiers) around. This scandalous and damaging exposure was published by Malaysiakini.
I am inclined to agree with Howsy that Malaysiakini could well be the chook offered as a sacrifice to the angry God of Silence to frighten the Internet monkeys - an example of what can happen to those who don’t keep their mouths shut about AAB and his son-in-law.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang advised AAB against his current crackdown on Internet freedom. Lim wants AAB to fully consult all political parties and the civil society before ‘out Mahathiring Mahathir’.
Lim was drawing AAB's attention to Mahathir being the more draconian suppressor of press freedom. Was he playing to AAB's ego - an effort at reverse psychology?
Lim said an AAB’s blitz against the internet could mark the ‘death knell’ for the prime minister’s reform pledges - 'reform pledges' being another play on AAB's conceit or honour.
Lim asked: “Has Abdullah’s position become so weakened from recent developments, particularly the challenge mounted by his predecessor Dr Mahathir, that he has so easily succumbed to the hardline proposals of [Info-Minister] Zainuddin?”
But I reckon AAB has lost confidence in his ability to handle Dr Mahathir's very damaging accusations of him, his son-in-law and his son. No doubt he's receiving very bad advice from the people surrounding him, but he obviously wants to see such Mahathir's radioactive revelations neutralised, A-S-A-P.
What next? Is George Orwell's Big Brother here in full force now?
Racist to be Anti-Jew, OK to be Anti-Arab
Mel Gibson, Australia’s most famous actor who rose to meteoric fame in the Lethal Weapon series of movies, is in deep deep, very deep trouble – with the powerful American Jewish lobby.Caught by Malibu police for speeding and drink driving – with a detected alcohol reading way over the limit – he was obviously drunk and had let go in an anti-Jewish tirade.
As the Romans said ‘in vino veritas’ – there’s truth in wine, or a drunk tells his true feelings.
Gibson argued with the policeman who stopped him, adding: "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?"
Hollywood, in large part controlled by the Jews, went ballistic. The Jewish community was already angry with Mel Gibson for producing (and acting in) the Passion of Christ, which they claimed had portrayed the Jews as killers of Jesus Christ.
After he sobered up, Gibson apologised saying he had uttered despicable things to deputies during his arrest. He admitted: "I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable."
Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, called Gibson's apology unremorseful and insufficient. Foxman said: "It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry and his anti-Semitism. We would hope that Hollywood now would realise the bigot in their midst and that they will distance themselves from this anti-Semite."
Hollywood experts say Mel Gibson’s career is virtually kaput. Publicist Michael Levine, who has represented Michael Jackson and Charlton Heston, said: "It's a nuclear disaster for him. I don't see how he can restore himself."
So Gibson has issued a second statement, this time grovelling before the powerful Jewish community. He whimpered: "I am in the process of understanding where those vicious words came from during that drunken display, and I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery. Again, I am reaching out to the Jewish community for its help."
Now compare Gibson’s mistake and abject apologies to the Israeli murderous atrocity at Qana, killing more than 60 innocent civilians, including many women and around 40 children, where Israeli PM Ehud Olmert apologised, saying: "Nothing is more alien to our spirit, further from our thoughts, or more contrary to our interests, than hurting innocents”.
Crap! Today most of the Israelis are nothing than intolerant Old Testament religious racists with murder in their black hearts.
He then tried to salvage something by adding the residents of Qana were warned and told to leave. He conveniently didn't add that all roads out of Qana were destroyed by his air force, effectively trapping the residents there. It's like the murderous case in Samaa, where residents were warned by Israeli airdropped leaflets to leave, and when they did, were shot by Israeli warplanes, killing many including 14 children.
Olmert insisted that no one was ordered to fire on civilians and there was no such policy. In fact, notwithstanding his apology (more for the American public than anybody) he was completely unrepentant by telling the USA he requires another two more weeks to continue the air strikes against the Lebanese.
Worse, Israeli ambassador to the UN, an unrepentant Dan Gillerman who had boasted that indeed Israel was using disproportionate force, didn’t even apologise, but blamed Hezbollah for the deaths.
It's little wonder the Lebanese PM had rejected Olmert's apology.
I would like the Jews of the world, and their supporters, to compare the difference in severity of consequences of the Gibson's mouth and Israeli air strikes, where both perpetrators had apologised. Who has been the worse offender, the criminal? Who shouldn’t be forgiven? Who should be dragged before a court for acts of evil.
But for all of us, it is an object lesson just how well organised the Israelis and their Jewish supporters* are.
