My Anthem

Friday, May 29, 2009

Dr Mahathir continues to beguile...(III)

The post at Desiderata dated 15 August 2007 is titled "THERE IS SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE" and will be used as my STARTING OINT FOR AN UPDATE on this interesting subject -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad -- tomorrow, Stay tuned! ~~ YL Chong, the journalist sometimes, Blogger most times

"THERE IS SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE"


...of Malaysia", was how ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad described the status of the country, adapting a quote from Shakespeare's "HAMLET", replacing "Denmark" with NegaraKu, which is not a pleasant sobriquet coming from a former UMNO leader who handed over the reins of power to a new captain about four years ago. After a 22-year rule. Much water has flowed under the bridge. Straight, crooked, built or imagined. The ever-cynical but humourous -- or sarcastic is the better word? -- former CEO who steered the ship for 22 years, controversially said the current situation is so bad that a group of concerned Malaysians have rallied around to find ways and means to "check" the smell of the rotting state of affairs. Calling themselces MAJLIS PRIHATIN MALAYSIA or Prima -- no, not the milk brand! as Dr Mahathir wise-cracked -- the group organised a dialogue with some 250 to 300 people (Desi's estimate-lah), comprising members of NGOs and Bloggers mainly, hosted by Dr Mahathir at his spacious Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya. "If we were to believe the mainstream media, the State of Malaysia is in fine shape, and it's fragrance surrounding the air in the fields of the economy, politics and social aspects affecting the rakyat," Dr Mahathir wryly summarised. ASIDE: Readers of my report today, done as closely following the ground rules of the press as a journalist could try,must be cautioned that the audience present at the packed auditorium could view the sprightly 82-year-old's body language, and so must work their grey cells a little to se if the former PM was saying things in half-jest. (As is wont to do by some Bloggers, including Desi hear, th elder statesman chose his words pretty double-edged, so one had to be discerning to know who the barbs of sarcasm were meant for.) So while I give you one account, it's best you also surf to Raja Petra Kamaruddin's famous site to view the video as Dr Mahathr's body language -- especially his wordsmithry as baffling as Desi's sometimes -- could leve the inattentive listener wondering whither his targets were, and a journalist might even interpret wrongly and earn the elder statesman's ire. As I had observed in my earlier posts, it's a case of either you love the guy, or you hate him, seldom in between. But as newsmen's copy depends on colouful subjects, Dr Mahathir never fails in delivering, so the newshound in Desi was pleasantly entertained. The state of Denamrk now transferred to NegaraKu that was rottening include the following areas, my paraphrase: * Crimes are now rising, including violent ones, compared to his times (1981-2003), and the people don't feel secure or safe, hesitant to venture out from their homes; * If one believes the MSM -- mainstream press, the economiy is doing fine. But the Rakay on the ground say they don't see anything "happening". * Yes, the Government keeps announcing mega-mega projects, running into tens of billion, "Yet they canclled several of my mega-projects running into few billions, citing that the coffers have run dry, with the double-tracking rail project cancelled within two weeks of my stepping down". * Now the Government is announcing all sorts of corrdiors up north, down south, eastwards, but were the contracts awarded in any transparent manner after getting the GLCs to oversee these projects? Dr Mahthair's numerous questions directed of course to the nation's new CEO. * Dr Mahathir reiterated about Singapore's status of needing to be consulted before Malaysia could embark of certain projects; the old sand and water at 3sen per 100 gallons thingy still lend some smell to the Malaysian air-space, expected to linger for a while. Desi managed to squeeze in a knotty question during Q and A, with a rambling preface-lah, showing that I was no ordinary journo, as I showed I did some home-work, yet I was apprehsensive as the former PM occasinally had voiced some less than favourable statements about the Fourth Estate. (He recalled a difficult time with malaysiakini.com (hey, when George Soros-Rogue traders issue was hot then, I was da nu'es editor, if I am not mistaken...) But I was happy to hear that he now considers Bloggers as a voice of influence to right the many wrongs and ills besetting Denmark ala NegaraKu. Hey, maybe I should turn Desi's Place commercial with his clarion call for rousing support among the people to speak boldly; otherwise, the nation is heading towards the Abyss (Dr Mahathir did not use the Abyss word, mine as I had been saying often we are indeed heading over the cliff...they mean the same thing, I think.) Back from digression, I prefaced my concern on PETRONAS by saying that I as a commoner didn't get to taste any of Petronas sweet fragrance despite it reporting rising net profits every year. From RM35.5buillion to RM43.6billion to RM54.4billion in the last FYE March 31, 2007; yet the pump oil prices keep rising. Where have the funds gone. I asked Dr Mahathir coyly by stating I was THINKING ALOUD -- sdr jeffooi's mantra I follow often! -- -- did the national oil corporation syphon off its profits elsewhere? Did the largest and most profitable entity in Malaysian under-report its revenues? Dr Mahathir said half in jest, or was he awe serious? THAT HE WAS A MALAY ADVISER, NOT A BRITISH ADVISER. The brits had authroity and their advice was followed by the locals. As Petronas as well as Proton's adviser, he was expected to maintain "eloquent silence" (He did not use the two words this time around), my inference okay! "When I stepped down, they canclled the double-tracking rail project. Someone said I had dried up all of the public coffers," Dr Mahathir recalled. But now they are building super-mega projects -- north, south and eastern corridors, and yes, Petronas was indeed gaining lots of revenues the last three years, he affirmed. But he could not tell Desi if the oil corp was under-reporting its profits as well was advised to remain a silent Malay adviser, not a questioning British adviser. "But I know we need not borrow funds from China to build the second Penang bridge as Petronas profits could many many Twin Towers and many more brridges, yet..." I apologise my short-hand was not catching up with the former PM's quick wits, So I refrain quoting further on pain I misquote and get a love-letter via Sufi Yusof. Yes, journalism has many occupational hazards, also some fringe benefits-lah like a tea reception and tehtarik by Blogger-mates. IF I wrote out of turn, Sufi, explain to your Boss that sometimes newshounds over-dozed/overdozed on tehtarik -- I had five cuppa over the four-hour I was covering this Putrajaya event, gratis.I mean the five cpuua came gratis, as for reporting, I am trying to negotiate with a foreign wire. Lines crossed as I dialled... ONE gem I think was vintage Mahathir was his reply to an attendee's query about a Star reporter's comparision of Khairy more than Mukhriz, as a copy to the young Dr Mahathir, and his quick repartee was to the effect -- Yes, like me as a dictator,and other not nice or complimentary traits, so I won't re-state here on pain of mis-quoting as my steno-sexcretary did not accompany Desi. Neither did mGf zorro-unmsak bring along Cathy Z Jones who I heard 'rides pretty well. And Bid Dog did not bring his tape-recorder althought DR Mahathir recoognised he was a Big Man around blogsosphere. Hey, Bloggers are getting due respect hear! Come join ALL BLOGS, rockybru and I are adjoining for tehtarik cum SBrunch where I can negogaite my 30sen if I can convert more Malaysians to blog responsibly like him and Desi. Off course there are always some nasties showing their foul tongues and damaging rumours. Less rmouring, more humouring please, you blardy writers. Don't hide behind covers of anonymity -- my advice, not Tun Dr Mahathir. He just wants more Malaysians to be concerned about the rotting (fish-?) head -- that's another metaphor I think came from another retired Minister. I wonder if he could be recalled to do National Serice by saving the monster of a White Elephant in the Port Klang area. I understand wan Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy is having a nigtmare even during daytime in hot equatorial zone. Let's see whether the aura emitted from the Port is smelly or fragrant. I hear the Bard also said: A rose by any other name smells just as sweet. The trouble is Most Malaysian MPs don't even know that Shakespeare wrote Hamlet or Julius Caesar. Some might even think Caesar was a Russian emperor who fought Genghiz Khan, do you think so? Maybe Dr Mahathir's former Deputy DS Anwar Ibrahim should be sent as Tutor to that august House to teach the inmates -- some rude Malaysians call them monkeys -- some poetry. I don't mind being an intern-tutor -- 20million anyone?

Reprisal 7:

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

We Agree to be Agreeable in our Disagreement

That's the motto to conduct rational discourse in Civil Society, and Sdr Din Merican was often practising in our banters -- yes, we even traded barbs with him defending former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Desi quite vociferous in challenging his defence -- and we never were ever disrespectful to each other. In his latest post at bakrimusa.com reporting on BERSIH's historic "V" rally on November 10,2007, Din again promoted this ethos of civil discourse when responding to a Commenter, generally sharing his thoughts on WHY he joined the PKR vehicle under former DPM Sdr Anwar Ibrahim as a "political activist", whatever that means. I would have thrown some rotten eggs had he fronted himself as a "social actvist" chauffered around in a Merdes, caliming himself as The Face of National Service, but waiving responsibility for the deaths that occurred among the trainees -- Sack the DG, he cried -- but taking high credit for its so-called successes. Maybe TanSi LLT's working extra hard creeping onto more boards of blue-chip listed Companies in the steal of the night. Also fighting for national interest to get that tonnesheep -- oops, TUNship.Sorry folks for the digression. I just need to get that off my chest because the MSM giveth him daily coverage and traets him as Lord of all Issues, including new shares of laughing stocks on Bursaa Malaysiaa, but they were blind to 40,000-60,000 Malaysians marching for Free and Fair Elections, and Justice.Back to Sdr Din, now Programme Director at Sdr Anwar Ibrahim's Office, and VVe rendeswooed halfway round the VVorld in the USA, guests of the good doctor Sdr Bakri Musa:

"Din Merican Says: November 12th, 2007 at 4:08 am I am not a politician in the true sense of the word. I have entered the world of political activism, whatever that term means. In doing so, I have cast my lot with Anwar Ibrahim and KeADILan. My own professor of Rural Sociology at University of Malaya, Prof. Dr. Syed Husin Ali is with the party too. I feel good about reuniting with this unassuming gentleman and intellectual because I yet to meet another human being who is more dedicated than he in the service of his fellow Malaysians and the cause of justice and equity. I feel a man must be driven by an ennobling mission and high ideals. Prof. Dr Syed Hussin is one such person.It is not my purpose here to change your views about anything.

