Malaysia is roiled by a crisis of democracy

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/20821-malaysia-is-roiled-by-a-crisis-of-democracy-

The article above was published in The Malaysian Insider 21.3.09. It gives a summary of the ordeals that the people of Malaysia have to go through in this tough political and economic times.

While our neighbor like Singapore is busy tackling the economy crisis, our leaders are still so engross to their personal interest of power and sideline the economic crisis that the country is facing.

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On another note, the willing tendency of certain top leaders of PAS (which is one of the component party of the People Alliance / Pakatan Rakyat) to form a unity government with Barisan Nasional (BN), based on the ground of uniting the Malays based on race and religion (again!!!!), is heartbreaking.

Haven't we had enough of segregating the anak-anak Malaysia based on race and religion? Shouldn't we just focus of uniting the people of Malaysia as a country based on common grounds like economy and social stability, instead of uniting based on race and religion again and again?

When are these old farts will ever grow up? When Malaysia will be free from such evil idealogies?

Major housecleaning in UMNO or just frying the small fishes for the big ones to continue to devour?

Bernama - Friday, March 20
SEREMBAN, March 19 (Bernama) -- Umno is ready for change and renewal aimed at restoring the party's image and the members faith under the new leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Agence France-Presse - 3/19/2009 10:34 AM GMT
Mahathir says Malaysian party faces revolt over graft
Malaysia's ruling party faces an internal revolt over an anti-graft purge, but will be voted out of power if it fails to act on corruption, former premier Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday.

Rais: Give new leaders a chance NST 2009/03/20
KUALA LUMPUR The new Umno leadership, which will be in place later this month, should be given a chance to set things right in the party and regain the people's confidence Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said besides party members, the Malays also needed to give the new leadership a second chance. "Now we know what the shortcomings are and we are correcting them."

Agence France-Presse - 3/17/2009 11:09 AM GMT
Malaysia's leadership battle hit with corruption probe
A battle for senior leadership posts in Malaysia's ruling party was hit with a bombshell Tuesday as 15 members including several top figures were found guilty in an anti-corruption probe.

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The above headlines strongly suggest that change within the party of UMNO is eminent but will the same wind of change blow across the entire governing system of this nation, political parties and on one would be spared?

Is this not just another classical example of 贼喊捉贼 (literally means a thief shouting others to catch other thieves, i.e. referring to the tactic used by the greater evils to divert public attention to the chaos created by them and by labelling others as the evil and bad)?

Don't get me wrong, i have no pity to those who are under corruption probes in UMNO and I am totally support such anti-corruption purge. What I am saying is that such house cleanings should not be politically motivated, but independent and apply across the board. Don't just catch the small fishes but also the big ones too.

It would be an understatement to say every Malaysian knows how corrupted of our governing party "leaders" are. In fact, Malaysia is notorious worldwide for corruption.

And obviously, the government agency who is chartered to do such job, i.e. MACC / SPRM is not doing its job truthfully. In fact, the agency is becoming or even has spun off to become another government vehicle for the ruling party to get rid of opponents.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) / Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) which was commissioned in 2007 to replace the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) or Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) is supposed to be an agency that investigates and persecutes corruption in the public and private sectors. It is an agency supposedly to put an end to corruption that has been dogging the political parties, especially the ruling party, i.e. Barisan Nasional.

Our observation so far pointed that the agency is highly skewed and biased towards UMNO and Barisan Nasional coalition party but reacting very negatively to the opposition party. Many controversial and corruption cases involving UMNO politicians, including the thief who shouted others to catch thieves, had been swept under the carpet while trivial cases involving opposition parties are given endless hours of investigations.

Again, don't get me wrong, if the politicians of the opposition parties are in the wrong, they deserve such investigation and be prosecuted.

The ruling party can continue to be ignorant that the anak-anak Malaysia (sons and daughters of Malaysia) will believe with whatever they showcase to the public and report on the mainstream media.

While not all the sons and daughters of Malaysia have eyes, ears, mouths and brains; many have developed those senses and intellect to detect and analyse who and where the smelly rats are!

UMNO Youth thugs in action in front of the Parliament House

This incidence happened at about 2.30 pm on 26.2.09. An wheel-chaired bound lawmaker from the People Coalition / Pakatan rakyat opposition alliance force - DAP (Democratoc Action Party) MP Karpal Singh was mobbed by 30 UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) Youth members, preventing him from entering the Parliament.

Contrary to its name, UMNO Youth are not the teenager members of UMNO (main political party of the Barisan Nasional / Coaliation Front that rule the nation) but grown ups whose behaviour and brains are nothing like of grown-ups.

As we can see from the footage, the security personnel of the Parliament did not take immediate intervention when the wheel-chaired bound politician is being intimidated and attacked.

Although the speaker of the Parliament expressed regret over the incidence immediately and urged the Home Ministry to investigate the incidence, we have heard no serious action has been taken against these mobsters even till now.

