The Merdeka That Never Was?

Last Wednesday was the 54th anniversary of our independece. One was expecting much fanfare as in previous years, but was grossly disappointed. It would seem the 2nd day of Hari Raya was of greater significance to MALAYSIANS, not saying Muslim Malaysians here but MALAYSIANS, as even the customary flurry of flags was absent or near enough as along the streets, skyline and even screens this year.

Read what you will of this phenomena, but I find it sad that a day for celebrating the birth of our nation was so easily forgotten due to a holiday, the second day of which even has little religious significance at that...; Muslims can even fast on the 2nd day of Syawal, the month after Ramadhan, as opposed to being forbidden to toil in celebration of the end of Ramadhan the day before. And even if the Muslims were busy, where was the fanfare by non-Muslim Malaysians?

Of course, the week long holiday these days is not enjoyed just by Muslims but also non-Muslims alike - note the traffic jams offering Muslim and non-Muslim driven cars especially to local tourist destinations! However, no reason for us to neglect our Merdeka day I think! In this regard, we fail still as a nation to exhibit our maturity through celebrating key parts of our nationhood as a nation should and must. Are we not Malaysians then after all?

In response to this need to 'fill the vacuum', MAYC Perak with support from my team at MAYC Kebangsaan and Perak state agencies will be holding a Merdeka Poetry Event at Menara Condong or the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan on the evening of 10 September 2011. All are welcomed to join us and with much support and effort, may we attempt to inflame anew the spirit of Merdeka within us all, and with luck, inspiring along the rest of Malaysia as well...

Bergunakah Serangan Politik Terhadap Tun Dr M?

Nampak gaya, walaupun sudah sebegitu lama Tun Dr M bersara, masih ramai yang tergerak hati untuk terus menyerangnya. Terkini suatu percubaan dari Barry Wain, seorang penulis yang memang kritis terhadap Tun Dr M sekian lama. Mungkin kerana geramnya terhadap Tun, terlanjur pula kali ini beliau menuduh, tanpa landasan fakta yang utuh, kononnya Tun Dr M secara peribadi merugikan negara sebanyak RM100 Ribu Juta sepanjang 22 tahun sebagai PM.

Tuduhan tanpa sandaran fakta selain ungkapan pendapat tersebut, tercetak di dalam buku,"Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times". Ada ura-ura mengatakan buku ini mungkin diharamkan, namun ini disyaki helah pembangkang sahaja untuk mempopularkan buku tersebut. Buku tersebut tidak mengancam keamanan mahupun kesejahteraan negara. Malah, intipatinya juga tidak mengancam keutuhan kerajaan sekarang.

Mungkin kerana itulah, apabila pemimpin DAP, Lim Kit Siang (LKS), cuba mempopularkan buku tersebut dengan menyarankan ditubuhkan sebuah Suruhanjaya DiRaja untuk menyiasat tuduhan Barry Wain tersebut, Tun Dr M dengan rela mengesyorkan kerajaan untuk membenarkan buku tersebut dijual. Malah Tun seolah-olah lebih seronok sekiranya laris jualan buku tersebut untuk memperkuatkan kes saman terhadap Barry Wain dan yang bersekutu dengannya.

Sebagai pemerhati, kita juga agak seronok melihat Tun Dr M dengan begitu santai menghadapi tohmahan serta serangan peribadi terhadap beliau, baik yang langsung (penulisan Barry Wain) mahupun tidak langsung (saranan LKS yang tuduhan barry disiasat). Jawapan Tun bukan sekadar menepis prasangka buruk terhadapnya, malah sekaligus menyerang kewibawaan pemimpin DAP tersebut serta kesahihan tuduhan melulu Barry Wain.

Di negara Barat, kes seperti ini mungkin tidak timbul kerana takutnya seseorang penulis akan akibat sekiranya tuduhan melulu tanpa sandaran fakta akan membawa muflis apabila disaman oleh yang terfitnah. Tetapi di Malaysia, oleh kerana khabar angin sedia diterima sebagai fakta sementara surat layang dan blog menjadi penyalur maklumat yang dipercayai, para penulis mungkin tidak berhati-hati... sehinggakan 'Barry Wain' pun boleh berjangkit sama!

Namun, kepada saya sebagai penulis, isu siapa yang dituduh, bersalah-tidaknya penulis dan gelabahnya LKS tidaklah berapa penting. Pada saya, adalah lebih penting kita bertanya sama ada bergunakah kerja menyerang Tun Dr M ini? Saya malah berasa hairan apabila LKS melatah sama! Malah, LKS siap menyarankan supaya puluhan, mungkin ratusan ribu ringgit rakyat dibelanjakan semata-mata untuk 'menyiasat' tuduhan tidak bermakna terhadap Tun!

Apakah manfaat kepada rakyat yang diharapkan dari LKS dalam menyarankan Tun Dr M terus diserang kewibawaannya? Selain kepentingan politik peribadi LKS, penulis merasakan tiada manfaat lain yang boleh dicapai. Ketelusan? Ketelusan haruslah ada makna. Maka, kalau kita berjaya 'menteluskan' suasana dengan penyiasatan tuduhan Barry Wain, apakah ia memberi manfaat selain 'pengajaran'? Bukankah pengajaran sudah terkandung dalam buku yang sama?

Adakah Suruhanjaya DiRaja yang disarankan LKS berupaya membawa hukuman ke atas tuduhan Barry Wain? Rasanya tidak. Ini bukan sahaja kerana bukti tuduhan Barry Wain tidak ada. Beliau malah hanya sekadar meminjam ungkapan pendapat kritis terhadap usaha-usaha pembangunan Tun Dr M yang kerap di kitar-semula oleh media kongkongan Yahudi. Tambah pula, kalaupun ada kesalahan urus-tadbir Tun, pengundilah yang seharusnya menghukumnya, bukan mahkamah!

Kini terlihat pengkomplot dalam tuduhan melulu tanpa asas terhadap Tun Dr M tercari-cari jalan keluar dari salah-laku mereka. Dipergunakan pula teman-teman pro-Singapura di Malaysian Insider untuk menyarankan Tun Dr M menyaman Barry Wain tanpa berlengah lagi. Ini semua kerja karut yang juga tak membawa manfaat! Ingat, saya tidak memohon aksi yang lebih beradab terhadap Tun, kerana mungkin ada yang tak faham, tetapi kupohon usaha lebih berguna!

Tun Dr M seorang negarawan ulung yang sudah bersara. Hebatnya beliau sehingga nasihatnya dipinta dari seluruh pelusuk dunia. Malah musuhnya Amerika Syarikat juga pernah memohon sedikit maklum-balas bagaimana menangani pengganas sejurus selepas pengeboman pada September 11. Gerak-kerja Tun memantau dan melindungi ekonomi negara dari merudum terus sewaktu krisis ekonomi pada akhir '90-an kini menjadi asas menangani krisis yang terbaru.

Adalah lebih berguna bagi kita rakyat Malaysia, tak kiralah dari fahaman politik mana sekalipun, melapangkan dada dan memanfaatkan masa yang masih ada bersama Tun dengan menimba ilmu, pengalaman, baikpun apa-apa pengaruh tersisa padanya di arena dunia untuk memperbaiki masa depan negara-bangsa. Kerja mencomotkan nama Tun tidak memanfaatkan, malah memincangkan kita kerana status beliau sebagai ikon yang memasyhurkan nama negara.

Malaysia tidak ada Pele atau Maradona. Jauh dari itu Tiger Woods atau Roger Federrernya. Datuk Lee Chong Wei dan Datuk Nicole David belum dapat menggoncang dunia. Kita belum lagi melahirkan saintis hebat seperti Einstein atau Nicola Tesla dan alhamdulillah Nordin Mat Top hanya dicaci-cacai di Indonesia, belum ada Usamah yang bersembunyi di celah Gua Niah. Kita tak perlu Tom Cruise atau Bono sebagai hero kita. Yang kita ada Mahathir sahaja...

Makanya bukan sekadar tiada gunanya menyerang Tun Dr M selain untuk kepentingan politik, tetapi perbuatan berterusan sebegini merugikan negara. Manfaat yang boleh diberi dari mendekatinya pasti bergunung lebih dari melemaskan imejnya di mata dunia dengan debu-debu tuduhan berbaur fitnah dan tohmah tunasan iri hati terhadap beliau. Kalau geram nak memburukkan nama seorang tokoh, bidas sahaja Lee Kuan Yew yang tiada nilai bagi kita...

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!

Is The Singapore Straits Times Out Of Touch?

