Once upon a modern ...

dime.

There was once a li'l toad who had high aspirations. She told her Mum that she wished to become a pretty princess one day and of course, would marry the handsomest prince in the land.

Mummy Toad was not so sure her li'l gal could make it. Papa Toady had some sprinkling of hope as he had been reading some Christian lit. Some Hans Andersen fable about how one day a tired Prince rested by a river bank, and he woke up to some croaking sound nearby. A li'l toady Voice cried out: "Please my saviour Prince, kiss me on the lips and I'd make thee a pretty bride!"

The Prince, still a li'l dazed, closed his eyes, planted a maiden kiss on the toady lips. Hey Presto! on opening his eyes, he saw in front of him the "prettiest lass" he had had set eyes on since he started travelling the kingdom the lust se7en years looking for his pride.

So the Prince married the li'l Princess named Toad-A1 and they lived with many AP ever after. ~~ Desi, with AP to HC HandThemSome.

Jest a spining to chase away Mondae blues.
I feel high this morn, how about you and Us?

NB: Us is pronounced to rime with blues -- it's the 'plural' of you, OK!
If I speak alONE with Helen, it's You.
If I speak with Helen and Anak Merdeka, it's Us!
If you still can't get it, no one can help you except
brudder Mave SM, but I hurt he's gone on a Sabbatickle
to seek out the medSin to antidote the Oligarchy.

Me, I prefer to deal with damn wordily (worthily?).


From theSun (the boldest print paper in the land ... IMHO-lah, for its 3sen worth!)frontpage.


Open to scrutiny
NAJIB: GOVT WILLING TO REVEAL METHODOLOGY OF CALCULATING BUMIPUTRA EQUITY SHARE

by B. Suresh Ram and Kimberley Lau



KUALA LUMPUR: The government is willing to make public the methodology used by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to calculate the corporate equity ownership of various communities.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said this would dispel any lingering doubts about the authenticity of the figures by EPU, which comes under the Prime Minister's Department.

"If there are still doubts (on the figures), we can reveal the methodology used," he said yesterday after launching the national level Road Safety Campaign in conjunction with the coming Deepavali and Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

Najib stressed that the government was transparent when it came to such economic data.

"We have no problems [revealing the methodology] but there should be no insinuation as if the government is not being transparent," he said.

He added that the government was transparent and that the EPU's figures were based on objective research.

"We want to make sure that whatever figures we use is for the country on the whole. The figures are not `adjusted' for the benefit of any particular community," he said, when asked to comment on Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik's statement on Saturday that EPU should reveal its methodology in determining the percentage of bumiputra equity ownership in order to defend the government's integrity.

Lim, who is energy, water and communications minister, said this would leave no room for any party to question the government's figures. He said the EPU should make the information public since questions have been raised on the issue.




Continued on page 2~~


Groups call for open discussion on methodology



Doubts over the government's data were raised after a study by Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) concluded that bumiputra equity ownership could be as high as 45% ?compared with the EPU's 18.9% figure.

The centre came under attack from Umno leaders and Malay groups. Following that, Asli president Mirzan Mahathir admitted that its methodology was "flawed" last Tuesday. Najib had also said that the EPU's data are accurate and should not be questioned.

Several political parties and organisations have called for an open discussion of the issue and for transparency on the EPU's methodology.

In a statement last Friday, Aliran's executive committee said: "Putting a stop to discussions and dialogue on the pretext that it is a `sensitive' or `seditious' issue suggests that the government is unable to defend its figures and stand by them." It said the government should provide convincing arguments backed by facts, figures and an academically acceptable methodology.

"This is the mark of a society that is rational, scientific and democratic as envisaged in the much-touted Vision 2020," it said.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called for an independent committee to evaluate equity holding and poverty to assess the real status of the economy.

"Even though many, including myself, have doubted the research methods used by Asli that led to a much higher equity holding for bumiputras, the right action would be through transparent efforts to obtain complete figures and data," he said in a statement on Saturday.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang said the party would raise the issue of marginalised communities in Parliament next month.

We want to know what the government has done with regard to recommendations in the CPPS study to end marginalisation of the new Indian underclass under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, he said in a statement on Saturday.

He said the CPPS study on marginalised Indians argued that development strategies, policies, programmes and the distribution of benefits in the past 35 years have been highly skewed, causing numerically small and economically weak ethnic minorities to feel increasingly alienated and neglected.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the methodology for any research should be disclosed so that the public can have a better understanding of the findings.

He said Asli's findings were based on a scientific research and every scientific survey had its own assumptions.

