Current affairs, human rights, justice with specific focus on Malaysia and where the world situation has a direct or indirect impact on the Malaysian political climate. Malaysians must never be told they are being "tolerated" when they exercise their constitutional rights, instead, the government of the day must respect their rights to do so.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Seif al-Islam attempts a desperate buy out of the Libyans
Ahmad Jibreel, a Libyan diplomat, has confirmed that the minister of Justice In Libya had sided with the protesters and that he has joined the demonstrators.
Now that major cities are in the hands of the people we shall be able to allow in the foreign media said Ahmad Jibreel
"The more he kills our people the more people come out to the streets, he can't buy us, he can't intimidate us anymore, we want our freedom."
“Gaddafi's guards started shooting people in the second day and they shot two people only. We had on that day in Al Bayda city only 300 protesters. When they killed two people, we had more than 5,000 at their funeral, and when they killed 15 people the next day, we had more than 50,000 the following day.
His comments came hours after Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader, warned of a civil war if anti-government protests continue to spread in the country.
Speaking on state television in the early hours of Monday morning, Seif Gaddafi blamed thugs, inmates, foreigners and Islamists for the unrest that has spread across the country since February 14.
He promised a conference on constitutional reforms within two days and said Libyans should “forget oil and petrol” and prepare themselves for occupation by “the West” if they failed to agree.
The younger Gaddafi contrasted the situation in Libya with revolts earlier this year in Egypt and Tunisia, where longtime rulers were forced step down or fled in the face of mass popular discontent.
Protesters in Libya have similarly called for Muammar Gaddafi's ousting, but his son warned against this, saying “Libya is different, if there is disturbance it will split into several states”.
“You can say we want democracy and rights, we can talk about it, we should have talked about it before. It's this or war. Instead of crying over 200 deaths, we will cry over hundreds of thousands of deaths.
“Brothers, there are $200bn worth of projects at stake now. We will agree to all these issues immediately. We will then be able to keep our country, unlike our neighbors.
“Or else, be ready to start a civil war and chaos and forget oil and petrol.”
But his statements have failed to hinder demonstrations. Protesters say they have taken control of several key towns, including the eastern city of Benghazi. Al Bayda and Sabha were also said to have been taken over by protesters.
Gaddafi in the meantime is not to be seen, his appearance on TV was short and there was no way of determining if he was in Libya, or wiith his friend Hosni Mubarak in Egypt or in Venezuela.
Cuba is reported to be willing to offer him refuge if conditions are met.
Gaddafi gone mad, Son Saif Gaddafi orders shooting and bombing in Tripoli
Libyan warplanes were bombing indiscriminately across Tripoli on Monday, a resident of the Libyan capital told al Jazeera television in a live broadcast. Although reported to be directed by his son "it has the Gaddafi signature on it," Adel Mohamed Saleh said.
:
Saleh, who called himself a political activist, said the bombings had initially targeted a funeral procession. "Our people are dying. It is the policy of scorched earth." he said. "Every 20 minutes they are bombing.
Asked if the attacks were still happening he said: "It is continuing, it is continuing. Anyone who moves, even if they are in their car they will hit you."
An influential Sunni Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi issued a fatwa on Monday that any Libyan soldier who can shoot and kill embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi should do so “to rid Libya of him”.
“Whoever in the Libyan army is able to shoot a bullet at Mr Gaddafi should do so,” Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born cleric who is usually based in Qatar, told Al Jazeera television.
He also called on Libyan ambassadors around the world to distance themselves from Gaddafi’s regime.
Qaradawi, 85, hosts a popular show on Al Jazeera satellite channel and has close ties with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood
Libyan warplanes were bombing indiscriminately across Tripoli on Monday, a resident of the Libyan capital told al Jazeera television in a live broadcast.
:
Adel Mohamed Saleh said. Saleh, who called himself a political activist, said the bombings had initially targeted a funeral procession. "Our people are dying. It is the policy of scorched earth." he said. "Every 20 minutes they are bombing.
Asked if the attacks were still happening he said: "It is continuing, it is continuing. Anyone who moves, even if they are in their car they will hit you."
There was no independent verification of the report but Fathi al-Warfali, the Libyan activist who heads the Swiss-based Libyan Committee for Truth and Justice, who was taking part in a protest outside UN European headquarters in Geneva said he had heard the same reports.
Meanwhile both the BBC and Al Jazeera have claimed Jamming of airwaves in Iran and in Libya, and claimed the jamming is coming from within those countries.
According to the NYT, Monday night, witnesses said, the streets of the capital, Tripoli, were thick with special forces loyal to Colonel Qaddafi as well as mercenaries. They shot freely as planes dropped what witnesses described as “small bombs” and helicopters fired on protesters.
Hundreds of Qaddafi supporters took over Green Square after truck loads of militiamen arrived and opened fire on protesters, scattering them from the square. Residents said they now feared even to emerge from their houses.
“It was an obscene amount of gunfire,” said the witness. “They were strafing these people. People were running in every direction.” The police stood by and watched, the witness said, as the militiamen, still shooting, chased after the protesters.
