Were I to choose, were I to be asked
What I think of a malaysiakini report
Of Malaysia being an Islamic state, but
Where its leaders are free of corruption
Fine shining examples, paragons of virtue
A nation clean in every respect and aspect
Where no corruption would be tolerated
Where the police is trusted by its citizens
Where the rakyat has faith in its judiciary
And the head of the anti-corruption, yes
Is free of blemish like a cut blue diamond
I would say aye aye aye on Merdeka day
Were I to choose, were I to be asked
Would I could live in theocratic Malaysia
A country ruled by pious men of worth
Who do not hunt down worried women
Earning a pittance of RM300 per month
To fine them RM50 for forgetting to don
Their tudung to exemplify their superficial
Piety, which does not come from the heart
But from fear of zealots driven by power
Leaders who should be more concerned of
The stench of corruption than faint perfume
I would say ya ya ya on Merdeka Day
Were I to choose, were I to be asked
What Malaysia I want for the future
I would look to Heaven, for an answer
For hell on earth we have now, in this once
Paradise of us, raped by greedy charlatans
False impious messiahs, hungry maggots
Feasting on corruption, and unholy pillage
Raping the land and its forests, polluting
Its once pristine rivers, dirtying its air
Marginalising more of its weak and poor
Dividing its rakyat for the leaders' interests
I would say clean up all the rot for Merdeka
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What is a BN politician?
Two crocodiles were sitting at the side of the swamp near the lake in Putra Jaya.
The smaller one turned to the bigger one and said, "I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age, we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it."
"Well," said the big Croc, "what have you been eating?"
"Politicians, same as you," replied the small 'Croc.
"Hmmm, which type?”
“BN of course, those fat cats. What did you think ... DAP? Nah, they are too scrawny!”
"Well, where do you catch them?"
"Down the other side of the swamp near the parking lot by the Parliament House."
“Same here. Hmmm. How do you catch them?"
"Well, I crawl up under one of their Lexus or Mercedes cars and wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the shit out of them and eat 'em!"
"Ah!" says the big crocodile, "I think I see your problem. You're not getting any real nourishment. See, by the time you finish shaking the shit out of a BN politician, there's nothing left but an asshole and a briefcase."
kaytee's note: thinking of sending this as a letter to malaysiakini ;-)
The smaller one turned to the bigger one and said, "I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age, we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it."
"Well," said the big Croc, "what have you been eating?"
"Politicians, same as you," replied the small 'Croc.
"Hmmm, which type?”
“BN of course, those fat cats. What did you think ... DAP? Nah, they are too scrawny!”
"Well, where do you catch them?"
"Down the other side of the swamp near the parking lot by the Parliament House."
“Same here. Hmmm. How do you catch them?"
"Well, I crawl up under one of their Lexus or Mercedes cars and wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the shit out of them and eat 'em!"
"Ah!" says the big crocodile, "I think I see your problem. You're not getting any real nourishment. See, by the time you finish shaking the shit out of a BN politician, there's nothing left but an asshole and a briefcase."
kaytee's note: thinking of sending this as a letter to malaysiakini ;-)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
AAB's Islamic state or country - depends on your preference
Assalamualaikum, my fellow Malaysians.
Today, we are informed by malaysiakini that our dear PM AAB has declared our nation an Islamic state (or country?).
AAB replied in Parliament to a question by Opposition Leader, Lim KS that: “Malaysia is an Islamic state which is administered based on the principles of Islam and at the same time adheres to the principles of parliamentary democracy guided by the highest law of the land - the Federal Constitution.”
However, malaysiakini cautioned that AAB could have meant that Malaysia was an ‘Islamic country’ as opposed to an ‘Islamic state’ as his statement was in Bahasa Malaysia and ‘negara Islam’ could be translated into either, with 'Islamic state' meaning that all laws in the nation are based on Islamic principles, while 'Islamic country' merely indicates the fact that the majority of the people living in Malaysia are Muslims.
The recent proposal to replace 'common laws' with syariah laws by the Chief Justice, a person who couldn't even ensure his judges deliver their written judgements yet could somehow find time to indulge in tampering with a proven system, has added extra fuel to the issue - see Chief Justice adopting Syariah laws for civil courts by stealth?.
Needless to say, AAB's declaration today - basically contradicting his earlier pronouncement that Malaysia was neither an Islamic nor secular state - has caused quite a flurry, and depending on your politico-religious proclivity, you could be delirious with happiness (or frustrated with AAB stealing the thunder away from PAS), or scared, pissed, angry and whatever if you are a non-Muslim.
As I had blogged in The Debate on the Malaysian Islamic State almost 4 weeks ago, I read with regret in malaysiakini that the Islamic debate continues, in many ways ‘pursued’ relentlessly by the opposition parties, particularly the DAP.
Mind you I can understand why the DAP has done so, considering that recently DPM Najib had surprised us by declaring Malaysia an Islamic state (or country?) at an UMNO forum.
As I said, I personally don’t see any benefit in pursuing this line of argument, but then who cares about what kaytee thinks!
I also mentioned that the occasional invocation of this reminder (that Malaysia is an Islamic State) has become a convenient and regular UMNO political tactic to outflank PAS from making any significant inroads into UMNO’s constituency.
We also know that the election, as I forecast in:
(1) KTemoc predicts November General Election
(2) November General Elections - More Indications
… which would spurred UMNO, and now AAB, to push this 'Islamic state' (or country?) line even more.
Let me put it this way, if push comes to shove, AAB or Najib will ensure that UMNO says anything just to outflank PAS anytime than accommodate a strident demanding morally and legally correct DAP.
On this issue, it’s no longer about right or wrong – it’s about ‘might is right’ and UMNO, who has the 'might', is prepared to ride roughshod over non-Muslim feelings in order to survive its political future against PAS and PKR – and tough luck to its MCA and Gerakan allies – the MIC doesn’t matter anyway.
So, with the DAP pushing UMNO into a corner, we shouldn't be surprised at all that AAB has made this public declaration. It's the inevitable outcome of a combination of UMNO's political survival and AAB's Malay macho-ness.
Be angry, be riled, be pissed but that’s a fact of life. You don’t like it and neither do I, and we can vote against the MCA or Gerakan, but UMNO will nonetheless proceed down this path to its eventual win over its Islamic rivals.
I had blogged that non-Muslim Malaysians who encounter such UMNO assertions, would fall into mainly three groups:
(1) Those who know what UMNO was doing has been politics to neutralize a more frightening (to them) PAS.
(2) Those who won’t countenance any creative modification to the Constitution, that Islam is only the official religion in a secular Malaysia.
(3) Those who fall somewhere between groups 1 and 2, but who would speak out against the idea of Malaysia being an Islamic state because of the fear of ‘give one cm, they take one metre’ by the Muslims who assert such a State. They have seen the zealots gradually dominating the Islamisation program with greater zeal than is comfortable.
But in the end, did AAB mean Malaysia is an ‘Islamic state’ or Islamic country’?
The DAP will cry out it’s the former, while PAS will join MCA, Gerakan and MIC ;-) in saying AAB means the latter, for their own individual interests.
And PKR … ?
I really don’t know about what PKR will say about AAB’s declaration. Maybe its de facto leader is still weighing the pros and cons. Besides, he's busy with the Makkal Osai controversy.
May peace be upon thee, my brothers and sisters.
Today, we are informed by malaysiakini that our dear PM AAB has declared our nation an Islamic state (or country?).
AAB replied in Parliament to a question by Opposition Leader, Lim KS that: “Malaysia is an Islamic state which is administered based on the principles of Islam and at the same time adheres to the principles of parliamentary democracy guided by the highest law of the land - the Federal Constitution.”
However, malaysiakini cautioned that AAB could have meant that Malaysia was an ‘Islamic country’ as opposed to an ‘Islamic state’ as his statement was in Bahasa Malaysia and ‘negara Islam’ could be translated into either, with 'Islamic state' meaning that all laws in the nation are based on Islamic principles, while 'Islamic country' merely indicates the fact that the majority of the people living in Malaysia are Muslims.
The recent proposal to replace 'common laws' with syariah laws by the Chief Justice, a person who couldn't even ensure his judges deliver their written judgements yet could somehow find time to indulge in tampering with a proven system, has added extra fuel to the issue - see Chief Justice adopting Syariah laws for civil courts by stealth?.
Needless to say, AAB's declaration today - basically contradicting his earlier pronouncement that Malaysia was neither an Islamic nor secular state - has caused quite a flurry, and depending on your politico-religious proclivity, you could be delirious with happiness (or frustrated with AAB stealing the thunder away from PAS), or scared, pissed, angry and whatever if you are a non-Muslim.
As I had blogged in The Debate on the Malaysian Islamic State almost 4 weeks ago, I read with regret in malaysiakini that the Islamic debate continues, in many ways ‘pursued’ relentlessly by the opposition parties, particularly the DAP.
Mind you I can understand why the DAP has done so, considering that recently DPM Najib had surprised us by declaring Malaysia an Islamic state (or country?) at an UMNO forum.
As I said, I personally don’t see any benefit in pursuing this line of argument, but then who cares about what kaytee thinks!
I also mentioned that the occasional invocation of this reminder (that Malaysia is an Islamic State) has become a convenient and regular UMNO political tactic to outflank PAS from making any significant inroads into UMNO’s constituency.
We also know that the election, as I forecast in:
(1) KTemoc predicts November General Election
(2) November General Elections - More Indications
… which would spurred UMNO, and now AAB, to push this 'Islamic state' (or country?) line even more.
Let me put it this way, if push comes to shove, AAB or Najib will ensure that UMNO says anything just to outflank PAS anytime than accommodate a strident demanding morally and legally correct DAP.
On this issue, it’s no longer about right or wrong – it’s about ‘might is right’ and UMNO, who has the 'might', is prepared to ride roughshod over non-Muslim feelings in order to survive its political future against PAS and PKR – and tough luck to its MCA and Gerakan allies – the MIC doesn’t matter anyway.
So, with the DAP pushing UMNO into a corner, we shouldn't be surprised at all that AAB has made this public declaration. It's the inevitable outcome of a combination of UMNO's political survival and AAB's Malay macho-ness.
Be angry, be riled, be pissed but that’s a fact of life. You don’t like it and neither do I, and we can vote against the MCA or Gerakan, but UMNO will nonetheless proceed down this path to its eventual win over its Islamic rivals.
I had blogged that non-Muslim Malaysians who encounter such UMNO assertions, would fall into mainly three groups:
(1) Those who know what UMNO was doing has been politics to neutralize a more frightening (to them) PAS.
(2) Those who won’t countenance any creative modification to the Constitution, that Islam is only the official religion in a secular Malaysia.
(3) Those who fall somewhere between groups 1 and 2, but who would speak out against the idea of Malaysia being an Islamic state because of the fear of ‘give one cm, they take one metre’ by the Muslims who assert such a State. They have seen the zealots gradually dominating the Islamisation program with greater zeal than is comfortable.
But in the end, did AAB mean Malaysia is an ‘Islamic state’ or Islamic country’?
The DAP will cry out it’s the former, while PAS will join MCA, Gerakan and MIC ;-) in saying AAB means the latter, for their own individual interests.
And PKR … ?
I really don’t know about what PKR will say about AAB’s declaration. Maybe its de facto leader is still weighing the pros and cons. Besides, he's busy with the Makkal Osai controversy.
May peace be upon thee, my brothers and sisters.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sexual predators
In malaysiakini today, the article on The ugly side of a beauty pageant tells of the exploitation of contestants who were allegedly treated like slaves and made to work like robots. They were not even provided proper food and accommodation.
One of the contestants claimed (and collaborated by two others) that the organisers made all the contestants work for 16 hours a day without payment throughout their three-week stay.
She averred: “The organisers got funding from different sponsors who want their products to be advertised by the contestants.
“So they get all these pretty young girls from all over the world who are so desperate to make it big in the modelling world and who are willing to do anything to get one of the titles, to advertise these products.”
A former beauty contestant told malaysiakini that 'sexual innuendos, insinuations and harassment' are common in such pageants.
She revealed: “These complaints rarely come out. I don’t know why. Maybe we have become used to this. As I see it, this business is just like a flesh trade. We are used in various ways, all in the name of (appreciating) beauty. In reality we are just made-up glamour dolls …”
Well, it’s not just contestants of beauty pageants who have been sexually harassed. In various organisations and government departments women have been and probably are still sexually harassed, with a few cases going on to rape.
Unfortunately, very few of these abuses have been reported. In Malaysia there is a an unfair social stigma attached to women who had been abused, as if they were the culprits rather than the victims.
Our terrible male macho ‘bocor’ and ‘gatal’ mentality believes that the women must have been the provocateur, the Delilah, the temptress to entice the poor innocent men into aroused attacks.
I have heard horror stories from my uncles and their friends who served in the Armed Services, of such incidents where sexual harassments and abuses were perpetrated on female members.
Even the Fourth Estate has its share of such cowards, people in senior positions who preyed on junior female staff members.
