Saturday, May 28, 2011

Monaco, MU and a Minister's court case

I landed in Nice around noon (local time is six hours behind Malaysian time) from Heathrow and from there it was about an hour by SUV through scenic and meandering sea-front road to Monaco, the second tiniest nation on this planet. I am here for the Monaco F1 with a small group of media people courtesy of Petronas, the national oil corporation, which is in it with Mercedes. Two other Malaysian groups are also deeply involved with the Formula One - Proton, the national car manufactuers=, and the team comprising Tony Fernandes' Air Asia and SM Nasaruddin SM Nasimuddin of NAZA Group.

MH002 from KLIA to Heathrow was full. More than half the passengers were probably going to the UK to watch Manchester United play Barcelona in the final that has got nothing to do with Malaysian football but a lot with our passion for the game and the simple fact that a lot of us CAN afford it.

Monte Carlo will be my last assignment with the MSM. My contract with The Malay Mail ends on May 31, after which I will not longer act as adviser to the tablod, the Malaysian Reserve and the Bernama TV that Rais Yatim, the Information Minister, so wanted to take back for I don't know why. I rejoined The Paper That Cares this time in 2009 on a two-year contract. I will still sit on the Malay Mail Care Fund, on voluntary basis, until further notice.

By the way, Rais Yatim's case against the Sabah blogger is expected to be heard in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur next Friday. The Sabahkini editor, who is being sued by the Minister for defamation over a certain allegation of rape of an Indonesian maid, is standing by his story. It won't make world headlines like the MU game or the Monaco F1 will, but the court case will be as furious. And since the Blog House of Malaysia has promised to consider helping bloggers against lawsuits, it will have to decide one way ofanother where this case is concerned. After May 31, I will still be adviser to the Blog House Malaysia.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Subsidy for the lower income

UPDATED, 1pm, Wed: A briefing for editors, scheduled for lunch today to explain the subsidies, has been called off. No announcement today? We can hope...

Original article:
Tomorrow, the Government is expected to announce some so-called rationalization measures which basically means reducing subsidies and passing the burden to consumers. The task of trying to explain this very simple concept falls on Nor Mohamad Yakcop. But no matter how well this seasoned campaigner performs this task tomorrow, there will be complaints. Unhappiness. Perhaps even anger.

Yes, we all accept that we are living on subsidies. Handouts. Tongkats. And we are all ashamed of this fact. Still, why cut subsidies now, right? More and more people are asking that question. Even those in the government. It is election year, ehat? Cut subsidies when the government has succeeded in cutting its own inefficient spending, etc etc. blah blah.

Anything to continue getting subsidized.

I agree that subsidies must be reduced and eventually we must do without them if we are to become that high-income, developed nation.

But we are not there yet. Najib Razak's own New Economic Model, which he introduced at the start if his premiership, admits that there are still too many in the lower income group.

Forty percent of wage earners in the urban areas are in this category. They still need help. A tongkat. Some handouts now and then would help.

So tomorrow, the only way the Government's subsidies rationalization measures are going to work well is if they take into consideration the bottom 40 per cent.
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9

Walk, shall we Malaysians?

pic courtesy of Apanama's Clean Stop or ..

The last time I "walked" was in February last year, against some Aussie MPs who wanted Malaysia to stop the process of justice in this country. These MPs said the Saiful vs Anwar trial was a conspiracy, undemocratic, an injustice. Those who walked with us included KJ, the BN Youth chief, and Kamalanathan, who would go on to become an MP two months later, defeating PKR's giant Zaid Ibrahim in the battle for Hulu Selangor.

It was a small, peaceful protest.

Not what the organisers of BERSIH have in mind. The political party PAS alone has committed 100,000 bodies for this pro-democracy, formerly apolitical walk.*

Khairy and Kamalanathan should join forces again and match BERSIH, body for body, stride for stride. Let us have a healthy, peaceful contest of who can bring more supporters, make more noise, and leave the least litter. In the name of democracy, let's walk together.

* (I took part in the Bersih walk of Nov 2007 against the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration (also known as the Yellow march because everyone wore yellow in the hope that the Agong would be with us in spirit), which saw 40,000 or so protesters according to some estimates, where we were told no politicians would be involved but at the end, of course, Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang, among others, appeared out of nowhere to steal all the credit. It was the start of a campaign that would end with the March 2008 general election).