A double standard on how these UMNO Youth people can get away with such behaviour; moreover in front of Parliament House is again testifying that UMNO Youth or even UMNO itself is fulled and backed by these gangsters who are supposed to be the succession generation of the party. Shameful and disgraceful!

New Premier

I have not put up any postings since Jan 09. Reasons were 2 folds

Firstly, I moved to a new apartment and Internet connectivity was not available until a couple of days ago. So, I conveniently give myself excuse of not putting my 2 cents of thoughts in blog.

Secondly, the worsening global and local economy had put a heavy toll on my company sales and profit. In fact, putting the company in red last month. So, it is not surprising that I have to put more time and effort into my work and less spare room for thoughts about the politics in the past 2 months. To me, it is about the economy, and business survival that should be kept as a top top top priority, now more than ever.

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Malaysia politics never fails to amaze people in a bad way. The recent political shamble in Perak was utterly disgusting. In that political saga, democracy was robbed and the people of Perak were sodomised up and down, left and right. By buying over a few assemblymen of the opposition party to defect to BN via thousands and some said millions of ringgit, this granted Barisan Nasional (BN) a simple majority to take over the Dewan Undangan Negeri of Perak. So, instead of a people elected state government, BN is now "in power" by their number games.

Malaysia will have a new Prime Minister after Ahmad Badawi steps down as Prime Minister by end March 09. I believe all true anak Malaysia are anxious to see how this next-in-line PM, i.e. Najib Razak will take over the baton from Badawi to head this nation.

To my opinion, a PM who is not truly elected by the people of Malaysia, but succeeded through a system which democracy is undermined is worrisome. Not to mention that this next-in-line PM has many uncleared baggage of corruption, linkages to crime, injustice and racism. If Najib is the best candidate to succeed his predecessor in UMNO, you can tell how "good quality" are the rest of the people in that party.
We shall see!

To those who like to know more about Najib Razak and how he rises into power, look out for an interesting essay written by Barry Wain in the Far Eastern Economic Review magazine.
http://www.feer.com/essays/2009/march/najibs-challenge-clean-up-umno
Not surprising it is all gutter politics in order to rise to power!

So, like some prominent Malaysian figures felt, Badawi should stay in the office. Not because he is well loved for his weaknesses. It is more of our worry for having a man of potentially greater evil and dictatorial with little national interest in mind to lead this nation.

Year of The Ox 2009 - Singapore 18.1.09

Went to visit Singapore yesterday (18.1.09) to "look see look see" Chinese New Year celebration there. While Ray was busy shopping for his clothes at the malls, I took pictures instead. After all, I am financially very tight this Chinese New Year (CNY) and all I can spend was a few clicks of my Nikon camera. Oh Yes, instead of buying things for CNY, I bought 2 novels instead. Ha ha!

First stop - Bugis Junction.

The Peony flower balls are beautiful, although they aren't the real peony flowers. I wish I can take one home and used it as chandelier at my house's balcony... :)

Next stop was Paragon Mall at the Orchard Road. Its theme is the "Lantern"

The arrangement of these lanterns makes people feel as if they are in ascending mode, yet suspending in ether.

Chinese New Year (CNY) is also called Spring Festival 春节 and we can not take out flowers from the CNY equation.

Beautiful, healthy blossoms.

How I wish I can bath in this sea of flowers (I don't mean literally) ;)

Trip to Singapore around CNY time is incomplete without visiting the Chinatown.

The Chinese auspicious wishing idiom (牛转乾坤) being chosen for this year is most appropriate.

牛 means "cow", and has the same pronunciation as 扭. So, 牛(扭)转乾坤 means "bring about a radical change in the situation or reverse the course of events in the year of Ox". So appropriate for 2009, as this year economy is going to be shadowed with gloomy sentiment.

This is indeed a year of Ox, we see them everywhere.

I accidentally captured a happy face of a lady. She was definitely happy to have 2 bouquets of plum and peach blossoms for her home. To the Chinese, the plum and peach blossoms for CNY celebration is like Christmas tree for Christmas.

Like before, Chinatown is jam-packed with shoppers and tourists during Chinese New Year time

The icon of Chinatown - 珍珠坊 buildling

"Must have" red and gold decors for CNY celebration

Red color = 红, an auspicious lucky color that bring good luck. So, 鸿运当头, which 鸿 (means abundant, grand) has the same pronunciation as 红. In total, the phrase means "Lots of good luck, right to your doorstep"

Gold color 金 symbolises 富贵, i.e. fortune and wealth.

Fish is 鱼, which has same pronunciation as 余, which means "having surpluses"

So, a "golden fish" means having surpluses of gold, i.e. having good fortune and wealth.

Chinese language is so beautiful.

Yummy CNY cookies for sale. Anyone care to get me a few boxes as gift? Ha ha!

