230 ‘black spots’ have been identified as killer zones on Malaysia’s road system. If lives are to be saved, then all those identified dangerous stretches and accident-prone spots on our federal and state roads in Peninsula , Sabah and Sarawak should be improved to remove their hazardous features.
But Humpty Dumpty – no, he’s not promising to make those hazardous road spots ‘disappear' as he did with one complete highway – said that the cost will come up to a RM1 billion. Either he or Bernama termed the sum as a quote whopping unquote sum.
Whooping? What does that imply?
Much more of our tax money perhaps 'disappearing'? Or worse for our drivers and transport passengers, those ‘black spots’ won’t be all fixed because we don't have the 'whopping' RM1 billion?
I seem to recall we wasted more than RM1 billion cancelling the scenic bridge that never was. Yes, we spent more than RM1 billion of taxpayers money NOT building a bridge, which wasn't built yet. In fact, the ridiculous fact was it would have been cheaper to build the bridge. What kind of contractual arrangement was that, which our government committed us to? A 'whopping' government management idiocy or a 'whopping' whopper?
If this 'whopping' RM1 billion is needed to improve the safety features of those dangerous ‘black spots’ then we must implement their overhaul for the safety of the public, but I would be more confident if the government is more transparent in its costing and spending of public money. We need transparency, accountability and public scrutiny of the 'whopping' sum.
Incidentally Humpty announced the road problem and associated cost when he had his Deepavali ‘open house’ at the Putra World Trade Centre where he received ministers, corporate figures and community leaders among the 'whopping' whooping 10,000 guests.
I wonder how much it cost to host such a 'whopping' ‘open house’, but I am sure a minister’s 'whopping' monthly salary should be enough to cover it with plenty of 'whopping' change back.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Fine Zakaria Deros but rein in Selangor MB
OK, the PM has even hammered him publicly, giving others the imprimatur to also criticise him. AAB said: "Society cannot accept such offences committed by an elected representative and action must be taken against him."
Just to be sure no one misses the OK to whack this bloke, Bernama and the NST have also published news critical of him.
So, who's the 'lucky' bloke to earn such attention, even from the PM?
State Assemblyman Zakaria Md Deros is in the dog house for having built an ostentatious ‘istana’ (palace) amidst a low cost housing environment, a provocative act in a Malay kampong (village) area.
A Malay himself, he has been utterly insensitive in a low cost Malay housing area with a predominantly Malay culture that frowns on arrogant display of tall poppy lifestyle. His 4-storey mansion is at least ten times larger than others in the vicinity.
And talking about tall poppy, local residents have been pissed off, stating the palace-like building has become an eye-sore to those living in the area. One even declared: "I cannot bear to look at it, but it cannot be avoided. It is staring right at me once I open the door of my house".
He averred that locals had been against the project and that it had led to arguments between them and Zakaria's aides. Another criticised Zakaria for showing off his powers by defying their feelings.
Just to complement his social ‘sins’, he also committed a legal ‘sin’, by erecting his palatial mansion without submitting a building plan for approval. OK, so the accusation of his 'arrogant display of powers' is proven!
Now, normally when an UMNO member, especially a local bigwig, does that, he or she would be able to get away with it, but the fact that Zakaria has been hammered publicly by the PM, MB and the UMNO controlled media means he’s out of favour with the party.
Then there is also the matter of his family dominating the Klang Town Council. While there is no legal impediment to three members of the same family sitting on the Council, there is the universal concept of public propriety, namely avoidng public perception and criticisms of unbalanced public representation and dodgy conflict of interest, which of course UMNO hasn’t been exactly the tauladan (exemplary model) in upholding.
Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, not everyone’s favourite, said that Zakaria, by building the house illegally, had contravened the Road, Drainage and Building Act 1974. He wants to fine Zakaria the maximum 10 times the cost of the building plan.
There’s no doubt that Zakaria deserves to be fined for not submitting a building plan, but I don’t like the MB’s politically initiated decision to whack Zakaria 10 times the normal amount. ‘Two wrongs’ don’t make ‘one right’.
The proper process should be followed and a balanced assessment of his fine should be fairly decided upon. It may well be 10 times the usual amount, and so be it, but it’s dangerous supporting a MB who decided on the heat of the political controversy to shoot from his hips at a civil offender.
If Zakaria is to be frown upon for his display of arrogant political power, likewise we must frown upon Mohamad Khir Toyo for his ad hoc announcement of punitive fine against Zakaria. We don't want Toyo's demonstration of absolute autocratic exercise of powers.
In fact I deem it far more important to rein in someone like the MB than Zakaria.
Just to be sure no one misses the OK to whack this bloke, Bernama and the NST have also published news critical of him.
So, who's the 'lucky' bloke to earn such attention, even from the PM?
State Assemblyman Zakaria Md Deros is in the dog house for having built an ostentatious ‘istana’ (palace) amidst a low cost housing environment, a provocative act in a Malay kampong (village) area.
A Malay himself, he has been utterly insensitive in a low cost Malay housing area with a predominantly Malay culture that frowns on arrogant display of tall poppy lifestyle. His 4-storey mansion is at least ten times larger than others in the vicinity.
And talking about tall poppy, local residents have been pissed off, stating the palace-like building has become an eye-sore to those living in the area. One even declared: "I cannot bear to look at it, but it cannot be avoided. It is staring right at me once I open the door of my house".
He averred that locals had been against the project and that it had led to arguments between them and Zakaria's aides. Another criticised Zakaria for showing off his powers by defying their feelings.
Just to complement his social ‘sins’, he also committed a legal ‘sin’, by erecting his palatial mansion without submitting a building plan for approval. OK, so the accusation of his 'arrogant display of powers' is proven!
Now, normally when an UMNO member, especially a local bigwig, does that, he or she would be able to get away with it, but the fact that Zakaria has been hammered publicly by the PM, MB and the UMNO controlled media means he’s out of favour with the party.
Then there is also the matter of his family dominating the Klang Town Council. While there is no legal impediment to three members of the same family sitting on the Council, there is the universal concept of public propriety, namely avoidng public perception and criticisms of unbalanced public representation and dodgy conflict of interest, which of course UMNO hasn’t been exactly the tauladan (exemplary model) in upholding.
Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, not everyone’s favourite, said that Zakaria, by building the house illegally, had contravened the Road, Drainage and Building Act 1974. He wants to fine Zakaria the maximum 10 times the cost of the building plan.
There’s no doubt that Zakaria deserves to be fined for not submitting a building plan, but I don’t like the MB’s politically initiated decision to whack Zakaria 10 times the normal amount. ‘Two wrongs’ don’t make ‘one right’.
The proper process should be followed and a balanced assessment of his fine should be fairly decided upon. It may well be 10 times the usual amount, and so be it, but it’s dangerous supporting a MB who decided on the heat of the political controversy to shoot from his hips at a civil offender.
If Zakaria is to be frown upon for his display of arrogant political power, likewise we must frown upon Mohamad Khir Toyo for his ad hoc announcement of punitive fine against Zakaria. We don't want Toyo's demonstration of absolute autocratic exercise of powers.
In fact I deem it far more important to rein in someone like the MB than Zakaria.
Bush's 'Vietnam'
In my earlier posting F**k if they do, f**k if they don’t I discussed President Bush’s admittance that the deteriorating situation Iraq has become somewhat like those of Vietnam during the American occupation there in the 60’s and 70’s, where the US lost more than 55,000 dead in its 10-year war.
A visitor Ranger wrote in to present his opinion as to why he disagrees with the Iraq-Vietnam parallel. I appreciate his well written piece but we all have our own opinions, which is why I have rustled up, admittedly hastily, a off the cuff response. Initially I thought of just responsing to his comments in the earlier posting, but I reckon it's worth a posting on its own. Maybe some of you more knowledgeable people may want to add on your views ;-)
My response:
There are many parallels. While there is no “North Vietnam” or its “regulars” equivalent in Iraq, there are neighbouring “sanctuaries” and the former Baathist-dominated army. One mistake the Americans made, and a huge one, was to fight Iraq in 2003 like they did a decade before that when they then pulverised Saddam Hussein’s military.
That was why they (or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld) overly believed in and depended on the “shock & awe” concept couple with a blitzkrieg sweep into Baghdad, using only a light mobile land force – they were some 300,000 less in land force strength than they ought to have been.
This so-called Rumsfeld doctrine was in fact influenced by the US horrendous experience in Vietnam. So, even in the planning for the invasion of Iraq, the dark cloud of Vietnam hung over the Americans’ head. Rumsfeld thought he would minimise involvement of ground forces, depending mainly on the “shock & awe” to win the battle (but unfortunately not the war). Surely as a ranger, Ranger, you don’t expect the war (or occupation) to be won solely by air power?
Therein lies part of their current problem.
The other part has been the obduracy of Rumsfeld (backed by Cheney) who refused to acknowledge his poor strategy, which was aggravated by the Administration's ill-defined objective (so how to “maintain” when it’s not well “selected”), an inadequate ground force by as much as a quarter million men (virtually admitting his terrible mistake) or make amends. Rumsfeld was afraid of reinforcing the public’s perception of his mistake and, through pouring in of more men, reminding Americans of another ‘Vietnam’.
On the Iraqi side, unlike the Americans, they learnt from their disaster in the 1st Gulf War. They refused to fight the US on the latter’s terms, namely a conventional war. Saddam (or his advisors) made arrangements to disperse the elite Republican Army as loosely-connected independently-led smaller groups of insurgents. These aren’t to be confused with the al Qaeda movements, the latter only taking advantage of the chaos to come in much later (uninvited by the Iraqis) to install a presence in Iraq.
Please read my earlier posting Vietnam Haunts the USA but Inspires Iraq.
Similar to the USSR and China (and many other communist countries) supporting Vietnam, many Muslim nations are also supporting the Iraqi insurgents, although in the latter case, there is an additional issue of the Sunni-Shiite divide. But you may bet that Saudi Arabia, for selfish reasons caused by fear of an encroaching Shiite “crescent”, is (note the present tense) the main supporter of the Sunnis while Iran supports the other side. They may fight each other (adding to the chaos and impossibility of a stable Iraqi state) but they also target the Yanks and allies.
I do not accept the American-stated arguments that the current utterly horrendous insurgency situation, albeit participated by multiple groups with different objectives and allegiance, aren’t administered by a central authority. Yes, there are peripheral groups which don’t have a central command. But in some better organised groups like the (former Baathist) Sunnis and the southern Shiite groups, they woudl be led by their respective central command.
That they don’t operate like the Vietnamese doesn’t mean they aren’t led like so. Bearing in mind the modern electronic environment and the American dominance of it, those insurgents aren’t exactly ignorant of this factor, nor going to oblige and allow the Yanks to paint a picture of their organisation(s) through intelligence gathering of the air waves. New age, new technology, new insurgent tactics.
As I said, the Iraqis have learnt from previous lessons, including others. Why then would they indulge in a Tet-like offensive if that was disastrous? Besides, the observation of the Vietnam similarity was more in reference to the Vietcong-like insurgency rather than conventional warfare (Tet). An additional point is the insurgents, being insurgents, don't have conventional forces and they don't want to participate in conentional warfare.
Again, you cannot draw parallels between the current Iraqi quagmire and the Gulf War I campaign to regain Kuwait. In the earlier war, George Bush Senior conducted a well planned political campaign prior to the invasion to ensure the majority of the Arab world was on his side. His son didn’t and in fact had the greater part of the World (not just the Arab one) against him.
The father had a well defined limited objective – he just recovered Kuwait and didn’t charge into Baghdad, nor did he leave troops in Iraq after he had achieved his objective; his invasion forces were well marshalled and more than adequate. OTOH, his son had no clear objective nor plans for an occupation, nor the commensurate forces to implement whatever nebulous scheme he and his strategists had in mind, and he ignored the only bloke who had the experience and know-how to make it work, namely Colin Powell.
He relied instead on a bunch of Vietnam draft dodgers, and most dangerously, blokes who were Zionist-Israeli lobbyists, where the last had an entirely different objective of their own (of course for the US to carry out, without the US being any wiser), namely the plain destruction of Saddam’s military and the fragmentation of Iraq as a viable threat to Israel (they want that also for Iran – re Iran please read WMD Lies - Version II).
This last group wasn’t/isn't interested in a stable cohesive Iraq. They weren’t going to get rid of Saddam to have another (and worse for them) better Iraqi leader administer a powerful Iraq to pose a future threat to Israel. Please read Rumsfeld Incompetence & Iraq's Civil War.
For more of the Cheney-Rumsfeld influence on President Bush please read also my posting Iraq War - Colin Powell Revealed Some Facts.
So, I disagree with Ranger's analysis that the insurgency situation in Iraqi is unlike Vietnam. Throw in a hostile local populace (Sunnis or Shiites) and a corrupt pro-US regime and sheer corruption on the American side, and hey presto, the picture is almost complete.
What is still lacking, or rather, not strong yet thus far are two elements, namely (1) the fierce domestic anti-war movement in America but which is surely growing each day, and (2) a generally sceptical American press, which like the anti-war movement, is indeed getting disenchanted with the Bush Administration.
Already we read of former State Secretary Bakar alluding to bringing in a member of Bush’s Axis of Evil, Iran and Bush’s terrorist state, Syria to help ameliorate the Iraqi situation. Another “Kissinger in Paris?”
I invite Ranger and other readers to read my analysis of the American problem in Iraq, and why I had believe they would lose the war in my earlier posting Driving the Sea to the Fishes! (2)
Related:
(1) Iraq: Vietnam II?
(2) Why Terrorism Will Continue?
(3) Appeasement? Absolutely Not!
(4) Terrorism: What Goes Around Comes Around
(5) Heartland of America Traumatised by Casualties in War
(6) Dilemma of the three 'D's
(7) Desperate Bush Dragging Out Smelly Old Lie
(8) US Kills For Democracy & Liberty
(9) US & Israel - Re-Entering Vietnams
(10) Another My Lai!
(11) 100 insurgent attacks per day on Coalition forces in Iraq
A visitor Ranger wrote in to present his opinion as to why he disagrees with the Iraq-Vietnam parallel. I appreciate his well written piece but we all have our own opinions, which is why I have rustled up, admittedly hastily, a off the cuff response. Initially I thought of just responsing to his comments in the earlier posting, but I reckon it's worth a posting on its own. Maybe some of you more knowledgeable people may want to add on your views ;-)
My response:
There are many parallels. While there is no “North Vietnam” or its “regulars” equivalent in Iraq, there are neighbouring “sanctuaries” and the former Baathist-dominated army. One mistake the Americans made, and a huge one, was to fight Iraq in 2003 like they did a decade before that when they then pulverised Saddam Hussein’s military.
