Congratulations Datuk Jackie Chan

"Even if the French people cannot hear my language, they have always heard my heart" - Jerry Lewis

Malaysiakini - Why not Datuk Seri Bruce Lee next?

Sadly, indeed very disappointingly, I read the above, where one of my fave columnists has joined in the protest against Jackie Chan being honoured with a Datukship, though Azly did it in style with a humorous satire.

But why have Malaysians become so anti Jackie Chan in this respect, even if we allow for Tengku Adnan's silly ill-prepared explanation. The latter has been a classic example of an incompetent minister entrusted with explaining to Malaysians why Jackie Chan was awarded a Datukship but who fucked it up badly, unfortunately to Jackie's disadvantage.

Great nations around the world have honoured foreign artistes for entertaining and bringing joy and happiness to their people, or living up to the ideals of their nations, or just being exemplary artistes in their professions.

France is a marvellous example where this great nation has honoured many foreign artistes for decades, including our very own Michelle Yeoh.

Sweetie Michelle was TWICE honoured by France, in April 2007 by then French President Jacques Chirac with the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, and again in March 2012 by then French President Nicolas Sarkozy with the Officier de la Légion d'honneur. The 2nd decoration was presented at a ceremony in the Elysee Palace.

Those awards have been great honour not only to sweetie Michelle but to Malaysia as well.

One of the world's greatest comedians, Jerry Lewis was similarly honoured a number of times, though long before our own Michelle. The French loved him for his comedy. In 2006 on his 80th birthday, he was again honoured, though this time receiving France's highest civilian award.

Similarly, Great Britain has also honoured foreign artistes with knighthoods for decades. Some of the better known foreigners so honoured have been Bob Hope (USA), Douglas Fairbanks(USA), Placido Domingo (Spain), Spike Mulligan (Ireland), Yehudi Menuhin (Switzerland-USA), Ravi Shanker (India), Steven Spielberg (USA), Ann Murray (Ireland).

Many may not be aware of Jackie Chan's philanthropist efforts where after the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, he headed a drive to build an entirely new village right from scratch in Aceh for the people who were displaced by the great devastation.

The result of his efforts has been named Friendship Village though unofficially as the Jackie Chan village - unofficially because Indonesia does NOT permit places to be named after foreigner.

I support the Datukship for Jackie because his works as an entertainer/artiste have brought joy and much happiness to many Malaysians, and not because as Ku Nan so stupidly explained, he made a film here.

That has been the same reason France honoured Jerry Lewis as a member of France Legion of Honour.

I feel a bit sad that some Malaysians have been disparaging the award to Jackie Chan just because the BN has recommended him for the Datukship.

It's the same f* ugly poisonous and totally mindless divisive politics of our country that saw Michelle Yeoh being abused by Malaysians when she was awarded a Tan Sri-ship.

Stop the silly mindless and poisonous divisive politics.

Read also my post Black & White of Malaysian political thinking

***********************************

Jerry Lewis in top French honour

Jerry Lewis praised the French sense of humour US comedian Jerry Lewis has celebrated his 80th birthday in Paris receiving France's highest civilian honour in a raucous ceremony. Mr Lewis winked, stuck out his tongue and made faces during the event to award him the Legion of Honour. The actor turned up for the usually sober event, in a gilded hall of the Ministry of Culture, wearing slippers. He then yawned, checked his watch and pretended to fall asleep as the culture minister made a 20-minute speech. The crowd roared at Lewis' antics, often drowning out minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres' speech in which he called the actor the "French people's favourite clown". Ministry officials then presented the star of 1963 film The Nutty Professor with a massive cake and sang Happy Birthday. Speaking afterwards, Lewis apologised for not speaking French, but said that "even if the French people cannot hear my language, they have always heard my heart". He said he was flattered by his induction into the Legion of Honour, and that he had been "gloriously elevated" by the award. "The French people are the best in the world," the King of Comedy actor added. Lewis is one of 37 foreigners to have received the title in the past three years.

Has DAP been biadap to Hadi Awang?

