Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin has provided proof that he runs the Information Ministry like a frog under the coconut shell blissfully unaware that in the era of globalization and international competitiveness Malaysia cannot turn a blind eye to complaints, whether by Malaysians or foreigners, about misgovernance.
I am astounded that the former veteran journalist could be so mischievous and irresponsible as to issue a formal statement yesterday accusing me of acts akin to being “anti-national” for bringing a foreigner to Parliament “to express his views on the democratic and security system in the country”.
He said such things would not have happened in any other country, especially when the case mentioned was still under police investigation .
Zainuddin cannot be more wrong. I have no doubt that in developed countries which Malaysia aspires to become in 2020, using the Parliament to ventilate the grievances of nationals and foreigners in the country would be common occurrence and would not be the subject of any official comment.
What would be eye-raising is having the Information Minister of the country disgracing himself, Parliament and the nation by making myopic and xenophobic statements as if foreigners have no rights in the country and Malaysia has no duty and responsibility to protect the safety and security of foreign tourists, visitors and professionals working as consultants in the country.
Let me clarify from the outset that the Canadian consultant, Manjit Sokhai did not come to Parliament on Wednesday “to express his views on the democratic and security system in the country” but to complain to the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance about the menace of Mat Rempitism, of which he was the most recent victim.
Manjit , 43, from Montreal visits Malaysia three to four times a year in connection with his work. He was driving his four-wheel drive along Jalan Rasah, Seremban at about 11pm on Saturday Oct 20, with three friends from India when he was confronted by some 40 Mat Rempits on motorcycles, who assaulted him and went on to damage his vehicle, smashing the rear lights, wipers and number plate.
The purpose of Wednesday media conference in Parliament was for Manjit to recount to the media his traumatic experience with the Mat Rempits, a menace to the safety and security not only of Malaysians but also foreign visitors and tourists.
I cited the recent crimes of Mat Rempitism, including murder, where even police and road transport officials had become victims, and called on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to give his personal attention to wipe out the Mat Rempit menace subverting law and order, creating fear among Malaysians and visitors about their personal safety, giving the country a bad name internationally and undermining Malaysia’s international competitiveness.
It is most shocking that instead of giving support, Zainuddin has chosen to take the side of the Mat Rempits.
Is Zainuddin as Information Minister a frog under the coconut shell blissfully unaware that we are in the era of globalization and international competitiveness or is he making a bid to be a Godfather of Mat Rempits in the run-up to the Umno annual general assembly next month?
In his statement yesterday, Zainuddin was again guilty of “misinformation” when he made baseless allegations against DAP MPs. He said:
“Previously, they had brought two Chinese nationals who claimed that they were victims of the police in one case, but it was later proven that they had cheated the people of this country. They were not linked to the case as claimed and they had used the opposition to exaggerate the case.”
I challenge Zainuddin to substantiate this allegation, and if he cannot do so, to retract his statement and tender a public apology.
asking for apologies from these ppl is waste of time.
should put more effort to remove the regime instead.
I have to protest that my name is now linked to the mat rempits !
We must know how the entire network of the ‘corrupted’ BN heads works here as a team. They are controlling all the relevant agencies from inside out. Do you think they are bother by this complaint ? Even C4 case now are being put up as the ‘Showcase of the Year’ award eventhough involved international countries. What say you on this minor incident ?
In Malaysia, no one died means case is just some misunderstanding or the provoking party are the complaint party.
Even there are death, it’s just another accident cases that happens the same world wide and ours happens to be a rare one.
If he can’t be bother to get his facts right…..he is definitely a Minister of Misinformation to confuse the people at a great expense of the country – an anti-national and self-serving politician.
UMNO will degenerate itself to be the United Matrampits National Organisation very soon.
All the antics and statements put forth by these UMNO ministers are proof that they are protecting their position and power (and hence the opportunity to rape the country). It is just our bad luck that the main ruling party in this lovely country of our is them.
May 10th November 2007 be the turning point in the history of Malaysia. If things have to get worst before it can be better, then so be it. It is high time that all of us who TRULY care about this country get up and get out onto the streets to reclaim back the past glory of Malaysia and propel it higher and further than where that space tourist went at our expense.
YB Kit,
What happen to the DAP website? It is being hacked?
50 years is ENOUGH
Vote For A Change
Vote For Any Opposition
Give Them A Chance To Change For A Better Malaysia
Remember bn Is A Useless Grouping Of Self Serving, Corrupt, Dictator, Power Crazy, Racist, Kris waving, etc, etc type of parties.
This Bozo Info Minister is only trying to gain some political mileages from this Mat Rempit thing.
Cannot even differentiate the evil of Mat Rempit and Nationalism… Sad case must be brain dead.
I personally tends to feel that November 07 marks a BIG history for Malaysia and talking about the 10th, it’s such a BIg day too.
However, BN will blocked that day with another major announcement that rocks this country and put Malaysians into fear.
Everyone are hinting about the coming GE and heats are brewing up from all angles lately.
This round the GE are such a difficult arrangement as compared to all previous done by BN because of BA intellegence to picking and releasing ‘nation interest’ cases of the past which ‘hurts’ the rakyat emotional feelings.
BN could not have suspected such ‘OSA’ doings can be leaked out as they have never underestimate DSAI and his followers all along. However, they overlooked his knowledge and accesses that he and his followers ‘have gathered’ during the tenure of the same camp.
