Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- I am a socialist and proud of it
- When English is taught in Bahasa Malaysia
- Saya sokong Dr Mahathir
- Now what?
- Your trivia for today: yellow
- Ex-Perlis Mufti agrees with my views on Islam
- How politicians hijack revolutions
- The Ninth of July
- When the shoe is on the other foot
- Give me one reason why I should march on 9th July 2011 (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)
| I am a socialist and proud of it Posted: 26 Jun 2011 06:04 PM PDT
One very senior PAS leader (I will not mention his name) said that he really admires Britain for being a very good example of what a Muslim country should be like. When asked what it is about Britain that he finds very Islamic, he replied the socialist system where the needs of the rakyat are looked after and well taken care of. Yes, according to this senior PAS leader, Britain is a good 'Muslim' country. And it is a good Muslim country because of its socialist policies. And in Malaysia we arrest people because they are Socialists. The Prophet must be turning in his grave at this transgression. NO HOLDS BARRED There are four schools of thought or mazhab within the Sunni branch of Islam -- Shafiee, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali. Most Malaysian Muslims are Sunnis of the Shafiee school of thought. The Maliki school of thought is the second largest of the four schools (approximately 25% of all Muslims -- mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia). Malik ibni Anas, the 'founder' of the Maliki school of thought, was an extremely outspoken man -- too outspoken for his own good. He issued decrees or fatwas that forbid the pledging of allegiance to the Caliph Al-Mansur. For this very stubborn stance the Caliph had Malik flogged half to death and threw him into prison. After a serious attack of conscience, Caliph Al-Mansur released Malik from prison and apologised to him. The Caliph also offered Malik compensation in the form of money and residency in Baghdad. Malik, however, declined the Caliph's offer and remained in Mekah where he continued with what, today, would be considered as his radical and anti-Monarchy teachings. Some years later, Harun al-Rashid, the new Caliph, summoned Malik to visit him while the former was performing the haj in Mekah (in Malay this is called titah mengadap or summoned for an audience). Malik, however, refused to do so. Instead, he invited the newly installed Caliph to attend his class to listen to his lectures, which the Caliph did. That is the very short story about one of the four Imams of Sunni Islam. And why am I telling this story to what can be considered a large non-Muslim readership of Malaysia Today? Simple. Islam is the religion of the Federation, according to the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. So you should know a bit about Islam and Islamic history so that the scumbags and slime-balls in the government will not be able to con you. Secondly, of course, is because many Malay-Muslims themselves do not know their Islamic history. So they make stupid statements that are so embarrassing it makes me ashamed to admit that I am also Malay-Muslim. So they too need educating to stop them from opening their mouths and putting their feet into it. Now, relate that to present day Malaysia. If Imam Malik, one of the four Imams of Sunni Islam, was still alive today and was living in Malaysia, would he be arrested by the government and charged with 'waging war against the king'? Remember, Imam Malik issued a fatwa forbidding us from pledging allegiance to the Ruler (whether Caliph, Agong, Sultan or whatever). And for that he was jailed and flogged. However, the Caliph realised he had erred and later released Imam Malik, apologised, and offered him compensation. The famous Harun al-Rashid of 'The Arabian Nights' summoned Imam Malik but the latter refused to go meet the former. Instead, the Caliph was told that 'the mountain should come to Muhammad', so to speak. And instead of punishing Imam Malik or arresting him for 'waging war against the king', the Caliph did as he was told. As a Muslim, if we do not want to follow the example of the Imams and the Prophet Muhammad, then whose example do we want to follow? In the olden days in Europe, it was believed that the king was appointed by God and those who oppose the king have therefore sinned against God. You would then be jailed or put to death on charges of treason against the king. This is what Malaysia is practicing. It is not practising Islam. Malaysia is not following what the Imams of Islam have taught us. Malaysia is practicing the culture and beliefs of olden days Europe where to defy the Ruler means you defy God and therefore should be punished. It is time that Malaysia honours the concept of Islam as the religion of the Federation. Get rid of all these un-Islamic practices and culture. Let us not be like the jahil (ignorant) Christian kings of Europe. Has not Imam Malik, one of the four Imams of Islam, taught us what is true Islam? Now, on the second subject -- Communism. Communism, or more accurately Socialism, is an Islamic concept. Yes, I bet that surprised you. Communism is derived from the word commune or community. And in Islam this is called Ummah (masyarakat in Bahasa Malaysia). Islam stresses the importance of the ummah. Muslims are called Ummah Islam, the Community of Islam. Islam teaches us that anything done on a community basis earns extra rewards (pahala). If we pray as a community we get extra pahala. If we eat as a community, as opposed to eating alone, we not only get full but we