Khalil Yaakob, the Umno veteran who met Dr M last night, was made of stuff that created folklore. Once he took a dive in the Sungai Pahang to prove to the media that it was not crocodile-infested; nobody followed suit, of course, because people believed the crocs had gone into hiding when Khalil took that dive.
But against the krocs that start with not one but 4 capital Ks guarding the PM at the office, at home and at news gates, the veteran will need a lot more than just a brave heart and the help of bomoh buaya.
Still, many are hoping that he still has it in him and will be able to at least convey Dr M's salams and sentiments to Pak Lah and then tell us, if the PM is going to maintain is eloquent silence, what the who thing is all really about.
For reliable updates, I suggest the Star or http://www.kadirjasin.blogspot.com/
by the way ,rocky, the first thing when iwake up is to log on to rockybru. am i addicted, pse brudder tell me it is not. i can't help it. its like a drug. man
ReplyDeleteBru, let's give peace a chance. We need some peace of mind. We must not be cynical all the time. Give Tun Khalil a chance. Who know's he can convince PM to break his code of silence? We will be a very strong nation if PM and Tun Dr Mahathir can work together. The government can still be the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It does not have to be the government of the people that is controlled by a few. I am sure the PM is a reasonable person. I am sure he knows where the love for his family ends and the love for the nation begins.
ReplyDeletenstman, are you for real. Addicted to Bru? I thought you hate bru? But you're entitled to change camp. Welcome to rocky's bru.
ReplyDeleteD'Advocate,
ReplyDeleteThe PM is a lot of nice things. We all know he is a decent person.
But not nice people are telling him to do not so nice things.
It cannot be that he is doing all tne not nice things.
That is hard to believe.
ButI agree with you.
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.MAKE LOVE NOT WAR.....
Rocky Bro;
ReplyDeleteKhalil Yaakob took a dive into Tasik Bungor and NOT Sungai Pahang as you write here to prove that it was not infested with crocodiles.
Of course there are crocodiles in Sungai Pahang.
- Orang Pahang.
Aiya! What a waste of time. Malaysia let Khalil spend so long as Pahang MB and should've let him retire quietly to enjoy his filthy fruits of labour - raping the big state so well.
ReplyDeleteBut noooo.... Now, he is Malacca Governor. What the f--k do we need a Governor for that state anyway? It is being well f--ked by Ali Rustam and his cronies now.
Malaysia loves to waste (taxpayers') money by paying this stupid Governor (who does practically nothing anyway) a huge allowance, free car, tax-free spending, free here, free there, etc for NOTHING.
Now, we are going to watch this clown mediate the TDM-AAB circus. Like many times before this, we are simply screwing ourselves la.
Cheers Malaysia!
BTW you people know or not that the biggest K of them all - KJ lah! - jatuh kuda again. How many times the guy gotta fall from the horse to get the message that he is not welcome!
ReplyDeleteA good piece bro. Picked from Malaysiakini.
ReplyDeletePolitics - where stupidity is no handicap
Stanley Koh
Jul 3, 06 11:55am
The adage ‘old habits die hard’ wisely point to a general truth about the innate nature of Man. Some historians relish the quote when they tell you that ‘history repeats itself’, with a twinkle in the eye that denotes the silent message, ‘I told you so’.
They probably do so to give credence to their profession, while telling us that we should appreciate history more by drawing wisdom from it.
And rightly so. Malaysian voters should be more acknowledgeable about the personal history of our politicians.
Historians seldom hold the clue or the key in their explanations as to why certain politicians continue to repeat history during their tenure of leadership.
Is it due to the peculiar innate character of political actors that cause repeated scenarios in history or that the electorate is at fault with their choices in the selection of political leaders? Should Malaysian voters set an ‘emotional quotient’ test for future political candidates to ensure better or wiser choices?
The famous French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte, though, held the contrary view that “in politics, stupidity is not a handicap”.
While there are no absolute answers to these complex questions, many Malaysians are fed up with the disgraceful behaviour of some of our elected representatives in Parliament.
As one aggrieved writer put it: “This chap (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, photo) has no respect for the elderly per se. I once saw a video of him in Parliament shouting and yelling at the top of his voice referring to some of the parliamentarians as racists.”
Wrong choice?
Has our political culture deteriorated to a level whereby the ‘wrong’ type of leader is always being chosen? Is the electorate at fault for always making the wrong choice?
Perhaps the legacy of the Chinese philosopher Confucius’ teachings can shed some light on this. During his lifetime under imperial rule, he was asked: “What should the ruler do, to make the people believe in the ruler?”
Answered Confucius: “Choose upright men and put them above the crooked, and the people will believe in you; choose crooked men and put them above the upright, and the people will not (believe in you).”
