An open letter to Tun M: Your political stage act is a class but now is time to call it a day

An open letter to Tun M: Your political stage act is a class but now is time to call it a day

Editor’s Note: Netizen Steve Yap has taken the pain to pen a 475-word advice to twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had to choose an auspicious day occasion as the Merdeka Day (Aug 31) to cry foul that the generosity of the Malays have being taken for granted by other non-Malay citizens.

“But when this generosity is taken for granted and the beneficiaries propose that the land does not belong only to the Malays as the definitive people – that it belongs equally to the unassimilated migrants and their descendants – then the Malays have a right to object to this demand,” penned the elderly statesman on his Facebook page.

Add Dr Mahathir whose tenure spanned 22 years (first stint) and 22 months (second stint): “To call this objection racist is a contradiction in terms. It is the demand of those who refused to be assimilated, refuse to be identified with the definitive people who continue their identification with their racial origins who are racist.”

Against such backdrop, below is the open letter addressed to Dr Mahathir from Steve Ng:


Dear Tun M,

I hope this letter finds you well, amidst the hustle and bustle of political manoeuvrings and public debates. As you continue to grace the political stage with your presence, I couldn’t help but ponder the age-old question: to retire or not to retire?

It’s like a sequel that leaves us both anxious and intrigued, wondering whether it will live up to the hype of the original.

First and foremost, I must commend you for your commitment to keeping us entertained throughout the years.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad


Your career has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride – complete with its ups, downs, twists and turns. Your ability to keep us on our toes, guessing what will come next, truly deserves applause.

You’ve masterfully executed the art of balancing good and bad, leaving us in a state of perpetual curiosity.

Your economic policies could be likened to a suspenseful thriller – will they stimulate growth or will they leave us scratching our heads in bewilderment? Your governance style has been like a gripping drama where every episode brings a new plot twist that leaves the audience wondering, “Is this real life?”

Your passion for leadership is truly awe-inspiring. It’s not every day we witness someone who can switch between being a champion of progress and a maestro of chaos with such grace. Your bold decisions have left a mark on our nation’s history – almost like a signature move that only you can pull off.

And let’s not forget the moments of sheer genius – like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Your ability to make us question our own understanding of politics, economics and reality itself is a gift that keeps on giving.


Time to call it a day

Who knew that a single individual could be both a source of inspiration and a wellspring of bemusement?

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (seated first row, far right) has recently chosen to befriend Perikatan Nasional (PN) after solidifying his position as the chief advocate of Proklamasi Melayu

As you contemplate your future endeavours, may I suggest considering the path less travelled? Retirement, they say, can be a delightful adventure of its own.

Picture yourself on a beach, sipping on a coconut while regaling your friends with tales of the good old days. Think of all the books you could write – a memoir, perhaps, entitled “Mastering the Art of Statesmanship: A Tale of Triumphs and Twists”.

In conclusion, dear Tun M, you’ve undeniably left an indelible mark on our nation. Your legacy is a medley of triumphs and tribulations that will continue to be the subject of heated debates for generations.

Whether you decide to bow out gracefully or continue your political odyssey, rest assured that your enigmatic presence will not soon be forgotten. Wishing you all the best in your future escapades, be they in the realm of politics or the serene shores of retirement.

 – Sept 1, 2023

Video : Iranians Randomly Shoot, Stab, Knock Down And Kill Mullahs

 

OutSyed The Box

Friday, September 1, 2023

Video : Iranians Randomly Shoot, Stab, Knock Down And Kill Mullahs

 

 

Here is a video from Iranian TV (Tasneem News) that shows Iranians quite randomly shooting, stabbing, knocking down (on the streets) and killing mullahs. Four separate incidents are shown. The narrator suggests there are more incidents.

Here is the Twitter link. Highlight the link, right click your mouse and click 'Open Link'.

https://twitter.com/iran_policy/status/1653336275485872128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1653336275485872128%7Ctwgr%5E034e582f3025145f159de1d3fc1f5484b85887a4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncr-iran.org%2Fen%2Fnews%2Firan-protests%2Fthe-clerical-regimes-uphill-battle-with-the-next-uprising-in-waiting%2F

That video from the bank CCTV is particularly illuminating. An old mullah fellow was sitting in the banking hall waiting to be served when an armed bank security guard calmly walks over and shoots the mullah dead - without any provocation.

The TV narrator asks why is this happening now in Iran?

Well actually there has been plenty of provocation - by the tyrant mullahs. Iran has been under the tyranny of the mullahs for 45 years since 1979. The people of Iran have had enough.

In 2023 alone the Iranian mullahs have killed 500 Iranians on various charges of being enemies of god, enemies of the regime, enemies of this and enemies of that.

I have predicted this before - I recall saying it more than once. From years ago I have said that one day, the Iranian people will chase the mullahs down the streets and string them up from the lamp posts. You dont have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. It looks like it is starting already.

