Monday, August 25, 2008

Permatang Pauh - zillion miles from 2-party system

One blogger that I have a lot of respect for is Dr Hsu Dar Ren - I call him Darren ;-).

Darren is a member of the Gerakan Party, once the natural party of Penang and the one my family (though not me) had favoured.

Though we have different political affiliation we have been good blogging mates - practising the sort of civility that would promote and sustain a 2-party system.


I favour the DAP because of its puritan integrity and socialist ideology, but unlike Darren I am not a member of any political party, so if the DAP pisses me off, I’ll flick it off without any qualms or regrets, though with some disappointment.

Darren has posted a worthwhile by-election eve article titled A message to Permatang Pauh voters, which I strongly recommend for your reading.

Darren advocates voting for Anwar because he believes “…the fight in Permatang Pauh is no longer about Anwar and Umno. It is no longer about Anwar the person, but about what he represents: A hope that finally raced-based policies can be done away with; a hope that there would be a better check and balance, the lack of which has been the main reasons why corruption and abuses have become so rampant; a hope that society would become more open, racial polarisation would be less and there would be more accountability and transparency.”

“It has become the fight for the survival of the still fragile two-party system. Many in civil society believe that everything must be done to nurture it so it will grow stronger and can play the role of an effective watchdog and be a counterbalance to the BN.”

Sterling declaration by Darren - thus I have no difficulty in agreeing with the principles espoused in his first paragraph above, though kaytee being kaytee, I do not trust Anwar Ibrahim as the vehicle.


Mind you, I have given Anwar credit where credit was due, as I did in A bouquet for Anwar Ibrahim, which understandably caused widespread consternation, confusion and even chaos in Anwar-ville – wakakaka.

Those poor anwaristas – they just didn’t and will never get it, about frank and fearless but balanced analyses!

Hell, I even defended the de facto PKR leader when a Malaysiakini reader, Joe Dhanaray, voiced his anger at him in Vox Populi on the issue of DAP Sivasubramaniam, a Perak ADUN who had threatened to resign during the formation of the Perak Pakatan exco – see my When a resignation is not a resignation.

;-) Admittedly it was on April Fool’s day when I defended him - wakakaka - and during a time when my matey kittykat criticized me for being a die-hard DAP supporter, before I turned (in kittykat’s eyes of course) into a paid BN writer – wakakaka.

Anyway, back to Darren’s post – yes, as I said, I support the principles of multi-ethnic democracy espoused by Darren but I am not confident of Anwar Ibrahim as a sincere champion of such idealism.

However, I am less confident of Darren’s second paragraph, namely, that the Permatang Pauh by-election has become "the fight for the survival of the still fragile two-party system", and therefore because of this, Anwar should be supported.

Yes, Darren may be correct in saying that “many in civil society believe that everything must be done to nurture it [that is, the 2-party system] so it will grow stronger and can play the role of an effective watchdog and be a counterbalance to the BN.”

But it is only theoretically true!

… because sad to say, Malaysian society, as exemplified by the fanatical behaviour of both anwaristas and UMNO-istas, is still very immature, yes too bloody childish, to support the development of a two party democratic system.

To both fanatic mobs, they don't even understand democracy (unless they can use it to win), let alone a 2-party system.

For them, it’s all or nothing, 'either for us or against us' a la low-brow Dubya, black or white, greedy or avaricious (wakakaka - ok, re the last one, just checking whether you have been paying attention), and a polity full of sickening sleaze, slander, slime, slugs and sh*t.

We get the dirt from both – poison penned 50 dalils, libellous allegations hiding behind the sarongs of Statutory Declarations, childish fake photo of French dinner, sodomy allegations, shameless boast to subvert the supremacy of the ballot box, closed one eye to thuggish misbehaviour in the name of some unfounded religious accusations, puerile Port Dickson threats, the ustaz who attempted to discredit an oath because an Arabic word wasn't pronounced correctly - wakakaka, etc.

With such immaturity and extreme adversarial politics (to protect the gravy train), how can we expect a mature Western styled two-party system?