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Moderation

WORDS FROM THE DEAD ON LIVING offers great advice for anyone who wish to live a long and healthy life. Not surprisingly, moderation tops the list of things to do and to be. And moderate is something most of us are not.

Thanks, Doc.

p.s. Najib Razak was telling Oxford about another kind of moderation the other day: Moderate Islam. It is not a new concept; Dr Mahathir has been an advocate. Which is why in this country attempts at being not-so-moderate, ie Al-Maunah, JI, Al-Arqam and even Ayah Pin, have been quashed early and decisively. People forget that, sometimes.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Suicide Watch and the RCI

My last posting on "Suicide Watch" has brought this article onto my radar. It is based on a Nanyang news report published on May 17. It seems that while we wait for the verdict on the RCI on Teoh Beng Hock, his death continues to churn stories of moral decline among our politicians. This report, in my view, is damaging to the DAP, especially, since it has from the start openly accused the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of TBH's murder. It would seem now, nearly two years later, that some people stand to lose a lot if TBH's death was anything but murder.

DAP MEMBER SEEKS RESIGNATION OF LEE KEE HIONG. A DAP Serdang member has urged Lee Kee Hiong, senior member of DAP and ex-political secretary to Lim Kim Siang, to resign from all the party positions she holds.
Yap Guang Ming alleged that Lee was guilty of abuse of state funds for certain constituencies and for misleading the public and DAP members about her involvement in the award of contracts to her family members.
He urged Lee to do the responsible thing and resign from all party positions.  He also called for DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang to sever all ties with Lee and take action against her.
Lee was also responsible for Teoh Beng Hock’s involvement in the cooking of DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyman’s books. Yap said that Teoh used to complain that he would be implicated by Lee’s misconduct.
Teoh was aware of these misdeeds and had said he would resign soon after his wedding.
Citing former Klang councilor Tee Boon Hock who was sacked for issuing a support letter, Yap said Lee should face a similar fate for abuse of power.
This call comes on the back of more DAP members voicing their dissatisfaction on how state constituency allocations were siphoned off by third parties and cronies.
As a refresher, let’s flash back to year 2008 long before Teoh Beng Hock was found dead outside MACC’s building a year later.
Lawyer and former Hulu Selangor district councillor K.A. Ramu lodged a complaint with the Selangor DAP against Kajang councillor Lee Kee Hiong over the disbursement of funds for the Kuala Kubu Baru constituency, but no action had been taken.
Ramu resigned from his councillor’s post in October that year following alleged interference from Lee in the management of allocations for that constituency. 
He said he was unhappy with the disbursement of funds by Lee to three companies, adding that he had given the names of the companies in a letter he wrote on Dec 19, 2008 to Selangor DAP secretary Lau Weng San.
No action was taken.
Then Teoh died, which opened up a can of worms though Lee was still untouchable. 
Back to the present. The Royal Commission of Inquiry on Teoh Beng Hock’s death has confirmed Lee’s misdeeds.
Yap said Lee had previously denied her relationship with contractor Lee Wye Wing until the RCI hearing where she finally admitted that Lee Wye Wing is actually her uncle.  
Unbeknownst to many, Lee Kee Hiong manages all of Selangor Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah’s allocations for his constituency.
“Most of all the projects below RM20,000 had been awarded to Lee Wye Wing’s wife under the company WSK Services and Teoh was the one who was in charge of Sri Kembangan‘s allocation.”
Yap stressed that Lee owed Teoh’s family an explanation, especially about Teoh’s involvement in the alleged misuse of state funds.
In response, Lee clarified that Ean Yong had never delegated the authority to a third party to manage state allocations. She herself had no control over the allocations.  
“Teoh wasn’t responsible for Seri Kembangan’s funds. He was only involved in paperwork, preparing the documents and forms.”
Lee said Teoh didn’t consider Yap as a friend because he disliked Yap playing mahjong in the party’s clothes.
“Teoh and Yap were not on good terms and Yap didn’t attend Teoh’s funeral,” she said.
 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Suicide watch

Huffington Post has the story on the IMF Chief, to be charged with attempted rape of a 32-year old chambermaid, being placed on a suicide watch. The article offers many comparative studies we could make between Kahn's case and the cases we have at home * - from the arrest of this high-profiled man, the treatment he received as a suspect and the isolated cell they put him in a New York jail to the intense attention cast on his accuser from Guinea, Africa, Kahn's history with women, and the unfettered media coverage. 
However, the "suicide watch" facility attracts my attention most because I think it is about time our authorities have such a facility, too, given their recent history with deaths of suspects and witnesses (though not in the thousands as claimed by some) and the increase in number of cases involving high-profiled personalities.

