In the earlier days of Malaya (that's right, not yet Malaysia) my uncle told me that whenever a Chinese converted to Islam, the Chinese community would smirk and even say “Smart Chinaman, business angle one, cheen chnea gau (sangat cerdik)”.
Unc said in the general case that half envious half snide remark was correct, but there have been exceptions, admittedly rare but nonetheless the true converts did exist.
It’s not so strange when you consider there are more Chinese Muslims in China than the entire population of Malaysia, let alone the local Muslims only.
Apparently with less restricted religious practice since 1978, the Chinese Muslims have some 12,000 mosques and 2,800 imams just in the province of Xinjiang alone. Not bad for a supposedly communist country.
Anyway, the sad truth is that in Malaysia many converts became Muslims for economic reasons.
And many others did so for far more ulterior motives.
And when I read The Malaysian Insider’s PAS slams BN for betraying Islam in conversion issue (but alas, not in Malaysiakini) it saddens me that PAS doesn’t seem to understand that there could well be people who have exploited Islam for their own ends, …
… either to seize control of their children, knowing the other spouse won’t be able to seek relief from a cowardly civil courts - see my post Just or jittery judiciary?, or …
… to take advantage of Islamic inheritance laws – eg. A brother or uncle or nephew who so happened to be a Muslim and who would swear that the deceased converted to a Muslim prior to his death, knowing the non-Muslim spouse would not be allowed to inherit the benefits.
So to those Pak Hajis, my advice is not to let your knickers be all tied up in a knot just because of some dodgy Abdullah’s-come-lately – they don’t deserve your concerns.
Besides, Pak Hajis, don’t unwittingly allow them to insult the greater glory of Islam indirectly by their (mis)using Islam for baby snatching tactics.
Amin!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Israel deems 'swine flu' kosher after all
From Middle East Online's article Israel deems 'swine flu' kosher after all
TEL AVIV - Swine flu hasn't skipped the Jewish state. And despite some attempts, neither has its non-kosher name.
Deputy health minister Yakov Litzman, a member of an ultra-religious party, said earlier this week that the name "swine flu" should not be used as it contains the name of the animal banned by Judaism.
Instead he said the authorities should call the virus sweeping the globe "Mexican flu."
That, however, did not sit well with either Mexico's ambassador to Israel nor the Jewish state's envoy to Mexico.
Mexico's ambassador Frederico Salas and the Israeli envoy to Mexico Yosef Livne both lodged official complaints at the foreign ministry on Tuesday protesting at the new term.
"The ambassador (Salas) said he was offended when the deputy health minister's called it the Mexican flu," a foreign ministry official said.
"Israel has no intention of giving the flu any new names. It was nothing more than a slip of the tongue," the official said.
Eating of pork is prohibited by Judaism, the religion practised by the majority of Israelis. Islam, adhered to by most of Israel's Arab minority, likewise bans consumption of pork.
Israel confirmed on Tuesday that two nationals who recently returned from Mexico had contracted swine flu in the first such cases in the Middle East.
Maybe the Malaysian Catholic Church better not use 'Yahweh' in the Malay language bible. They may be sued by the Israeli Talibans who are just as conscious as some Malaysians as to what words should not be used. Wakakaka!
TEL AVIV - Swine flu hasn't skipped the Jewish state. And despite some attempts, neither has its non-kosher name.
Deputy health minister Yakov Litzman, a member of an ultra-religious party, said earlier this week that the name "swine flu" should not be used as it contains the name of the animal banned by Judaism.
Instead he said the authorities should call the virus sweeping the globe "Mexican flu."
That, however, did not sit well with either Mexico's ambassador to Israel nor the Jewish state's envoy to Mexico.
Mexico's ambassador Frederico Salas and the Israeli envoy to Mexico Yosef Livne both lodged official complaints at the foreign ministry on Tuesday protesting at the new term.
"The ambassador (Salas) said he was offended when the deputy health minister's called it the Mexican flu," a foreign ministry official said.
"Israel has no intention of giving the flu any new names. It was nothing more than a slip of the tongue," the official said.
Eating of pork is prohibited by Judaism, the religion practised by the majority of Israelis. Islam, adhered to by most of Israel's Arab minority, likewise bans consumption of pork.
Israel confirmed on Tuesday that two nationals who recently returned from Mexico had contracted swine flu in the first such cases in the Middle East.
Maybe the Malaysian Catholic Church better not use 'Yahweh' in the Malay language bible. They may be sued by the Israeli Talibans who are just as conscious as some Malaysians as to what words should not be used. Wakakaka!
PKR - Anwar Ibrahim's personal fiefdom
Malaysiakini - Ng's quit shocker, all is not well in Sarawak PKR.
Malaysiakini reported that Dominique Ng, the former Sarawak chief of PKR had been personally responsible for the registration of 13 PKR divisions in Sarawak, which has been touted by Anwar Ibrahim as his frontline State for 2013.
Apparently Ng has several more divisions waiting to be incorporated into the party.
Incidentally Ng holds one of PKR’s two seats in Sarawak - the other being Ngemah, who is being held by independent-turn-PKR assemblyperson Gabriel Adit.
Ng has just resigned from PKR supreme council. Adit expressed shock on hearing the news. He described Ng as ‘second to none’ in many aspects of the party affairs.
I suspect this might have been where Ng went wrong – he obtained the most number of votes in the 20-member supreme council at PKR party’s 2006 election.
Shades of Nallakarupan? That wouldn’t do lah!
Nalla was once a PKR VP who obtained the most number of votes for VP in the party election. In the following party election Anwar told him not to stand as VP - obviously worried Nalla might through his immense popularity deny someone contesting for the VP position from winning.
Alamak, what would you do if you were told not to stand for party election when you were virtually a shoo-in for one of the VP posts? Realising that refomasi actually stood for deformasi, Nalla left.
As for Ng's popularity and party (as well as State) vote-winning ability, true enough, he found himself in more or less in the same position as Nalla. It would appear he isn't wanted!
Anwar Ibrahim, the party’s de facto leader, took over Ng's position of state chief early this year. Hmmm, here's a bloke who doesn’t want to be the party’s president but yet he had to seize Dominique Ng’s position.
Then the Malaysiakini report added:
Ng, the only PKR candidate to manage to win the last state election, was said to be unhappy after he was replaced as state chief.
To add salt to injury, the latest announcement on the re-organisation of the party at national level [by the Great Man himself], excluded him as well as elected representative Adit from holding any significant party posts.
That’s PKR for you. Unless you are in Anwar’s 'inner group', you’ll end up like Nallakarupan and Dominique Ng. Oh BTW, what's that Penang PKR ADUN's name, the mamak who couldn't be DCM1 because he's not a Melayu.
Maybe PKR stands for Parti Ketuanan Rakan2 (ArnTua)?
Mind you, the party has been very brave in its recent Party disciplining - they sacked 16 people, 12 from Kedah and 4 from Sarawak. But no worry, the Kulim Wonder was not one of them - man man lai ;-)
It is now apparent that PKR is nothing more than Anwar Ibrahim's personal fiefdom, and he's not even a PKR party office holder - reformasi? wakakaka.
Malaysiakini reported that Dominique Ng, the former Sarawak chief of PKR had been personally responsible for the registration of 13 PKR divisions in Sarawak, which has been touted by Anwar Ibrahim as his frontline State for 2013.
Apparently Ng has several more divisions waiting to be incorporated into the party.
Incidentally Ng holds one of PKR’s two seats in Sarawak - the other being Ngemah, who is being held by independent-turn-PKR assemblyperson Gabriel Adit.
Ng has just resigned from PKR supreme council. Adit expressed shock on hearing the news. He described Ng as ‘second to none’ in many aspects of the party affairs.
I suspect this might have been where Ng went wrong – he obtained the most number of votes in the 20-member supreme council at PKR party’s 2006 election.
Shades of Nallakarupan? That wouldn’t do lah!
Nalla was once a PKR VP who obtained the most number of votes for VP in the party election. In the following party election Anwar told him not to stand as VP - obviously worried Nalla might through his immense popularity deny someone contesting for the VP position from winning.
Alamak, what would you do if you were told not to stand for party election when you were virtually a shoo-in for one of the VP posts? Realising that refomasi actually stood for deformasi, Nalla left.
As for Ng's popularity and party (as well as State) vote-winning ability, true enough, he found himself in more or less in the same position as Nalla. It would appear he isn't wanted!
Anwar Ibrahim, the party’s de facto leader, took over Ng's position of state chief early this year. Hmmm, here's a bloke who doesn’t want to be the party’s president but yet he had to seize Dominique Ng’s position.
Then the Malaysiakini report added:
Ng, the only PKR candidate to manage to win the last state election, was said to be unhappy after he was replaced as state chief.
To add salt to injury, the latest announcement on the re-organisation of the party at national level [by the Great Man himself], excluded him as well as elected representative Adit from holding any significant party posts.
That’s PKR for you. Unless you are in Anwar’s 'inner group', you’ll end up like Nallakarupan and Dominique Ng. Oh BTW, what's that Penang PKR ADUN's name, the mamak who couldn't be DCM1 because he's not a Melayu.
Maybe PKR stands for Parti Ketuanan Rakan2 (ArnTua)?
Mind you, the party has been very brave in its recent Party disciplining - they sacked 16 people, 12 from Kedah and 4 from Sarawak. But no worry, the Kulim Wonder was not one of them - man man lai ;-)
It is now apparent that PKR is nothing more than Anwar Ibrahim's personal fiefdom, and he's not even a PKR party office holder - reformasi? wakakaka.
Sarawakian monsters
Malaysiakini - A crime against Tania's humanity
A tragic tale of how 15-year old Tania was taken (fuck, let’s call it kidnapped - she’s just a minor) by a driver of a timber company in Sarawak to a camp where she was kept there for 3 weeks.
After her father eventually found her at the camp, he reported her rape to the police, but those wonders in blue refused to take any action.
Their excuse?
They claimed they could not investigate a crime so far away!
They were the same police who travelled for kilometres on ends to demolish the logging blockade at Tania's home village. Wonder whether the IGP would be interested? Nah, too much to expect!
Talking about timber I would like to shaft a log (hope the splintered stubs of the sawn-off branches are still there) right up the arses of the truck driver and his mates, until it re-emerges from their mouths.
After that I would like to drop the log onto their teeny wee weenies.
A tragic tale of how 15-year old Tania was taken (fuck, let’s call it kidnapped - she’s just a minor) by a driver of a timber company in Sarawak to a camp where she was kept there for 3 weeks.
After her father eventually found her at the camp, he reported her rape to the police, but those wonders in blue refused to take any action.
Their excuse?
They claimed they could not investigate a crime so far away!
They were the same police who travelled for kilometres on ends to demolish the logging blockade at Tania's home village. Wonder whether the IGP would be interested? Nah, too much to expect!
Talking about timber I would like to shaft a log (hope the splintered stubs of the sawn-off branches are still there) right up the arses of the truck driver and his mates, until it re-emerges from their mouths.
After that I would like to drop the log onto their teeny wee weenies.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Waynamoorthy worried Thanenthiran taking Hindraf into BN?
On 01 December 2007 I posted my amateur effort of a poem titled 25 November 2007 which I dedicated to Hindraf.
Hindraf – that amazing people’s movement, who gave us that powerful mantra ‘Makkal Sakti’ that brought the divine winds and waves to will us into smashing the status quo of 50 years on 08 March 2008.
I walked on 25 November 2007
In the man-made acid showers
Which burnt my skin and those
Of my brothers and sisters too
But the chemically poisoned rain
Could not burnt away the tears
That’s in our hearts for 50 years
But merely fertilised our resolve
Through the thick fog of tear gas
We held our hands together and
Marched on to tell the world of
An unjust economic caste system
That places us at the very bottom
As menial pariahs, harijans, dalits
Oh, don’t be shy, take your pick
Any, each would still read our lot
Just like a fusion bomb, our ‘H’
Gave a mega blast to hitherto
Silent acquiescence and equally
Silent dismissal of our cries for
Help against cold cruel inequality
Are we nothing more than serfs
Slaves, sherpas to failed Hillary’s
Or as prêt-à-porter criminals?
The explosion of our H-synergy
Tore away masks of hypocrisy
Ripping to shreds the snow white
Fleece of ethnic wolves, howling
At black sheep not cukup Bersih
Not even of de facto human status
To merit the march in messianic
Footsteps to the Arc de Triomphe
I had also written about the sad saga of Indian Malaysians in The Toddy Syndrome and Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?, on issues which I have no doubt galvanised Hindraf into taking its fated Long March on 25 November 2007.
But they have paid a heavy prize.
While the leaders were detained under the ISA, and Waynamoorthy lives in exile abroad, the national coordinator was RS Thanethiran.
Waynamoorthy has been adamant that Hindraf should not become political and remain a NGO, as a pressure group, to look after Indian affairs, whilst it reserves the right to support any political party which promotes the well-being of Indian Malaysians.
But Thanethiran is known to harbour ambitions in forming a new Indian-based political party.
I have been following Thanethiran’s statements very carefully and note that in The Malaysian Insider news article Chennai talks to decide Hindraf’s future he condemned PKR and DAP, particularly the latter.
Thanenthiran stated that Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP, though he didn’t explain how he came to that bizarre conclusion nor provide any examples.
Contrary to what he claimed, the DAP has been and still is the natural party for Indian Malaysians. First headed by Devan Nair till today’s national chairperson, Karpal Singh, the DAP has shown it is the only non-Indian based party that sets Indian Malaysians way up high.
Other than Nair, Karpal and now his sons, there were Patto and Peter Dason that I’ve heard of. Today we have Prof Rama (Deputy CM of Penang), Kulasegaran, Santiago, Manogaran and more.
To be fair to Khalid Ibrahim of PKR, MB of Selangor, he and his exco have been looking after the Indians in Selangor, more than ever in the entire 50 years of BN rule in that State.
So why has Thanenthiran condemned the only two parties which are looking after the welfare of Indians.
He said: “If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians. This is the best option open to us.”
above underlining is mine
This is my take on Thanenthiran.
Like Enzo Bearzot in the final stages of the World Cup in 1982, Thanenthiran is beginning to entertain very very ambitious dreams. He knows that MIC is dysfunctional with BN losing confidence in the Indian-based party to perform.
BN needs an effective Indian component to wrap up the Indian votes to provide the vital tilt towards the BN in 2013, in places like, for example, Sungai Siput, Bukit Selambau.
Thanenthiran’ words suggest he wants to represent the Indians in BN by replacing MIC.
Just review his words:
(1) Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP.
Would this be a pre-emtive strike to clear his path into BN, and to also endear himself to Najib?
