Blog Akar Umbi Di Bagan Pinang

Saya jarang-jarang mengangkat nama blog orang, walaupun kawan-kawan, di sini. Namun, saya cukup berminat dengan blog mata-pena yang baru timbul baru-baru ini bersabit PRK Bagan Pinang.

Menariknya bukan apa, tetapi penggeraknya adalah seorang guru sekolah dan penyokong politik akar-umbi! Namun, terlihat blog beliau cukup kemas serta canggih, melihatkan bagaimana dengan sedikit kegigihan, internet merentas jurang bagi sesiapa pun yang mahu berhubung suara atau pendapat.

Diharap teman-teman juga sudi melawat blog beliau.

Ignorance Reigns On Merdeka And Malaysia Day...

As a lover of history, I am appalled by the running results of the current poll being run by the Star Online. Assuming the poll results are legitimate, at this point, it show Malaysians giving equal footing if not greater importance to Malaysia Day (16 September) than Merdeka Day (31 August). Obviously this is in large part due a succesful propaganda campaign by Pakatan, especially PKR, that carry the view that Malaysia Day is 'fairer' to Sabah and Sarawak.

Unfortunately, this bit of propaganda, however succesful, is based out of a falsehood! For many who have chosen Malaysia Day as the more important day, the view is formed of the belief that 16 September was the day Sabah and Sarawak achieved independence via Malaysia. Actually, the truth is that 16 September is only the official date of the formation of Malaysia, whilst Sabah and Sarawak achieved independence from British rule a little earlier!

Sarawak actually gained independence on 22 July 1963, whilst Sabah, interestingly, was declared independent as North Borneo on 31 August 1963! The formation of Malaysia was originally planned for 31 August 1963, to coincide with the independence of Sabah and Singapore, however, it was postponed to 16 September whilst a diplomatic solution was being sought to address opposition to Malaysia's formation by Indonesia and the Philippines.

That Malaysia Day happened on 16 September was hence an accident of regional politics, however, 31 August carried greater significance, at least for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. It was hence decided together, in unity, by parties from Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak, that 31 August should be celebrated as Merdeka Day, whilst 16 September be declared Malaysia Day in honour of the formation, but would carry far lesser weight due to the history leading to the date.

And now, some 52 years after independence of Malaya and 46 years after the independence of Sabah and Sarawak, followed by the formation of Malaysia, for the sake of politics, ignorance is fanned across the masses! Much of leadership relies on history, often said to avoid past mistakes, but more importantly so we know where we came from and how our values as a nation came to be. Certainly politics is no good reason to trample upon our history as a nation.

And why is Merdeka then more significant a date for all 3 parts of the Federation that is Malaysia? Because Merdeka is the day we threw off the oppressive yoke of the English and became a free nation. This is surely more momentous to any part of Malaysia than the coming together of the parts! It is also better to celebrate grandly on the date when we originally chose to form Malaysia, than on a date forced upon us by powers opposed to our formation, that is 16 September.

If Pakatan is ever to come to lead Malaysia as a nation, it should first learn to respect history, as history is a large part of what defines us as a nation. Twisting history into propaganda simply for the pursuit of power, is disrespectful of our ancestors and disenfranchises our descendants of the truth of who we are. Unlike politics, our history is sacred to the nation, and it would do well for us to know it in case those irresponsible choose to lead us astray for their own gains...

NB: Please note I have used well referenced Wikipedia pages to back the above historical dates, in an attempt to balance the younger generation's irrational level of trust of Wiki with presentation of historical fact.

Food War With Singapore? Long Overdue I Say...

I was rather pleased to see this bit of news today, at last, someone in our government has decided to go to war with Singapore on something really important... their incessant claiming of bits of our most Malaysian and beloved cultural heritage, FOOD! And just because the same someone then seemingly chickened out, doesn't mean the rest of us should lay down arms!

Malaysians don't really mind seeing our cuisine being showcased all over the world, and very often confused with not just Singaporean, but Indonesian, Hong Kong, Indian, hell, even Australian fusion cuisine these days! In fact, Malaysians rather pragmatically enjoy the idea of getting half-decent copies of the original at least in these countries. And the Singaporean copies are at least spelled correctly in the menu!

What we do mind is when people rather blatantly go around claiming our food is theirs! I mean, I get it, Singapore doesn't really have much of its own culture, but there seems to be a section of its society that just feels a massive enough inferiority complex that it has to proclaim much of other cultural heritages their own. Pretty hard to 'sapu' the culture of other neighbours... besides, they are bigger and are more 'aggressive'. So, why not steal a bit more from Malaysia!

Unfortunately, Singapore is not very good at this 'sapu' business. Unlike the Australians or indeed the Americans, who do also 'sapu' a lot, Singaporeans are a bit inept at the innovation needed to make borrowed heritage their own! I don't see any Arabs upset over the very Australian Sticky Date Pudding. And I also find it silly when some Singaporeans claim food is not 'heritage', ask the English if Spotted Dick or even Stilton Cheese is not what they consider their heritage?

Then again, it was a Singaporean company that mistakenly presented a Balinese dance as a Malay Malaysian dance in the Discovery channel, resulting in the Indonesians getting all upset about us after all! What do you expect from a nation that apparently doesn't even appreciate how heritage permeates all that touches a community over its evolved anthropological history. And for Malaysians, food permeates EVERYTHING! Hmmm... maybe they are too young as a nation?

But enough with the Singapore bashing. Perhaps some evidence should be presented no? So, what better place than Wikipedia to showcase how blatantly our Malaysian food heritage is easily claimed to be 'Singapore Cuisine'. And this isn't bad... considering there is 'Ampang Yong Tau Foo', and many others, readily touted as Singaporean cuisine also in food channels by the ignorantly Singapore-educated global media!

Finally, whilst we pursue fair claims of our food heritage, let us nevertheless revel in the continued growth and superiority of Malaysian food... that is ever innovative and wondorous to the palate... even whilst others still try, and fail, to 'sapu' our golden oldies... enjoy surfing through friedchillies!

Active Spinning Of Bagan Pinang By Pro-Pakatan Press Begins

As expected, the news spinning and propaganda around the Bagan Pinang by-elections have begun in earnest. Whilst PAS has started early by questioning the validity of postal votes, more as a preparation to explain its likely defeat, the pro-Pakatan the Sun newspaper has chosen a very naughty but potentially more effective approach to attack BN's most likely candidate early.

The Sun's Tim Leonard's best line in the piece comes at the end, when an UMNO Icon of Corruption is,"Asked about selecting a candidate with a tainted record which could affect BN’s chances of victory...". On the on-line version, the impact would have been greater, as the line was published beside th photo of BN's most likely candidate! I have to hand it to the Sun, that's a brilliant piece of spinning!

Whilst the candidate is not explicitly mentioned, Tim Leonard neatly laid doubt on the character hinting on recent history 'taint'ing the man that may be fresh in everyone's mind. What made it worse was he asked an Icon of Corruption this, hence reinforcing the message. However, this spin conveniently ignored one thing. THE TRUTH!

The truth is that there was once a man who was elected Vice President of UMNO. Though not a saint, hard to be one in politics, this man was the cleanest of the 3 who won Vice Presidency that year. In fact, the man was about the cleanest of all the candidates that contested that year! He was also interestingly the best public speaker and the youngest of the 3. There was just one problem... he came from the same state as a very young ambitious and upcoming Icon of Corruption...

In UMNO, one of the unwritten traditions is that the President and his Deputy should be from different states, better still if from different regions. This was behind the tension between DS Anwar Ibrahim and Pak Lah - Anwar's rise to Deputy President curtailed Pak Lah's desires. One can sense tensions appearing between the TS Muhyiddin and DS Hishamuddin as well now. So, the rise of a Negeri Sembilan Vice President would hinder to another 'power' in the state.

