Harussani has gone loco

Written by  Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

The Perak Mufti Harussani Zakarai’s freedom to ban just about everything in our lives is perhaps one of the reasons why the Malay youth of today is rebellious, uncontrollable and undisciplined.

If the Malay/Muslim is not allowed an avenue to relax, to enjoy or be creative, and to have a bit of a laugh, he will grow up at worst, to be a miserable old grouch, possibly like Harussani or at best, he will end up non compos mentis.

How on earth are Muslims going to live normally, if they are expected to be swathed in cotton wool throughout his life because the likes of Harussani think the Muslim is so weak and his soul so tormented, that he will be easily influenced by the devil or by the teachings of Jesus Christ?

Harussani and the Perak Fatwa Committee, have decided that the poco-poco dance is haram for Muslims. According to him, the dance has elements of Christianity and soul worshipping.

The Perak Menteri besar, Zambry Abdul Kadir, has agreed with the Mufti and said that all quarters should respect him and not create any dispute on the matter.

Is that it? Will no one explain how the poco-poco is considered soul worshipping? Is Zambry afraid of confronting Harussani over this matter?

A dance today, what then tomorrow? The ridiculous ban on yoga a few years ago already damaged Malaysia’s reputation.

Harussani is the same man who forbade us from going to our non-Muslims friends homes for their festival days. So much for Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia interaction.

Harussani is the same man who almost caused a near rebellion when he said that the Manchester United football jerseys should be shunned: “Yes, of course in Islam we don’t allow people to wear this sort of thing. Devils are our enemies. Why would you put their picture on you and wear it? You are only promoting the devil.”

He also said that besides the Red Devils, football shirts of Brazil, Barcelona, Portugal, Norway and Serbia were deemed unacceptable because they had images of the cross or had alcohol brands on them.

As expected, Malaysian supporters of ‘Manchester United’, expressed their anger, on the fan’s websites.

If banning the jerseys is what Harussani and his kill-joy clerics strongly believe in, they might as well ban football.

Football, in Malaysia, has almost a religious following with whole families taking a lively interest in the sport. Even the PM went overboard and declared a holiday when Malaysia won a minor game against Indonesia.

If we can’t dance then what about the DVD’s that promote dancing. They will have to go too. What about the music that accompanies the dance?

Why does the austere Harussani, our politicians and a few lawyers, trip over themselves to see who can make Malaysia the world’s worst joke? Why not just place Muslims in straitjackets?

Malaysia does not need people like Harussani. He is neither the voice of reason nor of moderation.

He causes communities to mistrust each other. He almost caused a lynch mob to assemble at the Silibin church in Ipoh, when he allegedly spread a rumour that Malays were going to be baptized there.

Although many Muslims disagree with Harussani, several liberal Muslims/Malays are too afraid or reluctant to damp out the opposing voices of conservatism. These conservatives play on the Malays’ fears by claiming that by doing certain things, they are doomed in the afterlife.

Harussani does not believe in having information made freely available. He certainly does not like educated Muslims who demand answers based on reason.

Most Muslims believe that religion is not just about punishment, but about education. Unlike Harussani, moderates don’t accept having blind allegiance and acceptance of the faith.

The conservatives like Harussani claim to be defenders of Malays and Islam. They dissuade others from expressing opinions that they don’t want to talk about. They feel slighted at any reference to Malays or Islam. They use the police as a tool and various senior politicians as their minders. These conservatives have managed to silence the non-Malays and any Malay who voices disapproval.

Harussani once described former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin as a “strange person” who had become “arrogant” after Asri completed his advanced studies in Islam.

Harussani condemned Asri’s need to educate people by saying: “How long do you want to educate a person? The country and this world will be a safer place if we have Islamic laws. When I was in Saudi Arabia I felt very safe.”

Perhaps Harussani could do us all a favour and live in Saudi Arabia. He would be safe, and we would be sane.

Source : Malaysia Chronicle

Malaysia’s striving porn & sex industry receives government’s blessing & protection

Although a Muslim country officially, many of the cabinet ministers and ruling BN MPs have sex affairs outside their marriages. Malaysia is a sex-offender Heaven, no doubt about it.

By ManaBolehMalaysia

With the world's economy heading for a tailspin after the 2008 financial disaster and in an apparent bid to keep dwindling GDP growth above 6% to achieve Mahathir's Vision 2020 objectives, word has it that the Malaysian government secretly gave its blessings and protection to the flourishing underground SEX & PORN industry. This came to light with the recent report that UMNO (the dominant ruling party) and PM Najib will protect the “Datuk T” trio who exposed the sex video involving a man resembling the opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, under the Witness Protection Act and Whistle blower Act. The industry always protect its own.

It is evidently clear from the Sodomy-II trial, Chua Soi Lek's (former Health Minister and current President of MCA) sex video to which he admitted he was the “actor”, Altantuya-PM French Sorpene Corruption-murder scandal and Sodomy-I, Malaysia's sex industry (porn, prostitution, massage, human trafficking etc) has the full blessing of the sex-tainted PM, cabinet and his crony corrupted police force.

The current PM has had a string of sex scandals hanging over his head while his Information Minister accused of raping his maid is still holding on to his job. Although a Muslim country officially, many of the cabinet ministers and ruling BN MPs have sex affairs outside their marriages. Malaysia is a sex-offender Heaven, no doubt about it. Money buys everything from child prostitutes to murdering your own wife if she gets in the way of your sexual escapades. Malaysia is the land where the righteous has no rights and the criminals run free and wild.

In Malaysia it is against the law to produce, distribute, possess or promote any kind of sex video; what more to screen the sexually explicit video to invited editors and leading journalists from the mainstream media. The “Datuk T” trio openly admitted to blackmailing the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Wan Azizah (President of PKR) to step down from politics or face full exposure. In any democratic country it is unlawful to force anyone from challenging the incumbent with such blatant criminal acts. Yet all three (one a child rapist and another a known “pimp”), had not been stripped of their honorific titles, detained or charged. What other proof do you need?

