The new UMNO reality, beyond the rhetoric.

Reports on Malaysiakini and MSM seems to point to a nervous UMNO, tittering on the point of implosion. Party members are nervous and given the right conditions, the herd mentality would set in and there would be resignations on an unprecedented scale.

The cracks are appearing and the only thing missing is the spark that would set the herd stampeding. Tun Mahathir and wife have left. Who would follow?

Yes, there is a crisis as Anwar Ibrahim mentioned in a Malaysiakini report.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to quit as a lifetime member of Umno is an indication that the crisis within the party is worsening, said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Source: Malaysiakini

UMNO has to face a new reality. The rhetorical manner of their leaders does not hold much water. During Tun's time, what he said goes and Tun pushed ahead a lot of things. What has Pak Lah done?


Pak Lah instituted the "rhetorical stance" - say anything and the party will listen even if you never carry it through; don't worry UMNO will still support you. He said it again by claiming that the 3 million members of UMNO would stay on to keep the party strong. But Pak Lah fail to realize that no-one would like to stay on board a ship destined to hit the ice-berg. People would support the party yet still leave it if it would bring about what they desire. If enough people are convince that Pak Lah is the reason for UMNO's woes then the quit-game would kick into play and I believe this will happen. Whatever Pak Lah does in the next few days would determine this.

Najib has been silent all the way through, only commenting that if Tun wanted to quit then it was his decision to do so. So Najib is playing the wait and see game and he is watching Pak Lah. In fact, we should all watch who would come along side Pak Lah. What Tun Mahathir has effectively done is to force members of UMNO to make a choice. Are you for Pak Lah or against him? Bear in mind most of the UMNO branches have voiced their unhappiness with Pak Lah, would these groups take the lead in quitting first?

The new reality for UMNO is it is no longer strong.

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The Great One has Left the building and it ain't Elvis!

The great One has left the building and folks I am not talking about Elvis (that dude's dead though he was sighted in Memphis), I'm talking about our very own, Tun Mahathir and he has left UMNO.

From Malaysiakini:

Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was quitting the party with immediate effect and urged other members to emulate him.

Source: Malaysiakini

From The Star:

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced Monday at 12.35pm that he is quitting Umno, citing a lack of confidence in the current leadership.

He said this during a talk here on Monday.

He has been critical of his appointed successor Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, blaming the current Umno president for the party's disappointing performance in the 12th general election.

Source: The Star

Tun Mahathir has thrown down the gauntlet and I am sure this will send a strong message up the levels of UMNO. Could this indeed be the turning of the ride for Abdullah Badawi? Tun Mahathir has thrown it back to UMNO members to choose the side they wish to stand on. If they wish Abdullah Badawi to step down, then they are to quit the party and if they are for Abdullah Badawi, stay on.

In the next few days, be ready for rally calls by various leaders from within UMNO - who are expected to throw their support behind Abdullah Badawi but watch the movement by the grassroot Malays. I foresee that the leaders will be behind Abdullah Badawi but the grassroot members would quit on mass.

What good are leaders without followers?

Tun Mahathir has called upon the various ministers to also quit the party. It would be interesting to see who would actually take up that call. Would Najib take it up (I heard he's a Tun Mahathir man) or would those on the UMNO board take up the call?

Smart move Tun Mahathir but it can also be reverse on you. There is potential for the current establishment to spin the tale of a bitter former prime minister, unwilling to give his successor a chance. Would Berita Harian spin this tale (the paper is UMNO own)? Could this spell the end of UMNO? It has happened before. Kill the party and throw out the deadwood. It has worked before.

So this is an interesting turn of events, if not amusing because for the pass month; the management of this country has taken a backseat to political bickering, back-stabbing, sulking politicians and crazy statements by the guy in charge of the EC.

So where are we heading Malaysia?

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The Rule of being Bias

Don't pee into the wind. Yup, I heard that one before and logically speaking you shouldn't do it. Neither should you attempt to throw sh*t at a ceiling fan. Not good, not good.

The RULE of BEING BIAS - what I do, you cannot do.

So when Karpal Singh made his thoughts known concerning the role of the Sultan of Perak in the appointment of it's religious department head, some people went bonkers and decided to act as defenders of the crown. A clear case of "If I do it, it's ok but if you do it, cannot!"

So when UMNO was up in arms with the Sultan of Terengganu, is was spun as if UMNO was the defender of the people. Heck, they even protested during the Mentri Besar swearing in and called the Sultan of Terengganu names.

The head of UMNO should be caught under the Sedition Act 1948 for inciting his followers to revolt against the Crown; for the Sultan of Terengganu is the Agong of Malaysia.

There is now a police report against the PM for his role in that sad incident, as reported by Malaysiakini:

Pemuda PAS yang diwakili setiausahanya Ahmad Sabki Yusof pula berharap orang Umno tidak mempolitikkan isu Karpal.

