Some comments on Malaysiakini columns

Today I will comment on the articles of three of my fave Malaysiakini columnists, Bakri Musa, Eric Loo and my matey Dean Johns.

First with Bakri Musa who wrote Incompetence at all levels.

Bakri who, like George Lee, resides abroad [George in Australia, Bakri in USA] but continues to comment on Malaysian affairs and sometimes showing by contrast the way the authority of his foreign domicile governs in a democratic, transparent and accountable manner.

George Lee has recently been severely criticised for his remote 'armchair' comments of Malaysian lack of provenance; Bakri too had been so criticised, where I recall he was labelled derogatorily as NATO (no action, all talk). Bakri provided a good riposte to that intolerant criticism.

In his lastest article Bakri blasted the IGP. While Malaysian crimes have been soaring, the Police No 1 was more interested in going after Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) and interrogating Lim Kit Siang for alleged sedition.

I love in particular two of his paragraphs:

The chief function of a police force is to maintain public safety. No sane Malaysian would consider Raja Petra or Lim Kit Siang posing a threat to public order. The only threat they pose is in exposing corruption and dereliction of duty at the highest levels of our government. [...]

Musa Hassan's calling in the Interpol is a particularly egregious example of his incompetence.

And he didn’t spare Hishamuddin, SIL, Najib, Muhyiddin Yassin too.

I agree with most of Bakri Musa’s article. However, I do disagree with the last sentence of one of his paragraphs, namely:

Raja Petra's many articles pertaining to Najib Razak contain numerous specific facts, named many individuals, and cited precise locations that they could easily be corroborated or denied by resorting to physical forensic evidences. Raja Petra's allegations are not of the ambiguous ‘he said, she said' variety.

I’m afraid RPK’s notorious Statutory Declaration about Rosmah’s alleged turn padang to witness (or supervise?) the C4-demolition of Altantuyaa Shariibuu’s corpse was dominated by his qualification of “I have been reliably informed …” which we have to admit has been nothing more than a case of ‘he said, she said’.

Next, we come to Eric Loo who wrote'You'll be right, mate,' so says the Aussie to foreign students, about the alleged racist attacks against Indians in Melbourne.

I support fully his comments: Just in case Malaysian families are worried for their sons and daughters, don't be. Media reports do not often tell the whole story. While foreign students in Australian universities are generally perceived to be isolated close-knit groups and ‘socially shy', Aussies are generally hospitable, samaritans, and happy to give anyone a ‘fair-go'. Racist remarks inevitably do crop up in some places in Australia - just as they do in unexpected places and situations in Malaysia and India. As Aussies say when they face a problem ‘We'll be right, mate!"

I have also seen on TV the way some Indian protestors had (mis)behaved – sure as hell didn’t do their cause any good; I wouldn’t be surprised if some Aussie TV viewers were to comment nastily against them.

However, I disagree with Eric’s statement: Ah, the Aussie penchant for raw wit. You see it on Australian television all the time - those hilarious irreverent caricatures of puffed-up celebrities and populist politicians - even the Queen. Indeed, there are no sacred cows in the Australian public space.

Aussies do have sacred cows – please read my last year’s post Priority 1 - free RPK & Hindraf 5 where I described the 3 Aussie sacred cows (and one of Malaysia’s as well).

Finally, on to my matey, Dean who wrote Tanks for the memory, China.

For me, the pun in the title was a giveaway that my fave Malaysiakini columnist has again written another savoury piece to be relished.

Let me start off by stating I agree with Dean 101% on his lambasting of the Chinese authority’s 1989 slaughter of its own citizens.

A wee digression at this stage - The actual event behind the picture of the man attempting to stop the column of tanks rolling into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (which gave rise to Dean’s usual witty pun in his article’s title) was quite a poignant moment.

Malaysiakini photo

Amidst the senseless and inhumane massacre of Chinese students, that event brought out two rather moving points – (a) the sheer courage of the man in his attempt to stop a column of tanks, and (b) the unusual streak of humanity and perhaps empathy in the tank commander’s attempt to manoeuvre (repetitively) around the man rather than just roll over him.

However, I must comment against Dean’s criticism of China’s involvement in the Korean War.

Dean did not mention that China was forced into the war when the hubristic General Douglas MacArthur attempted to occupy the entire Korean peninsula in a bid to unify both Korean States. Incidentally the political and military division of the peninsula was brought about by a WWII pact between the USA and USSR, with both agreeing on the 38th parallel as the boundary of their military occupancy of the previous Japanese colony.

Despite repetitive Chinese warnings to the USA (through Indian Ambassador Panniker) not to move its US-led UN military forces into North Korea or face Chinese intervention, principally because of the Chinese fears of American proximity to its own territory, the USA ignored the message conveyed by Indian PM Nehru, in the latter's plea to the USA for caution.

When hubristic MacArthur, knowing he possessed superior military firepower and a superior air force to the Chinese’ peasant army, advanced to the Yalu River (very near the Chinese border), the Chinese army startled him by effecting (one of) the very principle of war that the Americans upheld, namely ‘Manoeuvre’.

The US Armed Forces’ Principle of Maneuver has an offensive aim, to put the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the use of unexpected attacks. The Chinese army moved with secrecy, lightning speed and in mass among the mountainous terrain of northern Korea, astounding the Americans who were sent reeling by the Chinese blitzkrieg.

Dean has also been incorrect in stating “…however, the ‘People’s’ forces and their allies lost the war, though China and its North Korean cronies have never conceded defeat.”

The Chinese actually pushed the Americans and the UN forces back to the 38th parallel, where a stalemate was reached, lasting till today.

PAS ruling faction - more ethno-centric than ethic-centric?

This morning Malaysiakini boldly published Husam ousts Nasharuddin for PAS No 2 though with a qualification that the result was unofficial. Then, Husam had won by a 65-vote majority.

I thought 65 votes was not to be sneered at as that represented slightly more than 6% of the PAS party voters, but Malaysiakini just had to state the PAS deputy presidential race was 'close'. I suspect that since 08 March 2008 the expectation for election wins (whether of intra or inter party contest) requires majority of avalanche-like or tsunamic proportions. Malaysia Boleh ;-)

Alas, when the official result came out, it was a case of Nasharuddin retains PAS No 2 post.

Nasharuddin obtained 480 votes while Husam and Mohd Sabu had 281 and 261 respectively. I have to be cruel and say that Malaysiakini's earlier report of Husam’s victory, unofficial as it might have been labelled, was wild and rather unacceptable, akin to Erdogan-ic wishful thinking.

But did the reporter learn a lesson?

No, because in the second news report which carries the official results, the statement “Nasharuddin's sizable margin of victory of 199 votes over Husam indicated that the conservative ulama faction is still very much dominant in the party” fails to indicate that the total votes for a non-negotiable anti-UMNO stand (as propounded by Husam and supported by Mat Sabu), and thus against Pak Haji Hadi Awang, his running mate Nasharudin and the ulama faction was more than 50%, a total of 542 votes against Nasharudin 480.

Husam and Sabu split their camp’s votes and the story is the usual one, 'first past the post wins', and that’s Nasharudin.

But the Malaysiakini news report has been incorrect in suggesting through its statement 'the conservative ulama faction is still very much dominant in the party' that there hasn’t been a sea change in attitude within PAS vis-à-vis working with non-Muslims and kaffir-like socialist parties like the DAP, when the majority of voters (542 of them) wanted the party to continue support for the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, without flirting with UMNO.

