Paying Tribute to Shamsiah Fakeh, Fighter for Malaysian Independence

This blog pays tribute to Shamsiah Fakeh, the lady who fought for Malaysian Independence through her own choice of the left wing methods. She died age 84, at her son's residence in Jalan Kuchai Lama on Monday 20th October 2008 9 a.m.

Shamsiah is a heroine in her own right. I have read her memoirs earlier this year. She came from a very tough life since young up to her older days when she worked in exile in factories at China for almost 4 decades before allowed to return to her homeland Malaysia in 1994 after a peace truce between communists and the Malaysian goverment.

Shamsiah was the leader of the 10th Regiment of Malayan Communist Party (PKM), Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS - Female division of PKMM). They struggled against British colonizers.

Putting aside the political ideologies, I personally think Shamsiah is sincere in her efforts to free Malaysia back then.

This blog pays tribute and expresses condolences on the passing of an important person in the pages of Malaysian history.

In the foreword of her book, she states that she does not want to be remembered only as the female leader of CPM. Instead, she said : “I was merely a woman fighting the British for my country's independence and the emancipation of women.”

Rest in Peace, Shamsiah Fakeh.



Sites :
The Star : Veteran communist leader Shamsiah Fakeh, 84, dies
Malaysiakini : Shamsiah Fakeh meninggal dunia
Malaysiakini : Ex-CPM member Shamsiah Fakeh dies
Wikipedia : Shamsiah_Fakeh
Roslan SMS : Shamsiah Fakeh srikandi Malaya
The Star : To exile and back again

On Teresa Kok-initiated Suit, Alhabshee's Statements, Rocky's Bru Opinions and Utusan

According to Malaysiakini and The Star online, Teresa Kok, who was detained using ISA is planning to sue Utusan and a certain political figure.

Rocky's Bru posted the entry In defence of Utusan Malaysia . Certain people even applauded UMNO Cheras Syed Ali Alhabshee's initiative to aid Utusan. I remain skeptical over Rocky's Bru and Syed Ali's intentions after reading the entry What Is Press Freedom To You? in the blog "Malaysia Says the Darndest Things".

As for my opinion : Revocation of the suit should only be done if Utusan publishes a formal public apology on its front page.

On the previous statements, I'd say Utusan should only offer a public apology if they are reporting a fake news.

I am not optimistic.

Why Teresa should sue? I think Malaysians know who control the media, and it is certainly not DAP, PAS or PKR. So, if there is any truth that the media is controlled and instructed to write something biased (inconclusive assumption) against the enemies of the controller and this may be very disadvantageous in a lopsided "war" against DAP, PAS, PKR and we all know how widespread traditional media is.

Why we can't equate mainstream media with bloggers?
1) Majority bloggers are not controlled by a single party or entity.

2) Blogs are not as widespread as traditional media. Traditional media can thrive in suburban or village areas whereas the penetration of blogs in this area may be exceedingly low.

3) Blogs allow politicians to explain themselves over the net. Does traditional media allow that (in their papers) if they are controlled or instructed?

The subjects above only apply if the traditional media is controlled and instructed by a single party with political propaganda in mind.

However, if the media is not controlled and free to write and allow Teresa to explain herself to dismiss any form of biased propaganda, then only the suit should be revoked.

No double standards.

P.S. On another subject which may or may not be related : Maybe one day, there should be a form of categorisation to differentiate between news (as in whole truth) and propaganda papers (half truth, twisted truth and lies).

Peaceful Anti-ISA Vigil-Turned-March

The Star reports Almost 2,000 in anti-ISA gathering . The peaceful gathering was on 27 September 2008

Malaysiakini reports Anti-ISA vigil turns into peace march by Andrew Ong and Rahmah Ghazali on Sep 27, 08 8:08pm
updated 11.15pm : A candlelight vigil turned into a 1km march through downtown Kuala Lumpur, which strangely went undisturbed by the police. [VIDEOS INSIDE]
MORE
-> Police presence surprisingly light
-> Crowd dispersed at about 9pm

Malaysiakini also, generously offers some videos :
1) Anti-ISA vigil turns into peace march
2) Incident-free Hindraf Vigil
3) Anti-ISA lantern walk attracts youth

Meanwhile, Haris Ibrahim posted Peaceful birthday, dear Pete. We love you.

"Pete" refers to Raja Petra Kamarudin, who is one of the person arrested using the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). The walk is primarily an anti-ISA march, with concentration on detained Hindraf leaders and Raja Petra (RPK).

The numbers who turned up is large. It seems that many Malaysians are unhappy with the usage of ISA.

Some participants sang "Happy Birthday to RPK" for his 58th.

Pictures and clips from the Peaceful Vigil-turned-Peaceful March to be posted at in next blog entry. (by this blogger : Sagaladoola, stay tuned...)

In the meantime, Susan Loone posted an entry titled Please join this protest for RPK, HINDRAF & other ISA detainees . It seems she has a proposal for netizens to voice out their concern on this matter.

Arrests and Probes on Malaysian Bloggers

RPK Sent to Kamunting (ISA), Teresa Kok, Kickdefella Arrested and Freed, Negarakuku Rapper Probed

Malaysiakini reported Raja Petra sent to Kamunting , written by S Pathmawathy on Sep 23, 08 9:09am
Raja Petra Kamarudin was sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre today to begin his two-year detention under ISA. He arrived at the camp at 11.50am. MORE
-> He is held under section 8 of ISA
-> Detention can be renewed indefinitely

Few days back, Blogger Kickdefella of http://kickdefella.wordpress.com/ was taken to Kuala Lumpur from his hometown Kota Bahru. He recounts his experience in his three posts, Three Nights in Paradise, and Tears of Sadness , I found Al Ghazali in Dang Wangi and Sheih Is Back . Allegedly, it was over the national flag and the way it is being flown / displayed online. Sheih has since been released.

Teresa Kok, a Member of Parliament as well as a blogger ( http://www.teresakok.com/ ), was detained few days before Sheih. Teresa recounts her ISA experience and questions “What have I done? What have I said?”. Earlier, a Sin Chew daily reporter (Tan Hoon Cheng) was also arrested and released on a subsequent day.

Cops grill Negarakuku rapper, Wee Meng Chee ( http://namewee.blogspot.com/ ) was asked to translate his popular but controversial 'Negarakuku' Chinese rap song into Bahasa Malaysia. Namewee (his popular name) is purportedly probed under Sedition act.

On the same day, this news came out, the famous social-political blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin of Malaysia Today ( http://mt.m2day.org/ ) is being sent to Kamunting for detention under Internal Security Act. It was said Raja Petra had earlier seen it coming.

I disagree with the usage of Internal Security Act on anyone. I feel very disappointed and unhappy. I do not know what will happen to Raja Petra when he is in Kamunting.

Guardian.co.uk , one of the famous news sites and publications in Britain has posted an article titled In praise of ... Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin .

Hats off to all bloggers and reporter who have been arrested. I mourn and will not be celebrating Merdeka for a few coming years until I can feel the real spirit of it.

Malaysia Day September 16 : Of ISA and Anticipation

Sin Chew reporter released by Malaysiakini Team on Sep 13, 08 4:19pm
Sin Chew Daily senior reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was released this afternoon and she is now back at home in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
- Held from 8.30pm to 2.30pm
- 'Detained for her own safety'

I was shocked when I read the news above. I did not know that people could be detained for their own safety. It seems the Detained is the one whose safety is compromised and not the person who caused it. Silly me, this is Malaysia. I should not be too surprised with such a thing. After all, our theme is "Malaysia Boleh". Blogger What A Lulu provides a better opinion on this matter.

There are many candlelight vigils which had been held these past few days, by National Union of Journalists, Pakatan Rakyat, bloggers and Seputeh area residents.

jelas.info : The Blog House Vigil
anilnetto.com : Activists hold candle-light vigil in Penang on a dark day for democracy
Malaysiakini : Short vigil in Bukit Aman

etc. etc.

It seems many are not very pleased with the usage of Internal Security Act. That includes me. According to Malaysiakini Law Minister Zaid 'tenders resignation'. If there is anyone from Barisan Nasional that gets my respect now, that person would be Zaid Ibrahim.

