dearest friends,
happy deepavali, first and foremost :D
my deepest apologies for the extended absence! finally, as my hits just past 1,000, i’ve gotten enough of my act together to launch the new home for this blog :)
i’ve had a truly wonderful time here. my first blogging adventure has been deeply gratifying, and a tremendously rich learning process. i believe that writing is one of the only ways to really know what one’s own thoughts are. and i usually don’t know exactly what’s going to come out until i actually start typing stuff.
thank you beloved readers (and wordpress.com) for giving me that chance and space – it’s made a huge difference! (oh, and me and wp have since gotten very intimate :P :)
come visit my writing’s new (wp powered) home! – www.jelas.info
alritey then y’all, see you there i hope :) so long and thanks for all the fish!! :D
Dearest friends,
Firstly, a real big thank you to whoever you are for reading this. An even bigger thank you if you’ve been coming to this site for a while :)
By way of background, I started this blog to see what would come out if I started writing about things I cared about. You’ve helped me gain some very precious insight.
Perhaps in a fit of arrogance, I think the time has come to take this a little more seriously. By that I mean getting my own site/domain, and doing it up properly. Hopefully then – and if I can attain some standards of content quality – I’d like to plant my own little flag in the Malaysian blogosphere and try to leave a teeny weeny mark in the development of our beloved home.
Anyway, blablablas aside, what that means is that I will probably have to take a break to concentrate on building said site. There’s a whoooole lotta ground to cover, as I’m sadly really not as tech savvy as I wish I were.
Learning all this is inconsistent with spending the time I have daily in writing, so not being the best multi-tasker in the world when it comes to concentrating on big projects, I probably can’t both write and learn web publishing at the same time :(
But! I plan to be back!! (famous last words eh? :) And I’ll be sure to leave a post here saying where I can be ‘found.’ Please feel free to leave an e-mail address if you’d like to be informed via that medium :)
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In the off chance there’s a Malaysian-based net-savvy techie out there with a lotta time on his hands, and a shares a vision with this blog, I’d REALLY appreciate any help :) I’ve actually also got a few other web projects that could benefit immeasurably from some high quality tech support – that’s basically what’s keeping many ideas of mine from getting off the ground.
Anyway, please do get in touch. For now, I can be reached at n at deepthought dot org (yah, just n@, gettit? hehe)
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Lastly, I’d LOVE to hear any feedback you might have on my humble 3 weeks of work. What would you like to see less of? more of? What are you dis/satisfied with? What direction would you like to see this blog go? All comments extremely welcome :)
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Ok then folks, thank you SO much once again :) My warmest wishes to you over this hiatus period. Wish me luck in getting the site running, and I’ll be sure to be in touch. Happy Merdeka!
Much has been said today, maybe I’ll only add this (hopefully not duplicating anyone).
Looked at one way, Merdeka can be thought to be a rather colonial-centric celebration, much the academic discipline of post-colonialism.
Granted, born over 20 years after the fact, I am in quite a position to take for granted the freedoms that came with independence. With that caveat, I’d say that perhaps there are other – at least equally important – things to focus on, today and every day, with regards to defining moments of Malaysia.
First of all, a forum participant recently made a brilliant comment: “Sarawak and Sabah didn’t join Malaysia, we MADE Malaysia.” All too true :) so let’s not forget that fateful juncture as well.
A less comfortable source – Gen-M, the latest grassroots support for TDM’s cause – lends us another useful axiom: perjuangan belum tamat – the struggle is not over.
So alongside glorifying the day we threw off the yoke of our oppressors and all that, let’s take a moment to remember the things that continue to oppress us: corruption, racism, abuse of power, repression, poverty and unequal wealth distribution, ignorance.. the list goes on. All things I’d like to try and continue writing on.
These many things continue to subjugate Malaysia and all Malaysians, the only difference between these tyrannies and the evil colonials is the “white man.” At the end of the day I believe there is no real Independence without freedom from these afflictions.
The struggle is not yet over, but neither – I’d like to believe – is our fighting spirit. Hidup rakyat!
hi all :) hope you’re enjoying this big day for malaysia..
may be a big (oklah, medium) day for this blog.. i will probably try to spend a bunch of time working on technical issues, so may be ‘down’ for a while. kindly bear with..
i will be sure to provide you with an update soon, as well as probably share a few teeny weeny merdeka thoughts and all :)
thanks, and happy holidays! :)
Pak Lah has a heard before call for unity.
Also, I heard twice today on the radio Pak Lah’s comments on ‘Sejenak Bersama Pak Lah’ (which I must say has a lovely jingle). Sadly, it went on and on about how precarious our situation was, and how we must never talk about ethnicity, religion, etc etc..
Pak Lah calls them really big problems, but defies logic when he says they must thus be swept under the carpet. May work for a little while, but I’m pretty darn sure our children will really suffer for it. I’d say I already suffer for it.
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Well, maybe we’ll have to look overseas for intelligent discourse? :( Blogger YB Lim Kit Siang points to a pretty good article in the Int’l Herald Tribune concerning a secular vs religious state in Malaysia.
Have a read for full content.
I learnt some things I didn’t know before: Negeri Sembilan is apparently the only state that ‘allows’ apostasy, and (according to lawyer Zulkifli Noordin) 18 people have managed to officially leave Islam in Malaysia.
I would love to know more about these things.
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Back to the matter of free speech, Jeff Ooi posts today on the outcome of his run-in with writer P. Gunasegaram and Nexnews; there’s additional commentary regarding freedom of speech on the internet too, which sparked quite a debate. theSun, which is owned and run by Nexnews, publishes a somewhat disappointing frontpager.
Nonetheless, Jeff appears to be taking the relatively higher ground.
In the post which published the ‘offending’ commenter’s apology, I commented the following:
Dear IImran,
I just wanted to say well done for writing that e-mail. You’ve probably really helped strengthen Jeff’s position in all of this.
Also, you’ve provided an excellent example in the art of appologising. It’s painfully and frustratingly baffling why politicians simply cannot get the hang of it (see Jerlun).
