The most stupid law minister of all. Shame! Shame!

Saturday, 27 September 2008 21:38

ISA arrests: An open letter to Syed Hamid

Syed Hamid's performance as Home Minister comes under the spotlight after the recent ISA arrests. Tota takes him to task in an open letter.

As a politician you are supposed to behave as the servant of the public. As a Cabinet Minister you are expected to display intelligence in your words and deeds. You have to be responsible and observe strict adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law.

However, sad to say, since you took office as Home Minister your behaviour, words and actions expose you not only as irresponsible, totally lacking in logic, and arrogant and bereft of wisdom to boot.

Needless to go back to your performance as Home Minister since March. The latest episode – the arrests under the infamous and obnoxious ISA of reporter Tan, Teresa Kok and Raja Petra – and your reasons justifying their arrests expose you as someone and unfit for ministerial post.

First, you disclaimed any knowledge and involvement in their arrests and that it was the police who did their work “professionally”! We have a tainted police force which necessitated a Royal Commission of Inquiry. A past Inspector-General of Police assaulted a blindfolded Anwar, giving him a black-eye and causing severe injuries. The current Inspector-General is under investigation for allegedly fabricating evidence in Anwar’s Sodomy I trial. ISA detainees are subjected to shameful emotional and mental cruelty. Raja Petra was assaulted by a police officer during one of his previous arrests. A police officer illegally removed forensic evidence from a hospital in Anwar’s Sodomy I trial. The same officer, it is believed, coached Saiful to frame sodomy charges against Anwar. Just imagine hundreds in police custody have died under strange circumstances. Women had been raped in police lockups. How many policemen have been prosecuted for brutality, violence or rape against their charges? You call such a police force professional? You adopt a very careless and callous attitude when the life and liberty of citizens are concerned. The PM also disclaimed any knowledge or involvement in the arrests. You seem to confirm the growing impression that Malaysia is turning into a police state.

Second, you claimed that reporter Tan was arrested under the ISA to give her protection because her life was threatened. Going by your own reasoning, Balasubramaniam’s life was threatened and that is why police are continuing to give him “protection”. Why was he not arrested under the ISA as Tan was to provide police protection for his safety?

Third, Saiful was not produced in court when Anwar was charged for Sodomy II. The reason? Police claimed that his life was in danger. Why was he not also arrested under the ISA to enable the police to give him protection?

Fourth, the reporter was released after an 18-hour detention and we presume thereafter her life was no longer in danger. You expect the public to believe such a stupid reason? Minister, some people believe you have a screwed-up notion of “protection”.

When I was with a local university, I was once teaching a class of girls and told them about the Latin origin of many words in English. I explained the word “lunatic” drawing upon its Latin origin “luna” meaning moon. I told them of the prevalent belief that mad people become madder during a full moon. It was lantern festival time and a full moon lit up the earth. Incidentally, the ISA arrests took place then. The Minister’s behaviour appears to have been affected.

When Islam Hadhari was launched with much fanfare, it was touted as a modernistic, just and liberal version of Islam that would serve as a guiding light to the Umno-dominated BN government. The ISA arrests of the three – the noble reporter Tan, the noble MP Teresa Kok and the noble patriot Raja Petra – were unconstitutional, unjust and cruel.

Worse, the arrests took place during the holy month of Ramadan when piety, forgiveness, compassion and generosity are to be religiously practised by all Muslims. If these values are not part of Islam Hadhari, then keep it for yourself, your boss, Umno Cabinet Minsiters and your Umnoputras. We will keep to the teachings of the Holy Prophet and the magnificent message in the Holy Koran.

Malaysia's Leadership A Trinket

The latest UMNO shenanigans effectively reduced the party's (and thus the country's) leadership to a Sunday market trinket, to be haggled between a desperate discredited seller trying to get the best possible deal, and a bankrupt buyer who has only his incumbency to offer as currency.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

M. Bakri Musa

Tengku Razaleigh, in referring to the tussle between Abdullah Badawi and Najib Razak, said, "… [W]e are embarrassed at the sight of two grown men playing this endless children's game of 'yours and mine' with the most important responsibility in the land, oblivious of the law, oblivious to the damage they are doing to the nation." The Prince's observation on the damage wrecked on Malaysia is spot on, declaring that Malaysia had been reduced to a banana republic and a laughing stock

What Abdullah and Najib do not realize is that the value of the trinket they are frantically bargaining over keeps dropping. While the two are consumed with striking a deal between them, they fail to notice that Anwar Ibrahim is on the sideline, ready and willing to take over, thus effectively reducing the two protagonists and their trinket to irrelevance.

Meanwhile the important business of running the country is neglected. They have been consumed with lobbying their followers, as well as engaging in hours of "four eyes only" meetings, haggling over when, how, and at what price the trinket would be handed over. They are oblivious to the nation's compounding problems, from the massive public health hazard of contaminated milk products imported from China to the American credit crunch that will soon spread around the world.

It is time to make these two characters irrelevant. It is time to let this desperate drowning duo strangle each other and sink to the bottom of the cesspool they have created for themselves.

Our priority is to make sure that they do not drag the nation down with them. This responsibility falls heavily on those leaders of the opposition, in particular Anwar Ibrahim. He has to be ready to take over and make the necessary preparations now, especially with regards to policies and personnel.

The Price Keeps Dropping

Right after the March 8, 2008 electoral debacle, Abdullah declared that he still had the people's trust. Then with confidence borne out of ignorance a la the village idiot, he asserted that he would serve his full second term. He even intimated that he might lead his coalition to its third electoral victory in 2013!

Such detachment from reality! It was merely out of courtesy (that is the trademark of our culture), and respect for the highest office of the land that Abdullah was not laughed off the stage. Unfortunately he mistook that as acceptance, if not rousing endorsement, aided by his cronies, advisers, and family members feeding his fantasy. The world knew better.

On the surface Abdullah did seem to have a mandate. After all, his coalition secured a comfortable though not the usual two-third majority in Parliament. On closer scrutiny however, his Barisan coalition barely scrapped through the popular vote, while many of the seats won were only with the slimmest of majority. That election also saw five states, including some of the most developed, repudiating Abdullah's leadership.

