This is what makes the Mat Rempit brave or daring in their stunts.
They imbibe a mandatory special concoction prior to a race. It's made of tuak (fermented coconut or nipah sap) mixed with terrapin (little turtle's) blood. After drinking the alcoholic reptilian mixture, the Mat Rempits become daring enough to perform their death defying stunts, or alternatively kill some unsuspecting member of the public in the process.
Drinking the secret stuff is not an option - as mentioned, it's a mandatory ritual for the rider. I wonder whether they cry out yamseng or Malaysia Boleh when they tip the concoction over?
The daily Kosmo! discovered this Mat Rempit secret from one of the bikkies who revealed that the concoction gave them a different feeling of being high. He said: “Even if there is a narrow road, it will appear very wide to us.”
The terrapin blood is said to enhance the effects of the alcohol while the drink functions as a sort of ‘viagra’ to give the drinker the 'gnarng' (or 'gnair' = hard-on) to overcome fear. The confessor also revealed that there are a few places in Pasir Mas and Jeli in Kelantan that processed the drink secretly for Mat Rempit. The brew is sold at RM5 per packet or by weight.
I wonder whether there is budu in the Rempit-ish drink? But with the potent brew of tuak, terrapin blood and a drop or two of budu, I wouldn't be surprised at all if those Rempits could become cemerlang.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Monday, October 09, 2006
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Revisited
M Bakri Musa, a surgeon who practises in Califormia, and noted (by KTemoc) as an admirer of old school leaders like Tun Razak and Ku Li, has only sneering comments for AAB. This has been what he wrote of AAB in his Malaysiakini column:
Abdullah's public piety and 'Mr Clean' image is nothing more than a shrewdly crafted facade. The man's character does not justify those descriptions.
Take his piety. Soon after becoming prime minister, he unashamedly indulged in a grand gesture of being Imam by leading his ministers in a widely publicised congregational prayer. The latest had him leading an even larger group after breaking fast. These are nothing more than a crass attempt at evoking the powerful images of our great Caliphs, giants who were not only political but also spiritual leaders.
Malaysians forget (or more correctly were never reminded) that Islamic Studies was not Abdullah's first choice. He stumbled upon it because he could not handle the mathematics to pursue economics. Then, as today, Islamic Studies was a dumping ground for those not inclined for or incapable of rigorous academic pursuit.
Likewise his 'Mr Clean' image; he never had the opportunity before! Now that he is prime (and finance) minister, he is furiously making up for lost time.
Related:
(1) The real Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2) Who benefits directly from PORR?
Abdullah's public piety and 'Mr Clean' image is nothing more than a shrewdly crafted facade. The man's character does not justify those descriptions.
Take his piety. Soon after becoming prime minister, he unashamedly indulged in a grand gesture of being Imam by leading his ministers in a widely publicised congregational prayer. The latest had him leading an even larger group after breaking fast. These are nothing more than a crass attempt at evoking the powerful images of our great Caliphs, giants who were not only political but also spiritual leaders.
Malaysians forget (or more correctly were never reminded) that Islamic Studies was not Abdullah's first choice. He stumbled upon it because he could not handle the mathematics to pursue economics. Then, as today, Islamic Studies was a dumping ground for those not inclined for or incapable of rigorous academic pursuit.
Likewise his 'Mr Clean' image; he never had the opportunity before! Now that he is prime (and finance) minister, he is furiously making up for lost time.
Related:
(1) The real Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2) Who benefits directly from PORR?
AAB 4th Division football player?
Khalid Ibrahim was the former chief executive of Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd and former group chief executive of government-linked plantations company Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB). That means he was high up in the Malaysian scheme of things. Indeed, he had worked under Dr Mahathir, but since then has joined PKR mainly because of his friendship for Anwar Ibrahim.
Recently he startled the Malay world by saying what most people know but, except for the rare few, dare not voice out, that the NEP will destroy the Malays. The NEP has been cynically called the 'Never Ending Policy' because of the unaccountable and thus mysterious perpetually low equity for bumiputera.
Well, while Khalid may now be with PKR, he still gives recognition to Dr Mahathir’s intelligence and ability. He said that having worked under the Grand Ole Man, he considers Dr Mahathir as bloody smart, a person who knows facts faster than anyone else, and that no one could (in Khalid’s own words) ‘bullshit him’. Maybe that’s why AAB and SIL are having mucho problema with the former PM.
Khalid drew a comparison, or rather contrast between AAB and Mahathir by using a football analogy.
He assessed AAB as nothing more than a 3rd or 4th division player, while Mahathir is in the 1st division. He went further to emphasize that AAB would not even get a chance to play in the 2nd division. Ouch!
Of course we need to be aware of Khalid being a PKR man now, thus he would invariably speak with a political bias of some sort, no matter how objective he tried to be.
But I wonder how he would rate his own friend, Anwar Ibrahim, using the same football analogy.
Maybe we ought to take it one step further and say that Dr Mahathir may be perceived as an attacking centre forward, like the famous Mokthar Dahari, who was known to charge forward fearlessly.
And poor 3rd or 4th division AAB – perhaps just a left winger who, as one famous football coach once said of wingers, stands by the side picking his nose.
The SIL? I see him as a midfield general directing everyone including FIL around.
Now, do you see Anwar Ibrahim as a forward, midfielder or fullback, or perhaps a wannabe sports commentator?
Najib is part of the team of 16, but of which side? Mohd Nazri would make a good ferocious tackling fullback. Ku Li has been practising to be a referee of sorts.
The MCA are linesmen while the MIC and Penang CM would be great as cheerleaders - the 'kami sokong, kami sokong' type, all dressed up in sarong kebaya or baju kurong, with pom poms - ughhh, what a frightening sight. I am sure the other team would capitulate before the full 2 x 45 minutes.
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate the bizarre.
Recently he startled the Malay world by saying what most people know but, except for the rare few, dare not voice out, that the NEP will destroy the Malays. The NEP has been cynically called the 'Never Ending Policy' because of the unaccountable and thus mysterious perpetually low equity for bumiputera.
Well, while Khalid may now be with PKR, he still gives recognition to Dr Mahathir’s intelligence and ability. He said that having worked under the Grand Ole Man, he considers Dr Mahathir as bloody smart, a person who knows facts faster than anyone else, and that no one could (in Khalid’s own words) ‘bullshit him’. Maybe that’s why AAB and SIL are having mucho problema with the former PM.
Khalid drew a comparison, or rather contrast between AAB and Mahathir by using a football analogy.
He assessed AAB as nothing more than a 3rd or 4th division player, while Mahathir is in the 1st division. He went further to emphasize that AAB would not even get a chance to play in the 2nd division. Ouch!
Of course we need to be aware of Khalid being a PKR man now, thus he would invariably speak with a political bias of some sort, no matter how objective he tried to be.
But I wonder how he would rate his own friend, Anwar Ibrahim, using the same football analogy.
Maybe we ought to take it one step further and say that Dr Mahathir may be perceived as an attacking centre forward, like the famous Mokthar Dahari, who was known to charge forward fearlessly.
And poor 3rd or 4th division AAB – perhaps just a left winger who, as one famous football coach once said of wingers, stands by the side picking his nose.
The SIL? I see him as a midfield general directing everyone including FIL around.
Now, do you see Anwar Ibrahim as a forward, midfielder or fullback, or perhaps a wannabe sports commentator?
Najib is part of the team of 16, but of which side? Mohd Nazri would make a good ferocious tackling fullback. Ku Li has been practising to be a referee of sorts.
The MCA are linesmen while the MIC and Penang CM would be great as cheerleaders - the 'kami sokong, kami sokong' type, all dressed up in sarong kebaya or baju kurong, with pom poms - ughhh, what a frightening sight. I am sure the other team would capitulate before the full 2 x 45 minutes.
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate the bizarre.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Higher Education Minister "No more spoon-feeding graduates" but ...
Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed said the government will no longer ‘spoon-feed’ graduates who are weak, too dependent on the lecturers, spoilt and lack creativity. He wanted these graduates to be taught to perform with minimal supervision.
“If we continue to groom 'spoon-fed' graduates, we will not achieve the objective of having competent graduates with first-class mentality. This is because the graduates are unable to analyse a problem, make a decision, work towards solving problems, take the lead and work as a team, and respect their colleagues despite the difference in religion, race and language.”
But I suppose there’s always an exception to the rule, as in the case of those who join Aspirasi, the pro-government university group whose candidates for the campus elections were recently accommodated in a fully paid for (by the government) 1st class hotel, whilst those not in Aspirasi were 'sabo' every which way.
Hmmm, I wonder which group will emerge the more independent, self reliant and with better initiative?
“If we continue to groom 'spoon-fed' graduates, we will not achieve the objective of having competent graduates with first-class mentality. This is because the graduates are unable to analyse a problem, make a decision, work towards solving problems, take the lead and work as a team, and respect their colleagues despite the difference in religion, race and language.”
But I suppose there’s always an exception to the rule, as in the case of those who join Aspirasi, the pro-government university group whose candidates for the campus elections were recently accommodated in a fully paid for (by the government) 1st class hotel, whilst those not in Aspirasi were 'sabo' every which way.
Hmmm, I wonder which group will emerge the more independent, self reliant and with better initiative?
Don't expect AAB to change police!
AAB praised former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Bakri Omar, at an event to honour Bakri, as one of the most efficient leaders who brought the police force to greater heights.
Please excuse me while I puke.
Wasn’t this the IGP under whose tenure saw some of the worst police excesses, including abuses, corruption and numerous deaths in custody.
See my previous postings of police abuses:
(1) Malaysia's own Abu Ghraib
(2) Police Inquiry to chase trees & not see woods
(3) Shoot the Messenger!
(4) Bald & Naked Truth of Malaysian Police
(5) Most Dangerous Place in Malaysia!
Then see my analyses of the terrible RMP and its hopeless head, the IGP:
(6) Problem of the Royal Malaysian Police
(7) Police leopard in 'appropriate attire'!
(8) KTemoc's advice to Police
(9) Axe the clueless IGP!
(10) IGP versus PM
(11) Lim KS to PM: "Gotta Guts to Gut IGP?"
Wasn’t this also the IGP who proselytised his non-Muslim female police officers by forcing them to wear the tudung on parade, very much against their constitutional rights, on the baseless argument that it’s merely for uniformity, when turbaned Sikhs in the RMP have for decades not appeared out of place with their non-Sikh colleagues nor were non-Sikh police personnel required to wear turbans for ‘uniformity.
That’s the quality of the former IGP – he couldn’t even bullsh*t convincingly. But this was the IGP who exploited an Islamic apparel purely for political reasons, to curry favour with the UMNO MPs so as to ‘soften’ them up to take his (IGP) side against the IPCMC.
See:
(12) Policewomen forced to wear tudungs on parade!
This was the IGP who breached every civil service procedures by openly and unashamedly turning the police force into a politically oriented service in telling UMNO MPs that if the IPCMC was established, the police couldn’t ensure the Barisan Nasional’s position in power.
See:
(13) Police undermined PM's decision
(14) Siapa Raja? (2)
(15) Royal Malaysian Police Warns UMNO!
(16) Wish IGP was Japanese!
But the most disappointing factor that has emerged from the PM’s totally unjustified praise of this unmitigated poor performing public servant, a man who had on a number of occasions actually and publicly defied and gone against the PM/Internal Security Minister, a man who had led the RMP into the deepest reaches of dark dungeons, is the signal that AAB has no real interest or lacks the will or backbone to change the ugly ferocious beast that is the Royal Malaysian Police.
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate failing!
Please excuse me while I puke.
Wasn’t this the IGP under whose tenure saw some of the worst police excesses, including abuses, corruption and numerous deaths in custody.
See my previous postings of police abuses:
(1) Malaysia's own Abu Ghraib
(2) Police Inquiry to chase trees & not see woods
(3) Shoot the Messenger!
(4) Bald & Naked Truth of Malaysian Police
(5) Most Dangerous Place in Malaysia!
Then see my analyses of the terrible RMP and its hopeless head, the IGP:
(6) Problem of the Royal Malaysian Police
(7) Police leopard in 'appropriate attire'!
(8) KTemoc's advice to Police
(9) Axe the clueless IGP!
(10) IGP versus PM
(11) Lim KS to PM: "Gotta Guts to Gut IGP?"
Wasn’t this also the IGP who proselytised his non-Muslim female police officers by forcing them to wear the tudung on parade, very much against their constitutional rights, on the baseless argument that it’s merely for uniformity, when turbaned Sikhs in the RMP have for decades not appeared out of place with their non-Sikh colleagues nor were non-Sikh police personnel required to wear turbans for ‘uniformity.
That’s the quality of the former IGP – he couldn’t even bullsh*t convincingly. But this was the IGP who exploited an Islamic apparel purely for political reasons, to curry favour with the UMNO MPs so as to ‘soften’ them up to take his (IGP) side against the IPCMC.
See:
(12) Policewomen forced to wear tudungs on parade!
This was the IGP who breached every civil service procedures by openly and unashamedly turning the police force into a politically oriented service in telling UMNO MPs that if the IPCMC was established, the police couldn’t ensure the Barisan Nasional’s position in power.
See:
(13) Police undermined PM's decision
(14) Siapa Raja? (2)
(15) Royal Malaysian Police Warns UMNO!
(16) Wish IGP was Japanese!
But the most disappointing factor that has emerged from the PM’s totally unjustified praise of this unmitigated poor performing public servant, a man who had on a number of occasions actually and publicly defied and gone against the PM/Internal Security Minister, a man who had led the RMP into the deepest reaches of dark dungeons, is the signal that AAB has no real interest or lacks the will or backbone to change the ugly ferocious beast that is the Royal Malaysian Police.
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate failing!
Higher Education Minister clutches at straw
USM used to be 111th on the THES rankings just two years ago before falling down to 326 – in other words, completely off the scale for the top 200 universities around the world.
Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang of the DAP said that there is no official ranking outside the 200, but perhaps if badgered (in a private capacity), the THES people may provide the enquirer a sub-200 university’s position, obviously beyond what had been published.
my underlining
He was alluding to the Higher Education Minister, Mustapa Mohamed, possibly making such a private enquiry because the later has been elated that USM rose form 326 to 277th, as if it’s an achievement when the university is still way outside the published scale. Talk about people clutching at straws.
He said: “I am surprised that there has been an unofficial ranking of universities which fall outside THES’ 200 best universities, which must have been communicated privately to the individual universities concerned.”
“If so, why hasn’t the Higher Education Ministry made public the ‘outside 200 Best Universities’ ranking of all the public universities evaluated for the annual THES World University Ranking?.”
Yeah, what other 76 sub-200 chowkana* universities would be standing above the 277th position?
