A tale of two prime ministers

I hope Malaysiakini won’t mind me posting in full the article Duplicity of Pak Liar by its columnist Dean Johns – call it an ad for Malaysiakini’s quality goods and I won’t charge the online news portal for my service too.

I have been following Johns's articles for his tongue in cheek style but this one shows a glimpse of Johns' anger, which we all share.

Following Johns’ article I have posted another article from the Sydney Morning Herald, to show a world of difference in Prime Ministerial style.

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When Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s utterances are at variance with the truth, we’re usually inclined to excuse him on the grounds that he’s either misinformed or, as he often claims himself, he doesn’t know the facts.

But there was no doubt about his recent utterance regarding the bringing of charges against citizens who walked in the recent Bersih, Hindraf and Human Rights Day rallies: “We do not discriminate, there are no double standards in enforcing the law.”

A statement that was, by anybody’s standards, a barefaced, outright lie.

If there’s one glaringly obvious fact of life in Malaysia, it’s that there is one set of laws for Barisan Nasional (BN) members, cronies and supporters and another for everybody else.

For example, charges of attempted murder have been brought against 31 people arrested at the Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, yet no charges have been laid against the member of the police force who shot two PAS members Suwandi Ab Ghani and Muhammad Azman Aziz, during a Bersih gathering on Sept 8 at Pantai Batu Buruk in Kuala Terengganu.

Nor do any charges ever appear to be brought against police responsible for one of Hindraf’s many causes for complaint, the shocking rate of deaths - especially of Indian - that occur among ‘suspects’ in custody.

Then there’s the fact that leaders of the Nov 10 Bersih rally in KL have been charged with threatening the peace and stability of the nation. Yet Umno members who, during the party’s 2006 general assembly threatened to bathe the keris in the blood of fellow Malaysians were not so much as reprimanded.

And following the Hindraf rally, roundly condemned by the government as being racist, ex-Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik wasn’t so much as chided for the incendiary remark that “The Malays have never taken to the streets so do not force us to do so as we will draw our parang to defend the Ketuanan Melayu in this country.”

Perhaps the most frequently mentioned example of the double standard in enforcing the laws pertaining to public assembly has been the denial of police permits for the recent rallies, compared with official approval if not encouragement of an earlier protests led by PM-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin at the Burmese Embassy and at the arrival of the visiting US Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice.

Then there are the contrasting styles of law enforcement against illegal signage and construction. Lawyer Edmund Bon has been charged with “obstructing Kuala Lumpur City Hall officers from performing their duty” in removing a Human Rights Day banner from a building on which it was lawfully displayed, but hundreds of illegally-erected billboards in PJ are permitted to remain in place on the pretext that it’s too expensive to pull them down.

Hindu temples and other places of worship are demolished on the grounds that they’re illegal, while the so-called Istana Impian, built without a permit by Klang assemblyman Zainal @ Zakaria Mat Deros on public land acquired suspiciously cheaply by his wife, is allowed to stand unscathed.

But the falsehood of the prime minister’s “no double standards in enforcing the law” remark gets much closer to home than that.

His very family and in-laws have been suspected of being above and beyond the law. His son’s amazingly successful company, Scomi, has been accused of complicity in the supply of US-blacklisted uranium-processing equipment to Iran.

His former sister-in-law’s name has been linked with the Iraq food-for-oil scandal. And his son-in-law, Khairy, famously received a ‘loan’ of a great many shares in a local company, and then claimed to have sold them ‘at a loss’ after this windfall was embarrassingly revealed.

Some of Pak Lah’s cabinet ministers have come under suspicion too, but somehow spared the inconvenience of legal action against them. S Samy Vellu and Rafidah Aziz, for example, have both faced apparently credible corruption allegations but in the event have proven untouchable.

I could quote a great many more examples of selective application of the law, but I’m sure you can think of even more than I can.

And in any case, as the prime minister well knows despite his repeated denials, the rot in Malaysia’s legal system is much more serious than simple inequity, as the very institution of the law is iniquitous.

The previous chief justice was a symptom of this malaise, hence the walk by lawyers in Putrajaya in October. But now, far from seriously addressing the problem with the royal commission that was called for, the prime minister has presided over the appointment of an even less desirable chief justice-to-be, the former Umno and government-linked company fixer Zaki Azmi.

As Kim Quek wrote recently, Azmi has “not even warmed his seat as a judge, and yet he now looks poised to succeed Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad five months from now when Hamid retires in April 2008 upon reaching 66 years of age”.

Pak Lah has demonstrated a similar level of bias in the face of Bersih pressure for free and fair elections with his plot to pass a constitutional amendment to extend the term in office of the thoroughly discredited chairperson of the Election Commission, Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.

Abdul Rashid is so far from independent in the performance of his duties as to reveal in a recent speech that he believes that “there is only one regime in this country that is capable of running” the nation, and that Malaysia would be “in trouble” if he was in disagreement with BN politicians in terms of what the country needs.

So, all in all, as far as free and fair elections and equality under the law are concerned, it’s painfully evident where Malaysia’s future currently lies - in the hands of that master of empty words and paragon of broken promises, the duplicitous and deceitful Pak Lah.

***

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

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The 33-year parliamentary career of John Howard ended today when he finally conceded defeat in Bennelong and congratulated the woman who beat him, Labor's Maxine McKew.


"It was very long campaign and it was a tough campaign and I have no complaints," he told a poll declaration ceremony at Chatswood.

"The Labor Party won the seat fairly and squarely.

"This is a wonderful exercise in democracy. You can count on the fingers of one hand the countries which have remained democracies for over 100 years.

"It is a privilege to be part of that process. And, to see such a seamless transfer of power is a remarkable tribute to the durability of democracy in this country and an example to the rest of the world.

"I wish the new Government well and my own party well.

"I know that in Opposition it will stay true to the ideals upon which it was founded.

"Above all I wish Australia well because, as I have often said, things that unite us as Australians are greater and more enduring than the things that divide us."

Mr Howard had held the Bennelong electorate in Sydney since 1974 and he is only the second serving prime minister in Australian history to be dumped at the ballot box.

Electoral Commission officials formally declared Ms McKew the winner by 44,685 votes to Mr Howard's 42,251.

After the results were announced at the sometimes awkward ceremony, the former ABC TV journalist paid tribute to Mr Howard's years of service.

"I know how much serving in the Australian Parliament meant to you," she said.

"You went to the highest of public achievement and I thank you for what you have done for this country.

"I wish you and Mrs Howard all fulfilment."

***

Much as I dislike Howard for his obsequity towards Bush and his all too willing participation in the Coalition of the Killing I have to take my hat off to him for his gracious exit.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

When I read the headlines in Malaysiakini which tell of All roads to Parliament blocked to prevent certain Bersih leaders from delivering a Bersih memo: Why he (Abdul Rashid) is unfit to continue as EC chief and the eventual but predictable outcome which caused Vexed (Opp) MPs to stage (a) walkout in frustration at the undemocratic and oppressive conduct of the AAB government ...

... I did wonder why AAB has gone to such silly attention-attracting tactics when he could have easily permitted Bersih to deliver the memo (afterall Bersih did say they weren’t going to conduct a rally), get one of his parliamentary staff to accept the memo and say he’d look into it ... and end of story without high drama to entertain or anger the public.

I have often attributed his dramatic but unproductive pronouncements or actions to the poor advice of his moronic sub-mediocre advisors, but I am beginning to wonder in these recent cases of rallies and unnecessary heavy-handed police actions, whether there may be more than meet the eye (well, at least my eye).

I had blogged in Mental makeup of AAB & his harshness towards Hindraf? where a ‘chieftain’ or pseudo-sultan like AAB expects, demands and enjoys the homage, tributes and oaths of allegiance and fealty, as well as the trappings and perks of the office.

But as Shakespeare said in Henry IV, Part II, ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’:

How many thousand of my poorest subjects
Are at this hour asleep! O sleep, O gentle sleep,
Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?

