My Anthem

Friday, November 30, 2007

Blogospheric Diversions -- Putting The Record Straight

mGf Sdr Bernard Khoo aka Zorro was truly "grieved" by a Commenter posing as "Zorro" causing much havoc in Blogosphere. I won't detail the incident -- I call such happenngs DIVERSIONS, or an occasional occupational hazards that come with the Hobby/Job as a Blogger -- as it raised Sdr Khoo's blood pressure very high when fellow Blogger mahaguru58 fell for the "imposter's stunt", but I think he (Mahaguru58) compounded the problem by riding (yes, the pun is intentional, want to win Catherine Zeta Jones' attention!:) on the "hot" Hindraf issue (counterpoint mainly).

Just a reading of the first paras of the alleged Comment by "zorro" I received via Email later would inform a regular visitor to zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com that the comment WAS DEFINITELY A FAKE -- so many grammatical errors and much deviation from the ori Zorro hallmark stamp.

Desi was also slight "victim" to an sms yesterday,but this is at a much lower level and on a different plane. I thank one responder to my APpeal yesterday for verification of the sms' content relating a purported Bernama.com report, and here's a follow-up. Thank you, good cirizen's response to PUT THE RECORD STRAIGTand lay down that Devil to its rightful and spiteful resting place. Here'smy parting message to these Blogospheric dtuntmen/women/its: There's a place called Hell if you are a God-fearing person, whatever thy religious bent.

"November 29, 2007 22:13 PM

Chia: Don't Be Misled By SMS Out To Tarnish Minister's Name


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Deputy Information Minister Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye today said some irresponsible elements are out to tarnish the reputation of Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein via a short message service (SMS) purportedly sent out by Bernama, the Malaysian National News Agency, yesterday.

"The Education Minister did not make such a statement nor did Bernama send out such an SMS," he said in a statement issued here today.

The SMS purportedly quoted Hishammuddin talking about Indian and Chinese voter support.

Chia advised the people not to be misled by the SMS.

A spokesman from Hishammuddin's office said the Umno Youth chief also did not make any public statement yesterday.

He said his office would ask the authorities to identify the source of the malicious SMS. -- BERNAMA "

UPDATEd @11.44am:

mahaguru58 in a Post dated Nov 29, 2007 has tendered his apologies to brudder Bernard Khoo (ori Zorro):

"Impersonator has pulled a fast one on me!


To Bernard Khoo a.k.a. Zorro,

My sincere apologies bro.


:
:
:
All's Well That Ends Well, quoting The Bard.
If thou knoweth not who TB is, go ask your former PM and ex-DPM.
Go read the AP and amore @mahaguru58.blogspot.com. -- Desi

UPDATEd again @12.09pm, yes, because Desi belongs to that special breed of fe-mail Bloggers likely to be unemployed too:)

AMID ALL THE BLEAKNESS,
here's some pockets of sunshine to lift some of my ER hearts.
No, don't rush to the Emergency Room
from a still-readable and value4money @30sen-MSM, theSun:
Like brudder MosesFoo, I've been boy/girl-cotting The NST and Star for weeks now,
since the editors prostituted
themselves wrt BERSIH rally, and later, confirmed their fly-by-night ops, wrt Hindraf rally.

Frontpage, S1 feauring a s-mile to melt your heart:)
deer ER, "V"isualise, can?

Sabah-born Wong
is climate change
minister of Australia


SYDNEY:
Malaysia-born Penny
Wong (pic), a senator in South
Australia, was named yesterday
to spearhead the new Australian
government's environmental
policies, which include ratifying
the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change.


S2: from page 18,

Schoolgirl, 10, hits
two holes-in-one
in one round


HONGKONG: A schoolgirl aged 10
has scored an astonishing golfing
feat by hitting two holes-in-one
on the same rund at a Hong-
kong course, a news report said
yesterday.

Tiana Lau sank both shots
from around 83m on the second
and seventh holesof the course
at the Hongkong Clearwater Bay
Golf and Country Club on Mon-
day, the South China Morning
Post
reported.


S3,
Ah, from someone with more honour
than those MSM editors carrying bola
and shooting for more moolah:

Prostitute offers sex
wages for charity


SANTIAGO: A high-class Chilean
prostitute touched by a charity tel-
ethon's bid to raise money for
handicapped children has stepped
forward with her own contriution:
27 hours of sex. THat's how much
paid sex work the escort, Maria
Carolina, has said she wants to con-
tribute to the Telethon association.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

CSM for WAMI and CPI on Hindraf Issue

This Community Service Message for WAMI and CPI comes a little "late", but the issue is still hot, so it's better late than never!--Desi


Condemnation of Crackdown on Hindraf Leaders and Planned Hindraf Rally

Joint Press Statement by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, Director of Centre for
Policy Initiatives (CPI) and Mr. Wong Chin Huat
, Chairperson of
Writers Alliance Media Independence (WAMI)

The Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) and Writers Alliance for Media
Independence (WAMI) condemn the arrest of Hindu Rights Action Front
(Hindraf) leaders under the Sedition Act and the police prohibition of
the planned Hindraf rally on Sunday. Both actions are a clear
violation of key civil liberties and basic freedoms guaranteed by the
Federal Constitution.

We are strongly of the opinion that Hindraf's objectives aimed at
highlighting the socio-economic and political marginalization of a
large segment of the Malaysian Indian community deserve the serious
attention of all Malaysians. The Hindraf cause reflects key flaws in
our political-economic and social system and its unresponsiveness and
insensitivity towards a community that has been historically exploited
and marginalized.

HINDRAF's efforts to secure fairness and justice for poor Indians
should not be met with fear, intolerance and a mailed fist. Rather
they should lead to deep soul-searching within the Government and
swift changes in policies and programs so that marginalized Malaysian
Indians can fully and truly have an equal place in the country's
future.

Finally, we call on the judicial system to be vigilant and not to stay
silent in efforts to have two or more standards of rule and justice
imposed on Malaysians. Should Hindraf leaders be found guilty of
sedition, the same verdict needs to be extended to others that have
engaged in similar utterances and action.

CPI and WAMI believe that the ultimate solution to the marginalization
of any community is coalition-building for reform and the forging of a
common struggle and solidarity against injustice that cuts across
communal lines.

CPI and WAMI champion and will continue to speak out on the need for
peaceful and democratic political reform which can benefit all
Malaysians regardless of creed and class.

Kuala Lumpur
24 November 2007
______________________________________________________________________

CPI is an independent non-partisan think-tank and policy reform
organization which aims to improve the level of discourse and
awareness on key national issues. It was formed in mid 2007 by a
multi-racial group of social activists. The CPI is shortly unveiling
its website: www.cpiasia.org

WAMI
is a group of writers for the Chinese media in Malaysia, which
aims to defend and promote media independence for freer public
discussion and wider democratic space. It was formed by about 90
writers who quit writing for the mainstream Chinese media in May 2001,
in protest of the coerced takeover of the non-partisan Nanyang Press
by the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a ruling coalition member
party. For further information please visit www.wami528.com

More Recruited Into the Oldest Profession

But of a different plane -- MORE DANGEROUS!

In the recent BERSIH and Hindraf demonstrations of People's Power,
two MSM press, namely the NST and The Star, failed in disharging their
tduties, and playing a responsible role, as members of the Fourth Estate. I term it Prostituting themselves -- as similarly observed by surgeon resident in the US, Sdr Dr Bakri Musa, and buddy Bernard Khoo aka ZORRO,riding at bakrimusa.com and zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com respectively.

The two mentioned MSM distorted facts and figures -- 4,000 only at BERSIH's march -- the editors on Nov 10, 2007 were blind and the reporters blindfolded, I wrote. I deem their reports demonising the peaceful ralliers and depicting the cops as all the good guys who used no force, but only shot chemical-laced water and tear gas on the marchers.

Yes, these news-dogs have joined the oldest profession -- Prostitution of the MIND, which is far more dangerous to the citizens' health than those poor women along Chow Kit and Choo Cheng Kay mostly forced to ply by the redlight because they were trained in no other skills. Of course, just as in any other field, there are some (minority by small numbers, I trust) who chose to go into the flesh trade.May God still have mercy on them

Now a certain newsroom where I had served five years with some qualified measure of pride going back "historical" years ago -- yesterday's news is today's history -- have also joined this lowdown ranks of selling their mother's souls besides their own. Another FAce of National Service? A Tan Sri-ship for the Chief?




Various Quarters Support Use Of ISA To Deal With Street Demonstrations


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Various quarters have voiced support for the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on using the Internal Security Act (ISA) to deal with illegal street demonstrations.

They want the government to immediately implement the move so as to preserve unity and political and economic stability in the country.

They say as a moral society, Malaysians should uphold the principles of Rukunegara and not act as they please to the extent of depriving others peace and harmony.

President of the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students, Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican said it would be an apt move if the Prime Minister decided to use the ISA against street demonstrators.

"The Prime Minister's patience has reached the maximum as the people have been given the freedom, including criticising the government through the blogsites," he told Bernama here today.