As a patriotic Malaysian, I have never been too pleased with the Singapore Straits Times, what with its own brand of government propaganda that sometimes touches too raw a nerve to be considered neighbourly. However, I find this posting by Rocky interesting. In it Rocky questions whether the Straits Times is trying to put DS Najib and Tun Dr M at loggerheads with each other.

At the very least, the attempt could be to imply a cooler relationship than what has been captured by the Malaysian media, i.e. warmth to the discomfort of even some UMNO stalwarts!

However, my observation may be more damning for the Straits Times, as I wonder... HAS THE SINGAPORE STRAITS TIMES LOST TOUCH WHEN IT COMES TO MALAYSIAN NEWS? This observation is cemented by:

1. Evidence of hearsay that runs contrary to even non-MSM and blog related news in Malaysia; i.e. there is no hint of the incident described by the Straits Times of a closed door meeting between DS Najib and Johor UMNO, which would have included the TPM, TS Muhyiddin, who was backed by Tun Dr M in his recent party polls victory and a host of other sympathisers of either Tun or his ideas, where the scenic bridge was supposedly discussed.


2. The crooked bridge is not high in the agenda in Malaysia at the moment, just as the KL-SG high-speed rail connection is also not on the table. It would be silly for Singapore to think that its concerns and priorities are the same as ours. Of course, the Straits Times could be forgiven for being Kiasu...


3. The 2 UMNO leaders mentioned as 'reliable sources' are no longer at the hub of governance in Malaysia. Datuk Shahrir Samad is no longer in the Cabinet; he claims to have resigned after losing badly at the UMNO elections, but there were indications that his position in Cabinet was untenable from the moment DS Najib was to become PM. And DS Najib is his cousin!


4. The second UMNO leader mentioned, Datuk Nur Jazlan, also lost his insider knowledge with the departure of KJ and his other buddies from the Fourth Floor. Datuk Nur Jazlan unfortunately is also suffering from ridicule aimed towards him still for putting up his hand to be a candidate for UMNO's Deputy Presidency... he's seen as too young, inexperienced and still leaning on his father Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat's political legacy.

Is that enough reason to question the Straits Times' credibility in reporting the goings on in Malaysia in the post-Pak Lah era? I supppose it was easier with Uncle Kali, Brendan and KJ around...

Kad Hari Raya Untuk Pak Lah

Nampak gaya seolah-olah Pak Lah sudah semakin hampir pergi. Mungkin juga kerana berkat Ramadhan, Allah S.W.T. membuka jalan untuk kebaikan ini buat rakyat Malaysia yang tawakal kepadaNya.

Namun Allah tidak akan mengurniakan kebaikan ini tanpa usaha. Oleh itu, apakah cara terbaik untuk rakyat marhaen memastikan Pak Lah berundur secepat mungkin dan dengan penuh kehormatan? Dengan penuh perasaan ghibtah terhadap kejayaan Kickdefella diberi perlindungan oleh polis baru-baru ini, saya mendapat ilham.

Bagaimana kalau kita semua, seluruh rakyat Malaysia, menhantarkan kad Hari Raya kepada Pak Lah yang berisikan segala hasrat yang dipendam. Begini lebih kurang saya bercadang untuk menulis sebagai pesanan Hari Raya untuk Pak Lah:

Assalamualaikum Pak Lah. Sempena Hari Raya Aidul Fitri, ingin saya mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya serta memohon maaf sekiranya kata-kata dan penulisan hamba Allah ini sepanjang pemerintahan Datuk Seri mengguris hati. Walaupun saya sedar apa yang ditulis dan dikatakan tentang kelemahan pentadbiran Datuk Seri benar belaka, namun pasti menimbulkan juga perasaan sakit hati yang menjadi tumpuan permohonan maaf ini.

Ingin juga saya mengesyorkan Datuk Seri mengambil kesempatan dari ucapan sempena 1 Syawal ini untuk memohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia atas segala kesilapan dan dosa yang dilakukan oleh atau atas nama pentadbiran Datuk Seri. Insya'Allah, rakyat Malaysia akan memaafkan Datuk Seri sekiranya ucapan yang sama diakhiri dengan pengisytiharaan perletakan jawatan Datuk Seri dari semua jawatan kerajaan dan UMNO pada tarikh sebelum 9 Oktober 2008.

Mungkin bahasanya perlu saya perbaiki, tetapi bagaimana? Mahukah rakyat Malaysia mengajukan permohonan seumpama ini kepada Pak Lah sempena Hari Raya Aidul Fitri ini? Inilah masa dan peluang terbaik untuk kita bersama-sama memastikan pemergian Pak Lah dari tampuk pemerintahan secara terhormat. Mari kita usahakan bersama...

The Politics Of Fear... Not A Monopoly In Malaysia

I was at Bukit Merah for a break with the family and on my wife's prompting, we took a detour north to see how things were at Permatang Pauh over the by-election campaign weekend. This write-up is not so much about what we saw, but more about the emotive elements that I have been observing over this by-election, which I am concerned may be symptomatic.

The idea of us at least doing a drive-through of Permatang Pauh over the school break was not really new. I had an open invitation by an UMNO Ketua Pemuda to join him on campaign and I was 'made aware' of KuLi's visit on Saturday. However, each invitation was laced with a cautionary notes such as:

1. Don't bring your car, or at least bring your old Waja, not your MPV, as hooligans have been throwing stones and scratching cars of BN campaigners.


2. It may not be safe for you to bring your family along on the visit, even if you are just passing through.


3. We are staying at so and so place, and you're welcomed to bunk in with us. All the hotels are booked up. If you wish to just 'tumpang', watch out where you go. Some mosques may be full of the hooligans camping out.


4. Your sure you really want to go ka? Is it worth the trouble you may get into there? Consider this carefully before you go...

It used to be that UMNO internal elections were more viscious than Parliamentary ones, and it hardly ever got physical, but supposedly things have changed. I thought this was all a load of crock as I had fond memories of joining election campaigns even when I was a child, so we went to Permatang Pauh anyway.

What greeted us was very much what I expected, a massive poster war going on, campaigners milling about, especially in local gathering spots like Kedai Kopi's, and local folk, trying to live their normal lives through the greater excitement. There did not appear to be any outwardly menacing indicators, other than the rather aggressive, and in some cases, excesively negative campaign materiel.

Nevertheless...

Our son needed the toilet and we stopped at a kedai kopi along a road that dead-ended at a Malay kampung. The area was clearly PKR dominated, Permatang Pauh is Anwar's hometown after all, and we could see party volunteers chatting up the locals at the kedai kopi. My wife took my boy in whilst I stayed in the car with the other kids. Nothing happened, but I couldn't help feeling unsettled...

Unlike in Langkawi, Kuala Kedah or back in KL, where I would be happy to jump into a partisan anti-UMNO crowd of followers and engage in conversation of the provocative type, something stopped me from doing the same that day. I could not blame the advice of others or my wife's own nervousness of my driving an MPV into Permatang Pauh with a pro-Tun Dr M car sticker at the back for spooking me. It was something else...

To say Permatang Pauh is Anwar's stronghold or even his kampung would be belittling the importance of the contest to his political life. For Anwar, Permatang Pauh has been a symbol of his enduring survival as a politician. The only constituency that never forgot nor abandoned him, even when the rest of the country was willing to give the new guy a chance in PRU-11, then consigning Anwar to history. Had Permatang Pauh chosen BN in 2004...

So Permatang Pauh as Anwar's choice for a return to Parliament was both a surprise and not so. Not a surprise as it is where he is most likely to win, but not so as he would certainly be returned to his political grave if he is beaten there. This is why it would have been dangerous for any smart aleck pro-Mahathir UMNO member to go lone-campaigner in a middle of rural Anwar-ville. It may have gained me some experience, but for Anwar and his people, it is about survival.

Nevertheless...

So I was actually quite unsurprised to see the claims by one of the four imams who witnessed Saiful's confession that the Quran-swearing was invalid and ingenuine. I was unsurprised as the imam Ramlang Porigi was from the area, nigh 'se-kampung' with Anwar. And of course Ramlang Porigi came forward voluntarily. He had to. You only need to hear the language of his 'expose' to realise why:

1. "...he had not conspired with anyone in relation to Saiful’s ’swearing on the Qur’an’ episode."


2. "...he was now facing attacks."


3. "...he had nothing to do with the preparation of the text of that which Saiful uttered..."


4. "...he asked that the people of Permatang Pauh would not fault him for this entire episode."