Malaysia Day (Hari Malaysia) is today. It differs from the August 31st Independence Day annual celebration in the sense that Hari Malaysia commemorates the official entry of Eastern Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak into the nation.

In short, Sabah and Sarawak became independent on 16th September.

Will Malaysia get a new government for the very first time after more than half-a-century of having the same party (Barisan Nasional) helming the governance?

My friends, family, colleagues are waiting with bated breath. Some of my chinese friends say this is more anticipatory and intersting than the Mooncake festival they were celebrating on Sunday. Whatever the outcome may be, it has been a long wait.

Will we get it? Read Tian Chua's E Contrario : We Are Ready & On Track and judge for yourself.

Note : Visit http://freeteresa.dapmalaysia.org/ for more information on Teresa's current status. Visit http://mt.m2day.org/2008 for more information on Raja Petra Kamarudin, who is one of the ISA detainees.

ISA should be abolished.

Malaysia on International News - ISA, Raja Petra, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng

Malaysia made news all over the world.

The incident is international now.

UK, America, Australia, Netherlands, Qatar, France Philippines, Canada, Singapore among the many nations wrote about the arrest of Raja Petra Kamarudin, Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng were held using draconian law Internal Security Act.

It is advisable for all to read this entry by Nathaniel Tan of Jelas.info : Malaysia’s Moment to Unite .

As a Malaysian, I would say I do not support the use of ISA on anybody.

Using existing laws to deal with the situation is more advisable than internet censoring. However, existing draconian laws should be removed and other common laws should be opted instead.

This is a sad day in Malaysia, especially during the month of Ramadan.

Malaysians, please pay attention to Haris Ibrahim's advice in his post : Don’t fear a dying beast’s last strike, but don’t fall for its rouse either

I would like to call upon all Malaysians to do these:

1. Remain calm

2. Do not do anything rash

3. Do not take to the street

4. Do not be instigated by people to demonstrate

5. Just voice it out in your blog, your comments to the blogs, and inform your friends and relatives about the situation

6. Call your Aduns or MPs and voice out your objection about these arrests and urge your representatives to voice out

7. Members of political parties, sms your leaders to pressure them to voice out

We shall object to these draconian acts by using civility and do not fall into the traps of giving the big brother a chance to declare emergency rule……

There are many other things that we should heed from the posting above.

Malaysians - Malays, Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazan.. etc all should stay calm and united. We should love each other as Malaysians ....
_____________________________________________

International News

Malaysia: Free Journalists and Parliamentarian Human Rights Watch (press release) - The Malaysian government should immediately and unconditionally release two journalists and an opposition politician arrested on September 12, 2008, ...

Leading website editor arrested under Internal Security Act Reporters without borders (press release), France - Reporters Without Borders condemns today’s arrest of online journalist Raja Petra Kamarudin, for posing a threat to “security, peace and public order” under ...

Malaysian opposition lawmaker, 2 journalists held International Herald Tribune, US - Police arrested a Malaysian opposition lawmaker and two journalists on Friday under a law allowing their indefinite detention without trial, sparking fears the government was preparing a major crackdown on dissent. Opposition parties denounced the arrests as a violation of human rights and a setback to democracy......

Blogger's detention sparks fears BBC News, UK - By Robin Brant Late on Tuesday night, I spoke to Raja Petra Kamarudin. We were supposed to meet face-to-face earlier in the day, but Malaysia's most ...

Malaysia blogger's arrest creates dangerous precedent guardian.co.uk, UK - Even before his arrest, Malaysia's most political blogger, Raja Petra Kamarudin, was attracting hundreds of readers to Malaysia Today, a website renowned ...

Amid arrests and threats, Malaysia cracks down CPJ Press Freedom Online, New York -The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the arrests today of Raja Petra Kamarudin, founder and editor of the ...

Malaysia Internet Ban on Anti-Government Web Site Draws Outcry eWeek, New York - has pulled the plug on a popular news portal often critical of the government, sparking protests from a resurgent opposition. ...

Malaysia‘s top anti-government blogger arrested Ottawa Recorder, Canada - Police arrested Malaysia‘s top anti-government blogger Friday under a law allowing ...

KL nabs 3 in ISA crackdown Straits Times, Singapore - MALAYSIA yesterday embarked on a crackdown, arresting controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and a ...

Police arrest Malaysian blogger ABC Online, Australia - A prominent anti-government blogger in Malaysia has been detained under the country's harsh Internal Security ...

Malaysian blogger arrested Aljazeera.net, Qatar - Malaysian authorities have detained a government critic by invoking a colonial-era security law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. ...

Malaysian opposition defers bid for power Gulf Times, Qatar - Malaysia’s opposition alliance has deferred a planned bid to unseat the government, initially set for September 16, although a media crackdown ...

Malaysian bloggers, journalists brace for wider crackdown Inquirer.net, Philippines - AT least two bloggers, a journalist, and one opposition politician were arrested under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act (ISA) on September 12 in what media ...

Malaysian politician, reporters detained under security law Monsters and Critics.com - Malaysian police have detained an opposition lawmaker, a local reporter and a controversial blogger under a draconian law that allows for ...

Malaysia arrests blogger, probes 3 newspapers Reuters India, India - Malaysian police arrested a prominent blogger on Friday while authorities probed three newspapers, including a Chinese daily, ...

Malaysian blogger Raja Petra detained ZDNet Asia, Asia - The Malaysian government Thursday lifted its controversial directive to block access to political portal Malaysia Today but ...

Malaysian Blogger Arrested for Anti-Government Comments Online The Inquisitr, Australia - Authorities in Malaysia arrested editor and founder of Malaysia Today Raja Petra Kamarudin for posting anti-govenment comments on his website. ...

Malaysia locks up journalist Radio Netherlands, Netherlands - Malaysian authorities have arrested Malaysian journalist Raja Petra Kamarudin, two weeks after banning his popular news blog, Malaysia Today. ...

Malaysian Blogger Arrested PoliGazette, Netherlands - Raja Petra Kamarudin, a popular blogger-activist in Malaysia, was arrested by government officials Friday afternoon. The government accuses Kamarudin, ...

As September 16 Grows Near, COINCIDENCE occurences increase

September 16 is very near. Just one week away from the Big Day. Malaysia will probably witness its most significant event in 51 years, the change of government. As the date draws near, many strange incidents begin to unfold.

Study Trip ( Lawatan Sambil Belajar )
Barisan Nasional (BN) suddenly sends its own Members of Parliament for a study trip, "Lawatan Sambil Belajar" to Taiwan. The congregation is not exactly small, as it was reported in the papers, 50 of them. BN has a total number of 140 members in the Parliament, 50 would account for slightly more than one-third (1/3) of BN MPs.

Now, wouldn't that be a big waste of taxpayers money? BN was smart enough to reply the trip is "self-funded". Hearing that, I am still unhappy. Now, why would it be the case since it is not stated as taxpayers money? Perhaps, I am confused with the term "self-funded". Maybe, I am curious as to where the "self-funded" money would come from if it is not from the taxpayers fund. Perhaps, the money of the individual or party. Now, where did the money of the party come from?

The cost aspect would be the least of the concerns. Reporters were smart enough to question the timing of the massive study trip tour. Was it because of potential party hoppers to Pakatan come September 16? "No, no and no" was the answer.

It is just a COINCIDENCE.

What can I say?

DNA Bill
Not to mention there is a DNA Bill being tabled. Some people regarded the way it is being tabled as quite rushed. Suddenly, the MPs are concerned about solving crime using DNA. I am sure it is not about Anwar although there is a Sodomy charge against him ten years after a different charge back then in 1998. Yes, I am working very hard to convince myself.

Maybe, it is just a COINCIDENCE again.

What can I say?

Ahmad Ismail and "Squatters"
Finally, there is this "classic hero" who purportedly said Chinese are "squatters" during the Permatang Pauh by-election. Perhaps, with other attached statements, I am starting to entertain the idea that this is his way of getting support from the non-Malays for his party candidate. How ironic.