But I would like to say here that Anwar has not said any unkind word about former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir to me even in his most unguarded moment. I think we all at KeADILan respect the Tun has a one of an unusual kind national leader with lots of guts and intellectual power. Some of my colleagues may disagree with the Tun and his politics, but they are never disrespectful. The Tun would be a formidable competitor, if he was still in office.We cannot say the same about the present lot of UMNO leaders and opportunists who have ignored the Tun. Perhaps, it is because he cannot give them any more contracts.Anwar himself never denied that he was able to rise in UMNO to the status of Deputy President and in government as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance largely because of the Tun.

One day we will know just yet what actually happened between them during the period 1997-1998. In the meantime, there is lots of speculation and stories about it.I remain respectful of the Tun and am saddened that the people in the Badawi Administration are trying to blow out the former Prime Minister’s candle to make their man’s look bright. Let me say to you that even a thousand candles cannot help Badawi. They will, in fact, make him look more inept, dysfunctional and deceitful. Badawi pales in comparison to Anwar and that is a fact. I believe Anwar is the best Malay leader of his generation just as Tun Mahathir is the shining star of his. It is a sad accident of history that Anwar did (Desi inserts here a key word inadvertenly left out by Din -- "not")have the chance to succeed him as Prime Minister. But he may yet be, God willing, by sheer grit, hard work and good strategy. My colleagues and I are working to make it happen.Yes, we agree to disagree and I will defend your right to speak and express yourself freely ala ***Voltaire."

DESIDERATA: After much rumination,I will be the first to take on Din's take, and I won't allow hisconstantKopi-O kau-kau at Subang Jaya make me any less dilute in my rebuttal, because I will placate him with goblets of tehtarik afterwords.:)In the same spirit expressed by Din, in similar vein of ***Voltaire's ethos:"I may disagree with what you say but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it."~~ Voltaire:I continue.Dr Mahathir might have performed remarkably in the first decade of his administration, I have always saluted that. But it must also be noted that from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis onwards, Malaysia saw some heart-breaking events as many of the businessmen who became victims of the crisis, marked by extrme falls in the then Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, were also cronies of several of the BN ministers. BAILOUTS were then the order of the day, but I won't detail them except cite the cases of Dr Mahathir's own son hit in a "slghtly biger than small" way -- the MISC debacle, remember? -- and the then MCA chief's own son, also hit in a "slightly bigger than small" way -- the youngest-billionaire-at-27, don't you remember? "Small" used in the context of billion-dollar losses, as Zakaria Mad Deros eloquently used as a benchmark to describe his RM7mil-10mil palace in Port Klang a decade later.But gostan to another decade before that, the 1988 sacking of LOrd President Tun Salleh Abas, and suspension of five senior judges, events well documented by my fellow writer KIM QUEK - that truly started the emasculaion of the Judiciary.The Lingam video tape scandal still in progress was an event that took place in 2002, almost a year plus before Dr Mahathir handed over the premiership in November 2003 to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. So brother Din, the culpability of the former UMNO president is just a difference in degrees from his successor who many enjoy lambasting as "sleepy-eyed", even catching 80 winks while standing with other national leaders at a regional event. If you are nice to RPK, he may point you to the hoto in his archives. Desi is technology-deficient, won't render this service for free. Indeed, I learnt from organising last year's BUM2007 thingy there is no such sure thing as a constant freelunch.So while Sdr Anwar has been diplomatic to Din -- a newbie into PKR which is to be welcomed!:)-- in not criticising his mentor Dr Mahathir, it remains a "fact" that the same bastardised Judiciary whose rot started a deacde earlier (when Anwar was himself a member in Tun Mahathir's Cabinet...) caused his (Anwar's) downfall.All in all, I would think Dr Mahathir would have been recorded in Malaysian history had he not overstayed by some 10 years. Malaysians like Desi would have judged him more kindly. But I believe he's making some amends -- indeed Blogsworld agrees with him when he concluded that the only media in NegaraKu that can report with facts and responsibility today is the infant and emerging Fifth Estate. I was happy I heard it from the horse's mouth one eventfulorning in Putrajaya.We all are human -- and "To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine" -- and we are hearened by Dr Mahathir's takes on some of the "rotten" things befalling the State of Malaysia-ala-Denmark, paraphrasing someone claimed to be the greatest writer born on this goode earthe. By the way, Dr Mahathir, Anwar and Desi share something in common -- we constantly quote the Bard. That's how some writHers achieve "greatnurse" by aRssocoiation. For badder or worse.The lust byte is abusing Poetic licence, in the tradition of one William Shakespeare.Din, I offer thee one golden goblet of tehtarik for listening so patiently. With Miss Sunthi if you like. Some arSENic for voyeurs hear?

Reprisal 6:

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Dr Mahathir's gambit -- from an MSM vantage

Desiderata will feature only two news reports on the main protagonists in the next scene of the Sandiwara on the PWTC Stage. The final curtains are ready to fall.On other accounts, please invest RM1.20 on The People's Paper which must be selling better in view of the March 8 political Tsunami, and now the after-shocks.Tuesday May 20, 2008Dr M quits UmnoALOR STAR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced he is quitting Umno, in what is seen as his final push to force Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Prime Minister and party president.His wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali has also quit, according to his website www.chedet.comDr Mahathir also called on Umno members to join him in this radical move, which he likened to “removing gangrene” in order for the party to survive.Except for two party veterans and one branch in the Merbok division, there were no other takers.Fans gather: Several people surrounding Dr Mahathir (centre) as he leaves the forum venue after announcing he was quitting Umno in Alor Star Monday.Abdullah, who expressed shock at Dr Mahathir's decision, however, reiterated that he would not give in to the pressure from the former premier.Party deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak offered to meet Dr Mahathir to “discuss the decision” to quit.Dr Mahathir has been on the warpath against Abdullah since 2004, claiming his successor was unfit for the job and has stepped up his attacks after Barisan Nasional's disastrous results in the March 8 general election.Related Stories:(Which Desi won't LINK as he does not wish to make any ER a lazy BUMmer like him. One is more than enough at Desi's Place!:): But to show I am democratic in Blogospheric overage, even on UMNO affairs, I gift my ER the Dr Mahathir's target's views after this! -- YL Chong*********************************************Dr M cuts ties with UmnoPM refuses to be cowed by ‘shocking’ decisionPAS man lit the ‘resignation’ fuseNajib: I’m willing to meet Dr MA desperate plea to UmnoReconsider decision, Ka Chuan urges MahathirUmno leaders shocked at moveKu Li: I’ll stay to fight AbdullahMahathir’s decision a blessing, says Musa Dissatisfaction against leadershipA contest of wills and wilesNik Aziz happy with Dr M’s move300 Merbok branch members take the cue from Dr MahathirTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's journey in Umno**************************************************Tuesday May 20, 2008PM refuses to be cowed by ‘shocking’ decisionKUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he will not bow to pressure from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to resign as prime minister and Umno president.He said he was “shocked and surprised” over Dr Mahathir’s sudden decision to quit Umno, calling the move a drastic action.He also said the resignation and call to other members to quit would not shatter the party as Umno had over three million members.“Maybe some will leave but I believe most of them still love Umno. I don’t know what Umno members are going to do but I would like to believe that the members will not leave,” he said.He urged Umno members to be taat setia (loyal) to the party and stay strong to continue the party’s struggle just like when it was first founded, adding that Umno’s existence was due to member loyalty.“I, as an Umno member, from the beginning until now, have never left the party and I will continue to fight for the party.“Umno has contributed much to the country and the people of all races, and we want Umno to continue the struggle,” he said after meeting party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam here yesterday.Abdullah hoped that Umno members would think carefully before making any decision.He believed that the majority of party members would stay true to Umno.“Leaving Umno means leaving Barisan Nasional, that’s what it is,” he said, adding that he also believed that those who were likely to quit would not be among the MPs.He said this when asked to comment on whether the resignation of Umno MPs would reduce the number of Barisan MPs in Parliament.Abdullah also said he did not see why he should quit as Umno president and prime minister, as he “still had work to do”.On whether he would meet Dr Mahathir personally to advise him against his decision, he said: “Don’t ask me that question.”He also refused to comment on Dr Mahathir’s statement that the latter would only return to the party when Abdullah steps down from his party and government positions.PS: I spend quite some time -- "quite" here can mean either "a little", "substantial", or "a lot" your pick! as I often say, I am pretty democratic wit' my ER who have a SENse of humour buying Desi tehtari'! -- surfing Blogs, and at rockybru's just now, I spied a Commenter's comment (what else you ask!) which I find worthwhile to reproduce here.I tried to get the Commenter's permission as I seldom reprise other Comments at mGf's blogs -- but this one calls for exception, as inlife, one cannot be absolutely stickily inflexible. But when I mouse-d on ,it led to a non-active blogsite...or rather access is not open to BUMmers like Desi, I dunno y!:("Dear MarGeeMar if you are reading this by 1-1,000 chance: emailme via chongyl2000@yahoo.com and I buy thee tehtari', even lamb,, at Lingam's,kambing?"***************************************************MarGeeMar said...Malaysiakini reported today that former PM Mahathir has quit Umno. It also reported that former Kedah MB and former Agriculture Minister Sanusi Junid has also quit. It appears to me that Mahathir is trying to use Kurt Lewins philosophy of change management by asking Umno members to leave Umno now but rejoin it after Badawi 'has left the building'. This is akin to Lewins’ Freeze-Change-Unfreeze mechanism in Managing Change.The only problem here is that the Umno members by now wouldn’t want to gamble with their political careers but would be pretty enticing and justifiable for them to be Independent MP’s, meaning they are neither BN or Pakatan Rakyat (PR). When this happens, we would actually have an interesting scenario where Pakatan Rakyat will come to power by default without even needing the ‘kataks’ (frogs) as PR will be able to form a minority Government with BN fragmented.Why to do think former DPM Musa Hitam’s protégé Shahrir Samad is talking about a possible snap election? These UMNO racists will try anything now just to stay in power, as they know their days are numbered. The greatest fear the BN/UMNO politicians and their benefactors have is that when PR comes to power, you can just imagine the amount of dirt the new Pakatan Rakyat government will expose for all to see. You can expect even Bukit Aman to be turned inside out. Even IGP Musa Hassan’s toilet will not be spared. Say your prayers folks, for the Day of Judgement is at hand for BN/Umno and their cronies!As for Mahathir’s use of Kurt Lewin’s Change Model for Umno, I’m afraid Mamak Tongkang’s plan will only backfire. You see, Umno, Gapena, Majlis Pemuafakatan Melayu must come to a realization that communal politics in Malaysia is history. No amount of Keris rattling is going to bring Malay support back to Umno. The same goes to non-Malay support for non-Malay BN component parties. Today, a new dawn has come to Malaysia. Today, we call ourselves as Bangsa Malaysia. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Eurasians don’t exist in this country any more. It only exists in our DNA. We are Malaysians for Ketuanan Rakyat! We are Bangsa Malaysia! Hidup Malaysia!11:01 PMDESIDERATA salutes the last point I highlighted, thus:"... Today, we call ourselves as Bangsa Malaysia. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Eurasians don’t exist in this country any more. It only exists in our DNA. We are Malaysians for Ketuanan Rakyat! We are Bangsa Malaysia! Hidup Malaysia!"



