Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Musa Hassan's "interference'


"That was why (Anwar Ibrahim) was charged in court .. he interfered with police investigation".
- Tan Sri Musa Hassan, former Inspector-General of Police
A lot of people were taken aback by Musa Hassan's comments on "interference" in on-going police investigation, as reported by The Malaysian Insider a few hours ago [Ex-IGP says ministers meddle with investigations]. Well, they shouldn't, really. Musa had complained about "interference" in police work a week before he retired in September 2010 [IGP speaks out against third party intereference, The Star, 7/9/2010; see also KDN's prompt response Home Ministry denies Musa's "interference" claim, The Malaysian Insider, 8/9/2010]. What Musa said today isn't new but what makes it news, I suppose, is the timing: right on the eve of the annual general assembly of Umno, the country's ruling political party. Also, talk was rife about the ex-IGP being wooed by PAS, a major component of Anwar Ibrahim-led opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat. Could this be Musa's opening gambit as an Opposition politician then?

I wasn't taken aback at all by Musa's remarks; in fact, I kind of expected it. Two nights ago, Musa and I happened to be having a quiet dinner in PJ. I had asked to see him because the talk about him and Anwar "sleeping together" was too much for me to bear ... I had to ask him myself. Also, it had been quite a while. 

We talked about many things and one of them was of how politicians tried to interfere when he was the CPO of Johor and when he was the IGP, and how things may be now with the current IGP.  "They tried but they didn't get pass me," Musa said. I believe the man but others wanted Musa perceived as just another "yes" man (and corrupt, too, if RPK's stories were to be believed!). 

Take what Pakatan's Khoo Kay Peng wrote in "Too Late, Too Little" after Musa had spoken out about "interference" two years ago: 
"Musa is desperate to repair his image by pointing his finger at the Home Ministry. Predictably, he only voiced out his frustration and unhappiness after his contract was not renewed. If he gets another two years, Musa would have been more than happy to play along."
So what of Musa Hassan's latest claim, then - is he still trying to repair his image? Or is he rehearsing his lines as an election candidate for Pakatan come PRU13? 

Most of us know the man as an Allah-fearing cop. At the dinner two nights ago, I observed that Musa had not changed much since he retired from the force. Still very passionate every time he spoke of how the police can do better. He didn't seem to have aged, either: ramrod straight when he stands and never slouches when's seated. So he needs to be less harsh and a little more diplomatic, perhaps, but, hey, if he had thought he had it in him he would have accepted the Government's offer to be the country's Ambassador to Brunei two years ago, wouldn't he?

I asked him just now if he had started to be at loggerheads with certain politicians since our dinner. The way he was being quoted, people may think he was attacking the Home Minister again. No such thing, Musa assured me. A lot of politicians tried to interfere.

I had to ask him: Did Anwar Ibrahim try to interfere with police investigations back then? 

"That was why he was charged in court ...".

As for joining Pakatan Rakyat, he told me "NO" and there is no reason to doubt the man. He has never been a member of any political party and he does not wish to be. "As police officer, I can't be taking sides with any political parties." What he wishes to do is to help improve the image of the police and strengthen the force. "This nation's future depends on it."

Monday, November 26, 2012

Penang does a slow-mo in GDP, Guan Eng told to buck up

Penang: Never, ever an economic backwater
1.8%. No need to buy new glasses: it is not 18 but one-point-eight per cent. That's how slow Penang GDP grew in the first nine months of the year, according to Deputy Finance Minister Donald Lim. I hope our economists will do a proper analysis on the latest numbers. Is it possible for the state's economy to do so badly so quickly? Just last year Lim Guan Eng claimed that his state had contributed the bulk of FDI into Malaysia. Read his Feb 2011 posting Only 6% of the population yet Penang contributes 36% of Malaysia's FDI in 2010.

And here's what Sin Chew reported yesterday:

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Because you are in their way, Musa


"The ICAC has cleared me ... What more do they want?". Go to Sabahkini and read Musa Exonerated by ICAC. It was based on the statement issued by Musa Aman yesterday:
"The Opposition made a complaint against me to the ICAC. Under the law, the ICAC is obliged to investigate the complaint. The ICAC has completed their long investigation. The ICAC by their report tabled has dismissed the complaint. The ICAC has in writing confirmed that no further investigative action of the complaint will be pursued.  
From the very start, I have the greatest confidence in the integrity of the ICAC and that I would be exonerated. Now the ICAC has cleared me. That brought an end to the pain and suffering my family has to endure for the past years.  
But Opposition is not willing to accept the truth.  What more do they want?  They are trying again to use the same complaint to gain political mileage. They are rehashing the same old story. 
I think I am entitled to conclude that the Opposition is political bankrupt.  We are entitled to treat their recent rehashed allegation with the contempt it so richly deserves.  
I remain humble, but surely there is a limit to one’s humility and patience." - Musa Aman

It is good to know that the Sabah Chief Minister actually has a limit to his patience but it is also clear, reading the feedback to the article, that most people wouldn't want Musa Aman to spend too much time on the matter, especially since it is fact that the highly-regarded Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had, in fact, cleared him after investigating the claims made against him.