It would have been a simple task to track down the producer of the illegal video, illegal production venue, the porno stars and camera crew as several permits would have to be issued in the land where an assembly of more than 3 is deemed illegal without a police permit. So far no one has been charged yet.

Instead the Bukit Aman secretariat chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Ghazali Mohd Amin said the opposition leader (Anwar Ibrahim) was not being investigated as there was no sign of criminal misconduct. In a land where even close proximity is an offense under the Syariah Laws, (resulting in frequent raids, arrests and some false arrests involving foreign tourists), should Anwar not be investigated to prove that he was indeed the actor in the illegal video?

If he is, he should be prosecuted under the Syariah laws as he is a Muslim. If he is not, should his reputation not be lawfully protected by the state from being tarnished?

Instead the PM and his whole cabinet seemed bent on promoting the video and more concerned with the authenticity of the video than investigating the real culprits. Why let a major sex scandal go to waste? This is a golden opportunity to promote 1Malaysia – a 1 stop centre for all kinds of sex (normal, perverse, anal, international you name it, you have it) and you have the choice of recording the sex session for your private pleasure.

Malaysia guarantees NO Prosecution even if you are a high level minister. Better still you get to keep your job and the ruling party ensures you get reelected everytime. Ever wonder why we call for a GENERAL ERECTION every four years with a guaranteed 2/3 majority sexual satisfaction for the last 50 years except the last time.

If this was an isolated breach of morality and legality, a moderate Muslim country like Malaysia could be excused for not wanting to prosecute the Datuk T trio; to keep away unwelcome sex publicity. But then the whole country from the Administration to the Judiciary, to the whole Police force seems quite obsessed with this sexual gross injustice complete with all the media fun-fare.

For the last 3 years, the whole cabinet was fully engrossed with Sodomy II which is still in the midst of a sham miss-trial. In SODOMY II a 65 year old Anwar with a notable spinal cord injury inflicted by the then IGP during his detention in SODOMY I was accused of sodomising (raping) a 24-year old intern (Saiful) who is physically larger and stronger than the alleged rapist.

In SODOMY I Anwar was charged with having engaged in anal sex with his driver (a Malaysian), his advisor (a Pakistani with a PhD) and his adopted brother (an Indonesian). Strangely, his driver who should have been jailed for several counts of perjury for the numerous discrepancies on the witness stand, was not.

Similarly Saiful who suffered no injuries or trauma in the alleged rape, was not charged. He was rumored to have received a large sum of money as did the Driver who mysteriously became a millionaire and a company director after the Sodomy-I trial. Did Saiful meet with the PM months before the alleged rape (for a scholarship despite being a dropout) and just 2 days after the alleged rape purportedly for advice by a traumatized rape victim?

The PM recently admitted to meeting Saiful (the rape victim?) on these two occasions before the purported rape incident after initially denying it. Now why would a deputy PM and later a full-fledged PM be spending so much time with a college dropout on such private matters? Since when does a high level PM-in-waiting meet a low level arsehole like Saiful in private for scholarship matters and for “rape victim trauma consultation”? Anyone believing this would be an arsehole himself.

And to prove public perception right, nothing came out of the scholarship meeting. It is on public record Saiful went for 2 medical examinations on his arsehole 2 days after the second meeting. Could Najib be giving the young Saiful advice based on his own sexual escapades which included the infamous French Scorpene-Mongolian Beauty Altantuya corruption-murder scandal? Definitely not. Were the meeting part of Sodomy-II scandal plot? Definitely yes. The timing cannot lie.

With all the government-sponsored publicity, high level ministerial obsession with sex and porn, and even screening of the sex video at the Parliament lobby, one could be excused for suspecting the government is promoting Malaysia as the centre of excellence for the SEX and Porn Industry. Not only in the production of SEX video itself but also in the procurement of international actors and actresses, in the study of legal and diplomatic loopholes, as political tools, as economic growth engines and as opposition control tool.

No other democratically-elected government in the world could be so badly tainted with sex scandals and still survive unscathed. Has any health minister in the world been caught on camera having illicit sex with a prostitute, resigned and returned as the President of a major political partner in the government all within 2 years?

Has any PM-in-waiting implicated in a multibillion corruption scandal, ordered government's specially trained UTK commandos to nab his pregnant Mongolian ex-lover to be shot and exploded to pieces using military supplied C4, ordered the kangaroo court to release his think-tank advisor who abetted the murder and still went on to become PM?

Yes, nowhere else except Malaysia. It is truly Malaysia Can (Malaysia Boleh).

Source : Malaysia Today

Sodomy 2 & the UMNO mentality

By Kenny Gan, Guest Writer

While we watch astounded at Umno’s audacious attempt to ram a crumbling sodomy case through court with questionable legal maneuvers that no fair court would tolerate, we are left wondering at the mentality behind Umno. 

Is Umno aware that the world is watching and a conviction that turns Anwar Ibrahim into a victim of political persecution would be more damaging to BN than a free Anwar or a tottering MCA and a near-defunct MIC combined?

What could possibly drive Umno to undertake this risky misadventure when retribution from a public backlash is staring at them in the face? 

No government which has to face elections will do what Umno does. Sodomy II is more in tune with a military dictatorship like Myanmar or a banana republic like Zimbabwe rather than a modern democracy like Malaysia (or pseudo-democracy if you want to nitpick). 

To understand why this circus trial is going on we must delve deep into Umno's mentality. The first characteristic of Umno's mentality is that it is infantile. To a young child the present eclipse the future in importance. It is pointless to bribe a little child to give up something in his hands for something better in future. 

We can see Umno's infantile mentality clearly in the Perak power grab. It will not give up the immediate prize of Perak even if threatened with the loss of Federal power in the next election. Hence the incarceration of Anwar is an immediate benefit which outweighs any thoughts of future repercussion. 

The next characteristic of Umno may be aptly termed "the monkey mentality." Kampung boys will know how to catch a monkey by drilling a hole in a coconut just large enough for its hands to go through. Some food is place inside preferably under the watchful eyes of the simians and the coconut left alone. The curious monkey reaches into the hole to grab the food but is unable to withdraw its hand while grabbing the food. The monkey can then be approached and captured as it will not let go of the food no matter what threats it faces. 