That was why they (or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld) overly believed in and depended on the “shock & awe” concept couple with a blitzkrieg sweep into Baghdad, using only a light mobile land force – they were some 300,000 less in land force strength than they ought to have been.
This so-called Rumsfeld doctrine was in fact influenced by the US horrendous experience in Vietnam. So, even in the planning for the invasion of Iraq, the dark cloud of Vietnam hung over the Americans’ head. Rumsfeld thought he would minimise involvement of ground forces, depending mainly on the “shock & awe” to win the battle (but unfortunately not the war). Surely as a ranger, Ranger, you don’t expect the war (or occupation) to be won solely by air power?
Therein lies part of their current problem.
The other part has been the obduracy of Rumsfeld (backed by Cheney) who refused to acknowledge his poor strategy, which was aggravated by the Administration's ill-defined objective (so how to “maintain” when it’s not well “selected”), an inadequate ground force by as much as a quarter million men (virtually admitting his terrible mistake) or make amends. Rumsfeld was afraid of reinforcing the public’s perception of his mistake and, through pouring in of more men, reminding Americans of another ‘Vietnam’.
On the Iraqi side, unlike the Americans, they learnt from their disaster in the 1st Gulf War. They refused to fight the US on the latter’s terms, namely a conventional war. Saddam (or his advisors) made arrangements to disperse the elite Republican Army as loosely-connected independently-led smaller groups of insurgents. These aren’t to be confused with the al Qaeda movements, the latter only taking advantage of the chaos to come in much later (uninvited by the Iraqis) to install a presence in Iraq.
Please read my earlier posting Vietnam Haunts the USA but Inspires Iraq.
Similar to the USSR and China (and many other communist countries) supporting Vietnam, many Muslim nations are also supporting the Iraqi insurgents, although in the latter case, there is an additional issue of the Sunni-Shiite divide. But you may bet that Saudi Arabia, for selfish reasons caused by fear of an encroaching Shiite “crescent”, is (note the present tense) the main supporter of the Sunnis while Iran supports the other side. They may fight each other (adding to the chaos and impossibility of a stable Iraqi state) but they also target the Yanks and allies.
I do not accept the American-stated arguments that the current utterly horrendous insurgency situation, albeit participated by multiple groups with different objectives and allegiance, aren’t administered by a central authority. Yes, there are peripheral groups which don’t have a central command. But in some better organised groups like the (former Baathist) Sunnis and the southern Shiite groups, they woudl be led by their respective central command.
That they don’t operate like the Vietnamese doesn’t mean they aren’t led like so. Bearing in mind the modern electronic environment and the American dominance of it, those insurgents aren’t exactly ignorant of this factor, nor going to oblige and allow the Yanks to paint a picture of their organisation(s) through intelligence gathering of the air waves. New age, new technology, new insurgent tactics.
As I said, the Iraqis have learnt from previous lessons, including others. Why then would they indulge in a Tet-like offensive if that was disastrous? Besides, the observation of the Vietnam similarity was more in reference to the Vietcong-like insurgency rather than conventional warfare (Tet). An additional point is the insurgents, being insurgents, don't have conventional forces and they don't want to participate in conentional warfare.
Again, you cannot draw parallels between the current Iraqi quagmire and the Gulf War I campaign to regain Kuwait. In the earlier war, George Bush Senior conducted a well planned political campaign prior to the invasion to ensure the majority of the Arab world was on his side. His son didn’t and in fact had the greater part of the World (not just the Arab one) against him.
The father had a well defined limited objective – he just recovered Kuwait and didn’t charge into Baghdad, nor did he leave troops in Iraq after he had achieved his objective; his invasion forces were well marshalled and more than adequate. OTOH, his son had no clear objective nor plans for an occupation, nor the commensurate forces to implement whatever nebulous scheme he and his strategists had in mind, and he ignored the only bloke who had the experience and know-how to make it work, namely Colin Powell.
He relied instead on a bunch of Vietnam draft dodgers, and most dangerously, blokes who were Zionist-Israeli lobbyists, where the last had an entirely different objective of their own (of course for the US to carry out, without the US being any wiser), namely the plain destruction of Saddam’s military and the fragmentation of Iraq as a viable threat to Israel (they want that also for Iran – re Iran please read WMD Lies - Version II).
This last group wasn’t/isn't interested in a stable cohesive Iraq. They weren’t going to get rid of Saddam to have another (and worse for them) better Iraqi leader administer a powerful Iraq to pose a future threat to Israel. Please read Rumsfeld Incompetence & Iraq's Civil War.
For more of the Cheney-Rumsfeld influence on President Bush please read also my posting Iraq War - Colin Powell Revealed Some Facts.
So, I disagree with Ranger's analysis that the insurgency situation in Iraqi is unlike Vietnam. Throw in a hostile local populace (Sunnis or Shiites) and a corrupt pro-US regime and sheer corruption on the American side, and hey presto, the picture is almost complete.
What is still lacking, or rather, not strong yet thus far are two elements, namely (1) the fierce domestic anti-war movement in America but which is surely growing each day, and (2) a generally sceptical American press, which like the anti-war movement, is indeed getting disenchanted with the Bush Administration.
Already we read of former State Secretary Bakar alluding to bringing in a member of Bush’s Axis of Evil, Iran and Bush’s terrorist state, Syria to help ameliorate the Iraqi situation. Another “Kissinger in Paris?”
I invite Ranger and other readers to read my analysis of the American problem in Iraq, and why I had believe they would lose the war in my earlier posting Driving the Sea to the Fishes! (2)
Related:
(1) Iraq: Vietnam II?
(2) Why Terrorism Will Continue?
(3) Appeasement? Absolutely Not!
(4) Terrorism: What Goes Around Comes Around
(5) Heartland of America Traumatised by Casualties in War
(6) Dilemma of the three 'D's
(7) Desperate Bush Dragging Out Smelly Old Lie
(8) US Kills For Democracy & Liberty
(9) US & Israel - Re-Entering Vietnams
(10) Another My Lai!
(11) 100 insurgent attacks per day on Coalition forces in Iraq
Friday, October 20, 2006
Learning Better English
One writer to Malaysiakini informed us that he improved his English by watching English langugage TV programmes (from Singapore).
I don't entirely disagree with the educational value of that but is there be a better way to master English?
Watching TV of course appeals to the receptor's most important sense, his/her vision. Educators have asserted that our visual sense dominates our learning by as much as 75% , whilst our audio sense rules only some 15%.
This is of course only a general rule, because when it comes to more specific learning like driving or making roti (bread) or sewing, the sense of touch assumes equal if not greater importance than the audio sense. Wine tasting of course calls upon the sense of taste and smell, and learning to be a perfume expert ... well, you make a guess.
However, our visual-audio senses takes in not the language of the TV programme but the message it conveys - violence? cruelty? hatred? foreign pop culture and practices?
While there is no doubt that visual-audio media is great for learning English, what about the old hobby/practice of reading or just listening to good radio programmes?
I don't entirely disagree with the educational value of that but is there be a better way to master English?
Watching TV of course appeals to the receptor's most important sense, his/her vision. Educators have asserted that our visual sense dominates our learning by as much as 75% , whilst our audio sense rules only some 15%.
This is of course only a general rule, because when it comes to more specific learning like driving or making roti (bread) or sewing, the sense of touch assumes equal if not greater importance than the audio sense. Wine tasting of course calls upon the sense of taste and smell, and learning to be a perfume expert ... well, you make a guess.
However, our visual-audio senses takes in not the language of the TV programme but the message it conveys - violence? cruelty? hatred? foreign pop culture and practices?
While there is no doubt that visual-audio media is great for learning English, what about the old hobby/practice of reading or just listening to good radio programmes?
PAS Volte-Face on Dr Mahathir
Remember when Dr Mahathir was thumping AAB, PAS was praising the Grand Ole Man sky-high? PAS used to call Dr Mahathir the 'devil' but during his tiff with AAB, he was elevated back to 'heaven' (by PAS 'ticket to heaven'?) as an archangel, and was even hailed as a national hero and probably a national treasure as well.
Now that there is talk of the pending meeting between the two UMNO leaders, PAS has changed its mind about Dr Mahathir. PAS VP Husam Musa said:
If I was Pak Lah's advisor, I will tell him not to meet Dr Mahathir.
First of all, Mahathir will dictate to Pak Lah on what to do on several issues like the bridge and the AP (approved permits). In that context, Pak Lah will just listen to him and I think that is not good for Pak Lah. Mahathir will pursue his own agenda.
If I was Pak Lah's advisor, I will tell him not to meet Dr Mahathir.
First of all, Mahathir will dictate to Pak Lah on what to do on several issues like the bridge and the AP (approved permits). In that context, Pak Lah will just listen to him and I think that is not good for Pak Lah. Mahathir will pursue his own agenda.
Wait one! whose side is PAS on now?
Alternatively, both of them can come to terms with one another. They will compromise on certain things but I don’t think that is possible. Mahathir will not stick to his principles and he’s in it for short term gains.
But but but, didn't you PAS people hail Dr Mahathir as a national hero - now you're saying he's a bloke who won't stick to principles?
This talk will benefit Mahathir more than Pak Lah. If the aim of Mahathir is to push Pak Lah down, then he can now dictate issues to Pak Lah, issues (that is) difficult for Pak Lah to answer. If Pak Lah cannot explain (these issues) to the public, it will be more difficult to explain to Mahathir.
Somehow after reading Husam's volte-face vis-a-vis Dr Mahathir, my recent growing respect for PAS has taken a serious tumble. PAS is becoming like Anwar Ibrahim.
'Ketupat in Kashmir' - An MGR Extravaganza
I love Indian movies, where the scenes can take startling and amazing shifts of landscapes - one moment the hero is crooning to his paramour in the Taj Mahal gardens, next instant they're skiing down the snow slopes of Kashmir (of course no terrorist); then flash, and you see them on a boat in a Simla lake, before dancing with gaiety in the verdant tea plantations of Darjeeling. Oh, those songs - it's hard to ever imagine Indian movies without songs.
Then in-between the songs, there would be promises of eternal love, of intrepid resolute to fight the evil landlord and devoted filial piety to Mum and traditional apom and etalli.
But what if we transpose those scenes to politics with an Alice in Boleh Land surrealist image - where the evil landlord transforms to assume a benign benevolent paternalistic hero-MGR-ish image, making equally startling and amazing sheaves of (or shaft the) promises, which of course we known would never be fulfilled one iota - hasn't been during the last 50 years.
Oh, how the man promised to undertaken various programmes and projects to uplift the standard of living of the community. Even single mothers, who were once without power and hope, have now been empowered to be self-reliant and independent, with hope for their children and themselves and an opportunity to come out of the poverty cycle and marginalisation.
I hear the drums going ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum tak tak tak, while sitars and hand organs wailed ominously, and the pseudo-MGR leaps on stage with dazzling teeth and wrapped in rich silk shawl to sing the following Deeparaya jingle, to the flashing shifting background scenes of Kashmir, Taj Mahal, Simla ........
organise, motivate and mobilise
yeah man yeah Must I Come too
bullshit, chong lah, tuapen, lie
who cares if peasants turn blue
we've deepa ketupat in Kashmir
& raya cakes in snow clad Simla
but suckers we've no bloody fear
of you tambis ever getting this far
now flash to beautiful Taj Mahal
see beauties and beast real ugly
& if you peasants see him gatal,
you can sigh in pseudo-ecstasy
but get a share? dream on tangachi
cause you are those marginalised
Must I Come help you? It's crazy
you suckers haven't yet realised
Aneh just want your votes dear
every 5 years dangles before you
sweet fragrant ketupat in Kashmir
promises of dreams to come true
but like the highways that disappear
so will his promises and whatever
thus will those ketupats in Kashmir
be just out of your reach forever
... ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum tak tak tak ... Jolly great opiate for the masses - hah, another five more years. But Happy Deeparaya!
Related:
(1) The Toddy Syndrome
(2) Humpty Dumpty Bit Hands That Fed Him
(3) Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?
Then in-between the songs, there would be promises of eternal love, of intrepid resolute to fight the evil landlord and devoted filial piety to Mum and traditional apom and etalli.
But what if we transpose those scenes to politics with an Alice in Boleh Land surrealist image - where the evil landlord transforms to assume a benign benevolent paternalistic hero-MGR-ish image, making equally startling and amazing sheaves of (or shaft the) promises, which of course we known would never be fulfilled one iota - hasn't been during the last 50 years.
Oh, how the man promised to undertaken various programmes and projects to uplift the standard of living of the community. Even single mothers, who were once without power and hope, have now been empowered to be self-reliant and independent, with hope for their children and themselves and an opportunity to come out of the poverty cycle and marginalisation.
I hear the drums going ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum tak tak tak, while sitars and hand organs wailed ominously, and the pseudo-MGR leaps on stage with dazzling teeth and wrapped in rich silk shawl to sing the following Deeparaya jingle, to the flashing shifting background scenes of Kashmir, Taj Mahal, Simla ........
organise, motivate and mobilise
yeah man yeah Must I Come too
bullshit, chong lah, tuapen, lie
who cares if peasants turn blue
we've deepa ketupat in Kashmir
& raya cakes in snow clad Simla
but suckers we've no bloody fear
of you tambis ever getting this far
now flash to beautiful Taj Mahal
see beauties and beast real ugly
& if you peasants see him gatal,
you can sigh in pseudo-ecstasy
but get a share? dream on tangachi
cause you are those marginalised
Must I Come help you? It's crazy
you suckers haven't yet realised
Aneh just want your votes dear
every 5 years dangles before you
sweet fragrant ketupat in Kashmir
promises of dreams to come true
but like the highways that disappear
so will his promises and whatever
thus will those ketupats in Kashmir
be just out of your reach forever
... ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum tak tak tak ... Jolly great opiate for the masses - hah, another five more years. But Happy Deeparaya!
Related:
(1) The Toddy Syndrome
(2) Humpty Dumpty Bit Hands That Fed Him
(3) Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
F**k if they do, f**k if they don’t
When I started blogging over at BolehTalk I discussed how Iraq would be another ‘Vietnam’ for the Americans, I was laughed at, with some ‘experts’ explaining why there couldn’t be any parallel.
Well, bibs, none other than George W Bush, President of the USA, has just admitted on American TV channel ABC that Iraq could be compared to Vietnam.
Another defeat for the world's most powerful nation with its tail behind its hind legs as it scurried back to mainland USA?
