Thinking Aloud

Cartoon by Walt Handelsman, Newsday Long Island. He won the 2007 Pulitzer for editorial cartooning. Full list of reciepients here.

If Mahathirism was characterized by excessiveness, the Abdullah administration would be chatacterized by idiocy and primitivism.

It just had to come. Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor just had to say it. He suggested that all locally (Malaysian) hosted blogs will have to be registered with the government.

Well, first it was prepaid card users. Now blogs. And what’s the rationale? After all that is said and done, it boils down to one thing: To prevent commentors and bloggers from criticizing the government anonymously.

Anyone who has the miniscule understanding of human character will recognize this as a plain bully mentality. The might of the government being used for really petty reasons. 

We don’t even have to talk about freedom of speech and freedom from the fear of intimidation. Why? Because the good blogs which bring legitimate criticisms against the government are not anonymous anyway, and the anonymous ones are so downright shitty lousy that intelligent readers simply ignore them. 

Two issues here: The slippery slope that the government is taking (not to mention the patriarchal and kampung mentality). The other is the failure of 50 years of independance to produce a country that is confident with democracy. There is nothing western about criticizing one’s government: It is the whole point of democracy. Bottom to up governance, the citizen taking responsibility for his country. Not lapdogs for the crumbs falling off from BN’s table, but a people whom the government fears. 

Honestly speaking, I’m quite sick and tired of simple minded comments made by ministers who still live in the 1960’s and 70’s. It is just so hard to believe how these people actually get elected.  

Anyways, links are to some of international papers (taken from jeffooi.com ) reporting on this issue. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Jerusalem Post.

Woah man, don’t mind my little grandchildren doing this favour for me….(courtesy of theStar online.)

CHINESE cemeteries are selling paper replicas of Viagra pills to be burned for dead relatives as a wish for satisfying sex in the afterlife, state media reported yesterday. 

Customers are snapping up the paper Viagra, as well as images of condoms and heavily made-up bar girls ahead of the annual Tombsweeping Festival on April 5, the Nanjing Morning News reported. 

Chinese have traditionally burned fake money in honour of dead relatives during the festival, when families clean their ancestors’ tombs and graves. 

They believe the wealth will accrue to their ancestors in the afterlife. 

But China’s move towards a more consumer-oriented society has seen new offerings including paper televisions, mobile phones, cars and other luxury items. 

A commentary in the Beijing Morning Post yesterday called for a crackdown on the sex-related “vice” offerings. 

However, it said efforts by authorities to halt the sales had been unsuccessful due to high demand. – AFP 

But then again, I Christian lah, dun believe in this sort of thing. 

This is the stuff great novels are made off. What makes you a Muslim? What makes you a Buddhist? Blood or upbringing?

If Zulhaidi Omar succeeds in changing his religious status, what are its implications for naturally born Muslims (i.e. Malay children with Malay parents)? Conversely, what if a mixup occurs in the hospital, and now this time, non-Muslim parents bring up a Malay child?

Or look at the bigger picture, what then is this case implication for the Malay identity? 

Read on for context.  

Going his own way since he was 13

JOHOR BARU: At 13, he was supporting himself, washing dishes after school to pay for his books and rented room.  

Zulhaidi Omar, 29, said he had never been tempted to take the easy way out by dropping out of school or straying into a life of crime. Instead, he worked at restaurants until midnight and washed cars to put himself through secondary school.  

Zulhaidi: Wanted to taste a life of independence

Now a sales executive with a diploma in Business Administration, Zulhaidi said he was neither abused nor disowned by his family but he wanted to be independent. 

Unknown to him, he had been swapped at birth during a mix-up at the hospital in Batu Pahat. 

“By the time I was in primary school, I knew I was different from the rest of my family members as I could tell the difference between their features and my obviously Chinese appearance,” he said at a press conference. 

After a chance meeting that reunited him with his biological family eight years ago, Zulhaidi now wants to change his name to a Chinese one.  

Zulhaidi is hoping the authorities would allow him to state his religion as Buddhism on his MyKad. 

