An Ode is a song normally full of joy. Sometimes man finds joy in big things, some in small things and some rare ones in Nothing.
Desi enjoys the simple things in Life. I'm God-fearing, hence I don't hesitate to chide some Young&Articulates when they boldly declare they don't believe in One. Then how do you distinguish Right from Wrong? Ethics? Is that sufficient because you find Homo sapiens is one quite bent on justifying his own frailties and foibles. I believe we need Conscience -- private to Self, and Public to Community, to lead a life of meaning.
I end the last day in May -- poets somehow eloquently dedicate many of their best works -- of Love and Passion -- to this fifth month in the ...... calendar, and so desi calims no exception.
Here goes an attempt at waxing a lusty wan:)
If thou knoweth thyself
You would not interfere with my thoughts in May
I deem this private domain sacred and sublime
Unless you brigeth me Joy amid Song, Women and Wine
No, I am not solde to lust and crust
It's just that I feel secure on a lass' bosom
Reciting to me Browning's verses not terse
And drowning manmade sorrows in rhythm and rhyme
How much do I love thee?
You have to to count the stars in the moonlit Malaysian sky
How much do you love mmee in return
I careth not lest I miss the fleeting smiles in they eye
It's not of riches on earth that I claim
It's not of Man's temporal fame
I seek a sincere heart
Making soft conversation
With just a French toast by my side
You pile it up with two layerings of peanut butter
served with thy soft touch of a caressing hand
I return the teasing with Ceylon tea with a fragrant additive
of Miss Sunthi (ginger, r'member?) and a smiling lemon
Ah, Malaysian soil can still be a wonderland
Leave alone those political theives
Just carve for thyself a li'l corner of its wondrous gifts
By rising sun, afternoon tropical heat and moonlit nights
We can savour steal a few unique Malaysian delites.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
80 Journalists Killed!
No, not in Malaysia-lah! So just be thankful
That happened since 1993 in a country called Russia. So just be thankful again you lived not in Russia.
As NegaraKu approaches its 50th birthday of Independence, we indeed have many blessings to be thankful for.
We are a lucky country -- rubber, oil palm, cocoa and other food crops grow pretty well in a troical land that is also spared many of Mother nature's fury in the form of earthquake, mighty flood, and tsunami (Penang and Langkawi notwithstanding that post-Christmas Boxing Day what year, ah?).
It does not mean Malaysians are unpatriotic if they also see the warts and all -- Third World mentality amidst First World infrastructure; grouses of public delivery systems despite inflated civil services force (creating quite a bone-of-contention/controversy brewing hot between DAP politician Tony Pua and Khairy Jamaludin, Deputy UMNO chief); laments of declining education-cum-English standards (once the envy of Commonwealth countries!); and of course, boorish and zoo-ish behaviour in our august House called Parliament and State Assemblies where sometimes Homo sapiens even rival the Animal Kingdom in base and banal demostrations not suitable even for juvenile viewing, but am I digressing?
So what is Desi's pont in all these?
Just that relating to my field of primary interest in which I had earned bread-and-butter for more than two decades -- journalism. This news item relates:
From the NST, May 30, 2007, page 30
80 journalists
killed since '93
MOSCOW: More than 80
journalists have been mur-
dered in Russia since 1993,
the world's largest journal-
lists' organisation said on
Monday. Of 289 journal-
ists killed in Russia over
the last 14 years, "more than
80 of the deaths resulted
from the work the journal-
ists wre doing directly,"
said John Crowfoot, re-
searcher at the internation-
al Federation of Journalists.
DESI: And why is Desi reproducing the report
with such columning text and word-breaks, I hear
some Ipoh curio-at asking.
Hey, just to prove one point -- that Blogging is time-consuming.
Even if one wished to C&P, it can't be done all the time. Such news
"snippets" are not available on the online edition, see? And that's a
rhetorical question! If you still don't know what "rhetorical" means,
getta oouch of hear!
Bck to Weddnesdae's rambling (usually a day of woe, according to wise-olde
nursery rime -- yeah, that's another spelling for "rhyme" , if you wanna know --
and while the report is woeful to Russians, it's lifting for Malaysians that we are
spared such a woeful state of affairs.
BUt my next point is that while we can be tahnkful Malaysian journalists generally
are safe in terms of coming nout of the courtroom, police station or minister's press rooms alive and well, there is still the question "Are we (jounalists) truly free to write as we are
supposed to write? Truthfully, without fear or favour?"
I leave thee to ponder over the state of the Fourth Estate (the Press) in Malaysia.
As well as the emerging Fifth Estate, which is in its early infancy stage, so it's too soon to tell where we are actually, but some signs have appeared, so remain concenred but stay vigilant. Am I sounding like a MinisterOfPropaganda-gandaMindaAnda?:(
Let's not benchmark ourselves against those ranked below us, in whatever field of human activity. So in media freedom, let's not compare with those countries trailing us -- such as Singapore (who we envy in many other fields, especially in Education and Economics), or Uganda or Zimbabwe. The Quest for Excellence means we look up to those above, or ahead of us -- be it looking East or West, North or South, or South-South. Just let's not pride ourselves as Jaguh Kampong while others are conquering outer space and we hop onto to a space-craft as paying tourists and claiming "Yes, we have arrived as astronauts!"
Desi is kidding, but you, my dear EsteemedReaders, don't kid thyself.
That happened since 1993 in a country called Russia. So just be thankful again you lived not in Russia.
As NegaraKu approaches its 50th birthday of Independence, we indeed have many blessings to be thankful for.
We are a lucky country -- rubber, oil palm, cocoa and other food crops grow pretty well in a troical land that is also spared many of Mother nature's fury in the form of earthquake, mighty flood, and tsunami (Penang and Langkawi notwithstanding that post-Christmas Boxing Day what year, ah?).
It does not mean Malaysians are unpatriotic if they also see the warts and all -- Third World mentality amidst First World infrastructure; grouses of public delivery systems despite inflated civil services force (creating quite a bone-of-contention/controversy brewing hot between DAP politician Tony Pua and Khairy Jamaludin, Deputy UMNO chief); laments of declining education-cum-English standards (once the envy of Commonwealth countries!); and of course, boorish and zoo-ish behaviour in our august House called Parliament and State Assemblies where sometimes Homo sapiens even rival the Animal Kingdom in base and banal demostrations not suitable even for juvenile viewing, but am I digressing?
So what is Desi's pont in all these?
Just that relating to my field of primary interest in which I had earned bread-and-butter for more than two decades -- journalism. This news item relates:
From the NST, May 30, 2007, page 30
80 journalists
killed since '93
MOSCOW: More than 80
journalists have been mur-
dered in Russia since 1993,
the world's largest journal-
lists' organisation said on
Monday. Of 289 journal-
ists killed in Russia over
the last 14 years, "more than
80 of the deaths resulted
from the work the journal-
ists wre doing directly,"
said John Crowfoot, re-
searcher at the internation-
al Federation of Journalists.
DESI: And why is Desi reproducing the report
with such columning text and word-breaks, I hear
some Ipoh curio-at asking.
Hey, just to prove one point -- that Blogging is time-consuming.
Even if one wished to C&P, it can't be done all the time. Such news
"snippets" are not available on the online edition, see? And that's a
rhetorical question! If you still don't know what "rhetorical" means,
getta oouch of hear!
Bck to Weddnesdae's rambling (usually a day of woe, according to wise-olde
nursery rime -- yeah, that's another spelling for "rhyme" , if you wanna know --
and while the report is woeful to Russians, it's lifting for Malaysians that we are
spared such a woeful state of affairs.
BUt my next point is that while we can be tahnkful Malaysian journalists generally
are safe in terms of coming nout of the courtroom, police station or minister's press rooms alive and well, there is still the question "Are we (jounalists) truly free to write as we are
supposed to write? Truthfully, without fear or favour?"
I leave thee to ponder over the state of the Fourth Estate (the Press) in Malaysia.
As well as the emerging Fifth Estate, which is in its early infancy stage, so it's too soon to tell where we are actually, but some signs have appeared, so remain concenred but stay vigilant. Am I sounding like a MinisterOfPropaganda-gandaMindaAnda?:(
Let's not benchmark ourselves against those ranked below us, in whatever field of human activity. So in media freedom, let's not compare with those countries trailing us -- such as Singapore (who we envy in many other fields, especially in Education and Economics), or Uganda or Zimbabwe. The Quest for Excellence means we look up to those above, or ahead of us -- be it looking East or West, North or South, or South-South. Just let's not pride ourselves as Jaguh Kampong while others are conquering outer space and we hop onto to a space-craft as paying tourists and claiming "Yes, we have arrived as astronauts!"
Desi is kidding, but you, my dear EsteemedReaders, don't kid thyself.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Can Anwar Formulate a PKR-DAP-PAS Axis?
Yesterday I wrote about the trio of political players -- PKR de facto leader DS Anwar Ibrahim, former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Blogger-cum-politicalforcetobereckonedwith Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and the adage of how "There are no permanent enemies or friends in politics; only permanent interests..." rings true.
I believe if the TRIO could subsume their personal interests to that of national interest, their CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS would result in a heightened force to help dethrone the Pak Lah adminstration. At an individual level, it's not a Herculean task to unite to face the common enemy, at least temporarily for the coming General Elections. It is a Win-Win formula if only someone friendly to all the three individuals can peddle the common medicine to the trio.
And today I'd like to tackle a more intractable problem arising from another TRIO -- the three Opposition parties represented by Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia. They may face a common enemy in the reality of Barisan Nasional, headed by Big Brother UMNO, but CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS thread is beyond a workable strategem at a party level.
Basically, PKR is one selling a new National Economic Agenda based on needs, not on race or colour or creed (to replace the NEP), with its attractions based on reforming a corrupt and incompetent Government.
The DAP has morphed from a multi-racial "Malaysian Malaysia" to a largely single race, Malaysian Chinese, party perceived as selling an out-dated Agenda still echo-ing its historic links with the PAP-led Singaporean republic. No doubt DAP leaders would still claim a multi-racial base, with some Malaysian Indian faces in its line-up, but can we recall any Malaysian Malay leader of some substance?
(NOTE: Desi hates classifying Malaysians into ethnic subgroups-- so the foregoing point is mainly as a statement of facts based on Malaysia's harsh political reality.)
PAS has just one over-arching agenda, which is Islam, and it won't budge from compromising with this its raison d'etre (reason of being).
DESI's SPECIAL NOTE OF DETOUR, NOT DIGRESSION: If I have my choice, I wish I could wave a magic wand and abolish any political parties anchored on any religion as its core agenda, whether Islam, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist. A parliamentary democratic system under a monarchy must separate the State from Religion. But this can become another forum topic which I won't take on today. Frankly , I don't foresee myself engaging on this topic any day soon as any discourse involving Religion as a highlight will be another Till-the-cows-come-home variety...sewrves no useful purpose in my humble opinion. So I hope my ER don't dwell too much on this sub-topic -- comments IN PASSING okay-lah!
Okay, now where was I?
The PKR-DAP-PAS alliance. Can it work as an Alternative Front to the dominant Barisan Nasional and who can formulate the axis strong and credible enogh to topple the incumbent BN Government?
At most, in the coming GE, they can form an adhoc electoral understanding -- as in the past GEs -- to "temporarily" face a common foe to "deny the BN its two-thirds majority". I get feedback to many Malaysian voters that they don't see the Opposiution getting its act together, and they will just vote for the Devil-they-know...How more sad a state can the electorate descend into?
*This suits the DAP fine. It has never harboured ambitions beyond fielding some loud voice in Parliament. It has ambitions to dethrone the Gerakan-led State Government in Penang though (well, as long as the Lim dynasty controls the party.)
**Ths suits the PAS fine. It knows for certain it won't appeal to the non-Muslims, so it aims only to form State governments in the Malay-heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.
***This situation puts PKR in a dilemma.
It is led by a former Deputy Prime Minister.
Someone who was just one heartbeat away from the nation's CEO post will not bargain for anything less than the Prime Ministership, if not the coming GE, at least with the roadmap towards the GE that follows, most likely minus Pak Lah from the landscape, aqnd the subsequent one stretching over a decade.
Can Anwar convince DAP and PAS to pull their armies together to help him achieve that goal.
I believe the outcome depends on his sincerity in proving himself a true Malaysian leader in resonance with the new millennium, that his call for reform is not mere sloganeering but a genuine transformation of his corrupt UMNO days that saw him pay the highest price any politician in NegaraKu has paid thus far.
But Anwar must have Miss Patience by his side. Ten years from now he would be aged 70. Stark reality that stares at a politician racing against time, unless he can get some help from "unexpected" quarters. I won't elaborate on "unexpected" as this is mere rumours I've heard and also some stirrings in a writer's imaginative mind. Commission Desi on a 20million writing project and he may oblige-lah! Who was it who said: there is a price on everyone's head?
YL CHONG is prepared to give Anwar a second chance to prove himself in the next 10-15 years. But he and his PKR members must be 100 percent dedicated and focused for the long term gain and not be derailed by UMNO-like shortterm spoils. But there are also many Malaysians -- numbering among them some of my friends -- who aren't that generous to give Anwat the benefit of the doubt, so who can blame -- or persuade -- them? I tried.
And who is Desiderata to write of such lofty goals for Anwar and his band?
I declare I am an interested party -- I signed up for PKR membership just four months-plus ago. I did not sell out as I have always been an Opposition supporter. I just switched vehicles.
I believe if the TRIO could subsume their personal interests to that of national interest, their CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS would result in a heightened force to help dethrone the Pak Lah adminstration. At an individual level, it's not a Herculean task to unite to face the common enemy, at least temporarily for the coming General Elections. It is a Win-Win formula if only someone friendly to all the three individuals can peddle the common medicine to the trio.
And today I'd like to tackle a more intractable problem arising from another TRIO -- the three Opposition parties represented by Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia. They may face a common enemy in the reality of Barisan Nasional, headed by Big Brother UMNO, but CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS thread is beyond a workable strategem at a party level.
Basically, PKR is one selling a new National Economic Agenda based on needs, not on race or colour or creed (to replace the NEP), with its attractions based on reforming a corrupt and incompetent Government.
The DAP has morphed from a multi-racial "Malaysian Malaysia" to a largely single race, Malaysian Chinese, party perceived as selling an out-dated Agenda still echo-ing its historic links with the PAP-led Singaporean republic. No doubt DAP leaders would still claim a multi-racial base, with some Malaysian Indian faces in its line-up, but can we recall any Malaysian Malay leader of some substance?
(NOTE: Desi hates classifying Malaysians into ethnic subgroups-- so the foregoing point is mainly as a statement of facts based on Malaysia's harsh political reality.)
PAS has just one over-arching agenda, which is Islam, and it won't budge from compromising with this its raison d'etre (reason of being).
DESI's SPECIAL NOTE OF DETOUR, NOT DIGRESSION: If I have my choice, I wish I could wave a magic wand and abolish any political parties anchored on any religion as its core agenda, whether Islam, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist. A parliamentary democratic system under a monarchy must separate the State from Religion. But this can become another forum topic which I won't take on today. Frankly , I don't foresee myself engaging on this topic any day soon as any discourse involving Religion as a highlight will be another Till-the-cows-come-home variety...sewrves no useful purpose in my humble opinion. So I hope my ER don't dwell too much on this sub-topic -- comments IN PASSING okay-lah!
Okay, now where was I?
The PKR-DAP-PAS alliance. Can it work as an Alternative Front to the dominant Barisan Nasional and who can formulate the axis strong and credible enogh to topple the incumbent BN Government?
At most, in the coming GE, they can form an adhoc electoral understanding -- as in the past GEs -- to "temporarily" face a common foe to "deny the BN its two-thirds majority". I get feedback to many Malaysian voters that they don't see the Opposiution getting its act together, and they will just vote for the Devil-they-know...How more sad a state can the electorate descend into?
*This suits the DAP fine. It has never harboured ambitions beyond fielding some loud voice in Parliament. It has ambitions to dethrone the Gerakan-led State Government in Penang though (well, as long as the Lim dynasty controls the party.)
**Ths suits the PAS fine. It knows for certain it won't appeal to the non-Muslims, so it aims only to form State governments in the Malay-heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.
