Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Is this the new Terence Fernandez!?


I must say, it's quite depressing to see a journalist as seasoned as Terence Fernandez go down this path, even momentarily. There are more than enough big-headed bloggers and social media writers in this sumpah-serapah writing category as it is. 
In any case, Annie isn't the only who finds that Terence's article "wanted to make me puke" [Megalomanic editor who made me pity Rosmah, 3/3/2015]. An editor of a major news organisation earlier sent me a copy of the article and complained of indigestion. He said the exact same thing Annie did: "I'm not Rosmah's biggest fan .. blah blah .. but this whole article is a cheap shot and low blow at the same time.Very unbecoming of a mainstream editor."
Now, I wonder if Terence intended a "reverse psychology" effect with this article, that he actually was trying to garner some sympathy for the First Lady? If not, I hope he bounces back from this soon. 
His "megalomaniac" piece, preceded by some excerpts from Annie's:

The title of the article is,

Rise of a ‘megalomaniac’ First Lady

but truthfully, it made me conclude that the writer is the one who is a megalomaniac.

I think he is so full of himself that he believes he is God the All Mighty and can thrash another human being that way.

Here, is the whole article and you can judge for yourself,




Terence Fernandez
Published: 25 February 2015

She is regarded by many as among both the most loved and the most vilified woman of her time.


Her taste for luxury came from a childhood that was far from what she became accustomed to when she married the man who would one day be the nation’s leader.
She eyed him when he was a greenhorn politician, still trying to earn his place in the eyes of his elders.
But she had the gift of foresight and knew that he would be great one day. So she warded off all other suitors – and there were a few – and set her eyes on him.
Her gamble paid off when she stood beside him years later as he was sworn in as the chief executive.
When she became the First Lady, she could afford to style herself in the latest fashions. She even set trends herself. Some worked; some did not, according to fashion experts.
But what critics and admirers did agree on was that she would come across as a woman of irony.
While preaching to womenfolk of the need for austerity, the benefits of budgeting and tightening one’s belt in a time of economic difficulties, she would be decked to the nines.
It was not uncommon to see her leaving an event for single mothers and heading straight to a boutique or home for a house call. As it is with such powerful personalities, you can summon the boutique to come to you.
After a speech on the need for equal opportunities and controlling one’s urges to overspend, she would be trying on the latest couture gown from Dior (one of her favourites), jewellery from Van Cleef & Arpels among others or even custom-made Salvatore Ferragamo shoes.
While styling herself as “The First Lady of Charity” by heading an influential welfare association, she had to ward of accusations that such outfits were a front to channel funds into Swiss accounts in hers and her husband’s name.
Even government programmes which were dressed up as people-oriented projects to uplift poverty or increase the nation’s wealth were alleged to be projects to secure the First Couple’s retirement.
There had been increasing distrust and dislike of her by the rest of the Cabinet as she positioned herself as the stand-in for her husband – the country’s leader – when he is indisposed.
She had never hidden the fact that she would be very comfortable to fill that role permanently. She was already enjoying all the wealth and power that comes with being the First Lady. The potential of unfettered wealth and power was tantalising to say the least.
Due to her inherent power and control of several key personalities in the police and military, there were half-hearted attempts to oust her as well as her husband.
It did not augur well for the detractors and political enemies that they too had skeletons in their closet from ill-gotten wealth to mistresses.
It is said that even when her husband’s own popularity among the masses and his own circle was waning she made sure they continue to support him – through impassioned pleas, threats and financial gratifications.
While she had claimed to represent the working class, she was quick to defend the government’s cut in wages and spending and introducing new taxes.
Soon the people, especially the working class built resentment against the first couple who now seemed detached from reality with their jet-setting lifestyle and her particular taste for the finer things in life.
Her critics began likening her to Marie Antoinette – the executed former Queen of France and her now infamous “let them eat cake” remark.
“Megalomaniac” was just one description of her by a political analyst.
Still, her influence had already spread far and wide – including the corridors of power, where she is first to have access and in some cases give her approval of her husband’s schedule.
Her love for song and stage is legendary and began from her time as a little girl where she would dream of the big cities where, in her own words are "marvellous places, where nothing was given but wealth”.
Many official functions would see her in attendance and grabbing the limelight from her spouse who would often be left standing behind her.
However, being upstaged by his wife was the least of the nation’s chief executive’s problems.
With a tanking economy and a more hard-line approach to quell dissent and criticism, he was also losing support among the middle class, where arbitrary arrests and imprisonments were becoming the norm.
But this and several coups attempts did not stop Juan Peron from becoming president of Argentina three times in over 20 years.
And yet, he is still remembered today by most of the world simply as the husband of Eva Peron. – February 25, 2015.
 

