Sunday, July 31, 2011

Kini vs Tony, featuring Susan Loone, Helen Ang and a bit of Marina M

It all started when Lilian Chan wrote on Twitter on June 29:
 I think all Christians shud march for all the persecution they had done to us and our Lord.

MKini unleashes Loone on Tony
Lilian Chan may be your typical housewife, but she is also part of Lim Guan Eng's communications outfit, according to records, and if that's true whatever she says in public domain will be and should be subject to scrutiny, like it or not. Tony Yew, in KL, did not know Lilian Chan but came across her tweet and must have felt very strongly against it. Being a peace-loving Christian and a staunch Malaysian, he lodged a police report against the author of the tweet. 

Some people openly supported him, others condemned Tony. Malaysiakini, the not-pro-(BN)government news portal, has now unleashed Susan Loone, whose tunes I remember oh so well. (Those who founded the National Alliance of Bloggers or All-Blogs in 2007 after the defamation suit against me and (now MP) Jeff Ooi would also remember Mr Loone oh so well).
Read Tony's Malaysiakini and Susan Loone.

Malaysiakini's interest in Tony Yew may go beyond the Lilian Chan's issue. Tony on July 27 had written the probing article Follow the Money, which seems to be a start to a series on who & what Malaysiakini really is. Can't blame anyone who suspects that Malaysiakini had sent Loone after Yew because of what Yew has written about the news portal.
Tony's piece on Malaysiakini may have rattled some












So where does Helen Ang come in? 

On her own blog Reboot Your Thinking (finally!)*, Helen posts Chan Lilian in trouble over her Christianity actually (July 29). Her article has gotten a lot of flak from DAP cybertroopers as she attempts to interpret some of Lilian Chan's boss's thoughts on Christian/Buddhists vs Malay/Muslims. 

Ah, thanks Helen, I can see Guan Eng clearly now!

* Helen Ang was guest-writing on other people's blogs before this. You may remember her July 2008 no-holds-barred take on Marina Mahathir at Haris Ibrahim's blog h e r e

p.s. There's a police report against Lilian Chan and the cops must investigate. I mean, I'd like to know if Chan's boss Guan Eng had anything to do with the tweet. But I am of the opinion that seizing our laptops and computers - and keeping them for good - to assist with the investigation is total bullshit. The police and the MCMC must return the laptop or computer intact as soon as they are done with it.  Please respect the people's property.  

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Salam Ramadan


To all Sahabats,
Selamat Berpuasa dan Beribadah di bulan Ramadan ini.
May Allah bless you.

The first day of Ramadan brings a new challenge as I will assume the role of chairman of the Malaysia Social Media Foundation, a relatively new entity. I'm taking over from Azman Ujang, a fellow journalist I've known for a little over two decades. 

Friday, July 29, 2011

"Dad, beware, the world has gone right-wing!"

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. A group of Indonesian journalists flown in by Sime Darby to KL for the Nattional Press Club-Naza Awards Nite recently had the opportunity to be introduced to Najib Razak, who graced the event. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. The following evening, over dinner hosted by Musa Hitam, the leader of the Indonesian delegation said they were surprised by how accessible the Prime Minister was. Translate: ... how lax the PM's security was. Not in Indonesia. Not in many countries. 

It has been like that for as long as we remember. Many of us who were reporting when Dr Mahathir was PM had found ourselves practically standing nose-to-nose with the man when we swarmed him for his quotes. Often, the PM would have to practically dodge the microphone that someone was shoving into his face, or he'd get a bloody nose! Yes, that close!

Mahathir's successor must have been like that, too, as Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was usually an accessible man. Or not (I can't remember much of those 5 lost years!). And so is Najib, as the Indonesian journalists have discovered.

But, perhaps, it's time we stop taking things for granted. With all the lunatics around the world shooting down innocent people like flies and bombing their PM's office, maybe being accessible is not too good an idea anymore.

Just look at this still shot:

Right leg out, left arm out, shoulders tight .. Perhaps this guy is trying to kiss the PM's hand, eh?

The PM froze.
Good thing his men were quick.