… which of course is hardly applicable to him, because while he has been reported to be slumbering, some of his ‘poorest subjects’ (reportedly the terrori … Indian Malaysians) were steeping their senses (of frustration and hopelessness) with toddy to forget.

But that aside, is there something going on in UMNO?

I read somewhere that while he is expected to win handsomely in the general election, he is also under enormous (internal UMNO) pressure to wrest Kelantan back from PAS while ensuring he doesn’t lose Terengganu in the process …….. plus he must demolish the wretched (to UMNO) PKR in Penang.

... bearing in mind he mustn't at the same time allow Anwar Ibrahim to split the Malay community again which could happen if he were to overreact against the de facto leader of PKR.

Are these draconian-on-steroid oppressions of Hindraf, the lawyers and Bersih part of his manoeuvres to outflank whoever has been posing him the continuous set of problems, from which an early casualty had been his original plans to spring a snap general election?

Are these part of an internal UMNO (no doubt hostile or even malicious) initiation exercise to test his leadership mettle, to show him at his worst?

Has it been because of all these ordeals, that the pretences of democratic process, of so-called independent/neutral civil servants, of his image of Mr Nice Guy, have suddenly evaporated?

This has been a bloke who garnered over 90% of the votes seats* in the last general election. He is guaranteed to win again, this we have no doubt.

* thanks to Lone's correction of my error - he won 60% of votes making up 90% of seats; as someone said, the EC is worth his weight in gold which has been why the Constitution has been amended for one sole public servant ;-)

Yet, suddenly he has become paranoid and muttered of national security and public safety, and regrettably acted in unbelievable draconian fashion. Had he been so ill-advised or ... perhaps he was speaking in cryptic form, that the national security and safety pertain to his position as UMNO head and PM?

There is no nastier rat than a cornered rat ... except perhaps a pseudo-sultan under threat.

But then who has been behind all these, assuming my conspiracy theory even has any purchase ;-) - hey, I am sick of blogging about rallies, arrests and bullsh*t public servants so ........

Update:
My 12/1207 morning news reading came across Raja Petra Kamarudin’s interesting (and maybe related) article in his famous ‘Corridors of Power’ titled Losing the plot

Threatening national security with your sneeze!

The bloke who was so obscenely hasty in clearing the IGP and the former head of the ACA was equally swift in objecting to bail for 8 lawyers who were arrested for ‘illegal’ assembly on International Human Rights Day.

However, I believe he hasn’t been so swift in responding to Lim Guan Eng’s demand for him to make public the investigation papers into both (former ACA head) Zulkifli and (IGP) Musa Hassan to prove that a thorough probe was conducted in accordance with the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.

Best if Lim Guan Eng buys another packet (or perhaps a carton) of kua chee while waiting for Speedy Gonzales.

Malaysiakini tells us that the AG, who was notably absent in the Altantuyaa Shariibuu’s murder case, one of international implications, saw fit to personally descend down to a magistrate court to object bail, not because the 8 accused would abscond from the country or intimidate witnesses, but because he believed they would re-assemble ‘freely’ as they did on a day celebrated by the Free World as one for Human Rights.

Then, our nation’s No 1 Law Officer also objected to bail for lawyer Edmund Bon, charged with obstructing Kuala Lumpur City Hall officers from removing banners (with a Human Rights message) outside the Bar Council Building, because he said the lawyer’s act of defiance would “create the perception that it is okay to defy the authorities”, and will therefore create disorder and threat to the national security.

A bloke who tried to prevent City Hall from removing banners in front of the Bar Council Building a “... threat to national security ...”? How about that bloke who incited Malays to take to the streets with machetes to uohold their Ketuanan Melayu?

If those were the ‘grounds’ for his objections to bail for a small group of peaceful people, it sure as hell reflects on his pathetic, or even absence of, professionalism and intellectual capacity. Even the Sessions Judge, Komathy Suppiah, saw it necessary to reject his idiotic arguments and allow bail for all the accused.

How in the world did he get to be the nations’ No 1 Law Officer?

No, please don’t answer – ‘twas only a rhetorical question, because we all know why.

No wonder the nation is in deep strife when we have sub-mediocre officers like him.

Related:
(1) We're a 'clean' nation
(2) Corruption allegations - AG more like Defence Attorney?
(3) AG - millstone around government's neck in election?
(4) What's AAB up to, extending Musa Hassan's service?
(5) The Untouchable Crown Prince

Mental makeup of AAB & his harshness towards Hindraf?

What we have in Abdullah is not a chief executive but a pseudo sultan, and not a very regal one at that. Malaysia already has nine sultans; it does not need a tenth.

- what Dr Bakri Musa said of AAB

Dr Azly Rahman, academician and columnist at Malaysiakini wrote an article titled Neo-feudalism of the cybernetic Malays in June last year for our favourite online news portal.

I blogged on that partly to tease him for using frightening words in his essays that makes you wonder whether your education has been an utter failure, or you’re an intellectual pygmy, or you're suffering from ataxaphasia – see my post Malays' neo-feudalism hypermodern inner construct?

In the current climate of the government’s heavy-handed suppression and oppression of Hindraf and its supporters for their campaign to highlight the socio-economic marginalization of Indian Malaysians and for their Hindu religion to be respected in the face of government officials’ frightening attitude of religious intolerance - a worthy campaign spoilt somewhat by its melodramatic accusation of genocide (as we generally understand the meaning of the word) – I feel it may be worth a re-visit to Dr Azly’s article on the … er … neo-feudalism of the cybernetic Malays.

We see evidence of that heavy-handed suppression today in KL, ironically on International Human Rights Day where Malaysiakini headlined an article Human rights march: 5 lawyers arrested.

But worse, we also learnt that the police have arrested the Bar Council human rights committee chairperson Edmund Bon allegedly for preventing Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officials from removing human rights banners outside the Malaysian Bar building in Leboh Pasar Besar in Kuala Lumpur. See Malaysiakini article Police arrest Bar Council rights committee chief over festival banners.

No sirree, not even a banner outside Malaysian Bar building, and that’s the degree of intolerance. But if you’re UMNO, it’s OK to incite your party members to take to the street with machete to protect Ketuanan Melayu and of course the real reason, the privileges enshrined under Article 153 of the Constitution, and abused in unrestrained manner since 1972 - see Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik's Ketuanan Melayu via machete - case of 'inexperience'?

Dr Azly wrote (relevant extracts only):

In many an analysis of the transformation of the Malay society from the times of the Melaka Sultanate to the emergence of the Malay nationalism we find the conclusion of the idea of a good Malay subject is one who surrenders total obedience to his or her Ruler (the sultan or the Raja). The king is said to be ‘(Allah’s) representative on this earth’ and is thus bestowed with the Divine Rights.

The concept of a hero in Malay society is enshrined in Hang Tuah, the most popular symbol of the warrior-class in Malay history; the good ‘polyglot’, the magical-mystical Malay hero who pledged blind loyalty to the Sultan. The image of the warrior-blind loyalist is well-inscribed into the literature and consciousness of the Malays.

Today, … the myth of Hang Tuah, arguably, … has been inscribed into the consciousness of the Malays and forms the foundation of the master-slave narrative.

Then I had written on my observation of the Mahathir-Abdullah stoush, where we saw daily obligatory public expressions of fealty to AAB by those who offered themselves as political serfs, the very people who used to kiss Mahathir’s hands – a case of “The King is dead, Long live the (new) King”.

Though I commented in disgust that those sycophantic brown-nosing were real hair-raising stuff that's just embarrassingly terlampau jeleh (overly obsequious), I didn’t mention that those hypocritical but sycophantic pledges were expected and enjoyed by the recipient.

… which was why when tok ampu in Malacca held a special ceremony just for Jeanne Abdullah to confer a Datuk Seri something on her, AAB had not dismissed that fawning gesture as time-wasting, and actually accompanied her when she accepted that award even though the entire Malaysia knew it was awarded for no other reason than she is the new wife of the PM.