This is confirmed by the Chinese philosophical thought, Ri jiu jian ren xin (the passage of time will unfold the true character of the person).
Another Chinese idiom advises us Jian shan yi gai, ben xing nan yi (It is easier to change the characteristic of a huge mountain than to change the character of a person).
Hence, the recent emotional outburst of Mohd Nazri against former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was merely a repeat of history. It was neither new nor surprising. It is said that those who disregard the past are bound to repeat it.
Acting like a hero, Nazri at a recent press conference in Parliament hurled verbal brickbats and rhetorical brass knuckles at Mahathir, challenging him to leave Umno.
“If he remains in the party, he is acting like the opposition. It’s better for him to be a jantan and leave the party, become the opposition. Then it’s easier for me to attack him. Now if I want to fight him, I will hesitate because he is the ex-PM,” Mohd Nazri was quoted as saying.
Previous outburst
What we see today is not merely history, but a repeat of history.
More than a decade ago, in October 1994, newspapers carried front-paged a story headlined Nazri minta maaf (Nazri offers apology), with the sub-heading explaining Tiada niat singgung perasaan Dr M (No intention to hurt Dr M’s feelings)
Umno veterans should recall the 1994 episode surrounding Mohd Nazri’s own emotional outburst against Mahathir in connection with the resignation of a former Malacca chief minister. Rahim Tamby Chik from all government and party posts.
According to news reports, this came a day after Mahathir linked the resignation to a plot by certain members to oust Rahim for their own political interests.
Interestingly, Mohd Nazri threatened to quit from his post as acting Umno Youth head. The episode triggered an avalanche of criticism against him from senior party leaders who said he was rude and that his remarks were “uncalled for and disrespectful”.
One leader accused Nazri of “over-reacting”. A veteran publicly chastised him, saying “a politician must be mature and not react to statements the way (Mohd) Nazri did”.
Mohd Nazri finally gave in and apologized to Mahathir and even described the latter as having a “big heart” for accepting his apology.
Wise men say that “to apologize is to lay the foundation for a future offence”.
How true it was in Mohd Nazri’s case, as he has been condemned for his latest emotional outburst against Mahathir over the latter’s criticism of recent government decisions.
An unidentified person wrote in a blog site: “Not only Tun Mahathir is annoyed by Nazri’s sudden outburst with the most arrogant tone of irrational criticisms in his heroic encounter with the media at Parliament House, I as one of his friend in Umno, like many others, walked out from the sense with a sense of disappointment and disgrace.” (sic)
Another wrote: “I think those who had accused Tun Mahathir Mohamad of harbouring the support from PAS members are politically and socially immature in their stupid criticisms against a normal courteous behavior, more so to our former prime minister. Being nationalistic as well as a true Malaysian, I feel a prime minister belongs to the people and not members of the party that rules the government. In short Tun Dr Mahathir and Pak Lah do not belong to the Malays or Umno alone, but also to the many patriotic people all over the country.” (sic)
Withdrawal symptoms
Political creatures should learn from Mother Teresa’s advice to her followers, “Kind words are short….but their echoes are endless”. But the most telling lesson Malaysian voters probably have learnt from the political landscape is of a moral nature.
How a political party treats an important member-cum-leader of its own family, and a former prime minister at that, is crucial. It also raises grave and pertinent questions as to how leaders of other component parties have treated their own family of challengers who have democratically chosen to stand against incumbents during party elections.
How many good leaders have been marginalised, sacrificed and waylaid in the name of power struggle? Are these weaknesses and characteristics of our political culture worth preserving? Are these political practices and associated values compatible to our ideals of moulding a ‘first-class mentality’ where leadership by example is merely lip-service?
Instead of addressing major issues and the probing questions raised by Mahathir, certain leaders have preferred to generate a lot more heat than light. The latest political scene is reminiscent of a National Geographical Society documentary showing family-like crocodiles during a drought, fighting each other for greater space inside a shrinking water pool. Smaller or younger crocodiles bite and tear older crocodiles without any sense of respect and gratitude to their own kind.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary Malaysians to find trustworthiness in our political leadership. Understandably, many withdraw completely from what is happening around them. The type of political leadership has become a sham and a shame to all Malaysians.
Indeed, Plato expounded the truth when he said, “one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors”.
There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it ill behooves any of us,
To say anything about the rest of us.
STANLEY KOH is a Buddhist monk and works for a local think-tank.
To twolooks:
ReplyDeleteStanley is simply telling us what we already know. No need to quote Napoleon ka, Confucius ka, Mother Theresa ka and whoever else from the history books to do that. Any Ahmad, Ah beng or Arumugam can give better commentary on stupid politician (Er, I think that's redundant already).
