Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Malaysia 2011 | False prophet or seditious phony politician?
PM: Malays in peril if Pakatan rules
Malays and Muslims have no choice but to defend the current federal government as this is they only way the future of the Malay race and the dignity of Islam can be safeguarded, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
“There are those offering an alternative. The question that needs to be asked is: ‘Can they be better than the present administration?’
“Can they guarantee that the special position we enjoy now will not be eroded?” he said in a speech to two thousand Malaysia Islamic Missionary and Welfare Association (Pekida) members, in Shah Alam today.
Though Najib did not name the so-called alternative, it was clear that he was referring to Pakatan Rakyat in his jibe that followed.
“Even before they are in power they want to reduce the civil service by half… they want to change the flag, to pollute the sanctity of the Malay Rulers and question the policies that help Malays,” he said.
Najib stressed that there will BE no compromise on the special rights of the Malays as enshrined in the constitution.
“The non-Malays must not cuit (antagonise) the feelings of Malays. Don’t change what was already decided upon and discussed,” he said, during the ‘meet the PM’ session. - Malaysiakini
Malays and Muslims have no choice but to defend the current federal government as this is they only way the future of the Malay race and the dignity of Islam can be safeguarded, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
“There are those offering an alternative. The question that needs to be asked is: ‘Can they be better than the present administration?’
“Can they guarantee that the special position we enjoy now will not be eroded?” he said in a speech to two thousand Malaysia Islamic Missionary and Welfare Association (Pekida) members, in Shah Alam today.
Though Najib did not name the so-called alternative, it was clear that he was referring to Pakatan Rakyat in his jibe that followed.
“Even before they are in power they want to reduce the civil service by half… they want to change the flag, to pollute the sanctity of the Malay Rulers and question the policies that help Malays,” he said.
Najib stressed that there will BE no compromise on the special rights of the Malays as enshrined in the constitution.
“The non-Malays must not cuit (antagonise) the feelings of Malays. Don’t change what was already decided upon and discussed,” he said, during the ‘meet the PM’ session. - Malaysiakini
Mug Award for PM Najib
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- Reid Commission on 'special rights'
- Article 153
- Malaysia urged to fully probe Alstom allegations
- Malaysia's Corruption Perception Index
- Parliament of Malaysia
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Mohamed Rahmat | Confessions of a Spin Master
“I had to bring Malay loyalty back to Umno. And I had to raise a presumption that anybody who supported (Team B led by Tengku Razaleigh then) was not loyal. I went all out in this psychological warfare.”
“The Malays were numb to political arguments ... I needed something that penetrated the heart. I needed a song.”
Read MORE .........
Related Info
Sunday, November 27, 2011
2011 UMNO General Assembly Dec 1-3
"People who join the party are many but we want more party people who know the spirit, goals and interests of the party. This is what we want to instill in 3.4mil Umno members". PM Najib Razak
Of the thirty million Malaysians, less aliens and voting ghosts, UMNO has one tenth of the population. You would have thought their leaders fear the members but its the obverse.
But there's something many like of the AGM - the sideshows : varied delicacies that smitten the sick and this year it might be about the virtual space and UMNO warriors. They've had too many raids by Indonesian crackers on 1Malaysia site.
It should be eventful.
Perhaps we can hope the old Arab proverb might not catch the spirit of the participants:
“It is good to know the truth, but it is better to speak of palm trees.”
Related Info
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
SEA Games 2011 | Malaysia wins Football
Congratulations to our Malaysia SEA Games Soccer Team. We beat Indonesia 4-3 over a penalty kick. A win is a win. Our boys came back heroes and welcomed home with boisterous greetings. There aren't many wins Malaysia can celebrate but 1Malaysia can celebrate. We're good neighbors.
With all the flood in the last month or so Thailand still managed to come in second in their gold tally. We're fourth but it has just begun to flood in the North.
There's another kind of "football" Indonesia won over us. The labor issue of migrant Indonesian workers. Talks on freezing and unfreezing new workers saw no goal in the last 12 months or so. It's settled and now everyone's happy. Malaysian households are happy and the soccer teams are happy.
A good ending before the end of the year in sporting neighborly spirit.
Related Info
Remember Memali, you repressive bully!
The idea or notion about "Civil Rights" or rights just don't register with UMNO members of Parliament nor do they understand rights. Maybe they think people are like some cows for their "con doing" project.
Related Info
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
ISA | Remembering the Memali Tragedy
Memali:
A bloody struggle against ISA
A bloody struggle against ISA
It has been 26 years past since a sad, bloodied, dark historical spot and unforgetable event took place in Malaysia.