Watch the video, HERE.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Support Biometrics, Stop Corruption

Stop the stupidity with regards to the Indelible Ink, please. It will make you so sad to discover why Bersih is so against biometrics and so insistent on the use of indelible ink. Read If the EC can't be trusted .... JMD has also just blogged about it in Existence of half-past-six leaders in Pakatan Rakyat. 

Gotta agree, there are people still trapped in the 20th century. And they want us for company.

Bet you didn't know that biometrics in the Malaysian Immigration has npw made it impossible for anyone to try and bribe our officers at any entry (or/and) exit point? That's a fact.

You support biometrics, you stop corruption.

The system is fool-proof. Macam DNA.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Malaysian blogs on Singapore's radar

A couple of blogs my dear readers would be familiar with have been pursuing the matter with our military radars with great tenacity (see screenshots). This has not escaped the radars of the Singapore Ministry of Defence, which has contacted one of the bloggers to make some clarifications (the blogger will be publishing it on his site soon UPDATED! Click here to see letter from Mindef.).

The amazing thing is, Sin's Mindef is not denying the posting.

Our Mindef? Very quiet. Mmmm ...

Read the whole story here

Click here for link

More soon ... (And maybe we'll touch on the Scorpene issue, too ... )

Malaysia's Media Consultative Council: Why it's NOT a good idea

READ also a journalist's view of journalists shooting off their mouths

... And how they could have made it happen. You may have read it at 3540 Jalan Sudin, how the journalists and editors* shot down Rais Yatim-Hishammuddin Hussein's attempt at giving birth to a Media Consultative Council and dealt the Information Ministry's sec-gen, Kamaruddin Siarap, a massive humiliation.

None of the journalists supported the idea and said so, except for Bujai, who claimed to have gate-crashed the meeting, who thinks it is a GOOD IDEA!! Bujai did not speak up during the meeting, though, according to those who did (no, I was not there).

The Council would have been a good idea if its main objective was for the government to consult the jounalists and other interested parties on which archaic Press laws should be abolished immediately and, in the longer run, which laws ought to be amended with a view of allowing greater freedom of the Press/Media.

Malaysia's international ranking re media freedom is surprisingly low, given that we have one of the free-est cyberspace/internet in the whole wide world. How can we correct this misconception? The Consultative Council can help find answers.

As the Council is meant to be consultative, it should be jointly chaired by the government and the media. I would suggest a former minister instead of a serving minister (who might be tempted or perceived as trying to gain control of the media through the Council). Tun Khalil Yakcob? The chairman from the media must be a respected former editor. Mazlan Nordin, PC Shivadas, Munir Majid?

Everything else would have fallen into place nicely if they had the basics right. But they didn't really consult US before they called for yesterday's meeting, did they?

* The National Press Club was not invited. The Blog House Malaysia was reprsented by its president Syed Akbar Ali, who also rejected the idea

Monday, July 25, 2011

Oslo: Why it's not a good idea to assume ..




Please read WHY IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO ASSUME EVERY TERRORIST IS RiGHt-WINGER CHRISTIAN ISLAMIC

When it comes to acts of terror, you don't jump to conclusions. The people behind each act could be your timid neighbor or classmate, and it could be your right-wing, church-going blue eyes, or an Aryan who hates other Whites, or your favorite bearded and turban-ed Moslem.

Great thing our Foreign Ministry DID NOT jump to conclusions in its immediate response and condolence message. (And contrary to seasoned journo Bujai's assumption or assertion, our Foreign Minister did not fail to react to the Oslo killings; he had despatched an immediate condolence note to the government and people of Norway).

For a good old-fashioned journo analysis, read Azmi Anshar's THE BLIND SPOT IN TERRORISM

AirAsia: Still here, or has it moved?


Jakarta office/regional headquarters poser. Two news portals have declared that Tony Fernandes' decision to locate its corporate headquarters from KL to Jakarta as the latest blow to Najib, whose job Anwar Ibrahim is desperately after. Read Air Asia moves Corp HQ from KL to Jakarta, Asia Sentinel, 23 July; Air Asia moves HQ from KL to Jakarta, Malaysiakini, 23 July.