Again in the Perak power grab we can observe this monkey mentality in Umno. Against the on slaughter of negative public opinion Umno will not let go of Perak by calling for new state elections. Similarly now that its paws have grasped hold of Anwar it will not let go no matter what dire consequences looms ahead.  

Yet another characteristic which we are all familiar with is arrogance. This is the arrogance which can only come from ruling unbroken for more than 50 years, winning election after election and steamrolling the opposition. Umno thinks it can ride the tide of negative public opinion generated from the backlash of jailing Anwar. After all it has never lost a general election with its awesome money, machinery and media. 

This arrogance also spills over into disdain for the intelligence of the people. The public are taken as gullible fools who will believe whatever they are told and who will not delve into details. They will be told to "respect the decision of the court" and "Anwar was given a fair trial and had many lawyers defending him" or Mahathir's own favorite, "the judge wrote a judgement running into hundreds of pages." What else do the people want? 

Yet another characteristic is just sheer incompetence. With Umno just like the country it governs, meritocracy has taken a backseat. The ones that rise to top are hardly the smart and intelligent ones or the popular ones in touch with the grass roots who can gauge the sentiment of the people. They are the political street fighters, voter buyers, cable pullers and the children of those in power. Umno is not only incompetent to pull off a complex conspiracy, it is also incompetent to do a cost-benefit analysis and is out of touch with the grass roots. 

The tight conformity within Umno where no disagreement or dissent is tolerated with respect to the top leadership helps to keep an eerie silence from middle and low ranking leaders who can see the ill-advised foolishness of Sodomy II but are unable to speak out or sound a warning. The component parties are just too castrated to act. 

Umno also exhibits an ossified mind which is unable to update its thinking to the present. The days when the government-controlled the flow of information via the mass media and use it to mould public opinion is over with the rise of the alternative media. 

Education is more widespread now and more people are concerned about social justice than ever before but to Umno they are still dealing with kampung folks concerned primarily with bread and butter issues. The use of old style campaigning strategies in by-elections is a product of Umno's ossified mind. 

Umno may be deluded into thinking that it has been done before so it can be done again. What they did not take into account is the vastly changed socio-political circumstances between 1998 and now. The opposition is much stronger, online penetration is at least 16 times more and voters are more demanding of good governance. 

Even then in the general election of 1999, Mahathir's cruel treatment of Anwar caused Umno's Malay vote share to collapse to 49% and it was the minorities which saved him. The minorities will not be so favourable to BN now. 

Will Umno come to its senses and pull back from the brink? Or will it go all the way and jail Anwar? We have to wait and see but don’t hold your breath for Anwar’s acquittal.