In the meanwhile, one of the most respected and distinguished Australian diplomat, a retired foreign affairs chief who had served seven Australian PMs, Richard Woolcott, described Australian involvement in the war in Iraq as a ‘catastrophic blunder’ that has substantially increased the terrorist threat to Australia.
He lambasted Prime Minister John Howard as a man who seemed unable to admit the obvious. He said: "The Iraq war has been a disaster and has substantially increased the terrorist threat Mr Howard said it would reduce. The aim of foreign and defence policy is to make Australia secure - ironically some of our policies have placed Australians at greater risk."
Mr Woolcott also said the Australian government - like the Yank's and the Pommie's, altogether the original Coalition of the Killing - has been caught in a no-win situation with no viable exit strategy.
He said: "The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, having made such a catastrophic foreign and security policy blunder, are now trapped in a dilemma of their own making."
He warned a precipitious withdrawal from Iraq could cause more chaos, while staying the course would only continue the bloodshed, energise the terrorist and Jihadists, including those in Australia’s own region.
A case of f**k if they do, and f**k if they don’t - yes, the Coalition of the F**k-ed
Woolcott's criticism of the war followed recent comments from Australia's former defence chief General Peter Cosgrove that it had boosted global terrorism and Britain's top soldier Sir Richard Dannatt, who called for the recall of his troops from Iraq.
Well, bibs, none other than George W Bush, President of the USA, has just admitted on American TV channel ABC that Iraq could be compared to Vietnam.
Another defeat for the world's most powerful nation with its tail behind its hind legs as it scurried back to mainland USA?
In the meanwhile, one of the most respected and distinguished Australian diplomat, a retired foreign affairs chief who had served seven Australian PMs, Richard Woolcott, described Australian involvement in the war in Iraq as a ‘catastrophic blunder’ that has substantially increased the terrorist threat to Australia.
He lambasted Prime Minister John Howard as a man who seemed unable to admit the obvious. He said: "The Iraq war has been a disaster and has substantially increased the terrorist threat Mr Howard said it would reduce. The aim of foreign and defence policy is to make Australia secure - ironically some of our policies have placed Australians at greater risk."
Mr Woolcott also said the Australian government - like the Yank's and the Pommie's, altogether the original Coalition of the Killing - has been caught in a no-win situation with no viable exit strategy.
He said: "The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, having made such a catastrophic foreign and security policy blunder, are now trapped in a dilemma of their own making."
He warned a precipitious withdrawal from Iraq could cause more chaos, while staying the course would only continue the bloodshed, energise the terrorist and Jihadists, including those in Australia’s own region.
A case of f**k if they do, and f**k if they don’t - yes, the Coalition of the F**k-ed
Woolcott's criticism of the war followed recent comments from Australia's former defence chief General Peter Cosgrove that it had boosted global terrorism and Britain's top soldier Sir Richard Dannatt, who called for the recall of his troops from Iraq.
The Forgotten People
Sim Kwang Yang, a columnist for Malaysiakini wrote the following article – it’s a wee long but it’s worth a read, especially the last section, as it tells us about a part of Malaysian society that we haven’t heard or talk much about, unlike the very marginalised Indians or the privileged UMNOputras and their BN cohorts. But like the Indians they too fall between the cracks, though not so badly because they keep striving.
***
The young boy’s story
I was enjoying my late evening bubbly beverage at a neighbourhood coffee shop when this scrawny none-too-prosperous-looking Chinese boy tried to push me some illegal CDs.
Then he sat down at the next table drinking a glass of cold Chinese tea, which at 40 cents, was the cheapest item on the menu. He also looked hungry. So I ordered some fried rice for him. He acknowledged my gesture and wolfed down the meal like a ravenous beast.
I started to get him talking about himself by asking some strategic questions in my broken Cantonese. He was 16, he said, still studying in a Chinese junior secondary school. But he could not study well because his family could not afford expensive tuition classes.
His parents were hawkers selling food at a local market. They had to get up at four or five in the morning, and would not be back until two in the afternoon. They would spend the entire evening preparing for the next day's business. Yet, they did not make enough money to make ends meet.
Without his parents' knowledge, this new found young friend of mine began selling illegal CDs and DVDs, starting at six in the evening until one in the morning. He made about RM2 for each article sold, less if the customer insisted on a discount. On a good day, he could take home RM10 for his expenses. A syndicate - represented by a young lady with a large shoulder bag standing not far away - took care of him, his transport, inventory, stock list and accounting.
By the time he got home to sleep, it would be about 2am. He did this six days a week. He did not have much sleep, and his study was slipping. But at least, he had not been arrested by the enforcement officers. He agreed with me he should stop doing this dubious trade, but there seemed to be few other options.
I looked at his innocent young face and shuddered at the kind of future awaiting him in years to come.
I understand there are quite a few young Chinese kids who suffer a similar fate. Apparently, the drop-out rate is about one third in our Chinese school system.
They end up doing all kinds of odd jobs, anything to scrap out a living. The temptations of living in a huge city are great. Often, they find that they can make easy money doing things which are illegal, selling pirated CDs, collecting debt for loan-sharks, repossessing cars, running errands for various crime syndicates. It is a matter of time when they graduate to become syndicate luminaries themselves. Very few could extricate themselves from a life-long web of crime and violence.
The woman's story
Then there is the old lady running the coffee shop where I have my late evening bubbly beverage.
I watched one day when the health officers from our local council came to her shop for the usual inspection. When they left, the old lady whispered to me it took only RM30 to get rid of them. "They said my toilets are dirty. Where got my toilets dirty? They are looking for Duit Raya only."
Over the next few months, she would sometimes sit down at my table to catch her breath, and told me her story.
By now she is 61, and her husband is 73. They both run the coffee shop business. Every morning, she would be at the shop at 6.30 to open the door and light the fire. Then, she is off to the market for the day's purchase of various ingredients. The next few hours would be devoted to non-stop washing, peeling, cutting, and cooking, so that all the dishes would be ready for the lunch crowd at around 10.
When the crowd does turn up, she would be serving, trouble-shooting, supervising, collecting payment and running around until two in the afternoon. Cleaning up will take another hour or so. She would then catch a short nap, in the small space under the staircase.
At six, the action starts again. Her son the chef will turn the shop into a Chinese restaurant. The old lady and her husband still have to be there, to sell their chicken wings roasted over a charcoal fire and to serve the drinks. By the time they pack up for the evening, it would be well past two. She probably goes to bed at three in the morning.
They rest for one day every two weeks, and she complains that she never gets enough sleep.
She has done this for half a century, she told me one day. They started at a shack along Jalan Bukit Bintang at a time when the famed street was just like any haphazard road in China Town. Her brisk business did close for a week in the duration of the May 13 incident.
At her age, most old ladies would have retired long ago to a life of ease and comfort. Unfortunately, she made a bad investment opening a huge food court, and borrowing money from a loan shark. The unwise loan had to be repaid by selling off two houses, one van and three cars. That is why they are still rebuilding another business during her sunset years.
I asked her if she had ever sought help from the any government schemes and cheap loans that I read about. She laughed heartily and said she has the wrong colour skin for all that benefits.
The young boy and the old lady above are not well-schooled. But they are street-wise, having been exposed to the cruel working of the world from a young age. They may not know the sort of nation building policies and grand statistics that Big-Shot People bandy about in air-conditioned conference rooms and government meeting halls. But they know the worst of the system in place because they are the victims.
Nevertheless, I have not heard them whine about the lack of assistance from any quarters. They understood instinctively the capitalist dictum that "there is no free lunch in this world" more than your most educated professionals.
Many Chinese professionals and business people do not like playing against the loaded dice, so they have sought more level playing field across the oceans. In one study presented to a meeting of the Chinese Assembly hall in Kuala Lumpur, it was estimated that about one million of the most qualified Chinese people have migrated overseas in the period between 1957 and 1900. That is what I call an exodus. Of course, it is a massive loss of blood from our body politics in more ways than one!
But my friends the young boy and the old lady will never immigrate anywhere. They do not have the paper qualification, and they do not have the money. The very idea probably has not crossed their mind, since their family and friends are all here anyway. Malaysia is their homeland, even though they are denied this sense of belonging by the dominant political movement of the land.
Lumped together statistically
Of course the young boy and the old lady will never dream of buying shares and trading on the stock market. The corporate world is another universe to them, though they will have to buy the goods and services provided by our corporate giants.
They probably know about the legendary wealth of the very rich Chinese people in Malaysia. Perhaps they will gossip enviously about the good Karma of the most famous Chinese tycoons, those who can still retain a foothold in the world of commerce and finance despite the onslaught of unfriendly government policies.
What they - and millions like them - do not realise always is that they are lumped together statistically with the tycoons as a single ethnic group, to entrench the prejudice that all Chinese are rich, and so should be "marginalised" in a strange twist to the idea of positive discrimination.
They will probably not care much about this raging controversy on how much equity shares are held by the Malays. The only ASLI they know is Orang Asli (photo). Perhaps they do not believe in any government statistics anyway, being just average Malaysians at heart, and therefore very distant from government business, except when paying taxes or bribing "little Napoleons".
Whatever the Big-Shot People may say, the young boy and the old lady still has to get on with their daily struggle for survival in their separate ways. They are small fish in a huge ocean. Only the big fish can enjoy gargantuan and sumptuous free lunch in the name of righting racial wrongs.
***
The young boy’s story
I was enjoying my late evening bubbly beverage at a neighbourhood coffee shop when this scrawny none-too-prosperous-looking Chinese boy tried to push me some illegal CDs.
Then he sat down at the next table drinking a glass of cold Chinese tea, which at 40 cents, was the cheapest item on the menu. He also looked hungry. So I ordered some fried rice for him. He acknowledged my gesture and wolfed down the meal like a ravenous beast.
I started to get him talking about himself by asking some strategic questions in my broken Cantonese. He was 16, he said, still studying in a Chinese junior secondary school. But he could not study well because his family could not afford expensive tuition classes.
His parents were hawkers selling food at a local market. They had to get up at four or five in the morning, and would not be back until two in the afternoon. They would spend the entire evening preparing for the next day's business. Yet, they did not make enough money to make ends meet.
Without his parents' knowledge, this new found young friend of mine began selling illegal CDs and DVDs, starting at six in the evening until one in the morning. He made about RM2 for each article sold, less if the customer insisted on a discount. On a good day, he could take home RM10 for his expenses. A syndicate - represented by a young lady with a large shoulder bag standing not far away - took care of him, his transport, inventory, stock list and accounting.
By the time he got home to sleep, it would be about 2am. He did this six days a week. He did not have much sleep, and his study was slipping. But at least, he had not been arrested by the enforcement officers. He agreed with me he should stop doing this dubious trade, but there seemed to be few other options.
I looked at his innocent young face and shuddered at the kind of future awaiting him in years to come.
I understand there are quite a few young Chinese kids who suffer a similar fate. Apparently, the drop-out rate is about one third in our Chinese school system.
They end up doing all kinds of odd jobs, anything to scrap out a living. The temptations of living in a huge city are great. Often, they find that they can make easy money doing things which are illegal, selling pirated CDs, collecting debt for loan-sharks, repossessing cars, running errands for various crime syndicates. It is a matter of time when they graduate to become syndicate luminaries themselves. Very few could extricate themselves from a life-long web of crime and violence.
The woman's story
Then there is the old lady running the coffee shop where I have my late evening bubbly beverage.
I watched one day when the health officers from our local council came to her shop for the usual inspection. When they left, the old lady whispered to me it took only RM30 to get rid of them. "They said my toilets are dirty. Where got my toilets dirty? They are looking for Duit Raya only."
Over the next few months, she would sometimes sit down at my table to catch her breath, and told me her story.
By now she is 61, and her husband is 73. They both run the coffee shop business. Every morning, she would be at the shop at 6.30 to open the door and light the fire. Then, she is off to the market for the day's purchase of various ingredients. The next few hours would be devoted to non-stop washing, peeling, cutting, and cooking, so that all the dishes would be ready for the lunch crowd at around 10.
When the crowd does turn up, she would be serving, trouble-shooting, supervising, collecting payment and running around until two in the afternoon. Cleaning up will take another hour or so. She would then catch a short nap, in the small space under the staircase.
At six, the action starts again. Her son the chef will turn the shop into a Chinese restaurant. The old lady and her husband still have to be there, to sell their chicken wings roasted over a charcoal fire and to serve the drinks. By the time they pack up for the evening, it would be well past two. She probably goes to bed at three in the morning.
They rest for one day every two weeks, and she complains that she never gets enough sleep.
She has done this for half a century, she told me one day. They started at a shack along Jalan Bukit Bintang at a time when the famed street was just like any haphazard road in China Town. Her brisk business did close for a week in the duration of the May 13 incident.
At her age, most old ladies would have retired long ago to a life of ease and comfort. Unfortunately, she made a bad investment opening a huge food court, and borrowing money from a loan shark. The unwise loan had to be repaid by selling off two houses, one van and three cars. That is why they are still rebuilding another business during her sunset years.
I asked her if she had ever sought help from the any government schemes and cheap loans that I read about. She laughed heartily and said she has the wrong colour skin for all that benefits.
The young boy and the old lady above are not well-schooled. But they are street-wise, having been exposed to the cruel working of the world from a young age. They may not know the sort of nation building policies and grand statistics that Big-Shot People bandy about in air-conditioned conference rooms and government meeting halls. But they know the worst of the system in place because they are the victims.
Nevertheless, I have not heard them whine about the lack of assistance from any quarters. They understood instinctively the capitalist dictum that "there is no free lunch in this world" more than your most educated professionals.
Many Chinese professionals and business people do not like playing against the loaded dice, so they have sought more level playing field across the oceans. In one study presented to a meeting of the Chinese Assembly hall in Kuala Lumpur, it was estimated that about one million of the most qualified Chinese people have migrated overseas in the period between 1957 and 1900. That is what I call an exodus. Of course, it is a massive loss of blood from our body politics in more ways than one!
But my friends the young boy and the old lady will never immigrate anywhere. They do not have the paper qualification, and they do not have the money. The very idea probably has not crossed their mind, since their family and friends are all here anyway. Malaysia is their homeland, even though they are denied this sense of belonging by the dominant political movement of the land.
Lumped together statistically
Of course the young boy and the old lady will never dream of buying shares and trading on the stock market. The corporate world is another universe to them, though they will have to buy the goods and services provided by our corporate giants.
They probably know about the legendary wealth of the very rich Chinese people in Malaysia. Perhaps they will gossip enviously about the good Karma of the most famous Chinese tycoons, those who can still retain a foothold in the world of commerce and finance despite the onslaught of unfriendly government policies.