The nation then was led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad as PM while Tun Musa Hita, his deputy, was Minister of Internal Affairs. The event, dubbed "Tragedi Memali"[Memali Tragedy] took place in Kampung Memali, in a small district of Siong, Baling, Kedah.
Baling District is a special place for its numerous hitorical events that had taken place there, one of which was Rundingan Baling pada 1955 [1955 Baling Conference] between Persekutuan Tanah Melayu [Federation of Malaya] and Parti Komunis Malaya, PKM, [Malayan Communist Party.
The Demonstrasi Baling [Baling Demonstration] spurred by poverty issues happened there too.
As-Syahid Ibrahim Libya and 13 of followers were butchered by security forces equipped with automatic weapons and armoured vehicles.
The Malaysian Government sent 3,500 security forces men to confront Ibrahim Libya and followers together with Kampung Memali villagers.
At the time, the Malaysian Government justified the killings that Ibrahim Libya committed subversive acts and preached deviant Islamic teachings.
The charges were later varied - as-syahid[religious struggle] was purported to be subversive with intent to cause public disorder.
Who was Ibrahim Libya?
The late Ibrahim Libya was born in 1944 during the Japanese Occupation Of Malaya in Kampung Carok Putih nearby Kampung Memali.He was schooled by his father, a well peer respected man in Islamic and religious education in his village.
Ibrahim continued his Islamic studies in India, Egypt and Libya and on completion returned home in 1970.
He served in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO/JPM) as a preacher in Pusat Islam (Islamic Center). His religious talks accorded him popularity as a religious speaker and he became a regular over RTM1 [Radio Television Malaysia 1].
He then left JPM [PMO] and worked as a preacher with the Libyan Government. On completion of his services he reurned to his village, Kampung Memali.
A religious school, madrasah, was started for Ibrahim and he commenced thereon with his religious teaching. His competency soon earned him wide acclaim and he gave talks through the length and breadth of Kedah.
On joining PAS Ibrahim Libya stood for local parliamentary elections in 1978 in Bayu, a constituency in Baling District.
He obtained 5,081 votes against 6,169 of his BN opponent. In the subsequent election in the same consituency he contested again but lost.
The "Sins" of Ibrahim Libya
Ibrahim Libya posed a threat to "particular figures" worrried over his rising popularity. Left unchecked he could pose serious threats to them.According to Senator Yusuf Husin, whom this writer met several years back, Ibrahim Libya became a threat to the Government as his cogent speeches moved listeners for changes in national leadership.
Ibrahim Libya became a thorn in the side of Malaysian Government leaders and which prompted the call for his detention under Akta Keselamatan Negeri/ISA [Internal Security Act]. Had the ISA not been forced on Ibrahim Libya, he might have cooperated with the Authorities provided there was due process of law.
The Government's ISA stand drove Ibrahim resolute in his stand and he refused be coerced by draconian laws he regarded as an affront to human rights and values. His followers and his pupils stood similarly firm and solid to protect him.
Kampung Memali was surrounded by thousands of security forces to capture Ibrahim Libya and his followers.
On 19 November 1985 Ibrahim Libya and his followers were martyred as they fell from the assault by Malaysian security forces.
Amongst those alive today under detention included Yusuf Husin.
A symbol of struggle against the ISA.
Ibrahim Libya and 13 others who fell endure as symbols of unrelenting struggles against the ISA.On the 25th anniversary of the Memali tragedy, Ahmad Lutfi Othman in his editorial wrote:
"He (Read: Ibrahim Libya) fought against the ISA not in memoranda and demonstrations but by putting his life on the line. This is the most esteemed record in the struggle against ISA."
Aptly put Ahmad Lufti euologized Ibrahim Libya's and his followers' sacrifices in steadfastly refusing to be cowed and which symbolized Malaysian citizens unrelenting struggle against the ISA.
One day, if the ISA is abolished a muzium should commemorate these Memali martyrs to remind future generations that the ISA not only robs the freedom of thousands from due legal process. It does and extinguishes lives.
On a personal note I look upon the Memali Tragedy as unfinished bizness.
Unfinished Symphony |
The result of such investigation should be told to Malaysians and the culprits directly responsible in this merciless acts be properly tried in a court of law.
Twenty six years after this blood letting historical event, the tragedy of Memali should be remembered. Annually throughout the year visitors streamed into the place to see for themselves the remnants of events past that remind them of the Memali tragedy.
