Posted on by Kit

Happy Chinese New Year – Stand up for reforms

This should be a meaningful and historic Chinese New Year as it coincides with the 50th Merdeka Anniversary of the nation and possibly with the 12th general election.

Let all Malaysians stand up categorically in the next general election to be held in the next eight to 14 months for national reforms to make Malaysia a world-class competitive nation with the hallmarks of excellence, meritocracy, accountability, transparency, integrity, democracy and justice for all.

These were the hopes and expectations of Malaysians in the past three years since the March 2004 general election but they have not been fulfilled. In many important areas, there were not only no new starts, the country had gone backwards.

The world will pass Malaysia by if the country cannot find the political will to change course to create world-class institutions especially Parliament, judiciary, electoral system, local governance, civil service, police, anti-corruption agency and universities; inculcate among the government and people a first-class mentality and mindset and produce towering Malaysians and not just leading personalities of one race or community.

Wishing all Chinese Malaysians as well as all Malaysians a Happy Chinese New Year.

49 Replies to “Happy Chinese New Year – Stand up for reforms”

  3. Standing up for reform is an alien concept to Malaysians. The reason is fear! They would rather put up with the injustices, abuses, corruption and discrimination rather than rock the boat.
    “We have food to eat, house to give us shelter and business to take care of so why bother about change”. This is the Chinese thinking.
    For the Malays, it is the fear of the Chinese taking over the country and so they turn to UMNO for protection, without realizing that it is UMNO that they need to fear.
    As for the Indians, they are neither here nor there. Samy can fool them with promises as he has been doing for almost 3 decades.
    They are waiting for MIC promises to be fulfilled as the Jews are waiting for their Messiah.

  4. Dear All,

    In this year of the PIG, let us all resolve not to be PIG-headed or be a real SWINE. We should not SOW discord here, or BOAR others with inanities or put-downs. We should go the whole HOG and be nice to one another.

    Here’s wishing one and all a Prosperous, Profitable and Propitious Piggy New Year.

  8. “For the Malays, it is the fear of the Chinese taking over the country and so they turn to UMNO for protection, without realizing that it is UMNO that they need to fear.”

    Why should the Malays fear UMNO with their racist policies discriminating in favor of the ‘sons of the soil’?? They have reason to fear the DAP because DAP will want to see the NEP done away with? The skewed implementation of the controversial NEP may just be ‘skewed’ but can be corrected to benefit more of the poor and the working class among the Malays – but the policy is there. Not so if the DAP wrests control – hypothetically speaking of course.

  9. Dear YB and all, Gong Xi Gong Xi.
    May the Year of the Pig bring better economic, social and political developments, which is a thoroughly deserved thrashing of the BN/UMNO/MCA/MIC/PGRM fellas in the coming GE. All right thinking Malaysians deserve that form of ang-pow.

  10. “For the Malays, it is the fear of the Chinese taking over the country and so they turn to UMNO for protection, without realizing that it is UMNO that they need to fear.” – Libra2

    Dude, its Chinese New Year. Why dont you put aside anything racial for the time being.

    And Gong Xi Fa Cai to those celebrating CNY. May the year of the Golden Boar enable Malaysians to do away with their 3rd world mentality and not see everything in terms of malay, chinese, indian but as Malaysians.

  13. Yes – don’t be so pig-headed you swine.
    Undergrad2 – this is CNY, so don’t start your nonsense again. Pig-headed is to insist Lee Kuan Yew was an Indonesian from Surabaya. Pig-headed is to insist where East is depends on where one stands.
    Just butt out, boy. Oh, you want me to cut off your internet subscriptions? Do you want everyone to know how I was stupid enough to bring you into this world, despite being brain-damaged.
    This is my last warning to you. I will stop here as this is the new year, and I am trying to be nice to you. So quit while you are behind.

  14. According to the 2006 transparency international perceptions index, the first ten countries in ranking are: Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Australia and Netherlands. What can I personally see from here ?
    90 % is European countries. Some of these European countries have got their own monarch. Most are developed countries and will the world see Singapore as developed too ? These countries have got cities and towns that are clean in a hygienic sense. Except for Singapore, all the other countries have got the four climatic seasons. Caucasians are seen in most of these countries. They are all considered countries with a high cost of living. Working there means earning a lot. People in these countries have an spontaneous sense of basic civic consciousness. There is freedom of varying degree.

  16. Not forgeting to all posters of this blogsite, I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year and Happy Holidays to all other fellow Malaysians.

    KONG HEE FATT CHOY , WAN XIE RU YI!

  18. If this is the kind of messages readers can expect to read in this blog then it is clear that this platform provided by Kit for the free expression of views on matters of public interest has been abused. You can hurl all the insults you need to, to feed your ego, but may I suggest that you show respect to Kit.