The elements are usually the same, namely, an unscrupulous predatory senior male staff member, a (usually new) junior female staff member, opportunity for the bastard, fear of dismissal by the victim or embarrassment at the likely social stigma or that no one would believe her (or want to believe her), and the worst, an apathetic attitude by those other staff members who know what had happened or even what's happening, but pretend not to, minding their own business to protect their own career.
The triple threats of social stigma, dismissal, or organizational ostracism (putting an end to career progression) have allowed those bastards to get away with all sorts of unmitigated sexual abuses or worse, even rape.
Some men (of a certain ilk) are more prone to abusing women sexually, thinking in their perverted minds that her smile had been an invitation for unrestrained rubba rubba, and even to take it far beyond.
And mind you, these are educated men in high position. The sad irony is that women are probably more likely to be safer with far more honourable hawkers, clerks or labourers.
One of the contestants claimed (and collaborated by two others) that the organisers made all the contestants work for 16 hours a day without payment throughout their three-week stay.
She averred: “The organisers got funding from different sponsors who want their products to be advertised by the contestants.
“So they get all these pretty young girls from all over the world who are so desperate to make it big in the modelling world and who are willing to do anything to get one of the titles, to advertise these products.”
A former beauty contestant told malaysiakini that 'sexual innuendos, insinuations and harassment' are common in such pageants.
She revealed: “These complaints rarely come out. I don’t know why. Maybe we have become used to this. As I see it, this business is just like a flesh trade. We are used in various ways, all in the name of (appreciating) beauty. In reality we are just made-up glamour dolls …”
Well, it’s not just contestants of beauty pageants who have been sexually harassed. In various organisations and government departments women have been and probably are still sexually harassed, with a few cases going on to rape.
Unfortunately, very few of these abuses have been reported. In Malaysia there is a an unfair social stigma attached to women who had been abused, as if they were the culprits rather than the victims.
Our terrible male macho ‘bocor’ and ‘gatal’ mentality believes that the women must have been the provocateur, the Delilah, the temptress to entice the poor innocent men into aroused attacks.
I have heard horror stories from my uncles and their friends who served in the Armed Services, of such incidents where sexual harassments and abuses were perpetrated on female members.
Even the Fourth Estate has its share of such cowards, people in senior positions who preyed on junior female staff members.
The elements are usually the same, namely, an unscrupulous predatory senior male staff member, a (usually new) junior female staff member, opportunity for the bastard, fear of dismissal by the victim or embarrassment at the likely social stigma or that no one would believe her (or want to believe her), and the worst, an apathetic attitude by those other staff members who know what had happened or even what's happening, but pretend not to, minding their own business to protect their own career.
The triple threats of social stigma, dismissal, or organizational ostracism (putting an end to career progression) have allowed those bastards to get away with all sorts of unmitigated sexual abuses or worse, even rape.
Some men (of a certain ilk) are more prone to abusing women sexually, thinking in their perverted minds that her smile had been an invitation for unrestrained rubba rubba, and even to take it far beyond.
And mind you, these are educated men in high position. The sad irony is that women are probably more likely to be safer with far more honourable hawkers, clerks or labourers.
God's American Prophet
"And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword"
- (Deuteronomy 20:13)
Thought I might start with a wee Old Testatment comforting words on such a religious matter.
In my previous post Malaysian Christian Taliban? I expressed my shock at one Steve Oh making such a drastic attack in his letter to malaysiakini on a marginalised group, the gay community.
Oh had spat out venomously: "My second matter relates to the attempts to turn Christianity into some kind of gay circus. The apologists and ‘spinmeisters’ for a gay church paint those who oppose their heresy as unthinking, unkind and uncool Christians who don't know what they are opposing."
"... gay church ..."?
If Steve Oh had taken pains to read a malaysiakini news report on Ouyang Wen Feng, his so-called Christian eyes might have read that Ouyang "... hopes to become a member of the clergy in 2010 and plans to set up a Christian gay community by then."
That was that - (1) Ouyang wants to be a cleric, (2) he plans to set up a Christian gay community!
Steve Oh had allowed his narrow mind to leap to prejudiced conclusion that Ouyang wants to be a cleric only for gays. Well, balderdash, bullsh*t and bugger off. His invincible homophobia is in sheer conflict with Christian values, which he professed to be protecting.
It's people like Steve Oh who gives Christianity a bad Taliban-ish name. Yes, Taliban-ism is not just a monopoly of Muslim fanatics. Unfortunately religious extremism and intolerance exist in Christianity, Judaism (Rabbi Yousef Falay, Baruch Goldstein), Hinduism (whose fanatics burned alive an Australian Christian missionary and his children in a car in India), etc.
Back to Steve Oh's homophobia - In Australia, one of the most respected judges, a man held in high esteem and affection by the public, is Michael Kirby, who has been open about his homosexuality since 1999, when he outed himself in Australia's Who's Who by naming newsagent Johan van Vloten as his long-term partner.
Wikipedia has Judge Kirby saying: "The movement for equality is unstoppable. Its message will eventually reach the four corners of the world."
One of Kirby's most high-profile critics is Liberal senator Bill Heffernan, a close lieutenant of PM John Howard. In 2002, Heffernan used parliamentary privilege to accuse Kirby of trawling for rent boys. However, the evidence Heffernan produced to support this claim was swiftly discovered to be a forgery.
When Heffernan eventually apologised for these allegations, Kirby promptly responded: "I accept Senator Heffernan's apology and reach out my hand in a spirit of reconciliation. I hope my ordeal will show the wrongs that hate of homosexuals can lead to."
And I hope Steve Oh may regain his Christian tolerance and love that his Saviour had imparted to him through Christian teachings.
Also in my previous post on issue, I made the statement:
And I would tell Steve Oh to stop speaking on behalf of God, who incidentally has refused to talk to anyone since Yeshua ben Yusuf died on the cross for humanity, including unfortunately Steve Oh and his ilk.
Well, visitor Anon No 1 to my blog left a comment complaining that I overdid/sensationalise my criticism by describing Oh as a Christian Taliban, to which I replied:
The term Taliban has come to signify anyone religiously intolerant. KT doesn't like such intolerant bullies, regardless of their religious affiliation. So the tiltle is not sensational but rather, quite appropriate.
Then Anon No 2 (can't tell whether he/she is same Anon - doesn't matter) said: KT claims he/she doesn't like "intolerant bullies", but KT himself/herself insults Christian experience by claiming that God "has refused to talk to anyone" since the crucifixion. why can't KT practise tolerance before railing against others?
Well, Anon, according to Judeo-Christian beliefs, God only talks to/through his prophets – any Christian prophets since Christ?
But wait - actually I was wrong on two counts.
One, I was of course referring to the Christian world which I failed to qualify, though the title of my posting was clear it was about a Christian Taliban - I’ll come back to the Christian world shortly. In the Islamic world, the last prophet was of course Prophet Mohamad (pbuh) who came after Jesus Christ (peace also be unto his name).
Two, I could be wrong on a second count in suggesting that there were no more Christian prophet after Christ.
Actually there is one modern day prophet and he lives in the USA. His name is Pat Robertson, a Christian evangelist. Robertson tells his parish that God talks to him, regularly too, which I suppose makes him a modern day Christian prophet.
I don’t know how I could have missed him because I had blogged on him several times, as follows:
(1) Bush Condones US Talibans
(2) Evangelist called Prophet Muhammad a Robber & Brigand
(3) Christian Evangelist says "Kill Chavez!"
(4) Terrorist State Harbouring Terrorists?
(5) US evangelists: "Screw democracy"
There is an article in mediamatters.org/items/200501040010 (sorry, can’t give you the link in my usual way because I am using a friend’s PC and while I can google with it, I can’t open the google link except via the cached info). Anyway, here’s the cached article:
On the January 3 edition of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club, Reverend Pat Robertson, host and Christian Coalition of America founder, made predictions for the New Year based on what he said God told him during a recent prayer retreat.
Robertson said that God told him: "I will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly, and their successors will refuse to sanction the attacks on religious faith."
Robertson also said that he "heard it from the Lord" that President Bush will have Social Security and tax reform passed and that Muslims will turn to Jesus Christ.
Robertson currently features on his official website, under the heading "Operation Supreme Court Freedom", a letter released following the June 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that decriminalized homosexual sodomy.
"... decriminalized homosexual sodomy ..."? Good Lord (excuse my blasphemy), surely that will drive Steve Oh berserk!
In the letter, Robertson asked his supporters to pray for liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justices to retire: "Would you join with me and many others in crying out to our Lord to change the Court? ... One justice is 83 years old, another has cancer, and another has a heart condition.
Would it not be possible for God to put it in the minds of these three judges that the time has come to retire? With their retirement and the appointment of conservative judges, a massive change in federal jurisprudence can take place."
When asked to clarify his remarks, according to a July 17 Associated Press report, Robertson said that "he was not talking about any particular Supreme Court justices when he asked his television audience to pray that three liberal justices retire."
Robertson stated: "I don't care which three, I mean as long as the three conservatives stay on. ... There's six liberals, so it's up to the Lord." The AP also noted: "Justice John Paul Stevens was born in 1920 [making him 83 at the time of Robertson's remarks] and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had colon cancer surgery in 1999."
"... as long as the three conservatives stay on. ... There's six liberals, so it's up to the Lord ..." There you are - who says he is biased.
On the 700 Club broadcast, Robertson touted his 2004 New Year's prediction that President George W. Bush would win re-election by "a blowout" as an example of a past prediction that turned out to be correct.
On January 2, 2004, Robertson stated: "I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. It's shaping up that way."
As Media Matters for America has noted, Bush's margin of victory was the smallest for a reelected incumbent president since Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
Other Robertson predictions have fared less well. According to a February 15, 1988, Washington Post article, Robertson said, "I heard the Lord saying 'I have something else for you to do. I want you to run for president of the United States.'"
The same article noted that during one campaign stop during the 1988 presidential race, Robertson stated: "This is where God wanted me to be. ... Here I am in New Hampshire, before a major primary."
He then said, "I assure you that I am going to be the next president of the United States," according to a February 15 Washington Post article. After trailing George H.W. Bush and Senator Bob Dole in the Republican primaries, Robertson's 1988 presidential campaign ended before the Republican convention.
A February 2004 article in Church & State magazine (published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State) noted several Robertson predictions that turned out to be false, including that Russia would invade Israel in 1982, and that there would be a worldwide economic collapse in 1985.
The article went on to mention that "In his 1991 book, The New World Order, Robertson predicted that U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller would be elected president in 1996."
Robertson's predictions for 2005:
The economy: "Again, 2005 is going to be a year of extraordinary prosperity for this nation and for CBN [Christian Broadcasting Network]. And I think the American stock market is going to surge upward, if I heard from the Lord. Again, ladies and gentlemen, don't go and buy stock on my recommendation, but that's what I feel in my heart. The Lord was saying it's going to be a super good year."
George W. Bush: "Well, the Lord has some very encouraging news for George Bush ... What I heard is that Bush is now positioned to have victory after victory and that his second term is going to be one of triumph, which is pretty strong stuff. ... He'll have Social Security reform passed. He'll have tax reform passed. He'll have conservative judges on the courts. And that basically he is positioned for a series of dramatic victories which I hope will hearten him and his advisers. They don't have to be timid in this matter because the wind is blowing at his back, and he can move forward boldly and get results."
Muslims and others turning to Jesus Christ: "In America, again if I'm hearing God right, we will see a tremendous incident of miracles in the year 2005. ... God's spirit is going to be moving in dramatic power around the world. And his spirit is going to be touching the hearts of many in the Muslim world and they will be turning to the gospel, to Jesus Christ. I think many of them already are, but this is going to be an acceleration that will really amaze the world. ... 'Revival will break out throughout the Muslim world, my [God's] truth will penetrate their hearts. The hold of that falsehood that has gripped them will be broken.'"
Terrorism and global security: "2005 will be another good year for the world. The terrorist threat will diminish. Nations will walk in peace, but it will be an illusion. The peril to Israel is greater now than it has ever been for she will be seduced into a false peace that will leave her vulnerable."
The Supreme Court: "The vendetta against religion in America is about to end. ... 'I [God] will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly and their successors will refuse to sanction the attacks on religious faith.'"
I apologise for forgetting God's greatest Christian prophet ;-)
And if you think Pat Robertson is the only one devoted to God, think again because some Israeli military people believed in the Deuteronomic punishment for Palestinians
God related matter:
Let there by Darkness & Ignorance!
p/s Today I read that Mother Teresa had dark moments in her life which shook her faith in God - hmmm, I wonder whether she was exasperated with God for not striking down acharlatan prophet like Pat Robertson. ;-)
(1) Bush Condones US Talibans
(2) Evangelist called Prophet Muhammad a Robber & Brigand
(3) Christian Evangelist says "Kill Chavez!"
(4) Terrorist State Harbouring Terrorists?
(5) US evangelists: "Screw democracy"
There is an article in mediamatters.org/items/200501040010 (sorry, can’t give you the link in my usual way because I am using a friend’s PC and while I can google with it, I can’t open the google link except via the cached info). Anyway, here’s the cached article:
On the January 3 edition of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club, Reverend Pat Robertson, host and Christian Coalition of America founder, made predictions for the New Year based on what he said God told him during a recent prayer retreat.
