I'm writing on a subject which is really a BUddhist concept, so if I make any mistakes, blame it on my teacher. I shan't name him but he has been talking a lot about Krama to me and anatheist buddy over tehtarik at Temang Corner Mamak. If you wanna join us,come any day after 9.00pm along Jalan Templer, Furong, turn into the road where KFC is,or where the crumbling Gerakan Hq is, and TC is to the right hand corner.
Okay, the closest this writer who claims to be an Einstein lookalike as far as his shocking crop of air on his balding head is concerned, plus a wordsmith thinking he's in that league of Shakespearean prayrights, Desi thinks the literaticoncept closest toKarma is closeted in this line: WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. If my biblical knowledge is right, and not too leftist, it's also encapsulated -- ah, BIG words, I like big WORDS as they reflet the EGO in every member of Homo sapiens! -- also in the saying: "You reap what you sow."Just add: From a good vine comes sweet grapes, from a vine out of your reach, cry "Sour grapes"! Did I digress?
Even if I did, I tender no AP -- not the RM20k-generating kind; i ain't in that league, UMNOputras or super-Bumis, or son of a Gan...
Okay, back to KARMA -- go out into the streets, fill the first beggar's hat with all the notes in thy pocket minus the last ringgit. I bet to your last ringgit/guarantee that your last ringgit you bet on the Special 4D draw today has a better chance of ROI of RM2,500 than normal when you passeth by that beggar without a second look. If thou art greedy/more confdent than Desi, ROI could even by RM3,500.
If your investment of Doing Good is rewarded a few 2,500X, that'sgood karma for you. It proves the English asiom that You reap what you sow -- so doing charity has its rewards. (MANY PHILANTROPISTS CLAIM THEIR ACTS OF CHAITY LIKE DONATING A MILLION BUCKS TO THE ORPHANAGE is compleatly altruistic, dont you believe them! One in a million I bet is altruistic, YES< he deserved to be anointed sainthood. the rest, it's EGO on the silent mode.
I will take a break here. Writing on a subject I half understand is very taxing.I wanna live to 84 at least, using a former PM asmy model longetivity benchmarque. Another 22 years to go, and that's a long, long time.
The Twelfth of Never
You ask how much I need you, must I explain?
I need you, oh my darling, like roses need rain.
You ask how long I'll love you; I'll tell you true:
Until the twelfth of never, I'll still be loving you.
Hold me close, never let me go.
Hold me close, melt my heart like April snow.
I'll love you till the bluebells forget to bloom;
I'll love you till the clover has lost its perfume.
I'll love you till the poets run out of rhyme,
Until the twelfth of never and that's a long, long time.
Hold me close, never let me go.
Hold me close, melt my heart like April snow.
I'll love you till the bluebells forget to bloom;
I'll love you till the clover has lost its perfume.
I'll love you till the poets run out of rhyme,
Until the twelfth of never and that's a long, long time.
Until the twelfth of never and that's a long, long time.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
MIC Prez Overtays in His Party...
And now does the Pakatan Rakyat a favour by attacking BIG brother in the Barisan Nasional, ie UMNO. Following in MCA's footsteps?
Wow, finally someone has found a tiger's teeth, but to Desi, this is an ageing tiger whose days are numbered. The party is not over till the Fatman (some prefers to call him a "Taiko", but Desi doesn't know what that really means... Can someone help?) sings his swan -- can a tiger transform into a swan? -- song. When the curtain falls, it will be heralded as the beginning of the revival of the mch neglected Indian Malaysian community. If they have any sense, dump the part. MCA should do two. And Gerakan is as good as having done three. If you don't understand how I write, it's okay, the fault is mine. I C4! -- Desi, not YL Chong speaking hear! Lots of DDC, and that's not the name of a fertitliser or detergent. It's a sort of License just as Connery had one to kill. Mine is wan to ENTERTAIN you, my dear esteemedreaders/ER, and ENJOY meself, a ***BUMmer.
*** A self-elected resident of BLOGGERS' UNIVERSE MALAYSIA.
From the MI:
Samy’s MIC on collision course with BN
This assembly is clearly tickled... Delegates during lighter moments at the MIC assembly closing session in Kuala Lumpur today. - Picture by Jack Ooi
By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu basked in the glow of victory today, looking on appreciatively as one delegate after another attacked the government and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for interfering in MIC matters.
The delegates at the MIC general assembly singled out for criticisms Mahathir and other leaders for condemning Samy Vellu and praising his rival Datuk S. Subramaniam, in the run up to yesterday’s election.
A day earlier, Samy Vellu-backed candidates all but swept the board, taking the lion’s share of posts contested, and cemented his grip on the party, despite some pressure from Umno and the public for some change in MIC.
Mahathir was criticised severely for doing nothing for the Indian community while the Umno/Barisan Nasional (BN) government was attacked for favouring only the Malays and ignoring the woes of the Indians for many years.
The depth of the criticism, sometimes tedious, was best illustrated after one delegate from Johore stood up and said: “They can see the woes of the Palestinians and the Bosnians but they can’t see our suffering right here before their eyes.”
“For them to tell us who to pick as our leaders is an insult,” he said.
While they attacked the “government” and Tun Mahathir, they held back on criticizing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had them on their feet yesterday in a stirring speech urging them to reform to win back Indian support.
He issued a warning, seen as being directed at Samy Vellu, that being popular in the party was useless if the people you claim to represent hate you.
But Samy Vellu appeared to shrug off the advice, seeing it as interference in MIC affairs.
He has also allowed delegates to speak up against a government, of which he was minister for nearly 30 years, and in which his party is still represented by a minister and two deputy ministers
“The die is cast…he is on a collision course with the government…Umno,” said a newly elected MIC leader on the sidelines of the MIC general assembly today.
“We are either in Barisan or out. We cannot be in the tent and attack our own,” he said, adding that in his desire to continue as MIC president, Samy Vellu, was now on a collision course with the federal government.
“It is the classic disease of individuals in power for one too many years,” said the MIC leader. “He believes without him the MIC would collapse and without him he Indian community would suffer.”
“The community that the MIC had represented has long fled to the opposition and the party is just a shell of what it once was but the Samy Vellu party and same script goes on,” he said.
The Najib administration is going the extra-mile to woo the Indian community, aware that the government had alienated them and that the level of frustration is deep.
But it needs a vehicle to take forward the transformation, and was hoping the MIC could reform, elect a new leadership and be the harbinger of a “new deal” for the Indians.
With Samy Vellu still around, there is little choice for Umno/BN but to support other stakeholders in the community and gradually start making a direct approach to Indian voters.
******** For many in BN-UMNO, it's :(:(:(:( but for Others, ))))))))))especially Desi, it's :):):):):):):)
Dr Mahathir: The Indians want you to go, Samy
Saturday, 12 September 2009 06:01
PETALING JAYA – The Indian community is fed up with S SamyVellu and wants him to step down as MIC president, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“Before the 2008 general election a TV station had asked me what is going to happen to MIC.
“I said for as long as Samy Vellu is there, the MIC will lose.
“It is correct and he lost," Dr Mahathir told reporters after presenting Aidilfitri aid and the Perkim President Seri Cemerlang Award at a buka puasa function here on Friday night.
The MIC will continue to lose the support of the Indian community if. Samy Vellu continues to lead the party, he added.
Bad blood between two loyalists
There had been bad blood lately between the two men, who were staunch allies and loyalists in the glory days of the Barisan Nasional before it lost its two-third majority in Parliament at the last general election in March 2008.
The MIC, like other Barisan components, suffered heavy losses that were associated with the mass uprising staged by the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) in November 2007.
Samy Vellu was Works Minister in the Cabinet of Abdullah Ahmad Badwi when he lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat to newcomer Dr D Michael Jeyakumar in that election.
In the June 2006 MIC election, Samy Vellu openly supported his trusted lieutenant, former press secretary, G Palanivel, who stood against incumbent S Subramaniam.
Palanivel emerged as the victor, and the new deputy president in 27 years.
Subramaniam, however, is back in the fray to wrest the post he lost to Palanivel. This will be decided at the at the two-day MIC general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here which begins Saturday.
Samy unhappy with Dr M's remarks
Samy Vellu recently chided Dr Mahathir for allegedly meddling in MIC affairs, following a report in Tamil paper Makkal Osai that the former prime minister purportedly endorsed Subramaniam’s candidacy.
Samy Vellu said Dr Mahathir’s remarks that Subramaniam could lead the MIC had came at about the time that MIC would be holding its general assembly (which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will open at the PWTC).
"When he (Makkal Osai reporter) asked for my opinion, I did not realise the party's elections is around the corner,” said Dr Mahathir.
“I gave my opinion, if he (Samy) stays on, MIC cannot be revived. Now the Indian community is divided into eight parties,” he added.
'He finishes them offf'
"Previously, all of them supported MIC. Not many are supporting the MIC now and they gave the same reason. They are fed up of Samy Vellu, who wants to hold the reins until nobody else can take over from him.
“Whoever becomes his deputy, when they are getting popular, he finishes them of," he said.
On Samy Vellu's allegation that he (Dr Mahathir) had neglected the Indian community, the former prime minister said it was not true as he had helped all communities and not only the Malays.
"A newspaper had quoted him (Samy Vellu) as saying that I had never helped the Indian community. When I called him from Syria then, he denied it.
"When I came back, the newspaper played the tape for me. It was true he did say that I had never helped the Indian community," Dr Mahathir added.
Related stories:
Samy tells Dr M to stop meddling
Mahathir's tirade: MIC Youth defends Samy
Another back story from malaysian.mirror.com,
and Desi is enjoying himself tremendously watching
Wow, finally someone has found a tiger's teeth, but to Desi, this is an ageing tiger whose days are numbered. The party is not over till the Fatman (some prefers to call him a "Taiko", but Desi doesn't know what that really means... Can someone help?) sings his swan -- can a tiger transform into a swan? -- song. When the curtain falls, it will be heralded as the beginning of the revival of the mch neglected Indian Malaysian community. If they have any sense, dump the part. MCA should do two. And Gerakan is as good as having done three. If you don't understand how I write, it's okay, the fault is mine. I C4! -- Desi, not YL Chong speaking hear! Lots of DDC, and that's not the name of a fertitliser or detergent. It's a sort of License just as Connery had one to kill. Mine is wan to ENTERTAIN you, my dear esteemedreaders/ER, and ENJOY meself, a ***BUMmer.
*** A self-elected resident of BLOGGERS' UNIVERSE MALAYSIA.
From the MI:
Samy’s MIC on collision course with BN
This assembly is clearly tickled... Delegates during lighter moments at the MIC assembly closing session in Kuala Lumpur today. - Picture by Jack Ooi
By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu basked in the glow of victory today, looking on appreciatively as one delegate after another attacked the government and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for interfering in MIC matters.
The delegates at the MIC general assembly singled out for criticisms Mahathir and other leaders for condemning Samy Vellu and praising his rival Datuk S. Subramaniam, in the run up to yesterday’s election.
A day earlier, Samy Vellu-backed candidates all but swept the board, taking the lion’s share of posts contested, and cemented his grip on the party, despite some pressure from Umno and the public for some change in MIC.
Mahathir was criticised severely for doing nothing for the Indian community while the Umno/Barisan Nasional (BN) government was attacked for favouring only the Malays and ignoring the woes of the Indians for many years.
The depth of the criticism, sometimes tedious, was best illustrated after one delegate from Johore stood up and said: “They can see the woes of the Palestinians and the Bosnians but they can’t see our suffering right here before their eyes.”
“For them to tell us who to pick as our leaders is an insult,” he said.
While they attacked the “government” and Tun Mahathir, they held back on criticizing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had them on their feet yesterday in a stirring speech urging them to reform to win back Indian support.
He issued a warning, seen as being directed at Samy Vellu, that being popular in the party was useless if the people you claim to represent hate you.
But Samy Vellu appeared to shrug off the advice, seeing it as interference in MIC affairs.
He has also allowed delegates to speak up against a government, of which he was minister for nearly 30 years, and in which his party is still represented by a minister and two deputy ministers
“The die is cast…he is on a collision course with the government…Umno,” said a newly elected MIC leader on the sidelines of the MIC general assembly today.
“We are either in Barisan or out. We cannot be in the tent and attack our own,” he said, adding that in his desire to continue as MIC president, Samy Vellu, was now on a collision course with the federal government.
“It is the classic disease of individuals in power for one too many years,” said the MIC leader. “He believes without him the MIC would collapse and without him he Indian community would suffer.”
“The community that the MIC had represented has long fled to the opposition and the party is just a shell of what it once was but the Samy Vellu party and same script goes on,” he said.
The Najib administration is going the extra-mile to woo the Indian community, aware that the government had alienated them and that the level of frustration is deep.
But it needs a vehicle to take forward the transformation, and was hoping the MIC could reform, elect a new leadership and be the harbinger of a “new deal” for the Indians.
With Samy Vellu still around, there is little choice for Umno/BN but to support other stakeholders in the community and gradually start making a direct approach to Indian voters.
******** For many in BN-UMNO, it's :(:(:(:( but for Others, ))))))))))especially Desi, it's :):):):):):):)
Dr Mahathir: The Indians want you to go, Samy
Saturday, 12 September 2009 06:01
PETALING JAYA – The Indian community is fed up with S SamyVellu and wants him to step down as MIC president, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“Before the 2008 general election a TV station had asked me what is going to happen to MIC.
“I said for as long as Samy Vellu is there, the MIC will lose.
“It is correct and he lost," Dr Mahathir told reporters after presenting Aidilfitri aid and the Perkim President Seri Cemerlang Award at a buka puasa function here on Friday night.
The MIC will continue to lose the support of the Indian community if. Samy Vellu continues to lead the party, he added.
Bad blood between two loyalists
There had been bad blood lately between the two men, who were staunch allies and loyalists in the glory days of the Barisan Nasional before it lost its two-third majority in Parliament at the last general election in March 2008.
The MIC, like other Barisan components, suffered heavy losses that were associated with the mass uprising staged by the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) in November 2007.
Samy Vellu was Works Minister in the Cabinet of Abdullah Ahmad Badwi when he lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat to newcomer Dr D Michael Jeyakumar in that election.
In the June 2006 MIC election, Samy Vellu openly supported his trusted lieutenant, former press secretary, G Palanivel, who stood against incumbent S Subramaniam.
Palanivel emerged as the victor, and the new deputy president in 27 years.
Subramaniam, however, is back in the fray to wrest the post he lost to Palanivel. This will be decided at the at the two-day MIC general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here which begins Saturday.
Samy unhappy with Dr M's remarks
Samy Vellu recently chided Dr Mahathir for allegedly meddling in MIC affairs, following a report in Tamil paper Makkal Osai that the former prime minister purportedly endorsed Subramaniam’s candidacy.
Samy Vellu said Dr Mahathir’s remarks that Subramaniam could lead the MIC had came at about the time that MIC would be holding its general assembly (which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will open at the PWTC).
"When he (Makkal Osai reporter) asked for my opinion, I did not realise the party's elections is around the corner,” said Dr Mahathir.
“I gave my opinion, if he (Samy) stays on, MIC cannot be revived. Now the Indian community is divided into eight parties,” he added.
'He finishes them offf'
"Previously, all of them supported MIC. Not many are supporting the MIC now and they gave the same reason. They are fed up of Samy Vellu, who wants to hold the reins until nobody else can take over from him.
“Whoever becomes his deputy, when they are getting popular, he finishes them of," he said.
On Samy Vellu's allegation that he (Dr Mahathir) had neglected the Indian community, the former prime minister said it was not true as he had helped all communities and not only the Malays.
"A newspaper had quoted him (Samy Vellu) as saying that I had never helped the Indian community. When I called him from Syria then, he denied it.
"When I came back, the newspaper played the tape for me. It was true he did say that I had never helped the Indian community," Dr Mahathir added.
Related stories:
Samy tells Dr M to stop meddling
Mahathir's tirade: MIC Youth defends Samy
Another back story from malaysian.mirror.com,
and Desi is enjoying himself tremendously watching
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Borrowed RPK's (Angelic) Guardian Picking for Sundae Rumination
What if the UK applies the same principle as the Shah Alam Malays?
Posted by admin at malaysia-today.net:
Saturday, 12 September 2009 00:00
What if the UK applies the same principle as those propagated by the Shah Alam Malays? Meaning: places of worship should not be built in majority residential neighbourhoods of those not of that religion (like no temples or churches in Muslim-majority areas). Should, therefore, British Christians allow mosques in their non-Muslim-majority neighbourhoods?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
In mid-2008, the estimated resident population of the UK was 61,383,000, up by 408,000 from the previous year -- out of which 2,000,000 are Muslims. And there is a ratio of one mosque for every 4,200 UK Muslims.
Source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk
*************************************************
This is the most comprehensive list you could find online of mosques and masjids in the United Kingdom
Source: http://www.islamicguide.co.uk/Mosques/Europe/UK
*************************************************
UK's Muslim population has risen to 2 million
Alan Travis, home affairs editor, Guardian, UK
The Muslim population in the United Kingdom may now number as many as 2 million, the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, disclosed yesterday during an official visit to Pakistan.
The last published official estimate of the size of the Muslim community in Britain was 1.6 million, based on the findings of the 2001 census. The updated Whitehall estimate confirms the position of Islam as the second largest faith community after Christianity, and means that Muslims now make up 3.3% of the UK population.
The 400,000 increase in the size of the Muslim community in less than seven years demonstrates its position as the fastest growing faith community in Britain, and also reflects the age structure of the community, with more than one-third under the age of 16 at the time of the 2001 census. Outside London, Pakistani Muslims make up more than 43% of the community, with Bangladeshis accounting for 17%, and those from India at 9%. In London, the Muslim community is more evenly split between Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims.
Smith, who was making a speech in Islamabad which highlighted Anglo-Pakistani counter-terrorist cooperation, stressed the Muslim contribution to British society. She quoted a new estimate of 10,000 Muslim millionaires in Britain and an overall community contribution of £31bn a year to the economy. Smith is the first British minister to visit Pakistan since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the elections in February and is holding ministerial meetings on counter-terrorism and immigration.
The home secretary acknowledged in her speech that there are four Pakistani Muslim MPs in the Commons, including two ministers, and more than 200 local councillors throughout the UK.
Smith said that "there is nothing Islamic about terrorism" and urged the majority Muslim communities in Britain and Pakistan to challenge the advocates of violent extremism and protect those most at risk of recruitment to their cause.
"We also need to support the institutions where these individuals operate, making them aware of and more resilient to the apologists for violent extremism. In my country that includes parts of our education system, our prisons, our youth clubs, and our community centres," she said in a speech to Pakistan's National Council of the Arts.