The mullahs live by hatred and violence. 
They shall therefore die by hatred and violence.
All the monkey and chimpanzee look alikes around the world should take note.

September 16th (15 days away) is the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini the 22 year old Iranian girl who was arrested and beaten (on the head) by the mullah's religious enforcers for not covering her head. She died later of injuries suffered from that beating. Her death sparked massive protests around Iran that lasted for months and have never fully died down. 

The Iranian people are now preparing to commemorate Mahsa Amini's death which will most likely result in more protests.

The Iranian mullah's "lets-have-a-good-time" party has to come to an end sometime. It has been 45 years since their party started but the time seems to be about now for their party to end.

It is not a good time to be a mullah in Iran.

Muhyiddin, Hadi ‘stubborn’, don’t want to see PH-BN cooperate: Rayer

theVibes.com:

Muhyiddin, Hadi ‘stubborn’, don’t want to see PH-BN cooperate: Rayer

DAP lawmaker pans continuous Perikatan Nasional attempts to topple unity govt

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer claims that the strong negative sentiments Perikatan Nasional leaders have expressed against the unity government after the last general election show that they totally disregard the harmony of the people and the development of the nation. – ABDUL RAZAK LATIF/The Vibes file pic, September 1, 2023


JOHOR BARU – A DAP lawmaker has denounced attempts by Perikatan Nasional (PN) to cause the fall of the federal unity government, saying that they are motivated by jealousy and ill feelings following the strong cooperation and working relationship between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN).


Jelutong MP RSN Rayer claimed that the strong negative sentiments PN leaders have expressed against the unity government after the last general election show that they totally disregard the harmony of the people and the development of the nation.

In contrast, he said, elected representatives from both PH and BN remain strong and will abide by the king’s call to set aside all differences and work together for the nation.

“Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had rejected calls to set up a unity government, while Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang wants to see the fall of the government.”

Muhyiddin is chairman of PN and president of component Bersatu, while Hadi is president of PAS.

“They are both stubborn and do not want to see PH and BN work well together,” Rayer alleged.

“They do not want to stop seeking ways to topple the government,” he said after accompanying the PH candidate for the Pulai parliamentary seat, Suhaizan Kaiat, to meet the Indian community in Tampoi recently.

Rayer said that he had personally accepted the working relationship between PH and BN as it has been proven to be successful and also in line with what the king wants.

“Yes, we used to oppose Umno in the past, but now we are friends and will work together for the people,” he added.

Muhyiddin had in fact characterised the pledge to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to head the unity government as unconstitutional and invalid as early as December last year, the month after the general election and the formation of the government.

However, Anwar won a motion of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat through a voice vote on December 19.

This came after the coalitions of PH, BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and Warisan signed an agreement in Putrajaya on December 16 to seal their cooperation in the unity government.

Other objectives contained in the agreement include upholding the supremacy and rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and public institutions, and the effectiveness and professionalism of the security forces.

The agreement also spelt out the need to strengthen the principle of separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches so that the federal government has strong checks and balances to prevent centralisation of power and abuse.

Following the conclusion of the six-state elections on August 12, Muhyiddin had characterised the results as a referendum showing that the majority had rejected the unity government.

He said PN had captured 60% or 146 seats, mostly Malay-majority constituencies, out of the 245 seats up for grabs in the state polls. Notably, PN successfully retained control of Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, he added.

Hadi has also in the past defended the opposition’s democratic right to overthrow the government, claiming that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for a unity government is no stumbling block for such attempts. – The Vibes, September 1, 2023

S’wak may consider introducing its own currency: Nanta

theVibes.com:

S’wak may consider introducing its own currency: Nanta

GPS sec-gen says measure might explored if state economy is good but national one is not

Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, who is secretary-general of both Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and state ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak, says that the overall income of Sarawak and its economy has increased. – Bernama pic, September 1, 2023


PETALING JAYA – Sarawak may consider the idea of introducing its own independent currency, said Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.

This, he said, was following the unpredictable economic landscape in the country.

“I am not a traitor to the country for coming up with this idea. This was something that could be considered if the less favourable economy persists,” he said as reported in Sinar Daily.

“If the Sarawak economy is good, while the national economy is not so well, perhaps Sarawak will have our own currency,” he said.

Alexander, who is secretary-general of both Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and state ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak, said that the overall income of Sarawak and its economy has increased.

According to Sinar Daily, Nanta said this during a special podcast collaboration with Bual Studios and Reka Sounds for Merdeka and Malaysia Day titled “From Malaya to Malaysia: 60 Years” out today. – The Vibes, September 1, 2023

***

kt comments:

Aisehman my dear Menteri, jangan berlebihan

Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin's prison sentence to one year

Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin's prison sentence to one year

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets his supporters after landing at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport on August 22, 2023. Thaksin Shinawatra bowed in homage to the Thai king's portrait as he returned to the kingdom Tuesday after 15 years in exile, before being led away by officials to be processed on multiple outstanding criminal cases. — AFP pic

Friday, 01 Sep 2023 5:15 PM MYT


BANGKOK, Sept 1 — Thailand's king has commuted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's eight-year prison sentence to one year, the royal gazette said today, a day after the billionaire submitted a request for pardon.

