Two homespun fairie tails

Sisdar Helen@allofhelen.blogspot.com flippantly 50% and seriously 50% asked Desi jest days ago:

Why the sudden obsession with rhymes, fairy tales and heroes? :-)

She also added a mousey remark which I'm still trying to fathom to this day, the depth of its true meaning, then this morning the light shone:

As for rats, it is found in 'rubbish'.

Someone is "rubbing" us Malaysians in.


If you find Desi speaking again in DDC,-- for the uninitiated here, it's Da Desi Code, a moniker given DEsi by several ER, including not=too=reticent Helen -- please get used to It because in NegaraKu now trying to tell a straight tale to a crooked audience you won't connect. You ask Citizen Nadeswaran whose MSM columns shine through all the verbiage, or izzit garbage? whatever! -- it's like speaking to the four grey walls which don't have ears. So it's back to spinning some Malaysian-made fairie tails. As gooder as the Arabian 1001 Nights, or Hans C Andersen. I didn't spell out "C" in full because that would demean the intelligence of sensitive readers here that I need to remind them of a certain gospel truth. Truth be told, it's nothing to do with the Gospel but it has a moral to It.

OKay, enough of Digression which is a Blogger's right and privilege, let's get to the pointed Aggression, which is a Blogger's ... ah, never mind, it's not relevant, at hand.

From my fave MSM daily, the Sun, frontpage at the BF, my Indian-Muslim PP Nazi Kandar got stuck in my throat, when I spied TWO FAIRIE TAIL HEADLINES! at one go. It's like eating durian and bakGOODteh at one go ~~ and I was almost snuffed out by a fishbone... Merci, God says Desi's time is not up yet. Maybe I need to get to that 200million mark to qualify. I promise to try harder. With advancing age and dying heritage, it's getting harder. But I still play Da Beatles anthems like A Hard Day's k-Night to spur me A-long.


Okay, fairie tail1~

Ling: It
was a
good buy


PETALING JAYA : Former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who pushed for the party's controversial takeover of Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd five years ago, maintains that "it was a good buy".

He said the decision to buy the newspaper company was a party decision, proposed by the (then) presidential council and endorsed by the central committee and an extraordinary general meeting.

"Obviously, at that point of time, about five or six years ago, it was a good buy. You know when The Star was suspended, it was in a bad situation. But today it's a good thing.

"Circumstances will change things. You don't make the same judgmental opinion at two diffrerent time frames as things had changed," he told a press conference at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman campus in Section 13 here.

Ling said he had to call for the conference as there were many requests for press interviews after MCA decided to sell down its equity in Nanyang from 41% to 20% on Tuesday.

"I leave it to whoever who wants to make any judgment. But it (the buy) went through a total democractic process."

When told the MCA only secured a narrow 157-vote majority at the EGM, Ling said: "Even if it's only one vote, it's the party decision. It's the majority decision."

He refused to say whether the party's decision now was wise since he had no access to figures and facts when he retired more than three years ago.

Ling also denied talks that MCA was asked by the then Umno leadership to buy Nanyang because Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press - the two strongest vernacular papers in its stable - were said to be unfriendly to the government.

"Of course we need permission from the PM (prime minister) since it's a major media institution. If we have the PM's backing, it would be very, very helpful. I think without the PM's okay ... and knowing the sensitivity of the media, I dont think it would have been possible to buy.

"But to say we were told to buy ... If we don't have the money, how to buy? We cannot be told to buy," he retorted.

He said the party's then decision to acquire a controlling stake in Nanyang was both commercially and politically motivated.

"As a political party, which political party will reject the chance to own a media? Because your main job is to spread the news, to convince people. What better way than owning a media?"

On Tuesday, MCA endorsed its investment arm (Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd)'s proposal to cut its stake in Nanyang to 20%.

The shares were sold to Ezywood Options Sdn Bhd which is controlled by the family of Sarawakian timber and media tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King who also owns Sin Chew Media Corp Bhd, publishers of Sin Chew Jit Poh and Guang Ming Daily.

On wide-spread speculation that MCA was working together with Tiong to control Nanyang, he declined to join in the rumour mill "because it will create more rumours and speculations".

On criticisms that MCA had created a monopoly in the Chinese newspaper industry today, he appeared evasive.

"All of you are trying to draw me into making judgmental decisions. You should not as I have retired and no longer within those corridors. So we should give them freedom to make judgmental decisions."

Pressed on who should be held responsible for the losses that Huaren had suffered, he said: "I am sure the board is resposible for the action because it's a commercial decision. I believe they are empowered."

When asked whether the sale was a move to dismantle his legacy in MCA, Ling said: "My legacy stopped when I retired. After that, it's for others to carry on what is the best."

In response to another question, Ling said he met MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting at a wedding about two weeks ago and was told about the sale.

Asked whether he gave any advice to Ong, Ling said: "When someone succeeds you, then you must have confiedence in him to bring the party to greater heights. Obviously, you will trust him to make good judgment.

"I am happy with the way the party is progressing. My personal feelings are not important. I am retired , don't interfere."

Former MCA deputy president Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek, who led the then Team B to oppose the purchase, reserved his comments.

PS: In both reports reproduced in full here, the highlights (THUS BOLDED), are all mine, Desi's, and I bear fool responsibility for the morals of it awe. Like the Tan Sri mentioned above, I'll also reserve my comments until inspired (come back mayhaps @5.00pm?)