"Mereka ini jangan main politik. Imbas semula perlakuan mereka (di Terengganu).

"Lihat bagaimana Adun-adun Umno yang terang-terang menolak pelantikan (Ahmad) yang dibuat Sultan. Ini menunukkan sikap berpura-pura pemimpin mereka.

"Mereka mendakwa kononnya memperjuangkan kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu. Sedangkan mereka juga mempertikaikannya," katanya.

Source: Malaysiakini

Will the AG act against this? Because it was clear that UMNO supporters and their leaders were members of the crowd, holding up banners and shouting against the Crown. And while we are at it, why was the protest allowed to take place in the first place? Isn't it illegal, in Malaysia, to have protest rallies or do the police suffer from amnesia when it comes to the ruling government, doing stuff that's unlawful?

The sad truth is, there will always be a bias stand by the ruling government. Being bias and unfair is a sign of immaturity. It shows, that one is incapable of fighting in a level playing field and we see this a lot in our current government. They refuse to allow others to up-step them so they start repressing and putting people down. But when it comes to their own behavior, they close one eye to it and say everything is alright.

Would the police and the AG act against the PM? I don't think so. The rule of Bias in Malaysia always sides with the one in power.

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We will never be a First World Country cause our politicians are third world.

As we seek to be a First World Country, things must change and change is not something most people are willing to take. Change itself means moving out of the comfort zone and venturing into territory we have never explored. When Pakatan Rakyat won Penang, they embark on moves to change the style of governance and in a very gentlemen way, they brought in "enemies" to help govern. Something straight from Sun Tzu's classic thesis on the Art of War. If they are capable, bring them into your team.

Lim Guan Eng made a great step by announcing that he was now bringing in a former UMNO man into his team to help govern Penang. But this move has stirred a hornets nest among UMNO. It seems you can leave UMNO but UMNO will never leave you alone.

Sounds so much better in BM as Malaysiakini reports:

"Dia tidak membuat kerja tetapi sebaliknya mahu Umno berpecah-belah dan menimbulkan suasana tidak harmoni dalam kalangan penyokong dan ahli.

"Saya cabar, jika benar ada pemimpin Umno yang telah menyertai kerajaan negeri, Lim umumkan nama pemimpin tersebut untuk pengetahuan umum.

"Beliau tidak perlu bersembunyi atau merahsiakannya jika apa yang dicakapkan itu benar. Usah membuat orang ramai menjadi keliru," katanya kepada Malaysiakini hari ini.

Source: Malaysiakini

Why so "keliru" (confuse)? Whether or not Lim announce the name, UMNO will still go on the witch-hunt, UMNO will still play big bully. Tun Mahathir was right all along when he said that UMNO now practices a culture of shutting-up their own people, of repression and of denial.


This whole episode merely shows that UMNO is acting like an immature brat. If the tables were reverse, UMNO would say that it is a democratic country and people can choose who they want to serve. But this scenario is only true if they are joining UMNO. Leaving UMNO amounts to treason. A sin worst than insulting your parents. It seems to point to the fact that when you join UMNO, they own you.

Why can't Malaysia be governed by capable people regardless of party lines? Political parties merely parley ideals, convictions and ideological stands. It can be accepted or rejected by those that join them. And if people do reject such ideals then it is their choice. A political party should not enforce their ideals on people but rather they sell the idea. If people don't buy in, then they don't buy in. You cannot stomp around like a sulking bully, defeated at the playground by the spectacled neighborhood nerd.

Malaysia wants to be First Class, the Rakyat want to be First Class but our politics and politicians are playing Third Class. It's time we tell out politicians to simply GROW UP!

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Do not anger The King-makers please. UMNO don't get it

Semenanjung political parties especially big brother himself, UMNO don't get it. If you want to remain in power, do not anger your counterparts in Sabah and Sarawak. It is akin to shooting one's self in the foot, stomach and head at the same time. Yes, Sabah has UMNO but all Anwar needs to do is tell the Sabah MPs that they now have a chance to kick the invaders off their state and that is what UMNO is viewed as, an invader bent on plundering the riches of Sabah. Why do you think Sarawak has always made it clear that it is a no-UMNO-zone?

As reported on Malaysiakini:

Among others, a backbencher tells his counterparts from Sabah and Sarawak to stop complaining over their lack of representation in the cabinet.

Source: Malaysiakini

So when you go about telling The King-makers to keep quiet, you will in turn be silenced.

Semenanjung politics has always been a pandora box to most Sarawakians. What happens in Semenanjung, stays in Semenanjung and people here are laid back and enjoy living life as it is. We are not bothered by the issues that seem to divide the communities in Semenanjung. It is when Semenanjung-nites come trooping over here and they start enforcing their belief systems, that Sarawakians are irked.

