October 31, 2006
To balance the piucture of the goings-on in NegaraKu, I had given thee FICTION just now; I also have time and temeirty to give you NON-FICTION.
To APpeace the Angels (Much in Desi's vocabulary as always, because I have influenced quite many Y&A ala Sundaes With Desi ala Mitch Albom's TUESDAYS with MORRIE; and Iblis (not much in Desi's vocab util recently!) out in the Malaysian atmosphere, much polluted these dies. Doses of venom, anyone?(Yes, it's steal a rhetorical Q!: so don't answer Desi:(
Frontpage
Two mega deals
POWERING THE
DRAGON
>> P2
Petronas seals RM92b gas
deal with Shanghai firm
K. P. Waran reporting from
Nanning, China
PETRONAS has clinched two major deals in China involving the sale of liquefied natural gas and the production of cars using engines designed by its Malaysian team.
The national petroleum company, through its subsidiary LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd, has concluded an agreement to supply 3.03 million tonnes of LNG per year to Shanghai LNG Company Ltd over the next 25 years. The deal is expected to net Petronas US$25 billion (RM92 billion) based on current prices.
Another breakthrough is the teaming up with the technological partner for Nanjing Automotive Corporation.
The Chinese car manufacturer will produce 100,000 cars a year using three types of engines conceptualised and developed by an all-Malaysian Petronas team.
Announcing this yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the projects were major accomplishments for Petronas and would take the bilateral trade between the two countries to a new level.
"Malaysia-China co-operation in energy resources, automotive and other industries is growing to the benefit of both countries," he said, adding that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had expressed happiness over the close economic ties between the two nations.
Abdullah, who held bilateral talks with Wen yesterday, said Malaysian entrepreneurs should not view China’s progress as a threat but as an opportunity to pursue joint ventures.
:
:
DESIDERATA:
I also rertrieve from my archives that the NATIONAL OIL CORPORATION, Petronas, had achieved these milestones before:
(1) For the financial year ended March 31, 2006, it reported Net Profit of RM43.6billion
(2) For FYE March 31, 2005, it reported Net Profit of RM35.5billion.
With the latest landmark deals by its subsidiaries overseas, Petronas will be on the march to even higher net profits come reporting March 31, 2007's statement of accounts.
(3) SO, Can we the Rakyat expect a full statement of accounts from Petronas, which is suppposed to be holding a dwindling national resource on behalf of the Rakyat (Yes/No?), so that we know where the profits are going?
I don't see Petronas sharing any goodies with us for the period March 2004-2005, March 2005-2006; instead we had at least THREE pump price rises, if I recall correctly (I am seated in front of my PC 24/7 three days a week ... to be corrected, oso to eran some B&B, and hoping Petronas to throw in some 'kaya', cun?)
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
FICTION: DA SIEN paper reports
Because one mGf ars(K)ed for IT,
here's from DaSien,
the most boldest&beautifullest paper in town......served in Da Bard's English, nothin' less than smelling like That which you call by any other name would smell just as sweet...
Drum roll please, trumpet sound, clap, crap! Did you hear the Thunder? Now wait for Da Lightning.
You see, in Blogosphere, lights travels slower than sound.
When bloggers battle, there is no death, only blood and gore.
THat's The Inconvenient Truth, says one Al Gore.I believe that he's one hella of a guy who dared -- as a Visitor to Malaysia -- sound the trumpet for Anwar's supporters to go onto the streets. Wow, that's Da Man ala Mancha. THat what the politicians fail in pulling us down the Abyss beyond Bukit Celaka Cahaya Aram, Step-Mother Nature will surely oblige. Before the sext Christmas ere 2020, global warming will reduce the bukit into a molehill, and Langkawi and the Peral of the Orient willbecome pearls in sea shells beyong the sea-shore, and all Malaysians will be trained to scuba dive at Birth, butt for oldies like Desi&Howsy, my Co-EIC at TheSIEN, at da re-berth at londonerry bridge...I hope two Brides with G strings also A-Wait. (JoePsc, if you're citizen Keen, join Us.)
Americanoes and Englanders will join Malaysians in Da Waiting Game.
Miss PAtience is virtuous; dunno about Miss MAtience/Martians.
Seee how PAtient THe People's Paper readers are, day-in-day-out churning out nu'es WEAKS after it has been broiken by Howsy's DaSien and Other bloggers.
Seeee how PAtient my ER are, day-in-day-out bombarded by Light&Easy's bad med-DEE-sin, and no complaint.
Seeeee how PAtient Selangor-ites are, day-in-day-out bombarded by their CEO's assurances, SemuaNya Okay!
____________________________
THE SULTAN WANTS HIM
OUT
___________________
THE STATE WANTS HIM
OUT
________________
THE MB WANTS HIM
OUT
_______________
BUT HIS
DIVISION
WANTS
HIM TO
STAY
desi: thAT'S FROM the nst oCTOBER 11, 2008 FRONTPAGE)
Now, from DaSien, frontpage:
___________
PM SACKS MB
&
DUN TO BE DISSOLVED
SO-ON
_________________
KEADILAN TO FIGHT
ALL SEATS TO PKN
GETS S'X MINISTER
POSTS
________________________
DAP PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT
GEARS UP FOR FEDERAL
GOV'T CONTROL WITH PKN
___________________
(Five Yewars Later)
________________
SELANGOR ATTAINS
TRUE WORLD BANK-
DEFINED DEVELOPED STATUS
Seremban, Oct 31, 2011:
After taking over the Selangor State government in NOvember, 2006, Parti KeADILan Negara yesterday announced that the World Bank has just accorded the State developed statuse according to internationally-defined standards.
At the same time, KeADILan announced plans to take over the reins of government from the Barisan Nasional, working hand-in-glove with the DAP but leaving out PAS to mind the JKR stores in its two stronghold States of Kelantan and Terengganu, with a structured plan to take te nation to "developed" status at least five yaers ahead of the targeted year of 2020.
KeADILan chief stated that the Opposition coalition had proven its mettle in Selangor after delivering on what it had pledged to do the last five years, following the debacle of the BN state government on te heels of the scandalous state of affairs triggered by on Zakaria and his cahoot Toyo to bringing shame to a traditionally proud State.
The Selangor-ites have spoken, will speak again with one voice when it matters, KeADILan chief said, and his party will not let them down. He also thanked a former PM for playing an exoteric role in bringing about the downfall of the BN-ruled Selangor government five years ago. When pressed what he meant by "exoteric", the suave politician who had been in the wilderness for a decade, said it's all in the Heritage dictiuonary, which all Internet savvy citizens should use on a daily basis to maintain a competitiuve edge.
"Down with the Oligarchy!" some of the cheering crowd led by some Maverick leaders among them echo-ed what had been in the deepest recesses of their hearts, and minds/e. ~~ DaSien EIC reporting from the ground dates of DaSmallHouse that's the MB's official residence, two-storey rented premises that also is mortgaged to the bank. (This last known fact was established because the reporter had some connections with the bank officer who divulged the information to show the humble beginnings of the new Chief Executive Officer as in contrast with the predecessor, whose Assemblymne's defiition of a "small" house is at least a four-storey mansion.)
_____________ Ends DaSien report________________
DESIDERATA: THe above FICTION is to satisfy te wonderlust of one
ambitious EIC-wannabe who in the steal of lust night left a right
foolprint at Comments, thus:
"You still owe me a spin as the EIC of theSien, the latest MSM in town, okay!
By Howsy, at 6:44 AM "
As a scribe, I 'rite, write, right and writHe -- and we can all dream together, Right?
So fellow citizens of Blogsworld, let's indulge in some Fantsay on this Tuesdae MouRn,
since the MSM won't do their/dare part,
especially with one second-in-command EDitor who appears to be
OnTheBeat to beat DaSien
in boldness&beauty only AFTER the Sultan has spoken
W'ile DaSien actually can deliver the news
AsIs
Should
::ThePeopleVoteForReform::
Dear EsteemedREaders,
The Power lies within your two golden hands.
The Power lies in thy unique brain.
God gave us a unique mind.
A Beautiful Mind.
Us It Wisely.
Just some 3sen worth
of advice from Co-EIC, DaSien.
October 31, 2006 is a DaeToRemember
Desi's just wokenUPfromRipvanWinkleWunderland
@11.44AM
Time/dime of uploadingThisPost kopilefted from DaSien.
Howsy sends his/her GreAtings ~~
From Lundun.
With L'VE.
PS: This peace of olde news is added on @12.33PM because one Maverick dared ars(k) for It:( Jest For the record, K!
Borrowed from a rival's paper for which copyright fees had not been paid, and generous ER are urged to support by writing out some cheques to help TheCause. You know where to send the money to, don't you! THat's a rhetoric Q, hence it's an XXclamation mark.
Nation
Monday October 30, 2006
Anwar: Stop the bickering
KUALA LUMPUR: Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the national leadership should tackle the problem of an economic slowdown instead of getting into personal feuds.
He said the bickering and quarrelling between the former and current prime ministers should stop, as it would not help the country’s economic expansion.
“It is a waste of time. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should see to it that national policies are implemented for the promotion of more business activities and growth of the economy.
“The accusation of Malaysia being a police state is something of the past. The current leadership should not be seen continuing to propagate the climate of fear (which existed) under (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad).
“We should be looking at promoting economic growth for the prosperity for Malaysians,” Anwar told reporters at his Hari Raya open house here yesterday.
He urged the Government to repeal draconian laws that restricted media freedom and the freedom of assembly, and also called on the people to urge the administration to reform the laws.
Anwar also said that he would be stepping down as a professor at Washington's Georgetown University in December to continue with his work in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
On Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor relinquishing his post as PKR Youth chief, party president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said he had exceeded the 40-year age limit.
here's from DaSien,
the most boldest&beautifullest paper in town......served in Da Bard's English, nothin' less than smelling like That which you call by any other name would smell just as sweet...
Drum roll please, trumpet sound, clap, crap! Did you hear the Thunder? Now wait for Da Lightning.
You see, in Blogosphere, lights travels slower than sound.
When bloggers battle, there is no death, only blood and gore.
THat's The Inconvenient Truth, says one Al Gore.I believe that he's one hella of a guy who dared -- as a Visitor to Malaysia -- sound the trumpet for Anwar's supporters to go onto the streets. Wow, that's Da Man ala Mancha. THat what the politicians fail in pulling us down the Abyss beyond Bukit Celaka Cahaya Aram, Step-Mother Nature will surely oblige. Before the sext Christmas ere 2020, global warming will reduce the bukit into a molehill, and Langkawi and the Peral of the Orient willbecome pearls in sea shells beyong the sea-shore, and all Malaysians will be trained to scuba dive at Birth, butt for oldies like Desi&Howsy, my Co-EIC at TheSIEN, at da re-berth at londonerry bridge...I hope two Brides with G strings also A-Wait. (JoePsc, if you're citizen Keen, join Us.)
Americanoes and Englanders will join Malaysians in Da Waiting Game.
Miss PAtience is virtuous; dunno about Miss MAtience/Martians.
Seee how PAtient THe People's Paper readers are, day-in-day-out churning out nu'es WEAKS after it has been broiken by Howsy's DaSien and Other bloggers.
Seeee how PAtient my ER are, day-in-day-out bombarded by Light&Easy's bad med-DEE-sin, and no complaint.
Seeeee how PAtient Selangor-ites are, day-in-day-out bombarded by their CEO's assurances, SemuaNya Okay!
____________________________
THE SULTAN WANTS HIM
OUT
___________________
THE STATE WANTS HIM
OUT
________________
THE MB WANTS HIM
OUT
_______________
BUT HIS
DIVISION
WANTS
HIM TO
STAY
desi: thAT'S FROM the nst oCTOBER 11, 2008 FRONTPAGE)
Now, from DaSien, frontpage:
___________
PM SACKS MB
&
DUN TO BE DISSOLVED
SO-ON
_________________
KEADILAN TO FIGHT
ALL SEATS TO PKN
GETS S'X MINISTER
POSTS
________________________
DAP PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT
GEARS UP FOR FEDERAL
GOV'T CONTROL WITH PKN
___________________
(Five Yewars Later)
________________
SELANGOR ATTAINS
TRUE WORLD BANK-
DEFINED DEVELOPED STATUS
Seremban, Oct 31, 2011:
After taking over the Selangor State government in NOvember, 2006, Parti KeADILan Negara yesterday announced that the World Bank has just accorded the State developed statuse according to internationally-defined standards.
At the same time, KeADILan announced plans to take over the reins of government from the Barisan Nasional, working hand-in-glove with the DAP but leaving out PAS to mind the JKR stores in its two stronghold States of Kelantan and Terengganu, with a structured plan to take te nation to "developed" status at least five yaers ahead of the targeted year of 2020.
KeADILan chief stated that the Opposition coalition had proven its mettle in Selangor after delivering on what it had pledged to do the last five years, following the debacle of the BN state government on te heels of the scandalous state of affairs triggered by on Zakaria and his cahoot Toyo to bringing shame to a traditionally proud State.
The Selangor-ites have spoken, will speak again with one voice when it matters, KeADILan chief said, and his party will not let them down. He also thanked a former PM for playing an exoteric role in bringing about the downfall of the BN-ruled Selangor government five years ago. When pressed what he meant by "exoteric", the suave politician who had been in the wilderness for a decade, said it's all in the Heritage dictiuonary, which all Internet savvy citizens should use on a daily basis to maintain a competitiuve edge.
"Down with the Oligarchy!" some of the cheering crowd led by some Maverick leaders among them echo-ed what had been in the deepest recesses of their hearts, and minds/e. ~~ DaSien EIC reporting from the ground dates of DaSmallHouse that's the MB's official residence, two-storey rented premises that also is mortgaged to the bank. (This last known fact was established because the reporter had some connections with the bank officer who divulged the information to show the humble beginnings of the new Chief Executive Officer as in contrast with the predecessor, whose Assemblymne's defiition of a "small" house is at least a four-storey mansion.)
_____________ Ends DaSien report________________
DESIDERATA: THe above FICTION is to satisfy te wonderlust of one
ambitious EIC-wannabe who in the steal of lust night left a right
foolprint at Comments, thus:
"You still owe me a spin as the EIC of theSien, the latest MSM in town, okay!
By Howsy, at 6:44 AM "
As a scribe, I 'rite, write, right and writHe -- and we can all dream together, Right?
So fellow citizens of Blogsworld, let's indulge in some Fantsay on this Tuesdae MouRn,
since the MSM won't do their/dare part,
especially with one second-in-command EDitor who appears to be
OnTheBeat to beat DaSien
in boldness&beauty only AFTER the Sultan has spoken
W'ile DaSien actually can deliver the news
AsIs
Should
::ThePeopleVoteForReform::
Dear EsteemedREaders,
The Power lies within your two golden hands.
The Power lies in thy unique brain.
God gave us a unique mind.
A Beautiful Mind.
Us It Wisely.
Just some 3sen worth
of advice from Co-EIC, DaSien.
October 31, 2006 is a DaeToRemember
Desi's just wokenUPfromRipvanWinkleWunderland
@11.44AM
Time/dime of uploadingThisPost kopilefted from DaSien.
Howsy sends his/her GreAtings ~~
From Lundun.
With L'VE.
PS: This peace of olde news is added on @12.33PM because one Maverick dared ars(k) for It:( Jest For the record, K!
Borrowed from a rival's paper for which copyright fees had not been paid, and generous ER are urged to support by writing out some cheques to help TheCause. You know where to send the money to, don't you! THat's a rhetoric Q, hence it's an XXclamation mark.
Nation
Monday October 30, 2006
Anwar: Stop the bickering
KUALA LUMPUR: Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the national leadership should tackle the problem of an economic slowdown instead of getting into personal feuds.
He said the bickering and quarrelling between the former and current prime ministers should stop, as it would not help the country’s economic expansion.
“It is a waste of time. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should see to it that national policies are implemented for the promotion of more business activities and growth of the economy.
“The accusation of Malaysia being a police state is something of the past. The current leadership should not be seen continuing to propagate the climate of fear (which existed) under (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad).
“We should be looking at promoting economic growth for the prosperity for Malaysians,” Anwar told reporters at his Hari Raya open house here yesterday.
He urged the Government to repeal draconian laws that restricted media freedom and the freedom of assembly, and also called on the people to urge the administration to reform the laws.
Anwar also said that he would be stepping down as a professor at Washington's Georgetown University in December to continue with his work in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
On Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor relinquishing his post as PKR Youth chief, party president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said he had exceeded the 40-year age limit.
Monday, October 30, 2006
satyre bytes you in the arse sientimes
" if you don't know what satire is even if it bites you in the ass, just call it a joke... " ~~ from tvsmith.net.my
If you don't know who TV SMITH is, that's good, as that would be one less rival for Desi for AsiaBlogAwards - Malaysia. But I'm sure you saw the Significant Other Mrs Smith on the big screen right? Was she in all her glory so much so you want to sing: Hail to the Chief?