* sub-standard
Lim admonished Mustapa, reminding the minister to curb his enthusiasm over the achievement of two Malaysian universities in the ‘unofficial’ Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) rankings. Note ‘unofficial’ but that’s what desperate people would do, just like a drowning man clutching at straws.
The very revelation of the ‘unofficial’ listing for our universities is itself a shameful, disgraceful and pathetic insult to Malaysia. Malu lah!
Lim sneered at Mustapa: “Malaysia must be the only country which is celebrating about the scores of two universities, not because they are within the 200 Best Universities Ranking, but outside – USM (Universiti Sains Malaysia) and UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia).”
my underlining
Lim was aghast and utterly flabbergasted by news reports of Minister Mustapa’s sense of delight over the two universities' significant gains in the rankings. UPM climbed from 394 last year to 292, while USM rose from 326 to 277.
Lim said Mustapa’s elation at the pathetic placing of the two universities would provide the wrong impressions to our local universities that those sub-200 standards are acceptable. Lim stated correctly that the minister should only celebrate when those two universities have made the top-200 grade.
Our premier university, UM, has also been making a consistent slide down the rankings to a precarious 192th position, behind several regional universities such as Singapore’s National University (ranked 19) and Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University (161).
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate mediocrity!
Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang of the DAP said that there is no official ranking outside the 200, but perhaps if badgered (in a private capacity), the THES people may provide the enquirer a sub-200 university’s position, obviously beyond what had been published.
my underlining
He was alluding to the Higher Education Minister, Mustapa Mohamed, possibly making such a private enquiry because the later has been elated that USM rose form 326 to 277th, as if it’s an achievement when the university is still way outside the published scale. Talk about people clutching at straws.
He said: “I am surprised that there has been an unofficial ranking of universities which fall outside THES’ 200 best universities, which must have been communicated privately to the individual universities concerned.”
“If so, why hasn’t the Higher Education Ministry made public the ‘outside 200 Best Universities’ ranking of all the public universities evaluated for the annual THES World University Ranking?.”
Yeah, what other 76 sub-200 chowkana* universities would be standing above the 277th position?
* sub-standard
Lim admonished Mustapa, reminding the minister to curb his enthusiasm over the achievement of two Malaysian universities in the ‘unofficial’ Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) rankings. Note ‘unofficial’ but that’s what desperate people would do, just like a drowning man clutching at straws.
The very revelation of the ‘unofficial’ listing for our universities is itself a shameful, disgraceful and pathetic insult to Malaysia. Malu lah!
Lim sneered at Mustapa: “Malaysia must be the only country which is celebrating about the scores of two universities, not because they are within the 200 Best Universities Ranking, but outside – USM (Universiti Sains Malaysia) and UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia).”
my underlining
Lim was aghast and utterly flabbergasted by news reports of Minister Mustapa’s sense of delight over the two universities' significant gains in the rankings. UPM climbed from 394 last year to 292, while USM rose from 326 to 277.
Lim said Mustapa’s elation at the pathetic placing of the two universities would provide the wrong impressions to our local universities that those sub-200 standards are acceptable. Lim stated correctly that the minister should only celebrate when those two universities have made the top-200 grade.
Our premier university, UM, has also been making a consistent slide down the rankings to a precarious 192th position, behind several regional universities such as Singapore’s National University (ranked 19) and Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University (161).
Malaysia Boleh, where we celebrate mediocrity!
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Irresponsible Indonesia
It’s little wonder that among the Asean 10 in ratifying the Asean Transboundary Haze Treaty, Indonesia alone has refused to put pen to the signature block of the pact.
Indonesia has been the region’s biggest and most dangerous polluter. Year in, year out, for decades, its irresponsible burnings of the padi fields and cleared jungle areas have sent carcinogenic smoke across to Malaysia (including Sarawak) and Singapore during the southwest monsoon period, which is usually from May to September.
Professor Dr Azizan Abu Samah of Universiti Malaya said that Indonesia could ameliorate the haze hazard for Malaysia if it manages its burning season in February rather than October, as by then (February) the northeast monsoon winds will start to blow across Malaysia towards the southwest.
While it’s not for me to question a university professor of geography, I think the professor’s suggestion of February could be a wee late, though not adverse to his suggestion for improving the Indonesian-created environmental situation for us. I would recommend anytime from December to March.
The monsoon periods for Malaysia are the SW monsoon (May to September) and NE monsoon (November to March) – however, the prevailing winds don’t just start promptly on those months as if there is an ON/OFF or rather FWD/RVR switch. There would inevitably be some lag and overlap, the latter known as the convergence of the trade winds.
The in-between months of the two monsoon periods will see the Inter-Convergence Zone (ITCZ) crossing Malaysia as it follows the sun, which would be southwards (theoretically) in October and northwards in April. The ITCZ is a atmospheric band of convergence marking where the NE and SE trade winds meet, giving rise to some local thunderstorm activities where the ITCZ straddles Malaysia as it slowly (very slowly) crosses our country, either southwards or northwards.
The NE monsoon means the prevailing winds would be blowing down from the northeast, that is, from the Arctic across China, Vietnam, and picking up moisture from the South China Sea before they cross Malaysia towards Sumatra (in the case of the peninsula) or Kalimantan (in the case of Sarawak.
If Indonesia makes an effort to manage its agricultural burnings during the correct period of the prevailing winds, which thus far it has irresponsibly failed to do so as a good regional neighbour, it would greatly relieve us from the carcinogenic hazards.
Recently, when President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono of Indonesia attended a regional conference he showed his anxiety over his nation’s poor global citizenship - he openly expressed his hope none of the neighbouring countries would raise again the issue of smoke haze originating from Sumatra and Kalimantan. Then he made a brash statement in August this year that he wanted all the fires out by 2nd September.
So it was said (by him), and being Indonesia, so it was not done (by him). Bapak cakap ta'serupa bikin!
Most amazingly, Rubaya Thalib, the Indonesian consul-general in Kuching had the bloody brazen nerve to scream at Malaysians, telling them not to play the blame game. He said: "If everyone is playing the blame game now, the problem will not be solved. It will continue to happen. The problem now is that there is a need to find a comprehensive permanent solution to the matter."
What sort of solution has he offered for a problem caused by his country for decades? Buggerall!
The fact is that in those areas responsible for the burning, there is little enforcement activities because of massive corruption by the regional authorities. Indonesia must be held accountable regardless of whether the parties directly involved in the burning are Malaysian owned plantations in Indonesia. The enforcement agencies are not Malaysian owned, and they have failed 'due diligence' in preventing local hazardous activities that cause health problems to neighbouring countries.
The Indonesian government has shown a lack of will or even wilful ignoring of a hazard that affects principally its neighbours.
I believe that further talks with Indonesia will not solve the problem one iota.
As we don’t expect the Indonesian to do the needful and the responsible, we should not waste efforts by insisting on talks or discussions – the meaningful-ness of such useless musyawarat has long disappeared. Nor should we demand to see bullsh*t plans as if somehow Indonesia may miraculously have. There is none.
Since Indonesia has refused to do the responsible neighbourly bit by signing the Asean Transboundary Haze Treaty, it’s time for Malaysia (and even Singapore - perhaps jointly with us) to take Indonesia to the World Court for serious compensation and a court order to instruct that country to cease and desist (with hugh penalties to be levied) or manage its burning activities responsibly, without harming the people of its neighbours.
Will Malaysia have the ‘burning’ desire and the ‘fire’ (or balls) to do that, or will our cabinet indulge in another craven game of ‘smoke’ and mirrors to protect Abang Besar?
Indonesia has been the region’s biggest and most dangerous polluter. Year in, year out, for decades, its irresponsible burnings of the padi fields and cleared jungle areas have sent carcinogenic smoke across to Malaysia (including Sarawak) and Singapore during the southwest monsoon period, which is usually from May to September.
Professor Dr Azizan Abu Samah of Universiti Malaya said that Indonesia could ameliorate the haze hazard for Malaysia if it manages its burning season in February rather than October, as by then (February) the northeast monsoon winds will start to blow across Malaysia towards the southwest.
While it’s not for me to question a university professor of geography, I think the professor’s suggestion of February could be a wee late, though not adverse to his suggestion for improving the Indonesian-created environmental situation for us. I would recommend anytime from December to March.
The monsoon periods for Malaysia are the SW monsoon (May to September) and NE monsoon (November to March) – however, the prevailing winds don’t just start promptly on those months as if there is an ON/OFF or rather FWD/RVR switch. There would inevitably be some lag and overlap, the latter known as the convergence of the trade winds.
The in-between months of the two monsoon periods will see the Inter-Convergence Zone (ITCZ) crossing Malaysia as it follows the sun, which would be southwards (theoretically) in October and northwards in April. The ITCZ is a atmospheric band of convergence marking where the NE and SE trade winds meet, giving rise to some local thunderstorm activities where the ITCZ straddles Malaysia as it slowly (very slowly) crosses our country, either southwards or northwards.
The NE monsoon means the prevailing winds would be blowing down from the northeast, that is, from the Arctic across China, Vietnam, and picking up moisture from the South China Sea before they cross Malaysia towards Sumatra (in the case of the peninsula) or Kalimantan (in the case of Sarawak.
If Indonesia makes an effort to manage its agricultural burnings during the correct period of the prevailing winds, which thus far it has irresponsibly failed to do so as a good regional neighbour, it would greatly relieve us from the carcinogenic hazards.
Recently, when President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono of Indonesia attended a regional conference he showed his anxiety over his nation’s poor global citizenship - he openly expressed his hope none of the neighbouring countries would raise again the issue of smoke haze originating from Sumatra and Kalimantan. Then he made a brash statement in August this year that he wanted all the fires out by 2nd September.
So it was said (by him), and being Indonesia, so it was not done (by him). Bapak cakap ta'serupa bikin!
Most amazingly, Rubaya Thalib, the Indonesian consul-general in Kuching had the bloody brazen nerve to scream at Malaysians, telling them not to play the blame game. He said: "If everyone is playing the blame game now, the problem will not be solved. It will continue to happen. The problem now is that there is a need to find a comprehensive permanent solution to the matter."
What sort of solution has he offered for a problem caused by his country for decades? Buggerall!
The fact is that in those areas responsible for the burning, there is little enforcement activities because of massive corruption by the regional authorities. Indonesia must be held accountable regardless of whether the parties directly involved in the burning are Malaysian owned plantations in Indonesia. The enforcement agencies are not Malaysian owned, and they have failed 'due diligence' in preventing local hazardous activities that cause health problems to neighbouring countries.
The Indonesian government has shown a lack of will or even wilful ignoring of a hazard that affects principally its neighbours.
I believe that further talks with Indonesia will not solve the problem one iota.
As we don’t expect the Indonesian to do the needful and the responsible, we should not waste efforts by insisting on talks or discussions – the meaningful-ness of such useless musyawarat has long disappeared. Nor should we demand to see bullsh*t plans as if somehow Indonesia may miraculously have. There is none.
Since Indonesia has refused to do the responsible neighbourly bit by signing the Asean Transboundary Haze Treaty, it’s time for Malaysia (and even Singapore - perhaps jointly with us) to take Indonesia to the World Court for serious compensation and a court order to instruct that country to cease and desist (with hugh penalties to be levied) or manage its burning activities responsibly, without harming the people of its neighbours.
Will Malaysia have the ‘burning’ desire and the ‘fire’ (or balls) to do that, or will our cabinet indulge in another craven game of ‘smoke’ and mirrors to protect Abang Besar?
Anwar Ibrahim - severing the UMNO umbilical cord?
Anwar Ibrahim believes that AAB will call for a election fairly soon – exactly when, he (Anwar) doesn’t know – but he reckons it'll be before April 2008.
Why that significant phase in time?
Anwar Ibrahim becomes eligible to participate actively in Malaysian politic s after April 2008, when his five-year ban from politics expires.
The ban was imposed following Anwar’s conviction for corruption and sodomy. Though the Federal Court overturned his sodomy conviction in 2004, after he had already spent six years in prison, Anwar remains affected by that 5-year ban for other (or whatever) legal reasons. Too technical for me!
Anwar believes AAB will set the election date to foil his (Anwar) intention to return to the main political stage.
But what is more interesting, at least to me personally, has been what Anwar said to his PKR members. During a buka puasa (breaking fast) function in his house, he chastised some of them for their old-UMNO mindset.
He said (apparently in frustration): “They (PKR members) are trapped in the old mindset. Day in and day out they see the television and see the prime minister and deputy prime minister, like there are no others.”
“I still hear questions on whether we are in negotiations with Umno or not. They (PKR members) say it looks like if you are going to be prime minister, you need to be in Umno.”
Obviously Anwar was referring to those former UMNO blokes who left UMNO together with him when the former deputy president of the dominant Malay party was expelled.
One thing – it proves those ex-UMNO blokes still want to return to the powerful fold of UMNO.
This mentality or secret aspiration has been what I had criticised Anwar for, in more or less continuous fashion – that Anwar himself wanted to return to UMNO.
But does such an open criticism of his ex-UMNO colleagues, now in PKR clothing, signal his severance of the political umbilical cord from UMNO? Or is it one of those famous Malay shadow plays? Was it a warning signal to UMNO?
Or, has Anwar finally given up on ever returning to UMNO? Had he been influenced by the manner in which AAB’s UMNO has been treating Dr Mahathir? If that can happen to Mahathir, what hope would he then have?
I am one of Anwar Ibrahim’s severest critics, principally because of my perception he wants to return to UMNO. But if he has abandoned that hope, in sincerity and with finality (and rare is the politician, anywhere in the democratic world, who is sincere and totally committed), or at least with some finality then, perhaps it’s time to reconsider my support for him as a potential leader of a credible alternative Malaysian political party.
The sad reality is there is no other personality strong enough to take on the BN, other than Anwar Ibrahim, provided of course Anwar gets the support of the Malaysian silent majority, the fence seaters.
Much as the Western world, PKR or he himself like to portray his popularity, the reality is he won’t get very far without Malaysians seeing him as a reborn politician, divorced in complete perpetuity from UMNO.
We don’t expect him to be perfect as a saint, because frankly no politician can ever be. What we need is a person committed to a strong alternative political option. It doesn’t matter whether this alternative party can gain powers to form the government or to function as an effective opposition. What we don't want is a captain who'll abandon ship mid-course to jump on to another ship, the current luxury cruiser.
Unfortunately Lim Kit Siang or his DAP party do not have the Malay support which is crucial to a party making any political significance. What we know of Lim and the DAP, despite their shorcomings, is their consistency and commitment to a more democratic political system.
Unfortunately PAS, being religious in nature and committed to a theocratic political system, won’t have the majority of the non-Muslims’ support. They certainly have the potential to harness significant Malay support.
