Silat of kungfu, kungfu of silat

I read with much delight RPK’s The art of silat, which reveals to us a bit on Ling Liong Sik’s mulling about Chinese (presumably Chinese Malaysians) and their approach to politics.

Why with delight?

Because I too had previously written on a couple of similar issues. For example, RPK wrote the following on one of Ling’s political reflections:

“The trouble with us Chinese,” he said, “is that we are not as skilled in politics as you Malays. We Chinese play politics like kungfu. We just charge and whack. You Malays use silat. You smile and dance and make graceful moves and we don’t know when the keris is going to stab.”

Seven years ago, on 07 Nov 2005, I posted Anwar Ibrahim & silky court intrigues, as follows (extracts):

Once an old (Chinese) pal of mine confessed to me how much he saluted the Malays for their amazing and sophisticated political skills, which were/are subtle as silk - silk of course is also an effective garrote. 

He lamented how raw the Chinese were by comparison. When I asked him why, he pointed out to a tradition of Malay court intrigues dating back to the legendary days of Hang Tuah and his best mate/nemesis Hang Jebat. 

When I countered by reminding him of equally diabolical Chinese court manoeuvrings, with its legends, history, eunuchs, imperial concubines, traitors and whatnot, he smiled and crushed my arguments by stating: 

“Those imperial ar$eh%les were northerners. The Chinese in Malaysia came from the south, and were of ignorant bumbling peasant stock." 

I was outraged and protested vehemently, declaring that my ancestry could be traced back to the bloodthirsty pirates looting, pillaging and raping in the Formosa-Fujian-Guangchow region. 

Chinese pirate Sao Feng wakakaka

Bloody hell, calling me, a descendant of swashbuckling Chinese pirates, a descendant of country yokels! ;-) 

Oh, BTW, Chinese victors in a dynastic struggle ordered dethroned royal families to kill themselves and avoid the shame of public execution, by presenting the unfortunate victims with a sash of fine white silk, for them to hang themselves.

It would seem there are certainly more than a few Chinese Malaysians who have lamented the political naivety of many in their community, but then we should remember we have been the descendants of mainly country peasants (wakakaka).

Chinese peasants - photo from Greenpeace East Asia

The other aspect of Chinese political naivety has been their hitherto refusal to recognize or just blissful ignorance that 65% of Malaysians are Malays who are Muslims where most (though not all*) deeply respect their sultans, culture and tradition. Such has been that the Malays have a saying ‘biar mati anak, jangan mati adat’ which means ‘better your children die than your traditions’.

* read the Hansard of 10 December 1992 to know how Dr Affifuddin Omar, an UMNO man from Padang Terap, no doubt given the imprimatur by his party leaders, described the sultans:

"How can we continue to uphold rulers who are known to be robbers, adulterers, drunkards and kaki pukul (thugs)?" [...]

"They (the rulers) must be made to realize that they do not own this country. They are not Superman but placed on their thrones by the people. The real power did not lie with them, but with us - the representatives of the people."

Now, which ‘non’ could have said that and got away? None! Only UMNO and UMNO alone could have gotten away with its abuse of the raja, who they claim to defend today. Thus UMNO could and indeed would be considered the exception to the rule that Malays deeply respect their sultans, culture and tradition (including religion).

From our limited views (only of Malay politicians, particularly like Dr Affifuddin Omar from UMNO) we non-Malays may think that’s no longer the case (wakakaka), but step into the Malay Heartland, and we can see why such a saying had evolved centuries ago to remain still true today.

However, it’s gratifying to note that today Chinese politicians, especially those from DAP, are more conscious of, and thus able to demonstrate their respect for Malay royalty, culture and tradition.

Previously, some DAP sweeties like hardworking, dedicated and ‘colour-blind’ Teo Nie Ching, MP for Serdang, was reported by UMNO of entering a surau without proper headgear. Notwithstanding her faux pas, Teo had already successfully and effectively reached out to every sector in her constituency. Her popularity among her Malay constituency has been such that, just as an example, she was specifically invited by them to join in their aerobics sessions (much to the fear of UMNO).

Teo Nie Ching

Thus it wasn’t surprising that UMNO attacked her mercilessly by highlighting and amplifying the seriousness of her headgear-less entry into the surau.

Apart from this, our dear Home Minister, Hishamuddin (I won’t mention his illustrious father’s name next to his), a man with a natural flair for putting his foot into his own mouth every time he opens it, condemned Teo on another issue, as being too ‘dirty’ to enter a surau (mind you, at the invitation of the mosque authority) to present some money to her constituency.