"We also want to ensure our universities provide high-quality learning about faith and Islam and to establish the UK as a centre of excellence outside the Islamic world for Islamic studies."
She highlighted the role of a Foreign Office programme which is designed to remove misconceptions about what it means to be a British Muslim. This programme, which has been running since 2005, creates opportunities for British Muslims to travel from the UK to Pakistan and elsewhere in the Islamic world to talk about Islam in modern Britain.
Posted by admin at malaysia-today.net:
Saturday, 12 September 2009 00:00
What if the UK applies the same principle as those propagated by the Shah Alam Malays? Meaning: places of worship should not be built in majority residential neighbourhoods of those not of that religion (like no temples or churches in Muslim-majority areas). Should, therefore, British Christians allow mosques in their non-Muslim-majority neighbourhoods?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
In mid-2008, the estimated resident population of the UK was 61,383,000, up by 408,000 from the previous year -- out of which 2,000,000 are Muslims. And there is a ratio of one mosque for every 4,200 UK Muslims.
Source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk
*************************************************
This is the most comprehensive list you could find online of mosques and masjids in the United Kingdom
Source: http://www.islamicguide.co.uk/Mosques/Europe/UK
*************************************************
UK's Muslim population has risen to 2 million
Alan Travis, home affairs editor, Guardian, UK
The Muslim population in the United Kingdom may now number as many as 2 million, the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, disclosed yesterday during an official visit to Pakistan.
The last published official estimate of the size of the Muslim community in Britain was 1.6 million, based on the findings of the 2001 census. The updated Whitehall estimate confirms the position of Islam as the second largest faith community after Christianity, and means that Muslims now make up 3.3% of the UK population.
The 400,000 increase in the size of the Muslim community in less than seven years demonstrates its position as the fastest growing faith community in Britain, and also reflects the age structure of the community, with more than one-third under the age of 16 at the time of the 2001 census. Outside London, Pakistani Muslims make up more than 43% of the community, with Bangladeshis accounting for 17%, and those from India at 9%. In London, the Muslim community is more evenly split between Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims.
Smith, who was making a speech in Islamabad which highlighted Anglo-Pakistani counter-terrorist cooperation, stressed the Muslim contribution to British society. She quoted a new estimate of 10,000 Muslim millionaires in Britain and an overall community contribution of £31bn a year to the economy. Smith is the first British minister to visit Pakistan since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the elections in February and is holding ministerial meetings on counter-terrorism and immigration.
The home secretary acknowledged in her speech that there are four Pakistani Muslim MPs in the Commons, including two ministers, and more than 200 local councillors throughout the UK.
Smith said that "there is nothing Islamic about terrorism" and urged the majority Muslim communities in Britain and Pakistan to challenge the advocates of violent extremism and protect those most at risk of recruitment to their cause.
"We also need to support the institutions where these individuals operate, making them aware of and more resilient to the apologists for violent extremism. In my country that includes parts of our education system, our prisons, our youth clubs, and our community centres," she said in a speech to Pakistan's National Council of the Arts.
"We also want to ensure our universities provide high-quality learning about faith and Islam and to establish the UK as a centre of excellence outside the Islamic world for Islamic studies."
She highlighted the role of a Foreign Office programme which is designed to remove misconceptions about what it means to be a British Muslim. This programme, which has been running since 2005, creates opportunities for British Muslims to travel from the UK to Pakistan and elsewhere in the Islamic world to talk about Islam in modern Britain.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Former MB Isa Wants to be ADUN Again!
How humble of a man who rendered such long and dsitinguished service to my home state of Nine State(s) as CEO, now wants to continue his "khidmat" as an ordinary State Assemblyman (ADUN). He claimed to have developed the Negeri Sembilan prety well duriig his dime -- but the land in eight was compleatly taekn by him and one or two super-bumis!
I welcome Isa Samad to contest the Batang Pinang by-election.
PAS should alsolay out a red-carpet welcome for the richly-patriotic Isa who thought only himself capable of representing UMNO -- after some 30 years there had been no potential leaders of his calibre to come forward. It speaks volumes of Negeri Sembilan bumi-puteras whose land and status -- Nilai, mana Nilai? -- have been usurped by MCA cronies. I hear among them was a physician, don't know if he was son of a doctor or a gan?
If Isa had his dream, he could increase UMNO's 2,333-vote majority from March 8, 2008 fight to 3,222-V.
Ah, 3,222-Votes for PAS-lah, no joke...
For Port Dickson people are not the superbumis that Isa counts as friends. They are ordinary bumiputras who have awakened from their half-slumber one year-plus ago, and money-power is as good as medicine from the doctored son of a Gan.
Nilai? Nilai, where art thou?
TGone with the wind blowin' at Port Dickson!
PROVIDED someone did not pay millions for the 5,000 postal votes
like he did at the last UMNO party elections which resulted
in his Waterloss of a VICE-presidency. "Money politics" is definitely a VICE," says the UMNO Disciplinary Board. "For once, A*VVise decision!" -- Desi adds.
I welcome Isa Samad to contest the Batang Pinang by-election.
PAS should alsolay out a red-carpet welcome for the richly-patriotic Isa who thought only himself capable of representing UMNO -- after some 30 years there had been no potential leaders of his calibre to come forward. It speaks volumes of Negeri Sembilan bumi-puteras whose land and status -- Nilai, mana Nilai? -- have been usurped by MCA cronies. I hear among them was a physician, don't know if he was son of a doctor or a gan?
If Isa had his dream, he could increase UMNO's 2,333-vote majority from March 8, 2008 fight to 3,222-V.
Ah, 3,222-Votes for PAS-lah, no joke...
For Port Dickson people are not the superbumis that Isa counts as friends. They are ordinary bumiputras who have awakened from their half-slumber one year-plus ago, and money-power is as good as medicine from the doctored son of a Gan.
Nilai? Nilai, where art thou?
TGone with the wind blowin' at Port Dickson!
PROVIDED someone did not pay millions for the 5,000 postal votes
like he did at the last UMNO party elections which resulted
in his Waterloss of a VICE-presidency. "Money politics" is definitely a VICE," says the UMNO Disciplinary Board. "For once, A*VVise decision!" -- Desi adds.
AP ap AP birthdae to Len and Lois
Musician humanitarian fun-D-sunny boy Len is steal AV:)
Only riche gals wit' poor Mum need apply.
PR humanitarian super-B-ni(E)ce gal Lois is o'lady taken by Superman:):)
From lazy hazy mazy and LACEY BUMmer Desi, sometimes trying to earn BIG bugs as nu'esdog YLChong
91109
Only riche gals wit' poor Mum need apply.
PR humanitarian super-B-ni(E)ce gal Lois is o'lady taken by Superman:):)
From lazy hazy mazy and LACEY BUMmer Desi, sometimes trying to earn BIG bugs as nu'esdog YLChong
91109
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
A judge's folly, and he knoweth not...
An adult commits a wrong under the cover of darkness, and no one is the wiser, that's a tragedy. Another adult commits a wrong in broad daylight, and he gets the slammer, yet does not admit his wrong, that's a greater tragedy.
But when a judge who is supposed to know the law, and yet commits an offence, yet he plays dumb and acts ignorant -- That's the greatest tragedy. A childe commits a wrong, his teacher points it out, and he learns from the mistake. That's no tragedy.
When Desi commits some wrong, t's tragic-comedy -- he's excused because that's living up to his NAMA -- desiFOOLofERRATA!:(
Judge slapping his own face?
By Kim Quek
September 9, 2009
A tragic yet hilarious court proceeding took place in the Ipoh high court on Sept 8 when the judge blatantly contradicts himself in dismissing a suit brought by Perak’s Pakatan Rakyat speaker against the state’s Barisan Nasional speaker (yes, two speakers in the Perak assembly).
Judge Azahar Mohamed rejected V Sivakumar’s suit to seek damages from R Ganesan for assault and false imprisonment during the chaotic and violent state assembly sitting on May 7. He said the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case due to Federal Constitution Article 72 stipulating that “the validity of any proceeding in any state assembly cannot be questioned in any court”.
And yet in the same breath he declared that “the decision of the legislative assembly to remove the plaintiff as speaker and to appoint the defendant was conclusive and had been fairly determined by the state assembly on May 7, 2009 .”
Now, the crux of the entire contention between the two speakers is: who is on the right side of law in the violent tussle for the speaker’s chair on May 7? By declaring Ganesan as the rightful speaker, Judge Azahar is in fact making a legal judgment. Is that not a breach of Article 72? How come he has no jurisdiction to hear Sivakumar’s grievances but has jurisdiction to judge Ganesan as legal speaker? Is that not a contradiction of the highest order?
Apart from this atrocious double standard applied by the judge, the main flaw of the judgment is the inability to differentiate between assembly proceeding and criminal behaviour. What Sivakumar is seeking is redress for the unlawful physical violence inflicted on him. And Article 72 covers only businesses conducted in the assembly – not unlawful and criminal act.
Judge Azahar has therefore wrongly used Article 72 to come to his judgment. To make it very clear that this is the case, I will quote in full the relevant clauses in Article 72 (Clauses 1 & 2) and explain the reasons why.
Clause 1: “The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.”
Clause 2: “No body shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or vote given by him when taking part in proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of any State or of any committee thereof.”
Note the operative words “proceedings” in Clause 1 and “anything said or any vote given” in Clause 2. It is abundantly clear what Article 72 refers to are the speeches and resolutions made in the assembly, not any criminal or unlawful act.
But what happened on May 7 was complete pandemonium and chaos in the assembly hall. There was no chance to conduct any business at all, least of all any resolution passed. In fact the only business done on that day was the address by the Perak Regent Raja Nazrin Shah.
And how was Sivakumar “replaced” by Ganesan during that pandemonium?
While Sivakumar was sitting in the speaker’s chair, hordes of police personnel entered the assembly hall, allegedly on Ganesan’s order, and physically lifted, carried, dragged and moved speaker Sivakumar into a room where he was forcibly detained until the assembly sitting was over. And as soon as Sivakumar was removed from the hall, police personnel escorted Ganesan into the hall and ushered him to the speaker’s chair, with police personnel making a line to stand guard in front of Ganesan to prevent any assemblymen from reaching the speaker’s chair.
The entire tragedy-comedy was stage-managed by the police, and it is therefore more appropriate to say that while Sivakumar was elected by the assembly through a reolution, Ganesan was physically planted into the speaker’s chair by the police. And that about sums up what happened on that tragic-hilarious day.
And since Judge Azahar appears to be so respectful of the constitutional principle of separation of power as demonstrated by his professed adherence to Article 72, is it not puzzling that he should have chosen to ignore completely the heinous violation of the doctrine of separation of power when hordes of police personnel invaded the assembly to physically replace one speaker with another? Is it not another shining example of double standard in the Malaysia Boleh tradition?
After the series of judicial decisions that appear to wantonly trample the constitution and the law following the shameful power grab in Perak, the latest low represented by Azahar’s decision makes us wonder how much lower our judiciary can sink into, as many more judicial decisions in the same series are still pending.
Kim Quek
09.09.09
But when a judge who is supposed to know the law, and yet commits an offence, yet he plays dumb and acts ignorant -- That's the greatest tragedy. A childe commits a wrong, his teacher points it out, and he learns from the mistake. That's no tragedy.
When Desi commits some wrong, t's tragic-comedy -- he's excused because that's living up to his NAMA -- desiFOOLofERRATA!:(
Judge slapping his own face?
By Kim Quek
September 9, 2009
A tragic yet hilarious court proceeding took place in the Ipoh high court on Sept 8 when the judge blatantly contradicts himself in dismissing a suit brought by Perak’s Pakatan Rakyat speaker against the state’s Barisan Nasional speaker (yes, two speakers in the Perak assembly).
Judge Azahar Mohamed rejected V Sivakumar’s suit to seek damages from R Ganesan for assault and false imprisonment during the chaotic and violent state assembly sitting on May 7. He said the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case due to Federal Constitution Article 72 stipulating that “the validity of any proceeding in any state assembly cannot be questioned in any court”.
And yet in the same breath he declared that “the decision of the legislative assembly to remove the plaintiff as speaker and to appoint the defendant was conclusive and had been fairly determined by the state assembly on May 7, 2009 .”
Now, the crux of the entire contention between the two speakers is: who is on the right side of law in the violent tussle for the speaker’s chair on May 7? By declaring Ganesan as the rightful speaker, Judge Azahar is in fact making a legal judgment. Is that not a breach of Article 72? How come he has no jurisdiction to hear Sivakumar’s grievances but has jurisdiction to judge Ganesan as legal speaker? Is that not a contradiction of the highest order?
Apart from this atrocious double standard applied by the judge, the main flaw of the judgment is the inability to differentiate between assembly proceeding and criminal behaviour. What Sivakumar is seeking is redress for the unlawful physical violence inflicted on him. And Article 72 covers only businesses conducted in the assembly – not unlawful and criminal act.
Judge Azahar has therefore wrongly used Article 72 to come to his judgment. To make it very clear that this is the case, I will quote in full the relevant clauses in Article 72 (Clauses 1 & 2) and explain the reasons why.
Clause 1: “The validity of any proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of any State shall not be questioned in any court.”
Clause 2: “No body shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or vote given by him when taking part in proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of any State or of any committee thereof.”
Note the operative words “proceedings” in Clause 1 and “anything said or any vote given” in Clause 2. It is abundantly clear what Article 72 refers to are the speeches and resolutions made in the assembly, not any criminal or unlawful act.
But what happened on May 7 was complete pandemonium and chaos in the assembly hall. There was no chance to conduct any business at all, least of all any resolution passed. In fact the only business done on that day was the address by the Perak Regent Raja Nazrin Shah.
And how was Sivakumar “replaced” by Ganesan during that pandemonium?
While Sivakumar was sitting in the speaker’s chair, hordes of police personnel entered the assembly hall, allegedly on Ganesan’s order, and physically lifted, carried, dragged and moved speaker Sivakumar into a room where he was forcibly detained until the assembly sitting was over. And as soon as Sivakumar was removed from the hall, police personnel escorted Ganesan into the hall and ushered him to the speaker’s chair, with police personnel making a line to stand guard in front of Ganesan to prevent any assemblymen from reaching the speaker’s chair.
The entire tragedy-comedy was stage-managed by the police, and it is therefore more appropriate to say that while Sivakumar was elected by the assembly through a reolution, Ganesan was physically planted into the speaker’s chair by the police. And that about sums up what happened on that tragic-hilarious day.
And since Judge Azahar appears to be so respectful of the constitutional principle of separation of power as demonstrated by his professed adherence to Article 72, is it not puzzling that he should have chosen to ignore completely the heinous violation of the doctrine of separation of power when hordes of police personnel invaded the assembly to physically replace one speaker with another? Is it not another shining example of double standard in the Malaysia Boleh tradition?
After the series of judicial decisions that appear to wantonly trample the constitution and the law following the shameful power grab in Perak, the latest low represented by Azahar’s decision makes us wonder how much lower our judiciary can sink into, as many more judicial decisions in the same series are still pending.
Kim Quek
09.09.09
When in grief, seek out a FRIEND...
I know all of us would one day mourn the loss of a loved one, for as it's stated beyong question -- and sometimes human understanding? -- life on Mother GoOD Earth is ephemeral, transitory, sometimes bewildering, even illusory, but the only two constants in Life are Change and Death.
mGf from Down Under blogger matey sweetspirits marks the passing on of a friend suffering from cancer for some time now, so from certain perspective, it's reaching a horizon of Release from human woes. Sweets sends the following poems to share:
A prayer for Ramadan
Each moment is like sunlight on the heart,
Infinity within infinity.
Descend now from the whole back to the part,
As fast gives way to feast, and One to me.
Love is worship, as is pure, chaste pleasure;
Food is worship, music, dance, delight.
Immersed in talk, we savor what we treasure,
The days of fasting fading fast from sight,
Returning, turning, burning through the night.
another poem
I would not be the sun to end your night,
Nor would I be the wall to turn your tears.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
Because there are no words to set things right
Nor hopes that one immersed in mourning hears,
I would not be the sun to end your night,
Offering a wisdom far too bright
To soothe your pain or put to rest your fears.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
There must be time to grieve that sorrow might
Be equal to the love of days and years.
I would not be the sun to end your night.
For grief, before it breaks, must reach its height,
And tides must turn before one homeward steers.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
There are agonies no friendship can requite,
A bitterness unstained till dawn appears.
I would not be the sun to end your night.
But I will watch with you until it's light. You are to me a very special sun
That shines upon a world few ever see,
A world I'm shy to show to everyone,
That hides its urgent truth from even me.
Without your light it is a world of darkness;
Its heaven and its hell lie fast asleep.
With you as sole and sympathetic witness,
The words come forth from out my vasty deep.
And so I cannot be myself without you;
No one is whole without some loving friend.
There is a quiet joy in me about you
That lets me say what I need not defend.
Long may we serve each other to give light
To all the loveliness that haunts the night.
mGf from Down Under blogger matey sweetspirits marks the passing on of a friend suffering from cancer for some time now, so from certain perspective, it's reaching a horizon of Release from human woes. Sweets sends the following poems to share:
A prayer for Ramadan
Each moment is like sunlight on the heart,
Infinity within infinity.
Descend now from the whole back to the part,
As fast gives way to feast, and One to me.
Love is worship, as is pure, chaste pleasure;
Food is worship, music, dance, delight.
Immersed in talk, we savor what we treasure,
The days of fasting fading fast from sight,
Returning, turning, burning through the night.
another poem
I would not be the sun to end your night,
Nor would I be the wall to turn your tears.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
Because there are no words to set things right
Nor hopes that one immersed in mourning hears,
I would not be the sun to end your night,
Offering a wisdom far too bright
To soothe your pain or put to rest your fears.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
There must be time to grieve that sorrow might
Be equal to the love of days and years.
I would not be the sun to end your night.
For grief, before it breaks, must reach its height,
And tides must turn before one homeward steers.
But I will watch with you until it's light.
There are agonies no friendship can requite,
A bitterness unstained till dawn appears.
I would not be the sun to end your night.
But I will watch with you until it's light. You are to me a very special sun
That shines upon a world few ever see,
A world I'm shy to show to everyone,
That hides its urgent truth from even me.
Without your light it is a world of darkness;
Its heaven and its hell lie fast asleep.
With you as sole and sympathetic witness,
The words come forth from out my vasty deep.
And so I cannot be myself without you;
No one is whole without some loving friend.
There is a quiet joy in me about you
That lets me say what I need not defend.
Long may we serve each other to give light
To all the loveliness that haunts the night.
