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.

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

Jerome Armstrong "The Blogfather" Met Pak Lah ?

My blog : Sagaladoola, Amir Muhammad, Jeff Ooi and Azly Rahman are noted in Jerome Armstrong's MyDD (Direct Democracy) homepage.

In his post Inside Malaysia with politics , he mentioned about some interviews, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (Chairman of the Cordoba Initiative), and John Burton, whom is a journalist with the Financial Times, on three different topics:

1) the state of politics in Malaysia today;
2) the conference Jerome is observing on 'bridging the gap' between the Muslim world and the West;
3) and the role that the internet is playing in creating political change in the region.

He was (probably still is) in Malaysia. According to wikipedia, Jerome Armstrong (44) is an American political strategist aligned with the Democratic Party. In 2001, he founded MyDD, a blog which covers politics with an openly Democratic partisan perspective, making him one of the first political bloggers. Armstrong coined the term netroots, is sometimes called "The Blogfather" for having mentored many other famous bloggers such as Markos Moulitsas in their early years. He is credited as one of the architects of Howard Dean's '04 grassroots Presidential campaign and one of the leading web strategists in the world.

Main Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Armstrong
Other links:
1) Salon.com - The Blogfather
2) Huffington Post - Meet the Blogger : Jerome Armstrong
3) MSNBC - Blog pioneer maps political strategy for 2008

If anyone were to ask me who my Blogfathers are ... I would say Raja Petra Kamarudin, M.G.G. Pillai, Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan. My Blogmothers? Maybe... Marina Mahathir and Nuraina A. Samad ...

Most important of all, please read Jerome Armstrong's Inside Malaysia with politics

Evaluation on the Resignation of Member Number 1

Mahathir follows tradition of ex-PMs . First, it was Dato' Onn Jaafar whose ideology was ahead of his time, Tunku Abdul Rahman after the infamous May 13 1969 tragedy and Tun Hussein Onn with the exception of Tun Abdul Razak who never had the chance because of his early death.

No one really see this coming but these days many things become unpredictable like the weather after the Malaysian 12th General Election. Would it be appropriate to say that the weather is more predictable?

UMNO Baru member number 1 and number 2 (his wife) are leaving the party that he founded while encouraging his supporters or those who think the current leadership is weak to do the same. The announcement was made during Wesak Day, a national holiday.

In order to start things off, it should be mentioned that Barisan Nasional had its best showing in Malaysian history during the tenure of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the year 2004. In 2008, UMNO and BN suffered their historical worst showing, with Pak Lah helming the leadership.

Allegedly, certain quarters speculate that the resignation was due to an implication in the Lingam tape scandal. This allegation comes without proper substantiation and could be easily dismissed. Quite the contrary, judging on what is being written by the man himself, whose self-penned blogger nickname "Che Det", in his blog post Pengumuman Keluar dari UMNO. Accordingly, it is an issue of no-confidence on the leadership of Pak Lah, who was chosen by, ironically, none other than Tun Dr. M himself.

Instead of focusing on the messenger, it would be best to place the concentration on the message delivered and related possibilities:

1) Will UMNO suffer a "split" similar to a crisis 2 decades ago ? Remember the 1988 Tengku Razaleigh and Semangat 46 ....

2) If there is a "split", will Malaysia get a new government? Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had previously mentioned of potential party hoppers from BN components into PR before Tun Dr. M's resignation. Will the "split" speed up and consummate this eventuality?

3) Will Mukhriz, the parliamentarian of Jerlun (for a brief 2 months plus), the son of Tun Dr. M follow his father's footsteps if the son share the same sentiments? If Mukhriz refuses to emulate, will this affect Tun Dr. M's "influence" credibility vice versa in opting for such step?

4) Judging by the current situation, a big number of people deserting the UMNO ship would create a more obvious possibility for changing the government. There could be members who are afraid of this situation, causing them to stay instead of resigning due to many reasons or particularly vested interests. Even if the number of resignation is not big, there could still be people leaving in a slower pace. Of course, there are also the Sabahans and their political will. What would one do when one is desperate? Will there be an EGM? Could this be a carefully-planned political move from many angles to drum up support for Tengku Razaleigh within UMNO?

5) Malaysiakini posted an article titled Shahrir: Prepare for another general election . A large number of Malaysians voted Opposition (Pakatan Rakyat components) with the mindset of giving a chance for these parties to administer the nation. Although that, it should not be forgotten that there is also a substantial number of people who voted Opposition because they dislike the current leadership of BN in priority. Now, bundle all this with the possibility of UMNO members following Tun in abandonning ship. If there really is another general election, will these members form a "New Party"? Would a large number of votes swing to this "New Party"?

Or, perhaps, the least likeliest of all ....

6) All in all, could it be that the response is minimal that nothing drastic would actually happen?

If point number 6 does not happen, point number 2, 4 or 5 could happen. It is not hard to guess who will be the most disadvantaged in a chess game of checkmates and conquests. That person is definitely not Tun Dr. M.

All of the points above are fictional and inconclusive. My imagination runs wild. However, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. There are times, the most likeliest thing that we expect to happen would not happen vice versa.

Since Malaysian politics after PRU12 is more unpredictable than the weather, everyone can consider lying back, relax and enjoy "Drama Minggu Ini" provided the economy, security and livelihood are still good.

This article is published in Malaysia Today - http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/7719/84/

Parliament Dissolution : Rumours More Dependable ?