Nuts and seeds - goes very well with beer and liquor drinking with friends and family during CNY celebration

Children's favorite - fruit and fruit flavored jelly.

Free food sampling for Taiwan's Muachi, so to convince the shoppers to buy at least 1 box home.

Other than the plum 梅花 and peach blossoms 桃花, ornamental bamboo plants (竹) are also popular during CNY celebration. The bamboo plant is symbolising 竹报平安, i.e. wellness and safety. You will also see lots of fruiting tangerine plants (桔子) on sale at many plant nurseries. 桔子 is symbolising 吉祥, i.e. auspiciousness.

Sweets and lots of sweets, symbolising 甜甜蜜蜜 (sweetness in life)

Happy Chinese New Year to all. Wishing all lots of good fortune, great luck, marvelous health and have a safe and superb career this year.

Peace to the world....not.

Everyone in the world should be praying for a peace and harmony, and a better life when the new year of 2009 was approaching. At least, that was my assumption, although deep down I knew that such wish was a bit too hopeful.

True enough, the World was informed about the military aggression in Gaza just not long after Christmas 2008.

For years I am aware about the crisis between the Israel and Palestinian, but always faintly. I faintly remember when I first came to be aware of the crisis there. I was still in Pre-U if I am not mistaken and now I am closing to 40 years old in a 2+ years time; and the conflict there still persist, after decades. It is only now I take a greater interest and wish to have a deeper understanding about these lands in crisis.

As a person who was takes no great interest in the past, my perception about the Middle East and its people was generalised and plain simple. To me, those countries and people were not fond of peace. Violence, hatred and revenge are deep embedded in each person’s body and soul there. Most probably, such dark forces even extended into their afterlives.

Being a birth place to 3 major religions in the world, I would expect the land there to be a land of peace and tolerance. A Holy land is not supposed to be a land of forever crisis. This has long set my doubts to all faiths and religions; and I am still not very religious until these days.

I admitted that my past perception and generalisation about the Middle East is now considered to be one sided, as the mainstream foreign media which I was exposed to was predominantly the CNN. I realized now how CNN has failed in making media reporting fairly and freely; and the picture that they have painted and still showing to the rest of the world was not all rounded but skewed.

The coming up of Al- Jazeera into the world media network had provided viewers a different perspectives about Middle East and news about Middle East is becoming more well balance.

I have started my quest to understand Middle East in greater length, along with my on-going journey to becoming a more political & socially aware citizen of my country – Malaysia. I hope more countries, like those in the Africa would be added to my list.

Why I take more interest to Middle East? Perhaps it was prompted by the incidence after Christmas, or it could be just random. Perhaps I am living in a country which Islam is the national religion and people are defined as Majority Muslim and Minority Non-Muslims; and I hope to learn and see how faith and people in total conflict and intolerance to others can put a nation and people into.

With my purest intention, I hope Malaysians will learn the mistake of others, as well as ours, both current and past mistakes, so to prevent a nation falling into jeopardy, destruction, starvation and hopelessness.

Like the Chinese believes, building a business empire is tough, sustaining it is tougher but making it fall is so damn easy! The same applies to a nation.

Wake up! Instead of focusing energy to bring down other races so to upholding one race's ego and supremacy; why not focusing the energy to greater common good like helping the real "needies" and the unfortunates, regardless of colors, faith, gender and sexuality.

Who is inciting racial hatred and how come these people are not charged by law?

Such a picture perfect when Malaysia is staging itself to the world. In reality, there are cracks now.

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I am deeply hurt and saddened with this country when i saw some pictures that my friend sent to me today.

These pictures were about the banners used during the recent demonstration on banning pig farming in certain states of Malaysia. These banners were seen hung on the fence of a premise, which I suspect was a school.

On these banners, the demonstrators / organiser of the demonstration had used words and threats to demolish non-national schools, calling names, denial of other ethnic contribution to this country but their ethnic group, and swearing of protecting supremacy of certain race and religion.

The choice of word and language used are blood-boiling and were utterly aimed to incite racial anger and hatred. Even a dumb knew such statements are dangerous and would threaten the social stability of this country and it was so obvious that these demonstrators / organiser of the demonstration had broken the law.

However, these demonstrators and organisers were not charged by law but still roam freely in this country. Moreover, one needs permit to stage a demonstration, how come such demonstration was allowed to happen while peaceful demonstration for justice and human rights were banned and being demonised?

Is this the works of some authorities playing the racial and religion card game again? How can the lawmakers, the Home Ministry and police are closing both eyes on such serious and dangerous matters? If such bad hats are not contained or removed, it will spread its claws uncontrollably and destroy the nation.

Frankly, I am so tempted to post these pictures on the blog to show the world how racism has deepened into the roots of some ethnic group after 51 years of Malaysia Independence. However, I can't, because in social cases like this, the law here seems to be one sided and color-coded, protecting the criminals but criminalise the whistle blower. Such Grotesque!