Is it wrong for Sabah and Sarawak to ask for more representation in cabinet? Or will BN come cowering to Sabah and Sarawak for support each time an election comes round the corner, only to short-change them later?

UMNO thinks they can push their weight about since they are so big but they fail to realized that such pompous attitudes do not go down well with simple Sabahans and Sarawakians. To have UMNO in Sarawak would only mean chaos and in-stability because UMNO's only looks out for itself and only itself.

In Sarawak, there are at least 27 ethnic groups - all Bumiputras. While in UMNO's mind, there is only one (1) Bumiputra. So do you seriously think, they will be fair to all? If UMNO is smart, keep Sarawak and Sabah happy besides the other Semenanjung BN component parties were wiped out during the GE.

UMNO needs to build allies not enemies.

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No power to persecute - Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) a farce

Were we really overjoyed when we heard that an independent Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) would be setup? Well, promises have been made before (4 years ago) and the MCAC will go down as just another farce of a promise.

Malaysiakini reports:

The government has no plans to give the soon-to-be established independent Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) any prosecution powers, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Source: Malaysiakini

No persecuting power? Decision to persecute rest with the Attorney General (AG) and we all know where the AG goes to be correct, correct, correct. So is the commission independent?


When the announcement was made that the MCAC would be put in place, it was mentioned that it would be modeled after the Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Well, MCAC fell short...really short. ICAC answers only to the Governor of Hong Kong while MCAC answers to two (2) committees for advice on what to do next and the AG to persecute people.

So in truth MCAC is powerless. It's just a lame commission making arguments that would just be buried under paperwork.

Katanya, mengikut struktur baru suruhanjaya itu, sebuah Lembaga Penasihat Bebas Pencegahan Rasuah serta Jawatankuasa Parlimen Mengenai Pencegahan Rasuah, akan diwujudkan.

Anggota Lembaga Penasihat Bebas Pencegahan Rasuah, tambahnya, akan dimaklumkan oleh pihak suruhanjaya mengenai kes-kes rasuah yang melibatkan kepentingan umum bagi membolehkan lembaga memantau dan membuat pertanyaan serta memberi syor untuk tindakan lanjut mengenai kes-kes tersebut.

Source: Malaysiakini

So what is the point? Yes, an independent commission was setup but only in word but not in form. Where then would the fight against corruption lead to? We'd be stuck in a perpetual cycle where something is done yet nothing accomplished. This is a sad moment for Malaysia, really sad and you know something? It's the same in practically every other thing.

I agree with Royal professor Dr Ungku Abdul Aziz who said that there is no such thing as a social contract in Malaysia.

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Why can't the BN-government trust Malaysians?

UPDATE: RPK released at 9.30 am this morning.

It seems the police force is the silver bullet to solve all your problems. They "arrest" bloggers who light candles, use military grade C4, ransacking houses for computers and blog postings and (if needed be) give you the occasional black eye.

Malaysiakini reports:

Two police reports have been lodged against Bukit Gelugor DAP MP Karpal Singh over his alleged seditious remark against the Sultan of Perak.

Source: Malaysiakini

Folks, the PM mentioned the people were angry at Karpal Singh for what he said, it was the people's prompting that made him ask his UMNO rep to lodge a police report and on MSM we see pro-UMNO dudes lining up at the police station to lodge their reports. PM say its the people' will to see Karpal Singh in police custody for speaking words bordering on "seditious".

But are we really angry or is it just a select few (trying to win points with the rakyat) that are trumpeting a storm in a teacup?

Who took away the power from the sultans? Who help erase Malaysian history and rewrote history as we know it? Who can say one thing, forget and say another thing later on?

It sickens me that UMNO is now telling people that it is the shield that protects the Sultans when in the 1980s, under Tun Mahathir, it was UMNO who weaken the Sultans of their powers. Shame on you!

Now, UMNO is using the police to send various ones to jail under an act that is was written in 1948. Plus, UMNO is so full of themselves that they are claiming a hell lot of things.

Mengenai isu Raja Petra pula, Abdullah berkata: "Kalau dah langgar undang-undang tentu ada tindakan terhadap Raja Petra. Setelah ada aduan, tentulah tindakan diambil.

"Kita ada undang-undang dan mesti menghormati undang-undang. (Bila) melanggar undang-undang, tentu tindakan diambil terhadap orang itu," tambahnya.

Source: Malaysiakini

The term "breaking the law" is such an easy term to throw at people. Did RPK or Karpal Singh break the law? Remember, their remarks were deemed "seditious" and they can only be "seditious" unless proven in a court of law. So by pure logic, RPK and Karpal Singh are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. But the way it is being played out to us is that they are guilty and getting them to court is for mere formality sake, it is played to us that the rakyat has found these two guilty and we (the rakyat) told the police to arrest them.

