RTM’s CNY misrepresentation of Malaysian Chinese

Letters

by
Oldtimer

I am appalled by the way the government misrepresented

the culture of the Chinese. On the second day of

Chinese New Year, at 9pm, RTM broadcasted the Panorama

programme which showed what a “typical” Malaysian

Chinese family preparing for Chinese New Year. Instead

of showing a typical Chinese family, they purposely

showed a Muslim Chinese family and passing the family

off as a typical family. They showed the food

preparations and, of course, did not show any pork

dishes. How can you not show pork dishes for Chinese

new year? They also did not show the people going to

temple and worship their ancestors. Instead they tried

to show this Chinese Muslim family celebrating Chinese

New Year the Muslim way.

I have nothing against Chinese Muslim, but they are a

minority among Chinese Malaysians, and do not

represent the majority of Chinese Malaysians.

It is appalling the way RTM is trying to manipulate

the true picture of the Malaysian Chinese. They

purposely did not show the three key elements- pork,

temples and ancestors worship.

If the government is trying to promote Islam among the

Chinese population here they have in fact, created a

bad impression of Muslims in Malaysia. It just showed

how shallow the government’s commitment to plural

society and religious and cultural freedom. By passing

off the Chinese Muslim as a typical Chinese family in

Malaysia, they have gone to the extreme.

The BN government, and especially the MCA, should be

voted out. It is a real shame that the government

tries to tell a big lie. This government is worse than

PAS. They just want everyone to be Muslims and are

willing to lie openly.

(Can those who have seen the RTM Panorama programme at 9 pm last night give their reactions and impressions? – Admin)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 9 February 2008, 10:25 am and is filed under
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The Fear of Holy Books

By
Farish A. Noor

Not too long ago, a certain Dutch politician – Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Dutch Freedom party – caused a stir in that rather flat country by suggesting that the Quran should be banned on the grounds that it was a ‘dangerous book’ that spread the message of hate and violence. As the rather pointless and tiresome debate took its course, other right-wing politicians chipped in, suggesting things such as new laws that forbade the reading of the Quran in public, limiting the sale and dissemination of the Quran in Dutch society, controlling the number of Qurans being brought into the country, etc. Needless to say, Geert Wilders got what he wanted, which was to project himself yet again on the national stage as a rather loud and outlandish advocate of far-right causes.

Predictably, the Muslim community of Holland and other European countries were upset by Wilders’ remarks. Many came to the fore to insist that all this talk about banning Qurans was part and parcel of a wider trend of Islamophobia in the EU; that it was essentially racist and that it was an attempt to rob Muslims in Europe of their fundamental rights and liberties. What offended many Muslims was the suggestion that the Quran could be seen by some as a ‘dangerous text’ which Wilders even compared to Hitler’s Mein Kampf: An ironic comparison to say the least considering Wilders’ own far-right political leanings.

That Muslims would be offended by such claims and demands is understandable as no doubt most faith communities regard their sacred books as precisely that: sacred arks that bear the message of God and divine revelation. To even suggest that the Quran could be read profanely as some terrorists’ manual or guidebook for fanatics was to demean the text, and by extension Islam and Muslims.

Yet the question remains: If Muslims can get so worked up by the fact that some right-wing Dutch politician hungering for publicity can stir up a debate by demeaning the Quran, why is it that so many Muslims remain indifferent to how their fellow Muslims treat the holy texts of other faiths and belief-systems?

A case in point is the recent seizure of thirty-two Bibles from a Malaysian Christian who was on her journey back to Malaysia from the Philippines. Upon arrival in Malaysia, her bags were checked by the customs authorities and all of the Bibles were confiscated, on the grounds that they had to be vetted by the Ministry of Internal Security. But since when were Bibles deemed a security threat in Malaysia, and to whom might they pose a danger?

More worrying still is the fact that the customs officers – who we were told were Muslim – had seized the Bibles on their own initiative, despite there not being any formal ban on Bibles in the country. (After all, there are literally millions of Christians of all denominations in Malaysia and they have lived there for decades if not centuries, so why the fear of Bibles now?)

In the event the Bibles were eventually returned to the Malaysian Christian in question, but worrying doubts remain. What will be the fate of other books of other religions and belief-systems? As a scholar who teaches comparative religion, I have in my collection not only numerous editions of the Bible but also Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu, Tantric, Animist and Jewish texts. Are these to be screen and vetted too? And on what grounds; that as a person born to the Muslim faith (a contingency of history that I did not decide or determine, I might add) I am not allowed to read such texts for fear that I may be ‘contaminated’ by alien ideas of alien creeds?

Predictably the first to react to the seizure of the Bibles were the Christians of Malaysia. But it is sad to note that the same level of anger and outrage that was expressed by Muslims over the Muslim-bashing sentiments of a Dutch politician thousands of miles away was not evident when this outrage was perpetrated on their own shores.

Universally this has become the norm, where religious communities the world over have grown more introverted, inward-looking and consequently selfish in their motives and concerns. In the same way that non-Muslims seemed relatively indifferent to the constant Muslim-bashing that is taking place in places like Europe today; Muslims are equally indifferent when injustices such as the seizure of holy books are meted out to those who are not of their flock. Should this trend continue then we are certainly on the verge of a balkanisation of the religious communities of the world, and this spells trouble for multi-faith nations like Malaysia and the countries of the West.

The remedies are primarily political ones, which include controls on hate-speech and fear-mongering by far-right demagogues like Wilders in Holland and other equally right-wing demagogues in other communities, including Muslim communities too. But all this can only work if we begin with the fundamental premise that sacredness is not something exclusive to ourselves and our own faith community. When Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists alike realise and respect the sacredness in the other, and drop the claim that they alone monopolise all that is good and holy; perhaps then we will be one step closer to recognising the fundamental humanity we share with each other – whether we like it or not.

Dr. Farish A. Noor is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore; and one of the founders of the www.othermalaysia.org research site.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 9 February 2008, 10:07 pm and is filed under
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DAP target – win 30-40 parliamentary seats to help defeat BN in 75 seats to deny 2/3 majority

DAP must concentrate on winning 30 – 40 Parliamentary seats while PKR and PAS focus on winning another 40 – 50 Parliamentary seats if a historic result is to be returned in next general election to deny BN two-thirds parliamentary majority

The next general election, however, is more important than just about  Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s premiership, his breach of his five famous sayings and pledges in his first 10 days as Prime Minister, his somnambulant government, his “half-past six Cabinet” and the rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMNs) in the public service.

The next general election is shaping up to be the most important  of all 12 general elections in the nation’s 50-year history.

Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has warned that a thumping victory for the Barisan Nasional (BN)  and Umno in the next general election would end up as an endorsement for a coalition “centred on nepotism and corruption”.

 Mahathir is not the most ideal person to make such a prediction. However, what is most important is the song and not the singer, and for this reason, Mahathir’s warning must be taken very seriously.

Mahathir has said that even if Umno loses 20 or 30 of their candidates, the Barisan Nasional is going to win.

Mahathir is again right. The issue in the next general election is not whether the Barisan Nasional and Umno will be returned to power but whether Umno’s political hegemony stemming from the unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority of the Barisan Nasional could be ended to provide for  an effective and meaningful check-and-balance in the system of parliamentary democracy in Malaysia.

With a total of 222 Parliamentary seats in the next general election, Barisan Nasional must be defeated in at least 75 seats if Malaysia is to bring down the curtain to Umno political hegemony in Malaysian politics and parliamentary democracy.

The denial of 75 parliamentary seats to the BN in the 12th general election should be the  single-minded and common objective of all opposition parties, civil society and Malaysians who want to see the beginning of a new democracy with an effective check-and-balance for the first time in Malaysia’s system of parliamentary democracy.

To achieve this historic target, the DAP should concentrate on winning 30 – 40 parliamentary seats. Can Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS focus on winning another 40 – 50 Parliamentary seats? With a  85 per cent success in this electoral approach, Umno and BN would still be returned to power but bereft of its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority.

I believe the DAP winning from 30 to 40 parliamentary seats is an achievable goal in the next general election, based on the following targets for the following states:

Penang – 	7

Perak	  – 	7

FT KL –   	5

Selangor –	 4

Negri

  Sembilan –	2

Malacca     –	1

Johore       –   2

Sarawak    –   6

Sabah       –    4

For the past few decades, the Barisan Nasional leaders have been frightening the voters into believing that if it loses two-thirds parliamentary majority, there will be chaos and anarchy, with some irresponsible elements even raising the spectre of May 13 riots and bloodshed.

Malaysia has just celebrated our 50th Merdeka anniversary and one meaningful way to mark the nation’s half-a-century of nationhood is to exorcise the May 13 spectre once and for all.

Irresponsible BN politicians wont to raise May 13 spectre must be identified, isolated and condemned one by one as the greatest enemies of successful plural and democratic  Malaysian nationhood.

I challenge the Prime Minister or  any Barisan Nasional leader to come forward to say that the Barisan Nasional cannot form a stable government if it loses 75 parliamentary seats  – when it would still have 147 seats or a simple majority of 72 seats, which would be the envy of all governments in  Commonwealth democracies.

The denial of two-thirds majority should also be the objective of all opposition parties, NGOs and the civil society in the two DAP front-line states in Penang and Perak.

