Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Youth Dilemma: Employment & Remuneration
- Dear Santa…
- Buzz your rep on the bus issue
- Race and religion are ‘sensitive’ because Umno feels threatened
- Taking the DNBN Kuburkan BN initiative to the Malay heartlands
- Post GE13 political scenarios-Part 4
- Dap's Extended Honeymoon in Penang
- The Battle for Umno: Infighting at the very top
- Mahathir, Lee Kuan Yew and The Lazy Native
- Malaysia losing “faith capital values”
- Post GE13 political scenarios-Part 3
- ATM is not your political playfield
- Computer tech law: like a giant Trojan worm
- Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia? ...dream on!
- Post GE13 political scenarios
- Dr Hasan Ali a Kemo Sabe?
- Hindraf to lend its strength to ABU
- Does The Star have something to hide about sales?
- Pengucapan bebal disana sini
- Hudud & MCA's Lost in Transition
- BR1M; cutting our own flesh to feed ourselves
- Why 'Anything But Umno/BN' (ABU)
- EZAM MOHD NOR – OLD HABITS DIE HARD
- After PBDS and SNAP, it’s SUPP’s turn to be history
- Dr Mahathir meminta Shahrizat berhenti. Yang lain-lain itu macam mana?
- A Single Spark that starts the prairie fire?
| Youth Dilemma: Employment & Remuneration Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST The survey found that these graduates typically expect salaries between RM1,800 to RM2,100 (73 percent), but only 54 percent would have their expectations met. Another 35 percent's pay was below RM1,800. The same report mentioned that respondents needed RM700 to make ends meet. These ends must be really short ones! Rental rates in certain areas in Klang Valley have ballooned to almost RM500 per room per month. Coupled with cost of transportation, food and basic amenities such as health care and basic household products, it means that those who are earning less than RM1800 a month do not have anything extra for contingency. It is almost unimaginable how those who are earning less than RM1000 are going to survive in the city. What has gone wrong? There are several reasons:
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| Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST I know. This letter is a bit late. But I hope it is okay with you. Actually, I had posted a hard copy of this letter in January this year using Pos Laju. Recently however, that letter was returned and marked "return to sender." I called up Pos Laju to find out the reason for this letter being so returned. This was how the conversation went (I hope you don't mind. It's in the original language. I am sure as a saint, you would understand it anyway). Pos Laju girl: Hello, selamat pagi dan salam 1Malaysia Encik. Me: Hi, selamat pagi. PL girl: Eh, erm..Encik Melayu? Me: Ya, saya. PL girl: Assalamualaikum Encik. Boleh saya bantu? Me: Mualaikummusalam. Saya sebenarnya nak tanya ni. Kenapa surat saya yang saya kirim bulan Januari lepas dikembalikan? Alamatnya Santa Claus, TheOnlyOne, North Pole. PL girl: Oh, tunggu jap yer, saya cek. …3 minutes later… PL girl: Terima kasih Encik kerana menunggu. Erm…sebenarnyer Cik, surat Encik tu haram. Me: Haram? Ada surat haram dan halal ke sekarang ni? PL girl: Eh, ada Encik. Semua surat kena cek dulu halal ke haram. Kalau haram, kami takleh hantar Encik. Masuk neraka nanti. Surat kepada Santa Claus tu haram Encik. Sebab Santa Claus tu ialah seorang santo Kristian. Me: Oh, itu kes berat tu Dik. Neraka jahanam ke? PL girl: Ye Bang, eh, Encik. Neraka jahanam. Me: You tau tak, perkataan "jahanam" tu sebenarnyer kan, adalah dari perkataan Yahudi "gehenna" you tau. Itu tempat dier orang bakar anak-anak lelaki dier orang dulu-dulu tau, kat Lembah Hinnom. Perkataan tu pun haram Dik. Yahudi tu! PL girl: Iyer ker? Hamaigod. Me: So, surat haram you all takleh hantar la yer? PL girl: Takleh Bang, eh, Encik. Me: Ada tak surat CIMB ker, Maybank atau RHB ker you all hantar? PL girl: Ada gak. Kenapa? Me: Surat-surat bank yang kenakan bunga atau faedah ni haram you all tau tak? Surat Bank Islam dan Muamalat jer yang you leh hantar. Itu halal. PL girl: Yer ker Encik? Me: Yer lah. PL girl: Habis orang Islam yang makan gaji kat bank-bank tu gaji dierang halal ker haram Encik? Me: Tak tahu ler saya. Kena tanya JAKIM lah. Kita orang biasa mana tahu. Okay, assalamualaikum. PL girl: Wassalam. I hope you wouldn't be upset because you are deemed haram in my country. You are not alone however. Recently, a book on Lee Kuan Yew – yes, that guy who always ask you to turn Singapore into a continent every Christmas – was also deemed haram. Oh, a book on Doraemon had also be deemed haram before. The only wonder I have is why is it that books like Hikayat Hang Tuah, Merong Mahawangsa, Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Inderaputera or Anggun Cik Tunggal have not been declared haram. As you might know dear Santa, those folklore contain all sorts of stories about magic stones, super human powers, the ability to see the future and sprinkled with Hindu elements. Some of the books are even mandatory reading in our schools. Don't you think they should be declared haram too yah?
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| Buzz your rep on the bus issue Posted: 14 Dec 2011 12:59 PM PST UNLIKE most of my contemporaries who signed up for driving lessons as soon as they turned 17, I was a late bloomer. I did not learn to drive till I was way into my 20s and then I did not actually drive until a few months after getting my licence because the Mini Minor I bought blew her gasket when my mate was driving it from the dealer to my house. So for years, getting to and from work meant taking a bus. From the depths of Keramat, I would take a blue Sri Jaya bus to Chow Kit and from there I would take either a yellow No. 12 minibus or a pink No. 30 minibus (Actually its number 39. The Star made a mistake. Just in case there are any mini bus fanatics reading this!) to get to my final destination (both the Sri Jaya bus and the minibuses are now history of course). The whole trip would normally take me an hour and a half. It was pretty tiring just getting to work. The buses were usually full to the brim. If I was fortunate enough to actually get a seat, inevitably there would either be an old pakcik standing next to me tremulously holding on for dear life or, more commonly, a heavily pregnant woman looking at my seat with undisguised longing, her bulging belly gently bumping my head. Needless to say, I would end up standing for the entire journey hanging on to a metal bar as I perched precariously on the outside step of the bus, my Billy Ray Cyrus mullet blowing in the wind. Once, I got to my final stop in such an exhausted state that I knew I would die if I tried to cross the busy street to my office. Being the wise young man I was, I just curled up on the bus stand bench and slept, lulled by the gentle sounds of the mon-soon drain gurgling and the kapchais spluttering. The reason I am reminded of these adventures during my early days in Kuala Lumpur is the news that some bus companies are actually stopping entire routes because they are losing so much money from them.