The escalation of the conflict came after six days of revolt that began in Libya’s second-largest city, Benghazi, where more than 220 people were killed in clashes with security forces, according to witnesses and human rights groups. The rebellion is the latest and bloodiest so far of the uprisings that have swept across the Arab world with surprising speed in recent weeks, toppling autocrat.
Gaddafho the Colonel who seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1969 and is just referred to as "the leader" is now reported to be placing his son in the forefront, and in typical fashion of how the middle east operates, may tturn on his son in the last days of this revolution to appease the people.
Saif Gaddafi the son of Gaddafi has been inthe forefront of the current situation in Tripoli and has vowed rivers of blood and a fight to the last man and the last bullet to save his father.
Gaddafi's days look numbered and he is expected to be either overthrown or killed by his own bodyguards, within the next few weeks.
Amid reports that he had fled to Venezuela, Gaddafi appeared on state TV to insist: 'I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. I am in Green Square with the youths, do not believe those dogs.' He gave the brief statement in a bizarre TV interview while holding an umbrella and sitting in the front seat of a car.
Gaddafi spoke out after reports suggested a massacre had taken place in the city’s Green Square and left more than 600 dead, taking the death toll across the country to more than 3000.
i
Monday, February 21, 2011
Massacare In Libya turns the tide against Gaddafi
Image by BlatantNews.com via Flickr
"Tribal leaders are urging the people now to kill Gaddafi"Baghouti el Najami
The tide has turned on Gaddafi, and he has resorted to bringing in mercenaries from Tunisia, but they have been arrested by forces loyal to the people.
Protesters were even reported heading to Gaddafi's compound in the city of Al-Zawia near Tripoli and the Al-Zuwayya tribe in eastern Libya has threatened to cut off oil exports unless authorities stop what their tribal lleader called "the oppression of protesters", the Warfala tribe, one of Libya's biggest, has reportedly joined the anti-Gaddafi protests.
Akram Al-Warfalli, a leading figure in the Al Warfalla tribe from southern Tripoli, one of Libya's biggest, told the network: "We tell the brother (Gaddafi), well he's no longer a brother, we tell him to leave the country."
There is anti-Gaddafi graffiti on the walls of building in alomst every major city Libya, and Gaddafi is not to be seen or heard.
In Benghazi witness said that a section of the troops had joined the protesters on Sunday as chaos swept the streets of the city, worst hit by the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year old rule.
Libyan clerics have urged the security forces to stop killing the people.
An urgent appeal from religious leaders, intellectuals, and tribal elders from Tripoli, Bani Walid, Zintan, Jadu, Msalata, Misrata, Zawiah, and other towns and villages of the western area, the appeal, signed by the group of leaders, says, "We appeal to every Muslim, within the regime or assisting it in any way, to recognize that the killing of innocent human beings is forbidden by our Creator and by His beloved prophet of compassion, peace be upon him. Do not kill your brothers and sisters. Stop the massacre now!"
Libya is the stronghold everyone wants to follow, its strongman Gaddafi has remained supreme all these years, he looked impossible to overthrow, but times can change everything and Gaddafi's time has come.
From London, my friend Trabooulsi says, " It is not Tunis, or Cairo, they are like the prophets of old telling us of this coming, Gaddafi is gone and with him the rest, once Gaddafi falls Iran will follow, and the whole of the middle east, and we may see more turmoil in the aftermath before real peace is gained."
Traboolsi estimates at least 800 killed and maybe more, he says it is a conservative estimate.
Against this backdrop, Malaysia has to be very careful, its people are being driven to the brink, right now we have the Sodomy II, we have the Port Klang Assemblyman's case where the Judiciary has interfered with the executive, we have Teoh beng Hock, we have Interlok, we have had a PAS rally where Najib was given a warning on what could happen.
The police and the army can't hold against the will of a people, so take a lesson, the government must cool down the situation, we can't afford this type of crisis in Malaysia, but we can't be pushed int creating one either. the government needs to act responsibly.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Najib may be driving us to do an Egypt
Image via Wikipedia
The headline below has been changed.Stop press - Latest
Clashes between anti-government protesters and Gaddafi supporters escalate as army unit 'defects' in Benghazi. Clashes reported in Tripoli, even Gaddafi the strongman who gave orders to shoot on sight and has reportedly killed about 300 Libyans is now in serious trouble.
The Libyan people want to triumph, other hardline states will follow.
Even Gaddafi is not safe now.
We are seeing how it is happening in the Muslim world one nation after another, and for about the same reasons it will happen here.
Hardliners like Gaddaf of Libya, Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Iranian regime, and Syriain strong man Asad have been challanged,a nd the situation is escalating.
The Malaysian minister of Education in his narrow mindedness has only focus on students, he fails to see once the students take to the streets the parents and other adults will too.
The Port Klang case shows the amount of influence this government wields over bodies they are not supposed to have anything to do with.
The Elections commission had no right to interfere with a decision of the speaker, but they did to please their political masters, Najib and gang, the Judiciary had no place in what was an executive decision, and yet they did, the people have no recourse, this government will bulldoze regardless of what can be seen as blatant disregard for the voice of the common man.