When the rumblings of discontent over his leadership became louder, especially after his coalition's thumping at the Permatang Pauh by-election, Abdullah was forced to lower his bid, but just a tad. He now thought he could satisfy his detractors by agreeing to hand over power by June 2010. He set it far enough ahead such that should circumstances shift, he could conveniently change his mind. Abdullah was counting that people would not see through his not-so-sly scheming.

Again, he misjudged the public, and his party's mood.Following a ruckus September 2008 UMNO Supreme Council meeting in which a few finally caught on to the reality and spoke up, albeit tentatively and a little belatedly, Abdullah lowered further his asking price. Now he did not rule out on an earlier transfer, clarifying that the June 2010 date was meant to be the latest when he would quit.

That pacified the dissidents, including the outspoken Muhyiddin Yassin and the hitherto "Iron Lady" Rafidah Aziz. They were an easily-mollified bunch.

Then following the gathering of his clan, and undoubtedly convinced once again by them, Abdullah backtracked. They prevailed upon him that his leadership was worth more and that he should hold out for a better price. That triggered yet another volley of dissatisfaction.

At a special meeting of the Supreme Council last week, presumably to discuss specifically the leadership transition, Abdullah was given an ultimatum. He must decide by October 9, 2008 on whether to defend his leadership. The alternative presumably would be to quit.

To an average observer with a modicum of commonsense, that was just another nice way for the council to say, in the grand Asian tradition of "saving face," that it no longer had confidence in Abdullah. Abdullah however is thick-skulled and a tad slow on the uptake. Besides, another round of meetings with his clan and they would convince him that indeed was not the intent of the council. "Flip-flop" Abdullah listens to whoever has his ear last.

More to the point, that council's decision was meaningless. If Abdullah were to decide not to defend his position at the now-postponed UMNO convention, the country would still be faced with a leadership crisis and uncertainty for the next six months. Everyone would be consumed with positioning themselves. No effective government work would be done as every UMNO politician would be busy politicking.

On the other hand, if he decided to cling on, it would still create a leadership uncertainty, and there would still be heavy intrigue and campaigning. Nothing would have changed. Our nation's business would still be unattended.

Abdullah has again abused our traditional Malay culture of halus, the subtle way. The gullible Muhyiddin went so far as to describe Abdullah's latest "decision" as "magnanimous!" No word from the "Iron Lady." As I said, they are easily satisfied. I wonder how long before UMNO Supreme Council members realize that they had once again been had by him.

As for Najib, he is burdened with his own considerable baggage. He would like that trinket be handed over to him as if it were his due, and without contest, all in the name of party unity of course. Contest means having to scrutinize his record, which is not pretty. In fact it is sordid.

If only there were some jantans in UMNO Supreme Council, they would have long ago given Abdullah an ultimatum. Resign or we push for a "no confidence" vote! That is the only language Abdullah understands: direct and brutal. There cannot be any subtlety or he will pretend to miss it.

It does not take a jantan to do that, only some responsible adults concerned about the lack of leadership and the country being left adrift. Absent that, rest assured that come October 9, Abdullah will again waffle, and UMNO Supreme Council will have to find yet another face-saving device to spare some modicum of respect to someone who clearly no longer deserves any.

I could not care less about those UMNO Supreme Council members except that they are also the leaders of our country. That is the scary part. If they cannot stand up to a limp Abdullah Badawi, how can we expect them to face up to a President Bush, China's Hu, or even Singapore's Lee. That is what terrifies the heck out of me, as it should all Malaysians.

Meanwhile Malaysians are reduced to watching the bizarre haggling over an increasingly worthless trinket between their two top but desperate leaders. We all should be embarrassed by that, not just Tengku Razaleigh.

Malaysia: I am a racist. Are you?

While Malaysia might not be my birthplace, it is certainly the place where I was raised throughout my life. Despite of what I say about myself, it's hard to imagine growing up in anywhere except for Malaysia and be anything but Malaysian. The values learned still bears a stark contrast to the cultures I'm more comfortable with everywhere else. One of which reflects the inherent birthright of every Malaysian because I am a racist.

Yes you heard me. I am a racist, that Malaysian you know is a racist, that person raised in Malaysia is a racist. In fact, everyone born and raised in Malaysia is a racist.

How could we not be? Regardless of whether Malaysia claims to be a racially tolerant nation, from young we are taught to look at our skin colour, our language and our beliefs. What's yours is different from other people and with it comes the stigma that's all too coloured.

"The Malays are lazy and want to convert everyone to Islam…"

"The Chinese want your money and care for nothing else…"

"The Indians are dirty and will steal from you…"

These beliefs are drilled into the minds of every child with every Malaysian parent in an unending cycle. Echoed in the simple friendships we make to the people we fall in love with. Interracial relationships have it hard in Malaysia, more so given the differences in religious beliefs that primarily govern every race. These differences are reinforced by our peers and even more so by the education system. Regardless of whoever claims that they are not the least bit racist, it is that awareness of our physical, cultural and religious beliefs that starts the long line towards a "racial" segregation.

Even though, other Malaysians children do outstandingly well in their education, it is the Malaysian Malays that benefit the most from Government scholarships, If I still recall correctly, the racially enforced public university quota still exists. To what end, I can't even fathom, but it does breed an underlying belief in the core of our society, that whatever you do, you're never going anywhere unless you're born into it, or rich enough to escape it. A belief that has turned into a wall of mistrust and suspicion between the races in Malaysia.

Perhaps the worst part of Malaysian racism is our subconscious quest to prove that we're better, not just as a nation, but as a racial and religious stigma. Religion and race are tied as one in Malaysia. By law, every Malay is automatically a Muslim. It is enforced in forms we write and the social security cards we carry with us all the time. The walls separating the people further raised by religious differences stereotypically carried by birthright. Sometimes it's no longer about the cultural stereotype, but whose God is better. An argument that has no ending, only a pathological misunderstanding, hatred and perhaps more than a fair share of broken hearts in between.

Then there is the motherload with Malaysian politics bringing to light the constant struggle for every racially governed faction to claim that they are better because everyone else is a racist but themselves. While I make it a point to never touch Malaysian politics, considering only a racially prejudiced person would single out anyone else that's different as a racist. This "pot-calling-the-kettle-black" hypocrisy of such claims beggars belief.