Reprisal 5:



Monday, May 19, 2008

Dr Mahathir De News-maker, Aweways


I am C&Ping from the NST Online a news development that's historic because of the Player involved -- Yes, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who ruled NegaraKu for 22 long years with an iron fist.The former Prime Minister who handed over the reins of power to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in November 2003 willingly now acknowledges he has made a BIG mistake in picking Mr Nice Guy as his successor.My picking up this report is mainly FOR THE RECORD, this being Wesak Day holiday I had not planned to write anything, but leisurely surfing for past one hour saw Dr Mahathir's latest "move" totally IN CHARACTER with the person/personality I know as a journalist tracking the ex-PM's acts and scenes on the UMNO Stage.I have said often you either like Dr M or you hate him -- seldom there's the shades of love-hate inbetweens. But one thing all newhounds like about him-- Dr M never fails in giving the press contents for GOOD COPIES!So here's another one, and before September 16, 2008, expect at least ONE MORE NEWS-BREAKING -- or is it NERVE-CRACKING? -- MOVE!2008/05/19Dr M quits Umno after accepting ‘dare’ to be first to resignBy : Noor Adzman Baharuddin & Adib Povera ALOR STAR, Mon:After goading Umno members today to temporarily resign from Umno as a sign of protest against the party president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took up a “dare” to take the lead by resigning from the party he had been a founding member of since 1946. However, he implored Umno members taking up his challenge not to join any other party and remain independent, at least until the Umno leadership was determined (after the December party elections). He indicated that he will only rejoin the party when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down as Umno president. Dr Mahathir, an Umno life member, was answering questions from the floor after giving a talk at a forum entitled 'Future of the Malays after the 12th General Election' at the Star City Hotel in Alor Star, organised by the Kedah Malay Assembly Hall, when a member of the audience asked him if he would take the lead in quitting Umno.Identifying himself as Ismail Jaziz, he asked Dr Mahathir if he would take the lead since he had mooted the idea. To this, Dr Mahathir, in a serious tone said: “Waa, saya di cabar ni…(looks like I have been dared). Yes, I will leave Umno...until the party leadership is determined. Other Umno members should follow me.”Loud cheers erupted from the 1,500 attendees, which included assembly chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ahmad, Jerlun Umno division chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Ariffin, State Assemblyman for Kuala Nerang Datuk Syed Sobri Syed Hashim, State Assemblywoman for Sungai Tiang Suraya Yaacob and former Kedah Menteri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid."Malays, Umno members and many other people have sent Abdullah messages to express dissatisfaction with his leadership, especially after the March 8 general election but he remains unaffected. We have to be radical and brave and this is the only way to bring him down," he said.It is not immediately clear if his son, Datuk Mukhriz, also the MP for Jerlun and an Umno Youth Exco member, would follow suit. Another of Dr Mahathir’s son, Datuk Mokhzani, was reported as saying that his father's decision was a “sign of no confidence” in Abdullah’s leadership.Abdullah, in an immediate reaction, expressed shock at Dr Mahathir's resignation, saying" I didn't expect him to leave but I will continue to fight for the party."One notable Umno leader who has apparently took on Dr Mahathir's call to resign is Sanusi, who said he will release an official statement later.However, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, once Dr Mahathir's greatest foe but now seen as a key ally, dismissed expectations that he too would quit Umno, saying that he will continue with his bid to challenge Abdullah for the party presidency in the December party elections.Datuk Shahrir Samad, an Umno supreme council member and Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, was quoted by AFP as saying that Dr Mahathir's resignation may precipitate a general election."The shock resignation may compel many Umkno members, especially MPs, to quit Umno, thus forcing the Prime Minister to form a new Government or call for a snap election," Shahrir was quoted as saying.The former Prime Minister's announcement also caught his aides by surprise.Dr Mahathir explained that this was not the first time he was out of Umno. “Between 1969 and 1970, I was expelled from Umno but later, when many Malays and Umno members still supported me, I re-entered Umno. There was no problem. Just don’t join other parties.”At a Press conference later, Dr Mahathir said he will submit his resignation from Umno as soon as possible.He explained that that he decided to leave Umno because he felt the party could no longer serve as a genuine political party to protect Malay rights and interests, Umno's founding objectives.Dr Mahathir claimed Umno had now been made a party to only recognise Abdullah as Umno president and accord importance to the prime minister's family interests, with the nation's welfare taking a backseat. "I can list out the things that Abdullah had done to the detriment of our nation's interests," he said. "The Umno of today no longer holds to the party's founding goals when it was formed 62 years ago. That is why I have no hesitation whatsoever to leave the party," he said.Dr Mahathir said it was high time for Umno members who love the party to be bold for the future of Malays and that such a move would not cause the Malays to lose their political power."The Malays would not lose their political power. They want to correct things not because they simply want to leave. If they are brave to safeguard the party and the Malay struggles, then they must also be brave to take actions. However, we find that many Umno members can't even attend certain gatherings...division chairmen also cannot attend...what is this?"Dr Mahathir said when Tengku Razaleigh opposed him in 1988, former prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had thrown his support for his opponent but he had never stopped any member to campaign against him (Dr Mahathir)."Now, we cannot say anything against the prime minister or the party president. This is not Umno," he said.Asked if Umno state assemblymen and MPs should also quit the party, he said they should if they truly love the party.Asked if his call and decision could be construed as him giving up on Umno, Dr Mahathir said he would not ask others to follow him if he himself was afraid to do so. Asked if his call would give added pressure for Abdullah to resign from his posts soon, Mahathir said: "I don't know about pressure. This man could not understand anything."Dr Mahathir insisted that his resignation had nothing to do with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip. "That is a court matter and I go to the courts. If they make allegations against me, I could also do the same and if I am found guilty, they can put me in jail but if I am not guilty, please don't arrest me anyway," he said. “I am just protesting against the Abdullah’s leadership of Umno and country."In their report leaked to the Press, the Commission of Inquiry named Dr Mahathir, lawyer Datuk V. K. Lingam, former chief justices Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and Tun Eusoff Chin, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan and former tourism minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor, for conspiring to fix the appointments and promotions of judges.The government's then instructed the Attorney-General to begin investigations into the six figures named but Dr Mahathir responded by claiming that he would "not settle for less" than his day in court so that he could defend himself against allegations that he was at the centre of a judicial appointments scandal in 2001.Dr Mahathir had hoped that when investigations into the conspiracy were completed, he would be charged so that he can reveal what really went on behind the scenes at the time, including instances of judges lobbying him for promotions.Mahathir’s resignation was a culmination of two years of vitriolic criticisms against Abdullah. Dr Mahathir began finding fault with Abdullah after the latter cancelled several mega projects initiated by the ex-PM, notably the new bridge that would link Singapore with Johor Baru.In an immediate reaction, former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat said Dr Mahathir is was the only leader who left Umno, pointing to Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn who never returned to Umno.“Yet, they were founding fathers of the party. They never return to the party after retiring so there is nothing unusual about his resignation. It has happened in the past and it happens now. It is unfortunate that after making so much noise, he is leaving the party. “His leaving would not have a serious effect to the party and I do not think that his action will be heeded by other members as they still love the party. After the last general election, Umno members have reflected deeply on what they should do to revive and revitalise Umno. They would not desert the party.”MCA vice president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the resignation came as a shock to him because he never expected Dr Mahathir to do it. “Not at this juncture. At the moment, I am not sure what sort of effect or ripples it will cause BN and MCA. But I am convinced Umno, as an established party within the BN coalition, would have sufficient experience and maturity in resolving such problem. What is more important now is for BN to stay firmly together”. Gerakan secretary general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye expressed shock at Dr Mahathir’s resignation. “This is shocking, it’s hard to believe. I hope this will not bring further instability to Barisan Nasional. I also hope things will settle down and the matter resolved in a calm manner.”MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said it was unfortunate for Dr Mahathir to resign from the party which he had been a president for a long time. “His instigating others to follow suit in light of the current problems faced by the party, will further weaken it. We hope other members will be clear-headed in this matter.”Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said Dr Mahathir’s resignation sent shock waves because of his immense influence among Umno grassroots.” I think the nation is in for some exciting politics,” he said.Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Liew Vui Keong said Dr Mahathir’s decision should be respected and accepted by all concerned. “I can only wish him the best. His resignation may cause a ripple, but how far it will have an effect is best left to the party.”Sabah Umno liaison committee secretary Datuk Yahya Hussin described the resignation as “very unfortunate” because he was “our president.”PS:I found this peace of flotsam along Sungei Ujong late this evening -- I didn't know there were swans in Seremban Ribber. Are we now twoinned wit' Perth, Capt Yu...The Great White is kambing!Monday, May 19, 2008Swan SongPicturise the picture that thetsunami swept away!:((Source: Malaysiakini)The silver Swan, who living had no Note, when Death approached, unlocked her silent throat. Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, thus sang her first and last, and sang no more: "Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes! "More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise" - Orlando Gibbons, The Silver SwanIn a breaking news, Malaysiakini reports, here, that former UMNO president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was quitting UMNO with immediate effect and urged other members to emulate him. "I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership," the ex-premier said. However, he asked these members not to join other political parties.Well, he has jumped ship, which is clearly sinking into murky waters and hoping that his other misguided and delusional ship mates will join him. Lets hope the sharks don't get him first.He also probably must have thought that this was going to be his last hurrah, but it may just turn out to be his swan song instead.Logged by The Ancient Mariner at 16:37
posted by desiderata at 6:37 PM