Many people I spoke to were not aware that the ICAC had actually probed into the complaint and exonerated Musa. That's a blessing. Many thought that the investigation was still on-going!

As for what more do "they" want, well ... we can safely say that they desperately want to win the next General Election, they want to move into offices and homes in Putrajaya despite labeling it Dr Mahathir's mega project, and they all want to be Prime Minister of Malaysia ... and you, Mr Chief Minister, are personally in their way. They know as well as we do that Sabah is BN's so-called "fixed deposit" because Sabahans are happy with Musa's leadership and integrity. If "they" can't change that, they can kiss Putrajaya goodbye.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Why Nurul Izzah has already lost

Puan Guru vs Utusan Malaysia. In her suit against Utusan Malaysia, Nurul Izzah said the newspaper had published four articles which contained defamatory words on Nov 6 and 7, words that:
* if understood in its natural meaning, among others, meant that she intended for the Malays to apostatize from Islam and encouraged them not to lead life according to the Islamic way 
* that she held an opionion that Malays were free to choose other religions besides Islam, and that she was a hypocrite leader and could not be trusted
She also contended that Utusan's action to publish the those words were intended to "sensationalize the news, with the aim of gaining profit without caring for her reputation, dignity and pride".

You can read what else she contends h e  r e.

Now, please read what her fellow Pakatan leader Ngeh Koo Ham thinks of her remarks:

Tweeting Ngeh strikes again - Aeshah Adlina's Weblog
YB Ngeh made these comments in the wee hours of Nov 6, the day Utusan is said to have published those defamotary words. Nurul Izzah was tagged in all Ngeh's exchanges with Goh Wei Lang. And, if you read his tweets in their natural meaning, you will find that Ngeh is describing Nurul Izzah exactly as Nurul Izzah contended that Utusan had described her.

Why didn't she correct Ngeh at that point of time if she was that concerned with her reputation?

Nurul Izzah can sue every newspaper in this country but it doesn't change the fact that she said something wrong, or wrongly. The thing to do is explain exactly what she meant and go out there to correct people like Ngeh. Most Malay-Muslims in this country did not attend the church forum where Nurul Izzah reportedly spoke through her ass. Most of us read it on Malaysiakini, Selangor Times and other Opposition-backed or pro-Opposition portals and media.

Usually, I try to talk politicians out of suing my journalist friends. Like seasoned journo-blogger Nuraina A. Samad says, politicians like Nurul Izzah should be fair game. But go ahead and do what you do best and sue the media.*

Read also Malaysia's Anwar Faces Islamic Revolt by Asia Sentinel
Stir Controversy and Face Backlash by Nuraina A. Samad

* Am pleasantly surprised that Derek F hasn't sued as promised over his monkey remarks. Now ain't he a rare species!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Poor rapist, Lucky rapist



"In statutory rape, consent is irrelevant. A female under 16 is deemed incapable of giving consent under the law." - Zakaria Sam, High Court Judge

xxx  THE "LUCKY" RAPIST is our national bowler who was let off by no less than the Court of Appeal because of his "bright future", a ruling that set the precedence observed a few days later by thebSe

Monday, November 19, 2012

Malaysians against the unjust war in Gaza

Malaysians care ...

Date: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2012
Time: 8am
Venue: Putra World Trade Centre

Gaza Emergency Fund. The Perdana Global Peace Foundation is inviting all peace-loving Malaysians to join Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in launching this Fund and listen to pledges by peace-loving non-governmental organisations and corporations. 
The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission Hearing on Palestine starts after this "emergency event", at 10 am.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

So, does the Batu Caves condo pit non-Muslims against Pakatan Rakyat?

Pitting the Christians against the BN government on Thursday ...
... and again, yesterday
The question is meant for my fellow journalists at the Malaysian Insider who published the article on Nov 15 (Kuantan court to hear Church argument against land acquisition) and the following day (Court suspends government's bid to acquire Kuantan church land).

Of course, the answer to the question is NO. The Batu Caves condominium controversy is NOT a case pitting non-Muslims against a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government. You and I know that. We are rational and reasonable adults. 

The Malaysian Insider has been reporting the Batu Caves issue and as far as I know, it has never once referred to the issue as a dispute pitting the Hindus or non-Muslims against the ruling Pakatan state government of Selangor. [See how MI reports the latest Batu Caves development here].

So why is it that in the case of the church land acquisition court case in Kuantan, the Malaysian Insider describes it as a "... case pitting non-Muslims against the ruling Barisan Nasional government"? 

