Thursday, April 30, 2009

Ground rules for blogging


Updates
:
Sakmongkol Answers Rocky's Bru
Sakmongkol Answers Rocky - 2

Original article:
An Ugly Side of Blogging. When politician Ariff Sabri who runs the blog Sakmongkol AK47 decided to expose the identity of A Voice after a cyber-spat with the "anonymous" blogger, he was being unethical. He committed an indecent act against a blogger buddy. At least, to me, that was clearly the case. To some others, including Sakmongkol who said it was a rib-tickler, it was not a sin at all. That is how common sense starts to become a rare commodity.

I know A Voice quite well; I have not met Sakmongkol but have heard good things about him. A Voice and Sakmongkol know each other, personally and politically: A Voice has very few good words to say about Khairy Jamaluddin. Sakmongkol seems to have nothing bad to utter about the Umno Youth chief.

But that's okay. Among Umno bloggers, I've observed, pro-Mukhriz operatives can sit down at the same table with their pro-Khir Toyo or pro-Mike Tyson or pro-KJ or pro-Ali Rustam counterparts. There was a time when pro-Pakatan bloggers would put their arms around pro-BN and pro-nobody bloggers but now they don't do that anymore. But that's another story.

I have asked A Voice many times to shed his anonymity and to blog as himself (I asked every Anon Blogger to do that, anyway). Each time, he would say "it's not time yet". Anonymity gives someone like A Voice the freedom to comment on issues without having to worry about being sued or jeopardizing the positions of people close to him or his sources. The ECM-Libra scandal involving Kalimullah and Gang and the Son-in-Law, for example, was very much his handiwork. A Voice also had a hand in exposing the IJN takeover bid orchestrated by certain quarters within the Government/Umno, despite being a staunch Umno supporter himself.

Sakmongkol should not have exposed the ID of A Voice.

If I were to expose the ID of blogger Hard T and who he works for, he would most likely lose his job next week. His employer might sue him and the cops would want to interview him over some pictures he posted recently will know where to find him. I am not the only one who know Hard T. A Voice knows Hard T as well. But we protect his ID. Honour among thieves, some calls it. Or plain common decency, if you like.

I know who Sime Darby Watch is/was, but I will not reveal him to anyone. SatD is another Anon Blogger (he's the one who calls Sakmongkol "senduk" and I can understand why) whose ID is best kept secret. I know someone who knows who Aisehman is, but he never disclosed the identity of this widely-followed blogger. I know nearly all the Anon Bloggers on my blogroll - Mob, Galadriel, Headliner, Pasquale, etc - and many of the pseudonyms in my comment section, but I will never expose them. They won't find it funny if I do.

Not too long ago, a now-retired blogger resorted to publishing the address and other personal details of commenter Monsterball following a cyber-spat. The spats were ugly (regulars would know that all spats involving Monsterball are ugly), but the act of betraying Monsterball when he had trusted you with his ID was not just uglier, it was venomous and malicious as hell.

I will continue to encourage Anon Bloggers to unmask and proudly blog as themselves. But to those who must remain as Anonymous Bloggers, be very careful who you trust your real ID to.

Now please read A Voice's Common Sense and Common Courtesy: Ground Rule for Blogging.

To all who have to work for a living, Happy Workers' Day.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Pakatan wooing Chua Soi Lek

MCA No 2 mulls sleeping with enemy. It's no secret that there's no love lost between the No 1 in MCA and the hugely popular, non-apple polisher deputy president Chua Soi Lek.

And things are about to get worse for the party. Nut Graph's exclusive reveals that the Pakatan Rakyat has approached Chua and the cold-storaged MCA man is seriously trying to resist the temptation.

So far, the Pakatan leadership hasn't issued a denial. Ong Tee Keat, facing a killer PKFZ RM8 billion scandal, is in Johor, Chua's home state, today.

The reporters should be asking him about the Nut Graph interview, which you may read here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Hornbill Cup: Najib 5 Anwar 0

Sarawak Update has been on my radar for a while now. The people behind it wants to emulate Malaysiakini and get a news portal going for Sarawak. Before Batang Ai, they weren't really partisan. After the by-election, however, they've made their stand quite clear, I see.

In their latest posting here, Sarawak Update chided Anwar ofor having only two Dayak ministers on his Shadow Cabinet after all the talk about Dayaks being marginalised under the BN rule.

There are 5 Dayak in Najib Razak's new Cabinet.

Read more here.

Monday, April 27, 2009

New FT Minister gets open letter from irked blogger

Close our roads, close our periuk-nasi. Like most bloggers, OutSyed The Box has a day job. He is a Jalan Masjid India trader.

And like the other traders there, he's had enough with the authorities closing roads in KL on a good day for business for no good bloody reason.

I hope Federal Territory Minister Raja Nong Chik reads blogs as Syed has made some reasonable requests and some good suggestions in his letter, here.

p.s. Just the other day the PM told the FT Minister to look at the traffic problems in KL. So, finally, we'll get to see how the government spends the RM4 billion it saved after increasing petrol prices as ordered by the previous Administration, eh? Incidentally, just two months ago, his predecessor spoke of a RM1 billion budget to end traffic woes in 10 hotspots in KL ...

Do you have any complaint or suggestion for the new FT Minister?

B.U.M 2009



Have They Failed Us? This year's event, on May 16 at Subang Jaya, won't be just about the new media and blogs. The organisers have gotten a bit more ambitious and want editors from the mainstream media to sit at the same table with their new media brothers and sisters and discuss common issues.

We have just gotten a tentative "yes" from the No 1 man from the No 1 English daily The Star, Wong Chun Wai (pic).