***This situation puts PKR in a dilemma.
It is led by a former Deputy Prime Minister.
Someone who was just one heartbeat away from the nation's CEO post will not bargain for anything less than the Prime Ministership, if not the coming GE, at least with the roadmap towards the GE that follows, most likely minus Pak Lah from the landscape, aqnd the subsequent one stretching over a decade.
Can Anwar convince DAP and PAS to pull their armies together to help him achieve that goal.
I believe the outcome depends on his sincerity in proving himself a true Malaysian leader in resonance with the new millennium, that his call for reform is not mere sloganeering but a genuine transformation of his corrupt UMNO days that saw him pay the highest price any politician in NegaraKu has paid thus far.
But Anwar must have Miss Patience by his side. Ten years from now he would be aged 70. Stark reality that stares at a politician racing against time, unless he can get some help from "unexpected" quarters. I won't elaborate on "unexpected" as this is mere rumours I've heard and also some stirrings in a writer's imaginative mind. Commission Desi on a 20million writing project and he may oblige-lah! Who was it who said: there is a price on everyone's head?
YL CHONG is prepared to give Anwar a second chance to prove himself in the next 10-15 years. But he and his PKR members must be 100 percent dedicated and focused for the long term gain and not be derailed by UMNO-like shortterm spoils. But there are also many Malaysians -- numbering among them some of my friends -- who aren't that generous to give Anwat the benefit of the doubt, so who can blame -- or persuade -- them? I tried.
And who is Desiderata to write of such lofty goals for Anwar and his band?
I declare I am an interested party -- I signed up for PKR membership just four months-plus ago. I did not sell out as I have always been an Opposition supporter. I just switched vehicles.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Community Service Message 4TP
TP is Tony Pua, and if you have to ask Desi who he is,
you are not among his and my cronies:)
__________________ MSG starts_________________________
English Forum:
CIVIL SERVICE EXCELLENCE: QUALITY VS QUANTITY
"The Government must hence take the painful but very important step of trimming the civil service sector into a leaner and more efficient machine? The increase in pay will be a waste of public funds, if the move is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in civil service productivity."~~ Tony Pua
"Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO mendesak Pua dan DAP mengambil langkah memperbetulkan kata-kata mereka yang langsung tidak bertimbang rasa dan begitu menghina sekali.
"Pua's negative comments about the civil service can cause considerable damage to the morale and image of the public sector." ~~ Khairy Jamaluddin
_________________ MSG ends_____________________
DESI: And like awe things laced with msg -- aji-jino-moto, remember dat jingle!--
it tastes better when shared with fRiends. So bring as many as possible, quote you heard IT from Desi's Place so I can claim my 30%!
I'm steal far away from my 20million I-LAND:)
you are not among his and my cronies:)
__________________ MSG starts_________________________
English Forum:
CIVIL SERVICE EXCELLENCE: QUALITY VS QUANTITY
"The Government must hence take the painful but very important step of trimming the civil service sector into a leaner and more efficient machine? The increase in pay will be a waste of public funds, if the move is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in civil service productivity."~~ Tony Pua
"Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO mendesak Pua dan DAP mengambil langkah memperbetulkan kata-kata mereka yang langsung tidak bertimbang rasa dan begitu menghina sekali.
"Pua's negative comments about the civil service can cause considerable damage to the morale and image of the public sector." ~~ Khairy Jamaluddin
Panel of Distinguished Speakers
Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR Treasurer (Desi: Nat Tan of PKR Information Bureau informs Khalid has just been appointed PKR Secreatry-General)
A. H. Ponniah, former Secretary of Public Service International (Asia-Pacific Region)
Nurul Izzah Anwar, Special Assistant to Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Tony Pua, Economic Advisor to DAP Secretary-General
* Open invitation to Khairy Jamaluddin, UMNO Deputy Youth Chief*
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Date: 30th May 2007 (Wednesday)Time: 8.00 pm
Admission is Free; Bring Friends
_________________ MSG ends_____________________
DESI: And like awe things laced with msg -- aji-jino-moto, remember dat jingle!--
it tastes better when shared with fRiends. So bring as many as possible, quote you heard IT from Desi's Place so I can claim my 30%!
I'm steal far away from my 20million I-LAND:)
Sundae went by peacefully
Yesterdae was no Ides of March
Cows and sheep did not fall from the sky
Though Furong mornin' landscape was slightly grey
Maybe one witch did not brew too well
Mother Nature's fury Desi did not fell
The neighbour dogs bayed a little, the cats meowed
The kids and ma'ams went to market for a while
And me and my kaki down to CON BF were not shy
We tarried till capitalistic roast lamb lunch
We waited for a free lunch, not e'en deliver'd by da specialbrunch
My sifu Max Ehrmann must have heard his disciple's prayer
Yes, I wish to go placidly into the dae and the 'night
If silence be my companion and I need to down a pint of beer
Zorro and his bar mates like Shar and Mob I'd oblige far and near
It's the common heart beats that compose Life's symphony
I know I am in the right sort of company
No one's goin' to remove Desi's innards tonight I pray
O' Lord, no doubt todae it's Monday blues
Continue to bless Desi with bosomy Gdae
Keep me sober and give me rainbow's hues
Don't rain dogs and cats on the Seremban parade
Protect Desi from witches' toxic brew for the sext decade
12.13pm May 28, 2007
*PS: I heard my fave palindrome nat nat whisper "Alhamdillah".
Cows and sheep did not fall from the sky
Though Furong mornin' landscape was slightly grey
Maybe one witch did not brew too well
Mother Nature's fury Desi did not fell
The neighbour dogs bayed a little, the cats meowed
The kids and ma'ams went to market for a while
And me and my kaki down to CON BF were not shy
We tarried till capitalistic roast lamb lunch
We waited for a free lunch, not e'en deliver'd by da specialbrunch
My sifu Max Ehrmann must have heard his disciple's prayer
Yes, I wish to go placidly into the dae and the 'night
If silence be my companion and I need to down a pint of beer
Zorro and his bar mates like Shar and Mob I'd oblige far and near
It's the common heart beats that compose Life's symphony
I know I am in the right sort of company
No one's goin' to remove Desi's innards tonight I pray
O' Lord, no doubt todae it's Monday blues
Continue to bless Desi with bosomy Gdae
Keep me sober and give me rainbow's hues
Don't rain dogs and cats on the Seremban parade
Protect Desi from witches' toxic brew for the sext decade
12.13pm May 28, 2007
*PS: I heard my fave palindrome nat nat whisper "Alhamdillah".
Sunday, May 27, 2007
No permanent enemies or friends
In politics, it is said, and here's a case study, with Desi looking askance harbouring interesting thoughts.
Two interesting personalities -- Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Anwar Ibrahim.
At a recent dialogue between former DPM Anwar and the National Alliance of Bloggers led by Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru, I had the cheeky opportunity to ask of Anwar something that had been on my mind:
What is the situation that led to cooling-off of relations between you and Raja Petra -- who was Director of freeanwarcampaign -- but now as host of malaysia-today.net, is not so supportive of him in his polical struggle, and in fact, had shown much in common territory with fomer PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had been his "target" before Anwar's release from prison on allegedly "trumped up" corruption charges.
Anwar answered to the effect that tey remained "friends" as in the sense they are still meeting and talking, but agreed things were not as "warm" as before when Raja Petra head the movement that contributed much to his (Anwar's) eventual release. Anwar intimated that he could not "fulfill" some of the expectations on Raja Petra's part.
I titled my Post thus because I believe that Raja Petra --whose weblog enjoys the highest number of visitors/hits among Malaysian blogs -- plays an important and influential role in Malaysian politics; so like it or not, he cannot escape much political spotlighting. Hence, I believe his "position" is akin to a politician with respect to his relations with Anwar and Dr Mahathir. Raja Petra evolves, Anwar changes, so also Mahathir transforms, and surpris of surprises, sometimes THEIR OBJECTIVES COINCIDE!
I cite two recennt incidents.
Ijok By-election
Dr Mahathir in fact caled on the Ijok electors not to cast votes for ad administration considered largely "incompetent". THat call indirectly would mean the voters had to vote for PKR candidate, and not the BN-MIC candidate.
bum2007 Bloggers Gathering
It was with some frankness and ironic wit that Raja Petra disclosed at a Bloggers' Gathring on May 19, 2007 night that his primary objective is contribute his efforts in kicking out the Administration under Pak Lah (Desi is not too sure it Raja Petra also means over-throwing the Barisan Nasional led by UMNO government if Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not leading it, but that's another separate issue possibly arising in future?)
PKR CONGRESS IN SEREMBAN MAY 25-27, 2007
Happily, yesterday May 26, 2007 I "bumped" into Raja Petra again in my home territory -- Seremban, which is hosting the PKR Congress, elections year some more! -- I believe we were the two "bloggers" present. Raja knottuily asked what in capacity I was attending the function, and I cheekily said as "observer" to make sure the otrhers present would behave themselves! The princely Blogger did not give Desi to ask in what capacity he was there/dare!
I believe whatever it's the true relations between them, Anwar and Raja Petra are well aware of the adage:
THERE ARE NO PERMANENT ENEMIES OR FRIENDS IN POLITICS.
Only the "interests" are parmanent, and this includes self-interest too, IMHO-lah!
LATER:
I surfed over to his famous Blog for an update, so here is a belated Quotable Quote dated May 22 from a Post titled:
The circus is in town
Category: General
Posted by: Raja Petra
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
_________________________ QUOTE _______________
"Politics is about perception, not reality. It is what people perceive you to be that matters. And if you can successfully create this right perception then you have it made. And Anwar has been able to create the perception which people would like to see in their leaders. That is Anwar’s forte which other politicians, even the likes of Mahathir Mohamad, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Najib Tun Razak, have not been able to emulate how much they may try.
People either support Mahathir, Ku Li, Abdullah and Najib for what they are, or oppose them for what they are not. This, they are very clear of.
In Anwar’s case though, people support him or oppose him for what they think he is or is not, as the case may be. It is the perception of what they like or dislike about him that they either resent or love. For all intents and purposes, people support Anwar or oppose him for imaginary reasons.
That is what makes Anwar a cut above the rest. (NB: Emphasis in BOLD is Desi's)
But now that game can no longer be played. It is time for Anwar to rid himself of this charade and to discard all those many masks that he dons -- different ones which he pulls out at different times depending on the audience at that particular point of time. Krakatoa is on the boil."
_________________ Ends Quote ________________
DESIDERATA: I suggest the de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat should spend sometime reading Raja Petra's -- this Blogger makes a lot of sense. I will remember to remind paid macai Nik Nazmi that he has his homework made easier for him -- Thanks to Blogsworld.
Q1 to Nik:
"Can we now make for claims for re-imbursements, Nik?"
Q2 to Eli (is she also a paid macai? I must get detail from her next we meet, please remind Desi!):
"Or can I have roast lamb chop for our next meal, mGf, for I did not really have more than 3 small bytes that night at LVC. You and BigDog got there/dare first!"
Two interesting personalities -- Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Anwar Ibrahim.
At a recent dialogue between former DPM Anwar and the National Alliance of Bloggers led by Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru, I had the cheeky opportunity to ask of Anwar something that had been on my mind:
What is the situation that led to cooling-off of relations between you and Raja Petra -- who was Director of freeanwarcampaign -- but now as host of malaysia-today.net, is not so supportive of him in his polical struggle, and in fact, had shown much in common territory with fomer PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had been his "target" before Anwar's release from prison on allegedly "trumped up" corruption charges.
Anwar answered to the effect that tey remained "friends" as in the sense they are still meeting and talking, but agreed things were not as "warm" as before when Raja Petra head the movement that contributed much to his (Anwar's) eventual release. Anwar intimated that he could not "fulfill" some of the expectations on Raja Petra's part.
I titled my Post thus because I believe that Raja Petra --whose weblog enjoys the highest number of visitors/hits among Malaysian blogs -- plays an important and influential role in Malaysian politics; so like it or not, he cannot escape much political spotlighting. Hence, I believe his "position" is akin to a politician with respect to his relations with Anwar and Dr Mahathir. Raja Petra evolves, Anwar changes, so also Mahathir transforms, and surpris of surprises, sometimes THEIR OBJECTIVES COINCIDE!
I cite two recennt incidents.
Ijok By-election
Dr Mahathir in fact caled on the Ijok electors not to cast votes for ad administration considered largely "incompetent". THat call indirectly would mean the voters had to vote for PKR candidate, and not the BN-MIC candidate.
bum2007 Bloggers Gathering
It was with some frankness and ironic wit that Raja Petra disclosed at a Bloggers' Gathring on May 19, 2007 night that his primary objective is contribute his efforts in kicking out the Administration under Pak Lah (Desi is not too sure it Raja Petra also means over-throwing the Barisan Nasional led by UMNO government if Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not leading it, but that's another separate issue possibly arising in future?)
PKR CONGRESS IN SEREMBAN MAY 25-27, 2007
Happily, yesterday May 26, 2007 I "bumped" into Raja Petra again in my home territory -- Seremban, which is hosting the PKR Congress, elections year some more! -- I believe we were the two "bloggers" present. Raja knottuily asked what in capacity I was attending the function, and I cheekily said as "observer" to make sure the otrhers present would behave themselves! The princely Blogger did not give Desi to ask in what capacity he was there/dare!
I believe whatever it's the true relations between them, Anwar and Raja Petra are well aware of the adage:
THERE ARE NO PERMANENT ENEMIES OR FRIENDS IN POLITICS.
Only the "interests" are parmanent, and this includes self-interest too, IMHO-lah!
LATER:
I surfed over to his famous Blog for an update, so here is a belated Quotable Quote dated May 22 from a Post titled:
The circus is in town
Category: General
Posted by: Raja Petra
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
_________________________ QUOTE _______________
"Politics is about perception, not reality. It is what people perceive you to be that matters. And if you can successfully create this right perception then you have it made. And Anwar has been able to create the perception which people would like to see in their leaders. That is Anwar’s forte which other politicians, even the likes of Mahathir Mohamad, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Najib Tun Razak, have not been able to emulate how much they may try.
People either support Mahathir, Ku Li, Abdullah and Najib for what they are, or oppose them for what they are not. This, they are very clear of.
In Anwar’s case though, people support him or oppose him for what they think he is or is not, as the case may be. It is the perception of what they like or dislike about him that they either resent or love. For all intents and purposes, people support Anwar or oppose him for imaginary reasons.
That is what makes Anwar a cut above the rest. (NB: Emphasis in BOLD is Desi's)
But now that game can no longer be played. It is time for Anwar to rid himself of this charade and to discard all those many masks that he dons -- different ones which he pulls out at different times depending on the audience at that particular point of time. Krakatoa is on the boil."
_________________ Ends Quote ________________
DESIDERATA: I suggest the de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat should spend sometime reading Raja Petra's -- this Blogger makes a lot of sense. I will remember to remind paid macai Nik Nazmi that he has his homework made easier for him -- Thanks to Blogsworld.
Q1 to Nik:
"Can we now make for claims for re-imbursements, Nik?"
Q2 to Eli (is she also a paid macai? I must get detail from her next we meet, please remind Desi!):
"Or can I have roast lamb chop for our next meal, mGf, for I did not really have more than 3 small bytes that night at LVC. You and BigDog got there/dare first!"
Anonymous Commenters NOT WELCOME Anymore Hear!
Sunday's normally a time for Rumination for Desi, hence Sundae Inter:lude, and previously, Desiderata.English to promote literary works with a predilection -- oh, yes, BIG words from this show-off sometimes! -- for Poetry.
Today I am a little restless; several intruders to my mindscape recently refuse to go away even after I have politely told them to lay off. Yes, I hinted that "I did not wish to engage" anymore in conversation with them, but their skin is as thick as a Hippotamus (is that a good metaphor?) or worse byting, ala UMNO crocodile's skin (my political activism showing?) which will swallow the victim 'hole, even after Con BF of roasted lamb not withstanding.
With immediate effect, Desi's Place will no longer enterttain ANONYMOUS commenters except for merit-based ER (EsteemedReaders) like NSTman who have earned my trust and have explained to Desi why they need a "nick". I share my experience about one "moo_t" who engaged Desi regularly without ID-ing himself -- until much "persuasion" from Desi that I would prefer to at least know a link to my Commenters who visit regularly; otherwise I won't spare the time for longer chats. Now I know moo-t also runs the caffeinbar!