The Teoh Beng Hock case, the interlock casefor what it is worth and the frustrations of the rakyat have been seen by the gathering in Kedah yesterday.
There is the rape of Sarawak by but one man, the great oil find announced by the government off Sarawak, is nothing but taking back part of what was sold by Badawi to the Sultanate of Brunei, individuals selling state property, its happening in Malaysia, the Sarawak CM is a classic example.
Temperatures are rising, and we have seen how it is being handled in the rest of the Islamic world, it is fresh in the memories of all Malaysians - Egypt that is, now we have Libya, Algeria, Bharain, Iran, Jordan and even Yemen the government had better learn how to behave.
The Oh I See (OIC) wave widens as hardline states experience massive protests.
Image via Wikipedia
Yea the the wave of protests in the Islamic world is widening, tyranny is no more acceptable to the people whilst the tyrants fight back in typical style to supress the will of the people.Even the hardline states of Iran, Libya, Syria and Algeria have not been spared.
In Libya alone latest reports indicate more then 175 deaths with the number increasing as the Libyans show sign of letting up on both sides of the divide.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is confronting the most serious challenge to his 42-year rule as leader of Libya by unleashing his army on unarmed protesters.
Al-Zahf al-Akhdar a pro government newspaper warned that the government would "violently and thunderously respond" to the protests, and said those opposing the regime risked "suicide".
All communication with the outside world has been cut off, and the web is trying to defy this ban with Google offering the Libyans a route to report what is happening.The main center for revolt in Libya is Benghazi.
Libyan strongman Gaddafi is under siege from his own people they have had enough of him, he on the other hand has ordered his army to shoot on sight, and there are no international observes in Libya.
In a short message from Tripoli, my Libyan friend Omrani tells me this is it, the Libyans are not giving up now, this is exactly what he said, "if we let this man go now, we will remain slaves to his will till he dies, so we want to see him die sooner rather then later, whichever side o fthe coin you pick we shall die, we prefer to die with courage and respect rather then as Gaddafi's slaves" similar sentiments were echoed by another friend Trabulsi, which incidentally means Tripoli.
The revolts in Libya are mainly centered in Benghazi, Bayda and Tobruk and there seems to be no trouble in Triploic although the people seemed to be very tensed as there is no saying how Gaddafi reacts said Omrani.
In Algeria demonstrations are organized by the Co-ordination for Democratic Change in Algeria and in the latest demonstrations the people were said to number 10,000 and the riot Police 26,000 that makes it 2.6 policemen to an individual demonstrator, how absurd can it get.
CDCA is demanding an end of the government of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algeria's president, citing the same problems as the Tunisians did, of high unemployment, housing and soaring costs, and they want him out immediately.
In bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, the crown prince, had earlier in the day ordered the military to withdraw, and assigned the Police to be responsible for enforcing order, the Bahrain News Agency reported.
Soon after the crown prince's directive, protesters attempted to stream back to the roundabout, but were beaten back by the police. According to the Reuters news agency, about 80 protesters were taken to a hospital after being hit by rubber bullets or teargas.
Thousands of protesters have reoccupied the Pearl Roundabout in the Bahraini capital, Manama, after troops and riot police retreated from the symbolic centre of their anti-government uprising.
Trouble is still brewing in Iran but a blanket news blackout is making it difficult to get any news feeds from Iran. the same apples to Syria.
The hard line states of Libya, Iran Syria are willing to order the shooting of innocent peaceful protesters in order to remain in power.
In a very recent development, PAS has organised a rally in Keddah yesterday in a show of strength, one of the highlights of the rally was the announcement that actor and songwriter Bob Lokman (below), originally from Kelantan, has joined PAS.
Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak, then addressed the gathering, and spoke of the important role of the youth in ensuring that PAS and Pakatan Rakyat continue to rule their respective states.
Azizan then addressed the gathering, and spoke of the important role of the youth in ensuring that PAS and Pakatan Rakyat continue to rule their respective states.
He cited the recent revolution in Egypt that dethroned former president Hosni Mubarak, calling on the people to exercise God's will in fighting a cruel administration.
Toffeesturn is not in favour of an Egypt type revolt we have too much to loose, but agrees that if the Barisan does not address urgent change that is the way it is bound to go.
Related articles
- "Gaddafi orders army to shoot unarmed Libyan protesters" and related posts (yalibnan.com)
- You: Death toll rising in Libyan unrest (earthtimes.org)
THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR CORRUPTION STUDIES
I think we finally have that rare thing - an honest minister with business acumen, foresight, vision and practical ability. I am in a celebratory mood ! Just give this a thought : the minister has taken a much maligned national failing out of the shadows and brought it center stage with the avowed aim of making a clean profit out of corruption !