Citizen Nades of theSun, a regular at BUM, will be there. Saodah Elias from The Star has also confirmed her participation. The organisers are hoping to get at least one or two more MSM editors to balance things up.

The list of bloggers includes a couple of YBs, online news pioneers, top lawyers, politicians.

"Have they failed us?" is a question that can be asked of the mainstream media as well as the new media.

The Chairman of BUM2009 says we have seats for only 200 bloggers! That's going to be a problem, especially if we get our Suprise Blogger to helicopter in for the event!

Check out our official blogsite for details, here.


Sunday, April 26, 2009

Death of another good blog

Jed Yoong.

This is the second time Jed has shut her blog. The first time was when she was blogging as Freelunch2020 in the early days of blogs. (Did DAP have anything to do with Freelunch's clossure? Read here).

This latest shutdown came about two months or so after police reports were lodged against her for the article Time for PAS to stop trusting the Malay Rajas in her blog. She's been climbing up and down Bukit Aman a few times for "interviews" since the reports. She was OK with the interviews until her siblings were called in for questioning to help the police with the investigation.

Jed says she wants to focus on the law degree she's been pursuing.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Forum Awam di Ipoh malam esok

updates:
National Press Club's series of National Discourse
"The Perak Crisis"
Opener by Shafee Abdullah
First Speaker, Hafarizam Harun, Umno lawyer
Last Speaker, Nga Hoc Cheh, who describes himself as a "countryside lawyer" from Sitiawan but actually is the Chairman of the DAP Perak legal bureau.

We've confirmed all three speakers and look forward to a good time tomorrow night. See you at Ipoh Town Hall, 8pm, Friday 24 April 2009.

Admission's FREE but please register on-line with nationalpressclub@gmail.com or, if that's somehow now possible, register at the venue.
Original posting:-


Hafarizam Harun vs Hanipa Maidin? Hafarizam, the Umno legal adviser, has confirmed participation for tomorrow's NPC's National Discourse. Blogger A Voice writes here about a bout between him and Pas lawyer Hanipa Maidin.

The NPC hopes it can translate that into a reality show at the Ipoh Town Hall tomorrow! Register online at nationalpressclub@gmail.com now.

Where's Pete?

Raja Petra Kamarudin did not attend court today. It's not like him. I was told early this week that he had left for England but I didn't think Pet was one to run.

His lawyer J. Chandra informed judge Rozina Ayob that his client did not turn up in court on the grounds he is on a self-imposed exile from the state for “reasons that are well known.”

Read the story here.

And by RPK himself, here: "I .. have reason to believe that a new detention order has been issued and that is why the police are looking for me. If I were to turn up in court today I would never be allowed to leave. The police would immediately detain me and send me to Kamunting and this time I shall not be so fortunate as to see freedom in two months like in the last two occasions".

The Big "C" in Perak - A National Discourse

Event: The National Press Club's series of National Discourse
Theme: The Perak Crisis
Date/Time: 24 April 2009, Friday
8 pm
Venue: Ipoh Town Hall, Perak

Register on-line NOW. Mail your details to nationalpressclub@gmail.com to book a seat. Limited number of seats available. Admission is free.

Shafee Abdullah, the prominent lawyer, has confirmed his participation. He will deliver a keynote address on the Perak Crisis, looking at it from his critical and professional angle.

The plan is to have a representative from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in Perak and a representative from the Barisan Nasional government in the state to take part in the Discourse and respond immediately to points raised by Shafee.

Those in attendance will get a chance to raise their points and questions during a Q & A session. We should be able to wrap up by 10 pm or 10.30 pm latest.

The National Press Club's series of National Discourse is aimed at encouraging healthy debate on current issues. By organising these debates in the states (instead of in KL), the NPC hopes to establish rapport with the local reps and people, and touch based with the local journalists and bloggers.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Wee to DAP: Don't try to dominate

I don't recall YB Wee Choo Keong ever using his blog to tell off any of his comrades from Pakatan Rakyat. DAP's YB Tony Pua (or is it YAB Lim Guan Eng?) must have really pissed him off this time.

I won't be reproducing Wee's press statement here. You will have to click here to read it. But I admit I'm curious as to who Wee meant by "certain personalities" on the Exco of Penang and Selangor who are "not fit for the job".

Net diseases


16. How often do you find yourself saying "just a few more minutes" when on-line?

1 = Rarely
2 = Occasionally
3 = Frequently
4 = Often
5 = Always
Does Not Apply


Oh, no! Always. Everytime I say "Just five minutes more", my youngest will roll her eyes and say, "Oh, no!".

Go ahead, take a test at our doctor's blog h e r e.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Why ST wants to pit Najib with Mahathir

update: Why Foreign Press demonizing PM Najib ... by Dr M
Singapore Salvo over Bridge. We know Lee Kuan Yew does not want Malaysia to build the Scenic aka Crooked Bridge. It would be to the republic's great disadvantage. The waters of the Johor Straits will meet, East and West. There will be economic benefits for Malaysia, but only losses for Singapore.
When Pak Lah was Prime Minister, he cancelled the bridge project, blaming the people of Johor for not wanting it.
Now the people of Johor want a bridge. Straight or Crooked is secondary, what's clear is they want the bridge to be constructed.

There used to be Singapore sympathizers within the Abdullah Administration who could help do the republic's bidding. But Abdullah is gone and those "insiders" and operatives are gone.

It's back to the old Media War. And Straits Times has drawn first blood. If this article is not an attempt to bring Najib Razak and Dr Mahathir Mohamad at loggerheads, I don't know what is.

Now let's see what the editors at New Straits Times are made of!

