The Malay Sacred Cow Syndrome

Yes, sentiments and emotions are a difficult foe to fight. Dr Mahathir realised this and said so. And even Dr Mahathir found no solution. And sentiments and emotions are really not too difficult to play up.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Highlight communist atrocities via the media

I refer to “CPM violence not stressed ” (The Star, May 29) in which the Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim is of the view that our history books should have more information on the atrocities committed by the communists.

I do not think that we need to rewrite or add to the history books just to diffuse the current ripples created by Chin Peng’s attempt to come back to Malaysia.

This attempt is a one-off incident that is bound to fade away soon, so it does not justify adding more pages to history lessons in schools.

History is an interpretation of events and it is best to keep it as objective as possible.

To load it with details of atrocities would just add emotions at the expense of objectivity.

No matter how much information we give within the limited texts of history books, we would not be able to depict the actual scenario of human sufferings.

If the Government wishes to remind the people of the troubled times, it should continue to use the media to disseminate information of the events that took place during the Emergency.

Replaying movies like Bukit Kepong may serve its purpose. Teachers should encourage students to do supplementary reading on this subject.

I am one of those who did not learn much from history lessons. Yet I formed an opinion looking through the Internet and reading some interesting books by retired police officers and others like The War of the Running Dogs: the Malayan Emergency 1948-1960 by Noel Barber.

It was these sources that gave me a better picture of the atrocities committed and how people suffered when the whole country lived in constant fear for more than 12 years of the Emergency.

About 3,000 civilians and an equal number of soldiers and policemen from the Commonwealth and Malaya died fighting the communists.

It needed a massive conventional and psychological warfare with the cooperation of all people to bring peace to the nation.

The terror by sabotage, murder and destruction of infrastructure caused by about 12,000 communists united the people and made them take a common stand against them.

It was a time when people of all races joined the security services like the Home Guards, with the Orang Asli becoming trackers or members of Senoi Prak, and resisted an enemy who was disrupting their normal lives.

The sources also provide interesting accounts of valiant Chinese Special Branch officers who risked their lives by infiltrating communist platoons, and winning over the communists or eliminating them.

It was also said that the communist’s second-in-command was an undercover Special Branch officer. The Malayan Special Branch was rated as the best in the world.

These interesting accounts cannot be narrated within the space of school history books.

KAY ARR
George Town.
The Star, 3 June 2009

*************************************************

Arguing that Chin Peng should not be allowed to return to Malaysia because of the CTs atrocities during the 12 years Emergency from 1948 to 1960 could be considered a valid reason to some but not to all. Granted, a couple of thousand died at the hands of the CPM. But so did many innocent Malayans, in particular Chinese, at the hands of the security forces.

Okay, now some will argue that the CPM killed more people while the security forces killed less. Maybe 10% of those thousands that the security forces killed were innocent victims. This means 90% killed were real terrorists. So 9 out of 10 is not too bad a score.

So we are talking about statistics are we? 3% of fatal traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers. This means 97% of fatal traffic accidents are caused by those who don’t drink and drive. Does this mean we should ban those who don’t drink from driving? That would certainly bring the number of fatal traffic accidents down by 97%.

Statistics can be misleading if applied merely to support a weak argument.

So 2,500 civilians died during the Emergency, the majority at the hands of the CPM and only some at the hands of the security forces who suspected them to be supporters or sympathisers of the CPM. Another 2,500 security forces personnel lost their lives fighting the CPM. In that same period 7,000 CTs were killed. I was told by friends who were then in the army that quite a number of the CTs were killed in cold blood. This means they had surrendered or had laid down their arms but they were still killed nevertheless.

We are talking about the late 1940s to the late 1950s, around the time of Merdeka. At that time everyone seemed to be killing everyone. It was the era of commotion and strife during the aftermath of the Second World War.

I am not saying that what the CPM did was right. I am not even saying that they were more victimised because they lost three times the number of people compared to the security forces. This is not about a numbers game. But to use atrocities and number of people killed to penalise one side would be a weak argument when both sides suffered loses and not always under kosher circumstances.

There was a war going on in Malaysia at that time. Okay, it could have been a terrorist group against a legitimate government of a country. So that makes one side legal and the other illegal. And in this case the CPM were the illegal group.

But they are only illegal because they lost the war. If the ‘terrorist’ group had won like in Iran, Vietnam, China, Russia, and many other countries where the ‘legitimate’ government had been replaced through a revolution, then Chin Peng would not be seen as the terrorist but as the freedom fighter who freed this country from Western Imperialism and their puppet government, Umno.

Chin Peng, for all intents and purposes, is a victim of history. And the victors, not the vanquished, write history. If the CPM had won then history would have been rewritten. Therefore, maybe Chin Peng has no choice but to accept the fact that he lost and Umno won. And there is nothing much he can do about that. This is not about being fair or otherwise. It is about who calls the shots in the country. And currently Umno calls the shots.

If you want to scream about fair and unfair, is what the media doing to the Kelantan Regent fair? Yes, we have heard from his extremely pretty wife about what happened. And we certainly give that lovely woman the benefit of the doubt. There are no two ways about it. The son of the Kelantan Sultan is the villain in this marital dispute.

If Aminah Abdullah, the ex-PKR Wanita Penang chief who recently contested as an independent candidate in the Penanti by-election, had told this story we would not have believed her. This is not only because she is not pretty and looks like a drag queen (in fact, I have seen nicer-looking Lady Boys), but also because she is anti-opposition and perceived to be a proxy of Umno. Even when she produces tape recordings to support her allegation we still reject it. We prefer to trust the PKR people even if they offer no evidence to support what they say whereas Aminah does.

I too have not been spared this. When I whack the opposition I too have sold out, am now speaking like Umno, say what I say because I also am related to the royal family, and whatnot. In short, either I say what the opposition supporters like to hear or I should shut the hell up. Agreeing with what the government or Umno says or does will attract all sorts of retaliation including being called a bastard.

When it comes to the opposition, anything they say is the gospel. They need not prove anything. The benefit of the doubt is given to them. The government is lying. Anything the other side says is a lie. So the Kelantan Regent is guilty because he happens to be the son of the Sultan and for no other reason. We do not even want to hear his side of the story. What that lovely creature said must be true. She is so lovely what she says must just be true.

Even in the old Wild West they say: let’s give him a fair trial first, then let’s hang him from the highest tree.

I wonder what you are now going to say about the RM1.1 billion Agong’s palace under construction. The current Agong is the Sultan of Terengganu. Did Tuanku order that palace built? Would Tuanku even be living in that palace? Is Tuanku pleased with that new palace or does he think it is a total waste of money? Who knows! Who cares! Certainly the Agong must be guilty of wasting the taxpayers’ money. And RPK is defending the Agong because he is related to the royal family. This and only this is the reason. There can be no other reason.

I wonder whether this Chin Peng and Royalty thing is a well-planned strategy by Umno. I would certainly not be surprised. And I am even less surprised that many Malaysians, in particular the Chinese and Indians, have fallen into Umno’s trap.

You see, as Tun Dr Mahathir said, the Malays are a sentimental and emotional lot. They still cry when watching old P. Ramlee movies even when they have seen this same movie dozens of times over the last 30 or 40 years. Malays are sentimental and emotional about their religion, language and Raja-raja Melayu. Just suggest that Islam be removed as the official religion of this country or Malay as the official language or suggest we abolish the Monarchy in favour of a Republic and watch how the Malays would react.

Yes, Musa Hitam and Ghafar Baba have said it many times before. Umno needs Malay support if it wants to remain in power. Umno can’t depend on the Chinese and Indians. But in 2008 Umno lost the support of the Malays. And since then Umno has been holding many brainstorming sessions to explore how to win back Malay support.

This strategy was tested recently in Penanti. Umno did not contest the by-election and told the Malays to not come out to vote. Less than half the voters voted, the lowest in Malaysian election history.

So now Umno knows the Malays still listen to what it says. The next step would be to prove to the Malays they are under threat. The enemies of the Malays want Chin Peng back in the country. The enemies of the Malays want to oust the Rulers from the throne and turn this country into a republic like what they did in China. The enemy of the Malays want to undermine Islam. They even want the word Allah to be used in the Bible so that they can mislead Muslims and get them to convert to Christianity. The enemy of the Malays want their own Chinese and Indian schools because they resent being taught in Bahasa Melayu, the National Language.

Actually all this is bullshit and you and I know that. But my worry is not about you and me. My worry is about the Malays such as those voters in Penanti who still listen to Umno and believe what Umno says. How do we convince these Malays that the Chinese and Indians are not the enemy, instead Umno is the enemy, when Umno appears to be doing and saying the right things and we appear to be doing the opposite?