Of course, much as Chinese have not been so receptive to and perceptive of Bahasa euphemisms, even then we knew he implied Teo was or could have been menstruating when she visited the Muslim prayer place.

And may I ask Hisham please, how did you know Teo was menstruating at that time? Were you browsing through her rubbish bin outside her house? Wakakaka. For more, see my post The 'dirty' business of menstruation?

But this multi-aspect assault on her character was driven more by fear of her popularity with her Malay constituency than anger at any so-called religious-cultural slight on her part, but obviously it was a straw that UMNO clutched on tightly in desperation to make hay (I love mixing up metaphors and sayings wakakaka), I suppose, in preference to having its division leader or media mouthpieces fabricate horror stories about DAP and son of a DAP leader (wakakaka) - mind, selecting the former option didn't stop them in the latter. For more, read my post A dead chook and many frightened monkeys.

But as I said, that’s all in the past. Teo and her DAP female colleagues have since been careful to pull their selendang (Malay shawl) over their heads a la Catholic women entering a church when they visit a surau or mosque.

Still, some Chinese (pro BN) bloggers want to have it both ways, where they now jeer at Teo for wearing a selendang, a jeering obviously targeted at any chauvinistic supporters of Teo, to show Teo ‘has gone native’ (as if we aren’t Malaysians).

But worse, especially for another DAP ADUN, sweetie Hannah Yeo, those bloggers in badmouthing her hopefully for the same targeted Chinese audience have deliberately mis-described her selendang as a tudung (hijab), where the former is of Malay culture while the latter is of Islamic origin, and supposedly worse for Hannah in the eyes of her Chinese and Indian supporters.

Hannah Yeo with selendang

sweeties with tudung

I believe I am not wrong in stating that the only Chinese Pakatan sweetie to wear a tudung has been Eli Wong (PKR). And I also believe, very strongly, Eli has every right to do so. After all, kaytee wears sarung and sometimes the dhoti (wakakaka).

dhoti

So, boys and girls, unless your heads are missing (wakakaka), do put on your songkok and selendang (or tudung if you wish) when visiting an important Malay-Islamic place or event (like when invited by HRH), and thus show respect to/for your hosts.

I’m also tickled pink by another of RPK’s paragraph which says:

Silat masters will tell you that you must never teach your students everything. Teach them all the moves except one. And you keep that last move in the event the student turns on you when he thinks he has learned enough and can now makan his master. Then, when he turns on you, you hit him with that one move you never taught him.

Six years ago, 01 April 2006, I posted The Master & The Disciple, in which I wrote about a kungfu master by the name of Sifu Ma Ha Teh (wakakaka).

As with most who know something about Chinese martial art, in China the surname of Ma was associated with the renowned Chinese Muslim martial art practitioners, like the amazing Ma Xueli who was the founder of the Henan branch of Hsing I. But our Sifu Ma Ha Teh was not from that family or China. He lived in the land called Arhm Noh (wakakaka).

My story was about him and his love-hate relationship with his erstwhile most fave disciple, Arn Wah (wakakaka) during their leadership struggle in the school of martial arts called Dominating Leopard. In that struggle, it brought out the classical story of the wushu master's last 'ace in the sleeve' that RPK mentioned.

Well, those martial arts schools did have strange names like White Crane, Praying Mantis, Eagle Claws and such likes, so why not a Dominating Leopard … you known, the carnivorous feline reputed to never ever change its spots (wakakaka).

Finally, in ending I need to clarify Ling Liong Sik’s understanding, or lack of, of kungfu (or more correctly wushu, Chinese martial arts). While he was correct in stating Chinese Malaysians had been too blunt and not diplomatic in politics, not unlike the practice of the Western World, he was incorrect in believing kungfu (wushu) has been about ‘charging and whacking’.

While in general, wushu in southern China has been more of the hard style, thus giving rise to an incorrect impression of brutal crude abrasive style of fighting, it has never been about 'charging and whacking' in approach. Besides, there are other Chinese ‘internal’ or soft style wushu (like Taichi, Bhaquazhang, Hsing I, etc of the Wudang Sect, most of which originated in northern China) which are very gentle, slow and graceful in its moves but extremely deadly, not unlike a whip.

Wudang (Taoist) style wushu

Hence we often read in our Malaysian blogs of “Chua taichi Ong” (wakakaka), implying Chua had subtly and with finesse manipulated Ong to Chua’s advantage, or “Ong shaolin Chua” indicating Ong employed a very abrasive, aggressive and confrontational method to combat Chua (though of course, it’s important to remind ourselves that Shaolin martial arts are not specifically about ‘charging and whacking’, or not subtle like its northern internal school counterpart.

