Religion, Religiosity and the "Religious" in Malaysia

TMI - Top cop confirms reports lodged over attempts to convert Muslims (extract):

the term 'Church' used here is generic and embraces all religions

likewise for above picture of a 'church' 

Police have received a number of reports, in which Christians groups were attempting to convert Muslims, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told a news portal today.

Nowadays, such police reports in Malaysia are common and in a large number of cases, made frivolously and usually with a sinister or vindictive political agenda.

Thus, even if the IGP informed us that a number of reports have been made about Christian attempts to proselytize Muslims, I would be cautious about accepting the reliability of those reports. Mind, this is not to say there isn't any such proselytizing.

Alas, the questionable use of police reports cut both ways and is not confined to only one group, political or religious. The Malaysian term for such reports is (in Chinese) char koay teow reports.

We've heard of the deformasi scare-mongering '40K Bangla' during GE-13 wakakaka but which unfortunately saw some over zealous vigilante actions on polling day. On this you may wish to read my Bangla in Pilihanraya, wakakaka.

Then on the other side, we obtain the usual bull, some with very serious dark intent, though one was undeniably the most ridiculous, which should really be entered in the Malaysian Book of Records as what it has been, to wit, THE MOST RIDICULOUS police report ever made in Malaysia, one against a DAP ADUN, RSN Rayer (Seri Delima) for using the word celaka (damn) against precious UMNO, wakakaka, and would you believe it, Rayer has been charged by the 'hardworking' police for that.

In Malaysia, unfortunately we cannot disconnect the political from the religious, where we have parties like UMNO and PAS claiming their at-times ugly actions and words were needed to "defend" Islam and Muslims, while the other side of the coin saw some Christian clerics being very (politically and politicized-wise) naughty, well, at least in my opinion, wakakaka.

Three years ago, in August 2012 (ie. one year prior to the 13th general elections) 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, all because DAP has refused to accept hudud.

On this, poor f* PAS received an unjust rough raw deal from UMNO, its current Islamic brethren, wakakaka. But that same Islamic scholar was f* silent on UMNO which also did not promote hudud.

He then had the brazen thick-skinned face to exempt UMNO allies, namely MCA and MIC (but alas, not, Gerakan, wakakaka) from that haram warning.

Muslims were told that the DAP had the bloody gall to demand equality for Islam and non-Islam, and equality for temples and mosques. How dare these f* kafirs and dhimmis.

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. Would that be true, YB Liow Tiong Lie?

Then, we read Free Malaysia Today's GE 13: What would Jesus do? Wakakaka.

Poor Yehoshua ben Yosef, a non-Christian Judean (Christianity did NOT exist in Jesus' time) dragged into today's Christendom's politicking.

It was on 07 August 2012, that a public forum was held in PJ, Section 8, at the Dignity International, A-2-7 Pusat Perdagangan, on the (then pending) 13th general election, to discuss GE-13 from a Christian perspective.

Why a Christian perspective and not a Malaysian perspective? Why bring your religion into my politics?

The pathetic preposterously politicised topic of discussion was '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 with the Christian church, well, at least in August 2012, wakakaka, who considered those who for the last 54 years have been afraid to make that choice for change as cowardly ‘fence-sitters’.

And just who the f* were they to label people who chose/elected as they wished/wanted as cowards? How dare they! Must we vote in accordance with their arrogant dictates?

And what did they mean by 'fence-sitters' when those voters had voted one way or another?

Did the 'change' they advocate meant changing the then-existing majority ruling coalition? Who-TF were they to determine that for us? Were we leemings in the eyes of the church?

As an atheist, may I humbly draw the attention of Christians, not excluding Rev Dr Hermen Shastri and Paul Sinnappan, to what Jesus told us in Matthew 22:21:

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

F* eat that! That's what Jesus would have done and said if he was here today.

Don't believe me? It's all in the Christian Bible, in Matthew 22:21.

But then again, some Christians like some Muslims like some Hindus and like some Buddhists have a convenient  'mudah lupa' mentality when it suits their f* self-interests, wakakaka.