Yes, sentiments and emotions are a difficult foe to fight. Dr Mahathir realised this and said so. And even Dr Mahathir found no solution. And sentiments and emotions are really not too difficult to play up. When it comes to Malays, religion, language and Kedaulatan Melayu are all it takes. These are the Malay Sacred Cows. And we all know that Sacred Cows are……well…. Sacred Cows. And you do not touch Sacred Cows.

Sigh…..Umno is not playing fair. They are playing sentiments and emotions. But then all is fair in love and war is it not? Whoever said one must play by the rules?

Closet racists in Malaysia Today

Hey, it’s not about saving money. If we abolish the Monarchy it will not be so that we can save a few million Ringgit. The English call this penny wise, pound foolish -- which describes what most Malaysians are.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There are some who love to post comments such as the Monarchy should be abolished because it costs a lot of money to maintain a Monarchy and if it is abolished then the country can save a lot of money. I detect from their IDs and e-mails that many of these people are Chinese. These people know who they are so I need not mention their IDs here.

This shows how narrow-minded these people are. They probably have very small brains. Furthermore, these people are actually closet racists. They oppose the Monarchy because it is seen as a symbol of Kedaulatan Melayu and by abolishing the Monarchy you would also be rid of Kedaulatan Melayu. It is better that these Chinese come right out and honestly admit that they are anti-Malay.

Racism is not confined to Umno or Utusan Malaysia. Trust me, there are as many Indian and Chinese racists as there are Malays. There is no monopoly for slime-balls and scumbags. You find them in all races. And rest assured there are as many Indian and Chinese slime-balls and scumbags as there are Malays.

If you want to propose that the Monarchy be abolished for one reason or another then it is an argument worth listening to. But to say that we should abolish the Monarchy so that the country can save money is bullshit. And in spite of me replying to this so many times in the past these small-minded people still make the same comment.

Next year I will be 60. For almost 40 years I have been buying insurance. I have life insurance, personal accident insurance, fire insurance, car insurance -- you name it, I have it. Now, isn’t that a waste of money? I have never yet needed to claim against any of my insurance policies.

I think we should abolish insurance and save billions each year, more than what we spend to maintain the Monarchy.

I find that the Malaysian police force is very corrupted. Most times the police are in partnership with the criminals and actually aid rather than combat crime. And we spend billions each year on a police force that commit more crimes than criminals themselves.

I think we should abolish the police force, as well as the need to apply for a licence before buying a gun -- which in most cases we would not get anyway unless we bribe the Chief of Police a hefty sum of money. Then we can all buy guns like in the old Wild West and we will be able to look after our own safety. If anyone tries anything we just shoot them dead. Imagine how much money the nation can save. Billions every year, more than what it costs to maintain a Monarchy.

I find that most corruption occurs in the implementation of public sector projects. If we stop building schools, hospitals, roads, etc., then there would be no corruption. Corruption occurs because there are government projects. No projects, no corruption.

We spend RM40 billion a year to develop this country. It is estimated that the ‘evaporation rate’ is at least 30%. That comes to RM12 billion a year or RM1 billion a month. If we abolish the building of schools, hospitals, roads, etc., we can save RM1 billion a month, more than the cost of maintaining the Monarchy.

Hey, it’s not about saving money. If we abolish the Monarchy it will not be so that we can save a few million Ringgit. The English call this penny wise, pound foolish -- which describes what most Malaysians are. We save ten cents but waste one Ringgit. That is the Malaysian way.

Any corporate turnaround manager would tell you that you attack the top three costs. Most likely the top three costs would represent 70% or more of your total cost. Therefore, by cutting down the top three costs, you could probably bring the total cost down a great deal.

And the Monarchy, although it is a cost, does not come within your top three costs.

I mean, imagine your corporation is bleeding hundreds of millions. You then do a due diligence and discover that bank interest on borrowings is your top cost. Next come directors' fees, emoluments and other perks, which include one month paid holidays to the Bahamas for the whole family, private jets for each board member, and so on. Third is the pension bill to employees that you have to pay -- and because you are an old company you have many ex-employees still on your payroll in the form of pension payouts.

You then look further down the list and at item 15 you spot the tea lady’s cost. You then retrench the tea lady and replace her with a coffee machine and water cooler. How much do you save by retrenching the tea lady? And now everyone spends all their time congregating at the coffee machine and water cooler gossiping instead of at their desks working.

Okay, the ten Monarchs we have are not quite tea ladies. But if you were to look into their cost, although it may be exorbitant, it would probably be at the bottom rather than at the top of the top ten costs -- that is if it is even in the top ten to start off with. Why focus on the lower costs when we should instead be worried about the top three, top six, or top ten costs?

If you want to attack the Malays and the Monarchy, the symbol of Kedaulatan Melayu, then do so. But do it openly. At least we will know you are a racist. But don’t try to hide your racist streak by attacking the Monarchy on the basis that it costs the country money to maintain it. There are many other costs, which are worse than this, which we can tackle first and save a lot of money.

And stop saying that I am defending the Monarchy because I am also from the Royal Family. That is a cheap shot and you know this is not true. I also attack the Monarchy but I put my name to whatever I write. You attack the Monarchy but do not reveal your true identities. And when I whack any race I do it openly. You attack the Malays but disguise the attack by saying things like if we abolish the Monarchy we can save money.

You know what I hate worse than racists? Racists who have no balls and throw stones while hiding their hands. And that would be many of you here in Malaysia Today.

PPP: Murugiah Vows To Fight Till The End

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk T. Murugiah Wednesday vowed that he would "fight till the end" to defend his post as the legitimate president of the People's Progressive Party (PPP).

He told Bernama that his election as president on May 24 was in accordance with the party's constitution and that he had submitted all the relevant documents to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) for verification.

Murugiah and PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas are embrolied in a tussle to control the party with each claiming to be the legitimate president.

The spat between the two personalities has split the party with each claiming support of the majority.

Murugiah claimed that almost 90 per cent of the party members were now supporting him and that he would meet leaders from 110 divisions tonight to discuss the latest development in the party. Kayveas has rubbished this claim.

Both factions have met the ROS to give their explanation.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday, the ROS office had still not completed its investigation.

The Kayveas faction is scheduled to hold its general assembly on Sunday and had invited Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to open the meeting.

However, Najib had indicated that he would attend only when the ROS had ascertained the true situation.

Meanwhile, PPP information chief Datuk Samson Maman, who is aligned to Kayveas, said preparations for the general assembly were in "full swing" with invitations being sent out to the VIPs and observers.

"We are meeting daily to plan every detail to ensure that the assembly proceeds smoothly," he said.

Murugiah said he had information that the Kayveas group was planning to bring in factory workers to fill the Putra World Trade Centre, the venue of the assembly.

Nizar will seek Federal Court leave on Monday

By Deborah Loh
thenutgraph.com

PETALING JAYA, 3 June 2009: Embattled Perak Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will on 8 June, apply for leave from the Federal Court to appeal against the Court of Appeals' judgement declaring rival Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the lawful MB.

Nizar

Nizar will apply for leave despite the absence of a written judgement by the appellate judges. The Court of Appeals' written judgement is usually needed so that the grounds of appeal can be spelt out for the Federal Court to consider.

"I shall file for leave on Monday, in Putrajaya, as we've waited more than a week for the written judgement. The Appeals Court has not kept its promise to give the written judgement in seven days," Nizar told The Nut Graph by phone from Ipoh. He had given a press conference on the same matter earlier today in Ipoh.

After announcing the Court of Appeals' decision on 22 May, judge Datuk Md Raus Shariff had said he would try to expedite the written judgement in seven days in response to a request of urgency by Nizar's lawyer.

Lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah had said that Nizar's legal team needed the written judgement in order to request leave from the Federal Court to file an appeal. Cases moving from the Court of Appeals to the higher court do not get automatic right of appeal.

Nizar has 30 days from 22 May to apply for leave to appeal.

The three Court of Appeal judges on 22 May unanimously ruled that Perak Ruler Sultan Azlan Shah was right in finding that Nizar had lost the confidence of the majority of state legislators, and that a vote of no-confidence in the assembly was not necessary to determine this.

The court set aside the judgement of the High Court on 11 May that Nizar was the legitimate MB, and that a no-confidence motion in the legislative assembly was the only way to decide if he had the majority's confidence.

Zambry's lawyers have argued throughout the trial that the sultan was allowed to use other means, besides a no-confidence motion, to determine where support of the assemblypersons lay.

They also held that the sultan was empowered to appoint a new MB if Nizar did not resign according to Article 16(6) of the Perak Constitution, because Nizar was part of the executive council.

Article 16(6) states that the MB has to tender the resignation of the executive council if he ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the legislative assembly, and if the sultan rejects his request for a dissolution of the assembly.