As Prof Bridget Welsh wrote in Malaysiakini about the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign, she hasn’t witnessed from both parties any decent campaign policies that lifts the issue above the grubby.

Well … I am not sure what to say about my preferred choice but I’ll be consistent … I’d just say I don’t trust Anwar Ibrahim.

39 comments:

  1. Dear KTEMOC, whom do you trust nowadays? Some of the judges,most politicians, some doctors, Muftis,most civil servants and even some of the bloggers themselves. That's the level our country has come to. Tragic.

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  2. Your constant negative barraging of Anwar reveals a lot about your inner inferiority complexes which is an irrational deep fear of your perceived failure to convince a majority of your objective readers of what truth is vis a vis the dynamic twist of distracting pseudo half truths as you have been prone to masquerade from time to time under abject cover of intellignent disagreements, albeit emotionally camoflaged in quarter truths and untruths. Just like another try harder politician going nowhere in particular, other than cyberspace. but just enough to keep some of your readers enthralled

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  3. "Permatang Pauh - zillion miles from 2-party system"

    Thank you, Anwar! But the two-party system is in another castle...

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  4. Well KT you are right, only morons and naive dreamers will think 2-party system in Malaysia is possible and only a retarded moron would think that Anwar is the person to usher in revoulutionary changes.

    Sorry for not updating on the Permatang Pauh elections since I had been out of country on business and won't be back until the end of the election.

    However I do have my sources and they have some intresting updates.

    It seems that there is a noticable absence of PAS's campaiging for DSAI in PP. It seems that only the top PAS leadership is doing a wayang to support the sodomist. But the PAS grassroot has not been giving their support to PKR's campaign at all. So we can expect low turnout of PAS supporters or they even might vote BN. Also it seems that this time BN will win a bigger share of Indian votes due to significant shift in their mindset.

    My prediction is either close win for Anwar or a BN upset with very small majority.

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  5. Sometimes i used to wonder whether i am reading the papers again for i have given up on them.
    Are this blogs been paid to write and for hire?Most probably gunslingers nowadays is a lucrative business.You get paid to write nasties and i am amazed the time you are afforded to write.

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  6. I do agree with Darren's hope that finally raced-based policies can be done away with; a hope that there would be a better check and balance.....


    But I dont trust Anwar, period!

    Chameleon remaisn chameleon, and the recent actions and inactions confirmed my belief, notwithstanding the sympathy that he has been jailed for 6 years.

    Remember, we close both eyes to give votes to Badawi. What happen now?

    It WILL be the same if Anwar be the PM, more likey be worse of.

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  7. Dear Ktemoc

    You say you favour the DAP because of its socialist ideology i.e. this implies that you favour socialism (actually, the mild "social democracy" version of socialism).

    Well, I am a social democrat but I don't see much evidence of this in your writings.

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  8. Dear Ktemoc

    Forgot to sign my name to the
    message I sent at 8:06 am, August 26.

    Phua Kai Lit

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  9. Dear Ktemoc

    May I add one more comment.

    Here's an article from the leader of the political party you claim to support:

    http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/08/26/permatang-pauh-voters-tryst-with-destiny/

    Phua Kai Lit

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  10. We need a 2-party system to get this country back on track, but we don't have the experience and maturity for it.
    Does that mean we give up, and give our votes to BN forever ?
    No. I'm not waiting for the Pope to turn up (literaly speaking). Anyway a beatific figure isn't going to be an effective political leader for the country.

    At this moment, PR and Anwar Ibrahim it is.
    And don't tar every Anwar supporter as a childish fanatic.

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  11. "MCA Leader - Don't be fooled by Anwar"
    http://www1.malaysiakini.com/news/88546

    Sounds a lot like Ktemoc.
    Are you sure you are blogging from Australia ....kakakakaka...

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  12. Killer,
    PAS has been campaigning in the outback - Penanti, Permatang Pasir, where their core support is.
    They haven't been seen at all in Seberang Jaya, which has been well covered by PKR and DAP.
    Its a very different game this time round, where PR has more than outmatched BN's machinery.

