Ruth Square

From rocks to island

2008-06-03T19:31:00.001+08:00

Can you beat this? Foreign minister Rais Yatim is talking about merging the rocks called Middle Rocks (next to Batu Puteh which we lost to Singapore) into one longer and wider formation.

At present, the collections of rocks are 500-600 metres apart and our grand plan is to somehow join them so that it would become a bigger single rock (or perhaps island) than Batu Puteh.

So what would we gain by this mega plan? The Utusan Malaysia report which carried this story quoted Rais as saying that the bigger rock (or island) has the potential to have a weather station and marine observatory centre.

Perhaps the unsaid plan is that we want to have an island to overwhelm Batu Puteh and halt Singapore’s development plan surrounding that rocky outlet.

Or maybe the grand design is to build a bigger and taller lighthouse to totally eclipse the one in Batu Puteh.

Let’s see how far the government will go with this grand plan.

Read Utusan

Malaysia

story here.

Shame on you lot

2008-06-03T19:27:00.001+08:00

A story in NST today on a group of Mat Rempits robbing five women at a petrol station in Jalan Travers, Bangsar caught my attention.

According to the report, the incident happened at about 3.30am last Saturday.

What enraged me was the public apathy while the incident happened – no one went to help the ladies! Not the three petrol station attendants who were safely holed up inside the station convenience store or several other motorists who were around.

The Mat Rempit gang must surely know that no one will stop them, thus their brazen behaviour. Disappointing even is the fact that the Travers police station is just up the road!

Apparently three police patrol cars arrived at the scene soon after and police obtained CCTV footage from the premises, but no arrest has been made so far.

Hmmm…..If I may suggest an easier way - just round up all the Mat Rempits (this is not difficult to do) and squeeze the truth out of them.

This is easy. The difficult part is to get our fellow citizens to be more civic conscious!

The ultimate battle

2008-06-01T23:32:00.000+08:00

Football or sex?

Apparently, a recent survey in Europe found that half of European football fans would prefer to watch important matches than have sex.

I wonder if the statistics would stand in the Malaysian context!

Read the story here.

A clip that riled the local Malays

2008-05-30T20:08:00.001+08:00

A 40-second clip shown in the

has got some Malaysians upset.

Actually, the 40-second clip showed a man on a beach firing a machine gun into the air and shouting in the Malay language: "I'm the most evil man in the world. Come fight with me. I will kill you all."

Apparently he appeared to be ethnic Malay or Indonesian.

To be precise, the clip was a recruitment video advertisement of the British Navy.

What got our diplomats to be upset? Well, no prizes for guessing but it was the portrayal of a Malay man as a terrorist.

A letter writer had expressed his indignity in Utusan Malaysia two days ago after have watched the advertisement.

And then, since it involved an issue of Ketuanan Melayu, the senators got all worked up and then the foreign ministry got involved and as a result, the British Defence ministry withdrew the advertisement from the Royal Marines Web site.

The clip will not be shown in British cinemas as well.

Excellent! Out top mandarins surely know how to rectify a situation urgently, as long as it was committed by others.

When it comes to such insensitive activities against certain other races locally, we seem to have to wait forever for any action, let alone an apology to those effected.

Read story on the ad withdrawal here.

Time to stake proper ownership, M’sia

2008-05-27T17:40:00.002+08:00

Goodbye Pulau Batu Puteh (now officially known as Pedra Blanca).

We lost an isle the size of a football pitch and gained a series of rocks (Middle Rocks) and most probably another stone (called South Ledge) which is only visible on low tide.

How do we call this a win-win case? The foreign minister is surely taking positive spin to a new level.It’s definitely a bad loss for us as Pedra Blanca was not just a boundary marker, it was also a source of income from passing international ships, let alone the rich natural resources one can find there.

Now we have rocks in the region, with Singapore right on our noses, extending their boundary.

The ICJ ruling is clear – the Malaysian government has been lackadaisical in exercising sovereign rights over a piece of ‘useless’ rock which the Johor Sultanate's had sovereignty since time immemorial.

I don’t know if the problem started in 1844 when the British Colonial Administration built a lighthouse on the island or in 1953 when the Acting State Secretary of Johor replied to the colonial authority that "Johor has no claim of ownership over Batu Putih".

But I solely blame the federal government for not staking sovereignty the moment Singapore became independent in 1965. Only in 1979 did we include it in our maps and even then took no bloody steps to assert any ownership.

And over the period of time we allowed them to take control of the island, even having to seek their permission to land there. Their navy blockaded the island to stop us from entering the waters surrounding it.

It’s quite embarrassing that an isle which is only about 14.3km from Johor has been a no-go zone for Malaysians while Singaporeans from 46.3km away were ‘ruling’ it.

Anyway, it’s gone now. But, hei, we have Middle Rocks.

And then we have Pulau Pisang, which also has a light house maintained by Singapore, who also controls a jetty and a team of border guards on the Malaysian island.I think we should exercise some form of ownership before it too goes the Batu Puteh way.

So it’s up to the Johor state government and the federal government that Pulau Pisang remains ours.

Interestingly there are other islands next to it - Pulau Tunda, Kemudi and Sauh. Quite a rich picking these ones. If it goes to ICJ again, who knows we might face another banana skin with Singapore taking Pulau Pisang and we are left with the other smaller ones!

And then we have Pulau Unarang (off eastern Sabah and bordering Indonesia), Pulau Perak (between Penang and Sumatra) and several islands in the South China Sea.

Interestingly Malaysia had taken control of some of the islands, which are unclaimed. To stop a Pedra Blanca fiasco, we will have to start exerting our presence in these islands now.

In Pulau Unarang for example, the Indonesians have put up fishing apparatus but are unable to build a lighthouse or permanent structure as our navy is patrolling the island.

And in Pulau Perak, we have a helicopter pad with our army and navy patrolling it, still these strategic rocks are being ignored, with reports of pirates resting there at times!

So we have to move fast. I hope the government will wake up.

A New Straits Times report today indicated that we are looking at the right step by staking claims and sovereignty over 100 islands, reefs, rocks and other marine features lying in the South China Sea, Straits of Malacca and off Sabah.

Pulau Batu Puteh may have gone. The rest should remain ours, at all costs. We should not lose them due to our lackadaisical attitude.

Figures that matter

2008-05-22T17:01:00.000+08:00

Figures that matter:

72 - Number of Indian students who received PSD scholarships this year out of the 2,000 scholarships awarded.

130 - In US dollars or RM418.79, the oil price per barrel today.

242 – Number of missing children in Malaysia for the first three months of this year, 80 percent of whom were girls.

364 – The number of village heads not recognised by the Pakatan-led Selangor government because they were appointed by the BN-led federal government.

7,430 – Number of Year One students in Terengganu who can’t read and write.

10 billion – The net value, in US dollars, of tycoon Robert Kuok, who is Malaysia’s richest man according to the latest Forbes Asia’s list.

570.0 billion – In Ringgit Malaysia, the profit made by Petronas since its inception in 1974 to March 31, 2007.

(source: local dailies)

This is ridiculous…

2008-05-21T10:36:00.001+08:00

Misplaced loyalty from a former premier who shaped the future of the nation? Or is it just blind hatred towards the present number one? Or is he bordering on senility?

His latest move is to urge all BN MPs to lompat to become independents, and then return to BN after the removal of the PM.

This latest call by him changes his use of Umno/Malay sentiments to trying to influence the BN cadres to remove the PM.

Is he being fair to the voters?

Read his latest blog entry here.

How should Pak Lah react?

2008-05-20T13:45:00.004+08:00

Now that Mahathir has decided to quit Umno in protest to force Abdullah to step down, it is inevitable that in the coming days a few more shocks will happen.

There will be some pockets of party members who will join MM in leaving the party. Some pundits are even saying that some 200 divisions in Johor alone are ready to follow suit.

Likewise I am sure some veterans will also follow MM. But, how about Umno MPs and state level leaders? Would they jump the ship as well?

I highly doubt it. I think it would be against their self-interest for any minister, deputy minister or and MP to quit the party now.

As it is Abdullah is holding a meeting with Umno MPs today and tomorrow he would have a similar meeting with BN MPs. What will follow is a BN meeting and then Umno supreme council meeting.

I am sure they will discuss the repercussions of MM’s decision and on Abdullah’s future as well.

There are two strong messages which Abdullah and Umno can give MM. They are:

1. Thank you for all your services and now that you have resigned, we hope you will have a good rest. Do enjoy your break.

2. Do not get yourself involved in local politics, especially in Umno politics, as you no longer have the standing to comment on a party which you are no longer a member.

At the same time, MM should be reminded to be prepared to defend himself in court IF he is to be tried for the conspiracy in the appointment of friendly judges, as recommended by the Lingam tape commission.

He should also be reminded to keep himself occupied with completing his memoir.

And finally someone should ask MM as to the real reason he is doing this.

Is it because he loves the party too much that he can’t sit and watch Abdullah ruining it, thus wanting him to be replaced by Najib or Muhyiddin or even Tengku Razaleigh?

OR, is it because he is afraid that Anwar Ibrahim will take over the government if Abdullah remained in power?

MM must openly explain if it’s his dislike of Abdullah or fear of Anwar coming back to haunt him.

What’s happening in Cheras?

2008-05-11T12:14:00.005+08:00

The first photo is a sad and dramatic image of a woman who was stabbed – at least four times – in broad daylight on Friday morning.

According to a NST report, she was left for dead by robber(s), near the police college in Cheras. The daily today reported that the attack was done by a taxi driver.

Now, note the place of the attack – Cheras, which also happens to be the same place where Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was ‘assaulted’ – by the police – on Thursday night at an anti-toll gathering (second photo).

My point? Shouldn’t the police be busy protecting the citizens from brutal attacks conducted by robbers rather than ……. (I am sure you get my point).

The cops seem to have their own agenda

2008-05-10T12:20:00.002+08:00

‘Don’t bribe me’ - So says a car sticker found at the back of almost all police patrol cars you see in KL roads nowadays.

I understand the message the cops are trying to send to the public but there is a small problem here, at least for me.

Why is it that the police seem to be trying to put the blame on the public for the corruption in the police force?

It sounds as though it is the public who are forcing the cops to take bribe. I would have thought that a more positive message would be one in which the message reflects the force itself and not the public -something like ‘I don’t take bribe’.

Hang on a minute! Didn’t the cops use to have a ‘Saya Anti-Rasuah’ badges on the uniform?

Yes they did! I know the top brass had removed that slogan in a recent revamp, ostensibly to send a better message to the public.

The problem is that the new message, as found in the patrol cars, gives a wrong impression that it’s the public, and not the cops, who should bear the brunt of the corruption menace!

Something more reflective and self appraisal is definitely needed if the force is genuine in wanting to remove graft.

And I would like to add something else about the action of the police in regards to the residents’ protest for a toll-free access road in Cheras - the superior officer who gave the go-ahead to fire tear gas and spray water cannon two nights ago should be disciplined!

Don’t they ever learn? It has been just about two months since the people gave a resounding warning to the BN government on the various grouses with government policies, one of which was the way the police was acting like kings in many instances while failing to solve more important matters like crime prevention.

And the brutal action by the cops seem to indicate that the force think they are a government on their own. What could have been solved amicable has been allowed to spillover into another people versus government matter.

What were the cops thinking when they sprayed a pepper-spray onto a DAP MP? And what were they thinking in trying to intimidate people who had gathered at the same night in Dataran Merdeka for a candlelight vigil?

If Abdullah thinks he can make reforms, the first thing he has look at is the police force. These guys need serious lessons of public relations and on how to treat people decently.

Not everyone is a national threat, not everyone is a criminal, BUT everyone is a citizen who has his rights that must be protected, especially by the police.

The cops must first ditch their attitude of Us versus Them and start seeing the public as people who they are suppose to protect, not antagonise.

What a headline...

2008-05-02T18:36:00.002+08:00

Do you want to know how our government is portrayed in the Australian media?

The headline in today’s The Australian said Newspaper raid 'like in Malaysia'.

The daily was referring to a police raid to the Perth-based The Sunday Times on Wednesday, to investigate a source-story carried by the daily about election funding.

Read more about the raid and the attack of press freedom here.

I was surprised about the raid for I didn’t think for a moment it would have happened in Australia. And then when I saw The Australian headline this morning, I realised how bad the media industry must have felt too over the raid.

Anyway, the headline is correct. I should now. I was there when the police raided my organisation in 2003.

The timing of the headline could not have come at a more appropriate time for me. I was part of a forum on the future of journalism today and among the questions I was asked related to press freedom in Malaysia.

Interestingly the audience wanted to know if the media laws in Malaysia would be relaxed and if ISA would be done away with.

There was also a question of Anwar taking over the government and if his government would be a good news for the media in Malaysia.

One thing is sure, the audience - basically people from the journalism and related fields - are keeping a close watch on what’s happening on our shores for they too want what most of us want - a free media and a responsible government.

The future of journalism

2008-05-01T09:54:00.003+08:00

I am in Sydney at the moment (got in yesterday) to take part in a forum on the future of journalism.

My session is tomorrow and it is on ‘Independent voices: press freedom in the digital era’.

At the moment a group of Aussie panellists are talking about ‘Who will pay for journalism?’ - a discussion on funding for journalism in the future and the ‘death’ of newspapers. The panellists actually don’t think newspapers will go away, but look at a possibility of many newspapers merging.

Earlier New York University’s Jay Rosen spoke about how the online explosion is going to explode to replace the traditional era of journalism. He calls all non-journalists (the mass) as former audiences who will take part actively in journalism. He sees this already happening and wants more free media to join in to create a better era of journalism.

"Send out more boats as not all will last but we need them to reach the other side to make the change," he said.

Will newspapers survive?

Views of Roy Greenslade, Guardian columnist, professor of journalism at City University and was editor of the Daily Mirror from 1990-91.

"Popular newspapers are dying and will die. The serious newspapers too. Dailies with niche market will survive, not mass papers.

Cities with two or three prints will see only one surviving. A paper of record in society will survive.

Net is the most democratic form. It allows everyone to publish. It’s about the freedom of expression.

Now there is more commentaries but I would like to see a pro-active action with more people being involved in news gathering.

I am not doom-mongering...advertisement is fleeing from newspapers. The next major platform is the net. I am sad to new the newspapers go - "the ultimate browser" - but they are dying.

The nuclear option - Last Saturday, a Wisconsin broadsheet The Capital Times has closed its print edition to go into the web edition. It has been published since 1970. It will now publish a free weekly. This option will occur elsewhere too. In the UK, the regionals might go first before the Fleet Street."

Interesting sessions and I will see if I can blog more on these. The venue is at ABC building in this beautiful city.

Click here for more details on the forum (which is a series of conversation).

Live on RTM with Home Minister

2008-05-01T09:39:00.004+08:00

On Tuesday night I was a guest panellist on RTM1's 'Bersemuka Bersama Media', having the chance to grill Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar on the ISA and press freedom.

It was a good session, one of which I personally am proud of for having a chance to ask some questions to the minister on these issues.

There is a media report on the programme itself (read here) so I will not get into that apart from saying that the minister did give his assurance that he would continuously looking into making reforms, without making any concrete promises.

So as it stands, there’s no end to ISA and no immediate freer media environment.

Other interesting things that came out from him (both on and off-air):

1. On KDN meetings with editors: He sort of alluded that would not happen under his ministry. So let’s wait and see if he sticks to his words.

2. On having evidence but still detaining people under the ISA: The way he put it, it was as though the Hindraf 5 are hardcore terrorists that were on the verge of toppling the government.

3. On number of ISA detainees: He said there were about 55. Also added that the government was successful in rehabilitating them. I don’t know how when there are some who has been detained for six years and entering into their fourth two-year term (meaning it would be 8 years).

4. On new publishing permits: He said there were about 7 or 8 still pending. Also said it was PM who actually approved PKR’s permit for Suara Keadilan even before the March 8 GE. He clarified that it was not for a daily.

5. On mkini print permit: He said we should just stick to online publication. Said we shouldn’t cause competition to the MSM. However agreed we can re-submit application.

6. On Indian priests, musicians and sculptors: I told him that although there seem to be a change in policy, the immigration people were still not renewing permits for these category of people. The minister said these people would be allowed to remain and work and at the same time said he would move for a revolving system where these foreign experts would eventually be replaced by locals. He said he was going to have a talk with all concerned parties soon to see how this could be done without affecting the temples, foreign skilled workers and local talents.

7. On overcrowded illegal foreign workers detention camps: He said nothing could be done on that now. Said it was unfortunate and blamed foreign embassies for delaying the repatriation of these workers.

8. On mainstream media: Agreed that they had lost some credibility and agreed the alternative media was become mainstream now and indicated his willingness to work together with them. "We can agree to disagree," he stressed.

At the end of the interview, the RTM people were happy with the line of questioning. They are eager to regain some credibility and want to be seen as a reliable news agency - thus the invitation to people like me to go live to question the minister.

The information minister was there too and he was eager to make use of the internet new organisations and bloggers in generating debate. That’s good indeed.

And finally, both the ministers said they were ‘happy’ with the grilling they got from me and The Sun's political editor Zainon Ahmad, the other panellist.

Jakim contradicts PM

2008-04-29T13:35:00.000+08:00

On April 19, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the government would introduce a regulation requiring non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam to inform their family before doing so.

He said this would prevent problems of families disputing the conversion of their loved ones when they die.

He made this announcement after meeting with Islamic religious authorities, giving the impression he had spoken about this to them and had obtained approval.

His basis for such a regulation was to ensure people would not be going at each other over this matter, as it is happening now. In a nutshell, Abdullah wanted a harmonious relationship between all.

However a report in the Star today gives a different picture altogether.

Surprise! Surprise! Now senior Jakim leaders are saying converts need not inform family, and openly rejected Abdullah’s proposal.

This rejection was mentioned by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz himself, saying that it was the joint view of state legal advisors, muftis, syarie judges and Islamic department directors.

And their basis for this - nothing to do with human relations but instead it was based on the Quran!

It seems the holy book does not provide anything that “compel a person wishing to convert to Islam to inform the family before doing so”. Instead they want the need to inform loved ones should be left to the discretion of the person wishing to convert.