In Penang, the Barisan Nasional must be defeated in at least 14 seats if it is to be denied two-thirds majority in the Penang State Assembly of 40 State Assembly seats. DAP may be able to win from eight to ten State Assembly seats. If Parti Keadilan Rakyat can win from four to six seats, then the denial of the Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in the Penang State Assembly is within sight.

Similarly for  Perak, the Barisan Nasional must be defeated in at least 20 seats if it is to be denied two-thirds majority in the Perak State Assembly of 59 State Assebmly seats. With DAP focusing on winning 15 state assembly seats in Perak, this denial of two-thirds majority could only be achieved if  Parti Keadilan Rakyat, together with PAS, can secure five to seven seats.

(Speech 2  at the Penang DAP Open House at Cheah  Association, Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 11 am)

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Ishwar Nahappan joins DAP

(Media Conference Statement  by Ishwar Nahappan on joining the DAP in Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 10.30 am)

My father Tan Sri Athi Nahappan died 32 years ago . On April 4th  1976  , one month before he died  he made a speech at a dinner in his honor by the  Penang State MIC at Wisma Perseketuan .

Let me read you a paragraph from his speech .

“The Government is now concerned with the eradication of poverty of all the races. This will be emphasized in our 3rd Malaysia Plan .

“Poverty is to be found in every community. In solving poverty we should not think of Malay poverty, Chinese poverty or Indian poverty. There can only be one poverty and that is  NATIONAL POVERTY  which must be solved regardless of race.  I am aware that the Prime Minister (Tun Hussein Onn) is determined to eliminate the poverty of the nation as a whole. The answer to poverty is the equal distribution of opportunities, income and wealth. The MIC is determined to work with the govt to ensure that this will happen.”

A few weeks ago Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said “There are not just poor Indians, but also poor Chinese, Malays and other Bumiputras as well. This is why eradicating poverty among Malaysians, and I stress the word Malaysians, has been on our agenda and remains one of our priorities.”

Ladies and gentleman, what Prime Minister Badawi said was first mentioned by my father 32 years ago. Obviously, nothing has changed and the Barisan government continues to make empty promises.

Events of recent months have clearly shown that the MIC leadership has dismally failed in their duty to ensure that the Indian community has had equal opportunities or equal distribution of wealth and income as outlined by my father in 1976. In fact, the MIC has totally neglected to address the desperate conditions faced by large sections of the Malaysian Indian community. This transcends every facet of human life and endeavor.

	Whether it is in EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION,  HOUSING, CORPORATE WEALTH  or simply  EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES,  the Indian Community as a whole has fallen behind and missed out these last 28 years.   Let me give you some facts.

–	There are less than 3-4% Indians studying in the Govt  Universities.

–	Indians comprise less than 1% of those who were given the opportunity to study Nursing in the various Government  Nursing Colleges .

–	Malaysian Indians have, over a fifteen year period, comprised less than 2.5% of the annual student intake of teacher training colleges.

–	Malaysian Indians have received less than 1% of all scholarships awarded by Govt and Govt-related bodies .

–	Less than 1% of those training as officer cadets in Military Colleges are Indians.

–	For the last 15 years, Indians have numbered less than 2% annually of those who underwent training as police officers.

–	The situation in the Malaysian Civil Service is even more grim and appalling. One can walk into any Govt department and you will be hard pressed to find an Indian or Chinese in the clerical and administrative sections.  For example, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in KL, out of 400 staff, there are only 2 Indians and 3 Chinese.

–	The KTM , which was a traditional source of employment for the Indian Community , is recruiting less than 3% Indians on an annual basis.

–	As of  6th Feb’08 , the total market capitalization of the KLCI was 764 Bln ringgit.  I estimate the Malaysian Indian Community accounts for  less than 1% of the listed Corporate wealth of the country .

In 1971,  three foreign Indian banks then operating in Malaysia prior to Independence were merged as the United Asian Bank. A signatory to the merger documents was my late father.  In 1973 the United Asian Bank started operations, with one of its management objectives,  to provide capital and financial support to Indian entrepreneurial development . Another objective was to provide management training for Malaysian Indians. As a matter of interest, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was one of the bank’s earliest  management trainees.

 Like many Malaysian banks during the 1980’s , UAB got into problems from which it largely recovered . However, unlike the other banks, UAB was forced to merge with the Bank of Commerce  in the early 90s.

There lies another story —–
THE UNSEEN HAND OF DAIM .

Another Malaysia Indian based bank at that time was Bank Buruh. That bank, too, was also forced to merge with Bank Simpanan Nasional. Malaysian Indians effectively lost the only 2 banks that they had control of. When approached by many members of the community to prevent this happening, including a special delegation, Dato Samy Vellu , the purported leader  of the Indian Community, responded  “ MY HANDS ARE  TIED . THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO “.

As a result, the Indian Community as a whole have been without the support of an Indian based Financial Institution . Now we are informed that Dato Vel Pari  the Managing Director of MAIKA Holdings and SAMY VELLU’s son is selling off  the only remaining  financial institution which the community at least  has some indirect interest. That is United Oriental Assurance.

The  MIC and the Govt originally refused to admit  and  maintained a state of denial  about the genuine issues raised by  Hindraf. Now that the elections are about to be announced and the Govt , in particular the PM and DPM ,  have softened their positions and typically distributing their token largesse, including declaring a public holiday for Thaipusam. Prime Minister, we do not want a public holiday. What we want is jobs and equal opportunities. Malaysia has enough public holidays.

Even the great  Samy Vellu now admits he needs to change the MP’s and the faces of MIC . The deputy PM has even gone on to suggest that the MIC rebrand itself .  Dear Dato Samy Velu, can I suggest that a more appropriate brand for the Malaysian Indian Congress be “The Malaysian Indian Conmen”?

In the early 1970’s when I was a student in London ,  Samy Vellu advised me, in a taxi drive from London Heathrow airport, the subject matter being a  watch and his application to the ARIBA . I will hold that discussion in confidence  but I would now like to advise him that  YOU CAN CON SOME OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME BUT YOU CANNOT CON ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME . In the eyes of many,  he has single handedly been responsible for the current plight of the Indian Community than any other person but even more insidious than that , he has largely destroyed their self respect and pride. Whilst over the past 30 years, the Indian diaspora all over the world has progressed and excelled in all aspects of human endeavour , the Indian community as a whole has regressed and is today in a worse state than it has ever been .

SHAME ON YOU SAMY  VELLU …… SHAME ON YOU MIC!

 I have not taken the decision to support the DAP and Keadilan lightly . Prior to the elections in 1999 , totally disgusted with Dr Mahathir and everything he represented,  I met Datin Sri Wan Azizah Ismail as well as Kit Siang and offered my support to both of them. At that time I was not prepared to openly support either party . However, I went on to spend some time with Kit Siang in the  run up to polling day in Penang. I also spent a little time with Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj who stood against Samy Vellu . It was a David vs Goliath match. I leave you no guesses as to who Goliath was both in shape and mentality but unfortunately unlike the biblical story, David was beaten by Goliath.

In the general election of 2004, like dead men clutching at straws , so many of us put our trust in Pak Lah hoping and praying that with the departure of the dreaded Mahathir , Pak Lah would bring some fundamental change to the state of the nation and I did not offer any support to either Keadilan or DAP .

 Alas, this was not to be as we have merely exchanged a wolf in sheep’s clothing for a sheep in sheep’s clothing, and the wool continues to be pulled over our eyes. And nothing has changed or will change with the current leadership as these failed policies will continue in different clothing.

Symptoms of these failed policies include ……

1.	The Evil of Corruption:

The same endemic corruption that started and flourished with the advent of the Mahathir and Daim eras continues unabated with a life of its own and always with subsequent cover ups. We have the 6.75 Bln Ringgit naval boat fiasco unearthed by none other than the auditor general and the 4.60 Bln Ringgit  Port Klang  free Zone Ghost town.

2.	The Evil ISA:

The continuance of this evil draconian act which was used by the British over 50 years ago against communist  terrorists has been viciously brought to bear on 5 innocent men who have merely identified the plight of ordinary Malaysian Citizens.

3.	The Evil Police Brutality:

The recent demonstrations by 2000 peaceful lawyers defending fundamental democratic rights and the constitution was met with such ferocity by the police, with overhead helicopters and water cannons being used against them.

 Innocent Hindraf supporters were sprayed with chemical laced water. In this room we have a living example of police brutality. Memories are so short but it was Dato Anwar Ibrahim who was beaten up brutally by the IGP, who directly reported to Mahathir as Home Minister, who if we remember, tried initially to claim that the injuries were self-inflicted.

4. The Evil of Violence:

Pak Lah promised that the Barisan Nasional will improve the level of personal safety of every individual and it would enhance the efficiency of the police force. Individual  Security has deteriorated to such a level that ordinary citizens fear to walk the streets alone even during midday or go into carparks of shopping centres. Till today the police have failed miserably in apprehending the perpetrators of the vicious sodomy and murder of a 9-year-old girl in Selayang, nor the murderer of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin from Kampng Bahru .

Without proper employment opportunities, low self esteem Indian thugs roam the streets and it was just 4 weeks ago that an Indian lady with 2 young children had her neck decapitated for her gold necklace in Taman  Sentosa  near Klang. In Johor Bahru, the sister of a well known Singaporean author died as a result of her head being bashed in by armed robbers while bystanders were unable to do anything. Crimes like this are becoming so rampant that neighbourhood vigilante groups are growing.