    On the Indian mindset. MIC got chased out of two Oil Palm estates in Penanti when they went house-to-house campaigning. The arrest of Hindraf members last week hasn't helped. Another clumsy shot in the foot by BN.

    The best feedback I have on the situation on the ground is from BN workers themselves - local campaigners, not the KL bigwigs.

    Many of them already gave up before the weekend. I met one of them buying groceries with his family at Giant Sunway Carnival .
    I was quite surprised, ribbing him "Begitu konfiden ka ?". He shook his head gloomily. "No chance, no point. Orang dah muak dengan cerita budak liwat ni. Big mistake for UMNO to blow up the issue lah."

    Tomorrow morning, the Cabinet will be looking a lot like the Opposition-in-waiting.

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  13. I am with you mate.Anwar can win Permatang Pauh but I don't think he is the man I want to lead this country.

    Believe me there are more thugs,gangsters and the uncouth in PKR than all the other parties put together but the unfortunate thing is they refused to believe it.

    If Anwar becomes PM there would be the biggest witch-hunt in the history of this country.The prison will be full of high-brows.Nothing compared to what any previous leaders have done.

    Anwar Ibrahim is no Nelson Mendela or Ghandi.Ask any trained psychologist and I bet he will have the same assessment.

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  14. Hi Hantu Laut

    No need to be so pessimistic.

    1. Civil society and the NGOs
    are active and energised.
    An Anwar govt will also be
    scrutinised and feel the heat
    2. DAP, PAS, and PSM are also in
    the coalition. This will
    moderate the policies of all the
    component parties
    3. What is wrong with an
    anti-corruption drive after a
    regime change? Let the corrupt
    and the wicked tremble. The
    upright have nothing to fear!

    Phua Kai Lit

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  15. Hello, KT, Thanks for highlighting my message.

    I have reservation about Anwar too. And i have written many articles on that. But looking at the political landscape now, we have not much choice if we hope for change.

    Anwar the person is no longer importnt. It is the hope that he espounds and represents. And whatever we want to say of him, we cannot deny the fact that he is the key to the fragile 2 party system. Granted that this 2 party system is immature and not like the west, we now have 2 coalitions to choose from unlike before. So this system, even if you choose not to call it a 2 party system, must be urtured and make stronger and not the other way round.

    Rome is not built in one day. To have the 2 party system like in the west, we need time. But if we do not guard the bud to make it sprout into a healthy tree. We do not want to nip it while it is still budding.

    So we have to cast aside personal likes and dislikes and choose whoever that may represent a hope for change.

    Maybe I am too idealistic. But as I see it, without a significant change in policy, the country is going down the drain.

    Whoever can lead to this change, be it Anwar, DAP, ( I joined Gerakan because I thought its non raical ideology would be a catalyst for change, but i was disappointed), PKR and even some other parties in future., we must give it a chance to prove itelf.

    I may not be right, but this is what I sincerely believe.

    Last but not least, I respect your views and I hope we can agree to disagree.

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  16. I miss type a phrase. (Sorry, my keyboard is giving me some trouble, a lot of letters are missing)

    But if we do not guard the bud to make it sprout into a healthy tree, we would be doing a disservice to ourselves and our children.

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  17. Hola Kaytee

    Never trust him on the day he joined Umno. Never ever will trust him.
    Hi Killer, Ang Wah and Hantu Laut. You all showed maturity of thoughts. Realistic too.
    A breath of fresh air.
    So unlike Susan Loone's blog where so many of Anwar ass-lickers reside.
    Dear Kittykat 46. I value your opinion.
    But the Cabinet-in-waiting will not happen.
    Anwar may win but he will continue to be just another noise in the opposition camp.