get pahala as well. And so on and so forth. Any grade one Muslim schoolchild can tell you this. Communism, or people of a commune, is therefore not against Islamic teachings. It is, in fact, very Islamic. Now, let us not confuse this concept of commune with Communist Terrorism or Communist Terrorists (CTs) -- which is what the Malaysian government has outlawed. For that matter, even Islamic Terrorism is outlawed, not only Communist Terrorism. You outlaw Islamic Terrorism. Do you outlaw Islam? And in that same spirit, you outlaw Communist Terrorism. But is Communism about terrorism or about the commune (ummah)? We need to know the difference. We also should not confuse Socialism with Communism. Socialism is very Islamic. Socialism is about social justice. Islam believes in social justice. Islam is all about social justice. For example, we have the zakat system in Islam. This is where the rich pay tithes so that the less fortunate, the poor, the old, the sick, the widows, the orphans, etc., can be supported financially. Zakat is mandatory in Islam. And this is socialism. Islam forbids usury. We all know how destructive western capitalism, in particular the financial-banking system, can be. Countries and billions of people are subjected to economic slavery because of this. Financially strong countries dominate the weaker countries. This is a form of slavery of the worst kind and Islam is opposed to it. In short, Islam outlaws Capitalism and propagates Socialism. But most Muslims prefer Capitalism rather than Socialism, as most Muslims prefer Autocracy rather than Democracy (aren't most dictatorships-Monarchies in the Muslim world?). Socialism is opposed to the concept of the strong dominating the weak, the rich enslaving the poor, the minority oppressing the majority, etc. Islam is also against this and Islam propagates the concept of the ummah (or commune) determining its own destiny. It is time the Muslims understood this. It is also time the Muslims practice the real concept of Islam. Most Muslims confine themselves to merely the rituals of Islam. And that is where their Islam ends. And they think that just because they have fulfilled their ritualistic obligations they have already been guaranteed a place in heaven. No, doing what Imam Malik did is not waging war against the king. And upholding Socialism does not make you a traitor to your country. Instead, it makes you a true Muslim. One very senior PAS leader (I will not mention his name) said that he really admires Britain for being a very good example of what a Muslim country should be like. When asked what it is about Britain that he finds very Islamic, he replied the socialist system where the needs of the rakyat are looked after and well taken care of. Yes, according to this senior PAS leader, Britain is a good 'Muslim' country. And it is a good Muslim country because of its socialist policies. And in Malaysia we arrest people because they are Socialists. The Prophet must be turning in his grave at this transgression. |
| When English is taught in Bahasa Malaysia Posted: 25 Jun 2011 04:03 PM PDT
This is what you get when you teach English in Bahasa Malaysia. Read the piece below that was written by a blogger called toreksulong. I can only assume that toreksulong is a Malay and Umno member or supporter. NO HOLDS BARRED No more erotic sexual in Malaysia hotel because it brought as a court case Leader Pass urgent challenge Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to resign his post as Leader of the Opposition after the sex video that resembles genuine opposition leader was confirmed by a specialist. President of the Malaysian Malay Network (MMD), Azwanddin Hamzah said the pass should be more firm in rejecting Anwar and choose the more moral and representatives do not take the silence. He said Pas previously rejected the 'master' immoral leaders but the party has not taken similar action against him. ''Where PAS leaders called scholars and what their stance on the issue of Anwar's moral? What is certain''Anwar will continue to deny the perpetrators in the sex video was that he and associate the spread of the video is a game of UMNO, "he told The Star here yesterday. The facts recited in the magistrate's court here yesterday says the two experts from Dartmouth College, Handover, New Hampshire, United States, Professor Hany Farid and Professor Lorenzo Torresani confirmed that the video is displayed at the Hotel Carcosa Seri Negara in March is genuine. Azwanddin in the said Anwar as a person associated as an actor in the video should be ashamed and take action to put all the positions he held. He said people now know and have begun to notice that Anwar has always tried to avoid them and do lie to confuse people's minds. Meanwhile, Anwar's former private secretary, Anuar Shaari said the Advisory Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) that have to do four things that pushed the former Chief Justice Youth Force (Akin), Senator Mohamad Ezam Mohd. Noor. Four things, he said, do not swear curse men Anwar denies the sex video; test poligraf to prove they are not lying; sue Datuk Shazryl Eskay Eskay Abdullah and accused Shazryl as a liar. Anwar''need not 'hide' behind the allegations to the contrary qazaf clear that this country actually practiced law and not takzir hudud, "he said. *********************************** In case you doubt what I say and think that I fabricated this piece, you can view it at the link here: I suggest, however, you do not give him or her any further hits by visiting the site but do click that link above if you need reassuring that this piece is for real.