What they - and millions like them - do not realise always is that they are lumped together statistically with the tycoons as a single ethnic group, to entrench the prejudice that all Chinese are rich, and so should be "marginalised" in a strange twist to the idea of positive discrimination.
They will probably not care much about this raging controversy on how much equity shares are held by the Malays. The only ASLI they know is Orang Asli (photo). Perhaps they do not believe in any government statistics anyway, being just average Malaysians at heart, and therefore very distant from government business, except when paying taxes or bribing "little Napoleons".
Whatever the Big-Shot People may say, the young boy and the old lady still has to get on with their daily struggle for survival in their separate ways. They are small fish in a huge ocean. Only the big fish can enjoy gargantuan and sumptuous free lunch in the name of righting racial wrongs.
The Painful Truth
A letter by Mohd Said to Malaysiakini providing his views on the NEP:
I am sure many in Malaysia are skeptical of the 18.9% equity ownership by bumiputeras as found in the government's study which is in stark contrast to Asli's. Some might argue the lower number provides for more political leverage to fight for us bumiputeras' rights. Ambitious leaders thus have something to argue about. ‘We have reasons to keep the NEP’.
Until the government provides the methodology of their study, and explain why their study is more valid than Asli's, doubts will always be in Malaysians' minds. However, if the 18.9% is indeed accurate, the one vital issue that the government seems to conveniently ignore is - why this is happening?
Why, after 49 years of independence and decades of programmes designed to aid bumiputeras with the NEP, our so-called 'rights', and the scholarships, money and grants, are the bumiputeras still lagging behind? Why, after two generations, is our equity share less than a fifth, when we make up over half the nation's population?
The painful truth which we ignore is that these programmes do not work. The upper-class bumiputeras are getting richer, while the poor, poorer. These perks seem to only instill a sense of undeserved entitlement (with politicians crying foul over not getting the luxury car they want), abuse of power, corruption, intolerance of others and laziness. Our younger generation have trouble excelling academically, finding more joy in becoming Mat Rempits.
We have been spoilt. To fool ourselves, the politicians coin witty slogans and words like being 'glocal' and 'Towering Malays'. We say we're doing well, while we continue to slide further behind, and while our institutions of learning keep dropping in rank.
We do not realise that if we cannot learn to compete with others on fair ground in our own country, we will never learn to compete in the international arena.
And that is why my family sent me overseas for university studies and that is why I do not believe in raising my children to be spoon fed, to be taught that they were born with special rights and they deserve more than others regardless of effort.
And that is why, I'm proud to say, we are thriving due to our own hard work.
I urge our leaders, our prime minister, to take a step back, and hard as it may seem, to accept the truth that perhaps our system ultimately brings more harm than good to us bumiputeras. Let us learn to stand on our own two feet.
Do you agree with him?
I am sure many in Malaysia are skeptical of the 18.9% equity ownership by bumiputeras as found in the government's study which is in stark contrast to Asli's. Some might argue the lower number provides for more political leverage to fight for us bumiputeras' rights. Ambitious leaders thus have something to argue about. ‘We have reasons to keep the NEP’.
Until the government provides the methodology of their study, and explain why their study is more valid than Asli's, doubts will always be in Malaysians' minds. However, if the 18.9% is indeed accurate, the one vital issue that the government seems to conveniently ignore is - why this is happening?
Why, after 49 years of independence and decades of programmes designed to aid bumiputeras with the NEP, our so-called 'rights', and the scholarships, money and grants, are the bumiputeras still lagging behind? Why, after two generations, is our equity share less than a fifth, when we make up over half the nation's population?
The painful truth which we ignore is that these programmes do not work. The upper-class bumiputeras are getting richer, while the poor, poorer. These perks seem to only instill a sense of undeserved entitlement (with politicians crying foul over not getting the luxury car they want), abuse of power, corruption, intolerance of others and laziness. Our younger generation have trouble excelling academically, finding more joy in becoming Mat Rempits.
We have been spoilt. To fool ourselves, the politicians coin witty slogans and words like being 'glocal' and 'Towering Malays'. We say we're doing well, while we continue to slide further behind, and while our institutions of learning keep dropping in rank.
We do not realise that if we cannot learn to compete with others on fair ground in our own country, we will never learn to compete in the international arena.
And that is why my family sent me overseas for university studies and that is why I do not believe in raising my children to be spoon fed, to be taught that they were born with special rights and they deserve more than others regardless of effort.
And that is why, I'm proud to say, we are thriving due to our own hard work.
I urge our leaders, our prime minister, to take a step back, and hard as it may seem, to accept the truth that perhaps our system ultimately brings more harm than good to us bumiputeras. Let us learn to stand on our own two feet.
Do you agree with him?
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
From fraudulent JP to genuine Datukship
We all know that the State of Malacca has been notorious for its awarding of Datukship, printing them up like Chinese ghost money. I wonder how much each cost.
If I were appointed as its sales rep for state awards, I would price them as a Datuk at around $250,000 – sorry lah, no royalty in state so only at that miserable quarter mil ringgit. But a Datuk Seri – if the State doesn’t have a Datuk Seri, I would propose it invents one - would top the Datuk award by another $150,000, because the title is longer by 4 letters and a space in-between.
If I get fairly imaginative I would recommend higher awards like Datuk Taming Sari (hey, afterall, Hang Tuah was resident in Malacca) and Datuk Vijaya Parameswara (nope, change that to) Datuk Vijaya Mesra Wira – this way, it sounds more Malaysian.
Lots of businessmen like a title before their name, especially those who don’t have a few letters after theirs.
Well, last year there was one bloke who thought he would be clever and add a JP (Justice of the Peace) after his moniker – wow, he suddenly became a reputable member of the community.
But spoilsport Goh Leong San of the DAP party and MP for Bandar Hilir reported the pseudo-JP to the police for fraudulent use of the title.
Never put a ‘good’ bloke down because this year, that very same person is one of the recipients of a Malacca state award that carries the title Datuk.
Goh said: “He was not a JP recipient. Why is this person, who was a bogus JP, receiving a datukship?”
Goh told the state assembly about making a police report against the person last year yet seeing that bloke's name on the honours roll this year. The man had been listed for the award of the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award, namely a Datuk.
Moral of the tale – always persevere lah. Malacca Boleh!
Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam who, by the way is a Datuk Seri himself, said the state government had sent the honours list to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman for vetting prior to publishing the list. He said he would refer the matter to the police again.
Goh also revealed that he had lodged five police reports against six other persons for allegedly using the titles ‘datuk’, ‘JP’ and ‘PJK’ (Pingat Jasa Kebaktian).
Spoilsport, But someone falsely using a PJK? What a bloody cheapskate! If that bloke had to cheat, tolong lah, go all the way for a datukship, man! Really pariah mentality – tidak jaga standard lah!
If I were appointed as its sales rep for state awards, I would price them as a Datuk at around $250,000 – sorry lah, no royalty in state so only at that miserable quarter mil ringgit. But a Datuk Seri – if the State doesn’t have a Datuk Seri, I would propose it invents one - would top the Datuk award by another $150,000, because the title is longer by 4 letters and a space in-between.
If I get fairly imaginative I would recommend higher awards like Datuk Taming Sari (hey, afterall, Hang Tuah was resident in Malacca) and Datuk Vijaya Parameswara (nope, change that to) Datuk Vijaya Mesra Wira – this way, it sounds more Malaysian.
Lots of businessmen like a title before their name, especially those who don’t have a few letters after theirs.
Well, last year there was one bloke who thought he would be clever and add a JP (Justice of the Peace) after his moniker – wow, he suddenly became a reputable member of the community.
But spoilsport Goh Leong San of the DAP party and MP for Bandar Hilir reported the pseudo-JP to the police for fraudulent use of the title.
Never put a ‘good’ bloke down because this year, that very same person is one of the recipients of a Malacca state award that carries the title Datuk.
Goh said: “He was not a JP recipient. Why is this person, who was a bogus JP, receiving a datukship?”
Goh told the state assembly about making a police report against the person last year yet seeing that bloke's name on the honours roll this year. The man had been listed for the award of the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award, namely a Datuk.
Moral of the tale – always persevere lah. Malacca Boleh!
Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam who, by the way is a Datuk Seri himself, said the state government had sent the honours list to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman for vetting prior to publishing the list. He said he would refer the matter to the police again.
Goh also revealed that he had lodged five police reports against six other persons for allegedly using the titles ‘datuk’, ‘JP’ and ‘PJK’ (Pingat Jasa Kebaktian).
Spoilsport, But someone falsely using a PJK? What a bloody cheapskate! If that bloke had to cheat, tolong lah, go all the way for a datukship, man! Really pariah mentality – tidak jaga standard lah!
Unhappy Deepavali for wannabe Ayatollah
Wannabe ayatollah, who told his Muslim staff last week in an email not to bloody wish Hindus Happy Deepavali because it was akin to practising polytheism, has withdrawn his circular.
Lat week he had said: “Muslims who have inadvertently wished Hindus Happy Deepavali, Happy Durga Pooja or Happy Lakhshmi Pooja must immediately repent and not repeat it in future."
Now he himself is sort of repenting. However I detected some last effort claw marks by him when he gave his reason as “With reference to the views of the Perak Mufti and the Selangor Mufti reported in the New Straits Times dated Oct 15, I sincerely apologise to all parties if the contents of the email have caused hurt and offence. With this, I retract it.”
In other words, Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa was saying that he only withdrew his fatwa-ish circular based on the clerics’ ruling and not because he felt any remorse at his illegal assuming of ayatollah-ish authority.
He made his retraction an hour after several NGO representatives led by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng held a meeting this afternoon with Takaful CEO Mohd Azmi Abu Bakar.
Lim was more gracious than KTemoc when he said that the retraction was satisfactory as it has met DAP’s demands.
He stated: “Since Fauzi had apologised for the email and retracted it, I think we should forgive him and hope he will not repeat this. It is also a reminder to others to be sensitive to other religions.”
Lim has been mistaken because Mohd Fauzi did not truly apologise for his issuance of his religious views (a bit like what some Muslims had criticised the Pope of in the Byzantine speech) - instead he retracted the circular based on the ruling by two Islamic clerics.
But whether he apologise or not is not as important as asking this question: Yes, we Malaysians must ask not Mohd Fauzi but rather the authorities in Malaysia how they have, by their leadership, policies, examples or whatever, allowed the social situation to give rise to such ayatollah-ish pronouncements – begat no doubt by a combination of self political promotion and extreme religious views.
What have our leaders done to our social environment that people like Mohd Fauzi had dared to issue such illegal edict? It hasn’t been the first, and it won’t be the last!
Lat week he had said: “Muslims who have inadvertently wished Hindus Happy Deepavali, Happy Durga Pooja or Happy Lakhshmi Pooja must immediately repent and not repeat it in future."
Now he himself is sort of repenting. However I detected some last effort claw marks by him when he gave his reason as “With reference to the views of the Perak Mufti and the Selangor Mufti reported in the New Straits Times dated Oct 15, I sincerely apologise to all parties if the contents of the email have caused hurt and offence. With this, I retract it.”
In other words, Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa was saying that he only withdrew his fatwa-ish circular based on the clerics’ ruling and not because he felt any remorse at his illegal assuming of ayatollah-ish authority.
He made his retraction an hour after several NGO representatives led by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng held a meeting this afternoon with Takaful CEO Mohd Azmi Abu Bakar.
Lim was more gracious than KTemoc when he said that the retraction was satisfactory as it has met DAP’s demands.
He stated: “Since Fauzi had apologised for the email and retracted it, I think we should forgive him and hope he will not repeat this. It is also a reminder to others to be sensitive to other religions.”
Lim has been mistaken because Mohd Fauzi did not truly apologise for his issuance of his religious views (a bit like what some Muslims had criticised the Pope of in the Byzantine speech) - instead he retracted the circular based on the ruling by two Islamic clerics.
But whether he apologise or not is not as important as asking this question: Yes, we Malaysians must ask not Mohd Fauzi but rather the authorities in Malaysia how they have, by their leadership, policies, examples or whatever, allowed the social situation to give rise to such ayatollah-ish pronouncements – begat no doubt by a combination of self political promotion and extreme religious views.
What have our leaders done to our social environment that people like Mohd Fauzi had dared to issue such illegal edict? It hasn’t been the first, and it won’t be the last!
Rempit Rampage
Great stuff the future members of Putera UMNO are made of – they have all the potential to be someone’s Sturmabteilung or ‘Brownshirts’ stormtroopers.
A mob of Mat Rempit attacked the Kubang Semang police station on Sunday. 20 of the bikkies threw rocks at the police post to register their protest against police for arresting two of their friends.
What had occurred was the police responding to a public complaint that a group of bikkies were making a nuisance of themselves at an overhead bridge along the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway. The Mat Rempit tried to speed off on seeing the cops but two of them fell after colliding with a policeman’s motorcycle.
The policemen took the two, just aged 16 and 20, on their way back to the police station but were tailed by the rest of the bikkies. That’s when the rock throwing began.
The barrage was fearsome enough for the policemen to speed off and seek shelter at the Kubang Semang mosque. I wonder whether the rock throwing continued at the mosque. The police holding up there were forced to call for back up. When other police turned up, the bikkies left the mosque area.
However, the Mat Rempit regrouped again at the police station to throw several rocks at the law officers.
Great credentials for future ... activities.
Meanwhile over on the other side of the Peninsula, in Kota Baru, police claimed they had issued 5,600 summons on some 2,000 Mat Rempit since the start of this year while seizing 1,429 motorcycles on suspicion of illegal modifications.
Police also revealed that they conducted a total of 120 operations since January to round up the bikkies who terrorise other road users with reckless speeding or racing.
In fact some of those Rempits were young enough for the police to alert their parents who were advised to monitor their children constantly.
Nothing like UMNO Putera 'catching' them to train them up.
A mob of Mat Rempit attacked the Kubang Semang police station on Sunday. 20 of the bikkies threw rocks at the police post to register their protest against police for arresting two of their friends.
What had occurred was the police responding to a public complaint that a group of bikkies were making a nuisance of themselves at an overhead bridge along the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway. The Mat Rempit tried to speed off on seeing the cops but two of them fell after colliding with a policeman’s motorcycle.
The policemen took the two, just aged 16 and 20, on their way back to the police station but were tailed by the rest of the bikkies. That’s when the rock throwing began.
The barrage was fearsome enough for the policemen to speed off and seek shelter at the Kubang Semang mosque. I wonder whether the rock throwing continued at the mosque. The police holding up there were forced to call for back up. When other police turned up, the bikkies left the mosque area.
However, the Mat Rempit regrouped again at the police station to throw several rocks at the law officers.
Great credentials for future ... activities.