Nizar's lawyers have argued that neither Article 16(6) nor any other provision in the constitution explicitly provides for the sultan to sack a menteri besar. They contend that the sultan's royal prerogative is only limited to withholding or granting request for a dissolution of the assembly, and not to determine the majority's confidence.

The Perak crisis which began on 5 Feb with the Barisan Nasional's takeover of the state government has now moved to the courts. Nizar and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders in Perak, however, have continued to hold ceramah and other public programmes such as a three-day hunger strike to keep sentiment alive

Govt should stand by decision on Chin Peng: Dr M

PUTRAJAYA, 3 June 2009: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government should stand by its decision not to allow Chin Peng to return to the country.

He said the government must understand the feelings of the people who would not be happy if the Malayan Communist Party leader was allowed to return.

"Obviously a lot of people are not happy, so why make other people unhappy? If they are not happy, leave it there," he told reporters after attending the "Nurturing the Minds of Future Leaders" Essay Contest 2008 prize giving ceremony at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here today.

He was commenting on the call to allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysia. The call came from Penang Gerakan chairperson Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, saying that Chin Peng should be allowed to return on humanitarian grounds as he was no longer a security threat, and was supported by several opposition leaders.

Asked whether other parties should not press the government to change the decision, Mahathir said the freedom of speech allowed people to say what they liked but it was up to the government to decide.

On his opinion on the 45% approval rating for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, he said it was good.

A recent survey by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research showed that 45% of voters from peninsular Malaysia were satisfied with Najib's performance. It also showed 53% of Malay Malaysians, 64% of Indian Malaysians and 24% of Chinese Malaysians polled said they were satisfied with Najib's performance.

Asked about the formation of the National Economic Advisory Council, which was announced by Najib on 27 May, Mahathir said "it's wonderful". He also believed the council would be able to achieve its objective of turning the country's economic status from medium income earner to high income earner.

Earlier, his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, who is also the Multimedia University chancellor presented prizes to the winners.
— Bernama

Malaysia's opposition on a roll

By Anil Netto (Asia Times Online)

PENANG - Malaysia's opposition alliance has chalked up its fifth by-election win out of six since a general election last year.

This time, the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front - BN) coalition did not put up a candidate, perhaps fearing that another by-election defeat would be demoralizing. That left the coast clear for the Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance) to brush aside three independent candidates on Sunday.

The by-election in Penanti on mainland Penang, one of four states ruled by Pakatan after a fifth was wrested back by the BN, was also crucial for another reason. The victorious candidate, Mansor Othman, of the People's Justice Party (PKR), one of three parties in Pakatan, will now assume the position of Penang deputy chief minister following the recent resignation of the incumbent. Mansor clinched 87% of the votes for a 5,558 majority, more than doubling the PKR's majority in the general election.

But voter turnout was only 46%, compared to over 80% during the general election, dampening the euphoria somewhat. Many supporters of the BN, especially its dominant United Malays National Organization and "floating" fence-sitters, stayed at home because the BN was not participating. The resulting lack of excitement over the poll - as the outcome was never in doubt - also led to complacency among a section of the PKR supporters.

In the PKR campaign, national issues took center stage, especially the manner in which the BN wrested power in the state of Perak after three Pakatan assembly members crossed over to the BN under controversial circumstances. Over 160 arrests in recent weeks arising from protests over the power grab only heightened public disquiet. Prime Minister Najib Razak's own political baggage was also frequently highlighted.

The PKR candidate, Mansor Othman, tried to focus on local issues. He highlighted his role a decade ago in kick-starting a microcredit program which was later taken over by the federal government. He also vowed to work hard to ensure comfortable, affordable housing for lower-income residents of Penang and to provide support for small traders.

While the campaign was going on in Penang, a new financial scandal was unraveling in the state of Selangor involving the 405-hectare Port Klang Free Zone project. The plan, first approved by the cabinet in 1999 during the Mahathir Mohamad era, was to transform Port Klang into a national load center and regional trans-shipment hub along the lines of the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

But its execution was dogged by "cost escalations, weak governance and weak projection management", which severely undermined both the viability of the project and the Port Klang Authority's ability to repay a soft loan to the Finance Ministry. Ballooning interest payments could result in the project outlay increasing from 3.5 billion ringgit to 12.5 billion ringgit (US$3.6 billion). A host of issues were highlighted in a just released audit report that could embarrass key BN politicians.

To make matters gloomier for the BN, first-quarter gross domestic product figures unveiled by the government revealed that the economy contracted by 6.2% in the first quarter, down from 0.1% growth in the last quarter of 2008. The second quarter in 2009 will see a similar performance, said the governor of Malaysia's central bank.

Najib predicts the economy will contract by 4-5% for the whole year.

"The revision is due to very weak external demand as well as falling private sector investment and FDI [foreign direct investment] flows," he was reported as saying, adding that conditions were "far worse than expected". The government's earlier forecast had projected that the economy could grow or shrink by 1%.

Opinion is divided over when exactly a recovery can be expected and to what extent the government's 60 billion ringgit stimulus package will help.

In a comment on Najib's 1Malaysia blog, a middle-income reader named Fariz observed, "The government has been giving out lots of projects and contracts to cushion the financial impact the world is currently facing. However, the person or company who receives such projects/contracts will benefit solely. How about those employed under them? The middle income earners will not gain anything from it ... The government must find another method/way to filter down the money to the grassroots level."

Faced with growing economic pressure and a resurgent Pakatan, several critics and analysts are now worried that the authorities could resort to more authoritarian measures in the coming weeks.

"In Najib's Malaysia, speaking the truth has become sedition and criminal defamation. Darkness is descending on Malaysia," wrote veteran opposition politician Lim Kit Siang in his blog. "Malaysians must not be cowed."

Lim said police had taken a statement from him after a chief inspector filed a police report complaining that his campaign speech in Penanti on May 25 amounted to sedition and criminal defamation against Najib. In the speech, Lim had held Najib responsible for the Perak constitutional crisis and the "unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab, resulting in the expansion of the crisis of confidence" with one national institution after another, allegedly compromising their credibility.

Such abuses of power are among the reasons why the legitimacy and credibility of Najib as prime minister has continued to come under great strain, observed Lim.

There will be no respite for the BN. Another by-election looms on July 14, this time in Manek Urai in Kelantan on the east coast. The BN will have its work cut out if it is not to lose its sixth by-election.

Anil Netto is a freelance writer based in Penang, Malaysia.

MALAYSIA INCORPORATED

1. We don't hear much about Malaysia Incorporated nowadays. Maybe it is because people in the Government and private sector are doing things rather than talking. Maybe they are all still cooperating, the public and the private sectors, so as to grow this country.

2. But it would be good if the people are informed about the cooperation and collaboration.

3. I am not in the Government now but still people come to me to talk about their problems. I find that many of them have some very good ideas which would not harm the Government if it listens to briefings about them.

4. The Government of course would not be obliged to adopt these private sector ideas.

5. I was a great plagiarist when I was in the Government. Many of my ideas came from stealing other people's ideas. Fortunately no one has so far sued me. Of course many people, including civil servants like to say that everything done in this country is due to me. I don't always refute their statements and being human I like to bask in this undeserved glory.

6. A lot of people have voiced their unhappiness with the national education system. Some say there is too much stress on examinations, others say that getting 20As in examinations really does not mean anything. Others want to see history and other subjects be made compulsory. Others want to revert to the national language or mother tongue for teaching everything. Contrary views have been voiced on the teaching of mathematics and science etc etc.

7. Some who run private schools and universities have been extremely successful, despite charging fees, high fees sometimes. I am amazed at their dedication because the education industry will not make the educationists millionaires. But they seem to put their hearts and soul into their jobs.

8. Their teachers are also dedicated and many of their students have grown up, married and have children of their own. The ultimate endorsement of the private schools is when their former students send their children back to the school, to their alma mater so to speak.

9. I don't think the country will lose if we listen to their stories of success. There may be something to learn from them. We may be able to adopt some of their ways. We may even be able to detect the faults in our systems and make adjustments.

10. I hope that the Malaysia Inc. Concept can be revived, that is, if it is now dormant. It is a good concept. The private sector can learn a lot about the problems of governing and would be more tolerant. On the other hand the public sector can learn much about how the private sector functions, and their problems. The understanding engendered by the public/private sector cooperation cannot but benefit everyone and the country. Maybe something good will come of this.

11. I am not presuming to teach the Government. But so many of those who saw me believe I can be of help that I felt I need at least to indicate that they have problems and perhaps ideas which the Government might look at.

Najib Accorded Special Treatment At Great Hall Of The People

From Yong Soo Heong

BEIJING, June 3 (Bernama) - China Wednesday broke from tradition as it accorded special treatment to visiting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak by allowing speeches to be made after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People here.