And according to the Prime Minister, quote “The current police training academy cannot accommodate a surge in trainees, more centres need to be built first. The ratio of police to the population ideally should be 1:250 people but, in Subang, for example, the ratio is 1:3,000.” (End of quote)

This is clearly a complete lack of planning. If the Prime Minister, who is also the Home Minister is not sleeping, who is?

4.	The Evil of Communalism :

Communalism continues to be perpetrated  by keris-wielding  Barisan leaders who, bankrupt of real ideas or solutions, continue to play politics of the lowest order. MCA leaders are told to shut up, and they meekly sokong. Families have been devastated by the intrusion by officers to retrieve dead bodies of their kin in the name of religion. Communalism has spread to the very fabric of our schools , our colleges and  universities. Even at the Primary school level, children of different races do not mix with each other and stick to their own communities. This is a sad situation and does not bode well for the future of our country.

5.	The Evil of Overspending :

We have seen the reintroduction of 150 bln ringgit worth of mega projects. It remains to be seen who will be the ultimate beneficiaries of some of these mega projects but if history is anything to go by, then the spoils will be shared by the Putras of UMNO, MCA and MIC. These mega projects are taking place despite the ordinary man having to face harsh realities of rising prices of fuel , cooking oil , rice and basic subsistence commodities.

This evil that is destroying the state of this nation just cannot go on .

Edmund Burke , a famous 18th Century Irish statesman and philosopher  said …“ ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL  IS THAT ORDINARY  MEN DO NOTHING “

 I decided to stop being an arm chair politician and do something. I am here today because I believe that our nation is on a slow but steady path to irreversible ruin. Our people, and the children of our people, will not prosper or have the chance to prosper as they rightfully deserve unless we all realize the urgency of the situation, and the necessity of each and everyone of us standing up to say NO MORE!

Thank  you.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 10 February 2008, 3:05 pm and is filed under
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LKS-LGE father-and-son commitment for democracy and justice – nothing to be ashamed unlike other father-and-son teams

Recently, I had been the victim of calumny by two Gerakan leaders, former  Gerakan President and now adviser, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and the Gerakan secretary-general and Umno favourite as the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye.

Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye have accused the “Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son” of wanting to build a “Lim” dynasty in Penang, with the former claiming that I had been drummed out of Penang and that he would ensure that the Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son  team would again  be defeated.  Keng Yaik even alleged that  I would abandon Perak and together with Guan Eng jointly “attack” Penang.

First of all, I do not want to use the word “proud” but let me state that Guan Eng and I have nothing to be  ashamed in dedicating the best part of our lives to the betterment of the nation and people to promote democracy,  forge international competitiveness, fight injustice and inequality regardless of race, religion or region.

 Although both of us paid a heavy price for our political beliefs and convictions, this is the  expression of our love and loyalty to Malaysia!

We are not like other father-and-sons in the political arena as we are not in politics for wealth, position or  titles.

Both Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye were conspicuously silent about other father-and-son teams particularly where one son, without any track record, could at the age of 27 embark on corporate acquisitions exceeding RM1.2 billion in a matter of months raising the question whether there had been improper use and influence of the father’s political and Ministerial position.  And both Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye are still deafeningly silent in their cowardice and opportunism!

Guan Eng had joined me in the Kamunting Detention Centre during the Operation Lalang mass arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA)  in 1987. We were among the first of over 106 to be arrested and the last two to be released in April 1989.

This had been my second ISA detention as the first time I was incarcerated was in 1969.  But Guan Eng had gone one step further as he was jailed in Kajang Prison for 18 months under the draconian laws of the land in defending the dignity of an underaged Malay girl – resulting in his disqualification as Member of Parliament and being barred from standing for elective office for five years.

Although justice and fair play are too luxurious a  concept and principle for Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye if they had  to survive in the carnivorous world of Barisan Nasional and Gerakan  politics, it does not mean that they are justified in spreading calumnies and falsehoods against Guan Eng and me.

I will give another recent example. On Sunday, in accusing the DAP of “pitting friends against friends” and “relatives against relatives” for its own political end, he accused me of fielding Gooi Hock Seng against his then brother-in-law Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon in the 1990 general election in the Tanjong Bungah state seat.

Let me put the record straight. I do not want to go into the details of the DAP strategy of the Battle of Tanjong 2 which decided to  field  DAP stalwarts against  the Barisan Nasional stalwarts to make a bid for Penang state power, resulting in DAP stalwarts coming out of incumbent seats to contest in more difficult constituencies and against  redoubtable Barisan Nasional candidates in order to win the necessary majority to form the Penang State Government.

Everyone of the DAP leaders in Penang took part in this collective strategy to pit the DAP stalwarts against the Gerakan and MCA stalwarts which involved fielding  Gooi Hock Seng against Tsu Koon.

I had personal  qualms when I first heard the proposal of pitting Gooi Hock Seng against Tsu Koon  but accepted it as the strategy  was presented as  a package by the strategic team headed by Gooi Hock Seng himself.

On the night the DAP slate of candidature in Penang  for the Tanjong 2 Battle was announced, I received an irate  call from Gooi Hock Seng’s wife  berating me for deliberating pitting her husband against her brother.  How could I tell her that this was the decision of her husband  and his strategic team and that it  had not emanated from me.  This was one of the cases where even as DAP Secretary-General I had to “eat dead cat”.

I am putting this record straight as I cannot allow Kwang Chye to go on a vilification and demonisation spree against DAP leaders  over another canard.

I said in Ipoh last week that I propose to defend the Ipoh Timur parliamentary seat unless higher  party and national strategic considerations require otherwise.

However, are  Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye being fair to the people of Penang in claiming that I had  been drummed out of Penang politics because of their rejection of the DAP’s political struggle for justice, freedom, equality and fair play?

Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye may not know that I have been staying in Penang for nearly  two decades.

May be an opportunity should be given to the people of Penang to express themselves clearly so that they do not have to eat a “historic dead cat” created by Keng Yaik and Kwang Chye.

The  12th general election, which should be held within the next 30 days, would provide an opportunity for the Penang voters to put to rest another Lim Keng Yaik-Chan Kwang Chye canard.

(Speech 3 at the Penang DAP Open House at Cheah Association, Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 11 am)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 10 February 2008, 4:08 pm and is filed under
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Pak Lah’s 5 famous sayings/pledges first 10 days as PM – all broken/dishonoured

The front-page headline of the mainstream media yesterday was on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s speech at the Gerakan-MCA joint Chinese New Year open house in Penang on the first day of the Chinese New Year of the Rat, viz:

“LISTEN – Heed what the people say and correct your mistakes”
 –
New Straits Times
;

“Listen …Hear out the people and correct mistakes, PM tell leaders”
 –
The Star
; and

“Dengar masalah rakyat – Arahan Perdana Menteri kepada pemimpin BN supaya terus dapat sokongan”
 –
Utusan Malaysia
.

Which Gerakan or MCA national leader present at the Gerakan-MCA joint Chinese New Year open house would have dared tell or just  whispered to Abdullah that it was the Prime Minister himself who needed such advice most!

Let me here tell the Prime Minister what Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and no Gerakan or MCA leader dare to say – Pak Lah, you are the one who need most  to heed the  advice to listen to the people, which you promised to do when you  first became Prime Minister more than 51 months ago but have failed to honour!

This was one of the five famous sayings of Abdullah in his first 10 days as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia  in November 2003 which  completely swept Malaysians off their feet and gave him the unprecedented landslide general election victory in March 2004, achieving what no other Prime Minister had ever done – crushing the Opposition and  winning over 91 per cent of the parliamentary seats!

 Malaysians will never forget the five famous pledges of Abdullah in his first 10 days as Prime Minister in November 2003, viz:

•	“Work with me and not for me” –1.11.03

•	“I will work very hard” –  1.11.03

•	“I’ll serve with integrity, efficiency and fairness” – in Parliament 3.11.03

•	“Top two issues – Government to focus on education and corruption” – 7.11.03

•	“Tell me the truth” – 9.11.03.

Something is very wrong when a Prime Minister at the end of his first term in office had to plead  publicly: “I work very hard. I really mean it and you know it.”

The press reported that  when Abdullah said this, he was greeted with applause from those who attended the Chinese Assembly Hall’s Chinese New Year Open House.  But how many of those who politely applauded him believed him?

No one would have  imagined that Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad would ever have to make such a declaration at any stage of his 22-year premiership that he had to work very hard – whether one agrees with his policies and actions or not.  This had not happened to previous Prime Ministers. Why is it necessary for  Abdullah to plead that he is hard-working after four years as Prime Minister?

Before Abdullah  asks other Barisan Nasional leaders to conduct a self-examinination of their performance, Abdullah should do it to  himself.  I believe I dare say without contradiction that for the  past full  year of parliamentary meeting from March last year, Abdullah would have gone down in  history as the Prime Minister who had the least parliamentary attendance of any Prime Minister in the 50-year history of Parliament although he holds the most number of Ministerial portfolios!

Similarly, before Abdullah  could credibly ask other Barisan Nasional leaders to “listen” and heed what the people say to correct their mistakes, he must himself set a good example. Abdullah has said that he has “Big Ears” but his “Big Ears” have not ensured that his famous saying, “Tell me the truth” is taken seriously in Cabinet, Barisan Nasional or the Malaysian press – or the country would not have been plagued with so many nation-building, political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious problems.

