- USTFU or May 13 will occur again
- USTFU and don't insult my religion
- ...................................... my race
- ...................................... my ruler
- ...................................... my culture
- etc
USTFU has proven to be very useful in the distant past but today I reckon it lacks its old latent punch.
Recent practitioner of USTFU is Pak Haji Hadi Awang when he raised concerns over DAP's keenness to have local council elections.
TMI published In Hadi’s May 13 remarks, civil society sees shades of Perkasa, Isma reporting that Jeffrey Phang, the co-chair of the Coalition of Good Governance (CGG ), lambasted Pak Hai for his May-13 warning as illogical, wrong and an attempt to spread fear.
Phang said: "Bringing in a threat of racial disturbance and violence to substantiate his objection to local council election is highly irresponsible and tantamount to fear-mongering and brings the PAS leader to the same level as the likes of personalities from Isma, Perkasa and Perkida."
"CGG finds it illogical to link a May 13 possibility with local council elections. Hadi Awang’s assumption of racial animosity among the people is wrong."
TMI reported Phang saying ... the public's overwhelming response to the recent flood in Kelantan was proof of the closeness of all Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion.
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| LKS and daughter with flood relief aid for Kelantan |
Phang stated: "The racial threat by Hadi is untenable as the target of charity by the urbanites is towards the rural Malay heartland population which was most affected by the flood. Hadi’s statement that ‘local elections will widen the urban-rural gap and trigger instability’ sounds illogical when put into this context."
Actually local councils already exist but its members are appointed rather than elected.
This was what I wrote in 2009, after Pakatan took over 5 states, including Penang:
When Lim GE said no to state awards of datukship he became even less popular with those PKR members.
We know that some Penang PKR members believe they are entitled to positions and prestige – so, on top of Lim’s no to datukships, they were further pissed off when Lim GE decided to do away with appointing pollies to head local councils, a position badly abused in the past to the detriment of the rakyat's benefits. He and the Penang exco decided on professional administrators to head (note: not ‘helm’ wakakaka) the councils.
We know that some Penang PKR members believe they are entitled to positions and prestige – so, on top of Lim’s no to datukships, they were further pissed off when Lim GE decided to do away with appointing pollies to head local councils, a position badly abused in the past to the detriment of the rakyat's benefits. He and the Penang exco decided on professional administrators to head (note: not ‘helm’ wakakaka) the councils.
On 18 March 2010 I posted Gerakan doesn't support local elections in Penang? Gerakan bloke involved was the notorious attention-seeker so I am not going to even mention his name here, wakakaka.
In 2010 there was an interesting article by TMI titled The lost third ballot written by Lim Sue Goan. The article was originally at mysinchew.com
Lim wrote (selected extracts): The garbage, ditches, roads, street lamps and grass in front of your home are all under the management of the local government. It will be the local government’s fault if there is a killing trap on the road.
Even so, it is ridiculous that we pay taxes but enjoy no right to replace the local government.
Local government elections were abolished following the declaration of the state of emergency during the confrontation with Indonesia in 1965. Malaysians have lost the third ballot since then.
The people have no right to question the appointment of local governments by the state governments. It all depends on the people’s luck whether the local governments carry out their duties well.
Even so, it is ridiculous that we pay taxes but enjoy no right to replace the local government.
Local government elections were abolished following the declaration of the state of emergency during the confrontation with Indonesia in 1965. Malaysians have lost the third ballot since then.
The people have no right to question the appointment of local governments by the state governments. It all depends on the people’s luck whether the local governments carry out their duties well.
Lim then blasted the federal government’s arguments against local councillors being elected, giving an example of unaccountable local government:
There are local government elections in other democratic countries and their experiences have proved that the central, state and local governments can be separated while they are working together.
Layers of oversight mechanisms can stop local governments from making mistakes, so that they are more accountable and transparent, achieving the goal of checks and balances.
At the same time, through their votes, voters can replace district officers and city councillors with poor performances. Because they are afraid of being replaced, local government officers will be more responsible and work harder.
At the same time, through their votes, voters can replace district officers and city councillors with poor performances. Because they are afraid of being replaced, local government officers will be more responsible and work harder.
Currently, the lack of oversight and checks and balances have resulted in poor management and financial deficit, as well as corruption.
Many local governments have been spending large sums of money from time to time to carry out landscaping projects but these projects ended up as “white elephants projects”.
It is simply a waste of public money. For example, the former Kuala Lumpur Mayor was alleged to have signed a RM32.4mil contract with a private company to supply flowers to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for three years.