Yahoo! News on Oh 9, Oh 9, Yours and Mine!:)
Because this lazy BUMmer has to "rush", here is jest Copy&Pastrying for late Breakfast:) ~~ YL, Desi knottyaSsusual, somedimes a playgiarist:(
Why 09/09/09 Is So Special
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090908/sc_livescience/why090909issospecial
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com heather Whipps
special To Livescience
livescience.com – Tue Sep 8, 10:46 am ET
Have special plans this 09/09/09?
Everyone from brides and grooms to movie studio execs are celebrating the upcoming calendrical anomaly in their own way.
In Florida, at least one county clerk's office is offering a one-day wedding special for $99.99. The rarity of this Sept. 9 hasn't been lost on the creators of the iPod, who have moved their traditional Tuesday release day to Wednesday to take advantage of the special date. Focus Features is releasing their new film "9," an animated tale about the apocalypse, on the 9th.
Not only does the date look good in marketing promotions, but it also represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.
Though technically there's nothing special about the symmetrical date, some concerned with the history and meaning of numbers ascribe powerful significance to 09/09/09.
For cultures in which the number nine is lucky, Sept. 9 is anticipated - while others might see the date as an ominous warning.
Math magic
Modern numerologists - who operate outside the realm of real science - believe that mystical significance or vibrations can be assigned to each numeral one through nine, and different combinations of the digits produce tangible results in life depending on their application.
As the final numeral, the number nine holds special rank. It is associated with forgiveness, compassion and success on the positive side as well as arrogance and self-righteousness on the negative, according to numerologists.
Though usually discredited as bogus, numerologists do have a famous predecessor to look to. Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and father of the famous theorem, is also credited with popularizing numerology in ancient times.
"Pythagoras most of all seems to have honored and advanced the study concerned with numbers, having taken it away from the use of merchants and likening all things to numbers," wrote Aristoxenus, an ancient Greek historian, in the 4th century B.C.
As part of his obsession with numbers both mathematically and divine, and like many mathematicians before and since, Pythagoras noted that nine in particular had many unique properties.
Any grade-schooler could tell you, for example, that the sum of the two-digits resulting from nine multiplied by any other single-digit number will equal nine. So 9x3=27, and 2+7=9.
Multiply nine by any two, three or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. For example: 9x62 = 558; 5+5+8=18; 1+8=9.
Sept. 9 also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2 + 5 +2)...
Loving 9
Both China and Japan have strong feelings about the number nine. Those feelings just happen to be on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Chinese pulled out all the stops to celebrate their lucky number eight during last year's Summer Olympics, ringing the games in at 8 p.m. on 08/08/08. What many might not realize is that nine comes in second on their list of auspicious digits and is associated with long life, due to how similar its pronunciation is to the local word for long-lasting (eight sounds like wealth).
Historically, ancient Chinese emperors associated themselves closely with the number nine, which appeared prominently in architecture and royal dress, often in the form of nine fearsome dragons. The imperial dynasties were so convinced of the power of the number nine that the palace complex at Beijing's Forbidden City is rumored to have been built with 9,999 rooms.
Japanese emperors would have never worn a robe with nine dragons, however.
In Japanese, the word for nine is a homophone for the word for suffering, so the number is considered highly unlucky - second only to four, which sounds like death.
Many Japanese will go so far as to avoid room numbers including nine at hotels or hospitals, if the building planners haven't already eliminated them altogether.
The Most Popular Myths In Science
Review: Animated "9" Destined to Be Next Great Cult Film
World to End in 2012: A Hoax Gone Too Far?
Original Story: Why 09/09/09 Is So Special
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.
Why 09/09/09 Is So Special
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090908/sc_livescience/why090909issospecial
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com heather Whipps
special To Livescience
livescience.com – Tue Sep 8, 10:46 am ET
Have special plans this 09/09/09?
Everyone from brides and grooms to movie studio execs are celebrating the upcoming calendrical anomaly in their own way.
In Florida, at least one county clerk's office is offering a one-day wedding special for $99.99. The rarity of this Sept. 9 hasn't been lost on the creators of the iPod, who have moved their traditional Tuesday release day to Wednesday to take advantage of the special date. Focus Features is releasing their new film "9," an animated tale about the apocalypse, on the 9th.
Not only does the date look good in marketing promotions, but it also represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.
Though technically there's nothing special about the symmetrical date, some concerned with the history and meaning of numbers ascribe powerful significance to 09/09/09.
For cultures in which the number nine is lucky, Sept. 9 is anticipated - while others might see the date as an ominous warning.
Math magic
Modern numerologists - who operate outside the realm of real science - believe that mystical significance or vibrations can be assigned to each numeral one through nine, and different combinations of the digits produce tangible results in life depending on their application.
As the final numeral, the number nine holds special rank. It is associated with forgiveness, compassion and success on the positive side as well as arrogance and self-righteousness on the negative, according to numerologists.
Though usually discredited as bogus, numerologists do have a famous predecessor to look to. Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and father of the famous theorem, is also credited with popularizing numerology in ancient times.
"Pythagoras most of all seems to have honored and advanced the study concerned with numbers, having taken it away from the use of merchants and likening all things to numbers," wrote Aristoxenus, an ancient Greek historian, in the 4th century B.C.
As part of his obsession with numbers both mathematically and divine, and like many mathematicians before and since, Pythagoras noted that nine in particular had many unique properties.
Any grade-schooler could tell you, for example, that the sum of the two-digits resulting from nine multiplied by any other single-digit number will equal nine. So 9x3=27, and 2+7=9.
Multiply nine by any two, three or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. For example: 9x62 = 558; 5+5+8=18; 1+8=9.
Sept. 9 also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2 + 5 +2)...
Loving 9
Both China and Japan have strong feelings about the number nine. Those feelings just happen to be on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Chinese pulled out all the stops to celebrate their lucky number eight during last year's Summer Olympics, ringing the games in at 8 p.m. on 08/08/08. What many might not realize is that nine comes in second on their list of auspicious digits and is associated with long life, due to how similar its pronunciation is to the local word for long-lasting (eight sounds like wealth).
Historically, ancient Chinese emperors associated themselves closely with the number nine, which appeared prominently in architecture and royal dress, often in the form of nine fearsome dragons. The imperial dynasties were so convinced of the power of the number nine that the palace complex at Beijing's Forbidden City is rumored to have been built with 9,999 rooms.
Japanese emperors would have never worn a robe with nine dragons, however.
In Japanese, the word for nine is a homophone for the word for suffering, so the number is considered highly unlucky - second only to four, which sounds like death.
Many Japanese will go so far as to avoid room numbers including nine at hotels or hospitals, if the building planners haven't already eliminated them altogether.
The Most Popular Myths In Science
Review: Animated "9" Destined to Be Next Great Cult Film
World to End in 2012: A Hoax Gone Too Far?
Original Story: Why 09/09/09 Is So Special
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Reporting $ense, Thanks to Neighbourly Paper...
Just don't let the Barisan Nasional goons shoot the passenger when UMNO-owned The New $traits Time$ won't uncover the notes. Ah the MCA-owned The Star "Selectively" maketh $ense,eh!
So hear it from The Straits Times courtesy of The Malaysian Insider -- yeah,I hear whispers that they are acting in cahoots:(-- YL, a newshound who tries tomake Sense of it Awe!:) -- hyde-ing as Desi
Damning PKFZ report singles out Kong Choy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 – A confidential report by a government-appointed task force probing one of Malaysia’s biggest financial scandals has identified serious breaches on the part of several government officials, including a former minister.
The breaches led to billions of dollars in losses at a tottering state-owned transhipment hub, the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).
The yet-to-be-released report, which will be discussed at the weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow, singles out former transport minister Chan Kong Choy; Madam O.C. Phang, the former general manager of the Port Klang Authority; and board directors of the port agency, for not carrying out their duties with adequate care.
The findings of the special task force, which were read by The Straits Times, also finger Barisan Nasional MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the main shareholder of private company Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd which carried out the construction of PKFZ.
Tiong has been named as one of the “possible conspirators” in a scheme that exposed the government to huge financial losses stemming from the failed PKFZ development venture.
The report by the special task force, headed by senior Malaysian lawyer Vinayak Pradhan, will add to the long list of disclosures of alleged criminal wrongdoings and mismanagement that has forced the government to bail out the project. The government also had to stand by debts estimated to be in excess of RM10 billion.
Already, the police have frozen the accounts held by Kuala Dimensi with funds of roughly RM140 million as a result of their own investigation into the scandal.
Government politicians who reviewed the findings said the report will pile pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration to act against those responsible for the huge losses.
But that route could prove tricky for the Premier because it will force the government to come down hard on political warlords within its own ruling coalition, such as Tiong. He is an MP from Sarawak and head of the Barisan Nasional’s backbenchers club.
“Depending on how deep you want to probe, this scandal goes to the heart of government because payments for the project came from state agencies and had to be approved by the Transport and Finance ministries,” said a senior government official familiar with developments around PKFZ.
The free trade zone project began as a joint-venture between Port Klang Authority (PKA) and the promoters of the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (Jafza) in 1999, to attract foreign investment and promote the main Malaysian port of Port Klang.
The land from the project belonged to Kuala Dimensi, which had acquired it in the 1990s for RM96 million or roughly RM3 per sq ft.
But under mysterious circumstances, the PKA, led by then general manager O.C. Phang, moved to buy the land from Kuala Dimensi in 2002 for RM1 billion, or roughly RM25 per sq ft.
Equally mysterious was the PKA’s decision to award Kuala Dimensi sole rights to develop the free trade zone without an open tender.
To fund the development, Kuala Dimensi raised funds through the issue of bonds that were backed by so-called “letters of comfort” from Malaysia’s Transport Ministry.
The PKFZ project has since been saddled by cost overruns and mismanagement, leaving it to the government to stand guarantee on its loans and bonds issued to fund the project. – The Straits Times
So hear it from The Straits Times courtesy of The Malaysian Insider -- yeah,I hear whispers that they are acting in cahoots:(-- YL, a newshound who tries tomake Sense of it Awe!:) -- hyde-ing as Desi
Damning PKFZ report singles out Kong Choy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 – A confidential report by a government-appointed task force probing one of Malaysia’s biggest financial scandals has identified serious breaches on the part of several government officials, including a former minister.
The breaches led to billions of dollars in losses at a tottering state-owned transhipment hub, the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).
The yet-to-be-released report, which will be discussed at the weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow, singles out former transport minister Chan Kong Choy; Madam O.C. Phang, the former general manager of the Port Klang Authority; and board directors of the port agency, for not carrying out their duties with adequate care.
The findings of the special task force, which were read by The Straits Times, also finger Barisan Nasional MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the main shareholder of private company Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd which carried out the construction of PKFZ.
Tiong has been named as one of the “possible conspirators” in a scheme that exposed the government to huge financial losses stemming from the failed PKFZ development venture.
The report by the special task force, headed by senior Malaysian lawyer Vinayak Pradhan, will add to the long list of disclosures of alleged criminal wrongdoings and mismanagement that has forced the government to bail out the project. The government also had to stand by debts estimated to be in excess of RM10 billion.
Already, the police have frozen the accounts held by Kuala Dimensi with funds of roughly RM140 million as a result of their own investigation into the scandal.
Government politicians who reviewed the findings said the report will pile pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration to act against those responsible for the huge losses.
But that route could prove tricky for the Premier because it will force the government to come down hard on political warlords within its own ruling coalition, such as Tiong. He is an MP from Sarawak and head of the Barisan Nasional’s backbenchers club.
“Depending on how deep you want to probe, this scandal goes to the heart of government because payments for the project came from state agencies and had to be approved by the Transport and Finance ministries,” said a senior government official familiar with developments around PKFZ.
The free trade zone project began as a joint-venture between Port Klang Authority (PKA) and the promoters of the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (Jafza) in 1999, to attract foreign investment and promote the main Malaysian port of Port Klang.
The land from the project belonged to Kuala Dimensi, which had acquired it in the 1990s for RM96 million or roughly RM3 per sq ft.
But under mysterious circumstances, the PKA, led by then general manager O.C. Phang, moved to buy the land from Kuala Dimensi in 2002 for RM1 billion, or roughly RM25 per sq ft.
Equally mysterious was the PKA’s decision to award Kuala Dimensi sole rights to develop the free trade zone without an open tender.
To fund the development, Kuala Dimensi raised funds through the issue of bonds that were backed by so-called “letters of comfort” from Malaysia’s Transport Ministry.
The PKFZ project has since been saddled by cost overruns and mismanagement, leaving it to the government to stand guarantee on its loans and bonds issued to fund the project. – The Straits Times
Sarawak CM Making $en$e...
There was once a story circulating about a former Chief Minister/Menteri Besar --popular aong newshounds at the pub who propagate the myth they writHe better when high! --ranking among the richest in Top 10 list, or Top 50-lah. In Malaysia, or in Asia-lah. Please excuse Desi on the accuracy, or lack of, in this retell...it's telling on his rising age. But Mark Twain says: "AGE is a matter of mmindover matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!"
Now where was I? Okay, about CMs and their wealth. So it was rumoured that one English-semi-literate CEO of State entered a Down Under terrortry where an entrant must fill in some stoopid Immigresyen or Kastam forms in Engrish (These natives assume that if you hold USD, SIN$ or Euro -- Ooops, drop the Euro, it was then notin fesyen! -- then youmust know Shakespearean English and can tackle the Immigration/Customs forms:(
So when the story broke that this poor MC or Cheap Minister was found delinquent/wrong in declaring some RM2.4million currencies -- a combination/mix totalling that value-lah -- he thought he was clever by half pleading he no not the Bastrad's Inggeris. The kangaroo court was so kind, let himoff with a fine "It's fine, Ignorance s a good defence, just leave your RM2.4million behind!" (That I believe was what was whispered, I heard over the pub vine...If you heard differently, then youMUST be right, 'cos Desi's leftist. Also a teatotaller -- I don't drik Foster's, I down tehtarik, a true journalists' brew, ask Rocky!:)
So one curio cat wanted to know how much this MB/CM was worth in reality or real estate ... he/she/it "googled" 'Muhammad' ... typed TWICE because RPK says it's double Muhammad ... followed by 'Taib'.
Wow, wow, the cat almost fell off his/her/its chair. Taib was listed among the Top 10 or Top 50 or Top 100 richest in the world. The whole wide world, according to one Fortunate listing. Of course, www stands also for the world wide web and soon the +peoples of NegaraKu became wiser to the fact that the double Muhammad was not the one listed. He was literally de-listed. It was another Taib-lah! You wanna Desi to name him; sorry-lah, I'm o'lady HI! on my tehtari' and now danzing on my tablet...:):):):):):) se7en smiles from peninsular to the Land of the Hornbills.
NB: +peoples in the plural because the rakyat of Sabah and Sarawak are deemed not equal to peninsular Malaysians. They enjoy a status quite different from you Selangorians which include some lucky blokes with a double"M", and me from Negeri Sembilan (Ninth State and yet I can't get no peace of land!:( And soon these two states' peoples will celebrate Malaysia Day on September 16 -- (7)916 came out first prize last 1+3D draw, you don't no dat? -- Good on you,you celebrated 31st August, 2009 didn't you!?And the Gods are angry 'cos you don't know your his/her/itstory and hence don't deserve any durian runtuh!
From www.theborneopost.com:
English makes it easier to find jobs: Taib
By Lim How Pim & Samuel Aubrey
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday hoped undergraduates, especially those in Sarawak, would not neglect mastering English if they want to improve their “marketability”.
Stressing that English is the world’s working language, he said local undergraduates would risk being overlooked by prospective employers, especially those companies involved in international trade, if they do not have a good command of the language.
Alluding to the recent decision by the federal government to stop using English as the medium to teach and learn Mathematics and Science by 2012, he said this should not be a controversy anymore because there are still avenues for people to improve their command of the language.
“Students need to master English (to improve their marketability). Apart from our mother tongue and the national language, we need to have a good command of English to adapt to the present global situation.
“Even in China which is proud of its Mandarin language, citizens are encouraged to learn English, and they even have a 24-channel service to teach English. They know English is important in business.
“This is because English is the world’s working language. Therefore it is important for us to master it,” he said at a dialogue session during the Sarawak Islam Undergraduates Education Colloquium at Auditorium Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Batu Lintang Teacher’s College.
Earlier, he answered a question from a student who wanted to know why graduates from foreign universities are preferred over local graduates by employers especially multi-national companies.
To this, Taib said this was because those who went to foreign universities especially in English speaking countries can speak and write English better, which are important when dealing with international clients.
“Just look at the Internet, what is the most used language? Obviously it is English. (Similarly,) the export-oriented industries and multinational companies will obviously look for those with good command of English,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Taib said the state government would continue to extend Wi-Fi Internet facilities to rural schools in order to make it easier for the students to absorb new knowledge and have better command of subjects taught in class.
On behalf of the state government, he also thanked the Education Ministry in Kuala Lumpur for the pledge to improve the infrastructure of rural schools especially in Sarawak.
Nonetheless, he also called on the ministry to consider emulating other countries in providing innovative teaching aids so that the “learning of difficult subjects will be easier and fun”.
“When I was younger, I had no choice but to read books that were big when I wanted to learn about astronomy. It was not easy task because I had to imagine how the universe looked like.
“Nowadays, we have television networks such as Discovery Channel and National Geographic channels which regularly have programmes on astronomy. And it is much easier to learn about astronomy by watching TV programmes.
“Through teaching aids as well as Wi-Fi Internet, the delivery of information and learning of knowledge will be much easier,” he said.
With Sarawak expecting its gross domestic product (GDP) index to grow by five fold upon the realisation of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), he said the state will need highly-skilled manpower for the new industries.
“And this will depend on the younger generation’s ability to absorb knowledge (especially those complicated subjects),” he said.
Meanwhile, the two-day colloquium saw the participation of Muslim students from selected schools and institutions of higher learning in Sarawak.
Among those present yesterday were Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman and Islamic Information Centre (IIC) education bureau director Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah.
Now where was I? Okay, about CMs and their wealth. So it was rumoured that one English-semi-literate CEO of State entered a Down Under terrortry where an entrant must fill in some stoopid Immigresyen or Kastam forms in Engrish (These natives assume that if you hold USD, SIN$ or Euro -- Ooops, drop the Euro, it was then notin fesyen! -- then youmust know Shakespearean English and can tackle the Immigration/Customs forms:(
So when the story broke that this poor MC or Cheap Minister was found delinquent/wrong in declaring some RM2.4million currencies -- a combination/mix totalling that value-lah -- he thought he was clever by half pleading he no not the Bastrad's Inggeris. The kangaroo court was so kind, let himoff with a fine "It's fine, Ignorance s a good defence, just leave your RM2.4million behind!" (That I believe was what was whispered, I heard over the pub vine...If you heard differently, then youMUST be right, 'cos Desi's leftist. Also a teatotaller -- I don't drik Foster's, I down tehtarik, a true journalists' brew, ask Rocky!:)
So one curio cat wanted to know how much this MB/CM was worth in reality or real estate ... he/she/it "googled" 'Muhammad' ... typed TWICE because RPK says it's double Muhammad ... followed by 'Taib'.