Same with some royalty who conferred upon each other all sorts of awards on their royal birthdays – these people actually do expect and relish such awards.

As for most of those Chinese towkays who crave and even are known to pay for a Datukship, they do so for nothing more than the associated access privilege into the upper inner circle of Malay politico-economic decision makers, to get contracts, to make business deals and to rub shoulders in hope of commercial advancement and advantage.

But the Malays see such honours and awards as meaningful. Dr Azly said:

Social status is calibrated based on the sophistication of the signs and symbols of the Malay sultanate. For example, royal awards are presented yearly to those who have demonstrated good service and relationship to the constitutional monarchical system. Upon receiving these awards, some recipients would even be given honorific titles. ….. The notion of the daulat or the ‘divine sanction’ still continues to this day.

As Dr Azly had said “…we find the conclusion of the idea of a good Malay subject is one who surrenders total obedience to his or her Ruler (the sultan or the Raja) ...”, I believe AAB as the head of both UMNO and the government, believes he is the ‘Ruler’ of Malaysia, and due all homage, loyalty and respect as should/would be for a sovereign.

We only need to go down to Port Klang to see evidence of such neo-feudalism of the cybernetic Malays, where a little (no, not General but Emperor) Napoleon is ensconced in his magnificent Istana (palace).

As Dr Azly said, the neo-feudalism of the cybernetic Malays, greatly influenced by the myth of Hang Tuah and the court intrigues of that era, has been so “... inscribed into the consciousness of the Malays” ... to form the foundation of a master-slave relationship where AAB expects total obedience from ‘blind loyalists’.

... hence the ‘pantan dicabar’ warning for those less than blindly loyal – indeed, how dare those serfs contemplate insubordination, let alone rebellion?

His ego, no doubt fed by his court hanger-on’s, couldn’t handle any protest from those traditional court jesters (in the eyes of many Malays), now insubordinately turned campaign jaguh.

Impossible! Unacceptable! Flog those rebels until their morale improves.

That’s who Hindraf and we are dealing with!

Democracy is only tolerated so long as it doesn’t impinge on our recognizing who the political ‘Ruler’ is and that appropriate homage and obedience to him are forthcoming.

That is why the Opposition is treated like the enemy, not His Majesty ‘loyal opposition’ as would be the case in Britain, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. That is why Lim Kit Siang remains a Mister while Jeanne Abdullah or anyone that the government approves to go on a sports junket somewhere, anywhere would be conferred a Datukship.

That is why there is no ‘independent’ personalities/officials in the IGP, Election Commission, Attorney-General, Anti Corruption Agency or the Judiciary, nor would any be tolerated.

EC: Only one 'regime' capable of running country

Yesterday a news article in Malaysiakini revealed to us what the IGP, a public servant said of Hindraf.

That policeman had the damn nerve to say “Hindraf had made false, baseless and slanderous allegations that the government had marginalized the Indians”.

Who the hell is an IGP, a mere policeman, to make such a political statement?

Whether the Indian Malaysians have been ‘marginalized’ or not is not for him to pronounce his public servant’s opinion on. He should be concentrating on reducing the frightening crime rates instead of butting his nose into an area not meant for the public service to comment on.

And as a so-called professional who has already been a pathetic failure in his performance as the nation’s No 1 law enforcer, he has further shown his lack of professionalism and judgement in making such an unacceptable political statement.

Then today we have another so-called public servant who has the same shameless brazen thick skin to show his political bias.

Malaysiakini published EC chief: No other regime capable of running the country where it states:

Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman let slip today his views on which ‘regime’ he regards as being capable of running the country, and said those who disagree with him do not realise the ‘critical’ situation the country is in.

“A lot of people are anxious to determine the type of regime that is going to handle Malaysia in the coming years. They are always talking about regimes. I never talk about regimes. There is only one regime in this country that is capable of running (the country),” he said.

“People get angry with me whenever I say this (but) people don’t seem to understand the critical scenario in the country. What is it that can (take) over from the present one given the political scenario we are in?” he asked.

That’s not your bloody business, Abdul Rashid! If you have any decency and are fearful of answering to God, you should resign from the EC and join your favourite regime as a party faithful instead of sitting in the publicly paid job as a supposedly neutral and independent Election Commissioner, when you're obviously not.

The EC should be immediately sacked by the King on the urging of Parliament for his officially declared political bias. But I guess in making this procedurally correct and justified (but bloody silly) call I am just pissing into the wind.

Then he showed his UMNO bias, not that we weren’t aware of that but his daring was staggeringly breath-taking, in speaking out aloud at a seminar on Malaysian political development organised by the political science department of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in Kuala Lumpur today.

He has dropped all pretences at being neutral. Malaysiakini published:

Also present at the opening of the seminar was former agriculture minister and current IIUM president Sanusi Junid, whom Abdul Rashid described as ‘a good friend’ with whom he is on ‘the same wave length’ in terms of what the country needs.

Malaysia would be ‘in trouble’ if he as the EC chairperson were in disagreement with politicians such as Sanusi as to what the country needs and doesn’t need, he said.

“I am an administrator, he is a politician. But there are a lot of times (when) we speak the same ‘language’. We go on the same wavelength as far as the country is concerned, (and on) what the country needs does not need. That one, we have to agree (on),” said Abdul Rashid.

“If we don’t agree, then we are in trouble, because I run the elections,” he added.

“…Malaysia would be ‘in trouble’ if he as the EC chairperson were in disagreement with politicians such as Sanusi [from UMNO] as to what the country needs and doesn’t need ...”

Yes, he has abandoned all efforts to be seen as independent. He has admitted to all and sundry that he must agree with politicians like Sanusi Junid, meaning UMNO.

When I blogged on the recent Australian general election in What is 'Wong' with this country? I remarked the Australian EC is so independent that it could even update the (former) PM’s personal seat of Bennelong until it went from being a blue ribbon seat for John Howard to a marginal one, where he (Howard) was defeated by Labour new-comer Maxime McKew.

I stated that by contrast, in Malaysia it's the other way around where there have been allegations of untoward gerrymandering and an unbelievable phenomenal increase in postal voter numbers in Lim Kit Siang's constituency despite the absence of any police or military camp.

Perhaps like the new transparent ballot boxes, the police and military camps are also 'transparent' - that's why you can't see them.

Yes, here in Malaysia, we have a shameless EC telling a university forum that he must agree with politicians like Sanusi Junid from UMNO.

Thus he confirmed the worst fears of Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang for the latter’s Ipoh Timor seat. Also see my post Clear & Present Danger for Lim Kit Siang.

Malaysiakini continued: Abdul Rashid also alluded to the power he has in determining who holds the reins of power.

“People say that those who hold that power - to run elections - can always determine who is going to be put into power. Of course, that’s a lie, they’re bluffing. But there is also some truth in it.

“The person who holds that power may be able to do a lot of things that help the country. Whatever we do in the Election Commission, the country’s interests are always above everything,” he said.

Now, frighteningly, he has openly moved beyond his role as the Election Commissioner, one who ensures the election system is run independently without fear or favour, to being a determiner of who should win 'for the country’s interests'.

Undoubtedly the same ‘patriotic’ sentiments as shown by the IGP, certain elements in the Judiciary and the Attorney-General. See my post Defeat the new Triad.

AAB's "pantang dicabar" especially in the face of an unexpected but staggering support for Hindraf's rally has certainly brought out all the 'patriots' from the wood work to be counted. Each day it's less of Islam Hadhari and more of the Bush-like "either you're with me or against me".

Hindraf & Bar Council - when the going gets tough

Malaysiakini tells us that Defiant lawyers to march on Sunday.

They want to prove a point that citizens have a right to assemble peacefully and without prior requirement of a police permit.