In other words, a total of RM900,000 would be spent each month to beautify the DBKL’s tower. Would the former Mayor do that if there was a local government election?
In other words, a total of RM900,000 would be spent each month to beautify the DBKL’s tower. Would the former Mayor do that if there was a local government election?
My uncle told me there was a government appointee (thus not an elected representative) heading the local council in Sebarang Prai (Butterworth). I think Koh Tsu Koon might have been the CM then. The government appointed council head decided to conduct a ‘study tour’ purportedly on low cost housing, BUT where did he conduct his 'study tour'?
Remember, it's about low cost housing!
Well well well, he planned that tour to take him and entourage to 1st World European countries, yup, 1st World countries, when at that time the World’s most successful authority on low cost housing was just next door, our southern neighbour.
Under whatever council procedural clause, he and his kutu-councillors were entitled to take along their wives on this extensive European tour, and so they did, and one happy huge group of un-elected local councillors and staff plus wives went on an European tour with all expenses paid for by the Penang taxpayers.
That was the precursor of the Selangor infamous Disney World ‘study tour’, but it was far far worse than 'Disney World' because none of those jollying kakis were elected, yet permitted to spent oozes of taxpayers' money without any need to validly justify for the tour nor account for the expenditure.
Despite public outrage he didn't give two hoots – he knew he didn't have to account at all to the Penang public as his appointment was by the BN ruled government.
The then Penang Gerakan CM didn't (or more likely, didn't dare) do a single thing!
And if Lim Sue Goan’s allegation of the contract signed by the KL mayor in 2010 was true, then we have had basically another outrageous non-accountable nonsense of a non-elected mayor signing a contract to spend nearly a million ringgit of public money each month for 36 months, just to beautify the DBKL’s tower with flowers!
It's obvious some government officers had/have a total lack of civic responsibility and/or a propensity for expensive gaya taste at public expense. And isn't it a jolly happy beautiful world when you are allowed to spend other people's hard earned money without any need to account for the expenditure to them.
And it sure as hell didn't help when our successive BN states governments (for Penang and Selangor, up to early March 2008) have for the last 25 years virtually closed one eye to the rot taking place in the nation's system of governments, ministries and departments.
To borrow someone's immortal words, those councillors are just 'unrepresentative swill' (ie. un-elected by the taxpayers).
Perhaps PM Najib should stop worrying about Pakatan sweeping the council elections and reconsider the good of the nation, that is, if he is sincere in his efforts to curb corruption.
Now why has Pak Haji gone to the extent of warning about another May 13, a USTFU warning hitherto monopolized by UMNO kakis, on such a small issue, one which could cut down those unrepresentative swill mis-spending public money?
To try to read his mind, let us go back to 1961 for an example. Then, the ruling party which formed the Penang State government was Perikatan (predecessor of the BN) which was then made up of only 3 parties, UMNO, MCA and MIC. Wong Pow Nee (MCA) was the CM.
Yet when local elections were held in 1961 for the City Council of Georgetown, Penang, it was not the Perikatan who won. The Socialist Front (known to Penangites as goo t’au tong – parti kepala lembu) won 14 of the 15 seats, in any language a humongous landslide.
Yet when local elections were held in 1961 for the City Council of Georgetown, Penang, it was not the Perikatan who won. The Socialist Front (known to Penangites as goo t’au tong – parti kepala lembu) won 14 of the 15 seats, in any language a humongous landslide.
Why?
Because many sectors of Georgetown was the socialist heartland, places like Weld Quay, Beach Street, the Magazine Road - Bricklin Road area and the Campbell Road – Prangin area, Carnarvon Street, etc. It was Karn-neen-nare Land alright, wakakaka.
The MCA which depended on the middle class and above had a snowflake chance in hell of winning.
The mayor was, according to my family, a Socialist Front man named Ooi Thiam Siew, who was quite urbane and spoke very eruditely in both pukka English and Chinese (Hokkien, maybe even Mandarin) even though his cohorts were from the socialist heartland.
14 out of 15 seats won by the Socialis Front! This is what PAS fears because local elections by its urban nature can be and will probably be in the general case (except for places like KB) dominated by the Chinese pollies. Even in Kedah, places like Alor Setar and Sungai Petani could well see the town councils manned by mainly Chinese.
PAS doesn't want this to come about not because it is worried about Chinese-dominated councils not looking after Malay residents but more because (a) it wants to be able to appoint its own people as part of the Pakatan appointment-sharing, (b) it is petrified of UMNO making hay out of Chinese sunshine at PAS’ gloomy expense and (c) in the final analysis it is a parochial Malay party inasmuch as it claims to be an Islamic party.
