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Posted: 18 Sep 2012 05:16 PM PDT

Narrow view of politics reduces it to a two-size fits all dichotomy: you are either all Pakatan or all BN, writes Ong Kar Jin.

By Ong Kar Jin, FMT

The world is not black and white. Even for the colour blind, there are shades of grey (indeed, as many as ahem, Fifty Shades of Grey!). One of the first things we learn as we grow up is that things are often not simple – nuances permeate our world.

Somehow, however, this awareness that the world is not binary is suspended in our perception of Malaysian politics. Depending on whether you follow the mainstream or alternative media, every forthright political participant is pigeon-holed as either an anti-government/pro-opposition troublemaker, or a government-paid lapdog cyber trooper.

Following on from this artificial labelling is the "all-or-nothing" expectation of the personalities involved. Nothing good must be said of the other side, and 100% adherence to your side is demanded.

A recent example is the comment by PAS member of parliament for Hulu Langat Che Mat Che Rosli that radiation levels from the much-loathed Lynas plant were low. He was swiftly bombarded with criticisms including charges that he was paid by the government to lie and he had turned traitor. Che Mat, a nuclear scientist by training, was blasted for stating a fact as he saw it.

Or consider the issue of low wages in Malaysia: those who opposed minimum wage were swiftly branded as selfish rich capitalists while those who supported it were labeled socialists.

This binary view turned Twitterjaya into a class warfare background. Lost in the hostilities was a deeper consideration of the issue at stake, and the reasoning behind the different positions.

Refsa considers this narrow view of politics a serious impediment to the development of a mature democracy in Malaysia. It reduces politics to a two-size fits all dichotomy: you are either all Pakatan or all BN: "[My side] is always good. [My side] is always right. [The other side] is always wrong."

This all-or-nothing approach is presumptuous and undesirable. It is presumptuous as the stifling of dissent suggests that only the views of the party leaders are correct and important. It is undesirable as it fails to recognise different opinions on particular issues and prevents constructive discourse.

The fact is there can be many potential approaches to address the social problems of our day. Rational, intelligent thinking people would be expected to evaluate proposed policies on a case-by-case basis, and cannot be expected to always support everything a particular party is doing.

Constructive criticism must be welcomed. Dissenters must not be labelled as traitors.

Expanding our horizons

All mature democracies accept constructive criticism as necessary for improvement. Consider this: back in 2008, then Democratic US presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton had differing opinions on how to run the economy and conduct foreign policy. They intensely criticised each other's proposals, and the debates allowed a consensus on the 'best' policies to evolve.

So much so that Mrs Clinton subsequently agreed to serve as President Obama's Secretary of State!

No one was called a traitor or chucked into some stereotypical category, because the American public recognised the goal of the discourse. Recognising the colourful views that people have can be bitter, but is ultimately beneficial.

For our democracy to mature, we Malaysians must expand our horizons and realise that people have a right to express different stands on different issues. We may have our political leanings but it does not mean we have to support our particular party blindly all the time, for we are not mindless automatons.

In fact, like any parent who has scolded their child will know, it is those who give fair criticism that truly have their beloved's best interests at heart.

Sadly, our mainstream media is not facilitating this maturation process. Part of the internet vitriol directed at Che Mat following his comments on the Lynas plant were probably because he was misrepresented in the mainstream media. He said that radiation levels were low but the most critical issue of waste disposal had yet to be addressed; the mainstream media quoted him as saying Lynas was safe!

READ MORE HERE

The basis of it all

Posted: 18 Sep 2012 05:05 PM PDT

Looking beyond the recently-signed Kuching Declaration, the most important thing is not about what's being said before the elections, but what comes after it.

Yet, the document is quite vague on how best to address the states' problems beyond the royal commission of inquiry on illegal immigrants (which the Barisan-led government has already agreed to) and increasing oil royalties. "These are all essentially the same things they promised in 2008," said Dr Jeniri Amir, a political communication and history lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

Yu Ji, The Star

THE Kuching Declaration, by the Pakatan Rakyat, seeks to redress the development imbalance between Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah should it win the impending general election.

The declaration's seven points relate to restoring the spirit of the "Malaysia Agreement". It includes upping the number of Sarawakians and Sabahans in decision-making positions within the civil service, initiating a royal commission on illegal migrants, and increasing oil royalties for both states from 5% to 20%.

In the last paragraph of the declaration, it summarises the points as "an incontrovertible contract between Pakatan Rakyat and the peoples of Malaysia".