Reezal, who is aso an Umno Youth committee member, said the action of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to initiate an illegal rally in the city on Sunday was extreme and it ignored the sensitivities of the country's 26 million citizens.

Senior lecturer at Universiti Malaya's History Department, Dr Ahmad Kamal Arifin said if the government delayed in curbing the problem, it could lead to racial conflicts.

He said although some people said the illegal gathering by Hindraf was peaceful, violence did erupt among some in the gathering.

"Therefore, using the ISA is appropriate and a quick way to diffuse the unhealthy situation without waiting for a court decision," he said.

President of the Indian Muslim Congress Malaysia (KIMA) Syed Ibrahim Kader said the ISA shoud be used against anyone trying to threaten the country's peace and stability.

On Hindraf's demands, he said the Indians in Malaysia should remember that they came to this country 150 years ago to earn a living and not to take away the rights of others.

"However, we the Indian Muslims do not feel that we have been marginalised in this country or that there are quarters trying to take away the rights of the Indian community," he said.

Umno Youth treasurer Datuk Ab Hamid Mohd Nazahar also supported the move to use the ISA. Otherwise more people would become even bolder to challenge the government via street demonstrations, he said.

He urged the government to use the ISA against the Hindraf leaders for Sunday's incident, besides inciting racial hatred and arousing religious sentiments which could disrupt harmony in the country.

-- BERNAMA

DESIDERATA:

For four organisations quoted and well sought out by BERNAMA, I can assure you and giving thee some "insider" educated guess how the Government's organ works, it's likely ZAM ala Kazam as Minister of Propaganda-ganda Wang Anda, could have given the HIGH COMMAND!)

I could have for each of the four, gone out to seek at least five other groups who would fight the use of the ISA to the death! Why do you think BERSIH could get some 40,000 people from more than 60 registere NGOs and several political parties like DAP, PKR and PAS, to march?

Sixty compared with these four miserable individuals looking for GOLD?

Yes, Gold1 for President of the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students, who will soon return to a high Government job shaking legs and playing UMNO politcs and soon contesting in the General Elections. Throw in a few APs from MITI for da good dog!
We common citizens will laugh at him and his ilk and call them PM's Running Dogs
.

Gold2 for Senior lecturer at Universiti Malaya's History Department, who will soon be promoted for his echo-ing His Master's Voice. His more principled colleagues would call him and his ilk Balls Carriers/Careers.

Gold3 for President of the Indian Muslim Congress Malaysia (KIMA) -ah, no ned to mention what these guys are famous for, Okay, as I may be ouwitted. I am very scared of people who use any RELIGION in vain. Desi used to tell his mGf "I am a God-fearing man."

Gold4 for Umno Youth treasurer Datuk Ab Hamid Mohd Nazahar , who will soon get an angpow of the People's money of RM3million if he became an UMNO division chief. We call hi and his ilk Daylight Robbers.
What do you expect from UMNO Youth, especially potential chief -- one after another eg Najib Razak, Hishamuddin Hussein and dat SIL -- they wield the "keris" and make it a VIRTUE. Prospitues have higher honour than these rogues.

Desiderata today feels he's ashamed to have been associated with the national news agency -- may remove that entry from my CV when I apply for that Malaysian Envoy to Never Land's post. mGf allofhelen says why got such Post-wan? When Desi says Yes, there is one,it is reality, NOT MYTH. Wait for April sext year!

PS: I am checking out another BERNAMA item -- no,it'snot fiction -- which was alerted by mGf eraly this moUrn -- aroused me frommy bed! VIA sms which reads:

(The said sms' content was DELETED by Desi @9.54pm)

DESI's APpeal to Esteemed Readers:

If you sight this item, please send to my Email: chongyl2000@yahoo.com, or post via Comments here, OK? I promise I will promote it to Frontpage.

To such Readers and their kind,
I call them Good Citizens. I gift tee bestA tehtarik from Furong!:)

PPS:I again apologise to "poor" members involved perforce in the "flesh trade" I had to use this for comparison Minta Maaf ia, second time within this weak! I offer thee tehtarik; No, I won't ind you joining Desi, and Moses Foo soon! at Lingam's Curry House in Furong:):) Some "V"VVVVVVe may gatecrash too, but they are welcome:)

UPDATEd @9.54pm:

I tried my darnd hardest to verify the content of that sms from the time I uploaded this Post but I could not trace/track down the news item referred to by the SMS content. Hence, I just deleted the sms' content, and apologise to Bernama.com if any negative effect did flow from the almost-half-day's display.
You win some, you lose some. Such is life. Minta maaf, ia.
Come join me for tehtarik, I'll even add Mis Sunthi. -- Desi

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

MIC man souped, its Prez soaped...

And did the Prime Minister hear the people sing?

*theSUN front page today headlined -- yes, MosesF, I am boycotting the other English newspapers indefinitely until their slimy editors grew up from being errand boys --:

MIC man in the soup

FIRST-TERM MP for Cameron
Highlands S. K. Devamany
has found himself in the soup after
being accused of breaking ranks with
his statement in the Dewan Rakyat
on Monday pertaining to the Indian
community.

Tacking an issue that is at the
very heart of the Hindu Rights Action
Force (Hindraf) rally on Sunday,
Devamany had in a supplementary
question questioned the government's
policies on Indians.

He had said the despite measures
promised by the government in its
2020 Visionpolicy and the Ninth
Malaysia Plan, the reaction on
Sunday showed there was frustration
in the lower rungs of the Indian
community.

"What are the actions taken to show
proof of government's effort toovercome
poverty and the limited opportunities
fflicting the Indian community?" he had
asked.

Desi's immediate reaction: Well done BN-MIC Member of Parliament, finally you grew up to truly a Yang Berhormat wakil rakyat from being an errand boy!You have become a rare MP species in the league of Sharir Samad (MP for JB, remember? Stood as Independent and won against the BN!) Please stand steadfast with your principles! -- Desi

**An online report in sun2surt.com today runs thus, jest some opening and closing paras:


WEB EDITION :: Local News

Samy Vellu unperturbed by Hindraf protest



KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 27, 2007): MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu today dismissed his community's biggest anti-government protest as an opposition ploy and denied he was out of touch with the increasingly agitated Indians.

Sunday (Nov 25)'s Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) rally by more than 10,000 people, who defied water cannon and tear gas to protest racial discrimination, could pose a headache for the government ahead of early polls as Indians are traditionally seen as a vote-bank for the ruling coalition.

In an interview with Reuters, Samy, the combative head of the main ethnic Indian party and Malaysia's longest-serving minister, branded protesters as "trouble makers" and said he was not losing sleep over the bloody demonstration.



:
:
:

"To me, I can throw the records on the floor on what I have done. I am not a man on the streets. I am a man on the job. There's always unfinished business." But he gave no hint when he would step down.

"I have been around for 29 years. At an appropriate time I will hand over." - Reuters


Desi's
immediate reaction: You of the half-value to the Indian community, which is already over-rated, you never grew up compared with Devamany.

For 29 short years ('short' used in similar context as Zak's "small" house in royal city of Klang:(, you played within the UMNO closet, and still does, as an errand/errant boy.

Please join Ling Liong Sick (sic) in the queue for a Tun-ship next for thy yeoman's service to UMNO Prez and his crony lietenants. Thou art only a prebet!




***Another story in page 2 of theSun flagged off:

We won't rule out
use of ISA: PM


Desi's immediate reaction: Yes, Mr PM,
1,000 lawyers, now 5,000 Hindraf members,
two weeks ago 40,000 to 50,000 "Bersih" members
including wan humble Desi-lah! -- walked for
JUSTICE, as MALAYSIANS.


"Did you hear the people sing, Mr PM?"-- as PKR Treasurer-General Sdr William Leongand other concerned

MALAYSIANS

chorused?

NO, Mr Prime Minister, you bury thy head
in the sand in Bondi beach, or the beach by River Swan,
for way too long.

Concerned Malaysians are not scared of thy threat!
Ops Lallang second round -- in 2007
after first salvo in two decades ago in 1987?

Many of us, including a BN member of Parliament, have frown up.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Samy Vellu, you've grown old.

For now 100,000 Malaysians have Marched4Justice,
NEXT, another 1million will march4Change and Justice.

We are not running scared, Mr Prime Minister!
VVe VVill continue to march hand-in-hand4"V"ictory!

Above race, colour or creed, gender or age.

"V"ote4Change!
"V"4Victory!

"V"eni, "V"idi, "V"ici.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Mr PM, Do You Hear The People Sing?

Mr. Prime Minister, first there were 2,500. Then there were 138,000. Now there are 30,000. Tomorrow there will be more. The day after even more.

Mr. PM, Do you hear them?


Mr PM, Do you hear the people sing?
Do you hear the song of angry men? Do you hear the music of the people who will not keep silent any more? Do you hear the beating of the people’s hearts? The beating of their hearts for justice is louder than the beating your police can give.

Mr. PM, Do you see them?

Do you see the people’s tears? Do you see the people in a sea of yellow two kilometers long? Do you see the tears on their faces? The tears from their cry for democracy are more than those your tear gas can cause.