Both Pak Haji and his former party deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa have never been comfy working with Pakatan's non-Muslims non Malays and preferred instead to work with UMNO, both PAS leaders being proponents of 'Malay-Unity' in the immediate aftermath of March 2008.
Then, somehow the party Erdogens convinced Pak Haji of the strategic benefits for PAS in remaining as a partner of Pakatan. Thus Pak Haji Awang embraced, perhaps grudgingly, Pakatan's multi-ethnic policies probably because he was shown and had accepted the ‘bigger picture’, of PAS riding on Pakatan’s back to a true Islamic State ... well ... until the recent Selangor MB fiasco among Pakatan partners when he reverted to his true colours.
I suspect Pak Haji, apart from disliking Anwar Ibrahim, has been harbouring a deep grudge (resentment) in his heart when he perceives PKR being given the special treatment by DAP at both national level politics (supporting Anwar Ibrahim as PM-designate) as well as in Selangor (supporting Dr Wan as MB).
No doubt he must have mulled angrily: why should the PM be AI when PAS is the bigger party, or why should the MB in Selangor be from PKR when PAS has 15 seats to PKR's 13?
I personally feel there is some justification for his resentment, that DAP has ganged up with PKR to subtly marginalize PAS from the important appointments.
Even in the halcyon days immediately after the 2008 GE, DAP has supported a PKR ADUN to be MB Perak, but the the Regent stepped in to appoint PAS' Nizar Jamaluddin instead. 'Twas a serendipitous royal choice.
It's for the DAP to explain why it prefers PKR over PAS in Selangor, though in recent times, PAS' unilateral push for hudud in Kelantan would have by now provided DAP with a convenient answer, wakakaka.
Anyway, that has been why PAS in the person of its Pak Haji party president has been lukewarm towards local council elections.
Equally it explains why Najib doesn't even want to think about it,because he realizes that he cannot depend on both MCA and Gerakan to gain control of the local councils.
I wonder who might have been Datuk Bandar of KL if local council elections had been allowed? wakakaka.
pi mai pi mai tang tu.........
ReplyDeleterace, religion.
-huaren
Everyone has the right to articulate the support or opposition to local government elections. There are legitimate concerns in both directions.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I find it really objectionable when politicians raise the threat of race riots to shut up the other side. That is really damnable politics.
What has local government elections have to do with race riots?
["Let us take power first, rest belakang kira. Now sweep the issue under the carpet. Let us convince the Chinese that PAS now is not PAS of 1999"].
ReplyDeleteOMG WTF DAP?! All you want is to take power first, the rest - the people, the rakyat, the country, hudud, etc etc - belakang kira?
Norman Fernandez is damn bloody right – you hoodwinked PAS, the Chinese, and the people. Then, you conveniently shift the blame to Hadi/PAS whom you anologised as a two-headed snake.
At least Hadi/PAS is consistent and predictable. You DAP is perhaps, a more poisonous two-headed snake. U SUX…GKY!
In view of the foregoing, in regard to the third vote, I would agree with Hadi that it would only drive a deeper wedge between ethnic groups and widen the urban-rural divide. What USTFU?
DAP can never ever DAP-tised PAS, likewise PAS can never ever PAS-nised DAP? Get that planted into your thick skull if you both want to hold each other’s hand or else stop holding hands and go for your separate ways NOW.
However, UMNO can UMNO-nised PAS, similarly PAS can PAS-nised UMNO. Both have a lot of similarities and common ‘pegangan dan perjuangan’.
Thus, it does make a lot of sense if Hadi and Najib decides to ‘salam and hug’ each other, so to speak. Both are in the sixties. RPK is right when he wrote, what more do you want when you are sixty-four, if not ‘kesyukuran’ or contentment. At the very least, Hadi can tell God that he has tried to strive for Malay-Unity.
Or just do it alone Hadi... you may not achieve it but at least you can tell God I have tried to implement hudud/Islamic country. No one can take away your belief and your religiousness and your democratic rights and your freedom to express your ideal and vision on Islam. I will stand by you Hadi for as far as you are right.
- hasan
sorry bro, i dun think hadi is consistent if he did represent pas before 2008 until today. local election was a collective decision, as for who is more consistent, dap or pas, i leave it to u n kt, since my view of politics n consistency is nothing but oxymoron.
Deletenorman boy, be more specific who in dap said what u bs here, n dun cite out of context, i dare u to cite in full. as for kt n helen, u people can stand by norman boy n embrace the 80's n 90's politics.