Robertson said that God told him: "I will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly, and their successors will refuse to sanction the attacks on religious faith."
Robertson also said that he "heard it from the Lord" that President Bush will have Social Security and tax reform passed and that Muslims will turn to Jesus Christ.
Robertson currently features on his official website, under the heading "Operation Supreme Court Freedom", a letter released following the June 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that decriminalized homosexual sodomy.
"... decriminalized homosexual sodomy ..."? Good Lord (excuse my blasphemy), surely that will drive Steve Oh berserk!
In the letter, Robertson asked his supporters to pray for liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justices to retire: "Would you join with me and many others in crying out to our Lord to change the Court? ... One justice is 83 years old, another has cancer, and another has a heart condition.
Would it not be possible for God to put it in the minds of these three judges that the time has come to retire? With their retirement and the appointment of conservative judges, a massive change in federal jurisprudence can take place."
When asked to clarify his remarks, according to a July 17 Associated Press report, Robertson said that "he was not talking about any particular Supreme Court justices when he asked his television audience to pray that three liberal justices retire."
Robertson stated: "I don't care which three, I mean as long as the three conservatives stay on. ... There's six liberals, so it's up to the Lord." The AP also noted: "Justice John Paul Stevens was born in 1920 [making him 83 at the time of Robertson's remarks] and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had colon cancer surgery in 1999."
"... as long as the three conservatives stay on. ... There's six liberals, so it's up to the Lord ..." There you are - who says he is biased.
On the 700 Club broadcast, Robertson touted his 2004 New Year's prediction that President George W. Bush would win re-election by "a blowout" as an example of a past prediction that turned out to be correct.
On January 2, 2004, Robertson stated: "I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. It's shaping up that way."
As Media Matters for America has noted, Bush's margin of victory was the smallest for a reelected incumbent president since Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
Other Robertson predictions have fared less well. According to a February 15, 1988, Washington Post article, Robertson said, "I heard the Lord saying 'I have something else for you to do. I want you to run for president of the United States.'"
The same article noted that during one campaign stop during the 1988 presidential race, Robertson stated: "This is where God wanted me to be. ... Here I am in New Hampshire, before a major primary."
He then said, "I assure you that I am going to be the next president of the United States," according to a February 15 Washington Post article. After trailing George H.W. Bush and Senator Bob Dole in the Republican primaries, Robertson's 1988 presidential campaign ended before the Republican convention.
A February 2004 article in Church & State magazine (published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State) noted several Robertson predictions that turned out to be false, including that Russia would invade Israel in 1982, and that there would be a worldwide economic collapse in 1985.
The article went on to mention that "In his 1991 book, The New World Order, Robertson predicted that U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller would be elected president in 1996."
Robertson's predictions for 2005:
The economy: "Again, 2005 is going to be a year of extraordinary prosperity for this nation and for CBN [Christian Broadcasting Network]. And I think the American stock market is going to surge upward, if I heard from the Lord. Again, ladies and gentlemen, don't go and buy stock on my recommendation, but that's what I feel in my heart. The Lord was saying it's going to be a super good year."
George W. Bush: "Well, the Lord has some very encouraging news for George Bush ... What I heard is that Bush is now positioned to have victory after victory and that his second term is going to be one of triumph, which is pretty strong stuff. ... He'll have Social Security reform passed. He'll have tax reform passed. He'll have conservative judges on the courts. And that basically he is positioned for a series of dramatic victories which I hope will hearten him and his advisers. They don't have to be timid in this matter because the wind is blowing at his back, and he can move forward boldly and get results."
Muslims and others turning to Jesus Christ: "In America, again if I'm hearing God right, we will see a tremendous incident of miracles in the year 2005. ... God's spirit is going to be moving in dramatic power around the world. And his spirit is going to be touching the hearts of many in the Muslim world and they will be turning to the gospel, to Jesus Christ. I think many of them already are, but this is going to be an acceleration that will really amaze the world. ... 'Revival will break out throughout the Muslim world, my [God's] truth will penetrate their hearts. The hold of that falsehood that has gripped them will be broken.'"
Terrorism and global security: "2005 will be another good year for the world. The terrorist threat will diminish. Nations will walk in peace, but it will be an illusion. The peril to Israel is greater now than it has ever been for she will be seduced into a false peace that will leave her vulnerable."
The Supreme Court: "The vendetta against religion in America is about to end. ... 'I [God] will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly and their successors will refuse to sanction the attacks on religious faith.'"
I apologise for forgetting God's greatest Christian prophet ;-)
And if you think Pat Robertson is the only one devoted to God, think again because some Israeli military people believed in the Deuteronomic punishment for Palestinians
God related matter:
Let there by Darkness & Ignorance!
p/s Today I read that Mother Teresa had dark moments in her life which shook her faith in God - hmmm, I wonder whether she was exasperated with God for not striking down a
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Ku Li warned of May 13 again
More than one and a half years ago I blogged on Ku Li no longer Kool & Kalm! where I lamented that a Tengku Razaleigh (Ku Li), once urbane, charming, cosmopolitan and so open-minded, had to resort to parochial language and tactics just to find a role for himself in Malay (not just Malaysian) politics, namely UMNO, where the real power lies. Ku Li had even challenged AAB for the UMNO party presidential post.
Then, as his manoeuvre, Ku Li had decided to lambast the AAB government, but unfortunately by resorting to that olde UMNO tested formula of divisive ethnic politics.
I wrote: "For a start, he adopted a controversial but old winner by publicly voicing strong criticism of the government in permitting non-Malay language educational institutions such as the Chinese-owned Tengku Abdul Rahman University to exist, a move that would prove undoubtedly a sure favourite with UMNO hardcore ‘warriors’."
Sure enough the Malay NGOs popped out to hail and support him. Then, perhaps as a 'special extra', for that additional boost to his credentials, he bemoaned regrets that the government hasn’t helped the Malays solve their problems despite its (AAB government's) power and authority to do so.
Can you believe him? Well, I wouldn't be surprisedif that some Malays, especally those from Kelantan, obviously do!
Then, as his manoeuvre, Ku Li had decided to lambast the AAB government, but unfortunately by resorting to that olde UMNO tested formula of divisive ethnic politics.
I wrote: "For a start, he adopted a controversial but old winner by publicly voicing strong criticism of the government in permitting non-Malay language educational institutions such as the Chinese-owned Tengku Abdul Rahman University to exist, a move that would prove undoubtedly a sure favourite with UMNO hardcore ‘warriors’."
Sure enough the Malay NGOs popped out to hail and support him. Then, perhaps as a 'special extra', for that additional boost to his credentials, he bemoaned regrets that the government hasn’t helped the Malays solve their problems despite its (AAB government's) power and authority to do so.
Can you believe him? Well, I wouldn't be surprised
For an understanding of Malay politics, read my earlier post Ijok - where Malays are even more tribal!
Though later the President of Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), came out in damage control for Ku Li when the Gerakan Party accused Ku Li of playing ethnic politics, Ku Li lost a lot of respect and affection from people who had been sympathetic with him. Mind you, I doubt he cared whether the non- Malays stop liking him now.
Well, malaysiakini tells us he’s back at his tribal-oriented spill again.
Ku Li said at a forum on Merdeka held in Kuala Lumur by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry and National Writers Association (Gapena) that Malaysia will descend into chaos if the social contract agreed upon 50 years ago was unravelled.
Nice touch, Tengku, to invoke the May 13 threat at the 50th Merdeka forum!
He urged the government to manage the increasing communal polarisation wisely, such as anyone questioning aspects of that social contract - eg. position of Islam, special privileges for Malays - whatever ‘manage wisely’ means - but no, no need to tell us or elaborate ‘cause we know the ‘whatever …..’.
He declared: “If it (social contract) is to be revamped, I predict the nation will descend into chaos.”
“If the guarantees laid out in it cannot be protected, a situation worse than May 13, 1969 (racial riots) may arise.”
Yes, that veiled threat of 'May 13' again - I am just surprised he didn't also wave a little red book on 'May 13' and mention 'not stirring the tebuan (hornets) nest'. Can these people give the same old tired threat a rest!
I am currently reading a book by Jonathan Glover, who’s (or at least, was) the Director of the Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at King’s College London, titled ‘Humanity – a Moral History of the 20th Century’ - (ISBN 0-224-05240-3 published by Jonathan Cape, London)
from Amazon.com
The synopsis on the book’s jacket says “It is about the psychology which made possible Hiroshima, the Nazi genocide, the Gulag, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot’s Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and many other atrocities …..... also examines tribalism: how people in Rwanda and in the former Yugoslavia, people who once lived together became trapped into mutual fear and hatred … .”
On the Rwanda tragedy, his concluding sentence was: “The human responses were overwhelmed in the killers by tribal hatred, but this emotion was itself a product of conscious political manipulation.”
Well, ….....
Then, for the Yugoslav internal conflict, Glover again said: “Tribal conflict rarely just ‘break out’. Hostility is enflamed by the nationalist rhetoric of politicians. Other groups then feel threatened and react with their own defensive nationalism. People are pushed into the trap by politicians. Then, in psychologically deeper ways, the rival groups become mutually trapped by their responses to each other. This is how Yugoslavia fell apart.”
* all above underlining of Glover's statements are mine
Aren’t we? … “pushed into the trap by politician” , that is!
Though I am aware that the general election is just around the corner, and Ku Li is fretting about his Gua Musang seat, he should be ashamed of himself for buying into the current ethnic polemics, again.
He could have been a leader for unity, conciliation and muhibbah, but like most UMNO desperate (‘9.2 million’ of them?), he has decided that for him too, it’s easier going over to the dark side of the force.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The insidious 'Bo ...' in Malaysian system
When Dr Mahathir coined the Malaysia Boleh slogan, he wanted to build into our psyche, especially that of the Malays, self confidence, the confidence that comes from self esteem, and consequently the will to succeed.
But alas, like most noble stuff he had in mind, he was let down by the very people he trusted - I am afraid he just has to chew on that. I am sure by now, the retired human dynamo must have realized that Malaysia during his time was led not by a necessary team but by a one-man juggernaut.
If Dr Mahathir had only surrounded himself with more capable people instead of avaricious sycophants, I wonder where we, our nation, would be today?
His inspirational Boleh has degenerated into Bodek, Bodoh, Bobrok, Bocor, Bohong, yes, all his hopes Bolos and Bobos.
Take for example, as reported in malaysiakini, the former AG and now Chairperson of Suhakam, Aby Talib, had to chide the Chief Justice for not stopping the rot in th judicial system where judges have not been able to come up with written judgement.
Abu Talib said : “It’s entirely up to the CJ (chief justice) to move (on this). (Stemming) the rot is in his hands. It’s (only a matter of) whether he wants to exercise the powers or not.”
In other words, the Chief Justice is, as he ought to be, responsible for stopping the rot in the system he heads. Has he?
And if not, what does the Chief Justice do – instead he attempts to introduce Syariah laws into our civil courts, by arguing that common laws should be done away with.
That’s an example of Dr Mahathir’s Boleh degenerating into ….. you choose which of the ‘Bo…’ would be appropriate.
Remember that police inspector who was supposed to interrogate Tian Chua, and was made to look like a bloody fool by the PKR Info Chief?
Another non-Boleh, if we need to use that terrible word of ‘non’.
Abu Talib also criticized our dear wonderful AG, Gani Patail – I needn’t say anything more as I had said enough.
And as for the IGP – is he Boleh? In a way I suppose he is, because under his watch, he Boleh allow the crime rate to shoot through the ceiling, into the highest stats ever seen in our nation’s history – now, that’s most certainly a record for the Malaysian Book of Records!
And of course, according to the Boleh logic of Boleh-land the government has, as always, rewarded such ‘Bo… Eong’ people like the IGP.
But alas, like most noble stuff he had in mind, he was let down by the very people he trusted - I am afraid he just has to chew on that. I am sure by now, the retired human dynamo must have realized that Malaysia during his time was led not by a necessary team but by a one-man juggernaut.
If Dr Mahathir had only surrounded himself with more capable people instead of avaricious sycophants, I wonder where we, our nation, would be today?
His inspirational Boleh has degenerated into Bodek, Bodoh, Bobrok, Bocor, Bohong, yes, all his hopes Bolos and Bobos.
Take for example, as reported in malaysiakini, the former AG and now Chairperson of Suhakam, Aby Talib, had to chide the Chief Justice for not stopping the rot in th judicial system where judges have not been able to come up with written judgement.
Abu Talib said : “It’s entirely up to the CJ (chief justice) to move (on this). (Stemming) the rot is in his hands. It’s (only a matter of) whether he wants to exercise the powers or not.”
In other words, the Chief Justice is, as he ought to be, responsible for stopping the rot in the system he heads. Has he?
And if not, what does the Chief Justice do – instead he attempts to introduce Syariah laws into our civil courts, by arguing that common laws should be done away with.
That’s an example of Dr Mahathir’s Boleh degenerating into ….. you choose which of the ‘Bo…’ would be appropriate.