Leaving aside the outcome of the polls, the declaration brings to light two significant points.

Firstly, will the majority of Sarawakians and Sabahans see the significance of the declaration? Secondly, does Pakatan Rakyat, and in particular PKR, have enough good candidates in rural constituencies?

The second point will determine whether Pakatan has a good chance at taking the helm of Putrajaya. We know how strong DAP is in the urban and a couple of semi-rural areas. PAS, meanwhile, has not had much success in this liberal state.

One of the prime movers of the Kuching Declaration is a restaurateur, who happens to be the ex-manager of singer/actress Ning Baizura. Vernon Kedit runs the popular "the Dyak" restaurant in Kuching, which has a 4.5 out of five rating on tripadvisor.com.

When asked to help organise Pakatan's Malaysia Day celebrations here, Vernon applied the same flair he had acquired as a pop star's manager as well as the attention to detail so evident in his restaurant's food.

The man is smart, eloquent and has a passion for all things Sarawak.

"We could have just had an 'event', or we could have a significant one. We chose the latter," Vernon told me in an interview this week.

For two weeks, Vernon and his Pakatan counterparts — including state DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen, a multi-term MP and state assemblyman, and PAS officials — discussed and debated the contents of the declaration.

Several key words were removed and then reinstated just days ahead of Malaysia Day. The final version was preceded by eight drafts.

On Sept 16, six state and national Pakatan leaders signed the declaration at Chong Lin Commercial Centre, the venue of a massive ceramah on the eve of 2008's general election, which led to Barisan's worst showing since Merdeka.

Altogether, six documents were signed - one for each of the signatories to take home. Three billboard-sized declarations were also on their way back to the headquarters of each of the Pakatan parties.

The Kuching Declaration, according to Vernon, is a legal document.

"Whereas Buku Jingga is a book of policies, the Kuching Declaration is a very legal piece of paper. You cannot bring Buku Jingga to court, but you can bring the declaration to one," Vernon said. "It guarantees us autonomy and as equal partners within Malaysia."

The underlying theme of the declaration is the ones stating "Sarawak for Sarawakians," and "Sabah for Sabahans".

"These are all essentially the same things they promised in 2008," said Dr Jeniri Amir, a political communication and history lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

Jeniri also dismissed the declaration as a "gimmick to win the "hearts and minds" of Sarawakian and Sabahan voters.

How exactly would autonomy translate into better governance to ensure that Sarawakians and Sabahans have, say, better education opportunities, he asked.

"Yes, there are inequalities and yes, the Opposition has made inroads into the rural areas, judging by the votes in the last state elections.

"Barisan should seriously consider some of the problems raised by Pakatan.

"But on the declaration, it's just the same promises all over again."

Personally, I doubt the declaration would have much impact beyond the urban middle-class.

How many people in Baram or Hulu Rajang know about the Malaysia Agreement? How many young people know about the 18- and 20-point agreements?

In time, will the Kuching Declaration be remembered as a significant happening; or will it fade away as a mere footnote in history?

All that depends on the outcome of the general election. After all, the only thing that matters the most is not what is being said before the elections, but what comes after it.

Who’s your Daddy?

Posted: 18 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Malaysia is also facing an economic downturn, no matter what the bastions of power say. It's getting harder to get jobs, be promoted and be awarded projects, the right way. Brilliant graduates and professionals are dismayed when they find out that meritocracy doesn't exist in corporate Malaysia.

Dina Zaman, The Malaysian Insider

Of course, everyone is talking about this phenomenon. From the office worker, to the budding fashionista, right up to high society itself.

"Well. I suppose it is a good sign…. that… Melayu dah maju," a friend said.

You must have seen them: The New Rich and Beautiful. The young men are handsome, and the young women appear regularly in local magazines. They drive the best. Porsche Cayenne is the car of the moment, though by the time this is published, the new rich may have moved on to another make. An 800 square feet apartment with a RM4,000 rental tag does not deter them. Their precincts?

"Oddly enough," the said friend observed, "there's a lot of them in Kota Damansara. (pause) Well. The cars."

Inevitably the conversation will lead to the ever oft question:

Who's their father?

Or mother?

This phenomenon is nothing new. Edith Wharton and F. Scott Fitzgerald recorded the clash of old and new money in their novels. Vanity Fair – the high brow magazine which reports on politics plus lifestyle and entertainment – and Tatler UK are glossy and excellent bibles of the rich and powerful.