I wouldn't mind engaging with others, especially Bloggers, using Pseudonyms like Maverick, AnakMerdeka, Howsy; Twisted Heels, Primrose and sweets; very often we progress to Email exchanges, and even meeting up in person (how I miss those G7 delegates meetings!:) so we may perhaps graduate into firm terrestrial fRiends. I thank my Lucky Stars I have indeed met many interesting travelling companions in Blog's Journey I started on Ides of March 2005. I hope some would truly remain as lifelong fRiends. I know by my instincts and a poet's insight/discernment? a "few" would, and I say a Prayer each night before I wander off to wonderland that GodBlessThem, wherever they are and will be.
I also hope they do the same for Desi, saying I.S.A:... I mean, because I believe when similar voices, however small individually, will converge and build up into a crescendo of unified force and direction to help all the contributors selves to ward off evil forces. On land or o'er blogosphere. There are many people who have idle minds, and an IDLE MIND IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste...
as my sifu Max Ehrmann promotes in his desiderata of happiness, and
Remember what peace there may be in silence.
Today I am a little restless; several intruders to my mindscape recently refuse to go away even after I have politely told them to lay off. Yes, I hinted that "I did not wish to engage" anymore in conversation with them, but their skin is as thick as a Hippotamus (is that a good metaphor?) or worse byting, ala UMNO crocodile's skin (my political activism showing?) which will swallow the victim 'hole, even after Con BF of roasted lamb not withstanding.
With immediate effect, Desi's Place will no longer enterttain ANONYMOUS commenters except for merit-based ER (EsteemedReaders) like NSTman who have earned my trust and have explained to Desi why they need a "nick". I share my experience about one "moo_t" who engaged Desi regularly without ID-ing himself -- until much "persuasion" from Desi that I would prefer to at least know a link to my Commenters who visit regularly; otherwise I won't spare the time for longer chats. Now I know moo-t also runs the caffeinbar!
I wouldn't mind engaging with others, especially Bloggers, using Pseudonyms like Maverick, AnakMerdeka, Howsy; Twisted Heels, Primrose and sweets; very often we progress to Email exchanges, and even meeting up in person (how I miss those G7 delegates meetings!:) so we may perhaps graduate into firm terrestrial fRiends. I thank my Lucky Stars I have indeed met many interesting travelling companions in Blog's Journey I started on Ides of March 2005. I hope some would truly remain as lifelong fRiends. I know by my instincts and a poet's insight/discernment? a "few" would, and I say a Prayer each night before I wander off to wonderland that GodBlessThem, wherever they are and will be.
I also hope they do the same for Desi, saying I.S.A:... I mean, because I believe when similar voices, however small individually, will converge and build up into a crescendo of unified force and direction to help all the contributors selves to ward off evil forces. On land or o'er blogosphere. There are many people who have idle minds, and an IDLE MIND IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste...
as my sifu Max Ehrmann promotes in his desiderata of happiness, and
Remember what peace there may be in silence.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Wan Azizah Remains PKR President, Temporarily
For The Record:
Incumbent Parti Keadilan Rakyat Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail has said she would remain in the top post of the party only until her husband, DS Anwar Ibrahim could take over once the time-bar of five years runs its course in April 2008.
She also was quoted by malaysiakini.com this afternoon as saying that “I am the de jure president and Anwar is de facto president … People will understand my predicament that I am in politics by accident.”
The sole PKR Member of Parliament (Permatang Pauh) retained her post as PKR president after contenders Anwar and former party treasurer Abdul Rahman Othman pulled out.
PKR election committee head William Leong officially announced Wan Azizah’s new three-year term at 3.10pm at a school in Seremban, where the party’s second election and fourth congress were held, malaysiakini reported.
DESIDERATA: Is happy to note the "big hearted" way Abdul Rahman decided to withdraw in the spirit of preserving party solidarity. Had a contest proceeded one-to-one with the incumbent President, there would have been ill feelings created between the supporters of the two camps, a situation the 9-year-old party can ill-afford with General Elections expected to be called before April 2008. (Then BN president would thus prevent Anwar's contest in the 12th GE as his time bar would still be a stumbling block to Anwar's active politics participation, the same hurdle preventing his contest for the PKR presidency this morning.)
That Anwar would still lead the Opposition charge against the BN in the forthcoming general elections is never in doubt for at trhe moment, he is the only Opposition leader with the clout and stature to act as a rallying for the three main parties -- PKR, PAS and DAP -- to give some semblance of a united front.
The issue of urgency that Anwar/Wan Azizah need to address is to bridge the Islamic dogma-centred PAS and the Chinese-dominated DAP which is now holding the largest number of MP seats after the March 2004 GE, with its Chairman Lim Kit Siang sitting pretty as Opposition Leader. Anwar would have to "sell" his party's newly-minted National Economic Agenda (NEA) to the whole nation, and it would be the Malay consituency who needs the most convincing that the NEA would be a better alternative to the NEP (New Economic Policy) that the big brother in the 14-member BN coalition , UMNO, has been relentlessly championing for more than three decades.
Would Anwar be able to truly convince the non-Malay constuencies that he truly had abandoned UMNO politics to progress a different agenda based on economic needs, not on race, religion or colour?
Malaysia enters a critical phase of electoral contest soon with progressive ideas and programmes that PKR spearheads, trying to dethrone entrenched decades-long policies much maligned by the general populace as being blatantly abuised by UMNOputras, widening the gulf between the rich and the have-nots. The globalisation monster has made countries borderless and Malaysia cannot forever depend on its oil resources to buttress its sliding competitiveness and protected interests against global trends.
Desi prays that innovative thinking and decency wins over olde thinking and corrupt ways. I pray not for myself but for Malaysia, NegaraKu, which I love. In fact most Malaysians -- save the corrupt oners who stash their ill-gotten gains through illegal ways and means -- are patriotic to this Lucky Country. We must not allow the delinquent minority to continue to plunder the nation's resources at the expense of the long-suffering "silent" majority. God save us from the wayward ones who rob and plunder in the Steal of the Malaysina moonlit night.
Who wants to say
I:
S:
A:...?
Incumbent Parti Keadilan Rakyat Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail has said she would remain in the top post of the party only until her husband, DS Anwar Ibrahim could take over once the time-bar of five years runs its course in April 2008.
She also was quoted by malaysiakini.com this afternoon as saying that “I am the de jure president and Anwar is de facto president … People will understand my predicament that I am in politics by accident.”
The sole PKR Member of Parliament (Permatang Pauh) retained her post as PKR president after contenders Anwar and former party treasurer Abdul Rahman Othman pulled out.
PKR election committee head William Leong officially announced Wan Azizah’s new three-year term at 3.10pm at a school in Seremban, where the party’s second election and fourth congress were held, malaysiakini reported.
DESIDERATA: Is happy to note the "big hearted" way Abdul Rahman decided to withdraw in the spirit of preserving party solidarity. Had a contest proceeded one-to-one with the incumbent President, there would have been ill feelings created between the supporters of the two camps, a situation the 9-year-old party can ill-afford with General Elections expected to be called before April 2008. (Then BN president would thus prevent Anwar's contest in the 12th GE as his time bar would still be a stumbling block to Anwar's active politics participation, the same hurdle preventing his contest for the PKR presidency this morning.)
That Anwar would still lead the Opposition charge against the BN in the forthcoming general elections is never in doubt for at trhe moment, he is the only Opposition leader with the clout and stature to act as a rallying for the three main parties -- PKR, PAS and DAP -- to give some semblance of a united front.
The issue of urgency that Anwar/Wan Azizah need to address is to bridge the Islamic dogma-centred PAS and the Chinese-dominated DAP which is now holding the largest number of MP seats after the March 2004 GE, with its Chairman Lim Kit Siang sitting pretty as Opposition Leader. Anwar would have to "sell" his party's newly-minted National Economic Agenda (NEA) to the whole nation, and it would be the Malay consituency who needs the most convincing that the NEA would be a better alternative to the NEP (New Economic Policy) that the big brother in the 14-member BN coalition , UMNO, has been relentlessly championing for more than three decades.
Would Anwar be able to truly convince the non-Malay constuencies that he truly had abandoned UMNO politics to progress a different agenda based on economic needs, not on race, religion or colour?
Malaysia enters a critical phase of electoral contest soon with progressive ideas and programmes that PKR spearheads, trying to dethrone entrenched decades-long policies much maligned by the general populace as being blatantly abuised by UMNOputras, widening the gulf between the rich and the have-nots. The globalisation monster has made countries borderless and Malaysia cannot forever depend on its oil resources to buttress its sliding competitiveness and protected interests against global trends.
Desi prays that innovative thinking and decency wins over olde thinking and corrupt ways. I pray not for myself but for Malaysia, NegaraKu, which I love. In fact most Malaysians -- save the corrupt oners who stash their ill-gotten gains through illegal ways and means -- are patriotic to this Lucky Country. We must not allow the delinquent minority to continue to plunder the nation's resources at the expense of the long-suffering "silent" majority. God save us from the wayward ones who rob and plunder in the Steal of the Malaysina moonlit night.
Who wants to say
I:
S:
A:...?
There's a queen of tarts
In blogosphere someone cometh bum-ming into my home
She appears all heart, but also she's arrogated the role as queen of tarts
She wants Desi to account how I made my honey and money
She even wants me to account how much I spent on the neighbourhood monkey
O' God, even my Dad had not been so demanding
Like asking why Desi had not been to church since slipping
On my moral station if I had any for to start
Here cometh a self-*AP queen whipping
So I ask her: Art thou master of Integrity Retard?
Why don't you go dig a hole
Share the madhouse with anther mole
I have seen enough of such queens ridin' on moral high horses
You can now descend, bend o'er, kiss my arse and the asses'
NOTE:
*AP hear for those uninitiated wrt Desi's DDC -- thanks Helen! -- is short for agent provocateur ,
Lately on blogosphere there are a few kicking up ruckus here and yonder;
Hey, don't cometh into my cyber abode or SMS calling me your fRiend,
Drop that R, Tiger, or beware this ass' left kick when you bend.
She appears all heart, but also she's arrogated the role as queen of tarts
She wants Desi to account how I made my honey and money
She even wants me to account how much I spent on the neighbourhood monkey
O' God, even my Dad had not been so demanding
Like asking why Desi had not been to church since slipping
On my moral station if I had any for to start
Here cometh a self-*AP queen whipping
So I ask her: Art thou master of Integrity Retard?
Why don't you go dig a hole
Share the madhouse with anther mole
I have seen enough of such queens ridin' on moral high horses
You can now descend, bend o'er, kiss my arse and the asses'
NOTE:
*AP hear for those uninitiated wrt Desi's DDC -- thanks Helen! -- is short for agent provocateur ,
Lately on blogosphere there are a few kicking up ruckus here and yonder;
Hey, don't cometh into my cyber abode or SMS calling me your fRiend,
Drop that R, Tiger, or beware this ass' left kick when you bend.
Something Expected by PKR Adviser?
Picked up this news break from jelas.info; it's something that DS Anwar Ibrahim expected, in my opinion.
Politics is predictable when you deal with Barisan Nasional controlling bodies like Election Commision, Registrar of Societies, ah, also MSM aka mainstream media, according to mGf Howsy now having a bus(H?)man's holiday!
ROS REJECTS ANWAR APPLICATION TO CONTEST
May 25, 2007 at 06:33 PM
Anwar Ibrahim, Advisor of the People's Justice Party (KeADILan) and one of the three candidates for presidency of the party, received a notice from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) this afternoon, rejecting his application to contest.
Anwar has since filed an appeal to the Home Minister.Under the Societies Act, the Home Minister has the right to grant him a waiver.
KeADILan strongly condemns such the move by ROS as a deliberate ploy to prevent the reemergence of Anwar Ibrahim into active political leadership. He has expressed his intention to go ahead with the elections tomorrow.
Tian Chua
Information Chief
People's Justice Party (KeADILan)
Politics is predictable when you deal with Barisan Nasional controlling bodies like Election Commision, Registrar of Societies, ah, also MSM aka mainstream media, according to mGf Howsy now having a bus(H?)man's holiday!
ROS REJECTS ANWAR APPLICATION TO CONTEST
May 25, 2007 at 06:33 PM
Anwar Ibrahim, Advisor of the People's Justice Party (KeADILan) and one of the three candidates for presidency of the party, received a notice from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) this afternoon, rejecting his application to contest.
Anwar has since filed an appeal to the Home Minister.Under the Societies Act, the Home Minister has the right to grant him a waiver.
KeADILan strongly condemns such the move by ROS as a deliberate ploy to prevent the reemergence of Anwar Ibrahim into active political leadership. He has expressed his intention to go ahead with the elections tomorrow.
Tian Chua
Information Chief
People's Justice Party (KeADILan)
Friday, May 25, 2007
PKR Deputy President Calls On Youth Wings to Buck Up
By YL Chong
Seremban, Friday: Deputy Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali today called on the Wanita and Pemuda Youth Wings to get their acts together so that they are prepared to gain greater electoral success as the next General Elections (12th) would be expected to be called by end of this year or early 2008.
Three attributes in mindset change he called on the youth to strive for were:
* discard feudal/authoritarian thinking, where leaders deem themselves as beyong question, and "macai" say things that the leaders like to hear, ignoring the real challenges and weaknesses facing the party; Husin said followers within PKR should not owe or swear"blind loyalty" to any leaders.
** change the materialistic mindset -- a culture well entrenched in the BN-UMNO culture which must never be allowed to enter the PKR which is stribing for Change. Hence, the divisions were told not to expect "funds" to be channelled to them before they could activate programmes to promote the party's agenda based on justice for society and the Rakyat's welfare; Husin said it was the UMNO's way to practise money politics to maintain power and enable a small group to continue to rob the nation's riches;
*** Maintain and promte party discipline as well as at the individual level. There are rules and regulations government party discipline, and any leaders who breached discipline should be dealt with firmly. He cited the example of party leaders who were insincere by publicising private dissent and making wild allegations, especially highlighted by the UMNO-controlled media.
While the party encouraged healthy competition for party posts, he cautioned about cliques formation and party leaders going public to the media with ungrounded allegations -- acts which would be used by the Barisan Nasional, especialy UMNO, to use as ammunition against the 10-year-old party. He urged that such element and those playing "BN-style" money politics to grab party positions to just "say goodbye and leave the party".
Dr Husin was speaking when opening the 4th Annual Congress of Pemuda PKR at the Chung Hua High School this morning in Seremban, to be followed the next two days by the Party Congress which would see an interesting contest for the top post between incumbent Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail, sole PKR MP for Permatang Pau, her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and former PKR Treasurer Abdul Rahman Othman. Othman contens that Anwar is "not eligible" to contest as the former DPM's bar from active politics ends only in April 2008.
Husin also warned that the next General Elections would see the BN paries emply the same "dirty" tactics as they used in the recnt Ijok by-election, where the 3Ms -- Money, Machinery and Media -- were used in a concentrated way to overwhelm the Opposition.
He stressed that a fourth M which PKR would likeown members, and the community at latrge especially the youth, not to fall victim to the ways of the Barisan Nasona leaders, who wish to see the young fettered to shallow diversions like entertainment, and kept in the dark about national issues like Corruption, Power Abuse by the Elections Commission and Police (as evidenced in aiding the BN during recent Machap and Ipok by-elections), and the continued practice of Cronyism and Nepotism to create a situiation where the gap between the rich and poor and have-nots is widened further.
It is "Time For Change", Husin said to applause by the delegates, the theme of the party's current congress which should see many new faces to take the aprty to face the next General elections. Party Adviser over the next two days will be expected to expound in greater detail on the party's newly adopted National Economic Agenda -- based on economic needs, not on race -- that has been proposed to replace thmuch maligned and BN-abused National Economic Policy since 1970.
Seremban, Friday: Deputy Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali today called on the Wanita and Pemuda Youth Wings to get their acts together so that they are prepared to gain greater electoral success as the next General Elections (12th) would be expected to be called by end of this year or early 2008.