Later, being a noseyPucker, I traversed to undead ground at walski69, when the headline 179 DEAD scared the hella out of Desi; but I kinda mixed it up with the precedent Post@asylum69.blogspot.com headed (or beheaded?):
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Fortunes of the Dead and Celebrated
I left my right footprint dare and I lambasted the host (You haven't heard of da hoRst of Asylum? That's gooder, one more archrival less for Desi...) that he callously left out Desiderata from the Quick list. But poor buggers, on reflection that Bloggers aren't paid a penny for their thoughts ~~ Cheap, wise or OtherVice ~~ I relent and I repent for my erring ways, which are too many to list here, and I hereby urge all my EsteemedReaders to Vote for TV and his Mrs Smith and Walski the Pollski for asiablogawards-negaraKU if you can find thy way to/in the polling boots.
PS: THat "~~ Cheap, wise or OtherVice ~~ " was added as an afterthought because if you must know, there is an Elegant War going on in Blogosphere started by JeffOoi's playlist eon yaers ago, budded by the APpearance of Da moNSTer Blog; then entered two PROtagonists associated with a flower in the middle (steal?) of the night and ...a femes Blogger with a feminist name followed by -cun; for the life of me, I still don't know how to pronounce this "cun", although I have myself used It several times in place of "can" like in oso cun for "also can". See, Blogspeak can be innovative, even profiteering/profitable/charitable (Your pick ...depends on where you stand or seat or floating in-between ...)
From The Star, The People's Paper, today, frontpage:
Closure order
Zakaria's satay
restaurant
sealed by MPK
KLANG: The problems affecting
embattled Port Klang state assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros are far from over.
:
:
:
DESI:
Suddenly the Klang Municipal Councillour Datuk Teh Kim Poo woke up from long sleep like a Rip van Winkle and is now acting The People's Hero
announcing yesterday that "Yes, it has been sealed because the restaurant
sits on JKR (Public Works Department) reserve land, which is state land."
"It" -- for those ER still fast asleep like RVW -- refers to "Anothert property of Zakaria has been found illegally built and has been slapped witth a closure order by the Klang Municiapl Council".
"The DZ Satay House restaurant, located a stone's throw from his so-called Istana Idaman mansion in Kampung Idaman here, has been sealed since Oct 26," The Star added.
DESI: The Star proudly reports something weeks after TheSun and several Bloggers had broken the nu'es!
But see how BOLD&Beautiful (another playing The People's Hero?)its almost top royal Journalist takes the nu'es break further -- DOING KETCHUP, yes? -- twice-Datuk-ed second-in-command?
From Page N6:
Nation
Monday October 30, 2006
It's serious when the Selangor Sultan has to step in
Comment by Wong Chun Wai
WHEN Datuk Zakaria Md Deros walked into the Bilik Mengadap, the audience room of the Istana Bukit Kayangan, for his meeting with the Sultan of Selangor, he must have noticed the newspaper clippings spread on a table.
They were all about the controversial Port Klang assemblyman and Klang municipal councillor who had built his four-storey mansion without council approval.
Others included his failure to pay assessment for his current house for 12 years as well as the non-payment of assessment of the Port Klang Umno office and the Kampung Idaman Umno branch buildings for at least 10 years.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had read other documents, letters and reports from investigations by the palace staff.
He also wanted to know how the DZ Satay Restaurant belonging to Zakaria was sitting on government land. Again, with no council approval.
:
:
:
::
In this case, the apparent lack of strong political will at state level has led to the intervention of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. ::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Stories:
Commotion outside mansion
Zakaria's satay restaurant sealed by MPK
DESI:
I've observed that it has been this EIC-waiting-in-the-wings has the habit of Doig CatchUp with olde nu'es by climbing on the bandwago after the State sultan has spoken. JUst as in the Approved Permits issue, after the Prime Minister has given the directive that the MITI Lists be publicised, this Wong WC came out with his six-shooter blazing. WEEKS AFTER THE NON_GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS, OPPOSITION PARTIES and BLOGGERS HAD DONE SO> Yes, On The Beat, in deed!
PS: Mayhaps the political masters he serves so gallantly would nominate him, and TehKim Poo for Tan Sri-ship at te next birddaes before the birds fly away?
Or before the asSli lists, or hits an ice-berg, and stinks?
Scurrying rats and peple's heroes.
Just a short extract ~~ No prize for guessing Right where this comes from; blardy hoRst @howsy.blogspot.com, did you carry It in TheSien? ~~
"
:
:
When theSun exposed the PJ
billboards scandal, Mohd Khir
was quick to say that the
Selangor exco did not approve
the deal. Instead, he sheepishly
accused "theSun exco" of doing it.
On Oct 10 when theSun
broke the story of Zakaria's
palatial mansion which other
newspapers - save for Oriental
Daily - refused to touch, we
braced for a similar outburst
and a similar "theSun exco"
excuse. Instead of
acknowledging that te laws
had been broken and replying
to te many issues which were
raised, Mohd Khir bought tie
to prepare the script.
:
:
"
PPS: GO ON, invest RM1.20 to read the historical journal in fool: I'm not pampering thee with his-story; I deal with nu'es, in all its nudity and glory. All, the last line from the commentary by Wong CW: "::
In this case, the apparent lack of strong political will at state level has led to the intervention of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. ::
Maybe some Editors await the Royal Command before they put pen to paper like some Councillor rushes into actrion after the Sultan has spoken?
Yes, I heard some (retiring/retired?) Editors in this Age of Internet still don't know how to use the Browser or Mouse to put thoughts to PC Screen. What smooth hands, my Li'l Red Riding Hood, please don't venture out ito this B'g, B'd Wolfish Blogosphere. It's filled with Venom and Arsenic.
You don't know what Sat night Tyre hits thee until the Arsenic has put thee on Da List of the Celebrated Dead. Desi wishes to be on that Quick List. Walski, do you hear Desi from your Asylumny?
If you don't know who TV SMITH is, that's good, as that would be one less rival for Desi for AsiaBlogAwards - Malaysia. But I'm sure you saw the Significant Other Mrs Smith on the big screen right? Was she in all her glory so much so you want to sing: Hail to the Chief?
Later, being a noseyPucker, I traversed to undead ground at walski69, when the headline 179 DEAD scared the hella out of Desi; but I kinda mixed it up with the precedent Post@asylum69.blogspot.com headed (or beheaded?):
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Fortunes of the Dead and Celebrated
I left my right footprint dare and I lambasted the host (You haven't heard of da hoRst of Asylum? That's gooder, one more archrival less for Desi...) that he callously left out Desiderata from the Quick list. But poor buggers, on reflection that Bloggers aren't paid a penny for their thoughts ~~ Cheap, wise or OtherVice ~~ I relent and I repent for my erring ways, which are too many to list here, and I hereby urge all my EsteemedReaders to Vote for TV and his Mrs Smith and Walski the Pollski for asiablogawards-negaraKU if you can find thy way to/in the polling boots.
PS: THat "~~ Cheap, wise or OtherVice ~~ " was added as an afterthought because if you must know, there is an Elegant War going on in Blogosphere started by JeffOoi's playlist eon yaers ago, budded by the APpearance of Da moNSTer Blog; then entered two PROtagonists associated with a flower in the middle (steal?) of the night and ...a femes Blogger with a feminist name followed by -cun; for the life of me, I still don't know how to pronounce this "cun", although I have myself used It several times in place of "can" like in oso cun for "also can". See, Blogspeak can be innovative, even profiteering/profitable/charitable (Your pick ...depends on where you stand or seat or floating in-between ...)
From The Star, The People's Paper, today, frontpage:
Closure order
Zakaria's satay
restaurant
sealed by MPK
KLANG: The problems affecting
embattled Port Klang state assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros are far from over.
:
:
:
DESI:
Suddenly the Klang Municipal Councillour Datuk Teh Kim Poo woke up from long sleep like a Rip van Winkle and is now acting The People's Hero
announcing yesterday that "Yes, it has been sealed because the restaurant
sits on JKR (Public Works Department) reserve land, which is state land."
"It" -- for those ER still fast asleep like RVW -- refers to "Anothert property of Zakaria has been found illegally built and has been slapped witth a closure order by the Klang Municiapl Council".
"The DZ Satay House restaurant, located a stone's throw from his so-called Istana Idaman mansion in Kampung Idaman here, has been sealed since Oct 26," The Star added.
DESI: The Star proudly reports something weeks after TheSun and several Bloggers had broken the nu'es!
But see how BOLD&Beautiful (another playing The People's Hero?)its almost top royal Journalist takes the nu'es break further -- DOING KETCHUP, yes? -- twice-Datuk-ed second-in-command?
From Page N6:
Nation
Monday October 30, 2006
It's serious when the Selangor Sultan has to step in
Comment by Wong Chun Wai
WHEN Datuk Zakaria Md Deros walked into the Bilik Mengadap, the audience room of the Istana Bukit Kayangan, for his meeting with the Sultan of Selangor, he must have noticed the newspaper clippings spread on a table.
They were all about the controversial Port Klang assemblyman and Klang municipal councillor who had built his four-storey mansion without council approval.
Others included his failure to pay assessment for his current house for 12 years as well as the non-payment of assessment of the Port Klang Umno office and the Kampung Idaman Umno branch buildings for at least 10 years.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had read other documents, letters and reports from investigations by the palace staff.
He also wanted to know how the DZ Satay Restaurant belonging to Zakaria was sitting on government land. Again, with no council approval.
:
:
:
::
In this case, the apparent lack of strong political will at state level has led to the intervention of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. ::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Stories:
Commotion outside mansion
Zakaria's satay restaurant sealed by MPK
DESI:
I've observed that it has been this EIC-waiting-in-the-wings has the habit of Doig CatchUp with olde nu'es by climbing on the bandwago after the State sultan has spoken. JUst as in the Approved Permits issue, after the Prime Minister has given the directive that the MITI Lists be publicised, this Wong WC came out with his six-shooter blazing. WEEKS AFTER THE NON_GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS, OPPOSITION PARTIES and BLOGGERS HAD DONE SO> Yes, On The Beat, in deed!
PS: Mayhaps the political masters he serves so gallantly would nominate him, and TehKim Poo for Tan Sri-ship at te next birddaes before the birds fly away?
Or before the asSli lists, or hits an ice-berg, and stinks?
Scurrying rats and peple's heroes.
Just a short extract ~~ No prize for guessing Right where this comes from; blardy hoRst @howsy.blogspot.com, did you carry It in TheSien? ~~
"
:
:
When theSun exposed the PJ
billboards scandal, Mohd Khir
was quick to say that the
Selangor exco did not approve
the deal. Instead, he sheepishly
accused "theSun exco" of doing it.
On Oct 10 when theSun
broke the story of Zakaria's
palatial mansion which other
newspapers - save for Oriental
Daily - refused to touch, we
braced for a similar outburst
and a similar "theSun exco"
excuse. Instead of
acknowledging that te laws
had been broken and replying
to te many issues which were
raised, Mohd Khir bought tie
to prepare the script.
:
:
"
PPS: GO ON, invest RM1.20 to read the historical journal in fool: I'm not pampering thee with his-story; I deal with nu'es, in all its nudity and glory. All, the last line from the commentary by Wong CW: "::
In this case, the apparent lack of strong political will at state level has led to the intervention of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. ::
Maybe some Editors await the Royal Command before they put pen to paper like some Councillor rushes into actrion after the Sultan has spoken?
Yes, I heard some (retiring/retired?) Editors in this Age of Internet still don't know how to use the Browser or Mouse to put thoughts to PC Screen. What smooth hands, my Li'l Red Riding Hood, please don't venture out ito this B'g, B'd Wolfish Blogosphere. It's filled with Venom and Arsenic.
You don't know what Sat night Tyre hits thee until the Arsenic has put thee on Da List of the Celebrated Dead. Desi wishes to be on that Quick List. Walski, do you hear Desi from your Asylumny?
Sunday, October 29, 2006
In a Sea of Troubled Waters
Today's Inter:Lude offers a mix of Politics, a li'l Questioning, and a Poetic rendition to help you through the troubled waters. There has been lots of venom and arsenic thrown into the Malaysian atmosphere, including the blogosphere, in recent weeks (Or was it months?). Elegant War, or perhaps not so serious, Sandiwara, is being waged, or is put on steady exhibition ... so that the Public Joe may find entertainment away from the astrophere. It's offered Al*most free at the PWTC and on cyberspace.
The flies and insects would die within seconds or minutes on exposure to such venom and toxins in the air. But humans, unfortunately, do not. The misfortune lies in the fact that the good Lord does not yield instant gratification of Death after these mortals have had enjoyed all the luxuries of gratification of high office and abuse, normally away from the gaxe of Citizen Keen or Ken. Yes, sometimes poetic justice comes from Above after all else on the GooDEarth fails. Death visits slow but sure, death for the likes of ....... I wanted to use "ilk' and fill in the blanks, but I guess the judgement is best left to the Almighty above. But if you wanna play gawd, fill in the blanks-lah, Desi can't stop thee. After all, Malaysia is still a free wordl, and it has moved up substantially the World Press Freedom Index. I can't say for the Empty Stomach Index though after reading the past week of some poor school-children in Sabah, or isit Sarawak? getting by with just one meal a day. While some monkeys in a certain royal town do a song and dance saying I'm not the only one doin' It.
If any ER asks Desi what It stands for, I'm not goin' to be friendly on this Sabbath Sundae, please go stand in That Korner! If you ask further what the Korner is, Get thy butt outa of here, OR Go contact Sisdar Helen!:) My PR managAr -- See 3A*.
I pray the arsenic does not reach your arse. So get some protection. Desi does not wear Prada. I wear tampoons -- Please NORE the double O!:) it's a combo of tamborine and lampoon(c)desi! --nowadays.
MONTAGE OF NEWS HEADLINES (with Desi's femes one-liners in italics, thus:))
~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~~~ nontage ~~~~~~~
28/10:
‘Sick and tired’ of Dr M
The Star
Umno Youth is “sick and tired” of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attitude of constantly criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Its chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said...
(Citizen Keen or Ken is sick of all these UMNOputras and buffoons ... Oh, yes, Mave SM's fave reference ~~ Oligarchs2.)
:
:
29/10:
'Remarks by ex-PM don’t affect me’Category: General Posted by:
The Star
SEREMBAN: “Baseless” – is how deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin described the comments made recently by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Yes, all the blardy remarks don't affect any of the Players on the PWTC Stage, but hey, the Ecopnomy is heading South, and Citizen Keen or Ken is affected. IMMENSELY.
:
:
The Star
Sunday October 29, 2006
Zam: Dr M is epitome of his ‘forget easily’ saying
SUNGAI PETANI: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration had created a “climate of fear” is a reflection of “his era of dictatorship,” said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.
Yes, people forget easily, icluding the electorate majority who keep complaining about te Barisan Nasional government, but each time they went to the polls, they marked against the DACING.How do you define this work, MASOOCHISM?
:
:
The NST, Oct 29, 2006:
HEAT'S ON ZAKARIA
(Turn up the temperatures to arse-burning, or better still, intestine-dismembering, so some Councillors remember)
'Resign or face the sack'
(About time; and not just as Councillor in the most advanced prescinct in the county, also as only and sole First World state in NegaraKu's State Assemblyman!)
Doses of venom
Cobra (elegantly silent) or rattle-snake (you hear it s-miles away)?
Can we ask the Snakes to Play It Again, Sam!
For Olde Times' Sake.
This last one is inspired as lust night I watched CASABLANCA once again, and As Time Goes By ... steal lingers in the arsenic-laced aire...~~ DESi
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Calm Faces
(by my fave Poet)
Work well done and its just reward,
sunshine, rest and love -- these are the
desiderata of happiness. In one fashion or
anpther we wee them somewhere afar
in our path; and the vision keeps us in good
humour with the world and with
ourselves. "Sometime," we say, :we shall
come to our own -- sometime." And
meanwhile life grows stiller and stiller,
rebellion settles to submission, great
ambitions turn to simple things. Though we
have been roughly awakened from
the intoxication of youth's enchanted
visions, if we have learned our lesson well,
may we still find a cheering ray of light
in the shadows of evening, and go with calm
faces among our neighbours and our friends.
The flies and insects would die within seconds or minutes on exposure to such venom and toxins in the air. But humans, unfortunately, do not. The misfortune lies in the fact that the good Lord does not yield instant gratification of Death after these mortals have had enjoyed all the luxuries of gratification of high office and abuse, normally away from the gaxe of Citizen Keen or Ken. Yes, sometimes poetic justice comes from Above after all else on the GooDEarth fails. Death visits slow but sure, death for the likes of ....... I wanted to use "ilk' and fill in the blanks, but I guess the judgement is best left to the Almighty above. But if you wanna play gawd, fill in the blanks-lah, Desi can't stop thee. After all, Malaysia is still a free wordl, and it has moved up substantially the World Press Freedom Index. I can't say for the Empty Stomach Index though after reading the past week of some poor school-children in Sabah, or isit Sarawak? getting by with just one meal a day. While some monkeys in a certain royal town do a song and dance saying I'm not the only one doin' It.
If any ER asks Desi what It stands for, I'm not goin' to be friendly on this Sabbath Sundae, please go stand in That Korner! If you ask further what the Korner is, Get thy butt outa of here, OR Go contact Sisdar Helen!:) My PR managAr -- See 3A*.