Source & Comments : Malaysia Chronicle

How you wish there were no heaven and hell

Saturday, 20 June 2009 16:15 Sheesh! So not only will you not go to heaven if you support Barisan Nasional. You will also not go to heaven even if you support PAS. This is because PAS is also involved in an un-Islamic system of government. PAS is as un-Islamic as Umno or Barisan Nasional is. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Mad fish?: scientist warns that farmed fish could be a source of mad cow disease Jeremy Hance, news.mongabay.com June 17, 2009 In a paper that shows just how strange our modern world has become, Robert P. Friedland, neurologist from the University of Louisville, warns that farmed fish could be at risk of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, or Mad Cow Disease. Currently, farmed fish are fed cow by products—a food source they would never find natural environment (unless society started dumping cow carcasses in oceans or lakes). Friedland and co-authors raise the issue in the Journal of Alzhemier’s Disease and call on food regulators to ban feeding cow bone or meat to farmed fish until it can be determined if the practice of feeding fish cow-parts is safe. “We have not proven that it’s possible for fish to transmit the disease to humans. Still, we believe that out of reasonable caution for public health, the practice of feeding rendered cows to fish should be prohibited,” Friedland said. “Fish do very well in the seas without eating cows.” Mad Cow Disease is a fatal disease that can be contracted by eating parts of a cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). After an outbreak in Britain due to infected beef, 163 people died. “The fact that no cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease have been linked to eating farmed fish does not assure that feeding rendered cow parts to fish is safe,” warns Friedland. “The incubation period of these diseases may last for decades, which makes the association between feeding practices and infection difficult. Enhanced safeguards need to be put in place to protect the public.” Along with cow, farmed fish are also fed significant amounts of antibiotics to keep them disease-and-parasite free. Farmed fish pose additional health hazards due to the possibility of mercury contamination. http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0617-hance_madfish.html ************************************************* So there you have it. You thought that by avoiding beef and by just eating fish you can avoid being inflicted with Mad Cow Disease. Then you suddenly wake up one morning and a scientist or doctor tells you that you can still get Mad Cow Disease by eating fish, not to mention mercury poisoning. So what do you do? You become a vegetarian. But just as you thought you are now safe and will live to a ripe old age of 100, another scientist or doctor tells you that the vegetables you are eating have been sprayed with insecticide to prevent plant pests from attacking them. And these insecticides can’t be washed off even if you soak the vegetables for hours before cooking them. No wonder the vegetables looked so perfect and when you buy your vegetables you always choose the most perfect looking ones and avoid those that look like they have been attacked by plant pests. Now you find out that the more perfect they look the more harmful they actually are. Okay, I have a solution, you may think. I will grow my own vegetables in my garden plot and will make sure that they are not sprayed with anything harmful. I will also rear my own chickens and goats and feed them with natural food that do not contain any chemicals. This will ensure that only the safest food gets into my belly. That will offer me the guarantee that I get to eat only contaminated-free food. Then a Blogger starts writing articles telling you that the food you are buying and eating may be medically safe, but they are not halal. They are still ‘contaminated’ with elements of haram. “How can they be haram?” you argue. You never touch anything that does not have a ‘halal’ sticker on them. But lo and behold, you suddenly discover that the halal turkey costs more than the turkey that does not have a halal sticker on them. You then ask the turkey supplier whether this is a conspiracy to discriminate Muslims. Why is the halal turkey more expensive than the non-halal turkey? The turkey supplier then whispers a little secret into your ear. They have to pay the people who issue these ‘halal’ stickers under-the-table money. Yes, that’s right. Those Muslims in white robes and skullcaps take bribes. You have to bribe them to get them to certify your turkey as halal. If not they will not give you permission to stick those ‘halal’ stickers onto your turkey. So now you avoid halal food altogether. Instead of buying your food from the halal section of the supermarket you buy them from the non-halal section. The turkey, chicken, lamb and beef mixed amongst the pork, ham and bacon is more halal than those sold with ‘halal’ stickers on them. Okay, they may not have been slaughtered the ‘correct’ way, but at least they are not ‘contaminated’ with bribery, which is worse than eating ‘not properly slaughtered’ meat. You want to be a good Muslim. You want to avoid anything that is considered haram from ever touching your lips. You avoid food that will endanger your health because Islam is against you doing anything that endangers your health, smoking included. You also avoid food that is considered haram from the Islamic perspective. So you avoid food that have ‘halal’ stickers on them knowing that the supplier has to bribe the government officers to get this halal certification. You are a good Muslim. So you are now assured of going to heaven. To strengthen your case when you one day die and finally get to meet your Maker, you do not drink or gamble as well. You lead a very pious life. But hold on a minute. You work for the government. And the government taxes gaming and liquor. And this money is used to pay your salary. So you are actually ‘eating’ haram money, money procured from taxes on gaming and liquor. Furthermore, according to one-time Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 90% of the personal and private businesses taxes is paid by the Chinese. And the Chinese are involved in all sorts of non-halal businesses. They run lotteries and gambling outlets. They run bars, pubs, nightclubs and discos. They run brothels, massage parlours and karaoke centres that are actually fronts for the ‘China Dolls’ racket. They run banks, finance companies and money-lending businesses. You name it and the Chinese run it. And all these are haram according to Islam. And they pay taxes on all this and this tax money is used to pay the salaries of the government employees. Sheesh, what do you do now? There is only one option open to you. You resign from the government and run your own but small business. You set up a driving school. But none of your students pass their driving test. They will never pass unless you pay the Road Transport Department tester a bribe, the usual under-the-table money. So you will have to bribe the tester or else none of your students will pass their driving test and you will eventually have to close down because no one will come to your driving school any longer. So you close down your driving school and open a tuition centre instead. But you can’t get a licence to operate a tuition centre unless you also pay a bribe. Okay, forget about the tuition centre. You will instead set up a small stall selling cakes and nasi lemak. But you can’t get your hawker’s licence unless you also bribe the local authorities. Sheesh, forget about the whole thing. You decide to go back to your kampong to become a padi farmer. Your late father left you a piece of land, which he used to grow padi on. It has of course been neglected all those years because you chose to work for the government instead of becoming a padi farmer. Now you decide to grow padi on that neglected land. You also sell your house and car and surrender your credit cards to avoid having to pay haram interest on your loans and credit cards. You will become a true Muslim by just planting padi. You apply for fertilizer from the government but are told you need to become an Umno member to qualify for fertilizer aid. If not you will have to buy your own fertilizer from the Chinaman supplier and that would mean your production cost would be too high. The only way to keep your cost down would be to get a fertilizer subsidy but you must first become an Umno member. Furthermore, you need to sell your padi to Bernas and they will pay you a low price if you do not pay the purchasing officer a ‘commission’ and show him your Umno membership card. It troubles you that you must become an Umno member to get government subsidies. It troubles you even more that you must bribe the purchasing officer to get a fair price on your padi. Your late padi-farmer father once told you that you must support PAS if you want to go to heaven. Now you have to become an Umno member to get the fertilizer you need for your padi field. And you still can’t escape bribery even as a padi farmer. Will that mean you will be going to hell instead? Lo and behold, the Deputy Prime Minister said you could still go to heaven even if you vote for Barisan Nasional. You need not vote for PAS to go to heaven after all. Barisan Nasional too can help send you to heaven. You just pray that it will be later rather than sooner. Halleluiah! Your soul has been saved. You can now safely become an Umno member to get your fertilizer and still go to heaven. You need no longer support PAS. Allah is most kind and merciful after all. Then you discover something most depressing. The Westminster form of government and western-style parliamentary general elections are not Islamic after all. The so-called western concept of democracy is an un-Islamic concept. There are no such things in Islam. Islam does not choose its leaders in this manner. This is most depressing. Islam says you are not supposed to choose kufurs, mushriks, fasiks and whatnot as your leaders. And in the Westminster system of general elections the worst kind of people are elected as the country’s leaders. You are supposed to choose noble and pious people as your leaders. The current system allows only slime-balls and scumbags into office. Sheesh! So not only will you not go to heaven if you support Barisan Nasional. You will also not go to heaven even if you support PAS. This is because PAS is also involved in an un-Islamic system of government. PAS is as un-Islamic as Umno or Barisan Nasional is. Aiyah! So better you don’t become a member of any political party. And better still, you don’t vote as well. But if you don’t then you are allowing bad people to get into power. By doing nothing you are aiding and abetting sin. So you must do something. But what can you do? Every option available to you is haram and un-Islamic. What a dilemma! The whole problem is you were born a Muslim. No, the real problem is you were born, full stop. If not then you would not be faced with any dilemma. This is actually the REAL Malay dilemma. You can never be a proper Muslim in this modern world, especially not in Malaysia. You start to wonder what it was like in the old days before we saw ‘progress’. You always suspected that progress is bad for you, especially as far as your soul is concerned. Source : Malaysia Today

My son's laptop... your handphone!

It's SMART vs. SMUT.

Chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Ahmad Said Hamdan said the titles of the video clips found in his son’s laptop computer were misleading and not pornographic as charged and fined in Australia.

“I can bet with you that it’s something that you will find on most men’s handphones,” he said in The Star.