* a distinction on fairness here – not all Jews are supporters of Israel and its current war crimes against the Lebanese.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Khairy Jamaluddin's Millions & Power
As I mentioned in Mahathir Criticised AAB's Performance as OIC Head, Dr Mahathir’s criticism of his successor has turned more personal after the mace attack at Kota Baru airport last Friday. I did ponder on whether Mahathir’s new attack orientation had been influenced by that vicious event.
Anyway, his new principal target is still his old one, namely Khairy Jamaluddin, the high profile but controversial son-in-law of PM AAB.
Dr Mahathir, speaking to UMNO members at a function in Kota Baru after he had recovered from the pepper spray, said bluntly:
“Let’s look at what has happened, especially involving, what’s his name ... Khairy, the son-in-law. Everyone is talking about the son-in-law, (saying) ‘Wow, this is serious. He has power’. It is to the extent that even mentris besar have to ask Khairy for permission to do things.”
“But why? (Other than holding a post as Umno Youth deputy chief), he has no position in the government. He can call up mentris besar to give instructions. Where do his powers come from? That’s what I disagree about.”
“In a short period of time, he has become a millionaire. Why do we know he is a millionaire? He has declared that he bought shares in ECM-Libra and his shares are valued at RM9 million. Where did the RM 9 million come from? Tell us.”
“Was it borrowed from a bank? People with no money can’t borrow (that much money). Only people with money can borrow ... In a short period of time, after that, ECM-Libra indirectly took over a government company called Avenue Assets. This company is even bigger and worth more than ECM-Libra... And who is responsible for this company? The finance ministry.”
“This finance minister is also the prime minister. This is not appropriate.”
Dr Mahathir's blast had been a double barrelled blast, peppering (excuse the pun) both Khairy and AAB.
If true, then what is more troubling/concerning to the public than the unexplained RM 9 millions has been that a 30-year old man, with no official designation in the government, could summon - yes, the appropriate word as Dr Mahathir has described Khairy’s purported actions would indeed be ‘summon’ - heads of state governments or menteri-2 besar (state premiers) at will, to order them around.
Obviously, if that had been the case, his authority to do so would have been derived from his father-in-law’s position as the PM of Malaysia. Have the state premiers, or at least some of them, been whistle-blowing to Dr Mahathir?
Perhaps with such a devastating Mahathir attack, 'elegant' silence may not be a bad option after all.
Anyway, his new principal target is still his old one, namely Khairy Jamaluddin, the high profile but controversial son-in-law of PM AAB.
Dr Mahathir, speaking to UMNO members at a function in Kota Baru after he had recovered from the pepper spray, said bluntly:
“Let’s look at what has happened, especially involving, what’s his name ... Khairy, the son-in-law. Everyone is talking about the son-in-law, (saying) ‘Wow, this is serious. He has power’. It is to the extent that even mentris besar have to ask Khairy for permission to do things.”
“But why? (Other than holding a post as Umno Youth deputy chief), he has no position in the government. He can call up mentris besar to give instructions. Where do his powers come from? That’s what I disagree about.”
“In a short period of time, he has become a millionaire. Why do we know he is a millionaire? He has declared that he bought shares in ECM-Libra and his shares are valued at RM9 million. Where did the RM 9 million come from? Tell us.”
“Was it borrowed from a bank? People with no money can’t borrow (that much money). Only people with money can borrow ... In a short period of time, after that, ECM-Libra indirectly took over a government company called Avenue Assets. This company is even bigger and worth more than ECM-Libra... And who is responsible for this company? The finance ministry.”
“This finance minister is also the prime minister. This is not appropriate.”
Dr Mahathir's blast had been a double barrelled blast, peppering (excuse the pun) both Khairy and AAB.
If true, then what is more troubling/concerning to the public than the unexplained RM 9 millions has been that a 30-year old man, with no official designation in the government, could summon - yes, the appropriate word as Dr Mahathir has described Khairy’s purported actions would indeed be ‘summon’ - heads of state governments or menteri-2 besar (state premiers) at will, to order them around.
Obviously, if that had been the case, his authority to do so would have been derived from his father-in-law’s position as the PM of Malaysia. Have the state premiers, or at least some of them, been whistle-blowing to Dr Mahathir?
Perhaps with such a devastating Mahathir attack, 'elegant' silence may not be a bad option after all.
Boycott, Keris, Arson or Hornets - Your Choice!
Last Friday, UMNO Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, in response to the Middle East crisis, called for Malaysia to boycott US and British goods.
His father-in-law, PM AAB stated the smartest and most statesman-like advice ever in commenting on Khairy’s statement.
AAB told UMNO Youth to stop talking big about boycotting US and British products when it’s not a practical proposition. He said UMNO Youth should think long and hard on the implications such a move can have on Malaysia
He advised those big-mouths including his son-in-law: “Let’s not talk big because when we want to implement [the boycott], we would be hit bad and have to turn back because it will be burdensome.”
