Best political statement 2019 (14)

Malaysiakini:

After PM reveals his hardest task, Zaid issues 'Trump' warning

As far as politicians are concerned, decisions on issues concerning race and religion are based on practical considerations to ensure their positions are not threatened.

Agreeing that being practical is essential for a politician, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, however, stressed that core principles must not be sacrificed.

“Otherwise, you are [US President] Donald Trump. You become a destroyer, not a creator of peace and stability,” he told Malaysiakini this afternoon.

“We are a nation struggling to have an identity and seeking unity. Strong principled leaders are required,” he added.

He was commenting on a Merdeka video featuring Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in which the latter stated that managing racial sensitivities is the most difficult part of his job.

Zaid said he can understand the 94-year-old leader's predicament with regard to leading a multiracial and multireligious nation.

“We know that some groups manufacture outrage to justify their actions,” he added.

According to Zaid, it would be useful if the nation's leaders objectively determine what are the permissible limits for Malaysians, especially the minorities, to say or do things as citizens.

“Unless we recognise and agree on what they can do, we will always be subject to the whims of the majority.

“A responsible government protects minorities with equal vigour as they protect the majority,” added the DAP member.

*********

I deem Zaid Ibrahim's statement (above and reproduced below) as the BEST political statement thus far for 2019:

“A responsible government protects minorities with equal vigour as they protect the majority”

Kaytee has had the privilege of hearing such a similar statement before, when I was studying in the UK - A good democracy protects its minorities with the same vigour, if not more, as it protects the majority of its citizens. Well said Zaid.

Best political statement (2019) series:

(1) BEST political statement 2019 (1).
(2) BEST political statement 2019 (2).
(3) BEST political statement 2019 (3).
(4) BEST political statement 2019 (4).
(5) BEST political statement 2019 (5).
(6) BEST political statement 2019 (6).
(7) BEST political statement 2019 (7).
(8) BEST political statement 2019 (8).
(9) BEST political statement 2019 (9).
(10) BEST political statement 2019 (10).
(11) BEST political statement 2019 (11).
(12) BEST political statement 2019 (12).
(13) Best political statement 2019 (13).

Trouble in Lil' Pribumi-town

Rais Hussin in deep sh*t with Emperor in Pribumi

Related:

(1) Someone speaks the Truth.

(2) The Emperor is unhappy with Rais Hussin.

(3) Betrayed by Pakatan, Merdeda Day is Mourning Day.

(4) Dark times lie ahead of us.

(5) Mahathir , India and Palm Oil.

(6) UN special rapporteur: Flying car wastes resources.

 (7) Mahathir, Japan, rare earth, pariah Lynas.

(8) Maddy's old matey Abu Sahid Mohamed (Maju Holdings) is back.

The Emperor is unhappy with Rais Hussin

FMT:

What ‘chief strategist’, asks Dr M in veiled jibe at Rais

Vinodh Pillai

 -

August 29, 2019 8:19 PM

Dr Mahathir Mohamad says disciplinary action could be taken on PPBM members who predict doom for the party.

PUTRAJAYA: PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today took potshots at a senior member of his party for using the title “chief strategist”, saying the party has no such position.

“I don’t know who elected anyone to become a chief strategist for the party,” the prime minister said after a meeting with top PPBM leaders at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.

“That’s not an official appointment by our party. That’s a title given by that person on his own. There is no such thing.”

This comes a day after PPBM Supreme Council member Rais Hussin, often referred to as the party’s chief strategist, warned Pakatan Harapan that it could be defeated at the next general election.

Mahathir said such a statement could tarnish the party’s image, and could be subjected to disciplinary action.

“We will refer this to the disciplinary board and the disciplinary board will prepare a report to the (PPBM) Supreme Council for it to take action,” he said, adding that Supreme Council members should be careful when making statements.