(2) If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians.
I think it's obvious here who 'anybody' is, especially after his condemnation of PKR and DAP.
(3) We have to chart a new course for Hindraf or it will become irrelevant.
Joining the BN will most certainly be 'charting a new course'. In fact it'll be a radical about-turn.
I wonder whether his ambitions could be the reason Waynamoorthy had recently (and dramatically) replaced the movement’s coordinators, including Thanenthiran.
Waythamoorthy told Malaysiakini that coordinators and other Hindraf leaders who were interested in forming a political party (who other than Thanenthiran?) would be advised to temporarily detach themselves from Hindraf, to protect Hindraf from allegations that it is converting into a political party.
And since Waynamoorthy instructed his followers to support Pakatan Rakyat recently in Bukit Selambau, which political party do you think he wanted to protect Hindraf from? Yes, why did he remove Thanenthiran as a national coordinator?
Let's see what will be the outcome of Hindraf talks in Chennai, especially between Waynamoorthy and Thanenthiran. Will Thanenthiran be as successful as Enzo Bearzot was in 1982?
Hindraf – that amazing people’s movement, who gave us that powerful mantra ‘Makkal Sakti’ that brought the divine winds and waves to will us into smashing the status quo of 50 years on 08 March 2008.
I walked on 25 November 2007
In the man-made acid showers
Which burnt my skin and those
Of my brothers and sisters too
But the chemically poisoned rain
Could not burnt away the tears
That’s in our hearts for 50 years
But merely fertilised our resolve
Through the thick fog of tear gas
We held our hands together and
Marched on to tell the world of
An unjust economic caste system
That places us at the very bottom
As menial pariahs, harijans, dalits
Oh, don’t be shy, take your pick
Any, each would still read our lot
Just like a fusion bomb, our ‘H’
Gave a mega blast to hitherto
Silent acquiescence and equally
Silent dismissal of our cries for
Help against cold cruel inequality
Are we nothing more than serfs
Slaves, sherpas to failed Hillary’s
Or as prêt-à-porter criminals?
The explosion of our H-synergy
Tore away masks of hypocrisy
Ripping to shreds the snow white
Fleece of ethnic wolves, howling
At black sheep not cukup Bersih
Not even of de facto human status
To merit the march in messianic
Footsteps to the Arc de Triomphe
I had also written about the sad saga of Indian Malaysians in The Toddy Syndrome and Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?, on issues which I have no doubt galvanised Hindraf into taking its fated Long March on 25 November 2007.
But they have paid a heavy prize.
While the leaders were detained under the ISA, and Waynamoorthy lives in exile abroad, the national coordinator was RS Thanethiran.
Waynamoorthy has been adamant that Hindraf should not become political and remain a NGO, as a pressure group, to look after Indian affairs, whilst it reserves the right to support any political party which promotes the well-being of Indian Malaysians.
But Thanethiran is known to harbour ambitions in forming a new Indian-based political party.
I have been following Thanethiran’s statements very carefully and note that in The Malaysian Insider news article Chennai talks to decide Hindraf’s future he condemned PKR and DAP, particularly the latter.
Thanenthiran stated that Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP, though he didn’t explain how he came to that bizarre conclusion nor provide any examples.
Contrary to what he claimed, the DAP has been and still is the natural party for Indian Malaysians. First headed by Devan Nair till today’s national chairperson, Karpal Singh, the DAP has shown it is the only non-Indian based party that sets Indian Malaysians way up high.
Other than Nair, Karpal and now his sons, there were Patto and Peter Dason that I’ve heard of. Today we have Prof Rama (Deputy CM of Penang), Kulasegaran, Santiago, Manogaran and more.
To be fair to Khalid Ibrahim of PKR, MB of Selangor, he and his exco have been looking after the Indians in Selangor, more than ever in the entire 50 years of BN rule in that State.
So why has Thanenthiran condemned the only two parties which are looking after the welfare of Indians.
He said: “If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians. This is the best option open to us.”
above underlining is mine
This is my take on Thanenthiran.
Like Enzo Bearzot in the final stages of the World Cup in 1982, Thanenthiran is beginning to entertain very very ambitious dreams. He knows that MIC is dysfunctional with BN losing confidence in the Indian-based party to perform.
BN needs an effective Indian component to wrap up the Indian votes to provide the vital tilt towards the BN in 2013, in places like, for example, Sungai Siput, Bukit Selambau.
Thanenthiran’ words suggest he wants to represent the Indians in BN by replacing MIC.
Just review his words:
(1) Hindraf has been taken for a ride by opposition political parties like PKR and especially the DAP.
Would this be a pre-emtive strike to clear his path into BN, and to also endear himself to Najib?
(2) If we want to remain credible and fight for Indian rights the best option is to form into a political party and get the best from anybody for the Indians.
I think it's obvious here who 'anybody' is, especially after his condemnation of PKR and DAP.
(3) We have to chart a new course for Hindraf or it will become irrelevant.
Joining the BN will most certainly be 'charting a new course'. In fact it'll be a radical about-turn.
I wonder whether his ambitions could be the reason Waynamoorthy had recently (and dramatically) replaced the movement’s coordinators, including Thanenthiran.
Waythamoorthy told Malaysiakini that coordinators and other Hindraf leaders who were interested in forming a political party (who other than Thanenthiran?) would be advised to temporarily detach themselves from Hindraf, to protect Hindraf from allegations that it is converting into a political party.
And since Waynamoorthy instructed his followers to support Pakatan Rakyat recently in Bukit Selambau, which political party do you think he wanted to protect Hindraf from? Yes, why did he remove Thanenthiran as a national coordinator?
Let's see what will be the outcome of Hindraf talks in Chennai, especially between Waynamoorthy and Thanenthiran. Will Thanenthiran be as successful as Enzo Bearzot was in 1982?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Gaza war crimes till unaccounted for
No 6: You shall not kill.
No 8: Neither shall you steal.
No 9: Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.
No 10: Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. [Deuteronomy 5:17 – 21]
Up till today, the criminality of the American unilateral bombing of Libya in 1986, under the guise of pre-emptive self-defence (against Libya? Who in the world would bloody believe that?) hasn’t yet been determined, for obvious reasons.
It was reputed that in an air trade disagreement between Australia and the USA, an Aussie official was heard to say said “How does one deal with a 500 kg gorilla when locked in a cage with it?”
Like Godzilla, size matters in international politics, unless of course you're Israel.
Thus, during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in January this year, where the Israeli military deliberately attacked UN buildings despite GPS coordinates of the buildings already provided to them prior to the confict, and strafed Red Cross ambulance and facilities, an angry UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay told a special session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) that "international human-rights law must apply in all circumstances and at all times."
There was no mistaking the Israeli abhorrent perpetrations of war crimes and miscellaneous uncivilised acts against humanity, in its acts of wanton and criminal bombing and slaughter of Palestinian civilians, especially women, children and infants.
Navi Pillay was so horrified that she strongly urged the parties to the conflict "to allow the deployment of independent human-rights monitors in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory to document any violations of international-human rights and humanitarian law", and that "violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crimes for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked".
On her suggestion the HRC council sent "an urgent independent international fact-finding mission" to investigate what had happened. The Israeli government is currently ignoring the UN team.
But obviously Israel has to, as the UN findings would make many of its leaders no less (if not more) of a war criminal than President Omar of Sudan or the late Milosovic of Serbia.
Furthermore, the Israeli government have been embarrassed by their own soldiers, those who took part in the assault on Gaza, admitting to such war crimes, ...
... (apart from attacking unmistakenably Red Cross ambulances and identified UN facilities) such as being ordered to shoot and indeed shooting unarmed women and children. There’s also the case of dropping phosphorous bombs in civilian populated areas, an act classified as a war crime.
It swiftly conducted its own military investigations and cleared all of its mummy’s boys as innocent. I blogged on that in The original Taliban - religiously racist!
Israeli military are not new to war crimes. As far back as 1948, in the so-called Israeli War of Independence, the Haganah had a Plan D, which had …
… “… the objective of clearing hostile and potentially troublesome Arabs out of Palestine ….. The aim of the plan was the destruction of rural and urban areas of Palestine. Water supplies were poisoned and massacres were counted in the dozens.”
“Yitzhak Rabin, a 1940 Israeli military officer who would serve twice as its prime minister, later wrote of his part in what the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe ranked with the biggest forced migrations in modern history. It was essential that 50,000 [Palestinian] civilians be driven out of Lod and Ramle, towns near Tel Aviv, Rabin wrote.”
“Palestinians counted more than 500 villages destroyed. By the end of 1948, about 700,000 people, more than 60% of the Arab population of what had been Palestine, were refugees in the West Bank and the Gaza, and in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.”
Above extracts are from Paul McGeough’s book ‘Kill Khalid’, a true story of the Israeli Mossad’s assassination attempt of Khalid Mishal, then head of Hamas political bureau in Jordan. Thanks to the late King Hussein of Jordan, he caught the Mossad agents and forced Israel to provide the antidote to Khalid or suffer their agents’ fate. Paul McGeough is Australia’s international award winning journalist.
In a synopsis to the book, Michael Sheur, author of 'Imperial Hubris' and a 22-year CIA veteran and its former head of the Osama bin Laden desk wrote of the book, describing Israel’s implacable intent to destroy Palestine by whatever means necessary: starvation, steadily expanding settlements, military force, and/or assassinations, and of the arrogant ignorance of the US and Western diplomats and the fools’ role they play in Palestinian and Israeli hands.
Back to Navi Pillay's warnings about individual criminal responsibility in the Gaza invasion - the Israelis, aware of US protection, couldn't give a stuff and have refused to subject themselves to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
So given the 500 kg gorilla and its smaller size but religious master, Israel, the ICC instead goes after African or Asian tyrants.
But there’s no question that the Israeli government and military have been no different to the Nazi oppressors of their forefathers. No, they aren't victims as they would like to project themselves as, but very evil, brutal and avaricious oppressors.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. [Judges 21:10 – 12]
No 8: Neither shall you steal.
No 9: Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.
No 10: Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. [Deuteronomy 5:17 – 21]
Up till today, the criminality of the American unilateral bombing of Libya in 1986, under the guise of pre-emptive self-defence (against Libya? Who in the world would bloody believe that?) hasn’t yet been determined, for obvious reasons.
It was reputed that in an air trade disagreement between Australia and the USA, an Aussie official was heard to say said “How does one deal with a 500 kg gorilla when locked in a cage with it?”
Like Godzilla, size matters in international politics, unless of course you're Israel.
Thus, during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in January this year, where the Israeli military deliberately attacked UN buildings despite GPS coordinates of the buildings already provided to them prior to the confict, and strafed Red Cross ambulance and facilities, an angry UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay told a special session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) that "international human-rights law must apply in all circumstances and at all times."
There was no mistaking the Israeli abhorrent perpetrations of war crimes and miscellaneous uncivilised acts against humanity, in its acts of wanton and criminal bombing and slaughter of Palestinian civilians, especially women, children and infants.
Navi Pillay was so horrified that she strongly urged the parties to the conflict "to allow the deployment of independent human-rights monitors in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory to document any violations of international-human rights and humanitarian law", and that "violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crimes for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked".
On her suggestion the HRC council sent "an urgent independent international fact-finding mission" to investigate what had happened. The Israeli government is currently ignoring the UN team.
But obviously Israel has to, as the UN findings would make many of its leaders no less (if not more) of a war criminal than President Omar of Sudan or the late Milosovic of Serbia.
Furthermore, the Israeli government have been embarrassed by their own soldiers, those who took part in the assault on Gaza, admitting to such war crimes, ...
... (apart from attacking unmistakenably Red Cross ambulances and identified UN facilities) such as being ordered to shoot and indeed shooting unarmed women and children. There’s also the case of dropping phosphorous bombs in civilian populated areas, an act classified as a war crime.
It swiftly conducted its own military investigations and cleared all of its mummy’s boys as innocent. I blogged on that in The original Taliban - religiously racist!
Israeli military are not new to war crimes. As far back as 1948, in the so-called Israeli War of Independence, the Haganah had a Plan D, which had …
… “… the objective of clearing hostile and potentially troublesome Arabs out of Palestine ….. The aim of the plan was the destruction of rural and urban areas of Palestine. Water supplies were poisoned and massacres were counted in the dozens.”
“Yitzhak Rabin, a 1940 Israeli military officer who would serve twice as its prime minister, later wrote of his part in what the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe ranked with the biggest forced migrations in modern history. It was essential that 50,000 [Palestinian] civilians be driven out of Lod and Ramle, towns near Tel Aviv, Rabin wrote.”
“Palestinians counted more than 500 villages destroyed. By the end of 1948, about 700,000 people, more than 60% of the Arab population of what had been Palestine, were refugees in the West Bank and the Gaza, and in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.”
Above extracts are from Paul McGeough’s book ‘Kill Khalid’, a true story of the Israeli Mossad’s assassination attempt of Khalid Mishal, then head of Hamas political bureau in Jordan. Thanks to the late King Hussein of Jordan, he caught the Mossad agents and forced Israel to provide the antidote to Khalid or suffer their agents’ fate. Paul McGeough is Australia’s international award winning journalist.
In a synopsis to the book, Michael Sheur, author of 'Imperial Hubris' and a 22-year CIA veteran and its former head of the Osama bin Laden desk wrote of the book, describing Israel’s implacable intent to destroy Palestine by whatever means necessary: starvation, steadily expanding settlements, military force, and/or assassinations, and of the arrogant ignorance of the US and Western diplomats and the fools’ role they play in Palestinian and Israeli hands.
Back to Navi Pillay's warnings about individual criminal responsibility in the Gaza invasion - the Israelis, aware of US protection, couldn't give a stuff and have refused to subject themselves to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
So given the 500 kg gorilla and its smaller size but religious master, Israel, the ICC instead goes after African or Asian tyrants.
But there’s no question that the Israeli government and military have been no different to the Nazi oppressors of their forefathers. No, they aren't victims as they would like to project themselves as, but very evil, brutal and avaricious oppressors.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. [Judges 21:10 – 12]
Just or jittery judiciary?
In my post Judge going against Constitution of Malaysia? based on a news report by The Malaysian Insider, I had joined highly respected (former) judge Justice NH Chan in lamenting the abysmal English proficiency of one of our judges, …
… in that one esteemed Justice of the High Court couldn’t understand Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution clearly, which states: The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.
Justice Chan went on to explain, not that we laypeople couldn’t understand the Article (in English, mind you) but probably more for the esteemed Justice’s benefits, that what the Speaker had done or did in the Assembly, rightly or wrongly, is not to be questioned in any court. Amin!