Such was the heroism of Ibrahim Libya and his 13 followers. Salute to those martyrs. Salute because they fought against ISA. And Salute to the brave kampung folks of Memali. +
Part 1
Part 2 | Part 3
(From the Malay by Amin Iskandar, Translation by Salak)
Amin Iskandar was awarded the "Intelektual Awam Asia" (Asia Public Intellectual) 2009-10 for his studies on monitoring general elections in the Philippines and Indonesia. Amin blogs at www.aminiskandar.net and tweets at www.twitter.com.
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Sunday, November 13, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
What's up Doc? Forgot your Nehru Jacket?
“Not all of those who opened their mouth were immediately detained under the ISA... and the perception that there was no freedom in Malaysia was also not correct”.
“Previously, they criticised Malaysia purportedly for being cruel, detaining people without trial, but they are the ones doing it now” - Mahathir Mohammad
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Warren Buffet | What to say, ah?!
What or who "would embody the qualities of prudence, justice, beneficence and self-command" ?
At the rate they're going, people in Dubai, will give away all their debts or redistribute them fairly!
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Friday, August 12, 2011
Apple | Problem ever since Adam was given one
Hu is the President of China. I don't mean who?
You know who is the President of Malaysia. And Obama is the President of America. But Hu is the President of China.
Najib is in a lot trouble now. Obama is in no less. But Hu is in trouble, too.
Najib will not make it again as PM. Obama is in doubt as Americans, like Malaysians, hurt and bleed because of "real values". He might have to meekly return the Nobel to Sweden. But what about Hu?
In a very democratic country like the US, Obama may lose his job. In a not so democratic country like Malaysia, Najib will lose his job. To his wife they say! Maybe we should have a woman as a President. But what about Hu?
It's not so nice for the people of China that after building up the trillions they found no bullions. That's tough. Sukarno used to say ..."Ganyang Malaysia!" So did the People's Republic of China ..."Ganyang America!" PM Najib cannot "Ganyang" anybody. Somebody is hiding his dentures. You wonder who's hiding Mahathir's dentures which need a big container ...like the Bakun Resorvoir, maybe.
But what would it be like if Hu should want to "ganyang" America? Maybe Hu is twice shy having bitten America?
So how would Obama solve America's problem? Maybe follow ancient China's example...build The Great Wall of America. You could employ lots of Americans that way. They did that in China centuries ago. Isn't it strange that the Japanese didn't think about that for the Tsunami? Maybe now they might just do that.
But what about Malaysia? What similar thing could we do? There is a need for Malaysia, too. We could build a bridge to Australia. We could build a speed train, then sell all the refugees to Australia. Couldn't we? Or could we?
Mankind's problems have always been one thing ...ever since a woman gave Adam the apple.
With so many Apples in everybody's clasp, it seems, still, to be the people of China's problem, too!
Related Info
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Walla !!! | SPR created a human voter from a village name
The name of the new voter (NAMA) is officially stated by SPR as "KG BARU". The location "it" will vote is Terangganu.
What idiots (or "Babis") do we pay for in SPR?
The likes of this, its Chairman?
SPR Chairman, Aziz
The ills of this country are dumped on reforms minded citizens and the opposition. The transgression of its institutions are done by the likes of of this act by these people (Babi) whom they shower with incredible awards but can't tell his right hand from his butt.
Babi punya pasal, Sapi punya nama!
Dont break your fast. Just stay fast to the reforms you decided we must reinstitute!
Parliament should reconvene and debate this serious matter right away and declare rectifications and institute whatever is decently necessary for the Election Laws!
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- EC registers voter named 'Kg Baru'
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- Muara Tuang: EC Aziz commits breach
- EC rapped for bias
- 2:00pm Muara Tuang incumbent Ali Mahmud (brother to Taib Mahmud) did not submit his returns for the previous election.
- SPR cipta sejarah (SPR makes history)
- More incidents reported
Monday, August 8, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The Flip Side of "Roti Bakar"
Forget the Sunni - Shia divide or the Sufi.
It would be interesting to see what JAKIM would do if you live in the Polar regions.
As for the butter halal issue, I thought Golden Churn is halal. They have to prove it's not. It's not good enough to say it's in "doubt". It's their job to clear the "doubt".
Or is it their job to perpetuate "doubt"?
The Johor Coffee maker who used lard should be sent to hell, not deprive honest Muslims the opportunity to make a decent living in the cakes for the forthcoming festivities of Ramadhan. And he can take that JAKIM officer with him.Coffee beans should not be prepared with lard or butter but toasted ... with the right heat and temperature to give the desired flavor of coffee you can pay. You can pay through the roof to get at the 2,000 or so chemicals buried in those seeds. Or you can roast your own with some very heavy metal pot or kuali and get your desired result.