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| Posted: 23 Jun 2011 09:41 PM PDT
Saya sokong Dr Mahathir, at least with regards to his statement that Muslims should project the correct perception of Islam to gain respect from the non-Muslims instead of shouting and screaming that non-Muslims must respect Islam while threatening to murder all those who do not show respect to Islam. NO HOLDS BARRED Muslims Need To Project Actual Islamic Way Of Life To Gain Respect - Dr Mahathir SHAH ALAM, June 24 (Bernama) -- Muslims should play an important role in projecting the actual Islamic way of life to the world so that the religion would be respected by the other communities. Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said by projecting the positive traits and fairness of the religion, "I am certain it will at least reduce opposition to the religion or fear among the non-Muslims against Muslims and Islam." "To the extent that we are regarded as terrorists who kill without mercy . We are accused of many things. As a result, we are attacked and oppressed. This is the fate of Muslims currently," he said at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Malaysian Islamic Welfare Organisation Complex (Perkim) building for Selangor costing RM30 million, here today. Dr Mahathir, who is also Perkim national president, said Muslims should always correct themselves so that they become successful people in the present world and hereafter. For the Muslims in the country, who form the majority of the Malaysian population, they should implement and determine the system of administration according to the actual Islamic teachings which would bring justice and prosperity to everyone, he said. Dr Mahathir said if the country's administration did not provide justice to everyone as required by Islam, and denied the rights of others and oppressed them, it would give a bad impression on Islam. Dr Mahathir said Muslims in the country must be united and avoid factionalism or enmity between one another. The Selangor Perkim Complex would be built on a 0.56-hectare site and would comprise two blocks with a main hall, office space, shop lots, surau, library, seminar rooms, lecture halls, hostel and a kitchen. *********************************** Now, now, now! Stop foaming at the mouth and start going berserk when I say that I agree with what Dr Mahathir said today. I certainly support what he said in that Muslims are Islam's greatest enemy (at least he implied it) and that Muslims must be good Muslims for the non-Muslims to respect them and Islam. And note that one of the charges of my ISA detention in 2008 was because I had said exactly what Dr Mahathir is saying (although I can bet my sweet ninny that the government is NOT going to detain Dr Mahathir for what he is saying). Dr Mahathir said: Muslims should always correct themselves so that they become successful people in the present world and hereafter. Dr Mahathir also said: Muslims in the country, who form the majority of the Malaysian population, should implement and determine the system of administration according to the actual Islamic teachings, which would bring justice and prosperity to everyone. Dr Mahathir further said: if the country's administration did not provide justice to everyone as required by Islam, and denied the rights of others and oppressed them, it would give a bad impression on Islam. Okay, do you REALLY need me to explain what Dr Mahathir meant? I mean: have I not been talking about this same matter, over and over again, over the last 35 years since the mid-1970s? Are you not tired of hearing me harping on the same issue and sounding like a stuck record? No, no need for me to add anything more to what Dr Mahathir has so eloquently espoused. Let me KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). The majority of Malaysians are Muslims, as Dr Mahathir said. And the majority of government leaders and civil servants are Muslims as well. And most of the incidences of abuse of power and corruption are perpetuated by the Muslims in the government and civil service. So, need I say more? Need I explain how Muslims should demonstrate good Islamic values so that the non-Muslims will respect them and Islam? KISS: keep it simple stupid. Stop corruption. Stop abuse of power. Stop fraud and cheating. Stop robbing the rakyat of their right to a government of their choice through a free, fair and clean election. Stop racism and discrimination. Stop! Stop! Stop! That's all it takes for the non-Muslims to respect Muslims and Islam. It is so simple it makes me laugh. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out. And stop threatening and persecuting Malaysians who wish to march on 9th July 2001, which even the ex-Mufti of Perlis says is the correct Islamic thing to do. Then, and only then, will the non-Muslims start respecting the Muslims and Islam. Kapish?
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| Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:11 PM PDT
So what you and I -- the rational and intelligent bunch of Malaysians -- think is not important. We have already formed our opinions anyway and we know who to vote for in the next general election. Nothing is going to change our minds. It is what the simple-minded and God-fearing Malays in the Malay heartland think is what matters. And what are they going to think now that it has been 'proven in court beyond any shadow of doubt' that Anwar is the man in the video? NO HOLDS BARRED What Othman Wahab and Lim Kit Siang said in the two pieces published in The Malaysian Insider today makes sense (see below). They make sense because Othman and Kit Siang speak rationally and argue intelligently. But this matter is not about making sense and arguing intelligently. It is about the perception game and psy-war. And in the perception game and psy-war nothing makes sense. I, in fact, already anticipated what is going to happen today in my earlier piece: Ever heard of the phrase 'collateral damage'? And was I right or was I right? Anyway, enough of 'I told you so'. What is done is done. Let us now explore what is going to be the upside and downside of this whole episode. The government's reputation has been damaged by this episode -- in particular that of the Police and the Judiciary. But then, so what? What else is new? Their reputations had already been damaged big-time 13 years ago back in 1998 during the Sodomy 1 episode -- and then ten years later in 2008 when the Sodomy 2 episode erupted. How can you damage any further what is already damaged beyond repair? So, have they lost anything? Can they lose anything that they don't have? The 'Datuk T' trio pleaded guilty and 'paid the price' for their crime. It was a small price to pay though. (Shazryl Eskay Abdullah was fined RM3,000 or three months' jail, Shuib Lazim was fined RM1,500 or two months' jail, while Rahim Thamby Chik was fined RM1,000 or one month's jail.) Now these three Datuks have suddenly become 'Malay heroes' (not criminals) for 'standing tall' and being 'brave' and 'righteous' enough to 'reveal the truth' and expose Anwar Ibrahim's 'transgression' in the true Islamic spirit of amar makruf, nahi munkar. (This is what the perception game and psy-war is all about, in case you did not realise this by now). If I were in their place I would not have paid the fine but would have chosen the jail sentence instead. Then they would really be heroes. After all, it is only three months, two months and one month respectively. And for the three months and two months jail sentences there is a one-third remission on the sentence (but not for the one month jail, I think). It's a pity they are not brave enough to refuse to pay the fine and chose to go to jail instead. Okay, what 'good' has come out of all this? As far as the pro-opposition supporters are concerned this just goes to prove that the Police and Judiciary are working for Umno -- as if they did not already know that and are not convinced enough yet? For the pro-government supporters this proves that what Umno said about Anwar all along is true after all -- that he is an immoral person who talks about Islam until he foams at the mouth but is in reality a Munafiq and Fasiq, a type of person whom Islam considers worse than a Kafir (infidel). But what is more important -- and this is what this perception game and psy-war is all about -- is that they now have something 'solid' and 'concrete' to tell the simple-minded and God-fearing kampong people. And this is what is more important to Umno, the simple-minded and God-fearing kampong people. You see; there are two groups of people who are going to determine who gets to form the next federal government. The first group are the voters from East Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan control 57 of the 222 seats in Parliament). The second group are the voters from the Malay heartland. And the second group is what Umno is concerned about. The East Malaysian seats are safe because the opposition in East Malaysia is in a mess (as the recent Sarawak state elections and the ongoing political developments in Sabah have proven). Anyway, Umno has only 11 of those 57 East Malaysian seats so it matters not to Umno -- they will leave it to the 'locals' to sort out Sabah and Sarawak. What Umno really wants is the seats in the Malay heartland, which PAS and PKR captured back in March 2008. First, look at the following chart.