    Confusedcious:
    “Yes – don’t be so pig-headed you swine.
    Undergrad2 – this is CNY, so don’t start your nonsense again. Pig-headed is to insist Lee Kuan Yew was an Indonesian from Surabaya. Pig-headed is to insist where East is depends on where one stands.
    Just butt out, boy. Oh, you want me to cut off your internet subscriptions? Do you want everyone to know how I was stupid enough to bring you into this world, despite being brain-damaged.
    This is my last warning to you. I will stop here as this is the new year, and I am trying to be nice to you. So quit while you are behind.”

  19. aiyahh..! my first time on this blog. undergraduate is right. we must respect uncle kit. this confused fella should stay away if he cannot show respect to uncle kit.

    a very happy new year to y’all back home – from knightsbridge, london.

  21. On the subject of “standing up for reforms”, I understand that according to Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu the Prime Minister has approved in principle for the concession agreements for all highways to be made public. “I had mentioned it in the Cabinet on Feb 7 and the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) asked me to submit the working paper. Now I have already got the approval (to make the agreements public),” he told reporters at the MCA Chinese New Year Open House at Wisma MCA here on Sunday.

    I believe that much of the about face turn has to do with public opinion in respect to which Blogs like this one have a part to play to convey our diverse points of view to the leadership for it to deliberate and sometimes change its position and course.

    Let us hope that for the year of the Golden Boar that coincides with “the 50th Merdeka Anniversary of the nation and possibly with the 12th general election” we will continue to use this Blog to this purposeful pursuit, let bygones be bygones, and concentrate on what we could do together in collaboration rather than division, discussing and elucidating on public issues as part of our collective contribution to public discourse space to facilitate reform for the betterment of the country.

  22. Undergrad2 – this will be the last time I am telling you this. You have a nasty habit of taking pot shots at people. You don’t respect people and you expect people to take it lying down?

    Don’t start a fight if you cannot finish it. Pick someone your own size. You are pathetic – each time you lose an argument, you go crying to LKS like a cry-baby who has his lollipop snatched away. Grow up. Please don’t insult LKS’s intelligence and tell him what to do. What’s wrong with my post? If you don’t like my post, don’t respond. If you do, I reserve the right to give you back in kind.

    You don’t decide what can be posted here. LKS does. And he can very well make up his mind what is acceptable language and what is not parliamentary language. He knows very well what is seditious, what is libellous and what is grossly indecent.

    What insult have I hurled? If you object to the word swine, I take that back – after all this is the year of the pig, and I shouldn’t be insulting the pigs.

    What, in your mind, are acceptable posts? Your numerous past posts about condoms and your obsessios with Sharon Stone opening her legs? Your corny jokes? You one-line put downs? Your supercilious condescensions?

    Please look yourself in the mirror. Please go through all your past posts and see for yourself what an anal-retentive person you are. Unfortunately, the old site is down and all your gems have vanished. Or maybe not quite. Luckily for you, I have all your pearls of wisdom stored away. Do you want me to show them here to show what a hypocrite you are? Not only a hypocrite, but a coward and whining one. When you are shown the charlatan you are, you go crying to LKS. Boy, grow up. If you want to poke fun at others, be prepared for favours in kind.

  25. Shirley, since this is your first time here, you may not know the history. Undergrad2 is the one who is obsessed with condoms and with Sharon Stone opening her legs. Don’t take my word for it – ask the old timers here. Or shall I post all Undergrad2’s unmentionables here? What kind of blog indeed.

  27. If this is the kind of messages readers can expect to read in this blog then it is clear that this platform provided by Kit for the free expression of views on matters of public interest has been abused. You can hurl all the insults you need to, to feed your ego, but may I suggest that you show respect to Kit.

    Quote
    Confusedcious:
    “Yes – don’t be so pig-headed you swine.
    Undergrad2 – this is CNY, so don’t start your nonsense again. Pig-headed is to insist Lee Kuan Yew was an Indonesian from Surabaya. Pig-headed is to insist where East is depends on where one stands.
    Just butt out, boy. Oh, you want me to cut off your internet subscriptions? Do you want everyone to know how I was stupid enough to bring you into this world, despite being brain-damaged.
    This is my last warning to you. I will stop here as this is the new year, and I am trying to be nice to you. So quit while you are behind.”