Read the ST article on-line, here.
Print Article
>> Back to the article
April 21, 2009
Bridge project no rush
Any review of plan to be decided only after talks with Singapore, he says
By Hazlin Hassan

KUALA LUMPUR - PRIME Minister Najib Razak on Monday said the government was in no rush to revive an aborted 'crooked bridge' project in Johor.

Datuk Seri Najib told Johor Umno at a closed-door meeting that any review of the scrapped plan would be decided only after discussions with Singapore, an influential state leader who attended the meeting told The Straits Times.

Mr Najib's comments indicate that he does not want a crooked bridge to replace the ageing Causeway that links Malaysia to Singapore, said the state leader.

He said it could also be a sign that Mr Najib wants to make his own decision and not to simply agree with former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who first mooted the idea of the crooked bridge.

'He's showing him who's the boss.'

Earlier on Monday, two Johor lawmakers said a new bridge should be built but it should be a normal, straight one.

Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad said Malaysia and Singapore should work together to build a straight bridge.

He said many Johoreans were 'hopeful that our new Prime Minister and Cabinet will revive the crooked bridge project'.

'(But) the public must understand that bilateral ties between both countries will suffer if the project is revived,' he said.

Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, also a Johor lawmaker, said Tun Dr Mahathir had hopes of reviving the crooked bridge project now that Mr Najib has taken over as Prime Minister, replacing Tun Abdullah Badawi, who was against it.









Death of a good blog

Blog has been removed

Sorry, the blog at simedarbywatch.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs.

Did you expect to see your blog here? See: 'I can't find my blog on the Web, where is it?'

Who killed the blog? The simedarbywatch blogger mailed me to say he's "tired". He also felt that he's achieved his goal ("We got rid of Fox Media, didn't we?"). He is happy that Sime Darby has opened its eyes and is starting to engage bloggers ("I was not invited to dinner but I'd like to claim part of the credit").

I wish SDW all the best. Wish he hadn't totally deleted the blog.; he could have just posted a last goodbye and kept the blog "alive" on blogosphere.


Monday, April 20, 2009

Save Azilah and Sirul blog campaign

Where's the beef? Blogger A Voice has challenged de facto Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and fellow bloggers RPK and Susan Loone to come up with the proof they said they have in order to save the two cops the Malaysian courts have found guilty for the murder of so-called "Far Eastern Mata Hari", Altantuya Shaaribu.

Read his entry h e r e.


RM/USD 1 million photograph. Now, we all have heard talk about a photo of the PM, Altantuya and Razak Baginda having dinner (other versions talked about a photo of Najib-Altantuya-Rosmah and even Razak-Altantuya-Kalimullah!). A lady blogger, during a meeting she helped arrange for Altantuya's father with several Malaysians including RPK, was telling someone close to RPK that it would cost a million bucks to get hold of the picture. It wasn't meant literally, I'm sure. Can't recall if she figuratively meant US$1 million or RM1 million, though.

Btw, here's more food for thought for all bloggers out there.

August 13, 2008 22:55 PM

Lawyer Obtains Injunction Against Raja Petra

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on Wednesday obtained an ex-parte injunction against blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin to remove three articles posted on his "Malaysia Today" weblog.

High Court Judge Datuk Tee Ah Seng also ordered Raja Petra or his agents to remove all comments posted following the articles and granted another injunction to prohibit the blogger from publishing similar articles.

The court also granted an order to restrain Raja Petra or his agents from allowing any article or journal or letter or comment which is defamatory against Shafee to be posted on the "Malaysia Today" weblog.

According to a document made available to the media, Shafee had obtained a wide range of orders including to compel Raja Petra to reveal his source from whom he had obtained information that he had stated in the three articles posted on Aug 6, 7 and 11.

When contacted, Shafee said the court had also ordered Raja Petra to reveal the identities of all the commenters and visitors who had posted their comments and messages following the posting of the three articles.

He alleged that Raja Petra had been making up stories and running a political propaganda to mislead the public over political issues.

Shafee said that besides filing a defamation suit at the High Court Registry here against the blogger, he also planned similar actions against all commenters on the articles once he had received their details.

The court has fixed Sept 2 for inter partes hearing of Shafee's application.

-- BERNAMA

Sunday, April 19, 2009

10 million

Dear Visitors,

It's been nearly 3 years (I started this blog on May 21, 2006).
It's been one long and winding road, usually uphill.
The lawsuit against this blog is still on-going. The trials start next month, if I'm not mistaken.
The All-Blogs is still not registered.
The Malaysian sopo blogosphere is so divided.
I've lost friends (or people I thought were friends) and I've made enemies.
But I think we have achieved something good from our association.
And for 10 mil, it's been worth my while.

So, thank you.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Istana Setengah Bilion

And did anyone else hear about the palace in an East Coast state whose price tag of RM100 million, approved during the tenure of the previous Menteri Besar, has ballooned to more than half a billion ringgit under the current MB who survived an attempted coup by the state's Exco the other day?

Well, even the proposed new Istana Negara (pic above) wouldn't cost quite that much! Read here.

Friday, April 17, 2009

RM4 billion solution to toll problem!

BH 17/04: Kerajaan arah EPU cari penyelesaian komprehensif kepada isu kenaikan tol yang amat tidak disukai rakyat: Najib
Najib wants to end toll problem. This is perhaps the best thing that the new PM has come up with so far. We are paying way too much for toll. You have read many newspaper columns and letters to editors about this. People have demonstrated over toll rates. YB Tony Pua gave a way out on his blog some months back, although some people think his proposal was too simplistic. The MCA has a committee to look into this, and there's a paper by an MP related to our good doctor here that says the solution to the problem would cost the government only RM4 billion!