Shaolin (Buddhist) style wushu

Okay, so with kungfu wushu 101 out of the way, let me ask you, has Najib ‘taichi-ed’ both Mahathir and Anwar in approving a RCI on the Sabah illegal immigrants? Was Mahathir too ‘shaolin’ in arguing the RCI would not be useful? And has Anwar in stating he was not involved in the Sabahan ‘Project IC’, floated like a butterfly and hoped to sting like a bee? Wakakaka.

Thanks Punch Gunalan, a Great Malaysian

Good bye to Datuk Gunalan s/o Panchacaran, who's better known to us as Punch Gunalan.

Like another Malaysian badminton world beater, Tan Yee Khan, Punch was an amazing badminton champion in both singles and doubles, winning championship titles around the world.

Coincidentally he teamed up with Ng Boon Bee, after the latter split up with Tan Yee Khan, in their days the world's best double players. But Punch and Boon Bee continued Malaysia's one-time stranglehold on the doubles game.

Punch & Ng Boon Bee (front row)

After retiring from the courts, Punch took up coaching where he coached Malaysia's 1992 Thomas Cup team. Finally, he played a huge role in badminton sports administration, and was the secretary-general of IBF.

His contributions to Malaysian badminton was enormous, making him a truly Towering Malaysian.

Vale Punch, Requiescat In Pace.

Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians

Well, there's too many chiefs and not enough Indians

Around this house

An' baby, I'm tired of this old game we play

Called cat and mouse

If you don't give just a little bit more

We're both gonna lose this race

'Cause there's too many chiefs and not enough Indians

Around this place

- sung by Dean Martin

You know that saying (and song) 'Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians'. Well, you see a lamentable element of it in Malaysiakini's Niat lists GE demands - seeks Indian M'sian DPM which reported (extracts):

The National Indian Rights Action Team (Niat) has listed out its demands for the next general election today, including calls for a Indian Malaysian deputy prime minister. 

This was among the NGO’s five demands that it wants the next government to implement within the first 100 days in office. [...] 

It also calls for three Indian Malaysian cabinet ministers and four deputy ministers, most of whom would be elected representatives, while the rest are picked from NGOs and appointed to the cabinet. [...]

In addition, the proposed line-up calls for Indian Malaysian deputy chief ministers in Selangor, Perak, Penang and Negri Sembilan, assuming that the states are ruled by the same parties as the federal government.

Such demands are only self serving but worse, it demonstrates MIC-type mentality behind them. And of course, the proposed Indian ministers and deputy ministers will not only be from those elected in the coming general election, but also from NGOs.

And NIAT's inclusion of Indian NGOs or NGOs, which have Indian members, as a source for ministerial material means one or all of the following:

(a) NIAT has no confidence in MIC (or any BN party with Indian candidates, like wakakaka PPP or more wakakaka, Gerakan) winning in any federal constituency,

(b) wink wink nudge nudge, NIAT is an Indian-based NGO - if dear Nallakarrupan can become a BN senator, why can't NIAT members be ministers or deputy ministers,

(c) NIAT secretary Arun Dorasamy obviously doesn't know what the abbreviation NGO stands for?

NIAT published a 42-page booklet which asserts that the marginalisation of Indian Malaysians was due to under-representation in government.

This statement has been the sad story of Indian Malaysians, where indeed Indian under representation in government is true but NOT because of the small numbers of Indian ministers or that the DPM is not an Indian, but the inability or reluctance of those Indian ministers to stand up and speak for the fair interests ordinary Indian Malaysians.

Thus, increasing the number of Indian ministers per se, via front or back door (like for Palanivel wakakaka), won't help those poor Indians at all.

Mind, some items in the booklet are good proposals, such as '... opening boarding schools to all students and not just those from national schools, tackle alcoholism with measures such as rehabilitation centres and banning the sale of alcoholic drinks in convenience shops and to end to statelessness by 2013.'

In the end, it's good policies by the government and ministers (of any race) who will be selfless, dedicated and courageous enough to serve all Malaysians (not just Indians, Chinese, Malays, or any other ethnic groups) that are required.

And of course if NIAT is still insisting on more Indian Chiefs, they can listen to the song 'Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians' wakakaka.

Congratulations on Gold

The Malaysian Insider - Anwar: More crossovers expected in Sabah

KOTA MARUDU Aug 12 - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed today that more notable Sabah Barisan Nasional BN personalities will cross over to the opposition camp in the coming months adding strength to Pakatan Rakyat s PR growing influence in east Malaysia.