‘... a right to assemble peacefully ...”, unless of course the Police turn the march into one adorned with free tear gas and generous dosages of chemical laced water, whereafter the Attorney-General and the IGP would label them as terrorists, minus any evidence.

Mind you, the title of the news item referred to only a group of 15 lawyers who are resolute in making a statement on World Human Rights Day by marching from the Sogo department store to Central Market in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, but not the Bar Council.

The original march planned by the Bar Council was called off on Tuesday.

Hmmm, could it be our ‘intrepid’ Bar Council (minus the 15 mentioned above) have been intimated by the government’s draconian heavy-handed treatment of the poor Hindraf organisers and supporters?

See how the combined might of the government - including a shameless IGP who made disgraceful political statement such as 'Hindraf had made 'false, baseless and slanderous' allegations that the government had marginalised the Indians' - have fallen upon Hindraf in my earlier post Hindraf - Flogging shall continue until morale improves.

I reckon that the Bar Council must have sensed the sledge-hammer approach taken by the government to squash Hindraf and any more marches, and decided to ‘cooperate’.

As my blogging mate, reputable blogger Susan Loone said Bar Council may be a coward but not these lawyers

Susan is quite caustic in her assessment of the Bar Council’s decision to back out. She lambasted them (extract here):

“…the Bar Council was quite pathetic to pull out of the demo at the (near) eleventh hour, after so much hoohaa over “walking the talk” and “walking for justice”. Now it seems like merely ‘talking cock’.”

“The reasons for holding back the protest was even more pathetic: (1) tear-gas and chemical laced water (2) vilifying of participants and organizers (3) use of force to disperse participants (4) engineering of an aversion towards public demonstrations and support of solidarity.”

“What does the Bar Council expect? That there’ll be red carpet, bunga mangga and kompang, to welcome protestors? Hello, we live in a police state. Everyone knows that already. Is the Bar Council sleeping? It’s not like it is the first time that police used these high-handed tactics and brute force on peaceful assemblies.”

;-) I am maybe just a wee more sympathetic though I do have a guess as to why the Bar Council are not prepared to endure what Hindraf supporters had gone through courageously.

No, those really intrepid Hindraf supporters conducted their march not because of some abstract ideals like the 'inalienable right of a citizen to assemble peacefully', but about concrete real life issues of social-economic-religious marginalisation and oppression - yes, demolishing a Hindu temple even as a Hindu Minister attempted in vain to stop the desecration is nothing less than arrogant and insensitive political-cultural oppression.

It proves sadly that the majority of the Bar Council members and the majority of now hard-to-be-seen-hard-to-be-heard supporters of Bersih do not identify themselves with the pitiful problems and gross grievances of Indian Malaysians that Hindraf has been campaigning about, least of all that sacred cow Article 153.

When the going gets tough, the tough will be all alone.

Postscript: Malaysiakini published Bersih pushes back Tuesday rally plan which tells us that “a rally planned outside Parliament House on Tuesday has been called off by the Coalition for Clear and Fair Elections (Bersih), which will instead submit a protest memorandum to the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.” ;-)

Hindraf - Flogging shall continue until morale improves

First the police charged some Hindraf supporters for attempted murder of a cop. Then none other than the Attorney General Abdul Gani himself, so conspicuously absent from the far more drastic Altantuyaa Shariibuu case, fronted up to lead the prosecution against the Indians charged.

Bail was refused for those ‘dangerous’ Indians who are deemed a threat to national security - Abdul Gani had alleged that Hindraf had links with Tamil separatist movement Tamil Tigers from Sri Lanka, which reminded me that one high profile bloke, one of the accused in the Mongolian murder case was allowed bail, at least for a short while. Another murderer sentenced to death was pardoned and even rehabilitated, going in and then out of prison with his Datuikship fully intact.

Now, Malaysiakini informs us that the government is piling further pressure on HIndraf by claiming that the movement was linked with terrorist groups. See the Malaysiakini nes article titled IGP: Hindraf linked to terrorist groups.

The IGP said that Hindraf organiser of the Nov 25 rally in Kuala Lumpur was trying to solicit help and support from terrorist groups.

Now which is which, the AG said Hindraf had links with Tamil separatist movement Tamil Tigers from Sri Lanka, while the IGP contended that the Hindu protest movement was trying to solicit help and support from terrorist groups?

Hindraf organiser Uthayakumar who vehemently rejected the accusations, said: “I am not surprised he said that. Yesterday in court, the attorney-general linked us with LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and today this.”

“Can I say that the IGP and AG are soliciting help and support from al-Qaeda? I am sure I will not be allowed to get away with it, but they will (by making the accusations).”

Of course the authorities in Malaysia can get away with all sorts of rubbish, and worse.

The IGP claimed that the police had been monitoring Hindraf since July 28 and in the course of the investigations discovered that the movement was active in fanning racial sentiments among the Indian community by stirring up their anger and arousing hatred against the government.

Well, in Malaysia, almost everyone fans racial hatred. Hasn’t former Malacca CM, Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik just recently done that – see my post Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik's Ketuanan Melayu via machete - case of 'inexperience'?

So IGP, will you be consistent and take action against Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik who was active in fanning racial sentiments among the Malay community by stirring up their anger and arousing hatred against the Indians, or will he be exempt from your vigilant grasp because of his inexperience?

The IGP added that Hindraf had made 'false, baseless and slanderous' allegations that the government had marginalised the Indians.

Should a public servant, a police officer, be making such a political statement of opinion?

No, don’t answer that – ‘twas only a rhetorical question because we all know the answer!

Then this beats it all – the IGP alleged that Hindraf masterminded the opposition of a group of Indians against a local authority for demolishing Hindu temples built illegally.

WTF is wrong with that – isn’t that part of our cherished national ideology of demi agama? Or is the ideology only applicable to some?

Again no, don’t answer that – ‘twas only a rhetorical question because we all know the answer!

Malaysiakini reported that, “according to Musa, Hindraf had defied the law and went ahead to stage the Nov 25 street protests because its real motive was to create chaos in the federal capital. But instead they twisted the incident and accused the police of using force on their supporters. They also cheated the Indians who attended the illegal gathering when they did not hand in the petition to the British High Commission despite having the opportunity to do so."

You know, the government can say anything they like, including the sun rising from the west.

The real story has been that, typically the authorities had initially sneered on Hindraf as nothing more than a pathetic fringe group – the standard arrogant and complacent look-down attitude of “hey, they are nothing more than Indians a la MIC, PPP and those various splinter elements of these parties - hahaha, tong tambi bising sangat lah” – but the authorities were caught with their pants down when amazingly, Hindraf could mobilise 30,000 protestors for their campaign march.

But if you look at the long simmering frustration, anger and hopelessness the Indian Malaysians have been suffering all through the decades, you’d understand why the Hindraf march exceeded all expectations, including those of the government.

Now that they have allowed the Indian genie to emerge from the lantern and demand (not offer) his three wishes, the authorities are determined to force the jinn back into the flask, by crushing any such ‘democratic ideas’, to intimidate in draconian fashion if necessary.

Yes, throw a few of those Tamil buggers into ISA detention, an unaccountable piece of legal instrument that is good in each application for two years, and worse, renewable at the whims and fancies of the authority.

The flogging must continue until morale improves.

Bush's lies about Iran - déjà vu denied?

In Malaysiakini, W Scott Thompson wrote in the Opinion column an article titled Iran threat: Bush and another dangerous deceit.

It’s the same scary neocon leitmotiv of 'WMD, woe and war' that we saw a led-by-his-nose George Bush applied to poor Iraq, a country that is now a quagmire of destruction, devastation and daily deaths, thanks to his 'regime change' claim after the original WMD lie was discredited.

Only that now Bush's new target is another country, Iran, even preposterously accused by him of having the inclination or potential to initiate a WWIII.

Over the last couple of days, we have read in various international press of the report by the US intelligence community that said Iran had halted a drive for atomic weapons in 2003.