Despite Nasharudin stating bravely that “I still won” with less than 50% of the votes (and he’s right in this respect) I am sure he knows the lie of the new PAS political landscape …

… which has been why, when interviewed by reporters, he was more diplomatic than his bulldozing ethno-centric President and tap danced around, as reported by The Malaysian Insider as follows:

On the unity government proposal, he said that the idea had to be put on hold as the party needs time to explain it to the members. “It is not a one man show party, especially on policy matters, it has to be endorsed by the muktamar,” said Nasharudin.

Elaborating on Hadi’s remark yesterday that he had received the support of Pakatan Rakyat leaders for the unity government idea, Nasharudin said the discussion did not reach policy level. Other Pakatan leaders have denied discussing the subject between them.

The deputy president also promised to work towards strengthening Pakatan but said PAS has never intended to dominate the opposition coalition and said the leadership council is sufficient. “There is no need to appoint one party to lead,” said Nasharudin when asked whether PAS is interested to lead the opposition pact which controls 82 parliament seats and four state governments.

But regardless of whether the Ulama or Erdogan faction has won, let’s not ignore an undeniable truth ….. that both PAS factions continue to pursue their party aspiration, for Malaysia to become an Islamic State with syariah laws with the medieval hudud code of punishments as the law of the country.

We also need to be aware that the party’s president and his ulama henchmen much prefer an ethno-centric pact. Yes, call it ‘unity government’ if you like, which the PAS ulama faction does, and which the PAS president was so enamoured of (such a relationship with UMNO) that he had the shameless gall to suggest DAP and PKR had both agreed to his preference.

Pak Haji Hadi Awang, unlike PAS spiritual leader Pak Haji Nik Aziz, seems more interested in an ethno-centric than an ethic-centric alliance …

... which means UMNO would undoubtedly exploit this chink (f* it, it’s more of a humongous cleft) in the PAS armour.

In a way, I am glad that Husam Musa didn’t win because as I said, the Erdogan-ites have the same ideological aspiration as the ulamas, to bring about an Islamic nation with syariah laws for Malaysia.

While a Husam Musa victory would have given a morale boost to the Pakatan’s aspiration, that in 2013 the pact may assume majority rule, there will be the worrying but now-swept-under-the-carpet issue to deal with, that of PAS wanting to turn Malaysia into an Islamic nation.

How will PKR deal with that is easy to explain, so long as someone gets to be PM! wakakaka!

But how will DAP be able to deal with that?

But at least with the ulama faction in control, WYS-(in PAS)-IWYWG!

PKR = UMNO but DAP ≠ Gerakan

Malaysiakini - Crisis deepens in Penang Pakatan where I read the best statement by Ng Wei Aik when he referred to those demanding PKR councillors:

"They think they are Umno, but we, the DAP, are not Gerakan!”

With one bamboo Ng trashed UMNO, Gerakan and of course PKR wakakaka! Economy of effort!

And good on Jeff Ooi for giving Raja Bodek Gobalakrishnan a taste of his kay-poh-chnee medicine – dei Gobala, go chase and stop phantom buses lah wakakaka.

The problem with some (only some) PKR members is that they haven’t gotten over their UMNO mentality.

Penanti - Dr Mansor too kniasu, PKR too clever by half

The way The Malaysian Insider reported the story in PKR leaders admit they met with Aminah sets a different slant to what was reported in Malaysiakini I'm not sure it was bribery, Aminah now says.

This is something right up the alley for sweetie Helen Ang. Dear Helen sees the MSM as a bugbear. I wonder what’s her take on which one is being ‘creative’?

Anyway, I have a few observations and queries that I need to air:

(1) If dear Aminah couldn’t determine what’s bribery, how is she going to be a good DUN?

(2) Why did Aminah and family go through such a charade to tape and video Cheah Ka Peng and Peter Lim? Has she been UMNO-rised?

Aminah's family feeding the unsuspecting Lim and Cheah - Malaysiakini photo

(3) Friendship obviously means diddly squat to Aminah coz she went about collecting 'evidence' in a covert, calculative and cunning manner and used that to squeal on the poor 2 PKR dumbos, who had (note the grammatical 'had' wakakaka) been her friends of 10 years.

(4) And the amazing MACC has acted with such amazing alacrity on Aminah’s report, while poor Khir Toyo, who has been (or should be) first in the MACC queue is still waiting for the anti-corruption agency to pose a few questions about his fantasy world visit.

(5) Finally, why is the silent ‘bridegroom’, Dr Mansor Othman, so kniasu as to fear Aminah, who is relatively a political nobody, and who wouldn’t have a single stitch to hang her CD on if Cheah Ka Peng and Peter Lim hadn’t taken the imprudent and idiotic step to visit her.

Kniasu is a word which originated in Singapore, and normally means the need to 'keep up with the Jones' or the obsession to be first, on top, ahead, etc.

But alas, in Dr Mansor case, his kniasu is to be taken literally – he’s really afraid to lose in this by-election when there's no real competition.

Mind you, with his series of failures, he has begun to assume the worst, that he’s jinx-ed.

No worries, kaytee has the traditional Penang solution (literally).

I can prepare for him a cleansing (purifying - menyucikan) head rinsing solution (say t’au kuoi suoi), complete with seven types of flowers (including cempaka), seven drops of perfume, seven daun lima purut, seven types of special religious herbs, buah limau (lime), incense, Thai jambi, (chanted personally by kaytee) and Bob’s your uncle – and best of all, no charge ;-)

MGR-ism at its worst!

Look at the following photograph and have a glimpse of why Indian Malaysians have so many problems. Doesn’t matter who that bloke is, as his person, his individuality, his identity are all not important.

Malaysiakini photo

It’s the act of his followers, a display of a combination of adulation, hero-worship, and bodek-ism. Bloke even has a crown – so the (previous) King is dead, OK, long live the (current) King wakakaka.

When Hindraf Uthayamukar was released, he not only received the same sort of reception, full of adulation and idol-worship, but he had to stop people from kissing his feet, the ultimate act of subservience, an act rightfully reserved only for one’s parents and more senior members of the family (like granddad).

Once I saw an Indian colleague demanding of a student (Indian of course) who was the son of a friend of a friend to kiss his feet – it made me sick.

Then we have people rushing to get a snip of Uthayakumar’s hair or beard when he shaved those off.

Malaysiakini photo

And we sure know who MGR was, don’t we, and how he was virtually ‘God’ to the Tamils.

Now we have the new political idol of India, Rahul Gandhi, who at a mere 38 is being ‘promoted’ in a personality campaign to succeed 76-year old PM Manmohan Singh, in just 2 years time, all because he carries the Gandhi name.

Manmohan is expected to step down in that time so that the son of Rajiv Gandhi, the grandson of Indira Gandhi and the great-grandson of Jawarhalal Nehru can become PM of India. Whether Rahul is of good enough material to be PM is totally irrelevant.

Don’t laugh because this over-the-top adulation, hero-worship or bodek-ism have spread across to the Malays.

I could be wrong but I suspect the feudalistic obsequiousness could be (Hindu) caste-culture inspired. Indonesians, Thais, Cambodians, Burmese, Laotian who all adopted and share the Hindu culture-religion have the same inclination.

The garlands and corsages have been getting bigger and bigger in direct proportion to the social-political status of the idol, until with a person like, say, Dr Mahathir at the height of his powers, it’s a wonder the garland bestowed upon him by some supporters didn’t require the hoisting mechanism of a crane to place same around the former PM’s neck, and with a safety team of orthopaedist, chiropractor, osteopath, nurses standing by just in case.

And if you had been observant you might have seen Adam and Eve and dozens of animals wandering around in that Garden of Eden pinned on the front of his jacket pocket.