And so a conspiracy was hatched to not just topple the 'threatening' UMNO Vice President, but to taint him with the label 'Corrupt'. This was of course easily done by someone related to and so loved by a weak party President that he was willing to move mountains... tainting and disposing of the political career of a promising hope for the party's future leadership? No problem!

Time passes by, and surprise-surprise, the toppled and then falsely disgraced former Vice President has a chance to rejuvenate his political career. In the meantime, the ambitious youngster, now diminished as an ex-President's son-in-law and himself so elevated to Icon of Corruption status that the party's Disciplinary Council could not find him innocent of Money Politics even whilst his father-in-law was still President, he sees karma dealing him another blow...

Everyone loves a good telling of a conspiracy... well this is a juicy one... and please, don't take my word for it... and I do not mean the spinning by the Pro-Pakatan press such as the Sun... read here, here, here and here...

Selamat Hari Raya!

MIC Now In Real Trouble?

It is very strange what has happened at MIC. They have an immensely unpopular President, outside of satire that is, yet, in the greatest traditions of what appears to be a disturbingly increasing norm among BN component parties, DS Samy Vellu retains the faith of the party's divisional leadership and delegates, as indicated by the election of only his endorsed candidates at its recent AGM!

DS Samy Vellu's longevity as MIC President has been said to be due to many things, including:

1. Caste Politics - this is supposedly sensitive, to whom I am unsure, so I will just link to an article extracted from pro-Pakatan Malaysiakini as an example of such criticism. No cow's head here!


2. MIC has not been spared the typical accusation of Pakatan and its various media - so of course they say DS Samy is popular due to corruption!


3. I am sure that internally some people will start claiming 'phantom voters' and biased vote counting as reasons for DS Samy's choices winning top posts...


4. The pro-Samy 'accusation' would be that 'there is still no other credible alternative'! Of course, one could say that this is also DS Samy's own failing.


5. My own satirical favourite is that DS Samy has put a toll in front of MIC HQ and gives a free pass to all his supporters and charges variable toll rates on his opponents according to the level of anti-Samyness. Now that voting is over, the anti-Samy get a discount!


6. etc.


7. etc.


8. ad-nauseum...

However, there are perhaps more fundamental issues that need to be discussed by the Indian community and its various political fronts like MIC, PPP, IPF, Hindraf, etc. moving forward. These issues revolve around where the Indian community sees themselves in Malaysia moving forward. Until this matter is resolved at the community level, the Indian community will remain unhappy with its lot of life as participants in the great Malaysian experiment.

Why do I say this? In my view, the Indian community has been tossed about by political forces far too easily over the last few years. This in turn is symptomatic of a community that struggles with:

1. A large income and educational disparity within the community, with neither a clear majority in influence nor an active middle-class visibly bridging the gap in priorities within the community.


2. A passionate culture imbued by the spirit of the Ramayana that permeates across the community, despite a sizable minority not being Hindu in religion. This results in a tempestuous nature that can easily be stoked from individual anger into mob behaviour, especially when injustice is perceived.


3. An undeniably strong link to its mother country India, and in many cases, the various home provinces of individual ethnicities, that impacts upon the community's outlook on issues. This link is sustained not just by pilgrimages to India, but a steady influx of Indian nationals into Malaysia for a variety of employment forms, from temple priests to Mamak store workers.


4. A community that is still fractured by the various differences between internal groups, from sub-ethnicities (Tamil, Malayalam, Punjabi, etc) through to religion (Hindu, Islam, Christian, etc) with no universal defining point of unity such as what the Mandarin language has become for the Chinese. OK, maybe Ghandi, but everyone loves Ghandi! So, what else?


5. A community that is very open to the influences of leaders of other communities, especially the majority Malay leadership. Where this is benign, then it is fine, but where it leads to mob behaviour such as the norm of the 'Anwar Ibrahim' type of Malay 'leadership', it actually leaves the community worse off.

So to my own question, whether MIC is in real trouble now, I would say yes it is! With DS Samy's grip on the party clear, the community may give up on a political solution to its woes and look for alternatives. The alternative may be political, but in this case, DS Samy's likely right in guessing an Indian political rival to MIC is some years in coming. However, Indians may choose to move primarily through community NGOs, like the Chinese, which would risk making MIC an irrelevance.

That Hindraf rose to prominence so quickly, putting aside its racist rhetoric, dramatic claims and mob behaviour, is indicative of not just the role NGOs can fulfil but also the readiness of the Indian community to support them! Support for the Kampung Buah Pala Residence Association's efforts is another.

The saving grace for MIC is that it is attempting to cap its troubles with some key constitutional amendments, such as to the President's term in office, and at least it is ahead of PPP with regards to its Youth Chief, who is the community's choice, not DS Samy's and is smart enough not avoid silliness like asking the government to make the UMNO Youth chief a minister! However, it has to do something to bridge the high risk period which is the now to the future.

I am glad though that DS Samy, for all his faults, does retain a good political head on his shoulders. It is smart of him to allow others, mainly junior reps of the party, to respond against Tun Dr M's recent comments against his leadership... and smarter still for defending Tun Dr M after...

Masalah Kepala Lembu: Tau Nak Makan Sahaja Asal Hijau, Tapi Nilai Zat Tak Tau!

Saya rasa mual melihat tindak-tanduk kepimpinan politik kita tentang hal layanan buruk terhadap kepala lembu. Yang sibuk dilayan adalah tuduhan orang dan cepat dicari orang untuk dihukum-hakam. Tetapi masalah pokok tidak ditangani!Masalah pokok yang saya maksudkan bukanlah perpindahan kuil... itu sebenarnya tidak harus menjadi isu kecuali diperbesar-besarkan oleh juak-juak kerajaan Pakatan negeri Selangor juga! Yang saya maksudkan adalah masalah nilai!

Khususnya:

1. Di manakah nilai kita sebagai suatu masyarakat majmuk apabila kefahaman tentang agama jiran sewarganegara tiada, sehinggakan bukan sekadar kepala lembu dipijak, tetapi makanan Halal dimaksudkan 'tanpa babi' sahaja dan sesuatu kaum dianggap seagama semua!


2. Dimanakah terletaknya hormat rakyat terhadap pemimpin apabila kepala Menteri Besar boleh diproksikan kepala lembu dan disepak-sepak sewenang-wenangnya apabila tidak setuju dengan tindak-tanduk beliau? Kemarahan rakyat terhadap pemimpin tidak memberikan rakyat lesen terbuka untuk biadap tanpa had ke atas pemimpin.


3. 
   
   Dimanakah nilai sejarah, apabila para pembangkang, khususnya PKR, begitu ghairah menyepak kepala lembu sambil lupa itulah simbol Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) yang digabungkan dengan Parti KeAdilan Nasional untuk menjadi PKR sekarang! Kalau nilai sejarah parti yang dibanggakan pun orang PKR boleh lupa dalam emosi menyepak 'kepala sendiri', tak hairanlah melihat mereka lupakan sejarah perjuangan lama, mahupun janji-janji baru!


4. Dimanakah nilai kepimpinan kita apabila yang dipentingkan adalah memberi kepuasan emosi kepada rakyat, bukan menangani persisihan pendapat antara kaum dengan memperbetulkan hubungan serta pegangan nilai! Sibuk menuding jari ke arah lain atau berselindung disebalik dalih-dusta, sama saja pada mana-mana parti... BILA NAK DIPUPUK NILAI MURNI?

Inilah di sebalik porak-perandanya negara! Bilakah kita akan kembali kepada pegangan nilai sebagai panduan arah-tuju negara bangsa! Saya sudah mual...

Isu Perpindahan Kuil Ke Seksyen 23 Berkait Rasuah?