Remember that police inspector who was supposed to interrogate Tian Chua, and was made to look like a bloody fool by the PKR Info Chief?
Another non-Boleh, if we need to use that terrible word of ‘non’.
Abu Talib also criticized our dear wonderful AG, Gani Patail – I needn’t say anything more as I had said enough.
And as for the IGP – is he Boleh? In a way I suppose he is, because under his watch, he Boleh allow the crime rate to shoot through the ceiling, into the highest stats ever seen in our nation’s history – now, that’s most certainly a record for the Malaysian Book of Records!
And of course, according to the Boleh logic of Boleh-land the government has, as always, rewarded such ‘Bo… Eong’ people like the IGP.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Malaysian Christian Taliban?
Bloke wrote a letter in to malaysiakini titled Keep out the corrupt and the gay.
He started his missive with “There are two things I find disturbing in Malaysia. Both relate to the inability of some people to accept reality. They live in their own delusional world like the proverbial ‘emperor with no clothes’ and merely parade their shameful nakedness.”
I don’t have problems with his first thing, but his venom in the second shocked me, this so-called Christian who is supposed to turn his other cheek as Jesus had instructed him to.
He ranted against “the attempts to turn Christianity into some kind of gay circus. The apologists and ‘spinmeisters’ for a gay church paint those who oppose their heresy as unthinking, unkind and uncool Christians who don't know what they are opposing.”
The unmitigated homophobe raved: "Let me speak plainly. Christianity is not a new fad that needs anyone to think about how it should be practised. It isn’t as if it is a fledgling faith that needs fine-tuning and has teething problems to be sorted out especially in its opposition to sins including homosexuality.”
So 'no fine tuning' required eh?
I thought there was a bloke who did just that, by the name of Paul (or was it Saul?), then Martin Luther, then ........ oh, don’t forget that first bloke who started it all, by the name of Eashoa' ben Yôsēp̄ or Yeshua ben Yusuf, otherwise known as Jesus son of Joseph.
Weren’t they all changers and innovators of God's religion? So I would ask of the author to stop his blasphemy.
God as the Christians believe Him, is the Creator of all, and I dare say, including gays or homosexuals and lesbians. ‘All’ means all - one cannot cherrypick for God according to one’s personal (human or mortal) prejudice.
And the reason why gays congregate together, even in a church of their own, has been and is because they have been ostracised, not unlike lepers, unwanted by people like Steve Oh, the author of that homophobic letter.
And I would tell Steve Oh to stop speaking on behalf of God, who incidentally has refused to talk to anyone since Yeshua ben Yusuf died on the cross for humanity, including unfortunately Steve Oh and his ilk.
Learn to love before you can claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ!
He started his missive with “There are two things I find disturbing in Malaysia. Both relate to the inability of some people to accept reality. They live in their own delusional world like the proverbial ‘emperor with no clothes’ and merely parade their shameful nakedness.”
I don’t have problems with his first thing, but his venom in the second shocked me, this so-called Christian who is supposed to turn his other cheek as Jesus had instructed him to.
He ranted against “the attempts to turn Christianity into some kind of gay circus. The apologists and ‘spinmeisters’ for a gay church paint those who oppose their heresy as unthinking, unkind and uncool Christians who don't know what they are opposing.”
The unmitigated homophobe raved: "Let me speak plainly. Christianity is not a new fad that needs anyone to think about how it should be practised. It isn’t as if it is a fledgling faith that needs fine-tuning and has teething problems to be sorted out especially in its opposition to sins including homosexuality.”
So 'no fine tuning' required eh?
I thought there was a bloke who did just that, by the name of Paul (or was it Saul?), then Martin Luther, then ........ oh, don’t forget that first bloke who started it all, by the name of Eashoa' ben Yôsēp̄ or Yeshua ben Yusuf, otherwise known as Jesus son of Joseph.
Weren’t they all changers and innovators of God's religion? So I would ask of the author to stop his blasphemy.
God as the Christians believe Him, is the Creator of all, and I dare say, including gays or homosexuals and lesbians. ‘All’ means all - one cannot cherrypick for God according to one’s personal (human or mortal) prejudice.
And the reason why gays congregate together, even in a church of their own, has been and is because they have been ostracised, not unlike lepers, unwanted by people like Steve Oh, the author of that homophobic letter.
And I would tell Steve Oh to stop speaking on behalf of God, who incidentally has refused to talk to anyone since Yeshua ben Yusuf died on the cross for humanity, including unfortunately Steve Oh and his ilk.
Learn to love before you can claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ!
Chief Justice adopting Syariah laws for civil courts by stealth?
In a malaysiakini news article on judges who delay written judgments, former AG and now (Suhakam) chairperson Abu Talib Othman stated:
“It’s entirely up to the CJ (chief justice) to move (on this). (Stemming) the rot is in his hands. It’s (only a matter of) whether he wants to exercise the powers or not.”
The malaysiakini news was appropriately titled Abu Talib: Up to CJ to stop judicial rot.
It’s a pity Abu Talib didn’t tell the Chief Justice to also cease and desist in his attempt by stealth to introduce Syariah laws into our civil courts.
A few days ago, the Chief Justice had, I believe, ‘tested the waters’ by airing his thoughts that there was no need to use English common law after 50 years of independence, suggesting another procedure as a substitute.
He didn’t mention what the other procedure would be.
I believe it was Param Cumaraswamy, a former UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and also former chairman of the Malaysian Bar Association, who rejected the CJ’s suggestion, saying the Malaysian legal system has over the years developed a local flavour to the ‘common laws’ inherited from the British, and therefore there was no need to tamper with the current system.
Today, The Star Online let the cat out of the CJ’s bag when it quoted Dr Abdullah Zin, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (for religious affairs) praising the CJ’s proposal to use Syariah law to replace English common law in court. Abdullah Zin said that Syariah law gives importance to justice.
He added that the CJ’s proposal to proceedings should be studied thoroughly first and, if approved, should be done in stages. He believed that it would also be a further development for Syariah law in the country in addition to introducing a uniform Syariah law in all states.
Needless to say, our dear Attorney-General, the one who recently instructed the ACA, over whom he had no authority, to stop corruption investigations into two top law officers, also responded positively to the CJ’s proposal.
All these seemed to be coordinated and graduated steps in the government’s intention to introduce Syariah laws into the civil courts, bearing in mind the recent assertion by the DPM that Malaysia is an Islamic nation.
Hey, all PAS has to do is to sit quietly and let UMNO do all the work of turning Malaysia into a full-fledged Islamic nation with Syariah and Huddud laws - PAS' dream is about to be realised, courtesy of UMNO.
And weren’t some UMNO members touting the so-called ‘social contract’ we were supposed to have? Did that ‘social contract’ plan for the introduction of Syariah laws into our civil legal system?
Amin!
“It’s entirely up to the CJ (chief justice) to move (on this). (Stemming) the rot is in his hands. It’s (only a matter of) whether he wants to exercise the powers or not.”
The malaysiakini news was appropriately titled Abu Talib: Up to CJ to stop judicial rot.
It’s a pity Abu Talib didn’t tell the Chief Justice to also cease and desist in his attempt by stealth to introduce Syariah laws into our civil courts.
A few days ago, the Chief Justice had, I believe, ‘tested the waters’ by airing his thoughts that there was no need to use English common law after 50 years of independence, suggesting another procedure as a substitute.
He didn’t mention what the other procedure would be.
I believe it was Param Cumaraswamy, a former UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and also former chairman of the Malaysian Bar Association, who rejected the CJ’s suggestion, saying the Malaysian legal system has over the years developed a local flavour to the ‘common laws’ inherited from the British, and therefore there was no need to tamper with the current system.
Today, The Star Online let the cat out of the CJ’s bag when it quoted Dr Abdullah Zin, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (for religious affairs) praising the CJ’s proposal to use Syariah law to replace English common law in court. Abdullah Zin said that Syariah law gives importance to justice.
He added that the CJ’s proposal to proceedings should be studied thoroughly first and, if approved, should be done in stages. He believed that it would also be a further development for Syariah law in the country in addition to introducing a uniform Syariah law in all states.
Needless to say, our dear Attorney-General, the one who recently instructed the ACA, over whom he had no authority, to stop corruption investigations into two top law officers, also responded positively to the CJ’s proposal.
All these seemed to be coordinated and graduated steps in the government’s intention to introduce Syariah laws into the civil courts, bearing in mind the recent assertion by the DPM that Malaysia is an Islamic nation.
Hey, all PAS has to do is to sit quietly and let UMNO do all the work of turning Malaysia into a full-fledged Islamic nation with Syariah and Huddud laws - PAS' dream is about to be realised, courtesy of UMNO.
And weren’t some UMNO members touting the so-called ‘social contract’ we were supposed to have? Did that ‘social contract’ plan for the introduction of Syariah laws into our civil legal system?
Amin!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Too little, too late, for 22!
Almost to weeks ago malaysiakini reported the tragic death of 20 bus passengers when the driver fell asleep on the wheel and allowed the vehicle to hit a road barrier while on a downhill road. It skidded off the highway, overturned and fell into a ditch.
As if that was not bad enough, we found out that the driver of a bus, 28 year old Rohizan Abu Bakar, had two outstanding arrest warrants for reckless driving, apart from 13 summonses from police. Yet he continued to drive ... his passengers to their deaths, or shall I put it more correctly, that because the responsible party or parties failed to stop him from driving which it/they should, he was thus allowed to kill them.
PM AAB blamed human error and carelessness ... really? ..., and then made the motherhood statement that authorities would carrying out an investigation for possible prosecution of those culpable ... blah blah blah ....
Mr PM, something is wrong with the system when such a driving violator can continue to ferry people around, with their lives in his hands - and he took 20 of them - latest update = 21 of them.
Whose heads should roll?
The Police?
JPJ?
CVLB?
Transport Minister?
And who's the owner of the bus company? Let's talk about vicarious responsibility and liability!
Come come, PM, elegant silence or not, let’s not make this another of your magic carpet stuff – no, not talking about Aladdin’s magic carpet, but the one you sweep all dirt under, and made them disappeared, like magic!
And if you think the system's honky dorey, well ... Tan Sri Robert Phang, chairman the Social Action Initiative Foundation, said he would file a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency for alleged malpractices by nine JPJ officers, including deputy director-general Solah Mat Hassan, who was the former enforcement chief.
He claimed that JPJ indulges in favouritism with some buses not checked for roadworthiness.
He averred: “... I do have evidence of malpractice. They have not carried out the minimal standard operating procedures which resulted in buses not meeting the requirement for roadworthiness.”
In another case, regarding another bus involved in yesterday’s early morning crash in Kelantan CVLB chairman Markiman Kobiran, in damage control, said there was no way for the board to know if that bus had been blacklisted by the department and whether to ground it.
Then a check on the JPJ website showed the bus to be on the list of blacklisted vehicles and thus should have been grounded by the CVLB, but apparently not, which was why it had the prang.
If the unnecessary deaths (in Penang) weren’t so tragic, I would have laughed at the headlines in The Star Online today, which shouts out JPJ launches Ops Bersih - it seems, to ‘clean up’ errant bus companies and drivers!
The dear Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy ordered JPJ yesterday to take immediate steps to ensure that no more lives were lost or people injured in accidents involving buses. Then the JPJ director-general claimed that his organisation was serious about the safety of road-users – try telling that to the 21 passengers who died!
... blah blah blah bus drivers should not drive more than eight hours within a 24-hour period ... blah blah blah ... within the four-hour period ...
... bus drivers with outstanding arrest warrants for traffic offences would be arrested on the spot ... bs bs bs ... traffic police will also ... bs bs bs ... on suspended driving licences and outstanding arrest warrants ...
‘Tis a case of closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted!
But I believe it's worse that that - it's just sandiwara, or play acting until the horrors of the tragedy fade away in our short lived memory, before it's back to 'biz-ness' again!
But the evil of such criminal busing negligence may be only the tip of an iceberg!
As if that was not bad enough, we found out that the driver of a bus, 28 year old Rohizan Abu Bakar, had two outstanding arrest warrants for reckless driving, apart from 13 summonses from police. Yet he continued to drive ... his passengers to their deaths, or shall I put it more correctly, that because the responsible party or parties failed to stop him from driving which it/they should, he was thus allowed to kill them.
PM AAB blamed human error and carelessness ... really? ..., and then made the motherhood statement that authorities would carrying out an investigation for possible prosecution of those culpable ... blah blah blah ....
Mr PM, something is wrong with the system when such a driving violator can continue to ferry people around, with their lives in his hands - and he took 20 of them - latest update = 21 of them.
Whose heads should roll?
The Police?
JPJ?
CVLB?
Transport Minister?
And who's the owner of the bus company? Let's talk about vicarious responsibility and liability!
Come come, PM, elegant silence or not, let’s not make this another of your magic carpet stuff – no, not talking about Aladdin’s magic carpet, but the one you sweep all dirt under, and made them disappeared, like magic!
And if you think the system's honky dorey, well ... Tan Sri Robert Phang, chairman the Social Action Initiative Foundation, said he would file a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency for alleged malpractices by nine JPJ officers, including deputy director-general Solah Mat Hassan, who was the former enforcement chief.