Ahmad is not willing to back off from his statement. Najib apologised and said UMNO is not involved in the matter and it was made of personal capacity. Abdullah keeps on asking Ahmad Ismail to explain the issue although the party has yet to decide to take any harsh action on that person.

Suddenly, the Armed Forces chief said "Racial issues can create chaos" and made some suggestions. It is not common for the Armed Forces Chief to utter such public statements on civilian issues.

Perhaps it is by COINCIDENCE that he wanted to say something on this. Oh, what can I say?

Gerakan, MCA and "Squatters"
Gerakan, which is a Barisan Nasional component party, has become quite vocal on this "squatters" statement. Readers and Malaysians should consider this : Did anyone compare Koh Tsu Koon's reaction on the Hishamuddin keris waving issue pre-12th General Election (pre-PRU12) and the "squatters" statement issue post-12th General Election (post PRU-12)?

Which reaction is bigger? The former or the latter? In my opinion it is the latter. It should be noted that Koh is a Member of Parliament pre-PRU 12 and no longer one post-PRU 12.

Wanita Gerakan issued a statement urging the sacking of Ahmad Ismail. There are recommendations to use the Internal Security Act (ISA). Malaysiakini and The Star has the story.

Malaysians should be reminded that Internal Security Act is a draconian act. Suspects can be imprisoned indefinitely. It is mind-boggling that Wanita Gerakan would make such a proposal. As a Malaysian, I will not support Wanita Gerakan's call to impose ISA although I disagree with Ahmad's words. Why did Gerakan propose the draconian ISA?

As Mind-boggling as it is, perhaps, it is by COINCIDENCE again that somehow they get that idea.

I doubt Gerakan Penang breaking out of Barisan Nasional will have any significant impact on Barisan Nasional. If we are viewing from the Federal Government perspective (after all, September 16 is all about that), the impact is even lesser. Gerakan is completely "wiped out" in Penang during PRU-12. It's other Federal MPs come from other states, therefore severing ties from the Penang state level is not entirely fruitful to wake UMNO up.

Furthermore, since Gerakan Penang has no significant number of MPs, it has nothing much to lose. Is it by COINCIDENCE that this move will probably restore some lost credibility on Gerakan Penang among Penangites? If Gerakan is sincere in making its points known, perhaps it should consider to entirely move out of Barisan Nasional from all areas. After all, severed ties in any state can be easily mended.

As for the party called MCA, which has the representative term "chinese" affixed in the middle of its name, its response to this issue is quite unconvincing. Gathering signatures, press conferences and issuing "warnings of severing ties with Bukit Bendera UMNO" are totally ineffective to improve the party's image, which may be perceived in my opinion, as lack of courage.

Comparatively, although as an overall both are not effectively convincing, the least of all, Gerakan Penang took the drastic move. Gerakan executed from the state level whereas MCA only warns of cutting ties with a tiny constituent, Bukit Bendera. Deeds are better than words and indeed, Gerakan Penang performed as spoken.

Conclusion
September 16 is very near and it seems that COINCIDENCES are abundant. I did not believe Anwar when he initially uttered the potential of getting a new government by September 16. My skepticism prevailed until recently. I mean, with so many COINCIDENCES happening, it must really mean something, right?

Could those be the signs?

Note: If the words "Warganegara Malaysia"appear on your authentic National Registration Identification Card and you are born in Malaysia, then that shows that you are a "Malaysian citizen" and not a "Malaysian squatter / immigrant".

I would like to call for all Malaysians : Malays, Chinese, Indians etc. to respect and refrain from using sensitive labels on each other although we may dislike what others have said.

Why Is It Hard to Accept An Apology In My Personal Capacity?

Yesterday, Najib, whose job includes the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, the chief of Barisan Nasional whip and the Vice-President of UMNO apologised publicly for a racially-slanted statement made on Malaysian Chinese during the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Malaysiakini reported that Ahmad Ismail, division chief of Bukit Bendera UMNO purportedly described minority Chinese as "immigrants squatting" in Malaysia.

1) One must truly notice the irony of the situation. It was Ahmad who was alleged to have uttered such words but the person who apologised is Najib. Why Najib but not Ahmad?

2) Why did a representative apologise only after the Permatang Pauh by-election and not immediately right after the statement was made?

3) Certain leadership within the Party had tried to distance it from the unbecoming statements by attaching the term "personal capacity" on this matter.

Are leaders allowed to make such statements in personal capacity during election or by-election campaigning and get away from any punishments while another party representative apologises?

4) If the answer to the above (2) is a "Yes", then try to imagine this scenario.

Let's say (imagine), if most (take for example, 6 out of 10) leaders campaigning for their own Party in an election/by-election of constituent X tell the voters that certain races are "squatters" in Malaysia, would that still be considered statements made in "personal capacity" and not a party stand?

Wouldn't that be ironic or strange if it is considered of "personal capacity"?

5) If the answer to point (2) is a "No", a necessary question to ask : Will there be any punishment meted on leaders from the party uttering racially-sensitive slanted statements not in line with the stand of Party and causing dissatisfaction within Barisan Nasional components?

Isn't unity an important element within BN?

To date, the person who made the statement in "personal capacity" is standing by his words.

6) What if one of the person who said something like this holds an important position within the ranks?

Isn't Division Chief an important position?

There is something called "leadership by example". Can any leader who possess such sentiment and not apologetic about it be a good example to members? Can such leader still be trusted to represent Malaysians as a Member of Parliament?

7) If a leader said something which is not in the form of good leadership, not setting a good example, not synonymous with the party stand, not in the spirit of the Barisan Nasional coalition, not settling, in fact causing much Malaysians to be dissatisfied, not jiving with the spirit of unity in Malaysia, will the Party hesitate to take any publicly-widely-known action on a leader?

Did the Party advise the person to apologise personally on his statement made on "personal capacity"?

There is a plus point that Najib is willing to come forward to apologise but perhaps these issues should be addressed and the questions answered.

Is Malaysia Totally Screwed Up? BN or PR?

Blogger Che Det had just posted an entry titled WHY DON'T I DO SOMETHING . I can't help it but notice point number 15 to 18.

It would be something like, if we have Barisan Nasional at the helm of the governance, we are in a bad shape. On the other hand, if we have the current opposition form a new government, the country will also suffer.

Perhaps, we are screwed either way? The particular personal opinion describes the future as all dark and gloomy.

Like it or not, we have to choose.

The citizens can easily identify the methods of the current leadership of BN and predict where it will lead the nation. Malaysians have seen much these few years and I would say many are not pleased.

Whereas, Malaysia has never experienced a change in government. Perhaps, a slightly different way of handling things would suffice. Would Pakatan Rakyat be enough?

I am still waiting for significant improvements on "governance" within Barisan Nasional, especially UMNO. A reform is certainly needed. I do not consider a party that retains a leader who describes non-Malay Malaysian citizens as immigrants and not apologetic for his statements, to be a positive reform plan. Almost all non-Malay Malaysians, especially Malaysian Chinese are born in Malaysia. Second-hand apology is 'unacceptable'.

Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat? My current choice would still be the latter.

Malaysia Today Address Blocked, What about Blogs ?

Malaysiakini reported Malaysia Today blocked! Order from MCMC :
Excerpt: In a rare move, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has ordered all internet service providers (ISPs) to block controversial online portal Malaysia Today.

I was definitely shocked by this piece. Being a blogger and a frequent visitor of http://www.malaysia-today.net/ , to be denied entry is a serious bad news for me. On top of that, if the article is true, that is even more shocking, considering the fact that Malaysia is a free country and its citizens granted freedom of speech by the Constitution.

For the time being , Malaysia Today has re-launched its site at a temporary address ( http://mt.harapanmalaysia.com/2008 ). One can never know how long will this address be sustenable. The one thing certain in Malaysia these days is the assurance of uncertainty. Truly ironic but that is the fact.