Congratulations to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Asia's Renaissance Man and World renowned political reformer, for winning the gold medal in the sports of political defections.

defectors wakakaka

For years this man has dedicated himself totally to this aspect of Malaysian politics, and he has not failed his ardent supporters and admirers in bringing about a heartening win, giving him another gold medal, coincidentally in a place where he won his first gold medal in political defections.

Syabas, Datuk Seri.

Citius, Altius, Fortius, Amphibious.

Wakakaka!

Malaysian Laws like Spider Webs?

“Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.” ― Honoré de Balzac

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) - ‘Court should not use powers of contempt to jail blogger’

Lawyers group, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said the decision to imprison the blogger reinforces the public perception that justice is only meant for the rich, powerful and well connected. 

“In this case, the court has failed to temper justice with mercy and has acted in a harsh and disproportionate manner – a decision that unfortunately can only reinforce public perception that “justice” is only for the rich, powerful and well connected,” said LFL . 

It also wants the High Court to reconsider the circumstances that led to blogger Amizuddin Mamat acting in contempt of court that resulted in the latter being imprisoned.

KTemoc Konsiders - 5 years jail for RM70 theft

The Star Online reported in its news Jobless man gets 5yrs for stealing some beer that an unemployed man Zulhaidi Hamzah was sentenced by the Magistrates Court in JB to 5 years jail for stealing 11 cans of beer worth RM70 from a mini mart in Pasir Gudang. 

The loot apparently was 4 cans of Guinness Stout and 7 cans of Tiger Beer. 

That’s an over-the-top heavy handed judgement by the Yang Ariff. It’s monstrously out of proportion to the seriousness of the crime, more so when you consider heavier shit being committed by 'heavy metal' ar$eh#les in this country, none of whom has thus far been found guilty. 

But I suppose Zulhaidi ought to be at least grateful for not being slapped with a whipping sentence by the Syariah Court for the haram items. 

I am not f* impressed by the justice system.

The Malaysian Insider - Review national bowler’s jail-free sentence on statutory rape, Gobind tells Appeals Court

The Puchong MP was responding to public outrage over 21-year-old bowling ace Noor Afizal Azizan who was released on a RM25 000 bond for good behaviour for the next five years instead of being imprisoned five years after he pleaded guilty to raping a girl three years ago The girl was 13 at the time of the incident.

KTemoc Konsiders - Lawmakers too easy on incest!

The Star Online - Father jailed 15yrs for incest with teenage daughter 

That slimy slug received only 15 years jail and three strokes of the rotan. He would have been punished more severely if not for the disgraceful act of Parliament in lightening sentences for such slugs – read about that in my 2006 post Parliament reducing sentence for incest 

Then I had written: ... the biggest disgrace has been its proposed amendments to the conviction for committing incest. Incest with an underage child would also be aggravated rape. Currently incest carries a jail sentence of between 15 and 30 years with up to ten strokes of the rotan (cane)*. The committee now proposes to reduce the jail term to between eight and 15 years.

* that’s what that slug should have received, if not for Parliament

Oh, BTW, just a teeny weensy itsy bitsy question on another issue - when was Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik honoured by HM the Agong, earning the privilege of having the title Tan Sri?

Well done Pandelela Rinong

Most heartfelt congratulations to Pandelela Rinong for her sterling performance at the Olympics. We look forward to more diving achievements at world level competitions from this sweetie. Syabas sweetie.

Loh Gwo Burne a frog? I disagree with RPK

I have to admit that in this post I'm working on logic and recall of past incidents rather than the most recent of political information or intelligence that RPK seems to have in abundance. Nonetheless I have to disagree with his take in his post Frog hunting season that Loh Gwo Burne is a tadpole unable to metamorphose into a slimy frog only because of the lack of 'incentive' a la the Jelapang model.

If we were to stroll back in time, we would easily recall Loh was Anwar Ibrahim's personal, yes, very personal 'last minute' choice as a PKR candidate for the federal constituency of Kelana Jaya in the 2008 general election.

On 01 March 2008, just 7 days before the general election, sweetie Helen Ang wrote Kelana Jaya: Compromise and keeping to convictions in the People's Parliament blog (headed by Brother Haris Ibrahim) on Loh's nomination for Kelana Jaya by Anwar Ibrahim:

Elections and electoral politics are about expediency, and politics is the art of compromise? We grant that Opposition politicians may have to compromise somewhere along the line. The People’s Parliament, on the other hand, was born of idealism and built on the same. Principles matter. 