Malaysiakini reported this yesterday :
PM: No Parliament dissolution tomorrow ( Feb 12 , 08 9:50pm )
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today dismissed speculations that the Parliament would be dissolved tomorrow to pave way for the general election.
-> Cabinet meeting as usual
-> Pak Lah’s favourite number

Similarly, Bernama published Parliament Will Not Be Dissolved Tomorrow, Says Abdullah yesterday (Feb 12) . Excerpt : Parliament will not be dissolved tomorrow to pave the way for the 12th general election, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today. "No, not tomorrow," he told reporters. Asked whether tomorrow's Cabinet meeting would be the last before the dissolution of Parliament, he said: "What makes you think it's going to be the last Cabinet meeting."The Cabinet meeting will go on, go on and go on. You are the smart aleck, you all enjoy circulating the rumours," he said with a smile.

Just now a news on a particular Flip-Flop Aleck was published on Malaysiakini main page :
PM dissolves Parliament ( Feb 13, 08 12:48pm )
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced the dissolution of the Parliament at a specially arranged press conference at his office in Putrajaya.
-> EC to decide on election date
-> A brief media statement

Wonder why Malaysians like to believe in rumours? That is because somehow or rather, in a twist, the rumours will turn out to be true after all. Next time Pak Lah, do not blame the citizens if they choose to trust rumours. Do not tell us not to believe in rumours. You see, in this scenario, it seems they are more dependable than your own words. Now, you know why people like to become smart alecks and circulate rumours. The press was trying to get some accurate information from you and look what you gave them and they unravel to the public ?

On closure, I would say I believe one should practise what one preaches. I always believe that "Kalau sendiri bikin tak serupa cakap, usahlah suruh orang buat cara "Cakap mesti serupa bikin".

Pak Lah Provide "Pak Lah Report Card" for Pak Lah Admin

Have you ever provided a "report card" for yourself? I have not done it before. If you were given a chance to write a "report card" for yourself, would you write E (Poor) or F (Fail)? If you were given a chance to give marks to yourself in an exam, would you give 0% or 99.9% to 100% ?

I believe these are simple questions that I will not answer here. It is my believe that as stupid as some Malaysians can be, they will not do something disadvantageous to themselves. Perhaps that depends on perspective. Sometimes, there are things we do that we think is advantageous to us but it turns out to be the contrary.
_______________________________________

Referring to The Star : Pak Lah provides favourable account on administration’s performance , which is also reported in Malaysia Today .

Excerpt:
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has given a favourable “report card” on the performance of his administration since the last general election in 2004.

Expressing his satisfaction, the Prime Minister said most policies had been implemented and projects were on track.

“We have carried out our duties and responsibilities on many things desired by the people. The ministers have implemented many policies that take into consideration issues that are important to the people and attract their attention.....
_______________________________________

I wonder whether Pak Lah read the reports and articles posted by Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today. Does Pak Lah read the writings of bloggers a.k.a. citizens of Malaysia?

My parents and teachers used to tell me "respect is earned", "praise is given" (by others of course and not by oneself). When it comes to silliness, stupidity and idiocy, there is never a limit in Bolehland.

As many blunders that Dr M made, I cannot recall any point of time he wrote his own report card.

Be afraid, be very afraid. Good luck, Malaysians...

Projects: Mega Mahathir versus Mega Pak Lah ?

After all the mad rush and multi-tasking dash to complete multiple projects running at the same time, Sagaladoola is back. Despite being absent for a short period of time, it seems that there is not much difference to the look-and-feel of the socio-political scene in Malaysia.

One may ask "So, is that supposed to be good? or bad?". Perhaps, it is a matter of perspective. If inefficient Third World governance or in another word "stability" is your cup of tea, then the current situation in Malaysia is good for you. According to Malaysiakini , 35 was charged with illegal assembly. Elizabeth Wong chronicled Saturday’s protest against price hikes with some pictures.

Before criminalising these people, maybe the police should be questioned on why permit for assembly was denied to these peaceful protesters. Isn't freedom to assemble a fundamental human right? These questions have been asked many times but yet any satisfactory answer can be found.

If catching assembling people who are not happy with inflation makes you feel happy and "stable", you probably think the current governance is great after all. It will certainly be mind-boggling if you can feel good with such a move.

This is what I found in my mailbox this week.

Title : Mahathir Versus Pak Lah (Malaysia Gemilang - Dulu, Kini dan Masa Depan)
______________________________________________________

DR. MAHATHIR'S MEGA PROJECTS

- KLIA

- SEPANG F1

- PUTRAJAYA

- CYBERJAYA

- TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA (TPM)

- MONORAIL

- ERL

- KTM KOMUTER

- KL TOWER

- KLCC

- SEKOLAH WAWASAN

- TWIN TOWERS

- PENANG BRIDGE

- PROTON

and many many many more.

(Akhirnya Tingkat Taraf Dan Maruah Orang Malaysia pun Naik)
(As a result, the livelihood and social standing of Malaysians have been upgraded)

ARE THESE PAK LAH'S MEGA PROJECTS SINCE BECOMING PM ?