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 f* clear separation between State and Church.

Back to Abraham soon!

I’ll be continuing my “Who was Abraham?” series shortly – have been taking a break from it to focus on contemporary issues.

In the meanwhile, as a recap, here are the earlier articles:

Who was Abraham? (1)
Who was Abraham? (2)
Who was Abraham? (3)
Who was Abraham? (4)
Who was Abraham? (5)
Who was Abraham? (6)
Who was Abraham? (7)
Who was Abraham? (8)
Who was Abraham? (9)
Who was Abraham? (10)
Who was Abraham? (11)
Who was Abraham? (12)
Who was Abraham? (13)
Who was Abraham? (14)
Who was Abraham? (15)
Who was Abraham? (16)
Who was Abraham? (17)
Who was Abraham? (18)
Who was Abraham? (19)
Who was Abraham? (20)
Who was Abraham? (21)

Encounters of the THIGH kind

From Free Malaysia Today:

Forked-tongue PAS and a wishy-washy PKR

Mariam Mokhtar

December 16, 2015

Their leaders seem to lack principle, focus and direction.

PAS and PKR are parties which act like fish out of water. They flip and flop, gasping for oxygen. Is it any wonder that more and more Malaysians, including Malays, are attracted to DAP? Leaders of PKR and PAS appear to lack principle, focus and direction.

Last November, the PAS President, Abdul Hadi Awang, denied that he had entered into talks with Umno-Baru to form a unity government in Selangor. The allegation had been made by former PAS vice-president Husam Musa and confirmed by Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.

Why was this not revealed before the PAS muktamar? It might have resulted in a different outcome, and the conservative faction under Hadi may not have triumphed. The grassroots need to be reminded of the warning by the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that Umno-Baru is a party of “great liars” and that “Umno is like a cat that will pounce, take and then hide with its booty.”

Whilst PKR leaders act like failed peacemakers and PAS’ leaders are more interested in the afterlife, Umno-Baru acknowledges the strengths of DAP.

Umno-Baru knows that the sphere of influence exerted by DAP is increasing rapidly. That’s why it became the target of vilification during the 2015 Umno-Baru General Assembly. Irresponsible Umno-Baru politicians tried to instill fear with talk about the spilling of blood, invoking scenes of violence and racial clashes. This was accompanied by a warning about a party controlling Malaysia that has “no regard for the Malays, Islam or royalty.”

During the lacklustre general assembly, Umno President Najib Abdul Razak extended a hand of friendship to PAS, saying the idea was for the two parties to cooperate in the name of “protecting Islam and defending Malay interests.”

At the same time, Hadi expressed an interest in working with those who could further the principles of Islam, and he urged Umno-Baru to “repent” and return to the Islamic way of life.

Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, on behalf of the PAS Youth wing, responded positively to Najib’s overtures. He said, “We accept the prime minister’s offer because previously anything that was proposed by the opposition was rejected wholesale by those in power. We welcome the call for closer ties on condition that the cooperation is based on religious values, as religion is a core part of Malaysian life.”

Nik Abduh is not a chip off the old block. He has failed to heed his father’s warning about Umno-Baru. Moreover, Nik Abduh has, in the past, invited ridicule with statements like the floods being “a punishment from God” for Kelantan’s failure to implement hudud.

Then, to confuse matters, the PAS supporters’ wing chief, N Balasubramaniam, claimed that Hadi had told him that PAS had no intention of cooperating with Umno-Baru. He said, “I have confirmed with the president” that there would not be political cooperation with Umno-Baru.

More confusion ensued when the Kelantan Umno-Baru Liaison Committee chief, Mustapa Mohamed, dismissed a statement made by the PAS Deputy President, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, to the effect that Umno-Baru was dreaming if it was thinking of cooperation with PAS. Mustapa said that Umno-Baru and PAS had been collaborating for the past two years.

Which party is to be trusted? Will PAS decide which side of the political fence it wants to occupy? It cannot fall into bed with two opposing factions, Umno-Baru and the Pakatan Opposition coalition, unless this is PAS’ macabre version of a polygamous political marriage.