Anwar Ibrahim still possesses some remnants of his charisma and his Malay-ness to summon a credible political presence if the non-Malays and a significant segment of the Malays support him. He can fill the void between the DAP and PAS. He is acceptable to DAP, but will PAS accept him if he projects a secular credential (crucial to winning DAP and non-Malay support)?
I said that perhaps it’s time to reconsider my support for him, but ;-) let’s wait and see.
Why that significant phase in time?
Anwar Ibrahim becomes eligible to participate actively in Malaysian politic s after April 2008, when his five-year ban from politics expires.
The ban was imposed following Anwar’s conviction for corruption and sodomy. Though the Federal Court overturned his sodomy conviction in 2004, after he had already spent six years in prison, Anwar remains affected by that 5-year ban for other (or whatever) legal reasons. Too technical for me!
Anwar believes AAB will set the election date to foil his (Anwar) intention to return to the main political stage.
But what is more interesting, at least to me personally, has been what Anwar said to his PKR members. During a buka puasa (breaking fast) function in his house, he chastised some of them for their old-UMNO mindset.
He said (apparently in frustration): “They (PKR members) are trapped in the old mindset. Day in and day out they see the television and see the prime minister and deputy prime minister, like there are no others.”
“I still hear questions on whether we are in negotiations with Umno or not. They (PKR members) say it looks like if you are going to be prime minister, you need to be in Umno.”
Obviously Anwar was referring to those former UMNO blokes who left UMNO together with him when the former deputy president of the dominant Malay party was expelled.
One thing – it proves those ex-UMNO blokes still want to return to the powerful fold of UMNO.
This mentality or secret aspiration has been what I had criticised Anwar for, in more or less continuous fashion – that Anwar himself wanted to return to UMNO.
But does such an open criticism of his ex-UMNO colleagues, now in PKR clothing, signal his severance of the political umbilical cord from UMNO? Or is it one of those famous Malay shadow plays? Was it a warning signal to UMNO?
Or, has Anwar finally given up on ever returning to UMNO? Had he been influenced by the manner in which AAB’s UMNO has been treating Dr Mahathir? If that can happen to Mahathir, what hope would he then have?
I am one of Anwar Ibrahim’s severest critics, principally because of my perception he wants to return to UMNO. But if he has abandoned that hope, in sincerity and with finality (and rare is the politician, anywhere in the democratic world, who is sincere and totally committed), or at least with some finality then, perhaps it’s time to reconsider my support for him as a potential leader of a credible alternative Malaysian political party.
The sad reality is there is no other personality strong enough to take on the BN, other than Anwar Ibrahim, provided of course Anwar gets the support of the Malaysian silent majority, the fence seaters.
Much as the Western world, PKR or he himself like to portray his popularity, the reality is he won’t get very far without Malaysians seeing him as a reborn politician, divorced in complete perpetuity from UMNO.
We don’t expect him to be perfect as a saint, because frankly no politician can ever be. What we need is a person committed to a strong alternative political option. It doesn’t matter whether this alternative party can gain powers to form the government or to function as an effective opposition. What we don't want is a captain who'll abandon ship mid-course to jump on to another ship, the current luxury cruiser.
Unfortunately Lim Kit Siang or his DAP party do not have the Malay support which is crucial to a party making any political significance. What we know of Lim and the DAP, despite their shorcomings, is their consistency and commitment to a more democratic political system.
Unfortunately PAS, being religious in nature and committed to a theocratic political system, won’t have the majority of the non-Muslims’ support. They certainly have the potential to harness significant Malay support.
Anwar Ibrahim still possesses some remnants of his charisma and his Malay-ness to summon a credible political presence if the non-Malays and a significant segment of the Malays support him. He can fill the void between the DAP and PAS. He is acceptable to DAP, but will PAS accept him if he projects a secular credential (crucial to winning DAP and non-Malay support)?
I said that perhaps it’s time to reconsider my support for him, but ;-) let’s wait and see.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Apathetic Chinese marginalising themselves?
Academician Tee Boon Chuan, director of the Malaysian Centre for Ethnic studies at New Era College, participated in a forum last night jointly organised by the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSAH) civil rights committee and Oriental Daily (obviously a Chinese interest forum) and has this to say about Chinese Malaysians with regards to claims of their ‘marginalisation’.
Tee reckoned that the Chinese community in Malaysia are being marginalised not from a racial aspect but from a religious one.
However he averred that the Chinese are actively marginalising themselves by being apathetic to social problems.
He said: “Whenever there is a problem affecting the Muslim or Malay community, the common reaction from the Chinese community is that they don’t care. By doing this, they are marginalising themselves.”
“The Chinese must change this attitude. Whatever problems affecting the Malay community for example, will eventually affect the Chinese community. Anything that happens in the land is also a Chinese problem.”
KTemoc opines that while Tee’s assessment about the Chinese ‘marginalising themselves’ has been spot on, his recommendations for Chinese to be more involved in Malay affairs failed to recognise that the Malays or rather the Malay leadership don’t tolerate non-Malay involvement in their affairs unless it’s of the 'kami sokong' variety.
Just look at the recent debate, just a mere debate, on bumi equity, and the PM himself has emerged from his usual elegant silence (undoubtedly after advice from his advisors) to pulverise ASLIs’ report as ‘irresponsible’. That’s a very harsh word for the PM to use against an independent think-tank, based on advice from parties of interests.
By using such a harsh term to criticise ASLI's study on bumi equity, the PM has disappointingly adopted an aggressive defensive attitude. He could have used his experts to shoot down ASLI’s report per se with facts, if they have any, without the need to resort to such disparaging and threatening choice of words.
Whenever an UMNO leader uses such disparaging words, you may assume he's either running out of patience or running scared of facts. Hornets and keris may yet follow.
Tee reckoned that the Chinese community in Malaysia are being marginalised not from a racial aspect but from a religious one.
However he averred that the Chinese are actively marginalising themselves by being apathetic to social problems.
He said: “Whenever there is a problem affecting the Muslim or Malay community, the common reaction from the Chinese community is that they don’t care. By doing this, they are marginalising themselves.”
“The Chinese must change this attitude. Whatever problems affecting the Malay community for example, will eventually affect the Chinese community. Anything that happens in the land is also a Chinese problem.”
KTemoc opines that while Tee’s assessment about the Chinese ‘marginalising themselves’ has been spot on, his recommendations for Chinese to be more involved in Malay affairs failed to recognise that the Malays or rather the Malay leadership don’t tolerate non-Malay involvement in their affairs unless it’s of the 'kami sokong' variety.
Just look at the recent debate, just a mere debate, on bumi equity, and the PM himself has emerged from his usual elegant silence (undoubtedly after advice from his advisors) to pulverise ASLIs’ report as ‘irresponsible’. That’s a very harsh word for the PM to use against an independent think-tank, based on advice from parties of interests.
By using such a harsh term to criticise ASLI's study on bumi equity, the PM has disappointingly adopted an aggressive defensive attitude. He could have used his experts to shoot down ASLI’s report per se with facts, if they have any, without the need to resort to such disparaging and threatening choice of words.
Whenever an UMNO leader uses such disparaging words, you may assume he's either running out of patience or running scared of facts. Hornets and keris may yet follow.
Bumi Equity - a Never Ending Story
PM AAB rejected the findings of ASLI that bumi equity has surpassed the 30% mark (in fact even averring that has reached as much as 45%). He criticised ASLI’s study as being based on unreliable information, and condemned ASLI for irresponsibly publishing its provocative findings.
One of AAB’s arguments in rejecting ASLI’s report refers to the think-tank use of only 1000 companies when it ought to have followed the EPU’s methodology of looking at 600,000 companies. But AAB didn't mention ASLI's complaint that no one knows what secret methodology the government uses, as it's covered by the OSA.
Anyway, AAB's reference to the now-revealed methodology (partly revealed to reject ASLI's study, even though we don't know whether that was the actual methodology used to arrive at the 18.9% equity figure) sounds suspiciously like one of economist Datuk Zainal Aznam Yusof’s contention against ASLI's findings, which the economist published in a letter to the NST. Hardly surprising as the Malaysian economist would undoubtedly be one expert that AAB would refer to.
However, on Datuk Zainal Azman’s argument, Malaysiakini posted a letter by Khoo Kay Peng who defended ASLI’s report against the economist arguments point by point. Read here for more. The following paragraph is a snapshot of what Khoo wrote:
Dr Zainal Aznam Yusoff’s skepticism of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s view that the bumiputera equity ownership is 45% was not supported by convincing counter arguments. His response in the New Straits Times has created doubts about his real motive because a truly professional economist like himself would not have made such weak technical arguments.
Ouch!
But regardless of whether bumi equity has reached only 18.9% or exceeded 45%, KTemoc opines that the NEP will continue forever, as it holds the key or passport to instant riches for the privileged few.
P Ramasamy wrote in Malayisakini about the NEP as a Never-Ending-Policy. Some extracts from his article follows:
Khairy Jamaluddin, the controversial son-in-law of the Prime Minister of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, thinks that the NEP should be continued. Last year during the Umno General Assembly, he said that since Malays have not attained the NEP target of 30 percent, the policy should be sustained.
Malaysians are not really surprised by Khairy’s statement on the NEP. After his father-in-law became the Prime Minister in October 2003, he has become a millionaire. Obviously the NEP has benefited persons like Khairy and other members of the Malay elite with close political connections.
[…]
In a more broad sense, it has become a useful mechanism for Umno to dish out patronage in the form of business licenses, permits and contracts in return for political support. This would explain why it is so difficult for Umno leaders to discontinue the NEP as such a move would strike at the very core of its patronage system.
The on-going spat between Mahathir and Abdullah also touches on the NEP. While outwardly it appears that Mahathir is angry with Abdullah for not continuing with some of his policies, at a deeper level, there is the economic question.
[…]
The NEP introduced in the 1970s to promote integration in Malaysia has failed. It has been hijacked by a small group of Malay elite for their own enrichment, without taking into consideration the larger Malaysian mass.
Even talking in ethnic terms, generally Malays have not benefited from the NEP; recent studies indicate the gap between the rich and poor in the Malay society has increased. In other words, the class bias of the NEP is rather blatant and vicious.
In terms of national integration, the NEP in the hand of cronies and those who benefit from political patronage is hardly equipped to deal and resolve the larger national question. On the contrary, the NEP has served to embitter the non-Malay communities so much so there is little incentive for them to contribute effectively to the development of the county.
You can bet the ruling elite and their henchmen will defend the NEP in its present form or, if there is a future version, certainly without much changes.
KTemoc opines that the NEP, be that as it may as a Never-Ending-Policy, has beneficial social values PROVIDED it becomes a need-based policy rather than a race-based policy.
That way, the poor bumis will continue to be supported BUT the middle class and rich bumis, the likes of the 9.2 Million-Dollar Man, Khairy Jamaluddin and company, will be excluded. The policy can also embrace the needy such as marginalised non-Malays – in fact the word ‘marginalised’ will disappear as the NEP will be looking after all NEEDY Malaysians, and not one particular race including its already very-wealthy.
One of AAB’s arguments in rejecting ASLI’s report refers to the think-tank use of only 1000 companies when it ought to have followed the EPU’s methodology of looking at 600,000 companies. But AAB didn't mention ASLI's complaint that no one knows what secret methodology the government uses, as it's covered by the OSA.
Anyway, AAB's reference to the now-revealed methodology (partly revealed to reject ASLI's study, even though we don't know whether that was the actual methodology used to arrive at the 18.9% equity figure) sounds suspiciously like one of economist Datuk Zainal Aznam Yusof’s contention against ASLI's findings, which the economist published in a letter to the NST. Hardly surprising as the Malaysian economist would undoubtedly be one expert that AAB would refer to.
However, on Datuk Zainal Azman’s argument, Malaysiakini posted a letter by Khoo Kay Peng who defended ASLI’s report against the economist arguments point by point. Read here for more. The following paragraph is a snapshot of what Khoo wrote:
Dr Zainal Aznam Yusoff’s skepticism of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s view that the bumiputera equity ownership is 45% was not supported by convincing counter arguments. His response in the New Straits Times has created doubts about his real motive because a truly professional economist like himself would not have made such weak technical arguments.
Ouch!
But regardless of whether bumi equity has reached only 18.9% or exceeded 45%, KTemoc opines that the NEP will continue forever, as it holds the key or passport to instant riches for the privileged few.
P Ramasamy wrote in Malayisakini about the NEP as a Never-Ending-Policy. Some extracts from his article follows:
Khairy Jamaluddin, the controversial son-in-law of the Prime Minister of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, thinks that the NEP should be continued. Last year during the Umno General Assembly, he said that since Malays have not attained the NEP target of 30 percent, the policy should be sustained.
Malaysians are not really surprised by Khairy’s statement on the NEP. After his father-in-law became the Prime Minister in October 2003, he has become a millionaire. Obviously the NEP has benefited persons like Khairy and other members of the Malay elite with close political connections.
[…]
In a more broad sense, it has become a useful mechanism for Umno to dish out patronage in the form of business licenses, permits and contracts in return for political support. This would explain why it is so difficult for Umno leaders to discontinue the NEP as such a move would strike at the very core of its patronage system.
The on-going spat between Mahathir and Abdullah also touches on the NEP. While outwardly it appears that Mahathir is angry with Abdullah for not continuing with some of his policies, at a deeper level, there is the economic question.
[…]
The NEP introduced in the 1970s to promote integration in Malaysia has failed. It has been hijacked by a small group of Malay elite for their own enrichment, without taking into consideration the larger Malaysian mass.
Even talking in ethnic terms, generally Malays have not benefited from the NEP; recent studies indicate the gap between the rich and poor in the Malay society has increased. In other words, the class bias of the NEP is rather blatant and vicious.
In terms of national integration, the NEP in the hand of cronies and those who benefit from political patronage is hardly equipped to deal and resolve the larger national question. On the contrary, the NEP has served to embitter the non-Malay communities so much so there is little incentive for them to contribute effectively to the development of the county.
You can bet the ruling elite and their henchmen will defend the NEP in its present form or, if there is a future version, certainly without much changes.
KTemoc opines that the NEP, be that as it may as a Never-Ending-Policy, has beneficial social values PROVIDED it becomes a need-based policy rather than a race-based policy.
That way, the poor bumis will continue to be supported BUT the middle class and rich bumis, the likes of the 9.2 Million-Dollar Man, Khairy Jamaluddin and company, will be excluded. The policy can also embrace the needy such as marginalised non-Malays – in fact the word ‘marginalised’ will disappear as the NEP will be looking after all NEEDY Malaysians, and not one particular race including its already very-wealthy.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
What are they saying?
malaysiakini photoI wonder what these guys are saying? I am going to make a guess, and you're welcome too.
