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A morning session with The Oracle of Syed Putera-Part 2
New Revelations Link FBC Media To BN’s Dirty Tricks Blogging Campaigns
Hasan Ali Is Pakatan's Ibrahim Ali
A morning session with The Oracle of Syed Putera
The Illogicality Of It All
FBC Media Scandal – Growing Questions For CNN’s John Defterios

A morning session with The Oracle of Syed Putera-Part 2

Posted: 06 Aug 2011 04:23 PM PDT

I had a good laugh when someone suggested that the Oracle is Sanusi Junid. That someone commented I was lucky to be an intimate acquaintance of the illustrious Sanusi. That is not possible. Sanusi as many of us know has just survived a quite serious heart attack. The Oracle recounted the day Daim receiving a text message a few weeks ago informing that Sanusi was critically ill.

Happily he is doing well now. We wish him a speedy recovery. He is an estimable combatant and a worthy opponent. The Oracle told me, he and Daim rushed over to the hospital to see how Sanusi is faring. I am happy to be told by the Oracle- Sanusi is Sanusi, weakened but indomitable in his unrelenting criticisms on how Najib is handling this country.

Here is the problem says the Oracle. The low estimation of Najib as PM and UMNO president is no longer just confined to the man in the street whose opinions may be justifiably dismissed as idle talk of the chattering class. The same opinions are being said and repeated, by UMNO luminaries, people of some significance indicating a very serious perception problem. Opinions of people of influence can snowball into a movement. And Sanusi is also a committee member of the PENAWAR NGO whose members are made up of previous UMNO MPs. It's led by a former political secretary of Tun Mahathir and a Mahathir loyalist, Aziz Shamsudin.

But the Oracle isn't ready to concede any consequence to the group led by Aziz Shamsudin. Precisely because it's led by Aziz Shamsudin.

I thought Aziz is a Mahathir major domo? Mahathir's dogsbody?

No, you are not quite correct, said the Oracle. Aziz has proven himself to be a man of all seasons. He was with Tengku Razaleigh then switched allegiance to Mahathir. After Mahathir to Pak Lah. And now?

Penawar hasn't got the impact potential. Not at the moment anyway. Unless the Old Man throws his weight into the ring.

I haven't updated myself on this Penawar grouping having just come back from overseas following Tun Daim. I will know more when we meet up with Dr Mahathir.

The Oracle wasn't even aware that the PAS Ttiwangsa MP, Dr Lo' Lo' has passed away.

Many of us have fond memories of Sanusi for 1001 reasons. He can be comical at one time, deadpan serious at another. Sanusi used to regal many of us with his caustic remarks aimed at disarming Najib or discrediting Najib as it were. He related his many conversations with Tun Razak and how Tun Razak was sighing about how Najib can't cut his teeth into politics. Sanusi would let out a half smile when he tells us of the moment when he cheekily asked- why Tun? Too much skirt chasing, came the answer.

Look, say the Oracle- there is a growing divide between the UMNO president and UMNO and the Malays. What is he doing now? He's seen as busy finding ways to find money for Chinese National Type schools and that alienates the Malay voters farther. He's seen as appeasing non Malays more and more. It seems to me his way of solving problems is by paying his way through.

Yet the UMNO warlords from which UMNO and its president depend for political power are not amused. They are NOT receiving projects for their areas. The UMNO leaders in Kedah are complaining for example. They are asked to set the agenda to retake Kedah , yet they are not given resources to go into battle.

Speaking about Kedah, I interjected- what's your take on the 3 M grouping of Mahathir, Muhyidin and MUkhriz?

I wouldn't give much credence to the 3M thing. For what purpose? For Muhyidin to ascend to the PM post? He can do that by other means at his disposal. He is enjoying better credibility with his Malay first, Malaysia second attitude with the Malay hoi poloi.

To prop up Mukhriz so that Mahathir will lend his weight to Muhyidin? That, possibly. But how long can Mukhriz survived in politics by hanging on the coattails of the father? It's like you said about Najib being cornered to come out with his last resort defense when attacked on his policies. All he could muster was- He is Tun Razak's son. How long can you sell that?

