The racial divide in Malaysia is now a fact
THE NON-MALAY CABINET MINISTERS who complained to their prime minister, Pak Lah, about non-Muslim voices being unheard, is ordered by Pak Lah himself to withdraw it and not let it be discussed by outsiders, i.e. Malaysians. Why they took this extreme stand, especially when they agreed with Pak Lah in the cabinet what they protest now is easy to explain. The non-Malay ministers are beholden to UMNO, and they nod their heads when the prime minister tells them to. This time, their ground is in revolt. But most of them have withdrawn their memo as the prime minister requested. One minister even said he was surprised the press took great interest in the memorandum. He of course chose to forget which were the media. But among the two ministers who signed the memorandum is the MCA and MIC presidents. The president of the two parties signed the agreement which gave this country independence. Now they have to express their dissatisfaction in a memo the the prime minister. It also revealed, though not for the first time, that Pak Lah is prime minister not of Malaysia but of the Malays. UMNO has decided, though that becomes less and less decisive, that they will lead the Malays. But he looks after the Malays only, and helps divide the country into racial units.
Thirty years after the New Economic Policy and that of Malay Dominance, by which non-Malays will hold no position in the government service that they cannot be promoted to any supervisory position in the lower services, and the promotions in the upper services are limited. After the nude squat scandal, the lack of non-Malays were highlighted. The official explanation is that they will not join the government services or the uniformed branch because they are paid better outside. It is the non-Malay view now. They took this view when they found they touched a glass ceiling early. There is an attempt to get non-Malays now, but the non-Malays do not trust the government now. A non-Malay promoted in the civil service means the Malay who recommended him would be penalised. No one wants that for himself, Malay or non-Malay. In the armed services, they retire as lieutenant-colonels or colonels, that latter rank given them in the last year of their service, while most of their Malay juniors had jumped over them. One examples will suffice: a non-Malay police officer retired as assistant superintendent of police, but his batchmate died as deputy inspector-general of police. They had retired in the 1970s, which means they jointed the force in the 1950s, after Merdeka. This would not happen now because the non-Malay would not be selected.
It became more of a Malay government with the passing years. The prime minister was concerned with what the Malays, usually from UMNO, felt. As the years went by, and the opposition within the Malays became sharper, he gave up all pretence of being fair. He would lose his job otherwise. UMNO has got the other parties in the National Front to obey its dictates. A Chinese or Indian minister would argue for a Malay concession. Tthis is supposed to show the government's concern for all races; but the reverse will not happen. As the non-Malay ministers sent their memorandum to Pak Lah, the Malay ministers queued up to attack them for not saying their peace in the cabinet, out of publicity. The 1969 riots was to remove the first Prime Minister, Tengku Abdul Rahman, from office. He was friendly, so it was reported at the time, to the Chinese. The NEP and Malay Dominance became UMNO policies then. It was made easy by the then MCA president, Tun Tan Siew Sin, pulled out of the coalition. He was brought back after UMNO had framed its new policies. The non-Malay ministers were not given any policy making portfolios, a policy that is in force 30 years later.
Malaysia would rather get westerners for which non-Malays are capable. All government-linked companies employ only Malays in senior positions. All university vice-chancellors are Malays, the non-Malays leave after a time into the private sector. As opposition to UMNO spreads down to the undergraduates, no UMNO ministers dare visit the universities. Before Pak Lah could visit the University, intense negotiations took place so that the students would not rebel or protest. The police are afraid of its own shadow since they took the position as guardians of the regime, especially against Malays who rebel. When the then deputy prime minister. Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was arrested, Malays came out in their thousands to protest. This surprised the authorities, which acted against them irrationally. Over the years, this has worsened. Today, about half the Malays are against UMNO. The federal government uses the police as its goon squad in states like Kelantan, governed by the opposition PAS.