He however did not name Rais, but when asked who he was referring to, replied: “There is a possibility.”

what Strategist? How dare he disagrees with my Car No 3?
how dare he criticised my dismissing the GE14 manifesto as “not a bible”, and that such remarks of mine showed I was trying to “run away from responsibility”

your imperial majesty, maybe the advance into Moscow was not a good idea

well, eff your impudence, I'm gonna have your head off 

eff him & his Truth, I'm the Emperor, off with his head - too much intelligence 

Related:

(1) Someone speaks the Truth.

(2) Betrayed by Pakatan, Merdeda Day is Mourning Day.

(3) Clueless ministers obsessed with trivialities.

(4) Dark times lie ahead of us.

(5) Mahathir , India and Palm Oil.

(6) Maddy's old matey Abu Sahid Mohamed (Maju Holdings) is back.

Clueless ministers obsessed with trivialities

MySinChew.com:


No way out for Pakatan

By LIM SUE GOAN

Our ministers appear to be more obsessed with trivial matters and are completely clueless when it comes to instituting real reforms

Although Tun Mahathir has denied that Pakatan Harapan is BN 2.0, there s no doubt that after more than a year in office, the new government has yet to deliver itself out of the dilemmas it has inherited from the previous BN administration.

Politically, PH is still very much bound by race politics. For instance, PPBM Youth chief cum youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq said Indian Muslim preacher Zakir Naik's disparaging remarks against Chinese and Indian Malaysians were an onslaught against all Malaysians. He also said he would not quit his job under pressure. However, in just a week's time, the young minister posted a picture of him having dinner with Zakir on Twitter.

Such a reversal in attitude is way too awkward. Instead, Syed Saddiq could have had a low-key dinner with Zakir. He posted the picture on the social media as if to declare to the world that PH was still maintaining an amicable relationship with the controversial preacher.

While such a posture may help appease his more conservative followers, it is nevertheless unacceptable to majority of PH supporters.

The ruling coalition should know very well where its bottomline is. Without an explicit position on this matter, PH's rivals might exploit its indecision to test its patience.

As a matter of fact, Umno and PAS have been manipulating specific issues to threaten PH and undermine the government's credibility. PH may find itself in a deep dilemma and unable to effectively run the country if it does not come up with appropriate strategies to deal with this thing.

The motive of Umno-PAS alliance couldn't have been more straightforward. If PH is unable to deliver itself out of the scourge of race politics, we can hardly look forward to peaceful days in a self-conflicting society.

The predicament PH is in now is actually worse than the pressure Umno used to suffer from rightist groups, because the opposition has now joined forces with these groups to turn sensitive racial and religious issues into a potent weapon against the ruling coalition.

The government must map out a Racial Relations Act to tackle individuals and organizations issuing hate remarks, especially those posted on social media sites.

This country will be headed to unprecedented dangers if extremism is endured and condoned. In view of this, it is utterly important for PH to make a bold and decisive choice between the country's future and electoral votes, and do what is right.

PH will eventually be abandoned by its supporters if the leaders remain powerless and clueless in dealing with race politics.

couldn't control Puspal from moving an Indian concert from 7 pm to 3 pm?

afraid of causing 'uneasiness' amongst fragile Muslims because of Aneh's singing, as stated by JAKIM?

PH is also facing the same economic dilemma that BN used to face. Trying to shore up public confidence with impressive figures, such as the 4.9% Q2 GDP growth, may not help turn things around.

The UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Professor Philip Alston highlighted in a recent report that Malaysia's poverty rate was actually 15% or 937,500 households, not the official 0.4% or 24,700 households. It is unrealistic for the government to set the poverty line at household income of RM980 a month.

How do we expect a family with monthly household income of RM980 to lead a decent living, given the skyrocketing goods prices today? For an urban family of four, it simply means each person can only have RM8 a day to live on!

Alston only spent 11 days visiting cities and towns across Malaysia, but he has a clearer picture of poverty in this country than a government which has been in office for over a year.

I was busy lah 

Economic affairs minister Azmin Ali is suffering from the same “denial syndrome” as former BN ministers, thinking that Alston's report was baseless. I feel that the PH government should invite Alston to participate in the drafting of the country's poverty mitigation program instead.

Both BN and PH have failed to address the issue of abject poverty, handing out only subsidies and monetary allocations for the B40 group without teaching them "how to fish".