The former premier, 74, returned to Thailand last week in a dramatic homecoming after spending 15 years abroad in self-exile to avoid prison on charges of abuse of power and conflicts of interest during his time in power.


He arrived on a private jet and was transferred to prison to serve an eight-year sentence. On his first night, he was moved to a police hospital over chest pains and high blood pressure.

Yesterday he submitted a request for a royal pardon.


Thaksin "was a prime minister, has done good for the country and people and is loyal to the monarchy," the royal gazette said on Friday.


"He respected the process, admitted his guilt, repented, accepted court verdicts. Right now he is old, has illness that need caring from medical professional," it read. — Reuters

Ahmad Terrirudin succeeds Idrus Harun as AG

Ahmad Terrirudin succeeds Idrus Harun as AG

SOLICITOR-GENERAL Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh has been appointed the new attorney-general to replace Tan Sri Idrus Harun whose contract ends on Sept 5.

In a brief statement today, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said in accordance with Clause (1) Article 145 of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has approved the appointment of Ahmad Terrirudin as attorney-general effective Sept 6.

“The government thanks Idrus for his service to the nation as Attorney General,” said Mohd Zuki in a statement on Friday (Sept 1).

Ahmad Terrirudin, 54, is reportedly the first candidate to come directly from the Judicial and Legal Service since former attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who was appointed to the office in 2002.

Abdul Gani served until 2015 when he was replaced by Mohd Apandi Ali. The latter was replaced by Tan Sri Tommy Thomas following the 15th general election (GE15) in 2018.

Ahmad Terrirudin served as the Federal Court’s chief registrar prior to his appointment as solicitor-general in March 2022. – Sept 1, 2023

Union of major Malay parties could spell doom

Union of major Malay parties could spell doom


YOURSAY | ‘It’s all about power and religion for them.’

Umno will be with PAS, Bersatu when Zahid no longer president: Mahfodz


Apanama is back: Let me be honest here. Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the stumbling block towards the union of Malay Muslims in Malaysia or what PAS called 'ummah'.

Umno might eventually join PAS and Bersatu in the future. Yes, we could be doomed if that happens. Umno needs support from the Malays. They lost it and they know there is no way they can get it back.

The next president might not mind being the third fiddle in the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

If one looks at the history of what happened after the 15th general election, we know who is supporting PN.

As Zahid is a liability to Umno and the unity government, he is also a stumbling block to PN. It will be a matter of time before all three will join hands as a major Malay-Muslim alliance.

Another thing to remember here is once all three have joined hands, there is no way they will break up in the future. We could be heading to a failed state due to corruption, incompetency, and so on.

This combination of three parties will also be supported by demographic changes in the coming decades. No one can stop it.

The unity government should hasten the reforms if they care about Malaysia. If not, we can say bye-bye to Malaysia.

Apa pun boleh: The only way PAS can ever see Putrajaya again is by another Sheraton Move power grab. They can’t do it through a legal mandate. The non-Malays along with the moderate Malays proved that in GE15. This is as far as PAS go as again proved by the recent state elections.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was cocksure of PN sweeping all six states. PAS can never penetrate the Pakatan Harapan/Umno stronghold along the west coast.

Hadi's hunting ground ends in Kedah in bed with the loose cannon Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Mohd Nor, who have made the green zone a no-go for foreign direct investment.

The multi-racial parties must work to expand their Malay voter bases to defend their states from race and religious extremists that seek to destroy our peace and prosperity for their power and position.

Mazhilamani: What makes PAS so obsessive about having the power to rule?

From the little I know from my Muslim friends, I have become familiar with the word takdir, or, as explained, "the will of God".

If it is the will of God that Anwar Ibrahim should be the prime minister, what is the right of PAS leaders to wrest power through illegal means by calling or praying for the fall of Zahid as Umno president?

PAS is influencing the Umno leaders and members to oust Zahid, so Umno's new leadership will join PN.

Is it right spiritually to carry out such a scheme even if seen as a political strategy?

This matter is being peddled on our National Day. Put aside politics and focus on governing.

Sparrow: PAS has reached its peak. What goes up, must naturally fall.

So, there is desperation amongst PAS leaders that their association with Bersatu and Gerakan is becoming meaningless as PN is toothless.

So PAS comes courting Umno to ride up the ladder again.

Unfortunately for PAS, Umno knows any association is perilous, and Umno will be jettisoned just as Bersatu and Gerakan are now sleeping on the pavements depending on crumbs thrown at them by PAS.