What makes this dangerous is that Pak Lah and his government cannot right the state of affairs, without watching their back. He has delayed his long-promised cabinet reshuffle, for he is not sure those he drops will go the UMNO opposition. His son-in-law forced Dato' Isa Samad to resign from the cabinet. He went out of his way to make his departure painless. But he does not know to this day whether the man is with him. He controls about 50 votes in the presidential election; that can be disastrous if it went to his opponents. Many long standing cabinet ministers will remain by on different portfolios. He has to work out if they would then remain with him or against him. His inaction now, whatever the mainstream media says, would not help him. Since he uses the mainstream media to douse his opponents in UMNO, he is on a dangerous game. He announces policy, often on the run, but which is regarded in the press as 'earth-shattering'. But it is not. There is no discussion, his civil servants and personal staff do not care, and what he says or does is by rote. He tells Malaysians to not discuss the memorandum of the non-Malay ministers: the cabinet will discuss it. Most of the non-Malay ministers fell into line. But that shows divisions that never existed before 1970.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com
Saturday, May 13, 2006
MGGPillai.com :: UMNO got rid off the Tengku with a riot, but did not think through its plan afterwords
MGGPillai.com :: UMNO got rid off the Tengku with a riot, but did not think through its plan afterwords: "MGG Commentary
\'\'
25-01-2006 11:13 pm
UMNO got rid off the Tengku with a riot, but did not think through its plan afterwords
WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY 13 – whether it is the Malays who orchestrated it or the DAP which started it – misses one important fact. It was to get Tengku Abdul Rahman, the first prime minister, out of office. The deaths in the riots do not matter, only that the man must go. The MCA felt that the Chinese had let it down, and quit the government. It played into UMNO hands. The racial riots happened because UMNO wanted the Malays to look upon it as the only leader they will have. The Tengku was reduced to negotiating his departure so that he would be prime minister for a day under the new Yang Dipertuan Agung, his nephew the Sultan of Kedah. UMNO succeeded in their political aim in the last 35 years, but at what cost. UMNO the nationalist movement had made way for UMNO the political party in 1987. The Tengku did not join the political party, and died, with Tun Hussein Onn, out of the political party. In fact. the only ex-president of the political party is Tun Mahahir Mohamed. In 1969, the Tengku's namesis was Tun Mahathir, who plotted against him.
When Tun Mahathir came acalling on the Tengku in hospital on his terminal illness, I, who had gone to see him before Tun Mahathir, was asked to say. There was a tug-of-war of sorts between Tun Mahathir's security detail and the Tengku. He finally made me sit on the bed beside him. So when Tun Mahathir came in, I was also in the room. The Tengku had known me since the early 1950s, when as president of UMNO he shifted to Johore Bahru, and stayed near the edge of the Wadi Hana area where I stayed. When my father died in 1963, he was already prime minister and I did not inform him. When I returned to Reuters in Singapore from leave after the funeral to the night shift, I found the Tengku there. He told me to see him for breakfast at the Hotel Adephi, now no more. "M.A.G. Pillai was the Tengku's friend, not the prime minister's." giving me a wigging as only he could. He was in Saudi Arabia when my mother died in 1978, so I sent him a cable, and two of his personal staff turned up before the cremation. He used to say he was the happiest prime minister in the world because "he had as his deputy, Tun Razak". Tun Razak's premiership was spoiled for this reason. But little did he know, until it was too late, that Tun Razak was plotting against him. Tun Mahathir and the future deputy prime minister, Tan Sri Musa Hitam, were some of the plotters.
The May 13 riots, ostensibly because DAP celebrated their victory at the 1969 polls by taunting the Malays at Kampung Bahru after the opposition had got a tie in the state assembly seats in Selangor and Perak. The UMNO reaction as swift. Apart from the NEP and the policy of Malay Dominance, it separated Kuala Lumpur from Selangor, altered the constituencies that the Malay would always have the majority in the state assemblies. The MCA could win only in mixed or Malay majority. The MIC could win only in Malay majority seats. The Indian voters were spread to other constitutiences so that they could not be a threat. Areas like Brickfields were variously of Damansara, Siputeh, KL Bandar in the thirty five years since. The people in power, having made sure their version is the dominant, blame the Chinese for having started May 13. The DAP may have provided the catalyst, but the riots was the result of a deliberate plan. UMNO had the political power and the Chinese are blamed for it. The May 13 riots was to remove the Tengku and downgrade the non-Malays in government. They lost the policy making powers they had from independence. It was a far cry from signing the MCA and MIC presidents signing with UMNO the independence document with Britain to being a digit of the National Front in power today.