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  18. may be my comment a bit late but better late than never.

    a) my friend asked me, "why believe in Anwar? He might be as bad a Badawi?" I said, "Why not Anwar, he could be as bad as Badawi but I am not sure he is bad, whereas Badawi is confirmed bad, at least with Anwar, there is still a 50% chance he might be good."

    b) BN is the front for UMNO. When UMNO farted, the rest of the components rush up to smell it. PR is loose coalition, not set in stone. In PR, any one party can leave or cross the fence, just like that. The politics will be more tolerant because no one have absolute control. As the sayings go, absolute power corrupts absolutely, in PR, all the three parties will counter check each other, just like BN will counter check PR. That my friends, will be the end of blatant cronyism and nepotism.

    rgds
    www.tmithomas.blogspot.com

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  19. Can't blame you for not trusting Anwar Ibrahim. He has yet to implement certain policies to earn the trust of the people. But don't tell me you trust flipflop dollah, c4najib, khai-soninlaw, and the rest of the umno horde?

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  20. "i don't trust anwar ibrahim"
    sure?? with the state of the political climate now who do you trust? i'll give DSAI a chance, also bearing in mind that it's not easy to manage the country now.. the 'bad' culture is so entrenched that it'll take more than a decade to get rid off.. malay leaders will find it hard to appease the majority.. any policy to be fair and just to all races will be construed as helping the minorities.. what does the current new generation thinks? look at students at varsity level, especially students in UITM.. their actions simply demonstrate race integration has a long way to go

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  21. Agree thoroughly with Dr Hsu, tesla and others...if you don't put Anwar in, WHO do you back? Bodowi? Najib? KJ?

    Again agree with Dr Hsu - we are a long way off from the 2 party system, but everything needs a starting point - and the Rakyat start point A on March 8, this is maybe point A(i)?

    BN is SO BAD that we can take that chance on Pakatan Rakyat (even if Anwar is its symbolic leader).

    KT - your vehement barrage against Anwar also gives your readers no alternatives. You want to come out on the side of Bodoh, Najib and KJ??

    Noyawns

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  22. KTEMOC

    i notice you have an Anwar-phobia.

    No politician can be trusted. Not even Barack Obama.

    But that is not the issue in politics.

    Politicians operate on the climate of the day. And trust is the function of that climate.

    While you attempt to show some pragmatism in your writings, but I sense a quirky idealism when you try to pigeon-hole the character of Anwar.

    The point about Anwar is the consistency of his message. The trust we can give to politicians is on the consistency of his message. For Anwar, within the certain limits of acceptability, he has a consistent message... since his University days in MU, since the Baling days and now.

    I say this as a contemporary of Anwar in the University.

    It is alright to have a little window of doubt, but I think it is stretching too far to to let that cloud your overall judgment of the man as a politician.

    There not Saints among politicians, least of all in Malaysia. It is now less a devil one is.

    Anwar is the least of the devil since his incarceration.

    It takes alot for a man of his age, 60 plus, to fall so heavily from a whisper to being a PM to be a convicted felon on false charges - charges that caste heavily on his sense of moral identity to himself as a Muslim, as a person, and worse still to his family, his daughters in particular.

    People change from a traumatic experience and as such it is not fair to judge Anwar on his politics prior to his incarceration.

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  23. Why there's no one else beside Anwar to lead the PR? I think PR will be much & much better and cleaner without Anwar. But what other option we have? We need Anwar to convince ppl somehow, yet we don't want Anwar to lead ...

    Anwar, Badawi, Najib and the rest - I don't think ANYONE of them can lead this country better ... If you allow their hands to ultimate power (PM), sure Malaysia will be going to hell ...

    Let just hope we're able to live peacefully tomorrow ...

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  24. Kaytee

    Where's Chaptokam, Xiean, Zappa, Int?
    Are they on the ground? Awaiting reports from them on the latest situation.
    Amen Kambing. Pray that it's another peaceful day tomorrow.
    Yep.PKR should get someone better and cleaner than Anwar.
    By the way guys, a member of my family promised to remodel my kitchen and bathrooms plus new doors and windows for our house.
    No one in our family like Anwar.
    But my man is so sure he will win. I rather forgo the creature comforts than see Anwar as MP.
    Let alone be our PM..

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  25. Don't worry, tomorrow will be another peaceful day. A very peaceful day.