TMI - Hadi says: No one has the right to make me attend Pakatan meet

Malay Mail Online - I’ll go if I feel like it, Hadi tells Pakatan

... this despite Mat Sabu assuring all that Pak Haji will attend today's Pakatan leadership council.

You know, I don't like Pak Haji because I sense he's not only reluctant to work with the Chinese and Indians other than wanting them to vote for PAS, but also because I suspect he is a non-inclusive Malay nationalist like the blokes in ISMA - don't worry about their Islamic credentials as they're first and foremost Malays rather than supranational Muslims.

Incidentally, 'supranational' in above context means transcending established national boundaries or spheres of interest such as racial consciousness of being a Malay as different from Chinese and Indian Malaysians.

Religiously a 'Muslim' is (supposedly) above all such racial boundaries, being a member of an Ummah (Commonwealth of Believers) a la ummat al-Islamiyah.

Additionally, Wikipedia stated: Non-Muslims are viewed as brothers and sisters in terms of all being children of Adam. The Muslim Ummah is responsible for upholding the religion and therefore benefiting the community regardless whether the community is Muslim or non-Muslim.

But alas, in the Islamic World we know that, for example, the Saudis hate the Persians (Iranians), the Kuwaitis hate the Iraqis, & vice versa, etc, and ...

... that during the aftermath of the Boxing Day tsunami some Arab nations ignored or gave very pathetic amount in aid to their Muslim brethren in devastated Indonesia in shameful comparison to Christian individuals like Sandra Bullock and Michael Schumacher.

A Lebanese news media reported that some muftis in the Gulf countries claimed the SE Asian Muslims were divinely punished for their sins, presumably as an indirect excuse for their nations' very shameful apathetic and pathetic response to their supposed Muslim Brethren in Aceh, etc.

By staggering contrast, after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans those Muslim Arabs gave hundreds and hundreds of millions in American dollars (eg. Kuwait gave US$500 million) to the USA. Can we then assume that was because those Gulf Arabs considered the New Orleaneans were without sin, or Allah swt wasn't angry with those Americans as He was with Indonesian Muslims.

I don't mean to lecture a Muslim as I would be the last person on earth to preach on Islamic teachings, wakakaka, but the point I want to make is that some PAS members have been perceived as suspiciously Malay first, then Muslim after that.

So I am not much surprised by their reluctance to work with DAP, and to a lesser extent, PKR, in the pursuit of good governance, let alone viewing "Non-Muslims ... as brothers and sisters in terms of all being children of Adam" or striving to "... benefiting the community regardless whether the community is Muslim or non-Muslim".

Hearkening back to 2008, Malaysiakini published a news article of PAS Youth defends overtures to Umno, in which PAS was reported to flex its political muscles with regards to its Pakatan ally, namely, PKR (wakakaka). Its Youth chief then, Salahuddin Ayub, said rather condescendingly that, in PAS meeting with UMNO recently (presumably as per Pak Haji Hadi's much loved Malay-Unity forum), PAS wasn't intimidating PKR - wakakaka!

In fact Hadi Awang declared that PAS leaders have just the same rights as, if not more than, PKR to hold discussions with UMNO on issues of mutual interest.

I have to say that Pak Haji was quite correct in saying so. But we have to recognize that assertion as PAS telling PKR: “F* off mate, you don’t have a monopoly on negotiations with UMNO on Malay or Islamic affairs. Who the hell are you to tell us who we may or may not talk to.” Wakakaka.

Pak Haji Hadi then removed his gloves and said assertively: “No one is the sole leader of Pakatan Rakyat. (Its) leadership is collective, and we have mutually agreed that the respective party leaders can seek to influence our friends in BN to join us. Because of this, the issue of why PAS is meeting Umno should not arise.”

Obviously chaffing at the rein because PAS (probably in Pak Haji Hadi's thinking) had graciously taken a back seat for far too long in allowing Anwar Ibrahim to dominate the public limelight, Hadi warned ominously:

“After the victory, the role of PAS people needs to be taken into account. PAS people are not stupid. Do not sideline their contributions after the win.”