Prohibited item in Australia

AdelaideNow.com, a news website owned by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News group, reported February 08 last year that Ahmad's Said's son Ahmad Shauqi, a Malaysia Airlines co-pilot, was handcuffed to the Adelaide Magistrates Court, and convicted and fined for bringing child pornography into the country on his personal computer.

The three videos classified as prohibited import items were titled "Reped (sic) Virgin'', "10-Year Old'' and "High School Students".

Contrary to what the MACC chief had tried to rationalise, that the titles were misleading, Magistrate Simon Smart ruled that "this material is repugnant and abhorrent - any decent minded person would be so affected by it".

Magistrate Smart added that the rape scene featured a crying girl aged under 18 being forced to have sex with an older male. "These are not victimless crimes - for every video that depicts such a scene there is a victim,'' he said.

Ahmad Shauqi was fined A$5000.00 and had his laptop forfeited to the Crown.

Records entered in the South Australian court show Magistrate Smart had told him the videos were cruel and violent and it was a disgrace that the married father of two had brought the material to Australia. Ahmad Shauqi's wife was expecting their third child at that time.

The magistrate further said people like Shauqi encouraged the market for child pornography.

Moral of the story is: Between the Australian Bench and MACC, who is misleading us? You judge.

Oh yes, stop sending anymore SMS that says MACC stands for Malaysian Agency for Car and Cows. Just mind what's is your handphone, please.

Famous last words... What's in your handphone? Soi Lek or the Port Dickson romp?

UMNO begging QC’s help in London – a Mistake Coup?

Ever since the federal government (or rather UMNO) forcefully taken over one of opposition’s states of Perak the de-factor opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim couldn’t afford to smile as much as he used to be. Just like the stock market Anwar was charging like a bull as if the market was experiencing Super Bull-Run after his party PKR together with team-mates of PAS and DAP unexpectedly captured 5 states. For a moment he felt immortal and the reach to the Putrajaya was within sight. However unlike the outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, the PM-in-waiting Najib Razak did not waste much time wrestling Perak state from Anwar. It was not many months ago that Najib via another UMNO warlord Muhyddin Yassin successfully forced Abdullah to agree to resign in Mar 2009.

Now it seems the hunter becomes the hunted and vice-versa. And just like the stock market Anwar feels vulnerable and is crawling like a bear while Najib becomes the bull charging like there’s no tomorrow. Suddenly the view of Putrajaya becomes so far away to Anwar while Najib’s wife, Rosmah, began to taste the power of those who walk in the corridors of power. She must have enjoyed herself to the fullest in her appearance in the government-controlled media during the campaign asking for donations for the Gaza. Like her husband Rosmah can smells the aroma of the number-1 seat currently held by Jeanne Abdullah. The clock is ticking and the vision of her being installed as the most powerful woman come this Mar is enough to make her climax, who wouldn’t right?

Unlike PR (Pakatan Rakyat) who managed to win over Perak state through peoples’ vote, BN (Barisan Nasional) used the back-door (intimidation, bribery and threat) in bringing down the Perak government. The last thing on federal government BN’s menu is a state-level snap election not because BN will fail miserably but because the scale of embarrassment could influence the state of Sarawak to deliver important State and Parliament seats to opposition PR coalition. Hence BN would rather play dirty to win battles than to fight like gentlemen. In fact the current dirty politics adopted by BN makes even the former Prime Minister Mahathir disgusted. When a former dictator felt irritated with the dirtiness it goes to show that the current situation is so pathetic that besides skin-color the future leader is comparable to Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe *scary huh?*.

But make no mistake about the current low-standard of leaders who resort to intimidation, barbarian way of take-this-bullet-you-sucker threat, paying top dollars to peeping-tom for nude photos and bribe anyone possible. The PM-in-waiting still has former dictator Mahathir as political-strategy adviser and former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin as economy-strategy adviser as his left and right hand men. Despite the hiccup in Perak where the powerful Speaker role was forgotten during the coup by BN, it appears the advices from PM-in-waiting’s advisers were to continue with the assault to weaken the Selangor (the most developed state captured by opposition) government.

This time the silver bullets were Selangor chief minister’s “Cows and Car” accusation. And the main actor used is none other than Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Ahmad Said Hamdan who went beyond his job scope as the head of an independent body by “declaring” that there was strong evidence that Selangor chief minister misused his powers over the maintenance of his personal car and the distribution of 46 cows worth RM110,400 for slaughter during Aidil Adha celebrations in his parliamentary constituency of Bandar Tun Razak last December. If you do not know Ahmad Said he’s the person whose son, Ahmad Shauqi bin Ahmad Said, a former pilot with Malaysia Airline System (KLSE: MAS, stock-code 3786) who was caught importing child pornography when he arrived at Adelaide Airport early last year.

Boy! It was really one big messy battle – short of army’s tanks and submarine BN is basically mobilizing all resources ranging from the police force, judges, sultan, print and electronic media, supposedly independent anti-corruption commission and election commission, nation’s coffer, jobless Mat Rempits and peeping Tom in their effort to cripple the opposition from taking over the federal government possibly by next general election. Its’ do or die kind of war in this country of less than 30 million population. Amazingly the once proud and arrogant UMNO is now panic and has sent its senior lawyer together with several politicians to London seeking Queen’ Counsel helps to combat the latest constitutional crisis. Huh? still couldn't get enough of colonialism? One wonders what happens to the brightest team of lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Attorney General Gani Patail, Justice S. Augustine Paul and other have-money-will-sell-souls top-brains.

Sure, AG Patail has led his team to the defeat of Pulau Batu Puteh’s sovereignty to Singapore but that was because the International Court of Justice has 16-judges. It wasn't Patail fault that the judges couldn't be "persuaded" to swing the decision in favor of Malaysia. I’m willing to bet all my fortunes that if 3-local-judges led by Augustine Paul were to hear the Perak Constitution Crisis dispute; BN should have an easy victory over the opposition. Heck, I’m sure that Speaker V.Sivakumar would be crying arguing his case when Muhammad Shafee Abdullah opens his mouth in court. We’re talking about top brains here dude so it doesn’t make any sense for the government running helter-skelter booking tickets for the trip to London. You meant those foreign Queens’s Counsel knows better than Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Gani Patail or S. Augustine Paul about the country’s constitution? Simply unbelievable that UMNO is reduced to such a pathetic situation that they’ve chickened away to London and is begging Queen’s Counsel for help!