DESI's long-awaited comments ~~

Firstly, former MCA chief Dr Ling obviously did BN community service at the beck and call of UMNO big brother; this could explain why he was bestowed the TUN-ship earlier than past MCA performers like Tan Sri Lee San Choon, NO? The sharp doctor gave IT away non-too-subtly when he said:""Of course we need permission from the PM (prime minister) since it's a major media institution. If we have the PM's backing, it would be very, very helpful." PLUS "I think without the PM's okay ... and knowing the sensitivity of the media, I dont think it would have been possible to buy." and also this, ~~ "He said the party's then decision to acquire a controlling stake in Nanyang was both commercially and politically motivated." Whch was merely a facade or if you know not what facade is, under the guise of a "commercial venture" that almost 45% of MCA delgates could see was doomed to failure from the start! Ask Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek, who must have yum-sing-ed last night for a Last Hurray? My wild imgaination, thus don't accept this as fact! I'm writing a fairie tail comment, OK!




Second point:

That the present Chinese MSM is a near MONOPOLY situation except for new-kid-on-the-block Oriental Daily News (owned by the Sarawak-based KTS group)is a fait accompli created by a party -- or its head as some parties claim -- which in name is supposed to represent the interests of the Chinese community. The reality is that even with the selldown to 20% equity in Nanyang, the MCA through HUaren still works in cahoots with the Tan Sri Tiong (an ex-senator, so it can be safely inferred he's also a Government man/arm, but more so, a personal friend of Dr Ling, Ooops, TUN Dr Ling. So the myth, or Malaysian fairie tail that the ex-MCA head spins, continues that the Nanyang paper "was a good buy" five years ago. It was a political move at the behest of big brother UMNO, can be more, but no less.
And I hear this could be a payback for getting a certain Ling Jr out of some troubled waters during the 1997/98 financial crisis...No?

I wonder if I asked for an interview from Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek, would he oblige?Howsy, Mave SM, and Anak Merdeka ~~ do you guys come from Pahang and have the fish cables to pull. Thetarik?


Okay, fairie tale2~~

MB: System lets
law-breakers
be councillors


SHAH ALAM: There is nothing prohibiting law-breakers from becoming councillors and the political system allows undesirables to creep in because of the positions they hold in the party.

This frank admission came from Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo in the wake of reports concerning Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zainal @ Zakaria Mat Deros, who built his mansion without planning permission and had not been paying the annual assessment for his existing house for 12 years.

At a press con ference after the state executive council meeting yesterday afternoon, Mohd Khir said: "In the regulations, it does not say that people who break the law cannot be appointed as councillors. We appoint councillors according to party positions. This is decided by the party, so anything concerning the party, we will refer back to the party management committee.

"I will follow orders which state that the appointment of councillors should be according to party positions."

Zakaria's daughter-in-law is slated to serve a second term and his son is to be appointed councillor.

However, the swearing-in of councillors scheduled for today has been postponed due to, according to Mohd Khir, "possible problems in the list".

After meeting with Klang Municipal Council (MPK) president Abd Bakir Zin on Tuesday morning, Mohd Khir headed for Putrajaya for another round of meetings. Before breaking fast, the news was already out -- the swearingin will be postponed until after Hari Raya next week.

Officially, Mohd Khir maintained that "the municipal council president is empowered to postpone any meeting" and Abd Bakir's response was equally officious ?one sentence reaffirming what theSun reported on Tuesday ? postponement of the ceremony.

Which leaves us with the inevitable question: Why?

While Mohd Khir was evasive, the postponement, is said to be linked to Zakaria, who is said to have caused embarrassment to the Barisan Nasional leadership by his acts and omission.

Under the law, Mohd Khir said, Zakaria can be fined only 10 times the submission fee of RM2,400. He said any additional punishment against Zakaria will depend on the party leadership.

As for defaulting on assessment, Mohd Khir pointed the finger at the council. MPK, he said should take appropriate action. Local authorities, he said, should enforce the law uniformly and take care of the welfare of the people.

DESI (Comments reserved~~unreserved@1.05PM):

The Chief Executive Officer of the most developed prescinct/State, Khir Toyo, is indeed a very frank and forthright man -- without blinking one or two eyelids, he admits that his hands are tied as far as the ongoing "Councillor appointment" issue is concerned as "There is nothing prohibiting law-breakers from becoming councillors..."

First, it was a case of "Semuanya Okay" wrt Taman Cahaya Agricultural Park fiasco until he had a helicopter flight/fright with Federal CEO Pak Lah who could not believe his eyes that he saw there was hardly a blade of grass in what was supposed to be parkland...So the remark from the higher CEO: "Semuanya Tak OK!"

Then it was "The officers did it with good intentions..." to justify the variation of clauses in Billboards contract and letting the culprit/s go scot free.

Then a State Exco building a palace worth millions withOUT (DESI: mY apOLOgy for leaving out OUT in first instance; I volunteer a fine of 50sen for a genuine misstake, can?) the proper building plans. And he was merely slapped with a RM5,000 fine. Poor stall hawkers in a similar bind had had their stalls demolished even before you could blink three eye-lids. A hawker's loss of several hundred ringgit was his whole month's pay -- but do you think the likes of Khir Toyo care?

So a Malaysian fairie tale is spun -- mayhaps RTElm can start a series of homespun Fairie Tails. The fish rots from its head -- Top Down.

I can't remember who often used this parable, do you? Be patient, I'd check Muzium Negara archives...I promise I'd be back. First I have to stop at Sentul to break fast at its femes fishhead curry ... You Know, that one has not yet started its rot.
I know because every time I visit, the crowd gets bigger, and my pocket gets smaller...