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| Race and religion are ‘sensitive’ because Umno feels threatened Posted: 14 Dec 2011 10:09 AM PST From young, Malaysians are taught by the BN government that nature has provided a system where we are separated based on our race and the religion that we profess. And when we take a step forward to discuss and query those from different faiths, lines must be drawn and any time someone crosses this line; we must throw up a hand and tell them to back off. We then surmise that the issue is sensitive and no-one is allowed to discuss it. In Malaysia, it is sensitive when the authorities call it sensitive. And no one else has any say. And because of this propaganda and brain-washing, many everyday Malaysians have some hang-up or other about race and religion. Racial and religious polarization is on the rise thanks to the BN's continuous efforts to keep the Malays separated from the non-Malays. The only saving grace is that violence has not broken out despite provocation and threats by groups linked to Umno such as Perkasa and Pekida. Tools of the politicians Really, it is only those in politics who find religion and race a sensitive issue, since both serve as tools for Prime Minister Najib Razak to gain political mileage and to character-assassinate political rivals. One good example of an Umno stirred-up spat is between JAIS and the Christian community. It has allowed Umno and its supporters to claim that Muslims are being turned away from their faith by Christians groups. The Muslims are always portrayed as innocent lambs led to the slaughter by the evil Christians who would not hesitate to stoop to using money and false assistance in order to lure Muslims away from Islam. Yet, to date, the actual number of Muslims turning away from their faith remains under wraps. We only have the word of feverish politicians to go by, with no real facts and figures to read or research. Christians upset The Christians can also call the matter sensitive since their faith is also being questioned and even subjugated to another. A good Christian is called upon to make disciples of men and thus the higher calling takes precedence over rules and regulations put in place by mere mortals. Existing laws are adequate to address an alleged rise in the proselytisation of Muslims, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom recently, adding that failure to enforce such laws was what needed redress, not the lack of laws. Jamil, the minister in charge of Islamic affairs, was responding to newspaper reports alleging that attempts to convert Muslims were increasing in the country. And this is the state of affairs in Malaysia. Accusations are hurled by top level government officers. Najib himself has led the charge in insinuating a real threat from the Christians – and this directly after an official visit to the Vatican to create diplomatic ties. It is no wonder that Christian leaders here have felt the need to speak out against the government to the foreign media. At the very least, it is a form of self-defense and a real disgrace to the Umno-led BN government. That citizens in Malaysia feel the need to seek protection of the global community shows the type of 'people' leading the government of the day. Until real numbers are shown, all the feverish claims are hearsay and mere whispers that insult Malaysian Christians and infringe on the basic right of a citizen to practice his or her belief. To draw the Sultan of Selangor into the fray was a sad attempt at hiding the ulterior motives of Umno to wrest back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat's rule. Umno knows, in a straight fight, it is doomed to lose at the ballot boxes. So it plays up the fears of the Malays by telling them that Islam was being trampled on and that they were losing ground because the Christians were proselytizing Muslims in the country. The use of race, as a tool to scare the electorate into voting BN, will surely be used with full effect in all the Pakatan states. Prime Minister Najib Razak gave a hint of this strategy during the Umno General Assembly, which was subsequently echoed by all branches of the Umno political machinery. Ironically, when real issues that threaten Malay rights present themselves; Umno and Perkasa who both insist they are the champions of the Malays and the Malay Rulers remain silent. Take for example the RM100 million suit filed by a Kelantan prince against the police and effectively against the government. Why has Perkasa or Umno not come forward to defend a royal who is seeking justice via the courts of law? Why has Perkasa not come out to take up the Kelantan prince's cause?
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| Taking the DNBN Kuburkan BN initiative to the Malay heartlands Posted: 14 Dec 2011 09:32 AM PST For some time now, we have realised that even as many of us are able to get at the truth as to what is happening in our country, our brothers and sisters in the Malay heartlands, on a daily basis, are fed doses and doses of lies, fear mongering, divisive reports and hate rhetoric by the main stream media. With a view to countering this, over the last 7 months, a team has worked to put together a video documentary to deliver a message to the kampungs : that if we are to save this nation, UMNO and BN must be removed from Putrajaya nad buried. After much brainstorming, we felt that, if nothing else, it was imperative that the following 3 messages reach the Malays in the kampung. Firstly, and most importantly, that UMNO's sloganeering of 'Ketuanan Melayu' is unIslamic, as Islam does not countenance any notions or race supremacy or discrimination on grounds of race or ethnicity. Secondly, that over the last 30 – 35 years, on the pretext of working to help the impoverished Malays, UMNO has hijacked the New Economic Policy (NEP) to enrich its own leaders and their cronies, leaving some 40% f the population living in poverty today. Finally, that contrary to UMNO's claims, UMNO was not the party that fought for independence from the British and that, to this date, by constantly playing up manufactured race and religion issues, UMNO endeavours to keep the people colonised and enslaved whilst they hijack the national wealth. The DNBN KUBURKAN BN DI PRU13 documentary, which is about an hour and 44 minutes long, is, in its content, most complementary of the ASALKAN BUKAN umno initiative to be lauched later tonight.
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| Post GE13 political scenarios-Part 4 Posted: 14 Dec 2011 09:05 AM PST Where do you place Najib and Muhyidin? This article is founded on a belief that UMNO and BN are out in the GE13. Najib will be the opposition leader and Muhyidin will be there too. So what to talk about Najib and Muhyidin? We are all entitled to our own political beliefs. Some call it potatoes, others call it pertatoes, portartoes etc. There is no present or past tense in politics. There's only relevance. Is Razaleigh relevant? In my mind, given the manic and xenophobic stage of our politics, we urgently need political sanity. How do we achieve that? Through a leadership committed to the rule of law, fair play and inclusiveness, democratic and liberal principles. That leadership I believe can be provided by a person of the stature and standing, experience and man of substance like Tengku Razaleigh. Relevance comes with the commitment to immutable principles- a sense of fair play, rule of law, good governance, and jealous observation to democratic principles. It's funny to see judgmental stand on this- Razaleigh is old, yet Mahathir who is in his 80s is waiting in the wings. Because some people think he is relevant. I am old, but Najib and Muhyidin who are older, aren't classified as old. Hence old, young, or whatever is just management of subjective and very personal numerical perception. It depends on how you want to angle it; hence the managed perception has no universal application. It's subjective. A frequent objection to Tengku Razaleigh has been this concerted effort to link him with the infamous BMF affair. As finance Minister at that point in time, he has no involvement at all with the BMF scandal. BBMB was answerable to the PM's office at the time and the person principally responsible over BBMB affairs was Dr Mahathir. Tengku Razaleigh won many defamation cases against international newspapers which attempted to link him with the BMF affair. Local politics at that time, controlled by Dr Mahathir of course, directed local mainstream newspapers to carry but scant reports about Razaleigh successfully clearing his name from any involvement in the BMF affair.