Over the years, money has taken over national policy. The NEP and Malay Dominance could have survived if it had followed the plan Tun Razak had worked out. Now the Chinese made sure the Malay in government was compromised. The policies were downgraded. UMNO had no thinkers of the Malay agenda. It showed. Tun Mahathir set up Proton so that the Malay will lose his fear of technology. It is now irrelevant, because its social purpose had given way to money. And it cannot be justified on that grounds. The death throes of Proton must be seen in that light. The Indian car firm Ambassador used the Morris Oxford for its model, and Premier cars the Fiat 1100, for more than 40 years, spawning a cottage industry of repairers throughout the country. but they hold ltheir own when foreign cars are brought into the country. That would not be with Proton, whose reason for existence went overboard when Tun Mahathir retired as prime minister. The is unfortunately true of all its industry. Proton could have been a force, an oditty in the world of automobile makers. Malaysia will lose out intially allowing cars in with reduced duties. But in the end, it would have held its ground. Not any more. Today when money rules, the relevance of Proton to national policy disappears, and with it out car policy. As Proton goes, so shall NEP and Malay Dominance.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com
\'\'
25-01-2006 11:13 pm
UMNO got rid off the Tengku with a riot, but did not think through its plan afterwords
WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY 13 – whether it is the Malays who orchestrated it or the DAP which started it – misses one important fact. It was to get Tengku Abdul Rahman, the first prime minister, out of office. The deaths in the riots do not matter, only that the man must go. The MCA felt that the Chinese had let it down, and quit the government. It played into UMNO hands. The racial riots happened because UMNO wanted the Malays to look upon it as the only leader they will have. The Tengku was reduced to negotiating his departure so that he would be prime minister for a day under the new Yang Dipertuan Agung, his nephew the Sultan of Kedah. UMNO succeeded in their political aim in the last 35 years, but at what cost. UMNO the nationalist movement had made way for UMNO the political party in 1987. The Tengku did not join the political party, and died, with Tun Hussein Onn, out of the political party. In fact. the only ex-president of the political party is Tun Mahahir Mohamed. In 1969, the Tengku's namesis was Tun Mahathir, who plotted against him.
When Tun Mahathir came acalling on the Tengku in hospital on his terminal illness, I, who had gone to see him before Tun Mahathir, was asked to say. There was a tug-of-war of sorts between Tun Mahathir's security detail and the Tengku. He finally made me sit on the bed beside him. So when Tun Mahathir came in, I was also in the room. The Tengku had known me since the early 1950s, when as president of UMNO he shifted to Johore Bahru, and stayed near the edge of the Wadi Hana area where I stayed. When my father died in 1963, he was already prime minister and I did not inform him. When I returned to Reuters in Singapore from leave after the funeral to the night shift, I found the Tengku there. He told me to see him for breakfast at the Hotel Adephi, now no more. "M.A.G. Pillai was the Tengku's friend, not the prime minister's." giving me a wigging as only he could. He was in Saudi Arabia when my mother died in 1978, so I sent him a cable, and two of his personal staff turned up before the cremation. He used to say he was the happiest prime minister in the world because "he had as his deputy, Tun Razak". Tun Razak's premiership was spoiled for this reason. But little did he know, until it was too late, that Tun Razak was plotting against him. Tun Mahathir and the future deputy prime minister, Tan Sri Musa Hitam, were some of the plotters.
The May 13 riots, ostensibly because DAP celebrated their victory at the 1969 polls by taunting the Malays at Kampung Bahru after the opposition had got a tie in the state assembly seats in Selangor and Perak. The UMNO reaction as swift. Apart from the NEP and the policy of Malay Dominance, it separated Kuala Lumpur from Selangor, altered the constituencies that the Malay would always have the majority in the state assemblies. The MCA could win only in mixed or Malay majority. The MIC could win only in Malay majority seats. The Indian voters were spread to other constitutiences so that they could not be a threat. Areas like Brickfields were variously of Damansara, Siputeh, KL Bandar in the thirty five years since. The people in power, having made sure their version is the dominant, blame the Chinese for having started May 13. The DAP may have provided the catalyst, but the riots was the result of a deliberate plan. UMNO had the political power and the Chinese are blamed for it. The May 13 riots was to remove the Tengku and downgrade the non-Malays in government. They lost the policy making powers they had from independence. It was a far cry from signing the MCA and MIC presidents signing with UMNO the independence document with Britain to being a digit of the National Front in power today.