So in one hand we have a premier who is thinking about maintaining a racial harmony and thinking like a leader for all Malaysians and on the other a group of religious old-schools who simply refuse to move away from the interpretations of their holy book.

Malaysia for Malaysians? Fat chance if this continues.

Rompin’ MP shouldn’t get off easily

2008-04-26T19:02:00.003+08:00

I don’t care if the victim has withdrawn her police report against a former minister for alleged sexual harassment. It is the duty of the police to call in the former minister, who is also an MP, for questioning.

There can be many reasons for the victim to have withdrawn her report. She could also have cited various excuses for lodging the report in the first place.

Of course it is within her right now to say that there was a misunderstanding over the ex-minister’s behaviour and that she was "sensitive and moody" at the time of the incident and as such she had felt offended at that time due to her “complicated mood”.

She had added she had known the former minister over the past five years and was used to his rough ways, and he had acted in jest without any bad intention.

Based on her statutory declaration which she signed to withdraw her report, it can be alluded that:

1. the MP is known for such behaviour against her in the past, and,
2. that she had in the past experienced his rough ways and his “jest without bad intention”.

However, sexual harassment is still sexual harassment and an offence even if it was done in jest!

I am glad the KL police chief had said that they would still question the MP, which they had done yesterday. They have also spoken to some witnesses apparently.

Now if they think he had acted against the law in sexually harassing the woman, they should pass the file to AG for action. And on the other hand if the victim had indeed lodged a false report, action should be taken against her as well.

I think the public perception at the moment is that she has been either forced or has been bought over to withdraw the report.

The police can clear this perception by completing their probe on her report and making public their finding, all in the spirit of the new found reform agenda of the prime minister.

[Rompin’ (or romping) means, among others, to play or frolic boisterously.]

So who will Benitez buy?

2008-04-25T15:58:00.001+08:00

The speculation has started as to who Liverpool will buy for the next season.

One piece of good news is that manager Rafa Benitez looks set to continue helming the team despite the ongoing power struggle between the American owners.

So, to kickstart the list of potential Liverpool players for the 2008/2009 season, here are some favourites being linked by the British media with the club. Mind you, the season is still three games away to official come to close.

Incoming: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Michael Johnson (Manchester City), David Bentley (Blackburn), Antonio Valencia (Wigan) - all midfielders/winger; and defenders Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Bilbao) and Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund).

Outgoing: Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant, Steve Finnan and John Arne Riise.

Let’s see how much of these become reality.

Ex-minister in sex harassment scandal

2008-04-23T14:34:00.000+08:00

This is a Bernama report:

“Police are investigating a woman's claim that a former minister molested her at a five-star hotel near KL Sentral last week.

Kuala Lumpur CID Chief SAC II Ku Chin Wah said the woman, in her 30s who works at the hotel, lodged the report at the Brickfields police station on Friday.

The incident allegedly took place on April 14, he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters today.

Ku refused to divulge more details but did say that the ex-minister was currently abroad and police would summon him for questioning on his return.

He said police were investgating the case under Section 354 of the Penal Code which carries up to 10 years jail or a fine or whipping or any two.”

From my sources: the incident happened at the Havana cigar club in Le Meridien Hotel near Kl Sentral. Apparently he was drunk and when this girl served drinks to him, he tried to touch her hand, and then followed her to caressed her buttocks.

The girl shouted and an angry scene arose after her boyfriend, who also works there, confronted the ex-minister. The couple finally lodged a report on Friday.

So who is this sex deviant?

Well, lets look at the clues:

- A sitting MP but dropped in the new cabinet line up.

- He headed a very important space-age ministry before the March 8 general election.

- A very cocky fellow who before being appointed a minister sat in a powerful parliament committee.

- Cigar-loving Umno person

- Was embroiled in a racist controversy last year - for making a nasty, demeaning remark to a student overseas for which he was forced to apologise to the student.

Enough-lah....It should be clear now who this Jinjang Joe is!

An interesting press conference

2008-04-20T22:05:00.003+08:00

If you are a football fan, you would be aware of the bizarre press conference given by Chelsea manager Avram Grant – who is under pressure for underperforming although his team is within a striking distance with league leaders Man U – after his team’s narrow 1-0 win over Everton last Thursday.

Below is the full transcript of the press conference. Read and have some laugh, at the expense of Chelsea and Avram.

A deserved win, Avram?
Grant said: 'Yes.'

What particularly pleased you about the performance?
'I'm pleased.'

What in particular pleased you?
After an eight second delay: 'I don't know.'

Is it a relief to win here?
'Yes.'

You seem lost for words by the performance. Are you more satisfied with the performance or the victory?
'Both.'

You seem distracted. Do you have a problem?
'No problem.'

Is there an issue?
'No. I'm ok. I have nothing to say.'

Do you have a message for the Chelsea fans?
'You represent the Chelsea fans?'

They must believe you are still in the title race, do you have a message for them?
'No message.'

Does this result mean you are back in it now?
'I don't know.'

How many steps have you climbed to undertake this press conference?
'I don't know.'

You seem less voluble than usual. Is it because of Sky TV moving the game to a Thursday?
'Maybe it's because of you. I don't know. I am ok.'

You are saying that you don't know if you are still in the title race?
'No.'

Is it easier to say nothing Avram?
'I don't what to answer. It is a good question. I don't know what to answer.'

Is this because of Sky?
'No. Sky is ok. I enjoy watching them.'

Is it a protest against newspapers?
'No. Why?'

Why else would you come in and refuse to answer our questions?
'I answer every question.'

You are two points behind Manchester United and you don't know if you are still in the title race?
'No.'

Have you told the players that you don't know if you are back in the title race?
'What I tell the players is something else. You want me to tell you what I say to the players?'

We just want you to answer the question really. Are you in the title race?
'I don't know.'

Would you not like to gain some positive publicity for the result rather than this bizarre silence?
'I'm sorry. You can write whatever you want and I can answer what I want.'

Do you feel under pressure to deliver a trophy? Is that the reason for the monosyllabic answers?
'No.'

Are you upset? Do you feel you have been misrepresented?
'Maybe I have said because it is a bad season.'

Did Michael Essien faint?
'He had some problems, but he is ok.'

Michael Ballack?
'Injured.'

What's his problem?
'Ask the doctor.'

He's not here Avram.
'Well call him then.'

Have you ever played the yes/no game Avram?
.....

This was definitely not in the same class as the previous manager Mourinho, the publicity-loving chatterbox. No wonder reports say that the club owners are looking for another manager.

I just hope the apparent disarray in the squad affects their performance against Liverpool in the Champions’ League semis on Tuesday!

‘Have they forgotten us?’

2008-04-19T14:36:00.000+08:00

I didn’t expect such complaints to come out against the new state government in Penang.

Suddenly the high-expecting makkal sakthi people are wondering if all their hard work has been misplaced and taken for granted by the new administration.

Their complaints in particular are on:

1. The lack of non-Chinese staff in the CM’s office

2. The number of Indian reps in the two local councils in the state - about three or four at most and that too given to people closely aligned to a certain state/party leader. No makkal sakthi grassroots leader has been recognised, they claim.

3. The new state leaders are also paying less attention to the Indian issues now, in fact at times not bothering to take part in open dialogues in trying to solve issues which they said they would do before being voted in.

4. A seasoned journalist also said that the newly appointed leaders have become so elusive that its difficult to get hold of them.

Well, I would still say that we should give the new state government some time to settle down and get on with their own policies. It’s only been more than a month now since they took over.

I am sure they would not be chauvinistic as they are labelled now. We wait in full patience. After all, they too are fully aware of the power of the makkal!

First sign of repression?

2008-04-16T19:33:00.001+08:00

This was the question posed by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang after the banning of popular Tamil daily Makkal Osai today.

He asked if the daily was denied the renewal of its KDN due to prominence in its coverage for the Pakatan Rakyat.

“Is this the first sign of repression and crackdown on human rights and the little space opening up in the printed media after the March 8 political tsunami?” he asked in a statement today.

Insiders say there are many reasons for that - but chiefly it was for being anti-establishment.

Apparently the ministry was upset that daily gave wide coverage to Anwar (including the Black 14 rally and the police probe that followed) and Makkal Sakthi issues.

The publication of Uthayakumar’s photographs from the Taiping hospital is also said to have riled the ministry.

And finally it seems there was a business competitor who had fed information about Makkal Osai’s misdeeds to the ministry.

I am sure the cabinet had discussed this matter this morning. Is this how the PM is going to regain the trust and support of the Indian community?

As it is I think the one-month suspension of Makkal Osai last August for publishing an offending photo of Jesus caused some resentment towards the government - perhaps it was even the start of such a feeling against the BN.

The government must be smart enough to just renew the KDN and let the daily do its business.

Witnessing an historical event

2008-04-15T13:46:00.003+08:00

Place: Sultan Sulaiman Club (Kelab Sultan Sulaiman), Kampung Baru, KL.

First historical event:

On March 1, 1946, the first Pan-Malayan Malay Congress was held at this club, gathering Malays from all 11 states in the peninsula, representing 41 associations and parties that opposed Britain's Malayan Union plan.

This is the place of birth of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy).

It was also here Datuk Onn Jaafar proposed forming the first mass-based Malay party, the United Malays Organisation (later Umno).

Second historical event:

On April 14, 2008, some 20,000 people gathered at the club to listen to Anwar’s first speech after his Pakatan Rakyat’s overwhelming victory in the March 8 GE.

I was there and it was an electrical atmosphere with Anwar making use of all his oratory skills to entice, engage and keep the crowd asking for more.

And just like 62 years ago, once again the club saw the birth of a new political concept - Anwar’s Ketuanan Rakyat (People’s Supremacy).

And I think unlike Onn Jaafar, Anwar is not at risk of being alienated for suggesting a multi-racial party in Malaysia.

In fact, based on the crowd reaction last night, he might just be able to achieve the multi-racial concept in Malaysian political landscape.

(pix courtesy of jimin lai)

Watch Pak Lah fall (2)

2008-04-14T15:55:00.001+08:00

Looks like it is gonna happen sooner than later.

First we had a handful of powerful leaders calling for his resignation (led by Dr M no less).
Abdullah said he was not convinced as he had the people’s mandate.

And then you had individual leaders making similar noises.
Abdullah said these were the minority within the party.

Then came the divisions in Kedah, Penang basically asking him to step down in favour of Najib.
Abdullah said he has some unfinished task in hand and that the people had not rejected him.

The biggest blow, as I see, finally came from Johor divisions, who couched their call for his resignation in a civilised manner - they asked for a succession plan.
Abdullah was in a corner by now, accepting that BN’s defeat was his fault but still determined to hang on.

Then came the clincher - his so-called ally Muhyiddin Yassin first telling on Friday that Abdullah has agreed to discuss succession plan with Najib and then again over the weekend hammering the nail by adding that it was time for a leadership change in Umno to save the party from becoming irrelevant.

Abdullah is silent on these, perhaps realising too late that even his allies are now against him.

Today, former Selangor MB Khir Toyo urged for a quick hand over and urged for an open contest in party polls in December. And another ally, Rais Yatim, also wants Abdullah to be swift with his succession plan.

I am sure more will come out in the open in the next few days/weeks to force Abdullah to step down, perhaps forcing him to announce his intention in the next month or so and officially giving up to Najib in December!

Anwar’s goal: MP or PM?

2008-04-10T12:23:00.002+08:00

This is part of an interview which PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim gave to The Jakarta Post today, which I found rather interesting.

Q: You will be eligible again to be voted as state official this month. Do you have any plans to become a parliament member in the next election to pave your way to become prime minister?

A: April 14 is the date when my ineligibility period ends, a period which was imposed on me by corrupt judges who were politically steered. But I've never been worried about or paid attention to that situation, and I've been campaigning all along.

I do have an option (to become a parliament member and run for premiership), but I am not making it my personal agenda. It is more crucial for now to manage the opposition coalition and I will deal with my personal goals in the coming years. I'm in no rush.

I was particularly drawn to this line: “I do have an option (to become a parliament member and run for premiership)...I will deal with my personal goals in the coming years. I'm in no rush.”

He says he is in no rush. Betulkah ini? I guess we may know a bit more of his immediate plans right after April 14.

note:

I just found out that PAS president Hadi Awang was admitted to hospital in Kuala Terengganu this morning, suffering from a mild stroke. He won both the Marang parliamentary and Ru Rendang state seats in the general election.

Imagine the irony if his seats were to fall vacant for Anwar to contest after April 14. Anyways, according to PAS sources, the tok guru is fine!

Powdering up for TV appearance

2008-04-09T15:37:00.000+08:00

Did you read that the traditional Wednesday cabinet meetings are now to be held on Fridays? What to make of this switch? For me, it shows the lowest level our BN reps can come to.

So low, to the extent of rescheduling the all-important Wednesday cabinet meetings to Fridays so that they can be ‘seen’ doing their job on live parliament telecast.

The question now is this. Fridays, being a holy day for Muslims, mean a limited working day. And then it is also the day for MPs to head back to their respective constituencies.

With all these, can the ministers give us an assurance that they would not be rushing their cabinet meetings to fulfill their religion and constituency obligations? When would they be holding their post-cab meetings and the usual press conferences that follow? Mondays?

Definitely not an effective method of governance.

Also it is uncertain if this arrangement is only during the parliament sittings or throughout the year. I await our beloved PM’s comments on this matter.

The full Bernama report on this can be found here:

Below is the excerpt

“KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet meetings usually held on Wednesdays will be moved to Fridays to enable ministers to be present at parliament sittings, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

He said it also had to do with the planned 30-minute live telecasts of Parliament proceedings from the end of this month.

"Before this, during question time (Q&A) deputy ministers or parliamentary secretaries answer for ministers because they (ministers) sometimes are unable to be present.

"Now with this live telecast move, the ministers themselves will provide the answers as the people will be closely watching the proceedings," said Mohamed Nazri on the "Bersemuka Dengan Media" talk show programme on the RTM1 television channel tonight.”

How very true...

2008-04-06T16:43:00.002+08:00

Click on the image for a better view.

The myth of 8 glasses of water

2008-04-04T19:03:00.000+08:00

According to a latest study, there is no evidence that you need to drink eight glasses of water a day for your kidneys to flush more toxins from the body.

In fact, researchers say the kidneys don’t function effectively with too much of water to filter.

Their advise is to drink only when you are thirsty and that should be enough. Well, tell that to my urologist who blasted my bladder stone!

By the way, here is the article:

Study pours cold water on drinking eight glasses a day

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Drinking enough to quench your thirst is sufficient for the body's needs, and there is no evidence to support the common advice to drink eight glasses of water a day, according to a new study.

"Just drink when you are thirsty," was the advice from a study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Doctors from the University of Pennsylvania said "there is simply a lack of evidence in general" that everyone should drink the recommended 1.5 litres of water a day.

Researchers Dan Negoianu and Stanley Goldfarb had examined the theory that drinking more water helped the kidneys flush more toxins from the body.

"So the question is does drinking more water increase these normal important functions of the kidneys. And the answer is no," Goldfarb told NPR radio.

"In fact, drinking large amounts of water, actually and surprisingly, tends to reduce the ability of the kidney to function as a filter."

Water has also been touted as an ideal aid to those who want to lose weight. But while drinking more helps dieters feel full, no clinical study has proved that it will help keep the weight off.

"There were some studies that suggested that in fact, calorie intake was reduced when individuals were given water prior to eating. Other studies suggested that it wasn't," Goldfarb added.

Increased water intake was only really justified in extreme cases, such as for athletes, people living in hot, dry climates and those suffering from particular illnesses.

Read the original article here

Now, everyone wants them released

2008-04-03T12:54:00.001+08:00

MIC president S Samy Vellu is under fire for asking for the release of Hindraf 5. Rightly so, I think.

What took him so long to finally make that call? Some of his party supporters defend him by saying that he is at least pushing for the release now. To me, this is shallow thinking, precisely why MIC lost horribly in the general election.

As an Indian-based party, MIC and Samy Vellu should have nipped the community problems way before it came an Hindraf cause.

And then when Hindraf took off, the party should not have seen them as criminals or outcasts. It should have embraced them and worked with them - within the BN system - to solve the issues.

What happened was the opposite. The party and it president refused to acknowledge the existence on Hindraf, played down the role played by the Hindraf leaders and even justified their detention under the ISA for allegedly being linked with LTTE.

And now suddenly for the president to call for their release is comical, to say the least.

I would see Samy Vellu’s sudden change of mind on the Hindraf leaders as one calculated to fool the community again. An attempt for him to win again the trust of th Indian community.

I don’t think the community will buy this, again!

The same goes to the other BN component parties - Gerakan and MCA - who suddenly feel that the Hindraf 5 should be released. Where were they when the Hindraf rally happened on Nov 25 or when ISA was used on the 5 on Dec 13?

Why is it that only after losing the Indian voters in the general election do these parties think they need to do something for the Indian community?

They are still hellbent on taking the community on a ride, I’d say.

Watch Pak Lah fall

2008-04-03T12:37:00.001+08:00

Will he be forced to go or would he persevere and stay on?

I am talking about the mounting pressure on PM Abdullah to leave the scene and let others to take over. The pressure is so bad that Abdullah has to openly assuring Malaysians that he has NOT resigned.

Bernama quoted him last night as saying:

"I am here. I am here. They speculate that I want to run away. Why should I resign?"

"My government has got a strong majority (although) not the two-third majority. Why must I run away from my entrusted responsibilities."

Now lets look at the situation:

1. He has internal Umno problems - arising from people dropped from the candidate’s list for the general election right up to those upset with the undue influence of his son-in-law Khairy on ALL matters.

2. The pressure from veteran Umno leaders are getting hotter by the day. While his predecessor Mahathir has been openly targeting him, there are others who act in the darkness, ready to stab at any moment.

These factors will come into play as the Umno party polls on Dec 16 draw closer. By then many alliances and partnerships will be formed to challenge the top post, especially from Tengku Razaleigh.

Abdullah will have to be at his best, give away so much concessions and win new loyalists to win support and retain his post. As it stands, these look remote!

However things might not wait till December.