What if instead of paying money for services you cannot get, we legislate that all food makers declare the "porcine" elements on their products? That would teach us to be honest in bizness and life generally. We have now gone to the extent of blaming butter for our bread.
Don't tell me JAKIM doesn't agree with that? Or do they?But people will say ... ah ... but what will happen to the Halal Hub? I don't care what will happen to hubba-hubba halal hub. Have they given up creativity and innovation under pretence? Can you bring yourself to indecently give up?
What if the Johor Coffee maker had used margarine? Would that jeopardize the whole world production of palm oil?
Related Info
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Golden Churn | Which side is your bread buttered?
"Golden Churn" is a reputable "butter" brand and by reputation has set high standards. The "butter" has been around for the last 6 or so decades enthralling Malaysians in the countless ways it has been used for food - cakes and all and your faithful toasted bread!
In Malaysia we set very high standards and for JAKIM, it's higher! The Johore JAKIM people in the zeal to protect Muslims have jacked up the expectations for Ramadhan during when and building up to Hari Raya Ai'dil Fitri all kinds of delicacies are made with butter as an ingredient.
In May, 2011, JAKIM JOHORE declared "Golden Churn", the Australian butter, not "halal" as it was found to be contaminated with "babi" DNA (porcine). Information on the how and why is scarce. Problem, isn't it? You can't butter your bread on the usual side with Golden Churn if its your favourite.
Is JAKIM churning something?
However, JAKIM (National) have come out with a verbal statement and told TV 9, it was only for specific consignment of the product that was contaminated in Johore. Nothing in print so far has been seen.
With so much radio-active materials mined in Australia, I would be quite concerned if my butter is contaminated that way. But it seems they have buttered up Gebeng, Pahang where PM Najib was born.
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- Roti Bakar
- Halal
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
BERSIH | PANIC IN BN? | arrest warrants for Anwar and Pak Samad
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
"BREHSI" was Loud but Economist was gagged
When will the Malaysian Home Affairs Minister ever realise that if a subscriber of the Economist is to see "blackouts" on any page of his copy he will be able to find out the truth of what's censored? Nowadays? This day and age? Or at all? A reader of the Economist?
The Malaysian subscriber copy Of the Economist
(from Tian Chua's pix page)
Perhaps, the Economist will be even more demanded now in Malaysia.
You can read the FULL article here - http://www.economist.com/node/18959359
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Monday, July 18, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
BERSIH | So where are we?
I guess it's a misty morning and we had gone out on a journey and right before us is a Yellow Wood:
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Frost
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Wealth, Wits and Warts | Only the Rakyat rules
Pride and prejudice
When you're wealthy you can afford warts with some wit!
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Footwear | The best I've known
Best Colonial Brit shoes we've worn, Barrets!
What I wear now
A friend came back from London and brought me back a pair a couple of years ago ... of Barrets! He sure shoed in my memories back. They're somewhere in the Ulu now. My kid took them off. God knows why he need shoes in the Ulu.
These would do the job nicely. When the inflation rates gets released, anytime now, they would be attractive alternatives.
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
BERSIH | Calls for Police Chief and Deputy to resign
PAS wants duo on trial, info cascade by rally goers
Harakahdaily
KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 11: PAS has condemned the brutality which accompanied the crackdown on Bersih protesters last Saturday, and urge Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar and his deputy Khalid Abu Bakar (pics right) to resign and face a tribunal.
“With so many images and video clips shown, the devious statement from the IGP and his deputy alleging that the police were assaulted and provoked forcing them to act only serves to expose their own lies.
"PAS strongly condemns the police’s barbaric actions which also caused the death of Baharudin Ahmad and injured dozens of people. Hundreds had been kicked, beaten and dragged into trucks, showing a very disgusting side of the security personnel,” said PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in a statement today.
The massive rally which attracted some 50,000 people at several locations in the city centre was attacked by thousands of police who released tear gas, with hundreds of video clips making their way online showing police brutality on peaceful protesters.
Hours after the protest, a visibly shocked Ismail quickly downplayed the rally, claiming only 5,000 to 6,000 people had attended. Based on such a claim, it would mean, albeit incredulously, that for any group of four people, one was arrested.
Information cascading
Tuan Ibrahim, who was among the thousands at the rally, stressed that Bersih participants were peaceful unlike the government propaganda in the run up to the July 9 rally.
The Pahang PAS commissioner urged said those who attended the rally should spread information about the rally and share their experience to friends and families to counter UMNO's divide and rule tactic.