I heard grateful florists in Malaysia also worshipped him as their patron saint ;-)

But these shows have been totally ridiculous and stupid. Why do those people have to descend to such sycophantic obsequious bodek-ism. Makes me cringe with embarrassment.

Time for the Indians to wake up.

UMNO's no to Penanti but yes to Manek Urai - the real reason?

kaytee sees the reason behind UMNO's no to Penanti and yes to Manek Urai as the 27% 'nons' voters in the former and the less than 1% 'nons' in the latter. I mentioned this in Anwar Ibrahim - 'heartland' fixated!

Could this cause be extrapolated to explain the series of intimidation and harrassment manoeuvres the police have been conducting against the DAP, the main engine behind the tsunami-c 'nons'?

On the surface, the police harrassment of the very small grouping (about a dozen people) involved in the DAP candlelight vigil seems meaningless and ill-serving to their master, UMNO. But the police actions against the DAP may have the purpose of sending a message, not so much to the DAP or Chinese but to the 'heartland', a message of 'jangan khuatir sayang, semua under control' ...

... making me wonder whether it's for Perak or Manek Urai?

Court decision unsurprising!

Am not surprised by decision of Appellate Court.

As I blogged yesterday in Political pasembur 1 the BN “…doesn’t want to lose face nor does it want Pakatan to be in a position to ask HRH to dissolve the House, because a re-election will see the BN or rather UMNO* humiliated even further.”

As I alluded, I believe Zambry will hang on for a while, for a bit of BN’s face, following which the 3 frogs could mysteriously resign or whatever.

I blogged: “I suspect BN will try its utmost to manipulate the situation into by-elections in the three froggie seats, allowing PKR to win back two while DAP will bring about the largest landslide in Perak election history in Jelapang wakakaka.”

“This way, BN maintains the status quo without suffering further loss and at the same time divests itself of the poison chalice.”

Maybe the actual line of play may well turn out to be more complicated but my speculation is that BN will eventually divest itself of Perak, to save its own ass for 2013.

But what pissed me off when I read The Malaysian Insider Zambry is MB, rules court where the news report said: “Hundreds of PR supporters gathered briefly outside the court complex after the ruling was pronounced, and shouted slogans to back Nizar, including chanting ‘Refomasi’ and ‘Bubar DUN’”.

Haven’t those people got it yet, that it was the f* so-called ‘reformasi’ that gotten us into this trouble. FFS-lah, recall the blooming frog merchant and his claim that Nasaruddin Hashim’s defection “... reflected the sentiments of his voters, namely the Malays in his constituency ... as the beginning of a new wave.”

Yea, the frog merchant has his 'new wave' alright, with mud in his face!

Karpal Singh has been right - it's time for the frog merchant to fade away; he's a trouble maker wherever he goes.

Political pasembur 1

Tonight I’ll just chuck in a few political snippets ;-)

Malaysiakini - MB vs MB: Judgment tomorrow

Whatever the outcome, I suspect BN will be hoping to minimise its damage. I believe BN has finally come to its senses, especially now that Najib has made his mark as a can-do UMNO leader in upstaging wannabe froggie king as well as assumed the UMNO presidency.

The BN would have assessed that it’s time to rid itself of the poison chalice that is Perak, as I had alluded to in Perak's poisonous stalemate will hurt BN more than PR.

But it doesn’t want to lose face nor does it want Pakatan to be in a position to ask HRH to dissolve the House, because a re-election will see the BN or rather UMNO* humiliated even further.

* And the perversity of the political situation is that Gerakan or MCA or MIC has nothing (absolutely zilch wakakaka) to lose and everything to gain in a Perak re-election, yet the only one among these three BN juniors who's clueless about its own lack of appeal to the voters and indeed thick skinned enough to want a re-election is probably MIC ;-).

Both MCA and Gerakan want time to re-group after the March 2008 Hirshima-ic devastation and for the vital ingredient of the Malay's mudah-lupa to spread like H1N1 to the Chinese wakakaka, which of course also requires time.

I suspect BN will try its utmost to manipulate the situation into by-elections in the three froggie seats, allowing PKR will win back two while DAP will bring about the largest landslide in Perak election history in Jelapang wakakaka.

This way, BN maintains the status quo without suffering further losses, and at the same time divests itself of the poison chalice.



For blooming years PSM had tried to get itself registered but in vain until very recently (incidentally this means PKR is now minus 1 parliamentary seat once Dr Jeya asserts himself as a PSM MP rather than one from Anwar Ibrahim’s party). And we know how the government feels about Hindraf. No, the two statements are not non sequitur.

If one dislikes or fears Hindraf, would one approve a party called Makkal Sakthi? Most unlikely, considering how PSM had fared for years and years.

In fact M Kathirveloo, a close associate of Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, revealed to us that ROS (Registrar of Societies) rejected his application to register the Indian Rights Action Front (IRAF), because, according to ROS, IRAF was suspected of having a name similar to the outlawed Hindraf.

Kathiravelo also reminded us that the government had been hostile towards Hindraf leaders, so eyes rolled when ROS approved the Makkal Sakthi Party, and with such amazing alacrity too!

Just to remind you, last month I blogged on Waynamoorthy worried Thanenthiran taking Hindraf into BN?

Maybe Thanenthiran is one who believes there’s more than one way to skin a Tamil Tiger wakakaka!

The Malaysian Insider - Gerakan and MCA split over Tsu Koon

Not surprisingly, the MCA is pissed off with Najib's apppointment of UMNO’s blue-eyed boy as the BN head in Penang.

The Malaysian Insider commented: When BN won Penang in the 1999 general elections, MCA dominated the state assembly following defections from Gerakan but instead of appointing a leader from MCA as the chief minister, then BN chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave the post to Koh causing widespread discontent among the party’s leaders and supporters.

And that fact that Najib has once again made Koh the BN head there has sparked fresh accusations that the Umno president is not sensitive towards the sentiment on the ground.

We can make intelligent guess as to the many reasons for Koh’s appointment, chief among which would be Koh’s obsequious compliance to UMNO's dictates. As Penangites would say: Gau t’niah uah (very obedient). There's of course the usual UMNO’s strategic aim to keep a check on MCA through Gerakan – the old orang putih’s ‘divide and conquer’.

But expect MCA to sabotage Koh and Gerakan, and UMNO to protect Koh ;-)

Malaysiakini - Anwar's sacking: Apex court fixes July 30 for hearing which reported (extracts only):

The Federal Court has set July 30 to hear Anwar Ibrahim's bid to challenge the legality of his dismissal as deputy premier and finance minister in 1998. […]

The apex court on June 16 last year had granted leave to Anwar to appeal against a High Court's ruling that his dismissal as deputy prime minister and finance minister was lawfully executed by Mahathir. […]

The High Court had on Dec 23, 1998, struck out Anwar’s civil action for an order that his dismissal from the cabinet on Sept 2, 1998, was unlawful.

What does kaytee think?

I want Anwar to win ;-) Really I do!

Wakakaka!

Anwar Ibrahim - 'heartland' fixated!

In my earlier post Perak DUN - a house of cards undone by frogs, I commented on Anwar Ibrahim welcoming the revolving-door frog, Nasarudin Hashim, ADUN for Bota in Perak to PKR.

The Great One claimed the Nasaruddin’s defection “... reflected the sentiments of his voters, namely the Malays in his constituency ... as the beginning of a new wave.”

Nothing about the non-Malays in Bota?

While on the 'beginning of the new wave' from Bota, would Anwar Ibrahim allow that the defection of erstwhile PKR Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Osman Jailu also “... reflected the sentiments of their voters, namely the Malays in their constituencies ... as the beginning of a new wave”?