We all have to admit Dr Mahathir somehow refashioned Malaysia after his dynamic personality. But that is soon going to be history as the new generations of voters are more comfortable at accepting the general level of development which we are now enjoying, for granted. Who was behind our country's drive to modernization isn't as significance as we of the older generation holds it.

So no, Mukhriz isn't going to last long banking on the popularity of his father which is beginning to diminish now.

Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:51 AM PDT

We can now reveal an even darker side to this campaign. The same contracts also included a series of negative blogging campaigns targetted against BN's political opponents. All these dirty tricks have, of course, been conducted at the expense of the Malaysian taxpayer!

Details of the FBC Media contract

Sarawak Report has exclusive details of the contract agreed between FBC Media and Abdul Taib Mahmud, which includes a commitment to mastermind a cyber-war against online critics of the Chief Minister's corrupt government, such as this blog.

In a letter to the Chief Minister in January the Chairman of FBC Media, Alan Friedman, pledged to "assist in countering false and negative perceptions that have been spread at home and abroad" and stated that he had "the tools and international experience to make a genuine and visible difference".

The tools outlined by Friedman were "television reporting and an interview with yourself plus press tours and online sites and special blogging that should provide a blanket of positive messaging about you and Sarawak to the Western media".

The PR/ production company chief explained to the Chief Minister that he would "work both on the positive messages and to counter negative perceptions and falsehoods that have been spread unfairly about environmental matters ranging from the Bakun Dam, timber, mining and palm oil. We would also counter false allegations that have been made about corruption."

FBC would then work to "bounce back" into the Sarawak Press "this international recognition, thus bringing positive results for the people of Sarawak to see" . In other words he was proposing to cheat people in Sarawak with his manufactured publicity (funded by taxpayers) into thinking the world was impressed by Taib!

In his attached contract proposal, which amounted to a staggering $5 million for the first year alone, Friedman allocated $55,000 (RM165,000) per month just to the blogging operation. For this he was providing "Online digital strategy and blogging, site creation and management, blogging and articles, video reports on line".

For another RM 138,000 per month Friedman added "in-bound press and blogger visits, press, foreign visit support, interview placement, writing, disseminating, media training, media analysis, mapping" services!

Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Report become top targets for bloggers

READ MORE HERE.

Hasan Ali Is Pakatan's Ibrahim Ali

Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:44 PM PDT

Malaysia is plagued by the 'Ali Problem'. We have Ali Baba businessmen - Umno Malays who help Chinese cronies to get rich. Then there are followers of Ali, the Shi-ites being arrested for spreading Islam and Ibrahim Ali, Dr Mahathir's spanner-in-the-works to undermine Najib and bring him down.

Now, we have Hasan Ali (regarded by many as Umno's Trojan Horse in Pakatan, the man who is rooting for the Umno-PAS 'Malay unity' talk) whose role in the JAIS raid of DUMC could be the undoing of PAS. Upon closer analysis, one wonders of the possibility of it being an Umno conspiracy to get PAS to do something stupid that will hurt Pakatan. A case of history being repeated?

Down Memory Lane

After the 1999 general election, the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared that since Malaysia was already an Islamic country, PAS was not needed. He argued that Umno was then the largest Islamic party in the world. PAS, he claimed, was then only a quarter or less the size of Umno in terms of membership. With that, the one-upmanship tussle between PAS and UMNO began.

From thence, Dr Mahathir goaded PAS by saying that the Islamic party promised all sorts of things before the elections, but now that they were running two states, Kelantan and Terengganu, they still had not delivered on their promises. He questioned, "Where is the promise of Islamic laws?"

PAS fell into the trap. Without the consensus of its other three coalition partners in Barisan Alternatif (PKN, DAP and PRM), PAS unilaterally announced that the Terengganu state government was going to introduce Islamic laws in the state. Following that, PAS launched its Islamic State Document (ISD) and introduced Islamic laws in the Terengganu State Assembly and that was the beginning of the end for the opposition coalition.