- TOL NAIK (Toll Price Hike)

- ROKOK NAIK (Cigarettes Price Hike)

- PETROL NAIK (Petrol Price Hike)

- BIR NAIK (Beer Price Hike)

- BIL AIR NAIK (Water Bill Hike)

- BIL API NAIK (Electricity Tariff Hike)

- TEPUNG NAIK (Flour Price Hike)

- GULA NAIK (Sugar Price Hike)

- DIESEL NAIK (Diesel Price Hike)

- CUKAI PINTU & TANAH NAIK (Taxes Hike)

- KES JENAYAH NAIK (Criminal Cases Hike)

- KERIS NAIK (Keris Raised)

- PERHIMPUNAN HARAM NAIK (Number of Illegal Assemblies Increased)

- GAJI DAN BONUS KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN NAIK (Salary and Bonus for Civil Servants Increased)

and many many many naik.

(Akhirnya Angin Orang Malaysia pun NAIK, Ada apa lagi mau naik?)
(As a result, the Anger of Malaysians experienced a Hike. Is there any other thing that will see a Hike?)
______________________________________________________

Increase or Hike in prices of goods is unavoidable in this modern day of economic capitalism. It is only a big problem if the salary of workers / citizens do not rise in parallel according to the price hike.

Malaysia should consider not celebrating Merdeka Day and International New Year

My letter titled Malaysia should consider not celebrating Merdeka Day and International New Year in Lim Kit Siang's Blog .

My letter featured in Letters section of Malaysia Today .

My letter titled Lawyers march: Permit rejection mind-boggling in Malaysiakini .
_______________________________________________

Letter content

I would like to refer to Malaysiakini reports, Human rights march: 5 lawyers arrested and PM warns public safety is top priority. In the latter report, the PM apparently warned that "public safety takes precedence over public freedom".

I am not sure how our prime minister's brain works but if Abdullah Ahmad Badawi thinks the International Human Rights Day celebration requires a permit and jeopardise the national safety, I would like to remind the police and him to consider banning the up-and-coming Hari Raya Haji, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya Aidiladha and most important of all the 51st Merdeka Day in 2008.

Hearing so many calls from his government and himself on the possibility of using the Internal Security Act, I hope our PM is just joking to Malaysians. After all, from my understanding, less than 10 person coming together without a permit is already a gathering and if police has its way, those assembling can be under detention without trial.

International Human Rights Day is not a protest or having any intention to upset national security. It is an annual celebration to commemorate, to remind us, humans, of the freedom we are supposed to have. Similarly, Merdeka or Independence Day falling on Aug 31, 2008 is to remind Malaysians on the freedom that we have achieved and to commemorate the effort to gain Independence as a human right.

If International Human Rights Day is considered to be unsafe, then perhaps, Merdeka Day should not be celebrated as well. There should be no marching. If 200 people walking on the street with some banners, without parang or guns for the Dec 9, 2007 celebration is considered not safe, it is in my opinion the Aug 31 celebration, which has more number of people marching, could be potentially dangerous to national security.

Maybe, Malaysians should reconsider celebrating the up-and-coming International New Year 2008 in places like KLCC or Bukit Bintang. If a small number of people celebrating International Human Rights Festival 2007 in a less than 15 minutes walk require a permit, a bigger turnout of people watching fireworks will probably require permits especially if these places display big ‘Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’ banners.

It is certainly mind-boggling that the police force had rejected a permit requested by Bar Council to hold the Sunday event. It is mind-boggling that a lawyer can be arrested for stopping some outsider from taking down a banner in the Bar Council compound, of which he is working in. There is nothing seditious with the banners.

It is perfectly strange, people having stroll (a basic human right) can be arrested as well. Maybe, the police force should enlighten the public on these matters. Otherwise, it would also be wise for police to reconsider giving any permit for Merdeka Day 2008, which is also a celebration of human rights.

Last but not least, Happy International Human Rights Day to all Malaysians. Good luck and wish you all the best!

Some Minister says people support use of ISA ?

(Picture from Mob's Crib : ISA: Crime Against Humanity)

That is an article that I chanced upon in Malaysia Today : in their News and Commentaries section.

Goodness gracious, father in heaven.

A random search throughout Blogsearch : Hindraf+ISA revealed that almost all bloggers condemn the usage of the draconian act. We all know these bloggers are mostly Malaysian people. Reading Google search : Hindraf+ISA will produce identical results of disapproval from the public.

I have a substantial number of Malay friends, in and out of the net who said they may not fully agree with Hindraf's actions but ISA is beyond them. They cannot tolerate the invocation of an act with detention without trial on suspects.

When one is faced with issues and dissent, one should not keep Digging in the Heels of an uncomfortable Shoe. If there are people who thought the imprisonment would make the public more restful, it would be wrong. It will possibly garner more sympathy for the Hindraf cause. What is being done, in my opinion is removing the symptom without curing the root of the issue which is to address the dissatisfaction of the rally participants. If there is indeed hoodwink, I would say, in this era of Information Age and education, it is almost impossible to confuse thousands of people to march for a false cause. There must be some reality to some points in what is being mentioned and the government should do the right thing in looking into it.

Think about it.

Besides, that would make these names famous worldwide. ISA places attention to people who got it. Now, it is easier for them and those who suppor them to further their cause. Currently Malaysiakini reports "Charge them in court: Indian groups tell PM at special meet"


HINDRAF 5: R Kengadharan, P Uthayakumar, K Vasantha Kumar, V Ganabatirau and M Manoharan

Is there any Operasi Lalang ?