NIC: PAS Syura council member Mahfodz Mohamed has got it wrong. PAS wants to helm the country so very badly.

Then show us you are prepared and able to do the job. Have you built up a second echelon of young dynamic talents who are technologically savvy, articulate, knowledge-hungry, and willing to serve? Honourable, incorruptible, and fair individuals.

Showcase them and we will all vote for you. You do not have to reduce yourself to toppling the incumbent government with all these ridiculous wranglings and shallow threats.

Constitutional supremacy: Why must it always be about race and religion?

This will be a recipe for disaster if the country is to be run on this basis. This will lead to extremism, instability, disunity, and a failed state like the many countries that practise hudud law.

Has Mahfodz heard about the Federal Constitution? It is our supreme law. PAS should think of governing based on it. The Islamist party is the main dividing force in the country now.

All political parties should shun PAS so that the country can develop economically, progress and be united.

TC: PAS is hoping this plot will materialise with PAS being the ‘taiko’ (big brother), Bersatu the general and Umno the ‘macai’ (underlings).

If this is what Umno wants, then they should quit the unity government. Harapan can then stay on its Madani without carrying Umno baggage.

This should be the right thing to do as Umno cannot keep on blaming DAP for its inability to win the Malay votes.

Whether Harapan can then form another government with the East Malaysian parties or not will be interesting.

As of now, with Umno being part of the government and their supporters voting for PN, it will carry PN across the line very soon if the current status quo remains.

Newday: All Malaysians, including Malays, must join and vote for who they think will lead us to a brighter future.

All you lot in PN ever talk about is power, religion, or DAP.

Not once have you made statements or come up with policies aimed at having a positive impact on the country, even when you were in federal power for three long years.

A future under you takes us down a dark and disastrous path of ensuring non-Muslims that stay are second-class citizens and any Muslims not of your thinking are either jailed under hudud or driven out of the country.

Our economy and infrastructure to keep the lights on will collapse. Dark times indeed.

This one by OutSyed the Box is blardy HOT!

 

OutSyed The Box

Friday, September 1, 2023

MALAYSIA'S TOP 10 ENEMIES OF THE STATE - By Murray Hunter

 

Prof Murray Hunter has come up with a list of Top Ten Enemies of the State. It is interesting who is included in this list.

I am not providing the link to this one. Plutonium. If you wish you can find it. 

 

Powerful new roles seen for deposed Najib and Thaksin

FMT:

Powerful new roles seen for deposed Najib and Thaksin

The two former prime ministers, both now imprisoned, may have pivotal roles to play in ensuring the political stability of their nations.





The dramatic return of Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his imprisonment on charges of corruption occurred almost one year to the day that Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak became an inmate at Kajang prison, near Kuala Lumpur.

The media and press both in Malaysia and Thailand had demonised both ex-prime ministers, in attempts to decouple them from their traditional support bases.

Narratives such as ‘Thaksin was worse than Hitler’, and ‘Najib is the king of the kleptocrats’, were used to destroy their reputations.

In the case of Najib, it was thought his imprisonment would make him irrelevant to contemporary politics, and he would disappear. That didn’t happen. Najib still has deep influence within Umno.

Thaksin’s return and imprisonment overshadowed the news of Srettha Thavisin being appointed as Thailand’s 30th prime minister after a vote by a joint sitting of Parliament. Thaksin’s arrival on a private jet at Don Muang International Airport was more a hero’s welcome, than the arrival of a fugitive from justice.


Destiny from opportunity

It now appears that destiny (or opportunity) may enable both ex-prime ministers to play a major role in their respective national political environments some time in the near future.

There is much speculation that deals have been done in both cases.

On Thaksin’s part, the conjecture goes that he will spend a symbolic period in prison (or prison hospital) and then be given a full pardon by Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

On Najib’s part, many speculated he was part of some form of deal when the “unity government” was created, after the November 2022 general election. However, there are doubts. Najib is languishing in prison until there is some opportune purpose for him to fulfil. Public pressure also wants to see Najib spend a good percentage of his 12-year jail sentence.

Consequently, the release of both Thaksin and Najib appears to be related to public optics.

Thaksin’s position is clearer. He may be released soon, as many Thais support him, and it is clear the establishment has clearly accepted his return and the fact he will play some future political role.

Najib’s case is much more complex. There seems to be either setbacks or changes in opinion about his release by those with the power to pardon him. Although Najib was acquitted in April of audit tampering, his attempt to suspend the ongoing 1MDB trial was dismissed by the court.


Prior legacies needed now

Both prime ministers did leave legacies from their previous time in office.

Thaksin was prime minister from 2001, and was ousted in a military coup in 2006. Thaksin did a lot to eliminate poverty in rural Thailand, through grassroots community development. The Thaksin government managed well fiscally, paying off loans taken from the IMF during the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

Najib was prime minister from 2009, where he was defeated in the 2018 general election by the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ironically, Najib can be considered a mild reformer in government. Najib assisted the poor through handouts, initiated some economic liberalisation, and tried to transform the civil service. This is more than any other prime minister has done in the last five years.