And haven't we just witnessed this in the recent MB issue in Selangor where PAS under the direct instruction of Pak Haji Hadi pulled the rug from under Anwar Ibrahim's feet, wakakaka.

He must have waited a long time (since 2008) to relish doing that, wakakaka again. It has been a 6 year grudge.

In my post two weeks ago titled Local council elections? - USTFU I asked:

Now why has Pak Haji gone to the extent of warning about another May 13, a USTFU warning hitherto monopolized by UMNO kakis, on such a small issue, one which could cut down those unrepresentative swill mis-spending public money?

I then explained ... yadda yadda yadda .. on how the local councils BUT ONLY in urban areas like Penang, Ipoh and KL are likely to be dominated by elected Chinese and Indians.

Pak Haji Hadi has of course chosen to ignore that other than these 3 urban areas, all other local councils are likely to be dominated by elected Malay councillors.

Nonetheless, it does seem PAS in the person of Pak Haji Hadi plus cohorts don't want this to come about whether in Penang, Ipoh, and KL or elsewhere, not because it is worried about Chinese-dominated councils not looking after Malay residents but more because (a) it wants to be able to appoint its own people as part of the Pakatan appointment-sharing, (b) it is petrified of UMNO making hay out of Chinese sunshine at PAS’ gloomy expense and (c) in the final analysis it is a parochial Malay party inasmuch as it claims to be an Islamic party.

To reiterate, both Pak Haji and his former party deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa have never been comfy working with Pakatan's non-Muslims non-Malays and preferred instead to work with UMNO, both PAS leaders being ardent proponents of 'Malay-Unity' in the immediate aftermath of March 2008.

Additionally, I suspect Pak Haji, apart from personally disliking Anwar Ibrahim, has been harbouring a deep resentment in his heart when he perceives PKR being given the special treatment by DAP at both national level politics (supporting Anwar Ibrahim as PM-designate) as well as in Selangor (supporting Dr Wan as MB).

No doubt he must have mulled angrily: why should the PM be AI when PAS is the bigger party, or why should the MB in Selangor be from PKR when PAS has 15 seats to PKR's 13?

I personally feel there is some justification for his resentment, that DAP has ganged up with PKR to subtly marginalize PAS from the important appointments.

Anyway, that's the background to Pak Haji Hadi's recalcitrance towards a Pakatan summit today.

But again, to be fair to Pak Haji Hadi, I feel Lim Guan Eng and Anthony Loke have not been very diplomatic towards the proud old man - see The Star Online (wakakaka) Guan Eng: No Hadi, no meeting and Anthony Loke: DAP to stop attending Pakatan Council if Hadi doesn’t show.

Mateys, you can't f**king communicate with a (supposedly) Pakatan ally through the bloody media - that's the f* worst thing to do, more so when relationships are already on the brink or in urgent need of serious salvaging.

Just recall how mad you guys were when PKR used to unilaterally announce seat-sharing allocations to the media, much to your WTF's when you read the news, wakakaka!

And without any doubt, the reality is the current relationship between PAS and DAP has long been shot to shreds, starting with the stupid Kajang rancid satay right up to the hudud bill, when PAS' objection to local council elections had not only been to ensure some of its members get a free ride on the local council meal ticket but I suspect, also in retaliation to DAP's objection to its hudud bill.

While DAP has been right on both counts, namely its unswerving objection to hudud implementation and its promise to restore local council elections, it could do better than to publicly threaten Pak Haji Hadi who is a very very proud old man with a HUGE chip on his shoulder.

Now, for want of face, the disgruntled old man is more UNlikely to attend the meeting.

I have to say that DAP does have this f*-up talent in antagonizing senior Malay personalities like (previously) Tunku Aziz and (now) Pak Haji Hadi Awang.

If the aim is to get rid of PAS for good, then that's fine. But OTOH, if the aim is to seriously conduct a Pakatan leadership meeting so as to hang on to the coalition as a viable opponent to BN, then Lim GE and Anthony Loke have f* up kau kau. It's the sort of attitude that Tunku Aziz has termed 'biadap'.