Further details on configuring notebooks and laptops can be found here :
http://mt.harapanmalaysia.com/2008/content/view/11912/84/

Is it a coincidence that Malaysia-today.net address is blocked right after Anwar won in Permatang Pauh ? Seriously, I do hope it is a coincidence. If it is politically intentional, then there would be a serious cause of concern. I believe it is not necessary to elaborate further on this.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Insider reports : Somebody to target blogosphere next. Should I only write about cooking and shopping next time... ? Certainly, that is not what I like.

Good luck Malaysians ....... Please inform others of the new Malaysia Today address ....

Updates 07 September 2008 11.59 p.m.
Currently, http://mt.harapanmalaysia.com has been blocked.

The new address is http://mt.m2day.org/2008 .

Anwar : The New Opposition and Pakatan Rakyat Leader ?

This month has been a very busy month. Other than suffering from work fatigue, I am also suffering from political fatigue. Too much of drama and work. However, I feel that, as a SoPo blogger and commentator since 2004, I should say something about a positive news.

Malaysiakini reports Official: Anwar gets BIGGER majority.

Finally, Anwar Ibrahim can get back into Parliament after 10 years of waiting and working. Anwar won with a big majority of 15500++ votes in Permatang Pauh, a constituency previously held by his wife, Wan Azizah.

Will we see a New Dawn in Malaysia? It is hard to tell yet but expectations are abound, reading what was written in the free edition of reader commentaries in Malaysiakini title 'Khairy, look who got buried!' .

Summarily, the public expects him to be back in the parliament to do these few things :

1) End racial discriminatory policies that are not beneficial to the nation.

2) Combat corruption.

3) Establish better, more efficient systems and governance.

4) Better democracy for Malaysia.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? I do not think those are easy to be done.

I am a person who always reserve a benefit of doubt but his installation as an MP into the Federal Parliament would provide me as well as millions of Malaysians a chance for him to prove his integrity, sincerity and dedication to deliver the above.

Should Anwar be able to form a new government by September 16th, I would not mind that the above are not able to be completely achieved in one term. To rectify problems that lasted for 4 to 5 decades is not easy.

However, the most important thing is the sincerity and the progressive direction in achieving the above.

Happy 4th Anniversary, Online Portal Malaysia Today

Malaysia Today ( http://www.malaysia-today.net/ ) was incepted 4 years ago. I wasn't there exactly at the same time it appeared but precisely around 13th August 2004.

I recall it was right after the 2004 election, which saw the massive landslide victory of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's coalition party . It is the biggest win ever in history by Barisan Nasional.

At that time, Malaysia Today was attached to blogger.com . However, around 2005 it had to move into its own domain due to overwhelming traffic and user commentaries.

Malaysia Today even made it into top 10 most visited news site in Malaysia, putting it on par with The Star ( a mainstream media with an online version). The main factor of the success of Malaysia Today lies in the airing of public opinions in the form of comments on articles, letters and blogs.

Other than that, the online portal indirectly inspired and spurred its commenters to set up blogs. With more voice, comes more democracy.

Perhaps, in the past, Malaysia Today was seen as a simple site that brings no effect to governance. The 12th General Election proved otherwise although it should not be dismissed that other factors play a part.

Malaysia Today merely highlights issues.that mainstream media may not publish due to vague reasons. Malaysia has a law called Printing, Publications and Presses Act (PPPA) . In it, a clause subjects all related media to make an annual renewal of their licenses.

Today, on the 4th Anniversary, its founder is faced with much difficulties, facing lawsuits from "left, right and centre". Numerous hacker attacks have tried to bring it down. Perhaps, Malaysia Today is not as not influential as many had previously thought.

Public opinion shall persist from this 4th Anniversary onwards. Memetically, Malaysia Today had propelled the silent majority to evolve from being silent to speaking up. Malaysians are yet to be wholesomely enlightened but the numbers are growing.

With that, this blog would like to thank and congratulate the Malaysia Today team;

First and foremost, Raja Petra Kamarudin for giving us this spendid site, ....

its editors, for constantly extracting news, letters and bringing up the site when its down, ....

its common article contributors, namely Azly Rahman, Bakri Musa, Mohd Sayuti Omar, Hishammuddin Rais, your writings are complimentary ....

and all Malaysia Today readers, commenters, bloggers, e-mail forwarders, word-by-mouth communicators which constitute the concerned citizens of Malaysia.

Malaysia Today is here to stay... !

My Opinion on the Recent Interfaith Dialogue

Malaysiakini had an entry titled : Bar Council's forum: More shelling for police, protesters . This is the excerpt :

Twelve non-governmental organisations today signed a joint statement, denouncing the high-handed action taken by Muslim protestors and the police to stop an open discussion on legal issues related to the conversion to Islam.

The blogger Kaytee posted some notable comments on the issue ( Who had insulted Islam? ) .

This is not the first time that a public forum revolving around Interfaith dialogue is disrupted with similar protests or rough approach.

As a Malaysian, I am quite disappointed with the outcome although such happening is not really unexpected. This incident makes me think for a while before writing. I was trying to decipher and analyse the implicit cause of such response from particular Muslims.

On the subject at hand, indeed the theme "Conversion to Islam" is sensitive but does that mean it should not be brought up as a public discussion? I think it should, considering the fact that Islam is the official religion of the nation and every citizen would be affected (directly or/and indirectly) by that.

Furthermore, over the years there are unpleasant cases of body-snatching, Lina Joy among others causing confusion and disagreements among Malaysians. The best attempt to iron all these out is to hold discussions for both sides of the party (Muslims and non-Muslims) to table their opinion, questions, priorities and maybe, voice out their dilemmas.

Issues as described above can only be solved when both sides of the parties get to know what each other are thinking. A common understanding can only be formulated if all factors are taken into account. Without discussion, none of these are achievable.

A dialogue does not instantly promise a solution but it does indeed help in getting more minds to think and therefore, the possibility of achieving an agreable amicable solution is higher and perhaps quicker. It is a long journey but more brains create greater synergy.

Why can't Malaysians see the dialogue this way? Why can't Malaysians look further and be far-sighted?

Religion/faith is a sensitive issue to all. It touches the core of one's soul and more often than not emotions run deep. But, in order to sort out related issues emotion has to be temporarily put aside.

Besides, a dialogue should not be literally seen as negatively "challenging" one's religion. It should be viewed in the positive light of promoting inter-religious tolerance, inculcating understanding and sorting out problems.

Reading news like Molotov cocktail scare and No, this 'Babi' will Not 'Balik Cina' are disappointing. Interfaith dialogue has nothing to do with race, animals or China. It absolutely has nothing to do with violence.

Perhaps, all Malaysians should try to comprehend this phrase "I may not agree with what you have said but I will defend your right to say it".

Anyway, Blogger Kickdefella said there could be some other people who is behind this in his latest post. That makes me curious when I think of it ... Could it be? Must really read and analyse....

Free Arrested Blogger Penarik Beca @ Bakaq !

Blogger Penarik Beca @ Bakaq, who writes on http://penarikbeca.blogspot.com/ and administers http://www.malaysiakita-bakaq.blogspot.com/ had been arrested yesterday.

As for the exact reasons of the arrest, nothing concrete has been made known to me. It is indeed sad to know the unfortunate has caught on one of the core bloggers who started off his blogs pre-12th General Election.

In the meantime, bloggers from the same generation had assembled amidst heavy rain to lend support to Bakaq. Mahaguru58 wrote the entry Bakaq's Arrest - Bloggers Gathering at Bukit Perdana with supplementary pictures.

Bakaq's latest contribution to the Malaysian socio-political scene is the speculative disclosure of secrets in the recent UMNO-PAS discussions.

My personal encounter with Bakaq is limited to the websphere. From the exchanges of conversation with him, I can say he is a polite, patriotic person dedicated to serving the nation that prompted him into blogging.

Such situation reminds me of other bloggers' arrest such as Nat Tan and Raja Petra. Rocky's Bru wrote Another blogger detained in Malaysia.

As a blogger from the same generation, I am saddened by this episode and would like to call for all bloggers to support the call for his release.

Anwar in Permatang Pauh, PAS Will Not Join BN, Ex-MCA People Leave BN

PAS and BN
Previously I had blogged with a question as the title : Will PAS Embrace Islam Hadhari or Join BN?