Over the years, money has taken over national policy. The NEP and Malay Dominance could have survived if it had followed the plan Tun Razak had worked out. Now the Chinese made sure the Malay in government was compromised. The policies were downgraded. UMNO had no thinkers of the Malay agenda. It showed. Tun Mahathir set up Proton so that the Malay will lose his fear of technology. It is now irrelevant, because its social purpose had given way to money. And it cannot be justified on that grounds. The death throes of Proton must be seen in that light. The Indian car firm Ambassador used the Morris Oxford for its model, and Premier cars the Fiat 1100, for more than 40 years, spawning a cottage industry of repairers throughout the country. but they hold ltheir own when foreign cars are brought into the country. That would not be with Proton, whose reason for existence went overboard when Tun Mahathir retired as prime minister. The is unfortunately true of all its industry. Proton could have been a force, an oditty in the world of automobile makers. Malaysia will lose out intially allowing cars in with reduced duties. But in the end, it would have held its ground. Not any more. Today when money rules, the relevance of Proton to national policy disappears, and with it out car policy. As Proton goes, so shall NEP and Malay Dominance.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com
MGGPillai.com :: The crooked bridge and cultural enmity
The late MGG Pillai wrote this. He was all for the bridge. He implied security as the prime purpose. To make it hard for the tanks to come over here. An interesting read. Not sure how long his site will be up, so have copy-pasted the article here.
MGGPillai.com :: The crooked bridge and cultural enmity: " MGG Commentary
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14-04-2006 08:53 am
The crooked bridge and cultural enmity
WHY DID DATO' SERI SYED HAMID, the foreign minister, and others in the cabinet, make a fool of themselves days before the Prime Minister, Pak Lah, said the crooked bridge to replace part of the causeway with Singapore would not be built? Why had they not been penalised for making the Malaysian government look stupid? What was the basis for Pak Lah making his decision? Was it because his son-in-law, Mr Khairy Jamaluddin, is reported to be close to Singapore and many believe is its representative here? Why did Pak Lah defy his cabinet ministers? He cannot say he is boss, and can do what he likes. He was a member of the Mahathir cabinet which approved the bridge. Much money has been spent in preparing for it. Just because Singapore says the crooked bridge is unworkable? The public reasons for the crooked bridge is as obscure as against it.
Politicians and academics from both sides of the causeway agree with Pak Lah's decision. But they will be proved wrong. Pak Lah had agreed to a cabinet decision in the past to build the bridge. Johore support it for economic, political and cultural reasons. But the problem is that it is sold to the man-in-street, and journalists, as an exercise in fantasy, and a way to make money. I knew it had a security purpose, which is not mentioned. Singapore would have known it, and told everyone who would listen it is not viable, changing the public attitude, for it would have a difficult time for its tanks should it ever invade this country. The people at the top in Malaysia forget their priorities when money wathe prime consideration.
I learnt of the crooked bridge when mooted in the 1990s, accepted why it had to be built. But what the prime minister's office said then in public and private were contradictory, but this was politics, and par for the course. Countries like Malaysia and Singapore, neighbours and rivals, have the other in their policy planning. Look and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka. One cannot consider a policy except in reference to its neighbours. In Malaysia, the problem is complicated further because Johore has its own reasons for wanting the bridge, and its agreement is necessary. All agreed to it because it would have money in the promotors', and individuals', pockets. There must have been an equally good reason for Pak Lah to not have the bridge built, having approved it during Dr Mahathir's time as prime minister. But he does not say what it is.
It is fashionable to criticise Malaysia in public. It is difficult to see officials. Junior officials threaten local journalists with detention without trial if they ask the minister if he keeps a mistress in a love nest in a housing estate. Foreign journalists rarely go to Putra Jaya, where the most important officials are, unless they have to, and those they meet in Kuala Lumpur, including the Singapore high commission, tell them otherwise. Transport to Putra Jaya is not easy, and set you back about RM150. Contrary to official belief, people, even foreigners, are not wealthy. The Malaysian government is becoming aware, the first word in the ear, frequently repeated, that this is bound to get the public ear, and that it is often not Malaysia's. The public perception now is the crooked bridge is wasteful and irrelevant, and rightly for those reasons attacked.