I am anticipating an earlier exit, If Abdullah do succumb to all pressure.

The exit could take place within the next 4 to 6 months and for that to happen, Anwar Ibrahim will be the final nail in Abdullah’s coffin.

Anwar’s political ban expires on April 15, after which he is free to contest in a by-election. More importantly he would be free to head his government, with the help of several party-hopping MPs.

With Anwar gathering force and support to form an alternate government, Umno will have to consolidate and regroup to counter the Anwar factor.

As it stands a weak Abdullah is seen as the cause for the weak Umno. A stronger Umno needs a stronger leader who could bring together all the party warlords to stop Anwar from taking control of the government.

The new man could be Najib, could be Razaleigh or even Muhyiddin. And their ultimate cause would be to safe the party from losing all control to Anwar.

To stop that form happening, even dumping a sitting (sleeping) president would be fine with party delegates and members. You just watch it!

Dr M speaks (writes) out..

2008-03-28T11:19:00.000+08:00

Below is Tun Mahathir’s take on the Pak Lah-palace tiff over the Terengganu MB post. The former premier also speaks about his ‘clean’ legacy, on why people have no faith in the government, on the recent calls made for him to apologise to Salleh Abas and as well as his sharp rebuke against Zaid Ibrahim.

The article is also available here

Ask Commission to apologise

By Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

PETALING JAYA (March 27, 2008): A Concerned Malaysian has expressed his worry over the role being played by Sultans in the appointment of the Mentri Besar.

His Royal Highnesses have clearly refused to take the advice of the Chief Minister i.e. the Prime Minister. Instead, they have chosen on their own a member of the state legislature to head the Government.

We hear a lot of opinions on the propriety of the action by the Sultan. Some say he has the right to do this while others point out that as a constitutional ruler, he could not do this.

The Constitution says that the Ruler or Head of State must choose the elected member who enjoys the support of the majority of members in the legislative body to be the Prime Minister or the Mentri Besar. Subject to this provision, the Ruler it is who chooses and appoints the Prime Minister or Mentri Besar.

The Prime Minister, as Prime Minister, has no role in the choice of the State Mentri Besar or Ketua Menteri. His naming of candidate who should be the Mentri Besar is purely a party matter. Obviously, if the State is captured by the Opposition Party, he cannot name the candidate.

However, if the Ruler chooses someone who does not enjoy majority support, he could be deposed at a sitting of the legislative body through a vote of "no confidence".

After that, another member can be appointed by the Ruler to take his place. But if for some reason, there is no other candidate or the candidate with majority support is considered unsuitable by the Ruler, a new Government cannot be formed. The Ruler may then dissolve the legislative body and a new election may be held.

This new election may lead to the same impasse. The Ruler may not like the member with majority support.

However, it should be noted that this kind of thing had never happened during the premiership of the four previous Prime Ministers. Concerned Malaysians should wonder why.

Is it just that the particular Ruler is being difficult, unwilling to accept the principles of democracy, wanting to return to feudalism and the absolute authority of the monarch?

I do not think so. There must be a reason why the Ruler refuses to accept the candidate named by the party. But the Ruler chooses not to reveal the reasons and indulge in public debates. He merely expresses his displeasure by refusing to do what normally the Rulers would do.

Concerned Malaysians must ask what has the particular candidate done which is so wrong that it incurs the displeasure of the Ruler.

There are lots of talks in the town. Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earning from oil production. The Federal Government; fearing the previous PAS government might use this money wrongly had withheld payment.

But when the Barisan Nasional (BN) regained Terengganu the money, now called "Wang Ehsan", was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years "Wang Ehsan" totalled several billion.

We know that since the BN regained Terengganu in 2004, all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university, etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful.

But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing.

But additionally, they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family.The rumours also say that the previous Mentri Besar was responsible for these things happening and of course, they think that he might have benefited financially.

The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things. These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves.

This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name, an investigation should be made.

But the public is leery of investigations by Government agencies and departments. Even Royal Commissions are not highly regarded. The people believe, not true of course, that the Government has been interfering with the work of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), the Police and the Attorney General (A-G)'s Chambers. The say this is borne out by the results of investigations by these agencies.

When a Deputy Minister was accused of accepting money for the release of a detainee, the A-G said there was no case because the detainee said he did not give any money to the Deputy Minister. It is so easy. If you have a case involving someone, all the enforcement agencies need to do is to ask him whether he was involved. If he says "no", then there is no case.

For some reason, judges are finding that people accused of murder are not guilty because of insufficient evidence by the police. Yet people who are totally not involved in a case, who were not accused of any misdeeds and who did not appear in court at all and been given a hearing are found guilty and publicly condemned.

The public cannot be blamed for not having faith in Government agencies doing investigations. The public cannot be blamed for suspecting cover-ups by the Government or worse still the Government may be using these enforcement agencies to threaten people.

To clear its good name, the Government should get credible foreign agencies to do the investigation. Of course, they must be given full access to the documents etc.

Now my detractors are going to say I did worse things when I was Prime Minister. Well, if that is so, let us have the foreign agencies investigate me also. I am aware that people are looking into possible misdeeds by me during my 22 years so as to threaten me and ask me to shut up. So far they have not found anything.

Not only have I not taken anything that was not due to me while I was Prime Minister but I have given back to the Government and the people everything that I had received as gifts during my tenure of office.

The Government had offered me land in Kedah and Langkawi and I had refused to accept. I have a 5-acre plot in Putrajaya which I paid for even though the Government was offering it to me free.

Unless there is a frame-up, I think there should be nothing to pin on me. Even other accusations against me, including the dismissal of judges, were not my doing and I do not feel obliged to apologise. Ask the Tribunal to apologise.

The person asking that the Government should apologise for what happened to Tun Salleh Abbas may have forgotten that as President of the Muslim Lawyers Association, he fully supported the action that was taken. He castigated the Bar Council for condemning Tun Hamid Omar over the dismissal of judges. Now he wants to be more correct than correct. I wonder why.

The Terengganu palace wins

2008-03-27T20:40:00.000+08:00

Umno Supreme Council just decided that it would unanimously support the palace-backed Ahmad Said as the new Terengganu menteri besar.

Apparently the council, headed by party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, directed former MB Idris to accept Ahmad’s appointment.

Abdullah himself said that the next task was to appoint the exco members to get the state administration running.

Well, until yesterday Abdullah was still insisting that Idris should be the MB, even calling Ahmad’s appointment unconstitutional. The party was suppose to sack Ahmad today.

And then came the meeting with the King/Sultan of Terengganu yesterday morning. What transpired at the meeting, no one can be sure but when Abdullah came out of the meeting, he knew he had to back down.

And when the matter was discussed at the council meeting today, sources say that none of the council members objected Ahmad’s appointment. Does this mean only Abdullah was against it, along with Idris?

Whatever it is, the council is likely to have a new member, Ahmad, in his capacity as the state Umno chief. I expect him to replace Idris for the position too.

So it IS bye, bye Idris, and hello Ahmad.

And for Abdullah, he has to keep a straight face even when he knows full well that he had been given a body blow by the royal palace.

Replacing ‘Raja Idris’ with ‘Plain’ Ahmad

2008-03-26T22:56:00.003+08:00

[For obvious reasons, I am going to blog this entry by being mindful of the defamation laws, sedition act as well as the treason act.]

According to sources today PM met with the king, who is also the sultan of terengganu, to talk about the menteri besar issue in terengganu.

PM wanted to stress to the king as to why his man Idris Jusoh (IJ) should continue to be the MB. Apparently the king was not interested to hear anything and told PM to have a meeting instead with the royalty’s chosen candidate, Ahmad Said who had assumed office yesterday.

It seems that the PM even put forward a third person as a neutral candidate but the king was adamant of having his man in place. For all it seems, it looks like the PM had to backdown and let the terengganu palace has its way.

The PM also met with IJ and it seems it was a fruitful meeting, according to people close to IJ.

Whatever it is, the matter will be clearer after the Umno supreme council meeting tomorrow when the party is to decide if they want to sack Ahmad.

If they do, then the sign is clear that Umno is ready to battle it out with the terengganu palace. But if they back Ahmad for the post, then we know it is the palace that has won. As a compromise Umno might allow IJ to continue being the party's state chief. The palace has no say in this.

So why is the sultan so against IJ?

Many sources say it has to do with the manner he has been channelling the RM1 billion Petronas wang ehsan in favour of the Putrajaya-backed mega projects (read: monsoon cup, the islam hadhari village and the crystal mosque among others) and not to help alleviate poverty in the state.

Apart from that, it is the issue of IJ being a small-time Raja in the state by not paying any attention to the 11-year-old regent, his advisory council or his father who works as the king in KL. Apparently many religious (Islamic) projects were approved by the MB without consultation with the palace.

And then we have the issue of the Umno-led state administration making a mockery of democracy by using the police to forcibly remove people in Batu Buruk last year and in Marang on election day. Apparently the sultan was upset with the manner democracy was abused on those two days by the Idris government.

And the finally, it seems (I repeat IT SEEMS) the sultan is also unhappy that outside power brokers (Putrajaya fourth floor, Patrick Badawi and others) and IJ are making tonnes of money in the state via mega projects and the sultan feels left out, unlike in other states where his fellow brothers enjoy a good business patronage.

Thus the idea that is being floated is that by removing IJ, the sultan can ensure that wang ehsan is distributed equally to everyone in the state; people would be treated with respect by the police and the Umno politicians; mega projects that have no beneficiary to the state can be stopped; the sultan, his son and the advisory council will be made to be more useful; and finally, the palace coffers will be full again!

Now you get it as to why all the fuss about replacing ‘raja’ Idris with the ‘plain’ Ahmad?

It is in this game that PM has fallen in, either to protect his own financial or political interest, or to stand firm against a royalty who is keen to get back what he has lost by taking Putrajaya for a ride.

What? IPCMC on the top menu?

2008-03-25T22:38:00.003+08:00

Prime Minister Abdullah said today that the bill for the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) will be tabled in the coming parliament session.

The PM said the draft of the bill was ready and was to be tabled in the cabinet before parliament was dissolved for the general election but he held it back because of the GE.

Isn’t that strange?

What about the IPCMC-style Special Complaints Commission Bill 2007 which was tabled for the first reading on Dec 13 in the Dewan Rakyat by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz?

On Dec 14, the then opposition leader Lim Kit Siang called the SCC bill as a fake IPCMC and pointed to the explanatory statement in the bill which confirmed that the bill was a watered-down version of the much-anticipated IPCMC.

This WAS definitely before the GE, which was held on March 8 this year.

So what is the PM trying to do here with today’s announcement? Has he forgotten about the SCC bill? Or is he trying to regain the people’ trust by putting back the IPCMC back into the frontline as a populist move?

Whatever it may be, he need not be sneaky about doing what is good for the rakyat.

A game which Pak Lah can never win

2008-03-24T19:29:00.001+08:00

It is now 16 days since the general election. All states have had their menteri besar sworn in but for Terengganu.

The state, although won comfortably by BN with 24 out of 32 seats, seems to be embroiled in a crisis on the choice of the MB. The palace is clearly keen on Ahmad Said, PM Abdullah wants Idris Jusoh.

Constitution says palace has the right, political power says Abdullah has the mean.

However the latest seem to indicate that the palace is indeed winning. Even the 13 of the original 22 who backed Idris and Abdullah are now supporting Ahmad, it is reliably learnt.

Only Abdullah and Idris are steadfast in holding that it should be them who should rule Terengganu.

A win for the palace in the battle means a loss of face for the prime minister. Actually it is the second blow for him from the royalties.

Remember Perlis? The Raja there held on to appoint his own man despite Abdullah insisting that it should be Shahidan Kassim. In the end the Raja won, and had his man sworn in, sending Shahidan into oblivion and Abdullah into his own hole.

Now Terengganu sultan looks set to deliver the second blow. Even if Abdullah uses his political muscle to get Idris appointed despite all, he would still look bad for being a traitor to the sultan!

His new-found nemesis Tengku Razaleigh said this today:

“The Prime Minister's actions suggest stunning ineptness in managing fundamental relationships and straightforward functions of government.

This storm in Terengganu is just the latest in a series of crises brought on by an apparent failure to understand how state powers work relative to federal ones.”

Abdullah can never win this game. He can compromise though by giving in to the sultan’s choice.

What is stopping him? Lost of face? Or lost of business ventures (for cronies and family)?

This show of wealth is utterly vulgar

2008-03-22T10:47:00.008+08:00

The images you see here are not from some English castle, belonging to some white lord.

It is actually from much closer to home - in Klang to be precise. This is the humble abode that the late Zakaria Deros built.

One does wonder where he got the money from?

His day-time job was a state assemblyman (until he was dropped), Klang council member (until he was forced not to accept nomination) and a satay seller (a successful one as well until his illegal satay stall was demolished).

So how did he manage to build this mansion (read: palace)? Was he a true NEP success story?

The previous BN government had been silent on Zakaria’s wealth. I hope the new PKR-led government would look into how he became so vulgarly rich.

The fact that he is dead (just days after the GE) should not stop the state government to look into any possibilities of corruption, cronyism and also if all papers are in order to build a palace in a low-cost housing area.

Illegally gained money should be accounted for; illegally built structures should be torn down (remember the many Hindu temples?).

p/s: these are just some sample images of the palace. There’s more in the Internet.

(pls click on the image for bigger view)

Why an advisor on family matters?

2008-03-21T13:11:00.000+08:00

I still wonder why the PM appointed Shahrizat Abdul Jalil as his special advisor on women and social development affairs. He has also given her a ministerial status with the appointment.

OK, she was an unfortunate loser in the GE. But still, being made an advisor for family matters? Why did he do it? To ensure that Umno Wanita has some representation in the government?

If that’s the case, by right, he should have made Rafidah his special advisor, in charge of international trade and free trade talks. I bet she will do a better job in these than the minister who replaced her at MITI.

While I was wondering on Shahrizat’s appointment, I came across a blog posting by Mahathir’s daughter.

She said:

“The PM also seems unaware that there is a Majlis Penasihat Wanita (formerly known as the National Advisory Council for the Integration of Women in Development (NACIWID)) which comprises of women appointed by the government to advise it on women's issues.

It used to be an independent body until a few years ago when Shahrizat decided to chair it herself. If you've never heard of it, that's understandable as it really doesn't get to do much advising and whatever advice it does give tends to not get heeded much.

I've been a member of it for some years and have always been frustrated by its redundancy. Guess now it'll be even more redundant.”

With this new knowledge, I am even more bewildered as to why Pak Lah made Shahrizat his special advisor. A case of political patronage perhaps?

The comeback kings

2008-03-20T17:00:00.002+08:00

The comeback kings

Done:
1. Muhammad Muhd Taib: Almost lost it all - power, authority, support and money after the then Selangor MB was caught red-handed in Brisbane with loads of money in 1996. Political wilderness followed and then suddenly he was made the Umno information chief in 2004. That started his comeback. In Nov 2006, he was made a senator, prompting many to believe he was on his way into the cabinet. However he was not given a seat for the 2008 GE - he says he wasn’t given one by Khir Toyo - but that did not stop PM to make him the rural and regional development minister in his latest cabinet. And then came the coup de grace last night when he replaced the sulking Khir as both Selangor Umno chief as well as the state’s BN head. It took him 12 years to pay for his mistake but now he is back in the inner circle.

Possible:
2. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah: The Kelantan prince yesterday humbly offered himself to challenge Abdullah for the Umno presidency post, all in the name of healing the party. Once before he challenged the party president - Mahathir in 1987 and caused the party to split. He formed Semangat 46, went to the opposition before finally patching up with Mahathir and returning to Umno in 1996. In 2004 he wanted to challenge Abdullah but failed to get enough nominations. That put to rest his intention to be the party’s leader. He is back at it again now. His problem will be in getting the required nominations. If he gets that, then it’s a zero-sum-game. Anything can happen with delegates and he might just end up achieving his dream. Not a comeback king yet but a possibility is there.

Soon:
3. Anwar Ibrahim: He is riding on such a wave, no one will be shocked or surprised to see him back in the pedestal of power sooner than later. After April 15, he will be eligible to contest and a win is a granted thing. That means, he IS on his way to the parliament. That by itself is a massive comeback for a man who was dropped from the second highest office in the nation straight into the cells in Sungai Buloh. In between he had to live with the stigma of being labelled a sodomite. But his ride is not about to end as the opposition leader. Many of his backers are very confident that in the next 18 months, he WILL be the prime minister. Works are being done for him to garner enough support from BN turncoats to crossover. Never mind the next GE in 2013. Come mid-2009, Anwar’s comeback would have been complete!

A first in Putrajaya

2008-03-20T11:28:00.000+08:00

On a day when political manoeuvring were taking shape in Putrajaya, a different kind of activity occurred at dusk yesterday in this administrative capital.

A Bernama report late yesterday on this caught my attention. It was about an accident in Putrajaya which killed two people and leaving two seriously injured.

Accident in Putrajaya? Two dead? Wow! This must be a first in the place!

How did this happen in Putrajaya, a place where there is NO traffic jam? The place has only 6,608 registered voters, meaning the same number of vehicles on average. The road system is excellent, and wide. So how did it happen?

Apparently the victim’s - a cop - car skidded, hit the road divider and landed on the other side of the road before colliding with an oncoming car with a couple in it while it was raining heavily. The cop and his civilian passenger died on the spot.

What intrigues me is this: Was he over-speeding in the rain until he lost control of his car? And as a cop, was he abusing his position to over-speed, if he was?

Perhaps the Putrajaya traffic chief or the two remaining victims can shed some light on this.

Is Umno getting weaker?

2008-03-19T23:11:00.001+08:00

Why do I ask this question? Just look at what happened today alone:

1. Radzi Sheikh Ahmad quits as Umno sec-gen, 24-hours after he was dropped from the new cabinet line-up. He says he can’t work effectively as he is no longer in the cabinet - how to read this? That you need a cabinet post to work your party post? Is he just sulking? OR has he been dropped from both cabinet and party post as a result of his role in the Perlis infighting?