Thankfully, the answer from PAS is a "NO". It was said that PAS is greatful to both the Malay and non-Malay communities and if there is any future discussions, the party would try to include other components of Pakatan Rakyat. Maybe, common sense had finally caught on with the PAS faction that spoke with UMNO regarding the issue of "Malay Unity". PAS should realise that Malaysians voted for it to speak about "Malaysian Unity" which logically includes the interests of Malays under its theme.

I hope PAS will be cautious in making future decisions on discussions as such.

Ex-MCA People and BN
In the meantime, Malaysiakini had just posted a report titled Ex-MCA leader defects to PKR.

Accordingly ... (from Malaysiakini) ...

Former MCA Wanita deputy chief Dr Tan Yee Kew today crossed over with 1,700 others to PKR in Klang - the constituency which she once represented for 13 years. She was three-term Klang MP.

Now, this exodus should be a cause for concern within Barisan Nasional : A popular leader with a big crowd crossing over to Pakatan Rakyat.

Remember, remember, the "Crossover", 16th of September? Can anyone recall what Anwar Ibrahim had said about that date? It is only 6 weeks away. The clock is ticking.

Anwar and Permatang Pauh
Meanwhile, Wan Azizah had announced her resignation from the Permatang Pauh constituency to allow her husband Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election.

Permatang Pauh is the stronghold for PKR and of course, Anwar, even he was in UMNO. The campaigning had started. YB Lim Kit Siang of DAP said, "Permatang Pauh by-election - turn it into a mini political tsunami".

Winning for Anwar should not be difficult under 'normal conditions' , looking at history. His party and himself is concerned that he would be arrested, and that could make things quite complex.

Will PAS Embrace Islam Hadhari or Join BN?

July is indeed a busy week. Therefore, time to blog is extremely scarce, with exams and office projects progressing at the same fast pace.

However, politics in Malaysia is at all times boring, slow and at its utmost unpleasant.

Will PAS Embrace Islam Hadhari?
1) I have been reading many articles about PAS having dialogue with UMNO over something called "Malay Unity". Perhaps, PAS has forgotten a few things, particularly of the events that transpired before the 12th General Election of 8th March 2008.

2) PAS has forgotten that it gained its biggest win in the Malaysian history resulting from the support through votes of Malaysians disregarding race and religion although PAS is typically a party leaned towards Islam. The proposed Welfare State (Negara Berkebajikan) is indeed more welcome to all rather than the concept of a purely theological State based on supposed interpretation of Islam and Hudud laws.

3) Since Malaysians have placed away many of their suspicion on the party, PAS should have discussed "Malaysian Unity" which by its own virtue include Malaysian Malay unity instead of concentrating on the latter, alone.

4) Ironically, PAS, a Pakatan Rakyat component is in talks with UMNO, the chief of Barisan Nasional on such matters. Why can't PAS speak with PKR, PSM or DAP on this matter and formulate plans to strengthen the unity of all races?

5) Why should it be UMNO? It is hard for a Malaysian not to view this negatively. After all, such talks arouse much suspicion, which brings us to the question : Will PAS eventually switch over to BN?

6) Even Sheih Kickdefella, a PAS supporter does not sound too happy in his post Baling Batu Tangan Sembunyi Dekat Belakang. I echo his words :

"I run to PAS not to be with Abdullah, ......."

and on top of that, I shall add, in my own volition, "and definitely not for it to be with Barisan Nasional".

7) If PAS switches over to BN, I shall personally conclude that PAS is no different than the UMNO it criticised pre-12th General Election. Any PAS leader, member of supporter should take note of this.

Raja Petra and Anwar Updates

Raja Petra has been freed.

Somebody on the net is talking about something called "criminal defamation" and "sedition". From what I comprehend, these two terms account for two different things under the legal system. I am so confused as to what is transpiring now in Malaysia. It is so mind-boggling.

How could that happen?

Blogger CHARLES HECTOR wrote the entry Why Raja Petra charged? Because if the state wants to it can... . It is necessary to read his blog for more information.

Meanwhile . Malaysiakini reports Still no sign of Saiful's police report . It seems that Anwar alleged that he has not seen the police report detailing the crime he was alleged to be committed. If what Anwar said is true, this brings to two questions : Can an arrest be made on a person without him/her knowing his/her offense? Would that be a human rights violation?

Hopefully people from the legal circle can educate the public on this matter.

Now, Anwar Released, Raja Petra Arrested and Charged !

Elviza wrote Anwar released on police bail and I thought the people waiting for him in front of Ibu Pejabat Kontinjen Kuala Lumpur (IPK KL) can take a rest, the road block can be removed and everything can resume as usual.

Anyway, I am very displeased with the reason given on why Anwar was arrested yesterday, one hour before the 2 p.m. deadline issued in the arrest warrant An excerpt from The Star says :

"Police arrested Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim an hour before the 2pm deadline as they feared that he would not show up."

This is really mind-baffling. Did anyone read the content of the warrant? I thought the warrant only allow arrests IF he did not show up after 2 pm . This reason of "fear" is truly shocking ! If police did not obey the time prescribed and the legally issued warrant itself, what more can I say?

Meanwhile, before everyone's emotions settled down, comes another arrest. Raja Petra of Malaysia Today have been arrested !

Aarvidi wrote Raja Petra in ‘mood to fight’ . Judging by his character, he will not back down from his words. Previously, I remember reading one of his articles where he said he will not give up and shall persist till the end. Come what may .. jail etc.

As a blogging Malaysian, I admire his spirit of persistence. I appreciate his contributions in promoting understanding between races by opening spaces for public opinions and building a cleaner and more efficient government.

I am saddened by this turn of event. I give my support to him and his family in going through this ordeal.

Anwar Arrested ! This is 2008, That Was 1998 !

Goodness gracious. Fiddlesticks ......

Anwar is arrested again ! He was debating yesterday and now he is arrested !

Almost all corners of blogosphere is writing about this !

There is a commotion in our Parliament as well.

Within hours, this event has gone international ! Read this....

Read more of his arrest here:
Malaysia’s Anwar arrested over sex charges
Irish Times - Dublin,Ireland

Lawyer says Malaysia’s Anwar has been arrested on
International Herald Tribune - France

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar arrested: lawyer
Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney,New South Wales,Australia

Malaysia’s Anwar faces arrest
Aljazeera.net - Qatar

Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim arrested
Radio Australia - Melbourne,Victoria,Australia

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim arrested
BBC News - UK

Anwar Is Arrested in Malaysia After Sodomy Accusation (Update1)
Bloomberg - USA

Police Arrest Malaysian Opposition Leader
Wall Street Journal - USA

Thanks to Susan Loone who provided those links in her entry Hundreds gather to protest Anwar’s arrest .

Tony Pua said Deja Vu and there are a few wishes that he had made on the up-and-coming investigations .... read it .. Statement 2 reminds me of history ...

"2. That Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be treated with total respect and decorum as an individual who is innocent until proven guilty under Malaysian laws. We do not need another black eye for Malaysia."

Malaysian Politicians Historic First Debate: Let's Be Fair to Both

Malaysiakini reported Anwar vs Shabery in historic debate yesterday (July 15). That's Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of PKR, Pakatan Rakyat and Ahmad Shabery Cheek, our Information Minister, who is from UMNO, Barisan Nasional.

Now, why is that historic? This is the first time ever such debate (between two Malaysian politicians) are being held and televised. Some people termed this as a US-presidential style of debate. I do not see the necessity of attaching the term "US-presidential". A debate is a debate nonetheless. It only matters whether the participants are given equal time and space to supply their points. Fair Measure and Good Will are of prime importance.

In my review, I shall try my best to be fair to both debaters.

Ahmad Shabery Cheek
First and foremost, citizens should not forget to thank Ahmad Shabery Cheek for allowing the history to happen. I recall reading some news that certain politicians discouraged the Information Minister from participating.

One should know, BN has less to gain from the content of the debate. Most Malaysians do not like the recent fuel price hike. It is indeed tough to be in a position to defend the Federal government decision on this matter.