Another dilemma that PH is encountering now is to fulfill its election promise of creating one million jobs over the next five years.

Syed Saddiq has proposed to bring in Indonesia's Go-Jek to supplement young Malaysians' incomes. But, why motorbike hailing service and not some other skill-intensive creative jobs?

This reminds me of former PM Najib Razak's proposal to get Malaysians to drive Uber cars to make additional money or start a nasi lemak business.

Tun Mahathir used to slam BN for mismanaging the country, resulting in many university graduates unable to get decent jobs. Why can't the government pair up knowledge and job opportunities?

PH has kept reiterating the importance of attracting high-tech, value-added and capital-intensive investments, but has done very little to bring this to fruition.

The political predicament has maimed the PH government, so much so that an anticipated cabinet reshuffle will not help make things any better.

Our ministers appear to be more obsessed with trivial matters and are completely clueless when it comes to instituting real reforms.

black shoes 

someone loves Formula 1
we'll be having that expensive useless race back 

flying car 

Muslim Sex offender better than Non-Muslim Saint?

MySinChew.com:

Malaysians complicity in paedophilia

By Mariam Mokhtar

It's shocking to learn that a MARA maths scholar jailed for child porn in UK in 2015, is pursuing a postgraduate course at UKM here today

In May 2015, the rakyat was outraged, when a MARA maths scholar, Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, who was studying at Imperial College, was arrested, tried and charged with producing and possessing thousands of “Category A” images, depicting penetrative sex with minors.

The British Metropolitan police said that Nur Fitri had amassed around 30,000 images of child pornography which they described as some of the most extreme they had witnessed.

Today, Nur Fitri has re-surfaced, and Malaysians will be shocked to learn that he is pursuing a postgraduate course at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

According to news reports, the former maths prodigy was scheduled to complete his Master's degree, but officials at UKM upgraded him, because he was "excellent", a conscientious student and was qualified for PhD level.

The UKM professor's attitude is both unacceptable and irresponsible. Are there no howls of protest from other members of the university board? Is there no consideration for Nur Fitri's fellow students, especially those who may have children? Have the opinions of the university union and the faculty members, been sought? Are they even aware that they have a paedophile in their midst?

Nur Fitri's professor may think that his pupil's past is not important and irrelevant, but many postgraduate students are married and have young children. They may unwittingly invite him home, for social events, parties or university family days.

It is alleged that paedophiles will befriend the families, to gain the trust of the adults. Then, a child may be left alone with the paedophile, enabling him to take indecent photos or abuse the child.

Malaysians will recall the furore caused by the paedophile, in 2015. Despite being sentenced to five years in jail, MARA officials and the former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Shafie Apdal, said that they would appeal against Nur Fitri’s five-year sentence.

The then Mara chairman, Annuar Musa, wanted Mara to give him a second chance. Malaysian citizens were furious and showed their anger in an online petition.

Are MARA officials oblivious of the crime? Are they heartless and unable to comprehend the seriousness of the crime?

The victims of child pornography do not get a second chance. Their images are circulated and shared around the world by these depraved paedophiles.

The then IGP, Khalid Abu Bakar, was adamant that a sex offender's list was unnecessary. According to an online newspaper, he said, "It’s not a problem for us. But as I said we already have a criminal registry, so it serves the same purpose with a sex offenders' registry.

“To me the existing criminal record registry is already enough. If we set up another registry for those involved in sexual crimes it would overlap.”

His views were opposed by the erstwhile Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman, who strongly supported the need for a sex offenders' register, especially for the perpetrators of crimes against children. He said that the list would enable the police to monitor the perpetrators, easily.

Anifah also confirmed that his ministry would not intervene, in the English court, to reduce Nur Fitri's sentence. He warned students that they had a duty to focus on their studies and preserve the image of the nation. He also criticized the actions of those wanting to help Nur Fitri, despite his "serious and inhumane crime".