Abdullah is Strong and Powerful? Yes. Nice? No. I am scared, living in an atmosphere of fear again. Don't believe me, read this:

The Star:
Police said they have detained all five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) under Section 8 (1) of the Internal Security Act.

The five are P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and Vasantha Kumar. They were picked up at various locations in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Seremban.

They will be detained for two years.

Meanwhile, ironically, I could not access Malaysiakini for news. Jelas.info had expressed disgust over the usage of a draconian and inhumane act against those people. After all, if you can prove them wrong, why not do it in court? Let the public see what is happening. Let the citizens of Malaysia see the evidences reveal. Why is it necessary to imprison someone for two years before a judgement from a trial in the court?

Mr. Nice Guy? Well, you can now see how nice he is now. I must admit that I am wrong about him. He is not a weak man.

I feel sorry for the Indians and Hindraf. Indeed, a sad day for Malaysia "human rights". Arrests abundant and ISA usage during these few days before and after the International Human Rights Day. The public is no longer safe. As for the part on freedom, Malaysians will know how to judge on the current events.

Black Sunday, Human Rights, Malaysian-Style

( Picture from Mob's Crib : Under Siege: Our Rights )

Welcome to Malaysia. The picture is apt. The peaceful dove lying dead on the ground with gore. As for who "killed" it? It is not hard to guess. Ask Pak Lah and his government ....

This is the originally planned schedule to commemorate Human Rights Festival, an annual celebration. 2007's was supposed to be held on Sunday, 9th December. Note the word "supposed" was used . The venue was subsequently changed and unfortunately cancelled later.

Here is the outcome ( taken from Malaysiakini ):
1) Human rights festival: 9 charged . Eight people, including five lawyers, were charged today with participating in an illegal assembly yesterday. They also faced a further charge of disobeying the police order to disperse. ( P.S. Why is it illegal? That is because police did not grant them a permit. Why didn't police grant them a permit? I am not sure. Get the police to explain .. why ? )

2) Gov't marked human rights day with arrests . A letter by Alina Rastam .

3) Surely the marchers could be given 15 mins . A letter by Jonson Chong. Great, isn't it? I mean, the status of human rights in Malaysia.

Other major happenings on days around the "Human Rights Festival":
3) Vexed MPs stage walkout . Sixteen opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat in protest of the arrests of 24 BERSIH petitioners this morning. BERSIH is campaigning for electoral reforms which is good for the nation. Nothing racist, anti-religion, whatsoever.

4) Siege of Parliament - 'the ultimate shame' . Opposition MPs have roundly condemned the police for blocking access to Parliament House this morning, to stop polls reform group Bersih from submitting its protest memorandum.

5) Gov't begins crackdown against dissent . The authorities marked the day by clamping down on dissent, rolling out three separate legal actions against organisers of protests that have rocked the country in recent weeks.

and many more.......

What I have retrieved are only a few examples. Perhaps there is no point of saying too much about the Black Sunday. This letter taken from Malaysiakini describes it all :

________________________________________________--

I walked with Bar Council for two years by Vizla Kumaresan

I had taken part in the Bar Council’s Festival of Rights march for the last two years. On both occasions, it was a peaceful and colourful march with participants singing songs and chanting human rights slogans. Sadly, the tradition could not continue this year. Worse still, the lawyers and activists who came together on Sunday to commemorate International Human Rights Day were arrested and may face charges.

What we see happening is a tremendous denial of civil liberties, not only of the nine arrested but the liberties of all Malaysians. The people of Malaysia have been denied the right to assemble and to express themselves freely. Those who marched on Sunday were exercising their rights as guaranteed in our Federal Constitution and were also making fellow Malaysians aware of their rights.

It is deplorable that Malaysia, as a member of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, has chosen to act in this way against its citizens. As a member of the council, the government should act in a way that is respectful of human rights. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The government instead chose to crack down on peaceful gatherings. The authorities’ heavy-handed action is an indication that an informed public is something to be feared. It is my hope that the government will re-think its stand on freedom of assembly and act in a fair and just manner to all Malaysians wanting to express their views and opinions.
________________________________________________

In my opinion, Pak Lah is not a weak man. We cannot "cabar" him. Do not judge a book by its cover. It is not hard to guess why.

Wait a minute. I remembered people saying the Human Rights Day is an annual celebration. Nothing to do with protests whatsoever. If there is no protest, then there should be no one challenging / "cabar" anyone. If there is no protest and meant to be peaceful, I mean it is like celebrating Hari Raya Haji or Christmas annually, why are they not allowed to gather? Strange isn't it? How can public safety be compromised by a commemorative peaceful celebration?

If there is anyone who is equating this with "public safety is valued over public freedom", then I think it is crap. It is a peaceful celebration just like Hari Merdeka, just with more people being together, that's all.

Good luck, Malaysians. Happy (whoops) celebrating Human Rights Day ! Malaysian-style I mean. Or rather, someone's preference but not all Malaysians

Anyway, in the atmosphere of fear, I would still choose to write.

ISA is the Choice of Citizens ?

It is hard for a small-time blogger like me to make a decision on such a question. Perhaps, I shall just agree with Nazri Aziz's statement in the Aljazeera Forum . He said "Malaysians are not stupid and will be able to decide for themselves". It is high time for this blog to prove his words as true. Without further ado, let's take a look at a few matters at hand.