Find out how they treat their VVIP suspect in a rape case: DOMINIQUE STRAUSS KAHN: IMF CHIEF ON SUICIDE WATCH IN NEW YORK JAIL

* Kahn and Anwar: A Study in Parallels by The New Ledger

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Bloggers for Blogger Kerp

Kerp and Molee

A FRIEND IN NEED. Kerp was introduced to me on Dec 27, 2006 by Bernard aka Zorro Unmasked at a Christmas party in Subang.  I was driving back from JB on the North-South Highway and something in the engine faltered and the SUV would not go faster than 80km an hour, so I rang Bernard and told him that I might not make it to his do.

"Rocky, this guy would really, really like to meet you. Just get here in one piece," Bernard ordered.

I'm glad I made it to the party and met wheelchair-bound Kerp, or Ahmad Daniel, struck by tragedy as a teenager. We were to meet several times at Kak Ton's for her great and sorely-missed mi rebus, Kerp would start a kick-ass blog, and later a column with The Malay Mail when I came back as its Editor.

Last year was a very big year for Kerp, he and sweetheart Molee finally got married. But this year, another tragedy struck.

"... it was the best thing ever happened my entire life. And it still does and i believe forever it shall be. But good things at some point will come to an end,  or hopefully temporarily. When we thought our beautiful marriage life can only get better, another tragedy struck, this time to Molee, my dear wife. She was diagnosed with kidney cancer and as i write this the dreadful bad cells have spread to her lower vertebra, which means a radiation treatment is compulsorily required…." - Kerp


Today, on Wesak Day, the people at the Blog House Malaysia launched the B4B = Kerp campaign, a charity drive to help Kerp takes care of Molee's medical expenses. In the coming days and weeks, we will be approaching our loaded friends in politics and business to ask for their help.



Dear Readers, if you wish to send Kerp a donation, please do the following:

  1. Bank in your contribution to MAYBANK - acc No – 1642 5846 2732 AHMAD DANIEL SHAH B SHARANI.
  2. Send an email on your contribution and amount to mybloghouse@gmail.com so that we can update Kerp of your contribution (and keeping a countmeter as well!)
  3. As we are aware that some people may take advantage of the situation, always point your posting links back to www.bloghousemalaysia.com website
Fellow bloggers, please don't hesitate to make a posting on B4B=Kerp campaign to create greater awareness. 

Read also:

Monday, May 16, 2011

Ah, Shamsul Yunus

STILL ANGRY. The journalist Shamsul Yunus, not known to mince words in his blog Marahku (My Anger) until it was hacked around the time of the "Christian Nation" controversy nearly two week ago, has started a new blog at www.masihmarah.blogspot.com. As his new url underscores, Shamsul is still angry.

He and blogger Zakhir Mohamad aka Big Dog are being investigated for controversial postings on a meeting of pastors in Penang sponsored by a political party.

In fact. Zakhir is in Penang now to help police with their investigation He was interviewed for two hours this evening, after which he was met by a group of local reporters. Zakhir did not speak to the reporters but told me the police have also interviewed some of the pastors.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Press Peedom in Penang

In Singapore, at least they are honest. Anyone who tells me that the DAP and Pakatan are all for our basic freedoms - press freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of information, human rights freedom, etc - ought to have his head checked. In Penang, where DAP rules, you report negatively about the Chief Minister and his party at your own peril. And they complain that our Press Freedom is ranked so lowly.
And no, if you think this is like Singapore, not at all. In Singapore, unlike in DAP's Penang, they don't pretend that they are for this freedom or that freedom.
Swines, you say, but at least they are honest!

DAP's pastors meeting: A DAP man confesses

Prologue: Ok, no matter how much you hate Utusan Malaysia and want want to kick their journalists to Kamunting, you can only blame one DAP man here. And those who have called bloggers Big Dog and Shamsul Yunos liars please shut up and do consider apologizing when the time comes  ...

The confession of Mohamad Razali Abdul Rahman.  This 42 year-old Penangite, who claimed to be a DAP member (and a Muslim at the same time), has helped thrown a bit of divine light on the meeting of pastors sponsored by the DAP in Penang over a week ago.