Meanwhile over on the other side of the Peninsula, in Kota Baru, police claimed they had issued 5,600 summons on some 2,000 Mat Rempit since the start of this year while seizing 1,429 motorcycles on suspicion of illegal modifications.
Police also revealed that they conducted a total of 120 operations since January to round up the bikkies who terrorise other road users with reckless speeding or racing.
In fact some of those Rempits were young enough for the police to alert their parents who were advised to monitor their children constantly.
Nothing like UMNO Putera 'catching' them to train them up.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Does NEP lead to drug abuse, HIV/Aids & Incest?
The following is part of the letter Dr Collin Abraham wrote to Malaysiakini, published today – my comments in italics and light blue highlights (like in this paragraph):
Without stretching the argument, one also needs to seek an explanation as to why, while there is an affirmative action policy (NEP) to help the Malays, the vast majority of those afflicted by social ills such as drug abuse, HIV/Aids (almost 80%) and even the highest incidence of incest should be among this community.
Personally I don’t see a connection between the incest and NEP. As for the other ills, I reckon those affected would in all probability be those marginalised Malays, while, as we all know, those who have benefited most from the NEP belong to an elite group.
The MP for Johor Baru Shahrir Samad has assessed the overall situation correctly in saying that: “They (government agencies, the EPU and the Statistics Department) should have sorted themselves out a long time ago instead of getting into a public debate and getting everybody upset’”. He added that statistics must be credible as they were used to form government policies. I believe that herein lies the root of this problem with which we are now confronted with and that is the departments concerned being unable to ‘sort themselves out’."
To anyone having a serious discourse with the EPU or attempting to obtain data from the Statistics Department today, it becomes quickly clear that these agencies are no longer what they used to be when Tun Abdul Razak was minister for rural development and prime minister. Indeed, in a UN follow-up research project on Felda I was amazed to be told that the EPU now mainly ‘coordinates’ government projects. Likewise it is also clear that the Statistics Department has been much ‘watered down” since Tun Razak’s time. The reason is not too difficult to find.
Part of the NEP’s dilution effect over the years – it’s not only the public service but universities and armed services as well. As one friend mentioned, those surviving under the NEP would have the utmost difficulty surviving in a global environment.
These departments or units do not necessarily offer the best promotion prospects to senior civil servants who themselves are not necessarily economists or statisticians and therefore the turnover rate among these officers is likely to be high. In fact, this lackadaisical attitude can even be traced to the universities where, according to Professor Khoo Kay Kim, Universiti Malaya does not even have a professor of economics.
I am confident that this comment of the MP for Johor Baru really sums up what seems to be at issue. “Everybody was upset with the leakages, Malay or non-Malay. We cannot go through another period of seeing these opportunities wasted again. If we miss the point and talk about whose statistics are correct, we may miss the whole thing”.
While that may be true, the statistics is still important because it calls for a reality check, especially in today’s globalised economy, and demands a new strategy based mostly (though not completely) on meritocracy – those needy (not greedy) can still be assisted.
Without stretching the argument, one also needs to seek an explanation as to why, while there is an affirmative action policy (NEP) to help the Malays, the vast majority of those afflicted by social ills such as drug abuse, HIV/Aids (almost 80%) and even the highest incidence of incest should be among this community.
Personally I don’t see a connection between the incest and NEP. As for the other ills, I reckon those affected would in all probability be those marginalised Malays, while, as we all know, those who have benefited most from the NEP belong to an elite group.
The MP for Johor Baru Shahrir Samad has assessed the overall situation correctly in saying that: “They (government agencies, the EPU and the Statistics Department) should have sorted themselves out a long time ago instead of getting into a public debate and getting everybody upset’”. He added that statistics must be credible as they were used to form government policies. I believe that herein lies the root of this problem with which we are now confronted with and that is the departments concerned being unable to ‘sort themselves out’."
To anyone having a serious discourse with the EPU or attempting to obtain data from the Statistics Department today, it becomes quickly clear that these agencies are no longer what they used to be when Tun Abdul Razak was minister for rural development and prime minister. Indeed, in a UN follow-up research project on Felda I was amazed to be told that the EPU now mainly ‘coordinates’ government projects. Likewise it is also clear that the Statistics Department has been much ‘watered down” since Tun Razak’s time. The reason is not too difficult to find.
Part of the NEP’s dilution effect over the years – it’s not only the public service but universities and armed services as well. As one friend mentioned, those surviving under the NEP would have the utmost difficulty surviving in a global environment.
These departments or units do not necessarily offer the best promotion prospects to senior civil servants who themselves are not necessarily economists or statisticians and therefore the turnover rate among these officers is likely to be high. In fact, this lackadaisical attitude can even be traced to the universities where, according to Professor Khoo Kay Kim, Universiti Malaya does not even have a professor of economics.
I am confident that this comment of the MP for Johor Baru really sums up what seems to be at issue. “Everybody was upset with the leakages, Malay or non-Malay. We cannot go through another period of seeing these opportunities wasted again. If we miss the point and talk about whose statistics are correct, we may miss the whole thing”.
While that may be true, the statistics is still important because it calls for a reality check, especially in today’s globalised economy, and demands a new strategy based mostly (though not completely) on meritocracy – those needy (not greedy) can still be assisted.
AAB gave stern warning to Lim Keng Yaik
First, there was the usual hue and cry over Asli’s study that bumi equity has already attained more than 45%, rather than the 18.9% the government claims when formulating the 9th MP.
Asli’s report was described variously as ‘rubbish’, provocative’, nonsensical, irresponsible, etc, anything but a serious study meriting an equally serious review and balanced comments. AAB dismissed it outright while former PM Dr Mahathir was obliged to join the UMNO bandwagon, though to be fair to him he tap-danced through the issues while making his comments.
Then DPM Najib in his usual formula told everyone to stop discussing it, to sweep it under the carpet, so to speak. He was joined by former DPM Musa Hitam who put a spin on the undesirability of discussing it openly because eof ‘political predators’ – he recommended that the issue be discussed in a proper forum like NEAC.
The only ‘political predators’ that I can immediately bring to mind are you-know-who, and one guess only, with a couple of hints, it isn’t any of the opposition party – because DAP is still talking like proper academicians, PAS strangely silent whilst PKR has pushed its current person-in-vogue Khalid Ibrahim (rather than current politically lacklustre Anwar Ibrahim) out to the front to make nice reformasi statements.
Of course many lamented that the MCA or the predominantly Gerakan Party have both remained silent like subservient mutes – cannot hear, cannot speak, unless Tai Koh says so.
Then surprising all of us, Gerakan Party president Lim Keng Yaik spoke out about his party being not satisfied with a bumi equity that had mysteriously not increased. He wanted the government to disclose in a transparent manner the methodology used in the study on the bumi equity holding.
And not only that, Lim, probably in his swan song of extreme bravado, questioned the dodginess of a situation where bumi equity could shrink to 18.9% since various forms of the NEP was introduced in 1970, more than 35 years ago. He said something was not right about the figure of 18.9%.
Perhaps that was too much for AAB to take it when his nice pussy cat turned into a growling tiger.
Thus he came out swinging, giving a stern warning that those who were dissatisfied with the official figures, should - and this was the best he could say in response - ask for an explanation in the 'proper manner'. He claimed that the government has no qualms in explaining the methodology used in calculating the bumi corporate equity ownership.
He angrily said: “Don’t be cynical. Cynicism and accusations have no benefit. Want to ask for an explanation, ask properly. Why the need to be cynical when asking, why the need to make accusations when asking? That is not the right way.”
Well, my dear PM, the director of Asli, Dr Lim Teck Ghee did ask ‘nicely’ when he released the Asli’s report, a report that was brought about by a multi-ethnic group of experts.
Dr Lim Teck Ghee had stated that in view of the Asli’s findings, he hoped the government would exercise more transparency and publicise the methodology used by the government in providing its own figures.
Don’t forget, AAB had already damned the Asli’s report as based on unreliable information, and condemned Asli for irresponsibly publishing its provocative findings.
If AAB was sincere about transparency in the first place, he could have there and then revealed the methodology that had allowed the government to arrived at the 18.9% figure.
But the way I read it, AAB's angry reaction and his demand for queries to be made in a 'proper fashion' had nothing to do with the manner in which the call for transparency had been made – he was absolutely furious with Lim Keng Yaik for not toeing BN party lines.
His warnings were undoubtedly directed at Lim Keng Yaik.
Asli’s report was described variously as ‘rubbish’, provocative’, nonsensical, irresponsible, etc, anything but a serious study meriting an equally serious review and balanced comments. AAB dismissed it outright while former PM Dr Mahathir was obliged to join the UMNO bandwagon, though to be fair to him he tap-danced through the issues while making his comments.
Then DPM Najib in his usual formula told everyone to stop discussing it, to sweep it under the carpet, so to speak. He was joined by former DPM Musa Hitam who put a spin on the undesirability of discussing it openly because eof ‘political predators’ – he recommended that the issue be discussed in a proper forum like NEAC.
The only ‘political predators’ that I can immediately bring to mind are you-know-who, and one guess only, with a couple of hints, it isn’t any of the opposition party – because DAP is still talking like proper academicians, PAS strangely silent whilst PKR has pushed its current person-in-vogue Khalid Ibrahim (rather than current politically lacklustre Anwar Ibrahim) out to the front to make nice reformasi statements.
Of course many lamented that the MCA or the predominantly Gerakan Party have both remained silent like subservient mutes – cannot hear, cannot speak, unless Tai Koh says so.
Then surprising all of us, Gerakan Party president Lim Keng Yaik spoke out about his party being not satisfied with a bumi equity that had mysteriously not increased. He wanted the government to disclose in a transparent manner the methodology used in the study on the bumi equity holding.
And not only that, Lim, probably in his swan song of extreme bravado, questioned the dodginess of a situation where bumi equity could shrink to 18.9% since various forms of the NEP was introduced in 1970, more than 35 years ago. He said something was not right about the figure of 18.9%.
Perhaps that was too much for AAB to take it when his nice pussy cat turned into a growling tiger.
Thus he came out swinging, giving a stern warning that those who were dissatisfied with the official figures, should - and this was the best he could say in response - ask for an explanation in the 'proper manner'. He claimed that the government has no qualms in explaining the methodology used in calculating the bumi corporate equity ownership.
He angrily said: “Don’t be cynical. Cynicism and accusations have no benefit. Want to ask for an explanation, ask properly. Why the need to be cynical when asking, why the need to make accusations when asking? That is not the right way.”
Well, my dear PM, the director of Asli, Dr Lim Teck Ghee did ask ‘nicely’ when he released the Asli’s report, a report that was brought about by a multi-ethnic group of experts.
Dr Lim Teck Ghee had stated that in view of the Asli’s findings, he hoped the government would exercise more transparency and publicise the methodology used by the government in providing its own figures.
Don’t forget, AAB had already damned the Asli’s report as based on unreliable information, and condemned Asli for irresponsibly publishing its provocative findings.
If AAB was sincere about transparency in the first place, he could have there and then revealed the methodology that had allowed the government to arrived at the 18.9% figure.
But the way I read it, AAB's angry reaction and his demand for queries to be made in a 'proper fashion' had nothing to do with the manner in which the call for transparency had been made – he was absolutely furious with Lim Keng Yaik for not toeing BN party lines.
His warnings were undoubtedly directed at Lim Keng Yaik.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Professor Emeritus: "Malaysia always racialising problems"
Professor Emeritus Khoo Kay Kim lamented that once, Malaysia’s premier university, Universiti Malaysia (UM), used to have scholars who were among the best in the world but alas, today, has become a university that is no longer well-regarded internationally.
He gave the controversial Asli’s report as a typical example of the cause of UM’s plummeting in its international academic standing.
Khoo said the Asli situation speaks volumes on how studies that produces unfavourable results to the government are handled. He pointed out:
“The Asli president said the findings were wrong. The director of the (Asli's) policy division said it was right. But the man in the street has no idea because we are not getting proper information. Nobody knows for certain who is right or wrong.”
Khoo said the public has been the biggest loser because it is still in the dark as to Asli’s findings, which reported bumiputera corporate equity at 45%, instead of the official figures of 18.9%. The problem lies with the government refusing to release its data or methodology.
Now, we lay-sceptics aren’t like the good Prof who is too diplomatic or academic to shoot from the hips, but leave it to KTemoc who attributes a government refusal to give out statistics or its methodology in arriving at the 18.9% bumi equity as incompetent at best and duplicitous at its worst.
Prof Khoo said the obvious but which requires saying nonetheless: “They’re (the government) are answerable to the people. That’s what democracy is all about.”
And don’t we know that, especially in teh light of the inelegant silence about the EPU's methodology.
The Prof averred that Malaysian universities have stopped trying to be academically excellent, merely publishing materials for local, not international, consumption – the Chap Tiga Kepala* variety.
* of dodgy brand or quality
He gave the controversial Asli’s report as a typical example of the cause of UM’s plummeting in its international academic standing.
Khoo said the Asli situation speaks volumes on how studies that produces unfavourable results to the government are handled. He pointed out:
“The Asli president said the findings were wrong. The director of the (Asli's) policy division said it was right. But the man in the street has no idea because we are not getting proper information. Nobody knows for certain who is right or wrong.”
Khoo said the public has been the biggest loser because it is still in the dark as to Asli’s findings, which reported bumiputera corporate equity at 45%, instead of the official figures of 18.9%. The problem lies with the government refusing to release its data or methodology.
Now, we lay-sceptics aren’t like the good Prof who is too diplomatic or academic to shoot from the hips, but leave it to KTemoc who attributes a government refusal to give out statistics or its methodology in arriving at the 18.9% bumi equity as incompetent at best and duplicitous at its worst.
Prof Khoo said the obvious but which requires saying nonetheless: “They’re (the government) are answerable to the people. That’s what democracy is all about.”
And don’t we know that, especially in teh light of the inelegant silence about the EPU's methodology.
The Prof averred that Malaysian universities have stopped trying to be academically excellent, merely publishing materials for local, not international, consumption – the Chap Tiga Kepala* variety.
* of dodgy brand or quality
He explained why our universities have been sliding downhill: “There is probably a serious consequence on research studies now ... we have very few economists left in universities. Do you know that UM currently does not have a professor in economics.”
“They (politicians) should be showing better example. What's the point of having Barisan Nasional (BN) with so many parties if they cannot discuss among themselves, and then get the public involved.”
He warned that if the matter were to be left unresolved, it would result in increased difficulty for academicians to conduct their studies.
“It has become very difficult for people to carry out research as they are not able to obtain formation or source materials. It results in a lukewarm approach to any research project carried out in the country.”