The only hope at least for something to change are the new generation of youths exposed to the world and all its ideals. Youths that are taking a stand somewhere along the line saying "Something is not right with our country". With that are youths who aren't afraid to admit that yes, we are racists, but by knowing that we are, we can start doing something to change that. By admission of our own faults, we can start by repairing the damage so future generations won't look at another person and think race first.

I'm not saying that this is going to be an easy road to walk on. I admit, I for one am a racist because I have a deep hatred for my own race and what it has stood for. I find myself hating the very structure of the system that has alienated me from people who I could have known better. But in knowing what I am, what I see and what I hate. I know exactly where to turn back from and where to make amends for.

If more people could do that. Then maybe Malaysia would become more than just a nation with racially tolerant people. It'll be just a nation with people and I like the sound of that.

malaysian chinese
via email
26/09/08

Holier than thous

By Aloysious Mowe, The Nut Graph LAST Christmas, after a splendid lunch at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, my nieces posed with their dad for photographs amidst a glittery forest of Christmas trees in the hotel lobby. Earlier that day they had scrambled to yet another tree, in my mother's house, to open the presents that had been piled up under it in anticipation of their arrival. None of this is remarkable, except for the fact that my brother-in-law is a strictly observant Malay Muslim, and that at lunch my sister was veiled, as are many Muslim women in Malaysia these days.   We didn't pretend, for the sake of my Muslim family's "sensitivities", that Christmas was some kind of jolly secular knees-up. Next to our Christmas tree was set up, as it is every year, a scene made up of carved wooden figures depicting the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. From the CD player came carols about how he "came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all", and calls to "come let us adore him, Christ the Lord". If some people in Malaysia were to have their way, my family would no longer be allowed to celebrate our very Malaysian Christmas. We would be accused of "confusing" my Muslim family, and of being "insensitive" to their faith. Is Christmas in Malaysia increasingly de-Christian- ised? (Pic by Arnold Wong, courtesy of Nick Choo) Mental convolutions Just before the last election, a group of Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF), issued a set of demands.  The usual suspects were rounded up for condemnation: "pluralism"; "secular-liberal thought"; the Interfaith Commission; the notion that Malaysia is a secular state, etc. It is a depressing document to have to read, both for its intellectual dishonesty as well as for its being a fairly accurate reflection of public discourse about Islam in Malaysia today. The mental convolutions it must take to produce such a document would win a gold medal if intellectual bankruptcy were an Olympic sport. It would be clear to a Martian emerging from her (do notional Martians have gender?) ship in Putrajaya that Islam is an all-pervasive and dominant force in this land. Nevertheless, these Muslim NGOs prefer to paint a picture of Muslims here as a community under siege. They state that all forms of religious and ethnic extremism must be rejected, and in the next line demand that Muslim organisations have a say in approving the building of non-Muslim places of worship in Muslim-majority areas, because the "sensitivities" of the "local community" must be considered. It is even suggested that the authorities have been too permissive with regards to the building of non-Muslim places of worship, while being very rigid regarding the erecting of mosques. Does any non-Muslim recognise this state of affairs as congruent with reality as we know it? The NGOs also call for the strengthening of civil society institutions, and the opening up of greater democratic space. At the same time, they call for the restriction of religious terms such as "Allah" to Muslim use only; condemn those who promote individual rights and freedom of religion for Muslims; and warn the Ministry of Education to ignore non-Muslim concerns about the role that Islamic rituals have in national schools. Hypersensitivity The Muslim NGOs also lament the fact that four states and the federal territories have yet to introduce legislation forbidding non-Muslims from proselytising among Muslims. By highlighting this, they perhaps inadvertently explode one of the myths about the Constitution, viz. that it forbids such proselytising. In fact, Article 11(4) states only that non-Muslims may be forbidden by state legislation to preach their faith to Muslims. There is nothing in the Constitution that says this must be done. These NGOs, however, are the same ones who emerge from under a rock every time there is a Muslim apostasy case, with demands that we should respect the "position" of Islam as guaranteed in the Constitution. Their reading of the Constitution is as dishonest as their interpretations of civil society and democratic space. One of the dominant tropes in the list of demands is the need for non-Muslims to be "sensitive" to Muslim sensibilities. The authorities justified the recent detention of Teresa Kok under the Internal Security Act (ISA) by claiming that she had injured Muslim sensitivities. Whatever the real political calculations (or miscalculations) behind her detention, the mere allegation of injuring Muslim sensitivities was a sufficient condition to orchestrate a campaign against her. Some Muslims are feeling that the authorities are not building enough mosques, compared with churches and temples (© Keran McKenzie / sxc.hu) It has come to a point where nothing labelled "Muslim" can be questioned or debated by non-Muslims, and even dissenting Muslims, for fear of injuring "Muslim" sensibilities. To some, given the dominant position of Muslims in Malaysia, this has the ring of a rich man asking a beggar not to bother him with requests for money: the beggar's pleading is "insensitive", as it highlights the disparity between his enormous wealth and the beggar's poverty. The rich man thinks his comfort should not be disturbed, even if the poor man dies at his doorstep. Walk into any Muslim bookshop in Kuala Lumpur, and you will come across the works of South African writer Ahmad Deedat. They are filled with vitriol against Christian beliefs, and Christian sensitivities do not enter the picture. A Malay politician slanders the Chinese citizenry of this country (and spouts anti-Semitism in the same breath), and gets away with a three-year suspension from his party, while a journalist who reports his hate-speech is detained under the ISA. When it comes to sensitivities in Malaysia, which community is it that truly has a grievance? The other point of view It is easy to adopt a condescending tone when approaching the issue of Muslim sensitivities, especially when it is clear that non-Muslim sensitivities are on a regular basis ridden over roughshod. However, I want to take seriously the idea of the Muslim community's sensitivities. I understand why a pious Muslim could be distressed whenever she sees pork being consumed, or when she sees alcohol being sold openly. A Muslim who finds truth and consolation in his faith will certainly be saddened by the apostasy of another Muslim. These are not trivial matters. Ahmad Deedat (Public domain. Source: Wikipedia.org) However, these neuralgic points are just as painful for non-Muslims as they are for Muslims. It pains me to see a Catholic convert to Islam only because Malaysian law (against the weight of Islamic tradition) says she must if she marries a Muslim. I am offended by the toxic writings of Ahmad Deedat, in the same way that some Muslims were offended by Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses or by the Jyllands-Posten cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. But what is it that causes me not to demand a ban on Ahmad Deedat's books? I do not believe that those who offend me should as a consequence lose their right to free speech. Racists and bigots should have their opinions challenged and debated: dismissing them from the public sphere simply drives them underground, and who knows then what noxious weed will grow in the dark? Neither do I think that the world should always pander to all my sensitivities. To have every desire fulfilled, without discernment or accommodation, is to be an infant. We all know the exasperation we feel at friends who are sensitive to the most minor imagined slight, or who are unable to cope with the rough and tumble of relationships. We want to say to them, "Oh, for heaven's sake, just grow up!" Societies also can be infantilised, and religious societies with strong authoritarian tendencies all the more so. An infantilised religious community is one that will always feel that it is under siege, for it will never have had to take its creeds and practices into the light of reason and charity, those adult qualities so emphasised in the Quran. Aloysious Mowe, SJ, was born after Merdeka and considers himself Malaysian by birthright and not by anyone's concession. The last time he checked his passport, it says he was born in Malaysia, not Tanah Melayu.