He claimed that JPJ indulges in favouritism with some buses not checked for roadworthiness.
He averred: “... I do have evidence of malpractice. They have not carried out the minimal standard operating procedures which resulted in buses not meeting the requirement for roadworthiness.”
In another case, regarding another bus involved in yesterday’s early morning crash in Kelantan CVLB chairman Markiman Kobiran, in damage control, said there was no way for the board to know if that bus had been blacklisted by the department and whether to ground it.
Then a check on the JPJ website showed the bus to be on the list of blacklisted vehicles and thus should have been grounded by the CVLB, but apparently not, which was why it had the prang.
If the unnecessary deaths (in Penang) weren’t so tragic, I would have laughed at the headlines in The Star Online today, which shouts out JPJ launches Ops Bersih - it seems, to ‘clean up’ errant bus companies and drivers!
The dear Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy ordered JPJ yesterday to take immediate steps to ensure that no more lives were lost or people injured in accidents involving buses. Then the JPJ director-general claimed that his organisation was serious about the safety of road-users – try telling that to the 21 passengers who died!
... blah blah blah bus drivers should not drive more than eight hours within a 24-hour period ... blah blah blah ... within the four-hour period ...
... bus drivers with outstanding arrest warrants for traffic offences would be arrested on the spot ... bs bs bs ... traffic police will also ... bs bs bs ... on suspended driving licences and outstanding arrest warrants ...
‘Tis a case of closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted!
But I believe it's worse that that - it's just sandiwara, or play acting until the horrors of the tragedy fade away in our short lived memory, before it's back to 'biz-ness' again!
But the evil of such criminal busing negligence may be only the tip of an iceberg!
50th Merdeka - Shall we fly the flag then? (3)
A letter to malaysiakini, obviously by a Sarawakian, said (just an extract):
Sarawakians are very unhappy with the goings-on in the Peninsula where the politicians there appear to have nothing else on their minds except to harp on racial and political superiority. Sarawakians dread the day when Umno, MCA or even the toothless MIC set foot on our shores.
No, it's not just limited to racial issues - just read my post Decorated soldier living in squatter hut over at BolehTalk to see how our government has treated our former soldiers who hailed from Sarawak.
Sarawakians are very unhappy with the goings-on in the Peninsula where the politicians there appear to have nothing else on their minds except to harp on racial and political superiority. Sarawakians dread the day when Umno, MCA or even the toothless MIC set foot on our shores.
No, it's not just limited to racial issues - just read my post Decorated soldier living in squatter hut over at BolehTalk to see how our government has treated our former soldiers who hailed from Sarawak.
By contrast, remember that former railway guard now UMNO untouchable-by-law with his illegally built palace in Klang? Then, there's the 32 year old who received an unsecure loan of RM9+ million! The obscene list of contrast goes on ...
It's sickening when a decorated soldier, unlike those protected wonders, has to slum it out in a squatter area.........
If we cannot look after our servicemen who had looked after us, should we be celebrating Merdeka at end of this month?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru
If you treat your votes like peanuts, you get monkeys
Lim made repeated attempts to refer the Jasin MP to the Privileges Committee for probe, but failed. Of course Lim would fail when the PM couldn't, didn't, wouldn't even reprimand Cyclops.
What do you expect? That’s why I call Parliament one BIG MONKEY HOUSE with an unmitigated clown like Cyclops – pity the opposition had to be there.
Then that same year in July, I posted another simian business - read Monkey Business in Big Monkey House yourself - it’s just sickening to see how Cyclops misused the monkey house to gorilla-shove his fractious chagrin by accusing his nemesis, director-general Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid, of corruption.
Lim KS pointed out that Cyclops had personal financial interest in the issue,and cited Standing Order 35(6) which stipulates “a Member [of the Monkey House] shall not speak in any matter in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest without disclosing the extent of that interest.”
He accused Cyclops of violating that Standing Orders and committed a breach of Monkey House privilege when he failed to declare his pecuniary interest in the issue.
In May this year I was forced to post MP's menstruation mesmerised motherless monkeys. I sure we all still recall the shameless bocor business.
Today, one of my faves at malaysiakini, Dean Johns, has a new article titled Monkey business as usual
Dean wrote: Umno Youth deputy head Khairy kicked it off by characterising bloggers as monkeys. Then Wee Meng Cheng, a Malaysian mass-communications student at Taiwan’s Ming Chuan University created total uproar by monkeying-around with the national anthem in a satirical rap video he created and displayed on YouTube.
- paraphrasing, and with apologies to, James Goldsmith
Last year in May I posted Cyclops in Monkey House where I stated that there had been monkey business in the Big Monkey House. Mohd Said Yusof otherwise known as the Cyclops was allowed to behave like an unruly sexist monkey in Parliament the zoo.
The ape made a sexist remark against DAP’s Chong Eng, but was allowed to get away scot free with his ugly unparliamentary behaviour. Opposition leader Lim KS invoked the standing order against Cyclop's sexist and offensive remarks, but no action was taken.
Additionally Lim blasted Cyclops after the latter’s confession he had asked the Malacca Customs and Excise Department to ‘close one eye’ and release a consignment of seized illegal sawn timber. Cyclops also misled parliament without any consequences.
In any western democracy a politician who mislead parliament would have to resign; in Japan they commit sepukku (ritual suicide). In Malaysia, they jabbered around triumphantly as if they had scored points, like the apes they could only be.
The ape made a sexist remark against DAP’s Chong Eng, but was allowed to get away scot free with his ugly unparliamentary behaviour. Opposition leader Lim KS invoked the standing order against Cyclop's sexist and offensive remarks, but no action was taken.
Additionally Lim blasted Cyclops after the latter’s confession he had asked the Malacca Customs and Excise Department to ‘close one eye’ and release a consignment of seized illegal sawn timber. Cyclops also misled parliament without any consequences.
In any western democracy a politician who mislead parliament would have to resign; in Japan they commit sepukku (ritual suicide). In Malaysia, they jabbered around triumphantly as if they had scored points, like the apes they could only be.
Lim made repeated attempts to refer the Jasin MP to the Privileges Committee for probe, but failed. Of course Lim would fail when the PM couldn't, didn't, wouldn't even reprimand Cyclops.
What do you expect? That’s why I call Parliament one BIG MONKEY HOUSE with an unmitigated clown like Cyclops – pity the opposition had to be there.
Then that same year in July, I posted another simian business - read Monkey Business in Big Monkey House yourself - it’s just sickening to see how Cyclops misused the monkey house to gorilla-shove his fractious chagrin by accusing his nemesis, director-general Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid, of corruption.
Lim KS pointed out that Cyclops had personal financial interest in the issue,and cited Standing Order 35(6) which stipulates “a Member [of the Monkey House] shall not speak in any matter in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest without disclosing the extent of that interest.”
He accused Cyclops of violating that Standing Orders and committed a breach of Monkey House privilege when he failed to declare his pecuniary interest in the issue.
In May this year I was forced to post MP's menstruation mesmerised motherless monkeys. I sure we all still recall the shameless bocor business.
Today, one of my faves at malaysiakini, Dean Johns, has a new article titled Monkey business as usual
Dean wrote: Umno Youth deputy head Khairy kicked it off by characterising bloggers as monkeys. Then Wee Meng Cheng, a Malaysian mass-communications student at Taiwan’s Ming Chuan University created total uproar by monkeying-around with the national anthem in a satirical rap video he created and displayed on YouTube.
And now the natural resources and environment ministry has announced a lifting of a 23-year ban on the export of wild monkeys, a move that in itself smacks of the customary behind-the-scenes monkey business.
Aah, yes, export licences. So long as there’s money in monyet, and no mention yet of which companies or individuals have been awarded licences or how, no wonder the plot has thus far taken five months to unfold.
Dean described eruditely the brazen double standards of the UMNO government, hounding Wee Meng Chee for his rap whilst ignoring “countless cases of alleged monkey-business involving themselves, their families, cronies, fellow political party members and the networks of functionaries operating under their patronage and protection.”
And he reminded us of a horrific outcome of the AAB government’s poor and selective enforcement of laws and regulations in last week’s crash of a non-roadworthy express bus driven by someone with 13 outstanding summonses and two arrest warrants against him.
Thanks to the moribund bureaucracy, 18 passengers werekilled murdered.
Amidst all the corruption, nepotism, cronyism, abuse of powers, maladministration sits he who sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil.
Note: The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.
Aah, yes, export licences. So long as there’s money in monyet, and no mention yet of which companies or individuals have been awarded licences or how, no wonder the plot has thus far taken five months to unfold.
Dean described eruditely the brazen double standards of the UMNO government, hounding Wee Meng Chee for his rap whilst ignoring “countless cases of alleged monkey-business involving themselves, their families, cronies, fellow political party members and the networks of functionaries operating under their patronage and protection.”
And he reminded us of a horrific outcome of the AAB government’s poor and selective enforcement of laws and regulations in last week’s crash of a non-roadworthy express bus driven by someone with 13 outstanding summonses and two arrest warrants against him.
Thanks to the moribund bureaucracy, 18 passengers were
Amidst all the corruption, nepotism, cronyism, abuse of powers, maladministration sits he who sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil.
Note: The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
AAB - keep your eyes on Police
This morning I posted PKFZ & IDR - the real priority for PM AAB where I said:
Until AAB ties down the matter of police integrity and professionalism, to ensure a law enforcing system of impeccable repute (and alongside with it, a respected ACA which reports directly to Parliament), any hope for resolution or mitigation to the various dodgy projects/developments and questionable and unaccountable public spending will just be wishful thinking.
Deal with the police (and the ACA) first - otherwise forget about improving anything else.
Now malaysiakini reports that Lim Kit Siang has asked the PM why there has been deafening silence on ex-top cop’s allegation of systemic corruption.
The ex top cop is of course Tan Sri Haniff Omar, the youngest officer ever to ascend to the Police top position, and from what I have heard, its first university graduate too.
Tan Sri Haniff bemoaned in his Sunday Star column in an article with a catchy title The fence that eats the rice (or in Malay proverb, pagar makan padi implying that the fence which had been erected to protect the rice field, meaning the police, has now turned around to devour the rice instead - work out what that means) that:
The police force and the Anti-Corruption Agency – two crucial institutions leading the fight against malpractices and corruption. Yet they are sadly disappointing in their inability to even clean up their own backyards.
TWO once greatly respected institutions have continued to remain notorious, using the word in its plain meaning but over the past 10 years for the wrong reasons.
[…]
I briefed the Royal Commission that police corruption was so extensive that a very senior ACA officer had confided in me and another top retired police officer that 40% of the senior officers could be arrested without further investigations – strictly on the basis of their lifestyles. One state police chief had a net worth of RM18mil. My friend and I had watched the force getting deeper and deeper into the morass of corruption.
It was strongly felt that the rot within the PDRM was so deep-seated that an independent, extrinsic monitoring authority was needed to help the IGP and the Police Force Commission steer back the force to the straight and narrow.
[...]
The Royal Commission Report was made public two-and-a quarter years ago, yet PDRM has still not burnished its image. It is still mired in controversy. Need I say why? It is so clearly divided into at least two groups at the top and, consequently, affects the officers below. That is why one group carries out arrests of alleged crime kingpins and the other group and the ACA have allegedly interrogated the arresting officers in the belief that the first group is eliminating the informants of the other group.
Whom can we believe when one group is headed by the IGP and the other by a police director backed by the Deputy Minister of Internal Security? They are at opposite poles. Both the IGP and the Deputy Minister of Internal Security have allegations of corruption thrown at them but both have been investigated by the ACA, the content of the reports to the AG we do not know. What we know is that the AG has absolved both of them. So, between the two, whom are we to believe?
Well ….. PM, I am glad you have ordered the mainstream media to lay off reports on the Negarakuku (as reported by malaysiakini) because I want them to focus on why you have extended Musa Hassan’s contract as the IGP for another 2 years, when his performance as a crime fighter has been abysmally disgraceful – our country is experiencing its highest crime rate ever.
What are you going to do?
Related:
Most Dangerous Place in Malaysia!
Until AAB ties down the matter of police integrity and professionalism, to ensure a law enforcing system of impeccable repute (and alongside with it, a respected ACA which reports directly to Parliament), any hope for resolution or mitigation to the various dodgy projects/developments and questionable and unaccountable public spending will just be wishful thinking.
Deal with the police (and the ACA) first - otherwise forget about improving anything else.
Now malaysiakini reports that Lim Kit Siang has asked the PM why there has been deafening silence on ex-top cop’s allegation of systemic corruption.
The ex top cop is of course Tan Sri Haniff Omar, the youngest officer ever to ascend to the Police top position, and from what I have heard, its first university graduate too.
Tan Sri Haniff bemoaned in his Sunday Star column in an article with a catchy title The fence that eats the rice (or in Malay proverb, pagar makan padi implying that the fence which had been erected to protect the rice field, meaning the police, has now turned around to devour the rice instead - work out what that means) that:
The police force and the Anti-Corruption Agency – two crucial institutions leading the fight against malpractices and corruption. Yet they are sadly disappointing in their inability to even clean up their own backyards.