Why wasn't a police report made when Keris-Man kissed the keris? Why weren't those Terengganu UMNO MPs arrested for insulting the Sultan of Terengganu who happens to be the Agong? Why weren't some MPs arrested for calling portions of the rakyat monkeys, goblok, prostitutes and the like? Are not all these things, "seditious" in nature, a manner that can incite anger among the populace and could spark tension among the various communities in Malaysia?

The police will argue, we do not arrest anyone unless told by the AG office. But the AG offic sides with the current government and the current government is an UMNO government. Wouldn't that make you (the police) the enforcement arm of the ruling UMNO lead government?

Why can't this government just trust it's people? The more you repress the people, the more the people would speak out. Why not allow people the freedom to express themselves without fear of reprisals?

TRUST is earned and frankly speaking I am beginning to lose trust in this government. What is the point of government, if those in office only look out for themselves? Do I freaking care about all the childish arguments they have in parliament? Argue all you want, fix the leaking roof cause seriously I think everyone is leaking brain fluid.

What I want to know is, will I have enough to survive till next year? Would my children be able to afford living in Malaysia? Would my children's safety be guaranteed when they have families with the crime rate rising in tandem with oil prices? Will my children have equal opportunities to pursue their dreams? Can I sleep in peace knowing the my voice is respected by the government even when I speak ill of them? 

Do I have the luxury to know that the government is mature enough to take criticism in the face and to prove us wrong not by putting us in prison or shutting us up but by advancing this beautiful nation forward?

Stop policing us and start trusting us because what is the point of democracy when you do not trust the people; not only when they say good but also when they say bad. Stop trying to talk for us, you do not know our thoughts. Stop second guessing what you think is best for us, we also want a say in matters. What is good for Semenanjung Malaysia may not be good for Sabah and Sarawak. Don't scam us by thinking we will buy into your ideas without first saying something about it. I'm really sick of people showcasing themselves as being superior yet forgetting that for Malaysia to be Malaysia it takes three entities - Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.

Hitler was head of the Nazi party and they eventually took control of everything that was German pre-WWW2. The Nazi party became the Nazi army, police and the identity of Germany. They propagated the idea of a supreme Aryan race and it was their role to wipe out all other inferior race and eventually govern the world. A political entity took on a military role and policing role and brought about one of the most darkest moments in human history.

Sounds familiar?

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Who wants to be the Next Malaysian Jail-Bird?

Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) still refuses to meet visitors as reported by Malaysiakini :

Malaysia Today webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin - presently in jail for refusing to pay bail - has cut off all contact with the outside world including his own wife, Marina Lee Abdullah.

Source: Malaysiakini

Some have coined RPK as the Malaysian Mahatma Gandhi; there are similarities in their stance towards injustice and this is an admirable title to give RPK but I think he rather be known as RPK - the Malaysian.

Who's next on the list of people most likely to be sent to jail?

No, these are not celebrities who want to do a Paris Hilton stint. This is the government going on a witch-hunt, flaunting the Sedition Act in our faces and they are doing this using tax-payers money. And folks, tax-payers money is going to this form of idiotic debate in parliament as reported by Malaysiakini:

Seorang ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BN) hari ini mencadangkan agar kerajaan mengemukakan usul di Dewan Rakyat bagi membincangkan tindakan Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) mempertikaikan titah Yang di-Pertuan Agong semasa perasmian persidangan parlimen minggu lalu.

Source: Malaysiakini

Oil prices hit another high yesterday, USD122 per barrel; the world is heading towards a food crisis and this means higher cost of living across the world and in Malaysia we're worried about text for speeches. What the HELL is wrong with these people?

I'm worried about putting food on the table and seeing my kids getting a decent education and all these so called YBs are arguing over a comment on a speech? Is everything about winning points? Have these fellas in the August house taken time to listen to what the people are saying? Heck, the opening speech went over my head and what really bothers me is that these fellas have taken a cicak of an issue and turned it into Godzilla.

Get on with the business of running this country!

And while we're at it, where are the reforms to the judiciary? Where are the reforms to the police force? Where are the reforms to the ACA? Or has the Sleepy One forgotten what he said ? Or is he more worried about C4-Man in the background waiting to pounce on him. Wait, C4-Man just took on the RPK and C4-Man is too busy working on his next pet project - a prison themed version of National Service. You even get a cute uniform thrown in for free at the cost of the tax-payers and the criteria for entry is Speaking Too Loudly Against the Current Government.

Don't you just love this country?