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Dr Mahathir continues to beguile...(II)

This article continues from Yesterday's -- when all Desi's troubles seemed to flood the die! --and consists mainly of "collating" my olde Posts about the Man and His Issues, the chief being "Mahathirism" hogging discussions both online and offline. I have liberally reprised Posts by Other writers that give a hint of Dr Mahathir from the Company he keeps/kept -- even including Raja Petra Kamarudin! -- so that readers can judge for themselves. Maybe we see glimpses of the chameleonic characters in the Man and the many Players on the Malaysian stage. Ah, Dr Mahathir and his nemesis Anwar Ibrahim oft quote Shakespeare, so it's in order that we remember "All the world is a stage..."-- Do you like it?

BUT FIRST, indulge Desi a byte with a take that was NOT published here but remained as a DRAFT, now shared publicly because it's right and timely! -- YL

******************************* Sundae's Special4CON BF!*********************************



Edit


GOoD letter nstonine june 18 on Dr M

2008/06/18
The Mahathir record: Good, bad or plain ugly?
By : P.C.A. LEE, Subang Jaya Email to friend Print article

FROM 1981 to 2003, we Malaysians had an interesting ride under the Mahathir administration. Was it a good or bad 22 years for the country and its citizens? By 2003, Malaysians seemed to have made up their minds one way or the other.Generally, the Mahathir administration was either "God-sent" or "hell", with fence-sitters certainly in the minority. Those of us who gave it the thumbs up invariably point to achievements like the national car project, highways, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Petronas Twin Towers, the KL Tower, the Formula 1 circuit in Sepang and say: "He put us on the world map", etc -- all seemingly brilliant initiatives by Dr Mahathir himself. (Not to forget the battle cry "Malaysia Boleh".) For those who were grateful that the so called "reign of terror" ended in 2003 (at least officially), the following were questions that had to be answered. Under whose stewardship of the government was corruption in the public sector at its worst? Money politics in Umno at its worst? Confidence in the judiciary at its worst? Racial polarisation among students in schools and universities at its worst? The abuse of the Federal Constitution at its worst? The abuse of the law at its worst? The teaching of English as a second language in school and universities at its worst?The buck stops with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself.Have we (supporters and detractors alike) been too hasty to make a judgment in 2003? Or even now, for that matter? All the evidence might not have been available then (or even now) for us to make a fair judgment. Were we too quick to pass judgment on an era where even the air-quality index was declared a state secret?One of the first acts of the current administration was to declassify the air-quality index as a state secret (what a breath of fresh air!). Since 2003, Malaysians in general are beginning to realise that it is too early to pass judgment on the Mahathir administration (and indeed on the man himself), simply because for one, the man himself is still alive and the evidence with regard to his deeds, whether by commission or omission, are still unfolding. Dr Mahathir is still in the news today; more often than not for the wrong reasons.There is also the added reason that until today, the alleged wrongdoings under the Mahathir administration have not been fully investigated, or are still being investigated by the enforcement agencies of the government.

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Reprisal 4:

Friday, May 30, 2008

Dr M vs Ezam vs Nalla vs Hang Tuah...