Thaksin’s role could be very important as the Pheu Thai party is in an uncomfortable coalition with establishment parties Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath, and the United Thai Nation Party. Someone needs to hold this fragile coalition together. The ultimate survival of this government will depend upon maintaining a good working relationship between civilian politicians, the monarchy, and the military.

Someone must also appease disappointed “red shirts” and the youth who supported Move Forward. These groups feel they have been betrayed. Only Thaksin might be able to deal with this.

Thaksin may play this pivotal role from a platform like the Privy Council, which would give him statesmanlike stature similar to former prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda, who died in 2019.


Umno and Pakatan Harapan

For Najib, it appears he is being kept in cold storage. Umno’s poor performance at the recent six state assembly elections has opened up discussion about the future leadership of the party.

The fate of Umno, and Anwar Ibrahim’s PH coalition will depend upon winning over the Malay vote in the next general elections. Thus, if Umno can’t do the job, PH will also fall from the government.

This is leading to conjecture that Najib might be one of the few people who could bring Umno back from the dead, and re-establish the party as a contender in the Malay heartlands.

However, many feel the time is still premature. The opportune window might be when the position of king is rotated at the end of this year.

Such a move may steady up the chances of the unity government surviving the next general election. The results of the coming by-elections in Johor in a couple of weeks may influence this. Releasing Najib is a price the leadership may be willing to pay.

If these scenarios occur, Najib like Thaksin would play an important political role in Malaysia. He would become the elder statesman that keeps the unity coalition together, keeping it as a credible alternative to Perikatan Nasional.

There is also talk that Najib may play an economic advisory role to a government that has lost its way with economic policy.

Both Thaksin and Najib are set for future roles in their respective countries. Anything can happen in these politically volatile political environments, in Malaysia and in Thailand. However, the above scenarios are looking a strong possibility.

The US Problem With China: Beijing Is Better at Capitalism

Volume 28, Number 238 — Thursday, August 31, 2023


The US Problem With China: Beijing Is Better at Capitalism

As it provokes a new Cold War, the U.S. is warning that its corporate and financial interests, which came first after the 1980s Dengist reforms, no longer take precedence, writes Patrick Lawrence.




Shanghai Disneyland, 2017. (Iiii I I I, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Patrick Lawrence
ScheerPost

The Biden regime’s robotic procession to Beijing proceeds apace. Following Antony Blinken’s fruitless visit in mid–June, U.S. taxpayers have paid Janet Yellen’s airfare for another fruitless visit, and following Yellen it was the same for John Kerry. This week it is Gina Raimondo’s turn. The secretary of state, the treasury secretary, the chief climate envoy, and the commerce secretary: What is the point of this parade?

I cannot but wonder whether these officials are dispatched across the Pacific in descending order of competence. Raimondo, who previously flopped as governor of Rhode Island — except for her plan to cut civil service pensions, an unfortunate success — is mediocrity made flesh. The Chinese must be wondering, with chagrin or amusement or both, who the Biden regime will next send their way.

The assignment in all these cases is the same: It comes down to “two seemingly contradictory responsibilities,” as The New York Times’s Ana Swanson put it in a curtain-raiser last week. She described “a mandate to strengthen U.S. business relations with Beijing while also imposing some of the toughest Chinese trade restrictions in years.”

This is succinct, although we can live without the “seemingly.” Proposing to conduct routine business while sabotaging China’s competitive position in advanced technologies is prima facie a ridiculous idea. But the Times must have its “seemingly,” because it is imperative we pretend the Biden regime thinks sensibly and means well in its relations with the People’s Republic.


Sticking by the Neoliberal Catechism

Blinken got nothing done, Yellen got nothing done, Kerry got nothing done, and in Raimondo’s case it is hopeless. The final item on her itinerary is a visit to Disneyland in Shanghai, and you have to credit the secretary’s scheduler for the parting reference to dreams and fantasy.

An English friend observes that Americans are doing a lot of blinkin’ and yellin’ across the Pacific these days. Fair enough, but I think it is more of the former than the latter for the time being. This administration simply has no idea what a sound China policy would look like.


What is this all about? For a long time now I have concluded that Biden’s foreign policy people match the definition of insanity commonly but mistakenly attributed to Einstein. These people seem to be doing the same thing again and again while expecting a different outcome. But with Raimondo’s visit to Beijing this week I have to revise this assessment.

Those running Biden’s national security policies are unimaginative ideologues petrified of diverging from the neoliberal catechism, yes, but they are not insane. I start to see in their dealings with Beijing a diabolical design to which the Chinese are very right to object.