Despite the availability of such intelligence, as was in the case of Iraq, the US under George Bush has for years accused Tehran of actively seeking a nuclear bomb. Fuelled by the same set of lies that Iraq suffered from, Bush no doubt wants to start with his standard economic sanctions (including much needed medical supplies for children) to be followed by indiscriminate bombings, but perhaps for Iran, avoiding the invasion and a US humiliating defeat a la Vietnam and Iraq.

The slap in Bush’s face by his own National Intelligence Estimates (NIE) for his war-mongering lies and misinformation somehow didn't faze the discredited US President. Bush continues to be thick-skinned defiant, warning that Iran remains a threat.

OK, he is low-brow stupid, even moronic, but why is Bush so insistent that Iran is a 'threat' to be dealt with in the way that Iraq had been?

Well, the Star Online reported that: “Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak suggested that American spies had suffered a ‘disconnect’.”

'Disconnect'? Hey, the NIE mirrored the estimates of the IAEA.

While idling in a library recently I also came across an article in Aviation Week magazine (November 19, 2007 issue) which said:

“Israeli officials want Washington to understand that Cold War deterrence doctrine doesn’t work in their neck of the woods … An Iranian bomb test could energize every Islamic extremist from Malaysia to Europe. … the official says, but the real threat to this country comes from Iran with the combination of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile delivery systems.”

Well, at least Malaysia rated a mention about our being ‘energized’ by a Shiite Iranian bomb test, though I am disappointed that Sunni Pakistan with a number of bomb tests, bombs, long range missiles, the nesting of al Qaeda within its borders and its proliferative entrepreneurial Dr AQ Khan weren’t.

But then, Israel does have a thing about Iran!

Scott Thompson tells us that “there were significant signals as early as late 2005 that Iran had already done what Saddam Hussein had done in Iraq several years before the false war of Bush administration propaganda started grinding up its war scenarios for that country, namely to purposively slow down, if not close, the military nuclear programme.”

“Yet what have we been subjected to in the meantime? Ah, the Prince of Darkness, Vice-President Dick Cheney, telling us that Iran ‘would not be allowed’ to develop nuclear weapons, as if the intelligence community was denying access to the fruits of its analysis to America’s most powerful person. The boy president meantime was telling us that if we wanted to avoid World War III (and who was he suggesting had the power to start that?) we must prevent an Iranian bomb. And so forth.”

Ignoring the Aviation Week article, I would say Scott Thompson has been kind to Israel in stating that “In all fairness to Israel, Jerusalem was always more measured in its assessment of the ‘threat’ from Iran, but at least they might have to face a real threat in due course, especially if Washington were determined to create its own self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Well, I am less generous ;-). I recall that Dick Cheney was on the Board of Advisors for JINSA, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.

Please see my post The 'O' in SWOT regarding the 3 'I'-s in the ME to have a feel of why kaytee thinks the US has been bamboozled into taking such an idiotic stand against Iran in the same way it has foolishly expended over 3500 young American lives in attacking and occupying Iraq based on blatant lies. The fact has been there was no Iraqi threat to the neo-colonialist USA.

However, I don't think Iran is completely safe yet from George Bush, though the danger from a crazy American strike has now lessened somewhat. So long as Israel is frantically egging an imbecilic Bush on to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities, the possibility continues to exist.

Related:
(1) George Bush's farewell gift to Israel?
(2) Will Bush parcel out Iran toward the four winds of heaven?
(3) Lies & power behind US invasion of Iraq
(4) Anything for dear old Israel
(5) Why President Bush is so against Iran

Lim Kit Siang: "A very strange phenomenon in BN"!

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang posted on his personal blog a couple of queries regarding what he termed as ‘a currently very strange phenomenon in the Barisan Nasional’, and all due to the Hindraf affair, which Malaysiakini has informed us, has culminated in the government misusing its authority to charge some Hindraf supporters with attempted murder – for crying out loud!

Lim said while Samy Vellu vociferously denied that the Malaysian Indians had been marginalized, leaders of MCA and Gerakan apparently thought otherwise.

Lim showed that MCA National Vice President and Health Minister Chua Soi Lok had twice called on the government to be responsive to and address the sense of alienation, discrimination and deprivation of the marginalized Indians.

I have also read the letter by Dr Toh Kin Woon of Gerakan to Malaysiakini, titled I disagree with the country's leaders.

According to Malaysiakini Dr Toh is a member of Gerakan and Penang state executive councillor for Economic Planning, Education, and Human Resources Development, Science, Technology and Innovation.

Lim then ask: “The question is why some MCA and Gerakan leaders are prepared to admit that there is serious marginalisation among the Malaysian Indians, which is strenuously denied by the MIC leadership, when MCA and Gerakan Ministers and leaders are not prepared about the marginalization of the Malaysian Chinese – as they were the most ferocious in attacking Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew when he made the remark about the marginalization of the Chinese in Malaysia not so long ago.”

“Is this solely because MCA and Gerakan leadership are more worried than MIC leaders about the electoral effects of the marginalization of the Malaysian Indians and their frustration when their “cry of desperation” is totally ignored – as there are at least 24 Parliamentary and 38 State Assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where Indian voters are more than 10% and can lead to the defeat of Barisan Nasional candidates?”

My take is that the Lee Kuan Yew's assertion was far too dangerous at that particular point in time for the Malaysian Chinese based parties in the BN to even consider, hence they rejected it straightaway. But if Lee KY were to say it now (which I doubt he will) I believe they may regard it or exploit it differently as they have with the Hindraf affair.

To put it in crude terms, the MCA and Gerakan are now bloody sh*t scared they will be annihilated in the coming election, because they see UMNO going on a course which is only to UMNO’s own interest rather than the BN’s.

Also, they sure as hell don’t like the secret UMNO-PAS which carries an awful stench of Ketuanan Melayu conspiracy and the frightening spectre of more aggressive Islamisation. Recall how Chinese based parties getting together got them instead into Kem Kamunting via Ops Lallang?

I doubt the MCA and Gerakan would be that concerned about Indian votes when their principal support, the Chinese votes (other than those already lost to DAP) appear to be slipping rapidly away over to the opposition camp. And it’s the Federal seats that they are concerned about.

Apart from Dr Toh (Gerakan) and Chua Soi Lok (MCA) coming out to voice their concerns, mainly for Chinese eyes and ears rather than for UMNO’s, I have noted that Wong Chun Wai’s column in the Star Online has also been (mildly, of course) critical of the government’s heavy handed action against Hindraf.

Wong CW’s article One for all and all for one started off as follows:

It is important for all of us to treat the concerns of our Indian brethren as a Malaysian problem. It is not an Indian issue but a Malaysian issue.

It’s the most important criterion in leadership – the ability to listen to what your workers or voters have to say. It does not matter whether you are running a country or a company. Great leaders are simply great listeners.

Extraordinary men and women, especially those in politics, solicit feedback, listen to opinions and act on that intelligence. They will tell you that differences in opinion have nothing to do with dissent.

Wong CW is the top editor of the Star Online which is owned by the MCA, so his column indicates the discomfort - in fact, I am too euphemistic – it ought to ‘stressed’, so yes, the bloody stress of the MCA with what’s in store for them in the coming GE because of the UMNO’s selfish behavior which has been undermining their (MCA's) credibility with their own ethnic community ...

... or, should it be AAB and his cohort's selfish parochial manoeuvrings to ensure Malay support in the face of their (UMNO) own unmitigated corruption, nepotism, cronyism, mismanagement and pissed poor performance, divisive behaviour that's giving the Coalition 'body' a bloody bashing.

Yes … which has been why I wasn’t all that excited with Dr Toh’s letter unlike the general exuberance of others … though of course I welcome it.

Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik's Ketuanan Melayu via machete - case of 'inexperience'?

Malaysiakini tells us that former chief minister Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik has allegedly incited racial hatred against non-Malays.