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| Dap's Extended Honeymoon in Penang Posted: 13 Dec 2011 03:30 PM PST Prior to the 2008 general election, the party was at the forefront in promoting and advocating local council election. What has happened to the pledge? Did the party leadership do anything substantial to prepare the state for local council elections? Leaders who were at the forefront of the campaign such as Sec-Gen Lim Guan Eng, MP Liew Chin Tong and others should help explain why the pledge was not being fulfilled.
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| The Battle for Umno: Infighting at the very top Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:41 AM PST Muhyiddin's name is now becoming famous in the Malay community. It has cropped up many times as a possible contender for the top post although both his image and Najib's are always presented side by side in the government-controlled media to create the perception that they are on the most friendly terms. But make no mistake, the competition between the two men has always been there. How loyal is the 'most loyal' deputy? In 2008, unfortunately for Muhyiddin, former premier Mahathir Mohamad had decided that Najib should be the one to take over from Badawi as many had predicted he would. Muhyiddin was devastated at having been beaten by Najib at the eleventh hour. But as they say, what to do? Mahathir is still a force in UMNO to be reckoned with and it would be even worse to cross him and his 'geng' or gang of right-wing political thugs. It is also interesting to note that by then Muhyiddin was as powerless as any ordinary UMNO member because he did not have the backing from the grass roots and the other UMNO leaders, not even from his home state of Johore. He was on his own and had to find supporters, if not followers. Muhyiddin was not promoted by Badawi and son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin when Badawi was PM because there was Khairy to be groomed into power. So, it was that Muhyiddin was left on the fringes although not totally in the wilderness. It was then that Muhyiddin learnt how to survive on his own, even though he was never alone. The desire to hold the top post is still burning strong in Muhyiddin and more so now, because of his age and as opportunity knocks. Najib is weak, torn apart by the myriad of problems and dilemmas nagging him 24/7. But how sincere is Muhyiddin when he only said that he is the most loyal deputy? Did he promise not to challenge for the presidency? Will Muhyiddin just lie down and let Najib steamroll over him? Disunity Actually, Muhyiddin has already launched several maneuvers with his advisors and small group of supporters. Despite their huge handicap, we can still feel the impact when he questioned the 1Malaysia concept as soon as Najib announced it. Muhyiddin then showed his confidence when he declared he was Malay first and Malaysian next. Muhyiddin even defied Mahathir when he committed himself to teaching mathematics and science in Bahasa Melayu instead of English, which had been implemented by Mahathir. It is clear Muhyiddin is trying to be his own man and garner more grass root support for his impending revolt against Najib at the eleventh hour. That's right. Say what he will during his 'loyalty' pledge to the UMNO assembly, but Muhyiddin is bound to go neck to neck with Najib for president's seat. Same as Najib would if the shoe was on the other foot. Really, Muhyiddin has got nothing to lose. To win, Muhyiddin does not need to get 100% support from those in UMNO and he knows it. All he needs to do is to harp on the various scenarios that threaten the unity in UMNO, and Najib and his band of sycophants will be forced to heel. The pressure is already massive for Najib to step down if he wants to save UMNO from another split, more so with the next General Election or GE-13 nearing.
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| Mahathir, Lee Kuan Yew and The Lazy Native Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:38 AM PST One wonders if Mahathir and Lee Kuan Yew share the same philosophy. The Ultra Malay Mahathir and Radical Chinese Lee are almost always at odds with one another. From politics to policies, there seems to be infinite issues for them to brawl over and, even if there are none, they can't seem to help pulling a mickey out of one another. But read between the lines and you will realize that they share the same philosophy – the same reductionist philosophy that subjugated the region into chains of colonization in the past. But before going into the shared philosophy espoused by these leaders, it helps to first understand how a reductionist view on any subject would eventually lead to the perversion of an original idea. An idea or perception of a matter or subject is defined based on the senses and on our analytic thought. That, infused with cultural surroundings and historical impact produces the eventual paradigm in which we live. Now, that's not very hard to follow, is it? However, no matter how accurate one's senses in perceiving a subject, an observer with a reductionist view tries to simplify things by creating faulty arguments and slippery judgments. Thus, when it comes to formulating a policy, a reductionist approach is, at best, dangerous on many levels. Firstly, a reductionist may not solve the problem at hand but instead exacerbate it by not fully understanding the mechanism in the first place. In other words, a reductionist would rush to 'fix' the problem based on first impressions, hence neglecting the intricacies of the initial problem. Secondly, even if the problem is solved, it will leave an aftertaste of resentment as its early mechanism was forcibly changed in order to facilitate its new functions. This "machinery" is forced to function based on the whims of the reductionist, rather than working naturally based on its mechanics. On a third level, a reductionist distorts an original idea by implementing the interpretation of the idea into a form either unfounded or too extreme in the earlier idea. This is because the reductionist digests the original idea only in its cosmetics instead of understanding the whole dynamics and principles of the idea. For example, such a view of sociology gave birth to Communism; a reductionist view of biology gave birth to Nazism, and a reductionist view of Islam gave birth to Islamic terrorism. The same can be said about both Mahathir and Lee Kuan Yew. In his book The Malay Dilemma, Mahathir espoused the view that Malays – particularly the rural ones whom he characterized as less competitive compared to the urban and racially mixed Malays – were somewhat lacking in intelligence as compared to others. By others, I refer to the Chinese, Indians, and Malays of racially mixed background. Therefore, in his assessment an open and competitive market environment would actually cause the Malays to be weaker than permitted by status quo. Mahathir may have written The Malay Dilemma in the early years of his entry into politics, but his view remains unchanged. An example can be his recent comments – especially with regards to Premier Najib Razak's drive to promote meritocracy – as a clear sign that he has yet to ditch his post-colonialist belief in social anthropology (which ascribes to the idea that certain races are born superior than others). Does Mahathir believe pure-blooded Malays to be superior to other races? No. In fact, he believed that pure-blooded Malays are somewhat incompetent when it comes to competition with other races. It was thus written in his book, and reiterated during his post-retirement era where he concluded that meritocracy would benefit only certain races, as compared to affirmative action which, in his opinion, would level the playing field for everyone. In his paradigm, to which I believe and presume many UMNO Old Guards still adhere, affirmative action is a must to ensure all races be able to stand together and fairly reap the nation's economical benefits.