Best of all, I heard even PLUS, the highway concessionaire, has got a paper done on this which could provide the comprehensive solution to the problem for the government.

I suggest the EPU, which is headed by the former Second Finance Minister, refers to Dr Mahathir Mohamad for some guidance, too.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

No Lanjan by-e;ection, but yes Penanti

16/4 Fairus says he is resigning as Penanti assemblyman, adding that he will now focus on postgraduate studies and clearing his name/STAR
Our MPs and Aduns, they are beginning to fall like ten pins. This will be the 6th by-election since March 8, 2008.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

No Bukit Lanjan by-election?

Updates, after 5pm
Read also: "Stay the Course, Elizabeth", by OutSyed The Box

Eli to stay. NST 15/04: Elizabeth Wong issues statement accepting Selangor Government's offer to remain as State Exco member and assemblyman for Bukit Lanjan.

BH 15/04: Elizabeth Wong terima tawaran terus berkhidmat sebagai Exco serta Adun Bukit Lanjan dan sifatkan keputusan paling sukar pernah dibuatnya.

Original post:
NST 15/04: Elizabeth Wong to stay on as state rep, to decide by 5pm today whether to remain as Exco member


MB asks Adun Eli to stay. Finally, Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim announced today that he and his exco have decided to offer YB Eli Wong to remain as Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman. If she accepts the offer, she must resume work tomorrow. Khalid said his government takes moral issues very seriously but views Eli's situation as an invasion of her privacy.

It's up to Eli now. She did say in her last blogpost that she was determined to relinquish all posts, but that was nearly two months ago.

KEPUTUSAN STATUS YB ELIZABETH WONG

SHAH ALAM: Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Selangor (MMKN) hari ini telah membuat keputusan untuk menawarkan YB Elizabeth Wong agar kembali meneruskan tugas beliau sebagai Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (EXCO) dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Bukit Lanjan.

Justeru itu, jika YB Elizabeth menerima keputusan ini, beliau akan diminta kembali dari cuti untuk meneruskan perkhidmatan beliau kepada Kerajaan Negeri dan rakyat Negeri Selangor mulai esok.

Kerajaan Negeri juga berpendapat keputusan ini adalah wajar dan adil setelah mengambil kira pandangan semua pihak, kepentingan rakyat serta perkembangan mutakhir siasatan polis yang sehingga kini gagal membuat sebarang keputusan muktamad.

DYMM Tuanku Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah juga telah diberi taklimat tentang keputusan ini. Bagi pihak Kerajaan Negeri dan seluruh rakyat Negeri Selangor, saya menjujung kasih ke atas pendirian Tuanku untuk tidak mencampuri urusan politik serta memberi kepercayaan penuh kepada Kerajaan Negeri bagi membuat keputusan yang adil dan terbaik.

Perlu ditekankan disini Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Selangor memandang serius isu moral dan akan senantiasa memastikan pimpinan Negeri menjunjung prinsip ini. Oleh itu, jika ada sebarang bukti yang kukuh, Kerajaan Negeri tidak akan teragak-agak mengambil tindakan yang sewajarnya. Namun demikian, pendirian ini juga harus di imbangi dengan prinsip menghormati hak peribadi seseorang dan Kerajaan Nergeri amat serius mempertahankan hak ini,

TAN SRI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIM
DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Najib's early predicament

14/4 Eight BN backbenchers boycotted second day of Terengganu state assembly sitting in a bid to force Mentri Besar Ahmad Said to step down/STAR
The pressure is piling up on Najib. And it's from within: Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan.

1. MCA terguris hati kenyataan Muhyiddin [MCA slighted by Muhyiddin's statement]
2. Gerakan bantah kenyataan TPM Muhyiddin [Gerakan objects to DPM Muhyiddin's statement]
3. MIC's (suicide) threat
4. Umno Adun revolt in Terengganu against MB Ahmad Said

Note that 1 and 2 are taken from Anwar Ibrahim's blog and although it is aimed at Muhyiddin, the public spat can't be good for the new PM. Najib's 1Malaysia is pipe dream if he can't achieve 1BN, no?

MIC's threat to pull out its minister and two deputy ministers is suicidal. It could be the best news for those within BN who are of the view that Samy Vellu's MIC has been dragging the coalition down, but Najib does not have an option. Or does he? Read AAT's Wayang Gelap MIC.

The revolt in Terengganu. The Malaysian Insider reported here that "... the palace will have no objections to Ahmad’s removal as MB if he is unable to hold the government together." Well, that could not be more misleading, as the Agong does not support the attempt to overthrow the MB (Mat Said was the Agong's choice, remember?). We may witness some acts of "derhaka" here.

If Mat Said loses the confidence of the assembly, Najib may have to contend with a dissolution. A re-election for the entire state, even! If that happens, one BN insider told me, "I don't think BN will win".

Well, at least Najib is right yet again: he isn't getting his 100 days' honeymoon.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Anuar Zaini's baby

Bernama TV faces RM14m losses in first year, million-ringgit lawsuit. YB Wee Choo Keong had the scoop on the Bernama TV fiasco here.
Exceprts:

Bernama or Malaysian National News Agency is an authorised body set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started operation on 26 May 1968. It provides Malaysian news including politics, business, economy, commodities, executive reports and sports, in real time.

Bernama TV, on the other hand, is a private enterprise that involves the 4th Floor boys and some other private individuals. Moreover, the company is now reported to be owing Bernama or the authority over RM10 million in debts.

