KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — As Malaysia continues to shun thousands of refugees stranded at sea, a former foreign minister has urged today for swift action from Putrajaya to save them from imminent death.
According to Kota Tinggi MP Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, silence is no longer an option and Putrajaya must respond to calls from the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) and the international community to step in and aid the refugees.
“Act now to save d Rohingya boat people fm drowning. Malaysian leaders pls respnd to d call of UNSG n intl comnty. Silence is nt an optn,” Syed Hamid tweeted today on his account @syedhamidalbar.
Two days ago, Syed Hamid had pleaded with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to let the Rohingyans land.
“Mohon @NajibRazak @HishammuddinH2O @Zahid_Hamidi utk benarkn 350 pax + 80 chldrn boat to land, avoid drowning. I call in d name of humanity,” Syed Hamid tweeted, tagging the accounts of Najib, Hishammuddin and Zahid.
Wakakaka, assuredly he's the yang to Syed Hamid's yin.
According to Kota Tinggi MP Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, silence is no longer an option and Putrajaya must respond to calls from the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) and the international community to step in and aid the refugees.
“Act now to save d Rohingya boat people fm drowning. Malaysian leaders pls respnd to d call of UNSG n intl comnty. Silence is nt an optn,” Syed Hamid tweeted today on his account @syedhamidalbar.
Two days ago, Syed Hamid had pleaded with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to let the Rohingyans land.
“Mohon @NajibRazak @HishammuddinH2O @Zahid_Hamidi utk benarkn 350 pax + 80 chldrn boat to land, avoid drowning. I call in d name of humanity,” Syed Hamid tweeted, tagging the accounts of Najib, Hishammuddin and Zahid.
I have never liked Botak, but strangely, he is today the only decent humanitarian politician in Malaysia in calling on Malaysian authorities to help the Rohingya hanging on perilously in dodgy boats around our western seas. Maybe his previous cabinet position as foreign minister might have shaped his attitude into one with a global humane view.
I appreciate it'll be a near insurmountable challenge for Malaysia ALONE to provide relief to the boat people. For a start we don't even know what sort of "refugees" they are, from oppression or from personal economic deprivation.
The latter would be those jumping the immigration (not refugee) queue.
Australia has been a bit tired of such opportunistic "economic" refugees who, just an example of Tamil Sri Lankans, choose to sail 3,600 miles (5,800 km) across perilous ocean and seas in leaky boats to reach their intended destination, Australia, claiming they were fleeing from Sri Lanka government oppression when their own ancestral homeland Tamilnadu lies a mere 33 miles (50 km) across the Palk Straits, and which would undeniably have provided better security sanctuary for them amidst their own kinfolks with familiar language and culture.
But leaving aside the issue of the bona fides of the so-called refugees, other than Botak, which politician from UMNO, PAS, PKR, DAP, MCA, MIC or Gerakan has called on the government to help the Rohingya boat people?
Australia has been a bit tired of such opportunistic "economic" refugees who, just an example of Tamil Sri Lankans, choose to sail 3,600 miles (5,800 km) across perilous ocean and seas in leaky boats to reach their intended destination, Australia, claiming they were fleeing from Sri Lanka government oppression when their own ancestral homeland Tamilnadu lies a mere 33 miles (50 km) across the Palk Straits, and which would undeniably have provided better security sanctuary for them amidst their own kinfolks with familiar language and culture.
But leaving aside the issue of the bona fides of the so-called refugees, other than Botak, which politician from UMNO, PAS, PKR, DAP, MCA, MIC or Gerakan has called on the government to help the Rohingya boat people?
You must excuse those hardworking politicians as they are far more interested in polemical political, economic and financial issues. The federal opposition is currently behaving like hunting jackals snapping at Najib's heels while the BN pollies are more concerned about their allegiances in the Najib vs Mahathir civil war, thus tap dancing this and that way, wakakaka. Sorry lah, no time for the Rohingya.
By the by, I wonder if any of you remember another earlier wave of boat people to Malaysia in the mid 70's to 80's. Wikipedia informs us that "Deputy Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad announced in June 1979 that legislation would be enacted to empower the police and navy to shoot Vietnamese refugees attempting to land on Malaysia, although Mahathir's superior, Prime Minister Hussein Onn quickly recanted Mahathir's shooting threat."
By the by, I wonder if any of you remember another earlier wave of boat people to Malaysia in the mid 70's to 80's. Wikipedia informs us that "Deputy Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad announced in June 1979 that legislation would be enacted to empower the police and navy to shoot Vietnamese refugees attempting to land on Malaysia, although Mahathir's superior, Prime Minister Hussein Onn quickly recanted Mahathir's shooting threat."
Wakakaka, assuredly he's the yang to Syed Hamid's yin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Fernandez
ReplyDeleteThe late Irene Fernandez , PKR Supreme Council member, and leader of Tenaganita, was convicted and sentenced to jail for speaking up for the rights of migrant workers and refugees. The "false news" - the same accusation thrown at Lim Guan Eng - which she published was all too true. She fought a 13-year legal battle to clear her name, ultimately successful.
https://thesail.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/nurul-izzah-malaysian-govt-should-prevent-persecution-of-refugees/
Nurul Izzah Anwar, MP for Lembah Pantai, has taken much political heat in the past for defending the rights of refugees in Malaysia, including the Rohingyas.