In other words, should a case come up asking the court to rule on the validity of what the Speaker had done or said in the Assembly, the sitting judge should tell the plaintiffs to poorah.
And if the judge didn’t or doesn’t, guess who should then be poorah-ed?
… because a judge who made or makes a ruling AGAINST Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution would be one who had or has gone AGAINST the Constitution of Malaysia …
… which by the way just happens to be the SUPREME LAW of the land.
Justice NH Chan called such a judge a renegade judge!
Now, compare the above with what I am about to write, re an article in The Malaysian Insider titled Conversion case puts govt’s promise to test.
It’s the sad story of a Hindu woman and her estranged husband who converted from Hinduism to Islam. There’s a court case to be heard this week. The Malaysian Insider stated that:
The case of Shamala Sathiyaseelan will be heard by the Court of Appeal tomorrow after she lost in a lower court last year. She had failed in her bid to challenge the conversion of her two young children to Islam by her husband.
(BTW, don’t confuse Shamala’s case for another, a more recent one involving M. Indira Gandhi who has benefitted somewhat from the recent cabinet pronouncement on the faith of children in cases where hubby decides he wants to be Muslim but the mum remains a Hindu)
Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing Shamala in the syariah court.
You may ask: ‘Huh? Syariah court? Isn’t Shamala a Hindu?'
The strange case (hmmm, maybe not so after all) where Shamala, a non-Muslim with NO legal standing in the syariah court, has been forced to seek redress of her grievances under the jurisdiction of a syariah court is an appalling indictment of the Malaysian civil courts …
… because, as The Malaysian Insider reported:
The civil High Court had earlier refused to rule on the legitimacy of the conversion of her children. The civil courts have consistently refused to accept jurisdiction in cases such as Shamala’s.
Helloooooooo - ain't this quite a difference to one of its judges' bravery in recently bucking the SUPREME LAW of the land?
Coincidentally Imtiaz is Shamala's lawyer. A couple of years back, in my post SUHAKAM Chairman: "Civil Court Judges Lack Balls", Imtiaz complained to the chairman of SUHAKAM, former Attorney-General Abu Talib Othman, about civil courts abdicating their judicial responsibility in such cases where the contesting hubby and wifey, professed different religions, namely Islam and Hinduism.
The following are relevant extracts of my post:
On the timidity of the civil courts in interpreting the constitutional rights of the syariah courts in the Moorthy case [Malaysia’s well-known body snatching scandal where the civil courts failed his Hindu family], ...
... the chairman of SUHAKAM, former Attorney-General Abu Talib Othman, the very man who had drafted the contentious Article 121 (1)(A) in 1988, blamed the civil courts for lacking the balls to interpret the provisions according to the intentions of the proponents (BTW, that’s the Mahathir government with Abu Talib as drafter).
He averred that the insertion of Article 121 (1)(A) into the Constitution was never intended to deny or deprive non-Muslims the right to seek justice in a civil court.
In fact he saw the only problem being the judges of the civil courts lacking the courage to act further independently of the Executive (ie. PM & Cabinet), that is, with applying the provisions for non-Muslims with initiative, justice and more guts instead of waiting for a nod of some sort from the Prime Minister.
[Note how M Indira Gandhi has benefitted (at least for a while) from the ‘nod of some sort from the (current) Prime Minister']
Abu Talib even accused the civil court judges of worrying about their promotional prospects as the possible reason for lacking the courage.
He said: “The courts have failed to do so (interpret boldly) for the slightest unreasonable reasons in many cases where Islam is merely seen on the surface.” […]
When human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz told him that about judges who admit to being Muslims first, Abu Talib advised him to report the matter and if there was evidence, those judges should be removed.
He said: “They are unfit to be judges, then. Judges should remember their constitutional oath to protect and uphold the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land.”
Abu Talib said of the Moorthy case, where the widow Kaliammal went to court to stop his Muslim burial, that Article 121 (1)(A) did not take away the rights of non-Muslims. He accused the courts of not interpreting it correctly, and added:
“If the plaintiff [ie. Moorthy’s widow] is not a Muslim, I cannot imagine why the (civil) court can say ‘I don’t have jurisdiction’. If the plaintiff does not profess Islam, there is no reason not to hear the case.”
“The problem here is caused by the court, not by the legislature. Judges are not complying with the constitutional oath they had taken. The courts today are taking the easy way out, either due to incompetence or under threat. Today, our courts are merely courts of statistics not interested in dispensing justice. ...”
Indeed, what a quote that Judges are not complying with the constitutional oath they had taken. The courts today are taking the easy way out, either due to incompetence or under threat. Today, our courts are merely courts of statistics not interested in dispensing justice.
Should Nizar be worried?
Related:
(1) Ball in civil courts, but balls were missing?
(2) Article 121(1)(A) - What terrified the Civil Courts!
… in that one esteemed Justice of the High Court couldn’t understand Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution clearly, which states: The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.
Justice Chan went on to explain, not that we laypeople couldn’t understand the Article (in English, mind you) but probably more for the esteemed Justice’s benefits, that what the Speaker had done or did in the Assembly, rightly or wrongly, is not to be questioned in any court. Amin!
In other words, should a case come up asking the court to rule on the validity of what the Speaker had done or said in the Assembly, the sitting judge should tell the plaintiffs to poorah.
And if the judge didn’t or doesn’t, guess who should then be poorah-ed?
… because a judge who made or makes a ruling AGAINST Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution would be one who had or has gone AGAINST the Constitution of Malaysia …
… which by the way just happens to be the SUPREME LAW of the land.
Justice NH Chan called such a judge a renegade judge!
Now, compare the above with what I am about to write, re an article in The Malaysian Insider titled Conversion case puts govt’s promise to test.
It’s the sad story of a Hindu woman and her estranged husband who converted from Hinduism to Islam. There’s a court case to be heard this week. The Malaysian Insider stated that:
The case of Shamala Sathiyaseelan will be heard by the Court of Appeal tomorrow after she lost in a lower court last year. She had failed in her bid to challenge the conversion of her two young children to Islam by her husband.
(BTW, don’t confuse Shamala’s case for another, a more recent one involving M. Indira Gandhi who has benefitted somewhat from the recent cabinet pronouncement on the faith of children in cases where hubby decides he wants to be Muslim but the mum remains a Hindu)
Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing Shamala in the syariah court.
You may ask: ‘Huh? Syariah court? Isn’t Shamala a Hindu?'
The strange case (hmmm, maybe not so after all) where Shamala, a non-Muslim with NO legal standing in the syariah court, has been forced to seek redress of her grievances under the jurisdiction of a syariah court is an appalling indictment of the Malaysian civil courts …
… because, as The Malaysian Insider reported:
The civil High Court had earlier refused to rule on the legitimacy of the conversion of her children. The civil courts have consistently refused to accept jurisdiction in cases such as Shamala’s.
Helloooooooo - ain't this quite a difference to one of its judges' bravery in recently bucking the SUPREME LAW of the land?
Coincidentally Imtiaz is Shamala's lawyer. A couple of years back, in my post SUHAKAM Chairman: "Civil Court Judges Lack Balls", Imtiaz complained to the chairman of SUHAKAM, former Attorney-General Abu Talib Othman, about civil courts abdicating their judicial responsibility in such cases where the contesting hubby and wifey, professed different religions, namely Islam and Hinduism.
The following are relevant extracts of my post:
On the timidity of the civil courts in interpreting the constitutional rights of the syariah courts in the Moorthy case [Malaysia’s well-known body snatching scandal where the civil courts failed his Hindu family], ...
... the chairman of SUHAKAM, former Attorney-General Abu Talib Othman, the very man who had drafted the contentious Article 121 (1)(A) in 1988, blamed the civil courts for lacking the balls to interpret the provisions according to the intentions of the proponents (BTW, that’s the Mahathir government with Abu Talib as drafter).
He averred that the insertion of Article 121 (1)(A) into the Constitution was never intended to deny or deprive non-Muslims the right to seek justice in a civil court.
In fact he saw the only problem being the judges of the civil courts lacking the courage to act further independently of the Executive (ie. PM & Cabinet), that is, with applying the provisions for non-Muslims with initiative, justice and more guts instead of waiting for a nod of some sort from the Prime Minister.
[Note how M Indira Gandhi has benefitted (at least for a while) from the ‘nod of some sort from the (current) Prime Minister']
Abu Talib even accused the civil court judges of worrying about their promotional prospects as the possible reason for lacking the courage.
He said: “The courts have failed to do so (interpret boldly) for the slightest unreasonable reasons in many cases where Islam is merely seen on the surface.” […]
When human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz told him that about judges who admit to being Muslims first, Abu Talib advised him to report the matter and if there was evidence, those judges should be removed.
He said: “They are unfit to be judges, then. Judges should remember their constitutional oath to protect and uphold the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land.”
Abu Talib said of the Moorthy case, where the widow Kaliammal went to court to stop his Muslim burial, that Article 121 (1)(A) did not take away the rights of non-Muslims. He accused the courts of not interpreting it correctly, and added:
“If the plaintiff [ie. Moorthy’s widow] is not a Muslim, I cannot imagine why the (civil) court can say ‘I don’t have jurisdiction’. If the plaintiff does not profess Islam, there is no reason not to hear the case.”
“The problem here is caused by the court, not by the legislature. Judges are not complying with the constitutional oath they had taken. The courts today are taking the easy way out, either due to incompetence or under threat. Today, our courts are merely courts of statistics not interested in dispensing justice. ...”
Indeed, what a quote that Judges are not complying with the constitutional oath they had taken. The courts today are taking the easy way out, either due to incompetence or under threat. Today, our courts are merely courts of statistics not interested in dispensing justice.
Should Nizar be worried?
Related:
(1) Ball in civil courts, but balls were missing?
(2) Article 121(1)(A) - What terrified the Civil Courts!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Damn those dams
In Greek mythology, there was a Titan called Prometheus, the brother to the more famous Atlas. Good olde Prometheus was a cunning bloke who fortunately for us, loved and championed human-kind. To cut the myth short, he stole fire from the almighty Zeus to give it to men.
It was mankind's greatest gift (or discovery).
Zeus was pissed off and punished Prometheus for his ‘crime’ by chaining him to a rock in the Caucasus, the region where Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia are.
Zeus ensured that each day a huge eagle ripped into his liver - oUCh! The liver would, by Zeus will, grow back again, so that it would be eaten again the following day - perpetual torture until he was rescued by Heracles (or if you like the Romanised name, Hercules) hundreds of years later.
The myth showed Prometheus as playing a pivotal role in the early history of humankind. Providing fire to men was probably the principal one.
Fire, as we know, is a good servant but a bad master. It’s an old English saying which means that fire is very useful when it is under one's control, but very dangerous when it is not.
Likewise with nuclear power! But somehow the word ‘nuclear’ strikes terror in many people’s hearts, and some greenies have exploited that fear by stressing only on its bad points while conveniently disregarding its usefulness.
Elizabeth Wong once wrote an article in Malaysiakini describing all the adverse factors of Malaysia adopting the use of nuclear power. At that time I didn’t have the opportunity to rebut some of her points because I was caught up with some far more demanding issues.
Also, I was then reminded that leaving control of nuclear power development in the hands of our corrupt and incompetent bureaucratic wonders might not be a good idea, thus I wasn’t motivated to write on my support of nuclear power as a better solution to our energy needs than hydro-electrical systems.
But I am alarmed by today’s Malaysiakini - Bakun to supply power to peninsula via undersea cable!
A few major countries like the USA have already removed, and some are also contemplating doing the same with their hydro-electrical systems.
While the advantages of a hydro-electric scheme may be attractive the disadvantages aren’t so immediately apparent.
For a start, a hydroelectric system like the one being developed at Bakun will dislocate large numbers of people as had been the humongous case for the Chinese 3-Gorges Dam across the mighty Yangtze River, which was developed with 3 objectives: to produce clean electricity, prevent China’s perennial deadly floods downstream and enhance navigation for boats.
This is what Wikipedia has to say about the enhanced navigation brought about by the 3-Gorges Dam:
The freight capacity of the river increased 6 times and the cost of shipping reduced by 25%, compared to previous years, which reduces carbon dioxide emission by 630,000 tonnes. Comparing to highway transportation, the amount of fuel that Three Gorges Dam project saved between the year of 2004 and 2007 is equivalent to 4,100,000 tonnes of standard coal. Thus it reduces carbon dioxide emission by 10 million tonnes.
OK, so there’s some greenie benefit.
But 1.24 million Chinese had to be relocated. An added issue for China's relocation plan was corruption, where officials pocketed the government funds allocated for compensation of 13,000 farmers relocated. Not unlike some cases in Malaysia, the money mysteriously disappeared after it was sent to the local government. The farmers have yet to be compensated.
But the far more significant issue is that, a large dam like Bakun will flood a very large area upstream, and adversely muck up, if not destroy the ecological system both upstream and downstream. The aqua ecosystems, birdlife, and other mammals will be seriously affected.
My uncles would constantly lament the building of the Ayer Itam Dam, which has screwed up the Ayer Itam river ecosystem. Worse, under the BN State government, some tributaries to the river have disappeared in the 90's.
One which was particular loved by my mateys and me was (once) a bubbling cool crystal clear brook which cascaded underneath the Bukit Bendera funicular rail track before becoming a stream flowing through Hye Keat Estate and then meandering by the Zoo Road mosque to join the main Ayer Itam river.
I was told that a ‘factory’ (of what? but would have to be one approved by the State) has siphoned off the waters of the entire brook upstream of the funicular rail track. The Hye Keat Estate stream is no more.
As a toddler, I was taken there by my uncles to catch all sorts of fish in the Hye Keat river, which we Ayer Itam locals would called:
- ‘aw tiam’ (black spot – a sort of barb about the size of our palm with a noticeable black spot around its dorsal fin - could it be ikan bagoh or menderu?),
- ‘peh teeo’ (white something – ‘teeo’ means ‘to fish’ but I don’t think it’s this meaning - but could it be 'teeow' which means 'strip' or a unit description for a fish, as in 'se-ekor'?),
- ‘ikan teen’ (carp),
- th’or sart’ (catfish),
- ‘layhoo’ (I am ashamed to say I can’t recall both the Malay and English name for this ubiquitous fish which can be caught in most Malaysian streams, rivers, and mostly in the padi fields – it has sweet flesh and Chinese use it in rice porridge – it’s a very hardy fish which won’t flop over and die when one leaves it out of water, and can remain quite alive for hours in a fishmonger's basket). Afternote: thanks to Xiean, the fish is snakehead fish (channidae) or ikan haruan.