I did a bit of digging around after reading Wee's blogpost. Seems like the losses amounted to more than RM14 million. Pretty bad for one year, won't you say? Anuar Zaini, who was appointed by ex-PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to replace Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan as Bernama chairman, hasn't responded to Wee's posting, as far as I know.

In my probe, I also found out that one of the content providers has had to close shop because Bernama TV failed to honor payments for services rendered. His company is preparing to file a suit worth a couple of million ringgit against Bernama TV.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Red Sea stops Asean summit


Najib's safe. Tens of thousands of pro-Thaksin supporters overwhelmed security at the 14th Asean Summit, forcing the organisers to postpone the meeting and airlift the leaders by helicopter.
Najib Razak, on his first overseas assignment since taking over as PM of Malaysia, must have had a bird's eye view of the power of the demonstrating people.
It makes me wonder how he'd deal with such a massive protest at home.
I wonder, too, if some of us would be inspired by the Pattaya reformasi to deal with the Government. Malaysia has seen a fair share of street demonstrations in the last couple of years, all of them peaceful and organised. If you ask me, I think they should stay that way.

Read the news and watch videos/pics of Pattaya protests here.
Pictures: Top, pro-Thaksin protest; Below: Our own Yellow March, Nov 10 2007

updated, courtesy of Bernama, after midnight: An Unexpected Ending for Najib ....

Friday, April 10, 2009

New kid on the Blog, tonite 10:30pm


Razali Ibrahim, the MP for Muar, a political featherweight until he won the Umno Pemuda deputy chief post last month and made it into Najib's Cabinet as Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth, appears tonight on RTM's Blog programme. Time 10:30 pm.

Click here to visit his blog. I had a cursory look, and I think Razali will have to write more postings himself and take on issues. A blog is, er, personal. There are also too many references to himself as YB, Datok, etc.

Remember, minimise the formalities.

Rocker blogger

Amy's Phewwitt!!!. I first caught Amy with the now-legendary rock band Search in 82/83. Some of you may still remember Red Rooster (Medan Tuanku) in KL? Great place at a time when the first Mat Rempit wasn't even born yet (this was the era of Anak ABU).

Today, my friend Radin e-mailed to tell me that Amy has started his own blog. Dia ada blog beb!

Check the rocker-blogger's Phewwitt!!! here. It's to promote the Seach's upcoming Farewell Tour but I hope Amy will continue to blog even after the gigs are over.

p.s. For concert dates, history of the band, etc please visit Search di Awan Biru. I'm thrilled to make it for the site's very short blogroll, which includes Aznil, the celebrity tv host!

updated, 11/4 -- Amy Search nafi sertai PAS

How do Sirul and Azilah look like?

Updated: A plea by A Voice - Anwar and RPK must help save Sirul and Azilah


Original article: We know how Altantuya looked like. We know how her lover Razak Baginda look like. But we have never seen the faces of Sirul and Azilah. Both cops were sent to the gallows yesterday for the murder of this "Far Eastern Mata Hari" but their faces are not known to us until today.

I asked my photographer friends in the mainstream media. No, there was no conspiracy by the media to not publish the two killer cops' pictures. No, there was never a directive from the police to not publish their pictrues.

I think it is important for members of the public to know how the two look like.

Read the AFP's piece here on the case that the Opposition has been trying to exploit in a bid to stop Najib from being PM.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Najib's Cabinet: "Amanah besar yang mesti digalas"

Updates,
10/4 Wong Chun Wai, the Star boss, wrote about the historic meeting in Najib's journey begins. I'm not sure if his counterpart from NSTP filed anything. The NST did publish this piece by Zainul Ariffin, Poster politicians are an eyesore, a week before Najib said yesterday that he did not want to see pictures of his ministers on billboards and posters ..

near midnight:
Jai revises his earlier both-or-nothing stand and decides that the line-up is "Good for Mukhriz ... and KJ too". Just read here to find out why he has changed his mind.

Original blogpost

Blogger on the 5th Floor. I was invited to attend Najib Razak's hour-long briefing for the media after he'd announced his new Cabinet. The briefing took place on the 5th floor, which has been the office of the Prime Minister since Dr Mahathir Mohamad moved the Sri Perdana from KL to Putrajaya in 2003. The last time I was there was late 03 for a briefing by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who had just succeeded Dr M. I was then the editor of the Malay Mail. This afternoon at 3.30 I was at the PM's briefing as a blogger.
Hanafiah Man represented Agenda Daily, the news portal. The rest were MSM: The Star editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai, Sin Chew Daily editor-in-chief Pook Ah Lek, RTM director-general Ibrahim "Tiger", Berita Harian group editor Manja Ismail, Utusan Malaysia, editor-in-chief Aziz Ishak, TV3 chief news editor Wee Yo Lee, Bernama deputy editor-in-chief Zulkefli Salleh, NSTP group editor-in-chief Hishamudin Aun, and Nanyang editor-in-chief Ching Tien Siong.


"People's Cabinet". Najib stressed that his Cabinet was a "People's Cabinet", a Cabinet of ministers and deputy ministers of integrity who can work and produce results. To get the desired outcome, there will be a Key Performance Index (KPI) for the ministers and they will be assessed every six months. Najib said those who do not perform could be flashed the "yellow" card (in football, yellow means a stern warning; a second "yellow" card means expulsion from the field).

I asked him what would be his message to his ministers and deputy ministers. "I want people to have faith and confidence in the new Cabinet". He will remind them that Cabinet posts are a responsibility, a huge burden on their shoulders. "Ini amanah besar yang mesti digalas".