Keep politocians out of nter-ethnic relationship

I read with much interests RPK's WHEN THINGS WERE RELAXED AND RACIAL IN THE OLD DAYS because such glimpses into our local history, especially from the common folks' viewpoints, have always been far far more interesting than studying, for example, why the Malayan Union failed or how Harold MacMichael the post-world-war British Military Administrator pissed off the Malay sultans, ...

... or who neighbouring Bung Karno or Ngo Dinh Diem or Diosdado Macapagal were, when they were born, what they did for their respective countries, how they lost power, and about non-monarchial oligarchies in South East Asia and the Indian sub-continent ruling their countries for years on end, but which it must be said, indirectly raised the status of women in our world.

Ngo Dinh Diem
His downfall began when he, a Catholic, oppressed the Buddhist majority

Thích Quảng Đức immolating himself in protest against Ngo's oppression of Buddhists

US President John Kennedy said: "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."

It spelt the beginning of the end for Ngo

Mind you, I had a childhood crush on Macapagal's daughter wakakaka - see my post Lustful fantasies over at my other blog KTemoc Kongsamkok.

my old uni professor told me 'mature' women make better lovers

wakakaka

Aiyah, today's schoolboys are far more lucky as they would be studying neighbouring leaders like yummy Yingluck Sinatrawa (notwithstanding the current military oppression and persecution of her), Aung San Suu Kyi and yes, my sweet lovely Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, wakakaka.

there's something uniquely delicious about women in uniforms

wakakaka

And in years to come, our students will be even more fortunate, wakakaka, looking into the policies of politicians like Dyana Sofya, Nurul Izzah and the humane leadership of activist Marina Mahathir.

There's much truth in RPK's narrative that people in yonder years were less politicized and thus less sensitive despite the ugly practice of racialism. Nowadays we have to be careful of what we say, lest we be accused of racial, age, gender, etc, discrimination - this is especially true in Australia.

I personally feel that while contemporary understanding and demand of equality and rights are good and should therefore be encouraged, I also sense that there's a decided lack of 'responsibilities' in most people, especially those seeking greater or due rights.

'Rights' (or 'authority') and 'responsibilities' are, nay, have to be indivisible twins, essentially the balance of yin and yang for a harmonious society. If one over-stresses 'rights' (usually one's own, wakakaka) without commensurate understanding and exercise of appropriate 'responsibilities', then the yin and yang of those elements won't be nicely balanced into a harmonious Tao.

That's what's happening today, and I'm not talking only about the lamentable yang-ish exertions of rights by Perkasa, ISMA and UMNO bigots as has been outrageously demonstrated just recently but then cowardly denied and sadly condoned by his boss, but also by the other side of politics and community groups.

Yup, all about rights but where was the responsibilities?

A sad example of the 'other side' (mentioned above) was witnessed when immediately after the Selangor Sultan had issued a decree banning non-Muslims in the state from using the Arabic word 'Allah', our dear "intrepid" Father Lawrence Andrew insisted openly that Catholic churches in the state would continue to use that word in their masses.

Now, Father Andrew might well have been legally correct to assert the Catholic Church rights (I'm not a lawyer so I personally don't know), but really was there a need to be so offensively-openly rude to HRH? Hardly surprising that the Malays perceived him as being so arrogantly dismissive of HRH's decree that they were damn pissed off, even unto accusing him of treason.

For more, read the Malay Mail Online's Herald editor in ‘Allah’ storm accused of treason against Selangor Sultan.

Surely there's more than one way of skinning a cat, for the Church in Selangor to continue using the Allah word in their masses, without what the Malays perceived as the equivalent of a F.O to HRH's decree?

So in such a situation, with perhaps legal authority (rights), there should be commensurate socio-cultural responsibility - in other words be sensitive to the feelings of others. And let's NOT now compare ourselves to bigots like Ismail Sabri. We should easily be far far better.