Of course that is not to say the Oxford graduate didn’t know that, but obviously young laddie had been trying to raise his own profile in the Youth group. It’s the old UMNO formula. I recall one other bloke who talked about keris dripping with blood and burning down the Chinese Assembly Hall, or UMNO trained hornets zipping in fiercesome formations at parties it didn’t like.
They are in the same category - stirring emotions for their personal interests.
His father-in-law, PM AAB stated the smartest and most statesman-like advice ever in commenting on Khairy’s statement.
AAB told UMNO Youth to stop talking big about boycotting US and British products when it’s not a practical proposition. He said UMNO Youth should think long and hard on the implications such a move can have on Malaysia
He advised those big-mouths including his son-in-law: “Let’s not talk big because when we want to implement [the boycott], we would be hit bad and have to turn back because it will be burdensome.”
Of course that is not to say the Oxford graduate didn’t know that, but obviously young laddie had been trying to raise his own profile in the Youth group. It’s the old UMNO formula. I recall one other bloke who talked about keris dripping with blood and burning down the Chinese Assembly Hall, or UMNO trained hornets zipping in fiercesome formations at parties it didn’t like.
They are in the same category - stirring emotions for their personal interests.
Jesus refuses to return to Holy Land?
Once upon a time there was a bloke who was an idealist. He sought truth, he spoke the truth, he said them out boldly. He believed, rightly too, that 2 + 2 must surely be 4.
He thought his friends and boss would like that, him being an honest truthful bloke. Then he woke up one day to discover much to his confusion his friends and boss didn’t want to know the truth, particularly when it didn’t suit them or was against their interest. He found out much to his disgust, despair and disillusion that there were times when 2 + 2 could not be 4, but another number from a host of other possible figures but definitely, not for that occasion, the inconvenient 4.
Well, a few days ago a reader wrote in to the NST to cry out in despair as follows:
What has gone wrong with the Arab world today? Yes, everything has gone wrong. To begin with, they are not united. They may share the same language but speak with different tongues and have different ideas.
They call themselves Muslims but due to the different sects that they belong to, like Shia or Sunni, they can never co-operate.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Jordan are a real disappointment because their leaders are either weak or despotic and tend to lean towards the United States and prefer not to confront Israel.
The so-called Arabs have themselves to blame when confronting their enemies.
This is exactly what is happening to Lebanon today. She is left on her own to face all the problems. The Shia Muslim Hizbollah militants who occupy the areas bordering southern Lebanon are now locked in mortal combat with Israel. It is going to be a one-sided fight as the Israelis are better armed.
How long must the international community continue to sit and watch while Israel wages a massive blitz from air and sea that has already destroyed buildings, roads, bridges and killed many civilians before action is taken?
The United Nations must do something about the catastrophe faced by Lebanon. Sometimes we feel the UN is too slow in making decisions.
What the author of the letter to the NST has written is a plaintive cry of why logic and decency haven't prevailed. But remember my preamble, where I wrote about that idealist bloke’s friends who didn’t want the truth when it was against their interest. I could have just said ‘it was simply politics.’
Yes, politics! And as we Malaysians know, politics is dirty, and the rape of Lebanon shows politics at its dirtiest. The fact is the religious element of politics has been the principal destabilising factor. Religious belief (not religion per se) has been the world’s biggest divisive force and the cause of wars.
Look, in reality the Jews have been Europeans for 2,000 years. But for more than a thousand years they pined to occupy Palestine because of their religion. 'L’shana ha’ba-ah b’Yerushalayim' or 'Next Year in Jerusalem', they would promised each other and remind their succeeding generations during their Passover sedarim. There's nothing more compelling than a vow sworn on religious belief.
Llyod George’s (British PM) conservative Christian belief, what we have termed today as Christian Right, that the Hebrews must walk the Promised Land for Christ to return, fulfilled that Jewish wish by according it the legal structure and political flesh via the Balfour Declaration. European guilt over the Holocaust ensured its passage through the UN. Part of Palestine under the colonial rule of Britian was given to the Jews without any thought for the Palestinian owners.
The Jews became the Israelis who still believed they are the Chosen People, as stated in the bible (Old Testament), which incidentally was written by Jews who were dragged to Babylon as slaves. I doubt those Babylonian Jews would have written the bible to say that the Persians or Egyptians or Edomites or, good lord no, the Babylonians were the Chosen People.
As the self-appointed Chosen People, they believe they are entitled to their Promised Land, a land the authors of the bible informed them was promised by their Judean God, regardless of the fact that someone else had been occupying that piece of real estate for almost 2,000 years.