23 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:13 pm

    Great article by Terence.

    Witty, relevant and with a great twist in its tail. Far more importantly, it's capturing the entire zeitgeist of 2015, and the true feelings of the rakyat marhaen.

    (Plus, I'm sure he can tell the difference between "thrash" and "trash" and "All Mighty" and "Almighty".)

    "Now, I wonder if Terence intended a "reverse psychology" effect with this article, that he actually was trying to garner some sympathy for the First Lady?"

    No, I don't think so.

    Why would he?

    Even Umno folks consider her a liability, and talking about RM1,200 hair treatments while most people are suffering from the economy is the height of bad taste.

    "Sympathy" apa pulak? LOL...

    ReplyDelete
  2. charleskiwi12:42 pm

    It takes one to recognise another or it takes a thief to catch a thief ever heard of them ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Watcher12:45 pm

    Nice historical piece on a corrupt despot and his legendary corrupt wife from days gone by.

    So why are toadies and flunkies like you and Annie getting your pantaloons on fire?

    What's that Malay saying....? Cili, makan, pedas,....you get the drift.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:37 pm

    Kan tu keling.. Balik kampong...India... tak mau. Life is too good n too kind here.

    Kalu hidup dh mmg remi mengata orang... DNA keling lah tu.

    Penyu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:13 am

      hei racist you call him keling ..this keling la brought aid to the flood victims in the interior in kelantan and who are the majority in the interior? What did you do other then opening your big racist mouth?

      Delete
  5. Anonymous2:04 pm

    tak sebut Rosmah pun

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mazlan2:54 pm

    The commentary is about Eva Peron. If you and Annie equate it to Rosmah then that sort of says you are equating her to Eva Peron.
    My question is why do you think this commentary is about Rosmah?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous4:01 pm

    i don't see the relevance of eva peron in the context of our society today ...

    ... except as a thin veil to hit out at our own First Lady.

    very clever,

    but deception by its definition has to be nothing less than very clever

    this article by terrence is meant to deceive

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous7:14 pm

    "Nice historical piece on a corrupt despot and his legendary corrupt wife from days gone by."

    "So why are toadies and flunkies like you and Annie getting your pantaloons on fire?"

    Exactly.

    Kind of calls attention to the "size" of the "problem" kan?

    Not a small problem.

    Not small at all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Come on.
    We have to accept the truth.
    Everything is so fake about FLOM.
    Try as I may, simply cannot find anything good to say about her.
    So, can I please just shut up?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:33 pm

    We know who he's referring to. Humans are irony beings. Just because she is the first lady and he is obviously pro opposition, she has to dress and look drab with no luster at all. Now, every woman would want to look good and be seen beautiful, that's just woman's nature. Even Terence's wife or mom or daughter(?) want to look good. And they must be allowed to dress to the nines if they can afford it. But Rosmah must look stupid, dress drabbily and buy cheap knock offs from China or Terence blood soil, India.

    Funny irony. Well the only truth is the current government will continue to govern cause we the majority will always vote for them. Terence and the minority can kiss my (or more apt Anwar's) ass!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous11:20 pm

    I sincerely tot the article is ok what? We have mega this mega that what in Malaya, so what's wrong aaa?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear guys and gals,

    Pls avoid the F word and its kin lah, ie the K word, the M word, C word, etc.

    Moderate bashing of the blog owner is always allowed but don't get carried away on that score, too.