We put people into prison for the fun of it and its all paid for with tax-payers money. RPK is sitting in prison for something he believes in and what saddens me is that I may have paid for that. My money went to the joke of a judiciary that put RPK in Sungai Buloh. My money is being used by this government to send bloggers, journalists, social activist, politicians and innocent citizens to prison under such acts as the Sedition Act and ISA.

My tax-money is being used to support people in government who blatantly lie to people (even ink is not spared), used it for personal overseas trips, pay for so-called-nation-building-projects that benefit an elite few (not to mention some submarines) and the abuse of the law to cover up miss-deeds by the ruling elite.

So is it seditious if I get your blood boiling when you read what I have to say on this blog? If that is so then I am next in line for our greatest reality show to date: Who wants to be the Next Malaysian Jail-Bird?

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The Politics of Silence - kill the messengers

Raja Petra Kamaruddin has chosen to remain silent in a literal sense. He refuses to see anyone and has not been in contact with his wife, family or friends. As reported by Malaysiakini:

Malaysia Today webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin - presently in jail for refusing to pay bail - has refused to have any contact with anyone including his own wife, Marina Lee Abdullah.

Source: Malaysiakini

RPK's choice has to be respected. If it really his choice that he wants to remain in prison until the trial date in October, then we should respect that choice. History records that passive resistance brought independence to the nation of India and it was through the sheer effort of one man - Mahatma Gandhi.

Both Mahatma Gandhi and RPK are messengers and in both cases the empire tried or is trying to break their resolve.

In fact, I believe it is safer for RPK to remain where he is. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see him release but then in the free world of Malaysia, anything can happen. So by being in prison, if anything happens; the blame is totally on the authorities. RPK is smart and I believe he would have thought of this, besides it carries his message across loud and clear. He will allow the courts to take it course and not try to side-step or twist it to meet his needs.

Let the courts decide and no matter what the outcome; Najib looks bad.

Even if Najib takes over from Pak Lah, he does so with the image of RPK hanging over him. What a way to start your term as PM, when the people are just waiting to push you out.

It seems Najib has step on another blogger's toes namely Tun Mahathir. In a press conference, Tun mentioned that right after the 12th GE, he asked to see Najib to discuss matter concerning the election. Najib promptly replied that he had to ask permission from Pak Lah. Obviously, permission was not given as Najib never met up with Tun Mahathir.

Here is what Tun Mahathir had to say about UMNO:

"Parti apakah ini? Anda tidak dibenar mendengar dari satu sumber. Saya fikir ia kerana kekalahan dalam pilihanraya lalu. Rakyat tidak dibenar bercakap dan pucuk pimpinan tidak tahu apa yang difikirkan oleh rakyat," katanya.

Source: Malaysiakini

So now Najib is helmed in from both fronts, the people of Malaysia and from Tun Mahathir. If Tun Mahathir decides to extend his criticism of the establishment to include Najib, fireworks are in store. Would Tun Mahathir be told or made to shut-up?

The old tactic of Silencing the messenger clearly did not work here. The more this government tries to suppress the voice of the people, the more they move towards imploding. As they strive to shut-up their critics, the closer the noose of their demise tightens until they have no-one else to shoot but themselves.

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Big Brother sent Innocent Man to jail

Good old Uncle Kit raise up the issue of Raja Petra Kamaruddin's detention for sedition yesterday in parliament and his remarks were aimed at Najib Tun Razak (DPM) and his wife Rosmah (WDPM) and their use of the police force to do their bidding.

Opps! Will I be charge for sedition if I mention their names on my blog?

Malaysiakini reports:

Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), ketika membahaskan titah diraja, mengkritik timbalan perdana menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak dan isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor yang didakwanya "telah menyalahguna undang-undang" menyebabkan Raja Petra dituduh menghasut.

Source: Malaysiakini

In fact let's all try an experiment. Let's all blog about the Altantuya case (which is still ongoing) and put up our ideas on what the hell is going on with the case. I'm sure we can help the courts in their deliberations into the case that has now turned into a circus of sorts.

Better still, according to the sedition act even reproduction or possession of the seditious material is also libel for persecution:

Offences
4. (1) Any person who—
(a) does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do,
or conspires with any person to do, any act which has
or which would, if done, have a seditious tendency;
(b) utters any seditious words;
(c) prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or
reproduces any seditious publication; or
(d) imports any seditious publication,

Source: Act 15 : SEDITION ACT 1948

I've downloaded RPK's article in PDF format and it's just sitting there on my desktop, so I'm now prime to be a criminal. Now, what if I forwarded this PDF to 10 friends who then forward it to another 10 friends and it goes on and on. So in the end a gizzillion Malaysian will be in lockup because we're seditious in nature.