Some of you may not see the point of why I’m talking in the abstract when the rest of you are intent on denying BN its two-thirds. You’d rather all these considerations be put on the backburner until after March 8. 

Well, compromise is a slippery slope and this is very early in the game to be already backsliding. From the discussions in the Kelana Jaya threads, I see that some commentators have come to believe what is convenient is also what is acceptable. 

On Loh Gwo-Burne’s shortcomings as a speaker and deficient in Bahasa Malaysia, there are excuses made: Not all MPs speak in Parliament; for the hot-button issues, BN could create a ‘no quorum’ precluding any chance for the Opposition even to speak; or this — MPs don’t need really to speak well lah (c.f. the BN ones). Will you allow this much leeway for lack of professional competence if you’re talking about your doctor? [...] 

To return to Gwo-Burne, this unproven chap is not winnable. His candidacy is premised on too many structural weaknesses, and depriving Kelana Jayans of viable choice. There are certainly more qualified people in PKR. Or the seat could have been yielded to DAP to contest or an independent who can give Lee a run for his money. 

The duty of People’s Parliament to me is to take a broader perspective on this issue. I cannot agree that we must go to the extent of doing ‘anything’ to deprive BN of votes. This forum was not established to canvass for the Opposition. We have our own rhyme and reason.

Though sweetie Helen Ang has since changed (political) horses, her words then were spot on. Anyway, she discovered to her surprise, and indeed to everyone's surprise as well, that she was so wrong in her belief the unproven Loh Gwo Burne was not winnable wakakaka.

As the post tsunamic March 2008 fave saying went, even a monkey would have won. But then, it was a piece of wisdom only with the advantage of hindsight.

The reality was that prior to the election, no one, not even Anwar, expected Loh to emerge as a giant killer wakakaka, which might possibly explain why the Great Leader had so generously nominated young Loh to the Kelana Jaya federal seat.

Even so, why then did Anwar select Loh to be PKR's candidate for a federal seat, and at that, just a mere two weeks before the election? Loh wasn't even a PKR member when Anwar invited him to stand in Kelana Jaya.

I suspect that the answer must surely be Loh's father rather than Loh's famous video clip. Could it be that Loh Senior made a very very handsome contribution to the PKR's election campaign fund? It's not illegal to make a political contribution you know, so possibly explaining Anwar's most strange last minute choice for Kelana Jaya which led to excoriations from Brother Haris Ibrahim in his post PKR, why, why, why?

Incidentally I had actually preceded sweetie Helen Ang in questioning Anwar's personal choice of Loh in my February post 2008 titled PKR's Kelana Jaya sweetheart deal? where I wrote:

Here’s a person, who until the Lingam tape, was a PKR nobody but now suddenly being rewarded with the party's nomination for a parliamentary seat while hardworking, dedicated PKR member and a human rights lawyer, Elizabeth Wong, gets a state seat.

Anyway, Loh won wakakaka, and I cheekily penned another post dedicated solely to him titled Bahasa Mělayu - a letter to Yang Běrhormat wakakaka.

Okay, I have in fact in passing already provided (above) the reason for my disagreement with RPK's assertion that Loh Gwo Burne was a tadpole who didn't become a frog only because of inadequate 'incentives', and that is my belief Loh's father, Loh Mui Fah, had probably contributed generously to PKR election funds to the extent Anwar had personally invited young Loh to stand as a PKR candidate in a federal seat, where we may then assume Loh Gwo Burne isn't exactly a person in need of money.

Born in UK, Loh Gwo Burne holds a British law degree and also a Masters in law from China, but doesn't intend to practice law - a typical picture of a scion of a rich family who wasn't exactly driven to earn money a.s.a.p like poor kaytee was wakakaka. However, we may safely assume he likes video-photography wakakaka. 

wakakaka

Incidentally Loh Mui Fah's family had or still has a multi-million ringgit business empire which landed in court some years back because of internal family disputed claims to that business empire.

Loh Mui Fah

And guess who acted for Loh Mui Fah in court? None other than Mr Americk Sidhu, the lawyer for Malaysia's most famous private investigator, Balasubramaniam who together with Anwar Ibrahim (all three of them) were at the press conference when the world was told by Bala that he was told by Razak Baginda who was told by Najib who was told by Altantuuyaa that she 'liked it in the back'.

Back to topic - If Loh is not, IMHO, a potential frog (for reasons he is unlikely to be attracted by mere financial rewards like someone in Perak wakakaka) then why is there sounding from PKR that he will be discarded in the coming election?