The American Christian Right then continues Lloyd George’s belief, hence the US' blind (or religious-motivated) support of Israel. The sad reality is that conservative Israelis actually despise them for the murderous unclean goyims (infidels) they are, but of course play the Christians through the latter's belief for all they are worth. Surely you don’t expect the Israelis to tell American Christians who support them politically, financially and economically, that those American Christians are sh*t in their Judaist’s eyes.
Read the website Samson Blinded to see what it says about Christians:
The owner, Obadiah Shoher, said: "What a bizarre notion Judeo-Christianity is! Judaism and Christianity are the different poles, practicality and idealism. Jews do not preach poverty and humility."
"Judaism and Christianity are incompatible, not parts of the same culture. If anything, Islam is closer to Judaism than Christianity is. It is also repugnant to side with people who oppressed and exterminated Jews for millennia against Muslims who were reasonably tolerant to the Jews."
"Peaceful relations with Christians are perfect, but lumping Jewish heritage together with Christian doctrine is abominable."
Abominable! What a frightening Old Testament word.
Then on the Muslim side, the Sunnis hate the Shiites, and vice versa, all over a question of inheritance (of the rightful mantle of succession). To a Saudi Wahhabi Sunni, the Shiites are infidels, worse than the Jews. Surely, you don’t expect the Saudis to support Hezbollah and thus strengthen the reach of Shiite Iran into the region? So the Saudis and otehr Sunni naions in the region play ball with the USA (and indirectly Israel) to finish off the Shiites in Lebanon (and hopefully elsewhere).
But of course, thanks to typical Israeli malicious and vicious excesses, even the Saudis and company are now trying to distance themselves from the American camp, and pretending to show concerns for the Lebanese. As they say, give the Israelis enough rope to hang itself, and indeed it has. Unfortunately the Americans has helped ensure it's a fairly long rope, so the Jewish State, despite its self-declared 48 hours of ceasfire, has ignored its own condiiton as we could only expect Israel to do so, is still arrogantly killing in Lebanon, before the UN is allowed by the USA to step in.
The NST letter writer cried out poignantly as to how long must the international community continue to sit and watch while Israel wages a massive blitz on the poor Lebanese people, who would die and spill red blood regardless of whether they were Shiite, Sunni, Druze, Christians or pagans?
Well, as long as the USA, backed by its toady, Tony B-liar, in the UN Security Council uses their veto to ensure the Hebrews continue to walk the Promised Land.
I wonder whether anyone would be kind enough to tell those American Christians that today, the Promised Land is so soaked with blood of the innocents that the Messiah or Jesus Christ (pbuh) has refused to return.
He thought his friends and boss would like that, him being an honest truthful bloke. Then he woke up one day to discover much to his confusion his friends and boss didn’t want to know the truth, particularly when it didn’t suit them or was against their interest. He found out much to his disgust, despair and disillusion that there were times when 2 + 2 could not be 4, but another number from a host of other possible figures but definitely, not for that occasion, the inconvenient 4.
Well, a few days ago a reader wrote in to the NST to cry out in despair as follows:
What has gone wrong with the Arab world today? Yes, everything has gone wrong. To begin with, they are not united. They may share the same language but speak with different tongues and have different ideas.
They call themselves Muslims but due to the different sects that they belong to, like Shia or Sunni, they can never co-operate.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Jordan are a real disappointment because their leaders are either weak or despotic and tend to lean towards the United States and prefer not to confront Israel.
The so-called Arabs have themselves to blame when confronting their enemies.
This is exactly what is happening to Lebanon today. She is left on her own to face all the problems. The Shia Muslim Hizbollah militants who occupy the areas bordering southern Lebanon are now locked in mortal combat with Israel. It is going to be a one-sided fight as the Israelis are better armed.
How long must the international community continue to sit and watch while Israel wages a massive blitz from air and sea that has already destroyed buildings, roads, bridges and killed many civilians before action is taken?
The United Nations must do something about the catastrophe faced by Lebanon. Sometimes we feel the UN is too slow in making decisions.
What the author of the letter to the NST has written is a plaintive cry of why logic and decency haven't prevailed. But remember my preamble, where I wrote about that idealist bloke’s friends who didn’t want the truth when it was against their interest. I could have just said ‘it was simply politics.’
Yes, politics! And as we Malaysians know, politics is dirty, and the rape of Lebanon shows politics at its dirtiest. The fact is the religious element of politics has been the principal destabilising factor. Religious belief (not religion per se) has been the world’s biggest divisive force and the cause of wars.
Look, in reality the Jews have been Europeans for 2,000 years. But for more than a thousand years they pined to occupy Palestine because of their religion. 'L’shana ha’ba-ah b’Yerushalayim' or 'Next Year in Jerusalem', they would promised each other and remind their succeeding generations during their Passover sedarim. There's nothing more compelling than a vow sworn on religious belief.