Bear in mind, these politicians act stupid only after they are elected. I have to admit that they are 'clever' before that, since they manage to convince the rakyat to vote them into power. But then again, it is not entirely because the real pandai people are beaten to it.
It is simply because the real clever people like us prefer not to get into politics - gaining wealth and power through cronyism, rasuah and selling your own country. Rather, we prefer to do it the hard(er) way - work hard, makan gaji ka, do business ka and everything else that - aside from what the Constitution had already established - do not involve direct political influence.
And then, suddenly the 'pandai' crowd feel cheated and victimised when the (formerly) 'clever' politician whom we elected into power say and do stupid things.
I blame us more than those clowns. No, not for electing them but for not doing enougn to make sure they behave, in every sense of the word.
As rakyat, we must use all the undang-undang, know-how, loopholes and whetever legal means to whack our politicians for any wrongdoings, anything - not keeping pre-Election promises, suspected rasuah, suspiciously huge bank account, shooting his/her mouth in Parliament/public/newspaper, etc, etc.
Until we, as rakyat, the over 20-million against the few dozen idiots of politicians, do something about it, nothing changes.
In the meantime, we keep on venting our anger (like pasquale and his blood pressure!) in forums, blogs and quoting dead people to make our point look good.
Cheers Malaysia!
The Kali–Bren & Straits Times collusion of hammerheads
ReplyDeleteThe Straits Times, the Singapore Government’s resident guard dog, was inescapably unleashed, barking, growling and clawing as it got into the act against Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but the bite it professes to sink into the former Prime Minister’s vulnerable spot is quaggy, thanks to his unyielding exterior.
Nevertheless, the ST’s fierce posture is actually a front masking what was really an overwrought defence designed to:
► stave Dr Mahathir’s further encroachment into Singapore’s subtle penetration into and entrenchment in the Malaysian politico-corporate Establishment; and,
► deflect probing attention from the recreant objectives of the callow cabal that strings Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The canine metaphor aside, which will include the din from that Rottweiler from Hell Nazri Aziz whose snarl is more obnoxious than his pretentiousness, it would take a Teflon bullet to pierce Dr Mahathir’s irascibly indignant armour.
While a machine gun has been fired at him by the likes of the Kalimullah Hassan-Brendan Pereira-manoeuvred New Straits Times and a platoon of well-positioned Cabinet ingrates, the bullets simply grazed Dr Mahathir’s armour. If there were wounds, they were superficial enough to enable Dr Mahathir to continue with his escapades.
The character assassins, in the meantime, have been unable to fire a lethal lead of deadly incisions that would kill off Dr Mahathir and his jihad that torments the cabal.
The ST guard dog snapped into its defence posture by staging two separate but well-coordinated deflection ops:
► they repurposed a tenuously mischievous piece by The Edge’s A. Gunasegaram that posed 22 questions challenging and impugning a variety of stances and accomplishments of Dr Mahathir, one question for every year of his 22-year legacy; and,
► they held an inaugural Global Forum where their pool of foreign correspondents, including their Malaysian correspondents Leslie Lopez and Reme Ahmad, seemed to ponder only and only on Dr Mahathir’s fury against Abdullah for backtracking on his word and cancelling key projects, but fudged on the vexing reasons why the good doctor went ballistic. But then, Lopez and Reme would lop their manhood before they dare postulate the subtle Singaporean intrusions. Even the flawed mediation process handled by Khalil Yaakob appeared to be little of use in the discourse.
Admittedly, some of the 22 questions in Gunasegaram’s commentary had an aura of pertinence: Dr Mahathir may have to work overtime to answer some of the justifiable ones, but read the posers carefully and you’d notice that they were phrased with loaded cynicism, and not with the inquisitive nature of an earnest journalist. Gunasegaram certainly appears to have a couple of Siamese axes to grind, which befits a commentary and not a spun report.
But here’s my beef: I question the timing of its publication and where it was published. It was just too pat. Gunasegaram may have written that piece out of his journalistic volition but whether he realises it or not, he has played into Kali’s furtive game plan.
Here’s how: The Edge is run by Ho Kay Tat, the former NST reporter turned newly-minted media baron, who is as friendly with Kali as Singapore is with Israel. With The Edge’s entry into the seepage pit that is the Deconstruction of Dr Mahathir and protection of the cabal, the rounding up of the media Establishment to dismantle Dr Mahathir has been erected like a battlestar force field against his sedulously breathtaking battering ram.
As for the ST forum that was regaled by its Kuala Lumpur correspondents, the timing of the forum and the issues raised were also too convenient. I don’t know about Reme Ahmad’s political/ideological bent but Leslie Lopez has always been a hardcore critic of Dr Mahathir and his previous administration, constantly made vigilant by Lopez’s unflattering reports in his years with the Asian Wall Street Journal.
