Malaysia must stop being an international laughing stock as “land of mega financial scandals without criminals” with all patriotic Malaysians demanding that those responsible for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal must be identified and brought to book

I would have won if someone had betted with me whether the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) “mother of all scandals” had ever been raised or discussed at the second 2014 Cabinet meeting yesterday, especially after the shock double acquittal of two former Transport Ministers in their multiple charges in connection with the scandal.

On Monday, former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy walked free from the High Court from cheating charges in connection with the PKFZ scandal, the second former Transport Minister to be acquitted in less than three months in connection with the PKFZ scandal.

But clearly, none in the Cabinet meeting yesterday wanted to rock the boat and everybody prefered to “Let sleeping dogs lie”!

But this irresponsible, craven and cowardly attitude cannot be acceptable to Malaysians who want to see the fulfillment of the Malaysian Dream – a united, harmonious, just, competitive and great plural Malaysia nation built on the principles of tolerance, justice, freedom, integrity and good governance where there is zero tolerance for corruption.

In recent years, other countries whether in ASEAN or Asia have been making great efforts to combat corruption, especially in high political places, but in Malaysia we are doing the reverse – presenting one spectacle after another of those in high political places continuing to enjoy both immunity and impunity for their trespasses and transgressions against the law and the public interest.

I remember that at the Bentong DAP Chinese New Year Open House two years ago, I warned that if Malaysia does not buck up on the anti-corruption front, Indonesia and China may overtake Malaysia before 2020 in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index both in ranking and score.

Unfortunately, my warning has not been taken seriously by Najib, despite the appointment after the 13th General Elections  of Datuk Paul Low as  Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department specially on governance and integrity or by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) despite the mountain of funds and staffing provided by Parliament since its establishment in 2009.

The MACC has yet to shake off its role  as a political tool of Barisan Nasional government to persecute and victimize Pakatan Rakyat leaders (and it cannot do so unless there can be satisfactory closure to the despicable murder of Teoh Beng Hock at the MACC hqrs at Shah Alam in July 2009), while its Indonesian counterpart, the Corruption Eradication Commission or Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) has developed an aura as an “Indonesia hero” spawning the popular Indonesian catchphrase: “In KPK we Trust”.

This is from the online Establishment Post in a report dated 31st December 2013  entitled
‘Indonesian Hero Today: “In KPK We Trust’”
:

“While Indonesian police force, courts and judges, political parties, as well as Indonesian parliament labelled as four most corrupt agencies by Transparency International Indonesia, the KPK has shown that law enforcement is possible when done whole-heartedly.

“The showdown of arrest after arrest, which usually done in the “Hallowed Friday” has prove that lawmakers, members of the police force, ministers, politicians, judges, lawyers, attorneys and other public officials — regardless of their gender — can not hide from the mighty KPK’s power.

“In the 2013 alone, KPK has made nine shocking arrests which included Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, former president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) on charges of bribery in the beef import case…

“Another illustrious suspect arrested by the KPK was Indonesia’s head of energy regulator SKKMigas, Mr. Rudi Rubiandini who was detained on suspicion of accepting a US$400,000 in cash and a BMW motorcycle as bribe from Kernel Oil, a Singapore-based oil company official at his residence.

“Another arrest which shocked the public and sank the hearts of people was that of Mr. Akil Mochtar, who was only appointed as chief justice earlier this year, for allegedly taking almost US$260,000 in cash as bribes from plaintiffs in at least two electoral disputes being heard by the Constitutional Court.

“The latest, and definitely the much awaited arrest was on Banten province’s Governor (and Golkar Party cadre) Ms. Ratu Atut Chosiyah, for her alleged connection with two high-profile corruption cases involving her own brother who was arrested earlier by the KPK, and chief judge Mr. Akil Mochtar.

“No wonder Indonesians sometimes jokingly say, ‘In KPK we trust.’”

This is from Jakarta Globe’s “2013 Year in Review” on
“Indonesia’s Fight Against Corruption Gaining Steam But Far From Won”
:

“It has, by many measures, been a banner year for Indonesia’s antigraft institution, with the fall of many high-profile individuals this year linked to corruption cases worth hundreds of billions of rupiah…

“The KPK this year arrested some of its most high-profile suspects to date, including former Youth and Sports Minister Andi Alfian Mallarangeng for his alleged involvement in the construction of the Hambalang sports center, and Constitutional Court chief Akil Mochtar in October.

“Officials charged Akil with allegedly accepting bribes to fix the court’s ruling on a regional election dispute in Lebak, Banten, and Gunung Mas, Central Kalimantan.

“Catching him red-handed in his home, investigators confiscated up to Rp 3 billion ($246,000) in cash suspected to be bribes, in addition to confiscating a white Toyota Fortuner car.

“He was dismissed from his post at the Constitutional Court shortly after.

“Akil’s arrest came only less than three months after the KPK arrested another high-ranking official, chief of upstream oil and gas regulator SKKMigas Rudi Rubiandini over allegations of receiving more than $600,000 in bribes from an oil company seeking to win a tender with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

“The case has seen other high-ranking officials questioned by the KPK, including Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik.

Getting tough on political parties

“This year’s cases build on other big ones of the past few years. In 2010, the KPK named a total of 26 suspects — who were lawmakers in the House of Representatives from 1999-2004 — in a bribery scandal to ensure victory for Miranda Swaray Goeltom as senior deputy governor of Bank Indonesia.

“Roughly a month after arresting then president of the Prosperous Justice Party Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq for his involvement in the beef import quota scandal, the KPK named then Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum in a case in the construction of the Hambalang sports center.

“The KPK also named Mallarangeng, who was former secretary of the Democratic Party, a suspect in the same case in Dec. 2012 and subsequently arrested him in October this year.

“While the KPK has yet to arrest Anas, Luthfi’s case was seen moving at a faster pace, with the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Dec. 9 sentencing him to 16 years in prison and ordering him to pay Rp 1 billion in fines or serve an additional one year in prison for attempting to corrupt Indonesia’s beef-import quota.

“Despite being less than the 18 years in prison and Rp 1.5 billion in fines sought by prosecutors, the sentence was received as a largely strong stance against the foul practice by observers and the public.

“Meanwhile, Luthfi’s close aide, Ahmad Fathanah, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay Rp 1.3 billion worth of fines in the same case.

“Separately, the case of Akil Mochtar, a member of the Golkar Party, has also implicated Banten Governor and former treasurer of the Golkar Party Atut Chosiyah, who was arrested by KPK officials on Dec. 20 for her alleged involvement in paying Rp 1 billion worth of bribes to Akil in the Lebak district election dispute.

“Atut was also charged with corruption in the procurement of health equipment in the South Tangerang district of Banten.

“The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) reportedly uncovered billions of rupiah in inflated or missing funds at the Banten Health Agency and Banten General Affairs Bureau in an independent investigation. The budgets of three projects ballooned by Rp 1.21 billion in 2012 before their approval, the agency said.

“The BPK also found another Rp 1.13 billion worth of undocumented funds in the same year.

“Another party with an official implicated in graft cases is the People’s Conscience Party, whose election campaign team (Bapilu) chairman Bambang W. Soeharto has been questioned by the KPK after his subordinate Lusita Ani Razak was caught while conducting a bribery transaction with Subri, the head of the prosecutors’ office in the Central Lombok subdistrict of Praya.

Cicak vs. Buaya

“Among its biggest suspects to date was the powerful Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, became a testament to the staying power of the tiny cicak (gecko) in the world of the buaya (crocodile).

“The KPK’s case against the two-star police general was indicative of its fight against graft in 2013. The agency overcame a tense standoff with police, indicting Djoko on both corruption and money laundering charges over his involvement in tainted government contracts while running the traffic police.

“The probe quickly widened as investigators uncovered Djoko’s significant wealth, much of it hidden in assets purchased with corruption funds and listed in someone else’s name. The KPK discovered, in total, some Rp 200 billion in graft-tainted assets belonging to Djoko, making him the richest corruption suspect convicted in agency history.

“Djoko was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to return much of his stolen wealth in a verdict that was widely heralded as a landmark moment in the nation’s fight against corruption. When he appealed the verdict, asking for $18 million back from the state and a sentence reduction, the Jakarta High Court slammed Djoko with an additional eight years in prison and increased the fines to Rp 32 billion.

“Additionally, the court also moved to deprive Djoko of his political rights, preventing him both from voting and running in future political events.

“The high-profile arrests and high-value cases uncovered by the KPK this year has inspired praise from both the public and government officials.”

When will the MACC inspire praise from both the public and government officials, earn the status as an icon of a Malaysian hero with Malaysians adopting as a popular catchphrase “In MACC, we Trust”?

The first step towards ensuring that MACC earn and develop the icon of a Malaysian hero where Malaysians can adopt “In MACC, we Trust” as a popular catchphrase in country is for all patriotic Malaysians to demand that those responsible for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal must be identified and brought to book.

As a first step, Malaysians want to know what MACC can do to ensure that the PKFZ scandal become the test-case of seriousness and commitment of Najib administration and the MACC to root out corruption – in particular to war against “grand corruption”.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 16 January 2014, 12:17 pm and is filed under
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Putrajaya imposes ‘very high’ restrictions on religion, global study finds

by Trinna Leong

The Malaysian Insider

January 15, 2014

Putrajaya’s restrictions on religion are among the worst in the world, revealed a study by American think tank Pew Research Centre.