I pray the arsenic does not reach your arse. So get some protection. Desi does not wear Prada. I wear tampoons -- Please NORE the double O!:) it's a combo of tamborine and lampoon(c)desi! --nowadays.
MONTAGE OF NEWS HEADLINES (with Desi's femes one-liners in italics, thus:))
~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~~ MONTAGE ~~~~~~ nontage ~~~~~~~
28/10:
‘Sick and tired’ of Dr M
The Star
Umno Youth is “sick and tired” of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attitude of constantly criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Its chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said...
(Citizen Keen or Ken is sick of all these UMNOputras and buffoons ... Oh, yes, Mave SM's fave reference ~~ Oligarchs2.)
:
:
29/10:
'Remarks by ex-PM don’t affect me’Category: General Posted by:
The Star
SEREMBAN: “Baseless” – is how deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin described the comments made recently by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Yes, all the blardy remarks don't affect any of the Players on the PWTC Stage, but hey, the Ecopnomy is heading South, and Citizen Keen or Ken is affected. IMMENSELY.
:
:
The Star
Sunday October 29, 2006
Zam: Dr M is epitome of his ‘forget easily’ saying
SUNGAI PETANI: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration had created a “climate of fear” is a reflection of “his era of dictatorship,” said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.
Yes, people forget easily, icluding the electorate majority who keep complaining about te Barisan Nasional government, but each time they went to the polls, they marked against the DACING.How do you define this work, MASOOCHISM?
:
:
The NST, Oct 29, 2006:
HEAT'S ON ZAKARIA
(Turn up the temperatures to arse-burning, or better still, intestine-dismembering, so some Councillors remember)
'Resign or face the sack'
(About time; and not just as Councillor in the most advanced prescinct in the county, also as only and sole First World state in NegaraKu's State Assemblyman!)
Doses of venom
Cobra (elegantly silent) or rattle-snake (you hear it s-miles away)?
Can we ask the Snakes to Play It Again, Sam!
For Olde Times' Sake.
This last one is inspired as lust night I watched CASABLANCA once again, and As Time Goes By ... steal lingers in the arsenic-laced aire...~~ DESi
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Calm Faces
(by my fave Poet)
Work well done and its just reward,
sunshine, rest and love -- these are the
desiderata of happiness. In one fashion or
anpther we wee them somewhere afar
in our path; and the vision keeps us in good
humour with the world and with
ourselves. "Sometime," we say, :we shall
come to our own -- sometime." And
meanwhile life grows stiller and stiller,
rebellion settles to submission, great
ambitions turn to simple things. Though we
have been roughly awakened from
the intoxication of youth's enchanted
visions, if we have learned our lesson well,
may we still find a cheering ray of light
in the shadows of evening, and go with calm
faces among our neighbours and our friends.
Friday, October 27, 2006
The Epic PLay at PWTC: Soliloquoy2
Tit for tat Butter for fat
Lovers exchange love letters
Nemesis exchange soliloquoys
Even Narrator gets into the Act
ACT 3, (Ob)Scene 2
SOLILOQUOY2
From TheStar, page 8
Friday October 27, 2006
Transcript of Pak Lah's press conference at his Raya open house in Kepala Batas, Penang on Oct 26.
Q: Will you reply in detail to the issues raised by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during your recent meeting with him?
A: I have to prepare answers for many issues that have been raised. Actually, during my meeting with him, I gave him the chance to express his dissatisfaction. That was what happened. It went on for an hour and a half. There were occasions when I felt like debating with him, when I did not agree with what he had said. But, if I had done that, it would have taken time. Tun would not have been able to tell me everything. And that would have become an issue. Tun wanted to speak to Pak Lah, so Pak Lah listened. But, my stand from the beginning was to allow him to talk. I abided by my intentions.
Tun took one-and-a-half hours. We had agreed to meet for two hours. So, that left only 30 minutes for me. Tun stopped on his own. I did not force him to stop talking. He paused for a while. I felt there was no more that he wanted to say, only then did I speak.
Abdullah: ‘My stand from the beginning was to allow him to talk. I abided by my intentions’
I will tell you what was raised. First, he said the country was a police state. That I disagreed with. Second, he spoke on Umno, saying that people were afraid of giving their views, that all had to listen to what I say, and that nobody was bold enough to fight or give their opinion. I said that’s all not true. All Umno members are happy under my leadership because they feel relieved that they can talk. This democracy has been created by Umno leaders themselves. That’s what I said briefly.
Then he mentioned about me restricting him from going here and there. This is not true. On the contrary, he might not be aware that when I was Umno vice-president but was not holding a Cabinet post, people who were trying to please him restricted my movements. Maybe at his level, he did not restrict. I also have not restricted. But at that time, I was an elected vice-president and held a party post. If we go by that, I could have gone anywhere.
Nevertheless, despite the restriction on my movements, people still respected me and maybe Dr Mahathir did not know then that such a thing was being done to me by people who wanted to make him happy.
Tun also spoke about my son and son-in-law. That there were calls here and there. But when he said my son Kamal (Kamaluddin) did not have the facilities to undertake a project that was beyond his capacity, especially the coal contract, I said he had. He said it (Scomi Group Bhd) has no ships. But, who says it has no ships? That’s not right. The company has ships. 180 ships. Ships that are owned by a company that it has been taken over. His son also had a contract. It's just that it was not revealed and the project his son got was bigger than the one Scomi got. I did not say more than that to him. Other matters about projects that Kamal got, I did not touch on much.
There were no arguments or exchange of harsh words in the conversation. It was calm. But I was not able to talk much. It was already two hours long. I did not say anything further.
Q: Will you give a detailed explanation later on?
A: I have explained. What is there to explain further. The list is very long. But most of it were issues that I had explained before. But he still insisted on telling them to me directly. So, I could not say much. I was not interested in arguing with him.
He wanted to convey what was on his mind and I gave him an opportunity to do so. Some of the other details I had explained in the past. So, I did not want to repeat them. Tun himself had said before that if the Prime Minister did not want to give explanations, he could ask the other ministers to do so on his behalf. So, I took his advice and allowed other ministers to give the necessary explanations. But, when he said that I could not answer him, that was not nice.
Q: People were expecting an amicable solution to this issue but it seems that Tun has gone in the open to attack you. What are your comments?
A: I felt sad because people who came to my Hari Raya open house were still talking about the matter. I felt disappointed and sad. Many directly asked me about it. I had hoped he could have waited till I had given him my explanations. I felt sad about it because he had told me all that he had wanted to say. I needed time to respond. But, he repeated (the attacks) again with stronger doses of venom. What more can I do? Allahualam, he still wants to continue.
Q: What are your views on the Sultan of Johor’s statement that Dr Mahathir should behave like a pensioner and stop making noise?
A: The Sultan’s comment reflects the people’s opinion. Many people have said so. When people greet me, they urge me to carry on. They say I still have time. They say I should not feel disappointed. We support you, Pak Lah. We know you are new. The 9th Malaysia Plan is still new. Tun said it has been two years, but it is only seven months old. He said it has been two years. It is incorrect.
Q: What have you to say about the two Cabinet ministers who went to Tun’s Hari Raya open house?
A: It is all right. It's to establish friendship, which reflects the Hari Raya spirit. It is common. So, it is not right to say that we should not go. If you do not want to go, it is another matter altogether. But if we want to prohibit, then that’s not right. If you want to go, go ahead.
Q: Your comments on the postponement of the Umno elections?
A: The decision was clear. Let there be an option. The option is for me to decide.
Q: Will there be a second meeting?
A: We will see. Everything is possible, and everything is also impossible.
Q: When do you plan to give further explanations?
A: Let us find a better way to explain.
Q: Do you see an end to these attacks?
A: I do not know. He is the one. To me, I fully understand the promises in my manifesto to the people. I also understand the 9th Malaysia Plan. There are a lot of projects have begun. It all takes time for the results to materialise. I am confident that what (projects and programmes) have been started will be clearer to the people before the middle of 2007. The projects are good for the benefit of people from various groups. Nowadays, there are many Class F contractors. They are given a chance to carry out small projects, according to allocation. In terms of big contracts, there are not many but they have started. (Works Minister Datuk Seri S.) Samy Vellu had expedited the technical drawings. If had not been done, tenders could not have been called quickly.
We, in the Cabinet have decided that if JKR (Public Works Department) is unable to carry out a project, we will let other contractors help out. There are many other possible methods. Interested parties should submit their proposals. We will select the best in terms of quality and pricing.
I have explained many times that the private finance initiatives (PFI) is one of the ways that the Government is using. Not all are build, lease and transfer (BLT). For example, the monorail project in Penang. It will be better if it’s a PFI project. Let the private company build it and do its planning and costing. They will see the project’s feasibility and viability, whether it can be carried out or not, whether it is profitable or not. It all depends on the company that’s proposing it. After that, they will know how to manage the monorail.
If they charge fares that are too high, people will not use it. Only after a few years will they be able to determine their profits. The company that builds the monorail in Penang can finance, build and run the monorail system and can manage it forever. Why should the Government involve itself in such a big project when it can use the funds for other deserving projects? The monorail will be the private company’s. It will know how to run it and determine the fares.
If we give to a concessionaire for 30 years, and the Government takes over later, the company will not be able to determine its profits within the short concession period. Under PFI, when the company makes profits, the Government can collect taxes from them. I wish to clarify a little about the issue of Malaysia as a police state. Malaysia is not a police state. There is not a single appropriate reason to suggests this. I do not have the intention of turning Malaysia into a police state. We are governed by a democratic government that is fair and equal. Our laws uphold our sovereignty according to the Constitution.
It’s a country that brings development to the people, who wish to live in harmony. We hold steadfast to the sovereignty of our laws. So if people abide by the law, they need not feel threatened. Our country is free to table laws in Parliament. The present Parliament meets according to schedule. This institution is recognised and democratic.
Whatever laws that are applied have been passed by Parliament. We do have the police but not a private police. Our police are ruled by a government that is chosen by the rakyat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DESI: THis scribe will reserve his Comments, but exercises his right to Soliloquoy
as the Narrator of this Sandiwara. If any ER should ask what's a Soliloquoy, and its Pronunciation, I refer you again to Light&Easy. And if you ask further where's SOLILOQUOY1, blardy hella, Get thee outa here!
Soliloquoy3
By whoelse but Desi!
The Hotline is unmanned
The Ship has lost its Kepten
Rationale discourse is banned
Only Soliloquoy and Self-praise
And glory to the chief can raise
All other writes, only when I say Can
The ship is listing
The Economy is gettin' nowhere
But olde folks don't seem to think
While the Young just sit and stare
And as our eyes blink
And some mouths stink
The Barbarians are at the gate
The Globalisation monster will swallow thee
There's no time to waste Mate
Our neighbours are doin'
The song and dance in glee
Wiile we wait and wait
And Wait
Composed 10.23AM
Thursday and the Nurse is Away
Helen, please make my day
With a pastry and a s-mile
I offer ta-pau Mantin curryfishhaed
You return Joy, Ipohlang style
Lovers exchange love letters
Nemesis exchange soliloquoys
Even Narrator gets into the Act
ACT 3, (Ob)Scene 2
SOLILOQUOY2
From TheStar, page 8
Friday October 27, 2006
Transcript of Pak Lah's press conference at his Raya open house in Kepala Batas, Penang on Oct 26.
Q: Will you reply in detail to the issues raised by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during your recent meeting with him?
A: I have to prepare answers for many issues that have been raised. Actually, during my meeting with him, I gave him the chance to express his dissatisfaction. That was what happened. It went on for an hour and a half. There were occasions when I felt like debating with him, when I did not agree with what he had said. But, if I had done that, it would have taken time. Tun would not have been able to tell me everything. And that would have become an issue. Tun wanted to speak to Pak Lah, so Pak Lah listened. But, my stand from the beginning was to allow him to talk. I abided by my intentions.
Tun took one-and-a-half hours. We had agreed to meet for two hours. So, that left only 30 minutes for me. Tun stopped on his own. I did not force him to stop talking. He paused for a while. I felt there was no more that he wanted to say, only then did I speak.
Abdullah: ‘My stand from the beginning was to allow him to talk. I abided by my intentions’
I will tell you what was raised. First, he said the country was a police state. That I disagreed with. Second, he spoke on Umno, saying that people were afraid of giving their views, that all had to listen to what I say, and that nobody was bold enough to fight or give their opinion. I said that’s all not true. All Umno members are happy under my leadership because they feel relieved that they can talk. This democracy has been created by Umno leaders themselves. That’s what I said briefly.
Then he mentioned about me restricting him from going here and there. This is not true. On the contrary, he might not be aware that when I was Umno vice-president but was not holding a Cabinet post, people who were trying to please him restricted my movements. Maybe at his level, he did not restrict. I also have not restricted. But at that time, I was an elected vice-president and held a party post. If we go by that, I could have gone anywhere.
Nevertheless, despite the restriction on my movements, people still respected me and maybe Dr Mahathir did not know then that such a thing was being done to me by people who wanted to make him happy.
Tun also spoke about my son and son-in-law. That there were calls here and there. But when he said my son Kamal (Kamaluddin) did not have the facilities to undertake a project that was beyond his capacity, especially the coal contract, I said he had. He said it (Scomi Group Bhd) has no ships. But, who says it has no ships? That’s not right. The company has ships. 180 ships. Ships that are owned by a company that it has been taken over. His son also had a contract. It's just that it was not revealed and the project his son got was bigger than the one Scomi got. I did not say more than that to him. Other matters about projects that Kamal got, I did not touch on much.
There were no arguments or exchange of harsh words in the conversation. It was calm. But I was not able to talk much. It was already two hours long. I did not say anything further.
Q: Will you give a detailed explanation later on?
A: I have explained. What is there to explain further. The list is very long. But most of it were issues that I had explained before. But he still insisted on telling them to me directly. So, I could not say much. I was not interested in arguing with him.
He wanted to convey what was on his mind and I gave him an opportunity to do so. Some of the other details I had explained in the past. So, I did not want to repeat them. Tun himself had said before that if the Prime Minister did not want to give explanations, he could ask the other ministers to do so on his behalf. So, I took his advice and allowed other ministers to give the necessary explanations. But, when he said that I could not answer him, that was not nice.
Q: People were expecting an amicable solution to this issue but it seems that Tun has gone in the open to attack you. What are your comments?
A: I felt sad because people who came to my Hari Raya open house were still talking about the matter. I felt disappointed and sad. Many directly asked me about it. I had hoped he could have waited till I had given him my explanations. I felt sad about it because he had told me all that he had wanted to say. I needed time to respond. But, he repeated (the attacks) again with stronger doses of venom. What more can I do? Allahualam, he still wants to continue.
Q: What are your views on the Sultan of Johor’s statement that Dr Mahathir should behave like a pensioner and stop making noise?
A: The Sultan’s comment reflects the people’s opinion. Many people have said so. When people greet me, they urge me to carry on. They say I still have time. They say I should not feel disappointed. We support you, Pak Lah. We know you are new. The 9th Malaysia Plan is still new. Tun said it has been two years, but it is only seven months old. He said it has been two years. It is incorrect.
Q: What have you to say about the two Cabinet ministers who went to Tun’s Hari Raya open house?
A: It is all right. It's to establish friendship, which reflects the Hari Raya spirit. It is common. So, it is not right to say that we should not go. If you do not want to go, it is another matter altogether. But if we want to prohibit, then that’s not right. If you want to go, go ahead.
Q: Your comments on the postponement of the Umno elections?
A: The decision was clear. Let there be an option. The option is for me to decide.
Q: Will there be a second meeting?
A: We will see. Everything is possible, and everything is also impossible.
Q: When do you plan to give further explanations?
A: Let us find a better way to explain.
Q: Do you see an end to these attacks?
A: I do not know. He is the one. To me, I fully understand the promises in my manifesto to the people. I also understand the 9th Malaysia Plan. There are a lot of projects have begun. It all takes time for the results to materialise. I am confident that what (projects and programmes) have been started will be clearer to the people before the middle of 2007. The projects are good for the benefit of people from various groups. Nowadays, there are many Class F contractors. They are given a chance to carry out small projects, according to allocation. In terms of big contracts, there are not many but they have started. (Works Minister Datuk Seri S.) Samy Vellu had expedited the technical drawings. If had not been done, tenders could not have been called quickly.
We, in the Cabinet have decided that if JKR (Public Works Department) is unable to carry out a project, we will let other contractors help out. There are many other possible methods. Interested parties should submit their proposals. We will select the best in terms of quality and pricing.
I have explained many times that the private finance initiatives (PFI) is one of the ways that the Government is using. Not all are build, lease and transfer (BLT). For example, the monorail project in Penang. It will be better if it’s a PFI project. Let the private company build it and do its planning and costing. They will see the project’s feasibility and viability, whether it can be carried out or not, whether it is profitable or not. It all depends on the company that’s proposing it. After that, they will know how to manage the monorail.
If they charge fares that are too high, people will not use it. Only after a few years will they be able to determine their profits. The company that builds the monorail in Penang can finance, build and run the monorail system and can manage it forever. Why should the Government involve itself in such a big project when it can use the funds for other deserving projects? The monorail will be the private company’s. It will know how to run it and determine the fares.