Citizens Want ISA It Seems
It is hard for one to restrain oneself from writing a blog when this piece of news from Bernama is floating around the net: Government Will Impose ISA When Situation Warrants, Says Abdullah .
Some important excerpts from the article:
"The ISA is a preventive measure to spare the nation from untoward incidents that can harm the prevailing peace and harmony and create all sorts of adverse things.

"So, I don't know (when to invoke the ISA), but ISA will be there. When it is appropriate to use it, it will be used," Abdullah, who is also Internal Security Minister, told reporters on his return from a two-day visit to Egypt.

The Prime Minister was responding to reports that several street demonstrations would be held in the country soon.

Commenting on calls from the people urging the Government to invoke the ISA to tackle street demonstrations, the Prime Minister said: "I am very surprised that the people want the ISA. I thought they never wanted the ISA".

Questions abundant
Let me put it this way. I am as surprised as the Prime Minister himself when I read the last sentence above. I was in the state of confusion for a while. After some thoughts, perhaps it is best to ask a few questions to our Prime Minister in order to clear things up :

1) When you are talking about people wanting ISA a.k.a. The Detention-Without-Trial Act, which group are you referring to?
a) UMNO, MCA, MIC and BN people? or
b) Malaysian Commoners?

2) Please define properly, in unambiguous, official language on what is considered as "appropriate" for use? If certain races are marginalised and they only choose to submit a memorandum, would that be considered appropriate ? How about those that ask for electoral reforms and clean elections? Is it "appropriate" to use it on them?

3) Will ISA be executed on people who wield keris in meetings, asking when the keris would be used and expressing an interest to bathe it in someone's blood? Please do not tell the citizens that such actions and remarks are peaceful. Anyway, since Nazri had mentioned Malaysians are not stupid, I shall let them judge.

4) Is challenging or criticising the Prime Minister in one's written opinion liable for ISA as well? Citizens are concerned when certain people express words like "Saya Pantang Dicabar" ( I am Allergic to Challenge) in public.

5) Pak Lah, perhaps you should read the statements from Wikipedia on Internal Security Act . Allegedly, it mentioned what you spoke in 1988 and the year before on ISA being a draconian law. Is it true? Now you are saying you will use ISA. What is that supposed to mean, goodness gracious ?

Citizens Want Oppression ?
The defintion of "Draconian" according to Wiktionary :
Etymology: From the Athenian lawmaker Draco, known for making harsh laws.
Description: Very severe, oppressive or strict.
Example of usage: The despot chose a draconian punishment for the revolutionary. The Nazi regime was a draconian regime.

Meanwhile, a Malay progressive published an open letter in her blog titled "Dear PM Abdullah Badawi, Please Don't Follow Musharraf". As a Malay Muslim, she does not support the points mentioned in Hindraf's memorandum but she understands draconian law should never be executed in the name of democracy.

Furthermore, I would like to reiterate Nazri's statement ( Aljazeera Forum ) : "Malaysians are not stupid". I do not think Malaysians are stupid enough to support the implementation of an opressive law that will be imposed on themselves.

However, there could be some "smart" Malaysians who may want to impose such law on other Malaysians for a number of reasons beneficial to themselves, like free lunches etc.

Think about it.....

Maintenance of Peace and Harmony
There are many ways a government can maintain peace and harmony. Take for example, the previous Malaysian Indians rally in Malaysia.

For so many years, Malaysian Indians have been silent over their problems. They did not march or do anything of such massive proportions. The fact that they did it the other day signifies there are serious underlying issues concerning the society that should be addressed immediately.

In fact, it may already be a little too late. Still it is better late than never. If the government ( I would prefer to refer this to the Malaysian Indian Congress a.k.a. MIC ) intends to maintain an ambience of peace and harmony within the community, the leadership of MIC must answer their woes and explain thoroughly to the laymen Indians instead of condemning hard on those who have participated in the rally. Direct or indirect attempts to simply dismiss the rally as non-relevant will not make the people satisfied. MIC should also provide a blueprint on what is their long-term constructive plan to improve the livelihood and rights of the community. Temple demolition issues should be addressed. By right, all these actions should have been done earlier. Prevention is better than cure.

Using an oppressive law to curb dissent is definitely easier than all the efforts above. Members of Parliament should know that their tasks are not meant to be easy. MPs are supposed to be serving the community instead of placing full concentration on money-making only.

Problems should be solved from the root and not the symptoms. The logical outcome of utilising oppression on protesters will create a negative situation. When people choose not to protest, it could be out of fear of ISA. Intimidation using non-humanitarian laws or denial of social issues are equivalent to eliminating the symptoms of a critical disease. The absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of disease. Once the disease reaches the point of incurability, the protests may resume in bigger numbers when overwhelming anger and/or dissatisfaction supercedes fear.

From time to time, MIC MPs must speak to the commoners to understand and solve issues faced by the community. It is THE JOB of an MP. This is the only way to maintain peace, harmony and stability. Opression is not a permanent solution.

Indeed, somebody said the culture of protest is not the culture of Malaysians, especially Indians. I dare to bet protests are not even the first choice of Indians to highlight their problems. It is not the culture of human to feel happy being dismissed or their problems ignored for several times. Is it the culture of the MIC MP to listen and to seek to understand their community?

Ooops, I am sorry, that is supposed to be A JOB, not a culture. Did you do YOUR JOB well (to maintain peace and harmony), my dear MIC MPs? Ask yourselves.