Mr. PM, Do you know them?

Do you know the people’s dream? Do you know the dream of the people for justice, equality, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? The power of the people in their thirst for justice, is stronger than the brute force you can ever muster.

Mr PM, Do you hear the people?

William Leong Jee Keen
PKR Treasurer-General

Monday
26th November 2007

DESIDERATA:
"V"oices are ringing throughout this faire lande of ours,
Day "V", PM "V" and Midnight "V"oices,
Mr Prime Minster, Do you hear?
Mr Prime Minister,Do you care?

Mr. Prime Minister, Do you feel them?

Do you feel the people’s force? Do you feel the strength of the people who will not be marginalized and oppressed any more? The strength of their resolve for equality is more than the force of your water canons.

It's the Gerrymander, Stupid! U2?

From the MSM, only English print with some credibility left, theSun, page 2 today:

Not true govt
practises unfair
policies: Najib



PETALING AYA: The Barisan
Nsional (BN) would not have
had the Indian community's
support through the years if the
government, led by the coali
tion, practised unfair policies,
Datuk Seri Najib said.

Responding to comments
by Hindu Rights action Force
(Hindraf) legal adviser P.
Uthayakumar that the Indians
who demonstrated had been
oppressed since independence,
the deputy prime minister said
if that were true,the BN would
not have survived this long in
government.
:
:
:


DESIDERATA:


Two highlights here:

I wrote a Post recently titled "It's the Gerrymander, Stupid!" and
I reprise here Young&Articulate, second time! (GO-lah to infernalramblings.com, it's free what!:( johnleemk's sharp-like-71-year-old's observation, and he's only 17!:

*******"The most perfidious and sometimes perhaps most obvious travesty of democracy, of course, has to be how electoral constituencies are so blatantly gerrymandered. The way these constituencies are divided up makes no sense; why should my member of Parliament represent 100,000 people, while Putrajaya's represents only less than 10,000? This distortion basically ensures that some constituencies have a louder voice than others in Parliament, and makes the democratic process all but meaningless."*******


(2) Something which wikipedia can do for some Malaysians who have short memory or then were Too Young to know:

Najib -- yes, the current DPM dispensing good advice to the Indian community! -- then Pemuda Umno chief, which, history testifies, had played a critical role that culminated in Ops Lalang when 106 opposition members, NGO activists, and some "token" BN members, were taken in. Here's the extract from wikipedia (Howsy matey, got picture, ah?):

"In 1987, as UMNO Youth Chief, Najib threatened to bathe a keris (dagger) in Chinese blood shortly before the government launched a crackdown on extremist elements termed Operation Lalang. At the same rally, banners were hoisted carrying phrases such as "revoke the citizenship of those who opposed the Malay rulers", "May 13 has begun" (referring to the May 13 racial riots in 1969), and "soak it (the keris) with Chinese blood."

And some two decades later, the smiling-tiger cousin Hishamuddin Hussein -- is he your Education Minister, OMG! -- reprises the same ACT on the PWTC year every year, for the past few years. The young&ambitious SIL, like a moneky, imitates.

Quirks of the English language

enervating

Before opening up your mind Desi's way, how about tasting some "FreeRice"?
No, it doesn't come with a Condo or Leeza, for that, please approach Prez Bush on dainty feet, he's worth at least two birds in the hand!

Test Your Vocabulary
50 levels of difficulty. 100% Free. Takes just 10 seconds to try it!
www.FreeRice.com

en·er·vate (nr-vt)
tr.v. en·er·vat·ed, en·er·vat·ing, en·er·vates
1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: "the luxury which enervates and destroys nations" Henry David Thoreau. See Synonyms at deplete.
2. Medicine To remove a nerve or part of a nerve.
adj. (-nûrvt)

Deprived of strength; debilitated.
[Latin nervre, nervt- : -, ex-, ex- + nervus, sinew; see (s)neu- in Indo-European roots.]
ener·vation n.
ener·vative adj.
ener·vator n.

Usage Note: Sometimes people mistakenly use enervate to mean "to invigorate" or "to excite" by assuming that this word is a close cousin of the verb energize. In fact enervate does not come from the same source as energize (Greek energos, "active"). It comes from Latin nervus, "sinew." Thus enervate means "to cause to become 'out of muscle'," that is, "to weaken or deplete of strength."

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

DESIDERATA:


I was interrupted while C&P-ing the above from dictionary online, and it rocks my mind to share wit myGOoDfriend some of the interesting features, some quaint and puzzling -- I call them QUIRKS -- I've encountered in the colonial master's language which I deem myself to have mastered to quite an exquisite level. Yes, blowing one's horn, or is it the trumpet.? But I dare not challenge Louis Armstrong. Mine is definitely weak:).

I recently had a tutorial of Copying graphics onto my Posts, but this slow pictorial dog -- but I am a quick newshound !-- got stumped trying to reproduce the GRAPHICS linked recommended by mGf-host, or correctly hostess, of sweetspirits.blogspot.com, so I'd have to work out a barter trade with another mGf for another tutorial.

Another mGf Moo_t surely ENJOYS language -- I gather he's a Chinoserie expert like my counsellor Mr Coww, but I won't nickname Moo_t Mr Goatie, as it would mis-lead, and he is not a she! And why am I stating the obvious?

Anyhow, I leave thee with one last lesson on quirky English.

Normally, to use the prefix "in-" with ad adjective, it would yield the new word the OPPOSITE meaning to the root word.

e.g. -- note that for example strictly has a fullstop after "e" and a period after "g" although the flow is not of a monthly nature for "g", and neither "g" implies it must be female. A goat is neutral, okay! But being lazy bums, most of us, especially in this era of SMS, shorten e.g. to eg, yes? If you replace "yes" preceding here with a "no", it's still okay! The blardy wonder of the Englishman's language.

And where was I? It's okay, or OK, if I ask: Now, where am I?

Back to prefix "in-" --
Yes, adding in- as the prefix to certain words yielding the Opposites, or Synonyms:

valid X invalid, meaning "not valid"
sincere X insincere, meaning "not sincere"
secure X insecure, meaning "not secure"

But when you prefix "valuable", it becomes "invaluable"!
And mGf, follow Moo-T's advice, don't assume "invaluable" makes the object "to be without value", look up the Dickshenary -- oops, poor spelling! -- Dictionary.

PS: This Post was inspired by one veryGOoDfriend who suggests Desi should
make his English language skills pay for his journey to that I-LAND named

spirite
DES
tination.

Why not, eh?
That's when Bloggers and my Esteemed Readers find Nirvana on that RM20million island in the sun, and mGf sweets will be grinning from ear-to-ear.
Me? I'll be FLASHING! Hey, what were you thinking?

Displaying my Einstein's naked body
wearing e-birthday suit?

No way can! -- Jest flashin' my darkie-white SE7EN s-mile-s

************** ASS ********* oh! **************** ASS **********

PS: I tried several times to grap the "FreeRice" here, but Desi, like Jack, is "one of all trades, master of just wan -- Writing!:) No worries, I jest sent an "SOS" to mGf, and further, Miss Patience is also Miss/Mr/in-between Virtuous.

Monday, November 26, 2007

News Reporting and Prostitution

The news headlines in the English MSM today of the most significant event yesterday ("Beautiful Sunday" in Desi's vocab always) say a lot about the Fourth Estate in Malaysia. The media, especially the English press, is in a poor state of affairs, in my humble opinion -- among the laments of the now famous quote from one of my favourite authors: "There is something rotten in the State of Denmark." Of course I refer to the former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's lament quoting from Shakespeare's "Hamlet", and it's Malaysia-ala-Denmark that's cause for great anguish.

Two of three are joining the oldest profession, which is already demeaning to Prostitution because the majority are in it because of circumstances beyond their control or choice. These mainstream press are prostituting themselves on their own free will; maybe their chiefs' Datuk or double-Datuk titles behooves them to sell their bodies, and their souls, mayhaps including their mothers'? I don't know, but take it from me, some members of this species called Homo sapiens are not above doing that to aim for the second highest title in this Boleh land -- Tan Sriship, yes?Or Dan Si, anyone, like that Face of NS, No?

Compare and contrast the following headlines and two opening paras:

From the New Straits Tmes:

DEFIANCE


It was an illegal assembly. A permit has been denied; a court injunction obtained.
The warnings had been clear.

Yesterday in Kuala Kumpur, several thousand Hindraf supporters (estimates
range from 5,000 by the police to 10,000 by the loal and foreign press) defied
those orders. For the second time in two weeks, water cannon sprayed and tear
gas billowed over crowds of protesters.But the cause for which they rallied-- a
demand of RM28 trilion in reparations from the British government for historical
exploitation of Indians -- ended in clashes with the police.

From The Star:

Hindraf defies court order and goes ahead with gathering


KUALA LUMPUR: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) went ahead with its gathering here yesterday, defying a court order against the rally, forcing the police to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

While police said they gave repeated orders to the crowd, numbering in the thousands, to disperse before resorting to limited force, the Hindraf organisers claimed it was the police who were being unreasonable.