My take:
Hishamuddin (passionately): There's not going to be any apology, OK? Love means never ever having to say sorry, and I love you, got that? Yeah, if you don't understand what I’ve just said, OK, let me repeat that in Chinese - Ai Larp U lah!
Khairy (senyum rimau, and thinks): Tak perlu komen lah. Am not one to stand in the way of love. Nampaknya Liew dah bingung dengan Hisham's surprise declaration of cinta. As my Oxford don used to say, 'Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori' - hehehe.
Liew (mute stung by bee? thinks): KNN*, chia lart men!** He does love me afterall. Does that mean I sooner or later kena 'potong' er? Do I have to switch to UMNO Youth too, or does Hisham instead come over to MCA Youth?
* another version of the exclamationversion 'f**k!'
My take:
Hishamuddin (passionately): There's not going to be any apology, OK? Love means never ever having to say sorry, and I love you, got that? Yeah, if you don't understand what I’ve just said, OK, let me repeat that in Chinese - Ai Larp U lah!
Khairy (senyum rimau, and thinks): Tak perlu komen lah. Am not one to stand in the way of love. Nampaknya Liew dah bingung dengan Hisham's surprise declaration of cinta. As my Oxford don used to say, 'Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori' - hehehe.
Liew (mute stung by bee? thinks): KNN*, chia lart men!** He does love me afterall. Does that mean I sooner or later kena 'potong' er? Do I have to switch to UMNO Youth too, or does Hisham instead come over to MCA Youth?
* another version of the exclamationversion 'f**k!'
** real drastic
OK, what's your impression?
A neighbourly letter (2)
Dear Neighbour,
Here’s the plan. I’ll apologise but – and there’s a lesson here for young you-know-who – without really apologising, and frankly, how could I, when that would not be sincere since my reasoning for my remarks has been 101% justified.
Take it from me, old boy, that before you say anything nasty or likely to be considered as a political faux pas, you assess the likely worst case scenario and the possible consequences, prepare your justifications, go ahead and say what you want to say even if the general population of idiots (compared to us intellectual leaders) think you have dropped a coat, that is, committed a blunder.
Then you wait for the expected hysterical responses from some of those low brow masses, and that is when you show your ace-up-your sleeve, to wit, your prepared justifications. You can even mention the ‘S’ word if that makes you come out on higher moral grounds. With the smooth execution of such a planned strategy, there is buggerall the world of dumb people can do (don’t forget, this is just between us, I didn’t say the 'bugger' word – jaga standards you know) .
This way, you will even enhance your reputation as a redoubtable intellectual each time you are called upon to explain. I look upon such controversies as golden opportunities to demonstrate my capabilities - you know, half a glass full and all that jazz. Look at yours truly – am I not a prime example of formidable political intellectualism. It’s not that I want to brag, but when you have it, old boy, jolly flaunt it! It adds to the myth surrounding us.
But yes, I will nonetheless make the ‘sorry’ word to boost your standing. I will make it because those sycophantic flocks of sheep, some from your side, will think I am God for being brave enough to acknowledge my ‘mistake’ – haven’t those cretins realise yet that I just don’t make mistakes? Be that as it may, it’s going to be a rippling win-win situation for both of us.
I will weave the ‘S’ word around your ‘discomfort’ with my remarks, rather than the essence of my remarks, and old top, talking about ‘discomfort’, you really should be less uptight about that has-been. I will throw in a dagger or two at that silly old bugger, just for your sake of course. I will show him out to be a recalcitrant unprogressive person in stark contrast to your dignified elegant self-assured self.
Well, that’s the skill your boy must learn if he wants to be a formidable politician of note. And another tip for him, there are the three ‘R’s of behaviour for leaders of international politics – be resolute, resilient and redoubtable.
In fact, those namby pamby arty farty political analysts may even detect that my ‘apology’ will be a subtle high brow argument that I was in reality easy on you people. Basically I will be making a point in my formal letter to you that my provocative remarks were less than what I had written in the past, and typically, those parasitical low-IQ media bacteria will jump on that statement, dissect and analyse it as my claim to being the more forgiving magnanimous party, which of course I am.
But note my anticipation of those low brow nattering nabobs of negativism [a succinct term borrowed from poor old Spiro Agnew). They are intellectually pathetic and frankly, just no match for me. Anticipation, dear old chap, anticipation, that is the key to political success.
I would advise that your boy spend more time with us down here so that, as I mentioned in my previous missive, we may groom him. He has the cut, pedigree and the inclination, and you are right to be proud of him. Why, I even think of him as 'my own'.
By the by, old chum, just an advice, don’t gush all over my letter of ‘apology’ when you receive it. And some suggestions, of course purely for your kind considerations.
To use some choice Malay phrases, first, it may be useful for you to tarik harga, and even merajuk that you are not impressed with my explanation. You show publicly you disagree with my arguments; don't hesitate to even comment that my remarks have been totally uncalled for. But then, being the nice forgiving good-neighbourly type (unlike someone else), you say you would ‘take on board’ or ‘take note’ of my explanation, but without acknowledging you have accepted my apologetic non-apology.
This is exercising the three ‘D’s of politics – disinform, disguise, distract!
That way, you will be Teflon coated. No one can accuse you of swallowing everything I say in the letter, yet at the same time no one can say you are hysterically captive to low brow mentality of provincial animosity.
Your status will be greatly elevated by your measured gracious response to my ‘apology’. You will be viewed as a notable statesman who is at ease with the nuances of modern international relations. Why, old boy, your image will even become more favourable to some of your people who hero-worship me and are sycophantic and sympathetic to every word I utter.
If you want to take it one more step, to seal this plan, you could even get one of your subordinates, someone expendable?, to praise my 'apology' as one unexpected but welcome from a wise man. That's a display of the three 'S's of politics - subterfuge, shoring-up and sacrifice (not of your own boy of course).
Till we meet again for golf.
Yours amicably,
You-know-who
Related: A neighbourly letter
Here’s the plan. I’ll apologise but – and there’s a lesson here for young you-know-who – without really apologising, and frankly, how could I, when that would not be sincere since my reasoning for my remarks has been 101% justified.
Take it from me, old boy, that before you say anything nasty or likely to be considered as a political faux pas, you assess the likely worst case scenario and the possible consequences, prepare your justifications, go ahead and say what you want to say even if the general population of idiots (compared to us intellectual leaders) think you have dropped a coat, that is, committed a blunder.
Then you wait for the expected hysterical responses from some of those low brow masses, and that is when you show your ace-up-your sleeve, to wit, your prepared justifications. You can even mention the ‘S’ word if that makes you come out on higher moral grounds. With the smooth execution of such a planned strategy, there is buggerall the world of dumb people can do (don’t forget, this is just between us, I didn’t say the 'bugger' word – jaga standards you know) .
This way, you will even enhance your reputation as a redoubtable intellectual each time you are called upon to explain. I look upon such controversies as golden opportunities to demonstrate my capabilities - you know, half a glass full and all that jazz. Look at yours truly – am I not a prime example of formidable political intellectualism. It’s not that I want to brag, but when you have it, old boy, jolly flaunt it! It adds to the myth surrounding us.
But yes, I will nonetheless make the ‘sorry’ word to boost your standing. I will make it because those sycophantic flocks of sheep, some from your side, will think I am God for being brave enough to acknowledge my ‘mistake’ – haven’t those cretins realise yet that I just don’t make mistakes? Be that as it may, it’s going to be a rippling win-win situation for both of us.
I will weave the ‘S’ word around your ‘discomfort’ with my remarks, rather than the essence of my remarks, and old top, talking about ‘discomfort’, you really should be less uptight about that has-been. I will throw in a dagger or two at that silly old bugger, just for your sake of course. I will show him out to be a recalcitrant unprogressive person in stark contrast to your dignified elegant self-assured self.
Well, that’s the skill your boy must learn if he wants to be a formidable politician of note. And another tip for him, there are the three ‘R’s of behaviour for leaders of international politics – be resolute, resilient and redoubtable.
In fact, those namby pamby arty farty political analysts may even detect that my ‘apology’ will be a subtle high brow argument that I was in reality easy on you people. Basically I will be making a point in my formal letter to you that my provocative remarks were less than what I had written in the past, and typically, those parasitical low-IQ media bacteria will jump on that statement, dissect and analyse it as my claim to being the more forgiving magnanimous party, which of course I am.
But note my anticipation of those low brow nattering nabobs of negativism [a succinct term borrowed from poor old Spiro Agnew). They are intellectually pathetic and frankly, just no match for me. Anticipation, dear old chap, anticipation, that is the key to political success.
I would advise that your boy spend more time with us down here so that, as I mentioned in my previous missive, we may groom him. He has the cut, pedigree and the inclination, and you are right to be proud of him. Why, I even think of him as 'my own'.
By the by, old chum, just an advice, don’t gush all over my letter of ‘apology’ when you receive it. And some suggestions, of course purely for your kind considerations.
To use some choice Malay phrases, first, it may be useful for you to tarik harga, and even merajuk that you are not impressed with my explanation. You show publicly you disagree with my arguments; don't hesitate to even comment that my remarks have been totally uncalled for. But then, being the nice forgiving good-neighbourly type (unlike someone else), you say you would ‘take on board’ or ‘take note’ of my explanation, but without acknowledging you have accepted my apologetic non-apology.
This is exercising the three ‘D’s of politics – disinform, disguise, distract!
That way, you will be Teflon coated. No one can accuse you of swallowing everything I say in the letter, yet at the same time no one can say you are hysterically captive to low brow mentality of provincial animosity.
Your status will be greatly elevated by your measured gracious response to my ‘apology’. You will be viewed as a notable statesman who is at ease with the nuances of modern international relations. Why, old boy, your image will even become more favourable to some of your people who hero-worship me and are sycophantic and sympathetic to every word I utter.
If you want to take it one more step, to seal this plan, you could even get one of your subordinates, someone expendable?, to praise my 'apology' as one unexpected but welcome from a wise man. That's a display of the three 'S's of politics - subterfuge, shoring-up and sacrifice (not of your own boy of course).
Till we meet again for golf.
Yours amicably,
You-know-who
Related: A neighbourly letter
"No sorry please, we're UMNO Youth leaders"
Here is something you all already know, but read it anyway, to allow your blood pressure to shoot up a bit – don’t let your heart grow complacent ;-)
The meeting at BN Youth Council recently confirmed this political truth, twice over.
First: Khairy reiterated he won’t apologise like LKY, even though he could, because that would make him insincere. He said that an apology must be sincere for it to work, and as he didn’t feel apologetic for making his racist remarks about the Chinese community exploiting a divided UMNO (and why would the powerful S-I-L of the PM feel apologetic for saying anything?), he felt any apology from him would be insincere, and thus an irrelevant gesture.
So he is big on ‘sincerity’ now! Excuse me, but my toes are laughing.
It was noted that right from the start, UMNO Youth Chief and Chairman of the BN Youth Council had declared he was ‘satisfied’ with Khairy’s explanation – which undoubtedly allowed Khairy to dig in deeper. But then, maybe poor Hishamuddin had to do so, perhaps under instructions?
You can frame your own subtext from the factual unsatisfactory outcome of that meeting, but the MCA and Gerakan participants weren’t very impressed.
Despite the brave spin that the meeting ended in a satisfactory fashion, the MCA and Gerakan members were very careful in saying they were satisfied with the conduct of the meeting rather than Khairy’s explanation - a deliberate yet oblique political statement to indirectly indicate they have not been satisfied with Khairy refusal to apologise for insulting the Chinese.
Their representatives slipped in a wee bit of overt resistance, warning Hishamuddin that they ‘cannot guarantee their members will accept Khairy’s explanation’.
Take it from me (and them) – their members won’t.
Hishammuddin put on a brave face and responded that any unhappy reaction can still be brought up for discussion at the next BN Youth meeting.
[Pssst – someone overheard Hisham shouting “Where’s that Penang bloke – I want him here, cepat!”]
Did you for one instant ever doubt such an outcome where Khairy would arrogantly refuse to apologise for his racist remarks?
Second: On the cabinet reprimand of Deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat’s criticism of alleged embezzlement of school maintenance funds, since then confirmed by Humpty Dumpty, Hishamuddin dug in deep himself. He said the reprimand had to be made.
Obviously the subsequent vindication of Ong's statement by the Works Minsiter wasn't enough to restore a just apology to the man who was unjustly reprimanded for exposing corruption.
Hishammuddin said his ministry has thousands of staff, and it was not possible to keep an eye on all of them to ensure that they do a proper job. He said it was not fair for Ong to specifically pick two Chinese schools in his complaint and to publicly criticise another ministry. He averred that when there were problems, they must be dealt with quickly, instead of turning them into a racial issue.
Bull! It's everyone's duty to expose corruption, not just Ong's. And in fact, Ong did not air that alleged embezzlement as a racist issue. He merely highlighted corruption. There was no mention of race. That the schools were vernacular in character was never the issue - the missing 90% of the maintenance funds was.
It was Hishamuddin who turned it into an anti-Ong issue because he obviously didn’t like the idea of an MCA bloke highlighting alleged corruption in his ministry. His act of political intimidation against Ong could be seen as an act against the exposure of corruption.
Even DPM Najib knew that there had been, to use Humpty's word, 'irregularity', which was why he stressed on cross-ministerial procedures as the reason to reprimand Ong while in the same breath, stating the 'facts' of the case was a different issue. He stated: “I don’t want to talk about facts, that’s another issue".
The DPM of the nation didn't want to talk about facts of an issue, that have direct bearing to a case of corurption? Kalah ta'apa, gaya mesti ada - form takes precedence over subtance.
For more, read my earlier postings:
(1) Najib's facts, principles, goose & gander
(2) Corruption 'Fact' for DPM Najib & Hishamuddin
(3) What the cabinet reprimanded Ong Tee Keat for!
(4) Najib riled with Ong Tee Keat's last laugh!
In fact, the nasty reprimand for Ong that Hishamuddin had brought about has been a politically disgraceful case of ignoring the very important issue of public governance, merely for his own foolish pride. If he had taken up Ong’s revelation as his own, and proceeded to investigate the cases (note the ‘plurality’ of the noun) as a 'concerned' minister, he would have come out smelling of roses.
He f**ked up a god-given opportunity, presented to him by Ong, to be seen as a fearless incorruptible pro-active political leader.
Opportunity lost, tough sh*tty, Hishamuddin.
But it’s hardly surprising these two UMNO Youth leaders would never say sorry. To paraphase a British humorous quip, "No sex please, we're British", we have here a case of "No 'sorry' please, we're UMNO Youth leaders".
The meeting at BN Youth Council recently confirmed this political truth, twice over.
First: Khairy reiterated he won’t apologise like LKY, even though he could, because that would make him insincere. He said that an apology must be sincere for it to work, and as he didn’t feel apologetic for making his racist remarks about the Chinese community exploiting a divided UMNO (and why would the powerful S-I-L of the PM feel apologetic for saying anything?), he felt any apology from him would be insincere, and thus an irrelevant gesture.