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| Malaysia losing “faith capital values” Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:26 AM PST On the one hand, in the short term, it may be that the economy dictates the quality and character of human life. But in the long term, character values of justice, trustworthiness, mutual respect, benevolence and peace are foundational for the flourishing of any nation that strives towards a long term growth. The lack of these qualities creates tension, instability, and eventually loss of good jobs for the nation. Ethical apathy and economic stagnation can create a cycle of decline. As Hans Kung, the President of the Foundation of Global Ethics, said to the Parliament of the World's Religion inMelbournein December 2009,
In Malaysia, about 97 percent of the population claimed to adhere to faith traditions, enriched with ethical values and customs that ought to offer significant faith-based social capital. Diverse in its ethnicity and religious traditions, Malaysia theoretically should flourish much more compared to some of its neighboring countries, like Singapore which citizens are of almost the same ethnic and faith traditions but lack of land space and natural resources. Malaysia undermines its "faith capital values" and thus retards potential economic growth, loses good jobs to other nations, and consequently, has lost almost 330,000 university graduates, especially the non-Malays; Six-hundred thousand of them have left to work in Singapore alone. If Tun Mahathir is right that 90 percent of Malaysia's tax comes from the non-Malays, then this "brain drain" crisis, occasioned in part by dissatisfaction with Malaysia's social and ethical values, further undercuts the financial capital of the nation. By recognising faith as the basis of social capital, such discourse can identify the responsibilities of the government leaders, the function of social institutions in shaping the patterns of behavior and character development of citizens, and the roles of Malaysian Muslims as the majority in the population. These three agents will have the greatest influence in bringing about change. This is not to say that public activism, marketplace dynamics, and the presence of other faiths or non-faith adherents are insignificant, but at present, they have less influence in Malaysia's pseudo-democratic context. Thus the first step in moving forward is to analyse where the three key agents fall short. Surveys conducted in the last quarter of 2010 in Malaysia and Indonesia on "Values, Dreams, Ideals – Muslims Youth in Southeast Asia" release good news that Malaysia Muslim youths, who are at the center stage of this nation's population, prioritised believing in God and becoming better Muslims over becoming rich. Almost 70 percent wanted the Quran to replace the federal constitution. However, further analysis shows a contradiction, given that those interviewed are rather lax about praying, reading the Quran, and fasting, and prefer to watch television, listen to music, or surf the internet in their free time. Data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) indicates that almost 65 percent of Malaysia population are internet users, a great increase from 15 percent in 2000. Youths are inclined towards technology, especially the internet and SMS text messages. Clearly, youths are increasingly consumed by the cyber world and distracted from other faith-related aspects of life, such as learning to exegete Quran passages or engaging themselves with the mosque communal gatherings and community services. Many of those interviewed denounce violence, yet 62.4 percent perceive the late al-Qaeda terror group leader Osama bin Laden as a "freedom fighter." This ethical contradiction has parallels elsewhere in society.
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| Post GE13 political scenarios-Part 3 Posted: 13 Dec 2011 07:24 AM PST Nothing personal against Anwar. To me he remains the crowd puller who can captivate the masses with his mesmerizing oratory. He can call the birds in the trees to his palms. But I don't fancy Anwar as PM because of (a) his duplicity and deceiving nature. He wears too many masks. (2) He is compromisable. I am stating what I see as the possible outcome of post GE13. Anwar has been committed to jail by then. On the steps of parliament Anwar told someone who I know very well, that the government is bent on jailing him. He himself is convinced he will go to jail. We shall wait. As to the person who ranks according to hierarchy who should become the new PM, who sets the hierarchy? If PKR does not come out with the largest number of seats among DAP, PAS and PKR, how does one arrive at the ranking? Ini bukan suka suka mahu taruh Anwar jadi PM. He can't be PM without the concurrence of DAP and PAS. Let's examine DAP and PAS. DAP and PAS are more interested to oust the UMNO/BN government, less with the idea that Anwar MUST be the next PM. I hope PKR people get this into their cool heads. PAS and DAP can live together because they are committed to the bigger picture which is – seeing the BN out. PKR's big picture it seems to me is to see Anwar installed as PM. Hence, the "we will break prison walls mindset" this isn't about Anwar brother… As for PAS and DAP, they can't accept anyone from either party to become PM. I think PAS knows its limitations. They have the material suited to be anything but the PM. Nizar or no Nizar. He's an MB material for now. DAP can't accept any PAS leader to become PM not on account of religion (the personal views of Karpal Singh notwithstanding) but because of fears that Malaysia will regress. Now, we may not agree with this assessment, but how DAP sees things appear to have adherents especially among the Chinese in general. The Chinese in general will be troubled at the idea of having a Mullah heading the country. Why can't they accept Anwar? Because they can't afford to have a person who has just gone through a blackened period to be the immediate PM. Perhaps later when Anwar is fully rehabilitated in the eyes of the public. The views held by Anwaristas are immaterial at the moment. The voters are more important. The Anwar supporters must also come to terms that maybe they have to take one step backwards to save their leader. And also because they ( DAP and PAS) have other reasons I am not at liberty to divulge. Why is Hassan Ali, a close comrade in arms with Anwar Ibrahim since varsity days breaking ranks with Anwar? The talks of his willingness to be the bridge for unity between PAS and UMNO show that to him, Anwar is a non-factor already. So, PAS, DAP and even some sections of the PKR leadership and even those in UMNO who are waiting in the wings look out for someone with the standing, stature and respect as the next PM. My own view is that, the only person fitting the bill is Tengku Razaleigh. Why Tengku Razaleigh? Because it's important for the Pakatan to gain allegiance and support of the 20% fence-sitter voters. This section of the public has a different psychology. They want to know who the next PM is. Is the next PM going to be more acceptable than the present one? They want certainty and some confidence in the person. That person must have the substance, experience, standing and respect all around. Furthermore, the fence sitters who constitute some 20% of voters will demand to see some clarity. These are mostly apolitical and can be persuaded only if the person designated has the qualities and the wherewithal to become PM. If we put Anwar up, they may as well say, if the thing aint broken, why fix it? Whether we like it or not, the 20% fence sitter voters are not exactly enamored with the idea of having Anwar as PM. They might as well stick with Najib. Tengku Razaleigh is too old. Well, Mahathir remains PM until nearly 80. Deng Hsiopeng became leader of China in his late 70s. Many leaders become head of states at late ages. They have the stamina and wisdom and the experience. Malaysia is in need of someone of that stature. There's no past tense when it comes to political relevancy and making sense. Didn't I read that Mahathir says, if it isn't broken don't fix it? Only if we are sentimental fools. We are not going to be romantics dreaming of a perfect past in order to perpetuate all the negatives that are associated with the past. The salad and halcyon days perpetrated during the Mahathir era is now over. Of course Dr Mahathir wants a return to his era where everything is more or less decided by him. That presupposes the existence of a leader like him- non inclusive and iron willed. Najib does not have those qualities. Neither does he have the qualities to convince UMNO people the virtues of his liberal ideas.
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| ATM is not your political playfield Posted: 12 Dec 2011 10:27 PM PST According to a report dated 10 December 2011, a pro UMNO blogger called Papagomo, was at the same place where Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his two deputies, P. Ramasamy and Mansor Othman were, when they had access to the KD Tun Razak Scorpene submarine.
Among all the opposition MP's, only Bagan Serai (ex-PKR) MP, Mohsin Fadzil Samsuri, and me participated in this event. On 4th December 2009, MINDEF arranged an air craft at Subang Airport and brought us straight away to Pulau Langkawi.