Recalling my Penang kiddie days in Ayer Itam village, reputed at one time to be the largest Chinese village in Malaysia, the various ethnic groups went about their own merry ways without significant racial problems let alone conflicts - of course not counting the occasional odd fisticuffs between individual youths.

In fact, I dare say the Chinese fought more frequently and regularly among themselves, as did the Malays and Indians.

Any scent of trouble brewing, say, between Chinese and Malay youths, would be nipped early in the bud by village elders, and f* politicians.

The Malays in my village followed a man who I will just name in this post as Abang Mat. If the Chinese or Indians in our village encountered any sticky problems involving Malays, they would seek him out to mediate. They respected his standing among the Malays, especially those of the younger set, and relied on him to cool young hot heads. And the village was very successful in that approach.

Abang Mat appeared to be around late 40's but looked far too young to be addressed by the honorific of Pak Cik so we kiddies just called him Abang. He was known to be the leader of a group of tough looking Malay men, all younger than him, in their mid 20's, or even in their late teens.

Mind you, it was not that his group were trouble makers. I had never seen or heard of them ever quarrelling with Chinese or Indians. But as mentioned, Abang Mat commanded mucho respect among the Malays in Ayer Itam and the adjoining suburb of Kampung Baru.

His group looked tough (very muscular) because they were very much into weight lifting. Their hideout or nest where they did their pumping was at a Malay (keramat) shrine next to the Ayer Itam river.

Abang Mat and his cohorts would frequent the same kopitiam I did, where I noted their fave drink was aw-kau (Guinness Stout). Of course they didn't drink openly in the kopitiam front section but discretely behind the shop where the Hainanese owner set up a make-shift pergola under a Malaysian 'cherry' tree.

The local police (mainly Malays) knew what was going on but never intruded - those were the days before the lil' Napoleons in J-organizations started to flex their "divine"-conferred muscles. 

We learnt that Abang Mat and his followers believed in aw-kau as a complimentary tonic to their weight lifting exercises. This was not surprising as it was a belief many Chinese and Indians shared and I believe still share - me too, for I somehow feel quite comfy after downing an aw kau following a hard day's work, wakakaka.

my grandpa's ducks? wakakaka

read my post Village memories 1 - ducks

No, Abang Mat was NOT the government appointed penghulu who no one knew or cared the f* about. The appointed penghulu just drew his government salary and remained quietly and undoubtedly happily unknown. As far as the Chinese and Indians in Ayer Itam-Kampung Baru were concerned, Abang Mat was THE man in charge of Malay affairs.

Perhaps that's why Ayer Itam and Kampung Baru enjoyed good community relationship for years (at least during the time I grew up) because they wisely kept the pollies out, wakakaka.

Problems for pelanduk

TMI - Najib defends Ismail, says comment meant for ‘all traders’

Bullshit, Ah Jib Gor! The truth is you're intimidated by the 92 UMNO Div Chiefs supporting the bigot.

special mod 92 firat compact chrome blank firing gun

TMI - Price of goods has nothing to do with race, Dr M tells Ismail Sabri

Bravo, Mein Doktor! Though I suspect you're more into making life miserable for Najib than being fair to the Chinamen, wakakaka.

But thanks nonetheless for saying something against that vile vicious villain.

It's evident the gajah sama gajah berjuang, and we poor pelanduk will somehow cop it.

It can and will only get worse.

Aiyoyo Ama, I need a de-stressor badly.

Sweet delicious Seo Woo

Yum!

Malaysia's Fave Punching Bag

In a post over at my KTemoc Kongsamkok blog titled My Day of Infamy (1) wakakaka I wrote:

I recall reading an article where Japanese executives, suffering from highly stressed work load, were encouraged to go to a gym regularly, at least once a week if not more often, to de-stress themselves. The recommended technique was to use a wooden sword, the type favoured by kendo enthusiasts, to thrash the hell out of a straw dummy.

Banzai, Bagero and 擬似 (Bastard) - they hammered away at their respective straw man with their kendo cane swords, no doubt imagining or visualizing the targets as their superiors, who had either demanded some impossible sales quota for the US market, or humiliated them to no ends by sending them home early at 5 pm* wakakaka.