From theSun (*which missed covering the BERSIH Rally because that happened on a Saturday and this daily does not publish on Sunday, quite sad):

Police break up
Hindraf rally


KUALA LUMPUR: Police resorted to tear gas and water cannons to
disperse a crowd of about 2,000 who took part in a rally organised
by theHindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on Jalan Ampang
yesterday morning.

Police, who had mountedroadblocks since Thursday along entry
points to the city, had cordoned off approaches to the British High
Commission from abot 2km away from early orning.


DESIDERATA:

A quick FUN-d contest:

SPOT the prostitutes, and FIRST SE7EN correct gases can claim golden goblets of tehtarik from Desi. Drink the teh (chemical laced?) but return the goblets as Dei is a recyclist of some repute. Ring 012-9702285 and ID thyself to claim thy price -- othervice, that chemical could be arSEN..:(


Yes, Monda blues enjoys at least some relief from the morning Sun, in my humble journalistic perspective-lah if you take my word for it that I had learnt one BASIC tenet in reporting -- NEVER throw in one's OPINIONS, or use QUALIFIERS to subtly sow propaganda or push a certain obvious bias; in this case, that sort well promoted by the YB Minister of Propaganda-ganda Wang Anda, aka Zam-zam-ala-Kazam, aka ... you tell Desi!
My over two decades-plus experience in this "profession" make me conclude now that the Fourth Estate's honourable status has degerated through the years, and become worse in the last four years. My fellow mates in this writing trade -- thy good name is in jeopardy, TRY-LAH NOT TO SELL THY SOUL, OKAY!:)


*I referred here to BERSIH's Rally on Nov 10 (which I covered with blogger horseying at allofhelen.blogspot.com and her significant Other:)because, if you recall, the prostitues even were either blind or blindfolded. Their initial reports put the number of "V" Ralliers at 4,000 only. Then the next day they up-ed it to 10,000, quoting reliable Police soures. like what they also did in today's reports -- as if their own reporters could not venture an educated guess/estimate.Comapre this with Bloggers and foreign wires' numbers at 40,000 or upwards. My own estimate was 50,000 at least.

*theSun was "spared" judgement of their BERSIH reportage because they d not publish on Sunday and the evnt took place on Saturday. So I would hesitate to believe that theSun would have been equally guilt of toeing The Master's Voice in the biggest people's march for freedom to claim back their basic rights in the past decade or longer.

* YL Chong offers his sincere apologies that he has to use the "oldest profession" to compare in order to demonstrate the unhealthy state of health -- well nigh Death? -- of the Fourth Estate (English medium). Minta maaf, ia -- mari minum tehtarik dengan Blogger di Furong, nak?

__________________________________________________

UPDATEd @11.02am:


MORE on the Hndraf Rally, and the Double Standards I wrote about on Nov 24, here's latest from malikimtiaz.blogspot.com reporting directly from the scene yesterady, posing a pertinent question on UMNO Youth's Ralliers being given Special Treatment (was that also part of NEPotism?)

"And, of course, the question that begs an answer is why stop the rally in the first place. The question of a permit, or the lack of one, is a convenient and self-serving one.

How does this rally, planned for a Sunday morning, differ from the one organized by UMNO Youth during Condoleeza Rice’s visit to Kuala Lumpur on a Friday afternoon? That demonstration took place in the same vicinity, also had fiery and inflammatory speeches and was directed to a person or organisation other than the Malaysian government. That demonstration was aggrandized by the local media, with photographs of a defiant Khairy Jamaluddin, in arm sling to boot, gracing the leading pages (if not the front pages) of the mainstream print media.

It is readily obvious to all that despite the great show, there was never any intention on the part of the police to use force where the UMNO Youth demonstration was concerned. None was in fact used. The contrast with action taken where the HINDRAF Rally is concerned is manifest."

UPDATEd November 27, 2007 @9.14am:
I copied the first few paragraphs from malaysia-today.net:


"24/11: Shame on Malaysian editors and journalists!
Category: Articles Posted by: raja petra
GUEST COLUMNISTS



M. Bakri Musa

The Malaysian media’s coverage of the Bersih rally of November 10, 2007 was disgraceful. They have failed in the most public and reprehensible manner in carrying their elemental function: that of informing the citizens. Those editors and journalists have acceded only too willingly to their political masters, treating their wishes as commands.

If those editors had disagreed with the demonstrations, they had their editorial pages to put forth their arguments. Their news pages however should be concerned with information that could affect the citizens no matter how unpalatable that might be to the editors’ individual tastes. Those editors and journalists could not even differentiate between what is and what is not newsworthy; for that most basic professional instinct they had to rely on directives from the politicians.

If those editors have any sense of personal pride and professional integrity left, they would remove their names from the masthead of their respective publications and organizations. They won’t. On the contrary, to them they have performed a splendid job. They have completely prostituted themselves as arms of the state’s propaganda machinery. Far from being embarrassed, they are proud of that fact! (Desi: highlight is my emphasis)

The surprise is not that they have so easily debased themselves and their profession rather that their price is so cheap. They may have fancy titles as Group Editor or Editor-in-Chief, their functions however are nothing more than as “chief errand boys and girls” for the establishment..."
:
:
:

DESI: For the full article, visit RPK's; and more writings by Dr Bakri, surf to www.bakrimusa.com

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Winter, Spring, Summer, All Rise

desiderata.english

For late-comers, plus bloomers like Moses Foo & Co. to desiderata2000.BC, this is a DDC-free Post as is the standard set by desiderata.english columns on Sundays the first 365 from this cyber-home's birth on one Ides of March, this host dedicates as one of three major objectives the promotion of Exquisite English, especially via Poetry.

My kindred spirit whose name lends to one half of my longed-for I-LAND's signature, valued at RM20million, off Terengganu, Malaysia, or off Queensland, Australia, it's left to be seen, but I know for sure sweetspirits will be there as a pioneer marketing agent.

spirite
DES
tination


is aimed at providing an haven for all Blogger friends and Esteemed Readers who warm up my abode, initially via cyberspace, some graduating to terrestrial mates at G7 meets -- I believe we are better now than before we met. When one is in "higher" company, we all get lifted to a new plane, and all participants would turn out to be better citizens of the social and civil society kind. KIND.

Malaysia can safely boast of infrastructure to rival the best of the industrialised world consisting of the so-called developed nations, yes, those who are deemed to have arrived, both in physical stature, and satisfying generally accepted in the modern civil society criteria.Indeed, at one time, Petronas Twin Towers earned the distinction of being the tallest such building in the whole, wide world. But socially and mentality-wise, our citizens are still very far from First World status, we must humbly acknowledge.

Bloggers, and serious civil society campaigners, especially writers, have an important role to play in pushing NegaraKu along towards achieving First World status, whether by 2020 or 2030, or 2040, it is incumbent we play our part. Especially if you agree the Fourth Estate -- chiefly represented by the mainstream media in Malaysia -- defaults on its role of being an agent of information provider of the truth of happenings in Malaysia, and being an agent of change for progress in fostering a a civil society. This is the opinion well articulated by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamd, whom Desi often begged to differ on many national issues, but on the role of the old and new media (Bloggers are a substantive component of the latter), I am in full agreement. Just as I often traded barbs with my good friend, Sdr Din Merican, a strong supporter of the good doctor who was his mentor, we agree to be agreeable in our disagreement. An ethos well propounded by VOLTAIRE via this credo: "I may disagree with what you say but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it."

Shamelessly extracting from my maiden book, "Midnight Voices" and Other Poems, here are some memorable quotable lines, can? If the trumpetist among the Seremban Philharmonic refuses to blow Desi's horn, one has to resort to blowing one's own trumpet...


***************************************************

In his Foreword, Din Merican generously wrote: "I value his book for his views about te future of our country in 2020 and recommend it to you. He said it clearly that "For Vision 2020 to be achieved in the holistic sense "...the soul and character of the nation msut progress in unison and tandem" (with the physical, and economic, development of the country). He believes that poetry will have a significant role in the "civilisation" of Malaysians.


Now quoting myself from the concluding paragraph -- is that plagiarism?:

"Malaysians may do well to heed this wise observation from Thoughts on Virtue by one of history’s great thinkers, Charles Darwin (who propounded the ‘Theory of Evolution’ in his opus, “Origin of Species”):

If I had my life
to live over again,
I would have made a rule
to read some poetry
and listen to some music
at least once a week….

The loss of these tastes
is a loss of happiness,
and may possibly be injurious
to the intellect,
and more probably
to the moral character.


I conclude with Bell’s recall in his Introduction (p.7) to Desiderata that Ehrmann once told an interviewer: “At De Pauw I contracted a disease which I have never shaken off. The disease was idealism. Because of it, I did the thing in life I wanted to do – Writing.”



**************************************************

Back to my Aussie mate who inspired the adopted combo-name of that Island in the Sun,today's Post highlights a poem which readily recalls the lyrical beauty of a musical poem -- essentially how I define a "song" composed in traditional rhyme and rhythm that maketh the heart soar -- made famous by James Taylor, though I prefer the version by CAROLE KING; maybe my soft spot for women, or ladies,showeth. NO, not under-aged gals, for I don't hail from Malacca. I am a Furongite (this does not qualify as Da Desi Code, as Furong is Chinese for Seremban, my hometown), a good neighbour. Who works hard, like a cowboy/cowgirl, for his money, and honey.