    Be nice... kita kan Satu Malaysia ...

    Terimakasih

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous12:27 pm

    10:33 pm:

    Tak payah "look stupid, dress drabbily and buy cheap knock offs from China or Terence blood soil, India". (Your cheap racist shot frames your mentality well).

    Tak payah.

    Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, a first lady who was respected and loved by all Malaysians, but never had to call herself the First Lady Of Putrajaya (F.L.O.P.) Didn't need to.

    It's called "class", 10:33.

    See?

    Neither you nor Imelda have any.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous12:30 pm

    "Be nice... kita kan Satu Malaysia"?

    LOL, even the greatest used car salesman himself has dropped that phrase coined by his PR con-sultans.

    "Kan tu keling.. Balik kampong...India"

    Now that's Satu Malaysia for you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous4:38 pm

    Latuk, baca HA's at link below pelan2.....( kalau beng#p, ulang berkali2 )

    https://helenang.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/annies-bad-habit-and-the-need-for-her-to-see-the-bigger-picture/

    - pengundi BN

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous6:14 pm

    Quite an informative piece of history. Not sure why Rocky and Annie is jumping up and down about...

    Surely it has nothing to do with Malaysia, because we don't have a first lady, not officially. Hmm... now it makes me wondered what is this FLOM thing about. Well, there are quite a few F words that would adequately describe that one particular person everybody has in mind. No, flabby is not what I have in mind...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7:28 pm

    Eh! betullah 1033 tulis 1227. Apa tak betul pulak? Terence tu bukan keturunan dia berasal dari India ke? Betullah tu, racist apa pulak.

    Elok kau tegur bini Lim Guan Eng tu lagi bagus, bini PM nak tegur, bini Ketua Menteri PP taknak tegur pulak.

    Apa? Semua bini pemimpin rakyat kena dress mcm Siti Hasmah ke baru ada 'class'? Baru orang respect?

    Boleh belahlah kau punya class. Kalau dah benci tu cakaplah benci, dah sokong pembangkang tu cakaplah sokong jangan nak tunjuk kau besar sangat 'class'!

    Kau memang ada class.. the Class of Shit for Brains.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:55 am

    If these Indians in Malaysia go back to India they would be in the lower strata of the Indian society because most of them belong to the lowest caste in India. In Malaysia we treat their lowest caste equally - no difference unlike in India.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous2:44 pm

    I want to see all women look lovely and presentable in all occasion especially one who is a wife of a leader and for the matter the wifes of all leaders in the world.

    I want everybody to look smart all the time in public not like most who wears slippers and shorts who show no respect to some places. I wonder if the writer agrees to Indian women who goes to temple wearing shorts and slippers. Most Malaysian dress badly.

    Now, the writer expects our FLOM to wear cheap skate baju kurung, made in Thailand Gucci hand bag etc ? Come on, all of us can see she dress up nicely in all functions and none was so extravagant.

    I buy branded accessories for my wife and my sisters whatever I can afford. I'm sure all of us wants our mothers to look good at all times. Maybe some could afford it, some may not. So one should live within ones means. I will be ashamed if my PMs wife look drab in public. She has the responsibility to live up, dress up for the sake of the nation so as other FL of other countries do not look down on us as cheap skate and as poor Malaysian.

    I condemn the writer as a person with no values in his life and has no respect to mothers and sisters of Malaysia. FLOM has done many great things for the society especially for the Persatuan Ibu Tunggal, Persatuan Autistic Malaysia, Tabung Angkatan Tentera, Persatuan Girl Guide Malaysia to name some and her financial assistance was a great contribution for the societies that operates its causes meaningfully for its members.

    What has the writer contributed so far ?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous11:59 pm

    This India editor is obviously a PR guy. Where is your stupid journo ethics in writing?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous7:04 pm

    Great work Terence. I am not sure why you are trying to create criticism. He has given a fair and reasonable editorial based on the facts.

    James from Australia

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous3:24 am

    That is a posting written by someone detached from the norms of the native soil.

    ReplyDelete