If we give to a concessionaire for 30 years, and the Government takes over later, the company will not be able to determine its profits within the short concession period. Under PFI, when the company makes profits, the Government can collect taxes from them. I wish to clarify a little about the issue of Malaysia as a police state. Malaysia is not a police state. There is not a single appropriate reason to suggests this. I do not have the intention of turning Malaysia into a police state. We are governed by a democratic government that is fair and equal. Our laws uphold our sovereignty according to the Constitution.
It’s a country that brings development to the people, who wish to live in harmony. We hold steadfast to the sovereignty of our laws. So if people abide by the law, they need not feel threatened. Our country is free to table laws in Parliament. The present Parliament meets according to schedule. This institution is recognised and democratic.
Whatever laws that are applied have been passed by Parliament. We do have the police but not a private police. Our police are ruled by a government that is chosen by the rakyat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DESI: THis scribe will reserve his Comments, but exercises his right to Soliloquoy
as the Narrator of this Sandiwara. If any ER should ask what's a Soliloquoy, and its Pronunciation, I refer you again to Light&Easy. And if you ask further where's SOLILOQUOY1, blardy hella, Get thee outa here!
Soliloquoy3
By whoelse but Desi!
The Hotline is unmanned
The Ship has lost its Kepten
Rationale discourse is banned
Only Soliloquoy and Self-praise
And glory to the chief can raise
All other writes, only when I say Can
The ship is listing
The Economy is gettin' nowhere
But olde folks don't seem to think
While the Young just sit and stare
And as our eyes blink
And some mouths stink
The Barbarians are at the gate
The Globalisation monster will swallow thee
There's no time to waste Mate
Our neighbours are doin'
The song and dance in glee
Wiile we wait and wait
And Wait
Composed 10.23AM
Thursday and the Nurse is Away
Helen, please make my day
With a pastry and a s-mile
I offer ta-pau Mantin curryfishhaed
You return Joy, Ipohlang style
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Curry Fishhead, Rotting and Rising heads
Chinamen, and I am definitely one unless the nurses switched me as Babe's name tag at birth by accident, go to great length, like a thousand Li, to savour good food. Desiderata is not that crazy, he would only travel about 15-20km to nearby Mantin. I'm skipping lunch today as I make myself to Mantin (yes, where the men look like they just came out of a tin-can, and the women ...ah, better not describe them until after dinner, as most play chefs.
As I was saying, two close media friends are coming all the way from Petaling Jaya to rendezvous at about 5.30pm at the China sounding coffee shop; can't remember its name, only can tell the aroma coming out of its kitchen from late afternoon, in the middle of the first block on the RHS after one enters the sleepy-looking town from olde Seremban, after a Shell station. (I'm not promoting this particular petrol brand, okay, otherwise, some Blogger friends may accuse Desi of selling out to Big business, but actually I don't mind 200million, WTH!:)
Now back from Digression, which has become an expertise of mine, like C&P which is every other Blogger's expertise, I just had 1/2 portion of morning BF ('morning' is actually redundant here because who would be BF-asting in the PM or at midnight unless you don't own a watch and are also colour-blind. I don't own a watch, the lust one I bought at CheeCheongKai did not last two months, althogh one FashionistA assured a warranty of two years... but that's cheapskate Desi, not FA's secret asset. But I am not colour-blind, otherwise how could I have writ those XXquisite poems. 'XXquisite' was used by an AP-tive reader from Ipoh, not humble Desi, K!:( as I don't blow the trumpet tho I do some R&R with a seven-stringed guitah.
So if you can find your way through the Negri Maze and meet Desi dare at 5.30PM-&.00PM, join in the eats, but please bring along your Platinum card; I have to ask the 'lady' if she accepts MyKad at 7.45PM. Otherwise, one of us may have to stay back to do work in the 'kitchen" and you never know, you may not come out again, like that curio cat Mat Salleh at the Mambau DimSome shoppe.
I hear one ER whispering he/she (could tell the gender because it ranges from Sir John's to one of the BeeGees bros...) DOESN'T like CurryFishHead as many unscrupulous restau rat eurs (NOTE there is no 'n' as in rant, OK! Only a rat.)serve thee ROTTING fishheads.
I assure you ALL THE ROTTING FISH HAVE SWAMPED/swum to THE ROYAL TOWN OF KLANG. So it's safe with Desi in Mantin, or your money back @7.45PM.
The Star Page 1, right hand column, make sure you catch it and not let the fish (Or isit crocodiles? because they can transform wan in Klang) swim away.
Thursday October 26, 2006
MB: Only two in family can be councillors
SHAH ALAM: No more than two members of a family will be allowed to be councillors in the same local authority in Selangor at the same time, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said.
He said if several members of a family were nominated for council posts, the state would only allow two.
“Our state executive councillors have given their feedback and we have agreed that only two members from the same family can sit (in a council) at any one term.
“It is a collective decision to ensure that fiefdoms are not formed and the confidence of the public is maintained,” Dr Khir said during his Hari Raya open house held at the Dewan Belia Section 7, here.
The state exco decision came after a public outcry against Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, whose son Zainuri and daughter-in-law Roselinda Abdul Jamil were also going to be appointed as Klang municipal councillors for the 2006-2008 term.
All three were to have been sworn in as councillors last week but the swearing-in ceremony was postponed.
:
:
:
ROTTING
DESIDERATA:
Q1: Is this Menteri Besar for real?
“It is a collective decision to ensure that fiefdoms are not formed and the confidence of the public is maintained,” Dr Khir said...
HEY, THE FIEFDOM HAS ALREADY BEEN FORMED!
HEY, THER CONFIDENCE HAS ALREADY BEEN SHATTERED!
Or he has not learnt of the English saying (Howsy, can give some tution ah?):
Closing the stable's doors after the horse has bolted...
ISA: That the Prime Minister orders all the three of this Zakaria family NOT BE APPOINTED as the Klang councillors as the old man had set a terrible example, and it would be a killer tradition for the family (fiefdom) members to perpetuate -- building a five-storey or s-x-story mansion next?
Pak Lah should then send Zakaria Md Deros a SHOW-CAUSE letter why he should not be removed as a Selangor State Assemblyman. Don't sack him=lah, because DAP or PKR won't take him either, ayether. Mayhpas PAS, they can re-habit-litate him?
The citizenry expect nothing less than this -- Zakaria's sacking from Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor. An elected representatiive is expected to be a good role model. Not a crooked man who built a crooked 'small" house i a crooked prescinct. Who is a law unto himself. To his son. To his daughter-in-law.
Q2: Why was the piece of land alienated to Zakaria's wife at lelong prices in the first instance. Is the state assemblyman and family living within the hardcore poor group in the most advanced sate in NegaraKu?
Q3: Those construction workers building the mansion -- are they ILLEGALS from neighbouring countries? Is someone trying to do a "Sabah" in Selangor?
I think I will stop asking too many questions lest ELEGANT SILENCE is swamped with too many fish rotting from their heads. One former PM to deal with is already pening-ing his kepala, Desi won't want to add on kepala croc...Oops, wrong species, kepala ikan.TheSun hinted now there is a third Councillor in the asSli ship, listing anyone?
RISING
The following is Cut&Paste from Raja Petra's malaysia-today.net.
I urge "fellow Malaysians to think deeply whether they want to give the former DPM a chance to redeem himself and prove to be the RISING ONE among all the rotting fishheads and listing ships?"
24/10: Saying no to corruption
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
Business needs to be held accountable in developing economies
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
(Fortune Magazine) -- Anwar Ibrahim was a rising star in Asian politics during the 1990s as Finance Minister and then Deputy Prime Minister under Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. But in 1998, after leading a campaign against government corruption, Ibrahim was thrown in jail on trumped-up charges and held in solitary confinement for six years.
He has since become an advocate for democracy, a teacher at Georgetown University, and honorary president of AccountAbility. Fortune's Marc Gunther spoke with him recently in his office on the Georgetown campus.
What did you learn from your experiences in Malaysia about the role of business in development?
Business has to be part of the development process, so we made intense efforts to promote the private sector. I strongly support market reforms, deregulation, privatization, all the mantras of today's global economy.
But for this to work, we need business to be accountable, and we observed serious flaws in this regard. In my experience, business can tend toward cronyism, corruption and other poor practices in the absence of a free press, a vibrant civil society and effective law enforcement.
Was the corruption driven by local businesses, or were global companies involved as well?
It was primarily local, but the multinationals cannot be absolved. Often it's not a question of blatant, outright corruption. It's the subtle endorsement of unsatisfactory practices - for example, when it comes to labor standards or the exploitation of natural resources. Some international corporations become involved in inappropriate practices when meeting their financial bottom-line goals requires working with repressive governments.
Some say that it's wrong to apply Western ideals on issues like the environment, labor rights, and democracy to the developing world. What's your view?
Many use the notion of Asian values to make excuses for governments that do not support democracy, accountability, the need for a free press and an active civil society. Others say security and development take precedence over freedom and democracy.
I don't accept any of this. Certainly there may be regional variations in how business is done, but accountability, universal human rights, an independent judiciary and a free press are not Western or Eastern values. They are universal values that we should all embrace.
Still, there are those who say it is wrong for Western governments or NGOs to force the developing world to adopt the labor or environmental standards of highly mature industrial societies while they are still developing.
Emerging economies should not be dictated to by European or North American lobbies. In Malaysia we have in the area of Sarawak about two million acres of timber. More extreme environmental groups would deny us the right to any extraction. This position is as misguided as the equally extreme position by the Sarawak state government to allow for the indiscriminate rape of these jungles. Sustainable forestry is the right balance, accountable to those communities that need a livelihood with the need to protect the environment.
Did any companies you dealt with in Malaysia impress you with their commitment to accountability and social responsibility?
Intel and Motorola come to mind as two that made major investments, shared technology, invested in training locals and were more honest and transparent than others.
Any that disappointed you?
Many, sadly, but this is not the place to name names. I recall one occasion when a major multinational hosted me for a dinner shortly after I came into office. They proposed an "arrangement" to facilitate their interests, pointing out that this was merely a continuation of their ongoing practice in Malaysia. They were astonished and distressed when I referred them to the official ministry channels rather than to an intermediary through whom they could funnel funds on my behalf. These occasions convinced me of the need to introduce stronger measures against corruption when I was acting Prime Minister in 1997, a decision that ultimately landed me in jail.
Did any of the Western companies you had done business with come to your aid?
None that I'm aware of. Many individuals and human rights organizations took up my case, but it was only after I came out of prison that some businesspeople expressed sympathy.
Would you have known if any businesses had lobbied on your behalf?
Oh, yes, they could have contacted my wife, my family, my lawyers.
Did they?
No.
DESIDERATA:
The highlights (THUS BOLDED) are mine. I won't add any comments to the above as my ER know my stand as far as Sdr Anwar, the Adviser to Parti Kedailan Rakyat, is concerned.
Meanwhile, I hope my EsteemedReaders even after the festive celebrations the past few days, will continue to keel their "heads" firmly on their shoulders, also above H2O. Strangely, I similarly adivsed my sonny Len back from UUM campus break to always "be level headed". No, it was not over fishhead curry in Mantin. It was at an evening CON BFing! Figure that one ouuch!:) and I'll pay for that Man-tin outing
As I was saying, two close media friends are coming all the way from Petaling Jaya to rendezvous at about 5.30pm at the China sounding coffee shop; can't remember its name, only can tell the aroma coming out of its kitchen from late afternoon, in the middle of the first block on the RHS after one enters the sleepy-looking town from olde Seremban, after a Shell station. (I'm not promoting this particular petrol brand, okay, otherwise, some Blogger friends may accuse Desi of selling out to Big business, but actually I don't mind 200million, WTH!:)
Now back from Digression, which has become an expertise of mine, like C&P which is every other Blogger's expertise, I just had 1/2 portion of morning BF ('morning' is actually redundant here because who would be BF-asting in the PM or at midnight unless you don't own a watch and are also colour-blind. I don't own a watch, the lust one I bought at CheeCheongKai did not last two months, althogh one FashionistA assured a warranty of two years... but that's cheapskate Desi, not FA's secret asset. But I am not colour-blind, otherwise how could I have writ those XXquisite poems. 'XXquisite' was used by an AP-tive reader from Ipoh, not humble Desi, K!:( as I don't blow the trumpet tho I do some R&R with a seven-stringed guitah.
So if you can find your way through the Negri Maze and meet Desi dare at 5.30PM-&.00PM, join in the eats, but please bring along your Platinum card; I have to ask the 'lady' if she accepts MyKad at 7.45PM. Otherwise, one of us may have to stay back to do work in the 'kitchen" and you never know, you may not come out again, like that curio cat Mat Salleh at the Mambau DimSome shoppe.
I hear one ER whispering he/she (could tell the gender because it ranges from Sir John's to one of the BeeGees bros...) DOESN'T like CurryFishHead as many unscrupulous restau rat eurs (NOTE there is no 'n' as in rant, OK! Only a rat.)serve thee ROTTING fishheads.
I assure you ALL THE ROTTING FISH HAVE SWAMPED/swum to THE ROYAL TOWN OF KLANG. So it's safe with Desi in Mantin, or your money back @7.45PM.
The Star Page 1, right hand column, make sure you catch it and not let the fish (Or isit crocodiles? because they can transform wan in Klang) swim away.
Thursday October 26, 2006
MB: Only two in family can be councillors
SHAH ALAM: No more than two members of a family will be allowed to be councillors in the same local authority in Selangor at the same time, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said.
He said if several members of a family were nominated for council posts, the state would only allow two.
“Our state executive councillors have given their feedback and we have agreed that only two members from the same family can sit (in a council) at any one term.
“It is a collective decision to ensure that fiefdoms are not formed and the confidence of the public is maintained,” Dr Khir said during his Hari Raya open house held at the Dewan Belia Section 7, here.
The state exco decision came after a public outcry against Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, whose son Zainuri and daughter-in-law Roselinda Abdul Jamil were also going to be appointed as Klang municipal councillors for the 2006-2008 term.
All three were to have been sworn in as councillors last week but the swearing-in ceremony was postponed.
:
:
:
ROTTING
DESIDERATA:
Q1: Is this Menteri Besar for real?
“It is a collective decision to ensure that fiefdoms are not formed and the confidence of the public is maintained,” Dr Khir said...
HEY, THE FIEFDOM HAS ALREADY BEEN FORMED!
HEY, THER CONFIDENCE HAS ALREADY BEEN SHATTERED!
Or he has not learnt of the English saying (Howsy, can give some tution ah?):
Closing the stable's doors after the horse has bolted...
ISA: That the Prime Minister orders all the three of this Zakaria family NOT BE APPOINTED as the Klang councillors as the old man had set a terrible example, and it would be a killer tradition for the family (fiefdom) members to perpetuate -- building a five-storey or s-x-story mansion next?
Pak Lah should then send Zakaria Md Deros a SHOW-CAUSE letter why he should not be removed as a Selangor State Assemblyman. Don't sack him=lah, because DAP or PKR won't take him either, ayether. Mayhpas PAS, they can re-habit-litate him?
The citizenry expect nothing less than this -- Zakaria's sacking from Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor. An elected representatiive is expected to be a good role model. Not a crooked man who built a crooked 'small" house i a crooked prescinct. Who is a law unto himself. To his son. To his daughter-in-law.
Q2: Why was the piece of land alienated to Zakaria's wife at lelong prices in the first instance. Is the state assemblyman and family living within the hardcore poor group in the most advanced sate in NegaraKu?
Q3: Those construction workers building the mansion -- are they ILLEGALS from neighbouring countries? Is someone trying to do a "Sabah" in Selangor?
I think I will stop asking too many questions lest ELEGANT SILENCE is swamped with too many fish rotting from their heads. One former PM to deal with is already pening-ing his kepala, Desi won't want to add on kepala croc...Oops, wrong species, kepala ikan.TheSun hinted now there is a third Councillor in the asSli ship, listing anyone?
RISING
The following is Cut&Paste from Raja Petra's malaysia-today.net.
I urge "fellow Malaysians to think deeply whether they want to give the former DPM a chance to redeem himself and prove to be the RISING ONE among all the rotting fishheads and listing ships?"
24/10: Saying no to corruption
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
Business needs to be held accountable in developing economies
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
(Fortune Magazine) -- Anwar Ibrahim was a rising star in Asian politics during the 1990s as Finance Minister and then Deputy Prime Minister under Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. But in 1998, after leading a campaign against government corruption, Ibrahim was thrown in jail on trumped-up charges and held in solitary confinement for six years.
He has since become an advocate for democracy, a teacher at Georgetown University, and honorary president of AccountAbility. Fortune's Marc Gunther spoke with him recently in his office on the Georgetown campus.
What did you learn from your experiences in Malaysia about the role of business in development?
Business has to be part of the development process, so we made intense efforts to promote the private sector. I strongly support market reforms, deregulation, privatization, all the mantras of today's global economy.
But for this to work, we need business to be accountable, and we observed serious flaws in this regard. In my experience, business can tend toward cronyism, corruption and other poor practices in the absence of a free press, a vibrant civil society and effective law enforcement.