Subsequently, DAP distanced itself from the ISD by leaving the opposition coalition and embarking on a 'No to Islamic State' campaign. That had a devastating effect on the 2004 General Elections. PAS paid a very high price for that move.

Then, PAS was under pressure. They had been called 'liars' and were accused of cheating the voters by not delivering its election promise. If they had not done what they did then, the rural electorate would have swallowed the Umno propaganda hook, line and sinker and all would have been lost. So it tried to deliver what it had been mandated to do by the voters who voted for it. And PAS did just that. It fulfilled its election promise.

Fortunately for us, since the 2004 general election, when PAS lost Terengganu, almost lost Kelantan, and saw its 27 Parliament seats reduced to just nine, PAS has stopped talking about the ISD. DAP knows this. To PAS, ISD is an embarrassing mistake that is history. Unfortunately, some resurrect this ISD to stigmatize the head of what could be the most successful and powerful opposition party.

Since PAS is gaining ground not just among Malays, but non-Malays as well, a spanner has to be thrown into the works - this time under the guise of the JAIS raid of DUMC. If history is repeated and they naively react to the church in an unfavourable manner, for sure they would suffer backlash from the voters in the next GE.

The Hasan Ali Factor

In September 2009, Hassan Ali plunged the Pakatan Rakyat into controversy with Muslim voters by unilaterally calling for a ban on beer sales.

Then he stepped on the toes of his colleagues in the Selangor state executive council by deliberately taking aim at non-Malay colleagues such as Ronnie Liu and Teng Chang Khim. According to party insiders, he has been intentionally spinning issues he has against them with a Chinese versus Malay-dominance twist.

Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT

It seems now, whatever Tun Daim says is carefully analyzed. And Tun Daim is a dangerous seer. In 2008, he predicted the loss of BN in 5 states. The UMNO generals were up in arms. They vilified him, describing him with all sorts of disrespectful terms. Daim is a pensioner. Daim is out of touch. Daim is irrelevant. When the results came, what Daim predicted was generally true.

So how does Daim see the future? According to the Oracle, it's a grim future for UMNO and BN. the country has no leadership. Announcements were made continuously without understanding what were said. The PM reads the budget in parliament but when it comes to Q&A, Nor Yaakob does the answering. Some people prepare the text and PM who has no time to understand the context, will just read it.

The Oracle related the many occasions when Tun Daim answered he doesn't understand what the New Economic Model or the various economic initiatives are all about. He only understands basic business models- 2+ 2= 4. Now if a wily business man like Daim doesn't understand Najibnomics, what chance do common folks have?

Civil servants complained to Daim about having to implement policies which they have no part in giving inputs. Our economic models are prepared by consultants under the commissar-ship of people like Omar Ong or Idris Jala.

The PM's rating says the Oracle has been sliding precipitously since the Bersih Rally. He handled that one badly. The NGO was already declared an illegal one, yet he allowed them to have an audience with the Agong. The man who was instrumental in brokering Ambiga's audience with the Agong was Pak Lah, the former PM. When asked the PM said Pak Lah wanted to help out, but that kind of help hastens his plummeting rating. The Malays have a saying for this- sokong membawa rebah.

All is not well with our country. The majority of the Chinese are not going to vote BN. Moving from one Chinese based party (MCA) to another (DAP) presents no mental hurdle for the Chinese. They are businesslike in their decisions.

One, the Chinese are aware that Chinese interests are better looked after by a more aggressive political party. Two, stepping out from UMNO's shadow offers some satisfaction for the Chinese because doing so, remits a form of punishment to their cocky big brother. The Chinese have long wanted to teach MCA a lesson. MCA will not be able to stop this rising disenchantment. Most important of all, the general economic independence of the Chinese gives them the luxury of choice. They can choose and UMNO and BN don't appear on their radar screen.