RPK was bold in his stand and it sent a message to the current government that you don't mess with the current Malaysian, you don't mess with bloggers. I am sure no-one figured that RPK would turn down bail but then he already made known his intentions early on in his article "What is Islam?". RPK made it clear that he was willing to sit in jail, if only to prove that injustice had be brought about by the DPM and WDPM. RPK's intention all along was to sit in jail, to claim trial and to show the establishment the strength of the people.

In fact, DPM had shot himself in the foot. He has tighten the noose around his own neck by giving RPK the chance to stand trial. No-doubt, I am sure some advisors in UMNO are up in arms at this stupid turn of events which at first seemed in their favor but now has become a flash point. DPM and WDPM has opened a can of worms and I believe it has spelled doom for him.

Would you really want a DPM who on a whim would send people to jail on sedition charges? Read the sedition act and you would see what I mean. The act is so broad that it could be interpreted in so many ways. I'm not a lawyer but I believe DPM would have had a better chance at getting RPK on a civil suit - Saman Malu or whatever. Instead, DPM invokes an act that states, one should not issue seditious statements against the government of the day.

So DPM and WDPM are the government of the day?

I would not want to entrust this nation into the hands of a man who chooses to put his opponents into jail for merely speaking up against him, neither do I want to have a government that lies to, harass and abuse it's citizens for merely speaking their minds.

Bloggers, remember the 6th of May, remember it well. Remember it as the day an innocent man was sent to prison for speaking his mind and remember it as the day, we all stand united to fight a battle. RPK has sounded the call, are you willing to make a stand?

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Raja Petra Kamaruddin chooses jail rather than bail

He's the Man!  Photo @ Malaysiakini

Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) chooses to go to jail rather than post bail. Malaysiakini reports that RPK forgo the chance to walk away if post RM5,000, instead he is sitting it out at Sungai Buloh jail.

Malaysia Today news portal webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin was today charged with sedition at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court over an article which he wrote in his website.

Source: Malaysiakini

Join the SAVE RAJA PETRA CAMPAIGN, it only takes RM1 to make our stand against this injustice.

For fellow bloggers get your copy of the SEDITION ACT 1948; read through it and see what is being used against RPK. This is an act that was put into place by our colonial fore-fathers (the British) in 1948 to stop any seditious statements against the government of the day and it is still in place, used and abused by the present government.

It is time that bloggers and concern citizens alike demand justice for an innocent man is sitting in a jail-cell defending for highlighting an injustice done to a foreigner on Malaysian soil. He is shouldering the cause to see that Altantuya would not be forgotten nor forsaken the justice that is due to her.

And reading through the Act, I am wondering whether any of the pro-gomen bloggers would be hauled up? Cause reading in between the lines, any blogger that comments against the present government is liable to be hauled up for sedition.

So we may harp for freedom of speech but are we truly free to speak?

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Raja Petra Kamaruddin - the People's Hero

Malaysiakini reports that Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK) has been ordered to be in court at 9.30am today, most likely to answer charges for sedition.

Malaysiakini reports:

Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the webmaster of news portal Malaysia Today, will be charged tomorrow for sedition at the Magistrates' Court in the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta.

Source: Malaysiakini

And in Bahasa Malaysia:

Raja Petra Kamaruddin, pengendali blog Malaysia Today, akan dihadapkan di Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Lumpur di Jalan Duta esok atas tuduhan menghasut.

"Saya telah diarahkan supaya menyerah diri di Mahkamah Majistret Jalan Duta pada jam 9.30 pagi esok...untuk diakwa atas tuduhan menghasut," katanya malam ini.

Source: Malaysiakini

RPK was not surprise by this, in fact he expected this all along as indicated by his postings on his blog - Malaysia-Today in his posting "What is Islam?".


For those who have not been following the series of events, RPK agitated some higher-uppers when he posted the article, "LET’S SEND THE ALTANTUYA MURDERERS TO HELL" in which he implicated the DPM - Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah with in the murder of Altantuya, which we all know is still on-going. Najib and wife quickly presented their rebuttals that RPK reproduced on his website along with his reply to Najib's press statement.

Then RPK was called up for questioning where he refused to give his statement and thus leading to him being called up to appear in court this morning. So RPK, the most influential Malaysian blogger, will most likely be charged with sedition.

The world is watching for this could be the turning of the tide for Malaysia. Najib the heir apparent will have to face off with RPK and finally be force to break silence on the Altantuya issue which has been a torn in his side since the day his name was mentioned in court.

Un-knowingly or knowingly, RPK has brought this case back into the public radar and finally justice will be served; not behind a closed curtain but in public view. The atmosphere is primed for this event to happen, with the public's eye on the everything the Pak Lah administration is doing, this could be the final nail in the coffin for BN.

RPK will serve time because the powers-that-be have been trying so hard in vain to shut him up but very much like Anwar Ibrahim, RPK sacrifice will install him as a folk-hero. The People's Hero and mind you, RPK has a silent following among Malaysian's netizens (myself included).