The report,
Restrictions on Religion
, which covered 198 countries, found that Malaysia is among the 24 nations with “very high” government restrictions on religion.

It also found that the number of countries with “high or very high level of social
hostilities involving religion reached a six-year-peak in 2012
”.“A third (33%) of the 198 countries and territories included in the study had high religious hostilities in 2012, up from 29% in 2011 and 20% as of mid-2007,” said the report.

Placing Malaysia on par with countries like Egypt, Syria, Somalia, Russia, Sudan and Iraq, the report measured “government laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices” for its Government Restrictions Index (GRI).

The report, which covered more than 99.5% of the world’s population, had looked at “efforts by governments to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversions, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups”.

Countries were divided into groups ranging from “very high”, “high”, “moderate” to “low” according to scores. In the Social Hostilities Index (SHI), Malaysia is placed in the “high” group, along with 44 other countries that included Iran, Kuwait, France and Italy.

The SHI measured “religious hostility by private individuals, organisations or groups in society” including “religion-related armed conflict or terrorism, mob or sectarian violence, harassment over attire for religious reasons or other religion-related intimidation or abuse”.

Pew Research’s study only covered events that occurred till the end of 2012 and so omitted the recent clampdown on Christians pertaining to the use of the word Allah in churches and Bahasa Malaysia bibles.

However, attacks against Christians had begun a few years before last year’s court ruling.

Some 10 churches and several mosques were attacked or vandalised in early 2010 after the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled in favour of Herald. Arson attacks in the form of petrol bombs and Molotov cocktails were thrown at churches, sparking public outcry and condemnation.

In 2009, Muslims opposing a relocation of a Hindu temple had protested by desecrating a cow head, an animal sacred to Hindus.

Then Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had defended the protesters, calling the proposal by the Selangor government to build a Hindu temple in Shah Alam as unsuitable since it is a majority Muslim neighbourhood.

“The study finds that the share of countries where some level of government interfered with worship or other religious practices increased to 74% in 2012,”the report noted.

“Overall, restrictions increased in 61% of countries and decreased in 29% between 2011 and 2012,” it added.

Pew Research’s findings are based on multiple sources of information including the US State Department, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, among others. – January 15, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 16 January 2014, 9:06 am and is filed under
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Vow to uphold justice and vanquish all forms of injustices

Let me wish all Hindus a happy, joyous and meaningful Thaipusam.

Thaipusam commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel “spear” so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

It is an occasion for devotees to pray to God to receive his grace so that bad traits are destroyed.

On the occasion of this year’s Thaipusam, let us all vow to uphold justice and vanquish all forms of injustices so as to realise the Malaysian Dream – a united, successful democratic, prosperous and competitive Malaysia where there is justice, rule of law, good governance, religious harmony  and zero tolerance for corruption, and where every Malaysian, regardless of race, religion or region has a rightful place under the Malaysian sun.

In penning the Thaipusam Message, I find it most regrettable that MIC Deputy Education Minister  P. Kamalanathan has still to receive justice for his assault by an UMNO Youth leader although the violent and dastardly act was committed  four days ago on Sunday.

Although UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor has issued show-cause letter to the Hulu Selangor Umno Youth leader over the assault incident, why is there still no action by the Police as well as the Education Ministry, as the culprit is a teacher which makes the violence doubly unacceptable.  The teacher who assaulted Kamalanathan should be charged in court without any delay, as well as sacked by the Education Ministry.

Yesterday, the Selangor UMNO State chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar announced that UMNO Selangor has lined up 30 roadshows to “educate” Muslims on the latest controversy arising from Jais illegal and unconstitutional raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia which has further polarised religious relations in the country.

This is the time when all responsible  political leaders and parties should contribute to the promotion of inter-religious understanding and harmony and not to stoke religious tensions and conflict, which Noh Omar is blatantly and recklessly trying to do.

As a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition with two Ministers in the Cabinet, MIC should contribute to the maintenance of religious understanding and harmony and speak up loud and clear to the highest levels in government and party for an immediate halt to the escalation of political activities to stoke religious tensions and conflict.

(Thaipusam 2014 Message in Gelang Patah on Thursday, 16th January 2014)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 16 January 2014, 5:20 pm and is filed under
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Life is meant to be fun, says Guan Eng

Malaysiakini
 | 4:40PM Jan 16, 2014

Despite sitting on the hot seat as Penang’s chief minister since 2008, Lim Guan Eng said, “Life is meant to be fun.”

Lim said the most important thing for an artist is to have its critics and the public to participate in his or her art and “have fun”.

“That is what makes art meaningful,” he said at a press conference to support Lithunian artist Ernest Zachaveric’s solo show ‘Art is Rubbish/Rubbish is Art’ tomorrow.

“Even in serious works, the basic essence is to have fun. So don’t take life so seriously. We can take a different view. Life is meant to be fun,” Lim said, obviously in a good mood.

“We come not only to celebrate art but also Penangites and those who are proud of Penang,”

Lim said Zachaveric is proud of Penang and want to give something back to the state so that arts and culture can bloom here.

“He is doing this at a very nominal rate. He has inspired many artists to come here,” the DAP secretary-general said.

“I must say I do not know anything about art. But I am here to learn and I like some of his pieces especially where he depicts body parts as machines. Each one would his or her own favourite,” Lim added.

Lim urged others to come forward and showcase their art as Zachaveric had done.

He expressed hope that international artists would make Penang their home someday, as Zachaveric had done.

Zacharevic said he is working together with paint company Murobond Paints again to promote the right choice of paint for conservation of buildings, as well as continuing the footprints of the Mirrors George Town Project that brought the famous bicycle mural to life.

He added that he will be using Murobond Paints for all his murals showcased during ‘Art is Rubbish/Rubbish is Art’.

Zacharevic is also collaborating with Eastern & Oriental Berhad to unveil the opening of a satellite show held at E&O Hotel’s Victory Annexe.

The gallery space will showcase exclusive oil paintings of Penang, sketches and offset prints that will document Zacharevic’s deep fascination with the island.

The collaboration will continue with some his most engaging installations from ‘Art is Rubbish/Rubbish is Art’ pieces adorning the boardwalks of Straits Quay Marina.

With the solo show, Zachaveric will launch an art space in Penang – held at the privately-owned Old Hin Bus Depot along Brick Kiln Roa

The show is open to the public from Friday to Feb 14.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 17 January 2014, 7:29 pm and is filed under
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Liong Sik’s allegation reinforces my call for RCI to get to the bottom of the RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals”

The allegation by former MCA President and former Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik that he was “wrongly accused” and charged of corruption in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal even before the Attorney-General’s Chambers had obtained sufficient evidence reinforces my call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to get to the bottom of the RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals”.

In an interview yesterday, Ling, who was acquitted last October, of all charges of corruption in connection with  the PKFZ scandal, revealed that he is writing a book about his PKFZ “trials and tribulations” and had decided on the title of the book:
“How Low Can You Go”
.

Ling said that due to his bad experience, his confidence in the country’s judicial system was shaken.

Ling sounds very self-serving and even hypocritical as he must bear full responsibility for the state of the system of justice in Malaysia today, as he was part of the Mahathir government which precipitated the judicial crisis in 1988  when the then Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and two Supreme Court judges, Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh and Datuk George Seah were arbitrarily and unconstitutionally sacked. Malaysia has never yet recovered from that judicial crisis 26 years ago.

Even Tun Abdullah who succeeded Mahathir as Prime Minister had expressed regret and remose for the 1988 judicial assault by the Barisan Nasional government.

Had Liong Sik ever expressed regret and remorse for aiding and abetting Mahathir in 1988 and after in undermining the independence, impartiality and professionalism of the judiciary and the system of justice in Malaysia?

However, if it is true that Liong Sik had been “wrongly accused” of corruption in the PKFZ scandal, and that he  had been charged even before the prosecutors had obtained evidence, this is a deplorable and completely unacceptable state of affairs. Liong Sik had suffered grave injustice I am prepared to back him up to the hilt.

In fact, Liong Sik has strengthened my call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.

No stone should be left unturned to ensure that Liong Sik and another former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy should be given justice if it is true that they had been wrongly accused of corruption in the PKFZ scandal.

A Royal  Commission of Inquiry is now the only avenue left for  Liong Sik and Kong Choy to get justice, even though Kong Choy, according to Liong Sik, had been spared the “hell” and “torture” he had to endure in his own trial.

But even more important than justice for Liong Sik and Kong Choy is the justice for the 29 million Malaysians, who are entitled to know who are the persons responsible for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ “mother of all scandals” and to demand that the real culprits are brought to book – as well as for the country to be freed of the international disrepute and  odium of being  a “Land of Mega-scandals without criminals”.

Will Liong Sik and Kong Choy support my call for a RCI into the PKFZ scandal if they have nothing to hide so as to get to the bottom of the PKFZ “mother of all scandals”, including why the two former Transport Ministers and MCA leaders were charged by the Attorney-General when there were insufficient evidence of corruption against them?