    Unquote

  30. To all fair-minded people here, this is the reason why undergrad has been trying to get back at me – for pricking his ego when all I did just gently suggesting to him that he was wrong when he said Lee Kuan Yew was born in Indonesia. Instead of being grateful, he tried to wriggle his way out and dug himself a bigger hole. See the charlartan and self-appointed sage and cunning linguist. Judge for yourself…

    Undergrad2 – if you persist, I will post the circumstances of your birth here…

    * * *

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 1st, 2006 at 23: 28.24
    Look at the Chinese in Indonesia. They have been forced to assimilate or face certain discrimination. They changed their names, wear the songkok and batek for official functions because that is the accepted Indonesian national attire for formal occassions – and they speak Indonesian, many having lost their ability to speak in their mother tongue. There are some who refuse to assimilate to the same degree – and one went over to Singapore and became its Prime Minister! Lee Kuan Yew is an Indonesian Chinese from Surabaya who speaks Bahasa better than any Malay. He is also a Queens scholar with a double first!

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 2nd, 2006 at 21: 38.47
    How and why and where do you think Harry Lee acquired such powerful oratorical skills in the use of the Indonesian language. He does not speak Malay but Indonesian.
    What I am not sure is whether he and his family came from Palembang or Surabaya – but Surabaya is my bet because it has a large Chinese population.
    But I thought it is common knowledge among Malaysians and S’poreans that he is Indonesian Chinese. If he is of the fourth generation, he would not be able to show the same fluency in the use of the language. He is not just fluent in the use of the language – but powerful in the use of the language as a public speaker, comparable to Sukarno whose oratorical skills are legendary.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 2nd, 2006 at 21: 47.26
    Have you listened to him speak?
    He speaks Indonesian like an Indonesian does – not like a Chinese resident abroad speaking the native language of his grandfather.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 2nd, 2006 at 22: 19.54
    He could have been born in S’pore but must have spent a lot of his time in Surabaya in his early years growing up.

    jeffrey Said:
    March 2nd, 2006 at 22: 26.46
    Lee Kuan Yew, a fourth-generation Singaporean, was born in Singapore on 16-SEP-1923, a fact verifiable from his memoirs.

    confusedcious Said:
    March 2nd, 2006 at 22: 42.28
    LKY’s Malay fluency was from his childhood days in Telok Kurau Primary School in Singapore. He honed it further during the cut and thrust of parliamentary debates in the Malaysian Parliament when Singapore was part of Malaysia. Absolutely nothing to do with Indonesia.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 3rd, 2006 at 19: 59.08
    confusecious
    i’m afraid, you’re once again confused.
    harry lee was already a fiery public speaker in bahasa or to be more precise indonesian, long before s’pore joined m’sia. this was in the sukarno era.
    my indonesian friends say he has roots in surabaya – a chinese enclave long an epicentre of racial riots and anti-chinese demonstrations.

    confusedcious Said:
    March 4th, 2006 at 00: 07.49
    Undergrad2,
    I think you are the one who is confused. No, too confident. You spoke as if you were so certain that LKY has something to do with Indonesia, more particularly, Surabaya. I can tell you this for a fact – zilch. Yes, he’s already proficient in Malay before Singapore join Malaysia. As I mentioned earlier, his childhood was spent in the Malay kampong of Telok Kurau in Singapore. He mixed with Malay neighbours. His relatives are mostly Baba or Peranaka. Don’t forget Singapore’s National Language is Malay.
    He spoke and he speaks Malay – Singapore Malay. Not Bahasa Melayu, and certainly not Bahasa Indonesia. His Malay was already proficient as a child and young man. He honed it further when he was in the Malaysian Parliament from 1963 to 1965. Ask Mahathir – the two of them had a lot of clashes in Parliament. His command of Malay is better than most Malays. Don’t take my word for it; ask our blog host LKS. And ask him about the connection between DAP and PAP.
    You speak like you know a lot, but… A little modesty will do you good.

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 19th, 2006 at 18: 42.34
    “I still remember of my junior wanted to serve in our air force and he was able to desgin F-16 fighters…”
    I’m sorry I dont follow this one. How’s your friend able to design something that already exists??

    (see the superiority complex here, if I undergrad2 cannot designF-16, no Malaysian can.)

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 21st, 2006 at 04: 06.33
    malaysia will be without a brain soon judging from the rate of brain drain.

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 20th, 2006 at 04: 54.16
    [deleted] Period. They cannot build a bridge.

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 21st, 2006 at 04: 05.05
    “You think Singaporeans are so stupid.”
    no singaporeans are a lot smarter. they are chinese – remember??

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 20th, 2006 at 04: 59.19
    To lead by example, [deleted]

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 17th, 2006 at 21: 04.50
    “dodo” or no dildo.

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 20th, 2006 at 05: 06.21
    Abdullah is [deleted]

    undergrad2 Said:
    April 20th, 2006 at 05: 05.35
    Everybody knows what Hong Leong is all about – they gave overdraft to the keris wielding fanatic.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 18th, 2006 at 21: 27.16
    But gotta go now guys, sorry. Promise to come back and kick more butts.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 19th, 2006 at 19: 01.23
    whatever you do for a living, loh, i bet you have nothing to do with the world of finance and international trade.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 20th, 2006 at 02: 20.42
    us college students – so up, up and away !
    See ya guys later for more ass kickin’.