In its news report titled Police report against Rahim’s fiery speech, Malaysiakini revealed that the usual hard working ever vigilant DAP politician ;-), this time the Malacca state’s DAP youth leader Tey Kok Kiew, has lodged a police report against Abdul Rahim for racial incitement to violence.

Tey based his report on an article published by Chinese daily China Press on Sunday which quoted Abdul Rahim, when referring to the Hindraf rally, as saying: “The Malays have never taken the street so do not force us to do so as we will draw our parang (machete) to defend the Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) in this country.”

Yawnnnnnnnnnnnn ......... Karn-Neen-Nare lah Tey, he was only making his speech as the chairperson of the Malay Economic Body (Gabem) during a ceremony in Malacca last Saturday.

Besides, apart from being an UMNO wannabe comeback kid (election just around the corner), it’s due to his ‘inexperience’, as all UMNO politicians have been and are and will be suffering from, alas!

Unlike Lim Guan Eng who was jailed, probably because of his ‘experience’, in a Malacca incident years ago, Abdul Rahim is very very 'inexperience'.

In fact I think he was once even described as misbehaving ... er ... like ... er ... an ‘underage’ kid. There you are, didn't that prove his 'inexperience'?

Aiyoh, Tey, you really Karn-Neen-Nare one lah, have you forgotten this is a nation governed by the noble uplifting principles of Islam Hadhari so really:

Racism? Violence? Bloody hell
Everything is honky dory swell
Dei, can't you even bloody tell

That it’s eight bells and all's well

Don’t you dare ever doubt our beloved PM and his Islam Hadhari lah, and of course don't forget UMNO people are 'inexperience'.


Related:
UMNO racist behaviour due to 'inexperience', Hindraf's cries for help due to 'racism'

UMNO racist behaviour due to 'inexperience', Hindraf's cries for help due to 'racism'

Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department attributed the demolition of a 100-year-old temple in Shah Alam on the eve of Deepavali last month to the stupidity, lack of sensitivity, and 'inexperience' of Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.

I recall that when UMNO delegates to the 2006 UMNO general assembly made racist comments, including one Perlis delegate egging Hishamuddin Tun Hussein on to use his keris, the excuse provided by the UMNO top leaders was again ‘inexperience’.

Yet when Hindraf was alleged to have used the words 'minor genocide in Kampong Medan', UMNO Ministers wanted to have the police (meaning UMNO) charge the Hindraf leaders for incitement.

Malaysiakini tells us that twenty Hindraf protesters face fresh charges.

They would additionally be charged under Section 440 of the Penal Code for allegedly causing mischief while taking part in an unlawful assembly or riot. The penalty is up to five years’ jail and a fine.

And the PM expressed his anger at Hindraf, but where was that anger in 2006 against his own seditious UMNO racists?

But shamefully even PAS and ABIM (a Youth NGO strongly associated with PAS) condemned Hindraf for extremism. Yet PAS and ABIM, especially the latter were deafening in their silence when UMNO delegates to the party’s general assembly went racially feral in 2006.

I find PAS' criticisms of Hindraf misplaced and ethnocentric, in the same way as I had found Anwar Ibrahim’s concerns over Hindraf’s condemnation of Article 153 of the Constitution - please see Anwar Ibrahim, Article 153 & Hindraf and Is Anwar Ibrahim backtracking on his policy on NEP?

Visitor kittykat46 attempted to defend AI by stating: “If you followed the news over the last year (and not just picked out one particular sentence from Anwar's response), the party has been right up there condemning the wanton destruction of Hindu temples , and calling for social justice for all in Malaysia.”

But, kittykat, when push came to shove, when it came to the crunch regarding Hindraf's intention to attack Article 153, that ‘one particular sentence from Anwar's response’ was enough to show where his true concerns lie.

Yes, you can take PAS and ABIM and ... to the Islamic trough but you sure can’t make them drink Islam’s supra-nationalistic water, no, not when the trough at the Ketuanan Melayu provides sweeter drinks.

Some so-called activists have been just as bad to label Hindraf's march as one laden with chauvinism, ignoring the root causes motivating Hindraf's campaign

Malaysiakini reported that Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Salang Anak Gandum scoffed at Hindraf’s allegation, that its 'Ethnic cleansing' claim is laughable.

He asked: "The whole world will not believe it. If the accusation related to ethnic cleansing is true, why would people from other countries come here?"

"Only Hindraf, which represents a few people, says that ethnic cleansing is taking place in Malaysia. Many people of the same race (Indian) do not think so.”

Then why make such a fuss over laughable stuff? Why use a sledge hammer to crush an Indian kacang putih?

Indeed, why not attribute Hindraf’s melodramatic assertion to ‘inexperience’? Afterall their claims are less outrageous than that of UMNO delegates’ racist diatribe with promises of violence against other Malaysians.

As I said, the Hindraf rally has torn to shreds those masks of hypocrisy. It's also the story of racism at its most Malaysian.'

Related:
Hindraf H-bomb blasted veneer off opposition multiracial mask

What is 'Wong' with this country?

Dean Johns, noted hard hitting columnist at Malaysiakini informed us that he voted for the Green Party in the recent general election in Australia which saw John Howard ousted, only the second PM in 80 plus years to lose his own seat while still in office.

That Dean voted for the Greens signified the concerns of Australians about climate change. Climate change has been the second most important factor that deeply influenced Australian voters, after Howard’s hated 'workplace agreement', quite unlike Malaysian voters who are more concerned, one way or the other, over ethnicity, ethics and equality (eg. who gets the biggest slice of the pie, and why UMNO members are exempt from seditious violations). Race issues have dominated Malaysian election topics for the last 50 years.

On race issue, regarding John Howard losing his own seat of Bennelong in Sydney, I read what SBS chief correspondent, Karen Middleton wrote about the behavior of some Liberal Party supporters on the night of Australia’s general election at the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney, which the Liberal Party used as its convention centre for that night.

When the polling count confirmed the predicted disastrous outcome for John Howard and his Coalition, some Liberal Party supporters went verbally feral.

Middleton wrote that “a prominent one-time senior Howard government official could not contain himself, even with media representatives standing around.”

That frustrated bigot spat out “Those f**king Chinese”, blaming the Chinese voters in the constituency of Bennelong for voting Maxime McKew instead of the erstwhile PM.

If you have read Australian political history, 60 years ago, PM Arthur Calwell in a 'Whites only' Australia had made an insulting comment against a Chinese resident named Wong. Calwell made a sneering pun: "Two Wongs won't make one white."

So to those diehard Liberal Party ultra conservatives, it must have been just too much to take, where today Chinese Aussie voters were significantly powerful enough to kick their favourite leader and PM out of office. How they would have wished Calwell was still around. But wait, there's more and it's about Wong again ;-)<

But whether the Chinese votes had made the difference in John Howard embarrassing loss is still unknown, but prior to the election the Election Commission had re-drawn the Bennelong constituency, turning it from a once blue ribbon seat for the Liberal Party (and former PM John Howard) into one where it embraced large tracts of Asian voters.

In Malaysia it's the other way around where there have been allegations of untoward gerrymandering and an unbelievable phenomenal increase in postal voter numbers in Lim Kit Siang's constituency despite the absence of any police or military camp.

Perhaps like the new transparent ballot boxes, the police and military camps are also 'transparent' - that's why you can't see them – eat your hearts out, Malaysians, and dream of an independent EC.

Giant killer Maxime McKew, who defeated John Howard, was seen during the campaign dressed in Chinese collared blouse ;-) and even cutting a ... guess ... no, not a cake or a ribbon ...c’mon ... yes, a roast pig ;-) together with several Chinese community leaders.