“If each of the 50,000 people spreads their experience of (joining) Bersih to ten persons, we will have 500,000 who will know and feel. This 500,000, if each of them share to five, then 2.5 million Malaysians who couldn’t be with us on that day can be part of the feeling of being a united Malaysia.
"We will then realise that the attempt to portray that Malaysians were divided is just a ploy of UMN and Barisan Nasional to stay in power,” explained Tuan Ibrahim.
Tuan Ibrahim was however quick to remind his earlier caution to Pakatan Rakyat parties not to take for granted the massive turnout in support of Bersih.
“The people support Bersih 2.0 solely to make sure their votes are not offset illegally by phantom voters or unverified postal votes, as well as to ensure they are allowed to make an informed decision," he stressed.
“The people who supported Bersih 2.0 will not vote for us if we perform poorly and failed to instil confidence in our ability to govern," he warned.
On the death of Baharudin Ahmad, he offered the Islamic party's condolences to the family.
“We hope that this tragedy will further ignite the rise of the people to change this tyranical government,” he added. - en.harakahdaily.net
Related Info
Monday, July 11, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
BERSIH 9/7 | Hii arrested for "Bersih arrested! Kotor OK" !
Sarawakian Hii arrested
He was arrested. For carrying cards bearing the words - "Bersih, Kotor?"
UPDATE - visuals by Aljazeera
UPDATE - visuals by Malayisakini
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Saturday, July 2, 2011
BERSIH | Weaknesses that jeopardise Malaysia democracy
- “…All mainstream media are directly controlled by either the government, such as Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM), or by companies that have a close link with the BN’s top leadership, such as Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, TV3, and Ntv7. Their relationships with leadership make them favourable to the ruling BN…” - Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani (2009) ‘The Emergence of new politics in Malaysia – from consociational to deliberative democracy.’ Taiwan Journal of Democracy, Vol. 5, No. 2: 97-125
- “…We have demonstrated how the Barisan Nasional has managed to perpetuate its rule through various forms of electoral manipulation and administrative repressions. On one hand, its initial electoral strengths have been entrenched through control of franchise, alternation of international and administrative boundaries, malapportionment and gerrymandering of electoral constituencies, controlled electoral campaigns and polling irregularities. On the other hand, political opposition is disempowered with infringement of civil and political liberties, extensive patronage networks and abuse of federal apparatus to suppress intergovernmental competition. The opposition state governments are discriminated against and in some cases overthrown through direct federal intervention, while the local elections which the ruling coalition had largely failed to win were outright terminated since 1965…” - Wong, Chin-Huat, Chin, James and Othman, Norani (2010), ‘Malaysia – towards a topology of an electoral one-party state’, Democratization, 17: 5, 920- 949
- “…Malaysia has institutionalised a semi-democratic political system. It does engage in elections, which provide for free choices, and the opposition has won seats. Yet the contest is not a fair one, given state dominance of the media, bias in government funding toward the incumbent BN, continuing electoral irregularities, and constituencies that are constructed to favour BN…” - Welsh, Bridget (2007) ‘Malaysia at 50: Midlife Crisis Ahead?’ Current History pp.106, 699
- “…In Malaysia, elections are not fair since basic political rights and civil liberties are restricted. Limitations to press freedom and to the right to associate and assemble, malapportionment, gerrymandering, and the financial advantages of the ruling parties are testimony to the systematic violation of fairness principles…” - Ufen, Andreas (2009)
- ‘The transformation of political party opposition in Malaysia and its implications for the electoral authoritarian regime’. - Democratization, 16:3, 604-627
- “..On average in eleven general elections in Malaysia, the opposition wins 45 percent of the votes, but due to the limits on the opposition within the electoral system, through gerrymandering, malapportionment and the impact of a first-past-the post system, and constraints on political organization for the opposition, holds less than 15 percent of the seats in parliament. In the 2004 election the BN won 63.4 percent of the popular vote, but won 91 percent of the overall seats…” - Welsh, Bridget, Suffian, Ibrahim & Aeria, Andrew (2007) ‘Malaysia country report.’ Asian Barometer
- “The Malaysian electoral system . . . [has been] so heavily loaded in favour of the government that it is hard to imagine that [it] . . . could be defeated in an election.” - Crouch, Harold (1996) Malaysian Government: Authoritarian Repression and Democratic Responsiveness. Ithaca: Cornell University Press
- “…Further, these iterative electoral victories have extended some legitimating cover for the government’s often sly legislation, habitual amendments to the constitution, manipulation of standing orders and question time, and elevation of loyalists to the largely ceremonial upper house. In sum, while the government can claim that Malaysia holds the longest unbroken record of elections in the region, it has not been established competitively. As Tun Razak noted in 1971: “So long as the form is preserved, the substance can be changed to suit conditions of a particular country…” - Case, William (1996) ‘Can the “Halfway House’ stand? Semi-democracy and elite theory in three Southeast Asian countries’. Comparative Politics, Vol. 28, No.4, pp.437-464
- “…Thus, the electoral system contained built-in advantages for the Malay community. There was no realistic possibility of a non-bumiputra party’s or coalition’s “going it alone” and winning an election. The only way for Chinese and Indian politicians to participate in government was by allying themselves with Malays, inevitably as junior partners. In practice, only two types of government could emerge from elections: an all-Malay government or a Malay dominated coalition…” - Crouch, Harold (1996) Government and Society in Malaysia. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen and Unwin Australia
- “…A further package of factors working in Umno’s favour included an electoral redistribution, changes to electoral laws, and a ‘cleansing’ of the electoral roll. An electoral redistribution carried out by the Election Commission (EC) added 26 seats to parliament, most in areas favourable to Umno in the south (Johor from 20 to 26, Selangor 17 to 22), and Sabah (20 to 25). The northern states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah had no additions. Furthermore, several seats in Kedah won by PAS in 1999 were reorganised with a higher proportion of non-Malay voters, making a repeat PAS victory unlikely.