Wow, wow, the cat almost fell off his/her/its chair. Taib was listed among the Top 10 or Top 50 or Top 100 richest in the world. The whole wide world, according to one Fortunate listing. Of course, www stands also for the world wide web and soon the +peoples of NegaraKu became wiser to the fact that the double Muhammad was not the one listed. He was literally de-listed. It was another Taib-lah! You wanna Desi to name him; sorry-lah, I'm o'lady HI! on my tehtari' and now danzing on my tablet...:):):):):):) se7en smiles from peninsular to the Land of the Hornbills.
NB: +peoples in the plural because the rakyat of Sabah and Sarawak are deemed not equal to peninsular Malaysians. They enjoy a status quite different from you Selangorians which include some lucky blokes with a double"M", and me from Negeri Sembilan (Ninth State and yet I can't get no peace of land!:( And soon these two states' peoples will celebrate Malaysia Day on September 16 -- (7)916 came out first prize last 1+3D draw, you don't no dat? -- Good on you,you celebrated 31st August, 2009 didn't you!?And the Gods are angry 'cos you don't know your his/her/itstory and hence don't deserve any durian runtuh!
From www.theborneopost.com:
English makes it easier to find jobs: Taib
By Lim How Pim & Samuel Aubrey
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday hoped undergraduates, especially those in Sarawak, would not neglect mastering English if they want to improve their “marketability”.
Stressing that English is the world’s working language, he said local undergraduates would risk being overlooked by prospective employers, especially those companies involved in international trade, if they do not have a good command of the language.
Alluding to the recent decision by the federal government to stop using English as the medium to teach and learn Mathematics and Science by 2012, he said this should not be a controversy anymore because there are still avenues for people to improve their command of the language.
“Students need to master English (to improve their marketability). Apart from our mother tongue and the national language, we need to have a good command of English to adapt to the present global situation.
“Even in China which is proud of its Mandarin language, citizens are encouraged to learn English, and they even have a 24-channel service to teach English. They know English is important in business.
“This is because English is the world’s working language. Therefore it is important for us to master it,” he said at a dialogue session during the Sarawak Islam Undergraduates Education Colloquium at Auditorium Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Batu Lintang Teacher’s College.
Earlier, he answered a question from a student who wanted to know why graduates from foreign universities are preferred over local graduates by employers especially multi-national companies.
To this, Taib said this was because those who went to foreign universities especially in English speaking countries can speak and write English better, which are important when dealing with international clients.
“Just look at the Internet, what is the most used language? Obviously it is English. (Similarly,) the export-oriented industries and multinational companies will obviously look for those with good command of English,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Taib said the state government would continue to extend Wi-Fi Internet facilities to rural schools in order to make it easier for the students to absorb new knowledge and have better command of subjects taught in class.
On behalf of the state government, he also thanked the Education Ministry in Kuala Lumpur for the pledge to improve the infrastructure of rural schools especially in Sarawak.
Nonetheless, he also called on the ministry to consider emulating other countries in providing innovative teaching aids so that the “learning of difficult subjects will be easier and fun”.
“When I was younger, I had no choice but to read books that were big when I wanted to learn about astronomy. It was not easy task because I had to imagine how the universe looked like.
“Nowadays, we have television networks such as Discovery Channel and National Geographic channels which regularly have programmes on astronomy. And it is much easier to learn about astronomy by watching TV programmes.
“Through teaching aids as well as Wi-Fi Internet, the delivery of information and learning of knowledge will be much easier,” he said.
With Sarawak expecting its gross domestic product (GDP) index to grow by five fold upon the realisation of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), he said the state will need highly-skilled manpower for the new industries.
“And this will depend on the younger generation’s ability to absorb knowledge (especially those complicated subjects),” he said.
Meanwhile, the two-day colloquium saw the participation of Muslim students from selected schools and institutions of higher learning in Sarawak.
Among those present yesterday were Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman and Islamic Information Centre (IIC) education bureau director Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Sarawak BN leaders, especially the CM, will be laughing...
Not all the way to the bank, but into the next STATE ASSEMBLY. If the so-called "Alternative" government in waiting can't get its act together. From Sarawak's outcome flow many dire consequences for Anwar Ibrahim-led young coalition partners, so the national leaders of DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat need to sort out this problem as soon as possible before the crafty Taib Mahmud springs into action by dissolving the State Assembly.
This perennial problem of "seat allocations" will also crop up at the next General Elections for Pakatan Rakyat nationwide. The Sarawak's impending State polls will be the acid test for the PR component parties.
Back story, courtesy of the Malaysian Mirror:
DAP wants 25 seats, PKR says 'don't be unreasonable'
Joseph Tawie
Monday, 07 September 2009 12:47
KUCHING - The insistence by the Sarawak DAP that it must contest 25 Chinese-majority constituencies in the coming state election has been described as ‘unreasonable’ by a state PKR leader.
State DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng said on Saturday that his party must be allowed to contest the Chinese seats first and want its Pakatan Rakyat partners PKR, PAS and SNAP to agree to its demand before it wants to sit down to discuss the formation of Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak.
Wong said that the demand was made because DAP has the most chance of winning in Chinese-majority areas.
But PKR’s Baru Bian (right) who is leading his party in the negotiating committee with the DAP, called the demand ‘unreasonable, pointing out the reason why the committee was set up was to examine such claims.
Wong has stated that “if the negotiation on seat allocation with PKR fails, there can be no Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak in the next state election.”
“We will look into the setting up of PR Sarawak only after a favourable outcome from the negotiation of seat allocation”.
The Bukit Assek assemblyman went on to say that they did not want to put the “cart before the horse” and conceded that the opposition parties in the state faced some “controversial seat issues.”
Some of the “controversial” seats both DAP and PKR are claiming to be their rights to contest include Padungan, Batu Kawah, Kedup, Simanggang, Engkilili and Repok and other mixed constituencies. Padungan is currently is being held by Dominique Ng of PKR, but DAP wants to contest it.
Fought each other in 2006
In the 2006 State election DAP and PKR had contested against each other resulting in constituencies like Batu Kawah and Repok going to SUPP.
Commenting on Wong’s statement, Baru said that the reason why the negotiating committee was set up is to examine this kind of claims.
“The bottom line as agreed is the party’s candidate having the best chance to win should be allowed to contest that constituency,” he said, adding that they can claim all the 71 seats.
“But if we are sincere in wanting to win the next election we need to examine our claims seriously based on ground evidence and support. This evidence will be forwarded to the negotiating table. I can also say now that PKR wants to contest all 71 seats but that is not reasonable and we must be sensitive to the political sentiments of other PR partners,” Baru said when commenting on Wong’s statement.
The committees of the two parties should have met on Saturday, but due to unforeseen circumstances the second meeting had to be postponed to a later date.
They first met in July.
DESIDERATA: Meanwhile, in my home state called Negeri Sembilan or "Nineth State", the ninth by-election since March 8, 2008 will see the BN-UMNO being tested in their own backyard, and Najib Tun Razak might just do a dis-APpearing act if he's smart and let deputy Muhyiddin Yassin sing Song Sung Blue by himself. The BN's 2,333-vote majority can be upset with the PAS fielding a "people's" candidate, and hopefully,UMNO repeats its Permatang Pasir faux pax -- picking another integrity-questionable calon like a disbarred lawyer. Maybe make it even more incredible for the Malaysian Book of Records' sake/shakes -- a BANKRUPT BUSINESSMAN! How about it, Bolehland UMNO?
This perennial problem of "seat allocations" will also crop up at the next General Elections for Pakatan Rakyat nationwide. The Sarawak's impending State polls will be the acid test for the PR component parties.
Back story, courtesy of the Malaysian Mirror:
DAP wants 25 seats, PKR says 'don't be unreasonable'
Joseph Tawie
Monday, 07 September 2009 12:47
KUCHING - The insistence by the Sarawak DAP that it must contest 25 Chinese-majority constituencies in the coming state election has been described as ‘unreasonable’ by a state PKR leader.
State DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng said on Saturday that his party must be allowed to contest the Chinese seats first and want its Pakatan Rakyat partners PKR, PAS and SNAP to agree to its demand before it wants to sit down to discuss the formation of Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak.
Wong said that the demand was made because DAP has the most chance of winning in Chinese-majority areas.
But PKR’s Baru Bian (right) who is leading his party in the negotiating committee with the DAP, called the demand ‘unreasonable, pointing out the reason why the committee was set up was to examine such claims.
Wong has stated that “if the negotiation on seat allocation with PKR fails, there can be no Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak in the next state election.”
“We will look into the setting up of PR Sarawak only after a favourable outcome from the negotiation of seat allocation”.
The Bukit Assek assemblyman went on to say that they did not want to put the “cart before the horse” and conceded that the opposition parties in the state faced some “controversial seat issues.”
Some of the “controversial” seats both DAP and PKR are claiming to be their rights to contest include Padungan, Batu Kawah, Kedup, Simanggang, Engkilili and Repok and other mixed constituencies. Padungan is currently is being held by Dominique Ng of PKR, but DAP wants to contest it.
Fought each other in 2006
In the 2006 State election DAP and PKR had contested against each other resulting in constituencies like Batu Kawah and Repok going to SUPP.
Commenting on Wong’s statement, Baru said that the reason why the negotiating committee was set up is to examine this kind of claims.
“The bottom line as agreed is the party’s candidate having the best chance to win should be allowed to contest that constituency,” he said, adding that they can claim all the 71 seats.
“But if we are sincere in wanting to win the next election we need to examine our claims seriously based on ground evidence and support. This evidence will be forwarded to the negotiating table. I can also say now that PKR wants to contest all 71 seats but that is not reasonable and we must be sensitive to the political sentiments of other PR partners,” Baru said when commenting on Wong’s statement.
The committees of the two parties should have met on Saturday, but due to unforeseen circumstances the second meeting had to be postponed to a later date.
They first met in July.
DESIDERATA: Meanwhile, in my home state called Negeri Sembilan or "Nineth State", the ninth by-election since March 8, 2008 will see the BN-UMNO being tested in their own backyard, and Najib Tun Razak might just do a dis-APpearing act if he's smart and let deputy Muhyiddin Yassin sing Song Sung Blue by himself. The BN's 2,333-vote majority can be upset with the PAS fielding a "people's" candidate, and hopefully,UMNO repeats its Permatang Pasir faux pax -- picking another integrity-questionable calon like a disbarred lawyer. Maybe make it even more incredible for the Malaysian Book of Records' sake/shakes -- a BANKRUPT BUSINESSMAN! How about it, Bolehland UMNO?
Sunday, September 06, 2009
IGP, Najib and the Yang DiPertuan Agong...
A Triangular Balance of Power at present -- What about the Rakyat? VVVVVVVe the People, the humble citizens of Malaysia, are the fourth lever of power that will ultimately determineNegaraku's making it as a developed nation by 2020.
VVVVVVV is also VICTORY or "V"endetta; remember March 8, 2008? The momentum4change must continue... until the Rakyat's final victory. ~~ YL, Desi
So hear it from my PKR comrade KIM QUEK for this holyday's rumination:)
Dark clouds over the IGP
Will the Agong step in?
by Kim Quek
September 6, 2009
How should one read Prime Minister Najib Razak’s decision to renew Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan’s service contract despite his horrible records – exploding crime rates, brutal suppression of civil liberties and swirling talks of his alleged links with the underworld?
Some would say that the IGP is retained because, as a ruthless suppressor of human rights, he is exactly the kind of police head needed to prop up the wobbling UMNO-led regime that is fast losing popular support. As Musa’s credentials for this role were well demonstrated in the infamous power grab in Perak. Brushing the Constitution and law aside, police brute force was repeatedly employed to physically bar and rough up Pakatan assemblymen from exercising their constitutional rights to regain their legitimacy to rule from the illegitimately established BN state government.
Others would say that Najib is in no position to get rid of Musa as the latter has the upper hand, being holder of the darkest secrets pertaining to major scandals that have been heavily weighing down on Najib, such as the Altantuya murder and the Scorpene submarine purchase.
Some would even suggest that Musa’s hitherto pivotal role in the on-going dubious Anwar sodomy trial II makes him indispensable to the continuing potency of this case as a potential lethal weapon against the seemingly unstoppable advances of Pakatan Rakyat.
For those who have been paying attention to the local political scene, it is not difficult to see that all the above three views are valid. In other words, it is the combination of expediency for political survival and the personal vulnerability of the Prime Minister that has contributed to another extension to the already extended term of two year for the hugely unpopular police head.
Musa’s extension of service also signifies that there will be no light at the end of tunnel of promised reforms as hyped in Najib’s 1Malaysia euphoria. Between an inclusive democratic Malaysia and a race-supremacist authoritarian Malaysia , the Najib led UMNO has obviously chosen the latter.
FRIGHTENING DETERIORATION OF PUBLIC SECURITY
Politics aside, what concerns the men-in-the-street is the frightening deterioration of security and law and order in the country. A recent opinion poll conducted in the Home Ministry website reveals that 97% of respondents expressed worry over the state of public safety, 94% were of the opinion that the authorities had not done their best and a shocking two third said they or their immediate family members had been victims of crimes. These alarming polling results are in tandem with the fact that crimes have escalated exponentially during Musa’s tenure as the IGP.
Why has crime rate continued to spiral uncontrollably despite the billions of ringgit poured into the police to upgrade facilities and expand manpower following the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to upgrade the police force in 2005? Why has rampant corruption and persistent abuse of power and violation of human rights continue to bug our police force with increasing tenacity? Why have the police continued to resist the implementation of the crown jewel of the Royal Commission’s 125 recommendations – the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, which by consensus, would have been the most potent medicine to whip our decadent police force into shape?
In all these failures, we see the shadow of IGP Musa Hassan. It is therefore with the utmost indignation that we must deplore the Najib leadership for refusing to react to the alarm bells sounded in Malaysia Today website in the past week, where explicit details of Musa Hassan’s alleged links to the underworld were exposed.
EXPLOSIVE REVELATIONS
In a series of postings, Malaysia Today’s Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) displayed photocopies of statutory declaration and correspondence among key players to substantiate the allegations of Musa’s involvement. These allegations included: the IGP allowing an underworld kingpin to manipulate postings of officers while siding another to secure his release.
In a posting on Aug 28, RPK revealed a statutory declaration made by a former aide de camp (ADC) of Inspector General Musa Hassan, where the ADC accused the IGP of misconduct that “undermined the integrity and credibility of PDRM , constituting a betrayal of his oath of office”. Certain names and details were blacked out in the documents for “obvious reasons”, but RPK promised that the ‘un-blacked’ out version would be revealed if its authenticity was challenged by the government or when Musa’s service was extended so as to embarrass the government.
Specifically, the ADC alleged that
As ADC, he compiled and coordinated posting orders as based on a draft and proposal made by BK Tan. A list of the postings as implemented was attached to the Affidavit.
Some transfers were made as “entrapment’, others with short notices were made as punishment to convey the impression of eradicating corruption and abuses, though “it was furthest from the truth”.
He verified that the statutory declarations of certain police officers (name given) alleging manipulation of “promotions, ranks and postings in the hierarchy of PDRM” by BK Tan were true. (These statutory declarations appeared earlier in Malaysia Today).
Six police officers who exposed Musa’s alleged underworld links were charged for various offenses.
A former CID Director (name given) informed him that it was Musa who gave the order to set up a covert blog to make allegation of corruption against former Deputy Minister of Home Security Johari Baharom. (In 2007. Johari, a known adversary to Musa, was accused in an anonymous blog of accepting RM 5.5 million bribe to free three underworld bigwigs, but Johari was subsequently cleared of this allegation)
In another posting on the same day, Aug 28, RPK revealed a letter dated 29 Aug 2007 from Johari Baharom to his former boss, Abdullah Badawi who was then Prime Minister cum Home Security, where Musa’s link with Goh Cheng Poh was unveiled. Goh Cheng Poh was nabbed in an anti-Ah Long operation and banished to restricted residence (RR) in Jeli, Kelantan, under the direction of a task force headed by Johari. Goh then made a habeas corpus application to the court on 14 Aug 2007 to set aside the RR order on ground of male fide detention. In Johari’s letter to Abdullah, he described details of how Musa, in conjunction with the attorney general (AG), took unprecedented legal steps to help Goh to win his case. (Following this suit, AG ordered Goh’s release.)
WILL AGONG STEP IN?
In any democracy, these explosive exposures would have rocked the government. Even in the pseudo democracy of Malaysia , surely these allegations are serious enough to merit a proper investigation, particularly when these occurred on the eve of the re-appointment of such a controversial figure who commands no public confidence.
But our government has remained silent. And what has Musa got to say to these allegations when contacted? He refused to comment, according to MalaysiakinI which reported these revelations on Aug 29.
However, all is not lost as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is empowered under Article 140 (5) of the Constitution to refer the Police Force Commission’s recommendation back to the Commission for another round of consideration. Until the Agong signs on the letter of appointment which should take effect on Sept 13, the Agong can still ask the Commission to deliberate further, pending a proper investigation to clear up the dark clouds hanging over the IGP.
The issue of the caliber and integrity of the next IGP is of vital importance at this critical junction of our history in view of the chaotic state of the rule of law the nation has descended into. And we trust that the Agong will give this matter his due consideration.
Kim Quek
VVVVVVV is also VICTORY or "V"endetta; remember March 8, 2008? The momentum4change must continue... until the Rakyat's final victory. ~~ YL, Desi
So hear it from my PKR comrade KIM QUEK for this holyday's rumination:)
Dark clouds over the IGP
Will the Agong step in?
by Kim Quek
September 6, 2009
How should one read Prime Minister Najib Razak’s decision to renew Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan’s service contract despite his horrible records – exploding crime rates, brutal suppression of civil liberties and swirling talks of his alleged links with the underworld?
Some would say that the IGP is retained because, as a ruthless suppressor of human rights, he is exactly the kind of police head needed to prop up the wobbling UMNO-led regime that is fast losing popular support. As Musa’s credentials for this role were well demonstrated in the infamous power grab in Perak. Brushing the Constitution and law aside, police brute force was repeatedly employed to physically bar and rough up Pakatan assemblymen from exercising their constitutional rights to regain their legitimacy to rule from the illegitimately established BN state government.