Three attributes in mindset change he called on the youth to strive for were:
* discard feudal/authoritarian thinking, where leaders deem themselves as beyong question, and "macai" say things that the leaders like to hear, ignoring the real challenges and weaknesses facing the party; Husin said followers within PKR should not owe or swear"blind loyalty" to any leaders.
** change the materialistic mindset -- a culture well entrenched in the BN-UMNO culture which must never be allowed to enter the PKR which is stribing for Change. Hence, the divisions were told not to expect "funds" to be channelled to them before they could activate programmes to promote the party's agenda based on justice for society and the Rakyat's welfare; Husin said it was the UMNO's way to practise money politics to maintain power and enable a small group to continue to rob the nation's riches;
*** Maintain and promte party discipline as well as at the individual level. There are rules and regulations government party discipline, and any leaders who breached discipline should be dealt with firmly. He cited the example of party leaders who were insincere by publicising private dissent and making wild allegations, especially highlighted by the UMNO-controlled media.
While the party encouraged healthy competition for party posts, he cautioned about cliques formation and party leaders going public to the media with ungrounded allegations -- acts which would be used by the Barisan Nasional, especialy UMNO, to use as ammunition against the 10-year-old party. He urged that such element and those playing "BN-style" money politics to grab party positions to just "say goodbye and leave the party".
Dr Husin was speaking when opening the 4th Annual Congress of Pemuda PKR at the Chung Hua High School this morning in Seremban, to be followed the next two days by the Party Congress which would see an interesting contest for the top post between incumbent Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail, sole PKR MP for Permatang Pau, her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and former PKR Treasurer Abdul Rahman Othman. Othman contens that Anwar is "not eligible" to contest as the former DPM's bar from active politics ends only in April 2008.
Husin also warned that the next General Elections would see the BN paries emply the same "dirty" tactics as they used in the recnt Ijok by-election, where the 3Ms -- Money, Machinery and Media -- were used in a concentrated way to overwhelm the Opposition.
He stressed that a fourth M which PKR would likeown members, and the community at latrge especially the youth, not to fall victim to the ways of the Barisan Nasona leaders, who wish to see the young fettered to shallow diversions like entertainment, and kept in the dark about national issues like Corruption, Power Abuse by the Elections Commission and Police (as evidenced in aiding the BN during recent Machap and Ipok by-elections), and the continued practice of Cronyism and Nepotism to create a situiation where the gap between the rich and poor and have-nots is widened further.
It is "Time For Change", Husin said to applause by the delegates, the theme of the party's current congress which should see many new faces to take the aprty to face the next General elections. Party Adviser over the next two days will be expected to expound in greater detail on the party's newly adopted National Economic Agenda -- based on economic needs, not on race -- that has been proposed to replace thmuch maligned and BN-abused National Economic Policy since 1970.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Did Minister Zam Finally See Some Light?
Do bloggers see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel leading up to Angkasapuri, finally?
I was a little lighted up on seeing the news on Page N12 in The Star today.
There is some hope of a confluence of views at a middle ground between the Minister in charge of Information/Propaganda and the media, including both the traditional that is represented by the mainstream/traditional (Fourth Estate) and the new Internet-based including the blogosphere (Fifth Estate). Finally after much and several ballistic exchanges between minister Zainuddin Maidin aka Zam and seemingly antagonistic Bloggers. We await with some hope another Zam's minister Tengku Adnan Mansor to perhaps see the new light of realisation that Bloggers are indeed not "a threat", in Zam's considered conclusion, for now.
So my EsteemedReaders (ER), here goes:
I was a little lighted up on seeing the news on Page N12 in The Star today.
There is some hope of a confluence of views at a middle ground between the Minister in charge of Information/Propaganda and the media, including both the traditional that is represented by the mainstream/traditional (Fourth Estate) and the new Internet-based including the blogosphere (Fifth Estate). Finally after much and several ballistic exchanges between minister Zainuddin Maidin aka Zam and seemingly antagonistic Bloggers. We await with some hope another Zam's minister Tengku Adnan Mansor to perhaps see the new light of realisation that Bloggers are indeed not "a threat", in Zam's considered conclusion, for now.
So my EsteemedReaders (ER), here goes:
Wednesday May 23, 2007
Zam: Few people read blogs
KUALA LUMPUR: Political web blogs have a very small following of about 20,000 people, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said.
“Only that number out of the 11 million Internet users in the country are actively involved in political blogs. The political bloggers just write for each other to read; they are not a threat,” he added.
Zainuddin reminded bloggers of their responsibilities in maintaining harmony among Malaysia’s multiracial society.
“They should not try to incite the people,” he said after launching the Malaysian Press Institute’s (MPI) new logo and witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the institute and the United Kingdom’s Thomson Foundation. The foundation works towards improving communication around the world.
MPI was represented by its acting chairman Datuk Chamil Wariya and Thomson Foundation by its head of regional partnerships Russel Lyne.
He said bloggers, being the so-called “citizen journalists,” must not abuse the freedom given by the Government and must be responsible in their writings and actions so as not to jeopardise unity among the people.
Zainuddin advised the public not to be influenced by the negative views of certain bloggers about the Government.
Earlier in his speech, Zainuddin said media practitioners and bloggers had their own roles in developing the nation through their writings.
"Lately, I found that most of the bloggers have the tendency to question the basis of the social contract which had been agreed upon by our forefathers,” he said.
On the publication of a book on May 13 by former Petaling Jaya MP Dr Kua Kia Soong, Zainuddin said the book would only serve to arouse anxiety among multiracial Malaysians.
"Some issues raised in the book can harm the social contract that has been well-received by the Malays, Chinese and Indians,” he added.
DESI: "Only that number (20,000) out of the 11 million Internet users in the country are actively involved in political blogs. The political bloggers just write for each other to read; they are not a threat,” Zam was quoted by The Star as saying.
Coupled with this line "Zainuddin advised the public not to be influenced by the negative views of certain bloggers about the Government," I believe it is safe to infer "certain" implied a few in number -- hence not a threat -- belong to the "negative" category. So Blogosphere can sleep easier tonight and I guess the speaking aloud to "register and classify" Bloggers as propfessional or non-professional proposal by Zam is cold-storaged, and Bloggers also can take a breather or a long nap?
Desi has viewed with concern and alarm many of Zam's postulations and pronouncements about Bloggers, especially the Socio-Political ones, the recent past which indicated the ministers were "clueless" about what constituted the blogosphere.
However, Zam's refernce to the "May 13" book recently launched does worry Desi as Barisan Nasional politicains are not enamoured with Dr Kua Kia Soong's latest book. I recall here that Deputy Editor at theSUN, famous for his regular Citizen Nades column, was reported by Guest Blogger Din Merican as having said something of concern at last Saturday's Bloggers Gathering that: "Nadeswaran reminded us that the government could be heavy handed with bloggers and journalists critical of Badawi personally and of his Administration. He pointed out that the Special Branch could literally turn up “in the middle of night and take you away from your family,” using “disrupting national unity” as the pretext.
So while I can sleep lighter, I won't sleep with absolute certainty of peace as long as legislation like the I.S.A. hand over media practitioner's heads like Damocles' sword. Maybe the fourth and fifth estates can work hand-in-hand towards the abolition of such repressive laws, plus the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984.
Lust word from this knotty hoRst! My dear ER. have you read my poem I.S.A. nyet? No? Then travel to INTIMATIONS (Updated!:)
National Alliance of Bloggers aMore...
Desi thought this issue on THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLOGGERS (NAB)
deserves a separate highlight, and I hope the two main protagonists Sdr rockybru (as President of NAB Protem Committee, and Sdr jeff ooi (as Deputy President) would feel free to "ENGAGE" the conversationists here more.
But I truly urge my EsteemedReaders not to jump the gun with too much speculation ala "What If...?" because that leads the way to "Till the cows come home" discussion which Desi feels is not timely or productive AT TIS STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT -- the babe called NAB is just two months old, worth reminding ourselves.
I actually am reluctant to lead this Post, but sometimes exceptions are called for. This is mainly Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru's and his Protem Committee's territory. Rockybru spoke at the bum2007 Bloggers Gathering on just one subject -- Educating the audience on THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLOGGERS or All-Blogs, and being Chair, I picked up the "issue of concern" from fellow Blogger Susan Loone's Blog to address this NAB issue viz-a-viz bum2007 having caused some confusion (Jest an aside: Nu'ecomers, better get used to my digression, which is a privilege to abuse in blogging, hence an XXtra reason to start blogging!:) -- It was no joke after Ijok! At one stage at first Closing deadline on May 9, 2007 we only had 39 registered/paid attendess, and aMore hair grew white and more fell like autumn leaves in da Malaysian summer! And Desi was trying to rat his way oooch, and the Almighty punished with S'ingles. Yes, that itchy-bitchy feeling...)
I reproduce here the key Comments I deem core and relevant to the issue of concern I focused on Yesterday when all my troubles were so far away -- this digression is for NSTman's s'akes!:) --, and hope Rockybru's response answers any still in doubt adequately, and my fellow Org Com buddy The Mobbish One @mob1900.blogspot.com helped to partially address some of Ktemoc's many views and concerns too (good Thinking Aloud too, like Desi's, and Desi likes!), especially the misguided notion that some party has arrogated upon itself the mandate to speak on behalf of all bloggers. I quote: "As far as I know, ALL BLOGS is an acronym for national ALLiance of BLOGgerS not as in a claim to represent every blogger in Malaysia. Everyone of the pro-tem committee are volunteers chosen respectively on the first NAB meet. "
Plus this point about the key objectives outlined by rockybru on NAB:
"...and its objectives are plain and simple:1. To promote blogging2. To protect bloggers."
All opinions on the two core objectives outlined thus far, elaborated on by Rockybru that Saturday night (Yeah, Such a Night!), should really focus on debating the two objectives that Rockybru elaborated on. I too have apprehension some about opening membership to Anonymous Bloggers, but let me settle some loose ends here before I adress this question directly at rockybru.blogspot.com or at jeffooi.com's. Meanwhile, a Big Thank You to all commenters at Desi's Place, and I extend a cuppa of tehtarik -- plus Miss Sunthi but minus the arSENic --to first-timers among them and their intrusion is truly appreciated. Yes, I know "inruysion" suggests somethin' negative like APs appear in the steal of the night. But this is just mere caution on the part of a newshound who dabbles a littlke in rabble-rousing two. If you don't know what I'm tintimating about, please raed aMore at INTIMATIONS! A commercial break!:)
Just an reiteration ~~ What I am stating here on NAB matters is my -- Desiderata's -- perspectives alone but not on NAB's behalf. I am a potential NAB member, but I restate that we need to give the Protem Committee time to finalise its Constitution before we can really engage in lengthy discussions. More and irrelevant rantings at this stage would be likely premature, and some SEMANTICS by AP-clones tend to lead to more divisiveness, not promoting the Cause of Blogging, hence my chief concern. I have travelled similar road before, I was protem chairman and twice annually elected Chairman of the AHC Locally-Engaged Staff Committee. (Bum-ming up my Resume so some tycoons' eyes are caught hear!:)
_________________ (Graduated from Comments )________________
Hey Desi,I was there for the gathering...and hey why are you getting so worked up by that old frustrated SS Goh(monster without balls !) ? He has no balls to even go by his own name and he has to be a parasite (virus) and take pot-shots at anyone who does'nt agree to his bullshit.Forget that old bugger lah...he is all washed-up and lonely and if you give him a little space he will cling to you like the parasite he is and even elect you to be president !You know old man...lonely and insecured about who his friends are ..I heard he had a party on the same day as the bloggers do and only ONE turned up for his birthday party heh...heh....NO a party is more then one ...he had a company of one for his birthday !!!How sad ??? Now you know why I think he is a bucket of shit ?Just ignore the idiot !eventually he'll go away !
By shanghaistephen, at 3:16 PM
Uncle Chong,Congratulations on a well organised BUM nite, from what I heard – my apologies for my inability to attend due to work – some of us have toon weekends ;-).I would have loved to meet up with all of you. I am sure we bloggers, regardless of our persuasion, affiliations, inclinations and indeed age ;-) have a lot to discuss, exchange, network or just gossip (omong kosong).And I agree with you that BUM is separate from All-blogs, though you must forgive us if we perceive the two overlapping in the way things had happened. However, I had been assured by Howsy that BUM is just an informal get-together to exchange views and networkHaving said that, I wonder why you developed the statement for panellists to respond to, namely “That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” as it asked the speakers WHETHER they agreed OR disagreed”Many of us have wondered whether that was far too provocatively political? Please educate us – what was your objective?Would it have advanced the cause of bloggers? We believe that the now and the future would have been more important to our desired freedom of expression rather than to assess the openness of past administration. But I await your experienced views.I was also taken aback by your acidic “Who appointed you Susan, or Monsterball, to speak as IF at this moment you know the criteria for membership OR that Rockybru already has an Agenda?”Were you saying that Susan and monsterball as bloggers have no right to discuss a proposed NAB that they might be interested in or even play an important role as a committee member? Why this intolerance?I note of late that with certain issues like all-blogs there has been a regrettable lack of tolerance and openness, as if there was a fevered impatience to dismiss other views.The deafening elegant silence from the pro-tem committee has not helped ameliorate the all-blogs controversy which has now reached, I believe, a stage of acrimonious divisiveness among bloggers.Elegant silence is a symptom of non transparency. Can we now say we still hold the hi-moral grounds to tell the AAB government to be transparent when we bloggers can’t even demonstrate that among ourselves?The silence, evasiveness, tap dancing have been unfortunate, and reflects badly on the perpetrators, someof whom we had rallied around when they were under siege. There is a regrettable perception that non-chosen are not welcome to submit their views. So be it – the selected should proceed but excuse us if we don’t comply or submit ourselves.However, the pro-tem committee should now do the decent thing (no, not sepukku) and stick to the original title of the proposed organisation, namely National Alliance of Bloggers, instead of unjustiably assuming All-blogs.That would be presumptuous, arrogant and … I really hate to use this word, and indeed I won’t, so I’ll just say .. not reflecting the true status of the organisation’s representation.
By KTemoc, at 9:35 PM
Hi Desi, Congratulations, Bum2007 was a great success. I did say in my posting the organisation was excellent. Not easy to pull something like that off. Hats off the rest of the committee members, esp Howsy, Lucia, Nat, Li Tsin, and Mob. I heard Jed had to pull out because of other commitments.I've heard people asking why we have Bum2007 as well as All-Blogs, or National Alliance of Bloggers. You have explained it well that evening and here, so there is no need for me to go there.Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk a bit about All-Blogs that evening. It allowed me to explain how the alliance was set up and why - to protect bloggers and to promote blogging (thanks Mob for the explanation here). I have also explained why we need to be non-partisan. All-Blogs meeting Anwar Ibrahim or Dr M or AAB does not mean we are not apolitical; it simply means we are prepared to meet anyone and we do not prejudice anybody. No issue there.I also spoke about membership of All-Blogs, how the alliance plans to accept Anonymous bloggers, non-Sopo bloggers, bloggers who use nicknames, and bloggers who identify themselves.The All-Blogs protem exco has met twice since we were formed early April. We'll be meeting for the third time end month or early June to finalise the constitution. Thank you.
By AHIRUDIN ATTAN, at 3:14 AM
________________________________________________
DESIDERATA's PS: To shanghaistephen, Thanks for thy input. I did Not have any background klnowledge about said Commenter; in fact I respond to him as I would other Conversationists. But Regular Readers here who earn my esteem know my inclination to interact more with Readers with an ID link, even pseudonyms, hence your point on Anonymity is well supported by Desi.
PPS (and that's knot projectpetalkingstreet, K!:): To ktemoc and brudder rockybru.
I would invite rockybru, also saudara jeffooi, to address the "interesting" issues raised by ktemoc. I would respond points related to bum2007 later, so ktemoc, bear with me w'ile I take 5! The "saudara" reference is Desi's socialist bent and this is an inherent danger my ER (EsteemedReaders-lah, why so slow wan?) face when intruding into Desi's Place, in the still (steal?) of the night.
G'od Bless us awe Malaysians, especially Raja Petra Kamaruddin who turned up lust minute dat knight to give Desi's heart another bum-bum-p because he mentioned about kambing for SpecialBrunch when I said it was free warrant-buffeted dinner...