So he is big on ‘sincerity’ now! Excuse me, but my toes are laughing.
It was noted that right from the start, UMNO Youth Chief and Chairman of the BN Youth Council had declared he was ‘satisfied’ with Khairy’s explanation – which undoubtedly allowed Khairy to dig in deeper. But then, maybe poor Hishamuddin had to do so, perhaps under instructions?
You can frame your own subtext from the factual unsatisfactory outcome of that meeting, but the MCA and Gerakan participants weren’t very impressed.
Despite the brave spin that the meeting ended in a satisfactory fashion, the MCA and Gerakan members were very careful in saying they were satisfied with the conduct of the meeting rather than Khairy’s explanation - a deliberate yet oblique political statement to indirectly indicate they have not been satisfied with Khairy refusal to apologise for insulting the Chinese.
Their representatives slipped in a wee bit of overt resistance, warning Hishamuddin that they ‘cannot guarantee their members will accept Khairy’s explanation’.
Take it from me (and them) – their members won’t.
Hishammuddin put on a brave face and responded that any unhappy reaction can still be brought up for discussion at the next BN Youth meeting.
[Pssst – someone overheard Hisham shouting “Where’s that Penang bloke – I want him here, cepat!”]
Did you for one instant ever doubt such an outcome where Khairy would arrogantly refuse to apologise for his racist remarks?
Second: On the cabinet reprimand of Deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat’s criticism of alleged embezzlement of school maintenance funds, since then confirmed by Humpty Dumpty, Hishamuddin dug in deep himself. He said the reprimand had to be made.
Obviously the subsequent vindication of Ong's statement by the Works Minsiter wasn't enough to restore a just apology to the man who was unjustly reprimanded for exposing corruption.
Hishammuddin said his ministry has thousands of staff, and it was not possible to keep an eye on all of them to ensure that they do a proper job. He said it was not fair for Ong to specifically pick two Chinese schools in his complaint and to publicly criticise another ministry. He averred that when there were problems, they must be dealt with quickly, instead of turning them into a racial issue.
Bull! It's everyone's duty to expose corruption, not just Ong's. And in fact, Ong did not air that alleged embezzlement as a racist issue. He merely highlighted corruption. There was no mention of race. That the schools were vernacular in character was never the issue - the missing 90% of the maintenance funds was.
It was Hishamuddin who turned it into an anti-Ong issue because he obviously didn’t like the idea of an MCA bloke highlighting alleged corruption in his ministry. His act of political intimidation against Ong could be seen as an act against the exposure of corruption.
Even DPM Najib knew that there had been, to use Humpty's word, 'irregularity', which was why he stressed on cross-ministerial procedures as the reason to reprimand Ong while in the same breath, stating the 'facts' of the case was a different issue. He stated: “I don’t want to talk about facts, that’s another issue".
The DPM of the nation didn't want to talk about facts of an issue, that have direct bearing to a case of corurption? Kalah ta'apa, gaya mesti ada - form takes precedence over subtance.
For more, read my earlier postings:
(1) Najib's facts, principles, goose & gander
(2) Corruption 'Fact' for DPM Najib & Hishamuddin
(3) What the cabinet reprimanded Ong Tee Keat for!
(4) Najib riled with Ong Tee Keat's last laugh!
In fact, the nasty reprimand for Ong that Hishamuddin had brought about has been a politically disgraceful case of ignoring the very important issue of public governance, merely for his own foolish pride. If he had taken up Ong’s revelation as his own, and proceeded to investigate the cases (note the ‘plurality’ of the noun) as a 'concerned' minister, he would have come out smelling of roses.
He f**ked up a god-given opportunity, presented to him by Ong, to be seen as a fearless incorruptible pro-active political leader.
Opportunity lost, tough sh*tty, Hishamuddin.
But it’s hardly surprising these two UMNO Youth leaders would never say sorry. To paraphase a British humorous quip, "No sex please, we're British", we have here a case of "No 'sorry' please, we're UMNO Youth leaders".
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
PM's Interesting Choice of Word!
This one is amazing! It’s the choice of a word – read carefully and see whether you can spot that key word in the quoted speech.
What key word? Er … the one that made my toes laugh.
The situation - At a ceremony to mark the appointment of Najib Abdul Aziz as the new deputy IGP, the IGP Musa Hassan passed the PM’s message to the police officers.
According to Musa, the PM has ordered the police force to improve their image, knowledge and standard of service.
Musa said: “The Prime Minister has instructed me to accomplish these three things in the force: maintain the good name and image of the force, ensure each one has high integrity so that everyone be efficient in their duties, and give excellent service at all times. He wants us to achieve these as soon as possible.”
Did you catch the key word?
You’ve got it! Great, but if you haven’t, its 'maintain' as in “… maintain the good name and image of the force .”
According to the dictionary maintain means “to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain.”
Keep in existence? Continuance? Preserve? Retain?
Were we talking about the “good name and image” of the police?
The police that was responsible for Squatgate, 2 x Botakgates (by the same police station within a period of less than 4 months), Pirouttegate, deaths in custody, extortion, lustful and physical abuses, etc?
Maybe the PM would be better off 'maintaining' his elegant silence.
Related:
Will Botakgate II cost taxpayers RM3.75 million?
What key word? Er … the one that made my toes laugh.
The situation - At a ceremony to mark the appointment of Najib Abdul Aziz as the new deputy IGP, the IGP Musa Hassan passed the PM’s message to the police officers.
According to Musa, the PM has ordered the police force to improve their image, knowledge and standard of service.
Musa said: “The Prime Minister has instructed me to accomplish these three things in the force: maintain the good name and image of the force, ensure each one has high integrity so that everyone be efficient in their duties, and give excellent service at all times. He wants us to achieve these as soon as possible.”
Did you catch the key word?
You’ve got it! Great, but if you haven’t, its 'maintain' as in “… maintain the good name and image of the force .”
According to the dictionary maintain means “to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain.”
Keep in existence? Continuance? Preserve? Retain?
Were we talking about the “good name and image” of the police?
The police that was responsible for Squatgate, 2 x Botakgates (by the same police station within a period of less than 4 months), Pirouttegate, deaths in custody, extortion, lustful and physical abuses, etc?
Maybe the PM would be better off 'maintaining' his elegant silence.
Related:
Will Botakgate II cost taxpayers RM3.75 million?
S-I-L vs the Rest - the Subtext
When public figures say something, their words do not necessarily convey the real meaning or intent. There could well be a subtext to what each says, especially when these people are pollies (politicians) ... and more so when they're Malaysian pollies.
We have all learnt of the Malay saying ‘musuh dalam selimut’* – well, to paraphrase this famous saying, what we will discuss in this posting (and perhaps the next) is ‘maksud dalam selimut’**.
* enemy within; ** hidden or the unstated meaning
Let’s have fun and guesstimate what each public figure means when he says something:
Malaysiakini reported that world famous SIL only provided ‘explanation’ for his infamous warning to UMNO members that the Chinese would exploit UMNO’s internal division. He didn’t tender any apology to his fellow BN youth leaders over his racial remarks in August, though the latter had wanted and expected him to do the right thing.
BN youth chairperson Hishammuddin Hussein declared to the press after the BN youth meeting involving youth leaders from all 12 coalition partners, that the youth council have resolved to ‘work together’ and to put the incident behind them, and had described the meeting as a success.
He said: “It’s about sincerity, and the spirit of co-cooperation. The relationship between the youth members need to be built on so there is no misunderstanding while we carry out our duties.”
Subtext: We’re sincere and will (bloody well) cooperate not to wash dirty linen in public, with Ah Chong and Samy doing the washing, like they used to do by the Ayer Itam river behind York Road in Penang. There is never any misunderstanding so long as the members know siapa rajah.
He continued: “It was explained that Khairy had not meant to insult any ethnic group. All leaders have agreed to bring Khairy’s explanation to the committee and grassroots level to avoid the issue being misinterpreted again.”
Subtext: Especially after I warned those MCA and Gerakan people not to push too far! OK with you, Khairy?
Then: “The issue he brought up was in fact played up and misconstrued by some parties.”
Subtext: Those f**king Chinese press. And all owned by bloody MCA!
Malaysiakini also reported that:
Efforts by the media to get Khairy to speak was rebuffed by Hishammuddin. A question by a reporter that was directed at Khairy was blocked by Hishammuddin, who said: “I’m chairing this meeting. I’ll be the one answering the questions. Any questions you can direct at the individuals later.”
Subtext: Leave them to me, Khairy, I hope you’ll understand why I am doing so. It’s all for you lah. GE coming and we can’t afford to antagonise potential (Chinese) voters. [secretly thought: And you’ve got a bloody big mouth. Any problem you create, you can just run and hide behind Bapak Menantu’s sarong, ai pula kena toasted]
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference held later, MCA and Gerakan youth leaders said that they were happy with the way the meeting was conducted, but the group had conspicuously avoided stating that they were satisfied with explanation offered by Khairy.
Subtext: Are we happy? Look lah, you’ve eyes, don’t you? Do we have to lay it all out for you people, chapter and verse?
Malaysiakini reported:
Asked if he was satisfied with Khairy’s explanation, MCA youth chief Liow Tiong Lai said he was “very satisfied the way the meeting has been carried out”.
When pressed further by reporters that he was avoiding the question, Liow replied , “That’s your own interpretation.”
Subtext: Tiu, ya-lah, you’re all f**king right. Today I am the dancing king, tap dancing my blooming way through the bed of keris-es. And I have given you f**kers enough clues already. KNN, WTF do you want me to be? Like Ahmadinejad?
When asked whether Khairy needed to apologise, Liow said that reporters have to speak to Khairy on the matter. “It’s up to him,” he said.
Subtext: WTF do you think the SIL will do when Bapak Menantu sits on our back?
When asked on the details of Khairy’s explanation, Liow shot back “I don’t have to explain here. Do I need to?”
Subtext: What? Are you dumb? Still want me to lay out all out chapter and verse again? Read my bloody lips – he didn’t f**king apologise – OK!!! WTF could I do!
Gerakan youth chief Dr Mah Siew Keong said: “Here we work by consensus. We have given our opinions and frustrations. I think it was conveyed in the spirit of BN we must have a consensus.”
Subtext: Our hands are bloody tied lah! We all have to say ‘yes’.
He continued: “We hope that this Khairy matter will be a lesson. I’m sure he will make an effort to be more cautious. In the next few months is a chance for Barisan Nasional pemuda to show that we are sincere to create a bangsa Malaysia.”
Subtext: He’s an a$$-h*le
We have all learnt of the Malay saying ‘musuh dalam selimut’* – well, to paraphrase this famous saying, what we will discuss in this posting (and perhaps the next) is ‘maksud dalam selimut’**.
* enemy within; ** hidden or the unstated meaning
Let’s have fun and guesstimate what each public figure means when he says something:
Malaysiakini reported that world famous SIL only provided ‘explanation’ for his infamous warning to UMNO members that the Chinese would exploit UMNO’s internal division. He didn’t tender any apology to his fellow BN youth leaders over his racial remarks in August, though the latter had wanted and expected him to do the right thing.
BN youth chairperson Hishammuddin Hussein declared to the press after the BN youth meeting involving youth leaders from all 12 coalition partners, that the youth council have resolved to ‘work together’ and to put the incident behind them, and had described the meeting as a success.
He said: “It’s about sincerity, and the spirit of co-cooperation. The relationship between the youth members need to be built on so there is no misunderstanding while we carry out our duties.”
Subtext: We’re sincere and will (bloody well) cooperate not to wash dirty linen in public, with Ah Chong and Samy doing the washing, like they used to do by the Ayer Itam river behind York Road in Penang. There is never any misunderstanding so long as the members know siapa rajah.
He continued: “It was explained that Khairy had not meant to insult any ethnic group. All leaders have agreed to bring Khairy’s explanation to the committee and grassroots level to avoid the issue being misinterpreted again.”
Subtext: Especially after I warned those MCA and Gerakan people not to push too far! OK with you, Khairy?
Then: “The issue he brought up was in fact played up and misconstrued by some parties.”
Subtext: Those f**king Chinese press. And all owned by bloody MCA!
Malaysiakini also reported that:
Efforts by the media to get Khairy to speak was rebuffed by Hishammuddin. A question by a reporter that was directed at Khairy was blocked by Hishammuddin, who said: “I’m chairing this meeting. I’ll be the one answering the questions. Any questions you can direct at the individuals later.”
Subtext: Leave them to me, Khairy, I hope you’ll understand why I am doing so. It’s all for you lah. GE coming and we can’t afford to antagonise potential (Chinese) voters. [secretly thought: And you’ve got a bloody big mouth. Any problem you create, you can just run and hide behind Bapak Menantu’s sarong, ai pula kena toasted]
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference held later, MCA and Gerakan youth leaders said that they were happy with the way the meeting was conducted, but the group had conspicuously avoided stating that they were satisfied with explanation offered by Khairy.
Subtext: Are we happy? Look lah, you’ve eyes, don’t you? Do we have to lay it all out for you people, chapter and verse?
Malaysiakini reported:
Asked if he was satisfied with Khairy’s explanation, MCA youth chief Liow Tiong Lai said he was “very satisfied the way the meeting has been carried out”.
When pressed further by reporters that he was avoiding the question, Liow replied , “That’s your own interpretation.”
Subtext: Tiu, ya-lah, you’re all f**king right. Today I am the dancing king, tap dancing my blooming way through the bed of keris-es. And I have given you f**kers enough clues already. KNN, WTF do you want me to be? Like Ahmadinejad?
When asked whether Khairy needed to apologise, Liow said that reporters have to speak to Khairy on the matter. “It’s up to him,” he said.
Subtext: WTF do you think the SIL will do when Bapak Menantu sits on our back?
When asked on the details of Khairy’s explanation, Liow shot back “I don’t have to explain here. Do I need to?”
Subtext: What? Are you dumb? Still want me to lay out all out chapter and verse again? Read my bloody lips – he didn’t f**king apologise – OK!!! WTF could I do!
Gerakan youth chief Dr Mah Siew Keong said: “Here we work by consensus. We have given our opinions and frustrations. I think it was conveyed in the spirit of BN we must have a consensus.”
Subtext: Our hands are bloody tied lah! We all have to say ‘yes’.
He continued: “We hope that this Khairy matter will be a lesson. I’m sure he will make an effort to be more cautious. In the next few months is a chance for Barisan Nasional pemuda to show that we are sincere to create a bangsa Malaysia.”
Subtext: He’s an a$$-h*le
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Najib riled with Ong Tee Keat's last laugh!