This is not the time to assess in detail Abdullah’s five famous sayings and pledges made in his first 10 days as Prime Minister. Suffice it to say that Abdullah has broken and dishonoured everyone of them – aided and abetted by the entire Cabinet (rightly dismissed as “half-past six” Cabinet by Tun Mahathir) and Barisan Nasional leadership.

The Prime Minister must rightly be reminded of his five famous sayings and pledges  – a task which could not be performed by any Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP or any Barisan Nasional  leader.   This is what the DAP and Malaysian voters must do, forthrightly, vigorously and critically, in the 12th general election campaign

(Speech g at the Penang DAP Open House at Cheah Association, Penang on Sunday, 10th February 2008 at 11 am)

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Tribute to Athi Nahappan and Janaki

(Media Conference Statement welcoming Ishwar Nahappan as the latest member for DAP in Penang on Sunday 10.2.08)

Let me  introduce Ishwar Nahappan, who has taken the momentous step to join the DAP.

But let me say a few words about his parents, TAN SRI and PUAN SRI ATHI NAHAPPAN  who were instrumental in the formation of the MIC and who independently  contributed much to our country.

Athi Nahappan has an honoured and unblemished name in the annals of Malaysian history, and among his most famous contributions to Malaysia is the report bearing his name, the Athi Nahappan Report on Local Government where he called for restoration of local government elections.

In 1974 , Athi Nahappan , who was then the deputy president of MIC , was appointed deputy minister for law by TUN Abdul Razak (the  father of Dato Najib Razak). In March 1976 TUN Hussein Onn (the  father of DATO  Hisamuddin ) appointed Dato Nahappan as the second cabinet minister representing the MIC – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law and justice portfolios.

Tragically , just two months after his appointment as full minister , DATO Athi Nahappan died of a sudden heart attack while he was personally addressing a dinner gathering held in his honor by over a 1000 MIC members and other leading Malaysian Indians from all over the country.

Athi Nahappan was a totally self made man who came to Penang at the age of  9, alone with his father,  not  knowing  a  word of English or Malay.

He studied at the Bukit Mertajam High School where he was an outstanding scholar . With the advent of the war he worked as a Tamil Journalist for various publications  and  in 1947  at the age of 22 , he became the youngest ever editor of the Tamil Nesan , a newspaper which was purchased by DATIN Indrani Samyvellu some years ago ( and now functions as the unofficial organ of the MIC ).

In addition to his exactly 30 years of close association with the  MIC,  Tan Sri Nahappan had a very successful, legal and an illustrious governmental and political career . It was a different era when there was some level of meritocracy in this  country and  the  best  were  selected to get the job done.

•	He was Malaysia’s observer and representative to the UN’s Cobbold mission enquiry on admitting Sabah as part of Malaysia.

•	He  represented  Malaysia  with Tun Ismail to the United Nations.

•	He  was Chairman of the Rent control tribunal of Malaya . This tribunal was very important to the early development of KL and our cities as many properties were rent controlled .

•	He was a Member of the Federal Capital advisory board .

•	He was  Chairman of Pemadam.

•	He was largely responsible for driving through various pieces of law reform legislation, including the non muslim law reform (marriage and divorce Act 1976 ).

•	He was Chairman of the Royal Commission of enquiry into the workings of local government in Malaysia . This report which became eponymously known as the  “ Athi Nahappan Report “  was a  2 feet high 4 voulme report and  is regarded as one of the most comprehensive and erudite reports ever published by the Govt of  Malaysia. It sits in the Harvard library as a basis for  how local governments should function.

It is a tragedy  that this report has not been accepted by the leadership of this country for fear that the adoption of the recommendation would mean that fundamental democratic rights would be returned to the people .

Athi Nahappan was a gracious and honest politician with great integrity. It was a tremendous loss  for the Indian Community that he was only able to serve for two and half  years as deputy president of  the MIC  and minister of this country . The history of the MIC and the deep rooted problems that  the  Indian Community are now facing  would have been undoubtedly  different .

Now let me turn to Puan Sri  Janaky Athi Nahappan .

Puan Sri Nahappan who was born in Malaysia has  had a most colourful and interesting life . At the age of 17 she joined the Indian National Army and rose to the rank of Captain and Second in Command of the Rhani of Jhansi Regiment , the only woman’s regiment in the INA. She fought the British on the Burma India border. In 1945 while retreating by foot  from Mandalay to Bangkok  the INA including the Rhani regiment was heavily bombed by the American Air Force.

After the war , she  together with other INA veterans,  became  founder members  of  MIC  under the leadership of  Mr John Thivy . The MIC which was formed in 1946 is the second oldest political party in Malaysia .

Puan Sri has served in various capacities in the MIC . She was Chairperson of the MIC Batu branch , a CWC member and Chairperson of the Wanita MIC . She was also appointed a Senator in the Malaysian parliament representing the MIC.

Apart from her political career , Puan Sri Nahappan was also very active in various social organizations including the Girlguide Association where she was the State Commissioner for Selangor ,  National Council of Women’s Organizations and other Social  Welfare Associations.

She has received numerous  awards and recognition both nationally and internationally  from the King and the former  Prime Minister of Malayisa and Lady Baden Powell .

She is the first  woman of Indian Origin outside India  to be awarded one of India’s highest  title  ie  Padma Shri  by the President of India for her social welfare services and to the Indian National Army .

We would now like to welcome the son of these two great Malaysian Indians as a member of the DAP . A few words about  Ishwar Nahappan.

Ishwar, like his father ,  is also  a lawyer by profession. After qualifying as a lawyer Ishwar  worked as an investment banker in London for some years before being transferred back to Malaysia a few months  before his

father died. He continued to worked in KL as a banker with Standard Chartered Merchant bank and the Bank of America.

 In 1980 he was called to the Malaysian Bar and successfully built up a practice specializing in Corporate,  financial and banking work  . In 1985 with the help of financial institutions Ishwar acquired control of a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and became Executive Chairman of the Company. This company had operations in UK , Malaysia , India , Singapore , Hongkong and Australia . In 1995 Mr. Nahappan sold his interests in the company. He was Chairman of 2 other  public companies , in India and  Singapore.

Since then he has been managing a Private Investment company based in Singapore . Ishwar is married with 4 children . His interests include Asean and Indian History, Malaysian Politics and Contemporary Asian Art .

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 10 February 2008, 3:08 pm and is filed under
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Final reminder to Abdullah – don’t dissolve Parliament before Pai Tian Gong/Chap Goh Mei

I have this morning  sent an urgent email to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi giving him a final reminder that dissolving Parliament and kicking off the 12th general election campaign on 13th February or before Chap Goh Mei on 21st February would be the worst example of insensitivity for the diverse cultures and religions in Malaysia after the offense and insensitivity in holding the Umno General Assembly during Deepavali last November.

According the Star online report last night, the Prime Minister said in Butteworth that the dissolution of Parliament on Feb. 13 is a possibility.

I also wish to give a final reminder  to the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, the Acting Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and the SUPP President Tan Sri Dr. George Chan that the onus is on them to impress on the onAbdullah  to be sensitive and  respect the 15-day Chinese New Year festivities and that the insensitivity shown by the Umno national leadership to the Deepavali public holiday last November should not be repeated again.

I am most shocked that Abdullah has not publicly ruled out the possibility of dissolving Parliament on Feb. 13, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year. As  a Penangite, Abdullah  should know that the dissolution of Parliament on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year would be doubly offensive  and insensitive – as it will  not only be a  disrespect to the Chinese New Year celebrations but also to Pai Tian Gong which falls on the 9th day of the Lunar New Year,  the birthday of the Jade Emperor and a major event for the Hokkiens in Penang.

If Abdullah dissolves Parliament before Chap Goh Mei, utterly insensitive for the Pai Tiang Gong and 15-day Chinese New Year celebrations, it will become the best proof in the 12th general election of the hardening of insensitivity and disrespect to diverse cultures and religions in the country in the past 51 months of the Abdullah premiership – the reason why there is an alarming rise of the breed of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMNs) in the public service resulting in polarizing incidents like body-snatching, bible-banning and temple demolitions.

Nobody questions or challenges the prerogative of the Prime Minister to decide on when to advise the King to dissolve Parliament, but this prerogative must be subject to two caveats:

If the dissolution of Parliament is after Chap Goh Mei, a hot set of dates being speculated are dissolution on 22nd February, Nomination on 27th February or March 1s with  Polling on 8th March, 2008.

(i)	respect and sensitivity to the diverse religions, cultures and customs in the country, which means no spoiling  the spirit and mood of the 15-day  Chinese New Year from the 1st day of CNY to  Chap Goh Mei (7 to 21 February 2008).

.

(ii)	Respect the ethics of a  free and fair general election and abide by the best international practices particularly of first-world developed nations in conducting elections.

A quick survey of the most recent electoral practices in first-world developed nations which Malaysia aspires to join under Vision 2020 is the common best practice where at their voters are given at least one clear month’s notice between dissolution of Parliament and polling – like United Kingdom (one month), Australia (40 days), New Zealand (54 days) and Canada (55 days).

Horror of horrors, President Robert Mugabe has given 64 days’ notice for presidential, general and local elections in Zimbabwe on March 29, 2008!

Even if Abdullah cannot best United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada in terms of fair and proper notice for the holding of general election, is he to go down in history as doing  even worse than Mugabe of Zimbabwe by having the shortest period for free, fair and clean election campaign for a general election among Commonwealth countries?