In a departure from the norm, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took to the public address system after he had presented Najib with a copy of a black and white photograph of Malaysia's second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein signing a joint communique with the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on establishing diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China in 1974.

Normally no speeches are made after the signing of MoUs between two countries but China decided to show its appreciation for Najib and his father, Tun Abdul Razak, for establishing diplomatic relations with China and subsequently strengthening them, said Malaysian officials accompanying the prime minister's entourage.

The Malaysian side had earlier enquired whether remarks could be made after the signing ceremony.

Najib then took the opportunity to show the picture to his mother, Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah, wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and his daughter, Nooryana Najwa, and son, Nor Ashman, who were all present at the ceremony.

The historic picture was taken in the same location as today's ceremony which was at the West Hall of the Great Hall of the People some 35 years ago.

Wen said relations between the two countries had expanded and deepened since then and also alluded to a Chinese proverb that said if one drank water from a well, he or she should not forget who had dug the well and that the Chinese government did not forget the role played by past leaders like Tun Razak and Zhou.

Wen explained that special arrangements were made for the speeches as the hall was of special significance to both China and Malaysia.

He said the picture was a gift from the Chinese government to the family of Tun Razak as the Chinese government did not forget the courageous role played by Tun Razak in making Malaysia the first Asean country to establish diplomatic ties with China.

He paid tribute to both "father and son" in Tun Razak and Najib whom he described as sharing the same sentiments towards China in terms of strengthening relations between the two countries.

Wen said today's bilateral talks and signing of four MoUs between the two countries marked a new chapter in bilateral relations and likened the strengthened and deepened relations of the two countries to that of the deep roots of a tree which would subsequently help in bringing leafy foliage and bountiful harvests of fruits.

In response, Najib said he would "dig more wells" to ensure that "the flow of water would be forever bountiful that we can both share for the mutual benefit of both countries."

He thanked Wen for the memorable and special welcome and hospitality accorded to him.

Najib said that in view of China's special ties with Malaysia, it was for this reason that he chose to visit China as the first country outside Asean since becoming prime minister two months ago.

He said he would not only be following footsteps of his father but intended to take Malaysia-China relations to greater heights, especially with the fact that "China had advanced so far ahead."

He hoped that Malaysia and China would be partners in charting a new course to bring about deeper bilateral relations.

Najib said the first generation had done its part by establishing diplomatic relations 35 years ago and it was now incumbent upon the subsequent generations to carry on the work further.

Sinhala "lebensraum" in progress in Vanni, warns Prof.Boyle

"The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is continuing to inflict Nazi-type crimes and atrocities against the Tamils even after their alleged excuse of fighting a "war against terrorism" has been exposed as a bogus pretext to annihilate the Tamils and to steal their lands and natural resources. This is what Hitler and the Nazis called "lebensraum"--"living space" for the Sinhala at the expense of the Tamils. The GOSL's "ethnic cleansing" of the Tamil Homeland for the benefit of the Sinhala is now underway," warns Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois College of Law.

"With the UN already under fire for withholding and downplaying the number of civilian casualties in Sri Lanka, another ongoing controversy has opened up concerning the number of internally displaced persons detained in the IDP camps in northern Sri Lanka. Between the May 27 and May 30 reports of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 13,000 IDPs simply disappeared from the camps," reported Inner City Press which is covering the affairs at the United Nations in New York.

Prof Francis Boyle, University of Illinois College of Law

"Concerning these missing 13,130+ genocide-survivors from the Safety Zone, Article 7(1)(i) of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court provides that the "enforced disappearance of persons" is a Crime Against Humanity "when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack," Boyle said.

Clearly the GOSL's enforced disappearances of these Tamils and other Tamils in the past has been both "widespread" and "systematic" as documented over the years by numerous human rights NGOs. The GOSL's widespread and systematic enforced disappearances of Tamils over the years constitutes a Crime Against Humanity, Boyle added.

"According to the Nuremberg Charter (1945), the Nuremberg Judgment (1946) and the Nuremberg Principles (1950), the paradigmatic example of a Crime Against Humanity is what Hitler and the Nazis did to the Jews.

"Historically, this Nuremberg Crime Against Humanity was the legal precursor to the International Crime of Genocide as defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention," Boyle said.

Lebensraum served as a major motivation for Nazi Germany's territorial aggression. Adolf Hitler believed that the German people needed Lebensraum – for a Großdeutschland, land, and raw materials – and that it should be taken in the East. It was the stated policy of the Nazis to kill, deport, Germanize or enslave the Polish, and later also Russian and other Slavic populations, and to repopulate the land with reinrassig (racially pure) Germanic peoples.

Sri Lanka Government' Nazi-type crimes in the Vanni appear motivated by the doctrine of lebenstraum, and the future survival of Tamil culture in Sri Lanka is in peril, says Prof. Boyle.

The Manohara escape and unsung heroes

SINGAPORE, June 3 — We don't have their names but we do have a name for them — unknown heroes.

Three strangers, including a Singapore cabby, played crucial roles in helping teen model Manohara Odelia Pinot flee from her husband, Kelantan prince Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry on Saturday.

Pinot's sister, Dewi Sari Asih, 20, told The New Paper that the escape would not have been possible if not for the help they received from these strangers.

The first was an informant from within the Kelantan palace. This unnamed person tipped off Pinot's family in Indonesia last Wednesday.

The informant told them that Pinot would be in Singapore that week.

On Saturday, the same caller called again and told them to “better come quick now” as Pinot would be leaving Singapore that night.

Pinot's mother, Daisy Fajarina, and Asih subsequently took the first flight they could get from Jakarta to Singapore that afternoon.

Arriving in Changi Airport at about 8pm, they hailed a cab and made a beeline for Royal Plaza on Scotts.

Their cabby is unknown hero No. 2.

On the way to the hotel, the mother and daughter started discussing about Pinot's plight.

The taxi driver overheard their strange conversation.

Said Asih: “The taxi driver said he wasn't trying to listen to our conversation but from what he had heard, he advised us to call the police.”

She and her mother were initially hesitant about getting the police involved.

“We were worried that the police might not help us. So we asked the taxi driver how the police here worked,” said Asih.

“He told us that the police would definitely protect us regardless of who we were, whether we were foreigners or locals, whether we were rich orpoor.”

The taxi driver's conviction in the police moved them.

When they called the police, there was finally a glimmer of hope that they would get to see Pinot after allegedly being denied contact with her for close to three months.

Having last seen Pinot on March 9 before she was whisked away on a private jet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, her mother and sister were excited by the prospect of seeing her again.

But they were unprepared for the drama that was to unfold.

Arriving at the hotel at around 8.30pm, they entered the hotel lobby to find four to five of the prince's bodyguards there.

Asih told The New Paper over the phone from Jakarta: “The bodyguards' faces changed when they saw us. They looked scared and shocked and started speaking into their handphones.

“We waited in the area around the elevator, hoping to see Manohara as that was where she would come out from. We could not go up as we did not have a pass key (to operate the lift).”

The police arrived less than 10 minutes after they arrived.

Then, unknown hero No. 3 lent a helping hand.

Said Asih: “A lady, who turned out to be an Indonesian guest staying at the hotel, came up to us while we were waiting near the elevator.

“She asked my mum if she was Manohara's mum. My mum said yes, and she told us that she saw Manohara on the third floor, but the people upstairs were not letting her come down.

“Then I heard the emergency alarm from the elevator. A woman and a man then came running from the lobby area towards the elevator carrying what looked like a doctor's bag. They (the security guards) told them to go to the third floor.

“We tried to follow them up, but they stopped us.”

Soon after, her mum and the police also went up to the third floor while Asih stayed behind in the lobby.

Said Fajarina: “When I got up to the third floor, I saw Manohara inside the lift, sitting on the floor crying, pressing the alarm button. She refused to get out.

“When she saw me, she started screaming for me and said, 'Mother, never let me go again'.”

Asih said that she later met her sister and her mother in a hotel room on the third floor belonging to the Indonesian lady who had earlier tipped them off about seeing Pinot on that floor. She had allowed them to use her room.

Asih said that Pinot later contacted American embassy officials who turned up with officials from the Indonesian embassy.

Fajarina said that they stayed in the room from 9pm to 4am and negotiated with the prince, who did not want to let her daughter go.

She added that the prince relented only after his lawyer advised him that he could be in trouble with the law if he refused.

The family then made their way back to Jakarta on an early morning flight on Sunday.

Recounting her experiences that night, Asih said: “I feel relieved to see her in person, but it was bittersweet. I was so happy to see her, but also sad that she had to go through all those painful things. I wished she didn't have to go through that.

“It was very emotional, we wouldn't let go of each other.”

When contacted, Patrick Fiat, general manager of Royal Plaza on Scotts said: “The matter is a private affair and Royal Plaza on Scotts is committed to honouring our guests' confidentiality hence we are not at liberty to comment.”