Now, so here's a poem that the kind host of sweetspirits.blogspot.com wants to share with us on a Beautiful Sunday.

"Hi Desi
:) smile eh ? I just logged by to share a poem with thee

Love and the seasons
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox


Spring


A sudden softness in the wind;
A glint of song, a-wing;
A fragrant sound that trails behind,
And joy in everything.


A sudden flush upon the cheek,
The teardrop quick to start;
A hope too delicate to speak,
And heaven within the heart.

Summer

A riotous dawn and the sea's great wonder;
The red, red heart of a rose uncurled;
And beauty tearing her veil asunder,
In sight of a swooning world.


A call of the soul, and the senses blended;
The Springtime lost in the glow of the sun,
And two lives rushing, as God intended,
To meet and mingle as one.

Autumn

The world is out in gala dress;
And yet it is not gay.
Its splendour hides a loneliness
For something gone away.


(Laughter and music on the air;
A shower of rice and bloom.
Smiles for the fond departing pair---
And then the empty room.)

Winter

Two trees swayed in the winter wind; and dreamed
The snowflakes falling about them were bees
Singing among the leaves. And they were glad,
Knowing the dream would soon come true.


Beside the hearth an aged couple rocked,
And dozed; and dreamed the friends long passed from sight
Were with them once again. They woke and smiled,
Knowing the dream would soon come true.


cheerz tcz

By sweetspirits, at 10:45 PM


And this poem resonates wit this sweet refrain from a queen:


Singer: Carole King
Album: Tapestry
Song's name: You've Got A Friend


When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night


You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend


If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door


You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there


Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh, but don't you let them


You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend


IMPORTANT DETOUR
after late breakfast:

I just came back from harisibrahim.wordpress.com and jelas.info -- two Bloggers' homes you should visit today being Blessed Sunday.

I left this short comment for my former campaign manager, R Selvarajah, to whom I said at CON BF (short for "continental breakfast", not DDC!) at Men Kee: "I am more Malaysian Indian than you in outlook though you look it in skin colour -- I would have gone to Jalan Ampang this morn if I had your four wheels, and if I been just your 30-year-old age; I am under-age, friend, yet I've eaten more Roti Chinai and dyal curry than thee."

"ylchong Says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
November 25, 2007 at 1:37 pm

haris:
well articulated.
Nat Tan: salute thee for counterpart (Desi's present correction @1.45pm: counterpoint), both truly progressive Malaysians in the vein of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King as proponents of Civil Disobedience when the ruling government turns oppressive.
Both you too are fine examples of what discourse and agents for change should be,in the fine tradition espoused by VOLTAIRE: “I may disagree with what you say but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it.”

And just as the test of the pudding is in the eating, BOTH nat and Haris were there — though in different capacities (I’m commenting at 1.33pm Sunday), Nat as Y&A Malaysian individual full of ideals and gumption, and Haris as responsile Bar Council member observer. Desi was there in spirit with thee, with a prayer too. I was there in Person on Nov 10, and it was a milestone for civil society promoters, above race, creed and colour, also gender and age.

p
e
A
c
e

:)

Saturday, November 24, 2007

RPK's Message Is Godsent

So VVe must spread the WORD.

23/11: God is watching us
Category: Articles
Posted by: raja petra

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin



Today is Friday. To Muslims, Friday is considered a ‘holy’ day. So today is certainly a good day for me to remind Malaysians of Muslim persuasion that God is watching us.

On Sunday, our fellow Malaysians of Indian origin will be marching to the British High Commission. The predominantly Malay-Muslim police force has been placed on full alert since yesterday, resulting in massive traffic jams in almost the entire Kelang Valley. The head honcho of the police force has warned those who insist on participating in the Sunday rally that they will face severe retribution for their folly.

The police have demonstrated how violent they can be on 10 November 2007 when they smashed the leg and kneecap of one marcher. He lay on the ground, immobilised by the excruciating pain, his pleas for help ignored. He was then ordered to stand up and get into the police truck. But he could not even crawl, let alone stand up, so they picked him up like a sack of potatoes and threw him into the truck.

Islam says, if you eat alone, all you get is the satisfaction of being full. But, if you eat in a group, you get twice the benefits. Other than getting full, you also receive pahala. Islam says, when you travel, do not travel alone. Travel in a group and appoint one from amongst you as the group leader. Islam says, it is better to pray in a group than to pray alone. You can get 27 more pahala when you pray in a group compared to praying alone.

Yes, Islam encourages group activities. Islam rewards you with multiple pahala when you do things in a group. (Okay, orgies may not quite be included in this list of group activities). Islam is all about groups and communities. Islam says you must perform the Haj or pilgrimage in Mekah at least once in your life if you can afford it. What is so significant about the Haj? The Haj allows millions of Muslims to assemble in the same place at the same time. That is the awe of the Haj.

Muslims march to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the larger the crowd the better. Hindus too march and carry the Kavadee. Christians too march. Buddhists also march. Most religions have some form of marching or another to ‘demonstrate’ their piousness. But if the marching or assembly is not in support of the political masters, then all of a sudden it is an illegal act and the powers-that-be can treat you worse than animals and brutalise you.

When you take the oath of office you do so in the name of God. But once you are already in office do you still act in the name of God or do you do things opposed to what God prescribes? Let our political masters and powers-that-be ask themselves this question, this holy Friday, because God is watching us. And I will close this piece with the lyrics from Bette Midler’s song, ‘From a distance’.

From A Distance
By Bette Midler

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
and the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
and the eagle takes to flight.


From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It’s the voice of hope, it’s the voice of peace,
It’s the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They’re the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
And it’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves,
It’s the heart of every man.

It’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance.


DESI: O Lord, protect us from the Vultures, from Outside, and from Within NegaraKu especially. If the elected wakil don't behave, VVVVVVV The Rakyat, must stand up and march to reclaim OUR RIGHTS.Amen/Amin

VVe Rally No aMore? Double Standards...

WARNING SHOTS from Desi: Lots of DDC or Desispeak todie.

Okay a quikkie glossary because not-so-nudie MosesFoo(L?) dareth aRsEk for IT!

todie: today for some Malaysians who visit Down Under and arrivedesi at KLIA'd show they had jest visited a First World cuntry: G'die to you!


The IMMIgerasi officer retorted: Did you bring back that RM2.4mil gold-crested coffin from Gold Coast ah? The coast is now clear, gift me the balance of USD-lah! (the hoRst at allofhelen.blogspot.com Whisperring hope: take out that exclamation mark!:(

aMore: Desi came back from serenading Theels from Itali with "Come back to Sorrento"-ala-Pavorotti, though I can afford only Roti Chinai:) NOTE: Sorrento metaphorically plays he same role for NegaraKu as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says "There is somethin' rotten in the State of Denmark" where Danes are transplanted with Malaysians, whose brains are badder as they were less utilised. XXcept my dear ERs'.

ER:
EsteemedReaders. Actually that s in ERs is reduntant but American English has colonised us cf (which is to compair) US's for the United States's... when logically it should be the United States' -- but why you want to argue with AmeriCANoes? THey are the wan-and-ONLY super-power now, mGf.

wan:
rimes with ONE, hence you SEE?

mGf: myGOoDfriend The GOoD has embedded GOD in it, so you fellas, BEHAVE THYSELF.No F*** word. *** stands for owl, what were you thinking to yourself? Speak out Lout, you're still aloud and allowed, my seefoo(L) jeff Ooi! sayeth.




THREE headlines from one same newspaper sum IT all! I am not mentioning the People's Paper no amore, they don't no pay mepauper writHer for PR and PRomo, so? Thee's no such thing as a Freelunch, the last one ran off wit da Special Brunch.


Lustily, what about

aRsEk?

Don't ask, there are a-plenty under-aged boys (I ain't worried about the gals, they are like cowbois -- Tough Nuts and Cookies! like Theels, Helen and Anak M dan Sweets:):):):))-- reading Desiderata2000, and this blardy half-past-7 half-employed Blogger wanna live till 205SE7EN-plus-11!OKAY, where was I?

Ah, "THREE headlines from one same newspaper sum IT all! I am not mentioning the People's Paper no amore, they don't no pay me pauper writHer for PR and PRomo, so? Thee's no such thing as a Freelunch, the last one ran off wit da Special Brunch."

Lawyers charged
with sedition


Cancel march, urge Indian groups

Cops serve court orderon rallt organisers, warn public to stay away

How about that blardy infamous SIL braking security cordon to confront visiting US Secretary Of State Condoleesa Rice? See pic below -- if you can't see now, Visualise-lah, God Gifted Thee Unique Brain, Rite!) untilbrother Howsy or johnleemk hydeing in the USeh! rivets with that photo burried somewhere in their -- aaRGHchoo! -- archives!