Is PKR masochistic? How much more of PAS’ betrayal can it bear? PAS leaders are seen as untrustworthy. Moreover, women, who comprise half the total population, have no time for a misogynistic politician like Hadi.

this image is not in FMT article wakakaka

just kaytee's inclusion wakakaka again 

Was Rafizi Ramli serious when he said that Pakatan Harapan had to “rope in PAS or risk losing the general election again”?

The problem is that the rakyat, including Malays, have this to say about PAS: “Once bitten, twice shy.” Rafizi and his mates need to return to the drawing board.

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist

Read also Zaid's thumb down for UMNO, PAS & PKR

Horny Malaysians

" ... we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

- Winston Churchill (04 June 1940)

FMT - Malaysia ranks 7th horniest in the world (extracts):

KUALA LUMPUR: After the adverse global publicity the country has endured due to the twin scandals of 1Malaysia Development Berhad and a RM2.6 billion political donation, Malaysians can finally take pride in some good news.

It seems the Malaysian sex drive continues unabated through all difficulties – political and economic alike – and we have emerged among the top ten countries in the world noted for a high sex drive, an article in Express UK revealed. [...]

Despite the perception that we are a conservative nation, Malaysians have a high sex drive, higher even than Mexicans, the Swiss and Spanish.

One commentator wrote: Luckily we still have Syariah Law on khalwat cases. Otherwise we may becoming the No 1.

But the survey referred to Malaysians and not just Malays, wakakaka.

Another suggested: Malaysia should strive for the top position, since we have so many sex maniacs around from within and those serving overseas.

Re "those serving overseas" he was probably referring to those naughty Malaysian(s) in the "land of the long white cloud", wakakaka.

Thus we may paraphrase Churchill's above immortal words to " ... we shall f**k on the seas and oceans, we shall f**k with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, ........ We shall f**k on the beaches, we shall f**k on the landing grounds, we shall f**k in the fields and in the streets, we shall f**k in the hills; ........"

Wakakaka.

Zaid's thumb down for UMNO, PAS & PKR

FMT - Zaid gives nod to Amanah and DAP, loses faith in others

PETALING JAYA: The only political parties worth their salt are Parti Amanah Rakyat (Amanah) and DAP because all the others, opposition and ruling parties alike, are merely interested in obtaining votes in the next general election, said former minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Taking to social media sites Twitter and Facebook to vent his frustrations over the calibre of political parties in the country, Zaid said, “Let’s eat drink and be merry; don’t waste time trying to understand what Umno/ PAS/ PKR leaders are saying.

“The coherent ones are Amanah and DAP. Others are just counting numbers.”

He said Amanah members were “the only sensible Malays” in the country who were concerned about nipping “hate and fascist politics” in the bud and noted that Umno, PAS and PKR were only interested in becoming the ruling government and enjoying the “perks” that came with the status.

He also slammed Umno for “peddling apartheid and hatred” and said the party should be cleansed of radicals dwelling within it, after which the radical approaches of the country’s muftis and Jakim should be addressed.

“Government should never be led by radicals of all types.

“Government must be led by liberals, democrats; those who want to live in peace; who live and let live,” he said.

Has Zaid 'smelled' something awful in the air?

Recall, UMNO and PAS and PKR are all from the same gene cesspool.

Poker-face Azmin plays good political poker game?

Malaysia-Today - Karamjit Gill's PAS has become the most sought after party addresses some issues as to why both UMNO and PKR have been wooing the Islamic Party which until recently had been ostracized by most political parties because of its hudud-bent intransigence.

Karamjit wrote (extracts):

PKR’s deputy president Azmin Ali has rebuked Amanah and insisted that they will continue to coalesce with PAS. DAP’s aggression to sever PAS from the Opposition pack has once again fallen flat. On the other hand, Prime Minister Najib Razak has expressed excitement with positive gestures towards a PAS-UMNO relationship. PAS has suddenly become a MVP and which side they will trade-off eventually remains to be seen.