When asked what actions the hotel takes when the emergency bell in the elevator goes off, he declined to comment, citing confidentiality for all security measures.

At a press conference in Jakarta after she arrived, Pinot said: “I am still traumatised by all that happened and it has left an impact on me.”

Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Singapore police had called the US and Indonesian embassies for assistance.

“After Manohara was secured by the Singaporean police, our embassy staff in Singapore processed all her documents at the hotel within only four hours from 12am to 4am on Sunday so she could go back to Indonesia immediately,” the spokesman said.

Pinot said told the press conference that she wanted a divorce and would file a police report against her estranged husband. — The New Paper

The house that Samy built

A family pic, prominently placed in the family home. - Picture by Choo Choy May

By Baradan Kuppusamy- The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — S Vell Paari may be 47 and married with a daughter but he still prefers to live with his famous father the MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu in the family house in Jalan Ipoh surrounded by the memories of his childhood.

“I have an office in the house,” Vell Paari said as he showed off the famous house to The Malaysian Insider team recently.

It is the same house where in the heydays Samy Vellu held grand birthday parties and scores of loyalists lined up to garland him and offer presents that ranged from pens and cakes to huge paintings of their leader.

In was reported at one such birthday party Samy Vellu famously said that guests had eaten everything and that there was nothing left for his dogs.

An outside view of the Samy home. - Picture by Choo Choy May

At another he was furious to find chicken bones in the swimming pool.

A 20-year-old golden arowana has pride of place in the opulent sitting room with its many ornate decorations.

Along the side of the large oval shaped room are numerous figures of Lord Ganesa. “Lord Ganesa is a favourite gift among Hindu VIPs,” said Paari explaining why Ganesa is everywhere.

Outside, the waters in a large swimming pool shimmers under the hot afternoon sun. The garden is packed with trees including a few rambutan and durian trees with pet jungle fowls running around.

In one corner is an aviary with peacocks including two rare white coloured that were gifts. Some of the peacocks were born in the aviary, says Paari.

In another corner is another air-condition outhouse for two dogs — a giant sized German Shepard called Watts and an unnamed Pug.

“They all have been with us for a long time,” says Paari adding, they were part of the family.

On the ground floor is Samy Vellu’s study lined with more statues of Ganesa, walls covered with photographs of family and friends and shelves full of books (both English and Tamil) and a large working table.

On the second floor is the prayer room, living quarters and more books which we gave a skip during the tour.

Samy Vellu’s wife Datin Sri Indrani Samy Vellu lives in a condominium in the city, Paari says and visits often.

At the time of the interview Samy Vellu was in Singapore checking up on his eyes.

Enter the son as Samy Vellu gets ready to depart

Paari plans to contest a MIC vice-president’s post in the party’s September elections. — Pictures by Jack Ooi

By Baradan Kuppusamy The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — S. Vell Paari is something of an enigma having been in the shadows of his powerful and domineering father – Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu — all these years.

But things are beginning to change for Paari, 47, a burly married man weighing over 115kg with a nine-year-old daughter Bhavya Vel studying at the elite Alice Smith International School.

Paari, the CEO of the controversy-hit Maika Holdings, plans to launch his political career by running for a vice-president’s post in the MIC elections in September.

He had long wanted to enter politics formally but his father had always opposed it.

But after the March 8 general election disaster Samy Vellu announced he would not stop Paari from contesting.

His defeat in Sungei Siput had brought him closer to Paari, his only son, after others close to him deserted him in the aftermath of his defeat, MIC insiders said.

“Paari was one of the few who stood by his father and Samy Vellu appreciates it,” said a MIC insider.

Paari, who holds a diploma in architecture, hopes to win but does not want a post in the government.

“We need someone from outside to boldly criticise the government,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

He has been getting prominent coverage in recent months in the family-owned Tamil Nesan daily, commenting on national and international issues, including the urgent need to protect and promote the welfare of Tamils here and abroad.

But some of his father’s scandals and his own have stymied his standing, earned him ridicule in the Indian community and is set to hinder his ambitions to be a political leader like his father.

His links to the death of his secretary Sujatha Krishnan, a former actress, had also damaged his standing in the community.

He denies having a hand in her death or having an affair with her and maintains she died after consuming paraquat.

“The ongoing inquest will clear me of any wrongdoing,” he said in the interview in which he also describes how his father took his defeat in Sungei Siput, the future of Maika Holdings, his take on the Nov 25 Hindraf protest and when his father would finally call it a day.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

Q: You are currently caught in a controversy over the death of actress Sujatha Krishnan who was your secretary. Did you have an affair with her?

A: No sir, I did not. I also had no hand in her death as alleged by opposition MP Manikavasagam (PKR Kapar).

Q: What really is the situation?

A: She took paraquat and I really don’t know why. But the inquest will clear my name. I don’t want to go into details as the inquest is ongoing and we might commit subjudice. All I can say is that I have done nothing wrong.

Q: Are you running for MIC vice-president?

A: I have not made a final decision but I will be a hypocrite if I say I am not keen. I am very interested to contest but will make a final decision next month. I have a few issues to clear and one is to find a “final solution” to Maika Holdings. My father has also said he will not oppose if I contest. I want to start my own political career and contesting means launching such a career. I want to contribute to the Indian community and to do that one needs a political platform.

Q: Are you up to it?

A: I have a lot of experience. I have handled political matters for my father and party members and leaders know me. I know them all. My father has no objection so I feel right time to come out now.

Q: Why vice-president?

A: I need a senior position to start off. Party members are pushing me to go for vice-president. I also feel a need a senior position to enhance my standing.

Q: How did you become CEO of Maika Holdings? Do you have any corporate experience?

A: I was already involved with Maika Holdings helping directors with several issues when they suggested I become CEO. I am not a greenhorn. I have experience in business. I had my own company, Oka Motor, in Australia which was taken over by a reverse takeover. I am not all dumb as some people would make it out.

Q: When did you become CEO and what had you hoped to achieve?

A: I was made CEO in 1999. My friends warned me not to take the job, saying it would ruin my life but I felt I could turn it over. When I took over the share was worth 28 sen but now it is about RM1.

Q: Where does Maika Holdings stand now? Is it viable? Is there new business coming in?

A: It is viable but political opponents have destroyed it. There are no new business except for the insurance holdings (Maika’s share in UOA) and two pieces of land. No other business.

Q: Are you paid as CEO?

A: I started as CEO without payment. Then they paid me RM15,000 a month. Lately (for about a year now) I am not being paid as we are cutting costs.

Q: There is so much anger and passion about Maika Holdings. What is the final plan for Maika?

A: We have cleared most of the debts. If we sell Maika the shareholders can get RM1 per share inclusive of bonus shares. There was a RM1.75 offer per Maika share by a listed company but Nesa Co-operative (linked with former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam) took an injunction to stop the sale. There was a delay in lifting the injunction, the economic conditions changed and the buyer moved on.

Q: What’s the final plan?

A: The final plan is to sell, pay back the shareholders and wind up the company.

Q: But I understand some shareholders want to revive Maika?

A: Yes, some shareholders want to move assets to a new company under a new name and all over again under a new and capable leadership. We have many corporate talents out there we can hire.

Q: Are there new offers to buy out Maika Holdings?

A: Yes, two parties are interested and the offer is better than the first offer. The parties are writing to Bank Negara for permission to negotiate. If it comes through we can pay all shareholders and wind up Maika in about a year. But an AGM will have to be called and approval sought on this.

Q: That’s it?

A: Yes, sell everything, pay off shareholders and wind up the company. It still can be saved but the community is divided, there is no unity. They make political statements, bashed up Maika. If this can end we can have a powerful Maika.

Q: Any one person to be blamed for the failure?

A: No… I don’t want to blame any individual. All I can say is when I took over it was worth 28 sen and now it is worth over RM1.

Q: What went wrong then?

A: The business decision (to invest in soft drinks, glove-making, etc) was not right. We competed against giants and lost. We made one business decision but two years down the line the business environment had changed.

Q: But isn’t that the same for everyone… I mean the risk?

A: We were hit once too often and political enemies are always attacking us. Who would want to do business with Maika which was constantly under attack?

Q: How do you rationalise the severe criticism the MIC gets?

A: Well we don’t have the political muscle of Umno or the economic muscle of the MCA so we get bashed up. As a party we rely on what we get from government. We make do with what we get.

Q: Why didn't the MIC push for more?

A: You see we were under this myth that if you pushed you would be penalised and that MIC rivals like PPP would be favoured. It was classic divide and rule and we did not push fearing we lose what little we have. We are all under this myth — that you can push the government only so much, beyond that… no.

Q: Maybe you did not want to push being part of the Umno set up?