Can you see that in the 2008 General Election Umno saw 30 of its seats disappear? It managed only 79 seats or 35.6% (about one-third) of the total number of seats in Parliament. This means Umno, on its own, can't form the federal government. It needs Barisan Nasional to be able to form the government. So Umno can't tell the non-Malays to got to hell -- like it did pre-March 2008. Umno needs at least 112 seats to be able to be the Boss again -- or at least 112 seats together with MCA, MIC and Gerakan (which have 20 seats combined). Therefore Umno needs roughly another 35 seats or so. And these would be the 35 seats in the Malay heartland of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Mainland Penang. So what you and I -- the rational and intelligent bunch of Malaysians -- think is not important. We have already formed our opinions anyway and we know who to vote for in the next general election. Nothing is going to change our minds. It is what the simple-minded and God-fearing Malays in the Malay heartland think is what matters. And what are they going to think now that it has been 'proven in court beyond any shadow of doubt' that Anwar is the man in the video? I don't know how gullible these simple-minded and God-fearing Malays in the kampongs are. Will this perception game and psy-war of Umno work? I don't know yet but in time we will know. It is a brilliant move nevertheless, whether it works or not. This is what perception games and psy-wars are all about. As what Najib Tun Razak said last week: this is not about reality. This is about perception. The question now would be: has Umno managed to get the simple-minded and God-fearing Malays in the Malay heartland to perceive what Umno wants them to perceive? You tell me! ***************************************** Hail, the Datuk T trio — Othman Wahab (The Malaysian Insider) - You mean the powers-that-be took months to play out this video tape sandiwara. Maybe they were waiting for a suitable lawyer, err say, someone with aspirations for higher office and who is not so picky about the character of the clientele. But that is lain cerita; this charade of a court case was already sketched in the minds of most Malaysians after the sordid tape was given unusual play by the mainstream media, the three stooges were feted like heroes by the Najib administration and the police spent an unusual amount of time investigating a simple case (the cops seemed more interested in the identity of the actor than the perpetrators of the sex video). So many of my friends figured that the government would have a sham case, charge the three jokers, give them a slap on the wrist and then introduce the identity of the man as an aside. This came to pass today. So does this qualify me and my friends as brilliant? Sad to say it just means that we are either as average as the thinkers in government or that we can think ahead of the rascals. Does it matter if it is proven that Anwar Ibrahim is the actor? Yes it does because he has denied it. But I still say that this is not proven because the so-called "evidence" and "experts' info" were introduced by the government in court. It was not examined or challenged by anyone. But this was meant to be this way, get the three to plead guilt, give them a token fine and then slip in some dirt on Anwar, dirt which can't be examined. The idea here is to persuade fence-sitters that Anwar is soiled goods and cannot be supported. This is about the coming elections and the three stooges were just that, stooges in a play dictated by Umno leaders. Anwar is a flawed individual, no question about that. But this is where we must not fall into the trap set by Messrs Najib and Muhyiddin. Anwar is not the opposition nor does he represent a better vision for Malaysia. Nurul Izzah, Husam Musa, Tony Pua, Ambiga Sreenevasan, Khalid Samad, Haris Ibrahim, Fuziah Saleh, the former Perlis mufti, the people behind the Sarawak Report, you and me. Now we are the hope of the country. The scoundrels have used all the institutions of the country to damage and destroy one man. They have no respect for the soul of this country, they destroy everything to stay in power and to continue to pillage. Today's courtroom sham should be seen in this light. Don't forget Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, Eskay, Shuib when you vote. Don't forget Ibrahim Ali when you vote. Don't forget the IGP or the A-G when you vote. They only act for Umno. *********************************************** Police, A-G major casualties in 'Datuk T' charge delay, says Lim (The Malaysian Insider) - The independence and credibility of the police and the Attorney-General's chambers have been dented by the delay in charging the 'Datuk T' trio, Lim Kit Siang has said. "The farce this morning in the magistrate's court where the "Datuk T" trio were charged for the Sri Carcosa sex tape screening has only served to further lower public confidence and esteem in the efficiency, independence and professionalism of the Attorney-General and the Police. "The way the three criminals preened themselves as if they are national heroes for the crimes they have committed raised many questions — including why the AGC and police have to take more than three months to charge the trio in court," Lim said in a statement today. The "Datuk T" trio pleaded guilty and were fined in a magistrate's court today over their involvement in the screening of a sex video allegedly featuring Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik was charged with abetting former Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim and businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah in "openly" screening the pornographic material featuring sex acts between a man and a woman at the prestigious Carcosa Seri Negara Hotel here on March 21. Shazryl was fined RM3,000 or three months' jail, Shuib was fined RM1,500 or two months' jail while Abdul Rahim was fined RM1,000 or one month's jail. Lim, who is DAP parliamentary leader added that both the police and the AGC have been exercising double standards in other cases, and listed them- inaction over Utusan Malaysia's Christian Malaysia claims and Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali's threatening bloodshed and another May 13 to counter the upcoming May 13 rally by election watchdog Bersih. "Is it any wonder that never before in the nation's history has the ruling coalition suffered such massive and sustained erosion of public support and confidence to the extent that uppermost in the minds of Malaysians is the question whether the time for the end of UMNO and Barisan Nasional rule in Malaysia has really come?" Lim asked.