Llyod George’s (British PM) conservative Christian belief, what we have termed today as Christian Right, that the Hebrews must walk the Promised Land for Christ to return, fulfilled that Jewish wish by according it the legal structure and political flesh via the Balfour Declaration. European guilt over the Holocaust ensured its passage through the UN. Part of Palestine under the colonial rule of Britian was given to the Jews without any thought for the Palestinian owners.
The Jews became the Israelis who still believed they are the Chosen People, as stated in the bible (Old Testament), which incidentally was written by Jews who were dragged to Babylon as slaves. I doubt those Babylonian Jews would have written the bible to say that the Persians or Egyptians or Edomites or, good lord no, the Babylonians were the Chosen People.
As the self-appointed Chosen People, they believe they are entitled to their Promised Land, a land the authors of the bible informed them was promised by their Judean God, regardless of the fact that someone else had been occupying that piece of real estate for almost 2,000 years.
The American Christian Right then continues Lloyd George’s belief, hence the US' blind (or religious-motivated) support of Israel. The sad reality is that conservative Israelis actually despise them for the murderous unclean goyims (infidels) they are, but of course play the Christians through the latter's belief for all they are worth. Surely you don’t expect the Israelis to tell American Christians who support them politically, financially and economically, that those American Christians are sh*t in their Judaist’s eyes.
Read the website Samson Blinded to see what it says about Christians:
The owner, Obadiah Shoher, said: "What a bizarre notion Judeo-Christianity is! Judaism and Christianity are the different poles, practicality and idealism. Jews do not preach poverty and humility."
"Judaism and Christianity are incompatible, not parts of the same culture. If anything, Islam is closer to Judaism than Christianity is. It is also repugnant to side with people who oppressed and exterminated Jews for millennia against Muslims who were reasonably tolerant to the Jews."
"Peaceful relations with Christians are perfect, but lumping Jewish heritage together with Christian doctrine is abominable."
Abominable! What a frightening Old Testament word.
Then on the Muslim side, the Sunnis hate the Shiites, and vice versa, all over a question of inheritance (of the rightful mantle of succession). To a Saudi Wahhabi Sunni, the Shiites are infidels, worse than the Jews. Surely, you don’t expect the Saudis to support Hezbollah and thus strengthen the reach of Shiite Iran into the region? So the Saudis and otehr Sunni naions in the region play ball with the USA (and indirectly Israel) to finish off the Shiites in Lebanon (and hopefully elsewhere).
But of course, thanks to typical Israeli malicious and vicious excesses, even the Saudis and company are now trying to distance themselves from the American camp, and pretending to show concerns for the Lebanese. As they say, give the Israelis enough rope to hang itself, and indeed it has. Unfortunately the Americans has helped ensure it's a fairly long rope, so the Jewish State, despite its self-declared 48 hours of ceasfire, has ignored its own condiiton as we could only expect Israel to do so, is still arrogantly killing in Lebanon, before the UN is allowed by the USA to step in.
The NST letter writer cried out poignantly as to how long must the international community continue to sit and watch while Israel wages a massive blitz on the poor Lebanese people, who would die and spill red blood regardless of whether they were Shiite, Sunni, Druze, Christians or pagans?
Well, as long as the USA, backed by its toady, Tony B-liar, in the UN Security Council uses their veto to ensure the Hebrews continue to walk the Promised Land.
I wonder whether anyone would be kind enough to tell those American Christians that today, the Promised Land is so soaked with blood of the innocents that the Messiah or Jesus Christ (pbuh) has refused to return.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Children of Qana
Lying still in Qana's mudof dust mixed with blood,
children broken in bodies,
mums broken in miseries
Death came from the sky
to maim, kill, & destroy,
from hearts full of hate,
minds of evil incarnate
Among bloodied debris,
pierced young still bodies
by Death's burnished steel
of cruel sharp shrapnel
But streaks of blood mar
its blue six-pointed star;
Turn Death the other way
to see it say Made in USA
Spraygate - 7 Men in Black
Ibrahim Ali, expelled-from-UMNO former party strongman (what a description), has now provided his version of what occurred at Kota Baru airport during that fateful morning, when a nation was shocked by a former PM being attacked with mace.
The attack was so shocking that, apart from PM AAB and Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang’s condemnation of the incident, many of Dr Mahathir’s former foes came running out to jump on the moral bandwagon.
Arch foe Anwar Ibrahim said that while he might not agree with Dr Mahathir’s ways, such an incident should not happen as the country had laws that must be followed.
