Can Datuk Seri Najib Razak emulate Barack Obama to embody change and inspire Malaysians with the same hope of a “dream come true” as Obama has been able to evoke from the American people as witnessed in the inauguration of the 44th United States President yesterday?
This is the natural question to ask following Najib’s acknowledgement that Obama won election as the first African American president of the United States because he pushed for and embodied change.
Can Najib’s warning that Umno and Barisan Nasional must change or perish in the next general election be taken seriously, when he had just spearheaded the Barisan Nasional’s Kuala Terengganu “buy-election” campaign where money politics and electoral corruption had reigned supreme?
It is no exaggeration to say that the newly-formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC, slated as the cornerstone of the “change” promised by the outgoing Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had been the greatest casualty in the Kuala Terengganu “buy-election”.
Who could believe that the MACC could become a second ICAC (Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption) in its fearless and successful campaign against corruption, without fear or favour, when MACC dared not even send a special team to curb and prosecute corrupt practices in the Kuala Terengganu by-election?
What credibility could MACC have when it was forced to delay charging a former Barisan Nasional state assembly representative in Selangor for corruption so as not to affect the outcome of the Kuala Terengganu by-election, as reported by Malaysiakini three days before the by-election polling?
Immediately after the by-election, MACC sprang into action to convince Malaysians of its prowess, announcing that a senior Perak Umno official and two others would be charged for money politics in UMNO – involving sums of money ranging from RM200 to RM300!
Instead of impressing Malaysians, the MACC will immediately become a laughing-stock if all it could do is to continue to fry ‘ikan bilis’ while the ‘ikan yus” of corrupt practices whether in the Umno party elections or the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election remain scot-free!
It is reported today that the Umno disciplinary board has yet to submit 900 reports of alleged money politics during the recent Umno divisional and branch meetings to the MACC.
All such reports which concern corruption should be referred directly to MACC for action and not be sieved and filtered by the Umno disciplinary board which had never been known for its independence, impartiality or professionalism.
If Najib is to emulate Obama and embody change, then let him stand up and express his shock and outrage at the most disappointing start of the MACC to become an effective and fearless anti-corruption agency like Hong Kong’s ICAC in its first three weeks of operation from January 1 and to declare his full support to the MACC to act against corrupt practices both in the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election and Umno party elections.
Uncle Lim probably did not sleep well last night, so the brain was not very clear. How can you compare such a low class politician with the first class politician? If you compare Anware or yourself with Obama, I can still take it.
Uncle Lim probably had a nightmare last night that Bijan had resigned from umno and joined PAS.
I believe Malaysians can count on him.
On the other hand, every Malaysians and the rest of the world still look up at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with respect and praises. Needless to say, the oppositions still lack of a good leader with vision and ability like him.
No
Obama is young, intelligent, eloquent, attractive and the ultimate proof that most of the citizens of the US have overcome bigotry and want a better future.
Fong Po Kuan for PM!
Uncle Lim,
You must be joking right? Nevertheless it’s a very nice thought. A dream….. really.
Cheers!
Visit the website, Malaysia
for quick facts and interesting information about Malaysia.
cintanegara: “the rest of the world still look up at Mahathir”
For all ‘rest of the world’ where ‘rest of the world’ = Zimbabwe? You obviously don’t get out much!
change ? change wat ?
my foot lah , even sky is going to fall , we will not see changes….
if there is changes , the sun will rise from the west direction……
Change there will be, most certainly.
But Change comes in two distinct forms. One type is Second-Order-Change which deals with problems at their roots. Solutions come from targetting at the core of the causes to the problems. This brings enduring change. Sometimes these are called Curative- Changes. They effectively cure the problemmatic situations at hand.
The other type is First-Order-Change. These are merely window-dressings and superficials that have just skin-deep Illusory-Solutions put over the surface of situations. At times, first-order changes even worsen the problems at hand. They may even aggravate the problems further. These can also be seen as Sensate-Changes. They please the human senses, but cannot bring real and permanent solutions.
In groupings, enterprises, business organisations, and all other human institutions, if there is no strategic ability to distinguish and differentiate the above two kinds of Change, then most likely, First-Order-Change always takes precedence.
My Dear Friend, Orang Rojak, as citizens of a democratic country, everyone has the right to participate and voice up their opinion. That’s why I didn’t dispute or denounce when you mentioned Fong Po Kuan’s name.
“KUALA LUMPUR: The cabinet has shot down a proposal for a Race Relations Act after a study revealed that Malaysians were generally not in favour of enforcing better racial ties.
Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the decision came after exhaustive discussions within the cabinet and with representatives of all communities.”
Is this true? I suggest the chinese and the indians find a way to get out from the weird nation call Malaysia.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2458988/Article/index_html
Malaysia is sinking do something…
Can Datuk Seri Najib Razak emulate Barack Obama to embody change and inspire Malaysians with the same hope of a “dream come true” as Obama has been able to evoke from the American people as witnessed in the inauguration of the 44th United States President yesterday? – Uncle Lim.
—————————————————————
The relevant issue here is concerning whether the “old habits” can be change or not?
And what are the “old habits”?
1) Ketuanan Melayu. Do they still see equality among races which afforded with equal rights? What happened to the Race Relations Act? Abandoned?
2) Religious fanaticism. Have they resolved the issue of the Herald, conversion to Islam pertaining to spouse, children, property and burial? Amendment to the Constitution?
3) Corruption. Obviously still rampart. By the way, why no action taken against the Angkasawan?
3) Judicial reform. Is it? Why is there a DEAD SILENCE against those implicated in the Royal Commission of Inquiry Video Clip of Lingam? Forgive and forget?
4) Altantuya’s case. Conspiracy to cover-up the “BIG FISH”? Why a sudden disappearance of Balasubramaniam after he issued a contradicted SD? And the acquittal of Abdual Razak on technicality?
5) ISA. For, by and of the rakyat interests?
etc….etc….etc….. I’m sure you know better.