FAST Update @10.41am, Msian time:

Dear John did not revert with Dear John letter, it's Kentucky Flied Fast foodie, delivered via email, johnleemk rode on top of a Blondie, 17-year-old going 21!:)

"Hi desi,

I only managed to find a picture on Jeff's blog. It's in the post now.

John"


Thanks matey. Also to Sdr Jeff, I assume AP gifted to Desi! -- please don't follow NSTP's example of suing for Playgiarhythm. I haven't got my 20million nyet. Steal chasing moo_t...:(

Friday, November 23, 2007

King must act in Election Commission appointment

Guest Blogger: KIM QUEK

22.11.2007



Almost by stealth, the government has just quietly introduced a constitutional amendment that will have an important impact on Malaysia ’s course of history.



On Nov 20, minister Nazri Abdul Aziz tabled for first reading the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2007 that seeks to extend the retirement age of members of election commission (EC) from 65 to 66. This bill will be tabled for second and third reading on Dec 11.



This lightning move to amend the constitution is obviously to enable current EC chairman Rashid Rahman - due for mandatory retirement on coming Dec 31 when he reaches 65 - to preside over a critical general election that may take place soon.



Rashid is a virtual UMNO functionary, having faithfully served to advance the political fortunes of UMNO led coalition Barisan Nasional through unabashed gerrymandering at every constituency re-delineation exercise in the past few decades. Our memories are still vivid of his shameful conduct as EC chairman in the Ijok by-election in April 2007 – an election so scandalized that it rendered election Malaysian style meaningless. Apart from committing every election sin imaginable in that by-election, BN’s open and massive bribery - spending tens of millions of public funds on a constituency of only 12,000 voters in a matter of days prior to polling – was virtually crying out for punishment. And yet, in the face of such blatant challenge to his authority, EC chairman Rashid not only fail to blow the penalty whistle as an umpire should, but instead had abetted the crime by endorsing such bribery as legitimate government expenses.



The mammoth street rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 10 to hand over a petition for electoral reforms to the King was the culmination of accumulated frustration and despair at the hopelessly biased electoral system that has gone from bad to worse, for which Rashid must bear major responsibility.



EC NEUTRALITY IMPERATIVE



Democracy cannot exist without elections. Similarly, a country with a critically defective election system that heavily favours one contestant to the deprivation of its opponent is not a democracy, for the simple reason that the winner is a fake. Such a fake does not represent the will of the majority – the very definition of democracy.



For the electoral system to work, it is imperative that EC remains neutral. For this reason, EC has been accorded the same degree of independence as the judiciary, by having its members’ terms of service decided by Parliament. Once appointed by the King, a EC member cannot be removed without going through the same elaborate process as that for the removal of a judge – by a tribunal appointed by the King.



In fact, our Constitution has shown even greater respect to the independent status of EC by having its members appointed by the King without the mandatory “advice” by the prime minister as in the case of appointment of judges. This ensures that the appointee is not obligated to the Exeuctive. In the appointment of chairman and members of EC, all the King needs to do is to consult the Conference of Rulers and to ensure that individuals so selected enjoy public confidence” (Article 114 of the Constitution).



Hence, there is enough constitutional protection to allow the EC to operate in comfort and security as an independent institution free from interference from the incumbent political power. There is certainly no justification for Rashid to adopt the mentality of being subservient to the Executive as revealed in his interview with Malaysiakini listed on 10th Oct 2003 . When asked whether EC was meant to be an independent body, Rashid answered: “ No, never ever. You look at the constitution, what does it say? That there shall be a commission that enjoys the public confidence. It does not say ‘an independent commission’”.



With such mentality, is there any wonder why EC has always been regarded as an indispensable instrument to perpetuate the political hegemony of UMNO?



And without an impartial EC, how can we ensure that the power to rule is vested with the people and not hijacked by the entrenched incumbent?



Rashid’s impending retirement has offered the nation a golden opportunity to kick start serious reforms in our electoral system. We therefore appeal to the King to exercise his power to appoint a new chairman that truly commands public confidence who can detach the EC from the clutches of the ruling party. For that, we respectfully suggest that the King should not confine his consideration to only the prime minister’s candidate, but would also cast his sight over the wide spectrum of civil society to select the most suitable person, on whose leadership much of our hope on restoration of democracy depends.



TRIVIALISING THE CONSTITUTION




Turning now to the impending constitutional amendment, the present attempt by UMNO to trivialize the Constitution through gun-shot amendment for political expediency must be deplored in the strongest language. Today, we are asked to approve an overnight constitutional amendment to accommodate Rashid. What if a future EC chairman has fallen out of favour - another lightning constitutional amendment to cut short his service?



UMNO must be reminded that the Constitution is the solemn agreement cementing the consensus reached among the country’s founding fathers who represent various racial and religious factions. It should not be lightly altered. Where alteration is desirable and inevitable, it should only be done with consensus after the widest consultation possible, so as to preserve societal harmony.



For this reason, the constitutions of democracies are rarely amended. Take the case of US. In its 231 year history, it has only amended the constitution 27 times (mostly single amendment), the last being in 1992. And in Singapore , which has similar historical background as Malaysia , the constitution has been amended only 4 times, the last being in 1991. In contrast, Malaysia has already amended its constitution well over 40 times (mostly multiple amendments) consisting of not less than 650 individual amendments. These figures speak for themselves as to the low priority our successive BN leadership has placed on the sanctity of law and the preservation of rule of law.



COMING ELECTION CRITICAL




Why did I say earlier that the coming election is critical? This is because Malaysia has never descended so low as under the present leadership of Abdullah Badawi, while the opposition is well poised to mount the challenge for power under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim who is generally accepted as a viable and more desirable alternative to the incumbent. An impartial EC at this moment will certainly help to reduce the extreme lop-sidedness of the present playing field, thus offering the country the first real chance in breaking off from antiquated corrupt rule of UMNO, which is gradually but surely bringing the nation to the precipice of calamity.



Just look at the incessant titanic scandals that have been bombarding our senses in recent days. To name a few, on the corruption front, we have the nation’s top crime busters – deputy home security minister, IGP & ACA chief - simultaneously investigated for corruption and exonerated dubiously; the RM 4.6 billion “Ghost Town” in Port Klang; the RM 6.7 billion naval vessel contract defaulted; Sarawak chief minister’s embroilment in logging corruption suits. At the judiciary scene, we were shocked by the release of Eric Chia of the RM 13 billion Perwaja losses fame, after one decade of investigations and trial; the grisly Mongolian murder with links to top political hierarchy and its subsequent sham investigations and trial; the Lingam video clip that reveals manipulation of justice and judges at the highest level.



While the nation is battered by an endless stream of scandals, the prime minister’s spin doctors are merrily spinning “economic corridors” everywhere – to the south, north and east coast, and very soon across the ocean to Sabah and Sarawak . With corruption and the rule of law deteriorating by the day, these “corridors” will eventually meet the same faith as their predecessors in the Mahathir era – evaporation into thin air. The only difference is: Abdullah calls these “corridors” while Mahathir called them “economic triangles” such as Johor-Singapore-Batam triangle to the south, Malaysia-Thailand-Sumatra triangle to the north, and Malaysia-Phillipine-Kalimantan triangle to the east. These “triangles” are of course never heard of nowadays.



Meanwhile, the quality of our education system continues its unrelenting slip, as for the first time, none of our twenty odd public universities could squeeze into the top 200 of the prestigious THES World Universities Rankings (Times Higher Education Supplement).



ECONOMY THREATENED




The ruling power may be unfazed by these bad news, nestling in the thought that they are well insulated from the wrath of public opinion through the protective shield of local press and TV, which often act as the regime’s propagandists. But market forces are merciless. They mete their punishment to a governance run foul through crippling economic competition and hollowing out of investment.



For the first time, Malaysia’s FDI outflow equals FDI inflow for 2006 (inflow USD 6.1 billion against outflow USD 6.0 billion), as reported in World Investment Report 2007 published by UNCTAD (United Nation Conference of Trade and Development) on 16th October 2007. This is most unusual for a developing economy, and it signifies the troubling scenario of capital flight arising from dwindling investment opportunity due to loss of competitiveness. In contrast, the FDI outflow/FDI inflow ratios for our neighbours are: 36% for Singapore , 8% for Thailand and 61% for Indonesia . It is pertinent to note that even in an advance economy like Singapore, its FDI outflow is only one third of FDI inflow, which stands at USD 24.2 billion – 4 times ours.



Malaysians who regularly get their ration of news from the Internet – as distinct from those only read the local press and watch the local TV - should have no problem understanding why Malaysia continues to slip against its neighbours in competitiveness. The inevitable conclusion is: the UMNO led anachronistic conglomerate of racial parties has long outlived its legitimate political life-span. It is time that we turn to a new leadership to check the present regression and steer the nation towards the path of genuine integration and growth.



And the restoration of neutrality to the election commission at this stage is one big step towards realizing this objective, for which we must put our full weight to ensure a competent EC chairman is appointed.





Kim Quek.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Bloggers' status raised to astronomical heights?