There were many invited guests, so all of us had to wait at the dock. Because of the space constraint inside the submarine, each one of us visitors had to wait for our turn. Tun Dr Mahathir was also there as well. As a ex-Prime Minister he was given the privilege to enter the submarine first. But there was a person in the midst of the crowd there, who attracted my attention. He is Tan Sri Vincent Tan. When Vincent Tan followed behind Dr Mahathir to go inside the submarine, I could not help but think of why Vincent Tan being an ordinary businessman, and neither being a government officer nor a people's representative was being allowed to go inside a military vessel. Dr Mahathir's presence was proper and correct because he was a nation builder, a contributor to the nations progress and held the longest term of Prime-Ministership. Is Vincent Tan a submarine specialist? Why is it a civilian like him was allowed to enter a submarine?
The same happened again after two years. As a Defence Minister, he seems not to be aware of who is being allowed into the submarine. Nevertheless, a civilian had gone inside the submarine, taken photographs and released them into the internet. Ahmad Zahid had the cheek to say that no blogger was allowed into the submarine. Besides that, Papagomo is arrogant in his blog by saying that he can tell the reader only something. The rest are all strategical secret. Does this imply that a civilian is allowed to attend functions where he or she is exposed to military intelligence? And shamelessly he tells the whole world that he knows some military intelligence but he is not going to tell. Isn't this a threat to national security? How does MINDEF ensure that the blogger does not sell the intelligence to spy organization in other countries? Ahmad Zahid, a Defence Minister who represents the government must understand that simply letting a civilian accessing a military facility is considered a very serious occurrence. Two years ago that was Vincent Tan and two year later there is Papagomo and "Big Dog". Since when a military facility has become BN's political playfield? | ||||||
| Computer tech law: like a giant Trojan worm Posted: 12 Dec 2011 10:24 PM PST » New law puts noose around computer techies
That is not a far-fetched conclusion when the draft Computing Professionals Bill is viewed in terms of its impact on society and the potential for further political control over national life. Of more workday relevance to the industry are the criticisms of the law for trying to create a closed computing industry; for attempting to keep tabs on everyone with a database of people in the trade; for trying to stifle innovation; for creating regulation by government rather than through industry self-regulation; and potentially for another means of creating avenues for bumiputera-ism to thrive. Lawyers say it is bad law for being too loosely worded and ambiguous, too broad in scope, legislating for a danger that may not yet exist, and placing too much power in the hands of politicians. » Analysis at Loyar Burok. The draft law is all that and more. Its broad scope allows its effects to ooze all over the computing trade like a giant malevolent runaway amoeba. Or for a computing analogy, a giant Trojan worm.
• Three laws in oneIn essence, the bill is three or four laws in one, an omnibus, dealing with related but quite distinct issues which should have been dealt with separately. Among these issues: • Cyber security, to protect vital institutions | ||||||
| Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia? ...dream on! Posted: 12 Dec 2011 10:19 PM PST I was in Singapore the last few days for work. Have not been to Singapore for over 20 years. The driver of the taxi that drove me from the airport to my hotel was Malay. On the ride to the hotel he pointed out that all the land along the coast that was now fully developed was reclaimed land. He said that Singapore could no longer buy sand from Indonesia or Malaysia – so Singapore now buys its sand from Vietnam. He suggested that maybe the Malaysian government should consider letting Singapore mine all the sand it needed from the Pahang and Perak river so that floods would not occur as frequently as they do now – this way Singapore would have their sand and Malaysia gets two strikes against Singapore: Payment for the sand and flood prevention! I quietly smiled at his logic. If only our politicians could think that clearly! At night I would watch TV as I ate dinner and what I saw on Singapore TV gave me some explanation as to why Malaysia is so far behind Singapore. No I am not just talking about the physical aspect of development where a comparison between the two countries would be an exercise in futility: Where would you begin? From Changi airport, the taxis I took, the buses and trains that I used to the presence of a city confident in its growth and secure of its place globally, Singapore is everything that Malaysia is not! Singapore TV is filled with programs that provides you with information of world events, knowledge about anything that you would care to know and learn about and many programs that tells Singaporeans that life out there is to be lived and enjoyed responsibly. No politicians in sight on their TV. Nothing that would allow any sensible, intelligent Singapore TV viewer to be upset at any attempt by the Singapore government to try and influence them on matters political. Malaysian TV is pathetic and an embarrassment to watch. Talk show hosts that are so condescending to their guests that it makes me cringe! We have crowds of people being told about the latest government projects that will benefit them and the nation. What passes for Television programs is in reality government propaganda - pure and simply drivel and unmitigated spew of useless information that benefits no one – not even the government because all it does is to turn the thinking viewer against such blatant propaganda of a BN government desperate to win a coming general election. I remember one episode where this Malay politician was opening a show or seminar of some sort by unfurling a banner with a giant size portrait of himself! It makes me want to spew! What was more disturbing to me is thinking how all this rubbish on Malaysian Television will affect those Malaysian watching Malaysian TV. If that is the only TV they watch then what chance do these people have of developing into a better human being? We have been told that we are what we eat…well I think what our government allow our people to watch on TV and read in the media is what we will be: a people blinkered and oblivious to the world outside. But as a Malay what saddens me is that the politics within UMNO defines us Malays as we have never been defined before. Before this the Malays saw themselves as a people who went about their life with a quiet dignity secure in the knowledge that as a people, they had the respect of the other races and felt themselves worthy of being Malays – son of the soils. More important we had a sense of self worth. Today the ugliness of the Malay persona is now no longer a matter than can be kept within the confines of family and the Malay community. How can it be kept from the public domain when Malays are ridicule and laughed at as they try to walk along the path where others have walked – and in trying to do so they have failed miserably. Failed because they are ill equipped to compete on a level playing field with the other races. This is not something that UMNO can sweep under the carpet anymore. Today it is the Malays themselves who have realized the dire situation that they are in. This is what the Malays now know of themselves. There are no great Malay leaders in this country of ours any more. All our leaders, without exception, has in one-way or another, failed us – and yet having failed they still insists that their right to remain a Malay leader is unaffected. The Malay leaders of today are a joke! The education of our young has not prepared or equipped