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 20th, 2006 at 11: 13.36
    ahhhh…good! we’re seeing more hits on this blog! even if it’s to indulge in undergrad bashing!
    but i’m sorry guys, you’ll have to make do without me for a while. this spring weather is gettin’ on to me – must not keep the gurls waitin’ that wouldn’t be polite.
    see ya!

    undergrad2 Said:
    March 12th, 2006 at 21: 33.29
    Sri Ram,
    What happened to you?
    You are supposed to be on the Bench! Have they sent you back to S’pore to study law all over again because of that controversial ruling by you over that MAc Case?

    jeffrey Said:
    March 13th, 2006 at 12: 22.56
    “There’s no need to get personal guys!?.
    No one wants to get personal here.
    But lets look at this statement: “two lawyers in court, for example, are like two gladiators except that they do not kill one another but exercise their skills in the art of battle for the hearts and minds of the jurors”?.
    The purpose of two lawyers fighting opposite positions to facilitate the ascertainment of the truth which is why the engagement should is kept within bounds of relevancy.
    But this blog forum is not even a court. In spite of this, even in public discourse, what I think PhiloSurfer means is that there must be a basic rule of engagement that, whilst there is always some latitude to argue the broad aspects of the case, there should not be repeated attempts to deliberately hijack the issue discussed to another irrelevant direction by either directly raising it or extrapolating and putting positions into other people’s mouth, where they did not say it, for the objective of covering an error that is not gracefully admitted by the ruse of going into another irrelevant area in which one could display relative better knowledge and competence in or in winning arguments and scoring points in argument for the sake of scoring points in arguments “and where especially in banter and exchanges of this sorts, there is no level playing field in that one is a person trained in the discipline of law (no matter whether as full fledged lawyers or para-legals) with the full arsenal of ultra legalistic jargon like “stare decisis”? or “hearsay that intimidates the rest of us who are not.
    True humour is always appreciated especially self deprecating but too much dark humour at the expense of some vacillating in between excessive ingratiation of others can be quite taxing on us.
    For example, there is no need to make fun at nicks “it is only nick, so why is it necessary to offend the contributor who uses the nick “Confusedcious”? as “confused”? or in another occasion to feign confusion by asking the person using nick “Sriramkri”? what happened to him, judge Sri Ram, who was “supposed to be on the Bench!”? and whether he had been sent you back to S’pore to study law all over again because of that controversial ruling over that Metramac Case”? and the contributor has to be baited out of his privacy to disclose his name and where he stayed!
    You might be the magnanimous type but even then no one has so far evinced the indiscretion to make fun of the nick “Undergrad”? to say the person has to undergo undergraduate studies in law twice to pass it.
    Freedom of speech to speak one’s mind, which tolerates, nay, encourages civil disagreement and arguments is not a license to ridicule, to obfuscate than to clarify. Neither does the right to be heard merit the right to be taken seriously if free speech is repeatedly abused.

  31. It is not my habit to make un-called for intervention in exchanges between posters here but since my post was cited last above, I have no choice but to say something here by way of clarification.

    Yes, once upon a time, no parties get at each other throats more than Undergrad2 and I but nowadays it is less if at all. Maybe, no opportunity to.

    But as I said in my last posting, let bygones be bygones.

    What has been cited here happened in March 2006, nearly a year ago and if the wounds mutually inflicted then are not over time allowed healing and instead have been festering, there will be no end to internecine sniping.

    Don’t get me wrong : I am not against verbal warfare or trading of insults as it necessarily will happen in any blog given the diverse personalities and egos bruised. God Forbid, I am also guilty of that. It has its place to put someone at his place on a specific issue raised that rubs everyone at wrong places. But keep it at that point or maybe one or two points therafter – in short keep the proportion of the issue at hand.

    But it would be preferable not to dig up history and nurse it for a year because every time one goes back in time to use historical data as point of reference, there will be no end to animosity even if people do change over time and ameliorate their behaviour for the better or at least more temperately (as in my personal opinion, Undergrad2 does as compared to the past behaviour. The rest of it are mere quirks of styles and approach which all of us have like our finger prints that hopefully the rest, not sharing same style and approach, could understand and learn to tolerate in spirit of give and take).

    Past posts about condoms and Sharon Stone opening her legs may be irreverent to the more serious and purposeful minded but to others they are just comic relief or distraction from tense debate.

    Everyone – whether big, medium, small or no egos – will have something worthwhile to say and contribute to the common Cause.

    As I said for the coming year, I hope we will continue to use this Blog to concentrate on what we could do together in collaboration rather than division, discussing and elucidating on public issues as part of our collective contribution to public discourse space to facilitate reform for the betterment of the country.