Would the PKR anwaristas agree?

Not only did the Great One coo gleefully (then) about his new asset (so he thought), he just had to ennunciate the Malay nature of the defection, the ‘new wave’ so to speak!

We see that ethno-centric emphasis again in Penanti where Malaysiakini reported in Anwar: Penanti marks beginning of BN's end that the Great Reformer stated:

“Penanti is a 70 percent Malay constituency. For the BN to decline to contest in an area where hitherto they would not bat an eyelid to contest is proof that, right now, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

I was hoping we would move away from the ethno-emphasis of constituencies, especially when Pakatan Rakyat followers have been throwing full hearted support behind PR candidates, regardless of their political background, PAS, PKR or DAP, or their religion, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, etc or indeed their ethnic origin, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, Thai, etc.

But trust Anwar Ibrahim to raise it again. A leopard never changes its spots (and if you don't like it, then balik Tiongsun lah, and don't try to ring those Hindu temple bells too).

And of course he seems to forget that slightly more than 27% of voters in Penanti or around 4150 warm bodies are non-Malay Malaysians … which might help explain why Fairus had won with a majority of 2219 votes.

The BN knows that the non-Malay preference for Pakatan is frighteningly overwhelming, as was witnessed in Bukit Gantang where they backed a PAS candidate to the hilt.

That’s probably what has persuaded Najib not to commit political seppuku in Penanti.

Anwar Ibrahim is so obsessed with his ‘heartland’ fantasy, his 'new wave of Malay voters', that he has dismissed so casually the support of the ‘nons’.

Anwar Ibrahim - The Great Suer

On Saturday Malaysiakini reported Anwar denies offering Anifah DPM post. The time stamp for the article was 5:30 pm, by which time everyone who had read The Malaysian Insider already knew of the alleged froggie quid pro quo.

However, in the Malaysiakini version of the news, Anwar Ibrahim denied he had made such an offer to entice Anifah Aman to defect to PKR last year.

They were talking about a time when Anwar, who had wanted to be PM (one way or another, as I saw it), boasted of 916. Anwar had the unprecedented political effrontery to demand that AAB, who commanded a majority of 58 seats in the Dewan Rakyat (lower house of Parliament), undertake a vote of confidence in the House for his (AAB's) PM-ship.

Anifah Aman then was seen as being the key to a faction of more than 30 MPs from Sabah and perhaps even a few from Sarawak. If what Anwar boasted had been true, that of 31 BN MPs defecting over to his PKR, the nation today would have Anwar Ibrahim as PM. But alas, that claim turned out to be nothing more than one of Anwar’s usual man man lai.

Regardless of the fact that 916 didn’t succeed, or whether he was only bullsh*tting or making a poker bluff, Anwar did broadcast his 916 intention and attempt ...

... Thus I've found the one-sided criticisms of Najib’s nefarious enticement of the 3 Perak frogs (and let’s not hide the fact that the Camry-ed defections had been bloody nefarious) reeking malodorouly of double standards, when those same critics not only kept mum over Anwar’s 916 aspiration but even tried to justify it.

Anyway, both Anifah and Anwar weren’t arguing over the froggie business. In fact Anwar conceded he rang Anifah … as he claimed, only once.

‘Twas Anifah’s allegation that Anwar Ibrahim had attempted to bribe him, with the promise of the DPM’s job that sent Anwar berserk with a threat to sue Anifah if the allegations aren’t withdrawn with a published public apology.

Anifah riposted that he would see Anwar in court!

Do you think Anwar Ibrahim would make such an offer? Well, only he and Anifah would know as alas, we KPCs (busybodies) weren’t privy to their private conversations.

Maybe Anifah made a mistake? Myabe he was confused with Anwar's promise to increase Sabah and Sarawak's oil royalty to a humongous (was it) 20%?

But Anwar wasn't the only person to criticise Anifah. According to Anil Netto, Malaysia’s most popular blogger (outside of mega-bloggers like Dr Mahathir), Anifah had stated, as reported by the US State Department “I was personally offered to jump into the oppositions and offered a very lucrative position, and also to be told it’s like a deputy prime minister.”
Anil commented: This doesn’t make sense. Why did Anifah believe it when he was told that the lucrative position was like a DPM’s post?

How can the DPM’s position be considered lucrative, when even the premiership has only a salary plus allowance that’s far below the RM5 million paid to the chief honcho of Puncak Niaga, the Selangor water concessionaire? Unless Anifah believes that the DPM’s post has other “perks”?

To make matters worse, Anifah said this in Washington - a place where no one would think of describing the vice-presidency - or for that matter, the presidency - as “a very lucrative position”. In trying to slam Anwar Ibrahim, the Foreign Minister has just turned us into a laughing stock.

Anifah should tell us in what way the DPM’s post is similar to a lucrative position. Incidentally, would he consider the Foreign Minister’s position to be “very lucrative” as well?
I think Anil has missed the point. What Anifah said had been his allegation that Anwar offered him a ‘very lucrative position’, ...

... bearing in mind of course that it was just Anifah’s allegation and not necessarily true.

But the point I wanted to make regarding Anil’s criticism of Anifah is that it wasn’t Anifah who said the DPM’s position was lucrative. If you read Anifah’s statement there is the word ‘also’.

Let’s see that statement again: “I was personally offered to jump into the oppositions and offered a very lucrative position, and also to be told it’s like a deputy prime minister.”
I read it as Anifah saying:

(1) Anwar offered me a very lucrative position,
(2) Also, I was infomed that it’s like being a DPM.

No Anil, it’s not Anifah who should be explaining in what way the DPM’s post is similar to a lucrative position … that is, assuming Anwar won't be successful in his legal suit against Anifah.

But if Anwar is successful, then requiring Anifah to explain becomes a moot point.

Poor Anwar Ibrahim’s reputation has been under continuous siege. Back in 2005, he threatened to sue the renown multi-lingual Australian Special Broadcasting Services (SBS).

In October 2003, SBS televised a programme in Australia called Dateline which stated that the Washington-based International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) was accused in the United States of funding terrorist activities, including support of the Islamic Jihad.

The Dateline programme pointed out that Anwar Ibrahim was one of its three directors, and that IIIT provided his daughter with 300,000 ringgit for her education.

In a RPK’s article on an alleged conspiracy against Anwar, we read of Anwar’s lawyer stating his intention to sue SBS.

SBS then issued a statement standing by its story, a statement meaning it was prepared to face the libel action. Read my 2005 post over at my other blog BolehTalk titled Australian TV Programme in 2003 - Anwar Ibrahim & IIIT.

I didn't keep track of the issue; in fact I haven't heard anything about it since, so I wonder whether Anwar had been successful in suing SBS.

A sweetie once told me (sob) that my post was too long-winded (sob – I like being long-winded lah). Anyway, before I do get long-winded on this one, I’ll just let you read two of my previous posts where Anwar Ibrahim had threatened to sue, namely:

(1) Anwar Ibrahim, Paul Wolfowitz & Shaha Ali Reza. I hope Anwar did successfully sue the Washington Post, because the US newspaper had embarrassed Anwar by its reporting of the sweetheart deal of Paul Wolfowitz!

(2) Mahathir's homosexual remarks! I wonder again whether Anwar did win his RM100 million suit against Dr Mahathir?

Malaysian Gordian Knot

Star Online - Top scorers discover again PSD scholarships are not guaranteed and PSD scholarship review.