Others would say that Najib is in no position to get rid of Musa as the latter has the upper hand, being holder of the darkest secrets pertaining to major scandals that have been heavily weighing down on Najib, such as the Altantuya murder and the Scorpene submarine purchase.
Some would even suggest that Musa’s hitherto pivotal role in the on-going dubious Anwar sodomy trial II makes him indispensable to the continuing potency of this case as a potential lethal weapon against the seemingly unstoppable advances of Pakatan Rakyat.
For those who have been paying attention to the local political scene, it is not difficult to see that all the above three views are valid. In other words, it is the combination of expediency for political survival and the personal vulnerability of the Prime Minister that has contributed to another extension to the already extended term of two year for the hugely unpopular police head.
Musa’s extension of service also signifies that there will be no light at the end of tunnel of promised reforms as hyped in Najib’s 1Malaysia euphoria. Between an inclusive democratic Malaysia and a race-supremacist authoritarian Malaysia , the Najib led UMNO has obviously chosen the latter.
FRIGHTENING DETERIORATION OF PUBLIC SECURITY
Politics aside, what concerns the men-in-the-street is the frightening deterioration of security and law and order in the country. A recent opinion poll conducted in the Home Ministry website reveals that 97% of respondents expressed worry over the state of public safety, 94% were of the opinion that the authorities had not done their best and a shocking two third said they or their immediate family members had been victims of crimes. These alarming polling results are in tandem with the fact that crimes have escalated exponentially during Musa’s tenure as the IGP.
Why has crime rate continued to spiral uncontrollably despite the billions of ringgit poured into the police to upgrade facilities and expand manpower following the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to upgrade the police force in 2005? Why has rampant corruption and persistent abuse of power and violation of human rights continue to bug our police force with increasing tenacity? Why have the police continued to resist the implementation of the crown jewel of the Royal Commission’s 125 recommendations – the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, which by consensus, would have been the most potent medicine to whip our decadent police force into shape?
In all these failures, we see the shadow of IGP Musa Hassan. It is therefore with the utmost indignation that we must deplore the Najib leadership for refusing to react to the alarm bells sounded in Malaysia Today website in the past week, where explicit details of Musa Hassan’s alleged links to the underworld were exposed.
EXPLOSIVE REVELATIONS
In a series of postings, Malaysia Today’s Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) displayed photocopies of statutory declaration and correspondence among key players to substantiate the allegations of Musa’s involvement. These allegations included: the IGP allowing an underworld kingpin to manipulate postings of officers while siding another to secure his release.
In a posting on Aug 28, RPK revealed a statutory declaration made by a former aide de camp (ADC) of Inspector General Musa Hassan, where the ADC accused the IGP of misconduct that “undermined the integrity and credibility of PDRM , constituting a betrayal of his oath of office”. Certain names and details were blacked out in the documents for “obvious reasons”, but RPK promised that the ‘un-blacked’ out version would be revealed if its authenticity was challenged by the government or when Musa’s service was extended so as to embarrass the government.
Specifically, the ADC alleged that
As ADC, he compiled and coordinated posting orders as based on a draft and proposal made by BK Tan. A list of the postings as implemented was attached to the Affidavit.
Some transfers were made as “entrapment’, others with short notices were made as punishment to convey the impression of eradicating corruption and abuses, though “it was furthest from the truth”.
He verified that the statutory declarations of certain police officers (name given) alleging manipulation of “promotions, ranks and postings in the hierarchy of PDRM” by BK Tan were true. (These statutory declarations appeared earlier in Malaysia Today).
Six police officers who exposed Musa’s alleged underworld links were charged for various offenses.
A former CID Director (name given) informed him that it was Musa who gave the order to set up a covert blog to make allegation of corruption against former Deputy Minister of Home Security Johari Baharom. (In 2007. Johari, a known adversary to Musa, was accused in an anonymous blog of accepting RM 5.5 million bribe to free three underworld bigwigs, but Johari was subsequently cleared of this allegation)
In another posting on the same day, Aug 28, RPK revealed a letter dated 29 Aug 2007 from Johari Baharom to his former boss, Abdullah Badawi who was then Prime Minister cum Home Security, where Musa’s link with Goh Cheng Poh was unveiled. Goh Cheng Poh was nabbed in an anti-Ah Long operation and banished to restricted residence (RR) in Jeli, Kelantan, under the direction of a task force headed by Johari. Goh then made a habeas corpus application to the court on 14 Aug 2007 to set aside the RR order on ground of male fide detention. In Johari’s letter to Abdullah, he described details of how Musa, in conjunction with the attorney general (AG), took unprecedented legal steps to help Goh to win his case. (Following this suit, AG ordered Goh’s release.)
WILL AGONG STEP IN?
In any democracy, these explosive exposures would have rocked the government. Even in the pseudo democracy of Malaysia , surely these allegations are serious enough to merit a proper investigation, particularly when these occurred on the eve of the re-appointment of such a controversial figure who commands no public confidence.
But our government has remained silent. And what has Musa got to say to these allegations when contacted? He refused to comment, according to MalaysiakinI which reported these revelations on Aug 29.
However, all is not lost as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is empowered under Article 140 (5) of the Constitution to refer the Police Force Commission’s recommendation back to the Commission for another round of consideration. Until the Agong signs on the letter of appointment which should take effect on Sept 13, the Agong can still ask the Commission to deliberate further, pending a proper investigation to clear up the dark clouds hanging over the IGP.
The issue of the caliber and integrity of the next IGP is of vital importance at this critical junction of our history in view of the chaotic state of the rule of law the nation has descended into. And we trust that the Agong will give this matter his due consideration.
Kim Quek
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Cry, Babies, Cry! RPK is laughing...
Not all the way to the bank though. He's laughing in mockery...and wit' some admonishment. Desi enjoys the spectacle -- hence circulating the Cry Baby Formula:)
Quote from Malaysians are a bunch of cry-babies :(
Stop crying and stop blaming the Malays. This has nothing to do with the Malays. The Malays are more upset than the Chinese and Indians or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The Malays blame the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak for giving Umno the political power that they now have. Without the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, Umno would have been kicked out by now. So stop crying about how badly you are being treated. You deserve what you are getting. You deserve the treatment you are receiving. And I just hope Umno will continue doing what they are doing, plus much worse, to teach you all a bloody lesson.
DESIDERATA: So you babies ooouch hear! STOP CRYING, surf to malaysia-today.net via this LINK:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26416/84/
If your tears are crocodile's, go dye your babe skin crimson black. My favourite colour has always been blue -- so I'm Little Boy Blue, I sometimes BLOW MY OWN HORN. I lost the trumpet to wan backsider Teongg Singg Kingg, but he's at least a millionaire.
RPK's parting chorus:
"So stop crying. No more boo hoo hoo. You are what you are because of your own doing. That is the long and short of it all. If the fire is too hot then get out of the kitchen. If you don’t dare fight then hand this country to Umno and Barisan Nasional and shut up. No more boo hoo hoo I have been badly treated. It makes me sick when those who cry boo hoo hoo did not even vote or are not registered voters."
Quote from Malaysians are a bunch of cry-babies :(
Stop crying and stop blaming the Malays. This has nothing to do with the Malays. The Malays are more upset than the Chinese and Indians or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The Malays blame the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak for giving Umno the political power that they now have. Without the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, Umno would have been kicked out by now. So stop crying about how badly you are being treated. You deserve what you are getting. You deserve the treatment you are receiving. And I just hope Umno will continue doing what they are doing, plus much worse, to teach you all a bloody lesson.
DESIDERATA: So you babies ooouch hear! STOP CRYING, surf to malaysia-today.net via this LINK:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26416/84/
If your tears are crocodile's, go dye your babe skin crimson black. My favourite colour has always been blue -- so I'm Little Boy Blue, I sometimes BLOW MY OWN HORN. I lost the trumpet to wan backsider Teongg Singg Kingg, but he's at least a millionaire.
RPK's parting chorus:
"So stop crying. No more boo hoo hoo. You are what you are because of your own doing. That is the long and short of it all. If the fire is too hot then get out of the kitchen. If you don’t dare fight then hand this country to Umno and Barisan Nasional and shut up. No more boo hoo hoo I have been badly treated. It makes me sick when those who cry boo hoo hoo did not even vote or are not registered voters."
Friday, September 04, 2009
Two Sane Voices Speaking Up...+ Wan Discordant Note
First voice is courtesy of The Star Online:
Thursday September 3, 2009
Let’s stamp out racism
BRAVE NEW WORLD
By AZMI SHAROM
Not only must we condemn the cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week but we must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists.
THE cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week left me feeling utterly disgusted. The men who organised and participated in that foul act are nothing but rank racists, and by cloaking their activities in a veil of piousness they show themselves to be even more despicable.
Yes, I was furious, but sadly I was not surprised. How can I be and how can anyone else be? We have allowed racists to have their way for so many years now.
Their appalling words and actions get progressively bolder and it just builds and builds until we have these men feeling they have the right to insult another religion in the most vile and brutal manner.
In the light of how Malay and Islamic supremacist thinking and expression have caught hold in the last few years, this sickening behaviour is simply a natural progression.
It happened because we allowed it to happen. Those bigoted thugs did what they did because we did not stamp down on the racists among us hard.
We allowed racist politicians to spout their garbage about “immigrant races”; we allowed them to tell our brothers and sisters to “go back to where you belong”; we allowed them to wave weapons of war; and we allowed them to ask for the weapons to be bathed in blood.
It’s too late for any politician to condemn something now when all the other acts of bigotry that have been brewing in the past few years were not even protested against because they suited their political needs.
It is too late to be making pleas of unity on National Day when not enough has been done before.
Let’s look at something recent. Two books that attacked the Mentri Besar of Selangor and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim are blatantly racist.
They claim that Selangor is for Malays only. They claim that the Pakatan Rakyat state government threatens Malays because they hire non-Malay staff.
In other words, the government must only hire Malays so that only Malays get benefits from the government. This is racism pure and simple. But because it suits the ruling party, as these books attack Pakatan, nothing is said.
Racism is racism, be it some vile words published in some cheap self-published drivel, or a bleeding cow head stomped and spat upon. Racism is racism and it must be fought.
When it is not fought, when it is not faced down every single time, then those without the courage to fight it are merely accomplices who, through their cowardice or selfishness, support it.
And how should we fight it? The law that should be used is the Penal Code. The Sedition Act is a blunderbuss of a law and could be used against genuine dissent as well. Let us not look to that archaic leaving of the British.
Use the provisions in the Penal Code that make incitement an offence. Charge these people under the Penal Code and lock them away.
But that is for the authorities to do, if they so choose to. We, the people, must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists. We must be even more careful that we do not infect our children.
We should speak out against racism and we should tell our political leaders that if they do not fight racism then they are supporting racism and we will not support them.
We must make sure that what happened in Shah Alam faces utter and complete public contempt. Only in that way can we ensure it is not repeated.
+++Dr Azmi Sharom is a law teacher. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
********************************
Malaysia and Singapore Are Close Neighbours.
In fact, Malaysians and Singaporeans were once in the same family, though for a short term of four short years. Each country has a "good" mix of Malays and Chinese, who predominate in numbers in Singapore, and while Malays outnumber Chinese 55% to about 25% in Malaysia. But a common issue of "racism" often rears its ugly head. Today I've picked up two articles featurng what I believe are two "sane" voices speaking up from which we, Singaporean or Malaysian, can learn from.:):) I also heard a DISCORDANT NOTE -- you hear for thyself!:(
Proud to be a Malay Singaporean — Khartini Khalid
SEPT 3 — I am a Malay Singaporean and I am proud of it — though the label “Malay Singaporean” often seems to make little sense to people outside of South-east Asia.
In my travels to other countries and in my current place of residence in the United States, I am often quizzed as to the meaning of this label. “You mean, you are Malaysian?” I am asked. Or: “I thought Malays are Malaysians?”
My answer, each time, is “no”. Regardless of how often I have to repeat myself, I try, each time, to explain the differences between Malay Singaporeans and Malay Malaysians. I say that history had united us and then separated us. Political leaderships and national policies have made us very distinct from one another.
This was not always the case. For many years after Separation, the racial and religious identities of Malay Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore took precedence over their national identities.
However, things have changed drastically over the past few decades and much of that has to do with how politics shaped the two communities.
I first realised how different I am from Malay Malaysians when I stayed in a kampung in Negri Sembilan for a week. I was there for a mini research project with some students — a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian Singaporeans, plus a few foreigners. We stayed with host families in a Malay village.
After the first four days in the village, I felt something was amiss. I could not put a finger on what it was. It was only when I was hanging out at a roadside stall and saw a Chinese man that it dawned on me what I was missing: I had not seen a single non-Malay person (outside of my student group) for four whole days!
The Chinese in the area lived in a separate village across the street while the Indians lived in yet another village near some plantations. In Seremban, I saw a building for a Chinese leisure club and another for Malay games or social activities.
Singapore was once like that. But over the decades, it changed. Every day now, when we step out of our flats, we see our Chinese, Indian and perhaps Eurasian neighbours. We share the same lifts, corridors, void decks, community parks and common spaces. We go to the same schools and workplaces. Our parliamentary representatives are multiracial. Malay Singaporeans are as much a part of the everyday realities of Chinese, Indian and Eurasian Singaporeans as they are of ours. This cannot be said of Malay and non-Malay Malaysians. In short, Malay Malaysians and Malay Singaporeans live in different political and social realities.
In a recent column published in Utusan Malaysia, former Malaysian information minister Zainuddin Maidin said that Malaysia’s current racial controversies mirror the issues that surfaced in the country during the May 1969 riots. He also said that Malaysia was right to remove Singapore as it had been a thorn in Malaysia’s flesh. The “poison...spilled by Kuan Yew more than 40 years ago,” he suggested, is the reason race relations remain fraught in Malaysia.
I wonder how wanting a system that promises equality for all, as compared to one that is biased and discriminating, can be “poison”. Well, perhaps one man’s meat is another man’s “poison”. Thanks to the “meat”, Singapore has become a city state where different races co-exist peacefully and all benefit from a meritocratic system.
Should Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew have ruled Singapore using the Malaysian “model”, with discriminatory policies favouring one racial group over others, people like me might have failed to enter university though our grades are good while people of another race are admitted though their grades are poor. We would then, understandably, have felt aggrieved and over time this would have manifested itself in unpleasant social tensions.
This brings me to Datuk Seri Zainuddin’s comment that “Singapore sticks to a Third World democracy despite having a developed world mentality while Malaysia has a Third World mentality but a developed world democracy”.
I accept his point that Singapore has a developed world mentality and do not deny that Singapore’s democracy is not like that of other First World countries’. Whether we will be better off having such a democracy is another debate altogether. However, I think Singapore has greater political, economic and social democracy than Malaysia. There is no money politics here, and our system of equity based on merit pervades almost all sectors of our society.
Singapore has changed phenomenally since its separation from Malaysia. There are still challenges to overcome in the different communities, including among Malay Singaporeans, but we are at least at peace with one another.
History teaches great lessons – but only to those who want to learn from it. — The Straits Times
********************************
Hisham defends cow-head protestors
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part. There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.” he said.
He added that the residents only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative because it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat last Friday, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.
The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the police allowed the demonstrators to proceed because the numbers of protestors were small.
“They said that they were very conscious and all that they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness about the willingness of the state government to listen to their requests. I was told that even the Hindus there are not so passionate that it is built there (section 23),” he said.
Hishammuddin refuted claims that the protest was organised by Umno and said that the location allocated by the state government is not suitable because Section 23 is predominantly Malay.
However, a check last week showed the neighbourhood was multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
“If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions,” Hishammuddin said.
He tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used.
“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag,” he said, but offered no details of such an act.
The Umno vice-president warned irresponsible parties not to provoke racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of 1 Malaysia.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the residents had met with Hindu Sangam two days ago and both parties will be releasing a media statement tomorrow.
“If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other ... why would we want to penalise anybody?” he said, suggesting he was not in favour of legal action to be taken against any of the protestors.
DESIDERATA: Desi as a newshound using name of YL Chong, wishes to give the Other Side of the story, at the same time I believe I am allowed to add that here's a DISCORDANT NOTE... Coming from a most understanding Home Minister -- was he so kind to candlelight vigilers engaged in peaceful protests against the ISA? -- he in previous Education portfolio famous/notorious for keris-wielding at the PWTC Stage, remember?
Related Articles at www.themalaysianinsider.com:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
Hishammuddin needs a reality check – The Malaysian Insider
PM says only police and AG can decide on cow-head protestors
AG to decide tomorrow on cow-head protestors
Selangor moves to calm temple row
Split with Singapore cited as a ‘lesson’
Malaysia’s ethnic relations at critical point – Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Perkasa wants ISA detention for questioning Islam, Malays and BM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATEd @12.33PM -- see how Desi renders yee national service!
First Dr Ling Liong Sik made headlines with his "Gostan" decision after vacationing in Perth, WA, to remain as Transport Minister. HIs rationale was he listened to party members, Chinese community leaders' exhortations for him to remain in the Cabinet to render his national service, what grandious patriotic fervour. That happened during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's reign eon years ago.
Of course, later Pak Lah as PM was famous for his flip-flop decisions, BUT NEVER "a-gostan" within a short period.
Now Hishamuddin HUssein established a new record, doing a Go-stan within 24 to 2X24?
Maybe there's some saving grace after much admonishment. As most discipline masters in school would do with errant pupils: Let's give the naughty boy Hisham a chance to repent his wrongdoing. Just stand in that Temiang Korner for two hours 2 minutes and 2 seconds, then write 222 linesala "I must think before I speak!" -- YL Chong, who aspires to become a Discipline Master at the Home ministry -- do I have to wear a piece of white cloth?
Courtesy of The NST Online:)
Cow head action 'a serious issue'
2009/09/04
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry views seriously all issues that can adversely affect the peace, harmony, security and stability of the country and its people of various races.
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said as such, he could not accept the actions of some who bore religious symbols, like the head of a cow, that clearly offended the feelings and religious beliefs of certain groups.
Bernama quoted him as saying this in a statement on his meeting on Wednesday with the association and representatives of residents of Section 23, Shah Alam, to find a resolution to the opposition towards the relocation of a Hindu temple there.
The residents of the area last week held a protest and in the incident, some persons had brought the decapitated head of a cow and placed it in front of the Selangor State Secretariat building.
"I consider such an action as very serious and it should not have been done, as I have stated many times before," he said yesterday.
"As such, I have ordered the police to continue their investigation and take firm action against anyone responsible, especially those who had marred the protest by the residents by bringing the cow's head that led to a highly sensitive situation."