Bandar Baru Tampoi MCA branch chairman Michael Tay said Zulhaidi was never given the chance to choose his own religion because of a mistake made at birth. 

“Under the Federal Constitution, everybody is allowed the freedom to choose his own religion, but Zulhaidi was never given that chance. 

“We will try the diplomatic method first through negotiations with state officials and the hospital where he was born. If that fails, then we will have to seek legal recourse,” he said, adding that might even include a suit against the hospital for negligence. 

State religious officials were unavailable for comment. 

This issue of loan sharking has been in and on the news for such a long time. But this piece of news just broke something inside me.

Victimization.

Imagine the poor borrower, already harassed by the loan shark, now (if the cops get what they want) persecuted by the police?! Don’t they have enough to deal with already?

This is legalism at its worst. To get at what I’m trying to point at: Try substituting rape for loan shark harrasment and rape victim for borrower. It’s the same thing. But many don’t realize it because those who are rich and well off, just look down condescendingly at people who do.

We all know why people borrow money from loan sharks: The ease of getting the loan, desperation (from gambling, addiction, business losses). Often, the root problem is greed. But these are weaknesses of human nature-and it goes against the spirit of lawmaking to punish people for things like this.

More laws does not make a civil society. Laws do not deter people from breaking them, it just means there is more work for the police to do.

Better ways would be protection against the loan sharks, microcredit arrangement, financial counselling and even gambling addiction counselling if it applies. From what I read in the article, it would seem that the cops believe that making a better society means making more laws. Oh the fallacy in that sort of thinking!

Enough said. In short, I’m looking for society to be softer on the borrower and harsher on the lender, as it should be.  

When I first opened Firefox yesterday morning and browsed to Screenshots, a post caught my eye. Jeff Ooi and RockyBru were sued by NSTP and a few other more prominent personalities.

Read about it also in the International Herald tribune.

Sdr. Lim also has his take on it.  

I first started to read Screenshots  about a year after I started blogging. It was then that I slowly learned that a blog is more than a online diary (which is a contradiction in terms btw) but was inteded, and still is being used today, as a alternative to the printed media. It was journalism by the people, for the people.

And it made sense, since the internet provided people with unfettered access to firsthand personal opinions, regulated and edited only by the bloggers good sense and maturity.

Jeff Ooi has been that kind of blogger. Humourous, serious, provocative and observant. He gave a very important reminder: The Internet does not operate in a legal vacuum. His posts reflect that, any claims against some one are pretty much substantiated, in a sense that it raises good questions without being insulting and demeaning. Jeff Ooi is a responsible blogger.

I find it very disturbing then that NSTP and the rest have taken legal action. I believe in due justice. I believe that the courts will clear Jeff and Ahiruddin (RockyBru).  of wrong doing. The motivation for this is rather clear: Its purely an act of revenge. Jeff has written much about the NSTP and it hasn’t been in his good books: He once remarked that then Group Editor, Brenden Priera piece was so similiar to an article written by Detroit Free Press, Mitch Albom.

Whatever the case, it reminds me of something I read in the internetmonk. The resemblance is so striking, its juvenile. But it reminded me of something else too: Doing the right thing has never been popular.

The first thing I did when I woke up was to scan through the papers. And it was depressing…

Floods return to Johor. I read that even Singapore experienced flash floods.  

Customer intimidation by a taxi driver. My father’s brother-in-law is a taxi driver. People like this only give his profession a bad name. But the question to ask, why are people like the reported driver even driving taxis!!??

This one makes me particularly angry. Are people that desperate? Was he high on drugs? Speechless in the face of such blatant evil and selfishness…

Do we (guys and girls) have any shred of self-dignity and decency left? But the greater tragedy would to blame the girls (as it is the spin given in the news article). After all it takes two to tango. Will the school authorities also investigate the guys involved and charge them for sex with a minor?

When we do pray, how can we even start?  

The rakyat gathered at Bandar Sunway to protest the proposed toll hike raise. Here are some photos taken at the gathering.