Those who were dropped (Syed Hamid Albar, Azalina Osman, Mike Tyson and Zulhasnan Rafique), does it mean they lacked integrity? "No, it does not mean that. There are other factors. Every one of them accepted (the decision) in good faith. Shahrir, especially, was very sporting".

Mukhriz in, Khairy out? "We will help Khairy reorganize Umno Youth," Najib said.

He explained why Information Ministry has been expanded ("to give more teeth to the ministry, otherwise the Information Minister is, with all due respect, not more than a Minister of RTM"). Rais Yatim is the new minister and Najib said he's the right man, especially to deal with the New Media, "which like someone frank, someone with his own mind, and who is open to dissenting views".

Media freedom? "I will give latitude to the media. You can criticize but with responsibility. I'd rather be criticized by the media than be rejected by the people."

Sports and Youth will be stressed. "That's why I put (those) who can approach out youths in that ministry.". New Foreign Minister Anifah Aman "can sell Malaysia well overseas". Najib said he has seen Anifah in action and is impressed with the Sabahan.

Blogging ministers. I could not resist asking the PM if he's going to make everyone in the new Cabinet start a blog. After all, he was bragging earlier on about the hits his blog has been getting (1.5 million hits for the Chinese edition, with "visitors" coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan, even). I said most of the Pakatan politicians are blogging but very few from the BN are doing so.

"Oh, yes, I will encourage them to have blogs," he said.

And the word is out: No red carpets, minimise rituals, less formality. No pictures of the PM, DPM and ministers on billboards.

Read Hanafiah Man's report on the meeting here.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Najib's Cabinet

PM To Announce New Cabinet Line-Up Tomorrow


KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will announce the new Cabinet line-up at 3pm tomorrow, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office today.

It said Najib will have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at 11am tomorrow to seek His Majesty's consent on the line-up.

The statement also said that the ministers and deputy ministers will take their oaths of office, loyalty and secrecy at 9.30am on Friday at the Istana Negara.

The announcement of the new Cabinet line-up, coming in the wake of Najib's appointment as the new prime minister on April 3, will be broadcast live by local television stations.

-- BERNAMA


Mukhriz In, KJ Out? Stop those calls and don't ask me again, please. Because the PM did not - I repeat, DID NOT - consult bloggers like me on who would be in his Cabinet or out.

I hope he gets it right, though.

p.s. Sometimes they come back. I do know that a certain former MP who once was the Bernama group editor might be back from the dead zone to head Najib's communications department. Maybe I heard wrong, but I was told that this dude will be taking in a former member of Pak Lah's notorious 4th Floor along with him. Not an alluring thought, at least not for me.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

D-Day in Bukit Gantang


updates:

It's 2-1, Bukit Gantang Lost! by Syed Akbar Ali; Bukit Gantang: Immediate Thought by A Voice

Not recommended reading: Bukit Gampang! by Bujai


10.36 pm: Pakatan 2 BN 1. Muhyiddin has just congratulated Nizar Jamaluddin, who won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat with a 2,789-majority. "We have a good candidate (Ismail Saffian) but it wasn't enough," he told a press conference at the media centre in Kamunting here.

Meanwhile, according to Malaysiakini, Nizar will request for the dissolution of the Perak Assembly to enable fresh elections in the state. He said his victory in Bukit Gantang sends a very strong message to the federal government that Malaysians want real democracy.

A quick analysis:
90-10 per cent. Early details from the official results at Gantang show that the swing of the Chinese voters towards BN did not happen as I had anticipated. In fact, the Chinese voters of Bukit Gantang had turned their backs on the Barisan Nasional. Only 10 per cent of the Chinese voters gave their votes to the BN candidate. The remaining 90 per cent voted for Nizar/Pakatan.

In a phone interview with KiniTV at about 9pm, I said that BN components Malaysian Chinese Association and Gerakan would need to do a lot of soul searching. If Bukit Gantang is any indication, the Chinese have all but rejected them!

The same set of stats shows that the Malay voters who polled for BN had actually increased.

6.15pm:
Follow the three by-elections LIVE via NST here. You can leave comments there too!

6pm:
You'll be getting conflicting reports about who's leading and who's trailing. Counting started at 530pm for Bukit Gantang and I've already got two reports based on exit poll. The first said BN will lose by 1,500 votes at least and the second said Pakatan will lose by 2000. Deja vu.

We're on our way to Bukit Gantang from Ipoh.



BH 07/04:Dua lelaki ditahan polis di Kampung Bukit Lembu, Gurun, Kedah, pada 9.40 pagi tadi kerana menahan bas dinaiki 35 penyokong BN.


Opponents or Enemies? The voters in Bukit Gantang - and Bukit Selembau and Batang Ai - will decide who they want as the reps by day's end. Whoever wins, I hope we'll put an end to dirty poster wars such as the above which we saw in Gantang. Sure, we need to win but, if I may quote the new PM at the MPI awards last night, "opponents need not be enemies".

We need to deal with by-elections and elections in a more matured, friendly manner.

We should be able to sit down with our opponents.





Pics, courtesy of OTB:
Top: Syed Akbar Ali, YB Ronnie Liu, Salahuddin, Bujai and Rocky's Bru in Syuen Hotel, Ipoh
Bottom: With YB JJ in Asam Pedas, Taiping


Sunday, April 05, 2009

Bukit Gantang: An OutSyed The Box's perspective

Who will win Bukit Gantang? Analysis and pics from Syed Akbar Ali's blog here
Excerpts:
"Which giant slays whom is more crucial to Nizar and the Pakatan than to the BN. The reason being if Nizar loses, it will signal the end of Pakatan's role in Perak. If the BN loses, they will just keep coming back."
The journo-blogger Op-Ed is sure the results of the tri-elections on April 7 will be 2-1. In whose favor? Read his analysis here.