"They are not able to discuss the subject meaningfully. They can only discuss it through the political prism, which is not good. For example, if you beget the question to students, ‘Why is foreign direct investment (FDI) not coming our way?' they are not able to follow because they have no information to build their own opinions on.”
Khoo added that there is a tendency for pertinent economic issues to be racialised.
“That is the problem with this country. Very often, when we have a problem, it becomes a racial issue. And then you cannot proceed from there, you cannot further discuss it, because it already sensitive.”
Well, Prof, allow humble KTemoc to add in my 2 sens worth – we have always been obstructed in discussing any government-created problem because that's the way the UMNO-led government wanted it – stop discussions, for example on the Asli's report or (1) its gravy train cannot be justified anymore and worse, (2) the poor Malays want to know which other Malays are holding all that 45% + along with some embarrassing explanations on the unequal distribution.
Sri Lanka Carnage
Tamil suicide bombers drove a truck packed with explosives into an area in Digampathana, a town near Trincomalee where there were about 15 buses of sailors. The huge explosions killed at least 67 people, mainly navy personnel and some civilians. Another 60 people were injured.
Najib believes 'silence is golden' (for UMNO).
In my earlier posting Najib riled with Ong Tee Keat's last laugh! I pointed out that DPM Najib wasn’t happy with deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat for enjoying the last laugh/dig at the cabinet in general and Hishamuddin in particular, when Ong was vindicated in his exposure of corruption among Education Ministry’s officials.
Of course Najib was the senior cabinet minister who approved the unjustified and unjust reprimand of Ong for raising the issue of corruption, in officials' alleged embezzlement of 90% of school maintenance funds.
Najib also had the shameless cheek to demand that all quarters stop discussing the school repair issue, when he ought to have put the matter to 'just' rest by firstly, apologising to Ong and then, reprimanding his cousin Hishamuddin, the Minister of Education for whistle-blowing on Ong in order for Ong to receive a severe cabinet reprimand.
But Najib hasn’t stop at that call to stop discussion of the alleged embezzlements, as he has now called for people to also stop questioning the bumi equity figures, averring that the government’s statistics are correct and not to be challenged.
Rights group Aliran accused his call as indicative of a government unable to defend its figures on bumi equity ownership or stand by them. Aliran believes Najib’s plea that such data should never be questioned, adds fuel to suspicion that the government’s data was refutable.
It said: “Any data that cannot come under public scrutiny loses validity and credibility.”
Aliran accused Najib of making a statement that was akin to authoritarianism, and said that instead of merely criticising or badmouthing Asli, the government should have rightfully responded by providing facts to rebut Asli’s findings.
“Even if there is a possibility of confusion arising from conflicting figures, it should not lead to name-calling, labelling or ‘rubbishing’ of the other side’s research findings.”
Don’t hold your breath, Aliran, because the government can’t, won’t and never will dare to debate the Asli's figures.
I am more convinced than ever that Asli's report has been spot on because I have noted that even the usually outspoken combat-ready Dr Mahathir, who did speak out against Asli's report, was very circumspect about Malay equity, and did an unusual tap dancing around the issue. Analyse between the lines fo what he said here.
Of course Najib was the senior cabinet minister who approved the unjustified and unjust reprimand of Ong for raising the issue of corruption, in officials' alleged embezzlement of 90% of school maintenance funds.
Najib also had the shameless cheek to demand that all quarters stop discussing the school repair issue, when he ought to have put the matter to 'just' rest by firstly, apologising to Ong and then, reprimanding his cousin Hishamuddin, the Minister of Education for whistle-blowing on Ong in order for Ong to receive a severe cabinet reprimand.
But Najib hasn’t stop at that call to stop discussion of the alleged embezzlements, as he has now called for people to also stop questioning the bumi equity figures, averring that the government’s statistics are correct and not to be challenged.
Rights group Aliran accused his call as indicative of a government unable to defend its figures on bumi equity ownership or stand by them. Aliran believes Najib’s plea that such data should never be questioned, adds fuel to suspicion that the government’s data was refutable.
It said: “Any data that cannot come under public scrutiny loses validity and credibility.”
Aliran accused Najib of making a statement that was akin to authoritarianism, and said that instead of merely criticising or badmouthing Asli, the government should have rightfully responded by providing facts to rebut Asli’s findings.
“Even if there is a possibility of confusion arising from conflicting figures, it should not lead to name-calling, labelling or ‘rubbishing’ of the other side’s research findings.”
Don’t hold your breath, Aliran, because the government can’t, won’t and never will dare to debate the Asli's figures.
I am more convinced than ever that Asli's report has been spot on because I have noted that even the usually outspoken combat-ready Dr Mahathir, who did speak out against Asli's report, was very circumspect about Malay equity, and did an unusual tap dancing around the issue. Analyse between the lines fo what he said here.
Showing True 'Colours'!
What did I tell you/us Kushims (carrying the derogatory insult of ‘niggers’ in modern Hebrew) about the racist Deutoronomic Israelis – eh?
This is what the Sydney Morning Herald has reported today!
THE immediate future of Israel's ambassador to Canberra hangs in the balance after he reportedly told a newspaper that Australians and Israelis stood out in Asia because "we don't have yellow skin and slanted eyes".
If Naftali Tamir is found to have made "this grave and unacceptable remark", the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, there would be no return to "business as usual".
The Federal Government* refused to comment, but Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, said yesterday: "If accurate, these comments are completely unacceptable. We welcome reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is dealing with this incident as a matter of top priority."
KTemoc’s note – the Australian government is fanatically pro-Israel
Mr Rudd said Mr Tamir's tenure was "a matter to be addressed once the accuracy of the comments are tested".
The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz carried an interview on Friday with the visiting Mr Tamir, who allegedly said Australia and Israel were "like sisters in Asia".
"We are in Asia without the characteristics of Asians," he reportedly said. "We don't have the yellow skin and slanted eyes. Asia is basically the yellow race. Australia and Israel are … basically the white race."
His further comments were laudatory of Australia, and extolled the value of Israel and Australia working in partnership in exploring Asian economic opportunity. But the purported remarks touching on racial characteristics are expected to stir resentment, especially among Asian delegations in Australia.
[…]
Except those so blind the Israelis have always been extremely racist, where they consider themselves to be God’s Chosen. One can see this in the way they have treated others, even the white Americans, who are nothing more than useful goyims (infidels) to them.
If even its ambassador can say such things, a diplomat(?), what else would you expect them to be saying there in Israel!
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your white heart, and with all your white soul, and with all your white might" - (with KTemoc's apologies to Deut.6:4-5).
This is what the Sydney Morning Herald has reported today!
THE immediate future of Israel's ambassador to Canberra hangs in the balance after he reportedly told a newspaper that Australians and Israelis stood out in Asia because "we don't have yellow skin and slanted eyes".
If Naftali Tamir is found to have made "this grave and unacceptable remark", the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, there would be no return to "business as usual".
The Federal Government* refused to comment, but Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, said yesterday: "If accurate, these comments are completely unacceptable. We welcome reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is dealing with this incident as a matter of top priority."
KTemoc’s note – the Australian government is fanatically pro-Israel
Mr Rudd said Mr Tamir's tenure was "a matter to be addressed once the accuracy of the comments are tested".
The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz carried an interview on Friday with the visiting Mr Tamir, who allegedly said Australia and Israel were "like sisters in Asia".
"We are in Asia without the characteristics of Asians," he reportedly said. "We don't have the yellow skin and slanted eyes. Asia is basically the yellow race. Australia and Israel are … basically the white race."
His further comments were laudatory of Australia, and extolled the value of Israel and Australia working in partnership in exploring Asian economic opportunity. But the purported remarks touching on racial characteristics are expected to stir resentment, especially among Asian delegations in Australia.
[…]
Except those so blind the Israelis have always been extremely racist, where they consider themselves to be God’s Chosen. One can see this in the way they have treated others, even the white Americans, who are nothing more than useful goyims (infidels) to them.
If even its ambassador can say such things, a diplomat(?), what else would you expect them to be saying there in Israel!
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your white heart, and with all your white soul, and with all your white might" - (with KTemoc's apologies to Deut.6:4-5).
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Oh oh I'm back!
Hi dear readers, I’m back - did you all miss me ;-) I hope you didn’t think I was dragged away to Kem Kamunting?
Was away, completely cut off from the Internet (phew) – digging my toes in the sand here, or somewhere just like it.
What else did I do? Well, I had a few good drops, ogled a few beautiful women and slept late every morning (aw, just a couple anyway) – good for control of my blood pressure – even better than Tai Chi or yoga.
Now am trying to catch up with what’s happening since I disappeared from civilisation. I see the Asli report still in the news, and AAB feeling the need to assert his PM-ship away from under the shadow of his predecessor. Got it, 'feeling the need'!
Oh, Happy Raya and Happy Deepavali to all in advance, in case some of you are vamoosing early - be safe, better late than never and have a joyous family get-together.
Was away, completely cut off from the Internet (phew) – digging my toes in the sand here, or somewhere just like it.
What else did I do? Well, I had a few good drops, ogled a few beautiful women and slept late every morning (aw, just a couple anyway) – good for control of my blood pressure – even better than Tai Chi or yoga.
Now am trying to catch up with what’s happening since I disappeared from civilisation. I see the Asli report still in the news, and AAB feeling the need to assert his PM-ship away from under the shadow of his predecessor. Got it, 'feeling the need'!
Oh, Happy Raya and Happy Deepavali to all in advance, in case some of you are vamoosing early - be safe, better late than never and have a joyous family get-together.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Paradise Downunder
Good news for Aussies and some Malaysians Downunder!
Firstly, Aussie plans to boost wine production and make the country a global force in the good spirit have led to a glut in production.
Wine producers are cursing because of unsold volumes reflected in the 2005 National Wine Grape Crush & Price Report, where for example, the grapes Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Sangiovese, and Chardonnay are 10%-25% in oversupply.
Australia now has almost 2,000 m litres of wine available for sale, and up to 800 m litres in surplus. Next year’s grape harvest is expected to be 2 m tonnes — 500,000 tonnes more than what is desirable.
Well, the producers may be pissed off, but drinkers like KTemoc are expecting or hoping for a price drop. Yam-bloody-seng mates!
Secondly and more importantly, a new study by bra manufacturer Berlei has found that Australian women's breasts are getting bigger. Berlei said larger bras need to be made and, for the first time, sports bras now come in E and F cup sizes.
Experts put the increase down to changes in diet. They said the contraceptive pill would also make a woman's breasts increase in size.
Well, there’s wine, women and all we need are songs. Nothing then like a bit of Hallelujahs and we’re complete.
Even an atheist like KTemoc has to concede there’s a God afterall ;-)
Firstly, Aussie plans to boost wine production and make the country a global force in the good spirit have led to a glut in production.
Wine producers are cursing because of unsold volumes reflected in the 2005 National Wine Grape Crush & Price Report, where for example, the grapes Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Sangiovese, and Chardonnay are 10%-25% in oversupply.
Australia now has almost 2,000 m litres of wine available for sale, and up to 800 m litres in surplus. Next year’s grape harvest is expected to be 2 m tonnes — 500,000 tonnes more than what is desirable.
Well, the producers may be pissed off, but drinkers like KTemoc are expecting or hoping for a price drop. Yam-bloody-seng mates!
Secondly and more importantly, a new study by bra manufacturer Berlei has found that Australian women's breasts are getting bigger. Berlei said larger bras need to be made and, for the first time, sports bras now come in E and F cup sizes.
Experts put the increase down to changes in diet. They said the contraceptive pill would also make a woman's breasts increase in size.
Well, there’s wine, women and all we need are songs. Nothing then like a bit of Hallelujahs and we’re complete.
Even an atheist like KTemoc has to concede there’s a God afterall ;-)
Mirzan Mahathir crumpled to political pressure?
Yesterday, in Asli director resigned, where I posted that Dr Lim Teck Ghee, Director of Asli, resigned from his position in Asli following the decision of Asli president Mirzan Mahathir to retract that study report. Mirzan had commented that Asli’s methodology on the controversial bumi equity question contained a number of shortcomings and was flawed.
I then questioned whether Mirzan Mahathir was academically qualified to comment so, which raised the further question of his decision to withdraw the study report as one bowing to UMNO political pressure rather than academic scrupulous rigours.
I dare say Dr Lim and his multi-ethnic team who put up that report have been the credible party, further evidenced by his principled resignation in disagreement with Mirzan.
Two Malaysian media watchdogs have emerged to criticise Mirzan for his decision. They said they were saddened that Mirzan had bowed to political pressure in disavowing the report.
The Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) said academic freedom and the freedom of expression must be respected.
They declared in a joint statement: “If the CPPS [Asli] report is flawed or misleading, the case should be put forward with the same or a higher level of intellectual rigour.”
“The best weapon for the government to use in rebutting the CPPS finding would be to publicise its own data and analysis.”
But what the UMNO-led government can’t or more correctly, won’t, for obvious reason?
The two movements expressed their highest salutation to Lim for standing up to unscrupulous political pressures expressed in ethno-centrist language. They called the racially motivatated condemnations of Dr Lim and his report as an assault on academic freedom, and that all academics have a duty to defend that freedom.
Many Malaysians including KTemoc add their salutations to Dr Lim. But KTemoc doubts all academics would jump to defend freedom of expression. Some would even readily abet the government suppression of truth and facts.
OK, now here’s the political angle from across the fence. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the credibility and integrity of the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) is now in question after its president Mirzan Mahathir retracted that study.
Lim said what KTemoc had said, that Mirzan did so without providing an iota of academic or rational reasons. Lim believed like what KTemoc did, that Mirzan buckled to the barrage of criticism over the report.
Lim stated: “Clearly Mirzan’s retraction was politically motivated and not driven by any flaws or shortcomings either in its methodology or research data.”
Sadly, Mirzan doesn't seem to be the son of his more courageous and resolute father.
I then questioned whether Mirzan Mahathir was academically qualified to comment so, which raised the further question of his decision to withdraw the study report as one bowing to UMNO political pressure rather than academic scrupulous rigours.
I dare say Dr Lim and his multi-ethnic team who put up that report have been the credible party, further evidenced by his principled resignation in disagreement with Mirzan.
Two Malaysian media watchdogs have emerged to criticise Mirzan for his decision. They said they were saddened that Mirzan had bowed to political pressure in disavowing the report.
The Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) said academic freedom and the freedom of expression must be respected.
They declared in a joint statement: “If the CPPS [Asli] report is flawed or misleading, the case should be put forward with the same or a higher level of intellectual rigour.”
“The best weapon for the government to use in rebutting the CPPS finding would be to publicise its own data and analysis.”