Democracy at work here, and not only at the ballot box. It’s good to see people of all races unite together for a common cause.  

Newsflash, yours truly the MB of Johor speaks again.

Ooooh…indeed yeah your eminence. Little mortals like us tremble before your brilliance and patriotism. I have gazed deep into the crystal ball and see you teaching Pengajian am and Sejarah F5.

Goodness, dear sir, do you even know what your little hole is spouting! 

It’s pretty depressing reading and watching stuff about what is happening in Iraq.

It seems that in that particular part of the world, peace is so hard to come by.

Unforgiveness.

That’s what I see, one man unwilling to forgive another. That’s what is escalating the voilence, pushing the country into civil war.  

For context, the full news report is here.

Here’s the relevant excerpt I am interested in

.…

Bardakoglu said Turkey was a free country where people had the democratic right to protest. 

"But any street protests will not reflect the mainstream hospitable attitude of Turkey," he added. 

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a pious Muslim, said he expected the Pope to give positive statements that would improve ties between Christians and Muslims. 

"I believe it will create a new climate," Gul told Reuters. 

"He may make some good statements, saying we have only one God although we have different religions. We have sympathy for each other and we should not exploit the differences in a negative way." 

The Pope is due to hold talks during his visit with the Istanbul-based spiritual head of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, who has complained of property and other restrictions his church faces in Turkey.

…

With all due respect, I cannot bring myself to agree with the statement made by the Turkish minister. I’m not sure how the Pope would respond had he been confronted with such a statement publicly. But I know that Islam and Christianity are two different things. Our fundamental beliefs are different; the God we worship are not the same.

Cutting off unseen hand

By CHELSEA L.Y. NG

KUALA LUMPUR: Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim wants magistrates and Sessions Court judges to be absorbed into the judiciary, fearing that there would be interference by “unseen hands” if they remain as civil servants. 

In explaining his proposal to separate the lower judiciary from the legal service department, he said: “If you really want the judiciary to be seen as independent, there must be separation. It is good for the country if the image of the judiciary is not only independent but seen to be. 

“Democracy will not work well without independence,” Ahmad Fairuz said after a Hari  

Raya lunch he hosted for court officers and staff at the High Court complex here yesterday. 

As of last year, there were 82 Sessions Court judges and 127 magistrates in the country.  

The top judge first announced this proposal in August at the start of a three-day conference of judges in Putrajaya. 

In an immediate response to the announcement then, Bar Council chairman Yeo Yang Poh welcomed the Chief Justice’s move, saying that to give it full effect and meaning, a judicial appointments commission should be set up to ensure the process of appointment was objective, transparent and accountable. 

Ahmad Fairuz yesterday cited an example where a junior magistrate might feel intimidated when the prosecution in a case was conducted by a more senior deputy public prosecutor. 

“What would the impression of the public be? Especially when you know that one day the magistrate will be transferred to be under the DPP? 

“These officers are government servants now. If they become part of the judiciary, they would enjoy the same independence and immunity as superior court judges,” he said. 

He said that judicial officers as civil servants were subjected to transfers. 

“Unseen hands can be there because they are government servants. If they become members of the judiciary, the only way to remove them is through a tribunal. 

“It is very transparent and I do not think there can be interference by unseen hands,” he said. 

Ahmad Fairuz said that the plan included absorbing officers as magistrates only when they have at least 10 years’ experience while Sessions Court judges must have a minimum of 15 years. 

“People who come to court then would have confidence in the lower judiciary. That is the meaning of the separation – cut off control of legal officers on junior judicial officers. There may have been such instances. The bottom line is, we do not want the public to get this kind of impression,” he said. 

The Chief Justice said the proposal would be submitted to the Government through the Prime Minister’s Department.  

An excellent proposal by the CJ. Hopefully more can be done also to improve the judicial services and restore confidence in Malaysia’s courts.

PENANG: Two container trailers driven by men in Rela uniform did not raise any suspicion when they arrived at the MASKargo Complex in Batu Maung here at 2.15am yesterday.  