I:
S:
A: men.
deserves a separate highlight, and I hope the two main protagonists Sdr rockybru (as President of NAB Protem Committee, and Sdr jeff ooi (as Deputy President) would feel free to "ENGAGE" the conversationists here more.
But I truly urge my EsteemedReaders not to jump the gun with too much speculation ala "What If...?" because that leads the way to "Till the cows come home" discussion which Desi feels is not timely or productive AT TIS STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT -- the babe called NAB is just two months old, worth reminding ourselves.
I actually am reluctant to lead this Post, but sometimes exceptions are called for. This is mainly Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru's and his Protem Committee's territory. Rockybru spoke at the bum2007 Bloggers Gathering on just one subject -- Educating the audience on THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLOGGERS or All-Blogs, and being Chair, I picked up the "issue of concern" from fellow Blogger Susan Loone's Blog to address this NAB issue viz-a-viz bum2007 having caused some confusion (Jest an aside: Nu'ecomers, better get used to my digression, which is a privilege to abuse in blogging, hence an XXtra reason to start blogging!:) -- It was no joke after Ijok! At one stage at first Closing deadline on May 9, 2007 we only had 39 registered/paid attendess, and aMore hair grew white and more fell like autumn leaves in da Malaysian summer! And Desi was trying to rat his way oooch, and the Almighty punished with S'ingles. Yes, that itchy-bitchy feeling...)
I reproduce here the key Comments I deem core and relevant to the issue of concern I focused on Yesterday when all my troubles were so far away -- this digression is for NSTman's s'akes!:) --, and hope Rockybru's response answers any still in doubt adequately, and my fellow Org Com buddy The Mobbish One @mob1900.blogspot.com helped to partially address some of Ktemoc's many views and concerns too (good Thinking Aloud too, like Desi's, and Desi likes!), especially the misguided notion that some party has arrogated upon itself the mandate to speak on behalf of all bloggers. I quote: "As far as I know, ALL BLOGS is an acronym for national ALLiance of BLOGgerS not as in a claim to represent every blogger in Malaysia. Everyone of the pro-tem committee are volunteers chosen respectively on the first NAB meet. "
Plus this point about the key objectives outlined by rockybru on NAB:
"...and its objectives are plain and simple:1. To promote blogging2. To protect bloggers."
All opinions on the two core objectives outlined thus far, elaborated on by Rockybru that Saturday night (Yeah, Such a Night!), should really focus on debating the two objectives that Rockybru elaborated on. I too have apprehension some about opening membership to Anonymous Bloggers, but let me settle some loose ends here before I adress this question directly at rockybru.blogspot.com or at jeffooi.com's. Meanwhile, a Big Thank You to all commenters at Desi's Place, and I extend a cuppa of tehtarik -- plus Miss Sunthi but minus the arSENic --to first-timers among them and their intrusion is truly appreciated. Yes, I know "inruysion" suggests somethin' negative like APs appear in the steal of the night. But this is just mere caution on the part of a newshound who dabbles a littlke in rabble-rousing two. If you don't know what I'm tintimating about, please raed aMore at INTIMATIONS! A commercial break!:)
Just an reiteration ~~ What I am stating here on NAB matters is my -- Desiderata's -- perspectives alone but not on NAB's behalf. I am a potential NAB member, but I restate that we need to give the Protem Committee time to finalise its Constitution before we can really engage in lengthy discussions. More and irrelevant rantings at this stage would be likely premature, and some SEMANTICS by AP-clones tend to lead to more divisiveness, not promoting the Cause of Blogging, hence my chief concern. I have travelled similar road before, I was protem chairman and twice annually elected Chairman of the AHC Locally-Engaged Staff Committee. (Bum-ming up my Resume so some tycoons' eyes are caught hear!:)
_________________ (Graduated from Comments )________________
Hey Desi,I was there for the gathering...and hey why are you getting so worked up by that old frustrated SS Goh(monster without balls !) ? He has no balls to even go by his own name and he has to be a parasite (virus) and take pot-shots at anyone who does'nt agree to his bullshit.Forget that old bugger lah...he is all washed-up and lonely and if you give him a little space he will cling to you like the parasite he is and even elect you to be president !You know old man...lonely and insecured about who his friends are ..I heard he had a party on the same day as the bloggers do and only ONE turned up for his birthday party heh...heh....NO a party is more then one ...he had a company of one for his birthday !!!How sad ??? Now you know why I think he is a bucket of shit ?Just ignore the idiot !eventually he'll go away !
By shanghaistephen, at 3:16 PM
Uncle Chong,Congratulations on a well organised BUM nite, from what I heard – my apologies for my inability to attend due to work – some of us have toon weekends ;-).I would have loved to meet up with all of you. I am sure we bloggers, regardless of our persuasion, affiliations, inclinations and indeed age ;-) have a lot to discuss, exchange, network or just gossip (omong kosong).And I agree with you that BUM is separate from All-blogs, though you must forgive us if we perceive the two overlapping in the way things had happened. However, I had been assured by Howsy that BUM is just an informal get-together to exchange views and networkHaving said that, I wonder why you developed the statement for panellists to respond to, namely “That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” as it asked the speakers WHETHER they agreed OR disagreed”Many of us have wondered whether that was far too provocatively political? Please educate us – what was your objective?Would it have advanced the cause of bloggers? We believe that the now and the future would have been more important to our desired freedom of expression rather than to assess the openness of past administration. But I await your experienced views.I was also taken aback by your acidic “Who appointed you Susan, or Monsterball, to speak as IF at this moment you know the criteria for membership OR that Rockybru already has an Agenda?”Were you saying that Susan and monsterball as bloggers have no right to discuss a proposed NAB that they might be interested in or even play an important role as a committee member? Why this intolerance?I note of late that with certain issues like all-blogs there has been a regrettable lack of tolerance and openness, as if there was a fevered impatience to dismiss other views.The deafening elegant silence from the pro-tem committee has not helped ameliorate the all-blogs controversy which has now reached, I believe, a stage of acrimonious divisiveness among bloggers.Elegant silence is a symptom of non transparency. Can we now say we still hold the hi-moral grounds to tell the AAB government to be transparent when we bloggers can’t even demonstrate that among ourselves?The silence, evasiveness, tap dancing have been unfortunate, and reflects badly on the perpetrators, someof whom we had rallied around when they were under siege. There is a regrettable perception that non-chosen are not welcome to submit their views. So be it – the selected should proceed but excuse us if we don’t comply or submit ourselves.However, the pro-tem committee should now do the decent thing (no, not sepukku) and stick to the original title of the proposed organisation, namely National Alliance of Bloggers, instead of unjustiably assuming All-blogs.That would be presumptuous, arrogant and … I really hate to use this word, and indeed I won’t, so I’ll just say .. not reflecting the true status of the organisation’s representation.
By KTemoc, at 9:35 PM
Hi Desi, Congratulations, Bum2007 was a great success. I did say in my posting the organisation was excellent. Not easy to pull something like that off. Hats off the rest of the committee members, esp Howsy, Lucia, Nat, Li Tsin, and Mob. I heard Jed had to pull out because of other commitments.I've heard people asking why we have Bum2007 as well as All-Blogs, or National Alliance of Bloggers. You have explained it well that evening and here, so there is no need for me to go there.Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk a bit about All-Blogs that evening. It allowed me to explain how the alliance was set up and why - to protect bloggers and to promote blogging (thanks Mob for the explanation here). I have also explained why we need to be non-partisan. All-Blogs meeting Anwar Ibrahim or Dr M or AAB does not mean we are not apolitical; it simply means we are prepared to meet anyone and we do not prejudice anybody. No issue there.I also spoke about membership of All-Blogs, how the alliance plans to accept Anonymous bloggers, non-Sopo bloggers, bloggers who use nicknames, and bloggers who identify themselves.The All-Blogs protem exco has met twice since we were formed early April. We'll be meeting for the third time end month or early June to finalise the constitution. Thank you.
By AHIRUDIN ATTAN, at 3:14 AM
________________________________________________
DESIDERATA's PS: To shanghaistephen, Thanks for thy input. I did Not have any background klnowledge about said Commenter; in fact I respond to him as I would other Conversationists. But Regular Readers here who earn my esteem know my inclination to interact more with Readers with an ID link, even pseudonyms, hence your point on Anonymity is well supported by Desi.
PPS (and that's knot projectpetalkingstreet, K!:): To ktemoc and brudder rockybru.
I would invite rockybru, also saudara jeffooi, to address the "interesting" issues raised by ktemoc. I would respond points related to bum2007 later, so ktemoc, bear with me w'ile I take 5! The "saudara" reference is Desi's socialist bent and this is an inherent danger my ER (EsteemedReaders-lah, why so slow wan?) face when intruding into Desi's Place, in the still (steal?) of the night.
G'od Bless us awe Malaysians, especially Raja Petra Kamaruddin who turned up lust minute dat knight to give Desi's heart another bum-bum-p because he mentioned about kambing for SpecialBrunch when I said it was free warrant-buffeted dinner...
I:
S:
A: men.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone
My Special Guest Din Merican reports on the May 19, 2007 Event, and hey, YOU LIGHTED UP THIS NEWSHOUND's NOSE. The report without depending on notes (I learnt about this later!) is quite compleat that I rank it 95% up dare. The minus 5% was getting the "organisation" represented by speaker ***SONIA RANDHAWA wrong, plus an exaggerated numbers in attendance (over 100 bloggers participating?) which I thought was Desi's domain function. Hey, Din might still be right because RPK did refer to some guests who came for the Special Brunch! I do like such wlong company sometimes, especially when the companion pays for the tehtarik or kopi kau-cow! After nice roti bakar, some Cut&Paste pastries follow~~~~~~~
SO saudara din merican WELCOME TO THE press kelab, first sighted in the steal of the night at bakrimusa.com!
May 20th, 2007
Blogging: Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone
(Exchanges With Din Merican)
Dear Bakri.
I was at the inaugural meeting of Malaysian bloggers held at the Lake View Club, Subang Jaya, on May 19, 2007. I was invited as a guest of Desi Chong, presumably because I was identified with your webblog.
There were well over 100 bloggers participating, representing a broad political and social spectrum. It was well organized, with a panel of speakers followed by substantive discussions. It was also an opportunity for personal interactions and social networking.
It was not all business and intellectual feast however. The two roasted lambs, compliments of Club owner Soh Chee Wen, together with the usual Malaysian fair, made for a fine social evening. There was also some red wine for those so inclined, as well as a karaoke session afterwards.
The panel included Jeff Ooi (Screenshots – www.jeffooi.com), Marina Mahathir (www.rantingsbymm.blogspot.com), Tong Pua (Economic Advisor to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang – www.tonypua.blogspot.com), Rocky Bru (Ahirrudin Atan – www.rockybru.blogspot.com), Nadeswaran (Citizen-Nades of the Sun), Desi Chong (Chairperson – www.desiderata2000.blogspot.com), Thian Chua (KeADILan Information Chief), Raja Petra (www.Malaysia-Today.net), and a lecturer from the ***Institute of Press Relations.
The evening’s theme was “Embrace and Engage; The Role of the Fifth Estate.” There were also various books on sale at the event, including your latest, Towards A Competitive Malaysia.
Raja Petra and Rocky Bru mentioned and acknowledged your contributions to the development of blogging in Malaysia and your ongoing efforts to keep the public informed of your perspectives on contemporary issues. Rocky in particular admired your writings.
Raja Petra forthrightly told the audience that his blog was intended to “bring down the Government” of Abdullah Badawi! He left no doubt in our minds where he was coming from, with the full knowledge that there were, as usual, Special Branch plainclothes officers in our midst. He proudly mentioned that when he started his one-page blog in 1995, there were only 250,000 Internet users in the country. Today, the number has shot up to 11 million. His Malaysia-Today regularly gets daily hits of nearly two million. He feels strongly that there is a desperate need for an alternative to the government-backed and political party-owned mainstream papers.
Raja Petra encouraged all, including our family members and friends, to be involved in a determined and sustained basis. He urged us all to do three things. First, register to vote; second, re-check the electoral roll to make sure that you are properly registered; and third, cast our ballots on voting day – even if it were snowing! – in favor of any opposition party.
He feels that the Abdullah Administration is corrupt and inept, run by a courtier of individuals around his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin. They include Kamal Abdullah (the son), Kallimullah, and Patrick Badawi.
As for personal and press freedom, Raja Petra argued that there was no material change under Abdullah. It is the same as under Mahathir, but more subtle. As long as there are the ISA and Press laws, we are never truly free. Raja Petra revealed that he always received threats from the authorities whenever he was critical of Abdullah’s actions and policies.
Rocky Bru, who together with Jeff Ooi are being sued by the NST, said that he and a few friends had established a Bloggers Alliance Group, but was waiting for approval of the Registrar of Societies before they could commence activities. This Group was intended to be a networking mechanism, and to provide some assistance with legal suits, especially of the “class action” variety.
Tony Pua urged bloggers to be balanced and responsible. Only those blogs that are credible would have an impact on public opinion. His personal blog was intended to provide up-to-date information on the state of the economy and an objective commentary on government policies.
Nadeswaran reminded us that the government could be heavy handed with bloggers and journalists critical of Badawi personally and of his Administration. He pointed out that the Special Branch could literally turn up “in the middle of night and take you away from your family,” using “disrupting national unity” as the pretext.
While politicians like Minister of Information Zam, for whom Nadeswaran showed nothing but utter disgust, had threatened the public with the specter of May 13 and Ops Lallang, Nadeswaran reminded the audience that he was not intimidated. He made sure however, that his facts are accurate.
Marina related how her friends encouraged her to blog when her 17-year Musings in The Star became constrained over the 800-word restriction. She is often criticized as a “copy and paste thing” because she posted articles of topical interest to stimulate public discourse.
Bakri, you should consider doing a piece on our blogging community and how they could mobilize public opinion. Highlight Raja Petra’s three suggestions on preparing for the upcoming elections. Finally, you may wish to send your best wishes to all the bloggers mentioned above for their timely initiative.
Kind regards, Din"
=================================================
"Dear Din:
Thank you for your update on the Bloggers United meeting, dubbed BUM 2007 (thanks to someone’s sense of humor!). Malaysian bloggers’ dynamism is anything but a bummer, except perhaps to the authorities!
I read some of the comments on the other websites. Someone had also thoughtfully videotaped the sessions and posted them on YouTube. Isn’t it amazing the power and reach of these new technologies!
In 1978 Deng Xiaoping, in thinking of ways to rebuild his country after the disastrous Mao decades, came upon the idea of Special Economic Zones to nudge his stagnant communist country into the modern economy. From that early seed grew today’s modern China, with capitalism now embracing the whole nation and with that, a quantum leap in the well being of its citizens. China is today only nominally communist, or as Deng would wickedly put it with a wink in his eye, communism with Chinese characteristics!
I look upon blogging specifically and the Information Technology (IT) generally as Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zones. From this seed would sprout greater freedom in other, and ultimately all, spheres of Malaysian life. At least that is my hope. Unlike China’s Special Economic Zones that took decades to have their impact on the rest of the country, Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone will exert its influence much more rapidly.
Unlike China’s Special Economic Zone which was a deliberate official policy, Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone was an unintended (at least by the authorities) consequence of the country’s eagerness to embrace IT. Prime Minister Mahathir, who spearheaded this, grudgingly accepted this trade off. Even today, despite the obvious personal benefits to him after being shut off by the mainstream media once he was out of power, Mahathir still has second thoughts about granting this freedom. It matters not as the genie is now out of the bottle.
Mahathir may not realize it, but his granting freedom to the IT sector may well be his greatest and most enduring legacy. There is no stopping this movement towards greater freedom; the metaphorical Berlin Wall that blocks access to information in Malaysia is now broken. It cannot be put together again. On the contrary, the momentum of the wreckage will break down other barriers.
When I was writing for one mainstream paper, I would be lucky to hear from one or two readers occasionally. I was not sure whether anyone was reading my commentaries or the editors were not publishing my readers’ letters. Today I get hundreds of letters here on my blog as well as on Malaysia-Today.
Bernama bragged about getting half a million hits a day on its website because of its coverage of the Perak royal wedding. Bernama editors obviously had not looked at Malaysia-Today’s figures. The Star and New Straits would drool at figures a tiny fraction of MT’s! No wonder Michael Backman named Raja Petra among the Top 20 Asian Progressives!