The least Abdullah should do is to ensure that there is at least one full month between the date of dissolution of Parliament and Polling Day. If Parliament is to be dissolved on Feb. 22, polling day should not be held earlier than March 21 – which will give Abdullah ample time to attend the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit in Dakar from March 13-14 for the handing over of the OIC Chairmanship from Malaysia to Senegal.

Or is Abdullah mortally afraid that the Barisan Nasional would suffer very adverse electoral results if the 12th general election is held after mid-March?

The first general election conducted by Abdullah in 2004 was even more unfair and undemocratic than all the five general elections conducted during Tun Dr. Mahathir’s 22 years as Prime Minister from 1981-2003,  as it provided for a 71/2-day campaign period between Nomination and Polling which is even shorter than nine-day campaign period in the 1999 general election, one of the “dirtiest” general elections in the eleven national general elections held since independence in 1957.

No wonder Tun Dr. Mahathir recently predicted that the next general election would be the dirtiest in Malaysian history.

Is Abdullah prepared to ensure that the 12th  general election will be the most free, fair and clean than anyone conducted by Tun Dr. Mahathir in his 22 years of premiership?

In the 1982 general election, the first conducted by Tun Dr. Mahathir, Parliament was dissolved on 21st March 1982, Nomination was  on 7th April 1982 and Polling on 22nd April 1982 – i.e.  15-day campaign period between Nomination and Polling while there were 32-day span between Parliament’s dissolution and Polling Day.

Can Abdullah do better than Mahathir in providing at least one month notice between dissolution of Parliament and Polling or he could only do worse than his predecessor?

(Speech at the opening of the Canning (Ipoh Timur) election operation centre at Kampung Simee, Ipoh on Monday, 11th February 2008 at 10.30 am)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 11 February 2008, 3:41 pm and is filed under
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RCI Lingam Tape – subpoena Syed Ahmad Idid on 112 corruption allegations against 12 judges in 1996

The testimony by the 13th witness to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Lingam Tape, Thirunama Karasu, the estranged brother of the “star” of the inquiry, senior lawyer V.K. Lingam,  about bribery and corruption of judges including the then Chief Justice, of  free gifts, handphones, cash  and other goodies to judges in 1996 would have reminded political leaders, Parliamentarians,  judges and lawyers of the  notorious “Ides of March” speech  in 1996, when the then Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah shocked Malaysians with the revelation of a 33-page poison-pen letter  which made 112 allegations of  corruption, abuses of power and misconduct against 12 judges at the Conference of Judges in Kuching in March 1996.

Publicly issuing a directive to the police to launch investigations to “ferret out” and “bring to justice” the “conspirators” and “brutish beasts”, Mohtar Abdullah said:

“The investigation is aimed at striking at the venomous elements who are out to discredit the judiciary and subvert justice in our beloved country.

“As Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor, it is my duty and responsibility to ensure that the judiciary and the legal profession be cleansed of these treacherous elements who, by their vile, insidious, devious and scurrilous allegations in this pamphlet had sought to undermine the integrity of the judiciary and the administration of justice in this country.

“Today is the Ides of March. But unlike that fateful day in ancient Rome, when brutish beasts succeeded in killing Caesar, today we launch this pre-emptive strike at these conspirators and Insya Allah, we will ferret them out, whoever they are, and bring them to justice.”

Four months later, Mohtar Abdullah announced the close of the case when he revealed that a high court judge was the one behind the 33-page poison-pen letter against the judiciary and that  the judge concerned had resigned.

The judge was then High Court Judge Datuk Syed Ahmad Idid Syed Abdullah Idid, who became a victim to a Malaysian “”system of justice which was  completely divorced from the most rudimentary  concept of justice.

Syed Ahmad Idid came out of the woodworks more than a decade later, to reveal  in an interview last year that his allegations were never really investigated. This was confirmed by former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abu Talib who lamented that “on the other hand, the poor judge wrote it was investigated”.

I had raised Syed Ahmad Idid’s case in Parliament in  1996 and again more than a decade later in March last year calling for a re-opening of investigations into his serious allegations in view of their grave and adverse implications about judicial independence and integrity as well as to restore justice to the judge – but to no avail.

Now that the 1996 allegations of judicial bribery, corruption and abuse of power have surfaced at last week’s public hearing of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape, I call on the Royal Commission of Inquiry Chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor and the other four Commissioners to subpoena Syed Ahmad Idid to testify on his 112 allegations against 12 judges about bribery, corruption and abuse of power in 1996.

Syed Ahmad Idid was the first judicial whistleblower who was victimized and punished instead of being rewarded for his act of supreme loyalty to his oath of office as a judge.

If Syed Ahmad Idid’s whistleblowing had been heeded, resulting in thorough investigations and root-and-branch reform of the judiciary 12 years ago, Malaysian judges, lawyers and citizens would have been able to stand tall in the world today because of a judiciary nationally  and internationally respected for its independence, integrity and quality!

This has become an even greater challenge to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Lingam Tape which, in the final analysis, must be fully conscious of its historic role and opportunity to end the rot in the judiciary.- and a subpoena of Syed Ahmad Idid is a necessary process to exorcise the rot and corruption of the judicial past for the Malaysian judiciary to turn over a new leaf.

The question is whether the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape is bold, public-spirited and nationalistic enough to rise to the challenge or it will cower and back off from such a historic opportunity and challenge to right one of the fundamental wrongs of Malaysian national and institutional integrity.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 11 February 2008, 5:42 pm and is filed under
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Tsu Koon’s first act – Khairy to decide who is the next Gerakan Penang CM

One shocker of the news today is the announcement by the Acting Gerakan President, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to move to the federal level in the upcoming general election –  not the contents of the announcement but circumstances and implications of the announcement.

Tsu Koon’s announcement came “a few hours after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mentioned that he (Abdullah) would decide for the Penang Chief Minister if the latter was unable to make up his mind whether to contest a state seat or go for a parliament seat”.

It highlights Koh’s utterly indecisive leadership – even more indecisive than Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which must be quite an “achievement” by itself.

Koh said he had submitted three names as his successor to the Prime Minister who indicated “he might need a few days to decide on who to choose as my successor”. (
Bernama
)

This is a most shocking display of impotence.  Who should be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister should be the sole decision of the Gerakan leadership.  Why has Tsu Koon surrendered this power and right of the Gerakan to decide who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister to the Umno President giving him the prerogative to choose from one of three names submitted by Koh?

It is open secret that submitting the decision to Abdullah is as good as submitting it to Khairy Jamualuddin, Abdullah’s son-in-law and the “power-behind-the-throne”.

Khairy Jamaluddin,  the master of the power Putrajaya Fourth Storey, is already a very powerful man if not the most powerful man in Umno and Barisan Nasional.

For instance, everybody knows that Khairy is the de facto Mentri Besar of Terengganu and that Datuk Idris Jusoh is just a Mentri Besar in name only.  It is Khairy who dispenses with the billions of ringgit of “wang ehsan” from the five per cent oil royalty from Petronas, which completely bypassed the Mentri Besar’s Office!

Now Khairy is accumulating even greater power as he will finally be deciding who is to be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister – as it is again public knowledge that Khairy virtually makes all the important decisions for rubber-stamping by the Prime Minister, from top civil service and  judicial appointments, approval of mega contracts without tender, dispensing billions of ringgit of funds in Terengganu which completely overshadow the state government’s budget to the latest decision as to who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister from the three names submitted by Koh!

I do not think this is the best start for Penang to face the challenges of globalization after the 2008 general election!

(Speech (2)  at the opening of the Canning (Ipoh Timur) election operation centre at Kampung Simee, Ipoh on Monday, 11th February 2008 at 11 am)

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Abdullah to ask King to dissolve Parliament tomorrow?

This may be the last day that I am speaking as Parliamentary Opposition Leader for the 11th Parliament if the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his audience with the Yang di Pertuan Agong tomorrow  before the  weekly Cabinet meeting asks for the dissolution of Parliament – which would also mean the last Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

This will be most unfortunate for the Prime Minister  would be showing scant respect and sensitivity to Pai Tiang Gong on the ninth day and Chap Goh Mei on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year –  another offense and insensitivity to the diverse cultures and religions in Malaysia in a matter of three months after the holding of the Umno general assembly on Deepavali last November.

Last Monday, I received a notice from Parliament calling for oral and written questions for the first meeting of the fourth session of the 11th Parliament, which will be declared open by the Yang di Pertuan Agong on 17th March 2008, giving MPs the deadline of February 22 to submit their written and oral questions for the 22-day sitting of Parliament till April 24, 2008.

It is a waste of public funds, resources and time for Parliament to rush out parliamentary notice for the March 17-April 24, 2008 to all MPs by pos laju when it is clear the 11th Parliament will not sit again in March.

It is also ridiculous to expect MPs to prepare and submit questions by Feb. 22 for the March 17-April 24, 2008  parliamentary meeting, when everybody expects a dissolution if not tomorrow at least latest by the third week of February.

I call on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to make a clear-cut public announcement whether Parliament will be dissolved for general election to be held before March 17, so that MPs, whether Barisan Nasional or Opposition, need not waste time preparing and submitting parliamentary questions for a parliamentary meeting that would not be held.

Something is very wrong with Abdullah’s system of governance if he cannot make such a simple clarification.

One of the trademarks which Abdullah wants his premiership to be identified is to  transform  Malaysia from a  “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” to “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” nation.