The “Rela personnel” told the two Customs officers manning the checkpoint that they were there to flush out illegal workers and instructed them not to alert the people inside the complex. 

Once the “Trojan horses” were in the complex, the four bogus Rela men opened the doors of the containers and out leapt more than 20 robbers armed with parang. 

The first thing they did was to round up the 17 people in the area, including the two Customs officers and two Malaysia Airport Bhd personnel. 

To neutralise the threat of a fight-back, the robbers plied their captives with chloroform. Some were forced to drink a white solution which caused them to vomit. Anyone still standing was beaten with sticks. 

With the workers under guard, the rest of the robbers set to work on the microchips. 

In just an hour, they piled 585 cartons and 18 pallets of microchips and motherboards manufactured by a multi-national company in Bayan Lepas into the containers.  

The loot estimated to be worth US$12.7mil (RM46.99mil) was said to be the country’s biggest ever heist. And arguably the most audacious, too. 

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was in Putrajaya, was livid when informed of the robbery. The Prime Minister was very angry over the lack of security. 

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who inspected the complex later in the evening said two suspects had been arrested but declined to give details.  

It is learnt that the suspects were workers at the complex. 

State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Koh Hong Sun told a press conference that police got a call at 3.40am. 

“The robbers also took with them footage of the robbery from the closed-circuit TV cameras,” he said. 

DCP Koh said the victims were not seriously injured and all have been discharged after treatment at the Penang Hospital. 

One of the victims was the driver of a courier company van, who showed up at the complex while the robbery was in progress. 

The 25-year-old driver, who wanted to be known only as Kumar, said two men in green uniforms complete with berets at the checkpoint ordered him to get out of his van.  

“I was a bit slow in getting down and one of them suddenly smashed my windscreen with his baton. They then dragged me out and beat me up. 

“They did not sound local … most probably from out of state,” he said at the hospital. 

A source said the first of several batches of the computer chips was delivered to the warehouse on Saturday. The last shipment was at 12.30am yesterday.  

The consignment was to be sent to the multi-national company’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. 

The source said all indications pointed to an inside job.  

“The timing was too good. Such information could only be obtained if someone on the inside was working with them,” said the source. 

KUALA LUMPUR: An article in an Australian newspaper The Age ridiculing Malaysia and calling Malaysia “bodoh” (stupid) has left International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz unperturbed. 

“What do we care? Obviously, this person doesn’t know Malaysia. He is an outsider and he can say what he likes. I don’t really care about what others say – as long as it is not a Malaysian saying it,” she said. 

The Wanita Umno chief said the Australian writer had apparently not followed the Umno general assembly proceedings closely. 

“If he did, he would have seen things differently.”  

The Nov 15 article by Michael Backman said it was time Malaysia grew up and stopped arguing about what proportion of the economy the Chinese and Malays owned. 

The Government was more interested in stunts like sending an astronaut into space when the country’s inadequate schools could have done with the cash, the writer said, adding “that’s not Malaysia Boleh, that’s Malaysia Bodoh.” 

I personally find this very disturbing.

Rahimah also said drug addicts should be marooned on an island instead of allowing them the hotel-like luxuries at rehabilitation centres. 

“Let them survive on the island’s worms and moss.”  

She said there were too many foreign dramas with bad elements that distracted women from their chores. 

Rahimah said someone from Umno should be heading the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry and monitoring these dramas instead of Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.  

“There are many of us in Umno who can lead the ministry,” she added. 

ACA’s hands are tied

KUALA LUMPUR: The Anti- Corruption Agency cannot investigate cases of political corruption or money politics because these offences are confined to political parties and not public transgressions, said Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.  

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said political parties were associations for members only, hence positions in such organisations were not public posts. 

He, however, said this did not mean that members could buy votes in a party election because the political parties had their own mechanism such as a disciplinary board or committee to handle such misdemeanour. 

“But the ACA can’t come in because this (money politics) has nothing to do with the public. It does not affect the public in the sense that it does not involve public projects or public funds,” he said in an interview. 