What is happening today is so bizarre considering the fact that not long ago both Pakatan and BN were distancing themselves from PAS when hudud implementation became an issue. What has PAS done to make themselves relevant again?

Hmmm, perhaps PAS with its Kelantan cum tomyam heritage has jampi-ed up something (of course i.a.w with the buku al suci)?

But Karamjit has been far more secular than kaytee, providing instead puzzling questions as follows:

It comes as no surprise that UMNO intends to work hand-in-hand with PAS for the simple reason of ethnic dominance. However, what fails me is Azmin’s insistence to keep the relationship with PAS going.

PAS has disappointed Pakatan on numerous occasions. They were never on the same page with Pakatan when it came to no confidence vote against Najib. Neither were they in support of rejecting BN’s Budget 2016. In fact, they have even indicated their intention of contesting against DAP in the upcoming general election.

Indeed, why is Azmin insisting on allying PKR with a pro-UMNO anti-DAP party, considering PKR purports to be part of Pakatan? Why is Azmin so keen to sleep with a known enemy of Pakatan?

My personal take (okay Karamjit my dear bhai, you can now take a break) is that PKR needs PAS far far more than it does DAP to remain alive as a political party, but that is not say it doesn't need DAP as well.

Let me explain my seemingly contradictory thoughts.

Say in a head-on clash with DAP in most urban constituencies, I believe PKR will lose badly; PKR now enjoys some urban support because it has been seen (since 2008) as an ally of DAP - I have to admit the alliance (with the occasional fights and spites) came about thanks mainly to Anwar's personal rapport with the DAP leadership, particularly Lim Snr and Jnr.

But if push comes to shove, in a serious confrontation with DAP (now that Anwar is not around and Azmin is the virtual undisputed PKR boss) PKR will lose to DAP in most cases though there may be some exceptions.

This will come about when urban voters are forced to choose between PKR or DAP. The key word is 'forced to choose'. Therein lies the answer as to which party urban voters will opt for in dire circumstances, to wit, when the typical urban voter must choose only one, PKR or DAP.

I admit I may be biased but I believe I'll not be too far off if I say DAP will likely be their preferred choice.

In places like Pantai Lembah, PKR of course will come up tops - mind you, not that DAP will contest in that seat, wakakaka.

But in federal constituencies like, for example, Bayan Baru and Nibong Tebal in Penang, and Pandan, PJ Selatan and Kelana Jaya in Selangor, and even Batu in KL (wakakaka), regardless of whether these PKR candidates will win they will nonetheless be very vulnerable. Some may even lose to DAP but most will be hard pressed to survive against a 3-corner fight with BN and DAP.

As for Penang state, PKR's Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah), Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga), Dr T Jayabalan (Batu Uban), and Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk) will be similarly threatened, even disastrously, if PKR and DAP were to split asunder. Yes, MCA/Gerakan may possibly benefit from the 3-corner fights though I'm confident DAP will pick up at least two of the four seats, enough to form government by itself even assuming the PKR Malay ADUN do not elect to cross over to DAP a la Dr Bari.

I hope it won't come to such a situation but if it does, then that will spell the end of PKR rather than DAP as a force in federal politics.

In rural constituencies PKR in the main won't have a chance against UMNO or even PAS, and that's why it needs PAS as it needs DAP to stay alive.

But then how will PKR be able to settle itself in a political alliance with two parties who are bitter foes? And why does PKR favour PAS over DAP? Why is it prepared to ignore DAP while flirting sluttishly with PAS.

In the glib words of Mat Sabu used against PAS in the latter's flirtation with UMNO: "... it was natural for Umno to do the courting because "they are males". But why lift your skirts to show your thighs? If you do that, these men will come to tackle you."

PAS shows its thighs to UMNO while PKR shows its kang-kang-ish thighs to PAS? Hmmm, who gets the better deal? Wakakaka!