That meeting, or of what we know of it so far, has sparked a major controversy. Big Dog or real name Zakhir Mohamad and journalist Shamsul, who ran the blog Marahku before it vanished (just before the worldwide suspension of blogspot.com - Marahku ran on blogspot)*, had reported a pact to make Malaysia a Christian nation during the meeting. The postings were picked up and frontpaged by Utusan Malaysia last Saturday, which earned it a warning from the KDN and saw some quarters who previously claimed to be anti-ISA to call for the editors to be sent to Kamunting where ISA detainees go without trial.

Who is this DAP man Razali? I don't have details. But if he's really a member of the party, we can expect the DAP to sack him after today. But the damage is done; he's lodged a police report to say he was there at the meeting of pastors organised by the DAP, could not stomach the lies told by several quarters, and want the truth to be told.

"I have come (forward) to tell the real story of what happened there (at the pastors' meeting) because I was present at the meeting. I am making this (police) report because I am overwhelmingly disappointed with the earlier reports (in the media) made by certain quarters who may not know what actually took place".

So what is the truth?

Ok, we don't know what this Razali wrote in his police report. He may have actually said in his report that Utusan Malaysia was wrong or Big Dog and Shamsul were liars (in which case the DAP won't sack him but may promote him, grudgingly since he is a Malay and a Muslim to boot). But why come out now if that is what he wanted to say? After all, the KDN has reprimanded Utusan Malaysia editors and the two bloggers have been turned upside down and crucified; in Big Dog's case especially by his own comrades within Umno. The matter is (or was) considered almost settled already and everybody wanted to move on.

So, I am betting that Razali has something else and something more compelling to share. Read the newspaper's (sorry, I only buy Utusan Malaysia these days) report on page 8, Isu Kristian: Ada asas kebenaran and you can read between the thin lines about how a report by an individual may have lent credence to an Utusan Malaysia report quoting two bloggers about what happened during a pastors meeting sometime last week, etc etc.


Saksi tampil cerita perkara sebenar



MOHAMED Razali Abdul Rahman ditanya oleh kalangan wartawan di pekarangan Balai Polis Jalan Patani, Pulau Pinang semalam, selepas membuat laporan mengenai anjuran majlis pertemuan paderi-paderi di sebuah hotel baru-baru ini. - utusan/ Sazali Che Din


PULAU PINANG 13 Mei - Kecewa dengan pembohongan oleh pihak terlibat mengenai penganjuran majlis pertemuan paderi-paderi di sini baru-baru ini, seorang saksi tampil menceritakan perkara sebenar yang berlaku dalam majlis berkenaan.
Mohamed Razali Abdul Rahman, 42, hari ini hadir di Balai Polis Jalan Patani membuat laporan bagi membantu polis melakukan siasatan mengenai perkara itu.
Mohamed Razali yang merupakan ahli DAP Bahagian Jelutong mengakui dia ada pada majlis kesyukuran itu yang diadakan secara tertutup untuk paderi-paderi di sebuah hotel di Jalan Macalister di sini.
"Saya datang untuk ceritakan keadaan sebenar apa yang berlaku di sana (majlis berkenaan) sebab saya sendiri pun hadir pada majlis tersebut. Saya buat laporan ini sebab terlampau kecewa dengan laporan-laporan (dalam media) sebelum ini yang dibuat beberapa pihak yang mungkin tidak tahu apa yang sebenarnya berlaku.
"Jadi saya pun buat laporan dan saya serah kepada polis untuk buat siasatan lanjut tentang isu ini," katanya ketika ditemui di luar Balai Polis Jalan Patani di sini selepas membuat laporan itu.
Mohamed Razali yang ditemani isteri tiba di balai tersebut pukul 9 pagi dan keluar kira-kira tiga jam kemudian.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan butiran yang dilaporkan kepada polis kerana tidak mahu mengganggu siasatan.
Ahli Parlimen Jelutong, Jeff Ooi dalam muka depan Utusan Malaysia pada Sabtu lalu menafikan dakwaan kononnya beliau menganjurkan satu majlis pertemuan paderi dari seluruh negara yang turut berikrar untuk menjadikan Kristian sebagai agama rasmi Persekutuan sekali gus melantik Perdana Menteri dalam kalangan penganut agama itu.
Menurut wakil rakyat DAP itu, beliau hanya menghadiri majlis kesyukuran yang diadakan secara tertutup untuk paderi-paderi tersebut di sebuah hotel di Jalan Macalister di sini sebagai tetamu.
Majlis pertemuan paderi-paderi berkenaan dan ikrar menjadikan Kristian sebagai agama rasmi Persekutuan didedahkan oleh dua laman blog iaitu bigdog dihttp://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com/ menerusi entri bertajuk Making Christianity the official religion? dan blog Marahku di http://marahku.blogspot.com.
Mohamed Razali menambah, sebagai orang Islam, dia wajib tampil ke depan bagi menceritakan apa yang berlaku pada majlis berkenaan.
"Sebagai orang Islam saya rasa kecewa. Saya ceritakan dalam laporan (polis) apa yang berlaku," ujarnya.