“Members are immune from action outside the party (for wrongdoings within the party). That’s my opinion. I may be wrong but I tabled the law (Anti-Corruption Act) in Parliament. That’s my understanding of it.”  

Nazri, who is an Umno supreme council member, said a political party was a self-regulated association, and that was why he likened money politics to a situation within a family. 

“For example, in a family where you have 10 children and you have a ruling that the family must decide on things together, and the father gives one of his children RM1 and says ‘support papa, not mama’ is that corruption?” he asked. 

“I don’t think so, because there is no abuse of public funds here. 

“Corruption is the abuse of public funds. You must read it in the context of the law. You can’t take one section away. The law is all about public projects and funds.”  

On a different matter, Nazri also explained the need for clause 17(1) of the Anti- Corruption Act 1997, which makes it mandatory for any officer of a public body to report a bribe offered even though he had rejected it.  

Under the law, if an officer fails to report the offer of a bribe (even though he did not take it), he could be fined up to RM100,000, jailed up to 10 years, or both. 

“Even if the officer did not accept the bribe, the act of giving has happened. This will make people realise that it is their duty to inform or report a bribe or an offer of a bribe. We can’t fight corruption alone. Everybody has to chip in.” 

Another report in theStar concerning the statement of one, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz about the ACA.

First and foremost, the positive. That’s towards the end of the article where he stressed the need to amend the Anti-Corruption Act making it mandatory to report a bribe. That’s a good thing. It reinforces the seriousness of corruption and the need to expose it before it gets any worse.

But now for the bad.

ACA has no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties?

His justification was that the money does not involve public funds, so it doesn’t concern ACA. Nonsense lar YB, excuse me, I thought ACA investigates ANY kind of corruption: those that happen in the government, private companies, religious bodies. Basically, isn’t the ACA an investigative body, stepping in as a independant body to investigate abuses of priviledge and money.

I’m afraid his family analogy is really irrelavant. Firstly a political party isn’t any private entity, it is a public society. Vote buying aggrieves the members of that society. So where do they turn to for fair hearing. Secondly, things like that shouldn’t even happen in the family, his example sickenes me to the core.

The political party is a registered body (and is every business, company, church or religious society for that matter.) So shouldn’t the law apply equivocally to all. Corruption isn’t defined in terms of whose money is being ‘used’. It’s the abuse of power and priviledge that makes corruption evil.

This mentality of, "This is an internal affair, we can handle it," is getting out of hand. Continue drawing up arbitary boundaries of jurisdiction like this and ACA can’t investigate anything in the end.

Let us be clear about something here: A political party isn’t just any kind of association here. Leaders of the country are groomed and made from within a party. With this kind of ‘protection’ afforded to the party, what kind of mentality are we raising among our future leaders? That it is ok to bribe as long as you are not caught. It is an open secret that money politicas is rampant within UMNO. If YB, you claim that the internal disciplinary board is sufficient to curb this, then empirical evidence damns your claim.

The point is, a political party is in a position of power-albiet indirectly.  So who holds their feet to the fire? If not ACA (and by extension the police), then who will?

The former PM has come up with a personal statement. You can hop over here  to read it. It’s written by Tun Mahathir himself and signed of as Malaysian Citizen and Commoner.

If you read it through; you should have noticed the boldfaced statement: A climate of fear has enveloped this country.

I still remember around early March-April when Tun started criticizing the present government. AP, Johor-Singapore ‘crooked’ bridge, sand, Proton…and so on. Now, this. A pronouncement that the government he helped build up has become to powerful for comfort. He laments that every legitimate avenue for dissent has been censured by the powers that be.

I must say that Tun is right here. He may have his misses, but he is right on with this issue.

The BN government has become so powerful that she cannot believe that she is leading the country to ruin.

I hope that this culture of auto-censorship will stop. What’s happening now in Malaysia is something out of Orwell’s 1984. Newspeak, where you auto-censor yourself into thoughless obedience. It could well turn out, with the way dissent is not tolerated that Vision 2020 may turn out to be our worst nightmare.