I hope I’m not jumping the gun by saying that MACC will become the shortform for “Mana Ada Corruption Case???” sooner than later based on all the tale tale signs of its ways of operations!!!
How can we compare Apple with Najis???
# cintanegara Says:
Today at 11: 49.39 (43 minutes ago)
I believe Malaysians can count on him.
On the other hand, every Malaysians and the rest of the world still look up at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with respect and praises. Needless to say, the oppositions still lack of a good leader with vision and ability like him.
————————————————————-
Najib still has many unanswered question about him. Every Malaysian knows what he is involved with.
Dr.M respected and praises. Don’t jokelah. He made full use of ISA to stay in power and to put fear into people. Don’t confuse respect with fear.
We all know why Dr.M supports Najib , he thinks he can control Najib and run the country again.
Who cares whether Najib or BN can embody change or not. What I know is many rakyat can’t wait for 13th election to kick out BN!!!
Change? What change? BN only give the rakyat SHORT CHANGE!
“On the other hand, every Malaysians and the rest of the world still look up at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with respect and praises.”
Looks like cintanegara is still in him slumber. Obviously, he does not realise, not the mention the extent of damage, this mamak has inflicted to the Malays and this nation?
He (Najib*) drew a comparison with the politics of change….. “Obama managed to tap this wave of change to get nominated and elected, as the first African American president. BN is sensitive to the wave of change sweeping through the country and must reinvent itself to meet the challenge.”
Does he not know that the ‘change’ he is talking about would destroy the party as we know it (which is good) and him along with it (which is even better)??
Political System & culture is hard to change.
To quote Barack Obama on the McCain/Palin ticket’s claim to be agents of change “You know, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. ”
If Datuk Seri Najib Razak were to push hard for change in convincing way, he too would be pushed out of the top slot by the warlords vying for the slot!
In the premises, the question is NOT whether Datuk Seri Najib Razak or UMNO/BN could embody change and inspire Malaysians.
The time is past to address that question.
So let’s not waste time and deflect from the real question, which is: can Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emulate Barack Obama to embody change and inspire Malaysians with the same hope of a “dream come true” as Obama has been able to evoke from the American people???
To which the inevitable next question will arise : what is the nature of change or change to what? Will it be change to the better or worse???
There must be a frame of reference : what would that frame reference be?
Even as Obama could say, “we can choose hope over fear” the question still lingers : now that we know hope is important, it is equally as important to ask what shall such change – that this hope is pinned on – lead to upon the realisation of such hope?
Will, after the change, there be a more “sanitized” political/cultural milieu in which concerts of R&B star Rihanna, dangdut performer Inul Daratista, Avril Lavigne (unless performers agree to wear baju kurung for their performances)? Or Muslims can no longer share a beer with non Muslim friends and colleaques in the pub in Bangsar? Wher Catholic newspaper The Herald still cannot use the word “Allah” in its publication?
Or an inclusive pluralist, secular by constitution frame of reference of DAP ???
The onus is on Anwar/Pakatan Rakyat to tell and show us, that is, if you know the answer and could give an honest one. :)
Sorry typo omission corrected in capitals: “….in which concerts of R&B star Rihanna, dangdut performer Inul Daratista, Avril Lavigne WILL NOT BE ALLOWED (unless performers agree to wear baju kurung for their performances)?”
Hahaha, YB is this for real?
Are you comparing an uncut diamond with a soiled rock from a muddy river? It does not warrant a comment.
cintanegara, if you don’t ‘dispute or denounce’ when your opinion is contrary, you are failing to exercise your democratic right. The right to freedom of speech is not a right ‘to be right’, it’s a right to say something when you disagree. The frequent protests you see in many democratic nations are not signs of badly-run countries: they are a sign that democracy is alive and well.
Wisdom is not a democratic product. Many of the wise people whose names you know, such as al-Khwarizmi, Omar Khayyam and al-Haytham will have applied criticism to their subjects and worked to improve on them. Al-Haytham, the great man that he was, pretended to be insane to avoid openly disagreeing with his caliph. I hope you never have to go that far.
Like OBAMA in Malaysia….no way! It may take another 50years. Everything in Malaysian politics is not for change like OBAMA. I see lots of selfishness in malaysian politics. Wait a moment: There is one guy in malaysia who can be Malaysian OBAMA. Yes..he is the CM of Penang.
cintanegara, obviously like a MCA dog you have not done enough of sucking…Mahathir to you must have a special aroma!
cintanegara
with regards to your post
“I believe Malaysians can count on him.
On the other hand, every Malaysians and the rest of the world still look up at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with respect and praises. Needless to say, the oppositions still lack of a good leader with vision and ability like him. ”
you sound earnest but earnestly crazy.
There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America – there’s the United States of America.
-Barack Obama
Obama was a comparative newcomer to politics when he started his campaign for the presidency. Hence he was not weighed down by the typical baggage of politicians who had been in the business of politics too long.
Najib is the opposite. He joined politics in his twenties and have been there ever since. He has been imbued with the dirty tactics of UMNO politics from Day 1 and this is the only form of politics he knows.
FROM MALAYSIAKINI:
Radhika Iyer-O’Sullivan | Jan 20, 09 3:55pm
I am a Malaysian currently residing and working in Dubai. On Dec 25, 2008, I flew with Malaysian Airlines flight MH161 to Kuala Lumpur to visit my parents. I was in seat 36H (an aisle seat) and the seat next to me, 36K (window seat) was vacant. The flight stopped over at Karachi for an hour.
MCPX
In Karachi, more passengers boarded the plane. One male passenger boarded, showed his boarding pass to a stewardess and she pointed to seat beside me (36K). The man looked at me and said, ‘She’s a Hindu, I cannot sit beside her.’ The stewardess responded, ‘So what? What’s wrong with Hindu?’ The man then began to yell and shout that he would not sit next to a Hindu.
The crew insisted that he had to because there were no other seats available because the plane was full. Then this passenger sat down but began to verbally abuse my faith and the crew members. I sat in my seat but was physically cringing away from him. The flight supervisor was summoned and until then the man was still seated next to me. Imagine my shock, horror and fear in being next to a hostile, abusive person.