He said the police had identified those involved and would bring them to justice.
Mazlinda Mahmood reports from Shah Alam that the Section 23 Residents Association action committee chairman Ahmad Mahayuddin Abdul Manaf hoped that two meetings to be held would allay and ultimately end the misunderstanding.
They are the state government-organised dialogue with the residents, to be held tomorrow, and a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam today.
He hoped that the dialogue would produce positive results, especially with the assistance and advice of a third party, which he refused to name, to find an amicable solution.
"We hope the Indian community would be able to accept our explanation on our intentions," he said when contacted yesterday.
Today, about 20 action committee members and residents are expected to attend a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam at the Section 23 hall.
Tomorrow, about 800 people are expected at the dialogue, co-organised by the Shah Alam City Council and Selangor State Development Corporation, at the council's banquet hall.
Thursday September 3, 2009
Let’s stamp out racism
BRAVE NEW WORLD
By AZMI SHAROM
Not only must we condemn the cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week but we must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists.
THE cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week left me feeling utterly disgusted. The men who organised and participated in that foul act are nothing but rank racists, and by cloaking their activities in a veil of piousness they show themselves to be even more despicable.
Yes, I was furious, but sadly I was not surprised. How can I be and how can anyone else be? We have allowed racists to have their way for so many years now.
Their appalling words and actions get progressively bolder and it just builds and builds until we have these men feeling they have the right to insult another religion in the most vile and brutal manner.
In the light of how Malay and Islamic supremacist thinking and expression have caught hold in the last few years, this sickening behaviour is simply a natural progression.
It happened because we allowed it to happen. Those bigoted thugs did what they did because we did not stamp down on the racists among us hard.
We allowed racist politicians to spout their garbage about “immigrant races”; we allowed them to tell our brothers and sisters to “go back to where you belong”; we allowed them to wave weapons of war; and we allowed them to ask for the weapons to be bathed in blood.
It’s too late for any politician to condemn something now when all the other acts of bigotry that have been brewing in the past few years were not even protested against because they suited their political needs.
It is too late to be making pleas of unity on National Day when not enough has been done before.
Let’s look at something recent. Two books that attacked the Mentri Besar of Selangor and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim are blatantly racist.
They claim that Selangor is for Malays only. They claim that the Pakatan Rakyat state government threatens Malays because they hire non-Malay staff.
In other words, the government must only hire Malays so that only Malays get benefits from the government. This is racism pure and simple. But because it suits the ruling party, as these books attack Pakatan, nothing is said.
Racism is racism, be it some vile words published in some cheap self-published drivel, or a bleeding cow head stomped and spat upon. Racism is racism and it must be fought.
When it is not fought, when it is not faced down every single time, then those without the courage to fight it are merely accomplices who, through their cowardice or selfishness, support it.
And how should we fight it? The law that should be used is the Penal Code. The Sedition Act is a blunderbuss of a law and could be used against genuine dissent as well. Let us not look to that archaic leaving of the British.
Use the provisions in the Penal Code that make incitement an offence. Charge these people under the Penal Code and lock them away.
But that is for the authorities to do, if they so choose to. We, the people, must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists. We must be even more careful that we do not infect our children.
We should speak out against racism and we should tell our political leaders that if they do not fight racism then they are supporting racism and we will not support them.
We must make sure that what happened in Shah Alam faces utter and complete public contempt. Only in that way can we ensure it is not repeated.
+++Dr Azmi Sharom is a law teacher. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
********************************
Malaysia and Singapore Are Close Neighbours.
In fact, Malaysians and Singaporeans were once in the same family, though for a short term of four short years. Each country has a "good" mix of Malays and Chinese, who predominate in numbers in Singapore, and while Malays outnumber Chinese 55% to about 25% in Malaysia. But a common issue of "racism" often rears its ugly head. Today I've picked up two articles featurng what I believe are two "sane" voices speaking up from which we, Singaporean or Malaysian, can learn from.:):) I also heard a DISCORDANT NOTE -- you hear for thyself!:(
Proud to be a Malay Singaporean — Khartini Khalid
SEPT 3 — I am a Malay Singaporean and I am proud of it — though the label “Malay Singaporean” often seems to make little sense to people outside of South-east Asia.
In my travels to other countries and in my current place of residence in the United States, I am often quizzed as to the meaning of this label. “You mean, you are Malaysian?” I am asked. Or: “I thought Malays are Malaysians?”
My answer, each time, is “no”. Regardless of how often I have to repeat myself, I try, each time, to explain the differences between Malay Singaporeans and Malay Malaysians. I say that history had united us and then separated us. Political leaderships and national policies have made us very distinct from one another.
This was not always the case. For many years after Separation, the racial and religious identities of Malay Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore took precedence over their national identities.
However, things have changed drastically over the past few decades and much of that has to do with how politics shaped the two communities.
I first realised how different I am from Malay Malaysians when I stayed in a kampung in Negri Sembilan for a week. I was there for a mini research project with some students — a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian Singaporeans, plus a few foreigners. We stayed with host families in a Malay village.
After the first four days in the village, I felt something was amiss. I could not put a finger on what it was. It was only when I was hanging out at a roadside stall and saw a Chinese man that it dawned on me what I was missing: I had not seen a single non-Malay person (outside of my student group) for four whole days!
The Chinese in the area lived in a separate village across the street while the Indians lived in yet another village near some plantations. In Seremban, I saw a building for a Chinese leisure club and another for Malay games or social activities.
Singapore was once like that. But over the decades, it changed. Every day now, when we step out of our flats, we see our Chinese, Indian and perhaps Eurasian neighbours. We share the same lifts, corridors, void decks, community parks and common spaces. We go to the same schools and workplaces. Our parliamentary representatives are multiracial. Malay Singaporeans are as much a part of the everyday realities of Chinese, Indian and Eurasian Singaporeans as they are of ours. This cannot be said of Malay and non-Malay Malaysians. In short, Malay Malaysians and Malay Singaporeans live in different political and social realities.
In a recent column published in Utusan Malaysia, former Malaysian information minister Zainuddin Maidin said that Malaysia’s current racial controversies mirror the issues that surfaced in the country during the May 1969 riots. He also said that Malaysia was right to remove Singapore as it had been a thorn in Malaysia’s flesh. The “poison...spilled by Kuan Yew more than 40 years ago,” he suggested, is the reason race relations remain fraught in Malaysia.
I wonder how wanting a system that promises equality for all, as compared to one that is biased and discriminating, can be “poison”. Well, perhaps one man’s meat is another man’s “poison”. Thanks to the “meat”, Singapore has become a city state where different races co-exist peacefully and all benefit from a meritocratic system.
Should Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew have ruled Singapore using the Malaysian “model”, with discriminatory policies favouring one racial group over others, people like me might have failed to enter university though our grades are good while people of another race are admitted though their grades are poor. We would then, understandably, have felt aggrieved and over time this would have manifested itself in unpleasant social tensions.
This brings me to Datuk Seri Zainuddin’s comment that “Singapore sticks to a Third World democracy despite having a developed world mentality while Malaysia has a Third World mentality but a developed world democracy”.
I accept his point that Singapore has a developed world mentality and do not deny that Singapore’s democracy is not like that of other First World countries’. Whether we will be better off having such a democracy is another debate altogether. However, I think Singapore has greater political, economic and social democracy than Malaysia. There is no money politics here, and our system of equity based on merit pervades almost all sectors of our society.
Singapore has changed phenomenally since its separation from Malaysia. There are still challenges to overcome in the different communities, including among Malay Singaporeans, but we are at least at peace with one another.
History teaches great lessons – but only to those who want to learn from it. — The Straits Times
********************************
Hisham defends cow-head protestors
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part. There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.” he said.
He added that the residents only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative because it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat last Friday, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.
The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the police allowed the demonstrators to proceed because the numbers of protestors were small.
“They said that they were very conscious and all that they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness about the willingness of the state government to listen to their requests. I was told that even the Hindus there are not so passionate that it is built there (section 23),” he said.
Hishammuddin refuted claims that the protest was organised by Umno and said that the location allocated by the state government is not suitable because Section 23 is predominantly Malay.
However, a check last week showed the neighbourhood was multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
“If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions,” Hishammuddin said.
He tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used.
“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag,” he said, but offered no details of such an act.
The Umno vice-president warned irresponsible parties not to provoke racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of 1 Malaysia.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the residents had met with Hindu Sangam two days ago and both parties will be releasing a media statement tomorrow.
“If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other ... why would we want to penalise anybody?” he said, suggesting he was not in favour of legal action to be taken against any of the protestors.
DESIDERATA: Desi as a newshound using name of YL Chong, wishes to give the Other Side of the story, at the same time I believe I am allowed to add that here's a DISCORDANT NOTE... Coming from a most understanding Home Minister -- was he so kind to candlelight vigilers engaged in peaceful protests against the ISA? -- he in previous Education portfolio famous/notorious for keris-wielding at the PWTC Stage, remember?
Related Articles at www.themalaysianinsider.com:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
Hishammuddin needs a reality check – The Malaysian Insider
PM says only police and AG can decide on cow-head protestors
AG to decide tomorrow on cow-head protestors
Selangor moves to calm temple row
Split with Singapore cited as a ‘lesson’
Malaysia’s ethnic relations at critical point – Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Perkasa wants ISA detention for questioning Islam, Malays and BM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATEd @12.33PM -- see how Desi renders yee national service!
First Dr Ling Liong Sik made headlines with his "Gostan" decision after vacationing in Perth, WA, to remain as Transport Minister. HIs rationale was he listened to party members, Chinese community leaders' exhortations for him to remain in the Cabinet to render his national service, what grandious patriotic fervour. That happened during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's reign eon years ago.
Of course, later Pak Lah as PM was famous for his flip-flop decisions, BUT NEVER "a-gostan" within a short period.
Now Hishamuddin HUssein established a new record, doing a Go-stan within 24 to 2X24?
Maybe there's some saving grace after much admonishment. As most discipline masters in school would do with errant pupils: Let's give the naughty boy Hisham a chance to repent his wrongdoing. Just stand in that Temiang Korner for two hours 2 minutes and 2 seconds, then write 222 linesala "I must think before I speak!" -- YL Chong, who aspires to become a Discipline Master at the Home ministry -- do I have to wear a piece of white cloth?
Courtesy of The NST Online:)
Cow head action 'a serious issue'
2009/09/04
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry views seriously all issues that can adversely affect the peace, harmony, security and stability of the country and its people of various races.
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said as such, he could not accept the actions of some who bore religious symbols, like the head of a cow, that clearly offended the feelings and religious beliefs of certain groups.
Bernama quoted him as saying this in a statement on his meeting on Wednesday with the association and representatives of residents of Section 23, Shah Alam, to find a resolution to the opposition towards the relocation of a Hindu temple there.
The residents of the area last week held a protest and in the incident, some persons had brought the decapitated head of a cow and placed it in front of the Selangor State Secretariat building.
"I consider such an action as very serious and it should not have been done, as I have stated many times before," he said yesterday.
"As such, I have ordered the police to continue their investigation and take firm action against anyone responsible, especially those who had marred the protest by the residents by bringing the cow's head that led to a highly sensitive situation."
He said the police had identified those involved and would bring them to justice.
Mazlinda Mahmood reports from Shah Alam that the Section 23 Residents Association action committee chairman Ahmad Mahayuddin Abdul Manaf hoped that two meetings to be held would allay and ultimately end the misunderstanding.
They are the state government-organised dialogue with the residents, to be held tomorrow, and a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam today.
He hoped that the dialogue would produce positive results, especially with the assistance and advice of a third party, which he refused to name, to find an amicable solution.
"We hope the Indian community would be able to accept our explanation on our intentions," he said when contacted yesterday.
Today, about 20 action committee members and residents are expected to attend a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam at the Section 23 hall.
Tomorrow, about 800 people are expected at the dialogue, co-organised by the Shah Alam City Council and Selangor State Development Corporation, at the council's banquet hall.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Reflexion on a perennial summer's night
WARNING: Poetic licence called Da Desi Code (DDC) used here/hear, so if you are one/wan wit' no sense of lateral thinking or just/jest a percentage of Michael Jackson's crabwalk, READ NO FURTHER. A chinoserie loyar buluk directive: Cease and Desist. Now. Yes, This instance. Desi's Command/Commend:) or :(
Since my long 26 upside down years of living
on this father eDOoG earth,
I have been under the drug called beatlesMANia
Yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves me,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Since I was a precocious ten
I actiually wanted to hold her hand
But as most teens -- the term "tweens" was out of fesyen then --
ofTEN found out, yes, they find out steal
Dad's fencing was not to keep out the cows OR dogs OR rats
It's the neighbourly CATS
He loves you, miow, miow, miou!
She hears me, liao, liao, liao
Wit' alove like that
Life at TEN wouldn't have been bad
Then wit' guiTAR I ventured ino noMAN's land
People called it an orchard
where once dwelt a couple named aDam dan eVe
I called mine EVERland 'cos 'twas before The Thriller
Adem and eVa did a strawbeery fields forever
You sit under an apple tree
And grab the apples one by one
Yes, there could have been only two
eVa was as normal as U2:):)
Then adulteryhood set in
I had to work like a log
It was aweways a hard night's day
A mousey writ'er named Desi
No,oh no, I did not sleep like a dog
She wasn't named Boo and I didn't like it hot
So it was like chasing dragons
Longing for Lucy in the sky
"Bring me juice with diamonds"
Cometh September, then I remember
I have had a number too
Waiting round the bend
It was a (tomcatlike) Sawyer-f'iend
Moon ripper dan Desi
So I reacheth
The Long and Winding Road
That leadeth me to our door
And Lucy, and eVa and Sawyer are no more
No aMore wan, too, or April t'ree
Fare thee wellA
eVa my first love
From above
or below,
We'll meet again,
One perennial summer's day
C
Kambing My Way:)
PS: My first copy that APpeaed at 11.11AM had a wlong sperring, "perrenial" 4 'perennial" -- living up to my nama desidERRATA, eh! YL's inSINsir's APpleLOGy, YL as newsdog, Desi as poetic bitch? knotty aSsusual
Since my long 26 upside down years of living
on this father eDOoG earth,
I have been under the drug called beatlesMANia
Yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves me,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Since I was a precocious ten
I actiually wanted to hold her hand
But as most teens -- the term "tweens" was out of fesyen then --
ofTEN found out, yes, they find out steal
Dad's fencing was not to keep out the cows OR dogs OR rats
It's the neighbourly CATS
He loves you, miow, miow, miou!
She hears me, liao, liao, liao
Wit' alove like that
Life at TEN wouldn't have been bad
Then wit' guiTAR I ventured ino noMAN's land
People called it an orchard
where once dwelt a couple named aDam dan eVe
I called mine EVERland 'cos 'twas before The Thriller
Adem and eVa did a strawbeery fields forever
You sit under an apple tree
And grab the apples one by one
Yes, there could have been only two
eVa was as normal as U2:):)
Then adulteryhood set in
I had to work like a log
It was aweways a hard night's day
A mousey writ'er named Desi
No,oh no, I did not sleep like a dog
She wasn't named Boo and I didn't like it hot
So it was like chasing dragons
Longing for Lucy in the sky
"Bring me juice with diamonds"
Cometh September, then I remember
I have had a number too
Waiting round the bend
It was a (tomcatlike) Sawyer-f'iend
Moon ripper dan Desi
So I reacheth
The Long and Winding Road
That leadeth me to our door
And Lucy, and eVa and Sawyer are no more
No aMore wan, too, or April t'ree
Fare thee wellA
eVa my first love
From above
or below,
We'll meet again,
One perennial summer's day
C
Kambing My Way:)
PS: My first copy that APpeaed at 11.11AM had a wlong sperring, "perrenial" 4 'perennial" -- living up to my nama desidERRATA, eh! YL's inSINsir's APpleLOGy, YL as newsdog, Desi as poetic bitch? knotty aSsusual
Press Statement from Cartoonist Zunar
***With respect to the Home Ministry's consfiscation of materials from his newly set up cartoon magazine publishing company, Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd's, premises with its inaugural issue of "Gedung Kartun".
Zunar: I strongly deny Home Ministry’s allegations
1. Referring to the news article in Malaysikini dated 29th August 2009
which quotes the Home Minstry’s Corporate Communication Unit’s Head,
Jamilah Taib that Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, a company that I own will
be charged for publishing material without a publishing license.
According to Jamilah, Sepakat Efektif will be charged under Section
5(2) (b) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 for
distribution unlicensed publications. If convicted, the penalties are
not more than 3 years prison or a fine not exceeding RM20,000.00 or
both. The statement by Jamilah refers to the publication of a Cartoon
magazine titled ‘Gedung Kartun’.
2. For the record, before the publication of the magazine, I made an
application to the Home Ministry for the
Publication Permit and all requirements and conditions to obtain the
permit had been fulfilled.
On the 3rd of August our Company had contacted Officers from the Home
Ministry and we were informed that the permit had been approved and
the hard copy of the Publication Permit would be ready for collection
on the 14th of August 2009. On the said date we went to collect the
Publication Permit at the Home Ministry but were informed that the
Permit was not ready. I then requested for the Permit number so that
we could begin with production work on the understanding that when the
magazine would be printed and distributed in 10 days' time, the Permit
would be ready.
We were given the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398
by the officers on that day.
I refute any allegations that Gedung Kartun is published with a false
permit. The Home Ministry has made a serious accusation that implies
that I made up the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN
1688-5398.
3. I am bemused as to why the Publication Permit for Gedung Kartun is
yet to be issued and instead a raid was conducted and they now want to
charge me in court. Isn’t it better for them to issue the approved
Permit as they had informed me and solve all matters?
4. As the approved Publication Permit can only be signed off by the
Home Minister, I shall request in writing to meet with the Home
Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein to get an explanation on
whether he did or not approve the permit number
PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 on or before the 14th of August
2009 for Gedung Kartun magazine, as informed by Officers of the Home
Ministry.
5. I will also like to question the increasing difficulty in obtaining
Publication Permits. What then is meant by the Prime Minister that the
media will be freer under his Administration? Is it that under
1Malaysia, works of art and the voices of cartoonists will be under a
tighter grip?
6. If drawing cartoons results with 3 years imprisonment, imagine the
state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia.
7. I also urge for the draconian Printing Presses and Publication Act
1984 to be abolished.
Zunar
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
+6012 3058262
+603 22744931
1 September 2009
--Defend the rights of Cartoonists
**********************
Zunar: Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya tuduhan KDN
1. Merujuk Berita Malaysiakini bertarikh 29 Ogos yang memetik kenyataan Ketua Komunikasi Korporat KDN Jamilah Taib bahawa Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, iaitu syarikat milik saya akan didakwa kerana menerbitkan sebuah penerbitan tanpa permit penerbitan.