But Azmin has assessed the triangular situation rather well. In his insistence on staying pally-buddy with PAS despite and much against DAP's pleas he must have assess/believe he can tweak DAP's nose (wakakaka) because he and hundreds of thousands of Malaysians are aware the DAP (unlike PAS) is known to be over-keen, nay, in fact over-obsessed with bringing down the BN federal government, indeed so keen that it is prepared to form an alliance with anyone opposing Najib's BN, even Mahathir wakakaka.

Thus DAP is likely to be far more accommodating and prepared to compromise because it is too super-keen in having a coalition, especially with a Malay-based party, which then and only then will be capable of defeating UMNO.

'More accommodating' means the DAP is even prepared to be shagged by PKR, wakakaka, though under certain conditions and circumstances, wakakaka again.

OTOH, PAS is more patient in its ultimate objective of defeating UMNO to become the ruling government authority, and not as super-obsessive as DAP, who would desire an alliance of whatever form just to change federal rule. PAS' more immediate/urgent objective is to destroy Amanah (and to an extent, also punish DAP).

So PAS is prepared to eat kuachee (dried melon seed), wait patiently, and if/when necessary, ally itself with UMNO to achieve what it wants to achieve, to wit, firstly kill off Amanah, then kill off UMNO/PKR, and eventually implement a pure Islamic State in full compliance with syariah laws (inclusive of hudud) - kowtim and f* the nobody DAP.

Thus PKR sees the current PAS as not so accommodating as DAP and which must be mollified.

In a certain way PAS has the same obsession as DAP except its is more about whacking Amanah and not UMNO, while DAP has the opposite desire.

And that's how Azmin Ali sees the cards on the tables, that in his own desire to reach Putrajaya to become PM, he must first ensure his PKR stays alive.

Best poker face 

same poker face, or better?

PKR could only send Azmin to Putrajaya as PM if it wins in GE-14, but it can only survive let alone win by wooing and allying itself with PAS (which is lukewarm, at least for now, about defeating UMNO).

OTOH, PKR can afford to shag an obsessive DAP in the back most of the time, knowing DAP will swallow its pride, balls and even rancid satay just to keep PKR in Pakatan, so Azmin plays his game accordingly.

alamak, hold still lah, it's not painful 

The only possible peril in this game for Azmin and PKR will be if DAP rids itself of its political addiction, comes down to earth and pushes the overthrowing of the BN majority rule into a more strategic timeframe (like PAS), and deals first and foremost with the far more dangerous treachery of PKR.

But even in this regard, DAP must not overreach. It should start off modestly in Penang where it has much strength, whereas the current situation in Selangor may be just a bridge too far for DAP to achieve this with just Amanah by its side.

In Selangor the DAP can play the role of a strong opposition against a likely PKR-PAS-UMNO coalition state government, while it builds up its MAlay membership and alliance with Amanah.

Good things come to those who wait. Will these be for PAS or DAP? Wakakaka.

UMNO recognizes DAP as principal federal opposition party

Malaysiakini - Umno now pally with PAS, thanks to DAP, says Gerakan (extracts):

together we'll build a perfect state

Baljit was referring the latest development where BN president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak confirmed that Umno was cooperating with PAS.

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has welcomed the cooperation as a "good offer" to PAS, although he wonders if this is acceptable to the grassroots.

Umno Terengganu, via its delegate Din Adam, also urged members not to view PAS as the main enemy of the party due to its Malay support. View DAP as the main enemy instead, he added.

When PAS was in Pakatan, Gerakan and MCA blamed DAP for being in rabba rabba intimacy with the Islamic party. Now that DAP has told PAS to f* off, Gerakan still blames DAP, wakakaka, but then that's the nature of the political beast, which in Malaysia is not so much about Gerakan policies to benefit the rakyat but more about demon-izing DAP as the principal foe of BN.

Indeed, UMNO has confirmed that the DAP is BN"s No 1 enemy. For more see also TMI's DAP, not PAS, our main enemy, says Terengganu Umno rep.

So I must congratulate DAP for finally 'arriving' as the principal foe of UMNO and thus de facto becoming the major federal opposition Party (incidentally also a FACT by virtue of number of DAP MPs, wakakaka, PKR don't be jealous lah, OK? Wakakaka again).