Was the corruption driven by local businesses, or were global companies involved as well?
It was primarily local, but the multinationals cannot be absolved. Often it's not a question of blatant, outright corruption. It's the subtle endorsement of unsatisfactory practices - for example, when it comes to labor standards or the exploitation of natural resources. Some international corporations become involved in inappropriate practices when meeting their financial bottom-line goals requires working with repressive governments.
Some say that it's wrong to apply Western ideals on issues like the environment, labor rights, and democracy to the developing world. What's your view?
Many use the notion of Asian values to make excuses for governments that do not support democracy, accountability, the need for a free press and an active civil society. Others say security and development take precedence over freedom and democracy.
I don't accept any of this. Certainly there may be regional variations in how business is done, but accountability, universal human rights, an independent judiciary and a free press are not Western or Eastern values. They are universal values that we should all embrace.
Still, there are those who say it is wrong for Western governments or NGOs to force the developing world to adopt the labor or environmental standards of highly mature industrial societies while they are still developing.
Emerging economies should not be dictated to by European or North American lobbies. In Malaysia we have in the area of Sarawak about two million acres of timber. More extreme environmental groups would deny us the right to any extraction. This position is as misguided as the equally extreme position by the Sarawak state government to allow for the indiscriminate rape of these jungles. Sustainable forestry is the right balance, accountable to those communities that need a livelihood with the need to protect the environment.
Did any companies you dealt with in Malaysia impress you with their commitment to accountability and social responsibility?
Intel and Motorola come to mind as two that made major investments, shared technology, invested in training locals and were more honest and transparent than others.
Any that disappointed you?
Many, sadly, but this is not the place to name names. I recall one occasion when a major multinational hosted me for a dinner shortly after I came into office. They proposed an "arrangement" to facilitate their interests, pointing out that this was merely a continuation of their ongoing practice in Malaysia. They were astonished and distressed when I referred them to the official ministry channels rather than to an intermediary through whom they could funnel funds on my behalf. These occasions convinced me of the need to introduce stronger measures against corruption when I was acting Prime Minister in 1997, a decision that ultimately landed me in jail.
Did any of the Western companies you had done business with come to your aid?
None that I'm aware of. Many individuals and human rights organizations took up my case, but it was only after I came out of prison that some businesspeople expressed sympathy.
Would you have known if any businesses had lobbied on your behalf?
Oh, yes, they could have contacted my wife, my family, my lawyers.
Did they?
No.
DESIDERATA:
The highlights (THUS BOLDED) are mine. I won't add any comments to the above as my ER know my stand as far as Sdr Anwar, the Adviser to Parti Kedailan Rakyat, is concerned.
Meanwhile, I hope my EsteemedReaders even after the festive celebrations the past few days, will continue to keel their "heads" firmly on their shoulders, also above H2O. Strangely, I similarly adivsed my sonny Len back from UUM campus break to always "be level headed". No, it was not over fishhead curry in Mantin. It was at an evening CON BFing! Figure that one ouuch!:) and I'll pay for that Man-tin outing
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Epc Play at PWTC Continues...
I can't keep track of the Epic Play ala Da Bard ... treat this as Act 3, (Ob)Scene 1.
Soliloquoy
Shakespeare's plays like Macbeth and Julius Caesar (Jest naming two, but Truth be told, I remember only these 2!) often have Soliloquoys -- how you pronounce it, can you please make enquiry at Light& Easy!
After three blardy months, none of my sleeping ER sits up on his/her butts to drop a line to L&E and beg them not torture Desi anymore with bad med-DEE-sin, prescription or non-, can or knot?
CUT&PASTE, which is a blogger's expertise!, From thestar.com.my~~~~~~~
Tuesday October 24, 2006
Transcript of Tun Mahathir's press conference
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
THE following is the transcript of what former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said at the press conference held at his house in the Mines Resort City, just outside of Kuala Lumpur on Monday – a day after his meeting with the present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Dr Mahathir: First, I’d like to give the background to all these things because I think many people are unaware or confused about the reason why I met Pak Lah.
Actually, Mubarak (the organisation of ex-members of parliament and state assemblymen) approached Mokhzani, my son, to try and help resolve this problem – the problem being my criticism of the Government.
They suggested three things: that I should meet the Umno supreme council; if that cannot be done, I should meet the Malay members of the Cabinet; and if that too is not possible, for me to see Pak Lah.
Zani, I don’t know what he did, but he said Pak Lah agreed to see me. So that was that and I was informed that I should meet Pak Lah.
Since this was initiated by Mubarak, I said I would like to see Mubarak first to find out what it is that they are asking me to do.
Mubarak came, five of them including their president, and Tan Sri Zaleha (former National Unity and Social Development Minister Zaleha Ismail) and they said they would like me to see Pak Lah because Pak Lah has agreed to see me.
I said if I wanted to see Pak Lah, I would like to tell him very bluntly: What have I to gain by criticising him? I told Mubarak what I felt about things and after Mubarak listened to me, they felt that I should tell these things directly to Pak Lah.
I said if I am free to speak frankly then I would see him.
After that, I believe Mubarak went to see Pak Lah and Pak Lah agreed to see me, and a date, time and place was to be fixed by him.
I had requested that there should be one person as witness for each of us but the agreement was that there would be nobody at all and I said that was fine.
Yesterday, the time was fixed at 3pm. Pak Lah met me at the door with his son Kamal. I went to the office, it used to be an office when I was living there anyway. I told him that I will record our dialogue.
I set up the recorder on the table and told him I would like to start and of course told him about all the things that I was critical about the Government. Of course, there were too many things I had to mention but in one and a half hours I covered a whole lot of things.
After that he explained, because he interrupted me several times when I was talking. For example, when I said it’s not true that the Government has no money for projects because before I stepped down in 2002, I made sure of a few things.
That the country is stable, Umno regains its popularity and the economy is doing well.
That the finances of the Government is in good shape. Only after that did I decide to step down.
But I said there’s no question that when I stepped down the Government had no money. He said that the Government now has more money, implying that when I stepped down there was no money.
During my time the profit made by Petronas was RM26bil.
I know that subsequently Petronas made RM58bil and the last financial year Petronas made RM86bil, which is bigger than the total collection from income and corporate taxes, which will be around RM60bil this year.
So the Government has money, which he agrees now. But he didn’t say that at the time I stepped down there was no money.
But I insisted that there was. He also said that when I said his son and son-in-law telephone people to give contracts to so and so, he said that while he did not know he will ask them but he didn’t think they did it.
On Scomi, he said that it is the only company in the region with the technology and mud engineering. Besides, it is 100% bumiputra so that is why Petronas gave the contract to Scomi.
There were a few other things he mentioned but he stopped, thinking it was already two hours. I figured the meeting was over and I collected my recorder and said good bye to him at the door and I came out.
Did you ask him to step down for the good of the country?
Dr M: I didn’t.
Do you want that to happen?
Dr M: I was there to tell him what I was not happy with. I was not there to suggest what he should do and it is up to him to decide what he should do.
He did say that as a result of what I did I have become unpopular and he has become unpopular too and that the only people who benefited were (former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz (Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat).
It is wrong what TV3 reported, saying that I agreed with him that what I had done made me and him unpopular and only Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz benefited. This is what he said, not what I said.
What is your feeling on the comment that you have become unpopular?
Dr M: He said that they had done a survey before I met him. And they had given him a briefing of the survey, that shows this result. If he wants to believe, that it is his right.
I said I don’t care about being popular or not but if anybody does things that don’t benefit the country and Malays in particular, I reserve my right to criticise whenever I think necessary.
And I pointed out to him that firstly, this has become a police state. Because every time anybody invites me to give a talk, they would be called up by the police and warned, called up by the police and told to withdraw the invitation.
Someone was not allowed to hold any meeting at all which involves me. This happened to many people. They were very shy to tell me about it but they were called up by the police and of course they were also called up by the mentri besar as well.
I did not tell him about this so I don’t think it is right for me to tell you what was said.
But I consider this a police state. And I consider also that my civic right has been taken away from me because I have every right to talk to Umno people, university people, civil servants and that’s my right.
But every time I want to do this and if people invite me they were told to withdraw. I told him more than 10 invitations had been withdrawn.
And of course in some cases police would meet these people. Umno people were told not to invite me. I know many Umno divisions want to invite me but are not allowed to.
So I am not allowed to speak to many groups of people. I consider it my right to speak to Umno people as a member and as ex-president. I have a right to speak to Umno people.
Did you talk about your agreement with him that was made before you step down?
Dr M: No, we did not.
What was Pak Lah’s reply to what you said on this being a police state?
Dr M: He said it was not true. He doesn’t agree with me that this is a police state.
Do you think the Prime Minister is going to do anything differently?
Dr M: We will have to wait and see. But my criticisms had some effect. For example, the activities of ECM Libra. At first you read reports in newspapers that ECM was doing these things but now it seems there is a complete blackout of ECM Libra activities.
There is no more report on Scomi activities.
Do you still plan to attend the Umno general meeting and to speak?
Dr M: I have not decided. But I have not been given any slot to speak so I don’t know how I am going to speak.
You’ve expressed unhappiness with Abdullah’s leadership. Do you think your unhappiness is being respected in Umno?
Dr M: I am not allowed to talk to Umno people at all. I have no means to assess this thing because I am not allowed to talk to Umno people. So I won’t be able to assess.
If I talk to them and explain to them what it is I am criticising then they will have to give their opinion. But I’m not allowed to explain anything, and I believe lots of people do not understand.
Did you talk about the incident at the Kubang Pasu division meeting?
Dr M: Yes, I said it was due to corruption. Whatever may be the finding of the committee I know for a fact that money was given.
Five people have reported. But there were others who said they received money but were not willing to come forward.
You are the founder of modern Malaysia. Are you concerned that your legacy is being chipped away by the controversy?
Dr M: It is not being chipped away by the controversy. It is being chipped away by the actions of the Government. For the past three years there has been no move.
The economy has not been doing well. People have not been able to have jobs and unemployment is still high.
Nothing has been done really to improve the economy. Although of course we read of very good figures but we see retail business is not good, contracts are not easy to come by, Class F people have no jobs and many contractors have folded.
Did you give him an ultimatum, because the last time you said he should undo what he has done wrong?
Dr M: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I went there just to tell him. I didn’t give him any ultimatum. Because Murabak wants me to tell, that’s all.
Did he say anything about the incident in Kubang Pasu?
Dr M: He didn’t.
Why did you raise Ku Li’s name as a possible successor in the Bloomberg interview?
Dr M: No, I didn’t raise Tengku Razaleigh’s (former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) name. They were asking whether there are other candidates who might want to, well, I thought Tengku Razaleigh was interested the last time and he might still be interested.
I mean, any Umno member can contest.
I did mention that the postponement of the Umno election is wrong. The excuse that I too did that when I was Umno president is not quite correct.
I did it because the general election was coming the following year and therefore I had to postpone the party elections the year before the general election.
But here, the general election can be held in 2009, and it is 2006 now.
Is there any reason why the party election cannot be held? Are you giving yourself a time frame to see changes after your meeting with Pak Lah?
Dr M: Well, I don’t talk about time frames. But if I am scheduled to meet people, if I am allowed to meet people, I will talk. I will mention why certain things are wrong.
Just like what I am telling you.
What do you want to achieve? You didn’t ask the Prime Minister to step down and you didn’t set a time frame.
Dr M: The Government has been criticised before and a government which is sensitive would take into consideration the criticism.
It may take the form of resignation, it may take other forms like stopping all these wrong things, the things that got people criticising.
From your point of view, what is the state of the economy?
Dr M: The economy is bad. I know because a lot of Chinese business people are very unhappy. Some of them, and I told this to
Pak Lah, some of them have said they will not vote for Barisan Nasional at the next elections. And some of them said today they prefer to go to China to do business because there are more opportunities in China than there is in Malaysia because they don’t fine it easy to do business in Malaysia.
Are you convinced or satisfied at all by any of Pak Lah’s responses?
Dr M: At the moment no.
Why?
Dr M: Because he said he didn’t think his children were involved. He said that Khairy (Jamaluddin) was his son-in-law and he has been working with him before he became his son-in-law.
And he says he will ask them, that’s all.
Does that mean that from Pak Lah’s responses and reactions to what you had to tell him, your assessment is that you have not actually achieved much in this meeting?
Dr M: I have achieved the objective of telling him in quite substantial detail. I am quite sure that the reports that are in the controlled press, the spin from people like (News Straits Time group editor) Brendan Pereira and (NSTP deputy chairman Datuk) Kalimullah (Hassan) and all that would have given him a completely wrong impression of what I have done.
Now I have the opportunity to tell him as it is, no Brendan in between, no Kalimullah in between.
So to that extent I am satisfied, no “spinning” that things were not going like that. (Makes spinning motion with finger.)
Do you wish that you had never stepped down?
Dr M: I wish I had stepped down in 1998, if it had been possible. I could have stepped down in 2002 but I was asked to ... he did tell me that he willingly asked me to stay on for another year, which is something I appreciate. But this is not a question of what you do or a character thing.
This is not about his or my character. This is about what is happening. I must admit that what is happening is something I never suspected at all or expected. I didn’t expect any family involvement.
I pointed out to him that it is wrong to have family involvement.
I also spoke about this oil-for-food thing, which is wrong. It was during the time when he was deputy prime minister and there was his name in this list published by the UN that he was involved in oil-for-food.
Although they say that him being a beneficiary, he did not gain anything. But that is the oil-for-food report from the US.
But as you know the US excluded all the American companies involved in oil-for-food so the US publication contains elements of cover-up.
But I don’t know whether the US is covering up or not in this particular case.
But he admitted that he wrote a recommendation for this chap Taufik or whatever it is, who happens to be a distant relative of his, married to his sister-in-law.
And when he did that of course he was the deputy prime minister.
When the company was formed, Trade or something or rather, he was deputy prime minister.
As deputy prime minister or as a minister, you should never get involved in the formation of any company or running of any company.
So when you met Pak Lah, to back up your statements did you show him any documents that you have?
Dr M: No documents.
So by raising this issue about his son-in-law and his involvement in oil-for-food, are you accusing the Prime Minister of corruption?
Dr M: Well, it is up to the public to assess. It is up to the legal people to decide on this but as far as I am concerned, it is wrong that a serving deputy prime minister should get his name listed among the companies in the oil-for-food trade with Iraq.
But Pak Lah never denied he recommended two or three companies that is related to him.
Dr M: As far as I am concerned, if you are in the Government you should not form any company in which you are listed as beneficiary. You should not write letters of recommendation for your own relative.
You can write letters of recommendation in a very general way or for some other company.
So will you support Najib as Umno president?
Dr M: That is hypothetical.
Do you think he will make it as Prime Minister?
Dr M: That is up to them to decide, not for me to decide, not for me to say I support or don’t. It’s entirely dependent upon Umno.
But I must admit that I had appointed Najib deputy prime minister and in the course of time, according to tradition, the deputy prime minister should succeed the prime minister.
When do you think the PM should call for the general election?
Dr M: The general election can be held anytime up to 2009, when the life span of the present Parliament terminates, so it is up to him to decide.
When do you like to see it?
Dr M: I don’t care what I like (sic).
What’s next for you after this?
Dr M: I told him I will continue to make criticisms and I will continue in my usual way.
But I do hope the habit of asking the police to frighten people should stop and my civic rights should be restored.
That I have rights to speak to Umno, the right to speak to any audience that I like.
You said the Chinese would vote for the Opposition, aren’t you afraid that the Opposition will have a bigger majority?
Dr M: Yes, I think it is possible. My assessment is that it is not possible for the Opposition to win but they may be able to reduce the majority of the Government.
Don’t you think what you are doing now is bad for the party?
Dr M: I see that what he is doing now is bad for the party and unless you criticise and stop what he is doing now, it will have bad results for the country.
It is not an internal problem of Umno alone. It’s not a question of unity within Umno.
Umno cannot win the elections without public support and today the public is very critical of the present conditions, the present economy, the present system of administration, the involvement of family members, the telephone calls, the contracts won by the children’s company.
This concerns the public and if the public doesn’t support, even if 100% of Umno were to support our candidates, they will still lose.
What is your assessment of the Prime Minister’s personal integrity. Is he an honest man?
Dr M: Well, I don’t know. But how does he get involved in the oil-for-food business?.
He says no, he is not involved but his name is there as the beneficiary.
But didn’t you know that when you were the Prime Minister?
Dr M: I didn’t know about it when I was PM.
The first time I heard about it was when it was published by the (New) Straits Times that his name appeared there. Subsequently Najib said: “Don’t talk anymore about it.”
And of course there were no more reports about this affair in the Straits Times or any other newspaper.
Recently in the course of writing my memoir, I tried to get hold of the copy of the Straits Times which reported this thing but it seems to have disappeared.
The Berita Harian was there but the copy of the Straits Times has disappeared. Maybe somebody has a copy, can lend it to me.
You said you touched on approved permits (APs) and Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz?
Dr M: Yes, I said the AP thing, I told the story already from the beginning, why it was issued.