Despite all the pre-debate disadvantages and discouragement, the Information Minister attended. It has to be made known that without his presence there would be no debate. I see this as a positive development coming from BN. This is the form of reform that Malaysia needs.

Now, onto the content of the debate. I feel that he should have tabled more solid facts backing the fuel price hike decision or make more convincing counters on the points delivered by Anwar.

Furthermore, bringing out issues from the past on protests organised by Anwar does not sound convincing to me. In fact, I think the points are somehow out of topic.

Anwar Ibrahim
As usual, a seasoned politician (was the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia for a while before 1998), his points are more convincing compared to Ahmad Shabery Cheek's although the practicality in economic sense requires a thorough evaluation.

He mainly speaks within the topic, which should be the right thing to do in a debate.

He is even good in body language. Right after the debate, quickly he moved forward to shake hands with Ahmad Shabery Cheek. As a person that exudes and instils confidence, it is not surprising that many Malaysians feel that he is Prime Minister-material.

More Debates?
Is this a start to a politically mature Malaysia? Will we be able to see scenarios like Wan Azizah vs Rafidah Aziz , Lim Guan Eng vs Ong Tee Keat, Azmin Ali vs. Nazri, Nik Aziz vs. Pak Lah, Husam Musa vs. Syed Hamid Albar?

Hmmn ... Maybe Gobind Singh Deo vs. Bung Mokhtar or Teresa Kok vs. Ng Yen Yen would be interesting ... Yes, you heard it right.. from me...

Some people call for a debate between Najib or Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Anwar on national issues. That is highly essential.

It would be best if debates can be held occasionally. At least many citizens would be educated on various issues plaguing Malaysia. The nation would know which policy that politicians would prefer to solve certain problems. It is even good for the television stations and mamak stores with big TVs.

My sixth sense tells me the main motive of this event is to quell public anger through protests and such. I am a pessimist. I think it won't be possible for a 2nd debate for a long time. Let's pray that this would not be the one and only live TV debate in the history of Malaysia.

Now, let's pray I am wrong.

Pak Lah 2010

Malaysiakini reported PM hands over job to Najib in 2 years .

Why not now ? Why not 2020 ? Anyway, does anyone believe Pak Lah when he said 2010 ? It seems that Pak Lah wants time to finish his projects (Malaysiakini).

Did anyone remember Anyone saying the price of the fuel price will not rise but immediately raised. Did anyone remember Anyone saying 'getting married' are rumours but not long after that, he announced his marriage? Did anyone remember Anyone saying that he will not dissolve the parliament for election at a specific date only to eventually contradict himself by doing what he promised not to do? We shall never know when "Flip-Flops" would happen.

Previously I had written the entry No Contest for PM and DPM in UMNO . I loathed for the lack of choice that Malaysians have for Prime Minister within UMNO. Sincerely, if I had only two choices, unfortunately, between Abdullah and Najib, I would choose the former.

Sad, isn't it?

I have very pessimistic perception on the future of Malaysia.

In UMNO, my personal choice would be Tengku Razaleigh.... He speaks fluently and economic-minded (proven in the past). Unfortunately, he does not have enough support from the grassroots....

Perhaps, the best would be a change of government. It's high time for a CHANGE. It has been 50 years.

No Contest for PM and DPM in UMNO

Malaysiakini reported PM to declare no contest for Umno top 2 on Jul 10, 08 12:12pm
breaking news : According to Umno sources, Abdullah is also widely expected to announce that he would hand over the reins to Najib in two years. MORE
-> Ku Li, Muhyiddin affected
-> PM worried about nominations

The President and Vice President of UMNO are respectively the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. If the above news is true, would that be good or bad news?

For readers of this blog who knows my style, would have thought I would say it is a bad news. Perhaps, it is. Let's talk about the top spot, the President-cum-Prime Minister of Malaysia spot.

So, we will at least have Abdullah there for another two years. After Abdullah, who? Najib, perhaps.

At least we get Abdullah and not Najib for now. However, like it or not, if the political situation does not change, we shall get Najib around 2010.

Should I feel happy? Hmmn .. well .. seriously I do not know how to feel now. As for year 2010, "sigh".... we shall see how... "sigh"

We haven't got much choice anyway. Certainly ironic that this country is a so-called democratic nation but the top posts are not contestable.

I spoke to some of my Malay friends. They asked me ... if the posts are contestable and Malaysians do not want both Abdullah and Najib, who else can they nominate within UMNO?

Muhyiddin? Some say he is not Prime Minister material. Ku Li? Not enough support. Not much of good choices, they say. Now, that's really sad.

Positive News : Top Web Sites and World Heritage Sites

Malaysiakini is No 1 news site
Alexa ranked the paid news site Malaysiakini recently. This is a positive development not only for Malaysiakini itself, but on the other fact : Malaysian netizens are plausibly more aware of socio-political developments in the nation post-PRU12.

Perhaps, with news reporting which is done on a fairer measure than mainstream media, inclusion of Malaysian blogrolls, publications of letters from readers and exclusive videos on various happenings across the nation make this a must-visit site.

Other news websites to make it into the top 50 are The Star (16), Utusan Malaysia (18), Berita Harian (30), Malaysia Today (31), Harian Metro (34) and Harakah Daily (36).

I am not too happy that Malaysia Today ( http://www.malaysia-today.net/ ) only made it at no 31. I expected it to be higher in the list (meaning more visitors). However, for an independent site that runs on limited funding, it is a high achievement by itself. I have been a follower since its inception. Congratulations to Raja Petra and Malaysia Today commenters for making it happen. News coupled with public opinion does matter.

Personally, I do not really like politics, similar with many Malaysians but I feel it is unavoidable. Where there is human, there is politics. One can be ignorant if one is not affected by politics. Judging by the current situation the nation is in, the national political situation must be paid attention. It is at a critical stage where economy and livelihood of Malaysians are affected. By being knowledgeable of what is happening in the country, one can educate people who are less aware.

Note : Anyone wondering where NST stands ? Goodness gracious, I shouldn't have asked.

Youtube is no 4 and Blogger is no 5 (most visited sites)
Having an opinion is one thing but it is only through education and pro-active actions, the national situation may improve. Perhaps, that is why Blogger ranked no 5. Blogging is a form of pro-active action although it is not necessarily enough to turn things around.

Lately, The Sun reported : Abdullah hits out at slander and lies spread in cyberspace. It is not necessar to waste time to make too much out of what he said. There is nothing really significant or nothing that has never been said before. An excerpt from the words of All Blogs president Ahirudin Attan of Rocky's Bru ( http://rockybru.blogspot.com/ ) explains it all ...

In an immediate reaction, National Bloggers Alliance pro tem president and National Press Club adviser Ahirudin Attan, who blogs as Rocky's Bru, urged Abdullah and other leaders to look at the positive side of blogging.

"Labelling blogs as something negative is going back to the stone-age, because we have been through this before," he said.

Indeed .. and indeed Youtube is no 4 and Blogger is no 5 in the World Wide Web of the Information age by Malaysian standards. Further, on negative perceptions ....

Ahirudin said the government should not accuse bloggers of attempting to create negative perceptions through their postings, but should instead act on slanderous and defamatory accusations.

“Just like there are good cops and bad cops, good politicians and bad politicians, there are good blogs and bad blogs,” said Ahirudin.

Ahiruddin, the former editor of the Malay Mail, said that politicians were to blame as well “because they are the ones who give out statements”.

A blog is just a medium for discussing issues affecting the people, adding that the traditional media were also reporting the same thing, said Ahirudin ....

Georgetown, Malacca win world heritage status
Finally, after all these years.

Did anyone care to notice there are some unique similarities?

These towns are the result of the elements of pluralism. Multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-ethnic. It is hard for one to find places in the world that house Islamic Mosques of Malay-Pakistani-Indian designs, Christian/Catholic churches, Buddhist-Taoist-Confucian/Siamese/Burmese based temples, Hindu temples very near to each other.

In Malacca, one can see designs of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, English and Nyonya buildings in one place. People of different faith and religion live in various settlements and make their living peacefully in the town.