If we say something that’s taken the wrong way, what’s wrong with appologizing? Is the word ‘sorry’ so ridiculously humiliating?
People might say that an ‘unreserved appology’ lessens your credibility – I want to state strongly that it has increased your credibility in my eyes, and further encouraged me to take your opinions as that of a sincere and honorable person.
(that said, I think TDM has had a really realllly sketchy pastlah, heh… but true enough, the Pak Lah administration ain’t doing a whole lot better).
Anyway, that’s besides the point :) just wanted to say good job! I think you’ve set a good example that will do a lot for us in the online community :)
Three policemen have been suspended indefinitely for the video recorded beatings at the Putra Heights police station.
This move is a welcome sign that the police are serious about cleaning up their force. I hope they see that these efforts can exist side by side with, rather than in lieu of the IPCMC.
Also, if this is the effect a video recording has – why not install more CCTV’s in police stations?
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The lady in the nude squat case, meanwhile, has filed a RM250,000 suit against the government.
Again, the lack of an IPCMC would expose the police to innumerably more suits and more importantly, episodes that give rise to such suits.
Some quick notes on parliament.
The PM and DPM order a hush-hush on the Customs-Parliamentarians spat. I appreciate them trying to bring order to this out of control feud, but asking people to shut up (altogether too common a practice these days), doesn’t seem all that convincing a way to menangani the situation?
Chief instigator, Jasin MP YB Datuk Mohd Said obliges, however, and promises not to bring it up any more.
Opposition leader YB Lim Kit Siang weighs in from cyberspace.
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The FTA with America is rousingly defended in parliament, but I’m still a little hesitant. More on this later, I hope.
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Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor gets all defensive about his suggestion to keep nightspots open later:
“I was merely conveying the recommendation made by tour operators. It was not my own recommendation. I did not specify nightclub operators. I asked whether entrepreneurs in our country, specifically those located in certain areas where nightspots and shopping complexes are located, could be allowed to operate beyond the closing time of 10pm,” he explained.
Less than inspiring words for a Minister. Clarifications are ok, but I can’t help but feel that this is being evasive and trying to shift blame? Maybe it’s just me.
Today’s big news is of course the RM10b to be spent on the LRT. I confess to not currently being in the best position to analyze and comment on projects like these, but I do hope it really improves public transport and weans us off our dependence on cars and petrol.
Worth highlighting: theSun carries an article about organizations of disabled peoples calling for more attention to be placed on their needs when designing and planning public transport systems. I couldn’t agree more.
Also, RapidKL apparently gets good marks from commuters.
I understand the new lines are planned to go nearer my house in Taman Tun – if that comes to pass, woo hoo! Always wondered why Damansara – such a densely populated area – had so few train stations nearby.
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Consumerism activist Datuk Dr Anwar Fazal says civil society can be a superpower influence in governmental decision making. I hope he’s right!
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Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop advises the rakyat not to take money out of EPF. Fair enough, but I’d take this advice a lot more seriously if it wasn’t coming from someone so closely involved in the ’97-’98 financial crisis.
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Singer Jamal Abdillah reaches out to patients at a drug rehabilitation center. Himself a recovering drug addict, he took time to share experiences and sing a few songs in the hopes of inspiring hope. Never heard of him, but well done!
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While LRT’s are planned, expect an increase in tolls :P The NST is more vague, whereas the Star seems to have more details on this.
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The government’s latest effort to deal with low cost housing is ‘core homes,’ simple one room buildings where extra land is allotted for extensions can be made as the resident’s developing financial abilities allow. Negeri Sembilan will see the pilot projects launched. I’m no expert on these things, but I hope this initiative bodes well.
In today’s NST:
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Malaysians should learn about both good and bad events in the country’s past to understand the proper context of why the events happened, and why certain decisions were made.
I couldn’t agree more DS. I’m not sure we would agree as to the reasons behind every decision, but if what you’re promoting is a culture of greater openness about the checkered history of our beloved country, aku sokong.
In the same paper however, MP YB Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) says that our history books do not reflect the nation’s past accurately enough, basically saying that non-Malay historical personalities were not given enough attention.
Parliamentary secretary for the Min. of Education P Komala Devi’s excuse for things being left out was not encouraging:
“Research showed that students were not interested in history, they had difficulty understanding facts and were only memorising information without appreciating the subject. We decided to consolidate the facts to make the subject less boring,” she said.
That’s because of the way you test them (trust me, I remember), not because of the content. I have this feeling that if you let all the truths out, the last thing Malaysian history will seem is boring. Why would students enjoy history if they don’t somehow feel a part of it?
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On the issue of history, Pas has some very interesting things to say about the Communist party and its role in gaining independence – praising Chin Peng for fighting the Japanese, sleeping under the stars and such. I wonder why they happen to be bringing this up. Looking for Chinese votes? Some more sincere motivation?
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Higher Education Min Datuk Mustapa Mohamed has quite a bit to say about student loans. Apparently the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has been administered in a fashion that has become increasingly unsustainable.
But despair not, the Star alone (no surprise) also covers an MCA initiative to make available interest free loans to early school leavers for courses in technical and vocational courses. Credit where credit is due: can’t be bad.
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Gerakan Kuala Lumpur chairperson Dr Tan Kee Kwong submitted a memorandum to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. malaysiakini reports that he requests that DBP
“remove the words keling and cinabeng from the next edition of ‘Kamus Dewan’ or amend their definition to avoid misleading users”
Meanwhile, Education Min DS Hishammuddin prepares to table a memorandum, also involving the DBP, promoting the use of BM.
I wish I spoke and wrote better BM. English is super-useful and I’m thankful for my ability with it, don’t get me wrong; just that it’s good to have a linguistic identity separate from one essentially formed in the aftermath of hegemony.
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Quick point to a good article on autonomy for successfully run schools (a concept with relatively impeccable logic).
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Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed calls for a greater representation of non-bumiputras in academia.
He talks a lot about improving the universities, making them exciting places to work, etc etc.. I think however the Star (predictably) points to a most telling fact:
In Universiti Malaya there is only one non-bumiputra dean among 20. In many of the other universities, there is none.