Menurut beliau, Sepakat Efektif didakwa di bawah Seksyen 5(2)(b) Akta Mesin Cetak 1984 kerana mengedarkan majalah yang tiada permit...Jika disabitkan kesalahan boleh dipenjara tidak lebih daripada tiga tahun atau denda tidak melebihi RM20,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali.---Laporan itu dipetik
Kenyatan itu merujuk kepada penerbitan sebuah majalah kartun berjudul Gedung Kartun.
2. Sebagai rekod, sebelum majalah ini diterbitkan, saya telah membuat permohonan pada 30 Jun kepada KDN untuk mendapatkan permit dan telah mematuhi semua peraturan yang disyaratkan.
Pada 3 Ogos, syarikat kami telah menghubungi pegawai KDN dan dimaklumkan permit telah lulus dan beliau meminta untuk mengambil surat penerbitan pada 14 Ogos. Pada 14 Ogos, kami pergi ke KDN untuk mengambil surat, walau bagaimana pun dimaklumkan surat belum siap.
Sehubungan itu, saya telah meminta agar nombor permit itu diberi terlebih dahulu supaya kami dapat menjalankan kerja-kerja produksi, dengan anggapan bahawa apabila majalah ini dicetak dan diedarkan sepuluh hari selepas itu, sudah pasti surat rasmi permit itu akan tiba. Dan nombor itu telah diberi oleh pegawai KDN.
Dengan itu saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya bahawa Gedung Kartun diterbitkan dengan menggunakan permit palsu. Malahan KDN telah membuat tuduhan serius yang membawa implikasi bahawa permit bernombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 adalah rekayasa saya?
3. Saya tidak faham kenapa surat rasmi mengenai kelulusan permit Gedung Kartun sampai sekarang belum dikeluarkan oleh pihak KDN, sebaliknya mereka melakukan rampasan dan mahu mendakwa saya ke mahkamah. Bukanlah lebih baik dikeluarkan surat kepada saya dan semua masalah selesai?
4. Kerana permit penerbitan diluluskan menteri, saya akan menulis surat untuk bertemu sendiri dengan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein untuk mendapatkan penjelasan apakah benar beliau tidak pernah pada atau sebelum 14 Ogos meluluskan permit dengan nombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 untuk majalah Gedung Kartun?
5. Saya juga ingin bertanya, kenapa memperolehi permit penerbitan menjadi semakin sukar? Apakah ini yang dimaksudkan oleh Perdana Menteri bahawa media akan lebih bebas di bawah pemerintahannya? Apakah dibawah 1Malaysia, hak berkarya dan suara kartunis akan lebih dicengkam?
6. Jika melukis kartun boleh dipenjara tiga tahun, bayangkan bentuk kebebasan media dan kebebasan bersuara di negara kita.
7. Saya juga mendesak supaya akta lapuk, Akta Mesin Cetak 1948 dihapuskan.
Zunar
(Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque)
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
012 3058262
03 22744931
1 September 2009
--Pertahankan hak kartunis.
________________________
*** From The Star Online:
Saturday August 29, 2009
408 copies of cartoon mag seized
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has seized 408 copies of a cartoon magazine and 18 printing plates from a company here for illegal publishing.
The seizure of the Bahasa Malaysia Gedung Kartun at Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd in Brickfields on Monday followed a tip-off, said the ministry in a statement. The printer, K. Vin Publisher, was charged with operating without a permit. — Bernama
Zunar: I strongly deny Home Ministry’s allegations
1. Referring to the news article in Malaysikini dated 29th August 2009
which quotes the Home Minstry’s Corporate Communication Unit’s Head,
Jamilah Taib that Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, a company that I own will
be charged for publishing material without a publishing license.
According to Jamilah, Sepakat Efektif will be charged under Section
5(2) (b) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 for
distribution unlicensed publications. If convicted, the penalties are
not more than 3 years prison or a fine not exceeding RM20,000.00 or
both. The statement by Jamilah refers to the publication of a Cartoon
magazine titled ‘Gedung Kartun’.
2. For the record, before the publication of the magazine, I made an
application to the Home Ministry for the
Publication Permit and all requirements and conditions to obtain the
permit had been fulfilled.
On the 3rd of August our Company had contacted Officers from the Home
Ministry and we were informed that the permit had been approved and
the hard copy of the Publication Permit would be ready for collection
on the 14th of August 2009. On the said date we went to collect the
Publication Permit at the Home Ministry but were informed that the
Permit was not ready. I then requested for the Permit number so that
we could begin with production work on the understanding that when the
magazine would be printed and distributed in 10 days' time, the Permit
would be ready.
We were given the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398
by the officers on that day.
I refute any allegations that Gedung Kartun is published with a false
permit. The Home Ministry has made a serious accusation that implies
that I made up the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN
1688-5398.
3. I am bemused as to why the Publication Permit for Gedung Kartun is
yet to be issued and instead a raid was conducted and they now want to
charge me in court. Isn’t it better for them to issue the approved
Permit as they had informed me and solve all matters?
4. As the approved Publication Permit can only be signed off by the
Home Minister, I shall request in writing to meet with the Home
Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein to get an explanation on
whether he did or not approve the permit number
PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 on or before the 14th of August
2009 for Gedung Kartun magazine, as informed by Officers of the Home
Ministry.
5. I will also like to question the increasing difficulty in obtaining
Publication Permits. What then is meant by the Prime Minister that the
media will be freer under his Administration? Is it that under
1Malaysia, works of art and the voices of cartoonists will be under a
tighter grip?
6. If drawing cartoons results with 3 years imprisonment, imagine the
state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia.
7. I also urge for the draconian Printing Presses and Publication Act
1984 to be abolished.
Zunar
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
+6012 3058262
+603 22744931
1 September 2009
--Defend the rights of Cartoonists
**********************
Zunar: Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya tuduhan KDN
1. Merujuk Berita Malaysiakini bertarikh 29 Ogos yang memetik kenyataan Ketua Komunikasi Korporat KDN Jamilah Taib bahawa Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, iaitu syarikat milik saya akan didakwa kerana menerbitkan sebuah penerbitan tanpa permit penerbitan.
Menurut beliau, Sepakat Efektif didakwa di bawah Seksyen 5(2)(b) Akta Mesin Cetak 1984 kerana mengedarkan majalah yang tiada permit...Jika disabitkan kesalahan boleh dipenjara tidak lebih daripada tiga tahun atau denda tidak melebihi RM20,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali.---Laporan itu dipetik
Kenyatan itu merujuk kepada penerbitan sebuah majalah kartun berjudul Gedung Kartun.
2. Sebagai rekod, sebelum majalah ini diterbitkan, saya telah membuat permohonan pada 30 Jun kepada KDN untuk mendapatkan permit dan telah mematuhi semua peraturan yang disyaratkan.
Pada 3 Ogos, syarikat kami telah menghubungi pegawai KDN dan dimaklumkan permit telah lulus dan beliau meminta untuk mengambil surat penerbitan pada 14 Ogos. Pada 14 Ogos, kami pergi ke KDN untuk mengambil surat, walau bagaimana pun dimaklumkan surat belum siap.
Sehubungan itu, saya telah meminta agar nombor permit itu diberi terlebih dahulu supaya kami dapat menjalankan kerja-kerja produksi, dengan anggapan bahawa apabila majalah ini dicetak dan diedarkan sepuluh hari selepas itu, sudah pasti surat rasmi permit itu akan tiba. Dan nombor itu telah diberi oleh pegawai KDN.
Dengan itu saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya bahawa Gedung Kartun diterbitkan dengan menggunakan permit palsu. Malahan KDN telah membuat tuduhan serius yang membawa implikasi bahawa permit bernombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 adalah rekayasa saya?
3. Saya tidak faham kenapa surat rasmi mengenai kelulusan permit Gedung Kartun sampai sekarang belum dikeluarkan oleh pihak KDN, sebaliknya mereka melakukan rampasan dan mahu mendakwa saya ke mahkamah. Bukanlah lebih baik dikeluarkan surat kepada saya dan semua masalah selesai?
4. Kerana permit penerbitan diluluskan menteri, saya akan menulis surat untuk bertemu sendiri dengan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein untuk mendapatkan penjelasan apakah benar beliau tidak pernah pada atau sebelum 14 Ogos meluluskan permit dengan nombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 untuk majalah Gedung Kartun?
5. Saya juga ingin bertanya, kenapa memperolehi permit penerbitan menjadi semakin sukar? Apakah ini yang dimaksudkan oleh Perdana Menteri bahawa media akan lebih bebas di bawah pemerintahannya? Apakah dibawah 1Malaysia, hak berkarya dan suara kartunis akan lebih dicengkam?
6. Jika melukis kartun boleh dipenjara tiga tahun, bayangkan bentuk kebebasan media dan kebebasan bersuara di negara kita.
7. Saya juga mendesak supaya akta lapuk, Akta Mesin Cetak 1948 dihapuskan.
Zunar
(Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque)
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
012 3058262
03 22744931
1 September 2009
--Pertahankan hak kartunis.
________________________
*** From The Star Online:
Saturday August 29, 2009
408 copies of cartoon mag seized
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has seized 408 copies of a cartoon magazine and 18 printing plates from a company here for illegal publishing.
The seizure of the Bahasa Malaysia Gedung Kartun at Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd in Brickfields on Monday followed a tip-off, said the ministry in a statement. The printer, K. Vin Publisher, was charged with operating without a permit. — Bernama
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Come September, I Will Remember...
The Fantasticks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the 2000 film based on the musical, see The Fantasticks (film).
The Fantasticks
Original Off-Broadway cast album cover
Music Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics Tom Jones
Book Tom Jones
Basis Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand
Productions 1960 Off-Broadway
2007 Off-Broadway revival
The Fantasticks is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. It was produced by Lore Noto. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the play "The Romancers" ("Les Romanesques") by Edmond Rostand [1], concerning two fathers who put up a wall between their houses to ensure that their children fall in love, because they know children always do what their parents forbid. After the children do fall in love, they discover their fathers' plot and they each go off and experience things in the world. They return to each other and the love they had, having learned from the world and made an informed decision. Elements of the play are ultimately drawn from the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, its story winding its way through Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and Rostand's play.
The show's original production off-Broadway ran a total of 42 years and 17,162 performances, making it the world's longest-running musical.[1] It was awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1991. The poetic book and breezy, hummable score, including such familiar songs such as "Try to Remember," helped make this show so durable. Many productions followed, as well as television and film versions. The Fantasticks has also become a staple of regional, community, and high school productions virtually since its premiere. The show is very budget-friendly because of its small cast, two-person orchestra and minimalist set design.
*******************************
Musical numbers
Act I
Overture
Try to Remember - El Gallo, Luisa, Matt, Hucklebee, Bellomy
Much More - Luisa
Metaphor - Matt, Luisa
Never Say No - Hucklebee, Bellomy
It Depends On What You Pay - El Gallo, Hucklebee, Bellomy
alternately: Abductions - El Gallo, Hucklebee, Bellomy
Soon It's Gonna Rain - Matt, Luisa
Rape Ballet (changed to Abduction Ballet) - Company
Happy Ending - Company
Act II
This Plum Is Too Ripe - Matt, Luisa, Hucklebee, Bellomy
I Can See It - Matt, El Gallo
Plant A Radish - Hucklebee, Bellomy
Round And Round - El Gallo, Luisa, Company
They Were You - Matt, Luisa
Try to Remember - El Gallo
Minor Controversy
Although the musical was a success, The Fantasticks' book became somewhat controversial due to its use of the word "rape." The term has, however, subsequently been dropped from the show and the current version playing Off Broadway does not use the term rape. In the original production, when El Gallo offers to stage the phony kidnapping of Luisa, he refers to the proposed event as a "rape" -- although he makes it clear that he uses the word only in its traditional literary sense (Latin "rapere") of "abduction", explaining that many classical works, including Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, use the word in this sense. (See raptio and bride kidnapping.) In his song "It Depends on What You Pay" he describes different kidnapping scenarios -- some comic or outlandish -- that he classifies as the "Venetian rape", the "Gothic rape", the "Drunken rape", etc. However, as the public issues of rape and sexual assault became more of a delicate subject during the play's long run, some people in the audience became puzzled by the use of the word.
To deal with changing audience perceptions, the book was edited to reduce the number of usages of the word "rape" and to replace them with other words, usually "abduction". In addition, in 1990, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, the authors, wrote an optional replacement piece called "Abductions", which uses the music of the "Rape Ballet" (although this song did not replace "It Depends on What You Pay" at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, where, with the edits made in the book, audiences did not seem to have much difficulty in accepting the song). MTI (Music Theater International), who license the show, has made "Abductions" available, both music and lyrics, as an alternate choice in the event of someone being offended by the word "rape".
************************************
TRY TO REMEMBER Lyrics
Music: Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics: Tom Jones
Book: Tom Jones
Premiere: Tuesday, May 3, 1960
Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the 2000 film based on the musical, see The Fantasticks (film).
The Fantasticks
Original Off-Broadway cast album cover
Music Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics Tom Jones
Book Tom Jones
Basis Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand
Productions 1960 Off-Broadway
2007 Off-Broadway revival
The Fantasticks is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. It was produced by Lore Noto. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the play "The Romancers" ("Les Romanesques") by Edmond Rostand [1], concerning two fathers who put up a wall between their houses to ensure that their children fall in love, because they know children always do what their parents forbid. After the children do fall in love, they discover their fathers' plot and they each go off and experience things in the world. They return to each other and the love they had, having learned from the world and made an informed decision. Elements of the play are ultimately drawn from the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, its story winding its way through Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and Rostand's play.
The show's original production off-Broadway ran a total of 42 years and 17,162 performances, making it the world's longest-running musical.[1] It was awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1991. The poetic book and breezy, hummable score, including such familiar songs such as "Try to Remember," helped make this show so durable. Many productions followed, as well as television and film versions. The Fantasticks has also become a staple of regional, community, and high school productions virtually since its premiere. The show is very budget-friendly because of its small cast, two-person orchestra and minimalist set design.
*******************************
Musical numbers
Act I
Overture
Try to Remember - El Gallo, Luisa, Matt, Hucklebee, Bellomy
Much More - Luisa
Metaphor - Matt, Luisa
Never Say No - Hucklebee, Bellomy
It Depends On What You Pay - El Gallo, Hucklebee, Bellomy
alternately: Abductions - El Gallo, Hucklebee, Bellomy
Soon It's Gonna Rain - Matt, Luisa
Rape Ballet (changed to Abduction Ballet) - Company
Happy Ending - Company
Act II
This Plum Is Too Ripe - Matt, Luisa, Hucklebee, Bellomy
I Can See It - Matt, El Gallo
Plant A Radish - Hucklebee, Bellomy
Round And Round - El Gallo, Luisa, Company
They Were You - Matt, Luisa
Try to Remember - El Gallo
Minor Controversy
Although the musical was a success, The Fantasticks' book became somewhat controversial due to its use of the word "rape." The term has, however, subsequently been dropped from the show and the current version playing Off Broadway does not use the term rape. In the original production, when El Gallo offers to stage the phony kidnapping of Luisa, he refers to the proposed event as a "rape" -- although he makes it clear that he uses the word only in its traditional literary sense (Latin "rapere") of "abduction", explaining that many classical works, including Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, use the word in this sense. (See raptio and bride kidnapping.) In his song "It Depends on What You Pay" he describes different kidnapping scenarios -- some comic or outlandish -- that he classifies as the "Venetian rape", the "Gothic rape", the "Drunken rape", etc. However, as the public issues of rape and sexual assault became more of a delicate subject during the play's long run, some people in the audience became puzzled by the use of the word.
To deal with changing audience perceptions, the book was edited to reduce the number of usages of the word "rape" and to replace them with other words, usually "abduction". In addition, in 1990, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, the authors, wrote an optional replacement piece called "Abductions", which uses the music of the "Rape Ballet" (although this song did not replace "It Depends on What You Pay" at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, where, with the edits made in the book, audiences did not seem to have much difficulty in accepting the song). MTI (Music Theater International), who license the show, has made "Abductions" available, both music and lyrics, as an alternate choice in the event of someone being offended by the word "rape".
************************************
TRY TO REMEMBER Lyrics
Music: Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics: Tom Jones
Book: Tom Jones
Premiere: Tuesday, May 3, 1960
Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sad Thoughts on Merdeka Day Eve...
I have without fail for the past four years made specialefforts to run a series of essays during the week leading to the 31st Augustof each year, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MOTIVATION or POSITIVE GROUND TO DO LIKEWISE THIS YEAR...
I am gripped with very SAD THOUGHTS as my NegaraKu approaches the 52nd birthday.
I'll just mention TWO REPORTS, and my esteemed readers will be able to catch what's in Desi's mind.
First, thank God for what I would deem our first Malaysian folk hero for carrying on the mission to keep us informed, and hence make better decisions in progressing this potentially great nation A BETTER MALAYSIA. Please surf to malaysia-today.net to read in full Raja Petra Kamarudin's account based on a first-person sharing by one of the few GOoD MEN of the police force who told a CHILLING STORY via a STATUTORY DECLARATION...
Bye-bye, IGP, happy retirement
Posted by admin
Saturday, 29 August 2009 00:00
The IGP actually retired way back in September 2007. The Abdullah Badawi government, however, extended his service on contract basis for another two years. Those two years will expire in two weeks time on 14 September 2009. We hear the government wants to extend his contract, yet again. This means the Chinese underworld will continue to run the police force and decide on who gets transferred, promoted, demoted, and thrown into jail. Yes, they even throw police officers that do not 'cooperate' into jail. And, today, we offer the evidence of that.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Some of the names on these documents have been blacked out, for obvious reasons. Rest assured we have the un-blacked out version in our safekeeping, which can be revealed if the government challenges these documents as fakes, ‘poison pen’ letters, or lies. And if the IGP gets an extension on his contract, then the un-blacked out version will surely surface to ensure that we embarrass the Malaysian government to the maximum. The world will be told that the Chinese mafia runs the Malaysian Police Force.
To read the report in full, go to this LINK:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26190/84/
***************************************
THANKS to the arrival of the Internet, Malaysians from about a decade ago have had access to alternative news media online that provide distinctly different perspectives traditionally offered by the UMNO- or MCA-controlled mainstreammedia, often referred to the MSM with disdain when vocalised. First the pioneer malaysiakini.com lifted the common citizens' spirits; then more recently joined by the Malaysian Insider, Malaysian Mirror, accompanied by the feisty Socio-Political Blogs, led surely by Raja Petra Kamarudin of malaysia-today.net.