On Sunday Humpty Dumpty admitted that there was irregularity in payment for maintenance work done at the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Kung Yu in Muar, where only 10% worth of work was done for the RM30,000 payment.
Bernama reported that Deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat, who had first raised that issue of the alleged embezzlement, said (rightly and deservedly) he felt vindicated over the issue. But he lamented that he was not rejoicing as ‘something ugly had occurred’.
The ‘something ugly’ he referred to was the unjustified and unfair cabinet reprimand against him. No doubt Ong is still peeved at the unjust rap on his knuckles.
In Boleh Land, a person who raised issues of corruption or passed on embarrassing but factual messages to the powers-that-be gets shot. The emperors (and we have many big and little ones all around) don't like to be told the stark truth about their stark nakedness, and that's a stark fact of life here.
That’s why Ong was reprimanded for (justifiably) criticising the Education Ministry (and by default Minister Hishamuddin) over pathetic management of funds for the repair work, while OTOH, the infamous Cyclops, who had brazenly asked Customs to close one eye to his ‘irregularity’, is still around in the Monkey House, called the Malaysian Parliament, to roam freely around to pass uncouthly remarks at lady MPs.
Ong of course twisted the knife in by saying: "I thank God for the development in this issue. This is for the benefit of the country, not individuals." Can you blame him for having the last laugh and jab?
But DPM Najib wasn’t happy with Ong’s exuberance and sarcasm, hardly surprising when Najib was the man who approved the reprimand. No one laughs at UMNO, least of all a MCA man - how dare Ong!
Najib demanded that all quarters to stop discussing the school repair issue. Presumably he was addressing the BN people, because neither Malaysiakini nor I have any intention of stopping our discussion of government f**kups by Ministers (regardless of whether the minsiters are UMNO, MCA, Gerakan or MIC, etc).
And why should we, when cases of corruption and its perpetrators demanded we spotlight them for all Malaysians to see and identify.
It’s just disappointing that a cosmopolitan and well-exposed man like Najib stumbled badly/embarrassingly in his haste to defend his cousin Hishamuddin, and in the process (politically) ‘shot’ the wrong person (OTOH, maybe the right one afterall, because Ong isn’t UMNO), but now lacks the decency to tender an apology, so as to right a wrong. What a world of difference he would have made if he had the decency to do so.
So it continues to be still Malaysia Boleh!
Bernama reported that Deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat, who had first raised that issue of the alleged embezzlement, said (rightly and deservedly) he felt vindicated over the issue. But he lamented that he was not rejoicing as ‘something ugly had occurred’.
The ‘something ugly’ he referred to was the unjustified and unfair cabinet reprimand against him. No doubt Ong is still peeved at the unjust rap on his knuckles.
In Boleh Land, a person who raised issues of corruption or passed on embarrassing but factual messages to the powers-that-be gets shot. The emperors (and we have many big and little ones all around) don't like to be told the stark truth about their stark nakedness, and that's a stark fact of life here.
That’s why Ong was reprimanded for (justifiably) criticising the Education Ministry (and by default Minister Hishamuddin) over pathetic management of funds for the repair work, while OTOH, the infamous Cyclops, who had brazenly asked Customs to close one eye to his ‘irregularity’, is still around in the Monkey House, called the Malaysian Parliament, to roam freely around to pass uncouthly remarks at lady MPs.
Ong of course twisted the knife in by saying: "I thank God for the development in this issue. This is for the benefit of the country, not individuals." Can you blame him for having the last laugh and jab?
But DPM Najib wasn’t happy with Ong’s exuberance and sarcasm, hardly surprising when Najib was the man who approved the reprimand. No one laughs at UMNO, least of all a MCA man - how dare Ong!
Najib demanded that all quarters to stop discussing the school repair issue. Presumably he was addressing the BN people, because neither Malaysiakini nor I have any intention of stopping our discussion of government f**kups by Ministers (regardless of whether the minsiters are UMNO, MCA, Gerakan or MIC, etc).
And why should we, when cases of corruption and its perpetrators demanded we spotlight them for all Malaysians to see and identify.
It’s just disappointing that a cosmopolitan and well-exposed man like Najib stumbled badly/embarrassingly in his haste to defend his cousin Hishamuddin, and in the process (politically) ‘shot’ the wrong person (OTOH, maybe the right one afterall, because Ong isn’t UMNO), but now lacks the decency to tender an apology, so as to right a wrong. What a world of difference he would have made if he had the decency to do so.
So it continues to be still Malaysia Boleh!
Anwar Ibrahim needs a mirror
Not surprisingly, Anwar Ibrahim has jumped on the anti-LKY bandwagon. While Anwar in his PKR topi has in recent times made gestures of a more equitable approach to Malaysia’s multi-racial community, unlike DAP’s Lim Guan Eng, he wasn’t quite prepared yet to agree with LKY’s assertion that the non-Malays in Malaysia have been marginalised.
Instead, he lambasted LKY for his (LKY) outdated racist mentality. We need to understand Anwar still needs to jaga (look out for) his 6 o’clock, namely his own Malay constituency. Fair enough.
He criticised LKY for never showing concern for the bumiputera and Indians who are in dire need of help. He said LKY could only see the problems faced by the Chinese abroad but not the woes of the Malays in Singapore who have complained about being marginalised and left behind.
The reality is LKY doesn't care a shit for the Chinese Malaysians. He said what he said purely for Singapore's interests.
Now this is the best part.
Anwar acknowledged that LKY is an enviable statesman, but said the Singaporean’s record is tainted by disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence.
I agree with Anwar on his criticism of LKY but I ask: should Anwar be the person to criticise LKY for 'disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence'?
I ask because in 1996, Anwar Ibrahim, then deputy president of UMNO and head of its disciplinary board expelled Abd Zarin Mohd Yassin from UMNO.
And for what reason?
Yes, mate, Abd Zarin Mohd Yassin was expelled from UMNO by Anwar Ibrahim for criticising Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
As I had asked: should Anwar be the person to criticise LKY for 'disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence'?
Instead, he lambasted LKY for his (LKY) outdated racist mentality. We need to understand Anwar still needs to jaga (look out for) his 6 o’clock, namely his own Malay constituency. Fair enough.
He criticised LKY for never showing concern for the bumiputera and Indians who are in dire need of help. He said LKY could only see the problems faced by the Chinese abroad but not the woes of the Malays in Singapore who have complained about being marginalised and left behind.
The reality is LKY doesn't care a shit for the Chinese Malaysians. He said what he said purely for Singapore's interests.
Now this is the best part.
Anwar acknowledged that LKY is an enviable statesman, but said the Singaporean’s record is tainted by disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence.
I agree with Anwar on his criticism of LKY but I ask: should Anwar be the person to criticise LKY for 'disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence'?
I ask because in 1996, Anwar Ibrahim, then deputy president of UMNO and head of its disciplinary board expelled Abd Zarin Mohd Yassin from UMNO.
And for what reason?
Yes, mate, Abd Zarin Mohd Yassin was expelled from UMNO by Anwar Ibrahim for criticising Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
As I had asked: should Anwar be the person to criticise LKY for 'disallowing freedom of expression and political dissidence'?
Aussies: "Iraq War done buggerall against terrorism"
The prestigious Lowy Institute for International Policy is an independent, nonpartisan think-tank in Australia endowed by Frank Lowy to conduct original, policy-relevant research about international political, strategic and economic issues from an Australian perspective
In its recent annual report, it released a public opinion poll it conducted which shows that 84% of Australians do not believe the war in Iraq has reduced the threat of terrorism.
It seems the opinions of most Australians are in accord with the United States National Intelligence Estimates, just released last week, that found the US occupation of Iraq has increased terrorism and made Iraq into a breeding grounds for terrorists.
The poll also shows 91 per cent of those surveyed believe the war has damaged the US' reputation in the Muslim world. Good Lord, one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist or need a poll to know this.
It also finds the majority of Australians surveyed do not believe the war will lead to the spread of democracy in the Middle East. Nope, not when the hypocritical USA supports Arab dictators but persecutes democratically elected ones.
A total of 85 per cent of respondents believe the experience in Iraq should make nations more cautious about using military force to deal with rogue states.
The Federal Opposition has been quick to embrace the results of the Lowry poll, saying they reflect a commonsense view of the situation. Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, said the survey results did not surprise him:
"Because it's commonsense. It also backs up what security policy analysts have been saying for a long time. Prime Minister John Howard finds this very difficult to accept because it undermines the political line he's been putting to the Australian people for so long."
Labor has promised to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq if it wins the next federal election. But Mr Howard objected to that, claiming that if everyone pulls out before Iraq is ready to defend itself, the terrorists win and the jihadist movement will receive a massive boost.
But Rudd said there are other ways Australia can help the war-torn nation, such as assisting with border security.
He explained: "This is not soft assistance, this is hard assistance. The reason for that is that jihadists are flooding into Iraq through Iraq's highly porous borders with Saudi Arabia, with Iran, with Jordan and with Syria. We can do something to help plug those holes in the border by beefing up their border control and security systems."
The political reality of John Howard’s obdurate stand in a losing war situation has been (still is) his desire to be seen as the strongest and most staunch ally of the USA.
Under PM Howard’s government, Australia (already a strong ally of the USA for decades) has assumed an even stronger support (as if that was even possible), almost to the extent of being blind and obsequious to US foreign policy decisions. If the USA farts, John Howard’s government would immediately fart in loyal tandem.
On that point, Rudd has also backed the survey's finding that many Australians believed the US has too much influence on Australia's foreign policy.
He declared: "Mr Howard and Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer as well have become followers, not leaders, when it comes to international affairs. When it came to Iraq in particular they simply followed the American lead rather than doing the responsible thing for Australia and the world.”
"A responsible ally of the United States would have asked them basic questions, such as what is the game plan once an invasion of Iraq occurs, what is the post-war plan?"
Rudd is of course absolutely correct. Needless to say, John Howard and his deputy Peter Costello put on brave faces and pooh-poohed away the polls finding. It’s hypocritical when John Howard is one politician who lives by the polls and the moods of majority expectations.
Related:
(1) US Intelligence: "Invasion of Iraq worsens world's terrorism"
(2) 100 insurgent attacks per day on Coalition forces in Iraq
In its recent annual report, it released a public opinion poll it conducted which shows that 84% of Australians do not believe the war in Iraq has reduced the threat of terrorism.
It seems the opinions of most Australians are in accord with the United States National Intelligence Estimates, just released last week, that found the US occupation of Iraq has increased terrorism and made Iraq into a breeding grounds for terrorists.
The poll also shows 91 per cent of those surveyed believe the war has damaged the US' reputation in the Muslim world. Good Lord, one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist or need a poll to know this.
It also finds the majority of Australians surveyed do not believe the war will lead to the spread of democracy in the Middle East. Nope, not when the hypocritical USA supports Arab dictators but persecutes democratically elected ones.
A total of 85 per cent of respondents believe the experience in Iraq should make nations more cautious about using military force to deal with rogue states.
The Federal Opposition has been quick to embrace the results of the Lowry poll, saying they reflect a commonsense view of the situation. Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, said the survey results did not surprise him:
"Because it's commonsense. It also backs up what security policy analysts have been saying for a long time. Prime Minister John Howard finds this very difficult to accept because it undermines the political line he's been putting to the Australian people for so long."
Labor has promised to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq if it wins the next federal election. But Mr Howard objected to that, claiming that if everyone pulls out before Iraq is ready to defend itself, the terrorists win and the jihadist movement will receive a massive boost.
But Rudd said there are other ways Australia can help the war-torn nation, such as assisting with border security.
He explained: "This is not soft assistance, this is hard assistance. The reason for that is that jihadists are flooding into Iraq through Iraq's highly porous borders with Saudi Arabia, with Iran, with Jordan and with Syria. We can do something to help plug those holes in the border by beefing up their border control and security systems."
The political reality of John Howard’s obdurate stand in a losing war situation has been (still is) his desire to be seen as the strongest and most staunch ally of the USA.
Under PM Howard’s government, Australia (already a strong ally of the USA for decades) has assumed an even stronger support (as if that was even possible), almost to the extent of being blind and obsequious to US foreign policy decisions. If the USA farts, John Howard’s government would immediately fart in loyal tandem.
On that point, Rudd has also backed the survey's finding that many Australians believed the US has too much influence on Australia's foreign policy.
He declared: "Mr Howard and Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer as well have become followers, not leaders, when it comes to international affairs. When it came to Iraq in particular they simply followed the American lead rather than doing the responsible thing for Australia and the world.”
"A responsible ally of the United States would have asked them basic questions, such as what is the game plan once an invasion of Iraq occurs, what is the post-war plan?"
Rudd is of course absolutely correct. Needless to say, John Howard and his deputy Peter Costello put on brave faces and pooh-poohed away the polls finding. It’s hypocritical when John Howard is one politician who lives by the polls and the moods of majority expectations.
Related:
(1) US Intelligence: "Invasion of Iraq worsens world's terrorism"
(2) 100 insurgent attacks per day on Coalition forces in Iraq
Monday, October 02, 2006
Will Botakgate II cost taxpayers RM3.75 million?
In February this year Police in Kajang arrested a group of granddads for playing mahjong during Chinese New Year. While under custody, they were all shaven bald on police orders.
I asked what security objective was achieved by shaving these granddads bald? Have they been convicted yet, of whatever crimes? Indeed, what notorious crimes did they commit? Are the Police judges as well that had deemed those old men guilty and meriting of punishment through the shaving of their heads?
The police in their arrogant behaviour had ill-treated those senior citizens and by default the public with contempt, disdain, arrogance, sadism, and a lesson for the public to know siapa raja (who's the boss).
I said that the root of the problem is the abysmal lazy leadership. There is no bad soldier, only bad generals. I remarked that the PM who had been also (and still is) the Internal Security Minister must make the hard call. Strike at the heart of the problem, uproot the weed, decapitate the poisonous head! Basically sack the senior officers responsible, starting from the IGP (since then retired as a hero) and the deputy IGP (who is now the IGP).
See my February posting Bald & Naked Truth of Malaysian Police.
Well, the PM didn’t take my advice, but I recall the police had launched a PR effort to ‘slow talk’ the granddads into not suing them. Following the public outcry the police agreed to stop such dictatorial and illegal action of forcing detainees (yet to be proven guilty, even for minor misdemeanours) to be shaven bald.
Hardly surprising, knowing the Royal Malaysian Police, the Kajang police have been totally unrepentant because in June, just a mere 4 months after the granddads’ Botakgate affair, they did Botakgate II. Siapa f**king raja!
On June 22 last year, a resident at Venice Hill Condominium complained that his car was denied entry into the condominium after he refused to pay for a newly installed toll system. So the resident lodged a police report, prompting the arrests of the security guards. The resident must be a big shot, or the police would be like a Madagascar sloth when it comes to any required action of such nature.