Then AAB’s son-in-law and allegedly Mahathir’s principal target for the time being, Khairy Jamaluddin said UMNO Youth could not accept what had happened to Dr Mahathir despite learning about ‘certain reasons’ that had led to the incident.
What 'certain reasons'?
Khairy layered his comments with some honey: “He is a great leader and should be respected. And it is not only because he is a leader. Even ordinary people must not be attacked in that manner.”
Besides the usual UMNO who-and-whom, the sokong-mob who would object, threaten, support and cheer like chorus girls to what the UMNO leader would be doing, Kelantan’s Mentri Besar (Chief Minister) from the Opposition party PAS, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who once likened Dr Mahathir to the great Syaitan said the mace attack had done injustice to Islam, as it had occurred during a period where Muslims should abstain from sin and on holy Friday.
He even praised Mahathir’s record, by stating: “Who would want to attack an 81-year-old man who has a record of serving the country with distinction?”
Ibrahim Ali claimed that Friday’s spray attack was aimed at preventing former premier Dr Mahathir from addressing the crowd at the airport. He dismissed police claims that he (Ibrahim Ali) was the target of the attack.
He said if the assailant had intended to attack him, the person would not have waited until both Mahathir and him entered a waiting four-wheel drive vehicle. That’s why he concluded that the spray attack was aimed at stopping Mahathir from thanking the crowd for his reception through the sunroof of the vehicle.
Recalling the incident, Ibrahim said that suddenly several hands were stuck through the vehicle’s window and that's when he heard the sound of aerosol can spraying.
Because of the attack, Mahathir dropped the loud-hailer on Ibrahim, ouch, who was by then suffering from severe chest pains, followed by coughing and eye irritation.
He said he was semi-conscious when dragged out of the four-wheel drive: “I thought I was having a heart attack.”
He wasn’t aware that Mahathir was dragged away immediately after the attack in a black car allegedly arranged by former Kuala Krai Umno leader Nik Sapeia Nik Yusoff.
Ibrahim also revealed that a powerful ‘third-party’ had hired seven soldiers to act as Mahathir’s bodyguards during his visit to Kelantan. The New Straits Times reported that acting Eighth Brigade commander Lt Kol Norizan Ahmad confirmed the seven soldiers had been placed under camp detention pending investigation.
Ibrahimsaid: “They were big sized [...] wearing black jackets. I thought they were officers from the police department, but I couldn’t be bothered (then).”
Those men descended from several black cars parked right next to his convoy of vehicles meant to take Mahathir to a hotel from the Sultan Ismail Petra airport
According to Kelantan police chief Zulkifli Abdullah, the seven were questioned by the police and it was confirmed that they were hired for the event.
The attack was so shocking that, apart from PM AAB and Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang’s condemnation of the incident, many of Dr Mahathir’s former foes came running out to jump on the moral bandwagon.
Arch foe Anwar Ibrahim said that while he might not agree with Dr Mahathir’s ways, such an incident should not happen as the country had laws that must be followed.
Then AAB’s son-in-law and allegedly Mahathir’s principal target for the time being, Khairy Jamaluddin said UMNO Youth could not accept what had happened to Dr Mahathir despite learning about ‘certain reasons’ that had led to the incident.
What 'certain reasons'?
Khairy layered his comments with some honey: “He is a great leader and should be respected. And it is not only because he is a leader. Even ordinary people must not be attacked in that manner.”
Besides the usual UMNO who-and-whom, the sokong-mob who would object, threaten, support and cheer like chorus girls to what the UMNO leader would be doing, Kelantan’s Mentri Besar (Chief Minister) from the Opposition party PAS, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who once likened Dr Mahathir to the great Syaitan said the mace attack had done injustice to Islam, as it had occurred during a period where Muslims should abstain from sin and on holy Friday.
He even praised Mahathir’s record, by stating: “Who would want to attack an 81-year-old man who has a record of serving the country with distinction?”
Ibrahim Ali claimed that Friday’s spray attack was aimed at preventing former premier Dr Mahathir from addressing the crowd at the airport. He dismissed police claims that he (Ibrahim Ali) was the target of the attack.
He said if the assailant had intended to attack him, the person would not have waited until both Mahathir and him entered a waiting four-wheel drive vehicle. That’s why he concluded that the spray attack was aimed at stopping Mahathir from thanking the crowd for his reception through the sunroof of the vehicle.
Recalling the incident, Ibrahim said that suddenly several hands were stuck through the vehicle’s window and that's when he heard the sound of aerosol can spraying.
Because of the attack, Mahathir dropped the loud-hailer on Ibrahim, ouch, who was by then suffering from severe chest pains, followed by coughing and eye irritation.
He said he was semi-conscious when dragged out of the four-wheel drive: “I thought I was having a heart attack.”