The blogs’ influence will expand and be even more powerful. This is reflected in the declining circulation, readership and influence of the mainstream papers; they are fast being reduced to irrelevance. NST is today nothing more than an UMNO newsletter. It is noteworthy that Ahiruddin Atan is now more widely read and influential than when he was with the mainstream media. Raja Petra’s aggressive investigative journalism reduces the mainstream journalists to sophomore reporters.
The authorities are forced to respond however ineptly to issues raised by bloggers, from Abdullah absconding to Perth during the devastating Johore floods to his ordering a luxury corporate jet. The threat to register bloggers reflects this increasing reach; likewise with mega libel lawsuits. These lawsuits will be futile. As can be seen, with skillful lawyers these lawsuits can backfire on the plaintiffs. Thanks to court filings, we now know of other instances of plagiarisms.
Even if the suits were successful, they would be meaningless. All they would do is to make people use pseudonyms, Internet cafés, work on-line, and use overseas servers.
Even China is not successful with reining in the Internet. Whatever success it has is through the unwilling help of IT companies. Those companies are now being sued in California by Chinese nationals who had been detained by the Chinese, allegedly based on information provided by those companies.
However, as Raja Petra rightly noted, we need to go further. The Abdullah Administration must be humbled, and the only way is through the ballot box. I am with Raja Petra on this: vote any opposition party. You do not need to defeat the government in order to teach it a useful lesson. Look at Bush with the recent midterm elections; Abdullah too is teachable.
We must bring out the jantans in our voters to impart the lesson to Abdullah. To get rid of him however, we must encourage if not instigate the jantans in UMNO, if there are any left.
The organizers and participants of BUM 2007 have done the nation a great service. Individually and collectively, they are cultivating the soil and planting the seeds of freedom. I join you and others in thanking them for their untiring efforts. I am humbled that folks like Ahiruddin Atan, Jeff Ooi, Nadeswaran, Raja Petra and others, despite the obstacles and threats hurled their way, bravely march on. Raja Petra in particular, despite having been detained under the ISA, remains unfazed, in fact he is invigorated – a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.
May they, and Malaysia, have continued success.
Sallam, Bakri"
SO saudara din merican WELCOME TO THE press kelab, first sighted in the steal of the night at bakrimusa.com!
May 20th, 2007
Blogging: Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone
(Exchanges With Din Merican)
Dear Bakri.
I was at the inaugural meeting of Malaysian bloggers held at the Lake View Club, Subang Jaya, on May 19, 2007. I was invited as a guest of Desi Chong, presumably because I was identified with your webblog.
There were well over 100 bloggers participating, representing a broad political and social spectrum. It was well organized, with a panel of speakers followed by substantive discussions. It was also an opportunity for personal interactions and social networking.
It was not all business and intellectual feast however. The two roasted lambs, compliments of Club owner Soh Chee Wen, together with the usual Malaysian fair, made for a fine social evening. There was also some red wine for those so inclined, as well as a karaoke session afterwards.
The panel included Jeff Ooi (Screenshots – www.jeffooi.com), Marina Mahathir (www.rantingsbymm.blogspot.com), Tong Pua (Economic Advisor to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang – www.tonypua.blogspot.com), Rocky Bru (Ahirrudin Atan – www.rockybru.blogspot.com), Nadeswaran (Citizen-Nades of the Sun), Desi Chong (Chairperson – www.desiderata2000.blogspot.com), Thian Chua (KeADILan Information Chief), Raja Petra (www.Malaysia-Today.net), and a lecturer from the ***Institute of Press Relations.
The evening’s theme was “Embrace and Engage; The Role of the Fifth Estate.” There were also various books on sale at the event, including your latest, Towards A Competitive Malaysia.
Raja Petra and Rocky Bru mentioned and acknowledged your contributions to the development of blogging in Malaysia and your ongoing efforts to keep the public informed of your perspectives on contemporary issues. Rocky in particular admired your writings.
Raja Petra forthrightly told the audience that his blog was intended to “bring down the Government” of Abdullah Badawi! He left no doubt in our minds where he was coming from, with the full knowledge that there were, as usual, Special Branch plainclothes officers in our midst. He proudly mentioned that when he started his one-page blog in 1995, there were only 250,000 Internet users in the country. Today, the number has shot up to 11 million. His Malaysia-Today regularly gets daily hits of nearly two million. He feels strongly that there is a desperate need for an alternative to the government-backed and political party-owned mainstream papers.
Raja Petra encouraged all, including our family members and friends, to be involved in a determined and sustained basis. He urged us all to do three things. First, register to vote; second, re-check the electoral roll to make sure that you are properly registered; and third, cast our ballots on voting day – even if it were snowing! – in favor of any opposition party.
He feels that the Abdullah Administration is corrupt and inept, run by a courtier of individuals around his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin. They include Kamal Abdullah (the son), Kallimullah, and Patrick Badawi.
As for personal and press freedom, Raja Petra argued that there was no material change under Abdullah. It is the same as under Mahathir, but more subtle. As long as there are the ISA and Press laws, we are never truly free. Raja Petra revealed that he always received threats from the authorities whenever he was critical of Abdullah’s actions and policies.
Rocky Bru, who together with Jeff Ooi are being sued by the NST, said that he and a few friends had established a Bloggers Alliance Group, but was waiting for approval of the Registrar of Societies before they could commence activities. This Group was intended to be a networking mechanism, and to provide some assistance with legal suits, especially of the “class action” variety.
Tony Pua urged bloggers to be balanced and responsible. Only those blogs that are credible would have an impact on public opinion. His personal blog was intended to provide up-to-date information on the state of the economy and an objective commentary on government policies.
Nadeswaran reminded us that the government could be heavy handed with bloggers and journalists critical of Badawi personally and of his Administration. He pointed out that the Special Branch could literally turn up “in the middle of night and take you away from your family,” using “disrupting national unity” as the pretext.
While politicians like Minister of Information Zam, for whom Nadeswaran showed nothing but utter disgust, had threatened the public with the specter of May 13 and Ops Lallang, Nadeswaran reminded the audience that he was not intimidated. He made sure however, that his facts are accurate.
Marina related how her friends encouraged her to blog when her 17-year Musings in The Star became constrained over the 800-word restriction. She is often criticized as a “copy and paste thing” because she posted articles of topical interest to stimulate public discourse.
Bakri, you should consider doing a piece on our blogging community and how they could mobilize public opinion. Highlight Raja Petra’s three suggestions on preparing for the upcoming elections. Finally, you may wish to send your best wishes to all the bloggers mentioned above for their timely initiative.
Kind regards, Din"
=================================================
"Dear Din:
Thank you for your update on the Bloggers United meeting, dubbed BUM 2007 (thanks to someone’s sense of humor!). Malaysian bloggers’ dynamism is anything but a bummer, except perhaps to the authorities!
I read some of the comments on the other websites. Someone had also thoughtfully videotaped the sessions and posted them on YouTube. Isn’t it amazing the power and reach of these new technologies!
In 1978 Deng Xiaoping, in thinking of ways to rebuild his country after the disastrous Mao decades, came upon the idea of Special Economic Zones to nudge his stagnant communist country into the modern economy. From that early seed grew today’s modern China, with capitalism now embracing the whole nation and with that, a quantum leap in the well being of its citizens. China is today only nominally communist, or as Deng would wickedly put it with a wink in his eye, communism with Chinese characteristics!
I look upon blogging specifically and the Information Technology (IT) generally as Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zones. From this seed would sprout greater freedom in other, and ultimately all, spheres of Malaysian life. At least that is my hope. Unlike China’s Special Economic Zones that took decades to have their impact on the rest of the country, Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone will exert its influence much more rapidly.
Unlike China’s Special Economic Zone which was a deliberate official policy, Malaysia’s Special Freedom Zone was an unintended (at least by the authorities) consequence of the country’s eagerness to embrace IT. Prime Minister Mahathir, who spearheaded this, grudgingly accepted this trade off. Even today, despite the obvious personal benefits to him after being shut off by the mainstream media once he was out of power, Mahathir still has second thoughts about granting this freedom. It matters not as the genie is now out of the bottle.
Mahathir may not realize it, but his granting freedom to the IT sector may well be his greatest and most enduring legacy. There is no stopping this movement towards greater freedom; the metaphorical Berlin Wall that blocks access to information in Malaysia is now broken. It cannot be put together again. On the contrary, the momentum of the wreckage will break down other barriers.
When I was writing for one mainstream paper, I would be lucky to hear from one or two readers occasionally. I was not sure whether anyone was reading my commentaries or the editors were not publishing my readers’ letters. Today I get hundreds of letters here on my blog as well as on Malaysia-Today.
Bernama bragged about getting half a million hits a day on its website because of its coverage of the Perak royal wedding. Bernama editors obviously had not looked at Malaysia-Today’s figures. The Star and New Straits would drool at figures a tiny fraction of MT’s! No wonder Michael Backman named Raja Petra among the Top 20 Asian Progressives!
The blogs’ influence will expand and be even more powerful. This is reflected in the declining circulation, readership and influence of the mainstream papers; they are fast being reduced to irrelevance. NST is today nothing more than an UMNO newsletter. It is noteworthy that Ahiruddin Atan is now more widely read and influential than when he was with the mainstream media. Raja Petra’s aggressive investigative journalism reduces the mainstream journalists to sophomore reporters.
The authorities are forced to respond however ineptly to issues raised by bloggers, from Abdullah absconding to Perth during the devastating Johore floods to his ordering a luxury corporate jet. The threat to register bloggers reflects this increasing reach; likewise with mega libel lawsuits. These lawsuits will be futile. As can be seen, with skillful lawyers these lawsuits can backfire on the plaintiffs. Thanks to court filings, we now know of other instances of plagiarisms.
Even if the suits were successful, they would be meaningless. All they would do is to make people use pseudonyms, Internet cafés, work on-line, and use overseas servers.
Even China is not successful with reining in the Internet. Whatever success it has is through the unwilling help of IT companies. Those companies are now being sued in California by Chinese nationals who had been detained by the Chinese, allegedly based on information provided by those companies.
However, as Raja Petra rightly noted, we need to go further. The Abdullah Administration must be humbled, and the only way is through the ballot box. I am with Raja Petra on this: vote any opposition party. You do not need to defeat the government in order to teach it a useful lesson. Look at Bush with the recent midterm elections; Abdullah too is teachable.
We must bring out the jantans in our voters to impart the lesson to Abdullah. To get rid of him however, we must encourage if not instigate the jantans in UMNO, if there are any left.
The organizers and participants of BUM 2007 have done the nation a great service. Individually and collectively, they are cultivating the soil and planting the seeds of freedom. I join you and others in thanking them for their untiring efforts. I am humbled that folks like Ahiruddin Atan, Jeff Ooi, Nadeswaran, Raja Petra and others, despite the obstacles and threats hurled their way, bravely march on. Raja Petra in particular, despite having been detained under the ISA, remains unfazed, in fact he is invigorated – a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.
May they, and Malaysia, have continued success.
Sallam, Bakri"
Monday, May 21, 2007
The National Alliance of Bloggers and bum2007 Do Differentiated
Desi did NOT surf other Blogs for almost two weeks preceding the bum2007 Bloggers Gathering held on May 19, 2007. Meanwhile, I just caught up with some "back-reading" and the following is "An Issue of Concern" as far as I am concerned as Chairman of the Organising Committee of the recent one-off event, spied at sloone.wordpress.com.
I advise my ER to surf to the Original Blog run by Susan Loone to understand the Issue in context so as not to confuse yourself.
My points are summarised thus, with Typos, warts and all as I responded to part of Susan's comments, viz:
________________________________________________
"
May 21st, 2007 at 8:45 pm
ylchong
Susan:
I am “bending” my decision NOT to engage in your Blog anymore after one previous incident, but this part of your “false claims” need to be corrected, viz:
“i was also not too happy with the tone of the event. for example, look at this: http://bum2007.wordpress.com/2007/04/06/hello-world/What to expectEach panellist will share their thoughts based on their field of activity, expertise and experience, for 8 to 10 minutes each.
They will spend the last 2-3 minutes of their speech on stating if they agree OR disagree with the followingstatement:
That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Special speaker Rocky will speak on the National Alliance of Bloggers.”
DESI: I was Chairman of the just ended bujm2007 Bloggers Gathering, leading a self-appointed 7-member Committe. It was clearly stated at the website created to opearte during the One-off Event duration that we were NOT organising it on behalf of the National Alliance of Bloggers (NB) which Rockybru heads.
I developed the Brief to the Speakers, which was general to enable the SIX speakers lots of leeway to speak within the limited time frame. I also developed the Sub-topic “That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” as it asked the speakers WHETHER they agreed OR disagreed, or it did noit prejudice either the current or previous administrations.
Rockybru’s function that evening was DIFFERENT from the other Panel members (6) — just to talk about the TWO-MONTH-OILD baby called the NAB.
I raise three questions here:
(1) For heaven’s sakes — at 2X 30 days timeline and you people are already fologging it like it was a five-year-old dead horse. Then the question arises: WHY EVEN BOTHER?
(2) Who appointed you Susan, or Monsterball, to speak as IF at this moment you know the criteria for membership OR that Rockybru already has an Agenda? When you two asked all the individual members of NAB to speak up, there will be dissenting voices as this juncture because the Constitution is not even finalised, as Elizabeth has duly informed here.
(3) SO what’s all these premature pronouncements about?NAB wants to work towards a registered ENTITY to promote two primary objectives as spely out at this stage that Rockybru also elaborated on May 19, 2007 night at Lake View Club.And I believe that’s where the TWO general objectives and let’s not “kill” the baby on your own wild, and ungrounded allegations of “What IF”. — Desi
__________________________________________________
AS for the other commenter Monsterball's views, partially reprised here, also caused concern for Desi, viz:
"May 21st, 2007 at 8:22 am
monsterball
Again go to Rocky’s site and read the names of bloggers that went there. 85% are all his side kicks and machai…plus few from other blogs…like RPK..birds of the same feather flock together..yet brave 15% are there to see and observed…not easily influenced. Why I say they are his machai? Go read all other posts he put out..few bloggers names are frequently mentioned with love from him..yet these are identified by Sheih as bloggers to disunite others. So he respect those bloggers more than Sheih…yet Sheih is his elected All blog committee member…those he respect are not.Now is that not trying to disunite bloggers…led by Rocky?"
DESI: I believe his conclusions/observations by Monsterball, quote: "Again go to Rocky’s site and read the names of bloggers that went there. 85% are all his side kicks and machai…plus few from other blogs…like RPK..birds of the same feather flock together..yet brave 15% are there to see and observed…not easily influenced.were without any grounds." ...HAD NO BASIS AT ALL. I hope Bloggers/Commenters who were not even present would not make wild claims as to their self-claimed expert knowledge of the profiles/make-ups of the diverse Blogger-personalities present. Also, many attendees were NOT even Bloggers! -- Desi
PS: I hope others who were there at the bum 2007 Bloggers Gathering on May 19, 2007 at Lake View Club will lend their views here wrt Susan's and Monsterball's post and comments. Thank you.
_________________________________
I advise my ER to surf to the Original Blog run by Susan Loone to understand the Issue in context so as not to confuse yourself.
My points are summarised thus, with Typos, warts and all as I responded to part of Susan's comments, viz:
________________________________________________
"
May 21st, 2007 at 8:45 pm
ylchong
Susan:
I am “bending” my decision NOT to engage in your Blog anymore after one previous incident, but this part of your “false claims” need to be corrected, viz:
“i was also not too happy with the tone of the event. for example, look at this: http://bum2007.wordpress.com/2007/04/06/hello-world/What to expectEach panellist will share their thoughts based on their field of activity, expertise and experience, for 8 to 10 minutes each.
They will spend the last 2-3 minutes of their speech on stating if they agree OR disagree with the followingstatement:
That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Special speaker Rocky will speak on the National Alliance of Bloggers.”
DESI: I was Chairman of the just ended bujm2007 Bloggers Gathering, leading a self-appointed 7-member Committe. It was clearly stated at the website created to opearte during the One-off Event duration that we were NOT organising it on behalf of the National Alliance of Bloggers (NB) which Rockybru heads.