From The Star Online which is more sprightly and news-sy nowadays, here's the latest act of the Sandiwara combining the best of UMNO, ex-UMNO, ex-PKR, ex-MIC ... WoW, Nalla has been co-opted into UMNO's wings, how Desperado can a partee get? Mayhaps they have fun-D to co-opt Desi? I'll bring along Nicole the socialist, Marilyn the Mammi double decked, and Susie -- you all know the lust wan, head to toe, don't you? ~~ Desi, knottyaSsusual:)PasS: Should you ask where ***Hang Tuah cometh in, wait for an UPDATE!If you treat Desi well like buying him make a kumbek to gift thee my Komen-toes.Miss Patience is also Ms Virtuous...remember mGf?Friday May 30, 2008Ezam: I’m back because of PM’s commitment to bringing reformBy MANJIT KAURPETALING JAYA: Ezam Mohd Nor is back in Umno because of party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's commitment to bringing change and reform.The former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth leader said he wanted to show his support and commitment, and therefore joined hands with Abdullah and other leaders to continue with their struggles to fight graft and bribery.Ezam denied that he had made a comeback because he was offered “carrots” or positions in the party.“If 'carrot' is the consideration, I have been offered many and bigger 'carrots' before,” he told a press conference at a hotel here yesterday.“I am joining Umno as you all know when it is not in the strongest position, as I have been offered 'carrots' by Umno in their strongest positions before.“So positions or 'carrots' are never my considerations at all, and my decision is purely based on my convictions, and my convictions are for reform.”Joining him were former Kedah PKR youth chief Khairul Anuar Ramli, former Perlis PKR youth chief Ahmad Daud Ghani, former PKR youth exco member Azwandeein Hamzah, former PKR Selangor secretary S.D. Johari Yasin and former Selangor PKR state liaison youth secretary Nazmi Rosli.Former Permatang Pauh youth chief Annuar Shaari, who was also private secretary to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is expected to hand his application form to join Umno to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Parliament.Ezam added that corruption was the number one challenge to the country.“The Prime Minister has brought changes to the judiciary and Anti-Corruption Agency in a short period, and we cannot expect him to make drastic changes overnight,” he said.“For the past 10 or 20 years, I have not seen any prime minister with the courage to introduce these sorts of reforms, and Abdullah had made two major changes in a month.“I am therefore convinced that more changes and reforms will take place.”DESIDERATA: Ezam, you got slammed and served time in the SLAMMER, yet you think PM after four years of hibernation is still the best to lead Anti-Corruption fight? What's happening to your GERAK then -- anything to show to date? What happened to your threats to "expose" corruption in high places? Oh, moving from Below, to Above, and now On The Table, izzit?Well, aiming at tking over Tun Dr M's vacancy, izzit2?Friday May 30, 2008Dr M: I’m out, he’s (Ezam) inKUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was his usual sarcastic self when commenting on former PKR Youth leader Ezam Mohd Nor rejoining Umno.“Saya keluar, dia masuk. Baguslah dia sayang Umno (I leave and he is back in. Good that he loves Umno),” he quipped.The former premier and party president was asked to comment yesterday on Ezam's move to rejoin Umno this week although he had left the party to help set up what was then known as Parti Keadilan.Ezam, who was once Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary, followed Anwar out of Umno in 1998 after the former deputy prime minister was sacked. He was also detained under the Internal Security Act for his role in the reformasi movement.However, Ezam quit Keadilan last year after a fallout with Anwar and an internal power struggle with current PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.He then set up Gerak, a non-governmental organisation fighting against corruption and upholding judicial independence.Dr Mahathir was speaking to reporters after autographing 100 copies of his book, Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders. The autograph session was organised in conjunction with the international BookFest@Malaysia 2008 exhibition.In his posting on his blog yesterday, Dr Mahathir thanked Umno members who asked him to return to the party, but reiterated that Umno was no longer what it used to be.He claimed he was not treated as an Umno member since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the president and that party leaders were also not allowed to meet him or attend his functions.“Even the Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) was not allowed to see me until I exposed this. Some Umno leaders even suggested expelling me from the party,” he added.“The attitude and treatment towards me after I resigned, clearly shows that not only am I not an Umno member, but I am also Umno's enemy. My leaving Umno just 'officiates' my position as a non-member.”DESIDERATA: Dr Mahathir is wiser after 22+4 years. It's never too late for an Awakening. Some UMNO kings and putera are little Rip van Wrinkles:(:( GBless. Sleep tight. aMore "Et tu, Brute?" to come, yet. Nyet?P.asS2:)*** As for "Hang Tuah", can you wait a byte? After runch ... a quick lunch on the run, on pocket empty.DESI agin @3.51PM:I promised thee Hang Tuah, didn't I? And a writer's word is his bond -- is yours?UMNO’s Tuah-Jebat DilemmaBy Dr M BAKRI MUSAMay 25th, 2008 The furor over Tun Mahathir’s quitting UMNO cannot hide an increasingly obvious and ugly reality: Abdullah’s incompetence as Prime Minister. Ranting and raving against Mahathir will not alter this singular fact.Only an ardent few – his family members, closest advisors, and those beholden to him – believe that Abdullah has executed the duties of his office diligently. These individuals will forever remain faithful to him even if he were to drive the country to ruins. Consider that Saddam Hussein and Shah Pahlavi still have their ardent admirers today.For others, their only excuse for wanting Abdullah to stay is for “party unity.”DESI: I said I ain't working for Pamper's, so surf ye to bakrimusa.com if you care to add value to thy brain. If not, do you think I care?Somehow a recent Commenter resident at http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com/ reminds Desi of the word satire. I went to TV SMITH to regurgitate somethin' irritatin' to save my ER some precious dime:if you don't know what satire is even if it bites you in the ass, just call it a joke... PmyAss: If you have to ask who this TV Smith is, go aRsEk RTM!





Reprisal 3:



Tuesday, July 08, 2008

It's The SONG, Not The Singer!
It's the ISSUE, Not the Issuer, that's the message Raja Petra Kamarudin is saying in his latest Post. As I plan to take a HI-atus for 48 -- like mGf rockybru -- I am cuting&pasting, an art form I have almost perfected save I could not pick up the pictures. Painting ala Leonardo da Vinci would be too timeconsuming although I know my ER are a damned patient lot. They would want tolinger on Planet Earth though it's hot and polluted because Heaven's gates are closing fast and Hell'sangels are recruiting, if you believe the mainstream media's propaganda-GANDA WANG ANDA!It’s all in the game Written by Super Admin Tuesday, 08 July 2008 Yes; that is what politics is all about: the pursuit of power. Of course, they talk about causes and struggles. But the ‘cause’ is simple: the pursuit of power. And the ‘struggle’ is merely a power struggle, nothing more, nothing less.NO HOLDS BARREDRaja Petra Kamarudin You may have been facing a lot of problems getting into our site since more than a week ago. First, a hacker hit us and you probably saw a picture of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in battle fatigues on our front page. That, basically, was a message from my adversaries that they ‘know’ Mahathir is behind Malaysia Today.Yes, since mid-2006, I have been meeting Mahathir in his house, his Petronas office at the KLCC, as well as his office at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya. I am also very close to other Mahathir loyalists such as Sufi and Matthias, not to mention his children, in particular Mukhriz and Marina. Malaysia Today also co-sponsored the first dialogue with Mahathir in the Kelab Century Paradise two years ago when he ‘declared war’ on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and the day he launched his first strike. Further to that, Malaysia Today webcasted, live, Mahathir’s talk in Kota Bharu, the day he was attacked with mace.Many, Anwar Ibrahim included, say that I have now ‘turned’ and have sold out to Mahathir. They view my ‘relationship’ with Mahathir as suspect and can only be because I now ‘serve a new master’. The talk in town is that I have had a falling out with Anwar and that is why I have now ‘crossed-over’ to Mahathir. Or maybe I am so short of cash so I have ‘sold my soul’ to Mahathir for a great sum of money.How narrow-minded these people are. If you are with me, then you are a great guy. But if you are with the ‘other side’, then you must have sold out for money. Why is it if I openly express my support for Anwar then I am a great guy? Could it not be I am supporting Anwar because I have been paid a lot of money? Why when I support Anwar I am doing it free-of-charge and for a cause, but if I support Mahathir instead, then it can only be for money and for no other reason. Can’t I also support Anwar and ‘sell my soul’ to Anwar for money as well? But, no! If I support Anwar it can never be for money. It can only be for the cause. Only if I support Mahathir can it be for money.Actually, I do not support either Anwar or Mahathir. The personalities are not who I support. I support the issues. And that is what all our readers should do as well: support the issues, not the person. People come and go. People change. People ‘cross over’. How can we support one person and then oppose that person when he or she changes his or her stand. If we support the person, then we should support the person all the way, even when that person crosses over. The fact that we will abandon someone when that person changes his or her stand or crosses over means we do not support him or her as such but only what he or she stands for.Take Ezam Mohd Noor as an example. He was revered when he opposed Umno and fought against corruption. He was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and was jailed under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) even before his ISA detention could end. He was considered a hero. Many stood by him. But when he resigned from the party and later joined Umno, he was defiled and called a traitor. That means most people never really supported him. They supported what he stood for. But when he changed his stand and crossed over to Umno, the support ended. He is now a man hated by the very people who treated him like a demigod all this while. It is dangerous to support someone for personality cult reasons. You only support his or her cause or stand. And if his or her cause dovetails with yours, well and fine. If not, then you must be matured and civilised enough to disagree, while continuing to respect his or her cause or stand, in spite of it being opposite to yours. In that same spirit, you may not like that person, but if his or her cause is the same as yours, you must be able to see eye-to-eye only as far as the cause or stand is concerned, while you can agree to disagree on all other issues which you feel are contrary to yours.My cause or stand is simple. I am not anti-government. I am not also pro-government. Barisan Nasional is the government at federal level and in many of the states. Pakatan Rakyat, in turn, is the government in five states. In that sense, both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are simultaneously the government as well as the opposition, depending on where you happen to be at that point of time. What I am is I am pro-rakyat and anti-exploitation of rakyat. It does not matter who the government is. Be it Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, my stand remains the same for both.Both sides of the political divide have been grossly exploiting the rakyat these last 51 years. Be it Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PKR, DAP, PAS, or any of the other dozen or so political parties, they have used the rakyat in their political game and in the pursuit of power. Yes; that is what politics is all about: the pursuit of power. Of course, they talk about causes and struggles. But the ‘cause’ is simple: the pursuit of power. And the ‘struggle’ is merely a power struggle, nothing more, nothing less.Never mind who they are. Never mind who is leading these various political parties. They all aim for one thing: to get into power. And they will use the rakyat to gain power because only the rakyat can give them this power. The rakyat is lied to. The rakyat is cheated. The rakyat is being made a fool. And the gullible rakyat will swallow everything the politicians say; hook, line and sinker; thinking that those who offer themselves to serve the rakyat do so for only one reason, to serve the rakyat, whereas serving the rakyat is the farthest thing from their minds.Today, we are divided like we have never been divided before. Sure, we have not seen a race riot the likes of ‘May 13’ for almost 40 years now. But this does not mean we love each other. It only means we still hate each other but we are too scared to do anything about it lest we suffer reprisals. Even in the opposition they still talk about race. They still demand race-based quotas. So Barisan Nasional is not the only culprit in this race game. Everyone is equally guilty.Sure, Barisan Nasional plays the race game to the hilt. But the opposition doesn’t really mind. In fact, they love it because the more Barisan Nasional plays the race game the more they can exploit the issue to their benefit. Does the opposition want the race game to end? Of course they do not. If Barisan Nasional stops playing the race game then what is the opposition going to use against the ruling coalition? No, Barisan Nasional must continue playing the race game, never mind how dangerous this may be. It helps the opposition when Barisan Nasional plays the race game. The opposition can then continue harping on how bad Barisan Nasional is to get the support of the rakyat who hate this race game.If the opposition is not also playing the race game why does it matter who is the Menteri Besar or Chief Minister? Does it matter if he is Malay, Chinese or Indian? Does it even matter if it is a he or she? And why must there be five Malay, three Chinese and two Indian EXCO Members? Why can’t all EXCO Members be of one race? So we have ten Indian EXCO members and a Chinese Menteri Besar in a ‘Malay’ state. So what? Why make a big deal out of it?But no, the positions must be race-based and must be according to the ‘agreed race quota’. Anything less will be unacceptable. To do otherwise means the coalition needs to be disbanded. We will cooperate only if our race is represented. And no other race can represent us. Someone from our own race must be that representative. And this is the opposition talking, not Barisan Nasional.Yes, the rakyat is being exploited. And everyone is exploiting the rakyat, both sides of the political divide. And both sides benefit when the race game continues. No, the opposition does not want to see race-based politics end. It is of no benefit to the opposition if the race game ends. The opposition becomes stronger when racial politics escalates. On the other hand, the opposition would become irrelevant if racial politics ends.So, no, I am not pro-opposition or anti-government, or the other way around. I am pro-rakyat and anti-exploitation of the rakyat. And both sides are playing the same game so how can I align myself to any one side? Be it Anwar or Mahathir -- or Pak Lah, Najib, Ku Li, etc. -- the same applies. And thus far no one appears to have abandoned the race game. So, until they do, we must think of the rakyat first and these leaders second. And that means I will continue meeting all these leaders, irrespective of who they are. But this in no way means I am favouring one over the other. Meeting them just means I want to know how they tick. And Malaysia Today will continue offering itself as a platform for them to speak out, even if I do not agree with what they stand for.Anyway, in the meantime, I have other pressing problems on my mind. Malaysia Today is still very sluggish and extremely difficult to access. Our team is trying to resolve the matter and has been working around the clock for more than a week in an attempt to tackle the problem. It may mean we have to invest more money, which I do not have, into upgrading our facilities. Compounding this problem is the ‘road-block’ we are facing. The government is blocking our site and this makes the task even more complex.Is that bad news or good news? I suppose the good news is the government views us a real threat, warranting the special operation to shut us down. The bad news is if I can’t overcome the problem then the government may win in the end. At this point of time I seriously do not know what the end result is going to be.P.S. We have had to switch off the comments in the meantime while we sort out the problem with the site or else you can't even access the site.
posted by desiderata at 12:12 AM