How could that be achievable? That is a question Malaysians should ask themselves. I can think of one for now.... Mutual respect. It's time to celebrate.

Clarification : Economy and Anwar-Najib Ding-Dongs

On my Sunday, July 06, 2008 post : Malaysia Circus Politics: Bloggers Declare Strike-Disgust , a reader sent me this e-mail ...
No body needs you really. Don"t put such a high value in what you write. There will be many others who will continue.No man is indispensable. Just take your ego to new heights. Cheers

My reply
I do not put a high value to what I write neither do I feel egoistic that my opinion must be embraced by everyone. This blog is written by a commoner, the average worker with average income who has a weekday job to make ends meet.

There is no intention to terminate this blog from socio-political issues but only having a temporary pre-empt (that's what the strike is all about) from writing about the Anwar-Najib ding-dongs.

Anyway .. if readers care to read the whole article in the post linked above, I wrote the statement "Instead, I shall put more concentration on economy and administration". The global economic crisis is coming and Sleepyheads in the Administration are plenty. That is where the concentration would be for this blog now, the Bread-and-Butter issue. Malaysians will suffer horribly if its economy collapses.

That is more important than the Anwar-Najib ding-dongs.

Everything else, BAU (business as usual). In fact, there are two entries today, about media, of which, one correlates with the PROTES rally.

Hope this clears up the issue on "strike".

To all readers, please put in more efforts in educating your fellow friends, families and relatives on what is happening. It is good to know there are Malaysians who care about the nation.

"Towards a Better Malaysia!"

Fed Up of The Starry Drama

Wong Chun Wai wrote Fed up with the political drama

This is what was written ....
After all, politics is all about perception. But in Malaysia, with the credibility of the government, judiciary, police and media in question, facts and evidence no longer matter.

And who can blame Malaysians? You have a private investigator P. Balasubramaniam who made incredulous allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in a statutory declaration, which ranged from anal sex to commission for a submarine deal, and then retract them barely 24 hours later.

The man should be arrested and charged in court. The perception of Malaysians now is that a statutory declaration can be written by anyone, in the presence of any lawyer, and sealed for RM6 in front of any commissioner of oath.

The statutory declaration is in danger of becoming a piece of toilet paper. You can file a document, say the nastiest things, with no evidence except “reliably informed”. What the people choose to believe will depend on their political allegiance.
_______________________________________________

It is necessary for me to say a few things. Yes, I am indeed sick, tired and fed up of the current political drama.

Yes, I have low confidence on the credibility of the government, judiciary, police and media in question but it has nothing to do with Mr. Bala's act of retracting the first Statutory Declaration. Goodness gracious.....

Besides, on the part of the phrase "reliably informed", to ascertain whether it can be treated as valid, one should check out Haris Ibrahim's latest post Hearsay and speaking from the grave (1) and Hearsay and speaking from the grave (2) (updated 09 July 2008 08.36 a.m.)

Now I am sick, tired and fed up of "questionable" media too ......

Spinning Report on Fuel Price Hike Rally

Yesterday, 6th July 2008, PROTES organised a fuel price hike protest at Stadium MPPJ Kelana Jaya, attended by approximately 10,000 participants. The rally lasted the whole day. There is an overall feel of a carnival.

Bernama reported Thousands Attend Rally Protesting Fuel Price Hike
_____________________________________________

Excerpt:
Supporters of opposition parties and extremist organisations Sunday defied orders by the authorities and joined a rally organised by the Coalition Against the Fuel Price Hike (Protes) at the Kelana Jaya Stadium here.

Comment:
"Extremist organisations"? Yawn ..... By the way, Barisan Nasional, the opposition party in Selangor was not the organiser of the event in Stadium MPPJ (a Selangor area).

Excerpt:
The presence of the police and other authorities around the stadium helped to ensure that the rally participants, some of whom were seen to be aggressive, did not resort to any mischief.

Comment:
The funny thing about this Bernama report is the failure to mention this about Rockers rile crowd at rally (Malaysian Insider). From Malaysian Insider :"It was not immediately clear why the audience was unhappy with the band. However, the story emerged that the band had been performing a number titled "Liwat" which contained rather unsavoury lyrics. The last straw was when the lead singer, turned around and pulled down his pants to expose his underwear."

Is this the cause of aggressiveness? Shouldn't this be highlighted in the same report?

Excerpt:
However, the one-day gathering themed "Protest by A Million People", caused some problems to the neighbourhood residents who had to stay indoors for fear of their safety due to the sudden appearance of thousands of people in the area.

Comment:
This is actually funny. The neighbourhood residents stay near Stadium MPPJ. So, what is a Stadium for? For sporting events, maybe concerts other than this first-time protest. How many people can a Stadium house? Thousands.... So, everytime there is a sporting event or concert, potentially thousands would come. The residents would have get used to it already. These statements are really mind-boggling. Goodness gracious.

Excerpt:
He also said that the police had received not less than 10 telephone calls from residents in the vicinity of the stadium complaining about the rally.

Comment:
I presume that would be slightly more than 10 (maybe 11 , 12) but definitely lesser than 20. It is also possible that only 10 calls were received.

Excerpt:
The rally was organised by the opposition parties to garner the sympathy of the people to protest against the government's decision to raise fuel prices last month.

Comment:
This statement is confusing. The venue was MPPJ, a Selangor area. From what I gather, Barisan Nasional, the opposition party in Selangor did not organise the rally. Pakatan Rakyat is the Selangor State Government. The Barisan Nasional Federal Government was the one who decided to raise the fuel prices last month.

Bernama sshould use the words "Barisan Nasional" and "Pakatan Rakyat" instead of "Government" and "Opposition". It is rather questionable when the latter terms are used.

"Garner the sympathy"? Hahaha.. that is a good one. The last thing I heard, there were many who were not "sympathised" but actually angry at an unconscionable fuel price hike.

There is also a lack of writings on the speeches of various MPs and people who were present in the rally.
_____________________________________________

As a conclusion, I would like to state that I do not need any news that side with either Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

I need an equal measure of fair reporting. That's all.

It is not hard to guess which side the Bernama report leans towards.

Malaysia Circus Politics: Bloggers Declare Strike-Disgust

I am joining this chorus of bloggers to express my extreme disgust, frustration, discontent at the recent Malaysia Circus Politics involving the below:

1) No end in sight to handing in and revoking Statutory Declarations. The only one acceptable to me is RPK's Statutory Declaration.

2) Police reports after police reports, allegations after allegations, denials after denials.

3) Endless "Bollywood Drama Minggu Ini" : Keeping evidences and giving out little by little.

4) Flip-flopping : Somebody said they did not meet someone, the next day Somebody said he actually did.

5) Liwat-Meliwat. Fretting over anal intercourses.

6) Suggestion on army to be involved in streets. Why do that? That should be the police's job. Somebody used to say Malaysia is not like Pakistan, not like Myanmar. Malaysia is not a military government (yet).

As a Malaysian, I would want "Justice for Altantuya", the Mongolian lady who was killed and body destroyed using a C4 bomb. In my opinion, it is still necessary for Najib to put national and party interest as priority by taking a leave and clearing his name before resuming his job.

As for Anwar, if he has any other evidences, he should for once and for all expose everything. Otherwise, make lesser episodes.....

In this day and time, we should place more attention on bread-and-butter issues, inflation, a potential looming global economic crisis/recession and a dwindling economy.

What is Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and his Administration doing to all these crucial issues? Can Pak Lah step up to the plate?

It is useless if one is only smart in playing politics but not on administering the welfare and economy of the nation. After all, poor administration is not a wise political move. This statement is dedicated to all politicians.

All these politicising has taken away our attention on the bigger threats/issues. I am too lazy to keep up with the circus politics. Tell me when the story is near the end. That is how I approach boring serial dramas. There is more to life than this. Instead, I shall put more concentration on economy and administration.

Blogs expressing similar sentiments (strike, disgust)
Rocky's Bru Malaysian bloggers on strike
Marina Mahathir's I think I'll go on strike
Jeff Ooi's Visit Meliwat Year 08
Wong Chun Wai's Sick, Tired and Fed up
Khoo Kay Peng's National Crisis
Unspun blog Sick, tired and fed up in the New Malaysia
Michelle Yoon's My open letter to Anwar Ibrahim

Should Najib Go On Leave?