Of course we should also note Ku Li has given his nod of approval - Uncle Lim, dinna ye fret, 'tis Ku Li's right lah! Wakakaka.

OK, so what if DAP jilted PAS into the amorous arms of UMNO. After all DAP is a party which upholds democratic-socialist secularism and Malaysia's civil laws and thus a strict observer of monogamous marriage, while both UMNO and PAS are Islamic in their respective beliefs (at least so says the former, while the latter has made no bones about that) and are thus permitted under their common religion (Islam) to be polygamous.

This means UMNO can openly indulge in dalliances (wakakaka) with both PAS and if willing, PKR too. After all PKR shares not only a common religion but also common DNA with UMNO and PAS.

And if Gerakan and MCA behave kuai kuai, wakakaka, and are willing to bersunat, at least symbolically as they've been for the last umpteen years especially under Mahathir's reign - recall the 929 and 617 Declarations when Gerakan Party President, the late Lim Keng Yaik and his counterpart, the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik were the first to enthusiastically endorse Mahathir’s escalation of his stand from his “29 Declaration, that Malaysia was an Islamic State. to his 617 announcement in Parliament on June 17 that Malaysia was not a moderate Islamic State but rather a fundamentalist Islamic State - they too can join in the BN ménage à cinq, wakakaka.

Yes to remind everyone, Mahathir had been the PM who turned Malaysia into a fundamentalist Islamic State - disini saya ingat seorang Cina pula yang memang mudah lupa, wakakaka.

Oh BTW, it was on 01 January 1997, that the PM Department's Islamic Affairs Division (BAHEIS) was upgraded into the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, better (or depending on who you are, more notoriously) known as JAKIM, whose director-general Othman Mustapha has recently declared in an arrogant manner that it would be improper for any party to question the existence of JAKIM.

Mate, when your department consumes RM1 billion of public monies, who do you think you are that the existence of JAKIM cannot be questioned?

But it does raise terrifying omens of what life would be like when organizations like JAKIM rules over us in an Islamic State that's fully compliant with syariah laws (inclusive of hudud) a la Saudi Arabia or Iran.

Yes, also do recall the horrendous ordeal of sweetie Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz, store manager of Borders, who was relentlessly pursued by Jabatan Agama Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) for allegedly "breaking" a non-existent law at the time of her alleged offence.

Yes, can you beat that moronic but terrifying torturous and traumatic nightmare for poor her? Just how do you deal with such an agency who (at least for a considerable period) 'pursued' her through the process of the syariah courts when it had been f* crystal clear she did NOT break any law or commit any offence.

'Twas indeed a bitter sample of life under the horrors of rule by a kiasu and arrogant priesthood caste who believes in the 3 P's of prohibit, prosecute (punish) and persecute.

Hmmm, I wonder who was the PM of Malaysia on 01 January 1997? Wakakaka.

Skin-colour conscious minister also thick skin

Malay Mail Online - As all-Bumi IT mall opens, Chinese Low Yat traders admit may lose out on Malay customers.

FMT photo from its 17 February 2015 article
Kit Siang slams Ismail Sabri’s boycott of Chinese New Year joy

Lim KS fuming stated in regards to Ismail Sabri’s racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses:

“He claimed that he had received a tip off that if he attended the Chinese New Year event, DAP supporters may attend too and some may throw objects at him.”

“This is his second reckless and irresponsible statement in a matter of weeks, reinforcing the question as to his fitness to continue as a Minister for all Malaysians in a plural nation like Malaysia.”

   

Naturally new competitors will diminish the size of the usual piece of business pie. However, I believe competition is good for the buyers.

Unfortunately, the so-called 'Low Yat 2' was borned on a racist note, conceived by minister Ismail Sabri following the ugly racial scenes in July this year when a Malay 'customer' was allegedly manhandled by some Low Yat shop staff after he allegedly seized a mobile phone he was viewing and attempted to scoot away with the unpaid-for device.