Just the usual frustration around this time of the year for some students. So, MCA president Ong Tee Keat claimed he had spoken to the PM and that the Government will review the selection criteria for Public Services Department scholarships.

Whenever I read about the annual fiasco concerning the scholarship awards for deserving students, and invariably the annual but inexplicable outcome in the selection of candidates for medicine, I cannot help but recall one frustrating and rather heartbreaking word – inevitable!

But why should this happen year after year, where somehow only the PM (who has better things to look after) could undo a couple of cases, as a token appeasement to frustrated students and their distressed parents, but never truly sorting out an unmistakably unfair scholarship system and an unfair entrance criteria to universities and certain courses?

A democratic system is not only about elections. It is also about transparency, accountability and justice. If these are missing then the democracy that we acclaim to the world we enjoy is one that is shamefully hollow.

The problem or root cause is that lil’ Napoleons rule the system, and the UMNO-dominated cabinet has been quite happy to leave these pocket dictators to their biased ways ….. well, at least until next year when the PM is again called upon to show us his 'charitable' ways.

The governance of our public systems (including the conduct of our public servants and police), lacks transparency, accountability and justice. It may be seen as a variation of the example of three monkeys – you can't see evil because there is no transparency; you can't hear of evil because there is no accountability, and you can't speak of evil despite injustice because the ISA hangs over your head.

Apart from places and scholarships to universities, another example of non-transparencies has been the selection of public or military officers for promotion, etc. They have been non-transparent because in a number of cases they cannot be justified or have been plain indefensible.

The debacle and consequential public outcry over the selection of university undergraduates for certain degree courses some years ago (and in each succeeding year) was a glaring model of opaque evasiveness.

When the selection criteria were challenged, the people responsible for the selection changed the goalposts, for the unsuccessful candidates.

Silly policies, made on the panicked run, like requiring a medical school applicant to demonstrate that they could tolerate bloody gory, were brazenly proposed by interested parties. The person who first mooted that idiotic criterion of course didn't have to undergo the same ordeal when he was selected to go to medical school.

All had one objective - to retain the non-transparency of the selection process.

When that inane proposal proved to be unworkable, the selection criteria was then amended, with an added obstacle for some university applicants to surmount, if they can - that of the subjective nature of interview assessments.

Next, extracurricular activities were to be an important consideration, perhaps in the hope that brawns would beat those nerdy feeble-muscled top scorers.

But top scorers evolved to match the game, and today we have the so-called nerds who have been active in co-curricular activities, representing their schools at district, state and national levels in sports, etc. So I wonder what new criterion would be introduced next?

Patriotism index?

Well, most young Malaysians are very conscious of their Malaysian-ness, in spite of obstacles deliberately placed in the path of due and just considerations for them as young Malaysians.

Notwithstanding the youth’s identification of Malaysia as their only home, we are all to well aware that patriotism or loyalty is not a one-way traffic of emotion, though it may run that way for a while, mainly driven by youth, innocence, idealism and naivety, and perhaps prolonged a bit more by hope.

But unless that hope is justified, sure as hell, it’ll slowly fade away, and with it, the malnourished severely battered patriotism. Even Duracell dares not claim an infinite life for any of its batteries.

As for accountability, that word hasn't existed in public governance since the days of PM Tengku Abdul Rahman.

The scholarship scandal is but a small example of what's happening in our country for decades.

The recent Perak DUN shows the shameless partiality of civil servants, lil’ Napoleons who wouldn’t be able to know what’s the role of a civil service in a democracy even if it was shafting them right down their throats. Did anyone for one instant believe they were worried about accountability?

A friend asked me how we have come to this situation? The reasons are plainly and painfully obvious.

Though we know what's happening around us, we find it hard to articulate them into one simple sentence – there are just too many factors like the politically promoted ethnic divide, greed, corruption, selfish leaders, and incumbency of the mediocre, so on, so forth.

All these didn't happen yesterday. They weren't caused by one single person. They didn't arise for any one particular reason. They aren't maintained nor sustained by one sole driving force.

But nonetheless, like a voraciously greedy juggernaut, the Malaysian monster tramples arrogantly and uncaringly forward, unstoppable and not wishing to stop.

The solution is straightforward. Its implementation is more difficult. It requires leadership, statesmanship, foresight, sheer guts (courage), honesty, willpower, perseverance and most of all, decency.

The Malaysian Gordian Knot stands out before our eyes. But we still look desperately for the elusive mythical Iskander.

Maybe Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin can fit the bill?

Perak's poisonous stalemate will hurt BN more than PR

Sadly for the stability of our nation, Najib and his BN cohorts have missed a golden opportunity to extricate themselves safely from the Perak minefield they had landed themselves in, when the 3 frogs handed them the balance of power.

True, they weren’t the first to start the rotten froggie business – ‘twas blooming Anwar Ibrahim, the so-called reformer but de facto deformer.

Najib had referred to Anwar’s bluff about the 31 frogs for 916 as an example of PKR’s double standards as well as justification for the BN's coup d'etat. Najib has been quite right, because what’s good for the PKR goose should be good for the BN gander ...

... and which has been the reason why kaytee has always been against frogs, regardless of which way they jumped. We simply cannot cherrypick as would some hypocrites in PKR and even a few in PAS and DAP.

No, don’t talk to me about the concept of ‘free association’, not in Malaysia anyway, because virtually everyone knows that a voter casts a vote for a candidate mainly on the basis of the candidate’s party. It would have to be the very rare and outstanding candidate whom voters would vote for as an individual …

… therefore an elected representative has a ‘contractual’ obligation with his/her voters to stay on the desired side of the political fence.

As a stark example, why do you think the voters of Jelapang voted for Hee Yit Foong? Or, to be more precise with my question, did the voters of that constituency voted for Hee as a person or the DAP which put her up as the candidate for Jelapang?

How do they feel now that Hee has, just for the material sake of a Camry Mercedes, hopped across to the BN they despised?

Now, with Zambry's successful appeal to put a hold on the High Court ruling in favour of Nizar, we see the continuous running joke that is political Perak, where the courts have been used to studiously avoid the only true deciding factor, the people’s choice!

One can only consider, contemplate and curse on what P Cumaraswamy, former President of the Bar Council, stated: “It will be a matter of concern to an average citizen over how the Court of Appeal presided by one judge could overturn a decision of the High Court judge yesterday when he refused to grant a stay of execution without there being before the Court a formal application to that effect.”

Many laypersons like me are still wondering why the learned judge of the Appellate Court has put a stay on an earlier court order which was to right a wrong?

Indeed, why stay a ruling to right a wrong? Why hold off the removal of an usurping pretender MB and the reinstating of the rightful MB ...

... indeed, why with such lightning speed?

Hmmm, at least the Regent has been saved from the agonising need to undermine his dad's refusal to dissolve the Dewan Undang2 Negeri (State Assembly), because Nizar is now legally put on hold by the Appellate Court from exercising his MB's power in asking HRH to send the political decision back to the people of Perak.

But as I said, Najib has missed the sweet opportunity to both stop drinking from the poisonous chalice that is Perak as well as save his face with the UMNO ultra conservatives.

I blogged yesterday in Nizar topples Zambry's house of cards that the High Court’s ruling of Nizar Jamaluddin “... is, and was, at all material times the chief minister of Perak" represented the surgeon’s silver scalpel for Najib to slice off the cancerous growth that is Perak, that may yet prove to be politically malignant for the BN in 2013.

Mind you, if we read The Malaysian Insider's news article Najib lets Zambry decide what to do in Perak, Najib seemed to be distancing himself from the Perak constitutional crisis, which has now been aggravated by Zambry’s successful appeal for a stay order to the High Court's ruling of Nizar as the legitimate MB.