* Like everyone else, I was not able to log into blogger for the last two days. This is my first posting after the worldwide blogger suspension. Yesterday, I was told by some readers that some of my postings had disappeared. Shamsul Yunos, who lost his entire blog Marahku and his Mail Motor website just before this global phenomenon, is busy trying to get back what he's lost and put them together in a brand new blog. His fans and enemies need not worry ... beliau masih marah (he's still angry). Both he and Big Dog are still being investigated by the police for postings that appeared in their blogs about the pastors' meeting.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

They are journalists, crucify them!

Hehe. So many people want Utusan Malaysia's publishing permit to be suspended because of its front page report on May 7, "Malaysia Negara Kristian". Some jokers, including a deputy minister, are supporting the call that the editors and journalists be sent to jail. If they were the government, they might even burn a couple of bloggers on the stakes.

These are the same jokers who have been shouting at the top of their lungs about human rights and greater freedoms. Every year on World Press Freedom Day they would implore on the Malaysian government to throw out the PPPA and other prohibitive publishing laws. Freedom of the Press, they cry. These are the same people who oppose the OSA and call the ISA oppressive and cruel.


Now they sing a different tune. They want the KDN to punish the editors and journalists. Stop them from publishing.


Bah! Such hypocrites.


There's this DAP Member of Parliament who reminded everyone of the one-day detention of the Chinese journalist not too long ago. Why aren't the Malay editors of Utusan sent to Kamunting? Another Chinese MP, not from DAP, spoke of the time when a Chinese newspaper's permit was suspended for two weeks and questioned why the Malay-owned Utusan Malaysia was getting only a warning letter.


Subtle, eh, the racial undertones?


I can understand the need to appeal to your own race. But I hope the MPs are aware that they have just invited the government to detain journalists under the ISA and use the power of the KDN to stop journalists from publishing. Next time the authorities act on their news portals or party organs, citing Seditions Act or OSA or one of the many laws, I will be there to remind them that they asked for it.


By the way, when the Chinese reporter was sent detained under ISA, Syed Hamid Albar was the Home Minister and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was PM. That was the dark ages. Under Najib Razak, Kamunting and journalists won't meet. I'm sure of it.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Crack down, boys, don't kill 'em

And be polite, please? Some quarters are definitely feeling the heat from the authorities' current campaign against corruption (plus tax evasion, under-declaration of taxes, and outright bribery)involving businesses. Early this week, a series of raids were conducted by Bank Negara, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Royal Customs and Excise Department, and Inland Revenue in the Klang Valley. Such efforts are worth our support.

But the media have also started to hear complaints of high-handedness on the part of the raiders. Some of the officers who took part in this week's raids may have been involved in too many raids of night spots, karaoke joints, and massage parlors, kot? If this is so, there is need to keep it civil, guys. We don't want the behavior of some wayward officers to spoil the whole effort.

And there's this strategy to FREEZE the accounts of ALL the businesses involved. Much like what the MACC did to some 200 freight forwarders when they cracked down on a Customs syndicate the other day (it's good to note that Customs and MACC are involved in the current joint campaign). While this may be necessary when the authorities know who they are targeting, there's concern that a blanket freeze on an industry or a certain portion of an industry would send the wrong signal.

It would also affect genuine business, and this is something the authorities involved would want to avoid.

Taikors and Taikuns are SPOT ON with their latest posting A CRACKDOWN OR A LOCKDOWN?

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Malaysian Blogbusters

The MCMC has just finished "interviewing" bloggers Zakhir Mohamad aka Big Dog and Shamsul Yunus, who was running Marahku before it was hacked last week.

The two are "helping" the MCMC in its investigation into a DAP-sponsored pastors meeting in Penang last week.

Big Dog had reported on his blog last Friday that during the meeting the pastors had vowed to make Christianity the official religion of this .country.