The devil among us

The following are snippets on corruptions by Mahathir and his Gangs! These evils have robbed the poor so much that we cannot condone their past and present actions! “In the 1997 the World Journalists meeting voted Dr Mahathir the Prime Minister of the Decade. It sounded strange to everybody until it was revealed those who voted against are threatened by IRD officers that they would loose their jobs. In New York the United Nations 1997 meeting, the most corrupt Prime Minister of the decade is President Suharto and second Dr Mahathir (Actually Dr Mahathir should take first place but bribed the Indonesian to take honour of Number One.)” “The Muslims pray to Allah thanking Him for the gifts of timber, oil and grain. But then the devil sent us corrupt Mahathir without a brain. And look we are back to square one again so just take Mahathir back to hell. And we will be alive and well.” “In China people have been shot for embezzling one thousand dollars. With 8 billions Mahathir has stolen, therefore he would be shot 80 thousand times.” “Mahathir was leading an anti-corruption campaign when he was the prime minister. We all know what he should do. He must look in the mirror. He will see the actual crook there! Then he must use his left hand and handcuff his right hand. He put Lim Kit Siang in jail, when he said in parliament Mahathir is the richest PM in the world. And his colleague Karpal Singh too, for two years. So do we get a reward or bribe if we say Mahathir is the poorest PM in this world?” “Every Chief Minister or Menteri Besar of the BN controlled states is awarding useless projects to their cronies then collecting secret pay offs on the side. The Land development Boards and the Economic Development Boards are used to bailout any loses suffered by politicians. The profits they keep, the loses they force the Government bodies to absorb. How can the poor ever close the gap when every good deal is snatched by the politicians? How can the country get out of poverty if all the billions of corruption money is taken out of the country?” “Look at the Sarawak Chief Minister selling billions worth of timber concessions under the table; selling every piece of state land to businessman without tender; using his own companies to obtain lucrative government contracts; selling approval signatures for a fee ‘you pay I approve’. He has 8 billion US dollars stashed overseas. Thousands of acres of land are given to one or two companies while thousands of poor people still live in cardboard makeshift homes; have no water and shit into the river. Thousands of acres of land are sold to companies for plantations while the native don’t have even one acre to their name. He is selling sand near the beaches to one company for earth filling and then asks the government to spend millions to protect the coastline when erosion occurs. He lost 300 millions of the Sarawak government money trying to make computer chips. He has built a port in Northern Sarawak town in water so shallow, it needs dredging every year.” “Some of the people are still without shoes, without land to farm, without homes, bathing in rivers shitting in hole in the ground, without water and electricity. The cities are concrete jungles without greenery and open spaces. KL is jammed with traffic. Yet Mahathir and his cronies still keep on building high rises. The schools are cramped with 500 students to an acre and thousands of acres are given free to some politician who leaves them idle. The parks are being taken by politicians to build shop houses and every cabinet minister is a land grabbing businessman who builds roads only for their cronies’ land.”

Bariah Ishak, Marina Lee & the rest of the heroes

By : kickdefella

Meqna, my three years old daughter, gently push her small finger against my ribs, trying to wake me up. As I open my eyes, she asked me in her baby slang, “abah kena tangkap?”

This is the first time she saw me since we were separated on the evening of September 17, 2008.

Earlier, during sahur, Al, my eldest claimed he has been bullied at school because of my detention while Wef relates how he cried when he saw me on TV, being handcuffed and escorted by the police.

Meanwhile, both Al and Wef told Guli, “Abah kena tangkap pasal bunuh banyak sangat polis dalam GTA”, referring to Guli’s favourite PS2 game, the Grand Theft Auto.

While I cherished the luxury of being with my kids and hear their reflections on the matter, my heart is with my brother Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

Pete is now in Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak. The Minister of Home Affairs had signed the detention order of two years. What will happen if Najib Razak became the Prime Minister during the two years? Do we believe Rosmah The Terrible will not interfere and force the next Home Minister to extend the detention order till the end of her hubby premiership? This is the bad thing about such law we called ISA.

While I still stand my ground on such preventive law but as always, I keep on questioning the manner such law allows for so much of abuse.

Will Pete be there when his youngest, Sarah met her Mr. Right? Doesn’t Pete has a right as a father to be there with his daughter during her growing years? For years, Pete has been there for us without failed to amuse us with his insights. Perhaps time has come for us to be there physically for Pete. This time around no Paypal or US Dollar can free our Pete but perhaps our intelligences and strengths.

Should we just go there and take Pete and other sixty plus detainees out of the detention centre? Why not. If we have the number we can do that. We just need 0.001% of the population to make the plan a success. In a worst-case scenario, maybe 0.001% of those who will march to Kamunting to release Pete and friends will be dead. Yet, surely Pete and friends will be free and due to the number of those martyr, the government will crumbled and UMNO and BN will be kick out of Malaysia forever.

