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A Dialogue in Hell

by Farish A. Noor

We are in hell by now. No, we are not going to hell, but we are already there it seems.

Let me explain what I mean by this: I happen to teach comparative religion and one of the things I’ve noticed while giving my lectures is how in every major religious system of the world there seems to be consensus over what hell is meant to look like. In the religious iconography of Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists we see the same pictorial depiction that infernal place. In many of them the image of hell is that of a place of universal torment, with individuals suffering for eternity. What is interesting to note in these images is the fact that the torment of each individual seems to be a very private suffering that is not shared by the others, for each is suffering on his or her own.

Seen metaphorically, hell marks the breakdown of communication; the impossibility of reaching out to the other beside you, to communicate one’s own pain and anguish. Hell is where all sense of collectivism is lost, where society breaks down, where any form of mutual co-operation is rendered null and void by the individual suffering that is the lot of each of us. Continue reading “A Dialogue in Hell”

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RM4.6 billion PKFZ scandal – Hansard account

(From Hansard 4th September 2007 [unedited] on the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone scandal during the winding up of the debate on 2007 Supplementary Estimates by Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek)

Dato’ Dr. Awang Adek bin Hussin: Yang Berhormat, saya ingin meringkaskan cerita dan saya terus kepada perkara-perkara pokok. Yang Berhormat menimbulkan berbagai-bagai isu tetapi kalau diizinkan saya ingin cantumkan isu-isu Port Klang Free Zone ini kepada empat isu. Pertama, mengapakah pembelian tanah ini tidak dibuat melalui pengambilan balik tanah? Kan Yang Berhormat?

Keduanya, apakah status dan mengapakah Menteri mengeluarkan surat, tidak tahulah Yang Berhormat sebut letter of guarantee, tetapi kita sebut letter of support, surat sokongan. Ketiganya ialah mengenai soft loans, pinjaman ringan, pinjaman mudah. Keempatnya, kenapakah projek ini yang dulunya dianggap sebagai self finance dengan izin, tiba-tiba perlukan kepada pinjaman mudah. Boleh Yang Berhormat, empat itu? Ada lagi?

Tuan Lim Kit Siang [Ipoh Timor]: [Bercakap tanpa pembesar suara]

Dato’ Dr. Awang Adek bin Hussin: Macam mana build up pula, saya dah cakap empat tadi, dia setuju-setuju, dia masuk juga …

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Timbalan Menteri jawab sahajalah, jangan ada tawar-menawar ini, susah.

Dato’ Dr. Awang Adek bin Hussin: Tidak apalah, kita bagi peluang dia, nanti dia tidak puas hati, dia kacau lagi. Kita nak telus, bagi jelas. Kepong ok ya? Jangan kacau Kepong. Jadi pengambilan tanah, mengapa pengambilan tidak dilakukan secara pengambilan balik tanah. Yang Berhormat, mula-mula memang ada usaha untuk diambil tanah melalui pengambilan balik, land acquisition. Land acquisition ini boleh diambil melalui dua cara, satunya berdasarkan kepentingan awam. Biasanya kepentingan awam ini adalah untuk projek-projek sosial, hospital, universiti, ini projek ekonomi. Ekonomi yang besar yang mungkin boleh melibatkan keuntungan.

Keduanya ialah pengambilan balik tanah melalui projek ekonomilah iaitu yang keduaduanya tetapi yang ekonomi ini disyaratkan tidak ada sebelum ini development order, ini ada dalam undang-undang Land Acquisition Act. Sekiranya sudah ada development order maka pengambilan tanah atas dasar ekonomi ini tidak boleh dibuat. Jadi sebab itu timbul masalah sama ada ia boleh dibuat ataupun tidak. Apakah ia boleh dikategorikan sebagai pengambilan untuk kepentingan awam memenuhi projek-projek sosial, projek yang betul-betul perlu rakyat ataupun perlu diambil melalui pelaksanaan projek ekonomi. Malangnya pengambilan melalui projek ekonomi bersyarat dalam akta itu, tidak boleh dibuat sekiranya development order sudah dikeluarkan.