TWO once greatly respected institutions have continued to remain notorious, using the word in its plain meaning but over the past 10 years for the wrong reasons.
[…]
I briefed the Royal Commission that police corruption was so extensive that a very senior ACA officer had confided in me and another top retired police officer that 40% of the senior officers could be arrested without further investigations – strictly on the basis of their lifestyles. One state police chief had a net worth of RM18mil. My friend and I had watched the force getting deeper and deeper into the morass of corruption.
It was strongly felt that the rot within the PDRM was so deep-seated that an independent, extrinsic monitoring authority was needed to help the IGP and the Police Force Commission steer back the force to the straight and narrow.
[...]
The Royal Commission Report was made public two-and-a quarter years ago, yet PDRM has still not burnished its image. It is still mired in controversy. Need I say why? It is so clearly divided into at least two groups at the top and, consequently, affects the officers below. That is why one group carries out arrests of alleged crime kingpins and the other group and the ACA have allegedly interrogated the arresting officers in the belief that the first group is eliminating the informants of the other group.
Whom can we believe when one group is headed by the IGP and the other by a police director backed by the Deputy Minister of Internal Security? They are at opposite poles. Both the IGP and the Deputy Minister of Internal Security have allegations of corruption thrown at them but both have been investigated by the ACA, the content of the reports to the AG we do not know. What we know is that the AG has absolved both of them. So, between the two, whom are we to believe?
Well ….. PM, I am glad you have ordered the mainstream media to lay off reports on the Negarakuku (as reported by malaysiakini) because I want them to focus on why you have extended Musa Hassan’s contract as the IGP for another 2 years, when his performance as a crime fighter has been abysmally disgraceful – our country is experiencing its highest crime rate ever.
What are you going to do?
Related:
Most Dangerous Place in Malaysia!
PKFZ & IDR - the real priority for PM AAB
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where ..." said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," said the Cat.
In malaysiakini, the news article Jitters over PKFZ extends to IDR has Shahrir Samad chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and one of the better UMNO MPs, acknowledging that the dodginess surrounding the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) development could well affect investors’ confidence in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR).
Nothing is more contagiously well spread than the notoriety of a country’s lack of governance in its development.
The IDR is of course AAB’s baby, and whoever had mismanaged the development of the PKFZ to come out with such a gargantuan cost overrun – yes, as they said in Godzilla, ‘size matters' – hasn’t done him any favour.
I am not normally bloodthirsty but I like to see some heads roll (for once), but the correct head please – we want none of those Tantric stuff where the sacrificial goat to appease the angry gods would turn out to be a young student studying in Taiwan.
AAB is obviously hoping for investments from those rich Gulf Arabs but unfortunately for him, the Dubai-based Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) which was appointed earlier to manage and market PKFZ, pulled out of a 15-year contract with its owner Port Klang Authority (PKA) last month because of ... well .. the word that has to be used is ... dodginess.
malaysiakini tells us that media reports indicated disagreements between Jafza and PKA over issues of red tape, inaccuracies in the minutes of meetings and attempted tax evasion. Oh oh, if true, then PKA had been very naughty in the last two issues.
Shahrir said the investor community in Dubai is small and developments affecting some of its members would be known by others. He conceded that what had happened in Port Klang would raise questions in the minds of investors about governance for the IDR.
Hey, we are talking about billions here, not chickenfeed stuff. And the concerns may not be just confined to Dubai investors. Investors from other countries would now be equally wary.
Therefore, it’s no point to sembelih (slaughter) just a ‘Wee’ sacrifice – the angry gods and cautious investors would want a Godzilla-ish offering.
And an important note to AAB, you can’t have a corrupt free country until you sort out (1) the government investigators (ACA) who thus far have worked in mysterious ways and (2) the law enforcers who admittedly are good at firing water cannons ... er ... at opposition protestors.
To help AAB understand what I mean. Here’s an extract from another malaysiakini article by Kim Quek:
........ also raises questions about the indecent haste in extending the tenure of IGP Musa Hassan.
The PM announced this on July 2 although Musa (photo) was still under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for alleged corruption and links with underworld kingpins.
As late as July 10, Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum had expressed dissatisfaction with explanations provided by the police.
So why was the PM - also internal security minister - so impatient to make such an important decision when the IGP was not due to retire until mid-September? By rushing the announcement, didn’t the PM pre-empt the ACA and his deputy in the ministry?
It appears doubtful that the PM had advised the King in advance about extending the IGP’s tenure.
The AG subsequently cleared the IGP and two other top officials - former ACA director-general Zulkipli Mat Nor and Johari - of various allegations of corruption and abuse of power - but this has done nothing to remove the stigma because the explanations lacked credibility.
I hope the King insists on an independent inquiry into the various allegations made against the IGP prior to his re-appointment. It is absolutely imperative that the person appointed as IGP should be of unquestionable integrity and competence.
Please also see my related post on Saturday, What's AAB up to, extending Musa Hassan's service?
Until AAB ties down the matter of police integrity and professionalism, to ensure a law enforcing system of impeccable repute (and alongside with it, a respected ACA which reports directly to Parliament), any hope for resolution or mitigation to the various dodgy projects/developments and questionable and unacountable public spending will just be wishful thinking.
Deal with the police (and the ACA) first - otherwise forget about improving anything else.
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where ..." said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," said the Cat.
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Chapter 6
In malaysiakini, the news article Jitters over PKFZ extends to IDR has Shahrir Samad chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and one of the better UMNO MPs, acknowledging that the dodginess surrounding the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) development could well affect investors’ confidence in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR).
Nothing is more contagiously well spread than the notoriety of a country’s lack of governance in its development.
The IDR is of course AAB’s baby, and whoever had mismanaged the development of the PKFZ to come out with such a gargantuan cost overrun – yes, as they said in Godzilla, ‘size matters' – hasn’t done him any favour.
I am not normally bloodthirsty but I like to see some heads roll (for once), but the correct head please – we want none of those Tantric stuff where the sacrificial goat to appease the angry gods would turn out to be a young student studying in Taiwan.
AAB is obviously hoping for investments from those rich Gulf Arabs but unfortunately for him, the Dubai-based Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) which was appointed earlier to manage and market PKFZ, pulled out of a 15-year contract with its owner Port Klang Authority (PKA) last month because of ... well .. the word that has to be used is ... dodginess.
malaysiakini tells us that media reports indicated disagreements between Jafza and PKA over issues of red tape, inaccuracies in the minutes of meetings and attempted tax evasion. Oh oh, if true, then PKA had been very naughty in the last two issues.
Shahrir said the investor community in Dubai is small and developments affecting some of its members would be known by others. He conceded that what had happened in Port Klang would raise questions in the minds of investors about governance for the IDR.
Hey, we are talking about billions here, not chickenfeed stuff. And the concerns may not be just confined to Dubai investors. Investors from other countries would now be equally wary.
Therefore, it’s no point to sembelih (slaughter) just a ‘Wee’ sacrifice – the angry gods and cautious investors would want a Godzilla-ish offering.
And an important note to AAB, you can’t have a corrupt free country until you sort out (1) the government investigators (ACA) who thus far have worked in mysterious ways and (2) the law enforcers who admittedly are good at firing water cannons ... er ... at opposition protestors.
To help AAB understand what I mean. Here’s an extract from another malaysiakini article by Kim Quek:
........ also raises questions about the indecent haste in extending the tenure of IGP Musa Hassan.
The PM announced this on July 2 although Musa (photo) was still under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for alleged corruption and links with underworld kingpins.
As late as July 10, Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum had expressed dissatisfaction with explanations provided by the police.
So why was the PM - also internal security minister - so impatient to make such an important decision when the IGP was not due to retire until mid-September? By rushing the announcement, didn’t the PM pre-empt the ACA and his deputy in the ministry?
It appears doubtful that the PM had advised the King in advance about extending the IGP’s tenure.
The AG subsequently cleared the IGP and two other top officials - former ACA director-general Zulkipli Mat Nor and Johari - of various allegations of corruption and abuse of power - but this has done nothing to remove the stigma because the explanations lacked credibility.
I hope the King insists on an independent inquiry into the various allegations made against the IGP prior to his re-appointment. It is absolutely imperative that the person appointed as IGP should be of unquestionable integrity and competence.
Please also see my related post on Saturday, What's AAB up to, extending Musa Hassan's service?
Until AAB ties down the matter of police integrity and professionalism, to ensure a law enforcing system of impeccable repute (and alongside with it, a respected ACA which reports directly to Parliament), any hope for resolution or mitigation to the various dodgy projects/developments and questionable and unacountable public spending will just be wishful thinking.
Deal with the police (and the ACA) first - otherwise forget about improving anything else.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Malaysia's most destabilizing political factor
'Negarakuku': MCMC launches probe, headlined malaysiakini. The report continues as follows:
MCMC director Abdul Halim said the case has set a precedent as the subject of the investigation is overseas. Wee, 24, is a university student in Taiwan.
“We will complete the investigation papers. We have to record statements from the relevant parties,” he said, adding that Wee’s family members are expected to be interviewed as well.
I won’t defend Wee for his action though I have often said it’s too insignificant an issue and not worth all the government efforts which could be better expended in crime amelioration.
But why continue to harass Wee’s family? Leave them alone. If the MCMC needs to interview anyone, go to Taiwan and interview Wee Jnr, the bloke who rapped Negarakuku, but not his parents or other family members.
Every time UMNO has a change of leader - whether at the very pinnacle, or at State level, or the worst, in the Youth Wing - or when they are challenged within their own party, or feel they are about to be shifted out of their position by their party, or some form of election is around the corner, those leaders or wannabe leaders would show or strive to show their ethnic credentials.
Remember the ‘Pivotal race’ MB, Najib, Hishamuddin & his keris, Hang Adnan Hulubalang, tebuans, May 13 book and the SIL?
This bigoted grandstanding is the most destabilizing factor in Malaysian politics. Those UMNO personalities would bruise anyone, friends or foes, in their campaign. Ask Raja Bodek of Penang, favourite bum boy the MCA. What we are witnessing for young Wee and his hapless family is part of that grandstanding nonsense.
I am dreading the moment when Hishamuddin goes for the VP post while SIL for the Youth No 1 - if you think this (Negarakuku saga) is bad, just wait for those two 'climbers' to begin acting. And the most traumatic bout of bigotry to be expected would be when AAB retires or gets ousted.
… collateral damage for everyone else. Ain’t no ‘wee’ matter.
MCMC director Abdul Halim said the case has set a precedent as the subject of the investigation is overseas. Wee, 24, is a university student in Taiwan.
“We will complete the investigation papers. We have to record statements from the relevant parties,” he said, adding that Wee’s family members are expected to be interviewed as well.
I won’t defend Wee for his action though I have often said it’s too insignificant an issue and not worth all the government efforts which could be better expended in crime amelioration.
But why continue to harass Wee’s family? Leave them alone. If the MCMC needs to interview anyone, go to Taiwan and interview Wee Jnr, the bloke who rapped Negarakuku, but not his parents or other family members.
Every time UMNO has a change of leader - whether at the very pinnacle, or at State level, or the worst, in the Youth Wing - or when they are challenged within their own party, or feel they are about to be shifted out of their position by their party, or some form of election is around the corner, those leaders or wannabe leaders would show or strive to show their ethnic credentials.
Remember the ‘Pivotal race’ MB, Najib, Hishamuddin & his keris, Hang Adnan Hulubalang, tebuans, May 13 book and the SIL?
This bigoted grandstanding is the most destabilizing factor in Malaysian politics. Those UMNO personalities would bruise anyone, friends or foes, in their campaign. Ask Raja Bodek of Penang, favourite bum boy the MCA. What we are witnessing for young Wee and his hapless family is part of that grandstanding nonsense.
I am dreading the moment when Hishamuddin goes for the VP post while SIL for the Youth No 1 - if you think this (Negarakuku saga) is bad, just wait for those two 'climbers' to begin acting. And the most traumatic bout of bigotry to be expected would be when AAB retires or gets ousted.
… collateral damage for everyone else. Ain’t no ‘wee’ matter.
MCA or DAP - the Chinese dilemma
Late last year I posted Unaccountable UMNO un-votable! where I wrote:
Each time UMNO has internal problems, it would resort to its usual formula of kicking Chinese Malaysians about like a punching bag, including and especially its so-called partner MCA. They followed Joseph Goebbels dictum that "propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred."
Observe the Negarakuku saga. I also penned:
Remember the world's most famous SIL who used a racist attack against Chinese Malaysians to disguise his 9.2 million reasons? And of course UMNO leaders would never ever apologise to lesser beings.
Chinese Malaysians are not only convenient but natural 'targets' for UMNO leaders because they have already indoctrinated their members to be suspicious of those greedy rapacious Chinese, whom only UMNO leaders could keep in check!
And every time UMNO bashed Chinese Malaysians for its own interest, the DAP would benefit at the MCA’s expense. UMNO didn't and wouldn't gave a damn about pulling the rug from under the feet of its so-called ally! Besides, it'd teach those MCA blokes to know their place if a few of them were to lose their seats.