If you want more non-bumis in universities, give them the credit they deserve. People will serve locally out of pure love for the country, if only you give them only as much recognition they deserve – no need for special treatment or anything. The rest is pretty much tangential and probably barely relevant.
You never know what to expect, browsing theSun website :P :)
New Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Roslan Sakiman chaired his first full-board meeting today (Aug 30, 2006) with a pledge to look into the city’s on-going billboard controversy.
Upon directing the legal and public relations departments to probe into the matter, Mohamad Roslan said he would also investigate the issue.
“It is a serious allegation and we must look into it,” he said.
The matter was brought up by councillor V.Subramaniam.
Yay new blood! But hopefully it’s sincere blood too. After all, Selangor MB DS Khir Toyo also “looked into” the matter, see where that got us? But we must give this new man a chance to prove his worth. We’ll be waiting and watching.
I also liked:
Another councillor Dr Wong Chee Yong was more interested in finding out how minutes of the Dec 22 (2005) full-board meeting managed to leak out.
Part of the minutes that mentioned Wong’s name was published in theSun on Aug 29 (2006).
“Isn’t it classified?” he asked.
For his information, minutes of full-board meetings are public documents.
Citizen Nades also has an article in today’s Sun (see epaper), where he continues lambasting MPPJ. I’d say the language was getting old, except that it won’t really get old until some action is finally taken. Until then, theSun can rant on (online preferably) as much as it likes as far as I’m concerned.
Come on Selangor, come on PJ, the evidence has been shown; now show us you’re serious, show us some concrete action!
Umno Youth leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin’s latest feelings are expressed in the Star’s article: Ex-PM a delegate at assembly ‘against Malay culture’
Sadly, there was no elaboration anywhere on what this rather ambiguous statement meant, or which aspect of Malay culture DS Hishammuddin was referring to. We can only assume that he had actually thought out his comment thoroughly. He also said:
“It is not appropriate for a former premier with international recognition to contest against ordinary members for such a post,”
Isn’t that his choice, his right and basically his pasal though?
The NST, which did not carry the Malay culture comment, did however carry this:
It was reported that 32 Umno branches in the Kubang Pasu division had urged Dr Mahathir not to accept nomination as one of the division’s seven delegates to the general assembly in November.
“This is to protect his dignity as a former prime minister,” said Mohd Yusof Jamaludin, a spokesman for the 32 Umno branches.
In Kuala Nerang, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said Dr Mahathir should heed the call from the 32 Kubang Pasu Umno branches not to seek nomination to be a delegate to the Umno general assembly.
The division will hold its annual general meeting next month.
“Umno members in Kubang Pasu think that Dr Mahathir should not bring himself down by seeking nomination,” he said.
“They think he would only tarnish his credibility as a statesman if he does.”
Again, his dignity and credibility is his pasal, no?
More importantly the NST failed to report that Kubang Pasu is home to 136 branches, 79 of which or almost 60% malaysiakini reports to have in fact nominated TDM to be a delegate.
There are times when it’s important to highlight the minority, but I think the NST’s choice to do so now is somewhat suspect.
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malaysiakini also reports on growing confusion over whether Kubang Pasu Umno Youth did in fact pass a resolution to have Min in PM’s Dept DS Nazri sacked. Quite kelam kabut it seems.
Similar confusion in Penang, where Umno Youth Chief DS Hishammuddin says that only the Bukit Mertajam division called for the Chief Ministership to be rotated, not the whole of Penang Umno Youth. There was no comment in the article from the Penang Umno Youth leader, whoever he is.
Gerakan President Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik comes out stronger than usual today. Bernama headlines: “Do Not Blame Dr Koh If Penang Malays Are Backward, Says Dr Lim”
From the Star:
“But of course there are areas in Penang which are not developed. Part of the reason is that there are many Malays who don’t want their areas to be developed.
“If they don’t want to convert their padi land into an area to be developed, can you force them?”
Whether or not DS has a reputation for delicacy, this does seem a bit an extra abrasive choice of words. “Backwards”? Not wanting development? True or not true, I don’t know, but DS surely could have put it better. Will he find himself under fire for these comments?
DS Dr. Lim had also recently talked of naughty cowboys and eating all the udangs di sebalik batu. Pretty cowboy like behaviour itself, if you ask me. Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye echoes his sentiments, while the NST carries a somewhat milder version of DS Dr. Lim’s comments.
Flash: DS Chia has some longer thoughts on intra-BN politics of his own, in a story just published by malaysiakini. Maybe more analysis in a bit.
Just wanted to point to something I had missed earlier – an article about how the Home Affairs and Women, Family and Community Development Ministries appear to be taking the human smuggling problem in our country more seriously.
It’s a real problem, and in my last job, I came across a lot of stories about people getting abused and exploited by traffickers. People would pay these agents for passage, and find themselves with a deal a whole lot uglier and cruel than the one they spent their equivalent of a kings ransom on.
The two ministries have agreed to look into new legislation that will expedite the prosecution of smugglers. Good on them.
WFCD Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has some good things to say:
“We do not want Malaysia to be used as a transit point to smuggle women and children. We will not allow anybody to use Malaysia as a transit point,” she said.
She said her ministry also asked for women victims of smuggling to be separated from other detainees at the Immigration depots or police cells.
“We hope there exists a separate room for these victims. They did not break any law. They are smuggling victims.
“Datuk Seri Radzi has agreed to establish a protection centre under the Immigration Act but it will be managed by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry,” she added.
Excellent. I am truly encouraged that DS Shahrizat has come to make that crucial distinction wherein victims of smuggling are not criminals and have done nothing to deserve the kind of treatment they currently receive at places of detention; I’m also happy DS Radzi has taken her at her word. Good on them (especially if/when these changes come into effect).
A quick pat on my back to former colleagues who’ve done so much to propagate this better and clearer understanding of the situation.
I do hope the Home Affairs Ministry, led by Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad will continue their good work in focusing on activities such as these and the censure of errant employers of foreign labour rather than indiscriminate, massive round ups of immigrants.