Then why are we not doing it? The answer is because we are Malaysian.

Our forefather and he is The Tunku’s and his buddies, not Rashid Maidin, Ching Peng, Shamsiah Fakeh, Ahmad Boestaman etc, has taught us that we fight and got our independent via a friendly manner and that is by each and everyone of them toasting the champagne glass while flirting with the bourgeoisie.

Friendly manner? Isn’t it a case of lembu punya susu sapi dapat nama? Isn’t those archived documents and the transcript of debates in the British Parliament already proved that British were forced to expedite Malaya’s independence because of the armed struggle by the Communist Party of Malaya and the tendency of the Malay leftist to support the so called Chinese Terrorist. And when our Government put its signature on the Hatyai Agreement with the CPM, we agreed to acknowledge their roles in getting the independence for Malaya.

So truly Malaysian we are, we will rather relax and enjoyed our forthcoming holiday sipping Earl Grey in the balcony of the resort and yes, we will have no problem seeing our once beloved fella rotten in the Kamunting Detention Centre. Well, he is not the first, right?

I have said before, and I shall repeat it again, we have become a society who enjoys masturbating ourselves more that venturing into the real sex. Thanks to UMNO and its friends, we rather fantasise with all the symbols. We are easily aroused by the biggest and the longest, we rather save billions of Ringgit to sent one Malaysian to tour the space than spending two or three billions on petrol subsidies that can surely help the poor to buy things cheaper.

Our fantasies will bring us to bed with anybody, but it can never conceived.

I wish to congratulate the Special Branch for only taking about ten days to wrap their investigation on my brother Pete. By sending Pete to Kamunting will make a whole lot of different to him. Pete is now living in a community consisting of Political Detainees and those deemed as the threat to the Nation. He has his own bed, reading material, access to other detainees, proper medical care, access to sports and etc. Kamunting must be the heaven if we compare it with those days when he is held under investigation at an undisclosed location in a solitary confinement. The torturing part has end, now is the rehabilitating period for our man.

But why should Pete be rehabilitate? Is our Pete a threat to the nation? Ask ourselves this question, when we were told that he is a threat because he has been inciting unrest by insulting Islam, is this another meal for masturbating or this is the real one?

How money people who actually qualified to talk about Islam has felt insulted by what Pete has written. How many Mufti has crucified Pete for what he has written? How many Imams have been butchered by his jamaah after they read what Pete has written? How many Muslim girls have liberate their virginity by indulging into free sex due to what being written by Pete?

I do not know about you, but personally I haven’t seen any glaring differences in the Muslim community since Pete published the so-called inciting unrest by insulting Islam article.

But yes, Pete is a threat to UMNO. Pete is a threat to Najib. Pete is a threat to Pak Lah. But no, Pete is not the threat to the nation.

Pete is not a threat to us. Period.

My father once told me, British made a grave mistake to put Gandhi behind bar. They have created a hero out of the small man. When my eldest sister rushes to hug me at Jalan Duta magistrate court, she tells me, ‘If only Abah is here! If only Abah is here Azidi! He will be proud of you’.

I was left confused. I am not the hero. They are the heroes. You all are the heroes. Because my strength lies in yours.

All the way through my journey to the Kota Bharu Magistrate court to be remanded for the first time, I stared at the handcuff and pray to God that my wife will remain strong. I knew if she starts to cry, I shall too.

As I walked out of the car, I saw her in a distance smiling at me. That is why you have my photos smiling all over the papers next day. She is the hero.

A person like Pete is not the hero if we do not give him our full support. If we want to make him our hero, it will have to begin with us.

Marina Lee Abdullah has been a constant hero for Pete. But this is an un-chartered territory for our sole hero. Pete has been investigated under ISA before but never being sent to Kamunting. This time around we will need more than one hero to save our Pete.

So, can we stand to be a hero?

Malay Rights

The Malays are 'technically' in power governing the country but it is also this same controlling group that demands the right to correct economic imbalances and disparities for its own race.

What does this say about the 'majority governing' Malay race for the last 50 years?

I dare say that most Malaysians (regardless of race) below the age of 40 would like to see all opportunities be spread amongst those who deserve it on meritocracy.

We do not need the keris anymore to tell others to be careful of what they say and do because in the survival of the fittest, the keris is of very little relevance!
If we continue to hide under the 'bumiputera' tempurung as most Malays have been in the last 50 years or more, the catch-up game will just get harder and the gap wider.
If we continue to expect without earning it, we will never learn how to be a race that succeeds on merit. There is NO substitute for merit. The Malay politicians continue to shout about Malay rights and bumiputera rights because the very nature of our local politics is sadly racially biased.

In this day and age, a great nation is built upon joint success stories, meritocracy and the
combined hard work of its people WITHOUT any fear or favour of racial biased politics governing our daily policies. Sadly, the Malay politicians have ended up completely corrupt, racialists, twisted religious fanatics.
I am below 40 and as much as I love the 'idea' that Malaysia is tanah tumpahnya darah orang Melayu, I can't help but also feel that this country is for ALL Malaysians alike including the Chongs, the Kumars, the Xaviers, the Singhs & Kaurs etc who were born on the same day in the same hospital as me here in Malaysia.
If we feel that WE (the Malays) deserve this country more than THEM , then WE (the Malays) should have shown them a long time ago that we deserve the 'control all' status.
We have to earn it. The policies FAILED because the very concept of Malay rights or the NEP/DEB is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it aims to eradicate wealth disparity but on the other, it has made the Malays oblivious of what reality is. Our (Malays) success is only reflected in the 'perceived' political power which today can collapse in a matter of minutes.

I would also like to see my children succeed in their country, Malaysia, for reasons that true success should be based upon, which are merit and hard work and NOT because they are Malays or bumiputeras.

For as long as the Malays don't see this, there is very little point in fighting for Malay rights.
It just makes us look more ridiculous. We have taken this notion of being privileged a bit too literally in that it now simply means we want this country and its fruits all for ourselves without accepting the responsibilities that come with it. I blame the MALAY politicians for this because we want to only fight the cause without strategising for the true substance and need of the cause. We have been given fish all the while without being taught how to fish.