The PM said it was up to Zambry to decide the BN’s next move. He also stressed on HRH's sole prerogative to dissolve the State Assembly.

Yes, it could well be Najib just dissembling, though I am inclined to believe he’s feeling very uncomfortable with the decision by the Court of Appeal.

As if that hasn't been enough for Najib, we read in The Malaysian Insider BN promises more intrigue in fight for Perak of vainful boasts by former Perak MB Tajol Rosli that the BN has more up their sneaky smelly sleeves for the political imbroglio in Perak.

The battle for the Pakatan Rakyat may appear to be lost but what about the war?

In many ways, the Appellate Court’s stay order may in the final analysis serve Pakatan Rakyat far far more than it does or will the BN. Perhaps that's what Najib could be quietly worried about!

Nizar topples Zambry's house of cards

Malaysiakini - Court rules Nizar is legitimate MB!

Malaysiakini photo

Justice Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim of the KL High Court ruled that good olde Nizar Jamaluddin is the rightful Perak MB, stating "He is, and was, at all material times the chief minister of Perak." ;-)

And MB Nizar correctly declared that the calling of the May 7 sitting was invalid, wakakaka, which effectively means Sivakumar is still the Speaker, whose ruling must be obeyed, full f* stop.

R Ganesan like Zambry, pretenders, reverts to what he is, just a pretender-speaker with no real power other than as an ordinary ADUN.

Ganesan has a f* nerve to state that the BN bloc can call for an emergency sitting where a motion of no-confidence can be moved against Nizar, indicating its 3 ADUN majority can win the game.

What 3 ADUN majority?

With the May 7 assembly ruled by MB Nizar as invalid, Sivakumar remains as the Speaker, and he will demand that those 3 clowns including the most despised running dog [female, I won't use that word ;-)], are no more. Don't forget that Zambry plus company have been suspended for 6 months.

Though I fear the BN machinery will crank out some other form of mischief I believe Najib has had a bellyful of one-ups-manship. It may be the face-saving exit from a political minefield that he has been looking for.

He can now tell his UMNO rightwing element with a straight face that he has to abide by the High Court's decision while sighing a sigh of relief that the poisonous Perak debacle can now be laid away to rest, instead of its potentially cancerous growth for BN right into 2013.

I also want to see a Night of the Long Knives (purge) for the staff of the DUN who had adopted a pariah partisan political stand against the lawful MB and lawful Speaker. There's something to be said about the American political system and how it affects their administrative staff when there's a change of government.

Nizar is now seeking an audience with the Regent to dissolve the State Parliament. I await eagerly to see what the Regent will say, whether it's man man lai or otherwise, because in this, HRH will determine the future of the Perak royal family vis-à-vis Perakians.

And let's be thankful his dad has the commonsense to stay away.

Dirgahayu Nizar!

And who the f* cares that PPP's Murugiah gets 'bullet' warning wakakaka!

Advice to P Uthayakumar

Malaysiakini photo (inclusive of chart below)

Malaysiakini - Uthaya goes home to hero's welcome!

kaytee is happy Uthayakumar has been released from the clutches of the draconian ISA. I have been very sympathetic and supportive of Hindraf right at the very beginning, when Hindraf wasn’t then fashionable ;-)

I even attempted an ode to Hindraf which I posted as 25 November 2007.

Also see my post late last year Priority 1 - free RPK & Hindraf 5!

Uthayakumar has become a hero to many Malaysians and not just Indians, which is a reflection of our admiration for his courageous endurance and unchanging stand to struggle for the uplifting of his poor kinfolk.

But as we know, there’s a season for everything, and even Hindraf is subjected to this universal nature.

Therefore I would advise Uthayakumar and his brother Waythamoorthy to consider that Hindraf as a Hindu movement may have outlived its usefulness.

For continued relevance, it must now transform or metamorphose into a human rights or even political movement for the downtrodden of every Malaysian, and not just Hindu Indian Malaysians.

To be quite frank, I haven’t also been impressed by Uthayakumar’s statement in Malaysiakini that “There is a joke that the Chinese want to form Chindraf and Jemaah Islamiah may form Jindraf - people are riding on Hindraf’s popularity.”

I hope he was only joking but if he wasn’t, let me assure him that Chinese Malaysians in general aren't interested in a solely-Chinese Chinraf. My dear Uthaya, race-based politics is so passé ler. Even the racists shy away from being labelled as such wakakaka!

Besides, it would be self defeating and the height of hypocrisy for Chinese to condemn UMNO while fantasizing about a Chinraf.

And the reality is Chinese Malaysians aren’t so enamoured with street protests and braving chemical-laced 'rain' (Tian Chua excepted). Mind you, they would use the ballot box cleverly, which after all is their legitimate and democratic right to exercise, which they had done powerfully so!

If Uthayakumar had laughed at the recent formation of another Indian-based party, Mindraf, then I wonder how he could at the same time talk about turning Hindraf into a political party.

Look at MIC, the biggest Indian party there is/was in Malaya/Malaysia. Ask yourself what power did they actually wield for Indian Malaysians in the last 50 years?

Yes, one can argue that the problem was in their leaders being corrupt, compliant and cringing, so OK, allow for those negaive traits, and then tell me what had been MIC's real bargaining power vis-à-vis UMNO?

Look at IPF, PPP (admittedly not solely Indian-based), and whatever other Indian parties there are – what good is their presence as mere mosquito parties? Yes, mere mosquito parties!

Now consider Uthaya's fellow Hindraf colleague, M Manoharan, an elected DAP ADUN in the state constituency of Shah Alam Bandar. The ethnic breakdown there in March 2008 was:

Chinese – 58.1%
Indians – 23.3%
Malays – 17.1%

Do you think Manoharan could have won that seat with 70% of the votes against a Gerakan Chinese bloke if he was representing only Hindus?

OK, perhaps yes, certainly in March 2008 I concede anyone could have won easily so long as he/she wasn’t BN. But just how long do you think a Hindu-based party will fare against a BN in the years to come, say in the same constituency we have just used as a model?

The answer is clear that if Uthayakumar is interested in helping his economically and socially marginalized kinfolk through a more active role in politics, then he should take his followers into one of the big political multi-racial parties.

I would recommend DAP but then ;-) I suppose I’m biased.

But seriously, Uthayakumar should examine how DAP has junjung tinggi (hold high in respect) members such as Karpal Singh (plus sons), Prof Rama, Kulasegaran, Sivakumar, Manoharan, etc. Look at the history of the DAP which had people like Devan Nair, Patto, Peter Dason!

Death of democracy in Perak - when silence is betrayal!

Malaysiakini - Sivakumar dragged out, BN speaker takes over!

Nothing is more deplorable, disgraceful and deceitful in a democracy than in witnessing unidentified outsiders (BN thugs) entering the Perak State Parliament to drag out the Speaker of the House.

It was a murder of democracy in public.

And worse, according to The Malaysian Insider Sivakumar was taken by Police and confined in a room for an hour, while the pretender seized his position.

WTF did the Police think they were doing in detaining an ADUN who is also the de jure Speaker of the Perak State Assembly? Another stab in the belly of parliament!

But what astonished me more has been the Sultan’s representative, Raja Nazrin, presiding over the opening of an illegal parliamentary session, lending that assembly an unjustified and unwarranted legitimacy.

And one may ask, why did HRH wait until Sivakumar was dragged out and replaced by the BN appointed speaker before he made the royal address?