Ramlang Porigi was afraid. Assuming he, as a religious man, was speaking sincerely, that does not detract from the fact that the language he used begged to be excused and forgiven by his kampung folk for 'betraying' their local hero, Anwar Ibrahim. That Ramlang Porigi was brave is not an issue, he was trying to survive and retain his license to come back to his kampung without being harassed for his involvement in the Saiful Quran-swearing event.

One must be sympathetic of the position Ramlang was put in. He made clear that he did not ask to be involved in these events, he was doing his job. But certainly it must have been most painful for him to have been exposed as one involved, as he would have been 'attacked' not just by anonymous Anwaristas on the web, but by his kampung folk, family members even!

Nevertheless...

There has always been an undercurrent of fanatacism surrounding Anwar that brings discomfort to many. One recalled his fiery days as a student leader, then youth activist. And even whilst he wraped himself with civility in government and helped re-draw the AUKU act, that would curtail the rise of another like him, he always has others around him who would attack when needed. Remember the Anwarista led UMNO Youth attack on anti-Burma junta protesters in the 1990's?

I was unsurprised at his reaction to removal from government in the late 90's. I am somewhat unsurprised at the type of emotions, fanatacism and actions he is inciting now. If anything, the added vitriol in his rhetoric following Saiful's allegations are also consistent with his past behaviour. The man attacks when cornered, especially when it is a matter of his survival. And when he attacks, his loyal followers attack with him.

Nevertheless...

I remain stunned that Malaysians have turned a blind eye to this naked, very un-Malaysian aggression that underlies Anwar's on-going, unrelenting quest for power. There are parallels that anti-UMNO folk wish to draw between Ketuanan Melayu and Nazism, though they conveniently turn a blind eye to the parallels between Anwar's and Hitler's rise to power!

As a student of history, the parallels are unmistakable. Both Anwar and Hitler were early under-achievers, rising in politics through aggressive social activism, one bordering, the other actual in perpetrating violence. Both cut down to size in their early prime, surviving, then rising again, to the point of leading a populist, yet minority grouping in Parliament. The parallels are not exact, but enough to scare. Add to that Hitler's early popularity abroad as a saviour of Germany...

Violence and aggression has never been the Malaysian way. And it seems in our desparation for a change in leadership, much as the Germans were desparate in the early 1930's, too many of us are turning to Anwar as a saviour whilst blinded of the pitfalls by the troubles of Pak Lah. Are we sure Anwar is the saviour of the nation? Or is he another for us to regret and lament trusting later?

The one Anwar-Hitler parallel that is also apparent to me from events of late, news and private, is the propensity to incite fanatical aggression and violence. We should just be grateful that Malaysians are a generally more peaceful lot.

Nevertheless... the politics of fear is not a monopoly in Malaysia...

USFTA Penghalang Naiknya Muhyiddin Ke Mercu Kuasa?

Seperti biasa, apabila media masa Malaysia dilanda berita hangat, seperti kes jenayah DS Anwar Ibrahim, saya akan tercari-cari berita lebih penting yang mungkin sengaja ingin disembunyikan oleh kerajaan Pak Lah dengan sensasi. Ternyata pada minggu ini Pak Lah dan sekutunya ingin menyembunyikan permulaan semula rundingan perdagangan bebas dengan Amerika Syarikat, atau ringkasan Inggerisnya, USFTA.

Perlu diperingatkan atau didedahkan kepada rakyat Malaysia yang USFTA ini bukanlah perjanjian perdagangan adil, hanya bebas. Kenapa bebas tetapi tidak adil? Kerana perjanjian perdagangan yang adil semestinya memberi perlindungan kepada rakan dagang yang lebih lemah, seperti Malaysia, dan oleh itu, tidak mungkin bebas sepenuhnya. Mesti ada batasan untuk berlaku adil melindungi ekonomi dan persyarikatan Malaysia yang kerdil berbanding syarikat gergasi US.

Tetapi USFTA yang dirunding semula minggu ini bukan perjanjian perdagangan adil, tetapi bebas. Maka syarikat-syarikat dari Amerika Syarikat akan dibenarkan bukan sahaja bebas berniaga dan melabur. Syarikat Amerika juga akan bebas memerah pembekal dan pengguna tempatan, menindas syarikat lawan yang lebih kerdil dan membaham syarikat kawannya sekalipun di Malaysia.

Namun USFTA ini diwar-warkan oleh pihak kedutaan Amerika seolah-olah ia suatu pemberian yang lumayan dari mereka. Lebih banyak pelaburan Amerika akan masuk dibilangnya kerajaan, semakin tinggi jumlah jualan barang Malaysia di Amerika Utara diperdengarkan saudagar dan kian murah nanti barang-barang keperluan di pasaran diberitahunya kepada rakyat Malaysia. Ini semua bohong...

Mana bisa Amerika Syarikat dipercayai sebagai sebuah rakan kongsi perdagangan bebas? Amerika Syarikat, sebuah negara yang perang kemerdekaannya tercetus hasil pertelingkahan tentang cukai niaga, suatu kuasa besar yang melanggar undang-undang dunia dan menyerang Iraq semata-mata kerana minyak, yang menindas Palestin kerana Yahudi memiliki kunci tabung bank-bank peminjam perniagannya, mana boleh kita percaya sekali janji manis negara-bangsa ini?

Amerika Syarikat mahukan USFTA ini supaya kekayaan negara kita bisa dikaut untuk kepentingannya sendiri. Sekiranya mereka telus dan lurus dengan Malaysia, sudah pasti perjanjian yang dirundingi adalah berdasarkan perdagangan adil, dan dirunding bersama negara-negara lain di Pertubuhan Perdagangan Antarabangsa (WTO), di mana Malaysia boleh saling bergantung perlindungan dalam rundingan bersama rakan-rakan niaga kerdil yang lain.

Tetapi kenapakah Tan Sri Muhyiddin di bilang mungkin terhalang naik 'ke atas' akibat USFTA ini? Ini kerana perundingan USFTA adalah di bawah Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) yang dipimpin oleh beliau. Memang betul, USFTA ini suatu lagi usaha Pak Lah melelong negara demi masa depan anaknya Kamaluddin dan dicanang sekali Khairy al-Oxfordi. Namun, mereka menunggang usaha TS Muhyiddin yang mungkin belum sedar kerana baru di MITI.

Sedarkan TS Muhyiddin yang menteri MITI sebelumnya, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, dibuang kerja antara lain kerana kelihatan begitu tegas menentang usaha perunding Amerika Syarikat membuka luas ruang perjanjian USFTA tersebut. TS Rafidah begitu berkesan sehingga perunding Amerika Syarikat berhenti langsung dari berunding! Walaupun TS Rafidah pernah terkena bidasan rakyat desa yang menentang USFTA, tetapi beliau sendiri pun berusaha menyekat...

Maka dibuang TS Rafidah dari kabinet. Kini Pak Lah menunggangi keupayaan dan profesionalisma TS Muhyiddin pula untuk melelong negara dengan USFTA ini. Adalah harapan saya agar TS Muhyiddin terdengar bisikan sedikit berita usaha ini, demi masa depan rakyat Malaysia... dan masa depan politiknya juga!

Pak Lah... The Most Astounding Finance Minister In The World

Pak Lah has already achieved the impossible by his singular contribution to democracy in Malaysia as he continues to prove that ANYONE could be our Prime Minister.

However, in his most recent acts, over just a period of weeks, he has outdone all other Finance Ministers from any relatively open economy across time and geography by departing from both major schools of economic thought of the last century.

On Thursday, the Bank Negara chief, Zeti Akhtar Aziz, admitted that the central bank needed more time to assess the extent inflation would rise to this year. This was barely 1 week after her expressed view that inflation can be managed with confidence, even if it hit a 10-year high this year. In my view, there are 3 elements likely to cause such high inflation expectation here:

1. Government policy that have direct or indirect impact on prices. (Due to conflict of interest on my part, I'll let you draw your own arguments for and conclusions on this)
2. The on-going negative impact of government policy flip-flops, resulting in reduced interest in investments or even retained deposit savings, both foreign and local, for fear of instability
3. Government's competency (or incompetency rather!) in mitigating the negative impacts of the global financial crisis, that now may have a found a second contributor as the UK and Spanish property bubbles have burst (notice how there are no more 'Profitable Plots' ads anymore on TV?)

Note the strong influence of government on domestic inflationary pressures? It would appear Pak Lah has managed to defy the monetarist priority of managing inflation so much that even Bank Negara has had to revise its earlier confident view of inflation management within days! Eat your heart out Milton Friedman! Imagine if Bank Negara is forced to try to manage things with higher interest rates?