Below is an article from theStar online newspaper. It is an interview conducted with the PM concerning the recent controversy regarding the EPU and ASLI research findings on bumiputera equity ownership.

What I find interesting about this interview (or at least what was transcribed here online) is not so much the answers the PM gave (which gave me plenty of assurance) but the questions asked by the reporter (writer). Read those questions carefully. It is as though the writer is trying to insinuate certain unhealthy sentiments from the PM. I find this conduct by the reported disturbing, albiet un-professional.

The emphasized (bold-face) questions is as the formatting taken from the website.

PM replies to Gerakan’s call to disclose EPU’s methodology

PETALING JAYA: The following are Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s response to the call by Gerakan to the Economic Planning Unit to disclose the methodology used to show that the bumiputeras’ share in the country’s economic pie was only 18.9%. 

The Prime Minister made the statement, when asked by reporters upon his return from performing the umrah with his family since Friday. 

Q:It is as if people are taking advantage of your openness, and those who want to challenge Malay rights such as in Article 11. It is as if the non-Malays are disputing the rights of Malays when the Malays are not questioning non-Malay rights. What is your action to ensure people do not go overboard in questioning or disputing?  

A: If people question, then we must have answers. We do not have a problem. If we are transparent, what is the problem? We are not liars.  

The actions we take are based on facts which strengthen the stand we have taken. Why do we have to take those steps?  

If the plans we are taking are related to us helping the bumiputra, it must still be continued because the balance has still not reached the level we deem as acceptable. Then, that is when actions have to be taken.  

Now it is not the implementation of the New Economic Policy because that policy from 1991 has been completed.  

But the policies after that have to continue with several aspects contained in the NEP, such as poverty eradication.  

Because if we say it is 1991 and the NEP is done, do we say everything stops? We no longer eradicate poverty because that was the old policy? That would be a wrong stand. It is not right.  

There are approaches which were started when the NEP was implemented, which have not achieved their goals, and so have to be continued.  

There are two important NEP strategies, penyusunan semula masyarakat (the restructuring of society) and poverty eradication and debates have been made in so many numbers and in a great deal of meetings, such as the National Economic Consultative Council 1, 2 and 3.  

Tak habis habis (Till no end) we talk about this. People say the new generation is more visible. Young people, after studying, have idealism and will question a lot of things. But what is important to us is that we give answers. We don’t want to shut their mouths, as things will continue to burn in their hearts, and this will lead to dissatisfaction.  

To open up in important things is not something that troubles us. It won’t trouble us.  

The young people who question are also Malays, it’s not like all Malays are just silent on issues.  

We are ready to give opinions and we hope they will not go overboard, make all sorts of accusations.  

We are not in the business of cheating people. That is not our way. We don’t lead and lie (memerintah menipu). We lead and want the best for all Malaysians, not just one particular party.  

We have to see the whole situation, not just one quarter or corner. That is important. The Malaysian Government now is built based on unity. Co-operation is possible because the Government shares powers.  

The peoples’ confidence is in a Government of all races. A Cabinet decision is a decision agreed by all. How can we not have others’ agreement?  

We do not think like that. Problems of the Indian community, we take on as a responsible Government to Malaysians of different races and religions. That is what the people need to understand. Don’t try and accuse, accuse, accuse, and the media tries to mengembur tak pasal pasal (play up with no reason) issues which are sensitive.  

Q: Gerakan wants the Government to disclose how it came to the Asli figures.  

A: Oh, so he is questioning methodology. We have no problem. No problem to explain any methodologies we have used.  

You must understand when there is a crisis. The economic crisis, for example, was bad. So many businesses, Malay entrepreneurs were finished. How many had to pay huge debts which they could not pay?  

So that had affected our standing. I wished that standing would be up at all times but it is not like that when there is a problem. Our policies are long-term policies. In that time, there are many things that happen. The high price of oil also has an effect on our plans, for example. So we face it all and have to overcome the challenges. We don’t want to make accusations, insinuations.  