Well, in the brouhaha connected with the messy PKR party presidential polls, Loh made the mistake of writing a personal letter to PKR party president Dr Wan Azizah to complain about what he believed to be dodgy party polling process, and worse, criticizing the most scared cow in PKR, namely Azmin Ali, Anwar Ibrahim's blue-eyed boy - see my post The Poison Within PKR.

Then Loh burned his final bridges when he wrote a very public letter to Malaysiakini to lambaste Azmin Ali. Loh was a supporter of Zaid Ibrahim and probably must have been so nauseated by the injustice done to Zaid in PKR where he saw nothing (including his complaint to Dr Wan) would be dealt with, for him to write such a public letter in angry frustration to condemn the party's deputy president. From that moment, Loh sealed his fate as a member of PKR.

I invite you to read my post of 19 November 2010 titled Loh Gwo Burne & Gobala - one-term MPs?

Even though Loh had supported Zaid Ibrahim, when Zaid criticised Anwar Ibrahim on exiting from PKR, Loh attempted to make a distinction between his earlier condemnation of Azmin Ali and his extant support for Anwar by voicing his regrets over Zaid's actions - see Malaysiakini's Gwo Burne, Gobi not following Zaid.

But alas for Loh, I wonder whether that would be enough to save his skin in PKR, for as I had previously written, in PKR there's virtually little separation of identities between the symbiotic Anwar-Azmin. 

Because of this or rather, his offending Azmin Ali, I have forecast that it'll be most unlikely Loh would be re-nominated by PKR ...

... unless, IMHO and the most remote of possibilities, his father Loh Mui Fah makes such a substantial contribution to PKR's election fund that even Anwar Ibrahim will find it hard to refuse, Azmin Ali's objection not withstanding. But it won't be easy.

Bits & pieces (1)

News No 1

The Malaysian Insider's Muslim scholar: ‘Haram’ to vote DAP but not MCA, MIC  reported that Abdullah Sa’amah, an Islamic scholar,  told Utusan Malaysia that it's haram for Muslims to vote for DAP and its two allies PAS and PKR in the coming general election, because DAP has refused to accept hudud. The DAP also has the bloody nerve to demand equality for Islam and non-Islam, and equality for temples and mosques.

OTOH, Abdullah told Muslims it will be halal to vote for MCA and MIC because these two BN branches are prepared to accept Islamic rule.

kaytee has 3 questions, namely:

• what about poor Gerakan? wakakaka
• does his assertion mean MCA and MIC have accepted hudud?
• equality only for temples; what about churches? wakakaka

News No 2

Free Malaysia Today - GE 13: What would Jesus do?

Yesterday evening, there was a public forum in PJ, Section 8, at the Dignity International, A-2-7 Pusat Perdagangan, on the upcoming general election from a Christian perspective.

And the topic of discussion: What will Jesus be doing in Malaysia today?

The speakers were Rev Dr Hermen Shastri and Paul Sinnappan.

FMT reported:

A media statement on the forum explained that the cowardly fence-sitters are the sole obstacle in preventing political change in Malaysia. 

“As the winds of change blow in this most exciting times of political change in Malaysia, the only obstacle that is preventing the change from actually taking place is the Malaysian ‘fence-sitters’ who for the last 54 years have been afraid to make that choice for change. 

“Many among this also reside in our Churches and sit glued to benches and pews during Sunday service without fail, listening fervently to what Jesus may be saying to them,” it read. 

The statement added that there is a growing awakening among all Malaysians on the need for real change – a reform of the political landscape for Malaysians. 

“Yet there seems to be a disjoint of the faith growth within the Churches and the growth without among all Malaysians. This seemingly two worlds of faith and politics are a challenge to all Christians. Are there two lives or only one life, [which] we live according to the will of God?,” it said. 

The speakers, read the statement, will take the audience through the Bible to study the political implications and experiences of being a Christian. 

“This is to help us enter into present-day reality of the Malaysian political context, and answer the perennial thought: what would Jesus do in Malaysia Today?” it added

Just as Islam in Malaysia has been highly politicized, so it seems too now with the Christian church.

As an atheist, may I humbly draw  the attention of Rev Dr Hermen Shastri and Paul Sinnappan to what Jesus told us in Matthew 22:21, which was:

"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

That's what Jesus would have done and said if he was here today.

Isn't it troubling enough that we already have so many Islamic clerics politicizing their religion for political gains? We certainly don't need any more clerics of other religious denomination interfering in politics. We need a clear separation between State and Church.