The Biden administration’s China strategy comes down to parrying, in a word. All the pointless talk is intended to obscure a concerted effort to undermine China’s economy because the U.S. cannot compete with it in various strategic sectors, while — part two — buying time to move maximum U.S. military hardware as close to the mainland as possible under the program the Defense Department named a few years ago the Pacific Defense Initiative, the PDI.

At the horizon, we are likely to see Washington’s trans–Pacific military ambitions trump longstanding trade and investment relationships. This is what “decoupling” and now “delinking” are all about. They are warnings to the corporate and financial sectors that their interests, which came first in the decades after the Dengist reforms of the 1980s, will no longer take precedence as the new Cold War Biden constantly denies provoking destroys relations with the mainland.

Raimondo, on right, as Blinken addresses a Senate budget committee meeting focused on the U.S.-China Relationship, on May 16. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on left. (State Department/Chuck Kennedy/Public domain)


Two years ago Raimondo gave an interview to CNBC, the financial news network, that more or less announced the Biden regime’s intention to subvert key sectors of China’s economy. She was about to address something called the U.S.–E.U. Trade and Technology Council and told her interlocutor, “If we really want to slow down China’s rate of innovation, we need to work with Europe.”

It is useful once in a while to have dumbheads such as Raimondo in high positions, because, without meaning to do so, they can tell you so much more than you are supposed to know.

Slowing down China’s impressive advances in high-technology sectors was precisely Washington’s intent by the time Raimondo spoke. The Commerce Department under her direction has since imposed a wide variety of restrictions on U.S. exports to China of semiconductor chips, software systems, and the machinery used to produce both.

As Ana Swanson reports, Raimondo is likely to pile on more of these as soon as she returns from Beijing.


Sullivan Set the Tone

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan aboard Air Force One with President Joe Biden on a domestic flight on March 13. (White House/ Adam Schultz)


The Biden regime dresses up this profoundly undignified conduct as “narrowly targeted” to technologies that could be of use to the Chinese military. Jake Sullivan set the tone for all of these visitors to Beijing in a speech at the Brookings Institution last April.

“We are imposing necessary restrictions on specific technology exports,” the national security adviser explained, “while seeking to avoid an outright technological blockade. … The administration intends to maintain a substantial trade relationship with China.”

This is what Raimondo and all of those who preceded her to China say when explaining their intent: Washington’s sole concern, as Raimondo imposes her regime of restrictions, is national security, and all else can proceed rosily. It is hard to think of a flimsier dodge.

By this standard, she would have to restrict sales of Juicy Fruit gum to the Chinese. What the Biden administration is doing comes down to securitizing the economic relationship. If you have ever doubted that the United States is a failing imperium unwilling to accept 21st century realities, I offer this as proof of the proposition.

The Chinese know this and have said so many times. I no longer think Blinken, Yellen, et al. have any thought of persuading them otherwise on these journeys. That only looks like their intent.

Their true purpose is in the way of theatrical, and Americans are their true audience: They must make sure Americans do not understand Gina Raimondo’s efforts to punch the Chinese, well below their belts, for what they are: an uncompetitive nation’s attempts to hold back a rising economic power.

I found that speech Sullivan delivered last spring interesting for what he left out, as much as for what was in it. There was not a single mention of the U.S. military buildup at the western end of the Pacific.

Talk about elephants in the living room. The Pentagon is developing the Australian–British–U.S. alliance known as AUKUS; there is the Quad group, comprising the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan; there are these recently and assiduously fortified alliances with Seoul, Tokyo, Manila and Canberra, and none of this, we hear again and again, has anything to do with surrounding China or providing for the movement of U.S. military capabilities westward toward the mainland. This is only “seemingly” the case, as the Times would put it.


Raimondo’s Tech Projects

Raimondo at Senate hearings on the U.S.-China Relationship in May. (DoD,Chad J. McNeeley)


It is the same as with Raimondo’s projects on the technology side: Neither the Chinese nor anyone else in Asia believes these silly explanations, and no one expects them to do so. Beijing knows very well there is a point to all these apparently pointless visits U.S. officials insist on making.

The Biden regime is buying time as it remilitarizes the western end of the Pacific.

The only people who are supposed to understand otherwise are Americans, who are not supposed to watch as Washington provokes and prosecutes Cold War II. Americans are supposed to watch as U.S. officials — reasonable, constructive, well-intended —make all efforts to talk to the Chinese in the face of their stubborn reluctance to cooperate.

This is my revised take on the Blinken–Yellen–Kerry–Raimondo cavalcade across the Pacific. These people are not clods. They are purposefully malicious and, it should go without saying, are making the world even more dangerous than it already is.

There are two things to think about here. One, the Biden regime’s efforts to obscure what it is up to at the other end of the Pacific is a straight reprise of the first Cold War, which now resides in all but the most important history books as the responsibility of the Soviets. We have a responsibility to render and defend an accurate record so that this does not happen again.

Two, there is this administration’s immense betrayal of Americans as it aggresses in the Pacific, along with the numerous lost opportunities of which American are deprived.