I have been allowed into Singapore on a visit pass. specially applied for, from 1971, and banned permanently from 1991. It did not bother me since, an Italian journalist wrote in his book, I had done my shopping. I had written in an Indian paper of Israeli-made Singapore tanks and why they were bought. It was true, but local journalists could not write about it as they can never could get official confirmation. In defence matters, Singapore is touchy. The speeches I gave to the military staff college here on Singapore led me to be banned from it, a Singapore lecturer was invited to give the lecture instead. I still talk to senior military officials on Singapore privately. Malaysian officials do not want to hurt Singapore even if that makes Malaysia look silly. But is not time for Malaysia to take decisions that are for Malaysia's good and not other countries?
But there is one difference between Malaysia and Singapore, apart from the majority in one being Malays and the other Chinese. Malays think long term. Singapore short term. Coupled with good public relations, Singapore will steal a march in the short term over Malaysia. I believe in 2061, when the water agreeements expire, Singapore will be part of Malaysia, not as a state but as an adjunct to Johore. Singapore made that possible when it rejected a Malaysian proposal to shore in the profits of the water sold to commercial enterprises. That led to the then prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, coming to Kuala Lumpur in 1987 to sort it out with his Malaysian counterpart. It was at this meeting that Malaysia took the upper hand culturally from Singapore, which has tried to wrest it back by other means. In public, though, the Singaporean is seen as a go-getter, a Malaysian a bumbling fool harping on his past but quite happy to fill his pockets with money from any source.
It is not that the Singaporean is not corrupt. He is, but the government controls that: certain people are authorised to be corrupt, but not others. I know of Singaporeans in high positions who got there because they had views different from the others. In Malaysia, this is not allowed. But given the society Singapore is, he would not do anything unless ordered. The Malaysian will take a different view in public even if he is pushed aside. But his view will eventually gain the public eye if sound and relevant. He would go against the government if he has to. The government is in trouble because of this. In Singapore, the naysayers tend to make known their ways in private or in closed quarters. In Malaysia, publicly. So we have, to the outside world, a disorganised, disoriented, speaking at cross purposes Malaysia and an organised, oriented and united Singapore in what matters today, the short term. But Malaysia will have its day in 2061. To paraphrase a saying: He laughs best who laughs last.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com
MGGPillai.com :: The crooked bridge and cultural enmity: " MGG Commentary
\'\'
14-04-2006 08:53 am
The crooked bridge and cultural enmity
WHY DID DATO' SERI SYED HAMID, the foreign minister, and others in the cabinet, make a fool of themselves days before the Prime Minister, Pak Lah, said the crooked bridge to replace part of the causeway with Singapore would not be built? Why had they not been penalised for making the Malaysian government look stupid? What was the basis for Pak Lah making his decision? Was it because his son-in-law, Mr Khairy Jamaluddin, is reported to be close to Singapore and many believe is its representative here? Why did Pak Lah defy his cabinet ministers? He cannot say he is boss, and can do what he likes. He was a member of the Mahathir cabinet which approved the bridge. Much money has been spent in preparing for it. Just because Singapore says the crooked bridge is unworkable? The public reasons for the crooked bridge is as obscure as against it.
Politicians and academics from both sides of the causeway agree with Pak Lah's decision. But they will be proved wrong. Pak Lah had agreed to a cabinet decision in the past to build the bridge. Johore support it for economic, political and cultural reasons. But the problem is that it is sold to the man-in-street, and journalists, as an exercise in fantasy, and a way to make money. I knew it had a security purpose, which is not mentioned. Singapore would have known it, and told everyone who would listen it is not viable, changing the public attitude, for it would have a difficult time for its tanks should it ever invade this country. The people at the top in Malaysia forget their priorities when money wathe prime consideration.