I’ve waited for a while to write on this in the hopes that a copy of the video would be made online, but still no signs.
Some of the most troubling bits come from Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom. Quotes from a NST article:
Meanwhile, in Putrajaya, Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom, said use of handphones in “sensitive” areas such as police lock-ups will be limited.
This was to prevent “irresponsible quarters” from videotaping incidences in such places.
“The ministry will study the appropriateness of using handphones in sensitive spots like lock-ups,” he said after the ministry’s monthly gathering here.
I fail to see how Datuk is promoting the public good here. Once again, whistleblowers – the real guardians of society at present – are being punished instead of rewarded. I for one am glad that this video got out; if not, won’t the police feel free to continue doing whatever they like to individuals in custody?
Without the IPCMC (which kononnya is languishing in the AG’s chambers), if videos like this are all that will make the police think twice about being brutes, then there should be more handphones in sensitive places. There’s all this talk about CCTV’s to prevent crime – let’s have some in police stations too then! Nothing to hide, right?
Datuk’s comments sadly suggest that he may be more interested in covering up offences rather than addressing them.
The NST also carried an article on a man who said he was robbed by the two victims in the video, and that they deserved the treatment they got for their brutality towards him.
If the man’s description of the robbery was true, I truly sympathise :( But whatever their crimes, if we treat them with vicious degradation, what is it that separates us from them? Do we not become the monsters we decry them to be?
Suaram and Amnesty International Malaysia have come out strongly against the incident, both linking it to calls for the IPCMC. Naturally, only malaysiakini covers their statements.
If you’re not too familiar with the incidents, see some earlier articles in the Star and the NST.
This comes late, but I attended the event on the Emergency (Public Order and Preventive of Crime) Ordinance 1969 (EO) organized by the Bar Council last Saturday.
Some basic points: this ordinance is similar to its famous cousin the ISA in that it basically allows for indefinite detention without trial :(
A huge difference is that while the Internal Security Minister needs to order an ISA arrest, the EO can be invoked by any policeman against anyone s/he deems fit. Also, there is no judicial review for EO arrests.
If the arrest sheet accuses you of a crime on a particular date in a particular place, the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, and a thousand others could swear that they were with you at the same time in a different place, but it technically wouldn’t make one whit difference. Di Malaysia, Boleh :(
In other words, the EO is your ISA for the smaller fries like you and me rather than for political activists or other high profile personalities.
The statistics are telling. From a malaysiakini report (naturally the only media I’m aware of who wrote up this event) complete with coverage of the victims experiences:
According to the statistics released by human rights group Suaram, 712 have been detained in Simpang Renggam by July 2005 which is seven times more than those held in Kamunting under the Internal Security Act 1960.
So while the EO is much less well known, a lot more people suffer under it.
I arrived late, but was still able to hear lots of audacious cases where the EO had clearly been abused. Due to its nature, the police or those in a position to influence them can invoke this ordinance to detain literally anyone for any “offence.”
The entire reason a law as draconian as the Emergency Ordinance exists is well, an emergency. For those who may not be aware, Malaysia has been in a continuous state of emergency for the last 40 years.
Look out your window. Do you see an emergency? Right.
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Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department DS Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz shocked me by appearing to be maybe-ish about the contents of the New York based group Human Rights Watch submitted to him concerning the EO.
I had no idea Malaysia was that eager to please foreigners. I imagine a million local groups may have been waved away instantly, but DS seemed to quite layan HRW.
Which is fine with me, really, as long as he acts on the report. Pleaselah DS, give chance. Have a look into what they’ve said, into how innocent people have suffered; lead the parliamentary caucus on human rights nobly and do away with this unjust law.
While Pak Lah gallantly sounds the clarion call against corruption in OIC countries, his own backyard suffers terrible blows.
theSun carries on on its own noble campaign against the corruptions of Selangor and the former MPPJ today. Their website (which has a host of debilitating inconsistencies with its print version) only carries the short front pager (and late, at that), but get a hold of the print copy or epaper (worth registering for), it’s good stuff.
Cheating residents is not enough for MPPJ, contractors also must kena.
theSun go to town with documents proving that MPPJ was promising the same thing to multiple parties and securing hefty sums from those promises. Said sums, it must be tragically noted, were routed through the sketchiest football club ever (and that’s saying a lot).
Again, read the articles.
There’s little else to say. The evidence appears completely sound, and while the authorities have all the opportunity to contest them if they have vindicating proof, I’m not holding my breath.
Not much else to say about these guys. Scandal after scandal only brings to mind words like frustration, shame, anger..
The saddest thing is, if this kind of evidence doesn’t cause heads to roll, does it mean that nothing will? Come on leaders, show us that you can’t get away with murder in Malaysia. These things have an awfully consistent way of biting you in the backside if you don’t check them, you know.
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Note the lead in the NST coverage of Pak Lah’s call
Muslim countries should step up efforts to fight corruption or risk scaring away foreign investors, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.
The Prime Minister said the absence of investors would mean continuing down the path of poverty.
Foreign investors?! What about hard earned Malaysian taxpayer money being gurgled up by… by…. “Football clubs”?!
The ever growing Customs-Jasin/parliament spat seems to have found its way to the front pages of the two leading English dailies today, both of them running headlines somewhat sympathetic to the Customs side.
The NST lead:
BARISAN Nasional backbenchers at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday delivered a stern message to potential critics: That they had little time for those who took them on in public or who questioned their immunity from prosecution.
Demonstrably false, of course, seeing that they have obviously taken pleeeenty of time.
The Star meanwhile, focuses on the Finance Ministry coming firmly behind the parliament faction and instructing Customs not to bring things directly to the media as in the SMS case.
One-eye Jasin MP YB Mohd Said goes after the Custom uniforms, of all things:
“The batons senior officers carry is RM700 a piece and is made in the United Kingdom. The overlap on their uniform is stitched in Scotland. That’s RM600 a piece, while the buttons on their uniform is RM800 a set.
“Have any of you gone to Jalan Masjid India? You can buy any button for any uniform services there. You don’t have to pay a premium for a set of buttons in Jalan Masjid India. Can buy cheap, but our Customs want goods from overseas.”