You will find in that Jake Sullivan speech grand and plentiful references to the revival of the American middle class, bipartisan unity and other such elevated thoughts. Read the speech and then ask: What is this nation’s leadership doing in the cause of a competitive America?

Is it redoubling efforts to educate the people or is it, diabolically, shutting down access — see the University of West Virginia — to liberal arts education?

What is it doing to produce the doctors and scientists who are needed to guide the way in the 21st century?

What is it doing to bring the dispossessed into the economy, address drug addiction and all the other debilitating social ills?

What is it doing — seriously doing, I mean — to repair and build out the infrastructure Americans need? Nothing or not enough are my answers.

The Chinese challenge could and should be understood as a chance to reinvent America by way of a Great Mobilization, cap “G,” cap “M,” of New Deal magnitude. There is, of course, no more than lip service to any such idea.

We are instead sacrificing this historic opportunity to the military-industrial complex, the greed of corporations, and the ambitions of political leaders who lack all principle or any thought for the commonweal.

Maybe you think, as I do, that none of the Biden officials flying off to Beijing is serious about the true work to be done in U.S. relations with China, or is competent to do it.

We must consider, bitterly, that they are perfectly representative of our circumstances as defined by a leadership that is more or less across the board unserious and incompetent to meet the great challenges of our time — China merely one among many.



Patrick Lawrence, a correspondent abroad for many years, chiefly for the International Herald Tribune, is a columnist, essayist, lecturer and author, most recently of Journalists and Their Shadows. Other books include Time No Longer: Americans After the American Century. His Twitter account, @thefloutist, has been permanently censored. His web site is Patrick Lawrence. Support his work via his Patreon site. His web site is Patrick Lawrence. Support his work via his Patreon site.

This article is from ScheerPost.

My roots as a Tamil Muslim and the MIC interfaith event

FMT:

My roots as a Tamil Muslim and the MIC interfaith event

I must be allowed to live as a Tamil Muslim without being subjected to the customs and practices of the Malays.





“No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.” 

- (Plato)

Any country that respects kleptocrats, roadside politicians, people with religious concerns, unethical members of the legal industry and their like will no doubt hate a person who speaks any truth that relates to their self-interest, and will move to fix or destroy him.

My father was a Tamil Muslim of the Hanafi sect. Although born in India, he became the subject of the Ruler of Johor before Merdeka.

I myself was born in Thopputhurai, Vedarnyam in Tamil Nadu.

It was to my misfortune that my father decided to take me out of my mother’s custody and away from what was then a palatial residence to bring me here at the age of five.

His only purpose was that he wanted me to be an exemplary Malaysian.

There are some differences in the customary practices of Tamil Muslims in India and those of the Malays in Malaysia.

In India, Tamils who profess Islam, a minority religion, are closely connected with members of the community who profess other faiths. Tamil Muslims do mingle at ceremonies and functions of the other faiths, and for certain events have Islamic versions of those function and ceremonies.

In India, Tamil Muslims go without hesitation to temples, churches and other places of worship, not to partake in the worship but simply to grace an occasion whenever invited. It is part of the peaceful co-existence and survival of the community itself.

Such courtesies are mutual in nature. In essence, Tamil Muslims are inextricably interwoven with the entire Tamil community irrespective of what faith each person professes.

It is extremely rare to hear in India that such practices are un-Islamic. The late President of India, Abdul Kalam, was an exemplary Tamil Muslim who showed how Muslims should behave in a multi-racial and multi-religious country like India.

If what Abdul Kalam could do as a Tamil Muslim in India cannot be done in Malaysia, then the matter warrants to be studied further, not made the subject of harassment or demeaning action or proceedings by the authorities.

I reside in Malaysia on the premise that the Malay Rulers will protect me as per the constitutional guarantees and allow me to live as a Tamil Muslim without the need to be subjected to, and to follow, the customs and practices of the Malays.

I am, after all, an Indian, and was once an MIC member, but after completing my studies in the law, I decided not to participate in politics. Instead, I began my journey as a lawyer with social justice and the dissemination of knowledge as my key goals.

By the age of 21, I became a member of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Johor Bahru and a committee member assisting the board of trustees of the Jalan Duke Tamil Muslim mosque. The board was chaired by the late Dato Wahid, an MIC leader and, in later years, a senator.

Throughout my time in JB, the mosque continued with the practices of Tamil Muslims as usually performed in Tamil Nadu, including the Maulaud recitation in honour of great imams and scholars respected as saints in the literal sense.

I take the view that technically every movable and immovable asset of the MIC contains the sweat and proprietary rights of all people of Indian origin, a substantial contribution of which comes from the Tamil Muslim community in Malaysia.