UMNO doesn’t want a strong MCA – see how it has effectively split the Chinese Penangites by use of Raja Bodek and his bodek-ites.
But as I have posted often, MCA’s greatest foe (in terms of undermining its political credibility) has been UMNO and not the DAP. And UMNO wants it that way too, to keep a MCA nicely bonsai-ed. Its bonsai-ing tools are in fact the DAP and the Gerakan Party. The Chinese community has unwittingly contributed to the bonsai-ing.
… which is why I wrote that UMNO is the MCA’s greatest political enemy and by default the DAP's best friend - see my previous posting Collaterally damaged MCA in damage control and SUPP & MCA - Mutes stung by hornets.
Therefore voting against the MCA … wouldn't worry UMNO.
Today, in malaysiakini, reporting on the MCA annual general meet, we hear the MCA appeal to the Chinese community.
MCA president Ong KT told the Chinese to be united in supporting the BN through the MCA so that the Chinese voice can be heard in cabinet. Ong contrasted the MCA’s bargaining power within the cabinet post-1969 (leading to May 13) and post-1999 (following the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim from UMNO and the deep division within the Malays).
The former (1969) saw the near annihilation of the MCA which had the late Tun Dr Ismail speaking of the Chinese-based party as ‘mati ta’mahu, hidup pun segan’ (loosely translated as ‘neither dead nor alive), while the latter saw a more grateful Dr Mahathir who retained government with a strong majority with the strong support of the Chinese votes.
I have to agree somewhat with what Ong say, that one of the reasons why the MCA been viewed as gutless and pathetic by the Chinese is its poor bargaining power in the government. In many ways, it survives for years as a political entity only because UMNO saw some use for the MCA.
And guess who is to blame for the MCA’s weak position?
Yes, the Chinese themselves!
The Chinese may argue that the MCA is corrupt – and that’s a valid point.
The MCA would counter argue that, notwithstanding the public perception of some of its members being corrupt (and which party in power does not have corrupt members?), the MCA has done many good for the Chinese community.
Unfortunately, in political life, the voters very seldom remember the good but usually the bad ;-) and that’s a fact of life, so the MCA just have to get use to that. And who better to prove that point than the DAP – remember 1999?
Ong accused the DAP of only capable of causing ‘racial tension’, and if the Chinese community votes in a powerful DAP, it will put the Malays in the ruling coalition and Chinese in opposition, a very nasty confrontational stuation.
Obviously Ong has been mindful of the Merdeka Centre survey which shows that 2 out of 3 Chinese will vote for the opposition (though this wasn’t evident in Machap and Ijok) and the recent ascendency of the DAP in Kuching at the expense of the SUPP.
Additionally, the recent antics of UMNO (at UMNO general assembly, Zainuddin Maidin’s attack against a Chinese war memorial, SIL and Hishamuddin rants, corruption allegations, toll fee hike, Negarakuku, etc) have humiliated and hurt the Chinese.
And the Chinese convenient punching bag, as usual, has been the MCA.
The last time the MCA had some backbone and openly voiced its opposition to an UMNO policy was in 1987, when it joined the Gerakan Party and the DAP to object to the Education Ministry appointing 100 non-Mandarin educated senior assistants and principals to vernacular Chinese schools. The Education Minister was a bloke by the name of, would you believe, Anwar Ibrahim.
Following the MCA-Gerakan-DAP nexus of 'rebellion' a la Shaolin Temple, and UMNO Youth's threatened intemperate response, the government launched Operation Lalang, not unlike the preemptive razing of Shaolin Temple by Manchu troops as happened in Chinese history.
Well, come the next election, it’s not only a MCA dilemma but the Chinese community’s as well - should it vote for a trusted but confrontational DAP or a distrusted but inside-the-government MCA. I am talking about the federal level so the usual Penang formula of 'sending DAP to KL to make noise, but keeping BN at home for local development' won't answer this issue.
Related:
Stung by hornet, mute as only MCA can be
Each time UMNO has internal problems, it would resort to its usual formula of kicking Chinese Malaysians about like a punching bag, including and especially its so-called partner MCA. They followed Joseph Goebbels dictum that "propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred."
Observe the Negarakuku saga. I also penned:
Remember the world's most famous SIL who used a racist attack against Chinese Malaysians to disguise his 9.2 million reasons? And of course UMNO leaders would never ever apologise to lesser beings.
Chinese Malaysians are not only convenient but natural 'targets' for UMNO leaders because they have already indoctrinated their members to be suspicious of those greedy rapacious Chinese, whom only UMNO leaders could keep in check!
And every time UMNO bashed Chinese Malaysians for its own interest, the DAP would benefit at the MCA’s expense. UMNO didn't and wouldn't gave a damn about pulling the rug from under the feet of its so-called ally! Besides, it'd teach those MCA blokes to know their place if a few of them were to lose their seats.
UMNO doesn’t want a strong MCA – see how it has effectively split the Chinese Penangites by use of Raja Bodek and his bodek-ites.
But as I have posted often, MCA’s greatest foe (in terms of undermining its political credibility) has been UMNO and not the DAP. And UMNO wants it that way too, to keep a MCA nicely bonsai-ed. Its bonsai-ing tools are in fact the DAP and the Gerakan Party. The Chinese community has unwittingly contributed to the bonsai-ing.
… which is why I wrote that UMNO is the MCA’s greatest political enemy and by default the DAP's best friend - see my previous posting Collaterally damaged MCA in damage control and SUPP & MCA - Mutes stung by hornets.
Therefore voting against the MCA … wouldn't worry UMNO.
Today, in malaysiakini, reporting on the MCA annual general meet, we hear the MCA appeal to the Chinese community.
MCA president Ong KT told the Chinese to be united in supporting the BN through the MCA so that the Chinese voice can be heard in cabinet. Ong contrasted the MCA’s bargaining power within the cabinet post-1969 (leading to May 13) and post-1999 (following the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim from UMNO and the deep division within the Malays).
The former (1969) saw the near annihilation of the MCA which had the late Tun Dr Ismail speaking of the Chinese-based party as ‘mati ta’mahu, hidup pun segan’ (loosely translated as ‘neither dead nor alive), while the latter saw a more grateful Dr Mahathir who retained government with a strong majority with the strong support of the Chinese votes.
I have to agree somewhat with what Ong say, that one of the reasons why the MCA been viewed as gutless and pathetic by the Chinese is its poor bargaining power in the government. In many ways, it survives for years as a political entity only because UMNO saw some use for the MCA.
And guess who is to blame for the MCA’s weak position?
Yes, the Chinese themselves!
The Chinese may argue that the MCA is corrupt – and that’s a valid point.
The MCA would counter argue that, notwithstanding the public perception of some of its members being corrupt (and which party in power does not have corrupt members?), the MCA has done many good for the Chinese community.
Unfortunately, in political life, the voters very seldom remember the good but usually the bad ;-) and that’s a fact of life, so the MCA just have to get use to that. And who better to prove that point than the DAP – remember 1999?
Ong accused the DAP of only capable of causing ‘racial tension’, and if the Chinese community votes in a powerful DAP, it will put the Malays in the ruling coalition and Chinese in opposition, a very nasty confrontational stuation.
Obviously Ong has been mindful of the Merdeka Centre survey which shows that 2 out of 3 Chinese will vote for the opposition (though this wasn’t evident in Machap and Ijok) and the recent ascendency of the DAP in Kuching at the expense of the SUPP.
Additionally, the recent antics of UMNO (at UMNO general assembly, Zainuddin Maidin’s attack against a Chinese war memorial, SIL and Hishamuddin rants, corruption allegations, toll fee hike, Negarakuku, etc) have humiliated and hurt the Chinese.
And the Chinese convenient punching bag, as usual, has been the MCA.
The last time the MCA had some backbone and openly voiced its opposition to an UMNO policy was in 1987, when it joined the Gerakan Party and the DAP to object to the Education Ministry appointing 100 non-Mandarin educated senior assistants and principals to vernacular Chinese schools. The Education Minister was a bloke by the name of, would you believe, Anwar Ibrahim.
Following the MCA-Gerakan-DAP nexus of 'rebellion' a la Shaolin Temple, and UMNO Youth's threatened intemperate response, the government launched Operation Lalang, not unlike the preemptive razing of Shaolin Temple by Manchu troops as happened in Chinese history.
Well, come the next election, it’s not only a MCA dilemma but the Chinese community’s as well - should it vote for a trusted but confrontational DAP or a distrusted but inside-the-government MCA. I am talking about the federal level so the usual Penang formula of 'sending DAP to KL to make noise, but keeping BN at home for local development' won't answer this issue.
Related:
Stung by hornet, mute as only MCA can be
Sunday, August 19, 2007
KJ & MCA - malaysiakini & Star
Yesterday I posted Wee & the wee weenie minds, using Wee Meng Chee’s surname (tongue in cheek) to paint (pun) the sorry affair.
Today I see the Star Online using Wee’s surname in the same play, as evident in its headline Just a wee issue, say Liow and Khairy.
Once a dear friend (or could it be a once-dear friend) informed me that the Star Online also ‘borrowed’ another of my original creations, ‘cyber-jihadist’.
Hmmm, someone at the Star Online has been reading my posts ;-) – well, they’re welcome to use kaytee’s ‘originals’ – mind you, not that the English word ‘wee’ is a kaytee original though I did start using it to illustrate Wee Meng Chee's case in Negarakuku - no longer a Wee issue.
In the Star Online news, the BN partners of UMNO and MCA have claimed it’s a ‘wee’ issue not to be blown out of proportion – hmmm, wonder who started the unnecessary escalation, leading to what must have been a traumatic experience for the poor worried parents of Wee? Mr Wee Snr would probably tell you the pressure and effect on him and his family weren’t ‘wee’ issues.
UMNO Youth No 2 Khairy Jamaluddin said in conciliatory fashion after the MCA Youth General Assembly: “There should be restraint in this matter and we must not sensationalise too much. We need to look at it rationally.”
Anyway, that’s the Star Online version. I’ll get to a different version shortly.
MCA Youth Chief Liow Tiong Lai pointed out that there should not be so much pressure exerted on Wee as he was just a student and he had already apologised. Minister of Information Zainuddin Maidin shared that same assessment very earlier in the unnessary saga, but he had the rug pulled from under his feet by his UMNO colleague, Nazri, Minister in the PM Department.
But as a face saving agreement (the Star version again) it was reported that “the two youth leaders also urged all quarters to allow the Attorney-General to look into the matter and not jump to any conclusion about what the decision would be.”
Quite frankly I don’t see what’s there for teh AG to look into. Mind you, I am not excusing or supporting Wee Meng Chee for what he had done. My stand is that it’s hardly worth the attention of the government or, even more embarrassing, the Malaysian cabinet. There are far more pressing issues for the cabinet to be attending to, like corruption, crime rate, cronyism, contractual dodginess and all the ‘c’ words you can think of.
Meanwhile, malaysiakini reported that at the MCA Youth annual meet, its Chief Liow asserted in a blustering manner that there was No 'master and slave' in BN.
He declared: “We in MCA and MCA Youth won’t be easily bullied by others, ren bu fan wo, wo bu fan ren; ren ruo fan wo, wo bi fan ren.”
According to malaysiakini, the Chinese saying loosely translates into how one who is offended would retaliate.
He added: “In the ‘BN family’, we are brothers, there is no master and slave, there is no question of who is being scared of who or whom should kowtow to whom.”
MCA knows it’s going to cop it sweet from the angry Chinese voters, especially at the Federal level. I reckon the MCA will continue to be safe in State seats though the series of UMNO provocations have well and truly tested the patience of the humiliated Chinese. Many younger Chinese are waiting to lash out, to the benefit of the DAP and perhaps PKR, or even PAS.
malaysiakini also reported differently from the Star Online as in Beh Li Yih’s Khairy ‘speechless’ over MCA Youth’s antics.
I have two things to say about this – let’s get the easy one out of the way. KJ didn’t/doesn’t understand Chinese so he had to wait for a translated copy before he could comment on Liow’s assertive declaration.
Could it be that the Star Online report, being a latter edition than malaysiakini’s embrace KJ’s opportunity to read, digest and comment on what had been said by Liow?
Or, has the Star version been the usual (sorry, I am becoming skeptical of Malaysian mainstream media) MCA euphemistic spin?
I have no doubt many of you have already formed your opinion.
On the second thing I need to say about Beh’s article, I need to qualify first of all that I rely heavily on malaysiakini news for greater accuracy and truth. But I was disappointed with Beh’s (or perhaps the editor’s) choice of headlines, which carried the impression that KJ was rendered ‘speechless’ (struck dumb) by Liow’s comments.
Now, that’s patently not true because as mentioned, KJ couldn’t comment as he didn’t understand Mandarin, the language Liow used in delivering those strong assertive words.
In fact, in the body of the news article, Beh wrote: “Despite sitting through the two-hour-long opening ceremony of the annual MCA Youth meet in Malacca today, the Umno Youth deputy leader was in the dark on the content of the MCA leaders’ speeches as they were mostly delivered in Mandarin.”