I learnt of the crooked bridge when mooted in the 1990s, accepted why it had to be built. But what the prime minister's office said then in public and private were contradictory, but this was politics, and par for the course. Countries like Malaysia and Singapore, neighbours and rivals, have the other in their policy planning. Look and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka. One cannot consider a policy except in reference to its neighbours. In Malaysia, the problem is complicated further because Johore has its own reasons for wanting the bridge, and its agreement is necessary. All agreed to it because it would have money in the promotors', and individuals', pockets. There must have been an equally good reason for Pak Lah to not have the bridge built, having approved it during Dr Mahathir's time as prime minister. But he does not say what it is.
It is fashionable to criticise Malaysia in public. It is difficult to see officials. Junior officials threaten local journalists with detention without trial if they ask the minister if he keeps a mistress in a love nest in a housing estate. Foreign journalists rarely go to Putra Jaya, where the most important officials are, unless they have to, and those they meet in Kuala Lumpur, including the Singapore high commission, tell them otherwise. Transport to Putra Jaya is not easy, and set you back about RM150. Contrary to official belief, people, even foreigners, are not wealthy. The Malaysian government is becoming aware, the first word in the ear, frequently repeated, that this is bound to get the public ear, and that it is often not Malaysia's. The public perception now is the crooked bridge is wasteful and irrelevant, and rightly for those reasons attacked.
I have been allowed into Singapore on a visit pass. specially applied for, from 1971, and banned permanently from 1991. It did not bother me since, an Italian journalist wrote in his book, I had done my shopping. I had written in an Indian paper of Israeli-made Singapore tanks and why they were bought. It was true, but local journalists could not write about it as they can never could get official confirmation. In defence matters, Singapore is touchy. The speeches I gave to the military staff college here on Singapore led me to be banned from it, a Singapore lecturer was invited to give the lecture instead. I still talk to senior military officials on Singapore privately. Malaysian officials do not want to hurt Singapore even if that makes Malaysia look silly. But is not time for Malaysia to take decisions that are for Malaysia's good and not other countries?
But there is one difference between Malaysia and Singapore, apart from the majority in one being Malays and the other Chinese. Malays think long term. Singapore short term. Coupled with good public relations, Singapore will steal a march in the short term over Malaysia. I believe in 2061, when the water agreeements expire, Singapore will be part of Malaysia, not as a state but as an adjunct to Johore. Singapore made that possible when it rejected a Malaysian proposal to shore in the profits of the water sold to commercial enterprises. That led to the then prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, coming to Kuala Lumpur in 1987 to sort it out with his Malaysian counterpart. It was at this meeting that Malaysia took the upper hand culturally from Singapore, which has tried to wrest it back by other means. In public, though, the Singaporean is seen as a go-getter, a Malaysian a bumbling fool harping on his past but quite happy to fill his pockets with money from any source.
It is not that the Singaporean is not corrupt. He is, but the government controls that: certain people are authorised to be corrupt, but not others. I know of Singaporeans in high positions who got there because they had views different from the others. In Malaysia, this is not allowed. But given the society Singapore is, he would not do anything unless ordered. The Malaysian will take a different view in public even if he is pushed aside. But his view will eventually gain the public eye if sound and relevant. He would go against the government if he has to. The government is in trouble because of this. In Singapore, the naysayers tend to make known their ways in private or in closed quarters. In Malaysia, publicly. So we have, to the outside world, a disorganised, disoriented, speaking at cross purposes Malaysia and an organised, oriented and united Singapore in what matters today, the short term. But Malaysia will have its day in 2061. To paraphrase a saying: He laughs best who laughs last.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
organizelah some protest around your neighbourhood????
and forfeit the right to cari makan and try save enough to migrate? and get a one way ticket to Simpang Renggam detention centre or worse yet revoked citizenship for being unpatriotic in the eyes of those in power?
This is after all an autocratic sort of asian country. Criticism of any kind is branded as an act of a traitor against the country. An act of a thankless immigrant whos been granted the privilleage to cari makan as well as enrich "them".
Protests wont work in this country, at this point of time, in these circumstances. Things have got to be so rotten, and only then possibly will the mass rise up in numbers. Only then will the silent majority act. I'd probably be dead by then.