OMG! Or have we added more candidates for listing at te impending nu'e category of shares to be listed under LAUGHING STOCKS?
(ZAM-ala-Kazam must be having the last laugh yesterday and todie at his colleagues' expense(s)!)

I just came from rockybru.blogspot.com, and am happy and sad at the same time ...

Happy because our Malaysian Government had relied on a less-than-one-month-old Blogger's entry, mainly its photo of a LIGHTHOUSE, for its pleadings at THE HAGUE in its claim of sovereignity over Pulau Batu Puteh/ Pedra Blanca plus ... plus....

Okay, plagiarisng a little from my fellow buddy's (hopefully he doesn't sue me!) Post yesterday:

"If we lose, you know why ...


Malu. Did we really resort to an anonymous one-month old blog to fight the Pulau Batu Putih case at the Hague? I've read and re-read Jeff Ooi's entry Malaysia uses plagiarist's blog to claim Pedra Blanca at ICJ? on this national embarrassment.

I feel so malu I want to die, to borrow young journalist Meesh's angry posting Let's Play Shoot the Blogger, Shall we ..? in her blog."

Do some suring-lah and the key link is to a German-sounding blog called "leuchtturm3.blogspot.com" -- according to an entry at screenshots aka jeffooi.com, quoting one line:

"Last week, Malaysia had claimed the photo in question was taken from a weblog on Blogspot.com: http://leuchtturm3.blogspot.com. Leuchtturm means lighthouse in German."



I think the Malaysian team at The Hague had been had.
They did not use Sun Tzu's warfare manual (IMHO) but deviated on ZAM's (IN)famous disdain on relying on local Bloggers. Placing a photograph of that disputed LIGHTHOUSE before the International Court of Justice like it was the annual sandiwara on the PWTC Stage, How Sad can it get?

Moo_t,
my Chinoserie friend, you unpatriotic Malaysian,how come you did not render NS to this A-TeAm at the Hague? You asked for 20million, is it?


The deviation was tacitly A BIG SALUTE to our status as Bloggers -- which is raising our status to astronomical level after our first Angkasawan's tourist-ride on Russian spaceship, Yes!

But what asses these so-called best legal team from Malaysia assembled by the Gomen demonstrated on the world stage is that as Rocky's blog title suggested, if we lost to the Little Dot, it was due to us taking tings so lightly all the time, in all places. DID I SAY IN MY POST EARLIER ABOUT "MEDIOCRITY"?
How sad can my country get?

Fellow Malaysians: Are we just one foot away from the Abyss?
I hope the NST people (His Maste's Voice eh?)and Malaysian A-team have good grounds to be so OPTMISTIC,, hence the NST on page 11 has this headline -- Why they dared not put it at least on page 3? --

________________ Extract from NST begins here________________________

"Malaysia
optimistic
of success



By : V. Anbalagan reporting from The Hague



SPIRITS are high in the Malaysian camp ahead of the second round of oral submissions before the International Court of Justice today in the Pulau Batu Puteh case.

The Foreign Ministry under-secretary in charge of adjudication and arbitration, Raja Nazrin Aznam, said the Malaysian side was optimistic that it would succeed in convincing the ICT.

"We may be exhausted but morale is high as we are working as a team. We want to put in a sterling performance before allowing the court to decide on the dispute."

The team is assisted by a support staff comprising university lecturers, those with legal knowledge and government officials with technical know-how."

___________________________________________


Let me adjourn to bed and cover myself under the blanket. These kiasu-neighbours are laughing at deafening DESIbels at us because sometimes we did not realise the world beyond the Malaysian borders have moved a decade AHEAD of us. So postpone VISI 2020 to 2057, is it?

Saudara mGf Moo_t: Had the A-teAm accepted your offer, and enhanced by Desi's NS from behind, I think we could have won the battle for the LIGHT, let the little dot have the House, it is "small" wat!

You think your Government careth two hoots?

106,000
give up
citizenship



is the arresting -- Or is it driving? -- headline
in theSUN todie (Oz slang still wit' Desi:) page 6.
Okay, for you blardy stingy pokers not willin' to pay 30sen
per copy after missin' ooouch the flee kopi at SE7EN11 cos
you woke up late, and not willing to pay RM1.20 for the alternative
English papers, which I won't blame you, 'stead I say "Bravo!";
and for being a Banana -- Yellow on the outside, white on the insight!,
Desi plays goode samariddance by reprising:


KUALA LUMPUR:
A totl of 106,000 Malaysians have
renounced (Desi: "given up", the simple wordfor 'renounced',okay, you Ignoramus ooouch dare!) their citizenship since independence , Home
Ministryparliamentary secretary Datuk Paduka Abdul
Rahman Ibrahim said.

Replying to a supplementary question from Datuk
Firdus Muhammad Rom Harun (BN-Rembau),
Abdul Rahman said the reasons for surrendering
citizenship included emigrating, employment abroad
and education abroad for one's children.

DESIDERATA: For another THREE paras, pay 15sen to Desi
at 7.00pm todie (hey,1/2-price for 1/-day's use, fairie?);
I copied the initial two paras and the headline (Oooh, my
lady's fingers are o'lady sore!:( in LONG hand for thy
interest, so please pay into my PayPal AC: 999-999-999-9
(Ooops, sisdar Helen whispers awe da way from Ipoh she
forgot to register, just like some parliamentary sexcretaries
forgot to enact the Weaknurse Protection Act...--
it's hard working under a miniSTER whose name rimes with Nazi
and expects you to read his mind and practise demo-crazee...

THINKING ALLOWED, still aloud:



Now, hey guys, where's my Tehtaarik and Lemak Nazi?

Wrt to "...Abdul Rahman said the reasons for surrendering
citizenship included emigrating, employment abroad
and education abroad for one's children."
my EsteemedReaders were spared the real reasons/motivations
behind such decisions to uproot at great cost and incovenience
to Self and Family.

1. After gaining a university degree internationally recognised, I could not land a job in the Government service.
Even for those "few" who could gain Government employment against all odds cos of "Racial Quotas" implemented from 1970 (NEP, don't remember oraedy ah?), you wait and wait for a Promotion, but even after the last Lembu came hime, you are still waiting like for Godot.Meanwhile, the Bumi juniors were promoted several rungs. Yes, those stuck at their jobs giving the best years of their life do the jobso=-for-3 or just join the bandwagon,learn to shake legs. Now you understand WHY the Malaysian government service is among highest ranked (Yeah, Malaysia Boleh!:) who boast the highest number of employees per capita (of population)...

2. PRIVATE SECTOR - YES, ONLY THE MULTI-NATIONALS PRACTISE MERITOCRACY!

If you think you can escape discrimination at the workplace in the PRivate Sector, please dream on. Most of the big businesses are tied to BN component parties' interests (UMNO, MCA, MIC --- as for the rest of 11 more mosquities, even PPP and Gerakan, please take a number at the UMNO counter!),including the Listed Companies (numbering 1,000-plus now at BURSAA MALAYSIAA, now rumoured to finally lis someLAUGHING STOCKS flagging off ZAM-ala-Kazam...).

BUT MEROTOCRACY STILL REIGNS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. But beware the encroaching greed of the UMNOputras, especially its Youth and its Putera chiefs! -- AND noteworthily, going by just-left Malaysian shore ex-EU Envo THIERY ROMMEL's farewell statements.the NEP will make inroads slowly but surely into the multinationals too.
Leave it to the second echelon leaders like Khairy Jamaluddin, who without any government seat of power, speaks like he's de facto DPM (Najib Razak, where art thou?) and his lackey, ... Azees somethin' caught with his pants down at some Subang Jaya joint, but one or two phone calls Kau Tim!

Alas, the things that are Rotten in Denmark-ala-NegaraKu, ex-PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said it best. Maybe the Bloggers can be depended on to report better the realities after the MSM defaulted, or cooperated,or copulated ... I dunno, you tell me!

3. Mediocrity is appreciated, Excellence can fly out of the window.
Need proof? See how many of the local universities' professors and assoc prof can have in their resumes at least five jurnal publications in their field of endeavour.
Even some VCs came without academic credentials, and more likely they carry refixes like Datuk,Datuk Wira, Datuk Stengah... Tan Sri, Puan Sri, DanSi..

About a decade ago, the then Ministry of Science, etc to serve NegaraKu. The number (mabe from 100-plus) still let standing after 365 days was just ONE. Ia, SATU. Semua sudah cabut. Apa sebab?Your gas is as goode as Desi's.

4. Your children, despite obtaining straight As at SPM and STPM, could not enter the public universities for choice courses like Medical and Law, but were instead "gifted" to do Science or Vet Sc; so you opt to send the kid --one only can afford! -- to prvate university. Expense AC drops by RM500,000 or aMore. Some of parents even have to sell one and only bungalow house to move into single-story terraced. Meanwhile, *Zak the Mad 'eros ex-gatekeeper (for Manchester United, ah?) builds his RM7-10mil mansion and his wife gets the adjacent piece of low-cost land so they could build a connecting air-raid tunnel should some smartalek mount a "V" attack next Nov 5...
*He by way of being UMNO state assemblyman can break any law, and what the blardy F***s yu Rakyat komplen? Jeles wans only, you Opposition and unemplyable Bloggers!