In Malaysia, local editions of high society magazines like Tatler, Prestige, as well as the uber fashionista's must-have, GLAM, are showcases of the who's who, who's rising, who's had a botched nose job, and occasionally the fallen. And in this gilded world, the backbiting, the status jostling and social brokerage is only for those with courage and tenacity. This seems to be the domain of social opportunists.

So who are the new and young rich?

A good majority belong to the Concession Generation. Daddies and mummies were shrewd proxies and held government contracts. Not all of them were given contracts through unethical means, but nevertheless, their wealth sprang from work and projects with the government of the day. How are they different from the offspring of old money?

Anoura (names have been changed to protect the privacy of those interviewed) captured the difference rather succinctly. Anoura parties with them.

"These kids go to national schools, or private schools which only teach the national curriculum. They don't go to private international schools, that the children of old money do."

Why is that?

She laughed. "Sebab they all tu ramai bodoh. You think they can pass IB (International Baccalaureate?) The expat kids and the old money kids are bloody smart, okay? Their worldview is global. Budak-budak ni, at the end of the day, Melayu beb."

May we quote you on that?

"Sure. Just don't use my real name. I'm part of the system too."

Anoura sighed. She knows the system too well. Her father is part of it. "To get the deal, sometimes, he has to 'kill' the tenders." Her father was once a civil servant, and most of his friends were too.

Like the many brokers and wheeler-dealers in the city, he and his friends just need to strike that ONE deal, and they'll be happy. And because of their former work in the government, they understand the protocols.

This leg-up has helped somewhat, but they haven't got that deal yet. Not yet. "Even a small meal with the guys at the bottom of the rung costs RM500. That's one dinner. Imagine a few dinners a week. In all the years my father has started brokering for deals, he has been swindled by friends. They have to pay cuts to the people who may help them along the way. Why does he do this? Simple. After all the things they've gone through, they think they deserve a deal."

READ MORE HERE

There’s something about Selangor

Posted: 18 Sep 2012 01:54 PM PDT

Najib's speeches now are no longer subtle. His message is loud, brash and clear.

Selena Tay, FMT

The decision by the Pakatan Rakyat-helmed Selangor state government to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly next year seems to have greatly annoyed the Barisan Nasional leaders who have openly accused the Selangor government of being afraid of losing.

And Pakatan will lose Selangor because the dirty voter rolls will enable BN to regain Selangor easily.

As BN is so cocksure of getting back Selangor, it will only be a matter of time so it has to be patient for just a few more months.

Still, this means that BN's plan to hold the polls in November, assuming that it is in November, has encountered a minor glitch for it must be thinking of recapturing Selangor in the 13th general election.

Maybe that is why BN is so cross with Pakatan. Yes, this must be the reason. The statement by the Election Commission (EC) that it is a waste of time, money and resources if Selangor were to hold separate polls is also most telling.

And perhaps it is this small hiccup that has caused Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to come out with a statement that he was "worried about the future of the Malays and the Muslims should the country come under a different regime" as reported in a local English daily on Sept 16.

Well, what have MCA and MIC got to say to this?

The same English daily also reported Najib as saying, "I believe those in DAP are not at ease with the position of the Malays and Islam. Just ask those who experience it in Perak and Selangor. PKR is weak. With its combination with others, and if DAP wins big, where will the Malays place their hope?"

True, ugly colours

What does this show about the 1Malaysia slogan and the credibility of Najib as the one who admitted that 1Malaysia is his brainchild?

Back to the question of the general election.

Assuming that the polls are planned for November, the latest strategy by the Selangor government has put BN in a fix as the prime minister has vowed to regain Selangor in the 13th general election.

This means that he will have failed in his mission if he were to hold the polls in November. It is this thought which must have irked him, is it not?

And postponing the polls to March next year is too risky. Some issues that lurk beneath may suddenly resurface to trouble BN besides the unpredictable global economic outlook.

Therefore, BN has embarked on a rampage in a frenzied attempt to garner support, especially from the business community where Selangor is concerned. Every Selangorian and especially the business community should remember that Pakatan's prudent management has managed to save the state RM1.9 billion in reserves as at end of last year.

Thus BN now no longer bothers if its true, ugly colours are being revealed. It hopes the gullible rakyat will be blind to its faults and its Machiavellian motive to grab Selangor at all costs as well as to win big by regaining the two-third majority in Parliament.

BN's election machinery has been activated and the groundwork already started. In the mainstream media, too, there is an overdose of BN's propaganda advertorials. Is it possible for BN to sustain the momentum until March next year? By then, the rakyat will be so fed up and bored to death!

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Rabu, 19 September 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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