It's funny how two different generations can be so diverse in their thinking and the recent elections proved
just that.. We are no longer concerned with racial problems but more so the never-ending Malay agenda issues. The rakyat has spoken and the landscape has drastically changed. Is this change welcomed?   Is it good?
The answer is 'NO'. Because we,the Malays, have been caught with our pants down - we are
not ready to compete on any level playing field (we can't even compete on advantageous grounds!). Even with three or five more continuing policies for Malay rights or bumiputera privileges over the next 50 years, we will still be in exactly the same position as we are in today.
The truth hurts and the truth will always prevail. And the truth of what's to come will NOT go away. I am cynical perhaps because I feel that Malay rights is NOT relevant anymore.

The right to be safe, to be treated fairly, to have a world-class healthcare and education, to enjoy equal prosperity, to have good governance, to live in a clean environment and to be war-free is what I want for my Malaysia. NOT for MY race to be artificially powerful.

If we want the Malays to fail, then by all means continue the fight for Malay rights. Go and polish your keris..

Shaik Rizal Sulaiman

Raja Petra's deteriorating health

Aliran is seriously concerned over the deteriorating health of Raja Petra. According to his wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, “he does not look good and healthy at all”. The deteriorating health of Raja Petra is totally due to the callous treatment of him by the police, who have completely ignored the universal norms that a detainee is entitled to. “He has been denied sleep and is being put through mental torture,” said his wife after visiting Raja Petra. By her account, Raja Petra had been harassed psychologically in police custody. This stress under extreme custodial conditions has caused Raja Petra to lose weight and he is feeling weak. This is a cause for concern as he is suffering from a heart ailment. “He spoke very softly and looked weak, pale and tremendously thin,” Marina told reporters. She attributed this to the fact that Raja Petra was suffering from a lack of sleep because the previous night, he was harassed hourly by officers who recorded statements from him. Marina has every right to be worried over his health because  “her husband suffers from heart artery blockages and is on medication”. At this point in time nobody can confirm if Raja Petra is taking his medication or whether he  is being monitored by a doctor. What he is being subjected to is absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for. What makes it worse is the fact that Raja Petra’s human rights are being violated with impunity by a country that sits as a member on the United Nations Human Rights Council that is tasked with protecting and preserving human rights. It makes a mockery of our position on this Council and renders it untenable. Raja Petra has been arbitrarily arrested, subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and denied a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal in  determining his guilt. He has not been recognised as a person before the law and has been denied his right to freedom of thought and conscience. All these are serious violations which must be thoroughly condemned. This cannot be condoned  especially when the perpetrator is a  member of the Human Rights Council. Aliran calls upon the Malaysian government to stop its violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to release Raja Petra  immediately and to live up to its obligations as a member of the United Nations. Malaysians no longer believe that the Barisan Nasional has acted honourably, objectively and sincerely in the national interests of Malaysia in detaining Raja Petra, Teresa Kok, the Hindraf Five and all the others under the unjust ISA. P Ramakrishnan President 18 September   The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.”   The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.” The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 10  of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” The Malaysian government is guilty of violating  Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

You will make the difference

GOODBYE GENOCIDE, GOODBYE UMNO

Malaysia Today
Thursday, 29 May 2008

The penniless children of Pariaman wander to Malaysia, hoping to make a few bucks. Instead, they are beaten, raped, and dumped overboard at sea. Left to drown in the Straits of Malacca by the despicable Malaysian Police. Pariaman residents detest TEKAI (Indo Agency for Labour Export to Malaysia) Few return in good shape. And none with success stories.
By Michael Chick

Nestled deep in Minangkabau Country, in Sumatera, lies a small town called Pariaman. This quaint hamlet today is quiet, and uneventful. However, words cannot decribe the horror of the bloodbath which occurred here exactly 50 years ago. 25 Chinese families were brutally murdered in their sleep in cold blood. They had their throats slit with sharp Zinc roofing shards. Every single one of the 180 odd Chinese residents were butchered this day 50 years ago. Their bodies thrown into the sea left to rot.

The 25 families were guilty of one and only one crime. They were successful business people. And for that, they paid with their lives. Today, as a result, Pariaman is economically decadent. Shops barely stay financially afloat. Most shops barely make enough to pay rent and utilities. Crime rates skyrocket. Corrupt Police Officers leech off the residents, who already barely make ends meet.  Citizens steal, rob and plunder from each other, and many shopkeepers have to sleep in their stores just in case "Kedai kena Maling" (shops get robbed), as one elderly resident so aptly put it. Dark shadowy figures stagger, engaged in Glue Sniffing, Narcotics, and shifty Drug Pushers ply the streets after dark. Women and children are preciously locked at home after nightfall, for fear of their lives. You will never see them after dark.

30 kilometers away, the city of Padang is thriving. Ethnicities work well together and the economic pie is pretty well distributed. Local residents can even afford Rp 4million Prostitutes. (Rm 1,000) for a one night stand. Impressive, even by KL standards. Apparently many Ministers (Bupati) make Padang their unofficial "fuck-town". 2 huge 5-Star Hotels make special concessions to cater to this industry.

The penniless children of Pariaman wander to Malaysia, hoping to make a few bucks. Instead, they are beaten, raped, and dumped overboard at sea. Left to drown in the Straits of Malacca by the despicable Malaysian Police. Pariaman residents detest TEKAI (Indo Agency for Labour Export to Malaysia) Few return in good shape. And none with success stories. Most silently cry in Malaysian Prisons, awaiting their next gang rape by Malaysian Police. One case-study involves a 16 year old TEKAI "export" who was continously gang raped by Malaysian Police in Jail, she subsequently gave birth to 3 children during her continous 3 years in Prison. This is the evil product of Malaysian Police Brutality. I nearly cried when I was conducting this interview. The now 20 year old finally managed to escape. She resides in Pariaman today. All her dreams crushed. All her hopes shattered. The whereabouts of her 3 children (products of Police rape), unknown. Perhaps forever. There is a high probability that they were sold into the Prostitution Trade in Thailand.  Forever to lead the life as a cheap sex toy to pleasuring men.