One steward did stand next to me but did not offer any help and I did not feel safe or reassured. I reached out and told that steward that I did not feel safe anymore. I said this to him softly in English and he told me to sit and wait. He then walked off and a female crew member took his place. All this time I was under the impression that this hostile passenger beside me was a Pakistani.
I then told the stewardess in Malay that this man should not be seated beside me after what he had said about me. There were other Malaysian passengers sitting in the same area and all of them heard me. She smiled and merely nodded.
Finally, the flight supervisor, ‘SB’, approached the passenger and after an angry exchange, the passenger said, ‘Move her then!’ and SB replied, ‘Yes, we will move her’. More angry words were exchanged and it was revealed that the passenger was actually a Malaysian. When this news was revealed, the passenger actually stood up with his fists up, ready to be physically violent. I was then hauled out of my seat and taken to the back of the plane. I was kept in the kitchen.
By this time I had gone into shock and was crying uncontrollably. I was shaking with rage because I was in a position where there was nothing I could do to defend myself. No one else seemed to be doing anything too.
I could not see what was happening from the rear of the plane but I did see uniformed security personnel approaching my original seat. I could not hear or make out what was happening as there was a group of people standing around my original seat. Eventually, the group left and it was announced that the plane would be taking off.
All this time I was in the kitchen, shaking and crying. All that was done for me was crew members taking turns to ask me if I was okay and offering me Coke and water! The plane began to taxi and I was then taken to another seat (42H). As I sat down, I asked the steward, ‘Is he off the plane?’ and the answer was, ‘No.’ I was appalled.
After the plane took off, the flight supervisor, SB, came and sat beside me. He explained to me that they could not put him off the plane because he was a deportee and if they had insisted on putting him off, then the plane would not have been cleared for take off. I was still crying at this point. I asked, ‘Why am I in a different seat? He should be!’ but my question was not answered.
The plane was not full. There were eight seats vacant in the rear, four on the right aisle and four seats on the left. Seat 42H, where I was put, was one of those vacant seats in the rear. If the MAS crew knew there was a deportee boarding, should they not have made arrangements to place him at the rear of the plane? What kind of airline policy allows a deportee to sit beside a female passenger travelling alone?
I spent the next five and a half hours on the flight in tears. I was not able to sleep because I knew that a hostile passenger was only six rows down from me. I was not afraid but in rage. My friends who are reading this would know the kind of person I am. I have always stood up for my rights and for the rights of people whom I love. I would not usually tolerate such abuse and I would not have hesitated in defending myself.
What stopped me was knowing that I was on a plane, in a confined space and that there were other passengers around me too, women and children. The abusive passenger was not removed from the plane and when we landed at KLIA, he disembarked like a normal passenger and was not escorted or arrested. I also disembarked knowing that I was now in the same terminal, on my own, as this hostile passenger.
I am very disappointed with the way MAS dealt with the incident. That passenger should have been taken to the rear of the plane and restrained. I was the victim of the incident yet I lost my chosen seat that I had paid for. Apart from offers of water, Coke and some verbal reassurances, the crew did not do anything else for me.
I have contacted other major airlines and this is how they would have dealt with the matter: I would have been moved to Business/First Class and I would have been escorted into the terminal until I safely exited the airport. MAS did not do anything for me. First of all, they jeopardised my safety and well-being by forcing the passenger to sit beside me knowing that he was hostile towards me and then they did nothing else to keep me safe.
I was in the same cabin as that passenger, wondering if he was going to walk by or pass me. I spent the entire five and a half hours in tears because I could not stand up for my rights and also because I had to keep my own rage pent-up.
Once I landed, I rang my husband in Dubai and related the events to him. He took immediate steps to contact MAS but to no avail. I stayed for one week in Malaysia and every single day, I tried to call their Customer Complaints Department. All I got was a voice mail. I left numerous messages but no one called me back. No one contacted my husband in Dubai. It is only after he put it up on the MAS blog that we have received some kind of response. Fourteen days after the incident, someone from MAS called me to offer an apology.
My husband also received an email from someone who has offered me 25 percent discount on a return flight from KL to Dubai and actually referred to that abusive passenger as a ‘fellow customer’! She also clearly stated that measures taken were to prevent that passenger from getting angrier. So in other words, they do admit that.
These are the questions I posed to MAS:
Why force a passenger who is racially abusive and hostile to my appearance and faith to sit beside me? There were other seats available at the rear as I discovered later.This was not a passenger who was merely fussing about his seat, this was a passenger who was potentially a threat to another passenger.
Why did the flight supervisor immediately give in to his demands and agree to move me? I was not the passenger causing trouble.
Upon retrospect, I think I was lied to. I do not think the passenger was a deportee. It was a lie told to me to keep him on the plane and keep me quiet. If a lie was told, that means that the crew took measures to protect the hostile passenger and themselves but not me, the victim. If so, then the MAS crew perpetuated the racism and discrimination initiated by the passenger.
If this is the case, then the entire crew participated in jeopardising my safety and appropriate action should be taken against them. If the passenger was truly a deportee or an INA (inadmissible because of visa) then the plane captain should have documents about him. If a deportee or INA caused trouble on a flight, the captain should have been informed immediately.
Why was the captain not informed and if he was, why did he not come to see me? I have been informed that KLIA security had been called but there was no one waiting when the plane landed. The abusive passenger disembarked like any other normal passenger. Why was he not nabbed or restrained? Why did not the crew ensure my safety in the terminal too?
I am demanding a formal, written apology from Malaysian Airlines. I want a truthful, reasonable explanation for all the five points I have listed above. I want some compensation for what I suffered. So far, I have only received an e-mail informing that the matter is under investigation.
DON’T FLY MALAYSIA AIRLINES IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE.
Mr Lim Kt Siang,
Please check this story out…. And bring this story up.. to the relevant authorities
Interesting article. While I think MAS could have handled the situation better, I suspect their hands are tied. If it is common practice (I’m ignorant) for deportees to be pushed through Immigration Controls into “airside” (is that already some sort of non-sovereign ‘grey area’?), then they must appear to be indistinguishable from any other customer.