His speech in Parliament introducing “The Bill For The Setting Up Of The International School For Corruption Studies” merits being quoted:-
“ We Malaysians did not invent corruption. On this matter we proudly say “Malaysia Ta’Boleh “. We make no apologies for that. Corruption is as old as Adam and Eve. Like prostitution, it has withstood the test of time. Anything as old as that cannot be all that bad. Our real failing as a people is in not recognising that there are two distinct species of corruption. In evolutionary terms we can say that the common ancestor of the animal we call corruption branched out into two distinct lines -government sanctioned corruption and bad corruption. The former is many a splendid thing. Without it how could we have achieved progress, development and modernisation in a mere 22 years? The latter species is of course vile and despicable. Our task now is to recognise the good from the bad. We must not get over-emotional or irrational about corruption. What happened in Tunisia and Egypt stays there. Above all we must not panic. There is enough of it to go around “.
To loud applause he went on to explain that the nation was scoring a world’s first in setting up such a school. He noted that the Chinese whose dazzling economic success is a brand in itself had these past few decades established very specialised universities. These centers of learning focused on a particular discipline. He named a few - University of Foreign Languages, University of Urban Development, University of Ocean Studies, University of Foreign Trade and University of Flight Studies. He said it was time we established The International School Of Corruption Studies here in Kuala Lumpur and beat the Chinese to it. Besides he said we have the right environment for such a school.
In passing it was explained that such a school will us increase our understanding of why we have one of the highest outflow rates of illicit funds. It would start off like many of our universities, housed in another institution or facility until a proper campus is located and the infrastructure build-up to reflect in his words ‘a world class institution second to none’. Parliament itself had offered to set aside a vacant part within its complex with a leaky roof for the use of the school. Likewise an offer had been received from an old and illustrious political party. “These are now being considered. It is important to avoid any conflict of interests situations”, said the minister.
He also outlined that the school will have 4 fully fledged faculties - the Faculty of Political Corruption, Faculty of Corporate and GLC Corruption, Faculty of Police Corruption and the Faculty of Judicial Corruption. The last named faculty will house the privately funded ‘Tun Mahathir Chair of Research On Judicial Appointments’. “ Zimbabwe is considering sending at least a hundred students for training in the school in the first academic intake. We have received inquiries from the world over. Only four countries have not responded to our marketing efforts - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Singapore “, said the minister.
As for me, it is better we have this International School for Corruption Studies than have a National School for Scandal ! The way things are now, there is every danger that one day soon we will become a pariah state with or without the introduction of a book that hardly rates as literature.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
By Howl Pillai
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, my fellow academicians. Good Morning !
It is indeed an honour to address this august gathering of the most learned minds of the land. On first being informed of this singular honour of delivering the keynote address, “Unity Among Great Apes”, I was overwhelmed by the temptation to whoop with joy and dance on my knuckles. But I resisted this natural inclination with all the will I could muster. That temptation is but a mere fragment now but a fragment nevertheless - for I cannot entirely set aside the DNA of my forefathers. I am, in case you have not noticed, an ‘orang utan’ . The more observant of you will have noticed the disproportionate length of my arms though I am wearing a full formal suit. You may have also been struck by my deeply resonating voice. And of course, the shave I had this morning took care of my facial hair. On this matter of facial hair, I note in passing that many of you here today have returned to the fashion of our common ancestor by retaining full length beards. My father was found of grunting, “different folks, different strokes” and I admit on this point that on account of my opposing big toe, I find wearing shoes painful but I will not make a fuss over that. All said, we have to learn to live together, whatever our genetic differences. Now I must return to the story of my incredible journey.........
About a hundred years ago a great ape and a gorilla called Red Peter was shot and captured alive in Africa. Red Peter is held in honour among us for being a true revolutionary. No, not for him the idea of merely being a rebel espousing many causes. He was single minded following his capture, of liberating himself from the bondage of ignorance. Imprisoned in a research station on an island off the coast this captive great ape studied the dominant and domineering ways of a fellow great ape, Man. By degrees and in turn these other great apes, all learned like yourselves, were captivated by Red Peter’s grace, intelligence, humanitarian spirit and studious attitude. Franz Kafka, in a short account of these events, paints a delightful picture of the learning abilities and perseverance displayed by my relative. It took awhile for news of these epochal events to reach Red Peter’s relatives out here in the East. But when it did, it had a terrific impact on all of us. In our folklore he is referred to as “Peter Merah”. Well, he showed us the way and today I stand before you as a proud fellow great ape. So let me briefly speak of our similarities.....
We orang utans are the only exclusively Asian genus of the great apes. So we are more ‘truly Asian’ than you! Like you, we too have an opposing thumb. Uniquely, and only with you humans and not the other great apes, we orang utans share similar dental structures, thick enamel, a thick posterior palate, a single incisive foramen, high estriol production, a beard and a moustache! For purposes of assimilation and integration, what more can you ask of us! But wait, there is more...... on the social side, your love of hand phones is matched by our penchant for making long distance calls over vast jungle distances. We too like to wander and enjoy our solitary moments by traveling and ‘being one with nature’. Like you, we like the high lifestyle but of course our tree nests are no match for your condos in creature comforts. We are susceptible like you to ‘you scratch my back and I scratch yours’, sexual favours and calculated reciprocity involving exchange of gifts and favours but not amounting to graft and outright commissions that you humans are so found of. We remain incorruptible! Notice that these days we are never caught by humans using the old ‘hand in the coconut’ trick. On the other hand it must be said that we orang utans have noticed an increasing numbers of our fellow truly Asians being caught with their hands in the till! Like you we too groom ourselves and on the right social occasions get all puffed up but I have digressed. One last comment on the sexes: like you humans, female orang utans are the sex that leaves the group at maturity. Many of you mistake that for promiscuity. Anyways all this shows that learning to be a human great ape is not really that difficult. And it all began with the fall......