    Anwar will be the MP for Permatang Pauh, then onwards....

    I'm not a voter in Permatang Pauh, but I counted maybe 20 - 25 adult members of my extended family who live there - aunties, uncles , cousins, relatives by marriage etc... I think I managed to convince most of them to vote for Anwar, even though many of them share the same doubts about his past that have been expressed here.

    The way I see it, we need to see The Big Picture , and the big picture is Barisan Nasional as it currently stands has become a major liability to Malaysia's future.

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  26. Aiyah, I wish I were on the ground la, but since March 9th I've been stuck in Melbourne, and will be here until at least November. And no I am not KT in disguise, nor do I know who he (or she (or it)) is.

    I too pray for a peaceful day tomorrow and furthermore. In my mind that means NO change of Federal Government through Lompat Parti. But something happened recently to convince me that there will be peace...

    Tunku Aziz joined DAP. There's no way he would have joined DAP if they couldn't convince him that lompat parti was, in fact, a bluff. This is in addition to other signals, such as speeches in Parliament by Guan Eng, which are worded in a way that drop hints to Badawi that he can sit tight for now, nothing to worry about.

    And without DAP, Anwar doesn't come close to Putrajaya. There may be a few crossovers to harvest the Gerakan scraps, but nothing to threaten the Federal Government.

    UMNO needs to figure out what went wrong, I thought UMNO PPauh said from the start Liwatgate is the wrong strategy, how come in the end that's what they did?? Another case of UMNO leadership not listening to the grassroots?

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  27. I'm sure it had been revealed that race-based politics practiced in our beloved country for half a century have robbed about 45% of our legitimate citizens the right to directly elect their leader. I could be a supporter of say, MIC, while disagreeing with the leadership of UMNO. But, by voting for MIC, I have, against my own will, endorsed the very person I opposed to lead the country. I say, some changes are called for with regards to our constitution, where, the Prime Minister (the real power holder) be elected directly (a-la presidential style) to reflect the true aspirations of the people.

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  28. For various reasons, a lot of people are saying why not give Anwar a chance. That's fine people but when are we going to wake up to the fact that we already did.

    Anwar's track record is there for all to see. Maybe you don't remember the things he did but some among us still do.

    FYI Frank, Anwar served 6 years not for sodomy but for corruption. Using the Special Branch like some kind of Gestapo, he got forced written retractions from his detractors.

    If we all profess to uphold justice and democracy, how can we condone the formation of a government via defections? The current government is already paralysed countering Anwar's propaganda. Imagine a PR goverment comprising DAP and PAS in opposite corners with Anwar the moderator. The politicking within themselves itself would bring this country down.

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  29. Int says: "no I am not KT in disguise, nor do I know who he (or she (or it)) is." (Shhhhh! KTemoc is actualy an "it". Don't tell people, ok? Merbahaya ni! Will ruin his chances of being the pi em of meleysia [if people come to know]. His attacks on Anwar may sound insane to some, but KTemoc perceives Anwar as a competitor: you see, this is how the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle finally fit in).

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  30. Word on the street's that Anwar's winning big...

    So much for the 'much smaller majority' as predicted.

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  31. idzan ismail

    looks like all of us is here except xiean . Well I have not disappeared , matter of fact am campaigning for an election coming up in less than two months . Everyday now is dinner at the restaurant by courtesy of the candidates . I am campaigning for Datuk Chua Jui Meng , so it has kept me rather busy . Thats all I am prepared to say at this moment .If you happen to be in Penang , let me know .

    The bye-election is over , But I guess there will be more episodes coming up . Lets see how Anwar performs in the Parliament ! But I don't forsee kataks to jump over and I don't forsee a new gomen on Sept 16th . If I were him I would lie low for a while and let things settle down or cool down . If Anwar persists in doing and proclaiming all the claims made by him , I think there will be big big trouble lying ahead .

    As what one commentator said , he should use this time to build up his team , not going in for another battle , in the end somebody will have to give way . When two tigers do a battle for control of territory , one of them , the loser will have to leave for good .