DSAI’s character which a very much ‘stern’ leadership individual eversince from Uni time have proven his stands in the world of politics. A great breed from UMNO camp during The Done Master era, DSAI just tried his ‘stunts’ a little bit too early as The Done Master will do anything in power to save his ‘puppies’ during the financial crisis and DSAI have not know of ‘The Done Master’ entire network in the scandal can easily run him down. For this, we, the rakyat have learned so much about the cause of self destruction in government constitution by the scandal which now start to crack bigger and faster.
Come November 10th, no matter how many that will turn up in Dataran Merdeka, BN will make sure that non will turn up after all. They have learned from the Bar Council March to Putrajaya episode and they have to make sure no more nonsense from the rakyat.
Zainudding is another nut-case!
Why shoot the messenger and totally ignore the Message?
Isn’t the Message more important than the manner in which it is conveyed, whether by a foreigner or by a local?
If Mat Rempits are a menace, does it matter if a foreigner or a local complains?
Reminds me a lot about Lingam-gate and many other similar cases – be totally blinded by the Message, and try to shoot the Messenger.
No Messenger, No Message.
So simple!
Old Observer.
ZAM is behaving like a BN monkey that’s gone bananas over NUTs.
Can i ask you all something? Are the BN MP’s are all well educated? what i realise is that most of them seems to be not educated at all..even the “MALAY” cant speak their own language well..did he finished his form 5? i believe his recent statement about the Mat Rempit case is so childish and immature..instead of doing something to overcome this social issue..he has chosen to take the side of the Mat Rempits.One day he will support the rapist and robbers as well? …someday i will be happy to see Mat rempit knock the monkey(ZAM)
Zam “…..accusing me of acts akin to being “anti-national†for bringing a foreigner to Parliament “to express his views on the democratic and security system in the countryâ€Â.
I am reminded that Malaysia, the country, through its UN envoy R. Ramani, brought an Indonesian army machine gun and ammunition and placed them on his table and complained to the UN Security Council during Konfrantasi in the 60s. This caused a stir and remains unprecedented in UN’s history.
The mat rempits (anak kurang ajar) are getting daring now, all because of mat umno (anak fikiran separuh masak) who are phrasing and protecting them because the mat rempits are anak anak ketuanan melayu, bumiputera, enjoy NEP can’t go to U but no problem can go to MARA, can not find job no problem can go to gomen, jadi kaki tangan kerajaan, what a shit! Once I saw they are about 40 to 50 of them, and at the traffic light they dare to stop all the traffic so their gang can ride through the red light. A few cars nearly bum to each others because of sudden stop of the front car. How I wish to see Zam and KJ been kill by mat rempits and left to rot at the road side.
Remember “Comical Ali” or “Badgdad Bob” the Iraqi Information minister of the 2003 Iraq war fame? See link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comical_ali
He must have been Zam’s role model as Information Minister. Just as Comical Ali was claiming of an Iraqi victory despite the US tanks being only a couple of hundred yards away, Zam wants the whole world to believe Malaysia has no security problems by denying the existence of Mat Rempits.
Or he is trying to endear himself to SIL who is championing the Mat Rempits for the coming UMNO GA? It is incredible the depths bankrupt politicians will be prepared to crawl to to gain that little political favour.
“Let me clarify from the outset that the Canadian consultant, Manjit Sokhai did not come to Parliament on Wednesday “to express his views on the democratic and security system in the country†but to complain to the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance about the menace of Mat Rempitism, of which he was the most recent victim.” KIT
In the United States, it is inconceivable to think that a similar incident would make it to the U.S> Congress. The media would not be interested even to report it. It is a question of law and order – plain and simple, and for the police to act.
Foreigners be they tourists, students or undocumented aliens are entitled to the same rights as any other American citizen i.e. the same rights accorded a citizen under their Constitution.
Don’t you all commentors in Uncle Kit’s blog not know that Mat Rempits are law unto themselves with no other than SIL championing their cause, and now this ZAM telling off Kit for bringing a Sikh Canadian to Parliament to complain about Mat Rempits.In fact, Mat Rempits are part and parcel of this Ketuanan Melayu set-up if in case you don’t know!!
‘The media would not be interested even to report it. It is a question of law and order-plain and simple, and for the police to act on it.”.undergrad 2.
Yes my dear fellow it’s that easy in US for the police’s job is pretty clear cut — to upkeep the law.
But in Bolehland it is complicated by some other more important duty to do —maintaining law and order can be relegated to the back-burner!
Our police has a “clear cut” job but they are not doing it – which is what I meant. We have all the laws but we do not have the will to enforce it.
It is time we seek the return to the rule of law. Then there will not be any need to drag anybody into the nation’s highest legislative assembly just to prove a point. Hope I got that right.
“Let me clarify from the outset that the Canadian consultant, Manjit Sokhai did not come to Parliament on Wednesday “to express his views on the democratic and security system in the country†but to complain …” KIT
I believe Kit was referring to the media conference held in the lobby of Parliament House.
“The purpose of Wednesday media conference in Parliament was for Manjit to recount to the media his traumatic experience …” KIT
The Umnoputras have all the while wanted to glorify these mat rempits.The aim is to unleashed them to create havocs when the time comes.
Remember the son-in-law wanted to hold a mass gathering at Stadium Bkt.Jalil sometime ago to glorify them?
What stupidity and what price are we going to pay?
Hitler had his SS, Zam has his Mat Rempits.
“anti-national†for bringing a foreigner to Parliament
then why we have a mamak there? therefore amno must be anti national
Let’s vote them out in coming election…!! Enough for this monkey sees, monkey does business…!!!