A: We had the community to answer to on one side and at the same time we were part of the government. We were in a Catch-22 position. If you push too much you would be sidelined. The Sothinathan issue is an example. It is always like you push, I will undermine.

(MIC vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan was suspended from Parliament for three months for breaking government ranks over the qualification of medical students in Ukraine.)

Q: How about the Nov 25 rally?

A: I called them myth busters, they broke the myth that you cannot push, that the government is invincible. The political tsunami happened and everybody… Malays, Chinese and Indians voted opposition. Suddenly we have guts to talk now. We are voicing out for the Indian community. Speaking up and we are not worried anymore.

Q: The community punished MIC on March 8?

A: No I would say the community punished the government not the MIC because over a period frustration has been building up. We went out trying to save the government’s respect and we ended up losing our respect!

Q: What is the situation now a year later?

A: The MIC remains vibrant and the government especially under Datuk Seri Najib is very sensitive and responsive. The bureaucracy is still slow to respond.

Q: How did your father take the Sungei Siput defeat?

A: He told me a day earlier that it was a tough battle and to get prepared mentally for a defeat. He was ready for defeat. He accepted the verdict. We kept most of the Indian votes but Malay and Chinese voters were lost leading to defeat.

Q: When is your father planning to hand over?

A: He does not want to remain forever. He knows he has to hand over. In fact last August he told us he wants to take leave and asked Palani (deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel) to take over as acting president. He (Samy Vellu) told us that when he returns from leave he would formalise the arrangement. But party leaders were not ready for it… they want him to stay for a while. In December he said the same thing and they objected again.

Q: But he has a departure plan?

A: He is ready. He has said he will hand over once the deputy his elected. I would say about a year after the deputy is elected.

Uthaya, a true hero of the people

Malaysian Heart | Jun 2, 09 5:28pm
I refer to the Malaysiakini report 'They threw me out of Kamunting'.

In human history, there have been many times when people facing injustice and oppression have used non-violent resistance to achieve social and political change.

Because of the highest moral standards needed to achieve true change, the leaders of these movements have had to shoulder an enormous responsibility.

Whilst all the time keeping a clear eye on their goal and inspiring and motivating people, they need to ensure that their movement never deviated from the principles of their struggle.

If they sacrifice their principles and accepted that the ends justifies the means, their movements' moral standing would have been lost and would soon disintegrate.

In shouldering these responsibilities, time and time again these leaders have had to make great personal sacrifices. Let's look at three notable examples.

1. Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned in 1908 by the racist government in South Africa for resisting the unjust Asiatic Act law.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘Gandhi's most painful experience must have been when he was told that his wife, Kasturbai, was critically ill. He was given the option to pay his fine and rush to her bedside. His commitment to satyagraha would not allow him to do so.'

2. Martin Luther King, Jr took part in protests against segregation in the town of Albany, Georgia in 1961, and was sentenced to imprisonment. The authorities offered to release him (and his colleague) if they paid a fine of US$178.

Sticking to principle, they refused. Finally the police chief himself paid their fine and released them to avoid embarrassment.

3. Nelson Mandela was undergoing life imprisonment at Robben Island, a maximum security prison, when the apartheid government offered to release him in exchange for accepting the ‘bantustan' policy by recognising the independence of the Transkei and agreeing to settle there.

He chose to never compromise his principles. He remained in prison until he was released unconditionally on Feb 11, 1990 after being imprisoned for a total of 27 years.

To this fellowship (which includes many others, some of whom we may not know about), we can now add a Malaysian, P Uthayakumar, who refused to accept any conditions for his release from
detention under the ISA.

In his own words, ‘If they force me (to sign the conditional release papers, which among other things would have barred him from speaking at public functions), I will not do it as I prefer going back to Kamunting prison,' (the words in brackets being mine).

Leaders like them inspire us. They and their loved ones have suffered pain, physical and emotional, for us.

Let us stand, not behind them but shoulder to shoulder with them, and work together for justice for all Malaysians. Let us never forget what these brave people have shown, that truth and justice will always triumph over lies and oppression.

Let us not forget either, that all that is needed for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing. Finally, let us never forget these words of Uthayakumar: ‘Never give in to them.'

May all victims of the ISA get the justice that they deserve.

Has Malaysia lost the battle to become a developed nation and entered the cycle to become a failed state?

By Lim Kit Siang,

The collapse of the roof of the RM300 million 50,000-capacity Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak within a year of completion provoked disbelief, shock and outrage with a whole spectrum of unflattering comments and reactions.

One reaction is that the shocking collapse of the RM300 million stadium within a year of completion is a disaster waiting to happen. An engineer, A. Mohamed who often jogged in the area, has told the media that he had noticed that the space frame which held the roof was getting bent out of shape but his efforts to warn government agencies and the media of the stadium defects were ignored.

Another is that the collapse is the inevitable consequence of a system which gives premium to “know who” than “know how”, the curse of Umno cronyism hiding under the guise of New Economic Policy. Will the Umno cronies responsible for the infamous collapse of the RM300 million stadium roof within a year of completion be exposed and fully penalized?

I was told this morning that the collapse of the Gong Badak Stadium symbolizes the collapse of the “1Malaysia” slogan of Datuk Seri Najib Razak marking his second month as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Another opined that it marked the fulfilment of the most famous Malaysian political prophecy, RAHMAN, with Najib as the last Umno Prime Minister.

From the larger national macro perspective, the collapse of the roof of the RM300 million stadium within a year of its completion is the latest warning of the serious and quite terminal breakdown of standards and benchmarks of excellence with the consequence that far from realizing Vision 2020 and becoming a developed nation, Malaysia risks entering the cycle of being a failed state.

There is no shortage of such shocking examples in recent months, viz:

• The collapse of the five-storey portion of the Jaya supermarket in Petaling Jaya during demolition work, killing seven, when in developed countries the implosion of skyscrapers without mishap has become a routine.
• The Universiti Sains Malaysia Apex University fiasco where 4,574 university students suffered emotional havoc when they were told that they had been mistakenly informed that they had been successful in their applications for admission;
• Universal broadband complaints, such as the complaint in Penang since last evening of sheer inability to access Internet even when trebly insured, having Streamyx, Maxis 3G and Celcom 3G.
• Ah Longs having parallel system of underground IGP, CPOs, OCPDs and prisons, with endemic crime and police inability to ensure that Malaysians, tourists and investors are safe in the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes.

The list can go on. As if these signs are not bad enough, Kuala Lumpur has been named No. 4 as the riskiest locations in the world for outsourcing by the “Black Book of Outsourcing”, in a survey of 50 international locations. Singapore tops the list of the world’s safest location in the world for outsourcing.

On “Personal Crime Rate & Police-to-citizen ratio”, Kuala Lumpur is ranked the fourth worst of 50 locations while Singapore is ranked the top best!

Cabinet and Parliament must focus on the issue whether Malaysia has lost the battle to become a developed nation and has entered the cycle to become a failed state under Najib as Prime Minister.

Short-sighted politics

The road ahead is long and winding – but who will lead the way? (Background image by Monica
Arellano-Ongpin @ Flickr; stop sign images by Mateusz Stachowski /sxc.hu; Najib image
public domain, source: Wikimedia commons)

SO another by-election is over — the sixth since 2008.

Garnering 85% of the total votes cast, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)'s Dr Mansor Othman won the Penanti state seat with perhaps the highest ever majority lead in history over his closest rival who only gained 7% of the votes cast.

And he did it in an election with only a 46% voter turnout — one of the lowest in Malaysian history.

At the same time, another Merdeka Centre opinion poll is out. Two months after stepping into his new job, prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is enjoying a meagre approval rating of 45% from peninsular Malaysians. Still, considering the political chaos in Perak, this is an increase, though slight, from the 44% approval rating he could only muster a week before his appointment on 3 April 2009 as Malaysia's sixth premier.

So, what next? I don't know about you, but I am tired, even though I am trained in political science and my professional life is rightly about politics.

I am tired because as we fix our eyes on these battles, we seem to lose sight of the bigger question: where is this country heading to?

Make no mistake. I am not suggesting that Malaysians should forget about politics and concentrate on the economy. One has to be super naïve to expect economic recovery during political chaos.

My contention is this: do the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) have a clear plan for long-term political development in Malaysia?

Harold Wilson (Public domain) Granted, British economist John Maynard Keynes had this famous line: "In the long run, we are all dead." And his fellow compatriot Prime Minister Harold Wilson said years later: "A week is a long time in politics."

How long is long-term? Long enough for party alternation to be possible.

So, the long-term question before the BN and PR is simple: can they swap roles and play them well?

Can the BN survive as opposition?

Najib has made clear to his party that he only has 18 to 24 months to turn the tide in the BN/Umno's favour. That means he is prepared to face the music by October 2010 or April 2011.