HY... DAP is using democracy and perhaps CAT/CGG just to show their protest against the Federal Government? Local election was suspended for security reasons and later abolished when the Local Government Act 1976 was introduced. If the present local government is working well, why change that? If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Why want to open up a hornet’s nest?
DeleteDo you personally think the third vote would enhanced inter and intra ethnic unity, peace and harmony? The late Tun Razak said: “In our society of today, where racial manifestations are very much in exercise, any form of politicking is bound to follow along racial lines and will only enhance the divisive tendencies amongst our people.”
Please lah don’t tell me the local election would not impinge on racial sensitive issues? In fact as it today our racial divide is widening by the day; any form of politicking can worsen it and spark the fire of 135? Hadi’s testimony is not wrong, is it?
By the way HY, I always look forward for your comment. Though we may differ in our opinion we still connect. Bro, from my heart... you have been consistent indeed.
-hasan
"any form of politicking is bound to follow along racial lines"
Delete"don’t tell me the local election would not impinge on racial sensitive issues?"
might as well cancel elections on this logic.
I know Najib is actually working on a way to do a Mageran , but lets not give him more support.
I'm old enough to have seen how Georgetown City Council elections worked (or rather didn't work) in the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, most (but not all) the Socialist politicians who were elected were little more than rabble rousers. Not a workable base to build good governance.
Race relations in the country were flaky at the time , even long before 1969. The Communist (majority Chinese) insurgency was a constant backdrop. UMNO extremist were going around telling the Malays the Chinese had amassed all the wealth, leaving nothing for the Malays - hence Only UMNO could protect them.
The sense among Penang Malays that they were sidelined in local government was real. I believe at one time there was 1 ( 1 !!!!) Malay City Councillor. Whether the marginalising of the Malays was a real fact is a separate matter. Perception and emotion are important factors in race relations.
I have no nostalgia for the local government politics of the 1960's, especially Penang. It was dominated by gutter politics, of very low quality. There is no evidence it contributed to good local government.
We must not return to the 1960's type of local government elections.
I hear the voices of those who insist that representation must go along with local government taxation (like the American Revolutionary slogan).
A restart of Local Government elections should only be done with clear safeguards for minority (in urban areas) representation, representation of non-politicians and clear boundaries on Local Government council roles and responsibilities. They should not become playgrounds for national political agendas.
So far I have not seen DAP articulate this clearly.
interesting nick you have - brought back many memories of my wild childhood days when I roamed around the Perak Road area and then cutting across via Jalan Kampar to my secondary school MBS, wakakaka
DeleteKT, even god won't object to Local Council Elections !
ReplyDeleteBut can it be implemented ?
The one with the larger number has the last say.
The rest is irrelevance.
DAP needs to part company with the moon party.
-huaren
By 1969, the Malays were well on their way to being marginalised in the land of their birth. Peninsula Malaysia, where most of the population and most of the economy lay, was originally Malay land, but the owners and managers of virtually every Corporation in the country were either Western foreigners or Chinese.
ReplyDeleteThe NEP put in place after 1969, has since partially corrected that , but the Chinese continue to dominate the economy. There is no further proof needed than the current peak retail season in the run up to Chinese New Year. No other shopping season in the calendar year comes close. The Chinese community's purchasing power exceeds that of every other community. That is a fact of life which every retailer bows to, including Bumiputra-owned businesses.
The Chinese will dominate the economy for a long time to come, but they cannot have political control.
DAP is seen as attempting Chinese political control via Local government elections, and the Malays will strongly resist it.
Even the traitorous Anwar Ibrahim who will cut any deal to further his insatiable lust to be Prime Minister will not be able to swing this.
the unbiased non political reality is that the residents will benefit from accountable elected Councillors regardless of race because any good service to a town or city benefits all residents. The opposite would be true if you read the couple of examples I have provided of appointed councillors rorting public money
ReplyDeletesee this FMT report http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2015/01/25/census-figures-show-hadi-was-wrong/
ReplyDeleteWe have parangs which have been kept well-oiled for the last 45 years. Just don't push us to the limit.
ReplyDeleteFuck you cibai.......Good ahead to use your cibai parangs........lets have a rawanda. I guarantee china may campur tangan or even India
DeleteDo you know that Modi allow hindu massacring the muslims in gujarat.
Cibai, dont play this number as you will never
I fully support Israel continuing action in pounding the palestinians. Lets have another cibai nakbah for people like you
We have Shaolin swords to defend ourselves.