He also claims Customs spent RM 48 mil on uniforms last year.
YB Mohd Said should provide proof. If/when he does, I will also sokong the notion that this is extravagant, pain me though it may to sokong a man like him.
Again, it’s not that I think Customs are particularly clean. There are just some individuals that it’s really difficult to hear accusations of corruption from.
The rest of the NST article brings out a whole lot of hostility between politicians and civil servants. Has this always been simmering under the surface?
I imagine the civil service must feel somewhat in a position of weakness in all of this, they technically being the employees, after all. Perhaps if they had worked harder to ensure high standards of integrity, they would have found themselves in a more tenable position to endure all this well.
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Then there is this business of the leaked list, apparently containing the names of all the VIP’s who’ve purchased cars cheaply from Customs. They’re investigating who leaked the list, but I have this achy feeling that if it’s someone from BN, they’re gonna enjoy some of our world famous Malaysian immunity.
Well done, by the way, to 2nd Finance Minister Datuk Ng Yen Yen’s earlier admission that she had purchased a Mercedes at an extreme discount. Good to come clean on these things.
Sounds like there are a lot more details regarding this matter. I don’t think I’ll go into them all.
I should also point to an extensive post by blogger YB Lim Kit Siang on this matter that seems comprehensive enough, although his question on where the Finance Ministry’s stance (as the Ministry responsible for Customs) is on all of this appears to have been answered.
malaysiakini breaks the news:
Nearly 60 percent (79 of 136) of Umno branches in Kedah’s Kubang Pasu division have nominated former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to contest to be a delegate for this November’s Umno annual general assembly.
This comes fresh after our friends at the NST carries a story – kononnya also ‘representing’ Kubang Pasu – headlined: “Don’t bother to contest, Dr M told.” The article took the ‘tak malu ke jadi delegate je?’ tack.
But it looks like their 32 branches – kononnya “considered the most influential among the 146 in the Kubang Pasu Umno division” – kalah to malaysiakini’s 79 :P
TDM’s son Datuk Mukhriz is also in the front running for a delegate slot.
It was starting to look like TDM was on his way out – and that’s still quite possibly the case – but there’s some ‘excitement’ left; whether or not TDM speaks, who knows what’s gonna go down at that assembly eh?
Meanwhile Umno supreme council member Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad seems to be happy to let Mahathir speak at the assembly whereas other news from Kubang Pasu includes a denial from Umno Youth there that any resolution was passed per se regarding a call for DS Nazri to be sacked – making DS’s rather belligerent response even more unwarranted?
Zainon Ahmad certainly has some good things to say in his column today. For starters, he argues that attempts to build a truly Malaysian nation have been “haphazard, halfhearted and uncoordinated” (but stops short of pinpointing the dominance of ethnocentric political parties as the root cause of this).
The question also arises:
All our leaders seem proud to proclaim that we are a multi-ethnic nation. It seems like a mantra that they must chant especially when they are overseas. But do they really understand the import of what they say? Do they believe in it?
Well said, cikgu!
He (or his ‘students,’ I confess I never really understood the format of this column) goes on to talk about a more encompassing polity, the need for more open discussion on ethnicity (sokonggg), and the importance of teaching history properly. All good points.
I didn’t agree so much with this part though:
Malay nationalism, unlike other nationalisms in the colonised world, did not give birth to a Malay nation. Indian nationalism gave birth to an Indian nation. Filipino nationalism gave birth to a Filipino nation, but Malay nationalism gave birth to a multi-ethnic nation a nation that was created out of negotiations between different communities.
On the contrary, I would argue that virtually no post-colonial state had a mono-ethnic ‘nation’ as its polity. India is a glaring example – the very notion of ‘India’ could be seen as a colonial construct that did not exist before the British. The sheer diversity of language, cultures and religions in India outweighs by far the diversity we have in Malaysia.
Africa, one of the most post-colonial continents in the world, probably cannot lay claim to a single mono-ethnic nationalism.
Let’s not even limit ourselves to post-colonial states. How many states can claim mono-ethnic nationalism, period? Maybe Japan? A handful of Scandinavian countries? Everyone else has extremely diverse societies with a multitude of languages, cultures and so on. I welcome examples to the contrary.
The proportions may be different but at heart, every state has to face both the blessings and challenges of a multi-cultural population. We are no different, and lets hope we can do better.
Anyway, read the article – it’s pretty good.
Going back to island mentalities indeed.
Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon feels himself in the hot seat. Still in the midst of this rotation business, he happens to make the comment:
“We do not question the fact that Umno leaders fight for the rights of Malays, as the MIC leaders highlight the plight of the Indians,”
Well, TS, perhaps you should. Ethnocentricism is what got you here in the first place, sadly. It’s a true tragedy that Gerakan let their multi-ethnic heritage simply slip away.
He also commented on the supposedly rather less developed area of Balik Pulau:
“They do not want to turn Balik Pulau into George Town and have expressed their wish to maintain the greenery and traditional village charm of Balik Pulau,” he said.
“To say that Balik Pulau is neglected is not true as we are just respecting the wishes of the people there who are mostly farmers and (those venturing) into eco-tourism activities.”
Well, I don’t know the first thing about Balik Pulau, but… I dunno. Some reporter should try to confirm this out there.
Meanwhile, the NST nobly condones “cool heads, not heated polemic” in resolving this issue, and in a malaysiakini article, DPM DS Najib has the usual to say about proper channels and such.
The same malaysiakini article repeats Khairy’s defiant refusal to appologize while BN Youth Chief DS Hishammuddin also claims to be relieved (by MCA reassurances) but sad (that kononnya he has to keep reminding them to hush hush and not bring the matter up) :P
Syed Nazri writes on some of my favorite topics today – the police, Mat Rempits and Myanmar.
He first of all points to an old problem: police salaries. RM 260 mil to be pumped in, and the base salaries for new constables being recruited? RM 690 – RM 1,647.11.
Perhaps that big lump of cash can be used to up the salaries of existing policemen? Still need more manpower? Look into transferring those Special Branch guys, I reckon.