READ MORE HERE

The Illogicality Of It All

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 08:38 PM PDT

In 1986, the government ban on the use by non-Muslims of the word "Allah", and three others — "solat", "Kaabah" and "Baitullah". By 2009, the High Court allowed the church to use the word, but an appeal from the Home Ministry has left the decision hanging. Post "Allah" controversy, a few churches and a Catholic school were torched and threatened in January last year.

This would have been a non-issue from the start had mutual respect and tolerance been practised. Despite the delicate situation, a few leaders continued to fan the flames of fear raging then. Subsequently, an inter-faith dialogue was held but the status quo remains.

In March '11, the Home Ministry seized 35,100 Malay-language bibles which were released just ahead of the Sarawak state election in April. However, copies in Peninsular Malaysia had to be chopped and marked with a cross and the words "Christian publication".

Then in May, Penangites were stunned when a meeting between the Penang Chief Minister and Christian leaders was turned into a flaming controversy with ridiculous claims that the participants discussed making Christianity the official religion. Thereafter, Utusan Malaysia went to town. They front-paged two blogs making such a claim. (Read my blog post Truth Please, NOT Distortions of Reality!) Now the whole issue is in the back burner while another highly illogical controversy broke forth.

Last month, the PM went to the Vatican to establish diplomatic ties. On his return, the PM said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government would work with Christians who wished to uphold world peace and harmony as it was committed to the "global movement of moderates". At Kompleks Bunga Raya, he said, "We wish to tell our friends, the Malaysian Christians . . . if they respect us, we will also respect them," he told some 200 BN supporters here.

When you don't practise the 1Malaysia policy, talk is cheap.

A few days earlier, Media Prima Bhd was forced to axe a controversial series of Ramadan commercials on its 8TV channel after scathing public criticism and claims that the advertisements were racist and highly insulting in nature. The advertisements depicted a Chinese girl eating greeding and dressed inappropriately in front of Muslims during Ramadan.

Guess who owns Media Prima, which in turn owns 8TV, and other channels like TV3 and TV9?What did they hope to achieve with those advertisements?

Two days ago, during an NGO Harapan Komuniti dinner in appreciation for its volunteers, leaders, supporters and members of the community who have benefited from its work, twenty odd police officers barged into the premises of Dream Centre. They disrupted the dinner and started taking videos and photographs and took down details of the Muslim guests. The dinner was non-religious in nature but held to celebrate the work of non-profit organisation Harapan Komuniti in helping women, children, HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.

Apparently, the official 'intruders' came without a warrant on a complaint made by somebody but did not explain what it was. No arrest was made but they seized the function's programme sheets and questioned the dinner organisers and guests. The raid was linked to attempts to preach to Malay Muslims about Christianity.

Public outrage followed. Politicians then played the blame game while Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Rev Hermen Shastri hit out at Selangor's Islamic religious authorities for "storming" a Petaling Jaya church last night on flimsy grounds.

The raid was linked to attempts to preach to Malay Muslims about Christianity. Apparently, they on the pretext of a complaint made by someone but did not explain what it was.

1. Is it justified for Jais to conduct its investigations without first checking with the church leaders and worse still, to enter the religious places of other communities and conduct their investigations?

2. Where is respect for the activities and premises of those from other faiths?

3. Isn't the month of Ramadhan supposed to be a month of tolerance? In the Qur'an, Muslims are commanded to fast so that they may "learn self-restraint".

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 05:04 PM PDT

However, unlike the BBC and CNBC, who have both launched investigations and suspended FBC Media programmes, CNN has leapt to a fairly arrogant and unquestioning defence of its Business Presenter, who for years has combined that role with a senior position and substantial shareholding in the crooked PR/ Production company.

The problem is that John Defterios's programme guests were sometimes his own PR clients. They had paid millions of dollars to his company in return for positive publicity and platforms in the global news media. Indeed FBC boasted in its promotional material that it was the only PR firm who could uniquely "guarantee" access to "blue chip", " editorial shows" on stations such as CNN, CNBC and the BBC. Anyone in the business knows that such guarantees could only be illegal.

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Ahad, 7 Ogos 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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