- “…Traditionally, not issues but the ‘three Ms’ – media, money and machinery – are the key determinants of Malaysian elections. (It used to be the ‘four Ms’, before Mahathir retired.) The BN controls all television and radio stations, and all major newspapers, either through its control of government or party ownership. It uses this control to sell the virtues of the BN, and denigrate the opposition. An independent voice does exist in the form of the online newspaper Malaysiakini. Some opposition parties and NGOs also have their own publications on the internet and/or in hard copy. But such publications cannot reach a large audience.
- “…The most controversial aspect of the 2004 election campaign was its management by the EC. The elections were the most disorganised and contested ever. In some cases this may simply have reflected incompetence, but EC activities frequently provided direct benefits to the BN, as they had in the revisions of electoral boundaries and membership of the electoral roll.
In the face of very broad concern over EC activities its chairman proposed an independent inquiry into EC conduct. Prime Minister Abdullah quickly rejected this, telling the EC to conduct its own internal inquiry…” - Funston, J. (2006) ‘The Malay Electorate in 2004: Reversing the 1999 Result?’, in Saw Swee-Hock and K. Kesavapany (ed.), Malaysia: Recent Trends and Challenges, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore, p. 313
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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Live "bersih" !
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
Talk it! Walk it!
Live 'bersih'!
It's our
SOVEREIGN
Right!
Live 'bersih'!
It's our
SOVEREIGN
Right!
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
bersih
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Yanks are coming | English for Malaysians | Ain't that dumb?
The Yanks are coming! To teach us English!?
300 of them! And they're Fullbright scholars! We might as well get more from the London School of Economics! We might be better off with colorful Gaddafi headgears.
What we need is for Malaysians to learn to speak Bahasa Malaysia better. One of Malaysia's top cops, last night over TV, Mohd Bakri Zinin, could not string a decent sentence without "Apa ini?" and "Apa itu?" which really means that for every 100 words uttered perhaps 30% were "Apa nama?" "Apa itu?" or "Apa dah?"
Sure I write in English. You just haven't heard my Bahasa that's all. I'm just trying to translate (for myself) Samad Sa'id's BERSIH poem into English. I'll make someone very happy! :)
You can try your English on this :
Unggun-bersih
Semakin lara kita didera bara -
kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:
Demokrasi sebenderang mentari
sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri.
Lama resah kita - demokrasi luka;
lama duka kita - demokrasi lara.
Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;
suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami!
Dua abad lalu Sam Adams berseru:
(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):
Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,
diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu.
Kini menyalalah unggun sakti itu;
kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu.
"Unggun" is embers or as the current mood would like it, it's sparks! And they're flying!
I resent that line -
"Demokrasi yang angkuh ..."
Is there "arrogance" in Democracy? For being "angkuh" is really sombong. The "sombong" people are the PBB and UMNO people. They're not only "sombong" but "bodoh sombong "! Because according to one, Zam, we have "erection" every 5 years!
But as Samad would have it ... some Malaysians, in ignorance or arrogance, are decrying and denying democracy that they blah blah over RTM, with dishonesty and hypocrisy glistening from Rais' bald forehead!