I developed the Brief to the Speakers, which was general to enable the SIX speakers lots of leeway to speak within the limited time frame. I also developed the Sub-topic “That the media environment under the present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is more open and liberal compared to the previous administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” as it asked the speakers WHETHER they agreed OR disagreed, or it did noit prejudice either the current or previous administrations.
Rockybru’s function that evening was DIFFERENT from the other Panel members (6) — just to talk about the TWO-MONTH-OILD baby called the NAB.
I raise three questions here:
(1) For heaven’s sakes — at 2X 30 days timeline and you people are already fologging it like it was a five-year-old dead horse. Then the question arises: WHY EVEN BOTHER?
(2) Who appointed you Susan, or Monsterball, to speak as IF at this moment you know the criteria for membership OR that Rockybru already has an Agenda? When you two asked all the individual members of NAB to speak up, there will be dissenting voices as this juncture because the Constitution is not even finalised, as Elizabeth has duly informed here.
(3) SO what’s all these premature pronouncements about?NAB wants to work towards a registered ENTITY to promote two primary objectives as spely out at this stage that Rockybru also elaborated on May 19, 2007 night at Lake View Club.And I believe that’s where the TWO general objectives and let’s not “kill” the baby on your own wild, and ungrounded allegations of “What IF”. — Desi
__________________________________________________
AS for the other commenter Monsterball's views, partially reprised here, also caused concern for Desi, viz:
"May 21st, 2007 at 8:22 am
monsterball
Again go to Rocky’s site and read the names of bloggers that went there. 85% are all his side kicks and machai…plus few from other blogs…like RPK..birds of the same feather flock together..yet brave 15% are there to see and observed…not easily influenced. Why I say they are his machai? Go read all other posts he put out..few bloggers names are frequently mentioned with love from him..yet these are identified by Sheih as bloggers to disunite others. So he respect those bloggers more than Sheih…yet Sheih is his elected All blog committee member…those he respect are not.Now is that not trying to disunite bloggers…led by Rocky?"
DESI: I believe his conclusions/observations by Monsterball, quote: "Again go to Rocky’s site and read the names of bloggers that went there. 85% are all his side kicks and machai…plus few from other blogs…like RPK..birds of the same feather flock together..yet brave 15% are there to see and observed…not easily influenced.were without any grounds." ...HAD NO BASIS AT ALL. I hope Bloggers/Commenters who were not even present would not make wild claims as to their self-claimed expert knowledge of the profiles/make-ups of the diverse Blogger-personalities present. Also, many attendees were NOT even Bloggers! -- Desi
PS: I hope others who were there at the bum 2007 Bloggers Gathering on May 19, 2007 at Lake View Club will lend their views here wrt Susan's and Monsterball's post and comments. Thank you.
_________________________________
Official Announcement - Bloggers United Gathering 2007
This post will be retained at the top for long for sustained exposure.
Aftersleepless nights much deliberation on the date and venue, it's official! Announcing...
Vertical banner.
Horizontal banner.
Sidebar banner.
All the banners are designed by the genius Mob1900.
All the info you need to know about the gathering can be found by visiting this official blog:
You can also help promote the event by blogging about this, pasting the banners (click on the links where the banners are hosted by photobucket) and link back to the www.bum2007.wordpress.com.
Hope to see you there! Embrace and engage!
After
Vertical banner.
Horizontal banner.
Sidebar banner.
All the banners are designed by the genius Mob1900.
All the info you need to know about the gathering can be found by visiting this official blog:
You can also help promote the event by blogging about this, pasting the banners (click on the links where the banners are hosted by photobucket) and link back to the www.bum2007.wordpress.com.
Hope to see you there! Embrace and engage!
Intimations
A word that exudes a glow
Most times incorporate the "I luv you"
An Upper in Desi's vocabulary
Embracing and Engaging with bod language
that two souls just met can paint a landscape
wher actors dance and writers speak
and everybody feels young and gay
Yes, life's a stage and we awe have parts to play
Except that many bloggers want to have the lust say!
Desi does, that's why he avows he's socialist
Plays socialite, elitist and whate'er you tag him you may
Jest repay with a kind word
Admit we've grown intiMATE
Embrace, engage and let not our conversations abAte
From the freedictionary.com~~~~~~~
intimation
Also found in: Wikipedia
in·ti·mate 1play_w("I0201900")
(nt-mt)
adj.1. Marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity.
2. Relating to or indicative of one's deepest nature: intimate prayers.
3. Essential; innermost: the intimate structure of matter.
4. Marked by informality and privacy: an intimate nightclub.
5. Very personal; private: an intimate letter.
6. Of or involved in a sexual relationship.
n.
A close friend or confidant.
[Latin intimtus, past participle of intimre, to make familiar with; see intimate2.]
inti·mate·ly adv.
inti·mate·ness n.
in·ti·mate 2
play_w("I0202000")
(nt-mt)
tr.v. in·ti·mat·ed, in·ti·mat·ing, in·ti·mates
1. To make known subtly and indirectly; hint. See Synonyms at suggest.
2. To announce; proclaim.
[Latin intimre, intimt-, to make known, from intimus, innermost; see en in Indo-European roots.]
inti·mater n.
inti·mation n.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun
1.
intimation - an indirect suggestion; "not a breath of scandal ever touched her"
hint, breath
proffer, proposition, suggestion - a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection; "it was a suggestion we couldn't refuse"
2.
intimation - a slight suggestion or vague understanding; "he had no inkling what was about to happen"
glimmering, inkling, glimmer
suggestion - an idea that is suggested; "the picnic was her suggestion"
INTIMATION FORETASTE
Midnight Voices
Familiar voices
With faint messages
Half communicated
They descend in my sleep
Beckoning welcome
To their bosomy fireplace
But I wasn't given directions
Just urges rising in my breast
And my restless soul striving to touch base
Will these authors of midnight voices
Please give me the complete signals
That I may truly hear and arrive?
I long to join your abode
And temporarily escape this insanity
As earthlings sleep
While my heart beats
In answer to half-perceived
Midnight voices
Copyright ©2007 Chong Yen Long
________________________________________
INTIMIdasi:
NOW visit TOP ranking Post
"DESI'S FIRST ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS"!
and invest RM15 for your own good,
and Desi's SIRvival!
________________________________________
INTIMATION FOR BLOGGERS' TASTE
After blogging for the past two years,
culminating with organising-chairing
May 19, 2007's bum2007 Bloggers Gathering
at Lake View Club, Subang Jaya
I am happy to report I thoroughly enjoy the cyber journey,
meeting many new friends and surprising companions. Two travellers
I find engaging are Dr. Bakri Musa, resident abroad, and his cohort-writer,
Din Merican, whom I often banter with, in the spirit promoted by
Voltaire's: "I may disagree with what you say but I will defend,
to the death, your right to say it."
I also enjoy the intellect-challenging company of several media
cronies, comprising Y.S. Loo, P.Y, Chin, Kerry Fong, K.N, Yap, Jed
Yoong and H.M. Liew, and the poem, Banter around the dinner table
(See page 14), was inspired by their presence.
In the writing process, I would like to record my appreciation to
academician Hendry Ng, for his guidance and timely reminder of
ethics in academic pursuit, and his wife, Catherine. I would also note
here the inspiration accorded by sister Mary Choong who attained
her University of LOndon's degree in English Literature via external
study through sheer hard work, discipline, and dogged determination.
Other friends in the education field whose sharing of life's lessons
surely enriches my writing deserve a record of my appreciation here,
including K.N. Kow, C.L. Loo, B.H. Quek, Michael Lim, S.C. Wong,
Michael Lee and R. Selvarajah.
My writing horizon expanded over the last two years after I started
my weblog -- desiderata2000.blogspot.com -- on the Ides of Larch
2005, and the chief benefit flowing from this joyful journey still in
progress are the many new people I have become acquainted with.
The section of poems sub-headed Blogosphere -- Beauty and the Beast
-- is culled mainly from My Blue Haven. At this blogosphere abode, I
indulged a lot in wordsmithry, and myGOoDfriend (mGf) from Ipoh,
host of allofhelen.blogspot.com, termed it my DDC (Da Desi Code).
Should you not catch on this special licence of Blogspeak, don't be
afraid for you are not alone! Helen initially said she could understand
only 30 percent of what Desi wrote. Curio cat that she is -- or is she
an Olivia (sister of Oliver Twist)? -- she keeps coming back for more.
I was tempted to say aMore but I refrained. I felt pretty proud when
Helen intimated that I had won her over with some poetry, and she
repays with some past&PRESENTries. Note the words in italics are
some exasmples of DDC, hope you do see, even with one eye closed!
I must thank some of my cyber-conversationists -- several have
graduated to become firm terrestrial friends arising from some G7
Blogger-delegates meetings I initiated. Just an incomplete rollcal
follows, several I term Young&Articulates (Y&A): sabrina tan, kyels,
johnleemk, imran, primrose, theels, and meals like specialbrunch,
freelunch, maverick sm, anakmerdeka, howsy, mob 1900 and nat tan
(my fave palindrome) and polytikus.
A few came for a short ride, disembarked at the next station, and I
hope on whatever journey they are presently embarked on, remember
I once quoted from The Road Not Taken, and I pray they have had
taken their right turn. We certainly met for a reason, and I hope some
of my writings left an impression. Feed me back via
chongyl2000@yahoo.com -- that's only fair, even if there be brickbats.
Leave me your contact email for I may wish to throw some pies back,
at thy pretty face!
Desiderata-YL Chong
April 14, 2007
Most times incorporate the "I luv you"
An Upper in Desi's vocabulary
Embracing and Engaging with bod language
that two souls just met can paint a landscape
wher actors dance and writers speak
and everybody feels young and gay
Yes, life's a stage and we awe have parts to play
Except that many bloggers want to have the lust say!
Desi does, that's why he avows he's socialist
Plays socialite, elitist and whate'er you tag him you may
Jest repay with a kind word
Admit we've grown intiMATE
Embrace, engage and let not our conversations abAte
From the freedictionary.com~~~~~~~
intimation
Also found in: Wikipedia
in·ti·mate 1play_w("I0201900")
(nt-mt)
adj.1. Marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity.
2. Relating to or indicative of one's deepest nature: intimate prayers.
3. Essential; innermost: the intimate structure of matter.
4. Marked by informality and privacy: an intimate nightclub.
5. Very personal; private: an intimate letter.
6. Of or involved in a sexual relationship.
n.
A close friend or confidant.
[Latin intimtus, past participle of intimre, to make familiar with; see intimate2.]
inti·mate·ly adv.
inti·mate·ness n.
in·ti·mate 2
play_w("I0202000")
(nt-mt)
tr.v. in·ti·mat·ed, in·ti·mat·ing, in·ti·mates
1. To make known subtly and indirectly; hint. See Synonyms at suggest.
2. To announce; proclaim.
[Latin intimre, intimt-, to make known, from intimus, innermost; see en in Indo-European roots.]
inti·mater n.
inti·mation n.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun
1.
intimation - an indirect suggestion; "not a breath of scandal ever touched her"
hint, breath
proffer, proposition, suggestion - a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection; "it was a suggestion we couldn't refuse"
2.
intimation - a slight suggestion or vague understanding; "he had no inkling what was about to happen"
glimmering, inkling, glimmer
suggestion - an idea that is suggested; "the picnic was her suggestion"
INTIMATION FORETASTE
Midnight Voices
Familiar voices
With faint messages
Half communicated
They descend in my sleep
Beckoning welcome
To their bosomy fireplace
But I wasn't given directions
Just urges rising in my breast
And my restless soul striving to touch base
Will these authors of midnight voices
Please give me the complete signals
That I may truly hear and arrive?
I long to join your abode
And temporarily escape this insanity
As earthlings sleep
While my heart beats
In answer to half-perceived
Midnight voices
Copyright ©2007 Chong Yen Long
________________________________________
INTIMIdasi:
NOW visit TOP ranking Post
"DESI'S FIRST ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS"!
and invest RM15 for your own good,
and Desi's SIRvival!
________________________________________
INTIMATION FOR BLOGGERS' TASTE
After blogging for the past two years,
culminating with organising-chairing
May 19, 2007's bum2007 Bloggers Gathering
at Lake View Club, Subang Jaya
I am happy to report I thoroughly enjoy the cyber journey,
meeting many new friends and surprising companions. Two travellers
I find engaging are Dr. Bakri Musa, resident abroad, and his cohort-writer,
Din Merican, whom I often banter with, in the spirit promoted by
Voltaire's: "I may disagree with what you say but I will defend,
to the death, your right to say it."
I also enjoy the intellect-challenging company of several media
cronies, comprising Y.S. Loo, P.Y, Chin, Kerry Fong, K.N, Yap, Jed
Yoong and H.M. Liew, and the poem, Banter around the dinner table
(See page 14), was inspired by their presence.
In the writing process, I would like to record my appreciation to
academician Hendry Ng, for his guidance and timely reminder of
ethics in academic pursuit, and his wife, Catherine. I would also note
here the inspiration accorded by sister Mary Choong who attained
her University of LOndon's degree in English Literature via external
study through sheer hard work, discipline, and dogged determination.
Other friends in the education field whose sharing of life's lessons
surely enriches my writing deserve a record of my appreciation here,
including K.N. Kow, C.L. Loo, B.H. Quek, Michael Lim, S.C. Wong,
Michael Lee and R. Selvarajah.
My writing horizon expanded over the last two years after I started
my weblog -- desiderata2000.blogspot.com -- on the Ides of Larch
2005, and the chief benefit flowing from this joyful journey still in
progress are the many new people I have become acquainted with.
The section of poems sub-headed Blogosphere -- Beauty and the Beast
-- is culled mainly from My Blue Haven. At this blogosphere abode, I
indulged a lot in wordsmithry, and myGOoDfriend (mGf) from Ipoh,
host of allofhelen.blogspot.com, termed it my DDC (Da Desi Code).
Should you not catch on this special licence of Blogspeak, don't be
afraid for you are not alone! Helen initially said she could understand
only 30 percent of what Desi wrote. Curio cat that she is -- or is she
an Olivia (sister of Oliver Twist)? -- she keeps coming back for more.
I was tempted to say aMore but I refrained. I felt pretty proud when
Helen intimated that I had won her over with some poetry, and she
repays with some past&PRESENTries. Note the words in italics are
some exasmples of DDC, hope you do see, even with one eye closed!
I must thank some of my cyber-conversationists -- several have
graduated to become firm terrestrial friends arising from some G7
Blogger-delegates meetings I initiated. Just an incomplete rollcal
follows, several I term Young&Articulates (Y&A): sabrina tan, kyels,
johnleemk, imran, primrose, theels, and meals like specialbrunch,
freelunch, maverick sm, anakmerdeka, howsy, mob 1900 and nat tan
(my fave palindrome) and polytikus.
A few came for a short ride, disembarked at the next station, and I
hope on whatever journey they are presently embarked on, remember
I once quoted from The Road Not Taken, and I pray they have had
taken their right turn. We certainly met for a reason, and I hope some
of my writings left an impression. Feed me back via
chongyl2000@yahoo.com -- that's only fair, even if there be brickbats.
Leave me your contact email for I may wish to throw some pies back,
at thy pretty face!
Desiderata-YL Chong
April 14, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
It was Such a Night!
Elvis' song and spirit wuz heard loud and clear
May 19, 2007 down Lake View Club dear
If you miss'd the fun-D mGf awe
Just blame thyself for not taking to Bloggers amore
I was pumping iron and swaloowing medSIN
That my muscle pains would not let me down
If ever Desi had kearn'd his lesson
It is ne'er with s'x fellow Bloggers clown
Howsy fits more in the biology lab
W'ile Freelunch prefers a Nap
Polytikus chose to jive and Nab
I'd better stop hear
Othervice, of me left, centre and right
I get a stab and stab and stab
Yes, it was blardy shingles giving Desi a nightmare to ride
But All's Well That Ends Well, says the Bard
So we didn't get to that 100 magic figure
Minus five is Not too bad
Dear Bloggers United Malaysia 2007 attendees awe
as half-broke Chair I Thank Thee more
For letting me enjoy more than the Guests
Many depart'd early was that half in jest?