I said it was wrong to give to two friends of Rafidah and this constitutes abuse of authority by the minister. And I am surprised the minister is still retained in the Cabinet.
On Proton, I said: “You have destroyed Proton.” When Mahaleel (former Proton CEO Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff) was there, the share price was about RM8.60.
Today the share price is about RM4.60 or something like that, you know RM5.
And Proton is losing money. Only a few years back Proton made RM1.5bil profit, now it is losing money and this is due entirely to the change, the removal of Mahaleel and the appointment of a man acting as its non-executive chairman but who is actually doing the work of the executive chairman.
Of the RM2bil reserve that Mahaleel left, how much is left?
Dr M: I would like to know. I want to know. I wonder ...
The market says the reserve is down to zero and now they are talking about borrowing. Is this true?
Dr M: The market may know something. I cannot say something which I have no knowledge of.
Are you unhappy with Najib for not saying much?
Dr M: Whether I am happy or not, whatever happens to him is something that will happen to him, not to me.
What do you mean?
Dr M: Whatever he does of course will affect his future.
But he is somebody whom you had lobbied for.
Dr M: Yes I did, but beyond that I am not prepared to do anything more.
By what you said about retaining Rafidah, Proton, the AP and all that, you are practically telling the PM how to run the country?
Dr M: Why not? If you are doing it the wrong way, you are destroying the economy of the country. There is no FDI coming in now.
There is no local investment also and people who want to invest in this country find great difficulty getting through.
And investors from outside, one of them at least has been given back his deposit and told that he is technically wrong or whatever.
So, the country is not doing well. If you want to believe that the country is doing well and pooh-pooh what people are saying on the ground, that is up to you.
Do you believe the economic figures given by the Government?
Dr M: Sounds a bit strange to me when I see companies going down the drain. Companies like Proton which was very profitable before is now losing money.
And I wonder, of the companies in the Khazanah stable, how many are doing well because these are companies which do not seem to inform people of their situation.
Najib recently announced RM40bil in investments by companies.
Dr M: Announce is OK. It’s like announcing the Ninth Malaysia Plan, it has been announced two years ago but up to now as far as I know none of the projects have taken off.
I did also comment (to Pak lah) on this private financing initiative. Now what is private financing initiative? It sounds as if it is the private sector which is going to do everything and the Government does not have to spend one sen.
It sounds like privatisation but it is not. It is the same as build, lease and transfer.
It means the private sector build this bridge at whatever cost and then lease it to the Government.
Of course, when you lease it to the Government it must give the company profit and sufficient money to pay off debts.
And in the end of course the Government will pay.
Your view on bumiputra equity ownership at 18% or 45%?
Dr M: I think the Government has to explain how it reached the figure of 18% and the other side has to explain how it reached the figure of 45%.
I don’t think the figure of 45% is correct.
As far as 18% is concerned, it may be nearer the actual figure than the 45% figure. So let’s clear this up. Don’t say: “Don’t question this thing.”
To every criticism directed at the Government, the answer is: “Don’t question this thing, don’t raise this issue, stop talking about this.”
Have you anything good to say about the Government? Has the Government done anything good?
Dr M: (Scoff) The Government has still maintained that we are still an independent country although foreign policy-wise we are less highly regarded than before especially by developing countries and Muslim countries.
Abroad they are asking what’s happened to Malaysia. But this wanting to be friendly with Mr Bush is something other people are commenting and I can’t understand.
Are your criticisms a reflection of the rakyat’s unhappiness over Pak Lah’s administration rather than overall corruption, for example the councilors issue?
Dr M: I think the councillors are having a field day. MPs, they are ... ministers are off on their own. So I don’t know what is happening.
But crime rate has gone up, there is no sufficient attention paid to drug problem, to the increased cases of rape, and all kinds of things.
The police I don’t know what they are doing, maybe they have lots of other things. Crime rate today is very high. Everyday we read not only about snatch theft but people just up and kill people.
During your time it was also evident.
Dr M: Yes it was evident but not to this extent.
You said Malaysia has become a police state. Isn’t it ironic because your critics said the same thing about your administration.
Dr M: I never stopped people from making speeches. In 1987 when Tengku Razaleigh, (a former deputy prime minister Tun) Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi challenged me, Abdullah remained as Minister.
They were travelling all over the country, campaigning with Umno branches and divisions and I never stopped them.
But of course, Pak Lah now says he was stopped.
Umno branches said they heard him when he came to talk.
And I know because when I went to his area to speak, he came up on the stage and he spoke also. I never stopped him from speaking.
I never stopped Tengku Razaleigh from speaking, which is why, although I was nominated by 86 divisions and Tengku Razaleigh was nominated by 37 divisions, I barely managed to win because of the intensive campaigning carried out by Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
But now, I am not allowed to speak to anybody. I know I'm speaking to the Press now.
I know the New Straits Times will have to make some kind of spin about this, TV3 too will have to spin somehow, but fortunately for us that in my time, we have the Internet, so I would advise people to read the Internet and not these newspapers because they are all getting phone calls.
Now, Kalimullah is not here but there is another man on the fourth floor who does the reading.
Will you meet Pak Lah again?
Dr M: If there is a chance to meet him and if there is any use, then yes, I would meet him. If there is a problem and I only speak to him and others don’t know about it, the effect would not be there.
On Pak Lah’s relationship with US President George W. Bush, when he met Bush earlier, he did not touch on the two Malaysians detained in Guantanamo, he did not touch on the FTA, he did not touch on the American nuclear ships visiting Port Klang. What did he talk to Bush about?
Dr M: He said he agreed with Bush that the Pope did not mean what was reported.
How was Pak Lah’s body language during the meeting?
Dr M: It was good.
What is your next step?
Dr M: I know what I am going to do. After this, if I see something I should speak up about, I will do so.
If someone asks me, I have to explain, if not, I’ll be unpopular, according to his statistic.
Do you think he has changed compared to before?
Dr M: Yes, there is change. When he was deputy prime minister, his children and son-in-law were not involved. And he agreed ... everything decided by the Cabinet.
He was a very good deputy. But people change when they have power.
At that time, Khairy was not yet Umno Youth deputy head, it was after I had resigned.
What I am uncomfortable with was that the wives of ministers already had Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) to do charity work.
But he agreed that his wife, as the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, set up another body.
I think there was no need for two or three charitable bodies because one is enough to do charity work.
Because, if we have a welfare body, we have to ask money from people.
It is not nice if we ask money from people.
I didn’t say anything because he had already formed the body.
But about Khairy’s appointment, I was disappointed, because there was supposed to be someone who wanted to contest the position but he was called by Hishammuddin (Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) and ordered not to contest.
I know that the practice of appointment without contest is something which happens in Umno but it happens when someone has long served Umno and proven their worth.
But this is someone who had just joined Umno and who has not shown any bakti (service) to Umno but won without contest.
There were messages through the telephone that everyone had to vote. And I know that even though people voted, they were not satisfied and they booed him.
But the following year, there was no more booing.
Probably some things had happened until there was no more booing Khairy.
Do you think the PM grasped all that you brought up?
Dr M: I am not in a position to say whether he grasped it or not. But what I know is that he listened to me.
I don’t know what he wrote in his notes, you see he may write something else.
But as far as I can see he wrote something in his notes.
How long more are you going to be patient?
Dr M: I will continue. Until there are some changes, until I achieve some result.
Of course I am 82 years old, people believe that if they delay long enough this interfering Nosy Parker will disappear or would not be able to speak.
Would you like to see the PM leading for a second term?
Dr M: Depends on how he performs.
Are you saying that Pak Lah is losing control?
Dr M: It’s some people opinion that he has lost control.
You said the police called up people who invited you, he said it’s not true. Why don’t you test it with an invitation for you to talk?
Dr M: I want to wait and see whether any Umno division would invite me. Before they can call me, people will come. Not the police but party people.
The mentri besar will come and give warning.
All this I know, so there is no need to deny. I also know about a telephone call from Perth, when I wanted to go to Kelantan, that was received by (Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri) Annuar Musa.
When I went to Kelantan, Mubarak’s function was cancelled. I don’t know who called from Perth.
Tengku Razaleigh told me because he was with Annuar Musa at the time, who was in the hospital.
Tengku Razaleigh said Annuar Musa said: “I will make sure he does not speak.” I don’t know what “making sure” means but what actually happened is that when I went there, I wasn’t allowed to speak.
During your time, you did not see eye-to-eye all the time with former premiers Tun Hussein Onn or Tunku Abdul Rahman. Don’t you think it seems like one big cycle going round and round?
Dr M: But when Rahman and Tun Hussein sided with Semangat 46, I never stopped them. They went around, they spoke, they criticised me but I never stopped.
But why are they stopping me from speaking, censoring me in the mainstream media? Why are they spinning stories about me, digging up something that happened during my time to prove that I was a bad PM?
I didn’t do those things. Did I dig up stories on Tunku Abdul Rahman? Can you show evidence I dug up stories about Tun Hussein committing whatever?
I’m not talking about details. I am talking about former prime ministers not seeing eye-to-eye on the running of the country (with the present prime minister).
Dr M: Yes, that was not seeing eye-to-eye but could speak. This is not seeing eye-to-eye and not allowed to speak and everybody is forbidden from hearing the former prime minister speak.
Seems like you made a terrible mistake choosing the PM?
Dr M: I make a lot of mistakes. I choose people and they all turn against me. I am very bad.
You know when people come and are nice to me, they cry and something like that to me I said ya, I think he is sincere.
Although they were stabbing me before, they come back to me, I accept them.
In the 22 years, you had no rival.
Dr M: Despite all people trying to pull me down. You know Musa tried to pull me down, he thought he was more popular and he would win but he lost.
And Tengku Razaleigh tried to pull me down and of course Anwar Ibrahim also did.
Despite all this I survived. Because this is democracy you have to allow for people to criticise you and if you have a good answer you win, if you don’t have a good answer, you lose.
Had I lost to Tengku Razaleigh, I wouldn’t have been PM for 22 years.
In democracy you need an opposition party to talk about the Government but you ...
Dr M: In most countries, the main party, like the LDP or the Labour Party that you see in England, and even the American party, within the party, they are allowed to criticise the leadership.
But here, everybody must say yes, I support.
Even if yesterday they say this bridge must be built, this is our side.
Tomorrow the PM says we won’t build this bridge because Singapore might be upset, immediately the comments from people with pictures, their faces in the Straits Times with comments “We must not build this bridge, It is wrong.” You see the change is fantastic.
Would you like to form an Opposition party with like-minded people?
Dr M: No, I don’t want. I am a loyal Umno member. What I am trying to do, people might not believe it is to save Umno from bad leadership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INTERMISSION as the Other maintains
ELEGANTT SILENCE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we await the sext (Ob)Scene, Desi brings you some subtle message courtesy of SHAYNE WARD:
Note from the video version I was among the CHORUS line.
Although my fave colour is still BLUE, for once I had to be attired in RED.
FDestive season, remember?
CHOW! which means ......
EAT LOTS OKAY, Watch your wasteline;
and
SeeYA later while I re-join Da Chorus
~~ CRoak, CRoak:):) Did I sperr wlong? CROOK, CROOK, Councillors?
SHAYNE WARD LYRICS
"Stand By Me"
Nothing's impossible
Nothing's unreachable
When I am weary
You make me stronger
This love is beautiful
So unforgettable
I feel no winter cold
When we're together
When we're together
[chorus]
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
When day turns into night
I look into your eyes
I see my future now
All the world and its wonder
This love wont fade away
And through the hardest days
I'll never question us
You are the reason
My only reason
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
I am blessed
To find what I need
In a world losing hope
You're my only belief
You make things right
Everytime after time
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
[repeat chorus]
Stand by me
No more darling I want you by my side
I want you here with me
POST-SCRIPT:
Courtesy of the ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS!
After the Ballistics (BIG word used by mGf@mavrickysm.blogspot.com) shot at the President of Barisan Nasional, the hardworking staff at the only newspaper who worked yesterday (They never sleep eh, some Malaysians!:) First Day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri)today brought Readers willing to spend RM1.30 up to speed today with All The President's Men nu'es. MCA president tdare, Gerakan president there, UMNO chieftains like Radzi and whatever zzzz also dare; even Chinese Community leaders dare ... all rallying around the President Under Siege.
Da Battle Royalehas just begun, declares mGf the Maverick who asspires to be a lawyer; I hope he can also enter the 'small' house of commons where we do serious business, okay! and Shoot Some Guns at those Croaks, Apologies to the toadie family, okay! ...Ooops, Crooks! like the olde movie Cowboys like John Wayne and Gary Cooper ... and Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Desiderata (Hollywqood trail, remember?)
JUst one-line promo for Oriental -- for I beieve in priming for all media competition -- is the ending quoatble quote from Lim Keng Yaik: "My heart is smashed to smithereens!"
(DEsi stands corrected, especially by Mandarin scholars like Mr Coww, Yan and how about sisdar Helen and Anak M 2? M2 stands for someone who quotes from LiBai...
Soliloquoy
Shakespeare's plays like Macbeth and Julius Caesar (Jest naming two, but Truth be told, I remember only these 2!) often have Soliloquoys -- how you pronounce it, can you please make enquiry at Light& Easy!
After three blardy months, none of my sleeping ER sits up on his/her butts to drop a line to L&E and beg them not torture Desi anymore with bad med-DEE-sin, prescription or non-, can or knot?
CUT&PASTE, which is a blogger's expertise!, From thestar.com.my~~~~~~~
Tuesday October 24, 2006
Transcript of Tun Mahathir's press conference
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
Media Player| Real Video
THE following is the transcript of what former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said at the press conference held at his house in the Mines Resort City, just outside of Kuala Lumpur on Monday – a day after his meeting with the present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Dr Mahathir: First, I’d like to give the background to all these things because I think many people are unaware or confused about the reason why I met Pak Lah.
Actually, Mubarak (the organisation of ex-members of parliament and state assemblymen) approached Mokhzani, my son, to try and help resolve this problem – the problem being my criticism of the Government.
They suggested three things: that I should meet the Umno supreme council; if that cannot be done, I should meet the Malay members of the Cabinet; and if that too is not possible, for me to see Pak Lah.
Zani, I don’t know what he did, but he said Pak Lah agreed to see me. So that was that and I was informed that I should meet Pak Lah.
Since this was initiated by Mubarak, I said I would like to see Mubarak first to find out what it is that they are asking me to do.
Mubarak came, five of them including their president, and Tan Sri Zaleha (former National Unity and Social Development Minister Zaleha Ismail) and they said they would like me to see Pak Lah because Pak Lah has agreed to see me.
I said if I wanted to see Pak Lah, I would like to tell him very bluntly: What have I to gain by criticising him? I told Mubarak what I felt about things and after Mubarak listened to me, they felt that I should tell these things directly to Pak Lah.
I said if I am free to speak frankly then I would see him.
After that, I believe Mubarak went to see Pak Lah and Pak Lah agreed to see me, and a date, time and place was to be fixed by him.
I had requested that there should be one person as witness for each of us but the agreement was that there would be nobody at all and I said that was fine.
Yesterday, the time was fixed at 3pm. Pak Lah met me at the door with his son Kamal. I went to the office, it used to be an office when I was living there anyway. I told him that I will record our dialogue.
I set up the recorder on the table and told him I would like to start and of course told him about all the things that I was critical about the Government. Of course, there were too many things I had to mention but in one and a half hours I covered a whole lot of things.
After that he explained, because he interrupted me several times when I was talking. For example, when I said it’s not true that the Government has no money for projects because before I stepped down in 2002, I made sure of a few things.
That the country is stable, Umno regains its popularity and the economy is doing well.
That the finances of the Government is in good shape. Only after that did I decide to step down.
But I said there’s no question that when I stepped down the Government had no money. He said that the Government now has more money, implying that when I stepped down there was no money.
During my time the profit made by Petronas was RM26bil.
I know that subsequently Petronas made RM58bil and the last financial year Petronas made RM86bil, which is bigger than the total collection from income and corporate taxes, which will be around RM60bil this year.
So the Government has money, which he agrees now. But he didn’t say that at the time I stepped down there was no money.
But I insisted that there was. He also said that when I said his son and son-in-law telephone people to give contracts to so and so, he said that while he did not know he will ask them but he didn’t think they did it.
On Scomi, he said that it is the only company in the region with the technology and mud engineering. Besides, it is 100% bumiputra so that is why Petronas gave the contract to Scomi.
There were a few other things he mentioned but he stopped, thinking it was already two hours. I figured the meeting was over and I collected my recorder and said good bye to him at the door and I came out.
Did you ask him to step down for the good of the country?
Dr M: I didn’t.
Do you want that to happen?
Dr M: I was there to tell him what I was not happy with. I was not there to suggest what he should do and it is up to him to decide what he should do.
He did say that as a result of what I did I have become unpopular and he has become unpopular too and that the only people who benefited were (former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz (Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat).
It is wrong what TV3 reported, saying that I agreed with him that what I had done made me and him unpopular and only Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz benefited. This is what he said, not what I said.
What is your feeling on the comment that you have become unpopular?