The Malaysian Crisis - Whither "kesopanan melayu"?

While “Ketuanan Melayu” is undoubtedly the battle cry for UMNO and its whole leadership, scant attention is given to the other hallmark of the Malays, namely, “Kesopanan Melayu”. The Malays are well known for their “sopan santun”, a Malay phrase of which I find difficulty in finding the exact English equivalent, mostly because that concept, like the Malay amuk, is almost alien to Westerners. Perhaps the closest English equivalent would be “courtesy”. The concept of “kesopanan” is not alien to all of us and the Malays are in fact well known for being courteous to everybody. The Rukunegara even acknowledges the importance of such element. Thus, the fifth element in the Rukunegara is “kesopanan dan kesusilaan” or loosely translated, “courtesy and morality”.

A look at the political landscape of Malaysia lately would leave everybody to wonder whether “courtesy and morality” are dead and buried, as far as our politicians are concerned. The fifth element of our Rukunegara might just as well be “hypocrisy and whetever-suits-me”.

When Jamaluddin Mat Radzi was earlier accused of having sexual intercourse with some prostitute from China, he was reported to have said that it was a “donation” (or “sedekah” in Malay) and it would not be good to refuse such “donation”. The Barisan Nasional leaders of course had made such a huge cry over that episode. As event would have it, Jamaluddin was duly charged for corruption.

The clowning glory to this episode is now complete when the Barisan Nasional led government was formed in Perak with the support of a majority consisting of, among others, Mr Jamaluddin-can’t-refuse-any-donation-Mat Radzi as supposedly an “independent assemblyman.

The irony in all these is of course the fact that prior to September 16th last year, when the heat of a Federal Government takeover was causing the Prime Minister sleepless nights, the Barisan Nasional leaders would come out in TV3 news saying that political defection and power takeover through defection is unconstitutional and undemocratic. But of course, it is undemocratic and unconstitutional if it happens to the Barisan Nasional while it is totally acceptable and morally correct if it is done by the Barisan Nasional.
Then, when Karpal Singh was screaming on top of his voice that he would sue the Sultan of Perak for what he opined as an unconstitutional act, the UMNO leaders went berserk. WE WILL DIE FOR THE SULTAN. TREASON! Blah blah blah… Demonstrators went to the street in Perak. In Kuala Lumpur, they assembled in front of Karpal’s office. Threats were made to demonstrate every day until Karpal apologise. Khairy even said Karpal should be banished. Traitors are killed, said the crowd. Like bloody wow wow…

Who was the one, or rather which party was the one, who took away the immunity of the Rulers? In whose era was there not one, but two constitutional crisis involving some very belligerent attitudes towards the Rulers? In which era was the Royal assent to Parliamentary bills was deemed unnecessary before that bills become law of the country? When was that the Rulers were belittled and decried as “zalim” through various statements and repeated showing of old Malay movies which portrayed the olden Malay rulers as stupid, bad and greedy? Granted, the immunity was taken away so that the Rulers could be brought to the Courts for any wrongdoing –which is and should be the right of every aggrieved citizen to do- but the manner in which it was done was demeaning to the Royal institution. But of course, if it’s UMNO, it’s okay. And now, when Karpal wants to question the Sultan’s constitutional act in Court, that’s not okay. That’s treason. And what did we use to do to people who commit treason? So asked Khairy. The crowd said, yes, we kill them. Well, said Khairy, now we banish them. Awesome!

And so when Elizabeth Wong’s picture in the nude - taken apparently while she was sleeping and unbeknown to her – made its round in the tabloid and the government bulletins, Khir Toyo – he whose face is as fair as snow white – screamed that she should resign. Hmm…you have your naked picture taken while you are sleeping and without your consent and you should resign because you are…erm…immoral. Forget about your right to privacy. Forget about betrayal. Forget about catching the scum who did that to her. Forget. She must resign. Because she is immoral. Err dear Encik Khir, how about the guy who accepted the sexual donation in Perak who is now an independent ADUN on whose support you rely to form a majority government? Okay with you?

And then there were three. Yes. Three guys who are vying to be the UMNO Youth chief. One is the son. The other is the son in law. The last one is the fair looking guy, the keeper of the ADUN’s morality. They met and they talked. The son said he will be like his father. The son in law said we must all reform. The other one said we lost because we are not Islam enough. Well well well…what is Islam enough? Or what is enough in Islam? And what is not enough? Accepting sexual donation from prostitute from China is enough? Sex with underage girl is enough? What? Pray tell me.

Oh, we shall also maintain ISA. And why is the police not using ISA against the street demonstrators? That is not good. Excuse me Mukhriz. Your father is the biggest ISA abuser in Malaysia. Remember Operasi Lalang? And even a former DPM could be detained and given a black eye by none other than the IGP. Oh, by the way, speaking of demonstrators, which demonstrators are you talking about? The one at Karpal’s office? The one in Perak with threatening banners? The one along Jalan Tun Razak abusing a woman? The one in front of the Bar Council’s building questioning a private seminar? Or the one in Amcorp Mall lighting up candles and singing? Which one? All of them?

Sometime, being a Melayu, one must remember, is not all about being a Tuan. It is about embracing the whole Malay concept. And that includes “kesopanan dan kesusilaan”. And being hypocritical about things is just not kosher Malay.

Pure and simple.