He wasn’t aware that Mahathir was dragged away immediately after the attack in a black car allegedly arranged by former Kuala Krai Umno leader Nik Sapeia Nik Yusoff.
Ibrahim also revealed that a powerful ‘third-party’ had hired seven soldiers to act as Mahathir’s bodyguards during his visit to Kelantan. The New Straits Times reported that acting Eighth Brigade commander Lt Kol Norizan Ahmad confirmed the seven soldiers had been placed under camp detention pending investigation.
Ibrahimsaid: “They were big sized [...] wearing black jackets. I thought they were officers from the police department, but I couldn’t be bothered (then).”
Those men descended from several black cars parked right next to his convoy of vehicles meant to take Mahathir to a hotel from the Sultan Ismail Petra airport
According to Kelantan police chief Zulkifli Abdullah, the seven were questioned by the police and it was confirmed that they were hired for the event.
Revealed - Israel's Deliberate Genocidal Campaign in Lebanon
Everytime Israel slaughtered innocent women and children, it claimed that Hezbollah had lurked amongst those civilians as shields, or the civilians were warned but refused to budged.
We know they have been telling lies. Well, Peter Bouckaert who is Emergencies Director at Human Rights Watch, and currently in Beirut, writes for the British Guardian to confirm our suspicion that Israel has a deliberate policy of targeting and killing Lebanese civilians including women and children with as a punitive measures or out of racist hatred. In otherwords, it's genocide and war crimes, supported by the USA and Toady B-liar. Read his story - underlinings are mine:
Day after day, Israeli government spokesmen insist that everything they are doing accords with international humanitarian law. Endless communiqués insist that Israel's behaviour is "proportionate". Let us be blunt: those claims are fantasy, as the carnage in Qana has shown once again.
I have seen my share of modern wars, as a researcher at Human Rights Watch. In Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, we found many civilian casualties due to bombing campaigns. Civilians fleeing attacks were hit by mistake. In Iraq, US bombs often hit civilian homes, hours after Saddam Hussein or members of his inner circle had left, missing their legitimate targets but killing civilians. In Lebanon it is a very different picture. Time after time, Israel strikes at civilian homes and civilian vehicles attempting to flee the besieged southern border zone, killing families without any military objective in sight.
In an extraordinary, and extraordinarily revealing comment, the Israeli Justice Minister, Haim Ramon, reportedly said, "All those now in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hizbullah."
So if you take to the roads to flee, you are a terrorist - who else would travel the southern roads now? And, if you stay at home because the danger is so great, you are also a terrorist. For the innocent civilian, there is literally no way out.
Take the example of Manal, a 22-year-old housewife, who had just arrived in Beirut when I met her a few days ago. For nearly two weeks, Israeli warplanes struck Manal's border village of Aitaroun, obliterating homes and families. A Canadian-Lebanese family vacationing in the village was killed; the next day, another rocket destroyed a home 100 meters away from Manal's house, killing at least nine members of a family. So many were killed in her village that she finds it difficult to remember all the names.
When the Israelis dropped leaflets instructing all villages south of the Litani River to evacuate immediately "for your own safety," Manal and dozens of her neighbours set off in three cars, waving white flags. As they left, an Israeli warplane dropped bombs 10 meters in front of and behind the convoy, which raced on. As far too many Lebanese civilians have found, Manal's experience is not exceptional, on the contrary.
In another case, Israeli forces struck the home of a Shi'a cleric Sheikh Adil Mohammad Akash, who was reportedly affiliated with Hizbullah but without a direct military role. Even if the sheikh had been a fighter, the bomb killed him, his wife, their ten children, and the family's Sri Lankan maid. The ratio of twelve for one reveals Israel's disregard for civilian lives.
Although mistakes are made in the fog of fighting, the pattern of Israeli behavior in southern Lebanon suggests a deliberate policy. My notebook overflows with reports of civilian deaths, day after day.
Israel blames Hizbullah for the massive civilian toll in Lebanon, claiming that they are hiding the rockets they are firing at Israel, in civilian homes, and that they are fighting from within the civilian population. This is a convenient excuse. Human Rights Watch has consistently documented Hizbullah's war crimes, including deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians, as well as the taking of hostages. But our investigations have not found evidence to support Israeli allegations that Hizbullah are intentionally endangering Lebanese civilians by systematically fighting from civilian positions. We can't exclude the possibility that it happens - but time and again villagers tell us that Hizbullah is fighting from the hills. Meanwhile, the homes hit by Israel have only civilians in them.
The current Israeli actions are not only wrong, but - short of compelling evidence to the contrary, which so far is nowhere to be found - also war crimes. Israel's leaders, and their friends elsewhere in the world, must face up to that truth.