But then one wonders... perhaps Pak Lah is planning to go Keynesian? After all, this theory whereby government spending (fiscal policy) helps pump-prime the economy, a Tun Dr M favourite, has been used with great success globally since the 1930s depression era. Pak Lah can even get political points by distributing 'pump priming' projects to UMNO leaders prior to the general assembly.

However, Pak Lah had earlier announced, in response to the ever-ignorant opposition calls, to cut government spending by about RM2 Billion. No, no, no, no, no! This is not Keynesian! Sure, there is a benefit in the government cutting ministerial allowances, but cutting back on functions and small projects is counter-Keynesian! The government should instead re-allocate long-term spending to increase the number of projects, large and small, with high, immediate impact!

OK, I admit, some of the cut-backs are good, besides being good politics, like cutting back on the allowances for outfits for events (why did we have this in the first place?!) and budgets for restructuring (aren't these supposed to save money??!!). However, as spending on new assets, conferences, etc. increases circulation and business activity, the net benefit of cancelling many of these to the national economy, even if the funds go to subsidies support, may be negative!

Rather than cut back on small projects, why didn't Pak Lah cancel silly long-winded, slow and low return on investment projects like the 2nd Penang Bridge and re-allocate the savings on this to projects like the one he launched yesterday on increasing padi production. Instead, he has just cancelled a collection of small projects to fund another collection of (otherwise rather excellent) small projects, with a net loss from the effort to re-allocate the funds as a minimum!

Surely Pak Lah's friendship with Patrick 'Badawi' Lim is not worth spoiling Pak Lah's Keynesian efforts to boost the local economy! Pak Lah has already made monetarism unworkable in Malaysia by pushing inflation potentially beyond the control of Bank Negara. Will he now defy Keynesian economic theory by only half-applying it for the benefit of his friends and family?

If he does so, Pak Lah will certainly earn another accollade worthy of inclusion in the history of world finance, for being the first PM & Finance Minister who is both Anti-Monetarist and Anti-Keynesian... shall we call it Economic Irrationa-Lah-ism?

Is Anwar Ibrahim Competent?

I'm the first to admit that I have succumbed a little to temptation here in going back to engaging on current leaders rather than continuing with my values debate - well its draining, so please look at this as a break! And it would seem based on questions raised during my recent "event", the man remains quite topical!

Now a friend of mine wants to form a "shadow cabinet"... hahaha! OK, sorry, not funny really when you consider it is a good idea and in line with the practice of other countries, the UK and Australia in particular.

The only problem is, is Pakatan Rakyat a real entity the way Barisan Nasional is where a united stand can be made? In addition, a shadow cabinet needs resources to run. Does the Pakatan Rakyat that is still struggling to man administrative positions in the states they control have the man-power and funds to run such a show?

Such on-going pro-Pakatan bravado forces us to question yet again Anwar's credentials as an aspiring PM, but the question to pose now is more serious... is Anwar competent even to be PM? This is again a critical question intended to incite debate, and I hope rather than quickly rebutting, consideration should be made of the points to consider here as a basis for assessment:

1. Anwar Ibrahim stands roundly accussed of running the Malaysian economy poorly, especially during the 97-98 crisis period, and indeed abusing his position soundly when he was DPM cum Finance Minister. A recent expose was recently put together by a kindred spirit calling himself "JebatMustDie".
2. Anwar's credentials as a master politician has suffered some severe knocks but he seems to have recovered with the success of PRU-12 results for PKR. However, one can argue that Anwar sacrificed his long term political health to achieve short term gain by turning PKR into a more Indian-dominated party from a Malay-led multi-racial party during the elections. So Anwar may be competent in the politics of the rhetoric and the now, but for long term?
3. In line with the above, Anwar seems to be a little unclear as to how long it will take him to seize power. First it was May, then 16 September, to foreign correspondents he says 2-3 years or even come the next elections. Recently KuLi revealed in a private forum that Anwar admited NOT having the numbers to call for a no confidence vote against Pak Lah! Anwar may not even be able to convince his 'allies' to do this judging by Karpal's attitude.
4. I love to ask people to tell me, if Anwar was so great what did he achieve when he was in the corridors of power? There may be many claims of his contributions to Malaysia's Islamic institutions, but further probing will show that many of these initiatives were NOT his achievements. E.g. UIAM was Tun Hussein's initiative and Bank Islam was Tun Dr M's baby. Anwar's one clear 'contribution', Bahasa Baku, was confusing and later scrapped!

So, we have doubts over Anwar Ibrahim's capacity to lead a government at least. It seems even Anwar's ability as a politician that thinks for the long-term is also a little suspect la. Nuff said for now I think, lets have a discussion then! For I really would not want Malaysia's next PM be just as incompetent as the current one...!

Is Anwar Ibrahim A Zionist Agent?

My piece Antara Dua KJ, http://thoughtsintangents.blogspot.com/2008/04/antara-dua-kj.html, seems to have engendered quite a lot of interest, but not of the sort I expected... ah the wonders of writing, especially a blog! Instead of reminding people of the existence of another dangerous KJ lurking in the corridors of PAS, I seem to have caused people to ask again whether Anwar is really a Zionist or a Zionist Agent.

Since Anwar is now claiming that he's going to be the next PM, I see it as my civic duty to present some observations:

1) Anwar's Very Close To The Poster Boy Of Zionist Interests In The Bush Era, Paul Wolfowitz:

• Wolfowitz, whilst building a love-nest as World Bank Chief, also appointed Anwar as an officer of the World Bank to channel development funds into the tsunami hit Acheh region.


• Before you say this is because Wolfowitz thought Anwar was 'competent', remember how Wolfowitz has a habit of appointing his chums into World Bank positions - one being a girl-chum, resulting in his sacking!


• Wolfowitz's close freindship with Anwar was captured on a photo of their meeting in Germany soon after Anwar's surgery circulated widely in the Middle-East. This made Pak-Pak Arab feel quite angry towards Anwar.


• And if I may quote wikipedia,"In an interview on the BBC Hardtalk program after his release from prison, Anwar admitted to his friendship with Paul Wolfowitz, the former US deputy Secretary of Defence and former World Bank President." Read for yourself:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Ibrahim

2) Anwar is famously lauded for having been a visiting lecturer and speaker at Johns Hopkins University among other US and European universities that are also hotbeds of intellectual zionism. Of course, it could be because Anwar is such an expert in his field... not sure what it is exactly outside of politics... Or maybe he's not a zionist, but a friend of the Skull and Bones, you know, Bush's 'club', that also have such strong influence over these institutions.

Interestingly, over the course of the election campaign Anwar disappeared for a while to Singapore, supposedly due to a commitment to lecture there which he 'could not get out of'. Rubbish lah, have you ever heard of anyone saying campaigning for a national election is an unacceptable reason to be excused from an overseas commitment? So why did Anwar really have to visit a Zionist-inclined state's institution in the middle of an election? Money? Instructions?

3) For a person who was out of work for 9 years (being in prison and all), Anwar sure has a lot of money! Not only has his family been living quite well, he's even able to fund his own party, PKR! So where is all this money coming from? We know the guy is not earning from a regular high-paying job; he's even stopped lecturing at those prestigious universities mentioned at 2)! 3 possibilities:

1. He was corrupt before, so corrupt that he had enough money to sustain a political party for 10 years, on top of his family commitments and even flying all over the world! So, if he was corrupt and PKR's struggle is being funded by the fruits of his past corruption, does it make sense to think of him as a 'saviour' from corruption in our land? We thought we had a 'Mr Clean' once before, see what happened!
2. He's using money from Arab contributors. Arab contributors? Hahahahaha! This was what Anwar claimed in the past too! OK, lets take this theory at its word, so, Arabs are paying for his political struggle. Are you comfortable with a PM funded by Arabs Mr DAP and Mr Hindraf?
3. He's getting money from the Zionist West. Why the Zionist West, why not just the West? Because the cold war is over, and since then, the only westerners funding dissidents outside of China, especially in Muslim countries, are Zionist organisations pursuing the "New World Order", whether they by Israeli, American or British Zionists.

I am of course ignoring the possibility of a local fund-source for PKR as I tend to think no one but Daim could possibly have that much money, except for Anwar of course as per 1. above. So, do you prefer to believe Anwar was SO corrupt at the high risk of him still being so, or believe he is still a puppet of his old Arab masters, however unlikely, or that he's a Zionist?

4) By far the most damning observation of Anwar's Zionist tendencies is how he has always been a favoured Muslim leader of the Zionist press. This stretches to even before he was removed from UMNO and was a point of criticism by many of his current allies in PAS! In fact, there is sufficient distrust in PAS of Anwar for there to be hope I would say.