At age two, the tree I was happily perched on was felled by a chainsaw of an illegal logger . As in your nursery rhyme, “down came baby, cradle and all”. Mum fled in abject fear. This was the second time her cradle was chainsawed. Was taken 40 miles downriver to a village, treated for a fractured right arm and adopted by a childless old couple who had never given up longing for a great ape baby on account of which they named me Providence! Primary school followed. Utter confusion reigned here ! First one great ape language and before I could master that a second was introduced. And then one subject was taught in one language and another subject in another. My adoptive parents were in despair. They even considered releasing me back to the jungle. But Mum was kindness personified and all perseverance. She tutored me at home. I complained of school and my fellow little apes. I am not a racist now nor then, but these other kids were monkeys ! And the teaching staff never gave up asking me what type of great ape I was and where I came from. Soon the kids picked up from where the teachers left of. In defence I said that like Peter Merah, we were all Africans ! Years later I found out that I was indeed right in saying that .There was never enough play time and all of us were ‘fatties’ if not obese. None of us were good at climbing trees. Secondary school was little different but I found it surprisingly easy to pass the school exams. Dad said I was getting cleverer. And I found a new method of learning and keeping up with the rest. I just aped the cleverer ones! Strangely, my teachers called it ‘copying and plagiarism’. But I noticed and am honest enough to say it now, no one was failing any exam any more. We had all gotten cleverer together.
Then came the time of learning about national slogans. Every few years the slogans changed. We wrote essays on the meaning of these slogans. Then came the shock. Soon I figured out that these slogans meant different things to the different human great ape races. Once I asked mum what “1 Malaysia” was all about. She said I must learn to read the small print attached to the slogan. It read :”Terms and Conditions Apply to Others. Discussions Not Included”. She said I will understand these things when I become an adult and can fend for myself. Then came the next shock. Some of us were abruptly told to fend for ourselves with immediate effect. We had to work or continue our education using our own resources. I was one of them. My human great ape parents were heart broken. They were also faulted for not giving me a religious upbringing and I was penalised for being born an orang utan. I then realised that religion answered the million dollar question about who made apes and how we were to thank the maker for making us great apes great. The different great ape races have always quarreled over the name of this maker and often killed each other by the millions over this. My parents kept the simple faith that all apes great and small are brothers and sisters but that was not good enough. Anyways all that is a long time ago. We have made much progress in our understanding of the great apes since then.
Today’s keynote address, “ Unity Among Great Apes” is therefore very relevant especially to our youth but I must end on a note of caution. There is a 99% or more match between our genomes. But the seemingly minor 1% difference at the gene level gives rise to all the difference so evident in our Parliament. This 1% difference accounts for all the racial and religious hatred and bloodletting through the centuries. Witness this very day the level of anger over the matter of whether male great apes should give flowers to the opposite sex at a certain time of the year. As a great ape I find this belittling for we seemingly remain trapped in the harmful delusion that great apes are special instruments of the Divine Will. God In Heaven ! We must move on and stop aping our past !
Thank You.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Tee Keat come down from the fence at once!!!!
Image via Wikipedia
Ong Tee Keat can't expect to sit on the fence and expect too much respect for that, his popularity will wane and he will be the cause of his own downfall.When his good friend Dr. Chua Jui Meng left the MCA for PKR he had nothing but good words, in fact he did say he understood why Chua had to leave.
Ong Tee Keat has branded himself as a man with integrity, he took on the Port Klang Free Trade Zone scandal by the horns much to the annoyance of Najib and other MCA top brass both present and past, and with his departure from the MCA presidency the issue has cooled down, in fact it is in deep freeze.
It is said that the "third force" that worked against him during the last MCA elections were people who had an interest in one way or another with the PKFZ scandal.
I have met MCA members who attend General Assemblies, they were annoyed with Ong Tee Keat for exposing the scandal, one of them told me he can't do this, if he want's to he should do it behind closed doors. Transparency I guess is a bard word and practice in the MCA.
The majority of the Chinese do not belong to the MCA, only some opportunistic people do and they'll do anything to wrest power. Previous MCA elections for presidents have stood testimony to this, and almost all MCA Presidents as do the other BN heads inevitably become big millionaires if not billionaires, there certainly must be lot to fight for.
As a strategist, I take off my hat to Dr. Chua Soi Lek, he managed to be caught on video committing a sexual act which is deemed a crime in accordance with our laws, admitted that it was indeed him in that video and resigned from his position as MCA president and managed to avoid avoided prosecution, the law went blind.