2. The dropped tourism minister and a big player from the Lingam tape Tengku Adnan says he is the new Umno sec-gen. OK, if Pak Lah wants this man to be the sec-gen, its his prerogative but interestingly Tengku Adnan said Abdullah told him YESTERDAY about the post. Hmm! Radzi made his “shocking announcement” to quit today but the post was already made available yesterday. So did Radzi quit or was he pushed?

3. Iron Lady Rafidah called for a PC to explain her future after being dropped from the cabinet. She revealed that PM only informed her yesterday morning that she was being dropped. An hour later he made his cabinet announcement. Well she could be right to wonder if the PM has no guts to tell her beforehand of his plans. Or is it just a case of PM making last minute adjustments to put out a fresh looking cabinet to impress the public?

4. Veteran Umno man Tengku Razaleigh said he will contest for the presidency post in the coming party polls to heal the party. Whether he gets sufficient nominations is another question. The important thing is that Pak Lah has a challenger. Would there be more to come?

5. All these comes in the heels of Anwar claiming that he has enough BN backbenchers willing to crossover to PKR, to allow the opposition coalition to form the government with a simple majority.

AND what is PM’s reaction to all of these?

Simple: “This government is very strong, we have the support too.”

Does anyone buy that? Only time will tell.

Phew! What an election!

2008-03-18T19:31:00.001+08:00

Wow! Did anyone predict this? I know! I know! The various polls were quite indicative but really, was anyone expecting this?

What a result? A total blow out for the ruling BN. Serves them right for their cockiness and over confidence.

But first things first:

Firstly, I am sorry over my failure to blog during the GE. The reasons are simple: I have been super busy working during the election with my news organisation. Secondly, I was not just heading the election team in my news organisation, I was also busy writing articles and analyses. It would have been (possibly) a conflict of interest if I had also blogged about the GE.

OK, with that out of the way, lets come to the second issue - regarding my last entry that Samy Vellu will not lose in Sungai Siput. How way off was I? Well he lost and I am glad to acknowledge that it was I who asked the question to Dr Mahathir, whose answer did much damage to SV! If you don’t believe me, look at the video of the Mahathir interview in the news organisation which I work.

Anyway, lets come back to the GE. Wow! Thank god for the Makkal Sakthi - not just the Indians, but also the Chinese AND the Malays. What a swing!?

The BN government always said that don’t street protest, show it in the ballot boxes. He! He! The voters DID show it in the ballot boxes.

The BN government also maintained that the silent majority was with it. How wrong were they? It was the silent majority which actually swung the votes to the opposition.

Never before have we seen such a swing away from the ruling party. Five states - six if you include KL - with the opposition, a strong parliament, and a humbled ruling party IS good news indeed for us.

Today’s cabinet decision also had some surprises - of those dropped and those invited into the inner circle of government.

Changes are bound to happen after this historic election, for the good, I am sure.

Just as I said to my team of journalists on election night, let’s be proud of the changes that we brought and let’s enjoy our place in this historical moment.

Long live Malaysia!

SV will surely retain Sg Siput

2008-02-15T23:46:00.003+08:00

The article below was reported in the Star today (Feb 15).

Even an army will not stop me, says Samy Vellu

KUALA LUMPUR: Even an army will not be able to stop MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu from defending his Sungai Siput seat.

"An army can come but I know how to fight it out," he said of reports that the Opposition could be fielding a candidate against him.

"I will defend woh foong (Cantonese for Sungai Siput)," said Samy Vellu, who has held the seat since 1974.

He said he had the full support of the various communities in Sungai Siput and that he had built Tamil, Chinese and Malay schools, hospitals and community colleges in the constituency.

"The people in Sungai Siput are with me. They are my strength. I have strived for them and served them.

"I have made Sungai Siput a very beautiful town. Not only that, I have solved every problem of the community. I have made Sungai Siput a really good place to live in," he said.

Samy Vellu was confident there would be no Indian vote swing away from the Barisan Nasional.

"The Indian voters are all at home and not in the streets," he said referring to the recent Hindraf protest.

On the Barisan supreme council meeting yesterday, he said president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave a lot of advice to members.

"We will abide by a policy which is unity in the coalition. The Barisan must be united to gain victory."

I have few problems with SV confident talk here, especially this particular paragraph:

"The people in Sungai Siput are with me. They are my strength. I have strived for them and served them."

Let’s look at the 2004 results for Sungai Siput:

There were a total of 46,783 voters

19,029 voted for SV

a combined figure of about 11,400 voted for the two opposition candidates

and there were 927 spoilt votes

on top of that only 30,806 people turned out to vote that day

That means, of a total of 46,783 voters in Sungai Siput, only 19,029 voters support SV. The remaining 27,754 (more than 50 percent) either didn’t support him or had no reason to turn up to vote for him! That does not make him a very popular MP at all.

OK lets leave that aside as it doesn’t matter at all. That’s why SV is so confident.

We now look at his voter breakdown.

Malays make 31.4 percent of the total voters here, followed by Chinese at 41.4 percent and Indians at 22.5 percent.

Let’s assume that after all that he had done to enrich the Malays, he gets the wholesome vote (translates to about 14,100 votes), which he always does.

His problem would be in getting in the Chinese votes and the Indian votes.

Looking at the Indian votes, they only constitute 22 percent of 47,000 – which means roughly about 12,000 voters. And Chinese votes stand at about 18,800.

That means SV would have to get the whole of Malay votes and at least 50 percent of the Chinese and the Indian votes respectively to win with a slight majority.

I am not sure about the Chinese votes. He might even get more than the 50 percent. After all he has brought development to the constituency. And the Chinese are NOT angry with MIC.

But the same can’t be said about the Indian voters. PSM, the party which might oppose SV, has done extensive grassroots work in Sungai Siput. Even if the entire Indian voters cast the votes for the PSM candidate, he would still fall short of beating SV.

Maybe SV is misreading that ground sentiment by openly saying that “the Indian voters are all at home and not in the streets.”

Even if that is not the case, the MIC president is not in a position to lose the election. Simply because he does not need the Indian votes to be retained.

All he has to do is take care of the Malay populace and the Chinese businesses, and he is on his way to the Parliament once again, most pleasantly on his 72^nd birthday.

As for the Indians, they can remain to be angry, but perhaps without being able to do anything concrete! However their protest vote would surely send the message across!

Such undisciplined lot

2008-02-13T20:21:00.002+08:00

Actually this is a funny story about Kelantan female cops. But seriously I wonder why the police chief failed to chide off his male officers for similar offences? A case of gender bias?

Anyway, enjoy the story, as published in the Star today.

Policewomen ticked off for ‘misbehaviour’

KOTA BARU: Several policewomen were ticked off for colouring their hair unnaturally and being rude to the public.

Police chief Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Abd Rahim Hanafi said he knew of such behaviour through letters and verbal complaints about female officers misbehaving and lacking in communicative skills.

SAC Rahim cited a case where a woman officer was asked to remove her headscarf during undercover duties. Her fellow officers were shocked to see that she had dyed her hair, which is prohibited under police regulations.

Other cases involved a policewoman behaving suspiciously with her boyfriend in a car at a district police barracks. Other complaints were about policewomen being rude, while one complainant said a policewoman had married a man thrice her age.

SAC Rahim said he was also disturbed by the attire, such as tight jeans, worn by some off-duty policewomen.

Jawi is the new thing in KL

2008-02-12T17:09:00.000+08:00

The KL City Hall is on a mission - it wants to encourage Middle Eastern tourists to the city.

Actually DBKL is on a double mission - it also wants to propagate the prime minister’s pet Islamic Hadhari concept in the capital city.

And how does the DBKL completes its missions?

Simple. It just replaces old road signs around the city with new ones that carry road names in Jawi.

So far, DBKL has completed its mission in Bandar Tun Razak, Taman Seputeh and Taman Tan Yew Lai. In the process now is Jinjang. Please note that the last three residential areas are predominantly Chinese.

Naturally few questions arise:

How many people can read Jawi, including the postmen?
How many Arab tourists are going to visit residential areas? And what attractions are there for them to see, apart from rows and rows of houses? I have never seen Arabs tourists in Jinjang!
And if it is to benefit the Arabs, why use Jawi and not Arabic?
Just for the sake of it, why not Chinese and Tamil languages as well?
Finally, what is Islam Hadhari? Is it something which alienates the rights of the non-Muslims in this country? The last I heard, it was supposed to be an all-embracing concept which promotes oneness and universal values!!

Both the Star (Feb 4) and The Sun (Feb 11) had carried stories about this new Jawi road signs, indicating that there are grouses from ground level.

Both stories had response from DBKL - yesterday’s Sun quoted an official saying that the new road signs offered “a chance for the non-Muslims to know and learn Jawi”. (see right)

How? By merely looking at the road signs? She must be out of her mind. But let’s not blame her.

It’s the problem of all government officials trying to bodek the PM by promoting his Islam Hadhari, whatever it means.

British-made Taliban fighters

2008-02-11T13:24:00.000+08:00

This is really funny. Apparently, the RAF experts eavesdropped on radio traffic in Afghanistan — and heard Taliban fighters speaking in Brummie and Yorkshire accents.

Read the exclusive story by the sun here.

"I can't get anything done!"

2008-02-10T14:28:00.000+08:00

Do we have too many public holidays?

Well, the business sector surely thinks so, based on an AFP report titled Malaysia's holiday bonanza no fun for business.

While the business folks blame the lost of income on the high number of public holidays, a political economist argues that holidays are an important stress buster for the overworked.

Meanwhile a lawyer laments, “I can't get anything done!”

Read for yourself the AFP article and tell me what do you think (excerpts):

“Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third-largest economy, has 16 national holidays when the stock market, banks, schools and businesses are closed.

In addition, each state has its own set of holidays, so residents of central Selangor state which governs much of the capital Kuala Lumpur are generally entitled to four or five additional holidays.

As if that weren't enough, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last month declared the colourful Hindu festival of Thaipusam a public holiday just a few days beforehand, sending people scrambling to shift functions and events.

There are no figures on the costs involved, but in February last year exports shrank 14.41 percent to 41.1 billion ringgit (4.24 billion dollars) compared with the previous month due to "shorter working days and festivities", according to government data.

"On the stock market millions of ringgit in business transactions are lost and we miss the opportunity to make money. This could affect our market's performance," said businessman Michael Chiam.”

The fun is about to start

2008-02-09T18:42:00.000+08:00

The 12th general election is definitely around the corner. Many pundits believe it could be held on March 8 (Sat), though there are also others who think it could be the following week, March 15.

Well, the signs are here now. The PM says he has found his inspiration. He cleared the air that it would not be called during the Chinese New Year period (so surely not in February).

He is also talking to the BN leaders and members via the media, asking them to “listen to the people” and “do what is right”.

He is also talking about himself, protecting his legacy, saying that he has been working hard and had not “benefited one sen from anyone”.

Well now. Who knows who sort of accusations and allegations that would be made during election campaigns. It would be smart to be prepared...it makes complete sense.

Anyway, lets see when will he dissolve the parliament. Perhaps we should be watching the Istana Negara gates to look out for the PM’s official car!!!

However it looks like the PM has yet to clear some of the issues relating to his component partners.

There are various talks of seat swaps. Similarly there are also talks of how the BN can counter the dwindling Indian support. And how about the MIC factor? Who to contest? Will Subra be given a seat? Will Samy be asked to go?

All will become clear in the coming weeks, I am sure. At the moment, there are so many unconfirmed news making its rounds out there, released by people with own interests. And this is not just for MIC.

Hmm, let the fun begin.

Time to go people...

2008-02-05T16:50:00.000+08:00

Check out this list. It is not exhaustive.

Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu - MIC president and cabinet minister for 29 years
Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz - MP for 30 years, minister 28 years
Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik - Gerakan veteran and cabinet minister for 26 years
Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang - de facto DAP leader since 1969, 39 years
DAP chairman Karpal Singh - active in politics for 34 years
Sarawak CM Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud - cabinet minister in 1972, CM for 27 years
Pas strongman Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat - elected representative for the past 40 years

NST’s editor says today:

“THE ages of Malaysia's 31 cabinet ministers add up to a whopping 1,830 years... this works out to a ripe average of 59, which is three years above the official retirement age in the civil service.”

And adds:

“...if the coming election is held on March 8 as speculated, it would fall on Samy Vellu's 72nd birthday. He is the eldest member of the cabinet and would be 77 by the time the next election is due.”

And finally:

“...it has to be noted that one-third of the present cabinet is 64 and above. Some of the ministers, it is said, do not even know how to retrieve an email or send a text message.

...so many of them - some sickly, some way over the hill- are going around "offering", sometimes pleading, to be chosen again because of their "services and sacrifices".”

I don’t see these veterans giving way voluntarily. Their parties should just have the guts to drop them.

In fact the PM should have dropped the veteran cabinet members during his first cabinet reshuffle in 2004.

And if they are still chosen, voters should just ignore their candidacy? Would they do that?

(Read the NST article - Learn the art of the graceful exit - here)

The old priest...

2008-02-04T19:55:00.000+08:00

(You might have read this joke somewhere. It has been making its rounds in the net recently.)

The old priest lay dying in the hospital.

For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital. He motioned for his nurse to come near.

"Yes, Father?" said the nurse.

"I would really like to see Khairy and Samy Velu before I die", whispered the priest.

"I'll see what I can do, Father" replied the nurse.

The nurse sent the request to them and waited for a response. Soon the word arrived. Khairy and Samy would be delighted to visit the priest.

As they went to the hospital, Khairy commented to Samy "I don't know why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images."

Samy couldn't help but agree.

When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Samy's hand in his right hand and Khairy's hand in his left. There was silence and a look of serenity on the old priest's face.

Finally Samy spoke. "Father, of all the people you could have chosen, why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"

The old priest slowly replied "I have always tried to pattern my life after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The old priest continued..."He died between two lying thieves. I would like to do the same."

A country in search of soul

2008-01-31T17:32:00.000+08:00

The International Herald Tribune had an article titled Ethnic anger on the rise in Malaysia published yesterday.

Below is a sample:

“The biggest losers in the current system are Indians, who, according to government statistics, make up 9 percent of the labor force but hold 16 percent of menial jobs and control just 1.2 percent of equity in registered companies in the country.

Indians are not aided by the affirmative action program, because it is based on ethnicity, not need.

"You can push us, you can cheat us, you can discriminate against us, but you can't tell us that we're not Hindus after we are dead."

The Indians' anger appears to have rattled the government the most. Abdullah sought to woo back Indians by declaring the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, which was celebrated Jan. 23, a federal holiday. A court decision in a highly emotional dispute over whether an Indian man should be buried according to Hindu or Muslim rites has been postponed indefinitely.

Analysts say race relations could become more tense as the country prepares for elections, which are widely expected to be called for March.”

Ethnic anger on the rise in Malaysia

Hail to the man of the moment

2008-01-29T11:01:00.000+08:00

As it stands, his ‘close friendship’ with three former chief justices, while they were in power, have raised a lot of questions on the integrity of the judiciary.

And his testimony in the royal commission has raised a lot of doubt on his own integrity.

Whatever happens with the inquiry, one-liners such as:

• ‘It looks like me and sounds like me’,
• ‘I don’t remember’,
• ‘I don’t recall’,
• ‘I was bullshitting and bragging’,
• ‘I speak easily when I have had wine’

look set to remain in the memory of people for a long time.

It is amazing how one person could have had so much of influence in the judiciary.

Or is it just the tip of the iceberg?

In total state of delusion

2008-01-28T16:22:00.000+08:00

He must be getting delusional. Perhaps the anger on the ground has unsettled him. And I think he is totally misreading the community sentiments.

I am talking about the great community leader SV who yesterday warned other BN component parties to stay out of the Indian community's affairs.

"They are trying to stir the pot. Let the MIC worry about the Indian community. The other parties should concentrate on helping their own communities," he had said.

This is bullshit No 1.

And then he goes on to spar with DAP’s Kit Siang, stating that the opposition leader should not interfere in the Hindu faith.

His anger was caused by incidences of people lighting candles inside temples during Thaipusam in support of the Hindraf 5 held under ISA.

"Hindus never hold vigils in a temple. It is against our beliefs. Kit Siang does not know anything about the religion, so he shouldn't ask people to do things against the faith," he said.

This, bullshit No 2.

And finally SV said that MIC was confident of winning all the seats it would contest in the next general election despite the current unhappiness among the Indian community.

The self-appointed community leader claimed that only a small segment of the community was dissatisfied and behind demonstrations and protests.

"MIC has a very good record in the general election and I am confident that the Indian community will continue to support BN," he crowed.

Without a doubt, bullshit No 3.

Perhaps he has not seen the latest opinion poll undertaken by the Merdeka Center, which was released on Dec 26, 2007.

Luckily for him there was no question on his own popularity. However it was very clear that the Indian community is ANGRY.

As at December 2007, Abdullah's rating among the Malays, Chinese and Indians has dropped by 8%, 5% and 41%, respectively.

(See the results of the poll here)

Where’s the crowd?

2008-01-25T19:08:00.000+08:00

These photographs were taken on the night of Thaipusam at Batu Caves. What happened to the crowd? Surely in the past years, the place was packed like sardines at this time of the festival. Was SV referring to the same place when he said that almost a million had converged to the holy place on Jan 23?

How many at Bt Caves?

2008-01-24T13:00:00.000+08:00

What is the real number of people who visited Batu Caves during Thaipusam this year? The temple committee and SV would swear that it reached millions. Only the gods there will know the truth!

Speaking to various people, one thing is sure - it was definitely less than the 1.2 million they had last year. A fair estimate would be at 500,000. On Thaipusam day itself, only about 100,000 was estimated to be there during the peak period.

Someone told me the kavadi route from the river to the cave took only 40 minutes, and without any stop in the traffic flow. Free food were also cut down it seems, and yet there were much wastage.

On top of this, SV proudly said that the boycott was not effective.

"I have come to Thaipusam since I was 11 years old. I know the crowd. It is the same as before," he told reporters at Batu Caves yesterday.

On the contrary, it seems the Murugan temples elsewhere, especially in Kuala Selangor and Port Klang had more crowd than usual.

The situation in Penang too was very different with regulars talking about a bigger turnout this year.

Looks like the boycott campaign was effective.