Jadi sebab inilah, maka ia mengambil masa. Pada tahun 2002 Kementerian Pengangkutan telah membawa kertas Kabinet, perbincangan dengan Kabinet. Kabinet bersetuju pada 2 Oktober 2002 supaya pembelian tanah ini dibuat. Ini bermakna ada persetujuan bahawa tanah ini dibeli dengan harga-harga tertentu berdasarkan usaha untuk mengambil balik tanah ini, ada isu-isu berbangkit yang boleh menimbulkan masalah, itu pertama. Keduanya, letter of support, surat. Surat ini sebenarnya bukan … Continue reading “RM4.6 billion PKFZ scandal – Hansard account”

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Over RM100 million spent by Federal govt for 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations

BREAKING NEWS

The Federal Government has budgetted over RM100 million for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations.

This was finally admitted by the Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek this evening during the winding-up of the two-day policy debate on the 2007 Supplementary estimates.

At first Awang said the original estimates for the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations under the Prime Minister’s Department was RM74 million, and with the additional supplementary vote of RM18.25 million requested, making up a total of RM93 million. The government spent RM38 million for the Merdeka anniversary in 2006 and RM35 million in 2005.

He said the expenditure of RM93 million for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations were proper and justified once in 50 years and in creating a sense of national unity for the occasion, which was priceless.

Seeking clarification, I asked firstly, whether these are the “final” and “absolute” figures or whether there would be other expenditures for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations which would come before Parliament in future supplementary estimates.

Secondly, I pointed out that in the 2007 supplementary estimates there were at least two other items of specific expenditures for the 50th Merdeka anniversry celebrations in other minisries, viz RM7.2 million for all parliamentary constituencies for the 50th Merdeka anniversary under the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage and RM8 million under the Ministry of Youth and Sports for Youth Day programme in connection with the 50th Merdeka anniversary.

I asked for the ‘grand total” of all expenditures for all Ministries in connection with the 50th Merdeka annivesary celebrations and not just the allocations for the Prime Minsiter’s Department.

In his reply, Awang admitted that there were other items of expenditures outside the Prime Minister’s Department like the RM7.2 million figure (he did not touch on the RM8 million item) which would bring the total to RM100 million. He said he could not give a categorical answer that there would not be other figures but as far as he knew these were the substantial sums, and if there were other items they would not be major ones.

He said with 26 million population, the RM100 million tag worked out to about RM3 or RM4 per person once in 50 years, symbolising the peace, harmony and welfare enjoyed by the people. Continue reading “Over RM100 million spent by Federal govt for 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations”

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How much government budgetted for 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations?

Believe it or not, this question raised Barisan Nasional ire in Parliament yesterday.

When yesterday’s sitting started and Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek presented the 2007 supplementary operating and development estimates totalling RM11.9 billion and explaining the details of the supplementary requests to the original 2007 estimates of RM159 billion, I stood up to ask for clarification.

I pointed out that under the Prime Minister’s Department, there was a request for an additional RM18.2 million expenditures for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations. However, unlike many other items where supplementary estimates were being requested, it was not possible to find out from the Treasury memorandum tabled in Parliament what were the original estimates which had been budgeted for the Golden Jubilee Merdeka celebrations.

I asked Awang what was the original estimates to which an additional RM18.2 million allocation was being requested.

Who would have thought that such a simple-and-straightforward question nearly brought down the House, with the Deputy Minister stubbornly refusing to do so and even threatening to refuse to give way to me to seek clarifications when delivering his winding-up speech the next day, with Barisan Nasional MPs creating a din and demanding that I should cease and desist and stop posing such a question as if I had committed something sacrilegious in Parliament.

I rejected Awang’s argument that he would give the answer during his reply as such information should be at his finger tips unless there were reasons why he was not prepared to be forthcoming about the original estimates budgetted by the government for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations.

I rebutted Awang’s argument that I was already debating the supplementary estimates in posing the question, as what I wanted was the most basic information so that an informed debate on the supplementary estimates could be conducted by MPs from both sides of the House.