Hmmm, I wonder how it was done? Maybe they ‘prepared’ it by sawing through the bones but not the skin, so that when McKew and several Chinese blokes jointly cut the roast pig, they did it as if it was like a ... cheese cake ;-)

Needless to say, there were the obligatory lion dances etc. Alas, there was no Penang-style Chingay banner throwing ;-)

It didn’t help the ultra conservatives' anger that when mandarin-speaking new PM Kevin Rudd walked up at a Brisbane Hotel that night to claim victory for the Labour Party, he was accompanied by his family and Chinese son-in-law, Albert Tse who’s married to Rudd’s only daughter, Jessica.

Kevin Rudd and daughter Jessica Tse

The Star Online said: Rudd’s elder son, Nicholas, is studying at Fudan University in Shanghai, while the younger son, Marcus, is still in high school and is studying Chinese already.

An ardent Sinophile, Rudd’s love of things Chinese started when his mother gave him a book on Asian civilization when he was 10 years old. By the time he entered the Australian National University, his obvious choice was Chinese language and history. One report even claimed that Rudd has the Chinese character “solidarity” tattooed on his arm.

Chinese Premier Hu Jintao is said to have liked Rudd so much that he invited the latter and his family to be his guests at the Beijing Olympics. And this was even before the election. When the results rolled in signalling the end of Howard’s era, Premier Hu was among the earliest to congratulate him.

Then there is the report of Malaysian (Sabah) born Penny Wong in a Sydney Morning Herald report which talked about the "rise and rise of … Penny Wong".

Yes, this is the Wong of today that i mentioned earlier. It said:

Penny Wong, a Chinese Australian, is a huge winner.

She has ministerial responsibility for Australia's international stance on climate change. But fresh water is Australia's critical domestic issue. It is drying up. The issue will remain critical for the next decade, at least. Wong is the cabinet minister whom Rudd has given the power and authority to "co-ordinate" with eight state and territory Labor governments to "fix" the problem. A dozen or more of her colleagues would have done practically anything to get hold of the portfolio.

It has gone instead to a woman senator of five years of mixed heritage. Wong, from Adelaide, came to this country at the age of seven with her grandmother from what was colonial British North Borneo before World War II (well, it’s Sabah now). Hers has been a remarkable political career so far. Her handling of the water issue will make or break the rest of it. It is a massive responsibility.

Like Julia Gillard, the mega-ministry deputy prime minister from Melbourne, Wong is aligned with Labor's Left.

Then in another news article showing Rudd’s greater trust in Penny over high profile Peter Garrett, the Environment Minister, where he (Rudd) stripped off a key part of the environment portfolio, namely climate change (including managing the signing of the Kyoto Protocol) and water resource from Garrett, and created them into a new Ministry for Penny to handle, the Sydney Morning Herald in its article Wong set to take on the world talked about Penny being Australia's lead negotiator at global greenhouse talks beginning next week.

The elevation of Penny Wong directly into the cabinet confirms her rise to prominence as one of the top performers during the election campaign. By naming her as Minister for Climate Change and Water, Rudd has responded to concerns about Peter Garrett as the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Arts.

The paper said:

Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd named Senator Wong minister for climate change and water, while also appointing Peter Garrett to the cabinet as minister for environment, heritage and the arts.

Senator Wong, a 38-year-old lawyer and former NSW government adviser, had not held either portfolio in opposition.

Mr Garrett had been Labor's climate change spokesman but came under intense pressure during the election campaign over his stance in greenhouse treaty negotiations.

However, Mr Rudd said both Senator Wong and Mr Garrett would join him at the UN climate change conference in Bali which will kick off negotiations for a treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

"Penny will have responsibility for our international negotiations on Kyoto and Kyoto plus, she will have responsibility for the negotiations of our domestic emissions-trading regime," he said.

"She will also have responsibility for the harmonisation of the existing state-based mandatory renewable-energy targets and regimes with an integrated national mandatory target regime."

[…]

Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said while Senator Wong was an "an extremely competent and able senator", a strong team approach was important.

"Climate change is definitely not just an environment matter it's a matter of economic management, it's a matter of health, it's a multi-disciplinary thing," Mr Connor said.

Yes, it has been quite a long march for Chinese Australians since PM Arthur Calwell's infamous “Two Wongs won’t make a white”.

Today, Australia not only has a PM whose son-in-law is Chinese, or where Chinese Aussie voters were purportedly significant enough to vote John Howard out, but the cabinet has its first ethnic Chinese cabinet minister, Malaysian-born Penny Wong who has been selected on merit to be Australia's Tsar on climate change and water resources.

I wonder if Calwell was still alive what would he have made of "One Wong has made it all ‘right’"!

Hindraf H-bomb blasted veneer off opposition multiracial mask

What was and has been amazing about the Hindraf rally on 25 November 2007?

What was amazing?

… the response of 30,000 uncles, aunties, aneh’s, aka’s, tambi’s and tangachee’s to the call by Hindraf to march to the British High Commission to hand over a petition. Such numbers in the response by a minority group despite police road blocks and other obstacles couldn't be anything but just amazing!

The frustration, pain and anger (at the arrogant and wanton destruction of a 100 year old temple on Divali’s eve) provided the plutonium, deuterium and tritium for its historic march of 25 November 2007.

Hindraf got its socio-economic-political H-bomb all primed up!

The unnecessary brutal actions by the Police to prevent the march provided the trigger that brought about the fusion, a mega thermonuclear blast felt around the world, and most certainly across the Indian Ocean. Locally, the radiation effect continues in devastating fashion ... I will discuss the unpleasant effect of the Hindraf H-radiation shortly.

The results of the Hindraf march exceeded the organisers’ expectation by a zillion times, thanks to the over-the-top heavy-handed treatment by the AAB government, a regrettable but predictable response.

The incompetent advisors have unwittingly magnified the government ethnocentric marginalisation of the Indian Malaysians instead of neutralising it – see Police helps Hindraf gain local & international attention.

Allowing Hindraf to conduct the march would have made it into nothing more than a peaceful ‘protest campaign organised by ‘fringe elements’ supposedly for a minority group in democratic tolerant Malaysia’ – alas, that was not to be, no, not in Boleh Land where clowns wear the crowns.

As for those ‘fringe elements’ who did a magnificent job marshalling supporters from the ranks of ‘mums and dads’, note that there was no high profile flamboyant personality involved or indeed required at all, not one who would only arrive when the arduous march through the intimidating phalanx of frowning FRU had concluded, so as to grab the spotlight and grandstand for political gains.

What has been amazing?

… I mentioned earlier that the Hindraf socio-economic-political H-bomb continues its devastating radiation effect locally.

I have to admit that what happened just before and after the Hindraf march had been totally unexpected.

Firstly, Malaysiakini reported that Anwar Ibrahim “… urged the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to direct its grievances towards the ‘corrupt’ Umno-led Barisan Nasional government” but not Article 153 of the Constitution.

He also told Hindraf “to consider a more balanced and responsible approach to address its grievances”.

How would Hindraf be not balanced and not responsible in its approach of campaigning against Article 153?

Puzzled and annoyed by what I saw as his apparent protection of the ethnocentric marginalizing apartheid-ish Article 153, I question his sincerity in his recent (PKR) policy on the NEP.

Please see Anwar Ibrahim, Article 153 & Hindraf and Is Anwar Ibrahim backtracking on his policy on NEP?

Then I saw just prior to the march some so-called activists and staunch supporters of the Bersih rally just two weeks earlier, criticizing the Hindraf march as ‘chauvinistic’.

The kindest I can say of these so-called activists would be they couldn’t see the woods for the trees – yes, they couldn’t see the cruel poverty, unjust marginalization and intolerant and contemptuous* treatment of the Hindu religion suffered by a segment of Malaysians, for their silly selfish pedantic criticism of Hindraf being not ethnic-inclusive in its campaign against poverty. See Hindraf stabbed in back!