Does Muruga know? Does he care?

2008-01-20T23:40:00.000+08:00

PM gave the ultimate Vel! Vel! to the Hindus in KL and Putrajaya today by announcing a public holiday for Thaipusam.

Many would be happy with this announcement, mainly SV - for obvious reasons - as he can claim that the public holiday was obtained at his insistence. And then there is Temple Nadarajah, as it means a bigger crowd and more money.

But how about the main man himself? Lord Muruga? Would he be able to see the political game that is being played in his name? I really wonder!

Don’t fall for these sweeteners

2008-01-20T23:14:00.000+08:00

The sweeteners have started coming in for the Indian community. Of course I am talking about the two announcements made by the PM today:

1. He declared public holiday for Thaipusam in KL and Putrajaya, and

2. The setting up of a panel to reduce poverty – not just among Indians but among all races in the next three years.

Wow! Let’s take the Thaipusam issue first.

For 15 years the MIC and various other community representatives have been calling for this day to be made a public holiday. The government didn’t move an inch. Now, with just three days before the celebration, the PM announces a public holiday.

Makes me wonder! Makes me wary!

IS this just an election gimmick? Will the public holiday be continued after this year? Why not make it a national level public holiday? After all if KL is shut down, it means the whole nation – from business to finance to politics are shut down as well.

The PM might as well have announced a national level public holiday. His failure to announce it as such leaves a bit of suspicion on the longevity of this holiday for KL and Putrajaya Hindus.

Of course MIC will be claiming applause for getting the PM to give the holiday. However SV will know deep down that the impact made by the 30,000 protesters in KL on Nov 25 is still reverberating. And we should not forget the role played by Hindraf as well.

Now coming to the eradication of poverty, I am so amazed that after ignoring this matter for almost 50 years, the government has suddenly realized that there are poor Indians too.

Once again, I think the community has a lot to thank to the brave 30,000 protesters (and indirectly Hindraf for being the catalyst).

I don’t know if the government will be able to maintain the public holiday and achieve the poverty eradication, especially when the announcements are made after the government has been forced to act to placate an angry community with a loyal vote bank.

Once the election is over, it might just be status quo.

The community should remain awake. It should not fall for such sweeteners. It should ask for more as what is being asked are not sweeteners but fundamental rights.

Taken on a (costly) ride

2008-01-16T19:46:00.000+08:00

One small news item caught my eyes today. I am not talking about the royal commission inquiry into the Lingam tape but on another matter which should really concern almost every man on the street.

Well, it is the news about how taxi/bus operators and KTM are asking for fare hikes.

Below are their demands:

Bus operators: fares to be doubled

Taxi operators: Increase the flat starting rate from RM2 to RM3, and increase the per-kilometre and waiting time rates.

KTM: 30 percent increase for inter-city routes, and 50 percent for commuter services.

The reasons for their demands? Rising fuel costs, to combat heavy competition and high operating costs.

As it is, we know roughly that gas and electricity price hikes will take off soon after the GE. There are also plans afoot to cut fuel subsidies as it is costing the government US$10 billion for this year.

That means a good chance of increased fuel prices. The government last imposed its highest-ever fuel price rises in February 2006, as usual, citing the spiralling cost of crude oil.

And it pledged to use the cost savings to boost the country's substandard transport system.

Almost one year later, we see that not just there are serious possibility of price increases of EVERYTHING, but no news at all on the government grand plan to use saved fuel money to upgrade the transport system. All we have is yet another blueprint by the deputy prime minister.

Looks like we have been taken for a ride and the ride shall continue with the public commuters having to dig deeper when they use public transportation or when they drive in the luxury of their own vehicles.

I am sure Pak Lah’s popularity is not at stake at all for the coming polls!!!

P/S: I am also sure the school bus operators and lorry owners will soon stand in the queue asking for government permission to increase their rates. It is a chain reaction which will result in the increment of all essential items, which is already in motion as we speak.

Turncoat or whistleblower?

2008-01-14T20:03:00.000+08:00

Turned over by government or a break in ranks?

This must be the question in the minds of all Hindraf supporters after news broke out over the weekend that a police report has been lodged against Uthayakumar by the group’s secretary T Vasanthakumar over allegations of public funds being misused.

Both the Hindraf leaders are at present being detained under the ISA in Kamunting along with three others.

Apparently the report was lodged on Thursday after a massive fallout between the duo over a request by the secretary for some of the money collected to be used for their legal expenses and to support their families.

I confirmed the police report with one lawyer who has been acting for the detained Hindraf leaders as soon as I heard about it on Saturday afternoon (thanks to a friend from Malacca!)

As soon as the news of the report started leaking, SMSes also started to fly out from Hindraf supporters, claiming that Vasantha is actually a special branch officer sent to wreck havoc in Hindraf.

Today another lawyer claimed that Vasanthakumar might have been manipulated by the authorities to lodge the police report after being subjected to severe stress in Kamunting.

Possible, yes. I agree. He may be a turncoat. Or he could have been turned over as well.

At the same time, how about also pondering on his claims? Could there be any truth in them? Can the movement account for all the money they have collected thus far?

As it is, there have been numerous complains that many people are collecting donation in Hindraf’s name, so much so that the movement’s chairperson Waythamoorthy issued a statement from London to urge “all supporters and well wishers to immediately suspend collection of funds from members of the public either privately or publicly pending further instructions”.

Well I think it is their duty now to give a proper account of all the money collected to clear the name and reputation of their de facto leader and to add credibility to their donation drive.

Over to you (still unarrested) guys at Hindraf!

SV's 'lies and half-truths'

2008-01-13T01:41:00.000+08:00

I wrote this earlier this week. Similar to my last posting.

Samy blasted for 'lies and half-truths'
K Kabilan Jan 10, 08 4:49pm

Several Malaysian participants at a just concluded annual meeting of the Indian diaspora in New Delhi have expressed disappointment with the 'lies and half-truths' of MIC president S Samy Vellu on the Indian community’s plight in Malaysia.

They are dismayed with Samy Vellu, who is also the works minister, for portraying a positive picture of the Indian Malaysians’ plight to the other participants of the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas'.

The two-day conference, which ended yesterday, attracted thousands of people of Indian origin to the Indian capital.

"He was asked by everyone here as to what is happening to the Indians in Malaysia. On every occasion he told them that everything was fine and that we are doing very well," said S Nadarajah, a Kuala-Lumpur-based management consultant who attended the meeting in his personal capacity to represent the ‘India Baru’ (community members with a new awareness).

"He told the participants and the Indian media that there were no cases of the Indian community being marginalised in Malaysia. He kept repeating these lies and half-truths throughout the meeting," he said.

Nadarajah also said that Samy Vellu had played down the impact created by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), stating that the movement was only interested in 'creating trouble'.

"He refused to acknowledge that Hindraf had managed to create some awareness among the Indian community in Malaysia," added Nadarajah, who is still in New Delhi.

Samy’s angry interview

Samy Vellu, who led a 70-member delegation from Malaysia, which included several MIC leaders and local businessmen, was a guest speaker in one plenary session and had various other speaking engagements and media interviews throughout the conference.

He was also constantly mobbed by the Indian media who were keen to find out about the true situation of the Indian community in this country. In several media interviews, Samy Vellu had said that the Indian community was not being marginalised and that they were 'misled' by Hindraf.

Yesterday, in an interview on TV3, he also lashed out at several Malaysians who were eager to dispute him in New Delhi.

"Here I am telling the Indians that we are all doing well and that the Indian community in Malaysia is well taken care of and yet there are some individuals who rebut me by stating the opposite," he told TV3.

He even named Nadarajah as one such person, claiming that he (Nadarajah) was a PPP member who had deviated from BN principles by attacking the government in India.

Nadarajah denied today that he was a PPP member. This was confirmed by PPP as well.

"I am here on my own. I am not a PPP member. And there is nothing wrong in telling the world the truth about how the Indian Malaysians are being neglected," he said.

"If Samy Vellu thinks he can get away with his lies by turning the table against me, he is very wrong. I might even sue him for defaming me," he added.

MIC’s misleading booklet

Another Malaysian participant said that the MIC was on a campaign in New Delhi to portray a completely wrong picture.

"They have distributed a 20-page colour booklet to all participants here on the wonderful living conditions of the Indians in Malaysia," he said, adding that the booklet had glaringly left out so many issues involving the community.

"MIC proudly claims to be the sole custodian of the Indian community in Malaysia in the booklet. Who gave them that right? After all, it is the failure of MIC and Samy Vellu which is the root cause of the Indian community’s problems today," added the KL-based entrepreneur.

Speaking on behalf of several other like-minded individuals, the participant also accused Samy Vellu of misinforming the Indian media.

"When the rest of us are asked about the plight of the community, we tell them the situation as it is. We tell them what Hindraf is and what happened during the Nov 25 rally. We tell them that there are areas which the Indians have been ignored by the government," added the businessman.

He said that when Samy Vellu spoke to the Indian media, he merely brushed aside these issues and would keep repeating that the Indians in Malaysia are doing well.

"His often repeated mantra is that the government is doing all that it can to help the community, that the MIC is the sole representative of the community and that Hindraf is an irrelevant force," he said.

Duty bound to defend

Makkal Osai’s assistant news editor SV Muthamilmannan, who is in New Delhi for the conference, said that Malaysian participants were a hot favourite among the Indian media.

"The journalists were not just after Samy Vellu but were also interested in knowing the real situation from non-political Malaysian participants," he said.

"Some of these participants were blunt with their assessment while there were others who used the Indian media to send a message that it was time for Samy Vellu to go.

"Generally they told about how economically poor the community was and how it was being pushed further down," he added.

The Indian newspapers and television stations have given Samy Vellu a good coverage and to balance it up, they have also given his critics some coverage too, added the veteran journalist.

A MIC leader in the Samy Vellu entourage explained that his boss was duty-bound by BN and government principles to defend the government’s records in the international arena.

"Personally, he might feel otherwise but he can never say it out in the open as he is part of the government and he has to stand by the government," said the leader who requested anonymity.

"He is doing his duty in explaining to the Indian government and others here that the MIC is taking good care of the community. At the same time, what many don’t realise is that on the ground, the party is working very hard to address all the community’s issues," he said.

‘We’re a failed experiment’

2008-01-10T23:25:00.000+08:00

Below is a report from the Times of India, on the present plight of the community here. The sentiments expressed by the Malaysian delegates at the Indian diaspora meeting sound very similar to what I wrote today (will post that tomorrow).

Expats blame Samy Vellu for Malaysia row

10 Jan 2008, 0135 hrs IST,Ashish Sinha,TNN

NEW DELHI: It was a volcano waiting to erupt and the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas meet, which closed here on Wednesday, came as a godsend for many Indian expatriates in Malaysia to vent their feelings on what had gone "terribly wrong" with them in the south-east Asian nation.

As the Malaysian government went into a denial overdrive, insisting it never even imagined freezing recruitment of workers from India, the expatriates squarely blamed works minister Samy Vellu, part of the government for almost three decades now, for the "serious plight" of Indians, who constitute a substantial minority there. The burst came as several delegates from Malaysia, despite "the fear of being hounded" back home if their "identities became known", went on to detail "what was really happening" there.

The minister, also in Delhi for the convention, met PM Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee. Vellu, the only Indian in the cabinet, had on Tuesday denied reports on recruitment freeze, and Malaysia's home minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad echoed his words on Wednesday.

"In the real sense, recruitment freeze is a non-issue. PIOs in Malaysia, down now to 8% of population, are being systematically persecuted and marginalized in several other ways. Vellu, who uses his Indian origin for cosmetic purposes, has actually supervised this discrimination over the years," a senior second-generation delegate told TOI . The government's main idea, he said, was to give priority to ethnic Malays and Bhumiputras, who constitute 60% of the population with special rights under the constitution, and the Indians were the most to suffer under the practice.

"Our economic rights are under serious threat. There is a clear design to establish the social supremacy of the ethnic majority, and the mismatch between the civil (common) and Shariat laws has come as a tool for the persecution of Indians. Islamisation is another way in which we are being marginalised," he said.

Another delegate said the discrimination began way back in 1969 when the country witnessed "race riots", adding that the "big change" in the recent past was that Indians had become more organised.

"That is why anti-government protests rocked Malaysia in November last year. Vellu has been part of the decision-making process in the government, and to maintain his monopoly, he did not let the strength of Indians in the cabinet rise to even two in the 1990s. The number of Chinese cabinet ministers went up to six from three," he said.

Vellu is the head of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) that supports the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. The delegates said under the present electoral and constitutional system, politicians enjoy absolute powers so much so that even the judiciary was accountable to the executive and free operation of the media was a distant dream.

"Naturally, electoral and political reforms were a big demand during the recent agitation, but activists of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) were branded anti-nationals and there was a move to press charges of treason against them. We do not feel secure," the delegate explained.

The Indians' share in the national equity basket was steadily declining. "Malaysia has nearly 1.8 million Indians and only 40% of them constitute the middle or upper-middle classes. The rest is blue-collar labour force. If there is one Indian diaspora experiment that has really failed, it is Malaysia. Unfortunately, the world is being told a different story," another delegate said.

(p/s: while we say its samy vellu in full here, over there they just mention vellu for second reference. the bolded emphasis are mine)

The Islamisation of the nation

2008-01-09T16:55:00.000+08:00

This is a New Straits Times report which just came in.

Read it and you would understand when I say that the root cause of racial problems in this country is due to the frontline civil servants who want to interpret Islam Hadhari as they wish.

Thank god for the ‘tolerant’ menteri besar.

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Seremban school told to stop segregating male and female students

SEREMBAN, WED: A secondary school here has been told to stop segregating its male and female students after it was found that they had been placing them in separate classes.
The new practise had not gone down well with several quarters, including the Menteri Besar himself.

When the new school session began last Thursday, the students of SMK Seremban Jaya here were caught by surprise when they were told by teachers that males and females would not share the same classroom anymore.

No reason was given for the decision, the students claimed.

The matter somehow got to the Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan's ears and it was brought up at the state executive council meeting here today.

"If it is a co-ed school, then they should remain as one," he told reporters after chairing the meeting.

Roti canai at risk, temples hard done by

2008-01-08T17:29:00.001+08:00

Roti canai, priests, temple musicians and sculptors - what do they have in common? They all have their roots in India, especially South India for one. And soon they may all be totally extinct from our shores, except for roti canai perhaps.

First the favourite food item.

This time next week, the favourite Malaysian treat might be off the menu, thanks to the flour shortage as well as the cooking oil drought.

"There will be no roti canai from next week. This is because we have run out of flour and are finding it tough to secure further supply at reasonable prices," says Malaysian Indian
Restaurant Owners Association president Ramalingam Pillai.

Get this - flour wholesalers were charging about 15 to 45 percent above the price-controlled rate of RM33.60 for a 25-kilo bag of flour.

Ramalingam adds: "We cannot afford to pay more because we have agreed to the government's call not to increase (the) price of food. And at the same time, we do not want to bear the additional costs."

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, it is not just roti canai that might be disappearing from our breakfast menu, though I don’t think this will happen, seriously.

More worryingly, some other more valuable products of the Indian community might be off the menu as well.

I am talking about priests, temple musicians and sculptors - presently many, if not all, are imported from South India due to their expertise and the dearth in finding local talents.

Apparently the Immigration Department has suddenly stopped issuing work permits to new applications for foreign priests, temple musicians and sculptors.

Also it has given final renewal permits for six months only for priests, three months only for temple musicians and one week only for sculptors – after with they have been told that there will be no further renewal.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) is shocked by this new ruling as:

The sudden decision was made without any dialogue or consultation with MCCBCHST unlike in the past whenever there is a change in the system, and
The sudden change in the policy has become a very highly sensitive issue to the non-Muslim community.

I am not expecting the great leader (SV) to say or do something to save roti canai from becoming extinct but surely he (and other community leaders such as temple Nadarajah) can use their clout to change this temple human resource policy which reeks discrimination and a total lack of understanding on the part of the government department.

Check out the slide show (a new for me!!)

A Batu Caves boycott?

2008-01-08T13:20:00.000+08:00

I had written this article on Saturday. Personally I think that while there may be some shouts on the ground for the boycott, generally I guess people would still be heading towards Batu Caves come Jan 23. After all their fight is (should be) against Nadarajah (and his committee), not Muruga.

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Boycotting Batu Caves for Thaipusam?
K Kabilan | Jan 5, 08 4:23pm

A movement is fast gaining momentum on the ground to canvass support among the Indian community to boycott the Batu Caves temple for the Thaipusam festival which falls on Jan 23.

Short message services (SMSes) and emails are being circulated asking people not to fulfill their spiritual vows in Batu Caves following the temple committee’s role in allowing the police to violently disperse a gathered crowd in the early hours of Nov 25.

So far no one has claimed leadership or responsibility for the boycott call but the feedback from the ground seemed to indicate that it is a random act of protest propagated by unknown individuals.

“As mark of respect for all fellow brothers and sisters who were part of the Nov 25 rally, we will fulfill all our spiritual vows at other temples in Malaysia except Batu Caves during Thaipusam,” said one such SMS making its rounds in recent weeks. Other SMSes with similar messages have also been in circulation lately.

The SMSes refer to the violent dispersal by police of a large crowd who had gathered peacefully at the compound of the Batu Caves temple in the early hours of that day last year.

The crowd had arrived there prior to participating in the much-talked about Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) organised rally in Kuala Lumpur later that morning.

The police have said that they had acted only after they were called in by the Batu Caves temple management committee, headed by R Nadarajah.

Nadarajah had defended the temple’s actions by saying that the crowd had trespassed into the temple after closing hours and in the process had caused severe damages to the temple’s properties.

Thaipusam is one of the most important festivals for the Hindus. It is dedicated to Lord Muruga and celebrates the victory of good over evil. In Malaysia, Batu Caves has been the centre of the celebration for years, attracting about a million visitors on that day every year.

An angry community

One annual Batu Caves visitor, S Sivalingam from Pasir Penampang in Selangor said that the calls for the boycott was likely to be heeded in his area.