In the event, the brute majority of the Barisan Nasional in Parliament prevailed and Awang did not enlighten Parliament as to what were the original estimates budgetted for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations and the BN MPs were very happy about their ignorance! Continue reading “How much government budgetted for 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations?”

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Seven shouts of “Merdeka” in Parliament this morning without support from a single BN MP — does it mean BN MPs disloyal, anti-national and unpatriotic?

I started my speech on the supplementary estimates this morning calling on MPs to stand up for seven shouts of “Merdeka” to uphold the Malaysian Constitution as the country is still celebrating the 50th Merdeka Anniversary.

Only DAP MPs stood up, with me shouting “Merdeka” and the DAP MPs responding “Secular Malaysia” seven times.

Not a single Barisan Nasional (BN) MP, whether Umno, MCA, MIC or Gerakan stood up to shout “Merdeka”.

In my speech, I said I had called for seven shouts of “Merdeka” for two purposes: firstly, to demonstrate that the loyalty and patriotism of DAP MPs to the country is second to none to anyone from Barisan Nasional in Parliament, whether minister, deputy minister or parliamentary secretary.

Secondly, to highlight the ‘farce” of patriotism staged by certain BN MPs last Wednesday who disgraced Parliament and demeaned the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations just to score cheap political points against Opposition MPs.

The BN MP for Jasin, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof growled from his seat that my seven shouts of Merdeka in Parliament was “cheapening” its meaning. I must thank him for helping me to illustrate my point about the “farce” of patriotism staged by him and other BN MPs in Parliament last Wednesday. Continue reading “Seven shouts of “Merdeka” in Parliament this morning without support from a single BN MP — does it mean BN MPs disloyal, anti-national and unpatriotic?”

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Loss of baby’s left forearm – Did Klang General Hospital have the expertise?

by MONACHORUM

I refer to your recent report regarding the sad loss of Baby Yok Shan’s left arm following an antibiotic infusion into the premature baby’s limb that went wrong.

Pictures and follow-up reports of the baby’s condition and arm were published nationwide. It was obvious that the left forearm was gangrenous with the margins showing features of acute infection.

As reported this could have been the result of an intravenous infusion that extravasated at the level of the elbow causing compartment syndrome, cutting off blood supply further down the forearm, giving rise to the gangrene and subsequent infection.

Alternatively, it could also be possible that the doctor who inserted the IV, could have done so directly into the brachial artery which is the main artery that supplies the forearm. An injection such as vancomycin into this artery could result in disastrous circumstances including obvious shut-off of blood supply and death of tissues that this artery supplies.

A remote and far more unusual way of inflicting infection would be to actually insert the IV needle intraosseously (into the bone) also at the level of the elbow which will result in infection of the bone or rarely pulmonary embolism transmitted via the marrow. Gangrene is an unusual occurrence.

It was reported that the findings of a committee formed to look into the mishap found that the gangrene was the result of an injection given by an unsupervised house-officer and a pediatrician who was consulted only by phone which is not unusual if the pediatrician had been on-call too frequently. Continue reading “Loss of baby’s left forearm – Did Klang General Hospital have the expertise?”

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Rooting For An Islamic State of Malaysia

M. Bakri Musa

While still savoring the euphoria of the 50th Merdeka celebration, this thought comes to mind: If I were a non-Muslim Malaysian, I would be fervently rooting for an Islamic State of Malaysia (ISM). This may sound irrational, but bear with me as I elaborate.

First and foremost, I would become a hero among Malaysian Muslims. They are a significant number, in fact the majority at 60 percent. Even those with the dullest political instinct will readily appreciate that in a democracy, when the majority treats you as a hero, you are definitely bound for greater heights.

Second, with 60 percent of the population consumed with religion, it would leave the other 40 percent who are non-Muslims to service the worldly needs of the “pious” ones. Imagine the economic bonanza from the enlarged market and reduced competition!