An UMNO Deputy President was sacked from his position as Deputy Prime Minister and charged in court and jailed without sufficient evidence and is again being hounded by this government on similar charges, and yet although he vehemently denies all the charges, has been dragged to court and his case has drawn the interest of the international community.
What an UMNO Deputy president, a former Deputy Prime Minster and the heir apparent, could not do, an MCA President could, no charges were made against those who filmed him in action either, he was the Minsiter of health, that was a huge national security risk as he was a senior member of the cabinet. One can imagine what would have happened if the maker of the film belonged to a terrorist organisation, or even a huge Pharmaceutical giant, or was interested in the goings of the cabinet, or even if the film fell on their hands first.
(That could be the reason why Mahathir is telling us he tried to abolish the ISA, people who did nothing were caught and locked up as National Security risks under the ISA, some were even locked up under the ISA for what one stupid fellow told us was for their own safety.)
He, Chua Soi Lek, is back today as President of the MCA, yes the MCA please take note, my hats off to this chap, not only is he president, his son is now an Member of Parliament how do you like that?
He has been rewarded, that is BN justice. A strange case of, "loser take it all, " probably the first in the world.
Back to Ong Tee Keat, he has to take a stand, the people still respect him but he can't expect to stand on the and MCA ticket now that we all know what it is worth.
History has taught us that the predicament of the non Malays in this country is mainly because of the MCA, we can't equate the MIC with it although they are just as guilty, the MCA has so many seats in Parliament when compared to the MIC and their jobhas been to sit in Government and rubber stamp UMNO policies. When they don't they'll get wiped out, erased, like taking the pencileraser and erasing out what you have written on paper.
Tee Keat is one such case, there were many more before him, so now one wonders if he is actually waiting for a big BN golden handshake to go out gleefully and leave the rakyat sucking thumb.
Tee Keat you have to show your intentions, don't play this cat and mouse game, you can't sit on the fence and expect us to say you are a good guy, stop playing games come down from that fence at once and tell us where you belong, it does not really matter.
Being a Chinese I'll take your word for it, although I am not a Chinese, but it is the Chinese who have a saying, "A gentleman's promise is stronger then ten wild horses." How strong is yours?
As the rakyat we need to know, since it is us who we may vote for, are you a gentleman? I really think you are, but you have to take that stand for us to be sure,since right now you are in MCA, and as a result in the BN.
So Ong Tee Keat get down from that fence at once, no more fooling around.
A MALAYSIAN CHRISTMAS STORY
I tried keeping this for Christmas, but every-time I read it I felt the urge to publish it, my friend Howl thought it was good but not all that good, I feel it is a classic only we will understand it and see it as an equal to Ebenezer Scrooge, not Wolfgang but..........................read on
by Howl Pillay
Christmas eve, 2010 . Birds sang lustily in the breaking dawn as I showered. Each male gave its all taking turns at mellifluous composition to ward off any would-be rival. Through the open bathroom window the sun was a shiny gigantic orange button amidst clouds streaked a majestic purple. The air felt unusually crisp. Due no doubt to an early overnight downpour. Christmas jingles rang in my ears as I drove towards my distribution center. Business too was good. Orders had picked up markedly. Specially put together gift packages and hampers of all shapes and scents had been delivered steadily to shopping complexes all across the country the past days and weeks. And today was a crucial day for dealing with last minute rush orders. All of us at the workplace were busy but happy ! We had been working around the clock the past weeks. We were stressed out, stretched and squeezed. Yet we had kept our shape as a team. Our well-oiled service machinery hummed along without a discordant squeak. Everyone of us in this 10 year old “1Malaysia” team of 2 Chinese, 3 Indians and 15 Malays had over the years always given our very best . The kind of best that will surely warm the cockles of any ‘laupan’s heart. But in truth, this year more than any other we were pushed to the very limits of our endurance. Especially old man me !
Now pushing 60 I was still at it. Working with the ‘boys and gals’! Making special deliveries is my forte. Load up the booth and the back seat of my car and I will drive through the fast thickening traffic soup of the morning,find parking in jam packed basements, negotiate my way around silly traffic snarls for which there seemed no justifiable reason other than kay-poh-chi-ing, skipping lunch and dashing up two flights of steps with outstretched arms hugging a large carton or two with folded invoices and delivery notes gripped between my lips. “All hands to the pump”, I had always urged my team since the time we were a start-up. And it still feels good! Christmas and end of year season was the best time to share and show ‘feel good’. But age was catching up with me. The 12 kilo carton seemed unusually heavy this year. Perhaps I wasn’t eating well enough. Yet I was determined to give my best. So here I was at the shop floor on Christmas eve taking stock of the situation. Running through checklists, verifying reports, following up on special requests and supervising the last deliveries. And when all this was well in hand I could shop for a gift for my nephew’s Christmas eve dinner bash. Or so I thought. And then as if on cue, my hand phone rings. Is it the dreaded ‘one more special request call......’?