    Never push anyone to a corner , all hell will break lose , and its gonna be either you or me !

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  32. I think there are kataks who will lompat soon.

    Is this Anwar's bluff? I don't think so.

    There are disgruntled UMNO MPs. These are closeted MPs.

    There is a rumour that in the 2008 election there are UMNO and MCA candidates who are actually PKR or PAS sympathesisers who Anwar asked them to stand as BN because the chances of winning under PR was tough.

    The deal was: Once they get elected, they will be called to lompat and the signal is when Anwar gets into Parliament.

    And the deal to lompat will be in PR can deny the 2/3 majority.

    Now will these MPs come out of the closet. Sure they will because I think Anwar has them on record.

    If they don't lompat as promised, they will be exposed and their future with BN will also be gone.

    Anwar is not stupid to call a bluff which he cannot deliver.

    Mukhriz might lompat...

    I think also the UMNO-mamak MPs will lompat because they know that UMNO is weak... and being Mamaks, why should they still hold on to the pants of a drowning person.

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  33. Frank,

    Are you quoting a rumor or PKR's Minister of Information, RPK?

    And Mukhriz might lompat, you say. I see you're very well informed. :)

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  34. Frank

    Are you also saying MCA MPs will lompat ? Better you counter check with PKR spin doctor RPK !

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  35. Saudara Frank, thank you for clarifying with your inside information. Based on your advice I will unreservedly REVOKE my support for Anwar Ibrahim then.

    As a DAP supporter I believe in the message of MALAYSIAN FIRST, which means Anwar comes second at best, and severing the last remaining thread of democratic legitimacy in the country is not something that will be done by my hand. If Anwar wants to ruin this country by katakification, I will stand in his way, and when UMNO youth burns his effigy, I will bring kerosene and fire extinguishers while wearing my DAP t-shirt. All damn syok seeing Indians carry PAS flags, now if you're not careful you gonna see an Indian guy burning Anwar's flag! And yes, I will buy carbon credits to offset the environmental damage.

    Haih, and I was looking forward to enjoying Anwar's victory a bit more, since Anwar's victory was also a victory for Bangsa Malaysia. But thanks to Frank... celebrations over ;-)

    KT, don't be sad, you made the wrong prediction, but noone could have predicted how retarded UMNO would be in the campaign. UMNO PPauh said FROM THE START that Liwatgate is the wrong strategy, but in the end those idiots went with it anyway. It was impossible not to vote against the disgusting campaign that UMNO ran because national pride was on the line. As an overseas Malaysian you should understand that especially well. Here in Melbourne I had Pakistanis feeling sorry for me because of the rubbish campaign... PAKISTANIS... bloody hell la, those fellas can't run an election without some people dying and THEY were feeling sorry for us! That's how low we sunk!!! *slaps forehead*

    UMNO leadership memang bodoh... I could easily have reduced Anwar's majority if I were them.

    *** NO TO 911, NO TO 929, YES TO MERDEKA CONSTITUTION OF 1957, AND HELL NO TO KATAKGATE OF (supposedly) 916 ***

    ............. but this is all just rhetoric because I'm quite sure Frank is full of shit. Sorry Frank, but now I'm being frank :P

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  36. Question for DSAI: Upon taking over Federal Government within a few weeks, are you prepared to use the ISA in the event of the threat of riots and/or widespread demonstrations, to establish peace and calm to protect the legitimacy of your government?

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  37. Hang on, let me reword the question...

    Question for DSAI: Upon taking over Federal Government within a few weeks, are you prepared to RULE OUT the use the ISA as an apparatus to counter the threat of riots and/or widespread demonstrations, to establish peace and calm to protect the legitimacy of your government prior to revoking the ISA?

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  38. int, your "And yes, I will buy carbon credits to offset the environmental damage" tickles me pink ;-)

    Penny Wong would surely love you - and isn't she a hottie - wakakaka.

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  39. yes she is, and I do love her - but alas, I'm not her type it seems, wakaka.

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