Come to think of it, when ruling party Ministers themselves dont have the right to present a memo to the PM, when ruling MPs cant even vote based on what is right and wrong, when civil servants are almost always the servant of such rulers and yet be little emperors in their own right, what chance has the normal men and women on the street have?
Getting people to rise now? Bloody hell. I cant even get people to voice opinions or present alternate views or criticize in academic and professional seminars ive organised or attended. A few months back, i even directly hit out at the attendees of a seminar on this "tidak-apa" attitude amongst us malaysians, and asians generally. 99% of the people are content to just listen and read and go back to their normal routine. And true enough, nobody reacted to my comments.(maybe they were pissed off by my comments)
And so, thats why i say, the discontent lot have to be content with waiting impatiently for the day when it gets rotten to the core, or die, whichever comes first, for things to possibly change for the better.
This is after all an autocratic sort of asian country. Criticism of any kind is branded as an act of a traitor against the country. An act of a thankless immigrant whos been granted the privilleage to cari makan as well as enrich "them".
Protests wont work in this country, at this point of time, in these circumstances. Things have got to be so rotten, and only then possibly will the mass rise up in numbers. Only then will the silent majority act. I'd probably be dead by then.
Come to think of it, when ruling party Ministers themselves dont have the right to present a memo to the PM, when ruling MPs cant even vote based on what is right and wrong, when civil servants are almost always the servant of such rulers and yet be little emperors in their own right, what chance has the normal men and women on the street have?
Getting people to rise now? Bloody hell. I cant even get people to voice opinions or present alternate views or criticize in academic and professional seminars ive organised or attended. A few months back, i even directly hit out at the attendees of a seminar on this "tidak-apa" attitude amongst us malaysians, and asians generally. 99% of the people are content to just listen and read and go back to their normal routine. And true enough, nobody reacted to my comments.(maybe they were pissed off by my comments)
And so, thats why i say, the discontent lot have to be content with waiting impatiently for the day when it gets rotten to the core, or die, whichever comes first, for things to possibly change for the better.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Why is Lelaki Komunis Terakhir banned in Malaysia?
First was the disappointing yet not surprising response by the PM on the Shahrir controversy. Vote along party lines, my foot. Its just an attempt to divert people's attention to the widespread misdeeds amongst the MPs.
and now...
For the past few years, as every day passes, my confidence in the future of this country reduces further..and further. The future is bleak. Am a pessimist in the midst of capitalist corrupt cronies. Perhaps the country has to get rotten to the core, before there will be "light at the end of the tunnel". There will be those screaming "leave if you dont like it", but unfortunately am not rich like those ruling fellas or their cronies. So, we suffer...and wait.
and now...
Lelaki Komunis Terakhir (The Last Communist): Why is Lelaki Komunis Terakhir banned in Malaysia?: "Why is Lelaki Komunis Terakhir banned in Malaysia?"
For the past few years, as every day passes, my confidence in the future of this country reduces further..and further. The future is bleak. Am a pessimist in the midst of capitalist corrupt cronies. Perhaps the country has to get rotten to the core, before there will be "light at the end of the tunnel". There will be those screaming "leave if you dont like it", but unfortunately am not rich like those ruling fellas or their cronies. So, we suffer...and wait.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Shahrir supposedly resigns..
Its obvious, all the recent issues played up by the newspapers are nothing more then a smokescreen. To distract the public from the core problems. Petrol, Police.
Wonder whats next in the minds of the puppet masters.
Wonder whats next in the minds of the puppet masters.
The Gatal incident - Hansard transcript
Tuan Haji Abdul Fatah bin Haji Haron [Rantau Panjang]
blah blah blah from Shahrizat. Asks him to retract.
Abdul Fatah continues:
Saya rasa ada peluang bagi saya untuk meminta penjelasan serta memberi penjelasan terhadap persoalan yang ditimbulkan suatu (sewaktu) soal jawab tadi oleh Yang Berhormat Menteri berkenaan dengan kenapakah wanita yang kehilangan suami hasil dari penceraian di tinggal begitu atau tidak diambil kira oleh masyarakat, sedangkan suami yang meninggal kerana kematian itu banyak simpati daripada orang ramai.