So let it not be said the PR is callous about the mistreatment of refugees by Malaysia.
DAP, reflecting the views of the Chinese Malaysian community, has taken a tougher line in the past on foreign refugees, though it is overall not unsympathetic.
With the current troubles over Hudud, Anwar's incarceration , PKR internal arguments, etc. I suspect the parties are too inward looking to take up the inhumanity of Malaysia's actions vs. the Rohingyas.
There is nothing wrong with the Opposition focusing intensely on the 1MDB scandal.
In fact keeping quiet about it or giving Najib a free pass over it , is reprehensible to me.
As events have unfolded, it is clear this is an attempt at mass movement, not just a few boats with 300-400 people in all. It will swell into many thousands unless a tough message is sent back.
ReplyDeleteThere is no civil war in Myanmar currently, other than the long-running Karen insurgency, and these people are not Karens.
There is no big humanitarian crisis in Myanmar currently.
There was and is discrimination against the Rohingyas by the Burmese Buddhist majority, but I don't see any justification to trigger a mass exodus.
Life is tough in Myanmar, but for the first time in many decades, there is a chance for them to climb to a higher level.
We should not and cannot afford to indirectly condone a massive movement of economic refuges out of Myanmar. The lessons from the Southern Philippines civil war and its impact on Sabah ought to be clear by now.
Pass them sufficient supplies of bottled water and Maggi Mee, and point them the way to go home. A basic and surprisingly accurate GPS navigator costs a few hundred ringgit these days.
Malaysia is not for them to come here.
I'm with the Government on this.
Ya...that ex PM did say "shoot them" and later in a press conference when being cornered by foreign journalists, he coolly replied...." did I say that......did I not said.."Shoo them ?" Brazen slippery tongue liars always get out of tight corners they said...and this old man is as cunning and slippery as a bag of snakes.
ReplyDeleteBtw....off-topic....is something new brewing....http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/05/15/Kadir-Sheikh-Fadzir-new-party/
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/time-to-show-moral-leadership-pkr-tells-putrajaya-over-boat-refugees
ReplyDeleteBut then again as usual, Najib is always at elegant silent. See! It is all about Najib. And again why for the love of god or whatever, you are silent at najib.
What is your connection with Najib? J Lho's buddy?
Fair & measured under Najib's regime........Hahahaha! Cibai kaytee, with this, you think Najib care shit about Rohingya. Hahahaha!
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/CoL98wOo0kU
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/uias-rector-should-resign-join-umno-for-stopping-talk-says-rafizi
Meanwhile Lim Kit Siang should be commendable of what he is doing in kelantan
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KZ75eb9RYE
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2015/05/14/i-have-been-waiting-for-three-days-for-proof-that-in-my-speech-in-kota-bahru-on-sunday-i-had-hina-islam-hina-hudud-hina-muslim-hina-pas-and-none-has-been-forthcoming-but-i-am-p/
Botak is the Motherfucker who ordered ISA arrests for Raja Petra, Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, and DAP MP Teresa Kok.
ReplyDeleteRaja Petra has since been successfully "turned", Tan Hoon Cheng has gone very low profile, but Teresa Kok remains indomitable.
I have yet to forgive or forget Botak over his ministerial actions.
RPK has since been successfully "turned". Haha....you can say that again! Just look at the spins he's churning out at MT......enough to curdle any one with even half a wit intact.
DeleteBut his venomous anger at the Chinese is not abated so far.....every time there's a comment by someone with a Chinese name or he suspected is a Chinese who provides contrary views, he's like the proverbial bull having the red flag waving at him..off he goes, foaming and mengamok ...here's this v typical glaring example - there's this guy who ( perhaps a bit naive or just being forthright), commented that RPK is off mark with his prediction on the Rompin by election outcome, by at least a whopping 50%....and this is enough to set him instantly to go bald-headed mad...he raved and ranted, talking about May13, like literally biting off the head of that poor commentator...."But when people are rude, we become very militant. Is not the word 'amok' a Malay word which the British borrowed? When Chinese who live in Singapore tell me to sleep at home, my keris needs to be drawn from its sheath. Itulah baru betul Melayu. That statement reminds me of how the Chinese cursed up back in 1969: baleklah rumah tidur. That's what made my blood boil." Aiyo...all this foaming about sharpening his keris, of spilling blood or his blood boiling...over what ? just because that poor guy said he's really quite off the mark in his prediction !
This grandpa is always having his blood boiling at the drop of a pin nowadays where Cina is concerned....sigh. There one guy who implored him to divorce his Chinese wife....anyone here also seen this SMS that's making the round ?
c'mon let's be fair. RPK knows I'm a Chinese and I can confirm he's always been courteous to me for the last 10 years
Deletebec u two share the same hatred wakaka
DeleteHY actually you and your PKR mates are the ones with much hatred, wakakaka
Delete"Botak is the Motherfucker who ordered ISA arrests for Raja Petra, Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, and DAP MP Teresa Kok."