In the past 51 months of his premiership however, Abdullah’s call  for “ first-world infrastructure, first-world mentality” had fallen on deaf ears and had  remained at the  sloganeering level – as there was no serious venture to translate it into action with  new government benchmark and a new national ethos.

In my first speech when I returned to Parliament in May 2004, I stressed that parliamentary reform and modernization is the first critical test whether there is the political will to transform   Malaysia into  a first-world nation, not only in infrastructure, but in mentality, mindset and culture starting with a First World Parliament.

In the past four years, Parliament has failed on both counts. Over RM100 million was spent to give it a “five-star hotel” glitzy appearance but it still leaks cats and dogs when there is a heavy downpour – even when Parliament is meeting!

 But in terms of substance in moving towards a First-World Parliament in the past four years, the report card is a  dismal failure.

In my first speech on my return to Parliament on 20th May 2004 during the debate on the Royal Address, I listed 12 proposals for Malaysia to have a “First World Parliament” not only in infrastructure, but mindset, culture, practices and performance, viz:

•	live telecast of parliamentary proceedings;

•	daily two-hour question time;

•	Prime Minister’s Question Time twice a week;

•	Opposition MP heading the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

•	some 30 specialist Parliamentary Select Committees with a Select Committee for every Ministry;

•	about ten general Parliamentary Select Committees to produce annual reports on progress, trends and recommendations on national integrity,  IT, women’s agenda, environment, mass media, corruption, etc;

•	allocation of certain days a week  specifically to deal with Opposition business;

•	research and constituency staffing for MPs.

•	an Opposition Deputy Speaker

•	modernization and democratization of Standing Orders

•	code of ethics for all MPs.

•	Ministers’ Parliamentary code of conduct

The 11th Parliament has failed each of these 12 tests of modernization and reform because of the utter lack of leadership by the Prime Minister. In fact,  in his four years as Prime Minister, Abdullah has the dubious distinction of registering  the lowest parliamentary  attendance for any Prime Minister in Malaysian parliamentary history  despite having the most number of Ministerial portfolios!

The failure of the 11th Parliament must be rectified in the new 12 Parliament to be elected soon.

It is only by having at least 75 Opposition MPs, which will also deny the Barisan Nasional its unbroken and suffocating two-thirds parliamentary majority, that there could be any surety that serious efforts would be initiated for parliamentary modernization and reform to usher in a First-World Parliament.

This is another reason why I am  calling on the 11 million voters in the upcoming general election to elect at least 75 Opposition MPs to ensure that Malaysia has a “First-World Parliament” to give new meaning to democracy in Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 12:41 pm and is filed under
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Chia Kwang Chye will be Khairy’s favourite choice as next Gerakan Penang CM

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said that with the announcement by the Acting Gerakan President, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to move to the federal level in the upcoming general election, the post of Penang Chief Minister will continue to be reserved for the Gerakan.

Yes, the post of Penang Chief Minister will continue to be reserved for  the Gerakan, but for the first time for four decades, it will be Umno and not Gerakan which will decide who will be the Penang Gerakan Chief Minister!

This is because Tsu Koon has submitted three names as his successor to the Prime Minister  and it is up to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to decide who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister!

The confession by the Gerakan Secretary-General Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye that he knew nothing about the three names submitted by Koh to Abdullah is most shocking.

Shouldn’t this be a decision or at least the consensus of the top Gerakan leadership instead of by one person who is the Acting Gerakan President?

Furthermore, did the Gerakan leadership take an  earlier decision that Gerakan surrender to Abdullah  its power and right to decide as to who should be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister or did Koh act unilaterally and unconstitutionally in violation of Gerakan party constitution?

Once Gerakan surrenders the right and power to decide who should be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister, this right and power is lost forever and never be regained – and the Gerakan Penang Chief Minister will just be an Umno appointee!

It is an open secret that once Koh surrenders the Gerakan power and right to decide who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister to Abdullah, it is in fact surrendering to Umno and Khairy Jamaluddin – Abdullah’s son-in-law and the real  “power-behind-the-throne”.

Khairy Jamaluddin,  the master of the powerful  Putrajaya Fourth Storey, is already a very powerful man if not the most powerful man in Umno and Barisan Nasional.

For instance, everybody knows that Khairy is the de facto Mentri Besar of Terengganu and that Datuk Idris Jusoh is just a puppet and a `Mentri Besar in name only.  It is Khairy who dispenses with the billions of ringgit of “wang ehsan” from the five per cent oil royalty  for the state from Petronas, which completely bypassed the Mentri Besar’s Office!

Now Khairy is accumulating even greater power as he will finally be deciding who is to be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister – as it is again public knowledge that Khairy virtually makes all the important decisions which are announced by the  Prime Minister, from top civil service and  judicial appointments, approval of mega contracts without tender, dispensing billions of ringgit of funds in Terengganu which completely overshadow the state government’s budget to the latest decision as to who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister from the three names submitted by Koh!

In the guessing-game as to which one of the three names submitted by Koh will be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister, there is no doubt that it is Chia Kwang Chye who is the “hot favourite” as the choice of Khairy.  The other two contenders Datuk Dr. Teng Hock Nan and Datuk Lee Kah Choon just don’t stand a chance at all!

As Deputy Information Minister, Chia has fully served UMNO interests instead of Malaysian interests in turning the RTM and the Information Department into shameless appendages of UMNO to spread Umno propaganda instead of being non-partisan in disseminating news and information as they are government departments funded by taxpayers irrespective of political beliefs and voter preference.

If Umno wants to use radio and television to spread its propaganda, it should set up a Radio and Television UMNO but it should never misuse government resources and facilities like the RTM for party propaganda.

Chia had been a loyal subordinate to the Information Minister, Datuk Zainuddin Maidin in the misuse and abuse of RTM not only for narrow Umno and Barisan Nasional political interests, but also to promote divisive and polarizing viewpoints and policies.

Two recent examples are:

•	For the past two weeks, the nightly insertion into television news of the   tendentious,  unethical and distorted  presentation of  the 40,000-people peaceful gathering for the submission of the BERSIH petition for free, fair and clean election  to the Yang di Pertuan Agong on Nov. 10 to vilify Opposition leaders; and

•	The misrepresentation of the culture of the Malaysian Chinese on RTM Panorama programme on the second day of the Chinese New Year purporting to depict a typical Malaysian Chinese family preparing for Chinese New Year when it showed a Muslim Chinese family’s preparation for the occasion.

Why had Chia been so thunderously silent on these two episodes?

Bernama’s reporter  had been very  perceptive with the Sunday report that

Tsu Koon’s announcement that he has decided to move to the federal level   came “a few hours after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mentioned that he (Abdullah) would decide for the Penang Chief Minister if the latter was unable to make up his mind whether to contest a state seat or go for a parliament seat”.

Koh has proved that he is even more indecisive than Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which must have pleased the Prime Minister very much.

I regret that in his comments on Koh’s decision, Gerakan adviser Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik , like Chia Kwang Chye previously, continued his  attack on the “Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son” political dynasty  in Penang.

A final decision has yet to be taken as to whether Guan Eng would be leading the DAP campaign in Penang in the next general election and I had said last week that it is my intention to defend the Ipoh Timur parliamentary seat.

However, since Keng Yaik and Chia Kwang Chye have been so perverse and persistent in wanting to make “Lim Kit Siang-Lim Guan Eng father-and-son” political dynasty in Penang into an issue, may be the best way to join issue with this political onslaught is in the Penang political arena itself.  This warrants consideration.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 12:43 pm and is filed under
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Samy Vellu “lost his marbles” over Ishwar joining DAP

MIC President and the sole Malaysian Indian Cabinet Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu seems to have “lost his marbles” (to do something senseless or stupid)  making him to publicly declare “DAP telah mati”.

I don’t ordinarily watch television news but last night I caught a snippet of television news and saw Samy Vellu in a rampage against the DAP with the ultimate swear term: “DAP telah mati”.

DAP has been  active, productive and vibrant for 42 years in Malaysian politics and is looking forward to the “battle of the century” in the upcoming general election. DAP  will not die just because Samy Vellu wishes so.

What I am more concerned is how the longest-serving Cabinet Minister in Malaysia could so embarrass himself as to make a fool and public spectacle of himself over national television with such intemperate language and conduct.

Samy Velllu has never been under greater pressure as he is fighting for his political life.

The last straw must be Sunday’s  announcement by the bearer of one of the most  illustrious names in MIC history, more famous than the name of Samy Vellum,   Ishwar Nahappan, joining the ranks of the DAP.

Ishwar’s parents, Athi Nahappan and Janaki,  were not only founder-members of MIC, their contributions to freedom, justice and integrity are written in gold in MIC and Malaysian history. Janaki joined the Indian National Army (INA) at the age of 17 and rose to Captain and Second-in-Command of  Rhani of Jhansi Regiment, the only woman’s regiment in the INA. Athi Nahappan will forever be remembered for his life-long commitment to democracy immortalized by the Athi Nahappan Report on Local Government calling for restoration of local government elections (which Samy Vellu has still to honour).

If not for the tragedy of the early demise of Athi Nahappan in 1976, a few months  after being appointed  as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the law and justice portfolio (a second Indian Minister in Cabinet together with Tun V. T. Sambanthan), Malaysian Indians and Malaysia would have been spared the “tragedy” of Samy Vellu as MIC President and sole Malaysian Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years – presiding over the progressive political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious polarization of the Malaysian Indians into a new underclass in Malaysia!