Pariaman Residents thought, that to win the economic race, was to obliterate their competitor. What they failed to realize, was that in fact it was not the 180 Chinese throats that they slit, but their own. Their Genocidal Act is still felt by the entire Community today. Reverberating in tandem with the rampant earthquakes. Homes have literally fallen apart. Mosques crack beyond repair, while paddy field workers make Rp 5,000 (RM1.20) per day. After having toiled from 7am till 6pm under scorching heat, mind you. For comparison, a single meal at a roadside stall costs Rp8,000 per person in Pariaman.

Bravo! I call this Ketuanan Pariaman! UMNO has learnt well from them. Congratulations.They have tried to make themselves look good by killing the competition. Literally. UMNO thought that by removing, or enslaving the pendatangs, they have Ketuanan. They were right. The stupid Chinese of Malaysia allowed themselves to be enslaved. Had their wings clipped. And as a result, Malaysia is 100 years behind Singapore. Some idiot asked not to compare Malaysia with Singapore. He was merely speaking from deep embarrassment.  But the sleepy idiot was right for once. Because Malaysia is so far behind, there is no comparison. And yet, ironically, he speaks of Ketuanan. So while Singapore goes full steam ahead in her plans to becoming the elite top half category of the First World Status, Malaysia decides which ketupat recipe is better. Ketuanan Ketupat is hard at work.

Yes, Malaysia chooses to compare and perhaps idolize inferior 3rd world countries left far behind in the economic dust. This inferiority complex manifests in wallowing in continous self-pity. I quote Syed Albar, ex-Foreign Minister of Malaysia, "... We are poor. We are so poor. Even the Indians are Richer than us..." in a Live World Broadcast by the BBC. How pathetic. No wonder Michael Backman openly said what he said.

And who can blame him? Anyone who slits their own throats is indeed BODOH ! Hence Malaysia BODOH ! (STUPID Malaysia) Anyone who thinks that Genocide is clever, should slit their own throats like UMNO has. Who, unfortunately learnt from the "intelligent" Residents of Pariaman.

Today, take a stroll along the empty streets of Pariaman at dusk, and see if the faint cries of the haunting echoes of the 180 dead Chinese voices affect you.

Goodbye Genocide, Goodbye UMNO. Good riddance. And don't come back.

Michael Chick
Truly Asia, Truly Genocidal...

This is only the beginning

Wednesday, 17 September 2008 22:14 Compared to the long road ahead and the obstacles that are bound to be put up in the face of reform, winning power and taking over the government will seem a relatively easy task, observes Aliran member Farish Noor. Much more difficult will be having to dismantle the structures of power and knowledge that have grown sedimented for so long and overturning the dominant culture of racialised politics that has divided Malaysian society thus far. Recently I found myself in an open discussion with some of my students in the university I am based at in Indonesia. At the tender age of 18, this first-year student demonstrated both the intellectual acumen and political commitment I have come to expect from those twice his age, yet he was just one of the many students whom I am proud to say have come under my care and tutelage. After ten years of teaching experience, I have come to the simple conclusion that my Indonesian students are by far the smartest, gutsiest, honest and dedicated compared to the students I have taught in Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, France and Holland. Why? That an 18-year-old can begin his university life equipped with enough political knowledge and commitment is a testimony to the success of a primary and secondary educational system that got it right. This boy is the product of the post-Suharto educational system of Indonesia, and living proof that the reformasi (reform) movement of the 1990s in Indonesia has succeeded. Yet the success of reformasi in Indonesia depended upon the quiet dedication of a legion of activist-academics who toiled day and night to dismantle the hegemonic structures of power and knowledge that were developed and consolidated during the three decades of Suharto's rule. This meant that they had to confront not only the hegemony of the old regime, but also replace much of the human and ideological resources that had been put in place between 1970 to 1998. Ten years later, the results are only beginning to show and it has proven to be a worthwhile endeavor after all. Malaysia today is at a similar crossroads where Indonesia was a decade ago. With the febrile grip of the Badawi government growing weaker by the day, there is much speculation that Malaysia's former Deputy Prime Minister and now de facto leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, is poised to take over the reins of power. It is widely speculated that Anwar now has more than forty members of Parliament who are prepared to leave the ruling Umno party and join his People's Alliance to take over from the unpopular and discredited government of Badawi. Anwar says he has written to Badawi and called for a dialogue between the two to discuss a peaceful transition of power: something that has never happened in the course of Malaysia's 51-year history. Should such a transition happen, however, it would only mark the beginning of what must be a long and difficult process of reform and reconstruction. Like Indonesia, Malaysia has lived under half a century of hegemonic rule by one party – Umno – and the ruling coalition it leads. Five decades of Umno rule translates into five decades of pro-Umno propaganda that has been normalised as news in the press, official history in school textbooks, official discourse in the workings of the state. This also means that the entire apparatus of the state – from the police and the armed forces to the bureaucracy, educational institutions, the economic sector, etc. - have all been stamped with the lingering imprint of Umno and Umno's brand of racialised ethno-nationalist politics. Taking over the government of Malaysia is just the first step to reforming the country. What many Malaysians do not perhaps realise is how difficult and long the process of reconstruction will take. For instance, the task of re-writing the country's official history, which has so long borne the bias and slant of Umno's ideologues, will be a herculean task in itself. Malaysia's communally fragmented society will demand representation on all levels in the new curriculum of the national educational system. The Muslims, for instance, may insist on a re-writing of Malaysian history primarily from their Islamist perspective. Other ethnic and cultural minorities may likewise call for an equally sectarian interpretation of history as well. And even if such a comprehensive history could be written, would a new government have the will to see to it that it is taught in schools? Decades of Umno hegemony has also ensured that a pro-Umno bias remains in many institutions of the state, and to some extent the official ideology of Umno has been internalised by many members of the bureaucracy. One can anticipate many rounds of furious polemics, protests and counter-protests, and not to mention countless efforts to sabotage the reform process in Malaysia before it even gets off the ground. Compared to the long road ahead and the obstacles that are bound to be put up in the face of reform, winning power and taking over the government will seem a relatively easy task. Much more difficult will be having to dismantle the structures of power and knowledge that have grown sedimented for so long and overturning the dominant culture of racialised politics that has divided Malaysian society thus far. What is required therefore is a spirit of universal citizenship and a commitment to a non-racialised and non-communitarian Malaysia: a task that the present opposition alliance itself is not perhaps ready to take on considering its own communalist make-up, divided as it is between communitarian Islamists and left-leaning democrats. The first and enduring task therefore has to be the inculcation of the value of universal citizenship and civic commitment to Malaysia. Until today Malaysians see themselves as members of the Malay, Chinese or Indian races first, or place their religious identity before citizenship. Yet the creation of a democratic and equal Malaysia relies on that intangible quality known as Malaysian citizenship, a quality that is hard to quantify or define but crucial nonetheless for nation-building. Are there enough of such Malaysian-minded Malaysians who can build a new non-racialised non-sectarian Malaysia? Time alone will tell, but for now the prospect of an unprecedented change of government is the first of many long and difficult steps that has to be taken in the slow birth of a reformed Malaysia. Dr Farish A Noor is affiliated professor at Universitas Muhamadiyah Solo, Surakarta, Indonesia.