A sober reading of the cruel reality before the BN is commendable.

But Najib would be doing Umno and the BN an injustice if he is not preparing for his party and the ruling coalition to survive as the opposition.

If Malaysia is a democracy, the day will come sooner or later when Umno and the BN will be voted out in an election.

Umno can choose to believe in the fantasy that it will rule forever, but to be a responsible political party, it must honestly confront this possible scenario. And in doing so, ask itself the following, behind closed doors if not in public:

Should Umno gracefully bow out and serve as the monarch's loyal opposition once it is voted out? If not, what unconstitutional means can they resort to to cling on to power? What are the chances that they would succeed, and for how long? Should they fail, what would be the price they and the rest of us pay?

Khir Toyo (Pic by johnleemk; source:
Wikimedia commons) Should Umno choose to concede defeat, can their elites survive investigation and prosecution for past wrongdoings? What happened to former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo must already be plaguing many others with nightmares. How can the BN/Umno appeal to public goodwill so that a new government, comprising the BN's political opponents, is pressured to offer some amnesty to past wrongdoers? How would they prevent the new government (the PR) from using existing draconian laws against the new opposition (the BN)?

Should the BN/Umno be spared political annihilation, can they find their raison de'tre in the new political landscape? Will they plan to survive as an ultra-Malay opposition party when the non-Malay Malaysian parties would likely all be wiped out, not least because of the Perak chaos?

In Eastern Europe, many reformed ex-communist parties returned to power after one or two elections. In Taiwan, the grand old party, Kuomintang, is again in power after being in opposition for eight years.

Such revival is possible because these parties successfully transformed themselves as competitive democratic forces. And while they were in power, they also dismantled the authoritarian structures in place to prevent themselves from victimisation once they fell out of power.

Is Najib doing all these? Is he willing to let go of Perak? Is he willing to dismantle the Internal Security Act and the Sedition Act? Is he willing to liberate the media? Is he willing to introduce local elections?

If he is not, all his efforts to revive the BN/Umno are but a great gamble that the authoritarian regime he now leads can still be relevant in the years to come.

Detrimental to the nation, an ill-prepared loser may be a desperado.

Can the PR survive as government?

If the BN is not ready for a long-term transformation, neither is the PR.

What responsible opposition would talk about taking over the government but fail to even present a shadow cabinet line-up?

Like in a battlefield, a good general must know how to win both war and peace.

Where's your shadow cabinet, Anwar? It has now been nine months since Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became the parliamentary Opposition Leader. He commands an army of 82 parliamentarians, yet he still cannot find the right people to form a cabinet to rival Najib's.

The standard excuse given by PR partisans is this will create in-fighting between and within parties. The standard rebuttal can easily be: Has the absence of a shadow cabinet stopped in-fighting in the PR so far?

The real explanation for Anwar's failure to form his shadow cabinet is that he wants to postpone the difficult decisions. Granted, allocating ministerial portfolios, beginning with the deputy prime minister — even a shadow one — would not be an easy task.

But if you intend to rule, you need to do it anyway. So, why not sooner rather than later?

Some have warned that the PR may lose the state governments they are in control of now if they fail to rule. I am more pessimistic: we may not have a choice but to choose the PR if the BN continues with its blunders and fiascos.

But what is the price we pay when the new ruling parties are not ready? Do we need to look further than Penanti for the answer? The controversy surrounding the resignation of PKR's Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, the former Penanti assemblyperson who is also former Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1, is a classic case of PKR's "conquer first, govern later" mentality.

Both the BN and PKR, which leads the opposition PR right now, have so far been disappointing in their game plan for our long-term future. Perhaps we should look to this week's PAS muktamar to see if the opposition Islamist party, which has 38 years of ruling experience at state level, can offer any ideas and actions for long-term, sustainable democracy in Malaysia.

Jejak Razak Yang Tidak Terpenuhi

From South China Morning Post

June 2 – Officials and the media are giving great significance to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s four-day official visit to China from today, comparing it to his father’s trip in 1974.

Abdul Razak was the first non-aligned Asian leader to embrace Mao Zedong . He was given a hero’s welcome at home, even by local Chinese who were angry with him after Malay soldiers killed Chinese civilians during race riots in 1969.

Similarly, Najib, who became prime minister on April 3, is banking on his visit, made on the 35th anniversary of his father’s trip, to win back local Chinese who have deserted his National Front coalition for the alliance led by rival Anwar Ibrahim.

Even Chinese embassy officials emphasised the significance of the son following the father, something they say enhances trade and economic ties and helps local Chinese progress.

The government has also trooped out diplomats, academics, professionals and business and community leaders to emphasise the significance of Najib’s visit and praise Malaysia’s closeness to China.

The New Straits Times has given extensive coverage to Abdul’s 1974 visit and reminded the public the son is following in the father’s footsteps. National television is constantly showing images of Razak shaking hands with Mao.

The highlight of Najib’s visit is his meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao tomorrow.

Malaysian-Chinese support for the government has plummeted to 35 per cent from a high of 70 per cent in 2004. Perceived official arrogance towards minorities and anti-Chinese remarks by Malay leaders are blamed for the fall, along with failure to abolish pro-Malay economic policies.

To atone, Najib is wooing Chinese, promising them equality and justice under his “1Malaysia concept” and has even shown willingness to dismantle pro-Malay policies.

His trip is a major opportunity for him to reassure local Chinese that he is “accepted and endorsed” by Beijing, burnishing an image battered by numerous controversies.

“He hopes to win acceptance by playing the China card with local Chinese,” said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng. “It worked for Razak but will not for Najib.” Khoo said, pointing out that China is no longer such a mystery.

“Malaysians know China well. They travel to China often. Chinese visit Malaysia often. The old magic is just not there any more.”

Veteran opposition lawmaker Lim Kit Siang agreed, saying Najib would do better by dismantling pro-Malay policies, and promoting human rights.

“Not just Chinese but all Malaysian races desire reform and change,” Lim said. “As Malaysians, we Chinese don’t hold China in great awe any more.” – South China Morning Post

NIOSH Seeks Inquiry Over Stadium Roof Collapse

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) today urged the government to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the collapse of a section of the roof of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak, Terengganu.

Its chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said the incident was far too serious to be given a normal investigation and added that it had also affected public confidence in the construction industry.

"It warrants a full-scale, thorough and independent investigation. Therefore, a commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act is needed to get to the bottom of the cause of the tragic and scandalous event," he told Bernama when contacted.

Lee said the commission could determine who were liable for prosecution.

"The matter must be seriously addressed by the relevant authorities," he said, adding that it was fortunate that nobody was injured in the incident.

A section of the roof of the RM300-million stadium collapsed yesterday. The stadium is part of the modern Gong Badak sports complex.

DPM ticks off Utusan over racial slant

Manohara: I was treated like an animal

Search Upload * Upload Video File * Record from Webcam 'Death of democracy' protesters off the hook

DPM ticks off Utusan over racial slant - Malaysiakini

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today expressed disappointment with Umno-owned Malay daily

MCPX

Utusan Malaysia for publishing articles with a racial slant.

He was asked to comment on the reservations aired over an article which was published on Sunday titled 'Melayu dikhianati?' (Malays betrayed?).

Among others, the article penned by Awang Selamat said that non-Malays were going overboard with their demands.

Although Muhyiddin was 'not aware' of the article, he however said Utusan must respect the position of every race in the country.

"Those accorded with proper citizenship are Malaysians irrespective of whether they are Malays, Indians or Chinese," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

On the same note, Muhyiddin stressed that he was not taking sides, and added that Utusan "has done a great job" in informing the public for many decades.

He, however, hoped that the Malay daily, and all other newspapers, will have a “better understanding” when it comes to racial issues in the future.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, stressed that his advice was in line with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s concept of 1Malaysia that emphasises unity among all races.

“That (the concept) is very important because we don’t want to create any unnecessary problems among ourselves.

“We have been in this (peaceful) state for the last 52 years and we have treasured good relations that we have developed among the races, and we have to continue and respect this,” he added.

Yesterday, former Umno minister Zaid Ibrahim lambasted the Malay daily for stoking racial sentiments.

Muhyiddin backs veteran soldiers

In another matter, Muhyiddin backed Veteran Soldiers of Malaysia Association who yesterday made a strong call to not allow ex-communist leader Chin Peng from returning home and those who call for his return and support communism "should be shot dead".

“That shows how angry and upset they are. Malaysians have to understand how cruel communists were as they had caused many families to lose their family members while armed forces personnel lost their limbs because of it.

“This is the evidence of cruelty that communists had created. If your family were involved, would you not feel the same way like they do?” said Muhyiddin.

“If he is allowed to return home based on humanity, would we (justify) his killing (then)? Killing people is not humane. This will just make the people even angrier,” he said.