(Media Conference Statement in Gelang Patah on Friday, 17th January 2014)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 17 January 2014, 5:11 pm and is filed under
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Umno’s misplaced anger over kangkung jokes

NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

January 16, 2014

Wow. The Umno members who rallied and tried to ring a fence round Datuk Seri Najib Razak to save him from further public ridicule over his ‘kangkung’ remarks, are incensed.

So incensed that it took a few days for them to feel “offended” enough to vent their anger against Machang Lubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon for allegedly making fun of their party president.

Everything about Umno these days is stage-managed and contrived. Even their anger.

On Sunday, Najib said that the government was never praised when the prices of goods went down. As an example, he noted that the price of kangkung had dropped. His speech at an event was uploaded onto YouTube and drew stinging criticism from netizens, with many pointing out the silliness of the PM using the cost of a vegetable which grew wildly by the road side as an example of government intervention.

For more than four days, Najib has been lampooned by a lot of Malaysians. Privately, even his partymen have been speaking about the PM’s growing ability to say the wrong things. To be fair, the kangkung line was a throwaway line that would have been glossed over under normal circumstances.

But these are not normal times. The cost of living is hurting middle Malaysia and the Najib administration’s response has been wholly unsatisfactory. Against this backdrop, the kangkung statement seemed like just another thoughtless remark by a BN leader.

So for the past few days, even the PM’s army of advisors and Umno supreme council have been standing on the sidelines as the kangkung statement spawned a cottage industry of one-liners, videos, etc.

So why did the Umno politicians finally decide to come out fighting so late?

This is how Putrajaya functions these days. Someone from Umno would have made some noise about the lack of support for the PM and this would have lit the fire under a member of PM’s entourage. Calls would then be made to MPs and other opinion makers to attack those who are ridiculing the PM.

The easiest target is always an Opposition member. Let’s be honest. The netizens own this kangkung thing, not some PKR assemblyman. The fact that this innocuous statement has caught the public’s attention indicates the PM’s current standing among many Malaysians.

Umno’s Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said that those who ridiculed Najib were deriding themselves. “Do you realise that you are ridiculing the leader of this nation? This means that you are ridiculing yourself, ” he said, after chairing a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

The MP may feel compelled to defend his party president. That is his right, but not everyone in Malaysia has the intelligence of an Umno member.

So he should marshall a more compelling argument than “do you realise that you are ridiculing the leader of this nation?”

You want the PM to be treated with respect and affection, a good starting point would be to advise Najib to start behaving and performing like a Prime Minister. – January 16, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 17 January 2014, 7:51 am and is filed under
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Kangkung now hot topic in comedy and satirical humour

by Elizabeth Zachariah

The Malaysian Insider

January 18, 2014

When Datuk Seri Najib Razak suggested people should appreciate that kangkung prices had fallen and praise the government for it, the poor man’s greens usually associated with belacan (shrimp paste) became an overnight sensation to deride the prime minister and his subsidy cuts programme.

In the past two weeks, the water spinach has appeared in newspaper headlines, in conversations at dinner tables, in jokes good and bad, and has gone viral in social media.

An example is the latest edition of That Effing Show, hosted and produced by Ezra Zaid. Its latest episode, “That Effing Show #99 – Let Them Eat Kangkung”, was uploaded on Thursday and has since garnered more than 21,000 views.

The six-and-a-half-minute clip took a dig at Najib’s comments as well as Malay rights group Perkasa, the MCA and MIC by featuring “representatives” from fictional organisations Persatuan KangKung Satu Malaysia (Perkasa), Malaysian Choi-sum Association (MCA), Machas Institute of Cucumber (MIC) discussing the “kangkung” remark.

“The prime minister’s sudden and unexpected announcement regarding the value of kangkung has caused all kinds of chaos across the country. Panic selling has resulted in plummeting prices and soaring tempers,” says a brief about the video, alluding to the fiery political climate in the country just eight months after the General Election 2013.

Ezra told The Malaysian Insider that comedy and satire attempt to tap into the public consciousness.

“People can find solace in comedy for a lot of things that they cannot understand,” he said in Kuala Lumpur.

The arena of comedy and satire is a wide spectrum, he added, through which to “discuss what is difficult” under normal circumstances.

“It’s more flexible than a politician’s world. When audiences relate to a content, it helps them deal with the issue at hand,” said Ezra, who belongs to the PopTeeVee collective that produced the parody show.

Actress and artistic director of The Instant Cafe Theatre Company Jo Kukathas said comedy and satire change the way audiences think and their attitudes towards politicians.

“The art does not move politicians directly but rather, it first changes the audiences who are the people who vote,” she told The Malaysian Insider.

“The audience get to see what we do and they definitely get affected.”

Most Malaysians have a feudal attitude, she said, and they find it rude or unacceptable to laugh at leaders.

“But when we make fun of those up there, we make people laugh. And when they do, the people feel more powerful.

“Only then do politicians notice the shift in attitudes of their constituents, that the people see them in a different way,” she added.

Describing it as “breaking free of bondage”, Penang Institute political analyst Wong Chin Huat concurred, noting that comedy and satire helped to “democratise society”.

“The impact is on the ordinary people. We tend to fear authority in this feudal society.

“Anger does not help to overcome fear but laughter does,” he added.

Fear is gone, Wong said, when the people start laughing at those in power and as a result, the people become more powerful.

“It is impossible to fear someone that you laugh at. But when politicians say something stupid and we laugh at them, we become emboldened,” he said.

Ezra added that art forms, such as comedy and satire, play a role in forming the people’s opinions.

“It is very important to note that this kind of discourse is actually taking place. People are now able to express themselves,” he said.

However, poking fun at the leaders and the country comes at a price.

There are those who strongly oppose this type of humour, including Perkasa which had lodged a police report in October last year over an episode of The Effing Show, which the Malay rights group claimed mocked the Appeals Court decision to bar the Catholic Church from using the word Allah in their publication.

They had said that the clip – “The Effing Show #95: Allah, Apa Lagi?” did not respect the sensitivities of Muslims in the country.

In response, Ezra said that the government’s ability to handle a joke is a “litmus test” of how strong it is.

“If the government cannot handle a joke, then it shows that it is weak. Any government which tells you that you cannot do this or that, then something is wrong.

“The more you curb, the more harm you bring,” he added.

Kukathas said: “Politicians live in a cocoon. Even with the BBC report on the kangkung… they didn’t like it.”

She was referring to Thursday’s temporary inaccessibility of a BBC article on Malaysians making fun of Najib over his “kangkung” remark.

“Politicians know the power of humour and satire. When humour is aroused, that’s when the politicians have less power over the people,” she said.

On Wednesday, PKR Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon led a group of some 15 people in Alma, Bukit Mertajam, mainland Penang, in a flashmob, with an effigy of Najib and posters criticising his kangkung remark.

They also stuffed kangkung into the effigy’s mouth while singing a modified version of the popular children’s song “Lenggang-lenggang Kangkung”.

Umno politicians – who had previously remained silent over the kangkung remark – jumped at Lee’s actions, accusing him of ridiculing “the nation’s leader”.

“Do you realise that you are ridiculing the leader of this nation? This means you are ridiculing yourself,” Umno’s Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed had said.

Umno blogger Dr Novandri Hassan Basri took on a more extreme stance, choosing to lambast the Chinese members of the opposition.

“Pakatan Chinese are becoming more extreme and insolent. They openly insulted the prime minister by stuffing kangkung into the mouth of a replica of Najib,” he was quoted as saying.

Najib broke his silence last night, saying that he had only used kangkung as an example.

“I like to eat kangkung, you all like to eat kangkung. As such, I gave an example which everybody eats. If I use quail as an example, only certain people eat it.

“The example should not be ridiculed by anybody because I gave the example on the principle of supply and demand which decides the prices of some of the food commodities not subject to price controls,” he had said. – January 18, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 18 January 2014, 7:13 am and is filed under
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Najib should not be paranoiac by the “kangkung furore”  and completely immobilised when he should swiftly identify the underlying factors and demonstrate that he is not a “PM kangkung” running a “kangkung government” hollow inside apart from glittering external

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not be paranoiac by the “kangkung furore” and completely immobilised when he should swiftly identify the underlying factors of the “kangkung phenomenon” in Malaysia in the past week and demonstrate that he is not a “PM kangkung” running a “kangkung government” hollow inside apart from a glittering externa

In the past seven days, the “kangkung phenomenon” has taken the country by storm, as kangkung becoming the butt of comedy, satire, video and comic sketch.

What is most regrettable and must be condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians is the dishonest and dangerous game of political opportunists who tried to racialise the “kangkung furore” as the work of Chinese showing disrespect to Malay leaders.

In the past week, Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region have taken part in the “kangkung bashing” of Najib including the latest edition of comedy sketch, That Effing Show, hosted and produced by Ezra Said, entitled “Let Them Eat Kangkung”.

Instead of indulging in a “Kangkung phobia” and hitting out at all and sundry involved in the “kangkung furore” – I commend the police for not being infected by the Kangkung phobia and announcing that the police is not arresting the artist Yuri Wong responsible for the kangkung video which first kicked off the “kangkung tsunami” – Najib and the Barisan Nasional leadership should swiftly identify the underlying reasons as to why an inadvertent reference to the price of kangkung should set off such a “kangkung tsunami”.