  32. Jeffrey, the wise one has spoken!
    It is the time of the year and I take this opportunity to wish one and all a HOPEFUL New year and the coming election. If you are not aware, Uncle kit has appointed Tony Pua as his “economic advisor” and we should give all our support for him to ensure and “prevent the system from getting worse “ as he put it. He should also be appointed as the DAP fund manger. With his e-business acumen, he can generate more funds to support the party’s cause by building a slew of “opposition” business (conscientious and honest, and made every effort for businessmen to invest not only to earn a reasonable return, but to achieve good things in life for the rakyat). We can have a culture of “Buy opposition” to support his effort.
    For more details, check it at:
    http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/02/dap-big-2007-catch-tony-pua-genius-gave.html
    and also PM Abdullah Statement: NEP “would not be a permanent feature in Malaysia’s economic policy” Feb 17 07; BUT how to define that illusive 30% stake?

  33. ” collective contribution to public discourse space to facilitate reform for the betterment of the country.” – jeffrey

    A totally inclusive blog to accommodate all characters will make it interesting and challenging and this is essential to the long overdue reform for the benefit of the country and her ordinary people.

  34. Jeffrey – I agree with what you said. All I ask is that Undergrad don’t mess with me and I won’t mess with him. I think that is a fair deal. The problem is that he will pass snide remarks like worms coming out of the woodwork. He thinks is very clever. And he’s cowardly in not being upfront. I have resisted for a long time in not responding to his posts. His totally uncalled remarks about someone wasting tax payers’ money. And that’s very recent.

    His style is abrasive and he likes to claim that that’s how’s it is done in the US. But when he gets a taste of his own medicine – the first thing he does is go crying to Uncle Kit. As I said, if you want to be a jerk, I can be up to the task.

    If you look at my posts, I have no issues with anyone here. He’s too arrogant and because of the Lee Kuan Yew incident (and that too his fault as you can see I was very civil to him then), he has never been able to swallow his pride and will take the occasional pot shot at me. And he will claim he is not. Such pathetic weasel.

    Undergrad2 – here’s my olive branch. If you don’t like my posts, don’t respond. And I will ignore yours as well. If you think there is merit and you respond with courtesy, I will extend the same courtesy to you. But if you want to be too clever by half or anal-retentive, or I make sure that you wish you had not been so puerile.

    Have a nice day…

  35. Undergrad 2, I suggest you read Kwan Yew’s memoirs – the two volumes that were published a few years back. Read my friend; don’t think you know a lot like Real World or Art upon mu. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. How can we contribute to the debate when most of us know so little? Many of the bloggers are in a sense like American idols contestants. They have this false sense of right and wrong, extreme (or rather misplaced) confidence, and do not know their own pathetic state. One more thing, we always think that there is a simple solution to a complex problem. The reality is that most problems require in-depth understanding and elaborate solutions. It is very easy for us to make general statements or recommendations that are devoid of substance. Let me give you a few illustrations: Malaysia must strike for greater efficiency, transparency and governance. We need to eradicate corruption, misuse of power and racism. Tell me how useful are these pronouncements in terms of policy formulation and programme and project implementation? Another observation I have is we tend to quickly assume someone to be capable for high office if that person is from Oxford or Cambridge or he/she has proven his ability in making money. I have in mind people like Khairy and now Tony Phua, both Oxford graduates and now waiting at the wing to hold high political offices, particularly those related to economic management. Macroeconomic management is different from business management or money making, trust me. If there is any short coming right now in Malaysia, it is because we have too many businessmen running this country to the detriment of our long term sustainability. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, my friend. Alexander Pope said that many centuries ago.

  36. Jeffrey – the only reason I pasted the old messages by Undergrad2 is in response to his last post:

    /// If this is the kind of messages readers can expect to read in this blog then it is clear that this platform provided by Kit for the free expression of views on matters of public interest has been abused. You can hurl all the insults you need to, to feed your ego, but may I suggest that you show respect to Kit. ///

    Look at this hypocrite talking through both sides of his mouth. In all my posts, I have never been censored by Kit. But look at his posts – deleted by Kit on so many occasions. And he wants to talk to me about abusing public interest and not showing respect to Kit. This guy does not know the meaning of respect even if it hits him squarely in the face. He will only come to his senses when he is given his own medicine. And then, like the spineless weasel that he is, he will feigned indignation and go crying to Kit for help.

    What kind of respect is he showing Kit when so many of his posts have been censored? What kind of respect when he keeps harping on condoms, dildos and Sharon Stone opening his legs? Jokes are okay, even risque one – but they have to be relevant to the topic at hand. But this guy just go off tangent ever so often, just to look smart – but it invariably back fired.