The report was front-page by Utusan the next day and has drawn strong reactions against the bloggers and Utusan as well as against the DAP for increasingly dragging Christianity into partisan politics.

MCMC reports to Rais Yatim, the blogbusting Minister of Information.
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Sunday, May 08, 2011

Why does Din Merican hate Abu Kassim so much?

Updates: Wah! Spa time? Jom ke Holiday Villa ...


Original posting
DEFENDING FRIENDS, NO MATTER HOW CROOKED. On Mothers' Day I wanted to write in defence of my blogger friends and my comrades at Utusan Malaysia with regards to the Pastors meeting in Penang, but then I discovered that they are in good hands. The good hands of the cops, that is.


Unlike some, I have faith in our public institutions like the police. They are not perfect, but they are trying to do their job. Some of them have gone beyond the call of duty. In the Pastors-in-Penang case, the police have started investigation, so let's wait for it. 


Another institution that deserves a pat in the back in my book is the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. It has done great in their fight against graft, even to the extent of coming down hard on other government agencies. Last year, under Abu Kassim, the MACC made the most number of arrests related to graft in more than 40 years.


When you come down hard on the crooks, you don't expect them to kiss your hand or be nice to you. You expect vicious counter-attacks. Corruption benefits a lot of people and these people will defend their benefactors. They will retaliate.They will threaten you and your family. They killed Jalil Ibrahim and they gunned down an IGP to protect their loot. In "The Untouchables" - the 1987 movie starring Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and Robert deNiro - we see how lonely and dangerous the crusade against corruption is. This was in the 30s and even back then, it was not easy to get Al Capone on corruption and his other vices. Even the Mayor of Chicago was on his payroll. In the end, Eliot Ness took Al Capone down for tax evasion. Tax evasion!


I'm not equating anyone in the MACC to Eliot Ness or anyone in PDRM, our police force, to the incorruptible Malone but I know a few them and these are the good guys.


Which is why I felt obliged to highlight a posting by Din Merican,  MACC: The Destroyer of Public Institutions. Abu Kassim is one of the good guys in my book but this posting makes him out as a crook. If he hasn't read it, he'd better.


Funnily, Din Merican claimed in the comment box that he knew Abu Kassim well and he meant him no malice. But how one can claim such, after clearly suggesting that the MACC boss had abused his position to have a good time on our taxpayers' money at a wellness centre accompanied by three burly officers, etc., is beyond me.




If my source tells me that Abu Kassim had gone to a "wellness centre" to have "a good time", I would expect my source to be very, very sure, very very graphic, and very very specific. I won't need a video clip of him having a good time, although that would do nicely, but I won't take my source's words for it. I would grill my source. I cannot assume that he was there to meet the kind of "whistle" blower that Din Merican or his commenters seem to want us to think.


What Din Merican wrote about Abu Kassim reminds me of the Statutory Declaration that RPK wrote and signed under oath, claiming that Rosmah Mansor was there that night on a hill when Altantuya was murdered with the use of C4 explosives! RPK should have demanded that his "reliable informers" give him more evidence. In his interview with TV3 and his subsequent postings recently, two years after the SD was made, he admitted that he had doubts about the info he was getting. But he went ahead and did the Statutory Declaration as told. 


RPK was working for his political masters and people who were trying to stop Najib Razak from becoming the Prime Minister.


Who is Din Merican working for?


p.s. To Abu Kassim, soldier on. But I must say I agree with Lord Denning, who was quoted by Tun Salleh Abas and requoted by Din Merican: Silence is not an option when things are ill done. An accusation has been made, an ill done upon your integrity, you have no choice but to speak up and defend yourself and the Institution you represent.

Saturday, May 07, 2011

Singapore 2011 General Election



updatedRead the analysis Abang Punya Hammer Besar! by Op-Ed in Singapore.

As I expected, PAP fared worse than 1991 which means it's the worst PAP performance ever. The Opposition won 6 of the 87 seats contested. Not too bad but no tsunami. 


Still, there are some similarities which the Malaysian politicians would be interested to study. For one, the Malays became the deciding factor in AlJunied (ramailah Melayu yang terpaksa berpindah flat lepas ni ...). The Malay-Muslims were still seething over Lee Kuan Yew's insensitive remarks about their faith, despite his apology. Singapore has done so well economically in the global arena but in an election domestic issues affecting the people, such as high cost of living, exorbitant property prices, and job opportunities for locals (vs expats), are deciding factors. 