As for re-seating the deportee. If he was a deportee, the odds were stacked in his favour. I imagine he could have caused as much trouble as he wished, in the full knowledge that the Pakistani authorities wouldn’t have him back. An abysmal experience for your correspondent, but I wonder what MAS could have done differently, once the situation had begun to unfold?
While I’m not sure what MAS can do to better accommodate deportees, I would have expected them to offer more than an apology, if only to avert a public relations disaster.
Can a donkey become a horse?
Can a cat become a tiger?
Can Najib become a Obama?
UMNO is an old jalopy. It a needs a new engine, new chassis, new tyres, new battery, new upholstery, new steering wheel.
What this country need is a new car called Pakatan Rakyat.
Obama takes oath as first black US president
this is the news title under malaysiakini. we are truly a racist country. we are educated to be racist
That useless red lips..experts in double talking…..twisting ..low class actor….want to copy Obama to talk change of attitudes of UMNO guys? Right now…no chance to curi curi wang…,jadi orang biak…acting only.
MACC..boss…UMNO….just for show…act after election is expected…to lean towards boss..and perform…when the results..no more important to elections.
You expect them to announce catching UMNO crooks bribing before election…cannot la…they got to give chance to UMNO..their boss.
Whatever it is…all are under UMNO’s payroll.
To really have all those so call groups….like police …lawyers and MACC…..do excellent job…throw UMNO out…..and have new uncorrupted boss. If Pakatan Rakyat leaders..turn out to be corrupted…then..there will be no end to favouritism……fooling ad acting.
I just spent a sleepless night watching the live event …..supported by more than 2 million of Americans…witnessing Obama becoming USA President…..his speech…the two old guys fainted and the parade…got up and read this post.
Let others comment….I read.
pulau_sibu makes a good point. It makes me feel sad too, to see the ‘one drop’ rule still applies. The UK’s Daily Mail (printed for bigots of all persuasions) calls him ‘the black president’ on their front page, the Independent ‘the 44th’.
I suppose it’s impossible to adequately convey the USA’s victory of reason and fairness over racism without referring to Barack Obama’s melanistic superiority over his predecessors. All I hope is that people get over it quickly and allow him to get on with his job as ‘the president’ without qualification.
Najis asked for repentant in the Sun newspaper, I would ask him and all the cronies, past and present to show their sincerity by returning all the billions ringgits that they had pocketed “legally” & illegally!!! If they have done that, I would vote for BN in the next GE, provided that they dont take the money out from the backdoors or windows after that!!! But knowing very well that they wont be doing this anyway, I can safely say that BN is going down and out by the next GE!!!
I forgot to say:
Cintanegara – you see? Malaysia is better than the USA and the UK! I bet none of the local newspapers referred to Mahathir as the ‘first black Prime Minister’, did they?
I wonder if you’ve watched Chee Soon Juan’s YouTube video yet? Will Chee Soon Juan bring ‘change’ to Singapore? I don’t think so… he’s as charismatic as an SMS in that video.
How …simply plain truths can be twisted as racialist opinions….by smart twisting tongues.
Yes..Obama is the first black American President.
What so racialist by pointing that out?
Malaysiakini does not educate readers as racialists.
Straits Times and Star papers do.
Malaysiakini sack one…for false reports.
Everyone makes mistakes.and Malaysiakini is what it is today…so popular for Malaysians TO PAY… what you cannot find in our local papers…have contributed alot to freedom of informations.
Pro UMNO and MCA guys are here to poison good minds..with their smart twisting style.
Young readers may not have the money to be members of Malaysiakini readers…but they can certainly read the pros and cons..to judge by themselves.
Terengganu results is due mainly to young voters……favoring change of government.
UMNO and his lap dog….MCA are at it again..poisoning minds to vote for them.
Uncle Lim,
If DS Najib unable to emulate Barak Obama to embody change for Malaysia, then let the Rakyat of Malaysia to change for him!
“??????,
”????, ????”
Why cant we accept that we are black or white or yellow or langsat colour??? These are God’s colours, mind you!!! It is the colour given by God the natural way, unless someone thinks that another colour is more suitable or superior than the others, then they may need to change their colours following MJ way!!!
You cannot compare USA polical system to Malaysia they are so fragile just like their economic and banking system so hopeless now
you have to look at British or Aussie rule system Malaysia is closer to Whitehall not White house..
USA do not have DAP ,PAS , ADIL ,HINDRAF , BERSIH and CEKAP … at least Najib Razak Hussin closer to Barrack Hussin Obama…
YB Lim you joking or what. They are like night and day. One has gone thru primaries and an election to become President elected by the people. The other got enough nominations from a corrupt party and 2,000 + delegates will I guess confirm him as persident of UMNO thus PM of Malaysia. Najib is not tested. And he dare not debate. When he talks, you go to sleep. Obama makes people motivated with his speech and get together as Americans. Najib can get people together with a keris and installing hatred. Obama will do the best fro the people and will be accountable and the system will make him accountable. Najib..well malaysia Boleh. Obame realise there is an economic issue, najib thinks Semuanya OK.
So do not hope Najib can do even 10% of what Obama can do be it having a vision, motivating or taking action on his promises. Najib is NATO.
BTW Michelle is full of class. ;)
The MAS article is out of place here but the aggrieved will probably have her revenge pretty soon because the way MAS is being run and bled, it will die soon enough. Of course all those involved would have made hundreds of millions milking the taxpayers money poured into it by the corrupt BN government. The company may be loosing millions but a lot of these money naturally goes on to line somebody’s pocket. That is why no GLC can make money in Malaysia, officially.
Kit,
This entry by Radhika Iyer-O’Sullivan | Jan 20, 09 3:55pm, should have been made into a separate posting as you normally do. This would have given better comments from readers.
MAS is an extension of UMNO. There is no way action will be taken against a Muslim for insulting a Hindu.