*even the top MIC Minister, mind you, a cabinet minister was given a contemptuous 'flick' by mere city hall enforcers

Then Norman Fernandez wrote a letter to Malaysiakini showing the hypocrisy of ABIM. What Fernandez said of the Islamic Youth NGO’s double standards was “...Dalam menuding jari terhadap Hindraf, Abim seolah-olah sengaja melupa perhimpunan agung Umno 2006” meaning ... ABIM pointing a finger at Hindraf [for racist seditious statements] but (as if deliberately) forgetting such racist seditious utterances at the UMNO General Assembly in 2006.

ABIM uttered not a word about the UMNO racist comments during the political party's 2006 general assembly.

Read Fernandez letter to Malaysiakini titled Abim tegur Hindraf, tapi tidak perwakilan Umno

Kaytee also did a wee canvassing on my own re the Berish-Hindraf dichotomy, and was shocked by one response which actually laid the blame for the violence on the Indians.

I have read yet another blogger condemning the Indians’ so-called violence in the Hindraf march while he had condemned the police violence in the Bersih rally.

I don’t know whether it’s appropriate to compare the police treatment of Bersih against that of Hindraf, but dear readers, you work it out yourself.

My conclusion is that Hindraf has achieved many things, one of which was to strip the veneer off the ‘face’ of opposition/NGO so-called multiracial fraternity.

The Hindraf H-mega-blast has shown that it was a wafer-thin veneer where beneath, all the old prejudices probably still lurk in silence, waiting eagerly to re-emerge.

While I still support the declared aims of Bersih, namely for a fair and clean election process, I now believe it was hijacked by certain politicians for their own interests, and in that, the Hindraf rally was a more sincere campaign, and because it was untainted, more to be supported.

See what I wrote in 25 November 2007 where its last paragraph reads:

The explosion of our H-synergy
Tore away masks of hypocrisy
Ripping to shreds the snow white
Fleece of ethnic wolves, howling
At black sheep not cukup Bersih
Not even of de facto human status
To merit the march in messianic
Footsteps to the Arc de Triomphe

As a blogger friend said in despair of Bersih: “Many in the opposition are just as rotten as the BN people.”

25 November 2007

Malaysiakini photo

Just last week, I happened to be in a bank when the windscreen of a car parked outside was smashed. When a man rushed in to report it to the security guards, the same question came out of the mouths of several people: Orang India ke?

No one squirmed at hearing this, and I was furious. Since when has racial profiling in crime become acceptable? It may be common in other countries too, but it is perhaps at its ugliest in Malaysia. We live in a land where the ruling coalition is constantly seeking to cripple our ability to think. Come across any problem? Just race-stereotype it and all the real causes vanish.

- Josh Hong, columnist for Malaysiakini in his article Indian revolt: The morning after


I walked on 25 November 2007
In the man-made acid showers
Which burnt my skin and those
Of my brothers and sisters too
But the chemically poisoned rain
Could not burnt away the tears
That’s in our hearts for 50 years
But merely fertilised our resolve

Through the thick fog of tear gas
We held our hands together and
Marched on to tell the world of
An unjust economic caste system
That places us at the very bottom
As menial pariahs, harijans, dalits
Oh, don’t be shy, take your pick
Any, each would still read our lot

Just like a fusion bomb, our ‘H’
Gave a mega blast to hitherto
Silent acquiescence and equally
Silent dismissal of our cries for
Help against cold cruel inequality
Are we nothing more than serfs
Slaves, sherpas to failed Hillary’s
Or as prêt-à-porter criminals?

The explosion of our 'H'-synergy
Tore away too masks of hypocrisy
Ripping to shreds the snow white
Fleece of ethnic wolves, howling
At black sheep not cukup Bersih
Not even of de facto human status
To merit the march in messianic
Footsteps to the Arc de Triomphe

1st Malaysians (or Indian Sherpas) at Everest?

K Sugu is another of my fave columnists at Malaysiakini, who should be persuaded to write more often. Today he posted a great piece on Indians and Hindraf, but I want to give you just an extract of what Malaysiakini has published.

The extract of Sugu's article refers to the conquest of Mt Everest by M Magendran and N Mohandas, the first Malaysians to reach the top of Chomolungma (Goddess Mother of the World) as Everest is known in Tibetan.

Malaysiakini photo

Sugu wrote (extract):

An excellent example of this attitude was when two Indians in the first Malaysian team to attempt the conquest of Mt Everest managed to reach the peak first.

The question in Parliament was: “Why didn't they wait for the others?” which beggared belief and exposed that particular YB's abysmal ignorance of conditions prevailing in the Himalayas. His question implied they should have waited for their betters.

The poor benighted man was reacting from a deeply entrenched habit, a product of his environment that continues to this day.

I wasn’t aware of this story, but it's an unspeakable unbelievable unforgiveable words testifying to ethnocentric arrogance and parochial narrow-mindedness!

And who was that Yang Berbodoh?

By contrast, this was what Magendran said: "For all Malaysians it shows racial unity, teamwork, that we could do anything if we work as a team and believe in what we are doing. People are very proud."

Well, you can hardly blame the poor Indian Malaysians for feeling right royally pissed for being considered as the Malaysian Harijans by people like that YB idiot.

200 years of residence in this great country (don't blame country, it's the system) with 50 years of Malaysian citizenship, and the Yang Berbodoh wanted the two Malaysian Sherpas to wait until the UMNO anointed Sahib could catch up and step up to the peak to plant the Jalur Gemilang.

Zorro impersonator circulating Tamil-bashing post

I was utterly shocked when at Malaysiakini I saw a post of my blogger brother mahaguru58 carrying a provocative title Blogger Zorro's sound advice to Hindu Racists in Malaysia.

Zainol (mahaguru58) posted a letter purportedly from blogger Zorro which, even if it was a satire, was extremely racist and in bloody poor taste. It’s Tamil bashing at its irredeemable worst.

The piece of unmitigated bigotry made irrelevant references to Tamils in India and Singapore as if those justify the appalling marginalisation our local boys had been subjected to for decades.

I have heard of Zorro but have never visited his blog, but from time to time I have come across him indirectly, therefore I have doubts he would post such a nasty piece of shit. So I did a quick check over at Zorro’s.

The purported post of bigotry allegedly from Zorro was not only a piece of nasty shit but a bloody crock of shit. Blogger mahaguru58 has been had.

There has been a such an impersonator masquerading as various bloggers and planting terrible racist and hurtful postings all over, including comments designed to hurt lady bloggers. That unknown person has no scruples, conscience, or sense of respect for the fairer gender, but certainly lots of hatred, vile, poison and a very very sick mind.

Brother Zainol, have you check the authenticity of the article you believe to be from Zorro?

Why change Constitution for one civil servant?

Malaysiakini tells us in its news article More rallies in Kuala Lumpur next month that despite the government’s increasing and unjustified brutal reactions to protest rallies, there will be three more such marches in Kuala Lumpur next month.

Kaytee reckon the most important one is the planned Dec 11 demonstration in front of Parliament to coincide with the second reading of the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Tian Chua representing Bersih (instead of PKR) said he believed that the government was fast-tracking the amendments in order to keep Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman as EC chairperson.

This is because Abdul Rashid turns 66 on Dec 31 and should by right retire. But by proposing the constitutional amendments to raise the age limit for the Election Commission members, the government gets to keep dear Abdul Rashid as the ‘independent’ Election Commissioner to serve at least another one year.

An election won is good to the winner for five years which will then provide plenty of time to ‘train’ another dear ‘independent’ Election Commissioner.

Tian said: “In order to extend Abdul Rashid’s term for another year without constitutional amendments, the prime minister needs the King’s approval. We think the government is worried that the King would not approve.”

Then in just one simple query, Tian exposed the iniquity of the AAB government:

“Why change the Federal Constitution just to save one civil servant?”

Indeed! The Constitution is a document of sacrosanct status - Keluhuran Perlembagaan (Supremacy of the Constitution) - and not some inconsequential piece of paper to muck around with.

But I guess the only stuff sacred to the UMNO government is its intention to win and rule the country, at any cost.