Apakah Yang Berhormat sedar sebahagian besar perempuan yang ditinggalkan oleh suami ini ada masalah yang menyebabkan berlaku penceraian. Satu. Yang keduanya apabila masyarakat melihat seorang perempuan yang ditinggalkan oleh suami sudah tentulah mereka ini ada sebab-sebab yang boleh dipertikaikan.
Kalau kita lihat di dalam majlis-majlis yang besar, perempuan yang ketiadaan suami hasil penceraian ini ada gatal sedikit. Tidak seperti yang kehilangan suami kerana kematian. Yang kematian ini, nampak dia insaf, sedih dan nampaklah air muka itu ada sedikit keimanan. Tetapi sebahagian besarnya, yang kehilangan suami hasil pencerian ini" kalau di dalam majlis-majlis, dia nampak gatal, sebab itu hilang simpati. Harap komen daripada Yang Berhormat."
blah blah blah from Shahrizat. Asks him to retract.
Abdul Fatah continues:
Saya sebut ini sebahagian besar, saya tidak kata seluruh. Bukan tuduh, sebahagian besar. Kalau tengok di majlis-majlis, katakanlah di party, private partu kalau kita tengok yang mana. Janda yang macam mana yang gatal, yang 'gelenyar', bahasa Kelantan. Kelantan kata 'gelenyar', bahasa persuratan gatal. Yang mana? Yang kematian suami ataupun yang diceraikan oleh suami. Sebahagian besarnya yang gatal itu ialah yang bercerai kerana sebab-sebab tertentu, samada si suami itu jahat ataupun si isteri itu ada masalah. Terima kasih.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Memartabatkan bahasa
Its a photo i took in December, but only now got to upload here.
Apresiasi???????????? Apresiasi puisi?????????? Appreciation. Please tell me there is no other word in the Malay language that conveys the meaning of appreciation.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
The end of the crooked bridge saga
Been a bit busy of late, thus not responded to comments on my own blog. Well, here goes.
I tend to believe a bit of what TDM has stated. He has done his homework. We have the right to do as we please, and give 6 months notice, where water pipes are concerned. Even for railway line, as long as re-connection is done within a specified period, as per the related law/agreement, our assets at spore remain intact.
As for sand and airspace. Yeah, its possible some bolehlandputras aka umnoputras have a stake in the sand business and want to include that in. As for airspace, perhaps spore pushed for this from day one.
What do i make of all this crap thats been dumped on us by your incompetent and spineless Govt? I am beginning to suspect that PM wanted to use this as a smokescreen to divert people's attention away from the rising oil prices. Halt the bridge and save a billion ringgit.
Why give the go-ahead a few weeks earlier for bridge? So, GP can do a bit of work, and then claim RM100 million for work done aka compensation for project being cancelled.
PM probably didnt count on TDM coming out guns blazing.
The price we paid? The whole world got to see first hand how bad our politicians were in decision making, diplomacy and politics.
I tend to believe a bit of what TDM has stated. He has done his homework. We have the right to do as we please, and give 6 months notice, where water pipes are concerned. Even for railway line, as long as re-connection is done within a specified period, as per the related law/agreement, our assets at spore remain intact.
As for sand and airspace. Yeah, its possible some bolehlandputras aka umnoputras have a stake in the sand business and want to include that in. As for airspace, perhaps spore pushed for this from day one.
What do i make of all this crap thats been dumped on us by your incompetent and spineless Govt? I am beginning to suspect that PM wanted to use this as a smokescreen to divert people's attention away from the rising oil prices. Halt the bridge and save a billion ringgit.
Why give the go-ahead a few weeks earlier for bridge? So, GP can do a bit of work, and then claim RM100 million for work done aka compensation for project being cancelled.
PM probably didnt count on TDM coming out guns blazing.
The price we paid? The whole world got to see first hand how bad our politicians were in decision making, diplomacy and politics.
Remembering the past..
"Chatting, friendship, intimacy or for that matter almost any relationship, is a two way affair. When its almost always only one party making an effort, then over time that person is going to just decide to fade away, not in anger, but in disappointment."
"Life is a continuous process of new beginnings. The past is just that, the past. To be cherished or remembered or.... feared (vic - 2005)"
"Life is a continuous process of new beginnings. The past is just that, the past. To be cherished or remembered or.... feared (vic - 2005)"
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