Samy Vellu should not “lose his marbles” over Ishwar’s denunciation  that MIC under his leadership had failed the Malaysian Indians and the Malaysian nation.  Many Indian leaders, including both current and former MIC leaders, have contacted and congratulated Ishwar for his bold and courageous decision to stand up for the marginalized Indians and other deprived communities.

He should respond to Ishwar’s powerful statement about the marginalisation of the Indian community under Samy Vellu’s 28-year watch as the sole Malaysian Indian Minister, viz:

–	There are less than 3-4% Indians studying in the Govt  Universities.

–	Indians comprise less than 1% of those who were given the opportunity to study Nursing in the various Government  Nursing Colleges .

–	Malaysian Indians have, over a fifteen year period, comprised less than 2.5% of the annual student intake of teacher training colleges.

–	Malaysian Indians have received less than 1% of all scholarships awarded by Govt and Govt-related bodies .

–	Less than 1% of those training as officer cadets in Military Colleges are Indians.

–	For the last 15 years, Indians have numbered less than 2% annually of those who underwent training as police officers.

–	The situation in the Malaysian Civil Service is even more grim and appalling. One can walk into any Govt department and you will be hard pressed to find an Indian or Chinese in the clerical and administrative sections.  For example, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in KL, out of 400 staff, there are only 2 Indians and 3 Chinese.

–	The KTM , which was a traditional source of employment for the Indian Community , is recruiting less than 3% Indians on an annual basis.

–	As of  6th Feb’08 , the total market capitalization of the KLCI was 764 Bln ringgit.  I estimate the Malaysian Indian Community accounts for  less than 1% of the listed Corporate wealth of the country .

Instead of losing his marbles publicly and embarrassing himself, there are two choices before Samy Vellu:

•	Turn over a completely new leaf by making  amends for his failures for the past 28 years to defend the right of Malaysian Indians to an equal place under the Malaysian sun, end his, MIC and Barisan Nasional’s denial complex refusing to recogise the crisis of marginalization of Malaysian Indians and immediately announce a New Deal for the Marginalised Indians to reintegrate them into the mainstream of national development and get the five Hindraf leaders released from ISA detention immediately and unconditionally; or

•	Resign as MIC President and Cabinet Minister, which is the increasing demand not only within the MIC but also in UMNO and Barisan Nasional.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 12:45 pm and is filed under
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Another instance of rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons

Malaysians regardless of race or religion must vote in 12th general election to send a loud and clear message against the alarming rise of Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMN)  who are  totally insensitive that Malaysia is a plural society and who are  more powerful than Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

In the past four years of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Islam Hadhari, there have been a deluge of insensitive occurrences totally heedless of Malaysia’s boast to the world of the country as “Truly Asia” where all races, languages, cultures and religions can flower with freedom and be a model to a conflict-ridden world.

This is illustrated not only by a spate of body-snatchings, bible-banning, temple demolition, stoppage of construction of world’s tallest Mazu statue in Kudat, Sabah, but also by very polarizing incidents created by Little Napoleons and Little Mullah Napoleons (LMNs) in schools, universities and the public service.

I will give the latest incident from a complaint which I have just received by a liberal and broad-minded Malay woman:

I am representing the Indian parents from SK Sungai Puyu, Butterworth. Being a true Malaysian I don’t differentiate anybody based on their religion, race or culture.

This school has been conducting extra classes absolutely free of charge to all UPSR students since many-many years ago. The extra classes were carried out voluntary without any payments mostly by Indian teachers who were dedicated lots and realise that their students especially the Malay students need extra attention after school hours and also on Saturdays, They even teach during school holidays.

But recently the extra class for UPSR has been politicised and the government started to give payments to all teacher who teach those classes BUT there is a condition. The teacher who is to be paid must be MALAY and the extra classes are open ONLY for the MALAY students.

What once use to be something very much disliked by the Malay teachers because they have to stay back or come on Saturdays is very much sought after by these very same teachers because now they are paid on hourly basis. They get RM40 for one day’s lesson yet their teaching and dedication during those extra classes is very much questionable because they never liked it in the first place and some of them are just plain lazy and never even fulfill the minimum teaching requirement.

I came to know that this programme is being carried out not only in this school but in many Sekolah Kebangsaan schools throughout Penang. In extreme cases where they can’t find a MALAY teacher to teach English Language in certain schools the schools will secretly ask an Indian teacher to teach but claims are made under a MALAY teachers name as to follow the strict rules imposed by JPN. (Ali Baba)

What disheartened the Indian parents in SK Sungai Puyu is the marginalisation of their children in this school. The “Program Didik Cemerlang Akademik” or PDCA (last year known as JKP) has totally replaced the normal extra class which use to be carried out by volunteer teacher of  the school and the Indian children are NOT included in it at all now. They are treated as second class citizen in a Malaysian school.

To make things worst during the Pendidikan Moral lesson they are not taught at all and are just isolated in a classroom by their Pendidikan Moral teachers whereas for the Malay student they have all sort of religious activities even during the non Agama teaching time and this usually rob of the precious time for most of other important subjects like English language and Mathematics.

I am attaching a letter* from the school headmaster which is self explanatory of the marginalisation of the Indian students. This letter was given only to the “Waris BUKAN Bumiputera”. The reason which prompted me to write to you is when my friend’s daughter innocently asked her father after reading the letter about the REASON why the Malay students don’t have to pay and NON MALAYS must pay for it and why it is not compulsory for the non Malay. Tears dropped from my eyes after hearing that because these are the future generation which we are moulding from now to be true Malaysian.

I’ll stop here now for the time being. There are actually many more such issues where Indians are being marginalised in this school but I’ll stick to one first.”

The complainant in her letter said that what the Indian parents is clarification from the Education Mister  once and for all because the Indian parents have decided that they are NOT paying the money as a matter of principle and they want their children included in the extra class without any conditions whatsoever and NOT to separate them from Malay students.

All this while the worksheets were photostated and given free of charge to all students BUT now ONLY the INDIANS have to pay for it and that also if they want to join the class which is NOT compulsory for them. They are asked to pay just because some parents requested to include the Indians as well.

I call on Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who should be the “caretaker” Education Minister in an hour’s time when the Prime Minister announces the dissolution of Parliament, what he is doing to end this injustice.

(Media Conference Statement by Lim Kit Siang at DAP PJ Hqrs on Wednesday, 13th February 2008 at 11.30 am – an hour before announcement of dissolution of Parliament)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 1:12 pm and is filed under
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Chief Secretary Should Not Be Chief Clerk

by
Bakri Musa

Judging from the gushing praises, Chief Secretary Sidek Hassan is performing miracles with his Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah, its Malay acronym) committee to streamline the civil service.  A reality check is in order.

            It reflects how out of touch our top civil servants are from the realities on the ground that it took Sidek and his Director-General of the Public Service Department Ismail Adam to make an unannounced visit to a District Office in Selangor for them to realize how difficult it is to pay one’s “quit rent.”

            Then they were shocked to find that the District Officer was out of his office.  Again that reflects their naivety and ignorance of the current sorry state of the government machinery.  Perhaps they put too much faith on the recent glowing report of IMD’s World Competitive Yearbook that placed the Malaysian government ahead of Japan and Germany in terms of efficiency.  The Malaysian public knows better.

            It is pathetic that these top civil servants are reduced to being chief clerks checking on the keranis (junior clerks) to make sure that they are at their desks attending to their customers.

            Sidek’s unannounced visit is now fast becoming a legend, of a meticulous and diligent top civil servant paying attention to the smallest of operational details.  Even previously cynical commentators are now heaping praises on the man.  This chorus is repeated by the seasoned corporate figures co-opted into Pemudah.

            If those corporate figures were truly impressed, then it does not say much of the crispness of their own management.  Alternatively, they had such low expectations that any improvement would impress them.  My hunch is that their praises are nothing more than shrewd maneuverings to be on the good side of the government.  In a country where the nexus between government and private sector is fuzzy, this is expected.  It would not surprise me that their companies do substantial business with the government.

            Interestingly, although Sidek had been interviewed umpteen times, no one asked what disciplinary actions (if any) he took against that errant District Officer and, more importantly, his immediate superior.

            If past experience is any guide, the poor underpaid kerani would bear the heaviest punishment, with the District Officer reassigned, and his immediate superior left untouched.

Misplaced Emphasis on Process Instead of Policy

 Pemudah’s emphasis has been exclusively on administrative processes.  It reflects the deep rot that a simple procedure that would have been simple only a decade or two ago would today be tortuous and drawn out.  Nonetheless that does not stop Pemudah from trumpeting its easy victories.  These administrative details should have been streamlined at the mid management level; they are essentially staff work.

            What Sidek should be doing is to teach those middle manages how to identify, analyze, and solve their problems.  That would have been far more effective than surprise visits and issuing edicts from high above.  Sidek could not possibly know the operational problems at the various land offices; the issues in Ulu Selangor would be very different from that at Petaling Jaya.  With the urban and more educated clients at Petaling Jaya they could try on-line payments, for example.  That would not be possible in Ulu Selangor.

            Tun Razak hired the American consultant Milton Esman in the 1970s to spruce up the civil service.  Esman’s personal accounts are highly illuminating.  For example, during his first meeting with our top civil servants, he was confounded that they behaved like little school kids.  Their attitude was:  “You are the expert; you tell us what to do!”