Sementara kerajaan negara terus ditohmah kononnya tidak berlaku adil terhadap agama minoriti, termasuk melalui media elektronik Wikipedia yang hanya memburukkan tanpa menampilkan jasa parti komponen MIC menegakkan maruah agama Hindu misalnya dengan mendirikan patung Lord Murugan di Batu Caves, jurublog ini ingin mempersoalkan, bermula di muka Facebook saya:

Perpindahan kuil ke Seksyen 23 dah ditunda.

Pakatan diajar yg mesra Rakyat bukan sekadar propaganda atau pura-pura.

Jangan diingat isu ini sudah mati kerana penyelesaiannya belum jelas pada sesiapa.

Cuma... kalau betul kuil ini 150 tahun umurnya,

maka seharusnya bertaraf khazanah budaya negara,

kenapa ada niat untuk memindahnya dari Seksyen 19 pula?

Apakah niat kerajaan Selangor sebenarnya?

Haruskah MACC bertanya?

Rata-rata akhbar melaporkan bagaimana kuil Hindu Sri Maha Mariamman yang kini di Seksyen 19 tersebut sebuah kuil lama berumur 150 tahun. Malah, fakulti seni bina Universiti Malaya dikatakan pernah melakukan lukisan berukur atau 'measured drawing' bangunan kuil tersebut, termasuklah perhiasan dan pahatan yang dikatakan indah, halus serta unik berbanding dengan kebanyakan kuil-kuil baru.

Berdasarkan maklumat umur dan keunikan kuil tersebut, seharusnya kuil tersebut didaftar sebagai sebuah 'Heritage Building' atau khazanah budaya penganut agama Hindu di Malaysia. Atas dasar tersebut, kuil Sri Maha Mariamman ini tidak seharusnya dipindahkan kerana perpindahannya membawa risiko kerosakkan dan hakisan nilai sejarah budayanya.

Sesungguhnya, kalaupun BN Selangor dahulu tidak dapat memutuskan perkara ini, kerajaan Pakatan Selangor baru, yang kononnya ber-'ketuanan rakyat', semestinya membiarkan sahaja kuil tersebut di lokasi sedia ada. Tetapi ini tidak, gatal juga nak memindahkan kuil tersebut! Persoalannya adalah, kenapa? Mungkinkah ada sesiapa yang mendapat untung dari perpindahan tersebut? Perlukah Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia SPRM/MACC menyiasat?

Atau mungkinkah memang betul... kerajaan Pakatan Selangor ini agak kureng dan lembap pula kebolehannya...?! ...selain dari aksi sarkasnyalah...

Bagan Pinang Peluang Keemasan Barisan Nasional Membuktikan Transformasi

Pilihanraya Kecil ke-9 akan diadakan di Bagan Pinang, Port Dickson, berikutan meninggalnya ADUN mukim tersebut, YB Azman Mat Nor. Bagan Pinang merupakan kubu UMNO. Sebelum ini, PRK-PRK diadakan di kawasan-kawasan yang kalaupun dahulunya kubu, akibat perjalanan masa, sejarah dan pola kepedudukan, telahpun bertukar menjadi lubuk Pakatan, seperti Parlimen Gopeng serta kerusi-kerusi wakil rakyat sekitar Permatang Pauh.

Soalnya, adakah UMNO dan BN mampu memilih calon sesuai untuk bertanding di DUN tersebut? Pilihan calonlah amnya kelemahan terbesar UMNO sejak PRU-12 lagi. Di 3 dari 8 PRK sebelum ini, faktor kelemahan calonlah menjadi punca kekalahan, terutama sekali di Kuala Terengganu dan Permatang Pasir. Pada satu-satunya PRK di mana UMNO hampir menang, calon dipilih tepat, malangnya terkena tempias kebencian terhadap Ketuanya yang merupakan ikon korupsi.

Di Bagan Pinang, sudah ada 2 calon, anak-beranak(!) yang sedia sesuai untuk diketengahkan. Kedua-duanya mempunyai ketokohan, kebolehan dan latar-belakang menarik lagi tidak memalukan. Yang bapa mempunyai sejarah curahan jasa kepada masyarakat setempat. Yang anak pula profesional berjaya, petah berbicara baik lantang di pentas mahupun berbisik seberang meja dan sudah mula membela sebagai Naib Ketua Pemuda.

Tan Sri Isa Samad, sang bapa, kini pasti dibibir para pemimpin UMNO sebagai calon paling tepat, memandangkan beliau bukan sahaja sekadar Ketua Bahagian Teluk Kemang di mana terletaknya Bagan Pinang, malah pernah menjadi MB Negeri Sembilan seketika dahulu. Sang anak, Mohd Najib bin TS Isa, juga bukan calang-calang orangnya, lucu, peramah dan tak kurang ketokohan sehingga berdiri sebagai calon ulung Pemuda UMNO Negeri Sembilan ke pemilihan exco Pemuda.

Tan Sri Isa Samad di majlis kepimpinan bersama Datuk Puad Zakarshi, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir dan Ayah (Tan Sri Sanusi Junid - di luar gambar) menjelang pemilihan UMNO 2008

Menarik sekali, kedua-dua anak-bapa ini juga pernah menjadi mangsa percaturan politik seorang ikon politik durjana yang terkemuka dari Rembau. Punyalah bimbang si durjana tersebut akan 'persaingan' dari sang bapa untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri, sehinggakan TS Isa dimalukan oleh Lembaga Disiplin UMNO kongkongan rejim Pak Lah dan digantung keahliannya. Si anak pula dimatikan harapan menangnya pada pemilihan Pemuda UMNO baru-baru ini.

Akan tetapi, sejarah kemelut UMNO ini tidak menjejaskan, malah meningkatkan lagi daya tarik calon-calon berdua kepada pengundi. Bukan sahaja anak tempatan yang disegani, tetapi jauh dari berkait dengan anasir-anasir negatif dalam UMNO, mereka malah dimusuhi dan pernah dimangsai ikon-ikon korupsi yang dibenci rakyat tersebut! Kalaupun ada calon lain yang leih baik dari dua ini untuk UMNO, diharap diketengahkan, tetapi tak mungkin ada yang jelas musuh ikon korupsi!

Soalnya sekarang, sang bapa atau anakkah akan dipilih untuk tampil ke hadapan? Lazimnya dalam UMNO, selagi sang bapa berumur politik, sang anak puas berlegar di tepi pentas, bersedia tetapi tak gopoh untuk ke arena kuasa. Oleh itu, kemungkinan besar TS Isalah bakal dipilih di antara mereka berdua. Namun, memandangkan TS Isa sudah ke peringkat Parlimen sekaligus memegang kedudukan Naib Presiden UMNO sebelum ini, mahukah beliau kembali ke Negeri?

Dalam senario beginilah, mungkin pintu akan dibuka untuk sang anak, Mohamad Najib, menampilkan diri sebagai calon. Umur politik sang bapa mungkin masih ada, tetapi di tahap yang berbeza. Penampilan Najib juga akan memberi kesempatan untuk UMNO menunjukkan bahawa ia juga dipelopori pemuda yang berwibawa, profesional, berkebolehan dan walaupun anak pemimpin, tidak gemuk rasuah serta hidup-mati di riba kuasa orang tuanya semata-mata.

Kita berentap kembali di Bagan Pinang... insya'Allah...

Menjelang MERDEKA, Punca Pertelingkahan Antara Kaum Terpampang Buat Rakyat Selangor

Saya hanya mendengar 2 kali sejak 1Malaysia dilancarkan, pendapat jelas akan apa dimaksudkan slogan tersebut yang bolehlah masuk akal sedikit sebagai pencinta sejarah. Terus-terang, kita pernah berdenyut senadi sebagai rakyat 1 Malaysia, dan ini jelas sepanjang alunan sejarah sebelum kepimpinan Pak Lah. Mungkin ada juga segelintir rakyat, terutama yang membangkang, terus menerus membawa modal ketidaksama-rataan kaum, tetapi ini kerana mereka tak reti...