Dr M: He said that they had done a survey before I met him. And they had given him a briefing of the survey, that shows this result. If he wants to believe, that it is his right.
I said I don’t care about being popular or not but if anybody does things that don’t benefit the country and Malays in particular, I reserve my right to criticise whenever I think necessary.
And I pointed out to him that firstly, this has become a police state. Because every time anybody invites me to give a talk, they would be called up by the police and warned, called up by the police and told to withdraw the invitation.
Someone was not allowed to hold any meeting at all which involves me. This happened to many people. They were very shy to tell me about it but they were called up by the police and of course they were also called up by the mentri besar as well.
I did not tell him about this so I don’t think it is right for me to tell you what was said.
But I consider this a police state. And I consider also that my civic right has been taken away from me because I have every right to talk to Umno people, university people, civil servants and that’s my right.
But every time I want to do this and if people invite me they were told to withdraw. I told him more than 10 invitations had been withdrawn.
And of course in some cases police would meet these people. Umno people were told not to invite me. I know many Umno divisions want to invite me but are not allowed to.
So I am not allowed to speak to many groups of people. I consider it my right to speak to Umno people as a member and as ex-president. I have a right to speak to Umno people.
Did you talk about your agreement with him that was made before you step down?
Dr M: No, we did not.
What was Pak Lah’s reply to what you said on this being a police state?
Dr M: He said it was not true. He doesn’t agree with me that this is a police state.
Do you think the Prime Minister is going to do anything differently?
Dr M: We will have to wait and see. But my criticisms had some effect. For example, the activities of ECM Libra. At first you read reports in newspapers that ECM was doing these things but now it seems there is a complete blackout of ECM Libra activities.
There is no more report on Scomi activities.
Do you still plan to attend the Umno general meeting and to speak?
Dr M: I have not decided. But I have not been given any slot to speak so I don’t know how I am going to speak.
You’ve expressed unhappiness with Abdullah’s leadership. Do you think your unhappiness is being respected in Umno?
Dr M: I am not allowed to talk to Umno people at all. I have no means to assess this thing because I am not allowed to talk to Umno people. So I won’t be able to assess.
If I talk to them and explain to them what it is I am criticising then they will have to give their opinion. But I’m not allowed to explain anything, and I believe lots of people do not understand.
Did you talk about the incident at the Kubang Pasu division meeting?
Dr M: Yes, I said it was due to corruption. Whatever may be the finding of the committee I know for a fact that money was given.
Five people have reported. But there were others who said they received money but were not willing to come forward.
You are the founder of modern Malaysia. Are you concerned that your legacy is being chipped away by the controversy?
Dr M: It is not being chipped away by the controversy. It is being chipped away by the actions of the Government. For the past three years there has been no move.
The economy has not been doing well. People have not been able to have jobs and unemployment is still high.
Nothing has been done really to improve the economy. Although of course we read of very good figures but we see retail business is not good, contracts are not easy to come by, Class F people have no jobs and many contractors have folded.
Did you give him an ultimatum, because the last time you said he should undo what he has done wrong?
Dr M: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I went there just to tell him. I didn’t give him any ultimatum. Because Murabak wants me to tell, that’s all.
Did he say anything about the incident in Kubang Pasu?
Dr M: He didn’t.
Why did you raise Ku Li’s name as a possible successor in the Bloomberg interview?
Dr M: No, I didn’t raise Tengku Razaleigh’s (former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) name. They were asking whether there are other candidates who might want to, well, I thought Tengku Razaleigh was interested the last time and he might still be interested.
I mean, any Umno member can contest.
I did mention that the postponement of the Umno election is wrong. The excuse that I too did that when I was Umno president is not quite correct.
I did it because the general election was coming the following year and therefore I had to postpone the party elections the year before the general election.
But here, the general election can be held in 2009, and it is 2006 now.
Is there any reason why the party election cannot be held? Are you giving yourself a time frame to see changes after your meeting with Pak Lah?
Dr M: Well, I don’t talk about time frames. But if I am scheduled to meet people, if I am allowed to meet people, I will talk. I will mention why certain things are wrong.
Just like what I am telling you.
What do you want to achieve? You didn’t ask the Prime Minister to step down and you didn’t set a time frame.
Dr M: The Government has been criticised before and a government which is sensitive would take into consideration the criticism.
It may take the form of resignation, it may take other forms like stopping all these wrong things, the things that got people criticising.
From your point of view, what is the state of the economy?
Dr M: The economy is bad. I know because a lot of Chinese business people are very unhappy. Some of them, and I told this to
Pak Lah, some of them have said they will not vote for Barisan Nasional at the next elections. And some of them said today they prefer to go to China to do business because there are more opportunities in China than there is in Malaysia because they don’t fine it easy to do business in Malaysia.
Are you convinced or satisfied at all by any of Pak Lah’s responses?
Dr M: At the moment no.
Why?
Dr M: Because he said he didn’t think his children were involved. He said that Khairy (Jamaluddin) was his son-in-law and he has been working with him before he became his son-in-law.
And he says he will ask them, that’s all.
Does that mean that from Pak Lah’s responses and reactions to what you had to tell him, your assessment is that you have not actually achieved much in this meeting?
Dr M: I have achieved the objective of telling him in quite substantial detail. I am quite sure that the reports that are in the controlled press, the spin from people like (News Straits Time group editor) Brendan Pereira and (NSTP deputy chairman Datuk) Kalimullah (Hassan) and all that would have given him a completely wrong impression of what I have done.
Now I have the opportunity to tell him as it is, no Brendan in between, no Kalimullah in between.
So to that extent I am satisfied, no “spinning” that things were not going like that. (Makes spinning motion with finger.)
Do you wish that you had never stepped down?
Dr M: I wish I had stepped down in 1998, if it had been possible. I could have stepped down in 2002 but I was asked to ... he did tell me that he willingly asked me to stay on for another year, which is something I appreciate. But this is not a question of what you do or a character thing.
This is not about his or my character. This is about what is happening. I must admit that what is happening is something I never suspected at all or expected. I didn’t expect any family involvement.
I pointed out to him that it is wrong to have family involvement.
I also spoke about this oil-for-food thing, which is wrong. It was during the time when he was deputy prime minister and there was his name in this list published by the UN that he was involved in oil-for-food.
Although they say that him being a beneficiary, he did not gain anything. But that is the oil-for-food report from the US.
But as you know the US excluded all the American companies involved in oil-for-food so the US publication contains elements of cover-up.
But I don’t know whether the US is covering up or not in this particular case.
But he admitted that he wrote a recommendation for this chap Taufik or whatever it is, who happens to be a distant relative of his, married to his sister-in-law.
And when he did that of course he was the deputy prime minister.
When the company was formed, Trade or something or rather, he was deputy prime minister.
As deputy prime minister or as a minister, you should never get involved in the formation of any company or running of any company.
So when you met Pak Lah, to back up your statements did you show him any documents that you have?
Dr M: No documents.
So by raising this issue about his son-in-law and his involvement in oil-for-food, are you accusing the Prime Minister of corruption?
Dr M: Well, it is up to the public to assess. It is up to the legal people to decide on this but as far as I am concerned, it is wrong that a serving deputy prime minister should get his name listed among the companies in the oil-for-food trade with Iraq.
But Pak Lah never denied he recommended two or three companies that is related to him.
Dr M: As far as I am concerned, if you are in the Government you should not form any company in which you are listed as beneficiary. You should not write letters of recommendation for your own relative.
You can write letters of recommendation in a very general way or for some other company.
So will you support Najib as Umno president?
Dr M: That is hypothetical.
Do you think he will make it as Prime Minister?
Dr M: That is up to them to decide, not for me to decide, not for me to say I support or don’t. It’s entirely dependent upon Umno.
But I must admit that I had appointed Najib deputy prime minister and in the course of time, according to tradition, the deputy prime minister should succeed the prime minister.
When do you think the PM should call for the general election?
Dr M: The general election can be held anytime up to 2009, when the life span of the present Parliament terminates, so it is up to him to decide.
When do you like to see it?
Dr M: I don’t care what I like (sic).
What’s next for you after this?
Dr M: I told him I will continue to make criticisms and I will continue in my usual way.
But I do hope the habit of asking the police to frighten people should stop and my civic rights should be restored.
That I have rights to speak to Umno, the right to speak to any audience that I like.
You said the Chinese would vote for the Opposition, aren’t you afraid that the Opposition will have a bigger majority?
Dr M: Yes, I think it is possible. My assessment is that it is not possible for the Opposition to win but they may be able to reduce the majority of the Government.
Don’t you think what you are doing now is bad for the party?
Dr M: I see that what he is doing now is bad for the party and unless you criticise and stop what he is doing now, it will have bad results for the country.
It is not an internal problem of Umno alone. It’s not a question of unity within Umno.
Umno cannot win the elections without public support and today the public is very critical of the present conditions, the present economy, the present system of administration, the involvement of family members, the telephone calls, the contracts won by the children’s company.
This concerns the public and if the public doesn’t support, even if 100% of Umno were to support our candidates, they will still lose.
What is your assessment of the Prime Minister’s personal integrity. Is he an honest man?
Dr M: Well, I don’t know. But how does he get involved in the oil-for-food business?.
He says no, he is not involved but his name is there as the beneficiary.
But didn’t you know that when you were the Prime Minister?
Dr M: I didn’t know about it when I was PM.
The first time I heard about it was when it was published by the (New) Straits Times that his name appeared there. Subsequently Najib said: “Don’t talk anymore about it.”
And of course there were no more reports about this affair in the Straits Times or any other newspaper.
Recently in the course of writing my memoir, I tried to get hold of the copy of the Straits Times which reported this thing but it seems to have disappeared.
The Berita Harian was there but the copy of the Straits Times has disappeared. Maybe somebody has a copy, can lend it to me.
You said you touched on approved permits (APs) and Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz?
Dr M: Yes, I said the AP thing, I told the story already from the beginning, why it was issued.
I said it was wrong to give to two friends of Rafidah and this constitutes abuse of authority by the minister. And I am surprised the minister is still retained in the Cabinet.
On Proton, I said: “You have destroyed Proton.” When Mahaleel (former Proton CEO Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff) was there, the share price was about RM8.60.
Today the share price is about RM4.60 or something like that, you know RM5.
And Proton is losing money. Only a few years back Proton made RM1.5bil profit, now it is losing money and this is due entirely to the change, the removal of Mahaleel and the appointment of a man acting as its non-executive chairman but who is actually doing the work of the executive chairman.
Of the RM2bil reserve that Mahaleel left, how much is left?
Dr M: I would like to know. I want to know. I wonder ...
The market says the reserve is down to zero and now they are talking about borrowing. Is this true?
Dr M: The market may know something. I cannot say something which I have no knowledge of.
Are you unhappy with Najib for not saying much?
Dr M: Whether I am happy or not, whatever happens to him is something that will happen to him, not to me.
What do you mean?
Dr M: Whatever he does of course will affect his future.
But he is somebody whom you had lobbied for.
Dr M: Yes I did, but beyond that I am not prepared to do anything more.
By what you said about retaining Rafidah, Proton, the AP and all that, you are practically telling the PM how to run the country?
Dr M: Why not? If you are doing it the wrong way, you are destroying the economy of the country. There is no FDI coming in now.
There is no local investment also and people who want to invest in this country find great difficulty getting through.
And investors from outside, one of them at least has been given back his deposit and told that he is technically wrong or whatever.
So, the country is not doing well. If you want to believe that the country is doing well and pooh-pooh what people are saying on the ground, that is up to you.
Do you believe the economic figures given by the Government?
Dr M: Sounds a bit strange to me when I see companies going down the drain. Companies like Proton which was very profitable before is now losing money.
And I wonder, of the companies in the Khazanah stable, how many are doing well because these are companies which do not seem to inform people of their situation.
Najib recently announced RM40bil in investments by companies.
Dr M: Announce is OK. It’s like announcing the Ninth Malaysia Plan, it has been announced two years ago but up to now as far as I know none of the projects have taken off.
I did also comment (to Pak lah) on this private financing initiative. Now what is private financing initiative? It sounds as if it is the private sector which is going to do everything and the Government does not have to spend one sen.
It sounds like privatisation but it is not. It is the same as build, lease and transfer.
It means the private sector build this bridge at whatever cost and then lease it to the Government.
Of course, when you lease it to the Government it must give the company profit and sufficient money to pay off debts.
And in the end of course the Government will pay.
Your view on bumiputra equity ownership at 18% or 45%?
Dr M: I think the Government has to explain how it reached the figure of 18% and the other side has to explain how it reached the figure of 45%.
I don’t think the figure of 45% is correct.
As far as 18% is concerned, it may be nearer the actual figure than the 45% figure. So let’s clear this up. Don’t say: “Don’t question this thing.”
To every criticism directed at the Government, the answer is: “Don’t question this thing, don’t raise this issue, stop talking about this.”
Have you anything good to say about the Government? Has the Government done anything good?
Dr M: (Scoff) The Government has still maintained that we are still an independent country although foreign policy-wise we are less highly regarded than before especially by developing countries and Muslim countries.
Abroad they are asking what’s happened to Malaysia. But this wanting to be friendly with Mr Bush is something other people are commenting and I can’t understand.
Are your criticisms a reflection of the rakyat’s unhappiness over Pak Lah’s administration rather than overall corruption, for example the councilors issue?
Dr M: I think the councillors are having a field day. MPs, they are ... ministers are off on their own. So I don’t know what is happening.
But crime rate has gone up, there is no sufficient attention paid to drug problem, to the increased cases of rape, and all kinds of things.
The police I don’t know what they are doing, maybe they have lots of other things. Crime rate today is very high. Everyday we read not only about snatch theft but people just up and kill people.
During your time it was also evident.
Dr M: Yes it was evident but not to this extent.
You said Malaysia has become a police state. Isn’t it ironic because your critics said the same thing about your administration.
Dr M: I never stopped people from making speeches. In 1987 when Tengku Razaleigh, (a former deputy prime minister Tun) Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi challenged me, Abdullah remained as Minister.
They were travelling all over the country, campaigning with Umno branches and divisions and I never stopped them.
But of course, Pak Lah now says he was stopped.
Umno branches said they heard him when he came to talk.
And I know because when I went to his area to speak, he came up on the stage and he spoke also. I never stopped him from speaking.
I never stopped Tengku Razaleigh from speaking, which is why, although I was nominated by 86 divisions and Tengku Razaleigh was nominated by 37 divisions, I barely managed to win because of the intensive campaigning carried out by Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
But now, I am not allowed to speak to anybody. I know I'm speaking to the Press now.
I know the New Straits Times will have to make some kind of spin about this, TV3 too will have to spin somehow, but fortunately for us that in my time, we have the Internet, so I would advise people to read the Internet and not these newspapers because they are all getting phone calls.
Now, Kalimullah is not here but there is another man on the fourth floor who does the reading.
Will you meet Pak Lah again?
Dr M: If there is a chance to meet him and if there is any use, then yes, I would meet him. If there is a problem and I only speak to him and others don’t know about it, the effect would not be there.
On Pak Lah’s relationship with US President George W. Bush, when he met Bush earlier, he did not touch on the two Malaysians detained in Guantanamo, he did not touch on the FTA, he did not touch on the American nuclear ships visiting Port Klang. What did he talk to Bush about?
Dr M: He said he agreed with Bush that the Pope did not mean what was reported.
How was Pak Lah’s body language during the meeting?
Dr M: It was good.
What is your next step?
Dr M: I know what I am going to do. After this, if I see something I should speak up about, I will do so.
If someone asks me, I have to explain, if not, I’ll be unpopular, according to his statistic.
Do you think he has changed compared to before?
Dr M: Yes, there is change. When he was deputy prime minister, his children and son-in-law were not involved. And he agreed ... everything decided by the Cabinet.
He was a very good deputy. But people change when they have power.
At that time, Khairy was not yet Umno Youth deputy head, it was after I had resigned.
What I am uncomfortable with was that the wives of ministers already had Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) to do charity work.
But he agreed that his wife, as the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, set up another body.
I think there was no need for two or three charitable bodies because one is enough to do charity work.
Because, if we have a welfare body, we have to ask money from people.
It is not nice if we ask money from people.
I didn’t say anything because he had already formed the body.
But about Khairy’s appointment, I was disappointed, because there was supposed to be someone who wanted to contest the position but he was called by Hishammuddin (Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) and ordered not to contest.
I know that the practice of appointment without contest is something which happens in Umno but it happens when someone has long served Umno and proven their worth.
But this is someone who had just joined Umno and who has not shown any bakti (service) to Umno but won without contest.
There were messages through the telephone that everyone had to vote. And I know that even though people voted, they were not satisfied and they booed him.
But the following year, there was no more booing.
Probably some things had happened until there was no more booing Khairy.
Do you think the PM grasped all that you brought up?
Dr M: I am not in a position to say whether he grasped it or not. But what I know is that he listened to me.
I don’t know what he wrote in his notes, you see he may write something else.
But as far as I can see he wrote something in his notes.
How long more are you going to be patient?
Dr M: I will continue. Until there are some changes, until I achieve some result.
Of course I am 82 years old, people believe that if they delay long enough this interfering Nosy Parker will disappear or would not be able to speak.