This is a general statement for anyone.  

There is no benefit to insinuate or accuse. If you want explanations, then ask properly. Why ask and then insinuate, ask and then accuse.  

Q: So you think some parties, groups are taking advantage of the openness now? 

A: I don’t know. Human beings always take advantage at anytime. When there is a chance (to take advantage) he will take it. If I make it open, they will take advantage and challenge (the decision). If there is no openness then they will ask why is it like this, why today there is no freedom, why no openness. That is taking advantage.  

When we open, there are those who nak kacau (to cause trouble) and take advantage. But we must face this, face this seriously.  

What is important is that if there is something constructive (suggested), that we should improve (on the decision), we are prepared to receive their views. But if the intention is to cause trouble, then let’s see what will happen.  

Q: This is a warning to the groups? 

A: To anyone. Don’t twist and twist (the matter). Malays or otherwise, don’t kacau (cause trouble). If you want to ask, ask properly. Don’t buat kacau (cause trouble). Our country is peaceful. 

God does not make problems by causing typhoons, earthquakes, volcanos, but human beings want to make problems, for what? We are very peaceful. If there is a problem, discuss it properly. That is important.  

There is no patience now for problems, and there are those who want to find problems. Instigate, insinuate, want to make innuendos. There are no benefits to such actions. 

It is what you do not see that is the most dangerous.

The haze usually worsens at night. And unfortunately at night, one does not usually realize that the haze is there.  It’s really bad. I can practically smell the fumes. Not to mention visibility is less than a kilometer.

Lungs are slowly rotting away.  

Can’t get any more explicit than that can I?

He made the speech, and should be responsible for it.

And part of responsibility is sticking to your guns about your intentions. I think that most newspapers have reported this matter fairly. We all can read what actually happened for ourselves and make our own informed judgements.

From the way I see it, the Pope was using the quote to point out that violence is never compatible with the propogation of religion. He was using a real historical figure, and real perspectives at that time to show that throughout history, everyone has viewed religous violence as evil and malicious. Put it simply, the Pope’s message was: Religion and violence don’t mix.

I think radical Muslims have purposely misunderstood him and ignored the context  of his address. It is a hijack-a veiled assault against Christiandom by whipping up the sentiments of the moderate Muslim.

The response of the OIC (of which majority of member states are moderate Muslim countries) shows that radical Islam still has a influential grip on these people. No matter how much you try to distance yourself from extremist views, the fact of the matter is that the sense of ummah  is pretty strong, extending and accepting everyone who professes Mohommad as the Prophet.

So I think that as a responsible act, the Pope has tried to reach out to these people. I observed that he has never actually apologized (i.e. an expression of his mistake) but is trying (very hard!) to tell the leaders (of moderate Islam) that he never meant to insult the Prophet.

I don’t think that its rather fair of Islam to keep on misunderstanding the Pope. I also observe that forgiveness in the Muslim faith is conditional upon apology or repentance. Perhaps, great minded Muslims should prove me wrong in this regard.  

With regards to the issue of SJKC Kung Yu (Johor) and SJKC Sin Bin, Sungai Lima, some thoughts of the role of the media.

The government has told the Chinese dailies to pull the reports on this issue. The reason runs along the lines that such reporting would put the government in a bad light-unable to handle and resolve the matter.

I would ask then, what is the media for?

For truth or propaganda.

I think the big boys and the datuks and the ministers believe it is for propaganda. Each printed page of the news a silk hankerchief to wipe their ass with.

I choose to think that it is for truth, and to embarass and expose wrongdoing.  

We all heard of the story of Tun Dr. Mahathir getting sprayed by mace. Latest I read, the police had remanded somebody to assist in investigations.

There is a quagmire out there. A political culture that does not breed heroics. No true statesmanship, only silence.

People are being ruled by rhetoric, and mob mentality. Perhaps, instead of stifling honest debate, I would love to see some true statesmanship, one where you confront the problem head on, with tact and cunning.

In politics, words are your greatest weapon and your greatest threat.