DeleteThat's why I wrote I've never like Botak, but as also written, I have to grudgingly acknowledge he must have some teeny weeny bit of decent soul in him to draw humanitarian attention to the plight of the Rohingya
well, rohingyas n arab bedouins almost look alike. you hardly can tell the difference. i can understand.
DeleteBring them on Tuan Syed... yes ALL of the Rohingyas.
DeleteFair...? If i really really need to be fair, I would be highlighting all the episodes that RPK had been mengamok-ing at the Chinese these last few years, just to be fair to those that he relentlessly bullied !
DeleteNothing is more despicable than a bully in my book...especially one who's totally unable to rein in his mengamok angin ( which btw he himself had recently described as an illness, hahaha ). But due to time constraints, and also that I quite loathe visiting his site ( dropping by occasionally to see what the devil he's up to now....and even with such rare visits, I never fail to see yet again his way-over-the-top hate spew at the Chinese ! haha...quite amazing such hate bile in that grandpa).
Just like Dr Mahathir.....when Dr M was asked right to his face why he hated the Chinese...his typical answer is...."do I hate the Chinese ? My daughter-in-law is Chinese, and I have lots of Chinese friends ! ".....Oh yes, his Chinese cro...err...friends who would shut an eye, heck both eyes and ears too, when he made more than half the Malays in this country to distrust and hate a whole community who's also the rightful citizens ( or may be not so 'rightful' by him?)
Actually we should count our blessings....with RPK safely away in exile (?), we rid ourselves of quite a dangerous man....imagine if Pakatan were to prevail in the last GE. and with him falling out with Anwar later on ( this is quite inevitable ), then he and his Ayatollah Hadi will create such an Islamic state to blast us all out of the water ? This last sentence is a question, not a statement LOL
no la. i think petra not really racist or dun like chinese, he just cannot tahan people that call him turncoat, but unfortunately many chinese did that by telling the truth....rpk is a turncoat, for what we dun know yet, hope not bec of pound sterling, n thats y he piss off with some chinese who tell fact, unlike that blogger kt who have a very unique definition for "fair" n "independent" mindset, that know how to spin n spin until helen ang oso cannot compete, the diff btw chinese n those baba n nyonya wakaka.
DeleteAyatollah is a term used by the Shia or Shiite muslims on their Iranian religious/political leaders. Hadi is a sunni or from the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah sect? Hadi is not a Shia! Got it JJ?
Deleteaisehman HY I didn't know you admire me so much, wakakaka
Deleteayoyo KT... don't cast doubt on that statement of mine lah! I am 1000% sure about it lah, my dear... wakakaka
Deleteunity mah bro, everything can share share wakaka.
Deletehasan....thanks for pointing out that Hadi is not a Shia...a fact which I, and the rest in the country, muslims and non muslims are fully aware. However, the context I am using "ayatollah" is kinda like a shorthand handle to connote a dictatorial ulama seating right on top of the pile, and a non elected one at that....something like if I can to say some one is despotic, I would give him the title of Fuhrer....try not to be so literal la...got it, hasan ?
DeleteHY....yes, I tend to agree that basically that guy who's blood boils over ever so easily is not a racist. But when he spews forth in such an uncontrollable manner, he gives off the vibe he hates Chinese, no matter what the cause for it. I have before this wrote in other social media that he just simply couldn't bear that his erstwhile throng of ardent Chinese had abandoned him, seemingly overnight when they accused him of 'turning'. So when he 'misbehaves' incorrigibly again and again in such bodoh, arrogantly boorish way, how different is he from Isma or that Perkosa katak when they shouted pendatang, penceroboh, burn the bible etc. When this guy talk about getting his keris ready, when he implied spilling of blood just because some one pointed out that he was wrong in a by election prediction and IF no one tell him off, wouldn't he be further embolden to continue ranting in such an unreasonable manner ? None of his current cheerleaders at his comment section dare raise a whimper if they wish not to be banned. That is how autocratic he is.
Australia has been a bit tired of such opportunistic "economic" refugees who, just an example of Tamil Sri Lankans, choose to sail 3,600 miles (5,800 km) across perilous ocean and seas in leaky boats to reach their intended destination, Australia, claiming they were fleeing from Sri Lanka government oppression when their own ancestral homeland Tamilnadu lies a mere 33 miles (50 km) across the Palk Straits, and which would undeniably have provided better security sanctuary for them amidst their own kinfolks with familiar language and culture.
ReplyDeleteCibai Kaytee, Sri Lankan tamils did flee to Yindia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SMgVgpCvBY
Did you know that Rajiv Gandhi was blown up by whom? Fuck cibai kaytee la........Australia is a continent. you can't just cordon one small area for these refugees. Your home for instance, cibai kaytee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjaryPt16fk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MvtG5rSkB4
India sent peacekeeping force over sri lankan.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULDYqMRrSxQ
This is fucking funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dpefG50G04
Seriously, Tony Abbott is an Australian version of Najib Razak
Dei tambee, don't talk cock lah when it's known that Tamilnadu was sympathetically pro Tamil Eelam and against Rajiv Gandhi - Podah
Delete