Source : Art-Harun

The Monkey Handler

Posted by admin

Monday, 09 February 2009 01:49

A Chinese proverb has it that it takes three generations to destroy an enterprise.  The first starts it; the second builds on it; while the pampered third squanders it.  Najib Razak is determined to truncate that process.  He is set to destroy a once proud and successful organization – UMNO – which his late father was so instrumental in starting and building. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER M. Bakri Musa In the few months that he has before assuming office I would have expected Prime Minister-in-waiting Najib Razak to be focused on forming his new leadership team and formulating his major policies.  Instead there he was in Perak smirking with renegade state politicians who had crossed over to his Barisan coalition.  Najib looked like a mischievous monkey handler who had successfully enticed a couple of wily monyets from the neighbor’s coconut tree to his.                In these perilous times Najib is more a slimy backroom political operative consumed with concocting shady deals than a national leader ready to steer the nation through tough economic and other challenges.  This latest and unneeded upheaval in Perak only adds to Malaysia’s already muddled political climate, and comes at a time when the nation can ill afford this distraction.  Najib is oblivious of the evolving global economic disaster and its inevitable impact on Malaysia.             These handlers too behave like the monkeys they keep.  After finishing his latest act in Perak, Najib stayed away.  The monkey handler’s interest, like that of the monkeys they keep, was only in creating mischief.  Once that is achieved, then he is gone so as to avoid getting entangled.             Initially Najib had planned to join in the Chinese New Year celebration in Ipoh to soak in what he expected would be a sea of public applause to his latest monkey act.  Instead because of the unanticipated sea change in public mood, Najib wisely skipped the event.  At least he knew when and where he would no longer be welcomed.             Najib should remember that Abdullah Badawi rode into office with the highest approval ratings, and an untainted “Mr. Clean” image to boot.  Yet today, less than five years later, Abdullah is being pushed out of office, and his legacy is anything but clean.  Najib has yet to assume office and already his approval rating is under 50 percent, and his public image severely tainted by assorted sordid scandals.  His public portraits are now being used for stomping muddy shoes.  Rest assured that these are only the beginning.             A Chinese proverb has it that it takes three generations to destroy an enterprise.  The first starts it; the second builds on it; while the pampered third squanders it.  Najib Razak is determined to truncate that process.  He is set to destroy a once proud and successful organization – UMNO – which his late father was so instrumental in starting and building.             Najib will bring UMNO down with him, as prophesied by some ancient soothsayer’s “RAHMAN” theory of leadership.  The challenge is to ensure that UMNO’s inevitable implosion under Najib would not also take Malaysia down with it.   Our Cultural Burden If not for his family and political pedigrees, Najib Razak would today be like thousands of other Malays with similar qualifications, nothing more than a midlevel functionary in the civil service or one of the many Government-linked companies. He was just old enough when his father died to benefit from the generosities and tributes of a nation in need to express them in gratitude to a great patriot that was his father.  Remembering the father’s many great deeds, the nation could not do enough for his son; hence Najib meteoric rise.             The dilemma with having your path smoothed out for you is that once you reach the top, there is no one there to grease the trail ahead.  From then on you are on your own, and you ill prepared for it.             It is our cultural tradition that such generosities and tributes are showered almost exclusively upon the first-born son.  The assumption is that he is the carrier of the father’s traits.  This of course is not unique to Malay culture; nor is there a biological basis to that assumption.             I wish we had not been a slave to our culture.  By all means shower our gratitude to the late Tun Razak’s family, but then let us be more prudent and choose the smartest or most promising from among his five children to groom, not necessarily only the first born.            Tun Razak’s other sons are way head and shoulders above Najib.  The youngest, Nazir, is a banker.  Even though he is not a politician, nonetheless his public utterances reflect not only a first-rate mind but also someone very much aware of the many challenges facing our nation.  He has also put forth novel ideas on solving them.  Unfortunately, Najib is culturally constrained from taking advice from his youngest brother Nazir.             Last year Nazir suggested granting amnesty to corrupt individuals in return for their confessions and making good their loot, prior to implementing tougher laws.  To say that it was a radical idea would be an understatement but on reflection, there is considerable merit to his suggestion.  At the very least we would get a measure of the magnitude of the problem and its infinite variations.  That could help us design better laws and ways to combat the scourge.             Recently Nazir chastised the leadership for not going beyond orthodox fiscal stimulus and monetary measures to meet the current economic crisis.  He suggested re-examining the New Economic Policy, with particular reference to minimizing its drag on the economy.  He also called for greater collaborations with the emerging giant economies in the region, specifically China, India and the Middle East.  Most of all I like his idea of attracting foreign talents, especially into the education sector.             These are the kinds of innovative thinking we yearn from our leaders, not their endless monkeying around with fence-hopping politicians.  In chastising the “leadership,” Nazir has shown that he is not constrained by our cultural norms; he has in effect criticized his oldest brother’s leadership. Monkey Story There was this story of a peddler of hats who one day fell asleep under a tree in the heat of the day.  When he woke up, his hats were all gone except for the one on his head.  On looking up he saw the monkeys in the tree with hats.  The peddler tried all manner of tricks to induce those monkeys to part with their newfound toys, but to no avail.  In disgust he threw his hat to the ground and stomped off.  In the finest “monkey see, monkey do” mode, the apes did the same, and that was how the peddler recovered his merchandise. A generation later it was the peddler’s son who fell asleep under the same tree.  He too lost his hats to the monkeys.  Remembering the lesson imparted from his father, the young man threw his hat to the ground.  At which point the monkeys laughed at him.  “You are not getting your hats back,” they scoffed, “we learned your trick from our parents!” When Najib enticed those monkeys of politics to Barisan, he stole a play from Anwar Ibrahim’s game book.  Anwar may rightly feel flattered by Najib’s imitating, or more correctly, aping.  However, like the hat-peddler’s son, Najib may have learned his lesson well but what he may not realize is that those political monkeys too had learned their lessons!  They are making a monkey of Najib. When you have a bunch of monkeys and an equally mischievous as well as irresponsible handler, there is no telling what lasting damage they could inflict.  It is time to let Najib out of his monkey business and free those monyet under his keep to once again roam the jungle where they belong.  If out of habit they still hang around us waiting for their bananas and making a pest of themselves, then we should kill a rooster or two.  That would scare away those monkeys. www.bakrimusa.com

The Umnoputras and how they "fight" for Islam

Friday, 5 December 2008

From : Scandalasia

For those who read Chinua Achebe's (left) works, mainly his books on post-African independence, you must have seen that two themes run through his books: the sheer hypocrisy of the African leadership and the question of neocolonialism. Immediately after majority of the African states gained independence, Achebe warned the African people that they faced a new colonialism: the deceit and manipulation of "home-grown" leadership.