Take the example of Manal, a 22-year-old housewife, who had just arrived in Beirut when I met her a few days ago. For nearly two weeks, Israeli warplanes struck Manal's border village of Aitaroun, obliterating homes and families. A Canadian-Lebanese family vacationing in the village was killed; the next day, another rocket destroyed a home 100 meters away from Manal's house, killing at least nine members of a family. So many were killed in her village that she finds it difficult to remember all the names.
When the Israelis dropped leaflets instructing all villages south of the Litani River to evacuate immediately "for your own safety," Manal and dozens of her neighbours set off in three cars, waving white flags. As they left, an Israeli warplane dropped bombs 10 meters in front of and behind the convoy, which raced on. As far too many Lebanese civilians have found, Manal's experience is not exceptional, on the contrary.
In another case, Israeli forces struck the home of a Shi'a cleric Sheikh Adil Mohammad Akash, who was reportedly affiliated with Hizbullah but without a direct military role. Even if the sheikh had been a fighter, the bomb killed him, his wife, their ten children, and the family's Sri Lankan maid. The ratio of twelve for one reveals Israel's disregard for civilian lives.
Although mistakes are made in the fog of fighting, the pattern of Israeli behavior in southern Lebanon suggests a deliberate policy. My notebook overflows with reports of civilian deaths, day after day.
Israel blames Hizbullah for the massive civilian toll in Lebanon, claiming that they are hiding the rockets they are firing at Israel, in civilian homes, and that they are fighting from within the civilian population. This is a convenient excuse. Human Rights Watch has consistently documented Hizbullah's war crimes, including deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians, as well as the taking of hostages. But our investigations have not found evidence to support Israeli allegations that Hizbullah are intentionally endangering Lebanese civilians by systematically fighting from civilian positions. We can't exclude the possibility that it happens - but time and again villagers tell us that Hizbullah is fighting from the hills. Meanwhile, the homes hit by Israel have only civilians in them.
The current Israeli actions are not only wrong, but - short of compelling evidence to the contrary, which so far is nowhere to be found - also war crimes. Israel's leaders, and their friends elsewhere in the world, must face up to that truth.
Germans said Israel in a Lose-Lose Situation
From German news Spiegel Online:
... left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung argues that it's now too late for a sudden peace. "The call for an immediate cease-fire - in contrast to the calls for cease-fire in 1996 - will only have a limited effect," the commentator writes.
"An immediate unconditional cease-fire will be the same as a victory for Hezbollah."
The paper argues that Israel and the US have already lost "on the field of diplomacy," and that absent a quick military success, "Qana in 2006 will be what Qana in 1996 became: the writing on the wall that led to Israel's retreat from Lebanon."
The Financial Times Deutschland thinks Israel's military success in Lebanon "has been unimpressive so far," and agrees with other papers that a retreat or a cease-fire will do no good.
The last time Israel retreated from Lebanon, in 2000, it was "celebrated as a triumph for Hezbollah, and established its mythic status. As everyone can see, it didn't serve the cause of peace."
The paper isn't optimistic about continued fighting, either, because the violence has already hurt Israel's standing as a diplomatic negotiator.
"The unprecedented criticism that Arab governments from Egypt to Saudi Arabia expressed against Hezbollah at the start of the current war has gone mute again."
Although many leaders in the Middle East hate the idea of Iran spreading its influence through Hezbollah, the paper writes, now they have to show "solidarity" with the Lebanese.
... left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung argues that it's now too late for a sudden peace. "The call for an immediate cease-fire - in contrast to the calls for cease-fire in 1996 - will only have a limited effect," the commentator writes.
"An immediate unconditional cease-fire will be the same as a victory for Hezbollah."
The paper argues that Israel and the US have already lost "on the field of diplomacy," and that absent a quick military success, "Qana in 2006 will be what Qana in 1996 became: the writing on the wall that led to Israel's retreat from Lebanon."
The Financial Times Deutschland thinks Israel's military success in Lebanon "has been unimpressive so far," and agrees with other papers that a retreat or a cease-fire will do no good.
The last time Israel retreated from Lebanon, in 2000, it was "celebrated as a triumph for Hezbollah, and established its mythic status. As everyone can see, it didn't serve the cause of peace."
The paper isn't optimistic about continued fighting, either, because the violence has already hurt Israel's standing as a diplomatic negotiator.
"The unprecedented criticism that Arab governments from Egypt to Saudi Arabia expressed against Hezbollah at the start of the current war has gone mute again."
Although many leaders in the Middle East hate the idea of Iran spreading its influence through Hezbollah, the paper writes, now they have to show "solidarity" with the Lebanese.
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