Malangnya bagi kita, kelembapan pentadbiran dan keunggulan ikon-ikon korupsi pada zaman Pak Lah, membuka jalan untuk kegusaran rakyat diasak dan ditujukan ke arah propaganda ketidaksama-rataan antara kaum yang dicanang PKR dan DAP. Malangnya, kepimpinan lama disokong oleh pemimpin-pemimpin komponen BN yang sama ada lemah, seperti TS Koh Tsu Koon, atau diakhir hayat politik, seperti DS Samy Vellu.

Dalam kelemahan ini, tiada yang dapat terus mengingatkan rakyat apakah punca harmoni kita yang lama: kompromi yakni tolak-ansur yang berpada-pada! Tidak mungkin dalam suatu masyarakat berbilang kaum boleh wujud keharmonian tanpa kompromi. Kompromi antara hak, dan kehendak, selagi tidak melanggar keperluan mana-mana kaum adalah formula yang telah menjayakan Malaysia sejak 13 Mei 1969. Tidak ada mana-mana kaum yang mendapat segala-galanya...

1Malaysia-lah usaha untuk mencetus kembali ingatan tua dan mencanang hingga generasi muda faham yang bersatunya kita sebagai rakyat bukannya berdasarkan prinsip setiap kaum, agama malah rakyat mengecapi semua 'hak' dan kehendak mereka, seperti dibawa oleh ide Malaysia-Malaysia DAP. 1Malaysia seharusnya membawa dengan lebih jelas... ingat kembali! Kita sudah pun 1 Malaysia dahulu! Kita menghormati tuntutan hak semua dan berusaha dalam kompromi...

Kompromi adalah kata-najis politik. Ia diconteng ke muka pemimpin yang kononnya menderhakai perjuangan. Oleh itu, susah mungkin untuk pemimpin BN mengakui bahawa kompromi dalam mengejar hak antara kumpulan rakyat yang diwakili parti-parti komponen adalah antara sebab BN berjaya mengekalkan keharmonian antara kaum selama ini. Sudah tentu, tidak ada satu-satu kaum yang benar-benar puas... tetapi amnya tiada yang berasa ketinggalan...

Pra-PRU 12, isu menegangkan keharmonian antara kaum, yakni perobohan kuil Hindu yang dibina tanpa kebenaran tuan tanah, seperti biasa timbul. Kepimpinan BN yang kuat dan berhemah, disokong majoriti, sudah pasti dapat membawa kompromi untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini. Mungkin masyarakat Hindu diberi kuil ganti sebagai tawaran perdamaian oleh pemimpin Melayu yang terlibat. Ini kompromi. Tak mungkin semua puas, tetapi keperluan diisi dan harmoni kembali.

Kini kita melihat, di Selangor, propaganda Pakatan memakan diri. Propaganda inilah yang dicanang sewaktu rakyat gusar atas salah-silap Pak Lah dahulu. Dikatakan bukan korupsi sahaja membawa merudumnya kemakmuran rakyat kebanyakan. Dikatakan, ini akibat 'politik perkauman' yang diamalkan selama ini! Dikatakan DEB tidak menguntungkan sesiapa selain yang berkuasa. Dihapuskan dari ingatan yang kompromi harus ada untuk kita makmur dalam harmoni...

Sudah berbulan-bulan kita melihat bagaimana kerajaan Pakatan negeri Pulau Pinang GAGAL menyelesaikan isu sekular yang juga berbau perkauman, yakni pengambilan tanah Kampung Buah Pala. Dalam isu tersebut, sebuah pengusaha Cina ingin membuang penduduk India dari tanah milik antara lain koperasi pekerja kerajaan negeri yang amnya Melayu! Padahal, penyelesaiannya merupakan antara janji-janji pokok Pakata sewaktu PRU-12!

Buat masa ini, kerajaan Pakatan Pulau Pinang yang kepincangan dari pelbagai hal terselamat akibat kelemahan kepimpinan BN negeri diterajui TS Koh Tsu Koon. TS Koh dibenci kaum Melayu dan India kerana sifat perkaumannya sehingga disangsi bangsanya sendiri! Tetapi, kejadian menyepak kepala lembu sebagai bangkangan terhadap pembinaan kuil Hindu oleh pemimpin Islam PKR Selangor menunjukkan betapa pada dasarnya, Pakatanlah golongan yang bersifat perkauman!

Bagaimanakah mungkin suatu parti yang berpropaganda hangat akan penolakkan politik kononnya 'ala-perkauman' BN boleh bersifat begitu kurang ajar sekali terhadap kaum lain? Ini kerana idealisma yang dipropaganda oleh Pakatan Rakyat dan parti komponennya adalah yang serong. Ia suatu idealisma kurang matang dengan melulu menjanjikan hak mutlak segalanya bagi setiap kaum, tanpa memberi kesedaran akan perlunya benteng kompromi berpada-pada!

Perbincangan tentang hal ini harus diteruskan oleh semua rakyat Malaysia. Tak kiralah politik mana yang disuka, jelas, rakyat Malaysia harus memahami apa itu maksud 'perkauman', apa baiknya 'kompromi' dan kembali ke masa di mana 1Malaysia bukan slogan semata-mata. Pada hemah saya, Pakatan Rakyat sendiri harus dibetulkan paksinya, kalau tidak, giliran mereka pulalah untuk ditolak rakyat yang dahulu dibuta-tulikan pemimpinnya dengan janji-janji manis-palsu.

Sekadar merenung, mengisi:

MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA!

The Cane Mutiny... By Kartika, With Shahrizat, Then Bar Council... Lagi?

I'm disgusted by the Kartika Canning Saga. First of all, this woman was caught drinking, which is an offence for Muslims. It does gall me though how easily some Muslims get caught (then sentenced) for drinking, and how some get away with it being a chic trendy activity of the 'upper class'. One drinker (since taubat? I dunno...!) was even known to have been Chairman of a Halal Forum! Such hypocracy should offend all Malaysian Muslims!

OK, so lets forgive our religious establishment a while and give them the support to carry out this punishment against this offending woman. But then no... lets not! A whole bunch liberals, real and pretend, including the ever confused Sisters in Islam, started crying foul on the 'cruel' punishment of whipping a woman under Syariah. Their voices were lent further 'weight' by the leaders of both major Malay Muslim parties, DS Shahrizat Jalil for UMNO and YB Dr Lo'Lo' Ghazali from PAS.

Rather disappointingly, all this defence for the offending woman was done in ignorance. All this complaining was done without finding out what Syariah whipping by the cane is like, thinking it's like the vicious whipping by cane regularly sentenced to drug dealers by the secular courts. When th syariah authorities revealed how relatively mild Syariah canning was, the PAS lady rather embarrasedly withdrew her protest! DS Shahrizat just went mum for a while...

In the meantime, whilst the world press got to enjoy bashing Syariah Law... again... as well as Malaysia... again... the person who seems to be benefiting from all this is... the offending woman! She is now seen in full glamour, on the front pages of newspapers, walking at her kampung, waving to people, she's everywhere! She is supposed to be shamed by the punishment, instead, she's revelling in it! Even her father gets quoted in the press!

As a friend remarked on Facebook,"Any 5 minutes of fame is always good for a part time model what?!! After this she should be receiving a lot of modelling offers, I am sure..."

Disgusting!