Also highlighted is Tun Musa Hitam’s statement regarding mechanisms to expel members from Asean that may be included in its upcoming charter. Cool beans.
Syed Nazri echoes my disbelief regarding Putera Umno’s strategy with the Mat Rempits, expressing shock about the road closure suggestion. And hey, if Siti Nurhaliza can forego her (probably road blocking) horse and carriage ride, I think these guys can jolly well make the trip to Sepang.
He also cites personal experience in the aftermath of the Lebanon “peace expedition” or something where he almost knocked into one of a 30-40 strong Mat Rempit convoy on Jalan Bangsar.
Those guys probably thought they were untouchable, what with Umno on their side. Who’s to say they weren’t?
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Sonia Randhawa, the executive director of the Center for Independent Journalism who has long been a proponent of media freedom, writes a piece notable for its balanced views on the effects of media freedom. She does not shy away from examples where the media was abused to truly horrendous effect, citing Rwanda (a case close to my heart) as one of a few examples.
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I recently pointed to what looked like a poor column which represented BN’s campaign to wrest back Kelantan. The battle continues.
The same (Umno) paper headlines an article that demonstrates the party’s money-centric style quite well: “RM25m infrastructure projects for Pasir Mas.” And the lead?
This town, the State’s second largest, is set to be a gleaming example of what residents can expect under a Barisan Nasional administration.
Yes well, if it’s anything like what I’ve come to expect, I’d advise the Kelantanese to watch that RM 25 mil verrrry closely.
DPM DS Najib leads the fray presently, in Kelantan to advertise all this big money and more, and also to keep some election promises.
Article in theSun highlighting newspeople who talk on doing away with the need for press licenses, a particularly onerous part of the Printing Press and Publications Act; theSun’s been pretty consistent advocates for freedom of the press (except where they get pretty touchy on some stuff), so good on them.
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Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, said on Sunday that
“After I retire from the ministry, I’ll be in the National Dialogue Institute (a centre to discuss “sensitive” issues)”
National Dialogue Institute? Yay!
In the same paper today, however:
On another matter, Dr Lim said unfettered freedom could bring chaos to the country, adding racial statements should not be tolerated in the name of free speech.
Doesn’t give me much faith in this NDI then :(
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Quite an interesting piece by Raja Petra Kamaruddin of Malaysia Today fame, who finally presents his views on apostasy.
Some of the more interesting thrusts:
- that by choosing Umno over Pas, Malays had chosen (rather affluent) secularism over theocracy, so they should live with their decision and its consequences
- that if a Muslim ceases to believe (and thus can no longer be truly said to be of the faith), how can s/he come under the syariah court? (KJ John made a similar argument some time back)
- that as the religion of the Federation (and not any particular sub-category thereof), all citizens have the right to discuss Islam openly.
Backbenchers Club (BBC) acting chairman YB Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar slams Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Samsuddin Osman for wanting to ask the Attorney General a question :|
TS had said that he wanted to consult with the AG to clarify what an MP’s immunity really meant; the context of course is the ongoing spat between one-eye Jasin MP YB Datuk Mohd Said Yusof and the Customs Department. YB Datuk Raja Ahmad’s response?
“Such a move seems as if he (Samsuddin) has no respect for us as the country’s legislators and policymakers.
“I don’t know why this matter (immunity) is being raised as we have been given the freedom to speak and present our views and opinions on every Bill tabled.
“If we don’t play our role, we may be perceived as rubberstamps,” he said.
“Government agencies should concentrate on improving the delivery system and reducing bureaucratic red tape,” he added.
Sounds to me like disproportionate, merajuk-style posturing.
I firmly believe in a MP’s right to immunity. But is that really what the civil service is ‘questioning’?
Were the Jasin MP a man with less stains on his honor and with less of a personal history with Customs, perhaps I would be a lot more attentive to his attempts to point out the flaws and corruption in Customs. The man has quite simply burned away all vestiges of his credibility, and done so utterly without shame.
Until the YB from Jasin can clear himself of having any personal interests or vendettas in this matter, why shouldn’t the civil service feel like it is being unduly targeted and the MP’s immunity abused?
And what’s wrong with having a conversation with the AG? Scared of what he might say? Sigh, more fear of just talk.
Also, if BN MP’s are not rubberstamps, how do you explain the sequence of events that led to YB Datuk Raja Ahmad’s appointment as acting BBC Chairman, anyway?
I found myself wondering what Opposition leader YB Lim Kit Siang thought of all this, but no comment on his blog. Hmm.
Former United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Datuk Param Cumaraswamy has some interesting comments on the call for an inquiry into the 1988 judicial crisis. He says that only a royal commission would be feasible, but:
“Even then could such a commission be able to compel the high dignitaries involved in the affair?” he asked in reference to the then Yang diPertuan Agong, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, then chief judge of Malaya Hamid Omar and former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman.
“Practically all of them would claim immunity for their conduct under the existing protection available for such dignitaries holding public office,” Param said.
“Without these four personalities being able to be examined for their conduct and actions in the whole affair we may not be able to establish the truth and culpability,” he added.
Also:
Soon after this ‘sordid event’, Param said regional organisation LawAsia (Law Association for Asia and Pacific) considered setting up an Asian Commission on Justice and invite five retired eminent senior judges in the region to examine the reports of the two tribunals and advise whether the process and findings of the tribunals were in accordance with internationally accepted standards of justice.
“No doubt the findings of the commission would not be binding on Malaysia. However, it would have had a moral effect,” he added.
According to Param, due to difficulties in raising sufficient funds the proposal for such a commission was not pursued.
Poverty impedes justice? What a pity.
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Brenden Pereira of NST fame also has something to say. While his arguments are generally ones worth supporting, his proximity to the ruling government sadly compromises his position ever so slightly because of the way he might be seen as trying to score political points against TDM. Just look at his second article (same link).
I did like his closing words though:
Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim believes that it is not necessary to change the system of appointing and elevating judges. He argued that the current system has worked well for 50 years and produced judges of stellar quality such as Tun Suffian Hashim and Raja Azlan Shah.