Imagine what would have happened had a Hindu insulted a Muslim in the plane.
The entire government media would have demonized and hanged him.
It is common for people to point out the uniqueness of someone i.e. the first Asian to lead the MNC, the first woman to be in the Cabinet, the first Chinese to go into the space, the first this and that, it does not carry any prejudice, unless someone always feeling inferior of their own looks, origin etc. that they will feel bad about themselves. Our worth are in God’s eye and not men’s eyes!!! Got it!!! Just like a son or daughter of ours, no matter how they looked, they are precious in our eyes!!! they are worthless!!!
“BTW Michelle is full of class.” Rocky
You mean Rosemary doesn’t have any “class” ? I thought she had Oxford St class, Regent St class, Fifth Avenue class…
When the world world – not just the Americans – tries to put on a positive front by viewing the glass as half full, we still have Malaysians who with their long-winded prose still attempt to tell us that we may be wrong, and that the glass might just be half empty. There is only one word to describe such people – despicable.
Barack Obama is still not supported by 100 pct of the African Americans. There are some – during the primaries and the presidential election – who have sided with Obama’s opponents. However, the fact is that this is a fringe group e.g. people like Jeremiah Wright. In Bolehland, PAS also has a fringe group – the sort of people who insist that concerts are immoral, that crimes should be punishable by stoning, etc etc. We have heard all these before, and we will hear these again, but the fact is that the mainstream PAS wants to live with the constraints posed by DAP and PKR. Mainstream PAS wants reconciliation and to “walk together” with DAP and PKR for a larger purpose.
Let PAS youth or the fringe group say what they want. In a democracy, we may not agree with what they say, but we should defend their right to say it. There is no need to voice the possibility of doom and gloom when the majority believe that better days lie ahead.
So, another word for those naysayers and those who jump on every small misstep by PAS or PKR or DAP – crawl back into your dark hole and stay there. The light isn’t for you.
There is no way UMNO can be changed because whoever tried to change the core business of UMNO will be defeated. AAB said he wanted to change UMNO, and he is out now. So, UMNO should be defeated before they would ever realise that politics is not for creating personal wealth. UMNO in the opposition might be reformed when opportunists leave it.
AAB might have done more for the country leading BN to lose the five states than trying to reform UMNO. Najib will help AAB to finish the good work by losing the federal government.
sorry, it should say “when the whole world….”
“On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” Barack Obama
Unfortunately there are still those who try to harp on our fears, those who try to convince us that a small probability of danger outweigh the larger probability of a brighter future. These are the people who never understood the lesson of March 8, 2008 – that the unity of purpose induces change. These are the people who say that change may not be good for us and they tell us all sorts of cock and bull stories about the greater dangers ahead. I say let’s keep inducing change until we have the government we want.
“Change we can believe in.”
Look at UMNO’s Supreme Council line-up:
Najib, Muhyiddin, Mike Tyson, Tengku Adnan, Azalina, Shahrizat, Rafidah, Ali Rustam, Ghani Othman, etc etc. You think that these people can change for the better ?
They still want to do business the old way. They give out contracts to cronies and relatives. This is the only way they know. Look at Eurocopter, Labu Airport, KTM double-tracking, Bakun undersea cable – every deal clouded in secrecy.
Najib can never be compared to Obama. We Malaysians just need to make sure that we approach our issues the way the Americans have approached their issues in the past year.
They will talk and talk about change until our hind legs come off.
They will talk about being serious on corruption, then they give money to reporters for more favourable reporting on the recent by-election, and the MACC goes after some minnow for a RM300 bribe. They award contracts to UMNO Class F contractors (all bumiputras) and they say it is not a bribe, but their normal way of doing business. They intend to extend the AP system until 2020 so that more UMNOputras can have time to amass their wealth. They try to muzzle the press so that real issues affecting the rakyat are not reported – increased crime, dengue epidemic, falling educational standards.
They can talk all they want, but it is NOT change that we can believe in.
You don’t have to go far to see whether there would be any change in UMNO when Najis takes over – just look at the clown cintanegara. In almost every thread on this blog, all he could do is to point at Singapore – how that country practises discrimination, nepotism, etc, and how generous UMNO has been in allowing the other races to breathe. No substantive debate, no answering of the questions posed by readers here.
The stench of denial is so strong – and I’m sure someone like Kit smells it too.
Come on… this hippo najis still portray themselves as weak, kita ditindas, kita dipinggirkan, perjuangan kita belum selesai, mari kita membela nasib kita… bla bla bla…
From Obama inauguration speech, “….This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath….”
Can compare meh ? How to ?
This is not a question of seeing a glass whether half empty or half full or whether it is expressed in long winded prose or petty snippets of taunts.
This is an issue of every commentator here being accorded the space and right to speak his view whether pertaining to an half empty or half full glass and another commentator whose rigid, fanatically sectional and partisan support of one particular view does not spare himself every opportunity to generously pour his verbal vitriol and taunt at those whose view he does not agree and would describe as despicable.
He concedes he is not right all the time but he is convinced that he is right most of the time – especially when his mind is made up, ie after surveying the scene measuring the distance between his eyes and the tip of his nose! Cold narrow minds, confined ideas, God forbid, we should be wary of such people even if they claim to support the Opposition Cause, much worse the likes of him ever comes to power!
They are actually dictators by temprament and mind set. When they say that they respect other’s freedom speech i t should be accorded the same credibility as a sex worker uttering in the midst of her work, “I love you”!
He who advocates the half full glass view does not know his place. This is not his blog. And he cannot speak for the rest who may want to hear what others say about the half empty glass view. He has no business to say “ good riddance” to those whose views he does not like.
What can we say of such a personality – forever poised between a cliche (den of thieves) and petty instigations and taunts of those whose views he disapproves with noth ing substantial in between?
Isn’t the correct word “pathological”, as a friend just informed me by email all the way from Sydney on reading his comments in this blog?
Absolutely right. If it weren’t for pathological supporters Obama would not have made it to the White House. If it were for those who sees the glass as half empty, Obama would not make it the White House.