them to compete on a level playing field against non-Malays in Malaysia and against others when they go overseas. They have failed miserably from their ability to master the English Language to their ability to interact and handle the intricacies of living amongst non-Malays. I have been shamed countless times when in conversation with Malay students in Australia – not only by their woefully inadequate ability to speak decent English but more worrying in the blinkered approach to education with the 'them' and 'us' approach to everything – from social interactions to having no understanding that we must celebrate diversity – not treat it as a threat to our Malay ethnicity, to our religion and to our way of life. That they have failed to do so is painfully obvious to me as a Malay – what more to the people they meet. But ignorance is bliss and these students are unable to comprehend that they are looked upon as an object to be pitied rather then laughed at. And so these students go about their education oblivious to their failings. Katak di bawah tempurong! The Malays can no longer ignored the reality that the non-Malays are way ahead by leaps and bounds in all things Malaysians: Business, Education, civil society and even respect and dignity of their own race. How is this possible when the Malays have complete control of government since Merdeka and should and did have control over all aspects of life in Malaysia? How is this possible when the Malays have 9 Sultans and numerous Governors as the constitutional head of state? How is this possible when the Malays numerically overwhelmed all the other races put together? And yet all this advantages have made the Malays into a people that can no longer hold their head nobly whatever their circumstances simply because the Malay dominated Barisan Nasional government has failed in their much stated purpose of Ketuanan Melayu. Failed not in the getting of the Ketuanan Melayu but failed in the manner in which Ketuanan Melayu is used to further NOT The Malay interest but to further UMNO's interest. And therein lies the tragedy of the Malays! AN UMNO that takes for themselves what should really be for the Malays. And it is in the leaders of UMNO that we see the worst of the Malays acting out what the Malays have now become! These UMNO leaders are the epitome of greed, corruption and thievery of the nations wealth for their own pockets. | ||||||
| Posted: 12 Dec 2011 11:41 AM PST When I wrote the first part, I was serious. I said Anwar does a Sivaji the Boss stunt. Like in one of the Tamil Movies, he hurled a knife towards an oncoming speeding bullet. The knife slices the bullet into two. One hits UMNO and Najib. The other hits BN. the knife on its own momentum, hits Anwar's former mentor turned number 1 nemesis, Dr Mahathir. Anwar gets his revenge after all. He vanquishes his political enemies. Who is Mack the Knife? (Sung by Louis Satchmo Armstrong) Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear And it shows them pearly white Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe And he keeps it, ah, out of sight Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe Scarlet billows start to spread Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe So there's never, never a trace of red
Except here the knife is symbolism. Who is Mack the knife? In about 2 months' time Anwar may perhaps be a special guest to the government at Bamboo River. So physically he may not be there jumping up and down at the Palace gates. Not he, but a trusted person waves the paper that contains the list of MPs who backs him as the PM. He will insist, the choice of PM can be done this way, since precedence has been created in Perak. The MPs whose names are in the list waved are also at the gates. They all have travelled in buses provided free by businessmen eager to ingratiate themselves to the new rulers of Malaysia. But that person who probably has no stature and standing is refused entry. The AG who is inside in audience with the King in the presence of the Chief Secretary of the government informs the King, the test of support of the majority of MPs must be tested in a parliamentary sitting. So, the paper waved is useless unless parliament sits. The Agong for the first time will be truly tested. The country cannot afford to not have a constitutionally established government. He will need to use his discretion to decide, who he and his brother rulers regard as the person who has the credibility and support to form the next government. The interest of the country now overrides anything else. He will only see the person whom he thinks command all round respect. Anwar may have underestimated the technicalities of forming a new government. He can't bulldoze his way around and does an Arab Spring or whatever consisting of a series of street demonstrations and the like. He must now realize, his earthly salvation lies in the hands of other people. The big 3- PKR, PAS and DAP must direct themselves to this possibly. They must collectively address the issue who is their collective leader, the person with the stature, the experience and who possesses sufficient credibility to become PR's leader.
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| Posted: 12 Dec 2011 11:32 AM PST In Selangor the sweetener for PAS was the MB's post. Recall also the UMNO-PAS meeting at the Terengganu palace, though Nik Aziz stated that he was ambushed by UMNO. Indeed it was only Pak Haji Niz Aziz who put a stop to Pak Haji Hadi Awang and his deputy president Nasharuddin's keenness to take up UMNO's appeal for ethnic unity, before the Pakatan ship wrecked itself on hidden rocks by the lure of the siren song.
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| Hindraf to lend its strength to ABU Posted: 12 Dec 2011 07:22 AM PST ____________________________________ Recent developments seem to point in the direction of a hardening of UMNO's political attitude. This is what we get reading what PM Najib has been saying and reading between the lines of what he has been saying. He is creating a false feel good factor by handing out goodies to his target constituencies, the rural Malays, the urban poor and the civil servants as seen by his various pronouncements in the budget, the various handout schemes and various other subsidy maintenance programs. He has been talking a hard brand of racist talk to his core constituency. He has been mingling with organizations acknowledged to have questionable credentials. For the large segment of educated young and the middle class voters he is creating an illusion of liberalization and moderation when in fact the recent changes and additions to our laws – the amendments to the Employment Act, the new Freedom of Assembly bill are in reality detrimental to the people. Even as he is gearing up for the polls with all of this, he is also gearing up for more repression on the other hand in preparation for the unpopular and postponed actions post-election. It is clear what the future holds if left unattended.
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| Does The Star have something to hide about sales? Posted: 11 Dec 2011 11:35 PM PST ABC circulation report 2011 The omission is surprising because the Star has regularly filed its circulation figures in the past. Either it filed its figures too late for audit this time, or the figures were withheld.