I posted a tweet last night, asking our new Tan Sri Tony, "Betul gitu Pak?" (Is that right, Sir?)

This morning someone asked me to go to @azranosmanrani, the Air Asia X ceo, for his clarification. Saw his tweets, this guy's brave. Many have complained about Malaysiakini's brand of journalism but I must say I've never read a CEO write so brutally honest about the news portal ... 





Will still need Tony to clear the air, though ...

Saturday, July 23, 2011

CCTVs save the day for Malaysian Police

Mat Sabu a poor liar ... Police 'land rover' knocked PAS leader down? He he .. Watch the video  ...




How Baharuddin Died ... Police shot teargas? Please, watch this video




RALLY of HATE against the POLICE. There seems to be a trend these days to try and discredit the PDRM, our police force. A tendency to blame the cops for all our problems and other people's problems. As if there are no good cops at all. As if the cops are the enemy. I have friends and relatives in the police, all of them honest to goodness. I am sure you know a few cops, too. The ones I know, they work hard and they risk their lives for us every day. But go to jinggo's site below and watch the video of the man in yellow who blamed it everything on the cops. He seems so sure that his and the words of "a Hindraf leader friend" are enough to find the police guilty of "causing all these (including the death of Baharuddin)".
Yes, PDRM needs better PR here and there. Cops around the world are engaging in this exercise in an attempt to improve their public image. But have you watched the videos above? Surely, surely we can't be defending these blatant lies against our men in blue. 
The least we could do for them is speak up for them and their good deeds. 

Courtesy Minaq-jinggo

Friday, July 22, 2011

Ambiga's Suhardi who died twice

The following video may contain material that will make you feel stupid, especially if you had believed that all that yellows is gold.



Is that Sivarasa in the video? I'm not certain but first thing I notice is this guy's scuba outfit. How he came very well prepared. Well, Suhardi may or may not know it while he had fun with his not-so-bersih antics, but someone really did die that day of a heart attack.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Malaysian's Yellow Yacht is most expensive in the world, say British tabloids

The Sun and The Daily Mail reported that a Malaysian businessman's yacht made in gold, costing 3 billion pound, is the most expensive in the world.
After their phone hacking, some of you still believe the British newspapers, ah?


Royal Commisison of Inquiry in the death of TBH: It's Suicide

"...  the fact of suicide was supported by the testimonies three experts of forensic psychiatry, namely Professor of Forensic Psychiatry Paul Edward Mullen of Monash University, Australia, who was engaged by the Bar Council of Malaysia, as well as Dr Badi'ah Yahya and Dr Nor Hayati Ali. ...  these experts concluded that the aggressive and relentless interrogation resulted in Teoh experiencing a change in his state of mind, transforming him from being in the low-risk group for suicide into the high-risk group." - Nazri Aziz
The DAP had demanded a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the death of its employee Teoh Beng Hock, a potential witness into a case the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was investigating.  
Today, the RCI ruled that TBH had committed suicide. 
That's not how the RCI should rule, according to the DAP. This political party wanted the RCI to say that someone in MACC had murdered TBH.  
But based on the testimonies of 70 witnesses and after 50 days, the RCI have found that the MACC officers "had no intention nor reason to kill Teoh, and had only questioned him to obtain a confession so that Teoh could become a witness in the case of alleged irregularities involving (a DAP politician)".
Read the Sin Chew report h e r e. 
And the report on the Law of Kit Siang: Forced Suicide is Homicide 
And SatD's question: Will they value the "Royal" output?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Perfect Rally (How to hold a peaceful Malaysian protest, London style)


"Kuning, Kuning ... Najib Pening". Look at these pictures I took last Friday in London. Twenty eight individuals took part in the rally.It was peaceful, tak menyusahkan orang, did not obstruct traffic at all, and was rather entertaining at times. Their mantras: "Kuning, Kuning ... Najib Pening". "Zalim, Zalim ... Hisham Zalim". If this is the kind of rally we can have in Malaysia, I think a lot of people will be fine with it. 