The incident became racial because the majority of the shopkeepers at Low Yat were Chinese. The alleged manhandling assumed disproportionate dimension when the alleged thief (or one of his friends) brought his Malay mateys to Low Yat to 'pay back' the manhandling by the Chinese shop staff, though independent observers like a Malay security officer at Low Yat deflated the grossly-ballooned accusations by the thief's friends.

Anyway, minister Ismail Sabri, already notorious for his often unpleasant and highly offensive remarks, did the Hang Tuah bit and proposed/implemented a new 'Low Yat' type mall exclusively for Malay traders in electronic goods, glibly described by many as 'Low Yat 2'.

This is the best part reported by the MM Online:

Despite having only Bumiputera traders there, Ismail Sabri ironically urged non-Malays to support the mall and emulate their Malay counterparts whom he described as “colour blind” in their shopping preferences.

He maintained that the idea of a Bumiputera only tech mall was not racist, and that it was only intended to help the community venture into the IT business.

Not racist?

Recall this minister Ismail Sabri had in February this year blamed Chinese traders, yes 'Chinese traders' and not just traders, for refusing to reduce the prices of goods even though the price of petrol has come down.

He then called on Malays to boycott Chinese traders.

As one of my visitors remarked on the prices of some American-originated fast food, who own those franchise? Chinese?

But Ismail Sabri's statements have been particularly and unduly vile, racist and instigating. If the Sedition Act needed applying, he would have made a damn far more appropriate candidate to be charged under this Act than some poor bloke in Penang who merely used the quite everyday-common word of celaka, wakakaka.

Ismail Sabri's unmitigated bigotry has earned him opprobrium from even his BN mateys in MCA and Gerakan, with former MIC strategy director S Vell Paari saying Ismail Sabri's call for Malay to boycott Chinese businesses was "saddening and shocking".

Vell Paari said: "Why is it that everything needs to be seen through racial lenses? Why couldn't he just label them as errant traders?"

Indeed Vell, because someone has got to be the punching bag to rally the Heartland to those ministers' banner. So don't ever say the bloody Chinamen have no use or role to play in Malaysia, wakakaka.

And now he has urged non-Malays to support the mall and emulate their Malay counterparts whom he described as “colour blind” in their shopping preferences.

They may well be 'colour blind' because the best deal for any goods still gets the customer (of any skin colour), but the minister by his record is not (colour blind, that is) though it has to be said insofar as 'skin' is concerned, by his exhortations to non-Malays to patronize 'Low Yat 2', he is certainly 'thick skin', wakakaka.

F* him, though don't f* traders on the basis of their skin being yellow, black, brown or green, wakakaka.

Destroy UMNO to save it?

Wakakaka, surely the latest 'asset' to Pakatan Harapan must be the man who has just said that UMNO's 'fixed deposit', namely Sabah, might no longer be in support of the BN coalition (effectively UMNO), a piece of news most ominous for the ruling party vis-a-vis GE-14.

And bizarrely or on second thoughts, perhaps not, wakakaka, the man who said the above has been none other than an UMNO Vice President, Mohd Shafie Apdal, wakakaka again.

I wonder whether, on hearing this news, there have been much wanking and solo groaning in the Pakatan toilets last night, wakakaka once again.

Shafie has in not so many words identified 1MDB's debts of RM42 billion as the underlying factor for the fading Sabahan support for the UMNO-led coalition.

Now, the bloke might well be right because politics is all about public 'perception', but then, technically or more clinically, what would be considered as 1MDB's 'debts'?

Depending on your political allegiance and/or preference, you can choose to believe in RPK's explanation or the Mahathir-faction's interpretation of 1MDB's 'debts'.

To the latter, to wit the Mahathir-faction, 1MDB's 'debts' initially was about the RM42 billion 'disappearing into thin air', but now it seems it has been revised ambiguously to just 'debts'.