The Sultan should have listened to the voice of the people and dissolved the State parliament weeks ago, instead of allowing the so-called august House to degenerate into the fumbling farcical f*up folly it became today – a black day in the history of highly oxidised Perak, bloody blooming black silver.

I blame 3 parties for allowing politics to deteriorate to today's sad state where we witnessed mind-boggling monkeying in the Monkey House of Perak, namely:

(1) Anwar Ibrahim for starting the f* undemocratic frog business, having even the shameless temerity to describe revolving door frog, Nasarudin Hashim’s defection as reflecting “... the sentiments of his voters, namely the Malays in his constituency ... as the beginning of a new wave.”.

Yes, Mr Man Man Lai was not only hard up for frogs but he had to single out Nasarudin’s defection as that of a new wave of Malay voters tsunami-ing over to his banner.

(2) Najib for responding to Anwar’s froggie poker, by upping the ante. He could have put a stop to the Perak nonsense once he has secured his UMNO presidential position, but alas, he didn’t have the will to close the lid back on Pandora Box quickly enough.

He has allowed democracy to be mauled, savaged and mutilated to an extent that we saw thugs being used by the BN to drag the legitimate Speaker out of the House and held incommunicado by police for an hour so that a pretender could usurp Sivakumar’s position.

The wounds suffered by democracy in Perak on this day of infamy will take decades to heal.

(3) HRH – what more can I say that’s not already said about him. Ironically once one of the most admired man in our nation, one now has second thoughts about him.

Why has his representative seen fit to deliver the royal address to an illegally convened State Assembly, one presided by a pretender-Speaker?

Former Justice NH Chan has written volumes on HRH’s hubristic show of pretend-power, his unconstitutional dismissal of MB Nizar (a view supported by many including Tun Dr Mahathir), and his shocking lack of judgement in seeing Najib behind Nizar’s back on the crucial issue of who commands the confidence of the majority in the State Assembly.

I would not be very far wrong in saying his actions might have lent belief to the BN that its grubby grim grab for power has been legitimate.

But sadly, in the weeks that followed the BN coup d’état, despite many imploring HRH to send the decision back to the people of Perak, he remained silent, ignoring the voices of the rakyat.

And perhaps we should all recall Martin Luther King's words that "A time comes when silence is betrayal."

both photos from Malaysiakini

RPK's "I was reliably informed ..." might not have been so reliable

I recall the most memorable part of RPK or Raja Petra Kamarudin’s Statutory Declaration has been the phrase “I was reliably informed …”.

It meant that he wasn’t personally aware of the fact of his declaration but only that he believed he “was reliably informed” which is the same as “I personally don’t know but I heard this from a reliable source”.

Yesterday Malaysiakini published RPK reveals his 'source' on Altantuya allegations.

We learnt that RPK's source for his highly inflammatory Stat Dec was one Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin, from the Military Intelligence.

We also learnt that RPK averred: “I don’t know him [i.e. Lt Kol Azmi] well enough to trust him all the way. But the person who introduced us is a very old friend.”

“I’ve known him for about 45 years, longer than I’ve known my wife. And I trust my friend. My friend gave me his personal assurance that the story is legit.”

So would we be correct in saying RPK made a Stat Dec on a story narrated by a person he 'didn’t know well enough to trust him all the way'.

Yet in his Stat Dec he claimed he had been “reliably informed”.

After all it wasn’t his friend of 45 years who told him about Rosmah (Najib's wife) turun-ing padang to supervise the murder and demolition of Altantuyaa, but Lt Kol Azmi whom, as he confessed, he “didn’t know well enough to trust him all the way”.

Well, so much for him being “reliably informed”.

Secondly, why was Military Intelligence involved, when the killers were policemen, not military personnel? I find this very odd!

Then RPK even involved Ku Li. This was what The Malaysian Insider reported (relevant extracts):

Sometime ago, a military intelligence officer told him (Ku Li) a story linking the Prime Minister’s wife with the murder of Mongolian model, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The Kelantan prince had no way of knowing whether the story was factual or a yarn spun by someone with a fertile imagination. He filed it away in his cranium, forgot about it and went about his business. But now blogosphere is buzzing with the veteran Umno politician’s name right in the centre of an explosive posting by Raja Petra Kamarudin. [...]

RPK, who went on the lam last month after failing to turn up in court for his sedition trial, further claims that he had checked with an aide of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah on the information provided by Lt Kol Azmi.

An aide to Tengku Razaleigh confirmed to The Malaysian Insider today that the Kelantan prince had been told the same story by Lt Kol Azmi which allegedly links Datin Seri Rosmah and the murder of Altantuya, the Mongolian mistress of Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of the Prime Minister.

But he pointed out that “many people come and tell us stories.” In his blog, RPK goes on to allege that a man working for Tengku Razaleigh persuaded him to put down the allegations in a statutory declaration.

I wonder which of Ku Li’s staff persuaded RPK to make the Stat Dec? Is RPK the sort of person to require such advice before he made such a Stat Dec against Najib's wife?

Quite frankly I find that laughable, because I believe that RPK would only make a Stat Dec if RPK himself wanted to, full stop! He is such a man.

But if there was one (a Ku Li's staff who 'persuaded' RPK to make the Stat Dec), I think RPK should reveal that person's identity, instead of sprinkling innuendoes here and there.

After all, RPK has already revealed the identity of Lt Kol Azmi, his primary and most important source, so surely he can't make matters any worse.

Then the real gem of RPK's story. Malaysiakini reported:

According to Raja Petra, he had also sought help from a few other people to vouch for Lt Kol Azmi’s credibility, among them PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim through his aide, Din Merican.

;-) yes, I would imagine so wakakaka.

Now, RPK also stated in his Stat Dec that “… I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true …”

I supposed with all those people vouching for Lt Kol Azmi’s credibility wakakaka, RPK was bound to “…make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true …”.

Now, RPK also declared: “I have knowledge of who has informed me of this matter plus I have knowledge of the Ruler who has been briefed and is aware of the matter but I have agreed that I shall not reveal this information other than mention that the Prime Minister and his son-in-law have been handed a written report confirming what I have revealed.”

But alas, contrary to his vow in his Stat Dec, he has now revealed who his source had been (only the identity of the Ruler remains concealed). ;-) I wonder whether Lt Kol Azmi is related to Ramlang Porigi wakakaka.

And I find it quite implausible (sheer utter bull) that Najib’s wife Rosmah would turun padang to personally supervise the murder and demolition of Alatntuyaa, …

… just as I have found private investigator Bala’s claim that he was informed by Razak Baginda of the intimate details of the alleged Najib-Altantuyaa sexual liaison, even unto Najib allegedly shagging Altantuyaa in the posterior (maybe 'coz someone was then accused of sodomy?), with Najib subsequently informing Razak Baginda that Altantuyaa told him (Najib) that she liked it that way, too highly implausible.

If you were Razak Baginda, would you tell your hired PI (relatively a nobody) the sordid details of your foreign wife/lover/partner(?) having a jolly good shag with your good friend who is also the nation's DPM?

... he told us (via his Stat Dec) he was told by Razak who was told by Najib who was told by Altantuyaa ... you get the drift, the series of "I was reliably informed ..."?

I cannot help but wonder whether this is part of the G.A.N campaign to keep the Altantuyaa-rised ‘rage’ against Najib still blazing ...

... what more with a forecast by a university don that PKR has planned 4 or 5 more by-elections in constituencies where PKR has at least a 70% surety level of victory.

If true, then PKR is into deplorable disruptive destablizing destructive politics.

Hishamuddin Hussein's fashion police?