Now we have two extremes coming out of the Pakatan or quasi-Pakatan side of the political divide:

1. Selangor Pakatan exco and PAS Commissioner Datuk Dr Hassan Ali, fresh from hugging Ronnie Liu in front of DS Anwar Ibrahim, has given the state's Mosque officials power to nab Muslims drinking alcohol! HO HO! Not sure really whether this is because of the Kartika case, seeing as the offending woman was nabbed in a BN state (!), or if it is Round 2 of the state DAP vs PAS slugfest!


2. Bar Council President Ragunath Kesavan, in response to fresh news that the punishment will be postponed to after Ramadhan, and perhaps in heat with the chance to bantai our Syariah courts, which is NOT Bar Council territory, declares he wants 'whipping' abolished! One wonders whether he feels the same about the more vicious mandatory whipping sentence against convicted drug dealers? If so, why not declare something earlier on that?

In the end, all these people are declaring this and that to get the same thing Kartika is now getting, a chance to be prominent in some way... WOI! THE WOMAN GOT CAUGHT DRINKING ALCOHOL, SHE IS MUSLIM and SHE'S BEING PUNISHED! Dah la tu! This is between her and Allah! The religious authorities are just facilitating this and her family has at least 'shown her the light'! WE SHOULD BE WISHING MORE OFFENDING MUSLIMS ARE CAUGHT AND PUNISHED!

But nooo... the saga continues! Sure punya...

Amnesty International, an organisation that has singularly failed to achieve any change in the world, but continue to get money by pretending to achieve stuff, now has jumped into the band-wagon! Please-lah Amnesty, go achieve something more meaningful first lah, like stopping Palestinian kids and babies from being killed by the Zionists, then maybe we and the rest of the world will listen to you more... No need to butt into our small local drama ...

So, 'siapa lagi?', who else wants to wade into this one?

YB Radzhi Lari Dari PKR, Bukan Ke PAS, Tapi Kenapa Tidak Ke UMNO?

Sejak semalam bertubi-tubi penulis menerima sms tentang hal larinya YB Mohd Radzhi Salleh, ADUN Lunas, dari PKR. Katanya beliau ADUN bebas sekarang. Katanya beliau rela terus berkhidmat sebagai Exco Kerajaan Negeri Kedah yang diterajui PAS (?!) walaupun beliau sekarang ADUN bebas. Katanya beliau sedia kekal di Exco kerana ini sesuai dengan hak DYMM Sultan Kedah melantiknya lalu beliau juga sedia dipecat Sultan.

Sebab kenapa YB Radzhi keluar parti? Katanya kerana,"...PKR tidak lagi memperjuangkan kepentingan bangsa Melayu sebaliknya hanya mengutamakan kepentingan politik peribadi dan pemimpin-pemimpin atas pula hanya pandai bersandiwara dan bermain politik peribadi."

OK, setakat ni, nampak gaya skrip yang cukup 'standard' sahaja, tetapi mungkin boleh kita ajukan beberapa teori akan kenapa YB Radzhi mengambil beberapa keputusan:

1. Kenapakah beliau keluar parti PKR. Yang ini ada banyak teori, tetapi sebenarnya saya sendiri akui TAK TAHU tentang hal ini! Ahli Parlimen PKR Padang Serai, YB N Gobalakrishnan dah cukup hangat menuduh YB Radzhi dan yang keluar parti bersama dengannya, sehingga terbubarnya PKR Bahagian tersebut, macam-macam - strategi nak menang PRK Permatang Pasirlah, semuanya dah lama bertindak-tanduk memang mencurigakanlah...


2. Kenapakah YB Radzhi tak lari ke PAS memandangkan beliau sedia untuk kekal di Exco Kerajaan Negeri? Siapa kata dia tidak mencuba? Soalnya sekarang, kalau dia cuba pun, PAS tidak mungkin sedia menerimanya kerana ini pasti akan menimbulkan ketegangan di antara PAS dan PKR Kedah. Dah la PAS dan DAP Kedah tak ngam pasal babi! Lagi pun, Pengerusi PKR Kedah, YB Ahmad Kassim, memang rapat dengan PAS sejak zamannya di ABIM lagi.


3. Soalan yang paling menarik sekali, kenapakah YB Radzhi tak lari ke UMNO! Ha, ini soalan cepumas ni! Yang ni kena huraikan sedikit lagi... di bawah...

KENAPAKAH YB RADZHI TIDAK MENYERTAI UMNO:

1. Jelas YB Radzhi, beliau tidak mahu dikatakan 'kena beli'. Wah, nampak gaya kalau ada orang lompat ke UMNO atau BN, akan terus dilabel 'kena beli'! Bukannya kerana prinsip atau kepincangan parti Pakatan mahupun untuk berkhidmat dengan lebih berkesan. Tetapi terus kena label 'kena beli'! Malah, YB Radzhi lebih rela tak berparti dan seksa menguruskan ADUNnya tanpa bantuan dari kena label 'kena beli' dari masuk UMNO!


2. Kenapakah ada imej 'kena beli' pada yang lompat ke UMNO/BN? Mungkinkah kerana UMNO masih berimej 'membeli' undi? Mungkin ini bukan kerana aksi BN pada PRU atau PRK, tetapi cerita beli-jual undi pada pemilihan dalaman parti adalah antara yang menjijikkan rakyat! UMNO pula masih membiarkan mereka yang sudah bertaraf ikon korupsi berleluasa dalam parti! Manalah orang tak anggap yang melompat ke UMNO jenis 'dibeli'?


3. YB Radzhi juga mengatakan,"selepas Pilihan Raya Umum 8 Mac lalu (2008), saya lihat hala tuju parti (PKR) telah berubah. Ia menjurus kepentingan peribadi pula, orang yang bekerja kuat untuk pucuk pimpinan parti pula diketepikan." Ha, mungkinkah sebab YB Radzhi tak menyertai UMNO kerana pada beliau parti kita sama buruk dengan PKR yang baru ditinggalkannya? Mungkinkah ini juga tanggapan rakyat?

Ramai 'pakar' akan membuat pelbagai terjemahan terhadap keluarnya YB Radzhi dari PKR, tetapi saya lebih tertarik dengan soalan kenapa beliau tidak menyertai UMNO. Soalan inilah harus diberi perhatian oleh pemimpin UMNO untuk memperbaiki keadaan, kerana kalau tidak, bukan sekadar wakil rakyat lawan yang kecewa sahaja bakal menolak Barisan Nasional dan parti tunjangnya!

Kejijikan Imej Calon Pemimpin Malayu-Islam Menenggelamkan Isu... Setibanya Ramadhan!

Pilihanraya Kecil (PRK) Permatang Pasir menjijikan saya. Saya jijik melihat bagaimana calon-calon parti-parti Melayu beragama Islam diperburukkan imejnya semata-mata untuk mengejar kemenangan. Lihat sahaja calon BN, sdr Rohaizat, bagaimana masalah firma guamannya, yang jika benar menjadi isu, sudah tentu sudah terhalang pencalonannya oleh Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR). Lihat pula calon PAS, ada juga isu yang boleh menidakkan imejnya yang kononnya luhur!

Disamping itu, saya semakin sakit hati melihat telatah, mahupun masalah peribadi pemimpin besar Melayu juga semakin comot terpampang di kalangan rakyat. Lihat sahaja Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, yang kononnya tokoh korporat, kini terdedah bagaimana beliau seorang penghutang besar! Selain itu, bertelingkah pula dengan pemiutangnya BANK ISLAM... katanya kini YAB MB Pakatan Selangor diarah mahkamah membayar hutangnya!