Surely Anwar's hero status among the Zionist press worldwide, in good times and bad, is indicative of the possibility that he is an agent of their interests? Else, why would they continue to bother with him after his fall? This also explains his non-committal stance on many things in the foreign press.

I have of course happily stayed away from the more fringe ideas to support the theory that Anwar is a Zionist, such as how PKR's 'black eye' symbol looks distrubingly like the 'eye of Zion'. I've also chosen not to highlight Anwar's willingness to succumb to the IMF during the Asian Crisis or on his past poor ministerial performance, e.g. the RM9 Billion forex loses during his time.

Nevertheless, we really should be asking these and other questions to re-discover who Anwar really is, especially if he continues to claim he is close to becoming our next PM! For the key question would then be, do we really want Anwar Ibrahim as our PM? Brrrrrr....

No DEB, No Vernacular Schools?

The topic chosen here is not to provoke, but rather to remind people what the so called 'social contract' was so many years ago. In the 'ashes' of 13 May 1969, three concerns were raised which resulted in separate outcomes:

1. The Malays were convinced that the racial riots were the result of economic activities, and affluence, of Malaysians in 1969 still being determined by the racial segregation of colonial times, at least for the majority; i.e. Malays were farmers, Chinese were businessmen and Indians were estate workers. Malays pushed for the DEB to address the issue so that "Malaysians are no longer racially segregated by economic activity or affluence".
2. In the meantime, the two major minorities, the Chinese and Indians, were fighting for the retention of their identities. Their leaders feared a Malay push for national unity at the expense of their racial and cultural identity, such as was happening in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. They hence insisted on the protection and continued support of vernacular schools side-by-side with mainstream education.
3. The desires of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) continued to be protection of their autonomy, with the Bumiputra hence augmenting this with themselves opting into the DEB. Their negotiating position was stronger though as they did not suffer racial riots.

The fight of the major components of BN on the material side have thus been, the advancement of DEB goals for UMNO, the growth of Chinese education for MCA, the protection of a Hindu-centric culture by the MIC (which ironically resulted in them not getting much from the deal from the outset, despite the fact that DEB, on paper, also had benefits where Indians qualify ahead of Malays!) and protection of autonomous rights for the East Malaysian parties.

Gerakan and PPP were funny BN partners in that they were the only parties shouting for a Malaysian Malaysia then and was happy to endorse this agreement for the long term aspiration. They continue to do so to this day whilst becoming increasingly mono-racial themselves.

Post PRU-12, people are running around saying DEB is no longer relevant. I disagree. In fact, I think most Malays still want the bulk of DEB and certainly at most they wish the implementation to be reformed, especially around contracts. Most Malays still want MRSMs and Boarding Schools, scholarships, low cost or discounted housing, etc to remain. I am convinced that DEB is being scape-goated by the Lah-ist regime for the election loss to keep Pak Lah in power.

However, no meaningful debate on the removal of DEB can take place before reverting back to the original social contract. So, will the Chinese and Indians be willing to sacrifice their right to have vernacular schools to get rid of DEB? There are also many reasons for abolishing them. They are, variously:

1. Racial in nature,
2. Mainly exclusive, with such clear advantage given to Chinese and Indians due to their mother-tongue (ya ya, some Malay kids go to, but we have some Chinese in MRSM and Indians with JPA scholarships too!)
3. Draws good resources away from the standard Malay-medium schools, hence contributes to the reduction in overall quality of Malaysian education through structurally unequal distribution of resources
4. Polarising the nation by segregating minority races away from a mixed environment, and also resulting in a Malay-centric environment being created in Malay-medium school
5. Disrupts efforts to foster national unity through use of a single national language, Bahasa Malaysia, and a unified education system

So, no DEB, no vernacular schools? Sorry if I've upset anyone, I didn't open this door... was it the opposition? Pak Lah?

By the way you guys in East Malaysia, you don't go scot free. You jump to PKR (who wishes to 'modify' DEB... abolish-lah tu...), you open the door to East Malaysia losing its autonomy as per the social contract...

But, to re-emphasise... no DEB, no vernacular schools?

Yang Ku Ingin Menjelang 8-3-8

Ku ingin anakku berlari selamat di taman,
Ku ingin isteriku tersenyum belanja lumayan di pasaran,
Ku ingin kocekku tak kerana hutang beratnya,
Ku ingin zuriatku Islam tanpa had harinya,
Ku rindu sekali rasa percaya terhadap pemimpinku,
Ku tak mahu lagi hina ditertawa musuh bangsa, negaraku,
Apakah akan ku nikmati ini semua menjelang tarikh keramat tilik Cina 8/3/2008?

Nukilan di atas hasil rasa gelisah saya sebagai seorang ahli UMNO yang melihat Barisan Nasional seolah terkapar-kapar pada pilihanraya ini. Di antara yang membimbangkan saya adalah:

1. Kebimbangan terhadap peningkatan kos hidup belum ditangani dengan efektif sepanjang musim pilihanraya ini. Hanya harga minyak yang diperbicarakan, tetapi kebimbangan sedia ada hasil isu gula, minyak masak dan tepung yang saling berganti. Usaha kerajaan menangani ini sama ada diketahui tidak berkesan atau menimbulkan kebingungan.
2. Perasaan tentang kehilangan berterusan adik Sharlinie berubah dari kebimbangan menjadi kerunsingan apabila dimaklumkan bahawa usaha polis terpaksa dikurangkan supaya perjalanan pilihanraya boleh dipantau. Sudah tentu ini bukan menggambarkan niat pemerintah? Bukankah keselamatan anak-anak murapakan antara tanggungjawab utama.
3. Sebagai anak Kedah, terguris hati bila diisytiharkan yang peperangan politik paling sengit sedang berlaku di Pulau Pinang, Terengganu dan Kelantan. Tidakkah para pemimpin teratas sedar akan keadaan yang melanda Kedah kini, terumbang-ambing hasil penamaan calon yang kurang sesuai dan ketiadaan para ulama UMNO yang berupaya mempertahankan Islam Hadhari?

Namun dari segi politik, UMNO dan BN mungkin sekali bernasib baik yang para pembangkang di negara kita ini masih agak pincang idea, upaya dan pengalamannya. Ya lah, niat sendiri-sendiri mungkin baik, tetapi keikhlasan dan kewibawaan mereka terus menjadi tanda-tanya. Contohnya:

1. Sejauh manakah upaya rakyat Melayu menerima DAP yang ternyata mewar-warkan niat untuk membawa keadilan sejagat antara kaum dan menjayakan Bangsa Malaysia sebagai muslihat untuk melupuskan hak istimewa orang Melayu. Bayangan hubungan erat mereka dengan dalang PAP Singapura tetap menimbul kesangsian...
2. Yang si Anwar pula, tak habis agenda untuk memastikan paling kurang adalah satu kerusi Parlimen yang bakal dipegang PKR untuk diambil-alih olehnya sejurus tamat tempoh pengharaman beliau dari politik. Sekali lagi terlihat ini perjuangan Anwar, bukan perjuangan rakyat. Sampai Hidraf yang ekstrimis pun ditunggang olehnya.
3. Di arena web pula, usaha murni Raja Petra Kamaruddin mengeluarkan Deklarasi Rakyat menjadi bahan tertawa. Pembangkang tertawa sebab mereka dapat tumpang gratis usaha besar yang tidak mampu dihasilkan oleh mereka sendiri. Yang Kerajaan tertawa sebab senang sahaja mereka berkata..."kalau pembangkang berkuasa, mereka pun mahu terus menggunakan ISA, memasang kaki sebagai hakim, dapat kontrek"...

Walaubagaimanapun, BN harus waspada. Kini ada kemungkinan pengundi mengundi bukan kerana parti, bukan kerana sayang pembangkang, bukan kerana perkiraan untung-rugi pembangunan. Agenda pengundi sekarang mungkin melonjak menyokong pembangkang kerana marah terhadap kerajaan.

Marah pengundi kepada kerajaan kali ini bukan kerana marah kalah pemimpin seperti pilihanraya "Semangat 46" pada 1990. Bukan kerana marah kerana kesian "faktor Anwar" pada 1999. Marah kali ini kerana marah peribadi, marah yang dibara emosi yang membawa dan tak putus dibawa diri. Inilah yang patut ditangani pemimpin UMNO dan BN dalam beberapa hari ini... sebelum tarikh 8/3/2008 menjelma hakikatnya keramat buat siapa...

And The Winner Of The Lingam Inquiry Is... Pak Lah?!