“Every year bus loads of devotees from this place and the surrounding estates will make the pilgrimage to Batu Caves. This year lots of people are asking us not to go after what the temple has done to the people who were there on Nov 25,” he said.

He said that calls for the boycott has come not just via the SMSes, but also from local community leaders and from fellow residents themselves.

“They talk openly about Hindraf and how Nadarajah and his committee members have failed to support the fight for Indian rights,” he added.

He admitted the local Indian population in his area and the surrounding areas - which have long been strong BN supporters - were angry with the manner Hindraf supporters and protesters were treated in both Batu Caves and Kuala Lumpur city centre on Nov 25.

“The feeling is that our political parties have failed us. Our temples have failed too. So why must we continue giving our support to them,” asked Sivalingam, a 43-year-old businessman.

Bloggers too have joined along in asking the people to boycott Batu Caves this year.

“Perhaps we should teach them (the Batu Caves committee) by going to Penang and Malacca for Thaipusam. Let them lose their revenue,” wrote a blogger.

“Public solidarity is paramount in this symbolic effort to achieve the objectives and show that it is not easily quelled. Let's hit them where it naturally hurts most - $$$,” wrote another blogger.

Hindraf denies involvement

A priest in a small temple in Kapar K Munian said that he was worried that devotees from his temple would take “their fight against the wrong party”.

“The anger should not be focussed at the deity in the temple. It is after all Lord Muruga’s day. We go there to pray to him. If the anger is against the temple committee, find some other way to show it. Let’s not ask people not to go to Batu Caves to pray,” he pleaded.

Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthira, when contacted, denied that his organisation was the mover behind the call for the boycott.

“How can we ask people not to pray. Of course we at Hindraf are angry with the Batu Caves temple committee, but that doesn’t mean we can ask people to boycott Lord Muruga,” he said.

“It is a temple and we will not stop people from praying there. But if it is their choice to boycott, we can’t do anything about that,” he added.

Batu Caves temple officials when contacted said that they are aware of the calls to boycott the temple for Thaipusam.

“But we are not worried about this. We are sure the devotees will continue to come here to worship,” said an official.

Protest the right way

Similar strong sentiment was espoused by MIC vice president S Veerasingam, who was confident that devotees will not boycott Batu Caves for Thaipusam.

“As usual thousands will turn up at Batu Caves and other places to fulfill their vows. Do not bring negative thoughts into religious festivals,” he said.

A long time kavadi-bearer at Batu Caves, P Batu Malai said that he would surely fulfill his vows by carrying a kavadi this year too at Batu Caves, although he was angry with the manner the temple committee handled the crowd on Nov 25.

“I was in the crowd and I know how the temple committee worked hand in hand with the police in getting us out of the temple compound,” he claimed.

“But that will not stop me from going there for Thaipusam. However I will not pay a single sen to the temple for any of its projects and charity drives. Neither will I be standing around to hear MIC president S Samy Vellu’s annual speech for Thaipusam at Batu Caves,” he added.

____________________________________________________________________

I say that people should go to fulfill their religious vows to Batu Caves but should not contribute any money for the temple - don’t even buy a drink. Just go and pray and return. No poojas, no donations, no tickets. The idea is to just send a message that we don't condone crooks who rob the community!

Candlelight vigil washed away

2008-01-06T16:05:00.000+08:00

Read here for more. You are not going to read about it in the main stream media!

Malaysian riot police break up rally protesting detention without trial - Yahoo! Malaysia News

‘We are one’

2008-01-05T22:02:00.000+08:00

I salute the person who put together this 3'30" video clip. It is truly inspiring in getting the community together. Well done bro!

Looking with blinkers on

2008-01-04T10:39:00.000+08:00

And from the same interview, here is Samy’s dummies version of events that unfolded on Nov 25. Never mind the fact that it was the police provocation and the subsequent use of tear gas, water cannons and batons against the crowd in both Batu Caves and KL city centre.

NDTV: The Tamils were protesting with pictures of Mahatma Gandhi. It was a peaceful demonstration.

S Vellu: I don't think it was peaceful. They started at 4 am and broke the temple door and shops and stoned policemen and broke the heads of 4 policemen. Is that called peace?

Fighting like tigers = terrorists

2008-01-04T10:21:00.000+08:00

All it takes is a small amount of suspicion and the government can label anyone as terrorist and put them away for two years without trial!

Check out this interview by Samy Vellu with an Indian daily on Jan 2.

NDTV: Do you have any evidence to back your government's charge that the Hindraf has links with terrorists?

S Vellu: Hindraf said they would fight like the Tigers, the way the Tigers are fighting in Sri Lanka. It was by Vedamurthy. After he talked like that, we did an investigation and it was felt that he may have gone there for training.

NDTV: Do you have evidence of this?

S Vellu: No. It is our suspicion.

Urghhhh %^&*()#@ Liverpool

2008-01-03T13:53:00.000+08:00

How frustrating! You wake up at 4am, only to see a bunch of fools testing your patience by conspiring against scoring goals to win a match.

By right Liverpool should have beaten, no thrashed, Wigan. Still they manage to come out with a pathetic 1-1 draw. So bloody frustrating.

Liverpool is not going to win the league if they can’t kill off their opponents, especially in their own ground.

As I see, this team is only good to fight for the fourth slot in the league table, if they can hold off Man City and Everton.

I am totally buggered today. Angry with the American owners who don’t know football, angry with the manager who doesn’t know English football and angry with the players who have no English lion-heart.

Sex in Batu Pahat

2008-01-02T12:45:00.001+08:00

What a start to the new year! Hidden sex tapes, followed swiftly by a confession from a senior MCA politician.

Although it is still unsure of his immediate political future, many questions remain unanswered in this latest sex scandal.

For one, I wonder if the Batu Pahat hotel is going to come clean on its role - if there is any at all - in taping Chua Soi Lek having sex with a woman friend.

So far the hotel has remained unnamed but from what little is known about the scandal, there were four cameras placed in the hotel room in which Chua was caught playing around.

Could the hotel be ignorant of someone fixing four cameras in one of its rooms? Apparently Chua has the habit of visiting the same room for the same purpose for the past two years now.

Any smart observer would have noticed this to make some sinister moves.

This whole scheme stinks of high conspiracy. More like an attempt of Chua’s political assassination. Who stands to gain from the scandalous behaviour of the minister? Local party chieftains? Anyone in the party leadership? The potential new MP?

Chua did the right thing in admitting his follies.

He should have also tendered his resignation from both party and government posts as morally he has just lost the battle to hold on these public offices. (UPDATED at 3.30pm: He just quit ALL his posts in both the party and the government!)

The party at its meeting today will decide on what action to be taken against Chua. However if it also finds that the whole taping and shaming deed had any political hand behind it, the party is also duty bound then to investigate and take action against the perpetrators and those backing them, no matter how high and powerful their party positions are.

Having a break…

2007-12-26T20:22:00.000+08:00

I am gonna chill out with lots and lots of teh tarik for the rest of the year. No more politics. Just want to rest, cool down, enjoy my mugs of teh and get re-energised for 2008, which promises to be exciting indeed.

Happy New Year!

Another example of Indian marginalisation

2007-12-24T13:02:00.000+08:00

Last year, Umno Youth’s number 2 Khairy J publicly insulted and humiliated Penang CM and the then Gerakan No 2 (now party acting president) Koh Tsu Koon by accusing the Penang Gerakan state government of “marginalising” the Malays in Penang.

No action was taken against KJ. Gerakan did not even ask for an explanation from the top Umno leadership over the breach of BN discipline. KJ was left of the hook. No one spoke about suspending him from Umno at all.

On Friday, Gerakan Youth chairperson S Paranjothy released a four-para statement listing down the various times Umno had played the racial cards and how the Indian community here has been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

In fact, Paranjothy had dared to speak publicly what others only muttered privately.

And then came the rumbling noises - first Gerakan tried to do some damage control by disassociating itself from Paranjothy’s hard-hitting remarks, and then Umno joined in the fray, accusing Gerakan of breaching BN spirit and discipline and even suggesting that BN should severe ties with the party and finally the Gerakan leadership openly rebuked Paranjothy and contemplated suspending or even sacking him.

Why? All for telling the truth.

As mentioned above, KJ spoke about Malay marginalisation in Penang and got away with it. Paranjothy spoke about Indian marginalisation and would most probably have to end his political career.

Like Kit Siang quoted, it is a case of George Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum, that “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

In the hands of the (Indian) voters

2007-12-22T16:55:00.000+08:00

Suddenly the long forgotten Indian voters have become the flavour of the day.

MIC, the so-called community’s representative in the BN government, has been trying hard to regain the goodwill of the community after losing its stature following the recent new-found anger in the community over its continued marginalisation.

Just look at the Bernama stories in the past 48 hours (click on them to read):

Hardcore BN Indian Voters Will Not Switch To Opposition - Palanivel

Opposition Taking Advantage Of Situation - Vigneswaran

Samy Vellu To Go On The Air Again Over Indian Community Issues

Samy Vellu Vows To Fight On For Indian Community

There were other stories on the Indian community throughout the week as well. The charm-offensive campaign comes at a time when the party needs to regain its hold on the community.

The community itself, awakened from its slumber by Hindraf, is still angry with the manner the government has been treating it.

What good are mere words when it is not followed up with some concrete actions, they ask rightly.

And they know that they have done something right by backing or giving tacit approval to Hindraf as it has send the right message to the government.

With the general election to be announced within the next six months, the Indian community has never been in such a strong position to play kingmakers.

As mentioned by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in his blog, the Indian voters can become a tsunami to send a strong message to the government.

The most recent electoral data shows that there are 50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10 percent of the electorate and 21 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute more than 15 percent of the electorate.

[Of course this is much lower than the figures based on the 2004 general election electoral roll - 62 parliamentary seats and 138 state assembly seats where Indian voters comprise more than 10 percent of the electorate and 28 parliamentary and 78 state assembly seats where the Indian voters constitute more than 15 percent.]

Still these numbers are enough to ensure that the Indian voters in these areas can play the role of kingmaker in the electoral outcome.

To do that, the Indian voters should get out of the BN psyche, and do not let the MIC’s charm attacks to defeat them.

Time is running out and it is in the hands of the community to chart their future. The choice is theirs. The momentum has started, it is now up to them to continue it.

Going botak for a cause

2007-12-21T12:43:00.001+08:00

Wire service AP called it ‘to show devotion to their beliefs’. The Hindu meanwhile labelled it as a ‘novel protest’. The mainstream media in Malaysia however ignored the event. Only the Tamil dailies gave any prominence, with photographs as well.

I am talking about the Hindraf-sponsored ‘head-shaving ceremony’ at the Batu Caves temple yesterday morning. In all 16 supporters decided to sacrifice their locks as ‘a sign of protest against the ISA and to pray for their (leaders') freedom’.

The organisers have initially thought of having 50 people shaving off their tresses. However only the 16 had the guts to take on to the scissors - including six teenagers and a three-year-old girl, as opposed to about 100 who had gathered to witness the occasion.

I reckon this is as good as it gets to a symbolic protest. However it would have been better if it was not done by Hindraf, whose remaining main leaders just turned up to give speeches and turn it into a political affair.

Perhaps Hindraf should have just passed the word around on the ‘botak protest’ and let people do it on their own. Their supporters could have started it in a place, even Batu Caves, and then they should have let the others to follow suit.

Or if Hindraf had wanted to make a good start, it should have made sure that ALL its leaders, including those from PKR and DAP, started the protest by shaving off their own hairs first!

I think only one Hindraf leader - who is also a PKR man - shaved his hair yesterday. The other leaders there were only cheerleaders.

Come on Hindraf, if you want people to sacrifice for the community, on your behalf, then you too must take the lead. It is still not too late for these Hindraf leaders (and those with it from the opposition parties) to show their support for the ‘botak protest’ by taking the plunge themselves. And then, they have all the right to get their supporters to follow suit.

The many holes in great leader’s interview

2007-12-20T11:57:00.000+08:00

Below is a Bernama report on the great leader’s RTM interview last night (with my comments in italics):

Samy Vellu Admits Illegal Assemblies Affect Indian Community's Loyalty

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Velly tonight admitted that the recent street demonstrations organised by an illegal group, to a certain extent had affected the loyalty of Indians towards the government.
(Illegal group? Why did it come up? What caused the resentment on the ground?)

He said based on feedback, there were Indians who began questioning why the issues raised by the community had not been resolved by the government.
(So we must thank the illegal group for being the catalyst, no?)

"There were those who questioned why their applications had not been entertained. So, I have asked the Prime Minister to give a bit more to the Indians (in development programmes) considering their history (in the country). The Prime Minister has agreed to consider this," he said.
(Only now he has asked? To give a bit more? How about giving what is deserving and being equal?)

Interviewed in the "60 Minit Bersama Menteri" (60 Minutes with the Minister) programme on RTM1 tonight, Samy Vellu said most of those who were involved in the illegal street demonstrations had regretted their actions.
(Where did he get this fact from? I know scores who are calling out for more such protests to drive home a stronger message to MIC and the government)

"I've met with many of them and I asked them why did they get themselves involved. They said they were a bit "hot" that day because there were people who made them "hot". But now they have cooled down and have come to realise that street demonstrations are not the best way to ask for something," he said.
(Is this what we say utter bollocks? Did he talk to the 20,000 people who had gathered there? OR how about thousands of others who were stopped from coming to KL that day)

The Works Minister said he had also explained to them that most of the issues raised had been discussed by the Cabinet over the last several months.
(Only in the last few months? So all this while MIC was just sleeping in the meetings and after 50 years, only now have been playing some pro-active role?)

In fact, he said, steps were being taken by the government to improve the lot of the Indians in this country.
(Steps taken only after thousands had poured onto the streets to show their disgust? So the community was taken for granted all this while then?)

"But we must remember that we will not get 100 per cent of what we asked for. Where can you find a government that fulfils 100 per cent of the people's requests?
(Ask this question to the privileged community in this country and they will tell you that if they don’t get 100 percent of what they asked, they will not think twice about ditching Umno.)

"The problems are not just faced by the Indians but also by the Chinese and Malays. They also make demands and they too don't get 100 per cent," he said.
(Malays have the full political backing and complete constitutional rights. Chinese have a strongly bonded community which controls a big chunk of the economy. Indians only have MIC which has been an utter failure, speeding up the community’s further marginalization.)

Samy Vellu also described the illegal group as "sightless" for not being able to see the progress achieved by the Indians in the last 50 years.
(Have we been successful? What progress? Our share in the national economy piece has shrunk. We top the crime rates. We are the biggest community with social issues. The list continues.)

"In the old days, 80 per cent of them worked in the estates, just to earn wages, and had no assets or savings. But 50 years later, many of them have become professionals and businessmen with high education, and they now have assets and savings," he said.
(Do we still have estates? People have been forced out of their livelihood and end up as squatters now. The successful ones did it on their own accord or through the tears and sweat of their parents. The government or MIC cannot take credit for their progress. At the same time, many others have been left behind. Responsibility for this is surely with the government and MIC.)

He also described the group's attempt to claim for compensation for the Indian community from the British government as unrealistic, because from his discussions with several lawyers, it would be impossible for the British to fulfill it.
(Will the great leader never understand that it was just an attempt to gain publicity to what’s happening to the Indian community in this country?)

"These lawyers told me that if their claim is fulfilled because the British brought their forefathers here to work in the estates, then there would be more claims from other countries such as India. The British government could become bankrupt," he said.
(Fair point Mr Minister. But look at the international publicity this group has now gained.)

On the question about unity among the multiracial society, Samy Velly said that it was a bit shaky at the moment and needed to be strengthened like the way it used to be when he was still a child.

"I suggest that we develop subjects on unity in schools and we teach our children on the repercussions of disunity, to remind them of history and about how the people could live together as Malaysians," he said.

Samy Vellu was also asked whether he was ready to let go his MIC presidency considering his many contributions during his 30 years of leading the party.

He said that he would do so "when the time comes".

"I shall let it go when the time comes. But I believe at the moment, I still need to settle many things. When I have settled them, I'd give up the post... another person with calibre can then take over," he said.
(When the time comes? I think the time came and left. It’s long overdue. He has never been so out of touch with the community now as he has ever been. He is under pressure. He can’t just leave; otherwise his party will just collapse, thanks to his style of leadership. He has the steady the ship but by then it might be too late – not for the community but for the party and its leader. The community, I reckon, has finally woken up)

Governing while sleeping

2007-12-19T23:21:00.000+08:00

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang calls Pak Lah’s rule as a “somnambulant governance”.

What is somnambulant governance? Oxford Dictionary defines “somnambulism” as “sleepwalking”.

Merriam-Webster provides this definition:

1: walking or having the habit of walking while asleep
2: resembling or having the characteristics of a sleepwalker : sluggish

Wondering why Kit Siang is making such a drastic attack? Read his reasons in his blog entry here.

But I don’t think this is a somnambulant government for this reason alone.

Look at what’s happening in this country today. Listen to the grouses from the grassroots. And compare that to what the government is doing to solve these problems.

And you will know that we do have a somnambulant government.

Open your eyes and SEE

2007-12-18T13:02:00.000+08:00

Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep.

Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, “Kemo Sabe, look towards sky, what you see?”

The Lone Ranger replies, “I see millions of stars.”

“What that tell you?” asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says:

“Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.

Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning.

Theologically, the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.

What's it tell you, Tonto?”

“You dumber than buffalo shit. It meant someone stole the tent.”

Moral: Open your eyes and see what is actually happening around you. Only then you know why there is an urgent need to seek reforms.

Lessons from the Hindraf 31 case

2007-12-17T19:55:00.000+08:00

So the 31 Hindraf protesters were freed from the attempted murder charge today. Good for them.

What do we learn from this? Below is a list, which is inexhaustible.

1. The AG is so powerful that he can literally charge you with ANYTHING

2. The judiciary, especially the lower courts tend to listen to the AG and if he says no to bail, you will not get bail.

3. I personally know that there was wheeling and dealing behind the scenes involving MIC, though the party did not deal the matter directly. So at the end of the day, it is your Indian-based party in power that can come to your aid, IF it wants to.

4. You will get opposition lawyers to handle the case for you but there is a risk of the matter being turned political, and in most cases, not heading anywhere.