Tak cukup pemimpin UMNO segala kecomotan diheret ke depan rakyat berbilang kaum negara kita, fitnah tidak tak kiralah... persepsinya buruk benar, terutama sekali selagi ikon-ikon korupsi masih bebas ber-Harrier ke sana-sini! Kini, nampak gaya pemimpin Melayu Pakatan pun kelihatan begitu pincang sekali! Katalah yang kes liwatnya Anwar isu basi, tetapi dari segi korupsi, nampak gaya pemimpin Melayu ISLAM Pakatan pun 2 X 5 juga! Apa, tidak ada alternatif lainkah kita?

Perit lagi, usaha menjijikkan keperibadian orang ini menyembunyikan isu-isu penting bagi masyarakat Melayu. Contohnya di Permatang Pasir sahaja, kenapakah ADUN PAS tiada dalam Exco kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang, terutama sekali memandangkan PAS-lah pembawa majoriti undi Melayu ke Pakatan. KeAdilan cuma membawa undi pembelot UMNO dan golongan muda Melayu liberal. Apakah Melayu berpaksi Islam tiada tempat dalam kerajaan megeri?

Isu ini menjadi lebih penting apabila kita melihat, Ketua Pegawai Ketua Menteri DAP Pulau Pinang merangkap Ahli Parlimen Jelutong, YB Jeff Ooi, sendiri menggambarkan sifat anti-NGO Islamnya, dengan melabelkan Jemaah Islah Malaysia, JIM, suatu NGO profesional Islam, sebagai golongan ekstremis! Adakah ini menunjukkan kerajaan Pulau Pinang anti-Islam, dan Ketua Menterinya rajin berarak Maulud Nabi semata-mata mengabui mata umat Islam di Pulau Pinang?

Oleh itu, apakah maknanya apabila Tok Guru Nik Aziz, Mursyidul Am PAS yang tak diundi tetapi kekal di tampuk kuasa PAS atas dasar hormat, menyelar masyarakat Islam yang tidak menyokong PAS? Tidakkah ini menggusarkan hati orang-orang bukan Islam? Kalau pemimpin tertinggi PAS tidak menerima orang Islam yang bukan separti dengannya, adakah ini bermakna orang bukan Islam lebih mudah diterima olehnya?... kalau bukan kerana politik?... Ikhlaskah kepimpinan begini?

Isu-isu di atas jauh lebih penting dari kejijikan yang boleh dihamburkan ke atas mana-mana calon pemimpin Melayu Islam di Malaysia. Kenapakah yang ini tidak diketengahkan? Kenapakah orang PAS tidak rajin mempersoalkan kenapa Exco kerajaan negeri Perak pimpinan BN bersedia memberi tempat kepada semua pemimpin parti komponen kerana mereka menyumbang undi, sementara PAS yang membawa kemenangan Pakatan terus tersisih di Pulau Pinang?

Fikirlah teman-teman seagamaku... Ramadhan sudah tiba...

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: TOP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE! WOOHOO!!

Sorry, it's been too long, so you can hardly blame me for being this excited about Spurs doing so well this early in the season... or at all! And it was on the pitch, not from selling our top players at prices higher than they are worth! Nevertheless, in line with this blog always taking a tangent, I celebrate by quoting one of Spur's heroes from history, Danny Blachflower:

“Football is not really about winning, or goals, or saves or supporters- it’s about GLORY. It’s about doing things in style, doing them with a flourish; it’s about going out to beat the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom; it’s about dreaming of the glory that the Double brought.”

Orang Jahat DAP (Tertuduh...) Kena Tangkap, Tapi Yang UMNO?

Alhamdulillah. Terlihat Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia, SPRM, tidak teragak-agak menangkap orang-orang yang disyaki JAHAT atau RASUAH di kalangan pendukung kepimpinan kerajaan Pakatan Selangor. Nampak gayanya wayang kulit pembangkang yang berunsur perkauman tak lut! Jelas juga walaupun menerima tekanan dari penyiasatan yang berterusan tentang kematian Teoh Beng Hock, pihak SPRM masih gigih menjalankan tugas!

Tindakan ini juga insya'Allah akan meleraikan rasa gusar sesetengah penyokong kerajaan yang terasa pemimpin BN sahaja yang disasar oleh SPRM. Ternyata, walaupun pemimpin BN merupakan sasaran asal, dan terus lagi disiasat seperti yang bertanggungjawab isu skandal PKFZ, pemimpin Pakatan seperti DAP yang kini buat kali pertama berpeluang 'sapu' duit rakyat juga diburu!

Malangnya satu sahaja. Tindakan SPRM seperti ini mungkin juga terjejas sedikit kredibilitinya, sebab IKON-IKON KORUPSI BN MASIH BELUM TERTANGKAP! Bila nak humban jenis macam ini ke muka kehakiman? Dah la Tan Sri Kasitah Gadam baru lepas... ye lah, beliau didapati tak bersalah, tetapi kalau netul dia salah, untungnya bersih sedikit nama BN! Tetapi rakyat sebenarnya tak peduli sangat orang dah bersara macam TS Kasitah Gadam.

IKON-IKON KORUPSI UMNO yang masih di tampuk kuasa dan berpegang kepada jawatan-jawatan tinggi UMNO macam mana? Tambah yang muda... Yang ini harus diberkas SPRM... barulah rakyat, terutama yang muda, akan mula berputik keyakinan di hati...

Has The Selangor State Government Lost The Plot?

I do not understand the Selangor state government. OK, I admit to being biased, but this Teoh Beng Hock issue on the back of the MACC's continued probe of the state exco should not be driving them to distraction the way it is.

Today, we saw the unveiling of yet another strange policy of the state, of course reported by the pro-Pakatan newspaper, The Sun, as some sort of breakthrough of things "Democratic". The Sun had it as its main headline (admitting again which side of the policial divide they stand) whilst the other, less sensational and more sensible mainstream press didn't see any merit in even reporting it! Something to do with making making the State Legislature 'more independent'.

???

I had a look at what this new policy was 'delivering' to the Rakyat, and this is what I interpret from the way it's described:

1. The state assembly will now have its own budget and committee to manage its administration. It will not have to 'rely' on the state government. Comment: Isn't the state government made up of the legislature, indeed making up it's majority? In actual fact, the state government is NOT independent of the state assembly! So, other than allowing Pakatan to now appoint more of its ADUNs into 'positions' in the 'assembly management', how does this benefit the Rakyat?


2. The state assembly now can manage its assets independently. Comment: Hmmm... the state assembly is supposed to be fully funded by the state government. Its job is to pass state laws, act as a voice of the people as check-and-balance to the state government, so, why does it need assets? It has assets mah? Wah... maybe this way Pakatan can sapu the people's money more easily, via the state assembly's 'new management and independence'!


3. The state assembly now will have a committee managed by the Speaker and will have members of both sides of the political divide in it. Comment: So, who really runs the place? Where is the state secretary and other civil servants in the management of the assembly? Are they doing this to try and take power from the civil servants charged with managing the assembly's workings under the auspices of the Sultan? Are they trying to create a barrier to what happened in Perak? How is that more democratic? And the poeple?

The Pakatan government of Selangor should stop wasting their energy on such pathetic policy changes that bring no benefit to the people! It should focus on real problems that are CURRENT and yet to be solved, like:

1. Continued rising crime in Selangor!
2. Cleaning up the exco from all negative influences, especially criminal elements, real or percieved.
3. Clearing up the beer sales issue.
4. Figuring out how to run the state's finances properly so that they don't need to sapu the Baitulmal (Muslim charity/zakat) money!
5. etc
6. etc
7. ...
8. ad nauseum

The Selangor Pakatan came into the state government with the impression they could be more clean than their BN predecessors. Well, before that, they must prove first that they are AT LEAST as competent! At the moment... the INCOMPETENCE OF PAKATAN SELANGOR IS MORE APPARENT...