    I have more of Undergrad2’s pearls of wisdom, and I am showing restraint by not posting the worse ones here. The above samples are just to expose him for what he is – an unprincipled, spineless weasel who could never admit that he is wrong. Do note how reasonable and civil I was in pointing out his errors – but that only encouraged him to throw more insults. Some people will only pay attention when you throw back at him with what he has been poo-ing all over the place.

    Have a prosperour new year.

  37. I second what Jeffrey wrote a few posts above. There was a time in the early days of YB Kit’s blog when Jeffrey and undergrad2 were heavily at each other’s throat (in a relatively entertaining, as opposed to murderous, way).
    But surprises of surprises, viewing the recent couple of months, their exchanges have, in my opinion, become even more entertaining, but of more importance, friendly and even courteous, even if the issues are darned serious. That’s a very pleasant development.

    Let’s not forget that there are many posters here who are not too gifted in English, miles behind the abilities of posters like confusedcious, undergrad2, Jeffrey, among very many others. Still, and especially so, we must value their contributions to this blog, imperfect English notwithstanding.

    So, posters’ styles of comment change over time, some for good, some for worse. In my view, it’s unnecessary to re-post comments of old, and I hope this “confusedcious -v- undergard2” misunderstanding will cease. See, if people of like cause, aspirations and hope with YB LKS cannot even share the same bit of space without badmouthing others or cannot accept criticisms, then imagine the challenges YB has to face in trying to garner sufficient REAL support necessary to make a tangible change to Malaysia among the masses, in urban and rural areas.

    In ending, I congratulate the DAP for the entry of Tony Pua. I will not describe Tony Pua’s entry as “a good catch” by the DAP. I beleive he made a well-considered personal and conscious decision, with eyes wide open, to join the DAP and he will make a significant difference, most importantly he has the credentials and capabilities to contribute real knowledge skills, which I trust YB and DAP leadership will not let be embroiled in unproductive intra-party skirmishes and squabbles like happened recently last month.

  38. “If there is any short coming right now in Malaysia, it is because we have too many businessmen running this country to the detriment of our long term sustainability.” – limkamput

    Dear limkamput,

    Firstly Happy Chinese New Year. It is CNY, why dont you spend it with your family rather than coming here and slating Undergrad2 off? I mean if you have read Kuan Yew’s memoirs, good for you. And if you think you’re the most knowledgeable one here, good for you too.

    And since you say that our government is run by too many businessmen, why dont you stand in the next coming GE? Come forward and put your mouth where your money is.

    Anyway … like I said, it is CNY. So Gongsi Fah Cai. Take the time for the family dude …

  39. The old Alliance in the days preceding our independence stumbled on the formula of working together but separately. The political ‘formula’ if you could call it that, appeared to have served the country well but its anachronism today serves as a warning which is that a ‘formula’ once efficient in its delivery of the electorate’s choices of who best serve them, may well morphed into a ‘formula’ good only in serving notice to the world that anarchy awaits those who have different views.

    The Year of the Pig – and this is not to be ungrateful to our four legged friends who have provided us with a steady supply of nutrition for more than 3,000 years – is, if I may submit, a fitting symbol of the new phase in the political life of our country when the key word are no longer ‘assimilation’ and ‘accommodation’ but ‘integration’ and ‘compromise’. The elements of fire and water nevertheless convey an uneasy balance between two seemingly incompatible elements – one we would do well to take heed.

    Let us all welcome the Year of the Pig for what it is meant to be – a year of change and reform.

  41. I am not totally unfamiliar with this blog but I must admit to being somewhat of a transient passing through, sampling and enjoying some of the exchanges between participants to get a feel of what the forum may hold for me as a learning experience. I observe the exchanges and the interactions and thought to myself this could be the blog to visit from time to time, if not to participate in the discussion, to at least read. But just as suddenly my hopes were dashed when I read comments by one in particular and the vicious personal attacks he launched against another calling him a swine! I do not see the need to do that. It is disturbing and disruptive.

    I shudder at the thought of being called similar names if I were to express views different from the flock. Would he and others like him call me a swine too? No matter what one says nobody deserves to be called a swine. Can we not disagree without being disagreeable?

    This public space should be treated with respect as visitors from different parts of the world drop by occasionally to try and read our minds. I have an English girl next to me as I write, who is curious about Malaysia and its people. We will be doing the MSc Comparative Politics in Nationalism and Ethnicity this October at LSE. We look forward to doing our dissertation on the role of nationalism in Malaysian politics.

    But like I said I now have second thoughts. It is a pity because this is a blog run by a distinguished opposition leader and we had hoped to read his mind, his insight into what the future holds for Malaysians and the interactions by contributors.