5. Being a minority race in this country is really dangerous. You can become a political pawn for all parties and you might not have the financial strength to fight for yourself.

Please add to the list if you wish.

ISA for not following procedures

2007-12-14T16:57:00.000+08:00

"I am duty-bound to act because the people want the government to take action. The people don't want to see this country in chaos... between the freedom of expression and public safety, I will give importance to public safety. If you want to speak up, you must follow procedures.”

(-Prime Minister Abdullah justifying the use to ISA on the Hindraf 5.)

______________________________________________________________

You must follow procedures then?

What if your letters are not replied? What if the police do not give you permit to gather peacefully? What is your memorandums are not even read? What if the PM or any other top politicians refuse to meet you?

What choice have you got then apart from venting your frustrations by making noise?

This is precisely what Hindraf did (although I have my reservations on their exact manner and choice of words in making that noise).

So the PM should first look at how his government deals with complaints from the grassroots before trying to silence the dissent.

p/s: Would a petition have worked in telling the PM that things were not right on the ground? I doubt it but someone has set up a petition last night seeking the release of the five arrested under ISA.

Do check it out. When I last saw it, some 8,000 people have signed it. DO LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS.

The petition.

Are we surprised?

2007-12-13T19:43:00.000+08:00

First came the criticisms.

Then the condemnations.

Soon a mysterious link to terrorism emerged, no less from the Inspector General of Police, without any evidence.

This was followed calls from political parties and politicians for the use of the ISA.

Ministers then said we should love peace and put troublemakers ‘inside’.

IGP followed up by adding that there was enough evidence to use the ISA.

PM finally weighed in to say public safety was more important than public freedom.

And today they (the Hindraf 5) were all sent directly to Kamunting for two years.

Well, this was coming. So why are we surprised?

Police in parliament

2007-12-12T19:37:00.000+08:00

Lim Kit Siang who had a brief conversation with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when the latter came out of the Dewan Rakyat, said that he had asked Abdullah on the arrests.

"He (Abdullah) said arrests cannot be made in the Dewan, but is allowed outside the Dewan," he said.

(media reports: here and here)

___________________________________________________________________

Can you believe this? How can the PM simply downplay the sanctity of the parliament? The parliament is the main institution that gives legitimacy to the politicians alike to rule/administer/govern the country.

If the PM’s argument is to be followed, why then such tight security at the main entrance of the parliament? They could just put up security blocks at the entrance of the chambers.

Likewise, if we allow the politicians to start redrawing the boundaries and interpret certain principles, soon don’t be surprised if the PM says that only the area where the BN members sit are protected by privilege and is considered sacred!

The (allegedly) seditious letter

2007-12-11T15:37:00.000+08:00

Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar was charged with sedition in KL today over this letter.

Read and decide for yourself if the charge is warranted - Hindraf memorandum to UK Prime Minister.

p/s: The link is to a Bernama site which reproduced the said letter. This way, if they come after me for ‘publishing seditious materal’, I can always fall back on Bernama for first publishing it!

(Also just heard that Uthayakumar has been granted bail at RM50,000, with one surety.)

A mess called Rela

2007-12-10T15:52:00.000+08:00

Read more about how Rela’s reputation takes a battering (correctly, I should add) in this International Herald Tribune report.

Foreign workers face campaign of brutality in Malaysia

Some excerpts:

When his turn comes to stand watch, Kang Long posts himself at a window, peering into the dark streets outside the tiny apartment where his fellow migrant workers sleep 10 to a room.

"We always fear, especially at night," he said. "Maybe there will be a raid. Where will we run? I worry for my wife and children. I've been thinking of moving to the jungle."

____________

"They shouted at me, 'Where's the money?' " she said. "I got down on my knees and begged them. 'I don't have any money.' But they wanted money. They pulled stuff from under the bed. They looked here, they looked there. They opened all our bags."

Her documents were in order, she said, and the search party left her alone.

But when it departed, she said, "Everything was a mess."

___________

"They break into migrant lodgings in the middle of the night without warrants, brutalize inhabitants, extort money and confiscate cellphones, clothing, jewelry and household goods, before handcuffing migrants and transporting them to detention camps for illegal immigrants," Human Rights Watch said in a report in May.

When fools rule

2007-12-10T10:31:00.000+08:00

“[Our brilliant] Information minister Zainuddin Maidin also said that the report on the website on the seven Minnal FM deejays was of a seditious and racial nature and could incite anger in the people and create suspicion towards the government.”

This was what was reported in Bernama yesterday.

This is a follow up to a previous report that the Info Ministry has lodged a report against three media organisations over the Minnal FM reports.

I wrote two reports on Minnal FM and I now reproduce them here to see if Zam’s wild accusation of the original report being “seditious and racial nature and could incite anger in the people and create suspicion towards the government” stands.

____________________________________________________________________

Radio DJs punished for supporting Hindraf
K Kabilan | Dec 3, 07 5:54pm

State-owned Tamil radio station Minnal FM has sacked several presenters - including some popular ones - for supporting the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

Sources said that others have been suspended.

It is learnt that seven presenters were affected in the exercise, including two presenters working on contract. The station has 20 full-time presenters.

The severe action was for either taking part in the Hindraf-organised rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 or for giving prominence for the rally and Hindraf on air, added the sources.

Among those sacked or suspended are popular DJs K Meenakumari, K Sillalee (left) and V Jamuna (right). The latter was a hugely popular contract presenter.

Minnal FM’s director Raja Sekaran was not available for comment while queries to the station remain unanswered.

Restructuring exercise

However, a source close to the station said that the dismissal was a staff-restructuring exercise undertaken by the radio station which is increasingly losing out to private Tamil radio station THR Raga.

“There are talks within Minnal to hire fresh faces to revamp the station. Maybe that’s why some of the contractual presenters were let go,” said the source.

Another source said the station was in the midst of offering a different category of employment to the terminated presenters, and as such would need to give them new contractual terms.

A former Minnal FM presenter, however, said the station director has been unhappy with the work of the seven presenters and finally decided to terminate them on the grounds of their involvement with Hindraf.

Hindraf has been under fire recently over its demands for the upliftment of the Indian community which the organisation claims is sidelined by the government, a charge denied by the government and the Indian-based MIC.

On Nov 25, the organisation managed to gather a crowd of 30,000 at Jalan Ampang to march to the British High Commission to deliver a memorandum seeking the assistance of the Queen of England.

The gathering was denied a permit and the police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd.

'Lift suspension of Tamil radio deejays'

Dec 4, 07 5:32pm
State-owned Tamil radio station Minnal FM has been urged to lift the suspension imposed on several presenters over their alleged involvement in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally.

Media watchdogs Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) said they were concerned that suspected involvement in the rally has been used as a basis to suspend the presenters.

“The action taken against the presenters only creates the perception that the government is intolerant (of) the democratic rights of its employees,” they said in a joint statement today.

The groups said the suspension indicated that Minnal FM viewed as an offence, the involvement of its staff in their personal capacity in public assemblies.

“CIJ and WAMI would like to stress that freedom of assembly is a right guaranteed under the Federal Constitution and the radio presenters should not be discriminated against the right due to their professional relation to the government,” they said.

“We call upon Minnal FM to suspend the investigation and reinstate the presenters immediately.”

When contacted by CIJ for comment, station director M Raja Sekaran declined to confirm the matter and answer questions, according to the statement.

Allegation by SMS

Yesterday [we] reported that seven Minnal FM presenters have been taken off the air over alleged involvement in the Nov 25 rally and for their support for Hindraf.

Sources said several of the presenters, some of whom are hugely popular, were sacked while others were suspended pending investigations.

Attempts to contact Raja Sekaran have proved futile. However Tamil-language daily Makkal Osai today quoted popular presenter K Meenakumari as confirming the suspension of the seven presenters, including herself.

The daily also named the remaining six presenters: K Sillalee (left), V Jamuna (right), Mahendran Veluplay, Kavirajan Jagarajan, Vijayan Muruti and Dhayalan Sharmugan.

“We have been accused of taking part in the Hindraf rally, which is not true. We have been asked not to enter the broadcast room until the probe is completed,” she was quoted as saying.

She added that Minnal FM decided to take action against them based on a short message service (SMS) which claimed that the seven presenters were supportive of Hindraf and were at the rally.

The Hindraf rally attracted about 30,000 people, who marched to the British High Commission to submit a petition claiming they have been marginalised since being brought into Malaya as indentured labours.

The government has condemned the rally as illegal and dismissed claims that the community is marginalised.

___________________________________________________________________

And it is based on this second report that Zam is threatening to lodge a police report against Wami and CIJ for supporting the 7 presenters!

Hmm! What can I say? Only fools will start attacking shadows for fear of life, or only total idiots will get to say whatever they want and get away with it!

It is a sad day...

2007-12-09T20:58:00.000+08:00

Boy! What a day!

It has been a busy Sunday. I have been working from home from early morning to upload stories on the nationwide arrests of people who participated in so-called illegal assemblies.

The lawyers, activists and then opposition leaders and finally Bersih supporters, one-by-one were taken in and all are now expected to be charged tomorrow.

I heard the AG himself would be prosecuting. Must be rather important these fellows. Otherwise why should the AG himself come down from Putrajaya to persecute (sorry, should be prosecute) them?

Anyway, I think this AP news gives a good round up of what happened today. As said by the Bar Council chairperson Ambiga, it is indeed a sad day!

Malaysian police detain 21 people for illegal rallies

By EILEEN NG,Associated Press Writer AP - 35 minutes ago

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian police detained 21 opposition members, lawyers and activists Sunday, including nine people who joined a banned human rights march, officials said, in a widening crackdown following a series of anti-government protests.

Twelve members of an opposition coalition were among those rounded up in nationwide raids for taking part in a banned rally on Nov. 10 demanding electoral reforms, coalition spokesman Syed Azman Syed Ahmad told The Associated Press. The coalition plans to hold a second demonstration on Tuesday outside Parliament.

The arrests are part of a growing crackdown on disgruntled Malaysians who have held a slew of anti-government protests and demonstrations, jolting the administration of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ahead of elections expected soon.

The Nov. 10 rally _ which drew some 30,000 people _ was followed by an equally large street protest by minority ethnic Indians on Nov. 25 to complain of racial discrimination and economic deprivation from government policies.

Earlier Sunday, eight people, including four lawyers, were detained for taking part in a march for human rights by about 40 people in downtown Kuala Lumpur, defying a ban on assembly and an order to disperse, local police chief Che Hamzah Che Ismail said.

Bar Council President Ambiga Sreenevasan told reporters another lawyer was detained later after he tried to stop police from tearing down banners marking International Human Rights Day.

"I am in a state of utter disbelief at the heavy-handedness of the police ... these tactics are bullying tactics," Sreenevasan said. "This is a sad day for human rights in Malaysia."

Prime Minister Abdullah defended the arrests.

"They ignored the law and still wanted to protest ... of course police have to take action. This (protest) is not our culture," Abdullah was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

Among those arrested for the Nov. 10 rally were Tian Chua, a senior official of the opposition People's Justice Party, and 10 members of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party. The two parties are the main groups in the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, known by its Malay acronym Bersih, which organized the rally.

Despite the arrests, Bersih will go ahead with its second demonstration on Tuesday outside Parliament to hand over a memorandum to the speaker to demand free and fair elections, Syed Azman said.

He said the 12 are likely to be formally charged in court on Monday. Also Monday, ethnic Indian leader P. Uthayakumar, who organized the Nov. 25 rally, will appear in court where prosecutors will seek permission to charge him with sedition.

The government has also charged 31 Indians with attempted murder after a policeman was injured during the rally.

Sunday's arrests came amid complaints by Uthayakumar that the charges were racially motivated because police did not arrest anyone from the Nov. 10 rally, which was mostly participated by Malays.

Syed Azman said by arresting Bersih activists, the government "is trying to balance it out so that it won't look racially biased."

"The heat is on the government because of the (Indian) issue. The government is under tremendous pressure because the whole world is watching now, so they are trying to divert attention," he said.

(source)

'Shocked’ minister in denial

2007-12-05T16:39:00.000+08:00

This was reported in the Star today:

Shocked by ‘apartheid’ report

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was shocked during a recent work trip to India to find a newspaper there carrying a front page article that claimed that Malaysia was practising apartheid against Hindus.

Holding up the DNA newspaper of Nov 28, the International Trade and Industry Minister said that the article quoted a 22-year-old Sri Lankan-born poet who had spent 17 years in Malaysia, as saying that she fled Malaysia last month to escape "systematic racial harassment."

"Fleeing Malaysia? Oh my goodness gracious. Can you imagine? This is really telling lies," Rafidah told reporters yesterday after chairing a Wanita Umno meeting.

The Wanita Umno chief said that the poet, Sharanya Manivannan, had also claimed in the article that there had been cases in Malaysia of "body-snatching" of Hindu corpses by the authorities so that the deceased could be buried according to Muslim rites.

She said that the poet, however, had never mentioned that these men had converted to Islam.

Rafidah added that Sharanya had said in the article that "countless (Hindu) temples have been demolished and idols smashed – often times in the middle of prayer sessions and devotees attacked".

"What a lie. Words like this are terrible. The article really hurts," she said.

Rafidah was heading a trade mission to India from Nov 26 to Dec 1 when she came across the newspaper article at one of the five-star hotels there.

"I was shocked. Obviously there is already an international network set up," she said, adding that she believed that this was politically motivated....

(The Star, Dec 05, 07, pg 12)
___________________________________________________________________

Why is the minister shocked? Could it be because the truth hurts?

Or perhaps she has been ignorant of all these due to the sanitised reporting of the local mainstream media?

Can the minister honestly say there is no systematic racial harassment in this country? If she can, then she shouldn’t be shocked or hurt.

Mission impossible: missionary position

2007-12-04T13:13:00.000+08:00

I don’t know if there is any truth in this claim which I saw in an old Guardian report.

Apparently, according to a book by a respected French writer, sex research was conducted in space in 1996.

The mission of two chosen astronauts was to explore sexual positions possible in a weightless atmosphere.

It seems the two ‘guinea pig’ astronauts tested out 10 positions in zero-gravity conditions.

And the outcome was this:

Four positions were found possible without "mechanical assistance"
Six others needed a special elastic belt and inflatable tunnel, like an open-ended sleeping bag.

And the most damaging finding is that:

"The so-called missionary position, which is so easy on earth when gravity pushes one downwards, is simply not possible."

Read more on this in this Guardian report.

Lightning strikes Minnal FM

2007-12-03T19:27:00.000+08:00

It is amazing how suddenly everyone wants to get onto the government bandwagon to condemn something.

Just look at the Hindraf rally. First the police condemned it. Soon MIC followed suit. Then the government (read: Umno) pursued.

There were warnings that teachers caught taking part in the rally would be sacked. Students too were issued similar warnings. It looks like everyone wanted a bit of action in this spree of persecution.

Over the weekend there was an SMS saying that some Indian Muslim association calling for the action against Hindraf.

And then today, to my utter shock and dismay, there were reports that the state-owned Tamil radio station Minnal FM has suspended and sacked seven of its DJs - almost one-third of its radio presenters.

Why? Apparently these deejays supported the Hindraf movement and some even participated in the Sunday rally.

Things are definitely going crazy over here.

Double standards at work

2007-12-03T19:09:00.000+08:00

Someone must correct this government attitude.

First it was minister in the pm’s dept Nazri that said India, especially Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi, should keep out from commenting on Malaysian matters.

Today foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar says the same, saying that "other nations should respect the sovereignty of the country".

These ministers must have short-term memory loss. Or they are just pretending to suffer from one.

What about the time our ministers were making noise, and even sending a ministerial envoy, to Thailand to convey our concern over the plight of the Southern Thai muslims?

Or how about when someone from Umno Youth protested over the atrocities against the Palestinian muslims?

So it is okay for us to butt in other nation’s matter but when it comes for others to show concern, we get all worked up?

One thing is clear. Double-standards are not just practised internally. It also applies to the external relations.

Help is a ring away

2007-11-30T17:08:00.000+08:00

A totally imaginative phone call:

Caller: Hello! Hello? Is this MIC hotline?
MIC Hotline: Yes this is MIC hotline. How can I help you?

Caller: Thank god you picked up the phone. I have a complain to make.
MIC Hotline: What is it?

Caller: The great leader promised to rebuild the Tamil school in my estate. He made this promise a few years ago and so far nothing has happened....
MIC Hotline: Errr...Datuk Seri is busy today. We will tell him.

Caller: Also there is this old temple here. The local council wants to demolish it. Can MIC stop it?
MIC Hotline: Hmmm...As I said Datuk Seri is busy today, we will pass your message to him

Caller: And we are also facing problems in getting our children into the local universities. Can you ....
MIC Hotline: We will inform Datuk Seri about your call

Caller: By the way, my friends and I have decided we want to just give away our Maika shares back to Maika. Also we want to donate to the new medical campus. How do we go about it?
MIC Hotline: Hello! Vanakkam, this is Datuk Seri here. How many shares do you have?

Background story:

MIC will set up a telephone complaint hotline for ethnic Indians following a massive rally by the minority group to demand equality and fair treatment in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

The hotline will allow Indians to call and complain about any grievances they may have.

More here.

SV: They are troublemakers

2007-11-28T19:15:00.000+08:00

The great leader today came charging out to defend his and his party’s role in uplifting the community in an exclusive interview with NST.

I think his explanations and justifications should be kept for record purposes and that’s why I am reproducing them here.

(Also for me to have some fun whenever I want to have a good laugh!)

So here it goes:

'I'm a man on the job, not on the streets'
28 November, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: All the hard work done for the Indian community by the MIC is being "jeopardised" by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and other opposition parties. The struggle and welfare of the community had been addressed by the government since independence, said MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

"Hindraf has only emerged now but the MIC has been at it for 50 years," he said.
"They (the protesters) are fighting to create problems. They are troublemakers."

He said MIC had been fighting for the Indians through consultation and dialogue in the spirit of the Barisan Nasional.

"Being a multi-racial society, we have to take into consideration the sentiments of the other races and BN component parties."