A Couple Of Worthy Plugs

Was asked to, checked out and agreed to plug a new comedy program that an old friend, former Angkasawan candidate and fellow UK grad, Zaid Zahari, has been working on. Check it out from tonight, Wednesday, 9.30pm on Astro RIA. The program's a sketch series that is common in the UK but not so common here... yet. It's called Alamak and they have a website for you to check out.

Whilst I'm plugging, noticed recently that my Ayah has started writting again, and in more earnest than previously! He's now got an irregular column in Berita Minggu and his blog has had a few of postings already that are both informative historically and still relevant to the present. He is my Ayah, so please check out his write-up on the ISA (he was Deputy Home Minister) if you don't think I'm credible as a plugger :-)

I'm rather proud that my Ayah is writing these pieces though, as he's showcasing a better way for political veterans and former leaders to contribute to society - through views, reflections and ideas that do not impose, but simply instigate debate and greater depths in thought. And also hinting that you don't have to be a Tun to do so...

Bingung Rakyat... Demo Pro Dan Anti Semalam Untuk Apa?

Saya faham sekiranya rakyat bingung akan motif di sebalik demonstrasi jalanan yang diusahakan oleh Pakatan Rakyat yang bertopengkan 'Gabungan Mansuh ISA' (GMI) semalam. Demonstrasi tersebut jelas gagal; pengelola mengakui 'penangguhan' usaha menyerahkan memorandum anti-ISA ke DYMM YDP Agong, di antara lain disebabkan terlalu sedikit penyokong Pakatan turun padang kali ini, sekitar hanya ~5 ribu, orang jauh sedikit dari ratusan ribu yang diwar-warkan.

Lebih buruk dari itu, demonstrasi tersebut mencemarkan nama baik negara di kaca-mata pengunjung apabila porak-peranda perasarana bandaraya KL akibat pertembungan gerombolan GMI dengan polis. Saya sendiri melihat bagaimana kegusaran terpahat di muka para pelancong asing di sekitar KL Sentral akibat ketiadaan teksi untuk pergi-balik ke kota. Apakah mungkin terlintas di hati warga asing yang menonton aksi GMI secara langsung? KL sebahaya Bangkok/Jakarta?

Kalaulah benar rakyat mengutamakan pemansuhan ISA, lebih dari kesejahteraan ekonomi, keselamatan awam dan perpaduan, sudah tentu lebih ramai rakyat turun berdemonstrasi bersama-sama GMI. Tetapi ini tidak! Mungkinkah ini kerana warga kota tidak merasakan pentingnya melakukan demo untuk isu ini kerana ia tidak berbaloi memandangkan apa-apa kejadian seperti semalam bakal mengancam ekonomi, membahayakan orang awam dan menimbulkan perpecahan!

Lagi pun, DS Najib telah dengan penuh bijaksana meleraikan banyak dari kegusaran yang timbul hasil dari salah-guna ISA oleh pentadbiran Pak Lah. Langkah-langkah seperti membebaskan kurungan ISA, termasuklah yang dirasakan tak patut dikurung rejim Pak Lah, seperti BSA Tahir dan sesetengah pemimpin Hindraf, dan usaha terbuka untuk merombak Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri untuk mengelakkan salah-gunanya di masa akan datang amat dihargai.

Malah, warga KL dapat membandingkan sendiri aksi lebih sopan kumpulan pro-ISA, yang dipelopori gabungan MAGARAN, yakni NGO-NGO GGMM, Pewaris dan Perkasa. Mereka berkumpul di Pasar Seni untuk menunjukkan sokongan, kemudian sedia bersurai apabila digesa oleh Polis. Para pemimpin pro-ISA kemudian ber * kereta ke Istana Negara dan berjaya menyerahkan memorandum menyokong ISA dan usaha kerajaan merombaknya kepada Istana.

Apabila ditanya rakyat yang bingung seperti saya sama ada kumpulan pro-ISA ini juga berdemonstrasi kerana membangkang cadangan DS Najib untuk merombak ISA, mereka menjelaskan bahawa:

1. Kumpulan pro-ISA menyokong ISA dirombak supaya lebih sesuai dengan zaman pasca 50 tahun merdeka. Namun ISA haruslah kekal!


2. Kerana menghormati nasihat DS Najib supaya demonstrasi tidak diadakan, mereka tetap berkumpul untuk menunjukkan bahawa ada kumpulan rakyat prihatin yang mahu ISA dikekalkan.


3. Sesuai dengan saranan DS Najib agar cadangan diajukan untuk memperbaik-pulih ISA dari sedia-ada, memorandum yang serahkan MAGARAN ke DYMM YDP Agong juga membawa 5 baris ajuan pindaan kepada Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri.

Ha, kan lebih sopan cara yang dibuat oleh kumpulan pro-ISA ini? Mereka menghormati undang-undang negara, menerima nasihat pemimpin, malah tidak menyokong ISA membuta-tuli lalu menyerahkan cadangan bagaimana ia dapat dibaik-pulih! Pihak GMI pula, beria-ia menggerak penyokong mereka, termasuk para pelajar universiti, untuk berdemonstrasi tanpa jelas niatnya atau terlihat hasilnya selain porak-peranda. Seperti kata orang tua sayalah:

GMI/Anti-ISA seolah orang yang:

NIAT JAHAT, KERJA TAK RETI,

DOSA DAPAT, KERJA TAK JADI!

Manakala MAGARAN/Pro-ISA pula:

NIAT BAIK, KERJA RAPI,

PAHALA DAPAT, KERJA MENJADI!

Namun, akhir kata, yang paling rugi dalam kejadian semalam bukanlah warga KL, bukan juga pelancong mahupun para pendemonstrasi jalanan. Yang rugi sekali adalah Pemuda UMNO. Oleh kerana pemimpinnya, YB KJ, tidak tergerak melawan kata bapa mertuanya, yang baru sahaja menyarankan ISA dimansuhkan, maka Pemuda UMNO, telah terlepas peluang menunjukkan kematangan, kebijaksanaan mahupun keberaniannya sebagai sebuah kumpulan pendesak.

Yang untung adalah MAGARAN dan pertubuhan-pertubuhan anggotanya sebagai gagasan NGO pendesak gantian untuk masyarakat Melayu...

*Kemaskini 1: Sebenarnya, yang menghantar memorandum MAGARAN/Pro-ISA ke Istana hanyalah seorang wakil sahaja ... dan tidak berkonvoi pun! Tak perlu demo-demo pulak...!!!

Pour Less Sugar On Me...

I return to one of my earlier series that explores the relationship of subsidies with marginal economics of essential products and its consumption in Malaysia, the 'cooking oil' series. However, as there is a variation in the product focussed on, being sugar, I've chosen to alude to a completely different set of artists to Shakespeare for the title of this piece... and I only chose Def Leppard as it seems to fit one of their hits... no hidden agenda... and of course, I like their music!

Yesterday, one of my favourite NGOs, the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP), made the news again when they chose to go to press on the issue of Malaysians being among the highest, if not the highest, consumers of sugar in the world; 26 teaspoons of sugar a day! The CAP then urged the authorities to address this through education and legislation, whilst showcasing the direct and indirect medical implications of such high sugar consumption by Malaysians, such as:

1. Malaysia having the fourth highest number of diabetics in Asia which was expected to increase by more than 60% to 1.3 million in 2010.


2. ~72% of 16 million Malaysian adults are sick with a non-communicable disease like diabetes, hypertension or cancer.


3. Malaysia having the most overweight and obese people in Asia; ~54% of the adult population!

I wish to add a tangent to the lobby against sugar related more to economics though. Why is sugar consumption in Malaysia so high? I believe it is partly to do with the price of sugar, seeing as it is a controlled item, which is hence subsidised by the government! The proliferation of sugar hence is not just due to Malaysians having sweet teeth, but because as a bearer of taste, sugar is a cheap option to fulfill the demands of our discerning food-obsessed nation!