According to their lawyer, P Uthayakumar, the 10 security guards including a couple of women were chained like slaves in a small prison cell along with 127 other inmates, and had their heads shaven bald.
Surely the question on that ill-treatment must again be what security objective had been achieved by forcing the security guards including two women to be shaven bald.
Has it been a siapa raja case again?
The victims are now suing the government for RM3.75 million.
Even if those security guards win their case (and I hope they do), and the government forks out the taxpayers’ money, the matter shouldn't be allowed to end there – this time the IGP and the Kajang OCPD must be sacked. The police is beyond redemption. The former IGP who has been named as one of the defendants should have his pension taken away or reduced.
The PM who is Internal Security Minister should hang his head in shame and self deduct RM1 from his pay. But I have not much expectation nor hope from this PM.
In PM Waterloo-ed I remarkled that I was utterly sickened by the PM when he said he appreciated the (former/now retired) IGP’s efforts to stem domestic problems and indiscipline, and that he (AAB) had confidence in the police force’s internal disciplinary mechanism to deal appropriately with bad apples, including sacking those who deserved it.
All this PM’s indulgence of the police was made shortly after the publ;ic hue and cry over police brutalities in Squatgate, Botakgate, Pirouettegate, victimisation and abuse (peeping & ogling) of Chinese wives of Malaysian citizens at a police station, a Japanese student suffering extortion from a policeman at a road block, and the late Udayappan who perished along with 80 others in police custody, etc!
Didn't the PM have a sense of proportion or timing, or more importantly fairness to the myriad victims of the police?
(2) Axe the clueless IGP!
I asked what security objective was achieved by shaving these granddads bald? Have they been convicted yet, of whatever crimes? Indeed, what notorious crimes did they commit? Are the Police judges as well that had deemed those old men guilty and meriting of punishment through the shaving of their heads?
The police in their arrogant behaviour had ill-treated those senior citizens and by default the public with contempt, disdain, arrogance, sadism, and a lesson for the public to know siapa raja (who's the boss).
I said that the root of the problem is the abysmal lazy leadership. There is no bad soldier, only bad generals. I remarked that the PM who had been also (and still is) the Internal Security Minister must make the hard call. Strike at the heart of the problem, uproot the weed, decapitate the poisonous head! Basically sack the senior officers responsible, starting from the IGP (since then retired as a hero) and the deputy IGP (who is now the IGP).
See my February posting Bald & Naked Truth of Malaysian Police.
Well, the PM didn’t take my advice, but I recall the police had launched a PR effort to ‘slow talk’ the granddads into not suing them. Following the public outcry the police agreed to stop such dictatorial and illegal action of forcing detainees (yet to be proven guilty, even for minor misdemeanours) to be shaven bald.
Hardly surprising, knowing the Royal Malaysian Police, the Kajang police have been totally unrepentant because in June, just a mere 4 months after the granddads’ Botakgate affair, they did Botakgate II. Siapa f**king raja!
On June 22 last year, a resident at Venice Hill Condominium complained that his car was denied entry into the condominium after he refused to pay for a newly installed toll system. So the resident lodged a police report, prompting the arrests of the security guards. The resident must be a big shot, or the police would be like a Madagascar sloth when it comes to any required action of such nature.
According to their lawyer, P Uthayakumar, the 10 security guards including a couple of women were chained like slaves in a small prison cell along with 127 other inmates, and had their heads shaven bald.
Surely the question on that ill-treatment must again be what security objective had been achieved by forcing the security guards including two women to be shaven bald.
Has it been a siapa raja case again?
The victims are now suing the government for RM3.75 million.
Even if those security guards win their case (and I hope they do), and the government forks out the taxpayers’ money, the matter shouldn't be allowed to end there – this time the IGP and the Kajang OCPD must be sacked. The police is beyond redemption. The former IGP who has been named as one of the defendants should have his pension taken away or reduced.
The PM who is Internal Security Minister should hang his head in shame and self deduct RM1 from his pay. But I have not much expectation nor hope from this PM.
In PM Waterloo-ed I remarkled that I was utterly sickened by the PM when he said he appreciated the (former/now retired) IGP’s efforts to stem domestic problems and indiscipline, and that he (AAB) had confidence in the police force’s internal disciplinary mechanism to deal appropriately with bad apples, including sacking those who deserved it.
All this PM’s indulgence of the police was made shortly after the publ;ic hue and cry over police brutalities in Squatgate, Botakgate, Pirouettegate, victimisation and abuse (peeping & ogling) of Chinese wives of Malaysian citizens at a police station, a Japanese student suffering extortion from a policeman at a road block, and the late Udayappan who perished along with 80 others in police custody, etc!
Didn't the PM have a sense of proportion or timing, or more importantly fairness to the myriad victims of the police?
We must acknowledge that we cannot depend on this PM & Internal Security Minister to turn the notorious Police over a new leaf.
Related:
(2) Axe the clueless IGP!
What the cabinet reprimanded Ong Tee Keat for!
Bernama reported:
Irregularity has taken place in the repair of the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Kung Yu in Muar, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Sunday.
As such, he said, he would recommend action against the Public Works Department (PWD) officer and the contractor.
However, that would depend on the final report to be prepared by PWD Deputy Director-General II Dr Judin Abd Karim in two weeks, he told reporters after opening the 13th Malaysian Indian Youth Council general meeting, here.
"I received a report from the PWD in Muar and I was not satisfied with it. So, I instructed Deputy Director-General II to investigate.”
"His preliminary report shows the work carried out at the school did not adhere to procedure and there was an error in the payment," he said.
Samy Vellu explained that according to the preliminary report, the contractor had carried out work to the tune of between RM3,000 and RM4,000 while the allocation was RM29,500.
"We also found that much of the work was imperfect," he said.
He said the PWD Director-General could take action against the relevant PWD officer while the contractor would be referred to the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry for action.
Problems in the repair work were first raised by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat last month, and he sparked off a controversy as he also chided the Education Ministry for failing to monitor the work.
Irregularity my ar$e!
Why won’t he call a spade a spade, and why refer to the PWD Director or the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry when a report ought to have been made to the Police.
Irregularity has taken place in the repair of the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Kung Yu in Muar, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Sunday.
As such, he said, he would recommend action against the Public Works Department (PWD) officer and the contractor.
However, that would depend on the final report to be prepared by PWD Deputy Director-General II Dr Judin Abd Karim in two weeks, he told reporters after opening the 13th Malaysian Indian Youth Council general meeting, here.
"I received a report from the PWD in Muar and I was not satisfied with it. So, I instructed Deputy Director-General II to investigate.”
"His preliminary report shows the work carried out at the school did not adhere to procedure and there was an error in the payment," he said.
Samy Vellu explained that according to the preliminary report, the contractor had carried out work to the tune of between RM3,000 and RM4,000 while the allocation was RM29,500.
"We also found that much of the work was imperfect," he said.
He said the PWD Director-General could take action against the relevant PWD officer while the contractor would be referred to the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry for action.
Problems in the repair work were first raised by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat last month, and he sparked off a controversy as he also chided the Education Ministry for failing to monitor the work.
Irregularity my ar$e!
Why won’t he call a spade a spade, and why refer to the PWD Director or the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry when a report ought to have been made to the Police.
Beneath the buah cherry tree (6)
The typical idyllic scene in an older part of Suburbia – a kedai kopi (coffee shop or in reality, just a stall) beneath a Malaysian ‘buah cherry’ tree. The customers sit al fresco enjoying their coffee or tea, some nasi lemak, roti canai or kueh, and their favourite hobby, casual conversation.
Ahmad: I heard on the buah petai vine that Hishamuddin is looking for his boy.
Muthu: Buah petai vine? Dei kawan, it’s a tree lah!
Ahmad: Dei Muthu, ini idiomatic lah, borrowed from the ‘grapevine’.
Leong: ‘Mat, You mean the keris waving Chinaman?
Ahmad: That’s the one!
Muthu: Why? What for? Rotation punya cerita again?
Ahmad: Nah, that tok ampu did such a good job of exorcising the keris stigma from Hishamuddin that the latter believes the exorcist can do the same thing for his big mouth.
Muthu: Big mouth?
Leong: The embezzlement issue with maintenance money for Chinese schools. In each case 90% of the maintenance funds went for, what the Australians called, a ‘walkabout’.
Ahmad: Spot on, Hishamuddin wants his boy to extricate him from the embarrassment of forcing an apology from Ong’s boss, when in fact Big Mouth should be the one offering the apology. Poor Ong even had an official reprimand for exposing corruption.
Leong: The annoying thing was that Towkay No 2 knew what was going on, so he Teflon-ised his backside by tap dancing niftily around the issue, saying the reprimand was on form and not substance. You know, the ‘form’ of procedures and process but not the substance of facts.
Muthu: Yah man, sudah tahu masih buat ta’tahu.
Ahmad: Itu dia, Malaysia Boleh. Yang mana ta’boleh pun dapat di perbolehkan. Ini lah cutting edge technoloji Malaysia. Black into white, rempit into cemerlang, navy fuel into sugar, highway interchange into thin air, money meant for tsunami victims into banners and badges to welcome VVIPs, etc.
Leong: I heard now many people in Penang are looking for the famed exorcist.
Ahmad: Aiyah Leong, he has already served ‘above and beyond’ - what more do they want lah, apart from Hishamuddin’s personal requirements.
Leong: Above and beyond?
Muthu: He was among the first to ketuk our Big Head neighbour for the Chinese marginalisation issue. Towkay No 2 gave him a pat on the head for that.
Muthu: Wah, the exorcist is really mampu lah – he can deal with Big Mouths and Big Heads.
Ahmad (smiles): Don’t forget Big Balls too!
Leong (grins): Well, Penangites now want to talk to him about Big Bums – regarding their bums on taxi and bus problems.
Muthu: I bet you he’ll avoid those Big Bums and then come up with a solution.
Leong: What solution?
Muthu (smiles): Big Feet - the old Majulah Sukan Untuk Negara formula. Soon we'll probably hear his pontification on his proposed health policy of ‘walking is bloody healthy’, so why need so many taxis or buses.
Ahmad: Or use bicycles – he could point out that there’s potential Olympic Games or Tour de France cyclists to be picked from the sporting activity.
Leong: Like that means he’ll be promoted from Tan Sri to Tun, man. Big Mouths, Big Heads, Big Balls (smiles), Big Bums, Big Feet, then Big Promotion. Aiyoyo.
Ahmad & Muthu (together): Malaysia Boleh, Penang Bodek, Penangites Bodoh.
The Cherry Tree Chronicles:
(1) Beneath the buah cherry tree
(2) Beneath the buah cherry tree (2)
(3) Beneath the buah cherry tree (3)
(4) Beneath the buah cherry tree (4)
(5) Beneath the buah cherry tree (5)
Other related postings:
(1) Najib's facts, principles, goose & gander
(2) Corruption 'Fact' for DPM Najib & Hishamuddin
(3) Int Sec Ministry gagged Chinese press on alleged embezzlements
(4) The Brilliance of Hishamuddin Tun Hussein
(5) Penangites want to trade off Koh Tsu Koon!
This one is for my Penang kaki-nang, ali ditta allah, who spoke quite convincingly and logically in defence of the taxi drivers' case
Ahmad: I heard on the buah petai vine that Hishamuddin is looking for his boy.
Muthu: Buah petai vine? Dei kawan, it’s a tree lah!
Ahmad: Dei Muthu, ini idiomatic lah, borrowed from the ‘grapevine’.
Leong: ‘Mat, You mean the keris waving Chinaman?
Ahmad: That’s the one!
Muthu: Why? What for? Rotation punya cerita again?
Ahmad: Nah, that tok ampu did such a good job of exorcising the keris stigma from Hishamuddin that the latter believes the exorcist can do the same thing for his big mouth.
Muthu: Big mouth?
Leong: The embezzlement issue with maintenance money for Chinese schools. In each case 90% of the maintenance funds went for, what the Australians called, a ‘walkabout’.
Ahmad: Spot on, Hishamuddin wants his boy to extricate him from the embarrassment of forcing an apology from Ong’s boss, when in fact Big Mouth should be the one offering the apology. Poor Ong even had an official reprimand for exposing corruption.
Leong: The annoying thing was that Towkay No 2 knew what was going on, so he Teflon-ised his backside by tap dancing niftily around the issue, saying the reprimand was on form and not substance. You know, the ‘form’ of procedures and process but not the substance of facts.
Muthu: Yah man, sudah tahu masih buat ta’tahu.
Ahmad: Itu dia, Malaysia Boleh. Yang mana ta’boleh pun dapat di perbolehkan. Ini lah cutting edge technoloji Malaysia. Black into white, rempit into cemerlang, navy fuel into sugar, highway interchange into thin air, money meant for tsunami victims into banners and badges to welcome VVIPs, etc.
Leong: I heard now many people in Penang are looking for the famed exorcist.
Ahmad: Aiyah Leong, he has already served ‘above and beyond’ - what more do they want lah, apart from Hishamuddin’s personal requirements.
Leong: Above and beyond?
Muthu: He was among the first to ketuk our Big Head neighbour for the Chinese marginalisation issue. Towkay No 2 gave him a pat on the head for that.
Muthu: Wah, the exorcist is really mampu lah – he can deal with Big Mouths and Big Heads.
Ahmad (smiles): Don’t forget Big Balls too!
Leong (grins): Well, Penangites now want to talk to him about Big Bums – regarding their bums on taxi and bus problems.
Muthu: I bet you he’ll avoid those Big Bums and then come up with a solution.
Leong: What solution?
Muthu (smiles): Big Feet - the old Majulah Sukan Untuk Negara formula. Soon we'll probably hear his pontification on his proposed health policy of ‘walking is bloody healthy’, so why need so many taxis or buses.
Ahmad: Or use bicycles – he could point out that there’s potential Olympic Games or Tour de France cyclists to be picked from the sporting activity.
Leong: Like that means he’ll be promoted from Tan Sri to Tun, man. Big Mouths, Big Heads, Big Balls (smiles), Big Bums, Big Feet, then Big Promotion. Aiyoyo.
Ahmad & Muthu (together): Malaysia Boleh, Penang Bodek, Penangites Bodoh.
The Cherry Tree Chronicles:
(1) Beneath the buah cherry tree
(2) Beneath the buah cherry tree (2)
(3) Beneath the buah cherry tree (3)
(4) Beneath the buah cherry tree (4)
(5) Beneath the buah cherry tree (5)
Other related postings:
(1) Najib's facts, principles, goose & gander
(2) Corruption 'Fact' for DPM Najib & Hishamuddin
(3) Int Sec Ministry gagged Chinese press on alleged embezzlements
(4) The Brilliance of Hishamuddin Tun Hussein
(5) Penangites want to trade off Koh Tsu Koon!