* In Japanese business circle, it’s virtually a scandal (and a great shame) for a white collared bloke to return home earlier than 11 pm.

Well, just imagine some of my former girlfriends as those highly stressed Japanese executives with nasty samurai swords and poor shivering kaytee as the straw dummy - gulp!

But alas, some UMNO members including ministers and former/ex ministers would hammer away at their straw men or punching bags, the Chinese, not because they feel stressed BUT because they want to divert attention from their failings, incompetence, naughty stuff or when one faction attempts to gain higher ethnocentric credentials over another faction in a vile demonstration of who would be more of an ultra pahlawan Melayu.

During the last general elections which UMNO won despite their allies' failures, even unto seizing back Perak and Kedah, they nonetheless decided to thrash the Chinamen for good measure, asking Apa lagi China mahu?, ostensibly because they didn't win with a 2/3 majority because of the lack of Chinese support.

Now, where is it stated that a government elected under a Westminster democracy or any other democracy must achieve a two-thirds majority to be entitled to call itself a stable government?

In fact I was informed that Mahathir had once stated (prior to some kind of election, perhaps the one between him and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the Umno presidency) that even if he won by one vote, he was still a legitimate winner and would accept the post.

So, hasn't it been double standards by Mahathir to expect Najib to meet the 2/3 majority requirement, when a political party could form a government with 112 parliamentary seats? Hey, some bloke even wanted to form one with only 82 MPs, wakakaka.

Yes, the so-called benchmark of a minimum two-thirds majority (148 seats) has been a myth, nay, a created nonsense to berate Najib but which admittedly would be nice to have in order to make all sorts of constitutional amendments at will, but not something necessary to form a reasonably stable government.

Indeed, given UMNO's frightened realization of the increasing electoral swing against it in the last few years, explaining why Mahathir and his Perkasa were hysterically pounding some of his own Wawasan 2020 ‘Challenges' to smithereens, no BN leader, not even Mahathir himself, would have been able to achieve that impossibility of such a win with the preposterous two-thirds majority in the recent general election.

I suspect there must be more to just the nonsensical necessity of UMNO-BN winning by a 2/3 majority in the constant undermining of Najib by Mahathir and cohorts.

Considering the electoral swing against BN, if we want to be objective, Najib did quite well in the 2013 general elections.

For example, while Pakatan was making inroads in BN strongholds like Johor and Negri Sembilan, Najib and his team were quietly taking the back lanes and by-roads into Pakatan territory to successfully seize 7 seats from PAS in Titiwangsa, Kuala Selangor, Pendang, Padang Terap, Jerai, Sik and Baling and eight from PKR in Balik Pulau, Bagan Serai, Kulim-Bandar Baru, Merbok, Machang, Ketereh, Tanah Merah and Hulu Selangor (won by PKR in 2008 though held by BN in a by-election).

As I had blogged before, even in wasting 2 precious federal seats by nominating two Perkasa jokers to stand in them, perhaps to mollify you-know-who, it was still a significant 15-seat harvest for Najib because it mitigated against the loss of 22 other seats to Pakatan.

Just imagine if he didn't succeed in the above, the final election would have been only 118 seats for BN versus 104 seats for Pakatan, a mere 14-seat difference or only an eight-seat majority to rule.

Okay, perhaps let us not proceed any further as to what possibilities this would have offered the other side, wakakaka.

Najib also ripped back Kedah for BN, which surely would and should have earned the undying gratitude of Daddy Mahathir, while holding BN's position in Perlis, Terengganu and very much to my surprise, Perak.

In wrestling back Kedah and holding off Pakatan in Perlis and Terengganu, he basically destroyed the putative ‘Northern Green Crescent' and isolated PAS to only Kelantan.

For UMNO alone, Najib increased its 79 parliamentary seats in 2008 to 88, and in Peninsular Malaysia, BN collectively won 100 seats compared to 99 in 2008, a gain of one parliamentary seat. He also increased the state seats from 239 in 2008 to 244 [figures obtained from Malaysia-Today blog].