Malaysian blogger Big Dog was also in Singapore covering the election: Singapore exercising democracy. 


Original posting:


"Sama-Sama Menuju Bahagia

  Cita-Cita Kita Yang Mulia
  Berjaya Singapura". 
The first time my friend the blogger Op-Ed from Singapore voted in a general election, the ruling party PAP lost FOUR seats. That was 1991 and the worst ever performance by the party that was co-founded by the late A. Samad Ismail until Lee Kuan Yew kept him out of Singapore and claimed Petir (the acronym Pak Samad gave PAP for Parti Tindakan Rakyat) to be his own - and later his family's. LKY had help from a Malaysian politician who wanted to be Prime Minister at all cost (familiar?) but that's another story.

This morning Op-Ed exercised his voting right for the second time in a general election the PAP is expected by the critics, including myself, to suffer an outcome worse than 1991. But don't dream of a March 08. There's no Pak Lah in Singapore politics.

Friday, May 06, 2011

Official religion and a shallow Cabinet

WHAT WOULD KARPAL SAY?! Did the DAP organise a meeting of Sarawak pastors in Penang last night, and was there a vow to work towards changing the official religion of this country during that meeting?

I join Shamsul's prayer in Agong under threat* that this isn't true. Any party that even thinks of doing this should be stopped at all costs. Just as Karpal had stopped PAS in trying to turn this country into an Islamic nation.

The DAP was, indeed, stopped in Sarawak by Baru Bian of PKR from forming a shadow Cabinet that is almost all Chinese. Baru Bian said he only saw the "Pakatan Rakyat Shadow Cabinet" line-up 10 minutes before it was announced by the DAP. Whoa and Woe.

SARAWAK SHADOW CABINET
Natural Resources and Good Governance – Wong Ho Leng;
Land Development and NCR Affairs – Baru Bian;
Finance – Chong Chieng Jen;
Local Government – Ling Sie Kiong;
Tourism, Heritage and Environment – See Chee How;
Rural Development – Chiew Chiu Sing;
Industrial Development – Yap Hoi Liong;
Public Health – Dr Wong Hua Seh;
Social Development and Woman Affairs – Violet Yong Wui Wui;
Public Utilities – Wong King Wei;
Infrastructure Development and Communications – Chiew Wang See;
Agriculture – Ting Tze Fui
Housing and Urban Development – Fong Pau Teck;
Consumer Affairs – David Wong Kee Woan;
Religious Affairs and National Unity – Ali Biju and Haji Adam.


* Read also MAKING CHRISTIANITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION 

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Samy Vellu, pig farmers (and their lawyer) and Chinese in BN government

updated 


An edited version of the posting below was published in The Malay Mail yesterday. It has a slightly different "punchline". Click H E R E to read.


ORIGINAL POST:
MERITOCRACY IN POLITICS/GOVERNMENT. Najib Razak's statement about Chinese representation in the BN government after PRU13 has at least shed light on who the real hero of the Negri Sembilan pig farmers in 1999 was.

According to the lawyer of the pig farmers, it was Samy Vellu (an Indian) and not the MCA (a Chinese party) who helped the pig farmers (Chinese). I assume the DAP (a Chinese-run party) did not help, either. Mr Ser Choon Ing, a Chinese who is now the KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall vice chairman, was trying to tell the PM (a Malay of royal Bugis blood) H E R E that his Chienese community could not care less. "Malays of Indians can fight for Chinese or Chinese for Indians ... not necessarily the Chinese in Cabinet will fight for the Chinese," the lawyer said. A noble statement of fact. The BN is a concept of such, where a Malay, an Indian, a Chinese or a Melanau fights for ALL races. It is also in the Malaysian DNA. That's why Samy Vellu helped the Chinese pig farmers. The DAP knows that this is true and this was basically why, and how, Pakatan Rakyat was born. As Daim Zainuddin said in an interview with Utusan Malaysia recently, Pakatan was a copyright infringement, a copycat of what the BN stands for. And that's a good thing.

It is in the multiracial spirit that Najib had to spell it out to the Chinese community that the MCA (or DAP) represents: If you don't vote in Umno's partner in the component which represent your community, you can't expect to be represented in the Cabinet. It's up to the voters. If the Chinese are ALL like Ser Choon Ing, well and fine. But if I were a Chinese, would like to have Chinese representatives in Cabinet. And I would like to have a Chinese Deputy Prime Minister one day. Heck, I would like a Chinese to be Prime Minister of this country one day. I know a Malay can be a good PM and DPM to all races, but it doesn't hurt to wish, does it?