Deletehuh? threats and counter threats? not very mature lah.
Deletelooes, your dad told me to keep an eye on your budak behaviour so I'll be reporting you to him for a spanking, wakakaka
Threats and counter threats?
DeleteSome people r forever stuck into the realm of ketuanan due to years of tongkat addiction.
Nothing less will do!
Read this;
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/in-violent-outburst-jelatek-residents-say-no-to-chinese-neighbours
This is just the beginning of an end.
Which chapter?
Most likely, the start of a pariah doomed state with syok-sendiri Islamic label!
Politics in Malaysia is seldom mature.
DeleteJust look at the way Abdul Hadi basically raises the threats of Race Riots to object to Local council elections, instead of offering a coherent and logical argument.
That, coming from the head of the 2nd largest Malay/Muslim party in the country.
Anon 541 not possible for him/her to profess the religion of peace !
Delete-huaren
Local government elections is to PAS what Hudud is to DAP. Their respective "heartlands" consider it a Red Line, non-negotiable issues that will hurt them gravely if they are allowed to pass.
ReplyDeleteFuck la! Why dont you add in vernacular education? Better still secularism.
DeleteIf sukarno were in power, I would support him in invading Malaysia
Jambu, if you have read the statistics on ethnic composition of towns, you'll discover that all towns with two exceptions in Ipoh and Penang have a Malay majority. Hadi Awang's allegation on ethnic favoritism in elected local councils has been rubbish and nothing more than a pay-back for DAP being against hudud. Additionally he wants guaranteed positions in local councils for PAS appointees via the Pakatan sharing of state government controlled councils - it's all about PAS party candidates' interests rather than rakyat interests
Delete"if you have read the statistics on ethnic composition of towns, you'll discover that all towns with two exceptions in Ipoh and Penang have a Malay majority"
ReplyDeleteIs DAP thinking about to change that now? Wakakaka...
- hasan
Horror, you may get many UMNO controlled Local councils !
DeleteReset Reset
Alternatively , you may get many PAS controlled Local Councils, issuing individual local by-laws forbidding unisex hairdressers, beer sales, gambling licences....in the West Coast cities...
DeleteAt that point Ktemoc would scream the loudest to rein in these "rogue" councils, relieving them of authority.
Hasan, when DAP proposed local council elections (lce), LGE has absolutely no idea regarding the statistics even though it is in the public domain !
DeleteHe must be a fool !
But something puzzles me is that those who take religion into account on practically all matters have made an exception on lce. Does this mean their religion disapprove of lce even though it's good for the people.
-huaren
There is no evidence local government elections in the 1960's contributed to more efficient and more accountable local government.
ReplyDeleteIt just provided more avenues for politicking. In the Facebook and Twitter world of 2015, we already have 24x7 politics. Do we really need even more of that ?
To really improve local government efficiency, effectiveness and accountability, you need to address the appointment of civil servants to senior and mid-level positions in the various Majlis Bandaraya, Majlis Perbandaran and Majlis Daerah.
Those are currently under the purview of PSD, they are Federal Government servants first, owing their loyalty to Putrajaya, even though their salaries and other costs are borne out of Local Government taxes and revenue.
Really odd system, but that is Malaysia....they guy who foots the bill is not the guy who controls their appointments and promitions.
that in itself is already politicking and givea rise to more politicking
Deletehttp://www.malaysiakini.com/news/287373
ReplyDeleteAnwar trial final verdict February 10
A lot of PAS' recent moves openly striking a divergent stand comes from the likelihood it will soon have to make it out on its own - with Anwar in jail, PAS and DAP will inevitably split further and further apart.
That means dusting out all the old orthodox Islamist and Supra-Malay policy positions.
If Anwar is found innocent, and can refocus again on Pakatan policies, it will be quite possible to rebuild the relationships. But some of the damage goes deep.
That by the way, is the most important political calculation on whether Anwar goest to jail or not. The truth about his actions or not surrounding the case is actually secondary.
Hadi had a close brush with death in Turkey last year, and he was very ill for quite some time.He has been a changed man since then, and not for the better.
ReplyDeleteHe is not on speaking terms with any other Pakatan party leader.
The disdain many PAS leaders have against Anwar is out in the open, combined with strong suspicion the Sodomy bit is all too true.
The old attitude against DAP as Chinese infidels, always just below the surface has been resurrected.
If Hadi remains PAS President, that is the certainly end of the road for Pakatan.
That may happen anyway, but the current President makes a very personal contribution to it.