            At Treasury, he asked them their major issues.  Their immediate response:  “Overworked and understaffed!”  They could also have added, “Underpaid!”

            They complained of the volumes of vouchers they had to scrutinize.  Esman suggested that they study the bills they had already processed and group them by their face value.  To their surprise, a substantial portion of the vouchers were under a certain amount, and those were routinely paid without further auditing.  Esman suggested if they were to henceforth make a policy that all such bills be routinely paid or better yet, authorize the various departments to pay them without referral to Treasury, their work load would be reduced considerably.  They would then have extra time to scrutinize the important big bills.  As for the smaller vouchers, all they need would be to do random checks for quality control.

            Through such exercises Esman taught those civil servants how to isolate and solve their problems.  It was far more effective than lecturing and making surprise visits.  Oh yes, Esman did not spend his time giving press interviews!

            On a more substantive matter, by the time civil servants reach the top, certainly at the Secretary-General and Director-General levels, their concerns should not be staff, administrative, or operational details rather with policy analysis and policy making.

            Consider the government’s recent decision to restrict the sale of subsidized essential goods to non-Malaysians.  Such policies should first be vetted by senior civil servants, addressing such issues as their practicality and cost of implementation.  Does that mean that we now have to show our passports or identity cards to shop?  What about citizens buying for their non-citizen neighbors?

            Similarly with the graduate employment scheme; what are the social, economic and other consequences for the government to assume the role of employer of last resort?  Egypt has such a policy; it now has one of the most bloated and inefficient civil service, as well as a university system totally unresponsive to the needs of the marketplace.

            Sidek Hassan and his colleagues should be studying and recommending solutions to the cabinet on the impact of the current American credit crunch and impending recession, not checking the time cards of clerks in a district office in Ulu Selangor.

Ambrin Buang, Not Sidek Hassan, The True Hero

Sidek need not look far to find examples of excellence; he could find it within his own civil service, specifically in the exemplary performance of Auditor-General Ambrin Buang.

            Ambrin could have reduced himself to simply doing the traditional “bean counting” activities, of making sure that there are receipts for expenditures and other accounting minutiae.  Make no mistake, those are essential details.  The greater fallacy would be to assume that those are the only or even major duties of an auditor.

            It reflects the diligence and professionalism of Ambrin that his Annual Report regularly grabs headlines.  It also says much about our politicians and civil servants that they do not read those reports.  He is not at all bashful in commenting on such boondoggles as the Sports Ministry’s planned facility in London as well as the RM50 screwdrivers.

            Ambrin’s report gives a far more accurate (and depressing) picture of the sorry state of the government machinery, certainly far more realistic than that depicted by the IMD Yearbook or Pemudah’s too frequent glowing press releases.  It is also revealing that Ambrin is not a member of Pemudah.

            An insight on organizational behaviors is that public institutions, in particular the civil service, are not there to serve the citizens.  Instead these institutions serve their own self interest while attempting to put a public face to it.

            Recent policy initiatives as restricting the sale of subsidized items only to citizens and graduate employment scheme serve nothing more than to expand an already bloated civil service.  The currency among civil servants is the size of their respective departments as measured by the number of employees and budget allocations, not whether certain policies would ease poverty or improve the education system.

            The wisdom and success of President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was their recognition of this essential truism.  The folly of the Abdullah Administration is its naivety in believing that what is good for the civil service is good for Malaysia and Malaysians.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 12:06 am and is filed under
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Immediate response on the Parliamentary Dissolution announcement today

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 2:26 pm and is filed under
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Malaysian PM dissolves parliament

AFP

February 13, 2008

MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today dissolved parliament, paving the way for snap elections which are expected to see the ruling coalition’s majority eroded.

Abdullah’s popularity has plummeted as the nation is beset by mounting racial tensions, unprecedented street protests, anger over rising fuel and food prices, and high crime rates.

Announcing that the king had consented to dissolve parliament, Abdullah indicated he did not expect a repeat of the 2004 landslide when the Barisan Nasional coalition seized some 90 per cent of parliamentary seats.

“2004 was a special election and it was extraordinary. I pray that BN will get at least two-thirds of the votes in the upcoming election,” he told a press conference.

“I hope voters will understand the issues affecting our country objectively,” he said, adding that the election commission would decide on the polling date.

Voting must be held 60 days after parliament is dissolved, but the government traditionally allows just a two-week campaign period, which would mean the ballot in early March.

Abdullah appealed for calm during the campaign, in an apparent reference to a string of public rallies over the past few months which police have broken up with tear gas and water cannon.

“My hope is that during the voting, nothing untoward will happen – there will be no disturbances or trouble that will affect the voting process,” he said.

Abdullah heads the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) which leads the Barisan Nasional (National Front) multi-racial coalition that holds 200 of the 219 seats in parliament.

The Chinese-based Democratic Action Party holds 12, the fundamentalist Islamic party PAS has six and Keadilan which is led by the wife of dissident former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has one seat.

The government’s term expires only in May 2009 and some commentators say it is going to the polls early to ensure Anwar cannot contest. He was sacked and jailed in 1998 and is barred from politics until April this year.

In the next elections there will be 222 seats contested due to the creation of new constituencies. The assemblies in the 12 states and territories will also be contested.

DAP parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang condemned the election announcement which falls during celebrations for Chinese New Year.

“I think it shows a disregard and insensitivity of the diverse cultures and religions in the country,” he told AFP.

UMNO was also criticised for holding its annual talks during the Deepavali festival which is celebrated by Malaysia’s minority ethnic Indian community – an incident Lim condemned as a “debacle”.

Yesterday, Abdullah had tried to quell the rumours that he would dissolve parliament on the 13th – his favourite number – telling reporters “No, it won’t be tomorrow”.

Lim slammed the premier for the about-face.

“I think it’s most disgraceful and shocking after the assurance yesterday evening that there would not be a dissolution today,” he said.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 4:39 pm and is filed under
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Parliamen dissolves today despite Pak Lah’s assurance of “no” yesterday

Parliament is being dissolved today despite the assurance by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday that there will be no dissolution of Parliament today.

This is the
New Straits Times
story today:

‘Parliament won’t be dissolved today’

BANGI: Parliament will not be dissolved today.

The prime minister dismissed intense speculation that he would seek to dissolve parliament on the basis of his penchant for the number 13.

“No such thing,” Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told reporters after the launch of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institut Islam Hadhari.

Pressed further if today’s cabinet meeting would be the last for the 11th parliamentary term, he asked back: “What makes you think it’s going to be the last?”

“There will be more (meetings to come).”

My sources tell me that Abdullah had an audience with  the Yang di Pertuan Agong this morning on the dissolution of Parliament and the Prime Minister has called for a media conference at 12.30 pm to announce Parliament’s dissolution and the 12th general election.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 11:09 am and is filed under
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‘He looks like PM, sounds like PM, is he PM?’

(Media Conference Statement at DAP PJ Hqrs on Thursday, 14th February 2008 at 12 noon)

Abdullah ends his first term as PM with his credibility,  reputation and reform pledges  in tatters with his 12-hour somersault of “no” and then “yes” to dissolution of Parliament yesterday

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has ended his first term as Prime Minister with his credibility, reputation and reform pledges in tatters with his 12-hour somersault of “no” and then “yes” to dissolution of Parliament yesterday.

It has given powerful illustration of Lingam-speak – “He looks like the Prime Minister, he sounds like the Prime Minister, but no one can say 100% that he is the Prime Minister”!

In his press conference yesterday announcing the dissolution of Parliament. Abdullah tried to explain why he had ended his first term as Prime Minister with a lie on Tuesday night categorically denying that Parliament would be dissolved yesterday and yet doing precisely the opposite  12 hours later in seeking an audience with the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament.

Abdullah explained he could not give any clue to the date as he needed to get the consent of the Yang di Pertuan Agong first before he could make the announcement.

Agreed. But has Abdullah to tell a lie, declaring: “The Cabinet meeting will go on, go on and go on” after dismissing suggestion that yesterday’s Cabinet meeting will be the last for the llth parliamentary term?

Need Abdullah be reminded that what he had done is totally against the Islam Hadhari which he had propounded as Prime Minister and Chairman of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC)?

What is also shocking is the triple  disrespect and insensitivity in dissolving Parliament on the 7th day of the Chinese New Year, because:

•	It is  the auspicious Day of Ren  – a day when Chinese take time to reflect on their inter-personal relationships with others and be resolute to be a better & wiser person or “Ren”;

•	Insensitivity of  the 9th Day of the Chinese New Year – Pai Tian Gong, the birthday of the Jade Emperor and a major event for the Hokkiens in Penang.and Malaysia; and

•	Insensitivity of Chap Goh Mei to mark the end of the 15-day Chinese New Year celebrations.

What is even more  shocking is the defence of this triple disrespect and insensitivity of the Chinese New Year by  the Chinese leaders in the Barisan Nasional like Ong Ka Ting and Koh Tsu Koon, illustrating their totally marginalized role in the Barisan Nasional decision-making process when they could not even convince the Prime Minister to wait for eight days before dissolving Parliament so as not to commit another cultural and religious insensitivity in a matter of three months after the holding of the Umno general assembly on Deepavali last November.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 14 February 2008, 3:53 pm and is filed under
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Lingam Tape RCI – Subpoena Syed Ahmad Idid

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 14 February 2008, 7:27 pm and is filed under
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