But alas, someone has NOT been satisfied, and as mentioned earlier, I suspect that has nothing to do with not having the 2/3 majority.

Remember Ali Rustam blaming the Chinese when he didn't win his election?

Wait, I think it would be better to remember who lost his seat in Kota Setar Selatan in 1969, and who he blamed?

And guess what? He blamed his loss on the very people he had so arrogantly declared he didn't require votes from, wakakaka. In 1974 he wisely selected a different parliamentary constituency, Kubang Pasu, wakakaka.

Oh let's not leave Muhyiddin out. In 2009 after Nizar Jamaluddin won the Bukit Gantang by-election with an increase majority, the DPM accused the Chinese of grandiose scheming, that they have begun to think of themselves as kingmakers in politics.

While there's no escaping the fact that his public musing has been aimed at the heartland, to convince the faithful to re-marshal beneath the keris-ed banner, his fear-hate propaganda was lamentable, reflected in his statement to Mingguan Malaysia as follows:

“The Chinese even though are a minority group feel that they have the deciding power because the Malays are split into three groups … In such a situation, they can decide the outcome of an election and this can be seen from the general election and the by-elections.”

“They think they have the power to decide. It is not only the Chinese but the Indian community as well.’’

Less than 24% of the Malaysian population, the Chinese somehow make wonderful punching bag for UMNO's electoral losses.

Indeed, how could the 24% Chinese of Malaysians effect a popular vote of around 52% for Pakatan in 2013? And how could Lim Kit Siang win Gelang Patah with an almost 15,000 majority without support from the Malays there?

But why let facts stand in the way of UMNO whacking a convenient punching bag? The list of some UMNO members making the Chinamen their Banzai, Bagero and 擬似 (Bastard) straw men goes on and on.

Now we have Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister, blaming Chinese traders for refusing to reduce the prices of goods even though the price of petrol has come down. He called on Malays to boycott Chinese traders.

As one of my visitors remarked on the prices of some American-originated fast food, who own those franchise?

But Ismail Sabri's statements have been unduly vile, racist and instigating, If the Sedition Act needs applying, he makes a damn far more appropriate candidate to be charged under this Act than some poor bloke in Penang who merely used the quite everyday-common word of celaka.

Ismail Sabri's unmitigated bigotry has earned him opprobrium from his BN mateys in MCA and Gerakan, with former MIC strategy director S Vell Paari saying Ismail Sabri's call for Malay to boycott Chinese businesses was "saddening and shocking".

Vell Paari said: "Why is it that everything needs to be seen through racial lenses? Why couldn't he just label them as errant traders?"

Vell, because someone has got to be the punching bag to rally the Heartland to those ministers' banner. So don't ever say the bloody Chinamen have no use or role to play in Malaysia, wakakaka.

Then we hear of an Islamic preacher, Mohammad Kazim Elias, walloping the Chinese and Indians some years ago, allegedly (as the Malay Mail Online reported) ... for having fun drinking and dancing in clubs while the Malays worked hard for the country as soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and cleaners.

I wonder whether it was at Zouk night club? See this BBC report.

He commented in a recorded lecture: “Gentlemen, try looking at Chinese homes, or what are they doing hanging out in their shops. They are freely drinking, going to discos. Malay soldiers are busy in the jungle, in the middle of the sea".

“Now who is the master, who is the slave? … Our race is guarding the jungles. Where are the Chinese? Are there Hindus? How many Hindus are soldiers? Many are robbers. Freely going to Giant, nightclubs, wearing sexy clothes, hanging out in Tesco.”

Where were the Chinese and Indians?

Well, while Kazim was doing whatever preachers do, and we may reasonably assume he wasn't in the jungle himself, Chinese and Indian soldiers and policemen fought the Communist terrorists with some killed and/or wounded - see my following post Chinese policemen.