Firstly, it is a reaction to a government leadership which is quite cut off from the problems, pain and sufferings of the ordinary Malaysians caused by the spate of price hikes – illustrated not only by the continued corruption, waste and squandering of public funds (the latest example being the 15-day 20-person luxury cruise to the Antarctica led by the Terengganu Mentri Besar).

But the “kangkung tsunami” reflects a deeper problem  – that Najib is facing the worst crisis of confidence ever faced by any Prime Minister in the nation’s 56-year history because of his lack of leadership and direction in the past eight months after the 13th general elections on May 5 last year.

Just as kangkung is hollow inside, the “kangkung furore” is an expression of lack of public confidence against a Prime Minister and a government which have very impressive and glittering coating but has proven to be empty and hollow in the past eight months to deal with the grave national problems confronting Malaysians.

For example, Najib talks about moderation and tolerance all over the world but in the past eight months he has allowed extremists and the advocates of hatred and intolerance a field day, an example of “kangkung” politics – fine outside but empty inside.

Malaysia is facing at least five national crisis:

*Crisis of nation-building – as racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia had never been more serious than today, because of the failure of leadership by the Prime Minister who, for instance, has not said a word to resolve the “Allah” controversy despite the Cabinet’s 10-Point Solution in 2011.

*Economic crisis highlighted by the price hikes but aggravated by a government which is heedless of the problems of the people.

*Educational crisis of deteriorating standards – for the past two months, both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister who is also Education Minister have studiously avoided this subject, highlighted by 2012 PISA results on Dec. 3.

*Security Crisis as the police have failed to give top priority to ensuring that low crime and the safety and security of citizens, investors and tourists should be No. 1 agenda instead of protecting the Barisan Nasional regime.

*Crisis of worsening corruption in Malaysia.

In all these five fronts, Najib has only a “kangkung effect” – good-sounding on the outside but utterly empty and hollow inside.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 18 January 2014, 4:01 pm and is filed under
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Call on Malaysian patriots and moderates regardless of race, religion or political affiliation to come forward to save Malaysia from extremists

Yesterday, Penang UMNO staged a demonstration in response to the kangkung-theme flash mob organised by PKR Machang Bubuk assemblyman, Lee Khai Loon.

I have no objection to Penang UMNO staging a peaceful demonstration but all right-thinking Malaysians must be horrified that the Penang UMNO demonstration was a blatant and  shameless incitement of racial and religious hatred, tensions  and conflict in Malaysia which  must be condemned by all patriotic and peace-loving Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or political affiliation.

If any of the Pakatan Rakyat parties had been involved in such-like demonstration as the one conducted by Penang Umno, unashamedly and blatantly inciting racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict, the police would have acted immediately and the Pakatan Rakyat leaders involved would have been behind bars awaiting trial for sedition.

Why is there no action by the Police and the authorities to stop such dangerous, irresponsible, incendiary and seditious incitement of racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict by Penang UMNO yesterday Umno protesters yesterday indulged in the worst form of political gangsterism and thuggery, threatening with the rhetorical question:
“Does DAP want another May 13”
 and carried the most blood-curdling racist and religious slogans and banners, even with one banner in blood red with the screaming words:
“Because of DAPs leaders mouth, May 13, 1969 happened…Want some more?”
and other inflammatory banners like
“ABCD – Asal Bukan Cina DAP”
 and
“DAP is the enemy of Islam”
.

DAP was not in any way involved with Lee Khai Loon’s “kangkung”  flash-mob demo against Najib and there is no justification except the height of base and irresponsible politicking to implicate the DAP with the incident.

Khai Loon has said that he had never meant to insult the Prime Minister but to highlight the people’s burden and hardships as a result of the price hikes.

I admit that I was taken aback when I first saw news report about the flash-mob demo of  the stuffing of kangkung into the mouth of Najib’s effigy, as it would be regarded as quite offensive in some quarters and I knew that it would  be distorted and manipulated by irresponsible elements  out to incite and inflame emotions, even trying to racialise it  as an attack by the Chinese against a Malay Prime Minister.

This is a great fallacy because Najib is not a Malay Prime Minister but should be a Prime Minister for all Malaysians.

Furthermore, it is not only Chinese, but Malays, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans who are taking part in the “kangkung tsunami” of videos, jokes, sketches, even crossing national boundaries to become a most embarrassing international news on BBC and Singapore Straits Times.

The flash-mob demo of the stuffing of kangkung into the mouth of Najib’s effigy is in poor taste but I agree with  Anwar Ibrahim that the butt dance by pro-government groups comprising army veterans in front of Bersih co-ordinator Ambiga Sreenevasan in 2012 was much worse  than the “kangkung flash mob”.

But no Umno protests had ever been staged against the utterly tasteless butt dance!

While Malaysian politics and public affairs can gain from the absence of incidents like the  “kangkung  stuffing into the mouth of Najib’s effigy”  and the butt dance , there  can be no excuse or justification for anyone, whether the political leadership, their controlled media or their cybertroopers, to distort and escalate  the dangerous and irresponsible incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflicts and tensions or even worse, the failure of the Police and the authorities to put an immediate stop to such inflammatory and incendiary provocations which undermine inter-racial and inter-religious peace and harmony in the country.

This is not an isolated incident as there had been  a  recent series of  inflammatory and incendiary statements and actions seeking to provoke a breakdown of inter-racial peace and harmony through lies and falsehoods.

For instance, the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was accused by Umno cybertroopers of being racialistic  and responsible for the closure of Selangor Giatmara vocational school in criticising it as catering for one race only.  I asked Guan Eng about it and he said he had never uttered a single word about Selangor Giatmara.

Then there was the case of a school board member of a Chinese primary school in Kota Tinggi who told a Muslim convert teacher to take off her “tudung” to continue teaching at the school.  This is wrong and should be a lesson to all Malaysians to be sensitive and to respect the different religions and customs in plural Malaysia. But this is a wrongdoing  of an individual, who has since apologised for his action. What  is most deplorable is that there are attempts by UMNO cybertroopers to put the blame of the incident on the DAP, when nobody from DAP knew about it or had condoned the wrongdoing.

Now, there is an attempt to drag in the DAP to give a communal twist to the kangkung flash-mob in Bukit Mertajam when it has nothing to do with the DAP.

This is the time for Malaysian patriots and moderates, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, to dissociate and denounce in no uncertain terms the irresponsible and dangerous  ploys and antics of extremists who want to inflame and incite racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict in the country like the Penang demo yesterday.

In fact, I call on Malaysian patriots and moderates regardless of race, religion or political affiliation to come forward to save Malaysia from extremists inciting racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict.

All patriotic Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or  Ibans, and regardless of whether they are in Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat,  want peace, harmony and tolerance to continue as the hallmarks of Malaysian nationhood.

They should  step forward to  expose and isolate the dangerous extremists who want to inflame and incite  racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict for their short-term opportunistic objectives as the overwhelming majority of moderates in Malaysia cannot remain silent but  must act immediately so as  not to allow a tiny handful of extremists to destroy Malaysia.

(Media Conference Statement in Kulai on Sunday, 19th January 2014 at 10am)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 19 January 2014, 5:41 pm and is filed under
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Boos, doubts stalk Najib after kangkung ridicule

BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

January 20, 2014

It doesn’t seem to be getting any better for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak after a week of being ridiculed for talking about falling vegetable prices amid rising living costs.

There is talk among the Umno elite of moves to push out the party president, who won more seats for the party but also lost more for Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013. His men also swept the party elections last December but his position now looks shaky as dissent rises inside and outside Umno.

And yesterday, the boos were louder than the cheers when Najib presented the winner’s medal to badminton star Datuk Lee Chong Wei when won his 10th Malaysian Open singles title in Kuala Lumpur.

On the same day, the Umno-owned Berita Minggu carried an interview with Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir who expressed concern that the ruling BN might lose in the 14th general election if Putrajaya continued implementing unpopular decisions.

“Defeat is a real possibility if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak continues with his present policy of correct but unpopular decisions, especially issues concerning the rising cost of living.”

“If Putrajaya continues to ignore the rakyat’s grouses and complaints, Barisan Nasional will find the 14th general election a tough nut to crack,” the youngest son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told the Malay daily which is controlled by Najib’s

 appointees.

On Saturday, former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin (pic, right) gave the same line in a closed-door briefing at the Merbok Umno division meeting in Dewan Kismec in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Sources said the former Merbok MP was a guest of honour at the briefing where he spoke about Putrajaya’s failure to control goods prices or review highway toll agreements to extend concessions rather than allow charges to rise.

It is learnt Daim also criticised the Cabinet’s failure to explain issues, the government for cutting subsidies rather than cutting expenses for things that did not appear to benefit the people, and ignoring the fact that higher civil service wages and allowances would influence prices.

Sources said Daim predicted that BN would lose the elections if it was held now, saying it continued to rule due to Malay support, but Putrajaya had spent more to attract the Chinese vote to no avail as the community would not support it.

Najib is following the wants of advisers to determine policies which will bring loss to the Malays, a source quoted Daim as saying.

“The conclusion is… the government under PM’s leadership is not effective and will cause BN to lose power in administering the country in the coming elections,” he added.

