Poster Mail #1

Giving up on Hindraf and the Malaysian Middle-Class
The following is mail I received this morning from commenter Olek Skilgannon, a regular here. I have decided to share with readers what he's shared with me, given that it's highly unlikely that you will read this in the New Straits Times or the other mainstream papers. From time to time I hope to share some of mails sent to me by readers.

Dear Rocky,
I would like to draw your attention to two items in the Singapore Straits Times (http://straitstimes.com.sg) today (Jan 3).

The first is a reprint of a commentary that was published in the Jakarta Post recently. Written by M. Taufiqurrahman, its theme is that middle-class support in Malaysia keeps Umno safe. An interesting thesis, yes?

The writer said in his commentary:

"It is the attitude of the middle class that could help shed some light on why democracy is all too rare in Malaysia.

"More than 30 years of economic patronage from the ruling Umno party, which favours the Malay majority in its distribution of resources, have given rise to a complacent middle class that has been resistant to any change that would threaten its privileged position....

"Members of the middle class have shut out the clarion call of Reformasi. Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKN), led by Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the wife of Datuk Seri Anwar, exposed the alleged corrupt practices of the regime in the hope of appealing to "liberal" Malays and those who valued the economic growth fostered by Umno but were alienated by the government.

"The issue proved to be a hard sell and the PKN failed miserably. In the last general election, in 2004, the PKN's share of the votes fell from 11.5 per cent in 1999 to 8.27 per cent, while its share of seats in Parliament dropped from 2.6 per cent to a meagre 0.45 per cent.....

"The unwillingness of the middle class to punish a corrupt regime in Malaysia has only bolstered the resolve of the elite to perpetuate its stranglehold on society. This will only make it more difficult to establish a true democratic polity.

"The likelihood of Malaysia emulating Indonesia's experience of a mass-movement-driven democratic transition led by a disaffected middle class is very low, simply because there is no dissatisfaction among the middle class to begin with.

"The Umno regime has not reached the point where it has started alienating the middle class in the way that Indonesia's former president Suharto did with his odious rent-seeking activities.

"Middle-class inertia in Malaysia has been compounded by the unity of the elite.

"For most of modern Malaysian history, major political changes have been the result of wheeling and dealing by the country's elite.....

"But Malaysian elites are known to be cohesive. After a bitter conflict, top politicians traditionally embrace those who have fallen from grace.

"Such a quasi-democracy will likely reign for years to come in our neighbouring country".

A pretty astute analysis, wouldn't you think?

If the writer's thesis is correct, Hindraf, Bersih and opposition parties (and bloggers and journalists too) are just passing irritations in the wind, as far as the Malaysian government is concerned.

The second item in the Straits Times is an AP report on P. Waytha Moorthy, the chairman of Hindraf, who is in self-imposed exile in London.

Headlined "Indians 'fighting losing battle for equal rights'", it reports that Mr Moorthy has more or less given up hope of achieving anything substantial in Malaysia.

The report quotes him as saying:

"We are fighting a losing battle, we know. We try our level best, but if we don't succeed, we have to call it a day, isn't it? We may have to close the chapter. There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter. I know, eventually, we will also fail...."

He said, according to the report, that if the Indian minority in Malaysia could get "two or three real concessions, we are willing to keep our mouths shut."

"Why isn't the government conceding? We are not asking for super rights, we are asking for basic rights."

And he went on: "What can we do, we will still do. But if the whole struggle is going to die, what can we do? As it stands now, I don't think we can accelerate...I will keep pushing it, but again, to what extent? Funds are limited. Once we have exhausted our funds, that's it. It's sad but there is nothing I can do after that. Let somebody else continue".

He said his biggest worry was that when Hindraf fails, poor and uneducated Indians will come to hate the government even more and may resort to violence. He stressed, however, that he did not condone violence.

"So by stopping us today, they are actually planting the seeds of future hatred....I would prefer to keep pushing, keep the people's spirits high. The safest thing to do is to conduct prayers."

Dear Rocky,
You can literally feel the man's discouragement. Add in his chilling warning of "planting the seeds of future hatred" and I am reminded of the Biblical adage that one reaps what he or she sows.

I don't think that the mainstream Malaysian newspapers will carry either the Jakarta Post commentary or the AP report on Mr Waytha Moorthy. Hopefully, your blog could disseminate these to a wider audience.

Thank you,

Olek Skilgannon

Bloggers of The Year (2007)

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the SoPo BloGGer of tHe Year 2007 award goes to .....

Winner: Oh, ah, uh! On behalf of my mama and papa (may they rest in peace, alfatihah), I would like to thank Rox UNcut for this award. It means the world to me and if I have to be sued again to keep the title for the next 12 months while I try and get myself a steady job, I would be forever grateful ...

Ok, ok, I don't know if Rox is offering cash prizes, but those of you whose names are listed below please find out what you've won (or lost) and collect your cheque HERE.

1. Raja Petra Kamaruddin
2. Nuraina A. Samad
3. Sheih Kickdefella
4. Haris Ibrahim
5. Kenny Sia
6. Susan Loone
7. Lilian Chan
8. Booked
9. The Storyteller
10. Bookaholic
11. Mob1900
12. Under Siege
12. Amir Hafizi
13. The Malay Male
14. Crankshaft
15. Pak Idrus
16. Zorro
17. Steven Lee
18. Husam Musa
19. John Lee
20. Jeff Ooi

p.s. Amir Hafizi gets 2 awards. TWO awards! What's wrong with the judges?