Uncle told me they are all gone from the river and streams (what stream? they are now only huge dry drains) around the Ayer Itam village, save perhaps for some 'ikan teen' at the spot near the foot of the Dam (around the mosque astride the stream).
Future generations of Penangites will lose knowledge and the pleasure of being acquainted with our flora and fauna heritage because of the Ayer Itam Dam.
The Dam should have been required to release a minimum quantity of water to ensure the flora and fauna dependent on the river flow were not endangered. But I doubt this is likely to happen in the future.
So to end this post, I would like to remind Malaysians that fire may well be a bad master but is a damn good servant, otherwise Prometheus wouldn't have been prepared to suffer hundreds and hundreds of agony to bestow on us the wonderful gift of fire, essentially the gift of life.
It was mankind's greatest gift (or discovery).
Zeus was pissed off and punished Prometheus for his ‘crime’ by chaining him to a rock in the Caucasus, the region where Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia are.
Zeus ensured that each day a huge eagle ripped into his liver - oUCh! The liver would, by Zeus will, grow back again, so that it would be eaten again the following day - perpetual torture until he was rescued by Heracles (or if you like the Romanised name, Hercules) hundreds of years later.
The myth showed Prometheus as playing a pivotal role in the early history of humankind. Providing fire to men was probably the principal one.
Fire, as we know, is a good servant but a bad master. It’s an old English saying which means that fire is very useful when it is under one's control, but very dangerous when it is not.
Likewise with nuclear power! But somehow the word ‘nuclear’ strikes terror in many people’s hearts, and some greenies have exploited that fear by stressing only on its bad points while conveniently disregarding its usefulness.
Elizabeth Wong once wrote an article in Malaysiakini describing all the adverse factors of Malaysia adopting the use of nuclear power. At that time I didn’t have the opportunity to rebut some of her points because I was caught up with some far more demanding issues.
Also, I was then reminded that leaving control of nuclear power development in the hands of our corrupt and incompetent bureaucratic wonders might not be a good idea, thus I wasn’t motivated to write on my support of nuclear power as a better solution to our energy needs than hydro-electrical systems.
But I am alarmed by today’s Malaysiakini - Bakun to supply power to peninsula via undersea cable!
A few major countries like the USA have already removed, and some are also contemplating doing the same with their hydro-electrical systems.
While the advantages of a hydro-electric scheme may be attractive the disadvantages aren’t so immediately apparent.
For a start, a hydroelectric system like the one being developed at Bakun will dislocate large numbers of people as had been the humongous case for the Chinese 3-Gorges Dam across the mighty Yangtze River, which was developed with 3 objectives: to produce clean electricity, prevent China’s perennial deadly floods downstream and enhance navigation for boats.
This is what Wikipedia has to say about the enhanced navigation brought about by the 3-Gorges Dam:
The freight capacity of the river increased 6 times and the cost of shipping reduced by 25%, compared to previous years, which reduces carbon dioxide emission by 630,000 tonnes. Comparing to highway transportation, the amount of fuel that Three Gorges Dam project saved between the year of 2004 and 2007 is equivalent to 4,100,000 tonnes of standard coal. Thus it reduces carbon dioxide emission by 10 million tonnes.
OK, so there’s some greenie benefit.
But 1.24 million Chinese had to be relocated. An added issue for China's relocation plan was corruption, where officials pocketed the government funds allocated for compensation of 13,000 farmers relocated. Not unlike some cases in Malaysia, the money mysteriously disappeared after it was sent to the local government. The farmers have yet to be compensated.
But the far more significant issue is that, a large dam like Bakun will flood a very large area upstream, and adversely muck up, if not destroy the ecological system both upstream and downstream. The aqua ecosystems, birdlife, and other mammals will be seriously affected.
My uncles would constantly lament the building of the Ayer Itam Dam, which has screwed up the Ayer Itam river ecosystem. Worse, under the BN State government, some tributaries to the river have disappeared in the 90's.
One which was particular loved by my mateys and me was (once) a bubbling cool crystal clear brook which cascaded underneath the Bukit Bendera funicular rail track before becoming a stream flowing through Hye Keat Estate and then meandering by the Zoo Road mosque to join the main Ayer Itam river.
I was told that a ‘factory’ (of what? but would have to be one approved by the State) has siphoned off the waters of the entire brook upstream of the funicular rail track. The Hye Keat Estate stream is no more.
As a toddler, I was taken there by my uncles to catch all sorts of fish in the Hye Keat river, which we Ayer Itam locals would called:
- ‘aw tiam’ (black spot – a sort of barb about the size of our palm with a noticeable black spot around its dorsal fin - could it be ikan bagoh or menderu?),
- ‘peh teeo’ (white something – ‘teeo’ means ‘to fish’ but I don’t think it’s this meaning - but could it be 'teeow' which means 'strip' or a unit description for a fish, as in 'se-ekor'?),
- ‘ikan teen’ (carp),
- th’or sart’ (catfish),
- ‘layhoo’ (I am ashamed to say I can’t recall both the Malay and English name for this ubiquitous fish which can be caught in most Malaysian streams, rivers, and mostly in the padi fields – it has sweet flesh and Chinese use it in rice porridge – it’s a very hardy fish which won’t flop over and die when one leaves it out of water, and can remain quite alive for hours in a fishmonger's basket). Afternote: thanks to Xiean, the fish is snakehead fish (channidae) or ikan haruan.
Uncle told me they are all gone from the river and streams (what stream? they are now only huge dry drains) around the Ayer Itam village, save perhaps for some 'ikan teen' at the spot near the foot of the Dam (around the mosque astride the stream).
Future generations of Penangites will lose knowledge and the pleasure of being acquainted with our flora and fauna heritage because of the Ayer Itam Dam.
The Dam should have been required to release a minimum quantity of water to ensure the flora and fauna dependent on the river flow were not endangered. But I doubt this is likely to happen in the future.
So to end this post, I would like to remind Malaysians that fire may well be a bad master but is a damn good servant, otherwise Prometheus wouldn't have been prepared to suffer hundreds and hundreds of agony to bestow on us the wonderful gift of fire, essentially the gift of life.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Realpolitik - Anwar Ibrahim and DAP
My good matey Ong Kian Ming has written Silver lining in Lim-Anwar spat in Malaysiakini.
He was referring to the recent verbal stoush over the Fairus resignation between Lim GE and PKR (rather than Anwar Ibrahim himself). Of course Anwar being always the ‘good bloke’ left it to his subordinates like Dr Syed Husin and Zahrain Hasim, the Penang PKR chief, to do the nasty bits for him against Lim.
This was one of the points Ong stated about the ‘silver lining’: And Anwar, by apologising for having kept Guan Eng in the dark, has shown that he is using a different leadership approach compared to his Umno counterpart.
Well, the reality is Mr Man Man Lai had no choice but to adopt a different approach. Vis-à-vis the DAP, his PKR is not the comparable juggernaut that UMNO had been and still is to the MCA.
(Note I haven’t mentioned Gerakan because this party, after Dr Lim Chong Eu relinquished the party controls to eventually fall ino the hands of Koh TK, has become the obsequious UMNO puppet to the degree which I must say MCA at least hasn’t, so its relationship with UMNO is more like serf to lord - sorry Darren).
PKR is not the UMNO-ish Taikoh by any means, much as it may wish to be or had behaved. It has only 31 seats to DAP’s 28 (of which 1 so-called PKR’s seat is actually occupied by PSM’s Dr Jeya).
Now, a good chunk of the DAP's holdings had been won in its own heartland while PKR obtained theirs through the windfall (or wavefall?) of the tsunamic political change of March 2008. The DAP's position is far far more solid, stable and settled.
Thus Anwar knows that, unlike PAS and the DAP, he lacks a historically dependable power base. Also, unlike PAS or UMNO he doesn’t have a hold yet in the heartland and depends mainly on Chinese and Indian support (yes, younger and urban Malays are supportive too of PKR but not so the heartland). Therefore a friendly association with DAP has been and will be more to its advantage.
I believe that DAP has contributed more substantially to the coalition than PKR. The contrast between the PKR versus DAP by-election campaign efforts in Machap and Ijok was a classic case study of who had been the more committed party and more sincere ally.
In recent times, the by-elections in Kuala Terengganu, Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang also demonstrated the DAP's total commitment, effort and sincerity towards the coalition.
Even in Parliament, it’s Lim Kit Siang who’s playing a substantial, significant and scincillating role as Opposition Leader while the Great One goes globe-gallivanting for reasons known only to himself and his own agenda.
Look, what has Anwar done substantially thus far for Pakatan, as in his promiseS to form a shadow cabinet?
Well I'd say that goes into the same category as his promiseS to discipline the Kulim Wonder, make a ‘BIG’ announcement to shake Najib's legitimacy as PM (300 PPP frogs? wakakaka), reform Malaysian politics by deforming the supremacy of the ballot box through frogs and his half-past six 916, and his pathetic failure at even political defections in Perak!
Unlike my matey Ong Kian Ming, I am not prepared to put him in the commendable position of his using a different approach to UMNO because he had believed that to be the right thing.
His lack of real power makes him realize he’s not in a position to annoy the DAP, contrary to the MCA people's belief, jibes and jeers at Lim GE as Anwar's political stooge. Au contraire, Anwar had to apologize to Lim GE because he had no choice and more to lose.
Maybe Ong might have forgotten or forgiven Anwar Ibrahim for the way he behaved towards Chinese and Indians and their parties when he was in UMNO?
But Ong is completely correct when he wrote: But by making the decision to go ‘public’ with his dissatisfaction of being kept out of the loop by Anwar in regard to the situation with former DCM1 Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, and with his possible replacement, Guan Eng has shown that unlike his predecessor in Penang, he is not afraid to ‘flex his muscles’ vis-à-vis the de facto leader of Pakatan.
Ong then went on to explain in some details the position of Penang’s DCM1, as follows:
Guan Eng clearly did not usurp Anwar’s authority when he stated that the DCM1 position was, and still is, very much Anwar’s decision, and Anwar will demonstrate this authority by nominating the person who stands in the Penanti seat to be the next DCM1 in Penang. Hence, both sides can chalk up a ‘win’ in their respective scoring columns.
I disagree with Ong on the concept of ‘Anwar’s authority’ vis-à-vis the DCM1 position because it’s solely, wholly and undoubtedly the Chief Minister’s sole perogative to fill it with the ADUN of his choice. Even Lim GE had stated so several times.
Admittedly there is a power sharing arrangement in Penang between DAP and PAS as political allies, but political protocol dictates that only and only the Chief Minister decides who his deputy or deputies shall be. It’s only courtesy and cooperation, as part of the coalition power-sharing arrangements, that Lim GE has left it (as his/Lim’s perogative) to the PKR leadership to fill the post.
I believe what Ong meant as ‘Anwar’s authority’ would be more appropriately the PKR’s decision to select its candidate for the Penanti constituency, because that seat was assigned to PKR prior to the last general election.
And recall, as a mark of DAP's ire at Zahrain Hashim (and thus its show of power vis-à-vis PKR), DAP has stated in no uncertain terms it will not accept Zahrain as DCM1 if that bloke were to stand as candidate for Penanti.
But I fear for the DAP when/if the time comes for Anwar Ibrahim to believe he no longer needs the DAP as much as he does now, and unleashes Tian Chua, Gobala and the Chinese/Indian components of PKR to ‘chneow tian’ (fighting for the throne = power struggle) from the DAP.
He was referring to the recent verbal stoush over the Fairus resignation between Lim GE and PKR (rather than Anwar Ibrahim himself). Of course Anwar being always the ‘good bloke’ left it to his subordinates like Dr Syed Husin and Zahrain Hasim, the Penang PKR chief, to do the nasty bits for him against Lim.
This was one of the points Ong stated about the ‘silver lining’: And Anwar, by apologising for having kept Guan Eng in the dark, has shown that he is using a different leadership approach compared to his Umno counterpart.
Well, the reality is Mr Man Man Lai had no choice but to adopt a different approach. Vis-à-vis the DAP, his PKR is not the comparable juggernaut that UMNO had been and still is to the MCA.
(Note I haven’t mentioned Gerakan because this party, after Dr Lim Chong Eu relinquished the party controls to eventually fall ino the hands of Koh TK, has become the obsequious UMNO puppet to the degree which I must say MCA at least hasn’t, so its relationship with UMNO is more like serf to lord - sorry Darren).
PKR is not the UMNO-ish Taikoh by any means, much as it may wish to be or had behaved. It has only 31 seats to DAP’s 28 (of which 1 so-called PKR’s seat is actually occupied by PSM’s Dr Jeya).
Now, a good chunk of the DAP's holdings had been won in its own heartland while PKR obtained theirs through the windfall (or wavefall?) of the tsunamic political change of March 2008. The DAP's position is far far more solid, stable and settled.
Thus Anwar knows that, unlike PAS and the DAP, he lacks a historically dependable power base. Also, unlike PAS or UMNO he doesn’t have a hold yet in the heartland and depends mainly on Chinese and Indian support (yes, younger and urban Malays are supportive too of PKR but not so the heartland). Therefore a friendly association with DAP has been and will be more to its advantage.
I believe that DAP has contributed more substantially to the coalition than PKR. The contrast between the PKR versus DAP by-election campaign efforts in Machap and Ijok was a classic case study of who had been the more committed party and more sincere ally.
In recent times, the by-elections in Kuala Terengganu, Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang also demonstrated the DAP's total commitment, effort and sincerity towards the coalition.
Even in Parliament, it’s Lim Kit Siang who’s playing a substantial, significant and scincillating role as Opposition Leader while the Great One goes globe-gallivanting for reasons known only to himself and his own agenda.
Look, what has Anwar done substantially thus far for Pakatan, as in his promiseS to form a shadow cabinet?
Well I'd say that goes into the same category as his promiseS to discipline the Kulim Wonder, make a ‘BIG’ announcement to shake Najib's legitimacy as PM (300 PPP frogs? wakakaka), reform Malaysian politics by deforming the supremacy of the ballot box through frogs and his half-past six 916, and his pathetic failure at even political defections in Perak!
Unlike my matey Ong Kian Ming, I am not prepared to put him in the commendable position of his using a different approach to UMNO because he had believed that to be the right thing.
His lack of real power makes him realize he’s not in a position to annoy the DAP, contrary to the MCA people's belief, jibes and jeers at Lim GE as Anwar's political stooge. Au contraire, Anwar had to apologize to Lim GE because he had no choice and more to lose.
Maybe Ong might have forgotten or forgiven Anwar Ibrahim for the way he behaved towards Chinese and Indians and their parties when he was in UMNO?