News No 3

The Star Online - Woman has blisters on private parts after hair removal sessions

Isn't it wonderful we can rely on The Star to entertain us with such earth-shaking news. But at least, if I may say so, it's an improvement on clerics attempting to interfere with our political choices.

On a separate consideration, I thought of recommending it to one particular pest who is easily titillated with such salacious stuff, but I am concerned he may accidentally swallow his mouldy dentures out of excitement, wakakaka.

Crisis on critical thinking

Two and a half years ago I posted Mean-spirited Malaysians in which where I criticised both sides of Malaysian politics, with some individual exceptions (eg. Ku Li, Zaid Ibrahim, Lim KS, Dr Jeya),  for their lack of civility, mean-spiritedness and politicization of even the most trivial and non-political issues.

On the BN side, we witnessed how the UMNO-led federal government shamefully and illegally withheld financial allocations to Pakatan MPs while providing handsome sums to their BN counterparts. Such public funded allocations are part and parcel of a MP’s local budget to spend for his/her constituency’s requirements and benefits, and not from the personal kitty of UMNO, PM or Finance Minister.

I remarked:

The irony is there are actually BN supporters in those electorates represented by non-BN MPs and ADUNs. Such is the BN's spite that they would punish their own supporters as well. Perhaps those BN supporters should wake up and rethink who they ought to support the next time around.

I also wrote on:

… BN's denial of oil royalties to then PAS-ruled Terengganu and now PAS-ruled Kelantan. 

The States’ right to oil royalties has been enshrined as a legal Federal-State contract but the BN government has arrogantly ignored that, and is spitefully frustrating the PAS State government (then and now) in a disgraceful mean-spirited manner. 

We have also read with disgust how the current federal government is channeling financial allocations for maintaining Penang’s heritage listings through Khazanah Nasional rather than the Pakatan government in Penang. 

Just WTF has the investment holding arm of the government, roled as its strategic investor in new industries and markets, got to do with maintenance of the heritage buildings etc?

Not sparing Pakatan, I commented that:

… DAP people stepped on the photos/posters of the Perak frogs as they entered the venue. Totally unpleasant, and I’m glad Lim GE took avoiding steps. […] 

PAS of course has been known to issue a couple of death (or tummy upset) curses wakakaka at their opponents in the BN - c'mon lah, Pak Haji!

And of course I didn’t omit that political pygmy, that Chief Dökkálfar troll (how could I, wakakaka) for his self-promotion via his unjustifiably pompous ‘thunderous applause’ on his pitiful pathetic pariah 'success' in having Rosmah Mansor removed as chancellor of Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel) before her term expired. Pray tell me, what earth-shaking PKR public policy was this?

I wrote in another post that:

I presume after that fantastic Azmin Ali’s achievement, there was better food on the tables of Malaysians, rental costs became more affordable, fuel prices dropped, school education standards improved, streets became cleaner, sand mining in Selangor was better controlled, birds sang cheerily and rainbows span the Selangor sky every day, etc.

It’s not just the poverty of standard of Malaysian politicians that I opined but that there’s a lamentable mean-spiritedness in Malaysian politics ... […] … I hope DAP will never descend to such petty bickering.

Alas, my hopes have been dashed by M Manoharan, DAP’s Kota Alam Shah ADUN, who has been foolish enough to make snide remarks on Twitter against one of Malaysia’s two globally eminent sportspersons, Lee Chong Wei (the other being world squash champion, Nicole Ann David) - see Malaysiakini's Manoharan gets brickbats over tweets on Chong Wei.

Regrettably Manoharan has politicized Malaysian sports in his twittering, and diminishes DAP's standing with the public, especially sports fans. I'd be surprised if BN pollies don't make hay out of this.

I am doubly disappointed because I was one of the few DAP supporters who defended him on the flag issue, in my post Flagging DAP's political cringe.

I castigated the DAP party disciplinary board for its decision to whack Manoharan with a 6 month suspension for what was Manoharan's very legitimate opinion (expressed on his Facebook page).

I wrote in that post:

Manoharan wanted the Jalur Gemilang redesigned because it shows too much of a resemblance to the national flag of the USA - incidentally an undeniable and, to many, embarrassing fact - an association that today is a not only a stigma, but a dangerous stigma, given the hatred for the USA throughout a large portion of our globe. 

Now, on what grounds did the DAP disciplinary board find Manoharan’s comments ‘serious’? That DAP MPs, ADUNs and members must not express their own and legitimate opinions? Sheeesh! 

The truth, I believe, is that the DAP has demonstrated it suffers from political cringe, afraid of UMNO’s racist attacks on Manoharan’s alleged unpatriotic call. 