So Desi leaves thee with jest FOUR real reasons the blardy parliamentray sec dared not reveal because it's such a SHAME. Four in Chinoseie, fullblown or half-baked, nah mind, sounds like Si in Mandarin, and dialectvice, Sie, especially in Kantonis, so it's often used as a phrase Siliau-liau, or Sie-loh! Desi doesn't owe the blardy BN any sen, so dare goes!

So dear ER, you want to give up your citizenship?


Well, I say -- GO with my blessingsahead, it's a Global Village anywhere, anyhow, anybody.

As for your Caring Government, I read its mind wella: IT COULDN'T CARE LESS!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I almost puked at BF...

this moUrn was truly wedNURSEdie's childelike, Full Of Woe.

mGf Mr Coww, also a spiritual counsellor, had a copy of the NST with him, and so I glanced quickly through it. Page 13 headline almsot threw out all the Mamak mee I had ingested the past five minutes before the b'st'rd from Port Klang spoiled it all, that is,if what the newspaper highlighted turned out to be accurate.
What a way to start the morning ... wonder if I could sue the idiot. Too mild, the land and money grabber. Still not critical enough. Okay, settle for b.....d! (You folks spell it out for him, cos I think he and the former MB couldn't fill in the Queenlsand immigersi forma, but they could carry bags of currencies worth millions, AUD or US or RM... also got.)


After mansion, now more land?


The first two paras will suffice:

"SHAH ALAM: Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros is back in the limelight.

This time, an opposition leader has alleged that a piece of land adjacent to Zakaria'scontroversial mansion was recently gievn to the latter's wife."


GREED knows no bounds like an UMNO politikus allowed to act like a daylight robber and lord of all he surveys. What next? Annex the whole of Port Klang as his private property? Some could even now be motivated to commit murder next, and think they could get away with IT?

Maybe Menteri Khit Toyol handed the broom to the wrong councilof district office.Now he should use a INESWEEPER to demolish that blardy RM7-10million mansion and the blardy whole of 'holey Klang Municipal Council.

Long LiveSungai Pinang assemblyman TENG CHANG KIM.
Die-lah you blardy leeches, sonofbitches and daylight robbers. Join the late SA of IJOK as quickly as possible-lah!

I say SORRY to my ER, but not to these UMNO sonOF...... who openly commit acts of corruption and get away with it.

Pak Lah, Mr Clean, why don't you give Khir the golden broomstick and Zak the silver?
Keep the platinum for yourself -- the Rakayat are vely understanding wan!
Except for awe the "V" from Furong.
"V"OTE4CHANGE!
"V"eni, "V"idi, "V"ici!
"V"ote PKR!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

It's the Gerrymander, Stupid!

So many Opposition leaders, and NGO activists, keep barking up the wrong tree when they attack the Election Commssion for being the culprit behind "unfair and non-transparent" general elections. I agree basically the nation's general elections have been on the whole "free" in the sense, if you were properly registered voter, you can contest in, or vote, in any federal or state elections or by-elections, whether under a registered party's ticket, or as an "Independent".

What is not fair and transparent is that the incumbent Government, chiefly via big brother UMNO, has been abusing its powers in re-drawing the electroral constituencies in such a way the boundaries favour the ruling party, i.e. UMNO, and its 13-other component parties like MCA and MIC who received gladly the byproduct bonuses. In areas that where the Opposition need to be "neutralised" -- or its leaders neutered, that's what some, or most, deserve because they often roved true the saying "There is a price on every person's head!" (Refer XXX latter)! -- (for example it won by 5,000-vote majority the previous election), UMNO would re-draw the constituency to encompass certain UMNO-strongholds bringing in some 7,000-8,000 fresh voters who are diehard supportersor loyal to the Barisan Nasional becaue of fringe benefits accrued, accruing or accruable (Your pick!).



In the west, including in Australia, -- Yes, politicians share te same winning formula everywhere, win by hook or crook! -- they call this Gerrymandering.

THE ONE AND ONLY WAY to ovecome this biggest hurdle in the way of proportional and truly democratic representation in the Malaysian Parliament and State Assemblies is TO CHANGE THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT FORMED BY THE BARISAN NASIONAL.

Then the new Government should institure ELECTORAL REFORMS by making sure the Electoral Constituencies are reflective of proportional representation. Unlike now,where an UMNO stronghold in the rural areas could have a population of only 30,000 voters while an urban Opposition downtown Kuala Lumpur stronghold could have 90,000. Simple common sense dictates that the latter constituency should be represented by at least two, if not three, MPs, allowing for some sligt advantage given to the rural constituencies.


So the statement that generally elections have been "fair" is correct though debatable in essence and ethics -- witness the examples: the States of Kelantan (still under PAS rule) and Terengganu and Sabah .Only problem was that "running dogs" elected "smaller dogs" in Negri embilan and Penang did that though their treachery did not affect any change in state government!) This can be prevented by again instituting a change in Legislation to prevent any party-hopping, requiring any elected representative to "vacate" his/her/its seat if any wished to change party after election!



XXXPBS leaders like Pairin Kitingggan and his brother Jeffrey, who once had a chance to change such legislation but blew it -- and DAP's ex-stalwarts Tiger Lee, Khoo Seng Hock, Lim Fui Meng, running or jumping dogs -- what say you?


The next greatest problem the Opposition (I'll lave out the ***non-governmental organisations because I believe the majority of prominent NGO ACTIVISTS -- have their own agendas as questionable as the ruling Government masters they attack!) has to work around is the +++"shifting" of BN supporters as new voters to another constituency they have targeted in winning from the Opposition)


*** NGOs is nother issue I'll take up later when I am in the mood -- My premise now is that they are not truly interested in advancing society's interests but promoting a few INDIVIDUAL egos and little NGO Napoleons, I'll dwell on this further, and meanwhile, these idiotsare welcome to throw pies at Desi's Place! You think I careth?

+++This was well demonstrated when then MCA president Lee San Choon took on then DAP's sec-gen Lim Kit Siang's challenge to contest in any mainly-Chinese constituency in one election -- you ask when? hey, Desi's not of the ECbasketbola bat! Sr Yap, remember? Can I have my money back, I learnt later it was an "illegal" act:(0).

Long story short -- Lee wolfed down Dr Chen on account of Lim's sheepish character BUT also mostly because of the MCA head's heady ruse. He reportedly "shipped" several thousand (MCA) voters from Johore to Furong-lah before polling lists cut-off date. I think Lee was a Chinese warrior Sun Tzu's disciple -- he must have surveyed enemy territory before striking with terror! Moo_t, Chinoserie scholar, is Desi's guess right?


ASIDE: Somemonths back, there was another similar Chinese opera when some MCA leaders challenged the DAP sec-gen Lim Junior to fight it out like Gunfight at the OK Corral in Bukit Bintang (P) seat in the coming GE. BB is classified as a majority-Chinese seat and if Ong Ka Ting dareth behave like Lee San Coon and Guan Eng doeth not chicken out like his father did eons months ago, there will be a Wayang bigger than Furong once was. Maybe this time the Bn would build a bridge from Pasar Pudu to connect with Times Square -- more mega projects for UMBO and MCA cronies -- Gerakan and PPP, you queue behind MIC!

Please note that what EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman as reported in theSun today,page 2, was mainly correct, IMHO, his goof on stating he knew when the next GE would be called notwithstanding.

I won't pamper you lazy-bummer ER here, you pay 30en for a copy! -- just quote this line, me quoting the free Sun shine: "He said the commission can only do procedural changes and not structural changes such as changing the elcetion method."

So you people, whether stationary or running dogs, or hound2B, go bark up the right tree, will you?

STRIVE4CHANGE!
"V"ote4Change.
"V"ote PKR.

PS:
If against all odds, the PKR-led coalition forms the govr=erb=nemnt alternative to the BN -- essential most Malaysians' dream of a TWO-PARTY SYSTEM like in the US, UK and Australia -- Desi offers himself to be available as next EC chairman, can?


I promise to nominate a SE7EN Man-Wowan Commission that will make us 'ho'ly transparent, naked even if the female members don't mind living in Zak's style glass mansions!:).



ADDED
on Nov 22, 2007 as I sighted IT only today at johnleemk's Post titled: "BERSIH Rally: A Waste of Our Taxes!" dated Nov 10, 2007; surf to infernalramblings.com 4 fool read!:)

Dear John, how art thou? Are the Blondies bullying thee in the US of eh!? Recite them some of Desi's poems and they'll envelope thee with XoXo! Tau-pau some4me! Hehe!

"The most perfidious and sometimes perhaps most obvious travesty of democracy, of course, has to be how electoral constituencies are so blatantly gerrymandered. The way these constituencies are divided up makes no sense; why should my member of Parliament represent 100,000 people, while Putrajaya's represents only less than 10,000? This distortion basically ensures that some constituencies have a louder voice than others in Parliament, and makes the democratic process all but meaningless."