So how to hold such a peaceful rally? 
Easy. 
In the case of  this rally:

1. The police allowed the protesters to hold a demonstration 
2. The protesters agreed to confine themselves to the road divider and only to the road divider (which is about 30 feet long, I guess) 
3. No protester must cross the line (except when snapping pictures of themselves) 
4. A couple of uniformed cops were present to ensure that the protesters did not cross the line
5. The protesters had to observe a time limit

Ben Singh (the handsome bai in the second pic) and friends were very disciplined. They did not break any of the rules, did not provoke the Bobby present, and did not taunt the other Malaysians residing in London who came to the hotel to have dinner with the PM, wife and their delegation from Malaysia. Najib and wife were said to have waved at the protesters and, later in his dinner address to Malaysians, even mentioned "the Malaysians outside there".

I tweeted during the dinner that 97 per cent of the protesters were non-Malays. Some people on Twitter were offended and accused me of being a racist. But I was merely stating a fact. A glaring fact. 

I asked a Melayu who has been residing in London for decades why the Bersih protest drew the non-Malays and hardly any Malay. His answer was frank. 

"When we Malays merantau abroad, especially after we have lived and worked abroad for years, we tend to be grateful to the Government back home for taking care of us in Malaysia. Kita jadi sedar."

So why are there more non-Malay Malaysians taking part in the protests in London? "They feel more liberated out here, I suppose," he said. "Or why don't you ask them?"

I did speak to some of the protesters earlier. More on that later, perhaps.For now, enjoy these pictures ...





Rais wins court case but ...


... but not public opinion online. Just pop in to lowyat.net, which is probably the country's largest online forum, and just listen to what Netizens are talking about with regards to Information Minister Rais Yatim's win against a previously unknown blogger, Din Sharpshooter, over a posting early this year on the Minister's alleged rape of an Indonesian maid.

First, someone in lowyat put up this story about 10am:


And then the reactions poured in ..





I have not read a single comment congratulating the Minister. In fact, all these new postings can be libelous, come to think of it. Is Rais going to go after each and every one of them? Will the court keep on awarding RM300k to the Minister for every case he wins, now that it's been established that his reputation costs that much?

Din Sharpshooter is not likely going to be able to pay up. So it is likely that he will have to allow them to declare him a bankrupt. Poor blogger, indeed. But once bankrupt, they say, you have nothing more to lose. We have seen a couple of individuals who, after their descend into financial bankruptcy, rise to a different kind of, er, stardom. They become less afraid of the consequences. Din Sharpshooter may become another 'star' or he may just disappear, hands in his head, shamed. If that is the case, serve him right, some may say. And if the other scenario turns out to be the case, serve Rais right.

The Minister has another case pending in court, against a Sabahkini editor, over the same maid rape allegation.



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Jacob's, not Rosmah's, diamond ring

The RM24 million question, answered! The latest posting by Apanama is a mighty pooper for those who were - and still are - hoping that the mysterious, blue and very pricey (RM24 million!) diamond right did belong, no matter how improbable, to the First Lady.
Damn this dampener Firdaus aka Apanama! Spoiler habis!

Happened that last night I met Rosmah Mansor during the dinner thrown by Malaysians residing in the UK for her husband, the Prime Minister. She had a ring on but it defintely didn't look RM24 million to me, so I asked her where the RM24 million ring was, half imagining her answering (in that fashion made famous by Anwar Ibrahim during his still unravelled Omega mystery): 'My hubby is keeping it for me'.

Hehe.

'I wish', came the answer.

Very few people believe for a moment that Rosmah had bought a RM24 million diamond ring. She has to be stupid to do that and declare to the Malaysian customs! And secondly the credibility of her accusers have gone from gutter to sewer levels, to quote Gordon Brown in the British scandal.

So when I read Apanama's tweet this morning, I felt proud that someone has taken the trouble to do a bit of investigative journalism on the affair. I am sure we all want to know who the VVIP is, whether she is local or foreign, and things like that but the main thing is, that particular diamond ring is no longer in the country.

In fact, the ring is back to its rightful owner -- Jacob

Who is Jacob? Read Apanama's TRAILING THE DIAMOND RING ... IN N OUT!