I reckon DAP must have felt that in the wake of Mat Sabu’s opinion on a piece of Malaya’s colonial history, it may be too much against the party’s endeavour to win Malay confidence in the party’s Malaysian-ness. So, Manoharan has to be sembileh (sacrificed as an offering) to the Trimurti (gods) of racism, bigotry and intolerance. 

I am truly disappointed, but I want Manoharan to know there are DAP supporters and members who believe he has been perfectly within his rights as a Malaysian citizen to propose a redesign of Jalur Gemilang, which by the way, belongs to every Malaysian and not just UMNO members.

But Manoharan has proven to be a bit of a loose cannon, this time putting his big foot in his even bigger mouth by his unnecessary unjustified and indefensible tweet against Lee Chong Wei.

It’s not unlike the unnecessary, cruel and highly politicized bashing of our Malaysian astronaut or space tourist, yes, you could class him as you saw fit, but was there any need to attack him personally, just because he was under contract with the government and made to travel around the country with Najib?

Not unlike the astronaut, Lee Chong Wei has been perceived by some quarters of having 'sinned' by not making the required ritual of bashing Rosmah Mansor.

RPK commented in his latest post The problem is you, Rosmah on this Malaysian political mean-spiritedness with regards to (BAM Patron) Rosmah Mansor’ trip to London to support Lee in the Olympics, as follows:

People hate her so they need to whack her. And her trip to London is a good issue to bring up. Even if Lee Chong Wei had won gold she would still have been whacked, mainly because she is Rosmah. It makes it even better when Lee Chong Wei did not win gold. 

If Dr Siti Hasmah had remained the Patron of BAM then no one would have been angry about her going to London. Some still would, of course, mainly because she is Dr Mahathir’s wife. But most wouldn’t. 

If someone other than Rosmah or Dr Siti Hasmah were the Patron of BAM then the trip to London would have been a non-issue. 

Pro-PKR portals like Malaysia Chronicle attribute Lee Chong Wei’s failure to win gold as Rosmah’s failure. “TOP CHEERLEADER ROSMAH FAILS! Olympic dream eludes Chong Wei,” screamed Malaysia Chronicle. 

I suppose if Lee Chong Wei had won gold then the headline would have been … hmm … I wonder what the headline would have been. Got to find out from Tian Chua.

RPK had in an earlier post Critical thinking to change the government made the sarcastic comments that:

...  to demonstrate that I am a loyal opposition supporter and have not sold out, I shall now oppose the plan to introduce critical thinking into Malaysia’s education system. 

Critical thinking is an idea that comes from the government and anything that comes from the government is either bad or, even if it is good, cannot be sincere. 

But I will need to support my stand of opposing critical thinking with a valid argument. Well, there may be one good argument I can use, an issue that is currently being hotly debated. And that issue is the Islamic law of Hudud. 

If we allow critical thinking, Malays would question the practicalities and viability of introducing Hudud in Malaysia. They would look into the history of the Sharia and analyse the reasons why the Sharia exists and so on. And, by applying critical thinking, many Malays may come to the conclusion that Hudud is no longer practical or applicable to modern-day Malaysia. 

Critical thinking allows the Malays to think. But thinking Malays may not be beneficial to the opposition’s aspiration of forming the new federal government. 

So, if we want to see Umno defeated and also see Pakatan Rakyat form the next federal government, we will need to ensure that PAS wins a large portion of the 70 seats it is going to contest. Only then can Umno be brought down and Pakatan Rakyat get to form the new federal government. 

Hence the Malays must be made to believe that Hudud is compulsory and that Malaysia must implement the Islamic laws of Hudud. And the Malays must also be made to believe that it is their religious duty to vote for PAS and not for Umno. And this will also mean that the Malays must not be allowed critical thinking or else they may reject Hudud and PAS would not get their votes. 

But PAS cannot do this alone. The Malays are of the opinion that the non-Muslims are opposed to Hudud. And Umno is capitalising on this and is playing up the issue. In fact, today, the Umno Blogs are even saying that DAP has a secret plan to turn Malaysia into a Christian state. 

Hence the non-Muslims must openly declare that they support not only Hudud but also PAS’s aspiration of turning Malaysia into an Islamic State. Only then will PAS have a chance of winning the 70 seats it is going to contest. 

And only then will ABU succeed and Pakatan Rakyat get to form the next federal government. 

And please do not apply critical thinking to what I just said. Critical thinking is what the government is proposing and anything that the government proposes we must oppose if we are loyal opposition supporters.

Wakakaka!