Reprisal 2:





Thursday, October 09, 2008

Kambing from this ex-PM, No Doubt UMNO Is a Circus
Thursday October 9, 2008I’m glad I was wrong, says MahathirPUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s decision to not contest in the Umno elections in March will be good for Umno as it can rebuild itself.Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was glad he had been wrong when he wrote in his blog www.chedet.com that Abdullah would not step down.“Of course, I am very happy for Umno, not for myself, because Umno can rebuild itself.“But Umno will not be able to restore the full confidence of the people as many of its supporters, who voted for the Opposition, may want to continue working for them,” he said in response to Abdullah’s announcement here yesterday.Dr Mahathir, however, said he felt it was better for Abdullah to step down now rather than wait until March as he could still be an obstruction because he was not giving Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak full authority to rehabilitate the party.“Until March Pak Lah must keep quiet and let Najib run the show. He should not interfere because if Najib appears to be following him or taking his advice, I think the latter will lose support,” he said.Asked if he would rejoin the party now that Abdullah would not be Prime Minister after March, Dr Mahathir said he would have to study the situation.“Yes, I said I am going to rejoin Umno but he is still (Umno) president until March. But if I can do some good by rejoining, I will,” he said, adding that if he was to go back to Umno, those who had left the party with him should be readmitted to ensure Umno wins votes at the next general election.On whether he would be roped in to act as mentor to Umno, Dr Mahathir said he was prepared to be consulted to solve problems, adding that he would give advice even if he was not asked. DESIDERATA: ****“Until March Pak Lah must keep quiet and let Najib run the show...." KAMBING from Tun Dr Mahathir, who kept n barking at his sucessor Pak Lah from the early days unless and until IJN stepped in, THIS QUOTE****leaves no doubt inmy mind that UMNO has enough leaders of similar calibre and bent to form the Malaysian Circus. Mayhaps in such challenging economic times,Malaysians deserve a break. Join the UMNO clowns and get into the Guinness Book of Records for the largest cirucus in town. In the world, according to UMNO eyes. Okay, make that Desi's I-I.

*************************************************************** Reprisal 1: Monday, May 04, 2009 XXcitement in the nu'esroom, and some say Mahathirism is back... The question is: Kambing wit' a "V"engeance?1st: The newsbreak from theedgemalaysia.com:Flash NSTP gets new editorial advisorhttp://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/13221-flashnstp-gets-new-editorial-advisor.htmlTags: Ahmad Talib Hishamuddin Aun Johan Jaffar NSTPWritten by Edge MalaysiaSaturday, 02 May 2009 11:54KUALA LUMPUR: A former top editor of the New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) is set to return to the Umno-linked newspaper group, as the new party president continues with moves to put his trusted people in key media posts. Sources say Datuk Ahmad Talib will be appointed group editorial advisor and have effective control over all newsroom matters in NSTP, which publishes the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro.Ahmad last served as NSTP Group Editor (the No 2 editorial post) but left in 2005 under a voluntary separation scheme shortly after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as Umno president and put his own people in charge. Sources say current NSTP Group Editor in Chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun, an Abdullah appointee, will report to Ahmad who had a few weeks ago started a weekly column in the NST. His impending appointment will follow that of Datuk Johan Jaffar as executive chairman of Media Prima Bhd, the parent company of NSTP.Sources say it now looks clear that Johan and Ahmad will be Datuk Seri Najib Razak's point men in the Media Prima/NSTP group. Media Prima also owns all of Malaysia's private free-to-air tv stations.Umno's control of Media Prima/NSTP is through a nominee company. The party also controls the Malay language newspaper group Utusan Malaysia through a direct stake of nearly 50%. So far there has been no indication of changes at Utusan. Johan was editor-in-chief at Utusan until he was removed by then Umno President Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad a few months before the latter sacked his Deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in September, 1998. Johan was at the time deemed as an Anwar supporter. Now more than 10 years later, he has re-emerged as a confidante of Najib.A former Bernama journalist, Ahmad had served in the NSTP group since the early 1980s starting as a reporter in Business Times before rising rapidly to be editor of Berita Harian and then group editor. After leaving Balai Berita (the name of NSTP's head office) in 2005, he worked for two years at Maxis Communications as advisor to then CEO Datuk Jamaluddin Ibrahim.Ahmad is seen as a Mahathir loyalist in the media and is a protege of former NSTP Group Editor-in-Chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin. Sources say his return to NSTP could see him taking back several top news executives close to him who left together with him after Mahathir retired.2nd, from rockybru.com.my:Saturday, May 02, 2009Tsunami at NSTP?with updates ...Editorial Adviser. An Italian-backed online news portal has the story that everyone in the media has been talking about. Is Ahmad A. Talib going back to NSTP? He will be better than Kalimullah Hassan but will he be good enough for the paper? Why are they turning to him to bring back the New Straits Times, especially?Read my piece in my new blog 84 Jalan Tangsi on journalism and other press-ing matters, h e r e.updated 3/5 2am: Read seasoned journo Aziz Hassan's posting Umno unlikely to reign in its media.DESIDERATA: Some of the MSM editors have also truned Bloggers. So expect some of the bolder ones to make an AP-pearance at BUM2009 (surf to bum2009.wordpress.com hear!) to surprise the participants, and BUMmers like Desi, wit' their views, and also expect brickbats from the audience too?Keep a date at the LVC on Saturday, May 16, 2009.Have You Signed Up for BUM2009 Yet?You don't want to miss da Bloggers' Event of da Year!The rumour of "Three roast lambs making their way to the Warren Buffet's table"is now confirmed by OC chair YL to be true! ~~ Desi



DESIDERATA: This is a very LONG post as it is served from the Memory Bank. Please bear wit' Desi, who will take a Hi-Atus after this wan. Readers are getting a byte wearyeh! -- YL, the journo-listed.

To be continued...