Samy Vellu, who is also works minister, said although all its proposals and requests could not be entertained, the MIC had achieved a degree of success, given the political scenario in Malaysia.

"We find it disturbing for others to think otherwise. Their actions are in fact jeopardising the positive efforts being considered and undertaken for the community," he said at the parliament lobby yesterday.

Samy Vellu said the MIC was aware of issues confronting the community, concerning education, housing, employment, health, the economy and religion.

"It may appear that the MIC leadership is doing little to address these issues, when in fact they are highlighted almost every week at cabinet meetings and even in parliament, sometimes to the ire of BN leaders.

"We fully understand the shortcomings. These issues cannot be addressed over-night. There is so much more to be done over a period of time."

ON EDUCATION

Samy Vellu said more Indian students were being given government scholarships, study loans and opportunities to pursue technical, business and professional courses locally and abroad.

This comes by way of the Tamil School Action Council, Yayasan Strategik Social, Maju Institute of Educational Development, Tafe College and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology.

"They can be poor but if they have brains we will not deny them a sound education.

"To date, the MIC has secured financial aid to the tune of RM94 million for 14,300 students, including 1,300 to pursue medical studies in Russia, the Ukraine and Indonesia.

"This includes Public Service Department scholarships for 176 deserving students last year. The government has also approved 500 seats for matriculation studies annually, while Giatmara has allocated a 10 per cent quota for Indian students to pursue technical courses," he said.

On Tamil schools, 180 new schools were built in the last two decades, while another 80 are in the pipeline.

More Tamil school teachers are being employed. In 1970, there were 3,258 teachers compared with 7,126 this year, an increase of 118.7 per cent over the past 37 years.

These efforts have produced exemplary UPSR results with 45 students securing 7 As in 1995, 202 in 2002, 579 last year and 573 this year.

The Tamil language has been accepted at STPM level as a critical subject for admission into the Arts Faculty in Universiti Malaya.

ON RELIGION

Temples are being relocated or built in a systematic way so that they can better serve worshippers. This has been one of the main issues.

After the furore caused by the demolition of a 100-year-old temple in Shah Alam last month, the government has now made it mandatory that demolitions and relocations of temples be made after consultation with the MIC chief.

ON HOUSING

Samy Vellu said more homes had been allocated for Indian squatters.

"In the federal capital, 1,500 houses have been given to displaced squatters. Another 2,700 will soon benefit."

ON EMPLOYMENT

He said opportunities for Indians in the civil service used to be a mere two per cent but the representation is increasing.

"We have even fought for estate workers to get better monthly wages," he said.

Samy Vellu said the MIC also undertook efforts to improve the community's economy through various channels like the chambers of commerce and industry and business associations.

In a separate interview with Reuters, Samy Vellu said:

"We have fought worse battles than this during elections (referring to Sunday's rally organised by Hindraf).

"We don't worry about this. We are confident of winning the next elections handsomely."

Several thousand Indians participated in the rally and had to be dispersed by water cannon and tear gas.

"I'm not going to lose sleep over this demonstration. To me, I can throw the records on the floor on what I have done. I am not a man on the streets. I am a man on the job."

(NST, Page 7, Nov 28, 2007)

___________________________________________________________________

And now, I have many questions arising from this interview but I think TWO would suffice for now.

One, if he has done so much for the community, how come the community is still lagging in all areas, so much so about 40,000 people hit the streets in Sunday to protest?

And, secondly, what gives MIC the right to be the sole party to try to help the government?

Surely others too can do their bit without relying on the party?

Even Muruga couldn't escape

2007-11-26T13:32:00.000+08:00

Just last week the Maha Mariamman and the Batu Caves temple committee chairman Nadarajah was quoted in the media as saying that his new organisation - the Malaysia Hindu Peravai - would make sure that temples are opened and used for cultural activities for the Hindus.

He added that he would make sure the Hindus don’t just go to the temple to pray, but also to gather for activities that would unite the community.

One week later, he proved that he is just another politician.

Late on Saturday night/early Sunday morning, thousands of Indians had gathered at the Batu Caves temple before participating in the Sunday rally.

However they were turned in to the cops by the temple committee - headed by Nadarajah, claiming that they were gathering illegally in the temple compound.

These people were assaulted by the cops, fired with tear gas and hit with chemical-laced water.

They were forcibly moved out of the temple, resulting in the Murugan abode being ‘tarnished’ with unruly acts!

The temple should have been a place to accept all and give them shelter. I am sure Lord Muruga would have allowed that.

But as the saying goes, even if the God gives you the greenlight, it’s the priest who will be the stumbling block.

p/s: Click here to see more photos of the Batu Caves attack

‘Ask them, is this democracy?’

2007-11-26T13:26:00.000+08:00

"Ask them, is this democracy?"

This is a question a protester is seen asking in al-Jazeera’s coverage of the protest march yesterday.

Notably, al-Jazeera’s coverage was the only one which had interviewed the protesters. All local TV stations only had views and excuses from the government side and cops as to why ‘limited’ force was used against the protesters.

In case, you missed the al-Jazeera report, here it is:

Salute the 30,000 brave protesters

2007-11-25T19:56:00.000+08:00

After the arrest of Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy on Friday, I was on SMS communication with him.

In one, I had asked him about who would be leading the protesters on Sunday since all Hindraf leaders were addressed.

He told me: "Let’s see how Makkal Sakthi (Power of the People) works now."

And man did it work in a spectacular manner this morning.

Some 30,000 Indians gathered around the Jalan Ampang area for about six hours, playing a fearless game with the police.

They faced chemical-laced water cannons, tear gas and police bashing stoutly, coming back with a bigger and braver wave every time they had come under attack.

Today was a turning point to the Indian psyche. After being sidelined and kept down for so long, they decided to come out to protest today.

It was more like a matter of life and death for them. They have had enough of the third-class treatment.

Their defiant stand would have sent a strong message to the rulers today - temple demolitions are not something that should be taken lightly, Indians are NOT underclass in any case.

People came on their own today, wanting to express their disappointment. They braved police blocks, police assaults and court orders.

They just want to be part of the protest. We must salute these brave Indians for finally taking the stand.

At the same time, credit must go to Hindraf too for making this possible.

I suppose the foot shouldn’t be taken off the brake now. The next step should perhaps be the home of our great leader!

Indians = Gangsters?

2007-11-23T16:16:00.000+08:00

I actually find the police spin in rejecting the police permit for the Hindraf rally this Sunday rather amusing.

It shows how archaic the Malaysian police thinking are. It also shows how racist they have become.

We had the IGP yesterday saying that "gangsters would be used which could cause a breach of the peace".

And the city CPO Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin said that the police have received information that "criminal acts" such as "fights" and "arguments" would occur during the rally.

Roadblocks have also been mounted around the city, ostensibly as a part of a "crime prevention" exercise.

Their spin seems to indicate that the police top brass have equated Indians to gangsterism and violence.

And what about the racial-profiling exercise in stopping all Indians at road blocks to prevent them from entering the city?

I agree that one or two of the Hindraf top wigs do tend to make their own emotion-ridden unwanted racial attacks but I have never known them to be the violent sort.

And how about people coming for the rally? Can they be violent too? Why should they? After all their purpose is to submit a memo to the British High Commission. There could be emotional speeches but I DO NOT see them running amok on Sunday, killing and maiming the first non-Indian they see!

My only worry is the presence of police gangsters who act as agent provocateurs. Maybe it is these groups the IGP and his KL police chief are talking about.

As I see if, the police were just pissed off with the manner they were conned by the Bersih rally on Nov 12. This time, they want to save face. To do that, they have to act tough. So they have started with the ready-made excuses.

And how about the racial spin?

IGP Musa urged the public to stay away from the rally as it could touch the sensitivities of other races and spark racial friction.

Hello? Wasn’t he following the UMNO AGM last year and this year, as well as many of the speeches made by the Umno MPs in the recent past?

And for a first time as I can remember, the police have also gotten a court order restraining people from participating in the rally.

First came the police warnings, and then the court restriction followed by the arrest of three top Hindraf leaders and finally, I believe, will be the tear gas and water cannon on Sunday for those who still insist on submitting the memo in a peaceful manner.

‘Gangsters’ have be warned. Be careful on Sunday. Perhaps it will be wise if the gathering crowd, if any, chant spiritual rhymes all the way to the High Commission and offer alms to the riot squad.

The Queen is NOT coming

2007-11-22T10:49:00.000+08:00

Some unscrupulous parties are sending out SMSes saying that the Queen of England would be at the British High Commission at Jalan Ampang this Sunday to receive a memo by an Indian group.

People! Please, please, do not fall for this. Don't be so gullible.

The Queen of England is NOT coming to receive a memorandum from Hindraf this Sunday.

In fact I doubt if Queen Elizabeth is even aware of the protest, much less, the reason for the protest, or the organisers.

Also, she will be in Uganda for the CHOGM.

And, do not listen to people who say the police have given permission for the demonstration. They have not! There is NO police permit for the gathering.

So it is an illegal gathering. Go at your own risk if you want to show your support but do not take your kids along.

Winner I’m unsure, losers I know who

2007-11-20T13:18:00.000+08:00

A new organization for the Hindus in this country has been formed and it is called the Malaysian Hindu Assembly (Malaysia Hindu Peravai).

Led by temple Nadarajah, this is obviously an attempt to rival the long established Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS).

This new body claims it wants to unite the Hindus in this country and fight to protect their rights, starting with the temples and culture.

Isn’t this what the MHS has been doing thus far?

Anyways, as I see it, the issue is this. In the recent past, MHS has been aligning itself with the increasingly vocal civil society groups in demanding for reforms in this country.

The MHS, led by Vythilingam, has been vocal in matters of conversion and religious freedom.

Its only drawback, as I see it, has been its approval of the demolition of unregistered temples. But even then, there have been cases when MHS has called for more tolerant approach when dealing with temple demolitions.

Wanting to be different, Nadarajah, who is also the head of the KL Maha Mariamman and Batu Caves temples, vows to protect all temples and turn them into cultural centres.

I am fine with that. I am just worried that there is a political motive behind the setting up of this new organization, which is affiliated by MIC-backing groups and individuals.

One thing is clear, the Nadarajah-led Malaysia Hindu Assembly smells of being a MIC proxy to counter the noise made by MHS in issues related to the Indian community in this country.

I want to see who actually wins this battle? The losers surely must be the Hindu lot!

A challenge at a wrong time

2007-11-20T13:14:00.000+08:00

This is funny actually, especially when you know the full story.

The matter is this – the EC head Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said that he will step down if election rigging is proven.

Fine. Classic thing to say.

The only issue is this. He is due to retire at the end of this year. So who cares if he steps down or not?

Perhaps his challenge should have come a little bit earlier. After all he has overseen the running of six general elections in this country, with massive complaints of fraud and rigging in the last two.

Learning is no longer fun

2007-11-19T19:57:00.000+08:00

A 12-year-old girl had committed suicide by hanging herself in Nibong Tebal for apparently not doing well in the UPSR exams. She obtained 4Bs, 2Cs and 1D but was confident of getting at least 4As.

The death of S Subashini is tragic and worrying. Worse still is her reason to die.
But it goes on to show the tremendous pressure our kids are under when it comes to deliver in examinations.

Our education system is totally exam-oriented. The media have worsened it by (only) highlighting the straight As scored by the deserving students.

Parents fall into the trap by getting into a competitive mode to ensure their children are among the first-rankers.

Relatives too join in the fun by constantly reminding the kids of how others had done and comparing the achievement of one pupil with another, openly.

So at the end, what should be a fun experience turns into a nightmare for school children.

I am shocked that our education system has turned even 12-year-old students into thinking that assessment exams are a matter of life and death! Believe me, they are NOT.

Write, and you shall be punished!

2007-11-16T12:42:00.000+08:00

We all know that when it comes to Tamil schools, there is only ONE self-appointed guardian - the only party that claims any legitimate right to protect the community and all things that come with it, including Tamil schools.

Just think back of the spat between this party and PPP in the Tamil dailies over the plight of Tamil schools in recent weeks. MIC likes to defend itself tightly when it comes to Tamil schools, not allowing ANYONE to have a say or action at all.

In a nutshell, just as it claims, the party has full control of Tamil schools in this country, no doubt.

Given that, two incidents in recent weeks put things into a totally different perspective about the role of this self-appointed guardians of Tamil schools.

First, Johor-based Malaysia Nanban photojournalist, R Raman (aka R Kalaramu) is in coma after being attacked by unidentified group on Nov 2 outside his office in Johor Baru after reporting on problems facing Tamil schools in that state.

And then earlier this week, Raman's colleague M Nagarajan in Kedah received a phone call from an unidentified person threatening to kill him because of a report about a local Tamil school he had written on Monday.

Interestingly Nagarajan was reminded of the attacks on Raman by the caller.

So far there is no conclusive evidence as to the identity of the perpetrators but is it hard to guess?

Anyways, while the issue and anger on this matter have been confined to Malaysia Nanban pages only in Malaysia, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has issued a statement urging the authorities to investigate the attacks and threatening phone call urgently.

It said that Malaysia Nanban was known for its coverage of issues that affect the Indian community, including access to education, that are sometimes critical of the community leadership (read: MIC).

Another vocal critic Makkal Osai was closed for one month in August for publishing a cartoon of Jesus holding a can of beer, after MIC called for strong action against them.

As I see it, if there is no action taken by the police on the attackers and unidentified threat-makers, such attacks will continue unabated against Malaysia Nanban reporters. The style might even be used against Makkal Osai journalists.

As I said, we don’t know who the culprits are. But is it that hard to guess?

The end of one sen

2007-11-14T16:09:00.000+08:00

How many times have we been to either a fast food outlet or a mall and see ourselves being shortchanged over the odd one or two sen? It happens regularly although some multinational supermarkets and utility giants have now started to absorb the minor loss on themselves.

And how often do we see the one sen copper coin left unpicked in the streets? Quite often I think.

I think we Malaysians have given up looking at the one sen coin as a legal denomination many years ago. We don’t have the same respect for this single sen like they do in the US or the UK.

We automatically have started rounding up things to the nearest 5 sen or 10 sen whenever the odd figure appears in our bills.

So it was not a great surprise for me to read that the government wants to pension off the one sen coin by next April.

And to make things easier, a new round-up mechanism would be introduced for all over-the-counter transactions where all payment totals will either be rounded up or down to the nearest five sen.

The government has given various reasons for doing away with the one sen coin (see chart, courtesy of the star).

However I am worried that despite the cost, wastage and unusefulness factors, are we admitting that we are being affected by the rising inflation where we find no value for the one sen?

So what’s next? Do we do the same with five sen? And the 10 sen? Finally leaving the RM1 as the lowest denomination of our currency?

That’s what I am worried off - going back to the banana money days!

Conversation with a S’pore cab driver

2007-11-12T12:58:00.000+08:00

Driver: So taxis drivers in Malaysia are unscrupulous lot huh?

Me: Huh? What? Hmmm....yea

Driver: Here if we don’t use rate meters, we will get suspended immediately. We have strict enforcement.

Me: Oh? Well.....

Driver: Some of our drivers are also bad lots but they have been sacked permanently. They can’t drive taxis in Singapore anymore.

Me: Is it? That’s good.

Driver: Yea! Enforcement is very strict here. Not like in your country. There they just cheat!

Me: Hmm...(Feeling totally, utterly unable to say anything to defend our drivers)

(And he gave me a receipt at the end of my short journey. At least three other taxi drivers rounded up the fare to the nearest dollar, allowing me to keep the cents.)

p/s: Maybe the ONE foreign trip which the JPJ or the taxi licensing board should take is to across the Causeway to see how they enforce discipline among their taxi drivers and how they manage to keep the cabs clean.

Barking at the wrong tree

2007-11-12T12:34:00.000+08:00

I am shocked by Khairy Jamaluddin’s outburst at newspaper vendors for taking their well-deserved Deepavali break.

It is outrageous that Khairy was harping on a racial issue, saying that the Indian vendors were controlling the distribution of newspapers and their total control was the reason for the non-coverage on Umno president’s speech in the newspapers on Thursday.

He said:

"Today is the first time the Umno president’s speech is not being read by the masses because a particular ethnic group controls the distribution line of newspapers and they are on holiday."

He wanted the government to look into this total control by the Indian vendors, asking for more Malay participation in this area. Bollocks!

The issue here is simple:

There were no newspapers on Thursday - barring Utusan Malaysia and Oriental Daily - because it was a Deepavali public holiday. It was a public holiday just like when newspapers are not published for Hari Raya and Chinese New Year.

Why must vendors or newspapers remain working on an agreed shutdown date? Just for Umno AGM and for all to read the PM’s speech?

Well then, why in the first place did Umno hold its AGM on Deepavali day? Shouldn’t Khairy be thinking about that first instead on jumping and making racial warnings at the Indian vendors?

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said it well:

"The holding of the Umno General Assembly during Deepavali, a gazetted public holiday, had also upset many Malaysians, both Hindus and non-Hindus, as it seems to point to a growing pattern of insensitivity by the powers-that-be in the country.

If the MIC, MCA or Gerakan had held their annual party assemblies during Hari Raya holidays, it would have been regarded as highly insensitive, offensive and unacceptable – and undoubtedly pressures would have been brought to bear to move such assemblies to another date.

Why wasn’t the same consideration given in the case of this year’s Umno General Assembly clashing with Deepavali – as the excuse that Abdullah had a "tight schedule" is simply just unacceptable?"

Kit Siang is right. Khairy should apologise to the Indian vendors for scandalising them. In fact his master plan is to further marginalise them so that the control of the distribution line of newspapers would actually go to the majority race.

And just as Khairy should apologise to the Indian vendors, the Umno leadership should apologise to the Indian community over its selfish behaviour in dismissing and disregarding the cultural sentiments of the third biggest race in this multi-cultural country.

I leave this posting with this witty remark I found posted by a reader in Kit Siang’s blog:

"For KJ, good luck in the coming elections, trying holding it during Thaipusam!"

I couldn’t agree more. Ha! Ha!

p/s: malaysian nanban bravely reminded khairy in its editorial today that the issue was not with indian vendors, but rather with the party holding its meeting during deepavali.