However, this is what RPK wrote:

Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin keep repeating the RM42 billion debts incurred by 1MDB. To them this is all they need to know. They cannot even read a Balance Sheet. If not then they would know that a Balance Sheet has two columns. On one side is the assets and the other side is the liabilities. And you minus one side from the other to come to the Net Tangible Asset or NTA to see whether it is positive or negative NTA.

The issue is not how much the debts are. It is what the NTA is and whether it is negative or positive. It does not matter whether the company has RM1 billion or RM100 billion in liabilities. It is how much its assets are and whether at the bottom line the NTA is negative or positive. This is what Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin do not understand.

Syed told Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin that 1MDB is in trouble. And it is in trouble because it borrowed RM42 billion. What Syed did not tell Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin, maybe because he himself does not know, is that these RM42 billion liabilities is backed by RM51 billion worth of assets. That means the NTA of 1MBD is positive and not negative, which is what counts in business.

They keep calling 1MDB a debt-laden company. 1MDB may have debts but it is not debt-laden because its assets exceed its liabilities. Dr Mahathir’s son’s company was debt-laden. That was why they needed Petronas to bail it out or else the company would have gone bankrupt. 1MDB Is not on the verge of bankruptcy when its assets exceed its liabilities.

Of course most Pakatan supporters today do not believe in what RPK writes, chiefly because his articles have been more in favour of Najib and against Anwar and Pakatan, unlike earlier years. That's your prerogative to like and then dislike him. Afterall, the only permanent thing in this world is 'change'.

As for me, sometimes I believe in RPK's words, sometimes I do not, sometimes half-half depending on the specifics of the content, and sometimes I'm neutral about what he has written, but regardless, I remain in civilised cordiality with and respect for him, just as I remain in civilised cordiality with and respect for my other blogging/Facebook mateys like Ong Kian Ming (DAP), Ti Lian Ker (MCA). Haji Zainol Abideen (Mahaguru58) (PAS), and a host of others who do not share my political position (namely, 'conditional' and not absolute support for DAP).

Today (I stress on this, 'today' that is, wakakaka) I'm less inclined to believe in Mahathir, principally because I reckon his invincible anti-Najib diatribes (which might or might not have been true, or a mixture of the two) have a lot more to do with his (Mahathir's) PERSONAL obsession to CONTROL the governing of Malaysia and government policies rather than for the good of Malaysians and the nation. So forgive me if I'm now very sceptical of what he says or writes.

Thus, I do not believe in Mahathir far far more than I believe in RPK, wakakaka.

But back to post's thread, in my opinion Shafie Apdal has in his statement taken a strong, staunch and solid Mahathir-like stand vis-a-vis Najib which would be the same as being against UMNO the party, but of course which is his right/privilege and also politically natural as he's considered one of Mahathir's men (not unlike former minister of info Zam, former NST group editor & journalist Pak Kadir Jasin, Khairuddin Hassan, Matthias Chang, Muhyiddin, etc).

But nonetheless I've to admit what Shafie Apdal, an UMNO VP, has just commented has flabbergasted me, in that this UMNO man is willing to say such unfavourable things (even if true) which will adversely influence readers' views about his own party's political standing.

Now, would Nurul Izzah ever say anything bad that will adversely affect PKR? Or, would Lim Guan Eng do likewise for DAP? What about Pak Haji Hadi Awang vis-a-vis PAS?

Shafie Apdal's statement about the UMNO president losing support in Sabah could be considered as not unlike the nature of an often-quoted statement (perhaps mythically) attributed to a USAF spokesman giving a post-operations briefing to the press during the height of the Vietnam War, namely, "We have to destroy the village to save it." Wakakaka.

Surely today, with that, Shafie Apdal must and ought to be considered a 'national treasure' by Pakatan, as Mahathir was too (by PAS, I think?) in the lead up to the 2008 general election when he whacked AAB (and consequently UMNO as well) kau kau, wakakaka, and if my recollection is correct, in one of those pre-election Pakatan campaign talkshow-forums organized by none other than RPK, a BIG wakakaka on this.

Syabas Shafie Apdal, you've 'arrived' on the yang side of politics, and signing off this post with a final wakakaka.