But Ong is completely correct when he wrote: But by making the decision to go ‘public’ with his dissatisfaction of being kept out of the loop by Anwar in regard to the situation with former DCM1 Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, and with his possible replacement, Guan Eng has shown that unlike his predecessor in Penang, he is not afraid to ‘flex his muscles’ vis-à-vis the de facto leader of Pakatan.
Ong then went on to explain in some details the position of Penang’s DCM1, as follows:
Guan Eng clearly did not usurp Anwar’s authority when he stated that the DCM1 position was, and still is, very much Anwar’s decision, and Anwar will demonstrate this authority by nominating the person who stands in the Penanti seat to be the next DCM1 in Penang. Hence, both sides can chalk up a ‘win’ in their respective scoring columns.
I disagree with Ong on the concept of ‘Anwar’s authority’ vis-à-vis the DCM1 position because it’s solely, wholly and undoubtedly the Chief Minister’s sole perogative to fill it with the ADUN of his choice. Even Lim GE had stated so several times.
Admittedly there is a power sharing arrangement in Penang between DAP and PAS as political allies, but political protocol dictates that only and only the Chief Minister decides who his deputy or deputies shall be. It’s only courtesy and cooperation, as part of the coalition power-sharing arrangements, that Lim GE has left it (as his/Lim’s perogative) to the PKR leadership to fill the post.
I believe what Ong meant as ‘Anwar’s authority’ would be more appropriately the PKR’s decision to select its candidate for the Penanti constituency, because that seat was assigned to PKR prior to the last general election.
And recall, as a mark of DAP's ire at Zahrain Hashim (and thus its show of power vis-à-vis PKR), DAP has stated in no uncertain terms it will not accept Zahrain as DCM1 if that bloke were to stand as candidate for Penanti.
But I fear for the DAP when/if the time comes for Anwar Ibrahim to believe he no longer needs the DAP as much as he does now, and unleashes Tian Chua, Gobala and the Chinese/Indian components of PKR to ‘chneow tian’ (fighting for the throne = power struggle) from the DAP.
Zhang Ziyi cancels wedding plans
Star Online - Zhang Ziyi cancels wedding plans.
It’s moments like this that I believe there is a God after all – wakakaka!
It’s moments like this that I believe there is a God after all – wakakaka!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Malaysiakini, Fairus, Dr Syed Husin, Karpal Singh - what's going on?
Here’s something to make me worry about Malaysiakini!
But first, let’s read The Malaysian Insider Fairus leaves fate to party which reported:
Former Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin today said it is up to the party leadership to decide whether he should retract his resignation as Penanti assemblyman after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission cleared him of any wrongdoings.
He said his resignation as a lawmaker was a sign of his loyalty to the party as he has always put the interest of the party above himself.
"I leave it to the party leadership on the next course of action, whether I should retract or not it is up to them," he told The Malaysian Insider.
I read it as Fairus wanting to withdraw his resignation, but deferring the decision to PKR leaders.
But in Malaysiakini, there was no such report of Fairus saying that. All it said in its article Fairus says it again: I quit was:
Fairus Khairuddin has today reiterated his decision to resign as Penanti assemblyperson.
“I reaffirm my earlier stand to resign as Penanti assemblyperson and pledge full support for the PKR leadership under Anwar Ibrahim.”
But if you read CAREFULLY it was a statement ISSUED BY the party’s information bureau this afternoon, and not a direct quote from Fairus himself.
Malaysiakini earlier (breaking news) article on subject had PKR Deputy President, Dr Syed Husin, insisting that Fairus didn’t quit because of the corruption allegation, thus MACC clearing him has no bearing at all nor cause for Fairus to withdraw his resignation.
From the tone of that initial (breaking news) article, Dr Syed sounded rather angry and panicky with the suggestion that Fairus might withdraw his resignation. [Incidentally, that report quoting Dr Syed Husin has gone from the revised Malaysiakini report]
I bet Dr Syed Husin must have made Fairus feel very wanted wakakaka.
My dear doctor, alas, you’ve changed so much since you joined up with Anwar Ibrahim – I see you now as just another acolyte mesmerized by the miasmatic mist of malarkey.
Contrary to your frenetic assertion, the following is what your de facto leader had been quoted by Malaysiakini in its article Fairus stays despite tempting offers:
PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim has hailed Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government.
The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.
above bold-ing and underlining are mine
Dr Syed, I believe it’s time for you to retire.
Also in that earlier article Penang speaker (PKR) Abdul Halim Hussin was quoted as saying Fairus cannot withdraw his resignation, but since then, he has denied saying that.
Abdul Halim stated: “I only said that his resignation was done in accordance with the law. As the speaker, I am legally bound to verify the authenticity of the resignation letter, hand it over to the EC and wait for its decision.”
Now, who do we blame for that misquote. Errr … it’s OK to blame the media for misquoting Abdul Halim as he is not BN wakakaka.
Now, this is the best part to the sorry PKR comedic episode (MIC, eat your heart out wakakaka) – DAP national chairperson, Karpal Singh said that Fairus has the right to withdraw his resignation as Penanti assemblyperson so long as the Election Commission hasn’t accepted his quit notice or announced the by-election date.
Karpal stated: “Since the MACC has cleared him of all the graft allegations, I think Fairus has the right to withdraw his resignation letter.”
Wakakaka. But good on you, Karpal, Khalsa warrior of truth!
But I am terribly terribly disappointed with Malaysiakini for not reporting Fairus’ re-think on his resignation, instead of publishing only the statement from PKR’s information bureau. That extra piece of news, no doubt worrying to PKR, could have given us the full context of the story.
And why has Malaysiakini also withdrawn the post on Karpal Singh's assertion that Fairus can withdraw his resignation? - bloody right in front of my eyes.
But first, let’s read The Malaysian Insider Fairus leaves fate to party which reported:
Former Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin today said it is up to the party leadership to decide whether he should retract his resignation as Penanti assemblyman after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission cleared him of any wrongdoings.
He said his resignation as a lawmaker was a sign of his loyalty to the party as he has always put the interest of the party above himself.
"I leave it to the party leadership on the next course of action, whether I should retract or not it is up to them," he told The Malaysian Insider.
I read it as Fairus wanting to withdraw his resignation, but deferring the decision to PKR leaders.
But in Malaysiakini, there was no such report of Fairus saying that. All it said in its article Fairus says it again: I quit was:
Fairus Khairuddin has today reiterated his decision to resign as Penanti assemblyperson.
“I reaffirm my earlier stand to resign as Penanti assemblyperson and pledge full support for the PKR leadership under Anwar Ibrahim.”
But if you read CAREFULLY it was a statement ISSUED BY the party’s information bureau this afternoon, and not a direct quote from Fairus himself.
Malaysiakini earlier (breaking news) article on subject had PKR Deputy President, Dr Syed Husin, insisting that Fairus didn’t quit because of the corruption allegation, thus MACC clearing him has no bearing at all nor cause for Fairus to withdraw his resignation.
From the tone of that initial (breaking news) article, Dr Syed sounded rather angry and panicky with the suggestion that Fairus might withdraw his resignation. [Incidentally, that report quoting Dr Syed Husin has gone from the revised Malaysiakini report]
I bet Dr Syed Husin must have made Fairus feel very wanted wakakaka.
My dear doctor, alas, you’ve changed so much since you joined up with Anwar Ibrahim – I see you now as just another acolyte mesmerized by the miasmatic mist of malarkey.
Contrary to your frenetic assertion, the following is what your de facto leader had been quoted by Malaysiakini in its article Fairus stays despite tempting offers:
PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim has hailed Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government.
The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.
above bold-ing and underlining are mine
Dr Syed, I believe it’s time for you to retire.
Also in that earlier article Penang speaker (PKR) Abdul Halim Hussin was quoted as saying Fairus cannot withdraw his resignation, but since then, he has denied saying that.
Abdul Halim stated: “I only said that his resignation was done in accordance with the law. As the speaker, I am legally bound to verify the authenticity of the resignation letter, hand it over to the EC and wait for its decision.”
Now, who do we blame for that misquote. Errr … it’s OK to blame the media for misquoting Abdul Halim as he is not BN wakakaka.
Now, this is the best part to the sorry PKR comedic episode (MIC, eat your heart out wakakaka) – DAP national chairperson, Karpal Singh said that Fairus has the right to withdraw his resignation as Penanti assemblyperson so long as the Election Commission hasn’t accepted his quit notice or announced the by-election date.
Karpal stated: “Since the MACC has cleared him of all the graft allegations, I think Fairus has the right to withdraw his resignation letter.”
Wakakaka. But good on you, Karpal, Khalsa warrior of truth!
But I am terribly terribly disappointed with Malaysiakini for not reporting Fairus’ re-think on his resignation, instead of publishing only the statement from PKR’s information bureau. That extra piece of news, no doubt worrying to PKR, could have given us the full context of the story.
And why has Malaysiakini also withdrawn the post on Karpal Singh's assertion that Fairus can withdraw his resignation? - bloody right in front of my eyes.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
UMNO seems unable to capitalise on PKR's mess in Penanti
Malaysiakini news article Penanti voters unhappy with rep's resignation indeed reflects what many Penangites have been saying “Just WTF is this Fairus bloke up to? After being elected as Penanti’s ADUN, he has simply abandoned his responsibility to go for further studies!”
According to the Malaysian Bar website, Fairus declined to elaborate when asked when and where he would do so.
Then, when Fairus was sulking in KL, PKR publicity chief Tian Chua said Fairus had taken leave to go to Mecca - wakakaka - I thought that was the Kulim Wonder. I think it would be appropriate to demand from Tian Chua a photograph as proof lah - wakakaka again.
Hmmm, it seems to be that when PKR people are in trouble, they would be in Mecca.
Mind you, not that the Penangites haven’t been aware of certain alleged dodgy stuff hanging over Fairus' head at that time (MACC has just cleared him, so the latest news reported).
But they weren’t impressed by the attempted bull by PKR leaders. Some PKR supporters have even suggested that Fairus' resignation indicated a higher moral standard of PKR politics, wakakaka, not when dear Fairus was singing like a bird to Nanyang Siang Pau.
Look, this is what Din Merican (of PKR) wrote at his blog just 1 week ago:
As recent as late yesterday, Mohammad Fairus told Nanyang Siang Pau that he was exploring a number of options including switching parties or becoming an independent in addition to resigning.
He claimed that the corruption allegations were made by his party colleagues who were out to kill his political career and was bitter that top party leaders are not standing by him.
In the interview with the Chinese daily, he gave PKR two weeks to clear his name, or he would otherwise reveal dirt involving the party.
above underlining are mine
Being the gentleman he is, Din was very kind with his comments on Fairus ;-) but alas, we would never know what Anwar must have promised Fairus to persuade him to resign and go quietly wakakaka.
OK, next - Sim Kwang Yang, who was a former DAP MP (for Bandar Kuching, Sarawak) wrote in today’s Malaysiakini an article titled War clouds over Penanti.
It’s basically a roundup of the events surrounding the paradox of Fairus’ expected yet mysterious resignation, plus his usual experienced and wise analyses.
I was caught by his concluding paragraph, which states: In retrospect, I have to conclude that the people do not really like the Pakatan Rakyat all that much. Fortunately for the opposition, people just dislike the BN more!
… which seems to support Athi Veeranggan’s news article in Malaysiakini Penanti voters unhappy with rep's resignation.
But what Uncle Sim said of PKR vis-à-vis BN is UMNO’s ar$e luck, as witnessed in Bukit Selambau.
BN could have won that by-election in Kedah when PKR was confronted by Anwar’s ‘personal’ and inexplicable choice of candidate a la Loh Gwo Burne. Manikumar had been an extremely unpopular choice of candidate even amongst the PR people. But the local people hated BN more than they do Anwar's personal but unpopular choice of Manikumar.
There’s also rumours that a so-called ‘independent’ candidate may be put up by a certain party against PKR Dr Mansor Othman in the Penanti by-election.
I look at the Malaysiakini electoral chart and note that 27% of the voters are non-Malays (with 24.2% being Chinese), and thought to myself that the so-called ‘independent’ candidate, if indeed he is who I heard he may be, will be very very koyak when the votes are counted ;-). All Dr Mansor needs to do is to just get around 25% Malay votes and win the by-election easily.
If there is to be a so-called 'independent' candidate, it better not be that bloke wakakaka.
According to the Malaysian Bar website, Fairus declined to elaborate when asked when and where he would do so.
Then, when Fairus was sulking in KL, PKR publicity chief Tian Chua said Fairus had taken leave to go to Mecca - wakakaka - I thought that was the Kulim Wonder. I think it would be appropriate to demand from Tian Chua a photograph as proof lah - wakakaka again.
Hmmm, it seems to be that when PKR people are in trouble, they would be in Mecca.
Mind you, not that the Penangites haven’t been aware of certain alleged dodgy stuff hanging over Fairus' head at that time (MACC has just cleared him, so the latest news reported).
But they weren’t impressed by the attempted bull by PKR leaders. Some PKR supporters have even suggested that Fairus' resignation indicated a higher moral standard of PKR politics, wakakaka, not when dear Fairus was singing like a bird to Nanyang Siang Pau.
Look, this is what Din Merican (of PKR) wrote at his blog just 1 week ago:
As recent as late yesterday, Mohammad Fairus told Nanyang Siang Pau that he was exploring a number of options including switching parties or becoming an independent in addition to resigning.
He claimed that the corruption allegations were made by his party colleagues who were out to kill his political career and was bitter that top party leaders are not standing by him.
In the interview with the Chinese daily, he gave PKR two weeks to clear his name, or he would otherwise reveal dirt involving the party.
above underlining are mine
Being the gentleman he is, Din was very kind with his comments on Fairus ;-) but alas, we would never know what Anwar must have promised Fairus to persuade him to resign and go quietly wakakaka.
OK, next - Sim Kwang Yang, who was a former DAP MP (for Bandar Kuching, Sarawak) wrote in today’s Malaysiakini an article titled War clouds over Penanti.
It’s basically a roundup of the events surrounding the paradox of Fairus’ expected yet mysterious resignation, plus his usual experienced and wise analyses.
I was caught by his concluding paragraph, which states: In retrospect, I have to conclude that the people do not really like the Pakatan Rakyat all that much. Fortunately for the opposition, people just dislike the BN more!
… which seems to support Athi Veeranggan’s news article in Malaysiakini Penanti voters unhappy with rep's resignation.
But what Uncle Sim said of PKR vis-à-vis BN is UMNO’s ar$e luck, as witnessed in Bukit Selambau.
BN could have won that by-election in Kedah when PKR was confronted by Anwar’s ‘personal’ and inexplicable choice of candidate a la Loh Gwo Burne. Manikumar had been an extremely unpopular choice of candidate even amongst the PR people. But the local people hated BN more than they do Anwar's personal but unpopular choice of Manikumar.