    Shirley

  42. uranus – for someone with a nick like yours – it is a bit rich to criticise others’ nicks.

    shirley, for someone who does not know head or tail, you are very quick to take sides, aren’t you? Is some coward hiding under your skirt?

    anyway, I have already taken back my use of the word swine to describe the culprit – it is an insult to the swine, not the other way round.

    Since you guys here prefer posters who sprout words like “dildo”, “condoms”, “Sharon Stone opening her legs”, and many such vulgarities, and have many of his posts censored and deleted by Kit, I have nothing more to say.

    Shirley, if you are indeed a girl, (and not that coward hiding under your skirt), I am indeed disappointed that you are more offended by the word “swine”, than all the filthy words uttered by that hormone-filled pre-adolescent. What is a swine that is so horrific – it is but a pig. And that boy is indeed pig-headed. Like I say, I take that word back, because I realise that I am insulting more the pig than that sorry specimen passing off as human. I supposed you are quite comfortable with this boy’s obsession with condoms and dildos.

    If this is your priority of things here, I am quite happy to part company.

    Bye now – I will leave this site for Undergrad2 to dominate with his intellectual discourse about condoms, dildos, Sharon Stone, wasting tax payers’ money, you know nothing about finance, etc. I will bow out gracefully to this cunning linguist who can tell Lee Kuan Yew’s origin of birth just by his spoken Malay, and his profundity in propounding his insightful theory that where East is is dependent on where one faces.

    I am speechless…

    Good bye and have a good swine (don’t faint, my dear Shirley, this is a perfectly respectable word, in case you don’t know) year.

    Undergrad2/Shirley, I leave you 2 (or one?) to scratch each other’s backs.

  43. Real (Fake) World, this is your problem…. always filled with presumption, naivety or perhaps your obsession with political correctness. Have I in any posting stated that I am more knowledgeable than others? Yes I have read the two volumes by Kuan Yew. Is there a problem with you? Have you seen the covers of these two volumes?
    Second, whether I am celebrating the CNY or otherwise is none of your business. You ought not be too intrusive and decide for others how they live their lives.
    Third, I have made a statement that this government is run by too many businessmen. I think it could have jolted you for you might be hearing it for the first time. Now if you are humble enough, I may just explain to you why this may not be for the long term good of this country. But since you are so arrogant, I shall let you be. It is not my job here to educate a self-righteous, arrogant and an intellectually corrupted mind.
    Fourth, to you democracy is about election, election and election and BN won, won and won. It does not matter whether election is free and fair. See, how shallow can you get? If I tell you democracy is not even majority rule, you will probably say, “huh” what you talking about?

  45. Shirley,

    You said, “This public space should be treated with respect as visitors from different parts of the world drop by occasionally to try and read our minds. I have an English girl next to me as I write, who is curious about Malaysia and its people”.

    By reason of the “vicious personal attacks”, you now have “second thoughts” about visiting this Blog which you also agree that it is “a pity” because this Blog is run by a “distinguished opposition leader” in which “his insights into what the future holds for Malaysians and the interactions by contributors” may provide invaluable perspectives to your and your English girl friend’s “dissertation on the role of nationalism in Malaysian politics”.

    I agree that it is a pity not so much about this Blog than that you should think such a way.

    I have no hesitation in however agreeing that ideally visitors and commenters of a blog including this one should value add to the subjects raised in it, discuss and interact with due respect to all, and if the need to disagree arises, to do so civilly, with reasons rather than invectives and insults. It is what we called Blog etiquette.

    However, that is only an ideal. All kinds of people of all kinds of personalities, good bad and ugly, visit and comment on this blog. Diversity of view points and perspectives is appreciated. There is where the strength of a blog and its contribution to national discourse lies.

    I know you will argue diversity yes but what about posters who are deliberately hostile and insulting, whose postings are not intended to be constructive, to further clarify a discussion, or to persuade other people to a point of view but instead are intended to upset and offend other members of the forum, to assert the posters’ own authority, or establish a position of superiority whether in terms of knowledge, moral position or intellect? Why are they tolerated or allowed?

    When you expressly or impliedly pose questions like these you are obliquely taking to task the Criteria used by the Moderator of this Blog and questioning its validity.

    Let me then say at the outset that the line drawn here is that profanities and inflammatory remarks inciting of race and religion will be deleted as no one wants to transgress the law governing Internet as in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 that proscribes against “obscene, blasphemous, racial or overtly threatening words where the intent is clearly offensive”.

    Above that line that is some latitude even in cases of insults and lack of Blog etiquette.

    It is not that Blog Ettiqette is not aspired to here or that we celebrate the trading of insults, existent amongst men since time immemorial but this etiquette thing is something that we learn to improve on through the learning curve of interactions between us, to work towards that aspiration….

    For you to renounce this blog for this reason – because of the presence of your English girl friend in relation to whom you may, as a Malaysian, feel embarrassed at the standard of Malaysian public discourse – is something I take exception to because of the underlying subtle condescension implied.