But there is no bunker mentality yet in Putrajaya over such criticisms although the Prime Minister understands that there is unhappiness against the government’s efficiency arm Pemandu and the use of consultants, with critics urging Najib to take charge of the situation.

The view from Putrajaya is essentially this: the so-called critics are among those who fleeced the country with their policies and shenanigans while in power, so why should the PM or the cabinet take them so seriously?

But there are some in Umno who want him to go, believing that the next election will be lost because of rising cost and drift in the country’s leadership. They want someone better to take charge, said a Putrajaya insider, but not many names have cropped up as yet.

“They want him out sooner than later, how, nobody knows,” said a businessman with links to the Umno elite.

“So we wait and see if the boos can snowball to something bigger or Najib stays the course,” he added. – January 20, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 January 2014, 9:43 pm and is filed under
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Japanese Government should apologise to Anwar and Malaysians for the “national insult” in denying entry to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim

The Japanese Government should apologise to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and to Malaysia for the “national insult” in denying entry to Japan and deporting the Parliamentary Opposition Leader yesterday.

The barring of Anwar Ibrahim from entering Japan is not a mere personal matter involving Anwar but a question of national honour as Anwar is the leader the Pakatan Rakyat coalition which secured the majority support of 51% of the voters in the 13th General Elections on May 5 last year.

It tantamounts to disrespect and slap-in-the-face of the majority of voters in Malaysia by the Japanese Government and must therefore be regarded as a most unfriendly and even hostile Japanese act against Malaysia.

Malaysians do not want to interfere in the internal affairs and politics in Japan and similarly the Japanese Government must act correctly and not interfere in the internal politics of Malaysia.

The excuse that Anwar was prevented from entering Japan because of his previous conviction for sodomy in 1999 is most ridiculous and make Japan an international laughing stock as Anwar had previously entered Tokyo on three occasions without hindrance in 2006, 2009 and 2012.

Furthermore, Anwar’s 1999 conviction was the result of political persecution and cannot be accepted as reason for barring a national leader from a friendly country from entering Japan.

As national honour is at stake, the Foreign Ministry must take immediate action to demand apology from the Japanese government as well as to ensure that there will be no repetition of the incident at the Narita International Airport yesterday where Anwar was prohibited from entry and was deported on the first flight out of Tokyo upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur at 6.45 am yesterday.

(Media Conference in Muar on Monday, 20th Jan 2014 at 4 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 January 2014, 8:29 pm and is filed under
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Liong Sik should identify whether Najib was the “influential person” who put pressure on him to vacate his position as Chairman of UTAR when he was charged with corruption in the PKFZ scandal

China Press today carried an interview with former MCA President and former Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik on his accusation that he was slapped with corruption charges in the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal by the Attorney-General when there was insufficient evidence against him, reiterating that the Attorney-General did not respect Chinese leaders in government.

Malaysians are still waiting for responses to this very serious accusation  both from the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail and the new MCA leadership.

In his interview with China Press today, Liong Sik alleged that “a very influential person” had put pressure on him to vacate his position as Chairman of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) when he was charged with corruption in the PKFZ scandal.

Liong Sik did not name this “very influential person”.

As Liong Sik has revealed such an incident, the Malaysian public are entitled to know the identity of this “very influential person” who tried to pressure him to step down as UTAR Chairman when he was charged with corruption in July 2010.

Such a “very influential person” is unlikely to be the MCA President who by that time was held by Dr. Chua Soi Lek after beating Ong Tee Keat in the three-cornered battle for MCA President on March 28, 2010  which also involved another former MCA President Ong Ka Ting.

The process of elimination leaves the likely candidate for the “very influential person” who pressured him to step down as UTAR President to only one person – the Prime Minister Datuk Najib Razak.

Liong Sik should state whether it was Najib who was the “very influential person” who tried to get him to step down as UTAR Chairman or Najib himself should clarify this riddle publicly.

(Media Conference Statement2 in Muar on Monday, 20th January 2014 at 4 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 20 January 2014, 9:08 pm and is filed under
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Can Malaysia step back from the brink?

 – Lim Teck Ghee

CPI/The Malaysian Insider

January 21, 2014

In early 2011, I provided a paper to the United Nations system in Malaysia on various scenarios facing the country, giving special emphasis to the impact of political and economic issues on social development. In it, I explored three scenarios:

• A best case one where the government can achieve its goals and targets as set out in various government documents,

• A midway scenario where targets are partially achieved, and

• A worst case scenario where targets are mostly not achieved and where the economic, political and social situation deteriorates significantly over the medium-term.

Unfortunately, the worst case scenario is becoming a reality. Excerpts from the report below identify the key steps and processes leading to the establishment of an autocratic ethnocracy which would be a huge step backwards for the country.

It is still not too late for the Prime Minister and other leaders, especially from the BN and Umno, to lead the country away from the worst case scenario outlined in the paper.

But time is running out.

Socio-cultural scenarios

The possibility of a best case socio-cultural situation is tied to the government’s determination to advance its 1Malaysia concept and its removal of constraints and obstacles that stand in the way. Minimum proactive measures include removing or neutralising those institutions and individuals most guilty of sowing and escalating racial distrust and religious disharmony, in particular that emanating from the ruling circles and the bureaucracy, especially from Umno ranks and the official or Umno-owned print and electronic media, particularly Utusan Malaysia and TV3.

It also includes supporting the inter-faith panel and other similar nation building bodies and providing them with a higher profile in improving inter-faith and ethnic relations. In this scenario, the leaders of the other Barisan Nasional component parties that have previously been silent, indifferent or impotent towards the escalation of the hate politics of race and religion find their voices and successfully put pressure on the BN government to be even handed in the management of ethnic and religious relations in the country.

Other key stake players such as PAS and Muslim NGOs in this scenario also play a positive role by dampening hard line Islamist positions. External events such as growing freedoms and liberalisation in the Middle East countries and key Islamic nations can also play an indirect role through influencing Islamic elements in the country towards more progressive positions that can contribute to improved relations between the various communities and religions.

The middle case scenario sees a holding pattern in ethnic and religious relations and the socio-cultural situation. New tensions and conflicts at local or sector levels will erupt and even if they do not get out of control, they have the effect of generating mistrust and rifts between the various communities and religions as a result of weak leadership and poor management skills.

The growth of ethnic group consciousness that has a strong emotive content continues unabated, dividing individuals and communities into “us” versus “them”. The Malay print and electronic media and Malay/Muslim bureaucracy continue to play on the racial and religious insecurities of the community, and Muslim NGOs import into the country sympathy for extreme Muslim positions from the outside that will further radicalise Muslim values and attitudes. At the same time, non-Malay and non-Muslims individuals and groups also pander to the insecurities of their communities and remain skeptical of the government’s 1Malaysia programme.

In the middle case scenario, a few encouraging signs are also to be found. Some integration and convergence in culture takes place and lesser importance is attached to ethnic identity and consciousness, especially due to Malaysians from East Malaysia where there has been greater inter-ethnic marriage, and racial and religious polarisation is less pronounced. Some moderate or reformist Muslims organisations also speak out against state dominance and religious orthodoxy, and cultural dissidents encourage the younger generation towards greater tolerance and acceptance of pluralist forms and messages.

At the same time, the middle class continues to grow and is better educated and more informed about the issues pertaining to the nation’s survival. Finally most Malaysians continue to be generally tolerant, accept the plurality of cultures, way of life, etc and are not stressed out by the fragile co-existence that has been a characteristic of the country for so long.

In the worst case socio-cultural scenario, the country’s racial and religious tensions and divisions reach a breaking point, with the minorities very much on the defensive. The politicians are no longer able to maintain control and the authorities are reluctant to intervene or act except in favour of the majority.

The rule of law becomes the rule of the majority, and the business community and most ordinary Malaysians lose respect for it whilst perpetrators of racial and religious hate feel that they can get away with actions aimed at maintaining dominance or curbing dissent. The country’s basic tolerance gives way to hardened and polarised positions on all sides, setting the stage for instability and social strife.

Autocratic ethnocracy

The final obstacle in the country’s progress to a highly developed society is the way in which the state institutions have been politicised to maintain the current government in power. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, one of the country’s most respected political leaders, has placed the blame for the loss in credibility and integrity of state institutions such as the judiciary, police, electoral agencies and others on the corruption that has seeped deeply into Umno.

Similar views on the need to change the authoritarian character of Government, and its manipulation of the institutions of the state to perpetuate BN rule have long been expressed by the opposition parties and many civil society organisations. In the Pakatan Rakyat’s “Common Framework” document, the emphasis on change and transformation is not solely directed towards an economic agenda as appears to be the case with the BN.  It provides just as much attention to issues of ethnic and religious relations management and the reform of state institutions and political life necessary to preserve communal harmony should the opposition come to power.

These expressions of concern on the authoritarian and repressive nature of the state mainly articulated by opposition politicians and civil society dissidents are also being voiced by the business elite, including supporters of the BN government, though in nuanced and less explicit terms. According to the constitution, Malaysians enjoy constitutional rights such as the right to personal freedom, freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of expression; freedom of association; and equality before the law without discrimination. However, a thicket of arbitrary laws has stood in the way of the objective of a democratic and liberal society as envisaged in the country’s Vision 2020.