PR would never have made it to the present position. Good riddance is for those who can’t stand the heat and openly declares their intention not to post comments anymore.
Just make sure when the sun shines and the smell of the green grass is in your nostrils, you know which pathological PR supporters get you there.
If anyone isn’t going to come to our cause, then why should you try to undermine our cause. In this regard, a crapshooting lawyer and cintanegara is not very different.
Whilst Obama would make it to the White House, pathological PR supporters would get us to the black house. There is no point selectively quoting Obama about choosing hope over fear and forgetting what he warned against those who silence dissent as being on the wrong side of history…..
If one is confident that he holds th e truth, why is he so insecure about other’s different or contrary view that he needs to silence by driving them away by taunts and instigation of taunts?
This is a blog forum for people to express their views : it is not the preserve only amongst those who believe in only a certain view.
This is not even your blog to dictate what views are acceptable here – and certainly not a blog for you to insult others here because you don’t agree with their views. Are you sick or what ?
Oh, my friend from Chicago emailed me and advised me not to get into a scrap with a lawyer who has a pathological penchant to show off, so I better stop here before I get reprimanded by other readers.
It is Ok that you say “crapshooting lawyer and cintanegara is not very different” as long as you don’t say we are not very different. I would take an offense to that!
Why are you so scared of being reprimanded by other readers? You don ‘t seem to have a problem reprimanding those posters whose views you find, in your words, “despicable” here.
“Unfortunately there are still those who try to harp on our fears, those who try to convince us that a small probability of danger outweigh the larger probability of a brighter future. These are the people who never understood …” Godfather
A ‘fear’ guru does what a guru of fear does i.e. instil fear where fear does not exist, and where fear is pervasive have that fear rooted for all eternity.
Where’s that ‘fear’ guru this morning (or evening)??
The fear guru ain’t coming back, but he’s legally represented. Maybe even regally. Seriously, the chasm isn’t that great for we are all looking at the same glass. So long as there are more people that look at that glass as half full than those who look at it as half empty, then I am content.
Can Najib emulate Obama to embody change? – LKS
——-
LKS:
You are too magnanimous in your assessment of Najib. Najib can be never be compared to Obama because Malaysian political culture is completely different from the US.
Even though the President of the United States is considered the most powerful man in the world but in reality his powers is quite limited domestically as there are check and balances to his powers. The President is chosen by the people of the whole country and not limited to some powerful coterie of supporters from one party.
But not in Malaysia. Malaysian political culture is basically feudalistic. The Prime Minister of Malaysia is a despotic autocrat. He has absolute power to do whatever he likes and no one can stop him. Even the Agong can be humiliated by the Malaysian prime ministerial despot. The ongoing murder case of Altantuya proves that the long arm of the law can be checked and stopped in its tracks when it comes to Najib. He does not need to submit to the rigours of the law but he can short-circuit it by just swearing on the koran and he got off scot-free.
Najib will become the next prime minister come March. But he was not chosen directly by the people of Malaysia but by some 192 warlords in UMNO. Many leaders from many countries would be green with envy with such arrangement.
If Najib were to emulate Obama, it would mean the end of UMNO and all the running-dog parties. Would he dare?
So the answer to your original question is an unmitigated NO.
By right you should rephrase your question: Can Najib emulate Mugabe of Zimbabwe to inflict harm on Malaysia?
Yes absolutely. The reason are:
1) Mahathir has caused a lot of damage to Malaysia and Najib is continuing with the grand tradition.
2) All the critical institutions in the country have been damaged beyond repair and there is no check on his powers.
3) He is the leader of a grand coalition of racially-composed parties, which is basically a den of thieves.
4) His name is associated with the murder of Altantuya which involved high corruption, misuse of law enforcement apparatus and short-circuit of the criminal system.
5) The police has been converted to a band of gangsters which only work for BN politicians and not for the people.
6) After the lessons of the 2008 electoral tsunami, the Pematang Puah and Kuala Trengganu buy-elections Najib does not seem to learn from it. Instead a reign of terror is beginning to take shape.
7) Economy: While the rest of the world is reeling from the worst economic effect in 70 years, Najib is blissfully going against the current. Prices are rising and people are losing their jobs and the government is not doing anything. Soon everybody will be like Zimbabwe and become trillionaires.
8) and etc, etc, etc.
These will be the legacies of Najib – the last in the line of UMNO prime ministers according to the RAHMAN oracle.
There is no need for DPM to emulate Obama. We need to run this country on the basis of our constitution which stipulates that Malaysia is a multi-racial country. We have to do away with organisations that are set up for a particular community or religion such as HINDRAF.(sic) Our strength is our diversity and based on that we must not measure the wealth of the country by its GDP but by the micro distribution of prosperity.
We do not need a high powered person like Obama to run this country. We have the basics and all we need is a Government that can make our One Ringgit work like Two Ringgit. The owner of this Blog should make this his mission for the rest of his political life.
A government that can make our One Ringgit work like Two Ringgit ? This government steals 50 sen from our One Ringgit, then spins through the mainstream press that our One Ringgit is working like Two Ringgit. For 30 plus years, the rakyat actually believed it.
Uncle Lim, what a question. Old dogs can’t learn new tricks.
We need something new to even come close to the Obama phenomenon. Remember, it took over two centuries in the US.
Just imagine a good day in March when Rosy taking over the helm, many people like me shall become sick and start to vomit…
C4
C4C4
C4C4C4
C4C4C4C4
C4C4C4C4C4
Sure it took a while for the US to be where she is. But that is a lame excuse. We are quick to adopt everything US except….. go figure
About the MAS article… sorry.. Mr. Lim if reads his own blog, he is in a better position to bring it to relevant authorities.
Immediately after the by-election, MACC sprang into action to convince Malaysians of its prowess, announcing that a senior Perak Umno official and two others would be charged for money politics in UMNO – involving sums of money ranging from RM200 to RM300!