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| Posted: 22 Jun 2011 06:52 PM PDT
During the People Power Revolution of 1986, yellow was the dominant theme, the colour being associated with former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. It is now a symbol of both support for her as well as in commemoration of the popular revolt. NO HOLDS BARRED
The word yellow comes from the Old English geolu, or geolwe which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word gelwaz. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the oldest known use of this word in English is from The Epinal Glossary in the year 700. In the English language, yellow has traditionally been associated with jaundice and cowardice. The ancient Maya associated the colour yellow with the direction South. The Maya glyph for yellow (k'an) also means 'precious' or 'ripe'.
Yellow is traditionally associated with the Malay Rulers of Malaysia.
Yellow was also used to represent the Manchus in the new flag of China: Five Races Under One Union, and also under the flag of Manchukuo.
The legendary first emperor of China was known as the Yellow Emperor or Huang Di. Members of the imperial family of China at that time were the only ones allowed to display the colour yellow in buildings and garments.
The Yellow Turbans were a Daoist sect that staged an extensive rebellion during the Han Dynasty. Yellow is associated with the word 'caution' and is the second light on traffic lights. Yellow pan traps are used to capture insects, many of which are attracted to shades of yellow. Yellow is also associated with aging, for both people and objects (e.g. yellowed paper).
Yellow was also the colour of the New Party in the Republic of China (Taiwan), which supports Chinese reunification. In the United States, a yellow dog Democrat was a Southern voter who consistently voted for Democratic candidates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries because of lingering resentment against the Republicans dating back to the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Today the term refers to a hard-core Democrat, supposedly referring to a person who would vote for a 'yellow dog' before voting for a Republican.
In the United States yellow is also associated with the Libertarian Party, to contrast with the Green Party (green), Democratic Party (blue) and Republican Party (red).
In the United Kingdom, yellow is associated with the Liberal Democrats. In the United Kingdom, The Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP) has made use of yellow, along with black, as its primary party colours.
During the People Power Revolution of 1986, yellow was the dominant theme, the colour being associated with former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. It is now a symbol of both support for her as well as in commemoration of the popular revolt. In Europe, many liberal parties are symbolised by the colour yellow, including the Free Democratic Party (Germany), Liberal Forum (Austria), Estonian Reform Party, National Liberal Party (Romania) and Liberal and Centre Union (Lithuania). The pan-European Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party also use the colour yellow.
In football, the referee shows a yellow card to indicate that a player has been officially cautioned because he has committed a foul or has wasted time. In American Football, a yellow flag is thrown onto the field by a referee to indicate a penalty. Originally in Rugby League and then later, also in Rugby Union, the referee shows a yellow card to indicate that a player has been sent to the sin bin. In auto racing, a yellow flag signals caution. Cars are not allowed to pass one another under a yellow flag.
In cycle racing, the yellow jersey - or maillot jaune - is awarded to the leader in a stage race. The tradition was begun in the Tour de France where the sponsoring L'Auto newspaper (later L'Équipe) was printed on distinctive yellow newsprint. The term 'yellow' is used as a racial slur for both Asians (yellow peril) and, in the early 20th century, light-skinned African-Americans (high yellow). Yellow (giallo), in Italy, refers to crime stories, both fictional and real. This association began in about 1930, when the first series of crime novels published in Italy had yellow covers. The term 'yellow movie' can refer to films of pornographic nature in Chinese culture, and is analogous to the English 'blue movie'. Lastly, yellow is associated with sensational journalistic practices, or yellow journalism, and resistance to militant trade unions. 'Yellow journalism' is a term that refers to sensationalist journalism that distorts, exaggerates, or exploits news to maximize profit.