My dampened spirits on the day before NegaraKu celebrates its 52nd birthday is well captured by RPK's going public with a brave Malaysian's SD as shown in my earlier example. This second depicting what is essentially wrong with our Police force is represented iconically by the nimcompoop of an OCPD who gave the lamest excuse possible in not acting against some 50 demonstrators with a slaughtered cow's head and shouting threats of violence even as the police personnel looked on -- with great tolerance as contrasted with their swift use of porce against the milder crowds at candle-light vigils against the ISA.
Here I salute the MI for a well-articulated editorial against the OCPD, and I am afraid the "double standards" and selective intervention at such public gatherings has been a hallmark of an unprofessonal law enforcement agency called the Polis DiRaja Malaysia.
Surf to the www.themalaysianinsider.com for:
Related Articles
Cow-head protest was end of tether for Sect 23 folk
Didn’t their mamas teach them none?
OCPD: Volatile situation ‘did not permit’ police action
Are the cow-head protesters real?
Police probe explosive factory
Tiong lodges police report against Ong
Get-rich-quick scheme turns into RM200,000 can of worms
Ex-commercial crime chief makes police report over CDS account
Can’t hold a candle to cop’s excuse - The Malaysian Insider
AUG 29 – One can’t hold a candle to the Shah Alam police excuse for inaction in fear of sparking further anger at the cow-head protest yesterday.
It begs the question if the dozens of riot police in full gear were cowed by the actions of 50 protesters armed with banners and a cow’s head.
And smacks of double standards.
Dozens of people have been hauled away for less provocative stunts, like wearing black or holding lit candles at night.
The only thing these cow-head protesters had in common with the others was to assemble without a permit.
Of course, a democracy can tolerate if not encourage public assemblies and protests but not anything that is provocative or insults another person’s faith.
Isn’t there mutual respect anymore? And is it not the duty of the police to keep the peace by preventing stunts that can inflame racial passions?
Opposition politicians have long condemned the Royal Malaysian Police for not arresting the rising crime rate but instead focusing on political activity against the ruling Barisan Nasional government.
It’s now plain to see that they may be right after all. The police have to act without fear or favour, for they carry the royal warrant. All the more so when the police top brass were breaking fast with the King yesterday, hours after the protest.
The proffered excuse of not acting because of the “volatile nature’ of the protest is pathetic and a slur on a force that has served the nation for some 200 years. And shows up the police as a farce, to borrow the words of Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
Are we a nation that quickly detains those who wear black or hold candles but take our time for those who insult religions!
And do we have to wait till the cows come home for some police action against those who threaten Malaysia’s peace and give a bad name to Islam?
************************************
UPDATEd @12.36AM, MOnday 31 August 2009: I am lifted somewhat to read this MI report. "Syabas" to the Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad for his views/elaboration of the highly provocative incident and putting into level-headed perspective what Malaysian "rights" of worship comprised and what the enjoyment of such rights entails of each responsible citizen. I will sleep better tonight when I read for the haystack...Desi
Shah Alam MP blames Umno for cow-head protest
UPDATED
By Lee Wei Lian
The march to the secretariat building two days ago. - Picture by Choo Choy May
PETALING JAYA, Aug 30 — Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad has blamed Umno for the shocking display of bigotry two days ago, saying the brother of the local Umno chief was one of those carrying the cow’s head to protest relocating a Hindu temple.
The PAS man’s allegation comes in the wake of accusations by other Pakatan Rakyat leaders that Umno is trying to destabilise the state government by using race baiting tactics such as painting the Malay-Muslim community as under siege from non Malays.
“I am very sure Umno is behind it,” Khalid told The Malaysian Insider today referring to the protest.
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of the temple which is to be relocated, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped and spat under the gaze of the riot police.
Some Section 23 residents have also accused Khalid, who is well known for his inclusive views, of lying and say they are fed-up with his calls for religious tolerance and accused him of neglecting the Muslim community.
But Khalid said that he had met the residents in June over the proposed temple relocation and thinks Umno has since then inflamed the sentiments of the residents.
The controversial cow-head. - Picture by Choo Choy May
He cited the actions of Datuk Noh Omar, the Umno state deputy liaison chairman and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, as the catalyst for the residents’ recent inflammatory protest. Noh had made at least one visit to the proposed temple site in August and told the media that he would seek an injunction to stop the relocation adding that the Selangor government was going against the Federal Constitution by ignoring the sensitivities of Muslims, who make up the majority of residents in Section 23.
Khalid claimed that the brother of Shah Alam Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Nawawi was one of the two men who were caught on video carrying the cow head.
“The residents were encouraged by the minister’s speech and backing,” said Khalid.
He noted that when the state was administered by the Barisan Nasional, they were no protests when a Hindu temple was relocated to within 100 metres of a Muslim residential area in Section 16 Shah Alam and said the current temple site being disputed is at least 200 metres away from the houses.
Asked about some residents who claimed that he had lied to them, Khalid replied that he had in fact not lied when he ran for election saying that he had always insisted on being fair, including to the Hindus even though they were a minority.
“They have rights too,” he said, pointing out that the 150 year old temple was not relocated earlier when PKNS had developed a housing area all around it and that there is only one temple for Indians living in Sections 19, 20 and 23.
On the issue of neglecting the rights of Muslims, the PAS leader pointed out that their rights as Muslims have been met because they have a surau in Section 23 but they should not assume that they have the right to reject a Hindu temple.
“They don’t have a right to reject a Hindu temple. Their right to have a surau has been fulfilled. Hindus also have a right to have a temple for the 3 sections and we also want to fulfil that right.
“The Hindus also don’t have the right to reject a surau and each community has a right to have a place if worship. We have fulfilled the right of the Muslims,” he said.
Khalid said the entire issue is a misunderstanding of rights.
“If the temple was placed in their backyard or smack in the middle of their community, I can understand if it feels awkward. But now it is far from their houses. There is no infringing on rights of Muslims. I take into account distances. They assume too much and feel they have more rights than what they have,” the PAS leader added.
He added it was not true that the state government was not willing to meet residents and when he met them in June, the requisite approvals for the relocation were still pending from PKNS, the owner of the land, the Shah Alam city council and the state government itself.
He also said that he will attend a meeting between the state government and residents on Sept 5 to discuss the burning issue.
“We are willing to listen to reason but the reasons must be sound. However, I don’t think we will entertain racist or prejudiced views.
“We should condemn prejudices and move to be more tolerant. There is a lesson to be learnt otherwise there will be another round of racist talks, speeches and acts. It’s unfortunate that after 52 years of independence, this is the kind of situation we have,” he said.
Umno has often been accused by Pakatan of trying to use race, religion and other tactics to frustrate the Selangor state government. Just weeks after Pakatan swept into power in Selangor last year, some Muslim residents in Kuala Langat made an issue over a centralised pig farm, a project that was actually mooted by the former Barisan Nasional state government.
Most recently, a controversy erupted over the aggressiveness of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) in wanting to grill Pakatan Selangor state lawmakers while former mentri besar, Datuk Seri Khir Toyo who has been accused of corruption over the cost of his palatial Balinese style mansion, has not been probed.
The controversy took an ugly turn when Teoh Beng Hock, a DAP political aide! Was found dead just outside the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16 after he was brought in for questioning.
Khalid delivered a parting shot at MACC, referring to comments by Section 23 residents action committee chairperson Mahyuddin Manaf, who said he was mystified by the appearance of the cow head at the protest.
“There are a lot of mysteries in Shah Alam. Nobody knows how Teoh Beng Hock died. If you ask MACC, they will probably say that the cow committed suicide,” he quipped.
**********************
UPDATEd THREE days later, from the MI, September 3 @1.03PM, Desi as a newshound using name of YL Chong, wishes to give the Other Side of the story. Coming from amost understanding Home Minister -- was he so kind to candlelight vigilers engaged in peaceful protests against the ISA? -- he in previous Educationportfolio famous/notorious for keris-wielding at the PWTC Stage, remember?
Related Articles at www.themalaysianinsider.com:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
Hishammuddin needs a reality check – The Malaysian Insider
PM says only police and AG can decide on cow-head protestors
AG to decide tomorrow on cow-head protestors
Selangor moves to calm temple row
Split with Singapore cited as a ‘lesson’
Malaysia’s ethnic relations at critical point – Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Perkasa wants ISA detention for questioning Islam, Malays and BM
*********************************************
Hisham defends cow-head protestors
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part.
I am gripped with very SAD THOUGHTS as my NegaraKu approaches the 52nd birthday.
I'll just mention TWO REPORTS, and my esteemed readers will be able to catch what's in Desi's mind.
First, thank God for what I would deem our first Malaysian folk hero for carrying on the mission to keep us informed, and hence make better decisions in progressing this potentially great nation A BETTER MALAYSIA. Please surf to malaysia-today.net to read in full Raja Petra Kamarudin's account based on a first-person sharing by one of the few GOoD MEN of the police force who told a CHILLING STORY via a STATUTORY DECLARATION...
Bye-bye, IGP, happy retirement
Posted by admin
Saturday, 29 August 2009 00:00
The IGP actually retired way back in September 2007. The Abdullah Badawi government, however, extended his service on contract basis for another two years. Those two years will expire in two weeks time on 14 September 2009. We hear the government wants to extend his contract, yet again. This means the Chinese underworld will continue to run the police force and decide on who gets transferred, promoted, demoted, and thrown into jail. Yes, they even throw police officers that do not 'cooperate' into jail. And, today, we offer the evidence of that.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Some of the names on these documents have been blacked out, for obvious reasons. Rest assured we have the un-blacked out version in our safekeeping, which can be revealed if the government challenges these documents as fakes, ‘poison pen’ letters, or lies. And if the IGP gets an extension on his contract, then the un-blacked out version will surely surface to ensure that we embarrass the Malaysian government to the maximum. The world will be told that the Chinese mafia runs the Malaysian Police Force.
To read the report in full, go to this LINK:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26190/84/
***************************************
THANKS to the arrival of the Internet, Malaysians from about a decade ago have had access to alternative news media online that provide distinctly different perspectives traditionally offered by the UMNO- or MCA-controlled mainstreammedia, often referred to the MSM with disdain when vocalised. First the pioneer malaysiakini.com lifted the common citizens' spirits; then more recently joined by the Malaysian Insider, Malaysian Mirror, accompanied by the feisty Socio-Political Blogs, led surely by Raja Petra Kamarudin of malaysia-today.net.
My dampened spirits on the day before NegaraKu celebrates its 52nd birthday is well captured by RPK's going public with a brave Malaysian's SD as shown in my earlier example. This second depicting what is essentially wrong with our Police force is represented iconically by the nimcompoop of an OCPD who gave the lamest excuse possible in not acting against some 50 demonstrators with a slaughtered cow's head and shouting threats of violence even as the police personnel looked on -- with great tolerance as contrasted with their swift use of porce against the milder crowds at candle-light vigils against the ISA.
Here I salute the MI for a well-articulated editorial against the OCPD, and I am afraid the "double standards" and selective intervention at such public gatherings has been a hallmark of an unprofessonal law enforcement agency called the Polis DiRaja Malaysia.
Surf to the www.themalaysianinsider.com for:
Related Articles
Cow-head protest was end of tether for Sect 23 folk
Didn’t their mamas teach them none?
OCPD: Volatile situation ‘did not permit’ police action
Are the cow-head protesters real?
Police probe explosive factory
Tiong lodges police report against Ong
Get-rich-quick scheme turns into RM200,000 can of worms
Ex-commercial crime chief makes police report over CDS account
Can’t hold a candle to cop’s excuse - The Malaysian Insider
AUG 29 – One can’t hold a candle to the Shah Alam police excuse for inaction in fear of sparking further anger at the cow-head protest yesterday.
It begs the question if the dozens of riot police in full gear were cowed by the actions of 50 protesters armed with banners and a cow’s head.
And smacks of double standards.
Dozens of people have been hauled away for less provocative stunts, like wearing black or holding lit candles at night.
The only thing these cow-head protesters had in common with the others was to assemble without a permit.
Of course, a democracy can tolerate if not encourage public assemblies and protests but not anything that is provocative or insults another person’s faith.
Isn’t there mutual respect anymore? And is it not the duty of the police to keep the peace by preventing stunts that can inflame racial passions?
Opposition politicians have long condemned the Royal Malaysian Police for not arresting the rising crime rate but instead focusing on political activity against the ruling Barisan Nasional government.
It’s now plain to see that they may be right after all. The police have to act without fear or favour, for they carry the royal warrant. All the more so when the police top brass were breaking fast with the King yesterday, hours after the protest.
The proffered excuse of not acting because of the “volatile nature’ of the protest is pathetic and a slur on a force that has served the nation for some 200 years. And shows up the police as a farce, to borrow the words of Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
Are we a nation that quickly detains those who wear black or hold candles but take our time for those who insult religions!
And do we have to wait till the cows come home for some police action against those who threaten Malaysia’s peace and give a bad name to Islam?
************************************
UPDATEd @12.36AM, MOnday 31 August 2009: I am lifted somewhat to read this MI report. "Syabas" to the Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad for his views/elaboration of the highly provocative incident and putting into level-headed perspective what Malaysian "rights" of worship comprised and what the enjoyment of such rights entails of each responsible citizen. I will sleep better tonight when I read for the haystack...Desi
Shah Alam MP blames Umno for cow-head protest
UPDATED
By Lee Wei Lian
The march to the secretariat building two days ago. - Picture by Choo Choy May
PETALING JAYA, Aug 30 — Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad has blamed Umno for the shocking display of bigotry two days ago, saying the brother of the local Umno chief was one of those carrying the cow’s head to protest relocating a Hindu temple.
The PAS man’s allegation comes in the wake of accusations by other Pakatan Rakyat leaders that Umno is trying to destabilise the state government by using race baiting tactics such as painting the Malay-Muslim community as under siege from non Malays.
“I am very sure Umno is behind it,” Khalid told The Malaysian Insider today referring to the protest.
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of the temple which is to be relocated, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped and spat under the gaze of the riot police.
Some Section 23 residents have also accused Khalid, who is well known for his inclusive views, of lying and say they are fed-up with his calls for religious tolerance and accused him of neglecting the Muslim community.
But Khalid said that he had met the residents in June over the proposed temple relocation and thinks Umno has since then inflamed the sentiments of the residents.
The controversial cow-head. - Picture by Choo Choy May
He cited the actions of Datuk Noh Omar, the Umno state deputy liaison chairman and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, as the catalyst for the residents’ recent inflammatory protest. Noh had made at least one visit to the proposed temple site in August and told the media that he would seek an injunction to stop the relocation adding that the Selangor government was going against the Federal Constitution by ignoring the sensitivities of Muslims, who make up the majority of residents in Section 23.
Khalid claimed that the brother of Shah Alam Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Nawawi was one of the two men who were caught on video carrying the cow head.
“The residents were encouraged by the minister’s speech and backing,” said Khalid.
He noted that when the state was administered by the Barisan Nasional, they were no protests when a Hindu temple was relocated to within 100 metres of a Muslim residential area in Section 16 Shah Alam and said the current temple site being disputed is at least 200 metres away from the houses.
Asked about some residents who claimed that he had lied to them, Khalid replied that he had in fact not lied when he ran for election saying that he had always insisted on being fair, including to the Hindus even though they were a minority.
“They have rights too,” he said, pointing out that the 150 year old temple was not relocated earlier when PKNS had developed a housing area all around it and that there is only one temple for Indians living in Sections 19, 20 and 23.
On the issue of neglecting the rights of Muslims, the PAS leader pointed out that their rights as Muslims have been met because they have a surau in Section 23 but they should not assume that they have the right to reject a Hindu temple.
“They don’t have a right to reject a Hindu temple. Their right to have a surau has been fulfilled. Hindus also have a right to have a temple for the 3 sections and we also want to fulfil that right.
“The Hindus also don’t have the right to reject a surau and each community has a right to have a place if worship. We have fulfilled the right of the Muslims,” he said.
Khalid said the entire issue is a misunderstanding of rights.
“If the temple was placed in their backyard or smack in the middle of their community, I can understand if it feels awkward. But now it is far from their houses. There is no infringing on rights of Muslims. I take into account distances. They assume too much and feel they have more rights than what they have,” the PAS leader added.
He added it was not true that the state government was not willing to meet residents and when he met them in June, the requisite approvals for the relocation were still pending from PKNS, the owner of the land, the Shah Alam city council and the state government itself.
He also said that he will attend a meeting between the state government and residents on Sept 5 to discuss the burning issue.
“We are willing to listen to reason but the reasons must be sound. However, I don’t think we will entertain racist or prejudiced views.
“We should condemn prejudices and move to be more tolerant. There is a lesson to be learnt otherwise there will be another round of racist talks, speeches and acts. It’s unfortunate that after 52 years of independence, this is the kind of situation we have,” he said.
Umno has often been accused by Pakatan of trying to use race, religion and other tactics to frustrate the Selangor state government. Just weeks after Pakatan swept into power in Selangor last year, some Muslim residents in Kuala Langat made an issue over a centralised pig farm, a project that was actually mooted by the former Barisan Nasional state government.
Most recently, a controversy erupted over the aggressiveness of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) in wanting to grill Pakatan Selangor state lawmakers while former mentri besar, Datuk Seri Khir Toyo who has been accused of corruption over the cost of his palatial Balinese style mansion, has not been probed.
The controversy took an ugly turn when Teoh Beng Hock, a DAP political aide! Was found dead just outside the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16 after he was brought in for questioning.
Khalid delivered a parting shot at MACC, referring to comments by Section 23 residents action committee chairperson Mahyuddin Manaf, who said he was mystified by the appearance of the cow head at the protest.
“There are a lot of mysteries in Shah Alam. Nobody knows how Teoh Beng Hock died. If you ask MACC, they will probably say that the cow committed suicide,” he quipped.
**********************
UPDATEd THREE days later, from the MI, September 3 @1.03PM, Desi as a newshound using name of YL Chong, wishes to give the Other Side of the story. Coming from amost understanding Home Minister -- was he so kind to candlelight vigilers engaged in peaceful protests against the ISA? -- he in previous Educationportfolio famous/notorious for keris-wielding at the PWTC Stage, remember?
Related Articles at www.themalaysianinsider.com:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
Hishammuddin needs a reality check – The Malaysian Insider
PM says only police and AG can decide on cow-head protestors
AG to decide tomorrow on cow-head protestors
Selangor moves to calm temple row
Split with Singapore cited as a ‘lesson’
Malaysia’s ethnic relations at critical point – Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Perkasa wants ISA detention for questioning Islam, Malays and BM
*********************************************
Hisham defends cow-head protestors
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)