Maybe Anwar and Mani may have Waynemoorthy (Hindraf) to also thank for his last minute endorsement of the PKR candidate, again an action indicating what Sim has succinctly put it as people do not really like the Pakatan Rakyat all that much. Fortunately for the opposition, people just dislike the BN more!
And Mani enjoyed an increased majority too wakakaka.There’s also rumours that a so-called ‘independent’ candidate may be put up by a certain party against PKR Dr Mansor Othman in the Penanti by-election.
I look at the Malaysiakini electoral chart and note that 27% of the voters are non-Malays (with 24.2% being Chinese), and thought to myself that the so-called ‘independent’ candidate, if indeed he is who I heard he may be, will be very very koyak when the votes are counted ;-). All Dr Mansor needs to do is to just get around 25% Malay votes and win the by-election easily.
If there is to be a so-called 'independent' candidate, it better not be that bloke wakakaka.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Silver blackens easily, Silver State more so
As a young boy I was given a silver chain by my uncle to wear my ‘siam-mah sampoh’ (Thai amulet) which I inherited from my paternal great grandmother, who hailed from Thailand.
Those of you who are from Penang, Kedah-Perlis, or Kelantan would have some idea of what the Phra Kring I wore was.
Well, I don’t anymore and one of the reasons was the silver chain kept turning black despite my regular cleaning. The black colour the chain assumed rapidly, even after the cleaning, was due to the reaction of the silver with my body sweat.
Silver has never agreed with me unlike for my cousin whose silver chain somehow shone beautifully.
Well, the Silver State has like my silver chain turned black too. In fact, the politics in that State is pretty rotten, and I blamed both Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Razak for their tit-for-tat froggy business which has brought about the nasty blackened state of affairs.
Anwar Ibrahim has always been a trouble maker, but many people (not me of course wakakaka) thought that perhaps his years in prison might have changed him completely from his old UMNO nasty self, making him the Great Reformer as he has been portraying himself.
But what did he do at the first opportunity he had post-incarceration?
Yes, he attempted to deform (note: not reform) the democratic process by seizing government through political defections. A black case of subversion of the ballot box. Yup, he is still his old UMNO self, trying to re-enact his 1994 froggie coup of Sabah.
His greater sin was to allow Najib Razak to upstage him in the sorry saga of fostering, encouraging and egging political defections. Even as a Deformer, Anwar couldn’t do the indecent job well enough.
And as an opposition leader (which Lim Kit Siang has to play, and with dignity, dedication and panache, in the frequent absence of the Great One) he couldn't even form a shadow cabinet.
What more as an alternative PM?
Najib? Well, he's UMNO, isn't he? wakakaka
Let’s move on to the State judiciary. There was this judicial commissioner in Perak who kept popping up everywhere and every time (even when it was said his contract had already ended) to frustrate State Assembly Speaker, Sivakumar during the attempted BN coup d'etat.
Then it was the High Court judge, Justice Datuk Balia Yusuf Wahi who saw fit to meddle with the State legislative, despite Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution which clearly states: The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.
Highly respected (former) Judge NH Chan asked the rhetorical question: What do you call a judge who has defied the law of the land?
... provided with the suggested answer: A renegade judge?
So, with Justice Balia seeing fit to ignore a sacred cow of Westminster democracy, the separation of powers, he has now encouraged Gobind to challenge suspension in court, as reported by Malaysiakini.
Gobind, son of my hero Karpal Singh, had called Najib a ‘murderer’ during a parliamentary session. Despite my admiration and support for his father, I didn’t have any doubts that Gobind had gone too far, more so when he is a lawyer himself.
He was suspended from parliament for 12 months by the Speaker of the Federal Parliament. And quite frankly, even as a DAP supporter I reckon he deserves the suspension, though I wonder whether 12 months might just be too long.
It’s simply outrageous for anyone, even and especially a DAP MP, to accuse someone of being criminally this or that without a shred of evidence, under the sarong of parliamentary privilege.
I suspect poor Gobind had been, like many others including sweetie Hannah Yeoh, mesmerized by the miasmatic mist of malarkey.
While I am not too sure of the correctness in the process that led to Gobind’s suspension, which Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang termed as a ‘blatant case of abuse’ by a BN majority in Parliament ...
... I thought denying him his allowances and benefits as an MP was wrong as that would deny him the financial support to service his constituency as their federal parliamentarian.
Parliament should never punish the innocent rakyat regardless of the sins of their MP or ADUN.
Anyway, Gobind has now seen our great Justice Balia daringly intruding into Legislative territory hitherto forbidden to the Judiciary, and thought what’s good for the UMNO goose should be equally good for the DAP gander.
Let’s now see how the court weasels out of this one.
And I have finished this post without the need to even mention the Perak royalty ;-)
Those of you who are from Penang, Kedah-Perlis, or Kelantan would have some idea of what the Phra Kring I wore was.
Well, I don’t anymore and one of the reasons was the silver chain kept turning black despite my regular cleaning. The black colour the chain assumed rapidly, even after the cleaning, was due to the reaction of the silver with my body sweat.
Silver has never agreed with me unlike for my cousin whose silver chain somehow shone beautifully.
Well, the Silver State has like my silver chain turned black too. In fact, the politics in that State is pretty rotten, and I blamed both Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Razak for their tit-for-tat froggy business which has brought about the nasty blackened state of affairs.
Anwar Ibrahim has always been a trouble maker, but many people (not me of course wakakaka) thought that perhaps his years in prison might have changed him completely from his old UMNO nasty self, making him the Great Reformer as he has been portraying himself.
But what did he do at the first opportunity he had post-incarceration?
Yes, he attempted to deform (note: not reform) the democratic process by seizing government through political defections. A black case of subversion of the ballot box. Yup, he is still his old UMNO self, trying to re-enact his 1994 froggie coup of Sabah.
His greater sin was to allow Najib Razak to upstage him in the sorry saga of fostering, encouraging and egging political defections. Even as a Deformer, Anwar couldn’t do the indecent job well enough.
And as an opposition leader (which Lim Kit Siang has to play, and with dignity, dedication and panache, in the frequent absence of the Great One) he couldn't even form a shadow cabinet.
What more as an alternative PM?
Najib? Well, he's UMNO, isn't he? wakakaka
Let’s move on to the State judiciary. There was this judicial commissioner in Perak who kept popping up everywhere and every time (even when it was said his contract had already ended) to frustrate State Assembly Speaker, Sivakumar during the attempted BN coup d'etat.
Then it was the High Court judge, Justice Datuk Balia Yusuf Wahi who saw fit to meddle with the State legislative, despite Article 72, Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution which clearly states: The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.
Highly respected (former) Judge NH Chan asked the rhetorical question: What do you call a judge who has defied the law of the land?
... provided with the suggested answer: A renegade judge?
So, with Justice Balia seeing fit to ignore a sacred cow of Westminster democracy, the separation of powers, he has now encouraged Gobind to challenge suspension in court, as reported by Malaysiakini.
Gobind, son of my hero Karpal Singh, had called Najib a ‘murderer’ during a parliamentary session. Despite my admiration and support for his father, I didn’t have any doubts that Gobind had gone too far, more so when he is a lawyer himself.
He was suspended from parliament for 12 months by the Speaker of the Federal Parliament. And quite frankly, even as a DAP supporter I reckon he deserves the suspension, though I wonder whether 12 months might just be too long.
It’s simply outrageous for anyone, even and especially a DAP MP, to accuse someone of being criminally this or that without a shred of evidence, under the sarong of parliamentary privilege.
I suspect poor Gobind had been, like many others including sweetie Hannah Yeoh, mesmerized by the miasmatic mist of malarkey.
While I am not too sure of the correctness in the process that led to Gobind’s suspension, which Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang termed as a ‘blatant case of abuse’ by a BN majority in Parliament ...
... I thought denying him his allowances and benefits as an MP was wrong as that would deny him the financial support to service his constituency as their federal parliamentarian.
Parliament should never punish the innocent rakyat regardless of the sins of their MP or ADUN.
Anyway, Gobind has now seen our great Justice Balia daringly intruding into Legislative territory hitherto forbidden to the Judiciary, and thought what’s good for the UMNO goose should be equally good for the DAP gander.
Let’s now see how the court weasels out of this one.
And I have finished this post without the need to even mention the Perak royalty ;-)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Legal power without legal limits = dictatorship
Yesterday, in Malaysiakini - A new dimension of constitutional monarchy?, Param Cumaraswamy did what Perak MB had done, used the words of Lord President Raja Azlan Shah to question the words of Sultan Azlan Shah wakakaka.
Nizar had of course reminded HRH of a passage from the Sultan's own book titled 'Constitutional Monarchy, the Rule of Law and Good Governance' which had been (ironically) given to him by the ruler on his appointment as MB - this calls for another wakakaka.
The passage stated: "Under normal circumstances, it is taken for granted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would not withhold his consent to a request for the dissolution of the Parliament. His role is purely formal."
But alas, we all know what happened ... despite Zaid Ibrahim (former Law Minister) stating: "Many, including the Bar Council have said that His Highness's decision not to dissolve the Perak legislative assembly although advised to do so by the menteri besar (Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin) is beyond question or in legal parlance non justiciable."
Back to Param who is a former Malaysian Bar president, and has also served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers by the UN Commission on Human Rights from 1994 to 2003.
Param has been worried about HRH's recent statement that "the role of the constitutional monarchy goes beyond what is stipulated in the constitution".
Whoa whoa!
HRH claimed "that rulers have a far wider responsibility ensuring that the spirit of the constitution, the philosophy behind the written law and the interests of the country and the people are safeguarded at all times".
Param believes that’s going a bit too far and termed HRH proposition, probably sarcastically, as a ‘new dimension of constitutional monarchy’ that may have far reaching conseuqences.
Param said: We have in this country nine sultans under nine separate state constitutions and one king under the federal constitution.
Again with respect, if these heads of states begin to interpret their powers, rights, discretions and privileges under their respective constitutions in accordance with the ‘spirit of' and ‘philosophy' behind the constitutional provisions and framework, what becomes of any certainty in the constitutions?
Again with respect, how could rationality, reasonableness and consistency of the decisions on interpretations be secured?
In that event the independent judicial review of such decisions will be inevitable.
The institution of the monarchy may fall under the purview of the courts.
Then Param pounced on Chief Justice (wakakaka) Azlan Shah's judgment of the Federal Court in 1979 re: Sri Lempah.
The then CJ said, inter alia:
"Every legal power must have legal limits otherwise there is dictatorship. In particular it is a stringent requirement that a discretion should be exercised for a proper purpose, and that it should not be exercised unreasonably.”
"In other words, every discretion cannot be free from legal restraint; where it is wrongly exercised, it becomes the duty of the courts to intervene."
I think highly respected (former) Judge NH Chan’s succinct words, which I blogged in All that is Silver does not glitter, would be very apt in describing HRH’s proposition "... the role of the constitutional monarchy goes beyond what is stipulated in the constitution ..."
No, not a ‘bridge too far’ ….
… but 'This is no more than a pretended show of power when, in fact, there is no such power.'
Nizar had of course reminded HRH of a passage from the Sultan's own book titled 'Constitutional Monarchy, the Rule of Law and Good Governance' which had been (ironically) given to him by the ruler on his appointment as MB - this calls for another wakakaka.
The passage stated: "Under normal circumstances, it is taken for granted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would not withhold his consent to a request for the dissolution of the Parliament. His role is purely formal."
But alas, we all know what happened ... despite Zaid Ibrahim (former Law Minister) stating: "Many, including the Bar Council have said that His Highness's decision not to dissolve the Perak legislative assembly although advised to do so by the menteri besar (Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin) is beyond question or in legal parlance non justiciable."
Back to Param who is a former Malaysian Bar president, and has also served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers by the UN Commission on Human Rights from 1994 to 2003.
Param has been worried about HRH's recent statement that "the role of the constitutional monarchy goes beyond what is stipulated in the constitution".
Whoa whoa!
HRH claimed "that rulers have a far wider responsibility ensuring that the spirit of the constitution, the philosophy behind the written law and the interests of the country and the people are safeguarded at all times".
Param believes that’s going a bit too far and termed HRH proposition, probably sarcastically, as a ‘new dimension of constitutional monarchy’ that may have far reaching conseuqences.
Param said: We have in this country nine sultans under nine separate state constitutions and one king under the federal constitution.
Again with respect, if these heads of states begin to interpret their powers, rights, discretions and privileges under their respective constitutions in accordance with the ‘spirit of' and ‘philosophy' behind the constitutional provisions and framework, what becomes of any certainty in the constitutions?
Again with respect, how could rationality, reasonableness and consistency of the decisions on interpretations be secured?
In that event the independent judicial review of such decisions will be inevitable.
The institution of the monarchy may fall under the purview of the courts.
Then Param pounced on Chief Justice (wakakaka) Azlan Shah's judgment of the Federal Court in 1979 re: Sri Lempah.
The then CJ said, inter alia:
"Every legal power must have legal limits otherwise there is dictatorship. In particular it is a stringent requirement that a discretion should be exercised for a proper purpose, and that it should not be exercised unreasonably.”
"In other words, every discretion cannot be free from legal restraint; where it is wrongly exercised, it becomes the duty of the courts to intervene."
I think highly respected (former) Judge NH Chan’s succinct words, which I blogged in All that is Silver does not glitter, would be very apt in describing HRH’s proposition "... the role of the constitutional monarchy goes beyond what is stipulated in the constitution ..."
No, not a ‘bridge too far’ ….
… but 'This is no more than a pretended show of power when, in fact, there is no such power.'
PKR thinks it's the UMNO of Pakatan Rakyat
Malaysiakini - Pua to PKR: Stop the attacks on Lim!
DAP's information chief Tony Pua lambasted Penang PKR chief and MP for Bayan Baru Zahrain Mohamed Hashim for his rude and unwarranted attack on the CM. I blogged on Zahrain's boorish behaviour yesterday in Biadap-ish arrogance of PKR towards Lim Guan Eng.
The title of my post last night was most apt because apart from lacking good manners expected of a civilised person, let alone a political ally, Zahrain was too arrogant, forgetting who he is.
Tony has been absolutely right in accusing Zahrain of behaving like UMNO, for imagining PKR is the Taikoh of Pakatan Rakyat, and DAP can be bullied or whipped into place.
It would explain in a way why PKR people like Zahrain had the brazen nerve to attack Lim, quoting protocols which he (Zahrain) must have believed apply only to lesser mortals (like Lim GE), but not himself, ...
... just like an UMNO ultra, arrogant, self centered and inconsiderate.