In addition to the final tabling of the sex offenders' list, four years ago, the then Minister for Women, Community and Family Development, Rohani Abdul Karim, said that the Sex Offender's Registry would list the names, identity card numbers, photographs and particulars of the offences. She also said that this information would be made freely available to the public.

So, is Nur Fitri on the Sex Offender's Register? Will his classmates be told? Will the staff be made aware of his past and the risks they may face?


Sources:

1. Free Malaysia Today: Math genius jailed for child porn now a UKM student

2. Malay Mail: Annuar Musa: No place for Nur Fitri in Mara higher learning institutions

3. The Huffington Post: Imperial College London Student Jailed For 30,000 Child Abuse Images


(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)

Betrayed by Pakatan, Merdeda Day is Mourning Day

FMT:

I weep for you, Oh Malaysia

Dennis Ignatius

 -

August 27, 2019 8:00 AM

A few days ago, a friend sent me the video of Anneke Gronloh’s 1960’s hit song, “Oh Malaysia.” Watching it brought back tons of memories of the Malaya (and then Malaysia) I once knew. Sure, we had problems even in those days but we had something bigger to keep us going – the dream of a Malaysia where the fullness and richness of our diversity would find expression and come to full flower. We were all brothers then, strong, united and hopeful.

On Saturday night, reading the news reports that yet another Pakatan Harapan minister (Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq) had suddenly reversed course on the issue of the controversial Indian fugitive Zakir Naik, it dawned on me that the dream we once cherished is no more.

Decades of Umno rule, of race-baiting and outright racist policies, of constantly belittling and disrespecting racial and religious minorities, of disowning them at every turn and seeing them as enemies, have taken its toll. All talk of national unity now is moot and meaningless.

I for one had hoped that perhaps a new government – a coalition of hope no less – might pump fresh oxygen into the lungs of a dying dream. That night in May when the unbelievable happened, I thought that at last we had found men and women who would be worthy standard bearers of our hopes and dreams.

There was no talk then about pushing racial agendas or depriving others of their rights or denigrating anyone’s religion. It was simply about building a better nation where the rights of all would be respected, cherished and promoted. Surely, in this wonderful nation of ours, it is possible to create space for all our diverse ethnicities, to build a culture of respect and tolerance for all, to create an ecosystem where all Malaysia’s sons and daughters could flourish.

Now I’ve come to the realisation that even the modest dreams we had was a bridge too far for the Ketuanan Melayu ideologues and elites that now dominate our political landscape. They do not share the same dreams. They do not care for the brotherhood of all Malaysians. And they cannot be counted on to defend our rights with equal vigour.

Take Syed Saddiq, for example. Only a few days ago he called for Zakir Naik to be deported saying, “An attack against our Chinese and Indian brothers and sisters is an attack against all Malaysians.” And yet there he was fêting the same man who mocked his “brothers and sisters” and insisting that it’s time to forgive and move on.

Never in the field of Malaysian society has so much harm been done to so many by just one man

- with apologies to Winston Churchill and his 'So Few' 

Surely forgiveness must come from those who were aggrieved, not from some politician who’s too afraid to stand up for what is right. Does he even understand the depths of disappointment over the issue that many of the people he represents feel?

It’s hard not to conclude that they are all the same in the end – PPBM, PKR, Umno or PAS. They’d rather mollycoddle a fugitive Islamic preacher from India than keep faith with the millions of Malaysian Indians who voted for them. They’d rather dine with someone who taunts their “brothers and sisters” than reach out to the millions of Malaysian Chinese who helped bring them to power.

Perhaps they are now so blinded by power that they are no longer even capable of understanding the pain and angst of other communities.

Simply put, Pakatan Harapan has betrayed us. Time and time again, they have put their own interests ahead of that of the people who voted them into office. While they pander to those who didn’t support them, reformasi languishes: the lives of the people have not improved; oppressive laws remain on the books; institutional reform falters; UEC remains unrecognised; the corrupt run free; Lynas continues to contaminate our land, and the ever controversial and divisive Zakir Naik remains protected.

And while they play their games, the cancer is spreading; the voices of hate and bigotry against ethnic minorities grow stronger.