The impact of repressive legislation selectively applied, the politicisation of state institutions, and the authoritarian nature of the state clearly affects every sector and every population group in the country. This – together with its ethnocentric character (a single ethnic group dominates and controls virtually all key positions in the judiciary, public administrative organs, the police and the armed forces) and a trend of increasing Islamisation – is the biggest stumbling block to the development of a robust democracy.

In this context, it would be too optimistic to expect meaningful change in the country’s political and socio-economic situation unless there is wide ranging political reform. For such reform to take place, a higher calibre of leadership is required than has been demonstrated.

Overall future scenario

The most likely scenario then, in the country in the next five years (or at least until the 14th general elections is held), is maintenance of the current status quo with time running out on attainment of economic targets and with further fraying of an already dangerously fragile social fabric.

The momentum of continued political bickering and ethnic and religious discord if not broken – especially against a backdrop of economic stagnation – could set the stage for the next momentous development in the country’s evolution: either a dramatic break with the past through deep reforms – this appears a distinctly unlikely possibility; a sharper turn towards an Islamic conservative future; or a retreat to emergency rule in which Umno-led right wingers, and other powerful stake players including the monarchy – tied to maintaining an authoritarian ethnocracy – make a bid for, and successfully seize power. – January 21, 2014.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 21 January 2014, 4:38 pm and is filed under
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Najib Wrong to Blame Malaysians

by Kee Thuan Chye

Yahoo! News

Jan  14, 2014

Prime Minister Najib Razak is wrong to blame Malaysians for the country’s standing in comparison to Japan and South Korea. He says Malaysia is not as developed and economically advanced as those two countries are because Malaysians lack strong will and fighting spirit.

This is bullshit.

He should instead blame his own party, Umno, and its partners in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. If it were not for the New Economic Policy (NEP) and its continued existence to this day, almost a quarter-century past its original termination date of 1990, we would not be in the state we’re in now.

The NEP made us economically less competitive. Investors were reluctant to put money into ventures for which they had to yield 30 per cent share to partners who brought hardly anything to the table.

The NEP triggered a massive brain drain that is now recognised as one of the factors weakening our hopes of becoming an advanced nation.

The NEP came to be abused by Umnoputras to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation’s welfare. Its negative spin-offs include cronyism, rent-seeking, widespread corruption – all of which retard national development.

Najib knows all this. Why doesn’t he admit it? Why doesn’t he instead blame the people who deserve to be blamed?

With regard to his point about Malaysians lacking strong will and fighting spirit, he need only look at how hard some of our citizens work, and how determined they are to give their children a better life despite the odds against them, to see that Malaysians – or, at least, a percentage of them – do have strong will and fighting spirit.

He says he saw a documentary showing why South Koreans are so successful – “Their students attend school in the morning, go for extra classes in the afternoon, do revision at night and sleep only at 11pm.” Well, that also describes the daily routine of many Malaysian students who are forced to excel – in order to get places in good universities, mostly overseas. And also scholarships, which they can’t get from their own government.

As for those who may fit his description of lacking in strong will and fighting spirit, he need only ask himself why they are so. Is it not because they are constantly being reminded that they cannot compete and must therefore depend on aid and subsidies? And who is doing all this reminding if not his own Umno party?

Why does he talk bullshit now when he himself initiated the dishing out of such aid last September with his Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan (BEEP)? Is this how he builds up strong will and fighting spirit?

The worst of it is, he came up with BEEP to shore up support for himself and his party. It was to reward those who had helped Umno win nine parliamentary seats extra at the last general election. He played politics with it, like his predecessors did with the NEP. Mahathir Mohamad kept it going after 1990 because by doing so, he could maintain his power over the Bumiputeras. And Abdullah Badawi was just as savvy about it.

It is politics as played by Umno and BN that has arrested the development of Malaysia. The politics of selling out the country for their own selfish gains. And at the root of it all is the forsaking of meritocracy, which has inevitably resulted in mediocrity.

Najib now says Malaysians should go all-out to achieve success like the Japanese and South Koreans did. He cites the success of Samsung as a global brand and attributes this to its emphasis on education and human capital development. Yes, he’s right, but does Malaysia do the same?

In terms of human capital, many of our best talents have been compelled to go elsewhere because they are not recognised at home or given opportunities to bloom. Najib should ask himself this question: How do we achieve success when we do not prioritise merit? How do we achieve success when we do not promote those who are good but instead promote those who are mediocre?

In terms of education, has our government over the last few decades been more concerned with improving standards or politicising educational matters?

When it was found that rural students had difficulty coping with Mathematics and Science being taught in English, the Government decided to switch back to teaching both subjects in Malay. This was an obvious political decision. It goes against the grain of promoting proficiency in English among our young, many of whom are now hopeless in their grasp of that language.

Even the matter of promoting English in the education system is politicised – seen as being unpatriotic, anti-nationalistic. And yet Najib says we need to be able to compete globally to attain success. How do we do that when many of our young lack proficiency in the global language? And the Government lacks the political will to make them proficient in it?

What about the lowering of the passing mark for numerous subjects at public examinations like the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) – in order to allow more students to pass them? Can Najib pretend not to know that the SPM passing mark for, say, Mathematics, can be as low as 20? That’s 20 out of 100, mind you. Way below the normal passing mark of 40. What values is the Government imparting in doing this? What good does it do for Malaysia’s students? Is it promoting excellence or mediocrity?

Isn’t Najib ashamed that his government perpetuates this practice? And he dares to call for “excellence in education” to make Malaysia a successful nation?

He lauds Japan and South Korea for having managed to succeed “without even having a drop of oil in their soil”. He should first tell the rakyat what he does with the tons of money Petronas makes since Petronas is completely under his control as prime minister. How much of it actually goes towards national development?

And since, in essence, he is saying that Japan and South Korea have succeeded without natural resources (whereas Malaysia has plenty), he should study the systems of both countries, their regard for human capital, their work ethics, their values, etc, and adopt them for Malaysia.

That’s more productive than blaming Malaysians.

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the book The Elections Bullshit, available in bookstores.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 21 January 2014, 8:32 am and is filed under
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Shut the Mouths that Threaten May 13

By Kee Thuan Chye

news.malaysia.msn.com

21 Jan 2014

It’s disturbing, to say the least. Street protests staged by Umno and/or groups affiliated to or inspired by it invariably espouse the threat of violence and express racial venom. The most recent ones, held on January 18 and 19 in Penang, are further indications of this trend.

These were staged to protest against Lee Khai Loon, the PKR state assemblyman of Machang Bubok, for publicly mocking Prime Minister Najib Razak’s statement about the drop in price of kangkung. But the proceedings turned ugly when race was made into an issue when it was never one in the first place.

To begin with, Lee’s satirical flashmob on January 16, which culminated in his stuffing kangkung into the mouth of an effigy of Najib, was not a racial act. It was instead an act that summed up public disgust for the prime minister’s apparent failure to empathise with the rakyat, who are struggling with the problem of rising costs. Many Malaysians indeed blame the Government for contributing to the rise because it cut petrol and sugar subsidies and raised electricity tariffs.

On top of that, Najib made the extra howler of saying that although the price of kangkung has come down, the people do not praise the Government for it, but when prices go up, they are quick to blame the Government. For that, he was widely condemned. And on social media, he was satirised as well. Even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) picked up the story.

But the criticisms and satire came from people of all races. After all, Malays and non-Malays are equally affected by the higher cost of living. So there was no cause whatsoever for the two protests in Penang to turn the kangkung issue into a racial one.

Worse, the protest at the Sunway Carnival Mall on January 18 ran a banner that screamed, “Kerana mulut pemimpin DAP, 13 Mei 1969 terjadi … Mau lagi kaa!!!” (Because of what came from the mouths of DAP leaders, May 13 happened … Want some more!!!”) This was totally uncalled-for, totally irrelevant. It came across like a thundering threat.

More than that, it made no sense hitting out at the DAP when Lee, the object of the protest, is from PKR.

I applaud what my friend Imraz Ikhbal commented on Malaysiakini about this May 13 threat: “Should ever another May 13 tragedy erupt, I am one Malay Muslim who shall blame it squarely on Umno and all other ultra-bigots of its like for their foul-mouthed and inflammatory provocation. If ever a May 13 face-off were to recur, Umno will be surprised that it will no longer be between Malays and Chinese, it will instead be between bigots from their own fold against a united rakyat consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians and every other race who detest racism and bigotry.”

He’s right. Umno has been using this May 13 threat for the longest time. Even Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil used it two Umno general assemblies ago. It looks like the party has nothing else to latch on to but race. It wants to keep drumming into the minds of the Malays that the other races are a threat – even though that’s a lie. They want to condition the Malay mind. The more they say it, the more real it becomes. The more the Malays believe their fiction.

But here, I would add a caveat – it works only on the feeble-minded and less-educated Malays, not on those who can think for themselves and know what the reality is. Certainly not on my friend Imraz and others like him.

So, why is Umno always threatening May 13? Who is going to start it? Not the ordinary Malays, that’s for sure. It would have to be orchestrated. So who’s going to do that? Are these protestors implying they will start it? By the way, who orchestrated the one in 1969?