But what the UMNO-led government can’t or more correctly, won’t, for obvious reason?
The two movements expressed their highest salutation to Lim for standing up to unscrupulous political pressures expressed in ethno-centrist language. They called the racially motivatated condemnations of Dr Lim and his report as an assault on academic freedom, and that all academics have a duty to defend that freedom.
Many Malaysians including KTemoc add their salutations to Dr Lim. But KTemoc doubts all academics would jump to defend freedom of expression. Some would even readily abet the government suppression of truth and facts.
OK, now here’s the political angle from across the fence. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the credibility and integrity of the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) is now in question after its president Mirzan Mahathir retracted that study.
Lim said what KTemoc had said, that Mirzan did so without providing an iota of academic or rational reasons. Lim believed like what KTemoc did, that Mirzan buckled to the barrage of criticism over the report.
Lim stated: “Clearly Mirzan’s retraction was politically motivated and not driven by any flaws or shortcomings either in its methodology or research data.”
Sadly, Mirzan doesn't seem to be the son of his more courageous and resolute father.
Damning Asli's report damned bumiputera poor as well
underlining are all mine
Edmund Terence Gomez, a research coordinator at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) in Geneva and associate professor of political economy at the Faculty of Economics, Universiti Malaya, lamented the disproportionate UMNO criticism of Asli’s study titled ‘Corporate Equity Distribution: Past Trends and Future Policy’.
The study by Asli or the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute's Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), headed by Dr Lim Teck Ghee, was undertaken late last year as part of a larger report prepared for submission to the government, which was then in the midst of putting together the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Asli had invited a multi-ethnic group of academics to review urgent issues, including the alleviation of poverty, the reformation of the civil service and tertiary institutions, and the plight of the nation's highly marginalised communities, in particular the Orang Asli.
Asli’s study was in fact in response to the call by PM AAB for public participation in the formulation of the 9MP, a call that was seen as a genuine request to secure honest feedback on social and economic inequities.
Obviously Asli wasn’t aware that AAB or any UMNO leader didn’t and don't want any 'genuine' report to undermine the current ‘cosy arrangement’ accorded to ‘certain people’ under the aegis of the unaccountable NEP’s bumi equity excuse.
Gomez opined that the racialisation of Asli's study has been unfortunate. Because of the racist nature of the attack on the Asli’s report, the UMNO argument has eventually focused on just one issue: the corporate wealth owned by bumiputeras, where there were far more important issues, such as the growing disparity in wealth between segments of the Malay and bumiputera community.
Hmmm, maybe Gomez is being diplomatic as we all know that UMNO leaders also don't want such embarrasing facts to be aired.
Gomez seemed to indirectly support KTemoc's opinion because he then pointed out that at no point in the UMNO criticism of Asli’s report did any of those UMNO politicians address a key concern raised by the report: namely, that the pattern of implementation of affirmative action had contributed to serious wealth and income disparities within the bumiputera community.
'... pattern of implementation ...' What does that tell us. Now, perhaps we wouldn't really expect those UMNO leaders to address that, would we?
Gomez said that this income disparity alone demanded an urgent overhaul of government policies, specifically those that were supposed to help bumiputeras but which in practice had done little to alleviate the plight of the poor of the bumiputera community.
Well, ... what did we just commented on ... ?
Gomez averred that the [solely UMNO instituted] political furor [and KTemoc believes, undoubtedly behind-the-scene political pressure] leading to Dr Lim’s resignation does not augur well for the AAB government as the Asli’s report was undertaken solely in the spirit of responding to the prime minister's call to all Malaysians to speak the truth to him.
Well, as mentioned, AAB doesn’t want the truth as the 'T' word is damn incomnenient. It's alien to the nature of our govenment, which has been functioning and living for decades without it. Besides, 'truth' jeopardises UMNO leaders’ ‘aspirations’ and ‘expectations’.
Ah well, it's just the usual case of AAB’s cakap ta’serupa bikin.
Edmund Terence Gomez, a research coordinator at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) in Geneva and associate professor of political economy at the Faculty of Economics, Universiti Malaya, lamented the disproportionate UMNO criticism of Asli’s study titled ‘Corporate Equity Distribution: Past Trends and Future Policy’.
The study by Asli or the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute's Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), headed by Dr Lim Teck Ghee, was undertaken late last year as part of a larger report prepared for submission to the government, which was then in the midst of putting together the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Asli had invited a multi-ethnic group of academics to review urgent issues, including the alleviation of poverty, the reformation of the civil service and tertiary institutions, and the plight of the nation's highly marginalised communities, in particular the Orang Asli.
Asli’s study was in fact in response to the call by PM AAB for public participation in the formulation of the 9MP, a call that was seen as a genuine request to secure honest feedback on social and economic inequities.
Obviously Asli wasn’t aware that AAB or any UMNO leader didn’t and don't want any 'genuine' report to undermine the current ‘cosy arrangement’ accorded to ‘certain people’ under the aegis of the unaccountable NEP’s bumi equity excuse.
Gomez opined that the racialisation of Asli's study has been unfortunate. Because of the racist nature of the attack on the Asli’s report, the UMNO argument has eventually focused on just one issue: the corporate wealth owned by bumiputeras, where there were far more important issues, such as the growing disparity in wealth between segments of the Malay and bumiputera community.
Hmmm, maybe Gomez is being diplomatic as we all know that UMNO leaders also don't want such embarrasing facts to be aired.
Gomez seemed to indirectly support KTemoc's opinion because he then pointed out that at no point in the UMNO criticism of Asli’s report did any of those UMNO politicians address a key concern raised by the report: namely, that the pattern of implementation of affirmative action had contributed to serious wealth and income disparities within the bumiputera community.
'... pattern of implementation ...' What does that tell us. Now, perhaps we wouldn't really expect those UMNO leaders to address that, would we?
Gomez said that this income disparity alone demanded an urgent overhaul of government policies, specifically those that were supposed to help bumiputeras but which in practice had done little to alleviate the plight of the poor of the bumiputera community.
Well, ... what did we just commented on ... ?
Gomez averred that the [solely UMNO instituted] political furor [and KTemoc believes, undoubtedly behind-the-scene political pressure] leading to Dr Lim’s resignation does not augur well for the AAB government as the Asli’s report was undertaken solely in the spirit of responding to the prime minister's call to all Malaysians to speak the truth to him.
Well, as mentioned, AAB doesn’t want the truth as the 'T' word is damn incomnenient. It's alien to the nature of our govenment, which has been functioning and living for decades without it. Besides, 'truth' jeopardises UMNO leaders’ ‘aspirations’ and ‘expectations’.
Ah well, it's just the usual case of AAB’s cakap ta’serupa bikin.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Anwar: "Wei, Cina balek Tiong Sun lah"???
Saifulbahri Kamaruddin, a Malaysiakini reader, and self-confessed former Malaysian journalist wrote this letter regarding Anwar Ibrahim:
all underlining are mine
I am writing to comment on Luk's letter in which he quoted Anwar Ibrahim as saying that when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power, the latter used subtle racist tactics. It appeared that Luk was trying to absolve Anwar of such discriminatory practices.
Luk acknowledged that Anwar's view was that of an ‘insider’ in the ruling party Umno. And this should already show Anwar's own conduct while in power. While the current and past polemics on the strained ties between Malaysia and Singapore is debatable, one should not make the mistake that Anwar was separate from the rest in government.
If the Malaysian side or Mahathir was racist, then Anwar was very much part of the whole setup, giving inflammatory speeches that set the pulses of Chinese on both sides of the causeway racing. Anwar was certainly not innocent of such a practice, if indeed the Malaysian leadership did conduct racism. For that matter, Lee Kuan Yew, when he was in power, was really no different - thus the accusations and rhetoric reverberated on both sides of the causeway.
I was a journalist in the mainstream media for over 20 years, and very often I covered Anwar's functions, especially involving Umno, its youth wing and Abim (Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia). I had never heard of one speak with so much disdain of the Chinese before. We, the journalists, knew that Anwar was trying to be all things to all people, so when he addressed ‘kampung’ people with a skewed view of inter-communal affairs, he would tell them what they wanted to hear.
The reporters would duly file their stories to the editors, who then would mangle the reports to make Anwar look good, even if that meant less accuracy. Yes, indeed - Anwar appointed most of the editors in the mainstream media, and he certainly did not mince his words when it came to relations with Singapore or the ethnic Chinese. At one Umno youth rally in 1987, he ranted and raved, urging Chinese Malaysians to ‘go back to China’ if they were not happy in Malaysia. But, of course, that was not published for fear of damaging his image.
So, now the former deputy prime minister is trying to be an angel, supposedly innocent of everything that occurred when he was in power. It was the same with his accusations of the government being corrupt, the very institution of which he had been part of for 15 years and had enjoyed its largesse and dispensed patronage in a way typical of Umno even now.
It insults my intelligence to read of him accusing his former compatriots and colleagues of being what he himself was wholeheartedly.
Well, if what Saifulbahri Kamaruddin has written had been true, what can I say ...
Related:
(1) Anwar Ibrahim - Too little, too late!
(2) The Haunting of Anwar Ibrahim
(3) Aptet II Disgrace - He who cannot be named!
(4) Petronas Accountability - He who cannot be named!
(5) Anwar oh Anwar ...
(6) Malaysia's Mr 'Not Responsible'
(7) Anwar Ibrahim - Pot Calling Kettle Black
(8) Anwar Ibrahim: "Mahathir held RM 8 billion"
(9) Anwar Ibrahim's Crocodile Tears
(10) Malaysia's Mr 'I Don't Know'
(11) Malaysia's Mr 'Forgetful'
(12) The Government's 30 (Billion) Pieces of Silver
(13) Anwar Ibrahim needs a mirror
all underlining are mine
I am writing to comment on Luk's letter in which he quoted Anwar Ibrahim as saying that when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power, the latter used subtle racist tactics. It appeared that Luk was trying to absolve Anwar of such discriminatory practices.
Luk acknowledged that Anwar's view was that of an ‘insider’ in the ruling party Umno. And this should already show Anwar's own conduct while in power. While the current and past polemics on the strained ties between Malaysia and Singapore is debatable, one should not make the mistake that Anwar was separate from the rest in government.
If the Malaysian side or Mahathir was racist, then Anwar was very much part of the whole setup, giving inflammatory speeches that set the pulses of Chinese on both sides of the causeway racing. Anwar was certainly not innocent of such a practice, if indeed the Malaysian leadership did conduct racism. For that matter, Lee Kuan Yew, when he was in power, was really no different - thus the accusations and rhetoric reverberated on both sides of the causeway.
I was a journalist in the mainstream media for over 20 years, and very often I covered Anwar's functions, especially involving Umno, its youth wing and Abim (Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia). I had never heard of one speak with so much disdain of the Chinese before. We, the journalists, knew that Anwar was trying to be all things to all people, so when he addressed ‘kampung’ people with a skewed view of inter-communal affairs, he would tell them what they wanted to hear.
The reporters would duly file their stories to the editors, who then would mangle the reports to make Anwar look good, even if that meant less accuracy. Yes, indeed - Anwar appointed most of the editors in the mainstream media, and he certainly did not mince his words when it came to relations with Singapore or the ethnic Chinese. At one Umno youth rally in 1987, he ranted and raved, urging Chinese Malaysians to ‘go back to China’ if they were not happy in Malaysia. But, of course, that was not published for fear of damaging his image.
So, now the former deputy prime minister is trying to be an angel, supposedly innocent of everything that occurred when he was in power. It was the same with his accusations of the government being corrupt, the very institution of which he had been part of for 15 years and had enjoyed its largesse and dispensed patronage in a way typical of Umno even now.
It insults my intelligence to read of him accusing his former compatriots and colleagues of being what he himself was wholeheartedly.
Well, if what Saifulbahri Kamaruddin has written had been true, what can I say ...
Related:
(1) Anwar Ibrahim - Too little, too late!
(2) The Haunting of Anwar Ibrahim
(3) Aptet II Disgrace - He who cannot be named!
(4) Petronas Accountability - He who cannot be named!
(5) Anwar oh Anwar ...
(6) Malaysia's Mr 'Not Responsible'
(7) Anwar Ibrahim - Pot Calling Kettle Black
(8) Anwar Ibrahim: "Mahathir held RM 8 billion"
(9) Anwar Ibrahim's Crocodile Tears
(10) Malaysia's Mr 'I Don't Know'
(11) Malaysia's Mr 'Forgetful'
(12) The Government's 30 (Billion) Pieces of Silver
(13) Anwar Ibrahim needs a mirror
Asli director resigned
Director of Centre of Public Policy Studies (CPPS) or Asli, the think-tank that issued a report stating bumi equity has reached 45% and not the 18.9% claimed by the government, has resigned.
Top academic Dr Lim Teck Ghee has tendered his resignation from Asli following its president Mirzan Mahathir’s decision to retract that study report. Mirzan did so after his dad criticised that report.
I am not sure whether Mirzan, no doubt Asli’s president, is qualified to comment that the study's methodology contained a number of shortcomings and was flawed.
Dr Lim didn’t bother to argue. He resigned, stating: “As director of the CPPS, I take full responsibility, and stand by the findings of the study and other studies that were submitted in our report to the government on the Ninth Malaysia Plan in February 2006.”
“Since I cannot agree with Mirzan's statement and because of the need to defend the position and integrity of independent and non-partisan scholarship, I regret to inform that I will be stepping down from my position as director at the end of the month.”
Did he resign because he was miffed with his boss, or was he pressured into doing so, as a face saving gesture to UMNO leaders who apart from raving and ranting against his report, had threatened Asli to withdraw the report.
Malaysiakini described his resignation as shocking but I term it as inevitable.
Lim was a Universiti Malaya professor, and had worked as United Nations regional advisor on poverty and social development as well as being senior political scientist for the World Bank. He has authored and edited over 80 books and articles on economic history, developmental issues and challenges in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Alamak, itu saja? Ta cukup kualifikasi untuk membuat lapuran tersebut lah.
Top academic Dr Lim Teck Ghee has tendered his resignation from Asli following its president Mirzan Mahathir’s decision to retract that study report. Mirzan did so after his dad criticised that report.
I am not sure whether Mirzan, no doubt Asli’s president, is qualified to comment that the study's methodology contained a number of shortcomings and was flawed.
Dr Lim didn’t bother to argue. He resigned, stating: “As director of the CPPS, I take full responsibility, and stand by the findings of the study and other studies that were submitted in our report to the government on the Ninth Malaysia Plan in February 2006.”
“Since I cannot agree with Mirzan's statement and because of the need to defend the position and integrity of independent and non-partisan scholarship, I regret to inform that I will be stepping down from my position as director at the end of the month.”