Italy is through to the finals beating the stoic Germans by a margin of two in the closing minutes (no seconds) of the extra time.

I watched the match and it was painfully obvious that the Italians were the better team. So I guess they deserved it. But kudos to the Germans for their determined fighting spirit. The held on. The goal at the 118th minute of play was an excellent one. The Italians fought, and finally their persistence paid off.

So the German journey ends here. I won’t be watching the France (they beat Brazil!) Portugal (winker! ) match. But I really want France to win, my bets are on Les Blues.

Islam has higher status in Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA: Islam has a higher status than other faiths in Malaysia, said a lawyer holding a watching brief for the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association. 

Pawancheek Marican said Article 11 of the Constitution restricted propagation of other religions to Muslims. 

“Our Constitution favours Islam. Islamic law is part of the law of our country,” he said. 

Another lawyer, Zulkifli Nordin, who is holding a watching brief for the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), said there were rules for Muslims to follow before they could renounce Islam. 

“These rules are the Quranic law and the sunnah,” he said.  

Copyright © 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Managed by I.Star.

(They didn’t put the journalists name)

While it is certainly true that Islam has influenced lawmaking (including the Constitution) in M’sia, does this mean that the highest laws of the land favours Islam? As far as I intepret it, Islam being the official state religion doesn’t mean that its status is higher than any other faiths practised publicly.

I find this statement by lawyers simply outrageous.

The following news report by M’sian columnist Wong Chun Wai (I like him, by the way) highlights something very, very wrong with my country.

Now, it is a very good thing for the ruler to personally come down to deal with problems like this. (Not to be disrespectful and unneighbourly to my Singaporean friends, but do you see President SR Nathan doing the same thing?) It shows that the Sultan of Selangor is no mere figure-head of the state.  

This billboard issue has been in the news for a long stretch now. And it has become an open secret that a rat is lurking somewhere. You see the problem with open secrets is that the rat can’t be just killed and everybody goes home happy. Even if somebody took the blame, who is going to handle the costs of tearing down those billboards? And if nobody will, those billboard still stay up all the same. As they say (in relationships), its complicated.

It is so sad that corruption has become so prevalent that it has become accepted as a way of life. Now MPs (MP for Jasin vs customs DG) can be corrupt and declare on national television that they have done nothing wrong. This is sickening to the core.

The rakyat is really being held hostage by unelected people who have been given power (i.e. the city councils.) It really goes to show that the system of accountability and governance is M’sia is broken. 

Have a look at this news paper article. Robbers make off with RM2.3 million.

But it’s just not any simple heist. It was a well planned, coordinated attack using heavy weaponry. Now the question is how did the robbers get hold of such weapons. Somehow, I don’t feel safe and secure knowing that guns can so easily obtained. Not only that, the robbers are so bold as to assault well trained guards.

Its as though, in Malaysia, if you have the guns, you can do anything you want. I just hope that these bandits are caught. That’s what they are, bandits.

Finally they made the announcement.

For those who know, Singapore will be having its GE on the 6th of May 2006. That day will be declared a public holiday.

There used to be a saying among business: If your company is not in the US, you are not a global company. Now, if you don’t have a business in China, or planning to start one soon, you are not a global business.

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. China is no empire, at least not yet.

The article focuses on economic growth and how China is coming up tops. That itself is enough to raise eyebrows.

Indeed, the world is changing.

Thisis the height of incredulity.

Certainly one single man’s opinion does not reflect the sentiments of a nation (or a religion), but then again, wtf…

I believe that it is these kinds of outrageous statements that make for tyrants and Hitler’s. The hunger for power that skewers all perception of the world.

p/s In an unconnected thought, something came to me yesterday: If we rationalize one sin, then we can rationalize every sin.

Read this

Now tell me…

WHAT’S THE HELL WRONG WITH M’SIA!!??

The fact that this is another of those senseless murders by mindless barbarians…

…the real murderers are in fact the hospital staff.

This is a tragedy in every sense of the word.

p/s The news alert came from Jeff Ooi’s Screenshots