Now, as a blogger I am as guilty as anyone of sometimes dishing out juicy provocative titles (or headlines) to some of my postings – obviously to grab the readers’ attention. But a newspaper is not a blog.
So I would advise malaysiakini not to indulge in this form of sensationalising publicity – leave those flamboyant, flammable and fiery headlines to the other newspapers.
malaysiakini is currently respected by discerning readers as reliable and factual (as reasonably could be). Once a newspaper indulges too much in these sort of misleading but attention grabbing headlines, it is actually dumbing itself down, and it won’t be before long it degenerates into a one of those gossipy tabloid type.
Now I am not too sure what has been KJ’s reaction. Which news do I rely on?
Today I see the Star Online using Wee’s surname in the same play, as evident in its headline Just a wee issue, say Liow and Khairy.
Once a dear friend (or could it be a once-dear friend) informed me that the Star Online also ‘borrowed’ another of my original creations, ‘cyber-jihadist’.
Hmmm, someone at the Star Online has been reading my posts ;-) – well, they’re welcome to use kaytee’s ‘originals’ – mind you, not that the English word ‘wee’ is a kaytee original though I did start using it to illustrate Wee Meng Chee's case in Negarakuku - no longer a Wee issue.
In the Star Online news, the BN partners of UMNO and MCA have claimed it’s a ‘wee’ issue not to be blown out of proportion – hmmm, wonder who started the unnecessary escalation, leading to what must have been a traumatic experience for the poor worried parents of Wee? Mr Wee Snr would probably tell you the pressure and effect on him and his family weren’t ‘wee’ issues.
UMNO Youth No 2 Khairy Jamaluddin said in conciliatory fashion after the MCA Youth General Assembly: “There should be restraint in this matter and we must not sensationalise too much. We need to look at it rationally.”
Anyway, that’s the Star Online version. I’ll get to a different version shortly.
MCA Youth Chief Liow Tiong Lai pointed out that there should not be so much pressure exerted on Wee as he was just a student and he had already apologised. Minister of Information Zainuddin Maidin shared that same assessment very earlier in the unnessary saga, but he had the rug pulled from under his feet by his UMNO colleague, Nazri, Minister in the PM Department.
But as a face saving agreement (the Star version again) it was reported that “the two youth leaders also urged all quarters to allow the Attorney-General to look into the matter and not jump to any conclusion about what the decision would be.”
Quite frankly I don’t see what’s there for teh AG to look into. Mind you, I am not excusing or supporting Wee Meng Chee for what he had done. My stand is that it’s hardly worth the attention of the government or, even more embarrassing, the Malaysian cabinet. There are far more pressing issues for the cabinet to be attending to, like corruption, crime rate, cronyism, contractual dodginess and all the ‘c’ words you can think of.
Meanwhile, malaysiakini reported that at the MCA Youth annual meet, its Chief Liow asserted in a blustering manner that there was No 'master and slave' in BN.
He declared: “We in MCA and MCA Youth won’t be easily bullied by others, ren bu fan wo, wo bu fan ren; ren ruo fan wo, wo bi fan ren.”
According to malaysiakini, the Chinese saying loosely translates into how one who is offended would retaliate.
He added: “In the ‘BN family’, we are brothers, there is no master and slave, there is no question of who is being scared of who or whom should kowtow to whom.”
MCA knows it’s going to cop it sweet from the angry Chinese voters, especially at the Federal level. I reckon the MCA will continue to be safe in State seats though the series of UMNO provocations have well and truly tested the patience of the humiliated Chinese. Many younger Chinese are waiting to lash out, to the benefit of the DAP and perhaps PKR, or even PAS.
malaysiakini also reported differently from the Star Online as in Beh Li Yih’s Khairy ‘speechless’ over MCA Youth’s antics.
I have two things to say about this – let’s get the easy one out of the way. KJ didn’t/doesn’t understand Chinese so he had to wait for a translated copy before he could comment on Liow’s assertive declaration.
Could it be that the Star Online report, being a latter edition than malaysiakini’s embrace KJ’s opportunity to read, digest and comment on what had been said by Liow?
Or, has the Star version been the usual (sorry, I am becoming skeptical of Malaysian mainstream media) MCA euphemistic spin?
I have no doubt many of you have already formed your opinion.
On the second thing I need to say about Beh’s article, I need to qualify first of all that I rely heavily on malaysiakini news for greater accuracy and truth. But I was disappointed with Beh’s (or perhaps the editor’s) choice of headlines, which carried the impression that KJ was rendered ‘speechless’ (struck dumb) by Liow’s comments.
Now, that’s patently not true because as mentioned, KJ couldn’t comment as he didn’t understand Mandarin, the language Liow used in delivering those strong assertive words.
In fact, in the body of the news article, Beh wrote: “Despite sitting through the two-hour-long opening ceremony of the annual MCA Youth meet in Malacca today, the Umno Youth deputy leader was in the dark on the content of the MCA leaders’ speeches as they were mostly delivered in Mandarin.”
Now, as a blogger I am as guilty as anyone of sometimes dishing out juicy provocative titles (or headlines) to some of my postings – obviously to grab the readers’ attention. But a newspaper is not a blog.
So I would advise malaysiakini not to indulge in this form of sensationalising publicity – leave those flamboyant, flammable and fiery headlines to the other newspapers.
malaysiakini is currently respected by discerning readers as reliable and factual (as reasonably could be). Once a newspaper indulges too much in these sort of misleading but attention grabbing headlines, it is actually dumbing itself down, and it won’t be before long it degenerates into a one of those gossipy tabloid type.
Now I am not too sure what has been KJ’s reaction. Which news do I rely on?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
What's AAB up to, extending Musa Hassan's service?
Musa Hassan gets two-year extension, screamed malaysiakini – wow!
In case you don’t know who Musa Hassan is, it’s our dear Inspector General of Police (IGP), whom the Attorney General had recently cleared of corruption allegations raised by none other than the Deputy Minister of Internal Security. I blogged on this in Corruption allegations - AG more like Defence Attorney?
The online news portal reported: “Just three weeks after he was cleared by the attorney-general over allegations of corruption, Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan was today rewarded with a two-year contract to extend his stint as the country's top cop.”
“Musa faced Anti-Corruption Agency probe since June 18 on claims that he took RM2 million in bribe to free three criminal suspects held under the Emergency Ordinance.”
“However on July 27, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail ordered the ACA to close its investigation into the allegation.”
It must be a mark of the PM concurrently the Minister of Internal Security’s ‘confidence’ in him that the contract was extended, though not entirely unpredictable despite and inspite of the controversies surroounding Musa Hassan - hmmm, maybe ‘understandable’ as theruling par.. government wants a steady hand at the helm of the law enforcers in the fast approaching general election.
Of course a man, even one in such a position as the IGP, is always innocent until proveninnoce.. guilty. And therefore we must not judge the extension of his service on these mere allegations which our superb AG had dismissed.
In fact, as malaysiakini pointed out, the AG ordered the ACA to close its investigation into the allegation. The dear AG issued this instruction even though he had/has diddly squat authority to instruct the ACA – such has been the AG’s confidence in the IGP's innocence that he (the AG) was willing to ignore proper lines of command and control - 11 out of 10 for sheer initiative.
Please also read my earlier post AG - millstone around government's neck in election?, where an unfriendly and difficult Lim Guan Eng, the DAP secretary-general, asked the AG to make public the investigation papers into Musa Hassan, to prove that a thorough probe had been conducted in accordance with the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.
We heard also from malaysiakini that Transparency International Malaysia, an anti-corruption watchdog, has demanded full public disclosure of the basis for the government’s (meaning the AG, Gani Patail’s) dismissal of corruption allegations against two high ranking officials, one of whom has been the IGP.
Has anyone heard of the AG responding to the requests by Mr Lim’s and Transparency International Malaysia?
NO? Hmmm, ………….
But let’s examine the merit of the extension on other grounds, and never those allegations which the AG has courageously threw out of the window and ORDERED the ACA to cease and desist its investigation, despite his lacking said authority to do so.
Since Musa Hassan assumed the position of IGP, the crime rate hasn’t improved. In fact it has become worse. On performance alone, I wonder why the PM/Internal Security Minsiter has seen fit to extend Musa’s service?
Secondly, it’s known that he can’t get along with Johari Baharum, the Deputy Minister of Internal Security, an unworkable situation in Internal Security, where malaysiakini has reported the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) is now divided, with loyalties of police officers spilt between Johari Baharum and Musa Hassan.
Surely that’s not an acceptable working situation. PM AAB must get rid of one of them to ensure there is unity of command in the RMP. And the PM must also explain why he has not foreseen this impossibly monumental problem.
The IGP is such an important and sensitive position that the candidate must never ever be tainted, even by the dismissed allegations because of their magnitude.
I know, you know, everone knows, even the AG knows, and the PM must know, that Musa Hassan is sweetly innocent, but as mentioned, the IGP is a bit like the position of the ACA Chief, in that he or she must not only be lilywhite clean but must be perceived by the public as being lilywhite clean.
Yes, it’s not fair to dear innocent him but public confidence is of paramount importance, especially more so when Musa Hassan would not be disadvantaged if his service wasn't extended as he was due for retirement anyway - I am sure he understands.
As mentioned, he was due for retirement, so why court unnecessary controversy by extending his service when there are equally capable senior police officers waiting in the wing to take over.
And in the ultimate analysis, surely, if the crime rates have gotten worse under Musa Hassan, let’s bid him selamat bersara (happy retirement) and inject some fresh blood into the police leadership to tackle an issue of grave importance to our people.
In case you don’t know who Musa Hassan is, it’s our dear Inspector General of Police (IGP), whom the Attorney General had recently cleared of corruption allegations raised by none other than the Deputy Minister of Internal Security. I blogged on this in Corruption allegations - AG more like Defence Attorney?
The online news portal reported: “Just three weeks after he was cleared by the attorney-general over allegations of corruption, Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan was today rewarded with a two-year contract to extend his stint as the country's top cop.”
“Musa faced Anti-Corruption Agency probe since June 18 on claims that he took RM2 million in bribe to free three criminal suspects held under the Emergency Ordinance.”
“However on July 27, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail ordered the ACA to close its investigation into the allegation.”
It must be a mark of the PM concurrently the Minister of Internal Security’s ‘confidence’ in him that the contract was extended, though not entirely unpredictable despite and inspite of the controversies surroounding Musa Hassan - hmmm, maybe ‘understandable’ as the
Of course a man, even one in such a position as the IGP, is always innocent until proven
In fact, as malaysiakini pointed out, the AG ordered the ACA to close its investigation into the allegation. The dear AG issued this instruction even though he had/has diddly squat authority to instruct the ACA – such has been the AG’s confidence in the IGP's innocence that he (the AG) was willing to ignore proper lines of command and control - 11 out of 10 for sheer initiative.
Please also read my earlier post AG - millstone around government's neck in election?, where an unfriendly and difficult Lim Guan Eng, the DAP secretary-general, asked the AG to make public the investigation papers into Musa Hassan, to prove that a thorough probe had been conducted in accordance with the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.
We heard also from malaysiakini that Transparency International Malaysia, an anti-corruption watchdog, has demanded full public disclosure of the basis for the government’s (meaning the AG, Gani Patail’s) dismissal of corruption allegations against two high ranking officials, one of whom has been the IGP.
Has anyone heard of the AG responding to the requests by Mr Lim’s and Transparency International Malaysia?
NO? Hmmm, ………….
But let’s examine the merit of the extension on other grounds, and never those allegations which the AG has courageously threw out of the window and ORDERED the ACA to cease and desist its investigation, despite his lacking said authority to do so.
Since Musa Hassan assumed the position of IGP, the crime rate hasn’t improved. In fact it has become worse. On performance alone, I wonder why the PM/Internal Security Minsiter has seen fit to extend Musa’s service?
Secondly, it’s known that he can’t get along with Johari Baharum, the Deputy Minister of Internal Security, an unworkable situation in Internal Security, where malaysiakini has reported the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) is now divided, with loyalties of police officers spilt between Johari Baharum and Musa Hassan.
Surely that’s not an acceptable working situation. PM AAB must get rid of one of them to ensure there is unity of command in the RMP. And the PM must also explain why he has not foreseen this impossibly monumental problem.
The IGP is such an important and sensitive position that the candidate must never ever be tainted, even by the dismissed allegations because of their magnitude.
I know, you know, everone knows, even the AG knows, and the PM must know, that Musa Hassan is sweetly innocent, but as mentioned, the IGP is a bit like the position of the ACA Chief, in that he or she must not only be lilywhite clean but must be perceived by the public as being lilywhite clean.
Yes, it’s not fair to dear innocent him but public confidence is of paramount importance, especially more so when Musa Hassan would not be disadvantaged if his service wasn't extended as he was due for retirement anyway - I am sure he understands.
As mentioned, he was due for retirement, so why court unnecessary controversy by extending his service when there are equally capable senior police officers waiting in the wing to take over.
And in the ultimate analysis, surely, if the crime rates have gotten worse under Musa Hassan, let’s bid him selamat bersara (happy retirement) and inject some fresh blood into the police leadership to tackle an issue of grave importance to our people.