Did he resign because he was miffed with his boss, or was he pressured into doing so, as a face saving gesture to UMNO leaders who apart from raving and ranting against his report, had threatened Asli to withdraw the report.
Malaysiakini described his resignation as shocking but I term it as inevitable.
Lim was a Universiti Malaya professor, and had worked as United Nations regional advisor on poverty and social development as well as being senior political scientist for the World Bank. He has authored and edited over 80 books and articles on economic history, developmental issues and challenges in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Alamak, itu saja? Ta cukup kualifikasi untuk membuat lapuran tersebut lah.
Nobel Prize for Killing!
al Jazeera reported a team led by Gilbert Burnham of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has estimated Iraqi civilian deaths in the post-invasion period from March 2003 to June 2006 as being more than 650,000. Most died in violence as a result of the US-led 2003 invasion. The most common cause was gunfire.
The study team said: "We estimate that as of July 2006, there have been 654,965 ... excess Iraqi deaths as a consequence of the war, which corresponds to 2.5% of the population in the study area."
The report was published in the Lancet, one of the best known medical journals.
George Bush and Tony Blair, well done. Both of you jointly deserve the Nobel Prize for Killing!
The study team said: "We estimate that as of July 2006, there have been 654,965 ... excess Iraqi deaths as a consequence of the war, which corresponds to 2.5% of the population in the study area."
The report was published in the Lancet, one of the best known medical journals.
George Bush and Tony Blair, well done. Both of you jointly deserve the Nobel Prize for Killing!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Mouse Rempit told Asli not to be racist!
He advised think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) to be more careful when publishing future reports that touch on issues of race and other sensitive matters.
Guess who gave Asli the advice to be more careful not to touch on racial issues?
Yes, it’s that hypocrite, Mouse Rempit, none other than the SIL who himself made the racist statement about the Chinese community being unscrupulously exploitative of Malay division.
He said this today when asked to comment on Asli president Mirzan Mahathir’s retraction of a disputed report on bumiputera corporate equity ownership.
“Let’s not draw up a report that triggers anger (among many people) and then simply concede to having made mistakes. The damage is done already.”
He’s right, you know. Mirzan shouldn’t have retracted the report merely because (Mirzan’s) daddy said it was not correct. Mirzan should have said the report was ‘misinterpreted’. He should have adopted the SIL's advice - afterall the latter has been a master of such dishonest bullsh*t.
I have never witnessed such sheer puk-ish hypocrisy and shamelessness. His skin must be so thick that I feel it ought to be entered as a Malaysian record in the famous Malaysian Book of Records.
Guess who gave Asli the advice to be more careful not to touch on racial issues?
Yes, it’s that hypocrite, Mouse Rempit, none other than the SIL who himself made the racist statement about the Chinese community being unscrupulously exploitative of Malay division.
He said this today when asked to comment on Asli president Mirzan Mahathir’s retraction of a disputed report on bumiputera corporate equity ownership.
“Let’s not draw up a report that triggers anger (among many people) and then simply concede to having made mistakes. The damage is done already.”
He’s right, you know. Mirzan shouldn’t have retracted the report merely because (Mirzan’s) daddy said it was not correct. Mirzan should have said the report was ‘misinterpreted’. He should have adopted the SIL's advice - afterall the latter has been a master of such dishonest bullsh*t.
I have never witnessed such sheer puk-ish hypocrisy and shamelessness. His skin must be so thick that I feel it ought to be entered as a Malaysian record in the famous Malaysian Book of Records.
PAS Youth challenges LKY to debate
PAS Youth in the form of its chief Salahuddin Ayub is having two bites of the cherry (laced with budu? Sorry, can’t help the budu bit - I am just fascinated with the East Coast ‘aphrodisiac’)
Salahuddin was talking about the LKY assertion that Chinese Malaysians are marginalised.
First bite of the cherry - Salahuddin blasted the ‘missing’ Khairy Jamaluddin for remaining quiet as a mouse (Mouse Rempit?) when the Singaporean spoke out against Malaysia. But doesn’t Salahuddin know that Khairy and the Singaporeans have a real warm lai ong*?
* relationship
So how could Khairy be expected to criticise good buddies? Afterall Khairy himself declared that his best friend is a Chinese.
Anyway Salahuddin addressed LKY in a letter with traditional Malay politeness: “I am arguably in no position to challenge you to a debate, granted your esteemed stature (as) a statesman of international standing.”
But alas, nonetheless Salahuddin said he deemed it his responsibility to cordially invite Lee to debate the topic, given the absence of any such move from top government leaders ‘this side of the causeway’.
Salahuddin said he was not convinced of LKY’s assertion that the Chinese in Malaysia are marginalised, but he believed Lee should be given the opportunity to present to Malaysians his arguments and views through open discourse.
Salahuddin called for LKY to engage in a debate with him, to be conducted in an objective, intellectual and academic manner and based on the use of empirical evidence.
But before you think Salahuddin is becoming like one bloke who threatened the think-tank Asli for the bumi equity issue, the PAS Youth chief stressed he was not playing the race-card or attempting to appear as the champion merely of the Malays.
He asserted that while Chinese, Indian, and indigenous groups have not been able to attain their share of the country’s economic pie, he believed that bumiputeras have also not achieved the targeted 30% share of equity.
That was his second bite of the cherry – never ever forget your electoral base – a mere case of political bread and butter consideration.
I must say that I like Salahuddin for having the intellectual guts for wanting to take on LKY. I hope he extends his courageous social responsibility to taking on the Indons for their haze hooliganism as well. The Indons are more likely to sit up and take notice of a protesting PAS representative than those Tiong Hua DAP members. Besides, carcinogenic smoke is far more dangerous than the ramblings of a foreign politician whose use-by date had long expired.
Salahuddin was talking about the LKY assertion that Chinese Malaysians are marginalised.
First bite of the cherry - Salahuddin blasted the ‘missing’ Khairy Jamaluddin for remaining quiet as a mouse (Mouse Rempit?) when the Singaporean spoke out against Malaysia. But doesn’t Salahuddin know that Khairy and the Singaporeans have a real warm lai ong*?
* relationship
So how could Khairy be expected to criticise good buddies? Afterall Khairy himself declared that his best friend is a Chinese.
Anyway Salahuddin addressed LKY in a letter with traditional Malay politeness: “I am arguably in no position to challenge you to a debate, granted your esteemed stature (as) a statesman of international standing.”
But alas, nonetheless Salahuddin said he deemed it his responsibility to cordially invite Lee to debate the topic, given the absence of any such move from top government leaders ‘this side of the causeway’.
Salahuddin said he was not convinced of LKY’s assertion that the Chinese in Malaysia are marginalised, but he believed Lee should be given the opportunity to present to Malaysians his arguments and views through open discourse.
Salahuddin called for LKY to engage in a debate with him, to be conducted in an objective, intellectual and academic manner and based on the use of empirical evidence.
But before you think Salahuddin is becoming like one bloke who threatened the think-tank Asli for the bumi equity issue, the PAS Youth chief stressed he was not playing the race-card or attempting to appear as the champion merely of the Malays.
He asserted that while Chinese, Indian, and indigenous groups have not been able to attain their share of the country’s economic pie, he believed that bumiputeras have also not achieved the targeted 30% share of equity.
That was his second bite of the cherry – never ever forget your electoral base – a mere case of political bread and butter consideration.
I must say that I like Salahuddin for having the intellectual guts for wanting to take on LKY. I hope he extends his courageous social responsibility to taking on the Indons for their haze hooliganism as well. The Indons are more likely to sit up and take notice of a protesting PAS representative than those Tiong Hua DAP members. Besides, carcinogenic smoke is far more dangerous than the ramblings of a foreign politician whose use-by date had long expired.
Undiplomatic Indon diplomats to Malaysia: "F**k Off"
Here is an example of the arrogance of Abang Besar to little brother Malaysia – a case of ‘shut up you pipsqueak young laddie’.
As the normally brave UMNO Youth or noisy PAS, usually vociferous on other events such as oil price hike etc, have all declined to complain to the Indonesians, the DAP did so. Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng tried to meet with Ambassador KPH Rusdihardjo and his deputy Abdul Rahman Muhamad Fachir, but both were mysteriously not at the embassy.
So the Embassy First secretary (political affairs), Bapak Mudzakir received on behalf of the mission the two-page document, protesting the Indonesian created deteriorating air quality in Malaysia. DAP members held a 20-minute closed-door meeting with Mudzakir, to ask for an assurance that the Indonesian government would take steps to ensure that the haze will not recur.
This was what he arrogantly replied on the Indonesian haze affecting Malaysia.
“If you can guarantee the wind will not blow (in this direction), then I can guarantee it (haze) will not happen again.”
Then he went into even worse silly bugger argument: “When we export oxygen, you don’t say anything; when we export haze, you complain.”
Apparently such obdurate aggressive remarks are official Indonesian responses as they were similar to remarks made yesterday by Indonesia's Forestry Minister Malem Sambat Kaban, who said:
"We have forests producing oxygen and bringing clean air to them but they don't thank us. Now there's smoke and they complain. There must be a balance.”
I have never heard anything so idiotic and argumentatively arrogant and aggressive from a responsible nation, but then, Indonesia has never been very responsible. But it’s an indication of how it is treating little Malaysia – with an apathetic attitude at best, or a dismissive sneering patronising f**k-off to a budak kecil. Malaysia has itself only to blame for being so pathetically subservient to Indonesia all along. That's why we seldom see any UMNO (or PAS) protests outside the Indonesian Embassy, unlike other Embassies.
It’s little wonder that DAP leader Lim said in sheer disbelief and utter frustration, but with the diplomacy the Indoesian diplomats miserably lacked: “I am disappointed. I think I will have to visit the embassy again next year.”
As the normally brave UMNO Youth or noisy PAS, usually vociferous on other events such as oil price hike etc, have all declined to complain to the Indonesians, the DAP did so. Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng tried to meet with Ambassador KPH Rusdihardjo and his deputy Abdul Rahman Muhamad Fachir, but both were mysteriously not at the embassy.
So the Embassy First secretary (political affairs), Bapak Mudzakir received on behalf of the mission the two-page document, protesting the Indonesian created deteriorating air quality in Malaysia. DAP members held a 20-minute closed-door meeting with Mudzakir, to ask for an assurance that the Indonesian government would take steps to ensure that the haze will not recur.
This was what he arrogantly replied on the Indonesian haze affecting Malaysia.
“If you can guarantee the wind will not blow (in this direction), then I can guarantee it (haze) will not happen again.”
Then he went into even worse silly bugger argument: “When we export oxygen, you don’t say anything; when we export haze, you complain.”
Apparently such obdurate aggressive remarks are official Indonesian responses as they were similar to remarks made yesterday by Indonesia's Forestry Minister Malem Sambat Kaban, who said:
"We have forests producing oxygen and bringing clean air to them but they don't thank us. Now there's smoke and they complain. There must be a balance.”
I have never heard anything so idiotic and argumentatively arrogant and aggressive from a responsible nation, but then, Indonesia has never been very responsible. But it’s an indication of how it is treating little Malaysia – with an apathetic attitude at best, or a dismissive sneering patronising f**k-off to a budak kecil. Malaysia has itself only to blame for being so pathetically subservient to Indonesia all along. That's why we seldom see any UMNO (or PAS) protests outside the Indonesian Embassy, unlike other Embassies.
It’s little wonder that DAP leader Lim said in sheer disbelief and utter frustration, but with the diplomacy the Indoesian diplomats miserably lacked: “I am disappointed. I think I will have to visit the embassy again next year.”
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
UMNO bully boy threatened Asli
Here’s the usual bully boy, the kampong thug threatening someone he disagrees with.
Mingguan Malaysia reported that UMNO vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin demanded that the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) retracts its reported estimation on the 45% bumiputra equity ownership.
Muhyiddin said the report was a challenge to the Government’s integrity and described the report as irresponsible and rubbish.
Well, if Muhyiddin believes so, then challenge Asli's data – verify its sources, data and methodology, and criticise the think-tank if there is any dodgy calculation.
But no, that would be too much (facts) for the bully boy. So instead he resorted to the UMNO time-honoured method - he threatened Asli with government action if the think-tank fails to retract the report. But that’s not all. He wanted Asli to also admit that the report was wrong. He reckoned that’s necessary to prevent racist arguments that would affect national unity.
Bull! Only UMNO leaders and their tame academicians have been jumping up and down like kera kena belacan. No other Malaysians care two hoots because the actual percentage of the bloody equity makes not one iota of difference to the poor non-UMNO Malays. And to the non-Malays, it also means nothing whether it's 18.9%, 45% or 101%, because UMNO hands will continue to dip into the nation’s cashbox.
But Muhyiddin declared: “The report is rubbish and cannot be used. As a Malay, I am angry and I think it was done with malice. The report may have an agenda that aims at forming a polemic among those who believe the report to be true. They will definitely blame the Government for revealing the wrong facts.”
Why be angry? Why threatened the author of a study?
Prove Asli wrong, Mr Tan Sri, instead of intimidating Asli members, unless of course you feel they're uncomfortably close to or even at the truth?
Mingguan Malaysia reported that UMNO vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin demanded that the Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) retracts its reported estimation on the 45% bumiputra equity ownership.
Muhyiddin said the report was a challenge to the Government’s integrity and described the report as irresponsible and rubbish.
Well, if Muhyiddin believes so, then challenge Asli's data – verify its sources, data and methodology, and criticise the think-tank if there is any dodgy calculation.
But no, that would be too much (facts) for the bully boy. So instead he resorted to the UMNO time-honoured method - he threatened Asli with government action if the think-tank fails to retract the report. But that’s not all. He wanted Asli to also admit that the report was wrong. He reckoned that’s necessary to prevent racist arguments that would affect national unity.
Bull! Only UMNO leaders and their tame academicians have been jumping up and down like kera kena belacan. No other Malaysians care two hoots because the actual percentage of the bloody equity makes not one iota of difference to the poor non-UMNO Malays. And to the non-Malays, it also means nothing whether it's 18.9%, 45% or 101%, because UMNO hands will continue to dip into the nation’s cashbox.
But Muhyiddin declared: “The report is rubbish and cannot be used. As a Malay, I am angry and I think it was done with malice. The report may have an agenda that aims at forming a polemic among those who believe the report to be true. They will definitely blame the Government for revealing the wrong facts.”
Why be angry? Why threatened the author of a study?
Prove Asli wrong, Mr Tan Sri, instead of intimidating Asli members, unless of course you feel they're uncomfortably close to or even at the truth?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)