So fellow Malaysians, if you love this country; let's throw our support behind RPK. Let's show this current establishment that the People of Malaysia not only speak during the elections but at all times when the need arises. The People would not let their voice be left unheard, The People will make their thoughts be heard and seen.

I will be following this closely for RPK is more than just a blogger, he's the People's Hero.

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Press Freedom or a free press?

Abolish Laws for Press Freedom screams the headlines on a Malaysiakini report. But what do we really want? Press Freedom or a Free Press?

Even with abolishment of press laws would our journalists truly be free to report on happenings in Malaysia? Or would we see more journalists being detained under the Sedition Act or ISA? In other countries, journalists have been murdered for speaking out against their governments or some just simply disappear.

Are we willing to pay the price for a free press?

The Star carried a report on the proceedings in Parliament where the Speaker gave a 10 minute lecture on "how to conduct oneself in parliament" and then the MSM goes on to report on what transpired. Out of the five (5) sub-headings only one (1) was by the opposition. So the other four (4) was devoted to the current government. Now, some have argued that MSM is bias and un-willing to give airtime or reporting space to the opposition and the MSM will reply, "But we do". Right they do, one out of four is not zero.

So even if we abolish the draconic laws governing the press, we may never be able to unshackled the journalist to freely report what they see and hear. Instead, what needs to be done is the separation of governmental involvement in the media. Allow the media to roam free, a commercial body that should not be tainted by the tentacles of the government. Better still, if the MSM is truly "mesra rakyat", sell your shares to the rakyat at low prices so everyone can own a piece of the media. The media can truly be the mouth-piece of the people.

Is this a far-fetch idea? I believe it is do-able as long as the government is willing to allow it. But would they? That would be something to watch as the people place more and more demands on the government to reform and beef up it's act. Let's keep out fingers cross.

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Anwar makes TIMES 100 and MCA launches Anwar smear campaign.

Anwar Ibrahim made the TIMES 100 Most Influential People list, coming in a respectable 85 overall and number 9 on the Leaders and Revolutionaries section. Not bad when you consider the fact that in his home country he is demonize by those from the ruling government. Here's a report by Malaysiakini:

Penasihat PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dinobatkan sebagai seorang daripada 100 tokoh paling berpengaruh di dunia oleh sebuah majalah terkenal.

Keputusan itu dibuat berdasarkan undian secara dalam talian majalah mingguan antarabangsa Time.

Tokoh-tokoh tersebut dibahagikan dalam lima kategori: pemimpin dan revolusioner, hero dan perintis, ahli sains dan pemikir, seniman dan penghibur, serta jurubina dan titan.

Seratus tokoh paling berpengaruh dipilih daripada 207 tokoh yang dicalonkan.

Dalam majalah itu, Anwar digambarkan sebagai pemimpin Islam yang memperjuangkan sikap toleransi, demokrasi dan hak-hak asasi manusia.

Source: Malaysiakini

MCA obviously did not read the TIMES otherwise they wouldn't have so much to say to the people of Penang about Anwar.



MCA had this to say as reported by their own main stream media newspaper:

The Chinese community has been advised not to be hoodwinked by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s promises.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said Anwar had caused “severe” damage to the community through his many unfair policies when he was Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister.

“He was responsible for putting non-Chinese educated administrators in Chinese schools and he was also against relocating Chinese schools or increasing the number of Chinese schools,” he said at a luncheon with state MCA committee members yesterday.

Source: The Star

So when Anwar Ibrahim was Deputy Prime Minister and Education MInister and member of UMNO and he put in all the unjust policies above, what did MCA do about it? Did MCA speak up against Anwar Ibrahim at that time? Remember Anwar Ibrahim at that time was part of the ruling government and whatever changes he made was not a change by a person but rather by the government of the day. So for MCA to cry over spilled milk now is really something close to stupid.

Yes, they were "unfair policies" but what was even unfair was that these policies were supported by the BN government at that time, of which MCA was part of it. So did MCA speak up for the Chinese community? Did MCA send a strong message to the then Deputy Prime Minister that the Chinese community was unhappy?

Looking at all this, it is fair to say MCA is a lost cause. Attempting to be the voice of the Chinese people now is akin to saying the Titanic is not sinking even when you are waist deep in water. The damage has been done and MCA should just keep quiet and work at building the trust of the Chinese community. It will take years to right the wrong so MCA better start working now and please stop the smear campaign against Anwar Ibrahim. By demonizing Anwar Ibrahim, you are merely making the rakyat angrier towards you. Why strike against a popular figure-head when you are at your most unpopular state? Pure stupidity if you ask me.

It merely shows the weaken state of the BN government when component parties are now speaking up against their own bed-fellows. It's time MCA take a bow and keep quiet.