Friday, July 15, 2011

In London, a memo to the PM

A demonstration in Piccadilly Circus recently

Piccadilly, Fri: Ah, it gives a journalist a kick to start an article with such a dateline. Eg Baghdad, Thursday ... KL, Doomsday ..

It's my fifth day in London, and the summer's turning cold very quickly. Nothing to do with the Malaysian delegation that's accompanying the Prime Minister's official visit to Britain, I assure you.
The last time I was in the great city was during 911, almost 10 years ago. I was waiting for a connecting to Moscow as part of the delegation to Russia led by our PM then, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He had to cancel his trip and I, with many thousands others, was stranded in London for a week, not realizing that I would only come again in 2011, after Bersih 2.0, another major phenomenon (to Malaysians, at least).
I caught a glimpse of Najib Razak last night at Dorchester, where he is staying. I was meeting a several young Malaysians residing in London. One is an oil and gas trader who is doing it on his own, a freelancer. Another an architect with a major international firm here. Young, handsome Malaysians bound for success as part of our growing diaspora.

Together with several others, we sat and talked about issues. I asked them what they thought of BERSIH 2.0. Like many here, they thought the authorities should have/could have handled the event better. But not everybody agrees with the use of a democratic tool to help promote some people's narrow political agenda. These are Malaysians exposed to a very liberal way of life in England, a very democratic society. In democracy, one told me, there are avenues other than street demonstrations. 'Have those avenues been exhausted?'

Tonight the PM will meet Malaysians working and living in London for dinner at the Green Park Lane, almost next door to the first Hard Rock Cafe in the world (est 1971), where I had dinner the other night. A group of Malaysians are expected to submit a memorandum to Najib Razak with regards to the BERSIH march of July 9, where a husband of an Opposition political leader died of a heart attack.
I won't pretend to know what these Malaysians in London have in mind ro what they are going to tell the PM in their memorandum. But their views matter. So far, I don't think we have heard any Malaysian group abroad speaking up on the matter.

Our own Circus ... PM's reception committee
There was a mini-BERSIH in this city, attended by a group of about 20 or 30 Malaysians and their friends here who have been organising little protests now and then (against Taib Mahmud, ISA, etc). I hope some of them will turn up tonight and be heard. It is not enough to walk for a cause, y'know, you need to open your mouth and do some talking, too.

And then you walk the talk.

Here in London, I've probably walked 50 miles this week. :-) Cheers!


Sunday, July 10, 2011

BERSIH death


Takziah to the family of the deceased. I hope this death will teach all of us something today, not just a passing mention in an intro to a story glorifying the success of yesterday's political event. See link to Malaysian Insider story here. I stumbled onto the story after re-reading about the death of a man in a G20 demonstration in London back in 2009. Unlike arwah Baharuddin Ahmad, Mr Ian Tomlinson was not taking part in the demonstration at all.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

The taming of BERSIH Part 2


BERSIH 2.0 or REFORMASI 2.0? Well, I told you so. Bersih 1.0 was hijacked in 2007 and today Bersih 2.0 has been hijacked by the same guy. Scores of tweets are coming in by the minute by people who have now come to the realization that this is a political scheme, after all.

Can't fool all the people all the time, Saudara.

Read some of the tweets I've compiled in the last few minutes.


Not "yellow" at all, eh? Are you surprised?


A tweet from a veteran journo from the Star

Loyar Burok sees it too

You said it, bro!

Yes, again ... Same script, former US envoy John Malott dutifully wrote a piece supporting Bersih 2.0 aka Reformasi 2.0

Betul kot? Cuba tanya Ambiga

Trapped in 1999. 20th century mentality


Bersih tu politik!

Who are they trying to fool?

Ye. That was what they said in 2007 

Et tu, @suani? I can imagine your shock, sis

More angry tweets here
Follow the Reformasi 2.0 "live" at Malaysian Observer TV or MOBtv H E R E

Thursday, July 07, 2011

A walk in the stadium (or The taming of BERSIH)

BLUNDER OR COUP? Did Najib Razak make a mistake when he offered the organisers of BERSIH to hold their so-called Yellow march in a stadium? Was he ill-advised? Has the Prime Minister unwittingly provided Anwar's Ambiga an avenue for 100,000 people to throw tantrums in the name of clean and fair elections on July 9? 