Third, in an Islamic State, the charging of interests (ribaa) would be haram (not permissible). Muslims would not be allowed to partake in economic activities involving the charging of interests. As modern capitalism is built upon credit (the flip side of loan interests), this would effectively leave the entire capitalistic market, in particular finance, to non-Muslims. Again, another bonanza! Continue reading “Rooting For An Islamic State of Malaysia”

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Baby Yok Shan tragedy – 50th Merdeka reminder of plunge in public service standards/accountability

Newspaper headlines today like “Baby’s blackened arm removed — Procedure on Yok Shan over in 10 minutes” (The Star), “Tangan bayi tersalah suntuk tertanggal sendiri” (Mingguan Malaysia), “ORDEAL — BABY YOK SHAN LOSES HER LEFT FOREARM” (New Sunday Times) and “Tangan bayi salah suntuk dipotong” (Berita Minggu) highlight another tragic case to remind Malaysians that despite all the glitter and extravangza of the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations, public service standards and accountability have fallen to a new low in 50 years.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek should present a Ministerial statement in Parliament tomorrow on the outrageous case of five-week-old baby Lai Yok Shan who lost her left forearm from below the elbow because of medical negligence at the Tengku Ampuan Rahiman Hospital in Klang.

Lai’s parents, her father Lai Kian Khee, 24 and mother Nur Tuemthong, were told on National Day eve that Yok Shan will undergo an operation expected to last from two to four hours on Sept 1 – a day after 50th Merdeka National Day – to amputate her left arm, but in actual fact, no amputation was needed as the blackened arm came off when the orthopaedic surgeon lifted and turned it.

This showed how little the panel of medical specialists knew about Yok Shan’s condition despite all the hullabaloo about its establishment to treat the baby girl!

Chua should honour his public promise that “there will be no cover up and all will be transparent” into the negligence resulting in the Yok Shan losing her left forearm. Continue reading “Baby Yok Shan tragedy – 50th Merdeka reminder of plunge in public service standards/accountability”

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Malaysia must adopt global policies and strategies to survive

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

The Barisan Nasional government frequently makes pronouncements that the economy is sound, with GDP growth rates of 5% and above.

However the following statistics of per capita income do not give a flattering picture of Malaysia:

PER CAPITA INCOME OF SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES

1967/ 2005

Malaysia US290/ 5,042

Singapore 600/ 26,836

Hong Kong 620/ 25,493

Taiwan 250/ 15,203

S. Korea 160/ 16,308

In 1957, Malaysia had the second biggest per capita income after Japan, but now we are at the tail end among the front-rank developed nations in Asia. Continue reading “Malaysia must adopt global policies and strategies to survive”

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Tall buildings, narrow minds – Malaysia at 50

From The Economist
Aug 30th 2007

After 50 years, Malaysia should stop treating a third of its people as not-quite-citizens

THE government of Malaysia has laid on all sorts of grand pageantry this weekend, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Malay peninsula’s independence from Britain. There is much to celebrate. Living standards and access to education, health services, sanitation and electricity have soared during those five decades of sovereignty. The country’s remarkable modernisation drive was symbolised, nine years ago, by the completion of the Petronas twin towers, in Kuala Lumpur, then the world’s tallest buildings.

Yet there will be a hollow ring to the festivities. Malaysia’s 50th birthday comes at a time of rising resentment by ethnic Chinese and Indians, together over one-third of the population, at the continuing, systematic discrimination they suffer in favour of the majority bumiputra, or sons of the soil, as Malays and other indigenous groups are called. There are also worries about creeping “Islamisation” among the Malay Muslim majority of what has been a largely secular country, and about the increasingly separate lives that Malay, Chinese and Indian Malaysians are leading. More so than at independence, it is lamented, the different races learn in separate schools, eat separately, work separately and socialise separately. Some are asking: is there really such a thing as a Malaysian? Continue reading “Tall buildings, narrow minds – Malaysia at 50”

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Merdeka Golden Jubilee – National anniversary or Barisan Nasional anniversary?

A fortnight ago, the Sultan of Selangor called on politicians regardless of parties to put politics aside and to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime event, the 50th Merdeka anniversary, as one people.

He said: “The politicians, regardless of their parties, can have all the time they want to talk about politics after National Day but for now, I do not want to hear any issues that can hurt the feelings of any community.”