It's over for Chua

MCA Minister quits over scandal. Dr Chua Soi Lek, who turns 61 today xxx CORRECTION: Today is NOT Dr Chua's birthday. He turns 61 in May xxx has announced his resignation as Health Minister and MCA vice-president, shortly before the party's Emergency Presidential Meeting was to convene to discuss his involvement in a sex video.
This is the first time a Malaysian Cabinet minister is involved in a sex scandal on tape.

M-Star has the story HERE.

A bit about the man ... (taken from Hard-T):

Name: Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek
Date of birth: 2 May 1947
Place: Batu Pahat, Johor
Wife: Datin Seri Wong Sek Win
Sons/daughter: Chua Tee Joo, Chua Tee Yong, Chua Tee Ling
Post: Health Minister
Party post: MCA Vice President

Education Background :

Lim Poon Primary School 1954-1959
Batu Pahat High 1960-1965
Muar High School 1966-1967
University of Malaya 1968-1973 M.B.B.S.

Career Profile :
1973-1974 Houseman, Johor Bahru General Hospital, Johor.
1974-1976 Medical Officer, Batu Pahat District Hospital, Johor.
1976 Private Practitioner.
1986-2004 State Assemblyman for Penggaram, Johor.
Oct 1990 Member, Johor State Executive Council (EXCO - 1st term) Chairman, State Science, Technology and Human Resources Committee, Johor.
Jan 1992 Chairman, State Environment and Consumer Affairs Committee, Johor.
May 1995 Member, Johor State Executive Council (EXCO - 2nd term)
Chairman, Environment and Consumer Affairs Committee, Johor.
Dec 1999 Member, Johor State Executive Council (EXCO - 3rd term)
1999-2004 State Environment and Tourism Committee Chairman, Johor.
Mar 21, 2004 Member of Parliament for Labis, Johor.
Mar 27, 2004 Minister, Ministry of Health.

Political Party Affiliation and Involvement :

1982 MCA Head, MCA Zabedah Timur Branch, Johor.
1985 MCA Chairman, MCA Batu Pahat Division, Johor (returned unopposed in 1993 election)
1986 MCA Vice Chairman, MCA State Liaison Committee, Johor.
Aug 1993 MCA Deputy Chairman, Johor MCA.
1999-2002 MCA Member, MCA Central Committee.
Oct 2001 MCA Deputy Chairman, Johor MCA.
Jun 2002-2005 MCA Member, MCA Central Committee.
2002 MCA Chairman, MCA State Liaison Committee, Johor.
2003 MCA Chairman, Johor MCA.
Jun 2004 MCA Member, Party Disciplinary Board
May 2005 MCA Chief, Batu Pahat Division, Johor. (Won unopposed)
Aug 2005-2008 MCA Vice-President, MCA. (Chua polled 1,398 votes)
2005-2008 MCA Chairman, State Liaison Committee, Johor.

Elections Contested:

Aug 1986 BN/MCA Penggaram, State Constituency, Johor. Won with a majority of 3,990 votes against Gan Ah Liong of DAP.
Oct 1990 BN/MCA Penggaram, State Constituency, Johor. Won with a majority of 4,108 votes against Lim Hwah Beng of DAP.
Apr 1995 BN/MCA Penggaram, State Constituency, Johor. Won with a majority of 14,037 votes against Gan Teck Cheng of DAP.
Nov 29, 1999 BN/MCA Penggeram, State Constituency, Johor. Won with a majority of 13,460 votes against Gan Peck Cheng of DAP.
Mar 21, 2004 BN/MCA Labis, Parliamentary Constituency, Johor. Won with a majority of 10,729 votes against Tee Gey Yan of DAP.

Honours
1979 P.I.S No title Pingat Ibrahim Sultan, Johor.
1988 P.P.N. No title Pingat Pangkuan Negara, Agong.
1997 S.M.J. No title Setia Mahkota Johor,
1999 D.P.M.J Dato' Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia Pangkat Kedua, Johor.
Nov 5, 2005 A Fellowship, No title by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI).
Sep 16, 2006 S.P.D.K Datuk Seri Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu Panglima Sabah
Oct 2006 D.G.S.M Datuk Seri Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka

Others:

1982-1968 Chairman, St. John Ambulance, Batu Pahat, Johor.
1983 Adviser, Parent Teachers' Association, Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Cheng Siu 1 & 2.
1983 Adviser, Parent Teachers' Association, Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (C) Ai Chun 1 & 2.
1986 Adviser, Chinese Teachers Association, Batu Pahat, Johor.
1986 Adviser, Tiong Hwa Association, Senggarang, Batu Pahat, Johor.
1987-1989 Chairman, Parent Teachers' Association, Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Montfort.
* Chairman, State Wild Elephant Relocation Taskforce, Johor.
* Deputy Chairman, Endau-Rompin Park Board.
* Chairman, Technical Committee, Endau-Rompin ParkBoard.
1990 Member of Government Meetings Council.
Nov 1992 President, Committee to coordinate efforts to enhance the skills of workers, Johor.
1999 Chairman, State Japanese Encephelitis (JE), Johor.

Sports Associations/Recreational Clubs:

1975 Ordinary Member, Golf Club.
1986 Adviser, Basketball Association, Batu Pahat, Johor.
1991 Chairman, Johor Volley Ball Association.
May 2004 President, The Malaysian Volleyball Association (MAVA).

Miscellaneous : - During his visit to Ireland, Dr Chua was conferred a fellowship by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), the first health minister ever from the region to receive such honour.