The Perlis mufti insists that Malaysia is for Malays and muses about the need for a Malaysian Saddam Hussein to rein in the non-Malays. 

Dr Asri defends Ketuanan Melayu

The Perak mufti urges the government “not to bow to pressures from the minorities.” An officer from Jakim reportedly incites Muslims to murder infidels. An inappropriately named “unity convention” weaves a few isolated incidents into a grand conspiracy by Christians to undermine Islam and Christianize the country. A former IGP declares that the Malays have now “lost power”. How does one even respond to such mind boggling inanity?

Even Entrepreneur Development Minister Redzuan Yusof – who is in office today thanks in part to the support of non-Malays – now complains that “Malays have compromised too much… that it is time for Malays to rise up and defend Malay culture before it is destroyed”.

[read also kaytee's post The MOST racist Minister in Pakatan government]

Amazingly, in the face of such insidious racism, PH leaders, the centurions of Malaysia Baru, have been largely silent. They are quick to offer excuses for men like Naik and bend over backwards to accommodate him but have nothing much to say when their fellow citizens are vilified and demonised.

Clearly, defending our diversity, defending the core idea that is emblazoned on our coat of arms – “Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu” – is now so politically risky, so unpopular, that they’d rather remain mute witnesses to bigotry than speak up.

This National Day, as I reflect on our journey as a nation, I know I will mourn for the Malaysia I once knew, for the Malaysia I thought we could be. And neither the fireworks nor the marching bands will drown out the dirge for the dream that once kept me going.

Someone speaks the Truth

MM Online:

PPBM strategist fears Pakatan on way out of Putrajaya with focus on flying cars and Go-Jek

BY AZRIL ANNUAR

PPBM supreme council member Datuk Rais Hussin Mohamed Arif said PH appears to have stopped listening to the public after one year in Putrajaya and needs to address five key issues if it is to retain its hold on power

Picture by Hari Anggara

GOMBAK, Aug 28 — The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is in serious danger of losing the next general elections, according to Datuk Rais Hussin Mohamed Arif.

A supreme council member of the coalition’s youngest component party PPBM, Rais said PH appears to have stopped listening to the public after one year in Putrajaya and needs to address five key issues if it is to retain its hold on power.

“What I’m trying to impress is that PH has stopped listening to the people. There are five things we need to address. Number one is the cost of living has not improved by much and this is one of the big promises that we made,” he said at a public forum here titled “Post-GE14 By-Elections: Implications for GE15”.

Second concerns the “quality of living”, Rais said, stressing that both the cost and quality were intertwined and very important.

“Third is jobs, jobs, jobs ... Unemployment and under-employment of youths is at the highest now.

“They thought Go-Jek is a good idea. It isn’t. It’s building towards a low income nation and is a short-term plan.

“We need to go for high income nation and we need to think more,” the PPBM strategist said.

He recommended the government focus on creating agro-based entrepreneurs to reduce food imports, pointing out that meat imports top at 85 per cent while vegetables range from 30 to 70 per cent, depending on the type.

He highlighted the country’s “abysmally poor” state in food security currently, noting that annual food imports stand at a whopping RM50 billion.

Rais said Malaysia has much abundant fertile land and urged the government to set aside 10 per cent as its food bank.

“If you go to Scandinavia, they have brought back glory to agri. In Vietnam, there are agricultural guys who wear Rolex as big as my wrist. We have to think long term and if we don’t, we will have a problem,” he said.

Rais was scathing of his own PH coalition leaders, noting their casual treatment of their Buku Harapan and even criticised his party chairman and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for dismissing the GE14 manifesto as “not a bible”.

Rais said such remarks showed leaders were trying to “run away from responsibility”.

But, he also praised Dr Mahathir for saying PH had achieved 39 per cent of its electoral promises after only one year of being government.

Rais said the fundamental issues likely to rear up at the next electoral war remain unchanged, even if the government has moved to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 to reach a wider populace.

“Remember Undi 18 is going to be a significant factor. Remember those young voters are not brand loyal. They don’t care whether you are blue, gray or yellow. They want credible jobs, not Go-Jek.