He was speaking to reporters yesterday after flagging off the Our Family Fun Run, organised by the Selangor Yoga Ananda Marga Association.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


DESIDERATA:

I've is reproduced theSun report in full because I believe THIS ISSUE is the core challenge faced by NegaraKu -- its resolution would determine largely the rise or fall of Malaysia on its journey towards Vision 2020. For your sake, my sake, our future generations', I hope it's still V2020 we are focusing on. NOT THE OLIGARCHY again! as brother Maverick SM's hovering line bedevils us in absentia.
But Desi's elegantly muted retort: But generally Malaysians suffer from varying degress of MASOCHISM.

The DPM defends the Government's stand using what I term "inverted" logic, viz ~~ "We have no problems [revealing the methodology] but there should be no insinuation as if the government is not being transparent," he (Najib) said. Najib had also said that the EPU's data are accurate and should not be questioned.


He wanted the citizenry to accept without doubt all the Government's pronoucements and decrees. Insinuation, Mr PM-to-be?An academic report by ASLI's think tank headed by a world-renowned Doctorate holder is hardly anywhere near "Mat Rempit" field to be turned ito Mat Cemerlang by the kiss of a toadie, or is it?

The call that the Rakyat should not "question" the EPU's data is "inverted" in the first place because the so-called "data" was never disclosed in the first place. It is like "Putting the cart before the horse", Mr DPM?

AS for Dr Lim Keng Yaik and all his underlings like Penang state Exco Dr Toh Kin Woon, can I ask a simple question? (the same is directed to the MCA poli-tikus-tikus who jump onto the bandwagoin like Johnny-come-lately...)

Q: How long has Gerakan been in the Barisan Nasional?
Have they been in deep sleep like Rip van Winkle?
Hey, by Parliamentary practice, the BN government is a collective one, so all the Coponent parties including Gerakan and MCA (did someone whisper MIC?) are collectively responsible for all the policies, like the NEP, formulated by the Government.

As for the other Players stated in the news report, generally they reflect the voice of the people.
But will the BN Government listen?
Will the Electorate continue to inflict upon themselves Masochistic tendencies at the polls?


Nowadays, in NegaraKu, I don't know which standards we are aspiring towards.

Remember the FAMILY COUNCIL in the most developed prescinct in the land?

Some UMNO putra believes the Hans Christian Andersen fable can be replicated in modern Malaysia and Mat Cemerlang come by as cheap as dozens a dime.
No, my dear princes and princesses, it's hard work, brain work and yes, with some good luck, and God's blessings. That's why Iurge my dear ER to join me in saying ISA... constantly.


Oh, every good children's tale must have a tail, yes?

"So as the Papa and Mama Toadies and their baby Li'l Malaysian Toad wait by Tasik Titiwangsa for the Prince Charming to pass by, their patience one day pays off.

Here comes a Putra riding abig killer bike, lies down as tired as hell to take a snooze by the lake. He is tired by all the parytyuing and dancing and lamsing and yumsing in the night before, and the night before that, and also ... you get the drift, shrift...

Suddenly, the Putera is awakened by some croaking sound nearby. A li'l toady Voice cried out: "PLease my saviour Prince, kiss me on the lips and I'd make thee a pretty bride!"

The Putera, half dazed, gentleman that he is, obliges, with one eye open.

THE Putera TRANSFORMS INTO the most handsome crocodile this land has ever seen.

And the best meal such a Prince Crocodile enjoys is... Yeah, Mama, Papa and Anak Toadies of the land.


Alternative ending. Yes, Hollywood productions sometimes come with two endings, to suit the market, you stupid!
So my more compassionate and soulfool nephews reading this cript overlooking my shoulders (NO, the script was not looking, it's da nephews, you stoopid!( See the joys of returning afresh to Blogging!~~

"The Putera, half dazed, gentleman that he is, obliges, with one eye open. Kissing the Li'l Toad on the toady lips.

Hey Presto! The Putera is TRANSFORMED into the most handsomest Toadie the land has ever seeen. He marries the Li'L ToadA2 and they rule the ArmNOPutera watery kingdom. and as far as their toady eyes can see. Yes, the second Couple and Papa and Mama ToadAO live APily ever after. In Lake Titiwangsa."

PS: If you don't believe me, join me in a snooze dare this Sundae. Bring two CON BF! But remember to say your prayers.

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God save your souls, if you have any.
I:
S:
A:...

Desi says from the start he's in hi-spirits, didn't he?
He finally found his soul'd mate.
"I L'VE Us."