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Monday, June 27, 2011
BERSIH | Rapping Dishonesty - Kotor Quotes of the DAy
“ It seems like the organisers for the July 9 rally are perhaps desperate, and they think this is their time to shake up the peace, create commotion and seize power. People who are sane, have families, educated, who have businesses and have other interests, should rise against this evil and unlawful rally.The police said yesterday they were probing attempts by Bersih activists to revive communism, and are investigating 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jayakumar, for “waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.” - Datuk Seri Utama Rais Yatem
What would kampung people say? If they knew Rais Yatem, is a right honorable King's College scholar? Or was it the The London School of Economics who tutored Gaddafi and his sons?
If Rais balik kampung, wonder what welcome he might get from decent kampung folks!
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BERSIH | Will it turn Kotor?
They say, Bersih might turn Kotor! That UMNO and BN party members are at their wits to answer citizen discontent over how inadequate governance is on the conduct of general elections in the country. Their knee jerk response so far from all the threats of arrest and bans is nothing less than Kotor!
But, all that we want to do is to create awareness in order to govern ourselves. The Deputy Inspector General of Police last night over RTM 2 gave me the impression, there might really be nasty incidents. You figure!
Our PM must be protected by all means. He should not leave home without his helmet! ;)
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Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Economy | How not to make Malaysians slaves
Not difficult. You don't need any whips to crack or irons to chain them in. Just reduce budget deficits. Then the rich will be masters like they used to be and still want to be.
But will a run-away deficit kill everyone? It should with trending in present day government, the BN being the rule rather than the exception. It's the only government we've ever known federally. You can blame Pakatan next.
When you cut deficits, those that die first will be the bottom 5%. Those that escape the tax brackets die from scarcity and rocketing prices. They'll die when their health deteriorates and of course with zero finance, their lives will be in care, least. Do you think the rich would like it? Some wouldn't know whether it's likeable. Some would actually hate it whether their assets dwindle. While some others would just run away, only to find it'll be no different if they can tell in relative proportions.
So what's the big deal? So when have we stopped finding answers? Or more questions? It's one thing to save and another to spend wisely all in pursuit of real sovereignty - here or thereafter.
More at ...
The US Debts is now some 351% (incl liabilities) of GDP and they may not be about to go bust! The Japanese had at one time or another, maybe worst now, some 200% debts. Let's see how things will pan out.
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Saturday, June 4, 2011
Ani Arope | "EPU is Economic Plundering Unit"
The few Malaysians who really deserves his Tan Sri, Ani Arope said no to Mahathir and he was sacked from Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the national utility company now in the spotlight for the wrong reasons though right for cronies.
At the heart of the matter is the present dilemma on IPP and the power subsidies whose real beneficiaries are the wealthy political cronies.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Balik Kampung III | When chickens cross the road
I tell you, it's a long time since I heard a rooster crowed at the break of dawn.
There is a lot of argument on the Printing Press laws and the ISA and messages of democratization get waylaid. Big change is happening with DAP. They want to reach out to Malay voters, not to sell them pork which even some or more than some Chinese now don't eat, but to plead on rethinking views about how Malaysia can move on and prosper.
Perhaps the Chinese Press and broadsheets can do national duty by having a Bahasa Malaysia section. When these eventually gets used as grocery wrappers, the kampung folks could at least read them. Of course, among the Chinese Press, some are more Malay than Chinese. But it's really the damn printing press laws that essentially have stiffled community education in what newsprint can do.
Did you hear a rooster crow? I just did. Even in broad light in Kuching City. Must hear another at dawn someday.
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
No Bandwidth ! No Shit !
No! I don't have have it, Not now. It was liberated from me by some friend before I could read it. And now he doesn't have it.
Our neighbor has got it catalogued.
Shit / oleh Shahnon Ahmad
Bib ID 2981180
Format Book
Author Shahnon Ahmad, 1933-
Edition Cet. 1.
Description Kelantan Darul Naim : Pustaka Reka, 1999.
vii, 240 p. ; 21 cm.
Notes Novel. In Malay.
Available From Library of Congress -- Jakarta Field Office
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Sunday, May 15, 2011
No kidding ! Ini Nasi!
Don't bite the hand that needs you?!
Real nasi here. Not basi ! Not "Dagang" but home cooked, too!
"Nasi Padang" might be cheaper and hotter, if you swam across the Straits.Related Info
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Utusan Malaysia | Freely pandered, indecent, irresponsible, irrefutably and irredeemably obscene.
Malaysian Journalists meekly went to view porn openly when invited by UMNO politicians. Nothing happened. They should have surrendered themselve to the Police. None did.
The Malaysian Government regulates newspapers by the legislation they put up years ago, called the Media and the Printing Press Act. Newspapers need a licence to operate and the decision rests with the Minister of Home Affairs. Here lies the problem.