When Howsy threw the challenge of a SoPo do
I responded with semi trepidation saying Yes I too
With a leap of faith staring from ground zero
95 fellow/a Bloggers and mates said Hello
Se7en speakers spoke of freedom of speech and some funny regulators
The infinite Blogosphere they wish to bring to heel as monitors
What what the chieftains wish and want
The soldiers in cyber-space just won't oblige to meet their slant
Desi and his Merry Band of Six or Was It Five?
May 19, 2007 we did thrive and survive
Now Rockybru and a newly-minted National Alliance of Bloggers
Take on the future challenges with grit and spirit
Desi says Welcome with se&en more tehtarik and a jug of beer
Be of one mind, one spirit and always of good cheer
A word of Thanks to Lake View Club people is in order
They really bent backwards our success to ensure
Come 2008 Bloggers old and new
Ah come and attend the next Gathering and
Saviour the food and view, may jest include a drunken few:)
Such A Night
It was a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
The moon was bright oh how so bright
It really was such a night
The night was alight with stars above
Oo-oo when she kissed me
I had to fall in love
Oh it was a kiss oo-oo what a kiss
It really was such a kiss
Oh how she could kiss oh what a kiss
It really was such a kiss
Just the thought of her lips
Sets me afire
I reminisce and I'm filled with desire
But I'd gave my heart to her in sweet surrender
How well I remember, I'll always remember
Oh, what a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
Came the dawn and my heart and her love
And the night was gone
But I'll never forget the kiss
The kiss in the moonlight
Oo-oo such a kiss, such a night
It was a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
Came the dawn and my heart and her love
And the night was gone
But I'll never forget the kiss
The kiss in the moonlight
How well I remember,
I'll always remember
That night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
When we kissed I had to fall in love
But I'd gave my heart to her in sweet surrender
How well I remember, I'll always remember
Oh that night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
When we kissed I had to fall in love
Well she's gone, gone, gone
Yes she's gone, gone, gone
Came the dawn, dawn, dawn
And my love was gone
But before that dawn
Yes before that dawn and before that dawn
Oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo
Such a night
May 19, 2007 down Lake View Club dear
If you miss'd the fun-D mGf awe
Just blame thyself for not taking to Bloggers amore
I was pumping iron and swaloowing medSIN
That my muscle pains would not let me down
If ever Desi had kearn'd his lesson
It is ne'er with s'x fellow Bloggers clown
Howsy fits more in the biology lab
W'ile Freelunch prefers a Nap
Polytikus chose to jive and Nab
I'd better stop hear
Othervice, of me left, centre and right
I get a stab and stab and stab
Yes, it was blardy shingles giving Desi a nightmare to ride
But All's Well That Ends Well, says the Bard
So we didn't get to that 100 magic figure
Minus five is Not too bad
Dear Bloggers United Malaysia 2007 attendees awe
as half-broke Chair I Thank Thee more
For letting me enjoy more than the Guests
Many depart'd early was that half in jest?
When Howsy threw the challenge of a SoPo do
I responded with semi trepidation saying Yes I too
With a leap of faith staring from ground zero
95 fellow/a Bloggers and mates said Hello
Se7en speakers spoke of freedom of speech and some funny regulators
The infinite Blogosphere they wish to bring to heel as monitors
What what the chieftains wish and want
The soldiers in cyber-space just won't oblige to meet their slant
Desi and his Merry Band of Six or Was It Five?
May 19, 2007 we did thrive and survive
Now Rockybru and a newly-minted National Alliance of Bloggers
Take on the future challenges with grit and spirit
Desi says Welcome with se&en more tehtarik and a jug of beer
Be of one mind, one spirit and always of good cheer
A word of Thanks to Lake View Club people is in order
They really bent backwards our success to ensure
Come 2008 Bloggers old and new
Ah come and attend the next Gathering and
Saviour the food and view, may jest include a drunken few:)
Such A Night
It was a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
The moon was bright oh how so bright
It really was such a night
The night was alight with stars above
Oo-oo when she kissed me
I had to fall in love
Oh it was a kiss oo-oo what a kiss
It really was such a kiss
Oh how she could kiss oh what a kiss
It really was such a kiss
Just the thought of her lips
Sets me afire
I reminisce and I'm filled with desire
But I'd gave my heart to her in sweet surrender
How well I remember, I'll always remember
Oh, what a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
Came the dawn and my heart and her love
And the night was gone
But I'll never forget the kiss
The kiss in the moonlight
Oo-oo such a kiss, such a night
It was a night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
Came the dawn and my heart and her love
And the night was gone
But I'll never forget the kiss
The kiss in the moonlight
How well I remember,
I'll always remember
That night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
When we kissed I had to fall in love
But I'd gave my heart to her in sweet surrender
How well I remember, I'll always remember
Oh that night oo-oo what a night
It really was such a night
When we kissed I had to fall in love
Well she's gone, gone, gone
Yes she's gone, gone, gone
Came the dawn, dawn, dawn
And my love was gone
But before that dawn
Yes before that dawn and before that dawn
Oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo
Such a night
What Does 19th of May Mean To You? A General Election Date? A ...
19th of May. The heat is on...for the General Election. Well, at least by the 'feng shui master' as speculated by the Godfather of the Malaysian Blogosphere. Bah! Elections, elections, elections! Haven't you had enough of that already? So, what else is on on the 19th of May? The Bloggers United Malaysia 2007 Gathering of course!
Laku, laku. See who you will get the chance to rub shoulders with:
Love him or hate him, wouldn't you want to see him in person?
She needs no more introduction.
First from the left, she's the executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia)
Don't worry. You'll not see him behind bars or shouting at the top of his voice at the gathering.
Exhibiting a nice set of white teeth, he is (allegedly) already gaining swarms of female fans.
The only representative from the mainstream media, he'll sure bring in some Sun to the gathering.
We also have a special speaker on that day, Rocky Bru, to talk about what All-Blogs is all about...
Picture by Jeff Ooi.
Here's the promotional flyer again in case you missed it...
They are all smiling and welcoming you to the event. So, what are you waiting for?
Please deposit RM30 to the following Maybank account details, by 9th of May:
Please scan your payment slip and email it to freelunch2020[@]gmail[.]com to confirm your payment.
Do bring along your original ‘Deposit receipt’ as Entry Pass to the event.
Wait no more! Act now!
Why whore so many times? Tak laku kah?
Laku, laku. See who you will get the chance to rub shoulders with:
Jeff Ooi
Love him or hate him, wouldn't you want to see him in person?Marina Mahathir
She needs no more introduction.Sonia Randhawa.
First from the left, she's the executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia)Tian Chua
Don't worry. You'll not see him behind bars or shouting at the top of his voice at the gathering.Tony Pua
Exhibiting a nice set of white teeth, he is (allegedly) already gaining swarms of female fans. R. Nadeswaran a.k.a. Citizen Nades
The only representative from the mainstream media, he'll sure bring in some Sun to the gathering.We also have a special speaker on that day, Rocky Bru, to talk about what All-Blogs is all about...
Picture by Jeff Ooi.
Here's the promotional flyer again in case you missed it...
They are all smiling and welcoming you to the event. So, what are you waiting for?
Please deposit RM30 to the following Maybank account details, by 9th of May:
Account Name: Yoong Yui Foong
A/C No.: 1071 4403 8074
Please scan your payment slip and email it to freelunch2020[@]gmail[.]com to confirm your payment.
Do bring along your original ‘Deposit receipt’ as Entry Pass to the event.
Wait no more! Act now!
Friday, May 18, 2007
24
Bum2007 Bloggers Gathering gets a lift 24 into D-Dae.
Org Com member Soon Li Tsin aka polytikus is awe excited reporting that "We are in the nu'es, well, sort of!:)"
http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=778
Malaysia's Bloggers Fight for Freedom Against Government Push for Regulation Fabio Scarpello Bio 16 May 2007 World Politics Review Exclusive
DENPASAR, Indonesia -- Bloggers United Malaysia 2007, Malaysia's first national meeting on blogging, will be aimed at promoting blogging with a series of talks and workshops. However, when Malaysia's tech-savvy meet at Petaling Jaya's Lake View Club May 19, there is little doubt that the most pressing topic at hand will be how to stave off a government push to crack down on online expression.
Blogging has taken Malaysia by storm, rapidly becoming an alternative voice to the state-controlled media. Washington-based Freedom House ranked Malaysia at 150 out of 195 nations surveyed in its latest global survey of press freedom.
Bloggers' success has been the source of their problems, with an increasingly anxious government looking for ways to assert control over the "blogosphere." Malaysia is estimated to have about 10 million Internet users.Although the Internet is technically under the authority of the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, leading the government attack is Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin.
Zainuddin studied at the Institute of Journalism in Berlin as a young man, had a distinguished career at the government-linked Utusan Media Group and was president of Malaysia's National Union of Journalists between 1968 and 1970. The 68-year old Zainuddin accuses political blogs of writing lies and using wild language, and seems to symbolize his generation's struggle to grapple with the new medium.
Among those marshalling the bloggers' resistance is Ahirudin Attan, whose blog Rocky's Bru is among the most visited in the country.A journalist, self-defined as "somewhere between veteran and retired," Ahirudin is also the president of The National Alliance of Bloggers of Malaysia, or "All-Blogs," as it is known, the country's first association of bloggers.
As its president explained, All-Blogs aims to protect the rights of bloggers and promote blogging in a responsible manner. It also plans to register with the government, appoint a committee and impose membership fees."We also want to make contact with the authorities and engage them in discussions to raise the level of awareness about the positive and negative impacts of blogging," Ahirudin said, underlining the non-confrontational nature of the alliance.
Although it has been brewing for a while, the battle over blogs and bloggers started in earnest on Jan. 4, when Ahirudin and Jeff Ooi, his deputy in the alliance and publisher of the Screenshots blog, were sued by the government-linked New Straits Times newspaper, which alleges that the two men made defamatory postings about the paper on their sites.The case is ongoing and the two rebut the accusations.
On a more general level, the gloves came off in early March, when newspapers and TV picked up corruption allegations about Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharom that were posted on a blog.The exposure prompted a security ministry circular telling editors of a dozen mainstream newspapers and five television stations that they must not "give any consideration whatsoever" to anti-government material posted online.Since then, various government officials have accused bloggers of lying and called for regulations to limit their freedom.
Throughout the battle, Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, among other groups, have sided with the bloggers, who lately have also found unexpected allies in the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) and in former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Mohamad is not remembered as a defender of press freedom, but his daughter, Marina, is a blogger at RantingsbyMM.
NUJ has urged the government to recognize bloggers as a new medium of information.Although Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi earned some brownie points when he rejected a proposal to order local bloggers to register with the government, Zainuddin has kept the pressure on and has now called for bloggers to be classified as either "professionals" or "non-professionals."
He argues that the classification is a "mechanism to prevent misuse of blogs" and that it will "facilitate the action to be taken against those found to have violated the country's laws."
Ahirudin defined the proposal as another poorly disguised attempt to register bloggers."It is just as ludicrous if I were to call on politicians, like Zainuddin, to be categorized as professional politicians or non-professional politicians," he said.
In a meticulous explanation, lawyer and fellow blogger Nizam Bashir, the man behind the keyboard at the Poetic Justice blog, shredded Zainuddin's argument and warned that the proposal could lead to the circumvention of key principles of law, such as the presumption of innocence and the right to be heard."There are ample mechanisms already in place to regulate Internet content. These include the laws relating to the dissemination of obscene material, defamatory material, copyright material, seditious material and other content," he added.
As the argument rages on, roughly one hundred bloggers are set to make the trip to the western State of Selangor, where BUM will be held. Among the confirmed speakers are bloggers like Ahirudin Attan, Jeff Ooi and Marina Mahathir, as well as experts such as Sonia Randhawa, executive director of Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism.
Fabio Scarpello is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for the Italian press agency AdnKronos International and a regular contributor to WPR.
Org Com member Soon Li Tsin aka polytikus is awe excited reporting that "We are in the nu'es, well, sort of!:)"
http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=778
Malaysia's Bloggers Fight for Freedom Against Government Push for Regulation Fabio Scarpello Bio 16 May 2007 World Politics Review Exclusive
DENPASAR, Indonesia -- Bloggers United Malaysia 2007, Malaysia's first national meeting on blogging, will be aimed at promoting blogging with a series of talks and workshops. However, when Malaysia's tech-savvy meet at Petaling Jaya's Lake View Club May 19, there is little doubt that the most pressing topic at hand will be how to stave off a government push to crack down on online expression.
Blogging has taken Malaysia by storm, rapidly becoming an alternative voice to the state-controlled media. Washington-based Freedom House ranked Malaysia at 150 out of 195 nations surveyed in its latest global survey of press freedom.
Bloggers' success has been the source of their problems, with an increasingly anxious government looking for ways to assert control over the "blogosphere." Malaysia is estimated to have about 10 million Internet users.Although the Internet is technically under the authority of the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, leading the government attack is Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin.
Zainuddin studied at the Institute of Journalism in Berlin as a young man, had a distinguished career at the government-linked Utusan Media Group and was president of Malaysia's National Union of Journalists between 1968 and 1970. The 68-year old Zainuddin accuses political blogs of writing lies and using wild language, and seems to symbolize his generation's struggle to grapple with the new medium.
Among those marshalling the bloggers' resistance is Ahirudin Attan, whose blog Rocky's Bru is among the most visited in the country.A journalist, self-defined as "somewhere between veteran and retired," Ahirudin is also the president of The National Alliance of Bloggers of Malaysia, or "All-Blogs," as it is known, the country's first association of bloggers.
As its president explained, All-Blogs aims to protect the rights of bloggers and promote blogging in a responsible manner. It also plans to register with the government, appoint a committee and impose membership fees."We also want to make contact with the authorities and engage them in discussions to raise the level of awareness about the positive and negative impacts of blogging," Ahirudin said, underlining the non-confrontational nature of the alliance.
Although it has been brewing for a while, the battle over blogs and bloggers started in earnest on Jan. 4, when Ahirudin and Jeff Ooi, his deputy in the alliance and publisher of the Screenshots blog, were sued by the government-linked New Straits Times newspaper, which alleges that the two men made defamatory postings about the paper on their sites.The case is ongoing and the two rebut the accusations.
On a more general level, the gloves came off in early March, when newspapers and TV picked up corruption allegations about Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharom that were posted on a blog.The exposure prompted a security ministry circular telling editors of a dozen mainstream newspapers and five television stations that they must not "give any consideration whatsoever" to anti-government material posted online.Since then, various government officials have accused bloggers of lying and called for regulations to limit their freedom.
Throughout the battle, Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, among other groups, have sided with the bloggers, who lately have also found unexpected allies in the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) and in former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Mohamad is not remembered as a defender of press freedom, but his daughter, Marina, is a blogger at RantingsbyMM.
NUJ has urged the government to recognize bloggers as a new medium of information.Although Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi earned some brownie points when he rejected a proposal to order local bloggers to register with the government, Zainuddin has kept the pressure on and has now called for bloggers to be classified as either "professionals" or "non-professionals."
He argues that the classification is a "mechanism to prevent misuse of blogs" and that it will "facilitate the action to be taken against those found to have violated the country's laws."
Ahirudin defined the proposal as another poorly disguised attempt to register bloggers."It is just as ludicrous if I were to call on politicians, like Zainuddin, to be categorized as professional politicians or non-professional politicians," he said.
In a meticulous explanation, lawyer and fellow blogger Nizam Bashir, the man behind the keyboard at the Poetic Justice blog, shredded Zainuddin's argument and warned that the proposal could lead to the circumvention of key principles of law, such as the presumption of innocence and the right to be heard."There are ample mechanisms already in place to regulate Internet content. These include the laws relating to the dissemination of obscene material, defamatory material, copyright material, seditious material and other content," he added.
As the argument rages on, roughly one hundred bloggers are set to make the trip to the western State of Selangor, where BUM will be held. Among the confirmed speakers are bloggers like Ahirudin Attan, Jeff Ooi and Marina Mahathir, as well as experts such as Sonia Randhawa, executive director of Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism.
Fabio Scarpello is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for the Italian press agency AdnKronos International and a regular contributor to WPR.
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