    Which blog in which part of the world open to the public does not have ‘flamers’ and ‘trolls’ if you know what I mean in Blogosphere language?

    Maybe you should try Singapore and remotely you may find one but not a single credible blog of any substance in Malaysia is entirely etiquette perfect and free from angry or insulting messages.

    Please tell your English friend that she will understand nothing about a people including Malaysians if she has no glimpse of our anger, invectives, expletives, insults and other pejorative remarks!

    Notwithstanding if the Moderator here does not delete what you consider a terrible insult like “swine”, it is not because he loves Blog Etiquette less but he loves Freeedom of Expression more : translated, this simply means it is not that the Moderator condones, much less encourage the trading of insults and offensive terms between visitors, it is because he holds in sanctity more the importance of canvassing diversity of opinions and perspectives of which invariably the downside of attracting all kinds of personality and their quirks are also allowed as well!

    If you “shudder at the thought of being called similar names if I were to express views different from the flock” then I suggest to you that you will have very limited opportunity to participate meaningfully in a blog.

    Like they say, “Do not try to be a cook if you cannot stand the heat in a kitchen!”

    You have to learn how to deal with, manage and hold your own against unwarranted and vicious attacks – that’s also part of learning curve, and if you don’t learn this well, you are not going very far when you leave university and come to the real world – the real University of Life – armed with the MSc in Comparative Politics in Nationalism and Ethnicity this October from LSE!

  46. Guan Eng questions jump in cost for BORR

    BUTTERWORTH: How did the construction cost of the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) jump from RM410mil to RM700mil?

    This was the question posed by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to the Government, adding that Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had previously quoted RM410mil in Parliament when responding to a question by Bagan MP Lim Hock Seng.

    “Now, we read in the newspapers that the amount is RM700mil. Why has the cost suddenly gone up?” he asked at a press conference at the BORR Sungai Nyior toll plaza here yesterday.

    Lim also asked for the concession agreement between the Government and BORR concession holder, Lingakaran Luar Butterworth Sdn Bhd, to be made public.

    “The public has the right to know the terms and conditions in the agreement,” he said.

    The collection at the Sungai Nyior toll has been deferred till further notice following public objection.

  48. Isn’t question like “why construction cost of the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) jumps from RM410mil to RM700mil? ” should be rightly asked by our Auditor General instead of by us?

    What is he doing?

    The auditing functions of Auditing General are divided into two main sectors namely the Federal Audit Sector and the State Audit Sector. The Federal Audit Sector has a branch called the Public Works External Audit Branch (PWEA) directly answerable to the Assistant Auditor-General (Federal Accounts Sector).

    The responsibility of PWEA is to carry out financial and performance audits on the Ministry of Works and other agencies under the Ministry. The branch is specialised in undertaking in-depth audits on technical matters pertaining to infrastructure projects.

    To assist the auditors to undertake audit of infrastructure projects, a senior civil engineer was seconded from the Public Works Department.

    The Auditor General office is supposed to be independent. The Auditor-General shall not be removed from office except on the like grounds and in the like manner as a judge of the Supreme Court. The Auditor-General being appointed by the King is not subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Services Commission. He holds office with much the same independence as a judge. In the performance of his statutory duties, he is not subject to the authority of any Minister or Executive Body. This technical independence is reinforced by the Audit Act 1957 which allows the Auditor-General to carry out the audit in such manner as he may deems fit.

  49. /// I have an English girl next to me as I write, who is curious about Malaysia and its people. We will be doing the MSc Comparative Politics in Nationalism and Ethnicity this October at LSE. We look forward to doing our dissertation on the role of nationalism in Malaysian politics. ///

    Shirley, may I constructively suggest that you read up on the Malaysian Hansard if you want to do your dissertation on Malaysian politics. This will be a treasure trove of information and misinformation on Malaysian politics, politicking and realpolitik and will be a real eye-opener for you and your English friend. You will be able to begin understanding what realpolitik is all about.

    On second thoughts, I think I should take that suggestion back. The Hansard, if you have the heart and guts to go through it, will reveal all the gory details of what goes on in the cess pit otherwise know as Parliament. You will also cringe and faint at what Uncle Kit has to absorb, all the slings and arrows, all the abuses and all the name callings.

    Given the fragility of your constitution, I better forewarn you to tip-toe into the Hansard with extreme care. As Jeffrey advised above, if you can’t stand the heat, better get out of the kitchen.

    But do at least take a peek at the Hansard. It will open your eyes to the real world and see for yourself what goes on in the ultimate platform for policy makers and law-makers to decide on the destiny of the country. Buy do get your smelling salts ready…

    You will realise that “swine” is almost a term of endearment after you have survived the verbal assaults in Parliament…

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