Having gone through basic religious education, and having attained multiple qualifications, including being admitted as a Barrister, having done advance papers in Islamic law, holding an LLM from the University of London, two postgraduate diplomas in shariah law and practice and Islamic banking, and a Ph.D. in civil procedure, and having written many books, articles and judgments, I find it shocking that thanksgiving prayers to the Almighty cannot be conducted on land common to Indians of all religions which the MIC is technically holding in trust for the entire Indian community notwithstanding they may not themselves be members of the political party, including myself.

I do not claim to be a religious scholar, and in any case, that is not a condition precedent to being a Muslim. Neither do I want to be converted into a religious scholar to continue practising the Islamic faith in Malaysia.

I do not seek to do everything the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) did as I am not seeking to attain prophethood. Neither do I desire or have the energy or power to ride a horse or camel, or be trained in the techniques of war to govern a country or play any part in politics, etc.

In fact, I am not sure what percentage of Malaysian Muslims can ride a camel and horse, as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) did, to lead righteous and productive lives as per the sunnah and hadiths of the prophet.

I am also not one of those selected to achieve the goals set out in the Holy Quran. Neither am I interested in converting non-Muslims to Islam.

Instead, if I can achieve the implementation of University cum Court Annexed Arbitration in the global court system which, in essence, has its roots in all faiths, and particularly in the Quran which commands that disputes must be settled by arbitration or mediation, then my purpose in life would be complete.

Sadly, it is so difficult to get a response from the Madani government and policymakers and to even be issued with a reference number (nombor rujukan) for the letter sent by my team which I have raised in several articles. Is that the efficiency level of the government of the day?

It will be an added blessing for me if I can live to see that the Muslims here can achieve the distinction of making us a corrupt-free nation, a core command of the Quran, or at least make sure the legal industry is meritocratic and imbued with ethics, and not seen as a paradise for single-degree holders.

I hope one day to meet a Malay scholar from the bar, judiciary or academia who can match my string of qualifications, writings and skillset as set out in my CV before my demise.

None of these were secured as a full-time scholar in any university in the technical sense. Unlike the sciences, accounting and other disciplines, law qualifications are easy to get and can be done through home study.

I do not say any of this in arrogance.

The legal industry must have knowledge in law to uphold the law and the constitution in order to protect the interest of all Malaysians.

They must have the ability and the desire to charge the givers, aiders and abetters who have corrupted our Malay leaders over the last 40 or more years, weakened the economy and compromised social justice and the personal financial strength of every Malaysian.

It is not religion which can administer the country.

It is knowledge and skill which can make Malaysia a great nation, not forgetting that the compliance of faith by the respective persons is also important.

MIC veep says Indians won’t be ‘kingmakers’ in Pulai polls

MIC veep says Indians won’t be ‘kingmakers’ in Pulai polls

MIC vice president Datuk M. Asojan accepts a garland at the Indian Chamber of Commerce Building in Larkin, Johor Baru, on August 31, 2023. — Picture by Ben Tan

Thursday, 31 Aug 2023 9:45 PM MYT


JOHOR BARU, Aug 31 – Barisan Nasional (BN) component MIC does not expect the Indian community to be “kingmakers” in the Pulai parliamentary by-election in Johor next month, said party vice president Datuk M. Asojan.

He said one of the reasons was that it was a by-election and the Indian community in Pulai are mainly those from other states who work in Singapore.


Asojan said the number of Indian voters for the Pulai parliamentary constituency is significant at 12 per cent, involving 20,000 voters.

“The relevant composition, if we look at the voter turnout trend is around 60 per cent in last year’s Johor state election and 70 per cent in the recent 15th general election (GE15).


“In a by-election, normally a 60 per cent voter turnout is expected, where the targeted turn out for Indian voters will be at least 50 per cent.


“In this by-election many will not come out to vote as they believe that it will not influence the overall outcome,” he said after chairing a Johor Federation of Registered Indian Associations meeting at the Indian Chamber of Commerce Building in Larkin here today.

Asojan, a former Johor MIC chief, was commenting on whether Indian voters will determine the outcome in the Pulai parliamentary by-election.

The Pulai parliamentary constituency has a total of 167,108 voters. The Malays make up 44.17 per cent, Chinese 40.47 per cent and Indians 12.30 per cent.

The Simpang Jeram state constituency has a total of 28,193 voters, where the Malays are a majority with 53.42 per cent, followed by the Chinese at 43.32 per cent and Indians at 2.75 per cent.

On the coming two by-elections, Asojan said that the MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran had reminded the party’s machinery in Pulai and Simpang Jeram to support the PH-BN unity coalition candidate.

“This is MIC’s commitment to the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.

Earlier, Asojan said the Indian community, especially MIC members, had agreed to support the political cooperation forged with the unity government as they believed in the promises made by Anwar, who is also the Pakatan Harapan chairman.

He said that Anwar had gave him a year to look at the problems and issues involving the Indian community in this country.

“Anwar assured us that the problems and issues related to the Indian community would be addressed after the one-year period,” he said.