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A Free Press says MCA...a call too late?

Why MCA waited this long to make a stand on press freedom? I am a bit skeptical such statements would carry weight. Malaysiakini reported that Datuk Ong Ka Ting called for doing away of yearly press permit renewals for printed media.

Katanya, MCA menyokong cadangan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar untuk menyemak semula peruntukan membaharui permit akhbar setiap tahun

Ong berkata, undang-undang yang ada sudah mencukupi untuk mengawalselia media cetak.

Oleh itu, katanya, langkah menyemak semula keperluan membaharui permit setiap tahun, pastinya mencerminkan komitmen kerajaan terhadap kebebasan akhbar di negara ini.

Source: Malaysiakini

Would it make any difference? It merely means that newspapers would not have to comply to government guidelines in order to win approval to print but the majority holders of main stream media are still government linked.

Take The Star newspaper which MCA owns. Regardless, whether the permits are done away with, the paper will still be very pro-government. In fact, doing away with the permit will allow it to operate longer without having to comply to their Big Brother watcher - UMNO.

But not all is negative, by doing away with permits, we can see more independent papers emerge. Then it will be the survival of the fittest from then on and hopefully the news reporting would be more open and transparent. I believe Malaysians are ready for this and we won't know, if we don't give it a try.

Would this be a reality? Let's wait and see but having a free press could come at the sacrifice of something else. It could mean the government will hold on to the use of ISA, only this time it may extend to people who are deemed seditious.

Cheers!

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RESULTS: WOULD YOU WANT ANWAR IBRAHIM TO BE PM OF MALAYSIA WITHIN 3 YEARS?

Total respondence: 344

YES : 279 (81%)

NO : 45 (13%)

I DON'T REALLY CARE : 20 (5%)

CONCLUSION : A resounding "YES" for Anwar Ibrahim to take over as PM within the next three (3) years. 

Thanks for taking part.

Type rest of the post here

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Yea! Tun Mahathir, blogger elite!

Malaysiakini carried the report that Tun Mahathir has launch his own blog "Dr. Mahathir Mohamad" (www.chedet.com) and what does his first posting talk about? The Appointment of Judges.

"Adakah suruhanjaya ini akan melantik sendiri hakim-hakim atau adakah ia hanya mencadangkan nama-nama untuk persetujuan PM, atau adakah suruhanjaya itu mencadangkan (nama-nama) terus kepada (Yang di-Pertuan) Agong supaya baginda dapat menggunakan kuasa istimewanya (melantik hakim)?" katanya.

"Atau perlukah Agong menunggu perkenan Majlis Raja-raja Melayu? Atau Majlis Raja-raja hanya memberi nasihat seperti amalan sekarang?

"Atau Raja-raja berhak menolak calon (hakim), dan meminta calon-calon baru atau menamakan calon baru yang menjadi pilihan mereka?"

Source: Malaysiakini

So will we see Pak Lah starting his own blog?

It's truly amazing that a year ago, bloggers were rebels with a cause. We were misfits, demonized in main-stream-media, called liars, goblok by one senior politician and threaten with all sorts of funny rules like registration of blogs and even censorship. What a world of difference one general election can bring about.

Now, having a blog is the in-thing among politicians. It cool to have a blog. It looks great to have it imprinted on your name-card and probably a great thing to brag about. Folks, lets see how long this will last because starting a blog and keeping it fresh are two different things.

Honestly, I think Tun M will have the perseverance to keep his blog fresh and updated because he has a willing audience and enough stories to tell us. Furthermore, he doesn't have to comply to anyone's whims. He is free to speak whatever he wants and he will get away with it. 

Take the other big-wigs, MM Taib, Ali Rustam or Khir Toyo. Yes, they can blog but can they keep it up since whatever they post would receive equal amount of flames from party members and party critics. Do they command enough credibility to survive the backlash from their own postings? I don't think they will survive as long as Tun M would. There's just so much love that can be passed around and I think a lot of it would go Tun M's way. Besides that, Tun M has enough spunk to argue in your face about what he posts. That alone will make interesting reading.

I had my fair share of flames, I've been called a m*****f*****, my father's been called a dog and some angry racist dude keeps hogging my comments and all that within this month alone. I have been cautioned on allowing these comments to appear as they are on this blog but I believe that to each their own. We are all responsible for our words and eventually we all have to answer to a higher power.

So I welcome Tun M into the circle of Malaysian bloggers, I've been blogging since 2003 and it is great to see such an influential figure in the Malaysian blogging scene. Besides RPK, Tun M is now that blogger to watch. 

It'll be great to see the two of them talk about freedom of speech or the relevance of new media in nation building. For once, I think the two would have a lot to agree on.

Cheers!

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