In case you are out of touch, this piece is not about the popular chilli sauce brand of the same name... of course I'm talking about the VK Lingam video inquiry! True to my tradition, I jump in as people are getting a little less excited... no scrap that, I can see some people are probably more excited, but generally, everyone is getting more 'blur' about the whole inquiry.

As to how I am 'blur', as an Energy Economist, I wish to understand who benefits from the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the VK Lingam Video*. I mean come on, for what other reason would anyone pursue anything... to gain. We the public certainly wish to gain more insight on what the guy who looks like and talks like VK Lingam in the video is talking about.

But hold on, why do I as a member of the public want to know more about what he's talking about? Ah, perhaps I wish to be assured of the independence of the judiciary. Mmm... independence from what? Crime and criminal elements? Bias? Sure, this is of material concern to me. But the inquiry is on the appointment of judges. So how again is this going to benefit me?

Are our judges releasing criminals from judgement? No? Or perhaps we dislike some of their judgements. Are they too harsh or too lenient? Maybe they judge on principles we disagree with. Or maybe we don't like how they look, you know, in photos that show they may be biased. OK, I'm not really sure now why we don't like how judges are chosen, but lets just change the person picking them!

But the trial isn't about judges picked by Pak Lah, who as PM, currently does the picking of these judges. It's about judges picked by the former PM, Dr M. So the inquiry is about how the person who is no longer picking judges picked judges. OK, so why are we pursuing this? Ah, maybe by chasing the old PM we can make an example of him for the current and future PM.

Many people say Dr M seemed 'blur' also during his testimony, but...

I actually don't recall any major public outcry on judge appointments or any time the Malay Rulers did not approve Dr M's choice of judges when he was in power. OK, the Bar Council sometimes complained, but they're lawyers... A lot of noise over Tun Salleh Abbas' dismissal as Lord President, but the Agong consented even with that. No major issues on judicial appointments though.

Dr M testified that it was his perogative to choose whomsoever he pleases to be a judge. This is of course true. This is one of the functions we voted him in to perform as PM. And constitutionally, I suppose Dr M could have picked the man who used to sell him Apam on the recommendation of a regular Pekan Rabu beggar to be Chief Justice... assuming the Agong agrees of course.

From Dr M's testimony, Lingam's would have been just one of many voices he listened to. I would personally have chosen to investigate Dr M's driver - Dr M would have been listening to him all the time! Dr M listened to people and picked judges, it was his job, and if we didn't like how he picked judges, we should have voted him out no? But its too late! So, how does this inquiry benefit us again?

Actually, this being the Lingam inquiry, it should have come as no surprise to me that Lingam's testimony cause me to 'blur' the most. First, he claimed he did not know of any recording. The persons recording (businessman Loh Mui Fan and son) claimed it all happened, but now we have a case of he said-they said. Then of course, we have him saying he could have been drunk and talking rubbish.

Technical analysis proved that it was Lingam's voice on the tape (hence, "talks (rubbish) like me"). However, no one can say who was on the other side. (The person who looks like) Lingam on the video said (like Lingam) it was ex-Chief Justice Fairuz. Lingam testified he didn't know who it was. Is this rubbish? Was Lingam drunk when he testified? Is he drunk and talking rubbish all the time?

Now, if no technical evidence emerges to prove that Tun Fairuz was the person on the other line, the case will basically come down to this:

• Even if Lingam was the person who looked and talked like him on the video, he may have been talking rubbish
• He may have been talking rubbish to his brother (who is supposed to be nuts and hates Lingam) or someone else whilst claiming it was Tun Fairuz
• His recommendations would be just one of many sorts of rubbish thrown at Dr M on which judges should be picked
• Dr M is just as likely to pick anyone based on any old rubbish reason anyway as a judge for royal consent, and this would not be a crime

So, how would we benefit from knowing all this? Still blur...

Whilst we continue to blur on this, may I suggest we mull over who would definitely benefit from this trial:

Loh Mui Fan and son - actually I don't know how they benefit, but one does wonder... If he cared about the nation, the video would have come out years ago. Why didn't someone in the inquiry ask this question? The guy is a businessman who likes to bring wine to Lingam's house, perhaps because he enjoyed Lingam talking rubbish. So how does he benefit from this video's release now?

Anwar Ibrahim - The most publicity hungry politician in Malaysia was responsible for distributing the tape, and we thought it was for publicity. What he hopes to gain is apparent now that his lawyer is trying to get the inquiry to consider events in 1999. He's still gagging to clear his name from the corruption conviction (He's corrupt? No...) and the stain of being... you know (technically innocent though!).

The Malaysian Bar Council - They were the loudest in demanding the shortening of Tun Fairuz's tenure as Chief Justice. So, they must now prove that they were right, that Tun Fairuz was guilty of being under the influence of Lingam's rubbish. However, if the inquiry found Tun Fairuz likely to be innocent...

Pak Lah - Pak Lah? Sure, it's obvious he would benefit. Why would his government be allowing this rubbish to proceed without hindrance otherwise? Why is government controlled media covering this in such detail if he isn't benefiting? Having everyone focus on this historical rubbish is distracting everyone from the most politically motivated judicial appointment in Malaysian history.

Tan Sri Dato' Zaky Tun Azmi, former deputy chief of UMNO's Disciplinary Committee, stalwart UMNO lawyer, a noted expert in constitutional and election law, was 'parachuted' by Pak Lah into the post of President of the Court of Appeals on 5th December 2007, 2 months after being injected to the Federal bench, bypassing some 80+ other judges of more judicial experience in the process.

This appointment of Pak Lah's would hence likely be Malaysia's Chief Judge some time in 2008.

This blog reference gives more (scarier) info: http://asme.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/new-chief-justice/

So, isn't it wonderfull for Pak Lah that as his party really takes control of the judiciary, everyone is busy looking at an inquiry over a potentially drunk lawyer talking rubbish? Ergo, Pak Lah is probably the biggest beneficiary of this inquiry!

There is one potential spoiler though. I understand Tun Fairuz is pissed-off over his name being dragged through the mud over this. I wonder what Tun Fairuz would reveal on the stand. Would he reveal his correspondence with Pak Lah on Tan Sri Zaky's appointment? Would he reveal the instructions over the appointment of judges for Anwar's successful appeal from the 'other' conviction?

How indeed would anyone benefit then... blur, blur... rubbish!

*Commission of Inquiry of the Video Clip Recording of Images of a Person Purported to be an Advocate and Solicitor Speaking on the Telephone on Matters Regarding the Appointment of Judges Under The Commissions of Inquiry Act 1950.

Cooking Oil, Cooking Oil, Where Art Thou Cooking Oil...

This blogger was recently accused of needing a sex scandal to resume writting. Whilst not denying such things can be inspirational, may I be 'holier than thou' here by proclaiming that it was the clear degeneration in Moral Standards in our leadership that 'inspired' me!

Be that as it may, I now feel compelled to further prove my worth by borrowing from Shakespeare to alude to the fact that not only sex-scandalised Federal Ministers are so cultured, but also to write on something completely devoid of sexual intonations to us 'holier..', cooking oil!

Actually, I had loads in mind to write until I saw the good work done by fellow blogger lulu, and was compelled to quote her instead when agreeing, disappearance of cooking oil may be partly due to high CPO price (indicative of high edible oils price in general as well)...

http://whatalulu.blogspot.com/2008/01/then-it-suddenly-struck-lulu.html

...and likely has very little to do with a prompt 'population explosion' as believed by a certain minister... unless the 'explosion' was due to sudden massive imports of cooking-oil guzzling illegal workers (jeng-jeng!) or if Siti Nurhaliza has been heavily campaigning for the feeding of cooking oil to the more modest baby output making it look like an explosion, of which she has not ...

http://whatalulu.blogspot.com/2008/01/lulus-wondering-if-we-had-sudden.html

This theory of lulu's that price controlled goods are being affected by such shortages more than others is also plausible, though maybe some general economics discussion would be prudent to explain why this may be happening to us Malaysians...

http://whatalulu.blogspot.com/2008/01/lulu-wonders-whats-next.html

OK, everyone who pretends to know economics reckons it is all to do with 'supply and demand'. Unfortunately for many of us, since the publishing of the Undercover Economist among other books, more have begun to understand that economics and the movement of goods is actually more to do with marginal supply and marginal demand.

What do I mean by 'marginal' - well marginal here means effectively the last ton, lori, kg, tanker, litre, bottle, metre, cup or whatever unit/resceptacle of a product that is or may be sold at any time. Movements of marginal supply and demand levels are not necessarily indicative of a shortage in a market for a good, but it may indicate why goods are not being sold.