Zahrain could have been under the arrogant impression that Anwar is in charge of everything Pakatan. Well, I have news for this bloke:
Come down to Earth, the Pakatan Rakyat is merely a loose coalition of three independent parties. Anwar has been nominated to be just the federal Opposition Leader, and not the leader of a new single party nor the Pakatan leader in every states.
In Penang, the nominated leader of the Pakatan is Lim Guan Eng, not Anwar Ibrahim. And I applaud Tony Pua for slapping (metaphorically of course, wakakaka) Zahrain's face to wake him up from his ketuanan Melayu wishful thinking.
I used to have lots of respect for Dr Syed when he was in PRM, but his post PRM conduct has, in my observation and agreed to by former PRM members, gradually deteriorated into a less than admirable state. We attribute that to a case of rotten contamination, by you-guess-what/whom.
Incidentally, his merger of PRM with KeADILan to form PKR had been an unhappy unwise decision which was NOT unanimous amongst PRM members, with some still not forgiving him for joining up with a bunch of UMNO rejects, and defiantly hanging on to their original PRM identity.
Dr Syed is of course the No 2 man in PKR. In many ways, the way he is viewed now is not unlike that for a certain Sultan – ‘nuff said!
Tony also blasted Dr Syed Husin for daring to place a gag order on Lim over the sorry saga of Fairus's resignation, basically a botched up job in inter Pakatan communication by Anwar Ibrahim. To be fair to Dr Syed he didn’t used the ‘gag’ word - Malaysiakini provocatively did.
But nonetheless Dr Syed should have ameliorated Anwar’s faux pas, instead of pretending that didn't happen, and going on to lecture Lim on not expressing his (Lim's) unhappiness with Anwar through the media.
And a sad sorry striking example of what I had mentioned as the 'less than admirable' conduct of Dr Syed, has been his cakap ta’serupa bikin, a gross case of double standards, where he himself used the media to lecture Lim on not using the media (to criticise a so-called political ally).
Recall that Dr Syed was the bloke, who immediately after the Pakatan’s election victory in Perak, demanded that members of the new Pakatan State exco should reflect the ethnic makeup of Perak State, regardless of which member party won the most seats, meaning PKR should get the lion’s share.
And coupled with PKR’s current insistence that only an ethnic Melayu ('no mamak please, we’re PKR!') may fill the DCM1 post, it has become a race party, no different to the UMNO it criticises … or at least Anwar’s core group is.
The KeADILan single 'colour' is coming through the so-called PKR multiracial hue, and sadly, Dr Syed has become part of this former UMNO coterie.
Related:
(1) Lim Guan Eng questioned Anwar Ibrahim's spirit of camaraderie & cooperation
(2) Lim Guan Eng feels betrayed by Anwar Ibrahim!
DAP's information chief Tony Pua lambasted Penang PKR chief and MP for Bayan Baru Zahrain Mohamed Hashim for his rude and unwarranted attack on the CM. I blogged on Zahrain's boorish behaviour yesterday in Biadap-ish arrogance of PKR towards Lim Guan Eng.
The title of my post last night was most apt because apart from lacking good manners expected of a civilised person, let alone a political ally, Zahrain was too arrogant, forgetting who he is.
Tony has been absolutely right in accusing Zahrain of behaving like UMNO, for imagining PKR is the Taikoh of Pakatan Rakyat, and DAP can be bullied or whipped into place.
It would explain in a way why PKR people like Zahrain had the brazen nerve to attack Lim, quoting protocols which he (Zahrain) must have believed apply only to lesser mortals (like Lim GE), but not himself, ...
... just like an UMNO ultra, arrogant, self centered and inconsiderate.
Zahrain could have been under the arrogant impression that Anwar is in charge of everything Pakatan. Well, I have news for this bloke:
Come down to Earth, the Pakatan Rakyat is merely a loose coalition of three independent parties. Anwar has been nominated to be just the federal Opposition Leader, and not the leader of a new single party nor the Pakatan leader in every states.
In Penang, the nominated leader of the Pakatan is Lim Guan Eng, not Anwar Ibrahim. And I applaud Tony Pua for slapping (metaphorically of course, wakakaka) Zahrain's face to wake him up from his ketuanan Melayu wishful thinking.
I used to have lots of respect for Dr Syed when he was in PRM, but his post PRM conduct has, in my observation and agreed to by former PRM members, gradually deteriorated into a less than admirable state. We attribute that to a case of rotten contamination, by you-guess-what/whom.
Incidentally, his merger of PRM with KeADILan to form PKR had been an unhappy unwise decision which was NOT unanimous amongst PRM members, with some still not forgiving him for joining up with a bunch of UMNO rejects, and defiantly hanging on to their original PRM identity.
Dr Syed is of course the No 2 man in PKR. In many ways, the way he is viewed now is not unlike that for a certain Sultan – ‘nuff said!
Tony also blasted Dr Syed Husin for daring to place a gag order on Lim over the sorry saga of Fairus's resignation, basically a botched up job in inter Pakatan communication by Anwar Ibrahim. To be fair to Dr Syed he didn’t used the ‘gag’ word - Malaysiakini provocatively did.
But nonetheless Dr Syed should have ameliorated Anwar’s faux pas, instead of pretending that didn't happen, and going on to lecture Lim on not expressing his (Lim's) unhappiness with Anwar through the media.
And a sad sorry striking example of what I had mentioned as the 'less than admirable' conduct of Dr Syed, has been his cakap ta’serupa bikin, a gross case of double standards, where he himself used the media to lecture Lim on not using the media (to criticise a so-called political ally).
Recall that Dr Syed was the bloke, who immediately after the Pakatan’s election victory in Perak, demanded that members of the new Pakatan State exco should reflect the ethnic makeup of Perak State, regardless of which member party won the most seats, meaning PKR should get the lion’s share.
And coupled with PKR’s current insistence that only an ethnic Melayu ('no mamak please, we’re PKR!') may fill the DCM1 post, it has become a race party, no different to the UMNO it criticises … or at least Anwar’s core group is.
The KeADILan single 'colour' is coming through the so-called PKR multiracial hue, and sadly, Dr Syed has become part of this former UMNO coterie.
Related:
(1) Lim Guan Eng questioned Anwar Ibrahim's spirit of camaraderie & cooperation
(2) Lim Guan Eng feels betrayed by Anwar Ibrahim!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Biadap-ish arrogance of PKR towards Lim Guan Eng
PKR makes me sick – they set standards for DAP that they themselves were unable to reach.
See Malaysiakini Guan Eng gagged on Fairus issue where PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali had the nerve to tell Lim Guan Eng "On behalf of PKR, I ask him not to raise this matter through the media."
And guess how Dr Syed passed that message to Lim?
Yes, through the media.
Incidentally, Malaysiakini has been unduly provocative by suggesting that Dr Syed of PKR could 'gag' Lim Guan Eng of DAP.Then in The Malaysian Insider PKR flays Guan Eng over Penanti PKR Penang chief Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said that Guan Eng should stop talking to the press about the issue and instead use internal mechanisms.
He stated: "As a member of the pact, why can't he discuss directly with Anwar on Fairus' successor as DCM1 and Penanti assemblyman?"
And like Dr Syed, he USED THE MEDIA, and not any internal mechanism, to pass this message to Lim.
But sadly, neither Dr Syed and Zahrain mentioned the disrespect that Anwar Ibrahim had demonstrated when he informed the media of Fairus’ resignation without even informing the CM, an ally who had the courtesy to (1) reserve a deputy CM post for PKR, and (2) defer to Anwar Ibrahim on the choice of a PKR person (no mamak please only Melayu ‘coz we’re PKR) for the post.
Not one f* mention of the wrong done to Lim GE.
PKR is getting too arrogant!
While hardworking Lim GE has been going round Asia, the latest being Singapore, trying to invite investments for Penang, Anwar Ibrahim has been grandstanding to the media about his 916, 'BIG' announcement and such likes, including boasting (as reported in Malaysiakini) that Fairus stays despite tempting offers.
He had the brazen cheek to “... hail[--] Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government. The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.”
... when virtually everyone knows all too well that Fairus had threatened to wash PKR's dirty linen in public if Anwar didn't sort out the alleged corruption attributed to Fairus.
Additionally, Mr Man Man Lai has been so busy with his obsession of seizing power, in order to realize his dreams of becoming PM that thus far he hasn't contributed anything worthwhile to the rule of the 5 Pakatan states, or as a viable alternative government.
He has only focussed on destabilizing the government for his own interests. I won't hold my breath over a small thing like the formation of a shadown cabinet, let alone his promised punishment of the Kulim Wonder.
All his nonsense would be like his 'BIG' announcement pffffffft-ing off whimpishly into little wisp of froggie fart.
We should heed Karpal Singh's call for Anwar Ibrahim to step down and fade away.
Also, Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim, Law Choo Kiang, Jason Ong, VS Raveenthran, Sim Tze Tzin, Ong Chin Wen and Tan Hock Leong should consider joining DAP where each and everyone of you will be considered/appointed on your merits and ability, and not on your ethnicity.
Related:
(1) Lim Guan Eng questioned Anwar Ibrahim's spirit of camaraderie & cooperation
(2) Lim Guan Eng feels betrayed by Anwar Ibrahim!
See Malaysiakini Guan Eng gagged on Fairus issue where PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali had the nerve to tell Lim Guan Eng "On behalf of PKR, I ask him not to raise this matter through the media."
And guess how Dr Syed passed that message to Lim?
Yes, through the media.
Incidentally, Malaysiakini has been unduly provocative by suggesting that Dr Syed of PKR could 'gag' Lim Guan Eng of DAP.Then in The Malaysian Insider PKR flays Guan Eng over Penanti PKR Penang chief Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said that Guan Eng should stop talking to the press about the issue and instead use internal mechanisms.
He stated: "As a member of the pact, why can't he discuss directly with Anwar on Fairus' successor as DCM1 and Penanti assemblyman?"
And like Dr Syed, he USED THE MEDIA, and not any internal mechanism, to pass this message to Lim.
But sadly, neither Dr Syed and Zahrain mentioned the disrespect that Anwar Ibrahim had demonstrated when he informed the media of Fairus’ resignation without even informing the CM, an ally who had the courtesy to (1) reserve a deputy CM post for PKR, and (2) defer to Anwar Ibrahim on the choice of a PKR person (no mamak please only Melayu ‘coz we’re PKR) for the post.
Not one f* mention of the wrong done to Lim GE.
PKR is getting too arrogant!
While hardworking Lim GE has been going round Asia, the latest being Singapore, trying to invite investments for Penang, Anwar Ibrahim has been grandstanding to the media about his 916, 'BIG' announcement and such likes, including boasting (as reported in Malaysiakini) that Fairus stays despite tempting offers.
He had the brazen cheek to “... hail[--] Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government. The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.”
... when virtually everyone knows all too well that Fairus had threatened to wash PKR's dirty linen in public if Anwar didn't sort out the alleged corruption attributed to Fairus.
Additionally, Mr Man Man Lai has been so busy with his obsession of seizing power, in order to realize his dreams of becoming PM that thus far he hasn't contributed anything worthwhile to the rule of the 5 Pakatan states, or as a viable alternative government.
He has only focussed on destabilizing the government for his own interests. I won't hold my breath over a small thing like the formation of a shadown cabinet, let alone his promised punishment of the Kulim Wonder.
All his nonsense would be like his 'BIG' announcement pffffffft-ing off whimpishly into little wisp of froggie fart.
We should heed Karpal Singh's call for Anwar Ibrahim to step down and fade away.
Also, Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim, Law Choo Kiang, Jason Ong, VS Raveenthran, Sim Tze Tzin, Ong Chin Wen and Tan Hock Leong should consider joining DAP where each and everyone of you will be considered/appointed on your merits and ability, and not on your ethnicity.
Related:
(1) Lim Guan Eng questioned Anwar Ibrahim's spirit of camaraderie & cooperation
(2) Lim Guan Eng feels betrayed by Anwar Ibrahim!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Lim Guan Eng questioned Anwar Ibrahim's spirit of camaraderie & cooperation
The Star Online - Guan Eng still chafing over Fairus’ resignation!
The Malaysian Insider - Guan Eng 'less than happy' with DCM situation!
But alas, nothing from Malaysiakini today on one of the most disrespectful, uncooperative and self-centered act by Anwar Ibrahim! He didn’t have the basic courtesy to inform his ally, CM Lim Guan Eng, that Fairus was resigning from his Penanti State seat, and this after assuring everyone that Fairus would hold his seat until 2013.
CM Lim GE had to learn about Fairus' resignation from the media.
Apart from the discourtesy, Anwar Ibrahim has been up to his man man lai antics again regarding one of the two Penang DCM posts which has been reserved for PKR.
As CM, Lim could have filled it up as he wished with one of the other PKR ADUNs, and there had been suggestions that Lim had looked towards appointing Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim, the Batu Maung PKR ADUN (assemblyperson).
But because Anwar Ibrahim didn’t want this mamak, Lim had out of courtesy waited for Anwar to recommend another, whom we initially thought to be possibly Maktar Shapee, PKR ADUN for Sungai Bakap.
Instead he wanted his fave Dr Mansor Othman – that’s typical of Anwar for his faves. Mansor will now use the avenue vacated for him by Fairus, whom we have been informed wants to leave his ADUN post because he has decided to take up (more) studies.
It would seem that Fairus thinks being elected by the people of Penanti to take on the responsibilities of being their representative (as he promised in his campaigning) wasn't important enough to stop him from abandoning his post when he feels like studying again. That's the man the people of Penanti had voted for.
On the wretched issue of Anwar's faves, if we recall, Anwar told his erstwhile good friend, Nallakarapan (who was nearly sent to the gallows because of his close association and friendship with Anwar) not to stand as a VP candidate for the PKR party election, because Nalla would have been a sure winner, and that wouldn't do 'coz Anwar had wanted another of his faves to be the VP.
I don’t blame Nalla for being so disenchanted and leaving PKR. Reformasi? And I am the Shahanshah of Persia!
BTW, my mamak comment is based on The Malaysian Insider report yesterday which stated: The frontrunner for the DCM 1 post is Abdul Malik but he has not been named due to intense last-minute lobbying. He is also not seen as a Malay as he comes from the Indian Muslim community in the state.
The Malaysian Insider had also reported that PKR was pissed off with Lim because the CM had favoured Abdul Malik an Indian Muslim, when it’s known that Anwar Ibrahim wants a strong ethnic Malay candidate. They felt that Lim was pressuring them to back off from the necessity of having a PKR Malay ADUN as DCM1.