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| Ex-Perlis Mufti agrees with my views on Islam Posted: 21 Jun 2011 08:30 PM PDT
No, this is NOT my normal cheong hei article. I have nothing more to add to what the ex-Perlis Mufti said other than I have been saying the same thing myself for years. But then I am a 'western educated' person and not an 'Islamic scholar'. So my views on Islam are insignificant unless someone the level of a mufti says the same thing. Hah! It feels good to be able to say: I TOLD YOU SO! NO HOLDS BARRED Ex-Perlis mufti Asri backs Bersih's intentions (Malaysiakini) - Former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said after hearing and evaluating the briefing given by the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih), he found its intentions to be good. Asri said he had been swarmed with questions over the Bersih campaign and for him to take a stand on the issue of demands for just elections. He explained that any life dealings should be assessed in two ways: its purpose and method. "If the purpose and the method used is good then it would be considered a good practice. If it is meant well, but the method deployed is wrong, it's like theft for the purpose of giving charity, it is deemed wrong. If the purpose is wrong or is a sin, then any move towards it would be considered likewise." "Any individuals who participate in the activity must ensure its purpose is halal and noble and the method deployed is also halal," he said. After hearing Bersih's briefing, Asri said he found its intentions are good, that is to claim the rights which should be accorded to the rakyat or people as promised in the constitution. If the demands are successful, the former Perlis mufti said it would not only help alleviate the problems faced by political parties in seeking a just campaign but also improve the way we embark on politics without having a notion of where the party is from. "I do not dispute Bersih's noble intentions. However, I am worried if a certain political party's agenda is realised and not the rakyat's aspirations in general. Whereas the demands are good to ensure justice in managing elections," he said. As to holding a rally, Asri said in principle it is required unless it is accompanied by haram actions like destroying public property, fights and actions leading to bad behaviour. Citing Prophet Muhammad's sayings, Asri said street demonstrations to protest transgression can be held. "In today's context, peaceful demonstrations to prevent political misbehaviour could be held as it has been successful in many countries." "However, demonstrations would be open to dangers and causing chaos and they should be used as a last resort if the demands for justice are not met," he added. "Discussion, negotiation or writing in protest are preferred. I understand all this had been done and the Election Commission should adhere to these demands to prevent the people from going to the streets which would result in untoward eventualities," he said. He warned that if the EC fails to adhere to the demands, it is the rakyat's right to demand them peacefully. "A peaceful rally is an important pre-condition and if it turns violent then it becomes haram. Those who want to attend the Bersih rally must work towards ensuring that they do not destroy public property, injure someone or shout vulgarities at anyone but only shout their demands and slogans to show their dissatisfaction," he said. "It is haram for the demonstrators or the police to provoke anyone, resulting in riots. The police should also realise that the demands are good for the country and not only for the betterment of the people but also the police." "The demonstrators should realise the police are out to ensure peace and there should not be any provocation," he warned, adding that those who provoke would be considered to have sinned.
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| How politicians hijack revolutions Posted: 21 Jun 2011 12:41 AM PDT
Never mind which revolution you are talking about, the stories are all the same. Politicians are not capable of starting revolutions. The people start revolutions and then politicians hijack the revolution. The politicians hijacked the people's revolution of 10th November 2007 and they will hijack the 9th July 2011 revolution as well if we are not careful. NO HOLDS BARRED The French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and the Iranian Revolution are the more interesting revolutions to look at. Most of its leaders were in hiding or were not in the country and living in exile. They were not capable of organising anything in the country (especially back then when there were no mobile phones or internet like now). Astonishingly, the revolution was over in less than forty-eight hours and with little bloodshed. Having set the policy, Lenin took little part in its execution. At the last moment he emerged from hiding and reached Trotsky's headquarters at the Smolny Institute in disguise just before midnight on the 24th.
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| Posted: 20 Jun 2011 09:58 PM PDT
If they can pay RM1.8 million just for a 'free' Facebook website, surely the Government of Malaysia can pay that much for a Made-in-Malaysia movie. Let us imagine the dialogue between a local movie producer and the Minister of Arts and Culture when the local producer applies for a government grant to produce a Made-in-Malaysia movie. This is just imagination, mind you, and never happened nor could ever happen. NO HOLDS BARRED Rice: Will you be showing how well Malaysia has developed under the Barisan Nasional government? Producer: I did not plan on that but I suppose I could if you want me to. I could show scenes of Selangor and Penang.
Rice: No, Selangor and Penang cannot. Those are opposition states. You can only show scenes of the states that are under Barisan Nasional rule. You must also show the Petronas Twin Towers. We are very proud of our Twin Towers. Producer: But isn't the Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, which is also under opposition control?
Rice: The opposition won only ten seats in Kuala Lumpur. We still won one seat, even though we cheated with the army votes. So Kuala Lumpur is not totally under opposition control, only 91% opposition. Producer: Okay, if you say so. I can try to include the Twin Towers in the movie.
Rice: But make sure you show the Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur and not in Melaka like that other movie that they made…can't remember what it was called now. Producer: Oh, you mean that movie 'Entrapment' starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Rice: Yes, that's the one. Our Prime Minister was very angry about that. Producer: Najib?
Rice: No, Dr Mahathir. Producer: Oh, you mean the Prime Minister back in 1999 when the movie was first released.
Rice: No, I mean the Prime Minister now. He is still the Prime Minister…de facto Prime Minister. Producer: I thought Rosmah is the de facto Prime Minister.