This one is for my Penang kaki-nang, ali ditta allah, who spoke quite convincingly and logically in defence of the taxi drivers' case
100 Mat Rempit caught
Star Online reported the following:
Some 100 Mat Rempit motorcyclists were caught in a major operation early Sunday morning here at Kerinchi Link.
The highway, which is notorious for Mat Rempit racing activities, was kept under close watch by the police since Saturday night.
At about 1am, the Mat Rempit group appeared from Jalan Sri Hartamas and zoomed into Kerinchi Link where the police immediately sealed off two ends of the highway.
The motorcyclists were trapped at the roadblock situated just before the toll station leading to Federal Highway.
Some tried to escape by going against the flow of the traffic, which caused a commotion to other vehicles on the highway.
[…]
Police observed that many Mat Rempit bikes did not have proper number plates displayed.
Let’s wait and see what happens next. Will there be ‘intervention’ to cemerlang-ise the situation?
Some 100 Mat Rempit motorcyclists were caught in a major operation early Sunday morning here at Kerinchi Link.
The highway, which is notorious for Mat Rempit racing activities, was kept under close watch by the police since Saturday night.
At about 1am, the Mat Rempit group appeared from Jalan Sri Hartamas and zoomed into Kerinchi Link where the police immediately sealed off two ends of the highway.
The motorcyclists were trapped at the roadblock situated just before the toll station leading to Federal Highway.
Some tried to escape by going against the flow of the traffic, which caused a commotion to other vehicles on the highway.
[…]
Police observed that many Mat Rempit bikes did not have proper number plates displayed.
Let’s wait and see what happens next. Will there be ‘intervention’ to cemerlang-ise the situation?
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Penang's Road Kings Rule Supreme
The trishaw riders were once called the ‘Kings of the Roads’ in Penang. Today the crowns have shifted to new heads, those of taxi drivers.
Despite promises by the state government and enforcement agencies, and their so-called Aug 1 deadline for taxis to use the meter, the Kings are still defiant.
It’s amazing that the rule to use the meter was proposed nine years ago, but was put off several times to appease the taxi drivers. As the locals say, finding a taxi driver in Penang who will take you to your destination and charge you by the meter is like finding a needle in the haystack.
The State Local Government and Transport Management Committee chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan and the Chief Minister have both acted ‘dunno’ and attempted to do a Pontius Pilate on the sorry state of affair.
Dr Teng said: "It is out of our hands. Go and ask the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) what they are doing about it."
That’s the sort of state government we’re having. Time for Koh and his Gerakan to go.
The CVLB, the authority that issues the public service vehicle permits to cabbies, has also reneged on its promise to crack down on rogue drivers.
Its chairman, Markiman Kobiran, has the bloody gall to admit that no action had been taken against any taxi driver on the island although show-cause letters were sent to 55 of them. He said the CVLB had decided to give taxi drivers more time to abide by the ruling and would only discuss the matter at a later date.
WTF 'more time'?
When asked just how long they would monitor the situation before cracking the whip, Markiman beat around the bush and said that people should be patient with the cabbies.
Many have been asking the question on why the authorities have been reluctant to act against those defiant cab drivers?
Those in the know have privately indicated that it has to do with political interference. One source said: "We can easily solve the problem but every time the enforcement agencies get tough, the cabbies run to the politicians for help. The politicians then get involved and we are back to square one."
Citizens For Public Transport (Cepat) co-ordinator, Dr Choong Sim Poey, said it was terrible that taxi drivers were given endorsement to continue flouting the law.
He criticised: "The CVLB and state government cannot continue taking the taxi drivers’ side."
I am not surprised at all as CM Koh KT has been playing footsies with hawkers and cab drivers for decades. That’s why Penang State under his leadership (or lack of) looks like a lump of sh*t instead of being the Pearl of the Orient.
Despite promises by the state government and enforcement agencies, and their so-called Aug 1 deadline for taxis to use the meter, the Kings are still defiant.
It’s amazing that the rule to use the meter was proposed nine years ago, but was put off several times to appease the taxi drivers. As the locals say, finding a taxi driver in Penang who will take you to your destination and charge you by the meter is like finding a needle in the haystack.
The State Local Government and Transport Management Committee chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan and the Chief Minister have both acted ‘dunno’ and attempted to do a Pontius Pilate on the sorry state of affair.
Dr Teng said: "It is out of our hands. Go and ask the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) what they are doing about it."
That’s the sort of state government we’re having. Time for Koh and his Gerakan to go.
The CVLB, the authority that issues the public service vehicle permits to cabbies, has also reneged on its promise to crack down on rogue drivers.
Its chairman, Markiman Kobiran, has the bloody gall to admit that no action had been taken against any taxi driver on the island although show-cause letters were sent to 55 of them. He said the CVLB had decided to give taxi drivers more time to abide by the ruling and would only discuss the matter at a later date.
WTF 'more time'?
When asked just how long they would monitor the situation before cracking the whip, Markiman beat around the bush and said that people should be patient with the cabbies.
Many have been asking the question on why the authorities have been reluctant to act against those defiant cab drivers?
Those in the know have privately indicated that it has to do with political interference. One source said: "We can easily solve the problem but every time the enforcement agencies get tough, the cabbies run to the politicians for help. The politicians then get involved and we are back to square one."
Citizens For Public Transport (Cepat) co-ordinator, Dr Choong Sim Poey, said it was terrible that taxi drivers were given endorsement to continue flouting the law.
He criticised: "The CVLB and state government cannot continue taking the taxi drivers’ side."
I am not surprised at all as CM Koh KT has been playing footsies with hawkers and cab drivers for decades. That’s why Penang State under his leadership (or lack of) looks like a lump of sh*t instead of being the Pearl of the Orient.
100 insurgent attacks per day on Coalition forces in Iraq
Last month the Pentagon reported that in Iraq 800 insurgent attacks occurred a month. The attacks included those against Iraqi forces and Iraqi civilians.
But investigative reporter Bob Woodward, famous for his part in the journalistic report on Nixon’s Watergate conspiracy, has released a new report that pointedly says that the Bush Administration (and therefore Donald Rumsfeld’s Pentagon) is not telling the truth, by deliberately denying the worsening situation and the far more adverse statistics.
Woodward spent the past two years researching and writing his new book State of Denial, which showed that in Iraq, there is an insurgent attack on coalition forces every 15 minutes, which translate into 4 per hour, or (4 x 24 =) 106 per day, or more than 3,000 attacks per month. And that’s only against Coalition forces, not including the wanton sectarian car bombings and inter-ethnic slaughterings!
All the above have been by courtesy of an invading US force occupying a sovereign nation.
Woodward revealed on a clip for 60 Minutes the Bush Administration’s lie; he said:
"The truth is that the assessment by intelligence experts is that next year, 2007, is going to get worse and, in public, you have the President and you have the Pentagon saying, 'Oh no, things are getting better."'
"Now there's public and then there's private. But what did they do with the private? They stamp it 'secret'. No one is supposed to know. The insurgents know what they are doing. They know the level of violence and how effective they are. Who doesn't know? The American public."
And that’s because Bush wants to keep the disastrous outcome of his neo-con created, Zionist instigated Iraqi mess from the voting Americans. The Iraqi and American people are far worse off than ever, with the former living in hell while the latter are less safer than they were before the war. The only party to benefit from the utter murderous shambles has been Israel, but that's looking at it tactically. What lies ahead, no one knows but we may be sure it won't get any better.
Woodward’s exposé has worsened the domestic political situation for Bush especially after a very recent US intelligence report (the US National Intelligence Estimates – see my posting US Intelligence: "Invasion of Iraq worsens world's terrorism" - had its key findings leaked to the US media.
The US National Intelligence Estimates had said that the war in Iraq has became a cause célèbre for jihadists around the world.
What that meant has been that the avarice-motivated, unjustified and illegal American attack, invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation has not only destroyed an Arab government (draconian as it was) capable of controlling the al Qaeda-ish terrorists (to be differentiated from Hamas or Hezbollah, both of whom are resistance/freedom fighters on their homelands) but has actually improved the operating environment for those terrorists and enhanced their recruitment of young Muslims.
Woodward says that the Bush Administration had not only lied about the level of violence, but has buried intelligence reports that warn of the insurgency in Iraq getting worse in 2007. Yes, we may expect next year to be year of more monumental miserable moaning and mourning for more American and Iraqi mothers.
Then Woodward further revealed that Bush and the worst of them all, Vice-President, Dick Cheney, the granddaddy of them all chickenhawk (he managed to defer his Vietnam draft for 5 times) often meet with a former secretary of state, Henry Kissinger. They used Kissinger as an informal White House adviser.
Woodward scoffed: "Now what's Kissinger's advice?"
"On Iraq, he declared very simply, 'Victory is the only meaningful exit strategy.' This is so fascinating. Kissinger's fighting the Vietnam War again because, in his view, the problem in Vietnam was we lost our will."
Read this to see the possible war crimes contemplated against Henry Kissinger.
But investigative reporter Bob Woodward, famous for his part in the journalistic report on Nixon’s Watergate conspiracy, has released a new report that pointedly says that the Bush Administration (and therefore Donald Rumsfeld’s Pentagon) is not telling the truth, by deliberately denying the worsening situation and the far more adverse statistics.
Woodward spent the past two years researching and writing his new book State of Denial, which showed that in Iraq, there is an insurgent attack on coalition forces every 15 minutes, which translate into 4 per hour, or (4 x 24 =) 106 per day, or more than 3,000 attacks per month. And that’s only against Coalition forces, not including the wanton sectarian car bombings and inter-ethnic slaughterings!
All the above have been by courtesy of an invading US force occupying a sovereign nation.
Woodward revealed on a clip for 60 Minutes the Bush Administration’s lie; he said:
"The truth is that the assessment by intelligence experts is that next year, 2007, is going to get worse and, in public, you have the President and you have the Pentagon saying, 'Oh no, things are getting better."'
"Now there's public and then there's private. But what did they do with the private? They stamp it 'secret'. No one is supposed to know. The insurgents know what they are doing. They know the level of violence and how effective they are. Who doesn't know? The American public."
And that’s because Bush wants to keep the disastrous outcome of his neo-con created, Zionist instigated Iraqi mess from the voting Americans. The Iraqi and American people are far worse off than ever, with the former living in hell while the latter are less safer than they were before the war. The only party to benefit from the utter murderous shambles has been Israel, but that's looking at it tactically. What lies ahead, no one knows but we may be sure it won't get any better.
Woodward’s exposé has worsened the domestic political situation for Bush especially after a very recent US intelligence report (the US National Intelligence Estimates – see my posting US Intelligence: "Invasion of Iraq worsens world's terrorism" - had its key findings leaked to the US media.
The US National Intelligence Estimates had said that the war in Iraq has became a cause célèbre for jihadists around the world.
What that meant has been that the avarice-motivated, unjustified and illegal American attack, invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation has not only destroyed an Arab government (draconian as it was) capable of controlling the al Qaeda-ish terrorists (to be differentiated from Hamas or Hezbollah, both of whom are resistance/freedom fighters on their homelands) but has actually improved the operating environment for those terrorists and enhanced their recruitment of young Muslims.
Woodward says that the Bush Administration had not only lied about the level of violence, but has buried intelligence reports that warn of the insurgency in Iraq getting worse in 2007. Yes, we may expect next year to be year of more monumental miserable moaning and mourning for more American and Iraqi mothers.
Then Woodward further revealed that Bush and the worst of them all, Vice-President, Dick Cheney, the granddaddy of them all chickenhawk (he managed to defer his Vietnam draft for 5 times) often meet with a former secretary of state, Henry Kissinger. They used Kissinger as an informal White House adviser.
Woodward scoffed: "Now what's Kissinger's advice?"
"On Iraq, he declared very simply, 'Victory is the only meaningful exit strategy.' This is so fascinating. Kissinger's fighting the Vietnam War again because, in his view, the problem in Vietnam was we lost our will."
Read this to see the possible war crimes contemplated against Henry Kissinger.
Bitter truth of sugar saga
Well, sugar in the morning,
Sugar in the ev'ning,
sugar at supper time.
Be my little sugar,
and love me all the time.
Bernama reported that the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Mahawangsa arrived in Tawau yesterday with 400 tonnes of sugar.
Shafie Apdal, Minister for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, was there to receive it and of course crow to the locals. He also gave the usual warnings to the traders … blah blah blah.
The minister claimed that using navy ships to send sugar supply to Sabah and Sarawak was faster than through commercial vessels, which is a crock of sh*t, unless there had been no planning or more probably, no sugar in the first place when commercial shipping departed.
Routine supply of commercial goods such as sugar or petroleum products isn’t the job of the navy. In fact (note 'fact'), commerical shipping is by far superior, more efficient and certainly less expensive - but what the heck, it's only taxpayers' money.
We needed the navy to deliver sugar because it was an emergency move. An emergency move of an ordinary everyday-used commodity like sugar means the supply system had been f**k-ed up in the first place, or, the most likely case, because of unrealistic price control.
Traders won’t trade at a loss- that’s for sure. Malaysia will continue to face all sorts of insufficiency as long as selfish politics interfere (unfairly too) with market forces.
So, we need warships to send sugar to Tawau and earlier, Kuching. Soon we may need tanks and warplanes as well to ensure no hoarding, or to control the price.
We are also selling sugar at petrol stations. We control the price of the former, yet not the product of the latter.
We are controlling this and that sugar production, but we can’t control an interchange and flyover or 24 Tamil schools from vanishing into thin air - 'sweet' amazing feats that would turn David Copperfield green with envy.
We have warned this and that sugar trader on sugar hoarding or alleged price gouging; we have arrested ‘x’ number of traders for the same sins, but we can’t stop corruption within our public bureaucracies including the police.
We are also selling sugar at petrol stations. We control the price of the former, yet not the product of the latter.
We are controlling this and that sugar production, but we can’t control an interchange and flyover or 24 Tamil schools from vanishing into thin air - 'sweet' amazing feats that would turn David Copperfield green with envy.
We have warned this and that sugar trader on sugar hoarding or alleged price gouging; we have arrested ‘x’ number of traders for the same sins, but we can’t stop corruption within our public bureaucracies including the police.
We are sending troops to faraway Lebanon for peacekeeping when we cannot even ensure peace at home with an adequate supply of sugar at home.
If Malaysia cannot handle the availability of a commonly used commodity like sugar, how can it successfully implement its 9th Malaysia Plan? How can it cope with globalisation or glocalisation?
How dare we say we can manage projects like the multi-million sport complex in Mother England or a high speed train or second link to Penang, when we cannot manage the supply of sugar in our own backyard?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)