This is also what MERITOCRACY is about: if you don't perform, you won't be rewarded. It is a message to the MCA from the BN Chairman that if the party does not work hard and deliver, it cannot expect hand-outs after PRU13, assuming the BN wins the next general election, especially if it wins bigger than in 2008, which many people expect it to. There are other component parties out there who would be unhappy if the MCA is rewarded for non-performance.

It's much like most people's complaints about the so-called UmnoPuteras, who get contracts, scholarships, positions, etc without earning them. Meritocracy. Everybody demands it.

A PM of this multiracial country would want to have a fair representation of the various interests in his Cabinet. So Najib would want the Chinese to be represented in his Cabinet to reflect the country's make-up, not just to help the pig farmers and pig farmers' lawyers during the next crisis.

To be cont'd ...

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

World Press Freedom Day (2)

FREEDOM OF THE BLOGS. YB Zahrain , the former PKR man who quit with several others to form Konsensus Bebas, has questioned the manner in which The Star, which is a mainstream media, has been reporting on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock. The Member of Parliament said he felt the newspaper, which is owned and run by Chinese Malaysians, has been less than neutral and is leaning towards Teoh Beng Hock. Zahrain wonders if the Star's reporting is motivated by the same-ethnic factor. The MP draws our attention to the fact that The Star's editorial chief, Wong Chun Wai, is a member of a panel on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which has been accused by some DAP politicians of murdering TBH.

One thing for sure, MP Zahrain enjoys freedom of the blog. Read his posting Duri Dalam Daging di SPRM?

p.s. I'm hoping that Wong will use this opportunity to revive his blog (last posting Feb 13, 2011) with a retort

SatD vs Schellekeh the World Bank expert


There's this World Bank expert who said a million Malaysians today live abroad as a result of policies that favor the Malays. SatD the Malaysian blogger who has been part of the Malaysian diaspora for years, and who deals regularly with the World Bank, expertly rubbishes Mr Philip Schelleken's summation in his latest posting Cinatocracy (and a graph paints a thousand words).


Apart from confirming what we already know (that institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund really know nothing about us and probably don't care), blogger SatD explains why a lot of Malaysian Chinese have gone to work/live in Singapore as expats. Yes, it is Singapore's own policy of drawing the Chinese to work and live in Chinese Singapore. It used to be just from Malaysia, now they are importing the Chinese from China. Hence, Cinatocracy. Even the Singaporeans have started to complain about this.

If you want to agree or disagree with SatD, go to his blog HERE and tell him so. But study his graphs too (there are 15 altogether and by this time I think the World Bank is seriously scrutinizing each of them to verify its own shortcomings) and know that if you are reading this from KL or KK or anywhere else in Malaysia, the chances are you, regardless of race, are grossly UNDERPAID, man.

World Press Freedom Day


NEW FRONTIERS, NEW BARRIERS? I was invited to become a panelist at  Asean Insitute for Development Communication or Aidcom's talk shop to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, which is today. Unfortunately, my work has brought me to Singapore for the republic's 2011 general election and I could not make it back in time for the conference, which is being held in Shah Alam. My editor at The Malay Mail, the dude who blogs as the notoriously satirical Hassan Skodeng, will take my place and fortunately for the organisers he is more eloquent than I am. The theme that Aidcom has chosen is "New Frontiers, New Barriers". It is an interesting slogan, given that this is the New Media age where freedom of the Internet has put pressure on the "Old Media" to catch up or become irrelevant. Malaysia, for that matter, has of the freest, if the not the most free, "New Media". Look at our blogs. Look at our online news, eg MalaysiaKini, Malaysian Insider, Sarawak Update, Sabah Kini, and Malaysia Today! 

But free does not mean fair, as we start to know better. And the new barriers don't necessarily come from the Government.


A bit of background on today's World Press Freedom Day: In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 as ‘World Press Freedom Day’ to celebrate the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek. The document calls for a free, independent, pluralistic media worldwide, characterising a free press as essential to democracy and fundamental human rights. 


The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on ‘Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press’ in Windhoek, Namibia from April 29 to May 3, 1991. In addition to practical problems related to the lack of adequate facilities, equipment and training for journalists, the document also enumerates instances of intimidation, imprisonment and censorship across Africa.