In the meantime, Malaysiakini reports : More rallies in Kuala Lumpur next month (December 2007) .

Oppression is not an option in a democratic nation.

The Yellow Wave: How Come Opposition-Led?

(Picture from Elizabeth Wong: Rakyat pantang dicabar!. That's 40,000 participants)

On 10th November 2007, 40,000 protesters marched the streets of Kuala Lumpur, braved the rainstorm, conquered their fears and headed towards Istana Negara to submit a Memorandum for a Clean and Fair Election to Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan, the Monarch of Malaysia.

Malaysian Unplug Uncensored had the full text of electoral reform requests from BERSIH Memorandum presented to His Royal Highness. Indeed all the points stated in the article are with good intentions and for the best of the nation.

According to the online paper, The Star, the nation's "Beloved Prime Minister" Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said "Saturday’s street protest in Kuala Lumpur was an attempt to drag the royalty into opposition politics". On top of that, he added that the memorandum being handed over to an Istana Negara official was a move by the opposition to “trap” the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Shocking statements. It is indeed a sad affair that our "Beloved Prime Minister" Pak Lah cannot look beyond the division of politics for the benefit of the nation. If the Rakyat can see the bigger picture, why can't the Administration? BERSIH is actually a coalition of 60 plus Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and a small insignificant number of political parties, of which coincidentally consists of the Opposition. Only 5 to be exact.

UMNO should have tagged along for Clean Election demand


(Picture from Elizabeth Wong: Rakyat pantang dicabar!. That's 40,000 participants)

The demands for a clean election would not look like opposition-led as our "Beloved Prime Minister" claimed (although not a fact) if his ruling party, currently the most powerful in Malaysia by the name of UMNO and its sub-components in Barisan Nasional vow to tag along with BERSIH.

If UMNO or Barisan Nasional (hereafter called BN) under the leadership of our Beloved Pak Lah were to participate, things would definitely had turned out differently. The headlines in papers such as The Star and New Sunday Times could be "UMNO supports BERSIH demands for clean election". Sounds nice. How positive it would have been for BN.

Regrettably, a massive party like UMNO decided not to support BERSIH. In fact, Pak Lah proved his critics wrong (on saying he is sleeping all the time) by giving a strong and confident declaration "Saya pantang dicabar" (I do not like to be challenged). This statement proved himself a powerful person and not weak as some thought. According to Malaysiakini on its 6th November 2007 article, Khairy wants Bersih rally organisers arrested.

It is certainly ironic for the Beloved Son-In-Law of the Beloved Prime Minister to make such a public statement because he is neither a Minister or a Member of Parliament. In a bizarre way, true to his predictions, arrests were indeed made on BERSIH Participants a.k.a Citizens concerned with Malaysia. There are some allegations in the internet that certain journalists are being beaten, tear gas being fired and chemical-laced water cannons being sprayed.

It is unclear (to me) on the reasons UMNO and BN are giving such a resistance to the Peaceful BERSIH Rally demands that are beneficial for the nation as a whole. It is open to readers to guess the possible answers. After all, UMNO and BN have ruled Malaysia since Independence / Merdeka, suffering only from a crisis in 1969. To top it off, there are even calls within the party for another additional 50 years of UMNO, BN rule.

Of course, UMNO, BN ruled by winning in the current election system. 40,000 displeased citizens regardless of political affiliations, groups and parties had taken the difficulty of walking in wet clothes to submit a memorandum to reform the election system in which UMNO and BN have been using and winning all these years.

Why did UMNO not join BERSIH in the rally but resent it so much? (P.S. I must admit I am a pretty stupid person for asking this question)

Citizens do not want His Royal Highness Agong to be 'trapped' with Potential Unclean Elections



(Picture from Kickdefella: Daulat Tuanku!)

Pak Lah stated that there are parties that intend to 'trap' (such negative word) Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and attempt to drag His Majesty into opposition politics. The previous section stated that UMNO should have joined the rally so that it does not become opposition politics. It is still unclear (to me) on why UMNO did not join in.

On the other hand, there is absolutely a main reason that Non-Partisan Citizens a.k.a. BERSIH rally participants from all over Malaysia support the submission of the memorandum. That is because they do not want Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to be 'trapped' by "divide and conquer" politics and "unclean elections". After all the citizens are His Majesty's subjects and His Royal Highness is bound by certain governance on making sure the Parliament is formed legally through Genuine Democracy. After all, this Parliament would represent him in governing his subjects. Unclean and Unfair Elections are equivalent to Sham / False Democracy.

The peaceful BERSIH rally is to campaign for Genuine Democracy.

If there is intention of anyone to say that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong is not supposed to be in politics, the perception would be totally wrong. After all, Malaysia is a country of Constitutional Monarchy. The word "Monarch" symbolises none other than Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. The Constitution provided certain power for His Royal Highness to react against those who creates Sham Democracy.

The citizens want Genuine Democracy too. That is what the walk is all about. Do you get the point, Pak Lah?

Malaysian Unplug Uncensored posted the article : " What's Next After the Nov 10 People's Rally ? " after the submission of the memorandum for electoral reform.

I am still in a daze, wondering why UMNO or BN would not participate in this event. If it's good for democracy and citizens, why not? I must be a stupid person myself for not being able to figure it out.

Nuff said. :-)

Other posts on BERSIH rally:
BERSIH: The Yellow Wave (Pics) Part 1
BERSIH: The Yellow Wave (Pics) Part 2
BERSIH: The Yellow Wave (Pics) Part 3
The Yellow Wave: How Come Opposition-Led?