The poster above was taken from Parpu Kari without permission.

Last but not least for now, can anybody confirm if this was the earth-shattering news that DSAI said he would reveal?

Anwar announces defection from PPP
Apr 4, 09 11:46pm

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) vice-president V Nagarajan along with 11 of the party’s divisions will be defecting to PKR, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

MCPX

According to Nagarajan, a total of 6,000 members from the Barisan Nasional component party will follow him to join PKR. -- from Malaysiakini


Storm-y Sunday at Sepang





updates: It was the most STORM-y of F-1s. Race was stopped because of heavy rain. My gratitude to Celcom for making it possible for my bro Kerp and the other nine bloggers, including three teenage bloggers, to enjoy the experience.


Original posting:

Kerp & I, and several other bloggers, will be heading for the F-1 later today. We have been invited by Celcom, the Malaysian mobile phone company, to witness the fastest (and noisiest, I heard) race event on Earth.

All those years as editor of Business Times and then the Malay Mail, I turned down every invite to the Formula One that they had sent to me. This time I'm even taking time off from the Bukit Gantang by-election to see for myself what the fuss has been all about.

It may interest Blackberry lovers that they are also launching the Storm at the F-1!

More about the race and the Storm later. Go read what our blogger on wheels gotta say here ...

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Bukit Gantang: A deciding evening at Kuala Sepetang

pix The Taikor and A Voice watch the fishermen sampans and boats pass by

"Tonight at a riverside seafood restaurant in Kuala Sepetang, we'll see if the Chinese voters will swing to Barisan Nasional," said my taikor friend, a local boy who once was a major player in Malaysia's corporate sector.

"Victory will be decided there."

Sounds a little dramatic but after two days of mingling with the Chinese community leaders - the three of us (A Voice, Bujai and I) spent a whole afternoon yesterday at this very restaurant, which stands on stilts in waters the provide for Malays, Chinese and Indian fishermen - one can sense that a climax hovers near. The Chinese makes up a little over a quarter of the voters in Bukit Gantang, which was won by PAS in March last year.

Anifah Aman, an extremely popular BN politician from Sabah and Hamidah Osman, who played a major role in the takeover of Perak from Pakatan Rakyat, will be there. "If you think Nizar can speak Mandarin, you should listen to YB Anifah," my friend told me.

Two nights ago, at the Kuan Tee association's anniversary dinner, more than 5000 people turned up. The do at the Kuala Sepetang restaurant is mainly for the leaders of the Chinese community leaders who, according to the taikor, had supported Pakatan at the 12th General Election.

A Brand New Day for Malaysia

A good start. I'm reproducing Najib Razak's maiden address as our 6th Prime Minister so that we can all judge him for ourselves and hold him by his word. I say it's a good start and I say that the more rational and reasonable among us Malaysian men and women should give him a fair chance to prove his worth as our leader.

If he fails to deliver, we'll know what to do.

Because we've done it before.


PRIME MINISTER’S ADDRESS ON ASSUMING OFFICE AS

6TH PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

3 APRIL 2009

-------------------------

  1. On behalf of all Malaysians, I would like to thank YABhg. Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for his 31 years of exemplary public service to our country, his commitment to strengthening the institutions and fabric of our democracy and for his graceful example as our leader.
  1. I am grateful to YABhg. Tun for his confidence in proposing my name as Prime Minister to Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and I am honoured that His Majesty has consented to my appointment with this morning’s swearing-in ceremony. I feel a deep sense of humility at the opportunity to serve as your Prime Minister at an important time in our nation's history.

    My life has been dedicated to public service.

    Growing up, I was inspired by the positive impact of public service in the example of my late father. Four decades on, I remain committed to the goals of tackling poverty; of restructuring our society; of expanding access to quality education for all; and of inspiring a new generation of young Malaysians to work on behalf of this great country.

    My own service in government has always been about getting results: to ensure a better deal for teachers, to improve conditions for our brave soldiers, and to strengthen our economy in defence of the people of Malaysia, as we deal with the outbreak of a global recession.
  1. In the coming weeks, I will be consulting with people around our country, as I begin to reshape the leadership and priorities of the Government. I am mindful that we should build on the successes and lessons of the past. It must be a government with new approaches for new times – a government that places a priority on performance, because the people must come first.
  1. We must reach out to all parts of Malaysia…to all our diverse communities. In our national discourse and in pursuing our national agenda, we must never leave anyone behind. We must reach out to the many who may have been disaffected and left confused by political games, deceit and showmanship.

    We must draw on talented people across our nation, regardless of their position or background, to re-energize a passion for public service. We must sow the seeds of goodwill and understanding in every corner of this land, so that we continue to harvest the fruits of progress and prosperity for all Malaysians.

    We must seek to include and unlock the potential of our young people who will be the next generation of leaders, businesspeople, engineers, scientists, teachers and doctors. We must give them wings to fly.

  1. And so today, I pledge that I will work tirelessly to serve all of you.
  1. In this spirit, I would like to announce that the government has decided with immediate effect, to remove the temporary ban on TWO news publications, release 13 detainees from ISA detention, and conduct a comprehensive review of the Internal Security Act. Additional details will be announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs shortly.
  1. These decisions are timely as we move to enhance the confidence of our citizens in those entrusted with maintaining peace, law and order, while recognizing the need to remain vigilant of the very real security threats we continue to face as a young nation.
  1. I know that for every citizen, these are hard times and I remain focused in providing strong leadership to lead us out of this economic crisis and unleash our full potential as a nation. I will be steadfast in my commitment to meet the needs, aspirations and concerns of all Malaysians.
  1. So today I ask you to join me in this task of renewing Malaysia. I urge us to rise to the challenge of building a One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now.
  1. Let us begin this great journey together.