Yesterday, I posted an entry titled Explosive Statutory Declarations on C4 Case .

Balasubramaniam, the private investigator of the man implicated in the murder, Abdul Razak Baginda (political secretary of Najib) made a statutory declaration that allegedly name our Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Minister of Defence Najib as related to the mentioned case.

Bala was in a press conference held by Parti Keadilan. Blogger Hard-T posted a detailed entry of the given question and answers between Bala, Anwar, their lawyer and the press. It was said there is a possibility of more exposure on the case in the near future.

YB Lim Kit Siang wrote Altantuya Murder - Najib should go on leave from his DPM duties until cleared of allegations in Balasubramaniam SD.

It has been almost two years since the case presided in the court. I agree with the suggestion that Najib should go on leave to clear his name before returning to his duties.

As you can see, this is a case of international scope, involving relationships between this nation with Mongolia and possibly China (some records of Altantuya's immigration is mysteriously missing).

Furthermore, the reputation of our own government is at stake. Judging by the performance of Barisan Nasional and UMNO in the previous general election (PRU12) which highlighted major problems of these parties in garnering support from the masses, Najib should wisely take a leave.

After all, I believe one should place the interests of the nation as the highest priority, followed by party and eventually self.

Right?

Updated 11:11 a.m. 4th July 2008
Malaysiakini reports PI retracts stunning statutory declaration. In less than 24 hours, Bala had retracted his Statutory Declaration.

Explosive Statutory Declarations on C4 Case

Previously, Raja Petra Kamarudin made a Statutory Declaration involving a high-profile person.

Today at 11.00 a.m. , Anwar Ibrahim made a press conference. A private investigator by the name of Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal allegedly made another Statutory Declaration involving another high-profile person.

Nathaniel Tan's jelas.info and Anwar Ibrahim's Blog released an entry on Press Statement and Statutory Declaration of the aforementioned explosive exposure.

America has many "Confessions" to tell whereas Malaysia has many "Declarations" to make.

So, if the high-profile persons mentioned above are related in terms of marriage, what could that necessarily mean?

I think, me, as a Malaysian is starting to get quite concerned. I am not sure about the rest of the population.

Meanwhile, Malaysiakini reported 'No' to soldiers on street duty. The excerpt states : "Unprecedented and dangerous was how human rights group Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng described yesterday’s suggestion that the armed forces be roped in to maintain public order."

Now, I am even more concerned with that.

Why, soldiers and not the police? I do not agree on that and I am not sure who came out with the idea. I would only be able to understand that if our nation is ruled by a military government but currently our nation is not running such a governance. From what I gather, Malaysia is a Constitutional Monarch government which is supposed to be aiming to become as democratic as possible.

Perhaps, in order to clarify the above, it is necessary to get the Minister of Defence-cum-Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak to explain.

Cybertroopers on the Prowl Again

Aliran reports Aliran website attacked on 1st July 2008 7:10 pm
Excerpt:
"Within a three-minute spell, our website was bombarded with 60,000 hits from two IP address in particular. This was confirmed by our web-hosting company, which temporary disabled our website for a few hours. "The account was getting attacked," said the company's network security administrator."

Malaysiakini reports 'Malaysia Today' hacked by Soon Li Tsin on 2nd July 2008 8:00pm
Excerpt:
"Popular political blog Malaysia Today was hacked this morning and the poor Internet connection affecting several areas in Malaysia has affected efforts to restore the website. "

Tun Dr. Mahathir's 'Che Det' blog posted an entry titled Note To Visitors on 22nd June 2008, 11:09pm
Excerpt:
"On Friday June 19th, chedet.com was locked by the administration of Bloggers.com for what was termed as "suspected spam blog". Following that chedet.com has not been able to publish any new posting pending approval by Bloggers.com"

Anil Netto wrote this phrase in Malaysia Today, Aliran websites attacked :
"Is this all just a coincidence?"

Once upon a time, Sagaladoola blog shared the same experience as Che Det's blog. I was not able to post anything as well. Eventually, after a period of time, it was released after some investigation processes by the owners of blogger.com . Ronnie Liu's site (of DAP) suffered a similar fate before the 8th March General Election .

With the Anwar issue making big rounds as major headlines on almost all medias, it is certainly mind-boggling the cyber attacks would come at the same time. Perhaps, Anil Netto asked the right question.

There is of course one socio-political commonality between all the attacked sites. Freedom of speech is under attack. It is not hard to guess which group of people potentially executed the moves. The question is, who are behind this group of people? Who will be most advantaged by limiting the access to these websites?

Like what I said just now... That really isn't hard, right? That's really suspicious....

Indian-Snake in Perak, Vandalism at Pasar Seni Station

Indian-Snake Fable in Perak State Assembly
I feel a little concerned after reading this article published in The Star. ...
______________________________________
Saturday June 28, 2008
Reps keep up heat on Speaker
By HAH FOONG LIAN and CHRISTINA KOH

IPOH: It was another fiery day for Perak State assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar who not only had to handle continued heckling by Barisan Nasional assemblymen but also had a question with racial overtones thrown at him.

The first 36 minutes of Question Time yesterday saw opposition assemblymen continuously standing up and asking him for the chance to speak, and raise issues.

One by Hamidah Osman (BN-Sungai Rapat) particularly earned the wrath of the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen when she asked whether Sivakumar “agreed to disagree” with the well-known fable of whether a snake or a man from a certain racial community should be killed first.
______________________________________

dansemacabre.wordpress.com posted some pictures and comments on this. YB Lim Kit Siang wrote a detailed entry titled Indian and the snake… .

In order to be fair to UMNO, it was said that Barisan whip Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali (BN-Pengkalan Hulu) then asked her to retract her words, and she did.

I was wondering which fable this lady is actually referring to. I feel that the question on "Indian and Snake" is considered non-essential in Parliament. Fables, mythologies and fictional story-telling are the stuff of primary schools and kindergartens. MPs are supposed to discuss serious issues affecting public and iron out any related problems in the Assembly.

What exactly is the MP trying to imply by comparing a race in Malaysia with a lethal animal? Is the MP trying to foster unity, positive feelings between races with that remark? Goodness gracious, that is really mind-boggling.

Sungai Rapat constituents should question their MP whether she "agree or disagree" with my point-of-view. Although she apologised, it is important to know whether she knows why she actually had to apologise.

At the back of my mind, I was wondering whether MIC is aware of this. If they are, why wasn't there any known reaction?

Interesting Grafittis
Perhaps, the message from the Malaysians through votes, creating a Political Tsunami in the 12th General Election (8th March 2008) that costed Barisan Nasional 5 states and the denial of 2/3 majority in Parliament for the very first time in the nation's 50 year history is not clear enough to the party members.

Perhaps, the party members do not understand the gravity of the situation.

I was in Kuala Lumpur old town few days ago. Travelled by Putra LRT and stopped at Pasar Seni station. Upon leaving the station by descending the escalator, I saw these shocking grafittis on some nearby walls. Decided to take some shots to share with readers.


I believe this was sprayed / painted onto the walls right before the 12th General Election. Translated it means "Just as long it's not UMNO".

The famous Kasturi Tuition Center is at the background. Read the light blue signboard.

Some additional remarks dedicated to "Pak Lah & Najib". Central Market is behind the trees.

I do not endorse this act of vandalism. I wish to tell the perpetrators, if they are reading this, not to repeat such act. The main point of this entry is to inform UMNO members (especially of those who are representatives in the parliament) that the dissatisfaction on the ground is quite ubiquituous. UMNO members should think before they speak. Keris waving coupled by less than positive words uttered during a General Assembly had greatly hurt the reputation of the party.

Returning to the original context of the "fable". If that is the way UMNO choose to speak or act for the rest of the 5 years given mandate, I personally assure BN, PRU13 probably will be "more interesting" than PRU12.

Better wake up any Sleepyheads before it is too late. Think about it....