I would encourage Kazim, as a man of God, to be God-fearingly decent, God-fearingly honest about facts and God-fearingly and honourably acknowledge recognition of our Chinese Police heroes of yesteryears, stalwarts such as:

• Yeoh Chew Bik (killed by CT at Sebarang Perai)
• Koh Ah Cheng (killed by CT at Bukit Kepong police station)

Ironically the communist assailants at Bukit Kepong police station were led by a Malay Communist, Muhammad Indera - not unlike today's Muslim-Filipino Malay assailants of our 8 policemen

• Loh Ah Chu (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
• Chan Eng Teck (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
• Ang Lock Say (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
• Yeap Sean Hua (killed on duty while apprehending a criminal at Setapak; another policeman Fong Thean Kit who was off duty but heard the shot gave chase and apprehended the killer)

Important note: Both Yeap (posthumously) and Fong were awarded Malaysia’s highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP).

SP - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor

• Chin Chin Kooi (Special Branch Chief Inspector who served in the Police Force for 21 years - shot at point blank range and killed by unknown slayers, probably CT; before he died he managed to shoot back)

Important note: Chin was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP)

• Lee Han Cheong (a Sergeant and PFF patrol leader was killed by CT near Bidok)
• DCP Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong (killed by communist subversive in Perak)

Two other Special Branch police officers who are still alive today were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), namely SP Paul Kiong and DSP Sia Boon Chee.

Without exaggeration, I would consider these two officers’ contributions (presumably still under secret classification) as pivotal to the defeat of the communist terrorist movement in Peninsula Malaysia.

Thus, 5 Chinese police officers were awarded the nation's highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), with two posthumously. I hope Mohd Kazim takes note of this and if possible, say a prayer or two for their sacrifices.

Then there were Chinese in the Armed Forces who showed their loyalty to their nation by making the ultimate sacrifices, TUDM officers like the late Lt Choo Yoke Boo and the late Lt Chang Tatt Min who were both awarded the Panglima (or Pingat) Gagah Berani (PGB) posthumously. It's said that the PGB is next in gallantry honours to the SP.

There's an unfortunate and unpleasant story behind their sacrifices, but as the nastiness had to do with an individual I won't like Kazim turn it into a racial narrative.



PGB - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor


Prior to the 2 RMAF officer, one Ranger officer, 2nd Lt David Fu Chee Ming who I believe is still alive today, was also awarded the PGB.

2nd Lt David Fu was the Platoon Commander of 8th Platoon of C Company, 4th Battalion Royal Rangers who was tasked and placed in the Tanah Hitam area of Perak to track and destroy the enemy in his sector of operation. This was the citation for his award of the Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB):

On the 27th August 1970, his platoon of 24 men made contact with a group of about 70 enemy combatants. The enemy unknowingly had entered his sector. Thus started a heavy and intensive battle lasting 7 hours. Under his unwavering leadership, the men fought on, successfully killed 4 of the enemy. His patrol did not suffer any casualties.

For his outstanding gallantry and bravery in the finest traditions of the Ranger Corps he was bestowed with the Pingat Gagah Berani, by the King.

He left after exemplary service as a Captain.

Then there was Captain Mohana Chandran al Velayuthan, like 2nd Lt David Fu also of 4th Battalion Royal Rangers.

Captain Chandran was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) on 3 June 1971.

His citation for the SP read:

Leading a unit of ten men of the 4th Battalion Royal Rangers on a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of the Ulu Kinta forest (Perak), he happened upon a group of CT numbering approximately 40 men. This occurred on the tenth day of their mission and 4 hours after they had located the first enemy tracks.

Coming under murderous fire after detection by an enemy sentry Captain Chandran rallied his squad and advanced on the enemy. The encounter with the well-entrenched enemy led to the death of Captain Chandran at the age of 27.

Apart from Chinese and Indian sterling contributions of blood, toil, tears and sweat to the nation a la tanah tumpatnya darahku I suppose we must continue to serve as UMNO's punching bag.

Yes, it's depressing to read all these after more than half a century of independence together as Malayans then Malaysians, but as the Koreans like to say when wanting to brace up depressed spirits, "Fighting!", wakakaka.