——–
It really shows how useless the MACC is. It was during the KT buy-election where the million-ringgit action took place. Money literally rained down on Kuala Trengganu during the whole week. Many people who were there were surprised to find out that envelopes stashed with cash mysteriously appeared from nowhere even without having to asked for it. If you were a blind man who happened to be in KT on that week, you would not fail to smell the aromas of ringgits in your nostrils and feel the vibrations of corruption in your bones.
People who were not in KT throughout the breadth and length of Bolehland also did not miss the corrosive effects of the money politics that took place and many have wished that the MP who they have not seen since the 2008 tsunami would suddenly die and all types of goodies would rain down in their constituencies.
Even the South China Sea could not prevent the people of Sabah and Sarawak from feeling the vibrations of the corruption that was happening in KT.
Yet the MACC was asleep and was derelict in its duty to know what everybody knew. How ridiculous of Abdullah Badawi to declare that with the setting up of the MACC there would be no more corruption?
wah!
what wonderful reforms by the prime minister
for ALL malaysians.
what a capable fantastic leader.
malaysia truly blessed!
wah!
Rocky says
“…can get people together with a keris and installing hatred….”
no lah cannot be lah. Rocky don’t you know
that in this very unique blessed country of ours
EVERYONE is trusted?
The minority groups don’t need
to be threatened to stop “pushing” the majority group too far
for some members if not most of the majority group
will go amok.
No lah! you got it ALL WRONG.
in malaysia i tell you EVERYONE is treated equally
and with FULL respect.
Unless you happen to be a squatter lah
in which case…
Eh rocky you don’t believe me?
ask cintanegara!
Yet the MACC was asleep and was derelict in its duty to know what everybody knew.
——
correction: Yet the MACC was asleep and was derelict in its duty for not knowing what everybody knew.
For all the talk on TDM being a south-south champion and leader, may I suggest that we all send him to Zimbabwe to help to resolve the crisis over there. Surely with the respect he has , they would listen to his advice on fairness and political equality.
I think he owes this, at least to jhs buddy John Mugabe! Maybe with his wise economic knowledge, he will prove to the world that he and Mugabe can find fast track soulutions to the current woes of the world. They can then tell Obama to stand aside!
With this success, TDM may stand a chance to become the head of OAS and with that he will surely get plenty of publicity! Then he can leave Malaysia to let it find its progress!! After all we have had 22 years of his medicine, be fair give some to his supporters in Africa!!
Why or why do people insist on comparing Najib and Obama? There is little similarities. Just because they can imagine the great possibilities if Najib was like Obama? Might as well wish for at the stars….
Obama pretty much had odds staked against him from birth, went to the best schools, a track record of self-sacrifice and social conscience, a track record of leading and pioneer EVEN before he became President. Najib IS NONE OR OPPOSITE of these things. Even their wifes and children, personal taste and traits are night and day. Najib is closer to George Bush Jr. than he is Obama and even then George Jr STILL have a leg up on him in some sense..
Najib? “Dream come true”? Like Obama? As in the american dream coming true? Well Najib’s dream is coming true for him alright. Well almost there. And Malaysian dream? Nah. There aint such thing here. Malaysian dream means super mega projects for umnoputras and nothing else really.
The Minister of Health Liow T.L. was blamed for neglecting his duty.Sin Chew Daily today reported a member of the family of an ex MCA senator who was involved in an accident and later died in the General Hospital in Melaka.Liow was alleged to have failed in his duty to ensure the provision of efficient and responsible medical care service by the above mentioned hospital.The deceased’s husband was even prepared to take up a legal suit against the hospital for the alleged negligence.So what say you Najib and OTK?
Najis will say on March 31 that he has a dream. He will dream that he is in a position to dish out contracts. First order of the day is to dish out contracts to Mahathir’s children and cronies so that the old man’s mouth is kept tightly shut. The next step is to throw some crumbs to Badawi and his family and cronies so that they don’t make unncessary noise. Third step is to dish out some crumbs to people like Ahmad Ismail so that these people don’t stick their feet into their mouths. Last but not least, the coalition parties will also be thrown some crumbs so that the leaderships of these parties toe the line.
In the meantime, Rosemary commandeers MAS aircraft and embassy cars for her shopping sprees.
Najis and Rosemary – what a couple in contrast to the Obamas.
Oohhh puuleez, please don’t ever compare Najib with Obama! They are worlds apart in terms of capability, intelligence, accountability, responsibility, integrity, personality…..wife included ;-)
I whole-heartedly agree with the opinions on this page.
Do not compare with Obama. Heaven and earth difference.
Yes I agreed. It is a difference between Heaven and Hell to be exact.
1. He cannot even tell that the world is in recession and keep saying that we are spared.
2. Petrol prices here in Malaysia is higher now than in Thailand and Indonesia.
3. A basic pack of Maggi Mee in Tesco Malaysia cost RM 3.40 as compare to RM 2.60 in Tesco BKK today.
4. We are one of the biggest Gas exported in the world and yet we do not have enough gas for domestic use. Even Thailand have NGV in most Petrol Station and they can enjoy RM 0.65 per liter. No queue.
5. We are talking on 2020 and yet our local population cannot even understand how to use a sitting toilet bowl in a Public Place.
6. Pls remember that it is his father Tun Razak that invented this Keturunan Melayu, NEP and leave us all this shit today.
7. Like father like son. He leave more question than answers.
8. Better to vote an Orang Utan than him.
We are doom under him and his team.
/// To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. ///
Hmmmm, was Obama thinking of Mahathir when he said the above paragraph in his Inaugural Speech???
Vomitting is a natural defence that has been built into our system. We vomit when we have stomach virus. We also vomit when we suffer food poisoning. I am sure there are other reasons. Pregnancy somehow can also cause vomitting. But I dont know whether that is a good or a bad thing. But one thing is certain – it is uncomfortable to the mother. And strangely, I discovered, vomiting also brings temperature down – at least to my kids whenever they are unwell (probably due to stomach virus or something).