Insider's surprising claim of 10,000 rise for Star More surprising was the claim by Malaysian Insider last week that the Star's sales had risen this year, by an extra 10,000 copies a day. The Insider did not state a source for this figure, but extensively quoted Wong Sai Wan, the Star's executive editor, talking about a newspaper "recovery" and linking this to "election anger" having dissipated. His remarks seemed to be more of a politically-correct feel-good statement for the current political climate than a rational assessment of the newspaper market. The Insider's astonishing claim: no source is given for the figure stated. The Star has been shedding sales since its 310,000 peak five years ago. Several facelifts of the paper over the years have obviously made no impact on sales. (And after having being prettied up, the paper reverts each time to amateurish and egrerious design frills by editors keen to follow teenage fads.) Market talk earlier this year had predicted another fall of 10,000 putting the circulation below 270,000 copies a day. The Insider's claim that the Star had increased sales flies in the face of market expectations. If Star sales have indeed risen this year against the steady falls of the past, the most likely explanation would be the Star's circulation-boosting competition to give away a Peugeot sports car and other prizes amounting to RM300,000. But that campaign began only last month, to run until January, and would not have had any impact on the first-half figures. UP: Kosmo, Sin Chew, China Press, Oriental Daily News Utusan Malaysia held steady for a second year. Berita Harian dropped 10,000 copies in sales last year but also held steady this year. Both papers picked up about 1,500 copies a day each — that's a miniscule increase of less than 1% — but the soaring Metro suffered a setback, slipping by 10,000 copies. Kosmo, however, continued rising, picking up 23,000 copies and the Chinese papers stayed up, led by Sin Chew. Its stablemate Guang Ming, however, continues its slow slide. Downhill for NST The NST seems headed for oblivion, overtaken by China Press and just barely ahead of Guang Ming because of bulk sales (e.g. to schools, government departments and hotels). Overall sales dropped to 98,920 this year, of which full-rate sales amounted to 67,854 copies. The Guang Ming's full-rate sales are 20,000 copies more than the NST's. That's how far the mighty have fallen. Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/sliding-star-missing-from-abc-audit/
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| Posted: 11 Dec 2011 06:22 AM PST Mula saya ingat Muhyidin Yasin sudah tebiat bila menakutkan orang Melayu mengenai ancaman keatas Melayu oleh bangsa lain. Setelah itu, ketua penerangan UMNO mengukuhkan lagi rasa cemas pemimpin parti yang kian tenat bila menyatakan pandangan bebal yang sama. Jika DAP dan orang Cina memerintah negara habis lah orang Melayu, habis lah Islam dan habislah Raja2 Melayu. Sana sini orang bercakap- adakah pemimpin UMNO sudah jadi bingung? DAP yang Islam yang sudah sempurna berada dalam ancaman? Hello- yang terancam dan berada dalam keadaan yang teruk, ialah orang Muslim dan majority Muslim dalam negara kita ialah orang Melayu. Keadaan mereka terjadi demikian disebabkan system pemerintahan dan cara orang UMNO berpolitik. Orang Cina yang berjumlah lebih kecil mahu menjatuhkan orang Melayu yang merupakan 65% penduduk negara ini? Tauke Cina kalau dapat, hendak lagi baik dengan raja2 Melayu sebab melalui sistem raja, mereka dapat menguasai lebih banyak bisnes dan pengaruh. Sebab itu, saya menganggap bila dua pemimpin UMNO dari Johor ini mengeluarkan kenyataan bebal tersebut, UMNO sudah cemas dan kebingungan. Tapi, bila Ezam Mohd Noor yang mendakwa DAP akan menjadikan Malaysia sebuah Singapura, saya rasa trademark UMNO dan orang2 yang menyokong nya, ialah mereka semua sudah buang tebiat. Mengikut hemat orang Melayu, orang yang buang tebiat, ialah orang yang hampir mati. Demikian agaknya, yang terjadi keatas UMNO sekarang. Elok rasa nya kita jawab kenyataan senator Ezam. Apa salah nya- jika Malaysia jadi kaya dan kekayaan tersebut di nikmati oleh semua berbanding pada masa sekarang kekayaan dan nikmat ekonomi di monopoli oleh segelintir orang tertentu? Apa salah nya, negara kita menjadi negara macam Singapura di mana perkhidmatan awam nya kelas pertama? Dan apa salah nya negara kita jadi macam Singapura yang mengenakan disiplin yang ketat keatas rasuah?
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| Hudud & MCA's Lost in Transition Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:18 AM PST MCA's insistence to hype up the issue of Hudud has indicated that the party has very limited option and political arsenal to use against it's nemesis. This is not a very positive sign for the party. Under the leadership of Chua, the party has achieved internal stability but the same cannot be said of the party's political fortune. By harping on the Hudud issue, MCA risks not only continuous alienation from the Chinese voters but also backlash from Muslim leaders and groups such as Abim, Perkasa and some crucial conservative Muslim-Malay voters. Instead of scaring Chinese voters away from supporting the very dominant Dap, the party might find the double edged sword cutting deep on it's side.
MCA's lack of strategy is symptomatic of a lack of political ideas and depth within the party's leadership. Chua may be a respected leader within his party but his leadership has very little to show in it's ability to attract young talents into his party.
A party insider lamented that the party is recycling old leaders who are way past their political relevance in states such as Perak, Penang and Selangor/Klang Valley. He said that leaders who were not made candidates in the last elections are now back in favour due to lack of choice and willing candidates.
Such perception does not augur well for the party. Without seriously addressing issues that are important to the voters, there is little hope for MCA's revival and eventual electoral triumph. MCA's internal stability should not be misconstrued as the revival of the party's support base among the voters especially in urban constituencies.
MCA must find it's strength through the right political positioning. It's main weakness and severest criticism has been it's inability to punch beyond it's weight within the Barisan Nasional government. The party has very little influence over policy making.
MCA cannot and should not seek solace in Hudud or Dap's cosy relationship with Pas in Pakatan. Dap had severed it's relationship with Pas post 1999 general elections when the Hudud issue was effectively capitalized by MCA and Gerakan to scare away Chinese voters from supporting the party.
It is unlikely going to work again in the 2012 general elections.
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| BR1M; cutting our own flesh to feed ourselves Posted: 11 Dec 2011 12:20 AM PST BN administration latest flagship gadget to retain power, which is estimated to cost tax payers RM2.6 billion for 2.5 million applicants, will do the country more harm than good for the country.  Instead of worshipping this as a blessing from demi-god, first and foremost, it looks like an one-off election gadget, a customary by-election sweetener ("remember Najib's 'you-help-me-I-help-you' classic in Sibu?); only on a wider scale. In fact, the PA of Koh Tsu Koon, a minister in the prime minister department, informed one of the local Chinese dailys that only offcials from Barisan Nasional can certify applications of this BR1M forms. Any forms carrying a Pakatan representative signature will be rejected   Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/12/bn-administration-latest-flagship.html | ||||||
| Why 'Anything But Umno/BN' (ABU) Posted: 11 Dec 2011 12:16 AM PST Twitter is a platform open to anything and everything (for now). You can be funny, angry, hates, loves, polite, vicious, evil intention, preaching, prolific own business, spread lies, personal thoughts, political sparring, disruption from cybertroopers and that summarised it all as the good, the bad and the ugly of twitting. Read more at: http://ousel.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-anything-but-umnobn-abu-my-view.html | ||||||
| EZAM MOHD NOR – OLD HABITS DIE HARD Posted: 10 Dec 2011 10:22 AM PST He claimed that we had "lost an island (I suppose referring to Singapore) " because of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew and "the same fate awaited the rest of the country if they (I suppose referring to Malaysian) stood idly by".