But I expect Dr Mahathir to have already anticipated this cosily co-ordinated deflective shield from ST, now that the explosion from the concussion grenades he lobbed into the cabal’s bunker ripped the protective sheen that shrouded several stinkers, from the sale of national assets to foreign concerns that include Singapore, to Abdullah’s damaging frailties.
And as if on cue and in parallel with the ST’s defensively deflective mode, Kali filed a RM50 million defamation lawsuit against Matthias Chang, Dr Mahathir’s former aide, whose religious books’ theatrics to dismiss the assaults against his former boss, was deemed personally offensive by Kali. No word yet if Khairy Jamaluddin, who Chang also incriminated in his media conference, would follow suit.
But you got to hand it to the powers-that-be in the ST and NST in the ungainly dexterity of their unholy collusion in constructing the defensive force field to repel Dr Mahathir’s puissantly persuasive attacks.
Other than the collaboration over the defunct inter-company games that ran its course in the 1990s, the ST and the NST has never before formed this confederacy of this magnitude to defuse a common but disconcerting adversary. It was as if they never separated in 1972.
Let’s put it in perspective: the seeds of today’s collusion may have been planted when Kali joined the ST in the late 1980s, becoming briefly its Kuala Lumpur correspondent, while at the same time ingratiating himself to Abdullah, later to secure the latter’s scrupulously resolute trust and handed control of NSTP Kali surreptitiously coveted and with it, the indirect rule of the mainstream Malaysian media and a breath away from the pinnacle of power.
Now the seed that is Kali has germinated into this elaborate game plan, watered by Abdullah’s sage-like halo, photosynthesised by his cabal’s sun power and tended by Brendan Pereira as his hatchet man, the plant grows sprawlingly as this raking tree with roots fortified on both sides of the border.
But along comes the pest: Dr Mahathir the woodpecker, with his brutish beak, is determined to punch holes into that tree (doesn’t matter how the damage is inflicted as long as it is inflicted) while it pullulates the connivances sprouting within its sinister shade.
In the proper context, the game plan is part complex Kubrick art movie, part covert Soviet-styled sleeper operative, except that it had bloated into an overblown drama that makes for perfect alignment, like pieces of a decades-old jigsaw puzzle that finally interlocks into a clear but apocalyptic image that Dr Mahathir saw too late in his Premiership as he released his power to Abdullah and too early in his retirement, turning his twilight years into an unsettled and unnerving – as the Kali-Bren would breathlessly describe it – end game.
Brother Bru,
ReplyDeleteI've been following statements made by various people after news that Tun Khalil is the peacemaker in the current feud between Tun Dr Mahathir and Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. I read a small story buried at the bottom of one of inside pages of the NST. Judging from the way the story is written, the NST doesn't look very supportive of the. efforts to bring the feuding parties together to talk about their problems. The story is written in such a way that the so-called mediator won't even get a chance to do his job. I'm not sure why the NST is not giving Tun Khalil a chance. Could it be that the efforts were initiated by Dato Zam, the Info Minister whom the NSTP bigwigs are not giving time of day at all?
Tun Khalil may not be abe to patch the differences between TDM n Pak Lah but surely he must be given a chance. I wonder why the NST is not helping the.effort to bring the two opponents together. Don't they like to see Tun M and Pak Lah being friends again?
Brother Bru,
ReplyDeleteI've been following statements made by various people after news that Tun Khalil is the peacemaker in the current feud between Tun Dr Mahathir and Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. I read a small story buried at the bottom of one of inside pages of the NST. Judging from the way the story is written, the NST doesn't look very supportive of the. efforts to bring the feuding parties together to talk about their problems. The story is written in such a way that the so-called mediator won't even get a chance to do his job. I'm not sure why the NST is not giving Tun Khalil a chance. Could it be that the efforts were initiated by Dato Zam, the Info Minister whom the NSTP bigwigs are not giving time of day at all?
Tun Khalil may not be abe to patch the differences between TDM n Pak Lah but surely he must be given a chance. I wonder why the NST is not helping the.effort to bring the two opponents together. Don't they like to see Tun M and Pak Lah being friends again?
hellu rocky,
ReplyDeleteguess u havent pick up the latest news in NST... Brendan's contract that suppose to expire this month, is breathing again.
Whatla, the only English paper belong to Umno and Malays, managed by the Hiindu God and Muslim Priest godson... no wonder la NST reporters now becoming darker and darker... around the eyes la bros, tak cukup tidur pasal World Cup la ni.
Kelab Peminat Che Det in NSTP