But it is interesting that even he reached back to the pre-1988 period in search of judicial icons.
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Meanwhile, Bar Council vice-chairperson Ambiga Srinivasan gives DS Nazri his one good reason. Glad someone took up his inane challenge.
I’m glad the NST has given some attention to the matter.
In one article, debates abound as to who the real Mat Rempit is, with some quarters denouncing the others as degenerate impostors :P and trying to present themselves as the clean Mat Rempit – drug free, law abiding, hailing back to the 80’s, etc.
Well, if these supposedly clean guys can establish themselves as the guiding light of the phenomenon, I’d be all for it.
Meanwhile, the feature piece also offers some decent insight into Mat Rempitism (or so it appears to an ignoramus like me).
The most disturbing bits include the way one member openly admitted that drugs were frequently used to instil bravery.
Some race demons go a step further by injecting themselves with drugs before getting onto their machines.
“If you want to ride through traffic at speeds exceeding 160kph, you must have guts,” said Khalid.
“And for that, the best thing to do is to get so high that you become fearless.”
Not real is it, drug-induced courage?
Equally disturbing is the way women are used as some sort of commodity in these things, prizes to be bet, inferiors to leech money off and such.
(One Mat Rempit’s girlfriend) even lends him money when he is broke, which happens often as he spends most of his wages on his motorcycle.
“If I don’t win a race, I would be broke for the rest of the month.”
It is not unusual to hear of Mat Rempit betting their bikes or girlfriends on a race.
According to Sam, 22, an illegal racer from Shah Alam, women were sometimes part of the prize, depending on the size of the race.
“Sometimes racers bet more than they can afford as they are confident that they can win. When they lose, they force their girlfriends to ‘settle’ their debts,” he said.
Unthinkably demeaning :( I wonder if the gender activists would be interested in taking this matter up.
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Putera Umno chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim isn’t completely off his rocker. Aside from their ok charity events, there’s also this:
Azeez said Putera Umno would approach Mat Rempit and help them change for the better under its Second Chance Programme. “These youths failed to continue their studies, due to lack of interest or lack of money.”
Over 1,200 of them are now enrolled in engineering courses at Tekad Auto College in Kajang.Those with language skills are sent to Kolej Damansara Utama for Hotel Management and Catering courses.
Fair enough – I wouldn’t hesitate to give credit where credit is due. (Although I hope I don’t have to be a Mat Rempit to get a second chance?)
Datuk Azeez blows a lot of credit away pretty fast though.
Azeez said roads could be closed for organised Mat Rempit races.
“Many roads are closed for pasar malam. Why can’t we close the roads for our Mat Rempit once a week?”
“I know that there have been suggestions to allow them to race in Sepang and Batu Tiga, but that is not feasible because of the distance and not many people would turn up to watch.”
:| How desperate are these guys?!??
But finelah, if they think they will win more voters than they will lose for BN by closing down roads (for racing! :| ), go right ahead.
But if they want to do their thing in Sepang or Batu Tiga, I got no objection man. And hey, look at how many people show up for car racing – don’t worry Datuk, build it and they will come.
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Photo-op: Saudara Khairy is right there man along with Datuk Azeez, front and center. Vroom vroom!! Better be careful what I say though, wait Khairy say the Chinese will take advantage of Umno’s weakness and demand an end to road closures for motorcycle racing.
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politikus has a great post on this too :)
Wah, marahnye DS Nazri. NST puts in bigggg letters:
“I don’t give a damn. The Kubang Pasu Umno Youth members who made the call to have me sacked from Umno and Cabinet are confused, stupid, ignorant and have no guts.
Sigh, a bit kasar right? But we can’t be surprised, coming from this man.
DPM DS Najib comes to his defence, somewhat disappointingly. DPM defends the man who defends one-eye Jasin (MP YB Mohd Said). A little too many loyalties at the expense of a little too many principles.
TDM has something to say too:
When asked about Kubang Pasu Umno Youth, which passed a resolution calling for his biggest critic —Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz to be sacked from the party and Cabinet — Dr Mahathir said he did not care either way what happened to Nazri.
Ouch :)
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Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar weighs in on ethnic relations. He takes the foreign press to task because:
“They show clips of Chinese only mixing with Chinese, Malays hanging out with Malays, and Indians with Indians. It is as if our races do not mix together or get along,”
DS Syed Hamid very angry with these foreign bogeymen. But that’s maybe because he hasn’t stopped by at our local universities, schools, etc.
Nothing makes me happier than to see multi-ethnic mingling. Sadly, part of the reason it makes me so happy is that I really don’t see that much of it. And if we already mingle so much (and I meanmeaningful mingling and relationship building, not the festivities, poster-perfect smiling, etc), why do we need ethnocentric political parties like DS Syed Hamid’s anyway?
He also says:
“We started to lead our own country in 1955. Only after they (the British) saw that we could lead and live together peacefully did they grant independence to us,”
Err.. I think the British ‘granted’ independence to us because – among other reasons – that was their policy worldwide at the time, because we weren’t super duper important to the Empire, and because we wanted it pretty bad.
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Just a quick point to DS Hishammuddin’s defence (covered everywhere really) of his keris rattling. Brushing off interpretations that it’s promoting Ketuanan Melayu in a belligerent fashion, he says he would rattle a kungfu sword just as readily.
But but… isn’t brandishing weapons of any sort promoting a somewhat violent imagery? :( Tak kan that is the kind of culture we want to promote?
Tian Chua has a somewhat amusing analysis of the episode.
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I didn’t really have anywhere better to slot this in today:
Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu announces that 10% of all building and infrastructure works will be awarded to Class F contractors, which I’m sure Umno will be happy with. It was also reported that:
There are 36,000 Class F contractors, of whom only 7,000 are active. Bumiputras make up 90% of the total number of Class F contractors.
Umm.. What do those 29,000 (about 80%) contractors do? Can anybody enlighten me as to what ‘inactive’ means?