Friday, April 03, 2009

81 MPs and 5673 Malaysians don't want Najib

Petite-tion. As of midnight of April 2, the eve of Najib's swearing-in as Malaysia's 6th Prime Minister, a total of 5,673 Malaysians had signed a "no-confidence in Najib" on-line petition.

That's about the size of the crowd at a dinner in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the Kuan Tee Association at Simpang in Bukit Gantang, which I covered with several other bloggers who traveled from KL yesterday.

Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yasin addressed the predominantly Chinese audience. The focus of his speech was the economy: he promised more industrial projects for Bukit Gantang, land for some 300 farmers to carry out integrated farming, sustainable economic development. In short, prosperity.

The Chinese, who make up slightly more than a quarter of the voters in Bukit Gantang, are believed to hold the key to Tuesday's by-election.

Dr Mahathir is expected to be in Bukit Gantang on Monday.

The 5673 anti-Najib on-line petitioners are joined by 81 MPs from the Opposition who have asked the King to put off Najib's swearing-in, scheduled for 10 this morning.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

0001 is back!

BH 02/04: Dr Mahathir akan sertai semula Umno sebelum Isnin ini dan bantu kempen BN pada pilihan raya kecil Bukit Gantang dan Bukit Selambau: Mukhriz
Dr Mahathir vowed he would stay out of Umno as long as Abdullah is Prime Minister. Tomorrow Pak Lah officially hands over the premiership to Najib Abdul Razak. Gantang and Selambau by-elections are next Tuesday so there's not much time left for Dr Mahathir to help campaign. The news alone should be enough to swing some over.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

A little early

Ooops! Bernama issued this story to the papers a while ago. The papers, in turn, very efficiently sent out SMS alerts to their subscribers:
1/4 Agong has consented to swearing-in ceremony of Najib as Prime Minister at 10am Friday at Istana Negara: Chief Secretary to Govt Mohd Sidek/STAR [received 18:47]


NST 01/04: King has given consent to swear in Najib as new Prime Minister on Friday 10am, at Istana Negara, says Chief Secretary to Government [18:42]

BH 01/04:Yang di-Pertuan Agong berkenan istiadat angkat sumpah jawatan Najib sebagai PM pada Jumaat ini, jam 10 pagi di Istana Negara: KSN [18:28]

Then, a few minutes ago, the national news agency sent this bulletin to all its subscribers:

[NEWS] NOTE TO EDITORS: APRIL 1
Please ignore item slugged "Agong-Najib" as the office of the Chief Secretary of the Government has said that it had issued the statement prematurely.-- BERNAMA

Oh, dear.

A little late

Interview with bloggers next? You've probably read Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's interview with "a bunch of editors". I read it in The Star today. I thought it was a little late for the editor to be asking the outgoing PM about his unpuctuality. Or maybe not!? Pak Lah would have to try to be punctual for at least one time as PM - for the Friday appointment at the Istana Negara.

Syed Akbar Ali wondered why bloggers were not invited to the PM's Final Interview. Read his take here on what it could have been if he had been there!

Bukit Gantang: MB vs MB yang sah

BH 01/04: Mahkamah Tinggi menetapkan esok untuk mendengar permohonan Nizar mendapatkan perintah bahawa beliau masih Menteri Besar Perak yang sah.

"Kalau saudara Nizar yakin dia menteri besar yang sah, kenapa di borang penamaan calonnya dia sebut pekerjaannya sebagai Adun Pasir Panjang? Tolong beritahu kita semua. Kenapa tak tulis pekerjaannya Menteri Besar Perak?"
- Zambery Kadir, Menteri Besar Perak, berkata semalam di ceramah kat Bukit Gantang.

Nak kena tanya Nizar nih ...

p.s. For additional reporting, please see A Voice and Bujai's Bukit Gantang: Not an easy one

Bukit Gantang: What ban?

31/3 Ban on bringing up Altantuya case and Perak Sultan decision in campaigning was by Home Ministry and covers all 3 by-elections: Syed Hamid/STAR
We arrived in Ipoh about 7 pm yesterday (Tuesday). On the way, I got the sms about the ban. The three of us - A Voice, Bujai and I - agreed it was a stupid move. After a simple dinner in the city, we drove up into Bukit Gantang via the Kuala Kangsar exit.

We were lucky. In the same hour, we caught ceramahs by both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional.

And know what? Ahmad Sabu of PAS was going on and on and on about Altantuya Sharibuu. He was calling for a Special Commission to investigate Najib Razak's involvement in her death. There was no respect whatsoever for the ban issued by Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar. Ahmad Sabu was even singing a tune "Altantuya, Altantuya". Damn!

A few hundred meters away from the PAS ceramah, Perak Menteri Besar Zambery Kadir was holding a ceramah. Anwar Ibrahim's former blue-eyes and PKR youth leader Ezam Mohd Nor and BN candidate for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat Ismail Sapian were present.

And guess what? Zambery was going on and on and on about how PAS and Pakatan Rakyat are using Bukit Gantang to get back at the Sultan of Perak and Barisan Nasional for the loss of the Perak state to the BN. "The court case filed by Saudara Nizar against me, for example. Is it really against me? I did not appoint me as MB of Perak. Who appointed me? The Sultan of Perak appointed me. So who is Saudara Nizar going against?"

Maybe both sides haven't heard about the ban?

Update: What is Syed Hamid Up To?