Malaysians broadly regard all the licensed Newspapers as cronies of the Establishment and those who are not, don't get to do the bizness of selling news and newspapers. In broader terms, there's political and economic repression. Those that reported the transgressions of the authorities are immediately deregistered and banned.
Broadsheets like Utusan Malaysia are legally licensed for the bizness but since the Government censors news incriminating them Utusan has loyally taken the cue and wantonly published news incriminating the Oppositiom and anything else by public notions of indecency.
In a free society you publish and you be damned. But since Malaysia isn't Utusan gets away with murder and more public indecency.
This scaremongering "news", the rumor about Malaysian Chinese who have only 40 seats in the 220 seats in Parliament but will take over Parliament is pure dung. Further, conditionally, when they do they'll change the "official" religion of the country and use Christianity instead which is of course more dung.
Are the Directors of Utusan wrong in law? Substantially not! Why? It's generally not illegal if on April Fools day, you publish news that the Moon has fallen on Pulau Babi. Why should you read pure dung? And why should you pay for it, too?
There's a difficult catch here. The Ministry of Home Affairs stops and bans "other Malaysian" from publishing the truth or some truths, not to say nonsense which those other papers banned and deregistered in the past, did not do all. So The Minister sits on his job literally acting like, despite his honorifics, really a less savoury character.
In this case, technically, Utusan has done nothing wrong publishing rubbish. The trouble is people are still buying them because the Minister says you have no choice. In a healthy and free society, you would "bungkus tikar" or go bust as no one would buy your dung. I would defend Utusan to go bust. Or I would buy them at 1.5 % of net asset value. It's their right to commit harakiri. But since publication in Malaysia is not so varied, choices are there though not any different than Utusan. Worst still they are controlled in equities or some other means by BN Government cronies.
So the Minister of Home Affairs commands the Utusan, by law, to publish rubbish legally. That's a groundbreaking thing, though. It must be one of those "transformation" projects of the Prime Minister. He must have more of where that comes from.
Can you drag the Malaysian Government to Court? No. But you can punish this government at this coming general elections. You have all the reasons to.
It's quite simple really. As for Utusan, I have some use for it - free, as disposable wrapping for my cat's shit.
Related Info
The Malaysian Government regulates newspapers by the legislation they put up years ago, called the Media and the Printing Press Act. Newspapers need a licence to operate and the decision rests with the Minister of Home Affairs. Here lies the problem.
Malaysians broadly regard all the licensed Newspapers as cronies of the Establishment and those who are not, don't get to do the bizness of selling news and newspapers. In broader terms, there's political and economic repression. Those that reported the transgressions of the authorities are immediately deregistered and banned.
Broadsheets like Utusan Malaysia are legally licensed for the bizness but since the Government censors news incriminating them Utusan has loyally taken the cue and wantonly published news incriminating the Oppositiom and anything else by public notions of indecency.In a free society you publish and you be damned. But since Malaysia isn't Utusan gets away with murder and more public indecency.
This scaremongering "news", the rumor about Malaysian Chinese who have only 40 seats in the 220 seats in Parliament but will take over Parliament is pure dung. Further, conditionally, when they do they'll change the "official" religion of the country and use Christianity instead which is of course more dung.
Are the Directors of Utusan wrong in law? Substantially not! Why? It's generally not illegal if on April Fools day, you publish news that the Moon has fallen on Pulau Babi. Why should you read pure dung? And why should you pay for it, too?
There's a difficult catch here. The Ministry of Home Affairs stops and bans "other Malaysian" from publishing the truth or some truths, not to say nonsense which those other papers banned and deregistered in the past, did not do all. So The Minister sits on his job literally acting like, despite his honorifics, really a less savoury character.
In this case, technically, Utusan has done nothing wrong publishing rubbish. The trouble is people are still buying them because the Minister says you have no choice. In a healthy and free society, you would "bungkus tikar" or go bust as no one would buy your dung. I would defend Utusan to go bust. Or I would buy them at 1.5 % of net asset value. It's their right to commit harakiri. But since publication in Malaysia is not so varied, choices are there though not any different than Utusan. Worst still they are controlled in equities or some other means by BN Government cronies.
So the Minister of Home Affairs commands the Utusan, by law, to publish rubbish legally. That's a groundbreaking thing, though. It must be one of those "transformation" projects of the Prime Minister. He must have more of where that comes from.
Can you drag the Malaysian Government to Court? No. But you can punish this government at this coming general elections. You have all the reasons to.
It's quite simple really. As for Utusan, I have some use for it - free, as disposable wrapping for my cat's shit.
Related Info
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