“I am against Go-Jek because it will create more problems in Malaysia than solving problems. And yes I am from PH. Third national car, that I’m not totally for it, what more the flying car, that is comical,” Rais said.

*********

Kaytee notes:

Rais Hussin Mohamed Arif is not only a supreme council member of Parti Pribumi but also its Chief* (wakakaka) Strategist (just as Liew Chin Tong has been for the DAP).

* my bad

I observe most time he hasn't and doesn't tok-kok like Redzuan Md Yusof, the Entrepreneurial Development Minister. It is wise for his party mates to listen to him.

Apart from rubbishing the silly Mahathir-ised mania for cars etc (Go-Jek, Flying BS, Car No 3, etc) he has succinctly pinpointed 5 urgent areas for the government to attend to immediately, namely:

(i) the cost of living,

(ii) quality of living,

(iii) jobs,

(iv) affordable homes and

(v) affordable healthcare.

and he warns that if general elections were to be held 'tomorrow', Pakatan will lose majority rule, adding that the new voting age of 18 may be a double-edged sword for Pakatan.

He strongly urges the government to also focus on agriculture as Malaysia imports a humongous RM50 Billion in foodstuff.

We're in deep sh*t if this issue is not properly and satisfactorily addressed, so eff those Mahathir-ised pseudo-technology and get back to basics, namely, how to cultivate, nurture and improve on our own food self-suffiency.

And which timely warning reminds us of Mahathir's perennial failure to competently run a country.

Dark times lie ahead of us

Malaysiakini:

We thought they were different, rues Ambiga

Former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said she can understand how Malaysians feel with regard to the Pakatan Harapan administration.

In a series of tweets this afternoon, she said the nation needed more statespersons who think of the next generation, as opposed to politicians whose sights are set on the next election.

“Every time you expect the leaders to behave in a reasonable fashion, some let you down so badly. It is as if we do not really matter. Just staying in power does. We thought they were different.

“That is why the saying: 'A politician only thinks of the next elections, a statesman, the next generation'. We need more statesmen.

“What this government does will determine the future of Malaysians. But those that promote narrow interests will not benefit the building of a vibrant nation," she added.

To illustrate her point, Ambiga quoted the words of Abraham Lincoln - "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power."

In what appeared to be a reference to controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik (photo), she said if the government kept conceding to narrow interests and accorded one man so much importance that he appears stronger than them, then they have failed themselves and Malaysians.

“I ask again - if ministers keep appearing powerless to act when the going gets tough, then who can we count on? If this government does not set the right path, then who can?” she asked.

However, Ambiga said Malaysians should not allow one man or a single issue to dampen the Merdeka and Malaysia Day spirit.

“Again, having said all that, we must come together to celebrate our Merdeka and Malaysia Day.

“We must not allow differences over one man or one issue to take the joy out of our celebration. We have challenges ahead that will require all our focus and energy,” she added.

Earlier, Ambiga, who also headed the electoral watchdog Bersih from 2011 to 2013, said certain issues are deliberately played up to undermine the government.

“(The) government, on the other hand, must show the maturity and courage to set us on the right path, no matter how difficult. Who said change was easy?” she added.

Furthermore, she said, those who distract do not have the interests of the people at heart.

“We are facing a huge global economic problem and we are arguing about race and religion. We must look so incompetent to investors. All this will adversely affect the people,” she added.

Ambiga was responding to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang's political secretary Syahredzan Johan (above) who turned to the wisdom of Professor Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series to highlight the situation in Malaysia.

“Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right. - Dumbledore

“Let us all have that courage to do what is right, instead of what is easy,” he tweeted.

Over the weekend, Ambiga also expressed disappointment with Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman who hosted a dinner for Zakir at his residence and urged Malaysians to move on.

tough luck my Chinese and Indian brethren - I have to follow Atuk's wish

The Indian-born preacher is under police investigation for his remarks concerning Hindu Malaysians and Chinese Malaysians during a ceramah in Kelantan on Aug 8.

Zakir, who has since apologised, claimed that his remarks were taken out of context.