Some people think Najib bungled. Among the PDRM top brass even, some felt the government should have let the police do their job because the police were not going to give two hoots about your right to march if that right is going to cause havoc on the streets and jeopardise public order and safety. Some of the anti-BERSIH people also thought the PM was becoming soft. Letting Ambiga have that audience with the YDP Agong, too, was seen as a blunder.

I, however, am of the opinion that Najib has actually pulled off a major coup. Two reasons: 

1. He has gotten BERSIH, a potential organiser of massive rallies, to agree that "walking" in a stadium is the right thing to do compared with marching on the streets. This is a precedent of sorts which future Ambigas must follow. 

2. Some of  her lieutenants have advertised Stadium Merdeka as the venue even though the stadium's people have said NO. But whether it is Stadium Merdeka or the beautiful Shah Alam stadium, it does not matter because the "sting" of the BERSIH walk is gone. The minute Ambiga agreed to have the walk in the stadium, she has agreed to terms and conditions of the stadium (even if the stadium is located in Selangor or Penang, where the state governments are openly pro-BERSIH). And those of us who walked in BERSIH 1.0 in 2007 know that there is no way, now way at all, that the sea of yellow on the streets of KL which triggered the political tsunami of March 2008 could be replicated or repeated within the confines of a stadium.

I'm sure Ambiga and gang know that they've been cornered. Check mated. They need to start the walk outside the stadium in order to save the walk. But no need to sulk Alternatively, as I'd suggested much earlier on Twitter, they could try to organise a massive concert in the stadium to help convey the message. If Sweet Charity or Blues Gang plays, I'd pay to take part in the walk in the stadium.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

M.A.L.A.Y.sians



An Anas dreamscape
Letting down Anas Zubedy. In his latest posting The Malays are Malaysians, too, 1race advocate Anas Zubedy poured his heart's content with regards to how screwed up some of his fellow Malaysians are. It's something more and more Malays in this country are discovering about SOME of their non-Malay countrymen/women. When a Malay speaks up for them, the Malay is considered a true Malaysian but when the same Malay tries to do the same for his own race, he is considered something else.

... I suggested that as the NEP has helped many Malays out of poverty, we should have a similar policy for the Indian poor, too. I stressed that zakat should also be channeled to all who are poor, not just Muslim poor.Again I was lauded as a good and true Malaysian. 
But a while ago I decided to speak on behalf of the Malays, explaining what hurt them most, what they consider sensitive in an open letter to YB Lim Guan Eng and the DAP; showing them a way to the hearts of the Malays … 
… suddenly I am chauvinist. 
Is it not ironic? While the first 5 letters in Malaysia reads M.A.L.A.Y. some among us forget that the Malays are Malaysian too.


Read his posting, H E R E.

At least Anas sounds more sad than bitter. That's good. I hope the new-found wisdom will drive him to push harder to that elusive Malaya and now Malaysia race. If you'd like to show him your support, please go h e r e to leave comments.

Sunday, July 03, 2011

"Yang dikejar tak dapat, Yang dikendong berciciran"

The Agong has spoken. Lu orang baca sendiri lah. Yang tak faham simpulan bahasa, Bernama ada bagi terjemahan tapi mungkin tak berapa tepat ...

In Penang, 300 Malay protesters beat up Chinese reporters, according to MalaysiaKini


300 and 100,000. Malaysiakini reporter Susan Loone or Pemaju, the association of Chinese journalists and reporters, did not say if the reporters were injured so we have to assume they are OK, at least physically. This is the first time I have heard of Pemaju but I agree with them totally: journalists should be allowed to carry out their duties and the protesters should not have threatened them.