It’s really sad that the police saw fit to arrest Wong Chin Huat on a serious charge of sedition when all the young academician did was to call for the public to wear black as a sign of protest against tomorrow’s sitting of the Perak DUN.

Since when has the RMP become fashion police?

Read my matey Ong Kian Ming’s article in Malaysiakini titled Wear black to protest Wong's arrest. And yes, we should!

Look, it’s not as if Wong has been a die-hard blinkered anwarista. Ong Kian Ming revealed to us:

I have found Chin Huat’s writings in the Chinese press, in Malaysiakini and most recently in the Nut Graph, to be intellectually provocative and interesting, and always measured in putting forth his arguments.

More often than not, he was as critical of the opposition as the BN, always maintaining the need to have a check and balance system even if Pakatan Rakyat were to come to power.

Hishamuddin as Home Minister has not acquitted himself well with such a draconian hit.

No doubt there are rumours that Wong will be released later today, but the aim seems to be a show of intolerance by the government for any form of dissent.

And to confirm that, The Malaysian Insider has reported in its news article Police crackdown continues with three more arrests that PAS VP Mohd Sabu and PKR's Chegu Badrul plus one other have also been detained.

If we recall, Chegu Badrul had threatened to stage a mammoth nationwide mock funeral procession for Altantuyaa Shariibuu if PM Najib fails to sue all the international media groups that linked him to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu - read Malaysiakini 'Sue or we stage mock funeral for Altantuya'.

Obviously PKR wants to keep the ‘rage’ against Najib going, so the reason for Badrul’s arrest would be different to Wong’s.

And to be frank I am getting a bit sick of PKR abusing the memories of Altantuyaa for its own political interests - see my earlier post PKR loudhailer to wake the dead!.

Yes, why don't those PKR how-larm (funeral mourners) dorn themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and mourn Malaysians Preeshena Varshiny, Nurin Jazlin Jazimin and K Sujatha too?

I am disgusted by the abuse of Altantuyaa's tragedy for their political agenda rather than any genuine concern for Altantuyaa. It's not unlike them Murdering Altantuyaa Shaariibuu Again.

But Hishamuddin in not keeping the police on a careful leash has instead further advanced the intention of the PKR, and alienate the general public by its senseless heavy-handed detention of people like Wong Chin Huat.

DAP did support cabinet decision on conversion issue!

Last week I posted Muslim converts or Islamic convenience?, seemingly a perennial problem for Indian Malaysians.

There have been two unhappy versions, where …

… one would involve the unpleasant fighting over the body of the deceased because no one’s sure whether he (or she, but usually a ‘he’) had converted to Islam prior to his (or her) death, though each party in the unhappy affair would be 101% certain the dear departed one had been true to the religion shared by the same party, and …

… the other would involve a non-Muslim (again Indian) couple, where in a divorce (announced or otherwise) one becomes a Muslim and set about converting the kids to embrace Islam as well, usually without the permission or even knowledge of the non-Muslim spouse.

I believe the cabinet has come up with a morally correct decision, that the children of such marriage breakups cum split religious affiliation would be brought up in the religion of the parents prior to the marriage breakup.

I am glad that Karpal Singh has given support and praise where it’s due. In such a sensitive situation, especially one involving the Islamic religion, it’s not an easy call where it’s hardly surprising that not everyone would be happy.

But that’s what leadership is about and I applaud Najib’s brave and moral decision because his decision would set him back with the very conservative Muslim community.

As reported by The Malaysian Insider Anwar Ibrahim gave the Pakatan’s backing to a High Court decision which granted interim custody of three children to Indira Gandhi, the non-Muslim mum.

However, unlike Karpal Singh, he fell short of supporting the cabinet decision, in fact criticising them for failing to consult religious and social leaders as well as legal experts.

Quite frankly, kaytee believes that without the cabinet's publicly announced decision, the High Court would have acted 'dunno' again.

PAS Pak Haji Hadi Awang was less accommodating than Anwar Ibrahim. It had to take Anwar to cut him off before he tarred Pakatan Rakyat with green paint.

I also note the subtle but nonetheless different reports by The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini on Pak Haji Hadi Awang's opposition to the cabinet decision. We know the former is linked with KJ, but what with the latter which appears to euphemise PAS' objection into nothingness, as if Pak Haji didn't object strenuously?

In the meantime, MCA thought it would embarrass Lims Snr and Jnr but was confronted with a furious flaying by Uncle Lim who sneered at MCA vice-president Liow Tiong Lai as ‘a person with a suspect IQ’ for failing to read Lim’s numerous statements in his blog that supported the cabinet decision.

Kaytee wishes that all political parties, inclusive of PAS wakakaka, would not politicize the matter but rather consider the family’s status quo established/contracted in a marriage prior to the breakup as the basis for bringing up the children.

PAS should also consider the possibility that Islam might be exploited as a pretext for a spouse to gain the upper hand in such a marriage breakup. The sacred sanctity of Islam must always be upheld.

Tamil Tigers mauled by Indian government?

Malaysiakini Headlines online: May 4, 2009 informed us that Tamil Nesan reported:

… five lorries were found carrying weapons in Kovai, India. It is believed that the weapons were sent by the Indian government to aid Sri Lanka’s war against the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam.
That's not to be unexpected, bad news as it may be for the morale of Malaysian Tamils. Perhaps the Tamilnadu State government might be secretly sending arms to the Tigers but sure as hell, it won’t be the Indian (federal) government.

I also read in a World Sikh News article Tigers tamed? the following (extract):

Trapping the Tigers became one of the unwritten policies of the [Indian] Congress party. Around the same time the negotiations to find a solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka stalled. There were frequent visits by Ranil Wickremasinghe, who was then Sri Lankan Prime Minister, to Delhi and at the same time the Indian armed forces chiefs paid regular visits to Colombo. The emergence of President Rajapaksa in the 2005 elections nailed the coffin to any political settlement of the ethnic dispute in Sri Lanka.

During 2005-2006, the collaboration between the Indian and Sri Lankan armed forces intensified. A large number of Sinhalese army officers attended intensive courses in the best military academies in India. The whole cost including pocket expenses for these officers were met by the Indian government. An attempt to sign a military pact by the two governments was scuttled only because of large scale protests in Tamil Nadu. That did not prevent India from supplying arms to the Sinhalese.

I have always thought the Tigers had been far too uncompromising and arrogant in a number of 'negotiations', believing they were on top. Indeed they were for many years with Colombo looking like incompetent fools, but obviously the tide has changed.

Apparently, apart from India, Iran, China, Pakistan have been pouring in money and arms. I am not sure about the USA and Saudi Arabia though I might have read somewhere that they were involved too, but alas, am unable to confirm.

One thing about the Tigers – many aren't aware that they were the ones who first developed and perfected the (suicide) human bomb, a deadly tactic adopted by militant Islamists.

If we care to recall, the Tamil Tigers killed PM Rajiv Gandhi, the man who never wanted to be PM of India but only an airline pilot, but died as one, a murdered PM!

Fate took an ugly cruel hand against Rajiv when Sanjay, his younger and more politically ambitious brother perished in an unnecessary aircrash (in a fatal aerobatics).

Sanjay was groomed by Indira Gandhi as a successor but with his untimely death, Rajiv was propelled into the hot seat and to his equally early death at the hands of a Tiger woman suicide bomber.

The people in Tamilnadu and the Tamil Diaspora (including those in Malaysia) have been outraged at what they see as the Indian government’s treacherous act of fratricide, but it's hardly likely the Congress Party-led Indian government would be sweet to the Tigers, bearing in mind Rajiv Gandhi's widow, Sonia, is the real power in Congress!