Barisan Nasional on the run ??

www.malaysiakini.com

by Dean Johns

After its general election fright, Barisan Nasional’s first ploy was to stand and fight. But instead of successfully counter-attacking by cleaning up its act and enacting the reforms the prime minister keeps promising, it fought as dirty as ever.

MCPX

It hit Anwar Ibrahim with a new sodomy charge, blocking Malaysia-Today.net, threatened to throw the immensely-popular Raja Petra Kamarudin into jail, and then employed race and money as weapons in the Permatang Puah by-election

But all these assaults have only strengthened the resolve of the majority of the rakyat to run BN out of office.And, with Anwar back in parliament, heading the opposition and confidently predicting he’ll get enough crossovers to win government, BN’s resolve to fight is increasingly turning to thoughts of flight.

How else to explain the extraordinary fact that, instead of staying around in this hour of peril, and helping govern the country, 40 or so Barisan Nasional MP’s have run off for a “retreat” to study agriculture in Taiwan.

I say 40 “or so” because figures vary as to how many have gone. In fact the whole expedition has been so sudden, strange and confused that it’s become a running joke.

According to the first report I saw, BN Backbenchers Club (BBC) deputy chairperson Bung Mokhtar Radin sent BN MPs a SMS message reading “BN BBC has received approval to hold a retreat overseas from Sept 7 to Sept 19. The attendance of all MPs is compulsory.”

The choice of the term “retreat” was a little unfortunate, I thought, given that many would leap to the obvious conclusion that the jaunt was timed to prevent MPs from jumping onto the PKR bandwagon by Anwar’s stated deadline of Sept 16.

And of course that’s what most people did. According to a Malaysiakini story I saw, Mas Gading (Sarawak) BN MP Dr Tiki Lafe told The Borneo Post that the opposition could make use of the BN trip “to create all kinds of wild rumours”.

He also ventured the opinion that: “As the time is now considered ‘critical’, we have to be more practical. When the opposition is boasting of taking over the government everyday, there is more reason why we should be in our respective constituency.”

Tiki reportedly added that he hoped that “his criticism of the retreat would not be interpreted as an intention to defect to Pakatan Rakyat and that people should not question his loyalty to BN”.

Less temperate and accommodating in his remarks was an unnamed Johor BN MP quoted by Wan Hamidi Hamid and Shannon Teoh in The Malaysian Insider as declaring that “This is the most stupid idea I have ever heard of. How can you stop defections like this? I wonder if they have the approval of the PM”.

Most of us were left wondering about not just who approved this idiotic expedition, but who was paying for it. It was variously reported as being entirely funded by one person, or self-funded by each participant. But many commentators, I noticed, cynically predicted that, as usual with BN events, the public would foot the bill.

Flight to nowhere

As to where the BN MPs were running away to, the first estimate I saw was Australia, then China became a possibility, and finally the organisers settled on Taiwan.

I was personally quite relieved when Australia was dropped from consideration, as we have enough low-life of our own down here without a contingent of BN MPs compounding the problem by possibly trying to import undeclared cash and claiming not to be able to read English.

China apparently fell out of contention because the appropriate visas couldn’t be arranged at such short notice.

But why, of all places, Taiwan became the default destination of the “study tour”, I have no idea.

Given that Malaysian agriculture seems to consist largely of oil palm, more oil palm and even more oil palm, why run off to a country whose principal farm products are, according to my quick Google search, rice, betel nuts, pineapples, mangoes, sugar cane, watermelons, tea, bamboo shoots, pears and peanuts?

And in any case, if the study is in any way serious, why send a bunch of slow-learners like BN MPs? If they’re capable of becoming better informed, why not send them to study something that might improve their performance of their parliamentary duties, like good governance, say, or anti-corruption techniques or judicial, electoral and police reform?

Or, on the other hand, what about flying them off, as some bloggers suggested, to somewhere like Zimbabwe to see and experience for themselves the kind of agricultural economy Malaysia can look forward to if the government they’re part of stays in power long enough?

All joking aside though, who cares where they go or what they pretend to study there, or even who’s paying the bill, as long as the whole scam is a sure sign that PKR has the BN government on the run?

As Lim Kit Siang said in a statement the other day: “Despite maintaining a public stance of stoic indifference, there is no doubt that with the daily countdown to Sept 16, there is an increasing panic in Umno and BN leadership ranks over the degree of cohesion, solidarity and allegiance of the 75 BN backbenchers.”

Lambasting BBC chairperson Tiong King Sing for “hatching such a stupid idea” as to treat MPs “like delinquent children who have to be packed off overseas and secluded from mischief,” he made the very pertinent point that “If there are BN MPs who are minded to leave BN … nothing can stop them from proceeding with their fateful decisions any time after their return to Malaysia after Sept 16.”

Lim’s absolutely right. Unless the runaways seek asylum in Taiwan, they’ll fly home to face the choice of turning-over to PKR to help run the country better, or staying with a coalition whose ruinous monopoly on power has given it far too long a run for its – or rather the rakyat’s – money.