Going by what is implied in that protest banner, commentor Relak Aje observes on Malaysiakini: “So now we know, by their own admission, who the culprits behind May 13 are.”

Political commentator K.J. John goes one step further: “Are these Umno leaders actually admitting that their elders knowingly started May 13? Then we need to adjust the history books to state the truth.”

An Umno Supreme Council member has, however, denied that the Penang protests were organised by his party. Nonetheless, The Star reported on January 19 that it was led by him! Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who is also Kepala Batas MP, even made a reportedly fiery speech.

Since then, he has come out to say that the protest reflected the feelings of the Malay community which found Lee’s flashmob “despicable”. But why so specifically the Malay community? Why did he have to get so racial? Did he mean it was Umno instead? But then, can you imagine a group of ordinary Malays getting together and organising themselves into such a frenzy all because the prime minister got mocked? Rather far-fetched, don’t you think?

Besides, also present at the January 18 protest were Penang Umno Liaison Committee secretary Musa Sheikh Fadzir, Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said and Tasek Gelugor Umno division chief  Shabudin Yahaya.

Reezal also said Lee’s flashmob was “disproportionate” because he got participants to stuff kangkung into the mouth of the Najib effigy. It was insulting and lacking in decorum. But at the January 19 protest, the protestors burnt a mannequin which bore Lee’s photograph and they spat, stomped and mooned over it. Is that not “despicable” and “disproportionate” too?

But most despicable and disproportionate are the racial slurs of the protestors. And it’s most unbecoming that Musa Sheikh Fadzir egged them on. He greeted them with “1Melayu”. Then he accused Lee and the DAP of insulting the Malays. What insult? When did they insult the Malays?

The protestors claim, “Insulting the PM, a Malay leader, is akin to insulting the Malays.” Where is the logic in that? This is worse than Third World mentality!

“We will defend (our race) with every drop of blood,” Musa boasted. Why say that? Why provoke?

What are the police going to do about this? What are the police going to do about the fact that both protests transgressed Section 9 of the Public Assembly Act, which requires protest organisers to inform them of any public gathering 10 days before the event?

The police have been quick to take action when a protest is staged by the Opposition or people’s movements expressing disagreement with the Government’s actions or policies. Even though these protests have invariably been peaceful and certainly not racial. Will it now take action against these Umno or Umno-inspired protestors?

Shouldn’t Reezal and Musa be the first to be hauled up? Shouldn’t those who provoke racial violence be once and for all punished for their dangerous habit so that we can once and for all be free of future threats?

Meanwhile, for the sake of the whole country, shouldn’t Umno take a lesson from history and note that the first ever protest organised by its party – against the Malayan Union proposed by the British in 1946 – did not threaten violence? In fact, it adopted the method of passive resistance. So why has the party become so belligerent after nearly six decades? Is that progress or regression?

Above all, is Umno worthy of governing Malaysia when it is hell-bent on causing havoc?

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the book The Elections Bullshit, available in bookstores.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 21 January 2014, 6:20 pm and is filed under
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Time for all Malaysians to separate patriots who  want an united  peaceful, harmonious and prosperous Malaysia  from traitors who want to create  another May 13 by inciting racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict through lies and falsehoods

Yesterday,  the extremist group Perkasa claimed the “kangkung furore” can result in a repeat of the May 13 racial riots if it continues to be played up, claiming that the issue has become racial and is against Malaysia’s multi-racial society.

A Perkasa spokesman said many people are seen as disrespecting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib on this issue.

He said: “The May 13th incident may repeat itself if people want it to happen again. If the kangkung issue goes too far, it is not impossible that it might.”

Can there be a repeat of the May 13, 1969 riots?

Yes, if extremists and intolerant groups and element are allowed to continue and even to escalate their campaign of incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict using lies and falsehoods without immediate action by the authorities to put an end to such irresponsible, inflammatory, incendiary and seditious spewing and incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict in our plural society.

An example of such incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict is the protest by Umno Penang and its allies on Saturday, which took the form of the worst form of political gangsterism and thuggery, threatening with the rhetorical question: “Does DAP want another May 13” and which carried the most blood-curdling racist and religious slogans and banners, even with one banner in blood red with the screaming words: “Because of DAPs leaders mouth, May 13, 1969 happened…Want some more?” and other inflammatory banners like “ABCD – Asal Bukan Cina DAP” and “DAP is the enemy of Islam”.

This was the most irresponsible, dangerous, incendiary and seditious incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict when in the first place, the DAP was not involved in any manner with Lee Khai Loon,  PKR Machang Bubuk Assemblyman’s “kangkung” flash-mob which the Penang UMNO and their allies were protesting against.

Although Lee’s protest action could be regarded as  excessive, offensive and insensitive, he had made it clear it was never meant to insult the Prime Minister but to highlight the people’s burden and hardships as a result of the price hikes.

Lee should consider an apology especially as there are  those who regard such protest action as excessive, offensive and insensitive (and I am one of them), but an even more  important consideration is not to allow irresponsible quarters trigger-quick to look for excuses to distort and manipulate incidents in their campaign to incite and inflame emotions to escalate racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension in their ultimate objective to create another May 13 in the country.

Anwar Ibrahim is right that Lee’s kangkung flash-mob of the stuffing of kangkung into the mouth of Najib’s effigy is nothing when compared to the butt dance by pro-government groups comprising army veterans in front of Bersih co-ordinator Ambiga Sreenevasan in 2012.

The “butt dance”  was clearly  much worse than the “kangkung flash mob” but no Umno protests had ever been staged against the utterly tasteless butt dance!

Lee has to decide whether to  apologise for the  incident, which hopefully will start a virtuous circle  for  all political leaders and activists to be extraordinarily  sensitive to the sensibilities not only of a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society but also the very inflamed political situation at present because of the presence of  irresponsible, dangerous and reckless quarters out to “fish in troubled waters” including creating another May 13 to serve their selfish short-term political interests.

There can however be no excuse whatsoever for the protest demos like the one organized by Penang UMNO on Saturday to incite and inflame racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict using lies and falsehoods.

The time has come for all Malaysians to separate patriots who  want an united  peaceful, harmonious and prosperous Malaysia  from traitors who want to create  another May 13 by inciting racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict.

The line between patriots and traitors must be drawn to save Malaysia from another May 13.

Patriots talk of language of peace, harmony, unity and tolerance in Malaysia while traitors preach division, conflict, hatred and intolerance.

Like “thief shouting thief”, those who want to create another May 13 go round asking whether others want to create another May 13!

Are Barisan Nasional leaders prepared to join Pakatan Rakyat leaders in a summit to ensure triumph of patriotism with the message of peace, harmony, unity and tolerance over treason preaching division, conflict, hatred and intolerance?

Malaysia is in  unusual times. This is a time when all political leaders, regardless of their political affiliation, must prove that they in the ranks of patriots who want an united, harmonious, prosperous and successful Malaysia, and have no hesitation or compunction in  dissociating themselves from traitors who are preaching racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict to create another May 13.

One test whether one is being patriotic or treasonous is whether a political leader or movement is dousing or inciting racial and religious fires in the country.

In Selangor, concerns have been expressed that Catholic priest Rev Father Lawrence Andrew’s life may be at risk as long as Selangor Umno continues with its 30 roadshows which single him out as the main instigator of non-Muslims using “Allah” in the state, when Andrew’s statements were based on the consensus of the Catholic community.

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet tomorrow should put a stop to the Selangor Umno roadshows which could only spark suspicion, anger, mistrust and tolerance undermining inter-religious harmony and national accord in the country.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 21 January 2014, 1:35 pm and is filed under
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Second Open Letter to Najib and Cabinet – Are BN leaders prepared to work with PR leaders to ensure that there could not be another repetition of May 13 riots in Malaysia?

For the second time this year, I am taking full advantage of the Age of Information Technology which enables the instant communication of information with  information travelling at the speed of light to pen this Second Open Letter this year to the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers just before their third Cabinet meeting of the New Year of 2014.

Members of the Cabinet who have not read or not  informed of  this Second Open Letter before the Ministers meet for their third Cabinet meeting later this morning clearly belong to the dinosaur epoch and are not fit to be in the Cabinet – and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak would have a very strong  reason to get rid of these dead-wood and half-past six Ministers in a  Cabinet reshuffle.

In my first Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet before their first Cabinet meeting on 8th January 2014, I urged the first Cabinet meeting to send our a clear and unmistakable message to end the  national drift and loss of leadership and direction to create an united, harmonious, just,  and competitive and great Malaysian nation.

I zeroed in on the nation’s quintuplet of crisis which warranted priority and immediate attention by the Cabinet, viz:

•	Firstly, the crisis of nation-building and national unity because of the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history – making a mockery of Bangsa Malaysia in Vision 2020 as well as Najib’s signature policy of 1Malaysia;

•	Secondly, the deepening economic crisis caused by avalanche of price hikes culminating in the introduction of the GST at six per cent in April 2015;

•	Thirdly, the crisis on the corruption front with no signs that there will be a serious campaign to fight “grand corruption” and end the  colossal waste, extravagance and misuse of public funds.