Restrict Truth = No Truth, Restrict Freedom = No Freedom

Fresh from Tengku Adnan's statements on the Judiciary Issue, Malaysiakini reported that our Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin came out with something new about the "State of Truth". I had previously chronicled Tengku Adnan's infamous statements in an: "Not Asking Them to Write Truthfully", He Said.

Without further ado, let's proceed to the issue at hand. Malaysiakini reported Zam to media: No need to tell PM the truth . Shocking doesn't it?

Malaysia Today as well as Lim Kit Siang's blog had made some extracts on the shocking statement. Excerpts with comments from me as below :
___________________________________

Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin has told editors not to play up negative news because Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s pledge to “hear the truth” does not apply to the media.

[ Sagaladoola: Why, oh, why Zainuddin? I thought the ethics of media and journalism is to investigate and tell the truth ? If lies were said, it would be considered unethical and propaganda-ish. That would be so negative .

It is Pak Lah's personal problem on whether he wants to listen or accept the truth.

From my understanding, the media is for the citizens. Malaysia is already 50 years old, and citizens like me would like to have an INDEPENDENT media telling us the truth and nothing but the truth no matter how hurtful that can be......

..... and I thought, citizens deserve to know the truth ]

Zainuddin said this during a one-hour meeting on Wednesday at the RTM headquarters in Kuala Lumpur with the country’s top editors.

The country’s information czar is one of two top government officials to hold meetings with the media top brass this week.

Yesterday, chief secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan in another meeting urged media organisations to avoid emphasising on news deemed negative against the government, such as the 2006 Auditor-General’s report.

[ Sagaladoola: One can only solve problems (especially those plaguing the nation) when one acknowledges the truth and weaknesses. Besides, I recalled back then in 2004, Pak Lah received a landslide victory in elections because he promised "Transparency" and "Accountability". Wondering what happened to the "Transparency" part ? ]

According to sources, Zainuddin began the meeting by declaring that he would frequently meet editors to advise them about national issues.

[ Sagaladoola: Now you see it how it is done. *blink blink, wink wink* ]

However, he stressed that he would only “advise and not give warnings”.

[ Wikipedia: Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 is a piece of legislation that requires all print media in Malaysia to obtain a licence and abide by its strict regulations. The license or permit must be renew annually in order to publish in Malaysia. ]

[ Sagaladoola: Ooooo.. so that is a choice, not a warning or threat? Hmmn, ok . I am sure that the editors will listen to the so-called "advise" from Zainuddin Maidin. If there is something about making editors listening to so-called "advice", be rest assured that the Information Minister have been doing a "great job" these few years.

I mean look at how the protests, bloggers and Batu Burok were being reported. I don't know what to say.]

The information minister claimed that he assumed the new role under the instructions of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

[ Sagaladoola: Now we know who the chief director is ]

Zainuddin then explained that Abdullah’s often repeated pledges of “listening to the truth” were only restricted to government officials and Barisan Nasional leaders so as to assist the cabinet in making decisions.

[ Sagaladoola: The citizens are supposed to be staying in a democratic nation, where they play a part in deciding for the nation. They have MPs to voice their decision. What is wrong for the citizens to "listen to the truth" ? ]

Based on the account by a well-placed source, Zainuddin said Abdullah’s pledge did not mean that the media have the green light to practice unrestrained reporting because certain topics were considered highly sensitive.

Zainuddin added that the cabinet often scrutinises media reports and have noticed that at times, Abdullah’s statements have been misconstrued. However, the minister did not elaborate on this.

[ Sagaladoola: So, again, it's either the mistake of the press or citizens for miscontruing? Zainuddin needs to relate. If you are talking about justice, one is innocent until proven guilty. Not the other way round. Where is the proof, Zam? ]

The information minister also ticked off two television stations, warning them to stay away from reporting with a racial slant as this could trigger another "May 13" riots.

[ Sagaladoola: Why blame the media for this? Hishamuddin is not from the media, right? So is, Badruddin Amiruldin]
___________________________________

I have a few questions, I would like to ask Zainuddin Maidin concerning his "advice":

1) If the media is not writing "truth" in the papers, what kind of articles would be published?

2) What is the opposite of truth?

3) Who does the media belong to? The citizens or the ruling party?

I end my article with a famous quote:

TRUTH ....... "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
— quote from Philip K. Dick , a famous deceased author.

Part 2 of Samy's So-Called Penned Poem: Who's The Plagiarist?

According to Bernama, the Works Minister, Samy Vellu PENNED A POEM for Pak Lah and his new bride Jeanne Abdullah that reads:

From this day forward,
You shall not walk alone.
Her heart will be your shelter,
And her arms will be your home.
...

As we uncover "Samy's or J.D. Freeman's Poem: Who's The Plagiarist?" in my previous entry, a commenter prompted me to make a search using Google.

Anonymous said...
http://www.wedding-references.com/poetry_on_marriage.htm
hey, u can edit ur post, the 1st part of the poem he copied from the above link...scroll down to " From This Day Forward" the 4th poem there
Friday, June 08, 2007 5:00:00 PM

I found many websites with the similar poem using Google. The author is stated as unknown.

So, who is the plagiarist, the unknown author or Samy Vellu in the first segment of the poem?
J.D. Freeman or Samy Vellu in the second segment of the poem?