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| After PBDS and SNAP, it’s SUPP’s turn to be history Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:16 AM PST Factions including those aligned to presidential aspirant Wong Soon Koh, who pulled out a day ago in protest, say the least the Registrar of Societies could do is to order the party to halt its triennial general meeting (TGM) scheduled for Dec 10-11 until the alleged irregularities are rectified. Amidst charges and counter-charges of massive fraud and irregularities in the party set-up, the various factions have been making daily visits to the RoS in Kuching. The result is the foregone conclusion that Supp would have to show cause why it should not be deregistered. The party will probably face the same fate as the Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which suffered the dubious distinction of being deregistered twice, in 2003 and 2004, and the Sarawak National Party (Snap) which was deregistered in 2002 before being given a new lease of life last year by the Court. However, the party has never recovered and remains comatose and on life-support. PBDS's deregistration was followed by the formation of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) by James Masing who created a crisis by challenging the assumption of the party leadership by founder Daniel Tajem Anak Miri, the Lion of the Ibans and Dayaks, from 1st President Leo Moggie Anak Irok. At the same time, Tajem was not allowed to register the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC). New party on the cards Soon Koh, the deputy secretary-general, has on his side 7 key party leaders, all either MPs or state assemblymen. Nothing could be more telling. It's predictable that these seven will form a new multiracial-based but Chinese-dominated party in Sarawak. The seven have been named as Richard Riot Jaem and Tiong Thai King, both MPs, and state assemblypersons Francis Harden Hollis, Lee Kim Shin, Dr Jerip Susil, Ranum Mina and Johnichal Rayong Ngipa. Ironically, five of the seven in the ostensibly multiracial but Chinese-dominated Supp are Dayaks. Wong, also the State Minister of Local Government and Community Development, led a group of his supporters to meet RoS deputy director-general Fison Yahaya and Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong in Putrajaya last week. The focus of their visit was to list out their litany of woes and complaints against another major faction in the party led by Federal Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Peter Chin Fah Kui. Both men are seeking to replace party chief George Chan who is being forced to step down. But really, the party could not have picked a worst time to wash its dirty linen in public. Chin is seen to be Putrajaya's candidate, thereby making the infighting at the state level all the more passionate as few Sarawak-based members want their party to be under Prime Minister Najib Razak's thumb. Another excuse for Najib to delay GE-13 The next General Election, the 13th, is due soon if Najib is to be believed. So far, Najib has put off getting his own mandate by latching on to one lame excuse after another. His latest excuse is the need for electoral reform before polls. This is like him claiming that free and fair elections can only benefit his ruling coalition and not vice versa. Now the on-going power struggle in Supp will give him yet another excuse to delay nationwide polls. Supp could have put off its party polls, like other BN component parties including Umno, until after GE 13. However, party members wouldn't hear of it especially after the electoral debacle in April last year in state polls and the need to exit party chief George Chan as soon as possible. Chan, whose daughter is married to Taib's younger son, Sulaiman, had pledged many times before to quit but each time went back on his promises. To add insult to injury, Chan lost his Piasau seat and presided over the loss of another 12 of its 19 seats.
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| Dr Mahathir meminta Shahrizat berhenti. Yang lain-lain itu macam mana? Posted: 10 Dec 2011 07:07 AM PST Sebenarnya berundur itu memang tidak payah disuruh dan dipaksa kerana isu itu memang menuntut Shahrizat untuk mengundurkan diri secara 'voluntary' sesuai dengan semangat demokrasi yang tulen. Sepatutnya Sharizat lebih awal lagi berundur tetapi beliau sebaliknya menyingsing lengan dan mengkritik pembangkang pula yang melakukan fitnah dan sebagainya.
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| A Single Spark that starts the prairie fire? Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:59 AM PST Dengar cerita CEO NFC (suami Sharizat) dpt gaji 100k sebulan, anak sulung (age 31) dpt gaji 45k sebulan, anak kedua (age 27)dpt 35k sebulan, anak ketiga (age 25) dpt 35k sebulan. Jika ini betul, ia sesungguhnya memalukan. Ambil duit rakyat buat bayar gaji besar. Anak saya pun graduate juga. UPSR, PMR, SPM dapat semua A. Umur 24 tahun. Kerja swasta. Dia pun work hard. Balik kerja paling awal jam 9 malam. Kadang2 sampai 1 pagi. Gaji dia RM2,700/sebulan. Adakah anak saya akan sokong BN/UMNO kalau begini keadaannya? Saya dah tahu jawapannya. UMNO tak boleh kelentong orang cerdik. UMNO is not capable of changing, not with the current leaders. When more than 50% of our working population is earning less than RM2k/month, tak tahu malu ke mereka-mereka ini. Merompak siang dan malam, 7 hari seminggu. Perompak Ali Baba P Ramli pun ada cuti hujung minggu. 8 December 2011 15:12 **************************************** Even if we refuse to admit it, the above is an outpouring of bitterness. Although personal and UMNO people will wish it's confined, its personal anecdote such as this that strikes fear in UMNO. Maybe it's already that single initial spark that has ignited the prairie fire. Shahrizat can huff and puff and weave her tales as her mythical namesake did in 1001 Nights. While she can fool UMNO delegates by employing attack is the best form of defence, her actions are only an exercise in futility. For her, the writing is already on the wall. Whatever she does will not extinguish her blackened image. Dr Mahathir has called for her exit from UMNO politics. She's finished. Incidentally, the 1001 Nights contained the story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves which the writer of the comment cited. Perhaps, Ali Baba and the thieves aptly describe what UMNO has become. This kind of anecdotal and very personalized tale of feeling marginalized and alienated reflects the wider bitterness of Malays with UMNO. There is nothing that UMNO can do about it now. It's a discredited brand. It's synonymous with pillage and plunder, corruption, arrogance that can only be the result of being far too long in power. It's the manifestation of the political dictum- power corrupts absolutely and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Last year, every big idea thrown up by the UMNO president, were rejected by UMNO delegates. When he spoke about 1 Malaysia, delegates insisted on Malay first, Malaysia second. The deputy UMNO president was even forthright in affirming that line of thinking, which is more in common with the UMNO ground. Even as UMNO members deny it, there is worrisome disconnect between the UMNO president and the rest of his team. When he spoke about his nebulous New Economic Model, delegates spoke about more NEP like policies. In the end, what has Najib got to defend himself? He has only the claim that he is the son of Tun Razak- imagining such pedigree is testimony that he won't abandon principles dear to UMNO. When a person has nothing else to defend himself but lay bare his bloodline credentials it's a sign he is in trouble. No one can deny that biological connection. The similarities end just there- as people are arguing whether he has inherited the leadership talent of the father. This year what has UMNO got? It didn't encourage delegates speaking about economic achievements. No talk on vision, policies and so forth. No one debates about how Shahrizat got the RM 250 million. No one spoke about the ETP, EPP, GTP and whatever labels the UMNO president gave to his string of initiatives. None. The UMNO president pleads for continued mandate from the people as the Malay Agenda has not finished. No one spoke or elaborated about the agenda. How is that the agenda can only be achieved through UMNO at all? No one puts forth convincing arguments telling us why UMNO is the only qualified instrument for Malays to achieve their collective agenda. Najib is confused about the concept which he came up when he took over Pak Lah which is, the claim that the age of government knows best is over. Yet, by asking the nation to give him the mandate to enable him to continue the agenda, he is reaffirming the exact opposite. The government and the party is the deity and dispenser of what is good to the people. The 2011 Umno GA was an occasion for an orgy of vituperative shouting match. UMNO does nothing but directed themselves to attacking and insulting its political opponents. UMNO does two things actually- heightened the morbid patriotism and nationalistic urges of Malays. And it does what it hasn't done before- speak about Malays' greatest fear- assault on the religion of Islam.
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The federal government's draft new law on computing is such an amorphous blob, trying to cover all the bases, that attacks have come from all sides, the latest critic being a politician formerly an IT entrepreneur who sees the law as another weapon against free speech. 
If the aim was to deal with cyber security, the government should have ensured that the law was drafted narrowly — by government, not industry — and sets out a proper security regime; to state specifically which areas it wishes to declare as security areas, and how industry and citizens may respond; set out clearly who may declare security areas or decide who is allowed entry; state their powers, and how the citizen or industry worker can obtain redress.
But the 2011 ABC report shows a blank for the Star 
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