Is it because the non-Muslims are Christians (and not Hindus) or because it is against the BN government (and not Anwar's PKR/Pakatan)? 

You tell me.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Monkey see Monkey do, Monkey sorry Monkey sue


"Saya akan mengambil tindakan undang undang terhadap siapa yang menfitnah dan memusing kenyataan saya. Pekara ini seharusnya tidak diputarbelitkan, Saya sedia berjumpa dengan Cuepacs untuk menjelaskan pekara ini."- Derek Fernandez, in saying sorry for using the M word here

Derek Fernandez, the MBPJ councilor, has apologized for using the word "monkeys" in his interview with Malay Mail on potential candidates for the appointment of a new Mayor of Petaling Jaya.

Good.

But, whoa, he's not done yet. Mr Derek Fernandez seems to suggest that his remarks might have been manipulated by some people and he is promising to "take legal action against anyone who defamed me and spun my statement".

Monkey see Monkey do
Monkey sorry Monkey sue

I've read the interview with the Malay Mail again. I think it's pretty straight forward, no spin at all. Derek Fernandez did use the M word as he intended.

For context, read Saya Minta Maaf - Derek John
with thanks to blogger Gandasari 
Cuepacs demands Derek Fernandez apologise for "monkeys" remarks


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Diwali in Malaysia in 2012


My hope is that we will remain brothers and sisters, or bffs to borrow the lingo of the young ones, despite our diversity and differences, and in spite of the fact that there are more and more morons among our so-called leaders.

Like that assemblyman who said he wasn't going to pay for his seven tickets and urged traffic offenders of Malaysia to unite and not pay theirs. Turned out that he never got those traffic summons in the first place! I hope other assemblymen and MPs learn from his folly: just stick to the truth.

Other than hoping that these politicians will speak the truth and nothing but the truth, I also hope that some of our popular leaders and their running dogs stop blaming the past for their current mistakes (and imminent future failures). 



Take the Batu Caves condo-versial project, for example. Why blame the previous government or council (as theSun reports here) when you had all the time in the world - nearly five years since the March 2008 general elections, to be exact - to undo things, correct the so-called mistakes, effect the promised changes, and make the great difference you so casually said you would before being voted in?


To all my Dear Readers, and Malaysians wherever you are, Happy Diwali! 

p.s. I am grateful that I live in one of the few countries (11) in the world that have made the Festival of Lights a public holiday and that mine is probably the most peaceful and prosperous of them all (with the exception of Singapore, of course). But I doubt morons like our ticket assemblyman understand the significance of this ...  



Saturday, November 03, 2012

Race matters in Malaysia (esp to people who say it doesn't)

Read also Discrimination or Prejudice? Business or Racism? by A Voice“Our study has shown that quality matters but it matters less than ethnicity.” -  Dr Lee Hwok Aun, senior lecturer at UM's Department of Development Studies and UKM research fellow Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid 

Original posting
I met a guy who said he's Malaysian first and X (his race) second and then he was going on and on about his "Mother Tongue". You'd think a Malaysian's mother tongue is Malay (or Bahasa Melayu/Malaysia), right?

Anyway, according to a new study, racial discrimination is alive and kicking in Malaysia: 
On an overall basis, Malay candidates are on average 16.7% less likely to be called, and the effect is stronger in engineering than in accounting. On a side note, the overall call-back ratio is just 13.1%.Some of the other findings: 
1. Chinese language proficiency matters more than English (in fact it appears to be the single most important determining factor, apart from race), and the effect is stronger in engineering jobs; 
2. Which university you go to matters, but even more so for Malays – being a UiTM graduate appears to be a relative handicap, though less so in engineering than in accounting;  
3. Academic qualifications also matter, but is also a more significant factor for Malays than for Chinese candidates; 
4. And before anyone starts grumbling about racism, the preference for Chinese candidates is pretty much across the board, whether the company doing the advertising is Chinese controlled, foreign controlled, or (astonishingly) Malay controlled.
Read the piece by Economic Malaysia,  Race Discrimination in Hiring Practices in Malaysia.

Friday, November 02, 2012

A Pokok Sena tragedy


Five in a family perished in a head-on collision involving a lorry yesterday.  [watch the NTV7 clipping h e r e ]. The driver of the lorry was believed to have lost control of his vehicle. The accident happened in Pokok Sena.

A hundred lawyers to help traffic offenders
Just hours before the accident, the MP for Pokok Sena, blood not yet in his hands then, was urging Malaysians to ignore summons issued under the AES, a new high-tech system that catches traffic offenders on camera.

MP Mahfuz Omar means, if you were caught on one of these cameras going twice or three times the speed limit, in which case you would probably lose control of your vehicle, just ignore the summons. Mahfuz said he will even provide you with legal aid if they charge you in court.


What will Mahfuz tell the family of the five who perished yesterday?