See what I mean when I wrote about Anwar's 'core group'! (The Chinese PKR ADUN can sit back and relax – don’t ever dream of being DCM of Penang).
Trust Mr Man Man Lai to make another ‘BIG’ announcement, as reported by Malaysiakini in Anwar: Fairus stays despite tempting offers, that he “... hailed Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government. The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.”
Wakakaka!
As we all know, Fairus had publicly threatened Anwar that he would spill the beans about PKR’s dodgy matters if he wasn’t looked after on the allegations of his corrupt conduct with an illegal quarry operations in Seberang Perai. Those allegations had been made against him by another Penang PKR person. There was also an allegation of a questionable loan involving a large sum from the quarry operator.
I wonder what Anwar had to ‘promise’ Fairus to get him to resign without making good his threat on washing PKR’s dirty linen in public.
But coming back to the main issue - Anwar had been grossly disrespectful to Lim GE in not informing the CM before the press, that Fairus had agreed to resign from his State seat. Anwar must have, would have thought he was by rank way above Lim.
Needless to say, the Star Online captured as much of Lim’s disgust as it could, quoting the CM stating: “The fact is, his resignation was faxed to me only after it had been announced in the media so as far as I am concerned, I was never informed and knew it only when the press contacted me.”
“I am not happy with how everything unfolded but if there is a vacancy, there must be a by-election. As far as the by-election is concerned, the whole operation is planned by Anwar Ibrahim -- I don’t know what is happening and neither do the PKR members themselves, so you have to ask Anwar.”
But at the core of Lim’s anger has been this response when asked if PKR had failed to show respect and courtesy to Lim by not first informing the state of Fairus’ resignation before announcing it in the media:
“We have shown a genuine spirit of camaraderie and co-operation but whether or not it has been reciprocated (by PKR), you have to ask Anwar.”
It’s Machap all over again.
The Malaysian Insider - Guan Eng 'less than happy' with DCM situation!
But alas, nothing from Malaysiakini today on one of the most disrespectful, uncooperative and self-centered act by Anwar Ibrahim! He didn’t have the basic courtesy to inform his ally, CM Lim Guan Eng, that Fairus was resigning from his Penanti State seat, and this after assuring everyone that Fairus would hold his seat until 2013.
CM Lim GE had to learn about Fairus' resignation from the media.
Apart from the discourtesy, Anwar Ibrahim has been up to his man man lai antics again regarding one of the two Penang DCM posts which has been reserved for PKR.
As CM, Lim could have filled it up as he wished with one of the other PKR ADUNs, and there had been suggestions that Lim had looked towards appointing Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim, the Batu Maung PKR ADUN (assemblyperson).
But because Anwar Ibrahim didn’t want this mamak, Lim had out of courtesy waited for Anwar to recommend another, whom we initially thought to be possibly Maktar Shapee, PKR ADUN for Sungai Bakap.
Instead he wanted his fave Dr Mansor Othman – that’s typical of Anwar for his faves. Mansor will now use the avenue vacated for him by Fairus, whom we have been informed wants to leave his ADUN post because he has decided to take up (more) studies.
It would seem that Fairus thinks being elected by the people of Penanti to take on the responsibilities of being their representative (as he promised in his campaigning) wasn't important enough to stop him from abandoning his post when he feels like studying again. That's the man the people of Penanti had voted for.
On the wretched issue of Anwar's faves, if we recall, Anwar told his erstwhile good friend, Nallakarapan (who was nearly sent to the gallows because of his close association and friendship with Anwar) not to stand as a VP candidate for the PKR party election, because Nalla would have been a sure winner, and that wouldn't do 'coz Anwar had wanted another of his faves to be the VP.
I don’t blame Nalla for being so disenchanted and leaving PKR. Reformasi? And I am the Shahanshah of Persia!
BTW, my mamak comment is based on The Malaysian Insider report yesterday which stated: The frontrunner for the DCM 1 post is Abdul Malik but he has not been named due to intense last-minute lobbying. He is also not seen as a Malay as he comes from the Indian Muslim community in the state.
The Malaysian Insider had also reported that PKR was pissed off with Lim because the CM had favoured Abdul Malik an Indian Muslim, when it’s known that Anwar Ibrahim wants a strong ethnic Malay candidate. They felt that Lim was pressuring them to back off from the necessity of having a PKR Malay ADUN as DCM1.
See what I mean when I wrote about Anwar's 'core group'! (The Chinese PKR ADUN can sit back and relax – don’t ever dream of being DCM of Penang).
Trust Mr Man Man Lai to make another ‘BIG’ announcement, as reported by Malaysiakini in Anwar: Fairus stays despite tempting offers, that he “... hailed Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin for being a ‘gentleman’ by gracefully relinquishing all his elected and appointed positions in the Penang government. The opposition leader said PKR took pride that a young leader like Mohammad Fairus was standing up for his principle to clear his name from the graft allegations and prevent the party from being further tarnished.”
Wakakaka!
As we all know, Fairus had publicly threatened Anwar that he would spill the beans about PKR’s dodgy matters if he wasn’t looked after on the allegations of his corrupt conduct with an illegal quarry operations in Seberang Perai. Those allegations had been made against him by another Penang PKR person. There was also an allegation of a questionable loan involving a large sum from the quarry operator.
I wonder what Anwar had to ‘promise’ Fairus to get him to resign without making good his threat on washing PKR’s dirty linen in public.
But coming back to the main issue - Anwar had been grossly disrespectful to Lim GE in not informing the CM before the press, that Fairus had agreed to resign from his State seat. Anwar must have, would have thought he was by rank way above Lim.
Needless to say, the Star Online captured as much of Lim’s disgust as it could, quoting the CM stating: “The fact is, his resignation was faxed to me only after it had been announced in the media so as far as I am concerned, I was never informed and knew it only when the press contacted me.”
“I am not happy with how everything unfolded but if there is a vacancy, there must be a by-election. As far as the by-election is concerned, the whole operation is planned by Anwar Ibrahim -- I don’t know what is happening and neither do the PKR members themselves, so you have to ask Anwar.”
But at the core of Lim’s anger has been this response when asked if PKR had failed to show respect and courtesy to Lim by not first informing the state of Fairus’ resignation before announcing it in the media:
“We have shown a genuine spirit of camaraderie and co-operation but whether or not it has been reciprocated (by PKR), you have to ask Anwar.”
It’s Machap all over again.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
PKR loudhailer to wake the dead!
Malaysiakini reported that 8 PKR Activists may be charged over Altantuya 'hearse'.
It seems that on polling day during the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election, they displayed on their cars (made up as a hearse) photographs and an effigy of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in the constituency.
There was no doubt they went too far when they also included the photos of Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Two weeks ago, on 2 April 09, just before Najib assumed the premiership, several PKR people held a Cheng Beng prayer session for Altantuyaa Shariibuu by the roadside, coincidentally in Simpang, Taiping - see Malaysiakini Prayers for Altantuya.
Altantuyaa's photo was pasted on a wooden board, and planted by the roadside. The PKR mourners, dressed in black, lit joss sticks and recited prayers – and here’s the mark of their ‘sincerity’ of their so-called grieving - using a loudhailer.
For years I had taken part in Cheng Beng prayers at Penang Mount Erskine in respect of my departed loved ones, my gramps and father, as did many thousands of Chinese. But I had never ever once witnessed anyone ever using a loudhailer, never, not once.
Can any PKR Chinese member please advise me I am wrong on the use of loudhailer at Cheng Beng?
Why don't those PKR people grieving for Altantuyaa Shariibuu also hold Cheng Beng prayers or at least commemorative services for Preeshena Varshiny or Nurin Jazlin Jazimin and many others.
And I hope they won't forget to say their prayers with a loudhailer too!
It's one thing to show grieving or even hold prayers for the departed, but I deplore, despise and am disgusted with their exploitation of the tragedy of Altantuyaa for their own political objectives, as I mentioned in Murdering Altantuyaa Shaariibuu Again.
Guttersnipes!
It seems that on polling day during the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election, they displayed on their cars (made up as a hearse) photographs and an effigy of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in the constituency.
There was no doubt they went too far when they also included the photos of Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Two weeks ago, on 2 April 09, just before Najib assumed the premiership, several PKR people held a Cheng Beng prayer session for Altantuyaa Shariibuu by the roadside, coincidentally in Simpang, Taiping - see Malaysiakini Prayers for Altantuya.
Altantuyaa's photo was pasted on a wooden board, and planted by the roadside. The PKR mourners, dressed in black, lit joss sticks and recited prayers – and here’s the mark of their ‘sincerity’ of their so-called grieving - using a loudhailer.
For years I had taken part in Cheng Beng prayers at Penang Mount Erskine in respect of my departed loved ones, my gramps and father, as did many thousands of Chinese. But I had never ever once witnessed anyone ever using a loudhailer, never, not once.
Can any PKR Chinese member please advise me I am wrong on the use of loudhailer at Cheng Beng?
Why don't those PKR people grieving for Altantuyaa Shariibuu also hold Cheng Beng prayers or at least commemorative services for Preeshena Varshiny or Nurin Jazlin Jazimin and many others.
And I hope they won't forget to say their prayers with a loudhailer too!
It's one thing to show grieving or even hold prayers for the departed, but I deplore, despise and am disgusted with their exploitation of the tragedy of Altantuyaa for their own political objectives, as I mentioned in Murdering Altantuyaa Shaariibuu Again.
Guttersnipes!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Lim Guan Eng feels betrayed by Anwar Ibrahim!
Malaysiakini - PKR: Fairus quits Penanti seat!
What Anwar Ibrahim has been waiting for … or more probably working behind the scene to bring about this!
He had tested Lim Guan Eng’s patience to the utmost, by refusing to appoint a current PKR exco member to the post of DCM1 when Fairus resigned from the position (though not yet the Penanti seat).
Poor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, the Batu Maung assemblyperson, whom Lim Guan Eng wanted to move into Fairus' abandoned post, was rejected by the Great One.
I has started a mamak joke as a humorous explanation for Anwar's inexplicable dilly dallying over Fairus' substitution, but it would seem from what I read in The Malaysian Insider, I have been very near the truth.
The Malaysian Insider reported: The frontrunner for the DCM 1 post is Abdul Malik but he has not been named due to intense last-minute lobbying. He is also not seen as a Malay as he comes from the Indian Muslim community in the state.
This is racism which we have accused UMNO of, and ... ooops ... forgot his origin ...
I feel sorry for Malik, who I understand is quite a capable person, which has been why Lim GE wanted him as DCM1. Maybe he should join DAP instead.
Meanwhile, Malaysiakini reported:
Penang CM Lim Guan Eng, who is in Singapore on an official visit, said he was not aware of Fairus' resignation.
"I don't know anything about this resignation. If you (reporters) want to know, please ask Anwar," said Lim through his press secretary.
Lim Guan Eng is well and truly pissed off with Anwar Ibrahim who has been far too economical with the truth, even with the Penang CM, a man who had gone out of his way to accommodate the wishes of a political ally, the World’s Greatest Reformer.
What Anwar Ibrahim has been waiting for … or more probably working behind the scene to bring about this!
He had tested Lim Guan Eng’s patience to the utmost, by refusing to appoint a current PKR exco member to the post of DCM1 when Fairus resigned from the position (though not yet the Penanti seat).
Poor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, the Batu Maung assemblyperson, whom Lim Guan Eng wanted to move into Fairus' abandoned post, was rejected by the Great One.
I has started a mamak joke as a humorous explanation for Anwar's inexplicable dilly dallying over Fairus' substitution, but it would seem from what I read in The Malaysian Insider, I have been very near the truth.
The Malaysian Insider reported: The frontrunner for the DCM 1 post is Abdul Malik but he has not been named due to intense last-minute lobbying. He is also not seen as a Malay as he comes from the Indian Muslim community in the state.
This is racism which we have accused UMNO of, and ... ooops ... forgot his origin ...
I feel sorry for Malik, who I understand is quite a capable person, which has been why Lim GE wanted him as DCM1. Maybe he should join DAP instead.
Meanwhile, Malaysiakini reported:
Penang CM Lim Guan Eng, who is in Singapore on an official visit, said he was not aware of Fairus' resignation.
"I don't know anything about this resignation. If you (reporters) want to know, please ask Anwar," said Lim through his press secretary.
Lim Guan Eng is well and truly pissed off with Anwar Ibrahim who has been far too economical with the truth, even with the Penang CM, a man who had gone out of his way to accommodate the wishes of a political ally, the World’s Greatest Reformer.
According to The Malaysian Insider CM slighted Anwar didn't inform that Fairus quit Guan Eng was peeved because it was only last week that Anwar had said Fairus would remain as Penanti assemblyman until the next general election.
But apparently the Renaissance Man was already in possession of Fairus' resignation letter in his hands, and had planned to nominate one of his faves, Dr Mansor Othman, to stand in the Penanti by-election and become DCM1.
The delay had been due to some frantic behind-closed-door negotiations when Fairus turned ugly and threatened to expose PKR's dirty linen. But couldn't the Great One at least keep Lim GE informed of the 'broad' truth of the negotiations if not the PKR's grubby details?
It would appear that in man man lai fashion he had kept all these from Lim Guan Eng. Now, based on this shameful example, can we ever ever trust the words of the World's Greatest Reformer?
The Malaysian Insider reported on Lim’s anger at the way the Supreme Leader had played behind his back, as follows:
The Penang chief minister is slighted that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had kept mum about Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin’s resignation as Penanti assemblyman, which he only found out today when quizzed by the media.
Apart from not informing Fairus’ resignation from the state seat, the de facto PKR leader had also been concealing the matter for some time as it is understood the resignation letter is dated March 19, a few days before Fairus sent a letter quitting as deputy chief minister I.
Lim Guan Eng, who is in Singapore on an investment promotion, only knew all this today when asked by the media and later informed of the letter by the state officials.
Dap insiders revealed to The Malaysian Insider that “Lim is in a foul mood now as he feels that he should have been informed about happenings in the state.”
... and surely we can understand why! Alas, as a supporter of the DAP, I have constantly warned of the snake oil salesman's words - 31 frogs, 916, 'BIG' announcement, etc ..... alas, the consistent flow of bullsh*t should have sprung the alarm long ago.
In fact Lim has been so incensed that he is not speaking to reporters about Fairus, telling them to refer to Anwar.
As usual Anwar has been unavailable for comment. Kaytee ‘has been reliably informed’ ;-) that the Great Man is currently in serious consultation with the Presidents of the USA, Russia, China, and the Sec-Gen of the UN … oh, and the Chief Mufti of Cairo, Pope Benedict and the Dalai Lama as well ... on his preferred candidate for DCM1 (reserved for an ungrateful PKR).
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