So, time now for a motherhood statement - just because I like them as it makes me look important! THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF COOKING OIL GLOBALLY AND CERTAINLY NOT IN MALAYSIA, ONE OF THE BIGGEST MARGINAL PRODUCERS OF EDIBLES OILS!

There is however a structural problem with the country's ability to efficiently distribute food, leading to issues of availability at certain locations at certain times and a need for a better supply chain as one can read from these articles on the web for starters:

http://www.econ.upm.edu.my/~peta/nik/nikmustapha.html
http://www.isis.org.my/files/pubs/papers/LWFoodSecurity&EconomicGrowth.pdf

No mention of cooking oil though, so how is this relevant? It is relevant in the context of the one source of news that Malaysians all rely on... gossip! Compounded by the biggest authority that shapes consumer market movements in the country, rumour!

It begins with Makcik Lela, who whinges to her friend that she couldn't find anything but Mazola at the supermarket. She just happened to mention this while passing by the kedai kopi where Pak Tam, happily asked the owner if he has oil. The owner says yes, but his Minyak Cap Kerja feels like is getting more expensive. Maybe it is because there is less Minyak Cap Kerja since the kedai kopi owner of course knows all about Supply and Demand. Other patrons nod their head in shared wisdom over cups of kopi-o.

Pak Tam in panic rushes home, instructs his wife to rush to the local kedai runcit and buy up all the Mazola left. Whilst his wife rushes along to buy Mazola, which she never buys, spreading gossip along the way, Pak Tam chooses to alert his daughter and all his daughter in-laws of the rumour of a shortage in cooking oil. "Remember the salt shortage?" he says,"This is worse!"

In due course, one of the younger members of Pak Tam's family finds it to be his civic duty to warn the entire staff of his GLC as well as his entire high school alumni and futsal club of the shortage in cooking oil. These fellows in turn decide that they should sms people as people should be warned promptly, and many are not on the web! Then the 'news' reaches the ears of a few politicians, many still reeling and gleeing over a DVD Sex-Scandal, as well as a few bloggers...

OK, I digress...

As I mentioned, back to marginal economics, lulu did have a point when linking the cooking oil and other recent shortages with our government's controlled goods policy. All in all, the policy is a good one as it provides some cost security of some critical food items to the populace, of significant benefit to the poor, but a benefit shared by all.

However, the government must also remember that businesses that produce these goods are there to make money. So, unless these businesses find it favourable and profitable to produce these goods for local consumption, these producers would rather produce the goods for export to more profitable markets or worse, not produce anything at all! They are not 'holier than thou'.

The solution, beyond the distribution issue mentioned earlier, would likely be a review of the control elements, such as price, or perhaps even the systems, mechanisms and processes underlying the control goods policy itself. In the end, whilst controling the cost of cooking oil, salt or other goods for public good, the government must ensure the prices are still better than the marginal cost of supply for the producer, and if needed, better than the marginal export options.

Of course, you need to find better people that those consultants who proposed the National Automotive Policy, but then I am holier than thou...

... by the way, was it those jokers or their friends on the 4th floor who suggested that 'rationing' of cooking oil was a solution. Hahahaha... what sort of unenforcable inefficient measure is this! Do we have to show our MyKad before buying now? Maybe queue at the nearest cooking oil AP holder's place?

PS - I hear even the PM is weighing in on this one now. Come on Pak Lah! It seems only you can solve such a difficult problem affecting so many voters! I'm sure as Finance Minister you know all about Marginal Economics...

Morality Or Dogma: Religious Poli-Posturing Revealed Post DVD Sex-Scandal?

The saga of Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek's DVD Sex Scandal may appear to have come to a satisfying end with his resignation on 2 Jan 2008. However, there now comes an aftermath that is providing us with further insight on how our political leaders seem to be confused between the truth held by all religions on the necessity of the practice of high morals vs. the political need to defend religion.

We begin with Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek's own continuing contribution, encapsulated by his own view that his downfall was not due to unacceptable loose morals, but rather as, "Some Malaysians can be said to be “holier than thou”.Oh, and here I thought Malaysians just had high morals! Isn't that why we are so passionate about religion?

And he continues by inferr his downfall was due to the DVD, urging,"... the Government .. investigate the source and who is behind the tape so that it does not become a practice to cause the downfall of anyone." Sorry la Datuk Seri, I think the loose morals you practice have brought you down, the video recording was just the mechanism.

Still, if you consider that he feels his "...biggest mistake was that (he) stayed in the hotel and in the same room for convenience...", what hope do we have in him understanding that being an adulterer is by far a bigger 'mistake'...

The MCA also seems a little confused. From a party that supposedly represents the religious interest of Malaysian Chinese in cabinet as so recently instructed by Pak Lah to its president, it is, "accepting (Chua Soi Lek's) resignation with regret". Regret! I would have thought with relief! Is the president of MCA saying that the poor morals of any of his party's leaders are acceptable, as long as, "...He is a very effective and hardworking leader"?!?

Ya la, leaders like the good Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek may be hard working, but how can the people TRUST him, if he cheats on his own wife!

The MCA is now condemning the DVD culprits, and unfortunately, the police have responded in a funny way. Muar police chief Asst Comm Mohammad Nasir Ramli has indicated police in Batu Pahat and Muar will launch a massive operation to nab those involved in distribution and in possession of the sex DVDs of Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. They would even go 'door-to-door'.

WHY?? Please tell me it is part of a wider investigation behind potential blackmail or extortion of Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek. If not, what is so special about the DVDs? I know it would probably qualify as a somewhat bizzare form of pornography, but then why not focus on Petaling Street (or the equivalent in Muar and Batu Pahat). Better still, why not focus on catching Nurin's killers or some other criminals first! (Nurin's body was found >100 days ago by the way...)

The opposition is of course now commenting on this issue with some glee, but they seem to have a similarly bizzare take. PAS' Information Chief, Mahfuz Omar, in what I assume is a formal view, has urged the police to investigate and charge Chua Soi Lek and his 'personal friend' for Oral Sex!

Oral Sex? How does the police investigating an unknown young lady and a disgraced former federal minister for Oral Sex fit in PAS' nation-building agenda?

Besides, Oral Sex is not forbidden in Islam. In one aspect, it is frowned upon (makruh), but it isn't haram. So, why is PAS, a party that is espousing a move to Syariah Law asking for non-Muslims to be charged according to 'secular' laws for a private act not forbidden by Islam? Isn't that... hypocracy? What... PAS' information chief being hypocritical!? But his is a religion based party! Morals...

I suppose PAS is acting a little better than the DAP, which had earlier dismissed the issue as a 'private matter'. Such conclusions sort of explain the rut they've politically been in for decades...

It is both disconcerting and a relief hence to find Pak Lah getting it right this time when he advised,"The rakyat not only want us to carry out our responsibilities well and with honesty, they also want their leaders to be individuals of good moral standing".

Actually, the 2 wants are indivisible, but at last... some good sense! Now Pak Lah has shown he does have an inkling of what the rakyat wants, maybe he can also address some confusion in the UMNO ranks, beginning with the local UMNO leader who earlier endorsed the acceptance of Chua Soi Lek's apology without resignation!

Well my fellow 'hollier than thou' Malaysians... lets hope we remain moral and have such morals inherited by subsequent generations... for with leaders like these...

Morality Or Dogma: A Test Case Of What Religion Means To Our Leaders

The start of the year presents me with a wonderful issue to resume my writing on, which presents a test-case for the government. I am referring to of course the DVD-Sex Scandal featuring the current MCA VP and Health minister Dato' Dr Chua Soi Lek:
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/1/2/nation/19897364&sec=nation&focus=1

Whilst there have been quite a few views being shared of how this was a 'private matter', by no lesser critic than the opposition DAP, and the family has 'forgiven' Dato' Dr Chua, this remains an interesting and critical case for the government especially due to the various regligious issues plaguing the Lah-ist Hadharite administration.

The question in my mind is, does the government care about personal morals, that is the shared core of all religious beliefs in Malaysia, or does it only play lip service to religion for the sake of politics. The former would and should result in the immediate dismissal of Dato' Dr Chua, not just as he has strayed, but more due to the Health Minister's apparent view that infidelity, a key moral transgression, is a minor problem and not worthy enough reason for him to tender his resignation.

That Dato' Dr Chua was also one of the non-Muslim cabinet ministers that last year stood up for the rights of minority religions in Malaysia stands proof positive of his hypocracy, as how can one defend religion publicly whilst privately practice loose morals!

For the Pak Lah to retain Dato' Dr Chua in his cabonet would result in a further erossion of its authority to administer and address issues related to religion, which is being particularly challenged at this point in time.