Rice: Rosmah is de facto 2. Dr Mahathir is de facto 1. Producer: We have two de facto Prime Ministers?
Rice: Why not? After all we have two Finance Ministers…Finance Minister 1 and Finance Minister 2. Producer: I see, so what does that make Najib then?
Rice: A very confused man…but never mind…please explain the synopsis of your movie…very briefly though. Your detailed paper can follow later. Producer: It is basically a conspiracy theory movie.
Rice: Ah, I just love conspiracy theories. All Malaysians love conspiracy theories. Dr Mahathir talks about the Western capitalist conspiracies. Anwar Ibrahim talks about the Sodomy 1 and Sodomy 2 conspiracies. Everyone talks about conspiracies, especially that Blogger-in-Exile, Raja Petra. He is the biggest spinner of conspiracy theories. That's why the people love to read Malaysia Today. They love fantasies involving conspiracy theories. Do you read Malaysia Today? Producer: I'm afraid I don't.
Rice: Never mind, even if you do you will say you don't. Nobody admits that they read Malaysia Today. So what is this conspiracy theory about? Producer: It is about the Opposition Leader being behind one politician named Abraham the Frog. The Opposition Leader sends Abraham to join the ruling party as a Trojan horse. Abraham then launches a Malaysian version of the Ku Klux Klan that we shall call Rogol or Perkosa or something like that…I have not decided yet.
Rice: Interesting. Frogs becoming horses. Producer: Rogol or Perkosa is secretly a Brown Power Movement. They want all the non-brown people to be kicked out of the country and for power to be back in the hands of the brown people. It is like the Black Power Movement of the 1960s in America, except in this case the Black Power Movement and the Ku Klux Klan are one and the same.
Rice: Isn't that a bit confusing? Producer: No, we shall call it 1Malaysia. Both the Brown Power Movement and the Malaysian Ku Klux Klan become one…1Malaysia.
Rice: Sounds reasonable. Producer: Abraham then creates trouble and the people become very angry with the government. Actually the government is not behind Abraham. The real mastermind is the Opposition Leader whom Abraham works for.
Rice: But don't the people suspect anything? Producer: No, because the previous Prime Minister is financing Abraham. So the people think that the government is behind Abraham. They don't suspect the Opposition Leader.
Rice: So the previous Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader are working together then? Producer: No, that is just the thing. The previous Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader are enemies.
Rice: But you said they are working together. Producer: They are not. Abraham is secretly working for the Opposition Leader but openly working for the previous Prime Minister. He is like a double agent.
Rice: I see. So Abraham is secretly sabotaging the government then? Producer: Yes, that right.
Rice: Ah, so he wants to bring down the government to allow the Opposition Leader to take over. Producer: Not exactly. This is where the conspiracy theory gets more interesting and Abraham's role as a double agent gets more complicating.
Rice: I see. Producer: Actually, Abraham is pretending to work for both the Opposition Leader and the previous Prime Minister. He is really working for the Prime Minister.
Rice: I don't get it. Producer: The previous Prime Minister is secretly trying to bring down the Prime Minister so that his son can take over. So if Abraham can be linked to the previous Prime Minister that will get his son into trouble and he can't take over as Prime Minister.
Rice: I see. So Abraham is suspected of secretly working for the Opposition Leader but is seen to be working for the previous Prime Minister whereas he is actually secretly working for the Prime Minister to sabotage the previous Prime Minister? Producer: That's about it.
Rice: So who wins in the end? Producer: Ah, that is the real twist, which no one is going to suspect. You see, the Prime Minister's wife is the real mastermind behind all this.
Rice: So now we have the Prime Minister's wife also involved in the conspiracy? Producer: Yes, but the previous Prime Minister is aware of this so he too sabotages the Prime Minister's wife.
Rice: Ah, and how does he do this? Producer: He asks all his cronies, the Chinese tycoons, to get close to the Prime Minister's wife and to give her very expensive presents. So they buy her millions of dollars worth of Hermes Birkin handbags and eventually she has all the colours and more bags than Victoria Beckhem.
Rice: Is that enough to sabotage her? Producer: Yes, then the mainstream newspapers show pictures of all her handbags and she is eventually dubbed as Malaysia's Imelda Marcos and the people rise up in anger and march to the King's palace and Kuala Lumpur becomes just like Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Syria and so on.
Rice: So the government falls and who takes over then? The Opposition Leader or the previous Prime Minister? Producer: None of the above. The person who takes over will be Abraham. The people become fed up with both the government and the opposition so they reject both. They want an independent Member of Parliament to take over and since Abraham is an independent Member of Parliament he becomes the new Prime Minister.