It is plagiarism and unethical to claim other's work as your own.

Samy's or J.D. Freeman's Poem: Who's The Plagiarist?

We are getting a new Mak Lah!

Our Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi @ Pak Lah is getting married tomorrow in a private ceremony with Jeanne Abdullah. Abdullah's bride-to-be no stranger to his family.

Bernama reported:
MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu congratulated the prime minister, saying he was extremely happy for Abdullah and his bride-to-be.

"The people will be happy to hear the news too," he said.

The Works Minister also PENNED A POEM for the couple that reads:

"From this day forward,
You shall not walk alone.
Her heart will be your shelter,
And her arms will be your home.

A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make
the mountain less, but more;
and the valley is more a valley because
it has a mountain towering over it. "

A mountain needs a valley, says MP for Tanjong. He gave us some food for thought:
"Imagine that First Lady Laura Bush had died in the fall of 2005. (I realize this is morbid, but stick with me.) Now imagine that U.S. President George W. Bush, a scant 19 months later, announced to the nation that he would be getting remarried—not to just anybody, but to the ex-wife of Laura’s younger brother. How would that play in the red states? Probably not well."
____________________________________________

This is not the first time Samy Vellu do something like this. He shamelessly penned a Tamil poem on 3rd November 2006. The "Love" poem was translated into English by The Star.

Did Samy Vellu really PEN THE POEM according to Bernama? I found this after some searches through google:

" Blessing For A Marriage by James Dillet Freeman

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.

May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
...... "

Who is the plagiarist? Samy Vellu or James Dillet Freeman, the American-Indian poet and a minister of the Unity School of Christianity ? Freeman died in April 9, 2003. We are living in the year 2007.
____________________________________________

I have penned one poem, with dedication to Samy Vellu:
Other’s Valley he’s so concerned,
Klang Valley the real burden,
MRR2 is so broken,
Semi-value quality is certain,
When he's asked in “leaking” Parliament,
Crap-py reasons begin to mountain,
Why “kehpoh” people’s mountain?
Bring us walk 'round the garden,
Carry balls, always his turn,
Ugly poem he has written,
Enough Samy, don’t divert our attention !

Although there are some negative perceptions, I choose not to judge his political career or his performance as a Prime Minister based on this event. Marriage is a matter of personal interest. For me, he can get married with 4 wives or change it periodically. I do not mind unless his wife tries to impose strategies or interfering with the administration. Only by that time, we should be wary because that would mean she is meddling with our affairs.

When all is said and done, I would like to congratulate Pak Lah for getting a new Mak Lah. May Jeanne Abdullah bring more joy to his life. Hope Madam Jeanne will think of some ways to ensure Pak Lah do not sleep during meetings and be conscious with the plight of the Malaysians. Make sure he does his job well. Currently, he sucks at his job.

Regards......

"Fainted": Pak Lah's Administration and Heavy Sedition Act on Bloggers

I have to make a HIGHLIGHT from an article in Malaysia Today "LKY: Govt can't go after bloggers unless they break the law" :
.... bloggers posting wrong information about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who was hit by heat exhaustion on Sunday.

The original incident happened in Perak. He came to close the BNBBC community programme. Pak Lah said he is going to use Sedition Act for the word "FAINTED" as reported by a blogger.

Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/printable.php?id=261686

Is he saying a person (that's himself) who looks dazed, feel dizzy, losing balance, and had to be held by people around him is not "FAINTING"? He was probably right. He can only be considered "FAINTED" if he was rendered unconscious. As for the other descriptions, it looks like he is on the verge of getting there (almost but did not 'reach').

I mean, seriously, does he have to use Sedition Act for such a matter?

Surprised that he did not use Internal Security Act or Emergency Ordinance Act. Detention without trial. 'Tangkap tanpa bicara' instead. ISA is commonly used on people who speak up.

Let's analyse what does 'Sedition' mean?
Link: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rebellion

1) The organized incitement of rebellion or civil disorder against authority or the state.
2) Insurrection or rebellion

Is Pak Lah saying that if we consider him as "FAINTED" although there were symptoms, that would mean we are having a "REBELLION" against Malaysia? That is why he is using the Sedition Act?

Now, what is "REBELLION"?
Link: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rebellion

1) ARMED Resistance to an established government or ruler.

Sheesh.... Did the blogger use some Arms against Pak Lah? I mean like 'Bazookas', 'Machine Guns' or 'Grenades'?

Despite "feeling dizzy, losing balance, almost collapsed and had to be held by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali and BNBBC acting chairman Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar", he has not "FAINTED" but had to use Sedition Act.

All I know is Pak Lah go for ECG, High Blood Pressure check, Blood Test after the blogger mentioned or in Pak Lah's words "misinformed" using the word "FAINTED".

Strange, really strange.

Yes, that is what the only thing the blogger did. He said "FAINTED" but he did not use a "BAZOOKA". Let's Overreact, shall we?

Pak Lah, I am not very sure about your intentions, but I hope there is no element of "INTIMIDATION" involved (I am not sure). Be rest assured, I am certainly SHOCKED by the usage of the Act!

However, be informed that I will keep on writing despite that. I am more AFRAID that my country will be "SOLD OUT" and of CORRUPTION instead.

Bloggers, BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID.
But...
Keep on "Battling with Words" dear Cyber-Warriors. Keep on Writing.