He also added that so long as the government was sticking to its decision to not allow Chin Peng to return home, “all debate and argument about it should be stopped”.

“They have to respect the government’s decision ... for those who want to appeal, we will not entertain them at all,” Muhyiddin said.

Chin Peng, 85, whose real name is Ong Boon Hua, has been living in exile in Bangkok and had sought permission from the government to be allowed to return home.

He was the chief of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) from 1948 to 1989 and gained prominence during the guerilla war against the Japanese in Malaya.

Many historians say about 2,000 colonial troops and Malaysian forces perished, along with up to 7,000 communist fighters.

Certain quarters have argued that Chin Peng is a war hero who helped the nation in its struggle for independence.

Family of deceased to lodge report against police

The family of 27-year-old deceased Thilak Chellapan will lodge a police report against the Port Dickson police station for negligence in the next two days.

MCPX

A plan to sue the police is also on the cards, which will be decided after the release of medical findings in the final post-mortem report in two weeks.

The family’s lawyer, Jason Tan, told Malaysiakini that the family will consider suing the police for negligence.

"If we find they (the medical findings) are liable then we will sue but we will wait for the details of the post mortem report first," he said.

Application to attain a copy of the second post-mortem has been made today and will be attained in around two weeks.

Thilak, badly wounded from a fight arising from an alleged robbery attempt, was brought to the PD police station on Saturday at around 7:30am by his alleged assailants.

He was later escorted by police officers to Hospital Port Dickson in Bandar Sungala at 8:30am to seek medical attention to his wounds.

The hospital pronounced him dead at 11:20am.

Thilak was cremated at Jalan Tun Dr Ismail, Seremban today.

Exact cause of death unknown

The deceased's family claimed that Thilak was wrongly accused and beaten up by a group of men.

The family added that a quick police response could have saved Thilak's life.

The first post-mortem concluded that Thilak died of hypertension heart decease. Unsatisfied with this, the family sought for a second post-mortem from the same hospital which admitted that there were bruises all over his body, caused by a blunt object.

But the exact cause of death has yet to be determined.

Thilak's family came to know of his plight after receiving a message, asking them to pick him up at the PD police station.

Relating Thilak's condition to Malaysiakini, his sister-in-law Carolyn Harol Haden said he could barely stand on his own and even collapsed outside the toilet.

She said he was complaining of extreme pain and difficulty in breathing.

The police had brushed aside the family’s complaints, saying that Thilak was pretending while they were recording statements from two individuals who brought Thilak in.

Two individuals have been detained for questioning.

Chariot and Temple House Burnt to Ground

Kit Siang dares Najib to ask for confidence vote

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s dismissal of Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) recent win in Penanti has riled the DAP.

The party’s parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang challenged Najib to prove that Barisan Nasional’s (BN) skipping of the Penanti polls was not an act of cowardice. A recent poll of 1,067 registered voters in Malaysia showed that the prime minister only has a 45per cent approval rating just two months into his administration.

“The latest opinion poll shows he is the most unpopular prime minister in the first two months of office in the nation’s history of six prime ministers. It is Najib who should feel the heat that his record is nothing to be proud of.

“Najib should seek a vote of confidence as the first item of business when Parliament reconvenes on June 15, or is he afraid that he would not get 100 per cent support from BN MPs?” the Ipoh Timur MP said.

He was referring to Najib’s comments that Dr. Mansor Othman’s 5,558-vote majority was “not exciting” nor can “a win against independent candidates be something one can be proud of”.

Lim claimed that this win was achieved despite Umno and Gerakan each sponsoring a candidate who both lost their deposits after garnering less than the required one-eighth of votes cast.

“This is really sour grapes by Najib, who should be ashamed that the Umno and BN he leads dare not contest in Penanti, for fear that it would be his third consecutive defeat in the peninsula since becoming prime minister and BN’s fifth consecutive defeat here since the March 8 political tsunami in last year’s general election,” he said.

Lim asserted that the Penanti win was achieved despite many PR supporters not turning up to vote due to the sure-win scenario but that if BN had contested, the Umno candidate “would have gotten a thrashing even worse than in last year’s general election.”

He also cited the Merdeka Center poll that found only 45 per cent of respondents were satisfied with Najib’s premiership.

As such, he called on Najib to follow in the footsteps of Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Abdullah Badawi who sought votes of confidence in their first months in office.

Kit Siang dares Najib to ask for confidence vote

By Shannon Teoh - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s dismissal of Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) recent win in Penanti has riled the DAP.

The party’s parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang challenged Najib to prove that Barisan Nasional’s (BN) skipping of the Penanti polls was not an act of cowardice. A recent poll of 1,067 registered voters in Malaysia showed that the prime minister only has a 45per cent approval rating just two months into his administration.

“The latest opinion poll shows he is the most unpopular prime minister in the first two months of office in the nation’s history of six prime ministers. It is Najib who should feel the heat that his record is nothing to be proud of.

“Najib should seek a vote of confidence as the first item of business when Parliament reconvenes on June 15, or is he afraid that he would not get 100 per cent support from BN MPs?” the Ipoh Timur MP said.

He was referring to Najib’s comments that Dr. Mansor Othman’s 5,558-vote majority was “not exciting” nor can “a win against independent candidates be something one can be proud of”.

Lim claimed that this win was achieved despite Umno and Gerakan each sponsoring a candidate who both lost their deposits after garnering less than the required one-eighth of votes cast.

“This is really sour grapes by Najib, who should be ashamed that the Umno and BN he leads dare not contest in Penanti, for fear that it would be his third consecutive defeat in the peninsula since becoming prime minister and BN’s fifth consecutive defeat here since the March 8 political tsunami in last year’s general election,” he said.

Lim asserted that the Penanti win was achieved despite many PR supporters not turning up to vote due to the sure-win scenario but that if BN had contested, the Umno candidate “would have gotten a thrashing even worse than in last year’s general election.”

He also cited the Merdeka Center poll that found only 45 per cent of respondents were satisfied with Najib’s premiership.

As such, he called on Najib to follow in the footsteps of Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Abdullah Badawi who sought votes of confidence in their first months in office.

PAS commits to a free market

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa has “guaranteed” a commitment to a free market economy and protecting the rights of the country’s multi-racial communities.

Husam Musa is vying to be PAS deputy-president at its five-day annual conference which starts tomorrow. The party has the second largest membership in the country.

The three-way contest for the PAS deputy presidency has been billed as a clash between conservatives and reformists in a party long demonised as hardline Islamist.

PAS, part of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s three-member Pakatan Rakyat, is the only party apart from the ruling Umno able to anchor itself on the Malay Muslims who represent 55 per cent of the electorate in this Southeast Asian country of 27 million people.

“We won’t change the system but how it is implemented. PAS cannot rule Malaysia alone because we need help from our non-Malay friends, so this is our guarantee,” Husam told Reuters in an interview.

“We will not make drastic changes or change in a manner that can be regarded as rough or unacceptable (to non-Muslims),” he added. Malaysia has significant minorities of ethnic Chinese and Indians who are generally not Muslims.

HOW PAS GOT ITS GROOVE BACK

PAS holds 24 of 222 seats in Malaysia’s parliament and controls two of 13 states in the country.

For decades it insisted on establishment of a strict theocratric state, its appeal never extending beyond rural Malay enclaves.

In 2005 Husam, a 49 year-old economist, led a reform team to victory in party polls, promising to moderate the party, and he has been tipped by some as a future party leader.

Observers have watched for clear signs of social and economic policies the party will push in the event of an opposition win in the next polls.

Husam said the priority would be to cut the cost of doing business in the country by stemming corruption and patronage and dismantling a decades-long policy of affirmative action.

The policy that favours the majority Malays in economic and social opportunities has been abused by the government and bred corruption, said Husam.

“Help should be given without consideration of any factor, even race, just need. Get rid of this and all the economic potential of this country can be fully unlocked,” said Husam.

TROJAN HORSE?

Despite shows of unity, PAS’s relations with its other Pakatan Rakyat partners, especially the stridently secular, ethnic DAP, have been marked by occasional public spats.

The biggest unknown about PAS remains whether it is really willing to allow its goal of a theocratic state to lie in perpetual dormancy.

The party enacted strict Islamic criminal laws in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu both of which it at one point held.

The laws would ultimately have included amputation as punishment for theft and has not been enforced. A legal challenge over the laws’ validity is still pending in court.

Husam said PAS would opt for a very gradual approach aimed at winning public acceptance in Malaysia’s multi-racial society.

“Islamic governance covers a wide spectrum encompassing many issues that have to be addressed first such as rule of law, social and economic justice.”

“If you move in the political arena without this wisdom, you will do damage to the cause itself,” he added. — Reuters