•	Fourthly, the crisis of deteriorating national educational standards to the extent that both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have studiously avoided talking about Malaysia’s poor performance in 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA; and

•	Fifthly, the crisis of security and safety of citizens, investors and tourists as the police has not yet understood the meaning of “democratic policing”  and is still guided by the colonial mentality with “regime-protection” as the top police priority, when it should be to keep citizens, investors and tourists free and safe.

Two weeks have elapsed since my first Open Letter to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Unfortunately, the leaderless, headless, clueless and rudderless drift of the Najib government  had continued in its aimless direction in the past two weeks, with no resolution in sight for the quintuplet of five crisis.

In many aspects, the national situation has got worse in the past fortnight.

For instance, the Cabinet has yet to reaffirm the 10-Point solution endorsed by the Cabinet in April 2011 to resolve the Bible controversy, with the Cabinet divided on the 10-Point Solution as the Deputy Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers seem to have broken ranks from the 10-Point Solution.

And for the last 10 days, Najib and the Cabinet had been devastated by the “kangkung tsunami” reducing their authority and credibility to smithereens, being the butt of “kangkung” jokes, videos, satire, comedies, sketches, spawning products like Kangkung Fried Chicken, Burger Kangkung, McKangkung and even crossing international boundaries to become embarrassing “kangkung-rate”  international news in BBC, Channel New Asia, Singapore Straits Times, Jakarta Post, etc.

The “kangkung” craze has also gone viral on the Internet, with three videos attracting over 1.2 million hits on YouTube alone: the “kangkung remix feat, Najib” by Yuri Wong crossing 735,000 hits, the “Ucapan Najib ‘kangkung’ hangat di alam maya” video in second place with over 410,000 hits while the Effing Show #99 “Let Them Eat Kangkung” seems set to be the hottest item of the “popteevee” series, with over 125,000 hits in five days.

What is most deplorable is the “May 13” threat coming out of the closet during this period seeking to incite and racialise an issue which has nothing to do with race but is about the unhappiness of all Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans about the government’s arrogance and indifference to the people’s sufferings as a result of the price hikes.

An example of this irresponsible and dangerous  incitement of racial and religious hatred, tension and conflict are the Penang UMNO demos on Saturday and Sunday over the earlier “kangkung” flash mob by PKR Assemblyman for Machang Bubuk Lee Khai Loon  where kangkung was stuffed into the mouth of a cardboard cutout of the Prime Minister.

Penang UMNO and their allies distorted the  “kangkung flash mob” protest against the Prime Minister as an attack on the Malay Prime Minister by the Chinese – which is a perversion of the truth.

As the PAS Deputy President, Mohamad Sabu has said: “I’m a Malay and I don’t feel insulted.”

It is the height of irresponsibility and even criminality in plural Malaysia to distort an issue about price hikes which affect all Malaysians into a racial issue of the Chinese disrespecting the Malays.

There are however Malaysians who feel that certain boundaries should not be crossed in any protests, like the offices of the Prime Minister, the Parliamentary Opposition Leader, the Chief Minister or Mentri Besar which should continue to receive due and proper respect if political discourse and disputation are to kept within civilized bounds – a view held by Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

When I suggested that Lee should consider apologizing for the “flash mob” incident for disrespect to the office of Prime Minister, I never for one moment suggested apology to samseng (thugs) as I fully agree that no one should bow down to threats or any form of violence.

I have been asked whether those who showed disrespect to the former Bersih co-ordinator Ambiga Sreenivasan for the disgusting “butt dance” or to the Penang Chief Minister for the equally abominable shit cake and funeral incidents. Yes they should, but it is not for me to say so publicly but for those responsible for these deplorable unMalaysian actions.

As Lee has decided on his course of action, let us move on.

What the Cabinet this morning should be concerned about is the systematic campaign by a group of irresponsible and reckless elements to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 situation to destabilize the country, as happened over the past weekend.

Is the Cabinet today prepared to take a firm stand to put a stop to the continued incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension as well as to all the saber-rattling to create another May 13 situation?

Or to be specific, are Barisan Nasional leaders prepared to work with Pakatan Rakyat leaders by having a Leaders’ Summit to ensure that there could not be another May 13 incident in Malaysia as well as to reach a consensus on the quintuplet of national crisis facing the country to restore national and international confidence in the country?

(Third 2014 Cabinet Meeting “Open Letter” to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, 22nd January 2014 at 2 am)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 22 January 2014, 1:59 am and is filed under
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March of the Umno Baruputras

Mariam Mokhtar

Malaysiakini

Jan 20, 2014

You may have heard about the “scientific research” trip to Antarctica by Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said and you’ve probably watched the film, ‘March of the Penguins’ about a trip made by emperor penguins.

One portrays the intelligence, dedication and struggles of a group conditioned by ritualistic behaviour. The other is a gathering of a self-important species, which is expert at claiming to work while they are really on holiday.

Ahmad Said’s Antarctic journey is not just another bird-brained idea of Umno Baru. The Antarctic is one of the last frontiers of travel. It is the ultimate in travel destinations. In the west, anyone who has gone to the Antarctic is well-heeled. It is the present you give to the person who has everything.

The Antarctic is hauntingly beautiful. It is not commonplace like the queues up Mount Everest, the luxury villas on tropical islands or the five-star safari retreats.

The rakyat questioned the wisdom of sending a research team to the Antarctic when more pressing problems could be addressed at home. The rakyat is incensed about sending a politician on an expensive luxury cruise.

Ahmad Said’s Wikipedia entry says that he is a political science graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Perhaps, Ahmad thought he could deceive the rakyat with that crucial word ‘science’ in his “political science” degree – a true politician at heart.

There have been angry urgings for the Antarctic trip to be cancelled and for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (left) to curb the reckless spending of government officials. Najib has no qualms about patronising the rakyat when he talks about cheap kangkung (water spinach), but he closes one eye to Ahmad’s ‘study’ trip. No one appears to take any notice of Najib.

‘Belajar sambil melawat (learn while you visit)’ has always been Umno Baru’s standard operating practice (SOP). In Putrajaya, most successful Umno Baru politicians look well-fed. All those campaign dinners, birthday bashes, and crony endorsements do pile on the pounds, both on their hips and in their offshore bank accounts.

The SOP for overseas trips almost always has a personal dimension. Relatives have allegedly been flown overseas for engagement parties, or attended the convocation ceremonies of their children. Official trips for Umno Baru politicians to Melbourne, Sydney, London or Los Angeles usually coincide with the end-of-term, or the Christmas vacation. Meeting Malaysian students for a couple of hours qualifies the holiday as an official engagement.

‘What exactly are they learning there?’

In 2008, 50 MPs from the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBC) went on an eight-day trip to “explore” and “study” Taiwan’s agricultural and industrial technology. Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar Radin claimed that the MPs had paid for the trip themselves. The trip was during the month of Ramadan, and it seemed to be deliberately timed to try to prevent PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim from turning BN parliamentarians.

In December 2011, the opposition lodged a protest when several BN councillors from Malacca went on ‘makan angin’ (holiday) trips to Perth and China. The then-state opposition leader Goh Leong San noted, “They said that they were there to learn about flood mitigation, but flooding is still a problem, so we do not know what it is that they are learning over there”.

After his ‘whirlwind’ trip in 2011 to three continents – Europe, North America and Asia – Najib beamed with smug superiority, when he said that his first visit to Saudi Arabia to attend a private royal luncheon with King Abdullah, was a “rare and great honour”. Then, to justify the travel, added that his 44,000 mile trip drew “… encouraging responses and outcomes… and the promise of more and better jobs for Malaysians”.

Former tourism minister Ng Yen Yen is another devotee of the study trip. Having clocked-up several thousand air-miles, she missed the gold mine sitting on her doorstep, the undiscovered and untapped treasure – the Bujang Valley. Was that oversight deliberate? An archaeological attraction like the Bujang Valley would confuse schoolchildren who have been taught, up till now, that civilisation in Malaya started with Islam in the 14th century.

Is there an official count of study trips and their funding? What have been the outcomes of these trips and who benefits from them? The taxpayer pays for the trips. The officials (and their spouses and families) get a cheap holiday.

In the ‘March of the Penguins’, the narrator says that the emperor penguins are involved in a mysterious ritual spanning thousands of years, to ensure the survival of their species. It is an extraordinary story of struggle and triumph, dedication and child-rearing. For 20 days and nights, penguins march to a place so extreme, to seek love and then mate. He says, “Penguins have wings, but cannot fly. They are birds, but think they are fish”.

In the ‘March of the Umno Baruputras’, men and women go through a rite of passage, to guarantee that the party survives. This five-yearly ritual, known as the “general election”, is a journey undertaken to propagate Umno Baruputra rule and one in which they seek victims – the gullible rakyat.

Like the penguins, the Umno Baruputras are also confused about themselves. They are mortal, but some believe they have a direct line to Allah. Their leader heads a multicultural nation, but proclaims that he is the saviour and protector of Malays.

Perhaps, the only similarities between penguins and the Umno Baruputras, are the manner in which Umno Baruputras huddle together, and the pong they emit. Nesting penguins are foul-smelling, a bit like their human counterparts, the Umno Baruputras, who stink of corruption.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 23 January 2014, 7:06 am and is filed under
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