TDM says he’s now a pariah and is being prevented from talking to his “old friends.” Dear me. The NST probably had a ball just printing ‘Dr. M’ and ‘pariah’ in the same headline.
While the decision on whether to let TDM attend the Umno General Assembly as a normal delegate is due to be out on November 10, ‘1st choice’ DPM DS Najib, who may have been the one to the final blow to TDM’s campaign, comes out to say that such a move may be ‘misinterpreted,’ probably insinuating something like ‘don’t embarrass yourself, (old) man.’
TDM does seem to be making ‘preparatory excuses,’ saying the Kedah MB Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid may not pick him to speak, and that:
“Even if I was chosen as a delegate, I might not be allowed to talk. If I get the chance maybe for five minutes, which is too short for me to say anything.”
Brendan Pereira is not letting up either, talking about where the ‘rock bottom’ was in this whole affair – also insinuating this whole affair is quite over and done with now (except for continuing attacks on TDM such as his article).
If it really is all over, Pak Lah may have found his Damai Abad.
Well, I’m sure by now you’ve read about MCA’s resoooounding support for Umno and the small-medium enterprises (SME) loans matter (which seems a little too easily won to be really significant? But we’ll see).
Not much to add there, except highlight some differences in coverage. Our MCA paper headlines “Ong: PM has affirmed healthy Umno-MCA ties” whereas our Umno paper has “Ka Ting reiterates MCA support for Umno” ‘Nuff said :)
The Star’s also highlights DS Ong’s denial that MCA has ever taken advantage of Umno in times of their weaknesses.
Read the full keynote address, or watch the video! (available in Real format)
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On to the more interesting stuff.
Ethnicity and religion come out to play as well. The Star only carries two rather mild articles where deputy president DS Chan Kong Choy differentiates between Islamic countries and states, and Kota Melaka MP YB Wong Nai Chee is given very select (read boring) coverage.
malaysiakini goes in the other direction by highlighting what the same YB Wong said about the growth of Islamisation and the problem of non-Muslim rights while also lamenting the ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ concept.
They also have an article on MCA Youth Chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai challenging a DBP publication and arguing that arguing that Chinese ‘economic supremacy’ is a fallacy and nowhere as strong as it is portrayed. He also suggests replacing ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ with ‘Warisan Kedudukan Melayu,’ as suggested by former University Malaya vice-chancellor Prof Said Hussein Alatas.
Fair points, but to be just as fair, it looks like while Khairy plays to his gallery, these guys are also playing to theirs.
And of course, the PM says hush now :(
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malaysiakini also writes about Deputy MCA Youth chief Ling Hee Leong’s defense of his association and meeting with Khairy and seems to assert his independence.
He conceded that he, (MCA sec-gen) Wee Ka Siong and Liow are not 100 percent in agreement over “party building” matters because they are different individuals. He, however, maintained that all three share the same objective.
Ling said he had received numerous calls on Aug 20 not to meet Khairy.
“But I still went to meet him the next day as I felt it was important for the party… we need to collect information before we make a decision.”
I dunno much about MCA Youth politics, but this reminds me of Umno Youth street protests. One naughty, rebellious son-in-law, one naughty, rebellious son?
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International Trade and Industry Minister DS Rafidah Aziz also kena, for apparently chasing away investors by being almost rudely defiant about the bumiputera equity issue in foreign investments. Perhaps she too is learning from Khairy the art of scoring in-party points?
There’s a whole lot of news out there about how Khairy was summarily bashed at the MCA general assembly, BN Youth Chief DS Hishammuddin’s anger towards MCA Youth, and ‘best’ of all, Khairy’s open defiance.
I don’t think any number of ‘it was misunderstood!’ protests will convinces us that Khairy was not originally trying to gain political mileage by trying to make a bogeyman out of another ethnic group. There’s nothing like creating fear to get people behind you. Just ask George Bush. Or Hitler.
Khairy’s refusal to apologise only emphasizes the lengths to which he is willing to go to to score political points, making him an even more dangerous man.
To my mind, the posturing between the Umno and MCA Youth wings merely highlights the fundamental illogicalness of ethnocentric political parties. As I’ve said before, if you use ethnicity as the lines on which you divide and organize politically, there’s absolutely no way you will ever rise beyond the primordialist spats and us-them fear mongering we’ve seen in this episode.
More simply put, if you have decided to draw political lines at the Melayu-Cina divide, then surely almost all of your problems you face will eventually be seen in Melayu-Cina terms. National unity indeed.
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Press points:
Both the NST and malaysiakini (also in this article, which has some good coverage of MCA grassroots responses) seem to be playing up the spat – just look at the article headlines (I mean, Hishammuddin blasts MCA Youth?) . I imagine they have different reasons for doing so, though.
The Star, interestingly enough, takes a completely different tack. Their articles today have more or less the same things slotted deep inside, but have titles like Khairy to meet BN Youth, and Khairy thanks MCA for its strong support.
?!?!
Meanwhile, only theSun carries the PM’s statement that Khairy should ‘explain himself’ (not necessarily apologise). This despite the fact that the PM claims to be unaware of exactly what Khairy said exactly. Does YAB not read the news, or is he feigning ignorance as a political convenience?
Aisehman has some analysis too, while Jeff Ooi and Oon Yeoh discuss Khairy on today’s Freetalkin’ podcast.
malaysiakini’s coverage alone of the MCA general assembly could keep me busy for days :P Full comments in due time I hope. For now, a quick flash on the PM’s remaks from our ever active online newspaper:
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reaffirmed his position that the clauses regarding religion in the Federal Constitution will not be amended.
He said that religion is of several “sensitive issues that cannot be breached, and must be dealt with carefully”.
*“I know we have reached the 49th year of our independence, but there are still certain issues that must be handled with care,” he said, identifying these ‘issues’ as race and religion.
“Even in the most advanced of nations, such as the United States, race and religion still remain sensitive issues,” he said.
He said that if the constitution were to be amended, that there would be counter proposals, and the nation would be dragged into the polemics of faith debate.
“To continue discussing such matters would threaten the good we have achieved so far,” he felt.
:( Not encouraging. More to come, gang!