***************************** INTERLUDE ************************


I came back from lunch,and was duly informed of a Comment from a long, abiding mGf "pavlova" at my few days old post "Why do I dream?" I have been "negelecting" many ofmy Blog friends because of deep focused involvement in chairing BUM2009 OC -- which WILL BE MY LAST as Chair, this is official notice to Co-Chair Rockybru! -- so I surfed to her cyberhome, and I extract the following worthy of Sunday's rumination:)

Okay first the Comment from a Penanggal I have met and like Dr Mahathir, she's beguiling in her writes too--keep a date wit' US in September, TRY TO REMEMER?:

maybe we Malaysians should stop seeing things are either it's "bread and butter or not" In fact I commend Desi for his passion, even tho I don't agree with what he writes at times. But like one famous person said: I might agree with thee but I shall defend your right to say so until the day I die.Desi will be back briefly this Sept, hope to catch up with ya in Sept if i'm down in KL :)
By pavlova, at 2:22 PM

By pavlova, at 2:22 PM "


FDR
April 20, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments

One of America’s few great presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt said this:
Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.
Couldn’t agree with it more. Quite often you hear people saying ” Ah well, it’s fate. takdir. ming yun 命運. ”
But I think in life, to a huge degree, really depends on your motivation and your will to emerge a better person.
The other 10% perhaps will need a little bit of luck/ right opportunity.
Circle of Life
April 3, 2009 in Uncategorized 2 comments

I was talking to my folks about their home life, and the conversation inevitably comes back to the dogs.
One of my dogs is already 13 yrs old. Mom mentioned don’t know if I ever get the chance to see her when I go bk at the end of the year.
She’s still functioning pretty okay, but according to my folks she’s getting old. A little weak at times, always sleeping.
I thought about how when we brought her home 13 yrs ago, she was a very cute puppy. Her ears were still drooping and had big paws. She was running around the garden. In fact, she was galloping.At times she would fall into the drain and whimper. But she had many friends. Every week we would go to obedience class with her and we could see how they all played and mingled with each other.
Sadly the “dog friends” have all gone now. In fact it’s amazing how my dog has lived on so long so far.Maybe all the love around her keeps her going.
The reason we bought her home was because I was home alone most of the time. My parents worked very late and on most days I’m left to deal with my lunch, sometimes dinner. So my parents were worried about my safety as the neighbourhood can be vulnerable at times.
So since she came to the house, nobody dared to go near the house. She was “fierce looking”.
There was one occasion when the back of the house was under renovation and we had to place her on the front porch. It was hot in the afternoon and there was a lot of noise. I came out to the porch to do my reading and she was sleeping on the floor. So I leaned close to her and eventually fell asleep on her belly.It was the safest feeling of all. I don’t think I can ever forget that.
The circle of life… makes you think of how time flies….

Tweet?
March 30, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments
Before I go on, just a little side note to the previous post about the stupid tiger park in Penang:
A poll on The Star has shown that 43% of the readers agree that Penang SHOULD have a tiger park and 42% nay.While the margin is slim, there are still enough people voting for it.
May I say what dumb-asses they are. I can’t believe they don’t have the freaking brains and heart in them. All they care about is freaking tourism and money.
Once again, what dumb-asses.
**
Anyway, what’s this thing about Twitter??
If you haven’t known, lately especially in America there is this huge phenomenon to Twitter, on www.twitter.com
You gotta sign up for it, and you will announce to the whole world ( well, your followers, anyway) what you’re up to.
Like, par example:
Pavlova is going to the toilet.
or
Pavlova is eating dinner.
I don’t understand why people would want to announce what they are doing every minute or every second.
Do we feel that we should let the whole world know what we’re doing every second of it?Have we become so antisocial that this, is the new way to “socialise”?
Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be signing up to that anytime soon.

Today’s musings
March 27, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments
I was quite pleased to hear that ex PM of NZ (Helen Clark) has been appointed as head of the UN Development Programme. It’s allegedly to be the 3rd top highest post in the UN.
This would probably suit her “aunty Clark” role more, though from all the things I’ve heard about this programme, it’s going to be an uphill struggle to find and distribute the meagre 10 billion USD aid to developing nations. But well, she’s one of those people that can do this job pretty well, I would imagine.
**
A news piece in the BBC caught my eye regarding my birthplace:
Conservationists have attacked a Malaysian plan to set up a tiger park on the resort island of Penang.
Link here.I then left a comment in a certain well known blogger-turned-politician’s blog and the discussion around the media has been going on strong.
This news piece has been circulating in many major newspapers, from BBC to AP to even NZ Herald.
And then a few days later I read that the chief minister of the Penang state said “criticisms against the tiger park not constructive“.
I have no words to explain how I feel. In fact, I don’t even know what I feel.
Sense of loss? Diappointment? Anger? Indifference?
I don’t know, perhaps all of the above.
Sometimes I wonder if democracy truly works in Asia. A Time magazine report that came out a few months ago said democracy is messy in Asia. It took Western civilisations hundreds of years to (try) perfect the system, it’s only emerged in Asia decades ago.
And now that it’s the more prevalent ruling system in Asia, it’s messy. People in fact wanted the old “dictatorship” back.
Anyway, personal feelings about politics aside, I sincerely hope the tigers will be left where they are and are not subjected to the immaturity of these politicians.

Writer’s Block
March 16, 2009 in Uncategorized 1 comment
As some of you may have noticed, my posts are becoming more sparse these days.
Yes, I’m suffering from a writer’s ( blogger’s) block.
I don’t know what to say anymore these days. Sometimes I just feel it’s a little pointless to talk about certain issues, e.g the economy.
Everyday you pick up the newspaper or reading the online edition and it becomes the same old rhetoric– the economy is BAD. Brace yourself for the worst.
What can one do? You try to spend very wisely ( to a point where you’re starting to become a stinge) and you are afraid to spend. Yet your spending is contributing to the lack of growth in the economy.
So we can’t win.
And my job?? Well my job is just, a job. I can now truly understand what people say when they say “Your job is just A JOB. It pays the bills. Period”
I have been taught not to complain anymore. Nobody really wants to listen to your complaints these days, to be honest. The more you complain, the more you’re deemed “whinger”.
So, best to keep to yourself or write it in the diary, at best.
At the moment my existence is a little empty. I blame myself for that. I lack the motivation to do things anymore.Even going out to meet friends is a feat. I have to organise it weeks, if not months ahead to prepare myself to go out there.
I lack the energy to do the things I once enjoy, e.g going out for coffee, hanging out with friends.
These days I just work, go home, watch TV, sleep and do some house chores from time to time.I can’t even get through a decent book for a month. I don’t have the concentration to read through them. Like how I mentioned in my previous post, I just return it to the library without finishing it.Yet I always get a book out after returning the unfinished book. Perhaps to tell myself that I must try to get through this one, this time around.
Everybody around me tells me I should count my blessings. At least I have what I need at the moment.
And I truly do, to be honest. I do count myself considerably more fortunate than a lot of people. In fact, NZ as a whole is much, much better off than the American counterparts. Our unemployment statistics aren’t as bad as those in the US, UK.
Somehow, things really need to be better soon. Real soon, in fact.
Yet on some days, I think this downturn has a silver lining. Makes housing/ business affordability much better.If you’ve got the cash, this is perhaps the best time to buy.
Anyway… did I say I was suffering from a writer’s block? This post doesn’t seem like it…

ylchong on Writer’s Block
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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Dr Mahathir continues to beguile...

This former Prime Minister attracts labels which he confronts in a candid article Yesterday -- when all our troubles seemed so far away? -- and Desiderata must lend some candid thoughts too.

I have writen sparingly on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad because I normally respect the position of the highest office of the land which the PM's chair must surely rank -- not so much the occupant sitting there. I examine the issues coming forth from Dr Mahathir, whether Prime Minister or ex-PM, and the issues surrounding the office bearer. As for the Man himself, I have oft used once phrase -- You either love him, or loathe him! -- few observers have sentiments in between these two extremes, as as commonly phrased,"There are no two ways about it!"

Let me reproduce the latest Blog article from the man who served 22 years as our Prime inister -- for better or worse -- and we must continue to hear him out, if not for anything but that we gain a better insight into his cahracter, charismatic and always a media cynosure -- and like any other mortal as age catches up, he/she becomes more mellow, and like the common man/woman in everyone of us -- "more human", is that a right term? Humane, more kindly... as an after-thought.

Whatever, Desiderata will collate together some past writings on Dr Mahathir, focusing on him as PM and past PM, and related issues, and do a review about them after a privileged "personal" encounter at BUM2009, officially, and glimpse at tea into the subject last Saturday at self-claimed Bloggers' Event of The Year!

Please bear with me as I indulge in some background so that we all know the context/s of the key people, happenings and sidelinings involved.

I will continue after my breakfast as I take leave @9.11AM... See thee back @about 11.09AM, Godwilling, InsyaAllah... Meanwhile, visit bum2009.wordpress.com on other perspectives, can?