No ! It is Wolfgang. My old German friend. A neighbour 4km removed. Met him at a pet shop some 15 years ago. A musician by profession. A drummer actually. Believe me, he has a very comprehensive jazz music collection. And all properly categorised and catalogued. A true German in this regard. “My friend. How are you ? And the kids ? And your business ?” He had a certain old world charm in his approach leading up to a favour but he needed an opening. I provided him one. “And how about you “, I asked. And that was all he needed. Poor man ! Since we last met he had lost the sight of an eye, he explained. His diabetes had turned dreadful. “ And my biggest problem now is that I have overstayed my visa by three weeks. Can you please drive me to Putrajaya and sort this mess out ? I will be ever so grateful. I don’t want to go through Christmas without having this sorted out “. I think it is my karma. I attract people in trouble like a magnet attracts iron filings.Oh what the heck ! A seventy year old man in a foreign land and tomorrow, Christmas! I just had to help. I felt an overwhelming sense of empathy.....what if it was me in Germany without a German in sight to help me....?
“Be ready in 30 minutes. I’ll pick you up from your house. If we rush it we may just make it “, I said. And then the adrenaline kicks in. The alternative arrangements. The ‘cut to the bone’ quick fire instructions. A coffee to perk up and I was on the road with Wolfgang. Then the superficial grandeur of Putrajaya. All thoroughfares and avenues and not a road in sight ! A city all made up to show off. Pyongyangist grandeur in a tropical setting minus the goose steps. Not a single underground car park ( why spend money on something you can’t show off ? ). And nothing resembling public transportation. Cars parked and double parked along curbs. Open spaces and parking lots had become Friday bazaars. Everything on the surface and out in the open to presumably make a statement but what is it ? Even the man hole covers looked like they were expensively engraved if not embossed with markings meant to last a thousand years. It gave me the distinct impression that things can be above ground and yet not be above board. Pyongyang jaya- an administrative capital to feed the ego and excesses of one man. Then the long wait at the immigration office topped off by the long Friday prayer break. The very helpful official because Wolfgang was an honoured guest of the Malaysian Government ! His visa was issued to him under a special program called ‘Malaysia My Second Home’. “MM2H for short la “, said the lady officer ever so sweetly. “Previously it was called ‘The Silver Hair Program’ “, she said still smiling sweetly. Yet more forms to be filled to explain the overstay and we were told to come back in an hour. And then it was all over ! Wolfgang could treat my country as his second home until 2018. His relief was palpable and he hugged me saying, “ My friend, you have given me the best Christmas present !”
On the drive back, in typically German fashion and ever a credit to his nation, Wolfgang slowly filled me in on the details of MM2H. It was an international residency scheme. Long stay visa for 10 years with further renewals under certain ‘not so strict’ conditions. He could enter and leave the country on a largely unrestricted basis. The program is open to all citizens recognised by Malaysia irregardless of race, religion,gender and age. You could bring along your spouse and unmarried children below 21 years of age. All you need is place a fixed deposit of RM100,000 in a local bank or show proof of an off-shore government pension or equivalent of RM 10,000 per month. He could purchase a home worth RM250,000 anywhere in the country. He is eligible to bring in a personal car or purchase a locally assembled one without the need to pay import duty, excise duty and sales tax. He can apply for the services of a maid. He can apply for an ID card to allow him to pass through immigration checkpoints into Malaysia as residents rather than as foreign nationals. His pension fund remitted into our country is tax exempt. He can own and actively run a business. As he is above 50 he can work part time. He can import personal and household items tax exempt. He has and is allowed to invest in local companies, the share market and unit trusts. Even his FD is tax exempt. And all his initial application documents can be submitted in English. The only restrictions are that he not participate in sensitive activities that can offend the locals. Of course he is not allowed the vote. “ My friend, your country has been very ,very kind to me. I have forgotten all about my first home “.
Later that night I shared this story at my nephew’s bash. His mother is an Iban Christian out of Kuching and his father, my widely read eldest brother. I paused when the clock struck the mid-night hour and completed telling it all into the first few minutes of Christmas. A hushed silence fell upon our table. And then my eldest brother, going on 70, a retired major in the Armed Forces, more than tipsy now, stood up, hard pressed to maintain a ramrod posture, raised his glass and said defiantly : “Merry Christmas everyone ! I fought the commies in the jungles. I can still stand tall if not straight anymore. Over my dead body if anyone thinks I will accept Malaysia as my second home. That is for your German and other pendatangs. And I must quote a poet I don’t remember :” And how can man die better / Than facing fearful odds / For the ashes of his father / And the temple of his gods ?”
This Christmas, the gift I will treasure most is the defiant realisation that as a citizen I belong to the program called “ Malaysia My Only Home “. Nothing less and nothing more. Like everyone else.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Mahathir set to move his son on the fast lane
After having successfully sidelined the UMNO youth president Khairy Jamaluddin for his son who lost the battle for the UMNO youth position Mahathir Mohammed is now setting up the stage to get his son Mukhriz bin Mahathir to post via the fast lane.