He called on Africans not to buy the "patriotism" of the local leadership since they were not patriots by any measure. He repeatedly warned them that the new "patriots" will use whatever they could to sustain themselves in power by using catchy phrases like patriotism, nationalism, independence, cultural superiority, etc, [Ketuanan Melayu] while they rob them. A lot of these "patriotic" qualities can be seen in the kind of leadership he portrays in his book: The Trouble with Nigeria. When I read that book, I immediately recalled Najib Tun Razak's bizzare Glocal concept.

In 2004, Achebe, one of Africa's leading writers has rejected a National Honours Award from his government in Nigeria in protest at the state of his motherland. "Nigeria's condition today under your watch is ... too dangerous for silence. I must register my disappointment and protest by declining to accept the high honour awarded me in the 2004 Honours List", he wrote to immediate former Nigerian President Oluṣẹgun Obasanjo.

In his satirical novel, A Man of the People, 1966, Chinua Achebe exposes the sheer hypocrisy of the "patriotic, religious and nationalist" African leadership ala Umno. One area he covers is the conduct of the leadership's children. A man is his children they say. And in the African and Eastern (Islamic) tradition, a man is measured by his family. There were times when certain Muslim leaders were rejected because of their children. It was argued that one who couldn't "help" guide his children couldn't shoulder the (Muslim) community's burdens.

In one instance, Chinua talks of the main character of his novel, Chief Nanga, the powerful but corrupt Minister of Culture and his children. As you can see, Mr Nanga is supposed to protect the ideals and the culture of his people and nation but he is undoubtedly its Number One enemy. Chief Nanga always brags that's he is deeply religious and nationalist, yet he doesn't subscribe to any of his people's culture though he is the main guardian of that culture. Ironical indeed!

The Minister urges his people to be proud of their "supreme" culture and status. I guess Umno Ministers' Ketuanan Melayu must have crossed your mind by now. However, none of his children speak their local language. Although the Minister roots for local schools, he doesn't take his children to them. In Malaysia, it is well known that none of Umno Ministers' children attend local schools and if they do, they are the International Schools owned by the "evil" Westerners. Yes, "evil", but they like that "evil" though they tell their people that they are protecting their children from those "evil" people. I love this!

Mr Nanga's children can't even eat the local food but their father urges the locals to eat Home Made products so that they improve the "local economy". There is an instance in which Mr Nanga's youngest child calls his grandmother unprintable names for being a local and backward. However, their father deceives his people by being populist and a purported nationalist and positions himself as the only guardian of his people's strategic interests. Yes, Umno Ministers tell the Malays to trust them alone as the rest are enemy sympathisers. Deceit and manipulation is the culture of scumbags.

Though Mr. Nanga reminds his people of his deep religiosity and commitments, his children's hang out is not the Churches but the popular entertainment spots in the trendy parts of the city. Their father is an adulterous person but always reminds his people of marriage fidelity. The evils and the shenanigans of Umno type Mr Nanga are unending and immeasurable.

There is one Umnoputra who is called Najib Tun Razak. He tells us to trust him since he alone can "protect" us. He lambastes others and talks of "culture", "Islam", "manners", "Religiosity" and of course co-existence and "integration". Well, we know what that integration means. May be it means grabbing every girl's breasts whenever we can get that. The trouble is that not all of us are filthy rich for the girls to "donate" their goods like they donate to one young Najib.

Our beloved patriotic leader Mr Najib doesn't allow any of his children in Ketuanan Melayu schools. That's why his son can't attend a local college. But he talks like a typical Chief Nanga about education and our children.

Don't you like this "integration" between Najib's son and the "evil" Western girls? I guess we shouldn't mind the white "evil" girls from the "evil" West because Umno will "protect" us. Right? The young Najib who will "fight" for Islam and adat Melayu in the future. Never mind his "sleekness" here, it is a "tool" to "better" the Malays like his father is doing. I love that! Of course your father has to be an Umnoputra (Chief Nanga) for you to be surrounded by these concubines in the city's posh bars. A poor boy like me won't get one. I'm jealous!The boy changes girls like clothes. No wonder his father always tells us to change our styles whenever we complain of hunger and exorbitant prices. Umno's Utusan Munafiq says "evil Chinese" Teresa Kok offends the sensitivities of Muslims by wearing short skirts. Never mind Umno leaders' children wear 'nothing'. I like that "Islam" and struggle!.Isn't it very interesting that the young Najib who will become our "beloved" PM one day (God forbid) has a knack for things women despite his age?
For better understanding of Umno's Chief Nangas, view the Youtube video below


In case you can't view the video, paste this URL on a new page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1pIMK2fhy4

Then there is another Umno Minister who will win the Idiocy Award hands down. He always talks of Ketuanan Melayu, patriotism, struggle, adat Melayu, bla bla bla. But none of his outrageous utterances can be highlighted through his family and children. Another Chief Nanga like Najib and many other Umnoputras. Chinua Achebe says "and as long as men are swayed by their hearts and stomachs and not their heads the Chief Nangas of this world will continue to get away with anything." Now, as long as the Malays are swayed by their hearts and stomachs and not by their heads, the Umnoputras of this nation will continue to deceive them till the edifice comes crushing and by then, it will be too late.

Another "patriotic" and "Islamic" Umno minister's son: No comment! Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.This Umno Minister's son is fighting for Ketuanan Melayu through ear piercing and beer. Never mind Umno says beer is haram even for non-Muslims.
I like this "integration". Boy, Umno is fighting for REAL Bangsa MalaysiaAmeen to Ketuanan Melayu. What a struggle for my people to save them from the "evil" and "Kafir" Chinese and Indians!I hate those people who say Umnoputra leaders and their children are racists. Do you see any racism here?

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.

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.