And of course our world is full of crazy people. Some are actually stupid and not crazy. But it is not my business to correct them or to enlighten them. Hei its democracy we are after. Well I am. Now those people thought it fanciful to induce vomitting for all sorts of reasons – usually odd if not stupid reasons. I shall not mention those reasons here.
But the way to go about inducing vomit excites me. Its can be interesting. But lets get it on record that I do not endorse the practise nor do I carry it out myself. Never. Now you see there is that strange looking bit of flesh sticking down from the roof of our oral cavity near the back of our throat – the uvula. Yes tickle it and see what happens.
For those who found this exercise difficult either because (a) the little flesh (which incidentally sounds much better than uvula) is too far behind; or (b) they have short fingers; or (c) they simply find the venture into their own oral cavity revolting do not despair.
I found another way to vomit. I cannot guarantee that it will work all the time. But it is worth trying. Anyway its all down to practice. For those of you who are courageous or are plainly curious – do this: Clear your throat if you just want to vomit and not choke and vomit at the same time. Then take a deep breath. You are ready to go. Now read the words below carefully –
“every Malaysians and the rest of the world still look up at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with respect and praises.”
They are by cintanegara.
The goons are looking for the wow factor for which I have found one.
I hope these goons can learn a lesson or two from this wow factor.
http://kingsmary.blogspot.com/
Taiking,
Next time you must put a big bold \Health Warning\ at the top of you post. Thanks to you, my dinner is now on my keyboard.
:)
Halo rockdaboat,
what u said is so truuuuuuuueee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
hahahaha
We will ‘sapu’ them nicely come 13th GE! Ooh!….really can’t wait until then!!
Simple answer – No he can’t.
hi guys,I am back, how you guys doing ? my congratulation to yb limkitsiang and PR for taking the KT by election,you the voters are great and did the wonderful thing. UMNO you are dommed. TDMyou should be back to retirement n stop polishing najib . you only do more damage than good for both of you guys. Obama won cos he is honest,clean,clear,young ,intelligent,smart and have a pretty and honest wife michelle unliked najib whos wife is questionable.my opinion is najib can never emulate obama .
The answer is obvious!
A goose will always remain a goose; it can never change into a swan!!!
c’mon…its not only abt najib emulating obama of any sorts.jz look around…all the goons in umno are emulating and putting up dramas and bragging abt changes.but thn…if this najib wanna talk abt changes…susahlah…forget it.i vote him out for one very simple reason….and hes got a very good reason for me to call him a racist.he only serves umno and no one.hes been the servant of many masters.and with all his blah blah blahs abt changes…why only today hes making noise?just becos he cant wait to be pm and wanna make a good impression for the rakyat?too late la mr najib….if u really wanna impress the rakyat…start with the altantuya case 1st…be fair to the trial cos as far as we can see…this trial really sucks big time.forget abt catching corrupted people in ur own umno….they are merely small fries.nothing to brag abt wat u do are or gonna do…for all we knw…they are merely sandiwaras.nothing this najib has done really impressed the rakyat.for all i can say….today…watever that comes out fr the mouth of umno goons…are all lies.
There has been so much talk about the MACC(Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission) in the newspaper. I am still waiting to see when a really “big fish” to go behind bars.
The talk about every citizen should enjoy NEP, and treated as equals etc. It is most pleasant to hear.
I have yet to hear from the non-bumis.
Ever wonder why AAB used MACC as the shortform for Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission??? If you know Chinese Cantonese, MA sounds like the name given to Mahathir in Chinese i.e. Lou MA (Old Horse) and CC sounds like dying in Chinese, so MACC is actually saying that the “Horse is dying” in Cantonese!!! AAB is leaving very soon, but he still wants every one to “curse” TDM whenever we mention MACC!!! Please donate some money to charitable organisations during this festive season if you think this bring some free laughter to you!!!
Cintanegara,
There are lots of people in Indonesia and Phillippines believe that Suharto and Ferdinand Marcos are still alive and ruling the country with respect and praises from all over the world!!!
What Najis should do as the Finance Minister and future PM to help all Malaysian and the economy is to exempt all Malaysian from paying INCOME TAX for the next 3 years!!!
But I dont think he is capable of doing that as he will think that only certain group of people know how to spend money and the rest will only know how to keep money!!! If that’s the case, please give 3 months bonus to all govt servants to spend ASAP!!!
Singapore Dollar is going to hit RM2.50 and beyond even during recession, what Najis is going to do to make them equal??? Dont look down a country just because of its size!!!
Najis should seriously consider to sell or lease half of Johor or Pahang to Singapore for few hundreds billions so that we can continue to enjoy life here working 3 days and rest 4 days!!!
Najib is a simpleton. Making silly statements on the state of crime and safety in Malaysia based on ‘misinterpreted’ statistics. It shows that he lacks a sharp critical analytical mind and easily misled.
I doubt he will last long. He will probably be out by next elections tops. I believe Dr. M is probably banking on Muhyiddin to be next to take over Najib to continue his legacy. And from what little i have seen, Muhyiddin is one smooth operator, knowing how to play both sides of the fences to his advantage (declaring support for AAB one moment than turning around the next), dropping cleverly veiled remarks, this guy is sharp. I believe Muhyiddin is THE next Mahathir.
Muhyiddin just need to keep Najib on for long enough before taking him down at the right time (just as what happened to AAB). Najib has enough taint it should not be a big problem.
My goodness,how can a pm in waiting said thing liked bn lost cos wrong choice of candidate. I really pitied the guy who lost as b4 the election najib said he’s bn best choice. I remember bn always boosted that the voters normally vote for bn not the candidate. come on najib be a man and admit that bn lost cos voters wanted a change.if najib wanted to emulate obama,come april 1st,he should abolish isa and free all detainees and close down kammuting detention camp,cut personal tax and start reaching the people instead of people begging to meet him.
Sorry for saying this. Obama has been seen as a trustworthy leader. But Najib’s case is different. Throughout his political life there were numerous scandals that were swept under the carpet. Every Malaysian has some doubts of his honesty.
How is he going to garner respect and support to run a clean government when his hand is tainted with all wrongs?