His call for an eight year term for Najib is clearly the biggest indication of his intentions, and Mahathir is set on this plan. History is about to repeat itself and unless checked Mukhriz will become PM at the end of that term, with Hishamuddin serving a short term in the interim and that too, maybe.
He now gives excuses about the happenings during his tenure, he has said he spoke to opposition leaders when in fact he spoke to only one, and that too an agent of UMNO who was a DAP leader.
He now says he wanted to scrap the ISA, but the police refused to allow him to do so, what crap. Is he telling us that during his tenure the police were the law makers? If that was the case then they were law breakers and he is one too. he is trying his best to look good, he wants people to think he is a saint.
Mahathir is the man who removed Hishamuddin's father out of office with the greatest of ease, he just cleaned up his office when the man had gone to England for medical treatment after a heart attack, and as a doctor deprived Hussein Onn the privilege of the advanced medical treatment, the type he received after his major attack. Hussein Onn died so soon after his first attack, Mahathir continues to live and plague our society by availing himself to the best medical care available, we do not need this pest.
He will now formulate his strategy to remove Muhyuddin as soon as possible and set his son up for a higher position.
I can see him make the first move at the next UMNO General Assembly, he has removed both Toyo, and Khairy and feels it will be smooth sail for his son, Mukhriz bin Mahathir.
Mukhriz bin Mahathir will turn into a firebrand the type required to stir UMNO sentiment, he will bring in his own brand of Ketuanan Melayu, perkasa will be the tool to assist him in that direction, Mahathir will ensure that Najib removes Muhyuddin before then and Mukhriz will then go for the Deputy Presidency with his new found fame amongst the UMNOPUTERAS.
Money will be no problem in the campaigns, UMNO elections has always been about money, he has the cronies to support his cause and Mukhriz has nothing to worry about that, moreover his other brothers have their fair share of wealth which they earned through the benevolence of their father when was in office.
Winning UMNO elections by hook or by crook, more by crook will be no problem for Mukhriz, he has only to ask his father who is master at that game, we all know, they may even resort to a "Baru UMNO Baru" in the process.
If things get too bad then those who oppose Mukhriz bin Mahathir's father's plans, will be charged with Sodomy, to effectively carry it out Police personnel will be given promotions, and will be retained even after retirement, and after the whole episode he'll blame the Police.
I shall not talk about the Judiciary,I shall allow you to draw your conclusions of what might or might not happen.
He should be the last person to talk about the term of the PM, if he had done what he preaches now, Musa would have been PM followed Anwar and Malaysia be a better better country.
His call for an eight year term for Najib is clearly the biggest indication of his intentions, and Mahathir is set on this plan. History is about to repeat itself and unless checked Mukhriz will become PM at the end of that term, with Hishamuddin serving a short term in the interim and that too, maybe.
He now gives excuses about the happenings during his tenure, he has said he spoke to opposition leaders when in fact he spoke to only one, and that too an agent of UMNO who was a DAP leader.
He now says he wanted to scrap the ISA, but the police refused to allow him to do so, what crap. Is he telling us that during his tenure the police were the law makers? If that was the case then they were law breakers and he is one too. he is trying his best to look good, he wants people to think he is a saint.
Mahathir is the man who removed Hishamuddin's father out of office with the greatest of ease, he just cleaned up his office when the man had gone to England for medical treatment after a heart attack, and as a doctor deprived Hussein Onn the privilege of the advanced medical treatment, the type he received after his major attack. Hussein Onn died so soon after his first attack, Mahathir continues to live and plague our society by availing himself to the best medical care available, we do not need this pest.
He will now formulate his strategy to remove Muhyuddin as soon as possible and set his son up for a higher position.
I can see him make the first move at the next UMNO General Assembly, he has removed both Toyo, and Khairy and feels it will be smooth sail for his son, Mukhriz bin Mahathir.
Mukhriz bin Mahathir will turn into a firebrand the type required to stir UMNO sentiment, he will bring in his own brand of Ketuanan Melayu, perkasa will be the tool to assist him in that direction, Mahathir will ensure that Najib removes Muhyuddin before then and Mukhriz will then go for the Deputy Presidency with his new found fame amongst the UMNOPUTERAS.
Money will be no problem in the campaigns, UMNO elections has always been about money, he has the cronies to support his cause and Mukhriz has nothing to worry about that, moreover his other brothers have their fair share of wealth which they earned through the benevolence of their father when was in office.
Winning UMNO elections by hook or by crook, more by crook will be no problem for Mukhriz, he has only to ask his father who is master at that game, we all know, they may even resort to a "Baru UMNO Baru" in the process.
If things get too bad then those who oppose Mukhriz bin Mahathir's father's plans, will be charged with Sodomy, to effectively carry it out Police personnel will be given promotions, and will be retained even after retirement, and after the whole episode he'll blame the Police.
I shall not talk about the Judiciary,I shall allow you to draw your conclusions of what might or might not happen.
He should be the last person to talk about the term of the PM, if he had done what he preaches now, Musa would have been PM followed Anwar and Malaysia be a better better country.
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