Would you like to see the PM leading for a second term?
Dr M: Depends on how he performs.
Are you saying that Pak Lah is losing control?
Dr M: It’s some people opinion that he has lost control.
You said the police called up people who invited you, he said it’s not true. Why don’t you test it with an invitation for you to talk?
Dr M: I want to wait and see whether any Umno division would invite me. Before they can call me, people will come. Not the police but party people.
The mentri besar will come and give warning.
All this I know, so there is no need to deny. I also know about a telephone call from Perth, when I wanted to go to Kelantan, that was received by (Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri) Annuar Musa.
When I went to Kelantan, Mubarak’s function was cancelled. I don’t know who called from Perth.
Tengku Razaleigh told me because he was with Annuar Musa at the time, who was in the hospital.
Tengku Razaleigh said Annuar Musa said: “I will make sure he does not speak.” I don’t know what “making sure” means but what actually happened is that when I went there, I wasn’t allowed to speak.
During your time, you did not see eye-to-eye all the time with former premiers Tun Hussein Onn or Tunku Abdul Rahman. Don’t you think it seems like one big cycle going round and round?
Dr M: But when Rahman and Tun Hussein sided with Semangat 46, I never stopped them. They went around, they spoke, they criticised me but I never stopped.
But why are they stopping me from speaking, censoring me in the mainstream media? Why are they spinning stories about me, digging up something that happened during my time to prove that I was a bad PM?
I didn’t do those things. Did I dig up stories on Tunku Abdul Rahman? Can you show evidence I dug up stories about Tun Hussein committing whatever?
I’m not talking about details. I am talking about former prime ministers not seeing eye-to-eye on the running of the country (with the present prime minister).
Dr M: Yes, that was not seeing eye-to-eye but could speak. This is not seeing eye-to-eye and not allowed to speak and everybody is forbidden from hearing the former prime minister speak.
Seems like you made a terrible mistake choosing the PM?
Dr M: I make a lot of mistakes. I choose people and they all turn against me. I am very bad.
You know when people come and are nice to me, they cry and something like that to me I said ya, I think he is sincere.
Although they were stabbing me before, they come back to me, I accept them.
In the 22 years, you had no rival.
Dr M: Despite all people trying to pull me down. You know Musa tried to pull me down, he thought he was more popular and he would win but he lost.
And Tengku Razaleigh tried to pull me down and of course Anwar Ibrahim also did.
Despite all this I survived. Because this is democracy you have to allow for people to criticise you and if you have a good answer you win, if you don’t have a good answer, you lose.
Had I lost to Tengku Razaleigh, I wouldn’t have been PM for 22 years.
In democracy you need an opposition party to talk about the Government but you ...
Dr M: In most countries, the main party, like the LDP or the Labour Party that you see in England, and even the American party, within the party, they are allowed to criticise the leadership.
But here, everybody must say yes, I support.
Even if yesterday they say this bridge must be built, this is our side.
Tomorrow the PM says we won’t build this bridge because Singapore might be upset, immediately the comments from people with pictures, their faces in the Straits Times with comments “We must not build this bridge, It is wrong.” You see the change is fantastic.
Would you like to form an Opposition party with like-minded people?
Dr M: No, I don’t want. I am a loyal Umno member. What I am trying to do, people might not believe it is to save Umno from bad leadership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INTERMISSION as the Other maintains
ELEGANTT SILENCE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we await the sext (Ob)Scene, Desi brings you some subtle message courtesy of SHAYNE WARD:
Note from the video version I was among the CHORUS line.
Although my fave colour is still BLUE, for once I had to be attired in RED.
FDestive season, remember?
CHOW! which means ......
EAT LOTS OKAY, Watch your wasteline;
and
SeeYA later while I re-join Da Chorus
~~ CRoak, CRoak:):) Did I sperr wlong? CROOK, CROOK, Councillors?
SHAYNE WARD LYRICS
"Stand By Me"
Nothing's impossible
Nothing's unreachable
When I am weary
You make me stronger
This love is beautiful
So unforgettable
I feel no winter cold
When we're together
When we're together
[chorus]
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
When day turns into night
I look into your eyes
I see my future now
All the world and its wonder
This love wont fade away
And through the hardest days
I'll never question us
You are the reason
My only reason
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
I am blessed
To find what I need
In a world losing hope
You're my only belief
You make things right
Everytime after time
Will you stand by me
Hold on and never let me go
Will you stand by me
With you I know I belong
When the story gets told
[repeat chorus]
Stand by me
No more darling I want you by my side
I want you here with me
POST-SCRIPT:
Courtesy of the ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS!
After the Ballistics (BIG word used by mGf@mavrickysm.blogspot.com) shot at the President of Barisan Nasional, the hardworking staff at the only newspaper who worked yesterday (They never sleep eh, some Malaysians!:) First Day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri)today brought Readers willing to spend RM1.30 up to speed today with All The President's Men nu'es. MCA president tdare, Gerakan president there, UMNO chieftains like Radzi and whatever zzzz also dare; even Chinese Community leaders dare ... all rallying around the President Under Siege.
Da Battle Royalehas just begun, declares mGf the Maverick who asspires to be a lawyer; I hope he can also enter the 'small' house of commons where we do serious business, okay! and Shoot Some Guns at those Croaks, Apologies to the toadie family, okay! ...Ooops, Crooks! like the olde movie Cowboys like John Wayne and Gary Cooper ... and Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Desiderata (Hollywqood trail, remember?)
JUst one-line promo for Oriental -- for I beieve in priming for all media competition -- is the ending quoatble quote from Lim Keng Yaik: "My heart is smashed to smithereens!"
(DEsi stands corrected, especially by Mandarin scholars like Mr Coww, Yan and how about sisdar Helen and Anak M 2? M2 stands for someone who quotes from LiBai...
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Len, do you want a small house too?
I have a young boy named Len.
One of mGf's sonny boy is also named Len.
What I picked this name, I had in mind greats like Leonardo da Vinci and Leonard Bernstein.
I enjoyed telling the following story to all the Lens and Jens of the world of four-to-se7en-year-olds where life was indeed young and gay. And "gay" did not have terible connotations beyong "happy and fun-loving". Definitey not what you B'd, B'd Wolves in Koala Lumpuh have in mind.
THERE WAS once three litle pigs whose parents were getting olde so one day, Papa Pig gathered the three kids around the breakfast table and told them that they must now grow up. Mama Pig kissed the trio GOoDbye-buy and gave them some tools to build a roof each.
Papa told them it's a big, bad city out there, so each of them was told to go build a safe house each, and stand on their own two feet. They cannot depend on Papa and Mama for ever and a day. One night is okay.
Li'l Piggie W'an was a tad lazy, so he gathered the hay and straw and rotten mats from the barnyard and built himself a straw hut.
Li'l Piggie T'oo was a tad more hard-working, so he gathered some planks and sticks and cardboards by the roadside and built himself a wooden house.
But Li'l Piggie T'ree was not only diligent, he had fore-sight, far-sight and imagination. He gathered all the bricks and stones, zinc roofings and iron bars, and computer screens and televisioon monitors, and and built himself a rock-solid mansion. He proudly called It My Home.
That night, in the still of the dawning of Cinderella's curfew hour, Da BB Wolfe (BB stands for the Big Bastard, bad is ot goOd enough, K!) came A*-calling at Li'l W'an's.
Da BB Wolfe blew and blew, and within seconds, the straw hut came down. Li'l W'an ran to brother T'oo's for safety.
Da BB Wolfe came A**-calling at Li'l T'oo's. Da BB Wolfe blew and blew, and within minutes, the wooden house came down. So the brothers ran to T'ree's for safety.
Da BB Wolfe came A***-calling at Li'l T'ree's. Da BB Wolfe blew and blew. He huffed and puffed. He head-butted, side-butted and back-butted. But T'ree's My Home stood rock-solid. And tired and hungry, and angry, the wolf streaked a way. (I don't know if the word 'streak' in the past tense is right or wrong, but I like its connotation, as when the mad White mat salleh ran streak naked into the Cricket field on a hot summer night when his team scored a hattrick playing against the Black injun ...)
Then the three li'l pigs slipped out of My Home, saw Da BB Wolfe asleep, tired and hungry, beneath a coconut tree. The three Porgies poked and poked and poked at the wolf's stomach, then slit open the wolf's tummy with a kitchen knife as sharp as a bamboo shoot, stuffed the stomach with three coconuts like the size of Kenny's nuts. Finally, Li'l T'ree sewed back the tummy with yellow, red and white ribbons as symbols of PeAce, Light and *Harmoni."
PS: * Yes, this was how a B'g, B'd Corporate here in Koala Lumpur spelt this word in an English copy of its Deepavali greetings in a full-page advertisemnt!
From The Star, frontpage:
Second councillor builds mansion without approval
KLANG: Another Selangor municipal councillor has been found to be building a mansion without getting approval from the Klang Municipal Council (MPK).
Mazlynoor Abdul Latiff’s mansion at Kampung Raja Uda along Jalan Lengkungan (left pic) is about 80% completed and resembles the controversial four-storey mansion built by Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros.
Zakaria, also an MPK councillor, was ticked off by the Prime Minister on Thursday for building his palatial house at Jalan Idaman 1, in Kampung Idaman, Pandamaran without getting MPK’s approval.
It is understood that both mansions are being built at about the same time using Javanese masons and are now near completion.
MPK president Abdul Bakir Zin confirmed yesterday that Mazlynoor had not submitted plans for the construction of the mansion.
“It’s a clear defiance of the Town and Country Planning Act 1974 and a fine will be imposed when he submits the plan,” he said.
Asked what action would be taken, he said all councillors would be slapped with the maximum fine.
“MPK will investigate how the mansion came to be built up to this stage without the enforcement or planning department imposing a stop-work order or even alerting me. Work should not have gone on until plans submitted are approved.
Mazlynoor: Says he submitted a plan in 2005
“It is time the council stopped the rot as it will shatter people’s confidence,” he said.
Earlier in the week, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said the authorities should impose the maximum fine of RM24,580 on Zakaria for the construction and seal the house “if that is what it would take to settle the issue.”
When contacted by The Star, Mazlynoor claimed that other councillors had also built mansions within the area without building plans.
“So, you visited the area. You took a lot of photographs. No reason for you to highlight the matter. Everyone is doing it, but my house is small,” he said.
Mazlynoor said that he submitted a plan to MPK’s planning department in 2005.
“It was returned to me as it did not conform to the sewerage infrastructure. As it involved costs, I went ahead with the construction. I will submit the plans after Hari Raya,” he said.
DESIDERATA: Everyone is doing it, but my house is small,” he -- not Da BB Wolfe, it's your Yang Berhormat, dedicated, hardworking, self-sacrificing Councilor in the most developed prescinct in the most developed state with the most foward-looking CEO -- said.
"Everyone is doing it, eh?" -- now our school teachers can teach that during Morals lessons after the Deepavali-Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays.
"...but my house is small, eh” -- now our school teachers must re-define what's small, Big and HUMONGOUS!
OR is it that our Selangor Councillors have a pretty greAt sense of humour like Desi?
To all my Malaysian buddies, I hope you live in a "small" house.
To my sonny boys and gals, I hope you have a nice future living in a "small" house.
So Len, do you want a small house too?
For thy next birthday?
*
*
*
*
*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO ALL MY MUSLIM READERS,
HAVE A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
PS: I can promise you Tehtarik at my humble A-bode,
But I can't gift thee a "small" house, closed or open. ~~ DEsi
One of mGf's sonny boy is also named Len.
What I picked this name, I had in mind greats like Leonardo da Vinci and Leonard Bernstein.
I enjoyed telling the following story to all the Lens and Jens of the world of four-to-se7en-year-olds where life was indeed young and gay. And "gay" did not have terible connotations beyong "happy and fun-loving". Definitey not what you B'd, B'd Wolves in Koala Lumpuh have in mind.
THERE WAS once three litle pigs whose parents were getting olde so one day, Papa Pig gathered the three kids around the breakfast table and told them that they must now grow up. Mama Pig kissed the trio GOoDbye-buy and gave them some tools to build a roof each.
Papa told them it's a big, bad city out there, so each of them was told to go build a safe house each, and stand on their own two feet. They cannot depend on Papa and Mama for ever and a day. One night is okay.
Li'l Piggie W'an was a tad lazy, so he gathered the hay and straw and rotten mats from the barnyard and built himself a straw hut.
Li'l Piggie T'oo was a tad more hard-working, so he gathered some planks and sticks and cardboards by the roadside and built himself a wooden house.
But Li'l Piggie T'ree was not only diligent, he had fore-sight, far-sight and imagination. He gathered all the bricks and stones, zinc roofings and iron bars, and computer screens and televisioon monitors, and and built himself a rock-solid mansion. He proudly called It My Home.
That night, in the still of the dawning of Cinderella's curfew hour, Da BB Wolfe (BB stands for the Big Bastard, bad is ot goOd enough, K!) came A*-calling at Li'l W'an's.
Da BB Wolfe blew and blew, and within seconds, the straw hut came down. Li'l W'an ran to brother T'oo's for safety.
Da BB Wolfe came A**-calling at Li'l T'oo's. Da BB Wolfe blew and blew, and within minutes, the wooden house came down. So the brothers ran to T'ree's for safety.
Da BB Wolfe came A***-calling at Li'l T'ree's. Da BB Wolfe blew and blew. He huffed and puffed. He head-butted, side-butted and back-butted. But T'ree's My Home stood rock-solid. And tired and hungry, and angry, the wolf streaked a way. (I don't know if the word 'streak' in the past tense is right or wrong, but I like its connotation, as when the mad White mat salleh ran streak naked into the Cricket field on a hot summer night when his team scored a hattrick playing against the Black injun ...)
Then the three li'l pigs slipped out of My Home, saw Da BB Wolfe asleep, tired and hungry, beneath a coconut tree. The three Porgies poked and poked and poked at the wolf's stomach, then slit open the wolf's tummy with a kitchen knife as sharp as a bamboo shoot, stuffed the stomach with three coconuts like the size of Kenny's nuts. Finally, Li'l T'ree sewed back the tummy with yellow, red and white ribbons as symbols of PeAce, Light and *Harmoni."
PS: * Yes, this was how a B'g, B'd Corporate here in Koala Lumpur spelt this word in an English copy of its Deepavali greetings in a full-page advertisemnt!
From The Star, frontpage:
Second councillor builds mansion without approval
KLANG: Another Selangor municipal councillor has been found to be building a mansion without getting approval from the Klang Municipal Council (MPK).
Mazlynoor Abdul Latiff’s mansion at Kampung Raja Uda along Jalan Lengkungan (left pic) is about 80% completed and resembles the controversial four-storey mansion built by Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros.
Zakaria, also an MPK councillor, was ticked off by the Prime Minister on Thursday for building his palatial house at Jalan Idaman 1, in Kampung Idaman, Pandamaran without getting MPK’s approval.
It is understood that both mansions are being built at about the same time using Javanese masons and are now near completion.
MPK president Abdul Bakir Zin confirmed yesterday that Mazlynoor had not submitted plans for the construction of the mansion.
“It’s a clear defiance of the Town and Country Planning Act 1974 and a fine will be imposed when he submits the plan,” he said.
Asked what action would be taken, he said all councillors would be slapped with the maximum fine.
“MPK will investigate how the mansion came to be built up to this stage without the enforcement or planning department imposing a stop-work order or even alerting me. Work should not have gone on until plans submitted are approved.
Mazlynoor: Says he submitted a plan in 2005
“It is time the council stopped the rot as it will shatter people’s confidence,” he said.
Earlier in the week, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said the authorities should impose the maximum fine of RM24,580 on Zakaria for the construction and seal the house “if that is what it would take to settle the issue.”
When contacted by The Star, Mazlynoor claimed that other councillors had also built mansions within the area without building plans.
“So, you visited the area. You took a lot of photographs. No reason for you to highlight the matter. Everyone is doing it, but my house is small,” he said.
Mazlynoor said that he submitted a plan to MPK’s planning department in 2005.
“It was returned to me as it did not conform to the sewerage infrastructure. As it involved costs, I went ahead with the construction. I will submit the plans after Hari Raya,” he said.
DESIDERATA: Everyone is doing it, but my house is small,” he -- not Da BB Wolfe, it's your Yang Berhormat, dedicated, hardworking, self-sacrificing Councilor in the most developed prescinct in the most developed state with the most foward-looking CEO -- said.
"Everyone is doing it, eh?" -- now our school teachers can teach that during Morals lessons after the Deepavali-Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays.
"...but my house is small, eh” -- now our school teachers must re-define what's small, Big and HUMONGOUS!
OR is it that our Selangor Councillors have a pretty greAt sense of humour like Desi?
To all my Malaysian buddies, I hope you live in a "small" house.
To my sonny boys and gals, I hope you have a nice future living in a "small" house.
So Len, do you want a small house too?
For thy next birthday?
*
*
*
*
*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO ALL MY MUSLIM READERS,
HAVE A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
PS: I can promise you Tehtarik at my humble A-bode,
But I can't gift thee a "small" house, closed or open. ~~ DEsi
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