The first line in the tenets of this country, the Rukunegara, is "Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan" or "Belief In God". It is incumbent on this government to ACT on this of all Rukunegara.

By the way, I wrote ACT with emphasis with the hopethat any 4th floor boys reading this don't think Pak Lah can get away with lame spins like:

• We leave it to the leadership of the component party... or
• It is a private matter... or
• We have discussed with yadda yadda and will come to a conclusion soon... or
• We leave it to the wisdom of the grassroots...

Pak Lah, we are still waiting for you to lead. If you can't show leadership on this issue, an issue of morals and religion, for which you have even have a university degree on(!), then...

Gara-Gara Kesombongan Menteri, Bakal Putus Talian Rumpun Akibatnya?

Saya baru kembali dari kenduri meraikan pernikahan seorang sepupu di Jakarta. Dalam kemeriahan sambutan, tiada seorang pun dari wakil rumpun keluarga kami dari Malaysia yang bisa lari dari persoalan yang kini menjadi tanda-tanya kebanyakan rakyat Indonesia,”Kenapakah orang Malaysia begitu sombong terhadap orang Indonesia?"

Dalam selok-belok bicara yang merapatkan silaturahim keluarga, sudah tentu soalan tersebut di utarakan dengan penuh sopan dan kebingungan yang ikhlas. Namun, di sekitar Jakarta pada hujung minggu, rata-rata terlihat sepanduk, lakaran di dinding malah sayup-sayup masih terdengar pekikan yang mengutuk sikap sombong Malaysia terhadap Indonesia dengan nada yang lebih perit.

Mungkin ada yang menuding jari kearah kejadian pemukulan hakim karate dari Indonesia oleh anggota Polis DiRaja Malaysia tempohari sebagai punca kemarahan. Mungkin ada juga yang percaya rasa tidak puas hati jiran serumpun kita adalah hasil dari pemaparan media Indonesia akan pelbagai kes yang kurang enak seperti pemukulan Nirmala Bonat, isu Ambalat atau pembuangan pekerja haram Indonesia.

Walaupun benar mungkin terlalu banyak insiden kurang enak yang sudah berlaku terutama sekali dalam tempoh beberapa tahun ini di antara dua Negara. Semestinya benar juga yang pemukulan Donald Luther telah menjadi tunas kemarahan yang baru. Namun, yang menimbulkan kemarahan meluap-luap hingga hari ini, hampir 2 minggu selepas kes pemukulan tersebut bukanlah kejadian tersebut.

Yang menjadi punca kemarahan tidak terhingga masyarakat Indonesia terhadap Malaysia hingga ke hari ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan, kesombongan Menteri Luar Malaysia, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, yang dengan angkuhnya, enggan memohon maaf secara rasmi bagi pihak kerajaan Malaysia atas kejadian tersebut!

Rakyat Indonesia majoritinya serumpun Melayu dengan majoriti rakyat Malaysia. Malah, hubungan kekeluargaan juga wujud di antara rakyat bukan pribumi kedua-dua Negara. Maka seharusnya nyata pada hemah Datuk Seri Syed Hamid yang rumpun Melayu sedia bermaaf-maafan.

Pada masa yang sama, Melayu pantang dilayan sombong. Kalau ada salah dan silap, terutama sekali antara keluarga, yang bersalah haruslah terus memohon maaf, walaupun jika kesilapan tersebut tidak disengajakan. Yang penting tata-susila, sopan-santun dan budi-pekerti antara kita. Ketua Polis Tan Sri Musa Hassan sendiri mengakui kesalahan polis kita dan sudah pun meminta maaf kepada Donald.

Apa yang nak ‘eksyen’ sangat Datuk Seri Syed Hamid, bukankah ternyata kita pada pihak yang salah. Bukannya Indonesia itu Negara yang tidak berkait dengan kita. Indonesia bukan sahaja jiran terdekat, malah tunas rumpun Melayu berlegar di antara kepulauannya berpantulan bumi Champa. Rakyat Indonesia juga tak habis-habis berbudi kepada Malaysia dan pembangunannya.

Sekarang akibat angkuh, bongkak sombong dan eksyennya Datuk Seri Syed Hamid, Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) sudah mempertikaikan silaturahim Indonesia terhadap Malaysia sebagai Negara ‘serumpun’.

Sewaktu Singapura membantah pembinaan Jambatan Bengkok mengganti Tambak Johor, Datuk Seri sedia akur kehendak Singapura, walaupun darah bapa Datuk Seri mungkin panas sebentar. Ya lah, kalau dengan Singapura tu, mungkin akur bukan kerana bebal atau dayus seperti ada yang menuduh, tetapi akibat Datuk Seri Syed Hamid merasakan hormat sekali terhadap Lee Kuan Yew. Mana boleh sombong.

Ada yang mengatakan usaha Datuk Seri Syed Hamid mengetengahkan calon Malaysia sebagai Setiausaha Agung OIC dan Komanwel gagal sebab Datuk Seri sombong hingga tak merujuk betul-betul pendapat semua pihak. Tapi ini mungkin tidak benar, mungkin Datu Seri ikhlas memilih, cuma kurang bernasib baik.

Ada yang menuduh yang dengan kebebasan yang diberikan Pak Lah, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid terlalu bersedia mengampu Amerika Syarikat dan kian mangabai teman-teman lama dan setia di ASEAN, OIC dan Komanwel. Sombongnya terserlah apabila beliau lebih bersedia mengutuk Palestin dari membantu. Mungkin Datuk Seri terlalu arif akan kelebihan mengampu kuasa besar lebih dari menngamankan kawan.

Sewaktu Banjir di Kota Tinggi dahulu, Datuk Seri seolah-olah sombong tak melawat, hinggalah hari Pak Lah sendiri melawat kawasan parlimen Datuk. Ya lah kita faham yang Datuk Seri Syed Hamid lebih mementingkan Perdana Menteri dari rakyat kawasan parlimennya. Mungkin bukan kerana sombong, tapi menurut kepentingan.

Apakah ongkos sombong-tidaknya Datuk Seri Syed Hamid dalam insiden yang lain ini?

1. Mungkin maruah Negara tergadai sedikit dalam hal jambatan bengkok. Tapi tak apa, mungkin Datuk Seri Syed Hamid rasa kita boleh hidup tanpa maruah.


2. Mungkin kepimpinan Negara di peringkat antarabangsa tergugat akibat kegagalan calon-calon OIC dan Komanwel kita, tetapi tak apa, kita boleh hidup tanpa kepimpinan pada peringkat antarabangsa.


3. Mungkin Malaysia semakin kehilangan amalan prinsip mengamankan dan manbantu kawan seperti Palestin. Tapi tak apa, hidup Datuk Seri Syed Hamid mungkin lebih senang dan makmur di bawah telunjuk Amerika Syarikat.


4. Mungkin Datuk Seri Syed Hamid sendiri bakal kalah pilihanraya akibat sombong Datuk Seri pada waktu banjir di Kota Tinggi. Saya agak yakin Negara akan terus membangun tanpa kehadiran Datuk Seri di dalam kabinet.

Namun, apakah bakal ongkos sombongnya Datuk Seri Syed Hamid terhadap Indonesia dalam isu yang seharusnya begitu mudah ditangani ini?

1. Bersediakan Melayu Malaysia diceraikan dari rumpun terdekatnya di Indonesia?


2. Bersediakan kaum-keluarga di Malaysia berfungsi tanpa bantuan pengasuh dan pembantu rumah Indonesia?


3. Bersediakah Malaysia memacu ekonomi tanpa buruh mahir dan kasar dari Indonesia?


4. Bersediakah Malaysia menanggung kerugian pelaburan di Indonesia, destinasi pelaburan utama negara kita pada hari ini?

Maaflah Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, kos kesombongan Datuk Seri mungkin sudah terlalu tingi untuk ditampung rakyat negara kita.

Pada peringkat awal pemerintahan kerajaan Pak Lah, Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad telah diberhentikan perkhidmatan dari pengurusan New Straits Times (NST) akibat tindakannya yang dikatakan menghina kerajaan Arab Saudi. Pada masa itu hampir musim haji dan pihanraya pun hampir tiba...

Bulan Ramadhan hampir tiba, bulan yang melihat paling banyak buruh Indonesia meninggalkan negara, lazimnya untuk kembali atau silih-berganti. Pilihanraya pun hampir tiba. Mungkin tiba masanya Pak Lah memecat salah seorang ahli kabinetnya sebelum keadaan melarat. Melayu lazimnya akan tarima sekiranya Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar dipecat kerana terlalu sombong...