Rice: A very interesting twist indeed. And what are you going to call this movie? Producer: 'The Ninth of July': the day the people took to the streets to make Abraham the Frog the new Prime Minister of Malaysia. |
| When the shoe is on the other foot Posted: 20 Jun 2011 07:30 PM PDT
Ibrahim was later interrupted by a man claiming to be a member of the "rakyat" who accused him of "threatening" the Chinese with his statement. "I am talking to the reporter. You want to talk to me, you talk to me after this. Do not interrupt me. I can see you after this... bloody idiot," he said. NO HOLDS BARRED
Be fair to me, Ibrahim Ali tells media (The Malaysian Insider) - Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali today appealed to the media to be fair to him and to stop spinning his statements out of context. The Malay rights leader claimed his words were often misreported, particularly by media organisations like The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini. "I hope all the newspapers report all the statements correctly and be fair. There are good statements from us. It does not appear so but if there are statements that are a little bit controversial, they spin off and people get the wrong message of what I said," he told reporters today. The Pasir Mas MP caused an uproar earlier today when he was heard yelling at a group of reporters who approached him for a statement. "I do not speak to The Malaysian Insider. Why should I? You only spin," he shouted while gesticulating. READ MORE HERE: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/be-fair-to-me-ibrahim-ali-tells-media/ MAYBE IBRAHIM ALI WOULD NOT LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING NPQsZZZnXW0 SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPQsZZZnXW0
4jA88gmFgMI SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jA88gmFgMI
adxPYoaIPAE SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adxPYoaIPAE |
| Give me one reason why I should march on 9th July 2011 (UPDATED with Chinese Translation) Posted: 19 Jun 2011 04:39 PM PDT
Actually I can give you more than one reason. But knowing that many Malaysia Today readers tend to focus on the 'wrong' part of the article rather than what they should be focusing on (just read the comments to see what I mean) maybe I should focus on just one reason. That is easier for most of the smaller brains. NO HOLDS BARRED
Now, look at the chart above and tell me what you see. Yes, that's right, Malaysian elections are won through gerrymandering. Okay, in case you are not sure what you should be looking at, look at the figures under the column 'GOVERNMENT' and compare the % seats and % votes columns. Can you see that in terms of votes the Alliance Party of 1959, 1964 and 1969 and Barisan Nasional since 1974 till 2008 never really did that well? The best was in fact during Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's rule in 2004 when Barisan Nasional garnered 63.9% of the votes and again in 1995 (65.2%) just before the 1997 financial crisis and the 1998 political crisis that followed. Nevertheless, even this did not give them two-thirds of the votes (66.67%). The rest of the time, Barisan Nasional (or the Alliance Party) won only 50% to 60% of the votes (except in 1969 when they won less than 50%). However, as you can see, it is seats and not votes which has been giving them the government time and time again. And, as I said, this is because of gerrymandering. The Parliament seats vary from a mere 5,000 voters to over 100,000 voters. Invariably, all those 'smaller' seats are Barisan Nasional seats, in particular Umno, while the 'bigger' seats are those which Barisan Nasional has no hope of winning and which will certainly fall to the opposition. Okay, to make you understand the issue better, it works like this. The opposition can win 100,000 votes and it will be just one seat. Barisan Nasional, on the other hand, also wins 100,000 votes but it will be two or three seats. Now, that is why the opposition wins 50% of the votes but only 40% of the seats while Barisan Nasional's 50% of the votes gives them 60% of the seats. In short, dear readers, this means, based on the present system, the opposition will NEVER form the federal government because it will NEVER win more than 50% of the seats in Parliament (unless it can win more than 60% of the votes, which is quite impossible with that many phantom and postal votes floating around). And this also means we need electoral reforms. We need a law passed that says the variance in Parliament seats should be plus-minus 20%. This means, if the benchmark for Parliament seats is, say, 50,000 voters, then the variance of 20% translates to 40,000-60,000 voters per seat (not 5,000-120,000 like now). Only when this happens would the opposition have a fair shot at forming the next federal government. If not it will never happen (unless the opposition can garner more than 60% of the votes). In some countries this is the law. Some countries make it law that the seats must be plus-minus 15%. In others it is plus-minus 20%. (In fact, in some countries the law says that not less than 30% of the candidates must be women). Only in Malaysia it is plus-minus 95% (gila babi sungguh). So now you know why we need electoral reforms. And now you know why we need to march on 9th July 2011. And this is not about the opposition. It is not about Anwar Ibrahim either. It is about the rights of the people of one-man-one-vote. If Malaysia had direct elections (like in the United States) to elect our Prime Minister, then Najib Tun Razak would never become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Then, like in America, a non-white (in Malaysia's case a non-Bumiputera) could become the Prime Minister. Alas, in Malaysia we have a system that ensures the Prime Minister will always be someone from Umno and the government will always be an Umno-led coalition. The next question would be: why bother to vote then? Good question. I would urge you to vote so that we can see a strong opposition in Parliament and the emergence of a two-party system in Malaysia. That in itself is reason enough to vote. However, if we can see electoral reforms, then that is another matter. Then we can vote to see a change in federal government. And that is why we need BERSIH and also why we need to support Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan. Electoral reforms will never happen unless the people make it happen. And 'the people' are you and I. We can't depend on just the politicians. Don't forget, at one point of time many now in the opposition were once in the government (and many now in the government were once in the opposition). And when they were in the government did they push for electoral reforms? Or did they take advantage of the unfair system to hold on to power and only now that they are in the opposition they make so much noise about electoral reforms? Trust me, if the opposition takes over the federal government they too would not want to change the system. They will maintain the present system to ensure they remain in power. Why change the present system to one that allows an easy change of government? And many in the opposition who were once in the government exploited the present system and did not utter a word of protest until they found themselves in the opposition. Then only they bising tak habis-habis.
Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2011/06/201179.html
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