MH370 - Nattering Nabobs of Negativism & their Schadenfreude

In a democracy it's right and indeed the job of the opposition to criticize the Najib government for its political policies when called for, but to attack the PM for his decision to bring the search for the missing MH370 to its sad conclusion has to be the worst politicization of the tragedy.

It's nothing more than sheer bloody mindedness of a political kind at the expense of the grieving next-of-kin (NOK) of the unfortunate people missing together with the MAS aircraft.

There's cause and a reason for the decision to bring the issue to an end, painful as it may be, because not to do so would have involved far more sufferings for the NOK.  

I am fully aware that I will be excoriated for my support for the PM's decision but then, I'm not a moronic blind-as-bat Myrmidon teeming with hatred and venom for the 'other' side. So, much as I may politically support the DAP I will say here what needs to be said, as a Malaysian.

Incidentally before I carry on, in my primary school days Reverend So & So (wakakaka) warned us kids during bible class of the perils of masturbating which he said would turn us blind. Well, he must be right because those who wanked themselves silly in their political hated-happiness (or happy-hatred, a new oxymoron, wakakaka) for the misfortune of those on the 'other' side of the political fence are or have become blind as bats, wakakaka.

Politicization of the MH370 saga happens when the 'other' side (or your side) tries to score political points especially on a tragedy (which would be better done later, say in Parliament) even if the politicization (a) callously and insensitively add on to the grief of the families of the missing people on board MH370, (b) irresponsibly blacken Malaysia's name further, and (c) other than to criticize, does not contribute anything positive to help resolve or mitigate the sorrow, loss and ameliorate the associated morale of those involved, the grieving NOK and the many hundreds of searchers, administrators and helpers.

Indeed what have Anwar Ibrahim and his allies contributed in terms of constructive proposals other than his boast of purchasing a super-duper radar when he was DPM, a radar which performance has been shown not to match his boastful claims - claims which would have nurtured further suspicions and anger in the already suspicious and angry eyes of the NOK?

Zilch man, zilch! That's how much he has contributed to solving/helping in the MH370 tragedy. And his supporters have been no better.

Spiro Agnew, a former VP of the USA, who was forced to resign from his VP position because he failed to report to the Tax Office earnings amounting to around $30,000 and also on accusations of accepting bribery of $100,000 while he was the Governor of Maryland, was actually a moderate in matters of race and had helped repeal the state's anti-miscegenation laws (prohibiting mixed race marriages or mixed race cohabitation). He also passed strict anti-pollution laws, and was one of the very few American leaders who dared to criticize the Israelis and Jews and call for the US to withdraw its support for Israel.

Now you may wonder why I've brought Spiro Agnew into this post? While his record has been undoubtedly tainted (but at least he had a few credits to his name unlike someone, wakakaka) I love one of his more colourful quotes, one rich with alliterations wakakaka, and which I feel would apply most appropriately to some Pakatan leaders and supporters today, especially in their shameful and unconscionable behaviour in politicizing the MH370 tragedy, even and especially when the issue had been burning hot with the NOK's anger, grief and helpless hopelessness.

Their regrettable politicization has been like dousing the flaming issue with barrels of high grade aviation fuel.

In a speech in 1970 in San Diego, Agnew said: "In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism."

Yes, I observe too that in Malaysia today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism, mind you, not only from Pakatan but alas recently, mostly from Pakatan.

The decision by PM Najib to bring the MH370 search to a close was not done casually, lightly or precipitously, much as the opposition might have insinuated, but only after advice from the British Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) and deep consultation with a large number of people including several foreign leaders.

In fact PM Tony Abbot of Australia announced that "the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was now moving into a recovery and investigation stage, and said the country was handing investigation back to Malaysia."

Abbot's statement implies the search part is over as the MAS Boeing 777 is now, given reasonable evidence provided by Inmarsat and the British AAIB, considered lost in the southern Indian Ocean together with all its crew and passengers ..... unless of course Anwar Ibrahim is willing to lead a search party to the Antarctic to look for its survivors - after all, isn't he God's gift to the people, as his wife had boasted, thus he should be able to do the impossible.

Antarctic

Now, in above I have explained the cause for the official announcement so let's move on to the reason.

Many may not realize that the announcement in the finality of the loss of the missing MH370 is necessary from a legal and administrative angle as death certificates have to be issued and can now be issued, and thus insurance claims can also be lodged, financial compensation be made, inheritance will of those now declared as 'deceased' read and executed, etc.

Without an official declaration of the status of those missing on MH370 as 'deceased', all the above can't and won't be processed and would only further the sufferings of the NOK.

While we expect the western press to exploit every opportunity to indulge in their favourite sports of bashing Asian governments, entities and cultures, we don't expect fellow Malaysians to do so, especially in such a tragic case like MH370, where our collective first priority now is to help the families of those missing bring matters to a close and hopefully their emotions to also have closure of some sort.

should we ameliorate or aggravate such grief?

I can give you various examples of the western press bashing Asians and things Asians but take one American blogger just as an example - he has called on his readers not to fly any Asian airlines - okay, perhaps he wants them to fly Aloha Airlines, American Airlines and again American Airlines, Swiss Air, Air France, and Pan Am & KLM which gave us the WORST air disaster in history, etc etc etc. But then, not unlike some people in our highly toxic political culture, he is blind as a bat to the reality of western air disasters while nursing invincible bias against things Asian or non-Western.

And we shouldn't be surprised if there are some Malaysians who would also advise Malaysians and foreigners not to fly any Asian airlines, particularly Malaysian Airlines System (MAS).

Why not? Well, because I have read the comments of some so-called 'Malaysians' who poured scorn on a TMI news report that the Mum of Chinese national on board MH370 denies she was manhandled just because (a) the real reason - she was complimentary to the Malaysian authorities and (b) the excuse for not believing (a) - the news source had been Bernama, even though Bernama had based that article on her interview with China Central Television (CCTV).

That news report had said:

She even thanked Malaysia and Malaysians for taking care of her daily and refuted allegations that Putrajaya had neglected the passengers’ families.

"I don't believe that is the case. I am sure they are under a lot of pressure. I understand that they are busy searching for the aircraft.

"So, it makes some sense, that they (the government) can't pay as much attention to the families.

Some readers insisted variously that she was coerced, bribed etc into not telling the truth, but alas for them, a couple of readers went on to the Chinese TV station (on the web) and have confirmed it's all genuine.

The sad part of above has been that some so-called 'Malaysians' actually want Malaysia and the Malaysian government to do badly (thus the above compliment from a Chinese national must be fabricated or forced), be embarrassed and/or having problems.

There's a German word for such toxic emotions, to wit, Schadenfreude.

In German, Schadenfreude means 'pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others' or if translated literally into English, 'Harm-Joy', almost alike what I mentioned earlier about Myrmidons having 'Hated-Happiness' or 'Happy-Hatred'.

Yes, those Myrmidons would only feel joy or pleasure when they see their political Malaysian opponent fail or suffer misfortune, EVEN at the expense of the national interests of Malaysia and other Malaysians.