***********************************
MAHATHIRISM
By
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
on May 22, 2009 5:45 PM Comments (0) TrackBacks (0)

1. One way of demonising an opponent, particularly a political opponent, is to give him a derogatory label.
2. At one time Lee Kuan Yew labeled me as a Malay ultra. After that caught on, I could do nothing that would not be labeled as extreme. Even if I make the most innocent statement, it would be considered as extreme, as racist. 3. It took me decades to live it down. When I was appointed Deputy Prime Minister there was consternation among the Chinese. What was
4. However, by the time I stepped down I had managed to belie that description. In the 1999 Election it was Chinese votes which helped give me the 2/3 majority in Parliament. 5. Now the doomsday label is Mahathirism. Such was the fear of this thing called Mahathirism that Tan Sri Muhyiddin had to assure the public that Najib's ascendancy to the Premiership would not bring back Mahathirism. The foreign press seem to imply authoritarian Government with Mahathirism. 6. No one has yet described the rule of Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi as Badawism. It must be because he is said to be liberal and free from authoritarianism. But is he? 7. It appears to be simply because the mainstream media, print or electronic, is totally controlled by him through his hatchet man, Kalimullah. And Kali ensures that the media plays up Abdullah's supposed liberalism, his transparency, his tolerance of the press etc. That the media blacks out any news that is not flattering of him is not noticed by readers, especially the foreign press. 8. Until the bloggers came into the picture and their blogs became extremely popular as they reported the truth, the black-out was effective. Now Kali's media reports some of the news and views appearing on the blogs. 9. But still the general public is not aware of the kind of authoritarianism of Abdullah. Ministers and civil servants critical of him have been removed. Many are in cold storage. Tan Sri Sanusi Junid who was President of the International Islamic University was one of those removed. No one has been appointed to his vacant place yet. 10. A whole bunch of journalists working with the UMNO owned paper had to resign, to be replaced by Kali's nominees from Singapore. 11. But Kali has friends amongst the foreign journalists. So we do not hear of Badawism. But privately people have given all kinds of uncomplimentary labels to the 5 years of misrule by the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
12. By now people can draw their own conclusions as to whether Mahathirism in whatever form has returned.



Friday, May 22, 2009

Olde MacDonald Was Careless, he let the wolves in...

We as children enjoy/ed singing Old Macdonald having his animal farm
Ye Aye Ye Aye Oh!

I believe one day Mac grew old and was not alert, and the wolves were let into the pen

The Chicks were swallowed up, the ducks were quacked
The cows were mowed and the goats were gagged
There was blood and gore spattered everywhere
And Requeim was played
And drone on and on
And the farm was silent as the grave

I know of a home once happy with family

Until one day a stranger appeared at the door
Begging shelter and food for the night
Then in the darkness Stranger strangled the master
And molested the wife
Like a monster made mince meat of the children too
And the Home also became silent as the grave

I once lived happily in NegaraKu

Until the generous leaders opened the floodgates
To let in wolves and strangers in the night
They murdered fellow Malaysians
Raped the housewives and virgins too
And even young ones they made into hapless corpses too

Yes, we have the Internal Security Act

They took in Opposition leaders,
Non-government organisation leaders too
They want to silence the writers
They take in Bloggers to
Hence Raja Petra Kamarudin has to flee the Farm too
But there is no silence in the night

So can we find Macdonald again in you
That there is still at least one patriot who remembers
Dwelling among dissidents, writers and civil society members
And caring Malaysians -- like RPK, and also Thou too?

Desiderata @2.52PM Friday May 22, 2009

Thursday, May 21, 2009

World Press Freedom Day in May...

and a former Prime Minister shared some startling revelations and thoughts at the Bloggers' Event of the Year at BUM2009. BUM if you must know stands for Bloggers Universe Malaysia and among the residents are a noisy, nosey bunch of writers full of opinions -- of themselves too? I won't answer this rhetorical question because I'm also a vested interested socio-political Blogger, hence my opinion will be jaundiced, yes! -- so when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he, like most evergreen politicians, has a BIG MOUTH, the 180-200-odd BUM2009 participants either nodded their heads or smiled in wry agreement. I as BUM09 chair swept 360degrees on my swirling chair to make this observation -- OK, I also have a BIG mouth and tend to exaggerate a byte. Never LOST out at any makan where Roast Lamb is on the men-wome-u (I am a great believer in gender equality, so I don't ask the Chef whether the THREE sheep are male, female or in-between!

As I was saying -- okay,I will stop here and come back after lunch:) Meanwhile, surf to cpiasia.net and read Dr Lim Teck Ghee's commentary on Tun Dr Mahathir's contention that it was/is/will be the MSM Editors who self-censor to please the political masters of the day, including his days as PM of a short 22 years! OK, sometimes Desi is a byte sarcastic, but I can never, for the life of YL, replicate the trade marked Tun Dr M's smirk; can you?

*******************************
Editors should confirm or deny Dr M's allegation of self-censorship

by Dr Lim Teck Ghee

Who Should the Finger of Blame Be Pointed Towards

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claims that actually it is the Press who self-censor. This allegation – repeated several times – was perhaps the most startling revelation made by the ex-premier in his speech at the Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) dialogue in Subang Jaya on May 16, 2009.

"In Malaysia, usually censorship is something that the media itself carries out. You don't have to tell them, 'Look, don't do this, don't do that'. They somehow or other have got this ability to gauge what is it that the leadership wants. So during my time, you may have noticed that there was a good lot of praise for me. It was almost as if nothing I did was wrong,” Dr Mahathir said.

Is this culture of sycophancy practiced by our chief editors the main reason why we have had such a strong pro-Umno and pro-government media all these years? Is this self-censorship the main reason why the opposition parties, and other organizations and individuals that have put out views and policies counter to those of the establishment have been denied fair coverage in the papers?

By Dr Mahathir's own admission, the editors had tried to read his mind – “they believed I would not like [something] and that I would object” – and slanted their stories accordingly in their attempts to please him.


“... mainstream media, in particular the New Straits Times and the Utusan [Malaysia], they sort of second guess you as to what you want to be printed in their papers, and they did it”, he revealed to the rapt BUM gathering.


What now after this disclosure?

The Fear Factor in Self Censorship?

We can accept Dr Mahathir’s judgement on the situation of censorship in the media at face value or we can challenge it.

Is he speaking the truth or is his view reflective of the selective amnesia that many readers see as increasingly being practiced by our former Prime Minister in his bid to cover up the authoritarian excesses of his regime and to deflect the blame onto innocent parties.

To what extent was the self-censorship an outcome of the fear factor arising from the repressive legislation condoned or reinforced by the Prime Minister during his period in office. Perhaps the Official Secret Act, the Internal Security Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act which Dr Mahathir tellingly omitted mentioning in his speech, played a major role in conditioning the way the mass media reported on developments in the country.

In my view – and I am sure this is shared by all those who cherish a free and independent mass media and who want to see our media ethics and standards especially in relation to political reporting uplifted – we need to discuss and analyze this issue of self-censorship further so that the sins and omissions of the past are not carried forward into the future.

Call to Chedet and MSM Editors

We hope that the venerable Tun can use his 'chedet' blog to write further on this issue of self versus externally generated censorship of the Malaysian mass media, and the impact that this has had on truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability.

We also need the editors of the mainstream media (MSM) – in particular those who served during the long period of Tun's premiership – to step out from the shadows and to confirm or deny his public accusation.

Dr Mahathir also made a further allegation that when he fell out with the then sitting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, MSM editors bent the other way to please his successor. “So reporters were not allowed to interview me, and the sub-editors were not allowed to print anything that I said or I did.”

Perhaps the journalists may have succumbed to pressure from the political owners of the newspapers to demonstrate the paper’s loyalty to the power of the day, and have now come to regret the cost to fair reporting and journalistic ethics.

Or perhaps the editors censored their reporters because they thought media should be in full agreement with the policies and activities of the ruling party, to the extent that they did not see it important or necessary to include dissenting views. Even when these came from a long-serving ex-premier they were earlier “full of praise for".

Or, just maybe, the self-censorship pervading the entire media industry is simply due to ‘higher values of patriotism and sense of national duty’ because our media practitioners truly believe the government is always right.

Let us hear from the editors their side of the story in this morality play taking place in our mass media so that we can understand better why our newspapers have failed to live up to their responsibility in reporting truthfully to the Malaysian public.

Roll of Honour

Editors who gagged themselves or were they gagged?
(Note: This is an incomplete list)
Group editors / editors-in-chief
Utusan Malaysia

Zainuddin Maidin

Johan Jaafar

Khalid Mohamed

Abdul Aziz Ishak

Berita Harian

Ahmad Sebi Abu Bakar

A. Kadir Jasin

Ahmad Nazri Abdullah

Ahmad Rejal Arbee

Hishamuddin Aun

Manja Ismail

The New Straits Times

Munir Abdul Majid

P.C. Shivadas

A. Kadir Jasin

Ahmad A. Talib

Hardev Kaur

Salehuddin Othman

Brendan Pereira

Syed Nadzri Syed Harun

The Star
VK Chin

Ng Poh Tip

Wong Sulong

Michael Aeria

Wong Chun Wai

Sinchew

Lai Teik Guan

Liu Juan Quan

Seow Yi Zhao

Khor Chun

Phor Ah Liek

Nanyang

Chu Zhi Chun

Teo Bak Kim

Fong Shi Neng

Lee Shu Pan

Wang Jin Ho

Hong Song Jian

Chong Qi Zhang

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Why do I dream?

Cos I am still fired with aspiration
My cup is still atop with idealism
To attain a higher level of consciousness
a fuller mind of Self knowledge that I am indeed human
And humans need dreams like their daily bread
Or they fade away


Why do I sigh?
Cos of some dream, like a love, having passed me by


Why do I asky why?
Cos I want to know more and not be shy


Why do I sometimes hide in May?
Cos humans disappoint, so I'd rather stay away


Why do I cling to YOU?
Cos I still know what is love, what to do?


Why do I continue to be a BUMmer
Year after year
Sigh after sigh?
Cos I am a writer
A writer after Max Ehrmann is also a fighter
If he stops BUMming around
Desi will just fade away
and
Who wants Miss Death as duty-bound?