Subsidies on sugar presents a dis-economy in many ways, for not only does it boost the consumption of sugar based on an artificial demand-price trade-off, but as sugar or its raw materials are IMPORTED, there is no real benefit of its low prices to the greater economy! Sugar, unlike rice, is a luxury that is so non-essential that any increase in price leading to a consumption drop may not even result in a balancing consumption of other goods... people just consume less!

So, besides creating tycoons from these subsidised businesses, the only 'gain' to the Rakyat from low sugar prices, hence appears to be a frequently pursued transitional feel-good effect related to enjoying sweet stuff cheaply, probably as often as we can afford to! And the result healthwise...

I had expressed in an earlier posting of the need to abolish altogether the subsidies on sugar and the economics were directly related to health, as:

1. The relationship between high sugar intake and poor Malaysian health presents a link between sugar subsidies with poor worker productivity from absence or ineffective work due to illness. The direct economic impact of sugar subsidies on said reduction on national productivity would require a university thesis to quantify, but the link should be clear to us even now.


2. The direct impact of poor health of the populace would be an increased burden, and cost, on our healthcare system and infrastructure. Effectively, the cost is related not just to higher dispensation of drugs (hypertension pills, insulin, etc) and medical services, but also generally a higher cost to insure the health and death of Malaysian citizens as a whole even by public agencies and corporations.


3. The caring for the ill is still a very personal activity in Malaysia. As the number of those in need increase, the burden upon the healthy productive members of society will result in secondary inefficiencies that will further penalise the economy. Confusing? Well, imagine a working mum having to take time off to attend counselling of an obese child. Imagine the dad then being hospitalised for hypertension. Will the working mum remain working?


4. A generally less healthy populace results in the older generation being more ill and less productive at earlier age. For example, politicians are still considered young and sprightly in Japan at the age of 60, but in Malaysia, even at 55 some are labeled old! OK, politicians are perhaps not the best examples of productivity, but no one can deny the national shame at losing Yasmin Ahmad to stroke at the young age of 51!

The straight-line negative economic impact of sugar subsidies can hence be represented in the following chain (I'll chart it up nicely some other time):

Sugar Subsidies -> Higher Sugar Consumption (-ve economic impact from higher sugar imports) -> Poorer Health of Populace (-ve economic impact from poor productivity) -> Higher Healthcare Costs (-ve economic impact from avoidable increased cost of Health) -> Higher Insurance Costs (-ve economic impact from cost of Health cover) -> More Time Spent Caring for Ill (-ve impact from removal of productive workers to act as carers of the ill) -> Older Members Of Populace Relatively Less Productive (-ve impact on economic potential of population above 50 years of age)

So, whilst in theory potentially unpopular, the government should remove the sugar subsidies above all else. It makes sense in terms of ensuring better long-term health of the populace by effectively increasing the cost of getting ill from high sugar consumption. Hopefully I have also made a convincing argument as to the economic merit of removing the subsidy, not just because sugar is imported, but due to the real cost to our economy of the poor health it engenders.

DAP Pressing All The Wrong Panic Buttons

The DAP appears to be in much turmoil these days. Whilst its Pakatan chums PAS and PKR are continuing their evolution, with the former rediscovering its relationship with UMNO and the latter adding to its leadership and experience pool through BN defections, the DAP appears to be in at panic stations. Unfortunately, it also seems to be pressing all the wrong panic buttons!

Much of the furore over the last week and a bit has been revolving around the death of young DAP political aide, Teoh Beng Hock. However, it should be noted that DAP has been in hot soup and miss-stepping in response for some weeks prior to that. Worth pointing out here some notable occurances in this blogger's tangentially tuned eyes:

1. The DAP has been pointing fingers at the BN government as the instigator of recent investigations of its leaders in the Selangor state government and associated agencies. They've conveniently forgotten that the accusations of misconduct were also hurled at them by PKR MPs YB Azmin Ali and YB Woo Chee Keong, also an ex-DAP man, have been more pointed, carry more weight seeing as they come from 'allies', and mirror the MACC investigations.


2. The DAP made a major song and dance over how a few of their exco members and MPs were being investigated for what are showcased as 'minor contributions' to the 'rakyat'. In this, they have failed to realise that MACC investigations have become routine since it was formed and that far more BN stalwarts have been questioned to date! This show of moral indignation is now seen by some as immature arrogant petulance by the DAP.


3. Even prior to Teoh's death, the DAP had been hinting on the 'racism' practiced by MACC. Upon Teoh's death, this accusation rose to a crescendo! It was hence to the DAP's great misfortune when the MACC revealed that they have been pursuing UMNO, i.e. Malay, political leaders, legislators, etc. harder since the time of its formation. If the MACC was racist, Malays have greater claim of it being anti-Malay than pro-Malay!


4. Upon 'revelations' by the blog t4tbh.blogspot.com of wrong-doings by DAP strong-man and long suspected 'rumah-urut' protector, Ronnie Liu and his men, the finger pointing has now increased in dimension! Ronnie has lodged a police report on the said blog. In the meantime, his long time boss, Lim Kit Siang, has lodged a police report on threats upon DS Ong Tee Keat's life as a distracting polical gymic. Both acts may well backfire!


5. This blogger has been annoyed anyway with DAP's penchant of showing off their 'acts to improve transparency', such as involving the ACA, then MACC, in vetting potential appointees, as these wese already common practices of the BN state governments Pakatan had displaced! Now interestingly, even Ronnie in his own defence, has had to admit that some of these so called 'new' DAP practices were actually established by the BN government!

The DAP has over the years been striving to prove itself not only to be a worthy remnant of the PAP in Singapore, but also a real contender to the MCA and Gerakan as the main Chinese majority/based party in Malaysia's political make-up. However, Lim Kit Siang's incapacity to retain talent and experience superior to his own, leading to the departure of TS Lee Kim Sai and YB Wee Choo Keong, has severely crippled the party in one area, COMPETENCY TO GOVERN.

The introduction of YB Tony Pua and YB Jeff Ooi to the DAP's ranks has been very much a patch-job to cover gapping holes in the party's ability to really be an alternative for the people to choose, for beyond the rhetoric, there must be substance! One can see following their PRU12 success that there has been an effort to build some competence in the collection of young coterie idealists that revolve around Lim Kit Siang, similar to PKR's efforts.

However, the Teoh Beng Hock case has now begun to tip the DAP off its moral high ground. It can no longer claim to be a champion of Malaysian Malaysia, as its current railing against 'racism' is revealing the leaders and activists of DAP to be the actual racists in the debate! And as more evidence surfaces of the crimes of Ronnie Liu and his cronies, the DAP will soon lose its moral high ground against corruption! And all this after just over 1 year in power!

The challenge for the DAP now is to demonstrate whether it has enough maturity and nous to pause and think before it wrongly presses another panic button! Failing to do so would indicate to all and sundry that the party has even lost its COMPETENCY IN POLITICS!

If It Was My Wife...

If it was my wife who's body was found broken from a mysterious fall,
I would scream at the world,
I would blindly place blame on all nearest around,
I would rail for JUSTICE in terms that would fill the hole inside...

If it was my wife who's body was found after a time with the authorities,
I would lose all trust in those meant to protect her,
I would ask for more than the Royal Malaysian Police to seek out her killer,
I would seek personal SATISFACTION from the actions of all from Judge to Coroner...

If it was my wife who's body rests in the ground with questions unanswered,
I would rally all to my call to send those I blame to the grave,
I would insist that government forget all else but the TRUTH that I crave,
I would demand that a Royal Commission no less be formed to hammer and cleave...

... and I WOULD BE WRONG...