The reporters under Pemaju can count their lucky stars, though, as the demo in Penang was small - Malaysiakini says 300 people, and police arrested seven. The two rallies in Kuala Lumpuer expected on July 9 will be many times bigger. The one in Penang was organized by NGOs upset with Lim Guan Eng while the ones in KL - by Patriot and Bersih - are not. There were no clashes between rival groups in Penang and yet, as Pemaju now attests, it was VIOLENT. 

If a peaceful march of 300 people can turn so violent,  as Pemaju says, think what we reporters in KL will be up to on July 9. PAS saja dah janjikan 100 ribu orang!

Journalists working on July 9, watch your backs!

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Demos: The good, the bad and the ugly (and a crash course with Sanusi Junid)

A peaceful masked protester from a developed country. Click HERE to read story
"Malaysia is OUR COUNTRY ... do not let the likes of Ibrahim Ali or Ambiga, and those bent on tearing Malaysia apart for their benefits, to prevail." - Tony Yew in his posting Don't Push It, written after he lodged a police report against 
another blogger who had asked all Christians to march for the persecution against "us and our Lord".

Bangkok street protests: Soldier beaten up

Jakarta street protest: Clashes

Manila burning

Singapore: No mercy towards trouble makers so protesters work hard to look real harmless

Myanmar protests: No mercy towards anyone, no matter how harmless

Last night my brother-in-law called from Singapore to say that he was postponing his trip back to our kampung in Melaka next week. He had been told that it would not be safe to travel in Malaysian because of the Bersih walk. I told him that if he was driving up only to Melaka and not planning to visit KL, it should be OK. Still, he said he'd play it safe. He and my sister will go back to kampung the following week, after the demonstrations.

Wow, what have they been hearing about us in Singapore? 

This morning I thought of calling back my sister to tell her that she and hubby shouldn't postpone their drive up. But I realized that I can't blame them for deciding to stay away during the July 9 weekend. When they demonstrated in Bangkok, Yangon, Jakarta and Manila, where lives were  lost in street clashes between police and demonstrators and demonstrators vs other demonstrators from rival political parties, the rest of the world sat back and watched from the safety of their living rooms.

I took part in the Bersih 1.0 in 2007 because the organizers assured us it was apolitical. It turned out to be anything but. At the end of the walk, near the Istana, the organisers set up their political circus. Big Opposition names suddenly emerged in front of tv cameras to peform their tricks. No, Bersih can't fool me twice and claim to be apolitical.

On July 9, I'm sure there will be some unsuspecting would-be marchers, who believe that they are wearing yellow for a good cause and not for some people's hidden political agenda. But they should be told at least that there will be another group of marchers, who will be clad in red, who are serving the political interests of some other people. If these two groups clash, you think they are going to hug each other and exchange greetings and phone numbers?
Most unlikely.

On Twitter, some individuals who are defending Bersih (but who are unlikely to take part because they are outstation or due to other unforeseen circumstances) continue to argue that the authorities are discriminating against Bersih. They cited events such as the recent gathering of 1 million youths in Putrajaya and even the people's demonstration against the British led by the Malay leaders in the pre-Merdeka days. 

Sanusi Junid, the former Cabinet minister who has taken part in demonstrations in London and Acheh, explains the difference between good demonstrations and bad demonstrations (like good cholesterol and bad cholesterol), H E R E. 


And if you think the cops in developed countries just watch and smile at demonstrators because it's their democratic right to gather and march, try this picture from the 2009 protest in London where one man died and fake police uniforms were found after the protests ...
  

Friday, July 01, 2011

Tony lodges police report on Christian march call


"I am a Christian. I am not being persecuted." I know blogger Tony Yew well. He's a colour blind Malaysian when it comes to race. And he doesn't believe in lodging police reports. "But when I read the tweet by @5xmom, I felt upset. I am a Christian, too, and I think it's wrong for the person to suggest that we're being persecuted. I don't feel persecuted. I go to church.  The police never stopped me."

Tony lodged his police report against @5xmom at the Travers police station, KL about 3pm today.

The police asked him if anyone had coerced him to file the report. "No, I was not coerced. And no, I am not a member of any political party."

What did @5xmom tweet about? Click H E R E.
Who is @5xmom? Click H E R E.