It is very sad that the Sultan of Selangor’s advice was completely ignored, as the two weeks before the 50th Merdeka anniversary had produced an unusually big crop of divisive and contentious issues which further divide rather than unify Malaysians as well as undermining public confidence in the independence and integrity of national institutions — not to mention the farce of patriotism staged by some Barisan Nasional MPs on August 29, which disgraced Parliament and demeaned the Merdeka Golden Jubilee celebrations.

After the Ambang Merdeka at the Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur culminating in the 50th Merdeka Anniversary countdown to midnight of August 30, many Malaysians asked whether it was a national anniversary or a Barisan Nasional anniversary.

Instead of uniting all Malaysians, regardless of generations, race, religion, territory or political party affiliations, the Ambang Merdeka programme polarized Malaysians between those in the Barisan Nasional/Alliance and the rest of Malaysians!

Although the Merdeka Parade at Dataran Merdeka yesterday morning and the Merdeka Mammoth Celebrations at Stadium Merdeka last night were not as blatantly “Barisan Nasional” as the Ambang Merdeka programme, the tone and motif of the official celebrations had been set and it is no exaggeration to say that many Malaysians were turned off by the anniversary programme for failing to be a powerful agent of Malaysian national unity for the country to face up to the many grave challenges of the next half-century. Continue reading “Merdeka Golden Jubilee – National anniversary or Barisan Nasional anniversary?”

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Malaysia at 50: So far, so good

By Philip Bowring
International Herald Tribune
August 28, 2007

HONG KONG: There is much celebration in Malaysia this month to mark the day 50 years ago when the new nation was born out of the British-ruled states of the Malay peninsula. But was it?

On Aug. 31, 1957 it was actually Malaya that became independent. Malaysia was not created until September 1963, when the Malaya states were joined by Singapore (briefly) and the British-ruled territories in Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak.

The difference between Malaya and Malaysia is not a semantic quibble. It lies at the heart of the nation’s identity issues which in turn are reflected in the racial and religious basis of its politics.

Is this a Malay/Muslim country, where the non-Malay 50 percent and non-Muslim 40 percent must accept a somewhat subservient position whether they are immigrant races (Chinese and Indians) or the non-Malay but indigenous majority in Sabah and Sarawak? Or is this a nation forging a common Malaysian identity from its disparate origins? Continue reading “Malaysia at 50: So far, so good”

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Just imagine that…

August 31, 2007
Malaysian PM Very Constructive Force For Region, Says Bush


By Salmy Hashim

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Bernama) — President George W. Bush has described Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership as a very constructive force for Southeast Asia.

He said Malaysia was an interesting example of how a free society could deal with movements that could conceivably change and alter the nature of the free society.

“I respect the way the prime minister has used freedom and the openness of society to deal with frustration. I mean, all societies have frustrated people. The question is will the outlet of that frustration lead to violence or peace,” Bush said in a rare roundtable Thursday with five journalists from Asia Pacific, including Bernama.

“Malaysia is an example of a country where frustrations have been channelled in a positive way.

“I respect Prime Minister Badawi, admire his leadership,” Bush, who met Abdullah at the White House in 2004, said when commenting on Abdullah’s leadership in handling extremism and terrorism in the country.

Abdullah is a proponent for moderation, advocating Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) in Malaysia and everywhere he goes.

The camaraderie between the two leaders could be seen when the president said: “When his wife (the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmood) died, I tried to call him early just to let him know I cared about him.”

When told that Abdullah had remarried, Bush appeared surprised and said: “Has he? Good. I’ll congratulate him. Thanks for giving me that heads-up. I’m going to congratulate him. That’s neat.

When told by his aide that he did congratulate the prime minister, Bush laughed at his memory lapse and said: “Exactly. I’m going to congratulate him again. I’ll double the congratulations.”

He later admitted that he forgot and asked his aide whether he had called or written a note to the prime minister. He was told that he had written a note.

“That’s right, yes. (I also) sent him a couple of flowers,” Bush said. Continue reading “Just imagine that…”